Katy Christian Ministries Hosts Second Annual Superhero Event at City Hall in Katy
This morning, representatives from Katy Christian Ministries, B.A.C.A, first responders, City of Katy officials and other Katy community advocates gathered at City Hall in Katy for KCM's annual Superhero event to help promote awareness of child abuse and sexual assault in our communities. The lawn City Hall was decorated with nearly a dozen large wooden cut-outs of iconic superheroes among a peppered field of wooden pin wheels, each representing child abuse prevention. One group in attendance, representatives from the Cypress chapter of B.A.C.A. (Bikers Against Child Abuse), were far more than just spectators - they were present to receive a well-deserved award for their selfless service to young abuse victims in our community.
Two years ago, Susan Hastings, the previous director of Katy Christian Ministries' Crisis Center, saw a display in support of child abuse prevention month while driving through a small town. Within the display, a banner showcasing the idea that everyone needs a hero stood out to Hastings, but realized that the abused need more than a hero. They need a superhero. Inspired, she reached out to the Ford Leadership Scholars, a Katy ISD high school group that provides leadership opportunities for Texas FFA members. Hastings collaborated with Lauren Sapp, a Katy ISD senior and Ford Leadership Scholar at the time, to make life-size wooden cut-outs and pin wheels in honor of child abuse prevention. She made arrangements with the City of Katy to place the figures on the lawn of City Hall, providing an opportunity for recognition of public servants in the community that have gone above and beyond through victim services in the field of sexual abuse, child abuse and victimization.
Superhero and pin-wheel cut-outs adorn the lawn outside of City Hall in Katy on April 25, 2023."Katy is such a beautiful area and sometimes we hear things on the news but we don’t realize that these things happen in our backyard. It's bringing awareness of the services we provide and other agencies that are dedicated to ending child abuse," said Celina Wells, Katy Christian Ministries' Crisis Center director.
The commemoration began with a meet and greet at 9:00 AM, followed by an award presentation of KCM's Crisis Center 2023 Superhero Recipient to B.A.C.A., whose 26 members are huge supporters of KCM's Crisis Center and young clients. Members of B.A.C.A. provide a unique type of support to children in the community by escorting child victims to court, similarly to an escort provided by a body guard detail. During court cases, they will remain in the courthouse to support the child and help them feel safe, continuing their support after court hearings by staying in touch with the child and their family and inviting them to picnics and events.
Members of the Cypress chapter of B.A.C.A. at KCM's Superhero event held at City Hall in Katy on April 25, 2023.Katy Mayor William H. Thiele was also in attendance, delivering remarks in advance of "Denim Day", an international symbol of the anti-victim-blaming movement that urges all Katy residents to wear jeans on April 26 to help communicate the message that there is "no excuse and there is never an invitation to rape," according to Thiele's proclamation dated April 10, 2023. This same proclamation also provided that April 2023 would be observed as "Sexual Assault Awareness and Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Month," aiming to "call attention to misconceptions and misinformation about rape, sexual assault, and child abuse, and the problem that many in society remain disturbingly uninformed with respect to issues of sexual assault, forcible rape, and child abuse," as stated in the proclamation. Each April, the City of Katy issues a proclamation in support of abuse awareness, citing alarming national statistics on sexual assault and rape. The proclamation can be viewed here.
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Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
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