Houston Style Magazine Vol 37 No 33 by Houston Style Magazine (HSM)

Houston Style Magazine AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989

Volume 37 | Number 33

Complimentary

Ben Jealous Count Them. Then Hire Them.

GEORGIA PROVOST HOUSTON SAYS FAREWELL TO “THE MAYOR OF THIRD WARD”

James Talarico Harris County Hispanic Voter Outreach

By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

Adi Rivka Farjon Brings Global Diplomacy, and Bridge-Building to the Southwest

HAUTE SHOTS: AAPI Houston Mural Unveiling

Legacy Community Health Celebrates Health Center Week

Goode Damn Coffee

N E W S | C O M M E N TA R I E S | S P O R T S | H E A LT H | E N T E R TA I N M E N T Supporting Small Owned Businesses

AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

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WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH TO HOST CRUCIAL CONVERSATION ON FAITH, POLITICAL POWER, AND DEMOCRACY By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

Publisher Francis Page, Jr. fpagejr@stylemagazine.com Associate Publisher Lisa Valadez lisa@stylemagazine.com Social Media Editor/Videographer Reginald Dominique reggiedominique@me.com Graphic Design /Layout Editor Cameron C. Lee thisiscam6@gmail.com Political Editor Burt Levine texascampaigns@gmail.com Sports Editor Brian Barefield brian_barefield@yahoo.com Food & Wine Writer Monica Jones alexandriajack1991@gmail.com Entertainment Writer D'Nesha Bell / TotallyRandie Totallyrandie@gmail.com Career Columnist Nikki Miles ailormaderesumes2576@gmail.com NATIONAL WRITERS Ben Jealous info@benjealous.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Vicky Pink vhpink@gmail.com ADVERTISING/SALES advertising@stylemagazine.com Got community news? We want to hear from you! editorial@stylemagazine.com

MINORITY PRINT MEDIA, LLC, D.B.A. Houston Style Magazine & www.StyleMagazine.com Phone: (713) 748-6300 • Fax: (713) 748-6320 Mail: P.O. Box 14035, Houston, TX 77221-4035

n a city where faith has long fueled movements for justice, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church is preparing Houston for a conversation that could not be more timely. Documentary screening and national panel will examine White Christian nationalism and the political use of faith. On Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church’s Social Justice Ministry will present “Hijacked Faith: Power, Politics, and the Church,” the latest installment of its Crucial Conversations series at 3826 Wheeler Avenue in Houston’s historic Third Ward. The morning begins with a screening of the documentary Bad Faith, which examines the rise of Christian nationalism and its intersection with American politics, religious institutions and democracy. The filmmakers describe the documentary as an exploration of Christian nationalism’s growing influence in American political life.

Then comes the conversation. Wheeler Avenue has assembled a heavyweight national panel featuring Dr. Michael O. Emerson; Dr. Frederick D. “Freddie” Haynes III, senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church; Bishop Leah D. Daughtry, co-founder of Black Church PAC; political communications strategist Ashley Etienne; and Dr. Cleve Tinsley IV of Imaginior Equity Group. With the November midterm elections approaching, the gathering raises a distinctly American question: How can faith inform civic life without being hijacked by political power? That distinction matters. Democracy

does not ask people of faith to leave their convictions at the church door. It depends on citizens bringing their values into the public square while respecting the constitutional rights, voices and votes of their neighbors. In Houston, where churches have historically helped register voters, organize communities and champion civil rights, Wheeler Avenue is creating space not simply for agreement—but discernment. The church puts the challenge plainly: “Faith should guide our politics—not be manipulated by it.” The event is free and open to the public, with advance registration encouraged. REGISTER: https://www.wheelerbc.org/ events/hijacked-faith-power-politics-andthe-church DIRECT REGISTRATION: https://brushfire.com/wheeleravenuebaptistchurch/hijackedfaith/636020

©2026 Houston Style Magazine, a Minority Print Media, L.L.C. Company. All Right Reserved. Reproduction in whole or within part without permission is prohibited. Houston Style Magazine has a 2021 Audit by Circulation Verification Council (CVC). Houston Style Magazine is a member of the Texas Publishers Association (TPA), Texas Community Newspaper Association (TCNA), National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), Independent Free Paper of America (IFPA), Association of Free Community Papers (AFCP) and Members of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP). National Association of Hispanic Publications, Inc. (NAHP, Inc.), Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (HHCC), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Latin Women’s Initiative (LWI), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals (HAHMP), National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), and Supporters of Greater Houston Partnership(GHP)

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AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

COMMENTARY

COUNT THEM. THEN HIRE THEM.

THREE WEEKS BEFORE HE DIED, DR. KING STOOD UP AND ARGUED WITH A NUMBER. THE JULY JOBS REPORT SAYS HE WAS RIGHT. By Ben Jealous, National Political Commentator

hree weeks before he was killed, Martin Luther King Jr. stood up in a high school gym in Michigan and argued with a number. It was March of 1968. The government said unemployment in the Black community was 8.8 percent. King said it was almost twice that. Not because anybody was cooking the books. The country felt good about jobs that spring. The national unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, near the lowest since the Korean War. Washington called that full employment. King was telling them the number was hiding people. He explained how the count worked. It counted people out of work and still looking. It did not count the people who had stopped looking. He described them plainly. People who had lost hope. People who had so many doors shut in their faces that they quit knocking. “These people are considered the discouraged,” he said. Add them back, he argued, and the true figure was closer to sixteen or seventeen percent. That was fifty-eight years ago. The count still works much the same way. Presidents have come and gone. The count has not changed. Last week the government released the July jobs report. The country lost 23,000 jobs. It corrected May and June, erasing 103,000 jobs we thought we had. Over the past year we have averaged about 34,000 new jobs a month. Almost nobody is being hired. Outside a few industries, almost nobody is being fired either. If you have a job, you are probably safe. If you need one, the door will not open. Then came the number that would have gotten King out of his chair.

The unemployment rate went down. It fell from 4.2 percent to 4.1 percent. That happened because 264,000 people left the labor force. They did not find work. They stopped being counted. You are counted as unemployed only if you have no job and you looked for one in the last four weeks. Stop looking, and you are not counted as unemployed. You are not counted at all. Nearly six million Americans say they want a job and are not counted. They are not lazy. They stopped looking because looking stopped working. They did not stop wanting a job. They stopped believing one was coming. Thirty years ago I crisscrossed this country arguing against NAFTA. Corporate lobbyists said we sounded like Chicken Little. Two decades and 63,000 shuttered factories later, every exaggeration they accused us of had come true. Those factories did not close on Black towns or White towns. They closed on both. King saw it coming. He wrote in 1967 that there were twice as many white

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poor as Negro poor in America. So, he was not just giving a speech that night. He was building something. He had marched to desegregate the lunch counter. That fight was won. The fight left was whether a man could afford what was on it. In December of 1967 he announced the Poor People’s Campaign. The demand was jobs or income for all. He meant to bring the poorest families in America to Washington and set them where the country could not look away. Not only Black families. White families out of the mountains. Mexican American families. Native families. Puerto Rican families. One caravan left Chicago on May 8, 1968. King never saw it. He was killed in Memphis on April 4. The campaign went on without him and mostly failed. They built a camp on the National Mall and called it Resurrection City. Rain turned it to mud. Police cleared it in June. No jobs bill passed. Nobody got a guaranteed income. But King was right about the

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count. He is still right. A country that stops counting people finds it easy to forget them. There will be plenty of arguing about these numbers. Arguing has never hired anybody. Only people hire people. So here is what I ask of you. If you run a business, interview the person your software screened out. Ask about the gap in the work history instead of assuming the worst. If you know somebody who quit looking, walk with them back to the door. Say their name to somebody who is hiring. If you belong to a church or a union or a lodge, find out this month who among you is out of work. Do not stop at praying for them. Make the call. Dr. King argued with a number because he knew a number can hide a person. Count them. Then hire them. Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former president and CEO of the NAACP.

REP. TALARICO REACHES OUT TO HARRIS COUNTY HISPANIC VOTERS

n a Texas U.S. Senate race already drawing national attention, State Rep. James Talarico brought his campaign to Pasadena Sunday with a message built around affordability, working families and political participation — and he delivered it in one of the most heavily Hispanic communities in the Houston region. Talarico, the Democratic nominee, addressed a packed San Jacinto College auditorium on August 9, 2026. The setting was no political accident. Pasadena is 70.9% Hispanic or Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while Harris County is 46.1% Hispanic or Latino. For any statewide candidate hoping to build a winning coalition in Texas, those communities are not a side conversation; they are central to the conversation. Talarico framed his recently announced “New American Dream” economic agenda around the pressures Texans feel at grocery stores, pharmacies, childcare centers and the housing market. “The American dream has become an American nightmare,” Talarico told the crowd, arguing that too many families are working hard while finding the basic milestones of middle-class life increasingly out of reach. His prescriptions were unmistakably populist: raise the minimum wage, shift tax relief toward middle-class families and small businesses, strengthen labor unions, address medical debt and cap credit-card interest rates. He repeatedly linked those issues to a

By Burt Levine, Political Editor for www.StyleMagazine.com

Council Member Joaquin Martinez and James Talarico

Texas Senator Carol Alvarado and James Talarico

broader argument about who government should serve. That message will be tested vigorously before November. Republican nominee Ken Paxton, who defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the May runoff, has been campaigning on a sharply different economic vision centered on lower taxes. During a recent Houston campaign swing, Paxton criticized Talarico’s record on tax-related constitutional amendments. Houston Public Media noted that Talarico did not vote to create a state income tax or estate tax – but did oppose amendments that would permanently prohibit such taxes. That contrast is democracy doing its work: competing visions, competing records and,

ultimately, voters deciding which direction Texas should take. Before arriving in Pasadena, Talarico also visited the Canal Street memorial for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was killed July 7, 2026 by an ICE agent during an enforcement operation in Magnolia Park. The case has shaken Houston’s East End and prompted continuing calls for transparency and accountability from Araujo’s family, residents and elected officials. State Sen. Carol Alvarado and Houston City Council Member Joaquin Martinez, both deeply rooted in East End communities, welcomed Talarico’s outreach. Alvarado said his emphasis on public schools and working people is resonating in communities that want

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leaders to show up, listen and fight for their priorities. Martinez likewise emphasized representation, arguing that every Houston neighborhood deserves a meaningful voice in decisions shaping Texas and the nation. For voters, that may be the larger takeaway from Pasadena. Campaign rallies come with applause, signs and speeches — democracy comes with homework. It asks citizens to compare the claims, study the records, challenge the candidates and then cast a ballot. And the calendar matters. Texas’ voter-registration deadline is Monday, October 5. Early voting begins Monday, October 19, and runs through Friday, October 30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Houston Style Magazine readers, whether voters arrive energized by Talarico, Paxton or another candidate on the ballot, the hopeful truth remains the same: communities gain political power when they participate. In Pasadena, the campaign message was aimed at Hispanic voters. In November, the final message belongs to them — and to every Texan with a ballot. For more James Talarico information, go to: https://jamestalarico.com/ For more voter Information, go to: https://www.harrisvotes.com/

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AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

2026 FORT BEND INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE: BUILDING THE ROADS, WATER, POWER AND PARTNERSHIPS FOR TOMORROW By Lisa Valadez Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

ort Bend County is growing, and anyone who has spent five minutes on its roads already knows the unofficial slogan: progress comes with traffic. But behind every new subdivision, business park, school, medical facility and corporate investment is a much bigger question—can the infrastructure keep up? That question will take center stage Friday, September 18, 2026, when the Fort Bend Regional Partnership, in collaboration with the Central Fort Bend Chamber, hosts the 2026 Fort Bend Infrastructure Conference, presented by BGE, Inc., at Safari Texas Ranch, 11627 FM 1464 in Richmond. The official conference schedule runs from 7:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., bringing together business leaders, public officials, engineers, developers, utility professionals and community stakeholders for a forward-looking conversation about how Fort Bend grows—and how it grows wisely. For Houston Style Magazine readers, this is more than an engineer-only gathering. Infrastructure determines how long families spend commuting, where businesses invest, whether neighborhoods have dependable water, how communities prepare for future development and whether economic opportunity can continue spreading throughout Fort Bend County. The conference agenda tackles those realities head-on. “Infrastructure in Motion: Transportation & Mobility” will examine current and future transportation projects designed to improve connectivity across Fort Bend. “The Framework of Development: MUDs & Property Tax” turns the spotlight on mu-

nicipal utility districts, development financing and the complicated—but essential—mechanics behind responsible community growth. Then there is water. “Water Under Pressure: Keeping Up with Growth” will bring industry and municipal voices together to explore the challenge of serving a rapidly expanding population while protecting long-term water reliability. And because tomorrow’s economy increasingly runs on servers as much as highways, “Data Center Power: Myths, Facts and the Fine Print” will examine energy demands, infrastructure realities and the economic-development opportunities surrounding data centers. Perhaps the day’s most future-facing conversation will come from keynote speaker Doug Robison, Founder and Executive Chairman of Natura Resources. Robison has helped push advanced

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molten-salt nuclear technology toward commercial deployment, including work connected to Abilene Christian University’s NEXT Lab. Natura announced in July that Jordan Robison became CEO while Doug Robison continues as executive chairman and chairman of the board—a transition keeping the company’s founder focused on long-range strategy and deployment. His keynote arrives as Texas confronts a straightforward equation: more people, more businesses and more technology mean greater demand for reliable energy. Advanced nuclear technology is increasingly part of that conversation, alongside questions about water, grid resilience and the enormous electricity requirements of emerging industries. ACU and Natura’s work includes development of advanced molten-salt reactor technology with potential applications in energy production and water treatment.

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Individual registration is $125. Corporate begin at $1,500 and include a reserved luncheon table for eight, eight conference registrations, exhibitor space and marketing recognition. Exhibitor booths are available for $500. BGE, Inc. serves as Title Sponsor, with Kinetic as Breakfast Sponsor. Corporate supporters include Aguirre & Fields, CivilCorp | ESP Associates, DCCM, HNTB Corporation, Huitt-Zollars, Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering, Landtech, Pape-Dawson, TDECU, Terracon, Schaumburg & Polk, Vogler & Spencer Engineering and WSB. BGE and Kinetic are also confirmed on the official event listing. Fort Bend’s growth story is impressive. The next challenge is ensuring its roads, water, energy systems and public infrastructure are every bit as ambitious. On September 18, some of the region’s builders and decision-makers will gather to tackle the question that matters most: What do we build today so Fort Bend works even better tomorrow? REGISTER & EVENT DETAILS: 2026 Fort Bend Infrastructure Conference: https://business.fortbendregionalpartnership. com/events/Details/2026-fort-bend-infrastructure-conference-1737527 For sponsorship information, contact Rebekah Beltran at rebekah@fbrp.org or 281-566-2158.

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CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN HELPS DELIVER $500,000 FEDERAL INVESTMENT TO REVITALIZE HIRAM CLARKE AND FORT BEND COMMUNITIES By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

early 13 years after Houston created TIRZ 25 to spur reinvestment in Hiram Clarke and Fort Bend Houston, another important chapter is being written in Southwest Houston’s comeback story. The zone was officially created on August 7, 2013—a date that makes the timing of this latest investment almost poetic. On Thursday, August 6, 2026, community and redevelopment leaders celebrated the presentation of a symbolic $500,000 federal check to the Hiram Clarke/Fort Bend Redevelopment Authority (HCFBRA). Congressman Al Green (TX-09) helped secure the funding through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Community-Wide Brownfields Assessment Grant Program. In plain Houston language: before you can build something better, you need to know what is underneath the existing ground. Brownfields are properties where actual or potential contamination can complicate redevelopment—think former gas stations, dry cleaners or older commercial sites where chemicals may have entered soil or groundwater. The $500,000 award will support property inventories, environmental assessments, redevelopment planning and community engagement. HCFBRA says it plans to conduct 21 initial assessments, followed by deeper testing on as many as five properties if necessary. Proposed cleanup and reuse plans will also be developed, giving residents a voice as properties are evaluated for new possibilities. For Congressman Green, the investment goes far beyond environmental testing. “Every family deserves to live in a community where opportunity is not overshadowed by

environmental hazards or years of underinvestment,” Green said. That statement carries considerable historical weight. The Hiram Clarke/Fort Bend redevelopment effort grew from years of community advocacy and demands for infrastructure and economic investment. Houston created TIRZ 25 in 2013, and the Hiram Clarke/Fort Bend Redevelopment Authority was formally established in 2015. Today, the zone covers approximately 6,077 acres across two counties, channeling tax-increment growth into roads, sidewalks, drainage, lighting, parks, public facilities and other

economic-development improvements. And this is not theoretical. In 2023, HCFBRA acquired a long-vacant former gas station at 4802 W. Fuqua Street, a property that had become associated with illegal activity and neighborhood blight. The structure was demolished, contamination was assessed, and plans call for transforming the property into green space connected to Simon Minchen Park and the Sims Bayou Trail. Now the federal grant provides an opportunity to repeat that playbook on a much larger scale. “This grant is a chance to do more of the work our community has waited years for,” HCFBRA

Executive Director LeRon Wilson said. And Hiram Clarke/Fort Bend is standing out statewide. EPA awarded more than $9.4 million in 2026 Brownfields grants across Texas, with HCFBRA receiving $500,000. The authority says it is the only greater-Houston recipient of this particular Community-Wide Brownfields Assessment Grant during the current grant cycle. The potential multiplier is impressive. Since 1995, EPA says its Brownfields Program has provided more than $3 billion in grant funding, helping leverage more than $45 billion in cleanup and redevelopment and supporting more than 228,900 jobs. Through fiscal year 2025, every federal brownfields grant dollar awarded through major programs leveraged an average of $19.47 from public and private sources. So don’t look at this as simply a $500,000 check. Look at it as seed money for possibility. For Hiram Clarke and Fort Bend Houston, this investment represents another tool for converting yesterday’s liabilities into tomorrow’s neighborhood assets—cleaner land, stronger development opportunities, healthier communities and renewed economic confidence. Congressman Al Green helped bring federal resources home. Now Southwest Houston has another reason to believe that revitalization is not merely being discussed. It is being assessed, planned—and built. For more information on the HCFBRA, go to: https:// hiramclarkefortbend.com/

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Legacy Community Health Celebrates National Health Center Week by Expanding Access to Care for Women, Children, and Families One Healthcare Home for Every Stage of Life By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

ational Health Center Week ended August 8, but Legacy Community Health is making one thing clear: access to healthcare is not a seven-day assignment. Across Houston and Southeast Texas, Legacy continues a more than four-decade mission of helping families overcome barriers that too often stand between people and good health—cost, insurance, transportation, food insecurity, paperwork and geography. The message fits the 2026 National Health Center Week theme, “Building Innovative Care Where It Matters Most.” The national observance celebrates a 60-year Community Health Center movement dedicated to affordable and accessible care. Legacy has become one of Texas’ most significant examples of that movement in action. The organization is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in Texas, serving more than 200,000 patients annually through more than 60 locations, including 39 School-Based Health Care clinics. “Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on a person’s financial circumstances,” said Robert Palussek, Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Community Health. “Legacy helps connect patients and families to quality healthcare, support services, and resources that improve health outcomes regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.” For women and growing families, care can begin with free walk-in pregnancy testing and continue through prenatal care, postpartum recovery, lactation support, family planning, pediatric services

and connections to community resources. Perinatal Navigators help patients remain connected throughout that journey. Legacy also recognizes that health is shaped by what happens outside the clinic. “When someone screens positive for food insecurity, it is often a sign of broader challenges,” said William Lyons, Social Services Director. “That’s why the screen matters.” “It is often the first thread that leads the care team to everything else a person is quietly managing, and to the benefits and resources that can help.” Through Food Rx, Legacy and the Houston Food Bank help eligible patients access fresh fruits and vegetables and nutrition education. “ What you eat plays a significant factor in your overall health,” said Pinkie Fosha, Manager of

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Programs, Health Connect. “Nutrient-poor diets contribute to the development of obesity, hypertension, and many other preventable diseases.” For Fosha, there is also a distinctly human reward. “To be able to make someone’s day a little easier is why we do the work. Many of our patients come to the markets frequently, and to see their smiles and be able to serve them is so rewarding.” “We meet our patients where they are, addressing any identified needs directly or through collaboration. Knowledge and access are key,” she added. For children, Growing Great Minds supports early childhood development, while Little Readers has distributed more than 300,000 books

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since 2015. Legacy’s 39 school-based clinics on KIPP, YES Prep and Galena Park ISD campuses bring healthcare—including primary care, behavioral health, immunizations and preventive services—closer to students and working families. Affordability remains central in the pharmacy, too. “We make sure the patient has seen eligibility so they get the best possible price on our sliding scale,” said Neha Agrawal, Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services. “Our priority is that each patient gets the medication and care they deserve.” Legacy’s bilingual Eligibility Specialists also assist families with Medicaid, CHIP, Marketplace coverage, renewals, referrals and sliding-fee programs. National Health Center Week is over. The need is not. And Legacy’s answer remains refreshingly practical: build a healthcare home capable of following people through every stage of life—and remove as many obstacles as possible between them and the care they deserve. For appointments or additional information, call (832) 548-5000. To learn more, visit www.legacycommunityhealth.org

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BACK TO CLASS, BACK TO OPPORTUNITY: HCC Southwest Helps Houston Students Register — and One Could Win $500 By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

ack -to-school season in Houston is officially in full swing, and Houston City College (HCC) is making sure students do not have to navigate the road to fall classes alone. HCC Southwest will participate in the final Saturday Registration Support Fair on August 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., including at the Stafford and West Loop campuses, giving students hands-on assistance just two days before Fall 2026 regular-term classes begin Monday, August 17. HCC says the Saturday event will offer students one-onone assistance with course selection and registration while helping them explore affordable options for covering college costs. And HCC Southwest has added a little extra motivation: according to its promotional announcement, students attending its registration fairs can enter a drawing for a $500 scholarship. In college life, where tuition, books, transportation and a dependable laptop can make every dollar count, $500 is more than a nice surprise. It can be another push toward staying focused on the finish line.

From 1971 to 100,000+ Students The registration push comes during a historic chapter for Houston City College. HCC traces its beginnings to 1971, when Houston voters approved creation of the institution under the Houston Independent School District. It separated from HISD in 1989, later developed into a multi-college system and, in 2025, officially changed its name from Houston Community College to Houston City College. More than five decades later, those first evening classes have grown into an education network serving one of America’s most dynamic metropolitan regions. And the numbers are impressive. In June 2026, HCC announced that it had surpassed 100,000 enrolled students — its highest enrollment since 2019. HCC also reported that its student award attainment rate has increased 30 percent since 2022, reflecting an institutional push not simply to enroll students, but to help more of them complete credentials and move into careers. Today, HCC offers 300-plus degree, certificate and credential options

“What do I do next?” can make all the difference. Students can get registration assistance, review course options and better understand the steps necessary to move forward. Houston Style Magazine has watched HCC grow and evolve alongside Houston for decades. This back-to-class season offers another reminder of what accessible higher education looks like in practice: doors opening, questions getting answered and students being encouraged to keep moving forward. Fall classes are almost here. The new backpack can wait another day. Registration shouldn’t. across more than 85 programs, spanning university transfer, workforce education, technical training and other career pathways. That makes Saturday’s registration fair more than another date on the calendar. For a first-generation college student, working parent, returning adult learner or recent high school graduate, sitting down with someone who can answer the question

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Saturday Registration Support Fair Saturday, August 15, 2026, • TIME: 9 a.m.–1 p.m. HCC Southwest — Stafford & West Loop campuses Opportunity to enter a $500 scholarship drawing REGISTER & LEARN MORE: hccs.edu/registrationfairs

AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

GOODE DAMN COFFEE:A HOUSTON-BORN BRAND BREWING MORE THAN JUST A CUP OF COFFEE By Lisa Valadez, for www.StyleMagazine.com

ometimes a story finds you. Over the weekend, while scrolling through Threads, I came across an interaction between one of the owners of a Houston coffee company and a familiar name to parents and caregivers across the country: Ms. Rachel. The coffee company was Goode Damn Coffee, a Houston-based, Black-owned specialty coffee brand. The name immediately caught my attention. Houston Style Magazine has been working on a new community-focused column highlighting the people, businesses and stories that make Houston communities special. The column is being developed in honor of our longtime Managing Editor, Jo-Carolyn Goode, who passed away on November 12, 2025. So, stumbling across a Houston business with "Goode" in its name felt like more than a coincidence. I decided to learn more. A visit to the Goode Damn Coffee website offered an immediate introduction to the brand's philosophy: "Built on Brotherhood. Brewed Damn Goode." The company describes itself as specialty coffee built around real connection, from Houston to your cup. That message is central to the story behind the brand. Goode Damn Coffee was founded by Brian "Chill" Landor, Thaddeus McCall and Kin Eaton. According to the company's story, the three entrepreneurs first tried to begin their coffee venture in 2018. Like so many business owners can attest, however, life had other plans. The idea did not disappear; instead, it eventually returned with a renewed vision for what coffee

could represent. For the founders, coffee is about more than the beverage itself. It can be a gathering point where ideas are born, partnerships are created, families reconnect and communities grow. That philosophy makes the brand's name and mission particularly fitting for a city like Houston, where coffee shops and local businesses often become places where people meet, work, create and build relationships. And then there was Ms. Rachel. Even if you do not have young children at home, chances are you have heard of her. Her educational children's pro-

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gramming has made her a recognizable figure among children, parents and caregivers. Ms. Rachel has also used her platform to advocate for children and families and to support communities and businesses. In this case, that support extended to Goode Damn Coffee. Ms. Rachel purchased 1,000 bags of coffee from the Houston business in support of the Blackowned brand. For a small business, that kind of organic exposure can make a significant difference. It is also an example of the power of social media to introduce consumers to businesses they may

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never have encountered otherwise. One interaction can lead to a new customer, which can lead to another, creating a ripple effect that extends well beyond a single social media post. That is the kind of story worth finding. It is also exactly why Houston Style Magazine is creating a space to highlight Houston communities and the people building businesses, creating opportunities and strengthening connections throughout the region. Sometimes those stories are found at a community event. Sometimes they are discovered through a neighborhood business. And sometimes, they appear while casually scrolling through social media. For Goode Damn Coffee, one social media scroll led to a Houston business with a story rooted in brotherhood, specialty coffee and community, followed by an unexpected connection with one of the country's most recognizable children's personalities. The result is a reminder that a cup of coffee can be more than something you drink. It can be a reason to sit down, start a conversation, create an idea, build a partnership, reconnect with family or simply spend a meaningful moment with someone. And perhaps that is what makes Goode Damn Coffee's message resonate: better coffee is good, but better moments are even better. Learn more about Goode Damn Coffee and its story at www.goodedamncoffee.com

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2026

SEE MORE +

Houston “Painted Bridges” Mural 9750 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, TX 77036

H Painted Bridges – AAPI Houston Mural Unveiling H

FROM TAIWAN TO HOUSTON: Six artists, one shared table, and a seat for everyone.

H Unveiling of a 21-day experiential-learning program led by EpNex in partnership with GONZO247 Studio. H August 6, 2026 H

Adam Yi and GONZO247

Texas State Rep. Gene WU

Photos By TeamStyleMag

Houston City Council - Edward Pollard

Chair SW Mgmt. Dist. - Kenneth Li www.StyleMagazine.com

AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

2026

H Gina Hinojosa & James Talarico H TEXAS TOGETHER and UNITED - A WINNING FUTURE FOR ALL TEXANS

H Gina Hinojosa For Texas Governor + www.GinaForTexas.com H James Talarico For Texas + www.JamesTalarico.com H

Chad Burke, Alex Mealer & Arienne Brit 12

AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

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AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

FROM GENEVA TO HOUSTON: ADI RIVKA FARJON BRINGS GLOBAL DIPLOMACY, WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP AND BRIDGE-BUILDING TO THE SOUTHWEST By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

ouston knows global connections. Energy, medicine, technology, trade, culture and more than 90 foreign governments represented through the city’s consular community have made the Bayou City an international crossroads. Now another seasoned diplomat is preparing to add her voice to that conversation. Houston is home to what the city describes as the nation’s third-largest consular corps. Adi Rivka Farjon Israel has been selected to become Consul General of Israel in Houston and the Southwest, succeeding Consul General Livia Link-Raviv. Israel’s Cabinet approved Farjon’s appointment in November 2025, with Farjon expected to assume the Houston assignment in August 2026. As of August 10, 2026, the Houston consulate’s public leadership pages were still undergoing the transition and continued to reflect portions of the outgoing administration — making Farjon’s arrival quite literally a developing Houston story. And what a résumé she brings. Farjon most recently headed the Central Europe Department of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Before that, she spent four years as Israel’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva, where the Israeli mission credited her with advancing the country’s positions at the Human Rights Council and working extensively on international women’s rights issues. Reflecting upon that demanding Geneva chapter, Farjon wrote, “When I started this role, I was optimistic and eager to embrace the opportunities of

the multilateral arena.” Her colleagues were equally complimentary. Israel’s Geneva mission praised Farjon’s “professionalism, passion, energy and team spirit” as she concluded the assignment in 2024. Those qualities could serve her well in Houston. The Consulate General of Israel to the Southwest covers Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Mexico, a sprawling territory encompassing energy capitals, agricultural centers, major universities, emerging technology corridors and some of America’s fastest-growing communities. The consulate describes Israel’s relationship with the Southwest as “robust,” with continuing efforts to deepen cooperation and shared prosperity. That relationship has included decades of exchanges involving agriculture, healthcare, energy, technology, research and trade. Houston, particularly, provides fertile

AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

ground for Farjon’s bridge-building instincts. The city has longstanding business and institutional connections with Israel, while the region’s energy and technology sectors offer natural opportunities for collaboration. The U.S. International Trade Administration has continued promoting Israeli participation in Houston’s Offshore Technology Conference, underscoring the economic possibilities surrounding energy innovation. Yet Farjon’s story reaches beyond government offices and diplomatic receptions. Before entering diplomacy, she worked in Israel’s nonprofit sector. She earned degrees from Tel Aviv University, including graduate work examining intercultural integration and the experiences of young immigrants in Germany. She also volunteered for years with the Tel Aviv Rape Crisis Center, educating teenagers about sexual-assault prevention and conducting empowerment programs for women and

Adi Rivka Farjon

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girls.

Farjon later led the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Women in Diplomacy Network, organizing engagement among Israeli and international female diplomats. Her professional interests have included civil society, gender equality, conflict resolution and mediation. In other words, Houston is not simply receiving another diplomat with an impressive passport stamp collection. It is welcoming a communicator. A coalition builder. A woman who has moved between diplomacy’s grand stages and civil society’s very human work. And in a city where international relationships are built everywhere from boardrooms and universities to churches, synagogues, cultural institutions and neighborhood tables, that may prove to be exactly the right skill set. Welcome to Houston, Consul General Farjon. The world already meets here. Now the conversation continues. Official Consulate General of Israel to the Southwest: https://embassies.gov.il/houston/en Adi Rivka Farjon Israel – Global Diplomacy Lab Profile: https://www.global-diplomacy-lab.org/ members/adi-rivka-farjon-israel/

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ouston has lost more than a community leader. Third Ward has lost one of its fiercest champions, and generations of Houstonians have lost a woman who spent a lifetime preserving, protecting and promoting the community she loved. Houston Style Magazine joins our city in mourning the passing of Georgia Provost, affectionately known throughout Houston as “The Mayor of Third Ward.” It was a fitting title. Georgia did not need to occupy City Hall to understand the meaning of public service. Her authority came from something more enduring: decades of showing up. She showed up for Third Ward. She showed up for civic engagement. She showed up for Texas Southern University. She showed up when Houston's historic African American neighborhoods needed a voice. And when Georgia Provost believed something needed to be said, Houston could count on her to say it. Her legacy was also deeply connected to Provost Studios, the historic family photography business that documented generations of Black Houston. Through the Provost lens came portraits of families, graduates, brides and grooms, business owners, civic leaders and everyday Houstonians building extraordinary lives. Those photographs became more than family keepsakes. Collectively, they form an invaluable visual archive of Houston's African American history. Georgia understood something Houston

GEORGIA PROVOST: HOUSTON SAYS FAREWELL TO “THE MAYOR OF THIRD WARD” By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

lessons. a title.

Georgia Provost Style Magazine has always believed: If we do not document our own history, someone else will eventually tell our story for us. She made sure the pictures survived. But Georgia Provost was never content

simply to document history. She participated in it. Her civic activism, community advocacy and willingness to seek public office demonstrated an enduring belief that democracy works best when ordinary citizens refuse to remain on the sidelines.

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That may ultimately be one of her greatest Leadership isn't always accompanied by

Sometimes leadership is the woman who keeps attending the meetings. The neighbor who keeps asking questions. The businesswoman who keeps investing in her community. The elder who remembers what stood on the corner before the skyscraper arrived. And sometimes leadership is a woman whom an entire community simply begins calling “Mayor.” On behalf of Houston Style Magazine and the Page Family, we extend our deepest condolences to the Provost family, her friends, colleagues, the Texas Southern University community, Third Ward and the countless Houstonians who knew, respected and loved her. Buildings change. Neighborhoods evolve. Generations pass. But people who spend their lives fighting for their communities become part of those communities forever. Georgia Provost was one of those people. Rest well, Georgia. The Mayor of Third Ward has gone home — but her fingerprints, photographs and fighting spirit remain all over Houston.

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AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026

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AUG 13, 2026 – AUG 19, 2026