With a $35,000 donation from Grammy-award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion’s nonprofit organization and the help of 50-plus volunteers, Harris County Precinct One wrapped up renovations today at the Finnigan Youth Education Town (YET), which included improving rooms for meditation activities, literacy, technology and fine arts.
Megan Thee Stallion’s Pete & Thomas Foundation, which honors her parents, also brought 50 volunteers who she calls “hotties” to the Fifth Ward community center to help with the renovations, which included painting, carpeting, new furniture, Apple products (MacBooks), state-of-the-art podcasting hardware and software, as well as selected “banned” books.
“I want to personally thank Megan Thee Stallion and her foundation for the generous support that will help us advance our mission to provide every child with activities and experiences that nurture their body and mind, foster healthy behaviors, and help them develop essential life skills,” Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis said. “In particular, I’m extremely thankful for her contributions to improvements to the Literacy Room, which includes new banned books and space for meditation. As the right to read is under attack in Texas, which includes banning books and eliminating libraries in HISD, kids need safe spaces and robust access to literature.”
Also, Commissioner Ellis proclaimed Thursday as “Megan Thee Stallion Day.”
“. . . Harris County Precinct One invests in and champions causes Megan Thee Stallion is in solidarity with – from pointed programming at our community centers for children and seniors to implementing alternative responses to policing and investing millions in reducing maternal mortality rates that disproportionately affect Black women,” the proclamation reads. “We salute her unwavering love for the people of Houston and Harris County and mirror that deep commitment and investment.”
The YET, along with the precinct’s Lincoln Community Center in Acres Homes, serves 5,000-plus children, teens, young adults and seniors annually.
The two centers offer free year-round, out-of-school enrichment programming to caretakers and their children from underserved and vulnerable communities. Programs are constructed with a well-rounded focus on recreational, educational, and social-emotional development.
At the YET, the Pete & Thomas Foundation funded renovations to the Literacy Room that addresses literacy loss and regression through hands-on tutoring and curricula by partner organizations like the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools. Before the renovations, YET’s hundreds of books were inaccessible because of the lack of bookshelves.
In addition, the Literacy Room now includes meditation space for a serene, quiet and peaceful atmosphere where youth can take a brief retreat for meditation or reflection. Many who experience anxiety, frustration or uneasiness will benefit from a place to regroup. This also aligns with Megan Thee Stallion’s initiatives on addressing anxiety and stress.
Another improved room is the Technology and Computer Lab. The old computers, while functional, were outdated. The lab now has functional equipment that is relevant to today’s world, including tablets, game consoles (with educational programs), STEM Kits and more. Most of the children served do not have access to this technology.
Finally, the Fine Arts Studio, originally built for audio and video recording, was improved to help keep up with advancements in recording technology. This project aligns with Megan Thee Stallion’s path to create art through music.
“Precinct One strives to provide holistic programs that aim to address social determinants of health and assist with any learning loss or gaps as result of issues of area schools,” Commissioner Ellis said. “These improvements will better the lives of underserved youth in the Fifth Ward community.”
PHOTO:
Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, center, smiles as Reese Norman, 9, left, and Kimorre Miles, 9, hold books at the Finnigan Youth Education Town’s renovated Literacy Room, thanks to a $35,000 donation from Megan Thee Stallion’s nonprofit Pete & Thomas Foundation.