User:H. Keyon Gaston

Herron Keyon Gaston is an American social activist, theologian, public intellectual, Ivy league administrator, writer, professor, motivational speaker, life coach, and award-winning author.

Early life and education

Gaston was born at Polk General Hospital in Bartow, Florida, and raised in Haines City, a small town located in Polk County, Florida, to the parents Mary Jasper-Gaston and Moses Gaston. His father is an immigrant from the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia and worked as an engineer. His mother is an educator in the Polk County School System. Gaston is the Senior Pastor and Chief Administrative Officer of Summerfield United Methodist Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Gaston is the first and youngest African- American male pastor in the Church’s 151-year history.

Gaston is a 2005 graduate of Haines City Senior High School, where he served as senior class president and prom king. While in high school, Gaston served as the youth President for the NACCP in Haines City. During this time, Gaston led hundreds of young people to protest racial profiling in the City of Haines City and helped to crackdown on police practices within the Haines City Police Department. At the age of 17, after high school, he matriculated at Florida A&M University through the Honors Program, two years later, Gaston graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Pre-Law Studies. Gaston continued his studies at Florida A&M University and obtained a master’s in public administration and political science. From August 2009- May 2010, Gaston was selected as one of thirteen university students throughout the State of Florida to serve as a Governor’s Fellow. Gaston furthered his education at Yale University, earning a Master of Divinity and a Master of Sacred Theology. Gaston also completed a Doctorate in Psychology and Theology at Andover Newton Theological School, which is now Andover Newton Seminary, an embedded institution within Yale Divinity School, having notably been the first African American to hold the position of Associate Director of Admissions & Recruitment in the history of the Ivy League school. With his efforts to help re-shape and rebrand Yale as a place for those previously disenfranchised by the lack of inclusion and diversity at the academic institute, nearly 35 percent of the present student body at Yale Divinity School is comprised of those from underrepresented groups. During this time, Gaston has also excelled as the founder and the chief executive officer for Herron Gaston Ministries through the Ark of Safety Interdenominational Ministries. [3][4]

Career and Professional Memberships

Gaston started his career as a legislative assistant in the Florida Capitol with several influential policymakers and legislators. In 2008 he was invited to work with Florida Governor Charlie Crist and the U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, his role was supporting in legislation that would allow formally incarcerated persons the right to vote. Subsequently in that same year, Gaston was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist to the Social Status of Men and Boys, helping to curb inner-city violence in the State of Florida. In the same period, he was recruited to serve as the director of canvassing in Tallahassee helping in increasing numbers of young voters for the Obama for President campaign. He previously held the post of a lobbyist for the Public Affairs Consultants, Inc., garnering knowledge in many facets of government as a result, including drafting language for bills, legislative funding and budgeting, and state legislative coordination. Gaston notably served as an Legislative Analyst for the Florida State Department of Corrections, acting as a liaison with the Office of the Governor while overseeing the custody of inmates in state prisons and the supervision of offenders sentenced to probation. Gaston has also worked for several high-powered politicians at the local, state, and national level, including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Bill Nelson, Fredricka Wilson, Al Lawson, and John Lewis.

Gaston has participated in numerous endeavors outside of his professional circles. He has notably contributed to the City of Bridgeport, CT, as a current commissioner of the Office of the Civil Service Commission, a protestant chaplain for the Bridgeport Police Department, a member of the board of advisors for the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, and a member of the board of advisors for Mayor Joseph P. Ganim. He also held the role of founder and director for the Gaston Justice Coalition Group, LLC, a faith-based, non-profit organization comprised of religious, educational and community leaders who hope to address critical issues while reducing violence and incarceration throughout inner cities. Recently profiled in the July 31, 2018 edition of The News Journal, Gaston found success with his written works as well, having authored multiple articles for the Huffington. He is also the author of two award-winning books. In addition to his primary vocation, Gaston remains affiliated with various organizations in relation to his areas of expertise. He had maintained involvement with the Golden Key International Honor Society, the Christian Legal Society, Omicron Delta Kappa and the White and Gold Honors Society of Florida A&M University. He was also associated with the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Phi Sigma Theta, the Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society and, perhaps most proudly, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Moreover, Gaston is a member of the Jonathan Edwards Honors Society. In light of his exceptional undertakings, Gaston has accrued several accolades throughout his impressive career. Described by Dr. Cornel West of Harvard University as “one of the most inspiring and insightful figures of his generation,” he was selected for inclusion in multiple editions of Cambridge Who’s Who. https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Recruiter-opens-Yale-Divinity-School-to-13094106.php

Youth with a Purpose

In 2015 Gaston founded Youth with a Purpose program in association with his colleague Rodrick Spence, the aim of the program is to prepare youth for college and secure internships and employment opportunities. The program has received national recognition by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and Gaston was invited to speak about his program in Congress about how to use the program as a model for other college-preparation programs across the country. [2] Since 2015, Gaston has helped to place hundreds of young people into colleges and universities across the United States and Puerto Rico. These efforts have been recognized by the Connecticut General Assembly, Governor Daniel P. Malloy, and Mayor Joseph P. Ganim of Bridgeport. https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/This-group-helps-teens-stay-away-from-shootings-13664698.php

A CALL TO ACTION

A Call to Action is a nationally acclaimed book that Gaston wrote to address the issue of mass incarceration. Gaston a prominent United Methodist, believes that the United Methodist Church should use its historical work in this area along with its unique reformative connectional system. Gaston asserts that The United Methodist Church is poised to lead in this area because of its creed, structure, and connectional emphasis on mission work, outreach, and methodical steadfastness to deliver and foster justice and the restorative process among former prisoners. The Summerfield United Methodist Church Prison Reentry Model in Bridgeport, Connecticut, was identified as one of the unique prison reentry and restorative justice type programs to further explore this initiative across the State of Connecticut. Using the Summerfield model as a starting point for this project, Gaston invited parishioners to participate in focus group sessions in May 2017. A group of twenty-five parishioners of varying socioeconomic backgrounds volunteered to participate. The main discussion centered on the current prison fellowship ministry and whether members believed that they were making a difference in their own community. This book has implications for the ministerial practice for dealing with those who have transgressed -- and how the United Methodist Church must use its spiritual and connectional resources to reform, redeem, and restore formerly incarcerated individuals back to God and to humanity. Gaston’s work has been recognized by Attorney Michelle Alexander, author of the New Jim Crow. Political and Community Life: In Connecticut, Gaston has been described as one of the most influential civic leaders and a “Hero of the Pulpit.”http://connecticut.news12.com/story/40099990/summerfield-pastor-lauded-for-youth-program-helping-curb-crime Gaston has been a relentless advocate for gun reform and smart gun technology in the State of Connecticut. Gaston blocked and vehemently opposed a local amendment/ordinance in the municipal government known as “Stop and Frisk” that would authorize law enforcement to stop, detain, and arrest suspicious subjects believed to have broken the law. http://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/pastor-gaston-flabbergasted-and-appalled-by-newtons-stop-and-frisk-proposal/ http://www.news12.com/story/39686419/bridgeport-religious-leaders-condemn-stopandfrisk-proposal

Gaston said instead of stopping and detaining the residents of Bridgeport “What is truly needed in this community is a strong investment in educational initiatives, after-school programs, mentoring programs, more funding put into mental health services, working within our school systems to bring in more counselors to help our students and to create opportunity and access for jobs," he says.  In June 2012, Gaston along with the NAACP and its President, Ben Jealous, led several thousand protesters from different groups to march down New York City's Fifth Avenue in protest of the NYPD's policy of stop-and-frisk policing.

In 2013, Gaston led efforts in Florida against the stand your ground law after the assassination of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman. Gaston along with Rev. Al Sharpton, Congressman and Civil Rights legend, John Lewis, and Attorney Benjamin Crump, hosted a sleep-in at the Florida State Capitol. Gaston brought a busload of students from New Haven, Connecticut and Polk County, Florida to protest Martin’s murder and to call for accountability from lawmakers and the Florida Governor. Gaston argued that: “This situation goes far beyond Trayvon Martin -- this law, stand your ground, needs to be looked at very seriously,” said Herron Gaston, a 25-year-old Polk County native and Yale University student. “We want our kids to be safe and to be able to walk down the street without having to feel threatened.” https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3047455/posts

In 2014, Gaston led a delegation of Yale University students to Ferguson, Missouri after the police-involved shooting of Michael Brown. Gaston attended Brown’s funeral, along with Martin Luther King III on August 25th

In 2017, Gaston called for a State’s Attorney investigation into the slaying of 15 year of Jason Negron of Bridgeport, Connecticut who was shot by the police after a traffic stop. Gaston in an Open Letter to the Huffington Post expressed public outrage for the lack of accountability to the public regarding the shooting incident. Gaston says: “As a concerned pastor in the Bridgeport community, our community demand answers into this investigation. While I am fully aware that this investigation is being handled by an outside agency, the wheels of justice must turn more expediently. The family of Mr. Negron and the community deserves a consistent, honest, and transparent response from our governmental leaders.” https://www.huffpost.com/entry/an-open-letter-to-mayor-ganim-the-bridgeport-city_b_5975f823e4b0f1feb89b4515 In 2019, Gaston led an effort demanding accountability from property owners and the local government of Bridgeport, Connecticut after one of his parishioners died due to an elevator outage in his apartment building, servicing seniors. Gaston said: "His death is directly linked to the elevator not functioning in this facility, and it is gross negligence on behalf of the management to not have fixed this," says Gaston. "This man lost his life and he died because this elevator is not working." http://connecticut.news12.com/story/40686550/bridgeport-pastor-senior-with-disabilities-died-because-of-broken-elevator https://fox61.com/2019/06/21/death-of-bridgeport-resident-blamed-on-broken-elevator/

Gaston has had the privilege of being mentored by Martin Luther King Jr. III, former NAACP Presidents Benjamin Jealous and Julian Bond, Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis, Congressman Charlie Christ, Congressman Bill Nelson, Congressman Al Lawson, Congresswoman Fredricka Wilson, Dick Gregory, Jesse Jackson, Reverend Al Sharpton, Harvard University Professor, Cornel West, and Grammy Award Winning Gospel Singer Donnie McClurkin. Gaston is also the close cousin of NFL player, Derwin James, of the Los Angeles Chargers. Political Endorsements: Gaston is a progressive Democrat. He endorsed Bernie Sanders in his 2016 Campaign for U.S. President, then supported Hillary Clinton and served as a field coordinator in Connecticut, after she was nominated by the Democratic Party. Ministers March for Justice On August 28, 2017, Gaston marched with Al Sharpton in Washington D.C. for the Ministers March for Justice leading over 3,000 ministers to protest the policies of President Donald Trump.

References 1.	https://divinity.yale.edu/news/ambassador-justice-interview-herron- gaston 2.	https://divinity.yale.edu/news/leading-faith-yds-people-church-leadership 3.	https://blackchristiannews.com/2018/08/dr-herron-keyon-gaston- diversifies-yale-divinity-school/ 4.	https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Recruiter-opens-Yale-Divinity- School-to-13094106.php