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All posts by Contributing Writers
City Council Meeting Postponed to Pay Respects to Fallen Houston Firefighter
HOUSTON – Due to the funeral arrangements for Houston firefighter Marcelo Garcia, the City of Houston has postponed this week’s consolidated council meeting to Thursday, Nov. 14. There will be no public session on Tuesday, Nov. 12, or meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
This week’s council meeting is consolidated in observance of Veterans Day and will begin at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14. Mayor John Whitmire, city council members, and members of the public will pay their respects during a public viewing on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Forest Park Lawndale Funeral Home, 6900 Lawndale. Garcia’s public funeral service is scheduled for Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 1111 St. Joseph Pkwy.
Mayor Whitmire requests that Houstonians and those who commute to the city turn on their vehicle headlights Wednesday to honor Garcia.
Houston Public Library Receives $75,000 Grant to Expand Career Online High School Program
HOUSTON, TX – The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) has awarded the Houston Public Library (HPL) a $75,000 Special Projects Grant to expand its Career Online High School Program. The funding will provide scholarships to 40 new participants in FY25, enabling adults aged 21 and older to earn an accredited diploma online. Applicants must have completed at least the eighth grade and pass a prerequisite course with 70% or higher. To apply, potential students must take a brief survey to determine eligibility. The application deadline for scholarship funding is December 30, 2024.
This grant is part of over 40 awarded this year by TSLAC, funded through the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the Library Services and Technology Act. “TSLAC is pleased to recognize and support the important work of Texas libraries in delivering innovative information services that strengthen local literacy workforce and digital opportunity efforts,” said TSLAC Director and Librarian Gloria Meraz.
“Students who want to complete their high school diploma shouldn’t have to deal with the burden of extra costs. These funds will allow more students to achieve this milestone and gain other opportunities,” said HPL Community Engagement Division Manager Mercedes Clarke.
For more information about this program, please contact HPL’s community engagement and education team at 832-393-1737.
About Houston Public Library
We are a dynamic organization that serves one of the largest service areas –both population and area – in the country. 2.3 million residents in the City of Houston are the primary beneficiaries of a comprehensive customer-focused service delivery strategy.
Our system consists of 44 public service units which include one Central Library, five Regional Libraries, 29 Neighborhood and Express Libraries, three History Research Centers, four TECHLink technology centers, one Satellite location at Children’s Museum Houston, and one Mobile Express.
About The Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Formed in 1909, TSLAC is committed to giving Texans access to information and programs to improve their lives and communities. TSLAC provides historical and genealogical search assistance, federal and state government documents, electronic research, and library services to all Texans, including those who are unable to read standard print material because of physical or reading disabilities. For more information, visit www.tsl.texas.gov.
HCAD Named A Top Houston Workplace 8 Years In A Row
Houston — The Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) has been selected as a Top Workplace in the Houston metropolitan area by the Houston Chronicle for the eighth consecutive year.
“The recognition as a public-sector employer of choice only happens because of the contribution and dedication of every employee,” said Roland Altinger, chief appraiser.
“I’m so proud of everyone at HCAD. Being named a Top Workplace in the Houston area for the eighth successive year is an honor for everyone in the district because the selection is made by responses to an employee survey in which 88 percent of our employees shared
their thoughts.”
The appraisal district was ranked number 6 among the large organizations participating in the Houston Metroplex this year, its fifth consecutive appearance in the top 10. The district has also received national recognition for Culture Excellence in 8 subcategories.
“The appraisal district continues to be responsive to the needs of the jurisdictions and the public we serve,” Altinger said. “We continually look at new ways to use technology to provide faster services and easier access to property owners. We are always striving to improve our customer service.”
The top workplaces are based on an employee feedback survey administered by an independent firm that provides technology-based employee engagement tools.
The anonymous survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including engagement, organizational health and employee satisfaction with the organization and their jobs.
“Building an organization where every employee feels empowered allows us to provide first-class service to the public, and those principles have helped us remain on the Top Workplaces list for the past 8 years running,” Altinger said.
About HCAD
The Harris Central Appraisal District is a political subdivision of the State of Texas established in 1980 for the purpose of discovering and appraising property for ad valorem tax purposes for each taxing unit within the boundaries of the district. The district has approximately 1.8 million parcels of property to assess each year with a total market value of approximately $895 billion. The appraisal district in Harris County is the largest in Texas, serving more than 500 taxing units, and one of the largest appraisal districts in the United States. For further information, visit www.hcad.org.
Astrodome Conservancy unveils new plans for the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’
Opening in 1965, the Astrodome was the world’s first domed and air-conditioned stadium.
Houston Public Media Reprint
The Astrodome Conservancy unveiled new plans to bring the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ back to life.
The conservancy is hoping that the $1 billion project will spark new life into the dome, which has sat vacant for more than a decade. The plan includes a flexible arena space for events and entertainment at its core. Surrounding the center, the plan shows levels of office and hotel spaces with an array of restaurants for visitors to choose from.
Phoebe Tudor, the founder of the Astrodome Conservancy, addressed the swirling questions surrounding the condition of the idle landmark.
“There is no debt left on the dome; it is a fully paid-for Harris County asset,” said Tudor “Any asbestos has already been removed.”
She continued by stating the dome is structurally sound, in remarkably good condition and ready for its next phase of life.
Gensler architect, Kristopher Stuart, shared intricate details of the plan including raising the floor of the dome approximately 30 feet to provide a seamless flow for visitors entering the Astrodome and allow for more parking spaces underneath. Stuart shares another key detail to enhance the experience for onlookers.
“The boulevard was a gesture to make it more public and more accessible,” said Stuart. “If we do a program within the dome, we don’t want people walking around wondering what’s inside. We want them to know that they can come inside and experience what we create.”
The conservancy is asking for a $250 million investment from the county. The conservancy also plans to utilize $400 million in tax credits alongside private and public partnerships to get the project off the ground.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm, but there’s a long way to go. This is a complicated project. It’s complicated in many ways,” said Tudor. “I think finding consensus among the political leadership and the stakeholders involved with this is going to be an important next step.”
To ensure the success of this project, they need support from key stakeholders including the Rodeo and the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation. Following the press conference, Bishop James Dixon, the Chairman of the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation said he respects the efforts of the Astrodome Conservancy in a released statement.
“Over the last few years, we have seen several concepts that, while thought-provoking, haven’t resulted in viable funding and maintenance solutions,” he said. “We are currently working with Harris County and a team of industry-leading experts to plan for the future of NRG Park. The solution for the Astrodome must be decided within that context. In addition, we cannot consider any future vision for NRG Park without first understanding certain baseline financial information related to the Astrodome.
The Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation is in the process of obtaining data to use in evaluating proposed plans. This critical information will provide us with the most viable path forward, ensuring NRG Park continues to meet the needs of its stakeholders and the public for now, and for the future.”
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo also released a statement shared widely on social media and said the money might be used better elsewhere.
“The proposed plan by the Astrodome Conservancy does not align with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s strategic vision and operational requirements. The Rodeo, Texans, and Harris County Sports & Convention Corporations have been working on plans for NRG Park’s future,” the statement said. “As the only tenant that uses all three of these buildings at NRG Park, we recognize and must address these critical facility issues.”
Garcia Appointed Chair of Harris County-Houston Sports Authority
“Congratulations to Juan Garcia on his historic appointment by a majority of the Commissioners Court as Chairman of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. Juan’s life and career are a testament to hard work, resilience, and a deep passion for serving the community. From his humble beginnings in Brownsville as the son of Mexican immigrants to becoming an advocate for justice, business owner, and a dedicated lifelong volunteer, Juan’s journey embodies the American Dream and is an inspiration for all of us in Harris County,” said Commissioner Lesley Briones.
As the first Hispanic member-at-large to serve on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Executive Committee, and now as the first Hispanic Chair of the Sports Authority, Juan is breaking barriers and opening opportunities for future leaders. His commitment to lifting others up, seen through his tireless work advocating for justice through his leadership of the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston and Johnson Garcia LLP and his significant community involvement, is evident in every role he assumes.
I look forward to Juan leading the Sports Authority with the same heart, hustle, and higher standards that have defined his remarkable career.”
Garcia Appointed Chair of Harris County-Houston Sports Authority
“Congratulations to Juan Garcia on his historic appointment by a majority of the Commissioners Court as Chairman of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. Juan’s life and career are a testament to hard work, resilience, and a deep passion for serving the community. From his humble beginnings in Brownsville as the son of Mexican immigrants to becoming an advocate for justice, business owner, and a dedicated lifelong volunteer, Juan’s journey embodies the American Dream and is an inspiration for all of us in Harris County,” said Commissioner Lesley Briones.
As the first Hispanic member-at-large to serve on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Executive Committee, and now as the first Hispanic Chair of the Sports Authority, Juan is breaking barriers and opening opportunities for future leaders. His commitment to lifting others up, seen through his tireless work advocating for justice through his leadership of the Hispanic Bar Association of Houston and Johnson Garcia LLP and his significant community involvement, is evident in every role he assumes.
I look forward to Juan leading the Sports Authority with the same heart, hustle, and higher standards that have defined his remarkable career.”
Religion in the Classroom
| A growing number of states have recently introduced or passed laws to increase the role of religion in public schools. On Tuesday, a federal judge ruled that a new Louisiana law mandating the presence of the Ten Commandments in classrooms was unconstitutional. Pew Research Center has asked Americans their views on religion in public schools many times. In a February survey, we found that 48% of U.S. adults agreed with the view that “conservative Christians have gone too far in trying to push their religious values in the government and public schools.” In a different question on the same survey, 50% agreed that “liberals who are not religious have gone too far in trying to keep religious values out of” these institutions. In 2021, 30% of U.S. adults said public school teachers should be allowed to lead students in Christian prayers, while 46% said they should not be allowed to lead students in any kind of prayer. An additional 24% said neither of these options reflected their views or had no opinion on the matter. |
Local artist, Floyd Newsum, mourned
| The University of Houston-Downtown Mourns the Loss of Visionary Art Professor Floyd Newsum |
| “Professor Newsum was more than an artist, more than a teacher,” said UHD President Loren J. Blanchard. “He was a connector, a motivating force who worked to touch lives every day and who brought people together in remarkable ways. His art was intricately linked with his desire to nurture young artists and invest in the next generation of change agents, not only here at UHD but also in the historic Third Ward of Houston and even in communities he visited when his art was on view.” Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Professor Newsum graduated from Memphis College of Art with a BFA in 1973 and from Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with an MFA in 1975. He joined the UHD faculty in 1976, and over the years taught a variety of courses, including drawing, painting, printmaking and art appreciation, among others, in addition to coordinating the studio sections for UHD’s Art Department. In 2003, Professor Newsum received UHD’s Scholarship/Creativity Award in recognition of his contributions to visual art across a variety of media and thematic investigations. During his tenure at UHD, Professor Newsum created a wide range of work as a major local artist with a profound impact on the national contemporary visual arts scene. His work is part of permanent collections at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C., the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.His numerous public art commissions include two Houston Metro Light Rail Station art designs, seven sculptures for Houston’s Main Street Square Station, four paintings in the UHD Commerce Street Building, a suspended sculpture for the lobby of the Acres Home Multi-Service Center in Houston, a relief sculpture in the Cathedral Atrium at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston and five suspended sculptures for the lobby of the Hazel Harvey Peace Building in Fort Worth, Texas. His work has been displayed in more than 100 exhibitions across the United States, including the University of Maryland College Park, Taft Museum in Cincinnati, the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Professor Newsum was one of seven visionary African American artists who founded Project Row Houses (PRH) in the Third Ward in 1993. PRH is the nationally known nonprofit organization originally comprised of 22 Row Houses that “succeeds as a social sculpture when Black art, culture, and community are protected, promoted, elevated, and celebrated in new and vibrant ways.”As a co-founder of PRH, Professor Newsum worked with James Bettison, Bert Long Jr., Jesse Lott, Rick Lowe, Bert Samples, and George Smith to build an integral part of the arts community in the Third Ward, using row houses that were once modest homes for a rising affluent Black community. The co-founders established programs that not only supported Black art and culture but also built community. Professor Newsum’s dedication to community engagement remained a central part of his personal mission throughout his career.From May through October 2023, Professor Newsum received his first large-scale retrospective, “Evolution of Sight,” at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in Madison, Wisconsin. The exhibition was organized by guest curators Dr. Lauren Cross, Gail-Oxford Associate Curator of American Decorative Arts at The Huntington in San Marino, California, and Mark Cervenka, UHD Professor of Art and O’Kane Gallery Director. “Evolution of Sight” reflected on the artist’s entire practice, including paintings and models of public art commissions such as sculptures and relief installations, with each work transmitting the deeply personal history of the artist including symbolic references and often family photographs—all veiled by richly layered color and textures that create tactile surfaces. Newsum explained: “My career covers 50-plus years of creating works of art that are exploring color, marks, and surfaces in various mediums. I call my evolution in creativity a problem-solving event of expression of the soul.”UHD is planning a number of tributes in his memory, including an endowed scholarship: the Floyd Newsum Visionary Artist and Humanitarian Scholarship with a focus on art and social justice that will be available to students pursuing Art or Social Work degrees. Contributions for this scholarship may be made at https://giving.uh.edu/UHD/Newsum-Scholarship. At the time of the “Evolution of Sight” exhibition, co-curator Mark Cervenka stated, “A comprehensive museum exhibition of Floyd Newsum’s art is long overdue. With a career emerging from the heart of the Civil Rights Movement in Memphis in the 1960s, Newsum’s layered works have consistently included both overt and subtle responses to civil rights issues. Newsum’s father, one of the first African American firefighters in the South, set an example and provided the impetus for one of Newsum’s primary symbols in the form of a ladder.” “A bold often intensely colored palette, sometimes offset with collaged elements,” continued Cervenka, “provides a foundation both for works addressing broad cultural observations and those seeking the more intimate focus of spiritual awareness and a profound recognition of love and family.”In keeping with that description of his artistic vision, Professor Newsum will be best remembered by his colleagues, friends and students at the University of Houston-Downtown for his deep spirituality, sense of joyful purpose, and the love that he unselfishly shared with all who knew him. For more information, please visit uhd.edu. ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-DOWNTOWNCelebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard.UHD educates approximately 12,000 students annually, boasts more than 67,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. TheStockWatcher.com called UHD a “notable institution providing high-quality online MBA programs. … UHD ensures that its graduates are well-prepared to succeed in their chosen career paths.”The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu. |
Texas Southern Professor Named Fulbright Scholar, Heads to Rwanda for Prestigious Program
Houston, TX – August 22, 2024—Dr. Lucy Ojode, CPA(K), a distinguished professor in the Texas Southern University Jesse H. Jones School of Business’s Department of Business Administration has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award. As part of this esteemed international exchange program, Dr. Ojode will spend the 2024-25 academic year in Rwanda training entrepreneurs who are seeking their Executive MBA.
“I am honored and deeply grateful to receive this Fulbright award,” said Dr. Ojode. “I truly appreciate the support from my colleagues and students. This year marks my 20th year at Texas Southern University, and it has been a wonderful journey since 2004. I have thoroughly enjoyed my classes, students, and colleagues, and it has always been a joy to be part of this academic community. I am excited to embark upon this opportunity to build connections between TSU-trained entrepreneurs and the burgeoning markets that exist in Africa.”
Dr. Ojode’s selection as a Fulbright Scholar underscores her commitment to academic excellence and her dedication to fostering global understanding. As she heads to Rwanda, she will be part of a broader effort by Fulbright Scholars to make meaningful contributions to communities abroad and at home, enriching both their host institutions and their home institutions with their experiences and insights.
“Texas Southern University is a proud partner to the Fulbright Program,” said President Jim Crawford. “The U.S. Department of State has named the University as a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader for four consecutive years in recognition of our support for Fulbright exchange participants and our promotion of Fulbright program opportunities on campus. The presence and contributions of those visiting scholars and our international students over the years add to TSU’s culturally rich environment in myriad ways. Likewise, we are delighted to share Dr. Ojode with the world through this tremendous honor. We look forward to the new knowledge she will create and share, which she will bring back from Rwanda.”
The Fulbright Scholar Program, one of the most prestigious academic exchange initiatives worldwide, annually awards more than 1,700 fellowships to college and university faculty, administrators, researchers, artists, and professionals. This program facilitates cross-cultural collaboration and provides scholars with the opportunity to build their skills, expand their global networks, and gain invaluable international insights.
Active in over 3,500 countries, not only does the Fulbright Scholar program enhance the professional and personal growth of its participants, but it also fosters a global network of accomplished alumni who serve as leaders and educators worldwide.
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Carl Goodman, praised this achievement, stating, “Dr. Ojode’s selection as a Fulbright Scholar is a testament to her exceptional contributions to academia and her unwavering dedication to her students and colleagues. We are proud to see her represent Texas Southern University on this global stage and look forward to the valuable perspectives she will bring back to our institution and community.”
Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided over 400,000 talented and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds with the opportunity to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Fulbrighters exchange ideas, build people-to-people connections, and work to address complex global challenges. Notable Fulbrighters include 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows, 41 heads of state or government, and thousands of leaders across the private, public, and non-profit sectors.