“It’s not ours to hoard.”
In a world where many operate from a mindset of gatekeeping, Courtney (@chefcourtneyhtx ) and Chasitie Lindsay (@chasitie.lindsay ) are choosing a different path: transparency.
For the Lindsays, building a business empire in Houston isn’t just about the bottom line—it’s about bringing the community along with them.
By partnering with the Forward Times, the Lindsays are bridging the gap between Houston’s storied history and its vibrant future.
As Courtney puts it, the newspaper used to be the center of the community—the place where you found out who was getting married or who was having a garage sale. Now, they are bringing that “old feel” back to a new generation.
From the kitchen to the column, the Lindsays are building on purpose.
Read the full “For the Culture” feature by vp wright (@thevpwright ) with photography by Medron White (@medflixx_ ) by clicking the link in our bio. 🔗
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#BlackEntrepreneurship #HoustonCulture #HoustonNews #ThirdWard #CommunityLegacy
“Mayor John Whitmire’s reversal on the ICE ordinance isn’t just a policy flip; it’s a leadership failure in a city that can’t afford one.
I grew up in the shadow of a name that meant something in this city. Kathy Whitmire served as Houston’s mayor for a decade, from 1982 to 1992, and her legacy as a trailblazer is woven into how many Houstonians understand what it means to lead with conviction.
I came of age watching Annise Parker’s historic tenure and then bore witness to the years of Sylvester Turner—a man who walked the line between political reality and the needs of a growing, diverse city with a kind of steady resolve.
These are the mayors who shaped my understanding of what the office can be.
So it is with deep and personal sadness that I sit here, in April 2026, watching Mayor John Whitmire fold and operate as if he has no trust in the leaders Houston elected.”
Read the full op-ed by vp wright (@thevpwright ) by clicking the link in our bio. 🔗
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#houston #houstonpolitics #houstontexas #texaspolitics #oped
Community building, unity, fulfillment. 💕
Jaccs (@jackelfurd ) has worked with brands Nike, JD, Red Bull, and more as a micro influencer, and she told us exactly how she got there.
dnglyfe’s founder, vp wright (@thevpwright ), caught up with her at the For The Yearners: One Year Anniversary for our first Jem Social (@jemsocialapp ) sponsored Conversation Pit.
Watch the full interview, and if you feel inspired to dive deeper as a creator, tap in with Jem Social using the link in our bio. 🔗
Follow dnglyfe ( @dnglyfe ) for more dope events, things to do, and incredible stories in Houston. 🤘🏽
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#houstonevents #creatortips #houstoncreators #houstoninfluencers #interviews
🎶 i can’t help but see you, running often through my mind 🎶
i had the the privilege to attend the Bon Vivant, hosted by the Youth Development Center (@ydc_houston ) at the Four Seasons Downtown (@fshouston ).
this was my first year attending, and i left so inspired!
shoutout to the incredible Chef Joseph Boudreaux (@whos_boudreaux ) for his impeccable cajun menu selection, his incredible team, and my table mates (hi @the.heist.agency ) for an incredible time. ❤️
a video recap and write up are coming next week.
until then, enjoy me being in my Minnie Riperton era. 💐
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#houston #houstoncreator #houstoninfluencer #houstonevents #blackmodel
📸: @ajalways_jammin , @britneythmpsn (i love y’all!)
mother’s day is hard for me.
no matter if i was a married mother,
or in my fifth mother’s day as a single mother:
to work as hard as i do,
only to feel like
my efforts are never enough.
to carry a load so inequitable
it leaves my shoulders
eternally slumped.
to choose to smile
every day,
when some days
i want to quit.
to birth
children,
ideas,
and careers,
from nothing to
an entity that can
live on its own.
to be told
that being with me
due to my children
is too much.
what pain this is:
to be valued
for what one can
do for others
in all capacities of life,
before being valued
as a human being.
it is a thankless job,
being a mother.
but it is something
i would choose
over and over again.
i wake up alone,
to make another day for
my little ones better
than the previous.
everything done for my children
is worth the lessons i learn each day,
for i have
earned the stories
i’ll get to tell them
when it’s their turn
to become a parent.
xoxo,
vee
p.s. the carousel features pictures from over the years, and includes some but not all of my village that makes mothering as a full time entrepreneur easier for me. 🥹
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#mothersday #happymothersday #singlemoms #poetry
“A spotlight on us would be a spotlight on the rest of the community.” 🖤
Courtney (@chefcourtneyhtx ) and Chasitie Lindsay (@chasitie.lindsay ) have been building in Third Ward for over a decade — and now they’re bringing their whole world to the pages of the Forward Times with their new column, “The Lindsays’ Corner.”
The full cover story is on the front page of the Forward Times and on our website using the link in our bio. 🔗
🎥: Article & Interview Filmed by vp wright (@thevpwright )
💻: Edited by dnglyfe (@dnglyfe )
📸: Cover Photo by Medron White (@medflixx__ )
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#Houston #ThirdWard #BlackLove #HoustonEats #HoustonCulture
Houston’s own Kendrick Sampson (@kendrick38 ) chatted with the Forward Times on the red carpet at this past weekend’s screening of Michael (@michaelmovie ) at the River Oaks Theatre (@theriveroakstheatre ) to talk about his role as Quincy Jones in Michael, and what he believes Houston’s creative community is truly capable of building.
You can watch Kendrick as Quincy Jones in the film “Michael”, in theaters everywhere now — and the full article where Kendrick, BLD PWR (@bldpwr ), and BCCHTX (@blackcinemaclubhtx ) is waiting for you on the front page of the Forward Times and on our website using the link in our bio. 🔗
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🎥: Filmed by @thevpwright & @dnglyfe iPhone 16 Pro & Galaxy S22 Ultra
💻: Edited by @dnglyfe on CapCut Pro on Desktop
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#BlackCulture #KendrickSampson #MichaelMovie #HoustonFilm #Houston
Houston has been building something — and if you’ve been paying attention, you already felt it before this week confirmed it.
The Forward Times & dnglyfe (@dnglyfe ) went inside the moment to bring you the full story of what Black Cinema Club HTX (@blackcinemaclubhtx ) , BLD PWR (@bldpwr ), and a sold-out River Oaks Theatre (@theriveroakstheatre ) all have in common.
Read the full feature via the link in our bio. 🔗
🗣️ Forward Fam, what part of what Houston is building in the film community excites you the most? 👇🏾
Let us know in the comments!
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✍🏽: Article Written by @thevpwright
🎥: Filmed by @thevpwright , @drdougla
💻: Edited + VO by @dnglyfe
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#houstonfilm #houston #houstonculture #kendricksampson #michaelmovie
When a few yearners pull up to Mocha Mondays, you know we gotta return the support. Let’s celebrate @forthe.yearners tonight as well for their anniversary. I’m all about collaborating and really showing love, no hateration holleration, just vibes. 🤎💕
On April 25th, River Oaks Theatre became the site of something Houston’s creative community had been quietly building toward for nearly a year.
Black Cinema Club HTX — led by Jerry Madison Jr., Leroy Cook and Shameika Smith just twelve months ago — capped off its inaugural BCCHTX Film Festival with a sold-out screening of Michael, featuring a red carpet appearance and post-screening conversation with Missouri City native Kendrick Sampson, who portrays Quincy Jones in the film.
The week before that night told the full story.
Masterclasses with the creator of Peacock’s Bel-Air and the producer of They Cloned Tyrone, a Create-A-Thon at The Hive Houston where writers, directors and producers shared freely without gatekeeping, a Film Grants Ceremony — the first of its kind in Houston — where five emerging filmmakers each received $2,000 and mentorship, and the official launch of the BCCHTX Film Academy.
“Black Cinema Club HTX is trying to build the infrastructure of Black films within Houston, Texas,” said Shameika Smith.
They are not waiting for permission. They are building it themselves.
Read the full “For the Culture” feature by vp wright (@thevpwright ) by clicking the link in our bio. 🔗
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#blackfilmmakers #blackculture #houston #michaelmovie #kendricksampson
Jem Social (@jemsocialapp ) is sponsoring this month’s edition of The Conversation Pit, and you’re invited to tap in with them! 📱
A platform and community headquartered in Houston, Texas, Jem Social connects both Creators and Brands for collaborative opportunities and experiences (because they don’t believe in gatekeeping!)
For brands, Jem’s database of 30 million creators is used to help brands promote and grow their businesses, while giving creators more access to gifted and paid campaigns to monetize their platforms, no matter the following size their following.
Jem Social and its founder, Bree Flemings (@breeflemings ), have been one of FTYs biggest supporters over the last year. As our community is built by and with many creatives and creators, this was a no-brainer partnership. We are proud to have them as a sponsor for our one year anniversary! 🫶🏽
Use the link in our bio to learn more about Jem Social, and be sure to connect with them at the Jem Social Lounge throughout the night! 🔗
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#houstonnightlife #houstonevents #jemsocial #houstoncreators #houstonentrepreneurs
i had a hater tell me this week that “i was displeased with my life” and that i was “sad and miserable.”
so here’s me sharing my sad, miserable life, wearing what i want — including shoes that were just gifted to me by @nike due to my recent work with them through @legendsdolive — at one of my favorite third spaces in Houston, Neighbors (@neighborshtx ), while spending time with my kids, as they get loved on by some of my best friends and i worked on contract projects.
life is hard for everyone, but me? miserable? never.
i’m surrounded by too much love to regret building this big, beautiful life of mine.
so i’m going to start sharing it from this lens a bit more, not only to be petty, but to remind folks that the projection of a hater is just a reflection of their insecurities.
f*ck hate, choose love.
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🎬 filmed on iphone 16 pro, edited on capcut mobile.
you don’t need fancy equipment to create, just do it ✨
#ootd #blackcreators #houstoncreators #houstonfashion
#ootdblackgirls
