Jeremy Parzen lives in Houston TX with his wife and two children. His life started in Chicago, but he grew up in La Jolla CA. He then attended UCLA and worked in New York City before moving to H-Town approximately fifteen years ago. With a PhD in Italian literature, Jeremy has spent significant time in Italy and is a widely-respected expert in Italian wine, but his appearance on the podcast is not necessarily related to wine but to his life as a Texan.
Our discussion covers, among other things:
*his observation that Texas of the 2020’s is akin to California of the 1970’s
*the geographic prejudgment he frequently encounters from people outside Texas
*Houston’s rich racial diversity compared to other places he’s lived...and the city’s own past
*heartening experiences with political diversity, whether family, neighbors or strangers
*our obligation to treat all people like human beings, including giving space to evolve
Jeremy finds hope in his belief that the United States is finally starting to have serious discussions about how to become a real democracy.
You can learn more about Jeremy on his website www.dobianchi.com. And if you’d like to visit Texas and connect with him, please contact podcast host Michael Whidden at mjwhidden@americantributaries.com.