Houstonians remember
John Lewis CIVIL RIGHTS ICON HAILED AS ‘STRONG WARRIOR’ FOR JUSTICE
NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
GARY BLEDSOE
KANYE WEST
He’s leading the Texas NAACP in filing a lawsuit to keep Black, Latino voters from being disenfranchised in upcoming election.
Kanye West’s latest antics have fans fearing for his mental health, and questioning if his presidential run is legit.
Volume 89, issue 39 July 23, 2020
facebook.com/defendernetwork twitter.com/defendernetwork
instagram.com/defendernetwork defendernetwork.com
FREE
2 | July 23, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN On the web
FIT & FINE Harold Chatman Age: 29 Occupation: Health Coach Education: Abilene Christian University Major: Criminal Justice Motto: “Health is Wealth” IG: @harold_the_trainer FB: HaroldMoHawkChatman
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms wore a mask at the funeral of Rayshard Brooks. Bottoms believes “personal retaliation” is behind Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s lawsuit challenging her decision to require masks in Atlanta. Curtis Compton/AP Photo
Message from the People Editor WHAT...THE HELL? LEARN… How Harold’s mother got him started in fitness
Read more on Friday about Harold at defendernetwork.com If you are Fit & Fine email: fitnfine@defendernetwork.com
(Aldine ISD) did in creating “back to school” This past week, countless things went down plans designed to “protect and serve” students that had folk asking, “What…the hell?” (WTH). and staff in spite of White House directives to With Georgia COVID cases skyrocketing, that put our children in harm’s way. state’s governor, Brian Kemp, is suing Atlanta And like our recently fallen giants, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for attempting Congressman John Lewis and Rev. C.T. Vivian, to protect her citizens via a mask mandate and more and more people are dedicating themselves ordering her to stop speaking to the press. Wait. to “good trouble,” come what may. Aswad Walker An entitled white man telling a sister to shut up? Natasha Cloud and a handful of other WNBA WTH? He better watch his… players, for example, are following in the footsteps As for Breonna Taylor’s killers, Jonathan Mattingly, Brett of Maya Moore, opting out of the 2020-21 season to dedicate Hankison and Myles Cosgrove, they’re still not arrested. themselves to social justice causes. And shout-out to the tens of WTH? And then there’s your boy Kanye West. His latest thousands of workers nationwide who walked off jobs recently public utterances, like President Trump’s daily missteps, prove as part of the “Strike for Black Lives.” without a shadow of a doubt that reading is fundamental. In the midst of madness, what would our ancestors do? Speaking of Trump. The secret police (i.e. racist drop Fight the power! squads) he sent to Portland, driving around in unmarked cars, “disappearing” peaceful protesters, he’s now threatening to IN THIS WEEK’S DEFENDER send to a Democrat-leaning chocolate city near you. Fascism • Though many are acting like COVID-19 is old news, the rising in broad daylight. WTH? pandemic is doing more damage now than ever. Get the Moreover, we were reminded of the dangers of holding the latest local updates. powerful accountable, a fact Esther Salas knows all too well. • Check out the lawsuit aimed at protecting Black & Brown She’s the federal judge whose son was killed and husband voters come November. shot by a now deceased gunman after Salas was assigned • Learn about efforts to free Darius Elam, imprisoned for 37 to a federal fraud case linked to Jeffrey Epstein and Trump’s years on non-existent evidence. bookies Deutsche Bank. WTH? • In sports, Terrance Harris shows how P.J. Tucker seeks to ignite the Rockets’ run for an NBA title. FIGHT THE POWER!
With “powers and principalities” threatening us on every weak and leaning side, there’s another question we should be asking. What would our ancestors do? We already know the answer. In spite of Kanye’s recent take on Harriet Tubman, we need to display her kind of courage in fighting the powers that be. Like Dr. Grenita Lathan (HISD) and Dr. LaTonya Goffney
ON THE WEB
• Harris County officials want all area superintendents to start the school year with online learning. Associate Editor Marilyn Marshall reports. • Just half of Houston households have filled out the 2020 census. C’mon now. • Andrew Gillum talks about life after rehab and therapy.
July 23, 2020 |
| 3
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN News Former MLB player Robbie Tolan tapped as virtual commencement speaker for Prairie View A&M University to discuss being shot by Bellaire police.
Allen West defeated Texas GOP Chairman James Dickey to lead the country’s largest state Republican Party.
Low census turnout worries officials Defender News Service
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the deadline to fill out this year’s census has been pushed back to Oct. 15. But some are still worried there will be an undercount. Data collected each decade from the census is used to determine how much federal funding will flow to areas for things like Medicaid, food assistance programs, student financial aid, and hundreds of other programs. “We want to make sure that the people that are in underserved communities have proper and accurate up to date information,” said City Councilmember Edward Pollard, “so that they can be knowledgeable about why it’s importResponse to ant to do the census and how it’s going to benefit 2020 census their families — and it’s not going to put them at jeopardy.” Pollard’s southwest Houston Houston district is the most diverse in the city, and the most densely populated. He says about Harris County 45% of his district have filled out the survey. “There’s many barriers for completing the Texas census,” he said. “For my district, we have a large undocumented population. We have many different cultures and customs. There’s going to be language barriers.” Add to that the coronavirus pandemic, which Pollard says means less census workers following up with non-responders in person. He says they’re finding other ways to build trust with community members so they know how to fill out the survey and why it’s important. “What we are doing is going to churches, nonprofits,” he says, “as well as the property managers of these different complexes to try to get out information to them so they can disseminate it in the best way they feel their community will be receptive.”
53% 57%
A man wears a mask while voting in Houston. AP Photo/David J. Phillip
LAWSUIT SAFEGUARDS BLACK, LATINO VOTERS
Texas Tribune
Opening a new front in the legal wars over voting during the coronavirus pandemic, two civil rights organizations and two Texas voters argue that the state’s rules for in-person voting won’t work this year and are asking a federal judge to require substantial changes. In a wide-ranging federal lawsuit filed in San Antonio, Mi Familia Vota, the Texas NAACP and the voters claim the state’s current polling place procedures — including rules for early voting, the likelihood of long lines and Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to not require voters to wear masks — place an unconstitutional burden on voters while the virus remains in circulation. That burden will be particularly high for Black and Latino voters whose communities have been disproportionately affected by the virus, the lawsuit argues. “The Texas 2020 elections will put voters at risk of transmitting or being infected with the coronavirus. But the risk will not be shared equally,” the lawsuit reads. “Some voters will be able to vote easily by mail. Others will not. Some will have easy access to early voting
locations. Others will not. “And some will be able to vote quickly on Election Day by a hand-marked paper ballot handled by a single poll worker, or on a properly disinfected machine. Others will have to wait for hours at understaffed locations, without the option to vote on a hand-marked paper ballot, forced to vote on a machine used by dozens or hundreds of voters, which should, but might not, be properly disinfected after each use, much less protected from aerosolized particles from the last voter’s breathing in the same space.” Abbott and Texas Secretary of State Ruth Hughs are named as defendants, but the suit targets some decisions that are ultimately up to local officials. The long list of changes the plaintiffs are seeking includes a month of early voting, an across-the-board mask mandate for anyone at a polling place and a suspension of rules that limit who can vote curbside without entering a polling place. A spokesperson for the Texas attorney general’s office, which represents the state in litigation, declined to comment on the lawsuit.
57%
To encourage participation, Houston now has four “Yes! to Census 2020” murals. This one on the side of SHAPE Community Center was designed and installed by artist Israel McCloud. Yes! to Census 2020
4 | July 23, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN News
Georgia State Sen. Nikema Williams picked to replace late Congressman John Lewis on November ballot.
Andrew Gillum breaks his silence, admits alcohol addiction and depression after FL gubernatorial loss.
LOCAL LEADERS MOURN REP. JOHN LEWIS Defender News Service
Houston leaders, including Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congresspersons Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, are among the many who expressed their condolences after the passing of civil rights activist and U.S. lawmaker John Lewis. Lewis represented Atlanta as U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 5th congressional district for more three decades, his civil rights contributions impacted residents across the nation. Rights activists, politicians from both parties and many other people touched by the legacy of John Lewis mourned the congressman and pillar of the Civil Rights Movement, lauding the strength, courage and kindness of a man whose lifelong struggle against racial discrimination took him from a bridge in Selma to the nation’s Capitol. Lewis died July 17, several months after the Georgia Democrat announced that he had been diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Turner lowered flags to half-staff at the Houston City Hall and all city of Houston buildings in Lewis’ honor. The lights of Houston City Hall, Montrose Bridges and others buildings were lit in red, white and blue in his memory. In 2019, Lewis was named Grand Marshal of the City during the Black Heritage Society MLK Day Parade and honored for his decades of civil service. “Rep. Lewis was a warrior in the fight for civil rights. He was an honorable man who
Mayor Sylvester Turner issued a Proclamation to Rep. John Lewis.
exuded grace and dignity while he fought passionately for racial equality and justice for all,” Turner said in a statement. “During his service and leadership in the U.S. Congress, Rep. Lewis was a champion for uplifting people and advocated for affordable housing, fair pay, education, voting rights and so much more. Added Congresswoman Jackson-Lee: “The world has lost a beloved brother in the name of the Honorable John Lewis. John Lewis’ life and legacy was based on the seriousness of now. He knew that America and the world could not wait for freedom,
justice or equality. From his early days as a boy from Troy, Alabama, he would leave home to follow in the footsteps of his heroic mentor, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who established the Beloved Community and the importance of the Civil Rights Movement to move America forward. John Lewis never stopped moving America. He never stopped challenging America. And in the United States Congress, no matter what John Lewis fought for, he fought for it with dignity, grace, and fierceness. In his speech at the 1963 March on Washington, he indicated that we wanted freedom, not
in drafts, but we wanted it now. Everything that John Lewis did was with a fierceness of now. John Lewis’ legacy for this nation is to embrace all people, no matter who they are and no matter what they are. So, it is important that John Lewis’ message never dies.” Congressman Al Green also shared a few sentiments regarding Lewis’ commitment to justice and equality. “For decades, [Lewis] was a Civil Rights icon and more. He was not only the conscience of the Congress; he was a constant in the battle against systemic racism and all forms of hate in our country,” Green tweeted. “[He] made it safe for others to stand on the righteous grounds of human and civil rights for all.” Lewis, 80, often recalled his upbringing in the segregated South, including how he was denied a library card because the library was for “whites only.” He was determined to destroy segregation, joining with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to help plan the 1963 March on Washington. Two years later, Lewis helped lead the “Bloody Sunday” voting rights march intended to go from Selma to Montgomery, Ala. White police, state troopers and thugs blocked their way on the bridge out of Selma, attacking the peaceful marchers with clubs, bullwhips and tear gas. Lewis suffered a cracked skull.
Rev. C.T. Vivian, key civil rights leader, dies at 95 Associated Press
The Rev. C.T. Vivian, an early and key adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who organized pivotal civil rights campaigns and spent decades advocating for justice and equality, died July 17 at the age of 95. Vivian began staging sit-ins against segregation in Peoria, Illinois, in the 1940s — a dozen years before lunch-counter protests by college students made national news. He met King soon after the budding civil rights leader’s leadership of the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott, and helped
translate ideas into action by organizing the Freedom Rides that forced federal intervention across the South. Vivian boldly challenged a segregationist sheriff while trying to register Black voters in Selma, Alabama, where hundreds, then thousands, later marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. “You can turn your back now and you can keep your club in your hand, but you cannot beat down justice. And we will register to vote because as citizens of these United States we have the right to do it,” Vivian declared, wagging his index finger at Sheriff Jim Clark as the cameras rolled.
The sheriff then punched him, and news coverage of the assault helped turn a local registration drive into a national phenomenon. Former diplomat and congressman Andrew Young, another close King confidant, said Vivian was always “one of the people who had the most insight, wisdom, integrity and dedication.” Barack Obama, who honored Vivian with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, tweeted that “he was always one of the first in the action — a Freedom Rider, a marcher in Selma, beaten, jailed, almost killed, absorbing blows in hopes that fewer of us would have to.”
Obama also drew a direct line from “Vivian and all the heroes in that Civil Rights Generation” to today’s generation of activists, saying “I have to imagine that seeing the largest protest movement in history unfold over his final months gave the Reverend a final dose of hope.” Among many other tributes, The King Center in Atlanta tweeted: “Rev. C.T. Vivian. Courageous. Brilliant. Sacrificial. A powerfully well-lived life that lifted humanity. We will miss you.” And the Rev. Al Sharpton, who heads the National Action Network, tweeted that Vivian “made this nation and world a better place. ... RIP, my friend.”
July 23, 2020 |
| 5
DEFENDER NETWORK
Speed, reliability, security. The best things do come in threes. When it comes to your Internet, you deserve the best. And Xfinity gives you just that. With the fastest speeds—up to a gig—you can easily power an entire house full of devices. Plus, you can get a smarter and more secure network with Xfinity xFi. With all your devices connected, protected and running at fast speeds, you can experience Internet like you never have before. And that’s simple, easy, awesome. Go to xfinity.com, call 1-800-xfinity, or visit an Xfinity Store to learn more about gig speed or get started with this offer.
Get started with Xfinity Internet
$24
99
a month/ 12 mos.
with 1-year agreement
Includes up to 25 Mbps download speed
xFi Advanced Security FREE with the xFi Gateway
Equipment, taxes and other charges extra, and subject to change. See details below.
Offer ends 8/2/20. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. New residential customers only. Limited to Performance Starter+. Early termination fee applies if all Xfinity services are canceled during the agreement term. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees extra, and subject to change during and after agreement term. After agreement term, regular rates apply. Comcast service charge for Performance Starter+ is $50/mo. (subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. Xfinity xFi is available to Xfinity Internet service customers with a compatible Xfinity Gateway. Actual speeds vary and are not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed visit www.xfinity.com/networkmanagement. All devices must be returned when service ends. Call for restrictions and complete details. NPA231920-0004
137784_NPA231920-0004 Gig ad 9.75x13 Houston.indd 1
7/14/20 6:18 PM
6 | July 23, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
| 7
DN InFocus FOCUS SOCIAL
Darius Elam incarcerated for 37 years with no evidence Aswad Walker
Case timeline
Though injustices endured by African Americans in the U.S. over the centuries have come in many forms, few have been more consistent than the incarceration of innocent men and women.
1983 • On May 7, Richard Bowen was found on Rice University’s campus with a fatal gunshot to his head. Darius Elam agreed to take Clarence Richardson home after work. At Richardson’s request, Elam stopped at the Galleria. Richardson had Bowen’s credit card and driver’s license that he altered by inserting his photo over Bowen’s and used it while shopping. Elam and Richardson were arrested for credit card abuse. Richardson maintained he found Bowen’s license and credit card. At the Houston City Jail, two jailhouse informants claimed Elam admitted that he and Richardson robbed and shot Bowen, a claim Elam denies. Elam and Richardson were charged with credit card abuse. Richardson was given five years, but Elam was charged with aggravated robbery and sentenced to life in prison.
T
his is the claim of individuals dedicated to winning the release and exoneration of Darius Duron Elam, a former Texas Southern University student who has spent the last 37 years in prison though no evidence exists that ties him to the crime for which he was convicted. “I can sum up what we want in two words — freedom and justice,” said Darius’ brother Samuel Elam. CASE HISTORY Sentenced to life in prison for aggravated robbery, Darius continues to maintain his innocence. Prior to his incarceration Darius, who had no criminal past, relocated to Houston from Chicago to attend TSU on a track scholarship. Moreover, he was married with newborn twins, along with another child. According to Samuel, Darius, being a good Samaritan, gave a co-worker, Clarence Richardson, a ride home. While in route, they stopped at the Galleria where Richardson used an altered credit card of Richard Bowen, who was found dead on May 7, 1983 on Rice University’s campus with a fatal gunshot to his head. The two men were initially charged with credit card abuse. Richardson spent three years in prison, while Darius received an additional murder charge, though convicted of aggravated robbery, and remains incarcerated in Rosharon. Darius’ conviction was based on testimonies from jailed informants, and a reported fingerprint on a sheet of paper that was not initially included in the original evidence log, and was reportedly found by an investigator six months after the original evidence was logged. “The two crime scene investigators made a listing of evidence, and neither listed this yellow, lined paper. Ninety days later an officer said he found the paper in the vehicle that had been given back to the family. But there are crime scene photos, and none show this paper,” said Samuel, who believes officers got the paper from Darius’ backpack and planted it in the vehicle. When Darius requested DNA post-conviction testing, the Houston Police Department (HPD) reported that it destroyed the questionable sheet of paper, the only piece of evidence HPD destroyed. In
Darius Elam, Samuel Elam
2014, post-conviction DNA testing dismissed Darius as a DNA contributor to the remaining evidence items, meaning no physical evidence links him to the crime. “Darius is wrongly convicted,”Samuel said. “All evidence points to that. Unfortunately, the criminal justice system here in Texas and other places have made it extremely difficult to receive justice. After they get you in, it takes almost a minor miracle to reverse.” FOUNDATION’S INVOLVEMENT Darius’ family is looking for that miracle, joined by Tammie Lang Campbell, founder of the Honey Brown Hope Foundation. Campbell credits God for bringing Darius’ case to her attention. While visiting prisons on assignment from the American Leadership Forum last fall, Campbell was invited to attend the prison’s Toast Masters-like Skills for Life program. There, she met Darius, about whom other inmates told Campbell didn’t belong behind bars. “Darius asked me if there was anything I could do to help him, and I said, ‘Consider it done.” Campbell said after reviewing his case, she was horrified, and has been involved ever since. “We want the public to see the full story, from being a student on track scholarship, to being a father snatched from his children and not being able to participate in their lives. It’s a gross injustice to all of his family, including his mother who is now 82 and not in good health,” added Campbell. “Our mom is diabetic and a transplant patient who is wheelchair bound,” added Samuel. “She’s waiting for Darius to come home.”
1995 • An alleged sheet of paper with Elam’s fingerprint was reportedly destroyed by the police. However, it wasn’t initially logged as evidence. 2007 • While Elam sought a post-conviction DNA test of the sheet of paper, the court responded that HPD destroyed it, though all originally logged evidence was maintained (a bullet, shoes, clothing, fingernail clippings, hair and blood samples). The next year, Elam and lawyer Gary Udashen requested DNA testing of original evidence. 2014 • Testing of originally logged items found no Elam DNA. Thus, no physical evidence linking Elam to the crime exists.
Tammie Campbell speaking at the Justice for Darius Elam press conference
CURRENT STATUS The wheels of justice stalled for Darius in Judge Joshua Hill’s 232nd District Court of Harris County. Darius’ writ hearing seeking the court’s recommendation to drop the charges based on 2014 post-conviction DNA testing that dismissed Elam as a DNA contributor, was held on July 12, 2019. The Court was scheduled to issue its decision on Dec. 2, 2019, the deadline set by the Court of Criminal Appeals. Yet, over a year after the hearing, no recommendation has been rendered. “How long must Darius wait for justice?,” asked Campbell. “He has been wrongly incarcerated for 37 years. His life and dreams have been locked up, kidnapped and stolen by a system that does not value Black lives.”
I can sum up what we want in two words — freedom and justice” -Samuel Elam
MOVING FORWARD Samuel Elam wants Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg’s office to look into the case, reversing their previous decision to recuse themselves from involvement because of a potential conflict of interest. Campbell said concerned individuals and organizations can support Darius’s efforts to secure justice by visiting Change. org and signing Darius’ petition, or by other means. “People can go to Honeybrownhopefoundation.org and our Facebook page and write comments and encourage the family,” stated Campbell. “They’ll get those messages to Darius who needs them, because being in jail for 37 years takes a lot out of you. But we’re going all the way, in the name of Jesus. And by any means necessary, Darius is going to be free.”
ELAM’S SUPPORT TEAM Tammie Lang Campbell: Founder & executive director, Honey Brown Hope Foundation Howard Henderson: Director, Center for Justice Research Professor, School of Public Affairs, TSU Sylvester Brown: Executive director, Black Heritage Society Johnny Mata: Founder & executive director, Greater Houston Coalition for Justice Dave Atwood: Houston Peace & Justice Center Criminal Justice & Human Rights Work Group Shelly Kennedy: community advocate
2017 • Since Elam’s conviction, the State of Texas passed legislation requiring accountability and transparency in the use of jailhouse informants. District attorneys must track all informants and provide the defense with the informant’s entire criminal history, and any benefits given for their testimonies. 2018 • Udashen filed in the 232nd District Court of Harris County seeking to vacate the conviction on the grounds of innocence and new-science DNA testing. 2019 • Elam’s writ hearing was held July 12, 2019. The Court was scheduled to issue its decision on Dec. 2, 2019 but has yet to rule.
8 | July 23, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Feature
A vaccine volunteer gets an injection. AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko
CORONAVIRUS:
THINGS TO KNOW
By ReShonda Tate Billingsley
U.S. reps. call for state shutdown
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Rep. Joaquín Castro have sent a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott urging him to rewind reopening efforts in Texas. The lawmakers argued that Texas’ decision to reopen was based on calls from the Trump administration and not based on science. “Texas had become Rep. Sheila a model on how to Jackson Lee fight this vicious virus, but now we have become a poster child on what not to do to prevent the spread of COVID1 9 ,” t h e C o n g re s s Joaquín members wrote in Castro the letter. The lawmakers said Texas should allow the local authorities to do what is in the best interest of their communities. New cases of COVID-19 are spiking in Texas. Based on the number of new cases of the past three weeks, Harris and Bexar counties, which includes San Antonio, are among the top hot spots in Texas, according to an unpublished White House document obtained by the Center
for Public Integrity. The report, which was withheld by the White House, found Texas as one of the 18 states where COVID-19 has gotten so out of hand that officials should start rolling back reopening efforts. Houstonians needed for vaccine trial
As the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine enters Phase 3 of testing, two Houston clinics say they need the public’s help. Thirty thousand people will receive the vaccine in the next phase. Houston is one of 87 locations across the country where the vaccine will be tested. The Texas Center for Drug Development is looking for about 1,000 volunteers to receive the vaccine. The clinic reportedly had more than 4,000 people call, text and email with questions and to apply last week. Officials said it is not a live vaccine, so you cannot contract coronavirus from this vaccine itself. Prior phases of testing focus on safety and side effects. This phase will determine how effective it is. Those 18 and older are eligible to apply. Those with active cancers or autoimmune disorders would not qualify. You can receive up to $2,000 to participate in the study. Apply at www. houstonfightscovid.com. Ft. Bend County helps struggling residents
If you live in Fort Bend County and need
help paying for your housing or utilities, federal funding may be available. The county approved $19.5 million in funding from the federal CARES Act to help residents pay rent, mortgage and utilities through November. The county allocated an additional $2 million for utility assistance. The approved funding is being carried out in three phases: Phase 1 was June-July/$6.5 million; Phase 2 will be carried out AugustSeptember/$6.5 million; and Phase 3 runs October-November/$6.5 million. Phase 2 applications for rental, mortgage and utility assistance are being accepted until July 31 or until funds are used up, whichever comes first. If you have previously applied In Phase 1, you do not need to reapply; your application is still in the system,. Online applications can be submitted to www.fortbendcountytx.gov or call 281-238-2273). Pastor who died from COVID mourned
Rev. Vickey Gibbs, 57, who preached at Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church in Houston, passed away from pneumonia caused by COVID-19. Gibbs often spoke about the devastating effects of COVID-19 on her community. Before her passing, she criticized the shortage of COVID19 tests. Gibbs died on July 10, just five days after testing positive for the virus. Gibbs was a member of the LGBTQ community
and was married to Cassandra White, the church’s gospel ensemble director. Gibbs, a Beaumont native, was described as a progressive pastor. She had attended the church since 1981.
Rev. Vickey Gibbs
Food aid available for HISD families
Families of HISD students are eligible to receive the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer, which helps buy food during the COVID-19 crisis. Families can get up to $285 for each student. The application deadline has been extended to July 31. The program, which is available to families all across Texas depending on certain qualifications, is available to all of HISD. Low-income Texas families outside of HISD can also apply for the $285 in federal aid per child to make up for the free and reducedprice meals they missed while schools were closed because of the pandemic. Families that were on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in March don’t need to apply for the program known as Pandemic-EBT. Benefits were automatically deposited on their Lone Star Card, the debitlike card Texas uses to distribute SNAP aid, in May. HISD is also reopening its 12 curbside sites for its summer meals program. Visit yourtexasbenefits.com/Learn/PEBT.
July 23, 2020 |
| 9
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Feature ‘Ask a Doctor’ inspires girls in STEM participants to better navigate their holistic Though Black women are the most edu- health, and to inspire some to work toward cated demographic in the U.S., some would becoming a physician, a field where Black argue that they and their younger counterwomen currently make up only 2% of practiparts are the most disrespected. The tioners, according to the Association of grossly unequal treatment Black the American Medical Society. girls face in k-12 spaces nationally Participants will be able to conhas been well-documented, and a verse with 4th-year medical student major impediment to Black girls Nathanaelle “Onyi” Ibeziako from sharing their magic in STEM fields. Tufts University School of Medicine. Enter Loretta Williams Gur- Loretta Williams “Nathanaelle shared with me nell’s SUPERGirls SHINE, a Houssome of her own personal strugGurnell ton-based organization which gles in rising up as a Black female seeks to bridge over that divide. The student, starting in the 5th grade, organization’s newest effort towards through middle and high school, this end is their “Ask a Doctor” and now as a resident doctor event, a live, interactive session in the next year, what stigmas girls and women interested in the and hurdles she and other Black medical professions or simply better students faced moving through personal health, can participate in medical school,” said Gurnell, Nathanaelle on Saturday, July 25 at 10 a.m. who was inspired by one of her Onyi Ibeziako “The first goal of ‘Ask a Docorganization’s teen members who tor’ is to create a safe and creexpressed an interest in medicine. ative space for girls and women to become “This sparked an interest in me to see more comfortable with the work and neces- how many other girls would be interested in sity of doctors, particularly in the Black & becoming a doctor, and what are the numHispanic communities,” said Gurnell. bers of Black women doctors in American The event also seeks to empower today,” said Gurnell.
CLASSIFIED
Aswad Walker
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY / TIRZ No. 3
Southern Downtown Park
The Downtown Redevelopment Authority (the “Authority”) / TIRZ No. 3 will receive sealed bids for the Southern Downtown Park project, located in Downtown Houston, 1515 Fannin Street bounded by Bell, Fannin, Leeland, and San Jacinto Streets. Hardcopy bids will be received until 11:00 AM, local time on Thursday, August 20, 2020 by the Executive Director, Downtown Redevelopment Authority. Hardcopy bids received after this time will not be accepted. Hardcopy bids are to be delivered to 1313 Main Street, Houston, Texas, 77002. Beginning 9:00 AM, Thursday, July 23, 2020, Bidding Documents will be available at www.civcastusa.com. Any Addenda will be distributed through www.civcastusa.com. Bidding Documents may also be viewed online at isqft.com. An ONLINE MANDATORY Pre-bid Conference will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, July 28, 2020. All bidders (general contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers) are invited to attend.
Due to COVID-19 and the Authority’s work safe protocol, all potential bidders who intend to participate in the pre-bid conference and submit bids are required to register their intention by 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 27, 2020 by email to Lonnie Hoogeboom, Director of Planning & Design at lonnie@downtowntirz.com. Potential bidders are to provide Company Name, Address, and Phone plus (two maximum) Representative Names & Titles, Representative Emails, and Cell Phones. All bidders who register in advance of the pre-bid conference will receive a calendar invitation providing access to the online meeting venue. Bids will be ruled non-responsive if received from an individual who did not attend the pre-bid conference. Bidders shall comply with City of Houston Code of Ordinances, Chapter 15, Articles II, V, VI, and XI and the Mayor’s Executive Orders No.1‑7 Pay or Play (POP) Program for Houston Public Works for the public procurement procedures of the City of Houston Office for Business Opportunity (OBO) established in March 2008 and the entity responsible for the administration of the Small/ Minority/ Women-Owned (S/M/WBE), Persons with Disabilities Enterprises (PDBE), and Hire Houston First programs. The successful Bidder will be required to make good faith efforts to achieve an S/M/W/DBE participation goal of 20 percent. Beginning July 16, 2020, the Authority’s procurement for the general contract for this capital improvement project is advertised in the Houston Business Journal, the Houston Defender, the Southern Chinese Daily News, and the Greater Houston Business Procurement Forum.
ELDER ABUSE is the intentional PHYSICAL, SEXUAL, EMOTIONAL and or FINANCIAL abuse of someone over the age of 65, often happening at the hands of someone the victim trusts. With over ½ million people at least 65 in Harris County, the DA’s office wants you to stay vigilant against elder abuse. Report abuse or suspected abuse to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services at-
1-800-252-5400 Office of Di s trict Attor ne y h arri s c o unt y, TX
Ki m Ogg
HarrisCount yDA.COM
10 | July 23, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Entertainment
Kanye for president? Is 2020 run for real or for show?
KANYE’S QUOTES FROM S.C. RALLY Everybody that has a baby gets a million dollars…I don’t have the funding for it. But I have the platform to share the idea.”
Rapper Kanye West speaks to President Donald Trump and others in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Defender News Service
Rapper Kanye West’s chaotic launch of his unlikely campaign to oust Donald Trump in November’s presidential election has sparked anger, concern for his mental health and questions about whether he is seriously running. During a recent campaign rally, West broke down in tears during the rambling speech in Charleston, S.C. that was supposed to kickstart his White House bid. Instead, controversial comments about renowned American abolitionist Harriet Tubman enraged attendees, provoked scorn online and left political analysts scratching their heads about the mercurial musician’s true intentions. For Jeffrey McCune, who teaches a course on West at Washington University in St. Louis, the topsy-turvy nature of the event was typical of the hip-hop star. “All things Kanye are impulsive. I have never been a fan of ‘throw-your-towel-in’ political entries. However, this is Kanye’s brand completely,” he said. With “2020” shaved onto his head and donning a bullet proof vest, West veered between several subjects during the hour-long rant, including claiming that he had wanted his wife, Kim Kardashian, to get an abortion.
But it was his comment that “Harriet Tubman never actually freed the slaves” that grabbed most headlines. West “has lost his mind,” tweeted historian Kate Clifford Larson, author of “Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero.” “HARRIET TUBMAN FREED enslaved people. You, Mr West are a jerk and not worthy of uttering Tubman’s name. You have not freed anyone,” Larson wrote. From crying while disclosing why he opposes abortion to using Tubman‘s name to again weigh in on his stance on slavery, West’s behavior alarmed social media users (as well as those who attended his rally) and suggested he was making a return to the mental instability he displayed during his infamous MAGA meltdown in the Oval Office in 2018. He has offered virtually no details about his campaign, but the hip-hop star said he no longer supports the president. BIPOLAR DISORDER In 2018, West’s act in the Oval Office prompted similar cries for him to seek mental help. It was also where he said he had been “diagnosed with bipolar disorder.” Reports began circulating recently that West
had dropped out of the race. He missed the deadline in several states to be listed on the presidential ballot, but he is listed on the ballot in Oklahoma. During a 2018 interview with David Letterman, West described what goes through his mind when he exhibits behavior like what attendees saw in South Carolina and in the Oval Office in 2018. “I feel a heightened connection with the universe when I’m ramping up,” he said, seemingly blaming others for his condition. “It is a health issue. This — it’s like a sprained brain, like having a sprained ankle. And if someone has a sprained ankle, you’re not going to push on him more. With us, once our brain gets to a point of spraining, people do everything to make it worse.” Analysts say West doesn’t have to win the presidential race to influence it. “Kanye’s personal resources and visibility and track record of generating media attention for himself, he could be the wild card in enough places to have an impact on the race, even if he only gets on the ballot in a few key states,” said Robert Yoon, an elections specialist at the University of Michigan. He describes West, who is due to release a
Publisher | CEO Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
VOLUME 89 - NUMBER 39 - JULY 23, 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
Managing Editor ReShonda Tate Billingsley Creative Director Michael Grant Associate Editor Marilyn Marshall
Risk or no risk of losing whatever deal possible, I am not on the board at Adidas. I am not on the board at Gap. And that has to change today, or I walk away.” My mom saved my life. My dad wanted to abort me. My mom saved my life, there would have been no Kanye West because my dad was too busy.” Harriet Tubman never actually freed the slaves, she just had them work for other white people.” new album, as “a performance artist” who may be viewing his run as another show. “After all, Kanye being a provocateur in many ways has made him more profitable.” But some like journalist Jason Johnson wrote, “I really wish local reporters would stop showing up to #Kanye2020 campaign events. I’m not a psychiatrist but Kanye looks like a man in a great deal of pain and he’s literally in tears right now. It’s sad.” People Editor Aswad Walker Sports Terrance Harris Jodie B. Jiles Photographers Ray Carrington III Jimmie Aggison
July 23, 2020 |
| 11
DEFENDER NETWORK
DN Sports DR. GARY GRANDISON
has been named Texas Southern men’s and women’s golf coach. The former Alabama State head coach spent one season as assistant coach under retired Hank Stewart.
KYLER MURRAY
told reporters that he was initially in disbelief when he heard that his team traded for Texans star receiver DeAndre Hopkins this offseason.
Sports Briefs:
P.J. TUCKER SETS TONE
Watson has COVID-19 concerns Count Texans stars Deshaun Watson and J.J. Watt among the NFL players who are not pleased with the league’s COVID-19 plan or lack thereof with rookies reporting to training camp and veterans set to arrive in a few days. “It’s disheartening to hear the NFL is unwilling to follow the recommendations of their own experts regarding player health and safety,” Watson tweeted. “If we want to have a full season the NFL needs to listen to their experts.”
Terrance Harris
Rockets center P.J. Tucker isn’t quite sure how to frame this restart of the 2019-2020 season. Technically this is the continuation of the season that went into a four-month pause when the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the world down and brought sports to a standstill. But the top 22 teams prior to the season halt are in the Orlando bubble getting ready to begin an intriguing format later this month which will start with eight warmup games followed by the playoffs. “It can’t feel like the same season, but it doesn’t feel like a new season either,” Tucker said. “It’s like we are having a tournament and that’s how I’m trying to think about it. We have eight games for seeding and then the playoffs and we go at it. “No matter how you look at it we pretty much are going to go as far as we want in the West. We pretty much are going to have the same three games, we have to go through the Lakers and Clippers.” While James Harden and Russell Westbrook will shoulder the burden of just how far the Rockets will go in this restart, how much success the team has will largely depend on the 6-foot-5 Tucker, who is viewed as the most valuable role player around. On his best day, the 35-year-old Tucker should be a swingman but in Mike D’Antoni’s small ball experiment he holds down the post on defense but will just as soon pop a 3-pointer from the corner on the other end. What Tucker brings is invaluable and definitely appreciated by his teammates. “P.J., obviously we know he’s
It can’t feel like the same season, but it doesn’t feel like a new season either. It’s like we are having a tournament and that’s how I’m trying to think about it. We have eight games for seeding and then the playoffs and we go at it.”
P.J. Tucker
a dog,” Harden said. “He brings that same intensity every single day. No matter if he is making shots or missing shots he is getting after it. He is fouling, he is being a competitor. He is that guy that we need and that everybody would love on their team.” D’Antoni is glad Tucker is on his team and able to play with range that is rarely seen in the league. Tucker plays about 34 minutes a night while he was averaging 7.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 43 percent from the floor and 37 percent from 3-point range. But Tucker’s real value is the intangibles he brings more than his stats. “He always gives you everything he’s got,” D’Antoni said. “He is always going to play as hard as heck for 38 minutes, play defense, make corner shots. He’s the rock of our team.” Hearing such praise brings a smile to Tucker’s face. “It’s just my personality and how I am,” he said. “I’ve here long enough that I know what Coach wants, I know what works and I know what we have to do to win. So just holding myself to that standard and at the same time holding everybody else to that standard that we are playing for the right to put on that jersey.”
Eric Gordon ready to go Rockets guard Eric Gordon says his knee is completely healthy and that his explosion is back after he missed 30 of the team’s 64 games before the shutdown. “Everything’s been good. Explosion has been there,” Gordon said. “It’s only been a week or so, but I’ve been looking forward to getting back in the fold of things. “Good thing we have a game this week, and I should just keep feeling better and better.” SWAC pushing spring football The SWAC presidents and chancellors have decided to explore postponing football and other fall sports until the spring because of concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. The league has decided to explore the spring as an option rather than cancel the entire fall sports schedule like the MEAC has done. Westbrook in the bubble Rockets guard Russell Westbrook joined his team in the Orlando bubble on Monday, a week and half late. Westbrook caught the COVID-19 and had to quarantine away from the team for two weeks. Rockets scrimmage When he Rockets finish their first scrimmage of the season Friday against defending NBA champion Toronto on NBA TV at 6:30 p.m., they will next take on Memphis July 26 on NBA TV.
12 | July 23, 2020 |
DEFENDER NETWORK
Inaction is not an option. Complete the 2020 Census to shape the next ten years for your community. The power to change your community is in your hands. We can help inform funding every year for the next ten years for public services like healthcare, childcare programs, public transportation, schools, and job assistance. And our responses determine how many seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. But time is running out, so complete the census today online, by phone, or by mail.
Complete the census today at:
2020CENSUS.GOV Paid for by U.S. Census Bureau.
2019_Census_Community_DM_Size I.indd 1
7/6/20 4:58 PM