On The Reading Room

A look into Houston's Black art and culture library with Amarie Gipson and Colossal

July 31, 2025

Grace Ebert interviews Amarie Gipson on The Reading Room, an independent reference library devoted to Black art, culture, politics and history. This piece was syndicated from Colossal with permission. Scroll down for a curated list of August and weekend links!

One of Amarie Gipson’s many gifts is an unyielding desire to ask questions. Having worked at institutions like The Contemporary Austin, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Studio Museum in Harlem, Gipson has cultivated a practice of examining structures and pushing beyond their limitations. Her inquiries are incisive and rooted in a profound respect for people of all backgrounds, with a central goal of expanding art’s potential beyond museum walls.

A true polymath, Gipson is a writer, curator, DJ, and founder of The Reading Room, an independent reference library with more than 700 books devoted to Black art, culture, politics, and history. Titles like the century-spanning African Artists sit alongside Toni Morrison’s novel Sula and Angela Davis’ provocative Freedom is a Constant Struggle, which connects oppression and state violence around the world. The simultaneous breadth of genres and the collection’s focus on Black life allow Gipson and other patrons to very literally exist alongside those who’ve inspired the library.

One afternoon in late April 2025, I spoke with Gipson via video about her love for the South, her commitment to meeting people where they’re at, and her hopes for The Reading Room.

Photo by Markel Allen. Courtesy of Amarie Gipson and Colossal.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Grace: I’d like to start at the beginning. Why start a project of this nature in Houston?

Amarie: I am a student of so many incredible Black women writers, artists, curators, thinkers, and theorists, and I really take seriously the advice that I’ve gotten through reading their work. If something doesn’t exist, you should start it. I’ve moved and migrated through these great United States for some time, and when I moved back to Houston seven and a half years ago, The Reading Room didn’t exist. I needed it to happen. I wanted to experience my books somewhere outside of my apartment, and I also wanted to create a destination for folks when they came to town, so that my friends know that they have a cool place to land. Those are the two main reasons: it didn’t exist, and I wanted somewhere to go.

Grace: There’s a thing that happens in Chicago all the time–I think it happens anywhere that is not New York or Los Angeles–and the ways artists think about their careers and what it takes to be successful. There’s often this perception that to reach a certain level, they need to go to one of those two cities. And I would imagine Houston has a similar feeling.

Amarie: Absolutely. I think it’s important that everyone leaves home at some point. But don’t leave because you don’t think that anything exists here. Leave because you want to see what else there is and bring it back. Come back home and create the things that you want to see here.

I don’t think I could have The Reading Room in New York. I don’t think I could have The Reading Room in Chicago. It’s not my home. I feel more empowered here. I feel safer to have created something like this, especially in a state that is so extremely suppressed, politically, socially. But culturally, we stand firm, especially in Houston. So, it felt natural.

This week’s coffee is on us! That means 5 readers will get $10 gift cards to this week’s coffee shop, Honey Art Cafe. All you have to do is open today’s issue (if you’re reading this, you just did. Nice!) and you’ll be entered to win.

Winners will be randomly selected and emailed tomorrow morning.

Celebrate nearly a decade of coffee, crafting, and cute character macarons at Honey Art Cafe with a gift card to treat yourself this fall! Honey Art Cafe, located at 3516 S Shepherd, will be closing August 24 and reopening in the Heights in October 2026.

Want to sponsor a future issue and treat readers to a local coffee spot on you? Hit reply.

LATELY IN HOUSTON

It’s that (bird) time of year! Purple martins are back in town for their fall migration. Houston Audubon hosts a few watch parties, but anyone can stop by and view the spectacle. If you’re a bird enthusiast, hit reply and tell us where’s the good spots to watch? K thanks!

The cutest Mahjong tiles do exist. Like the rest of the country, the Chinese tile game, Mahjong, is gaining popularity in Houston with several groups like Mocha Mahj leading the way. If you saw Crazy Rich Asians (our favorite airplane movie), you’ll remember the scene towards the end when Michelle Yeoh and Constance Wu’s characters go head to head. It’s a casual game but yes, sometimes it’s that dramatic.

The best Htown falafel? At a bar in Clear Lake. If you’re always on the lookout for an excellent falafel, Alison Cook has a spot for you if you’re willing to make the trip. Enter: Rosewater.

Inside The Groove Album Club

AUGUST LOOKING AHEAD

ONLY IF YOU KNOW

All Weekend

Thursday, 7/31

6:30pm-8:30pm, Games | Segundo Coffee is hosting Lotería Night. “Join us for an evening of fun, community, and prizes at our Summer Lotería Night!” $10+ for two games.

8:00pm, Live Music | Don’t miss the last jazz Summer Sessions curated by VSE at Moth. All ages welcome. BYOB. $10 Corkage fee. $17 tickets.

9:30pm-Late, Nightlife | It’s 90’s Eurodance Night at Barbarella.

Friday, 8/1

6pm-8pm, Opening Reception | Art League Houston is presenting student exhibitions of the Art League Houston School. Free and open to the public.

7pm, Closing Ceremony | Attend the Closing Ceremony of Unlocking Frequency, a exhibition by J. Johari Palacio at Studio Eight08 for “an evening of powerful art, intentional conversation, and creative connection.” RSVP.

9pm-2am, Nightlife | Vibes on Arrival presents No Signals, a no phone party at Jolie. “3 floors, no phones, no sections, just vibes.” Free with RSVP.

Saturday, 8/2

8am-12pm, Car Meet | Stop by Hot Wheels Legends Tour at Walmart 26270 NW FWY. Free and family friendly. 

10am-11am, Class | Learn everything you need to know to start your own cut-flower garden at Buchanan Plants. Free.

5pm-9pm, Market | White Linen Market by Houston Plant Market in partnership with M-K-T. “Get ready for elegance with elevation! Spot the performer dancing on stilts sitewide! Expect live, strolling entertainment, meet-and-greets, dancing on stilts, and unforgettable photo ops!”

6:30pm-8:30pm, Market | Stop by Plants & Prosecco After Dark: White Linen Edition and The Plant Project’s new location at the Heights.

9pm-Late, Nightlife | Bauhaus, White Linen Edition.

Sunday, 8/3

12pm-4pm, DJ Coffee Party | Join Immigrating Youth Texas for a coffee party at Cariño Coffee. “All ticket proceeds go toward back-to-school backpacks for immigrant youth, because every student deserves access to education 📚” $5. 

4pm-8pm, Day Party | Don’t miss the third edition of Pop Up On The Plaza at Midtown Park Plaza. “Celebrate life together with your friends, your family, and make sure to tell your favorite teacher as we gear up for the Back To School season.”

10pm-2am, Nightlife | This is your sign to stop by this Sunday’s The Healing. “A room of no judgement and no expectations. An escape from reality to dance away all the things that have been trying to hold you down.”

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