Texas Monthly Cover - Dec 2023

A couple of weeks ago I was reading the esteemed NYTimes book critic Dwight Garner’s remarkable new book on food/eating/reading (The Upstairs Delicatessen). At one point the West Virginia native notes the newspapers and magazines he regularly reads. Despite having no geographical affiliation with the state of Texas, Texas Monthly is one of the magazines on his list, and I was reminded me once again of how widely admired and culturally important Texas Monthly is here in the US.

All of which is a way of saying how gratifying it is for me to have been a regular contributor for eight years now - most recently, photographing this month’s cover story.

Better still, this month's is the 'Giving Back' issue, and I was able to contribute to two stories on individuals who are making significant contributions to their communities.

The story is about a program run by Leon and Leticia McNeil (aided by their son, LeeCharles), that works to provide Black and Latino youth from inner-city San Antonio with exposure to the outdoors. It was a pleasure to hang out with @citykidsadventures for a couple of days and observe these kids at work and play, and also to see how Leon and his family provide learning opportunities and wise guidance that will serve the participants not only in these often unfamiliar surroundings, but back at home in their every day lives too.

I cover a fair range of subject matter in my work, but helping to tell stories about mission-based organizations such as this is unquestionably among the most rewarding.