On Saturday, Oct. 3, the Houston Futures Festival will bring the historic Third Ward neighborhood together for a day of learning, dialogue and entertainment. The free festival will feature workshops exploring the issues shaping Houston’s future, local performances, a short film and community resources.

The festival is hosted by the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership in partnership with the Third Ward Cultural District, Texas Southern University’s Center for Africana Futures and School of Communication, the University of Houston’s Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, the Center for Health and Thriving, and the Greater Third Ward Super Neighborhood 67.

The concurrent programming will take place at Eldorado Ballroom and One Emancipation Center, with live local performances from noon to 5 p.m. and workshops from 1 to 5 p.m. Workshops and discussions will explore education, food insecurity, maternal health, mobility and other pressing challenges facing the region.

 

The festival will culminate with a live performance by acclaimed Chicago rapper and poet Noname at 7 p.m. Noname has been touted by Rolling Stone as one of the best rappers alive and noted as one of the most important voices of her generation by The New York Times for her activism. Critics have likened her to Erykah Badu, Nina Simone and Lauryn Hill for her sharp lyricism paired with jazz-inspired instrumentation that makes up her singular sound. She's performed on Saturday Night Live as well as The Tonight Show and The Late Show, along with being one of the few artists to perform on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert twice. Her latest album, Sundial, was released in the summer of 2023.