Spotlight Houston

The holidays are here, and Spotlight Houston is celebrating! Host Blanca Quezada and producer Sandra Fernandez share heartwarming Thanksgiving traditions, favorite holiday memories, and some hilarious cooking mishaps (hint: ever heard of a turducken?). They also reflect on how the podcast began, from Blanca's radio roots to Sandra's passion for amplifying Houston's diverse stories. This episode is...

It's time to start your holiday plans, but where to go and how to celebrate the magic of the season? Well, you don't have to go very far to enjoy plenty of festivities for everyone. Galveston Island is offering plenty of amazing surprises to celebrate the season.   Start your holidays with a small-town feel at Galveston's beautiful Christmas tree lighting. Then, prepare to return to the Victorian...

Discover the life-saving impact of organ and tissue donation in this inspiring episode of Spotlight Houston! Blanca Quezada sits down with Kevin Myer, President and CEO of LifeGift, to discuss how saying "yes" to donation can give hope and second chances to those in need. Originally aired as Episode 52 on August 14, 2023, this episode dives into the myths, benefits, and steps to becoming a registe...

In this episode of Spotlight Houston, host Blanca Quezada interviews Maria Magee, Chief Development Officer at Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston. This nonprofit organization has been serving the community for over 60 years.   Maria shares how Interfaith Ministries brings together people of diverse faiths and cultures to provide crucial services through programs like Meals on Wheels, which...

In Episode 108 of Spotlight Houston , host Blanca Quezada spotlights the Susan G. Komen Foundation, a key player in the fight against breast cancer. We're joined by Brandice Pierre, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Susan G. Komen Foundation , and Hilary Ware, a breast cancer survivor and passionate volunteer. Brandice shares how Susan G. Komen Foundation helps patients and families through fre...

Get ready for Houston's most colorful celebration of life! In Episode 107 of Spotlight Houston , host Blanca Quezada chats with Luis Gavito, curator of MECA's Dia de Muertos Ofrendas exhibition. They explore the vibrant events leading up to MECA's 24th Annual Dia de Muertos Festival. Here's what you can expect: October 12, 2024 : Fun presentation at IKEA October 13, 2024 : Monarchs and Marigolds a...

In this special replay episode, we take a deep dive into Houston's rich past with Mister McKinney, marketing director of The Heritage Society. Join host Blanca Quezada as they uncover stories about Houston's historic homes at Sam Houston Park and the city's efforts to preserve its heritage. Key Highlights ·          Historical Homes of Sam Houston Park : Learn about the beautiful homes that have b...

Preserving Hispanic History with Mikaela Selley   This week, Spotlight Houston replays one of our most fascinating episodes, originally aired as Episode 25 on January 29, 2023. Host Blanca Quezada sits down with Mikaela Selley, program manager for the Periodicals in the US-Mexico Region Project at Arte Público Press. Mikaela talks about her work with the Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritag...

Owning a home feels out of reach for many families in low-income communities, but Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County is working hard to make that dream a reality. For over 35 years, this organization has been building not just homes but entire communities. In this episode, Vicki Johnson, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, joins host Blanca Quezada to share how...

In episode 103 of Spotlight Houston, host Blanca Quezada sits down with Henry Yau, Vice President of Public Relations at the Children's Museum Houston, to talk about the vibrant festivities planned for Hispanic Heritage Month. Discover how the museum is celebrating this rich cultural event with activities like El Grito reenactments, mariachi performances, ballet folklórico, and hands-on fun like p...

Are you ready for the rest of hurricane season? Houston is no stranger to hurricanes, floods, and even winter freezes, so it's always smart to stay prepared. In this upbeat episode of Spotlight Houston, host Blanca Quezada sits down with Brent Taylor, Chief Communications Officer at the Houston Office of Emergency Management (OEM). They dive into all the must-know tips and tricks to help you and y...

In this week's episode of Spotlight Houston, we're spotlighting a vital organization that's been empowering women and girls in our community for over 40 years. Host Blanca Quezada sits down with Linda Rhodes, the executive director of The Women's Fund for Health Education and Resiliency, to discuss this nonprofit's incredible work to promote good health through education. Since its founding in 197...

Spotlight Houston is hitting a major milestone this week—our 100th episode! To celebrate, host Blanca Quezada is joined by a special guest, Julie Kuenstle, vice president of communications for the Houston SPCA, as they commemorate another incredible milestone: the Houston SPCA's 100th anniversary. For a century, the Houston SPCA has been at the forefront of animal protection in our community, prov...

In this week's episode of Spotlight Houston, Blanca Quezada brings the vibrant sounds and traditions of Mexican mariachi music to life. Join us as we explore the 5th Annual Mariachi Festival at the beautiful Wortham Center's Brown Theatre. Get ready to experience the best mariachi groups, talented Mexican folk singers, and colorful folkloric dancers in Texas! Our special guests, Ben Mendez, execut...

Looking for something amazing and fun to do in Houston? Check out the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art! 🎨✨ In this episode, our host Blanca Quezada chats with Jonathan Beitler, the director of communications and special events at the Orange Show. They dive into the center's history, exciting programs, and upcoming expansions. Learn about the famous Art Car Parade and Festival, and the inspir...

Are you ready for an adventure? In our latest episode of Spotlight Houston, we take you on a journey to explore one of the city's most treasured spots – Discovery Green. This is a replay of Episode 77, originally aired on March 3, 2024. Tucked away in the heart of downtown Houston, Discovery Green is different from your average park. It's a lively hub where art, nature, and community activities co...

Welcome to Spotlight Houston! We bring you the best of the people, places, and events in Houston. Join us every Monday for a new episode hosted by Blanca Quezada.   Today, we're doing things a bit differently. Due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl, we do not have a new episode this week. We hope to have one next week. In the meantime, we're replaying a favorite from Season 1. This is Episode 49, wh...

Join us this week on Spotlight Houston for an inspiring episode about the incredible work of Covenant House, a sanctuary for homeless youth in our city. As one of the largest cities in the country, homelessness continues to be a big problem in Houston, and it's not just adults who are affected. Many young people are also suffering, feeling lost, hungry, and scared. They need a place where they can...

Do you know the difference between your brain and your mind? The MindWorks exhibit, built by the Ontario Science Centre, is a hands-on, thought-provoking exhibit that explores this difference. This interactive exhibit helps us learn what makes us who we are, why we think, feel, and act, and where our inner voice comes from. In this episode, our host Blanca Quezada sits down with Becky Seabrook, Di...

Get ready to don your red, white, and blue gear and join the City of Pearland for a spectacular 4th of July celebration! This week, we're spotlighting the Celebration of Freedom event at the newly renovated Independence Park, proudly presented by Bayway Chevrolet. Blanca Quezada is joined by Lindsey Taylor, special events coordinator for the City of Pearland Parks and Recreation Department. Lindse...

Get ready for a fun and lively episode of Spotlight Houston! This week, we're spotlighting Silambam Houston, one of the city's cultural gems. Join our host, Blanca Quezada, as she chats with Dr. Lavanya Rajagopalan, founder of Silambam Houston. This amazing group teaches classical Indian dance and has been part of our community since 2002. Dr. Lavanya shares how she started Silambam Houston to cel...

Join us on Spotlight Houston this week as we delve into the world of pregnancy and early parenthood, with a special focus on the comprehensive support services offered by the Motherhood Center. Our host, Blanca Quezada, chats with Gabriela Gerhart, the Center's founder and president, about the essential resources and educational programs they provide for new moms, dads, and even grandparents.   Ga...

Summer is upon us, and all we think about is going out to enjoy the sun either by a pool, the beach, gardening, playing outdoors with the kids, other activities, or just sitting out to a nice tan. But many of us overlook the fact that the sun's rays can damage our skins in many ways, but the scariest is skin cancer which sometimes can be deadly depending on lots of factors, for example the type it...

This week, host Blanca Quezada is joined by Dr. Jesse Esparza associate professor and interim chair of the department of history at Texas Southern University. His area of expertise is on the history of Latinos in the United States. He is also an award-winning author. Dr. Esparza discusses the complexity of Latino people in Houston and the United States, how their traditions and cultures have made...