Robin Williams’ Son Gives Moving Testimony at Benefit for Houston Mental-Health Org Re:MIND

Jenny Antill
Robin Williams’ Son Gives Moving Testimony at Benefit for Houston Mental-Health Org Re:MIND

David Kinder, Marie Louise Kinder, Christine and Blake Williams

HOUSTON ORGANIZATION RE:MIND celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special Circles of Hope luncheon at River Oaks Country Club. The event honored David Kinder for his generosity and advocacy, and raised nearly $420,000 for the mental-health organization, which runs free and confidential support groups for those affected by depression and bipolar disorders.


The keynote speaker was Zak Williams, son of the late Robin Williams. Zak launched the #speakyourmind campaign, a global movement intended to amplify the mental-health needs of underserved communities, and his journey of loss and grief was featured in the Apple TV+ series The Me You Can’t See.

Zak shared the statistic that 93 percent of people suffering from severe depression and bipolar disorder have no access to quality therapy, and programs like those offered by re:MIND are life-changing and live-saving. “Prevention is much more effective than crisis intervention,” said Zak, who received a standing ovation.


Elizabeth Pagan, Christine Williams, Ellie Bale

Will and Mary Williams

Drew and Tracy Pelter

Scott and Jill Holstead

Franna Litton, David Kinder, Marie Louise Kinder

Haresh and Yalamanchili Sushma

Kara and Ulises Vidal

Rich Kinder, David Kinder, Nancy Kinder

Jennifer Leal and Clint Leal

Katelyn Maida

Luncheon co-chair Christine Williams, speaker Zak Williams and luncheon co-chair Blake Williams

Mike and Janice Barker

Dee Dee Howes, Marie Louise Kinder, Aaron Howes

Parties

Mwenso Carnegie Squad

WITH SUMMER FAR from over, DACAMERA continues to roll out some of the hottest musical programming to be enjoyed here — and anywhere else in the South for that matter — with Houston SUMMERJAZZ 2023 (Aug. 17-20). The series highlights the breadth of contemporary jazz, with nods to the music’s Cuban, pan-African, funk, pop, and soul connections. This year’s festival includes performances by the Spanish Harlem Orchestra (Aug. 17), vocalist Gretchen Parlato in her first Houston appearance (Aug. 18), and crowd-pleasing global artists Mwenso & The Shakes (Aug. 19), whose members come from Sierra Leone, London, South Africa, Greenwich Village, Madagascar, France, Jamaica and Hawaii. (Jazz is, indeed, “global” music.) All Houston SUMMERJAZZ concerts take place in the Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater.

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BEGINNING THIS THURSDAY, Aug. 17, DACAMERA’s Houston SUMMERJAZZ festival presents a concise, three-night program of jazz in a myriad of contemporary forms, with the Spanish Harlem Orchestra (Aug. 17) illuminating its historical connections to Cuba and Puerto Rico, and internationalists Mwenso and The Shakes (Aug. 19) extolling the music’s pan-African, funk, and pop potential. In between those two hits, on Friday, Aug. 18, all of these tributaries and more will be explored in a set by two-time Grammy-nominated vocalist Gretchen Parlato, making her first appearance in Houston.

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Art + Entertainment