life's a picnic

New city-wide nature event encourages Houstonians to enjoy a weekend picnic

Enjoy a picnic and support a great cause this weekend.

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As current temperatures reveal, summer season is definitely here. That means more outdoor activities (when sensible) and for nature enthusiasts and foodies, a good picnic.

To that end, a local nonprofit is urging Houstonians to celebrate their favorite green spaces and their love for outdoor meals this weekend.

Katy Prairie Conservancy is hosting Picnic for the Prairie, a day-long picnic event in support of local land conservation. At noon Saturday, June 12 (or, throughout the day and evening), residents are encouraged to visit their favorite local park, prairie, or backyard for a picnic day.

The event is meant to support the conservancy’s mission to preserve coastal prairies in the Gulf Coast Region for current and future generations, per a release.

Those needing to stock up on food can visit select area restaurants that are participating in the event; a portion of proceeds benefiting the organization. More information can be found here.

The Picnic on the Prairie event also allows followers to register for special digital programs in advance of the event. Registration is $20 and includes an inaugural event t-shirt and exclusive content.

Organizers encourage Houstonians to register, grab some friends, food, drinks, a basket and a sheet, and head out to a preferred outdoor spot to enjoy the day.

A little about the conservancy: It’s one of the largest local land conservation organizations, by acreage, in southeast Texas, protecting more than 24,000 acres of coastal prairie in Texas since it was founded in 1992.

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Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”