Houston Newsmakers July 24: Race relations, METRO changes, backpacks for kids

HOUSTON – Professor Luis Salinas, Ph.D. is a sociology lecturer at the University of Houston and Houston Community College. He is a guest on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall and takes on the tough conversation about Race relations in America. Recent polls show that most people think Race relations are worse than they have been in generations. Dr. Salinas says some of that has to do with inability to have the appropriate conversations and some has to do with tough financial times. “When people are doing what they’re supposed to be doing in society and things are not quite working out for them where they’re still struggling to stay afloat, it’s too easy to start blaming someone else,” he said. “I’m doing what I’m supposed to do. I’m not getting what I’m supposed to get so it’s got to be somebody else’s fault.“  Dr. Salinas takes on several aspects of the Racial divide including why there is not more dialogue about this very pressing issue. “Somehow talking about race became labeled as you’re a racist if you talk about race,” he said.  “No you’re a racist if you think that one race is better than another is when you’re a racist“. 

***MUCH MORE HERE IN THIS NEWSMAKERS EXTRA ON THE RACIAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA***

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Carrin Patman is the Chair of the METRO Board of Directors. Appointed by Mayor Sylvester Turner, she is the first woman to hold that position but has previously been a METRO Board member. She tells Khambrel that much has been done within METRO to improve transportation throughout the region but that more needs to be done. “We really need to go back to the drawing boards and look at all of that again,” she said. “A lot remains undone from what the voters blessed in the 2003 referendum so we need so see if we can implement that.”

ALSO

The Kroger Backpack Boosters Campaign kicks off July 27th and runs through August 9th with the goal of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to go toward providing backpacks for Houston area children preparing to go back to school. Kristal Howard is the Public Relations Manager for the Kroger Company and is a guest on Newsmakers to talk about the easy way customers can donate. Caleen Allen is the General Manager of HISD’s Strategic Partnerships.