A Rice Owl Guiding Houston's Narrative
Born and raised in Houston, Annise Parker spent her childhood imprinted on the South Main corridor, from riding the train through Hermann Park to visiting the Houston Zoo. Even the family Sunday drive included a turn through Rice University, during which her savvy parents wisely suggested their 'brainy nerd' daughter could go to Rice if she were 'smart enough.' Annise was certainly smart enough. Attending the internationally renowned university gave her the skills for a career devoted to public service. She served as Houston City Council member, the City Comptroller, and, from 2010 to 2015, was the first Rice graduate to serve as Houston's mayor.
Annise loves Rice: hear her tell the story.
Annise's approach to governance and civic life is defined by a quintessential Houstonian "can-do" ethos, and this philosophy was her north star during her years of public service. She sees the city's heart: 'It doesn't matter who your people are, it doesn't matter where you came from, what your first language was. It matters what you can do here, what you have to offer. You're a Houstonian from the day you arrived, if that's what you want to be.'
Because of her lifelong love of the city, she appreciates how the landmarks lining the South Main corridor are precious jewels, like beads on a pearl necklace that must be polished and protected to ensure the city's future.
'You have everything!' Hear Annise wax poetic about the South Main corridor.
She loves the city but is realistic about the challenges it faces moving forward. The city sits on coastal prairie and is vulnerable to extreme weather and flooding. It's hot, really hot, and with the climate changing, more weather-based challenges will emerge. Despite that, though, her depth of experience in city leadership leaves her feeling assured that Houston, with its blessing of a diverse community hailing from all corners of the globe, is up to whatever comes next. 'Any challenge that comes up,' she says, 'we'll figure out a way to address that challenge.'
'One of the biggest economic engines of Houston.' Just how big is the Texas Medical Center?
Annise remains a passionate preservationist who finds beauty in adaptive reuse, such as the transformation of the old Sears building into The ION innovation hub and the surrounding ION Innovation District. However, she's also excited by the city's future, not as the oil and gas capital of the world, but as the energy capital of the world. 'We're not going to walk away from the past but we're always looking for the future.' The natural progression of Houston follows decades-long commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. She believes Houston's accomplishments happen at the "speed of trust," driven by civic-minded leaders, like those of the South Main Alliance (SMA) who voluntarily step up and do the hard, often quiet work of knitting the city together. It's a city where people can start something, come with a vision, and as the area changes and new technologies come in, Houston's innovators continue to respond and grow.