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Houston Style Magazine AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989

Volume 37 | Number 34

Complimentary

Ben Jealous What Two Fathers Talk About at Lunch

MELANIE LAWSON MAKES GENEROUS $86,000 DONATION TO NABJ CHAPTERS!

Christian Menefee

Motivates Voters at Meyerland Meeting

By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

Apple + HCC HCC Celebrates Apple Landmark investment

HAUTE SHOTS: FAITH FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Luncheon

HPL: Madd Hatta Brings Storytime Series to a Sweet Finish

Why Did I Get Married Again?

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

AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

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GHWCC RINGS THE NYSE CLOSING BELL: HOUSTON WOMEN TAKE WALL STREET — AND TEXAS IS NEXT 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

ouston knows how to make an entrance, but on August 11, 2026, the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce (GHWCC) made an exit worth celebrating — closing the trading day at the New York Stock Exchange with President, CEO and Founder Suzan Deison ringing the iconic Closing Bell®. The NYSE officially welcomed GHWCC executives and guests to recognize companies that champion the leadership, advancement and success of women and girls. For GHWCC, the Wall Street spotlight represented far more than ceremonial pomp, flashing screens and one famous bell. It marked a national-stage celebration of 19 years of opening doors for women through leadership, education, advocacy, mentoring and business development — a Houston-grown mission now reaching well beyond the Bayou City. “To see GHWCC represented at the New York Stock Exchange alongside so many outstanding companies that champion women was an extraordinary moment,” Deison said in the Chamber’s post-event announcement. She described the bell ringing as both a celebration of the organization’s journey and “a powerful statement about where we are going.” And where GHWCC is going is considerably bigger. Against the backdrop of the NYSE, the

organization announced the launch of the Texas Women’s Chamber of Commerce, designed to expand its network and mission statewide. Building on GHWCC’s nearly two decades of relationships and programming, the new organization is expected to create broader connections among women executives, entrepreneurs, corporations, small businesses, educators, emerging professionals and community leaders across Texas. Now that is how you ring a bell. Joining Deison on the podium was an impressive cross-section of corporate leadership, including representatives from Stewart Title, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas, SLB, bp, NRG Energy, Verizon, Fifth Third Bank, Murphy Oil Corporation, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Regions Bank. GHWCC Deputy President and CEO

Martha Castex-Tatum also participated in the historic celebration. Equally meaningful was the presence of young students among the invited guests. Their participation underscored a central piece of GHWCC’s legacy: helping the next generation of women not merely imagine themselves in influential rooms, but actually enter those rooms, build relationships and prepare to lead them. For Houston, the moment was another reminder that the city’s influence stretches from energy and medicine to entrepreneurship, finance and corporate leadership. Wall Street may be nearly 1,600 miles from Houston, but for one memorable afternoon, Houston’s unmistakable business swagger was ringing loud and clear in Lower Manhattan. The Closing Bell ended a trading session. For GHWCC, however, it sounded much more like an opening bell for what comes next. More information on GHWCC, go to: https://ghwcc.org/ WATCH THE GHWCC NYSE BELL-RINGING VIDEO: https://www.youtube. com/live/vOaNtvzWI6A

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©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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AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

COMMENTARY

WHAT TWO FATHERS TALK ABOUT AT LUNCH THE SLANDER AGAINST BLACK FATHERS IS AS OLD AS THE COUNTRY. THE MEN WH OWNED US KNEW BETTER. SO DOES MODERN SOCIAL SCIENCE. By Ben Jealous, National Political Commentator

ast week I had lunch with an old friend. He is a Black Republican and a popular commentator, which means we have spent twenty years disagreeing in public and liking each other in private. He would be welcome in any barbershop in America. He keeps it real in the way men in any true community require of one another. We talked about our kids. That was most of the lunch. Nothing about that would surprise any Black man reading this. Nothing about it would surprise most Black people. But every Black father carries something else around with him. We know the stereotypes: that we do not stay, that we do not provide, that we are not there. Those stories are as old as the country itself. So is the proof against them. And the proof was written down by the men who owned us. In November of 1836, a man named Richard escaped near Morganton, North Carolina. He got away while the brother of the man who claimed him was hauling him to Alabama. The enslaver bought newspaper space to get him back. His advertisement did not guess where Richard was headed. It told readers exactly where to look. Richard had a wife, a free woman of color named Jane Tucker. She was arranging to return to Raleigh. The ad said there was no doubt her husband would try to get to her. The man who owned Richard was not speculating. He put money behind it. He had seen enough men run toward a wife or a child to know where to send the search party. He expected his readers to know it too. Historians have been collecting those advertisements for years. The Freedom on the Move project indexes close to ninety thousand. They name wives. They

name children. They name the road the man was likely taking to reach them. Capture meant brutal punishment. Escape itself could be deadly. They ran anyway. They did not wait for the war to end, either. On December 27, 1862, Henry Christian placed a notice in a Philadelphia newspaper. He was searching for Richard, Rebecca, and Rachel Christian. His children. Last known to be traveling out of Winchester, Virginia. Historians at Villanova University have recovered nearly five thousand notices like it. Freed people paying for newspaper space, year after year, hunting for family sold away. Judith Giesberg, who leads that project, estimates the success rate may have been as low as two in a hundred. They kept paying anyway. Many of those notices were placed by men. Fathers. Husbands. Brothers. Herbert Gutman went through the records community by community. In the places he studied, most Black families

AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

had two parents in the house. In some rural areas it ran above eight in ten. Now come forward to our own time. Among fathers living with their small children, Black fathers were the most likely of the groups the study counted to bathe, dress, and change them every day. Seventy percent did. For White fathers, 60 percent. For Hispanic fathers, 45. Among fathers of school-age children, 41 percent of Black fathers helped with homework or checked it daily. For White fathers, 28 percent. That study covered 2006 to 2010. It is still the most recent we have, because the government stopped asking. A later look at federal data, from 2017 to 2019, found the pattern holds for fathers living apart from their children. Nearly six in ten Black fathers saw their children weekly. For White fathers, about four in ten. That survey also has the hard number, and I will not skip it. Forty-three percent of Black fathers have at least one child living somewhere else. For White fathers it is 14.

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That is not a shortage of men who want to father. Black fathers who live with their children are among the most involved in this country. The ones living apart report showing up more than anybody. Something keeps pulling them out of the house. Work left those neighborhoods. Violence rose. Prisons filled. Researchers have spent forty years untangling how the three feed one another. None of it is new. None of it is only ours. It hit Black neighborhoods first and hardest, then kept going until it reached everybody. Next week I will show you those numbers. They belong to every man in America. My friend and I did not talk about any of this over lunch. We talked about our kids. That is what fathers do. Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former president and CEO of the NAACP.

U.S. REP. MENEFEE MOTIVATES VOTERS AT MEYERLAND DEMOCRATS MEETING

ongressman Christian Menefee brought a campaign-season sense of urgency to the Meyerland Area Democrats Monday, sounding an unmistakable alarm: the November 3, 2026, election will help determine the direction of Texas, Congress and the nation — and democracy only works when voters show up. With Early Voting beginning Monday, October 19, Menefee urged Democrats to turn enthusiasm into registration, organization and ultimately ballots. The approaching election is the only midterm of President Donald Trump’s current term, placing control of Congress before voters nationwide. Trump is currently serving as the 47th President of the United States. Menefee, who currently represents Texas’ 18th Congressional District, received an enthusiastic welcome after being introduced by longtime Meyerland Area Democrats President Art Pronin. Menefee was sworn into Congress February 2, 2026, succeeding the late Congressman Sylvester Turner. “I have three goals to achieve in the Tuesday, November 3 elections,” Menefee told the crowd, making clear that his first priority is electing Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico over Republican nominee Ken Paxton. Paxton defeated incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn in the May 26, 2026, Re-

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

Art Pronin & Christian Menefee publican runoff, receiving roughly 64 percent of the vote and setting up one of America’s most closely watched Senate contests. Menefee described Talarico as someone he believes can help provide a check on the Trump administration while giving Texas a new voice in Washington. But Menefee’s message stretched well beyond Washington. His second goal is changing Texas statewide leadership. He rallied support behind Democratic nominees Gina Hinojosa for governor, Vikki Goodwin for lieutenant governor and Nathan Johnson for attorney general — three current Texas legislators heading into November at the top of the Democratic statewide ticket alongside Talarico. Texas Democrats know exactly how

steep that mountain has historically been. Lloyd Bentsen’s 1988 victory remains the last time Texas elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate. Ann Richards won the governor’s office in 1990. Bob Bullock and Attorney General Dan Morales both won statewide reelection in 1994 — the last year Democrats won statewide offices in Texas. That history, Menefee suggested, should not discourage voters. It should motivate them. “James, Gina, Vikki and Nathan are energized, engaged, ethical and have earned votes,” Menefee said. “It is our duty to get them elected for Texas.” Then came perhaps the most human moment of the evening. Menefee spoke about preparing each Monday to return to Washington and his young sons, Gabriel and Malcolm, watching their father get dressed for work. “Daddy is going to Congress,” they tell him. Those five words transformed a political speech into something bigger. Elections are not simply about candidates, commercials or campaign signs. They are about the communities our children inherit and whether Americans remain willing to exercise the rights generations before them struggled to secure. Menefee also discussed the chang-

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ing boundaries of Houston’s congressional districts, telling Meyerland Democrats that redistricting will place many communities now represented by Congressman Al Green into the reconfigured 18th District beginning with the next Congress. After the meeting, Pronin embraced Menefee and offered a concise assessment: “Christian speaks to the future of the Democratic Party and of our country.” Now comes the part democracy cannot outsource: voting. The last day to register to vote for the November election is Monday, October 5. Early Voting runs October 19 through October 30, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The deadline for Harris County voters to apply for a ballot by mail is October 23. Harris County voters can find official election information, Vote Centers, sample ballots, voting-by-mail information and election updates directly from the Harris County Clerk’s Elections Department at HarrisVotes. com. Because democracy does not have a spectator section. Houston, get registered. Get informed. Get ready. And get to the polls. Harris County Clerk’s Elections Department at HarrisVotes.com

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AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

HCC SOUTHWEST BRINGS FREE SMALL-BUSINESS TRAINING TO HOUSTON ENTREPRENEURS By Franics Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

ouston's next great business may already exist as an idea scribbled in a notebook, operating from a kitchen table or steadily growing through word of mouth. This fall, Houston City College Southwest is connecting Houston-area entrepreneurs with practical, hands-on training in business planning, marketing, finance and risk management through a free five-week Small Business Success Miniseries designed to help turn promising ideas into stronger, more sustainable enterprises. The price of admission is hard to beat: FREE. In partnership with the Bellaire Business Association, HCC’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Wells Fargo, HCC Southwest will present a five-week Small Business Success Miniseries, designed to give entrepreneurs and existing small-business owners practical tools they can put to work immediately. The series will be held on five consecutive Fridays, September 18 through October 16, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon at HCC West Loop Campus. For Houston’s entrepreneurial community, that means five Fridays devoted not simply to talking about business, but to understanding how successful businesses are actually built, financed, marketed, protected and positioned for growth. From Bright Idea to Better Business Entrepreneurship has long been woven into Houston’s economic DNA. From neighborhood restaurants and family-owned professional firms to technology startups, contractors, retailers and creative enterprises, small businesses help give the Houston region its distinctive character.

But passion alone does not balance a spreadsheet. The opening session focuses on Entrepreneurship, helping participants examine how an idea can become a viable business opportunity. Next comes Business Planning, where entrepreneurs will learn how to create a clearer roadmap for moving from today’s operation toward tomorrow’s goals. The third session tackles Marketing — because having the greatest product in Houston does little good if Houston does not know it exists. Participants will explore ways to identify customers, communicate value and strengthen their brands. Then comes everybody’s favorite business

AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

conversation: the money. The Finance session will help participants better understand the numbers driving their businesses, providing knowledge that can support smarter decision-making and long-term growth. Finally, the program examines Risk Management, helping entrepreneurs identify potential challenges and better prepare their businesses to weather the unexpected. Five Fridays. Five Business Building Blocks. Participants who successfully complete all five sessions will receive a Certificate of Completion, offering another tangible benefit to entrepreneurs who commit to the entire program.

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Just as importantly, the series brings together higher education, the business community and the financial sector in a collaborative effort to strengthen entrepreneurship at the neighborhood level. That matters in Greater Houston, where small businesses are often more than commercial enterprises. They create jobs, build family wealth, sponsor youth programs, support nonprofits, occupy once-empty storefronts and keep dollars circulating within communities. Providing entrepreneurs with stronger business fundamentals can therefore produce an impact well beyond an individual balance sheet. For Houston City College, the program also demonstrates how community colleges can serve as economic-development partners — connecting education directly to the real-world needs of entrepreneurs and employers. Small Business Success Miniseries Dates: Fridays, September 18–October 16, 2026, Time: 9 a.m.–Noon Location: HCC West Loop Campus Cost: Free Certificate: Awarded to participants completing all five sessions

OCT

Space is limited. Register today: https://hcc.idloom.events/SOUTHSEP-

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CONGRESSMAN GREEN AND AΦA MAKE HISTORY AT U.S. CAPITOL WITH SLAVERY REMEMBRANCE ASSEMBLY By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

istory was not merely discussed inside the halls of the U.S. Capitol Saturday — it was summoned, honored and challenged to speak to America’s future. On August 15, 2026, Houston Congressman Al Green (TX-09) joined his brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. for a historic Slavery Remembrance Legislative Update and Assembly at the Capitol Visitor’s Center in Washington, D.C., renewing the national call to establish August 20 as National Slavery Remembrance Day. Under the fitting theme “Harder Yet May Be the Fight,” the gathering honored the lives, sacrifices and resilience of millions of enslaved people while making the case that remembrance belongs not simply in museums and history books, but within America’s democratic institutions. Alpha Phi Alpha described the program as an observance honoring those who endured slavery and preserving their memory for future generations. And what better place for that conversation than the United States Capitol? Congressman Green used the occasion to again confront slavery’s enormous human and economic consequences and to argue that America cannot responsibly discuss its greatness without recognizing those whose uncompensated labor helped build it. Video from Saturday’s program captured Green calling upon the country to remember the horrors of slavery while addressing the persistence of racism in American society. This was no one-day history lesson. Green’s campaign for national recognition stretches

back years. In 2022, the House approved his original Slavery Remembrance Day resolution, H.Res. 517, by a vote of 218–207, helping elevate August 20 as a date for national reflection on slavery and its enduring consequences. His current effort goes even further. Green has advocated for a Congressional Gold Medal honoring enslaved Africans and their descendants, arguing that the people whose forced labor generated enormous wealth and helped construct America deserve formal recognition from the nation they helped build. The proposal carries particular historical weight because Congress has bestowed its highest civilian honor upon generations of Americans

while recognition of the enslaved remains unfinished business. Standing with Green was Alpha Phi Alpha, whose presence added more than fraternity colors to the Capitol. Founded in 1906 at Cornell University, Alpha Phi Alpha became the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men and has counted among its ranks towering figures in America’s democratic journey, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Andrew Young. The fraternity continues to identify civil rights, civic engagement and advocacy among its institutional priorities.

General President Lucien J. Metellus, Jr. has emphasized that Alpha Phi Alpha will not allow the sacrifices and contributions of African Americans to be erased from the nation’s story. Saturday’s assembly transformed that commitment into action at the very seat of American government. For Houston, there is special pride in seeing one of its longest-serving congressional voices taking this fight directly to Washington. Green’s message also offered a broader democratic lesson: remembering painful history is not anti-American. It is profoundly American. Democracy requires truth sturdy enough to survive scrutiny. America becomes stronger — not weaker — when it recognizes that its extraordinary achievements exist alongside profound injustices that generations of citizens have fought to correct. That is why Slavery Remembrance matters. The enslaved were not footnotes to American history. They were mothers, fathers, builders, craftsmen, farmers, entrepreneurs-in-waiting, dreamers and human beings whose labor helped fuel an emerging economic power while their own freedom was denied. Saturday, the Capitol heard their story again. And through Congressman Al Green and Alpha Phi Alpha, America received an unmistakable reminder: We cannot change yesterday. But democracy gives us both the responsibility and the power to decide what — and whom — America chooses to remember tomorrow.

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AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

Passport to Possibility: Beverley McGrew Walker Brings Passport Services Closer to Fort Bend County By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

he “People’s Clerk” takes government beyond the courthouse with an August 22 Passport Fair designed to make international travel and essential public services more accessible. In a county built by families from across Texas, America and the world, a passport is more than a little blue book. It is a ticket to opportunity, family connections, education, business, adventure — and, occasionally, a much-needed vacation. On Saturday, August 22, 2026, Fort Bend County District Clerk Beverley McGrew Walker is taking public service beyond the courthouse doors with a special Passport Fair at the Brand Lane Islamic Center, 610 Brand Lane in Stafford. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is designed to make applying for a U.S. passport more convenient for residents of the greater Fort Bend County community. That kind of neighborhood-level access matters. In a healthy democracy, government should not feel like a maze citizens have to conquer; it should function like a public institution built to serve them. Walker, who has served as Fort Bend County District Clerk since 2019 and is the 45th person to hold the office, has made accessibility a recurring theme of her administration. The District Clerk is a constitutionally established office that serves as custodian of district-court records and a vital link between residents and the justice system. “The Fort Bend County District Clerk’s Office continues to offer passport application services to the greater Fort Bend County Community,” Walker said.

mentation is required, such as Form DS-3053 and the appropriate identification documentation. Residents should also plan ahead. The U.S. Department of State currently lists routine passport processing at approximately four to six weeks and expedited processing at two to three weeks, not including mailing time. For Fort Bend County, bringing a federal travel-document service into a familiar community setting is practical government with a personal touch. It saves residents time, expands access and reminds us that democracy is strengthened not only in voting booths and courtrooms, but also in the everyday moments when public institutions work well for ordinary people. Passport to Possibilities – EVENT DETAILS Saturday, August 22, 2026 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Known as “The People’s Clerk,” Walker added that making passports easier to obtain and improving the jury-selection process have been “a labor of love” during her seven years in office. Her philosophy is even simpler: “There is no higher calling than serving the public.” The August 22 Passport Fair puts that philosophy into practice. According to the District Clerk’s Office, passport applications at the fair are

being accepted by appointment only. Passport photos will be available on-site for $15. Application fees must be paid by check or money order, while acceptance fees may be paid by credit or debit card; cash will not be accepted. All applicants, including minors, must appear in person. Children under age 16 generally must appear with both parents or guardians. When one parent cannot attend, additional consent docu-

Brand Lane Islamic Center 610 Brand Lane | Stafford, TX 77477 Appointments: Fort Bend County District Clerk Passport Services • Questions: 281-341-4515 Appointments are strongly encouraged and can be scheduled at: www.fbctx.gov/passports Fort Bend County District Clerk Beverley Walker at: www.fbctx.gov/districtclerk

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AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

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Apple + HCC HCC: Houston Builds the Future as Tim Cook Opens Advanced Manufacturing Center Houston City College Chancellor Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher joins Apple CEO Tim Cook in celebrating a landmark investment connecting education, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence and Houston’s next-generation workforce.

By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

ouston has long been a city that builds big — energy empires, medical breakthroughs and rockets headed for the stars. Now, with Apple CEO Tim Cook helping open the company’s new Advanced Manufacturing Center, Houston is adding another chapter to that résumé: a future powered by artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and a workforce trained to compete anywhere in the world. On August 13, Apple officially opened its new Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston, a 20,000-square-foot training hub located within the same Houston operation already producing and shipping advanced AI servers. The center will provide free training and educational sessions for small- and medium-sized businesses, offering access to stateof-the-art equipment, interactive labs, automation and smart-manufacturing techniques. Apple says programming will expand to include hands-on opportunities for local college students. Adding a distinctly Houston welcome was Houston City College Chancellor Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher, who joined the celebration and helped underscore a message HCC has championed for years: economic development becomes community development when education has a seat at the table. That connection is not new. Houston City College and Apple have worked together since at least 2019 through Apple’s Community Education Initiative, helping students and community members gain access to Apple technology, coding and career-build-

ing opportunities. Apple has also identified HCC as one of its local higher-education partners connected to the Houston manufacturing expansion. In other words, Houston did not simply land a shiny new technology center; it has been building the educational pipeline to support it. And the scale is unmistakably Texas-sized. Apple’s Houston expansion is part of the company’s $600 billion U.S. investment commitment over four years, with the Houston Business Journal reporting that Apple plans to invest $60 billion in Texas during that period. Apple’s Houston operations are expected to create thousands of jobs, while Mac mini production is scheduled to begin locally later this year — bringing production of the computer to the United States for the first time.

Inside the Advanced Manufacturing Center, the future looks less like science fiction and more like a syllabus. Participants can learn about machine-learning-driven quality control, advanced automation, printed circuit board assembly, final assembly principles and real-time production problem solving. Apple engineers are essentially opening the technology toolbox and showing American businesses, workers and eventually students how modern manufacturing gets done. Cook said Apple invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the Houston facility in less than nine months, bringing its AI server operation online, shipping servers and now opening the training center. That speed matters in a city accustomed to moving opportunity from blueprint to reality.

For Houston City College, the moment is especially significant. Community colleges have historically served as bridges between ambition and employment, giving working families, first-generation students, career changers and emerging professionals practical pathways into growing industries. Dr. Fisher’s presence alongside Apple sends an important signal: Houston intends to train local talent for local opportunity. The partnership also reflects something Houston understands better than most cities: diversity is more than a demographic statistic — it can be an economic advantage. When global companies invest here and local colleges prepare students to participate, innovation becomes more accessible, more inclusive and more authentically Houston. Apple may have brought the technology, but Houston is bringing the talent. And with Houston City College helping connect classrooms to careers, the Bayou City is once again proving that the future does not merely arrive here. We build it. More information on Houston City College, go to: www.HCCS.edu More information on Apple, go to; www.Apple.com

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AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

MADD HATTA BRINGS LIBRARY STORYTIME SERIES TO A SWEET FINISH HOUSTON RADIO LEGEND TURNS THE PAGE ON AN INSPIRING LIBRARY TOUR CELEBRATING LITERACY, FATHERHOOD, ANCESTRY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND THE POWER OF A CHILD’S IMAGINATION. By Reginald Dominique for www.StyleMagazine.com

ouston has never been shy about telling its own story, and this weekend one of the city’s most familiar voices traded the radio studio for a library chair, a children’s book and a room built for imagination. Houston radio personality, Texas Radio Hall of Famer and children’s author Madd Hatta brought the Houston Public Library’s Local Author Storytime Series to a spirited close Saturday, August 15, at the McGovern-Stella Link Neighborhood Library. The final stop capped a three-library August tour centered on Kase’s Little Adventures, Hatta’s recently published picture book inspired by his son, Kase, and created to introduce young readers to family, ancestry, entrepreneurship and the power of believing in their own ideas. The series also made a larger point: in an age of screens, scrolling and shrinking attention spans, the neighborhood library can still hold a room. Throughout the tour, Hatta brought the kind of energy Houston audiences have known for more than three decades — only this time, the microphone was joined by pages. The August series included stops at The African American Library at the Gregory School, Alief-David M. Henington Regional Library and, finally, McGovern-Stella Link. The interactive experiences combined reading with family conversations and opportunities for children to engage with the ideas behind the book. At the heart of Kase’s Little Adventures is a smart, curious child learning lessons about family, imagination and entrepreneurship. It is a kid-friendly premise carrying a very Houston message: start with

what you have, appreciate where you come from and never be afraid to build something bigger. “We are thrilled to welcome Madd Hatta to our libraries, as we celebrate the power of storytelling for kids, families, and adults,” said Houston Public Library Director Sandy Gaw. “Madd’s passion for inspiring young readers aligns beautifully with our mission to nurture imagination, curiosity, and lifelong learning.” For Hatta, the library setting carries some personal history. He has recalled visiting libraries with his father as a youngster and checking out everything from nursery-rhyme books to golf videos and information about making records in the music business. That makes his return as an author wonderfully full-circle: a boy who once entered the library looking for possibilities is now helping another generation find theirs.

AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

“Libraries are one of the few places where every family can walk through the door and have access to books, information and opportunity, regardless of their circumstances,” Hatta said. “Kase’s Little Adventures is about ancestry, entrepreneurship and helping children believe that their ideas matter.” That message has special resonance in Houston, where public libraries have long served as democratic community spaces — places where children and families can explore knowledge without a velvet rope, expensive membership or requirement that a youngster already know what he or she wants to become. Fatherhood Gets a Starring Role Hatta’s storytime journey also placed fatherhood front and center. His emphasis on encour-

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aging fathers to read, learn and spend meaningful time with their children gives the project an added dimension beyond literacy. A book can build vocabulary, but a parent reading that book aloud can build confidence, connection and memories. Kase’s Little Adventures itself grew from Hatta’s desire to document part of his son’s childhood while creating something capable of inspiring other children. The book explores themes including ancestry, imagination, entrepreneurship, fatherhood and legacy. That is where this story becomes bigger than storytime. The final page of Houston Public Library’s Madd Hatta August tour may have been turned Saturday, but its larger story is still being written — in every child who checks out another book, every parent who makes time to read aloud and every youngster who begins thinking, maybe my idea matters, too. In a city famous for transforming big dreams into bold realities, Madd Hatta and Houston Public Library offered Houston’s youngest dreamers a wonderfully simple starting point: Open a book. Honor your story. Imagine what comes next. Website: Houston Public Library — HoustonLibrary.org Events Calendar: Houston Public Library Events

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H The 2026 ANNUAL FAITH FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE LUNCHEON H THEME: Freedom RISING 2026 H POWER PANEL MODERATOR – Isiah Carey H Bishop James Dixon, II – Co-Leader H Isiah Carey – Moderator H Friday, August 07, 2026 H

Johnny Mata & Bishop James Dixon

Rep. Barbara Gervin Hawkins & Bishop James Dixon

Photos By Glennesha Johnson

Conchita Reyes & Bishop James Dixon

The 2026 Annual Faith For Social Justice Luncheon – Freedom Rising By Francis Page, Jr.

ouston’s 2026 Annual Faith for Social Justice Luncheon brought faith, public service and community action to the same table Friday, August 7, under the powerful theme “Freedom Rising 2026.”

Dr. Coretta Mallet-Fontenot & Bishop James

Presented by Kingdom Builders Global Fellowship, the annual gathering at 1024 Pinemont Drive in Houston reflected a historic tradition deeply rooted in the Black church: using faith not simply as inspiration, but as a force for civic participation, equality and social progress. Bishop James Dixon II,

co-leader of Freedom Rising, delivered the movement message, challenging attendees to transform belief into meaningful action. Houston television personality Isiah Carey served as moderator of a powerhouse panel featuring U.S. Rep. Al Green, U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee, State Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons, State Rep. Ron Reynolds, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Rev. Dr. Max Miller, Shekira Dennis and Rev. Alex Moorer. The luncheon also recognized an impressive group of 2026 honorees, including Johnny Mata, State Sen. Royce West, U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, State

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Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, Conchita Reyes, Dr. Coretta Mallett-Fontenot and Rev. Dr. Samuel Gilbert II. For generations, Houston’s churches and faith leaders have helped turn moral conviction into community progress. Freedom Rising 2026 carried that legacy forward with a timely message: justice works best when people of faith, elected leaders and everyday citizens rise together. And in Houston, that movement is clearly still rising.

www.TheCommunityOfFaith.org

AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

Houston Broadcasting Legend Melanie Lawson Makes Generous $86,000 Donation to NABJ Chapters! By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

Veteran Journalist Melanie Lawson & Houston Style Magazine Editor In Cheif Francis Page Jr. share a moment celebrating decades of friendship, journalism and service ot the Houston community. Photo by Andy Moran

fter 43 remarkable years telling Hous-

of the media landscape,” said Francis Page,

more young journalists get their opportunity

ton’s stories, beloved broadcasting

Jr. “She has 43 incredible years in broad-

to tell the stories that come next.

icon Melanie Lawson is investing

casting, and I’m approaching 38 years in

Journalism scholarships can be

through Houston’s journalism community,

in the next generation of Black journalists

publishing. I proudly salute my ole friend

transformative, providing students with

including the Facebook page of journalist

— earning a heartfelt salute from longtime

Melanie Lawson because this gift reflects

financial support for tuition, internships,

Isiah Carey, with the news announced by Joy

friend and Houston Style Magazine Pub-

who she has always been — talented, gra-

equipment, conferences and professional

Sewing and coordinated by Nakia Cooper.

lisher Francis Page, Jr., who is approaching

cious, committed to Houston and willing to

development. For aspiring Black journalists

What makes Lawson’s generosity especially

38 years in publishing and understands the

reach back to help the next generation move

in particular, organizations such as HABJ

powerful is its humility.

commitment required to build a lasting

forward.”

and NABJ provide mentorship, networking

After 43 years of service, she could

and pathways into an industry where repre-

simply enjoy the applause that comes with

sentation remains vital.

an extraordinary career. Instead, she chose

For more than four decades at

media legacy.

the city she has served for decades. The announcement was amplified

Lawson has committed a combined

KTRK-TV/ABC13, Lawson became one

$86,000 to journalism scholarship efforts,

of Houston television’s most recognizable

Lawson’s first $43,000 contribu-

with $43,000 benefiting the Houston As-

and respected journalists, chronicling the

tion supports her Houston chapter, HABJ,

From Francis Page, Jr. and the

sociation of Black Journalists (HABJ) and

people, politics, triumphs, tragedies and

while the second $43,000 gift extends that

entire Houston Style Magazine family, we

another $43,000 supporting the National

cultural milestones that helped shape the

investment nationally through NABJ.

salute Melanie Lawson — journalist, trail-

Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).

Bayou City.

The announcement came during

to invest in someone else’s beginning.

blazer, Houston broadcasting legend and

The number carries special meaning: $1,000

During much of that same period,

the Houston kickoff for the 2027 NABJ

for each of Lawson’s extraordinary 43 years

Page and Houston Style Magazine have doc-

Convention and Career Fair, which will

Forty-three years in broadcasting.

in Houston television journalism.

umented Houston’s evolving story through

bring journalists and media professionals

Nearly 38 years in publishing. And one

For Page, who has published Hous-

community journalism, civic engagement,

from across the country to Houston next

shared belief: the next generation deserves

ton Style Magazine since May 1989, the gift

business, culture and Black achievement.

year. Lawson joined the celebration by

a chance to shine.

is both inspiring and personal.

Two different media platforms. One city.

Zoom, making the occasion even more fit-

Nearly eight decades of combined story-

ting: a veteran Houston journalist investing

telling.

in future storytellers as the national Black

“Melanie and I have been blessed to spend most of our professional lives telling Houston’s story from different corners

Now Lawson is helping ensure

AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

journalism community prepares to return to

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treasured friend.

Melanie, Houston thanks you.

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WENDELL PRICE TAKES OVER DAVIS STREET KITCHEN, YES! By Reginald Dominique for www.StyleMagazine.com

ouston knows a comeback, a reinvention and — perhaps most importantly — a good plate when it sees one. Now Davis Street at Hermann Park is entering an exciting new culinary chapter with acclaimed Houston chef and Food Network veteran Wendell Price guiding the kitchen. And our immediate response is simple: YES! Located at 5925 Almeda Road, just steps from Hermann Park and Houston’s Museum District, Davis Street is rolling out what it calls a “Fresh Start” — complete with new management, a new culinary team, revamped direction, a redesigned website and an expanded emphasis on weekend brunch, private events and farm-to-table dining. At the center of that new energy is Price, a chef whose résumé has traveled considerably farther than Almeda Road. Food Network’s own archives document Price appearing as a professional chef on Date Plate and competing across several episodes of Ready… Set… Cook!, including “Bonanza?,” “Cook Once, Serve Twice,” “Eye-Opening Breakfast” and “Shellfish: Impossible?” Food Network also maintains recipes credited to Price, including Moroccan lamb chops, thyme buttermilk chicken, guava barbecue ribs and mashed sweet potatoes. Translation: the man knows his way around a stove.

Wendell Price Price also earned the “chef to the stars” description in Houston food media after cooking for entertainment personalities including Denzel Washington. But celebrity connections are only seasoning. What matters now is what Chef Wendell is putting on Houston plates. And Davis Street’s new menu suggests he came ready to cook. The restaurant describes Price’s weekend brunch as a farm-to-table, organic and locally sourced French Country eating experience. The menu moves confidently from Southern comfort

to international influences: Shrimp & Grits with Gulf fried shrimp, Mama’s Thyme Fried Chicken Wings, Buttermilk Spiced Chicken Fried Chicken, Velvet Hotcakes with maple brown butter, Fire-Grilled Cedar Salmon glazed with lemongrass honey, Asian Short Ribs and Jerk Lamb Chops. That is not brunch whispering politely from the corner. That is brunch walking into the room dressed like it owns the building. Price’s culinary personality fits particularly well with Davis Street’s identity: Southern soul polished with cosmopolitan technique. OpenTable currently lists Price as Davis Street’s executive chef and describes his cooking as combining French country technique, Creole influences and elevated Southern comfort. There is also significance in where this next chapter is happening. Davis Street debuted in 2014, becoming part of the dining landscape along Houston’s culturally significant Almeda corridor. Today it remains recognized as a Black-owned fine-dining restaurant, giving Houston another destination where culinary excellence, sophisticated hospitality and Black entrepreneurship meet at the same table. And Price’s assignment extends beyond dinner and brunch. Davis Street is positioning itself as a destination for corporate offsites,

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seminars, celebrations, private dining and catering, with Chef Price-created menus emphasizing organic and locally sourced ingredients. For Houston Style Magazine foodies, the timing could hardly be better. Saturday brunch runs 11 a.m.–3 p.m., Sunday brunch 11 a.m.–5 p.m., while dinner is currently offered Wednesday through Friday, 5–10 p.m. The restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday. Houston has never suffered from a shortage of talented chefs. But some chefs possess something beyond technique — the ability to make dining feel like an occasion. Wendell Price is one of those chefs. So, Chef Wendell taking over the Davis Street kitchen? Houston Style Magazine has only one thing left to say: Pull up a chair. Bring your appetite. And YES — somebody pass those Jerk Lamb Chops! Davis Street at Hermann Park 5925 Almeda Rd. A, Houston, TX 77004 Phone: 713-526-1663 • Instagram: @davissthouston

Reservations & Information:

Davisstreet.com

AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

Paid to Lead: 1K Women Strong’s Diane Nash Fellowship Empowers Black College Women to Build Community, Mobilize Voters and Drive Change By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com

n a democracy, the clipboard can be every bit as consequential as the microphone. For Black college women ready to turn passion into practice, 1K Women Strong is opening the door to exactly that kind of hands-on leadership through its 2026 Diane Nash Fall Outreach Fellowship. The paid, three-month fellowship runs from August through November 2026 and is designed for women college students ages 18 to 22 who want practical experience in advocacy, voter outreach, community engagement and grassroots organizing. Fellows will conduct direct voter contact, build relationships with community members, support voter mobilization and help strengthen the organizing infrastructure that turns civic energy into lasting community power. A stipend is provided, along with mentorship, networking and training in organizing and community building. For Houston-area students, this opportunity arrives with an especially meaningful hometown connection. Texas is one of the fellowship’s eight eligible states, and 1K Women Strong’s current organizing strategy specifically identifies Houston—along with Dallas, San Antonio

and Austin—as a Texas focus for voter education, candidate engagement and voter-protection advocacy. The organization describes itself as a national organizing hub for Black women and their allies, using research, training and field organizing to advance civic engagement, education and advocacy. According to 1K Women Strong, its organizers have

AUGUST 20, 2026 – AUGUST 26, 2026

mobilized more than one million voters nationally. Its current strategy emphasizes something equally important: year-round engagement rather than simply parachuting into communities when Election Day approaches. That makes this fellowship more than another résumé line. It offers a frontrow seat to the machinery of democracy:

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listening, organizing, persuading, educating and building trust—skills that rarely fit neatly inside a classroom syllabus but often determine whether communities are heard. And then there is the name. Diane Nash was not simply present during the Civil Rights Movement; she helped move it. As a Fisk University student, Nash became a leader in the Nashville sit-in movement, participated in the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and played a crucial role in keeping the Freedom Rides moving when violence threatened to stop them. The Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute records Dr. King describing Nash as the “driving spirit in the nonviolent assault on segregation at lunch counters.” Naming a fellowship for Nash is therefore both tribute and challenge. It reminds a new generation that history is not merely something to study—it is something ordinary people, including remarkably young people, can make.

Houston Style Magazine Vol 37 No 34