Welcome to the Mothership:
How a Saturday Afternoon Became a Portal for Black Memory and Music
By Frankie Mohammed | Cadenza Arthouse News
Updated 9:51 PM CDT, June 13, 2025
HOUSTON — It was a hot. Excuse me, hooaaaaawwwoaawt - Saturday afternoon in Houston, June 7, 2025, and I’d just come from filming Watts Day, an annual community event hosted by Houston's own DJ Michael Watts to give back to the neighborhoods that raised him. Already warmed up by the spirit of community care and generosity, I raced across town to the Community Artists’ Collective, arriving slightly late to what would soon become the most attended event in the venue’s history.
I stepped through the doors into a wall of sound and humanity: standing room only, an overflow crowd completely absorbed by the warmth radiating from the stage. Up front, illuminated by natural daylight filtering gently into the gallery, the band was already deep into their first set. I melted into the crowd like Homer into those bushes ok and the next thing you know I'm low in the front row on the ground and the jazz flute has the room in spell.
The vocalist, Tasiah Iman, sat quietly off to the side at first, an intriguing figure blending into the background. But soon enough, she rose gracefully, introducing herself and the gifted musicians beside her: Yansa Samada Valdés on flute, Brooke Wyatt at the keys, Raven Moran on bass, and Mark Simmons Jr. keeping steady rhythm on drums.
The music was live jazz at its best: raw, unfiltered, and profoundly soulful. In one particular song, Tasiah’s lyrics captivated me deeply—three verses that felt like gently unfolding parables of hope and disappointment. First, someone planted a seed, carefully tended to it, yet it didn’t bloom as expected. Next, a bird fell from its nest, nurtured and cared for, only for the nest itself to be blown away. Finally, a sad girl who remained inconsolable despite heartfelt attempts to help. The chorus repeatedly echoed a simple yet profound plea: “Won't you come and show me how?”
I realized then how perfectly the music and visuals came together. It was an expression of life’s beautiful imperfections—how we give our best intentions, often without seeing the immediate fruits of our efforts. The lyrics reflected exactly what the exhibits and photography surrounding us embodied.
I looked again at the vibrant photographs by Jakayla Monay, displayed as part of her exhibit “Welcome to the Mothership: We Gather in Their Names.” As a fellow photographer, I intimately understand the loneliness that comes with being the only one who sees the full story behind hundreds of carefully taken shots. Only you know the deeper connections and subtle narratives hidden within each frame. But here, through the thoughtful curatorial vision of Stacey Allen, Jakayla’s photos were revealed clearly to all of us, interwoven like an open book, allowing us to see her deep, nuanced storytelling.
The second featured artist, Carla Sue Lyles, offered a richly textured tapestry through her exhibit, “Momma Loves Jazz.” Carla’s textiles and visual artworks created a physical manifestation of lived experiences—family, heritage, resilience—woven in tangible threads. In her words, this exhibition was “part living room, part invitation to slow down and reflect”—rooted deeply in the healing required to genuinely acknowledge and nurture our maternal lines.
The music and musicianship were perfectly tailored to this visual and emotional narrative. The improvisational interplay between Tasiah’s vocal storytelling and Yansa’s responding flute created a powerful metaphor for community itself: a continuous dialogue of giving, listening, learning, and growing together.
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| ✦✦ WELCOME TO THE MOTHERSHIP ✦✦ |
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| ( ﾉ◕ヮ◕ )ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ |
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| This space is currently orbiting jazz & joy. |
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| 📸 Image Slideshow Coming Soon... |
| For now, imagine vibes, sound, and elegance. |
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Afterward, I spoke briefly with Michelle Barnes, the Collective’s co-founder and executive director, and Tamirah Collins, the exhibition coordinator. Tamirah confirmed with a wide smile, “This is the most people we’ve ever had in here. Like, filled to capacity.” In a city like Houston, where cultural moments often go unnoticed by mainstream media, I was proud—and somewhat humbled—that my presence mattered.
No major news crew came. No television station arrived to document the vibrant display of culture, music, and heritage happening here. And perhaps, that’s why this documentation mattered even more.
As the crowd slowly dispersed, carrying the music and the images with them into the Houston sunlight, I realized we had created more than a concert or an exhibition. When the music stopped, the feelings lingered. The afternoon might have ended, but the stories we heard, the images we saw, and the melodies that resonated through the Collective that day—they’ll last forever.
“Welcome to the Mothership” and “Momma Loves Jazz” remain open at the Community Artists’ Collective through June 28, 2025. Don’t miss it.
📍 Community Artists’ Collective
4111 Fannin Street, Houston, TX