Previously untapped resources

A fresh contingent climbs on board the Bill White bandwagon

Fran Ellisor and Herman Jones of Montgomery County visited with gubernatorialcandidate Bill White at the Continental Club.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
Chris Brown, from left, Elin Jackson, Caroline Starry LeBlanc and Jared LeBlancat the New Leaders of Texas event.
Photo by Shelby Hodge
The Light Rock Express entertained with the soft sounds of the '70s and '80s.
Photo by Shelby Hodge

Gov. Rick Perry, watch your back. The Bill White for Texas campaign is gathering momentum with a fresh-faced coalition of supporters that call themselves New Leaders of Texas and they mean business.

More than 100 of these young and not-so-young professionals and interested parties schmoozed with the would-be governor Tuesday night at the hipster Continental Club. Unlike most hit-and-run political appearances, White was in place when the doors opened at 7 and was still there after addressing the group more than an hour later. He even took time to snack on bites from Tacos A Go-Go and have a beer while spreading the gospel.

Good news for the former Houston mayor on this night — financial goal for the meet-and-greet was $50,000. When the doors opened, the kitty was over-flowing with $70,000 and people were writing checks as they entered. As New Leaders of Houston event organizer Caroline Starry LeBlanc said, "We are very, very, very pleased."

The New Leaders group, inaugurated in Austin earlier this summer, is comprised of voters in their 20s, 30s and early 40s, new faces that have not necessarily participated in politics previously. A statewide leadership retreat is planned for this weekend at a ranch in Brenham. "This is something that has really taken off," White said.

Matt Ellis, statewide associate finance director of White's campaign, commented, "Don't call us 'young' professionals. That's an excuse for not giving money. We're not young anymore. We are rising into positions of authority in our various professions. It's time for us step up and take responsibility for our state."

As White explained the concept, "These are young leaders who just want new leadership in our state that is forward thinking."

And who are those that embraced the New Leadership concept? In the mix were Jared LeBlanc, Chris Brown, Elin Jackson, Cali Alvarado and Peter Pettigrew, Joey Romano, Nicole Laurent, Olin Boudreaux, Diedra Fontaine, Linda and Mike Breslin and Katherine and Mark Yzaguirre

Stay tuned for similar rallies in Dallas and San Antonio.

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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.”

Previously untapped resources

A fresh contingent climbs on board the Bill White bandwagon

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Thanks, Queen Bey

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

CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
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