1. My Facebook post from Sunday morning:
This post is for everyone who is unfamiliar with Ray Hill, his good works, his activism, his stories, his Texas-size love. People outside of Greater Houston likely don't know his name, let alone his importance; sadly, many who have lived here their whole lives don't either.
This morning, in this cold-medicine-induced insomnia, I have scrolled through quite a few tributes to Ray. Some of the tributes have linked to the Houston Chronicle's remembrance, which frankly is a mess. But then, it's difficult to keep things tidy when you're talking about a person who worked on so many fronts with varying levels of effectiveness.
No, he wasn't perfect, but he was so necessary.
How can you summarize in one article just what Ray has meant to grassroots activism in this city, region, and state? Beyond escorting so much of Houston out of its closet, he also spent decades on the radio, in the Legislature, and in courtrooms advocating for prison reform and against capital punishment. For a while, he turned advancing the rights of sex workers & cabaret dancers into a profession.
Sorry for your loss, Texas.
2. Tributes from Texas Leftist, Democracy Now! and the Houston Chronicle's editorial board.
3. A memorial gathering at Houston's City Hall (hope the link works for you) this Sunday, 2 December.
3. A memorial gathering at Houston's City Hall (hope the link works for you) this Sunday, 2 December.
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