Follow
Letter from the Editor
What is Houston’s DNA? By Debbie Z. Harwell “Discover your ethnic origins,” find the “source of your greatness,” trace your “health, traits, and ancestry,” and “amaze yourself…find new relatives.” Ads proliferate from companies like AncestryDNA, 23andMe, and MyHeritage enticing us to learn more about who we really are. People who send a saliva sample for […]
El Club Cultural Recreativo México Bello
Founded in 1924, El Club Cultural Recreativo México Bello became a model for many local Mexican American organizations. Still operating today, it reached success and notoriety among Houstonians by creating a familiar environment for Mexican immigrants–a home away from home–and introducing Mexican culture to non-Mexicans. In the process, it made a lasting imprint on Houston’s […]
Yolanda Black Navarro: East End Reina
by Denise Gomez A small red building stands out on Navigation Boulevard, luring customers inside with the mouthwatering scent of freshly cooked tortillas. Upon entering, the restaurant’s loyal customers see red and white walls decorated with honors and recognitions, one of Houston’s best menus, and, usually, a line. The family-owned restaurant Villa Arcos was […]
Gracie Saenz’s Life of Public Service
Although Houston is celebrated as one of the nation’s most diverse cities, it was largely segregated with little intersection across race and ethnicity into the mid-twentieth century. Mexicans and Mexican Americans settled initially in Second Ward, but, as their numbers grew, they moved into First, Sixth, and parts of Fifth Ward, as well as Magnolia […]
El Programa Bracero
“You never forget the Bracero experience,” former bracero Aurelio Marin commented, perfectly summarizing the triumphs, tribulations, and turbulence of America’s highly-controversial and highly-impactful Mexican Farm Labor Program Program, commonly known as the Bracero Program, which started in 1942 to supply able-bodied Mexican laborers to U.S. industries suffering shortages at the outset of World War II. […]
Hispanic Women in Leadership
Mujeres Unidas, Taking the Initiative: The First Decade of Hispanic Women in Leadership By Christian Kelleher On March 11-13, 1988, about 200 women attended the YWCA Hispanic Women’s Leadership in Houston Texas, “Celebrating Excellence.” It had been ten years since the last of such conference. Soon after, twenty of those women, inspired by their experience […]
Olympians in Houston: Their Success Is Houston’s Success
In addition to their athletic feats, an Olympian’s post-Olympic endeavors offer a unique perspective for understanding the economic and cultural return on investment in local communities. Stories about the athletic careers of more than seventy former Olympians with ties to the Houston region reveal that, for many, their post-competitive lives immensely contributed to the development […]
Past, Present, and Future: The Women Shaping Houston’s Architecture
Architecture has helped cities create identities and given the citizens a sense of home. Few people can look at their skylines without having a sense of pride. The people who help shape these spaces often work in the background — especially women. With architecture being one of the last fields to integrate women into the […]
M. D. Anderson Library
The M. D. Anderson Memorial Library lies at the crossroads of the sprawling University of Houston (UH) campus. The library is the heart of the university, serving as a retreat for students in between classes and a resource for the experienced and aspiring scholars. The 250,000-square-foot behemoth—representing just one part of the UH Library System—began […]
Letter from the Editor: Wrecks and Redemption, 15.1
When we conceived the idea for this issue almost a year ago, we planned to focus on examples of industrial accidents and environmental improvement. That was before Harvey hit.