Community Matters

(Community Matters) Steven and I made the Fuse Box rounds last night, attending Stacked Cow & Other Dances at Salvage Vanguard, Masturwork at Mexi-Arte and Reggie Watts at the Long Center.

Choreographer Deborah Hay & ST at Salvage Vanguard

At Mexi-Arte for Masturwork. It was especially fun to see their work since we’ve met most of these artists from Mexico City.

Maximo & Raquel Olvera

Soledad Labaca Gonnet

Soledad & Maximo’s partner, poet Ivan Buenader

Finally, at the Long Center we were joined by several guests to see the “tornado on a stage,” Andy Kaufman award winner, Reggie Watts.

Reggie Watts – ck him out here

Lily Saad and Barbara Engel

Kimberly & Dan Renner

Festival producer Ron Berry & Angie Carter

Others who joined us for Reggie Watts: Yigal Saad, Carla & Jack McDonald, Kristi & Scott Eckert and Jill McRae & Stephen Yelenosky.

(Community Matters) First time to the Mexican American Cultural Center last night. It’s located in the Rainey Street neighborhood, just west of I-35, south of Cesar Chavez Blvd.

(Community Matters) PeopleFund sponsored a lunch presentation by Irvine, CA Mayor Beth Krom as part of its PeopleTalk series yesterday at the Alamo Drafthouse. Mayor Krom is a UT alum who’s lived in Irvine since 1985 as a teacher, business owner, mother and now mayor. She created Irvine’s land trust to promote long-high quality affordable housing. Mayor Will Wynn was on hand for introductions.

PeopleFund has launched its land trust (PeopleTrust) – under the governance of a support organization overseen by Margo Weisz, Jim Walker, Mike Cook and Don Kendrick and run by Kelly Weiss (attorney & former manager of city housing programs). We run the affordable housing programs for Matt Whelan and Catellus at the Robert Mueller Airport development.

Mayor Krom, Kelly Weiss, Margo Weisz

Lots of friends in yesterday’s audience including Carol Thompson, Hank Jones, Henrietta and Adrian Neely, Debbie Ramirez, Sean Garretson, Stuart Hersch and Cathy Echols. Tom Terkel and RECA co-hosted the dinner honoring Mayor Krom.

(Community Matters) The ethics of local campaigns continue to deteriorate. The Culleton /Meeker ads and Jennifer Kim’s inauthentic jibes about Randi Shade’s supporters, who, as the AAS reports, Jennifer first solicited here.

Some of my dear friends – some with whom I helped launch LiveableCity – are misled in their choice of which candidate will help protect & balance neighborhoods, jobs, the environment, our quality of life. I’ve held back in my comments re: Jennifer because we’ve been friends. However, compounded by the hypocrisy reported today, I will point out, Jennifer’s teetering leadership of the Affordable Housing Taskforce – to which she appointed me – waffled between supporting affordable housing advocates to in the end being wowed by opponents of affordable housing for downtown. Only after Randi entered the race did Jennifer work to get the watered down recommendations to the council dais and to include downtown affordabiity requirements.

Today we read that she personally solicited the support of business leaders who, having turned her down, she now condemns. Jennifer’s lack of maturity (exhibited in her council relationships, tantrums at traffic stops & airport security, and most recent challenges with truth telling) is a liability. Regrettably, she hasn’t grown in her position as you’d expect – well, at least not until the last few months when she’s had an oppponent.

Randi’s been an authentic political progressive for the 15+ years I’ve known her. She’s an enlightened, successful internet entrepreneur who understands that Austin’s quality of life – Barton Springs, our neighborhoods, our funky unique culture – give us the competitive advantage to maintain a healthy & vibrant economy. She doesn’t recreate herself according to the political winds.

(Community Matters) Super duper meeting this afternoon with potential partners for rehabing Chestnut homes of low-income, elderly, longtime residents of the Chestnut neighborhood. Some of the proceeds from Tom & Lynn Meredith’s donation of land and a portion of profits from Chestnut Commons here are earmarked for this project. Mike Cook, Rudy Green and I are the advisors for these Austin Community Foundation affordable housing monies. Currently sounding out potential partners for this important project.

(Community Matters) State reps Mark Strama and Donna Howard spent 1 1/2 hours today with the Education Funders group briefing us on the legislative process and points on advocacy. Very helpful insights. This new group launched by the KDK-Harman Foundation, Webber Family Foundation and Greater Texas Foundation.

(Community Matters) No big surprise after the invites which facilitated Rev. Wright’s speeches during the last week have also been traced to other Clinton supporters. Now, sources of illegal robo-calls in North Carolina, Arizona, Vermont, Wisconsin and Michigan also traced to Clinton supporters here. Sad really. Willing to scare voters and tear the country apart. Yeah, just what we’ve come to expect.

(Community Matters) The very cool company, Sweet Leaf Tea, is showing its moxy in social entrepreneurship as well. They’re helping kick off a national food drive by donating nearly 1,000 cases of tea. Their founder, Clayton Christopher, as well as the company is well known for dedication to good causes. Just a couple of weeks ago, EF’s Alyson Stolpman rode with the team in the MS 150. Clayton’s a 2006 E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year. They regularly donate to EF events, including our upcoming Spring Service Day benefittng Lifeworks.

(Community Matters) I was late migrating to Explorer 7.0 and have encountered nothing but grief & slow responses ever since. Okay, now a late train supporter of Firefox.

(Community Matters) Their new album coming out in June. The new single available free here.

(Community Matters) The best of all worlds, Steven and I celebrate 3 anniversaries – our first successful date (4/30/99), commitment ceremony (5/6/00) and Canadian wedding (7/24/04). Hard now to believe we couldn’t stand each other on our first date (about a month prior). He was aloof and thought I was a player. Hmm . . . .

Can’t imagine life being any better. Steven, happy anniversary. I love you.