Posts by Ashley Thornton
East Waco Voices: Da Shack Farmer’s Market
By Khristian Howard East Waco is a source of rich, proud history. Just a mention of revered figures like World War II hero Doris Miller or of Paul Quinn College, the oldest historically black college in Texas, reminds us of the national significance of this part of the Waco community. What does East Waco have…
Read More5 things every Wacoan should know about Family Health Center
By Rae Jefferson For nearly 50 years, Family Health Center has tended to the medical needs of Wacoans from every corner of our community. FHC is a nonprofit organization with a rich history rooted in high-quality, compassionate healthcare. We offer a number of full-scope medical services, some of which are an unexpected take on maintaining…
Read MoreRising from Ashes: Yoga contributes to Holistic Healing from Trauma
By Jaja Chen & Bonnie Finch Trauma can be debilitating for individuals, couples, families, and impacts our greater Waco community. We have seen from the #MeToo movement in our nation this past year ways that speaking one’s story can empower and remove stigma in confronting and talking about trauma and its impacts. Trauma includes but…
Read MoreSustainability and Social Justice: Why is Being Green So White?
By Melissa Mullins Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has become a day of service in many communities (including Waco), and this year I find myself reflecting on sustainability and issues of social justice. I’m thinking specifically about inclusivity and representation in environmental movements. I’m too young to remember the civil rights movement, but old enough…
Read MoreCommerce is about making a living; art reminds us what we are living for…
By Ashley Bean Thornton This past October, as I pulled into the convention center parking lot for the Centex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce banquet, I will confess I had a bad attitude. I did not feel like pretending to be friendly and “perky.” I wasn’t looking forward to an evening of chit chat, chicken breast,…
Read MoreHelping students figure out a future that fits
By Elizabeth Brownlee Figuring out what you want to do with your life is difficult for a 30-year-old adult, so you can imagine teenagers have a tough time with it. House Bill 5, passed in 2013, increased the pressure for our students to plan for their future careers at an earlier age. All ninth graders…
Read MoreWhen it comes to domestic violence, please think before you comment
By Lulu Henderson As I sit and watch the women on the television recount their experiences of domestic violence, tears begin to stream down my face and I turn the television off. I cannot take the pain that is surging through my body as I relive my own past. As a child I watched my…
Read MoreTowny Waco: Off to see the wonderful Whizzbangs of Waco
(Welcome to the Act Locally Waco/Towny blog series. Towny is an app that exists to connect consumers with local businesses. It’s loaded with answers to the question, “Why local?” Through this blog series, the folks at Towny will be sharing the stories behind some of our high-quality, local products and helping you get to know…
Read MoreTowny Waco: How MC Art Supplies Brings Color + Creativity to Waco
(Welcome to the Act Locally Waco/Towny blog series. Towny is an app that exists to connect consumers with local businesses. It’s loaded with answers to the question, “Why local?” Through this blog series, the folks at Towny will be sharing the stories behind some of our high-quality, local products and helping you get to know…
Read More2019 Legislative Priorities for the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce
By Jessica Attas As we wrap up the year and look to the year ahead, the Texas 86th Legislative Session looms large on the horizon and front of mind. As the organization dedicated to the economic well-being of the area, we at the Chamber seek to actively promote policies that are conducive to growing a…
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