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Posts published in “Day: September 17, 2020”

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month

Sep 17, 2020
Felicitas Gómez Martínez de Mendez with her husband Gonzalo Méndez. In 1946, Mendez and her husband Gonzalo led an educational civil rights battle that set an important legal precedent for ending segregation in the United States.

National Hispanic Heritage Month September 15 – October 15

By Allan Jamail

Today, September 15, 2020, marks the beginning of a month long celebration recognizing the contributions Hispanics have contributed to the United States. National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

Allan Jamail, North Channel Star writer said, “I write this article to honor Puerto Rican civil rights pioneer Felicitas Mendez.” She is a Puerto Rican immigrant and her husband Gonzalo took on California school segregation laws after their three children were denied entry at a local elementary school because of their skin color in 1944.

The success of the Mendez v. Westminster case made California the first state in the nation to end segregation in school. This paved the way for the better-known Brown v. Board of Education when Blacks were also denied an education in a segregated White school. It was this case which would bring an end to school segregation in the entire country.

In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a proclamation to establish Hispanic Heritage Week. In the proclamation, the 36th president wrote, “The people of Hispanic descent are the heirs of missionaries, captains, soldiers, and farmers who were motivated by a young spirit of adventure, and a desire to settle freely in a free land. This heritage is ours.”

Lake Houston Trump rally displays fervor

Sep 17, 2020
Out of Atascocita, eastbound the south end of the McKay Bridge is lined with cars, rescue vehicles, and cheering President Donald R. Trump supporters. Boats and vehicles were on both sides of the bridge and in the lake.

HUFFMAN – The day national polls talked about a lack of enthusiasm by Latinos and a five point slip in the polls for the Democratic Presidential Candidate since the selection of a Vice Presidential running mate, Kamala Harris, locally, the zeal of the Republican ticket was abundant on Lake Houston.

The Lake Houston Marina and the Lake Houston Brewery east on both sides of the McKay Bridge were stages for Lake Houston Party Boaters, a group of about 458 members, to launch close to 800 water craft for the Big T 2020 Parade at 2:00 p.m. last Saturday.

That was a follow up from the Lake Houston Fun Run where participants donated $10 to benefit Texas Adaptive Aquatics. Awards were presented after the event at Lake Houston Brewery. The held a captains meeting at 1:00 p.m. to advise of safety precautions and distancing.

That group was joined in the parade by Lake Houston Voters for Trump sporting about 383 members that describe themselves as “A group of people to support Trump, like to keep their own money and have fun. They simultaneously launched Trump 2020 – Lake Houston Boat Parade.

Census Parade emphasizes the need to Be Counted

Sep 17, 2020
Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia speaks about the need for everyone to register in the Census which is soon drawing to a conclusion. Garcia was talking at the BakerRipley center in East Aldine, along with others including East Aldine’s Richard Cantu, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Pct. 2 Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia, Pct. 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, State Representative Armando Walle, and BakerRipley president Claudia Aguirre.

Sylvia Garcia, County and City leaders join in effort

HARRIS COUNTY – U.S. Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia has organized an intense public effort to count as many residents of the area as possible, stating that federal dollars that are sent to the state, county, and city are dependent upon the number of people counted and living in the area.

To draw attention to the need to sign up in the Census, Garcia and other community leaders have organized “Census Caravans” that drive through neighborhoods and urge residents to complete their census forms. Garcia says it only takes 5 minutes to complete the questionnaire, and can be done in several different ways.

Last Saturday the Census Caravan drove through the streets of East Aldine. Authorities have noted that this is one of the areas where only a small percentage of the residents have registered.

Prior to the Caravan leaving on its neighborhood tour, community leaders spoke on the importance of a complete census count.

Mayor Turner noted in his remarks that only 40% of the eligible residents in the city have been counted so far. Only a few weeks remain until September 30, when the Census Bureau stops its field activities of counting. This includes door-knocking, online responses, over the phone, and by mail. After that the bureau will make adjustments and assumptions, and deliver a final count by December 31.