HOUSTON – On this week’s episode:

• Voters in Fort Bend County will be asked to approve a $1.2 billion bond issue in May. Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Christie Whitbeck, Ph.D. says there is a lot that needs to be done that parents and residents need to know about.

• The 2023 Women of Color Conference hopes to change some of these grim statistics.

• How many jobs will be lost in the next 10 years due to automation and artificial intelligence? The answer could be millions in the US alone.

Superintendent: $1.2 billion will be well spent

Voters in Fort Bend County will be asked to approve a $1.2 billion bond issue in May. Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Christie Whitbeck, Ph.D. says there is a lot that needs to be done that parents and residents need to know about.

“Do we need a new roof, a chiller and HVAC system, new flooring, new furniture, all that kind of stuff,” she said. “Over half is about it for our older schools to keep our older schools up to a higher level.”

Whitbeck says that several of the older schools will also be rebuilt if the bond is approved. Dr. Whitbeck is a guest on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall and talks about why voters should vote yes on May 6.

See the details of what plans are in place for all the funds to be used here.

The Women of Color Conference hopes to improve change’s dismal statistics

One in four women in the business world reaches a position in the C-Suite, where all management decisions are made. For women of color, that number drops to one in 20. The 2023 Women of Color conference hopes to change some of these grim statistics.

Donna Cole is the founder, president and CEO of Cole Chemical, a business she started at the age of 27. She will be one of the speakers and says there is clearly a lot of work to be done.

“Fifty percent of the women-owned businesses that start, that’s 1,800 that start a day,” she said. “Half of these are women of color. So we think it’s very important for us to bring business techniques and skills and leadership.” See the very impressive list of speakers and details about the conference here.

How many jobs will be lost in the next 10 years due to automation and artificial intelligence? The answer could be millions in the US alone. What are you doing to ensure your job is not obsolete in ten years or less?

AI on track to eliminate millions of jobs

It is only a matter of time before some people are replaced in their jobs by artificial intelligence and automation. So says Patrick Dicks, who has a doctorate in science and information systems communication. He is a guest on this week’s Houston Newsmakers.

“The goal of any company is to do more with less,” he said. “With the way technology is impacting the world, companies can now outsource more tasks, they’re able to perfect them. They’re able to spend more money on research, and the overall goal is to increase their bottom line.”

See how you can tell if your job is headed for automation and much more on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall and beyond Houston Newsmakers EXTRA.

For more information on this week’s Houston Newsmakers

· Christie Whitbeck, Ph.D., Superintendent, Ft. Bend the ISD

· Website: https://www.fortbendisd.com/domain/149

· Donna Cole, Founder, President and CEO, Cole Chemical

· Website: http://www.colechem.com/

CAPAW x OCA Present Women of Color Conference 3/9-11, 2023

· Patrick Dicks, D.Scexpert in artificial intelligence

· Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN4AXOpdEs0aYQNeqo9TSvg