The Public Affairs Podcast

November is Hip-Hop History Month and for this episode we barely scratch the surface on the origins of hip-hop, the different eras of hip-hop, and the impact that Houston culture has played in hip-hop.  We have H-Town legend and the only DJ who gives a jam, GT Mane, and Orian "LUMP" Lumpkin, founder of On The Leve Promotions to talk about it.  

Cricket presents 97.9 The Box Hip-Hop History Month.  Join us all month as we celebrate the elements of Hip-Hop from DJ's, emcess, break dancers, graffiti artist and more!  For stories, trivia, and more, click TheBoxHouston.com powered by Cricket Wireless.

Back again with the Houston Area Urban League's President & CEO, Judson Robinson. This time he's brought his Senior Vice President, Eric Goodie to discuss  upcoming grants in other community areas.  We also talk about the Houston Area Urban League's coveted EOD Gala, which is back in person with a new date and feel! HAUL is looking forward to Celebrating Black Excellence, honorees who have impacted the community, wonderful music, dancing and food as we celebrate this beloved event at its new annual time Saturday, December 17, 2022.

Houston Area Urban League's President and CEO Judson Robinson and HAUL Housing Council, Joel Benavidez talks about the services offered to our veterans through HAUL.  HAUL Veteran Support Services assist veterans (HUD Vash referral from VA Case Manager), surviving spouse of a veteran and dependent of a veteran with limited financial assistance for rent or mortgage, financial management, credit counseling and referrals as needed.  We also talk about our 1st Aunnual Golf Classic benefitting  HAUL Veteran Support Services.

Sabrina Greenlee (Mother of DeAndre Hopkins, former Texans wide-receiver), is here to talk about SMOOOTH's 100 Shades of Purple will be held on Sunday, October 30, at Bear Creek Pioneers Park, Pavilion 6. Hosted by Sabrina Greenlee, this family-friendly, outdoor event will have food trucks, concessions, a trunk or treat, a raffle, and entertainment. Younger guests will enjoy traditional festival attractions such as face painting, DJ, party games, activity booths, purple balloon release, vendors, moonwalks, costume contests, and live entertainment.  S.M.O.O.O.T.H., Inc. was founded by Sabrina Greenlee in 2013 and is a 501c(3)non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and empower women and children through mentoring, counseling, lectures, and outreach activities. S.M.O.O.O.T.H., gains access to survivors while in transitional centers, assesses their needs, aspirations, and self-awareness to connect them to reputable community resources. They have chapters located in South Carolina, Texas, and Arizona.

David Anderson and Carlos Buentello, from Defi Society Studio, here to explain all things NFT, block chain and crypto currency.  DeFi Society Studio presents: Mad Rabbits Riot Club (MRRC) is a harrowing, yet exhilarating, saga into a raucous world of crypto intrigue, turf wars, and metaverse heists. MRRC in collaboration with Sideways have linked up to bring the world a NFT music album, “Welcome To Gang Wars”.  Mad Rabbits Riot Club is a collection of 7,500 unique Mad Rabbit NFTs— unique digital collectibles living on the Ethereum blockchain.  The collection features profile pictures of cartoon rabbits that are procedurally generated by an algorithm.

100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston is back for their monthly conversation.  This episode we talk to the VP of Operations, Dr. Patrick Jefferson, about the State of Black Man-child in Education happening November 18th and 19th at the Hyatt-Regency Houston.  Register at 100blackmenhou.org 

Nonprofit organization Prevention Zone Inc is hosting their 2nd annual Catalyst for Change Community Forum on October 29, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  at MATCH, 3400 Main Street, Houston, TX  77002.  We talk to Founder and CEO of Prevention Zone Inc.,

Dr. Alauna is the world’s only Trauma Psychiatrist, Educator, and Empathy Expert with the mission to educate every person on how to break the cycle of psychological trauma. She founded the Dr. Alauna Trauma Recovery Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating psychological trauma worldwide by providing affordable public education and professional training in Empathy Skills Practice for Traumatized Humans™. Her message of healing, delivered through her online Trauma Recovery Academy and new podcast Minding Your Amygdala: A Brain, Body, Behavior Podcast, is designed to empower people to move from simply surviving in the face of trauma, to thriving in Your Best Self.  Dr. Alauna also talks about her Trauma C.U.R.E. “Creators Using Radical Empathy” 3-day virtual live event via Zoom on Wednesday, October 26th to Friday, October 28th from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and we have Dr. Conte M. Terrell. “Dr. Conte” is one of the nation’s most sought-after experts in family violence and healthy relationships, an international best-selling published author and speaker. Her journey started after surviving a ten-year marriage to a physically abusive ex-spouse. In 1997, her personal experience and passion to assist others compelled her to start Fresh Spirit Wellness for Women, Inc. a nonprofit organization assisting domestic violence survivors and families affected by this crisis, to help them reclaim their power.  Also joining the conversation is domestic violence survivor, Zwana Graham.  Zwana is a single mother of 3 who moved to Houston to start over completely escaping domestic violence. 

October is National Bullying Prevention Month.  According to a recent federal survey, 1 out of every 5 students report being bullied. And students with learning disabilities report greater rates of victimization.  In a powerful new book – CANARIES AMONG US – author KAYLA TAYLOR reveals with stark vulnerability the joy and heartache inherent in raising a child who doesn't fit society's definition of "normal"— and ultimately offers a searing indictment of a system that fails to protect some of the most vulnerable.  On October 11, Taylor will share what she learned during her quest to find out why American schools are so ill-equipped to deal with issues like mental health, learning differences, and bullying. We talk to Kayla about her book and National Stop Bullying Day which is October 12.

Veteran Music Industry Exec, Benny Pough, has released his first memoir, On Impact: Life, Leadership and Betting on Yourself!  Benny, is a respected and influential name the music industry. Having held executive roles at major record labels like Motown, Def Jam and MCA Records, including his tenure as the former Executive Vice President of Epic Records and the former President of Roc Nation Music, Benny has been instrumental in positioning the sound and culture of music, worldwide, by breaking radio hits for superstar artists such as Jay-Z, Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, DJ Khaled, The Roots, Travis Scott, Future, Yo Gotti, and 21 Savage, just to name a few.  In 2014, a near-fatal car accident changed Benny’s life forever. Today, that transformative experience has prompted him to share his story with the world through the release of his first memoir. With On Impact, Benny is poised to inspire others by sharing truths that guided him through years of unparalleled success - from intern to CEO.

Jeremy Lahar, CEO, Speaker, Mentor, Sergeant and now Author is the husband to his beautiful wife Ceon Lahar and the proud father of his three amazing children Kari, Alaina and Kingston.  Houston Police Department’s Public Affairs-Community Outreach Unit selected Jeremy to be featured as one of their public speakers at over 100 different engagements where topics such as personal safety, identity theft, senior citizen safety, police and citizen interaction, child safety, among others were covered. During his time in Public Affairs, Jeremy was the visionary for several HPD Public Affairs projects and events including, The Badges and Bears Project, The Senior Citizen Interaction Program, The Triple C Podcast (Cops Communicating with the Community) and a series of public-safety educational video segments entitled, “Feet On The Street,” created to spotlight a more light-hearted and humanistic side of law enforcement.

We talk to 100 Black Men of Metro Houston's, Donald Naylor, education conference co-chair, on why is education so important for our youth and how education empowers youth to become tomorrows leaders. We also discuss the Education conference "State of Black Man Child in Education" happening November 18th & 19th, 2022. 

Former teacher David Parker delivers a crash course in economics in his book, Income and Wealth. His three main points? Why income and wealth are two different things; how wealth can be created on a minimum-wage income; and why it’s essential that government intervention in the lives of individuals be scaled back.  In Income and Wealth, Parker provides a detailed analysis of how someone earning minimum wage can become financially independent in one decade, drawing upon the business and economic insights he formed during 40 years of studying economic history and principles, teaching in public schools, and being a professional musician and real estate developer.

Texas Southern University hosted the prestigious NASA "HBCU/MSI Technology Infusion Road Tour" September 13-15, giving the University and its students access to unique internships, and providing faculty and staff with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and research-focused partnership opportunities.  Our guest is Dr. Michelle Penn-Marshall, Vice President of Research & Innovation. The event will also provide TSU with a platform to showcase its research capabilities. Each day attendees are invited to networking sessions with participating federal government representatives, NASA Center leads, and NASA prime contractors to introduce and build relationships to enhance partnerships and maximize opportunities. The final day of the event will include technical workshops catering to those new to Federal partnerships, as well as to those who are more seasoned, to assist participants in strengthening their organization's readiness to apply for NASA funding.