June 25, 2023
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
Vol. 28, Issue 23
FREE
African-American News&Issues
“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
Don Taylor, Derek Garrett, Kristen Ashley, Surrell Taylor, Marlin Seale, and Brandon J. Carson
Photo Credit: Right Time Solutions
Father’s Day Scholarship Brunch
By: Crystal LaShan
“The fatherhood journey is the best thing I never knew I needed. It is the purest form of ever-evolving unconditional love that a person can ever expect to experience, and for that, I will be forever indebted,” said Brandon J. Carson, The Houston Morehouse Alumni Association (HMAA) Father’s Day Brunch Chairman, as he shared his insight on becoming a father. HMAA has produced its signature event, the Annual Father’s Day Scholarship Brunch, for over ten years to Fredrick Braden and Wayne Boehm raise scholarship funds for Houston Area Morehouse students. Saluting fathers on the Saturday before Father’s Day, has become a treasured tradition that has raised more than $400,000 to increase equity and access to higher education. Every year, HMAA showcases outstanding African American fathers and highlights the bond of fatherhood that binds our ties By: Crystal LaShan to the Houston Community. The program’s highlight is always the Maroon Tiger Father new season to manifest in their lives, and every of the Year Award. Houston Area, high school To earn a second chance in life is a rare and graduate was excited to take advantage of this priceless gift. Sadly, Black youth are more students were asked to write a 500-word essay second chance. than four times as likely to be detained or on why their father should be considered The program’s highlight was the testimony of the Father of the Year. The student with the committed in juvenile facilities as their white Damion Walker, the Co-Producer of Truth & peers, according to nationwide data collected winning essay receives a five-hundred-dollar Justice, who was introduced by Vivian King, in October 2019. In 2015, Black youth’s scholarship. Producer of Truth & Justice. Damon told the incarceration rate was 5.0 times as high as This year’s winning essay belonged to audience, “On July 20, 2010, I was released their white peers, an all-time peak. The 29th Christopher Augustus, an incoming after 17 years of incarceration. Not long after Bi-Annual Community Re-Entry Network Morehouse freshman from the Cypress my release, I enrolled in the Community ReProgram Graduation (CRNP) graduates area. Christopher stated, “My father has entry Network Program and later were excited, full of hope, and proud of their been a constant source of Graduation encouragement and inspiration Scholarship graduated. accomplishment. This experience provided a on pg. 3 in my life. on pg. 4
29th Bi-Annual Community Re-Entry N.P. Graduation