Mayoral candidates want change at Houston Newsmakers, business breakfast, sleep-out to help homeless youth and more

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Khambrel Marshall speaks with Houston Mayoral candidates Lee Kaplan and Gilbert Garcia, who continue to demand change.

• The Houston chapter of the National Black MBA Association is celebrating its 40th anniversary and inviting its members to a breakfast.

• Covenant House is hosting a fundraiser that allows people to sleep outside to help homeless youth.

Watch Houston Newsmakers at 10 a.m. on KPRC 2 and KRPC 2+

Lee Kaplan is running for new leadership in Houston

Houston Mayoral Candidate Lee Kaplan knows his poll numbers tell a story that won’t put him in the winner’s column on Election Day, but he says quitting isn’t in his DNA and hopes at least part of his message for change got through.

“We need someone new,” he said. “Someone who’s never been in politics, never been a Metro chairman, never been in the state legislature for 50 years, and never run for something or other, and is tied to Congress.”

He talks about what he’s learned from voters on the campaign trail and his biggest concerns for the city in the coming years.

Gilbert Garcia says voters deserve the truth

Houston mayoral candidate Gilbert Garcia has spent millions of his own money on the Houston mayoral race. He says it was all worth it, even though the polls showed him far behind in the race, according to voters polled by the Hobby School of Public Affairs. On Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall this week, he said the only poll that counts is the one polled by voters on Election Day, and he’s seeing results from his campaign’s push for financial transparency.

“Silence is no longer acceptable,” he said. “We need to know where we stand financially. We have to admit that the $400 million surplus, or whatever they call it, isn’t really there. This is a facade. We must accept that we are balancing our budget through stimulus funds.

Garcia says his name recognition has dropped from zero to 50% since his campaign began, and his only regret may be that he didn’t join the race sooner.

The National Black MBA Association will hold a 40th anniversary Jazz Brunch

The 40th anniversary of the Houston chapter of the National Black MBA Association will be celebrated in style on November 12th. Marcus Franklin is president of the Houston chapter and is a guest this week along with former president Errol Allen, who he talks about. history of the organization, mentoring programs helping generations, and plans for breakfast at the Community Collective (formerly the Power Center).

Leaders are preparing to sleep outside to help homeless youth and Covenant House

The goal is to raise more than $1 million for Covenant House Texas, an organization that helps homeless youth.

“We have two residential programs, an emergency shelter that meets the immediate needs of these kids as soon as they come off the street,” said Covenant House Texas Executive Director Leslie Bourne. “We have a transition program where they can stay for 18 to 24 months while they work and save.”

To raise more than $1 million for the programs, executives from across Houston agreed to sleep outside for pledges of support.

“Once you do it, you definitely want to go back and do it again,” said Sean Maher, co-chairman of Sleep Out Executive Edition 2023. you spend time with young people. You hear about their lives. You hear what they’re going through.”

Tune in this week to learn more or learn how to sign up to support a sleepover or one.

For more on this week’s Houston Newsmakers

· Lee Kaplan, (D) Candidate for Mayor of Houston

· Website: https://kaplanforhoustonmayor.com/

· Gilbert Garcia, candidate for mayor of Houston

· Website: https://garciaforhouston.com/

· Marcus Franklin, president of the Houston chapter of the Black MBA Association

· Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/houston-black-mba-40th-anniversary-legacy-jazz-brunch-tickets-715117825667#:~:text=The%20Houston%20Black%20MBA%2040th , live%20jazz%20music%20and%20celebration.

· Errol Allen, past president of the Houston chapter of the Black MBA Association

· Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/houston-black-mba-40th-anniversary-legacy-jazz-brunch-tickets-715117825667#:~:text=The%20Houston%20Black%20MBA%2040th , live%20jazz%20music%20and%20celebration.

· Leslie Bourne, Executive Director, Covenant House Texas Houston Mayoral Candidate

· Website: https://www.covenanthousetx.org/

· Sean Maher, co-chairman, Sleep Out-Executive Edition 2023

· Website: https://www.covenanthousetx.org/