January 25, 2017 issue of The Egalitarian

66 / 40 Partly cloudy with winds reaching up to 20 MPH along with 40% humidity.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017 • Vol. 44, No. 1 • www.HCCEgalitarian.com • @HCC_Egalitarian

In Today’s Issue

HCC Vote Supports Dreamers

Grammy nod for J.A. Diaz Aldine ISD educator, Jose Antonio Diaz, finalist for 2017 Grammy Music Educator Award.

see Community, Page 4

Photo by JosueRodriguez Demonstrators gather outside of the HCC Administrative Building at 3100 Main on Thursday to voice their support of the resolution which put the college on record as supporting the Texas Dream Act.

Alyssa Foley

The Egalitarian

Hall of Fame Phone Call Houston Astros, Jeff Bagwell receives the call all players dream of. Cooperstown has new a member.

see On Sports, Page 8

Houston Community College’s governing board approved a resolution Thursday reaffirming its support of the Texas Dream Act. The vote comes at the beginning of the Texas legislative session where bills have been introduced to repeal the law that gives certain non-citizens in-state tuition rates.

While the repeal bills currently introduced are echoes of the unsuccessful repeal attempts of the last legislative session, the election of President Donald Trump raises new concerns that repeal efforts may gain traction this year.

Before the vote, Houston City Council Member Robert Gallegos spoke in support of the resolution at a rally outside the HCC

administrative building. Gallegos said that “We must be united. Washington must know that we demand an education system that is accessible for all students, regardless of their socio-economic or immigration status.”

Seven out of nine trustees voted in favor of the resolution, which states that the HCC Board of Trustees “respectfully endorses the continuation of policies and legislation that continue to build Houston and the great State of Texas as leaders in educational access [and] opposes changes to Texas laws on determination of resident status as used in higher education, including but not limited to the Texas Dream Act.” Zeph Capo is one of the trustees who introduced the resolution. In a phone interview, he said that he wants HCC dreamers to know that “we stand with you”

and that they are “not alone in this fight to maintain their right to access higher education.”

If the Dream Act is repealed this legislative session, this spring and summer may be the last college semesters for students who may not be able to afford out-of-state or international tuition rates.

These students are also living with the fear that the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA will be repealed.

The program gives those who immigrated to the U.S. as children without permission a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and allows them to work.

Current and former HCC students who see

Dreamer, Page 2

Houston Against President Donald Trump Jimmieka Mills The Egalitarian

A-list celebs out in force Emma Watson, Alicia Keys, Madonna, and Scarlett Johnansson among those at Washington march; Helen Mirren and Whoopi Goldberg among those at NYC march.

see Culture, Page 10

Thousands of protesters marched in downtown Houston this weekend in opposition to President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The marchers were motivated by the same opposition sediment that spurred similar protests around the nation on inauguration day Friday and on Saturday.

On Friday hundreds marched downtown during Trump’s inauguration. Protests continued over the weekend with Saturday morning’s Women’s March on Washington in Houston protest bringing an estimated 22,000 marchers. Houston Police Chief

Art Acevedo said the Saturday crowd was the largest gathering the city had ever seen.

Hawa Patel is a student at the University of St Thomas who attended the women’s march for many reasons.

“I am not just protesting President Trump, but all the injustice women and men everywhere have faced because of their gender. Coming from a traditional Pakistani-Indian family I know firsthand what it feels like to be held back, treated differently and made to feel lesser because of my gender.

Throw in the race and religion cards—I am muslim too—the hurt keeps piling on.”

Patel, who was also suffering from bronchitis, decided to

march through the pain, for what she felt, was a greater gain. “I marched with my lungs on fire because the patriarchy is more dangerous to my health than a lung infection.”

The diversity of Houston was spread throughout the women’s march. Support spread across not only races but sexes as well.

“I decided to protest because it was an opportunity for me to gain experience from a march and really understand what the protest meant to women,” said Darius Daniels, a drama major at the University of St Thomas. He admits that when he first agreed to attend it was in large part a way for him to support friends who had invited him. However, by the end of the protest, Daniels

The Official Student Newspaper of the Houston Community College System

had gained a new perspective.

“Once I got to meet other women and participate, I could feel their energy and passion. I thought about my mother and all of the other inspirational women who helped guide me or helped raise me as well while I was growing up,” said Daniels.

The Houstonians marching oppose the election of President Trump and the controversial policies he promised to enact after taking the oath of office.

Trump has vowed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare; overturn the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA; and defund see

Protest, Page 3

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Wednesday January 25, 2017

On Campus

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Jack Kent Cooke Award Semifinalist Alyssa Foley

The Egalitarian Four Houston Community College students are semifinalists for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.

The scholarship allows highachieving, low-income students attending community colleges to continue their education and achieve their dreams of earning a bachelor degree at selective fouryear colleges and universities.

HCC students Abigail Gonzalez, Thao Nguyen, Josue Rodriguez and Ahmad Sayyedahmad are being considered for the $40,000 per year scholarship, which is good for up to three years.

The HCC students are among the 597 community college students from across the nation who were chosen as semifinalists from nearly 3,000 applicants.

Locally, one San Jacinto Community College student and ten Lone Star community college students are semifinalists.

The list of semifinalists was announced on the foundation’s website on Jan. 12. This is the first year the foundation has published the names of semifinalists.

“Hopefully students are able to use the [semifinalist] distinction when they’re applying to four-year colleges, it can sometimes bolster their application in admissions decisions,” said Amber Styles, the digital marketing strategist at the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation “The students that we select as the semifinalists are students whose applications really stood out,” said Styles, “we’re looking for well-rounded students.”

In April, the 60 scholarship recipients will be revealed. It’s been over five years since a HCC student won a Cooke transfer scholarship, and two years since any HCC students have made the semifinalist round.

David Wilcox is the scholarship’s official campus representative at HCC, he is the

director of the central campus Honors College. Three of the semifinalists are his students at the Honors College, and Wilcox is proud of them.

Sometimes Wilcox identifies students who would be good candidates and encourages them to apply, other students come to him and ask if they would be a good fit. He isn’t shy of telling students no. “It’s not for everyone,” Wilcox noted.

The ideal candidates for a Cooke scholarship are people who are academically gifted, have a record of giving back to their college or community and who face financial adversity.

Wilcox said that students with the required 3.5 GPA or greater but no community service are not good candidates for this scholarship.

“Sophomores who have done a lot in their freshman year are going to be the best, best picks,” said Wilcox.

Next year’s transfer scholarship application will open in August.

For those interested in applying, Wilcox advises that they “begin to develop that resume that shows selfless giving and to keep up the good work in terms of academics.”

Wilcox added that, “Scholarships like this oftentimes are looking for a good story, and there are ample opportunities as you write about yourself to tell a good story.”

Each of the four HCC semifinalists have personal narratives which empower their lives, ambitions and selfless service.

Abigail Gonzalez Abigail Gonzalez is a full-time student at the Honors College studying environmental science and engineering.

Gonzalez is from Puebla City, Puebla, a large city in Mexico, where “there were barely any trees...I never knew any nature in Mexico, other than what I saw on the Discovery Channel.” She was curious about nature when she moved to the U.S. at 10-years-old.

Dreamer, From Page 1 have benefited from the Texas Dream Act and DACA spoke during the public comment section of the board meeting to voice their fears and concerns that other students may not receive the same opportunities they were given.

“In just 24 hours, I could fully undocumented again. That’s a very scary feeling for me, that’s a very scary feeling for my peers,” said HCC alumnus Cesare Bonazza who was brought to the U.S. by his parents as a child from Mexico City, Mexico. Today he is the executive director of the immigrant rights organization FIEL Houston Inc. Bonazza said while they may take everything else away from him, they cannot take away his education.

“We have a responsibility to protect them so that they can be gainfully employed,” said Trustee Carolyn EvansShabazz who voted in favor of the measure.

Primarily a public relations and

For years she has volunteered with the Wildlife Center of Texas caring for injured wildlife, and with the National Wildlife Federation teaching children the importance of conservation.

During an internship with Rice University, she helped develop energy-efficient Lithium-ion batteries. Gonzalez also serves as the president of the Science Club at HCC Central and is vice president of the central Honors College Club.

With the Cooke scholarship application she said, “The most difficult part was trying to put into words my passion for what I want to pursue.”

Gonzalez is applying to Rice University, the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and the University of Texas at Austin.

Thao Nguyen Thao Nguyen is an international student at the Honors College studying chemical engineering. She wants to work in environmental science and agriculture.

Nguyen explained that she hopes to someday help her home country, Vietnam’s economy is heavily based on agriculture and suffers from environmental issues.

On top of her full-time course load, Nguyen works part-time at the central campus library and is the president of the Student Library Advisory Council. She also participates in Model Arab League and is vice president of membership of Omega Sigma, HCC’s internationally ranked Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapter. Off-campus, she volunteers as a Vietnamese teacher and for the Star of Hope.

“I was really surprised that I got it,” said Nguyen about the semifinalist distinction. She considered not applying because she did not believe her application would be competitive. Her advice to other students is to “just try it, because you never know what

lobbying tool, the vote puts the college on record as supporting the Texas Dream Act. The resolution even states that the board resolves to support students through its lobbying efforts.

Capo explained that “We will use our resources, our relationships and every opportunity we can to ensure that they can continue to go to school and work toward graduation.”

The HCC resolution also states that the trustees oppose sharing private information about students’ immigration status unless the college is required by law, court order or subpoena.

It’s important to make clear what this resolution is not. This resolution does not make the college a sanctuary school. It would not stop the college from disclosing a student’s immigration status to authorities if in the future they are compelled to by law. In the meantime, they will lobby to make sure the law remains the same so students can continue to pursue their education. Also, the HCC resolution only mentions Texas laws, not

Image courtesy of Jack Kent Cooke Foundation The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship honors excellence by supporting outstanding community college students with financial need to transfer to and complete their bachelor’s degrees at the nation’s top four-year colleges and universities. you’re going to get.”

Nguyen plans on applying to the University of Houston, Texas A&M, University of Texas at Austin, University of Minnesota and Virginia Tech University.

Josue Rodriguez Josue Rodriguez is full-time student at the Honors College studying government and prelaw.

He dreams of being a lawyer for the United Nations or immigrant rights organizations. Rodriguez has a personal connection to his studies as a DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient. He was initially attracted to the Cooke scholarship because unlike with many scholarships, there is no citizenship requirement.

Between his studies and working nearly full-time, he somehow makes time to serve as the United Student Council or student body president of HCC. He represents students on the college’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, among other committees.

Rodriguez also participates in Model Arab League and is the president of HCC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter.

Rodriguez admitted that the Cooke scholarship application “was nerve-wrecking.” Only about 0.02 percent of applicants

federal policies like DACA. Trustee John Hansen, who abstained from voting on the resolution said, “I’m bothered that this is being interpreted as establishing a sanctuary campus, I don’t read the language as saying any such thing.”

Board Chair Eva Loredo stated in a press release that, “We are absolute in our commitment to remain in compliance with all local, state and national laws.”

The vote still sends a strong message of support to students.

“Students should live free from fear, intimidation and fear of deportation,” said Capo at the rally before the vote.

He said the vote will help ensure “every student has access to a great public school or university that is safe and welcoming, focused on the well-being of students.”

Evrim Baykal, an adjunct computer science professor at HCC, spoke at the rally about the college’s culture of diversity and acceptance, “Our students do not walk through our doors wondering ‘Am I

will be awarded a scholarship this year. He found the numbers discouraging, but his mentors encouraged him to apply.

He is applying to Georgetown University, Stanford University, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of St Thomas in Houston.

Ahmad Sayyedahmad Ahmad Sayyedahmad is a chemical engineering major attending the HCC Spring Branch and Katy campuses.

“Chemistry is my passion,” said Sayyedahmad, who plans on pursuing a master’s and doctorate of material science.

Last summer he helped conduct computational Chemistry research during a materials science fellowship at the University of Houston. Between a full-time course load and working part-time, he also volunteers in the emergency room of a Methodist Hospital, and is a volunteer tutor.

Sayyedahmad’s advisor told him about the Cooke scholarship five days before the deadline and encouraged him to apply. He wrote the required essays within two days. He said, “If you want to do it, you can do it no matter what.”

Sayyedahmad is applying to the University of Houston, Rice University and Texas A&M.

accepted as I am?’ They know they are.”

The Texas Dream Act, or House Bill 1403 became law in 2001 with nearunanimous support. To be eligible for instate tuition at public Texas colleges and universities, students must show that they have lived in Texas for at least three years and graduated high school or received a GED. They must also sign an affidavit that they will seek permanent legal status if the option becomes available for them.

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, this law benefited 1.9 percent of Texas college students in 2013. Nearly three-fourths of these students attend community colleges like HCC. In the same year, this residency tuition break cost the state about $21 million in funding, but collectively these students paid over $51 million in tuition and fees.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has vowed to repeal the law, and Governor Greg Abbott has stated that he would not veto a repeal if such legislation made it to his desk.

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President Trump Signs on Keystone XL Pipeline Ken Thomas

Associated Press President Donald Trump signed executive actions Tuesday to advance construction of the huge Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines, moving aggressively to overhaul America’s energy policy and dealing a swift blow to Barack Obama’s legacy on climate change.

Trump told reporters at the White House the pipelines will be subject to conditions being negotiated by U.S. officials — including a requirement that the pipe itself be manufactured in America.

“From now on we are going to start making pipelines in the United States,” Trump said from the Oval Office.

On Keystone, the memorandum

by Trump invites the pipeline builder, TransCanada, to resubmit its application to the State Department for a presidential permit to construct and operate the pipeline.

Trump’s memo on the Dakota Access pipeline says its construction and operation will serve the national interest.

The memo orders the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to review and approve construction and easement requests in an expedited manner for a project that has led to major protests by American Indian groups and their supporters.

As a practical matter, the Dakota Access project is likely to be completed first — perhaps years before Keystone, which must cross a U.S. border and faces a more complicated review process. The company building the Dakota pipeline says it is complete except for the section that would pass under the Missouri River near a camp in North Dakota where pipeline opponents are demonstrating.

Obama halted the proposed Keystone XL pipeline in late 2015, declaring it would

Protest, From Page 1 Planned Parenthood.

“This March meant that all these people, all the people the system tried to brush under the rug, are unifying. We have had enough, and we're not just marching to end our own problems, we're marching for everyone. To me the march felt like the most American thing, it was a march for the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness of all people.” said Patel.

On inauguration day, organizers gathered at Sesquicentennial Park in downtown Houston, near the Theatre District where they rallied before marching through downtown.

An organizer from the Texas Organizing Project, which promotes social and economic equality for low to moderate income Texans through organizing, addressed the crowd on Friday: “We are gathered here on this solemn day to so say goodbye to our dear friends. Friends that we’ve known for quite sometime.

We are here to lay to rest our civil rights, and it’s a shame because they were so young...They were barely beginning to live, they

undercut U.S. efforts to clinch a global climate change deal that was a centerpiece of his environmental agenda. The pipeline would run from Canada to Nebraska, where it would join other lines already leading to refineries along the Gulf Coast.

A presidential permit is needed because the pipeline would cross the northern U.S border.

The Army decided last year to explore alternate routes for the Dakota pipeline after the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and its supporters said it threatened drinking water and Native American cultural sites. The company developing the 1,200-mile pipeline, Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners, disputes that and says it will be safe.

The Dakota pipeline is to carry North Dakota oil through South Dakota and Iowa to a shipping point in Illinois.

“Today’s news is a breath of fresh air, and proof that President Trump won’t let radical special-interest groups stand in the way of doing what’s best for American workers,” said Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the secondranking Republican in the Senate.

In July, the Army Corps of Engineers granted the company needed permits, but in September the agency said further analysis was needed. On Dec. 4, the assistant Army secretary for civil works, Jo-Ellen Darcy, said alternate routes needed to be considered. Energy Transfer Partners called the decision politically motivated and said that Obama was delaying the matter until he left office.

Nearly 600 pipeline opponents have been arrested in North Dakota since last year. An encampment on Corps land along the pipeline route was home to thousands of protesters who call themselves “water protectors,” though the camp’s population has thinned due to harsh winter weather and a plea by Standing Rock Chairman

were barely beginning to come to a realization of the true meaning of justice for all.”

Houston Unido members passed out signs that protesters customized to reflect what they were willing to fight for.

Healthcare, women’s rights, black lives and human dignity were just a few of the reasons stated. Others marched with signs that read “Don’t Take Away Our Care”, “We Will Resist”, “The Future Is Nasty”, and “Stop Racism Now”.

The push for immigrants rights and the future of undocumented workers and students was at the forefront of the inauguration day protest and it became even more clear at the start of the march as protesters began to chant, “We are here to stay.”

Saturday women’s march started in Hermann Square and ended at Houston City Hall.

Mayor Sylvester Turner spoke at the event.

"There is no room for hate in our state," Mayor Turner told the crowd.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee said in a statement that, “‘Women’s rights are human rights’ is the message of today’s marches, which resonates not just within the United States, but around the world.”

Evan Vuccii / Associated Press President Donald Trump signs an executive order on the Keystone XL pipeline, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.

Dave Archambault for the camp to disband.

Trump touted the stalled Keystone project during a late October campaign swing through Florida, saying: “We’re going to approve energy infrastructure projects like the Keystone pipeline and many more.” He listed the project among his top priorities for the first 100 days of his administration, saying it could provide “a lot of jobs, a lot of good things.”

Trump also supports the Dakota pipeline. Until last year, Trump owned a small amount of stock in Energy Transfer Partners and at least $100,000 in Phillips 66, an energy company that owns onequarter of the pipeline. Trump sold the shares last year as part of a wide-ranging stock divestment, a spokesman said.

Environmental groups blasted Tuesday’s order as a bid by Trump to serve the oil industry. Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, is a former Exxon Mobil CEO, and his pick for energy secretary, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, owns stock in Energy Transfers.

“Donald Trump has been in office for four days and he’s already proving to be the dangerous threat to our climate we feared he would be,” said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club.

He and other activists said the fight against the projects was not over.

“It’s a dark day for reason, but we will continue the fight,” said Bill McKibben, co-founder of the environmental group 350.org and a leader of a five-year fight against Keystone XL.

Flint's Water Deamed Safe David Eggert

Associated Press Flint's water system no longer has levels of lead exceeding the federal limit, a key finding that Michigan state environmental officials said Tuesday is good news for a city whose 100,000 residents have been grappling with the man-made water crisis.

The 90th percentile of lead concentrations in Flint was 12 parts per billion from July through December — below the "action level" of 15 ppb, according to a letter from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to Flint's mayor. It was 20 ppb in the prior six-month period.

Flint's lead levels are again comparable to other U.S. cities, state officials told Associated Press ahead of an official announcement.

"This is good news and the result of many partners on the local, county, state and federal levels working together to restore the water quality in the City of Flint," Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Director Heidi Grether said in a statement. "The Flint water system is one of the most monitored systems in the country for lead and copper, and that commitment will remain to ensure residents continue to have access to clean water."

Residents, whose mistrust in government remains high nearly three years after a fateful switch of the city's water source in April 2014, are being told to continue using faucet filters or bottled

Stock Photo / Associated Press

Flint’s water system no longer has levels of lead exceeding the federal limit.

water because an ongoing mass replacement of pipes could spike lead levels in individual houses.

Flint's public health emergency began when officials failed to properly treat lead lines for corrosion.

The state acknowledged the lead problem in October 2015. Lead from old pipes leached into the water supply because corrosion-reducing phosphates were not added due to an incorrect reading of federal regulations.

Elevated levels of lead, a neurotoxin, were detected in children, and 12 people died in a Legionnaires' disease outbreak that experts suspect was linked to the improperly treated water.

Gov. Rick Snyder has apologized for the crisis that has largely been blamed on his administration.

Community Area teacher gets Grammy teacher nod 4

Wednesday January 25, 2017

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Keri Blakinger

Houston Chronicle

J

ose Antonio Diaz snaps his fingers and shuffles his feet as the trumpets blare around him.

There are no classes today but the high school band director is hard at work.

“Man, y’all playing pretty good,” he says, doling out a hard-earned compliment to his Latin jazz ensemble.

The Houston Chronicle reports that no doubt has something to do with the musicians’ talent. But it also has a lot to do with Diaz, a tireless taskmaster who has been coaxing sweet sounds out of students at MacArthur High School for 32 years.

He’s done it with the school’s jazz ensemble, the marching band, its symphonic band, concert band, winter guard, indoor percussion and jazz combo, transforming the school’s once-average music program into one that regularly scores Division I placements.

His influence, though, hasn’t been limited to the northeast Harris County campus. He reached out to the broader community, creating an acclaimed nonprofit music institute, and has won a number of arts and music awards in Houston and beyond.

Though it’s usually his students who soak up the limelight, the 55-year-old Aldine Independent School District teacher is now firmly in the national spotlight after years of working quietly behind the scenes to bring music — especially Latin music — to the masses. Diaz is one of 10 finalists nationwide for the Grammy Foundation’s Music Educator Award, which will be presented on stage at the glitzy Los Angeles music show in February.

“I think for us it’s not only his skill in the classroom that stands out but what he’s done in the community as well,” said Grammy Foundation Vice President Scott Goldman. “Many of these teachers all have an impact but what he’s

Marie D. DeJesus/Houston Chronicle via AP Aldine ISD educator and composer Jose Antonio Diaz directs the music of Caliente, a youth group that performs Latin music, in East Aldine, Texas. The Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation has revealed that Diaz is one of the 2017 Grammy Music Educator Award finalists. done as an advocate for Latin jazz and salsa is truly remarkable.”

Diaz’s former students include three Grammy winners, a former member of Beyoncé’s allfemale band and a slew of other professional musicians. He was among more than 3,000 educators nominated for the award, now in its fourth year.

“He should have already been nominated a long time ago,” said BraShani Lewis, one of his current students, a 17-year-old senior percussionist whose love for music has flourished under Diaz’s strict tutelage.

“Working with him I realized I wanted a career in music,” she said during a quick interview between songs. “Before, it was just a habit.

But with him I realized this is what I wanted to do in life.”

Diaz has shared his symphonic skills with generations of MacArthur High School musicians.

After graduating from the University of Arkansas and finishing a Texas Christian University fellowship, he started

working at the Aldine high school and soon took over as band director. Over the years, he has adapted to the changing times in a district of 69,000 students that is now 71 percent Hispanic and 25 percent black, with 82 percent of students considered economically disadvantaged.

His focus is on the kids and the music.

“One of the things I found out pretty early on is that you can’t keep teaching kids the same way from generation to generation,” he said. “The way kids learn constantly changes, as technology improves, as the culture changes.”

After building up the school’s program, he turned to the community, founding the nonprofit Diaz Music Institute in 2000.

The institute helps provide music education to low-income communities through workshops, festivals and the award-winning Caliente, the Latin jazz ensemble that presents its Noche Caliente performance annually at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

It has twice been selected as a finalist by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities for the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards.

“They’ve played at the Midwest Clinic three times,” Diaz said.

“It’s considered to be the most important musical activity for instrumental music of this kind in the world so when a group is asked to perform at this event, it’s like winning the Super Bowl.”

Diaz has brought home a number of awards himself. In 2014, he was awarded a Hispanic Heritage Award by the mayor’s office. He also won the Arts in the Community Award, been inducted into DownBeat Magazine’s Jazz Education Hall of Fame and TCU’s University Band of Fame, and been awarded a Houston Arts Alliance Individual Artist Grant and the acclaimed Berklee College of Music’s John LaPorta Jazz Educator of the Year award for 2016.

“He doesn’t accept mediocrity,”

said Robert Martinez, a former student who later worked on a 2007 Latin Grammy-winning album.

“But the main thing I think he provided was the opportunity and the platform. It’s invaluable. You can’t really put a price tag on that.”

Marcie Chapa, a former student who went on to play in Beyoncé’s all-female band for five years, said that Diaz stands out for his ability to connect with students and bring out the best.

“He can pull out of kids that not many teachers can pull out of,” she said. “I’m grateful for what he pulled out of me because if I hadn’t experienced that with him I probably wouldn’t be where I am today.”

That knack for bonding with students helped Diaz stand out from the thousands of qualified educators nominated for the Grammy Foundation Music Educator Award.

After evaluating all initial nominations and questionnaires, the foundation whittled the list down to just under 300 quarterfinalists, who were then asked to send in videos to showcase their teaching style. Twentyfive semifinalists were named in October and after another round of scrutiny, the 10 finalists were announced in December.

The winner — who will be honored on stage during the awards show and will walk away with a $10,000 honorarium — is to be announced during the week leading up to the Grammys.

The other nine finalists and their schools will each receive $1,000.

“We’ve had literally thousands of educators nominated from all over the country. So the fact that he is among the finalists is truly an achievement in and of itself,” Goldman said.

“We have found story after story of music educators at every level who have made and continue to make a difference in the lives of young people unlike any others that we could imagine. These people are all individually extraordinary.”

Zuckerberg Reconsiders Move Mark Thiessen Associated Press

Eric Risberg / Associated Press In this Tuesday, April 12, 2016, file photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers the keynote address at the F8 Facebook Developer Conference in San Francisco. Zuckerberg went to court to gain ownership of isolated pockets of land tucked away within his sprawling estate in Hawaii.

The billionaire chief executive officer of Facebook on Tuesday said he is reconsidering the process by which he is trying to gain title to about a dozen small parcels of land on his sprawling estate in Hawaii.

The move to get the land through a unique Hawaii law angered locals and prompted a state lawmaker to propose a bill that would force Mark Zuckerberg into mediation before buying real estate on Kauai.

"Based on feedback from the local community, we are reconsidering the quiet title process and discussing how to move forward," Zuckerberg said in a statement. "We want to make sure we are following a process that protects the interests of property owners, respects the traditions of Native Hawaiians, and preserves the environment."

Zuckerberg owns an expansive estate on Kauai, but he doesn't own all the land on the estate. There

are about 14 small pockets of land, some less than an acre. They originally belonged to Native Hawaiians who were given the land when private property was stablished in Hawaii in the mid-19th century.

Many of the landowners died without making wills, and it was never determined who inherited the land.

Zuckerberg's lawyers in December filed a lawsuit asking the courts to find these owners so Zuckerberg could provide fair compensation for their land through the quiet title process, according to the documents.

Last Friday, state Rep. Kaniela Ing said he would introduce legislation that would force Zuckerberg into mediation before purchasing land on the island.

"We love Kauai," Zuckerberg said. "We want to be good members of the community and preserve the land for generations to come."

Zuckerberg's reconsideration was first reported by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

5 Gasoline Protests Erupt Throughout Mexico Wednesday January 25, 2017

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Elliot Spagat Associated Press

TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) — Demonstrators have taken control of Mexican border crossings with the U.S. several times in the past month to oppose Mexican gasoline price hikes in an unusual, if not unprecedented, show of protest.

Here are some questions and answers about the protests and their impact: WHAT IS HAPPENING? Protesters in Mexico who are upset about gas prices have occupied inspection lanes several times this month for vehicles entering from the U.S. At the request of the Mexican government, U.S. authorities have been blocking vehicles from entering Mexico.

In other places, Mexican authorities have abandoned their positions, letting protesters wave people through without being stopped.

On Sunday, U.S. authorities blocked southbound vehicle traffic for 5½ hours at the San Ysidro port of entry between Tijuana and San Diego, the busiest crossing on the border. The California Highway Patrol directed motorists several miles east to the Otay Mesa crossing.

It was the third straight weekend that freeway access into Mexico has been blocked at San Ysidro. In Nogales, Arizona, motorists were diverted to another crossing on Sunday for the second time this month.

"I don't know of any precedent for protesters taking over ports of entry

Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press A burning effigy of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is held aloft as protestors burned representations of Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, during a march by thousands angry at the government following a 20 percent rise in gas prices, in Mexico City, Monday, Jan. 9, 2017. Demonstrators have been protesting across Mexico since the gasoline price hike took effect on New Year’s Day, and the anger has occasionally erupted into violence, including several days of looting last week. in either direction," said David Shirk, associate professor of political science and international relations at the University of San Diego. "It obviously underscores the public sentiment in Mexico today, which is extremely anti-government."

Travelers entering the U.S. from Mexico and pedestrians going to Mexico have not been affected.

WHAT DO THE PROTESTERS WANT?

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Demonstrators oppose nationwide gas price increases of up to 20 percent at the country's state-owned oil monopoly.

While gas prices were the catalyst, demonstrators are airing a long list of grievances against President Enrique Pena Nieto and other authorities.

In Tijuana, grievances include a weakened peso, a federal sales-tax increase that took effect three years ago, and a water price increase in Baja

California state, which was rescinded last week amid a public backlash.

"The gas price increase was the final straw," Mario Lopez, 29, said Sunday as he and other protesters waved motorists in to Tijuana from San Diego.

Protests against the gasoline price hikes occurred elsewhere in Mexico but have died down.

HOW HAS THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT RESPONDED? The protests have created enormous lines to enter Mexico and raised potential security risks. Kenn Morris, president of the Crossborder Group Inc. consulting business, said Sunday's actions created a line of about 1,200 cars in San Diego but cargo traffic hasn't been affected.

Mexican authorities have taken a hands-off approach. On Sunday, there were only a few dozen demonstrators at each border crossing in Tijuana.

Shirk said the Mexican military could easily stop the protests but might further galvanize public opinion against Pena Nieto's government. He said the cautious approach recognizes Mexicans' "enormous frustration."

Only a small percentage of motorists entering Mexico from the U.S. are stopped for inspection under normal circumstances, but the takeovers have been given them an open invitation to bring what they want.

Guns and proceeds from drug sales in the U.S. are often introduced to Mexico by car. Some motorists have brought refrigerators, televisions and other goods to avoid customs duties.

Governor Gregg Abbott Rally for School Vouchers Will Weissert Associated Press

The governor of Texas and the Bush family's rising star added political muscle Tuesday to a rally supporting school vouchers, which have stalled repeatedly in the country's largest Republican state despite steadfast support from top conservatives.

Marching bands with thundering drumlines and hundreds of students and teachers — many in yellow-and-black "National School Choice Week" scarfs — converged outside the Texas Capitol.

Gov. Greg Abbott made a relatively rare appearance with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a tea party favorite who has long been Texas' leading advocate for vouchers where families get state money to remove children from public schools and send them to private and religious alternatives.

"This is not a Republican issue, it's not a Democrat issue," Abbott said. "This is a civil rights issue."

Thirteen states and the District of Columbia offer some form of vouchers, according to the National Conference of State Legislators, and academic studies show mixed classroom results that can be similar to those of traditional public schools.

The rally came as Texas Senate budget writers discussed how much funding will be needed to educate the state's 5.3 million public school students. Texas currently spends about $2,700 per-pupil under the national average, ranking 38th in funding nationwide, according to the Texas State Teachers Association.

Kathy Miller, president of the education watchdog group Texas Freedom Network said Tuesday that vouchers "are a scheme that strips critical funds from public schools and gives a discount to individuals who can already afford private school."

In 2013, Texas expanded its number of public charter schools, though advocates say waitlists of children wanting to attend them still exceeds 100,000 — and suggest that vouchers could fill that void. Many students at the Capitol rally attended charter schools or were on waitlists for them, just like at similar "School Choice Week" events nationwide.

"This is not a war on public education," Patrick said. He said vouchers don't "take money from the education system" because public schools will cut costs by no longer having to educate students who transfer to private alternatives.

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush also is a longtime school choice supporter. The grandson of one former president, nephew of another and son of failed 2016 White House hopeful Jeb Bush, George P. once served on the board of one of Texas' largest charter school operators. He applauded other speakers but didn't address the crowd himself Tuesday — unlike during past rallies.

Last session, a sweeping voucher plan passed the Texas Senate, but died in the House, where Democrats have long teamed with rural Republicans wary of hurting schools that are the lifeblood of their small communities to keep public money in public schools. The Senate this year is promoting "educational savings accounts" letting families use public

Eric Gay / Associated Press Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a rally in support of school choice on the steps of the Texas Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, in Austin, Texas. The Texas governor and the Bush family’s rising political star have added muscle to a rally supporting school vouchers — but such plans still may not pass the fiercely red state’s Legislature. money for private schooling, as well as tax breaks for businesses that sponsor private school scholarships.

So far, though, there is little indication such plans will be any better received in Texas' lower chamber than in the past.

"Traditionally, the members of the

House have not supported spending taxpayer dollars at private schools," Jason Embry, a spokesman for Republican Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, said Tuesday "and there are many questions to be answered on this issue in the months ahead."

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Left: Donald Trump being sworn in as the 45th President of the United States Above: President Obama walking through the White House for his last time as President with now President Trump.

Below: President Trump being sworn in. (Overhead) All AP Images

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Houston

Above: President Obama and Vice President Biden arive at Capitol Hill.

Right: President Obama's last farewell before he departs the U S Capitol.

Below: President Trump delivering his Inaguration Speach.

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Sports Bagwell Receives the Call to the Hall 8

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John Cañamar The Egalitarian

Steven Senne / Associated Press Newly elected baseball Hall of Fame inductees Jeff Bagwell.

Jeff Bagwell received the call from the Baseball Hall of Fame that all of the Houston Astros fans have been waiting on for seven years.

On the seventh time on the ballot for Bagwell, he received 86.2 percent of the vote, giving him the required 75 percent or better.

Bagwell struggled to describe the emotions that were running through him after hearing the news of the vote, “I don’t even know what to say.

“The anxiety of going through this has been hard,” he said. “Just to get this over with, I’m excited. I have no idea what I’m doing here right now. Here talking about being in the Hall of Fame.

That’s cool, and for a lot of people it means a lot, and for me, it really does mean a lot. I just think I just have to take a little bit of time to recognize what is going on.”

“There’s no greater thing you can get personally than the Hall of Fame. You can do some stuff teamwise and all that kind of stuff, but personally, this is a big deal.” Bagwell continued, “I’m not trying to downplay it. It’s just; I don’t know how to react.”

Bagwell will be enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame, joining his 15-year teammate Craig Biggio on July 30th in Cooperstown, NY. “Craig and I made a conscious effort to play with the Astros our entire career, and I’m very, very proud of that, and I know Craig is, too,” Bagwell

said. “No matter, whatever happens, Craig and I are able to say two things now: we played our entire careers with the Astros, and now both of us are in the Hall of Fame, too.”

Bagwell came to be an Astro in the most significant trade made by the organization.

On August 30, 1990, the Astros traded Larry Andersen, a right-handed pitcher, to the Boston Red Sox for Bagwell.

Biggio, who was inducted in 2015, had nothing but glowing remarks about Bagwell.

“He put up incredible numbers offensively, but he was also a smart player, a really good defensive player, a great baserunner and he played the game the right way,” Biggio said. “I’m so very proud to have played with him for so many years. We were able to change the culture in Houston. Our goal was to win, and Baggy was a major reason for our success.”

Lance Berkman, a member of the Astros’ Killer B’s and seven-year teammate, stated, “This is long overdue. Jeff is one of the top, three or four players that I ever played with or against.”

“When I think of Baggy, I think of two things.

The first is professional. He came to play every day and never took an at-bat off. You can’t say that about everyone,” praised Berkman. “The second thing I think of is what a complete player he was. He was an amazing fielder and baserunner and had an innate grasp of the fine nuances of the game.”

What do the Numbers Say? Josh Dubow

Associated Press From Tom Brady looking to become the first quarterback to win five Super Bowl titles to Matt Ryan seeking to give Atlanta its first, there are plenty of numbers that will get a lot of attention leading up to the Big Game.

Here’s a look at some others that fans might not be as familiar with: BEST VS. BEST: This marks the sixth Super Bowl matching the NFL’s highest-scoring team (Atlanta) against the team that allowed the fewest points (New England) during the regular season. The top defense won four of those previous five matchups, including Seattle over Denver three years ago. The only time the top offense came out on top was in the 1989 season when San Francisco topped Denver.

FAST STARTERS: The Falcons have set an NFL record by scoring a touchdown on eight straight opening drives. That figures to be tougher against a Patriots team that was second best in the league this year, allowing just 16 points on opening drives with the only TD coming for Buffalo on Oct. 2. The Patriots have allowed an average of just 19 yards on those drives with half of their opponents failing to generate even a single first down.

FRONT RUNNERS: The Patriots haven’t trailed in a game since Nov. 27 against the Jets.

Brady threw a game-winning TD pass to Malcolm Mitchell with 1:56 remaining in a 22-17 victory that day and New England has gone 421:56 without being behind in a game. New England

trailed by 10 points at one point in that game, their largest deficit of the season with Brady active. If it’s hard to take a lead against the Patriots, it’s even harder to come back. New England has won 57 of the past 58 games when leading after three quarters with the lone loss coming last season to Brock Osweiler and Denver.

THIRD TO NONE: Forcing an offense into third down is usually a good step for a defense. Doing it against Brady or Ryan isn’t much help. Including the playoffs, Brady leads the NFL with a 132.8 rating on third down, with Ryan next among starters at 120.6. Brady has converted on 51.8 percent of his third-down passes and Ryan is at 49.7 percent. Ryan has been even better of late, with a 141 rating and first downs on 59.3 percent of his throws the past six games.

BETWEEN THE HASHES: Ryan has been nearly unstoppable when targeting the middle of the field in the regular season and playoffs, according to Sportradar.

He has completed 86 of 117 passes between the hashes for 1,230 yards, nine TDs and no interceptions and a 132.8 passer rating. Ryan is 13 for 14 for 138 yards throwing down the middle in the playoffs.

GO DEEP: Ryan also was the most efficient deep thrower in the NFL in the regular season and playoffs, according to Sportradar, going 30 for 63 for 1,122 yards, 10 TDs, no interceptions and a league-best 133.4 rating on throws at least 21 yards downfield. The Patriots were the second-best defense against the deep pass, allowing just 28.2 percent to be completed

with only three TDs, five interceptions and a 47.5 rating that was the second lowest.

BEAT THE HEAT: Teams blitzing the Patriots and Falcons have had little success this season, with Brady leading the NFL with a 124.3 rating against the blitz, according to Sportradar, and Ryan ranking second at 122.0.

The Steelers tried to combat that by rushing three on 19 of Brady’s pass attempts last week, but he completed 13 of those for 137 yards.

WATCH THE FAKE: No team ran play-action as much as Atlanta this season, doing it on 26 percent of offensive plays in the regular season, according to game-charting data from Football Outsiders. The Falcons averaged 10.4 yards per play on play-action, compared to 7.8 on other plays.

New England faced the secondlowest percentage of play-action plays at 13 percent, allowing 8 yards per play, compared to 6.1 yards on other plays.

COMEBACK KIDS: Brady has led the Patriots on a gamewinning, fourth-quarter drive in all four of his Super Bowl wins, rallying from 10 points down to beat Seattle two years ago, overcoming a one-point deficit against Carolina in 2004 and leading tiebreaking drives against St. Louis (2001) and Philadelphia (2005). Brady came up short in two last-minute desperation drives in both losses to the Giants, but still has a 50-37 career record in gamewinning and comeback attempts, according to Scott Kacsmar of Football Outsiders. Brady has the best winning percentage

Dave Martin / Associated Press New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 3229 in Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston. The Pittsburgh Steelers are among the premier NFL franchises. They have the most Super Bowl wins (six), a loyal fan base, and universal respect across the league.

The Patriots have been the elite team of the 2000s with six straight trips to the AFC championship game and four Super Bowl titles of their own. among active players with at least 10 attempts, with Ryan not far behind in fourth place with a 34-37 mark.

SNEAKY TOM: Brady has been one of the best QBs at converting sneaks in his career, getting first downs on 98 of 108 (90.7 percent) runs on third or fourth-and-1 in his career, compared to a league-wide rate of 69.8 percent in that span.

After being nearly perfect (66 for 67) from 2004-12, Brady has been more ordinary of late at 21 for 28 the past four years.

BIG-PLAY THREATS: It’s no surprise that Julio Jones is the NFL’s most dangerous bigplay receiver. His 31 catches this season of at least 20 yards lead the NFL. But he hasn’t been able to match the far less heralded Chris Hogan in the postseason.

Hogan has eight catches of at least 20 yards in New England’s two playoff wins and needs just one more in the Super Bowl to tie Larry Fitzgerald (2008) and Greg Jennings (2010) for the most in a single postseason since 2000.

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Super Bowl Royalty Teresa Walker

Houston Chronicle Bill Belichick has done something neither Chuck Noll, Tom Landry nor Bill Walsh ever managed. Same for Tom Brady, besting the likes of Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach and Joe Montana.

Together, Belichick and Brady have put themselves into a record seven Super Bowls. And they made the New England Patriots the NFL’s first franchise to play in nine Super Bowls with a 36-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night in the AFC championship game.

That victory helped the Patriots break from the NFL’s pack of royalty, the teams who seemingly take turns making the league’s championship games into their personal finish lines.

Now the Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos — all tied with eight Super Bowl appearances apiece — must wait another year before trying to give the Patriots company. For now, the Patriots will be busy packing for Houston and their latest Super Bowl on Feb. 5 against the Atlanta Falcons and a chance at making more history.

Here’s a look at the franchises

that have played in — and won — the most Super Bowls: BELICHICK WAY The Patriots had two Super Bowl berths to their credit before Belichick took over, but then he rewrote record books for the team and the league. Belichick and Brady already had the most visits for a coach-quarterback duo before beating the Steelers.

Belichick now stands alone as a coach with his seven Super Bowl berths, breaking a tie with Don Shula (six). Belichick and Brady are 4-2 in the Super Bowl, helping New England reach .500 in its eight trips. A win in Houston would tie the Pats with San Francisco and Dallas for second all-time with five wins.

HERE WE GO The Steelers have the most wins in the big game and are 6-2 in their visits. Noll and Bradshaw made the Steelers the first franchise to win four Super Bowl titles — in the span of six years starting in 1975.

Ben Roethlisberger then helped coach Bill Cowher win a Super Bowl ring by beating Seattle in 2006.

Big Ben later teamed up with coach Mike Tomlin to beat Arizona for the Steelers’ sixth Super Bowl championship in

2009, and they missed out on the franchise’s seventh by losing to Green Bay in 2011.

COWBOY UP Thanks to Landry, the Cowboys made a habit of heading to Super Bowls with five trips starting in 1971. Landry and Staubach went together four times, winning titles in 1972 and again in 1978. America’s Team didn’t get back until new owner Jerry Jones and coach Jimmy Johnson returned the Cowboys to championship status with back-to-back Super Bowl wins in 1993 and 1994. After a split, Jones brought in Barry Switzer, and he coached Troy Aikman and the Cowboys back to Super Bowl champs in 1996. Dallas is 5-3 in the big game.

BRONCOS AND ELWAY Denver’s Super Bowl history didn’t start with John Elway.

Craig Morton gets credit for the Broncos’ first Super Bowl visit, when Dallas stifled the Orange Crush in 1978. But Elway took the Broncos back three times in four years starting in 1987 and finally helped Denver win backto-back titles in 1998 and 1999.

When hired as general manager and boss of the Broncos, Elway lured Peyton Manning to Denver getting the Broncos two more

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File) In this Jan. 22, 2017, file photo, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick walks around during warm-up’s before the AFC championship NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots will battle the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl on Feb. 5 in Houston.

Super Bowl berths, including last year’s 24-10 win in Super Bowl 50. The Broncos are 3-5 overall in the Super Bowl, and Elway is 3-4 combined as quarterback and GM. MONTANA TIME The 49ers have six Super Bowl berths and are 5-1 in the game thanks to Montana winning the first four. Steve Young added a title in his only trip, and Colin Kaepernick took home the franchise’s first loss in 2013.

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY The Green Bay Packers,

winners of the first two Super Bowls, and the New York Giants have done well in their berths, each getting four Lombardi Trophies in five visits.

PAINFUL COMPANY Denver also has the NFL mark for most Super Bowls lost.

At least the Broncos have three trophies. The Minnesota Vikings were the first NFL team to play in — and lose — four Super Bowls, all within the first 11 years. The Buffalo Bills have the longest skid in this game, losing four straight between 1991 and 1994.

Super Bowl Stadium Field Preparations Kristie Rieken Associated Press

A crew of four men worked on the painstaking process of painting the New England Patriots logo on one end zone on Tuesday afternoon at NRG Stadium for the Super Bowl.

The group provided a small glimpse into the hundreds of hours of preparation that will go into getting the home of the Houston Texans ready for the Patriots to meet the Atlanta Falcons in the Feb. 5 game.

Exactly how much time and how many workers it takes to get things in tip-top shape for such an event is impossible to estimate.

“It’s more than I can even count,” NFL director of events Eric Finkelstein said.

“It’s a very long process. The amount of prep and time it takes to get the Super Bowl ready in general is something that takes years. It’s not something that happens overnight.”

Finkelstein said there aren’t any special challenges to preparing the stadium this season and the location of NRG actually made things a bit easier.

“Every year is going to be different and you’re going to have different challenges and different opportunities that you’re dealing with,” he said.

“Here the space is very flexible. It gives us an opportunity to do a lot of different things. There’s a lot of room here, a lot of parking, lots of areas to build things that you don’t necessarily have in other markets. So it gives us a great opportunity to put together a great Super Bowl.”

Of the countless tasks that must be han-

dled before kickoff, perhaps none is more important than getting the field into perfect condition.

The game will be played on the artificial turf that the Texans played on all season.

The only pieces that have been replaced are the two end zones and the section where the 50-yard line is.

Those changes were made so the NFL could replace the Texans logos with those of the Falcons, Patriots and the Super Bowl.

It’s not simply about things looking nice — getting everything on the field just right is a major undertaking.

“It’s got an in-field system in it which is sand and rubber,” NFL field director Ed Mangan said.

“Making sure that those two are coordinated in the proper amounts, the proper softness, working with concussion statistics and getting the field ... to sound at the right numbers. Low numbers obviously, so that if you fall on it and hit your head things rebound.

“Those are the perfect numbers that we’re looking for. Making sure the seams are right, no trip hazards and of course making sure the artwork looks good.”

Mangan, who is working his 27th Super Bowl, is known as a perfectionist and personally inspects every step of the field preparations to make sure they’re up to his high standards.

“He definitely takes extra special care,” Finkelstein said. “This is the biggest game of the year, so we need the field to be perfect in every way shape and form to make sure that it contributes to a tremendous matchup.”

Mangan is not only tasked with prepar-

David J. Phillip ‘ Associated Press Workers move lighting equipment outside NRG Stadium, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, in Houston. The New England Patriots will play the Atlanta Falcons in NFL football’s Super Bowl LI on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, at NRG Stadium. ing the playing surface for the game, but also must get the practice fields at Rice University and the University of Houston ready for the teams to practice on during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.

Finkelstein said that preparations are on schedule, but that they’ll still be putting on the final touches right up to game day.

Mangan aims to have the first coat on everything by this weekend, but said that his crew will be finishing little things as late as the day before the game.

The NFL won’t make a final determination if the retractable roof of the stadium will be open or closed for the game until a day before, so the crew has been alternating whether it’s open or closed daily.

It was closed on Tuesday afternoon as temperatures in Houston soared into the low 80s. But it’s unlikely that it will be closed on game day.

“If the weather cooperates with us — which we hope it does — the roof will be open,” Finkelstein said.

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Hollywood Comes Out Againt President Trump Jocelyn Noveck Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — If you wondered where many of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities had gone during President Donald Trump’s inauguration, you didn’t have to wonder any longer on Saturday, when scores of them showed up at huge women’s marches in Washington and other cities to send the new president a pointed message that he was in for a fight — and that, as so many signs said, women’s rights are human rights.

Madonna, Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson, Cher, Alicia Keys, Katy Perry, Emma Watson, Amy Schumer, Jake Gyllenhaal and feminist leader Gloria Steinem were just some of those at the march in Washington, where officials said the crowd could number more than half a million.

In New York, Helen Mirren, Cynthia Nixon and Whoopi Goldberg joined a crowd of protesters marching to Trump’s home at Trump Tower. In Park City, Utah, where the Sundance Film Festival was underway, TV host Chelsea Handler was joined by Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart and more. In Los Angeles, Miley Cyrus, Jamie Lee Curtis, Demi Lovato and Jane Fonda were among tens of thousands protesting.

In the capital, a sea of pink, pointy-eared “pussyhats” mocking the new president stretched far and wide as Madonna took to the stage — and, to no one’s surprise, held little back.

“Yes, I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House,” she said. “But I know that this won’t change anything. We cannot fall into despair.”

Instead, she called for a “revolution of love.”

The pop icon Cher, speaking in an interview backstage, said she hoped

people could now mobilize against Trump the way they mobilized against the Vietnam War. “I think people are more frightened than they’ve ever been,” the 70-year-old singer said. “Everything that we gained, we’re just watching slip away. It’s not only one thing, it’s everything — the progress that we made is all going away.” Asked whether she thought the new president would hear the message of the march, she replied: “I don’t care what he’s hearing.

It’s important what the people are hearing.

He’ll hear it, but he won’t pay attention.”

Actress Edie Falco, of “Sopranos” and “Nurse Jackie” fame, noted: “Everyone I know is here today.”

“Nothing has ever felt this important in my lifetime,” she said. “We’re not just going to say, ‘it’s OK,’” she added of Trump’s agenda. “Because it’s not OK.” Actress America Ferrera told the thousands assembled that they were marching “for the moral core of this nation, against which our new president is waging a war. Our dignity, our character, our rights have all been under attack, and a platform of hate and division assumed power yesterday.

But the president is not America. ... We are America, and we are here to stay.”

The Washington march included plenty of men, too — some of them wearing “pussyhats” in solidarity. Among the performers were soul artist Maxwell and Janelle Monae.

“It’s because of women that we’re all here,” Maxwell said. “I’m so happy to say that I was here for the women. This is one for the books.”

In New York, Goldberg told a cheering crowd that “what’s at stake is everything you believe in ... We’re going to show America what we can do in New York.”

Mirren, who is British, said that on this day, she was a New Yorker. And Nixon said she was there “to tell Washington they

Fashion Week, Paris Thomas Adamson Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Music maestro Boy George got political at Paris Fashion Week as Dior Homme went to the dark side, creating a hard, brooding fall-winter collection. Here are the highlights of Saturday’s menswear shows.

DIOR PULLS IN THE STARS, BOY GEORGE DEFENDS MELANIA A demure and relaxed Paris Jackson dodged journalists as she arrived at the Dior Homme show in a black Dior perfecto jacket and stylish white pleated skirt.

The daughter of pop icon Michael Jackson vied for attention with music legend Bono, who dominated the front row in his customary shades next to LVMH fashion tycoon Bernard Arnault, owner of the fashion house.

But it was Boy George that did all the talking. The former “Culture Club” front man got political, defending new U.S. first lady Melania Trump against negative press about her former modelling career.

“You know what — as somebody who has a past — I think it’s

really wrong and mean-spirited of women to be so abusive,” Boy George told The Associated Press from beneath an exuberant embellished hat. The fashion icon added that, in the Herve Pierre-designed inauguration gown, Melania Trump “looked amazing.”

The singer, who is gay, said people should “remain positive” about the next four years in the United States. Still, he lamented — with a hint of humor — that President Donald Trump didn’t mention the LGBT community — “or me” — in his inauguration speech.

DIOR HOMME GOES DARK AND EDGY Designer Kris Van Assche went against the grain of Dior codes with resounding success, producing a hard-edged fallwinter menswear display that explored the darker side of fashion.

The decor of metal scaffolding, sinister booming music and interlocking planks of raw wood that served as a catwalk set the unusual mood. This was a stomping celebration of hardcore rave, rebellion and the street.

Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press Alicia Keys performs on stage during the women’s march rally, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017 in Washington. Organizers of the Women’s March on Washington expect more than 200,000 people to attend the gathering. Other protests are expected in other U.S. cities. need to think twice about messing with women and think twice about messing with New Yorkers. We will not just roll over and play dead.”

In Park City, singer John Legend and actors Benjamin Bratt and Jason Ritter, along with actresses Theron, Stewart, Maria Bello and Laura Dern, were among an estimated 8,000 people who turned out with Handler. “Love, not hate, will make America great,” they chanted.

Handler acknowledged that although Trump had been elected president, “the only thing you can do when you’ve been set back is to step forward and continue to fight.”

In Washington, Oscar-winning actress Patricia Arquette carried a sign that said, “Put Women in the Constitution.” She said

Glistening black leather gloves opened the Grand Palais collection, a signature of Monsieur Dior given a threating twist. Dark sneakers sported banding that was crisscrossed to look like bondage and plunging, dark capes completely enveloped the body.

Fur coats came in unnatural hues of flaming russet and cobalt blue and mixed with urban prints.

But the key to the collection might have been a sky blue ribbed knit sweater, worn on top of and almost imprisoning the Dior Homme bread-and-butter suit beneath.

Was this Assche’s way to signal his creative rebellion away from the sometimes-constricting house codes?

It was a strong and effective contrast with the peppered sartorial elements of the show, on which the house has made its name.

SACAI GOES ECLECTIC What do ponchos, duffel coats, bubble jackets, chiffon gowns, jeans, velvet coats, and bobble hats have in common?

Normally not a lot — but Sacai threw them all into the creative mix at their eclectic, imaginative menswear show Saturday at Paris Fashion Week.

she was concerned about a host of social issues under the new administration and Congress, among them the possibility that the arts would lose federal funding.

“The arts is our culture,” she said. “A lot is at stake. ... We need to be heard and respected. They need to know we are a force to be reckoned with.”

Actress Jackie Cruz of “Orange Is The New Black” also spoke about the importance of the arts, saying that as a teenager, “the arts saved my life.” And Cher, too, spoke of how the arts transformed her youth. “When I was growing up, I was dyslexic and I did horribly in school — but singing was my passion,” she said. “Other things are important, but art feeds your soul.”

Zacharie Scheurer / Associated Press A model wears a creation by Alexandre Vauthier during his Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2017 fashion collection presented in Paris, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017.

One of Japan’s most lucrative fashion houses, Sacai has built a reputation for the avant-garde and quirky that was sealed and crowned for this fall-winter season. The eclecticism extended even to the palette, with gray marl, coral, celestial blue, metallic green, ruddy brown and vivid cadmium yellow among the diverse 47 looks at the show.

There were some great individual pieces, such as a square shirt in check with pockets and sleeves that optically distorted the direction of the lines.

DESIGNER DEBUT AT BERLUTI

All eyes were on a highlyanticipated debut from edgy designer Haider Ackermann at Paris Fashion Week Friday night.

The artistic direction of Berluti — a bootmaker since 1895 that branched out into ready-to-wear only in 2011— has been closely watched by parent company LVMH. Company chief Bernard Arnault’s powerful son, Antoine, is CEO. Ackermann’s new direction was a drastic make-over. Gone was the classicism of predecessor Alessandro Sartori and the trademark shoe wear. In its place, pointed boots and a fresh feeling.

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Battle Over History Vanessa Gera Egal•i•tar•i•an (adjective) aiming for equal wealth, status, etc., for all people 3517 Austin; 303 Fine Arts Center; Houston TX 77004 Phone: 713.718.6016; Fax: 713.718.6601 Adviser: Fredrick Batiste

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Associated Press

GDANSK, Poland (AP) — It was supposed to be the first museum in the world to tell the story of World War II in its entirety by focusing on all the nations caught up in that global conflict. But it has fallen foul of changing political priorities in its Polish home, and as it opened its doors for the first time Monday, it’s facing an uncertain future.

After nine years of work, the Museum of the Second World War opened in Gdansk for one day to reporters, historians, veterans and donors. Director Pawel Machcewicz hoped the world could get a glimpse of it as he races against the clock to get it finished before he is pushed out of his job, something he believes is inevitable.

The project was launched in 2008 by then-Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is today one of the European Union’s top leaders.

Aside from its global approach, the creators of the state museum say it is different from most other war museums in that it puts civilian suffering — not military campaigns — at the heart of the narrative.

But the political climate in Poland has changed dramatically since then, with a nationalist and populist government in charge that deeply objects to its approach and wants to take control over the institution to change its content.

Members of the ruling Law and Justice party say they want a museum that focuses solely on the Polish experience, with primacy given to the heroism of Polish soldiers who resisted the Germans.

“We are being attacked as a museum that is not Polish enough,” Machcewicz said.

“It’s very unusual for the creation of a historical exhibit to encounter such huge pressure from the government.”

He is putting up a stiff opposition to the attempt to take over the museum, and is now in a legal battle with the Culture Ministry. A decision by a top court on Tuesday is expected to determine whether the museum can maintain its independence long enough to open to the public in late February, as scheduled.

Machcewicz said the government is also withholding critical funds he needs to operate the museum.

As a result of the rush, many of the displays were not yet in place Monday. But enough was there for viewers to get a sense of the immensely tragic story being told.

One object on display is a farewell note written on a handkerchief by a Polish politician, Boleslaw Wnuk, before he was executed in 1940 by the Germans in an operation that targeted the Polish intelligentsia.

“Let God pay for my blood with eternal damnation for the foul villains,” said the note, which was smuggled out by a Polish prison guard.

Museum visitors learn that Wnuk’s younger brother, Jakub, a pharmacist and army officer, became the victim of Poland’s other wartime occupier, the Soviet Union. He was captured by the Soviet army in 1939 and killed in 1940 in Katyn, one of some 22,000 Polish officers killed in the Soviet massacres of Polish elites.

World War II still holds a key place in the Polish national identity. There is huge pride at the fierce resistance put up by the Polish army to the German invasion of 1939 that launched the war and the years of underground resistance. There is also a sense that Poland’s tragic fate, which included being occupied by the Germans and Soviets, has not been fully recognized by the world.

Adding to the sense of grievance, Poland was condemned to the Soviet sphere

despite its contribution to the Allied effort. So for Poland, the war didn’t fully end until 1989, when the country regained its sovereignty, a message that is also stressed by the museum.

The nationalist authorities governing the country believe the museum should focus on the uniqueness of Poland’s tragedy and not be watered down by exploring the fate of other nations. A key spokesman for this idea, historian Jan Zaryn, who is also a senator for the ruling party, complains that the multinational approach taken by the museum makes it more difficult for the visitor to see “our exceptionality.”

He argues that Poland should create something comparable to what Holocaust museums have achieved for Jews.

“After decades of silence there should be a museum that introduces the phenomenon and specificity of the Polish historical experience,” Zaryn said in a televised discussion in October.

“We should do something like what the Jewish community has done, which managed to arrange around the Holocaust all the other events of World War II.” But the museum’s creators and supporters insist that the very act of placing Poland’s history in the broader context is what will help foreign visitors understand and appreciate the specificity of Poland’s tragedy.

“Sometimes when politicians look at the museum like this they don’t understand how much conceptual work there was,” said Yale historian Timothy Snyder, who is a member of the museum’s advisory board.

“If this museum is lost, Gdansk, Poland, Europe, the world, loses the only chance we have for an experience of public history, for people from all of the world, not only in Poland, to understand the Second World War. That would be a dreadful civilizational loss.”

Czarek Solowiski / Associated Press Visitors look at an exhibit in the Museum of the Second World War, an ambitious new museum under creation for nine years has opened its doors for a day to historians, museums and reporters in Gdansk, Poland, on Monday, Jan. 23, 2017.

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Wednesday January 25, 2017

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