Posted By: Amanda Hart You may have heard, anti-choice legislators have proposed some really dangerous bills that will severely limit access to abortion in Texas. Please join us in rallying with the Lilith Fund this Monday evening at Houston’s City Hall! The program begins at 6 pm at City Hall,  901 Bagby. Let’s show Texas legislators that Houston is taking a stand against these attacks on reproductive rights and we are not having it. Program: Introduction: Lilith Fund’s Amanda Williams First speaker: Long-time Houston activist, Andrea Greer Keynote speaker: Houston Representative Jessica Farrar Closing and Action Speech: Lilith Fund’s Tawny ... Read More »

  By: Amanda Hart GOOD and Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS and the Start Something That Matters Foundation, have teamed up to help budding social entrepreneurs launch ideas with the power to change the world—for good! Hundreds of dreamers and world-changers submitted proposals to the Start Something That Matters Challenge for a chance to win $50K in support from GOOD and Mycoskie’s foundation. Erica Raggett, founder of A 2nd Cup in the Houston Heights area, submitted her innovative idea for a coffee shop—a self-sustaining organization that will fight human trafficking by raising awareness, partnering with other anti-trafficking organizations, and generating ... Read More »

By: Amanda Hart The 83rd Texas Legislature has approved a bill that will allow students to carry guns on college campuses but the guns must remain in the students’ vehicle and the student must have the proper state licenses. The House and Senate both passed a proposal by Republican Sen. Glenn Hegar of Katy. According to Senator Hegar the bill is purely about fairness for college students. Bill author Senator Glenn Hegar (R-Katy) presented the bill as a matter of fairness for college students. He pointed out that many Texans legally leave their guns in cars before entering a place ... Read More »

  Editing by Amanda Hart (Reuters) – San Francisco and Houston were chosen on Tuesday as host cities for the 2016 and 2017 Super Bowls after National Football League (NFL) team owners voted for the two ahead of Miami. The San Francisco Bay Area will host the 50th Super Bowl in early 2016 at Levi’s Stadium, the brand new home of the 49ers, which is still under construction. Then Houston will stage the 51st edition of the sport’s championship game in early 2017 at Reliant Stadium, the home of the Texans. Miami, which had already hosted the Super Bowl a ... Read More »

By: Amanda Hart Photo courtesy of Librotraficante In March, FPH covered an important fight that was brewing on the steps of the State Capitol. Our favorite Houston Senator, The Great Dan Patrick, had introduced Senate Bill 1128 which would have redefined what Texas universities could classify as history.  That same day, Texas Republican House of Representative Giovanni Capriglione introduced House Bill 1938  which outlined the same goal as SB 1128. According to the bill(s), “A college or university receiving state support or state aid from public funds may not grant a baccalaureate degree or a lesser degree or academic certificate ... Read More »

By: Amanda Hart March is Women’s History Month. We here at the Free Press decided to celebrate by highlighting women and organizations in our community that are making their own history. Today’s interview is with Lina Aziz. Lina is part of a project that is making strides here in Houston by creating a safe and comfortable environment for South Asian women to talk about their sexuality. What is Yoni Ki Baat? Yoni Ki Baat roughly translates from Hindi as “Talks of the Vagina.” Yoni Ki Baat is a live performance of monologues by women of South Asian origin. The inspiration ... Read More »

By: Amanda Hart March is Women’s History month. We here at the Free Press decided to celebrate by highlighting women and organizations in our community that are making their own history. Today’s interview is with Mission at Serenity Ranch. Mission at Serenity Ranch is a rehabilitation program for victims of human trafficking here in Houston. They are committed to providing the women they serve with not only a safe environment, but also a comprehensive program that will facilitate a smooth transition from recovery to a healthy, confident, capable, and self-reliant member of society. What is Serenity Ranch and how was ... Read More »

  Interview by Amanda Hart  March is Women’s History month. We here at the Free Press decided to celebrate by highlighting women and organizations in our community that are making their own history. Our first interview is with the Houston Area Women’s Center. What is the Houston Area Women’s Center? The Houston Area Women’s Center helps individuals affected by domestic and sexual violence in their efforts to move their lives forward. We provide shelter, counseling, and advocacy to support them in building lives free from the effects of violence. We seek social change to end domestic and sexual violence through ... Read More »

  By: Amanda Hart There is a cat serial killer on the loose in the loop. Since 2008, multiple cats have been mutilated and left for the owners to find in the Heights, Montrose, and River Oaks neighborhoods.  The most recent attack was this past June and occurred in the neighborhood of Lazybrook in the Heights. The victim’s family cat was cut in half and part of the cat was positioned in front of their home in the street and the other half was located ten days later a few blocks away.  The police acknowledged that the cat was mutilated ... Read More »

By: Amanda Hart The Station Museum of Contemporary Arts presents: Liminal Space Contemporary Music Ensemble. Liminal Space is presenting a program of works by American expatriate composer Frederic Rzewski, featuring the politically-charged minimalist masterpieces Coming Together and Attica, inspired by found text related to the 1971 Attica State Prison riot. Liminal Space is: George Heathco, electric guitar and Luke Hubley, marimba and percussion with Special Guest Misha Penton, speaker Liminal Space seeks to develop and present a contemporary alternative within the Houston community, and to serve as a bridge to connect those on the fringe, distanced by the boundaries of genre and style. ... Read More »