Kendrick Sampson's BLD PWR Announces Juneteenth Weekend at The SLAB Featuring Keke Palmer, Boots Riley, Isaac Yowman, Marium Echo, and The Sessions R&B Jam in Houston
Three days of programming centering Houston as the home of Juneteenth, closing with The Sessions R&B Jam
HOUSTON, TX (June 12, 2026) - BLD PWR, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization co-founded by actor and activist Kendrick Sampson, will host BLD PWR Juneteenth Weekend at The SLAB in Houston from Thursday, June 18 through Saturday, June 20, 2026. The three-day activation brings together actors, filmmakers, organizers, and Houston creatives for a weekend of storytelling, cultural celebration, and community building.
WHAT: The SLAB is BLD PWR's cultural hub during Juneteenth weekend, a gathering space where community comes together through Houston slab culture, the city's signature lowrider tradition rooted in Black creativity, community, and craftsmanship. The SLAB stands for Slow, Loud, and Building, the same ethos guiding BLD PWR's work to build power through storytelling, organizing, and joy. The weekend includes block parties, exclusive film screenings, Living Room Experience conversations, livestream activations, slab culture programming, live performances, and a closing R&B Jam.
WHO:
Kendrick Sampson (Insecure, How to Get Away with Murder), co-founder of BLD PWR
Keke Palmer, Emmy-winning actress and cultural icon, hosting a livestream activation on Juneteenth with a live Mafia game featuring Houston legends
Boots Riley, filmmaker and organizer, for an exclusive Houston screening of his new film I Love Boosters
Isaac Yowman, Houston filmmaker, presenting a pre-release screening of his short film Sincerely Brad
Marium Echo, Houston music legend, headlining live performance on Juneteenth
Programming partnerships with BAJI (Black Alliance for Just Immigration), SisterSong, Road to Essence, Global Black Economic Forum, and Center for Cultural Power
WHEN:
Thursday, June 18, 2026: BLD PWR Day | Doors at 3 PM CST
Friday, June 19, 2026: Juneteenth at The SLAB | Doors at 11 AM CST
Saturday, June 20, 2026: The Sessions R&B Jam | Doors at 7 PM CST
WHERE: Blank Canvas, 2955 Gulf Freeway, Houston, TX 77003
WHY: "Galveston is the birthplace of Juneteenth. Houston is the home. If you want to experience real Juneteenth, come to The H." - Kendrick Sampson
While Juneteenth has gained national recognition in recent years, Houston remains its cultural and historical home. BLD PWR Juneteenth Weekend at The SLAB returns the holiday to its roots while honoring how Black Houston has sustained and built it across generations. Programming is created by BLD PWR in partnership with BAJI, SisterSong, Road to Essence, and Global Black Economic Forum.
MEDIA RSVP: Press credentials are limited. To RSVP for media access, contact:
Dorcey Kuti, BLD PWR PR and Programming
Email: pr@bldpwr.com |Phone: 832-287-1664
ABOUT BLD PWR: BLD PWR (Build Power) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization co-founded by actor and activist Kendrick Sampson. The organization focuses on engaging pop culture, education, and activism to build a community of storytellers and activists committed to advancing radical social change. BLD PWR partners with grassroots organizations and works across various social justice movements, including gender, racial, immigration, economic, and environmental justice. Learn more at bldpwr.com.
About Kendrick Sampson: Kendrick Sampson is an actor, activist, and co-founder/President of BLD PWR. He most recently portrayed music legend Quincy Jones in the Michael Jackson biopic Michael, and stars as Malcolm X in the political thriller Killing Castro, premiering at the 2026 Tribeca Festival alongside Al Pacino, Diego Boneta, and Nicole Beharie. He is also known for his roles in HBO's Emmy-nominated Insecure, How to Get Away with Murder (ABC), Vampire Diaries (CW), The Flash (CW), Miss Juneteenth, and Boots Riley's I'm a Virgo. A Houston native, Sampson is an unapologetic activist focused on mental health, state violence, gender and sexual liberation, all rooted in radical Black liberation. He co-founded BLD PWR to organize Hollywood and use its resources and reach to help shift culture toward individual and collective care and freedom.
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