Book Launch: Return to the Sunlight

"Racism does a dark work on a child." - Author John Wayne Houston

John Wayne Houston's birth coincided with the infamous U.S. Supreme Court ruling of 1954, desegregating schools across America. While it was the beginning of educational freedom for Black families, it was also the beginning of his nightmare.

Sheltered, he did not know what awaited him just six years later as he entered the first grade. Handcuffed by the constant barage of racist threats and the unmistakable reminders to remember his station in life, nothing he ever did was good enough, and it was the trigger that pushed him away from the sunlight and into the darkness of drug and alcohol addiction.

For thirty-six years, he struggled, losing all that mattered, his familly, friendships, and what he had built. However, a glimmer of hope appeared upon the horizon of the next generation, and it was enough light to push him toward what he truly wanted, wholeness, reconciliation, and a second chance to get it right. Today, he is sober, an entrepreneur, a counselor, and a guide, helping others move toward their sunlight. Join us for the unveiling of his remarkable story in his new book Return to the Sunlight.