https://cats.rice.edu/

From panels and gutters to speech balloons and narrative boxes, comics has been famously marked by graphic borders. Yet, with its inherent co-mixing of words and images, comics has been equally about the defiance of borders, offering a literary stage for artists and narratives that challenge graphic, national and cultural frontiers. Echoing a similar act of academic border-defiance, we will bring together esteemed artists and scholars from around the globe who produce and study such texts.

The keynote event will feature Pulitzer Prize-winning comic artist Art Spiegelman, the author of the groundbreaking graphic memoirs Maus and In the Shadow of No Towers. This opening event will be followed by three days of presentations, exhibitions, and comics-making workshops in locations across the Rice campus, all FREE and open to the public. A volume of papers and art will be collected in the graphic anthology š! from kuš! komikss, available at the conference.

Join us for an international, interdisciplinary and cross-campus dialog on a form whose relevance to 21st-century communication and literacy is constantly growing.

The Graduate Program in Arts leadership in the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts presents an inspiring afternoon exploring the future of arts leadership at Inaugurate, Innovate! The Arts Leadership Symposium. The event features a keynote address by renowned arts leader Naima J. Keith, followed by thought-provoking panel discussions with industry experts Brittany Bass, Jennifer Bowman, Brian Ellison, and Mark Folkes. Gain insights into how the arts are evolving, innovative approaches to cultural leadership, and career strategies from some of Houston's foremost leaders in arts and culture. The symposium will conclude with a Career Fair, offering a unique opportunity to network with representatives from Houston's vibrant arts and cultural organizations.

This event is made possible by an Innovation Grant from the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts awarded to Amanda Cachia (School of Art). 

https://giving.uh.edu/page.redir?target=https%3a%2f%2fforms.office.com%2fpages%2fresponsepage.aspx%3fid%3dvboLF_CikEytSw6PDwxCWfZHl0dGofVDvRMykv5GRylUM1VZSTkwSVBWV0wzTEdBSTI1Q1pPTlUwRiQlQCN0PWcu%26route%3dshorturl&srcid=30100&srctid=1&erid=7d590c41-20c2-40cf-ade1-3254f636144a&trid=7d590c41-20c2-40cf-ade1-3254f636144a

https://cats.rice.edu/

A Houston native, New York-based Robert Pruitt will talk about his large-scale drawings and the impact that comics has had on his life and work.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, (METRO) provides bus and rail service from destinations around Houston. There is a METRORail stop across the street from the main entrance of the Rice campus is the Hermann Park/Rice University station.

https://www.uh.edu/calendar/?view=e&id=650101#event

Join us for the opening reception of the University of Houston School of Art 46th Annual MFA Thesis
Exhibition.

Each spring the Blaffer Art Museum and the University of Houston School of Art proudly present the
work of the Masters of Fine Arts degree candidates from the school’s five studio programs: Graphic
Design, Interdisciplinary Practices and Emerging Forms, Painting, Photography/Digital Media, and
Sculpture. The exhibition showcases bodies of work produced in a studio intensive environment
over the three-year degree program.

University of Houston School of Art 47th Masters of Fine Arts Candidates

Kaima Marie Akarue
Hannah Bender
Maddie Casagranda
Crystal C. Coulter
Roslyn M. Dupre
Claude Durand
Abbie P. Edmonson
Alexandra L. Lechin
Jennifer Marion
Sajeela Siddiq
Daniel Zamora

Written by CANDRICE JONES
Directed by RACHEL HEMPHILL DICKSON

A powerful play about swagger, determination and sticking together. It’s 1997 and the WNBA is changing the game. Every player on Plainnole’s Lady Train basketball team now dreams of going pro — but first, they’ll have to navigate the pressures of being young, Black, and female in rural Arkansas. Candrice Jones’s adrenaline packed play about a high school basketball team explores the fierce strength of young Black women in the South and what it means to be part of a team.

MAR 21 - APR 13, 2025
Previews MARCH 15, 16, 19 & 20, 2025
PG DRAMATIC COMEDY

For More Information & To Buy Tickets

Admission

• $20
• $15 for MFAH members, students with ID, seniors (65+), and members of MFAH Film Buffs

Moonlight Movies | The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

https://cats.rice.edu/

From panels and gutters to speech balloons and narrative boxes, comics has been famously marked by graphic borders. Yet, with its inherent co-mixing of words and images, comics has been equally about the defiance of borders, offering a literary stage for artists and narratives that challenge graphic, national and cultural frontiers. Echoing a similar act of academic border-defiance, we will bring together esteemed artists and scholars from around the globe who produce and study such texts.

The keynote event will feature Pulitzer Prize-winning comic artist Art Spiegelman, the author of the groundbreaking graphic memoirs Maus and In the Shadow of No Towers. This opening event will be followed by three days of presentations, exhibitions, and comics-making workshops in locations across the Rice campus, all FREE and open to the public. A volume of papers and art will be collected in the graphic anthology š! from kuš! komikss, available at the conference.

Join us for an international, interdisciplinary and cross-campus dialog on a form whose relevance to 21st-century communication and literacy is constantly growing.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ghibli-fest-art-market-calling-all-ghibli-fans-tickets-1202651405729

Get ready for the ultimate Studio Ghibli celebration at our art festival market! 🎉

Immerse yourself in the magic as 30+ talented artists showcase their stunning, one-of-a-kind creations inspired by Miyazaki’s beloved films. From the enchanting world of Spirited Away to the heartwarming adventures of My Neighbor Totoro, experience a breathtaking display of creativity and imagination.

🌟 FREE ENTRY! 🌟 Come for the art, stay for the fun—featuring exclusive life-size photo ops and so much more!

Don't miss this unforgettable celebration of art and fandom! See you there!Karbach Brewing Co.
2023 Karbach St.
Houston, TX 77092
Saturday March 22 at 11am-8pm
Sunday March 23 at 11am-6pm

This grassroots fundraiser, implemented locally by Houston-area ceramists and other artists, the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, and the Houston Food Bank, helps feed the hungry in our community. For a minimum $25 donation, visitors can choose a bowl from thousands of hand-crafted bowls donated by Houston area ceramists and craft artists and receive a simple lunch. Pottery, woodturning demonstrations, and live music will also be featured at the event. Learn more.

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue - Shorty Gras Tour Tickets Mar 22, 2025 Houston, TX | Live Nation

https://cats.rice.edu/

From panels and gutters to speech balloons and narrative boxes, comics has been famously marked by graphic borders. Yet, with its inherent co-mixing of words and images, comics has been equally about the defiance of borders, offering a literary stage for artists and narratives that challenge graphic, national and cultural frontiers. Echoing a similar act of academic border-defiance, we will bring together esteemed artists and scholars from around the globe who produce and study such texts.

The keynote event will feature Pulitzer Prize-winning comic artist Art Spiegelman, the author of the groundbreaking graphic memoirs Maus and In the Shadow of No Towers. This opening event will be followed by three days of presentations, exhibitions, and comics-making workshops in locations across the Rice campus, all FREE and open to the public. A volume of papers and art will be collected in the graphic anthology š! from kuš! komikss, available at the conference.

Join us for an international, interdisciplinary and cross-campus dialog on a form whose relevance to 21st-century communication and literacy is constantly growing.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ghibli-fest-art-market-calling-all-ghibli-fans-tickets-1202651405729

Get ready for the ultimate Studio Ghibli celebration at our art festival market! 🎉

Immerse yourself in the magic as 30+ talented artists showcase their stunning, one-of-a-kind creations inspired by Miyazaki’s beloved films. From the enchanting world of Spirited Away to the heartwarming adventures of My Neighbor Totoro, experience a breathtaking display of creativity and imagination.

🌟 FREE ENTRY! 🌟 Come for the art, stay for the fun—featuring exclusive life-size photo ops and so much more!

Don't miss this unforgettable celebration of art and fandom! See you there!Karbach Brewing Co.
2023 Karbach St.
Houston, TX 77092
Saturday March 22 at 11am-8pm
Sunday March 23 at 11am-6pm

https://concerts.livenation.com/dom-kennedy-houston-texas-03-24-2025/event/3A00623AE0C167C2

https://events.rice.edu/event/384199-caaas-colloquium-dr-khadene-harris

Rayzor Hall, 119

Dr. Khadene Harris, Assistant Professor of Anthropology & Center for African and African American Studies at Rice University, Houston

Khadene Harris is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology also appointed to the Center for African and African American Studies at Rice University. A historical archaeologist, her research explores the intersection of race, slavery, and capitalism in the Caribbean. Her current project focuses on the transition from slavery to freedom on the island of Dominica, with special emphasis on the social and economic networks of the laboring class. Her research uses imported and locally made ceramics, the house and yard complex, and oral accounts to narrate community histories under colonial rule.

Khadene has been a longtime collaborator with the Digital Archaeological Archive of Comparative Slavery (daacs.org). She has held fellowships with the International Center for Jefferson Studies and the Nielsen Center for the Liberal Arts.

https://www.opentable.com/booking/experiences-availability?rid=228784&restref=228784&experienceId=444226&dateTime=2025-03-26T17%3A30%3A00&partySize=2

Join us for an exclusive evening with acclaimed cookbook author Toni Tipton Martin as we celebrate the release of her new book, When Southern Women Cook. This unique event will feature a lively discussion with Toni about her groundbreaking work, the women who have shaped Southern cuisine, and the culinary techniques featured in her book.As part of the evening, Toni will share insights from the book, followed by a cocktail demo from Alba Huerta, showcasing a Southern-inspired drink.This event is a celebration of history, flavor, and the remarkable women who’ve influenced the American South’s culinary legacy.Tickets are $35 (+ tax) and includes two cocktails and a light bite. Add a copy of Toni-Tipton Martin's book for an additional $43.30 (+ tax).

https://concerts.livenation.com/fana-hues-matters-of-the-heart-houston-texas-03-27-2025/event/3A006229DD863EE1

https://kindredstorieshtx.com/collections/book-clubs/products/march-2025-fiction-book-club-march-27-7pm

BOOK CLUB MEETING DEETS

When: Thursday, March 27 @ 7PM CST

Where: Kindred Stories (2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 77004

How: RSVP ONLY to let us know you plan to attend and RSVP WITH BOOK to purchase your book and support Fiction Book Club!

ABOUT ISAAC'S SONG

Isaac is at a crossroads in his young life. Growing up in Missouri, the son of a caustic, hard-driving father, he was conditioned to suppress his artistic pursuits and physical desires, notions that didn’t align with a traditional view of masculinity. But now, in late 80s Chicago, Isaac has finally carved out a life of his own. He is sensitive and tender-hearted and has built up the courage to seek out a community. Yet just as he begins to embrace who he is—two social catalysts—the AIDS crisis and Rodney King’s attack—collectively extinguish his hard-earned joy.

At a therapist’s encouragement, Isaac begins to write down his story. In the process, he taps into a creative energy that will send him on a journey back to his family, his ancestral home in Arkansas, and the inherited trauma of the nation’s dark past. But a surprise discovery will either unlock the truths he’s seeking, or threaten to derail the life he’s fought so hard to claim.

Poignant, sweeping and luminously told, Isaac’s Song marks a return to the beloved characters of Don’t Cry for Me, and a highwater mark in the career of an award-winning author.

Experience the timeless genius of Duke Ellington’s music, brilliantly re-imagined by pianist Jason Moran, in this extraordinary celebration of the composer’s enduring legacy, 125 years after his birth.

https://www.dacamera.com/2024-2025-season-concerts/jason-morans-duke-ellington-project/

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/harlem-honey-with-tamron-hall-tickets-1238160684939

Presented by Kindred Stories - a Black-owned, women-owned bookstore in Third Ward, Houston, TX.

Line starts at 1:15 PM CST. Each ticket includes one pre -signed copy of Honey Harlem, Tamron Hall's debut picture book. The book will be available for pickup at the event.

From celebrated broadcast journalist and talk show host of the Tamron Hall show, Tamron Hall, comes an endearing story about young Moses and his crew, inspired by her real-life son, as they go on an adventure around Harlem’s most iconic spots to deliver jars of honey for their neighbor and learn about the places and people that make Harlem home.

For Moses, Harlem couldn’t be any more different from the Texas he moved away from. He can’t hear the frogs and fireflies at night, and the only friends he has are his dog, Lotus-May and his bird, JoJo. But when his friendly neighbor Laila suggests that he help her deliver jars of honey to the neighborhood, he finally gets the chance to make new friends and see the magic that echoes throughout Harlem. And as he discovers storied landmarks along the way, the place begins to feel inviting and alive.

From Emmy Award–winning talk show host of the Tamron Hall show, Tamron Hall, comes a lively and heartening tale about one of the nation’s most iconic neighborhoods and the places and people that make a place feel like home.

Each ticket includes one pre - signed copy of Harlem Honey .Your book will be available for pick-up at the event.

https://www.brazosbookstore.com/event/offsite-kionna-walker-lemalle-houston-christian-university

Start: 

Saturday, March 29, 2025 - 3:00pm

Location: 

Houston Christian University —
7502 Fondren Road
Houston, TX 77074

Brazos is proud to support Kionna Walker LeMalle with book sales at her launch on March 29 at Houston Christian University. The event is in the University Academic Center on Houston Christian University’s campus. See an interactive map here: https://hc.edu/about-hcu/the-campus/campus-map/.

Click here to RSVP for the event. 

Winner of the Lee Smith Novel Prize

Behind the Waterline takes readers to the home of a teenager and his grandmother in a New Orleans neighborhood on the eve of Katrina, where there are few resources and little warning of what is about to happen, in this novel that mixes magical realism with reality.

When Hurricane Katrina approaches New Orleans, teenaged Eric and his grandmother and many of their neighbors decide to ride out the storm. Kionna Walker LeMalle’s masterful debut novel brings her readers, like the rising water, onto Eric’s street in the Third Ward, where stranded dogs bark for a time, where neighbors are floating on doors, and where Eric and his grandmother must take refuge in his second floor bedroom. After days of heat, dwindling supplies, and relentless rising water, neighbors begin to disappear and Eric’s grandmother, already known as an eccentric, begins to falter. It is then that Eric—in a dream, a hallucination, or something else—discovers a room beyond his closet wall, a place he has never seen. What he discovers inside will send him on a path to discover secrets to survival, bitter progress, and, ultimately, the history of his own people—those he sorely misses and those he never even knew.

Kionna Walker LeMalle is an executive writer for the University of Houston-Downtown and has taught writers at Houston’s Writers in the Schools and Houston Christian University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master of Education degree from the University of New Orleans, and her MFA from Houston Christian University. She was born and raised in New Orleans, LA, and lives in Houston, TX, with her family. Behind the Waterline is her debut novel.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/329-sy-smith-until-we-meet-again-tour-1st-show-tickets-1138898428859

Welcome to the Sy Smith Until We Meet Again Tour at Empire State Jazz Cafe! Get ready to experience the soulful sounds of Sy Smith in person on Sat, Mar 29, 2025 (1st Show). Join us for a night filled with incredible music and good vibes at the Empire State Jazz Cafe. Don't miss out on this unforgettable event!

1ST SHOW

​5:30p Doors Open
7p Showtime

Sy Smith is heralded as one of the hardest working women in soul music. But she’s also one of the smartest. She has a career that now spans two decades! She’s toured as both a supporting and a featured vocalist with some of the heaviest hitters in the industry (Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Chris Botti to name a few).

She’s written songs for Macy Gray, Mya, The Brand New Heavies and more. And she now has 6 albums under her belt, including her latest offering “Until We Meet Again” – her debut release on FE Music (The Foreign Exchange’s Phonte Coleman serving as executive producer).If you’ve never been to a Sy Smith show, prepare to be entertained – not only by her multi-layered vocal virtuosity (her range easily floats from a gritty Sly Stone to a sweet Minnie Riperton), but also by her storytelling (whether it’s through her songs or her quick-witted ad libs).Funk, glamour, soul, jazz and jams.

Sy brings it all to the stage and leaves it there. Touring in support of her critically-acclaimed 2024 release "Until We Meet Again" get your tickets now! You don't want to miss this rare opportunity as Empire State Jazz Cafe welcomes Sy Smith live, up close and warmly personal!

https://www.livenation.com/event/G5dIZbxDP3SQu/hari-kondabolu

https://www.livenation.com/event/G5dIZbxDP3SQu/hari-kondabolu

https://events.rice.edu/event/399283-who-owns-the-future-from-artificial-intelligence

Who Owns the Future? From Artificial Intelligence to Abundant Imagination

Monday, March 31, 2025
McMurtry Auditorium, Duncan Hall
Rice University, 6100 Main St, Houston, TX 77005

An enthralling storyteller, brilliant scholar, and fierce advocate for all things just, Dr. Ruha Benjamin is the Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University where she studies the social dimensions of science, medicine, and technology with a focus on the relationship between innovation and inequity, knowledge and power, race and citizenship, and health and justice. As the founding director of the IDA B. WELLS Just Data Lab, she brings together students, educators, activists, and artists to rethink and retool data for justice. Dr. Benjamin is the award-winning author of Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want, Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code, People’s Science: Bodies & Rights on the Stem Cell Frontier, and she recently released her fourth book, Imagination: A Manifesto. In 2024, she was awarded a MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Fellowship. At the center of all Dr. Benjamin’s work is the invitation to “imagine and craft the worlds we cannot live without, just as we dismantle the ones we cannot live within.”

Ruha Benjamin is the Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University, founding director of the Ida B. Wells Just Data Lab, and award-winning author of Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code, Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want, and she recently released her fourth book, Imagination: A Manifesto. Ruha is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Marguerite Casey Foundation Freedom Scholar Award, the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching at Princeton, and in 2024 she was awarded a MacArthur Foundation "Genius" Fellowship.

Hailed as “entrancing” (BBC Music Magazine) and “artists in the deepest sense of the word” (CutCommon), Merz Trio – winners of the Naumburg, Concert Artists Guild, Fischoff and Chesapeake Competitions – are known for their inventive programming. Join them as they search for song in night’s darkness, with music from Hildegard von Bingen to Brahms and Schumann.

https://www.dacamera.com/2024-2025-season-concerts/merz-trio-night-songs/

Sip mint julep cocktails under an elegant Southern garden tent, listen to the Paul Chester Quartet, stroll the grounds, and enjoy private access to the first floor of the house. Spring is the perfect time to visit Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, the MFAH house museum for American decorative arts.
https://mfah.prospect2.com/lt.php?x=3DZy~GDIV3iZDXKvydHNWOZz~a6ojt~wvMZiX8XDKaWdEHR7-Uy.0OFv1HRzidfzjNYwbHTGInCg

https://kindredstorieshtx.com/products/irl-author-talk-spilling-the-tea-with-brenda-jackson-april-1-7pm

Celebrate Brenda Jackson's 150th book, Spilling the Tea! 

EVENT DEETS

When: Tuesday, April 1 @ 1 PM

Where: Kindred Stories Reading Garden (2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 77004)

How: RSVP WITH BOOK

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ninety-something Mama Laverne is determined to find all of her great-grandchildren their perfect match before going home to glory. So far, her success rate is 100 percent—and she intends to keep it that way.

Ninety-something-year-old Felicia Laverne Madaris, known in the family as Mama Laverne, is determined to find all of her great-grandchildren the perfect match before she goes home to glory. So far, her success rate is 100 percent, and she intends to keep it that way.

After sustaining injuries in Iraq, US Army Ranger Chancellor (Chance) Madaris was told he’d never walk again. Chance credits his great-grandmother, Mama Laverne, with giving him the will and fortitude to heal and prove the doctors wrong. He has a healthy respect for her meddling ways and knows he’ll eventually end up next on her matchmaker’s list.

When Zoey Pritchard was eight, she survived a car accident that left both her parents dead. She was sent to live with her great-aunt who refused to speak about her parents. Zoey has no memory from before the crash, but she’s been having the same dream over and over…

Guided by nothing but a hunch and images from her dream, Zoey travels to Houston. Searching for answers, Zoey uncovers a scandal involving her parents and the wealthy and powerful Madaris family. Her trail leads her straight to Chance’s door. The dislike and intense attraction are instant and simultaneous. Was it chance or Mama Laverne’s plan to throw this pair together?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BRENDA JACKSON is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than one hundred contemporary multicultural romance novels, including the Madaris Family series, the Westmorelands series, and The Playas series. She was the first African-American author to have a book published under the Harlequin/Silhouette Desire line and the first African-American romance author to hit both the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists in the series romance genre. Many of her books have been adapted into movies. Brenda lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and divides her time between family, writing and traveling. brendajackson.net.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-riot-presents-the-3rd-annual-riot-comedy-festival-bbq-cookoff-tickets-1070267461789

A FOUR DAY OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD CELEBRATION OF COMEDY!!! Famous Headliners, 30+ Comedy Shows, BBQ Cookoff, Cold Drinks, Tasty Food, and more!

Houston, it’s time to laugh like never before! The Riot Comedy Festival returns for its third year from April 3rd–6th, 2025, and Montrose is the place to be for four days of top-tier comedy, exciting events, and unforgettable experiences.

This annual festival has become a highlight of Houston’s entertainment calendar, featuring over 30 comedy shows including stand-up from famous headliners, live podcasts, improv, music, and a national comedy contest.

• Two Amazing Venues Shows will take place at The Riot Comedy Club (above Rudyards) and The Gordy Theatre (Stages), a short walk or a quick ride on the Riot Festival Cool Bus between locations.

• Exclusive Events: Enjoy VIP parties and the first-ever Riot BBQ Cookoff Competition on Saturday, April 5th, featuring special guest Meat Dave on the lawn of The Gordy Theatre.

• A Unique Comedy Experience: With intimate venues and a focus on connecting comedians and fans, this festival offers a personal, up-close way to enjoy live comedy.

Grab your weekend passes now and join us for a laughter-filled adventure that will leave you smiling long after the shows are over. Don’t wait—secure your spot today!

Lineup Announcements began on Nov 22nd and will continue through Nov 30th

Announced Headliners: Sam Tallent, Chris Redd, Hans Kim, Chad & JT, Fiona Cauley

Announced National Comedy Contest: Canice, Jeff Joe, Collin Sledge, Tess Vergult, Danny Guerrero, Luis De Jesus

Announced Improv Teams: Can't Tell Us Nothing, Mission Control, Preston Street

https://concerts.livenation.com/denzel-curry-mischievous-south-tour-houston-texas-04-03-2025/event/3A00616CD09A3F5C

Denzel Curry
Kenny Mason
454
CLIP

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-riot-presents-the-3rd-annual-riot-comedy-festival-bbq-cookoff-tickets-1070267461789

A FOUR DAY OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD CELEBRATION OF COMEDY!!! Famous Headliners, 30+ Comedy Shows, BBQ Cookoff, Cold Drinks, Tasty Food, and more!

Houston, it’s time to laugh like never before! The Riot Comedy Festival returns for its third year from April 3rd–6th, 2025, and Montrose is the place to be for four days of top-tier comedy, exciting events, and unforgettable experiences.

This annual festival has become a highlight of Houston’s entertainment calendar, featuring over 30 comedy shows including stand-up from famous headliners, live podcasts, improv, music, and a national comedy contest.

• Two Amazing Venues Shows will take place at The Riot Comedy Club (above Rudyards) and The Gordy Theatre (Stages), a short walk or a quick ride on the Riot Festival Cool Bus between locations.

• Exclusive Events: Enjoy VIP parties and the first-ever Riot BBQ Cookoff Competition on Saturday, April 5th, featuring special guest Meat Dave on the lawn of The Gordy Theatre.

• A Unique Comedy Experience: With intimate venues and a focus on connecting comedians and fans, this festival offers a personal, up-close way to enjoy live comedy.

Grab your weekend passes now and join us for a laughter-filled adventure that will leave you smiling long after the shows are over. Don’t wait—secure your spot today!

Lineup Announcements began on Nov 22nd and will continue through Nov 30th

Announced Headliners: Sam Tallent, Chris Redd, Hans Kim, Chad & JT, Fiona Cauley

Announced National Comedy Contest: Canice, Jeff Joe, Collin Sledge, Tess Vergult, Danny Guerrero, Luis De Jesus

Announced Improv Teams: Can't Tell Us Nothing, Mission Control, Preston Street

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chris-redd-netflix-snl-max-headlines-riot-comedy-festival-in-houston-tickets-1096770673609

Come see Chris Redd, known from Netflix "Resurrected Rides" and as a cast member of SNL, headline the Riot Comedy Festival in Houston!

Get ready for a night of non-stop laughs with Chris Redd, an Emmy-winning comedian, rapper, actor and former Saturday Night Live cast member known for his unforgettable characters and sharp, relatable humor.

Chris Redd Bio:

Hailing from Chicago, Chris Redd is a multifaceted talent whose work spans stand-up comedy, film, television and music.

Redd’s first one-hour special, “Why Am I Like This?” was released in October 2022 and is streaming now on MAX. The material was mined from his personal journey of self-discovery, pulling from his experiences starting therapy amid the height of the pandemic and taking a look at his life with a newfound perspective.

Redd hosts Netflix’s automotive makeover series “Resurrected Rides.” The show is produced by Rick Hurvitz, who co-created MTV’s cult series “Pimp My Ride.” Last year, he appeared in Amazon Prime Video and MGM Studios’ hit holiday feature “Candy Cane Lane,” starring opposite Eddie Murphy and Tracee Ellis Ross. He will next star in Amazon MGM Studios‘ highly anticipated rom-com, “Merv” alongside Zooey Deschanel and Charlie Cox from director Jessica Swale. Additionally, Redd lends his vocal talents to Ramy Youssef’s upcoming Amazon animated series “#1 Happy Family USA”. He co-created and voices a lead role in a yet-to-be-titled project from Broadway Video and Audible.

Redd is the co-creator, writer, and star of Peacock’s scripted comedy series, “Bust Down”, which premiered in March 2022. He was a repertory player on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” for 5 seasons.

In addition to acting and writing, Redd is a rapper and stand-up comedian who performs across the country and has toured the United States and Europe with The Second City Touring Company. He received the Emmy Award in 2018 for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the “SNL” song “Come Back, Barack.”

In 2019, Redd released his debut stand-up album, “But Here We Are.” Redd starred in the independent horror film “Scare Me” and can be seen in the comedy films “Vampires vs. the Bronx,” “Deep Murder,” “The House,” and “A Futile and Stupid Gesture.”

He appeared in the 2016 film “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping”, opposite Kathy Bates in the Netflix original comedy series “Disjointed” and has been featured in Netflix’s “Wet Hot American Summer,” NBC’s “Will & Grace,” Netflix’s “Love,” TV’ Land’s “Teachers,” Comedy Central’s “Detroiters” and “Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents.” He most recently portrayed the character of ‘Gary Williams’ on the NBC comedy “Kenan” for two seasons. Redd has also loaned his voice to many projects including Netflix’s “Big Mouth,” Audible’s “64th Man” and Disney’s “Star vs. the Forces of Evil.” Additionally, he was featured as a 2016 Standup New Face at Just for Laughs in Montreal.

About the Riot Comedy Festival:

Houston, it’s time to laugh like never before! The Riot Comedy Festival returns for its third year from April 3rd–6th, 2025, and Montrose is the place to be for four days of top-tier comedy, exciting events, and unforgettable experiences.

Founded by award-winning comedian and entrepreneur Brian Gendron, this annual festival has become a highlight of Houston’s entertainment calendar, featuring over 30 comedy shows including stand-up from famous headliners, live podcasts, improv, music, and a national comedy contest.

• Two Amazing Venues Shows will take place at The Riot Comedy Club (above Rudyards) and The Gordy Theatre (Stages), a short walk or a quick ride on the Riot Festival Cool Bus between locations.

• Exclusive Events: Enjoy VIP parties and the first-ever Riot BBQ Cookoff Competition on Saturday, April 5th, featuring special guest Meat Dave on the lawn of The Gordy Theatre.

• A Unique Comedy Experience: With intimate venues and a focus on connecting comedians and fans, this festival offers a personal, up-close way to enjoy live comedy.

Grab your weekend passes now and join us for a laughter-filled adventure that will leave you smiling long after the shows are over. Don’t wait—secure your spot today!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-riot-presents-the-3rd-annual-riot-comedy-festival-bbq-cookoff-tickets-1070267461789

A FOUR DAY OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD CELEBRATION OF COMEDY!!! Famous Headliners, 30+ Comedy Shows, BBQ Cookoff, Cold Drinks, Tasty Food, and more!

Houston, it’s time to laugh like never before! The Riot Comedy Festival returns for its third year from April 3rd–6th, 2025, and Montrose is the place to be for four days of top-tier comedy, exciting events, and unforgettable experiences.

This annual festival has become a highlight of Houston’s entertainment calendar, featuring over 30 comedy shows including stand-up from famous headliners, live podcasts, improv, music, and a national comedy contest.

• Two Amazing Venues Shows will take place at The Riot Comedy Club (above Rudyards) and The Gordy Theatre (Stages), a short walk or a quick ride on the Riot Festival Cool Bus between locations.

• Exclusive Events: Enjoy VIP parties and the first-ever Riot BBQ Cookoff Competition on Saturday, April 5th, featuring special guest Meat Dave on the lawn of The Gordy Theatre.

• A Unique Comedy Experience: With intimate venues and a focus on connecting comedians and fans, this festival offers a personal, up-close way to enjoy live comedy.

Grab your weekend passes now and join us for a laughter-filled adventure that will leave you smiling long after the shows are over. Don’t wait—secure your spot today!

Lineup Announcements began on Nov 22nd and will continue through Nov 30th

Announced Headliners: Sam Tallent, Chris Redd, Hans Kim, Chad & JT, Fiona Cauley

Announced National Comedy Contest: Canice, Jeff Joe, Collin Sledge, Tess Vergult, Danny Guerrero, Luis De Jesus

Announced Improv Teams: Can't Tell Us Nothing, Mission Control, Preston Street

https://secure.everyaction.com/D__C2t0cakufpqNgkJpfQg2

The Black Queer Book Fair & Day Party is a celebration of queer voices and stories, bringing together LGBTQIA+ community members, allies, and authors. This vibrant event features books that challenge censorship, music honoring Black cultural heritage, and opportunities to connect with queer creators. Enjoy an unforgettable day of literature, community, and culture, with books available from Kindred Stories and exclusive TMP Pride merchandise to kick off the pride season in style.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1642850013010357

Enjoy an afternoon of art, music, poetry, and family activities in celebration of the museum’s vibrant neighborhood and the 30th anniversary of the Cy Twombly Gallery. Participating organizations include DACAMERA, Houston Center for Photography, Inprint, The Menil Collection, Plant It Forward, Rothko Chapel, Watercolor Art Society, and Writers in the Schools (WITS).

https://concerts.livenation.com/tobe-nwigwe-home-is-where-the-houston-texas-04-05-2025/event/3A006156BE94566C

Important Event Info: 
Doors: 7PM
Show: 8PM
Ages: ALL AGES

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-riot-presents-the-3rd-annual-riot-comedy-festival-bbq-cookoff-tickets-1070267461789

A FOUR DAY OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD CELEBRATION OF COMEDY!!! Famous Headliners, 30+ Comedy Shows, BBQ Cookoff, Cold Drinks, Tasty Food, and more!

Houston, it’s time to laugh like never before! The Riot Comedy Festival returns for its third year from April 3rd–6th, 2025, and Montrose is the place to be for four days of top-tier comedy, exciting events, and unforgettable experiences.

This annual festival has become a highlight of Houston’s entertainment calendar, featuring over 30 comedy shows including stand-up from famous headliners, live podcasts, improv, music, and a national comedy contest.

• Two Amazing Venues Shows will take place at The Riot Comedy Club (above Rudyards) and The Gordy Theatre (Stages), a short walk or a quick ride on the Riot Festival Cool Bus between locations.

• Exclusive Events: Enjoy VIP parties and the first-ever Riot BBQ Cookoff Competition on Saturday, April 5th, featuring special guest Meat Dave on the lawn of The Gordy Theatre.

• A Unique Comedy Experience: With intimate venues and a focus on connecting comedians and fans, this festival offers a personal, up-close way to enjoy live comedy.

Grab your weekend passes now and join us for a laughter-filled adventure that will leave you smiling long after the shows are over. Don’t wait—secure your spot today!

Lineup Announcements began on Nov 22nd and will continue through Nov 30th

Announced Headliners: Sam Tallent, Chris Redd, Hans Kim, Chad & JT, Fiona Cauley

Announced National Comedy Contest: Canice, Jeff Joe, Collin Sledge, Tess Vergult, Danny Guerrero, Luis De Jesus

Announced Improv Teams: Can't Tell Us Nothing, Mission Control, Preston Street

https://kindredstorieshtx.com/products/irl-author-talk-city-summer-country-summer-with-kiese-laymon-april-6-2pm

Celebrate the release of City Summer, Country Summer with Kiese Laymon!

EVENT DEETS

When: Sunday, April 6 @ 2PM

Where: 2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 77004

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to support the author and our store programming

ABOUT THE BOOK

A lyrical picture book from the award-winning author of Heavy, about three Black boys who form a deep connection during a transformative summer trip down South to visit family.

On the ground of that garden, covered in vegetables and dirt, coated in laughter, I want to say that the Mississippi and New York in our Black boy bodies were indistinguishable.

Three Black boys spend one special summer exploring the Mississippi woods and woulds and coulds of sharing the kind of freeing friendship that is love.

Watched over and given space to discover by Grandmama and Mama Lara, New York, Country, and little C find camaraderie in their contrasts and all the unspoken things between them while playing games of marco polo in the thick garden and sledding on cardboard by the underpass. 

With text brimming with love by award-winning author Kiese Laymon and deeply evocative illustrations by Ashley Franklin, City Summer, Country Summer illuminates the tenuous and tender bonds of friendship Black boys forge with one another.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kiese Laymon is a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. Laymon is the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rice University. Laymon is the author of Long Division, which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon’s bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times. The audiobook, read by the author, was named the Audible 2018 Audiobook of the Year. Laymon is the recipient of 2020-2021 Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard. Laymon is at work on the books, Good God, and City Summer, Country Summer, and a number of other film and television projects. He is the founder of The Catherine Coleman Literary Arts and Justice Initiative, a program based out of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, aimed at aiding young people in Jackson get more comfortable reading, writing, revising and sharing on their on their own terms, in their own communities. He is the co-host of Reckon True Stories with Deesha Philyaw. Kiese Laymon was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022.

https://www.ticketweb.com/event/tiffany-new-york-pollards-bad-houston-improv-tickets/13696884

Tiffany "New York" Pollard co-hosts an unforgettable drag brunch. She'll be joined by Houston's Chevelle Brooks. Drag queens will be performing your favorite bad girl anthems. This party is going to be LIT. A meet and greet with Tiffany "New York" Pollard will be held for VIP guests before the show. 

Get ready to party with the baddies!

https://events.rice.edu/event/hrc-christina-sharpe

The Humanities Research Center welcomes the Rice and Houston communities to join us for a keynote lecture on the HRC’s 2023-25 theme of Repair, featuring the award-winning scholar and writer Christina Sharpe.

Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Time: 4 PM
Location: Kraft Hall, 130
Reception to follow

Christina Sharpe is a writer, Professor, and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Black Studies in the Humanities at York University in Toronto. She is also a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Race, Gender & Class (RGC), at the University of Johannesburg. Sharpe is the author of Monstrous Intimacies: Making Post-Slavery Subjects (2010) and In the Wake: On Blackness and Being (2016)—named by the Guardian (UK) and The Walrus as one of the best books of 2016 and a nonfiction finalist for the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. Her third book, Ordinary Notes (2023) won the Hilary Weston Writer’s Trust Prize in Nonfiction and the Hodler Prize, and was a finalist for The National Book Award in Nonfiction, The National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction, the Los Angeles Times Current Interest Book Award, and the James Tait Black Prize in Biography. Ordinary Notes was also named a Best Book of the Year by: The New York Times, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, NPR, New York Magazine, and Granta, among others. Sharpe is currently working on What Could a Vessel Be? (FSG/Knopf, Canada 2025) and Black. Still. Life. (Duke 2027). Her writing has appeared in many artist catalogues and journals including Frieze, Paris Review, Harpers, BOMB Magazine, and The Funambulist. In April 2024, she was awarded a Windham-Campbell Prize in Nonfiction and was named a Guggenheim Fellow. In May 2024 she received the Canada Council for the Arts Molson Prize for the Sciences and Humanities.

To learn more about the HRC’s theme of Repair, please visit hrc.rice.edu/theme.

https://kindredstorieshtx.com/products/irl-author-talk-behind-the-waterline-with-kionna-lemalle-april-8-7pm

Celebrate Kionna Walker LeMalle's debut novel, Behind the Waterline! 

EVENT DEETS

When: Tuesday, April 8 @ 7PM

Where: Kindred Stories (2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 77004) 

How: RSVP ONLY to let us know you are coming or RSVP WITH BOOK to reserve your copy of Behind the Waterline. 

NOTE: There are limited free RSVP ONLY tickets. Please be sure that you can make the event before checking out. Additionally, copies of the book from Behind the Waterline from other retailers will not be allowed 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Behind the Waterline takes readers to the home of a teenager and his grandmother in a New Orleans neighborhood on the eve of Katrina, where there are few resources and little warning of what is about to happen, in this novel that mixes magical realism with reality.

When Hurricane Katrina approaches New Orleans, teenaged Eric and his grandmother and many of their neighbors decide to ride out the storm. Kionna Walker LeMalle’s masterful debut novel brings her readers, like the rising water, onto Eric’s street in the Third Ward, where stranded dogs bark for a time, where neighbors are floating on doors, and where Eric and his grandmother must take refuge in his second floor bedroom. After days of heat, dwindling supplies, and relentless rising water, neighbors begin to disappear and Eric’s grandmother, already known as an eccentric, begins to falter. It is then that Eric—in a dream, a hallucination, or something else—discovers a room beyond his closet wall, a place he has never seen. What he discovers inside will send him on a path to discover secrets to survival, bitter progress, and, ultimately, the history of his own people—those he sorely misses and those he never even knew.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kionna Walker LeMalle is an executive writer for the University of Houston-Downtown and has taught writers at Houston’s Writers in the Schools and Houston Christian University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Xavier University of Louisiana, a Master of Education degree from the University of New Orleans, and her MFA from Houston Christian University. She was born and raised in New Orleans, LA, and lives in Houston, TX, with her family. Behind the Waterline is her debut novel.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR 

ReShonda Tate is the national bestselling author of more than 50 books, including her latest The Queen of Sugar Hill, based on the life of Hattie McDaniel. Her novel, Let the Church Say Amen, was made into a film directed by actress Regina King, and produced by TD Jakes and Queen Latifah. Her book, The Secret She Kept, was also made into a TV One movie starring Kyla Pratt. ReShonda made appearances in both movies. She wrote a movie, Christmas with my Ex, which will run on TV One this winter. 

A well-respected journalist and former TV News Anchor, ReShonda is currently Managing Editor for the Defender Newspaper and also works as a professional editor, ghostwriter, and literary consultant. 

A highly sought-after motivational speaker and award-winning poet, ReShonda is the recipient of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literature.

https://events.rice.edu/event/389213-caaas-colloquium-dr-elizabeth-hordge-freeman

Rayzor Hall, 119

Dr. Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman, Associate Professor of Sociology & Center for African and African American Studies at Rice University, Houston

Bio:

Elizabeth Hordge-Freeman is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Rice University, specializing in race, family, and African Diasporic studies. Her transnational research explores how family dynamics, socialization practices, and emotional bonds contribute to both the reproduction of and resistance to systemic oppression. Drawing on over a decade of ethnographic research in Brazil, her recent books highlight the significant and often under-examined role of emotion in socialization. She has introduced concepts such as affective capital and affective captivity to conceptualize how the unequal distribution of affection and emotional manipulation within families can reflect and perpetuate broader societal inequities, especially in relation to gendered forms of anti-Blackness. Not limited to Brazil, her research and teaching explore how global anti-Blackness shapes the structural position and affective experiences of Afro-Latin Americans, Afro-Latinxs, and African Americans with a focus on Black women and families. She is currently working on a book entitled, The Affective Architecture of Domination, which seeks to develop a broader framework for understanding how emotional dynamics—both intimate and institutional—are integral to the structures of power, control, and domination.

At Rice University, Hordge-Freeman holds a joint appointment in the Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS), which complements her interdisciplinary research interests. In 2013, she launched the Imagine Blackness AI project and exhibition in collaboration with her husband, artist McArthur Freeman, exploring the intersection of Black identity, speculative fiction, and technology. In 2024, she co-directed the award-winning Journey Towards Justice documentary with several colleagues, capturing students’ emotional journeys through the Civil Rights Trail in Alabama. She will be launching the inaugural Journey Towards Justice course at Rice in Spring 2025, and she plans to launch a similar summer program in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

https://kindredstorieshtx.com/products/irl-author-talk-firsborn-girls-with-bernice-mcfadden-april-10-7-pm

Celebrate award winning author, Bernice McFadden's memoir, Firstborn Girls!

EVENT DEETS

When: Thursday, April 10 @ 7 PM 

Where: Kindred Stories (2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 77004) 

How: RSVP ONLY to reserve your seat or RSVP WITH BOOK to ensure your seat an a copy of Firstborn Girls!

There are limited free RSVP ONLY tickets so please make sure that you can make it. 

Please note that copies of Firstborn Girls purchased from other retailers will not be allowed in the venue. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

From award-winning author and creative writing professor at Tulane University comes an intimate and powerful memoir exploring inherited trauma, family secrets, and the enduring bonds of love between mothers and daughters.

On her second birthday in 1967, Bernice McFadden died in a car crash near Detroit, only to be resuscitated after her mother pulled her from the flaming wreckage. Firstborn Girls traces her remarkable life from that moment up to the publication of her first novel, Sugar.

Growing up in 1980s Brooklyn, Bernice finds solace in books, summer trips to Barbados, and boarding school to escape her alcoholic father. Discovering the works of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, she finally sees herself and her loved ones reflected in their stories of “messy, beautiful, joyful Black people.”

Interwoven with Bernice's personal journey is her family's history, beginning with her four-times enslaved great-grandmother Louisa Vicey Wilson in 1822 Hancock County, Georgia. Her descendants survived Reconstruction and Jim Crow, joined the Great Migration, and mourned Dr. King’s assassination during the Civil Rights Movement. These women's wisdom, secrets, and fierce love are passed down like Louisa's handmade quilt.

A memoir of many threads, Firstborn Girls is an extraordinarily moving portrait of a life shaped by family, history, and the drive to be something more.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bernice L. McFadden is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Tulane University and the author of several critically acclaimed novels, including Sugar, The Warmest December, Loving Donovan, Nowhere Is a Place, Glorious, Gathering of Waters (a New York Times Editors' Choice and one of the 100 Notable Books of 2012), The Book of Harlan (winner of a 2017 American Book Award and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, Fiction), and Praise Song for the Butterflies (long-listed for the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction). She is a four-time Hurston/Wright Legacy Award finalist, as well as the recipient of three awards from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

One of the most lyrical and intimate voices of contemporary jazz piano, Brad Mehldau has forged a unique path, which embodies the essence of jazz exploration, classical romanticism and pop allure.

https://www.dacamera.com/2024-2025-season-concerts/brad-mehldau-trio-featuring-christian-mcbride/

https://www.milleroutdoortheatre.com/performance/philly-soul-sound-vol-5-produced-by-community-music-center-of-houston/?wcs_timestamp=1744401600

Your Favorite Soundtrack Is Back! Community Music Center of Houston presents The Philly Soul Sound Vol. 5 – A Tribute to Frankie Beverly and More! This year, we pay homage to one of Philadelphia’s own, the legendary Frankie Beverly, whose smooth vocals and timeless contributions to soul music have left an indelible mark on the genre. In addition to celebrating his iconic legacy, we’ll bring you the classic Philly Sound hits you know and love.

The Philly Sound, also known as TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia), is cherished for its luxurious string arrangements, bold brass, and infectious rhythms that bridge the gap between soulful groove and sophisticated funk. TSOP became the defining soundtrack of the late 1960s,70s, & 80s.

This year’s show will once again deliver performances that embody the essence of The Philly Soul Sound. Join us as we celebrate this beloved musical tradition with a special tribute and an unforgettable evening of music and community.

Community Music Center of Houston (CMCH) is an 501(C)3 arts organization dedicated to the preservation of Black music traditions that the community is rarely exposed to or are in danger of being lost. CMCH serves as a space where the community learns, collaborates, and drives transformative music-based projects that safeguard traditions while supporting community-led innovation for future generations.

All performances at Miller Outdoor Theatre are FREE!

This is a ticketed event for the covered seating area. Free tickets are available (4 per person over age 16 while they last) from our website one day prior to the performance starting at 10:00 AM through noon the day of the show, or until tickets run out. We always reserve plenty of tickets available for in-person pick up at the box office, which opens an hour before the show starts. As always, open seating on the hill. Our shows go on rain or shine!

For more information on tickets and seating click here.

Photos are being taken at this event and may appear in Miller Outdoor Theatre’s print or digital communications or marketing materials. By attending this event, you hereby authorize MTAB to use your photograph in any and all use related to the educational mission of MOT without compensation.

All performances at Miller Outdoor Theatre are funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/teenbookcon-2025-tickets-1113028130099

https://www.teenbookcon.org

TeenBookCon brings together teens from the greater Houston area & beyond to hear from and ask questions of some of the hottest YA authors!

Keynote Speakers:

Nic Stone and J. Elle

Authors:

• Victoria Aveyard
• Kendare Blake
• Alexis Castellanos
• Hafsah Faaizal
• Sharon G. Flake
• Jan Gangsei
• Laura Gao
• Jessica Goodman
• RM Gray
• Leslie Lutz
• Tobias Madden
• Rex Ogle
• Emma Ohland
• Neal Shusterman
• Emily J. Taylor
• Trang Thanh Tran
• Kasie West
• Justine Pucella Winans
• Amélie Wen Zhao
• Ibi Zoboi

https://kindredstorieshtx.com/products/irl-book-signing-burden-of-love-with-mya-april-12-2-pm-cst

Celebrate independent author, Mya's first traditionally published novel, Burden of Love! 

EVENT DEETS 

When: Saturday, April 12 @ 2PM 

Where: Kindred Stories (2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 77004) 

How: RSVP WITH BOOK to secure your copy of Burden of Love or RSVP ONLY to buy your book at the event. 

This is a book signing only so there will be no chairs, etc. You will be able to meet and chat with the author as well as purchase a book to get signed. Outside copies of Burden of Love will not be allowed in the venue. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

She fights for justice; he bends the rules. Together, they break all of them in this scandalously sexy legal drama.

Soon after passing the bar exam, Talia Tate is tasked to assist her father, the head of Tate & Associates, with the controversial State v. Duncan trial. Talia is determined to prove to her father, the firm, and herself that she is a brilliant lawyer worthy of respect. Her stress hits a fever pitch when she realizes she’ll have an unexpected face-off on her first case.

Detective Maddox Reed doesn’t mind cutting corners when closing a case. Since his days in patrol, the locals knew to steer clear of “Speedy Reed-y.” When Donovan Duncan was brought into his squad room, he was ready to send him to prison without an interrogation. He thought the case was cut-and-dried . . . until Talia comes to his office with fingers pointed, ready to get Donovan the justice he deserves.

Representing opposite sides of the law, Talia and Maddox find themselves fighting two battles: justice and lust. How could they fall in love under circumstances so polarizing that the whole world can feel the tension? While both of them are in a race to come out on top, surprising feelings make it difficult to separate business from pleasure. Will these two souls find solace with each other? Or will the burden of love be too hard to bear?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Mya is a twenty-three-year-old, boy-mom and author from Houston, Texas. Since she was a little girl, she was drawn to books. From children’s books to young adult, her love blossomed. Mya's introduction to the literary world came at the young age of sixteen when she published her first book "His Little Secret". Starting with fan fiction and transitioning to African American romance, Mya now has a growing catalog of over 20 books which includes erotic romance and women's fiction novels. Mya’s love for black love has motivated her to create stories that reinforce the idea that regular people deserve extraordinary romantic tales. Through her books, she wants to leave readers with a discussion-provoking dialogue about the Black experience.

This spring and summer, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft and the Houston Museum of African American Culture are thrilled to co-present Sonya Clark: We Are Each Other, a major exhibition of the pioneering fiber artist that showcases her large-scale, community-centered, and participatory projects.

The Houston presentation of the show, hosted within both HCCC’s and HMAAC’s galleries, extends the traveling exhibition’s tour, which was co-organized by the Cranbrook Art Museum, the High Museum of Art, and the Museum of Art and Design. Clark’s work centers on race and Black experience, and the exhibition is rooted in both audience and context, as each organizing institution is located in American cities with substantial populations of residents with a lineage to the African diaspora, and each is dedicated to celebrating and collecting contemporary art and craft traditions. Learn more.

https://concerts.livenation.com/aziz-ansari-hypothetical-tour-houston-texas-04-13-2025/event/3A006185E5F66321

Doors: 6PM
Show: 7PM
All Ages

https://bluewillowbookshop.com/event/guillory-2025

What:

We are thrilled to welcome Jasmine Guillory to Houston in celebration of her new book Flirting Lessons. Each ticket comes with a paperback copy of Flirting Lessons.

There will be a signing line AFTER the event.

When:

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 7:00 PM Central Time

Where:

St Thomas Presbyterian, 14100 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079

Blue Willow Bookshop expects all participants to maintain an atmosphere of respect and fairness. Anyone who violates this standard of behavior including any form of harassment, may, at the discretion of the organizers, be immediately removed.

About the Author:

Jasmine Guillory is a New York Times bestselling author. Her novels include Drunk on Love, The Wedding Date, the Reese's Book Club selection The Proposal. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, Bon Appetit, and Time. Jasmine is a frequent book contributor on the Today show. She lives in Oakland, California.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rewrite-your-rules-with-morgan-debaun-chamillionaire-tickets-1275090513049

Founder of AfroTech and Blavity, Inc., Morgan DeBaun helps you redefine your guiding principles in her new book, Rewrite Your Rules!

Presented by Kindred Stories - a Black-owed, women-owned bookstore in Third Ward, Houston, TX.

Each paid ticket includes one copy of Morgan DeBaun's forthcoming book, Rewrite Your Own Rules: The Journey to Succes in Less Time and More Freedom, The book will be available for pickup at the event.

Doors open at 6:00 PM CST.

What if the path to fulfillment isn’t about doing more but redefining what matters most? Morgan DeBaun, the visionary founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., is here to help you become the CEO of your life and revolutionize your approach to success.

In her transformative book, Rewrite Your Rules, DeBaun delivers a powerful call to action: redefine the guiding principles of your life. This isn’t about minor adjustments; it’s about radically transforming what you believe is possible, challenging you to break free from societal expectations and design your own path.

In Rewrite Your Rules, DeBaun doesn’t just question the norms—she obliterates them. With the wisdom of a seasoned entrepreneur and the relatability of your most trusted friend, DeBaun offers a refreshing antidote to toxic hustle culture Her powerful three-part framework will guide you to:

● Master Yourself: Uncover your true values, passions, and potential
● Master Your Method: Align daily actions with your goals
● Master Your Growth: Adapt continuously to life’s challenges and opportunities

Each chapter of the book provides practical steps for evaluating life’s big questions and dismantling outdated rules. Whether rethinking your career, relationships, or routines, Rewrite Your Rules puts you firmly back in the driver’s seat to focus on what matters most. This is a straight-talking resource you’ll want to return to, at any stage, to build a life that feels truly yours—one that balances financial achievement with deep personal fulfillment. DeBaun proves that true success is rooted in authenticity, purpose, and the courage to chart your own course.

Each ticket includes one copy of Rewrite Your Rules and will be available for pick-up at the event.

About the Author:

Morgan DeBaun is the founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., a revolutionary media and tech company serving multicultural consumers. A serial entrepreneur, small business advisor, and corporate board member, DeBaun has become one of the most prominent figures in the modern tech landscape. An icon for ambitious professionals, DeBaun is a prominent voice for those seeking success and balance in a world that often values the grind above all else.

About the Conversation Partner

Chamillionaire is a Grammy award winning musician who is hailed around the world for his platinum selling album, The Sound of Revenge, which spawned the multi-platinum single "Ridin Dirty." More than a decade of success in the music industry has provided him with the entrepreneurial skills and business savvy that paved the way for his ascension into the tech industry.

He was previously an Entrepreneur in Residence at Upfront Ventures, one of the largest early stage investment firms in Southern California, and now he leads a private investment fund created to reduce the friction that has historically prevented people in some of the most influential but untapped communities from investing in private companies.

He has invested in more than 60 tech companies, including Maker Studios, Cruise, Ring, and LYFT, and also advises a number of high-profile entertainers and athletes on their tech investments. Chamillionaire wants to lead by example, and hopes to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to believe they have the power to bring positive change and disruption to the world.

About Kindred Stories:

Kindred Stories is here to give kids and adults alike a space to explore the wide-open world of literary content and creative works fashioned by black and brown hands. We are a bookstore committed to amplifying Black voices and bringing diverse stories from throughout the African diaspora to our local community in Houston, TX. We are currently located at 2304 Stuart Street, Houston, TX, 77004 in the Third Ward neighborhood in partnership with Project Row Houses. We provide a well curated selection of books and artisan wares to edify the swelling appetites for authentic stories as told by those who have lived them. Learn more about Kindred Stories and shop our online book collection at www.kindredstorieshtx.com.

https://www.menil.org/events/4398-salon-with-guest-artist-cecile-mclorin-salvant

Join Cécile McLorin Salvant; Natalie Dupêcher, Associate Curator of Modern Art, The Menil Collection; and Sarah Rothenberg, DACAMERA Artistic Director, for a conversation and informal performance.

Cécile McLorin Salvant, a vocalist, composer, and visual artist with three consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album, was a 2020 MacArthur Fellow. This salon follows McLorin Salvant’s residence at the Menil Collection and offers a dynamic exploration of the synergy between artist Joe Overstreet’s work and the rich spirit of jazz that he loved.

This program takes place in the main building, located at 1533 Sul Ross Street. Additional information regarding accessibility and parking can be found here.

Registration information coming soon.

Swinging Savoy" is an ambitious Broadway music theater production that aims to transport audiences back to the vibrant and the electrifying era of the Harlem Renaissance. Set against the backdrop of the 1920s and 1930s, the show is a dynamic celebration of Black music, art, and culture, paying homage to the iconic Savoy Ballroom and the rich tapestry of talent that emerged from this historic period.
Performing Arts Houston - Swinging Savoy The Harlem Renaissance

https://kindredstorieshtx.com/products/irl-author-talk-where-shadows-meet-with-patrice-caldwell-april-19-3pm

Celebrate the amazing author (and literary agent) Patrice Caldwell's newest release, Where Shadows Meet! 

EVENT DEETS

When: Saturday, April 19 @ 3PM 

Where: Kindred Stories (2304 Stuart Street, HTX, 77004) 

How: RSVP ONLY to let us know you're coming and RSVP WITH BOOK to secure your seat and copy of Where Shadows Meet.

Note: There are limited free RSVP ONLY tickets available so please be thoughtful about purchasing a ticket. Additionally, copies of Where Shadows Meet from other retailers will not be allowed on the premise. 

ABOUT THE BOOK

The dark and thrillingly romantic debut vampire fantasy that questions what it truly means to sacrifice for love.

You have no idea what I’ve done for love. Just as you have no idea what you may one day do.

Once long ago, a girl named Favre sacrificed her wings for love. Thana, the young goddess she so willingly gave them up for, sacrificed that same love for power. But everything has a cost.

Favre never got over the loss of her wings. And Thana’s choices led to a life of eternal night, and later, their destruction. Favre has bided her time ever since, waiting for the chance to resurrect the girl she loves who turned her into the creature she hates.

Now, a thousand years later, Leyla, the crown princess of the malichora—an ancient race that survives on human blood—must travel to the Island of the Dead when her best friend is captured during an attack on her nation’s capital. Along with Najja, a fierce, beautiful seer, and the last person she expected to help her, Leyla forges down a dangerous path, intent on saving her friend. But nothing is as it seems. The closer she gets to her goal, the more she risks awakening an ancient evil and destroying everything she holds dear.

Set in the aftermath of a war between vampires, humans, and the gods that created them, Patrice Caldwell’s devastatingly romantic fantasy debut, Where Shadows Meet, centers the heart-wrenching pain of loss and the struggle of self-discovery to ask: do we choose our fates, or do our fates choose us?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PATRICE CALDWELL is a former children’s book editor turned literary agent and author. She has been named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30”, a Publishers Weekly Star Watch honoree, and featured on Bustle’s inaugural “Lit List” as one of ten women changing the book world. Patrice is also the editor of A Phoenix First Must Burn, 16 stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope and Eternally Yours. After years living in New York City, she moved to Dallas, Texas (with her two adorable cats). Visit Patrice at patricecaldwell.com and @pncaldwell.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Nia "N.E." Davenport is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy author. She attended the University of Southern California and studied Biological Sciences and Theatre. She has an M.A. in Secondary Education, taught secondary English and Science for several years, and designs English/Language Arts curriculum for school systems and educational publishers across the US. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys vacationing with her family, skiing, and being a huge foodie. She’s an advocate for diverse perspectives and protagonists in literature. You can find her online at www.nedavenport.com, on Twitter @nia_davenport, or on Instagram @nia.davenport, where she talks about binge-worthy TV, fun movies, and killer books.