A Chance To Make Houston Women's History

I got back to Houston as early voting cranked up again after the holiday break for our December 14 midterm election.

You can early vote at any location from 7 AM-7 PM from today until December 10.   On Sunday December 8 you can do so from  1-6 PM.  Final day to handle your early voting business is on December 10. 

My TransGriot endorsements for the Houston runoff election are here.

While I was in Da Ville, I noted that we have a chance to do in this runoff election something as historic as the #BlackGirlMagic Judges.

We have the chance to elect an unprecedented in Houston history six Black women to The Horseshoe as part of a first ever female majority City Council.

CM Martha Castex Tatum's spot is already assured on the new council.  She was reelected to represent District K back on November 5. 

In District B, a Black woman is assured to be the next council rep for that area.   The runoff elections will feature Tarsha Jackson,  who received 20% of the vote to lead a crowded fourteen person field to succeed term limited CM Jerry Davis, in either Cynthia Bailey or Renee Jefferson Smith.

That seat will be determined in a special election once the court drama between Bailey and Jefferson-Smith is resolved over whether Bailey is eligible as an ex offender with a felony conviction to hold public office in Texas.

Several of the city council runoffs  have a Black woman running in them

In District D, former HCC board of trustees chair Carolyn Evans Shabazz is running against Brad 'Scarface' Jordan from the Geto Boys rap group.. 

In District F, which is my council district, former Alief ISD board member Tiffany Thomas is running against Van Huynh, the former chief of staff for outgoing councilmember Steve Le who decided not to run for reelection.

In the runoff election for the At Large 3 seat, Janaeya Carmouche is taking on anti-HERO incumbent councilmember Michael Kubosh

In the at Large 4 race to succeed CM Amanda Edwards, who surprisingly decided not to seek reelection and jump into the US Senate race, Dr. Letitia Plummer is taking on white supremacist Anthony Dolcefino.

Add to it the one in District A in which Amy Peck is trying to succeed term limited CM Brenda Stardig. and in the At Large 5 race between Sallie Alcorn and Eric Dick.

The one in the diverse Gulfton area District J between Sandra Rodriguez and anti-HERO transphobe Edward Pollard to succeed term limited CM Mike Laster also has the potential to make history.

If Rodriguez is successful in her District J race, it would be the first time we have had two Latinas serving on Houston city council together.  It would also mean that with CM Robert Gallegos being reelected in District I, three Latinx councilmembers would be sitting in the Horseshoe for the first time. 

The hotly contentious battle in District C between Abbie Kaman and Shelley Kennedy guarantees a woman will emerge as the rep for that seat that stretches from Meyerland to Montrose . 

The equally as contentious one in District H between Isabel Longoria and incumbent CM Karla Cisneros guarantees a Latina will sit on the new council representing that predominately Latinx district.

If all these women win their races on December 14, it means that Houston would have a historic eleven women on city council   A diverse group of women councilmembers that would comprise two Latinas, three White women, and six Black women.

But if you want that to happen, you must vote for it starting today and on December 14 to become a reality. 

Sarah Thomas Making NFL History Again

It's often said in sports circles that the best officials are ones whose names don't get in the headlines or don't make ESPN Sports Center for making bad calls. 

Sarah Thomas' name is in the headlines again because she is a trailblazer, and that's always a good thing.

The Mississippi native and mother of three kids is in her fourth season as a NFL official, and is STILL making history.  She is the first woman to not only officiate in an NFL preseason and regular season game, she is also the first to officiate in a regular season college game, a college bowl game, and the first to do so in a Big Ten Conference stadium.

The other interesting note for me is that Thomas' first NFL game was right here in Houston.  She was part of  referee Pete Morelli's officiating crew working the September 13, 2015 game at NRG Stadium between the Kansas City Chiefs and my Texans.

When the playoff game between the Los Angeles Changers and New England Cheatriots Patriots kicks off this weekend at Gillette Stadium, Thomas will become the first woman to officiate an NFL playoff game.

If you're wondering how NFL referees get assigned to the high stakes playoff games, it is based on a merit system.    Officials are individually graded by the league office for their work on every play during regular season games.

The system takes into account calls the make or don't make.   There are also subjective elements that play a part in the evaluations such as communication, decisiveness, game management, rules knowledge and positioning on the field.

The scores are tabulated, and the officials are placed in three tiers.  Tier I officials are eligible to work in the Super Bowl or the AFC and NFL conference championship games.   Tier II officials are assigned to the wild card or divisional round playoff games 

If you're in Tier III, you not only don't work any playoff games, you are probably looking at being placed on probation.   Two consecutive years in Tier III leads to your dismissal from the NFL's officiating ranks. 

We now know based on her assignment to this divisional round playoff game, that Sarah Thomas was in the Tier II group of officials for the 2018 NFL season.   Hopefully one day we will see her make more history officiating a conference championship game or a Super Bowl.

It's a safe bet that will probably happen for her sooner rather than later. 

Is Becky Hammon Becoming An NBA Head Coach?

Becky Hammon already made history as the first full time female assistant coach in NBA history when the San Antonio Spurs hired her in 2014.

Now she's on the verge of making NBA and sporting history again.

The 41 year old Hammon was a six time WNBA All-Star and Olympian with the Russian national team in 2008 and 2012.   She made history on August 5, 2014 when she was hired as an assistant by Gregg Popovich.   Hammon not only became the first full time female head coach in NBA history and second ever, she was the first full time female assistant coach in any of the four major North American professional sports leagues.,

In 2015 she made history again when she was named as the Spurs head coach for the NBA Las Vegas Summer League team.  She made that groundbreaking achievement even more memorable for her by guiding the Spurs to the NBA Las Vegas Summer League championship.

That made her a sought after head coaching hire in the collegiate ranks, and she's one of four Spurs assistant coaches to get opportunities to interview for open NBA head coaching slots

The Milwaukee Bucks fired Jason Kidd and are looking for a new head coach for the 2018-19 season.  They just started their coaching search and announced their intention to give Hammon an interview for their vacant job,

If they follow through on it,  Hammon would become the first woman to interview for a coaching vacancy in the league. 

She's made it clear that she wants to make the history of becoming the first female NBA head coach, and has turned down opportunities to coach at several high profile college basketball programs to make that dream a reality.

Will Hammon get that Bucks job?    I sure hope so because San Antonio is a Houston Rockets division rival and I could easily see her being the Spurs next head coach when Popovich finally retires.

I also want it to happen so that more WNBA players get considered for coaching vacancies in the NBA as well.   A pick and roll or zone defense is the same whether it's executed in the WNBA or NBA, and if a woman is qualified for the job, it's past time to give her a shot at it instead of recycling the same mediocre coaches around the league.

Best of luck to Becky Hammon and hope she gets that interview. 
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Sarah Thomas' First Regular Season NFL Game Was In H-town

Didn't find this out until this disastrous Texans home opening game was nearly over, but some NFL history was made in Houston today.

The NFL officiating crew working today's Chiefs-Texans game at NRG Stadium included Sarah Thomas, the first woman hired as a full time referee by the NFL

This was her first regular season game a a rookie NFL official, and Thomas was the line judge in this Chiefs-Texans game.  The line judge is responsible for spotting the offsides calls on the line of scrimmage.

She was better than three of her male counterparts who missed two pass interference calls Kansas City committed against the Texans along with another end zone downing call that nearly went against the Texans but they sorted it out.

You're doing a good job as an official when the commentators DON'T call your name, and she's also downplaying her trailblazing role as the NFL's first female full time official

Considering her journey to get to the NFL and the trailblazing things she accomplished as a collegiate official, won't be shocked if Thomas is making history as part of a Super Bowl officiating crew.

Arizona Cardinals Hire First Ever NFL Female Coaching Staff Member

When the Arizona Cardinals gather at University of Phoenix Stadium for their first training camp practice on August 1, there will be a woman standing on the sidelines watching practice, and she won't be holding a mike, be a player or coach's wife or a cheerleader.

The Arizona Cardinals have hired 37 year old Dr. Jen Welter for their training camp as a linebacker coaching intern  

Welter played 14 years professionally as a linebacker and running back, and one year against the boys in the the Champions Indoor Football League for the Dallas based Texas Revolution as a running back and special teams player before moving to coaching.

Welter has some impressive credentials besides actually playing football.   She is a Boston College grad with a master's degree in sports psychology and a doctorate in psychology.

So yeah, are the NFL boys ready for her?  If she can make them better players, they don't care.   And if the Cardinals like what they see, this training camp hire could turn into a full season gig for her.

Coaching is nothing more than teaching,” cardinals Head Coach Bruce Arians said Monday. “One thing I have learned from players is, ‘How are you going to make me better? If you can make me better, I don’t care if you’re the Green Hornet, man, I’ll listen.’ I really believe she’ll have a great opportunity with this internship through training camp to open some doors for


At any rate, she's not only making history, but potentially opening doors for herself and other women who wish to have coaching careers in the NFL.

NFL Hires First Ever Female Referee

The 2015 NFL officials pool will have a groundbreaking member added to it in Sarah Thomas, who was recently hired as the NFL's first ever full time female official

The 41 year old Thomas is a mother of three and pharmaceutical sales rep when she's not on the gridiron, and growing up played softball and basketball.   She began her officiating career at the high school level in Mississippi and by 1996 was officiating at the Division I-A level in the state.

At that  time, the NFL wasn't the goal, but by 2007 Thomas was working games at the collegiate level in Conference USA.   In 2009 she became the first woman to officiate a college bowl game, the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl, and has worked the Senior Bowl, the Fight Hunger Bowl, and the Medal of Honor Bowl in addition to the C-USA Championship Games in 2010 and 2014.

She also worked two seasons as an official in the defunct United Football League.

In 2011 she became the first woman to officiate a game in a Big Ten stadium when Rice played Northwestern,, and was in the NFL's officiating development program in 2013-14 working NFL preseason games, minicamps, and training camps.

"My goal has always been to be the best line judge I can be any time I get the opportunity,"said Thomas at a Wednesday press conference. "I feel honored and blessed to be in the National Football League now."

Thomas won't be the first woman to work an NFL regular season game.  That honor went to Shannon Eastin, who was called up during the 2012 NFL officials lockout and worked preseason and regular season NFL games until the lockout ended.

While Thomas is downplaying her role in sports history, it's still a big deal to a league which is decades behind the NBA, Major League Baseball and FIFA when it comes to having female officials calling their games.

Women's History Month 2013 Includes Us Trans Women, Too!

 With today being March 1, it's the start of Women's History Month.

For the next 31 days we'll focus our history attention on the groundbreaking achievements and accomplishments of women of all races, creeds and colors.

And yes, trans women, and especially trans women of color do have something to contribute to this discussion.

We are 60 years past the date when Christine Jorgensen stepped off her SAS flight from Copenhagen into the white hot media spotlight in New York as the first post World War II trans person to get media attention.

That recognition of our contributions to women's history has been far too slow in coming for African-American trans women, but it hasn't stopped us from doing what we had to do to fight for our humanity, recognition of our femininity, while lifting ourselves up and the communities we interact with at the same time.   

From Marsha P Johnson, Miss Major, Dr. Marisa Richmond to 21st century transwomen such as Janet Mock, Isis King, Laverne Cox and others like your humble blogger who are blazing trails today for the next generation of trans kids to follow, Women's History Month also includes our long time contributions to uplifting others as we climb and telling our fascinating stories as we do so.  

We also have women such as Lucy Hicks Anderson, Avon Wilson, Tenika Watson, Georgia Black, Lady Java, Ajita Wilson, Tona Brown, Carlett Brown. Patricia Underwood and countless others who have either fascinating stories to tell, made history in their own right or fought for their own dignity, respect and human rights.

And we can't forget our trans sisters who are no longer here or our international trans sisters like Naomi Fontanos, Sass Rogando Sasot, Audrey Mbugua, Jowelle De Souza or Mia Nikasimo, .

So yes, for the next 31 days, Women's History Month also includes the stories of trans women, too..   

NFL Official Shannon Eastin Makes History Again

Because of the ongoing NFL officials lockout, an opportunity door was opened for others to get the chance to show what they could do at the professional officiating level.  

Many of those locked out officials of the NFL Referees Association have decades of experience doing NFL and BCS collegiate football games, and it isn't easy to become one. 

For those of you who had the opportunity to watch the St. Louis Rams-Detroit Lions game yesterday, you got to witness a little sports history in addition to the thrilling 27-23 game the Lions eventually pulled out.

When Shannon Eastin stepped onto the turf at Detroit's Ford Field yesterday she became the first woman ever to work as a official in an NFL regular season game when she served as a line judge   

It's also interesting to note this groundbreaking NFL moment happened during the 40th anniversary year of the passage of Title IX   

The Tempe, AZ resident already made history last month when she became the first female official to work an NFL preseason game.  Eastin served as the line judge during the Green Bay Packers-San Diego Chargers game in San Diego as well. 

The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH already has the hat and whistle she used during that historic preseason game, and I don't doubt they probably asked for the cap and whistle she used during yesterday's Rams-Lions game for a future display, too.   She has worked as a referee in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and has 16 years of officiating experience.

MEAC officials declined comment on Eastin, and the NFL declined to make Eastin available for interviews during the week leading up to the historic game.   They also didn't allow media access to her following the Rams-Lions game, but did set up a conference call with her in August.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said having Eastin on the field is a great opportunity for her and the league.  "She's well prepared for it, and I think she'll do terrific," Goodell said in an interview last month. "So we're excited about that"  

"And there are more coming, by the way. We've been working along this path to try to properly train and prepare a female official, and now we have the opportunity."

Eastin said during last month's conference call, "I hope to show it really doesn't matter if you are male or female."

The only way it matters is in terms of inspiring others to join you in the officiating ranks as you were inspired by longtime NBA official Violet Palmer 

Congratulations on making NFL and sports history again.

Shannon Eastin, First Female NFL Referee

While ignoring the last night of the Republican National Convention Klan Meeting discovered the Texans were playing their last preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings which they won 28-24.

It was also (arrgh!) preempted in the fourth quarter by Mittbot's speech.

Since the NFL officials have been locked out by the league, the preseason has been played with replacement refs on the field for these games and it looks like the lockout will last through the first week of the season. 

This lockout has also resulted in some sporting history being made. 

One of the people who has gotten a chance to.officiate during these games is 42 year old line judge Shannon Eastin.   On August 9 she became the first woman to work an NFL game of any kind in the league’s 97-year history when she served as a line judge during the San Diego Chargers-Green Bay Packers preseason opener in San Diego, CA. 

Eastin said when the NFL selected her, “Knowing that I’m a female in a man’s world, I’ve always put the most pressure on myself. Pretty much everything I do is going to be magnified. I know what I signed up for. I have to be bigger, stronger, know that I understand the rules. I have to do things even better than the men that are working. And I’m OK with that.”

The 5-5 Eastin was part of the officiating crew in the Texans-Vikings game last night and has 16 years of officiating experience, including four in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, made up of HBCU schools..

With the lockout extending to the first week of the season, Eastin has the possibility of making more history becoming the first woman to officiate in an NFL regular season game.  

And once the officiating lockout is settled, hope she gets the chance to stick around and become an NFL offical on a permanent basis.

China Launches First Female Taikonaut Today

Y'all know I'm a space flight junkie, and I found this piece of news to be way cool.

Chinese space history will be made later today when the Shenzhou IX mission blasts off into space with the first female taikonaut on board  

33 year old PLA transport pilot Liu Yang beat out  14 other female taikonaut candidates and will be part of the three person crew along with male astronauts Jing Haipeng and Liu Wang.

Jing Haipeng, the mission commander will make a little Chinese space history of his own when he becomes the first taikonaut to make a return trip to space.   He was part of the 2008 Shenzhou VI mission in which China's first space walk took place.

After blasting off from the Jiuquan launch facility they will head to China's Tiangong 1 space station module launched last September to attempt China's first manned docking with it. 

Once the docking is completed, the taikonauts will enter the space station module and spend 13 days aloft conducting scientific and technological experiments in the longest mission so far attempted by the Chinese manned spacecraft program.

China would become the third nation after the old Soviet Union and the United States to launch a woman into space using their own equipment.