Afriend said something to me once that I have never forgotten.
His name is Alec Baldwin. He told me, “I’m an old school American. That means I believe you’re an American the day you decide to come here and join us.”
I love that line. It is simple. It is generous. It is true.
That is the country I was raised to believe in. A country with room. A country that makes space at the table.
We seem to have forgotten that lately. We talk about walls. We talk about who to keep out. We talk about whole groups of people as if they were a problem to be solved.
But fear is a poor teacher. It tells us to lock the door. It tells us the stranger wants what is ours. It tells us there is not enough to go around.
Fear is almost always wrong.
A great American answered that same fear long ago. His name was Frederick Douglass. He was born into slavery. He freed himself. And in 1869, he stood up in Boston to speak for people who looked nothing like him.
The target back then was Chinese immigrants. Many Americans wanted them shut out. Douglass said no. He called for a “composite nation” — one people, made from many.
The immigrants would keep coming, he said, the way waves keep coming to the shore. And we would be stronger if we met them as friends. Stronger. Not weaker. That was his word.
Douglass was right. He is still right.
Now think about our most famous symbol of welcome. The Statue of Liberty. She stands in New York Harbor with her torch held high.
Most of us were never taught where she came from: the end of slavery. The men who dreamed her up had fought
TURN A WALL ON ITS SIDE, AND IT BECOMES A TABLE
By Ben Jealous, National Political Commentator
to end it. In an early design, she held broken chains in her hand. Look closely today, and you will still find a broken chain and shackle at her feet. Most visitors never see them.
She is, at her heart, a statue about people set free. And a statue about welcome. The two ideas were always one.
Which brings me to a film I cannot stop thinking about.
It is called “The Welcome Table.”
The filmmaker Josh Fox made it, and it premieres June 23 on HBO. For years he followed families driven from their homes by floods and fires and drought. People the world keeps trying to wall out.
Fox had one simple idea. “A wall, on its side, can be a table,” he says. The thing we build to keep people out can become the thing that invites them in. Same wood. Same length. We only have to lay it down flat.
So he built one. A table a thousand feet long. He gathered families from around the world to sit at it together on a levee in New Orleans. They ate. They sang. They told their stories. They began to heal.
Fox reminds us we have done this before.
New Yorkers once feared Italian immigrants. Newspapers drew them as criminals. Today you cannot imagine New York without pizza. Every wave we feared, we later thanked.
Now Fox is taking the table on the road. He is building a movement of house parties across the country. Neighbors gather in living rooms, watch the film, and talk — about who their own families once were, and who they might welcome next.
“Welcoming is a virtue,” Fox says. We have let it slip. He wants us to pick it back up.
That is the choice in front of us.
We can keep building walls. Or we can lay them down and set the table.
I know which America I want to live in.
I want the America Alec Baldwin described. The one you join the day you decide to come.
I want the America Frederick Douglass fought for. The composite nation, stronger for its mix.
I want the America the Statue of Liberty was built to be. A free people, making room for the next.
An old saying goes: when you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher wall.
So, let’s build the longer table.
Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former president and CEO of the NAACP.
In Houston, everything comes big—our highways, our skyline, our dreams, and, apparently, our budgets. Last week, Houston City Council approved Mayor John Whitmire’s historic $7.58 billion city budget by a 15–1 vote. The plan passed, but the conversation is far from over.
Standing alone in opposition was District J Council Member Edward Pollard, whose “no” vote was not a political whisper. It was a public declaration that City Hall, in his view, must show more discipline with taxpayer dollars.
“A budget is discipline,” Pollard said, arguing that Houston continues to spend more while residents still wait for better streets, reliable trash pickup, fewer water main breaks, and city services that match the taxes they pay. For Pollard, the issue is not whether Houston should invest in itself. The issue is whether Houstonians are seeing a fair return on that investment.
The new budget arrives as Houston faces serious financial pressure and a major deficit challenge. The spending plan includes a new $5 monthly trash and recycling fee expected to appear on residents’ utility bills, along with changes in how solid waste services are funded. Supporters say the fee is necessary to stabilize basic services without raising property taxes. Critics say it asks families to pay more while too many neighborhood problems remain
POLLARD STANDS ALONE: ONE ‘NO’ VOTE, ONE BIG MESSAGE ON HOUSTON’S $7.5 BILLION BUDGET
By Burt Levine, Political Editor for www.StyleMagazine.com
Pollard placed himself firmly in the accountability camp.
“Our city is facing its largest budget deficits ever,” Pollard said, warning that Houston cannot rely on what he called “patchwork”
solutions. He expressed concern that moving funds around may help balance numbers on paper, but still leave residents wondering when their streets, drainage, water systems, and trash services will improve.
For many Houstonians, this is not a spreadsheet debate. It is personal. It is the pothole on the morning commute. It is the missed trash pickup on a hot week. It is the water leak that reminds homeowners that infrastructure problems do not fix themselves.
Pollard, a Houston native, attorney, businessman, and product of Houston ISD schools, often speaks about government through the lens of household discipline and business judgment. Educated at Thurgood Marshall School of Law and Harvard Business School, he says public money should be handled with the same care families use when managing their own budgets.
“As a family man and businessman, my conscience can’t allow me to spend the people’s purse with any less discipline than I would my own,” Pollard said.
That message resonated with residents who applauded his stand. It also signaled why Pollard’s name continues to surface in conversations about Houston’s political future. His vote also comes at a time when voters are increasingly focused on taxes, spending, crime, and public safety. Pollard points to District J as proof that targeted action can deliver mea-
surable results. According to Pollard, crime is down more than 30 percent in his district, compared with a reported citywide decline of about 19 percent. He credits stronger coordination, increased patrols, and focused action in southwest Houston near Beltway 8 and U.S. 59, an area long troubled by prostitution, narcotics activity, and violence.
Pollard said barricades, locked alleyway access, and stepped-up police presence have helped disrupt criminal activity and protect families, businesses, seniors, veterans, and immigrant communities who call southwest Houston home.
This is where democracy earns its stripes. A healthy city does not require every elected official to vote the same way. It requires leaders willing to ask hard questions before the bill comes due. A lone “no” vote can sharpen public debate, demand accountability, and remind taxpayers that representation is not a rubber stamp.
Pollard’s vote did not stop the budget. But it did make Houstonians pause and ask a necessary question: What should residents expect in return for a $7.58 billion investment?
In Houston, where taxpayers know the difference between a promise and a pothole, that question is worth every penny.
unsolved.
CM- Edward Pollard
Houston, prepare to welcome a national gathering with constitutional courage, civic purpose, and just enough legal brilliance to make the city’s skyline look like it is standing at attention.
Just The Beginning – A Pipeline Organization (JTB) will bring its 13th National Conference, “Pursuing a More Perfect Union,” to Houston, Texas, September 17–20, 2026, with the Four Seasons Hotel Houston serving as the host hotel for a four-day celebration of justice, opportunity, mentorship, and democracy in motion. Held every four years, JTB’s National Conference is more than a professional gathering. It is a living classroom, a leadership summit, and a powerful reminder that America’s promise grows stronger when the legal profession reflects the full richness of the people it serves. Bringing together students, associates, partners, judges, and judicial leaders from across the country for four transformative days of learning, connection, and inspiration, the conference stands as one of the nation’s most meaningful convenings for building a stronger, fairer, and more representative legal community.
Through connection, exposure, and education, JTB has long opened pathways for students from diverse backgrounds to see themselves not only in courtrooms, but on the bench, in boardrooms, in public service, and at the tables where decisions shape communities. For many students, this gathering may be the moment when
PURSUING A MORE PERFECT UNION: JUST THE BEGINNING BRINGS ITS 13TH
NATIONAL CONFERENCE TO HOUSTON
By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
an interest becomes a calling, when a mentor becomes a model, and when the law becomes less intimidating and more inviting.
This year’s theme, “Pursuing a More Perfect Union,” could not be more timely. In a nation still working through the fine print of equality, justice, and representation, JTB is bringing together students, attorneys, judges, law partners, associates, judicial leaders, and community supporters for a conference rooted in both aspiration
and action. In plain Houston terms: this is where dreams meet due process.
The conference will deliver immersive, hands-on programming for students from middle school through law school, including mock trials, skills workshops, mentorship sessions, and direct engagement with distinguished members of the bench and bar. For young scholars, it is a rare opportunity to learn the language of advocacy before they ever sit for the LSAT. For practicing attorneys and judges, the conference offers high-quality CLE programming and a chance to help cultivate the next generation of legal leaders.
The gathering will also honor the trailblazing legacy of the Honorable Judge Reynaldo Guerra Garza, a Brownsville-born jurist whose life’s work helped expand the face and future of the federal judiciary. Born to emigrants from Mexico, Judge Garza was nominated by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and, upon confirmation, became the nation’s first Mexican American federal district judge. He later served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire lawyers, judges, students, and civil rights advocates across Texas and beyond.
JTB will also remember and celebrate the late President Jimmy Carter, whose leadership helped advance a more inclusive federal judiciary and move the nation closer to what he described as true equality of treatment under the law. That democratic ideal sits at the heart of this conference: justice should not be distant, mysterious, or
reserved for a privileged few. It should be accessible, representative, and alive in every community.
Leading this important Houston conference are National Conference Co-Chairs the Honorable Vanessa D. Gilmore, U.S. District Judge (Ret.), and the Honorable Alfred H. Bennett, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. National Conference Fundraising Co-Chairs include Attorney Benjamin L. Hall, III, Ph.D., J.D.; Eva Guzman, Texas Supreme Court Justice (Ret.); Attorney Benny Agosto, Jr., Managing Partner of Abraham Watkins; and Attorney Larry Taylor, Jr., Managing Partner of The Cochran Firm, Texas. For Houston, this is more than an event. It is an invitation. An invitation for civic leaders, educators, law firms, judges, businesses, and community champions to invest in young people who may one day argue landmark cases, defend constitutional rights, run public agencies, serve on the bench, or rewrite the rules of possibility.
In a city known for building pipelines—from energy to medicine to space exploration—JTB is bringing Houston a different kind of pipeline: one built on justice, mentorship, representation, and hope. And that, Houston, is how a more perfect union gets a little closer to perfect. For more information or sponsorship opportunities, please email: nationalconference@jtb.org
Honorable Judge Reynaldo Guerra Garza
Houston City College has earned another proud moment in the history books—and this one comes with wings, discipline, cyber talent, and a Houston-sized salute.
On April 16, 2026, Houston City College announced that Caressa Brown, an HCC VICEROY Scholar, had made institutional history as the first HCC student ever selected for the prestigious VICEROY ENVOY internship with the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. The announcement marked a milestone not only for Brown, but also for HCC’s expanding role in preparing students for national security, cybersecurity, data, artificial intelligence, and defense workforce careers.
Brown’s achievement became even more meaningful on May 8, 2026, when HCC celebrated her graduation with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Information Systems. In true history-making fashion, Brown did not simply walk across the graduation stage— she walked into a future that reaches from Houston classrooms to America’s defense command centers.
“This is so exciting. I am just in awe,” Brown said, reflecting on the opportunity.
This summer, Brown will report to
HOUSTON CITY COLLEGE Celebrates History-Making Victory Scholar – CARESSA BROWN
FIRST HCC STUDENT SELECTED FOR PRESTIGIOUS AIR COMBAT INTERNSHIP
By Francis Page Jr., for www.StyleMagazine.com
Langley Air Force Base, where she will be embedded within Air Combat Command, a major operational component of the U.S. Department of Defense. Through the competitive, paid, mission-focused VICEROY ENVOY internship, she will gain real-world exposure to national defense environments and projects aligned with cyber, data, artificial intelligence, and operational technology needs.
“From what I understand, during my time in this internship, I’ll be exposed to different operating systems—not only in
aircraft, but across military operations as a whole,” Brown said.
What makes Brown’s story sparkle with Houston Style Magazine-worthy inspiration is the road she traveled to get here. Before stepping into the world of cyber and national security, the 33-year-old built a career in the beauty industry. She earned a cosmetology degree in the Dallas area, later owned a salon and spa, and discovered a deeper passion while running the business: technology.
While managing inventory systems, building her website, and learning the digital side of entrepreneurship, Brown realized she was not just operating a business—she was decoding the systems behind it. That spark led her back to school, where she pursued computer information systems at HCC while also working toward a second associate degree in business administration.
Brown is also a participant in the U.S. Navy Baccalaureate Degree Completion Program and is working toward a commission as an Information Operations Officer, fulfilling a dream she has carried since she first wanted to join the military at age 17.
“Ms. Brown stands out for her professionalism, discipline and clear commitment to national service,” said Robert Glover, VICEROY principal investigator/
program manager and director of HCC Military Education Programs. “As the first student from the college to enter the VICEROY ENVOY internship pipeline, she is setting a new standard and opening doors for future scholars who hope to follow a similar path.”
For Houston, this is more than a student success story. It is a workforce development story. It is a women-in-technology story. It is a second-act story. It is also a reminder that community colleges are not backup plans—they are launchpads.
From salon owner to computer information systems graduate, from entrepreneur to future military officer, from HCC scholar to Air Combat Command intern, Caressa Brown is proving that reinvention is not only possible—it can be powerful.
And as she prepares for her Summer 2026 internship at Langley Air Force Base, Brown carries with her the pride of Houston City College, the promise of Houston’s next-generation workforce, and the unmistakable message that history is still being made by students bold enough to believe they belong in the room.
To learn more about the HCC VICEROY Scholars Program, visit hccs. edu/viceroy.
Caressa Brown
History in Harris County does not always arrive with thunder. Sometimes, it arrives with an oath, a steady voice, and a room full of community leaders witnessing another glass ceiling become courthouse confetti.
Abbie Kamin has been sworn in as Harris County Attorney, making history as the first woman and first mother to serve as chief civil lawyer for the third-largest county in the United States. In a county of nearly 5 million residents—bigger, bolder, and more diverse than many states—Kamin’s post-swearing moment is more than a personal milestone. It is a democracy milestone.
Appointed by Harris County Commissioners Court in April, County Attorney Kamin now leads one of the largest public law offices in America, with more than 300 attorneys and staff working on the legal front lines of county government. The office represents Harris County in civil matters and serves as legal counsel to more than 60 county departments and elected officials. Translation: when county government needs legal clarity, constitutional confidence, or courtroom courage, the County Attorney’s Office is where the work gets done.
Kamin enters the role with a clear promise and a full plate. From protecting voting rights and democratic institutions to defending clean air, clean water, vulnerable children, seniors, safe neighborhoods, and disaster preparedness, the office touches near-
ABBIE KAMIN: FIRST WOMAN. FIRST MOTHER. NEW HARRIS COUNTY ATTORNEY.
ly every issue that affects daily life in Harris County.
“Together, we will defend the rights and liberties of every resident and ensure county government continues delivering for the people of Harris County,” Kamin said. “At a time when our civil rights, our voting rights, our communities, and local control are being targeted, our office will stand firm with integrity and a deep respect for the law. That is our responsibility. That is my promise.”
That promise carries extra weight in today’s political climate, where local government often finds itself at the intersection of law, liberty, and everyday survival. Harris County residents want safe streets, fair elections, cleaner communities, flood protection, accountable leadership, and a government that can respond before small problems become generational headaches. Kamin’s job is to help ensure county government can meet those responsibilities lawfully, effectively, and boldly.
Before becoming County Attorney, Kamin served on Houston City Council, where she became known as a policy-driven public
servant with a strong focus on women, working families, public safety, emergency preparedness, and neighborhood quality of life. She was also the first woman to serve on Houston City Council while pregnant—because apparently making history once was just a warm-up lap.
During her council tenure, Kamin helped advance major initiatives including the creation of Houston’s first Women’s Commission, prenatal wellness policies, paid parental leave for city employees, domestic violence prevention strategies, firearm safe storage programs, and the Police Oversight and Accountability Office within the City’s Office of Inspector General. As Chair of Houston’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, she worked to strengthen emergency readiness and support first responders with improved technology.
Her legal background brings additional depth. Kamin practiced law in civil rights, voting rights, Title IX, and general
civil litigation. She later served as Associate Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League’s Southwest Region and worked in the Texas Legislature as a committee director and clerk. That combination of courtroom experience, legislative knowledge, and local public service makes her especially prepared for a county where legal questions often arrive wearing work boots, rain boots, or Sunday shoes.
A graduate of American University Washington College of Law and Tulane University, Kamin has also spoken of how her experience as part of Tulane’s “Katrina Class” shaped her commitment to local government, disaster resilience, and underserved communities. In Harris County—where flooding, environmental justice, and emergency response are never abstract topics—that perspective matters.
For Houston Style Magazine readers, this moment speaks directly to the power of representation. Kamin’s swearing-in sends a message to women, mothers, daughters, lawyers, students, and public servants that leadership does not require leaving identity or family at the door. It can be strengthened by both.
Abbie Kamin is sworn in with her husband, Matthew, and son, Slade, proudly by her side.
CIVIC HEART MASQUERADE BALL 2026
TO CELEBRATE 37 YEARS OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY IMPACT
By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Houston get your gowns pressed, tuxedos tailored, and masks ready — because Civic Heart Community Services is preparing to turn Halloween night into something far more meaningful than tricks, treats, and costume-party chaos. On Saturday, October 31, 2026, the beloved Houston nonprofit will host its signature Civic Heart Masquerade Ball: “Masks of Hope — Unveiling Brighter Futures” at The Junior League of Houston, inviting the community to step into an evening where elegance meets empowerment and philanthropy takes center stage.
For 37 years, Civic Heart Community Services has been helping Houstonians do what resilient people do best: rise, rebuild, and reimagine what is possible. Founded in 1989 in Houston’s historic Third Ward, the organization began with a deep ly human mission — to empower people to help themselves. That simple idea has grown into a powerful community movement rooted in opportunity, service, dignity, and transformation.
Houston Style Magazine is proud to serve as the official Media Sponsor for this powerful celebration of service, legacy, and community transformation. For more than three decades, Houston Style Magazine has amplified the stories, institutions, leaders, and movements that shape Houston’s diverse communities — and Civic Heart’s mission fits that commitment like a perfectly tailored evening jacket.
Formerly known as Change Happens!, Civic Heart has evolved into one of the region’s respected community anchors, providing programs and services that touch multiple areas of life. From youth development and education to workforce readiness, housing stability, health and wellness, prevention education, family support, civic engagement, and supportive services, Civic Heart meets people where life gets real — then helps them move forward with tools, resources, and encouragement.
And let’s be honest: in Houston, we know transformation. We transform parking lots into festivals, neighborhoods into movements, and community challenges into opportunities for action. Civic Heart has been doing that work long before “impact” became a buzzword.
The 2026 Masquerade Ball will bring together community leaders, civic champions, corporate partners, advocates, philanthropists,
and friends of the organization for an evening designed to celebrate legacy while investing boldly in the future. Under the theme “Masks of Hope — Unveiling Brighter Futures,” the event will honor decades of service while shining a spotlight on the families, young people, workers, and communities whose lives are changed when support meets purpose.
Every day, Civic Heart witnesses the quiet power of empowerment: a young person discovering confidence, a parent gaining meaningful employment, a family finding stability after uncertainty, and a community becoming stronger because someone chose to invest in people instead of simply talking about problems.
“As we celebrate 37 years of impact, this event is more than a ball — it is a call to action,” Civic Heart Community Services shared. “It is an opportunity for Houston to come together, celebrate what has been built, and invest in what is still possible.”
That message lands with special meaning in a city as diverse, ambitious, and community-driven as Houston. The Masquerade Ball is not just a night out; it is a night forward. Guests will enjoy an atmosphere of sophistication, celebration, and purpose, while supporting programs that strengthen families and expand access to opportunity across the Houston region.
Sponsorship opportunities are now available for corporations, foundations, community partners, and individuals who believe that empowerment is not charity — it is strategy. It is how cities grow stronger, neighborhoods become healthier, and futures become brighter.
So yes, Houston, wear the mask. But come ready to help unveil something much bigger: hope, opportunity, and the next chapter of Civic Heart’s powerful legacy.
Where: The Junior League of Houston Host Organization: Civic Heart Event/Sponsorship Link: https://givebutter.com/civic-heart-masquerade-ball-2026
Sponsorship Contact: development@ civicheart.org
Website: https://civicheart.org
H ABBIE KAMIN – 2026 INVESTITURE CEREMONY H
AAbbie Kamin Sworn In As Historic Harris County Attorney
bbie Kamin’s swearing-in as Harris County Attorney marks a historic and hopeful moment for Harris County and for local democracy. Kamin becomes the first woman and first mother to serve as the county’s chief civil lawyer, stepping into a role that impacts nearly every corner of county government and daily life for residents.
Now leading one of the nation’s largest public law offices, Kamin will oversee more than 300 attorneys and staff responsible for representing Harris County in civil legal matters and advising county departments, elected officials, and employees. The office plays a vital role in protecting public health, supporting safe neighborhoods, de-
fending voting rights, preserving access to clean air and water, and helping the county respond to flooding, natural disasters, and other major challenges.
A civil rights attorney and former Houston City Council Member, Kamin brings a strong record of public service to the position. During her time on City Council, she championed initiatives focused on women, working families, public safety, emergency preparedness, domestic violence prevention, and government accountability. Her leadership has consistently reflected a belief that government should be responsive, fair, and rooted in service to the people.
In her post-swearing message, Kamin made clear that her office will stand firm
in defense of civil rights, voting rights, local control, and the liberties of every Harris County resident. At a time when democracy is being tested at every level, her leadership arrives with both purpose and promise.
Houston Style Magazine proudly recognizes this milestone as a win for representation, resilience, and responsible government. History has been made. Now, Harris County begins a new legal chapter.
Learn more through the Harris County Attorney’s Office: https://CAO.HarrisCountyTX.gov/
Abbie Kamin New Harris County Attorney
Abbie Kamin & Lauren Ashley Simmons
Abbie Kamin & Ron Reynolds
Photos By County Attorney Office
In the beginning, God said, “Let there be…” — and suddenly, darkness had a deadline.
That same divine spark will illuminate Plano, Texas, August 14–16, 2026, as the Texas Women’s Empowerment Conference — affectionately known as TWEC — returns with a powerful three-day spiritual experience under the theme, “The Creation: Lessons from ‘LET THERE BE.’” Hosted at the Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center, TWEC 2026 promises a faith-filled weekend where worship meets wisdom, sisterhood meets strategy, and women leave not just inspired, but activated.
Founded in 2008, TWEC has grown from a bold vision into a beloved Christian-based gathering designed to empower women and young girls in both their spiritual and personal lives. With its signature blend of praise, prayer, teaching, fellowship, laughter, and no-judgment sisterhood, TWEC continues to offer a sacred space where women can breathe, bond, grow, and remember that their voice, value, and victory still matter.
At the heart of TWEC is founder Carole Hamilton, a Dallas native, minister’s wife, mother, teacher, worship leader, and Proverbs 31 woman whose passion for strengthening women has touched thou-
TEXAS WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE 2026:
“LET
THERE BE” LIGHT, PURPOSE, POWER — AND A SISTERHOOD READY TO RISE
sands. A proud graduate of Southwestern Christian College, Hamilton serves actively at Community Church of Christ, where her husband, Minister J.K. Hamilton, serves as Ministering Evangelist.
By Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Through TWEC, she has built more than a conference — she has nurtured a movement.
This year’s theme draws from the Creation story in Genesis, reminding attendees that every word God speaks brings light, order, identity, purpose, direction, life, dominion, relationship, and rest. In other words, God does not merely create — He organizes chaos, names what matters, and calls forth destiny. And ladies, that is not just theology; that is a life plan.
The weekend begins Friday, Au-
gust 14, with The W.O.W Kingdom: Women of the Word, a joyful kickoff inviting attendees to wear animal prints or costumes.
The reception mixer begins at 5 p.m., followed by the opening ceremony at 7 p.m., featuring Mikki Taylor with “Let There Be Light” and Becky Davis with “Let There Be Order.”
Saturday begins bright and early with a 6 a.m. morning workout, breakfast from 6:30 to 8 a.m., and a full day of prayer, devotion, and transformational teaching. Featured sessions include Tiffany Malone on purpose, Ira Booker on direction, Katrina Graham on life, Debbie Houston on dominion, Carole Hamilton on relationship, and Shawna Watkins on rest. Optional afternoon experiences include a Genesis Journal Class
and a “Let There Be Light” candle-making experience.
Then comes the Saturday evening gala, “It’s All God,” beginning at 6 p.m., with attendees invited to wear formal or semi-formal earth tones — because even celebration can be rooted, radiant, and divinely fashionable.
Sunday closes the weekend with another morning workout, breakfast, Ladies & Youth Bible Class at 9 a.m., and a 10 a.m. worship service open to all, featuring guest minister Dr. Tradanius Beard.
For Houston-area women, Dallas-Fort Worth sisters, church groups, youth mentors, mothers, daughters, ministry leaders, and women simply hungry for renewal, TWEC 2026 offers more than a getaway. It offers a reset. A reminder. A revival with room service.
So pack the earth tones, polish the praise shoes, bring a friend, and prepare your heart. Because at TWEC 2026, “Let there be” is more than a phrase from the beginning of time — it is a declaration for the woman becoming everything God created her to be.
Come inspired. Leave empowered.
For More Info and Tickets: https:// www.twec-inspire.org/
Tammi Wallace - President
Len Cannon – Welcome
Photos By Linda Toyota & Soneja Creative
Brooks, Jacquie & Francisco
Houston sports fans have weighed in on everything from stadium food to uniform designs over the years. Now, one of the city's newest professional teams is giving supporters a chance to help decide something even bigger: its name.
League One Volleyball's Houston franchise announced plans to rebrand for the first time since the league's founding in 2020, launching a fan-driven process to create a new identity for the club.
The effort is being led by LOVB Houston Chair and Alternate Governor Hannah McNair and Chief Business Officer Lisa Walker as the organization looks to establish a stronger connection between the team, its athletes and the city it represents.
Rather than unveiling a new brand behind closed doors, the franchise is turning to its players and supporters for input. Team officials have already gathered feedback from athletes and plan to conduct surveys with fans, current players and former players throughout the process.
At the center of the campaign is a public vote that allows fans to choose from five potential team names:
Houston Hype
Houston Halo
Houston Heights
Houston Hive
Houston Charge
WHAT'S IN A NAME? HOUSTON'S PRO VOLLEYBALL TEAM WANTS FANS TO DECIDE
By Lisa Valadez, for www.StyleMagazine.com
Each finalist reflects a different aspect of Houston's identity. "Charge" emphasizes power and momentum. "Hive" highlights community and collective energy. "Halo" offers a nod to Houston's Space City reputation.
"Heights" carries local flavor through one of the city's best-known neighborhoods, while "Hype" captures the growing excitement surrounding professional volleyball in Houston.
The organization says the goal is to
build a brand that feels rooted in Houston's culture, diversity and ambition while creating an identity that fans can embrace for years to come.
The rebrand comes as professional volleyball continues to gain traction nationwide.
Founded in 2020, League One Volleyball was created around a club-to-professional pathway designed to connect youth athletes with the highest levels of the sport. The league launched
its inaugural professional season in January 2025 and features many of the world's top volleyball players, including Olympians and international stars.
Houston is one of several cities with a professional LOVB team, joining markets such as Atlanta, Austin, Madison, Nebraska and Salt Lake City, with Los Angeles expected to join the league in the future.
For Houston, the rebranding effort represents more than a marketing exercise. It is an opportunity to establish a distinct identity at a time when professional volleyball is still carving out its place in the city's crowded sports landscape.
Whether fans ultimately rally behind the Hive, Charge, Halo, Heights or Hype, the franchise is betting that a community-built brand will help strengthen its connection to Houston and fuel the next stage of growth for the sport in the region.
Fan voting is now open, with supporters invited to help shape the future identity of Houston's professional volleyball team.
Cast Your Vote Here:
In Fort Bend County, even when the library doors pause for a holiday, the pursuit of knowledge does not take a day off. In observance of Juneteenth, all Fort Bend County Libraries will be closed Friday through Sunday, June 19–21, 2026, giving staff, families, and residents an opportunity to honor one of America’s most meaningful freedom holidays with reflection, remembrance, and maybe a little well-earned rest.
But don’t worry, book lovers. The stacks may be quiet, the checkout desks may be still, and the community rooms may be taking a long weekend nap—but the digital library remains wide awake. Fort Bend County residents can still access the online catalog, including Libby by OverDrive and Hoopla, proving once again that democracy and download buttons can, indeed, coexist beautifully.
Juneteenth carries a deep Texas heartbeat. On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, the long-delayed news of freedom reached enslaved African Americans—more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. What began as a Texas-born day of liberation has grown into a national moment of truth-telling, celebration, and civic reflection. It reminds us that freedom is not simply announced; it must be protected, expanded, taught, and passed forward like a family recipe seasoned with courage.
That is where libraries shine.
FORT BEND COUNTY LIBRARIES HONOR JUNETEENTH with a Weekend of Reflection, Reading, and Digital Discovery
By Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Fort Bend County Libraries are more than buildings filled with books. They are public-square powerhouses—places where children discover their first favorite author, students research their next big dream, job seekers polish resumes, entrepreneurs study markets, seniors stay connected, and families find programs that stretch both imagination and opportunity. In a diverse, fast-growing county like Fort Bend, the library is one of the most democratic institutions we have: open to all, useful to many, and quietly revolutionary in its belief that everyone deserves access to knowledge.
The Juneteenth closure offers residents a chance to pause in person while continuing to explore online. Through Libby, patrons can borrow eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines from a phone, tablet, or Kindle. Through Hoopla, readers and viewers can enjoy eBooks, audiobooks, comics, music, movies, and more—because sometimes the freedom to learn looks like a biography, a documentary, a jazz album, or a children’s book read together on the couch. This is the beauty of a modern public library system: it respects the past while serving the present. It can honor Juneteenth by closing
its doors for reflection, yet still keep digital pathways open for discovery. That is not just convenience; that is community service with Wi-Fi.
For Houston Style Magazine readers across Fort Bend and the Greater Houston region, this holiday weekend is an invitation. Visit Galveston history in your reading. Introduce a young person to the meaning of Juneteenth. Stream a film that sparks a family conversation. Download a book by a Black author. Explore the long road from emancipation to equality—and remember that civic literacy is one of democracy’s strongest muscles.
Fort Bend County Libraries will reopen after the holiday weekend, but the deeper message remains: freedom grows when communities read, remember, and remain engaged. Juneteenth is not just a day on the calendar. It is a call to keep learning, keep voting, keep building, and keep widening the circle of opportunity.
And yes, while the buildings are closed, your library card still works. That little rectangle of access may be one of the most powerful freedom tools in your wallet.
