CHARACTER-DRIVEN

CHARACTER-DRIVEN

 When we started this issue, most of us could not have predicted how much a pandemic could reshape our lives to the present time. Fast forward to now and we know that tough times bring out the best in people. Now, more than ever. We see it every day…in both momentous and in small ways as we all widen our aperture. We’ve seen it before COVID-19, during COVID-19, and as the world re-shapes itself, we will see it the period after COVID-19. The world-altering times that we live in are a testimony to the character and can-do attitude of our state and the world at large. This spirit is shown every single day, as so many people sacrifice for the duration of this challenging time period of social distancing. It reminds me of how social we all are, especially when we are asked not to be.

As humans, we understand the needs of others. The non-profit philanthropies we support in this magazine and beyond, and their people, are adapting like never before. It’s unprecedented. The word unprecedented has come up often in the media recently and in the been there, seen it, done that culture we’ve become pre-COVID-19, the spirited mood is indeed now different. More refined. It reminds me of the days following 9/11 when people took genuine stock of their lives, where they fit in the world, and how massive events can affect us well, forever.

So, with this issue, we are embracing the new exuberance that has been unleashed. Always sunny and optimistic, our point of view is still as authentic as ever. What our team sees, hears, and learns on a daily basis, we know, matters to you. As always, there are so many of your favorite columns and a wildly diverse array of talent who made this issue happen. We love our homage to 80s fashion shot by Mark Oberlin and styled by Dion “Bleu” Drake, a glamorous look back at why Texans love Acapulco so much according to Lori Duran. We offer an insider’s look at the top philanthropic events across the state helmed by our social editors Rob Giardinelli, Leanne Raesener, Cynthia Smoot, and Jennifer Roosth. In fact, the entire editorial, design, and publishing teams have outdone themselves in this issue on each and every page.

As we all seek to streamline our lives and more clearly define what is important to us, know that we are with you each step of the way in print and digitally with the same warmth and inclusion as always. So, let’s move forward to the new horizons ahead and seek new adventures. Let’s make new memories together as our future becomes as valuable as our past, as Texans who possess the pioneer and entrepreneurial spirits of those who came before us. And, we’ll see you again soon in the ballroom…and beyond.

XO Lance Avery Morgan

Editor-In-Chief

Lance@SocietyTexas.com

Photo by Gregg Cestaro