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Sophia Pirani
Audience engagement fellow |
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Sophia Pirani
Audience engagement fellow |
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Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing
A Uniquely HOUston Story
For Texas artist Vincent Valdez, art serves as a powerful medium to confront social injustices and spark meaningful conversations about issues that continue to shape the world, Dion Nissenbaum reports.
In 1977, Mexican-American Vietnam veteran Jose Campos Torres was arrested for disorderly conduct, brutally beaten by the police, and thrown into Buffalo Bayou.
Forty-seven years later, Valdez created a sculpture in honor of Torres.
Along with his romantic-artist partner Adriana Corral, Valdez drove to where Torres drowned to dig up shells and sediment from the river. With the bayou detritus, the couple created a white gypsum statue of a fractured Madonna as a tribute.
The sculpture is part of Valdez's exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Museum, on display until March 23.
From the story:
For Valdez, who splits his time between Houston and Los Angeles, Campos Torres' killing was a disturbing American refrain – and a harbinger.
"Houston, Texas in 1977 is now an echo chamber, a premonition of an America racing towards a dystopic future normalizing systemic violence and oppressive practices like police brutality," he said.
Valdez has spent his career like this, excavating America's often overlooked past, especially parts the country often tries to bury.
His artwork has tackled police brutality, the forced removal of Mexican-Americans from their Los Angeles homes to make way for Dodger Stadium, the lynching of Mexican-Americans, and an infamous World War II-era attack by U.S. sailors on Mexican-Americans dressed in the era's flashy, counter-cultural Zoot Suits.
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Who do you know who has a passion for art?
Did someone send you this email? Sign up here. |
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Joseph Bui for Houston Landing
HOUston Moment of the Week
The Indian American Public Affairs Council hosted a Gala Night on Friday celebrating 25 years of bridging the gap between the Indian American community and elected officials in Greater Houston.
At the event, speakers from national and local agencies discussed the mental health crisis in America. Photographer Joseph Bui attended to document the evening, along with Houston Landing CEO Peter Bhatia. |
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Support the city you love. Give the gift of news.
This holiday season, join us in keeping local news free and accessible for all Houstonians. Your donations are matched through Dec. 31. |
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Houston Landing file photo / Antranik Tavitian
Meet the Landing
This week we're catching up with Clare Amari, a public safety reporter at Houston Landing. Although she had a late start in journalism, Amari has covered stories across the U.S., from Wisconsin to Tennessee to South Carolina, before ultimately landing in Houston.
Q: How did you get into journalism?
I didn't touch journalism until I was 30. I had tried a bunch of different careers, and none of them really felt like a fit for various reasons. I ended up going to Columbia Journalism School. There were a bunch of things that appealed to me about it, but part of it was being able to open up my world a little bit and talk to people that I wouldn't otherwise meet. I was also able to use my storytelling skills in a way that could actually impact people and help them.
Q: Why did you join Houston Landing?
I wanted to be able to do journalism that supported the community and did things differently from traditional legacy media organizations. I liked the mission, the people who were already here, and I thought Texas would be a really interesting place to learn and grow as a journalist because there are so many good stories here.
Q: Why is it important to cover the criminal justice system?
The criminal justice system affects everyone, whether or not you are charged with a crime or a victim of a crime. The way that law is enforced and defended and broken in society has a ripple effect on everyone. Everyone cares about being safe and everyone wants to be safe.
We also know that there has been so much abuse in the justice systems — abuse of victims and abuse of defendants or inmates. The criminal justice system holds so much power over our society. Anyone in power deserves to be scrutinized, and that's what journalists do. We hold power to account. |
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Darío De León for Houston Landing
In Case HOU Missed It
The Fiesta Guadalupana, which takes place today and tomorrow, is a celebration of La Virgen de Guadalupe, bringing thousands of visitors to Our Lady of Guadalupe church on the East End.
For many vendors, this event helps provide a significant portion of their annual income. That was until this year.
Due to overcrowding concerns, vendors will not be permitted on the Navigation esplanade this year and will instead have to set up in other areas. For vendor Elizabeth Valencia, who runs Taquiza La Charra, this change was a shock.
"We were used to going every year, so it felt like they threw a bucket of cold water on us," Valencia said in Spanish. |
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What HOU Said
🗣️: "We have one of the best medical centers in the country, in the world right here at our fingertips, but still there's so many moms and babies that are not getting the care that they need," said Jen Torres, the Houston market senior executive director of market impact at March of Dimes.
— From Monique Welch's story on March of Dimes' first Texas Mom & Baby Mobile Health Center in Harris County, designed to offer essential health services and education to birthing parents |
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What's going on this week? Let us know if there's something cool happening in our community in the coming weeks by sending us the details: hou@houstonlanding.org
🍭 Gingerbread Build-Off
Join over 4,000 attendees at Architecture Center Houston's 15th Annual Gingerbread Build-Off in Levy Park! Teams will get the chance to use sweet treats, gingerbread and candy to create unique architectural designs.
⛴️ Christmas Boat Parade
All aboard for the 63rd Annual Christmas Boat Parade this weekend! Cruise over to Kemah Boardwalk to watch hundreds of boats, several decked out in honor of the holiday season, sail through Galveston Bay!
🥘 Texas Food Fest
Dig into over 30 different dishes from food vendors spanning Houston to China to South America. The Texas Food Fest is home to diverse foods including tacos, burgers, oxtails, barbecue and funnel cake — all for you to enjoy!
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