ABOUT OUR VISIONARY AND CREATOR

La’Voshea Deon Hendry was the Executive Administrative Assistant of formerly known

non-profit No More Victims, Inc. where she operated and performed in the roles of a

digital and graphic designer, communications specialist, national spokesperson for the

organization, and overall assistant to the CEO. She is also considered a Legend Family

Member and Veteran in the program that was at one time merged with Cherish our

Children Inc., Admist the resolve of that connection, NMVI has since partnered with

Launchpoint Inc. and is now birthing the next generation known as “Legends and Legacy Houston”

in which La’Voshea will be the Historian in addition to her previously held titles. La’Voshea attended and graduated from the School District formerly known as North Forest ISD. After experiencing the trauma of parental incarceration La’Voshea developed an early interest in learning how to become a survivor of immeasurable pain versus remaining a victim of circumstance, and pressure.

​

In 2005, she joined No More Victims Inc., an Advocacy Agency for Newborns and Children of Incarcerated Parents (NMVI). Where she is currently celebrating her 17th year anniversary with the program. NMV; helped create, mold and foster her willingness to choose to heal over the hurt, in addition to redirecting not only her physical focus but the mental and emotional intellect as well.

​

La’Voshea has defined and is the meaning of survivorship. At the age of 15, she was diagnosed with several medical conditions; some of which the doctors deemed “treatable not curable”. Soon after starting her college journey, La’Voshea was diagnosed with a blood disorder that not only derailed her health but yielded her timeline for the success that she had dreamed about. In August 2015, LaVoshea re-enrolled in college and excelled beyond her imagination. She obtained and maintained a GPA of 3.0 and greater, which also afforded her the opportunity to be a member of The National Society of Leadership and Success for Houston Community College where she was proudly and humbly inducted in December 2016.

​

La’Voshea has participated, been featured, and has spoken at multiple statewide and national conferences including channel Fox 26 “Houston with Damalia Keith in July 2012, New York Times “Out of Prison, back to Houston” in November 2007, and Change Makers Pilot by Black Celebrity Giving Inc. in January 2013. La’Voshea also participated in the National Day of Remembrance 2016 at Houston’s City Hall where she had the opportunity to read the names of the victims lost in addition to being interviewed by KPRC Channel 2 and ABC 13. La’Voshea was named the Houston Random Acts of Kindness Humanitarian Award Recipient of 2017, and the Social Good in Actions Honoree for Woman of Empowerment for the year 2018 and 2019. Isiah Carey Factory: Uncensored, and Houston Media Sources Demolishing Domestic Violence TV Show in January 2020

Currently, La’Voshea is still adding definition to the term “fighting the odds” daily. Her diagnosis of Type II Von Willie Brands Disease, Type III Hemophilia, Tachycardia, Anemia, IBD, IBS, Sickle Cell SS, dealing with GI system that has lost total functionality and 79 other active diagnosis are only SOME of her daily trials. After having ileostomy surgery for her descending bowel and having her complete large colon removed, her daily prayer has been that her physical ability can eventually match her mental and spiritual will and drive to be the testament of “bent not broken.”

​

On February 21st, 2019, La’Voshea was placed on hospice for gastroparesis and malnutrition a condition also known as the “dumping syndrome”. On March 01st, 2019 she received congressional awards to commend her survival and acknowledge her strength in addition to a city proclamation from Mayor Sylvester Turner to commemorate March 1st as “Deon Strong Day” in the City of Houston.

​

In May 2019, State Representative Jarvis Johnson stood at the State Capitol and passed a bill in her honor to commemorate the fight, struggle, and survivorship of this journey.

​

In the past year La’Voshea has been featured in the City of Houston’s Body Positivity Campaign, in addition to supporting and encouraging future humanitarians to leave their footprints along the path for future generations to come. She is continuing her advocacy work in the midst of recently surviving 3 heart attacks in December 2020, as well as concurring the most recent diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure stage II.

 

La'Voshea, currently sits on the board of the Iyannah Mitchell Foundation: Helping Families Fight Sickle Cell. She was also named one of the first to be inducted into the foundations Hall of Fame, and 2021 Humanitarian of the year.

​

La’Voshea, is mentoring and guiding children who have Sickle Cell Disease, and any other blood disorders to make sure that have a easy transition from pediatric to adult health care without any fears.

​

La’Voshea’s internal motivational stance is to advocate for not only children of incarcerated parents, and domestic violence survivors but for the population that makes up the hurting children and young  adults of America. It is her hope to be the example and exhibit that because your parents are incarcerated or if you are facing a medical element that you don’t have to choose anything less than survival. You can choose daily to be the light in every dark situation that life tries to overwhelm and consume you with. You are your own validation, and you matter.

​

In commemoration of her daily fight La'Voshea has created the "Deon Strong" and "Hope on Hospice" campaign to shed light on her ultimate goal in life which is to encourage others to not only be an advocate but an ambassador for change. Every day of La'Voshea's life has been a fight since the day she entered this world and DESPITE the odds she has WON, BEAT, and CONQUERED, more stuff in one lifetime that some people only wish to overcome in a few. La'Voshea has experienced and survived infant loss, domestic violence, parental incarceration, surgeries, paralysis, organ failure, divorce, homelessness, mental, verbal, emotional, financial, and sexual abuse and that is only to name a few. When you look at support provided for people who are in her position resources are very limited. You either have to be a pediatric patient or a geriatric patient to be supported on this journey through hospice. There is no support offered to people who unfortunately fall in the middle of those two categories.

​

La’Voshea is a Certified Anger Resolution Therapist. Her continued testament throughout this journey has been to be known as the modern-day Harriet Tubman for millennials. She has publicly stated in multiple interviews “if I have to die, I’m going to do it my way and save as many as I can along the way”, and she has boldly and firmly stood on that principal. Social Sororities such as Nu Omega Psi have reached out to La’Voshea in interest of her becoming a member due to the advocacy work that they have had privilege to witness both directly and indirectly. She is also a proud member of Sigma Alpha Pi since December 2016.

​

La’Voshea has created a conference designed to promote TOTAL wellness, health and healing. The panels at this conference will be named after the authentic pieces of the chess board under the concept “Life is like a gameboard, that represents the battlefield upon which the pieces (WE) fight on”.

​

The “Life Support Conference” design is made up to address all illnesses, both hidden and visible. Its structure is built on encouraging all persons regardless of age, ethnicity or background to operate in total health alignment. (Physical, Mental, Spiritual, and Emotional). It is also created to bring awareness that health challenges aren’t just physical but also environment induced as well.  The “LSC” is inspired and named after La’Voshea having been put on life support and being admitted into At-Home Hospice Care multiple times since February 2019. It wasn’t until after La’Voshea  came home that she realized there was no support after life support that she decided to create a lane for people whose survival story mirrored hers in a world where highways were already built and established. The conference is set to be produced in the year 2023.

​

La'Voshea's daily mission is to pioneer and create a highway for people who mirror her in a world where humanity, and society forgot that people much like her existed and needed a pathway as well. In her most recent interview La'Voshea was asked if she could tell the world one thing what would it be, and she responded by saying "Since you didn't want to see me sitting at the table, now I'm going to stand up and make the WHOLE table not just see me but hear US"