Houston Newsmakers: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee says Congress must do more

Also: Support for first responders with billboards; Celebrating 135 years of Black Houston

Border wall along the Texas-Mexico Border (KPRC)

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee talks with Host Khambrel Marshall says more needs to be done about immigration, hate crime, and other issues as the 118th Legislature gets underway.
  • A Houstonian starts a nonprofit organization that helps boost the morale of first responders through billboards.
  • Houston Informer celebrates 135 years of Black Houston

Push for Congress to do more about Immigration, Santos, Hate Crime and more

The 118th Congress is off to an active start with Republicans in control of the House and announcing a series of investigations many had promised the base it would initiate.

No announcements have been made about solutions for immigration and the border crisis, which is what Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D) 18th, says is needed.

“What is Congress doing?”, she asked on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall. “Where are the laws to provide the laws that will govern what the executive does?”

And that’s where the problem is.

“What we get is photo ops with Republicans at the border, attacks one every program the President would offer or any of us as Democrats.” Jackson Lee says she thinks her priorities are similar to what the nation’s should be.

She talks about all these issues and more on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall and on Houston Newsmakers EXTRA.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is a guest on Houston Newsmakers and talks about some of her priorities for the 118th Congress

Support the Red and Blue to lift morale of police and firefighters

Dick Hite, Founder & Board Chair, Support the Red and Blue, Edward Pollard, District J Houston City Councilmember (KPRC)

Dick Hite is the owner of the upscale Norton Ditto men’s apparel store so he has plenty to do. But he saw a chance to help increase the morale of Houston’s first responders and decided to act.

“I was actually sitting in the backyard reading about some of the morale issues with the police and fire,” he said. “And I realize that we can’t have a safe and prosperous city if we don’t have a strong fire and police department so I decided well let’s just do something about that.”

He started a nonprofit organization called Support the Red and Blue with the first priority to raise awareness and morale.

“Our police and firefighters do a lot on a daily basis to ensure that they’re safe,” said board member and District J City Councilmember Edward Pollard. “When they leave their homes every single morning, they’re going out to save the lives of people they don’t even know so when you see them out in the community we want you to just say thank you.”

There are 19 billboards around the city celebrating those first responders with information for citizens to get involved. Find out more on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall.

Celebrating 135 years of Black Houston History

Necole Irvin, Director, Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, Kijana Wiseman, Board Member Houston Informer Foundation (KPRC)

The Houston Informer is the latest in a long line of publications under the same banner to chronicle Black Houston for more than 130 years.

A digital archive representing that history will be displayed through the end of February at the Houston City Hall.

“In looking at the newspaper, the newspaper has told the stories,” said Necole Irvin, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “It’s told the stories of businesses, told the stories of families and communities and that is so powerful because you can have that connection between what happened in the past and what’s happening today.

The exhibit is called “Steppin’ Back in Time” and is sure to shine a light on a vibrant past.

“There were over 200 Black businesses on the economic corridor. (Emancipation Avenue)” said Kijana Wiseman, a member of the board of the Houston Informer Foundation, the sponsor of the exhibit. “I remember as a child in the 50s…that was our downtown.”

For more information on this week’s Houston Newsmakers

· U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. (D) 18th Congressional District

· Website: https://jacksonlee.house.gov/

· Dick Hite, Founder, Chair-Support our Red and Blue

· Website: https://supportrb.org/

· Edward Pollard, District J Houston City Council Member

· Website: https://www.houstontx.gov/council/j/index.html

· Necole Irvin, Director, Mayor’s office of Cultural Affairs

· Website: https://www.houstontx.gov/culturalaffairs/index.html

· Kijana Wiseman, Houston Informer Foundation

· Website: https://houstoninformerfoundation.org/