Spirited HMH Lunch Celebrates Human Rights and Holocaust Education

Priscilla Dickson
Spirited HMH Lunch Celebrates Human Rights and Holocaust Education

David W. Leebron and Y. Ping Sun, Barbara J. Herz and Khambrel Marshall

DURING A MOVING program at the Hilton Americas hotel, more than 800 supporters of the Holocaust Museum Houston (HMH) honored Y. Ping Sun and David Leebron’s marked contributions to the organization and to the city over the course of their two decades here.

The Guardian of the Human Spirit luncheon annually celebrates individuals and institutions who work to make the world a better place. This year’s event — attended by a true who’s-who of Houston society, including Lynn Wyatt, Nancy and Jack Dinerstein, Beth Wolff, Jim Crownover, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Annise Parker, and several consul generals — brought in nearly $700,000. ABC News anchor Juju Chang, who has reported on injustice and racial equity for decades, joined virtually to give a keynote address.

Previous recipients of the Guardian of the Human Spirit Award include Lester and Sue Smith, Barbara and Gerald Hines, the Astros Foundation and H-E-B, among others.

Cynthia and Bucky Allshouse

Laura McWilliams and Barbara Vilutis

Brian Caress and Jessica Strehlow

Anne Chao, Stephanie Tsuru and Jane DiPaolo

Jeri and Marc Shapiro

Lynn Wyatt and Mady Kades

Richard Loewenstern and Kelly J. Zúñiga

Charles Hurwitz, Silvia Garcia and Frank Liu

Soner Tarim and Nancy Li-Tarim


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Reyna Group Owner Leads Real Estate Market with Passion and Excellence

MICHELLE REYNA WYMES, a distinguished name in the Houston real estate market, is the owner of the successful boutique brokerage, Reyna Group. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Michelle has deep-rooted connections to the community she serves with dedication and pride.

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John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

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How did you get to where you are today? My journey to where I am today is built on a foundation of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Every step along the way, I faced obstacles, but I approached each one with determination and a “never give up” mindset. Instead of being discouraged by challenges, I used them as opportunities to grow and improve. Consistency was key—I committed to showing up and giving my best effort every day. I also learned not to take “no” as a final answer. Instead, I saw it as a chance to push harder, adapt, and find another way forward. It’s this combination of persistence, resilience, and unwavering focus that has brought me to where I am today.

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