About the Chairman

Russell Houston ‘s background and early life was influenced largely by Bertha Gilkey’s activism in St. Louis public housing and the joint efforts in community development through the Vaughn Tenant Association.

Mr. Houston was born in Mississipi in 1964 in his grandmother’s house which lacked running water. In 1965, Mr. Houston moved to St. Louis with his mother after a dispute between his mother and grandmother. He grew up in the Pruitt-Igoe public housing complex, then later moved to the Cochran. In 1985, Bertha Gilkey, an activist who became a positive influence on Mr. Houston after learning that he had become involved in the drug trade. Under her mentorship, Mr. Houston began assisting her in advocating for better living conditions in public housing.

Mr. Houston became involved in various meetings and projects along side Bertha that were aimed at improving public housing. Bertha belived strongly in tenant participation involving ownership and descision making regarding thier communities, a belief that Mr. Houston still stands by to this day.

Mr. Houston is an advocate not just for better housing but for better education and nutritional programs for the community, especially the youth. A major part of providing better education and nutrition is done by the Elmer Hammond Early Childhood Development Center.

Mr. Houston believes that the Vaughn Tenant Association can and will be a vital part of the Community Development process by providing programs and advocating for better housing conditions, repairs, work, jobs, education and nutrition for the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.