Thought for the Start of the New Year

Demographics and Destiny...

This past Tuesday I had the opportunity to present a "State of the District" message to those gathered at the Southwest 2000 Bi-Monthly Breakfast hosted by Houston Baptist University. In preparation for my presentation I consulted the "Council District J Profile" produced by the City's Planning and Development Department. The "Profile" can be found for review as an icon attachment at the District J website.

The Profile information is compiled from the 2010 U.S. Census data. It gives us a snapshot of the communities in District J when it was created along with District K.

The Profile confirms much of what we know intuitively about our neighborhoods - simply because we live here. Just over 181,000 persons call this part of Houston home. The District is three times as densely populated than the rest of Houston, hosting 9,000 persons per square mile to the City's 3,100 persons per square mile. We are profoundly ethnically diverse - both from a residential and commercial stand point. Sixty-Eight percent (68%) of our households speak a language other than English at home. I firmly believe that it is the international connections of our people that will help District J lead Houston in international economic development in the coming years.

We are not without our challenges though. While 66% of our population is between the ages of 18 and 64, 41% of the population does not have a high school diploma. The District is home to 75,240 total housing units (both apartments and single family residences), yet 79% of those are renter occupied. Most concerning is that the median household income for District J has fallen nearly $7,000.00 in the past decade to $30,269.

While these numbers help us accurately understand who we are as a community, they do not determine our destiny. They serve as a starting point. I profoundly believe that the decent, hard-working people of District J will come together to build a community filled with pride and optimism. With effort and good will, we will build a better southwest Houston.

Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., Day...

Perhaps it is the coincidence of the release of the movie "Lincoln," the current PBS series "The Abolitionists," and the 150th Anniversary of Lincoln's issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation that seems to give the coming birthday celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., more poignancy this year.  

In a recent interview, the director of the PBS series, "The Abolitionists," Rob Rapley stated this about the living power of the Emancipation Proclamation:  

"I think it's really a testament to the power of the individual. These characters were up against overwhelming odds. In hindsight, it seems like the end of slavery was inevitable, but it was in fact about the most unlikely thing in the world. And a very small set of people set this vortex in motion, which eventually swept up the country and changed our history for the better. It really is so easy to lose sight of the fact that if you're dedicated enough and if you have a clear vision of something right and true that you can, in fact, effect change."

Clearly this is true for the life of Dr. King. Let us all take a moment to reflect on how his example can help us too become agents for change in our community.

Welcome to Ahmad Chughtai, your new District J Agenda & Policy Director...

Join me in welcoming Ahmad Chughtai as our new District J Agenda and Policy Director. As I mentioned last month, Jeremy Brown has taken on the job of District Director for Senator Rodney Ellis, Senate District 13.

Ahmad assumes the Agenda and Policy Director with unique experience. Most recently he has served as an educator at Burbank Middle School in the Houston ISD. Ahmad is a graduate of the University of Houston. He majored in Political Science and served the campus as a Senator in the Student Senate. Ahmad is currently a second year law student at the University of Houston Law Center.

I hope you will join me in welcoming Ahmad Chughtai to your District J office staff.

Sharpstown Civic Association Launches New Security Program 

The Sharpstown Civic Association (SCA) officially launched an expanded security patrol program on Monday, December 17th, 2012. The vendor selected is Houston-based S.E.A.L. Security. With as many as three marked "SHARPSTOWN PATROL" units on duty at a time, primarily during the day, the program is another layer of protection for residents. The project is the result of many months of due diligence by the SCA Safety & Security Committee as they prepared and issued a request-for-proposal in the fall. With many bids in hand, they evaluated each one based on multiple factors, including training, experience, resources, cost and conducting on-site interviews to make the final selection. The process was objective and data-driven, as the committee reviewed crime reports to get a better feel for where and when the resources would be most effective.  

Jim Bigham, SCA President, remarked, "The Sharpstown subdivision is overwhelmingly safe and secure, with very little crime. We do have some property crimes, like driveway thefts, burglaries, and auto thefts.  We believe this program will be effective in reducing them."

The subdivision has been segmented into three "sectors"- generally east of 59, Fondren to Gessner, and west of Gessner - in order for patrols to be highly visible and responsive. The Officers are armed, private security contractors who specialize in K-9 operations. Officers and their K-9 partners are also on the ground conducting patrols of the public areas within the subdivision. Sharpstown Patrol Officers remain inside the neighborhood 100% of their time, and are accountable through GPS monitoring. With value-added services such as vacation watches and phone dispatch, the SCA Board believes the new initiative will be very effective.

For more information visit www.sharpstowncivic.org, or contact the SCA office at 713-789-2311; S.E.A.L. 24 hr Operations can be reached at 713-422-2770.

Sharpstown High School Toy Drive Benefits Bonham Elementary Students  

Additionally, Sharpstown High School received a $10,000 check from "Dropout Nation" director Frank Koughan to be used for college scholarship opportunities.  Sharpstown High School also got word that the grant was approved for the on-site clinic partnership with Jane Long Middle School/Memorial Hermann.   It will open at the beginning of the next school year and will have a mobile dental clinic also on site.

Principal Gasparello sends his thanks for your support and trust in finding ways to continue to improve the way Sharpstown High School works with students and the community. 

ECHOS Back To School Health Fair - January 12  

ECHOS is hosting a Back To School Health Fair this Saturday, January 12, from 9am to noon at 

For more information, please call call ECHOS at 713-270-0369 . 

District J Spotlight - St Agnes' Sister Jane Meyer Named One of Houston's Most Influential Women 

Houston Woman Magazine has released its annual special edition naming 50 of Houston's most influential women for 2012. Head of School Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P. at St. Agnes Academy was selected for the honor this year from among hundreds nominated for recognition by current subscribers and then selected by the magazine's staff.

"Each of the women profiled in this edition is intelligent and interesting," said Executive Editor Beverly Denver. "Each is actively engaged in a variety of activities that move her forward in her career and permit her to make significant contributions to our community."

Sr. Jane Meyer, O.P. was herself a graduate of St. Agnes Academy, returning to the school in 1981 as principal. She has served as the Head of School since 1997, inspiring the mission and vision of the Academy while ensuring faith development and academic excellence for more than 850 Houston-area young women each year.

Among those chosen for the award are City Council members, energy executives, attorneys, financial portfolio managers, philanthropists, business owners, and nonprofit executives. For a full list of honorees, visit the magazine's website at www.houstonwomanmagazine.com.

January is National Blood Donor Month  

At the start of a new year and new resolutions, the District J office asks you to consider resolving to become a blood donor.  January is National Blood Donor Month and many companies and organizations around Houston are hosting Blood Drives.

If you would like to become a blood donor, please visit the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Bank's website at www.giveblood.org to find a blood drive near you.