Legends and Legacy Community Award

 

Castillo-Hulsey has been involved with Houston’s community advocacy for more than 30 years in the East End and 2nd Ward areas. She is known for her commitment to working toward a better community. She has partnered with diverse organizations, including nonprofits, civic associations, educational institutions, businesses and government, to improve the East End and 2nd Ward. As a founding member of the Oaklawn-Fullerton Civic Association, she has organized community residents and partners with Keep Houston Beautiful to oversee the cleanup and beautification of Eastwood Park. She also worked with the Chamber of Commerce to install murals there. Her efforts helped the area get recognized with a Mayor’s Proud Partner Award. Castillo-Hulsey also has advocated for safer neighborhoods with the local police department’s FAST Team and city officials. Through the partnership, the groups have addressed nuisance activities, shut down drug activity, monitored crime and coordinated cleanup programs. She also has led efforts to establish an early childhood education center, has pushed for the demolition of derelict buildings and nuisance establishments, and was influential in lobbying the city to build a skate park at Eastwood Park. Additionally, Castillo-Hulsey has been instrumental in bringing the Our Neighborhood Produce Program to seniors and families in the community who needed access to fresh foods.

 

Turner has been actively involved with athletes and people with disabilities for over 30 years. She was a walk-on track and cross country athlete at Murray State, which led to her passion to promote inclusion using sports as the platform. She was a wheelchair basketball competition manager for Prince Harry’s second Invictus Games for injured military members, and she represented TIRR Memorial Hermann as a mentor in the U.S. Department of State’s Global Sports Mentoring Program. Her work at TIRR Memorial Hermann, a research and rehabilitation hospital, encourages youth and adults with physical disabilities and helps them find competitive and recreational outlets to play adaptive sports, such as wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, handcycling, wheelchair softball and wheelchair racing. She began her career managing recreation and sports programs and overseeing building facilities for youth and people with physical disabilities. Turner created and managed the city of Houston’s first adaptive sports and recreation programs for youth and adults. She was also a director of athletics for injured military members and for recreation programs linked to the Olympic and Paralympic movement. She is a committed volunteer, having worked at every Paralympic Games for the past 30 years. Through her work, Turner increases public awareness about disabilities and how to be more inclusive.

 

 

 

NCAA Legends and Legacy Community Award honorees will be recognized with an on-court recognition during a Final Four game. The Men’s Final Four will be April 1 and 3 at NRG Stadium in Houston.