This weekend kicks off the 18th annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival, a film fest with 35 screenings across the city. This year’s theme, “My Eyes Are Playing Tricks on Me,” looks at the relationship between image and truth. You’ll see films dealing with topics like AI, surveillance, identity, and politics. The fest will feature workshops, live performances, and even conversations with filmmakers.

A film on academic freedom will be screened this Sunday. (Courtesy of “First They Came for My College”) 

One film being screened is particularly relevant to recent headlines.

“First They Came for My College,” being screened on Sunday, delves into the controversy surrounding the 2023 conservative takeover of a college in Florida by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Remind you of anything?

Earlier this spring, our DFW political correspondent Katie Serrano reported on right-wing attacks on Texas universities like UNT and UTA, which have been the subject of teaching bans on gender, sexuality, and race by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Universities like UTA have been under attack for their DEI initiatives. (Courtesy of UTA)

Katie’s article gets into some of the same parallels in statewide laws you’ll see at Sunday’s screening. If you can’t make it this weekend, don’t sweat it. The Houston Cinema Arts Festival is screening films through until Oct. 11.

💸 Watch Wednesday’s heated exchange at Houston City Council, covered by our Houston political correspondent ShaVonne Herndon, where former Houston Controller Chris Brown publicly addressed questions about his $127,000 adviser role for the first time.

🕯 A renowned Gulf Coast chef and restaurateur was found dead in Houston this week at his local restaurant, Nola Chicken & Waffles. Here’s the impact his death is having on the foodie community from New Orleans to H-Town.

🏘 3,400 homes are set to be built on the coast southwest of Houston, where a master-planned community will feature two elementary schools, parks, and retail outlets. Find out more.

Our supporter drive wrapped up on Sept. 30, and we’re grateful to every reader who chipped in. Whether you gave $5 or $500, you helped keep Courier Texas delivering factual, free information to communities across Texas.

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Houston Public Library has partnered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to provide more Texas families with free books. (Ed Uthman/CC BY 3.0)

By Sam Cohen

One of the most enduring parts of country music legend Dolly Parton’s legacy is her Imagination Library. For over 30 years, the organization has been providing one free book a month to children around the world from infancy until they turn five years old.

Now, the Houston Public Library (HPL) is helping to put books into even more families’ homes through an agreement recently reached with Parton’s nonprofit.

According to Axios Houston, the Imagination Library of Greater Houston hopes to enroll additional families in the literacy program by designating the Houston Public Library system a “Family Touch Point” for the community.

Staff within the HPL system will be able to assist parents and guardians who wish to register qualifying kids.

Learn how to keep your neighborhood green at a rainwater workshop this weekend. (Anna Raj/Courier HTX)

🏙 The Houston Futures Festival is coming to Third Ward this weekend for free workshops, conversations, performances, and resources that residents can use to help shape the future of our city.

🏫 Hobby Fest is bringing scholarship initiatives to students at this neighborhood gathering in Dow Park. Enjoy live entertainment and explore educational and public safety resources with the community.

📚 Celebrate Hispanic Heritage by encouraging literacy in your community with the annual Fiesta at HCPL. This event will feature author storytimes and mariachis.

☔ Keep your neighborhood beautiful by learning about conservation techniques at this Rain Barrel Workshop in Friendswood. Stick around for a Q&A with the Galveston Bay Foundation staff and learn how collecting rainwater can help the environment.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Anna Raj and edited by Paula Solis.

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