Connect Community: A Dash of Fall in Gulfton

6700B Bellaire Blvd. Houston TX 77074 | Tel: 281.879.3042

At a time when judgment and fear can supersede understanding, we want to see what happens when we remove the labels that define us and, instead, listen to the stories and experiences that shape us. Will it change how we treat our friends? Our neighbors? Or even strangers?

Join us on a storytelling experiment titled “FNU,” a play on the commonly appointed label “First Name Unknown (FNU)” given to many new immigrants who arrive in the U.S. with only one name.

*All featured stories are from Gulfton/Sharpstown residents & community members. We do not share anyone’s identity unless approved to do so.

F.N.U

THE MAN WITH THE “RED” SHOES

In Pakistan, we believe in arranged marriage and it is the expectation that most people will marry the person their parents/family choose for them. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have our own version of a love story.

I still remember the first time I met my husband. It was in the middle of the summer and everyone was taking an afternoon nap. I happened to be awake when someone knocked on our door. My cousin had mentioned that he would be stopping by, so when I heard a knock I assumed it was him. It is not customary in my country for women to open the front door to strangers, but since everyone was sleeping I did something silly. I looked down at the small space between the door and the floor. There I saw the “red” shoes. The shoes are called “Sri Sapilee” meaning “red,” but are actually brown in color and resembled shoes that my cousin wore. So I flew open the door. Except it wasn’t my cousin.

Click here to read more.

WELCOMING TWO NEW CONNECTORS

Thanks to our partners at Legacy Community Health, we recently welcomed two new Americorps Community Connectors. Please help us give a hearty welcome to Atheer & Noelia! They are both community members, mothers and advocates. They will work alongside Erika & Tayiba to help newcomers to Gulfton/Sharpstown get acclimated to the neighborhood and get connected to resources and one another. Our Connectors perform critical work in the neighborhood and we are delighted to have them as part of our team!

To learn more about the languages they speak
and how to contact them, click here!

GULFTON ROBOTICS – So Shiny and Chrome!

Gulfton officially has a robotics team! Connect Community formed a partnership with Spectrum 3847, the joint Engineering and FIRST Robotics Competition team composed of both Strake Jesuit College Preparatory and St. Agnes Academy students, to start a robotics program for middle school children in the Gulfton/Sharpstown neighborhoods.

This past summer, Connect and Spectrum created a week-long engineering camp. Based on the enthusiasm and positive feedback, we started two FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams to encourage students to think like engineers. Students design, build, and program robots from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, which can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming.

Spectrum’s pilot Gulfton/Sharpstown robotics program is designed to nurture student growth, learning and love of STEM. We hope to lay the groundwork for a sustainable engineering program for Connect Community. The essential STEM skills they learn could change life trajectories by creating scholarship opportunities for college and upward economic mobility.

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING:

Are you looking for the perfect gift for your daughter, mother or best gal friend? Well look no further. Check out our new line of Fall Pickleball skorts at www.htxsewngoods.com. They are stylish, comfortable and figure flattering. And you do not need to play pickleball to enjoy them!

Best of all, every purchase provides a fair wage to our sewists and allows them to continue building their skills. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

We also have a limited number of summer skorts left, so visit our website to pick out your favorite holiday gift.

CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO COMMUNITY

GYC Fellows have been busy with back-to-back community events this past month. On Oct. 16, 14 young people participated in a Mud Run and for many, it was their first race ever. They supported each other as a team as they jogged, laughed and worked through various obstacle challenges together.

And on Nov. 6th, GYC fellows contributed a collective 30 hours to “tilling the soil” at the St. Luke’s – Gethsemane Campus garden. Ron, who manages the garden, noted without the help of the fellows, the work done would have taken them multiple weekends to complete. St. Luke’s harvests between 6,000 and 8,000 pounds of food; all of which is donated to the food pantry.

PEDESTRIANS AND LEAFY GREENS

Did you know that Gulfton is eleven degrees hotter than any other Houston neighborhood? A lack of tree canopy and lots of concrete have combined to create heat island effects in this pedestrian-strong neighborhood. Connect and other community partners are joining together on various projects to create safer pedestrian crossings and wider walkways, improved tree canopy to mitigate flooding and reduce the impact of heat radiation. If adequately designed, green corridors can improve urban ventilation, allowing for cooler air from outside to penetrate into the more densely built areas like Gulfton, thus reducing the urban heat island effect. Urban areas can also have positive effects for human health and climate change adaptation.

In this vein, we are excited to announce three new projects! Connect Comnunity will be partnering with several non-profit and government agencies to:

Improve the overall sidewalks in Gulfton, making it easier and safer to travel by foot. A study conducted by Kinder Institute noted Gulfton as one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Houston for walking.
Adding micro parks and planting new foliage to add shaded areas that help reduce the overall impact of heat in the neighborhood, especially during the summer months. A study conducted by CAPA Strategies and supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) heat mapped the city and found the urban areas in Gulfton to have some of the greatest impact from heat.
Combining Art + Education to help reduce traffic speed on Hillcroft and integrate the neighborhood culture to streetscapes.

Keep an eye out for future updates on all three of these projects!

THE COMMUNITY BULLETIN:

METRO is hiring Bus Operators & Mechanics. Training is included and you can earn $17/hour immediately. Includes vacation, paid holidays, sick leave and more! To learn more or to apply, visit https://jobs.ridemetro.org
Social Motions, an organization that will be providing after school services to students with special needs in the neighborhood, is hiring teachers and part time teaching assistants. Click the job descriptions to learn more!
Are you currently employed as a waitress, hotel staff member, store cashier or other job in the service industry? You may be eligible for 1 year of FREE childcare! Click here to learn more and apply!
Was your home impacted by the Winter Storm? Income limits have been increased and you may now qualify for repair and reimbursement assistance! Click here to learn more and to apply.
Do you own a small business? Verizon Small Business Digital Ready may be able to help you grow your business! They are offering personalized content, coaching, networking and incentives for those who qualify! Learn More and Apply Today!
YMCA Houston will be hosting a ‘Community Baby Shower ’ for all families in need of essential supplies for their young ones. Stop by the YMCA on 6309 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houston Tx 77012 on Friday, Nov. 19 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 pm to pick up free supplies for babies, including diapers for newborn to size 6, bibs, baby food, wipes and feminine care products.
Are you looking for a great way for you or your kids to stay active? Join the CONNECT YMCA and learn about the many classes, clinics and group exercises available to you.

IN THE NEWS:

Listen to Chef Adam Garcia & Executive Director Meredith Davis talk to Eric Sandler from Culture Map about their rising star chefs at PX Project, an initiative of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. Our hearts (and our stomachs!) are filled with joy watching these budding chefs learn skills in and out of the kitchen!
Check out the newest ride in town — the 309 Gulfton Circulator!! A special METRO bus for GULFTON ONLY, this circulator is the best way to get around town and to connect to other parts of the city including Texas Medical Center, Downtown and more! Check out the 309 feature on Metro Matters or view the schedule and route here!

WHAT WE ARE READING:

Assembly by Natasha Brown is an unflinching look at how someone who supposedly “has it all” still cannot escape the assumptions of others based on the color of her skin. Her spare style makes for a quick, gut-punch of a read.
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown is a bit of a compilation of her other books but we at Connect Community strive to lead in unique and personal ways with each other, and the broader community. This book gives actionable tools and insight into how to do it.
What Happened To You: Through a conversation between Dr. Bruce Perry, a brain and trauma expert, and Oprah Winfrey, we learn how our brain processes early experiences that influence our lives for years to come. This is a must read for anyone looking to understand and process their own stories and upbringing.