Friends, family and colleagues came together Thursday to honor the life of Congressman and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner as he lied at the Texas State Capitol.

Austin-based photojournalist May-Ying Lam captured moments of grief and respect for Turner’s legacy.

(Top left) Houston Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum reacts as Sylvester Turner’s casket is brought upstairs. (Top right) Ashley Turner-Captain, Turner’s daughter, and Jimmie Captain, son-in-law, arrive for the funeral. (Bottom) Sylvester Turner’s body is brought into the Capitol to lie in state at the Texas Capitol, Thursday March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (May-Ying Lam for Houston Landing)
Sharmagne Taylor, right, hugs Houston Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum as Sylvester Turner lies in state at the Texas Capitol, Thursday March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (May-Ying Lam for Houston Landing)
(Clockwise from top left) Ashley Turner-Captain, Sylvester Turner’s daughter, greets an attendee as her father lies in state. A memorial ceremony was held in Sylvester Turner’s honor. Tom Craddick, Former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, speaks. Speaker Dustin Burrows speaks as Sylvester Turner lies in state at the Texas Capitol, Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (May-Ying Lam for Houston Landing)
State Senator Borris Miles touches an abacus, which Sylvester Turner would use in the past to illustrate his points, as Turner lies in state at the Texas Capitol, Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (May-Ying Lam for Houston Landing)
(Top left) From right, son-in-law Jimmie Captain, Turner’s daughter Ashley Turner-Captain, Chief of Staff Marvalette Hunter, and Turner’s goddaughter Kaela Watson cry as they listen to speakers. (Top right) Chief of Staff Marvalette Hunter, center, embraces another attendee. (Bottom) Former State Representative Helen Giddings hugs Turner’s daughter Ashley Turner-Captain as Turner lies in state, Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (May-Ying Lam for Houston Landing)
From left, Nathan Jones, Jessica Jones, K’Netha Jones, and Thomas Jones take a moment at Turner’s casket, Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (May-Ying Lam for Houston Landing)
An attendee touches Sylvester Turner’s casket as the former Congressman and Houston mayor lies in state at the Texas Capitol, Thursday, March 13, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (May-Ying Lam for Houston Landing)

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Antranik Tavitian is a photojournalist at the Houston Landing. He previously worked at The Arizona Republic, where he covered the border, Arizona politics, Mezcal production in Oaxaca, Mexico, and Phoenix’s...