Category: Feature

JAMES GOLDSTEIN

Custom Made Jacket by Balmain, Custom Made Hat is Mr. Goldstein’s own design, Scarf by Ashley Ashof, T-Shirt by Saint Laurent, Belt by Roberto Cavalli and Pants by Balmain.

James Goldstein is an enigma. An American billionaire living in Los Angeles, Goldstein spends his days traveling, socializing with the rich and famous, and living in a work of art in the sky. Though the exact source of his billions remains vague, we do know Goldstein has created quite an empire for himself in property and real estate investments. As a self-proclaimed NBA “super-fan”, Goldstein sits courtside at every LA home game and travels for seven weeks every year during the playoff season, following the teams’ game schedule as they tour from city to city. Mr. Goldstein has been working on his iconic modernist estate – a fantastically detailed vision of poured cement and glass that includes: a tennis court, entertainment theater, private night club, sprawling landscaping, and a commissioned installation room by renowned artist James Turrell.

When he is not traveling with his favorite NBA players, James spends his time jet-setting to St. Tropez and Ibiza, sitting front row during fashion week as a personal guest of the designers for Balmain, Saint Laurent, and Versace, or hosting celebrity packed parties at his home. Goldstein is instantly recognizable with his reptilian cowboy hats, tight leather jeans, and custom-made blazers. Aesthetic and attention to detail are important to Goldstein, and nothing proves that point more than his home which has has been honed and customized perfectly to his individual taste. IRIS Covet Book invites you to enter the beautifully designed life of James Goldstein.

Jacket by Saint Laurent, Custom Made Hat is Mr. Goldstein’s own design, Scarf by Ashley Ashof, Pants by Balmain, and Boots by Dior Homme. 

Coming from Milwaukee, Wisconsin where you were born what brought you to live in Los Angeles?

I went to college at Stanford and moved sight-unseen, and while I was there I had a roommate who was from Los Angeles who invited me to visit him during a break from school. My impression of Los Angeles was very favorable and I decided to give it a try by going to UCLA for graduate school. I’ve lived here ever since.

How did your career unfold after school?

Well, I am not sure if I had any clear aspirations at that time, but I began in property investments and headed off in that direction feeling that it would be lucrative and hopefully allow me to not spend my life working all the time. Eventually, I felt that it offered me an opportunity to have a lifestyle where I could enjoy many other things besides working 9-5. Basketball was certainly important to me at that time as well.

Did you ever want to be a professional basketball player?

I certainly wanted to be when I was younger, and I played on my high school basketball team, but I was realistic enough to know that the chances of that were very slim. So, instead of hoping to be a professional basketball player, I hoped to someday own, or be a partial owner, of a basketball team.

You have your new clothing line “James Goldstein Couture”, what was the inspiration, or the thought process, behind starting that collection?

I was approached by two of my closest friends from Milan who called me one day and said they wanted to start a clothing line. They wanted me to be the name of the line and the inspiration behind the designs. I had never seriously considered starting a clothing line because I do not have formal education in fashion design, but I have had a number of people come to me throughout the years and urge me to start a clothing line because they liked my style. I couldn’t say no because they are such good friends, and I thought maybe I could have some fun as well.

Your style is so signature and unique. How did that come to be? Did you always have a way with how you dress or did it evolve over time?

At an early age, I started following the top designers in Paris and Milan, and even in high school I always wanted to be one step ahead of everyone else when it came to fashion. I started traveling to Europe when I was young and I payed very close attention to the new clothes each season, and I tried to acquire special pieces every time I would go. I was really getting inspired by what these designers were coming up with and that became the governing determinant of what I was wearing each season. My style really evolved out of following these designers, which I continue to do.

Who are your favorite designers at the moment?

Well, Olivier (Rousteing) from Balmain is number one for me right now.

Why is that? What is it about his designs that speak to you?

He comes up with some very unique designs that are quite glamorous, amazing in their styling, and quite often made out of python which is one of my favorite materials to wear. They are all unique too. No one else will be wearing them. I know when I put one of those pieces on that people who see me won’t see that look on anyone else. Olivier is a friend of mine. He and I meet whenever I go to Paris and discuss the upcoming season. We are definitely on the same wavelength.

In recent years, I have also been buying a considerable number of clothes from Saint Laurent. I’ve bought a couple of pieces that I wear quite frequently. I’ve always liked what Vaccarello has designed for women, so I am waiting to see what he comes up with for men. So far there isn’t the same depth to the collection that there was under Hedi (Slimane), but I have bought two jackets recently from YSL that are just outstanding.

Jacket by Saint Laurent, Custom Made Hat is Mr. Goldstein’s own design, Scarf by Ashley Ashof, and Pants by Balmain. 

What are some of your favorite destinations to travel in the world? I imagine that you do quite a bit of traveling because of the NBA games and other social events.

I travel almost seven months out of the year. There are different categories of travel that I indulge in. There are the NBA games during the playoff season which lasts for seven weeks and require travel almost on a daily basis to various US cities. Then there is the fashion travel which takes me to Milan, Paris, Moscow, Berlin, Copenhagen, etc. once or twice every year. I have my regular summer vacation spots which include St. Tropez and Mykonos, Ibiza, and so forth. Probably the most exciting traveling that I do every year is when I visit a place that I have never been to before. I try to do that at least once a year. This past winter I went to Sri Lanka and Southern India for the first time.

You’ve been referred to as a “super fan” of the NBA. How did your love of basketball first begin?

It began at the age of five or six when my parents put a basketball hoop up in our driveway and I started playing. I really took to the sport, and at the age of ten my father took me to my first professional basketball game and I fell in love with the NBA, even though at that time it was not very popular. At the age of fifteen I was offered a non-paying job as the statistician for the Milwaukee Hawks, so I was attending every home game and sitting courtside. That experience really propelled me into making basketball a huge part of my life and has never stopped.

When you’re not attending NBA games, how do you spend your free time? What are your favorite activities in Los Angeles?

I enjoy playing tennis, and having my own tennis court. I not only attend basketball games with two teams in Los Angeles, but I also follow the games on television religiously. I read the Los Angeles Times and New York Times every day cover to cover, and I enjoy going out to various restaurants, parties, and so forth. I still have a very active social life and like to hang out with people much younger than me.

There is also, of course, Club James Goldstein, which is a really impressive structure inside of your home where you host large parties and gatherings. What have been some of the most memorable events you’ve had in the club?

Well, the club was not even finished yet when Rihanna had her birthday party there, and that was a very memorable event. One of the best parties I have ever been to, even though it was in my home. (laughs) Fairly recently, on the night of the Academy Awards, there was an after party here that did not start until about midnight and lasted until 5:30 in the morning. The crowd was great, everyone was well dressed, and it was a great party.

Nestled into the side of a canyon, Goldstein’s house look out over downtown Los Angeles and beyond.

I can imagine! Those sound like two unforgettable parties. Do your neighbors hate you for all of the party noise? (laughs)

Well, there isn’t that much noise because the house is pretty well contained and situated down the hill, down a long driveway. There are a couple of neighbors who do call the cops though. (laughs)

Your home is such a phenomenal piece of architecture and I want to know how that came to be. How have you been developing it over the years, and what the are the inspiration behind these developments?

When I acquired the house, the minute I walked in…there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that it was the perfect house for me. But it was not perfect in terms of its execution and subsequent remodeling by the second and third owner of the home. Initially the house was built with a very tight budget, so very inexpensive materials were used throughout. The next owners painted what concrete there was, put in wall-to-wall green shag carpets, and did a lot of very bad things to the house.

Even though the house overwhelmed me when I saw it for the first time due to its fantastic architectural design, the house really had a long way to go to reach perfection. It took me a few years before I brought John Lautner, the architect of the home, back to work on it. We started out with one very straight forward project of replacing the glass windows in the living room. That was really my first experience with remodeling, and once I started that I never stopped.

I am a perfectionist and I wanted every detail of the house to be perfect without regard to cost. After a number of years of working with Lautner, I proceeded to other projects such as the landscaping where I took the same approach. After John Lautner passed away, I started new projects throughout the property, such as the James Turrell Skyspace, the tennis court, offices, nightclub, and the extensive terrace that I am still working on.

The furniture is custom-designed to fit the angles and design of the home. “Every detail has been worked on,” Goldstein says, “including where the stitching of the leather is.”|All interior photos by THE VHF – www.thevhf.com

What encouraged you to commission James Turrell to create that beautiful space?

I have always enjoyed contemporary art and like to attend museums and galleries on a regular basis. The first time I saw a work by James Turrell was at the Ace Gallery in Venice, and I was very excited by it. I continued to follow his work which I would see everywhere in France, Italy, and someone’s personal collection here in Los Angeles. I knew that I had to have one for myself.

Do you think that your home is close to perfection now?

Yes, I do. But, there is always going to be some fine tuning that is going on.

Integrating indoor and outdoor space was one of John Lautner’s signature architectural elements including the dramatic cliff-side location and large expanses of glass.

At IRIS we like to highlight the charitable work of the people we feature. Can you share with us any charities or humanitarian issues that are important to you which you support?

I have donated my house, property, clothing, pretty much everything that is in the house to LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. They intend to keep the house how it is; preserving it and opening it to the public. I have become quite involved with LACMA, and it would have to be my number one charity at the moment.

Jacket and Pants by Balmain, Custom Made Hat is Mr. Goldstein’s own design, Scarf by Ashley Ashoff
Photographer’s assistant Tony Adams|Production by XTheStudio, Special Thanks to Roberta Leighton and Kristin Fliehler|For more information: jamesfgoldstein.com

AMANDA LEPORE – DOLL PARTS

For the greater part of the last three decades, Amanda Lepore has dominated and dazzled the New York nightlife with her audacious and over-the-top feminine charms. After relocating to New York in the early 90’s, Lepore quickly caught attention for her larger-than-life hyper-feminine look and began frequenting legendary New York nightspots. Later when serendipitously meeting celebrity photographer, David Lachapelle, Amanda quickly found herself in her latest role: the artist’s muse. For David, she was a voluptuous, fleshy piece of clay, transmuting herself into the many fanciful characters within Lachapelle’s work, and becoming immortalized by his images. But Lepore, too, is an artist, who through years of obsessively indulging in rhinoplasties, silicone injections, and surgical procedures, finally augmented her body into the living, breathing work of art that she had always envisioned. “Amanda has no interest in being a girl,” Lachapelle once remarked “She wants to be a drawing of a girl, a cartoon like Jessica Rabbit. When I told her that silicone is dangerous, she said, ‘I don’t care, as long as I look beautiful in the coffin’. There’s something kind of profound in that; that she’s creating a moment of beauty for herself and is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.”

The iconic blonde bombshell, famously labeled “The Most Expensive Body On Earth,” recently released her juicy, tell-all memoir, “Doll Parts” published by Regan Arts, in collaboration with Vigliano Associates and Peace Bisquit, complete with dishy photos of the bodacious bod. Here, IRIS Covet Book shares a conversation between two reigning New York nightlife queens, Amanda Lepore and the legendary Susanne Bartsch.

My Own Marilyn, 2002, Chromogenic Print ©David Lachapelle Studio

Hi baby, how are you? I saw your book it is beautiful! Are you happy with it?

Yes, yes I am. Did you get your copy?

Yes! Signed by you, of course. It’s really great. I am so excited for you. So much support for you, it really shows how much of a lovely person you are, how special you are. Did you find that in the process of writing this book that it was therapeutic for you?

It was kind of difficult for me because I am one of those people who really likes to live in the moment. I don’t think of the past a lot, but I do have a good memory, but it would be weird because I would remember things that weren’t so pleasant and it would follow me throughout the day. It was fun though, and I was just hoping it came out well in the end…but I am very happy with it.

Going through it is painful, and having to revisit the past is painful.

Yeah and I really appreciate everything, but going back and looking through these old memories really made me much more grateful.

It shows how strong you are and how you have grown.

Yes, exactly. You have to go through the bad things to really appreciate the good things.

At the age of 10 when you announced to your parents that you wanted a sex change, did you always have a feeling that your birth-assigned gender wasn’t correct?

I thought I was just a girl when I was really young. I just had the mind of a girl and didn’t know anything else! In my case it was genetic and it was not influenced by my environment…like a chemical; it was just natural. And my parents….well, I grew up in an Italian household and my father was kind of strict and close-minded in a lot of ways, but my parents were separated and I spent a lot more time with my mother. My mom was schizophrenic and she had a sense of humor…she was great to be around and she loved me and gave me support. I spent a lot of time with her and we accepted each other. When I was very young they knew that I was different… I wasn’t walking normally as a child. My hip sockets were not working correctly and I was wearing a brace as a child. I don’t remember this, but my mother told me. They were just happy when I could start walking and I could walk normally, so they just accepted that I was feminine. I would wear really frilly party dresses as a child and loved pink and super girly things. They just were hoping I would be a gay hairdresser or something. I wanted to do ballet, but they wouldn’t let me. They tried to keep me away from super feminine things.

I tried to get my son to ballet, but he didn’t want to! (both laugh) Well, in the book you also talk about your childhood friends Stephanie and Sandy who lived with their mother and grandmother. How do you think the twins and their household help to inform your life?

Well, they were older than me, and they were fifteen or sixteen when I first met them. One was dating my brother, and I had a habit of being friends with my brother’s ex-girlfriends. They were very cool. Very grown up for their age, and I remember their mother would let them have fake Bloody Mary’s in the morning for breakfast and they were just super cool and their parents were very open minded. I think part of why I liked them so much was because they wore makeup and did their hair, the one that was going out with my brother at the time had bleached hair with these pale pink dyed streaks that I loved.

Well, they were doing their own thing and being adventurous.

Yeah and I was feminine and pretty and I had long hair which I think they gravitated towards as well. They encouraged me and taught me how to arch my eyebrows and curl my eyelashes, taught me about makeup, how to bleach my hair blonde, and all of that stuff.

(laughing) We all needed those girls!

I loved movie stars at that time. They encouraged me to look like Jean Harlow and Marlene Dietrich.

It sounds like they had a profound effect on you. We were talking about you possibly becoming a hairdresser or makeup artist, and these women really helped form how you saw beauty. In the book it says that Stephanie later became a stripper in Newark and you would come to the strip club with her which led you to a fateful meeting with a trans exotic dancer named Bambi. How was it meeting another transgender woman for the first time?

I was fascinated by her body immediately. I was jealous at first because I wanted what she had. I was making these outfits for the dancers and selling them to buy makeup, high heels, and stuff for myself. I told her I would make her outfits if she would trade me hormones, and she agreed as long as I did not tell my mother. I took the doses she told me to take which was like two pills a day and I had started growing breasts in a month, my skin got more clear, and then my mother saw me come out of the shower like a month later with boobs and she said, “How did you get those?” and I said, “I don’t know, they just grew!”. (laughing)

That’s so crazy! Well, then Bambi really helped make your body achievable and it was really great for opening your eyes to what was possible. Did you consider at the time that taking hormones in that way may have been risky?

No, I didn’t think about it at all! I was getting the results that I wanted…and it seemed to calm me down too. Like, if I ever got hard it would freak me out and I would get really depressed.

You mean if you got an erection?

Yeah, like I would get freaked out! I would really want a drink. (laughs) The hormones seemed to calm me down and my grades were going up, I got a tutor because they didn’t want me to come to school dressed as a girl, and I wanted to finish school…

You sort of saw the light at the end of the tunnel with your boobs growing and body developing.

At the same time I wanted more. It was sort of the beginning of a mission.

Exactly, and that mission was accomplished in a better way then you could have ever have imagined! Then your transition became more noticeable and you decided to attend high school as a full fledged female. Your mother and close friends even helped you get dressed for the occasion; how did it feel to walk into the school with all eyes on you? Were you scared of criticism from your peers?

I just was told to go right to the guidance counselor. People were shocked, and I guess I wasn’t really there long enough, but I did not get made fun of. A lot of people were just very confused. I had substitute teachers who had to ask other students if I was a boy or a girl. It was interesting, but I think because it was a big distraction so the guidance counselor asked if I wanted to quit school.

In the book, your high school guidance counselor seemed to be a blessing in disguise. What was her reaction to your transitioning and how did that help you?

I think she felt bad for me because I would go to her a lot complaining about being harassed by the school administration, and she wanted me to go back dressed as a boy. I said it was ridiculous because I was already on hormones and had bleached my hair and it wasn’t going to be like it was. They sent me to a psychiatrist and I was diagnosed as a transexual, then they gave me the hormones legally.

So, after seeing a psychiatrist, you had to get consent from your parents to receive the prescription for the hormones. What was your mom’s reaction? What was your dad’s reaction?

My mom was very supportive, and she started buying me girl’s tops and frilly clothes. She didn’t like the red lipstick because she thought it was like hookery, and she was afraid I was going to get raped. She said, “you look like one of those girls who swing their pocket books on the corner”. (both laugh)

And your dad? What was his reaction?

He was just hoping that I would dress as a girl on the weekends, and just be a feminine gay hairdresser or something. He, I think, was bisexual because when we were younger he introduced us to this guy that he wanted us to call “uncle”.

Oh, that’s suspicious! (laughing)

And the guy was really feminine, and my brother said he thought that the guy was gay. He really was open minded with gay things and drag queens and things like that, but the sex change he used to think that I just looked pretty because I was young, so he would say, “You’re going to turn 17 and it won’t be like that anymore,” but over time he saw that I won and he lost. (laughs)

Then in the book you are very open about your gender reassignment surgery and you describe it as a celebrative event. What were the emotions you had going into surgery?

Euphoria.

I knew you were going to say that! I would be, too. Were you scared or anything?

I didn’t really care. I just wanted to get rid of…the dick. Then it turned out to be gorgeous. (laughs)

Your pussy is amazing! I have one, and they really did a great job.

It was even more beautiful then, too, as a child. It’s still beautiful though.

I will never forget when you told me that you put hair conditioner in your pussy to make it smoother and smell good, I loved that! (laughs) Anyway, a year after the operation your boyfriend at the time, Michael, and you got married. Did it feel good that you got what you wanted, or were there any underlying feelings of anxiety and fear?

I was really happy about everything! There was a lot of aftercare and I just wanted to spend time with my family. I healed very quickly though, even my doctor thought so. There was gauze over the opening and it coming out because it was healing so quickly. There wasn’t a lot of pain because I was on really heavy pain killers and I was in the hospital, and when I got out they gave me more pain killers. After it heals you have to get the dildo dilator to stretch out the interior, and when they first put that in it felt like a knife. They also gave me a prescription numbing cream to put on it which really hurt. It was very painful, but every day it got better. Having sex in certain positions would hurt, but it felt good to just be able to do it. It went from feeling like a knife to eventually being able to achieve orgasm. Over the years it just became more sensitive and got better and better.

I am sure that the hormones helped with the sensitivity too.

Well, they don’t really cut the whole penis off. It is like peeling a banana, then turning it inside out so all of the nerves are still there. Sometimes when I have sex it feels like it is expanding, but really it is getting hard and the blood is rushing there and getting tighter. It’s interesting.

Wow, I love it. Then, a year after your mother’s passing, you left Michael and moved to New York. What thoughts were going through your mind when you were in a cab on the way to the city?

I really just wanted to get away. I just thought that life was short and I should get out of being controlled and do things on my own. It seemed like the right thing to do. It was kind of hard because I thought my husband just wanted to love and protect me, and I knew it would be easier just to stay, but after my mother passed away it just felt like I had to do it.

When you lose somebody close you realize how fragile life is and you have to live it and do what you can. You are very brave, Amanda. Mandy Baby. Did you have a plan when you arrived to New York?

No. I thought of doing nails, and I started to but I was not making enough money and the cabs were so expensive and everything was so much money! This guy I met in the plastic surgeon’s office turned out to be a hooker so I had to get out of the house all of the time, and I met this marine who would see me at a coffee shop I would go to. I started dating him and he was really into S&M, and the first roommate I had in New York was a girl who worked in a dungeon, so I told him he may as well get paid and should work in the dungeon. It was around the time of the AIDS epidemic and I didn’t want to be a hooker, so it made sense to work in the dungeon.

In 1990, your friend & designer, Keni Valenti, decided to introduce you to the New York social scene. What were people’s reaction to your looks and how did it feel after working so hard to achieve them?

People loved me! They loved my look, and at the dungeon they loved that I looked like Jayne Mansfield. I had that look and was dressing up, and it really fit in at the time.

What were some of your favorite memories working the club scene in the 1990’s?

I mean there are so many. I loved all of the parties and dressing up! I still love it. (laughs)

Yeah you’re a magnet; people are drawn to you! If there is a quiet spot in a nightclub we can just put you there and it livens up.

I definitely had a better time now, since I’ve become more famous. In the past I would have to look like I was busy because we would all just naturally hangout together, the people who were working at the club. Michael Alig would say, “You have to circulate! You have to circulate!”, and now people gravitate to me and they want to take pictures with me. I genuinely enjoy meeting new people, too.

How did you come to meet David LaChapelle? Do you think it was fate?

Yes, I do think it was fate. I met him at Bowery Bar and he was asking people about me. He was checking to make sure I wasn’t a bitch and that I am a nice person because he only wanted to work with nice people. When we met he told me that before he knew me, like when he was 15, that he used to draw this woman who looked exactly like me with big boobs, cheekbones, and she was always naked and in weird situations. There’s a sketch of her in my book. He was just obsessed with me. A lot of the pictures he took of me gained a lot of attention and he didn’t want to use anyone else but me for advertising jobs, editorials, etc. Once there was an advertiser who didn’t want to use me and David said, “Well, then I want a girl with no boobs, black hair, and a pie-hole for a mouth!” (laughs)

Ha-ha! I love him…so, then what were your favorite projects that you did with David?

I think that the Armani Jeans campaign was amazing, and just huge. We went down to Italy for the Armani show and I think it was really my first taste of that movie star lifestyle I always have loved and longed for. The flash bulbs, the press was crazy…we had dinner with Giorgio Armani and all of those people. It was super exciting for me!

Did you ever anticipate that that friendship would change your life the way that it has?

No. I think that when I first started doing it I just thought I was lucky and it wouldn’t ever happen again. It just kept on going and going and going, and I didn’t think of becoming a model or anything. If I had a crystal ball and it said I was going to be doing this in the future, I would have been so shocked because I didn’t have any ambitions really I just was so happy to be a girl. I just wanted to be pretty and wear makeup! (laughs)

Yes, and be that super fabulous, gorgeous woman. The epitome of womanhood! You’ve had so many iconic images over the course of your career, how did you decide which to put in the book?

I wanted to have as many LaChapelle images as possible, and luckily David agreed to have all of them in the book. I didn’t like a lot of the old pictures, but when we were picking the images it was hard to get all of the images that I wanted. I had a lot of personal photos under my bed, a box just filled with polaroids and fashion editorials that I did. We put a lot of images that I did more recently too, where I look more beautiful now then I did then. We had these cool collab photos from the 90’s and the images David did.

He also pushed you in a way, tried to make you work even harder as an artist, in a good way.

Yeah, definitely. Actually, the dominatrix stuff I did when I moved to New York was more of an act for me and I think that helped me with my modeling and working with him. David is kind of a huge control freak and wanted everything a certain way, so I was able to work with him better than anyone because of my experience with domination. (laughs)

You were like a dream come true, really. Your trademark sense of fashion, Jessica Rabbit body, and coquettish personality are all apart of the Lepore brand, but how did that style evolution come to be?

At first it was Marilyn, Jayne Mansfield, and Barbie who were my big influences. I got in an accident while go-go dancing where I got a scar on my forehead. I was really depressed about it, so I decided to make my lips really huge and my boobs huge so people would look at my boobs and lips instead of at my scar. The look just worked for me, and I sort of look like Jessica Rabbit and Marilyn Monroe.

Well, that’s a good accident to have! Well, later you went on to collaborate with rapper & producer, Cazwell on your albums. Were you nervous to start singing live or did it feel like a natural extension of your performance abilities?

I was really nervous! It was so many words and the first song “Champagne” had so many lyrics to remember. I remember we were doing a show with (the fashion brand) Heatherette in Russia and I was in a hotel the entire time studying the lyrics. I had to perform it shortly after and people were just floored because I wasn’t really known as a performer at the time. They all thought it was going to be bad, but it turned out to be really good. Cazwell wanted to do a whole album, and we just kept it going. I continued to do that for income and then started working at that Soho Grand event with you and Joey Arias and it took it all a step further. I was depending on the tracks, but then I started doing more live, intimate performances; my voice got better and I became a better performer as it went along.

What advice or adage do you live your life by?

Just be yourself and go with the flow. Making myself happy is my main thing. Staying away from negative things and taking care of myself.

In Doll Parts, you recommend to, “Work with people who know more than you, always.” Why do you feel this so important?

Because you always want to learn more and I am always eager to learn and better myself.

What advice would you give to transgender youth who are struggling with their sense of identity in their community/family?

There are places like New York’s Callen-Lorde Health Center where you can get hormones and medical care, but it is hard when your parents don’t understand you or accept you. I hope that it gets better from all of these people who are in the spotlight, and it seems like it is. It’s hard, but you have to look for support and I think it is beneficial for a lot of people to leave their family if they can find better support from other people or organizations.

The name of the game, I think, is really to try and get as much support as possible. There is a lot more help out there now since when you started the process of transitioning.

It wasn’t easy for me at all. There was a lot of tears, fear, and manipulation on my part that was just trying to get people to do this for me. You just have to stay strong and persevere.

According to surveys done by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention & The Williams Institute, 41% of transgender teens have attempted to commit suicide. What helped you to get through the difficulties of transitioning during your teenage years?

I think it’s really hard for these teenagers in the moment, and it’s difficult for anyone who is bullied, but I think that for transgender kids they have to get hormones, operations, and all of these expensive things that make it so hard for them. You really have to remember that it’s only a short moment that is really hard, and when you are a kid it seems like forever, but you just have to stay strong and know that for as many people who may hate you at the moment there will be so many people who love you for being different.
Special thanks to Susanne Bartsch, Peace Biscuit, and Michele Ruiz. Doll Parts by Amanda Lepore is Published by Regan Arts.

SUPER PLAYERS

SALLIE SARGENT
President and CEO of Houston Super Bowl Host Committee

Sallie Sargent’s long and prestigious career is an amazing example of what hard work, intelligence, and determination can do for you, especially as a woman in an executive position usually filled by men. Her special event management background with sporting events includes five Super Bowls, the 2004 Democratic National Convention, the 100th anniversary of Ford Motor Company and the 2012 Centennial Celebration of the State of Arizona. Prior to the tradeshow and convention industry, Ms. Sargent served as Director of Marketing and Promotions for America West Airlines (now US Airways) after her successful negotiation on behalf of America West with the NFL for the official airline sponsorship of Super Bowl XXX.

Sargent’s knowledge and experience with the NFL’s premiere event resulted in her appointment in 2013 as the Executive Director for Houston’s efforts to secure Super Bowl in 2017. Since that time, she has been retained in the same position to develop the strategic plan for the Houston Host Committee to stage Super Bowl LI. It is our honor to feature this fiercely intelligent business woman who is not only in charge of managing the Houston Super Bowl, but also responsible for some of the most important political, governmental, and sporting events in the last decade. Like fellow visionary, Ella Williams, Sallie lives by the writer’s words, “Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it.”

 

RIC CAMPO
Chairman of the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee and CEO of Camden Property Trust

Since 1993, Ric Campo is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Camden Property Trust. Mr. Campo began his real estate career after graduating from Oregon State University in 1976. After working for a private Houston real estate company, Mr. Campo co-founded Camden’s predecessor companies in 1982 and has spent almost thirty years building a company of top tier staff that are renowned for their management proficiency, their development and construction capabilities and their savvy in the areas of technology, training and marketing. Success to Ric is improving people’s lives one experience at a time and creating jobs for the people of Houston.

Ric serves as Chairman of the Board of the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee, and is one of the pioneers who brought the famed games to Houston. Mr. Campo serves on the Board of Directors of several organizations that focus on the economic development, business outlook and future growth of Houston, including Central Houston, Inc., the Greater Houston Community Foundation and the Greater Houston Partnership and is an Executive Advisory Board Member for the University of Houston, C.T. Bauer College of Business. Mr. Campo also served as the Chairman of the Houston First Corporation for 12 years, which is a local government corporation that facilitates the city’s economic growth through the business of conventions and the arts. He is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) where he serves on the Executive Board, the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC) where he serves on the Executive Committee and was past chairman and the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

 

MARK A. WALLACE
President and CEO of Texas Children’s Hospital

Mark A. Wallace was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Texas Children’s Hospital in 1989 at the age of 36. Under his leadership, Texas Children’s has grown into one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive pediatric and women’s health care organizations, garnering more than 3.3 million patient encounters annually and achieving international recognition as a referral center. In 2014, Texas Children’s Hospital was ranked 4th among all children’s hospitals nationwide by U.S. News & World Report. When asked what he looks for when bringing on new team members, Wallace says “A positive attitude, strong work ethic and the heart of a servant.” During Mr. Wallace’s 25-year tenure, he has led Texas Children’s successful completion of numerous capital and expansion projects, representing a significant investment in the future of pediatric health care.

Mr. Wallace currently serves on the Board of Directors of the CHI St. Luke’s Baylor Medical Center. In May 2015, Mr. Wallace received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities in Medicine from Baylor College of Medicine. His plans to expand Texas Children’s Hospital to other cities in the next few years is his passion and the children and parents that live or travel hundreds of miles to Houston for treatment, continually thank him for his service, as well as for his leadership and contributions to health care excellence.

 

DEANDRE HOPKINS
Wide Receiver of the Houston Texans

Suit by Tom Ford | Shirt by Giorgio Armani | Coat by Burberry | Available at Neiman Marcus

A man of few words, DeAndre Hopkins is stoic and quiet during his portrait session. Between training for games, press conferences, interviews, and researching and collecting vintage cars, DeAndre found time to sit in front of our camera and give us insight into his world. South Carolina native, Hopkins enrolled in Clemson University, where he played for the Clemson Tigers football team from 2010 to 2012. Hopkins, along with junior quarterback Tajh Boyd and wide receiver Sammy Watkins, combined to make one of the most prolific passing offenses in college football and broke many individual and career school records.

Hopkins left Clemson, and his home state of South Carolina, with the career record for receiving yards and career touchdown grabs with at least one score in each of the last 12 games. On January 10, 2013 Hopkins decided to forgo his senior season at Clemson and enter the NFL draft. He was drafted 27th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, just the second time in franchise history that the Texans drafted a wide receiver in the first round. DeAndre Hopkins is a star of the Houston Texans and represents the athleticism and effortless style that we all strive for, and that Houston takes pride in.

 

RICHARD FLOWERS
COO of The Events Company

Suit and shirt by Giorgio Armani, tie by Zegna | Available at Neiman Marcus | Watch by Cartier 

Richard founded his own events firm, Richard Flowers & Associates, and began his enterprise with the task of handling many of the production aspects of the 1990 Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations. Richard’s reputation for creating and producing exceptional events quickly came to the attention of the movers, shakers and decision-makers in the city, state and nation. His attention to detail, creativity and complete knowledge of the industry have afforded him the opportunity to work not only with leaders in government, but also in public and private sector businesses, non-profit organizations and private clientele.

He has produced exquisite galas for all of the charitable organizations in Houston and in other cities in Texas. He and his team have worked for leaders in the fashion industry, and Richard has traveled nationally and internationally to produce events for his private clientele. From birthday celebrations to high profile weddings and social events in various locations from coast to coast, and internationally, in locations like Paris, Mexico and Puerto Rico, Richard is frequently engaged to ensure that every detail is in place.

Richard joined forces with the Landry’s organization in 2003, as the CEO of The Events Company. He has assembled a strong creative and production team, armed with extensive creative resources, who share Richard’s passion for producing an exceptional event, every time. Richard’s six- and seven-figure mega events — the ones in Cabo, Telluride and Nantucket — have earned The Events Company honcho premiere honors as one of an elite group of wedding advisors to Town & Country magazine. He joins the coterie of famed party/wedding planners that includes Colin Cowie and Mark Ingram of New York and LA’s Mindy Weiss.

SYLVESTER TURNER
Mayor of Houston, TX

Sylvester Turner was born on September 27, 1954 in Acres Homes, Texas. His mother was a maid at the Rice Hotel and his father, a commercial painter. Turner was raised with eight brothers and sisters. In 1973, he graduated as the valedictorian of Klein High School. Four years later, Turner received his B.A. degree in political science from the University of Houston, after which he attended Harvard Law School, where he received his J.D. degree in 1980.

Turner was hired at the Houston-based law firm Fulbright & Jaworski. After three years, Turner left and formed his own law firm with partner Barry M. Barnes. Barnes & Turner specialized in corporate and commercial law. In 1984, Turner ran for a Harris County Commissioner seat, but he lost to El Franco Lee. In 1988, he won the seat in the Texas House of Representatives for District 139, a mostly minority district. Turner also taught at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, the South Texas College of Law, and at the University of Houston Law School’s continuing legal education program. He ran for the mayor of Houston twice, once in 1991 where he lost in a hotly contested race, and again in 2003, where he lost to Bill White.

Turner touts his 26 years in the Legislature – a tenure that includes a decade as a key author of the state budget and as one the state’s most powerful Democrats, retaining influence amid Republican supermajorities – as evidence of his readiness to tackle big problems. Turner has picked up endorsements from the city’s police, fire and municipal unions and many political bigwigs. This long history and his many alliances, however, have led opponents to paint him as a career politician whom voters have spurned twice before when he sought the mayor’s office, in 1991 and 2003.

Photography by Dustin Mansyur | Art Direction by Louis Liu | Produced by Marc Sifuentes | Copy Edit by Benjamin Price

LYNN WYATT

Photography and Interview by Dustin Mansyur | Styling by Marc Sifuentes | Art Direction by Louis Liu

Top by Christian Lacroix, Earrings, Bracelet, Necklace and Ring all by Harry Winston.

Lynn Wyatt has invited us to afternoon tea, an invitation one makes sure they are not late for. Our team has flown in from New York to meet with the juggernaut philanthropist and international socialite to discuss details of her upcoming photoshoot, also to be held at her home in River Oaks. Greeted by her butler, we are whisked through the foyer with it’s elegant curved staircase and ushered into her formal sitting room. Traditional furnishings in buttery yellow and pear greens are juxtaposed with modern and contemporary art which punctuates the room. The two Warhol portraits of Wyatt proudly greet guests as they enter the room, and we are seated in front of the fireplace which wields a colorful painting done by artist, Helen Frankenthaler, hung expressly above the mantle. Just then, we hear the voice, an instantly-recognizable southern drawl with a husky yet benevolent elocution.

As Lynn enters the room, she welcomes us all charmingly with a firm handshake. Smartly dressed in a Chanel pant suit, there is a lightness of being that radiates from the unbelievably spirited octogenarian. A genteel charisma that is not without its depth, her graciousness spills over into everyone she interacts with, no matter how big or small the exchange. Her genuine gratitude is offered to our team as tea is poured and gingersnap cookies are served. As we begin to discuss the details for the photoshoot, there is nothing that is left to chance by Wyatt, whose perceptibility and forethought is sharply on point. Excitement infiltrates the discussion as the topic of wardrobe and jewelry begins, details about every garment she’s worn on the red carpet are intimately shared with pride. After all, she was inducted into Vanity Fair’s Best Dressed Hall of Fame.

She is the woman most Houstonians esteem as their city’s cultural ambassador to the world. For the past five decades, Lynn has raised millions of dollars for charities the world over. In 1982, she was honored by the Government of France to rank of Officier in its prestigious Order of Arts and Letters, for her significant contribution to the enrichment of the French cultural inheritance. A patron of the arts, Lynn has made it her life’s mission to endow the arts in all of its resplendent forms, and her love of fashion has garnered just as much interest as the galas she’s chaired, honored, or attended. Then there is the trope of A-list international friends comprised of royalty, celebrity, and society with which the Texan rose has kept her company: Princess Grace, Nancy Reagan, Liza Minelli, Sarah Ferguson Dutchess of York, Shirley MacClaine, Elton John, Andy Warhol, Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino, and Mick Jagger to name a few. Privy to even the most pomp of parties, brushing shoulders with the world’s elite, Wyatt’s attitude is anything but aristocratic. And while others might require one, no spotlight is necessary for a luminary as brilliant as Lynn.

Proudly, Iris Covet Book shares a conversation with Houston’s hero to offer a glimpse into the radiant world of Lynn Wyatt.

Leather dress by Talbot Runhof | Earrings and Belt by Emanuel Ungaro Couture.

You’re a native Houstonian and you’ve always been proud to act as an ambassador for this very industrial diverse and innovative city. What specific things do you take pride in about Houston?

I take pride in my hometown because of its people. Houston is a very welcoming city and we have a much diversified population which I think is great. And I take pride in the exceptional first class culture and the arts in Houston. The M.F.A.H (Museum of Fine Arts Houston) is exceptional. I love the first-class Houston Grand Opera and our incredible Ballet, as well as the one of a kind, Rothko Chapel and the Menil collection. To me, I think that the arts are the soul of any city.

Your family owned the well-known department store, Sakowitz, for many years. Was your love of fashion innate, or was it something that you learned more about through exposure to it through the family business?

I think just growing up and being around our specialty stores made me cognizant of fashion.

And did your parents ever make you work at the department store when you were growing up or was it something that you chose to do?

I didn’t have to work, no, but I wanted to work.

What did that experience teach you?

Well, when I asked my father, he of course agreed to it. They had a junior miss department and he said he would place me there to begin. So, on the very first day, a girl came in with her mom and I asked if I could assist her. She had brought in several outfits in the dressing room and had asked me to come in. She asked for my opinion. I thought, “Should I tell her the truth? Or just make the sale?” But to me the truth is always the right thing. So, I told her it really didn’t do anything for her style. So, she asked me what she should do instead? So, I said, “Let me go and bring some things. You can try them on because I think this is more your style.” She then became not only my customer, but she brought in all of her friends and told them to ask for Lynn.

So, the customer isn’t always right, but Lynn knows best.

(Laughter) Yes, and you know the truth is what people like! I mean, women like to hear the truth about when something they’re wearing isn’t very flattering.

Then, at what age did you become interested in philanthropy and humanitarian causes? was gratitude or the act of giving back something that you were taught?

You know what, that is something that was taught to me early, early on because my parents were prominent in this city, and they always taught me to give back to the community.

That’s amazing, what an incredible example. What charitable organizations do you support and are involved with?

The arts have always been my passion. I’ve been the Vice President of Houston Grand Opera for thirty-five years and a trustee on the executive committee of the Houston Ballet for over twenty-five years. I’m also a lifetime trustee of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. I am the Rothko Chapel’s Cultural Adviser and I’m a Special Advisor to Mercury, which is a brilliant orchestra made up of strings that showcases young musicians, but of course to me everybody is young. (Laughter)

(Laughter) So then, what is perhaps the most memorable event that you ever hosted and why?

The most memorable event, was for the Princess Grace Awards Gala. Three months, after Princess Grace of Monaco passed away, I got a phone call from Prince Rainier. He asked me to chair the first inaugural gala, and I sort of gulped. I said, “Oh my goodness.” And he said, “No, she loved you. You were one of her dearest friends.” So, I said I was so flattered and accepted the invitation to chair the event.

Then I decided that instead of having it in New York, which always has so many events going on, sometimes three or four things a night, that I would have a three-day affair, and hold it in Washington D.C. The President, and Mrs. Reagan were present, as well as the entire presidential staff. I also invited all my European friends, some were princes or princesses and dukes and duchesses. Even many years after, I still have people remembering it. So, that’s very flattering for me.

Dress by Tom Ford available at Neiman Marcus | Shoes by Yves Saint Laurent

And you will be chairing the official Super Bowl Galas in Houston, Texas?

I am very proud to be a part of the Super Bowl and chair the official Super Bowl Gala on Wednesday evening before the Super Bowl. You know, it’s a big deal in any city but this is my city. So, I’m very proud to be to be involved with it.

Are you excited about the halftime show with Lady Gaga?

Yes! I met Lady Gaga when we were both attending Elton John’s AIDs Foundation Gala in Windsor. Lady Gaga was the entertainer and she was fabulous. Later that evening after the gala at Elton’s home, Elton said for us to go up and put on our bathrobes. We came downstairs and stayed up talking and laughing until four o’clock. She was just terrific. You know, she’s a great entertainer and she was just fabulous. I’ll be thrilled to see her in Houston if she has the time.

It sounds like you are busy preparing for all the festivities surrounding the Super Bowl. I’m curious how you decide what to wear when you’re hosting a Gala? Do you always purchase something new or never worn before? Or do you revisit some of your archived couture pieces from time to time?

People often ask me this question, and the answer is that it depends on the occasion, because sometimes I change what I’ll wear a lot. So, if I say I haven’t decided yet, that makes me look like I don’t want to tell them. If I do tell them something and then change my mind because my mood changes, it makes me look like I’m a liar. So really, for something like the Museum of Fine Arts Ball that I hosted, I had an Oscar de la Renta gown made-to-measure for me. I was excited about that. But you know, I’ll wear my “golden oldies” as I love to call them.

And do you ever mix pieces like that old and new? Haute couture with ready-to-wear?

Oh, I love to mix them!

I would imagine that’s part of the fun, right?

Yes exactly! That’s what I love about getting dressed. A very famous person who was a very good friend of mine, and also one of the most stylish women in the world, said, “The most fun that I ever have is deciding what I’m going to wear. Sometimes even better than the party I go to.” I don’t know if I agree with that last part, but I love her for saying that.

How would you describe your personal style?

I have been asked to describe my style, and I have a little philosophy that I dress by. My style is class with a little bit of dash, but never trash. (Laughter)

(Laughter) Spot on! I was going through some image galleries of your most memorable looks online. There’s several galleries on the Internet that showcase looks that you’ve worn and I couldn’t help but notice that you gravitate towards a lot of playful pieces too. Like the evening dress with the red lips embellished on it.

Oh right, you know who did that? Yves Saint Laurent!

Necklace by Grazia Fortuna Ward | Dress by Ralph Rucci | Photo by Jhane Hoang

Ah! I was wondering who.

I loved Yves Saint Laurent! And I love Valentino. I also loved Emanuel Ungaro, Hubert de Givenchy, and Chanel! She was the first house that I ever went to purchase haute couture from. When I was early married, my husband went to Paris and took me. I decided I would go in and see about having some pieces made for me. They were very, very, disciplined and they take all of your measurements– I mean everything! I thought they were going to measure the size of my finger nail (laughter). They were so perfect about everything. So, I had a daytime suit that was made-to-measure. And I had this beautiful brocade cocktail dress with matching jacket.

Since then, I also have had evening gowns and other pieces made-to-measure, from other designers who I became very good friends with: Valentino, Givenchy, and Emanuel Ungaro.

Do you ever fret over a haute couture piece before you purchase it or do you have an inherit knowing this piece is right for you?

My dear man, before I ever have it made to measure I agonize over it. Because I would think, and think, and think, “Am I going to spend my money on this? How many times can I wear it? How many times can I mix maybe the skirt with another top?” I mean, I agonize over it. First of all, haute couture is a fascinating experience. One can really turn a garment inside and out. The way it’s made is so perfectly sewn and constructed by hand. I used to attend all of the collections in Paris every year and it was always such a great experience. I must admit that I can still wear my “golden oldies” and I feel like they’re just good friends.

Do you still own all of your haute couture pieces? Are they archived?

You know, I still have my first Chanel suit. But then I gave eighteen haute couture gowns to the auction panel to raise money for the Rothko Chapel(in Houston, Texas).

I’m furious with myself for parting with one of them. Hamish Bowles (International editor-at-large of Vogue) came up to me before the auction, and said, “You know, I’ve got my eye on two LW’s.” I said, “You do?! Well good for your collection, I’m so flattered!” And so, he actually ended up buying four! I was so excited they ended up in his collection.

How did you meet Warhol, and how did your portraits by him come to be? Did you have a sitting with him at his studio?

I met Andy Warhol in New York in the 60’s and we became fast friends. We would always go to lunch or dinner together. Sometimes it was just the two of us and other times he would be with all of his talented and amusing friends. I mean Andy was so ahead of his time. At that time, Fred Hughes was the guy that did work with him in the city, and he asked Andy, “Why are all of your paintings the same exact size?” And Andy’s answer was, “Because I can picture them in a museum one day.” How brilliant was THAT! He would come to my parties at our Villa in the south of France, and he would bring a notebook and take notes about me and the people who were at the parties. I thank all the artists who ever asked to do my portrait, because it’s very flattering, but I would always say no to them. But Andy, he was the one that I asked to do my portraits because he was, and I think people would agree, the John Singer Sergeant of our era.

 

Ring and earrings by Harry Winston |  Sheer Long Sleeve Blouse, Blue Satin Top, Belt and Leather Pants all by Saint Laurent, available at Neiman Marcus

What has given you strength during times of trial in your life?

Personally, I believe that trials and tribulations come into everyone’s life. The way I handle it, I believe in facing them straight on. I know that whatever trial or tribulation it is, it can always be worse. When you think about it that way, it’s like, “Oh, this isn’t so bad.”

What’s been your greatest fear that you’ve confronted and overcome?

I don’t even think of fear. Life is a challenge and I just look at it in the face and go for it.

What does success mean to you?

Whatever I do, I try to do the best job I can. And I’m very happy when it becomes successful.

Have you ever reinvented yourself?

You know I never think of reinventing anything. Especially my life. I believe that we should live life as an adventure, and be grateful for all the gifts one has been given. You know, I’m an adventurer too!

Your family is ancestrally Jewish. In America and globally, 2016 brought to light an alarming rise in xenophobia, transphobia, homophobia and overall feelings of divisiveness. I’m just curious to know what you think it will take for us to unite and celebrate our diversity?

That’s a very good question. You know, my parents taught me that every religion is personal and that at the core, religion teaches us to love and respect all people and religions. So, I’m fortunate that I have a diverse group of friends all over the world and have never encountered any division among them. Be kind and be respectful of others, especially their differences.

You’ve been described by Nicky Haslam to have a “golden aura” and your friend Valentino described you as “a miracle of nature” because of your constant energy and vitality. What’s your secret to maintaining impenetrable positivity and light?

First of all, I’m so flattered by those wonderful, incredible words, by my two dear friends. The truth is, I don’t have a secret. I think that the light comes from within.

Do you think gratitude is an important quality to cultivate in one’s life?

I think gratitude is a very important quality. But I do not think about gratitude as being a quality to cultivate because then one is not truly grateful. It has to come from inside. It has to come naturally. If you have to think about it, then it’s not true gratitude.

Good point. The experience of gratitude must be innate and naturally occurring.Can you describe what “having class” means to you?

If you one thinks one has class, one doesn’t really have it. Because I think it’s the way one lives one’s life. However, I take it as the supreme compliment when some guy yells out, “You’re a classy dame!” (Laughter)

(Laughter) That’s where the “dash” comes in from your style motto! What do you want your personal legacy to say about you?

It’s really quite simple, but I would like them to say, “She lived a lot, laughed a lot, and loved a lot.” .

Ring, Necklace and Earrings all by Harry Winston | Black Top and Pants by Brandon Maxwell | Shoes by Yves Saint Laurent | Throughout this story, Hair using Susan Zindler | Makeup using Dior Beauty, YSL Beauty, Tom Ford Beauty and Chanel Makeup | Fragrance by Hermes

THE PHILANTHROPIST

Lynn spends much of her time giving back to the world by supporting many charities and one of her first loves, the arts. From the Rothko Chapel to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and the Houston Ballet, Wyatt has spent much time fundraising for fine arts establishments as well as being a frequent guest at galleries, operas, and ballets alike in her hometown Houston, Texas. Along with her love of art, honed from years of spending time with Andy Warhol at his Factory, the famous Helmut Newton, and many other art icons, Lynn loves to be a supportive pillar for the community. Much of her days are spent with different non-profit groups and shelters like the Star of Hope Mission.

MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON

Director Gary Tinterow and Lynn Wyatt discuss life in the halls of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, an award winning, world-class museum of international fine

arts; Lynn Wyatt is Chairwoman of the Board of the acclaimed museum.

On Lynn: Leather Jacket and Handbag by Louis Vuitton, Leather Skirt by Chanel, Boots by Yve Saint Laurent

ALLEY THEATER

Gregory Boyd, Artistic Director at the Alley Theater and Mrs. Wyatt sit and enjoy their time in the famed space for the arts. The Alley Theatre, one of America’s leading not-for-profit theatres, is a nationally recognized performing arts company, Lynn is an avid supporter, Member at Large, and on the Board of Directors.

On Lynn: Leopard Print Top by Yves Saint Laurent, Vest by Arend Couture, Scarf by Louis Vuitton.

STAR OF HOPE

Lynn reading stories to the children at the Star of Hope Mission. Lynn is a devoted supporter to the Star of Hope Mission, a charity that counsels, houses, and lends a helping hand to the homeless that find shelter at the Mission. President and CEO, Hank Rush, helps provide a safe haven to provide structured programs which focus on spiritual growth, education, employment, life management and recovery from substance abuse.

HOUSTON BALLET

Stanton Welch of the Houston Ballet stands with Mrs. Wyatt as they greet the young dancers of the Houston Ballet. The Houston Ballet is another center of culture andfine art performance that has become near and dear to Member-at-Large, Lynn Wyatt.

On Lynn: Turtleneck, Necklace and Belt

HOUSTON GRAND OPERA

Wyatt and the Artistic and Music Director of the Houston Grand Opera, Patrick Summers, pause mid conversation to enjoy the grand space. The Houston Grand Opera hosts fantastic shows throughout the year, and Mrs. Wyatt sits as Vice Chairman of the Board.

On Lynn: All Clothing by Chanel

EARTH GUARDIAN: XIUHTEZCATL TONATIUH

Interview & Photography by Dustin Mansyur | Styling by Marc Sifuentes | Art Direction by Louis Liu | Grooming by Anthony Joseph Hernandez

An unassuming leader, not old enough to vote, Xiuhtezcatl Tonatiuh (pronounced Shoe-tez-kaht Ton-ah-tee) is an undeniable force of change for his generation and those to come. Possessing an intrinsic spiritual wisdom stemming from the traditions of his Aztec heritage, Xiuhtezcatl’s love for the earth was instilled in him from early childhood. As one of the twenty youth plaintiffs suing the United States Federal Government in a historical class-action case for its prior knowledge of climate change and failing to take preventative action, Xiuhtezcatl is a voice among many pleading for us to recognize the magnitude of the issue that we’ve created.

At a time when grassroots movements can be nurtured through the use of technology, social media wields the power to cause both disconnection from our realities, and connection amongst those who will create our reality. It is by this means that the future summons the past for collaboration. As youth director of the non-profit, Earth Guardians, Xiuhtezcatl has already spoken three times at the United Nations on environmental policy, a hefty accomplishment for anyone who is leading a movement. He blends his leadership skills with his charismatic musical talent as a hip-hop artist, to amplify his message on all social media platforms and connect with others around the globe who support his cause. Xiuhtezcatl exudes, “The combination of both generations can create a better world for the future where we can balance ways of life that existed in the past, but also taking advantage of technology and creating societies that are less destructive to the planet but can continue to move forward into the future.”

The implication of the issue at hand, however, is that climate change is a violation of human rights. With peak-consumerism climaxing at the environment’s expense, it’s hard to imagine how one might pursue life, liberty and happiness, if in fact the earth cannot even sustain life. Perhaps then it is a surprise that the seeming-naivety of youth is the one sounding the largest alarm. Xiuhtezcatl beckons us, “I think that reconnecting to the sense that we are part of the whole planet and a species of beings that will not exist anymore unless things change–and that means lifestyle change, policy change, people standing up in our courts, streets, communities, electing officials who will speak with our voice.”

Iris Covet Book had a chance to speak with the “Kid Warrior” on set at his photoshoot in New York.

When did your passion for environmental issues begin and at what age did you start organizing/working with Earth Guardians?

My passion for environmentalism began when I was super little. Growing up, I spent all of my time outside in nature: in the forests, in the mountains and rivers. Just immersed in the beauty of the natural world. From there, I began to learn about the problems facing the environment through my mom and through my siblings.  We were all engaged in that, and I began using my voice to speak up about it.

We started talking about climate change, environmentalism, creating small local events –then in 2009, I thought, what if we got other young people involved? I had an interest to engage in the friends of my community. I was nine years old when I began Earth Guardians, kind of the third generation of my community. It was just me and a group of my friends who showed up to town hall meetings because they started spraying pesticides on our parks, from there we stopped getting pesticides sprayed in Boulder and then were able to get movement on a global level.

It became so much bigger than just ourselves, because the world saw it as a step forward for young people to use their voices to make a difference in the world regardless of the cause.

In your videos online, you attribute your love for nature to your upbringing and the traditions of your father’s tribe. Can you describe when you first became aware that you had this connectedness to the Earth?

There was never really a defining moment because being born into that culture taught me that being with nature was just a way of life. Since I could walk, I was learning traditional dances. Since I could speak I was learning our languages and our songs. All of that revolved around prayer and ceremony for the elements that give us life. That shaped the deep connection that I have with the natural world, and I am apart of it just by being on the Earth.

In regards to modern society, what attitudes, behaviors, or beliefs do you think people in general are missing in their way of life that contribute to environmental degradation?

I think it’s about convenience. As a teenager, growing up and going to high school I saw that in my peers because it is very easy to go through life and not care about anything. Where we are so disconnected from ourselves, from one another, from the planet from what we eat, there’s such a sense of disconnection that it’s easy for us to fall into apathy.

It’s easy to fall into hopelessness because when we look at crises that face the world, it’s incredibly overwhelming. I see a general disconnection with human beings to problems that matter.

Why do you think climate change is a multi-generational issue? How do you think that we can benefit from multi-generation collaboration?

I think it is pretty plain to see. Past generations created this crisis, and obviously we perpetuate it today, but our parents and the generations of the past are responsible for letting it happen. Those in power are responsible for climate change. As young people, we are going to be inheriting the problem that the past generations created. They had a party on the planet and left it for us to clean up. If you look at it that way, if we want to actually create change in the world to fix a global problem like climate change, it is going to take more than just action from our elected officials, and from older generations.

I feel like older people have a wisdom that we can learn from to make things actionable, and the youth have an incredible amount of ingenuity. We are creators, entrepreneurs, thinkers. We are exploring the world in such a new way because we have lightning fast access to information, media, etc. The combination of both generations can create a better world for the future where we can balance ways of life that existed in the past, but also taking advantage of technology and creating societies that are less destructive to the planet but can continue to move forward into the future.

That brings to mind inventive and visionary solutions like Studio Roosegaarde’s Smog Free Project in China that will turn smog into diamonds by means of a giant “air purifier”. We’re making lots of advancements!

Yeah, I mean you see it every day! Part of what keeps my head above water and keeps me inspired and hopeful is looking at all of the solutions. I see kids all over the world who are improving and creating amazing ideas on how to reduce our impact on the world. Our use of paper, water, etc. We need to focus on long term solutions so we can create a lasting society so that generations in the future have something to inherit.

How has technology and the internet been influential to you as a leadership tool?

Telling my story through the media has been incredibly important to having the world know who I am, what I am doing, the movement I’m trying to spread. As I said, I started this as a kid trying to help my community, and people started to see what I was doing and post things online and share through YouTube and Facebook. I started working with this documentary filmmaker named, Vanessa Black, to make a short documentary called “Kid Warrior” to show my story. That went viral and got millions of people to learn about what I was doing. It went beyond just “Kid Warrior”, but got the attention of the United Nations. Now, I am working with a lot of different media outlets in the fashion industry, Hollywood, the music industry, and using these different avenues to propel the message so everyone has access to find out what we are doing. It’s not just about one person, it’s not just about me, it’s about inspiring leaders all over the world to make change.

You recently addressed both Presidential candidates via YouTube, and even though you’re not old enough to vote, what kind of action do you want to see taken by the next President of the United States?

I feel like as the United States we have an amazing amount of power and influence in the world, and these next couple of decades are going to determine the next several hundred years. That’s not me saying that, that’s scientists all over the world saying that. Based upon the amount of actions we take, carbon that can be sequestered in the oceans and forests and soil – that will determine what our world will look like. As a leader of one of the biggest and most powerful nations in the world, they have an amazing amount of responsibility to address climate change, to put climate recovery tools into place, and to get off of a fossil fuel infrastructure. Fossil fuel is not a sustainable source, it’s cheap and convenient, but it is not sustainable. Unless our leaders take action, there will not be an earth left to pass on. They have to do something for my generation and the generations ahead
to keep the positive momentum going.

Is there a crucial window or time frame that change must happen within?

I just watched Leonardo DiCaprio’s new documentary Before the Floods, and he said that the ice sheet in the Northern Hemisphere will be gone by 2040. The impact that this will have on rising sea levels globally is already evident, we already have island land masses sinking. Climate change is a human rights issue. People are dying, losing their families, etc. It’s really a question of how much time we have as a city, a country–everyone will be affected differently but in extreme ways. We will have food shortages, lack of clean water, national security, all different problems which we will see with more frequency. There’s not really a specific window because unless we take action soon by making drastic changes in the next five decades, things will just continue to get worse and worse. One of the first places that will be affected are island nations, and it will continue to spiral.

You’ve been personally affected by fracking in your town, can you explain what it is and why it is dangerous?

Fracking is a process in which they take millions of gallons of water and mix it with toxic carcinogenic chemical and sand and they shoot it down into the ground at high pressure. We have exploited so many of our shallow oil reserves, so now we have to go deep into the Earth to crack the last of the shale, and it is very difficult to extract because of the way the shale is formed so they have to open up pockets of gas and extract it from there. The impact of shooting millions of gallons of toxic chemicals into the Earth is bleaching. It leaks into water reserves, naturally occurring watersheds, rivers, basins, where we get our water from, basically. We have about 130,000 fracking wells in Colorado which have been drilled over the past few decades.

Out in public spaces? Like that park in your neighborhood?

Yes, public spaces, parks, homes, hospitals, schools. We’ve fought really hard to get bans and moratoriums on fracking in specific municipalities of Colorado and we got a five-year moratorium on fracking in Boulder, but this year it will lift and
we will no longer be safe from its impacts. I know kids in other communities where the people are suffering from different cancers, lung diseases, respiratory problems, nosebleeds, migraines–all of these different problems that are affecting children and families. The people living next to these wells are screwed. We have to take action against these oil and gas companies.

Do you always wear your gas mask when you play basketball?

(laughs) Not always, but when I am in certain areas of Colorado you’ve got to.

What prompted the decision to filethe lawsuit against the United States government, and what was going through your head when you started that journey?

So, I am one of twenty youth plaintives filing against the US Federal Government to keep them accountable for violating our constitutional right to life, liberty, and property because of their lack of action on climate change. I’ve been working on these lawsuits for the last five years, starting with local powers in my state to get statewide action on climate change and those lawsuits are still going on in my state. Now we are in a huge class-action lawsuit against the Federal Government, we are hoping in the next thirty days that we will get a ruling that will allow us to take this case to Supreme Court so we can put the Federal Government on trial for threatening our future. It is incredible to see we have a voice in a legal system where people aren’t represented or heard from. This is not about politics or money, it’s about our future.

What are some of the practical ways that Earth Guardians is making a difference on the issue of climate change and how expansive has the group become?

It’s incredible to see how so many different communities all over the world are taking different actions to make global change. That’s the beautiful thing about Earth Guardians because it is a movement where anyone in any part of the world can sign up and create a community in their homes or schools and begin to make change in small steps—whether that’s through tree planting, or picking up litter, to painting a mural, creating a fashion show out of recycled materials, whatever it is that inspires you. Being a part of Earth Guardians is just being a part of a big global family of people who care and want to make a difference. We have quarterly global events where every young person involved with Earth Guardians has a chance to connect with each other where we can protect our Earth, air, water, and climate. We’ve planted hundreds of thousands of trees, had huge initiatives to clean up our water supplies and educate about water potability. In different countries and different places, we need to work on different things, but it is amazing to see how all of these young people creating small changes individually makes a global impact.

Do you believe that we can unlearn our disconnectedness from the Earth at this point in time?

I think that we all breathe the same air, drink the same water, and we really only have one planet. Culturally we have trained ourselves to be separate from the planet to only view it as an object which we exist on. I truly believe that with the right steps humanity can be trained to fall back in love with the Earth through music, art, culture, nature—these are all aspects of what it means to be human. I think falling back in love with our humanity is what it will take for the human race to understand that we are in danger of going extinct because of our consumption and the destructive relationship we have with the planet.

What are some practical lifestyle changes that people can make to reduce their carbon footprint?

The biggest way is to be more conscious. I think that each and every one of us, regardless of how busy we are, we can all take more steps to be more conscious as consumers—the products we buy and the companies we support—and then looking at the food that we eat. Localizing our diets more and being conscious of what is made locally and organically. Small steps like that are great—change your light bulbs, use less water, take more public transportation, but more than anything be conscious of the fact that every decision you make will impact the world, regardless how small. That means that you have a huge amount of power with how you live your life regardless of age, economic background, where you are from, the color of your skin.

Do you believe it is a principle of us taking collective responsibility that should be our motivation, rather than consumerism and profit?

I think living in this country it is very easy to be blind to the world, because we have everything we want, we are so privileged in this country where it is easy to detach ourselves from the problems that are affecting other parts of the world. I think that reconnecting to the sense that we are part of the whole planet and a species of beings that will not exist anymore unless things change–and that means lifestyle change, policy change, people standing up in our courts, streets, communities, electing officials who will speak with our voice.

How do you think greener living affects the psyche? Does it make you more relaxed, more calm, what are the benefits?

When you do good things for other people or for the environment you feel like you’ve accomplished something and you feel better about yourself. If you look at yourself as a human being with a legacy, then you realize how much power you have. Whether it is being a spokesperson for a movement, or something as simple as just creating art for a cause. I believe that the biggest understanding is that we have so much power to promote change and there is so much hope and opportunity for things to change if we will them to.

How do you see yourself growing and evolving with this work?

People often tell me that I’m an old soul, and you know I am a hip-hop artist and an emcee, and I have a huge passion for art and using this art to reach out to people. We’re working on an album now called Break Through that talks about our experiences over the last two years. I am still growing up, and there’s so much that I am learning every day about life, relationships, being a human being, and life on this earth. I think there is a huge amount I have to learn in order to grow and become the kind of person that I want to be.

Why should we have hope on this issue? What gives you hope?

I think giving up hope turns your back on every single person who has suffered before you, every person who has died. Having hope I think is one of the last things that we have, what gives me hope is seeing people wake up all over the world, and it is slow but it’s happening. Looking at struggles like what is happening at Standing Rock in North Dakota. I was there to play a concert and look at what was going on and to be there to support the protests. I saw families living there and resisting multi-million dollar corporations that are trying to go underneath their river, their land, to transport crude oil.

In the past we have seen incredible injustices to take away the rights of indigenous people, but now these indigenous people are taking back their rights and their land. It’s not about indigenous people it’s about all people. It’s not just about this pipeline, it’s about all pipelines. It’s about the infrastructure that threatens and destroys our ability to live on this planet. This protest is one of the greatest symbols of hope that I have seen in a long time, and it is an example of how when you look at the small things that we often overlook our land, our water, our children, and when we understand that that is what’s at stake then people will stand up to fight.

Look at yourself and your generation to see what it is you want to leave behind and what legacy you want to have. We are not just fighting for the environment and the world, but to protect the things that we love in life so our kids and our grandkids can also have those things.  ‡

Stylist Assistant: Benjamin Price | Production by XTheStudio

For more information visit earthguardians.org