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    Gay Suburbia Political Power

    New LGBT Caucus Among Suburban Lives in Fort Bend

    Wilbert Chinchilla
    Sep 15, 2010 | 9:09 am
    • Robin Brown (hostess), Autumn Downing (Chair of Marketing and Events), FionaDawson (hostess and President), Mayor Annise Parker, Terry Hobbs (Secretary),Januari Leo (Vice President and Chair of PR and Communications)
      Photo by Dalton DeHart
    • Don Bankston, Susan Bankston, Hal Heitman with the Fort Bend Democrats Club, DonMaines from OutSmart Magazine
      Photo by Dalton DeHart
    • Fredericka Allen (Democratic candidate for 240th Judicial District Court) andJoe Sullivan
      Photo by Dalton DeHart

    It's Sunday. It's week one of the Houston Texas season schedule and they are playing against the Colts. I see the game from a television screen where lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Caucus members eagerly wait until the second quarter is finished in Fort Bend where there is an eclectic mix of people filling up the home of Fiona Dawson and Robin Brown.

    More than halfway around the world, there are two foreign exchange students from Germany who's host fathers are present in support of the caucus. And although these are two different cultures, the ideal of having a LGBT caucus in Fort Bend or in Germany is not farfetched to Olle Ax and Marvin Kunde.

    With some libations, inner-loopers converse on the many happenings that are going about the city. But for a place that is outside the loop, an LGBT Caucus in the suburb of Fort Bend has managed to bring Mayor Annise Parker from her opening remarks at the Texans game and give a rousing speech.

    With signs leading up to a culdesac filled with cars that was a sort of "trail of bread crumbs and a yellow brick road" (as described by the host) of signs stating the presence of the LGBT Political Caucus, the opening by Dawson acknowledging the large handful of guest that are living in Fort Bend County and gay says, "I knew there was a reason to start this group. It's not that crazy."

    Steve Brown, Democratic Chair of Fort Bend County approached Dawson about starting an LGBT caucus. As a non-partisan group, the caucus did invite both Republican and Democratic representatives. There were only Democratic candidates present.

    Inner and outer loopers came in for their support of the caucus who's goal is to end all prejudice and make sure every human being has equal rights. And even though this caucus in Fort Bend might seem like a progressive move, it seems necessary.

    For Fort Bend County residents and married (as legal as can currently be) couple Brandy Gibson and Holly Hutchins, they state they haven't experienced much prejudice in the soon to be three years they have lived in the county. For what is a considered a conservative town, there hasn't been much push back."We have neighbors that are outgoing and friendly. Others haven't, but it's more of a personality issue. We normally don't know anybody or any families that are gay out here," says Hutchins.

    Annise Parker's remarks were well versed and definitely embody the goals of not just the Fort Bend LGBT Caucus, but also the Houston GLBT Caucus she helped start.

    "I have been on the job for a little bit over eight months now. There is still a smile on my face." Parker goes on to state her early beginnings stating that she has taken the long way to get to this position as Mayor. The 35 year old Houston Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus is where she began to follow Sue Lovell and become invested in politics; Eventually, becoming the president of that political caucus.

    "It was started by five people in a time when the world was a very scary place and much different. That fact that today I am sitting at the council table with Sue Lovell, who was first woman president of that organization, and that I immediately followed her. People are astounded at how calm we are at some of the situations we face.

    Because when we came of age as activists in the 80s, we learned how to chair meetings; we learned how to debate publicly those who were on the far right when the straight slate was campaigning together to be Mayor and council members in the city of Houston. We took the tools that we were given then and the experience we that earned then, and we have been using it in the City of Houston. Small, little, but committed people can make a tremendous difference. That's why I was so glad to come down here. That's why I believe that the new board of this organization is going to change the face of Fort Bend."

    As the inauguration commenced, there is an update on the group's Facebook page via Dawson, "get this, two people who have just moved to Fort Bend from Utah, due to being harassed for being gay, followed our signs because they saw "LGBT" and wanted to find friends. They arrived when everyone else had left and hung out for a while. That event alone sums up exactly why we're doing this work."

    State District Judge Steven Kirkland, State Representative for HD 27 Ron Reynolds, and candidates Fredricka Allen and Pat Olney who are running for different positions were also present for the inaugural membership drive. The Fort Bend LGBT Political Caucus meets on the second Wednesday of every month. For more details, contact you can email fblgbt_political_caucus@yahoo.com or use the social networks below:

    Fort Bend LGBT Political Caucus Facebook Page

    Fort Bend LGBT Twitter

    unspecified
    news/city-life

    hottest headlines of 2025

    Houston's richest residents, best suburbs, and more top city news in 2025

    Amber Heckler
    Dec 22, 2025 | 3:45 pm
    Museum of Fine Arts, Houston gala 2025
    Photo by Wilson Parish
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    Editor’s note: As 2025 comes to a close, we're looking back at the stories that defined Houston this year. In our City Life section, readers will notice several of our local universities earned high praise from prestigious global and national publications. Houston's sprawling suburbs continued to skyrocket in popularity for their livability and safety, and no top-10 list is complete without mentioning the city's wealthiest residents. Read on for the top 10 Houston City Life stories of 2025.

    1. 2 Houston universities named among world’s best in 2026 rankings. These two high-performing local institutions – Rice University and University of Houston – are in a class of their own, according to the QS World University Rankings 2026. QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) compiles the prestigious list each year; the 2026 edition includes more than 1,500 universities from around the world.

    2. Richard Kinder is Houston's richest billionaire in 2025, Forbes says. The Kinder Morgan chairman is the 11th richest Texas resident right now, and ranks as the 108th richest American. Kinder also dethroned Tilman Fertitta to claim the title as the wealthiest Houstonian.

    3. 2 Houston neighbors shine as top-10 best places to live in the U.S. Pearland and League City, respectively, claimed No. 3 and No. 6 in U.S. News & World Report's annual "Best Places to Live in the U.S." rankings. The 2025-2026 rankings examined 250 U.S. cities based on five livability indexes: Quality of life, value, desirability, job market, and net migration.

    4. 5 Houston suburbs deemed best places to retire in 2026 by U.S. News. The Woodlands and Spring should be on the lookout for an influx of retirees next year, U.S. News predicts. Three more Houston-area neighbors also ranked among the top 25 best places to retire in America.

    5. Activist group calls out Houston highway as a 'freeway without a future'. A May 2025 report from Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) included Houston's Interstate 45 expansion on its list of highways with infrastructure that is "nearing the end of its functional life." CNU claims further expansion of Houston's highway system could eventually lead to the loss of the city's bayous, while also diminishing the remaining flood-absorbing land.

    6. 10 things to know about America's first Ismaili Center opening in Houston. After nearly 20 years in the making, the long-awaited Ismaili Center, Houston finally opened its doors to the public. The 11-acre site was painstakingly designed and constructed to offer indoor and outdoor public spaces for all Houstonians to enjoy, connect, and engage.

    7. Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta asking $192 million for superyacht. Fertitta, who owns the Houston Rockets and restaurant and hospitality conglomerate Landry's, decided to sell his 252-foot yacht, named Boardwalk, to make room for an even larger superyacht he is expected to receive in April 2026. Among numerous luxurious amenities, Boardwalk also features a helipad.

    8. 2 Houston neighbors rank among America's safest suburbs in 2025. Spring came in at No. 19 and West University Place followed at No. 21 in SmartAsset's August 2025 study, which is the first time the two Houston suburbs have made it into the top 25.

    9. Houston is one of America's most overpriced cities, study finds. This likely isn't a surprise to some Houstonians. The study, conducted by Highland Cabinetry, said Houston "struggles with heavy pollution and underwhelming income levels."

    10. 9 Houston universities make U.S. News' 2025 list of top grad schools. Among the newcomers this year are Houston Christian University and Texas Southern University. HCU's graduate education school ranks No. 21 in Texas, and TSU has the 10th best law school in the state.

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