Viola
Davis spoke powerfully about growing up in poverty as the keynote speaker of
the Attorneys Serving the Community (ASC) luncheon on June 20 at the Hilton
Anatole Hotel to a group of 1,000 attendees. The event benefited the Foundation
for the Education of Young Women (FEYW), a network of public schools that
support single gender, college preparatory education. Specifically, the funds are
supporting an internship program at Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership
School, the first FEYW network school in Dallas, which is celebrating its 10th
anniversary.
Gloria
Campos, former WFAA news anchor and current FEYW board member, served as the
mistress of ceremonies. DeNooyer Stroh, co-chairwoman of the ASC, presented the ASC Friend of
the Community Award to American Airlines, Inc.
 |
| Kim J. Askew (Honorary Chair), Viola Davis, Lynn McBee (FEYW CEO) |
Irma Rangel graduate Karla Guadalupe Garcia Rico told her story of being the
first in her family to attend college. This fall she will attend the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After meeting and touring Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and U.S.
Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson at her school, Rico’s goal is to
run and become U.S. president.
Lynn McBee, CEO of
FEYW, added, “Four of our seven FEYW network schools had graduating
seniors this year. All of them—146 young women—graduated and received more than
$14.6 million in scholarships, and 100% of them are attending a four-year
college or university. Personally, this is the most transformative work I’ve
done, and it’s moving the needle in education by better equipping these young
women for college and leadership positions.”
Campos
introduced Viola Davis. “Viola Davis is best known for her Academy-Award nominated
performances in ‘The Help’ and ‘Doubt,’ as well as her role opposite Julia
Roberts in ‘Eat, Pray, Love.’ Raised in abject poverty, Davis fell in love with
theater early in high school as a form of escape. Her passion and acting talent
enabled her to earn a full scholarship to the Young People’s School of the
Performing Arts, after which she attended the prestigious Juilliard School.
Davis translated her hard work and dedication to success on Broadway, in
television and film and was named one of TIME
Magazine’s ‘most influential people of 2012.’ Her story about going to
college and achieving her dreams is similar to many of the girls in the FEYW
network of schools.”
 |
| Kelli Hinson and Dena DeNooyer Stroh (both ASC co-chairs) with Beverly Goulet (American Airlines) who received the ASC Friend of the Community Award |
Viola
Davis spoke powerfully and sadly about her life amidst poverty, domestic
violence and racism. “I was born in 1965 on a plantation, and my mom was one of
18 children. We moved from the south to Rhode Island where our building was rat
infested. I wore the shame of guilt and poverty like I wore my name.”
At a very young age, Davis threw herself into school and theater as she sought to
be the best and to receive accolades and awards for her performances. “I was an
overachiever and I sought out competition.” Those competitions led to
scholarships and a path different than her parents.
 |
| Irma Rangel students with Viola Davis and Vivian Taylor, Principal of Irma Rangel (far right) |
Davis spoke
directly to the young women in the audience and said, “You have to remember
that failure exists on the same plane as accomplishments, and you have to work
it out. You have to release your fears (of what’s holding you back). It’s okay
to fall and bump, but keep moving.”
Kelli
M. Hinson, co-chair of Attorneys Serving the Community, thanked Viola Davis for
her talk and announced that the FEYW raised more than $400,000 for Irma Rangel
Young Women’s Leadership School’s internship program.
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