Houston's Third Ward has undergone an evolution of sorts over the last decade. Development has displaced some of the historically black neighborhood's longtime residents, leading to a now years-long debate over how to invest in the area without making such sweeping changes that the Third Ward loses its historic identity and culture.
News 88.7 has been following and reporting on this debate over the years, talking with residents, elected officials, developers, and nonprofits about revitalization efforts.
Today, Houston Matters welcomes three guests who understand this ongoing challenge from different perspectives. Eureka Gilkey is the executive director of Project Row Houses, a Third Ward non-profit which combines activism with art. Dr. Jeffrey Lowe is an associate professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University. And Dr. Assata Richards is the director of the Sankofa Research Institute and vice chair of the Emancipation Economic Development Council.
Our conversation is part of Houston Public Media's Legacies initiative, in partnership with Houston's historically black universities, Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern.