Austin’s Willy Baltazar Is a Man of Many Masks
From Veracruz to Texas, he keeps a centuries-old tradition alive.
Profile
A Houston Storyteller Finds the Humor in Hard Knocks
Bayou City comic Ali Siddiq turns street life and incarceration into laughs, while challenging stereotypes and provoking the occasional tear.
Taking Prison to Court: Fighting for the Right to Sleep
Michael Garrett sued the Texas Department of Criminal Justice more than a decade ago, and he’s working from inside to keep the case alive.
A Paris to Marfa March for Reproductive Rights
A West Texas teenager says she’s only begun to fight for access to livesaving care.
A Watchdog in the Water Wars
Flooding and bureaucracy drove Mary Kelleher to run for a spot on a powerful North Texas river agency board.
The Texas Observer Lives!
After a terrifying near-death experience, we live to muckrake another day.
Destiny Returns to Wolfforth
She left her conservative community to make a difference, only to find she could make the biggest impact at home.
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Roland Gutierrez Won’t Let Greg Abbott Forget Uvalde
While he's not a "singular-issue" politician, "for these parents … there’s no issue out there that matters if you don’t have your kid.”
Dallas’ Gory Punk Scene in Black and White
Vera "Velma" Hernandez brings her fans vivid photos from the heart of the beer- and grime-soaked mosh pit. Now she's taking her act on the road.
How Peter Stout Turned Around Houston’s Crime Lab
Once dubbed the worst in the country, Houston Forensic Science Center is setting a new standard for criminal investigations.