William S. Matthews

Last week, I walked into a space that immediately felt like home.

BakerRipley was pivotal in the early years of my career. It was where I learned so much about community engagement, relationship building and what it really means to do work with communities—not simply for them.

Years later, I returned not as an employee, but as a community leader myself, there to celebrate my good friend, Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas, as she received the Felix Fraga Community Service Award.

That made the moment even more meaningful. I had the privilege of knowing and working alongside Mr. Fraga during my time at BakerRipley, so seeing a friend whose commitment to community I know personally honored in his name felt especially full circle.

It became a bit of an unexpected reunion—hugs and conversations with former colleagues, a great catch-up with BakerRipley President and CEO Claudia Aguirre, and time with my former mentor, Jonita, who helped a much younger William navigate the professional world during those formative years.

It reminded me of something simple: jobs change. Titles change. Organizations evolve. But relationships endure.

Years later, people may not remember every project or meeting, but they remember how you showed up, how you treated them and how you made them feel.

Grateful for the people who poured into me early in my journey—and grateful that the work of building stronger communities continues to bring so many of us back together.

And most of all, congratulations again to my friend Tiffany. Well deserved.

Another Congressional Black Caucus in the books!

I always enjoy making the annual trip to Washington, D.C. for CBC, and this year was no different. There is something energizing about being in a space with leaders from across the country—elected officials, corporate and philanthropic leaders, entrepreneurs and community advocates—sharing ideas and having meaningful conversations about the opportunities and challenges facing our communities.

A couple of personal highlights: having an opportunity to address the audience during Verizon's Harnessing AI for Business Success conversation and discuss how this rapidly evolving technology is impacting business and our communities; and meeting and having a brief one-on-one conversation with Brother Jimmy McMikle, Grand Polemarch of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., during the MLK Leaders of Democracy Luncheon hosted by The Memorial Foundation

But beyond any one event or conversation, I came home reenergized. Some of the best ideas happen when we get outside of our everyday environments, meet new people and bring those conversations back home.

Back in Houston—and back to the work.

What a beautiful evening at the Greater Houston Partnership Soirée: A City Aglow at The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston ✨

Great food, great conversations and so many familiar faces from across our city. A very special thank you to Rice University for the wonderful hospitality and for welcoming my guest and me to your table.

Always a good night when you get to dress up, catch up with old friends, make a few new ones and celebrate the city we call home. Houston looked pretty good Saturday night! 💙✨

Two months ago, three brothers accepted the responsibility of planning our chapter's Leadership & Planning Retreat. Last week, we had the privilege of seeing that vision come to life.

Over two days, brothers traveled from across Texas to Houston for a weekend centered on leadership, strategic planning, brotherhood, and preparing our chapter for the future. Watching months of planning unfold into such a meaningful experience was incredibly rewarding.

I'm especially grateful for my planning teammates, Patrick Udoewa and Len Ross. Thank you for your commitment, countless planning calls, and willingness to do whatever was needed to make this retreat a success.

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing community partners:

Microsoft for hosting us in an incredible space.
Jason's Deli
Original ChopShop

Gimmie Shugar & More LLC
Intelligence


Your generosity helped create an experience our brothers won't soon forget.

One of the highlights of the weekend came at the close of the retreat when the chapter voted unanimously to bring next year's Leadership & Planning Retreat back to Houston and asked our committee to lead the planning once again. My heart is full.

Leadership is service. Service is teamwork. And weekends like this remind me that when people come together with a shared vision, incredible things can happen.

Already looking forward to next year.

❤️🤍 Achievement Through Leadership. Brotherhood. Impact.

💼 Kappa Alpha Psi

One of the things I appreciate most about Houston is our ability to bring the world together.

Today, I had the opportunity to join the FIFA World Cup Houston Host Committee and community partners for "Return to the Pitch," a special event celebrating an unforgettable chapter in Houston's history.

While I didn't make it to one of the matches, stepping onto the very pitch where the world's best competed—and where history was made—was an incredible experience.

Beyond the excitement of the tournament, what stands out most is the collaboration it took to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world. From volunteers and sponsors to public servants, nonprofit leaders, businesses, and community organizations, it was truly a citywide effort.

Thank you to the FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee for the invitation and for helping showcase the very best of our city. For my client and good friend, Pamela, for entertaining my shennanigans.

Here's to the partnerships, memories, and momentum this event leaves behind. Houston continues to prove why it's one of the world's great international cities.

What a wonderful way to celebrate Juneteenth ✊🏾

I had the privilege of attending Congressman Christian D. Menefee ceremonial swearing-in and celebratory brunch at the University of Houston. It was great catching up with longtime friends, making new connections, and celebrating such an important milestone for Congressional District 18 - where I'm a proud resident.

Congressman Menefee gave an inspiring message about leadership, service, and the importance of representation. As someone who has spent much of my career working in government, nonprofits, and community engagement, it meant a great deal to witness another generation of leadership stepping forward.

Although I wasn't able to grab a photo with the Congressman (the line was long!), I was grateful to reconnect with friends, enjoy the celebration, and simply be present for this historic occasion.

✨Seeing another generation of leadership step into public service reminds young people across our community that there is a place for them at the table. ✨

This morning, I had the opportunity to attend the Ribbon Cutting and Public Art Kickoff for the Friends of Columbia Tap enhancement project in Houston's historic Greater Third Ward

As a proud graduate of Leadership Houston Class # # , it was inspiring to see the impact of Leadership Houston Class XLIV as they partnered with community stakeholders to bring this vision to life. The project includes public art installations, beautification efforts, restored infrastructure, fundraising initiatives, and community engagement efforts designed to honor the rich history and culture of the Columbia Tap Trail and the surrounding community.

I was especially proud to be there in support of my business partner, client, and friend, Adam Weaver, along with Jaque Gonzales and the entire Leadership Houston Class XLIV team. Their commitment to servant leadership, collaboration, and community impact was on full display.

I am also proud that The Property Store was able to support this important community initiative as a project donor. Investing in projects that enhance neighborhoods, celebrate local history, and create meaningful public spaces aligns with our commitment to strengthening the communities we serve.

Leadership Houston continues to demonstrate what is possible when leaders from diverse industries come together to tackle meaningful projects that leave a lasting legacy for our city.

Congratulations to Class XLIV on a successful kickoff and for creating an impact that will benefit Houston residents and visitors for years to come.

We wrapped up the school year with our NEXTGEN GENTS graduating seniors during an end-of-year celebration filled with encouragement, reflection, laughter, and a lot of proud moments.

Several of these young men will be first-generation college students this fall, attending schools like Houston Christian University, Texas State University and The University of Texas at Austin — and that is something worth celebrating.

One student told us:

“Because of this program, I wanted to do better in school and be a better example for my younger siblings.”

Another shared how much it meant to consistently see positive male role models showing up and pouring into them.

The future is incredibly bright for these young men. We’re proud of every single one of them.

📲nextgengents.org

Each student received a professional NEXTGEN portfolio as they prepare for interviews, internships, college, and life beyond high school. While it may seem like a simple gift, moments like these build confidence, pride, and preparation.

One of the most meaningful moments of the day was welcoming back two alumni, Sam and Von, who returned to encourage the younger students and speak about their own journeys after graduation. Sam is now attending Texas Southern University and Von is attending Prairie View A&M University while also helping manage our social media presence. Seeing former students come back to pour into the next group reminded us that the mission is bigger than one semester — it’s about building a lasting pipeline of mentorship and leadership

This is why NEXTGEN exists.

Special thanks to our mentors, supporters, alumni, volunteers, and community partners who continue to pour into these young men. The impact is real, and we’re just getting started.

✨Exposure changes trajectories. ✨

Yesterday, I had the privilege of taking 30 high school juniors and seniors from NextGen Gents to Frost for far more than a field trip.

This was about access.

Too many young people are preparing to enter adulthood without ever receiving practical education around budgeting, credit, banking, and money management. While financial literacy is still too often absent from traditional curricula, we are committed to helping fill that gap.

Our young men participated in a financial literacy Jeopardy challenge (and yes—they were fiercely competitive), engaged bank leaders, explored internship pathways, and experienced a professional corporate environment many had never seen firsthand.

A special thank you to Richard Mann for personally spending time with our students, answering thoughtful questions, and modeling leadership in a way that mattered.

And special appreciation to Erika Jones and the entire Frost team for opening your doors, feeding our students, sharing career pathways, and reminding these young men they belong in rooms like these.

This is why mentorship matters.
This is why exposure matters.
This is how pipelines are built.

Proud of our NextGen Gents scholars, and grateful to our board members Ashley Johnson Hill, Alphonso Anderson, and partners who showed up to support them.