Laura Onyeneho

United States

Education Reporter at The Houston Defender

📰Lifestyle & Culture Reporter @defendernetwork 🎥 Defender Top 3 Takeaways: Fox 26 HTX 📧 Tips/Ideas: [email protected] Views=Mine

Articles

The protests against ICE raids should concern Black people too

4 days ago | miamitimesonline.com | Laura Onyeneho

There has been a lot happening in politics involving the Trump administration and the nation’s immigration crisis. Many have seen the stories on mainstream news and social media about the ICE raids across the country, and the rising, related protests. It’s like living in the Twilight Zone.
Trump administration targets majority Black nations with travel ban threat

4 days ago | defendernetwork.com | Laura Onyeneho

The Trump administration issued a sweeping demand to 36 countries. Other nations are being told to improve how they screen and document travelers or risk being added to the United States travel ban list. The State Department gave embassies and consulates a 60-day deadline to show cooperation and progress, and instructed embassies to begin gauging each country's response. Of the 36 nations identified, 25 are African.
Summer Time Myths That Impact Black Health

1 week ago | theinnercitynews.com | Laura Onyeneho

For Black communities, summertime health risks come less from the heat than from the misinformation we’ve been told for ages. Courtesy of The Houston DefenderThis post was originally published on Defender NetworkBy Laura OnyenehoWhen summer hits, the cookouts, beach days and long hours in the sun are part of the fun experience. However, for Black communities, some of the biggest health risks come not from the heat, but from the misinformation we’ve been told for ages.
The protests against ICE raids should concern Black people too

1 week ago | defendernetwork.com | Laura Onyeneho

There has been a lot happening in politics involving the state of affairs with the Trump administration and this immigration crisis that this nation is dealing with. Many of you have seen the stories on mainstream news and social media about the ICE raids in Los Angeles and the rising protests. It's almost as if we are living in a Twilight Zone. I've seen the discourse online and in the Black community about their thoughts on this issue.
Summer time myths that impact Black communities health

1 week ago | defendernetwork.com | Laura Onyeneho

When summer hits, the cookouts, beach days and long hours in the sun are part of the fun experience. However, for Black communities, some of the biggest health risks come not from the heat, but from the misinformation we've been told for ages. From sunscreen to swimming, it's time to separate fact from fiction. Because believing these myths can cost more than comfort, it can cost lives.
Damian Valentine shapes leaders through Young Kings Mentoring Organization

2 weeks ago | defendernetwork.com | Laura Onyeneho

Before Damian Valentine was mentoring boys across Houston, he was just a young father trying to lead by example. Raised on James Franklin Street in Acres Homes, Valentine grew up in a home grounded in faith, responsibility, and strong fatherhood. His father, David, was a leader in their family and the community. And like his father, Damian attended George Washington Carver High School and Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). It was at PVAMU that Valentine became a father himself.
Buy now, pay later is just fast food for your wallet

2 weeks ago | defendernetwork.com | Laura Onyeneho

I remember the day I paid off just ONE of my many last student loan installments. It took years of chipping away at debt, watching interest pile on like a punishment for trying to get ahead and it left me with a clear rule that I will never take on debt that I don't have to. So when I see the explosion of "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) loans, especially as more people miss payments, I feel like I'm watching a slow-motion train crash. Klarna just admitted that more of its users are falling behind.
Legacy Project amplifies Black music history at Eldorado Ballroom

3 weeks ago | defendernetwork.com | Laura Onyeneho

As the nation marks Black Music Month this month, the Community Music Center of Houston (CMCH) celebrates its tenth annual Legacy Project at the Eldorado Ballroom in collaboration with Community Artists' Collective to honor its visionary co-founder, the late Ron Scales, on June 8. "Jazz June," as this year's theme calls it, is a full-bodied invocation of Black musical lineage and the community figures who carried it forward.
The Heritage Society offers two Juneteenth tours honoring Black history

3 weeks ago | defendernetwork.com | Laura Onyeneho

Long before Houston's gleaming towers lined the skyline, the land near Buffalo Bayou held a different kind of story, one rooted in labor, loss and the fight for freedom. The Heritage Society is giving that story new life through two powerful Juneteenth tours that explore the Black experience in Houston from slavery to emancipation. Beginning June 7, 2025 and continuing every Saturday and on Juneteenth, visitors can step into a deeply moving educational journey.
Community urges HSPVA leadership to preserve Black History Production legacy

4 weeks ago | defendernetwork.com | Laura Onyeneho

A wave of concern and disappointment swept through the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) community following news that its longstanding Black History Production, a cultural touchstone for over four decades, would no longer continue in its traditional form. The decision was communicated through a letter by HSPVA principal Dr. Priscilla Rivas after rumors had already begun circulating among students and parents.