top of page
Search
All Posts


Evolving Beyond Inspiration: How My Third CultureCon Shifted My Perspective
This past weekend I went to New York for CultureCon , and while I had a lot of fun, I left with a lot on my mind. If you’re not familiar,...

Servanté Cook
Oct 73 min read
Â
Â
Â


Untitled Art Fair: Houston Steps Into the Spotlight
If you’re from Houston, you already know—this city has always been a cultural hub. Art, music, and creativity are everywhere here.

Servanté Cook
Sep 262 min read
Â
Â
Â


What We've Been Up To
The culture doesn’t pause—and neither do our people. August was full of big wins, bold moves, and well-deserved flowers for members of our Oqupi ecosystem.

OQUPI TEAM
Sep 122 min read
Â
Â
Â


Hurricane Katrina: How Tragedy Shaped My Creativity
I was in sixth grade when Hurricane Katrina hit. I had just started at a new school, joined the dance team, and begun to make new...

Allena Fleming
Aug 283 min read
Â
Â
Â


20 YEARS LATER: TO REMEMBER, TO FIGHT, TO PRESERVE
It’s been twenty years since Katrina, but I swear it feel like twenty days ago. Folks in Houston always wanna compare it to Harvey — and...
Janelle Varnado
Aug 284 min read
Â
Â
Â


From Friction to Family: Dallas After Katrina
Back in 2005, I was living in Dallas as a pre-teen. I seen it all first hand. When Katrina hit and families from New Orleans started...

Cassius Clay
Aug 283 min read
Â
Â
Â


What Happens When the Right People Are in the Room
Oqupi’s recent mixer with Houston Arts Alliance brought artists and funders together to discuss grant access, equity, and building a better creative economy.

OQUPI TEAM
Aug 63 min read
Â
Â
Â


What We've Been Up To
July was a big month across the Oqupi ecosystem. Our crew has been in the mix—producing, mentoring, rebranding, and creating space for...

OQUPI TEAM
Aug 13 min read
Â
Â
Â


Doing It Myself Isn’t Strength. It’s Survival
We started Oqupi Houston 3.5 years ago with a simple idea: create a space where creatives of color feel seen, celebrated, and connected. Since then, we’ve hosted event after event—some with over 300 people in the room—proving there’s a hunger for what we’re building.

Servanté Cook
Jul 282 min read
Â
Â
Â


Celebrating Voices in Minority Mental Health: A Journey Towards Healing and Empowerment
Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, observed each July, invites us to look deeper—at the systems, stories, and spaces that impact our collective wellness. It’s a time to spotlight the voices shaping healing from the inside out.

OQUPI TEAM
Jul 162 min read
Â
Â
Â


A Playbook for Protecting Black Creative Spaces — Lessons from Essence
Essence Fest shows what happens when Black cultural spaces lose their roots. OQUPI’s LinkUp HTX is proof we can build better — rooted local, paid fairly, culture-first.

OQUPI TEAM
Jul 92 min read
Â
Â
Â


Reclaiming the Narrative: Sankofa Collective’s Three Musketeers
A personal and powerful review of Sankofa Collective’s Three Musketeers, where legacy, Black storytelling, and cultural reclamation take center stage.

Dasia Batiste
Jul 74 min read
Â
Â
Â


Creative or Contrived? How AI Impacts Black Creatives in Houston | Oqupi
Artificial Intelligence isn’t just coming—it’s already here. From AI influencers that resemble real people, to synthetic songs mimicking...
Janelle Varnado
Jul 73 min read
Â
Â
Â


What Does Freedom Look Like as a Creative?
At Oqupi, freedom isn’t just a feeling—it’s a foundation.Â
In honor of Juneteenth, we asked our team: “What does freedom mean to you as a creative?"

Allena Fleming
Jun 172 min read
Â
Â
Â


Private Lives, Real Reflections: A Night at the Alley Theatre in Houston
That line's been circling around in my head a lot lately — and not just because it's a core value of what we're building at Oqupi. It's because nights like this at the Alley Theatre remind me why creative infrastructure matters.

Dasia Batiste
Jun 93 min read
Â
Â
Â
bottom of page