The death last week of Houston native George Floyd while in police custody, prompted protests across the country. Dr. Rheeda Walker is a clinical psychologist and psychology professor at the University of Houston and says a simple explanation is frustration. “People are sick and tired and there doesn’t seem to be a reasonable solution on the horizon and people are ready for change,” she said. “People are angry and hurt and also traumatized and frustrated and not knowing what the solution is.” Her new book is titled “The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health” and focuses on the increased challenges African Americans face in dealing with stress, anxiety and depression. She says the traumatic video of Floyd being held face down for almost nine minutes is a trigger for recurring anxiety. “The research has started to reveal that for weeks and sometimes months after watching these traumatic videos, African Americans have lingering physical and psychological symptoms.”
Watch the interview on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall and view the full interview with Dr. Rheeda Walker below.
What is the plan for HISD next school year?
- A-In-Person classroom attendance
- B-Virtual/online classroom instruction
- C-Teachers teaching virtually
- D- All of the above
If you answered D, you’d be correct. HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan, Ph.D. is a guest on this week’s Houston Newsmakers and says everything is on the table to make sure the districts 210 thousand students can be back in school in some capacity. She says they hope to make a decision by mid-June about which ways will work best. For now Summer school is the priority. “For virtual summer school we’ve identified 40-thousand students that will have live interactions via computer with a classroom teacher,” she said. “All other 160-thousand students in the district are encouraged to also take advantage of HISD at home summer enrichment opportunity.”
The GOP hopes diversity and Wesley Hunt can win back the 7th Congressional District
Wesley Hunt would be straight out of GOP central casting if there was such a thing. A thirty something, African American West Point Graduate with multiple Masters degrees, he is a reflection of what the Republican party is doing nationally to try to field more diverse candidates. He says what he learned in the military will keep him focused on getting the best job done for the 7th Congressional district and that it starts with beating Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. Quite frankly Lizzie Fletcher broke her promise from day one when she voted for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House and she has since then voted with her 98% of the time,” Hunt said. See what else he says makes him the best person to turn the 7th back from blue to red on this week’s Houston Newsmakers.
Watch this week’s Houston Newsmakers Sunday morning at 10:30am
- More Information:
Grenita Lathan, Ph.D., HISD Interim Superintendent
- Website: https://bit.ly/2ZSsEJW
- Phone: 713-556-6300
- Twitter: @HoustonISD
- Twitter: @HISDSupe
Rheeda Walker, Ph.D. UH Psychology Professor, Author-Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health
- Website: https://bit.ly/2ZMFt8K
- Phone: 832-862-1107
- Twitter: @rheedawalkerphd
- Twitter: @UHouston
- Email: Walkerpsychphd@gmail.com
Wesley Hunt, (R), Candidate, 7th Congressional District
- Website https://www.wesleyfortexas.com
- Phone: 713-244-6369
- Twitter: @wesleyhuntTX
- Email: Info@wesleyfortexas.com