Houston Style Magazine SEPTEMBER 03, 2026 – SEPTEMBER 09, 2026
Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989
Volume 37 | Number 36
Complimentary
Ben Jealous Two Civil Rights Men, Different Parties, One Bill of Rights
HCC STRIKES A GOLDEN NOTE: Mariachi Á Águilas guilas de O Oro ro MAKES SUCCESSFUL DEBUT
Shawn Thierry
Abbott Appoints Former Democratic State Rep as Harris County Judge
By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Commissioner Rodney Ellis Harris County to Invest Additional $4.5 Million for Effective Community Safety
Project Row Houses Announces Artists for Southern Survey Biennial III
Dwight Boykins’ Seniors Assistance Fund Returns
HPL: MYLink Card Campaign
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September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
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DO SOMETHING HOUSTON
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
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Voter Registration INITIATIVE
From Candidate to Civic Organizer: Amanda Edwards Takes Do Something Houston Into Houston’s Neighborhoods Do Something Houston turns Voter Registration into neighborhood action ahead of the November election. By Francis Page, Jr.
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emocracy works best when people actually participate in it — and former Houston City Council Member Amanda K. Edwards is taking that message from the campaign trail directly into Houston neighborhoods. After suspending her 2026 campaign for Texas’ 18th Congressional District, Edwards turned her attention back to Do Something Houston, the voter-registration initiative she originally launched in 2024. The community-centered effort focuses on meeting potential voters where they already live, worship, eat and gather — including churches, restaurants and neighborhood spaces. It is a simple strategy with potentially powerful consequences: make voting personal, accessible and part of everyday Houston life. At Houston Style Magazine, we believe democracy should never become something citizens simply watch from the sidelines. Voting is not a spectator sport. Registration gets you on the roster; showing up at the polls puts you in the game. And for Texans who want to participate in the November 3, 2026 General Election, the calendar is moving quickly. The deadline to register to vote is Monday, October 5. Early voting begins Monday, October 19, and continues through Friday, October 30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Harris County Early Vote Centers are scheduled to operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday
sample ballot before Election Day. Talk with your children who recently turned 18. Check on the new neighbor down the street. Call the relative who always has plenty to say about politics but somehow never makes it to the polls. Because democracy is strengthened one conversation — and one ballot — at a time. Amanda Edwards may have stepped away from being a candidate, but through Do Something Houston, she is continuing something equally important: helping create more voters. Houston has the people. Houston has the power.
USEFUL VOTER LINKS Amanda Edwards - Founder Do Something Houston, Voter Initiative and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday during the early-voting period. Election Day Vote Centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. That gives Do Something Houston and other civic organizations an important September mission: find the unregistered, reach the disengaged and remind longtime voters to check their status before deadlines arrive. But registering voters is only half the job. The real victory comes when registered Houstonians become actual voters. Check your registration. Update your address if necessary. Look at your
Register or Update Your Harris County Voter Registration: https://www.hctax.net/Voter/ OnlineRegistration Check Registration / View Your Sample Ballot: https://app.harrisvotes.com/PollLocations/ VoterSearch Early Voting, Vote Centers and Election Information: https://www.harrisvotes.com/Voter/ Election-Information Official Texas Voter Information: https://www.votetexas.gov/
©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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September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
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COMMENTARY TWO CIVIL RIGHTS MEN, DIFFERENT PARTIES, ONE BILL OF RIGHTS MOST GUN DEATHS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE SUICIDES. WE ARGUE ABOUT GUNS AS IF THEY WERE ALL MURDERS. By Ben Jealous, National Political Commentator
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hen I was a boy two brothers lived on our block and we ran together every weekend. Ball in the street, made-up games, War! Then one day they were gone. My buddy said their father had lost his job at the tire factory and taken his own life in the basement, with a gun the family already owned. That was a gun death in America. Quiet street, good schools. In all my years arguing guns, a death like that almost never came up. Our children are back in school, and September is Suicide Prevention Month. Guns, children, and despair are one subject. We rarely treat them so. My friend Lenny McAllister has never made me pick. He is a Black Republican, a voice on Rust Belt radio from WVON in Chicago to KDKA in Pittsburgh. I was the Democratic nominee for governor of Maryland. We have gone at each other's parties twenty years and stayed friends. What people miss is that we are both civil rights men, and civil rights work is Bill of Rights work. The First Amendment is why we could march. The Fourth is why an officer needs a reason to search you. The Second sits in that same document, and we believe in all of it. Lenny's father was shot on a Rust Belt street and spent nearly a year in the hospital. In 2001 a man broke into Lenny's home and tied him up. He tells it in his new book, "A Venn Diagram of One", an honest book about refusing to be one thing in a country that insists you choose. My cousin was shot and killed at a gas station in Columbia, Maryland, at noon. A cousin I called uncle agreed to testify against a Prince George's County drug dealer, who shot him at his door. He lived. At the hospital they would not let
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us up to his room, for fear the shooter's friends would come finish the job. When Lenny writes that we can respect the Second Amendment and still use common sense about who buys a gun, I hear no man splitting a difference. I hear a man who has waited on word about his father, and lain on his own floor with a gun at his head. Then he writes this. "There is a right greater than the right to bear arms; it is the right to a liberty-filled life." Now let me tell you what I got wrong. Thirty years ago at Oxford I needed a thesis topic. A headline in the International Herald Tribune stopped me on the sidewalk. Black teen suicides were surging. I was sure I knew why. Handguns were flooding the inner cities. I was wrong. The children dying were not in the cities. They were in the suburbs. Black families moved out there
September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
in the late sixties and seventies. Twenty years later their children began killing themselves. Children like me, with the big backyard and the shiny bike. Our mothers gave us what they had been denied in the projects and tenements and row houses they came up in. Without meaning to, they cost us the one thing those places had, a house full of family who would listen no matter what. One of the strongest predictors of a suicide attempt is isolation. Ask a woman how many people she talks to after her worst day and she names two or three. Ask a man and he names one, or nobody. Her circle grows all her life. His shrinks toward zero. That headline should have said the Black teen suicide rate was catching up to the White one. Among young Black men it has passed it. About nine in ten suicide attempts with a gun end in death. With most other
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methods people live, and most who live never die by suicide. In 2024 there were 27,593 gun suicides, well over half of all gun deaths. Money is no shield. A gun in a cul-de-sac is as final as a gun on a corner. The Bill of Rights is not a menu. You do not get to order the Second and send the rest back to the kitchen. None of it means much to a child who does not live to grow into the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So set partisanship aside. Lock your own guns in a safe at home. Keep them away from people in crisis. And build friendships across party lines that bind this nation back together for all our children. Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former president and CEO of the NAACP.
ABBOTT APPOINTS FORMER DEMOCRATIC STATE REP. SHAWN THIERRY AS HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE By Burt Levine, Political Editor for www.StyleMagazine.com
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n Texas politics, sometimes the road from the blue side of the aisle to the red side leads straight to the judicial bench. Gov. Greg Abbott announced August 25, 2026, that former Democratic state Rep. Shawn Nicole Thierry, who switched to the Republican Party in 2024, will become judge of Harris County’s newly created 515th Judicial District Court. Her appointment becomes effective September 1 and runs through December 31, 2028, or until a successor is elected and qualified. For Thierry, it represents another remarkable turn in a Houston political career that has moved from Democratic legislative politics to Republican alignment — and now into Texas’ judiciary. The 515th Judicial District is composed of Harris County and, under state law, will give preference to civil cases. The court was created by the Texas Legislature as part of an expansion of Harris County’s judicial capacity and takes effect September 1, 2026. Abbott pointed to Thierry’s nearly three decades of legal experience in announcing the appointment. She currently serves as executive director of Policy in the Office of General Counsel at Texas Southern University, bringing her political journey home to an institution with deep roots in Houston’s Black legal and civic history. Thierry earned her bachelor’s degree
Shawn Thierry in Broadcast Management from Howard University and her Juris Doctor from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law. Her résumé also includes membership in the State Bar of Texas and Houston Bar Association, along with civic involvement ranging from literacy organizations to community service. Abbott previously appointed her to the Texas Juvenile Justice Board in 2025. But it is impossible to tell the Shawn Thierry story without discussing politics. First elected in 2016, Thierry represented heavily Democratic Texas House District 146 for four terms. Her relationship with Democratic activists deteriorated sig-
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nificantly during the 2023 legislative session after she joined Republicans and several fellow Democrats in supporting Senate Bill 14, which prohibited certain gender-transition-related medical treatments for minors. The measure was signed into law by Abbott in June 2023. Thierry argued that children should wait until adulthood before making certain potentially irreversible medical decisions. Critics within her party argued that the legislation interfered with decisions they believed should remain between families and medical professionals. That debate followed her home. In the 2024 Democratic primary runoff, union organizer Lauren Ashley Simmons defeated Thierry, ending Thierry’s bid for a fifth House term. The race became a referendum not simply on one legislative vote, but on representation itself: How far may an elected official depart from the prevailing views of the voters and party that elected them before those voters decide to make a change? That question is democracy doing exactly what democracy does — sometimes loudly, sometimes painfully and almost never neatly. Three months after losing the primary, Thierry announced she was leaving the Democratic Party and joining the Republicans, saying her positions on children, family, faith and women’s sports were increasingly incom-
patible with Democratic Party policies. Abbott publicly welcomed her into the GOP. Now comes a different assignment. Campaign applause, party labels and legislative floor fights should matter considerably less when a judge puts on the robe. Litigants appearing before the 515th District Court will not be asking whether Thierry once carried a Democratic primary ballot or later joined the Republican Party. They will expect something far more fundamental: equal justice, impartiality, competence and fidelity to the law. That is where democracy’s next test begins. Thierry said following the appointment that she intends to serve with “integrity, fairness, and respect for the rule of law.” Those words establish a worthy standard. Because political parties may open doors, close doors — or lead someone to an entirely different hallway. But inside a courtroom, justice must belong to everybody. And in Harris County, everybody will be watching.
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September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
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DA Brian Middleton Drives Down Crime In Fort Bend County By Burt Levine, Political Editor for www.StyleMagazine.com
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emocracy is ultimately judged close to home—not only at the ballot box, but on the streets where families live, businesses invest and citizens expect the justice system to work fairly. In Fort Bend County, District Attorney Brian Middleton is making the case that public safety, civil rights and accountable government do not have to compete with one another. Middleton, elected in 2018 and sworn into office in 2019, made history as Fort Bend County’s first African American district attorney, a milestone officially recognized by Fort Bend County. Today, he also serves as 2026 president of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, representing prosecutors across Texas. At his annual State of Criminal Justice panel on Friday, August 28, Middleton gathered leaders from nine law-enforcement agencies to discuss coordinated crime suppression and what he described as measurable gains in public safety. “For the past eight years, I’ve delivered on my pledge to strengthen the justice system in Fort Bend County,” Middleton told attendees, crediting Sheriff Eric Fagan, municipal police departments, county officials and prosecutors with helping build what he called a safer, fairer and stronger system. And this is no small county anymore. Fort Bend’s population has grown
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from 225,421 residents in 1990 to an estimated 975,191 in 2025—more than quadrupling in 35 years. The Census Bureau says the county grew another 18.3 percent just between 2020 and 2025. Growth that fast can test everything from highways to courtrooms. Yet Middleton said figures presented during the panel show crimes against people declining 9.4 percent and property crime falling 15.9 percent. He also cited a 2025 violent-crime rate of approximately 1.34 incidents per 1,000 residents, saying it compared favorably with other counties across the Houston region. The formula, he said, comes down to three T’s: technology, teamwork and tenacity. But Middleton’s public-safety philosophy ex-
September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
tends beyond prosecution numbers. His office created Fort Bend County’s Public Integrity Division in 2019 to investigate alleged criminal wrongdoing involving government officials and employees. That unit later expanded its work to include pandemic-relief fraud. That matters in a democracy. The power to prosecute is extraordinary power, and public confidence depends upon citizens believing that the rules apply to everyone— including the people entrusted with enforcing them. Fort Bend also presents a uniquely American challenge and opportunity: governing one of the nation’s most diverse major counties. Census estimates put the population at roughly 25.4 percent Hispanic or Latino,
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23.9 percent Asian and 22.5 percent Black, with only 26.4 percent identifying as non-Hispanic White. Middleton’s own path reflects Houston-area history. A Lamar High School graduate, University of Houston alumnus and honors graduate of Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law, he previously served as a Fort Bend assistant district attorney, municipal prosecutor, judge, private attorney and law professor. He has also earned peace-officer certification—an unusual credential for an elected district attorney—giving him experience from both sides of the badge. The larger story, however, belongs to Fort Bend County itself: nearly one million people of different races, cultures and backgrounds sharing neighborhoods, schools, businesses—and one justice system. That experiment works best when citizens participate. The November 3, 2026 General Election is approaching. The voter-registration deadline is Monday, October 5; early voting runs October 19 through October 30; and Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
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Tee Up, Houston: Precinct2Gether’s 2026 Charity Golf Season Starts With a Happy Hour for a Great Cause By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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efore anybody reaches for a driver, studies a putt or starts blaming the Houston humidity for that mysterious slice, Precinct2Gether is giving supporters a chance to warm up the most important part of this year’s TeeUp2Gether Charity Golf Tournament: the community. The action begins Wednesday, September 2, 2026, from 6–8 p.m. with the TeeUp2Gether Pre-Social Happy Hour at East River 9, 65 Hirsch Road in Houston. RSVP is required for the gathering, which is designed for golfers and non-golfers alike—especially supporters who may not be able to attend the October tournament. And the momentum continues the very next day: Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia headlines the 2026 State of the Precinct Luncheon on Thursday, September 3, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention Center, joining business and community leaders for updates on infrastructure, economic development, major initiatives and Precinct 2’s future—register here through the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. Guests can expect complimentary light bites, beverages, networking and an opportunity to meet local leaders, sponsors, golfers and community supporters while learning more about the people and programs powered by Precinct2Gether. And the setting could hardly be more ontheme. East River 9 is Houston’s illuminated nine-hole, par-three golf destination near Buffalo Bayou, complete with a driving range, social putting areas and gathering spaces. Its Birdies Icehouse currently operates at the same 65 Hirsch Road address, making the property a natural spot to mix business, philanthropy and a little
pre-tournament golf energy. Then comes the main event. On Monday, October 5, 2026, Precinct2Gether will host its 4th Annual TeeUp2Gether Charity Golf Tournament at Bay Oaks Country Club, 14545 Bay Oaks Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77059. The official tournament schedule starts with check-in and driving-range practice from 7:30–8:30 a.m., grab-andgo breakfast and coffee from 8–8:45 a.m., followed by the 9 a.m. tee-off. Lunch and awards are scheduled for 2 p.m. But TeeUp2Gether is about considerably more than scorecards. Precinct2Gether is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving Harris County Precinct 2 through multigenerational programs focused on education, youth development, seniors, veterans, workforce opportunities, transportation, health and community resources. The organization says its work reaches a
Precinct 2 community of more than 1.2 million residents and is rooted in a straightforward mission: engage, educate and empower neighbors while expanding access to opportunity. That makes every sponsorship, foursome and contribution another swing at something bigger. There is history behind the formula, too. Precinct2Gether reported that its 2024 TeeUp2Gether tournament raised more than $100,000, with an additional $15,000 generated through its inaugural TeeUp Social at East River 9. Those proceeds supported programs benefiting veterans, seniors, youth and community health initiatives. For 2026, the official tournament page lists Premier Partner sponsorships at $5,000, Circle of Friends at $2,500, plus additional opportunities including beverage cart and tent sponsorships at $1,000 and hole sponsorships at $500. Single-player registration is listed at $250, with a September 15 sponsorship
commitment deadline. The live Qgiv registration portal currently highlights sponsorship options ranging from $2,500 to $5,000, so organizations considering one of the remaining major packages would be wise not to wait until the back nine. Houston businesses, civic leaders and community-minded residents can explore tournament details at: Precinct2Gether’s official TeeUp2Gether page To secure available sponsorships or registrations page: TeeUp2Gether 2026 Registration Portal The golf may happen on Saturday, October 5, but the mission begins long before the opening tee shot. On Wednesday, September 2, Houston has an invitation to raise a glass, build a relationship and help tee up a stronger Harris County—together.
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Project Row Houses Announces Artists for Southern Survey Biennial III in Houston By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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roject Row Houses is bringing artists from across the American South to Houston’s Third Ward for the opening of Southern Survey Biennial III, also known as Artist Round 61, on Saturday, October 3, 2026. The exhibition continues through February 14, 2027. Admission is free, giving Houston residents and visitors an opportunity to experience contemporary art throughout the historic Project Row Houses campus. Now in its third iteration, the Southern Survey Biennial highlights artists working throughout the American South and provides them with resources, space and a broader platform within the contemporary art world. The exhibition reflects Project Row Houses’ longstanding commitment to supporting artists while connecting contemporary art to community and place. The 2026 opening takes place during the same week that Untitled Art returns to Houston, bringing additional national attention to the city’s contemporary art scene and creating an opportunity for visitors attending the art fair to explore Third Ward and Project Row Houses. The biennial’s selected artists were chosen through an open call that attracted more than 200 submissions from artists representing 13 Southern states. The 2026 cohort represents a broad range of creative practices, including photography, sculpture, painting, moving image, printmaking, sound, food art and social practice. The participating artists are: - Beatriz Bellorín, Houston, Texas, working in photography, moving image and installation - Jhanielle Brown, Florida/Texas, working in photog-
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raphy and visual storytelling - Kennedi Carter, Durham, North Carolina, working in photography, sculpture and archival practice - Carrie Iverson, North Texas, working in printmaking, glass, photography, handmade paper and installation
September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
- Emmanuel Massillon, Washington, D.C., working in painting, sculpture, performance and sound - Billion Tekleab, Houston, Texas, working in written word, moving image, sound and sculpture - CAO Collective, Huiyin Zhou and Laura “Dudu,”
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Durham, North Carolina, working across poetry, performance, food art, clay, photography, sound, video and social practice - Jessica Hong, chief curator at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri, serves as guest curator for this year’s biennial. One participating artist will receive the $25,000 Tony Chase and Dina Alsowayal Prize, one of the larger awards available to a Southern-based artist. Each selected artist also receives a $5,000 stipend to support materials and creative labor, along with travel and lodging assistance. The funding structure reflects PRH’s emphasis on equitable compensation and providing artists with the resources needed to develop their work. The Southern Survey Biennial builds on more than three decades of work by Project Row Houses, which has spent 33 years demonstrating the potential of art rooted in community. Through the biennial, PRH expands that approach by bringing artists from throughout the region into its Third Ward spaces and creating opportunities for their histories, materials and perspectives to engage with the community. Throughout the exhibition run, visitors can walk through the Project Row Houses campus, experience the work of the participating artists and participate in related programming. The free exhibition runs through February 14, 2027, providing Houstonians and visitors several months to explore the work and the ongoing cultural contributions of artists from across the South.
A “DAY OF LABOR” WITH HEART: DWIGHT BOYKINS’ SENIORS ASSISTANCE FUND RETURNS LABOR DAY WEEKEND TO SERVE FIVE HOUSTON SENIORS By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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hile much of Houston will spend Labor Day weekend firing up grills, catching college football and squeezing one last splash out of summer, a crew of volunteers will be doing something even more Houston: rolling up their sleeves for their neighbors. On Saturday, September 5, 2026, the Seniors Assistance Fund, Inc., founded from an initiative launched by former Houston City Councilman Dwight Boykins, will host its second annual “Day of Labor” service project, providing free landscaping assistance to five senior homeowners in Sunnyside, South Park and Third Ward. Weather permitting, volunteers will gather at 8 a.m. for assignments and equipment distribution before heading out to refresh yards, improve curb appeal and deliver a very visible reminder that Houston’s elders have not been forgotten. The five seniors selected for this year’s effort range in age from 80 to 88. Their homes will receive updated landscaping intended not merely to beautify the properties, but to make the surroundings more manageable and restore a little pride, comfort and neighborhood sparkle. The project is the latest chapter in an idea Boykins began in 2014 while representing Houston City Council District D. According to the organization, the Senior
Minor Home Repair Program grew out of conversations Boykins had while walking neighborhoods and listening to older residents describe repairs they needed but often could not afford. The nonprofit’s website says that by 2021, 607 homes had been repaired across eight ZIP codes, with work ranging from doors, windows and faucets to gutters, lighting, kitchen repairs, bathroom safety rails and other modest but meaningful improvements. That first year also established a fundraising tradition. The inaugural “Swinging for Seniors” Golf Tournament was held at Hermann Park Golf Course in
July 2014, attracting more than 25 teams and raising more than $40,000 to help senior residents. Partnerships over the years have included Houston Habitat for Humanity and local contractors, creating a model in which community dollars, volunteer labor and professional expertise meet at the front door of somebody who needs a hand. Independent Houston coverage has documented the effort continuing beyond Boykins’ City Hall tenure. In 2023, FOX 26 Houston followed the program as it provided free repairs to seniors during the holiday season, including roof, porch and window work. For Boykins, the motivation has
remained personal and consistent: seniors often live on fixed incomes, many are reluctant to ask for assistance, and a small repair can become a major burden when money, mobility or family support is limited. That is what makes the “Day of Labor” concept land with a little extra meaning. Labor Day traditionally honors the contributions of American workers. This Houston version turns the holiday into active service — not simply celebrating work, but putting work to work for somebody else. Volunteers are invited to join the September 5 effort beginning at 8 a.m. Organizers have designated 5607 Southwind Street as the morning staging location for assignments and equipment distribution. Because the project is weather-dependent, volunteers should confirm details with organizers before arriving. For information, volunteer participation, current program eligibility or donations, contact Dwight Boykins at 713203-2835 or dwightboykins@yahoo.com. Support is also available through the official Seniors Assistance Fund WEBSITE
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September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
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HCC Strikes a Golden Note: Mariachi Águilas de Oro
Makes Successful Historic Houston Debut By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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ouston City College has added a new sound to the rhythm of student life — and judging by the applause at Houston’s Wortham Theater Center, it is a sound audiences are ready to hear again. On Friday, August 28, Mariachi Águilas de Oro — Golden Eagles — made its historic public debut during opening night of the seventh annual Houston Mariachi Festival. Violins sang, trumpets soared and the unmistakable heartbeat of the guitarrón helped introduce Houston to HCC’s first student mariachi ensemble. The three-day festival, held August 28–30 at the Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston, featured mariachi and folklórico performers from across Texas. HCC students shared Friday’s spotlight with the University of Houston Mariachi Pumas — putting the fledgling Golden Eagles ensemble on one of Houston’s premier performing-arts stages for its very first flight. A Golden Debut The performance was more than another college extracurricular activity. It represented a vision HCC leaders have spent more than a year developing: using
culture as another pathway toward connection, confidence and student success. “Mariachi is more than music. It’s a bridge between heritage and hope,” said HCC Chancellor Margaret Ford Fisher, Ed.D. That philosophy fits Houston particularly well. In one of America’s most culturally diverse cities, students do not leave their heritage at the classroom door. HCC’s new ensemble recognizes that culture can be an educational asset — something that brings students together while reinforcing pride in who they are and where they come from. Mariachi Águilas de Oro began as a student club with nearly a dozen members, including graduates of Cesar Chávez,
Carver and Klein Collins high schools and Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Members are studying engineering, business and other disciplines, proving that you can calculate an equation, build a business plan — and still know your way around a vihuela. Better still, participation is open to HCC students regardless of academic major or previous mariachi experience. Culture Meets Opportunity For lead singer and ensemble president Isaias Luis-Torres, mariachi offers something textbooks alone cannot provide: an emotional connection between performer and audience. “I love to see how much the music
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impacts their lives,” Luis-Torres said. Fellow HCC student Josue Ramirez, who has played mariachi since age 10, describes that connection almost as an exchange of energy — musicians expressing their emotions while audiences respond with smiles, awe and sometimes tears. That is part of mariachi’s enduring power. The music carries stories of family, celebration, struggle, romance and resilience across generations. For Houston’s Latino community — and increasingly for audiences of every background — mariachi is both preservation and invitation: remember where we came from, and come celebrate with us. HCC Southeast President Frances Villagran-Glover, D.A., called the inaugural ensemble an example of what happens when culture, community and opportunity come together. "We appreciate HCC alum Ben Mendez founder of the Mariachi Festival who helped our HCC students be part of the event."
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THE NEXT INDUSTRIAL AGE: PETER HUNTSMAN & RYAN SITTON TAKE THE STAGE AT GULF COAST INDUSTRY FORUM By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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he Gulf Coast has never been shy about building big things. Refineries. Chemical plants. Ports. Pipelines. Careers. Communities. And, increasingly, the technology powering America’s next economic chapter. On Thursday, September 17, 2026, two Texas industrial heavyweights will sit down for a timely fireside conversation about what comes next. Peter Huntsman, Chairman, President and CEO of Huntsman Corporation, will join Ryan Sitton, founder and CEO of Pinnacle, for “The Next Industrial Age: A Conversation with Peter Huntsman” at the Gulf Coast Industry Forum at Pasadena Convention Center. Huntsman and Sitton take the stage at 1:40 p.m. Houston Style Magazine, serving as sponsor, is proud to help amplify a conversation that directly affects Houston-area families, businesses, workers and the next generation of innovators. And the timing could hardly be better. Just weeks before the forum, shareholders of Huntsman Corporation and Olin Corporation approved their proposed merger of equals, moving the companies another major step toward creating OlinHuntsman, a North American chemicals powerhouse with more than $12 billion in annual revenue. Upon completion of the transaction, Peter Huntsman is expected to become non-executive chairman of the combined company.
Translation: Huntsman isn’t simply coming to Pasadena to predict industrial change. He is living it. The fireside chat will range from the future of Gulf Coast manufacturing and American industrial leadership to the global competition surrounding artificial intelligence, technology, energy, talent and innovation. Sitton brings an equally Houston-sized résumé to the conversation. An engineer, entrepreneur and former Texas Railroad Commissioner, he co-founded Pasadena-based Pinnacle in 2006. The industrial reliability company applies data, engineering and risk analysis to help large processing facilities operate more safely and efficiently. Together, Huntsman and Sitton can tackle a question that is becoming impossible for American industry to ignore: What must the United States get right now to lead the next industrial age? That question reaches well beyond petrochemicals. Artificial intelligence is reshaping manufacturing, data analysis, research and productivity. Advanced materials remain essential to everything from automobiles and electronics to construction and medicine. Meanwhile, global competition is putting renewed emphasis on American manufacturing capacity, supply-chain resilience, skilled workers and innovation.
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For Huntsman, innovation also carries a deeply human dimension. He serves as Chairman and CEO of the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, continuing his family’s extraordinary commitment to cancer research. Huntsman Cancer Institute is an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center where research now includes precision oncology, genomics, data science and artificial intelligence. The fireside chat is part of the 2026 Gulf Coast Industry Forum, the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region’s largest annual event. For 17 years, the forum has connected industry, government and community leaders around the petrochemical, maritime, logistics and manufacturing sectors that make the Houston Port Region one of the world’s most consequential industrial corridors. Doors open at 7 a.m., with networking, breakfast and exhibitor visits before the program
begins at 9 a.m. In Houston, we understand something the rest of the country occasionally needs reminding about: America’s industrial future isn’t arriving someday. Much of it is already being built right here along the Gulf Coast. EVENT DETAILS – Gulf Coast Industry Forum Thursday, September 17, 2026 • Doors Open: 7 a.m. | Program: 9 a.m. Peter Huntsman & Ryan Sitton Fireside Chat: 1:40 p.m. Pasadena Convention Center 7902 Fairmont Parkway, Pasadena, Texas 77507 Registration & Information: Gulf Coast Industry Forum — Economic Alliance Houston Port Region
September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
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HOUSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES WITH MYLINK CARD CAMPAIGN By Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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efore there were smartphones, streaming subscriptions and search engines answering questions in seconds, there was the library card — a little rectangle that quietly gave generations of Americans access to worlds they had never seen. This September, the Houston Public Library (HPL) is giving that old-school passport to knowledge a decidedly modern remix. HPL’s “A Library Card Hits All the Right Notes!” campaign celebrates Library Card Sign-Up Month by encouraging Houstonians to sign up for — or rediscover — the free MYLink library card, one of the most useful cards you can carry without receiving a bill at the end of the month. And in 2026, that card does considerably more than check out a hardcover novel. MYLink provides access to books, e-books, e-audiobooks, digital magazines, streaming music and movies, research databases and online learning resources. Texas residents can apply for a MYLink card free of charge and receive digital access after approval, while customers seeking physical materials can visit an HPL location to obtain their physical card. That makes the library card part reading pass, part classroom, part movie ticket, part music subscription and — increasingly — part technology lab. Through HPL’s TECHLink centers, customers can explore creative and emerging technologies including 3D printing, audio and video production, embroidery equipment, laser cutters and other makerspace tools. Houston’s FY2026 budget underscores how important that digital mission has become: the city projected approximately 3.7 million virtual library visits and targeted 27,000 TECHLink visitors during the fiscal year. Then there is HPL’s increasingly popular Library of Things, where “checking something out” may mean much more than taking home a book. The collection includes items connected to science, technology, arts, crafts, hobbies, games and household projects — giving families opportunities to experiment without purchasing equipment they may only need occasionally. In other words: your library card may actually save your wallet from hitting a few sour notes. “Our library card is one of the most powerful tools Houston residents can use for learning, creativity, and discovery,” said Houston Public Library Director Sandy Gaw. “Whether you’re streaming music, exploring new skills, researching your family history, or
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checking out something fun from the Library of Things, a MYLink card opens the door to endless opportunities.” The Houston campaign also connects with a nationwide tradition. Library Card Sign-Up Month grew from a national American Library Association initiative launched in 1987 to encourage children and families to make library membership part of the back-to-school experience. Nearly four decades later, the mission has expanded far beyond children’s reading. The 2026 honorary chair is Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Laufey, whose own love of books helped inspire this year’s musical theme. The American Library Association describes libraries as places where residents can find everything from classic stories and makerspaces to clubs, technology, tools and creative discovery. That message feels especially appropriate in Houston. Serving approximately 2.3 million city residents, HPL has evolved into a sprawling civic network encompassing neighborhood and regional libraries, history research centers, TECHLink facilities, outreach programs and the flagship Central Library. Yet its fundamental mission remains wonderfully unchanged: give people access to knowledge regardless of the size of their bank account. For students, that can mean homework resources. For job seekers, it can mean technology and workforce tools. For entrepreneurs, it can mean research. For families, entertainment. For history lovers, Houston’s remarkable archival collections. And for a curious kid discovering a favorite author for the first time, it might mean something even bigger — the beginning of a lifelong relationship with learning.
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COMMISSIONER ELLIS, EXPERTS, ADVOCATES AND FIRST RESPONDERS CALL ON HARRIS COUNTY TO INVEST ADDITIONAL $4.5 MILLION FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY SAFETY STRATEGIES By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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ublic safety does not always arrive wearing a badge. Sometimes it pulls up in a purple-and-gray vehicle carrying an unarmed behavioral-health specialist and an EMT. Sometimes it looks like a trusted neighborhood violence interrupter sitting beside a shooting victim before retaliation turns one tragedy into two. And sometimes it means helping a domestic-violence survivor find safety before the next call becomes a homicide investigation. That broader vision of public safety is at the heart of Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ push for an additional $4.5 million investment in community-based safety programs as Commissioners Court moves toward critical Fiscal Year 2027 budget decisions. Ellis and Georgetown Law’s Center for Innovations in Community Safety recently released Advancing Safer Communities in Harris County, Texas, examining four years of results from three initiatives: the Holistic Assistance Response Team (HART), RISE violence interruption, and domestic violence prevention and intervention programs. The proposal would bring combined investment in the initiatives to approximately $15.3 million. Read The Full Advancing Safer Communities Report Right Help, Right Call Launched in 2022, HART dispatches interdisciplinary, unarmed teams to eligible
nonviolent calls involving mental-health crises, homelessness, substance use and social-welfare concerns. By September 2025, the HART model had expanded throughout all Harris County Sheriff’s Office districts. The new report says teams have now responded to more than 31,000 calls and connected more than 5,000 residents to care. That is not anti-police. It is smart deployment. Every appropriate call handled by HART can leave a deputy, ambulance or other emergency resource available for a situation where seconds — and specialized law-enforce-
ment skills — truly matter. Meanwhile, RISE — Relentless Interrupters Serving Everyone — uses trained “credible messengers” with neighborhood connections and lived experience to defuse disputes, discourage retaliation and connect residents with resources. Harris County Public Health describes the program as complementary to traditional law enforcement, not a substitute for it. The numbers are encouraging. RISE has reportedly interrupted at least 186 potentially violent conflicts and conducted more than 2,300 hospital visits involving victims of gunshots,
stabbings and assaults. In Cypress Station — where RISE, HART and expanded Sheriff’s Office strategies have worked simultaneously — overall crime has fallen 36%, family violence 48% and aggravated robberies 34% since 2023. Ellis is also urging sustained investment in domestic-violence intervention, including assistance that helps survivors escape dangerous homes and therapeutic services for children exposed to violence. “For too long, our public safety systems have been built to respond only after harm has already happened,” Ellis said. Now comes the budget test. With Harris County facing significant FY2027 financial pressures, every new dollar will face scrutiny. Ellis’ argument is that prevention deserves to be judged not simply by what it costs — but by the arrests, jail stays, emergency-room visits, shootings and tragedies it may help prevent. Commissioners Court is expected to take up the community-safety proposal as part of its Tuesday, September 8 budget deliberations. For Harris County, the question is becoming refreshingly practical: Why wait for a crisis to become a crime when there is evidence that earlier intervention can help keep it from getting that far?
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APPLE SAYS “SURPRISE AND SHINE”: SEPTEMBER 9 EVENT SETS THE STAGE FOR APPLE’S NEXT BIG IPHONE ERA By Franics Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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pple knows how to manufacture technology. It may be even better at manufacturing anticipation. The company has officially scheduled its next Apple Event for Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at noon Central Time, teasing the occasion with two irresistible words: “Surprise and shine.” Apple has not officially announced the iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max. Specifications, pricing and release dates remain unconfirmed. But nearly two decades after Steve Jobs introduced the original iPhone, Apple and September have developed a rhythm all their own. And Houston has an unusually good reason to pay attention. From Pocket Revolution to AI When Jobs unveiled the original iPhone in 2007, he presented what he called three revolutionary products—a widescreen iPod, mobile phone and internet communicator—before revealing they were one device. Today, the iPhone is our camera, newsroom, wallet, navigation system, television, editing suite and mobile office. Now Apple is pushing toward its next transformation: artificial intelligence. Apple’s expanding Apple Intelligence and Siri AI strategy increasingly connects iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro. That makes the question heading into September 9 bigger than what the next iPhone might look like. What will Apple’s next iPhone be able to do? M6 Offers a Clue
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rapidly expanding American technology and AI infrastructure. So, will September 9 bring the iPhone 18? Apple isn’t saying—yet. But M6 is here. Apple Intelligence is advancing. Houston is helping build Apple’s AI future. And Apple has invited the world to “Surprise and shine.” Houston Style Magazine will be watching. Charge the iPhone. Clear the calendar. Houston— don’t blink. OFFICIAL APPLE EVENT: Apple.com/ apple-events/
www.StyleMagazine.com Apple provided a hint on August 25 with its new M6-powered Mac mini, emphasizing substantially increased AI and computing performance. The company simultaneously introduced a new Mac Studio powered by M5 Max and M5 Ultra. Translation: Cupertino isn’t tiptoeing into fall. Apple is coming in hot. Meanwhile, Apple continues strengthening the ecosystem surrounding its hardware. An August 27 Apple Arcade announcement introduced a Sneaky Sasquatch and Subway Surfers+ crossover and previewed a September 17 expansion featuring more than 30 bird species—another reminder that Apple increasingly sells an interconnected experience spanning devices,
September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
software and services. Houston Has Entered the Apple Story For Houston, however, the biggest development may be happening behind the screens. Apple recently opened its 20,000-squarefoot Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston, offering businesses hands-on training in advanced manufacturing, automation and machine-learning-driven production. Even bigger: the same Houston facility is building and shipping Apple’s advanced AI servers, and Apple says Mac mini manufacturing will begin in Houston this year. That puts the Bayou City inside Apple’s
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IACCGH CONNECTS BUSINESS ACROSS BORDERS AND BEYOND AT 2026 HOUSTON GALA By Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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ouston's international business community gathered in grand fashion Saturday, August 29, as the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) hosted its 2026 Annual Day Gala and Awards Banquet at the Hilton Americas-Houston. The evening united entrepreneurs, corporate executives, elected officials, diplomats and community leaders for a celebration of achievement — and of Houston’s increasingly important role in the growing economic relationship between India and the United States. For IACCGH, connecting those worlds is nothing new. Founded in 1999, the Chamber emerged during a transformative era as India expanded global investment opportunities and Greater Houston businesses increasingly looked overseas for new markets. During the past 27 years, IACCGH has become an influential bridge connecting Indo-American entrepreneurs, corporations, government institutions and emerging business leaders. Its mission remains focused on facilitating U.S.-India commerce, expanding access to Indo-American markets and helping Greater Houston businesses and professionals compete internationally. At the gala, Consul General D.C. Manjunath highlighted opportunities for deeper collaboration in technology, healthcare, energy and education as India advances its ambitious Viksit Bharat 2047 vision to become a developed nation by the centennial of its independence.
well.
That opportunity fits Houston remarkably
From the Texas Medical Center and Houston’s global energy leadership to its rapidly expanding technology, manufacturing and education sectors, the Bayou City is strategically positioned to participate in the next chapter of India-U.S. commerce. The evening also recognized leaders who have transformed opportunity into success. Sunny Bathija, founder of Satya Inc., was honored as IACCGH’s 2026 Businessman of the Year, while Tina Khatri, CEO of TDK Construction, was named Businesswoman of the Year. Veteran entrepreneur Bal Sareen, founder of Brask Inc., received recognition for his distinguished career
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and contributions to Houston’s petrochemical and Indo-American communities. William T. Harris and Milton Thibodeaux were also recognized for their business and community leadership. The gathering welcomed prominent civic leaders, including U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher and Houston Mayor John Whitmire, underscoring IACCGH’s ability to connect commerce with government, diplomacy and community. Beyond the ballroom, IACCGH supports international trade missions, entrepreneurship, small-business development, supplier diversity, women and youth empowerment, education and leadership initiatives throughout the year. That makes the annual gala more than an
awards dinner. It is a reminder that global economic relationships are built person by person, partnership by partnership and opportunity by opportunity. Houston is one of America’s most international cities. India is one of the world’s most dynamic major economies. For 27 years, IACCGH has helped connect the two — proving that when Houston and India do business together, borders become bridges. Thank you to Rajiv Bhavsar, President and Jagdip Ahluwalia, Executive Director.
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September 03, 2026 – September 09, 2026
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