The National Urban League Convention recently held its Community & Family Day at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The event consisted of many opportunities to engage families and encourage them to build upon what was important to them.
One of the largest consumer information companies in the world, Experian, was on hand informing families about their Be A Legacy Leader Initiative. This program aims at educating young Americans about money and credit.
“Experian hopes to ensure that we’re normalizing and modernizing the conversation about credit and money, as it’s not something that we do every day at the kitchen table, at a birthday party, or holidays,” said Experian spokesman Raudy Perez.
The expo also gave away free school supplies and hosted a college fair with over 60 colleges for students to gain insightful information while choosing their next education destination.
Latasha Gentry brought her daughter Joy Gentry.
“I saw online that there was going to be a lot of information on different colleges, scholarships and financial aid, so I wanted to bring her so she could have the exposure to these schools,” said Latasha.
Joy Gentry, a sophomore at Morton Ranch High School in Katy ISD, was amazed at the information she received. After graduating from high school she plans to attend Howard University and major in engineering.
“I chose engineering because I like creating things and I want to bring something different to the world while making a difference,” said Joy.
Sharon Arceneaux also brought her daughter and her daughter’s friend, who are both in the sixth grade, to learn about the college process.
“I like to start young so that they can start planting the seeds to think about where they’re going to go in the future,” said Arceneaux.
Health screenings were conducted and The Bougie Grazer, based out of Atlanta, was on hand to inform attendees about charcuterie workshops and the importance of eating healthy.
“I teach all things about grazing and the importance of grazing, the importance of light bites, and healthy eating. We like to put snacks on fruits and vegetables, and make fruit trays which we consider edible art,” said The Bougie Grazer owner, Shandra Turner. “Instead of fast food, you can find healthy choices in the grocery store: strawberries, blackberries, blueberries. Pair those with cheese and crackers and just have healthier snacking versus a 500 or 600-calorie burger.”
The event was packed with vendors, hoping to build their clientele while networking with other minority business owners.
“This is a unique and sometimes challenging time for a small business owner. An event like this gives small businesses an opportunity to showcase their work and connect with other possible clients. I’m just grateful for what the National Urban League is doing, empowering our community to keep the green in the Black,” said Juanita Rasmus.
The National Urban League also had an expungement clinic where community members could receive legal advice and have their criminal records looked into and removed on-site.
“The legal clinic is comprised of 48 legal representatives, and we also have 20 nonprofit resource vendors here,” said Carmela Walker, the legal clinic representative. “This is all in support of the community. We realize that we’re the third-largest state in the country with the largest incarceration rate, so it’s important for our community, especially those who are of the Black and Brown community, to understand what the resources are, and also what’s at their disposal so that they can be able to operate without collateral consequences.”
