Kendrick Sampson's Birthday Bash Builds Power & Community

Many people recognize Kendrick Sampson, 37, as a talented, charismatic TV and film actor—with leading roles in Issa Rae’s cultural phenomenon Insecure, and 2022’s meet-cute romcom, Something from Tiffany’s, among others. But alongside and intertwined with building a prolific career in Hollywood, the multi-hyphenate entertainer is building something else: Black Power. Through his organization BLD PWR, Kendrick Sampson is laying the foundation for a movement that centers joy, art, pleasure, and creativity—all Black birthrights to claim—while also walking through the fire this time. “I started BLD PWR to give radical changemakers a place to belong—building solid, grounded relationships between grassroots movements and the entertainment industry,” Sampson tells CASSIUSLife in an exclusive interview. “We wanted to create a safe space where we could navigate the messiness of community-building, work through our differences, and create new art and pop culture movements that support true freedom and health.”

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“BLD PWR is for the misfits like me,” Sampson continues. “The ones who want to change the world and are willing to get our hands dirty, make mistakes, and do the real work needed to create beautiful art that shifts culture toward the healthiest and freest version of our story.” Yes, there is power in the wells of revolutionary storytelling and radical truth-telling—a people power rooted in Black freedom and liberation. Movement elders often teach us that if we allow the machinations of white supremacy to steal our joy, what beloved poet and ancestor Amiri Baraka calls in Wise I our “oom boom ba boom,” then they’ve already won. If we buy into the narrative that Black bodies, steeped in generations of trauma, only have the right to bleed, not dance, then our enemies have won. If we fall victim to the lie that we can only use our voices to wail in grief, not sing, then our enemies have already won. As this capitalist system cracks and splinters, fault lines exposing themselves before it all comes tumbling down, it will be the misfits, the time-travelers, who reach into the past to see the future. It will be the artists and teachers, dancers and musicians, healers and apothecaries, poets and storytellers, who will remind us that a new world is not only possible but that it already is and already was. “Storytelling, like civilization, originated as an Indigenous practice in Africa,” says Sampson. “Story is at the core of community-building—it’s how we build civilization, culture, and belonging. The more control we have over our story, the more control we have over our health.” “Hollywood has done an effective job convincing us that storytelling and art are ‘just for entertainment,’ but stories shape movements, shift perspectives, and inspire change,” he continues. “That’s why people manipulate and twist narratives—it’s a tool of control. Abusive systems use stories to justify harm and maintain power.” BLD PWR disrupts that narrative by not only making the connections plain but also by providing insights into the film industry that can shape movement building. “At BLD PWR, we recognize that everything needed to build a film is the same thing needed to build a healthy community,” Sampson explains. “Think about it—storytelling requires:

• Carpenters • Medical staff • Consultants • Legal teams • Food & water services • Educators • Housing & infrastructure • Electrical & tech crews • Transportation • Performers, artists, and camera operators • Managers, government support, payroll, and community organizers

“It’s literally community-building.” Sampson went on to say, “Some films require thousands of people to come together to bring a vision to life. That’s not different from activism. I used to think that acting and organizing were separate, but they’re not—they’re the same thing. Storytelling is activism. For so long, I was told ‘It’s just acting’—but it’s never just acting. Stories are powerful, and those who claim they aren’t are the same people using stories to manipulate, control, and shape minds. They just don’t want you to tell the truth because it messes up their game.” So, what do we do about it? “More than ever, we must reclaim our stories—protect them, heal them, and nourish them,” Sampson says fiercely. “Right now, we’re seeing book bans, attacks on Black history, and AI being weaponized to rewrite truth. Social media is controlled by some of the most disconnected, dishonest, and abusive people, making it even more critical to get back to the basics: talking to each other, passing down truth, and keeping our stories alive.”

ONE TIME FOR THE BIRTHDAY BOY

  If there’s one thing Sampson is going to do—besides pursue justice with a passion—that’s party with a purpose. A favorite son of Houston, Texas, specifically Missouri City, he’s made it his mission to strengthen the bonds of human connection and community by curating spaces where Black folks can be free to find our rhythm in systems that try to bury us. To that end, each year, he uses his birthday celebration, “Who All Gon’ Be There”—because Black folks have to know before we even think about planning to leave the house—to pour back into the communities that raised him in H-Town, Mo City, and LA. He also makes certain that it’s a guaranteed back-bone twisting, hip-shaking, soul-stirring, line-dancing, solo cup sipping, Black ass good time. “‘Our joy is resistance’ has become like a slogan—but it’s not a slogan, a talking point, or a self-help tip,” Sampson tells CASSIUS. “We are in a war for our stories, our freedom, and our people’s futures. America has always functioned as an occupying force—a settler-colonial system designed to keep us controlled through false narratives. “But joy is a war strategy. It’s our North Star—a reminder of what we deserve, what we fight for, and the world we want to create. People get so caught up in what liberation will look like, but you can feel liberation right now through joy. That’s why the systems we fight against try so hard to strip joy away.” Years before WAGBT grew into a major annual fundraiser for BLD PWR, Sampson envisioned what it could be. “When I was 18 years old, I moved to LA alone. I prayed for Black mentors in entertainment, and for a long time, I thought I didn’t have them—but I did. Just not in the way I expected,” he says. “I met Ben Guillory, who co-founded Robey Theatre Company with Danny Glover, Sampson said. “They led me to the legacy of Paul Robeson, one of my greatest inspirations to this day. Through them, I learned about Toussaint L’Ouverture, the resistance leader of the Haitian Revolution, and why Hollywood actively fights to erase figures like him from our stories. Sampson added, “I met Richard Lyons, an acting coach who forced me to read The Autobiography of Malcolm X and reenact a scene from Spike Lee’s Malcolm X film. I met Nate Parker, who was developing a short film about Nat Turner at the time. So those became my Black mentors: Paul Robeson, Toussaint L’Ouverture, Nat Turner, and Malcolm X. “At the same time,” Sampson recalls, “I met Pastor Frank Wilson from Fifth Ward, Texas, who taught me about giving back on birthdays. My first Christmas in LA, he took us to serve at a shelter for unhoused people in the community. I’ll never forget what he said: “How would you like it if someone came to your birthday party and asked for gifts? Well, that’s what people do to Jesus every year—say they’re celebrating his birthday but only asking for things for themselves.” “That moment transformed my thinking. I left that shelter feeling more whole than ever—rooted, aligned, and connected to something bigger than myself. From that point on, I dedicated my birthday to giving back. What started as small gatherings at shelters grew into an annual tradition—first with foster youth, then assisted living communities, and now full-fledged community fundraisers,” Sampson concludes.    

WHO ALL GON’ BE THERE?

  If you are not familiar with The Session, a monthly R&B jam session in Houston created by the visionary Isaiah Parks, then please rectify that immediately. The live music scene in the city is already second to none, with supernovas like Marium Echo holding court several nights a week in front of mesmerized audiences. What Parks has done, though, is take that intoxicating, vibrant, sexy feeling one gets at the hole-in-the-wall and elevate it into the stratosphere. By bringing together sangers like Desz, who has a voice that transports listeners to another dimension with its otherworldly power and beauty; Patrice Dominique, whose raspy growl and pitch-perfect tone reaches deep into your heart and your memories with each note; Spud Howard, king of the jukebox, who will one day be mentioned in the same breath as Johnnie Taylor, and Kirk Richmond, whose buttery rich vocals conjure tears and smiles on demand, Parks has created something sacred. The Session is a place of healing, joy, love, laughter, and community. It makes sense, then, that Sampson and Parks have partnered to bring Who All Gon’ Be There (WAGBT) x The Session R&B Jam from the Third Coast to the West Coast. On March 9, at Axelrad Beer Garden in Houston, Sampson was joined not only by his community, friends, and family but also by his chosen family, including hometown hero and Hip-Hop luminary, Trae the Truth; Issa Rae, who toasted him with her very own Viarae Prosecco; Carl Payne, who was in town directing Je’Caryous Johnson’s Games Women Play; and Amber Riley, who sang a stunning rendition of Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor.” Now, this Sunday, March 23, Who All Gon’ Be There (WAGBT) x The Session R&B Jam touches down in Los Angeles, bringing that sticky, sweet southern heat to the City of Angels. Lucille Clifton teaches us that we must “celebrate that every day something has tried to kill us and has failed.” Yes, we are living in occupied territory surrounded by people terrified and envious of Black brilliance, power, beauty, ingenuity, creativity, and joy. But they did not create our joy, so it will never be theirs to destroy. And believing, living, breathing, sharing, and fighting for that truth, collectively and internally? That’s how we build power. “When we lean into joy, it’s a release, a reminder, and a reunion with our freest selves,” Sampson teaches us. “It’s about building spaces where we can breathe, laugh, and celebrate our power—not just spaces of struggle. That’s what WAGBT is about.” To support BLD PWR, donate directly at www.bldpwr.com/donate. This support helps fund:

• Community organizing initiatives • Programs for Black storytellers and filmmakers • Grassroots movement-building • Activism, education, and leadership development

Your contributions fuel real change, ensuring that art, storytelling, and activism remain powerful tools for liberation.

1. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 4

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2. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 5

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3. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 7

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4. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 8

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5. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 9

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6. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 17

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7. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 16

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8. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 6

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9. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 15

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10. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 14

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11. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 11

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12. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 12

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13. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 4

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14. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 22

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15. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 29

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16. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 23

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17. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 24

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18. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 25

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19. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 26

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20. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 27

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21. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 28

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22. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 30

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23. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 20

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24. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 21

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25. Kendrick Sampson BDay Party R&BJams with The Session 18

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