Mike Vance is the program director for The Heritage Society and the co-author of Murder and Mayhem in Houston (with John Nova Lomax). They are bringing back NoTsuOh , once Houston's biggest celebration which rivalled New Orleans' Mardi Gras. This year will feature the Coronation Gala on Friday, October 26 and an animal parade on Sunday, October 28. We also talk about the museum and the historical houses the Heritage Society maintains (they have candlelit tours) and from there, I guarantee you'll learn some interesting historical tidbits about this great city. They are located downtown, you can walk the beautiful park (it's freely open) and their website has the info you need: www.heritagesociety.org

Bryan Kelly is the CEO of Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP) and Sam Rangel is a PEP entrepreneur. Prison Entrepreneurship Program is a business program that connects executives, entrepreneurs, and MBA students with convicted felons. PEP is a nine-month "mini MBA" course culminating in a shark-tank style competition. 100% of PEP's graduates land a job within 90 days of release and nearly 100% remain employed after 12 months. Surprisingly, this non-profit receives no tax dollars. They are funded entirely by our community, from every dollar to every volunteer (no volunteers has ever been victimized while serving the program). PEP is a tremendous success and they just started a program in a women's prison. They are looking to replicate the system in other prisons and we can help by going to www.pep.org and giving a few dollars or a few hours of our time.

Roger Bare is the executive director of the Art Colony Association which is organizing the 2018 Bayou City Art Festival Downtown on October 13 & 14. It's one of the biggest open-air art fests in the country and they're closing down over a dozen blocks of downtown Houston so artists can expose their work (some will be creating on-site) while revelers enjoy all the foods and fun activities going on. One of those is their first Halloween costume contest and they'll also have the Rock 'N Roll Mariachis roaming the grounds. And while we have fun at the fest, they'll donate proceeds to 6 local charities, including A Cause to Give Us Paws, Fresh Arts, Recipe for Success and The Arc of Greater Houston. Tickets are cheap and they're even cheaper if you get them ahead of time: www.BayouCityArtFestival.com

Brian Carr is the chief advancement officer for Northwest Assistance Ministries. Since Harvey flooded Houston, Northwest Assistance Ministries has assisted more than 13,000 individuals with more than $5 Million in Relief Funds from generous neighbors. They also operate the second largest Meals on Wheel's programs, which delivers great food to seniors who cannot leave their homes. And they operate a center to help victims of domestic violence. They are a prime example of why this community thrives so prosperously: Houstonians are compassionate and they helps each other. Go to www.NAMonline.org for more info.

Paige Myrick is the executive director of Opera in the Heights and Eiki Isomura is their Artistic Director and Conductor. They made it out of Harvey fairly well and we discuss their beautiful upcoming season. They will perform 4 great classics: Donizatti's "La Fille du Régiment" aka The "Daughter of the Regiment", Mozart's "Cosi Fan Tutte", Piazzolla's "Maria de Buenos Aires" and Puccini's "Madam Butterfly". We also discuss the many challenges facing small performing arts companies, including the interesting cultural challenges of producing modern productions of old stories and how this forces us to consider how cultural perceptions changes. Got to www.operaintheheights.org for tickets and info on their special events.

Jaime Herrero is the executive director of Workshop Houston and with him is Brianna Burns, a poet and rapper known as Lil’ Bri. Bri has found great success with her talent. She has appeared on a couple of national TV shows, including "The Four". She shares her experiences (she is 17) and Jaime points out that while her story is unusual because of the TV cameras, her success is not. This is what the Workshop Houston is all about: helping student achieve their potential. Their programs are educational and include The Dance Shop, the Style Shop and the Scholar Shop. Their programs are so successful that they were able to exponentially improve their services in a new building. Their students are working on a mural for the Third Ward Church and they inaugurated a new summer employment program. Check them out and help support their mission: www.workshophouston.org

Genevieve Keeney is the president of The National Museum of Funeral History. She is also a licensed mortician and an Army veteran and that plays into a great conversation. The National Museum of Funeral History is opening the first exhibit on the History of Cremation in the country. It opens on September 17 and right after, they will celebrate Halloween with a family-friendly haunted house and an Art Car show. Go to www.nmfh.org for more information and go discover this Houston gem where tradition, history and science cross paths.

Toni Capra is the executive director of Da Camera and Perryn Leech is the managing director of Houston Grand Opera. They are participating in the TransCanada Theater District Open House on Sunday, August 26. This free event is an opportunity to visit the Wortham Center, Jones Hall and the other theatres in the district. All the companies who perform downtown, including Houston Ballet and the Theatre Under the Stars, will be performing throughout the afternoon. They will also be offering special discounts on their season tickets. These are often the best prices of the season. Check out the website for all the info and head down there with the family!
www.theaterdistrictopenhouse.com

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Robert Simpson is the founder and artistic director of Houston Chamber Choir and Mariam Khalili is their managing director. Houston Chamber Choir is 26 professional singers who are so good they recently won an award from Chorus America. They also have an educational programs and these music classes are among the best way to build a caring community. They have also created a Young Professionals group called Luminary Society. Their subscription package includes an invitation to the after-show party and a drink ticket. Go to www.houstonchamberchoir.org to check out their fantastic new season and hear them perform on YouTube.