Houston Style Magazine SEPTEMBER 10, 2026 – SEPTEMBER 16, 2026
Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989
Volume 37 | Number 37
JASON MORAN
Complimentary
Ben Jealous A Wedding Party That Looked Like A Funeral
Joins Piano Etudes by Philip Glass: Glass:
TWENTY STUDIES • TEN PIANISTS By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Burt Levine
Labor Day Kicks-Off Sprint To November 3rd General Election
Adi Farjon Isreal New Isreali Consul Genenral Makes Houston Debut at Rosh Hashanah
HEALTH: Smile Foundation's Gracefully Through Menopause
Houston Health Dept. - New Deputy Directors Team
David Itz - Legacy Of Leadership
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
2
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
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! SEND: 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 ©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)
By Lisa Valadez, for www.StyleMagazine.com
P
ublic health rarely gets the spotlight when everything is going right. A restaurant gets inspected. An outbreak is tracked. A child receives an immunization. Emergency plans are ready before the storm arrives. That quiet machinery of local government is also democracy at work — public institutions protecting people every day. The Houston Health Department is entering a new chapter with Naomi Macias named Deputy Director and Chief of Staff; Roger Sealy named Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer; and Dr. Janeana White named Deputy Director, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Public Health Authority. The appointments elevate veteran public servants who already know Houston’s sprawling public-health system from the inside.
Experience From Inside the Institution Naomi Macias — Deputy Director and Chief of Staff Naomi Macias has spent two decades with the Houston Health Department, beginning in 2006 as an Environmental
www.StyleMagazine.com
Investigator I in the Special Waste Program. Her climb through administrative and program leadership eventually placed her over health centers, multi-service centers, immunizations and disease-prevention programs involving tuberculosis and HIV/STI services. She has also served in incident-command roles during weather emergencies — no small credential in hurricane-tested Houston. Roger Sealy — Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer Roger Sealy brings a scientist’s eye to city operations. He began his public-health career in the department’s tuberculosis laboratory as a microbiologist, later serving in laboratory quality control, compliance and management before moving into executive leadership. His responsibilities have included environmental health as well as public-health science and surveillance — work connecting laboratory science, data and regulation directly to neighborhood health and safety. Dr. Janeana White — Deputy Director, Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Public Health Authority Dr. Janeana White brings clinical medicine, disease-control expertise and emergency-response experience to the
leadership table. Before joining the Houston Health Department, she served as Medical Director for Disease Control and Clinical Prevention at Harris County Public Health and held key responsibilities during the COVID-19 response. At Houston Health, she has served as Chief of Medical Services and Deputy Public Health Authority, helping guide clinical care, disease prevention and community health. The executive team serves under Houston Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Tran, who joined the City in August 2025. The leadership transition also follows the retirement of longtime City of Houston Chief Medical Officer and Public Health Authority Dr. David Persse, who concluded 29 years of city service on April 30, 2026. His emergency-medicine and preparedness legacy helped shape the system this new generation now inherits. Houston’s new health leadership team inherits that promise — and the opportunity to prove that healthier communities help build a stronger democracy and an even stronger Houston.
www.HoustonHealth.org
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
3
COMMENTARY
ANextWEDDING PARTY THAT LOOKED LIKE A FUNERAL June marks 60 years since Loving v. Virginia. My parents did not wait for it. By Ben Jealous, National Political Commentator
T
his month my parents are beginning their seventh decade of marriage despite a law that tried to stop them. Sixty years ago, they were married in a church in Washington, D.C. They had to leave Maryland to do it. My mother is Black. My father is White. In Maryland their marriage was a crime. They met in West Baltimore. Her city. Two student teachers at Harlem Park Junior High, the same classroom, one semester after the other. They wrote each other every week that spring. Their students. Life back on campus. What they believed. When my mother came home to Baltimore for the summer, they were both seeing other people. They went on a date anyway. That date was at the recently desegregated movie theater. They slipped in like racial fugitives. They found two empty seats. He walked down one aisle. She walked down the other. They sat side by side but didn't want their entrance or exit to cause a stir. They knew the looks wouldn't all come from White people. It was the summer of Black Power, after all. My father proposed three times in two weeks. She turned him down twice. She was not being coy. What he asked was against the law. The third time she said yes. My father's uncle told him he believed the love was real. Then he explained that if my father wanted to stay in the family, and in his grandfather's will, he would need to fall in love with someone else instead. Others said, "Think about what it will be like for the children." They married two months later. They arrived at the church separately, the way a bride and groom do. This time it was tradition. Afterward the caravan drove back to Baltimore with its headlights on. Cars on the highway pulled aside to let it pass. In the city people stopped walking
4
Fred and Ann Jealous (Ben Jealous Parents) to turn and stare and then pray for them. Men took off their hats. Everyone thought it was a funeral. The lights were only so nobody would get lost on the way to my grandparents' house in West Baltimore, where the reception was. At the reception my father danced with my mother. He is red-headed and freckled and looks as English and Irish as he is. One woman watching them decided the groom had to be Black. Apparently, she could not imagine a White boy dancing like that. My father was delighted. Somewhere in there my father made her an offer. Jealous is a strange name to carry. He told her he would take hers instead. He would become Fred Todd. She said no. She took the name Jealous. Telling that used to make me chuckle. Who turns down any name for such a notorious adjective? I hear it a little
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
differently now. His grandfather had already disowned him and cut him out of the will. His own father had died years earlier, of his third heart attack. My father was the eldest grandson of an industrialist. He had a great deal to lose and he lost all of it. His mother and his brothers stood by him. Much of the rest of the family did not. His name was the last thing that was his to give, and he offered to give that up too. She would not let him. The following June the Supreme Court decided Loving v. Virginia. When my parents stood in that church, nobody knew it was coming. They married anyway. They went west. With Loving grinding through the courts, they apparently decided the nation didn't need Jealous v. Maryland too.
www.StyleMagazine.com
San Diego first, then the Monterey Peninsula. There my father taught soldiers home from Vietnam, many of whom could not read. Later he founded a community where men learn to listen to one another, and to be listened to, most of them for the first time. My mother spent her career as a therapist. They raised us in California, far from her mother and her church and her city. Every summer they sent me back east. Baltimore for her people. Maine for his. The move had cut them off from all of it. They handed it to me. A decade ago they returned to St. James Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square and renewed their vows for the 50th anniversary of Loving. My mother was baptized in that church. So was I. So was my son. My mother wore the dress. Her grandmother sewed it for her in 1966, when my mother was 25. She sewed it for that church, where she worshipped. Then the law sent the wedding to Washington, and the dress never went down that aisle. A half century later it did. My mother was crying. I told her to stop bragging. She looked at me, confused, tears still on her face. I told her she just wanted everybody to know it still fit. Sixty years. My father is still the man who offered to give up his name. My mother is still the woman who would not let him. They were never a test case. They were a marriage. They still are. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad. Thank you for being so courageous in love. My sister and I literally would never have existed but for it.
Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former president and CEO of the NAACP.
LABOR DAY KICKS OFF SPIRIT TO NOVEMBER 3RD GENERAL ELECTION
F
or generations, Labor Day has done double duty in American life. It honors the workers whose labor built the nation, and it traditionally signals the moment political campaigns shift from summer positioning into their final sprint. Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, and the U.S. Department of Labor traces its roots to the late-19th-century movement to recognize the economic and civic contributions of American workers. In 2026, that sprint leads directly to Tuesday, November 3. Texas voters have less than two months to study a ballot packed with federal, statewide, congressional, county and local contests. The practical dates are already set: Monday, October 5 is the voter-registration deadline; in-person Early Voting runs Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 30. At the top of the Texas ballot is a U.S. Senate race with history attached. Democratic state Rep. James Talarico faces Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, who defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the May Republican runoff. Lloyd Bentsen, reelected in 1988, remains the last Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas. Recent polling has made the 2026 contest one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country, but polls are snapshots, not ballots.
By Burt Levine, Political Editor for www.StyleMagazine.com
Texas’ statewide executive offices also give voters consequential choices. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking a fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa. Democrats have not won a Texas statewide election since 1994. Hinojosa, a former Austin ISD trustee and attorney, is the daughter of former Texas Democratic Party chair Gilberto Hinojosa. In the lieutenant governor race, Democratic state Rep. Vikki Goodwin faces Republican incumbent Dan Patrick, who is also seeking a fourth term. Two additional races put new names before statewide voters. Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson faces Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton for
www.StyleMagazine.com
attorney general, while Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, a former Travis County judge, faces Republican Comptroller Don Huffines, whom Gov. Abbott appointed this summer to serve the remainder of the current term. Houston-area congressional ballots have changed dramatically after Texas’ 2025 redistricting. All 38 Texas U.S. House seats are up this year. In District 7, Democratic incumbent Lizzie Fletcher faces Republican Alexander Hale and Green Party candidate Espoir Ngabo. In the newly configured District 9, Democrat Leticia Gutierrez faces Republican Alex Mealer. In District 18, Democratic incumbent Christian Menefee faces Republican
Ronald Whitfield. Farther across Greater Houston, Democrat Marquette Greene-Scott faces Republican Trever Nehls in District 22, where Rep. Troy Nehls is retiring. Democratic incumbent Sylvia Garcia faces Republican Martha Fierro in District 29. And in District 38, opened when Wesley Hunt pursued the U.S. Senate nomination, Democrat Melissa McDonough faces Republican Jon Bonck. Harris and Fort Bend counties add another layer. Both counties backed the Democratic presidential ticket in 2024, but by narrower margins than in 2020, giving both parties reason to compete aggressively for suburban, Black, Latino, Asian American, younger and independent voters. That is what the post-Labor Day sprint is really about: not campaign signs, television ads or political noise, but citizens making decisions. Democracy works best when eligible voters verify their registration, learn what is on their ballot and participate. Houston Style Magazine encourages every eligible Texan to check registration now, make a voting plan and treat November 3 as more than a date. REGISTER TO VOTE IN TEXAS https://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
5
2026
SEE MORE +
EAST RIVER 9 - Birdies ICEHOUSE www.Precinct2gether.org
H PRECINCT2GETHER – Charity Golf Tournament H TeeUp2gether – Driving Change For Thousands of Seniors, Veterans, Kids, and Families!
H Adrian Garcia – Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner H Darrell Morrison – President H SEPT 02, 2026 H Adrian Garcia & Nicolas Jimenez
Joaquin Martinez & Chad Burke
Adrian Garcia, Ilsa Garcia & Francisco Sanchez
6
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
Photos By Linda Toyota & SI VO
www.StyleMagazine.com
NEW ISRAELI CONSUL GENERAL – ADI FARJON ISRAEL MAKES HOUSTON DEBUT AT ROSH HASHANAH RECEPTION By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
H
ouston offered a warm Bayou City welcome to Adi Farjon Israel, the new Consul General of Israel to the Southwest United States, during a private Rosh Hashanah reception bringing together civic, business and community leaders. Call it apples, honey and diplomacy — Houston style. The gathering gave Farjon Israel an opportunity to begin building relationships across a region that includes Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Mexico. Among Houston-area leaders welcoming her were Reggie Gray, Gigi Lee, Chris Hollins, Karen Lowe, Sandija Bayot, Takeshi Koyama serves as the Consul-General of Japan, David Simon, Rachel Schneider Jolene Jones, Linda Toyota, Lindon Rose and Traci Pelter, Market President and Publisher of the Houston Business Journal. Farjon Israel arrives with considerable international experience. Before Houston, she led Israel’s Foreign Ministry Central Europe Department and previously served as Israel’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva. Earlier assignments included diplomatic posts in Berlin and Santo Domingo. Her background also includes
Adi Farjon Isreal & Takeshi Koyama
Adi Farjon Isreal & Frank Marchetti
extensive work in civil society, communications and women’s leadership. Upon beginning her Houston assignment, Farjon Israel described serving as consul general as “a profound honor” and emphasized diplomacy’s ability to create bridges between communities, cultures and ideas. That philosophy fits Houston well. As one of America’s most internationally connected cities, Houston sits at the crossroads of energy, medicine, technology, education, trade and culture — offering
fertile ground for stronger relationships between Israel and the Southwest. The timing also carried special meaning. Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, traditionally represents reflection, renewal and hope. For Farjon Israel, the symbolism could hardly be more fitting: A new year. A new city. New relationships. And, hopefully, a sweet beginning. Shanah Tovah, Consul General Farjon Israel — and welcome to Houston.
Linda Toyota & Adi Farjon Isreal
Consulate General of Israel to the SW https://embassies.gov.il/houston/en Official Biography — Adi Farjon Israel https://embassies.gov.il/houston/en/ the-consulate/the-consul
SAVE THE DATE CONSTRUCTING
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 11:30am - 1:30pm
OPPORTUNITY
Citadel Houston, 12130 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77045
SERJobs Luncheon
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Join SERJobs as we celebrate the power of workforce development, skilled trades training, and community partnerships that are creating pathways to economic mobility across Greater Houston. This is more than a luncheon — it’s a room full of people who believe in Houston and in the power of opportunity.
SPONSORSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE!
BUILDING STRONGER CAREERS. BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES.
VISIT SERJOBS.ORG TO LEARN MORE www.StyleMagazine.com
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
7
HOUSTON PASSPORT DAY OPENS A SATURDAY DOOR TO THE WORLD ON SEPTEMBER 26 By Reginald Dominique for www.StyleMagazine.com
F
or Houston families planning holiday travel, reunions, study abroad, business trips or a long-awaited international getaway, Saturday, September 26, 2026, offers a rare chance to handle one of travel’s most important documents without sacrificing a weekday: the U.S. passport. The Houston Passport Agency will host a special Passport Day from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the George Thomas “Mickey” Leland Federal Building, 1919 Smith Street, 4th Floor, Houston, TX 77002. The event is by appointment only. When scheduling, applicants should specifically request the “Special Agency Weekend Event in Houston.” That Saturday access matters. For many working parents, students, seniors and entrepreneurs, weekday-only government hours can be a hurdle. A weekend passport event is a practical example of public service meeting people where their lives actually happen. Houston-area residents will also have another option that morning. The South Houston Post Office, 315 North Allen Genoa Road, South Houston, TX 77587, is hosting a special passport acceptance fair from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome until capacity is reached. The distinction is important: the Houston Passport Agency event is appointment-only, while the South Houston Post Office fair serves first-time applicants, children and others who must apply in person using Form DS-11. Applicants should come prepared
fees. Form DS-11 should remain unsigned until an authorized acceptance agent instructs the applicant to sign it. Children under 16 have additional parental appearance and consent requirements. Current State Department processing times are 4–6 weeks for routine service and 2–3 weeks for expedited service, which carries an additional $60 fee. A first-time adult passport book application costs $130, plus a $35 acceptance fee at an acceptance facility. Passport appointments themselves are free to schedule through official government channels. There is something especially fitting about expanding passport access in 2026, America’s 250th anniversary year. The National Archives preserves U.S. passport applications dating to 1795, linking today’s travelers to a tradition reaching deep into the American republic. Democracy is not only what happens at the ballot box. It is also reflected in public institutions that are accessible, understandable and responsive to the people they serve. For Greater Houston, September 26 offers exactly that kind of opportunity — one open Saturday, two passport options and a clearer path to the world. Houston, get those documents together. The world is waiting.
with evidence of U.S. citizenship, a valid physical government-issued photo ID, re-
quired photocopies, a compliant passport photo, the correct application and required
Women’s Leadership Luncheon WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH San Jacinto College - LyondellBasell CPET 11:00AM - 1:00PM (DOORS OPEN AT 10)
Pasadena, TX 77507
OPPORTUNITY TO
AND REGISTER
PAT MANN PHILLIPS
PAST CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD 20% OF SALES AT EVENT GO TO HIGHLIGHTED CHARITY
THANK YOU SPONSORS AS OF 8.17.2026 EVENT
PRESENTING
VALET
8
ATTENDEE GIFT
HOST
MEDIA
PRINTING
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
www.StyleMagazine.com
OFFICIAL INFORMATION:
https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/
GRACEFULLY THROUGH MENOPAUSE By SAAKSHI SHARMA JOSHI
O
n a hot Sunday afternoon, while comfortably curled up in bed watching Netflix, getting dressed and heading out for Smile Foundation’s “Gracefully Through Menopause” gathering was, admittedly, a tough decision. But sometimes the best decisions are the ones that pull us beyond our comfort zones. What began as a reluctant departure from my cozy Sunday became an afternoon filled with learning, laughter, connection and empowerment. The experience began at Asia Society Texas, a beautiful venue whose rich colors, textures and celebration of Asian culture provided an inviting setting for an afternoon focused on women’s wellness and community. Guests were welcomed with chocolates, followed by tea, coffee and snacks — simple touches that immediately set a warm, relaxed tone. Then came the heart of the afternoon: an expert panel featuring Dr. Rachna Bhala, MD, OB-GYN; Dr. Vinita Bhagia, MD, endocrinologist; and Ashley Kenney, certified personal trainer. The discussion, skillfully moderated by Shikha Gupta, explored menopause from multiple perspectives — medical, hormonal, nutritional and physical — while giving women an opportunity to ask questions and challenge long-held assumptions.
(L-R) Mrs Anjali Agrawal, Mrs Saakshi Sharma Joshi & Mr Hari Agrawal Dr. Bhala explained the physical changes women may experience during menopause. Dr. Bhagia shared approaches and resources that can help women better understand hormonal and metabolic changes, while Kenney emphasized strength training, regular movement and healthy eating as important components of long-term wellness. One of the afternoon’s most engaging activities was a “Fact or Myth” challenge, where attendees tested what they thought they knew about menopause. Several assumptions quickly
www.StyleMagazine.com
disappeared. Another favorite was the menopause survival kit, filled with practical touches including a heating pad, mini hand fan, exercise bands and dark chocolate — proving that education can come with a little humor and sweetness. “Menopause should not be treated as a journey women must navigate alone.” As a mental health practitioner, I especially appreciated seeing women from different backgrounds openly sharing experiences and learning together. Bringing these conversations
into the mainstream helps replace uncertainty and isolation with information, understanding and community. Yet one of the most encouraging sights was the men in the room. They listened, participated and asked questions about how they could better support the women in their lives. Their presence reinforced an important point: menopause affects more than one person. It can influence relationships, families, workplaces and entire communities. My heartfelt gratitude goes to Hari Agrawal, Director of Smile Foundation USA, and Anjali Agrawal for helping create a platform where meaningful conversations can educate, empower and connect people. What began as a difficult decision to leave my Netflix-filled Sunday became something much more valuable — an afternoon of sisterhood, wisdom and inspiration. Sometimes, stepping out is exactly what we need to step into something meaningful.
LEARN MORE:
Smile Foundation USA — www.SmileFoundationUSA.org Asia Society Texas — www.AsiaSociety.org/Texas
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
9
David D. Itz Leaves a Legacy of Leadership as Houston City College Foundation Chair By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
L
eadership is often best measured not by how loudly someone takes the chair, but by how much stronger the institution stands when that leader leaves it. By that standard, David D. Itz has given the Houston City College Foundation much to celebrate. Itz has completed his 2024–2026 term as Chair of the Houston City College Foundation Board of Directors and now serves as Immediate Past Chair. The leadership transition became official September 1, 2026, when Tracy Janda began her 2026–2028 term as Board Chair. For Houston, the moment represents more than a change in titles. It continues a long civic tradition of business leaders, philanthropists and volunteers helping strengthen one of the region’s most important pathways to higher education and workforce opportunity. Itz’s Foundation service reaches back more than a decade. Records listed him as treasurer in 2016, years before he became chair. He also brought extensive governance and business experience, including more than 40 years in the energy industry and longtime service with First Service Credit Union, where he previously served as board chair. That experience matched the
10
David D. Itz, with Sean Cheban – HCC Board Vice Chair, Trustee, District V, CENTER - David D. Itz and his wife of 46-years, Julie Itz, and RIGHT - David D. Itz - outgoing HCC Foundation Board Chair 2024-2026. Foundation’s mission: stewardship of resources, relationships and student opportunity. Established in 1976, the Houston City College Foundation is a publicly supported 501(c)(3) charity that helps HCC attract, educate and support Houston-area students, including nontraditional learners and those facing financial barriers. The Foundation directs philanthropic support into three major areas: scholarships and
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
endowments, capital projects and program support, and faculty grants and awards. The Foundation has awarded thousands of scholarships, helping turn ambition into access for students across the Houston region. In a city built on talent and reinvention, that support can be the bridge between potential, persistence and a life-changing credential. Its long-term goal is to build scholarship resources capable of assisting every qualifying HCC credit-hour student
who needs help beginning a college career. Itz also chaired the Foundation during a historic institutional transition. In 2025, Houston Community College became Houston City College, reflecting an evolving institution while preserving HCC’s longstanding commitment to affordable and accessible education. Now Janda takes the baton. The Foundation has highlighted her background in corporate community relations, education advocacy and nonprofit leadership, including service connected to CenterPoint Energy, Rice University and Houston-area civic organizations. The handoff is a reminder that strong institutions are rarely built by one leader alone. They advance when one generation of stewardship prepares the next. Houston Style Magazine salutes David D. Itz for distinguished leadership, more than a decade of service and a commitment that kept the Foundation focused where it belongs — on students. His title may now be Immediate Past Chair, but his contribution remains firmly part of the Foundation’s future.
www.HCCSFoundation.org
www.StyleMagazine.com
www.StyleMagazine.com
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
11
PAT WILLIAMS EXCLUSIVE LISTENING PARTY
EXPLORE YOUR HEALTH MARKETPLACE COVERAGE OPTIONS
Inclusive: The LIVE Experience By Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Need health insurance? Have questions about your options? We’re here to help at no cost to you!
FREE ACA NAVIGATOR ASSISTANCE Our certified ACA Navigators can help you: • Enroll in Marketplace health insurance • Understand your coverage options • Check if you qualify for financial assistance • Renew or update your current plan • Get answers to your health insurance questions
SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY SE HABLA ESPAÑOL
CALL 713.374.1282
HEALTHCARE.GOV
CIVICHEART.ORG
Disclaimer: This Cooperative Agreement to Support Navigators in Federally facilitated and State Partnership Marketplaces is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $310,000 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
S
FACT:
ONLY TOLL ROAD USERS PAY FOR TOLL ROAD MAINTENANCE
Get your EZ TAG
Keep it Moving 12
HCTRA.org
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
ome musicians keep the beat. Pat Williams has spent a career helping define it. On Saturday, September 19, 2026, the acclaimed Houston drummer, bandleader, mentor and recording artist will take center stage for “Inclusive: The Live Experience,” an upscale evening at the FountainLife Center, 14083 S. Main Street in Houston. Red-carpet entry begins at 6:00 p.m., followed by the live experience from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. And calling this simply a listening party may be selling the evening a few drumsticks short. Williams and a full band are expected to bring his Inclusive musical journey to life, combining selections from his 2021 debut EP, “Inclusive, Vol. 1,” with the live debut of his newly released “Inclusive, Vol. II.” The ninetrack second volume officially arrived August 18, 2026, expanding Williams’ genre-blending catalog with jazz, fusion, R&B, funk and groove-centered musicianship. Born Into the Music Williams’ relationship with rhythm began long before professional stages and recording studios. A Houston native, he grew up surrounded by music as the son of the late Pat Williams Sr., a trumpeter, and vocalist Rita Benson. That household exposed him to an unusually broad musical vocabulary — the kind of environment where jazz might shake hands with gospel, R&B could slide into funk, and nobody had to ask permission. That versatility became Williams’ calling card. Over his career, he has performed alongside or supported an impressive roster that includes Joe Sample, Bob James, Alex Bugnon, Mike Phillips, Bobby Lyle, Regina Belle, Sy Smith, Kurt Carr, Eric Darius, Tony Terry and other national and international performers. He launched The Pat Williams Group in 2013, extending his role from drummer to bandleader, music director, mentor and curator of live musical
www.StyleMagazine.com
experiences. Houston’s Musical DNA, One Album at a Time That history explains the title Inclusive. Rather than asking listeners to choose between jazz, R&B, gospel, fusion or funk, Williams welcomes everybody into the room. Inclusive reflects the musical DNA he absorbed growing up and refined over decades behind the drum kit. The new Vol. II contains nine tracks, including “Living the Dream,” “Latin Lingo,” “Late Nights, Early Mornings,” “Any Day (Remix),” “Florence,” “Love You Like You Do” and the sprawling album closer, “Daddy’s Song.” For Houston, September 19 represents something larger than another Saturday-night concert. It is another reminder of a city whose musical history has always thrived by refusing to remain inside one box. Pat Williams has spent decades providing the heartbeat behind other artists. At Inclusive: The Live Experience, Houston gets an opportunity to hear what happens when the drummer finally gets to call the count. One, two, three, four — Houston, it’s showtime.
The Complete Piano Etudes by Philip Glass: Twenty Studies, Ten Pianists – and A Houston Homecoming By Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
H
ouston, clear the calendar and tune the ears. On Saturday, September 12, Performing Arts Houston brings The Complete Piano Etudes by Philip Glass to Jones Hall for a rare musical marathon: all 20 études, performed by 10 pianists, in one evening. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. The concept is elegant and a little audacious. Glass’s études began as exercises meant in part to challenge and expand his own piano technique, then evolved over decades into one of his most intimate bodies of work. Pomegranate Arts, Glass’s longtime creative producer, has transformed the complete cycle into a touring showcase in which different pianists reveal different colors inside the same notes. Houston, however, gets more than another tour stop. Étude No. 17 was commissioned for the Menil Collection’s 25th anniversary in Houston and premiered in 2012. That gives Saturday’s performance a musical return address: one of the 20 works exists, in part, because Houston asked for it. Then There Is Jason Moran Born in Houston in 1975, Jason Moran began studying piano as a child and graduated from Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in 1993 before earning his degree from the Manhattan School of Music. His career has since stretched across jazz, film, museums and contemporary art. Moran received a MacArthur Fellowship in 2010, spent 14 years helping shape jazz programming at the Kennedy Center through 2025, and in 2026 became
a pianist raised here at the keyboard. That is not just programming. That is cultural symmetry. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, September 12, at Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana St. Tickets are listed from $39, with an approximate three-hour running time including intermission. Admiral Transfer is the series sponsor, with Emily T. Kuo and Michael Chu serving as executive producing sponsors. For Houston Style Magazine audiences, the invitation is simple: come hear 20 studies in how music grows—and one especially satisfying study in how Houston keeps finding its way into the score.
the inaugural recipient of the Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship in Music. In other words, Moran does not merely return as a hometown favorite. He returns as an artist whose career has made the borders between jazz, classical music and visual art wonderfully inconvenient. Moran joins Timo Andres, Inon Barnatan, Anton Batagov, Vicky Chow, Aaron Diehl, Daniela Liebman, Jenny
LERT: T I C K E T A ACT N O W ! FAST. SELLING
JOSHUA REDMAN QUARTET
DACAMERA JAZZ
Lin, Christian Sands and Jiani Wu—an unusually broad roster spanning classical, contemporary and jazz traditions. The timing is equally poetic. Performing Arts Houston and Jones Hall are celebrating 60 years in 2026, and the presenter traces its artistic relationship with Philip Glass back to 1978. Nearly half a century later, Glass’s music returns with a composition commissioned for Houston and
“A composer-performer who isn’t content to merely rest on laurels, but instead seeks out fresh quartet voices and harmonic dialogues.” — The Jazz Word
Saturday, October 17 | 8:00 PM CULLEN THEATER, WORTHAM THEATER CENTER
GET YOUR TICKETS
Now at DACAMERA_Sea26-27_Redman_FNL.indd 1
www.StyleMagazine.com
DACAMERA.COM 713-524-5050
3:51 PM September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026 9/1/2613
2026 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH COMES ALIVE IN HOUSTON By Lisa Valadez for www.StyleMagazine.com
I
n Houston, Hispanic Heritage Month is not simply a celebration marked on the calendar — it is a living, breathing expression of culture, history and community. Each week during Hispanic Heritage Month, Houston Style Magazine Associate Publisher – Lisa Valadez will spotlight the artists, organizations, traditions and cultural voices helping shape Houston’s vibrant Hispanic and Latino identity. The series begins with a look at the creative energy surrounding Houston in Color, whose network of local artists and cultural organizations will bring Hispanic and Latino heritage to life through music, dance, visual art, storytelling and community gatherings across the region. The celebration starts early on September 12, when Houston artist and community arts advocate Veronica Cabrera-Moreno, founder of Art in the Heart, unveils the organization’s new Art Bus at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. De-
signed as a mobile creative studio, the Art Bus will take hands-on artistic experiences directly into Houston neighborhoods, expanding access to the arts for children, families and communities. From the rhythms of Latin jazz to ceremonial traditions, neighborhood arts experiences and stories passed from one generation to the next, “A Weekly Feature Series By Lisa Valadez” will explore the people and cultural institutions making Hispanic Heritage Month — and Houston itself — richer, more colorful and more connected. Music takes center stage September 19 when the Diaz Music Institute presents Noche Caliente at Miller Outdoor Theatre. The FREE evening of Latin jazz will feature the Houston Latin Jazz Orchestra, Caliente and guest artists. For Diaz Music Institute, music is also a way to connect generations. Young musicians have opportunities to learn alongside professional artists while exploring traditions influenced by Latin jazz, salsa, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Caribbean sounds. Noche Caliente gives Houston families an opportunity to experience those traditions together while showcasing the next generation of musicians. The month also offers a connection to traditions rooted deep in Mexico and Mesoamerica. On September 25 and 26, Danza Azteca Macuilxochitl will present its Fall Equinox Harvest Ceremony at Xochipilli Collective.
Through ceremonial dance, colorful regalia, feathers, drums, seed pods and traditional instruments, the ceremony honors the harvest, the Milpa, Tlaloc and the Virgen de los Remedios. The free program offers another perspective on Hispanic Heritage Month by recognizing Indigenous traditions that continue to influence Mexican and Mexican American cultural identity. As Hispanic Heritage Month approaches its final days, Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA) will present Monarchs & Marigolds on October 11 at the Houston Botanic Garden. The community celebration will bring together music, dance, visual art, Latin American artisans and traditions associated with marigolds, monarch butterflies and Día de Muertos. MECA has spent more than four decades using the arts to connect Houston families with cultural traditions while creating opportunities for young artists and performers. And the cultural conversation doesn't stop on October 15. On October 17, Nuestra Palabra: Latinos Having Their Say will launch its inaugural Houston Text Fest, bringing writers, readers and community members together for readings, workshops, panels, conversations and open mics. The free event will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 6300 Irvington Blvd. Together, the events showcase the many ways Hispanic and Latino culture is woven into Houston's identity, from music and dance to visual art, literature and
HAHMP
SYLVAN RODRIGUEZ SCHOLARSHIP GALA SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH 6:00 PM C. BALDWIN HOTEL
Raul Peimbert Senior News Anchor Noticias Univision 45-Houston 2026 Lifetime Achievement
14
HAHMP.ORG
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
www.StyleMagazine.com
ancestral traditions. That diversity of expression is central to Houston in Color, formerly known as the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund. The organization supports artists and cultural organizations of color through funding, collaboration, storytelling and network building. Since 2021, Houston in Color has invested more than $10 million in more than 200 artists and arts organizations. For complete 2026 Hispanic Heritage Month event details, schedules, admission information and updates, readers can explore the participating organizations directly: Houston in Color for its growing network of Houston artists and cultural organizations; Art in the Heart / HTX ART for information about the new mobile Art Bus; Miller Outdoor Theatre and Diaz Music Institute for the free Noche Caliente concert on September 19; Danza Azteca Macuilxochitl for its September 25–26 Fall Equinox Harvest Ceremony; Houston Botanic Garden for tickets and details for Monarchs & Marigolds with MECA on October 11; and Nuestra Palabra for the inaugural, free Houston Text Fest on October 17. Together, these celebrations offer Houstonians multiple opportunities to experience Latino and Indigenous heritage through music, dance, literature, visual art, ceremony and community—before, during and beyond Hispanic Heritage Month. For Houston Style Magazine readers, Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity not only to celebrate culture, but to experience the artists, traditions and community voices helping shape the city throughout the year. Read more at
www.StyleMagazine.com
GOODE TO KNOW: A NEW BEAUTY BUSINESS CARRIES ON JO-CAROLYN GOODES' COMMUNITY SPIRIT By Lisa Valadez for www.StyleMagazine.com
J
o-Carolyn Goode believed in community. As Houston Style Magazine's longtime managing editor, Jo-Carolyn Goode had a special talent for finding stories in the people, businesses and organizations that make Houston neighborhoods thrive. She also believed in giving local entrepreneurs a chance to introduce themselves to the community and tell the stories behind their businesses. That spirit continues with Goode to Know, a Houston Style Magazine series highlighting local people, businesses and community happenings that deserve to be on Houston’s radar. This week’s spotlight on ST Beauty Supply, a new beauty supply and fashion store opening in Houston, is especially fitting. Owned by local entrepreneur Chanica, ST Beauty Supply will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, September 12, from noon to 2 p.m. at 13150 FM 529 Road, Suite 103, Houston, TX 77041. The
store will offer beauty, hair and fashion products, bringing another locally owned option to Houston shoppers. The grand-opening celebration will include FREE gift bags for the first 10 customers, a $100 raffle prize and an opportunity for attendees to participate in the raffle. Customers who make a purchase will receive an additional raffle entry. For Houston Style Magazine, highlighting a new beauty business also carries a special connection to Goode. Goode passed away last year from complications related to lupus, leaving behind a legacy of community journalism and a deep commitment to the people she covered. Beyond her work at Houston Style Magazine, she was also a major behind-thescenes presence in the pageantry industry, supporting contestants, events and the people who helped make pageantry a vibrant part of the local community. Beauty, fashion and pageantry were therefore familiar territory for Goode, making a story about a new local beauty shop a particularly appropriate
www.StyleMagazine.com
addition to the Goode to Know series. But at its heart, this is also the kind of small-business story Goode loved. Houston is filled with entrepreneurs turning ideas into storefronts, services and businesses that become part of their communities. Goode understood the importance of giving those entrepreneurs a platform, particularly when they were just getting started. ST Beauty Supply’s grand opening offers Houston residents an opportunity to discover a new locally owned business, shop its beauty and fashion offerings and welcome Chanica into Houston’s entrepreneurial community. And in the spirit of Jo-Carolyn Goode, it is another Houston story worth knowing.
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
15
SCORE TIME BACK
Get delivery in as little as an hour.* *Subject to availability. Restrictions and fees apply. Delivery time not guaranteed. See app or heb.com.
©2026 HEB, 26-485814
16
September 10, 2026 – September 16, 2026
www.StyleMagazine.com