Today we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., minister, activist, and political philosopher, who played a vital role in shaping civil rights reforms of the 1960s. January is also National Poverty Awareness Month, a time to reflect on those less fortunate. Though Dr. King’s life was cut short on April 4, 1968, and the political winds of change shifted course from a focus on poverty to an emphasis on the Vietnam War, the lasting currents of his work still run through the discourse surrounding anti-poverty efforts today. Debates over Universal Basic Income have reemerged — including in Harris County — as have policy discussions surrounding affordable housing and a higher minimum wage. Following the lead of several major cities throughout the nation, Harris County is implementing an innovative pilot program called Uplift to offer guaranteed basic income for nearly 2,000 households in 10 zip codes throughout the region.
Read moreWhen the blustery winds blow steadily from the north and a dusting of snow carpets the ground, it’s easy to picture a scene from a Hallmark holiday movie – people strolling down a festive street, cups of hot cocoa warming mittened hands. It certainly seems appropriate that National Cocoa Day falls on December 13, the time of year when the days are getting longer and colder and when bakers and confectioners are whipping up dreamy, chocolatey concoctions. As picture-perfect this scene might be, let’s step away from this winter wonderland and take a moment to examine cocoa through a legal lens, revealing in the process that cocoa does indeed have a darker side.
Read moreToday we pay tribute to 13 Black soldiers who were hanged on December 11, 1917, for alleged participation in Houston’s Camp Logan Riot. Click the links within to learn about the context of this historical event and the men whose convictions were overturned just last month, 106 years later.
Read moreThe Friday after Thanksgiving is National Native American Heritage Day, although it is perhaps more commonly thought of as Black Friday, a coincidence that some have rebuked, as it links a reverent celebration of Native peoples and culture with the start of the holiday shopping season and the busiest most consumer-driven day of the year. Some have suggested alternatives to the rampant consumerism of the day: acknowledge native land, explore the many digital exhibits available online at the National Museum of the American Indian, or lift up indigenous voices by learning more about the continuing struggle to give Native Americans equal access at the ballot box. Review the links provided within.
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