The Rt. Reverend Kai M. Ryan, Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Texas – West Region, will celebrate the Eucharist at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Prairie View on Sunday, September 8 at 10:30 a.m. Bishop Ryan will also administer Confirmation to Mr. Ogboru Chujor and Reaffirmation of Ms. Adaeze Igwenagu. The public is invited to the service.
     
Ryan, a native of Raton, New Mexico, graduated from the University of the South in Sewanee, TN with the Bachelor’s degree and received her master of divinity from Seminary of the Southwest in 1992 where she currently serves on the Board of Trustees. Ryan served at All Saints, Austin, and in Mobile, AL, before moving to Dallas where she was called as rector of Ascension, Dallas in 1999.

Ryan’s breadth of experience in four dioceses, Provincial Synod and General Convention, her participation in the national Gathering of Leaders for young clergy and nearly 15 years in a culturally diverse parish as rector stand her in good stead for the ministry of Canon to the Ordinary.

Ryan has a history of cross-cultural ministry with which she hopes to enhance the diversity within the clergy of the Diocese of Texas. “I believe the Church’s breadth and depth requires a diverse body of clergy leaders [who will come from] a diversity of seminaries, backgrounds, cultures, generations and theological positions in order to build up the congregations and the Diocese for God’s mission,” she said.

Ryan enjoys athletics and competed in gymnastics, track, and cross country.   Her life in Christ and her leadership gifts were nurtured, while a youth, in camping ministry, the Happening movement, and parish committees, including one that resettled a refugee family.

Bishop Ryan is married to Timothy Ryan, an attorney, and they have two children, Ned and Eleanor and resides in Austin.

The Men’s Prayer Breakfast team at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church in Prairie View will host the monthly event on June 15, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. at the church on 2000 Phillip Street.  Patrons are welcome to participate in the fellowship and the free breakfast and are asked to confirm attendance at stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net or call 936-857-3272.

 

Confirmed speakers for the event include City of Prairie View Police Chief Wilton White, Waller County Precinct 3 Constable Herschell Smith and Prairie View Magazine Publisher Dwayne Charleston.  The panel will address policing with the historical context of the creation of the police force and its continued evolvement in today’s society for law and social justice.

 

Chief White is a native of Hempstead and has more than 30 years of experiences as a Police Officer for the Brenham, Lieutenant of Operations at Prairie View A&M University, Texas  State Trooper, Chief of Police for Eagle Lake and was appointed Chief of Police for the City of Prairie View in 2022.

 

Constable Herschel Smith is a native of Hempstead and has more than 30 years in Law Enforcement in Houston and Prairie View and serving as an Army Vet, a Correctional Officer - Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the pastor of Enlightened Chapel Ministries, Community leader, founder and executive director of a homeless shelter.

Charleston is a native of Prairie View and has more than 30 years of experience as civil servant in government, community activism, entrepreneurship and publishing including Editor in Chief with the African American News and Issues and Publisher of The Prairie View Magazine.

 

This month’s event commemorates the 159^th Anniversary of Juneteenth with a panel discussion themed “From Chains to Change: Policing and the Path to Freedom.” The theme is designed to encourages dialogue, education, and community engagement, fostering an environment where the history of Juneteenth and the evolution of policing are not just remembered but are actively used to inform and improve our collective future.

 

Juneteenth commemorates the day when the last enslaved African Americans in Texas were informed of their freedom on June 19, 1865, marking a pivotal moment in American history. This day symbolizes the end of an era of brutal enslavement and the beginning of a new chapter of liberty and justice.  The path to true freedom was fraught with challenges. The establishment of formal police forces in the South had its roots in slave patrols, which were created to maintain the system of slavery by enforcing discipline upon enslaved individuals who sought freedom. These patrols were among the first forms of organized law enforcement in the Southern states and laid the groundwork for modern policing practices.

 

As we celebrate Juneteenth, we also reflect on the complex legacy of policing in America. It's a history that intertwines with the very essence of freedom and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. The theme "From Chains to Change" invites us to consider how far we have come since the days of slave patrols and how the role of the police has evolved over time.  Today, communities and law enforcement agencies are working together to forge a new relationship based on mutual respect, accountability, and a shared commitment to justice.

 

This Juneteenth, let us honor the past by embracing the future—a future where every individual is treated with dignity and where law enforcement serves as a guardian of the freedoms we hold dear.

 

The Men’s Breakfast is commemorating its 20-plus years at St. Francis of Assisi, and the current team include Donald Sowell (Coordinator), Glenn Berry, Darryl Johnson, Charles Muse, Frederick V. Roberts, Michael Sowell, William Sowell and Herbert Thomas.

Dr. Ashland O. Brown is speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast at St. Francis of Assisi

Prairie View native son,  Dr. Ashland O. (Rusty) Brown is the speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast on May 18, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church on 2000 Phillip Street in Prairie View.  Patrons are welcome to participate in the fellowship and the free breakfast and are asked to confirm attendance at stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net or call 936-857-3272.

Dr. Brown was born and raised in Prairie View and is the youngest son of the late Dr. Jonel, a professor in the College of Education and Claudia Brown, a teacher. He began his early education at the Prairie View Training School and Waller ISD schools.  He holds the Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and the Master of Science and the Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and a Licensed Professional Engineer.

 

His impressive career spans more than fifty years as an accomplished engineer, educator, administrator, researcher and entrepreneur, where he made significant contributions to the field of mechanical engineering and higher education in general, and the business world.  His academic experiences include serving as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering the Dean of the School of Engineering at the University of the Pacific, and a professor of Mechanical Engineering and the Dean of the School of Engineering Technology at South Carolina State University.

 

In addition to his academic acumen, Dr. Brown served as a Program Director at the Engineering Directorate of the National Science Foundation, Engineering Group Manager at General Motors Corporation for design engineers, Principal Engineer and Unit Supervisor at Ford Motor Company, managing design engineers focused on automotive innovations; Research Engineer at Eastman Kodak Company and a Design Engineer at Pratt and Whitney Aircraft Company.

 

Some of Brown’s professional and civic engagements include membership in American Society of Mechanical Engineers, American Society of Engineering Education, Sigma Xi (National Scientific Research Society, Tau Beta Phi National Engineering Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society. His civic engagement include serving as a Program Evaluator for the following accrediting bodies: the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Proposal Evaluator for the National Science Foundation and a member of the Pacific Academic Affairs Committee.

 

He has been recognized for his contributions to the field of education as Principal Investigator for a National Science Foundation TUES Phase 2 award and the CCLI Phase 1 award both were cash awards totaling more than a half million dollars..  As a published professional, he has Co-authored journal publication: “Online Finite Element Learning Modules as Active Learning Tools” -Advances in Engineering Education, and regularly presented scholarly studies on assessing finite element active learning modules and understanding student improvement, learning styles, gender differences, and ethnic differences and conducted workshops for engineering faculty interested in developing Active Learning Finite Element Learning Modules.

 

Dr. Brown’s dedication and contribution to education, research, and engineering has left a lasting impact on the academic community and the field of mechanical engineering. His work continues to inspire future generations of engineers and educators.

 

The Men’s Breakfast is commemorating its 20-plus years at St. Francis of Assisi, and the current team include Donald Sowell (Coordinator), Glenn Berry, Darryl Johnson, Charles Muse, Frederick V. Roberts, Michael Sowell, William Sowell and Herbert Thomas.

PVAMU History Professor Dr. Marco Robinson is speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast at St. Francis of Assisi

PVAMU History Professor Dr. Marco Robinson is the speaker for the Men’s Prayer Breakfast on April 20, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church on 2000 Phillip Street in Prairie View.  Patrons are welcome to participate in the fellowship and the free breakfast and are asked to confirm attendance at stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net or call 936-857-3272.

Robinson is a native of Rural North, Mississippi, where he received his early education and developed an undeniable passion on for learning by reading dictionaries and encyclopedias to gain knowledge.  This led him to pursue a degree in history and education.  Dr. Robinson holds the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from Jackson State University and the Ph.D. in history form the University of Mississippi.  Currently he is the Assistant Director of the Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice at Prairie View A &M University, a position he’s held since 2021.  Additionally, he is an Associate Professor of History and a Mentor for the PVAMU Honors Program.at Prairie View A &M University.  Prior to Prairie View, he served as an Assistant Professor of History/Instructor of History at Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi.  He also served as a Social Science Area Coordinator, where he advised majors, facilitated Intern placements and served as an advisor and a Graduate Assistant for the social studies students. 

Dr. Robinson has been engaged in scholarly programs at several universities such as the Digital Born Scholarly Publishing NEH Summer Institute at Brown University, The National Humanities Center, Co-Coordinator, Teacher Institute: Teaching African American Studies Summer Institute: Understanding the Long View of the African Diaspora, the United Negro College Fund-Carnegie Mellon Seminar in Salvador, Brazil, Historical Perspectives of Race/ Blackness, Identity and Beauty in Black Brazil, the Archival Research in Atlanta, Georgia, The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Seminar in Ghana, West Africa. He was a Fulbright Scholar stationed in South Africa where he visited eight universities, developing a curriculum dealing with creating learning modules regarding my experiences for his World and African Diaspora Courses.

Some of Dr. Robinson’s awards and recognitions include the PVAMU Mellon Center for Teaching Excellence Outstanding Professor Award, Outstanding Departmental Faculty Award, Division of Social Work, Behavioral, and Political Sciences, Marvin D. and June Samuel Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences, Prairie View A &M University, the State of Mississippi H.E.A.D.W.A.E. Faculty Member of the Year Award, the Florence Ellen Bell Scholar Award, Drew University, the DeSoto County African American History Symposium Achievement Award, Tri-State Defender Men of Excellence Award, Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year and Head Start Volunteer of the Year.

Dr. Robinson has served as Principal and Co-Principal Investigator for several research projects which were awarded more than $1.5 Million dollars in grants from Humanities Texas, Integrating African American Studies at HBCUs Summer Studies, collaboration between the University Texas and Prairie View A&M University to build a website documenting and preserving the history the domestic slave trade.  His current project, Toward Culturally Responsive Disaster Management for Limited Resource Producers: The Role of Person, Place and Professional Agencies to assess the role culture plays in how to prepare for, cope with and respond to disasters, and the impact of disasters with respect in the community.  His other research focused on the COVID- 19 Pandemic and Rural Communities of Color: Examining the Impact of Race, Healthcare Accessibility, and Health Literacy in Waller County Texas, particularly the County’s African American resident’s health. The research will utilize Interactive Maps and Apps to Preserve Local History: Digitizing the Black Experience in Waller County, Texas.

He is the author of several books and manuscripts to include Through Mama’s Eyes: Unique Perspectives of Southern Matriarchy, We were all we had: Transcending Race and forging a Community of Mothers in the Post-Civil Rights Era South, University of Louisiana, Lafayette Press, Co-Editor, Contemporary Debates in Social Justice: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Exploring the Lives of Black and Brown Americans, Telling the Stories of Forgotten Communities: Oral History, Public Memory, and Black Communities in the American South" Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals, Volume 13, Number 2. For more information, Click Marco Vita

The Men’s Breakfast is commemorating its 20-plus years at St. Francis of Assisi, and the current team include Donald Sowell (Coordinator), Glenn Berry, Darryl Johnson, Charles Muse, Frederick V. Roberts, Michael Sowell, William Sowell and Herbert Thomas.

For program information, contact:  stfrancispv@sbcglobal.net.