Reason (Vivek)

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 1001 Bissonnet, Houston

In this monumental documentary, veteran Indian filmmaker Anand Patwardhan explores how India’s political climate has moved dramatically away from the nonviolent teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Organized in chapters that move from the past to the present, Reason unflinchingly chronicles the rise of right-wing extremism and recent instances of violence, yet concludes with a message of cautious optimism.

Free

Screening of Anand Patwardhan’s film Reason

Museum of Fine Arts Houston 1001 Bissonnet St, , Houston

In this monumental documentary, veteran Indian filmmaker Anand Patwardhan explores how India’s political climate has moved dramatically away from the nonviolent teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. Organized in chapters that move from the past to the present, Reason unflinchingly chronicles the rise of right-wing extremism and recent instances of violence, yet concludes with a message of cautious optimism. The screening includes a 15-minute intermission.

Free

Heading for Extinction–and what to do about it

2506 Sutherland 2506 Sutherland, Houston

"Heading for Extinction--and what to do about it" is the classic Extinction Rebellion presentation known as "the talk", given with a Houston twist. Please join us to learn the scope and scale of our current predicament, why current approaches are flawed, and how you can make a difference.

Please join us, bring a friend or two, and make it a lively Q&A after the presentation

Free

Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 1001 Bissonnet, Houston

This remarkable documentary chronicles the late 20th century into the 21st, as experienced by a woman who might be the original news junkie. Marion Stokes (1929–2012) became known as a passionate activist, articulately espousing her leftist views on local television in Philadelphia.

Recorder pulls you into her secret life, revealing that she spent decades obsessively recording TV programs around the clock. From the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis to the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, Stokes captured revolutions, wars, triumphs, catastrophes, bloopers, talk shows, and commercials on 70,000 VHS tapes. A second marriage brought wealth, but she ultimately became a recluse who saw her life’s work to be protecting the truth by archiving everything on TV.

$7 – $65

Ghosts of Sugar Land

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 1001 Bissonnet, Houston

Ghosts of Sugar Land examines the radicalization of a young American Muslim. Through interviews with his friends, the documentary tells the story of “Mark,” who converted to Islam before college and became radicalized shortly thereafter. A number of years ago, through Facebook posts, “Mark” stated that he crossed over from Turkey to the “Islamic State.” His friends from Sugar Land, Texas—all masked to protect their identities—hypothesize about what may have happened that led their friend to join ISIS. Ghosts of Sugar Land won the Nonfiction Jury Award for Short Film at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

Free

Benefit Concert for Christmas at the Jail

Dan Electros Guitar Bar 1031 E 24th St, Houston

Benefit concert for End Mass Incarceration (organization that puts on Christmas at the Jail) featuring the ElectroLuv Elf Party w/ Xombies, Jes & Friends, Kasama, Robert Kuhn. Come on down!!

$5 – $10

Close the Detention Centers! End the Raids and Deportations!

Never Again Action-Houston will hold a demonstration at the home of David Denenburg at 3043 Locke Ln, on Monday, December 23, beginning at 5:30 pm. Denenburg is a co-owner of the building at 419 Emancipation Avenue which is being leased to Southwest Key for use as an immigrant child detention center. We demand that Denenburg cancel the lease with Southwest Key and that this facility and all other immigrant detention centers be closed! We demand that all the raids and deportations targeting immigrants end!

10th Annual Muslim-Jewish Roundtable

Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism 801 Bering Drive., Houston

This is our 10th year of coordinating a Muslim Jewish Christmas, an event where members of the Muslim community and members of the Jewish community get together. This year, there will be two simultaneous Muslim-Jewish Christmas Events in Houston with several more Muslim and Jewish organizations participating.

The theme for this year is “Standing Up for One Another.” As division and hatred become more common in our communities, honest conversation is something that we must do. As both of our communities are at the receiving end of hate, it’s important for us to come together to better understand one another.

The goal of this event has always been very simple – to come together on a day when we don’t have any other commitments and talk about our similarities and differences surrounding a specific theme.

Free

Christmas at the Jails VII

Harris County Jail San Jacinto St. at Baker St., Houston, TX, United States

On Christmas Eve this year, End Mass Incarcation Houston, in association with The Positive Black Male Association of Houston, Houston Peace and Justice Center, and Bering United Methodist Church, will change the world with Love. We will give gifts to children, visiting their jailed parents, as they emerge from the two largest jails in the city. Join us as we try to heal some of the wounds inflicted by this world on the most innocent in it. In this we are in part healed too. Come out and receive the greatest gift of all. Bring unwrapped gifts and your smile. Gifts of money may be sent to HPJC.org (mention 'Jails') and are tax deductible. Call Michael at 281-714-8278 for more information.

Free

HPJC September Executive Committee Meeting

TBH (Talento Bilingüe de Houston) 333 S. Jensen Drive, Houston, TX, United States

Taking place (usually) the first Saturday of every month, and open to the public, is HPJC’s Executive Committee meeting. However, voting only takes place at our Quarterly Board Meeting, which is also open to the public.

No War on Iran! U.S. Out of the Middle East!

Discovery Green 1500 McKinney, Houston

As people living in this country, we have a special obligation to oppose war on Iran and demand the withdrawal of U.S. military forces, mercenaries, and intelligence agents from the Middle East. Please join for an energetic demonstration against war and imperialism.

Potluck and Movie: Imprisoning a Generation

Live Oak Friends Meeting House 1318 W. 26th, Houston, TX, United States

Imprisoning a Generation is a 50-minute documentary film that follows the stories of four young Palestinians who have been detained and imprisoned in the Israeli military detention system and prosecuted in Israeli military courts. Their perspectives, along with the voices of their families, combine to form a lens into the entangled structures of oppression that expand well beyond the prison walls.

Free

Going Green in Houses of Worship – Learn from Others!

1st Congregational Church 10840 Beinhorn Rd., Houston

The Interfaith Environmental Network of Houston invites you to learn
how houses of worship in Houston are going green and consider what
you could do in your own house of worship. Join speakers of a variety
of faith backgrounds who will discuss work in their houses of worship
to go green in their building, grounds, worship services, community
service projects, advocacy, educational programs, and more.

Free

ROTHKO CHAPEL AND TEXAS SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY CELEBRATE MLK BIRTHDAY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRAM

Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, Texas Southern University 3401 Cleburne Street, Houston

Rothko Chapel and the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University (TSU) will partner for a program to explore the influence of Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement on environmental justice. The program, “Actions of Change: From the Civil Rights Movement to the Struggle for Environmental Justice,” is set for Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at 6 p.m. on what would have been Dr. King’s 91st birthday. Dr. Robert Bullard, distinguished professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at TSU, also known to many as the “father of environmental justice,” will give a keynote address then join in conversation with Yvette Arellano, senior staff, Policy Research & Grassroots Advocate for Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Services (t.e.j.a.s), and Bridgette Murray, founder of Achieving Community Tasks Successfully (ACTS). Dr. Richard McKinley Mizelle, Jr., associate professor of History at University of Houston, will moderate the discussion exploring the evolution of the environmental justice movement, continued environmental challenges and inequities faced by vulnerable and frontline communities, and actions being taken to improve the health of the region.

Free

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof

Congregation Emanu El 1500 Sunset Blvd, Houston

Nicholas Kristof and spouse and co-author Sheryl WuDunn discuss their new book, Tightrope: Americans Reaching for hope. Solutions to the crisis in working class America.

$150

Know Your Rights! Workshop

Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs, Texas Southern University 3401 Cleburne Street, Houston

Learn about what your rights are, how to exercise them, and what to do when your rights are violated. Come out and learn about 2nd amendment rights, 4th amendment rights, how to file a grievance against law enforcement, record expungement opportunities, courtroom procedures, and more!

Free

No War on Iran! U.S. Out of the Middle East!

pm, at the intersection of Westheimer and Post Oak in Houston.. This is the day before the federal holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and we will be remembering his insight that the U.S. government is "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today."

26th Annual MLK Grande Parade In Midtown Houston

Midtown Houston 1200 Holman Street San Jacinto Streeet & Elgin Street San Jacinto Streeet & Elgin Street, Houston, TX, United States

The MLK Grande Parade In Houston's Midtown Is One Of The Largest Single Day Multicultural Events In The U.S. That Is Held In Honor Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Free

The 42nd Annual “Original” MLK, Jr. Parade Celebration

Houston City Hall 901 Bagby Street, Houston

The 42nd Annual “Original” MLK, Jr. Parade Celebration

Starting at Lamar Street and Smith Street – Downtown Houston adjacent to City Hall. This is the MLK event that HPJC takes part in.

Houston Women’s March 2020

Buffalo Bayou Water Works 105 Sabine Street, Houston

Please join us at the annual Houston Women's March on Saturday, January 25, 2020.  Our theme this year is "Powerful Together." On that day, women and our allies will march for civil rights and democracy and to address human needs and stand up to authoritarian, divisive and dangerous policies that have been proposed or enacted against marginalized people.

Free