Issuu

BEFORE I LAY IT DOWN PAGE 2

EDUCATION/YOUTH PAGE 9

WE MUST UNDERSTAND PAGE 3

Your Money & Your Vote ARE THE MOST

POWERFUL THINGS YOU HAVE;

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JG HOLLINS INVESTMENTS

VOL. 21 ISSUE 12

SEE PG 4

JOHNY HOLLINS, SARAH DAVIS, PHAN NGUYEN & MICHAEL A. WILLIAMS RELIGION

LIVING LEGEND

LAW

IN LOVING MEMORY OF ALVIN (AL) L. HENRY

NACCP BOARD MEMBER HOWARD JEFFERSON

DAN WALTON FIRST TO SIT BLACKS AS JURORS

December 24, 1933 - April 6, 2016 SEE PG. 11

SEE PG. 4

SEE PG. 10

~Roy Douglas Malonson, Publisher~

THE CLINTON BOOGIE?:

I must tell you that the political playbook that White politicians use to secure the African-American vote never changes. And why should it? It works. At this present moment, I am unsure if I am more upset that a political figure such as Hillary Clinton has so easily captured the Black vote without offering anything of substance or at the fact that ‘so-called Negro leaders’ are once again behaving as if their constituents are not only the deciding factor in the Democratic primary, but also hold significant influence, if not the final word, in regards to who will be President Barack Hussein Obama’s replacement in the Oval Office. If ‘so-called Negro leaders’ had either a modicum of courage or a rudimentary understanding of politics, they would have already called all suitors, regardless of their political leanings, to the table and boldly stated that the African-American vote decided the 2008 & 2012 Presidential elections and offered to deliver the Oval Office to the ‘right candidate’; however, to receive such favor from AfricanAmericans, you must offer concrete policy and tangible benefits. If ‘Negro leaders’ were a bit more politically astute they would realize that it is moments such as this that provides ‘minority’ groups the opportunity to lay the groundwork to subdue multi-generational poverty, inferior schools, unemployment, underemployment, disparate prison sentencing, etc. If Negro leaders were serious about aiding the Black community, they would realize that this is the time to issue significant demands. Yet, in the face of such opportunity, they remain silent and consciously choose to do little of nothing. CONTINUE READING ON PAGE 5

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BEFORE I LAY IT DOWN: “EXPECTATIONS” Before I Lay it Down... By “Coach” Mark Spivey, M.Ed

I’d like to address the issues of “expectations” in relationships between young men and women. The reason for this is to dispel any common misconceptions and/or notions on how couples should get along, therefore, grab yo popcorn and take a seat. It’s about to get interesting… I’ve never seen the Great Wall of China nor have I witnessed a fat man turn down a piece of Popeye’s

Roy Douglas Malonson Chairman Shirley Ann Malonson President/C.E.O. Chandra Jarmon

Production/Editor

Shawn Hunter

Production Asst

James Jones III, Ph.D

Content Editor

Rebecca S. Jones

Contributing Writer

Mark Spivey

Contributing Writer

General: news@aframnews.com Ads: sales@aframnews.com Website: www.aframnews.com African-American News&Issues is published by African-American News & Issues, Inc., 6130 Wheatley Street, Houston, Texas 77091, (713) 692-1892. Our ofﬁce hours are Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm. The entire contents of the paper are copyrighted by African-American News & Issues, Inc. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. African-American News&Issues is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reﬂect the publisher. African-American News&Issues assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other material, unless accompanied by a self-address stamped envelope.

Letter to the Editor

e welcome all original responses from our readers to content found in the African-American News&Issues. Letters to the Publisher may be sent via e-mail to news@aframnews. com. Please keep all letters under 300 words. Be sure to include the author’s name, area of residence. All letters and articles may be veriﬁed before they are published. All letters are subjected to editing or being cut for spacing purposes. Thank you in advance for your submission.

Chicken. I don’t expect to see either any time soon, therefore, I don’t waste my time worrying about it often. In the same manner I’d like to tell young men NOT to expect yo current mate to EVER like or get along with yo baby mamma(s). Sure, there are some occasions where both women will be cordial with one another for the kid’s sake, but don’t expect them to hang out at the Galleria or go play Bingo together. It ain’t happening. If you are at your family reunion and yo ex shows up, yo ass will be surely blamed even if you had no prior knowledge that she would be there. Yo messy ass sisters probably had something to do with that. Don’t expect your current woman to be happy. She

Edit rial & Opini n

won’t. Just go crank up the car and get ready to go home. Secondly, if you knew that yo girlfriend was untidy, messy, and nondomestic when you met, dated, and/ or courted her, please don’t expect her to change those nasty ways when you get married. It ain’t gonna happen. Don’t get mad or pitch a ﬁt if she’s that way; you already knew about. I just hope that you’re not the same way, too. If you are polar opposites when it comes to being clean, trouble is right around the corner. Eventually, someone is going to have to back down and keep the damn house clean. It can cause tremendous strain on a marriage, therefore make sho that you seek someone who is neat (or dirty) like you. Work it out! Now, this part of the Spiveytorial

will make a few women squirm, but I’m gonna say it anyway. Guys, if yo women do not practice good hygiene, your lives are going to be miserable. If you can see afro puffs under her arms and Rick Ross looking beards coming from the split in her full length skirt, you just might be dealing with a different kind of animal. Don’t marry that critter. If you’re riding in your car with the windows up with the air-conditioner blowing and you smell something that seems to be coming from under yo seat, you better sho pray that its leftover ﬁsh from Boudreaux’s or Red Lobster. If it ain’t, you better throw that bastard back. If yo sweet thang is over 18 years of age and have never been to a gynecologist, you might just wanna

48 YEARS LATER, THE KING DREAM IS AT RISK Rev. Al Sharpton President, National Action Network

It is hard to believe that on this very day 48 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on a balcony in Memphis, Tennessee. I was just 13 years old at the time, and became youth director of the New York chapter of his organization. I committed myself at an early age to the principles and dream he had articulated throughout his life. As an extensive piece in Vanity Fair this week highlighted, I am beginning to see in the present political climate and imminent departure of President Obama that much of what I and many others fought for in the post-King years is at stake. But as I thought about it more deeply, the actual dream of King itself is at risk. A dream of equality, a dream of economic fairness, of ending militarism and all forms of bias, a dream of workers earning fair wages (which is why King was in Memphis when he was killed) and much more. This very dream hangs in the balance as not only the Presidential race is upon us, but also Senate, Congressional and local races will have a signiﬁcant impact on which direction this nation heads and whether or not we will keep making

King’s dream come to fruition or turn our backs on the greatest civil rights leader of our time. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled today that states may count all residents in drawing election districts, regardless of whether or not they are eligible to vote. This is a key victory for all those who believe in the notion that everyone counts when it comes to our political process. It is decisions such as this that reinforce the notion of why the next Supreme Court Justice is so important for the nation. Decisions deciding the fate of Afﬁrmative Action, women’s rights, voting rights and more all hang in the balance. We must be on high alert that while we make sanctimonious statements about the fact that they killed the dreamer, there are those in the Court, as well as in the corridors of Congress and aspiring to be in the White House that would easily kill the dream. In Sunday’s New York Times, Nicholas Kristof wrote a powerful piece titled, “When Whites Just Don’t Get It (Part 6).” In the op-ed, he highlighted the variety of ways that Blacks are still routinely discriminated against in everything from job opportunities to housing to fair education and more. “A Black (job) applicant with a clean criminal record did no better than a White applicant who was said to have just been released from 18 months in prison,” read one glaring fact in his

piece. As Kristof stated, it may not necessarily be overt racism, but rather, unconscious bias among Whites that causes even the ones who believe in equality to act in ways that perpetuate inequality. Next week, my organization, National Action Network (NAN), will hold its annual convention at the Sheraton New York where both Democratic Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, and many others from the civil rights community and clergy will gather as we talk action and concrete plans. It’s easy to lay in relative calm and poetically speak of King’s dream, but it is much more difﬁcult to get in the trenches and make that dream a reality. It is easier to simply complain about circumstances, but real change requires real strategy and organization. And it’s easy to become apathetic and uninvolved, but if we did that, well then nothing would ever change or move forward. Dr. King once stated: “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable .. every step toward the goal of justice requires sacriﬁce, suffering and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” It may be nearly 50 years since this great civil rights advocate was taken from us in such a vicious way, but we cannot and must not forget his

TEXAS • APRIL 11 - 17, 2016 be careful where you put yo nose. Don’t expect things like that to just “go away”. After you’ve mentioned it a couple of times (as lovingly as you can) and yo woman STILL won’t go and get checked out, there’s a word for that. It’s called triﬂing. There’s only so much a man can take. Don’t expect her to change. With half of marriages in America ending in divorce, you young fellers better choose women wisely. Don’t pass on the homely-looking women who might not be your “type”. Those are some of the best women to marry. Just because they don’t wear a pound of makeup or have hour-glass shapes does not disqualify them from being excellent wives. Continue reading “Before I lay it

vision for justice for all of mankind. At a time when so much of his work and the advancements we have made are being challenged once again, we must remain steadfast in our resolve to keep ﬁghting for fairness and equality. We meet every April purposely because we want to send a signal that this may be the month that you killed the dreamer, but the children of the dream move on and carry his legacy. Don’t just memorialize King; make the dream a reality. Continue reading online

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TEXAS • APRIL 11 - 17, 2016 By: Dan Freeman

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‘THE CONTENT OF OUR CHARACTER’: ONE OF THE SCARIEST ISSUES FACING BLACK AMERICA

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I most certainly do not feel compelled to rehash the circumstances surrounding the historical context enveloping the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on the day that he uttered the above quote regarding his hopes that one day his ‘four little children’ will not be judged by the color of their skin, rather by the ‘content of their character’. There is quite simply no reason to do it under these circumstances. Although I am a historian, the matter that I intend to address is in the words of famed balladeer Luther Vandross, “Here and Now”. Life has taught me that race still matters in the good old United States of America. Experience has taught me that there is absolutely no doubt that there are people who hate everything about African-Americans; ironically, a few of these people are African-American themselves. I also realize that racism is alive and well in America, as are prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination. These are things that I have experienced and therefore have no doubt about their presence whatsoever. However, life, particularly international travel, has also taught me that there is no better place to be on the face of the planet Earth than this nation that we call The United States of America. The fact that we are having repeated contests and conﬂict over political power, economic resources, and social position is a testament to how great this nation actually is; other places are often woefully lacking in such discourse for a host of reasons that I will not go into during this editorial. Now make no mistake about it, I have historically been one of this nation’s greatest critics, particularly when it comes to racial matters; the fact that I could publicly criticize this nation and continue living is one of the many testaments to its greatness. Although political activists such

as myself who fashion themselves as advocates for “Black Power” rarely admit it, the reason that we are always agitating and prodding our people forward is due to the inescapable fact that it is possible to move forward politically and economically. Unfortunately, for those seeking “the liberation and salvation of the Black nation” such progress has been frustratingly slow and daunting as we are always facing one of the most frightening questions known to our kind; who will carry this torch after we make our transition to be with the ancestors? The reason that such matters make individuals such as myself so uncertain is that far too often we are witnessing an absence of much-needed character from the vast majority of African-American youth. Far too often Black youth behave as if they are not only disinterested in politics, but also are privy to inside information that has informed them that the world will surely end tomorrow, so they should ‘eat, drink, and be happy’ because there is surely no future to prepare for. Maybe it is this belief that there is no future to prepare for that encourages the foolishness and embarrassing buffoonery that is so commonly associated with our youth; now I am certain that many of you are having what is best-termed a ‘knee-jerk’ mental reaction that is causing you to muse something like ‘well white kids behave in that way as well’, all I can say regarding that thought is that they are none of my concern. How long will African-American youth continue to exhibit lifestyles and behaviors that not only conﬂict with the manner that our people have historically lived, but also behave in a manner that would make even heinous heathens blush. The entire time that this segment of our population is in the throes of behaving like fools, other groups are being bolstered by youth who are taking their educational endeavors with the utmost seriousness and preparing for a future that they will undoubtedly rule politically, economically, educationally, and socially.

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! Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated ~ Calvin Coolidge derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

Take TSU Back!

Dr. John M. Rudley, President

Honorable Derrick Mitchell Chairman

Honorable Glenn O. Lewis Immediate Past Chair

Honorable Marilyn Rose 2nd Vice Chair

s you know I have been a huge supporter of Texas Southern University for decades. I have always ensured that African-American News&Issues gives the university praise and encouragement when others would not. However, what I witnessed last week (during a TSU board meeting) made me raise my eyebrows and open my mouth in disgust several times. I couldn’t believe that a sitting president was attacking the chairman of the board of regents in public. Now readers, ya’ll know I call it like I see it. And what I saw looked like an old school kangaroo court. You know the scenario where the judge, the prosecutor and the eye witness have all rehearsed their lines prior to the court proceedings. I know that no African American was nominated for an academy award last year, but I can assure you, President John Rudely, Regent Glenn Lewis and Regent Marilyn Rose should surely get the nod this year. But I digress. As I watched the meeting it became painfully obvious that my “acting friends” had an axe to grind against the new Chairman of the Board, Derrick Mitchell. I couldn’t quite ﬁgure it out, the guy is pleasant, he’s articulate, and he seems to care about the students at TSU. So what’s the problem? Ya’ll know I couldn’t leave well enough alone, so I went to TSU’s website and found old video of all the meetings since Chairman Mitchell has been elected. It took me some time but I watched them all and what I learned is Chairman Mitchell won the election by a vote of 5-3 which had not been the case over the past eight years. You see, former chairman, and best supporting actor, Glenn Lewis had been elected and re-elected without a challenger. As a quick history lesson, Glenn Lewis is one of the turn coat democratic legislators who stood with the Republicans against the Democrats in their efforts to redistrict Texas. Thank the Lord the folks in Fort Worth kicked Judas Iscariot out of ofﬁce. As a reward for his loyalty to the tea party, Glenn Lewis had been handpicked by Rick Perry to control

We MUST Understand By Roy Douglas Malonson, Chairman TSU. So how dare Chairman Mitchell even think about running against this guy? To quote Richard Pryor in one of my favorite movies, “Negro is you crazy!” I got to hand it to you, Mr. Chairman, you got guts. Now back to the story. At the same meeting in which Chairman Mitchell was elected, something was different that day; a group of concerned students and faculty members had attended the same meeting and expressed their concerns about how the Rudley administration had failed them. In fact the students started a movement called “Take Back TSU.” Google it. As I watched the video, I noticed that Dr. Rudley’s demeanor was less conﬁdent as each student and faculty member spoke. But the odd thing was instead of Dr. Rudley stepping up boldly to address the audience; he made a weak hearted statement, sort of like one you’d expect from the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz. On the other hand, Chairman Mitchell took a different approach; he seemed to be agreeing with the students that the university had failed them. He also promised that he and the board would see to it that everyone involved in the failures would be held accountable. What? Accountability? You mean you want Rudley’s administration to be accountable to the students? The same ones who pay tuition which goes to pay TSU administrators’ salaries? The same students who have to deal with poor customer service from the university? The same students whose mamas and daddys have to scrape by to help keep these kids in school? Chairman Mitchell, I am here to tell you this might be a new concept to the Rudley administration. The good news for you Mr. Chairman is Dr. Rudley will be gone in less than six months since he is retiring. Continue reading We MUST Understand online @ www.aframnews.com TX-3

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HOLLINS FROM PG. 1

HOUSTON - Since the ages of time, being the ﬁrstborn son of a Black family has had the tendency to carry a mountain of weight on one’s shoulders. Oftentimes, parents expect for the oldest son to set the mark and leave a standard for those coming behind to follow. Undoubtedly, this task can place a huge burden upon the one that is to carry out this effort. However, it appears that one native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana took on this challenge, embraced his place and set sail on this mission. Born the oldest of ﬁve, JG Hollins was educated in the capital city of Louisiana. After graduating high school, he attended Louisiana State University. He later served in the United States Air Forces as an Aircraft Mechanic.

Cover Story

Working with his hands was always a talent that he was fortuned with, possibly related to family inheritance. During an interview, Hollins shared that he grew up watching his father’s brothers build homes and churches in North and South Louisiana. This experience produced a certain fascination for construction within him, from as far back as he can remember. He would later go on to start experimenting and performing sheetrock and framing work. In 1993, Hollins relocated to Houston. At that time, he was informed by one of his uncles that was employed by the City of Houston as a builder, about the abundance of opportunities prevalent in the city. Nearly a year after coming to Houston, Hollins became a licensed car dealer. That same year, he opened JG Hollins Motors at 4414 Old Yale Street. His goal was to sell clean, dependable and low-priced vehicles. He operated out of that location for 13 years and moved to its present location. The current lot sits at the intersection of Yale and Tidwell, (211 Tidwell, 77018). Though he thrived in the car selling business, that fascination that pronged him since his youth just would not let him be. It was by chance that he would later go on to make an entrance into the ﬁeld of construction. He started purchasing rental properties and in the process rehabbing them, in order to maintain their upkeep. Eventually, he formed a crew and from rehabbing his own properties, he started purchasing land and

building from the ground up. From building new construction ground up, to developing and building new construction project houses and residential homes he created JG Hollins Building Construction almost two decades ago. With the emergence of this new venture he began, renting out some of his properties and selling as well. His properties ranged from apartment complexes to residential homes. Within the development of his company, he initially started out in the South Park, Fifth Ward and Acres Homes areas; building affordable homes and as the market changed he starting building in suburban areas. Since then, he has built in other places such as: Cottage Grove, Hempstead and Brian College Station. Currently, he has branched out and there is no boundary to his reach. His latest task has been complete with securing contracts for the City of Houston. As such, his company is a part of the Land Assemblage Redevelopment Authority (LARA). According to the City of Houston, LARA is a 13-member board appointed by the Mayor, City Council, Harris County and the Houston Independent School District. It seeks to conduct projects which include: “without limitation, the acquisition, assemblage, management, marketing, development and disposition of properties that have been acquired by taxing authorities through foreclosure of delinquent ad valorem taxes, including the redevelopment of such properties.” JG Hollins Building

TTexas EXAS • PRIL 1112-18, - 17, 2016 •A August 2013 Construction’s role in LARA has been building affordable homes in the Acres Home community. Tentatively, he is seeking to build luxury homes in the same area as well. He subscribes to a motto which states, “exceptional homes start with quality workmanship.” Hollins has always had a sincere passion for the residents of the African-American community. In renovating, building, maintaining and establishing apartment complexes and rental housing facilities, he has several properties that he rents to residents that would not ordinarily be applicable for housing accommodations. In regards to this factor he said, “These days, it’s almost harder to get an apartment than buying a home in some cases.” In instances where individuals have misdemeanors, bad credit, evictions or other issues, Hollins provides rental assistance for these circumstances. He extends second, third and even fourth chances, providing that one is able to have a job and can show a record of pay history. In addition to JG Hollins Motors and JG Hollins Building Construction, an ambitious Hollins also established the Old Yale Adult Activity Center. This non-proﬁt organization is one which is licensed by the state as an Adult Activity Center. TO CONTINUE READING VISIT US ONLINE @ WWW.AFRAMNEWS.COM STORY BY: REBECCA S. JONES COVER & INSIDE PHOTO CREDIT: CHANDRA JARMON

Living Legend: Howard Jefferson

HOUSTON – Howard Jefferson is truly a, “Living Legend” in not only the African-American community but, the same is true for the world of academia. He has left and continues to leave remarkable footprints in the sand for generations and generations to come. During an interview, Jefferson expressed that he has lived a full and complete life. He said, “These days I don’t ask for much, but I do pray the prayer of Solomon – wisdom, knowledge and understanding.” It is very evident that his voice has been heard and his prayer has been answered. Because no person can make the accomplishments that he has made without having his own measure of wisdom, knowledge and understanding from a force greater than mankind. His journey started many years ago, in the small town of Clem located in Mississippi. He was one of nine children, reared on a 10-acre farm. Being a product of a segregated era, he went through the motions of: drinking out of the “Black water fountains”, attending the “Black schools”, going to the “Black movie theaters” and ultimately living the “Black life”, as it was accustomed in that day. Although, he was birthed into an era of segregation, Jefferson maintains that he had a, “good experience” during his fundamental years. His parents stressed emphasis on their children obtaining a higher level education and they supported them while doing so. After completing high school, Jefferson attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While Jefferson’s parents were insistent of their children attaining a higher education, they could not just cater to him alone. Therefore, he had to work his way through his college years. He worked in the cafeteria, cut the grass and cleaned out ﬂower beds throughout the campus while attending the university. He would also go out and cut yards in the vicinity. Determined to succeed, he was still able to persevere academically while paying his way through school. His level of academia was noticed and he was asked to be an Assistant in the Science Institute for hire. The division and struggle between the White race in regards to the Black race became more appar-

ent to him in those college years at Southern. During an interview, Jefferson recalled a certain incident which to this day has remained as a scar imprinted in his psyche. He was a part of a 5,000 march in Baton Rouge, led by the spirit of students wanting to acquire more funding for the university. Students simply wanted the same treatment as other students at universities. Things such as: better funding for the library to be updated, classrooms needing to be painted and other elements attached with justice for a college student succeeding. As a result of their march, Jefferson and other marchers were: bitten by dogs, sprayed with water hoses, engulfed with tear gas and some even suspended. However, the methods that were used as a means to cease the students from marching and protesting did not prevent them for standing up for their civil rights. CONTINUE READING LIVING LEGEND ONLINE @ WWW.AFRAMNEWS.COM

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Feature Story

TEXAS • APRIL 11 - 17, 2016 BOOGIE FROM PG. 1

HILLARY CLINTON’S GOES TO ‘BLACK GIRLS ROCK’ EVENT

The lack of a formidable political plan that could be issued as a list of demands for those seeking the Black vote leaves one with little choice other than to consider Negro leaders’ equal parts inept and derelict in their duties. Instead of strategically using what amounts to millions of votes as a formidable political tool, they have opted for political favoritism, cronyism, and photo opportunities from Hillary Clinton. The most astounding aspect of members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the leadership of various civil rights organizations endorsing Hillary Clinton is that she has neither shared anything that she plans to do to aid our community, outside of apologizing for her husband incarcerating hundreds’ of thousands of Black men during his Presidency, nor have these vaunted and celebrated ‘so-called Negro leaders’ requested, let alone demanded, anything of her. For whatever reason, ‘so-called Negro leaders’ stand poised to cooperatively play their part in a symphony that is playing a tune that is not only unoriginal, but also devoid of discernible melody or sound. Put simply, they have agreed to

sit silently on the stage, demanding nothing, and expecting even less for the Black community’s formidable political clout. The political playbook currently being used on today’s Black community is best termed ‘the Clinton Boogie’. Last time it was Bill and his saxophone, today it is Hillary and her politically advantageous appearances at Black events and closed door meetings with ‘so-called Negro leaders’. During such moments, Hillary stays right on script and evokes the names of prominent African-Americans, as if she are calling on ancestral spirits, before making a general statement regarding the misery that the Black community is experiencing; yet she is very careful to not pinpoint any policy or initiatives that she would be willing to implement to address any of these issues, many of which were created during her husband’s administration. TO CONTINUE READING VISIT US ONLINE @ WWW.AFRAMNEWS.COM BY: DR JAMES THOMAS JONES, III

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“Making A Reality Surface”

At 25, Mark Allen Reed Jr., is a teacher, mentor, entrepreneur, and a published author. Even though he was born in Houston, he spent a lot of time traveling back and forth from Louisiana with his parents, until they split; leaving him to grow in up in a single family home. “My childhood was very eventful. It helped me grow up to the person that I am today,” said Mark. Mark is an educated man, and takes great pride in the education he has received. He graduated from MacArthur High School, and continued his education at Sam Houston State University graduating in 2014; he received degrees in English and Mathematics, with a minor in Kinesiology. Today, Mark is empowering our youth through his teaching, mentoring, and his selfmade organization M.A.R.S., which stands for Making A Reality Surface. M.A.R.S. is directed towards youth who have grown up in urban areas, like Mark. Created during his last year in college, this organization reaches out to youth through sports, ﬁtness, and education in order to help guide and assist them in reaching their dreams. As a teacher in Aldine, he pulls these students, as well as students at other schools located in Houston under his wing, to tutor them, help them with athletics, and to help further their academics beyond high school. Mark stated, “I just want to help get them on the right path. To graduating high school, and even attending college; introducing them to what the real life is about before they get thrown into it.” When not helping others accomplish their dreams, Mark has spent a lot of time making his own dreams come true. “My greatest accomplishment was getting two of my poem collections published, and several of my independent poems published as well”, said Mark. Two of his published collections include, Could You Relate?

and Puzzles. Could You Relate? is focused on how he could relate to things that others have been through in their lives. The second collection Puzzles, is a collection of poems where at the end of the collection, the audience puts the pieces together and it tells an overall story. Mark is currently working on his third collection, which is called Remember. Remember is a collection of poems that are based off his life and ﬁlled with moments from his life that he could remember. Remember is scheduled to be released sometime later this year. Through his writing, he wants to grasp the attention of a big audience and paint a picture for those who have experienced some of the same things he has been through, or to paint a more vivid picture for those who have never witnessed the events that he has experienced. Mark writes because he is a very secluded person, and has often been told that he is a quiet person. What he wants to be expressed comes alive through his writing. Writing not only helps him relieve stress, but it also serves as a way of just expressing the experiences that have occurred in his life. Corneilus Eady is Mark’s favorite writer, who tells stories from different perspectives through his writing. One of his favorite books by this author is Brutal Imagination, which is a book of poems that tell a story through one woman’s eyes as if he was the one doing it him self. This book to Mark is one of Eady’s greatest works. Mark is inspired by this writer, and hopes to inspire many other people through his own writing. Some of the people that Mark has already inspired are his own students that he teaches and mentors on a daily basis. TO CONTINUE READING VISIT US ONLINE @ WWW.AFRAMNEWS.COM CHELSEA DAVIS-BIBBS

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Email sales@aframnews.com for a copy of AANI’s 2016 Media Kit

Read us online @www.aframnews.com Source HOU-6

Bus ness

TAMIKA COMICK.

HOUSTON - Oftentimes, people have the tendency to look at the success of a person and automatically assume that it was of no small feat to accomplish a specific destination in one’s career. But, there is a saying that suggests, “Things aren’t always as they appear”. While some people have been fortuned to commence to a life of success by family inheritance and such; there are those who literally had to struggle to, “come up”, survive and persevere through at an attempt to reach some level of consistency in their life. Such has been the case of Houstonian Tamika Comick. Although Tamika was not born with what some would refer to as a, “silver spoon in her mouth”; by her own personal volition she was able to press her way through and reach a level of becoming an entrepreneur. She hails from the North side of Houston. Her mother had 12 children, of which two passed away some years ago. Comick attended Kashmere High School. At an early age, she and her siblings experienced the perils associated with being placed in Children Protective Services. She did not have a pretty rearing, as her oldest sister was molested by a very close family member. Their parents were addicted to drugs during those days. As children they were faced with going from house to house and even resorted to eating out of trash cans. As a result, they spent majority of their childhood years in various foster homes. Though Comick did not receive her high school diploma, she did earn a GED and was able to become a licensed hair stylist in the State of Texas, wild being deemed a ward of the state. For over, 25 years Comick has practiced her profession as a beautician. She maintains that watching others do hair inspired her to become a hair stylist. She saw how good it made people feel as they transformed and she wanted to share in on assisting with others’ transformation, “which brought happiness and joy”.

Texas • April 11 - 17, 2016

Seven years ago, she stepped out on faith and decided to open up Unique Touch Hair Salon. She has successfully operated this shop ever since. It is a full-service Hair Salon and Barbershop. There she has a staff that does every style in the book and also does eyebrow waxing and eyelash services. The salon sits in the heart of Acres Home located at, 4106 Victory Dr., 77088. Comick has proven to be a self-starter and gogetter all in one. Within her spare time, she devised a hair and skin moisturizer, Unique Moisturizer. Though it is still in its development stages, she sells it at her shop and has seen much success with it. One of her staff members uses it for hot-oil treatments and another for the maintenance of natural hair clients. Comick said, “I wanted to use some of those home remedies that we have gotten away from”. Her product is one that has 17 different ingredients. One of which she explained was honey. She elaborated on the benefits of honey in regards to split ends and informed of how it can draw pimples to a head, on a person’s face if applied. So she has embraced the idea of home remedies through the usage of natural resources instead of chemicals. A few of the benefits of the Unique Moisturizer include: stopping breakage, mends split ends, seals in moisture and stimulates hair growth. It also has many benefits for the skin as well, especially on dry or infected skin. In addition to owning and operating the hair salon, she became a foster parent for ten years. From that experience, she adopted a daughter who is 14-years-old, Trinity Comick. She has raised Trinity since the age of seven. Due to her experience as being a foster child, it was her way of giving back to that community and, “making a difference in a child’s life”. She is also a mother of two biological children. In spite of being a single mother and business owner, Comick has never lost touch and sight of who brought her to the point in life that she has arrived. During an interview she expressed that she, “owes it all to God”. She also says that the way that she had to come up in life really encourages her to do better and provide a better opportunity for her children. She has exemplified that she is a woman with a message and has no plans of stopping until, “the world begins to heal!” To that regard, she recently wrote a novel entitled, Bandaged Wounds. It is based off a true story and one that Comick is convinced was divinely-inspired. She revealed that one day; she was beckoned and consumed with a voice telling her to write a book. Although she pondered on the thought, she said within herself that she did not want to write a book. However, she knows it was the voice of God instructing her to do so, because she said she didn’t even know how to begin writing a book of any sort. To continue reading visit us online @ www.aframnews.com By: Rebecca S. Jones

Rate and size of Ad to run in AAN&I’s Houston edition. EDITION DATE: April 11 - 17, 2016 (Vol. 21 Issue 12) TEXAS • APRIL 11 - 17, 2016

APR

PUBLIC NOTICE Houston Independent School District will receive Competitive Sealed Proposals from contractors for Wilson Montessori School Renovations and Addition, Project Number: 16-03-29 on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at 4400 West 18th Street, Office of Board Services, Houston, TX 77092. A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 19, 2016, at HISD Construction and Facilities Services Office located at 3200 Center Street Houston, TX 77007. For additional information regarding this project, access the HISD website: http:// www.houstonisd.org/Page/68148 or contact Mr. Raymond Hooks, rhooks@houstonisd.org. Drawings and Specifications for the RFCSP may be reviewed at the following Houston locations: Associated General Contractors, 3825 Dacoma Street, Houston, TX 77092, 713-843-3700 HISD Construction and Facilities Services Office, 3200 Center, Houston, TX 77007, 713-556-9250 McGraw Hill Construction/Dodge, www.construction.com Virtual Builders Exchange, 3910 Kirby, #131, Houston, TX 77098, 832-613-0201

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Monday - Saturday The Ensemble Theatre Detroit ‘67 3535 Main St Houston, TX 77002 Times Vary For more info contact: Luncheon 2016 (713) 520-0055 1600 Lamar St AD COST Tuesday Houston, TX 77010 Windsor Houston Beginning at 11:30am Networking Breakfast Total Cost to Ad for one week: For more inforun contact: 6920 TC Jester Blvd (713)348-4171 Houston, TX 77091 R e a d u s $334.08 online Beginning at 9:20am a f r a m n e w s.com For more info contact: Saturday (281) 224-0280 Alliance Financial Thursday Ministries, Inc. Community Casinofor Night Please sign approval and fax Immunity 8111 Kirby Dr. Spring Luncheon back toTX(713) Houston, 77054692-1183 1600 River Oaks Blvd info contact: byFor 12more NOON Wednesday for Houston, TX 77019 (281) 845-3642 Beginning at 11:30am next Monday’s publication. Sunday For more info visit: New Hope MBC immunizeusa.org 73rd Anniversary Saturday Celebration HCC 4827 Creekmont Dr. Foundation Scholarship Houston, TX 77091 Signature Gala For more info contact: 1600 Lamar St (713) 498-5987 Houston, TX 77010

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IT’S NOT OVER; LET’S DO

JARVIS JOHNSON

AGAIN - GET OUT & VOTE!

**REMEMBER THE DATES:** Special Elections: Saturday -- May 7, 2016 Run - Off Election: Tuesday -- May 24, 2016

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STARTS FRIDAY, APRIL 22

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Education/Y uth

Alliance for Young Artists & Writers Names 2 AISD Students National Silver Key Winners AWARD RECIPIENTS JOIN A LEGACY OF CELEBRATED INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING ANDY WARHOL AND CY TWOMBLY.

“Omni-erudite” by Cynthia Coronado

The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers (the Alliance) announced the national 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards recipients. The Awards recognizes creative teens in grades 7-12. It is the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program. A record-breaking 320,000 works of art and writing were submitted for adjudication at the regional level. The Awards’ 29 categories include poetry, photography and sculpture. Other categories include editorial cartoons, video game design and more. This year, 16 high school seniors received the Gold Medal Portfolio. This is the program’s highest national honor that includes a $10,000 scholarship. Each year, the Alliance awards more than $250,000 in scholarships to top Awards recipients and their educators. The Alliance also partners with art institutes, colleges and universities. They earmark scholarships for college-bound Scholastic Awards recipients. Only the top 1 percent of students’ work earned recognition at the national level. Since the program’s founding in 1923, the Awards have fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students, including renowned alumni who have gone on to become leaders in their ﬁelds, including Andy Warhol, Truman Capote, TX-8

Richard Avedon, Philip Pearlstein, Sylvia Plath and Robert Redford. More recently, Stephen King, Richard Linklater, Zac Posen, and Lena Dunham received Scholastic Art & Writing Awards when they were teens. This year, the renowned ﬁlmmaker and documentarian Ken Burns will receive the Alumni Achievement Award. “The Stare” by Lionel Green

AISD NATIONAL SILVER KEY WINNERS CARVER HIGH SCHOOL Student: Cynthia Coronado Teacher: Laura Luna PLUMMER MIDDLE SCHOOL Student: Lionel Green Teacher: Tiffany Moroney Panels of creative professionals identified the2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards recipients. The program has three judging criteria for all art and writing submissions. The judges look for originality, technical skill and emergence of personal vision or voice. Student works are first adjudicated regionally. The more than 100 local Affiliates of the Alliance celebrated regional Award recipients. Individuals got to see Regional recipients’ work at local exhibitions and ceremonies. The Awardees are considered the most talented young artists and writers in the nation. Virginia McEnerney lauds the students’ work. She is executive director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. It is the nonprofit

TEXAS • APRIL 11 - 17, 2016

Teen Truth: Difference-Maker Summit Tackles Issues Like Bullying, Body Image, Family Violence

Issues like bullying, teen body image and family violence are being tackled through a workshop sponsored by the Center for Safe and Secure Schools, a division of Harris County Department of Education. The workshop is set for April 14 from 1-4 p.m. at HCDE, 6300 Irvington Blvd., Houston, Texas. Teen Truth: Difference Maker Summit is a summit for school administrators led by J.D. Pohl, an Austin filmmaker and presenter. Pohl gave five teens cameras to film their senior year. The results have prompted teen assemblies and educator seminars across the nation. “Educators will review the films as a means of understanding teen issues,” said Ecomet Burley, director of the Center for Safe and Secure Schools. “From there, we create strategies to improve safety and to strengthen the campus culture.” The videos that will be shown at the summit highlight things that administrators don’t see on campus: family violence, prejudice, bullying, body image and more. The idea is to develop a better understanding of the issues currently affecting schools and to engage in team-building activities that lead to tangible solutions. View a glimpse of Teen Truth through this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/Jrz6CsDfraE . Teen Truth: Difference Maker Summit is tailored to counselors, principals and other school personnel who are charged with strengthening campus culture. Team-building activities will help lead to tangible solutions. Cost is $50. For more information, email skroeger@hcdetexas.org or visit www.safeandsecureschools. org . To register, go to wms.hcde-texas.org and search for workshop number 10401. About Harris County Department of Education (HCDE): Serving students, organization that presents the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. “We are always astonished by the sheer energy and ingenuity of the work that students produce,” said McEnerney. “They are brave to put it into the world for feedback from arts professionals. We hear from Alumni of the program every single day. They say that receiving a Scholastic Award is life-changing. It is a thrill to give that opportunity to talented students from across the country.” The Alliance will honor National Gold Medalists, American Visions and Voices

teachers, schools and communities throughout Harris County, HCDE is a local governmental organization providing value for school districts while supporting educational opportunity. Partnering with Harris County school districts, HCDE maximizes local resources and respond to the needs of locally elected school boards and education leaders. HCDE services include school-based therapy for students, afterschool programs, Head Start, educator training, adult education and programs to promote safe schools. To learn more about how your county department of education can help you: www. hcde-texas.org . Medalists, Silver Medal with Distinction and sponsored Awards recipients at the National Ceremony. These recipients will head to New York City in June. Silver Medalists will receive their medals and certiﬁcates by mail. National Celebration Events June 2: The Gold Portfolio and Gold Medal students will be honored at Carnegie Hall. Ken Burns will make appearances. The award-winning ﬁlmmaker and documentarian will receive the Alumni Achievement Award this year. June 2-12: Art.Write.Now.2016 National Exhibition … More than 1,000 of the top READ MORE @ http://insidealdine.com

TEXAS • APRIL 11 - 17, 2016

Read us online! w w w. aframnew s. com

GROUND BREAKING ON NEW BUILDING

HOUSTON - Recently, Booker T. Washington High School celebrated a big milestone with a festive groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction on Pastor G.T. Curry gives the invocation during ground breaking ceremonies at Washington a new $51.7 million campus said to be ready High School to move into in the next one to two years. More than 100 parents, students, staff, alumni, and community members attended the event and were joined by HISD Trustee Rhonda Skillern-Jones, State Sen. John Whitmire and Houston City Councilwoman Karla Cisneros. “This is a wonderful occasion and the beginning of amazing things to come for these students and the community,” Skillern-Jones said. “This neighborhood has a rich history. I think the new building will be a great addition and hopefully attract kids back to their neighborhood school.” As part of HISD’s $1.89 billion bond program approved by voters in 2012, Washington will receive a new 180,000-square-foot building Alumni Arnold Hightower c/o 1960 attends ground breaking ceremonies at that will accommodate up to 1,300 students. The building Washington High School

will showcase the school’s engineering program with 21st century technology, specialized engineering and science labs, and ﬂexible learning spaces to support project-based learning and encourage collaboration. “The new building embraces the engineering program that the school has had for many years,” said architect Jim Hepburn of Fanning Howey + House Architects. “It’s a unique setup. We’ve moved the engineering programs, construction, technology, computer, and agriculture, all to the front of the building so that all students are exposed to them and hopefully be encouraged to join.” The school is located in the Independence Heights neighborhood of Houston and enjoyed strong alumni and community support throughout the planning and design phases. “Washington High School is a great place to be,” said Principal Carlos Phillips II, who oversaw the event. “Our students are outstanding. Our school community supports the things that we do, and I’m proud to be a part of the Washington family.” Nearly 16 acres of land adjacent to the school was acquired by the district as part of the plan to nearly double

the size of the campus. During the spring of 2015, a geological fault line was discovered running diagonally across the new campus site, which caused the campus to undergo design modiﬁcations. Students will continue to attend classes in the existing building during construction, which is expected to be complete in the third quarter of 2017. Once the new building is occupied, the old building will be demolished. “It was a really nice ceremony and a signiﬁcant moment for students,” said Eliezer Meraz, a junior at Booker T. Washington High School. “It’s a big step, not only for the school, but for the community as a whole.” Mrs. Charles, a Social Studies teacher, commented, “The ceremony was absolutely wonderful, and I am thrilled that both my class and I could be a part of such a wonderful experience. This is the beginning of a legacy that I believe will leave Booker T. Washington with an outstanding new founded reputation within our community.” At the conclusion of the ceremony, the attendees found their way to the school’s auditorium to continue celebrating the rest of the festivities. The

program began with an outstanding, motivational speech by Roy Douglas Malonson. He captivated the student body with such words that both saddened, uplifted, and gave the students a sense of hope within their own lives when confronted with overwhelming odds. One student reported that, “Mr. Malonson had polio, and he still managed to become a great man. Being from the same community as he gives me hope for my own future. I “Miss Washington” Taylor Brown really enjoyed the assembly, comments during ground breaking and I think if more of the ceremonies at Washington High School assemblies were like this one behavior would not be such an issue.” However, the festivities did not end there. After Malonson’s speech, the Booker T. Washington Thespians put on a performance of “A Lesson Before Dying” another crowd pleaser. Tia Smith also gave a riveting dance performance, but one of the most talked about parts of the ﬁnal Character Building Ceremony was Dr. Phillips’ announcement of the new Teen Leadership Council. The new Leadership epic day was this – Booker T. Council supports students who Washington has an incredible put their academics, as well future to look forward to. as, their school ﬁrst. There are ways for students to apply, but By: Tremell Robinson, BTW more on that later. The most Student & Rebecca Kiest, HISD important take-away from this Bond Communications

TX-9

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Law & Politics

Dan Walton: The District Attorney Who Made Harris County Juries More Inclusive

As Harris County district clerk, I summon about 400,000 citizens to jury service annually. The district clerk in the 1950s performed a similar role except he did not summon women, who were not allowed to serve, and few African-Americans. The list of prospective jurors was drawn from registered voters then, and many AfricanAmericans did not vote because they had to pay a poll tax. Even if they came to jury service in Harris County in the early 1950s, AfricanAmericans were not seated on juries. Prosecutors, lawyers and judges had a gentleman’s agreement to strike them. By disenfranchising African-Americans from jury service and other forms of civic participation, our county planted many seeds of distrust and disillusionment in the American way of life. Those who work to increase civic participation are among my heroes. Locally, few today remember the role former Harris County District Attorney Dan Walton played in increasing the specific type of civic participation that is of great interest to me, jury service. It’s fitting to remember Walton, who served from 1954-1960. “When I first started trying lawsuits originally, you didn’t have Blacks on the jury. The lawyers, generally by agreement, excused all the black jurors,” said Walton during a videotaped interview with State District Judge Mark Davidson in the 1990s. Walton, who died in 2008, did not agree with TX-10

the practice of striking prospective AfricanAmerican jurors. He grew up in Alabama during the Depression and saw around him people who were hurting. “What he used to tell us was that at that time, that people weren’t given a fair chance, White or Black,” said his son, Dan Walton of Laguna Niguel, Calif. In 1954, local Democrats urged Walton to run for district attorney because the sitting D.A. had been indicted for helping run a brothel across from the courthouse. During the campaign, Walton vowed that the D.A.’s Office would stop honoring the gentleman’s agreement not to seat African-Americans on juries. “I went to the Black community and churches,” Walton said. “I assured them that jurors would be selected on merit, with no regard to race, color or creed.” After he won and assumed office, Walton instructed prosecutors to begin seating AfricanAmerican jurors. “And that’s the way we proceeded,” Walton said. “Never had been done that way before.” Also in 1954, Texas voters passed a referendum giving women the right to serve on juries. U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. said of Walton’s motives for seating African-American jurors: “It was just the innate goodness of the man that led him to the decision. He saw that it was not right to strike a certain segment of people from the jury. He saw there was a lack of fairness in excluding people. I don’t think he saw a political advantage in taking this stance.” In 1958, George Moses, who was AfricanAmerican, stood trial on charges that he shot and killed a White Houston police officer during a drug raid. Walton, who served as state district judge from 1966-1984, prosecuted the case himself. “I accepted a Black juror in the case,” he said. “Judge (Langston) King nearly fell off the bench.” Courtroom observers were stunned. Cain H. Nelson, the African-American juror, ran a grocery store near North Shepherd in north Houston. He and the rest of the jury voted to convict Moses and approved a death sentence. Some in the African-American community were outraged by Nelson’s vote. Nelson’s grocery store was ransacked. To continue reading visit us online @ www.afrmanews.com By: Chris Daniels, Harris County County Clerk

TEXAS • APRIL 11 - 17, 2016

Understanding the Law: Texas Child Support Payments

The Texas Child Support Program ensures that both parents are held responsible for the care and well-being of their child. Child Support is enforced against the non-custodial parent; the noncustodial parent is the parent who does not have primary custody of the child. If you are the custodial parent of a child and the non-custodial parent has failed to provide any financial assistance for the child, contact the Texas Attorney General’s Office to initiate child support proceedings. If you are the non-custodial parent and wish to provide support for your child, you also have the right to initiate child support proceedings by contacting the Texas Attorney General’s Office. Opening a child support case with the Attorney General can protect both parents’ rights. A court order will be established that addresses custody and visitation, as well as how much child support and medical support will be

owed each month. HOW TO CALCULATE CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS: Child support is calculated based on the non-custodial parent’s net income. It does not matter if the non-custodial parent is not working, the court will still order the noncustodial parent to pay child support. If the non-custodial parent is supporting multiple children who live in different households, the guidelines are adjusted based on the number of children they are supporting. The chart below provides general guidelines as to how child support is calculated in Texas. HOW TO MAKE SUPPORT PAYMENTS: Every child support order in Texas contains an income withholding order that requires the non-custodial parent’s employer to withhold the child support amount from their paycheck and send it to the state child support enforcement agency or a local registry, which in turn

Krystin Collins Attorney at Law

sends it to the other parent. If the non-custodial parent is unemployed you must make payments to the state child support enforcement agency or a local registry directly. Do not make child support payments directly to the custodial parent, this could result in you not being credited for the support payment through the Attorney General’s ofﬁce. Attorney Krystin Collins is a

native of the Acres Homes Community. She is a graduate of Texas Southern

University Thurgood Marshall School of Law and has been a licensed

attorney since 2009. Her primary

practice areas are criminal defense,

civil litigation, personal injury, estate planning, and divorce. She may be

contacted at 713-775-0332 or krystin. collins@gmail.com.

Read more artlicles on “Understanding the Law” online @ www.aframnews.com

Religion

TEXAS • APRIL 11 - 17, 2016 RELIGON FROM PAGE 1

Life Legacy of Al L. Henry

Alvin (Al) L. Henry entered eternal rest on April 6, 2016. He was born to the late Forest T. Henry Sr. and Belzora Butler Henry. Three sisters, Betty Henry Chatman, Jennie Henry Crawford and Erma Henry Collins also preceded him in death. He is survived by a loving wife Alfreda, a sister Rosa Henry Doyle and two brothers Forest T. Henry Jr. and Wiley E. Henry and their families, and a great extended family of nieces, nephews, other relative and friends. Al grew up in Houston’s Fifth Ward graduating with honors from Phillis Wheatley High School. He then entered pre-law studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He was active in sports and school activities at both schools. He served in the U.S. Army in the U.S. and Germany; received an Honorable Discharge and a Distinguished Unit Citation. He returned to Washington to serve with the InterState Commerce Commission, before returning to Houston and attending the Law School at Texas Southern University. Immediately after graduating with Honors from Law School he was

admitted to the State Bar of Texas and joined the Houston City Attorney’s Office. Al became one of TSU’s most active supporters. He was elected President of the TSU National Alumni Association, and served several years. He was a founder, and the first President of the Maroon and Gray Athletic Boaster Club. For several years, he served on the Board of the TSU Foundation. In 1982 and again in 1996, Al chaired National Alumni Fund Raising Campaigns. Thru the years he received several awards from the University including a Distinguished Alumni Award. When Al joined the City Attorney’s Office he became the first African American to serve in a professional capacity at City Hall. Later he was appointed Administrative Assistant to the Mayor, and played a significant role in the de-segregating the city, its workforce and city services. He was often cited by Mayor Welch as one who played a very significant role in preventing unrest and turmoil in the City of Houston. Al’s typical reply was “I lost a lot of sleep, but learned a great deal about Human Relations”. Al had opportunities to join the “Private

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Sector”, but chose a career in Public Service. He continued to serve the city through service on Boards, Commissions, and Committees. In several instances he became the ﬁrst person of color to serve; i.e. The City Civil Service Commission. He also represented the city before, the U.S. Congress and the State Legislative. During his tenure with the city, President Johnson appointed him to the President’s Council on youth opportunity. He was reappointed by President Nixon, serving at the same time as Houston’s Youth Coordinator. Later, he was appointed by President Carter to serve on the Fifth Circuit Judges Nominating Committee. Upon leaving the Mayor’s ofﬁce and City Hall, Al joined Houston’s United Way. He also worked closely with the United Way of America chairing a National Task Force on Minority Staff Development. An outgrowth of this was the founding of the National Minority Roundtable, a project designed to promote diversity in social human services throughout the nation. In 1985 Al became President and CEO of Neighborhood Centers Inc., Houston’s largest social human services agency. During his tenure

NCI experienced tremendous growth, resulting in its becoming one of the nations promise agencies. After retiring from NCI, AL formed Alvin L. Henry and Associates, a Social-Human Services Consulting Firm Boards including: Comerica Bank, Texas Educational Foundation. The Landowners of Texas, Texas Farm Bureau, The Park People and The United Way. Retirement also meant more time to devote to a lifelong dream; the development of his Eastfork Ranch, raising Black Brangus Cattle, and American Quarter Horses. He and Freda built a home on the same plot where his great grandfather had built his first cabin. In 1999 he was appointed by the Governor to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (another first). He was asked to use his knowledge and experience to ensure that all Texans (especially Urban Youth) would benefit from TPW’s programs, facilities and services. He discovered a strong, vibrant organization, led by people with compassion, knowledge and very strong sense of community and conservation. To continue reading about “ Alvin (Al) L. Henry visit www.mccoyandharrison.com

2016 ISSACHAR CONFERENCE

PASTOR RALPH DOUGLAS WEST

“Of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command”. 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) In 313 AD, Constantine the Great played a crucial role in decreeing tolerance for Christians in the Roman Empire. He was the ﬁrst emperor to stop Christian persecutions and to legalize Christianity in his vast region. He was over 40 years old when ﬁnally declared himself a Christian, letting other Christians in Rome know that he believed that the Christian God protected him throughout his missions. As emperor, Constantine

was responsible for enacting many administrative, social, ﬁnancial, and military reforms to keep the Roman Empire strong. He understood the times in which he lived and had the mindset and fortitude on how (and when) to implement his plans. The Roman Empire was one of the greatest in world history. In the Old Testament book of 1 Chronicles, there is a story about “the Sons (children) of Issachar and 200 leaders who understood the “signs of the times” and knew the best course (plan) for the nation of Israel to take. Cross references from other scriptures in the bible also address the need for wisdom and knowledge to navigate through God’s plans: Proverbs 24:5 “A wise man is strong; yes, a man of knowledge increases his strength”; Ecclesiastes 7:19 “Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city”; Isaiah 33:6 “And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of your times…” Equipping leaders to grow churches by connecting with communities to transform an “unchurched culture” is the Vision of the 2016 Issachar Conference

(IC3) presented by Ralph Douglas West Ministries. The Purpose of the Issachar Conference is to equip today’s leaders with the necessary tools that will enable him or her to understand the “set times of the church”. These times require the men and women of God to take a valiant approach to the Ministry of Christ in our ever-changing world. “Last year’s Issachar Conference was a tremendous success” exclaims Pastor Ralph Douglas West, Founder/Pastor of The Church Without Walls in Houston, Texas. “It moved us in ways that we never anticipated, taught us lessons we never expected, and conﬁrmed needs for improvement. These things made us more acutely aware of our necessity for growth. From your many testimonies, I know that you were blessed and beneﬁted from our experience. Our witness here at The Church Without Walls remains that the conference was more helpful and illuminating to us than it was for any of you.” To continue reading visit us online @ www.aframnews.com

BY: MARK SPIVEY, M.ED.

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