LETTER
FROM THE
EDITOR
Photography by Sofía van der Dys
BEHIND
THE COVER
How
blah would our lives be without entertainment? That word means so much!
Specifically – providing or being provided with amusement or joy. This can mean many different
things: music, performance art, theater, films, dance and so much more. Houston offers them all
– from a busy Theater District to underground performance companies to heavy-hitting acts that
visit our performance arenas. And although we bring you these things monthly in our pages, this
issue delves a little deeper.
We entertain ourselves at coffee shops throughout town, glued to our smart tablets, magazines
or a book. But not all coffee shops are created equal and there’s one in town putting on its big
girl panties and dealing with a huge social issue that many of us sweep under the rug: the very
real human trafficking issue. Yes, coffee and trafficking. Go with us; it’s an uplifting story about
a topic that is anything but.
We profile DAVE SMALLEY whose concession company and his purpose bring him immense joy,
which is contagious. Beth Levine interviews TOD JUNKER on finding his purpose through making
music and creating the threads musicians wear. Texans player JONATHAN GRIMES shares his passion
for piano when he’s not on the field plus who he likes to jam with. Austin poster maker BILLY
PERKINS created our cover for THE SUFFERS and talks about the entertainment biz. KAM FRANKLIN of
The Suffers talks tours, home and Houston pride.
And the most touching piece for me is the documentary UNTIL 20, produced by fellow MD
Anderson patient Geraldine Moriba, sharing the story of Texan James Ragan who left this planet
way too soon. But while he was here he was the definition of entertainment. Living with a purpose, bringing joy and amusement while receiving it and all the while in pain but raising awareness of a serious lack of investment in pediatric cancer research, which is an investment in the
future.
We hope this issue inspires you to dance like no one’s watching
– or do whatever brings you amusement and joy. Life’s too short
to miss a second.
Carla Valencia de Martinéz
Editor-in-Chief
6
L O C A L
| may 16
AUSTIN POSTER ARTIST AND DESIGNER BILLY
PERKINS CREATED THE COVER ART IN AN HOMAGE TO LOCAL MUSIC SENSATION THE SUFFERS.
“I’M IN LOVE WITH THEIR SINGER'S VOICE.” HE
SHARED ABOUT KAM FRANKLIN’S VOICE, PERKINS
KEPT THE COVER UNDER WRAPS UP UNTIL HIS
DEADLINE. JOIN LOCAL FOR A RETROSPECTIVE OF
BILLY’S ROCK POSTERS MAY 7TH AT SPRING STREET
STUDIOS.