July 23rd was a humid summer day in downtown Houston, Texas, and I could hear the distinctive sounds of Mexican mariachi rhythms fill the air around Discovery Green, the city’s 12-acre urban park. Despite the heat, there was a large and joyous group of neighbors, friends and families dancing around the park’s outdoor stage as the University of Houston’s mariachi ensemble, the Mariachi Pumas, performed a tribute to the music of pop star Selena.
I was excited to join the crowd and enjoy this opening act of the final installment of Come Together Houston, a four-month long series of free public arts performances hosted by the University of Houston McGovern College of the Arts in collaboration with Houston Methodist Hospital. Created with support from the CDC Foundation, the series was designed to use artistic expression to bring together people from all over Houston to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and how they can help keep local communities safe and flourishing. At the CDC Foundation, we recognize the important role that arts and culture can play in advancing critical public health goals, and we are proud to support this innovative project and similar outreach efforts across the country.
Woman dances along to music with her baby in a stroller
CDC Foundation program officer Alesha Thompson, MPH (center) with Donald Rabin (right) and Dr. Courtney Crappell (left) of the McGovern College of the Arts at University of Houston
The Mariachi Pumas, University of Houston’s mariachi ensemble
Come Together Houston, which began running in April, showcased unique local artists and performers at 12 different locations throughout the city. For the July finale, the lineup was as diverse as it was entertaining. After the Mariachi Pumas wrapped their set, Houston poet laureate Emmanuelee “Outspoken” Bean took to the stage. Against the backdrop of the downtown skyline, he delivered a powerful spoken word performance drawn from his own pandemic experiences in Houston. His words captivated the audience and gave us a moment to reflect on what we’ve all been through over the past two years.
Between each performance, the crowd heard from experts like health educator Robyn Kebede from the Houston Health Department’s Covid Education Unit, and they were invited to participate in discussions about vaccination and how to best protect themselves from COVID-19. I was glad to see how willing the community was to actively engage in this conversation. They were also provided with helpful resources about COVID-19 from the Houston Health Department and Houston Methodist Hospital. Two local nonprofit organizations, Northern Third Ward and Change Happens! were on hand to provide information about local vaccination sites and other related health concerns. Both organizations serve the predominantly African American Third Ward neighborhood of Houston which has been hard hit by COVID-19 infections.
Health educator Robyn Kebede from the Houston Health Department’s Covid Education Unit
Houston poet laureate Emmanuelee “Outspoken” Bean
His words captivated the audience and gave us a moment to reflect on what we’ve all been through over the past two years.
Renowned local graffiti artist Gonzo247 asked audience members to describe their hopes for a post-pandemic future using just one or two words. He memorialized their answers on a large wooden panel next to the question, “What’s Next?” The result was a poignant and beautiful mural representing the collective aspirations of this community as they look toward a brighter tomorrow. The panel from this event was one of six pieces produced throughout the Come Together Houston series—each a unique expression of the Houston neighborhoods in which they were created. Later this year, the panels will be displayed together in a special exhibit at the University of Houston’s Blaffer Art Museum.
Renowned local graffiti artist Gonzo247 asks audience members to describe their hopes for a post-pandemic future
Graffiti artist Gonzo247 creating the mural to displayed in a special exhibit at the University of Houston’s Blaffer Art Museum
Local graffiti artist Gonzo247 presenting the mural to the gathered community
The event closed with impressive performances by Anthony Davis and Brittany Jones from Urban Souls dance company, a Houston arts organization dedicated to storytelling and building community through dance, education and advocacy. They were accompanied by dancer YungChris who got all of us in the audience moving through a fun and interactive dance experience.
After a day spent dancing, learning and celebrating with the Houston community, I left Discovery Green feeling inspired. By uniting public health and the arts in this unique series, Come Together Houston not only provided vital information about how to save lives in the face of COVID-19, it also delivered an enduring reminder of just how important it is for people to find ways to come together to embrace the joy of being alive.
Brittany Jones from Urban Souls dance company
Anthony Davis and Brittany Jones from Urban Souls dance company,
Break dancer is Olanga Materanya, a member of Urban Souls dance company
Funding for this effort is made possible through a subaward from the CDC Foundation and is part of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) financial assistance award totaling $2,500,000.00 with 100 percent funding from CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government.
Photo Credit: Alesha Thompson/CDC Foundation
