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An Ode to Houston
Moving in the midst of protests, riots, and a whole pandemic was wildly terrifying. An entire whirlwind of emotions ran all over my body. Intense stress over personally going head first into the airplane while juggling the worry and concern over the protestors and my family was a lot to take in and digest. One thing that has given me comfort besides short lived distractions was just thinking about the love I had for Houston before my departure. Growing up in the south for most of my life, Houston made me feel at home more than some of my previous destinations. Blossoming with beautiful cultures, I embraced Texas with open, loving arms and vice versa.
First and foremost, the music always made an impact for me. The more recent example is Megan Thee Stallion and observing her ascent in hip-hop in her hometown in Houston was fascinating to observe. Some people were already pretty aware of her with her project “Make it Hot” but her hit single “Big Ole Freak” was the song that really allowed her to fully blast onto the scene. She instantly reminded of Trina, explicitly sexual but never distracting from her skill and personality as a rapper. As an early outsider to the city, I didn’t really capture how big it was until I observed her rise first hand in the city. My coworkers and the people I’d talk to were incredibly inviting and welcome to her arrival. There was a sense of pride for some to see Megan enter doors that…
