Dear Katy Pride Supporter,
From all of us at Katy Pride, thank you for making our 3rd Annual Katy Pride Celebration truly unforgettable! Because of you—our attendees, volunteers, vendors, and sponsors—we showed that Pride cannot be canceled and that our community continues to rise above adversity with love and unity.
But as we celebrate, we must also take action.
In the days leading up to our event, Typhoon Texas abruptly canceled our private event contract, following pressure and public attacks from two Katy ISD Trustees—Mary Ellen Cuzela and Morgan Calhoun. Their posts and statements on social media spread misinformation, fueled harassment and doxxing, and led to real harm for local business owners and our community.
Katy ISD educators were reminded earlier this year that—even with First Amendment protections—they can be disciplined or fired for speech that reflects poorly on the District. At a minimum, school board trustees should be held to that same standard.
That’s why we’re asking you to email the Katy ISD Board of Trustees today and request a formal censure of Trustees Cuzela and Calhoun. A censure sends a clear message: elected officials must uphold integrity, fairness, and accountability—and cannot target or discriminate against members of the community they serve.
With Gratitude,
The Katy Pride Team
📧 How to Take Action
Email the Board of Trustees:
Lanceredmon@katyisd.org
Dawnchampagne@katyisd.org
Rebeccafox@katyisd.org
Amythieme@katyisd.org
Jamescross@katyisd.org
Subject Line: Censure Trustees Cuzela & Calhoun
Suggested Message [Remember- personalized emails are most impactful- we highly recommend making this your own]:
Dear President Redmon, Vice-President Fox, Secretary Champagne, Trustee Cross, and Trustee Thieme,
I am writing to request that you formally censure Trustees Mary Ellen Cuzela and Morgan Calhoun for their role in the cancellation of a private event contract between Katy Pride (a 501c3 non-profit) and Typhoon Texas. Their public actions and statements led to misinformation, harassment, and harm within the Katy ISD community.
Katy ISD educators are held accountable for speech that reflects poorly on the District or interferes with their responsibilities. Trustees should be held to that same standard.
Trustees Cuzela and Calhoun’s actions violated the Katy ISD Board and TASB Codes of Ethics, which require trustees to act with fairness, truthfulness, accountability, and integrity—and to promote the best interests of all students without personal or political bias.
Please uphold the integrity of the Board by censuring Trustees Cuzela and Calhoun. Our community deserves leadership that reflects the values of respect, equality, and responsibility.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Optional: Katy ISD student/parent/resident/voter/supporter]