GRANTS AND PROFESSIONAL CONTRACTS AWARDED

Ø  Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC), $20,000 TexTreasures grant for digitization of the Mickey Leland  Archives, 2013

Ø  The Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), $300,000 grant for digitization of the Mickey Leland and Barbara Jordan Archives, 2011 – 2014

Ø  Special Texas State Legislative Appropriation, Mickey Leland Center/Barbara Jordan Archives $150,000 grant, for processing and development of collections, 2009

Ø  Hudson Foundation Challenge Grant, $100,000 grant for development of the Mickey Leland Archives and the Mickey Leland Center, 2006

Ø  Hudson Foundation Scholarship Award, $20,000 grant to create Mickey Leland Center Scholarship Fund, 2005

Ø  U. S. Department of Health Education and Welfare (HEW), $97,000 grant to facilitate school desegregation in the Houston Independent School District, Houston Area Urban League: Project Excel 1978

Ø  Voter Education Project, Houston Voter Education Project, $5,000 grant to register and educate 10,000 new minority voters and increase minority civic engagement 1977

UNIVERSITY CONTRIBUTIONS

Mickey Leland Archives Digitization Project 2013 – 2014

The Mickey Leland Center was awarded $300,000 funding over 2 years (2013-2014) for the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland Archives Digitization Project from The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS CL-00-10-0019) for archival research, processing and digitization of selected materials from the Mickey Leland Archives and Collection and the Barbara Jordan papers.

Texas Southern University is the largest and only research repository of political documents and artifacts of the 18^th Congressional District of Houston. This repository includes the papers of the late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, and the late Congressman Mickey Leland, two both internationally renowned legislators. The Jordan and Leland Papers possess high scholarly significance for the University and the public at large. It is the only dual Congressional collection of its kind among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Texas and unique among HBCUs in the nation. The preservation and digitization of the papers is a major priority of Texas Southern University.

Mickey Leland served six years in the Texas House of Representatives (1972-1978) and was elected to Congress, succeeding the retiring Barbara Jordan. He was re-elected to each succeeding congress, serving 11 years until his death in August 1989. The collection presents the evolution of Leland's political philosophy and career, and his emergence as an advocate for minority issues and promoter of economic development of Texas.  Mickey Leland died tragically in a plane crash during a Congressional humanitarian mission to Africa.  The unpublished Leland papers comprise a wealth of historically significant archival records and documents with state, national and global implications. The Mickey Leland Center is expediting efforts to make the original materials accessible to students, researchers, scholars and the citizens of Texas, 

This project addresses urgent preservation issues which developed when a portion of the Leland Collection was exposed to water damage during Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.  It also supports the processing and digitalization of photographs, and 25 audio and video recordings documenting Leland’s work in the Texas Legislature, and his emergence as an effective Texas Congressional leader focused on the themes of the re-branded Mickey Leland Center for Environment, Justice and Sustainability. A Senior Archivist and Digital Scanning Technician have been employed with the funds from the IMLS grant to research, rehouse, arrange, describe and digitize Leland archival materials including manuscripts, photographs, and multimedia recordings for access online through the Leland Center website and create an online Collection Guide.

Mentor Undergraduate Research Program 2013 – Office of Research Mickey Leland the Political Activist: Archival Preservation, research techniques, development of collection inventories and exhibition development. Methods used include compilation of Leland speeches, newspapers, internet articles, and collection guides of archival materials from the Mickey Leland Archives.

Charter Member 2004 – 2013 University International Programming Committee

Administrator 2005 – 2012 Mickey Leland International Enhancement Program (MLIEP); author university administrative and selection guidelines for TSU International Study Abroad Program

Administrator 2002 – 2012 Texas Legislative Internship Program (TLIP)

Coordinator 2002 – 2010 – Mickey Leland Congressional Internship Program (MLCIP)

Chair Legislative and Public Policy Task Force 2004 -2010 Earl Carl Institute - Thurgood Marshall School of Law

Chair and Co-Moderator 2010 - State of Black Houston Now! Town Hall Meeting

            Director - University Institute for Business and Social Services 2012 – 2013 Institute Initiatives:

Community Credit Union: An initiative to build economic sustainability by developing a forum to dialogue, plan and explore implementation for the creation of an on or near campus credit union.

The goal of this initiative is to engage all TSU stakeholders (faculty, staff, students and community partners/members) in the discussion to explore the need and viability to re-establish the TSU credit union or create a new one.   The potential benefits to the University as well as the surrounding community would enhance the current financial institution options available for all stakeholders.  While creating an alternative for financial services including bank accounts and vehicle financing, the credit union may offer an alternative to predatory pay day lending by introducing short-term payroll deduct related financing.

International Academic Business Conference: A proposal to host the International Academy of African Business and Development Conference.

The goal of this initiative is to engage an international audience of scholars and professionals to establish and create synergies with local and international businesses as well as indentify additional research initiatives and partnerships.   The Institute will develop a proposal bid to host the 2013 or 2014 annual conference at Texas Southern University.

Founded in 1998, the International Academy of African Business and Development (IAABD) has established itself as one of the world's leading organizations committed to fostering functional education, broadening and deepening global understanding of the various challenges facing African development and business, and advancing alternative solutions to Africa's business and economic challenges.

The annual conferences of the International Academy of African Business and Development (IAABD) are open to scholars, professionals, and graduate students of any nationality who are interested or actively engaged in the research and performance or administration of business and economic

development issues as they relate to Africa. The conference aims at facilitating multidisciplinary research on Africa’s related issues, stimulating collaborations between Africa based researchers and their counterparts around the world. Approximately 200 scholars, graduate students, and professionals from all over the world attend its annual conference.

The conference continues to focus on the various impacts of the recent economic downturn on African business and development; and how integration of African economies might enhance economic growth and development.

Previous IAABD conferences have been hosted by prominent universities including University of Florida and Georgia State University in U.S.A, University of Westminster and London Metropolitan University in UK, University of Port Elizabeth in South Africa, University of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, University of Ghana in Ghana, Makerere University in Uganda, and University of Lagos in Nigeria. Link to the IAABD website: http://www.iaabd.org/

O. Felix Ayadi, Ph.D., Professor of Finance, Endowed Chair, JPMorgan Chase Center for Financial

Education at the Jesse H. Jones School of Business currently serves as the IAABD Vice President for

Finance and Treasury.

Digital Education: A program on understanding the digital divide and provide a training workshop on effective uses of smart technology as well as examining the impact of mobile technology on our lives and community.

The program initiative will include an on-going effort to better prepare users of smart technology through a workshop doing Houston Money Week activities in the spring 2013 or 2014.  Furthermore to support the continuous effort to enhance smart technology understanding, a brown bag discussion group will become on-going initiative throughout the academic year holding at least one brown bag each fall and spring semester.

The emergence of digital technology and the mobile society (mobile devices, smart phones, tablets, Skype, cloud computing services, data mining, data analytics, etc.) has had a profound effect on how our society researches, learns, works, studies, communicates and consumes. This initiative will offer a free special training workshop for students, faculty, staff, businesses, and the community at large about the emergence of new capabilities available to the public. According to recent news reports, “Apple recently reached a milestone of over 1 million applications licensed for use by Apple users.” And “CNN’s applications for iPhone, iPad, Nokia, Windows 7 phone, and Android phone & tablet have been downloaded more than 22 million times to date. 

Economic Development Research: A project to develop and conduct a research survey of black owned businesses in the Houston area to assist with a larger research project on sustainability of black businesses.

This research project is will explore why and how black businesses are challenged with growth related to business size industry reach and profitability.  The research project will focus on understanding the issues and challenges these businesses face.  An approach to achieve foundational knowledge on local businesses and specifically black businesses will occur by engaging a working group of local experts to assist in the development a black business sustainability research survey.  The Institute will distribute the survey to current black businesses in the Houston Area.  The data collected along with historical data on prior successful black businesses will be used to strengthen existing businesses and aid in developing future businesses.  This will make the Institute a credible database repository on minority business In the Houston metropolitan area.

Member Office of Research Search Committee 2010 - Research Development Officer and Grants Editor for Humanities and Social Sciences

Conference Co-Chair and Co-Sponsor 2008 - 29^th Annual Intercultural Communications Conference – Theme: “The Changing Same: The Politics & Stereotypic Images and Perceptions In Mass Media & Popular Culture.” In collaboration with Dr. Dorothy Franzone and the School of Communication the conference examined The conference keynote speaker; Dr. Molefi Kete Asante spoke on the topic. “Distortions by Popular Media in the Coverage of African Americans: Correcting Faulty Images and Imaginations.”

Conference Co-Chair and Co-Sponsor 2007 - 28^th Annual Intercultural Communications Conference - Theme: “Media and Religious Perceptions: Contesting Religious Faiths” in collaboration with Dr. Dorothy Franzone and the School of Communication. The goal of the conference was to promote spiritual understanding and religious tolerance and to reduce ethnic, religious hatred and conflict. The conference explored the role of the mass media in promoting or undermining religious intolerance and conflict investigating and studying incidents of tension between Christians and Muslims, perceived conflict between Judaism and Christianity and differences between Christian denominations and the Evangelical Right.

Conference Co-Chair and Co-Sponsor 2006 - 27^th Annual Intercultural Communications Conference - Theme: “Rising Above the Flood: Media Responsibility and Political Leadership in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina” in collaboration with Dr. Dorothy Franzone and the School of Communication. The conference examined news media coverage of Race, Myth, Politics and Framing of the Disaster Victims of Hurricane Katrina, Evacuation and Recovery. Participants included keynote address by Mtangulizi Sanyika, Former Adjunct Professor Dillard University and Hurricane Katrina Survivor.

Committee Member 2005 - 2006 University Building Planning Committee for the Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs and COLABS Building

Conference Co-Chair and Co-Sponsor 2005 - 26^th Annual Intercultural Communications Conference - Theme: “Genocide & Human Rights: Accountability and Reconciliation in Africa and the World,” in collaboration with Dr. Dorothy Franzone and the TSU School of Communication the conference addressed the tragedy of the refugees of the Sudanese refugees of the Sudan, the Rwandan genocide and the Holocaust.  Participants included the late Congressman Donald Payne, Sr., Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, and the Honorable Gabrielle Kirk McDonald who currently serves as one of three American arbitrators on the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal seated in The Hague.

Conference Co-Chair and Moderator 2005 – In Collaboration with the Earl Carl Institute of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law co-organized and co-chaired the Legislative and Public Policy Conference on the theme “Reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act and Political Disenfranchisement of America’s Voters.” The conference examined urban policy and legislation on the legal and ethical implications of reauthorization, new voting models, felony re-enfranchisement, community empowerment, voter participation and election rights. Participants included Ms. Melanie Campbell – National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Greg Moore NAACP National Voter Fund, Alvin Chambliss – Distinguished Professor Indiana University, Dr. Richard Murray – UH Center for Public Policy and keynote speaker Atty. James Meredith, first black graduate of the University of Mississippi.

Conference Co-Chair and Co-Sponsor 2004 - 25^th Annual Intercultural Communications Conference - Theme: “African Americans and Hispanics in Houston: Perceptions and Visions of Political, Economic & Social Progress. Where Do “We” Go From Here?” In collaboration with Dr. Dorothy Franzone and the TSU School of Communication this conference examined the history and cultural relations between African Americans and other ethnic groups and explored opportunities for creating situations for future joint ventures and coalitions. Presented findings from the 2004 survey of Houston’s African American Community. Participants included Dr. Tatcho Mindiola, UH Director of Mexican American Studies Department and Keynote Speaker Dr. Asa Hilliard, Georgia State University.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2014 - Present

      Candidate Houston City Controller

2012 - 2013

            Associate Director - Mickey Leland Center for Environment, Justice, & Sustainability

            Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs

2002-2012

            Associate Director - Mickey Leland Center on World Hunger and Peace

      2001 - 1998

            City of Houston Mayor Pro-Tem

      2001 - 1996

            City of Houston District D Councilmember

1995 - Present

Founder and Principal Strategist B.S.R. Consulting - Major Clients/projects include: Maximus Corporation (Strategic Planning Consultant for Enrollment of Texas State Medicare program), Harris County Campaign for a new Courthouse, John Sharp Campaign for Governor, Paul Hobby Campaign for State Comptroller, Lee P. Brown Mayoral Campaign, Habitat for Humanity, and others.

      1995 – 1992

Strategic Planning Consultant, Leadership Development Trainer - For national non-profit community based organizations such as the Peace and Justice Movement, Red River Peace Network, Peace Farm, Houston Non-Violent Action Committee

1981 - 1980          

Licensed and Ordained Baptist Minister - Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Reverend William A. Lawson, Pastor

     1993 - 1995

Radio Producer/Host - “From the Frontline” KYOK – AM Radio news and information program

    1989 - 1995

Radio Producer/Host - “From the Frontline” KPFT-FM Pacifica Radio Network news and information program

    1988 - 1989

Counselor - Administrative Consultant - Over the Hill, Inc. managed the youth pre-employment and work maturity skills program.  This program recruited and selected non-violent youth offenders on probation and trained them in preparation for the world of work.  The program also developed job opportunities for participants and achieved a 95% success rate

   1985 - 1995

Chairman - Houston Chapter N.B.U.F. - The National Black United Front (NBUF) is a volunteer African American organization formed in the late 1970’s.  It is a coalition made up of concerned and committed individuals and organizations working together for the benefit of all people of African ancestry

   1987 - 1991

Chairman - Founder and Chairman of the successful Coalition to Free Clarence Lee Brandley, an innocent man falsely accused and wrongly convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to be executed.  Brandley was released from Texas’ Death row after serving nearly 10 years on a Capital Murder conviction in Conroe, Texas.  Mr. Brandley's case was detailed in the book WHITE LIES: Rape, Murder, and Justice Texas Style, written by British author Nick Davies, highlighted on CBS’ 60 Minutes, and the subject of an A&E American Justice documentary entitled "Framed.”  The Brandley case is also the subject of a made for cable TV Showtime movie: “Whitewash: The Clarence Brandley Story” Released, summer 2001)

   1986 - 1987

Pastor - The House of the Lord Baptist Church

 1984 - 1986

Project Director - Computerized Education Project (A Project of the Black Cluster/BPU New Covenant Presbytery).  This project provided training for disadvantaged and underserved youth and adults to become proficient in basic computer literacy and office management skills

  1981 - 1982

Community Organizer/Leadership Development Trainer - The Metropolitan Organization (TMO) is Houston’s local affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) founded by Saul Alinsky in 1940.  TMO is a broad-based, multi-issue, multiracial, non-partisan interfaith federation of 65 Houston area churches with the goal to develop power and leadership among citizens in order to transform democracy in Houston.

Ø  The IAF is a national community organizing network and the nation's largest and longest-standing network of local faith and community-based organizations.

Ø  The IAF created the modern model of faith- and broad-based organizing.  The IAF is widely recognized as having the strongest record of accomplishment in the nation for citizen leadership development and for helping congregations and other civic organizations act on their missions to achieve lasting change in the world.

Ø  The IAF currently works with thousands of religious congregations, non-profits, civic organizations, and unions, in more than sixty-five cities across the United States and in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Ø  The measure of success is the extent to which IAF organizations contribute to human flourishing in communities where human development is often devalued and human dignity trampled.  These successes, when they occur, take the form of imaginative responses to seemingly intractable problems, new relationships overcoming racial, religious, and socio-economic divisions and immediate, concrete victories that change communities for the better and inspire hope in the future.

   1980

Program Developer/Coordinator - HOPE Development, Inc. Co-authored federal grants to provide services for underserved communities located in Houston’s Fifth Ward.

   1978 - 1979

Director Education Department - Houston Area Urban League - (1) Conducted a comparative report on educational achievement of minority youth in the Houston Independent School District (HISD)

(2) Authored a federal grant, funded by the department of Health, Education and Welfare for $97,000 (Project Excel!) to facilitate school desegregation in HISD (3) Co-led team that successfully negotiated historic and unprecedented Out-of-Court settlement of the HISD school desegregation case.

1978 – 1981

Co-Chair Harris County Minorities and Law Enforcement Coalition       Co-Chairman & Charter Member with Johnny Mata. An organization developed with the assistance of the U.S. Justice Department.  Designed to foster an alliance between Black and Hispanic communities, Law Enforcement Officials in the City of Houston and Harris County for the promotion of better understanding, cooperation and the elimination of racial injustice in Law Enforcement.

1979

Chairman & Charter Member - Houston Public Action Committee (HOU-PAC) A nonprofit, non-partisan community organization designed to meet the social, economic, and political needs of the Houston’s African American community.

1970 - 1972

Chairman - Texas Union Afro-American Cultural Committee University of Texas at Austin.

1977 - 1978

Co-Owner/Manager - African Imports and Exports, Inc. one of the first such establishments in Houston, Texas

1975 - 1977

Radio Producer/Host - KYOK-AM Radio (1590AM) Houston, Texas

1975 - 1976

Television Producer/Director - KHOU-TV (CBS) Houston, Texas - Appointed the first African American Television Director in the City of Houston.  Directed newscasts, promotion/commercial productions.  Produced and Directed “Contempo” a special weekly public affairs program.  Produced and Directed (3) 1 hour specials on the Houston Police Department, HISD and “The Man Nobody Saw” A special dramatic television production and national public service project to foster positive race relations

1975

Television Production Trainee - KHOU-TV (Camera, Lighting, Set Design, Floor Management) (Completed 1/2 year training program in production techniques including Director Training)

1974

Television Engineering Trainee - KHOU-TV (Videotape and Audio Engineer) (Completed 1/2 year television audio, videotape engineering training program)

1974 - 1975

Radio Producer/Host - Talk Show Host, KCOH-AM Radio (1430AM) Houston, Texas

1973 - 1974

Co-Owner - Mark III Enterprises (Management, Promotions, Bookings)

1972 - 1973

President - JASINO Record Corporation, Austin, Texas

1973   

Legislative Aide - To former U. S. Congressman Craig A. Washington (then State Rep.) Texas State House of Representatives

1972 - 1973

Television Producer and Host - KLRN-TV, Austin, Texas: “Black Images” the first locally produced African American oriented television show in central Texas.

1972 - 1973

Radio Producer and Host - KUT-FM Radio Austin, Texas: “In Black America” the first locally produced, nationally distributed, African American radio talk show in central Texas distributed to 120 affiliate stations in 27 States.

1972

Coordinator- Academic Instruction and Led Sociology 347K Black Americans, University of Texas.

1972

Founding Member - Concerned Students Organization, University of Texas at Austin.  Responding to racial discrimination, the lack of student, faculty and staff diversity, collaborated with other minority student leaders to successfully organize the first Black-Brown student led coalition in the history of the University of Texas, preserved the Black Studies Program, negotiated the establishment Project Info, a minority student recruitment program, and amended university admission standards to include additional enrollment measures other than standardized tests.

1971   

Legislative Aide - To former State Representative Curtis Graves -Texas State House of Representatives Special Session

1970 – 1972

            Chairman - Texas Union Afro-American Cultural Committee - University of Texas at Austin

1970 - 1973

            Radio Producer/Host - “Soul on Ice” KUT-FM, Austin, Texas

1968 – 1970

            Radio Producer/Host - KTAE-AM Radio, Taylor, Texas

MAJOR LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Jan 1998 - 2001 City of Houston Mayor Pro-Tem

Ø  Nominated twice by Mayor Lee P. Brown to (2) two year terms. Unanimously confirmed by City Councilmember colleagues

Jan 1996 - 2001 City of Houston District D Councilmember

Ø  From 1996 to 2001, was elected to represent the more than 187,000 constituents of District D, as a City Councilmember representing Houston’s diverse District D which included the Medical Center, Rice University, the Museum District, Texas Southern University, the University of Houston, Houston Community College and other institutions of higher education.  As a member of the Houston City Council, served as one of the fifteen members of the Council that reviews, ratifies, and oversees the City of Houston’s $2.7 billion annual budget.  This included a $1.4 billion operating budget with 23,000 employees.  Additionally, the Council provided oversight of a five-year capital construction program that exceeded $4.3 billion and the management of a total municipal debt of $6.3 billion.

Ø  As District D Councilmember, administered an annual budget of $292,718 in the District D office and a separate budget of $334,446 in the City Mayor Pro-Tem office.  Recruited, trained, developed and maintained the most dedicated, effective and efficient staff of any City Council office, which--including the Pro-Tem office--consisted of 11 people.

Constituent Services

Ø  A 17-month statistical survey conducted by District D staff described that over the course of the survey 8,253-phone messages directly received for the Councilmember an average of 24.27 per day and 66,551 phone messages averaging 195.74 per day.

Ø  The survey also compiled a list of 2,985 City Council meetings, committee meetings, hearings and civic events attended (an average of 8.78 per day).  District D correspondence records identified 3,459 letters sent to constituents and 2,131 letters to City Departments and other officials.

Ø  The District D office staff achieved an unprecedented 92% successful completion rate of the over 14,000 citizen requests received.

Ø  Both the Mayor Pro Tem and the District D offices employed the most advanced, state of the art, internet, and computer technologies at City Hall.  The District D office independently operated and maintained its own encrypted, virtual private network.

Ø  From the beginning of the 3 two year terms as a Councilmember in 1996, received appointments from both Mayor Bob Lanier and Mayor Lee P. Brown to serve on the Fiscal Affairs Committee and every City Council Committee that provided oversight for major fiscal operations for the City of Houston.

Ø  Served as chairman of vitally important City Council Committees: Regional Planning (which included oversight of the financing and construction of the Downtown Convention Center Hotel), Housing and Community Development, the Minority, Women and Disadvantage Business Enterprise (MWDBE) Committee, and the Sub-Committee of International Trade in Africa and the Caribbean and the Ad Hoc Committee and Public Hearing on Election Procedures and Voting Systems.

Ø  As Mayor Pro-Tem during the Brown Administration, was intimately involved in fiscal policy and budget strategy for two terms.  In this capacity, worked closely in the formation and revision of all City Department budget projections and presentations.  This involvement assisted the successful passage of the Mayor’s budget early during the last two fiscal years of his term in office. 

Ø  Utilizing years of experience working on municipal fiscal policy and major economic development and housing projects, secured creation and provided oversight for four tax increment reinvestment zones (TIRZ’s) in District D––more than any other City Council district.  The OST/Almeda, South Post Oak, Midtown, and Fourth Ward tax increment reinvestment zones are examples of the capacity to transform visions into reality. Additionally, facilitated the structuring of numerous loans, grants, and financial instruments for housing, commercial development and neighborhood revitalization projects.

Ø  Created the Almeda/OST Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, which financed over $13 million dollars of public improvements, stimulated economic development, and revitalization throughout Greater Third Ward-generating more than $200,000,000 in new business development. 

Ø  The South Post Oak (Corinthian Pointe) TIRZ was created by City Council on 12/17/1997. The principle purpose of the Zone is to provide financing for the public improvement for Corinthian Pointe, a residential development which will encompass 105 acres. The Project Costs for the proposed public improvements, including schools and educational facilities, administrative and professional fees associated with the Zone, are estimated to be $13,301,334.

The Corinthian Pointe subdivision provides homes for 462 families who spend approximately $16.5 million dollars per year. This project created approximately 2000 construction jobs and generated an estimated $173 million dollars in construction value upon completion. The Corinthian Pointe Commercial Park generates $12 million + estimated sales volume. Corinthian Pointe employs more than 400+ people year round and has an estimated an annual $50 million+ economic impact.

Co-Chair - Fourth Ward Interdepartmental Task Force - Working with Task Force Co-Chair, Councilmember John Castillo, Mayor Lee P. Brown’s office, Housing and Community Development and the community on issues regarding redevelopment efforts in the Fourth Ward area (Freedman’s Town) Houston’s original Black neighborhood.  Worked closely with Fourth Ward residents, city officials, area churches, and community based development corporations to create housing programs that benefited Allen Parkway Village public housing and Fourth Ward residents.  Supported and help facilitate the City of Houston’s plan to develop 550 units of affordable housing into the historic Fourth Ward including the City’s loan of $3.4 million to the Houston Housing Finance Corporation used to purchase 1.2 million square feet of land used to develop 255 affordable housing units, 105 of which were developed by the Houston Housing Authority of Houston.  145 units of affordable housing with deep subsidies ranging from $9,706 to $53,681; fifty units of historic Fourth Ward hosing and 100 rental units renovated and made available for use by residents.  Successfully advocated the establishment of the Fourth Ward Incremental Tax Zone.

Chairman - MWDBE & Small Contractor Development - Sponsored legislation to expand the City of Houston’s Affirmative Action program to include businesses owned by persons with disabilities and expanded the program to serve all small business owners.

Co-Chair - Sexually Oriented Business Review Committee - As a freshman councilmember, co-chaired public hearings, co-sponsored new legislation and unanimously passed a nationally recognized, constitutionally sound, tougher Sexually Oriented  Business Ordinance designed to protect children, families and neighborhoods—an unprecedented accomplishment for a first year councilmember.

Co-Chair - Hate Crimes Hearings - Organized and Co-chaired with Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis historic public hearings on Hate Crimes following the 1998 hate-crime murder of James Byrd, Jr. in Jasper, Texas and later testified at State Senate Hearing at the State Capitol in Austin.

Ø  Testimony provided at the joint hearing in City Council chambers included Mark Potock, senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center and editor in chief of its award-winning, quarterly investigative journal Intelligence Report of the Southern Poverty Law Center and James Byrd family members.

Ø  The James Byrd, Jr. Act, sponsored by State Sen. Rodney Ellis during the 77^th State Legislature (1) provides aid to small counties prosecuting hate murders offering assistance to counties with populations under 125,000 to pay for prosecution costs in hate murders (2) clarifies the definition of a hate crime to conform Texas law with language upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark Wisconsin v. Mitchell decision (3) assigns a prosecutor in the Attorney General’s Office as a hate crimes director (4) provides civil penalties for victims of hate crimes. The language in this bill assists in defining hate crimes to help victims recuperate some of the costs associated with the hate crimes committed against them

Chairman - Kennedy Heights Hearings - Convened and Chaired unprecedented 2-day City Council special hearings on decades old Kennedy Heights’ neighborhood complaints and claims of more than 2,000 residents that they suffer lingering health effects from earthen storage tanks environmental issues; recording testimony from residents and Chevron Oil officials.  Although Gulf Oil eventually covered up the tanks and homes built on the property owned by Gulf before its merger with Chevron.  Scant evidence was presented that the oil companies conducted significant environmental mitigation.  Although neighborhood residents ultimately did not prevail in their civil lawsuit evidence and testimony demonstrated 113 cases of cancer, brain tumors, lupus, and birth defects.

Chairman - HIV/AIDS State of Emergency Task Force - At request of the Director of the City of Houston Health and Human Services Department was appointed Chair of Mayor's Lee P. Brown’s HIV/AIDS State of Emergency Task Force; collaborated with Glaxo Smith Kline, formerly Glaxo Welcome, and Magic 102FM/97.9 The Boxx, which resulted in a unique, private/public sector initiative generating more than $2 million worth of new funding and hundreds of thousands of dollars of in-kind donations to the city of Houston's State of Emergency.

Ø  Organized and convened the HIV/AIDS Training Institute, which trained more than 300 community leaders in HIV/AIDS intervention, prevention, and protection strategies for the faith-based, youth/young adults, families affected/infected by HIV/AIDS through incarceration or substance abuse.

Ø  Led efforts to expanded partnerships with the City of Houston, the Houston Independent School District (HISD) Board of Education, and Texas Southern University.  Initiated meetings with Dr. Helene Gayle of the Centers for Disease Control to secure additional funding on behalf of the city of Houston.

Chairman - Ad Hoc City Council Committee and Public Hearing on Election Procedures and Voting Systems - Organized and Chaired Council Committee on Electronic that investigated computerized voting systems that have been deployed in unprecedented numbers.  During 2004, over 80% of the ballots were counted electronically, nearly all of these without any independent audit of the results.  Vendors and promoters of e-voting systems have made promises of reliability, accuracy, and accessibility.  Yet each election adds to the growing body of evidence of malfunctions, including irretrievable loss of vote data and countywide denials of service.  In addition to these issues, the hearing explored the vulnerabilities of electronic voting systems to insider and outsider attacks and the possibilities and ramifications of large-scale vote fraud.

Convener - African American Leadership Summits - Organized and convened four local African American Leadership Summits in Houston to protect and expand Affirmative Action, increase voter registration and education, foster civic engagement, expand minority, women and disabled business opportunities in the City of Houston.

LIBRARIES

Ø  Lonnie R. Smith Branch Library on Scott Street, received $608,055 for major interior renovations.  The renovations were completed and the branch was reopened to the public.

Ø  Sherman E. Stimley Library Branch, a new $3.2 million, 14,660 square foot library.  Located at 7007 West Fuqua, the library serves approximately 33,000 people, including students from Ft. Bend/Missouri City area schools.

DISTRICT D PARKS: Remodeled and/or improved facilities

Ø  Sunnyside Park: nearly $2.5 million in funds went into a complete renovation of facilities.

Ø  Blueridge Park enjoyed an increase of 23 additional acres thanks to a land swap with Fort Bend County.

Ø  Herman Park Golf Course received more than $4.6 million in facility renovation including a new 5,800 sq. ft. clubhouse, 5,400 sq. ft. cart storage facility, lighted driving range, irrigation system/underground golf course drainage system and concrete parking lot for 153 vehicles.  Other improvements included 26 sand traps, increased the number of lakes from two to eight and reforestation.

o   Additional funding for District D park improvements:

§  Sunnyside Park - 3502 Bellfort Avenue, $2,452,021

§  Beech White - 7551 Scott Street, $404,000

§  Cleveland Park - 200 Jackson Hill Street, $339,000

§  Windsor Village Park - 14441 Croquet Street, $19,150

§  Dunlavy Park Pennies for Playground - over $14,000 in matching funds

HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Ø  Convened two city-wide home buying seminars and facilitated first time home buyers’ funding for down payment and closing cost assistance

Ø  Secured renovation funding for Ensemble Theater $500,000 Community Development Block Grant

Ø  Granlin Grove Apartments TSU/Third Ward Community Development Corporation  ($1,972,260 for 12 two-story multifamily units grant)

Ø  SHAPE Community Center $250,000 (Neighborhood facilities renovation grant)

Ø  SEHAH (Neighborhood facilities renovation grant) $152,512

Ø  Simmons Gardens $2,200,000 for 120 units of senior and multifamily units (a $7,000,000 project)

Ø  East Side Village - Holman Street Baptist Church $1.3 million, $492,000 grant and $800,000 revolving loan fund at 0% interest, 123 units

Ø  Cullen Missionary Baptist Church - $725,000 for 54 affordable housing units

Ø  Proposed and negotiated a $900,000 budget amendment for Elderly Home Repair Program

Ø  Anna Dupree Senior Citizens Center - $459,800 renovation grant

Ø  Bering/Omega Dental Clinic - $240,000 renovation grant

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Ø  The new $6.6 million Third Ward Multi-Service Center was completed.

Ø  The South Post Oak Multi-Service Center valued at $6.3 million is in design and construction stage and will offer services similar in scope to the Third Ward Multi Service Center.

POLICE / FIRE

Ø  Assisted in the passage of Mayor Brown’s FY 2001 $1.4 billion budget, which provides additional funding for an additional fire cadet class, extra board personnel, and equipment.  Also supported a 1999 pay raise that guaranteed police and fire classified employees almost 18 percent over three years with no tax increase.  Increased police patrols throughout the neighborhoods in District D, supported funding for two new police storefronts in the Montrose and Sunnyside areas, and ensures that constituents will be protected.

§  Secured funding for the Reed Road HPD Storefront

§  New Fire Equipment in District D, total of $2,239,678

§  Station #25 - $284,000

§  Station #33 - $284,000

§  Station #35 - $284,000

§  Station #46 - $284,000

§  Station #55 - $61,714 (medic 55)

§  Station #59 - $555,000 (ladder truck)

§  Station #59 - $71,714 (medic 59

§  Station #80 - $61,625

PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING

Ø  Almeda Road /Binz Street Reconstruction - $3.2 million

Ø  Wheeler Avenue Street Reconstruction from SH35 to Old Spanish Trail  $15.2 million appropriated through FY2006

Ø  Completed Project 426 - Street Reconstruction and underground utilities for the LaSalette Subdivision - $3,748,256.

CITY OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE CHAIR POSITIONS 1996-2001

Ø  Chair, Regional Planning

Ø  Chair, Council Governance

Ø  Chair, Housing and Community Development

Ø  Chair, MWDBE and Small Contractor Development

Ø  Chair, Mayor’s HIV/AIDS State of Emergency Task Force

Ø  Chair, International Trade Sub-Committee on Africa and the Caribbean

Ø  Chair, Ad Hoc Committee & Public Hearing on Election Procedures and Voting Systems

Ø  Co-Chair, Fourth Ward Interdepartmental Task Force

Ø  Co-Chair, Sexually Oriented Business Reform

CITY OF HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP 1996-2001

Ø  Aviation

Ø  Business and Tourism

Ø  Cellular Towers

Ø  Competitive Bidding

Ø  Council Rules

Ø  Customer Service Initiatives

Ø  Economic and Community Development

Ø  Environmental Concerns and Health

Ø  Ethics

Ø  Fiscal Affairs and Management Initiatives

Ø  International Trade

Ø  Legislative

Ø  Neighborhood Planning and Protection

Ø  Public Health

Ø  Redevelopment and Revitalization

Ø  Regulatory Affairs and Ordinance

Ø  Transportation, Infrastructure & Technology

INTERNATIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

As an international trade and development facilitator, visited 22 foreign countries including Mexico, England, Ireland, Germany, Italy, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zanzibar.

As an elected official (City Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem) led and co-led a number of successful business development missions to Africa and South America (Malawi, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Togo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, and Brazil).  Traveled to Ghana, Nigeria, and Ethiopia--where substantive meetings were conducted with government and private development officials on issues such as telemedicine, Houston's HIV/AIDS model, market access and broad based economic development, the long-term success of Houston's energy linkage to Nigeria, airport cooperative agreements, expansion of education, business and cultural/tourism exchanges.

2013

Co-Moderator - The All Nigeria Nationals in the Diaspora (ANNID), a non-partisan, pan-Nigerian NGO hosted a Town Hall meeting with the goal of bringing together stakeholders, Nigerian indigenes at home and abroad and friends of Nigeria to promote “Amnesty and Peace in the Niger Delta: Human Capacity Building for Nigeria Development” in the United States.  Hon. Kingsley Kuku, currently the special adviser to Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan on the Niger Delta Affairs, and the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Program served as keynote speaker called for sustaining peace in the Nigeria Delta through the amnesty program.

2012

Project Manager - Organized and coordinated training for twenty-six (26) State Legislators members from the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly in Nigeria’s #1 oil producing state a four-day training workshop August 6-9, 2012.  Sponsored by the Government of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, the workshop was organized in collaboration with the Mickey Leland Center and the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs (BJML SOPA) at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas.  The State Legislators workshop was designed to define, explore and articulate concepts of effective and efficient democratic governance applicable to the rebuilding, strengthening the sustenance of various legislative offices.

Specific goals of the training sessions were to deepen democratic governance in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria by addressing the legislative needs of its lawmakers, to enhance the capacity of the state’s legislators to create laws that focus on conflict resolution, poverty alleviation and the overall economic development of the state and to introduce participants to best practices, concepts and examples of proven effective legislative methodology.

2012

Coordinator - Organized and hosted Town Hall meeting in collaboration with the Liberian Community Organization in Greater Houston, Texas Southern University, the School of Public Affairs, and the Mickey Leland Center with the President of Liberia Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf attended by 250 participants.

2010

Moderator - Texas Africa Business Summit.  Panel Discussion with the Honorable Dr. Cynthia Perry, former United States Executive Director of the African Development Bank, U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Burundi, and currently Honorary Consul General of Rwanda, and the Honorable Tibor Nagy, Jr. former U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia and Guinea currently serving as Vice Provost, International Affairs, Texas Tech University.

2008

Chairman iFest Board of Directors - The 37^th Annual Houston International Festival (iFest).  Served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Houston’s 37^th annual International Festival which celebrated the theme “Out of Africa: The Three Journeys;” celebrated the rich history, achievements, contributions and triumphs of African people in Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, the United States and the world.

Ø  The Houston International Festival is the largest international cultural celebration of its kind in the United States.  The 2008 festival showcased top cultural and performing artists from around the world, brought over 200,000 attendees to downtown Houston for the four-day event, and generated a positive economic impact of millions of dollars to the city’s economy.

Ø  In collaboration with the Greater Houston Partnership, iFest 2008 sponsored a conference on sustainable business initiatives in Africa featuring Ambassador to the U.N Andrew Young as keynote speaker.

Ø  iFest 2008 also published a curriculum guide that was distributed free of charge to all schools in Houston Area region that provided a social studies curriculum for Africa and African Americans.

2008

Conference Participant - International Academy of African Business and Development (IAABD) Conference hosted the four-day meeting at the University of Florida Hilton Conference Center in Gainesville, Florida.  The conference theme was Global and Local Dynamics in African Business and Development.

Facilitator - At the request of Ethiopia’s Minister of Culture and Tourism initiated and helped facilitate ‘the Lucy Project’ which, the project entitled “Lucy’s Legacy: The Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia” opened for exhibition in 2007 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science spanned 5 million years of Ethiopian history and prehistory showcasing the original fossil, archaeological artifacts and works of art.  The exhibit is distinguished as having been the most successful in the museum’s history.  The landmark exhibit drew more than a quarter million attendees in nine months.

2007   

Presenter - Critical Linkage between Africa and the United States - Insights into Doing Business in Africa Symposium organized by Prof. Burke Mathes, Jesse H. Jones School of Business Global Trade Center in collaboration with the Mickey Leland Center, sponsored by Africap LLC and FCA Corp.

2006   

International Person of the Year Award - Nominated and unanimously selected to receive the International Person of the Year Award by the International Trade Division of the Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce.

2005   

Conference Co-Chair - In collaboration with Dr. Dorothy Franzone and the TSU School of Communication co-organized and co-chaired the Annual Intercultural Conference on the theme of Genocide and Human Rights, addressing the tragedy of the refugees of the Sudanese refugees of the Sudan.  Participants included the late Congressman Donald Payne, Sr., Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, and the Honorable Gabrielle Kirk McDonald who currently serves as one of three American arbitrators on the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal seated in The Hague.

2002   

            Presenter - Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Summit on Human Rights in Africa

Presenter at the 2002 Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Summit convened by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee on Human Rights in Africa.

Facilitator - Co-led Trade Mission to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia resulting in successful facilitation of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ethiopian Government and the Food Development Corporation (FDC) to develop an unprecedented food security project projected to build a multimillion-dollar agribusiness complex projected to provide food for 100,000 and employ more than 10,000 Ethiopians.

Member - Appointed member of Port of Houston Authority’s Small Business Development Program (SBDP) Advisory Council.  The program was created to provide additional opportunities for local small businesses to participate in contracting and procurement at the Port of Houston Authority.  By formalizing existing practices and implementing new procedures, the SBDP will allow the Port of Houston to target more effectively small business participation (including minority and women-owned businesses) and create opportunities relating to PHA contracting and procurement.

2001

Facilitator - At the request of Ethiopian officials successfully facilitated the certification of Ethiopia under AGOA.  Newly added AGOA product categories amounted to only $ 0.2 million in 2001, the first full year of operation of AGOA, and increased to $ 1.3 million in 2002.  U.S. goods imports from Ethiopia totaled $144 million in 2011, a 12.9% increase ($17 million) from 2010.  U.S. imports of agricultural products from Ethiopia totaled $120 million in 2011.  Leading category include Coffee (unroasted) ($98 million).

2000

African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) - Advocated passage of AGOA in separate meetings with Vice-President Al Gore and President Bill Clinton.  This act, signed by President Clinton, formed the basis for the first formalized trade relationship between the United States and the African continent.

Summit Delegate - National Summit on Africa, Washington, DC - Attended by about 8,000 Americans and Africans living throughout the United States, from Europe and from the continent, met in Washington, D.C. the largest gathering on Africa in the history of the United States.  The purpose of the National Summit on Africa was to: (1) the process of informing and educating all Americans about Africa.  (2) to energize and mobilize a broad base of support for Africa throughout the United States and (3) to put together a "National Plan of Action" that emerged out of the National Summit on Africa.  This document laid out in considerable detail the views and recommendations as to what the foreign policy relationship should be between the United States and the various countries of Africa, both individually and within the universal context of the continent.

President - Technology Internet and Computer Solutions, Inc. Internet and computer Technology Company.  Provided state-of-the-art internet and information technologies services.

Ø  Afro-AmericanMall.net, Inc.  An internet mall spotlighting African American businesses.

1999

Port Houston Authority Commission - Nominated and secured confirmation of Kase Lawal of CMAC Holdings, first Nigerian American appointed and reappointed to serve as a Port of Houston Authority Commissioner.

Summit Delegate - 5^th African-African American Summit in Accra, Ghana attended by 12 African Heads of State and 5,000 participants.

Ø  Co-led efforts to secure Houston as the site for the Corporate Council on Africa biennial summit "Attracting Capital to Africa" in April of 1999.  Nine African heads of state (largest delegation of African Heads of State to that date), four Clinton Administration officials, and hundreds of high-ranking diplomats and CEO's from multinational corporations attended the four-day conference and pumped $7 million into the local economy.

Ø  Convened Town Hall Meetings on the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Ø  Co-organized the United States Conference on Trade and Investment in Africa, sponsored in collaboration with the Corporate Council on Africa convening hundreds of small to mid-sized business owners to Texas Southern University's Jesse H. Jones School of Business where they accessed professional expertise in trade and investment strategies.

1997

Trade Mission Leader - Co-led with the Honorable Dr. Cynthia Perry, two FCA business development missions to five southern African countries, including Malawi, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.

1996   

Chairman - Established and chaired the Houston City Council International Affairs Sub-committee on International trade with Africa and the Caribbean.  As Chair of the Committee, met with African Heads of State, dignitaries, policy makers and business leaders to foster economic and foreign investment for Houston-based companies and small business owners.  Over the last two decades led or co-led business development or policy missions to over twenty two (22) foreign countries, seventeen (14) of which are in Africa.

1995

Co-led efforts to organize aid for the Haitian and Rwandan crisis, which raised over US $40,000 and 40 tons of food, humanitarian aid, and medical supplies for Haitian/Rwandan refugees.

1992

Supported efforts for emergency humanitarian aid to Somalian/Ethiopian famine refugees.  Helped organize efforts to secure aid to Cameroon student refugees residing in the USA.

1990

Urged US Government to establish refugee resettlement facilities during the Ethiopian famine crisis.

1988

Member the Southern Africa Task Force – The Southern Africa Task Force was organized by Omowale Luthuli following a Southwest Regional Forum in Houston organized by Congressman Mickey Leland, which included a session on South Africa. Activities including bring in speakers from the American Committee on Africa, a campaign against South African Airways landing rights in Houston, the Nelson Mandela Run for Freedom, and education of people in the Houston area about the oppressive conditions of the people in South Africa and Namibia.

Following the call for nationwide daily non-violent direct action protests against apartheid demonstrations to begin Monday, November 26, 1984 by TransAfrica Director Randall Robinson, strategist behind the Free South Africa Movement Houstonians Rev. Jew Don Boney, Omowale Luthuli and State Rep. Al Edwards responded.

At the request of the late Congressman Mickey Leland helped lead successful efforts for sanctions against South Africa at the City, State, and National level, and aided in securing the revocation of landing rights of South African Airways to Houston airports.

Participated with Omowale Luthuli and actively engaged in the successful campaign to free Nelson Mandela and end apartheid in South Africa. Of over 3,500 persons nationwide, both VIP notables and common everyday people arrested for nonviolent protests against apartheid Boney and Luthuli were the first protestors in the United States to be arrested, tried, convicted, fined, and jailed for the nonviolent civil disobedience in a successful effort to close the South Africa Consulate in Houston, Texas.

ACHIEVEMENTS/AWARDS/COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES

Ø  2003 Legend of Houston Award, Texas Southern University College of Science and Technology REEP Academy

Ø  2003 Appointed Member of the Board of Visitors for Howard University College of Arts and Sciences to assist the college with fundraising efforts to better support its mission and programs

Ø  2003 Outstanding Leadership Award, Port of Houston Authority in appreciation for service as an advisory Board Member for the Small Business Development Program

Ø  2002 The Government Award, Houston Business and Professional Men’s Club

Ø  2001 Recognition of Many Years of Service and Dedication to Our Community, the Men of Trinity United Methodist Church

Ø  2001 Outstanding Community Service Award City of Houston Affirmative Action and Contract Compliance Division

Ø  2001 Admitted as a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum for demonstrated commitment to leadership and civic engagement

Ø  2001 Quentin Mease Award Houston Area Urban League

Ø  2000 Award of Recognition for Support and Service South Asian Chamber of Commerce

Ø  2000 Support of the Arts Award, Conrad Johnson Music and Fine Arts Foundation

Ø  2000 Alex Award for Legal Excellence and Service to the Houston Community NAACP Legal Redress Clinic

Ø  1999 Trailblazer Award in Recognition of Exemplary Leadership and Service for Justice & Equality, Houston Community College, Central Campus

Ø  1999 Rice University National Black MBA Award

Ø  1999 Volunteer of the Year, Houston International Festival

Ø  1999 Outstanding Public Service Award, Christ Presbyterian Church

Ø  1998 Outstanding Public Service Award, Young American Club Wharton County Jr. College

Ø  1998 Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Outstanding Leadership Award

Ø  1998 Distinguished Community Service and Achievement Award Houston Chapter

National Association of Black Accountants

Ø  1997 The Nigerian Foundation Order of the Niger Award

Ø  1997 Blacks in Government Award

Ø  1997 Political Award for Outstanding Service, Highland Heights Masonic Lodge #200

Ø  1997 The High School of Meteorology and Space Science Leadership Award

Ø  1997 Recognition of Appreciation for Abused Children, Child Advocates, Inc.

Ø  1996 Mickey Leland Leadership Award, Houston Black Fire Fighters

Ø  1996 Barbara Jordan Award, The African American Lesbian & Gay Alliance

Ø  1996 Distinguished Service Award, National Council of Negro Women-DIH Chapter

Ø  1992 Recognition for Outstanding Community Service International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters

Ø  1991 Silver Award for Outstanding Ministry and Community Service Harris County Council of Organizations

Ø  1990 NAACP, Houston Branch President’s Award: For Effecting Positive Change Toward Justice for All in leading the Coalition to Free Clarence Brandley

Ø  1990 Houston Peace & Justice Award: Houston Peace Network, for positive leadership and outstanding contributions to Social Justice & Social Change

Ø  1990 Community Service Award in Recognition of Outstanding Leadership and Service to the community of Greater Houston Business & Professional Men’s Club

Ø  1988 Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for Civil Rights: Houston Branch (NAACP) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Ø  1987 Civil Rights/Human Rights Leadership Award Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and Amnesty International

Ø  1987 Special Award for Outstanding Leadership United Negro College Fund

Ø  1986 Outstanding Community Service Award: Over the Hill, Inc.

Ø  1985 Community Service Award: National Association of Black Social Workers and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice.

Ø  1985 Humanitarian Award National Council of Negro Women, Dorothy I. Height Chapter

Ø  1985 Great Achievement Award - Now Testament Baptist Church

Ø  1985 Nominee Outstanding Young Man in America - National Junior Chamber of Commerce

Ø  1985 Distinguished Service Award: Over the Hill, Inc., for outstanding contributions in the areas of prison reform and community development

Ø  1984 Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Community Service - Brentwood Baptist Church Business and Professional Men’s Unit

Ø  1983 Selected one of the 1983 Outstanding Young Men in America - National Junior Chamber of Commerce

Ø  1983 Certificate of Community Recognition - KMJQ Magic 102 FM, for contribution to business and community life

Ø  1976 Distinguished Service Award Recognized for a sustaining interest in and contribution to public education Houston Teachers Association

Ø  1979- 1981 Member, Board of Directors: SHAPE Community Center

Ø  1985 Allen Parkway Village Steering Committee: Helped to develop 4th Ward Neighborhood Revitalization Plan for Houston Housing Authority

Ø  1981 Organized Congressional Hearing on Texas Criminal Justice System: Testified regarding HPD Misconduct and Brutality Congressional Black Caucus Weekend Steering Committee

Ø  1978 - 1995 Volunteer Consultant - United States Department of Justice Provided technical assistance, citizens’ advocacy

Ø  1972 Founding Member Concerned Students Organization, - University of Texas at Austin

Ø  1970 - 1972 Chairman, Texas Union Afro-American Cultural Committee, - University of Texas at Austin