Fair Housing Defenders

For the first time in 170 years, the Columbia Tap has light.

What began in 1856 as a railroad built by enslaved hands to move sugar and cotton from the plantations of the Brazos Valley to Houston and the Port of Galveston has carried a long and complicated history. For generations, trains rumbled through Third Ward, their rail ties soaked in creosote, their engines belching smoke through the heart of our community. The Columbia Tap was a corridor of extraction—moving wealth away while leaving environmental burdens behind. The last train passed in 1985, but the legacy remained.

Tonight, as the lights come on along the Columbia Tap Trail, we mark something far greater than a public infrastructure improvement. We mark a moment of reconciliation.

A corridor once defined by exploitation is becoming a pathway of connection. A railroad of extraction is becoming a trail of healing. A place that once divided communities is becoming a place where neighbors walk, bike, gather, and dream together.

This transformation did not happen by accident. It happened because leaders listened, believed, and acted.

Thank you to District D Councilmember Carolyn Evans-Shabazz —the Council Member of the District of Destination—for her unwavering commitment to this project and to the people of Third Ward. Thank you to Mayor John Whitmire and his administration for supporting the vision and helping make it a reality.

The Columbia Tap's story is still being written. But tonight, under these new lights, we honor the past, acknowledge the pain, and illuminate a brighter future.

The Columbia Tap has light. And so does the future of Third Ward.

Join our workshop and learn more about the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and your fair housing rights!

Do you know your rights as a renter?

If you’re renting—or planning to—this is information you need to know.

Join Fifth Ward CRC for a FREE Virtual Rental & Fair Housing Workshop where you’ll gain the knowledge and tools to better navigate your housing situation.

In this session, you’ll:
• Learn the history of redlining and how it continues to impact communities today
• Understand your rights as a renter
• Get clear, practical information on fair housing laws
• Discover resources available to support you

📅 Thursday, May 7, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Virtual via Zoom

Whether you’re facing challenges or just want to be informed, this workshop is for you.

👉 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/fwcrchbe

Feel free to share with friends, family, or anyone who could benefit from this information.

Joi this free Virtual Rental & Fair Housing Workshop to learn more about fair housing and tenants rights!

Do you know your rights as a renter?

If you’re renting—or planning to—this is information you need to know.

Join Fifth Ward CRC for a FREE Virtual Rental & Fair Housing Workshop where you’ll gain the knowledge and tools to better navigate your housing situation.

In this session, you’ll:
• Learn the history of redlining and how it continues to impact communities today
• Understand your rights as a renter
• Get clear, practical information on fair housing laws
• Discover resources available to support you

📅 Thursday, May 7, 2026
⏰ 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 Virtual via Zoom

Whether you’re facing challenges or just want to be informed, this workshop is for you.

👉 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/fwcrchbe

Feel free to share with friends, family, or anyone who could benefit from this information.

Hello April! Welcome to National Fair Housing Month!

During this time, we observe the Fair Housing Act of 1968, enacted to prohibit housing discrimination in all housing transactions on the basis of seven protected classes: race, color, national origin, religion, s*x, disability, and familial status.

In 2021, the Fair Housing Defenders was created with the aim to end housing discrimination for once and for all. Our five comic books, educational workshops, and public engagement events have educated thousands about how to recognize and report housing discrimination.

Stay tuned to our page to learn more about the housing discrimination and the Fair Housing Act. We will use this month do a deep dive into this subject and inspire more people to become advocates for this civil rights act.

We had a BLAST at yesterday’s5th Annual 3rd Ward on Tap festival! It was a pleasure to work with Ed Pettitt on our new comic book “What’s Your Destination?”. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth to pick up a free copy!

If you’re in Houston, come outside tomorrow! Let’s have some fun in the sun on the Columbia Tap Trail! ❤️

We are only ONE day away from biking, hiking, music, food, and FUN!

The 5th Annual 3rd Ward on Tap festival is the best one yet! Start your weekend off right along the historic Columbia Tap Trail. With over 40 exhibitors, guest speakers, a kids zone, musical performances, and bike rides, there is enough activity for everyone of all ages.

So bring your friends and family, and enjoy the beauty of this trail and the Third Ward community. You can also catch us outside, the Fair Housing Defenders will be giving away our brand new comic, “What’s Your Destination?”.

RSVP here! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5th-annual-3rd-ward-on-tap-festival-tickets-1983276767199

The 5th Annual 3rd Ward on Tap festival not only celebrates the Columbia Tap Trail and its faithful bikers and hikers, this event also honors the ancestors that paved the way for us to enjoy this linear park space today.

In the fifth comic of the Fair Housing Defenders series “What’s Your Destination?”, we pay homage to the past while educating the reader about this trail. Historian Naomi Mitchell Carrier praises the past while looking forward to its bright future in her poem featured in this comic, “Journeys: Past, Present, and Beyond”.

Stop by our booth and learn more about how the Friends of Columbia Tap keeps this trail alive. We can’t wait to see you at the festival!

🗓️ Date: Saturday, March 28th

⏰ Time: 10a.m. to 2 p.m.

📍 Location: 3615 Sauer Street

Each year, the Third Ward on Tap festival gets better and better! Not only will there be over 40 exhibitors with valuable resources and giveaways, talented musicians from Workshop Houston will perform in a mini concert!

Come join the fun and celebrate the historic Columbia Tap Trail! Don’t forget to pick up a free copy of our new Fair Housing Defenders comic book, “What’s Your Destination?”

RSVP here! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5th-annual-3rd-ward-on-tap-festival-tickets-1983276767199

🗓️ When: Saturday, March 28th

⏰ Time: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

📍 Location: 3615 Sauer Street