โOur Townโ: The story of Acres Homes, Houstonโs historic community
Check out the rich history and ongoing struggles of Acres Homes, a historic African American community in Houston. From its early days as a rare opportunity for African American families to own substantial acreage to its current challenges of inequality and limited city services, Acres Homes has a story that deserves to be heard. #AcresHomes #HoustonCommunity #EqualityMatters
Activists claim CPS is housing children in unlivable conditions; will fundraise to create more foster facilities
Refrigerators without food, and filthy hotels. These are both conditions local activists say some children across the state are being subjected to while in custody of Child Protective Services. Now, those activists who say the CPS system is overwhelmed are taking matters into their own hands and are asking the public to help them in their mission.
A story about hope and resilience in new docuseries โRebuilding Black Wall Streetโ
Tulsa's Greenwood District suffered great racial tension that destroyed buildings and lives about a century ago. But today, a design team led by native Houstonian and friend of Houston Life Jon Pierre Tjon-Joe-Pin is revitalizing the community in his new uplifting docuseries 'Rebuilding Black Wall Street.'
Black leaders say threats to undermine US democracy appear aimed at their community
Some of the nationโs most influential Black leaders say many of the threats to democratic institutions in the U.S. appear to be aimed squarely at their community, including efforts to make voting more difficult, censor lessons around race and weaken social safeguards such as affirmative action.
Black history class to undergo changes, College Board says
The College Board says changes will be made to its new AP African American studies course, after critics said the agency bowed to political pressure and removed several topics from the framework, including Black Lives Matter, slavery reparations and queer life.
โDonโt try to be machoโ: 1st annual 5K wellness walk to promote Black menโs health at Texas Southern University
The National African American Male Wellness Agency hosted the 1st ever walk at Texas Southern University, and local groups are making sure Black men in Houston are prioritizing their health.
Breaking Free: Helping African Americans de-stigmatize abuse, learn to ask the right questions
A survivor of domestic abuse, Dr. Conti Terrell started Fresh Spirit Wellness in 1997 after realizing there was a different type of dynamic for African American women who are dealing with it. She discovered that certain conversations that needed to happen were not taking place and many fears that these women had were not being addressed.
Director Isaac Yowman discusses his powerful role directing new documentary on BET+
Isaac Yowman is a young African American Director taking the film industry by storm. He joined Houston Life today to discuss his most recent project, directing the documentary โMemory Builds The Monument,โ streaming now on BET+.
Black history class revised by College Board after criticism
The official curriculum for a new Advanced Placement course on African American studies released Wednesday downplays some components that had drawn criticism from conservatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said the class would be banned in his state.
Seeking applications: Houston Health Foundation awarding $700K in grants to improve COVID-19 response in underserved communities
โ Houston Health Foundation (HHF) is seeking applications from small community organizations that serve Hispanic, African American, Asian American, and other minority populations in the following zip codes: 77075, 77047, 77031, 77051, 77017, 77013, 77026, 77076, 77080, 77016, 77028, 77078, 77091, 77093, 77034, and 77092. This disbursement of grants will address inequities in COVID-19 outreach, expand health education, and increase testing and vaccinations.
TSU to provide free breast cancer screenings to more than 1,300 minority women
The $1 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, allows TSU to provide free breast cancer screenings and other services to more than 1,300 Black and other ethnic minority women over a three-year period.
Apply today! Houston Health Foundation awarding $2.1 million in grants to improve COVID-19 response in underserved communities
Houston Health Foundation (HHF) is seeking applications from small community organizations that serve Hispanic, African American, Asian American, and other minority populations for the disbursement of grants that will address inequities in COVID-19 outreach, expand health education, and increase testing and vaccinations in Houston.
Coast Guard searching for woman who may have fallen overboard Carnival cruise ship near SouthWest Pass, Louisiana
The Coast Guard is searching for a missing cruise ship passenger, approximately 150 miles offshore SouthWest Pass, Louisiana.The passenger is described as a 32-year-old African American woman.
Houstonians gather for 44th annual Original Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congressman Al Green and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, along with members of the Black Heritage Society released details Wednesday for the 44th annual Original Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.
Here is everything you should know about the 44th annual Original Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congressman Al Green and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, along with members of the Black Heritage Society released details Wednesday for the 44th annual Original Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade.
Breast Cancer Survivor uses special event to help others fighting the disease
Sisters Networkยฎ Inc. (SNI), the nationโs largest and only national African American breast cancer survivor-run organization and a leader in the Black Breast Cancer movement will host their 11th Annual Stop the Silence Virtual 5K Run/Walk Saturday, April 10, 2021 from 9 am โ 11 am.
Biden to nominate 3 federal prosecutors for New York offices
FILE - In this March 17, 2021 photo, President Joe Biden speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Biden intends to nominate three African American prosecutors to run the U.S. attorneys offices in New York, including the first Black man to run the Southern District of New York. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)WASHINGTON โ President Joe Biden is expected to nominate three prosecutors to run the U.S. attorneyโs offices in New York state, including the first Black man to run the Southern District of New York in Manhattan and the first Black woman to head the Western District in Buffalo. Ross, a longtime federal prosecutor, is expected to run the office in the Buffalo-based Western District. Brooklyn federal prosecutors have been examining the stateโs handling of COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing homes in a probe that drew public attention after a top aide to New York Gov.
Local doctors study rare tongue disorder disproportionately affecting Black people
HOUSTON โ Doctors at UT Health School of Dentistry are hopeful an endowment will help them better understand a rare disorder affecting African American patients. The Katy mother of five is helping a group of oral surgeons at UTHealth better look at her DNA to figure out why her tongue enlarged back in 2017. AdA Florida man traveled to the Texas Medical Center last year for surgery after his tongue enlarged while being intubated in a hospital for COVID-19. โSecond was long-term intubations.โMelville said of the five patients he has seen with the rare disorder, all of them were Black. Melville said heโs in the process of contacting former Macroglossia patients to have their blood drawn for the lab analysis.
Black History Month: Sharon McDougle โsuited upโ the first black woman to travel into space
HOUSTON โ In 1992, Dr. Mae Jemison became the first black woman to travel into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Her name is Sharon McDougle, a former suit tech for the space shuttle program who talked to Houston Life about her incredible story. Sharon McDougle and Dr. Mae Jemison (Sharon McDougle)McDougle was responsible for processing the orange launch and re-entry pressure suit assemblies worn by all NASA space shuttle astronauts, including Jemison. It was like they didnโt even see me,โโ said McDougle, who worked with the Space Shuttle Program for 22 years. Sharon McDougle (Sharon McDougle)โEverybody is trainable, thatโs one thing I preach.
Lauren Anderson: A Houstonian who blazed a trail for ballet dancers
Native Houstonian Lauren Anderson has flourished in one the most detailed artforms in the world -- professional ballet. Her persistence to excel resulted in a remarkable breakthrough in American ballet history. At the age of 18, she joined the Houston Ballet (the fourth-largest professional ballet company in the U.S.) as a ballerina in the Corps de Ballet, which means a group of dancers. The Houston Ballet received pushback for its decision to promote Anderson. However, in a photo that was taken during the Swan Lake performance, Anderson can be seen directly in the center of the formation.
โIt was amazingโ: TSUโs debate team performs during pre-inaugural event for Biden-Harris
Texas Southern Universityโs renowned debate team was in the spotlight again with a mesmerizing performance celebrating Black culture in a virtual pre-presidential inaugural program. The debate team was featured with several other HBCUs that were chosen to participate virtually in the โWe Are Oneโ Biden-Harris pre-inaugural event. The team made history as the first-ever debate team to perform at a pre-inaugural event. Gloria Ekezie (TSU)The debate team performed a two-minute readerโs theatre-style piece, which was pre-recorded and played during the virtual event. They were on semester break so their dedication and loyalty were very much appreciated.โCoach Gloria Batiste-Roberts (TSU)The debate team had a message that they wanted America to know.
New museum traces history of Black music across genres
People walk to the entrance of the National Museum of African American Music, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)NASHVILLE, Tenn. โ A new museum two decades in the making is telling the interconnected story of Black musical genres through the lens of American history. Even as Nashville has long celebrated its role in the history of music, the new museum fills a gap by telling an important and often overlooked story about the roots of American popular music, including gospel, blues, jazz, R&B and hip-hop. โMost music museums deal with a label, a genre or an artist,โ said H. Beecher Hicks III, the museumโs president and CEO. She noted that the museum put gospel music in context with how it inspired social change, especially during the civil rights era.
Biden's pick for UN post calls China 'a strategic adversary'
United States Ambassador to the United Nations nominee Linda Thomas-Greenfield testifies during for her confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021, in Washington. Johnson asked her why she had said the United States is not in a new Cold War with China. โThis speech is cheerleading for the Chinese Communist Partyโ and makes no mention of Chinaโs human rights violations, he said. Johnson asked her what the stronger language and tougher tactics would be toward China. โAnd yet, I had an extraordinary 35-year career, that culminated as the assistant secretary of state of African affairs,โ Thomas-Greenfield said.
These Houston podcasters are sharing black history to a new generation
HOUSTON โ The figure of Martin Luther King is so pivotal, that continues to be an important topic of conversation for a local podcast. Itโs called Gentlemenโs History Hour and its hosted by Equality and Rob Jay 10X. They chatted with Houston Life about this remarkable project and what they want people to know about Dr. King on this important holiday. Gentlemen's History Hour Podcast (Gentlemen's History Hour Podcast)In the podcast, the duo breaks down the current state of African American culture in a quick and informative conversation. The Gentlemenโs History Hour podcast airs every Thursday at 11am via Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
NAACP Houston Branch hosts COVID-19 vaccine town hall
HOUSTON โ The Houston Branch of the NAACP is hosting a virtual town hall on the COVID-19 vaccine. The town hall begins Tuesday and you can register for the event here. The NAACPโs Houston Branch is hoping to allay those fears by hosting this virtual town hall, connecting the community with medical experts who can answer questions and address concerns. โSo youโve got this institutional racism that exists and that harbors that mistrust,โ said Roger Harris, a member of the NAACP Houston Branchโs executive committee. โThe community can then be able to say, โwell, I was at a virtual town hall meeting hosted by the NAACP and this is what I heard,โ Harris said.
Historic African American cemetery restored in Conroe after 128 years
CONROE โ It has been over a century since an African American cemetery has been lost in Conroe. Over the past several years, The Conroe Community Cemetery Restoration Project has been working to clean up, restore and preserve the cemetery. It was simply known as the Conroe Cemetery, No-Name Cemetery or the Community Cemetery, among the older African Americans in Conroe. John Meredith, the treasure for the Conroe Community Cemetery Restoration Project, says theyโve discovered 38 marked graves and 111 unknown graves so far. To learn more about The Conroe Community Cemetery Restoration Project, visit here.
JPMorgan puts $30B toward fixing banking's 'systemic racism'
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ JPMorgan Chase said Thursday it will extend billions in loans to Black and Latino homebuyers and small business owners in an expanded effort toward fixing what the bank calls โsystemic racismโ in the countryโs economic system. โSystemic racism is a tragic part of Americaโs history,โ said JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon in a statement. Citigroup announced last month it is committing $1 billion toward closing โthe racial wealth gapโ in the United States, including $550 million toward homeownership programs for racial minorities. He noted that thereโs a 30% gap between Black and white homeownership, amounting to about 4.5 million households. JPMorgan was one of 27 major New York-based companies that joined a program to recruit 100,000 workers from the city's low-income, predominately Black, Latino and Asian communities over the next 10 years.
Black singer of regional Mexican music sparks buzz, emotion
Sarah Palafox, an African American woman who sings regional Mexican music, poses in Moreno Valley, Calif., in this undated photo. Palafox, an African American woman raised by a Mexican immigrant family, has generated excitement online with her versions of regional Mexican music. Other videos of her singing banda โ another form of regional music from Mexicoโs southwest coast โ also have been shared thousands of times. She would only say the music will be different and sheโs not listening to critics who tell her sheโs shouldnโt be singing regional Mexican music. โI was told you canโt wear braids, you canโt wear your Afro and go on stage and sing Mexican music,โ Palafox said.
Houstonโs first black-owned hemp based vodka distillery prepares for National Vodka Day
HOUSTON โ Highway Vodka is the first black-owned hemp based vodka distillery in Houston and has an amazing family lineage of great entrepreneurs including the famous Lucille B. Smith who many refer to as the first African American businesswoman in Texas. They decided to give Houston something different when it came to vodka and achieved that through their amazing hemp based product. Houston Life Reporter Joe Sam checks out Highway Vodka (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.) The use of hemp at The Highway Distillery helps provide a nuanced, balanced, unique spirit with a character unlike any other in the world. of Pineapple Juice-Splash of Red Bull TropicalTo find out more about Highway Vodka and where you can get their product or help with any of their community initiatives, click here!
More Houston babies born with sickle cell than anywhere else in Texas, according to health officials
HOUSTON โ Of the estimated 180 Texas babies born each year with sickle cell, a rare genetic blood condition, approximately 40% are in Houston, according to Dr. Titilope Fasipe, chair of the Houston Sickle Cell Collaborative. Kennedy Cooper, of Pearland, is one of the estimated 1,500 children in Houston living with sickle cell. Dr. Fasipe is a sickle cell patient herself. โWe know bone marrow transplant can cure sickle cell but not everybody has a match. Participants who are impacted personally by sickle cell disease are encouraged to share their stories.
Black voters in Detroit key for Biden, but are they engaged?
Black voters across Michigan will be pivotal in deciding who will win the battleground state in November. Biden visited Detroit earlier this month, and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, was spending time in Flint and Detroit on Tuesday. In an interview this month with longtime Detroit radio host Mildred Gaddis, Biden noted that Michigan, and its Black voters in Detroit, are โcritically important." Democratic state leaders said they learned hard lessons and that the party has worked to connect with Black voters. But challenges remain in connecting with apathetic voters and with younger Black voters who might have more progressive leanings โ key demographics that Branden Snyder, the executive director of Detroit Action, said his organization is trying to reach.
These are the 5 places you can't miss at this year's Houston Black Restaurant Week | HOUSTON LIFE | KPRC 2
These are the 5 places you can't miss at this year's Houston Black Restaurant Week | HOUSTON LIFE | KPRC 2Published: July 15, 2020, 1:47 pmFor a couple of days give your kitchen a rest, because this year's Houston Black Restaurant Week is in full swing with many businesses in town offering the best flavors of African American, African and Caribbean cuisine. Derek Robinson, co-founder of Black Restaurant Week, shared how you can support this event amid the COVID-19 pandemic through takeout and delivery.
See the 31 Black-owned restaurants participating in Houston Black Restaurant Week
HOUSTON โ Houston will celebrate the Black culinary industry this week. The 2020 edition of Houston Black Restaurant Week will run from July 10-19, featuring 31 black-owned restaurants. According to their website, The 2020 Houston Black Restaurant Week will be a little different than previous years amid the coronavirus pandemic and the current racial unrest. Black Restaurant Week was founded in 2016 and participating major cities include Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. The restaurants participating in Houston Black Restaurant Week: