Mural "Rising Generation and Gentrification" 01.24

Starseed Hostel is an incubator space and creative micro-business commons in the Historical East End industrial corridor of Houston. We formed three years ago, quite organically though not without purpose, around the unserved need for accessible flex workspace for craftspeople and artists within the inner city and in an effort to assist in preserving what is; rather than standing by and watching the expansion of downtown Houston into a long standing neighborhood with a diverse collection of symbiotic communities.

After much discussion in passing, Regina, the artist behind Sacred Needles here at Starseed, and Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts grad, Sofia, along with both current students and recent graduates from HSPVA, have designed and begun working on a mural that we all hope can serve as a symbol of, in Regina's words, "generations before and ahead of us that are willing to take risks to exist in it's authentic form... to serve the community and bring it together".

This is not a beautification project. Whether it encourages introspection, inspires calm or illicits a scream of resistance and vitality, the project is demanding attention with the potential for solidarity, shared awareness and action. This warehouse wall will live as a crucial reminder in an area being hungrily bought up and divvied out by outside business interests seemingly indifferent to their impact on the existing community. Help us make it irrefutably clear that this is not a corridor simply waiting for developers to break ground on; but a historically and presently culturally rich neighborhood that is firmly planted.

A statement from Regina:

"Mural "Rising Generation and Gentrification" - January 4-7, 2024

We are here today to show and celebrate the diversity of the Starseed Hostel and this historical neighborhood. Starseed Hostel is a co-op of artists and entrepreneurs founded 3 years ago, by two enthusiastic young artisans with the specific and deliberate intent of opposing irresponsible social displacement - efforts of gentrification.

Exploitative pricing in the commercial real estate industry has no regard for Houston's underserved creative small business community. Today we gather up to bring colors of our past and present together, represent generations before and ahead of us that are willing to take risks to exist in its authentic form, create and co-create to serve the community and bring it together. Starseeds main goal is to provide a place for small businesses to grow. With the souls of the artist we are creating new roads and opening new doors in the future for young generations to continue to dream and make their creative goals come true.

Art is what unites us all. Art is a statement."

$1-$10 from even just a third of the community that's formed both in the communal space of Starseed and here online would get Regina and Sofia to their goal of simply covering the cost of materials and would help display the talent that all of these artists have spent their time nurturing.

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