Family of Sonny Messiah-Jiles, the publisher of The Houston Defender, is rescued by boat from their home as a result of rising floodwaters in Houston. (Clyde Jiles)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) today issued an urgent national call for support for all people, who are being impacted by the devastating flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Texas, especially now in Houston.
In addition to the many thousands of Texas and other Gulf area residents living in uncertainty and crisis as a result of the impact of Hurricane Harvey, we’ve learned that one our own NNPA member publishers, Sonny Messiah-Jiles, the publisher of the Houston Defender, along with her family, were rescued by boat, yesterday from their home.
The NNPA has several other member publishers in the area and we are attempting to get an update on the status of fellow publishers Karen Carter Richards of the Houston Forward Times, and Francis Page of the Houston Style Magazine and their families. We are also asking that all of our member publishers—and everyone of us as Americans—remember and support those affected by the crisis in Texas in our concerned hearts and fervent prayers.
Direct support and donations can be made through the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS or online at http://www.redcross.org.
