Presented by Comcast to honor community volunteers during Black History Month
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston is proud to recognize board member Grady Prestage, Fort Bend County Commissioner, as one of the winners of the Mayor’s History Maker Awards celebrating Black History Month. Presented by Comcast, this year’s awards honored eight community volunteers who have dedicated their lives to serving the public and contributed to making the Houston area community stronger and more resilient, according to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner.
The 2021 History Makers Award recipients will be celebrated through a series of vignettes that will be featured on Comcast’s social media platforms during the month of February. Comcast will also donate $1,000 to the nonprofit organization of each honoree’s choice.
“We nominated our board member Grady Prestage for this award because of his tireless work on behalf of the children and families in Fort Bend County,” says Kevin Hattery, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. “Grady has been a champion for Boys & Girls Clubs in Fort Bend County for two decades and played a central role in the establishment the Fort Bend Club, Stafford Club and most recently, the Mission Bend Club. The result is tens of thousands of Fort Bend County youth realizing their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.”
“The Mayor’s History Makers Awards give us an opportunity to recognize those who have played a vital role in positive change in their communities while celebrating the diversity of this great city,” said Ralph Martinez, senior vice president for Comcast’s Houston region. “Although we are unable to meet in-person this year, we feel it is important to continue the tradition of recognizing these community volunteers.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston will actively promote and celebrate Black History Month in all of its clubs in a five-county area, including Fort Bend County. Club members, under the guidance of youth development staff, will read books, watch films, write essays and poems and create art to bring awareness to the important contributions of Black people throughout history.
Last summer, in the wake of racial tension and unrest around the country, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater implemented a teen social justice initiative called Be the Change You Want 2 See. The objective of the initiative is to amplify youth voices and activism through critical and intentional conversations, artistic expression town halls and service learning projects.
History Maker honorees were judged on criteria that included their personal impact in the community, helping further the mission of a nonprofit organization and overcoming personal obstacles. Judges for the awards include Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris County; Shannon LaNier, CW39 Anchor and Blogger; Daddy Duty 365; Khambrel Marshall, Meteorologist, KPRC-TV; Francis Paige, Jr., Publisher, Houston Style Magazine; Edward Pollard, Houston City Council Member, District J; and Dr. Ruth Simmons, President, Prairie View A&M University.
To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, please visit www.bgcgh.org.