April 05, 2012

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Volume 81 | Number 23

NEWSTALK METRO WORKS TO PREVENT BUS STOP ASSAULTS P3

PAGE 7

Isaiah Washington plays a preacherNative Houstonian Isaiah Washington portrays a preacher in the new film “The Under Shepherd,” which is written and directed by syndicated morning DJ Russ Parr. Washington, best known for his role as a doctor on TV’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” plays Rev. Lawrence Case in the film. It recently premiered in Maryland.

Dennis Uzoh pursues pro boxingLocal amateur boxer Dennis Uzoh is working hard to turn professional. Uzoh currently trains at the Progressive Amateur Boxing Association. He is an imposing fi gure with a bright future. “I’m confi dent that things will work out in the long run,” says Uzoh, a native of Nigeria. “I need to have patience right now.”

PAGE 15

OPINION

speaks out on

Trayvon

SPORTS

P4

NATIONAL

JOHN CHASE

P14

IN MEMORIAM

thrilled with

Dodger purchase

MAGIC JOHNSON

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facebook.com/DefenderNetwork

P6

CHAG’S PLACE

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

BILL CLINTON

Temecia Glover Harris, Dr. Bernard Harris and Vonda Mays at UH Black Alumni gala

P16

Justice denied?

Trayvon Martin case pending, Robbie Tolan suff ers setback

PAGE 8

passes at age 87

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Drama in the church

O.J. didn’t do it? A new book by celebrity private eye William Dear claims to have details pointing to the real

killer. Find out who it is in O.J. is Innocent and I Can Prove It.

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Trayvon Martin

3defendernetwork.com WEEK OF APRIL 5 | 2012 | DEFENDER

localbriefs


newstalkTEA decisionNorth Forest stays open

SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS have until April 6 to apply for a free, seven-month program offered by Capital One Bank. “Getting Down to Business” gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to increase their knowledge of credit, budgeting, marketing, business plans, financing, accounting best practices, networking, insurance and more. It includes a matched savings component of up to $2,000 that can be used upon completion of the program. In addition, participants are paired with mentors. Classes will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every other Thursday beginning April 19 at Capital One Bank’s 2804 Fulton Street branch. For more information visit www.cybergrants.com/capitalone/GDTBHouston

or call 713-435-5317.........STATE REP. GARNET COLEMAN will file legislation amending the Texas Castle Doctrine, the state’s version of Florida’s “stand your ground” law. Coleman said Texas passed SB 378, a law similar to Florida’s, in 2007. He fought against its passage…….. A THIRD-PARTY AUDIT OF HISD’S CONTRACTING practices found the district’s conflict-of-interest policies are more stringent than those used by most other school systems, although there are several potential areas for improving business practices. The audit was conducted by reviewing district purchasing records, and by interviewing HISD staff members, former superintendents and all nine elected board members.

The audit’s recommendations included expanding annual board training on conflict of interest and procurement policies, and requiring board members to communicate benefits that might be received from existing vendors……..GERALD WOMACK HAS BEEN APPOINTED to the Harris County Housing Authority board of directors. Womack is president and CEO of Womack Development & Investment Realtors. He is as a member of the Houston Association of Realtors, Texas Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors. He is vice president of the Houston Real Estate Association and board member of the Third Ward Redevelopment Council.

By ASWAD WALKER Defender

Supporters of the North Forest Independent School District are pleased that the district will not close on July 1. They are determined to

see it remain open after learning that Robert Scott, commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, recently retracted his directive issued last July for HISD to annex NFISD.

The move elicited a chorus of positive responses from officials and supporters who will strive to meet the financial and academic expectations as outlined by the commissioner’s order.

“The district is pleased with the Commissioner’s decision to forgo closure and annexation at this time,” said NFISD Commissioner Edna Forte. “We are committed to the education of the youth we serve. I am very proud of the growth that has been made so far, and look forward to a promising future.”

HISD was originally sched-uled to annex the 7,600-student NFISD for the 2012-2013 school year, effectively closing the doors on North Forest, located in northeast Harris County, just a few miles north of downtown Houston. However, Scott’s change of heart breathes new life into the district

and its plans for the future.The district earned an “aca-

demically unacceptable” rating the last three years (2009-2011) and a substandard financial rating for four straight years. At a meeting last summer following Scott’s announced plan for annexation, the NFISD board argued that the district’s problems were caused by former leaders, not the current group.

After Scott’s 2011 plan seemed to signal the end of the district, supporters pledged to take their fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, while the NFISD board outlined a plan to strengthen the district academically and financially.

According to Forte, NFISD has made improvements in its business management systems and expects to regain financial stability this year.

With respect to academic improvements, the district part-nered with New York University Steinhardt’s Metropolitan Center for Urban Education to examine the factors that affect achievement, a collaboration that Forte asserts has provided data which will signifi-cantly increase high school students’ completion rate and academic performance.

Much of the district’s improve-ments have come as a result of

Project Transformation, an initiative launched at North Forest High School and led by its principal and the district’s Transformation Lead-ership Team.

State Rep. Sylvester Turner asserts that by significantly improv-ing the district’s completion rate – a plan that prevents drop-outs, improvement on statewide tests, and better financial planning and controls – NFISD can end all talk of annexation and closure.

However, Turner adds that failure to improve on any of the des-ignated areas by July 1, 2013 will trigger annexation talks again.

According to Turner, TEA, in its initial order to close the district, failed to assess whether annex-ing NFISD would harm HISD’s students academically or the district financially as required by State Law, Education Code 13.054.

It is not clear whether NFISD’s recent improvement ef-forts also played a role in inspiring Scott’s change of mind regarding annexation.

What is certain is that NFISD board members such as Chair Lois Edwards have praised Forte’s ef-forts to meet the district’s challenges head on.

For his part, HISD superinten-dent Terry Grier said his district was prepared to respond to whatever ruling was made by the TEA chief.

Metro works to prevent bus stop assaults

By ASWAD WALKER Defender

In response to calls for increased security in the wake of four recent sexual assaults on women while using the Metro bus system, Metro CEO George Greanias and Police Chief Victor Rodriguez met with concerned community members in search of solutions.

“We’re doing a number of things including beefing up patrols in affected areas with more uniformed and plain clothes officers,” said Rodriguez. “We’re partnering with other law enforcement agencies such as HPD and the UH police.

“We’re working with the City to clean up some of the open areas that surround our system; the vacant fields with overgrown weeds, part-nering to clean some of those places out so there is less room to conceal these kinds of [violent] acts.”

Early in March community leaders declared a “state of emergency” in the Bayou city with regard to women’s safety in part because of more than 6,000 untested rape kits that reportedly remain at the Houston Police Department.

The recent meeting with Greanias and Rodriguez focused on how Metro plans to respond to bus stop assaults.

Local activist Deric Muhammad, along with former City Council-man Jarvis Johnson and activist and former HPD officer Shelby Stewart, demanded that Metro allocate more resources toward protecting its fe-male customers, including collaborating with city and county leadership to create an aggressive campaign to make Houston safe for women.

Continued on Page 13 Continued on Page 13

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF APRIL 5 | 2012 defendernetwork.com

VOLUME 81 • NUMBER • 23WEEK OF APRIL 5, 2012

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 2012 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

ColumnistYvette ChargoisSport EditorsMax EdisonDarrell K. ArdisonContributing WriterAswad WalkerPhotographer Bob Levey

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

national

AnalysisWho cares about Trayvon Martin?

By GEORGE E. CURRYNNPA Columnist

The shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by a neighbor-hood watch captain

in Sanford, Fla. has dominated national news lately, with African Americans more than twice as likely as whites to fol-low the story very closely, ac-cording to a study by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.

The study found that 70 percent of African-Americans followed the story very close-ly, compared to 30 percent of whites. Women were more likely to closely follow events surrounding Martin’s death than men, 40 percent to 29 percent.

There was also a politi-cal divide, with 50 percent of Democrats saying they fol-lowed the story very closely, compared to 31 percent of

Republicans and 26 percent of independents.

Older respondents fol-lowed the story more closely than younger people. The study found that 40 percent of those 65 and older followed the story very closely, trailed by the 50-64 age group (37 percent), 30-49 (33 percent) and 18-29 (26 percent).

When pollsters approached the issue another way by ask-ing respondents to rank their top stories, there was also a sharp racial divide.

Fifty-two percent of Blacks ranked the Trayvon Martin story as their top pick, followed by the presidential elections at 13 percent.

Whites were almost evenly divided, with 20 percent ranking the death of Trayvon Martin as No.1, edging out the presidential election at 19 percent. Among whites, the economy was a close third at

17 percent. The economy was a distant third among African Americans, with only a 7 per-cent ranking.

The wide gulf between the views of whites and Blacks on race is nothing new. The two communities hold distinctly different views toward law enforcement officials. While whites tend the view cops as protective allies, many African Americans, especially males, live in fear of being mistreated by police officers.

A 2009 study by the Pew Research Center found that 38 percent of whites expressed a great deal of confidence in lo-cal police treating Blacks and whites equally. However, only 14 percent of African-Ameri-cans shared that view.

At the other end of the spectrum, 34 percent of Blacks expressed very little confi-dence in police treating Blacks and whites equally, a view

Controversy surrounding case continues

Defender News Services

Nearly six weeks after the shooting death of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, the story continues to dominate the news.

Former President Bill Clinton said because of Martin’s death, there should be a reappraisal of “stand your ground” laws.

“I think the law is going to create real problems because anyone – who doesn’t have a criminal background, anyone not prohibited by the Brady Bill and caught by the checks – can basically be a part of a neighborhood watch where they have a concealed weapon whether they had proper law enforcement training or not...”

Clinton added that Trayvon’s death was a tragedy. “This young man was not armed, he clearly presented no threat to anybody’s life,” he said.

A member of the Black conservative group Project 21 criticized the New Black Panthers’ $10,000 reward for the capture of Zimmerman. “The efforts of the New Black Panthers go beyond legitimate discourse and are the legal equivalent of shouting fire in a crowded theater,” said legal commentator Hor-ace Cooper.

Geraldo Rivera personally apologized to Trayvon’s parents for saying that children shouldn’t wear hoodies because “Trayvon’s hoodie killed him as surely as George Zimmer-man did.” Tracy Martin, Trayvon’s father, ac-cepted Rivera’s apology on Fox News. Martin said it was raining the night of Feb. 26 and Trayvon was just covering himself up.

The voice crying for help on the 911 call just before Trayvon was shot was not that of his shooter, said two forensic voice ID experts. Zimmerman told police that he screamed for help during his confrontation with Trayvon.

During a recent march in Sanford, Fla., Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and NAACP CEO Ben Jealous joined other protestors in demanding justice for Trayvon Martin.

Continued on page 12

5defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF APRIL 5 | 2012 | DEFENDER

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opinion

Commentary: Understanding the human Dr. KingBy MACO L. FANIELSpecial to the Defender

This is the 44th anniversary of the assassina-tion of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is a time to remember the contributions of the slain leader and also a time to decide how to keep his activism alive.

On April 4, 1968, on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, MLK’s mortal voice was for-ever silenced by shots from a rifle that punctured his neck. He fell to the ground, dying immediately. At that moment, a human rights leader died, and a romanticized American hero was born.

Like any hero, he was human, but he went beyond the human will and the status quo to fight long-standing giants of racism, poverty and militarism. Though his public life and leadership only lasted 13 years (1955-1968), he remains an object of study and a model for activism.

Over the last 40 years, many notable scholars and lay-men have chronicled his life and written splendid critiques of his life’s works. Despite these in-depth critiques, the public understanding of MLK is more myth and romance than truth.

This misunderstanding of MLK is due, in large part, to repetitious playing of his “I Have a Dream” speech, the annual celebrations of his birthday, poor management of his legacy by family and friends, and the commodifica-tion of his name and image by corporations and the federal government.

For these reasons, MLK is often lauded as a sacrosanct dreamer, which obscures his legacy and prevents today’s admirers from continuing his work.

MLK was spiritually challenged, possessed by his own demons, and contrary to common tropes, he was not the sole leader of the Civil Rights Movement.

One of the latest books about MLK is a short biogra-phy titled “King: Pilgrimage to the Mountaintop,” penned by Harvard Sitkoff. This text counters the mythological and romanticized understandings of MLK because he is not shy

about pointing out MLK’s flaws and challenges. Sitkoff shows MLK as a habitual plagiarizer. He also

claims that MLK had ghostwriters for his literary works because he was too busy with the business of leading. The early sections of the book depict MLK’s “whoring” as a young man. Sitkoff also shows MLK afraid, depressed, vacillating, chauvinistic and unsure.

Thus, outside of telling common stories of MLK’s life and leadership, Sitkoff presents a more human MLK.

The mention of these peccadilloes does change our per-ceptions of MLK because they force us to see him less as a messiah and more as a human who cared for and fought for all humans. So, yes he fell short of glory, but he is still an American hero whose life serves as a guide for us to follow.

We are compelled to study his life, admire his heroism, and follow his path because he was flesh and blood, but he did something that we wish we had the courage to do – he died for what he believed in.

That’s why it is alarming that all sorts of forces have

worked to romanticize and sanitize MLK. In romanticizing him they have also silenced him and told only one dimen-sion of his story.

By limiting MLK to 34 lines of a speech spoken in 1963 and to a martyr who was assassinated in 1968, we also limit the demands which he called for. He was already a hero before his family, the government, his heirs, the media, and corporate America began to sanctify him.

To do so, they took out his radical stances, dismissed his ideas for his legacy, and overlooked his flaws. MLK’S radical messages would make many uncomfortable. How-ever, they would also help America understand the roots of present day social, economic, and political conditions that continue disenfranchise millions of people in America and abroad.

Knowing this MLK inspires us to be more compas-sionate and work towards the “World House,” in which he called for later in his life.

His activism, inspired by Jesus’ love ethic and America’s noble ideas, desired that America live to the full capacity of her ideas, and he would have us do the same.

But before we rush to try to do what he did, we must first understand who he was beyond popular discourse.

The following speeches/sermons and books are great guides to understanding and modeling MLK: “An Experi-ment in Love” (1958), “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” (1963), “Strength to Love (1963),” “Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech” (1964), “A Time to Break the Silence” (1967), “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution” (1968), “The Drum Major Instinct” (1968), and “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community” (1967).

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson aptly suggests how we can best live MLK”s legacy in his book “I May Not Get There With You: The True Martin Luther King, Jr.”

He says: “We can claim his brand of heroism by fully and honestly embracing the cantankerous differences that unite us in our constant pilgrimage to America: With King as a guide, we can discover America again, and set off to conquer nothing less than the ignorance and fear that keep us from and not with each other.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is shown prior to his final public appear-ance, which took place in Memphis.

In memoriam: John Chase leaves a rich legacy

By MARILYN MARSHALLDefender

The late John S. Chase is remembered as an architecture pioneer, dedicated community member, caring mentor, loving husband and father. He died March 29 at the age of 87.

Chase was known for his kindness and dignity.“As successful as he and his family were, he was not arrogant or

boastful,” said U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore. “He knew that he had been blessed and he worked hard to be a blessing to others.”

Local community and business leader Jodie Jiles said Chase was his hero. “He was a wise man who set an example for a lot of us to follow. I was honored to know him,” Jiles said.

Chase was the first African American to enroll in the University of Texas School of Architecture. He was also the first African American licensed to practice architecture in Texas and the first admitted to the Texas Society of Architects and the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Locally, Chase collaborated on the design of the George R. Brown Convention Center. He designed three structures on the Texas Southern University campus – the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Sterling Student Life Center and Martin Luther King Jr. School of Humanities.

He designed the U.S. Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia, as well as national headquarters of the Links and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Gilmore said Chase’s influence was far reaching. “Mr. Chase and I were both from Maryland and we both attended

Continued on Page 12

John S. Chase

7defendernetwork.com WEEK OF APRIL 5 | 2012 | DEFENDER


What’sup

‘The Under Shepherd’ New movie revolves around church

OPRAH WINFREY said she won’t be a visible supporter for President Obama during his re-election campaign. “I will not be out there because I’m trying to fix a network,” she said on CBS’ “This Morning.” Winfrey’s OWN cable network is struggling and recently laid off 30 employees. During Obama’s 2008 campaign Winfrey was a leading celebrity supporter. Winfrey is also paying close attention to the Trayvon Martin story. “It is a tragedy and it is a shame that we’re sitting here 33 days later and there hasn’t been an arrest, or questioning of what actually happened,” she told “Extra” during an interview. “It’s a tragedy and it is a shame and we all know it.” She added that she wants to interview Trayvon’s killer, George Zimmerman.…….. HALLE BERRY flashed a huge emerald engagement

ring for photographers during a Los Angeles outing. Though Berry had kept quiet about her engagement to French actor Olivier Martinez, he recently announced the news. Berry and Martinez have been spotted in his hometown of Paris checking out possible kindergartens for her three-year-old daughter, Nahla……... TYLER PERRY believes he was a victim of racial profiling in Atlanta. In a lengthy post on his Facebook page, Perry said he was pulled over by two policemen after making an illegal turn. He made the turn as a precaution. “I constantly check in my rearview mirror to be sure that I’m not being followed,” he said. “It’s a safety precaution that my security team taught me.” Perry said the two cops harassed him until a third officer, who was Black, recognized him. “He immediately took

both officers to the back of my car and spoke to them in a hushed tone,” Perry said. “After that, one of the officers stayed near his car while one came back, very apologetic.” Perry is also in the news for giving BOBBI KRISTINA BROWN her first big acting break. Perry has offered the 19-year-old a recurring role in his TBS sitcom, “For Better or Worse.” She will portray the daughter of a hairstylist. The series was recently picked up for a second season…….. WHITNEY HOUSTON memorabilia brought in $80,000 during an auction in Beverly Hills. The 13 items for sale were available to bidders in the gallery, online and on the phone. A gray velvet gown went for $11,250 and a plum velvet dress sold for $7,500. Pearl drop earrings Houston wore in “The Bodyguard” were brought for $2,812.

By TENE’ CROOMSpecial to the NNPA

The latest foray into movie-making by nationally syndicated morning DJ Russ Parr is astounding. He wrote and directed “The Under Shepherd,” his fifth film.

It’s sure to have people, particularly those deep in the Black church, saying a lot more than “Amen.” For example, this one scene from the movie illustrates what I mean.

“You’re a fraud and an insult to this church and God.” Deaconess Carter, with controlled anger, deftly portrayed by Vanessa Bell Calloway, said to the Rev. Lawrence “LC” Case. He’s played by Isaiah Wash-ington, who portrayed a doctor in the ABC drama, “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Looking at her straight in the eye, with an air of self-righteousness, Rev. Case replied, “I am God.”

It seems Parr was destined to write this story. His mother took him to the Black church as a young child. However, it was not a good experience he said.

“I was really invested into the church and the church I was going to. Then I started seeing things that didn’t make sense. My mom, who was a very religious woman, pulled me out of the church. She thought I was losing myself.”

Politics also had something to do with why he felt the need to make this movie. “It was the 2004 elec-tion and I had a Republican friend of mine say, hey I’ll tell you a little secret when the election is over. We’re going into a lot of swing states and buying off the Black ministers and giving them talking points.”

Parr said he did research and found something out six months after George Bush won the presidential election.

“I saw evidence of what he said. A lot of these pastors would donate money to their church. A lot of

these pastors would put it in their pockets. Then he started to see a lot of the pastors were under federal indictment.”

Parr was quick to point out the pastors were not all Black. There were white pas-tors involved in corruption too. After look-ing at the situation he said, “That encour-aged me. There’s a story here.”

But he says he held back when he wrote the script. “I didn’t want to go too far with it. I didn’t want to get into the Bishop Eddie Long stuff. [Long was ac-cused of sexually abusing several teenaged male members of his church]. I wanted just enough on this man’s plate that it was real and honest and very believable.”

Being Rev. Case wasn’t easy especially when he was verbally abusive to his wife Cassandra, played by Malinda Wil-liams. Washington said he needed to take a break after filming one intense scene.

Williams is perhaps best known as the hair stylist Tracy “Bird” Van Adams in the Showtime acclaimed drama series, “Soul Food.”

She heaped praise on her co-star husband. “Isaiah was so incredibly powerful in this role,

as he is in all of his roles. For me it really was somewhat of a dream come true when

Russ told me that Isaiah would be playing LC. Because once he said that I said, of course, there is no one else who can do that…”

However, “The Under Shepherd” is not a single issue movie.

“The character is representative of many ills that we have to address,” said

Williams, “particularly in our community when it comes to power and how one abuses

it, misuses it or underuses it or un-dervalues it. There have been

many of our leaders that have been put in situations of power and for some reason it’s been cor-rupted.”

A number of other top-notch actors are in the film, including Lou Gossett Jr. and Keith David.

Isaiah Washington, a na-tive Houstonian, stars in “The Under Shepherd,” which recently premiered in Maryland. Its national release date is yet to be announced.

entertainment

8 DEFENDER | WEEK OF APRIL 5 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com

coverpage


Justice denied?

Trayvon Martin case pending, Robbie Tolan suffers setback

By RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEYDefender

Former Bellaire resident Robbie Tolan knows all too well the case of Trayvon Martin. In a way, he was Trayvon Martin – an unarmed Black male shot because he was “suspicious.” Only Tolan lived to talk about it.

Yet, like the Martin family, Tolan is still seeking jus-tice after being shot by a Bellaire police officer in 2008. The officer accused in the shooting was found not guilty in May of 2010.

Now, a federal judge has thrown out the civil case against the officers and for the Tolan family, justice remains denied and they must decide where to go from here.

Tolan spoke at a rally for Trayvon a week before the civil case verdict. He urged participants to remain vigilant in seeking justice.A near-fatal error

It has been a long journey for Robbie Tolan, who was shot and seriously injured in the driveway of his parent’s Bellaire home.

Tolan, then 23, and his cousin, An-thony Cooper, were returning to the home where they both lived early in the morning of Dec. 31, 2008, when Bellaire Officer John C. Edwards, who was on patrol in the neighborhood, noticed them and ran the license plate of the car they were driving. He entered the wrong number, which came back to a car that had been reported stolen.

Edwards called for back-up, drew his weapon and confronted Tolan and Cooper in front of their house, ordering them to the ground. Hearing the commotion outside, Tolan’s parents – former Major League Baseball player Bobby Tolan and his wife, Marian – came outside in their pajamas and began protesting the treatment of the two men.

They tried to explain to the officers that the car was theirs and that they lived at that house.

Within seconds of Sgt. Jeffrey Cotton’s arrival

at the scene, Tolan was shot by Cotton as he started to get up from the ground, protesting the treatment of his mother who was being pushed toward the garage door by one of the officers. Cotton said he thought Tolan was reaching for a gun in his waistband.

“I don’t know if jealousy had anything to do with it. I don’t know if it was just that I was Black and not driving an old beat-up car or the fact that I was Black and lived in Bellaire,” Tolan said during an earlier Defender interview. “I have no idea why they felt compelled to shoot me.”

Tolan played baseball for Bellaire High School and was pursuing a professional baseball career at the time of the shooting. After the shooting, he spent three weeks in the hospital. The bullet, which entered his chest under his right nipple, remains in his liver.Shocked by ruling

Cotton was indicted on a charge of first-degree ag-gravated assault by a public servant by a Harris County grand jury. He was found not guilty at trial in May 2010. The Tolans had hoped for recourse in the civil courts and

filed suit against Cotton and Edwards, as well as the Bel-laire police chief and the mayor, among others, claiming their civil and constitutional rights were violated.

They claimed that the Bellaire Police Department has a history of racial profiling in the predominantly white city, and alleged that their rights to due process, equal protection and to be free from excessive force were violated.

The family was recently shocked when U.S. Dis-trict Judge Melinda Harmon dismissed the case against the officers, suggesting they are protected by qualified

immunity. That is a part of federal law which protects police officers from civil actions if they are found to have been adequately performing their jobs.

“Under the doctrine of qualified immunity, public officials, such as police officers, act-ing within the scope of their authority are shielded from liability for civil damages insofar as their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional law,” Harmon wrote in a lengthy ruling.

Harmon also said that the Tolans’ allegations that race was a factor in the events of that night were based on their “personal beliefs.”

“There is simply no admissible evidence... that either officer was motivated to act due to the race of any of the plaintiffs,” she wrote.

She also found that Cotton acted reasonably and like any other officer would have when he shot Tolan.

“Sergeant Cotton misinterpreted Robbie Tolan’s intended actions,” she wrote, “but his firing on Robbie Tolan did not violate Robbie Tolan’s constitutional rights because Sergeant Cotton feared for his life and could reasonably have believed the shooting was nec-essary under the totality of the factual circumstances

evidenced by the summary judg-ment record.”

The news was another slap in the face to Robbie Tolan who still

lives with the memory of that night. “I just want to cry. My heart hurts,” Tolan

said in a statement after the ruling.Fight is not over

But down does not mean out for the Tolan family, according to their attorney, Geoff Berg, who said the battle is not over.

“The ruling that was based on the two officers that was based on a technicality will almost certainly be ap-pealed,” he said. “The police officers in this case can do a number of things without having to answer for them in civil cases. A lot of courts apply that standard pretty liberally. I respectfully disagree with the court’s opinion. I believe that the law does provide for a cause of action against these officers.”

Berg said in the meantime, the civil case against the City of Bellaire continues to move forward through the federal courts.

Like the Trayvon Martin case, Tolan’s case has po-larized many along racial lines. Initially, when Cotton and Edwards were found not guilty, residents spoke out

The Black Male CodeThe shootings of young Black men such as

Robbie Tolan and Trayvon Martin come as no surprise to many African-American families, who

have implemented a “Black Male Code.” It’s a talk with young males the Black

community has passed down for generations – an evolving oral tradition from the days when an errant remark could easily cost Black people their

job, their freedom or sometimes their life. Find out the Black Male Code at

www.facebook.com/defendernetwork.

Trayvon Martin

coverpage


9

evidenced by the summary judg-ment record.”

The news was another slap in the face to Robbie Tolan who still

lives with the memory of that night. “I just want to cry. My heart hurts,” Tolan

said in a statement after the ruling.Fight is not over

But down does not mean out for the Tolan family, according to their attorney, Geoff Berg, who said the battle is not over.

“The ruling that was based on the two officers that was based on a technicality will almost certainly be ap-pealed,” he said. “The police officers in this case can do a number of things without having to answer for them in civil cases. A lot of courts apply that standard pretty liberally. I respectfully disagree with the court’s opinion. I believe that the law does provide for a cause of action against these officers.”

Berg said in the meantime, the civil case against the City of Bellaire continues to move forward through the federal courts.

Like the Trayvon Martin case, Tolan’s case has po-larized many along racial lines. Initially, when Cotton and Edwards were found not guilty, residents spoke out

on both sides, with differing views.“The police are not perfect. The information on

which they act is not perfect. This is not the first, nor will it be the last, case in which an officer acts with good intentions based on bad information,” said Bellaire resident Jay Hopkins, who is white.

“Even if you know that it’s a mistake and that you are innocent, it is never in your best interest to disobey authority. If the officer says stay down, stay down...a momentary loss of dignity is never going to be worth the possible loss of life or the possibility of a lifetime of pain, suffering, or disability. If Tolan had done that, he wouldn’t have been shot. But the fact remains, the officer reacted. He might be guilty of overreacting, but I don’t believe racism played a role at all. And the initial indictment was just the result of public outcry.”

“I’m sorry, but I just do not believe that if Robbie Tolan were white, that officer would’ve stopped him, then fired at him in his own front yard,” said Lawrence Harris, a Black man who moved from Bellaire a year ago.

“And I think it’s easy for some whites to say racism didn’t play a role. But when you’ve been stopped and treated differently by police simply because of the color of your skin, you see things in a different light.” Robbie meets with his lawyer, Geoff Berg.

Robbie Tolan (right) appears with his parents, Bobby and Marian Tolan

Trayvon Martin


health A Defender & Texas Children’s Hospital Alliance


healthnotes

Soda can increase fat deposits

Handling your child’s tantrumsEveryone has

been there in some way. You’re in a grocery store

when your child throws a tantrum, screaming and kicking and drawing attention. Or you were in the store and watched it happen, a child in a shopping cart crying and red in the face. You can probably remember tantrums you had as a child, and now that you have children of your own you’re trying to remember what your parents did to calm you down.

According to Dr. Marni Axelrad, child psychologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, all children throw tantrums, and most public tantrums occur during early childhood.

“Children tantrum for different reasons,” Axelrad says. “Sometimes they are tired. Sometimes there’s too much going on in their environment, and they are overwhelmed. For instance, like a tantrum at a birthday party. They will also tantrum for attention, and more often than not, children

tantrum when they do not get their way.”

Knowing why children tantrum is half the battle. The other half is knowing how to make them stop, and that requires patience from the parents. “The

first key is prevention,” Axelrad says. She suggests talking to your child often, making it fun instead of boring to run errands. Of course, most parents know that prevention isn’t always possible, and a tantrum erupts anyway.

“At times when you can’t avoid a tantrum, the single most effective way to stop a tantrum is to ignore it,” Axelrad suggests. No talking. No eye contact. Pretend it’s not happening, and continue running your errands. Don’t worry about the people staring at you and your child: chances are they’ve been there and are watching to see how you handle it. And when the tantrum ends, quickly find something pleasant to talk about with your child.

If you cannot tolerate a public tantrum, simply leave. Calmly take your child to the car and continue ignoring the tantrum. If the tantrum was because the child wanted to leave, simply wait out the

tantrum in the car before returning to your errands to show that your child did not get their way.

“Above all else stay calm,” Axelrad says. “Remember that this too shall pass!”

It’s common knowledge that sugary sodas are bad for our health. They can lead to weight gain, as well as dental concerns, but Roberta Anding, director of sports nutrition at Texas Children’s Hospital, says that there are even more health risks when drinking soda.

“Compared to people who drink low-fat milk, diet cola or water, soda drinkers have 25 percent more visceral fat, and cholesterol levels increase by 11 percent,” Anding says. “Scientists have established a link

between too much visceral, liver and muscle fat and the development of diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).”

Visceral fat also is known as belly fat and is located between the organs in your abdomen. It is much more harmful than fat deposits in other parts of the body. Though soda drinkers may not gain weight, they significantly increase their risks for diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome

and NAFLD. Metabolic syndrome is a condition associated with obesity including symptoms such as glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and raised blood pressure, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

A good step in the right direction is decreasing the amount of soda you and your children drink or switch to a healthier alternative, like diet soda, low-fat milk or – the best option – water.

Remember that tantrums shall pass.

Keeping your children safe in the car This summer, many families will be traveling in their car for vacations or visiting relatives. As you and your family begin planning your summer vacations early, keep in mind a critical part of any car trip – child passenger safety. This is especially important now as many laws about car seat safety have changed in the past few years, and many may not be aware of the new requirements. Texas Children’s Center for Childhood Injury Prevention offers the following recommendations for parents traveling with children who require car or booster seats.• Rear-facing is safer than forward-facing car seats as your child’s head, neck and spine are better supported in a crash• Children need to stay in rear-facing car seats until they outgrow either the height or weight limit for the car seat No matter which way the car seat faces, a five-point harness is the safest option available. Most car seat harnesses can be used in children up to 40 pounds in a forward-facing position, though many manufactures are increasing that to 65 pounds or more. These car seats range between $150 and $300, but they are an important investment as your child will be using them for at least three to five years. Only after children outgrow the height and weight requirement of the five-point harness system should they be moved to a booster seat. A booster seat may be needed until 8 to 12 years of age as vehicle seatbelts are made for adults and don’t typically fit a child unless they are approximately 4 feet 9 inches tall. Texas Children’s Center for Childhood Injury Prevention says it’s important to use the booster seat as long as necessary until your child can use the seatbelt safely and properly. Another important fact to remember is that children should ride in the back seat until they are 13 years old. Remember that Texas law requires all passengers, including those riding in the back, to wear a seatbelt. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a free car seat check, please call the Center for Childhood Injury Prevention at 832-828-1314.


MK-

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8-0

07

Texas Children’s Health Plan covers children from newborns

to teenagers. We even cover adults and pregnant moms

through STAR Medicaid. Families with children who qualify for

CHIP pay $50 or less a year. Those who qualify for Medicaid

pay nothing. CHIP and STAR Medicaid offer a wide

range of benefits including checkups and shots,

dental services, medications, and more.

With Texas Children’s Health Plan you

also get:

■ Over 2,100 doctors.

■ A 24-hour nurse hotline.

■ Free transportation to doctor visits.

■ Pregnancy support program and classes.

■ Help losing weight through the

Keep Fit Program.

■ Learn how to play soccer from the Houston

Dynamo coaches.

■ Fun, free member events!

For more information, to receive an

application, or to find an event in your

area, visit us online or call today.

12 DEFENDER | WEEK OF APRIL 5 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com

John Chase... Continued from page 6

Hampton University,” she said. “After I came to Houston, his family became like a second family for me. Later we both served as members of the board of trustees at Hampton University.

“It was there that I was able to see how far reaching his influence was,” Gilmore said. “He prided himself on work-ing to make the same opportunities available to other young people that he had made available to his own family.”

Jiles first met Chase in 1972. He was a student at TSU and Chase spoke at a business school conference. Jiles was immediately impressed by Chase. Later, as a graduate student at UT, Jiles interviewed Chase for a paper he wrote on leadership.

“Not only was Mr. Chase successful but he gave back,” Jiles said. “He also trained a lot of young architects. He gave them the opportunity to work for him before they went off to work for other firms or start their own busi-nesses.”

John Saunders Chase was born in Annapolis, Md., in 1925. From 1944 to 1946 he served in the Army in the Phil-ippine Islands and was awarded numerous military medals.

In 1948, he earned a B.S. in Architecture from Hamp-ton . He graduated from UT in 1952. He was appointed an assistant professor of architectural drafting at TSU and founded John S. Chase, A.I.A. Architect, Inc.

He co-founded the National Organization of Minority Architects in 1971. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter ap-pointed Chase the first African American to serve on the U.S. Commission on Fine Arts.

Chase received numerous awards and honors, and was a member of various civic and community groups.

His survivors include his wife, Drucie Rucker Chase; three children, John S. Chase Jr. (Brenda), Anthony R. Chase (Dina) and Saundria Chase Gray (Jerome), and five grandchildren.

shared by 9 percent of whites.Interestingly, the national

news media did not provide wide-spread coverage of the Feb. 26 Trayvon Martin shooting until a month later. In the meantime, the Black Press and social media kept the story alive. Release of the 911 tapes and the public outcry that followed forced national media organizations to take notice. Negative coverage

A 2010 Pew study found that African Americans are highly critical of news coverage of their community.

“Nearly six-in-ten (58%) said that coverage of blacks was too negative. Just half as many (29%) said the coverage was either fair (28%) or too positive (1%),” the report said. “By contrast, nearly half (48%) of whites said that coverage of blacks was generally fair. Just 31% of whites thought that news coverage of blacks was too negative.”

In addition, 51 percent of Blacks said race relations received

too little media coverage while only 24 percent of Whites agreed with that opinion.

Undergirding all of those statistics are different percep-tions about the existence of racial discrimination.

For example, 43 percent of Blacks said there is a lot of discrimination against African Americans, compared with 13 percent of whites. In the survey, whites were more likely to say La-tinos were discriminated against more than Blacks (21 percent vs. 13 percent).

Eighty-one percent of Afri-can Americans said “our country needs to continue making changes to give Blacks equal rights with whites.” Only 36 percent of whites agreed. A majority of whites – 54 percent – said “our country has made the changes it needed to give blacks equal rights with whites.”

Many pointed to the election of President Barack Obama as a watershed moment for race rela-tions in the U.S.

A Gallup Poll conducted the

day after Obama was elected president in November 2008 showed that 70 percent of Ameri-cans believed race relations would improve as a result of his victory.

Today, however, 48 percent of African Americans and 31 percent of whites believe race relations have improved under the presi-dent.

In addition, the glow from Obama’s election has faded over the past three years.

In 2009, 71 percent of Blacks thought the election of Obama was one of the most important advances for African Americans in the past 100 years; today that percentage has declined to 65 percent, a drop of 6 percent. Among Whites, there was nearly a 20 percent decline, falling from 56 percent in 2009 to 37 percent today.

Although there should be uni-versal outrage against a 28-year-old man shooting to death an unarmed 17-year-old, interest in the case, like so many other things in America, is heavily influenced by race.

Trayvon Martin... Continued from page 4


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“From the time Commissioner Scott announced his annexation plan last summer, HISD has been clear that while we have not sought this action, we stand ready to abide by any decision he makes,” said Grier.

Turner celebrates the decision, but implores NFISD supporters to stay vigilant.

“This ruling should be viewed as a victory to those in the community who opposed its closure,” Turner said.

“The ruling will still require NFISD to show improvement academically as well as financially, so no matter what, the district must improve. For those in the community whose passions are stirred by the unique and special history that NFISD has, it is incumbent on them all to help out and keep NFISD on the right track.”

School district... Continued from page 3

Muhammad said Greanias committed to discussing such a public safety campaign with Mayor Annise Parker.

“This campaign should be preventive as well as responsive,” Muhammad said. “We have to educate women and girls about the crime of rape. We have to promote the dos and don’ts that minimized the chances of victimization. We have to make self-defense classes available. We have to get ahead of these rapists, because it appears that they’ve gotten ahead of us in this city.”

According to Rodriguez, Metro is re-sponding immediately by looking at internal as well as external factors to improve rider safety.

“Internally, we’re assessing the most troubled and most travelled routes, specifi-cally routes 36 and 26, where the attacks took place,” said Rodriguez, who also mentioned Metro’s efforts to follow CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) solutions that take into account a number of factors such as lighting and graf-fiti removal to deter crime.

Though most of Metro’s enhanced secu-rity efforts are being deployed immediately, it won’t be until mid-April that the agency unleashes its most extensive anti-crime ini-tiative, Operation Bus Safe, seeking to create an officer “omnipresence,” especially during early mornings and late evenings when vis-ibility is lowered.

Rodriguez added that Metro officers will be beefing up patrols during those time periods and specifically looking for females travelling alone and checking with them regarding their safety.

He also offered safety tips, encourag-ing riders, especially females, to travel with a companion whenever possible, and to call Metro police and/or HPD if they feel uneasy or observe suspicious behavior.

“We’re part of a national initiative called “See Something, Say Something,” and we want people to realize our buses can be safe havens. If threatened, get on a bus and tell bus operators if something is wrong,” added Rodriguez.

The Metro police chief also encouraged riders to be aware of their surroundings, and to sign up for free self-defense classes offered by Harris County (713-221-600) and Metro (713-224-2677).

Metro works... Continued from page 3


sportsMagic Johnson ‘thrilled’ with Dodger purchase


By MAX EDISONDefender

On the basketball court there was no questioning the dominance of Earvin “Magic”

Johnson. He won an NCAA championship and five NBA championships. In the business world he has shown the same championship pedigree

His privately owned com-pany, Magic Johnson Enterprises, has a reported net worth of $700 million. He owns or operates a wide array of companies across a very diverse business landscape. A chain of movie theaters, 24 Hour Fitness Centers, more than 100 Starbucks locations, a TGI Friday’s in L.A. and multiple commercial real estate hold-ings across the nation are just a sampling.

Johnson’s media portfolio includes the ownership of Vibe, Uptown, Blackbook, the brand rights to “Soul Train” and 17 radio stations. He

also recently acquired the Aspire cable network. Johnson’s latest business venture is his largest

to date and has important historical significance. A group that includes Hall of Famer Johnson and longtime baseball executive Stan Kasten agreed re-cently to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers from Frank McCourt for a record $2 billion.

Kasten is the former president of the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals. Other mem-bers of the group include Mandalay Entertainment chief executive Peter Guber, Guggenheim Partners president Todd Boehly and Bobby Patton, who oper-ates oil and gas properties among his investments.

Mark Walter, CEO of the financial services firm Guggenheim Partners, would become the control-ling owner.

“I am thrilled to be part of the historic Dodger franchise and intend to build on the fantastic foun-dation laid by Frank McCourt [former owner] as we drive the Dodgers back to the front page of the sports section in our wonderful community of Los Angeles,” Johnson said.

“Franchises like the Dodgers don’t come on the market too often,” Johnson continued. “To have this type of legacy and this strong of a brand and organization, we’re very fortunate to have that and have it fall into our laps and given to us by Frank Mc-Court. We’re going to hope-fully do a good job with it.”

For Johnson the purchase is a dream fulfilled, just not in the sport he anticipated.

“This was the next move for me, to get into owner-ship. I didn’t know it would be baseball, but I’m happy it is. I’m really happy for the L.A. Dodger fans across the world.”

Johnson is optimistic about the direction of his newly acquired franchise.

“We have a strong baseball man in Stan Kasten who we all know can build championship teams,” he said. “We’re out in L.A. and

I know a lot of baseball players who would love to play for the Dodgers.”

Because of his high profile and the fact that it is the “L.A.” Dodgers, Johnson knows there will be added pressure for the franchise to be success-ful. It is a challenge that he embraces. However, he is quick to add that the team is not starting from scratch.

“It’s a lot of pressure, but I like the pressure, it makes me work harder. Look what we’ve started off with. You’ve got Kershaw [Clayton], you’ve got Kemp [Matt], Ethier [Andre], Loney [James], we’ve got some really talented young players.

“[They have] a Cy Young winner [Kershaw] and an MVP candidate in Kemp, so starting off the cupboard is not bare. We’ve got some great young talent. We just have to build around that great young talent.”

While Johnson acknowledges he’s not a baseball authority, he will be visible and involved.

“I won’t get in Stan’s way. I won’t get in our manager’s way,” he said, adding, “I will be heavily involved. I’m writing a big check here.” Earvin “Magic” Johnson leads a group that

acquired the L.A. Dodgers.

Johnson has been a champion on the court and in the boardroom. Here, he plays against Michael Jordan.

h.s.zone15defendernetwork.com WEEK OF APRIL 5 | 2012 DEFENDER

sportsbriefs


Boxing amateur Uzoh aspires to turn professional

Kingwood boys are possible regional track favoriteThe Kingwood High School boys’ track and field team won the recent Victor Lopez Classic high school division track meet held at Rice University by holding off runner-up North Shore 110-87. Fort Bend Bush was third with 62 points and Klein Collins came in fourth with 57. North Shore is the two-time defending Class 5A state boys’ team champion with sprinters Jermaine Authorlee and Larry McDuffey leading the way. Kingwood’s James Steptoe won the 400 meters at Rice while teammate Justin Brinkley won the 1,500 and 3,000. Kingwood also won the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays.

Pearland Dawson girls remainhot in trackThe Dawson girls’ track and field team won the Gulf Coast Relays in Freeport recently to serve notice they will be a factor in Region III-4A. The Lady Eagles scored 141 points to easily out-distance second-place Brazoswood (72 points). Dawson’s Jazmyne Williams, Cybil Obiozor, Brook Wilson and Erica Davis won the 400-meter relay with a time of 48.38 seconds. Obiozor combined with Erica Davis, Thereasa Davis and Nailah Henderson to win the 4X200-meter relay in a time of one minute, 41.9 seconds.

Three-on-three basketball tournament scheduledThe DEMAND Mentors’ Annual 3-on-3 basketball tourna-ment is set for April 14 at Jones Memorial United Method-ist Church, 2504 Almeda Genoa at Highway 288. Boys and girls can compete in age categories ranging from six through 10, 11-15 and 16-18. All participants must have a parent permission waiver on file at the church office. Par-ents may fill out a form on site. Free food will be available. Call Bennie Boone at 281-748-3158.

Beware of the Tiger – Woods that isTiger Woods appears to have his winning groove back, recently winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. Now the 14-time majors champ sets his site on this weekend’s Masters. He has won the event four times, most recently in 2005. Of course he simply annihilated the field in 2000 winning by 15 strokes. The five-stroke win at Bay Hill was his first in 30 months, his longest professional drought. Woods seems to have all parts of his game working again: driving, chipping and putting. Most importantly he seems to have regained his confidence. All that being said it could be a long weekend for the field, especially if he comes out strong Thursday and Friday.

Ralph Sampson makes the Hall of FameFormer Houston Rockets No. 1 draft pick and three-time Virginia All-American Ralph Sampson has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Sampson played five years with the Rockets. He was a four-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year and All-Star game MVP (1985). His career was cut short by chronic knee problems and multiple knee surgeries. Joining Sampson in the class of 2012 are five-time All-Star Reggie Miller, long-time NBA coach Don Nelson, Hank Nichols (referee), Jamaal Wilkes, Lidia Alexeeva (coach), Don Barksdale (contributor), Mel Daniels (player), Chet Walker (player), Nike founder Phil Knight (contributor), Katrina McClain (player) and All American Red Heads (team).

By DARRELL K. ARDISONDefender

In a perfect world, Dennis Uzoh would already be a professional boxer.Yet it’s the imperfections of realizing a dream that

keeps Uzoh honing his craft. Uzoh advanced to the heavyweight finals of a recent Regional Golden Gloves competition in Houston only to lose by decision.

“In my heart I know I won the fight,” Uzoh said. “[His opponent] sustained a broken nose and I was able to hit him at will. I couldn’t believe it when the announcement said that I lost.”

Uzoh, 25, began fighting when he was six or seven years old while in boarding school in his native Nigeria. “Back then, you better win or the older kids would beat you up again,” he said.

When Uzoh joined his parents in the U.S., they wouldn’t let him continue boxing. He attended Sharp-stown High School and graduated in 2006. He began taking courses at Houston Community College and later at DeVry University in com-puter engineering.

“It took me awhile to re-acquire that boxing mindset,” Uzoh said. “It wasn’t until I got out on my own that I resumed boxing.”

Uzoh began training at Savan-nah’s Boxing Club and eventu-ally moved over to the Progressive Amateur Boxing Association (PABA). “We think he’s got a great future in the sport,” said Rev. Ray Martin, the founder of PABA.

“Dennis is a devastating

puncher,” added PABA spokesman Paris Ealey.

Uzoh works out four times per week at PABA, usually for three hours. He works as a physi-cal therapy assistant at the Houston family business. He married in 2010 and his wife attends medical school in Atlanta.

“I have the time to work on getting better,” he said. “I need to get a manager and work on being more aggressive in the ring. I would love the opportunity to turn professional.”

Standing at 6-foot-5 and weigh-ing 253 pounds, Uzoh is an impos-ing figure.

“I’ve seen Dennis take some punishment and come back to defeat an opponent,” Ealey said. “We’re happy about his progression.”

Uzoh is 10-2 in Golden Gloves competition. He estimates having

fought between 60 and 70 times including the bare knuckle fights in boarding school.

“I need to improve my stamina and that’s one of the things I’m working on now,” Uzoh said. “My hands are my asset. I know that I have power and a love for the sport. Right now I’m receiving excellent instruction from some good people. I can see the difference in myself.”

Uzoh’s PABA stable mate Der-rick Hayes did win the all-comers super heavyweight division at the Regional Golden Gloves competi-tion in Houston.

“We should have had two champions,” Ealey said. “Dennis has to look at this as a minor setback to where he wants to be. We’re go-ing to give him all the support that he needs and we see good things happening for him in the future.”

Uzoh was born on Sept. 9, 1986. His birth sign is Virgo and his favorite subject in school was English. His favorite color is blue and he loves to listen to soul, R&B and blues music.

His favorite meal is white or brown rice served with fish. “I also try to get as much fiber in my diet as possible,” Uzoh said. “I eat a lot of oatmeal too.”

The last good book he read was “Destined to Rain” and he likes to

hang out with his friends and play video games. If he could solve any world problem, it would be to cure all diseases.

“I’m not sure when my next bout will be, but

whenever it is I’ll be ready,” Uzoh said. “I’m confident that things will work out

in the long run. I need to have patience right now.”

Dennis Uzoh trains at the Progressive Amateur Box-ing Association.

16

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Events of the Week More photos on defendernetwork.com

Join Yvette Chargois

See Events on KTRK Ch.13’s Crossroadswith Melanie Lawson Sunday Morning @ 11 a.m.

DEFENDER | WEEK OF APRIL 5 | 2012 defendernetwork.com

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS…….The first African-American student enrolled at the University of Houston in 1962. Since that time, Black students have made their presence known on campus and in communities throughout the world and even space. The University of Houston Black Alumni Association hosted their 23rd Annual Scholarships and Awards Gala by presenting the 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award to Dr. Kelly Coleman, DeMonica D. Gladney, Marlon Harrison, Wayne Luckett, Francis Page Jr., Keith Wade and Michael Young. This year’s scholarship recipients included Jerrel Wade, Lauren Hickland, Kristopher Dow, Cassandra Bell, Kim Okafor, Chelsea Nikole Adams, Erika Heal, Carla Marsh, Sherine Presley, Derryl Hampton and Averi

Holliman. Kudos to UH president Dr. Renu Khator, UHBAA president Vonda G. Mays and gala chairs Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr. and Tamecia Glover Harris for a fabulous event. Continued success!.....RETIREMENT CELEBRATION…..After 35 years of dedicated service

with CenterPoint Energy, Sharon Michael Owens retired with a send-off fit for a queen. She began her career as a power consultant with Houston Lighting & Power Company. For 15 years, she worked in the operations side of the business before making the transition to public affairs and community relations.

In 1998, she became vice president of community relations and during the 14 years in that position, Sharon has become one of the most, if not the most, respected corporate figures in Houston’s charitable community. Wishing her bon voyage included David M. McClanahan, president and

CEO of CenterPoint Energy; Scott E. Rozzell, executive VP/general counsel/corporate secretary; her staff, company employees, community leaders and a host of friends and family. Welcome to the retirement club!........BETTING ON OUR YOUTH…..The Covenant House Texas hosted an evening of cocktails, dinner, auctions, entertainment, games and dancing and chose the theme “Betting On Our Youth, Casino Royale.” Over 28 years ago, a hand was extended to help one of Houston’s runaways, and Covenant House Texas was born. Throughout the years, they have been a shelter for homeless, runaway and at-risk youth under the age of 21. Funds raised offers Scholarship of Hope that helps lay the foundation for a better life for a young person who has found the strength and courage to seek help by entering the doors of Covenant House Texas. The 2012 Spirit Award was presented to Aimee and Wynne Snoots. Congratulations!.....From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!

Honorees Francis Page, Jr., Dr. Kelly Coleman and Wayne Luckett Temecia Glover Harris, Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr. and Vonda Mays UH President Dr. Renu Khator and UHBAA President Vonda Mays

Doug and Sharon Owens David McClanahan, Sharon Owens and Kenny Mercado Retiree Sharon Owens and Scott Rozzell

Honorees Wynne and Aimee Snoots, Linda Lorelle and Lou Gregory Director Rhonda Robinson and Councilwoman Wanda Adams Max Edison and Guild Member Judeene Edison

Documents

April 05, 2012