Leader from Birth to Adulthood: Assata Richards
Luis M. Tamayo
ASRC 3606
10 December 2019
Leader from Birth to Adulthood
My project will focus on the many achievements by a fellow Houstonian, Dr. Assata Richards. She is well known for her work in community organizing on issues such as incarceration, gentrification, inadequate funding of the arts, etc. As a Houstonian myself, I’ve had the privilege to work alongside Dr. Richards in combatting inequitable urban developments in Houston that disproportionately harm women of color. Dr. Richards recently founded the Sankofa Research Institute to help communities (especially Third Ward of Houston) receive the proper knowledge to engage in political conversations. Her work with Project Row Houses has also inspired thousands of young mothers of color to pursue an education, making Dr. Richards a political leader like no other.
Aside from holding various leadership roles in politics, Dr. Assata Richards is a natural leader. She has the gift to manifest herself in unique ways through her exceptional oratorial skills. From working alongside her this past summer, I gained interest in her work with combatting gentrification. Before meeting her, I knew gentrification was a negative consequence of careless development, but I was ignorant as to the actual impacts of it as well any possible solutions. Dr. Assata Richards, through the Sankofa Research Institute, taught me that gentrification can be avoided with the proper care. For instance, she and our newly founded Student Coalition for a Just and Equitable Innovation Corridor worked together to demand Community Benefits Agreements from Rice Management Company, the primary urban developer company in Houston. I believe Dr. Richards’ knowledge on community mobilization came from her daily activities, not all from books. I say this because her work started before earning her formal education.
Dr. Assata Richards’ work continues to shake the world in positive ways. Her demands for urban developers as stated in the final speech in my podcast remind me of the Black Panther Party’s Ten-Point Program. Because of Dr. Richards’ strong character, leadership, and passion, I believe that she will continue to grow her political career, not to gain fame, but to expand the number of people she can help. Just since the summer, I have been able to witness her growing popularity in Houston. I foresee a potential legislator in the making, someone with the heart and the gut to lead communities through the right path. As a future sociologist and a fellow Houstonian, I highly respect and admire Dr. Assata Richards. Her gentle kindness in conjunction with her powerful personality makes Dr. Richards an exceptional Black woman political leader, one that is revolutionizing society’s idea of a political leader.
Works Cited
Asgarian, Roxanna. “The Sisterhood.” The Texas Observer, 2018. https://www.texasobserver.org/the-sisterhood/.
“Assata Richards on Renaming of Dowling Street as Emancipation Boulevard.” Rice Design Alliance, 2017. https://vimeo.com/222428733.
Hixenbaugh, Mike. “Third Ward Leaders Work to Preserve Community’s African American Legacy.” Houston Chronicle, 2019. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Third-Ward-leaders-work-to-preserve-community-s-13530293.php.
Montana, Kelly. “Civics Lessons: An Interview with Assata Richards.” Glasstire, 2013. https://glasstire.com/2013/10/05/civics-lessons-an-interview-with-assata-richards/.
Sargent, Antwaun. “22 Houses Preserve Black History and Culture in Houston.” Vice, 2016. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/jpv9my/22-project-row-houses-art-houston.
“The National Emergency Summit on Gentrification: Synopsis of the Proceedings.” The Institute of the Black World 21st Century, 2019. https://ibw21.org/gentrification/april-2019-national-emergency-summit-on-gentrification-synopsis-of-the-proceedings/.