Major: English (Creative Writing)

Minor: African and African American Studies

Residential College: Sid Richardson College

Hey y’all! I’m Avalon. I’m a senior from Fourth Ward, Houston, studying Creative Writing and AAAS, on the pre-grad track. I’m an artist and writer passionate about Black history and Black visual culture. I first became involved with the CCL my freshman year through HART (Houston Action Research Team), where I researched the history of Freedmen’s Town, Houston’s first Black historic district, located in Fourth Ward. After my semester with HART, I spent my summer interning at the Lawndale Art Center through LRME (Leadership Rice Mentorship Experience), where I initiated a Houston artist archival project and led The Big Slide Show, which was a series of artist talks featuring contributors from The Big Show, Lawndale’s annual juried exhibition. After LRME, during my sophomore year, I became an America Reads mentor and a 2024 Loewenstern fellow that summer. Through Loewenstern, I interned at Azadi, a survivor-led, community-oriented nonprofit organization based on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, that focuses on anti-human trafficking efforts. I served as Azadi’s Arts Community Leader and curated their annual Ethical Storytelling Project. The CCL has provided me with many fundamental opportunities to grow as a researcher, artist, and community leader. As a CCL Ambassador, I look forward to helping my peers learn about the research and civic engagement opportunities available to them.