Forward Times

07/24/2025

Culture, creativity, and community came together at the Cultureverse Summer Camp in Freedmen’s Town! We had the pleasure of speaking with students about their favorite moments and caught up with Edupreneur Victoria Brown, who shared what she hopes they carry with them beyond the camp.

Big thanks to and for making this experience impactful and unforgettable for the youth!

07/24/2025

There’s a redistricting scheme underway — and the congressional redistricting committee is meeting right here in Houston.

📍 University of Houston – Student Center South
🗓 Saturday, July 26 at 11AM

President Trump wants Texas Republicans to redraw maps to eliminate minority districts and create 5 more GOP seats. That means majority-Black and Brown districts like TX-09, TX-18, TX-29, and TX-33 are on the chopping block.

If you care about your vote, your community, or your representation — you need to be in that room.

Show up. Speak out. The maps they draw now will impact us for the next decade.

https://www.forwardtimes.com/editorial/minority-congressional-districts-targeted/article_4f807d9f-4387-4943-9360-6aff17dddb4a.html

07/23/2025

Our interns Kendall and Jaia recently visited the Forward Times archive at the African American Library at The Gregory School in Houston, TX.

Thanks to a new grant, 65 years of Forward Times history is being digitized and preserved — making this powerful record of Black journalism fully accessible through the Houston Public Library.

Preserving the legacy of the Black press isn’t just about honoring the past — it’s about protecting truth, culture, and community for future generations.

07/22/2025

Forward Times had the honor of speaking with Sharon L. Fletcher, Executive Director of ,at the Cultureverse Summer Camp hosted in partnership with

In this video, she shares how the camp connects youth to the powerful legacy of Freedmen’s Town and why preserving this history matters now more than ever. 🏛️📖

07/22/2025

Whether just starting, continuing, or relaunching your educational journey, you can gain real-world insights into your chosen majors or industries with our virtual labs, simulations, and projects. Benefit from small class sizes and 8-week courses that provide personalized attention and help you accelerate your academic journey. No matter what Your Why, at Lone Star College-Houston North, Our Why is You.

Registration is open!
Fall classes begin August 25.

Get your application ready at LoneStar.edu/HNApply
For more information, contact [email protected] or call 281.260.3500.

LoneStar.edu/HoustonNorth

07/21/2025

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the celebrated actor and cultural trailblazer, has died at 54 while on a family vacation. Known for his pioneering role as “Theo” on the “Cosby Show” and impactful contributions to film and television, his legacy endures.

Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this time of profound loss.

07/21/2025

This week, we spotlight Ashley Lazzare —a Houston-based model, content creator, and Ph.D. candidate who is redefining what it means to show up fully in your truth. Whether she’s striking a pose in head-turning ensembles or speaking truth through braided hairstyles that defy gravity, Ashley doesn’t just wear fashion—she embodies it as a form of storytelling, resistance, and healing.

Born in Haiti and now pursuing her Ph.D. in Global Inclusion & Social Development, Lazarre brings a fresh lens to the intersection of activism, academia, and aesthetic expression.

Tag your best looks with for a chance to be featured in the Forward Times digital and print edition—circulated to over 64,000 readers!

Read the full roundup at

https://www.forwardtimes.com/a_and_c/ashley-lazarre-is-crowned-in-purpose/article_606488e7-a57e-435d-9374-ce769c0f749c.html

07/19/2025

Stress, anxiety, and emotional trauma don’t just weigh on us mentally — they can weaken our immune systems, disrupt sleep, and cause real physical pain.

In our latest story, explore why this disconnect is so common in the Black community, and how reclaiming our health starts with listening to ourselves.

https://www.forwardtimes.com/a_and_c/when-the-mind-hurts-the-body-knows-the-vital-link-between-mental-and-physical-wellness/article_b915c3fb-28d6-4e31-8a40-43afd75b83b1.html

Today, we talk about mental health in ways we never have before, and those conversations are shining a light on struggles that many have silently carried for generations. As the

07/18/2025

This National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, Forward Times is continuing our annual focus on the mental wellness of Black communities and other communities of color.

Too often, mental health is treated as secondary — or not talked about at all. Yet it impacts everything: how we live, how we heal, and how we show up in the world.

According to the FDA, in 2020, fewer than half of African American adults who needed mental health care received it. That’s not just a statistic — it’s a call to action.

Throughout the month, we’ll be sharing stories from our contributors and interns that shine a light on the personal, systemic, and cultural dimensions of mental health — and the resources available to support you.

https://www.forwardtimes.com/health/your-mental-health-matters/article_69bf1135-c60c-42c5-a699-584ae09a0ffb.html

07/17/2025

For Byron Canady, purpose guides everything—from the comics he stocks to the space he creates for community. Gulf Coast Cosmos has reopened in a new brick storefront at 2408 Wheeler Avenue, just steps from where generations once picked up snacks and stories.

The location isn’t just symbolic—it’s a return to roots. “I’m where I’m supposed to be,” Canady tells the Forward Times.

https://www.forwardtimes.com/a_and_c/your-friendly-neighborhood-comic-bookstore-byron-canady-continues-his-mission-with-gulf-coast-cosmos-new/article_706c3dbb-beac-4ab8-92c9-f6ea86cf9491.html

07/17/2025

After years of experiencing — and hearing about — vague, selectively enforced dress codes across Houston, City Council Member Edward Pollard is pushing for change. His newly proposed amendment would require clubs and dance halls to publicly post any dress code policies at the door, bringing long-overdue transparency to the city’s nightlife scene.

Pollard spoke exclusively with the Forward Times about his personal experiences and the broader implications for equity and access.

https://www.forwardtimes.com/a_and_c/forward-times-exclusive-councilman-pollard-pushes-to-change-discriminatory-dress-code-practices-in-houston/article_57661a16-26d0-4f80-b1e1-be3181c7b965.html

07/15/2025

Home prices have surged 60% since 2019. Existing home sales are down. And only 1 in 7 renters can afford a median-priced home.

The Black homeownership gap hasn’t closed. Climate costs and property taxes are rising fast.

Now, Reps. Maxine Waters, Al Green, Sylvia Garcia, and Ayanna Pressley are backing legislation to deliver direct relief to first-generation buyers.

Harvard’s 2025 Housing Report lays out what’s at stake.

Read more at https://www.forwardtimes.com/editorial/harvard-report-black-homeownership-gains-have-halted/article_38048fab-e04a-4e0e-afac-4a8ba798630b.html