Ora Houston – East Austin Then and Now

At the heart of the WOW Heritage Center is a simple idea: when people tell their stories, they shape the future. Few voices embody this more powerfully than Ora Houston.

Ora Houston has spent her life as an advocate, storyteller, and public servant, working to ensure that East Austin’s history—and the lives of the people who built it—are never forgotten. In her recent remarks, captured in a video we’re proud to share, Houston speaks to the deep resilience and creativity of a community that has endured decades of displacement, disinvestment, and cultural erasure.

Watch Ora Houston’s Story

Ora Houston reminds us why the WOW Heritage Center exists: to capture and preserve the full history of the African Diaspora in Central Texas, told by the people who lived it.

Houston’s words remind us why the WOW Heritage Center is being built. Our goal is to capture the entire location-based history of the African Diaspora in Central Texas—not just in textbooks or archives, but in the voices of those who lived it. Oral histories like Ora’s will be paired with youth-led media, immersive technology, and community storytelling to create a living, breathing record of our shared past.

At the E4 Youth Homecoming Block Party on Sunday, October 12, you’ll see a preview of this vision through the Bus Tour with Austin Black Tours and the Jacob Fontaine AR Scavenger Hunt. Just as Ora Houston’s story connects us to a lived history, these experiences place us directly in the neighborhoods, homes, and gathering places where history unfolded.

Why It Matters
When we listen to voices like Ora Houston’s, we not only honor the past—we equip future generations with the knowledge, pride, and vision to build what comes next. The WOW Heritage Center will ensure that these stories aren’t lost, but are preserved, celebrated, and shared for generations to come.