Yellow Rose of Como

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  • Erica Antoinette Bryant reads to kindergartners at Bowie Primary Friday. Staff photo by Taylor Nye
    Erica Antoinette Bryant reads to kindergartners at Bowie Primary Friday. Staff photo by Taylor Nye
  • Erica Antoinette Bryant is the recipient of the Yellow Rose of Texas award for her work with literacy programs. Staff photo by Taylor Nye
    Erica Antoinette Bryant is the recipient of the Yellow Rose of Texas award for her work with literacy programs. Staff photo by Taylor Nye
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Erica Bryant wins state’s highest women’s award

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HOUSTON — Como native Erica Antoinette Bryant has many irons in the fire. By day, she’s a psychotherapist at a Houston Fortune 500 company. She volunteers with cancer societies, the Barbara Bush literacy foundation, schools, churches, heart health, mental health organizations and disadvantaged youth. She has her own literacy foundation, It Takes A Village, where she hosts reading parties for kids.

Despite her numerous accomplishments, it still came as a surprise for Bryant, 23, when she was notified she had been awarded the Yellow Rose of Texas Award. The highest award a woman in the state of Texas can achieve from the government, the award is named after a slave woman, Emily West, for her role in the defense of the San Jacinto.

“Typically, it’s military,” Bryant said. “For me to be so young and a woman of color, it’s a lot.”

For Bryant, she says she felt a special connection to the award being a woman of color, as the original Yellow Rose was a mixed-race woman. Especially since recipients are usually older in age and Caucasian.

“The statistics on it and who all have received it ... it’s like hey, hi, I’m here!” Bryant laughed. “It’s amazing. … It’s a big deal. I was in disbelief, almost as though it were a mistake. I have read about the accolades of some of the previous recipients and was just in awe of the achievements.”

Bryant isn’t usually someone who participates in charities for the recognition, she says.

“I don’t do this for show; it’s just something I love to do,” she said. “It’s amazing to be acknowledged, and then to read its the highest honor.”

Bryant says she doesn’t know who submitted her for consideration, but regardless, the affirmation is touching.

“Sometimes with being young, it can be hard to see the impact you make in the world,” she said. “I have so many things I want to achieve, and sometimes it feels that there is still so much to be done. To be acknowledged by the governor was just confirmation that I am making a difference and moving in the right direction.”

Bryant’s love for literacy started young, and she used all the resources available to her in small Hopkins County to satisfy her appetite for books.

“I remember during the summer growing up, while all of my friends were excited to go on trips, I could not wait to go to the Sulphur Springs Public Library,” she said. “It was my absolute favorite place to go, and I could not wait until summer started. I am a very big lover of books.”

After attending Como schools, Bryant went on to be named Miss Black America at the Texas Coed pageant in 2017. As the holder of a national title, Bryant became a public figure and engaged in even more community activities.

“It makes me feel more empowered and excited for what is to come in my life and makes me feel more energized to do even more,” she said.

For her work, she has been recognized by Glambitious magazine, Seven:25 magazine and Voyager Houston. In 2019, she was named one of Houston’s businesswomen of the year.

And Bryant is still going strong. As part of It Takes a Village, Bryant reads to children as they dress up according to the theme and participate in the story time, including literary-related games, food and activities. Bryant also says that if she’s trying to convey a theme, such as empowerment, she’ll play songs that fit the theme.

Recently Bryant says she’s been reading the kids “a lot of prince and princess themes,” and she appeared at Bowie Primary on Nov. 22 to read Thanksgiving-themed stories to an audience of kindergarten to third graders.

“For younger kids, I may do something where it can be interactive like call and response. Older kids can do a story where they can follow what’s going on,” Bryant said. “You take them on a journey.”

“I pick things that will convey a good message and uplift kids,” Bryant says. “I’m just a big kid.”

An earlier version of this article stated that the original yellow rose, Emily West, was integral in the battle of the Alamo. In fact, she was integral in the battle of San Jacinto.