Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Walker-Brown.
Hi Brandi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was raised by my grandparents, the late Leon & Alro Hill, in the historic community of 5th Ward in Houston, TX. While we had challenges, I never knew we were poor. My mom and dad had other responsibilities and activities that didn’t allow them to be able to care for me so my grandparents did the best they could with what they had and loved me immensely. I had a very rough childhood – family molestation, rape, father in and out of the system, depression and self-doubt – and the same people I thought would love, encourage and support me (family) were the same ones that betrayed my trust, took my innocence, bullied me and told me I’d never be good at anything other than laying on my back because I was fat, ugly and stupid.
Little did they know for everything they did or said to discourage me, I used it as fuel to prove them wrong. I went on to graduate in the top 5% of my high school graduating class, received a scholarship and attended THE Dillard University in New Orleans, LA, received my Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a 3.813 GPA, married with 4 AMAZING children, have my own catering business (Delish Catering & Events) and am the Executive Director of a Nonprofit here in Houston that serves children of incarcerated parents. God is so AMAZING!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
My grandmother would always drop these pearls of wisdom and would often remind me “to whom much is given, much is required.”. For the longest time, I didn’t understand why I went through so much – why me? I tried to do everything right – obedient, kind, respectful, served others – but things continued to happen to me and I simply could not explain it. Today, I know that what I went through then was not for my benefit but was to be in a position to help others. If I hadn’t gone through the things I experienced as a child, I wouldn’t be able to mentor youth now. If I hadn’t failed at several business ventures, I wouldn’t know what steps I needed to correct to become successful and profitable.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Cherish Our Children Inc GEMS (Gaining Empowerment in Middle School) program’s mission is to help children of incarcerated parents (COIP) develop the skills needed to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration, succeed in school, and achieve fulfilling lives.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Preparing holiday meals and baking with my grandmother and having all the family over for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter. Also, Vacation Bible School in the summers at church.
Contact Info:
- Email: brandiw@cherishourchildren.org
- Website: www.cherishourchildren.org
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/cherishourchildren
- Twitter: Twitter.com/cocigems
