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Volume 3, Edition 26
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Inspire, Inform & Educate
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June 30 - July 6, 2022
Page 2
New Owners of
The Power Center Set Vision of Prosperity for Local Community
D-MARS.COM INFO
Page 3
For 150 Years Emancipation Park Continues To
Preserve Our History and Strengthen Our Community
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2 | June 30 - July 6, 2022
Community Weekly Report BUSINESS
New Owners of
The Power Center Set Vision of Prosperity for Local Community
Under New Management: The Community Collective for Houston Nonprofit Purchases The Power Center By d-mars.com News Provider
T
he Community Collective for Houston, a newly formed nonprofit organization, announces its purchase of The Power Center, a landmark building in Southwest Houston that serves as a multi-purpose event and business office venue. For 27 years, The Power Center has been a staple in the city and has provided a vehicle for business and entertainment. Under its new ownership, The Power Center will continue to serve the community by offering a full-scale range of services in three main areas: business, education, and food harvesting. Community Collective, the nonprofit operating the facility, is led by restaurateur Chris Williams of Lucille’s and Lucille’s 1913; educator Patricia Hogan Williams; real estate developers Courtney Johnson-Rose and Teeba Rose; and Ben Williams co-founder of Lucille’s and The Highway Distillery. The Power Center currently houses almost 40 companies from various industries including a pharmacy, law office, barber, hair salon, printer, and other small businesses. The building is anchored by JP Morgan Chase on one end and The Imani School on the other. Ten acres of land in the backyard will allow for the creation of an urban garden, which will serve as a teaching mechanism for students at the school. “The Imani School is committed to developing self-confident, academically advanced, Christian leaders. With the ownership of this building, it allows us to expand our programming and to serve our children by offering more programs. STEAM becomes more than just a word as we tie in all three aspects of The Power Center,” said Patricia Hogan Williams. The Power Center has a 20,000 square foot grand ballroom as well as a smaller ballroom and other event spaces including multi-purpose meeting rooms,
Photos Credit: Ken Jones Photography
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Teeba Rose, Patricia Hogan-Williams, Chris Williams, Courtney Johnson-Rose, and Ben Williams.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Teeba Rose, Courtney Johnson-Rose, Patricia Hogan-Williams, Ben Williams, and Chris Williams.
reception and receiving areas, and cocktail, and executive board rooms. The ballrooms are fully versatile to accommodate lecture-style seating and banquet/cathedral-style seating for luncheons, galas, conferences, themed parties, and weddings. Award-winning restaurateur and phi-
lanthropist Chris Williams will lead the hospitality arm of the Collective. He will oversee culinary efforts and events as well as ensure the urban garden provides fresh produce for the community. “There are so many opportunities here,” said Chris Williams. “We’re showing the full scope of the culinary world,
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from seed to harvest to production to responsible disposal. That will include lessons on fermenting and composting.” The Power Center will also provide a slate of services for business owners including classes, coaching sessions, networking, and guidance on obtaining capital. Renovations to the building will make it more environmentally friendly. “One of the most significant ways The Power Center will impact the local community is through its energy efficiency. To help reduce our carbon footprint, we envision adding solar panels to the building and EV charging stations in the parking lot for electric cars. We hope to actually produce power,” said Johnson-Rose. For more information about The Power Center and Community Collective, visit www. communitycollectivehouston.org. Source: Misty Blue Media
June 30 - July 6, 2022 | 3
Community Weekly Report COMMUNITY
By d-mars.com News Provider
I
ith the help of several women and community leaders, Emancipation Park was founded in 1872 by four formerly enslaved men: Reverend Jack Yates, Richard Allen, Richard Brock, and Reverend Elias Dibble. These men, along with members of the Third and Fourth Ward communities, gathered about $800 to purchase ten acres of land as a place to commemorate the anniversary of their emancipation on June 19, 1865. This date is now known as Juneteenth, and the celebration still takes place in the park annually today. The purchase represented not only their freedom, but property ownership, unity, and cooperative economics amongst African Americans. Decades later in October 2013, Emancipation park broke ground on a $33.5 million renovation. The project was completed four years later in June 2017, and the dedication took place in conjunction with Emancipation Park’s 145th Annual Juneteenth Celebration. Emancipation Park's 150th an-
PHOTO SOURCE: Emancipation Park Conservancy
niversary was recently celebrated this month during Juneteenth. Today, Emancipation Park Conservancy still strives to preserve Emancipation Park’s cultural integrity and enrich its heritage as a local, state, national and international landmark through world-class park management, culturally relevant, invigorating, and enriching programs/events, and improving the quality of open space for the enjoyment of all.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Nancy K., Rich K., Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Jackie B., and Ramon Manning.
Emancipation Park is located in Third Ward. The address is 3018 Emancipation Avenue, Houston, TX 77057. For more information, please visit epconservancy.org.
With Ramon Manning, board chairman of Emancipation Park Conservancy
Talk about the importance of Emancipation Park, as its name and specific placement in the community are important to keep the history of the Emancipation Proclamation alive. Emancipation Park symbolizes freedom. The park was established through a community effort to create a safe space for African Americans when no such space existed. While Juneteenth was the reason the park was founded, it was also intended to meet the needs of a newly emancipated population and build a community. Through Emancipation Park’s educational and community programming, we continue to serve the mission originally intended by the founders — serving the community. We do this through our four core pillars of education, economic empowerment, health and wellness, and the arts. Through these pillars, we strive to educate and improve the overall
health of our communities. Emancipation Park is not just about recreation, it is also about re-creation.
Emancipation Park was founded when four formerly enslaved African Americans and their communities came together to purchase ten acres of land in what is now Houston’s Third Ward. How should this encourage us to come together as a community, putting our resources together to build our communities? When you reference the community spirit that formed the Park, it is important to remember that they were less than a decade out of chattel slavery. Freedom was all they had. Reparations nor severance pay were provided. However, even with so little financially, they were abundantly wealthy in spirit. That indomitable spirit allowed them to Photo Caption (Man in brown and blue at podium): Ramon Manning, board chairman of Emancipation Park Conservancy.
acquire the land now known as Emancipation Park. We draw incredible inspiration and guidance from our ancestors who purchased this park. They are an undeniable example of what is possible when we all work together.
The goal of the founders was to carve out a place for African Americans to relish in the freedom gained. What is your charge to us as a community so we can carve out a place for the next generation to do the same? The charge is two-fold. First, we must honor the sacrifices and investments made by our ancestors by supporting, investing in, preserving, and caring for African American cultural sites like Emancipation Park. It is our responsibility to ensure that these treasured places thrive and serve as an example for future generations. Second, we have a responsibility to tell our past and future stories to ensure that the voices of those building the foundation of future generations are heard. Please provide us with any words or sentiments on the recent Emancipation Park 150th anniversary celebrated during Juneteenth.
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The 150th Anniversary of Emancipation Park is an event well worth celebrating. The park’s founders would be amazed and filled with joy that the investment they made 150 years ago continues to support the lives of the community they helped establish. Not only has the park remained in our community over time, but Juneteenth is now a national holiday. This is a special time, and we are humbled and honored to play a part in honoring this historic occasion. Anything else you want our readers to know? Anything special you want to say about Emancipation Park or its founders? Any words on community, culture, and history? There has been a great deal said already, however, it is important that all understand that history is critically important to understanding who you are, where you have been, and where you are going. Together, the founders and the men and women of their community were bold enough to carve out a place for themselves and future generations. We encourage everyone to learn the history of Emancipation Park and visit the park to walk in the footsteps of history.
4 | June 30 - July 6, 2022
Community Weekly Report
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