funding change

Houston power brokers launch game-changing new social justice fund

Thomas Jones, Winell Herron, Mayor Sylvester Turner

Thomas Jones, Winell Herron, and Mayor Sylvester Turner are some of the faces behind the new fund.

Photo by Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity

Responding to inequities and mounting calls for change after the murder of George Floyd, Mayor Sylvester Turner and a group of Houston business executives and civic leaders have announced a pivotal new tool to help the Black community.

The new Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity aims to improve social and economic inequalities specifically by investing in grassroots nonprofit organizations and supporting economic development initiatives that empower, per a press release.

“This is a critical time for our city and country, and it is imperative that we come together and address systemic problems in the Black community,” Turner noted in a statement. “While Houston has deep philanthropic roots, this fund is the first of its kind in our city, and we will build a movement that makes Houston a national leader in opportunity and equality.”

Currently the fund has a goal of $25 million. Fund leaders are calling on corporations, foundations, and citizens to back and donate to the initiative.

Special attention will be paid to nonprofit organizations that focus on social and racial justice, economic development, youth empowerment and education, and community building, press materials note. The fund’s creators say they envision a city “where equal opportunity exists for individuals, families and businesses to grow, innovate and thrive.”

A veritable who’s-who of local power brokers manage the new fund. The board of directors includes Turner; Thomas Jones (Partner, McConnell Jones LLP); Interim Executive Director and Secretary, Stephanie Nellons-Paige (Texas Central), Vice President, Barron Wallace (Partner, Bracewell LLP); Treasurer, Winell Herron (Group Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs, H-E-B).

Board Members are Gerald Alley (President/CEO, Con-Real, LP); Gaurdie Banister Jr. (CEO, Different Points of View); Paul Cannings (Managing Partner, Paul Alexander Company); Shauna Clark (Global and US Chair; US Head of Employment and Labor, Norton Rose Fulbright US); Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. (CEO, National Math & Science Initiative); Vanessa Gilmore (United States District Judge); Kimberly Slaughter (CEO, SYSTRA USA); and Valerie M. Williams (Independent Board and Audit Committee Member).

Administratively, the fund will initially be administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation (GHCF). Plans dictate the fund will operate as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with administrative staff.

For more information or to donate, visit the official website.

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H-Town's Moo Deng

Houston Zoo welcomes Akobi, an adorable pygmy hippopotamus

Akobi is Houston Zoo's newest pygmy hippoptamus

Photo by Jackelin Reyna/Houston Zoo

Houston Zoo welcomes itOH MY THAT IS ADORABLE

The Houston Zoo welcomes Akobi, its newest pygmy hippopotamus right as the species is having a massive resurgence in popularity.

Thanks to Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo born Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Chonburi, Thailand this summer, pygmy hippopotami are more popular than ever. Moo Deng became a viral sensation thanks to cute videos of him playing and drinking from a spraying hose. He was even parodied on Saturday Night Live, where he was played by Bowen Yang.

Akobi is a four-and-a-half-year-old, 477-pound male pygmy hippopotamus who recently moved from San Francisco to Houston as part of an Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program. His name means “first born” in Yoruba. This is definitely one California transplant all Texans can agree on.

As their name suggests, pygmy hippos are quite a bit smaller than their more famous counterparts. Common hippos can weigh up to 4,000 pounds and are among the most dangerous megafauna in the world because of their fierce territoriality. By contrast, pygmy hippos rarely get above 500 pounds and are comparatively docile.

Unlike their larger cousins, pygmy hippos spend most of their time on dry land and live solitary lives rather than in large herds. Akobi is the first pygmy hippo in the Houston Zoo since the death of Silas, their previous pygmy hippo. Acquired in 2020, Silas quickly became a favorite of zoo visitors. He died in 2022 after a short illness.

Akobi comes at a time of massive expansion and progress for the Houston Zoo. The 55-acre zoological garden just opened its massive Birds of the World exhibit, featuring bird species across three continents. It also swept a series of industry awards for its innovative Galapagos Island area, which introduced penguins to the zoo among a host of other species. These were all part of the Houston Zoo’s centennial celebration.

Hopefully, Akobi will have an easier time than Moo Deng. Visitors to the viral star’s enclosure would sometimes spray water or throw items at the hippo, leading to the zoo having to build more security to protect Moo Deng. Houston Zoo visitors should remember that pygmy hippos (and all zoo animals) should not be disturbed or molested for their health and the visitor’s safety.

akobi houston zoo pygmy hippopotamus

funding change

Houston power brokers launch game-changing new social justice fund

H-Town's Moo Deng

Houston Zoo welcomes Akobi, an adorable pygmy hippopotamus

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