ABOVE: Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles observes a classroom on Aug. 11 at Sugar Grove Academy in Houston’s Sharpstown neighborhood. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)

Houston Independent School District is officially a “District of Innovation.” The HISD Board of Managers voted unanimously, 8-0, in favor of the new status at a meeting on Dec. 14. (One board member was absent, as was the district superintendent.) The move gives HISD the power to alter class sizes and disciplinary measures — and to hire uncertified teachers.

“HISD is a District of Innovation,” said Superintendent Mike Miles in a press release. “We are making the bold changes required to improve instruction and help students develop the competencies they will need to succeed in the future. Having the DOI designation is long overdue and will allow us to accelerate our work in important ways.” It will also allow his district to bypass or sidestep state laws, which nearly every school district in the state has done since the 2015 passage of HB 1842. That law, co-written by State Rep. Harold Dutton, paved the way for the HISD takeover in the first place.

And the writing was on the wall months ago. At a community meeting back in April, one woman warned listeners: “I want everyone to know that HB 1842 also brought with it ‘District of Innovation,’ which gives the districts that participate the same freedoms as charter schools – freedoms to circumvent state laws that protect students, teachers and parents’ rights, including the right to a certified teacher,” she said. But after the recent board vote, that’s all changed.

District of Innovation

A District of Innovation, Miles said, is exempt from “certain statutory requirements.” To put it more bluntly: “A DOI allows more than 60 exemptions from state laws over school operations.” The current plan allows just seven exemptions. Some are student-centered: for example, HISD wants to allow high school juniors and seniors to spend more than two school days visiting colleges without having unexcused absences.

One exemption concerns a rule where students caught vaping are sent to a DAEP. A Disciplinary Alternative Education Program, or DAEP, is an alternative program for students temporarily removed from class for disciplinary reasons. Miles said some kids will be sent to in-school suspension; others will be suspended out-of-school. “There’s always going to be consequences,” he said at a press conference on Nov. 15.

At that same presser, District Advisory Committee member Celeste Barreto Milligan took the mic to share why she supports the policy change. “I think that the law is unjust,” she said. “You may know that in Texas, you can arrest and jail a child as young as 10 years old […] Immediately sending them to a DAEP situation opens the doors for them to get into the school-to-prison-pipeline,” she said. “I have two middle-school boys; I would hate for them to be held accountable at that level for such a mistake. I’m going to hold them accountable; I’m their mom. [But] I don’t want to see them enter the school-to-prison pipeline, especially as children of color.”

Another exemption pertains to minimum attendance for class credit or final grade. Under current rules, students must attend at least 90% of class days to get final grades. HISD wants flexibility in determining attendance requirements (i.e. ensuring that student attendance is at least 70% for each course). Elementary and middle school students must adhere to the current statute.

School Year

One of the exemptions allows HISD to start school earlier. Statute says a school district may not start before the fourth Monday in August. HISD’s DOI plan proposes that “the first day of school for the 2024-2025 academic year be no earlier than Aug. 7 and no later Aug. 14.” (The DOI plan cites research from a Harvard study of third graders, stating that extending the school year by more than 10 days improves student achievement more than grade retention or smaller class sizes.) The current HISD calendar has 172 days of instruction for students; the DOI calendar would have at least 180 instructional days.

“Houston ISD cannot improve academic proficiency for all students or close the pernicious achievement gaps that affect our students of color, students with special education needs, and students from economically disadvantaged communities without more high-quality instructional days,” the district plan said. It also argues that the move will help teachers pace their curriculum equally, provide students with an equitable amount of learning time and give them an extra week of instruction in advance of STAAR testing.

Teacher Hiring

Another DOI exemption allows HISD to hire uncertified teachers and counselors. Specifically, it allows HISD to hire high school teachers who do not have certification — without getting a waiver from the state or notifying parents. The board also voted in favor of hiring uncertified counselors. (The exemption does not apply to special education teachers, bilingual/ESL teachers, or pre-K teachers. Those requirements cannot be waived.)

“This will allow HISD to fill vacancies in positions that are hard to staff and will help give all students a constant classroom teacher,” the action plan says. Its authors claim that the teacher shortage spurred this change: “The District will continue to prioritize hiring credentialed teachers but will allow campuses to pursue innovative staffing methods to fill hard-to-staff positions to ensure all students have access to a high-quality teacher.”

But this move isn’t approved by everyone. Houston Federation of Teachers president Jackie Anderson blasted the DOI shift as “sinister” in a withering statement: “Evidence of teacher expertise and knowledge apparently doesn’t matter much to the board, since this plan allows HISD to hire uncertified teachers without a waiver and conceal that from families. The secrecy shows that Miles realizes parents would not approve of this.

The plan also allows class sizes to increase for elementary grades, when smaller class sizes are crucial for optimum learning; permits schools to dispense with a campus behavior coordinator, as if chronic misbehavior doesn’t impede instruction or safety; and allows for a custom teacher evaluation system with no teacher input,” Anderson said. “The District of Innovation plan is only innovative in that no other school district interested in investing in real solutions, not destroying public education, would even consider these provisions. This plan will last for five years, the entire length of time a child attends elementary school—the formative years when everything after depends on that foundation.”

It’s unclear what kind of foundation students will have when they return to school next year.

The post HISD Now “District of Innovation” appeared first on Forward Times.

ABOVE: Texas Legislative Black Caucus current members

Texas Legislative Black Caucus celebrates 50th Anniversary, remembering the eight trailblazing leaders who founded the organization in 1973

John Maynard Keynes once said, “Ideas shape the course of history.”

When thinking about Texas history, the role that the Texas Legislative Black Caucus has played in shaping the course of the political and social landscape in the Lone Star State can’t be ignored.

Founded in 1973 by eight visionary Black State Representatives with bold and courageous ideas, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus has led the way with over five decades of remarkable legislative achievements. Those eight Black leaders were: Rep. Anthony Hall (Houston), Rep. Mickey Leland (Houston), Rep. Senfronia Thompson (Houston), Rep. Craig Washington (Houston), Rep. Sam Hudson (Dallas), Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (Dallas), Rep. Paul Ragsdale (Dallas), and Rep. G.J. Sutton (San Antonio).

The shared commitment of these Black political heavyweights to uplifting communities across the state of Texas has been the cornerstone of Texas Legislative Black Caucus, as they championed unity and justice for those needing an advocate at the state capitol in Austin, Texas.

The Texas Legislative Black Caucus is an organization that is comprised of all the African American elected lawmakers in the state of Texas, with the primary purpose of bringing those lawmakers together to work as a group to make sure that the needs of our community are met.

As of the 2023 Texas Legislative Session, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus has more than doubled their membership, with 18 State Representatives and two State Senators currently serving in the state legislature.

To honor the historic 50^th Anniversary of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and commemorate this milestone, they held several events, with the signature event being the Texas Legislative Black Caucus 50^th Anniversary “A Walk Through History” Gala.  All events were held December 10-11 at the Hyatt Regency Austin in the city of Austin, where the organization began.

TLBC Founding Members (L -R): Rep. Senfronia Thompson, Congressman Craig Washington, and Rep. Anthony Hall

State Representative Ron Reynolds (Missouri City) currently serves as the Chairman of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus this session, and he served as host for the two-day event.

The Texas Legislative Black Caucus 50th Anniversary “A Walk Through History” Gala, which featured three of the living founders of the caucus on the program, was extremely uplifting and motivating. Reverend Dr. Freddy Haynes III, who was recently appointed as the successor to Reverend Jesse Jackson as the new CEO & President of the Rainbow Push Coalition, delivered a soul-stirring keynote address that got almost everyone out of their seats on multiple occasions.

“Richard Nixon was able to get elected on a ‘Southern Strategy’ which was based on positive polarization because they made it about race and they took advantage of white fatigue and insecurity,” said Haynes, comparing the organization then to now. “Whites had gotten upset at all Blacks had gained in the decade of the ‘60s and here y’all have the gall to get elected to the State House in Texas. And then you had the anointed audacity to show up every single day handling your business, representing your community, and giving a voice to those of us who did not have a voice. If they did that in a time, in 1973, where they were going uphill against a headwind, then what are you going to do in 2023, with what we’re facing today?”

It was also fitting that three of the living founding members were brought on stage to share their institutional knowledge and historical recollections regarding how and why the Texas Legislative Black Caucus was founded— Rep. Thompson and former Rep. Hall and Rep. Washington.

“These are very difficult times,” said Hall, who spoke about the continued need for the caucus. “In many ways, these times are more difficult than the times we faced. During our era of time, we knew who the opposition was, and notice that I didn’t say enemies. Now, we have people who feel we shouldn’t be full participants in American society, and they will tell you that’s the way the feel. It’s a different kind of challenge for us, but we are prepared.”

The trio also spoke about the disrespect they received as newly elected Black state representatives and how women, as a whole, didn’t receive the respect they deserved.

Let’s take a closer look at these eight political icons to learn more about them and their contributions, not only to the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, but to Texas politics overall.

Rep. Senfronia Thompson

Rep. Thompson is a Texas native, and represents District 141, which includes Northeast Houston and Humble. She has the distinct honor of being the longest-serving woman and African American in Texas history. Rep. Thompson is Dean of the Texas House of Representatives and is currently serving her 50^th year in the Texas Legislature. She received her high school diploma from Booker T. Washington High School in Houston. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Texas Southern University; a Master of Education from Prairie View A&M University; a JD degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a Master of Law in International Law from the University of Houston. Rep. Thompson currently chairs the Texas House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety. She is a member of the House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures, the House Committee on Redistricting, and the House Committee on State Affairs.

Rep. Anthony W. Hall, Jr.

Rep. Hall served as a State Representative in the Texas Legislature from 1973 to 1979, on the Houston City Council from 1979 to 1989, Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County from 1990 to 1992, City Attorney from 1998-2004 and Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Houston from 2004-2010. Rep. Hall is a graduate of Jack Yates High School, located in Houston’s Third Ward.  He received his B.A. in Economics from Howard University in Washington, DC, and his J.D., cum laude, from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas.  He served in the U.S. Army from 1967-1971, attaining the rank of Captain.  His military service included tours in Berlin and Vietnam; decorations include the Purple Heart and three Bronze Stars.

Congressman Mickey Leland

In 1972, Congressman Leland was elected to the Texas House of Representatives from the 88^th District of Houston, Texas. He served in the Texas Legislature until 1978. Congressman Leland was elected in November 1978 to the United States House of Representatives from the 18th Congressional District of Houston, Texas, which included the neighborhood where he grew up. He graduated in 1964 from Phillis Wheatley High School in Houston’s Fifth Ward. He also graduated from Texas Southern University’s School of Pharmacy in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Sadly, while leading a relief mission in 1989, to an isolated refugee camp in Ethiopia, which sheltered thousands of unaccompanied children fleeing the civil conflict in neighboring Sudan, Congressman Leland’s plane crashed into a mountainside in Ethiopia, tragically killing him and everyone aboard.

Congressman Craig A. Washington

Congressman Washington was elected to the Texas State House in 1972, representing the 86th District of Harris County. In November 1982, he was elected to State Senate District 13, becoming only the second Black to serve in the Texas State Senate since Reconstruction. After the tragic death of Congressman Leland, Congressman Washington was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent the 18th Congressional District, where he served from December 9, 1989, to January 3, 1995. He graduated from Fidelity Manor Senior High School in Galena Park in 1958. Congressman Washington attended Prairie View A&M University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in biology in 1966. He went on to attend Texas Southern University Law School from 1966 to 1969, graduating number one in his class, with honors.

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson was elected to the Texas House in 1972, becoming the first Black woman ever elected to public office from Dallas. After leaving the Texas House in 1977, where she worked alongside President Jimmy Carter as the regional director for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Congresswoman Johnson returned to politics and was elected as Texas state senator in 1986. She was the first woman and the first African American from the Dallas area to hold this office since Reconstruction. Congresswoman Johnson went on to get elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas’s 30th congressional district from 1993 to 2023.

Representative Sam Hudson

Rep. Hudson served in the Texas House of Representatives for 12 two-year terms from 1973-1997, representing the diverse communities of North Dallas, South Dallas, and Oak Cliff.

Representative Paul Ragsdale

Rep. Ragsdale served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 to 1987. He was one of the first Black legislators elected to the Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction.

Representative G.J. Sutton

Rep. Sutton was the first Black elected state representative from San Antonio. He served from 1972 until his death in 1976.

Congratulations Texas Legislative Black Caucus on 50 years of countless accomplishments, and for reminding us of our past, the fight of today, and the potential of our future.

The post A Walk Through History appeared first on Forward Times.

ABOVE: Draw-up of the master plan for Macgregor Park

Houston Parks Board will lead the project thanks to community feedback and a catalyst gift from Kinder Foundation

Following a comprehensive and community-based master plan process, the Houston City Council recently approved long-planned renovations to MacGregor Park, a 65-acre park along Brays Bayou in southeast Houston.

The total cost of the project is $54 million, with a $27 million catalyst gift from the Kinder Foundation. Houston Parks Board will raise an additional $12.5 million; the City of Houston contributed $5 million plus another $1.5 million from the City of Houston’s Capital Improvement Plan; Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) 7 will contribute $4 million designated for parking and access improvements; and a $4 million Community Project Funding Grant sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Houston Parks Board and the project partners will proceed with design in 2024 and construction is estimated to begin in 2025.

“MacGregor Park has a rich history in Houston,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner. “I’m proud of the project team for championing the voices of our community throughout this process. Reinvigorating the park will positively impact many Houstonians for generations to come. Thank you to the Kinder Foundation for their catalyst gift, and to Houston Parks Board for finishing the master plan and leading the fundraising.”

For nearly a century, MacGregor Park has served as a gathering and recreational space for many Houstonians. This highly active park is home to a Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial statue by sculptor Ken Washington as well as the Homer Ford Tennis Center where Olympic and professional athletes have trained. Additionally, the park’s basketball pavilion was much loved by Phi Slama Jama, the University of Houston’s basketball team that rose to fame from 1982–1984. Today, this much-loved regional park suffers from high levels of use combined with aging infrastructure.

“We remain committed to investing in projects that increase the quality of life for our community,” said Nancy Kinder, President and CEO, Kinder Foundation. “MacGregor Park is one of Houston’s most beloved parks, and we’re thrilled to contribute to a project that further develops and preserves this important greenspace in southeast Houston.”

The MacGregor Park renovation is aligned with Houston Parks Board’s Strategic Plan to improve regional parks as destinations along the Bayou Greenways system.

“Revitalizing MacGregor Park plays an important role as we strive to transform Houston into an interconnected network of parks, trails and greenways for a healthier Houston, and more equitably distributed parks in our great City” said Barron Wallace, Chairman, Houston Parks Board. “The planned enhancements will honor the park’s history and cultural significance, increase equitable access to greenspaces and contribute to a greater quality of life for the surrounding community. We greatly appreciate the substantial catalyst gift from the Kinder Foundation which made the project possible.”

“Through over 1,200 community interactions — meetings, work sessions, events, a survey and thousands of emails — the project team heard what Houstonians want and need from MacGregor Park,” Beth White, President and CEO, Houston Parks Board added. “Thanks to this input, the collaboration among many individuals and organizations, and the generosity of our donors, we will be able to achieve the community’s vision for this important regional park, one of the treasured parks along Bayou Greenways.”

The original MacGregor Park master plan was created in 2016 by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) and City of Houston. Houston Parks Board then spearheaded a master plan update in 2021, underwritten by a $350,000 gift from the Kinder Foundation. The planning process included lead consultant M2L Associates and was guided by a committee comprised by the City of Houston, the Kinder Foundation, HPARD, Friends of MacGregor Park, MacGregor Park Conservancy, University of Houston, and Houston Southeast Management District. Community input was also a crucial component of this process.

“The park users and neighbors are deeply committed to MacGregor Park,” stated Dr. Teddy McDavid, Board Chair, Friends of MacGregor Park. “We love our park and consider it our place of natural beauty, culture, history, recreation, and education. We are very grateful to see this plan become a reality.”

The master plan calls for several updates including the renovation of The Homer Ford Tennis Center, which will become a state-of-the-art facility with tournament-hosting capabilities. The swimming pool and historic community center will be renovated. The perimeter trail around the park will be extended by 1.25 miles, linking to the existing Bayou Greenways trail along Brays Bayou and enhancing connectivity to a network of community bike lanes. A natural amphitheater will be created near the bayou for programming and communal gatherings. An all-abilities, ADA-accessible playground will be added, and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza will be refurbished.

“MacGregor Park has always been a symbol of community spirit and resilience in Houston,” Houston City Councilmember Dr. Carolyn Evans-Shabazz shared. “The planned improvements are not just about aesthetics and amenities; they represent a deeper investment in the health, wellbeing, and joy of our community members. I am wholeheartedly looking forward to seeing the park flourish as a beacon of nature, culture, and community engagement.”

The design and construction will be overseen by a standards committee comprised of representatives from the City of Houston, the Kinder Foundation, Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and Houston Parks Board.

“MacGregor Park is one of Houston’s treasures, and we are proud to have initiated the master planning process,” said Kenneth Allen, Director, Houston Parks and Recreation Department. “The improvements planned for this park will continue its evolution as a source of pride for neighborhood residents. It will also become a magnet for new visitors to the park and the Third Ward community.”

For additional details regarding MacGregor Park and to stay informed of the latest updates, visit https://houstonparksboard.org/macgregor-park/.

The post Historic MacGregor Park to Receive Long-Planned Improvements appeared first on Forward Times.

For all of 2023, overall unemployment has been below 4 percent.  These rates are lower than they have been for 50 years.  People should be celebrating these low rates, but instead they are surlily looking askance at the Biden-Harris administration and their accomplishments.  You don’t have to do much more than scratch a potential voter to find a disgruntled citizen.  The statistics don’t much matter to them.  It’s perception that counts more than anything.  And perception is skewed by micro experiences.  The sandwich at the fast food restaurant costs nearly $20 (not to mention you had the priciest sandwich, double fries and a big drink.  The standard meal with drink and fries might have cost you $8); The electric bill was way too high.

It cost you more to fill up your tank than it did three years ago (but it was cheaper than last year, right). People are angry and looking for someone to blame.  The President of the United States is their first target, although the President can’t be blamed for all the economic woes that people are experiencing (or in some cases not experiencing).

It is true that the unemployment rate released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics every first Friday is an imperfect measure of our employment situation.  If you adjust the overall unemployment rate, at 3.7 percent, for those who have dropped out of the labor market, work part-time when they want to work full-time, and consider other measures of underutilization, the unemployment rate looks more like 7 percent.  For African Americans, our 5.3 percent looks more like 10.96 percent, which is a Depression level rate for whites.  Everything is better than it was a year ago and before the beginning of COVID.  But better doesn’t mean equal or equitable.  Better isn’t good enough.

The same is true with the inflation narrative.  A year ago, we were battling an inflation rate of more than 9 percent, and people were panicking about rising prices, supply chain issues, and predatory profiteering.  Now, the rate hovers around 3.2 percent.  Progress, no?  But the pricing that hits most of us hardest, day to day, is food prices.  Food prices are up 25 percent since the beginning of the pandemic.  The groceries that cost $100 two years ago cost $125 now.  People feel it with specific items they are buying, eggs and milk for example.  Economists can talk about good news, but too many people aren’t feeling good news in their pockets.

People aren’t celebrating because they want the right now, not the long run.  Unemployment rates are lower than ever (but not low enough for Black people), inflation is dropping (but not quickly enough for those who are income challenged), and employment means little when wages are low, as they are for the millions who earn less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, or less than $15,000 a year for someone who works 40 hours for 50 weeks.  Even at $15 an hour, or $30,000 a year, that’s hardly a living wage.  And most low-wage workers cobble together two or three jobs, and don’t have health or other benefits.

It’s getting better after COVID.  Half as many workers earn $15 an hour or less than a year ago.  But wages rise slowly, and despite the “help wanted” signs that dot every urban street, too many workers say wages aren’t high enough to fully support them.  So, the economic good news means little to them if their material conditions have not improved.

This is not the first time we’ve had macroeconomic good news and microeconomic angst.  The data say one thing, people’s lives say another.  People aren’t celebrating because even if they are doing great, their outlook is murky.  This is troubling now but may be a deciding factor in the 2024 election.

The post Unemployment and Inflation Rates are Falling…Why Aren’t We Celebrating? appeared first on Forward Times.

ABOVE: Naomi Harris speaks during the inaugural summit of the Union of Southern Social Workers (Photo by John A. Carlos II)

When working people stand together, raise their voice and show their power, they win.

That’s the lesson of 2023, a year in which workers boldly asserted their rights and refused to accept less than their fair share of the value they create.

Through October, nearly 500,000 workers had taken the courageous step of going on strike this year, three times the number that did during the first 10 months of 2022.  And almost 900,000 union workers have won pay hikes of at least 10% over the last year.

AFSCME affiliates across the country have been a part of this wave of strike activity. From workers in Yamhill County, Oregon, to employees in Morgan County, Ohio, school district, AFSCME members withheld their labor until their employer afforded them the respect they deserve.

This is happening across the economy – from health care to hospitality. Writers, actors and other workers in the entertainment industry hung together for months until they finally got a better deal from their employers. Sometimes, just the threat of a strike forces management to soften and cede to workers’ demands. That’s what happened in the standoff between the city of San Jose, California and the Municipal Employees’ Federation–AFSCME Local 101 this summer. Similarly, the Teamsters were prepared to walk off the job at UPS but ultimately didn’t have to, using the leverage of a 97% strike authorization vote to land a historic contract.

Perhaps the year’s highest-profile worker action came from the United Auto Workers. In an unprecedented gambit, the union went on strike against all of the Big Three automakers – Ford, General Motors and Stellantis – at the same time. UAW now has contracts with all three companies that include life-changing raises of up to 160%, as well as greater retirement security and union protections for those working on electric vehicles.

When workers are able to organize, bargain collectively and go on strike when necessary, the benefits are felt, especially in communities of color. Unionization has been an economic lifeline for generations of Black people, in the public as well as the private sector. My father was a bus driver in the city of Cleveland, and while we sure weren’t rich when I was growing up, his union wages and benefits meant that we could have a decent life.

Unions are a force for racial equity. While there are still major pay and wealth gaps between Black and white workers, they would be much larger if not for unions. And in 2022, median earnings for Black union members were more than 20% higher than for Black workers who don’t belong to a union.

No wonder African Americans are more likely to be union members and more likely to support unions than the population at large. So, as we look at strategies for growing the labor movement, organizing Black workers must be a top priority.

Workers of all races are feeling empowered and emboldened, claiming their seat at the table and inspired to take collective action. And strong public support is the wind at our back. Recent polling demonstrates that unions enjoy sky-high approval ratings, particularly among young people. Growing numbers of people want unions to be stronger and believe they are good for the economy.

As we close out 2023 and look ahead to a new year, the challenge for those of us in the labor movement is to build on this momentum. We must continue standing up to the boss and organizing new workers. We must continue bargaining good contracts and electing pro-worker allies. We must continue, every day, to talk about and demonstrate the power of the union difference.

Lee Saunders is president, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

The post Union Momentum is Strong Heading into 2024 appeared first on Forward Times.

Texas Southern University (TSU) professor and alumnus Byron Parker was recently elected as the President of the Association of Black Social Workers-Houston Chapter for the upcoming year. Parker will be inaugurated as president in February 2024 at the Association of Black Social Workers-Houston Chapter Annual Scholarship Luncheon.

Byron Parker, Dr. Gloria Batiste-Roberts and Jeffrey L. Boney at the Association of Black Social Workers of Texas’ 48th Annual Scholarship & Awards Luncheon

Parker has been a member of the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) for decades, previously serving as vice president and social action committee chair of the Houston Chapter. He is a social work consultant in private practice, and a social work educator since 1999, currently serving as visiting social work professor at TSU. Parker received his bachelor’s degree in social work at TSU and his master’s degree in social work from the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. He has over 25 years of experience as a clinical social worker, community organizer, educator, and mental health advocate.

As incoming president, Parker’s platform to lead the Association of Black Social Workers-Houston Chapter includes, bridging the gap between seasoned social workers and the new generation of emerging leaders in the profession. Other initiatives for his administration include helping the organization to become more visible locally; engaging in the advancement of social policy around gun violence and gun control; mentoring and student retention; and the empowerment of vulnerable populations including the elderly, veterans, the homeless, survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking, and formerly incarcerated. He is also passionate about the public health issue of adverse childhood experiences.

Parker credits his mentors for his success and his family as his inspiration for dedicating his life to helping others and serving his community. He considers his faith in God as the key factor in his ability to overcome adversity and rise above the challenges that he has faced in life.

The Association of Black Social Workers-Houston Chapter holds their monthly meetings at SHAPE Community Center, in the historic Third Ward community. For more information on how to become a member, donate, or collaborate, please contact their corresponding secretary at abswhouston@gmail.com.

The post TSU Professor and Alumnus Byron Parker Elected President of the Association of Black Social Workers-Houston Chapter appeared first on Forward Times.