Community Development and Engagement
Keith Downey always has something good to share – because he’s busy setting an example for everyone who cares about neighborhoods and community. Keith’s advice regarding the activation of the City of Houston Superneighborhood organization is so important. As people seek to interact with city government, using the available structures matters. When ideas and feedback […]
Angels and Hogs
Growing older comes with nine kinds of losses. I often find myself sad. Unaccountably sad. Inexplicably sad. The rate of loss is such that I can’t quite keep up with the mourning. And then I remember. None of this was meant to last forever. I remember infinity and that there are angels amongst us. People […]
I Love Us. Still.
Waking to tragedy. Another day of epidemic of violence and destruction. This is our story. It’s not our only story, but as a species, we seem to have a lust for blood and destruction. Perpetual outbreaks. Another insane person weaponizing their personhood, tossing their soul on a pyre to take as many as possible with […]
Serving Houston
Dear Social Sector Leaders, I have stopped calling you “nonprofit” leaders because what kind of nonsense category is that? I am going to “out” you right now. Not by name. But here’s what you say over the late night calls, or after a glass of wine, or when you are so worn out you can’t […]
After The Cameras Are Gone
Recent storms have wrung the last ounce of reserves out of every helper – and helping organization. The cameras are gone now. Emergency responders (those we make heroes) are standing down. Power is back. There are no more photos ops or press conference- able announcements. But the wreckage is everywhere. What little people had put […]
Foresight, Connection, Reflection
Last week at this time, I was preparing to open a meeting of a Disaster Roundtable, a milestone in an effort Mayor Whitmire had asked me to undertake the day after he was elected. Mayor Whitmire had the foresight to seek out experience and knowledge of disaster response from a wide spectrum of leaders. When […]
Houston Be Someone
(Not clear who) Whenever I see the now Houston iconic “BE SOMEONE” graph I think how perfect it is for Houston. Kind of vaguely encouraging, calling forth ambition. And I’m also reminded of the brilliant and funny Lily Tomlin (stand up, Broadway Lily, not the series LT) whose commentary never ages. Lily said : “All […]
TALK. TALK. TALK.
Cause we live in a podcast world. Some of us anyway. Have the leisure to listen. There are so many podcasts. So many people with time to talk. If you started now and listened for the rest of your life you’d never hear them all. Same with music. It’s crowded out there. You know what’s […]
Be Good for the World
I’m aggravating and I know it. My coaching/consulting style: Very annoying and loving big sister or older aunt that you know better than to call unless you really want to deal with the real. People pay me for this! My son says “nothing annoys you more, Mom, than undeveloped potential”. My brother Ted calls my […]
Faith and Hard Work in an Era of Upheaval
(part of a series from the “Shipwrecked Project”)There are many definitions of a hard childhood. By any definition Mario had a hard childhood. A childhood shaped by deprivation and struggle. Mario did not have a complete understanding of the reasons his father abandoned his children and his wife. Though his father at one time served […]