Aldine ISD Alumna, City Council Member Amanda Edwards Launches Community Empowerment Signature Series
Building Stronger Communities by Equipping, Educating and Recruiting Young People
City Council member Amanda Edwards (center in white jacket) poses with Community Empowerment series moderatos and speakers as well as students from Eisenhower HS.
[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]H[/dropcap]ouston City Council member Amanda Edwards has a vision. She wants to see young people excited and involved in bettering their communities.
She’s working with influential movers and shakers to bring that vision to reality. Edwards, an Aldine ISD graduate, recently held the first summit of the [icons icon_name=”icon-external-link” icon_size=”14px”]Community Empowerment Signature Series. It took place at Texas Southern University-College of Education on April 22. People of all ages took part.
A part of the event targeted area youth. The annual event aspires to equip, educate and recruit young people. It seeks to develop a generation of young people who engage in the needs of their communities.
A group of Eisenhower High School students attended the event. The campus is Edwards’ alma mater.
Council Member Edwards’ Community Empowerment Signature Series
[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Educates citizens on current issues impacting Houston.[/li] [li]Equips citizens with effective methods and tools for action. [/li][/ul][ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Empowers citizens to take the initiative.[/li] [li]Empowers citizens to create positive change in their places of influence. [/li][/ul][ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Encourages citizens to work together to find resolutions.[/li][/ul]
The 2017 theme for the inaugural summit was “Be The Solution.” The event centered on empowering youth to act with strategic purpose to “be the solution” in their own communities.
Participants viewed the film documentary The Strange Demise of Jim Crow (1998) by Dr. Thomas R. Cole. He is a writer, historian, filmmaker, and gerontologist. He is currently the McGovern Chair in Medical Humanities and Director of the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. His film reveals how Houston was able to desegregate in a relatively peaceful manner while desegregation of other southern cities was marked with significant unrest.
Afterwards, two panels held discussions. Youth comprised one panel. Young adults comprised the other. They discussed how the strategies from the civil rights movement. And they talked about they could use these to resolve today’s issues.
Summit Moderators
[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Council Member Amanda Edwards, Houston City Council Member[/li] [li]Ray Bady, Youth Pastor at Windsor Village United Methodist Church [/li][/ul]
Summit Speakers & Panelists
[ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Dr. Thomas R. Cole, Filmmaker[/li] [li]Ada Edwards, Community Organizer [/li][/ul][ul class=”list list-search”] [li]Judson Robinson, III — President & CEO of the Houston Area Urban League[/li] [li]Dr. Christine Leveaux-Haley, Assistant Dean of Academic Programs, The Honors College at the University of Houston [/li][/ul][ul class=”list list-search”] [li]
Jerry Ford Jr., Community/Social Justice Activist & Radio/TV Personality[/li] [li]Daniel Vásquez, Chair of the Harris County Tejano Democrats [/li][/ul]
The 2017 series also included a “Youth and Family Immigration Town Hall.” Additionally, two events focused on senior citizens.
Edwards encourages everyone to stay tuned for future Signature Series Events.
Be the Change!
About the Author: Leticia Fehling
