Another big week in Houston. My highlights are the education events with HAABSE and ONE Houston, the musicals opening at TUTS and The Ensemble Theatre, and the Houston Hackathon! Meanwhile I spent my weekend with books and comics at the Wikipedia Edit-a-thon, the library book sale, and Comicpalooza!

TUESDAY

Celebrate the Entrepreneurship Community with INT and the French-American Chamber
Tuesday, May 16, 2017, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Network while enjoying pitches and lite bites. Learn more here.

Black Women: Sex, Health, Joy
Tuesday, May 16, 2017, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
A conversation with Dr. Uchenna Ossai, sex positive pelvic health physical therapist, sex educator and counselor. How can Black women do the radical, political, and creative work needed to battle for the betterment of Black lives while also caring deeply for ourselves? Learn more here.

Bullet Journaling 101
Tuesday, May 16, 2017, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Join Brazos Bookstore gift buyer Ülrika for a workshop on bullet journaling. This type of journaling has become a craze in the past few years as a customizable way to organize life events, activities, and personal goals. Brazos will be providing practices pages examples, and other supplies. Learn more here.

Concert: Blackbear and Elhae
Tuesday, May 16, 2017, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Singer Blackbear is coming to Houston with rapper Elhae at the House of Blues. I haven’t seen Blackbear but I like Elhae’s live show. $25. Learn more here.

WEDNESDAY

Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit
Wednesday, May 17, 2017 – Saturday, May 20, 2017
The Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit is the premier conference for emerging minority small business owners and established entrepreneurs. More than 1,000 business owners, investors, and venture capitalists attend from across the country to establish connections and form long term business partnerships. Learn more here.

Wellness Wednesdays at GreenStreet
Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 6:30 a.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Start the day off right with a challenging boot camp! No equipment is needed and classes are open to all skill-levels. Wellness Wednesday participants will receive $1 off their next salad or wrap at Salata and a chance to earn free swag and prizes from GreenStreet. Learn more here.

Greek Wine Tasting with Stefanos Argyros
Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
You’re invited to explore the different expressions of terroir in Santorini while you taste Argyros’ five different wines: three whites, one red and their most delicious sweet Vin Santo. $13. Learn more here.

Tailored Wednesdays: SWV vs Xscape
Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Head to Midtown for free crawfish with a drink purchase, neo soul and classic R&B music videos, and a SWV vs. Xscape tribute set at 10pm in Houston’s oldest bar! Learn more here.

THURSDAY

Houston History Spring Launch Party
Thursday, May 18, 2017, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Houston History invites the community to attend the Spring Launch Party to celebrate their new issue at the African American Library at the Gregory School. This issue features articles on the Camp Logan Incident in 1917 and the student-led civil rights movement of the 1960s, along with several difference-makers. Learn more here.

Will Women Lead the Social Entrepreneurship Revolution? – Houston
Thursday, May 18, 2017, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Professor Farber will highlight how women have been particularly active as social entrepreneurs but are still under-represented. Thereby addressing the questions, can women lead the social entrepreneurship revolution? Are there different drivers for commercial and social entrepreneurs? Does gender matter? Learn more here.

ONE Houston: Our Students, Our City, Our Future
Thursday, May 18, 2017, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Join ONE Houston for our end of year gathering. We will celebrate our wins, hold our community accountable for changes and commitments, and also provide a teach-in so that educators and community members can better understand the rights and needs of our students and families that may identify as undocumented. Learn more here.

FRIDAY

Black Enterprise Buy Black Pavilion & Happy Hour
Friday, May 19, 2017, 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Visit the Buy Black Pavilion at the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit from 12-5pm, then join the Networking Happy Hour at Bud’s Pitmaster BBQ from 4-6pm. Free admission! Learn more here.

Open Pitch Practice
Friday, May 19, 2017, 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
This is your opportunity to get feedback on your pitch from peers, the Station Team, and Mentors! Join us to share your pitch for investors, potential customers, potential hires, co-founders, and partners. Learn more here.

HAABSE Teacher Appreciation Happy Hour
Friday, May 19, 2017, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Let the Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators treat you to light bites as you celebrate all your hard work with fellow educators before the school year ends! Learn more here.

Ching-In Chen, Kimberly Alidio & John Pluecker at Brazos
Friday, May 19, 2017, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Join me in celebrating the launch of Ching-In Chen’s new poetry collection, *recombinant* from Kelsey Street Press, alongside Kimberly Alidio’s *After projects the resound* from Black Radish and John Pluecker’s *Ford Over* from Noemi Press and a translation of Sara Uribe’s *Antígona González* from Les Figues Press. Learn more here.

Houston Hackathon Kickoff Party at TXRX
Friday, May 19, 2017, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Get this year’s hackathon weekend started off right with a shindig at TXRX. Mingle with potential hackathon teammates, share some snacks, and tour TXRX Labs! Learn more here.

Concert: Get Down With The Rosewood Thieves
Friday, May 19, 2017, 9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
“Rosewood Thievz are the kind of trio that only H-Town could create — a mix of alternative hip hop, funk, and groove played with a humid thickness that feels like the soundtrack of the Bayou City on a hot and steamy day.” And the Foundation Room has extended happy hour until 11pm. Learn more here.

SATURDAY

Houston Hackathon
Saturday, May 20, 2017 – Sunday, May 21, 2017
The Houston Hackathon is a “civic” hackathon to solve problems that affect the greater public—such as traffic information, voter registration, or recycling programs, just to name a few. Anyone interested in improving Houston should join us. We’re a vast—and welcoming—community of passionate people from all walks of life! Learn more here.

Brooklyn Athletic Presents…B.A.C. in the Day Party
Saturday, May 20, 2017, 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Join Donnie Houston and special guests for this weekly day party at the Brooklyn Athletic Club. All month they’ve had several DJs featured with food, drinks, games, and complimentary valet for attendees. Learn more here.

8th Annual Ice Cold Springfest Cookout
Saturday, May 20, 2017, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Join the Alpha Eta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. for the 8th Annual Ice Cold Springfest Cookout. Come and enjoy a plate of catfish or crawfish and chill with the Brothers of Alpha. Beverages will be provided. Please be sure to bring your own alcohol. Learn more here.

InspireFire Wellness Series with Raveen Alexis
Saturday, May 20, 2017, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Music, meditation, networking , writing, food trucks and so much more. This month’s wellness series will focus on journaling. Special guest Raveen Alexis will be hosting her powerful & positive journaling workshop. Bring a pen and paper and get ready to change your life! Learn more here.

Floating World: Kimono Zulu Trunk Show and Artist Talk

Saturday, May 20, 2017, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
A one-day trunk show presentation and reception. The collection highlights Kimono Zulu’s artist collaboration series featuring redesigned and reimagined Japanese vintage kimonos by multimedia artists and fashion designers. The presentation will also feature upcycled obi handbags and accessories, and a pristine selection of men’s and women’s short and long vintage kimonos available for purchase.Learn more here.

Omertà: The Silent Experience (Silent Dance Party)
Saturday, May 20, 2017, 7:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
The Silent Experience is The new way of partying. You’re provided with our state of the art 3-channel Wireless pro headphones where you can listen to up to three of our live DJ’s. You choose what you rock to with a simple flick of a switch. $25. Learn more here.

Ritual Culture Presents The Shakedown: Special Edition
Saturday, May 20, 2017, 9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
The star-studded cast of Houston DJs and strong drinks at Montrose bar The Flat are guaranteed to keep you dancing. Every third Saturday you get a mix of house, garage, disco, soul, and funk music all blended together for a good time! Learn more here.

SUNDAY

Raise the Age: Juvenile Justice in Texas with Jay Jenkins
Sunday, May 21, 2017, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
This series of talks raises awareness and provides opportunities to put social justice into practice. Discover how raising the age of juvenile justice can build stronger families and communities through rehabilitative services and legal protections. Learn more here.

Cigna Sunday Streets at Fondren & S. Braeswood
Sunday, May 21, 2017, 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cigna Sunday Streets Houston is an initiative to promote and improve the health of Houstonians. Cigna Sunday Streets Houston opens a stretch of streets normally reserved for cars and other vehicles to allow cycling, walking, dancing, socializing and provides a family-friendly opportunity to be physically active. #SSHTX. Learn more here.

Boss Life Backyard BBQ
Sunday, May 21, 2017, 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Join 8th Wonder for the first ever BossLife Backyard BBQ in collabor8ion with Slim Thug. Enjoy music from several local DJ’s, a delicious BBQ plate from Burn’s BBQ, and a Limited Edition Boss Beer pint glass with 3 beer tokens. $10/$30 with BBQ. Learn more here.

Ongoing

The Ensemble Theatre presents Front Porch Society
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 – Sunday, June 4, 2017
It’s November 4, 2008 in Marks, Mississippi, and America is on the eve of electing its first black president. But what does that mean to 4 elderly women in this rural town, especially Carrie Honey, the town’s “overseer,” as she grieves the anniversary of her son’s tragic death amidst the town’s excitement over Barack Obama. Learn more here.

Fun Home the Musical
Tuesday, May 16, 2017 – Sunday, May 28, 2017
Based on Alison Bechdel’s best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home introduces us to Alison at three different ages, as she explores and unravels the many mysteries of her childhood. Learn more here.

Buy Now

Author Roxane Gay at Bayou Place
Monday, July 10, 2017, 8:00 p.m.
Roxane Gay is the bestselling author of the novel An Untamed State, the essay collection Bad Feminist, and the short story collection Difficult Women, and she’s a frequent contributor to the New York Times. She’s also a writer for the new comic Black Panther: World of Wakanda. Her newest book, Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body, explores what it means to be overweight in a time when the bigger you are, the less you are seen. Learn more here.

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