JOSHUA JOHNSON DESERVES JUSTICE! On April 22 this 35 year-old Black man was killed by a Harris County deputy and the family wants answers.
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SOUL OF A NATION Art in the Age of Black Power will go on exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts on Saturday, June 27.
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Brands such as Mrs. Butterworth’s, Cream of Wheat, Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben’s are going through changes due to racial stereotypes.
Message from the Associate Editor RACIAL AWAKENING
After all these years, “the land of the free and the home of the brave” is finally waking up. Shocked into reality by the police killing of George Floyd, America is trying to address the inequities faced by much of Black America on a daily basis – injustice, income gaps, unemployment, unequal education, health disparities and voter suppression. Major companies are supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, donating millions to social justice initiatives and recognizing Juneteenth. Books on the Black experience are flying off the shelves, and the majority of Amazon’s current best-sellers are about race and racism. The U.S. Senate, home to a disproportionate number of white-haired white men, introduced a police reform bill, albeit “toothless” according to critics. Even South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Gra-
ham, a conservative RepubUncle Ben’s, said it’s time lican, revealed his newfound to “evolve” and “evaluate” awareness. its product. Brands such as During a recent Senate JuCream of Wheat, Mrs. Butdiciary Committee hearing, terworth’s and Eskimo Pie Graham said, “I’ve learned are being retired or reviewed. over the years, but particularSome wonder if this awakly recently, that every Black ening will have an impact on Marilyn Marshall man in America apparently pro sports teams with names feels threatened when they many Native Americans are stopped by the cops. It is not 99%; find offensive, such as the Washington it’s like 100%. When I see a cop behind Redskins, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta me, the first thing I think about is what Braves and Chicago Blackhawks. did I do wrong, and can I talk myself out Whether it’s a name change, corporate of this ticket? There is literally no fear...” donation or proposed legislation, efforts to bridge the racial divide must be strucBYE AUNT JEMIMA tural, not symbolic, and transformationEfforts to address racial insensitivity al, not temporary. Protests and hashtags and stereotypes have made it to the kitch- are useless if America rolls over and goes en table. back to sleep. Quaker Oats is dropping the Aunt Jemima name and changing the pack- IN THIS WEEK’S DEFENDER aging. Mars, the parent company of • The shooting death of Houston-arPublisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
VOLUME 89 - NUMBER 35 - JUNE 25, 2020 The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Newspaper Inc. and audited by Alliance for Audited Media (AAM). Only digital subscriptions are available at: www.defendernetwork.com/subscribe No paper subscriptions available. All materials covered by 2020 copyright. No materials herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. 713-663-6996 | P.O. Box 8005, Houston, Tx 77288
Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Strategic Alllance Clyde Jiles Engagement Manager Margo Williams Hubbard
ea resident Joshua Johnson by a Harris County deputy is raising serious questions. Aswad Walker gives details in this week’s centerfold. • This is an election year, and we have the latest on presidential candidate Joe Biden. Can he turn Texas from red to blue? • In sports, Terrance Harris has a one-onone conversation with Dr. Donald Reed, Prairie View A&M’s new athletic director. ON THE WEB
• Entrepreneurs can see which companies and agencies are offering funding to small businesses during these uncertain times. • Staying healthy is more important than ever these days. Check out the info on exercise and nutrition. • If you’re a recent high school or college graduate, remember to sign up for the Defender’s Spotlight, sponsored by Texas A & M University and Prairie View A & M University.
Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Billingsley Creative Director Michael Grant Associate Editor Marilyn Marshall
People Editor Aswad Walker Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison
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DN News ANTONIO TILLIS, dean of the University of Houston’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has been appointed interim president of UH-Downtown.
MAURICE MCCREARY JR. has been named the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s chief operating officer, effective July 20.
MAYOR WANTS FUNDS TO TAKE PRESSURE OFF POLICE Defender News Service
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has called for more funding to support social services in an effort to take pressure off of police officers who have to respond to issues that he said shouldn’t necessarily fall on law enforcement. “We ask our police officers to do way too much,” Turner said at a policing roundtable event featuring U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, among other officials. “We asked them to police, we asked them to be social workers, we asked them to go out on crisis intervention, we asked them to deal with the homeless, we asked them to deal with domestic abuse and violence.” Turner’s comments echo those of police reform advocates nationwide who are calling to “defund the police,” a movement in the wake of George Floyd’s death that demands law enforcement funding be cut and invested in education and other social programs. But Turner stopped short of directly addressing budget reductions for the Houston Police Department. Turner said funding for social services could come from grants. He acknowledged that police are first responders for many social issues because that’s where a large portion of city resources are directed. D espite c a l ls f rom advo c ates to cut funding, and at least one councilmember, Houston City Council increased its police budget recently from $945 million last year to $964 million for
Defender News Service
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and Charlene Davis embrace after Davis prayed for him as she stood in line at a public visitation for George Floyd. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
the upcoming fiscal year. Turner also said it would be important to incentivize Houston police officers to live within the city because currently 65% to 70% do not, he said. Cornyn echoed some of Turner’s points, saying changes to reduce the amount of interactions that police have with residents is crucial and is a change that can be made immediately. “We need to minimize contact that the public has with the police,” he said. “Save those resources for violent offenders — we can do that today.” Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo cautioned that for good or bad, police are the first responders for a variety of social situations, “not by design but by
need.” A solution should be put into place before cutting resources, he said. Acevedo, who is also president of the Major Cities Chiefs association, said that right now police have a “tremendous opportunity” to affect change nationwide. Judson Robinson, president and CEO of the Houston Area Urban League, asked lawmakers and city officials to take action. “We have a watershed moment in history at our doorstep. And you, as our elected representatives are in power,” Robinson said. “You have an opportunity to show that you are listening to the voices of the people.”
HCC hit with $100 mil discrimination suit Defender News Service
A $100 million racial discrimination lawsuit has been filed in a Houston, Texas state district court on behalf of hundreds of Black present and former employees of the Houston Community College (“HCC”). The lawsuit, initiated by former employee Karen Brown, details a damning list of allegations about what has happened at Houston Community College under the leadership of Chancellor Cesar Maldonado and the Human Resources Director,
HISD to keep existing academic calendar
Ms. Janet May. According to the lawsuit, Maldonado accepted his position in 2014 with a Hispanic “preferential treatment” agenda. The suit contains an actual email chain created shortly after Maldonado’s appointment, which states “Now we [Hispanics] are going to receive preferential treatment.” Allegations from lawsuit: • Since Maldonado’s arrival 90% of the long-time Black professionals at HCC have either been terminated or demoted
• There has been a 50% increase in Hispanic hires and promotions • While 90% of tenured and experienced Black employees have been displaced only 10% of similarly tenured white employees have been displaced. • HR “pads” Black employee personnel files with false complaints to be used later as pretexts for firing them • Forcing Black employees to take leaves of absence without cause to later use as grounds to terminate the Black employee.
HISD announced that it will not move forward with a proposal to adopt the yearround designation with the Texas Education Agency, which would have allowed for an amended 11-month academic calendar for the 2020-21 school year. Due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and recent increase in cases, the district will keep the existing academic year calendar, which provides for a later start date, with the addition of 10 targeted remediation days, or Academic Boot Camps for students who may have fallen behind academically due to COVID-19. The later start date provides the district the opportunity to monitor the pattern of COVID-19 cases and make necessary adjustments as it relates to in-person, a virtual learning or a combination of the two. The district shared a proposed 11-month academic calendar for the 2020-21 school year and a survey to gather community input earlier this month. “I want to thank all students, parents, and stakeholders who participated in the decision-making process by providing their feedback,” Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “We find ourselves in the midst of unprecedented uncertainty, and the diverse voices in our communities are important to us as we make critical decisions regarding the 2020-21 school year.”
IMPORTANT DATES COVID-19 survey
ends July 2 (www.HoustonISD.org/ ParentSurvey)
First day of school August 4
Academic Boot Camp August & November
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DN News
Could Biden turn Texas blue? Defender News Service
Recent polls indicate that former Vice President Joe Biden is competitive with — sometimes even leading — President Donald Trump in Texas. A poll by Quinnipiac University gave Trump a 1-percentage-point lead in the state.
Each time a survey is released, the same questions arise: Is 2020 the year deep red Texas flips to the Democrats? Is Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in trouble as well? For Biden and his allied groups, making a run for Texas is no simple task and there are strategic considerations beyond looking at the polls. The most immediate objectives for national Democrats in 2020 are to recapture the White House and Senate majority. And Texas is far from necessary for either. New polls have suggested Biden might hold an even stronger position in other states that Trump won in 2016 — Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and even Georgia. Because of its vast size, numerous media markets and massive population, Texas is more expensive to compete in. The paths to victory for Biden are so great in number, it’s hard for many political operatives to imagine a scenario where Texas would flip where it would be anything other than icing
on the cake in a much broader national victory. In other words, the cost of seriously trying to win Texas would almost certainly be high, while there’s a decent chance that the reward would ultimately prove inconsequential. Below the surface, however, the presidential race in Texas still matters — an underperformance by Trump compared to recent history has the potential to reset Texas politics for the next decade. “It’s competitive, but I’m not predicting Biden will win,” said John Weaver, a Texas-based Republican who is part of an antiTrump group called the Lincoln Project. “Trump will have to spend a ton of money and come down here several times. And the Texas House is ‘gettable’ for Democrats and probably two to four congressional seats.” It is those races — the ones for state House and the U.S. House seats — that will likely be the most consequential front in the battle for Texas this fall, according to interviews with state and national operatives.
GOP’S ONLY BLACK SENATOR LEADS ON RACE Associated Press
When he first ran for office in 1994, they scrawled the N-word on his lawn signs. By the time he came to Congress, he had to unplug the phone lines because callers brought the staff to tears. Even after he became a U.S. senator, the Capitol quickly became just another place where he would be stopped by the police. Initially reluctant to focus on race, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is now a leading Republican voice, teaching his party what it’s like to be a Black man in America when the police lights are flashing in the rearview mirror. He has been pulled over by law enforcement “more than 18 times,” Scott said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I’m thinking to myself how blessed and lucky I am to have 18 different encounters and to have walked away from each encounter.” As the only Black Republican in the Senate, Scott has a role heavy with a certain weight. He is leading a task force of GOP senators drafting the Justice Act, law enforcement changes set for a test vote. But it’s also a historic opportunity to speak to Republicans about race — as a conservative, a Christian and a Southerner from the state where the Civil War began. He rejects the concept of systemic racism,
Donald Trump listens as Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks during a meeting on opportunity zones in the Cabinet Room of the White House. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
which puts him at odds with many Black Democrats who demand a broader police overhaul than his proposed bill. Instead, he places his faith where he says he has seen the change, in people’s hearts. “I just can’t imagine the pressure he must be under, though, as the only African American Republican,” Rep. Karen Bass, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said.
Scott’s family — the grandfather who picked cotton as a child and grandmother who cleaned homes, and his own parents who separated when he was young, his father in the military, his mother working double shifts as a nursing assistant to provide for him and his brother — taught him to stay steady amid hardship. He acknowledges in his memoir that he almost flunked
his freshman year of high school, before going on to become senior class president and attend college. “He found his political legs and political wings at a unique time in this country,” said Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist in South Carolina. “He was able to tap into something that was not known, so he made the unknown known, a Black Republican.”
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DN Feature
Coronavirus: Things to know ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Texas heads down dangerous path as cases surge As Texas’ coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to break records for a second straight week, leaders and health experts in the largest cities are warning that the state is heading down a dangerous path and hospitals could soon be overwhelmed. Calling the increases u n a c c e pt a b l e , G ov. Greg Abbott said he is considering shutting down the state again – but only as a last resort if trends don’t reverse Mayor in the coming weeks. Sylvester Officials say the risk Turner of catching the virus is three times higher than it was two weeks ago. Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, predicted that Houston is on the brink of a disaster, based on the latest trends in increasing numbers. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner echoed
MINORITIES WANTED FOR COVID-19 TESTING Visit www.DefenderNetwork.com and read the op-ed by Dr. Asefa Mekonnen, a Maryland pulmonologist, who is urging minorities to participate in COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials since people of color are the largest group being impacted.
crisis, and we’re all in it,” Turner said. “Nobody is trying to take away anybody’s rights and liberties. But we are simply trying to keep everyone well.” the concern, saying “We’re moving very fast in the wrong direction.” Houston had several straight days of record-setting cases. There is about a 5.2% increase in the number of occupied hospital beds, and 13% of all beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients, including 24% of beds in intensive care units.Turner said Abbott reopened Texas businesses too soon. “This is a health care
Harris County’s new mask order A new mask order is now in effect for businesses in Harris County. Businesses that don’t require staff or customers over the age of 9 to wear masks risk a $1,000 fine for each violation. Exceptions exist for people while dining, pumping gas, operating outdoor equipment or in banks or other buildings requiring security surveillance. “This order is not just the right thing to do for our health and safety, it is
also good for business,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said. “It gives businesses a tool they didn’t have.” Is a new stimulus coming? President Donald Trump has been accused of mishandling the coronavirus in favor of keeping the economy afloat. Whether they agree or not, most taxpayers had no problem accepting the first stimulus check sent out to help those who lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump says a second stimulus package is coming and he promises it will be “very generous.” He said that the announcement would come in “a couple of weeks” but didn’t specify an amount time. Some are left to wonder if he meant another benefit program like the HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act), which has already passed in the House and would send another $1200 check to taxpayers. The act is intended to provide benefits to frontline workers, including grocery store employees whose jobs became riskier when the COVID-19 virus hit.
If I could do one thing, I’d have a daycare closer to work. If you could do one thing for your community, what would it be? More daycare centers? More funding for Head Start? Completing the 2020 Census is a safe and easy way to inform how billions of dollars in funding flow into your community for hundreds of services. Respond online, by phone, or by mail.
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DN Feature
DEALING WITH LONELINESS DURING PANDEMIC Marilyn Marshall
T
he coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc worldwide. Though many parts of the U.S. have opened up at varying levels, social isolation remains the new normal for countless Americans. Staying home is especially important for those in high-risk categories, such as older adults and people of any age with serious underlying medical conditions. People of any age can also experience loneliness, which can be brought on by isolation. To gain insight, the Defender reached out Dr. Rheeda to Dr. Rheeda Walker, Walker a licensed psychologist and tenured professor of Psychology at the University of Houston, and author of “The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health,” and Deborah Moore, assistant director of the Human Services Deborah Moore Division, Houston Health Department, and director of the Harris County Area Agency on Aging. THE CONCERN
Walker discussed what concerns her most about the isolation some people are experiencing due to the pandemic. “Honestly, it concerns me that individuals may not use this time to psychologically ‘reset’. Prior to the pandemic, a lot of
MORE HELP FOR OLDER ADULTS The Harris County Area Agency on Aging (HCAAA) continues to serve older adults through the pandemic with a home-delivered meal program, masks, transportation, assistance in obtaining prescriptions and other medical supplies, a call center providing information and benefits counselors. If you are 60 or older, call 832-393-4301 for food or other services. For COVID-19 questions call 832-393-4220 or visit HoustonEmergency.org/COVID-19.
folks were already overworked, stressed and exhausted,” Walker said. “The need for physical distancing has created considerable challenges, but has also created opportunities for people to figure out what was working in their lives (pre-coronavirus) and what they would not want to return to. “Once there is some insight into what may need to change, a plan is needed. For those who are focused on ‘getting back to normal,’ I think those individuals will experience added frustration and anxiety because so much is out of our hands.” ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES
Moore is concerned about the additional challenge loneliness can present to older adults affected by the pandemic. “The current period of self-isolation will disproportionately affect the elderly population, whose prior social contacts occurred largely at community centers or places of worship, [many] now closed due to the pandemic,” Moore said. “Older adults who do not have close family or friends, and rely on the support of voluntary services or social care, could be placed at additional risk, along with those who are already lonely, isolated or secluded.
“Research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions: high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and even death. “Thus, the impacts of current social isolation policies may fall heavily on older adults, further compromising their ability to fight infection if they become ill with COVID-19…” LEARNING TO COPE
“To cope, we need to identify the things that ARE in our control (e.g., is it time to work on that business idea? is it time to re-organize that closet?),” Walker said. “Furloughed jobs and death of family members are understandably tragic and require extra effort to cope, but again, we have to assess what is and is not out of control.” She added that loneliness can be exacerbated or worsened by the things that we tell ourselves – unhelpful thoughts. “Some have thoughts like ‘I can’t get through this’ or ‘I can’t do another week of this.’ Those thoughts can be replaced with ‘I can do this for another day’ and ask ‘What will it take to get through another day?’ “We can call friends and family that we
haven’t spoken to in months or years – doing so will help to get through the next hour and can boost mood even if only for a little while. Going for a walk can help. “Yes, these are temporary fixes, but all we need is determination to take one day at a time. If someone is in crisis, they can call 1-800-273-TALK or send a text to 741741.” STAYING CONNECTED
Here are some suggestions on dealing with loneliness and staying connected from Moore, other experts and AARP: • Find someone you can share your worries and feelings with over the phone, such as a friend, family member, minister or therapist. • Go for a walk and wave at your neighbors. Remember to stay at least 6 feet away from others and wear a mask. Stay active indoors by working out. • Use your smartphone, tablet or computer for videoconferencing such Skype, Facetime or Zoom. • Find a new hobby, whether it’s gardening, restoring furniture or playing online board games. • Have a drive-by “How you doing?” parade. Enjoy other drive-by events, such as birthdays and baby showers. • Make gifts for others, such as jewelry, pillows, knitted items or homemade face masks. • Share podcasts, emails, calls and links about your favorite books, radio shows and movies. • Look into volunteering-from-home opportunities through volunteermatch.com or the United Way of Greater Houston, 713685-2300 or www.unitedwayhouston.org.
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DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL
SEEKING JUSTICE FOR JOSHUA JOHNSON Family, community want answers in fatal shooting
Joshua’s Parent’s house
Vacant Lot
Bullet found
ONE OUTCOME, DIFFERING ACCOUNTS What they did hear while their son’s dead body still lay on the ground was summarized by HCSO Assistant Chief Timothy Navarre who said at 6 a.m., Johnson, who had been house-sitting for a hospitalized neighbor who lived doors down from his parents, approached the vehicle of Tran, a plain-clothes deputy. Tran, who was working with the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force, was on a stakeout, looking for a capital murder suspect from Mesquite. From there, according to Navarre, “Some words were exchanged… [Johnson] lowered his flashlight that we think was his cellphone and raised his pistol. At that time, the deputy fired two rounds, striking the male once.” According to preliminary autopsy results, Johnson died of multiple gunshot wounds, not one. But that major inconsistency is minor compared to what Beary/Johnson family spokesman James Hudson and multiple Missouri City residents describe as an impossibility of physics.
Aswad Walker
With global eyes for the past month on national cases of unarmed Blacks killed by police or non-Black civilians, headlined by the death of Houston native George Floyd, another such potential case has flown under the radar. That case took place locally with the killing of 35-year-old Joshua Johnson on April 22 at the hands of a Harris County deputy who has killed before. Unlike the George Floyd or Rayshard Brooks tragedies, no video has yet surfaced of Johnson’s final moments when 12-year veteran Tu Tran shot and killed him. However, the major discrepancies between the Sheriff ’s Department’s version of events and those of potential witnesses have Johnson’s family and others demanding answers and justice. Questions surround the location of Tran’s police vehicle. He said he was parked under a street light at time of the incident while other witnesses report seeing his vehicle six houses down parked partially at a vacant lot, calling into question details of the case. A witness also questions the origin of a bullet that pinged his garage at the time of the incident. In addition, a family spokesman believes that Johnson never approached Tran’s vehicle as the deputy claimed, and instead was pursued by Tran. Recently, Houston Congressman Al Green facilitated a meeting with Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and Johnson’s family, where they first learned Tran’s name. Before that meeting, Johnson’s mother, Wilhemina Beary complained, “From April 22 until now, we have not heard from the Harris County Sheriff ’s Department at all.”
Street light
Joshua house sitting
PARENTS’ PLEA
Richard Beary, Wilhemina Beary and James Hudson display a photo of Joshua Johnson, who was killed by a Harris County deputy. Photo by Aswad Walker
Johnson’s parents are still seeking answers for justice and closure. “We don’t have the autopsy report from the day of his killing up to now. We don’t know what’s going on, what they’re doing. It’s just unreal,” said Richard Beary. “I think they’re hiding something. They don’t want us to know the truth. And all we’re asking for is just justice,” said Johnson’s mother. “They’re going by what the officer says, and that’s it. From what I can see, they haven’t looked at all the evidence. And they don’t seem to care about all the evidence,” added Beary.
What nearby residents are saying “From witnesses in this community, the people that we’ve talked to…were saying that they saw the deputy’s vehicle parked in that vacant lot [four houses down], whereas the Sheriff’s Department said that the man was parked [under the light] where the blood was in the street,” said Hudson. One neighbor and his son (both wish to remain nameless), whose kitchen window provides a direct view of the vacant lot in question, said they saw the deputy’s vehicle that Johnson supposedly approached close to 6 a.m., in that lot between 5:15 a.m. to 6:25 a.m. “The vehicle couldn’t have been in two places at the same time,” stressed Hudson. 5:15 AM The father said while looking through his kitchen window, he saw a black SUV parked halfway in the vacant lot and halfway in the street. 5:30 AM “When I took my dogs outside like maybe 5:30 a.m., I heard some shots…I went inside after the shots, looked out my window, making my coffee [and] I kept seeing the car parked in that same area.” Additionally, Hudson pointed to the words shared by Robert Pringle who lives directly across the street from the streetlight in question. According to Hudson, when Pringle and his neighbor to his right heard gunshots some time between 5:30 am and 5:50 am, they both peered out their front windows to see what was happening. Neither saw any cars under or even near the streetlight where deputy’s said Tran’s vehicle rested, and where Tran claims he encountered Johnson. 5:50 AM The father said he left for work, but couldn’t take
his normal route because the black SUV was still parked in the vacant lot and part of the street. 6:15 AM The son said he awoke, and through the same kitchen window saw the black SUV still there, but now with police lights visible in the car’s interior. He then saw his neighbor’s daughter being dropped off from work, a neighbor whose driveway was partially blocked by the deputy’s vehicle. “They didn’t know if it was safe to leave the car. So, that’s when they reversed into the driveway of the neighbor that lives between us. And they stood there for like five minutes before going inside.” The son added that multiple commercial vehicles attempted to drive past the black SUV, but had to reverse their course because the deputy’s SUV still partially blocked the street. 6:25 AM The son said for some reason, “Tran backed up and sporadically just like sped off [in the direction of the streetlight].”
COVERAGE CONTINUES Read all the latest coverage at DEFENDERNETWORK.COM, including:
Location of bullet raising doubt of deputy’s account Harris County DA Kim Ogg comments on the case. The family spokesperson shares his theory of the shooting.
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DN Feature Black Lives Matter Founder Finds Hope BY NNPA
CONGRESS MOVES POLICING ACT FORWARD BY NNPA
The House Judiciary Committee has introduced the George Floyd Justice In Policing Act, the first-ever comprehensive approach to hold police accountable, end racial profiling, change the law enforcement culture, empower communities, and build trust between law enforcement and minority communities by addressing systemic racism and bias. In a conference call with the Black Press of America just before
voting on the measure, members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) said the bill should help save lives. “This is a real historic day here in the capital as last week we introduced the Justice in Policing Act, and today we amend the bill,” CBC Chair Karen Bass (D-Calif.) said. “This is the first time in many years that Congress has taken up a bill dealing with policing and I’m sure it is the first time that Congress has introduced such a bold transformative piece of legislation.”
AMONG THE ELEMENTS OF THE ACT: • Prohibits federal, state, and local law enforcement from racial, religious and discriminatory profiling. • Mandates training on racial, religious, and discriminatory profiling for all law enforcement. • Requires law enforcement to collect data on all investigatory activities; saves lives by banning chokeholds and no-knock warrants. • Requires that deadly force be used only as a last resort and requires officers to employ deescalation techniques first. • Changes standard to evaluate whether law enforcement use of force was justified from whether the force was “reasonable” to “necessary.”
• Limits military equipment on American streets. • Requires body cameras and marked federal police vehicles to have dashboard cameras. • Holds police accountable in court and investigates misconduct. • Makes it easier to prosecute offending officers by amending federal criminal statute to prosecute misconduct. • Enables individuals to recover damages in civil court by eliminating qualified immunity for law enforcement. • Improves use of pattern and practice investigations at federal level by granting Department of Justice Civil Rights Division subpoena power.
• Empowers communities to re-imagine public safety in equitable and just way. • Reinvests in communities by supporting critical community-based programs. • Change culture of law enforcement with training to build integrity and trust. • Requires creation of law enforcement accreditation standard recommendations based on President Obama’s Taskforce on 21st Century Policing. • Creates nationwide police misconduct registry to prevent problematic officers who are fired or leave one agency from moving to another jurisdiction without accountability. • Makes lynching a federal crime.
For Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, the global outpouring of protests and activism following the death of George F l oyd w h i l e i n Alicia Garza Minneapolis police custody has been heartening and makes her hopeful for the future. At the same time, she said, “It’s bittersweet that it takes someone being murdered on camera to get to the point of conversation that we’re in.” “I was horrified,” Garza said of viewing the video of Floyd’s life being taken by a white police officer with his knee on Floyd’s neck. “Just the callousness of it; and him calling for his mother. There’s just so much in there that’s horrifying. It’s just a brutal reminder of how Black lives don’t matter in this country.” Garza, of Oakland, is Strategy and Partnerships director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance and principal at the Black Futures Lab. She said seeing Black Lives Matter (BLM) signs held by protestors in all 50 states, including in many small towns with few Black residents, is humbling and she is heartened that people are awakening. She said BLM is for an opportunity to recognize and uphold the right to humanity and dignity for Black people. She said Black people also have to work “to remove the negatives we’ve internalized about ourselves.” “For people who are not Black, there’s also work to do,” she said. Garza said the millions joining protests following the deaths of Floyd, Ahmaud Auberry and Breonna Taylor were sparked by “a powder keg waiting to happen.” “People are mad about a lot of stuff. We’re all tender right now. It’s an election year. We find ourselves in a global pandemic... Because of that we also have the expansion of an economic crisis. Not only are people trying to stay healthy, they’re trying to pay their bills “What we can all agree on is that policing is not serving the people that they’re supposed to serve. When we’re afraid of the police, that’s not serving. Whenever I see tanks, rubber bullets, and tear gas being used — we pay for that. Are we keeping people safe? We’ve been defunding the Black community for a long time.” She said she supports “limiting the size, scope and role police play in our communities. Police also need consequences when harm is enacted. Police unions are a huge, huge issue. They block transparency for officers.”
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From the Office of Chris Hollins, Harris County Clerk
During July 14, 2020 Primary Runoff Elections, registered voters in Harris County can vote at any one polling location in Harris County during Early Voting or on Election Day. Find a location near you at HarrisVotes.com.
Vote By Mail Guidance
There are four ways to qualify for a ballot by mail: If you are 65 years of age or older on Election Day; If you are away from the county of residence on Election Day (July 14) and during the Early Voting period (June 29 – July 10); If you are confined in jail, but otherwise eligible to vote; or If you are sick or disabled. How to apply for a ballot by mail: Print your application at HarrisVotes.com or contact our office at 713.755.3150 to request one Fill out all the required fields and sign your application Double check your application before sealing your envelope Mail your application to: Harris County Clerk (attn.: Election Division), P.O. Box 1148, Houston, TX 77251-1148
The Last Day to apply for ballot by mail: July 2, 2020 (received, not postmarked)
Staying Safe While Voting Tips for Voters
Vote by mail if you are eligible. Applications to vote by mail are available at HarrisVotes.com. Wear a face covering that fits snugly against your face. This helps keep you safe, as well as ensuring the safety of other voters and poll workers. Maintain a 6-foot distance from others. Note that polling locations will be set up differently to allow for additional space between machines while you cast your ballot. Wash your hands frequently, including before and after voting. Consider voting early as a way to avoid long lines or potentially crowded polling locations. Voters can also plan to vote during non-peak hours, like the middle of the morning and afternoon. Vote by mail if you have fever, respiratory symptoms, or believe you are sick.
New Safety Protocols
When you arrive at the polling location, there will be some new process and procedures in place to keep voters, poll workers, and the general public safe. Poll workers will be provided with Personal Protection Equipment. Each polling location will have a sanitization station to provide hand sanitizer before and after voting. Voting machines will be placed 6 feet apart to allow for social distancing. There will be markers indicating where to stand to ensure social distancing while voters are waiting to be checked in. Voters will be given finger covers so that they can operate the voting machine without physically touching it.
About the Ballot
Voters in the Texas primaries and conventions choose who will run for office in the November General Elections.
Find your specific sample ballot at HarrisVotes.com. The items on your ballot may vary depending on which area of the county you reside.
In Texas, a registered voter may vote in either the Republican Primary Election or the Democratic Primary Election (NOT both) during the same voting year.
When you go vote, you can bring a marked sample ballot or a Voters Guide into the voting booth with you.
“On the voter's request, the voter may be assisted by any person selected by the voter other than the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, or an officer or agent of a labor union to which the voter belongs.” (Texas Election Code, Sec. 64.032)
H A R R I S C O U N T Y - H a r r i s Vo t e s . c o m - 713.755.6965
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Entertainment
Barbara Jones–Hogu (b. 1938), Unite, 1971, © Barbara Jones-Hogu, Collection of National Museum of African American History and Culture.
‘SOUL OF A NATION’ OPENS AT MFAH JUNE 27 Defender News Service
During a time when the nation is under racial duress, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) is preparing to display “Soul of A Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power” in record time. The landmark exhibition, which explores what it meant to be an African American artist during the 1960s and ’70s, will be on view in Houston June 27-Aug. 30. The lockdown of 2020 delayed the opening of “Soul” at the MFAH, which is its final stop on its three-year tour, organized by the Tate Modern in London. Originally scheduled to open in April as the last stop on a three-year national tour, “Soul of a Nation” has been at San Francisco’s de
Young Museum during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The show features work created by more than 60 Black artists during the revolutionary decades of American history that began with the Civil Rights Movement and extended to the emergence of identity politics in the early 1980s. “Soul” features works created between the 1960s and the 1980s, and is presented in sections that follow themes around how its artists worked together in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Another part of the presentation focuses on the work of Betye Saar. In addition, the MFAH will add a section from its own collection of art made by Black
American artists in Houston and Texas during the period covered by the exhibition, including works by John Biggers, Kermit Oliver and Carroll Harris Simms. “This new section contributes to a more comprehensive representation of Black American art during the same era and celebrates an important legacy of art making in Texas,” said the show’s Houston curator, Kanitra Fletcher. “Soul of A Nation” will be on view in the Beck Building, 5601 Main. Timed entry tickets are recommended, and pandemic safety protocols are in place. Tickets are $12-$19; children 12 and under free; free to all on Thursdays. Call 713-639-7300 or visit mfah.org.
This new section contributes to a more comprehensive representation of Black American art during the same era and celebrates an important legacy of art making in Texas.” Kanitra Fletcher, Houston curator
June 25, 2020 |
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DEFENDER NETWORK
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT Calling all SENIORS High school & College You did it! We want to celebrate YOU and the Class of 2020! You deserve the recognition.
SIGN UP TODAY bit.ly/defenderseniorspotlight2020 Sponsored by
14 | June 25, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Sports Bubba Wallace stands for the national anthem before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Homestead, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Join the Defender discussions on Social Media
CLASSIFIED Invitation for Bids
FBI: Rope found hanging in Wallace’s garage was coincidence Associated Press
NASCAR went to Talladega Superspeedway on heightened alert after Bubba Wallace, its only Black driver, took on an active role in a push for racial equality. Wallace had successfully called for the ban of the Confederate flag and received threats. Fans paraded past the main entrance of the Alabama track displaying the flag, and a plane circled above the speedway pulling a Confederate flag banner that read “Defund NASCAR.” So NASCAR moved quickly when one of Wallace’s crew members discovered a rope shaped like a noose in their garage stall. The sanctioning body called in federal authorities, who ruled the rope had been hanging there since at least last October and was not a hate crime. U.S. Attorney Jay Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr. said the investigation determined “nobody could have known Mr. Wallace would be assigned” to that same stall. NASCAR said it was the lone garage stall with a pull down rope that resembled a noose. NASCAR has defended its reaction and insisted it would call the FBI again. A defiant Wallace said there is no confusion and the rope had been fashioned into a noose. “I wanted to make sure this wasn’t just a knot,” Wallace said on CNN. “It was a noose. Whether it was tied in 2019 ... it is a noose.” Wallace never saw the rope. He said NASCAR President Steve Phelps came to see him at the track with “tears running down his face.” “The evidence he brought to me was that a hate crime has been committed,” said Wallace, who instantly began to fear for the safety of his family. Even after the FBI concluded that it was not a hate crime, Wallace remained angry at what he perceives as constant tests of his character. He holds no ill-will toward NASCAR. “I stand behind Steve and I stand behind NASCAR,” he said. “NASCAR was worried about Talladega. We had that one circled on the radar with everything going on.” Since finding his voice over the last month, the 26-year-old Mobile, Alabama native has
embraced an international role in NASCAR’s attempt to push past its rocky racial history. Wallace has worn an “I Can’t Breathe” shirt, raced with a Black Lives Matter paint scheme in Virginia and successfully lobbied for the Confederate flag ban. NASCAR assigned security to Wallace at the track. The first word of the incident came in a sharply worded statement in which NASCAR said it was “angry and outraged” over the “heinous act” that the series directly linked to racism. The FBI sent 15 agents to Talladega for the rescheduled race at the same time the industry rallied around Wallace. In an unprecedented show of solidarity, every team member on pit road lined up behind him during the national anthem. Roughly 48 hours after the discovery, federal authorities said video confirmed the rope “was in that garage as early as October 2019” hanging from a garage door. The rope was referred to as a noose, but can be used as a handle when closing the door. Phelps continued to call it a noose after authorities said no charges would be filed, and held firm in that NASCAR is investigating why the rope was tied that way. He was pleased it wasn’t a hate crime directed at Wallace, but insisted NASCAR would have conducted its investigation the same way even now knowing it was just a coincidence. “The evidence was very clear that the noose that was in the garage was in there previously. The last race we had in October, that noose was present. The evidence we had, it was clear we needed to look into this.” He took no questions on the FBI’s findings. Meanwhile, Wood Brothers Racing team said it cooperated with the investigation and an employee recalled “seeing a tied handle in the garage pull down rope from last fall,” when the team had the stall. NASCAR saying it had found a noose stunned the stock car series as it takes an active position in a push for inclusion. The series first tried to ban the Confederate flag five years ago but did nothing to enforce the order. NASCAR has yet to detail how it will answer Wallace’s call to stop the display of the flag.
Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. is soliciting bids for subcontractors and vendors for construction of TXDOT CSJ: 1685-03-058 on FM 1960 at BF 1960A to E of Twigsworth Ln that bids on July 8, 2020. Mail, fax, or email quotations to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc., 1250 S. Capital of Texas Hwy, Bldg 1, Suite 200 Austin TX 78746 fax: (512) 707-0798 email: bbiisw@balfourbeattyus.com. DBE/HUB contractors are encouraged to submit bids. Plans and specifications are available to be reviewed at TxDOT Plans On-line: http://bit.do/dBJ5G E.O.E. For information contact Brian Ficzeri at (512) 707-0797.
HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE TO PROPOSERS
The Houston Independent School District located in the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center at 4400 West 18th Street Houston, Texas 77092 will accept proposals, until the stated date and time deadlines, in the Board Services Office, Level C1 •
Project 20-04-08 – RFP/Fire Sprinkler Protection System – with a deadline of 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. The Pre-Proposal Conference for this project will be via Zoom on Wednesday, July 01, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Please email Teresa.Browder@Houstonisd.org by Monday, June 29, 2020 by 4 p.m. to be invited.
The solicitation for bids is available on the HISD web-site at www.houstonisd.org. To access, go to Directory, Purchasing Services, Solicitation of Bids. The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or, to accept the proposal that is most advantageous to the District.
June 25, 2020 |
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Sports ROCKETS PROSPECT
HANK STEWART
The Rockets could be interested in signing former Miami guard Tyler Johnson who was cut from Phoenix in February.
Texas Southern University golf coach is retiring after 23 years of coaching the Tigers.
Dr. Donald Reed and family.
EXCLUSIVE
NEW PRAIRIE VIEW A.D. LOOKS FORWARD TO CHALLENGE
Terrance Harris
Dr. Donald Reed, a longtime senior athletic administrator at the University of Buffalo, has a huge task ahead as he assumes control as the new athletic director at Prairie View A&M University this summer. He takes over on The Hill during a challenging time for college athletics in general and particularly at the Black college level where the challenges always seem to be bigger. Reed, 55, comes in at time where college athletics are unsure how to proceed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and unprecedented social unrest that have at times put student athletes smack in the middle. That comes on top of the normal pressures of the job such as fundraising, fielding competitive teams in the SWAC and improving academics. The Panthers football program last month was banned from the postseason in 2020 for perpetually falling below the NCAA minimum Academic Progress Rate (APR) and the women’s basketball program was put on notice for not meeting the minimum standard. The good news is the Port Arthur native comes to PVAMU with a strong background in APR and Federal Graduate Rate guidelines while serving as a senior associate athletic director at Buffalo since 2010.
Reed discussed his vision for PVAMU and why this was the right job for him with The Defender recently and here is what he had to say.
Defender: What is it about this role with Prairie View that excited you? Reed: “I met with the president and admin-
istrators and coaches during my visit. And it felt wonderful. We are in alignment with what we want to do as far as vision and the mission of the university and how athletics can continue to sustain excellence through academic achievement, personal and social development and competitive excellence. So that’s what we want to continue to do and sustain the tradition that has been established on The Hill.”
Defender: How has your time at the University of Buffalo prepared you to take on the AD role at Prairie View? Reed: “It goes back to when I arrived here
with [former Buffalo athletic director and current AD at Michigan] Warde Manuel. He really mentored me and groomed me to take this opportunity and to be able to be very successful and prepared for it. I was exposed to every aspect of the operation here at Buffalo, from preparing and developing budgets to developing the external structure in which to raise and generate revenue.”
Defender: What is your plan to improve the APR standings of both the football program and women’s basketball program? Reed: “It’s imperative that we get this right
and get it on the right trajectory in order not to have to go back to where we are now. Ultimately, it goes back to my original statement about sustaining. But before you can sustain you have to establish. You want to establish a strong academic development, academic program that will allow us to sustain an excellent level, not just a level to be eligible. We want to be one of the programs that are recognized for their academic achievement.”
Defender: How do you see the best plan of action going forward with fall sports, football in particular, with all of this uncertainty due to COVID-19? Reed: “It goes back to assessing the situation
of making sure that you evaluate the potential options that you have in consultation, of course, with the university, the president and what we would like to do and what we would like to see happen. And also consult with the conference to see where our conference peers are as well as the conference office and begin to develop a plan of how to move forward.” See the complete interview at defendernetwork.com
Sports Briefs: SEVERAL HBCU GAMES CANCELED So far there have been four football games canceled this fall involving HBCUs due to concerns about the coronavirus. The Southern vs. Tennessee State, Jackson State vs. Tennessee State, Florida A&M versus Southern and Jackson State vs. Langston games. ROCKETS START TESTING The Houston Rockets began COVID-19 testing and will continue to do so through June 30 as the team prepares to head to Orlando with 21 teams to begin the restart of the NBA season at Disney World later next month. The testing is part of the NBA mandated protocol to restart the season.
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DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Feature LET THE PEOPLE BE HEARD! With this type of death and chaos around us, it tends to lead to a sense of hopelessness...but I hope we can find our way around that...I’ve been saying for a long time if we’re ever going to make real progress and really improve race relations here in America, then white people have to be apart of that discussion. I know some have suggested that we just get out the way. But I think that’s completely wrong. White people have been responsible for creating a lot of the problems, and now we have to be part of that discussion.” — Chris Bell
The process is going to be a long journey. I have lost faith in the police department and the court system. We need to make sure we get out and vote to get laws changed. We need to make sure we have diversity from the White House down. And when we vote these people into these seats, we need to make sure they are doing their jobs.”
The Defender has been asking readers to share their opinions on the unrest and health disparities in our country, and help raise consciousness by making others aware.
See more videos and upload your video at defendernetwork.com/let-the-people-be-heard
One of the things we have to do is make sure we have criminal justice reform throughout this country. Included in that is ways for accountability. I am so excited to see young people pick up the mantle, take to the streets and let their voices be heard of their disapproval of this very flawed criminal justice system we have right now. We must stay vigilant. Now that we have their attention, now that they are watching, I say to young people go vote, go vote, go vote. No justice. No peace.” — Alvin Byrd
The whole world had an opportunity to see the darkness of men’s hearts in law enforcement. We know that’s not the heart of our God....We continue to unite cross- culturally, crossgenerationally. We must continue to unite and fight side by side.” — Nzinga Rideaux
— Mrs. Parker
See Defendernetwork.com photo gallery of more images of unrest in America, including Rayshard Brooks' funeral, various protests and more.
My optimism has been shaken. Like so many others, I am angry. But I am encouraged by the diversity of the crowds, particularly the young people that demand that we fix this. Dear George may you rest in peace, may we wake up in protest. Peaceful marches, powerful action. May we wake up and serve on juries and support causes for change. Wake up to the power of education and the power of our dollars. May we wake up at the polls and fix our politics and policing.” — Jerome Gray
Should this be another hashtag? No. We should supply the pressure. Keep the pressure on and keep on pushing. That was the civil rights song when I was young, by Curtis Mayfield. Keep on pushing until we demand change from law enforcement.” — Rev. Ricky Williams