Volume 26 issue 43

November 14, 2021

GREATER HOUSTON EDITION

Vol. 26, Issue 43

YOUR VOICE

MATTERS

VOTE

“Addressing Current & Historical Realties Affecting Our Community”

How can you arrest a rapper (black) for inciting a riot at a concert, but wouldn’t arrest a president (White) for inciting a riot on the nation’s capital?? And who continues to incite extreme unrest and discord throughout the nation/world as he seeks election to presidency again.

BUILD “BLACK” BETTER AGENDA By: Roy Douglas Malonson

Almost a year ago with the country plagued by an unprecedented deadly pandemic, economic downturn, significant climate crises, and persistent racial injustices, President Joe Biden revealed his Build Back Better Agenda. The

ambitious attempt to prepare America for a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future leaves us wondering, “What does ‘building back better’ look like for the Black community?” And are these promises that will be kept? Lower Costs:

Americans pay a significant 2-3 times more money on prescription drugs than people in other wealthy countries. This contributes to the fact that Black people use 10-40 percent fewer medications than their white counterparts due to the high

cost. President Biden’s agenda will lower costs by allowing Medicaid to negotiate medicine prices rather than large pharmaceutical companies. In the Black community, only 62.6 percent of three- and

Agenda cont’d page 3

HOUSTON BUSINESSMAN INDUCTED INTO TEXAS BUSINESS HALL OF FAME

By: Nevaeh Richardson

A shining example of Black excellence, Gerald Smith can give classes on entrepreneurship and wealth management. This investment manager, chairman and CEO of investment management firm Smith Graham & Co. is one of six new inductees into the Texas Business Hall of Fame. SGIA is one of the nation’s largest minorityowned investment management firms and one of the largest investment management firms based in Houston. Smith wears many hats. According to his bio on the Hall of Fame website, Smith is a board member Hall of Fame cont’d page 6 of New York Life Insurance

“YOUR VOTE AND YOUR MONEY ARE THE TWO MOST POWERFUL THINGS YOU HAVE. BE CAREFUL WHO YOU GIVE THEM TO.” - ROY DOUGLAS MALONSON