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THREE POPULAR LOCAL comedians SPREAD CHEER YEAR ROUND P5
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Houston’s Leading Black Information Source
Volume 82 | Number 8
DECEMBER 13, 2012 |FREE
www.defendernetwork.com
FEATURE
MICHELLE OBAMA
shares
Christmas
memories
P6
OPINION
GEORGE CURRY
explores
the fiscal
cliff
P8
SPORTS
OPINION
JOHNNY MANZIEL
honored
to win
Heisman
P16
CHAG’S PLACE
David and Tamela Mann at
family reunion tour
P19
HPD
Kwanzaa has identify crisis
Kwanzaa has grown
in popularity over
the years, yet there
are still AfricanAmericans who
know little or
nothing about it.
Why did Kwanzaa’s
founder establish it in the first place? What are some of the
misconceptions Blacks have about the celebration? What will it
take to make Kwanzaa more relevant?
H Page 2
probe
reaction
H Page 10
Holiday blues
can be beat
This is the season to have a Merry
Christmas and happy New Year,
but countless people experience the
blues during the holidays. Learn why
this time of year can get you down.
Get a list of coping mechanisms for
beating the blues. Understand why
what you eat and drink can
make a big difference in
how you feel.
H Page 12
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2
DEFENDER | DECEMBER 13 | 2012
defendernetwork.com
newstalk
Kwanzaa’s identity crisis
Kwanzaa
calendar of
events
Saturday, Dec. 22
SHAPE Community Center hosts its annual
Pre-Kwanzaa Holiday Market from 10 a.m.-6
p.m. at the 3903 Almeda location. Attendees
will be privy to vendors, food, music, face painting and petting zoo. The event is sponsored by
the Greater Houston Area Kwanzaa Planning
Committee.
Wednesday, Dec. 26
The citywide celebration will take place at
the Third Ward Multi-Service Center, 3611 Ennis.
A market place is at 5 p.m. and the opening
ceremony is at 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 27
Day two of Kwanzaa, sponsored by NBUF,
will be held at 7 p.m. at SHAPE’s 3903 Almeda
location.
Friday, Dec. 28
By ASWAD WALKER
Defender
Kwanzaa, the annual celebration of the reaffirmation and reinforcement of the best of African views
and values, has sought to erase racial ambiguity since
its founding in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga.
Though Kwanzaa has steadily grown in popularity
over the years, there are still African-Americans who
know little or nothing about it.
It is celebrated during the last week of the year,
beginning on Dec. 26 and ending on Jan. 1. However,
some erroneously label it the “Black Christmas,” and
believe it is designed to replace the observance of Dec.
25.
Kwanzaa, however, is a celebration of family,
community and culture, created by Karenga, a longtime scholar/activist and author.
“I created Kwanzaa for three basic reasons: to reaffirm and reinforce our rootedness in African culture;
to give us a time as African people all over the world
to come together, reinforce the bonds between us and
meditate on the awesome meaning of being African
in the world; and to introduce and reaffirm the importance of the Nguzo Saba,” said Karenga, a professor of
Africana Studies at California State University-Long
Beach.
The Nguzo Saba are the seven principles celebrated on the seven days of Kwanzaa. They are Umoja
(unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamma (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity)
and Imani (faith).
Yet for some Blacks, Kwanzaa is still a distant or
even foreign concept.
Amber Carter, a UH freshman from Dallas, for
example, has never observed the holiday, though she is
open to do so.
“I want to participate in Kwanzaa because it’s
supporting something that our race developed,” said
Carter, concurring with her classmate, Yasmin Hamza.
“I was first exposed to Kwanzaa in 2001 when I
moved to America,” said the Ethiopian-born Hamza. “We
simply didn’t celebrate it where I’m from.”
Colin Clarke, an international financier and graduate
of Willowridge High School, currently living in Zimbabwe,
believes Kwanzaa is known but is simply not utilized.
“Kwanzaa, like the southern African concept of
‘Ubuntu’ or unity, is often spoken about and seldom practiced,” said Clarke.
But those who regularly observe Kwanzaa swear by it.
“It’s an important celebration with significant
Continue on Page 18
Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, 5801 W. Montgomery (www.mtararatbc.com), will host the
Kwanzaa market place at 3 p.m. and the opening ceremony at 6 p.m. For Galveston residents,
there will also be a 5 p.m. market place and 6
p.m. Kwanzaa celebration at the Old Central
Cultural Center 2627 Ave O, sponsored by the
Nia Cultural Center (www.niacultural.com).
Saturday, Dec. 29
Festivities will take place at SEHAH Youth
Center, 5110 MLK Blvd. A market place is at 5
p.m. and the opening ceremony is at 7 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 30
The fifth Kwanzaa principle will be celebrated at the Southside Community Center,
7645 South Freeway, sponsored by Sisterhood
Creations. A market place is at 6 p.m. and the
opening ceremony is at 7 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 31
On the last day of 2011, SHAPE will again
host Kwanzaa at its 3815 Live Oak building, with
a market place at 5 p.m. and opening ceremony
at 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 1
Kwanzaa culminates, as it does annually,
with festivities taking place at the Shrine Christian Center of Houston, 5313 MLK Blvd. A market place is at 6 p.m. and the opening ceremony
is at 7 p.m.
For more information about activities or
vendor opportunities call 713-521-0629 or
713-521-0641 or visit www.shape.org.
defendernetwork.com | DECEMBER 13 | 2012 | DEFENDER
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4
DEFENDER | DECEMBER 13 | 2012
defendernetwork.com
national
Black rate of
unemployment
drops faster
NNPA News Service
President Barack Obama favors same-sex marriage but believes the issue should be left up to states rather than the
federal government.
Gay marriage debate
Court could force
Obama’s hand
NNPA News Service
The Supreme Court’s decision to hear two same-sex marriage cases this spring means
the Obama administration will
be forced to take a stand on the
hot-button issue that has elicited
reaction from every side.
President Barack Obama
announced in May that his position had evolved to where he
now favors same-sex marriage
after previously having just
supported just civil unions. The
administration made clear last
year that it would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage
Act, the 1996 law that denies
federal benefits to same-sex
married couples.
But many mistakenly
took his comments as a full
embrace of same-sex marriage when that was never
the case. The president was
always very careful to say that
believed it was an issue best
left up to the states rather than
decided at the federal level.
A federal district court
judge’s ruling in 2010 struck
down a California ban on
same-sex marriages from
two years earlier as unconstitutional by finding a broad
federal right to same-sex
marriage.
In February, the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the 9th
Circuit also defined California’s Proposition 8 as unconstitutional, but on narrower
grounds.
Now it’s up to the Supreme Court to hear the
matter, meaning the president
will likely be forced to choose
sides and anger a large part of
his base whatever decision he
makes.
African-Americans are
Obama’s most ardent support-
ers and are overwhelmingly
conservative on certain social
issues, gay marriage especially. Those in California were
strongly in favor of Proposition 8.
But the gay and lesbian
community also played key
roles in Obama’s re-election
last month and will be looking
for him to come through for
them.
Obama reaffirmed his
position on the issue just days
before last month’s election.
“Historically, marriages
have been defined at the state
level,” he told MTV. “Ultimately, you know, I believe
that if we have that conversation at the state level, the
evolution that’s taking place
in this country will get us to
a place where we are going
to be recognizing everybody
fairly.”
The Black unemployment rate fell to
13.2 percent in November, down from
14.3 percent the previous month. The
decrease of 1.1 percent was a sharper
drop than for whites (6.8 percent, from
7 percent in October) and Latinos (10
percent, the same as for the previous
month), according to the monthly report
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Overall, unemployment fell by twotenths of a percent, to 7.7 percent in
November from 7.9 percent in October.
The drop defied predictions of many
economists who believed Superstorm
Sandy combined with the shutdown of
east coast financial centers and delayed
fuel delivery to the region would have a
severe impact on job growth.
The unemployment rate for Black
men fell from 15.6 percent in October
to 14.3 percent in November. Since June
2009, which marked the official end of
the Great Recession, the rate for Black
males has declined from 17.5 percent to
14.3 percent, a dip of 3.2 percent.
Black women saw their unemployment rate fall from 13.3 percent in October to 12.3 percent in November. While
men enjoyed a drop of 4.2 percent since
June 2009, the end of the Great Recession, the rate for Black women was
virtually unchanged, from 12.7 percent
in November to 12.3 percent over that
same period.
VOLUME 82 • NUMBER 8
DECEMBER 13, 2012
Publisher
Sonceria Messiah-Jiles
Advertising/Client Relations
Selma Dodson Tyler
Print Editor
Marilyn Marshall
Online Editor
ReShonda Billingsley
Art Director
Tony Fernandez-Davila
People Editor
Yvette Chargois
Sports Editors
Max Edison
Darrell K. Ardison
Contributing Writer
Aswad Walker
The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender
is audited by Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box
8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2012
copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).
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DECEMBER 13 | 2012 | DEFENDER
entertainment
5
Comedians spread cheer
By TIFFANY L. WILLIAMS
Defender
Anyone can be funny, but it takes
a true comedian to command the
stage. For three funny men, telling
jokes and making people laugh have
been a part of their lives since youth.
The Defender chatted with Eddie
B, Blame the Comic and Mickey Housley to learn how they got started as
comedians and what lessons or challenges they’ve encountered coming up
in the business.
Eddie B
Houston-bred comedian Eddie
Brown, aka Eddie B, said he discovered comedy was a part of him in
high school after an attractive female
classmate challenged him to act more
Eddie B
mature for the day.
“She told me I played around too
much, so I was at Jones [High School]
all day being quiet,” Brown said. “That lasted
until first lunch, and then I was back to being
crazy. That’s when I realized this is me.”
Following his 10th-grade self-realization,
Brown went on to attend Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where he first tried his luck as a
professional comedian.
“I just put some fliers up, charged people $3
to get in, and it ended up being a bang,” he said.
“It was packed. And that was my inspiration.”
Brown, who now has a master’s degree and
works as a teacher, said starting out he was
Mickey Housley
forced to discover his comedic style.
That, however, didn’t take long.
Brown said his audiences’ most genuine laughs come when he’s himself.
“The gut-busting laughs come
from the real stuff I go through,” said
Brown, who often talks about teaching and life as a single father. “Somebody’s going through it – whether it’s
relationships, your kids – and everything we go through is comedy.”
Although Brown has progressed in his
career, he
admits he has a long way to go as a comedian.
“You can’t rush being funny; there’s
no punch line in life,” he said. “Pay attention to what God has blessed you
with, and…something more will
come.”
Find Eddie at www.facebook.
com/ComedianeEddieB or on
Twitter @ComedianEddieB
Blame the Comic
Although a rap career may
appeal to some, Marion Stafford, better known as Blame the
Comic, said he knew comedy
Continue on Page 18
Blame the Comic
what’sup
TERRENCE HOWARD is coming to Houston Community
College. He will speak at the HCC Black History Scholarship
Gala on Feb. 23 at the Hilton Americas-Houston. Faculty,
staff, students and friends celebrate African-American culture
during the annual event. Howard has starred in such movies
as “The Best Man,” “Crash,” “Idlewild,” “Red Tails,” “Iron
Man,” “Ray” and “Hustle & Flow.” Past keynote speakers
included VANESSA WILLIAMS, SOLEDAD O’BRIEN,
DR. CORNEL WEST, JAMES EARL JONES and
SPIKE LEE. Visit www.hccs.edu/blackhistory or call
713.718.5BHC for more information…….. BEYONCÉ
is taking care of business. The new $50 million deal she
signed with Pepsi includes promotional appearances, a new
commercial, and the beverage company’s investment in a
number of her creative projects. Her face will also appear
on a limited edition run of cola cans. “Pepsi embraces
creativity and understands that artists evolve,” she told the
New York Times. “As a businesswoman, this allows me to
work with a lifestyle brand with no compromise and without
sacrificing my creativity.” She has worked with the brand
since 2002........MARY J. BLIGE recently shared the stage
with another M.J. – MICK JAGGER. She joined the
Rolling Stones during their 50th anniversary concert at the
new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and sang “Gimme
Shelter” with Jagger ……..Gospel music’s DEITRICK
HADDON portrays an R&B superstar in “A Beautiful Soul,”
which debuts Saturday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m. on TV One. The
film is a contemporary take on the holiday themes explored
in “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol.” It shows
the spiritual journey Haddon’s character takes when he and
a friend are brutally attacked and left clinging to life. Guided
by a mysterious presence, he is given the opportunity to
reflect on his past and reevaluate his faith. Other stars in the
film include GOLDEN BROOKS and VANESSA BELL
CALLOWAY ……The family of NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
(aka Biggie Smalls and Christopher Wallace) received an
apology from the Los Angeles Police Department after it
made the late rapper’s autopsy public without letting his
relatives know ahead of time. Police said the records relating
to the March 1997 slaying of the rapper were released
prematurely “due to an administrative error.” According to
the Los Angeles Times, police hope unsealing the 23-page
document will generate new leads for the unsolved drive-by
shooting that occurred as Biggie sat in an SUV on Wilshire
Boulevard. He was 24 at the time of his death.
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6
DEFENDER | DECEMBER 13 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com
First families recall Christmas
Defender News Services
An upcoming holiday special will take a look
at Christmases past and present with 10 presidential
families over the last 50 years.
“A White House Christmas: First Families
Remember,” will air at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20 on
NBC. It is hosted by Meredith Vieira, and includes an
interview with First Lady Michelle Obama.
Former First Ladies Laura Bush, Hillary Rodham
Clinton, Barbara Bush and Rosalynn Carter will share
their Christmas memories as well.
Several “first children” also share their holiday
memories, including Chelsea Clinton, Amy Carter,
Susan Ford Bales, Tricia Nixon Cox, Julie Nixon
Eisenhower, Lynda Johnson Robb and Luci Baines
Johnson.
Vieira went behind the scenes with staff and
volunteers to find out what it takes to prepare for the
2012 holiday season and thousands of visitors each
day.
“Christmas at the White House is much more
than adding lights to a tree,” Vieira said. “Long-standing traditions are revived each year to pay tribute to
seasons past, and messages of joy and hope encourage
everyone, regardless of party or position, to share with
family and friends all the blessings of the season.”
An encore presentation will air Friday, Dec. 21 at
8 p.m.
First Lady Michelle Obama, surrounded by her family and a group of children in a file photo, will recall Christmas memories.
Sponsored by
Scholarship Gala & Dance
Music
Honoree
The Conrad O. Johnson Orchestra
Marie Bosarge, President
& KTSU On-Air Radio Personalities
MusicDoingGood LLC
Featuring Top Chefs of Houston
Chef Joseph
The Power Center
Chef Lisa Green
Santa Fe South Catering
Chef Ken
Space City Catering
Chef Taylor
Eloquent Expressions
Saturday, December 15, 2012
8 pm – Midnight • Food Served 8:30 – 10pm
Bayou City Event Center, 9401 Knight Road,
Houston TX 77045
Presented by
Defender
Houston’s Leading Black Information Source
For Tickets go to: ktsufm.org or defendernetwork.com
defendernetwork.com Comedians...Continued from page 5
was the path for him.
“It’s less saturated and it beats the
rapping game,” said the Houston-native.
“Plus, I’m not that tough.”
Choosing comedy turned out to be the
right move for Stafford. Less than a year
after gracing the stage, he won a comedy
competition at the Arena Theatre, and not
long after that landed a spot on BET’s
popular standup competition TV show
“Coming to the Stage.”
But Stafford said it was a much
smaller accomplishment that unlocked his
passion for entertaining crowds.
“I got paid $50 at a comedy night,”
he said. “Once I got that, I was like, yeah,
this is something I need to be doing.”
Ten years following his first paid gig,
Stafford continues to make audiences
laugh across the country. He’s also currently working to launch his nonprofit,
Humor for Hope Foundation.
“The purpose of the organization is
to do comedic expression for underprivileged communities, special needs public,
such as natural disaster victims… and
schools,” Stafford said.
“I’m also teaming with World Youth
Foundation, working with rehab and juvenile centers and prisons to use comedy
as a form of anger management, mental
wellness and character building.”
Find Blame at www.facebook.
com/BlameTheComic or on Twitter @
BlameTheComic.
Mickey Housley
A year stint of karaoke performances
is how Houston funny man Mickey Housley first hit the stage. But transitioning
to joke-telling is when he found his true
calling.
“My dad used to try and get us to do
karaoke but I would always say that’s a
girl thing,” he said. “I finally went one
day, sang Usher’s “Nice & Slow” and I
was hooked.”
Now, Housley works fulltime as a
comedian, but said the road isn’t always a
smooth ride.
“Some of the challenges are trying to
stay busy, finding work and working on
your material,” he said. “It’s easy to get
lazy but you have to keep practicing and
keep your material fresh.”
The Houston-born comedian also said
staying focused is how he handles everything the comedy game throws at him.
“You have to learn to stay in your
lane and know that what God has for you
is for you,” he said. “As long as you’re
working, it will come to you.”
Find Housley at www.facebook.com/
mickey.housley or on Twitter @ComedianMickey.
| DECEMBER 13 | 2012 | DEFENDER
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DEFENDER | DECEMBER 13 | 2012 defendernetwork.com
opinion
Fiscal showdown
By GEORGE E. CURRY
NNPA Columnist
It should be embarrassing enough that
President Obama and House Republicans
postponed making tough fiscal decisions
by kicking the can down the road to New
Year’s Day – when certain automatic budget cuts will go into effect unless they act to
avoid what is called a fiscal cliff.
Instead of moving quickly to solve
their self-created problems, both sides
continue to misrepresent basic facts.
For example, House Speaker John
Boehner (D-Ohio) has criticized the Obama
administration for refusing to give a list of
specific cuts. He said the administration
“put $400 billion worth of unspecified cuts
that they’d be willing to talk about.”
FactCheck.org stated flatly: “Boehner
is wrong.” It explained, “The president’s
deficit-reduction plan, as proposed to Congress in September 2011, itemizes ‘nearly
$580 billion in cuts and reforms to mandatory programs, of which $320 billion is savings from Federal health programs such as
Medicare and Medicaid.’ Those proposals
are also listed in the president’s fiscal 2013
budget proposal in a section, beginning on
page 23, titled ‘Cutting Waste, Reducing
the Deficit.’
“The Medicare proposals, for example,
are a mix of reduced payments to certain
providers, including teaching hospitals and
post-acute care facilities – as well as the
higher premiums and new fees for certain
beneficiaries…”
FactCheck.org, an organization that
holds public officials accountable, also
noted that Republicans are running a numbers game.
“In a Dec. 3 letter to the president outlining the GOP counterproposal for deficit
reduction, Boehner and other GOP leaders
said there is ‘four times as much tax revenue as spending
cuts’ in the president’s proposal,” the organization recalled.
“The GOP math works like this: Obama’s proposal
includes $1.6 trillion in new tax revenue and roughly $400
billion in spending cuts. In an email to us, Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said that ‘when Sec. Geithner made his
proposal to us, the number he used – repeatedly – was $400
billion.’
“However, as we mentioned earlier, on several Sunday
talk shows, Geithner said the total savings comes to $600
billion over 10 years.”
Both Republicans and Democrats are playing being
Geithner exaggerate the amount of
spending cuts in the president’s plan, according to FactCheck.org.
“On NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’
Geithner said, ‘We have laid out a very
detailed plan of spending cuts, $600
billion dollars in spending in mandatory
programs over 10 years.’ The president
made the same claim in a Dec. 4 interview with Bloomberg News, saying his
proposal has ‘$600 billion in additional
cuts in mandatory spending.’
“It’s true that there’s nearly $600 billion in estimated savings from mandatory
programs: $326 billion in health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid,
and $254 billion in other programs, such
as farm subsidies. But not all of these are
‘spending cuts,’ and the administration’s
own deficit-reduction plan doesn’t label
them as such – instead calling them a
combination of ‘cuts and reforms.’
“There are tens of billions in new
fees and surcharges and increased premiums in Medicare alone. Table S-10 of
the revised fiscal 2013 budget proposal
outlines numerous other new and higher
fees under the section titled ‘Mandatory
Initiatives and Savings.’”
Amid the word and numbers games,
the public is clear about what should be
done, even if Washington isn’t.
A Gallup poll in November found,
“Forty-five percent of Americans now
say they favor reducing the federal
budget deficit with an equal balance of
tax increases and spending cuts, up from
32% last year.
At the same time, the percentage
favoring an emphasis on spending cuts
is now 40%, down from 50% last year,
Daryl Cagle, CagleCartoons.com
while the percentage in favor of reducing
the deficit primarily through tax increases
selective in their choice of words.
is unchanged at 11%.”
“In part, the discrepancy is a matter of language.
A Washington Post-Pew Research Center poll conRepublicans are saying ‘spending cuts’ while Democrats are ducted Nov. 29-Dec. 2 found that a majority of Americans
saying ‘savings,’ ‘reforms’ and ‘spending cuts.’ But the more –53 percent – would blame Republicans in Congress if
substantial difference between the Democrats’ and RepubWashington fails to reach a deal in deficit talks to avoid the
licans’ spending cuts-to-tax hike ratios is that Republicans
fiscal cliff.
do not count the $1 trillion in discretionary spending cuts
The survey found that only 27 percent would fault
agreed to in the Budget Control Act of 2011,” FactCheck.
President Obama if negotiations between the executive and
org states.
legislative branches of government fail, 12 percent would
“The White House argues those are part of the ongoing
split the blame equally between the two sides and 2 percent
negotiations to resolve a deficit crisis. Nor does the GOP
have no opinion.
include the $800 billion ‘saved’ from ending the wars in Iraq
Like Ronald Reagan, this could be Obama’s “make my
and Afghanistan.”
day” moment.
President Obama and Secretary of Treasury Timonty
defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years
defendernetwork.com | DECEMBER 13 | 2012 | DEFENDER
9
10
DEFENDER | DECEMBER 13 | 2012
defendernetwork.com
cover
Community members respond to the Department of Justice investigation into HPD.
Community responds
A
By TIFFANY L. WILLIAMS
Defender
n emotional Anthony Childress, 39,
stood outside the Harris County
Criminal Justice Center, recounting his version of the cold October
night when he said Houston Police
Department officers violently beat
him, knocking out six of his teeth and fracturing his
jaw.
“The evidence is on my face still,” said Childress,
his voice cracking as he spoke with reporters. “Every
day I have to walk around like this…it’s hard to look
at people and smile and your teeth are gone.”
During the October incident Childress was
arrested and charged with cocaine possession, but
denies the allegations.
Standing alongside Childress were members of
the Houston Chapter of the New Black Panther Party
(NBPP), the National Black United Front (NBUF),
S.H.A.P.E. Community Center Council of Elders,
Millions More Movement, Anti-Death Penalty Movement, Operation Outreach OG1, concerned citizens
and other victims of police brutality.
The group assembled in response to the U.S.
Department of Justice’s probe into six cases in which
Houston police officers fatally shot or allegedly used
excessive force against unarmed residents.
“While the investigation of six cases is a small
start, it needs to deal with the thousands of complaints
and not just a few,” said NBPP’s Houston Chapter
chairwoman Krystal Muhammad.
With the investigation, community leaders said
they also want transparency and the implementation
of an independent civilian review board with subpoena power, prosecutorial power and proper funding
“Our position is clear,” said NBUF member Ali
Muhammad. “We want to know when these investigations will begin, when will they end and are the
people going to be involved.”
To emphasize their demands, community members have also been gathering in front of the courthouse once a week for nearly two years, collectively
calling themselves the Black Justice Tuesday Coalition (BJTC), to protest police brutality and other
injustices.
“We’ve been continually agitating,” Krystal Muhammad said. “Every Tuesday we’re out here at noon,
raising this issue of excessive force and how the DA
continues to let these officers get away with these human rights violations.”
Other cases under the DOJ’s investigation involve the September shooting death of Brian Claunch,
45, a double amputee who had a history of mental
illness, as well as the March 2010 beating of 15-yearold Chad Holley. The beating was caught on surveillance video, leading to disciplinary action against 12
officers, but many have since been given their jobs
back.
Despite witnesses and two of the six cases
involving video footage, Ray Hunt, president of the
Houston Police Officers’ Union told the Associated
Press, “We are confident that the people in the Justice
Department ... are going to look at these cases and
realize that we have done everything we have to do,”
he said.
Childress, who is suing HPD for $10 million
for his injuries, said he feels more should have been
done, especially since no disciplinary action was
taken against any of the officers involved with his
case.
“Anytime you beat us down and dismiss these
cases on these officers, you’re telling us we don’t…
mean anything to this country,” Childress said.
He charged others to join the BJTC in its efforts
to help stop police brutality.
“The power is in our hands but we don’t have
power if we keep relinquishing our power by being
scared,” he said. “Come out here and stand beside the
ones who are being beat down, brutalized and tortured
by this system.”
HP
probe r
Anthony Childress says he was beaten by HPD officers.
Justice De
By ASWAD WALKER
Defender
The oldest and most publicized of the six HPD cases currently
tion by the Department of Justice took place in March 2009 as Chad
was beaten by nearly a dozen officers during a burglary arrest.
The beating was captured on surveillance video and gained nat
posure. The seven officers involved were later fired, including the fo
indicted by a Harris County grand jury. The first officer tried was acq
In July 2011, Officer Angela Horton was caught by a television
defendernetwork.com • Serving th
rpage
PD
reaction
11
Legal impact of
investigation
violated, DOJ will take no further
action,” said Williams, whose
legal areas of expertise include
The news that the Decriminal law, international crimipartment of Justice is invesnal law and capital punishment.
tigating HPD for excessive
For decades, members of
force could not have come
Houston’s Black and Latino comsoon enough for community
munities have complained about
members who have been
police abuse. The deaths of Jose
calling for such inquiries for
Campos Torres, Ida Lee Delaney,
years. What are the potential
Byron Gillum and others at the
legal ramifications of the
hands of HPD officers still strike
investigation?
a nerve with local residents, who
Kenneth Williams,
decry a pattern of abuse linking
professor of law at the South
to the six cases currently being
Texas College of Law, said
Professor Kenneth Williams
investigated by the DOJ.
that while looking into the
Local Sunnyside resident
questionable shootings and
Felix Hampton doesn’t hold out much
beatings of unarmed individuals by HPD, the DOJ
hope for any substantive change in HPD as a result
will examine the police officers’ rationale for the
of the investigation.
shootings and seek to determine whether the evi“Do I want to see change? Of course, but I’m
dence supports their rationale.
afraid it will probably be like that song, ‘Same as it
“The DOJ will use the investigation to deterever was; same as it ever was,’ ” Hampton said.
mine whether any federal laws were violated as a
Williams believes an investigation that turns
result of these shootings, for instance, whether the
up wrongdoing offers the potential for the change
shootings were motivated by race,” Williams said.
Hampton and others have sought.
“The DOJ will also examine any internal inves“If the DOJ were to sue HPD, it would seek
tigations of these shootings that may have occurred,
changes in HPD’s policies and procedures which
determine whether there are adequate procedures
would likely benefit Houston’s minority commuin place to investigate police shootings and whether
nity,” he said.
these procedures were followed during the investigaIf such a ruling were to come, it would not
tions.”
be the first. According to Williams, the DOJ sued
Williams added that the DOJ could decide as a
the police departments of both Los Angeles and
result of its investigation that HPD’s procedures for
New Orleans as a result of police shootings and
investigating police shootings are inadequate, and
mistreatment of their respective minority comthat the shootings were either justified or unjustified. munities.
“If the DOJ determines that the shootings were
“The DOJ also brought criminal charges
not justified or that HPD’s procedures are inadin several high-profile police shootings in New
equate, the DOJ could file a civil lawsuit against
Orleans. Settlements were reached with both
HPD. The DOJ could also bring criminal charges
departments which required wide-ranging reforms
against the officers who shot the individuals,” Wilto be implemented. The situation in both cities
liams said.
seems to have improved after these reforms were
“Of course if DOJ determines that no laws were implemented,” Williams added.
By ASWAD WALKER
Defender
ept. investigating six cases
under investigad Holley, then 15,
tionwide exour who were
cquitted.
n crew punching
a16-year-old armed robbery suspect in the face. Horton was fired in August 2011.
In October 2011, Anthony Childress claimed he was stopped during a midnight
bicycle ride and beaten by a group of police. Childress lost six teeth, and required 56
stitches.
Annika Lewis alleges in January she was tackled and punched by police as she
attempted to use her phone to record officers kicking and beating her husband, Sebastian Prevot, with a baton outside their home after he was pulled over by HPD.
Lewis also claims officers forcibly took her phone’s memory card. Prevot was
charged with evading arrest, while Lewis was not charged. Two officers were disci-
he Houston area for over 80 years
plined for not using sound judgment, but not relieved of duty.
In July, during an assault investigation, 54-year-old Rufino Lara was shot to
death by an officer who ordered him to raise both hands. Authorities said Lara failed
to follow officers’ commands to show his hands and that he tried to pull a concealed
object from his waistband that turned out to be a can of beer. Two witnesses said Lara
had his hands in the air when he was shot.
Most recently, wheelchair-bound, double amputee Brian Claunch was fatally
shot in September after he threatened officers with what turned out to be a ballpoint
pen.
12 DEFENDER | DECEMBER 13 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com
Beating the holiday blues
By RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY
Defender
It’s called a season of joy, but this time of year
leaves countless people feeling blue.
While many are looking at the holidays as a joyous
time of year for family gatherings, gifts and a good
time to reflect, there are those who are burdened by
feelings of sadness and heightened anxiety.
“There are a variety of reasons that contribute to
an increase in the number of people experiencing “the
blues” during the holidays,” said Traci Patterson, director of communications for Mental Health America of
Greater Houston.
“Loneliness, relationship issues, unrealistic expectations of the season; having too many responsibilities
and financial difficulties top the list as common holiday
stressors that cause some people to feel less than excited about the season.”
While the holiday blues are less intense and usually last a shorter time than depression, the down-inthe-dumps feeling is often hard to shake at this time of
the year.
“Holidays can be emotional and issues such as the
loss of a friend, family member or a pet; a rift between
family or friends; an undesired marital or relationship
status; an unrealistic attempt to recreate the memories
of holidays past; handling too many
responsibilities or tasks; or overspending
are common situations where feelings
are elevated and can make the holiday season
seem less cheerful,” Patterson said.
Holiday blues are equally as challenging
for someone who is already dealing with mental health
concerns such as anxiety or depression since the
stress of the holidays may exacerbate their symptoms.
Improve your mood
The good news is that people don’t have to suffer.
They can give themselves a wonderful gift – peace of
mind.
There are strategies to help a person
change their outlook on the holidays, and to
reduce their stress levels, improve their
mood and perhaps beat the holiday blues.
Psychologist Bob Edward said the
holiday season brings “diminished
light” as well as memories that are
both pleasant and filled with absence
and despair, commonly referred to as
the holiday blues.
In a more serious expression of the blues, he added, the
syndrome might be classified as
seasonal affective disorder.
The concept of the holiday
blues refers to the feelings that
many people have that associates
itself closely to grief, loss, memories, and current stressors felt during
Thanksgiving and Christmas, Edwards
explained.
In a clinical sense, it is the reprocessing
of repressed memories or pieces of unresolved issues and is seasonal in nature, he
continued, and often associated with the
financial pressures of the holidays.
Over the holidays, people tend to
feel depressed because of the heightened
memory of lost relationships or the death
of loved ones who were very meaningful, Edwards
said.
The feelings of loneliness, sadness, grief and loss
are intensified by the gray, cloudy skies of winter, he
added.
Some people also have unmet expectations of
peace, love and joy by depending on a holiday occasion instead of looking within themselves.
What to watch
What people eat can also cause the holiday blues,
Edwards noted. Overindulging in certain foods and
drinks – such as those high in chocolate, sugar, refined
white flour and caffeine – can have a damaging effect
known as psychometabolic blues. They give a high and
a crash and also release cortisol, an enzyme that creates
weight gain and stress.
To feel less depressed over the holiday season,
Edwards offered several suggestions.
He recommended that people acknowledge their
true feelings, give themselves permission to accept the
way they feel, and learn to practice the ownership of
Continue on Page 18
Tips on
coping
with the
blues
Mental Health America of Greater
Houston suggests the following coping
tips to help make the holidays more bearable.
Acknowledge your feelings. If
someone close to you has recently died
or you can’t be with loved ones, realize
that it’s normal to feel sadness and grief.
You can’t force yourself to be happy just
because it’s the holiday season.
Reach out. Find community, religious
or other social events and volunteer opportunities where you can participate.
These activities can help you feel less
lonely and isolated, as well as offer support, companionship and a boost to your
spirit.
Be realistic. The holidays don’t have
to be perfect or just like years past. As
families change and grow, traditions and
rituals often change as well. Choose a few
to hold on to, and be open to creating
new ones.
Set aside differences and grievances.
Wait until a more appropriate time for
discussion.
Stick to a budget. Decide how much
money you can afford to spend and stick
to it.
Plan ahead. Set aside specific days
for shopping, baking, visiting friends and
other activities.
Learn to say “No.” Saying “Yes” when
you should say “No” can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. People
will understand if you can’t participate in
every project or activity.
Remember healthy habits. Have a
healthy snack before holiday parties so
that you don’t go overboard on sweets,
drinks or fattening foods. Get plenty of
sleep and physical activity.
Make some time for yourself. Find
something that reduces stress by clearing
your mind, slowing your breathing and
restoring inner calm.
defendernetwork.com | DECEMBER 13 | 2012 | DEFENDER
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If you need free help to complete the Request for Review Form, contact a HUD-approved nonprofit organization that helps homeowners in
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INDEPENDENT FORECLOSURE REVIEW
13
14
DEFENDER | DECEMBER 13 | 2012
defendernetwork.com
food
Celebrate holidays with
seafood
asparagus in half on diagonal. Add
sliced lobster, asparagus and baby
lettuces to dressing and toss gently to
coat.
Spoon herb mayonnaise onto four
plates in a circular pattern. Divide
lobster evenly over plates. Place
asparagus around it; mound salad
greens in center of each, and top each
with lobster claw. Yield: 4 servings.
Family Features
The holidays are the perfect time
to gather with your nearest and dearest to create lasting memories. But
who says you have to follow the same
traditions as in years past?
If you’re looking for a different
dish, consider seafood.
A Lobster Salad with Asparagus
Herb Mayonnaise is an appealing
start to any meal or perfect for a light
supper. Simply season your favorite
mayonnaise and use it to top steamed
lobster.
Salmon is a favorite with many
seafood lovers, and friends and family will be impressed with Honey-Tart
Cherry Glazed Salmon with Cherry
Salsa.
Honey-Tart Cherry Glazed
Salmon with Cherry Salsa
Lobster Salad with Herb
Mayonnaise
1/2 pound thin asparagus, tough
stems removed
1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs,
such as
chervil, parsley, tarragon or chives
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons champagne or sherry
vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil
2 1 1/4-pound lobsters, steamed, tail
and claw meat removed from shell
4 cups mixed baby lettuce
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
Prepare large bowl of ice water,
and set aside. Bring shallow pan
of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and
blanch until bright green and just tender, about
2 minutes. Remove and plunge into ice water
bath to stop cooking, reserving asparagus water. Once asparagus is chilled, remove from ice
water bath, pat dry and set aside.
Place herbs into blender and puree with 2
to 3 tablespoons reserved asparagus water until
smooth. Whisk mayonnaise with pureed herbs
and half the lemon juice. Then season with salt
and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Whisk vinegar, mustard and remaining half
of lemon juice together in large bowl. Slowly
whisk in walnut or hazelnut oil until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and set
aside.
Slice lobster tail into 1-inch pieces. Cut
Salsa:
1 cup chopped tart cherries (thawed
from frozen)
1 small red onion, diced (about 1/2
cup)
1 jalapeño, chopped
1 tablespoon honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
Salt and pepper, to taste
Salmon:
1 pound salmon fillet, cut into four
pieces
1/4 cup tart cherry juice (juice from
frozen cherries will work)
1/4 cup honey
In medium bowl, stir together
ingredients for salsa until well combined. Cover; chill until ready to serve.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheet with nonstick aluminum foil
or parchment (foil preferred). Rinse
salmon fillets under cool water; pat dry
with paper towel. Arrange on baking
sheet.
In small bowl, whisk together
cherry juice and honey. Spread half of
mixture over salmon fillets, reserving
second half.
Slide baking sheet into oven; bake for 15
to 17 minutes, until just about cooked through.
Drizzle second half of tart cherry-honey mixture
over fillets; bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly golden at edges.
Serve salmon fillets on bed of greens with
tart cherry salsa on top. Serves: 4
defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years
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| DECEMBER 13 | 2012 | DEFENDER
15
16
DEFENDER | DECEMBER 13 | 2012 defendernetwork.com
sports
A&M’s Johnny Manziel
honored to win Heisman Trophy
By MAX EDISON
Defender
The ballots have all been cast and counted and the
results are overwhelming. Texas A&M record setting
redshirt quarterback Johnny Manziel is this year’s Heisman Trophy winner.
The Kerrville native defeated a relatively weak field
with 2029 votes, compared to Notre Dame linebacker
Manti Te’o (who received 1706 votes) and Kansas State
quarterback Collin Klein (894 votes).
Manziel becomes the first freshman to win the
award in its 78-year-history. He’s the second player
from Texas A&M to win the Heisman, joining John
David Crow from 1957.
“It’s mind-blowing to think that I’m the 2012
Heisman winner,” Johnny Football said. “I have been
dreaming about this since I was a kid, running around
the backyard pretending I was Doug Flutie, throwing
Hail Mary’s to my dad.”
“It’s an honor to be the first freshman to win,”
Manziel continued. “I think everything we’ve done [as a
team] this year has had a huge impact.
First-year Aggie head coach Kevin Sumlin made
the decision to go with the unproven Manziel at the
beginning of the season and the choice has proven to be
a great one.
The Aggies finished with a 10-2 record in their
first year in the rugged SEC. That record includes a road
victory over previously unbeaten and defending national
champion Alabama.
Sumlin, who was recently named SEC Coach of the
Year, had nothing but praise for his signal caller.
“It’s a big deal, a big honor. A lot of programs out
there don’t even have one,” Sumlin said. “He’s a great,
great player and we’re fortunate to have him. It’s huge
for the university and it just legitimizes what we are doing as a program.
“For a redshirt freshman to do what he’s done and
accomplish what he’s accomplished is really big. He
[makes things right] even when the play breaks down.”
Manziel’s statistics for the 2012 season were unquestionably Heisman-worthy.
He broke 2010 Heisman winner Cam Newton’s
Southeastern Conference record with 4,600 total yards.
He threw for 3,419 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran
for 1,181 yards and 19 more scores to become the first
freshman, first SEC player and fifth player overall to
throw for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 in a season.
The success of Manziel and the program under
Sumlin in the SEC has been a major source of pride
for Aggies old and young. No one is more proud than
Bucky Richardson, a former quarterback for A&M and
Johnny Manziel embraces his Heisman in New York City.
Trophy, the most prestigious award in college
football, as a freshman,
is historical and spectacular. It’s been a very
special year for him,
Coach Sumlin, the entire
Aggie football program
and our university. To
be in a new league with
a new coach and a new
quarterback and to have
this much success it’s
absolutely mindboggling, and I couldn’t be
happier.”
Manziel is the second consecutive Texas
Manziel, the first freshman to win the trophy, emphasizes teamwork.
quarterback to win the
prestigious award. Last
the Houston Oilers.
year
Baylor
quarterback
Robert
Griffin III, from Cop“Johnny is obviously a special player. To accomperas
Cove
captured
the
honor.
In
addition Griffin’s
plish what he has accomplished is really remarkable,
runner-up,
Andrew
Luck
from
Stanford,
is a Houston
regardless of his classification,” Richardson said.
product.
“The fact that he was able to win the Heisman
defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years
DECEMBER 13 | 2012 |DEFENDER
defendernetwork.com
h.s.zone
sportsbriefs
Lamar takes show
on the road
By DARRELL K. ARDISON
Defender
Moments after closing out what
Lamar head coach Tom Nolen called
the school’s biggest football victory since 1953, quarterback Darrell
Colbert was asked how he felt about
taking the Redskins’ show on the
road.
“I’ll be all right. I don’t really
get too nervous,” said Colbert, who
threw two touchdown passes and ran
for a game-clinching 42-yard TD run
in the fourth quarter to seal Lamar’s
28-7 victory over North Shore in the
Class 5A Division I Region III title
game.
“If we play like we played out
here today, I feel like nobody can beat
us in the state of Texas,” Colbert said.
“Not just Houston, not San Antonio,
nobody can beat us in the state when
we play like we did today. We’re on
the road to becoming a great team.
Each week we get better and better.”
A near-capacity crowd at
Pasadena Memorial Veterans Stadium
witnessed a dominating performance
from Lamar’s defense led by defensive linemen Zelt Minor, Charles Onyekwelu and Lee Stanton, along with
John Bonney Jr. and Cedric Lancaster
in the secondary that limited North
Shore to 209 total yards and one late
touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Colbert directed a balanced
Redskins’ offense that rushed for 144
yards and passed for an additional 185
yards, including TD passes of 29 and
81 yards to Shelby Walker and Daijon
Druhet, respectively.
Lamar (14-0) advances
to the state semifinals
and will face San
Antonio O’Connor
Saturday (Dec. 15) at
Austin ISD’s Berger
Stadium. Kickoff is
set for 3 p.m.
Region IV
champion O’Connor
(12-2) advanced to the state
semifinals with a 52-49
17
Navasota wins battle
It was a matchup of two Class 3A Division I
state-ranked powers. No. 1 Navasota faced off
against No. 4 West Orange-Stark at Turner
Stadium in Humble. The hype was greater than
the fight. Navasota (14-0) dominated from start
to finish and the Rattlers rolled to a 38-7 rout
to advance to the state semifinals for only the
second time in school history. Navasota last went
in 1988 and lost 42-8 to Southlake Carroll in the
Class 3A state championship game. They’ll face
Bellville, a 22-0 winner over Port Isabel. Austin
Collins scored four touchdowns and the Rattlers
used four Mustangs’ miscues to build a 28-0
halftime advantage. Navasota had lost in the
third round of the playoffs five consecutive years
before beating La Marque a week earlier. Collins
scored on two TD passes, a 37-yard TD run and a
67-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Katy takes show to Waco
Lamar finishes off North Shore.
state football chamwin over San Antonio
pionship in 1953.
Madison.
“They’ve got a
Lamar captured its
great program over
first Region III-5A title
in three tries over North
there and Coach
Shore (12-2). The last
[David] Aymond
time the two schools
does a good job
met in the regional final
with his kids every
was in 2003 when North
year,” Nolen said.
Shore went on to win its
“It feels good to
only state football title.
finally win one of
The last school
these games against
Head coach Tom Nolen
from the Houston Indethem.
pendent School District
“This is great
to win a regional title was Houston
to still be playing all the way up to final
Madison in 2001. Lamar last won a
exams,” Nolen said. “The kids get a
little trip and we’ll be going to Austin
next week. It’ll be good for them and
they deserve it.”
Colbert has an added incentive for
the Redskins to continue their quest for
a state championship.
His father, Darrell Colbert
Sr., was a starting wide receiver at
Beaumont West Brook before playing
collegiately at Texas Southern and
professionally with the Kansas City
Chiefs.
“Actually, 30 years ago
my dad won a state championship at West Brook, so I’m
trying to repeat that tradition
and keep it going,” Colbert
said. “We’re trying to get our
first state championship for coach
Nolen and another one for Lamar
High School.”
The No. 1 state-ranked Katy Tigers will meet
Cibolo Steele out of the greater San Antonio metropolitan area in the Class 5A Division II state
semifinals on Dec. 15 at Floyd Casey Stadium
at Baylor University. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. Katy
advanced by overwhelming Cypress Ranch 70-21
in the Region III-5A Division II championship
game held at Rice Stadium. The 14-0 Tigers led
49-0 at halftime and played reserves the remainder of the game. Katy rushed for 483 yards in the
game while Adam Taylor (169), Rodney Anderson (147) and Ricky Bickham (115) all eclipsed
the 100-yard mark.
Tragedy in the NFL
The legendary singer and songwriter Marvin
Gaye posed the rhetorical question “What’s going
on?” in the ‘70s. Fans of the NFL are asking the
same question after off-the-field occurrences
caused tragedy for the second consecutive weekend. Cowboy practice squad defensive lineman
Jerry Brown was killed in a tragic auto accident.
Brown was a passenger in a car that was being
driven by Cowboy nose tackle Josh Brent, who
was cited in the one-car accident for intoxicated
manslaughter. Brent’s car was traveling at a
high rate of speed when he hit the outside curb
at approximately 2:30 a.m. The latest tragedy
occurred exactly a week after the tragic murdersuicide in Kansas City involving Chiefs linebacker
Javon Belcher and his girlfriend, former Austin
resident Kasandra Perkins.
VY makes a plea
Unemployed QB Vince Young reportedly made
a plea via twitter to All-World Arizona Cardinals
wide out Larry Fitzgerald. The tweet: “@Larry
Fitzgerald you know I can help tell coach.” The
Cardinals were destroyed by the Seattle Seahawks
last week 58-0. Fitzgerald has been extremely
frustrated with the Cardinals ineptitude at the
quarterback position and their inability to get
him the ball. Sources indicate that Cardinal GM
Rod Graves, a native Houstonian, had wanted
to bring VY in for a look, but head coach Ken
Wisenhunt has been vehemently opposed.
Undoubtedly Wisenhunt would rather continue
to lose and get fired at year’s end than give the
former Titan star an opportunity.
Quarterback Darrell Colbert
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18 DEFENDER | DECEMBER 13 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com
Buffalo Soldiers Museum
moves to HCC campus
Defender News Services
The Buffalo Soldiers Museum has a new home on the
Houston Community College
Central Campus.
The museum, founded
in 2000 by Vietnam veteran
and African-American military historian Captain Paul J.
Matthews, opened the doors
to its new location, the 1925
Houston Light Guard Armory
building at 3816 Caroline
St., during the Veterans Day
weekend.
The armory, which was
purchased by the museum in
2008, is considered a perfect
venue to display the museum’s
growing artifact collection and
to provide educational opportunities. Matthews met with
the president of HCC Central,
Dr. William Harmon, to discuss a partnership between the
college and museum. Harmon,
The armory on the HCC campus is the new home of the Buffalo Soldiers Museum.
excited that a national museum
diers National Museum to formally establish a
would be on campus, recogrelationship with HCC and demonstrate to the
nized its potential contribution to HCC’s newly
city of Houston a sincere commitment to educadeveloped global studies program.
tion,” Matthews said.
“It was an opportunity for the Buffalo Sol-
Kwanzaa...Continued from page 2
....
meaning for African people specifically and anyone who wants to use it
to grow and prosper as a people,” said
Milton Fann of Atlanta.
“During Kwanzaa 1990, my
one-month-old daughter Nandi was
presented to and blessed before the
community as part of the rituals,
culture, and love that are the epitome
of Kwanzaa,” recalled Lynda Cotton
of Los Angeles.
Donna Jaha Kadirifu, a longtime
member of the Greater Houston Area
Kwanzaa Planning Committee, extols
the benefits of the celebration.
“Kwanzaa reflects how God created us – to be creative, to live with
purpose, to have faith,” said Kadirifu.
“If you want unity, Kwanzaa teaches
you not to be selfish. It teaches family values needed by many growing
up in dysfunctional situations. To
me, the principles are very biblical.”
Kadirifu believes Kwanzaa suffers from misperceptions.
“Some look at Kwanzaa as
just another holiday, and not at its
principles. If you don’t practice the
principles it doesn’t sink in. Kwan-
zaa is a way of life, not a holiday,”
she said.
Asar Imhotep, of the MaduNdele Institute for the Advancement
of Science and Culture, believes with
changes, Kwanzaa can have more
impact.
“It is my argument that the
holiday would have more meaning
for us as African-American people if
it actually coincided with the harvest
cycle of the United States, or at least
with the season associated with revitalization – spring,” said Imhotep.
“Then the core meaning of the
holiday would resonate with the spirit
that inspired the celebrations on the
continent. The word Kwanzaa is synonymous with the word ‘life.’ This
has to be the focus.”
Still, there is hope Kwanzaa will
more deeply catch on, if Kadirifu’s
example is any indication – an
Arkansas native who has become
synonymous locally with everything
Kwanzaa.
“Before I moved to Houston I
never heard of Kwanzaa,” recalled
Kadirifu.
The museum plans to
provide a unique educational
experience through art, exhibits and interaction with men
and women who have served
our nation. Area students, from
grade school through college,
will learn about the AfricanAmerican military experience.
The armory will provide
23,000 square feet for exhibits, a
conference room for the community, learning facilities for HCC,
a military-based library for
students, a gift shop and administrative space. A student lounge
will be supported by Reliant
Energy.
The Light Guard Veterans
Association donated $10,000
to the museum and the building
renovation with the provision
that they host their annual meeting at the armory.
Matthews acknowledges that
while the museum focuses on the
story of the Buffalo Soldiers, it
is about American history.
“When a visitor to the
museum learns about and appreciates the sacrifices
of these soldiers, they learn about their nation,” he
said. “The experience enhances their patriotism.”
Holiday blues...Continued from page 12
those feelings.
He also recommended that people
watch their diet, exercise,
setting realistic goals for
the holidays, laugh a lot
and cry if they need to.
They should also
talk to friends, build
meaningful support relationships, do for others,
spend less on themselves,
and focus on peace on
Earth and goodwill toward others.
In addition, pay
close attention to family
or friends who are more
than just “blue,” since
depression is the leading
cause of suicide.
“If a person has feelings of stress and sadness
that last longer than four
to six weeks, they may
be experiencing depression, which is a common
and serious, yet treatable health condition,”
Edwards said.
A person should
seek help from a doctor
or mental health professional immediately, and
if needed, take prescribed
medication. Many people
suffer needlessly from
depression because they
don’t seek treatment.
As a community
service, Mental Health
America of Greater Houston connects individuals
who are unable to afford
treatment to free or lowcost counseling services
with licensed providers in
the Greater Houston area.
Visit www.mhahouston.org
for more information.
classified
MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL RETARDATION
AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY
will be accepting Request for Information for the following:
MICROSOFT EXCHANGE 2010 UPGRADE
Specifications may be secured from MHMRA, Harris County,
Purchasing Department located at 7011 Southwest Freeway, Suite
100 in Houston, Texas 77074, Telephone number, 713-970-7300,
and/or via MHMRA website www.mhmraharris.org beginning
Monday, December 17, 2012. The Request for Information (RFI)
must be submitted in a sealed envelope to Purchasing Department,
Suite 100, 7011 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074 by,
Thursday, January 3, 2012 @ 2:00 pm. All responses and any
questions pertaining to this RFI should be addressed in writing to
Joycie Sheba, Buyer II via fax (713) 970-7682 or email questions to
joycie.sheba@mhmraharris.org. MHMRA reserves the rights to reject
any and/or all offers it deems to be in its best interests, to waive
formalities and reasonable irregularities in submitted documents and
is not obligated to accept the lowest proposal.
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DEFENDER 13 | 2012 | DEFENDER
For Event Coverage...visit
defendernetwork.com
Rev. Victor J. Thomas
The Right Rev. Andrews Doyle
Honorees Harriet and Harmon Kelly and Winell Herron
Pastor Ruth Brown, Jariah Johnson and Ebony Brown
chag’splace
19
Cynthia Wyllie, Louise Chapple, Bettye White, Rev. Victor Thomas and Carole Pinkett
Rev. William Lawson, Kim Coles and Audrey Lawson
Erris Bruce, Racquel Bruce and Eric Roberson
which will stand as the hallmark for positive change
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AND COUNTING…..
in the Diocese of Texas. These three women
St. James’ Episcopal Church recently celebrated
along with 18 others were acknowledged for 50
its 75th anniversary. The day began with a spirityears or more of committed
filled worship service in the
service. Congratulations and God
sanctuary, including a full
Join Yvette Chargois
bless!.....IN LIVING COLOR…..
procession complete with a parade
The Houston Museum of African
of banners and the blessing of
Events of the Week
More photos on defendernetwork.com
American Culture hosted their 2012
the newly crafted stained-glass
gala titled, “In Living Color” honoring
windows which were revealed
See Events on KTRK Ch.13’s Crossroads
with Melanie Lawson Sunday Morning @ 11 a.m.
famed art collectors Harriet and
and blessed by the bishop. The
Harmon Kelley. Their collection of
guest preacher was the Right Rev.
African-American art is considered to
Telesporo Isaac, D. D., retired
be one of the best collections in the country. Kim Coles
bishop with the Diocese of Dominican Republic.
Later that evening there was an anniversary dinner
from the original “In Living Color” crew served as the
attended by over 400 and was held at the Bayou City honorary chair for the event. Highlights of the evening
Event Center with music provided by the church’s
included the opening and closing numbers performed
Contemporary Jazz Ensemble. A commemorative
by the Ensemble Fly Girls and skits by Ms. Benita and
souvenir journal was published that contained the
Homey the Clown, all “In Living Color” characters.
history of St. James’ and was authored by Bettye
Guests included Congresswoman Sheila Jackson
White, Gladys Forde and Evelyn Thornton,
Lee and Elwyn Lee, Leslie and Brad Bucher, Eileen
Ronald and Lavonne Hopkins
David and Tamela Mann
Lawal, Winell and Doug Herron, Dr. Rhea Lawson,
Parvin and Marty McVey, Wendy and Fred Schiller,
Licia Green Ellis, Jade Simmons Ramon Manning
and Audrey and Rev. William Lawson, to name a
few. Great event!.....A FAMILY AFFAIR……The
Kingdom Builders Center was filled to capacity when
David and Tamela Mann entertained Houstonians as
they continue their Family Reunion Concert Tour. The
couple, aka the Browns of Tyler Perry’s “Meet the
Browns,” entertained Houstonians with their family
affair comedy show and concert. David “Mr. Brown”
Mann brought his comedic genius to the stage while
Tamela “Cora Brown” Mann performed songs from
her third studio album “Best Days” which debuted
at No. 1 on the billboard gospel chart. She also has a
No. 1 hit single “Take Me to the King.” The audience
laughed and praised God all in the same evening. Truly
a concert for the entire family. Congratulations!.....
From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed
week!
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