October 13, 2011

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www.defendernetwork.com WeeK oF OCTOBER 13, 2011 | FREE Volume 80 | Number 49

NATIONAL BLACK SUPPORTERS JUSTIFY OCCUPY WALL STREET MOVEMENT P4

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Kappa Alpha Psi President William Bates Jr. and Glenda Bates at reception

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Al Sharptonsupports movement

Rev. Al Sharpton has joined other African Americans who support the Occupy Wall Street movement and its ongoing demonstrations. The controversial “organized resistance movement” began in New York and has branched out across the country. Sharpton said he agrees with organizers who believe that 1 percent should not be controlling the nation’s wealth.

ENTERTAINMENT

ATTY. GEN. HOLDER

TRACEE ROSS

AL DAVISAn NFL titan

P10

Anthony Childresssuing HPD

Alleged police brutality victim Anthony Childress is filing a $10 million lawsuit against the Houston Police Department for bodily injury. Childress, who says he had to have 56 stitches and lost six teeth, insists that four officers beat him for no reason and falsely arrested him for drug possession. It was not Childress’ first run-in with the law.

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How to stop it

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Family Violence:

returns to TV

2ontheweb

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Should Blacks join the Occupy Wall Street Movement?

George e. Curry

News & OpinionCivil rights Warrior Fred Shuttlesworth Wasn’t Afraid of Death

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3defendernetwork.com WEEK OF OCTOBER 13 | 2011 | DEFENDER

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defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years

Man suing HPD for $10 million

Jackson Lee wants Perry to oppose Confederate plateHouston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee demanded that Gov. Rick Perry denounce the approval of a Texas Confederate license plate during a recent Republican presidential debate. Hilary Shelton of the NAACP’s Washington Bureau joined Lee at a press conference held before the debate. “The rebel fl ag epitomized slavery,” Jackson Lee said. “It epitomized oppression. It epitomized lynching and all of the things that we worked so hard for people to move beyond.” The nine-member Texas Depart-ment of Motor Vehicles board is reconsidering the issue of whether state drivers should be able to purchase the vanity license plate.

County jail to get 120 employees following inspectionCounty commissioners authorized the Harris County Jail to hire 120 people after the Texas Commission on Jail Standards cited the facility for being understaff ed and overcrowded. TCJS conducted a surprise inspection and found that there were only fi ve o∞ cers for 409 inmates, instead of the required one o∞ cer for every 48 inmates. The inspection revealed that 19 holding cells were over capacity, and cells at 1301 Franklin and 1201 Franklin contained more than twice their capacity. Sheriff Adrian Garcia said the jail needed more than 120 hires. “My o∞ -cers are burning out which is likely to increase the attrition rate,” he said.

Two students expelled after North Forest gun dramaNorth Forest ISD Acting Superintendent Edna Forte said two students involved in gun incident at North For-est High would both be expelled to the Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program. One student had the gun and the other hid it. The school was placed on lockdown when it was reported that a student had brought a gun to campus. A tip from another student revealed he had given the gun to a friend to hide. The gun was recovered and no injuries were reported. Parents gathered nearby during the incident and HPD SWAT teams and K-9 units also arrived on the scene.

By MArILYn MArShALLDefender

Anthony Childress, who claims he was severely beaten by four officers

and falsely arrested on drug charges, is taking legal action against the Houston Police Department.

“We’re filing a $10 mil-lion lawsuit and charging them with bodily injury,” said local activist Rev. Johnny Jer-emiah, who was recruited to help Childress by the alleged victim’s mother. “He almost died. They tried to kill him.”

Childress has already filed a complaint with the depart-ment’s Internal Affairs Divi-sion. HPD declined to com-ment on Childress’ charges because the investigation is ongoing.

Childress said police pulled up behind him while he rode his bicycle in the 2900 block of Delano Street in southeast Houston. He didn’t get the officers’ names, but said two were Caucasian, one was African American and one was Hispanic.

“They started punching my face and elbowing me,” he said. “I passed out for a min-ute. I thought I was dead.”

Childress was treated at Ben Taub Hospital, and said he received 56 stitches and six broken teeth.

Jeremiah said several days later, “His mother took him back to the hospital because he was in pain. His nose is broken and his jaw and lip are injured. If you look at him

you’ll start crying.”Childress was also

charged with drug possession, a charge that he denied.

It wasn’t Childress’ first encounter with law enforce-ment. His background in-cludes charges for assault and assault with a deadly weapon.

Childress said the officers involved should be punished for police brutality.

“What they did was wrong,” he said.

Discounted homes to be auctionedDefender News Services

The Houston Housing Authority is directing the sale of 171 discounted homes and three lots located through-out the city.

The properties are in single residences in various neighborhoods and subdivisions, and were part of the HHA’s scattered site rental program.

All of the properties are vacant and some have experienced various levels of physical deterioration and vandalism.

They will be sold to the highest bidder at a one-day public auction on Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Marriott West-chase, 2900 Briarpark. Registration begins at 8 a.m.

The auction will be structured in three time frames. Forty-fi ve properties will be sold at 10 a.m. After completion of the initial public sale, there will be a special auction for pre-approved non-profi t organizations starting at 1 p.m.

At 2 p.m., the remaining properties will be sold at an auction open to all bidders.

Interested bidders can attend a “How to Buy” seminar on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. at the National Resource Center, 815 Crosby.

The properties will be open for inspection on Oct. 29 and 30, and Nov. 5 and 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are asked to bring fl ashlights since the properties do not have power.

The sites are in neighborhoods that range in as-sessed values from $50,000 to $150,000. The average size of the homes is 1,500 square feet, with many con-taining three bedrooms and two baths.

They are located in school districts that include Houston ISD, Cy-Fair, Katy, Aldine, Spring Branch, Spring, Humble, Clear Creek, Ft. Bend and Alief.

“I am excited to put the scattered site properties into the hands of local families, non-profi ts and investors who have the time and resources to restore these homes and return them to the city’s housing stock,” said Tory Gunsolley, HHA president and CEO.

For information call 877-895-7077 or visit na-tresauctions.com/HHA.

Anthony Childress says he is a victim of police brutality.

4national

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF OCTOBER 13 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

VOLUME 80 • NUMBER • 49WEEK OF OCTOBER 13, 2011

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender 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 2011 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

Occupy Wall Street:

Black supporters justify movement

Teachers in minority schools paid less

Joblessness impacting mental health of unemployedThe U.S. is facing “a silent mental health epidemic” as joblessness lengthens for millions of Americans, a new study warns. The report, conducted by Rutgers University, is titled “Out of Work and Losing Hope: The Misery and Bleak Expectations of American Workers.” It found that 47 percent of those surveyed said they had experienced stress because of jobless-ness and 32 percent had undergone substantial emotional turmoil. At least 11 percent said they had sought professional help for depression within the last year. Significant numbers of respondents re-ported changes in sleeping patterns (76 percent) and strains in family relationships (61 percent).

Obama maintains confidence in Atty. Gen. HolderDespite Republican accusations about a botched fed-eral gun sting, President Barack Obama is standing by Attorney General Eric Holder. “I have complete confidence in him, and I’ve got complete confidence in the process to figure out who, in fact, was respon-sible for that decision and how it got made,” Obama said. Operation Fast and Furious allowed Mexican drug cartels to get their hands on weapons and resulted in the death of an ATF agent. Holder told a congressional panel in May that he learned of the operation a few weeks earlier. Documents, however, showed Holder was briefed on it in July 2010.

Civil rights pioneer Fred Shuttlesworth dead at 89Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, a co-founder of the South-ern Christian Leadership Conference, died Oct. 5 at the age of 89. In the 1950s, Shuttlesworth founded the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, which challenged segregated busing. The following year, Shuttlesworth established the SCLC with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders. He served as SCLC secretary from 1958-70. “Rev. Shuttlesworth will be remembered with the high-est possible esteem for his work in the civil rights movement,” said NAACP Chairman Emeritus Myrlie Evers-Williams. “He was a dear friend of mine, and a crusader who mobilized thousands to get involved in the fight for equality.

Defender New Services

When Rev. Al Sharpton took his nationally syndicated radio show to the hub of the

Occupy Wall Street movement in New York, he explained his support for the ongoing demonstrations.

“We are here today because we agree 1 percent should not be control-ling the [nation’s] wealth,” Sharpton said. “These [demonstrators] are regular people trying to feed their families, trying to pay their rent and mortgages, trying to survive.”

The Occupy Wall Street move-

ment began in New York in September with a few people, and expanded to pro-tests across the country. From Houston to Seattle, from Norfolk to Nashville, protesters have rallied against corporate greed and economic inequality.

Organizers describe it as a “hori-zontally organized resistance movement employing the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to restore democracy in America. We use a tool known as a people’s assembly to facilitate open, participa-tory and horizontal organizing between members of the public.”

Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia), a civil rights veteran, recently visited a protest in Atlanta but received a luke-warm welcome. When Lewis tried to speak to the assembly, protesters first

denied him the opportunity, and then debated whether he could speak.

Lewis said the group told him he could speak after they took care of business, but he had to leave.

Neverthe-

less, Lewis said he showed up “to lend my support and to encourage the people because I support their efforts all across America.”

Lewis added that, “People are hurt-ing. They’re in pain and they’re looking for jobs. They want us to humanize the American government but also humanize corporate America.”

Commentator and economist Boyce Watkins recently wrote about his support for the movement.

“This week, I plan to head to New York City to join scores of American citizens who’ve decided that Wall Street should be confronted for the financial crimes that have been committed against the American people,” he said.

Watkins said Black America has every reason to be on the front lines.

“Black unemployment has sky-rocketed to levels that haven’t been seen since Michael Jackson released ‘Thriller.’ Nearly half of all Blacks are living below the poverty line,” he said.

“Black wealth has continued to shrink, as the burst of the real estate bubble left many African Americans either homeless or upside down in their mortgages. Black families have been de-stroyed by the prison industrial complex, where Wall Street firms earn billions each year from slave labor.”

By KenneTh J. Cooper Special to NNPA from

thedefendersonline.com New federal research shows that

African-American and Hispanic students are being shortchanged, literally, in many districts with diverse enrollments.

A U.S. Education Department study found that teachers in schools with higher Latino and African-American enrollment get paid an average of $2,500 less than teachers in the entire district.

The pay disparity reflects earlier research that found students in public schools with heavy minority enrollments receive instruction more often from inex-perienced teachers, who earn less because of salary schedules based on seniority.

In the 2009-2010 academic year, the

disparity existed in 59 percent of 2,217 diverse districts, those defined as having between 20 percent and 80 percent Black and Hispanic enrollment.

“America has been battling inequity in education for decades but these data show that we cannot let up,” said Educa-tion Secretary Arne Duncan. “Children who need the most too often get the least. It’s a civil rights issue, an economic secu-rity issue and a moral issue.”

In its proposal for changes in the No Child Left Behind Act, which has been struck in Congress, the Obama admin-istration asks the legislation be revised to require that “comparable resources” be spent on low-income students at the school level, rather than district wide.

“Currently, some schools with

mostly white, non-poor students, may get as much as $1 million more a year because of differentials in teacher salary schedules and how resources are allocated,” Russ-lynn Ali, assistant secretary for civil rights, said in an earlier interview.

Examining the comparability of school resources has been part of the administration’s strategy for enforcing civil rights.

As of June, the department’s Of-fice for Civil Rights was investigating 11 cases having to do with comparable resources, including the experience and pay of teachers.

Those cases involve districts in nine states: Texas, South Carolina, Maryland, New York, Colorado, Indiana, California, North Carolina and Virginia.

ColumnistYvette ChargoisSport EditorsMax EdisonDarrell K. ArdisonContributing WriterAswad WalkerWebmasterCorneleon Block

PublisherSonceria Messiah-JilesAdvertising/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Associate EditorsReshonda BillingsleyMarilyn Marshall Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila

Al Sharpton

5defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF OCTOBER 13 | 2011 | DEFENDER

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Family violence: How to stop it

By MArILYn MArShALLDefender

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Texas has a problem.

A new report by the Texas Council on Family Violence

(TCFV) shows an increase in the number of women killed in domestic murders in the state.

The report found that 142 women were killed by an intimate partner in 2010 – an in-crease of 31 deaths since 2009. Harris County had the state’s highest number of deaths with 35.

Violence, however, does not have to take a toll on families. Gloria Terry, president of TCFV, said the issue represents a “serious, preventable public health problem.”

So what can be done to stop it?“Family violence affects people across so-

ciety without regard to economic status, gen-der, and culture,” Terry said. “Certainly, prevention efforts are formed by understanding the root causes and conditions that allow violence to occur.”

Terry said some risk fac-tors and social determinants should be acknowledged, such as oppression, sexism and poverty.

“In yet other situations, violence is a learned behavior and can be seen in a genera-tional cycle in the home,” she said.

“Looking at what images and messages in our society glorify violence is yet another factor. Reducing these risk factors while simultaneously increasing protective factors serves to prevent violence.”

Terry said that individuals have a tremendous amount of power and influence to create the change necessary to pre-vent family violence.

“We can model healthy

behavior to our immediate family, friends and circles of influence,” she said. “We have the ability to confront this social issue. We also have the responsibility to help those impacted by violence in the home from experiencing greater harm.”

Terry added that fortunately, Texas has been a national leader in creating safe havens, gaining greater legal protections for victims and investing in systems and infrastructure to keep families safe.

“We must continue to forge forward build-ing on these successes,” she said. “In addition, we have remarkable partnerships and collabo-rations across systems: health care, civil and criminal justice systems, social services.”

Reasons for increaseTCFV’s new report, “Honoring Texas Vic-

tims: Family Violence Fatalities in 2010,” was compiled using data from the Texas Department

of Public Safety. TCFV has issued a statewide report for more

than 20 years, and includes the names and ages of the victims, narratives summarizing the crime, and the perpetrator’s name and relationship to the victim.

Terry said multiple factors contributed to the increase in deaths.

“The raw data originates from Texas Depart-ment of Public Safety, who collects information from law enforcement reports,” she explained.

“Local law enforcement collects more information and has gained ground in identifying the relationship between victim and offender. In short [there is] better collecting of data by state and local law enforcement.”

Terry said secondly, TCFV exercised even greater diligence in scouring media and law enforcement reports for the data.

“Sadly,” she said, “Texas in fact experienced a rise in domestic violence homicides.”

Facilitating family violence prevention ef-forts is part of TCFV’s mission.

Established in 1978, TCFV has been a leader in the efforts to end family violence through partnerships, advocacy and direct services for women, children and men.

It is one of the largest domestic violence coalitions in the nation, and membership is comprised of family violence service provid-ers, supportive organizations, survivors of domestic violence, businesses and profession-als, communities of faith and other concerned citizens.

TCFV’s three major focus areas are support to service providers, public policy development and prevention.

Terry said the statewide increase in domestic murders shows how much work remains to be done.

“Domestic violence tears at the very fab-ric of our society and the surviving families of these victims remain changed forever,” she said. “As a community committed to keeping women and children safe, we must learn from a review of these tragic deaths.

“Professionals and individuals alike have the ability to create the social change neces-sary to make Texas safe for women and families.”

Family violence fatalities

The following statistics are found in the Texas Council on Family Violence report, “honor-ing Texas Victims: Family Violence Fatalities in 2010.”

• Victims’ ages ranged from 17 to 78 years.• Six women were murdered under the age of 20.• Two 78-year-old women were murdered by their husbands. • The age group most impacted ranged from 30 to 39 years of age.• In 2010, 53 known cases of the homicides involved women who had children.• Murder-suicide cases increased from 42 in 2009 to 56 in 2010.• Three 17-year-old high school students were murdered in 2010.• Five pregnant women were murdered.

What communities can do• Expand education and awareness efforts to increase posi-tive attitudes toward nonviolence and encourage individu-als to report family violence. • Form task forces to assess the problem, develop an ac-tion plan, and monitor progress. • Mandate training in domestic violence for all social ser-vices and criminal justice professionals. • Advocate laws and judicial procedures at the state and lo-cal levels that support and protect battered women. • Establish centers where visits between batterers and their children may be supervised, for the children’s safety. • Fund shelters adequately.

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7

What communities can do• Expand education and awareness efforts to increase posi-tive attitudes toward nonviolence and encourage individu-als to report family violence. • Form task forces to assess the problem, develop an ac-tion plan, and monitor progress. • Mandate training in domestic violence for all social ser-vices and criminal justice professionals. • Advocate laws and judicial procedures at the state and lo-cal levels that support and protect battered women. • Establish centers where visits between batterers and their children may be supervised, for the children’s safety. • Fund shelters adequately.

• Recruit and train volunteers to staff hotlines, accompany victims to court, and provide administrative support to shelters and victim services. • Improve collection of child support. • Establish medical protocols to help physicians and other health care personnel identify and help victims of domestic abuse. • Provide legal representation for victims of domestic violence. • Advocate for the accessibility of services for all popula-tion groups, especially underserved populations.Source: National Crime Prevention Council

What individuals can do• Call the police if you see or hear evi-dence of domestic violence.• Support a friend or family member who may be in an abusive relationship. • Volunteer at a local domestic violence shelter or other organization that helps survivors or works to prevent violence.• Raise children to respect others and treat others as they would like to be treated. • Lead by example. Work to create a culture that rejects violence as a way to deal with problems. Speak up against messages that say violence or mistreat-ing women is okay. • Become an activist. Participate in an anti-violence event like a local Take Back the night march. Tell your congressional representatives that you want them to support domestic violence services and violence prevention programs. • Volunteer in youth programs. Become a mentor. Get involved in programs that teach young people to solve problems without violence. Get involved with programs that teach teens about healthy relationships. • Ask about anti-violence policies and programs at work and school. At work, ask about policies that deal with sexual harassment, for example. on campus, ask about services to escort students to dorms safely at night and other safety measures. Source: U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services

8 DEFENDER | WEEK OF OCTOBER 13 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

entertainment

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years

spotlight H H H “No Strings Attached”Erykah Badu in ConcertArena Theater, May 218 pm

Lavelle Crawford Comedy ShowThe Houston Improv, May 12-15www.improv.com

what’supSNOOP DOGG is coming to a TV screen near you. A family comedy project starring the rapper as a father received a script commitment from NBC, reports Deadline.com. Veteran comedy writer Don Reo is penning the project and will also executive produce. Snoop and Ted Chung are the producers. Snoop’s last TV project, the reality show “Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood,” chronicled his family life with his wife and three children……..DENZEL WASHINGTON took out his checkbook and donated $2.25 million to his alma mater, Fordham University. The Academy Award-winning actor gave $2 million to endow the Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre, and another $250,000 to establish a scholarship for minority theater students. Actress Phylicia Rashad has joined the school’s faculty as the first Washington chair. Washington credited one of his Fordham theater professors, the late Bob Stone, with inspiring him……..ALICIA KEYS made her di-

rectorial debut for Lifetime. As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the network is releasing the film “Five,” comprised of five short films exploring the impact of breast cancer. Keys directs a short titled “Lili.” Rosario Dawson portrays a woman whose diagnosis affects her relationships with her sister, played by Tracee Ellis Ross, and their hard-nosed mother, played by Jenifer Lewis. They work through their past issues and Lili’s mother and sister become her strongest allies. “Friends” co-creator Marta Kauffman is an executive producer on the project along with Jennifer Aniston……..FANTASIA could lose her Mahalia Jackson movie role. Members of the legendary gospel singer’s estate are apparently appalled that Fantasia is pregnant and unmarried, says the New York Post. In addition, producers are reportedly upset that she didn’t reveal her pregnancy until she was four months along. “The family thinks

if Fantasia plays the role, it’s going to sully the name of Mahalia. They think she’s got the wrong image, having a child out of wedlock,” said producer Adrian Taylor……..NIA LONG, who is also expecting, bares all on the cover of Ebony Magazine. The 40-year-old actress posed nude for the November issue, and airs her views about having children past a certain age. “The medical profession tries to tell every woman, ‘Have your babies before 40…’ Society says, ‘Get married before 30…’ I think if we just take our time as women, and do what comes natural to us and for us, we would make fewer mistakes,” she said. Long also talks about her partner, pro basketball player Ime Udoka……..OPRAH WINFREY is the highest-earning woman in entertainment, according to Forbes magazine. She earned $290 million from May 2010 to May 2011. Second place went to Lady Gaga with $200 million.

Defender News Services

For eight seasons Tracee Ellis Ross starred as Joan Clayton in the CW sitcom

“Girlfriends,” which revolved around the friendship between four Black women.

“Girlfriends” was cancelled in 2008, and Ross has returned to TV in the new BET original comedy series, “Reed Between the Lines.”

Ross plays the part of Dr. Carla Reed, who manages multiple roles as a psychologist, wife, mother, and friend. Another familiar television face, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, portrays her husband, professor Dr. Alex Reed.

Their three children in the show are Keenan (Nadji An-thony Jeter), Kaci (Zoe Soul) and Alexis (Zoe Hendrix). “Reed Between the Lines” also stars Anna Maria Horsford and Melissa DeSousa as Ross’ demanding co-workers.

The series is produced by Ross and Warner, and executive produced by Arthur Harris, Jacque Edmonds Cofer and Warren Hutcherson. The next new epi-sode airs Oct. 18 at 9 p.m.

Though Ross is a star in

her own right, she has one of the most famous last names in the business. She is the daughter of legendary enter-

tainer Diana Ross and her first husband, Robert Ellis Silber-stein.

In a recent interview with Jet Magazine, Ross talked about her latest TV role as a psycholo-gist.

“The world of self-help and self-awareness has always

been of great interest to me,” she said. “I wel-comed the opportunity to introduce, through com-edy, this idea of therapy,

which has been this ‘hush hush’ thing in our culture.”

Though Ross has turned the page on “Girlfriends,”

she is best known for her role on the show, which can still be

seen in syndication.Ross’ portrayal earned her

eight NAACP Image Award nominations, including one win in 2007 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She received one

BET Comedy Award win and two nominations for Outstand-

ing Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

The cancellation of “Girlfriends” was the by-product of a Writer’s Guild

of America strike. At the time, it was the second-highest rated series with a predominantly Black cast.

Network executives decided to pull it out abruptly, saying that they would no longer produce post-strike epi-sodes because they wanted to focus on shows that were in consideration for renewal.

Ross is a graduate of Brown University and the Wil-liam Esper Acting Studio. She began her TV career as the host of her own show, Lifetime’s “The Dish.”

She has also modeled, gracing the pages of top maga-zines and appearing in advertising campaigns for The Gap, Donna Karan Collection, DKNY and Paul Mitchell.

Ross is also community-oriented. The Los Angeles Urban League named her “Volunteer of the Year” in 2004.

She is concerned about young girls, and works closely with the Big Brother Big Sister program and the Aviva House Organizations in Los Angeles. She created and held a self-esteem workshop for young girls titled “The Me I Know.”

Her new sitcom is already being compared to “The Cosby Show,” in which Warner played the role of only son Theo Huxtable.

“We’re not in any way trying to be ‘The Cosby Show,’ but we are trying to make good television,” Ross told Es-sence Magazine.

“It’s a natural comparison. It’s the same way they compared ‘Girlfriends’ to ‘Sex & the City.’ The compari-son is so flattering and, at the same time, a great incentive to do good work. If we could hold a candle to what Cosby did, we’re on the right track.”

Ross also discussed the portrayal of Black love on TV.“Whether I were on this show or not, I feel like I

would want to see it on television,” she said. “I want to see a man like Malcolm-Jamal Warner on television. I want to see a couple that supports and respects each other and that finds joy in each other.”

Tracee Ellis Ross returns to TV

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Film & music event: ‘Thunder Soul’ meets neo soul

By ASWAD WALKerDefender

At a time when funding for arts education is getting cut across the country, uplifting images of African Americans in Hollywood are still few and far between, and the generational divide is at its widest, comes an event that addresses all three issues at once.

“Beats, Soul & Thun-der,” where live music col-lides with movies, merges the star performers of two recently released and highly successful documentaries into one event.

During “Beats, Soul & Thunder” the Kashmere Re-union Stage Band featured in the critically-acclaimed “Thunder Soul” will team with Ali Shaheed Muham-mad of “Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest,” one of the most successful documen-taries with today’s hipster, neo-soul crowd.

Together, on Oct. 22 at the House of Blues, they will perform at an event organizers classify as more educational and social em-powerment happening than art-for-art’s sake gathering.

The Our Image Film and Arts, the event sponsor, is a non-profit organization led by Marc Newsome and Monie Henderson.

“We really just wanted to combine the historic Kashmere Stage Band with something younger people could relate to,” said New-some, a local filmmaker, photographer and graphic artist. “Young cats are still feeling the iconic group A Tribe Called Quest, and working with Ali Shaheed Muhammad just kind of fell into place.”

“We really wanted to showcase something that came out of Houston that was very historic—the Kashmere Stage Band—and to highlight in general creative music coming out of the Black community,” added Newsome.

“Ali fit that bill as DJ for two critically acclaimed and highly creative groups, A Tribe Called Quest and

later on Lucy Pearl. And that’s what the Our Image is all about,”

The fact that Muham-mad and the Kashmere Stage band were in recent documentaries that did so well will the public shows that there is a market for im-ages of African Americans beyond the usual Holly-wood fare.

“For African Ameri-cans, goofy comedies and rap videos have become the norm in terms of projecting and presenting our people on screen,” said Newsome, who has written and di-rected award-winning short movies of his own.

“So we [Our Im-age] show other creative products coming out of the Black community, from Black sci-fi movies to docu-mentaries to artsy produc-

tions. Other cultures showcase themselves as the heroes in movies

while we are constantly being portrayed as comic relief, sex objects, and criminals.

“We want to show

ourselves as the heroes, the problem solvers, the smart people.”

Along with the live

performances at “Beats, Soul & Thunder,” Our Image will show a short film out of Ghana titled “Native Sun.”

On Oct. 21, the day before “Beats, Soul & Thunder,” Our Image will screen two movies at Rice University—the documen-tary “Prep School Negro,” and “Test Group,” an urban drama that shows how a random youth can get seduced into gang culture.

According to their mission statement, Our Im-age is a “film, music, and theatre curator of positive works of art about and by underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. We promote and support the creation of non-stereotyp-ical, honest, cutting-edge, thought-provoking depic-tions of Black communi-ties, as well as other ethnic

communities…” Newsome is a believer

in positive images.“Black people are the

biggest group of movie goers in the nation but also the biggest under-represented demographic when it comes to seeing our images in movies and on TV,” Newsome said.

“And it’s only once a year that we do this, so you’re only going to see this stuff here or wait ‘til next year. Only with the people’s support can we get bigger, have more movies to show, more stories to tell, and more events during the year in which to tell them.”

For tickets ($22) or for more information visit www.ourimagefest.com, call 713-280-5225 or email [email protected].

Ali Shaheed Muhammad will team with the Kashmere Reunion Stage Band.

10 DEFENDER | WEEK OF OCTOBER 13 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

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The late Al Davis: An NFL titan

By MAX eDISonDefender

The NFL lost one of its truly iconic figures with the recent passing of Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis. A titan is described as a person or thing of enormous size, strength, power and influence.

Truly Davis’ influence on the landscape of professional football fits that description.

Davis had been the face of the Oakland fran-chise since he was hired as general manager and head coach after the 1962 season in the American Football League (AFL). In 1966 he was named Commissioner of the AFL.

In 1972 became managing partner of the Raiders, essentially giving him full control of the franchise. He maintained the title of gen-eral manager until his death at age 82.

Regarded as equal parts innovator and rebel, Davis molded the Raiders into one of the NFL’s most suc-cessful franchises.

The Raiders have appeared in five Super Bowls, winning three. Their NFL apparel has consistently been among the league’s most popular. Davis was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame in 1992.

Texans owner Bob Mc-Nair expressed the sentiments of many throughout the NFL. “Al Davis was a pioneer in the American Football League and National Football League. He was a dynamic force in merging the [two leagues],” McNair said.

“He built a great tradition with the Raiders. We are going to miss his innovative think-ing. Our condolences go to his family and the Raiders organiza-tion.”

Throughout the history of the Oakland organization under Davis there has always been a major Houston-area pipeline. Many of the standout players in Raider his-tory have H-town connections.

They include legends such as Clem Daniels (PV,

RB), Alphonse Dotson (Yates, DL), Eldridge

Dickey (BTW, QB/WR), Cliff Branch (Worthing, WR), Warren Wells (TSU, WR), Lester Hayes (Wheatley, CB) and current starter, Stanford Rout (UH, CB) to name a few.

Ever a believer in diversity, Davis hired the NFL’s first Hispanic

quarterback (1960-66) and head coach (1979-87), Tom

Flores, as well as the first African-American

head coach, Art Shell (1989-1994, 2006).

Current head Hue Jackson is

also African American. Amy Trask of the Raid-ers is the only female CEO in the NFL.

Provided Opportunity

John Wooten, chair-man of the Fritz Pollard

Alliance, the advocacy group that assists the NFL committee on diversity, views Davis as a stalwart for the cause.

“I think Al Davis will be remembered as not only a great football man, but a great person

who gave people the opportunity to live their dreams, to do the

things they’re capable of doing; that’s his legacy,” Wooten said.

“He was a great evaluator of human spirit. We’ve lost a great pioneer and a great person.”

Former Prairie View All-American running back and AFL Player of the Year, Clem Daniels, a Raider running back from 1961-1967, spoke fondly of his former coach and business mentor.

“Al Davis was a great innovator, a great coach, a great owner and a great person,” Daniels recalled. “He was a man’s man and a player’s coach and owner. He always understood the turmoil and triumphs that we went through as African-American ball players.

“He always took that into consideration ahead of time. He always made sure that we were protected as men and I will appreciate him for that.”

Daniels also recalled that Davis was a major fan of HBCU football, with a fond appreciation for legendary PV head coach Billy Nicks.

“We go all the way back to 1963 with Al and his knowledge of Coach Nicks. He knew about Coach Nicks before I did,” Daniels said. “We were in training camp and a group of us were discussing Black college football players. Coach Davis was in the room and he hollered out ‘Brackens, Wright and Childress.’

“The guys didn’t know what he was talking about, but I knew. He was talking about three All-American football players from Prairie View in the early ‘50s. They were Charlie Brackens, Charlie Wright and Elijah Childress, who led the Panthers to two national champi-onships and four consecutive SWAC championships.

“He understood that history and was fond of Coach Nicks for those accomplishments.”

Daniels has been a successful businessman in the Oakland Bay area, which he also attributes to Al Davis’ influence.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without his insight and support,” Daniels said. “There’s no question about it. We’ve had so many conversations through the years. Not just about athletics, but business and the steps you need to take to protect yourself and be successful.”

“He always took that into consideration ahead of time. He always made sure that we were protected as men and I

will appreciate him for that.” Clem Daniels.

h.s.zone11defendernetwork.com WEEK OF OCTOBER 13 | 2011 DEFENDER

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Marquee matchups highlight week seven

Lufkin football coach Outlaw notches 300th victoryLufkin High School head football coach John Outlaw has a flair for the big stage. In last Thursday’s District 14-4A show-down with The Woodlands for sole possession of first place, Lufkin prevailed 30-10 as Panthers’ running back Voshon Richardson scored two third-quarter touchdowns to break open a close game and snap a two-game losing streak to the Highlanders. Richardson’s exploits enabled Outlaw to col-lect his 300th victory as a head coach. The Woodlands was ranked No. 4 and Lufkin was ranked No. 5 in the Houston area going into the contest. The game was broadcast on the Fox Sports Southwest channel.

Bellaire volleyball team reaching full strengthBellaire head volleyball coach Ap Clarke wasn’t content with her squad’s 10-0 start in district play. She feels the Lady Car-dinals still lack the intensity to avenge last season’s second-round exit in the playoffs. Yet the District 20-5A contenders received a big boost recently when standout middle hitter Jenelle Jordon made her season debut after recovering from a right ankle injury suffered in August. The 6-foot-1 all-district selection in 2010 will reunite with 6-2 middle hitter Khourtni Fears to form one of the top defensive tandems in the area. “It gives our setter another option and it makes our offense quicker with the two of them playing together,” Clarke said.

This time La Porte’s latest Scott may be the bestLa Porte linebacker Hoza Scott always knew he had big shoes to fill, but it was a task that he welcomed with open arms. With two older brothers who had starred in football at La Porte High School, including one who played in the NFL, Scott willingly accepted reality. After recording two quarterback sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception in five games, the 6-foot-3 sophomore is ready to write his own chapter in the Scott legacy. Yusuf Scott played guard for the Arizona Cardinals and Gainus Scott was a running back at the University of Arizona. Although Hoza primarily plays linebacker, he has earned time at running back with seven carries for 38 yards and a touchdown so far this season.

Cougars ranked in polls, off to fastest start everDon’t look now, but guess who just showed up in the national polls. If you said the Houston Cougars, then go to the head of the class. The Cougars are ranked No. 22 in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 poll and No. 25 in the Associated Press rankings. Houston (6-0, 2-0 C-USA), one of just 13 unbeaten teams in America, is off to the fastest start in school history, equaling 6-0 starts by teams in 1973 (started 6-0), 1979 (started 8-0) and 1990 (started 8-0). The Cougars are also one of just seven teams to boast bowl eligibility by the middle of October. “For our players and our coaching staff the rankings won’t change our mindset, but for our university, our fans and our alumni, there’s no ques-tion it’s important,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said. “To me, being ranked means we have a lot of opportunity out there in front of us and that’s what you want for your program as a head coach.” The Cougars return to action Saturday, Oct. 22 against Marshall. Kickoff is at 3:30 pm at Robertson Stadium.

By DArreLL K. ArDISonDefender

The Lamar Redskins begin a three-week stretch against Westbury at Delmar Stadium with their eyes fixed squarely on the prize.

After preseason losses to state-ranked Brenham and Fort Bend Elkins, Lamar had slipped under the radar screen as the Red-skins struggled with inexperienced players at key positions.

Last week’s 61-0 demolition of Milby improved the Redskins to 4-2 overall, but more importantly 3-0 in District 20-5A.

Lamar, the defending district cham-pion, faces Westbury, Bellaire and Madison over the next three weeks with a chance at matching last season’s 7-0 district slate. The Redskins close out the 2011 regular season Nov. 3 against Sam Houston.

The signature Lamar victory came Oct. 1 when the Redskins manhandled district rival Westside 38-7 at Delmar. Led by defensive linemen Zelt Minor, Charles Onyekwelu and Chima Uzowihe the Redskins were able to bottle up Wolves running back B.J. Catalon for all but one play when the game was decided.

Westside had been riding Catalon to a big season coming into the contest. The Lamar defense limited Catalon to 76 yards on 21 carries until early in the fourth quarter when he broke loose for an 81-yard touchdown to finish with 175 yards on 27 carries. Catalon also had two fumbles in the game.

Lamar sophomore quarterback Darrell Colbert has also been instrumental in the Redskins’ resurgence. Colbert had a hand in four of Lamar’s five touchdowns, passing for two scores and running for two others.

“We were picked to finish third in our district. Everybody had Westside ranked above us so we took that as more fuel to the fire,” Colbert said. “That’s why we made more plays and came out with the win.”

Colbert spent much of the Milby game handing off to London Kirby and Steven Sannoh. Kirby rushed for 140 yards on 14 carries and three touchdowns. Sannoh added 51 yards on five carries and two scores. Colbert completed six-of-eight passes for 90 yards and an 18-yard TD pass to Carrington Thompson.

Should Lamar get past Westbury, an Oct. 21 battle with Bellaire would follow for sole possession of first place in Dis-trict 20-5A. Bellaire and Lamar are both unbeaten in district play going into this week’s games.

The battle for supremacy atop the District 17-5A stand-ings is Oct. 14 at Pridgeon Stadium between Cy-Fair and Cypress Falls. Both schools improved to 5-0 in district play with victories last week.

After spotting Cypress Springs a 7-0 lead, Cy-Fair scored

52 unanswered points, including 45 in the first half. John Jacob rushed for 206 yards on 23 carries and had touchdown runs of four, eight and 45 yards.

Cypress Falls kept pace by holding off high-scoring Langham Creek 27-22. Cy-Falls quarterback Troy Mitchell opened the game’s scoring with a 54-yard touchdown run. Mitchell later tossed a 16-yard TD pass to Gratian Gladney.

A capacity crowd is expected for the 7 p.m. kickoff.Other marquee matchups for week seven include Yates

versus Waltrip, Klein Oak taking on Spring Westfield and North Shore making the trek to Beaumont West Brook.

After losing to Sharpstown two weeks ago, Yates found itself in a must-win game against District 21-4A rival Reagan. The Bulldogs led 7-0 going into the second quarter before Yates running back Arthur Lockett went to work. Lockett rushed for 348 yards on 31 carries and added TD runs of 37, 64 and 64 yards.

Yates quarterback Maurice White chipped in with a 38-yard TD pass to Jordan Bailey as the Lions improved to 2-1 in district play.

Waltrip is 1-1 in district play and coming off a bye week. Yates and Waltrip will square off Friday night at Barnett Sta-dium with a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Klein Oak’s emphatic 38-6 victory over Dekaney completed a three-week stretch of victories over unbeaten op-ponents (Klein Collins, Klein Forest, Dekaney).

Quarterback Connor McQueen passed for one touch-down and ran for another as Klein Oak rolled up over 400 yards of total offense.

Westfield will host Klein Oak Friday night at George Stadium (7 p.m.).

North Shore will try to shake off the effects of a disap-pointing 14-7 loss to Port Arthur Memorial as they venture to Beaumont Friday for a District 21-5A battle with West Brook.

A loss to West Brook and North Shore falls two games off the pace. West Brook pummeled Baytown Sterling 49-21 to open district play last week.

The Lamar Redskins begin a three-week stretch with their eyes on the prize – another district championship.

12

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF OCTOBER 13 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

Print Rundown - Chag’s Place Photo Rundown - Thursday, October 13, 2011Total Photos: 3 for Event #1.....3 for Event #2.....and 3 for Event #3Event #1.....FEMALE SUCCESS FACTOR.....Top 25 Women Houston AwardsPrint1. Event #1.....Veteran Democratic Political Strategist Donna Brazile2. Event #1.....Honorees Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher, Linda Toyota, Yvette Goree-Harris and Dell Trahan3. Event #1.....Honorees Jene’ Guess-Cash, Atty. Andrea Arceneaux, Dr. Monica Williams, Renee’ Logans, Katy Caldwell and Crystal Washington

PrintEvent #2.....NEW LEADERSHIP.....Reception for 32nd Grand Polemarch William Randy Bates, Jr.1. Event # 2.....Bo Alfred, Mario Watkins and Karl Holmes2. Event #2.....32nd Grand Polemarch William Randy Bates, Jr. and Laolu Davies-Yemitan3. Event #2.....William and Glenda Bates

Event #3.....CHAG’S BOOKSHELF.....Book Signing Event by Author P. Paul ProvostPrint1. Event #3.....Frances and Author P. Paul Provost2. Event #3.....Rev. Trudy Huff and Helen George3. Event #3.....Carrie Jackson and Cassandra Jones

FEMALE SUCCESS FACTOR......Comerica Bank and The Steed Society, Inc. hosted their 6th Annual Female Success Factor and presented awards to the Top 25 Women of Houston. These amazing women have broken barriers in their respective fields and left an indelible mark on the face of Houston. This year’s honorees included A. Renee’ Logan, Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher, Linda Toyota, Yvette Goree-Harris, Dell Trahan, Jene’ Guess-Cash, Attorney Andrea D. Arceneaux, Katy Caldwell, Crystal Washington, Mary Benton, Dr. Monica G. Williams and Nnete, to name a few. Veteran Democratic political strategist, adjunct professor, author, syndicated columnist, television political commentator, vice chair of Voter Registration and former chair of the Democratic National Convention,

Donna Brazile, delighted the gala attendees as the keynote speaker. Congratulations and continued success to all!.....NEW LEADERSHIP......As a result of the elections at its recent 80th Grand Chapter Meeting

(national convention) and Centennial Celebration in Indianapolis, Ind., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. proudly announced its new president. William Randy Bates Jr. was elected as its 32nd Grand Polemarch (president and CEO) to lead the fraternity into its second century . Professionally, Randy is a law partner

with Bates & Coleman, PC, and is a member of the board of trustees of the Lone Star College System. A reception was held in his honor and attended by Laolu Davies-Yemitan, Bo Alfred, Mario Watkins, Karl Holmes, Ron Julun, Willie High Coleman, Jr., Leonard

Coleman, Dr. Bobby Wilson, André Levy, Byron Neal, Dr. Regan Flowers and Mildred and Willie Bright. Good luck!.....CHAG’S BOOKSHELF......”The Vagabonds” is a book written by P. Paul Provost and tells the story of the travels and adventures of a couple who truly love to travel. It encompasses places in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada, South America, New Zealand, Australia and many other places, including various islands and villages. His sister-in-law, Georgia Provost, hosted a reception in her home that was attended by Paul’s wife, Frances, Cynthia Lurkin, Rev. Trudy Huff, Helen George, Carrie Jackson, ConSandra Jones and Dorothy and Lewis Jackson, to name a few. A gentleman of great fortitude and insight, he’s written other books, “A Sailor’s Story, the Autobiography of Percy Paul Provost” and “Ebony Legends in Sports. “ Continued success to you also!.....From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!

Veteran Democratic Political Strategist Donna Brazile Honorees Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher, Linda Toyota, Yvette Goree-Harris and Dell Trahan

Honorees Jene’ Guess-Cash, Atty. Andrea Arceneaux, Dr. Monica Williams, Renee’ Logans, Katy Caldwell and Crystal Washington

Bo Alfred, Mario Watkins and Karl Holmes32nd Grand Polemarch William Randy Bates, Jr. and Laolu Davies-Yemitan

William and Glenda Bates

Frances and Author P. Paul Provost Rev. Trudy Huff and Helen George Carrie Jackson and ConSandra Jones