We piled in the car and headed west to Austin, too early to be considered a ride off into the sunset, but with plenty of time to make it to our destination: the 2019 Texas Tribune Festival. The three-hour trip from Huntsville went by quickly, as our group of LEAP Ambassadors and friends chatted along the way, sharing life and prior travel experiences.
The festival hub wasn’t too far from the hotel, and with a coolish breeze, we chose to walk, meandering through the Capitol grounds on the way…
….but without any prolonged stopping – we needed to check in at TribFest before attending the opening keynote, by Congressman Will Hurd. We were pleasantly surprised with no waiting in line to get our credentials.
Once we crossed the street toward the Paramount Theater, though, we became immediately aware that, despite leaving what we thought was adequate time, we were most likely not going to see the inside.
The line stretched out along the entire block, around the corner, and then up and around the next block. We trudged to the end, mainly because it was uphill and afforded a better picture of the line.
We commiserated with our nearby co-queuers, then decided to take in some of downtown Austin by foot, and find an early dinner.
We stopped at Second Bar + Kitchen on Congress & Second. Everything looked good on the menu, and we selected a variety: crispy brussells sprouts, black truffle pommes frites, pepperoni soup…
…a couple of pizzas: black + bleu and eggplant + goat cheese (hold the goat!)…
…and a couple of Congress burgers.
No one was dissatisfied – and no one had room for dessert, a shame.
An after-dinner walk was an easy group decision. And since we were so close, we had to detour down to the Congress Avenue Bridge. We were too late to see the bats up close, or the sunset, but we could see clouds of bats in the distance, making their way to get their own dinner. We started the slower climb uphill back to our hotel, stopping along the way to briefly check out the wonderfully weird architecture of Austin’s City Hall…
…and a brief stop by Austin City Limits, another monument to the city’s long history of promoting great, local music.
After a brief review of tomorrow’s early-morning plans, we retired earlier than the “LEAP Trip” usual time. We will need the rest for the next two days of politics, politics, and more politics at the 2019 Texas Tribune Festival!
The LEAP Ambassadors were given another opportunity to volunteer with the World Affairs Council of Houston. As volunteers, we assisted with directing guests to the event….
…distributing name tags…
…and photographing the event.
LEAP would like to thank World Affairs Council of Houston for giving us an opportunity to take an active role in their events.
Basmah Ghauri introduced the event…
…and Ronan O’Malley moderated the event.
Ronan is a particularly good moderator, and the topic was particularly interesting to the LEAP Students because we are coming of age in a world dominated by technology. This talk was centered around David Kaye’s book titled “Speech Police: The Global Struggle to Govern the Internet.” David Kaye is a professor, attorney, and researcher whose primary focus is international law.
Additionally, in 2014 David Kaye was appointed as the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the promotion and projection of the right to freedom of opinion and freedom of expression. As a special rapporteur, Mr. Kaye is responsible for examining and reporting on human rights cases and violations that occur on an international scale. David Kaye specifically focuses on global freedom of expression and how it relates to governing the internet.
The internet has evolved in so many ways since its inception. David Kaye opened the discussion with an overview of the progression of the internet and its original purpose. The internet began as a means for people to access an expansive network of information and to promote free-speech. However, with the creation of Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube, the internet has not only created an alternate space for the freedom of expression, but also the internet has created a space for fake news, violence, and hate speech.
Because these issues can cause problems across the world, the most grappling question that we face, as it relates to the internet, is, “whom do we allow to regulate it?”
As it relates to false information, in Kenya and in many other authoritarian governments, laws have been established that punish anyone who shares false information. Anything you like, share, or retweet that promotes misinformation can get you in substantial trouble. However, Kaye revealed that this law is also (ab)used as a tool to prevent humiliating information about the government from being released.
In reference to hate speech, Kaye reminded the audience that these issues have existed well before the creation of the internet. The only difference is that people have another mode to promote abusive forms of expression. The issue with hate speech is that it “incites violence and hatred among others.” However, limiting individuals rights to speech is infringing on their 1st Amendment right.
Concluding the discussion, Kaye was asked what he believed is the future of the internet. Kaye believes that the public should be given rule making authority in companies. Also, he believes that there will be an industry wide appellate process that will create transparency.
The presentation provoked much discussion among the crowd…
…and many requests for photos…
…and books…
…including our group.
Unfortunately, one of our group was missing when a photo op presented itself, so we made up for it later in the evening, with her getting a one-on-one photo. Annie is a Chinese exchange student coming to SHSU for the year, and she wants to be an attorney in China. As it turns out, Kaye had been to her home town, while doing work for the UN.
It was a great way to cap the evening, and a nice introduction for Annie of the educational opportunities through SHSU and LEAP.
Niko Niko’s
After learning about policing the internet–during which Mr. Kaye spent much time discussing Mediterranean countries–we decided to settle our appetites at Niko Niko’s, which is a Greek-American cafe. As a starter, we enjoyed the Niko’s Dip Platter, which included hummus, Tzatziki, Melizano Salata, and Tirokafteri.
For our main course, we enjoyed a variety of Gyro Sandwiches.
And to answer calls from our collective sweet-tooth, we ordered gelato for our ride home.
The LEAP Ambassadors have attended more than 60 World Affairs Council events over the past nine years, but for the first time, we were asked to help with an event. The event? A moderated discussion with Senator Ted Cruz on the timely topic of immigration. The moderator? Houston’s own Craig Cohen, host of “Houston Matters.”
We primarily assisted with the pre-event reception, which board members and other contributors were able to attend.
The venue, Curtain Call, was charming, and people poured in for conversation, the chance to meet Senator Cruz, and possibly the impressive wine selection.
As volunteers, we abstained from spirits, and directed people to correct locations…
….took photographs…
…and enjoyed learning about professional event coordination…
…and handed out name tags…
…including one to the guest of honor.
The guests really enjoyed the opportunity to see Senator Cruz and chat with him.
Senator Cruz also took time with some guests to share photos from his phone…
…and, most poignantly, Cruz spent time with Marc and Debra Tice.
Their son, Austin, was working as a journalist in Syria when he was kidnapped in 2012, and he has been missing since that date. The parents believe they have information suggesting that Tice is still alive and the FBI has offered a 1,000,000 reward for his return. Cruz’s time with the Tices appeared to be productive, and the Senator mentioned the Tices and their son during his main speech.
Speaking of which, as the event kickoff approached, we walked with Senator Cruz to the main hall…
…where he and Craig Cohen were welcomed by World Affairs Council Director Maryanne Maldonado…
…and introduced by Director of Programs Ronan O’Malley.
What followed was an impressive and far-reaching discussion about foreign policy. Senator Cruz showed an impressive knowledge of topics, and he was much more moderate in the opinions he expressed than we have previously heard from him.
While he was predictably critical of the Obama Administration, particularly on the Iran deal…
…he was also critical of the Trump administration, particularly in areas of style and diplomacy.
Cruz spent significant time on the main topic of immigration, where promoted increased legal immigration while maintaining his stance against illegal immigration. He spent considerable time discussing his father’s experience in Cuba (where he spent time as a political prisoner) before immigrating to the United States.
Cohen veered from foreign policy for one questions, asking about gun control, and Senator Cruz pointed to his sponsorship of an amendment prohibiting gun sales to convicted criminals. But for the most part, the discussion stayed on topic: foreign policy.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Following the event, Senator Cruz posed with students…
…and we thanked the hosts and headed for dinner.
With much of the night’s discussion on the Middle East, we headed to Mary’Z Mediterranean restaurant, where we enjoyed a sampling of Middle Eastern food, with impressive portions!
Many thanks to the World Affairs Council for hosting such an educational program, and we look forward to our next event!
The LEAP Center helped co-sponsor Mark Burns’ “Grand Canyon Photographs” Exhibit at the Walker Education Center, so it was with a slight disappointment to see the exhibit come to a close. But the exhibit lives on, finding a new home at the Pearl Fincher Fine Arts Museum in Spring, Texas. The set up for that exhibit took place on Friday, September 6, and we were there to take (a small) part.
Much goes into the hanging of a new exhibit, from spacing the pieces appropriately, to ensuring that the works are level…
…to getting the descriptions placed just right.
Of course, having been present at the opening for the Bush Presidential Library and the Walker Education Center, we’ve seen each of these photos multiple times. But Burns is introducing a few new photos for the Pearl Fincher show, and it is always nice to see the photos in a new environment, so we took another close look at each, while also helping a bit.
We each had our favorite, but there may be a general consensus that “CAVU” is a favorite of everyone’s.
CAVU, which stands for “Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited,” was President George H. W. Bush’s motto, one originating in his pilot days during WWII. Following his passing in November 2018, Mark–who was a personal friend of the President and the Bush family photographer–took a photograph that he believed captured the essence of the motto at the Grand Canyon.
Following a few more adjustments…
…and some cleaning…
…the setup was largely complete.
We’ll be back on September 17, when Burns will be present for the Opening Reception.
On our final day of the retreat, we spent the morning working on plans for the semester. Following a two-hour meeting, we worked up a hunger, and we took the opportunity to stop by a LEAP favorite: Peli Peli Kitchen.
Peli Peli Kitchen is a restaurant that some of the LEAP Ambassadors have been to, but this time, the restaurant had been revamped, and the food was different than it had been previously. Once we walked in, the smell of delicious African-themed cuisine made our mouths water! The restaurant is a build-your-own-plate assembly line. You first decide if you want a “taco” (which uses Naan bread) or a plate. We were able to choose between coconut rice or cauliflower rice. Then, we picked the meats and sides of our choice. There was a delicious creamy garlic cheese sauce that many of us decided to get on top of our food. It really added to the flavor of the dishes.
For meat, we could choose curry chicken, steak, chicken, and shrimp.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
For dessert, we had the sticky toffee cupcakes and almond chocolate chip cookies. The cupcake was the overwhelming favorite.
After a great retreat weekend, it was a nice meal to enjoy before heading back to Huntsville. Overall, the LEAP Ambassadors feel confident that they will have a successful semester!
This past weekend, the LEAP Ambassadors volunteered at the Old Town Theatre to assist with a show featuring comedian/magician Andy Gross.
One thing that I did not know until researching Andy Gross was that he was the youngest professional racquetball player to ever grace the sport. He joined a professional circuit by the age of 16 and was a signed player by the time he reached 17. Unfortunately, it turns out it’s rather difficult for a television camera to follow a ball going 150 miles per hour . As such, television ratings dropped off and, as television revenue dropped off, Gross decided to retire at the age of 26.
Gross’s background in sports added a layer of intrigue to our volunteerism and, while we are all excited to assist in whatever way we could, we were excited to learn that Anne Jamarik would be serving as Mr. Gross’s assistant.
Our assignments were a bit more routine: greeting folks and assisting with some tech matters. And, after the ticket-buyers were seated, Gross began his act by showing a video of his split-man act, which is equally hilarious and horrifying.
This provided a good warmup for the audience, which Lauren Nash–President of the OTT Board–followed with a proper introduction.
What followed was an hour of laughing to the point of tears and plenty of amazement. It turns out, Gross’s shows are a mixture of magic, comedy, and ventriloquism, with all three having a large role in his act.
He started his show with a monologue, wherein he seemingly drew a bowling ball, which then materialized from a notepad and fell to the floor.
Part of the show’s fun is it’s interactive nature. He brought up audience members to the stage, wherein he…
…pulled a $100 from an unpeeled orange…
…guessed cards imagined by audience members…
…threw his voice around the stage with the help of a young assistant…
…had much fun with a young man named Weston, who clearly had the time of his life! His first trick involved convincing the young man to put a glass filled with liquid on his head, rotate several times, and then pour it on top of his head–all without spilling anything!
His next trick, also involving Weston, was more dangerous. Here, he produced four styrofoam cups, one of which covered an iron spike. Gross challenged Weston to “shuffle” the cups while Gross turned his back.
Without apparently knowing which cup contained the iron spike, Gross slammed his hand down on the cup, one at a time, with Weston shuffling after each crushed cup. A poor guess would maim the magician, possibly ending a career.
But Gross guessed correctly, sparing his hand and, fortunately for the audience, allowing us to see the second half of the show!
If anything, the second half was even more interactive than the first half. With the help of yet another audience member, he produced–and then levitated–a paper rose…
…and then managed to turn it into a real rose right in front of everyone’s eyes.
He did a similar act of levitation–in slow motion, to the music of “Chariots of Fire”–with a cigarette…
Mr. Gross was also able to enlist the audience to see if he could bring one of his “premonitions” to the material world. Drawing randomly from the audience and then allowing the audience to select the next participant, he asked a series of questions such as (1) where do you want to go on vacation?, (2) with whom?, and (3) how much will such a trip cost? The result was a collective audience desire to (1) go to Aruba, (2) with Wayne Newton (!?), and all for (3) $5,000. Then, unlocking a lock box in full view of the audience the entire time…
…Mr. Gross withdrew a sheet of paper that had the following words written on it: (1) Aruba, (2) Wayne Newton, and ($5,000). Mad psychic skills!
His next interactive bit involved a dummy, albeit not one from the audience. It was Steve, which Mr. Gross indicated was a new addition to his act.
“Steve” injected a bit more humor into the show…
…primarily by insulting audience members. His favorite target was Joey…who then served as Mr. Gross’s next and final “prop,” a human ventriloquism dummy.
Mr. Gross put a wizard’s hate atop Joey’s head. The hat, incidentally, concealed a plunger. Gross then slid the “hat” off, leaving only the plunger, much to Joey’s chagrin.
Gross convinced Joey to embrace the role playing, going so far as to convince him to sit in his lap.
The remainder of the act was a series of hilarious one-line jokes, all told in a humorously high-pitched voice.
Joey was a true sport, the crowd was appreciate, and Gross was a big success, a true professional entertainer. Interestingly, despite assisting Mr. Gross throughout the show, Anne indicated she still had no idea how Mr. Gross did his magic!
Following the show, Mr. Gross was nice enough to speak with us, give us some insight into his career and family…
…and proved to be an immensely nice guy.
We indicated we hoped he would return, he indicated he’d like to, and following a group photograph…
…we let him get about the business of cleaning up and moving on to his next act in the next city.
Each year, Huntsville’s Wynne Home Arts Center hosts a Hawaiian Luau and, this year on Saturday, August 3, the Wynne Home Arts Center offered its best Luau yet!
The event was led by Wynne Home intern Esmeralda Mata…
…with an able assist by Miranda Estrada (also a City of Huntsville Intern–and now a COH staff member!)…
…the LEAP Ambassadors, Lauren Clay, and members of Mata’s family. All of this occurs, of course, under the direction of Cultural Services Coordinator Linda Pease and her occasionally helpful husband, Ralph.
For preparation, Mata and Estrada prepared or purchased food for approximately 150 people, food that included bacon-wrapped pineapples, fruit kabobs, and various chips and snacks, with water, Capri Sun, and Hawaiian Punch for refreshments on a hot and muggy day.
Lauren Clay led an activities booth featuring tiki puppets, while Gisselle Salas offered temporary tattoos, both of which proved very popular.
With these activities and the food keeping the children (and their sometimes unruly parents) occupied, Mata also offered a series of games for the children’s entertainment.
On site, Miranda Estrada turned in an excellent performance as emcee…
The first game was a hula hoop contest, which brought out some mediocre talent and a few hula-hoop sharks!
Our LEAP President, Makayla Mason, even showed off her one talent–neck hula hooping!
Following the Hula-Hoop contest, children participated in a game of “Musical Leis.” This is a spinoff of Musical Chairs, with the rules exactly the same. You never knew how complicated such a game was until you’ve tried to explain it to four-year olds! We were fortunate to have Sammy Bearkat on hand and participating…
He did very well for a fictional being, coming in third–but finishing first in game presence.
Sammy was also kind enough to pose with families…
…and individuals.
While the photos were underway, the children moved on to the sand-bucket relay race. In this game,two teams of four-six players participate in a relay, carrying sand (in a small spade) from one bucket to the next.
The objective is to move as fast as possible…
…but to do so without spilling sand…
…or missing the bucket…
It’s a fun game that inspired teamwork:
…and some consternation!
Even LEAP Ambassadors enjoyed taking part in this game.
This may have been the most fun game offered.
Plus, the winners got a lot of great prizes!
Next, we played a favorite among the group: Limbo!
Megan Chapa served as a LEAP Ambassador for more than three years, filling the role of Vice-President, President, and Past President. She also served as founding President of the Pre-Law Society, and she will be a 3L at South Texas College of Law this fall. She volunteered to write this guest blog on her experiences at SHSU and as a LEAP Ambassador.
I am a third-year law student at South Texas College of Law Houston. I served as a LEAP Ambassador from 2014-2017 as I earned by Bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State University. Those three years were the most influential years of my educational experiences, and the opportunities I was offered and the people I met as a LEAP Ambassador have served me extremely well in law school.
Chapa at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, where she interned her senior year
As a LEAP Ambassador, I learned to not only balance my school, work, and internships, but also leadership positions.
Megan Chapa at the Arkansas Supreme Court
This meant managing my time appropriately. Thinking back, many of those days were similar to my first year of law school. I remember some days as a LEAP Ambassador, I would go to class in the morning, intern in the afternoon, and then, about three times a week, I’d attend one of the many programs we participated in or attend a community meeting.
Chapa and Karla Rosales with KSAM’s Larry Crippen
I would get home with just enough time to study and prepare for the next day. Gaining the skills to manage my time, set me up well for law school.
I served as the President of the LEAP Ambassadors for a full year, a normal term for a LEAP President. During these times, I learned to sharpen my emotional intelligence to better understand how to lead others. I encouraged my colleagues to build on their strengths and work together on tackling the task ahead, and I also had key public speaking opportunities.
Chapa speaking in a mock City Council
I used similar skills during my tenure as a Mid-Law Senator for the Student Bar Association—South Texas College of Law Houston Chapter. As my experience in LEAP taught me, I did my best to use my strengths in my leadership.
One of my favorite memories as a LEAP student was meeting Michael Morton.
Alex Galvan, Michael Morton, Megan Chapa, and Kaitlyn Tyra
Michael Morton was wrongfully convicted for the murder of his wife in 1987. After spending over twenty-five years in prison, he was exonerated of this crime. Morton spent some of his incarceration in a Huntsville prison. When I met Mr. Morton, he explained to me that it was his first time back in Huntsville since his incarceration. In that moment, I felt honored that the LEAP Ambassadors had arranged that, enabling him to return to the community under more pleasant circumstances and allowing SHSU students to learn from his experiences.
I did not realize that moment would only scratch the surface of how much it really meant to me. In law school, I learned the importance of the Michael Morton Act, an act that requires an open discovery process, and how this act has impacted prosecutors throughout the state of Texas. The fact that I had the opportunity to meet such an influential person in the criminal law community early on, made the world of difference in understanding the importance of integrity and pursuit of justice.
Of course, I had many more opportunities with LEAP, from traveling to other states, such as Arkansas…
…Missouri…
Ryan Brim and Megan Chapa in one of the elevator pods at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis
…Georgia (and about twelve other states)…
Chapa, Tyra, and Rosales visiting Coca Cola, with the Coca Cola Polar Bear
…visiting Presidential Libraries…
…meeting artists such as Richard Haas…
…and David Adickes…
…attending conferences with state legislators….
…and even presenting at conferences…
…and also doing charitable work, such as Huntsville’s “Great Muddy Escape”….
…or public services such as our “John Wayne Film Festival.”
…and meeting attorney David Berg, who, at my first LEAP event, shared with us his experiences as a lawyer and his personal family history, including the murder of his brother, as he recounted in his book, “Run, Brother, Run.”
Currently, I am an intern at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office where I hope to be employed in the near future. Applying the time management skills, the leadership skills, and taking advantage of the connections I made with others as a LEAP Ambassador have made me the student I am today. I have no doubt that LEAP made a difference in my life. I am a better professional because of my experience with LEAP, something that I think can be said by all the students involved in the program.
