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Brandon Caldwell

Stories by Brandon

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The Girl From Oakland, California Made a Difference

Remembering Team Style Mag's Cecilia M. Austin

The girl from Oakland, California made a difference. Every space, arena and conversation Cecilia Austin entered into, she would scan to see who to speak to before alerting the world of her presence. She would flash an imperfect smile but behind it would be something no dentist could align properly, something no one could judge but instead embrace: heart.

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Blow The Whistle - Trump & The Impeachment Inquiry

House Democrats have subpoenaed documents from Rudy Giuliani as they press forward with the Trump impeachment inquiry.

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Deadpool 2 Supersedes Expectations

The main selling point of superhero films, whether they belong to the DC or Marvel Universes are stakes. Most of then end up with a villain who wants to take over the world, via some malevolent force or action.

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Miguel, SiR Bring the Heat to Warehouse Live

Miguel, at his core, is a rock star wrapped in an R&B singer’s silhouette. When he’s on stage, as he was Tuesday night at Warehouse Live, all eyes were on him. There were strategic lighting placements and rigs to give off more of a show, but the “Adorn” singer couldn’t help himself. There were wardrobe changes; he slid out of his leather jacket to sport different fashionable T-shirts and ultimately serenaded a sold-out crowd with a steady diet of sexually charged bedroom bangers and funk-R&B songs.

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Texas Southern University to Establish New Criminal Justice Research Center

Texas Southern University continues to be a leader in the progression towards criminal justice reform. The historically black college and university recently announced the establishment of the Center for Justice Research or CJR. The center is the latest in an initiative designed to produce innovative solutions to criminal justice reform and address challenges in America’s criminal justice system.

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Rep. Shelia Jackson-Lee, Rep. John Lewis Host Townhall On Criminal Justice Reform

With civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) in attendance, a townhall on criminal justice reform Wednesday became the center for a larger discussion about one of the more troubling civil issues facing America currently.

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Shea Serrano’s Life Story Is Set to Come to ABC

The New York Times best-selling author of ‘The Rap Year Book: The Most Important Rap Song From Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed’ and ‘Basketball (and Other Things): A Collection of Questions Asked, Answered, Illustrated’ is set to pen a pilot to an upcoming ABC comedy helmed by ‘Parks And Recreation’ creator Mike Schur. The premise for the single-camera comedy focuses on Serrano’s childhood in San Antonio where his five uncles all had varying perspectives on manhood.

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Trae the Truth and Cricket Wireless Team Up to Aid Hurricane Harvey Victims

Cricket Wireless and Trae Tha Truth teamed up to continue relief efforts in the Houston-area following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. The wireless provider and legendary Houston rapper’s Angels By Nature foundation helped deliver mattresses to families across the city.

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"Marshall" Is A Measured, Solid Biopic

The parallels between the American justice system of say the late 1940s and today aren’t so much different, especially with matters of race. Even as more crime procedurals hit television, real-life has shaped our beliefs of the justice system and a fair deal. Hollywood also knows this. It’s also figured out a way to navigate the space of telling good to great biopics in the same time frame. In “Marshall,” the story of the first African-American Supreme Court Justice and arbiter of the Civil Rights Movement doesn’t roll out a point A-to-B story, or even rundown his life’s work like the re-telling of a Wikipedia page. Instead, the latest Chadwick Boseman starring biopic centers around one of the first significant cases he argued and won.

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Standing with Jemele Hill Is Standing On The Side of Right

Two weeks ago, Jemele Hill became the most famous, or somewhat infamous sports-media personality in America.

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A Houston Paramedic Who Saved Lives During Harvey Now Faces Potential Deportation With DACA Ruling

Life for Houston-area paramedic Jesus Contreras has not been the same since Hurricane Harvey. Contreras worked six consecutive days, rescuing people from floodwaters and taking some individuals to local area hospitals. Contreras’ job through the hectic days that followed the storm’s initial landfall on August 24 made it impossible for him to consider his own well-being throughout.

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Jay-Z’s “Moonlight” Video Is A ‘Black Friends’ Episode With A Twist

A loaded cast mocks Friends and real-life in Jay-Z’s “Moonlight” video.

Jay-Z has released the latest video from his 4:44 album. Centered around the “Moonlight” / “La La Land” snafu at this year’s Academy Awards, “Moonlight” from Hov is a call to wonder why people are still signing with labels and entities knowing that they may get screwed over in the end.

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75 St & Canal C0: Born From Family

Every entrepreneur has his or her ups and downs. Go to any seminar across the country and you will hear one individual lament on the hardships taken to get to a certain perch. In the case of Victor Bernal, or as he is better known in Houston - DJ Prolyfic, the battle to get to a certain position occurred on two fronts, personal and professional.  

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Smokey Robinson Debuts Skincare Regimen Partnership With Skinphonic

Smokey Robinson is one of America’s more eternal frontmen; the “King of Motown” not only crafted the words we used to serenade girlfriends, crushes and wives, he managed to look youthful throughout his career. Now with his wife Frances, the collaboration between the pair and some of America’s top skincare formulators and renowned skin specialist Dr. Edward Dickerson have resulted in a product just for you. Skinphonic is a skincare solution product designed specifically to battle needs faced by people of color.

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The Worldly Eats Of The Hard Rock Cafe

Burger lovers will bring themselves to a venue to try anything. A foodie will simply add to their palate whenever brought into a setting that begs for adventure and optimism. The Hard Rock Cafe, the legendary establishment with the largest collection of music memorabilia in the world, isn’t starting anew, it’s bringing its vintage look and vital presentation to a modern audience. That starts not only with the World Burger Tour but also an upcoming spotlight on live music with Hard Rock Rising.

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Kurios Review

Cirque De Soleil has not only taken over the idea of the “big top” with its extravagant exhibitions of artistry, they’ve rolled out series in the name of Michael Jackson & more. KURIOS, the latest series from the performance art troupe lived up to the predetermined hype in Houston.

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Faith & Relaxation: A Weekend on Grand Bahama Island

Explaining the Bahamas to someone as a child is akin to detailing “Fantasy Island”. Your mind immediately begins tip-toeing across images of white beaches, beautiful women and clear blue water. Of fancy drinks and authentic seafood and a general hospitality that would make any etiquette coach beam with pride. That’s the Americanized version of the Bahamas, a tourist destination where one could wipe away their worries while kicked back with a Nassau Royal with an umbrella to twirl around.

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Marvel Finally Nails A Dud With Iron Fist

Every company is due for a dud. Marvel had given its three other Defenders properties their own identity and appeal. Daredevil took up Hell’s Kitchen with plenty of Catholic virtue about revenge wrapped around a constantly tectonic shift. Jessica Jones gave more weight to its characters and the power of will. Luke Cage allowed Harlem to breathe as a living set piece from music to ideology on down. So where in New York did that leave Iron Fist? The most supernatural of the four Defenders characters, his story seemed far more intriguing on a surface level than his three counterparts.

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'Iron Fist' Is The First Marvel Netflix Series You'll Struggle With

Marvel bet big on Netflix's The Defenders rolling out to strong success. How Iron Fist became the first dud of the saga.

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Mahershali Ali: How the Oakland Native Went From Ball Player to Rapper to Academy Award Winner

Long before Oakland, California saw one of its big- gest sons rise on the national stage at the Academy Awards last Sunday, he had spent the previous week tending to his wife.

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GameStop Announces Limited Supply Of Nintendo Switch Systems

GameStop has announced stores will have a limited supply of Nintendo Switch systems available for walk-in customers on the March 3 launch day.

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Black Culture In The Age Of Weariness

No matter where you turn, the state and local governments are making headlines, both for the good and for the bad. Regardless of what’s going on in Washington with our current President of the United States, the news has made a considerable trickle down to Texans and most importantly, Houstonians.

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Nike Football’s Super Bowl Gives Back to Yates and Wheatley Students

Nike Football’s Super Bowl contribution wasn’t in the form of a massive party. Or even a display dedicated to their long standing relationship with the athletic community whether it be on the field or training. Instead the longstanding sportswear giant chose to give back to two outstanding football communities from two of the more historic districts in the city.

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I Am Not Your Negro: A Time Capsule Into the Past And the Future

The set up for Raoul Peck’s “I Am Not Your Negro” is reflective of the times. Baldwin, one of Black America’s foremost voices on race relations in the 1960s to the point he’s been lionized for all time is made to feel as if he’s speaking for the current. No less than five minutes into Peck’s film are we shown various scenes of anguish and protest from Ferguson, Missouri. It’s the film’s biggest allegory that Baldwin’s work, even when originally framed around the deaths of three of his friends can be echoed for all time.

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Black History & The Education Of Hidden Figures

At schools across the country, the vibrancy of February is all the same. There are the morning announcements, with school wide events announced; birthdays lauded, teachers and school teams having imaginary flowers thrown on their name. Then comes the obligatory read out of a Black History Month figure. Some students roll their eyes of boredom, others, too disinterested to care. Yet there is one student, his or her ears perked up, waiting to feed into someone new. They’re anticipating a new fact, a new lesson, a new hero to look upon.

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The Coachella 2017 Lineup Is Out: Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar & Radiohead To Headline

Hans Zimmer performing means Coachella is sick & tired of playing with other festivals.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has emerged as the yearly big bad when it comes to music festivals. The 2017 lineup was announced earlier this morning with headliners Radiohead, Beyoncé & Kendrick Lamar. The lineup also features heavy hitters such as Gucci Mane making his Coachella debut, Lorde making her return and more. The festival will once again take place on two separate weekends from April 14 to 16, and April 21 through 23. All of the action will take place at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California.