Our Story...
COFOUNDERS OF TAPESTRY OF HOPE
Renee Dormois Sullins (Executive Director) & Gayland Alexander Johnson (President)
Many years ago, two young teens were part of a Science Magnet Program at Milby High School - an inner-city public school in Houston, Texas. Renee, grew up in a stable, middle-class home nearby; Gayland, grew up in a single-parent home with a disabled mother and lived far from the campus. Both had the desire to become Petrochemical Engineers. They took all their classes together for 3 years, but were merely acquaintances.
Gayland went on to graduate from Prairie View A&M in Chemical Engineering, and Renee graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Sociology.
They never saw each other after high school graduation.
Until 25 years later...
The two reunited under very unusual circumstances (Divine Providence, they'd say) and realized they had the same vision and passion to help the underserved. They quickly decided to join forces and start a nonprofit organization. They called it Tapestry of Hope.
As their lives had now formed an unusual "tapestry", they planned to weave a tapestry (or network) of people and resources to help their students to succeed.
Renee initially started mentoring at their old high school, Milby, in 2007. Over the next five years, she additionally served students at many area public and charter schools. Gayland, although working full-time as an engineer, mentored as many students as possible in her limited free time.
Renee moved from the Houston metropolitan area in 2012 and began the process of mentoring students in multiple rural counties - as well as keeping up with their Houston mentees and the college students (whom she'd also helped during their high school years).
We want to help remove any obstacles or limitations, especially any self-doubt that they may have in pursing their education...We strive to help students to fulfill their dreams and hope they will pay it forward someday to their younger siblings as well as their communities. Currently, most students are referred by current mentees, friends, school faculty, and volunteers from other community organizations.
Renee Dormois Sullins (Executive Director) & Gayland Alexander Johnson (President)
Many years ago, two young teens were part of a Science Magnet Program at Milby High School - an inner-city public school in Houston, Texas. Renee, grew up in a stable, middle-class home nearby; Gayland, grew up in a single-parent home with a disabled mother and lived far from the campus. Both had the desire to become Petrochemical Engineers. They took all their classes together for 3 years, but were merely acquaintances.
Gayland went on to graduate from Prairie View A&M in Chemical Engineering, and Renee graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.S. in Sociology.
They never saw each other after high school graduation.
Until 25 years later...
The two reunited under very unusual circumstances (Divine Providence, they'd say) and realized they had the same vision and passion to help the underserved. They quickly decided to join forces and start a nonprofit organization. They called it Tapestry of Hope.
As their lives had now formed an unusual "tapestry", they planned to weave a tapestry (or network) of people and resources to help their students to succeed.
Renee initially started mentoring at their old high school, Milby, in 2007. Over the next five years, she additionally served students at many area public and charter schools. Gayland, although working full-time as an engineer, mentored as many students as possible in her limited free time.
Renee moved from the Houston metropolitan area in 2012 and began the process of mentoring students in multiple rural counties - as well as keeping up with their Houston mentees and the college students (whom she'd also helped during their high school years).
We want to help remove any obstacles or limitations, especially any self-doubt that they may have in pursing their education...We strive to help students to fulfill their dreams and hope they will pay it forward someday to their younger siblings as well as their communities. Currently, most students are referred by current mentees, friends, school faculty, and volunteers from other community organizations.
