Public Interest

HOUSTON, TX – Dr. Matthews toured Vance Plaza Apartments, also known as Vance Gardens, located at 7301 Jensen Drive, alongside residents who alleged unsafe and unsanitary living conditions at the property during what she described as the first apartment visit under Houston’s newly passed slumlord ordinance. https://youtu.be/ApShLNzmv1Q?si=Cimf3Pz6MmbxfMWu During the walkthrough, residents pointed to alleged structural damage, mold, plumbing issues, sewage concerns, pest infestations, damaged stairways, exposed areas around units, and water intrusion inside apartments. One resident alleged management attempted to evict her after a dispute involving rent payments and stated a judge later dismissed the case. Another resident alleged tenants were unable to access their mail after ma...

HOUSTON, TX – Activist Dr. Matthews and Houston City Council At-Large Councilmember Willie Davis toured the Sterling Point Apartments following the recent passage of a City of Houston ordinance aimed at targeting apartment complexes with repeated code and safety violations. https://youtu.be/CAs1Y1Sy4jE During the walkthrough, Dr. Matthews and residents raised concerns about broken gates, possible fire hazards, pest infestations, mold, damaged structures, and other maintenance issues at the property. Dr. Matthews stated the ordinance now carries penalties ranging from $250 to $2,000 per day per citation for apartment owners found in violation. Councilmember Davis said the ordinance was refined to avoid penalizing compliant apartment owners while targeting what he described as “ba...

HOUSTON, TX – The owner of a Fuel Depot gas station in the Sunnyside area responded and met with Dr. Matthews after a protest over allegations involving a child. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt3zaUB2NQo The protest followed claims that a clerk shared video of a young boy using the restroom outside, leading to bullying at school. The store is located at 4420 Bellfort Ave between Scott and Cullen. In the meeting, the owner stated that, based on surveillance footage reviewed with the Houston Police Department, the child did not enter the gas station at any time and was not refused service. The owner also stated the employee involved had been terminated before the situation was reported by the media and stated the employee’s actions were wrong. During a press conference, th...

HOUSTON, TX – Activists and community members, led by Quanell X and Dr. Matthews, held a protest at Fuel Depot in the Sunnyside area after allegations involving a child. https://youtu.be/S5Cj0ESGkMQ The store is located at 4420 Bellfort Ave between Scott and Cullen. According to statements made at the scene, those gathered said a young boy was forced to use the restroom outside, and that a store clerk later shared video of the incident with other students. The situation prompted calls for the store owner to respond and for changes to be made. The incident is now at the center of a police investigation after a report was filed regarding a video of the situation being circulated, leading to bullying at school. The report was filed after the child’s grandmother contacted police ...

HOUSTON, TX – Quanell X and Dr. Candice Matthews confronted the owner of a Hartz Chicken location following a viral video that allegedly shows an employee using a racial slur toward a customer. https://youtu.be/ff4wbnVEQxo The incident happened at a Hartz Chicken Buffet in north Houston, located at 12231 Eastex Fwy, Houston, TX 77039. During remarks on-site, Dr. Matthews stated the group responded after seeing the video and said the employee involved no longer works at the location. She said they would not normalize the use of racial slurs toward customers and demanded action from the business. Quanell X demanded several actions, including immediate termination of the employee, improved customer service training for staff, a public apology from the owner to the Black communit...

HOUSTON, TX – Local activists, led by Quanell X and Dr. Matthews, held a press conference and protest outside Houston Police Department headquarters regarding officer Ashley Gonzalez. https://youtu.be/dnelBILjyLs During the event, speakers demanded the immediate termination of Ashley Gonzalez, citing a video rant they described as offensive and unacceptable. They stated opposition to any option allowing resignation instead of firing and called on department leadership to take decisive action. Activists warned that allowing resignation could enable Gonzalez to seek employment at another agency and described it as a pattern that allows misconduct to go unaddressed. They also called for her state license to be revoked. Speakers urged the Houston Police Officers’ Union to decli...