On April 28, Compassionate Houston was honored to stand before Mayor John Whitmire, Council Member Julian Ramirez, and the Houston City Council as the City reaffirmed its designation of Houston as a Compassionate City. This marks the third official proclamation recognizing Compassionate Houston’s work and the city’s ongoing commitment to compassion as a civic value.

Board President Pam Lewis addressed the Mayor and Council, joined by members of our Board of Directors, leaders from partner organizations, and dedicated supporters. She reflected on Houston’s long-standing leadership:

Following our founding in 2011, it was in 2013 that Houston first took the visionary step to affirm itself as a Compassionate City under the global Charter for Compassion. Since then, our network has grown to over 35 partner organizations, working, like you, to foster intercultural understanding, an informed empathy for all citizens, and collaborative solutions to our community’s needs.

Pam also emphasized that this reaffirmation is not only a celebration of the past but a commitment to the future:

This reaffirmation is more than a look back at the 15 years since our founding; it is a commitment to the next level of our engagement. It reminds us that, in this most diverse large city in the nation, we appreciate our shared humanity and our interdependence.

In closing, she offered gratitude on behalf of the entire network:

Mayor and Council members, we know that compassion is a value and a motivation, and that acting from it requires very wise discernment. We thank you for your willingness to serve our diverse community with thoughtful leadership, respectful dialogue, and a shared commitment to the well-being and dignity of all Houstonians.