By Lindsay Scovil Dove
Activism takes many forms. Although most easily recognized by the sights and sounds of protestors marching down the street carrying signs, activism is also demonstrated quietly through the comforting voice that calms a stray animal or in a roadside memorial communicating awareness for road safety. The people behind these social movements, regardless of the voracity or visibility, strive for justice, peace, and positive change for Houston.
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Follow the links below to read more about the issues and organizations highlighted in this article:
WOMEN’S/MOTHER’S CLUBS: Learn more about activism in women’s clubs in Houston in Women Stretching the Limits by Stretching their minds: 100 years of the Chautauqua Study Club by Betty Trapp Chapman.
ANIMALS: Houston’s animal rescue community thrives today, with many groups focusing on helping animals in the city and county shelters. Read more about BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Control) and Harris County Animal Control at their websites.
RACIAL EQUALITY: The event at TSU was just one element in the greater struggle for racial equality. Read more about Houston’s civil rights movement in our Fall 2010 issue, “Confronting Jim Crow.”
NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION: Learn more about the preservation efforts in the Near Northside neighborhood at www.NearNorthside.org or on the Greater Northside Management District’s Facebook page.
PRO-CHOICE/PRO-LIFE: Planned Parenthood and the Foundation for Life oppose one another, but both groups work passionately to help women and families in Houston. Learn more about their individual histories at their websites (Planned Parenthood and Foundation for Life).
ANTI-DEATH PENALTY: Visit the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty’s website or Facebook page to learn more about their work.
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM: TEJAS maintains an active Facebook page and website. Visit both to learn more about their efforts.
HOUSTON GHOST BIKE: Learn more about this movement to make the roads a safer place for bicyclists at the Houston Ghost Bike website or join the conversation on their Facebook group page.
WOMEN’S RIGHTS: Visit the Houston Area Women’s Center’s website to read about their activism and the services that they provide to area women.
LGBT: Click here to read “Forging a Community: The Rise of Gay Political Activism in Houston” by John Goins from Houston History vol 7 no 2. Visit the Houston GLBT Political Caucus’s facebook page for more information on the group.
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