Meet Latino community leaders who are forging a brighter path for Houston Houston heritage is Hispanic heritage. The remarkable contributions of Houston’s Hispanic community can be felt in nearly every square inch of our sprawling region, forming a trajectory that aligns closely with our region’s future. Within the next ten years, Hispanic/Latino* residents are projected …
Category Archives: Community Voices
Meet Alice Valdez: Musician, educator, advocate, and MECA founder
Alice Valdez: Musician—Educator—Advocate Access to and participation in the arts is a vital part of any community; and in a region as diverse as Houston, the arts play a crucial role in helping us see and understand cultures other than our own. And while Houston may be home to several world-class arts and culture organizations, …
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Making Houston History Today: 6 Black Changemakers you Should Know
From political leaders and activists to landscape-shifting scientists, musicians and astronauts, the contributions of Black changemakers are embedded in Houston’s identity. And looking forward, there’s no sign of that changing any time soon. More Houstonians have access to health care, more is being done to protect our air quality, and more of our most vulnerable …
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Houston native and community activist for the temporarily homeless
Sharon Johnson: Aspiring — temporarily homeless — graphic designer There are 3,938 homeless men, women and children in the Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend counties, combined, according to the 2019 homeless count by the Coalition for the Homeless. And as of now, Houston-native Sharon Johnson is one of them. Johnson, 57, was born and raised …
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College student, voting rights activist
Cristina Camarillo: Dreamer — Aspiring Voter Every American citizen remembers their first time voting and the sense of pride that comes with making your voice heard. But for Cristina Camarillo, her first trip to the polls meant speaking for her entire family. As the daughter of two immigrants from Mexico and the younger sister of …
Archiving the Asian-American experience
Anne Chao: Manager, Houston Asian American Archive — Adjunct Lecturer in the Humanities — Rice University Since 2010, Rice University’s Houston Asian American Archive (HAAA) has chronicled the oral history of Houston’s Asian American community. “Houston has the eighth largest Asian American population in the country but does not have an oral history archive to …
NAMI executive director, advocate for a broader perspective on mental illness
Neal Sarahan: Doctor — Ally — Advocate for mental illness Annual physicals are a natural rhythm in a modern adult’s life, but nearly 15% of Americans haven’t had contact with a health care professional in the past year. Mental-health check-ups are even less common. Approximately, 1 in 5 adult Americans experiences mental illness in a …
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Business manager, multi-county commuter
Ryan Stough: Manager — Parent — Commuter As a six-year Houston resident, Ryan Stough has become all too familiar with one of Houston’s biggest headaches: long commutes. As a Pearland resident, Ryan’s job as a general manager at a Houston-area Mister Car Wash Lube Center requires him to commute across two counties each day. And …
Kindergarten teacher, advocate for early childhood education
Blessy George: Advocate — Early Childhood Educator As a kindergarten teacher in Harris County, Blessy George has had a first-hand view of the impact early childhood education can have on a child’s academic future. “At the end of kindergarten, there are high expectations from the students,” George said. “A lot of times, my struggling students …
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Petroleum engineering professional, temporarily unemployed
Paula Inman: Lifelong Learner — Job Hunter — Energy Professional As a Texas A&M graduate in petroleum engineering, oil and gas was the foundation on which Paula Inman built her career. With more than two decades in the industry, Inman has seen the ups and downs of the oil and gas industry reflected in her …
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