Tre and Shawn Owens-Lemons met in the mid-1990s, during the height of the Black rom-com era.
Today, their love story includes a Love Jones for Texas Southern University, their alma mater; Poetic Justice through community advocacy and entrepreneurship; and a House Party feel, with their two daughters, Payton and Camera, carrying the family’s tradition of volunteerism. The Third Ward-proud couple also believes in the Boomerang effect: The good they put into their community eventually comes back around.
For the Lemons, community service is not something they do from a distance.
“We work here, we play here, we stay here. So, any improvements benefit us as well. The happier people are in Third Ward, the
Tre Lemons
happier we are.”
“We work here, we play here, we stay here,” Tre said. “So, any improvements benefit us as well. The happier people are in Third Ward, the happier we are.”
Serving where they live
Shawn works for the Emancipation Economic Development Council (EEDC) alongside Executive Director Alicia Neal. EEDC is a community-driven nonprofit focused on the equitable revitalization and cultural preservation of Historic Third Ward.
The organization supports community events, including National Night Out at Emancipation Park, as well as entrepreneurship and small businesses. Among EEDC’s entrepreneurial initiatives are four incubator spaces developed in collaboration with Project Row Houses: Third Ward Blooms, Come Bee Well, Back to Naturel, and Piano Vibes.
With EEDC essentially operating as a two-person organization, collaboration and volunteers are essential.
“We’re always looking for more volunteers,” said Shawn.
Meanwhile, Tre takes pride in offering multiple avenues for community service without holding titles. He sits on the advisory board for Friends of Columbia Tap, serves on the Houston Food Bank’s advocacy council, and supports organizations including Harlem River Farms, Manna House Food Pantry, and the Live Oak Farmers Market.
“I just do whatever I can to improve my community,” he said.
Delivering food equity
The couple’s community work eventually led to Electric Eats, an initiative designed to address a simple but significant problem: Sometimes people who need food cannot get to where the food is.
Tre was already working with Third Ward food pantries when the couple recognized the transportation barrier facing some residents.
“There were many people who couldn’t get to the pantries,” stated Shawn. “Many people have mobility issues. They’re grandparents taking care of grandchildren. They just don’t have a car. And if they do, they can’t afford to put gas in it.”
Even when residents live only a few blocks from a pantry, Shawn said, that distance can become a major obstacle for someone caring for children, dealing with illness, or living without reliable transportation.
“You have 50, 60 pounds worth of canned goods and groceries, you just can’t carry them,” he said.
Electric Eats uses electric bicycles to transport groceries from pantries directly to residents.
“I want to give a huge thanks to Evolve Houston,” said Shawn, noting that the organization provided grant funding and that Electric Eats is now in its third round of funding.
The need remains substantial.
“We’re talking about people who have worked all of their lives, and still need support,” Shawn said.
Tre described Electric Eats as one of his most fulfilling community activities.
“It’s a very thankful job,” he said. “Unfortunately, there is no shortage of demand.”
Community is family
Tre’s work with the Houston Food Bank reflects the same philosophy.
“My work with the Houston Food Bank is just a way for me to try and ensure that Third Ward, especially, has equitable, fair access to the food,” he said.
Tre’s not only a member of Friends of Columbia Tap but also uses the trail daily.
“The Columbia Tap Trail is a prominent artery that I use to deliver food in the neighborhood,” he said.
For the Lemons, this is more than volunteerism.
“We are the community that we serve,” said Shawn. “We don’t have to leave outside Third Ward because we are both servant and benefactor. If you’re hungry, I’m hungry.”
That philosophy is something they have passed to their daughters.
Tre recalled advice from Shawn’s father, Hawkins Owens Jr: “Either feed the wolves or be eaten by the wolves.”
“And it’s just easier to feed the wolves,” shared Tre. “Not only that, if you’re hungry, I’m in danger. We instill this in our daughters, too.”
Partners in life and service
Shawn admires Tre’s commitment to family and his affinity for the elderly.
“He has an affinity and a respect for elderly people, and patience,” she said. “We can be in the grocery store, and I’ll see him somewhere sitting down, talking to an old man.”
Tre, meanwhile, describes Shawn as the feminine side of himself.
“It’s like we’ve been together so long and we still enjoy each other’s company,” he said. “We still can laugh and shoot the sh*t.”
Their differences add to the partnership. Shawn is a foodie who enjoys restaurants such as Gloria’s, located on Louisiana. Tre prefers eating simply for energy but makes a point of supporting Black-owned businesses, including Cream Burger and Farmer’s Fresh Meat Market.
“Shout out to Cream Burger,” Tre said. “I really try to make a conscious decision to eat at Black-owned businesses as much as possible.”
A life of thanksgiving
At the center of the Lemons’ work is gratitude.
“I try to be conscientious of saying ‘Thank you’ to the universe every day, good and bad,” said Tre.
For Shawn, gratitude is inseparable from relationships.
“‘Thank you’ is probably the only prayer that I really know,” she said, before also offering wise words from her father. “The two most important things in the world are number one, people, and number two, your relationships with people.
“It’s about people. It’s about people. It’s about people.”
For the Lemons, that philosophy has become both a way of life and a blueprint for community action: Feed people. Support people. Build relationships. And make the place you call home better for everybody who calls it home.
