For the first time ever, Houstonia is naming a Houstonian of the Year. You’ve likely heard of Time’s Person of the Year, a parade of figures both inspirational and controversial that have been knighted since 1927. In 2024 we got to thinking: Who would fit the bill to represent H-Town?

Houston has no shortage of amazing people who make the city better every day. Perhaps it’s through providing a vital service to our most vulnerable citizens, or bringing a piece of their culture to our world-class food scene. For the inaugural award, we chose five finalists whom we’ve covered throughout the year and whose stories we just couldn’t shake.

But in the democratic spirit, instead of picking the winner behind closed doors in a smoke-filled room (i.e., Houstonia’s office), we let you decide. A total of 9,464 readers cast their vote in our online poll in October, and the results are in.

Read about how they became the most trusted meteorologists in Houston through Space City Weather, a site that helps us make sense of what on earth goes on in the sky. And take a moment to congratulate the four HOTY runners-up: Michelle Alozie, Molly Cook, Chiqui Sanchez Kennedy, and Benchawan Jabthong Painter.