Tag Archives: Gilbert Garcia

Houston, Texas

Houston Honors Community Leaders, Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

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All too often when we turn on the news, we hear so much about people doing the bad things– someone who has committed a crime and escaped, another person that is going to jail, murderers, rapists and thieves.  Sadly, most media coverage of minority communities is especially guilty of focusing on the negative, while omitting the hard work of those trying to pave a better future.

This continuing imbalance is a huge part of why observations like Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM), which goes from September 15th to October 15th of each year, are not only needed, but very relevant in contemporary American society.  It is a time for the nation to shine a light on the boundless contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans, and celebrate the culture’s place in our diverse society.

One way that the City of Houston celebrates this month is by recognizing outstanding community leaders with the Mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Award.  Via the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, here’s information on this year’s honorees…

2015 HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARD RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

The 2015 Mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Award recipients are being honored with proclamations from Mayor Annise Parker today and October 6, 2015 at Houston City Hall.  Each honoree was selected based on his or her outstanding contributions toward enhancing the quality of life and advancement of Houston’s Hispanic community.

This year’s Mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Award recipients are:

Lifetime Achievement Awards: Josefina Rendon and Jose Adan Trevino
Josefina Rendon was one of Harris County’s first Hispanic women attorneys and the first woman and first Hispanic Civic Service Commissioner for the City of Houston.  In 1983 she became Houston’s third Latina municipal court judge, where she still presides.  Her judicial career also includes becoming the first Latina Civil District Judge in Harris County.  Judge Rendon is the immediate past president of the Association for Conflict Resolution – Houston and past president of the Texas Association of Mediators.  She is a published author of over 100 articles and the recipient of both the Justice Frank Evans Award from the State Bar of Texas and the Susanne Adams Aware from the Texas Association of Mediators.

Jose Adan Trevino is founder and former President/CEO of Univision 45, Houston’s first Spanish language television station.  Trevino has also been a strong voice on behalf of the Hispanic community at the local and national levels.  He has served on many boards including the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Chancellor’s Council at the University of Texas-Austin, Houston Community College Foundation, Texas State Securities Board, Baylor College of Medicine, Governor’s Business Council and the Greater Houston Partnership.

Community Activist: Gilbert Garcia
Gilbert Garcia has enjoyed much success professionally, but he has also been a dedicated volunteer, leader and activist in the Houston Hispanic community.  In 2010, Garcia was appointed as the first Hispanic chairman of METRO.  Under his leadership, METRO has restored its public image, repaired its relationship with the Federal Transit Administration, improved customer service, obtained voter approval for more funding, expanded light rail service to the Hispanic community and received the Gold Leadership Circle Award for transparency from the Texas State Comptroller.  His volunteer work includes countless hours of service on difference nonprofit boards and fundraising for community improvement efforts and organizations that benefit the Hispanic community.

Education in the Community: Gloria Zenteno
Gloria Zenteno founded Barrio Dogs in 2010 after she moved back to the East End and witnessed homeless, neglected and mistreated animals seemingly everywhere.  The organization stresses the importance of spaying and neutering pets and encourages residents to report animal abuse or neglect to authorities.  By working in community centers and schools and holding events at civic association meetings and parks, Barrio Dogs spreads its message to the larger community.  Zenteno’s hard work and commitment to her East End community and to its animals are obvious and serve as a great example for others to follow.

Youth Activist: James Lee
James Lee is the public affairs field specialist for Legacy Community Health.  While a student at the University of Houston (UH), he founded LGBT Advocates, the first undergraduate political organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.  As the leader of the organization, he worked to expand UH’s nondiscrimination policy to include protections for all LGBT students.  As a member of the UH Student Government Association, Lee also advocated on behalf of undocumented students and for revisions to academic policy regarding mental health.  His work in the area of healthcare policy advocacy has been recognized by the Texas Freedom Network, which honored Lee with the 2012 Samantha Smoot Activist Award.

Art in the Community: Daniel Bustamante
Daniel Bustamante is Executive Director of the Greater Houston Fair Housing Center and a founding member of the Multicultural Arts Cooperative of Houston. He is an experienced producer, director and administrator of festivals, tours, television, community programs and special events.  Bustamante’s record of community service spans nearly 40 years and includes being a founding member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Go Tejano Committee, membership in the Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals and serving as chair of the Casa de Amigos Health Clinic Advisory Council.  He has been founded, produced or directed a dozen local shows and festivals.

 

2015 marks the 10th year of this prestigious group of awards.  Here’s the list of past honorees.

These citizens are working everyday to improve the lives of Houstonians, and it is great to see them recognized for all that they do.  A special congratulations to Josefina Rendon, Jose Adam Trevino, Daniel Bustamante, Gloria Zenteno, Gilbert Garcia and James Lee.

Beyond these awards, there are lots of special events happening throughout Houston for Hispanic Heritage Month.  For more information, check out this great calendar compiled by Hispanic Houston.

 

HHMHou

2015 Hispanic Heritage Honorees pose with City Council Members, and citizens on the Mayor’s Hispanic Advisory Board.  Photo credit:  Victoria Lara via Facebook.  

 

Houston Politics, Politics, Texas Politics

Culberson, Garcia Put METRO Federal Funds, Commuter Rail On Fast Track

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So last Friday, I wrote the following regarding then-unknown plans surrounding the new open-door policy between U.S. Congressman John Culberson, and the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, AKA METRO…

“But let’s be clear on what the Congressman did not promise.  If a new vote occurs, rail supporters can be sure that Culberson and his group will do everything in their power to defeat the measure.  The door to funding may have been cracked open, but it is far from a guarantee.”

With the details of that plan now released, I am happily prepared to eat those words.  As Katherine Driessen of the Houston Chronicle reports, the new agreement between Culberson and METRO Board Chairman Gilbert Garcia is more significant than most anticipated…

Metropolitan Transit Authority leaders and U.S. Rep. John Culberson on Monday announced details of a new agreement to help the agency move forward with transit projects.

The Houston Republican, who has long been at odds with Metro over its plans for a rail line on Richmond, has agreed to help Metro obtain funds for a proposed commuter rail line on U.S. 90A and other projects. Rail on Richmond west of Shepherd Drive or on Post Oak Boulevard north of
Richmond would be contingent on voter approval.

Culberson lauded the agreement as a “historic breakthrough” in addressing Houston area traffic congestion and rebuilding his fractured relationship with Metro.

“Above all, what today symbolizes is a new era of cooperation between Metro, under Gilbert Garcia’s leadership, and the Houston area congressional delegation,” Culberson said. “We will all be working arm in arm to make sure that metro and the elected officials in the region solve our transportation problems by looking to every kind of transit and transportation available, beginning with commuter rail out 90A.”

It’s something that should probably be avoided most of the time, but today, Hyperbole is warranted.  The new understanding between METRO and Houston’s Congressional delegation not only fosters new hope for a University Line, but puts Commuter Rail along the US90A corridor on the fast track.  The planned route would connect Houston’s inner loop (most likely via the south end of the existing Red Line) to Missouri City.

But wait… there’s more!!  Like back-door Federal funding for the East End Rail Line (originally built entirely on local funds) can now be used as “transfer credit” towards the Commuter Rail? Wha huh???  Here’s an excerpt from the full letter of agreement between Garcia and Culberson…

Congressman Culberson will begin work right away to change federal law so
that METRO can count $587 Million in local funds spent on the East End Rail Line as the
local matching credit for a commuter rail line along 90A, and secondarily for any non-rail
capital project, or any other project included in the 2003 Referendum. Rail on Richmond
Avenue west of Shepherd Drive or Post Oak Boulevard would only be eligible to utilize these credits once approved in a subsequent referendum.

Also included is another $100 million payday for METRO to improve its bus fleet and transit infrastructure (again some of which is already being done as a result of System Reimagining), and a recoup of funds diverted to the Southeast and North lines that can be put back into general maintenance and improvement projects.

Of course some of this has yet to materialize, but given how Congressman Culberson was the most vocal opponent of previous initiatives, there’s little reason to think that all of these plans can’t be realized.

All told, today is a great day for transit in Southeast Texas.  And Houstonians have Chairman Gilbert Garcia to thank for it.

Could Culberson’s newly-discovered love for transit spread to other Republican Lawmakers, and result in significant new transportation investments nation-wide?  Only time will tell.  But if today is any indication, Obama’s “lame duck” period may not be as lame as we once thought.

US90A Commuter Rail

Though not the finalized route plan, here is one proposed route for the US90A Commuter Rail project.  

 

Houston Politics

Culberson Opens The Door To University Line

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It’s probably no secret that recent years have brought some huge changes at METRO… a complete scrubbing of former leadership, the formation and soon-to-be implementation of an entirely new local bus system, and the successful construction of 3 new light rail lines.  For all these reasons, the METRO of today has very little in common with the agency from 6 years ago.

Even still, a few issues have haunted new leaders from the past, like the ongoing stalemate which has prevented Houston’s transit authority from receiving federal funding for two key rail projects… the beleaguered University Line down Richmond and the Uptown Line, currently planned as Bus Rapid Transit.

But as Dug Begley of the Houston Chronicle reports, agency leaders may have found a way to bring the stubborn Congressman on board with rail, or at least not continue to stand in its way…

Metro and U.S. Rep. John Culberson have called a truce in their war over a planned light rail line on Richmond Avenue, suggesting an end to an impasse that has stymied local transit development.

 

[…]

The announcement follows months of discussions and comes days before Metro is set to open two new rail lines serving east and southeast Houston. The Green and Purple lines open May 23, the next step in development of a light rail system that has divided Metro and many critics, notably Culberson, since voters approved it in 2003.

From his seat on the House Appropriations Committee, Culberson has stopped Metro from receiving any Federal Transit Administration funds related to rail on Richmond or a similar rail plan along Post Oak, later converted to a fixed-route bus system.

Culberson represents voters west of Shepherd along Richmond, many of whom vigorously oppose the rail line.

Recently, Culberson announced he would seek to continue cutting off the Richmond money in the next federal funding bill, but he softened his stance by saying Metro could seek money for the lines if they receive local voter support in a new election.

See here for text of the actual amendment.

Culberson has promised to allow the funding to go through if and only if  voters approve the rail construction through a new ballot referendum.

But let’s be clear on what the Congressman did not promise.  If a new vote occurs, rail supporters can be sure that Culberson and his group will do everything in their power to defeat the measure.  The door to funding may have been cracked open, but it is far from a guarantee.

However given the previous situation, any amount of progress is worth recognition.  This is a huge victory for METRO, particularly Board Chairman Gilbert Garcia.  At a time when the University Line seemed all but forgotten, this move sheds light on a lot of hard work being done behind the scenes.

We’ll learn more next week in a press conference.

ULine1