Words matter. When we want to show who we are, what we can do, what makes us stand out; we use our words. I'm Theresa D. McClellan, journalist, copy editor, writing coach, blogger, and owner of Theresa McClellan Writing Services. For all your writing needs,Theresa@Theresawriter.com
Houston Agent Magazine •

Making the dream work: How teams fit into brokerages

After 16 years of teaching children, Amy Lippincott decided to pursue real estate as her next career, even though her principal said she could always come back. Lippincott hasn’t looked back. She has doubled down on real estate, and is among a growing number of real estate professionals who created their own team—first under the Better Homes & Gardens Gary Greene brand and now with Keller Williams. “I was ready for a change. A friend was doing real estate and I thought I can do that and do it d
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Stafford MSD wants to create private-school atmosphere with upcoming STEM campus

With a plan to have a 12-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio in its new STEM magnet school, the Stafford Municipal School District wants to create something never seen in Fort Bend County. “We want to create a public school with a private-school ambiance,” said Marva Rasberry, the district’s chief operations innovation officer who is heading up the magnet team. As the district builds its new $33 million middle school, which is expected to open in August 2020, plans are also underway to repurpose the
GIFT RESA BLOGSPOT •

Why we hold the Transgender Day of Remembrance and Hope

By Theresa D. McClellanFaith Advocacy CoordinatorGays In Faith TogetherLess than 200 miles from Grand Rapids, a mother is grieving the loss of her 19-year-old child who was born male and self identified as a beautiful woman named "Treasure."She was mutilated, burned and left on the ground like a piece of trash.The publicized reactions by some, who read of this horrendous murder in Detroit last month focused on whether the victim, was male or female. Really?The mother had to identify the torso of
Miami Agent Magazine •

How to avoid disasters after closing

There is a recipe for disaster involving agents, buyers and sellers that every agent aims to avoid. Chicago real estate attorney and first-time homebuyer instructor Ranj Mohip calls it “Post-Close Nightmares.” When the seller doesn’t disclose history, the buyer doesn’t explain their full plans for the property or the agent doesn’t ask enough questions, Mohip usually gets a call. “Anytime there is a problem with a post-close issue, somebody didn’t do something they were supposed to do. Sometime
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

In with the new – George outlines plans as county judge

When the high waters of Hurricane Harvey hit the Riverstone community, KP George was flooded with calls from neighbors wanting to know what to do and where to go. As the days of turmoil continued, George was on the ground volunteering, like so many others, and realizing there are holes in the system. It was then that he decided to take on Robert Hebert, the 16-year incumbent, for the county judge’s seat. “I spent two weeks volunteering on the ground during Harvey in Riverstone and at shelters.
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Passionate pastor helps troubled children

The Rev. David Sincere knows firsthand the difference a caring adult can make in the chaos-filled life of a child. He was only 7 years old when the man who financially took care of his family, but also beat his mother and trafficked drugs, was killed. The dichotomy of emotions that situation brought is difficult enough for an adult to handle, let alone a child. So little David shut down as he watched his family and home situation deteriorate even more. He stopped speaking in school and when he
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Alphabet soup – From A-M, Stafford voters face 13 amendments

After seven hours of special city council meetings filled with information, debates, vitriol and split votes, the Stafford City Council hammered out the proposed changes to the city charter for voters to consider in the Nov. 6 election, including major changes for the positions of mayor and the city council. Every five years the Stafford City Charter is reviewed and the last review was 2012. The Home Rules Commission of volunteers spent months pouring over the city charter to address the needs
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Reynolds blames incarceration on racism – Legislator to be out of jail on Jan. 4

Eighteen days after State Rep. Ronald Eugene Reynolds entered the Montgomery County Jail as an inmate, prisoner number 232573 penned a letter to the Fort Bend Star in response to a reporter’s letter requesting a jailhouse interview. Reynolds’ letter, dated Sept. 25, blamed racism in Montgomery County for his being incarcerated and also answered multiple queries, including how he fought being discouraged, how he could still be a voice for constituents, and if he still believed in the criminal ju
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Hunan Garden a hidden gem in Rosenberg

Zipping down Avenue H, it’s easy to miss the 34-year-old Hunan Garden Restaurant tucked away in a Rosenberg mall. Owner Elaine Yang, however, has a recipe for longevity that keeps people coming back for generations to seek the comfort of her flavorful food. “I have a passion for food and wanted to create something light, healthy and authentic Chinese food,” she said during a break from visiting with a return customer. “I don’t have customers, I have guests and I feel like this is their home s
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Day of Dialogue: Racism and Immigration in America set for Saturday

What does it mean for people of faith to welcome the stranger and address immigration? Is racism a sin and if so, how do we alter its course? How do we make safe spaces for the hard talks and multi-layered conversations required for such emotional and intertwining topics of race, privilege, immigration, class, poverty, and faith? Join the conversation 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Sept. 8, for the free “Day of Dialogue: Racism and Immigration in America“ at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1015 Holman St
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Parents petition to stop plans for middle schools

They met during a community meeting in Elkins High School; three women among hundreds of Fort Bend ISD parents making their way to blank sheets of paper called “parking lot papers” to provide questions and suggestions to address capacity issues. They didn’t like the idea that elementary school children were learning in portable classrooms. They didn’t like the overcrowding they saw in the middle school. So they attended meetings, they read, they researched, and they organized. They saw the rec
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Students lead community in anti-gun rally

One by one the students approached the microphone in front of the Smart Financial Centre relaying their fears of being “the next one” to succumb to gun violence in the schools. Their emotions were high and their passion, palpable. As each one came forward sharing their frustrations and fears, hearing the audience cheers and seeing the nods of encouragement from the adults seated before them, they felt empowered. “Up until now, having our voice is one of the things we’ve been deprived of and we
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Racism is a cancer eating away at our nation

While closing down my childhood home in Detroit and moving my mother to West Michigan to live with me, I remember finding an old medical lab notice in a drawer telling my mother they wanted more tests. She pooh-poohed my questions saying, “Oh they’re just trying to get more money out of me. I’m fine.” She seemed physically fine. But I remembered that conversation three years later when we learned that cancer was slowly eating away my mother’s bone marrow. Already emotionally devastated from th
Fort Bend Southwest Star Newspaper •

Teen cancer patient draws strength from creativity

By Theresa D. McClellan For the Fort Bend Star In August, Michelle Collins joins the freshman class of the University of Texas in Austin. It wasn’t always clear that the 18-year-old would reach that dream. When she was 13, after a doctor visit to determine why the competitive dancer was always exhausted, she received devastating news. It wasn’t that the five hours of dancing practice and school were too much for the youngster who had been dancing for 11 years. She had developed cancer. “Ca
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