At home in Third Ward, an appreciation of the ‘Tre’

Photo: Houston Chronicle

Third Ward is my home.

Some would call it a “bad” neighborhood — one of Houston’s tragedies, a place of crime, poverty and sad stories.

The “Tre,” as we natives say, is a predominately Black neighborhood just south of downtown and east of the Museum District. Despite the stereotypes that often come with inner-city Black neighborhoods, Third Ward is also home to some of the city’s most noted and greatest African-American artists, activists, educators and leaders.

Black communities rarely get much credit for being great, though.

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What the world needs now is more adoptive parents

Photo: Houston Chronicle

To be a mother, I would have to give up my two boxers.

That’s one of the more ridiculous things the world whispered to me as I set off on the journey to become an adoptive mother more than a decade ago. But I didn’t have time for negative comments; adoption was always in my life’s view.

The truth is, though, I never wanted to birth a child. I learned not to talk about it because the judgment could be harsh. People can be mean.

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Girls can be girls at Black Girl Magic School

Photo: Houston Chronicle

Five little girls, with their face shields in place, cozied themselves in the seats set up on the backyard patio. When their teacher called their names, each stood in front of the microphone, poised for the afternoon spelling bee.

This is Black Girl Magic School, a pandemic-spurred learning pod created by Nwamaka Unaka in her four-bedroom home off Almeda Road.

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My father and the Rev. Lawson: Old friends share memories of 1960s Houston, civil rights fight

The Rev. William Lawson held my father’s hand as they prayed and talked about marching together with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I’ve heard my father tell many stories of his youth, but somehow I missed that one.

King visited Houston several times during the 1960s and, on his last visit in October 1967, he drew nearly 5,000 people to the Sam Houston Coliseum. Six months later, King was assassinated.

My father isn’t really the protesting type. Richard Sewing is an architectural engineer and businessman who focused on working hard. His form of social justice meant getting his education, making money on his own terms and taking care of his family.

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