Full article by Paul Middendorf

In the heart of the Third Ward, and deep set into a community, is a set of row houses acting as a creative circulatory system for its neighbors and the city of Houston. The style of houses originated in West Africa and eventually found its way to the US following the slave trade. The row houses are still seen today in local regions such as New Orleans and Houston. Clustered close together, and often times in disrepair, they’re often found in regions of poverty and segregation. But where most people saw buildings in disrepair, a group of visionary African-American artists saw the potential of them as a place of positive, creative and transformative experiences.