Story
Joya T. Hayes Takes Office As South Central Regional Director for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® has always been an organization that of times of crisis, the members respond by stepping up, serving, and continuing the business at hand. The global pandemic of COVID-19 might have delayed their efforts but did not stop them. Treading in uncharted waters, the sorority used its virtual platforms to hold the first virtual election where Joya T. Hayes was declared the South Central Regional Director and installed into office at the 69th international convention of the 112-year-old organization. Hayes now leads 10,000+ members in more than 120 undergraduate and graduate chapters in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas in the second largest region of the sorority.
Story
H-E-B Launches Summer Of Giving Initiative To Benefit Texas Food Banks
H-E-B Set To Raise Up To $2 Million For Feeding Texas, A Donation Equal To 20 Million Meals
In the spirit of Texans helping Texans, H-E-B has launched the Summer of Giving, a new charitable initiative that, with the help of customers, looks to raise up to $2 million to benefit Feeding Texas and its network of food banks across the state. The fundraising effort, which would equal 20 million meals, is another way the San Antonio-based retailer is continuing its ongoing charge as a partner in the fight against hunger.
Story
We Don't Need the President's Thugs in Chicago
"Hitler had his Brown shirts and Mussolini had his Black shirts, now Donald Trump has his camouflage shirts." Thus began a statement signed by 15 distinguished interdenominational religious leaders in Chicago that I joined, including ministers, priests, and rabbis.
Story
Rockets Restart
Houston opens up against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday as the 2019-20 season is set to resume
The Houston Rockets will continue their pursuit of an NBA Finals Championship on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks as the 2019-20 season starts back up after nearly four months off due to the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. Houston will play eight games at ESPN Disney before the playoffs start and every game counts for the Rockets since they are in a playoff seeding battle with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz.
Story
What Many Africans Are Hoping To See In Beyoncé’s BLACK IS KING
In March 2018, a month after the film "Black Panther" was released, the fictional country Wakanda was the fourth most-mentioned African country on Twitter -- after Egypt, South Africa and Kenya -- according to a 2019 study by the University of Southern California. The fact that Africa's fourth most-talked about country doesn't exist confirms just how powerful pop culture is in shaping our understanding of the world around us.
Story
Commissioners Court Takes Action to Help Those Facing Evictions
CARES Act Eviction Protections And Additional Unemployment Assistance Payments are Set to End
Since federal eviction protections ended last Saturday, Harris County Commissioners Court took action to help those facing evictions in the coming months. After hearing testimony from members of the Housing Stability Task Force and advocates for tenants’ rights, the court approved measures to provide relief to residents.
Story
Millions of Americans Are Facing Eviction After A Federal Protection Granted By The CARES Act That Expired Last Friday, July 24th
The CARES Act was a bill passed by the U.S. government in March to help provide financial help to Americans affected by the coronavirus. One part of the bill included an ‘eviction moratorium,’ which protected tenants, who live on federally backed property or low-income housing and couldn’t pay rent, from being evicted.
Story
Evictions: Millions of Families in Financial Turmoil
The COVID-19 global pandemic is scary enough with just trying to stay healthy. Adding stress to that problem for many Americans is the lost of income as a result of layoffs and furloughs since many businesses had to close their doors. Lack of money on an already low-income family is compounded stress making the first of the month one of the scariest days ever.
Story
Statement From T.E.A. Commissioner – Mike Morath on School Funding For 2020-21 Academic Year
Over the past month, TEA announced a funding wavier framework that fully funds schools for remote instruction for the entire year for any family that requests remote instruction. To generate funding for remote instruction, school systems must also provide daily on-campus instruction for families that want to come on campus, with several critical exceptions designed to maximize the health of students, teachers, and staff:
Story
Barack Obama's full eulogy of John Lewis
Former President Barack Obama eulogized civil rights icon John Lewis on Thursday before the late congressman's body was laid to rest in Atlanta, drawing a comparison between the battles Lewis participated in during the civil rights movement and the current protests for racial justice happening across America.
Story
Delay the election? That's not what we do here
On the one hand, this is banana republic stuff, that a President, who the evidence suggests is losing his bid for reelection, would suggest delaying the election, as Donald Trump did Thursday morning.
Story
These historically Black universities just got their biggest ever financial gifts all thanks to one generous donor
Four historically Black colleges and universities announced that they have each received the largest single donation in their long-standing history.
Story
Army names independent panel to review Fort Hood following Vanessa Guillen's killing
The US Army on Thursday released the names of five civilians who will review the "command climate and culture" at Fort Hood after the killing of Spc. Vanessa Guillen and "follow the facts wherever they lead."
Story
TWC Awards $8.2 Million from the Jobs and Education for Texans Grant Program to 41 Colleges and ISDs to Support Career Training
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has awarded 41 grants totaling $8,261,090 to multiple public community colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges and independent school districts for programs that focus on supporting high-demand occupations through the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant program.
Story
Dodgers pitcher and manager suspended by MLB after bench clearing incident against the Astros
Major League Baseball sent a strong message to the rest of the league in regard to any other teams seeking any type of revenge towards the Houston Astros for the 2017 cheating scandal that was revealed this past off-season by a former Astros pitcher who is currently with the Oakland A’s.
Story
Bad Blood
Benches clear as Astros and Dodgers faced each other in Houston for the first time since 2017
Ever been out somewhere and notice a fixture that causes you to reminisce about the past? It could be a park that you and a significant other use to go to just to talk. Or that one restaurant that you used to go to as a kid that just took you back to your younger days? Now not all memories will be pleasant. Some of those places could take you back to some tumultuous times in your life and cause some real emotions to stir up.
Story
The Shot Heard Around Houston
Bregman’s 100th career homerun leads Astros to victory over the Mariners
One day after having their 15-game winning streak snapped against divisional foe Seattle Mariners, the Houston Astros (3-1) got back to some familiar ground on Monday night and that is dominating the Mariners (1-3). Houston scored runs in three consecutive innings to defeat Seattle 8-5 and take the series 3-1.
Story
Stedman Graham to Serve As Keynote Speaker at Summit On Educating African American and Latinx Boys
Author, speaker, and entrepreneur Stedman Graham will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2nd Annual Summit on Improving the Outcomes of African American and LatinX Male Youth (The Summit) at Prairie View A&M University on Thursday, August 6, 2020.
Story
COVID-19 Shines A Bright Light On Disparities In Health Care Among People Of Color
“During the coronavirus pandemic, people should guard their eyes with glasses or face shields to protect their eyes from virus infection," said Dr. Daniel Laroche, Director of Glaucoma Services and President of Advanced Eyecare of New York. People also need to know, even though there are many concerns about COVID-19, common-sense precautions can significantly reduce the risk of infection, he says, adding: “Wash hands frequently, follow good contact lens hygiene and avoid rubbing or touching our mouth, nose, and especially our eyes.'' Dr. Laroche is also affiliated with the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, Island Eye Surgical Center, and New York University.
Story
Red Cross Needs Local Volunteers Due to COVID-19 as Hurricane Season Heats Up
Experts say we have a 60 percent chance of an above-normal hurricane season this summer and the American Red Cross needs 700 local volunteers to help support communities in the Texas Gulf Coast.
