What: The Houston Public Library Foundation 120th Anniversary Luncheon

Where: Julia Ideson Building

The scoop: To celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Houston Public Library, more than 200 guests, including academics, elected officials, industry leaders, and philanthropists, gathered for a luncheon inside the historic Julia Ideson Building. Event chairs Michele Leal Farah and Mimi Brown hosted the affair, which featured a compelling keynote by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and University of Houston professor Cristina Garza, who shared personal reflections on the power of literature.

Mayor John Whitmire added remarks on the importance of keeping one’s imagination active through reading. The luncheon raised $235,000 to support the foundation’s mission of lifelong learning, thanks in part to sponsors including the Astros Foundation and H-E-B.

Who: Becky Reyes, Cindy Garza, LaDonna Weems, Federico Salas-Isnardi, Alice Hahn, Sally Evans, Jose Medrano, Rome Street, Neha Goyal, Susan Hanzik, Kate Dentler, Sarah Lenny, Hope Obika, Sofia Gonzalez, Rosalinda Martinez, Cathryn Martinez, Katy Bacon, Sofia Jimenez, Nicole Jimenez, Rocio Mendoza, Lucia Mendoza, Cathy Shu, Ada Wang, Julie Finck, Katy Tsuru, Christina Gola, and Lauren Gottlieb-Miller.

  

Photo by Quy Tran

Jason Smith, Mayor John Whitmire, Council Member Julian Ramirez.