Features

Want transportation equity? Be an accomplice, not an ally

Tamika L. Butler loves biking, transit and transportation, and she advocates for all three because she cares about her family and wants to build a better world for them. That’s why, when talking about transportation, planning and the built environment — especially now, when transit agencies are considering drastic cuts because of the pandemic — she always talks about race.

America is more diverse than ever, but diversity doesn’t equal equality

In the time since the Immigration and Nationality Act was signed in 1965, the demographics of Houston have changed dramatically. In 1980, the city was 55% white, 28% Black and 17% Hispanic. Today, the population is 25% white, 22% Black, around 7% Asian and nearly 45% Hispanic. Despite Houston’s high level of diversity, the city’s neighborhoods are segregated to a large degree.

The Black Church has been getting ‘souls to the polls’ for more than 60 years

At Black churches up and down the U.S., religious slogans have been supplanted with another message in the run up to Nov. 3: Vote!

An economist makes the case for school integration

Contrary to popular opinion, efforts to integrate schools in the 1970s and 1980s were overwhelmingly successful, says economist Rucker C. Johnson. Johnson argues that we must renew our commitment to integration for the sake of all Americans.

Libraries are crucial to disaster recovery, but the coronavirus is keeping them closed

In many places, the public library often functions as a community center — a free and shared space that provides crucial social infrastructure for neighborhoods. That’s especially true when a disaster such as Hurricane Harvey hits. But what happens when a crisis like COVID-19 keeps libraries closed for five months and counting.

On this Juneteenth, a look at how an expanded ‘Black commons’ could help undo slavery’s racist legacy

Land loss has plagued Black America since emancipation — is it time to look again at ‘Black commons’ and collective ownership?

How the mayor of Washington D.C. used ‘graffiti’ to protect public space

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered “BLACK LIVES MATTER” to be painted on a street near the White House. The act would have been considered vandalism had it not been done by city workers.

They were studying urban inequalities when a pandemic that worsens disparities hit

When colleges and universities moved to online classes in response to the coronavirus pandemic, student fellows in the Kinder Institute’s Community Bridges program pivoted as well, turning their focus to the relationship between COVID-19 and inequality.

If you’re lucky enough to work from home, where will home be after the pandemic?

The COVID-19 crisis forced many companies to quickly transition to work from home. Now, as the economy continues to open up, businesses have to decide if they’ll go back to the onsite world of the old normal or continue with the remote-work model of the new normal. Employees of companies that choose the latter will have more options for where they live and office, including the Urban Hotel, the Suburban Workshop and the Exurban Metropolis.

From civic pride to slowing traffic, public art for the public good

Public art is an important part of urban design that strengthens community identity and pride. It can have cultural and economic benefits for neighborhoods and it’s accessible to everyone. Great and unexpected pieces of public art can be found across Houston. And best of all, it can be enjoyed at a safe distance from others.

Parks and re-creation: How better green spaces are revitalizing cities

New York City Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver discussed how innovative projects have transformed many of the city’s parks as well the lives of residents.

Parks and public spaces: How Houston ranks and some of our favorites

If the Trust for Public Land’s annual ParkScore rankings mean anything to you, Houston’s steady slide over the past seven years may surprise, concern, frustrate or alarm you. The nonprofit’s evaluation of “park access and quality” — based on an assessment of access, investment, acreage and amenities — puts Houston at No. 85 among the nation’s 100 largest cities. Overall, the city’s parks get a score of 35.3.

In Acres Homes, a homegrown effort to make healthy foods accessible

The Acres Homes Health Action Team is contending with food insecurity, health disparities and climate change and more. It’s also excited and passionate about the Acres Homes community and making it stronger.

Bus rapid transit is coming. Here’s what you need to know.

Bus rapid transit — BRT for short — is part of METRO’s plan for improving public transportation in the Houston area. It will feaure 75 miles of MetroRapid service on dedicated, bus-only lanes. Here’s a breakdown of BRT.

Understanding Houston: How a business manager navigates his multi-county commute in Houston

This is a part of a series connected to our partnership with the Greater Houston Community Foundation's regional project Understanding Houston. This story, and others in the series, also appears on the Understanding Houston website.