Civic Engagement – Page 35 – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

State of the City: Huntsville, 2023

Morgan Robertson

Every year the City of Huntsville hosts the State of the City, where they update citizens on important business, foster connections with the public, honor staff, and to celebrate the community. This year, LEAP had a strong presence at State of the City, with Olivia Discon, Cinthia Villarreal, and Jessica Cuevas working for the City. In addition, Michelle, Madison, and I attended to learn more about local government, to support our peers, and to be part of the community.

Kristy Doll, the City Secretary and her wonderful team, Sharon Schultz (Deputy City Secretary) and Summer Davis (Records Specialist) did the event planning, and the venue, lighting, and layout looked great.

The event opened with a posting of the colors by Boy Scout Troop 114, who did a great job.

This was followed by remarks from Sam Masiel, the Assistant City Manager, thanking everyone for attending, and introducing Aron Kulhavy.

The bulk of the evening was the update from the City Manager. Aron updated attendees on the City’s finances, infrastructure projects, new buildings, airport, and expanding the City’s tax base and sales tax revenue.

Key takeaways from his discussion the ongoing challenges with meeting the needs of an aging sewage infrastructure;

…the increased revenue from sales taxes and expanding property base; and the impending opening of City Hall in 2024 (the rendering of the building drew an audible “oooh” from the audience). And, of course, everyone was happy about the recent opening of the MLK Community Center in Emancipation Park.

This State of the City was bittersweet for everyone who’s had the honor to have worked with, or met, Mayor Andy Brauninger. The Mayor’s eight-year term is coming to a close, and he delivered his farewell address to a full room of people who’ve been impacted by his leadership in the city.

He began his address by noting that he is often invited to attend community functions, and during one visit to a local church (Lone Star Missionary Baptist), the Mayor was blessed to hear the voice of Katherine Houston, who describes herself as a “child of the Most High God.” He then ushered Ms. Houston to the front to sing “”My Tribute” and “The Lord’s Prayer.”

The singing was beautiful. Several members of the audience recorded the event, the audience was visibly moved, and at least one person we spoke with indicated she was nearly brought to tears.

Mr. Brauninger, too, was almost moved to tears as he began his speech, with his wife, Marlene, on stage with him. He reflected on his time with the City, praised the many non-profit leaders and community leaders that perennially work to improve the community, and gave a shoutout to several City staff–including “Little Jerry” and “Big Josh.”

The entire experience was educational to LEAP Ambassadors, and it was a pleasure to see so many community members in one place. We enjoyed seeing Derrick Birdsall, from the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library…

…Dave Smith of the Good Shepherd Mission…

…members of City Council;

…Jeff Murski from Rep. Pete Session’s Office; Diana McRae, the Tax Assessor; and numerous City staff.

On a more personal level, it was also nice to see fellow LEAP members enjoying the event so much. For Cinthia Villarreal, who is interning for Parks and Recreation, it was the first such event with the City, and her smiling face brightened the room.

And Olivia Discon, a sophomore at SHSU and VP of the LEAP Ambassadors, is also working for the City. Part of her role was to assist in the preparation of the PowerPoint for City Manager Aron Kulhavy’s State of the City address.

She has a great eye for detail and is conscientious, and these qualities were reflected in the PowerPoint. All LEAP members have known Olivia for at least a year now, and this was the happiest we’ve seen her. She was truly in her element.

On behalf of the LEAP Ambassadors, it was great to be part of the evening, thanks to the City staff for including us, and thanks to the community members who participated and, of course, the City staff.

On behalf of the Veteran LEAP Ambassadors, we would like to thank Olivia for her great work, and we are very proud to have you on our team.

Opening Doors: The MLK Community Center

The City of Huntsville has 26 parks covering more than 2,000 acres, but none is as important to the community as Emancipation Park on MLK Boulevard. Long a cornerstone of the Black community in Huntsville, it is used by all residents and, as Mayor Andy Brauninger noted, the park contains “the most utilized public building in Huntsville.”

After years of planning, resource acquisition, and construction, Emancipation Park added a new jewel in its crown, “The MLK Community Center”. Groundbreaking on this Community Center began in September 2022, and a year later, the doors opened for a celebration of a (mostly) completed Center that is, as many of the speakers noted, “for everybody.”

Background

Before it was a park, the land that is now Emancipation Park was used for hosting Juneteenth Celebrations and other community gatherings.

In 1933, R.A. Josey purchased land to be used by the community for recreation. In 1963, the land became an official city park. Over time, this became not just a neighborhood park, but also what the National Recreation and Parks Association describes as a “Community Park” which functions “on a large scale, serving the parks and recreation needs of an entire community.” Emancipation Park, at 10 acres, is the fourth-largest park in the City, and it is also one of the most developed, with amenities including basketball courts, picnic tables, playground area, horseshoe pits, and off-street parking for more than 100 vehicles.

But it was also showing its age and as the City was preparing its 2016….

MLK “Rec Center,” Pre-Renovation and Expansion

…Parks Master Plan, expansion and additional development at Emancipation Park was one of the six top priorities. With the acquisition of additional land, implementation of those goals began.

COVID interrupted that implementation, and it also drove up prices. But, as Parks employee George Perry observed, a “plan delayed is not a plan denied.”

Breaking Ground and Opening Doors

The Center’s opening reflects the work of many people and organizations. Multiple Councils approved parts of the funding and development of the Center; the Powell Foundation provided a grant; KABOOM provided support; the Parks Advisory Board offered key support; a Steering Committee guided efforts; and City staff worked for years on this program.

Many of those people were there for the October 9 ribbon cutting…

…with City Manager Aron Kulhavy; Steering Committee Chair Chris Tyson; Parks Advisory Board Chair Nate Grigsby; Community Praise Ministry Founder Vanetta Mills; Parks and Leisure Director Penny Joiner; former Parks Director Joseph Wiggs; long-time Parks employee George Perry; Mayor Andy Brauninger; Council Member Deloris Massey; and architect Charles Burditt speaking at the event.

The City and community members envisioned a Center that was, according to the Huntsville Item, “modern, functional, and aesthetically fitting for the purpose it will serve.”

So there were high hopes among the approximately 100 attendees as they walked through the doors to see the new building. What they saw did, in fact, reflect the aspirations of the planning committee, with a new stage, complete remodeling, and a building approximately twice the size of the original.

Although the building will not be open for reservations until November 1, this initial gathering for the ribbon cutting suggests that the building will live up to its potential. Not only was the crowd large, it was also diverse, with people from all walks of life on hand, suggesting that the entire community has a stake in the success of what has been aptly named a “Community Center.”

Coda

The ribbon cutting for the MLK Community Center comes days before Mayor Andy Brauninger will give his farewell address to the City, as his fourth term as Mayor draws to a close. But his comments at the groundbreaking a year ago are also fitting for the facility’s opening, appropriate to the spirit of the a Community Center, and a good reminder to public servants everywhere: “This is more than just a building. It’s a good day today. My heart feels good. I love this community, and when I am gone, I hope people remember that we built this together.”

Parks and Leisure Intern Cinthia Villarreal, Director Penny Joiner, and Recreation Coordinator Kristy Wheeler

Election Day Prep: Meeting the Candidates

Morgan Robertson

We are just one month away from Election Day (November 7, 2023) and there are some pretty important positions up for vote in Huntsville!

The Mayor’s seat is up for election, as well as 4 city council seats and 2 school board of Trustees seats. To educate ourselves, and to assist, LEAP Ambassadors attended the “Meet the Candidates” event put on by the Walker County Republican Party. Although hosted by the GOP, the candidates are all running for non-partisan positions, and it is in that nonpartisan spirit that we attended the event.

Attendees heard from the following individuals who will be on the ballot:

For the mayoral race, Candidates Russell Humphrey and John Jafreh…

Running unopposed for Ward 1, Tore Fossum…

For Ward 2, candidates Casey Cox and Yolanda Scott…

For Ward 3, Candidates Russell Barnett, Benjamin Sessions, and Anissa Antwine…

Running unopposed and for reelection, Jon Strong for Ward 4…

For Position 4 on the HISD School Board Ryan LeNorman and John Hendricks…

Running unopposed and for reelection, Cathy Schweitzer…for Position 5 on the HISD School Board.

To conclude the evening, Walker County Tax Assessor Diana McRae gave brief voter update and a reminder for voters to do their research ahead of time.

Thank you to all the candidates for speaking to attendees and good luck in November!

The Largest Country on Earth: Learning more about India

Macey Schank and Michelle Cardenas

In a world increasingly interconnected and dependent on international cooperation, understanding the intricacies of foreign relations and diplomacy has never been more crucial. To further explore the topic, World Affairs Council of Greater Houston (WAC) featured former United States Ambassador to India Kenneth I. Juster at ChampionX’s headquarters.

During his introduction, Jahan Jafarpour highlighted Ambassador Kenneth’s extraordinary career as Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of India.

He also mentioned Ambassador Juster’s extensive education and former occupation as a lawyer. Following Mr. Jafarpour’s remarks, Ronan O’Malley, the moderator for the evening, and Ambassador Juster took the stage.

To start the evening, Ambassador Juster began with an introduction of the U.S. and India’s complex foreign relationship over the years. He explained that India is a nonaligned country, meaning it works with many countries, including the U.S., but is not allied with any particular country. One explanation for this non-alliance is due to India’s geographic position, which offers India unique opportunities and challenges.

India’s emergence as a nonallied global power has made it the bridge between the West and the global South. The recent formation of the BRICS nations, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa further emphasizes this point. Ambassador Juster mentioned some of the concerns that came with the formation of BRICS. He believes this group can serve as a warning to the U.S. to strengthen foreign relations as the world begins to seek a shift in power moving away from a more Western-dominated world.

Ambassador Juster focused on the importance of India’s growing economy and what this means for the future of the country. Under Prime Minister Modi and his more direct economic approach, India is currently one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Countries like the U.S. and China are eager to work with India, despite their complex history, and in China’s case, a fostering sense of mistrust. Ambassador Juster expressed that the U.S.-India foreign relations is currently “one of the most consequential relations.”

Ending the night with the Q&A portion of the evening…

… we were able to learn more about Ambassador Juster’s role and what being Ambassador to India entails. Ambassador Juster describes the role as similar to that of a mayor who is responsible for all Americans and U.S. affairs inside the country, ranging from American schoolchildren, visas, intelligence, to the occasional arrested tourist. The role of ambassador is a multifaceted position that requires diplomatic finesse, cultural acumen, and a steadfast commitment to representing one’s country on the global stage.

The final question of the night was asked by Professor Yawn, who wanted to know who Ambassador Juster believes to be the most effective politician he has worked with, in which he notes former President George H. W. Bush and Jim Baker. In fact, he refers to this administration as the “Golden Age of Foreign Relations” due to its many triumphs.

Namaste

To follow the evening’s theme, corresponding with Ambassador Juster’s ties to the Republic of India, we decided to indulge in some Indian cuisine for dinner.

Olivia found an incredible restaurant named Namaste that proved to be absolutely delicious! Our server, Kledisa, ensured we made the most of our meal and recommended an array of a delicious dishes for us to try.

We started with some ginger garlic chicken and samosas for our appetizers. The table was laden with a variety of entrees, such as chicken butter masala, korma, madras goat pepper curry, chettinad with paneer, and roast chicken biryani, paired with naan bread and rice.

Namaste introduced us to a new and delightful experience with exceptional dishes and impeccable service. It truly was the perfect conclusion to yet another successful WAC event!

The Formative Years of Charles Jones: The Wynne Home Speaker Series

By Olivia Discon

The Wynne Home Arts Center is a pillar in the Huntsville community in promoting the arts and civic engagement. It is always a pleasure to attend the many events the Wynne Home has throughout the year, and we have especially enjoyed their Speaker Series. Starting off the fall with its first presenter, Charles Jones, a jack of all trades of the arts, gave a glimpse into his impressive work.

Following an introduction by Joe Kirkland, Jones shared how the nature of Huntsville–where he was raised–fostered his perception of community and artistic inspiration.

We had the opportunity to view a comprehensive showcase of Jones’ work through a presentation, which consisted of prints, sketches, and woodcuts. These pieces captured the essence of his passion for philosophy and the human condition.

He attributed his love of the arts to his family, as his parents encouraged him to refine the skills of what he excelled and enjoyed in his childhood. Whether it was music, literature, or art, Jones followed what he was interested in.

Charles Jones put it simply: “Art is powerful; it allows you to participate in things”. It’s a reminder that art is an active experience, inviting us to join in the rich tapestry of human expression.

Angela Robinson and Nancy Gaertner helped close the program, but many people stayed around to learn more…

…including us.

This experience allowed the audience to both appreciate Huntsville’s roots and how far it has come.

While many things have changed over the course of time, the dedicated community that champions the arts has remained unwavering. We greatly appreciate the Wynne Home’s strides in providing enriching events to our community, and look forward to the speakers to come!

Seeing Huntsville with New Eyes

This is one of nine articles written about “things to do in Huntsville” from the perspective of students at Sam Houston State University. In addition to this article, you can see others in this series, which cover restaurants in Huntsville here and here, Bearkat Football, the Wynne Home, the Texas Prison Museum, Eastham-Thomason Park, the City’s Christmas Fair, and the Sam Houston Memorial Museum.

Many SHSU students spend four years in Huntsville without actually exploring Huntsville. As it turns out, though, Huntsville has a lot to do and see, whether you are a weekend visitor or an SHSU student who calls Huntsville home. As LEAP Ambassadors, we are pretty familiar with the community, but we wanted to be more systematic in our exploration. So we set out to do monthly explorations of Huntsville.

Where would we begin? The Statue and Visitor Center, of course!

Many people may know there is a large statue on I=45, but some do not know the City’s visitor center is almost literally at the foot of that statue. With a quick exit from the highway, passersby can learn a bit about the community and its notable sites. On hand is a group of dedicated City staff, who will point visitors to Huntsville attractions, highlight aspects of the community’s rich culture and history, direct tourists to myriad outdoor activities, or recommend some of the city’s culinary options.

There are also a variety of local goods and products, perfect for shopping for a visitor to town or a long-time resident.

But while you are there, David Adickes’ “A Tribute to Courage,” a 67-foot sculpture of Sam Houston, is a must-see! Not only is the statue a marvel to see at the ground level…

…but it’s also interesting to see some familiar names among the bricks that were purchased to support the project. We were able to see local names familiar to us–including a LEAP Ambassadors’ brick!

More importantly, we were able to see bricks purchased by Governor George W. Bush, President George H.W. Bush, President Lech Walesa, of Poland, and a relative of Sam Houston!

According to the good folks at the Visitor Center, there’s even a marriage proposal among the bricks.

And while there, we were literally able to get in to Sam Houston’s head…

…and see Huntsville in a whole new light. Tune in next month, to see where we go in our year-long exploration of Huntsville.

Main Street Touch-A-Truck and More!

Jessica Cuevas

If it’s the beginning of Fall, Touch-A-Truck is soon occurring! This free event is for the young and young at heart, allowing residents to interact with and learn about the vehicles that allow a community to operate. While half of the team of LEAP Ambassadors were at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, the other half stayed back and volunteered for this event.

This year, the new Main Street Director, Rebekah Kolb, added her own spin to this event by having other activities for the children to enjoy such as bouncy houses, rock wall, photo-op, and a dunking booth that allowed them to dunk many of the City of Huntsville’s respected employees, including the City Manager Aron Kulhavy.

As a former Main Street Intern, I helped at the Main Street Table in Rather Park, giving out promotional items while Michelle was able to run around downtown and release her inner child as she took photographs.

There was no shortage of vehicles in “display:” they ranged from construction…

…to police cars and SWAT, including SHSU’s newest and coolest PD Vehicle (SWAT!)…

…to fire trucks and EMS…

….monster truck….

….and many more!

Michelle had trouble picking her favorite. Ultimately, it was a three-way tie between the “huge monster truck, Huntsville PD’s Pitbull x (SWAT truck), and the Fire Trucks.” She mentioned how amazing it was to learn about all the different vehicles and their specific roles in the community. However, her favorite part was getting to see some familiar faces and important city figures such as the City of Huntsville’s Mayor; Andy Brauninger!

Although, the vehicles and big trucks are always a big HIT, the dunking booth was just as much of a big hit, especially when City Manager Kulhavy was up to be dunked. Many of the children, volunteers, and even Mayor Brauninger and Mrs. Brauninger waited much of the day to line up and dunk him! Michelle and I may have also been eagerly awaiting this opportunity…

Thank you to Rebekah, Angela, and all those who participated in making Touch-A-Truck a great event. It is always nice to see the community come together in events like these and run into lovely familiar faces.

Important Conversations at The Texas Tribune Festival

Morgan Robertson

Higher education, religion in government, water infrastructure, and domestic policy. What do all these topics have in common? They were all topics deliberated on during LEAP’s first day at The Texas Tribune Festival! With many absorbing and diverse topics covering legal happenings on varying scales, we were eager to expand our knowledge over the course of two days.

We saw a great deal of interesting and influential speakers, including three Chancellors from major Texas University Systems, who discussed the importance of establishing and maintaining their universities as Research Powerhouses…

Chancellor Mitchell encapsulated what it means to work for a university system with this impactful quote: “We are not in the higher (education) business, we are in the business of developing young people.”

And Morgan was able to ask a question!

Before leaving, we were able to get a photo with Chancellors Sharp and Khator.

Olivia and I especially enjoyed the panel regarding water infrastructure with Representative Tracy King and CEO of the Texas Water Foundation Sarah Schlessinger…

…as we are the most interested in local government. In fact, Olivia even asked a question…

….and we were all able to get a photo with Rep. King.

We also had a chance to learn from Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and Police Chief Neal Nokes, both of whom were excellent. They discussed “Crime in Cowtown”….

…specifically discussing some of the challenges associated with high-density areas. Although not explicitly asked by the moderator, many of the questions related to how high-profile leaders address the media and, specifically, themes or issues that they cover.

Although there are no magic bullets, both the Mayor and Chief stressed the importance of getting information out quickly and accurately whenever possible.

Our final panel was comprised of three directors of the Domestic Policy Council, who explained their roles and the importance of their staff in the White House.

Ariza and Ashlyn enjoyed speaking with Melody Barnes after the panel and even got a photo!

Upon completing our panels, we took a side trip to the Capitol, where Ashlyn and Morgan had interned this spring–and where Olivia might intern in a future spring!

It was Ariza’s first time in the capitol, and it was a great learning experience and a good activity cap to a day of fun and learning.

But our day of experiences and learning was not over! We concluded our evening with an amazing dinner at Taste of Ethiopia, which was a new food experience for Olivia and Ariza.

Over the delicious meal, we discussed some of what we learned from the day’s sessions and what we are looking forward to learning the next day!

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