#NNPA BlackPress

MOCA, Music & Mentorship at Morales Radio Hall

ABOVE: The legendary Morales Radio Hall sits in Houston’s Second Ward The City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) develops policies and initiatives that foster an environment in which art and culture flourish. In partnership with MOCA, local musicians and historians gathered at Morales Radio Hall Aug. 30 to discuss mentorship in music. […]
The post MOCA, Music & Mentorship at Morales Radio Hall first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

8 months ago

September 6, 2023

Forward Times Staff

ABOVE: The legendary Morales Radio Hall sits in Houston’s Second Ward

The City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) develops policies and initiatives that foster an environment in which art and culture flourish. In partnership with MOCA, local musicians and historians gathered at Morales Radio Hall Aug. 30 to discuss mentorship in music. Equally as important as the discussion was the setting; the choice of venue is significant, as it has a long and rich history.

Felix and Angela Morales established the Morales Funeral Home in Houston, TX, in 1931. In a time when funeral homes were largely owned by whites and many Hispanic funerals occurred in garages, the Morales family broke the mold. According to their website, they were the first Hispanics to win a contract from the Harris County Commissioners Court to bury indigents. In 1942, Mrs. Morales became the first woman in Harris County to earn a mortician’s license.

Felix and Angela Morales, founders of Morales Funeral Home and Morales Radio Hall

But the couple made history in other ways when they founded Morales Radio Hall in 1946. As Morales Memorial Foundation Board Member Adrian Nieto explains: “This building served as the broadcast facility in Houston for the Houston radio station KLVL in the mid-70s to the mid-90s,” he said. “It’s historic because KLVL was the first full-time Spanish language radio station. It was established in 1950 on Cinco de Mayo by Felix and Angela Morales. Cinco de Mayo is a big holiday, mostly here in the United States, but it’s also Mrs. Morales’ birthday. So, they’re considered broadcast pioneers.”

When the station officially hit the airwaves on May 5, 1950, it was groundbreaking. Nieto shared: “Before that, the Spanish-speaking community in Houston had no information, no news. They didn’t know if there was a hurricane, that a man had landed on the moon, that the president had gotten shot. So it was a major source of news, information and entertainment.” Like the funeral home, the music hall is still standing over 70 years later.

The panel featured recording artist and Forward Times’ very own Lenora; singer-songwriter Michele Thibeaux, who has opened for luminaries like Erykah Badu and EPMD; legendary musician and drummer Jose Martinez; and Chicano music historian Isaac Rodriguez (best known as DJ Simma Down). In 2015, Rodriguez founded Tejas Got Soul, a DJ concert series highlighting Tejano music in Houston. The panel discussion doubled as a deep dive into a treasure trove of Houston music history.

Donnie Houston of the wildly popular Donnie Houston Podcast served as the panel’s moderator and asked the panelists, “How did you find your mentors – or did they find you?”

Lenora affectionately revealed “My first mentor would be my mama – I’m named after her, the OG Lenora.”

Lenora “Doll” Carter was the General Manager of Forward Times while her husband and its Founder Julius Carter served as its CEO/Publisher. But Mr. Carter died of a heart attack in 1971. “The building was bombed, presumably from running a story about things that we sadly still run today — about injustice, calling things out. My grandfather had a heart attack because of the stress of that. And my Mama took up the mantle and became the publisher of Forward Times at just 29 years old — a young widow with two young daughters running a business and never missing a beat.” Lenora was inspired by her grandmother “being a young woman boss and juggling multiple things.”

Panel moderator Donnie Houston poses with panelists Lenora, Jose Martinez, Isaac “DJ Mr. Simmer Down” Rodriguez and Michele Thibeaux (Photo by Elliot Guidry)

Michele Thibeaux recalled one late mentor who “literally pushed me – and I mean with two hands – pushed me on the stage and forced me to learn how to freestyle,” she said. “He literally made me get on the stage and sing ‘Killer Joe’ and I didn’t know it. But these musicians are looking at me like, ‘You know you got to hurry up, right?’”

“My biggest mentor was my father – and a tough one. He gave me my first break to play music,” Jose Martinez recalled. “And as I played with him, he would never really say, ‘Hey, you’re doing good.’ On the contrary, he would say: ‘I don’t think you’re ever going to make it.’ And I would say: ‘I’m gonna show him.’ And that’s what motivated me even more. Finally, a few years later, I got the pleasure of showing him ‘Hey! Here, look what I can do.’”

“I went on to play with orchestras, and they became my mentors. I learned a lot from bandleaders, ‘cause they were 30, 40, some 50 years old — and here I am, 12 and 13,” Martinez remembered. “I’m thankful for all of those who mentored me and gave me a chance.”

Isaac Rodriguez cited Gus Garza, who worked at KLVL from 1968-1971. He played a variety of Tejano music during his one-hour show, three days a week. “He had a show on KPFT (90.1 FM) called ‘Bailando en Tejas” for about 20 years. Every Saturday night, he would play old Tejano and Chicano music.” He focused on Houston, which piqued the interest of Rodriguez, a fourth-generation Houstonian. While working at KPFT, he introduced himself to Garza, whom Rodriguez credits for “schooling me on everything I needed to get me going.”

Rounding out the conversation, Donnie Houston asked how mentors inspired the panelists creatively. Lenora cited Donald Ray “DJ” Johnson Jr., known as “Beanz” of the production duo Beanz n Kornbread and one-third of popular musical trio, Khruangbin. “Beanz is a person that reminds me, in the midst of all of his personal success, that in the creative process, as well as my day-to-day life: The numbers don’t matter. Don’t look at the numbers; you’ve got to look at the impact and every chance you get, be a little more honest. I think that’s the biggest takeaway in my creative process from [Beanz] is just really focusing on impact instead of impressions,” Lenora said.

Thibeaux remembered working with a producer named Russell on a song called “Skydiving.” “For him, it was really about ‘the song comes first.’ I take that with me. No matter what song, no matter what track, no matter what instrument you are playing, just honor yourself. And when you honor yourself, you’re honoring your gift. And when you honor your gift, you’re honoring God.”

Houston Music Advisory Board Chair Jason “Flash Gordon Parks” Woods; panel moderator Donnie Houston; panelists Jose Martinez, Lenora, Isaac “DJ Mr. Simmer Down” Rodriguez, Michele Thibeaux; and Houston Music + Cultural Tourism Officer Gracie Chavez (Photo by Elliot Guidry)

When asked about meaningful ways that the panelists have returned the favor to their mentors, Rodriguez shared that he preserved their legacies by keeping their music in rotation. “These guys were making music on their own record labels. Chicanos, Mexican kids playing soul music, playing rhythm and blues, but also playing the music of their parents – conjunto and Tejano music. They’re as Texan as anything else.” (Conjunto is a Texas-based genre that employs accordion and a 12-string guitar.)

Rodriguez and his partners from Tejas Got Soul also put together a tribute to honor their legacies. “I was kind of like the record nerd that went and found them. But we got these guys back on stage after so many years. One of my mentors, Oscar Villanueva, hadn’t performed in about 40 years, and we put him back on stage right here at the Morales Radio Hall. We closed the street down and we had a big block party. And we took about three or four guys from his era and learned their songs, and we threw a concert free for the community.”

In a moment that seemed to quite literally bridge the gap, Rodriguez continued: “We gathered some of the best musicians in this network and that day we also got Archie Bell (lead singer of the legendary Archie Bell & the Drells group) to come out as a surprise guest. These guys grew up in Fifth Ward. They grew up side by side with the African American community, you know what I’m saying? So, we had to embrace that.”

In honoring and embracing their mentors, the panelists revealed themselves — along with some pivotal Houston music history.

The post MOCA, Music & Mentorship at Morales Radio Hall appeared first on Forward Times.

The post MOCA, Music & Mentorship at Morales Radio Hall first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Forward Times Staff

Posts by Forward Times Staff

Up Next

Unprecedented Investment in Safety, Mobility and Connectivity is Driving the Texas Economy Forward

Don't Miss

Living Alone with Cognitive Decline

Forward Times Staff

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

#NNPA BlackPress

Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.