Born in 1976 in Fort Worth, TX to a 16-year-old single mother, Damon Dunn grew up in dire poverty; living in a three-bedroom trailer with ten people. Damon grew up hunting and fishing as means to provide food, and wore Salvation Army clothes. From these humble beginnings, Damon learned the value - and the rewards-of hard work, which he has demonstrated throughout his life.

In high school, Damon was an honor student and earned recognition as a Texas All-State Football player. On these merits he was awarded a scholarship to Stanford University.  At Stanford, Damon had a record setting college football career, ran track and earned many academic and athletic awards, including the NCAA Academic Scholarship, All-PAC 10 Honors and Academic All-Pac 10 Honors, and the NFL and College Hall of Fame Award.  Upon graduation, Damon played in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys. Damon had the privilege to play under and be mentored by coaching legends such as Bill Walsh, Bill Parcells, Tyrone Willingham and Tom Coughlin.

Despite these achievements, Damon has never forgotten what it is like to go to sleep hungry and wake with a sense of hopelessness. This is why Damon has committed himself to serve others; to show them there is another way and to help them find it for themselves.

While at Stanford University, Damon served as Executive Director of the East Palo Alto Stanford Summer Academy, which provided tutoring and mentorship to underprivileged Latino and African American students from East Palo Alto, California. In recognition of his work at the Academy and elsewhere in the community, Damon received the James W. Lyons Award and JE Wallace Sterling Book Award given to students who demonstrated outstanding service to the greater Stanford community.

In the NFL, Damon worked with the Make-a-Wish Foundation to visit kids with terminal illnesses. He started the Fighting Giants Ministry that ministers to children with life-changing injuries. He also worked with St. Augustine Soup Kitchen, the Cops-N-Kids program and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

Damon has volunteered in Santa Ana elementary schools implementing the Latino Educational Attainment Initiative (LEA). The purpose of the LEA is to help Latino parents become more effective advocates for their children, particularly as it relates to their education.

During his undergraduate days at Stanford, Damon served as associate pastor at Jerusalem Baptist Church where he managed the children's and youth ministries. Since his time at Stanford and the NFL, Damon has started the Joshua Project, a leadership development ministry that mentors aspiring young Christian leaders.

Damon has served as president of his local Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) chapter and has spoken nationally at FCA events.

Upon retiring from the NFL in 2002, Damon co-founded a successful real estate firm with holdings across the country.

From this national perspective, he saw how certain governmental entities aided individuals and entrepreneurs to meet their full potential while protecting the environment whereas others did not.

He saw how the communities that provided the best education opportunities and kept its people safe, were those that had thriving business communities with well paid jobs. 

In contrast, he saw how the California business environment was choking innovation and the potential of the entrepreneur, the two characteristics which had made California great in the first place.

In 2009-2010 Damon ran for the office of Secretary of State in California.

 

There was an election to replace Jane Harman in the 36th Congressional District that took place on Tuesday, May 17th.  This is a district that is 45% Democrat Party registration and 27% Republican Party registration.  Republicans are outnumbered in the district by almost 2:1.

There were three Democrats, six Republicans, and 4 other party candidates running in the race.  Because of Prop.14 where there are no party primaries, but instead there is a general election with a top-two runoff, everyone thought that the top two would be both Democrats, Janice Hahn, former City Councilwoman, and Debra Bowen, California Secretary of State.  Well, surprisingly to a lot of people, It wasn't Hahn and Bowen in the top two, it was Hahn and Huey.  Right.  Republican Craig Huey came in second place in a heavily Democrat registration district.  There was only a 15% voter turnout in this race.

Now all Republicans must rally behind Craig and see that he gets elected in the July 12th runoff election.  We will be sending volunteers from SFVRC to the Huey campaign to walk precincts and make phone calls.  If you would like to volunteer to work to get Craig Huey elected to Congress, please contact Merlin Froyd at merlinfroyd@gmail.com.  Visit Craig's website at:  http://www.craighuey.com/

 

LA Community College Board of Trustees

Please send an email to our Vice President, Merlin Froyd, atmerlinfroyd@gmail.com  letting him know of your interest in serving on one of the following committees or sub-committees.  The committees are where the activity and work takes place.  Please pick a committee or sub-committee and let Merlin know which one.
   

2)         Public Relations Committee.  Sub-committees of the Public Relations Committee are: Media Sub-Committee, Speakers Bureau Sub-Committee, Membership Sub-Committee and Legislative Sub-Committee.  The Chairman of the Public Relations Committee shall be responsible for the appointment of members of the Sub-committees and for the appointment of Chairmen of the Sub-committees. 

 

 
There are several events occurring during the next few weeks.  Be sure and check the calendar to find out when and where.