Yolanda Adams, DeMeco Ryans Honored at Houston City Hall Black History Month celebration honoring local changemakers

The annual celebration recognized influential Black Houstonians while reflecting on community, leadership and the city’s cultural legacy.

Gospel icon Yolanda Adams joined a powerhouse roster of honorees Thursday (Feb. 19) as Houston City Controller Chris Hollins hosted the city’s annual Black History Month Celebration. Held in the Legacy Room of City Hall, the event transitioned from a civic ceremony into a soulful tribute to the city’s cultural and professional pillars.

The event honored a slate of Black Houstonians whose influence spans music, education, sports, aviation, and community leadership. But it was Adams, Houston’s own Grammy Award-winning gospel legend, who ultimately framed the spirit of the morning.

Adams anchored the program, linking her personal history to the city’s leadership. She noted the full-circle moment of being honored by Hollins, whose family members were her high school classmates at Ross Shaw Sterling High.

Before accepting her honor, Adams reflected not on accolades, but on obedience.

“My life is so amazing,” she told the crowd. “It’s a collection of all the yeses that I gave. I told God yes.”

The moment landed with quiet reverence among an audience filled with elected officials, educators, civic leaders, and community members gathered to celebrate the enduring impact of Black leadership on Houston’s identity as a global city.

A hometown full-circle moment

Adams’s remarks carried the intimacy of a family reunion. She spoke about growing up in Houston and building lifelong relationships that would unexpectedly circle back decades later.

She laughed through tears, recalling that the nephew of former classmates was now honoring her at City Hall — a reminder, she said, of how deeply interconnected Houston’s Black community remains across generations.

“I am so grateful for Houston,” Adams said. “Every aspect of Houston.”

Her gratitude extended to mentors and cultural elders who invested in her long before international recognition arrived — people who affirmed young talent and encouraged self-expression through music, sports, finance, or any calling placed before them.

“They gave young people a chance to have their own voices,” she said. “To let them know there is nothing wrong with them.”

Moments later, Adams did what only Yolanda Adams can do: she sang.

Her rendition of “To God Be the Glory” turned the ceremony into worship, drawing applause and emotional reactions across the room and briefly dissolving the line between civic recognition and spiritual testimony.

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Black history as living history

Earlier in the program, Controller Chris Hollins framed the celebration as more than a ceremony, calling it an intentional act of remembrance at a time when Black history continues to face political and cultural challenges nationwide.

“Today is not only a celebration,” Hollins said. “It is an act

Others individuals honored at the event included Rice University President Reginald DesRoches, Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and his wife, Jamila Ryans, and United Airlines pilots Jamil and Jalal Paul. There was also a tribute to the late Congressman Sylvester Turner, who previously served as Houston’s mayor before being elected to Congress to finish out the term of the late Sheila Jackson-Lee.

The event featured performances by artists from Texas Southern University and violinist Michael Prince, highlighting the city’s investment in the arts.

“History is alive,” Hollins concluded. “It’s written by ordinary people who choose to help others, to uplift, and to lead by example.”

Mayor John Whitmire also addressed the crowd, reflecting on his 1972 election in Independent Heights. He credited the African American community for launching his career as a 22-year-old student, stating, “I’ve never forgotten the unity, the equality, and the inclusion that Independent Heights taught me.”

See a recap of the event below.

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