THNX: A Feelgood Podcast

Dan Simons was born and raised in Southeast Texas and became the first person in his family to graduate from high school. He then graduated from Sam Houston State University at the top of his class, went on to attend Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and earned his Master's Degree in Tax Law from the University of Houston. He has handled many cases as Assistant District Attorney and as Misdeeanor C...

Curtis Wilkie, originally from Mississippi, is a retired Journalism professor at The University of Mississippi, a historian of the American South, and an author. After graduating from The University of Mississippi himself in 1963, he worked as a reporter and editor for the Clarksdale Press Register, received a Congressional Fellowship from the American Political Science Association to work as an a...

Jonathan Paul Jackson is an African American Visual Artist from Houston, Texas. He works in all mediums of art, including painting, sculpture, and illustration, and his work has been featured in various solo exhibitions, group exhibitions, and public collections throughout the state of Texas. Jonathan calls Houston, Texas home.

Sean Teare was born and raised in Houston, Texas and grew up with activist parents who instilled in him a powerful sense of empathy and justice. After attending St. Thomas High School, he graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor's Degree in American History and earned his JD from the Law Center. He served as a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's Office for 11 year...

THNX: A Feelgood Podcast encourages everyone to make their voices heard by casting a vote in the primary election in the U.S. 

Dr. Lindsay Gary (PhD, MFA, MA, MPA) is a professor-scholar, conceptual diasporArtist, Afrocentric entrepreneur, and cultural curator whose mission is to educate, connect, and empower the African Diaspora. She is an adjunct professor of African American Studies at the University of Houston and of History at Houston Community College, in addition to being the Executive Director of The Re-Education...

Edgar Medina, originally from Mexico, moved to the United States at age 17 and is now a local artist in Houston, Texas. After a short stint as a Dental Assistant, Edgar began taking art classes and honing the painting skills he began building as a child. His paintings are considered Contemporary Abstracts; they are expressive, full of color, bold, and inspirational. He has brought his creations to...

Carla C. Bisong founded Bisong Art Gallery in the Historic Warehouse District of Downtown Houston in 2013. After 13 years in the investment banking industry, Carla retired to pursue her dream of being a gallerist fulltime and make an impact in the art community. She and her team of art consultants help individuals and corporations discover meaningful artwork, and each piece has its own story. Carl...

Ryan Nicodemus is a New York Times best selling author, Emmy-nominated Netflix star, international speaker, and small group mentor. After moving around as a child, his family settled in Ohio when he was eight. He handled sales and marketing for a telecommunications company with his childhood friend Joshua Fields Mullburn prior to co-founding The Minimalists. Their website, books, podcast, and docu...

John T. Edge is a writer, commentator, television personality, and, since 1999, the director of the Southern Foodways Alliance. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia, a Master's Degree in Southern Studies from the University of Mississippi, and an MFA in Creative Non-Fiction from Groucher College. He has authored several books about food and received a writing award f...

Benjamin Berg is the founder and CEO of Berg Hospitality Group. Presently, the group owns and operates twelve restaurants, each based on a unique concept, with plans to open more. After growing up in New York City, he graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and earned a graduate degree from Cornell University in Hospitality. He started in a premier hotel as a bellman and worked...

Judge Franklin Bynum is an attorney who earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and completed his studies at the University of Southern California Law School. Upon returning to Texas, he worked as a public defender and was elected to a Harris County Court at Law bench; he was the first democratic socialist to hold such a position in Texas. He has since returned to private prac...

Roger Street Friedman is an American musician presently receiving critical acclaim from his latest album Love Hope Trust and the single The Ghosts of Sugarland. He picked up guitar at an early age and began working in the music business but took a twenty-five year sabbatical before he began seriously recording and touring again. He has released four albums as well as numerous singles and EPs. Roge...

Judge Craig Mitchell earned his undergraduate degree from UCLA, taught school for 9 years, then attended Southwestern University of Law, completing his studies in 1991. In 1994, he joined the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office as a prosecutor, where he founded the Domestic Violence Prosecution Unit. He also founded the Midnight Mission Running Club in 2001 and the Skid Row Running Club in 2012....

Erin Epley earned her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M and her law degree from the University of Houston. She has been a State and Federal Prosecutor as well as a Criminal Defense Attorney. Most recently, she worked as a Special Investigator for the Texas House of Representatives on the investigation and subsequent impeachment of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Erin makes her home in Houston...

Michael Solar is a trial attorney residing in Houston, Texas and has practiced all over the United States. Prior, Michael served in the United States Army, where he was in the Presidential Guard. He later received his undergraduate and law school degree from the University of Houston, has served three terms as the Port Commissioner, been on various boards, and received numerous honors. At the time...

Judge Mike Engelhart spent his formative years in New Jersey and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his law degree from the University of Houston. He earned board certification as a trial lawyer, was elected to a District court bench in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020, and served as an Administrative Judge for two terms. Mike and his wife Eva have two sons and live in H...

Devon Anderson is best known for her time as the District Attorney of Harris County, Houston, Texas. Prior, she was the Judge of the 177 th Judicial District Court and an Assistant District Attorney. After growing up in Waco, Texas, she earned her undergraduate degree and Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas. She is presently the Director of Justice Forward, an agency that assists particip...

Judge Chris Morton currently presides over the 230 th Judicial District Court in Harris County, Texas.  Chris grew up in North Carolina and graduated from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte with a degree in International Business. While attending college, he was also serving in the National Guard. After participating in the work force, Chris moved to Houston and started attending law schoo...

Paul Beebe grew up in Houston, Texas and spent his extra time away from schoolwork mastering the guitar. He attended Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and earned a BA in music. Since high school, he has played bass and drums in addition to the guitar for all types of music with a number of bands, including the Beetle, Thunderado, The Light Rock Express, Disco Expressions, The El Orbits,...

John Lomax III harkens from the first family of American Music Folklore. The Lomaxes have been chronicling and preserving American Folk music for over 100 years and five generations. John was born in New York then moved to Houston, Texas; he studied history at the University of Texas and has worked as a journalist, publicist, author, music distributor, and has managed musicians including Kasey Cha...

Ruth Rios is a reading specialist who works with students who are dyslexic. Following obtaining her teaching degree, Ruth earned her Master's Degree in Administration and Leadership from the University of Houston. She has been employed with the Katy Independent School District for the last 12 years. Ruth makes her home in Houston, Texas.

Gilbert Garcia was born in Corpus Christi, Texas and is one of five children. He earned a BA in Economics from Yale University in 1985, then joined Salomon Brothers, where he became a Vice President, in New York. In 1990, he moved to Houston, Texas to join Cisneros Asset Management Company, where he worked his way up to President, then in 2002 joined Garcia Hamilton and Associates, where he is a M...

Judge Katherine Thomas, a native Houstonian, became the youngest person elected to serve on a District Court in Texas when she won her election for the 184th District Court. She was also the first person of color to preside over that bench. She earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Spellman College and her law degree from Howard University. Judge Thomas was an intern for the Ob...

Pam Chapman Markle is a record-holding ultramarathoner. The first competitive race in which she ran was 100 miles. Among her many accomplishments, which are too extensive to name, she has completed the Badwater 135 mile race, widely considered the world's most difficult footrace, six times; she ran it once with a concussion, and, during her most recent run, with a prosthetic hip. The records she h...