Unconventional Journalist

Usually when I think of farmers markets, I think of overpriced, inaccessible goods and a signal that gentrification is underway. Because what is a farmers market if not a bougie flea market?With 80% of Ball High School students in Galveston feeling food insecurity, and the need for locally sustainable food, Galveston's Own Farmers Market has expanded to having educational gardens on campuses across the school district and accepting SNAP and WIC benefits. Little by little, the food movement in Galveston is meeting their community where they can in an inclusive “third space” where community is centered instead of profit and consumption.Casey, executive director at Groudswell, joins me to talk about the evolution of the farmers market in Galveston since its founding in 2012 and how Groundswell's programs reflect that growth. Here are the programs we touch on!Young Gardeners Program teaches students to grow and harvest food while leveraging each campus garden as an outdoor classroom that fosters confidence, curiosity and academic success.Food Access Program ensures families, seniors, and individuals can afford fresh, local food at the farmers market by amplifying benefits and removing barriers to access.Victory Gardens Program transforms public spaces into thriving, productive gardens where neighbors share in both harvest and connection.Real Food Project hosts community meals and cooking classes that bring people together around healthy, home-cooked food and practical education.

I'm a little late to the party as I find my groove after coming back from break, but there's been a whole hotel strike going on, ICYMI!Learn more about the Hilton strike, here. Learn about the potential George R. Brown Convention Center strike, here. Members of Houston Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have been joining the picket line and scheduling shifts to help give the striking workers a break, and to have more people present at the strike. Join the picket support![Note: the image says Sept 14, and yes, that has passed, but ongoing picket support is happening among other Houston DSA chapter activities!]

So much of our food comes from other countries⁠⁠ and does not sustain our local agricultural economies.Shakavon, with Unified Farms and Houston Board of Food Security, joins me to discuss transforming communities through regenerative agriculture and turning underutilized spaces into thriving hubs of opportunity. We talk about food deserts, education around how our current food supply chain works, reimagining our food supply chain, and the movement to bring back farm to table in an affordable, sustainable way.

I am back from my digital hiatus! This short update is about my time off and the 3 long term projects I'm working on.

From flood mitigation to biodiversity, and just a general being loving stewards of our land, there are plenty of reasons.Mary Carol, owner of Green Star Wetland Plant Farm, joins me to talk about Why wetlands are so important to our ecosystemHow native wetlands plant help with flood mitigationHer recommended wetland plants for your gardenUnlearning the fears of dealing with whatever wildlife native plants attractGreen Star has open farm days when anyone can come to learn and buy some plants for their homes.

Every budget season, community members gather at Houston City Council to advocate for increasing the budget for flood mitigation and flood drainage. Recently, city council members kicked organizers out of the room, and the vote on the budget happened without community members in the room. Read more here.Alice with West Street Recovery joins me to give an update on the movement to improve flood drainage in Houston and the surrounding area.

Former employees from the Houston Humane Society's wildlife program interviewed with me to talk about alleged animal neglect, alleged labor mistreatment, and why they are speaking up despite having cease and desist orders.Anke - Wildlife Admissions SpecialistAri - Wildlife EducatorMary - Wildlife DirectorMisty - Outdoor facility Rehabilitation Coordinator To support Reform For Animals follow them onInstagram: @ReformForAnimalsFacebook: Reform For AnimalsFinally, join Reform for Animals on May 24th from approximately 11 am - 2 pm to protest alleged worker and animal mistreatment outside of Houston Humane Society on the public easement (sidewalks). Follow them for more info/safety information.Comment from the Houston Humane SocietyMeanwhile, the “false perception” allegation about the HHS wildlife program is simply not true. We appreciate the opportunity to clear that up. We wanted to share this from Houston Humane Society website, where we explain our current status:  https://www.houstonhumane.org/wildlife/about-us. In addition, when anyone calls the Houston Humane Society with injured wildlife, we immediately refer them to an appropriate rehabilitation center. We have taken all appropriate steps in this regard.Let me also assure you of the following:Houston Humane Society is as committed as ever to the health and wellbeing of our community’s wildlife and recognizes their importance to our ecosystem and quality of life. Earlier this year, our board of directors determined that our wildlife services needed a re-set of its strategic direction, and we empathize with those affected by this change, which included a staff reduction. Coinciding with the change, we have suspended rehabilitation services in the near term and are referring animals in need to other rehabilitation centers for care.Our current wildlife team is working with leadership to determine the future direction of our wildlife program and services. The Houston Humane Society is committed to a future where we have a strong and vibrant wildlife program. We look forward to sharing our plans with the community once we have completed the planning process.In regard to your other employment-related questions, please know that we respect the privacy of all current and former employees, and as a matter of policy, we do not comment on personnel decisions.[Regarding the cease and desist orders] The Houston Humane Society has been a trusted member of the Greater Houston community for more than 60 years, supporting the humane treatment of animals through a wide range of services and programs. While we fully support someone’s right to express their opinion, we have a responsibility to protect our organization’s reputation from misinformation and false claims.

SpaceX is out here trying to control a beach in the Rio Grande Valley that residents and tribal members have had access to for generations. Texas House Representative committee voted against House Bill 4660/SB2188 that would have unfairly granted SpaceX’s Starbase town primary control over Boca Chica Beach — organizers celebrated the win — but SpaceX lobbyists have brought the bill back for a vote.The residents of the Rio Grande Valley, the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas (@estok_gna_somisek), and local organizations, including the South Texas Environmental Justice Network and Border Workers United (@sotxejn), are fighting to preserve access to Boca Chica Beach for future generations. Learn more and how to help at bit.ly/stopspacexhousebills

The systemic nature of affordable housing is such that developers get tax breaks and little to no accountability for when their tenants live in terrible housing conditions. Even submitting a complaint to hold landlords accountable for unlivable housing conditions is completely opaque and difficult to navigate. The first part of this series kicked off with Faye, a tenant navigating housing after Hurricane Beryl her role in the tenant movement, ⁠listen here⁠.Then Julia, southeast regional director at Texas Housers, educated us on what happens to renters after a climate disaster, ⁠listen here⁠.To wrap it up, Sidney, a research analyst with Texas Housers, educates us on the systemic nature of affordable housing and how the accountability process is not accessible to tenants or the working class. Out of the interview came these resources if you need them:The state housing agency's ⁠Vacancy Clearinghouse⁠ can be used to search for tax credit properties or identify if your property is a tax credit property The Harris County Appraisal District's parcel viewer can be used to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠find your property and the name of the owner⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (you can also see if your property has a tax exemption — the "Valuation" section will show $0)The ⁠complaint process⁠ for the state housing agency (TDHCA) for properties funded with tax credits (LIHTC)You can find additional information about ⁠upcoming state housing agency events ⁠and ⁠additional details on board meetings ⁠

To date, Houston is made up of 58% renters and Harris County is made up of 45% renters.Julia Orduña, the southeast Texas regional director at Texas Housers, joins me to talk about current policy education and how we can organize for protections.Key acronyms:HUD — Housing and Urban DevelopmentHHA — Houston Housing AuthorityLIHTC — Low-Income Housing Tax CreditTDHCA - Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs After you find out who your landlord is and which government agency gives funds to the landlords, you can submit a complaint. To submit a complaint about your apartment to TDHC, visit these links:https://www.tdhca.texas.gov/tdhca-complaint-process https://public.tdhca.state.tx.us/pub/t_complaint.complaint_add1 Texas Housers is a statewide nonprofit that focuses on housing and neighborhood issues. These issues impact low-income homeowners and renters' ability to access a safe, decent, and dignified home in the neighborhood of their choosing. As regional director, Julia focuses on housing affordability, lack of access to safe and dignified housing, and climate impacts in Houston and the surrounding areas. Her work in the organization shines a light on current issues pertaining to disaster recovery and how to address the housing need in a more efficient and equitable manner. Join the tenant movement with Houston Tenants Union.Listen to Part I of this series where Faye, a former resident of Uvalde Ranch Apartments, speaks to her experience of navigating housing after a climate disaster: Climate Intersection: Navigating Housing After Hurricane Beryl

Faye, former resident of Uvalde Ranch Apartments, and organizer with Sunrise Movement Houston, joins me to discuss tenant rights and navigating housing after Hurricane Beryl. She has worked with three different Housing Authorities, and it has taken months to figure out how to hold the apartments accountable. Now, Faye is organizing to break the cycle of harm.Listen to Part II of this conversation, specifically on policy education: What Happens to Renters After Climate Disaster?

Correction: The Rosenberg school is not named after a Black historical leader in Galveston! 100% my mistake. I got ahead of myself on that one and didn't fact-check.--------There's a movement to turn a closed down school, LA Morgan, into a Juneteenth museum and a community center in Galveston. Community members Pastor Tim, Coach Wells, and Shon give comments after Galveston City Council voted yes on a resolution to support the community.The community is at the very beginning of the movement and needs all the support they can get as Galveston continues to gentrify. The resolution from city council is not financially binding and is only a public show of support. The resolution itself lists options for Juneteenth museum, community center, or alternative plans. While there are talks about turning LA Morgan into workforce housing, the community itself seems to largely favor having a Juneteenth museum and community center instead to further the Black community, culture, and history on the island.

Henry & Rodrigo from La Raza Unida Party join me to discuss the movement to establish a party chapter in Houston. We also discuss the party's history and origin, and why it's important to have multiple local parties represented in our local politics.Follow La Raza Unida Party — Houston on InstagramSign up for membership here to get information about upcoming meetings.

The West continues to attempt to erase the Karankawa's culture from history, but the original people of this land are still here. Chiara is an Indigenous Resistance artist, educator, and language keeper for the Karankawa Hawk Clan. In this interview, we discuss how museums are part of the white institution and are extractive in their work, and why the tribe decided to allow the Heritage Society to do an exhibit about their people. In an upcoming talk at the Heritage Society, she will be discussing her role as a language keeper and her and her people’s efforts to revitalize their language and their culture.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Houston Chapter is hosting an organizing fair at Axelrad on Feb. 8, 2025. Who's doing what?! Dan (@danderozier) and Jose (@boriken89) join me to talk about this fair, and also local political organizing in general. Here's who will be there! Al Awda Houston CLASS Bookstore Community Voices for Public Education Food Not Bombs Healthcare Workers for Palestine Houston Jews for Palestine Jewish Voice for Peace Kitchen Table Puppets + Press Palestine Solidarity Working Group Palestinian Youth Movement Party for Socialism and Liberation Rice YDSA Space City Anarchist Organization Starbucks Workers United Stop I-45 Sunrise Movement UH YDSA West Street Recovery Woori Juntos Zine Fest Houston

Behind the threats to freedom of speech is a whole lot of bigotry to oppress and divide us, while also ramping up surveillaince. Lucas Logan, Associate Prof at UHD in Communication, PhD in Telecom & Media Studies from A&M, joins me to talk about the intersections of the Pornhub ban in Texas that's currently in the courts, TikTok, and overall data rights. Related interviews: History of Project 2025 Learning About Data Infrastructure w/ Katya

Harris County wants to build a new jail. Why don't we need it? Ms. Sarah and Krish, members of the Community Not Cages, join me to discuss myths and the movement for community care. Join the community by signing up for the public comment toolkit here. You can also help by donating. Ms. Sarah lost her son to the system, to the point where the government used a loophole to not count his death. Krish is the executive director of Texas Jail Project. Together we review the desensitization and disconnection we have to the violence our prisons create and maintain. Additional learnings: Essays about Harris County deaths, abuses, and medical neglect are at the bottom of Krish's bio page — https://www.texasjailproject.org/staff/krishnaveni-gundu/ Get into it even further: TX Jail Project on NPR Here & NowPrison Policy Initiative Spotlight on Texas Jail Project's Custody Death Oversight Program 2024 Mid-Year Newsletter: Of Loss & Collective Struggle January 2024 Newsletter: 2023 — Of Love & RageTexas Jail Project 2021 Impact Report Why Are In-Custody Deaths Surging in Houston’s Harris County Jail? – Slate Pregnant People Are Shackled And Abused In Harris County Jail – The Appeal Giving Birth in Texas Often Comes With Medical Neglect, Texas Jail Project Finds – Teen Vogue Expert Declaration For Federal Court in Russel v. Harris County On Jail Conditions – Texas Jail Project See Ms. Sarah's public comment at the TX Commission on Jail Standards meetings in Austin last year.

After nearly a decade of serving our community, we’re facing a major challenge—we’re being displaced from our location on the campus of Project Row Houses and need to find a new home by May 2025. Here’s how you can get involved: Share this message with your friends and family. Follow us on social media @allrealradio and help amplify our posts. If you have leads on potential spaces, email us at allrealmail@gmail.com or reach out via social media. Donate to support our transition and help us secure a new home.

As white supremacy fully rears its head, it is clear that white folks have a lot of mess to clean up in our lane. Lauren H Sweeney, activist, writer, and grassroots organizer joins me to talk about the history of Project 2025 and how we can move collectively. Created by the Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 has been around since the 80s, with bipartisan implementation across administrations. What does this mean? Where do we go from here? Lauren is currently on the Organizing Committee with the Green Party and a member of Al Awda Houston. With a background in English literature and journalism, and pursuing ongoing studies in psychology aimed at decolonizing the mental health field, she combines a critical outlook with frameworks of restorative healing and justice. She also shares insights through her newsletter and podcast, What We Call Obstacles. Most recently, she co-founded Olive Branches, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting displaced people in the Gaza Strip.

The Harris County Public Library offers a free alternative form of identification called the Enhanced+ Library card. This alternate form of identification allows folks who can't get a state or driver's license to still have a form of ID to access services like opening a bank account. Fred, the manager of circulation services, joins me to talk about the Enhanced+ Library card, why the program is important, and how it has helped the community so far.