If you’ve ever wanted to hear directly from the politicians you’ll be voting for, now’s your chance! 🇺🇸

Join the Courier Texas team tomorrow at POST Houston for On the Ballot: COURIER Live — America in Conversation, a live conversation about the issues shaping Texas in the November election.

Come out for a live forum with candidate for governor Gina Hinojosa and political commentator Don Lemon.

The afternoon will begin with a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) activation at 3 p.m., featuring creators, voter engagement opportunities, and COURIER swag. 🥳 If that doesn’t get you here, we’ll have free food and drinks, plus live music! 🎵

We hope you’ll be part of this special gathering as we bring Texas voices together for conversation, community, and voter engagement. 

Please RSVP to join us. We look forward to seeing you there! 

A story worth sharing with your neighbor

Houston will be hosting a bird photo walk for Latino Conservation Week. (Anna Raj/Courier HTX) 

The Hispanic Access Foundation is kicking off Hispanic Heritage Month with its 13th annual Latino Conservation Week.

Outdoor activities are taking place in Texas and across the country to celebrate the Latino connection to nature and to introduce more people to activities like hiking and kayaking.

Luis Cruz, the foundation’s community engagement manager and Latino Conservation Week coordinator, said some Latinos face language- and transportation-related barriers at parks and recreation centers.

“We hear from our communities that these spaces don’t feel like it’s for them. Camping is not for me, fishing is not for me, enjoying water sports is not for me,” Cruz observed. “This is for someone. And having a meaningful moment in nature that can lead to a lifetime of stewardship is what we hope to inspire.”

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Every contribution helps us keep reporting the stories that too often go uncovered. Thanks for reading and for being part of the Courier Texas community.

Houston’s food and art news

The idea for Flower & Cream came from an ice cream-loaded “Friends” binge-watch. (Anna Raj/Courier HTX)

🧑‍🎤 Two bands playing in H-Town have something to say to Ken Paxton. After White Oak Music Hall hosted the politician well over a month ago, two touring artists set to perform at the venue are making a bold statement. Find out how. 

🍹 One of Houston’s most infamous clubs is up for sale. After closing because of noise complaints, the club that regularly hosted Drake and other celebrities is on the market. Here’s how much it’s going for.

🍽 What’s on my plate 

Even though I live nearby, last weekend was my first time trying Flower & Cream. This artisan ice cream shop has the most unique flavors, like Kahlúa & Cookies and Honey Roasted Strawberry. But I decided to go with a classic: French Vanilla Bean with hot fudge. Did I like it? Let’s just say I’ve had a lot of “cheat days” on my diet recently. 😉

News about work and labor across Houston.

Rachel Klingemann turns millennial nostalgia into art keepsakes. (Anna Raj/Courier HTX)

This 31-year-old Houston-based artist first dipped her toes into internet virality with some help from her dog, Kyle. When Rachel Klingemann, better known by her social media handle @rachyhstudio, posted the antics of her 9-year-old husky, it generated news articles, garnered millions of views and likes, and led to features on well-known blogs like Barstool Sports.

Klingemann even went on to sell stickers of her dog’s face, which became one of her best-selling products. But the Kyle fandom was just the beginning of social media’s support for Klingemann’s art. 

After working at Space Montrose, a small business selling local art, the Texas creator started having conversations with customers and realized that people wanted to buy art about things they loved on social media. Klingemann said, “I thought, ‘What if I combined the people that I love and the art that I love and made it into something that people love to buy?’” 

So this pop-culture-inspired creative got to work. By creating art based on animals and pop culture, Klingemann has built a loyal customer base with 22,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok. Now, the Texas State grad is collaborating with huge brands like JuiceLand and Olipop. We sat down with Klingemann to find out what it really takes to make a living from social media.

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

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