Sometimes, moments in your work remind you why you do what you do.

I had one such moment on Friday, when I got the chance to interview Rev. Dianne Garcia. You can read more of her story below, but I caught up with her during the 90-mile pilgrimage she undertook last week. Garcia was protesting the inhumane conditions at the Dilley Detention Center.

While I was asking her what it takes to basically walk a marathon each day, she said something that really struck me.

“In some ways, I feel like I should get some blisters on my feet. We’re called to carry one another’s burdens, and this is part of that. It’s about raising awareness. It’s about bringing healing.”

What a great reminder to be thankful for what we have and remember how we can use our privilege to uplift others.

In case you missed it: The most clicked link in Friday’s edition was about events at the Houston Rodeo.

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Did you know March is Women’s History Month? While we should be uplifting and celebrating women year-round, it’s great to remember the accomplishments of the women who came before us. There are some amazing women who came from the Space City—Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, and Simone Biles, to name a few.

This week, I want to know:

What current or historical woman do you admire the most?

🏫 After tense feedback from students and parents, the Houston ISD Board of Managers unanimously voted to close 12 schools next year. (Houston Chronicle)

📺 Voters in Texas have a lot to decide on Election Day, from the US Senate to governor and attorney general. Find a Houston watch party near you.

📚 Libraries offer so much more than just book loans—here’s everything you can do with your library card.

🗳 Dozens of candidates are competing for top county roles that will shape budgets, safety, and services across the region. Catch up on Houston-area races.

By Sierra Rozen

By the afternoon of Feb. 28, Rev. Dianne Garcia will have walked 90 miles—from the Dilley Detention Center to the San Antonio Immigration Court—in the hope that her pilgrimage brings awareness to the conditions inside the facility.

Garcia, pastor of the immigrant-led Roca de Refugio Church, has seen 18 members of her congregation detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since last May. To her, the nearly 26 miles she walks each day pale in comparison to what detainees are enduring.

“In some ways, I feel like I should get some blisters on my feet,” Garcia told COURIER Texas. “We’re called to carry one another’s burdens, and this is part of that. It’s about raising awareness. It’s about bringing healing.”

Reports of inhumane conditions—including contaminated food, little to no access to education, and inadequate medical care—have surrounded the detention center in recent months. Across Texas, six deaths have been reported in detention facilities over a six-week period.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Sierra Rozen. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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