Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a constitutionally-mandated count of everyone living in the nation. This decennial census counts all residents to determine where to draw congressional voting lines as well as where new businesses and jobs will be available. The census also determines how much federal funding states and local communities will… Continue reading Be counted on the 2020 Census. It’ll be part of your family history.
A Gonzalez family photo on Pat's 90th birthday in March of 2014. My Grandma Nora's passing on Dec. 20, 2019, has made me question life and death, and how we will be remembered. In the end, we are all encompassed in a written obituary, spoken eulogy, or memorable stories. Within our hearts forms an intricate… Continue reading Grandma Nora loved us with all the “parts of her heart”
One of the most talked about news developments in March was the college admissions scandal that exposed several high-profile bribery cases where wealthy parents have been charged with buying spots at elite universities for their teenage children, which has included Hollywood actresses and business executives. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott is urging universities to re-evaluate… Continue reading Striving for an ‘A’
Aside from escalating political tensions, recently furloughed paychecks for 800,000 government workers highlighted that too many Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck without an adequate savings account. A recent podcast from NPR's Austin branch on the government shutdown highlighted that "[a]lmost 60 percent of Americans have less than $1,000 in savings, meaning an emergency expense would put many people… Continue reading Catch-22: A Message from a 22-Year-Old
In a lot of ways, 2017 and 2018 blurred. Maybe it’s that I’ve mentality adjusted to the biennial session of the Texas Legislature. Another contributing factor is the fall-spring-summer academic semesters bridge across calendar years. Undeniably, the constant stream of headlines since President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January of 2017 has also played into this… Continue reading Lessons from “The Gatekeepers”
