Houston Style Magazine OCTOBER 08, 2026 – OCTOBER 14, 2026
Houston’s Premiere Weekly Publication, Since 1989
Volume 37 | Number 41
Complimentary
H H H H Breast Cancer Awareness Month H H H H
Ben Jealous First Columbus Day Was Declared in the Shadow of a Lynching
CAMERON C. LEE: Carrying A Civil Rights Legacy Forward THROUGH EMMY-NOMINATED CREATIVITY
Dr. Letitia Plummer
State Reps. Rally Behind Plummer at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church
By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Adrian Garcia Investing in Neighborhoods, Public Safety & Opportunity
GHWCC - Women in The Fast Lane of STEAM
Bayou City Art Festival Returns to Memorial Park
TSU Homecoming 2026
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October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
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WHERE HISTORY MEETS YOUNG YOUNG CREATIVITY:
CAMERON C. LEE CARRIES A CIVIL RIGHTS LEGACY FORWARD 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
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By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
here are moments when a creative career becomes more than a collection of assignments. It becomes part of history. For Cameron C. Lee, graphic designer for Houston Style Magazine, one of those moments has arrived. Lee’s work as a video director and editor on the 43rd Annual Black Music and the Civil Rights Movement Concert has earned him his first Lone Star Emmy® nomination as a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, according to information provided to Houston Style Magazine. That is quite a leap from moving pixels on a page to helping move an audience through more than six decades of American history. Presented by The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL) in Dallas, the Sunday, January 18, 2026 concert continued a cultural tradition that has spent more than four decades connecting Black music with the struggle for civil rights. TBAAL officially describes the production as a five-time Emmy-winning concert tribute. Conceived and produced by TBAAL founder Curtis King, the 43rd production unfolded at Dallas’ Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center with narration, dance, music and a 100-voice concert choir. Featured performers included American Idol finalist Canaan James Hill and Sunday Best and Stellar Award-winning artists Jessica Reedy and Crystal Aikin. The production was supported by NBC 5 and Telemundo 39. At its center remained the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther
Video Editor – Cameron C. Lee with Camera Operator – Ashley Ogbonna King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Behind the scenes, Lee helped translate that history for television audiences through direction and editing— the painstaking craft of determining what viewers see, when they see it and how one image connects emotionally to the next. “It’s a blessing to bring history back to life and to be a part of something meaningful with a theater I’ve called home for years,” Lee said. For the Houston Style Magazine family, the nomination is especially meaningful. Lee's everyday creative work helps shape the visual identity of a publication committed to documenting Houston's communities, culture, business and history. Now that creative eye
is receiving recognition within Texas' television community. And Houston will provide an appropriate stage for the next chapter. The 2026 Lone Star Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 713 Music Hall in Houston, with the awards program beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Lone Star Chapter represents the regional Emmy competition of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Whether Lee ultimately leaves 713 Music Hall holding an Emmy statuette or simply carrying the distinction of first-time nominee, something important has already happened. A young creative helped tell an old—but unfinished—American story. Dr. King dreamed it. Generations marched for it. Artists sang it. And now Cameron C. Lee is helping edit that legacy for the next generation.
LEARN MORE & ENROLL: The Black Academy of Arts and Letters (TBAAL) https://tbaal.org/
Lone Star Emmy Awards — National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences https://lonestaremmy.org/ Television Academy — Emmy Awards Nominees & Winners https://www.televisionacademy. com/awards/nominees-winners
©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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October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
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The First Columbus Day Was Declared in the Shadow of a Lynching By Ben Jealous, National Political Commentator
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his month we mark Columbus Day. The first one was a Chicago story. In the fall of 1892, the nation celebrated four hundred years since Columbus reached the Americas. Chicago was its grandest stage. The city dedicated the grounds of the World's Columbian Exposition. When the world arrived the next spring, Frederick Douglass was there. He was the most photographed American of his century. At seventy-five, he ran the Haitian Pavilion for the government of Haiti. Ida B. Wells worked beside him, putting a pamphlet into the hands of foreign visitors. She sent out 10,000 copies. When hecklers jeered one of his speeches, Douglass threw aside his notes and spoke right over them. The pamphlet asked why African Americans had been shut out of the fair. Douglass wrote its opening as a wish list. Every item on it was something he could not honestly tell the world. He wished he could say the national government "is not a rope of sand." A rope of sand looks strong. It holds nothing. He wished he could say it would send warships to punish "the murder of its citizens in New Orleans." It sent them fast enough to Chile and Haiti. Everyone who received their message knew what had happened in New Orleans. Two years earlier, the city saw one of the largest mass lynchings in American history. The victims were Italians and Italian Americans. On March 14, 1891, a lynch mob broke into the jail. It killed eleven men accused in the murder of the city's police chief. Three had just been found not guilty. Three had a trial end with no verdict. Five had never been tried. No one was ever punished for their murders. Italy's top diplomat in Washington
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said only three or four of the dead were Italian citizens. The rest were Americans, or on their way to becoming Americans. Italy wanted the killers tried. It wanted payment for the victims' families. Secretary of State James G. Blaine said Washington could not promise a trial. Murder was Louisiana's business. Italy called its diplomat home. President Benjamin Harrison admitted the problem to Congress. He asked Congress to let federal courts try crimes against foreigners. Congress did nothing. So the government paid instead. In April 1892, the United States gave Italy 125,000 francs, about $25,000, for the victims' families. Blaine wrote that the President hoped the money would "efface all memory of the unhappy tragedy." In
October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
other words, forget it. Italy said the two nations were friends again. Three months later, Harrison proclaimed a national holiday for Columbus. That fall, Washington sent two warships to Genoa for Italy's own Columbus celebration. The same government that could not protect eleven men in a New Orleans jail sent warships to honor Italy. The first Columbus Day was declared in the shadow of the lynching. Italy had a king and a navy. The families of its citizens got paid. The families of the Italian Americans killed beside them got nothing. When a lynch mob turned on this hated group of European immigrants, the world took notice. African Americans lived
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with that danger every day. In 1891 alone, the Chicago Tribune counted 169 African Americans killed by lynch mobs. Their families got nothing. No foreign power spoke for them. No warship sailed. Congress waited 131 years to make lynching a federal crime. The Emmett Till Antilynching Act became law in 2022. Until then, the rope was sand. The first Columbus Day asked Americans to look away from a lynch mob and toward a hero. In one sense, it worked. Italian Americans are safe today in ways their great-grandparents were not. But the terror did not end. It moved. In time, the Ku Klux Klan would come for Catholic immigrants of every kind. Lynch mobs never stopped coming for African Americans. Too often, they had friends in government. Douglass refused to let the world look away. He said what the government would not. Black Americans were being "tortured, shot, hanged or burned to death," he wrote. They died "without ever seeing a judge, a jury or advocate." In the same breath, he named New Orleans, reminding all that Black Americans were not the only ones whose rights and lives were put at risk by a weak federal response to lynch mobs. He also held out something better. Douglass believed in a big America. He called for "a liberal and brotherly welcome to all who are likely to come." Every nation has a mission, he said. Americas was plain. It was to become the most perfect "national illustration of the unity and dignity of the human family that the world has ever seen." Ben Jealous is a professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania and former president and CEO of the NAACP.
STATE REPS. RALLY BEHIND PLUMMER AT WHEELER AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH
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ith Early Voting less than two weeks away, a coalition of Houston-area elected leaders is rallying behind Democratic Harris County Judge nominee Dr. Letitia Plummer, who is seeking to become the first Black woman elected Harris County Judge. Plummer, a Houston dentist, small-business owner and former two-term Houston City Council Member At-Large, appeared Monday evening before a packed gathering at historic Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church alongside Texas State Representative Jolanda “Jo” Jones, House District 147; Texas State Representative Lauren Ashley Simmons, House District 146; and State Board of Education Member Staci Childs, District 4, the Democratic nominee for Texas House District 131. The campaign also announced endorsements from Texas State Representative Ron Reynolds, House District 27; Texas State Representative Senfronia Thompson, House District 141; Texas State Representative Dr. Alma A. Allen, House District 131; Texas State Representative Gene Wu, House District 137; Texas State Representative Charlene Ward Johnson, House District 139; Texas State Representative Armando Walle, House District 140; Texas State Representative Ana Hernandez, House District 143; and Texas State Representative Christina
By Burt Levine, Political Editor for www.StyleMagazine.com
Lauren Ashley Simmons, Dr. Letitia Plummer, Joland Jones and Staci Childs Morales, House District 145. “I’m so appreciative to share my support from these grassroots go-getters whose ears and feet are on the ground across Harris County,” Plummer said. “These are courageous public servants in our community and across our county that show up for their neighbors every single day.” The job Plummer seeks is no small assignment. Harris County spans approximately 1,777 square miles, is home
to roughly five million residents and ranks as America’s third-most-populous county. Representative Jones, herself a former Houston City Council Member and former Houston ISD trustee, delivered one of the evening’s strongest endorsements. “Black women are under attack in this country and especially here in Harris County,” Jones said. “I know we need Dr. Plummer leading this county. She will answer our phone calls, listen to us and make
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a difference.” Jones also pointed to the current 88-Republican to 62-Democrat balance in the Texas House and said she believes county leadership will be increasingly important when local priorities clash with state and federal policies. Representative Simmons said Harris County lawmakers need a dependable partner back home. “We need Dr. Plummer as Harris County Judge to have our back here while we are there in Austin,” Simmons said. “Dr. Plummer has been a fighter all her life. She showed us that on City Council, and we can trust her to continue that every day.” Childs, a former teacher and attorney who recently served on the State Board of Education, said the election represents part of a larger opportunity to shape leadership from Harris County to Austin and Washington. For Houston Style Magazine, democracy works best when Houstonians actually use it. Early Voting runs Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 30, followed by Election Day on Tuesday, November 3. Registered Harris County voters may vote at any countywide Vote Center.
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October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
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HARRIS COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE LAUNCHES HARRIS VOTES APP By Francis Page Jr., for www.StyleMagazine.com
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emocracy works best when voters can find trustworthy information before they reach the voting booth. That is why the Harris County Clerk’s Office deserves a hearty thank-you for putting a little more civic power in Houstonians’ pockets with the official Harris Votes app — a free mobile tool designed to make election preparation faster, clearer and more convenient. With the Tuesday, November 3, 2026, General and Special Elections approaching, the new app brings several of the county’s most-used election resources into one place. Voters can check their registration status, locate Vote Centers, review a personalized sample ballot, track key election dates and receive official reminders and updates. In a county as sprawling and diverse as Harris County, that kind of convenience is not merely high-tech; it is good public service. “We know voters want election information that is easy to access,” Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth said. “The Harris Votes app brings several of those resources together in one place, giving voters another convenient way to prepare for Election Day.” And preparation matters. Early Voting is scheduled for October 19 through October 30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with Vote Centers open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The deadline to apply for a ballot by mail is October 23. For eligible Texans who are not yet registered, Oc-
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tober 5 is the voter-registration deadline for the November election — so procrastination has officially reached its expiration date. The app also gives voters access to directions and operating information for Vote Centers, making the familiar “Where do I go vote?” question easier to answer from a smartphone. Harris County uses a countywide Vote Center model, allowing registered voters to cast a ballot at any available Vote Center in the county during Early Voting and on Election Day. That flexibility can make voting easier for residents balancing work, school, caregiving and Houston traffic — a civic obstacle worthy of its own ballot proposition. The Harris Votes app is available for iPhone and Android, and the Clerk’s Office
October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
says election information is offered in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese to better serve Harris County’s multilingual population. Users may also enable push notifications for election reminders and official updates. Download for iPhone at Apple App Store or for Android at Google Play. For voters who prefer a browser, the county’s full election hub remains available at HarrisVotes.com, where residents can review election schedules, sample ballots, Vote Center information, mail-ballot resources, voter ID requirements and election results. Texans can also confirm statewide registration information through VoteTexas.gov. Houston Style Magazine applauds public tools that make democracy more acces-
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sible, more understandable and more usable. Technology cannot cast a ballot for us — and thankfully it should not — but it can help remove the small barriers that cause big confusion. In that sense, Harris Votes is more than another app on the home screen. It is a digital reminder that informed participation remains one of democracy’s strongest habits. So, download it, check your registration, study your ballot, make your voting plan and share the information with family, friends and neighbors. Democracy does not run on autopilot. It runs on people — informed, prepared and ready to vote. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Harris Votes — Apple App Store Harris Votes — Google Play For voters who prefer a browser, the county’s election hub continues to provide election schedules, sample ballots, Vote Center information, mail-ballot resources, voter ID guidance and election results. Harris Votes HarrisVotes.com — Official Harris County Election Information VoteTexas.gov — Official Texas Voter Information/
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PRECINCT 2 AT WORK: INVESTING IN
NEIGHBORHOODS, PUBLIC SAFETY & OPPORTUNITY By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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or Harris County Precinct 2, the clearest measure of the success of government is not a slogan, ribbon cutting or campaign season promise. It is what residents can see on the block, feel in their pocketbooks and access when life gets complicated. From housing and public safety to health care and economic opportunity, the work of Precinct 2, under the leadership of Commissioner Adrian Garcia offers a practical case study in what local government looks like when policy leaves downtown and reveals itself with the progress seen in neighborhoods. Start with housing. Across Harris County, affordability has become one of the defining pressures on working families, seniors and longtime residents. County leaders have put their money where their mouth is, using both general fund and federal recovery dollars to create or preserve thousands of affordable units countywide. That includes a $9 million investment to acquire and rehabilitate all 220 units at Meadowbrook Plaza so they remain affordable to households at or below 60 percent of area median income. Under the direction of Commissioner Garcia, Precinct 2 has also backed the county land-trust model, designed to keep homeownership within reach by separating the cost of the land from the cost of the house. For families watching
Adrian Garcia rent and the cost of homeownership rise faster than paychecks, these are not abstract policy experiments; they are attempts to keep a front door within reach. Property-tax relief has been another part of Commissioner Garcia’s efforts to make life more affordable for residents. Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously approved Garcia’s proposals to expand the homestead exemption for
qualifying seniors, disabled homeowners and veterans, eliminating county property-tax liability for qualifying homes valued at $336,000 or less and providing between $500 and $1000 in annual county tax savings for eligible homeowners under the plan. For residents on fixed incomes, that kind of relief can help determine whether “aging in place” is a phrase or a reality. Public safety is equally personal for Commissioner Garcia. His efforts have led to Precinct 2 creating and funding the Violent Persons Task Force a.k.a VIPER initiative. The program brings together Harris County Sheriff and Constable Deputies for Violent Felony Warrant Roundups, focused on locating people wanted for serious violent offenses. Additionally, Garcia has brought to the table other law-enforcement and technology investments such as body cameras, video evidence processing software, and 24-hour ankle monitoring. The practical goal is straightforward: remove dangerous offenders, prevent repeated violence, and give families more confidence in the streets, parks and commercial corridors they use every day. Public safety, after all, is not simply an arrest statistic. It is the freedom to live life without fear of being the victim of crime. Then there is opportunity — es-
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pecially where access has historically been uneven. Commissioner Garcia and Precinct 2 innovated the Access2Health program which brings screenings, immunizations and other services into communities through mobile and neighborhood-based care. The program includes an Access2Health mobile health unit, health kiosks and wellness facilities aimed at communities where transportation, insurance and provider shortages can turn routine care into a major undertaking. Precinct 2 has undertaken small business and workforce training via vendor education programs such as Biz2Empower, an eight-week small-business accelerator, and workforce programs that connect residents to credentials, training and employment pathways. Over 100 businesses have graduated from Biz2Empower and they have collectively generated more than $12 million in contracts and financing. Taken together, the story is less about one program than a neighborhood ecosystem: stable housing helps families stay rooted; safer streets help communities breathe; health access helps residents remain productive; and workforce and small-business programs help income grow closer to home.
Read More at:
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October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
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Community Spotlight: Gilbert Garcia's Commitment To Houston and The Next Generation By Lisa Valadez, for www.StyleMagazine.com
Dee Dee and Gilbert Garcia
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Juju. He has coached 40 seasons of youth soccer, served as Bolt the Colt, and spent several years as “The Voice of GHCAA track and field.” Through their family and firm, the Garcias have donated more than $6 million to schools, churches and charitable organizations, including the Dee Dee and Gilbert Garcia Foyer at St. Agnes Academy and the Garcia Board Room at St. Thomas High School.
or Hispanic Heritage Month, Houston Style Magazine highlights Gilbert Garcia, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Garcia Hamilton & Associates (GHA), a Houston-based fixed-income investment management firm.
From Yale to Houston Raised in Corpus Christi and educated in public schools, Garcia became a first-generation Yale undergraduate. In 1983, SEO placed him in a summer internship at Salomon Brothers in New York. After earning his economics degree 1985, he joined the firm full-time and became its first Hispanic Vice President. In 1990, Garcia moved to Houston and joined former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros to build Cisneros Asset Management Company, ultimately becoming president. He joined GHA in 2002, when it managed approximately $200 million in fixed-income assets, growing to $800 million by 2008 when he became Managing Partner. As of June 30, 2026, GHA managed more than $24.8 billion. Garcia is also a nationally recognized financial expert and regular CNBC commentator, most recently appearing on “Power Lunch” Friday, September 25, 2026. Garcia served on two U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission advisory committees: the Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee and the Asset Management Advisory Committee. As chairman of AMAC’s Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee, he led recommendations addressing
fiduciary duty, transparency and barriers affecting diverse-owned and emerging firms. Investing in the Next Generation GHA operates a paid summer internship program for more than 20 high school and undergraduate students across two summer sessions. Interns receive hands-on exposure to the investment industry, while GHA participates in career days and speaks at schools and conferences nationwide. Five current GHA employees are former interns, including two partners who are now senior members of the investment team. “We have a robust internship program each summer with 22 interns over two sessions,” Garcia said. “We concentrate on interns of color and women as they are most underrepresented in
the industry.” Houston Civic Service From 2010 to 2016, Garcia chaired the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, where METRO reduced debt, redesigned its bus network for the first time in more than 100 years, secured $900 million in federal funding for 15 miles of light rail and won voter approval for additional funding. He has also served on the Houston Municipal Employees Pension System, and Houston Downtown Management District, and is a Class X graduate of Leadership Houston. A Legacy of Family, Service and Community Garcia and his wife, Dee Dee, have raised four children, Andrew, Daniel, Ben and
A Career Rooted in Houston In 2018, the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce named Garcia Male Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2020, he received the National Association of Securities Professionals’ Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. Award for entrepreneurial achievement, community service and high moral standards. Garcia’s career reflects a commitment to service and opening doors for others, from his first Wall Street internship to leading a multibillion-dollar investment firm, serving Houston institutions and mentoring young people. For Hispanic Heritage Month, his story highlights a national financial leader proud to call Houston home and committed to investing in its future. Read the FULL feature article at: www.stylemagazine.com Garcia Hamilton & Associates at: https://garciahamiltonassociates.com/
Join us in celebrating Houston's multicultural roots and shared values
AMERICA'S TABLE 2026 OCTOBER 29, 9AM
America's Table brings together different communities throughout Houston to celebrate what unites us, engage in respectful dialogue, and foster greater understanding.
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Pharmacy Technician Student
Co-Owner Kiani Realty
President/CEO IM Houston
Houstonian Community Connector
Register: https://donate.ajc.org/americastable
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October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
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HCC Professor Dr. Fidelis Ngang Takes Houston Cybersecurity Expertise Global Through Fulbright Program By Francis Page Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
Houston City College is once again proving that its classrooms have no borders. Dr. Fidelis Ngang, Ed.D., a professor, researcher and ambassador for HCC’s cybersecurity program, recently carried Houston’s growing reputation for technology education across the Atlantic as part of the prestigious U.S. Department of State Fulbright Specialist Program. During a month-long assignment in Tunisia, Dr. Ngang collaborated with faculty, staff and students at the Higher Institute of Applied Studies in Humanities and Communication, exchanging ideas on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, higher education and the rapidly changing digital world. And in an era when hackers certainly do not need passports, neither should cybersecurity knowledge. Fulbright Specialists are selected for their academic and professional expertise and paired with institutions around the world seeking specialized knowledge. For Dr. Ngang, the opportunity became much more than an academic visit. It was also a chance to serve as an international ambassador for Houston City College. “This school in Tunisia found me,
Dr. Fidelis Ngang, Ed.D. liked my profile, and the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia coordinated the connection,” Dr. Ngang said. Once there, he encountered students eager to understand how artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will shape tomorrow’s workplaces and societies. “It was an amazing and rewarding experience,” Dr. Ngang said. “I walked into classrooms and met students with incredible enthusiasm. The faculty and staff were welcoming and eager to exchange ideas.” His journey also spotlighted something Houstonians have increasingly come
to recognize: HCC is building serious technology talent right here at home. HCC’s Cyber Security Center is nationally recognized by the National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. Its cybersecurity education emphasizes areas including operating systems, networking, security fundamentals, virtualization, programming and scripting, server administration, network security, computer forensics and ethical hacking. That combination of classroom learning and practical preparation gives
students an opportunity to enter one of the most consequential fields of the digital age. Dr. Ngang proudly shared those accomplishments with his Tunisian colleagues while promoting HCC as a welcoming destination for international students. “It was a point of pride for me to represent the college and our division,” he said. That pride is backed by an impressive academic journey. Dr. Ngang earned his doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Texas Tech University, a Master of Science in Agricultural Engineering from Texas A&M University, and bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and computer science from Hohai University in Nanjing, China. His Fulbright experience represents something larger than one professor’s accomplishment. It reflects HCC’s evolution from a Houston educational institution into an increasingly global force in technology, workforce preparation and innovation. Houston Style Magazine readers, for Houston students considering cybersecurity, the message is equally powerful: a world-class career can begin close to home — and potentially take you around the world.
Future Forward Starts Here. The future of work is evolving rapidly. Artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and skilled trades are transforming how Houston works and grows. At HCC, students gain the knowledge, hands-on experience, and industry-recognized credentials needed to succeed in today's workforce and tomorrow's opportunities. Choose from short-term certifications, workforce training, associate and bachelor's degrees, and seamless transfer pathways to four-year universities.
Future Forward. Houston Ready. Houston City College.
Move Your Future Forward at hccs.edu. www.StyleMagazine.com
October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
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Garnet Fredrick Coleman: Son, Husband, Father, Brother, Elected Representative, Community Advocate – Coleman Family Official Statement –
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arnet Fredrick Coleman was the third child born to John Brady Coleman and Gloria Letitia Jones Coleman on September 8, 1961, at the Howard University Freedmen’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. The Colemans lived near the Howard University campus, where Dr. Coleman was completing his residency, and near the area where Gloria Coleman grew up. The family attended St. George’s Episcopal Church; all three children, Kathleen Letitia, John Brady, Jr., and Garnet, were baptized there. Upon concluding his residency, Dr. Coleman brought his family, including his 10-month-old baby boy, Garnet, to his hometown of Houston. They lived on McGowen when they first arrived in Houston, then moved to Ewing Street in the Third Ward and joined St. James Episcopal Church. The neighborhood quickly became a place Garnet would grow to love and serve throughout his life. The young Garnet attended St. Anne’s Catholic School through eighth-grade graduation. In high school, he was very proud of his placements in track and field and swimming at league competitions, and he graduated from Bellaire High School in the Class of 1979. The Coleman parents always encouraged their daughter and sons to consistently explore employment opportunities while keeping educational goals at the forefront. During high school, the enterprising
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Garnet Fredrick Coleman Sept. 8, 1961 - Sept. 13, 2026 Garnet worked as a DJ and concessionaire operator. His energy and drive foreshadowed an entrepreneurial spirit that later emerged as the proprietor of Fredrick’s Beer and Wine Bar. Garnet was always working and exploring innovative ways to serve and support his community. As the son of a physician, Garnet and his siblings accompanied their parents to National Medical Association (NMA) conventions each summer. At the 1975 Miami, Florida convention, Garnet met Angelique
October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
Feaster, the daughter of another physician family with a similar NMA tradition. In 1977, Garnet and Angelique crossed paths again at the NMA Convention in Los Angeles, CA. They maintained communication and visits for a while, but over time their correspondence diminished. By a remarkable coincidence, Garnet and Angelique both enrolled at Howard University in 1979, the alma mater of Garnet's and Angelique’s fathers' medical school and of Angelique’s mother’s and sister’s undergraduate school,
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and their romance blossomed again. In the summer of 1983, Garnet surprised Angelique with a visit to her home in Los Angeles to formally announce their engagement. While Angelique’s parents were in on the plan, their family dog was not. Amid the excitement, the dog misinterpreted an enthusiastic hug and bit Garnet on the back. Angelique’s father took him to his office for a couple of stitches, and despite the unexpected mishap, the engagement remained a joyful and memorable occasion. On July 14, 1984, Garnet and Angelique were wed at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Los Angeles, CA. The newly married couple established a home in Houston’s Third Ward and were blessed with two children, Garnet Austin Coleman and Evan Angelique Coleman. Raising Austin and Evan was the center of family life. The working Coleman parents delicately coordinated job schedules with their kids’ school activities— all while sharing them with grandparents and taking them on extended-family trips to their California relatives. The parents never missed Austin’s music performances or Evan’s photography showings. Garnet’s love nurtured and encouraged. Read the entire article online at:
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HOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFTOFF: GHWCC CELEBRATES
2026 Women inBythe Fast Lane of STEAM ROLE MODELS Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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ouston is a city built for liftoff, and on Friday, October 16, the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce will once again place some of the region’s brightest leaders center stage during its 2026 Women in the Fast Lane of STEAM Luncheon, Style Show & Shopping at The Post Oak Hotel. Among this year’s distinguished STEAM Role Models are Anna Chenier of Pogue Construction, Joanna Gonzalez of Fifth Third Bank, Catie Guidry of Houston Dynamo & Dash / Shell Energy Stadium, and Angela Hernandez of ARH Advisory. They join an impressive 2026 class representing leadership across business, technology, finance, construction, sports, healthcare and other industries shaping Greater Houston’s economy. And yes, Houston, these women know how to move quickly — but the “FAST LANE” is about much more than speed. It is about creating pathways. It is about opening doors. And perhaps most importantly, it is about making sure the next generation of girls can see women succeeding in rooms, laboratories, boardrooms, stadiums, construction sites and executive offices where major decisions are made.
The celebration takes place Friday, October 16, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston, 1600 West Loop South. The afternoon combines leadership recognition with fashion, shopping and networking — proving once again that science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics can absolutely share the runway with Houston style. As a supportive media sponsor, Houston Style Magazine proudly recognizes GHWCC for building an event whose impact extends well beyond the ballroom. Proceeds benefit the Chamber’s broad program of work, including Love
What You Do, which provides scholarships, mentoring and job-shadowing opportunities for young women; the GHWCC SBA Women’s Business Center, supporting entrepreneurs through education, business resources and access to capital; and STEAM Town USA, which introduces at-risk third-grade girls to the possibilities waiting for them in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The Chamber also supports the Women Supporting the Arts Committee and the Women’s Health Network of the Texas Medical Center & Greater Houston, further connecting leadership development
with entrepreneurship, culture, wellness and community advancement. That mission remains important. The Chamber recently highlighted research showing women held approximately 31% of senior leadership roles at U.S. companies in 2026, underscoring why visible role models, mentorship and leadership pipelines still matter. For Anna Chenier, Joanna Gonzalez, Catie Guidry, Angela Hernandez and their fellow honorees, October 16 will be a celebration of accomplishments already earned. For the young women watching them, however, it could represent something even bigger: a glimpse of what is possible. Houston, we have liftoff — and these women are helping chart the flight plan. EVENT: Women in the Fast Lane of STEAM Luncheon, Style Show & Shopping DATE: Friday, October 16, 2026 TIME: 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. LOCATION: The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston
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October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
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BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL RETURNS TO MEMORIAL PARK FOR THREE DAYS OF ART, MUSIC AND FAMILY FUN By Lisa Valadez for www.StyleMagazine.com
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exas knows how to turn a park into a party, but this October, Memorial Park is trading ordinary scenery for extraordinary creativity. The Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park returns Friday through Sunday, October 9–11, 2026, transforming South Picnic Loop into a sprawling outdoor gallery filled with fine art, live entertainment, food, interactive experiences and plenty of Houston flavor. Gates are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. As a proud media sponsor, Houston Style Magazine celebrates an event that has spent more than half a century proving that art is not simply something to admire from across a velvet rope. At Bayou City Art Festival, you can meet the creators, hear their stories, discover how their pieces came to life — and perhaps take one home. More than 250 artists representing 19 artistic disciplines are expected to showcase works ranging from paintings and sculpture to jewelry, photography, mixed media and more. This year’s featured artist is Wisconsin-based acrylic painter Aubrey
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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Hogan, whose richly textured work draws inspiration from French Impressionism while exploring wilderness, resilience, wonder and hope. His paintings are known for visible brushstrokes and imaginative subjects ranging from wildflowers and bison to wandering astronauts. In other words, prepare to look twice. But Bayou City Art Festival has never been just an art walk. Festivalgoers can catch live performances, visit the Food Truck Park, relax in the craft beer garden and wine bar, check out colorful Houston Art Car Klub creations and strike a pose at oversized festival selfie installations. Families should make time for
October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
the Active Imagination Zone, where creativity becomes hands-on through arts activities, oversized bubbles, caricatures and experiences presented with Houston-area nonprofit partners. That community connection runs deep. Producer Art Colony Association, Inc. traces the festival’s roots to the historic Westheimer Art Festival and reports that more than $4 million has been raised for local nonprofit organizations during its more than 50-year history. For visitors looking to upgrade the weekend, VIP passes provide access to a hospitality lounge featuring light bites, complimentary beer and wine, refreshments and dedicated parking.
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When: Friday–Sunday, October 9–11, 2026 Hours: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily Where: Memorial Park, South Picnic Loop, Houston Adult General Admission: $20 • Adult Weekend Pass: $30 Children ages 6–12: $5 • Children 5 and under: FREE General admission parking is at Delmar Stadium, 2066 Mangum Road, with a $12 parking/shuttle pass serving the festival entrance. Online pre-purchased admission tickets are required. Houston, bring comfortable shoes, curiosity and maybe a little blank wall space at home. With hundreds of artists, music, food and one of Houston’s most enduring cultural traditions waiting inside Memorial Park, Bayou City Art Festival offers three days to see just how colorful the Bayou City can be.
TICKETS & FESTIVAL INFORMATION: BayouCityArtFestival.com
WILLIE DAVIS & MARTHA CASTEX-TATUM Invite You To Attend FALL 2026 Community Meeting By Francis Page, Jr. for www.StyleMagazine.com
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ouston’s strongest neighborhoods are built with more than bricks, budgets and blueprints. They are built when residents show up, speak up and help City leaders understand what families, homeowners, renters, seniors, small businesses and community organizations need most. That is the spirit behind the City of Houston Housing & Community Development Department’s Fall 2026 Community Meeting — a “Help Us — Help You” opportunity designed to turn community conversation into community direction. On Monday, October 12, Mayor Pro Tem and District K Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum and At-Large Position 2 Council Member Willie Davis will partner with the City of Houston Housing & Community Development Department (HCD) for an evening of information, resources and public engagement at FountainLife Center, 14083 S. Main St., Houston, Texas 77035. Resource tables and a meet-and-greet begin at 5:30 p.m., with the official program starting at 6:00 p.m. and the event continuing until 8:00 p.m. The timing matters. HCD says it will review recent progress and 2025 program-year outcomes while gathering resident input to help inform priorities for the upcoming program year. The department anticipates roughly $50 million a year in federal entitlement funding through major U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development programs, including the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS and Emergency Solutions Grant. Those dollars can touch everything from affordable housing and home repair to supportive services, neighborhood investments and homelessness response. Translation: this is not the night to sit on the sidelines and later wonder who made the decisions. Houston residents
have a chance to be in the room while priorities are discussed, questions are answered and community needs are placed on the table. HCD staff, City departments, community partners and resource vendors are expected to be available to help residents learn about programs, services and funding opportunities. Castex-Tatum and Davis are inviting Houstonians to come early, connect with neighbors and City staff, and bring real questions about housing, development and quality of life. The meeting also offers residents an opportunity to learn how federal resources are planned, tracked and translated into neighborhood-level impact. It is civic engagement with practical value — and, thankfully, no need to bring a three-ring binder. Food and refreshments will be served, with catering by Soul Food by Catherine. More importantly, residents are encouraged to bring their voices, their concerns and their ideas. If Houston is going to keep growing, the people who live here must help define what equitable growth looks like. Houston Style Magazine encourages District K residents — and Houstonians across the city — to attend, listen, ask questions and participate. Scan the QR code below for the City’s official Fall 2026 Community Meeting page, event details and any registration updates. When government asks the community to help shape the plan, showing up is one of the most powerful answers we can give. MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2026 5:30–8:00 P.M. FountainLife Center 14083 S. Main St., Houston, TX 77035 Registration Website https://www.houstontx.gov/housing/ public-hearing/
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October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
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TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY HOMECOMING 2026 TO CULMINATE WITH TIGERS VS. SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AT RELIANT STADIUM By Francis Page Jr., for www.StyleMagazine.com
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here are football games, there are Homecoming games—and then there are afternoons when history, rivalry, music and generations of HBCU pride all show up wearing maroon and gray. On Saturday, October 24, 2026, Texas Southern University will bring its 99th Homecoming celebration to a roaring conclusion when the TSU Tigers battle the Southern University Jaguars at 2 p.m. at Reliant Stadium in Houston. For Tiger Nation, this is much bigger than four quarters. Homecoming 2026 carries the theme “Mission 99: The Final Ascent to 100,” marking Texas Southern’s final Homecoming before the University celebrates its Centennial in 2027. Nearly a century after its founding, TSU is preparing to salute 100 years of education, leadership, culture, public service and unmistakable Houston history. And what better way to approach that milestone than with Southern University coming to town? Tigers, Jaguars and HBCU Tradition The matchup brings together two of the Southwestern Athletic Conference’s
best-known programs and renews a rivalry filled with generations of HBCU football memories. It will be the first time since 2015 that Texas Southern and Southern meet during TSU Homecoming Weekend, while TSU returns to play inside Reliant Stadium for the first time since 2014. But everybody who knows HBCU football understands one thing: halftime is not the time to head for concessions. Texas Southern’s legendary Ocean of Soul Marching Band and Southern University’s internationally celebrated Human Jukebox will bring their own heavyweight showdown to the stadium. Expect brass, drums, precision, swagger and enough
musical electricity to make the halftime performance nearly as anticipated as the scoreboard. Homecoming Starts Early Saturday begins in Houston’s historic Third Ward with the Homecoming Parade at 8:30 a.m., beginning at Cleburne and Tierwester and concluding at Wheeler and Ennis. At 10 a.m., The Ultimate Tailgate Experience takes over The Yard with Tiger families, alumni, students, music, food and vendors before fans make their way to Reliant Stadium. TSU is also making transportation easier. Complimentary transportation will
be available between campus and Reliant Stadium, including shuttle connections to METRORail and commemorative Mission 99 METRO passes. Alumni bus transportation will also be available. Homecoming Week runs October 18–24, with worship, spirit days, Royal Court Coronation, alumni gatherings, Greek activities, Yard Fest and more leading toward Saturday’s celebration. For Houston, this is more than another football weekend. Texas Southern is one of the institutions that helped shape this city—and Homecoming is its annual family reunion with Houston invited. So wear the maroon. Bring the noise. Stay in your seat at halftime. Mission 99 is preparing for liftoff.
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COMPLETE HOMECOMING SCHEDULE https://tsu.edu/homecoming/ www.StyleMagazine.com
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October 08, 2026 – October 14, 2026
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GOODE COMPANY’S NEW OYSTER CLUB BRINGS GULF COAST FLAVOR, FIRE & FELLOWSHIP TO HOUSTON THIS OCTOBER By Reginald Dominique, for www.StyleMagazine.com
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ouston knows a thing or two about good seafood, but this October, Goode Company is giving Gulf Coast food lovers another reason to come hungry. The legendary Houston restaurant family is launching its new Oyster Club, a culinary series blending fresh Gulf seafood, spirited pairings and the kind of easygoing Texas hospitality that has helped make Goode Company a hometown institution since 1977. The inaugural Oyster Club festivities arrive at an especially fitting moment: Goode Co. Seafood is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026, carrying forward the coastal traditions inspired by founder Jim Goode’s childhood experiences along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. Chef and President Levi Goode describe Oyster Club as a tribute to those waters and the family history surrounding them. And judging from October’s lineup, this club isn’t interested in being stuffy. Think oysters over open flames, bubbles beside the raw bar and a full-fledged Texas fish fry. Embers & Oysters — October 9 First up is Embers & Oysters, Friday, October 9, from 5–7 p.m. at Goode Co. Fish Camp, 8865 Six Pines Drive, Suite
an oyster-bar setting that makes it a natural home for the evening.
100, Shenandoah. The outdoor kickoff turns up the heat with Romano oysters and Laguna Madre shrimp cooked over live fire. Admission is $35, including food and two drinks, with guests choosing from white wine or a martini. Reservations are required. It sounds less like an ordinary Friday dinner and more like the Gulf Coast wandered into a backyard party — exactly the point. Bubbles & Brine — October 16 On Friday, October 16, Oyster
Club moves to Goode Co. Seafood Memorial, 10201 Katy Freeway, Suite 400, for Bubbles & Brine, also from 5–7 p.m. Guests can dive into a raw-bar experience featuring oysters, shrimp cocktail and seared tuna, with additional seafood selections planned. The $35 ticket, plus tax and gratuity, includes a sparkling-wine welcome followed by two glasses of wine. Current reservations confirm the October 16 experience. The Memorial restaurant itself combines Goode’s Gulf Coast heritage with
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Texas Gulf Fish Fry — October 29 Oyster Club closes its 2026 launch series Thursday, October 29, from 5–7 p.m. at the original Goode Co. Seafood Westpark location, 2621 Westpark Drive. The Texas Gulf Fish Fry gets gloriously casual with catfish beignets, fried shrimp, oysters and hush puppies. Tickets are $35; beverages are separate, including a planned $3 beer special and $15 beer buckets. Beyond three dinners, Oyster Club represents something bigger: Goode Company introducing a new generation to the bounty, personality and communal spirit of the Texas Gulf Coast. And there is more to come. Oyster Club programming is expected to continue expanding in 2027, giving October’s guests an early taste of a new Goode Company tradition. Reservations are required, so seafood lovers should make plans early.
LEARN MORE & RESERVATIONS: https://goodecompanyseafood.com/
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