rounding up your thoughts

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo solicits public comments for 2021

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo may look very different next year.

Photo courtesy of RodeoHouston

As large-scale events are put on hold due to the pandemic, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo wants to hear from you as they plan ahead for next year's rodeo.

The rodeo is conducting a survey that's designed to help officials address any concerns you might have about next year's event.

This year's rodeo was shut down in March due to the coronavirus, just days after opening.

According to an email sent to ticket buyers, the rodeo has partnered with a consulting firm to help with the survey, which the organization said will "help them understand what safety precautions and operational changes you would like to see implemented when events are held at public assembly facilities."

The survey covers everything from entry, parking, food and beverage services, and seating.

In one question, the survey asks you to rate your opinion on factors such as new COVID-19 cases, testing availability, social distancing, plastic shields and mask mandates from "extremely important" to "not important at all."

Another question asks: If you were required to wear a mask in order to attend an event, would you still attend?

In June, the rodeo announced next year's cook-off dates. Not only were new dates announced, but the board of directors also announced their new leadership.

Dr. Chris Boleman was named the new CEO and president of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo after Joel Cowley said he was departing last month.

The 2021 rodeo will start on March 2 and run through March 21.

It's unclear where the results of the survey will be posted or if they will be released to the public.

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a beautiful mind

Houston Health Museum's new exhibit shines a light on dyslexia

Sarah Sudhoff created "The Reading Brain" in honor of her son.

Photo by Rose Tylinski

"The Reading Brain" replicates neuron activity in a dyslexic brian while reading

No, "The Reading Brain" isn't the title of a B-horror film from the 1960s. It's a brand new installation at the Houston Health Museum that explores dyslexia.

The piece was created by Houston-based artist Sarah Sudhoff, in partnership with Dr. Guinevere Eden, Director of the Center for the Study of Learning at Georgetown University. Hanging from the ceiling of the Health Museum, it uses light-up colored circles to represent the frontal lobe activity of a dyslexic person while reading. MRI scans of dyslexic brains formed the foundation of the light activity. Sudhoff's own son has dyslexia, and she had to adapt her homeschooling of him to account for his neurodivergence. As much as 20 percent of the American population is dyslexic.

"The Reading Brain" grew out of a similar exhibit at the DoSeum in San Antonio. "Beautiful Minds: Dyslexia and the Creative Advantage" challenged visitors to see dyslexia not as a learning disability but as simply a different way some human brains work. The exhibit featured videos, stories, and art work by dyslexic individuals that show how they succeed and create, as well as a selection of brain puzzles used to teach dyslexic people.

“Even though your brain works differently, it still lights up and is beautiful to watch, a wonderful machine you have. It just means you have to navigate and pivot a little differently,” Sudhoff said.

Sudhoff's innovative bridge between science and art is a permanent part of the Health Museum's MindWorks exhibit. Like "The Reading Brain," MindWorks maps out thinking processes through light and hands-on activities. The exhibit will close on January 5, meaning visitors have a very short time to see Sudhoff's piece.

The Health Museum is a hidden gem in Museum District located a block away from the Children's Museum. It houses a variety of exhibits about the human body, such as a giant plastic colon that kids love to run through. Since opening in 1969, the museum has helped Houstonians and visitors from around the world learn about the way the body works as well well as public health protocols. As the only Smithsonian Affiliate Museum in the Houston Museum District, it has a high educational pedigree despite it's colorful and often whimsical offerings.

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