When Dallas CASA was established in 1979 as one of three pilot programs in the country, Kathleen LaValle was in SMU’s Dedman School of Law and Dallas had no such thing as an “arts district.” On Wednesday, October 4, Kathleen, who is CEO of Dallas CASA, was taking in a bird’s eye view of the Dallas Arts District thanks to Champion of Children Award Dinner Co-Chair Retta A. Miller and her Co-Chairs Stephanie and David Krahe and Megan and Tom Sterquell hosting the patron party at Retta’s Jackson Walker firm on the sixth floor of 2323 Ross Avenue. In addition to learning updates for the fundraiser dinner at The Fairmont Dallas on Thursday, October 12, it was also an opportunity to learn about this year’s honoree Francois Reihani, the founder of Dallas-based La La Land Kind Café. Here’s a report from the field:
Dallas CASA’s Champion of Children patron party brought Dallas CASA’s supporters together overlooking epic views of downtown as the sun set.
Champion of Children Co-Chair Retta A. Miller hosted the event at her law firm, Jackson Walker, along with Co-Chairs Stephanie and David Krahe and Megan and Tom Sterquell. Champion of Children Honorary Co-Chairs Fran and Mark Berg were also in attendance. Jackson Walker moved to their Art District home eight years ago with views from the lobby meeting room featuring the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, the Nancy Best Fountain and extending into Uptown.
Dallas CASA CEO Kathleen LaValle welcomed everyone in attendance, noting how pleased the agency was to be hosting the Champion of Children Award Dinner on Thursday, October 12, at the Fairmont Dallas. She thanked Miller and co-chairs for being “engaged, involved and intentional” supporters of the agency, which seeks to protect children and restore childhood.
Event Co-Chair David Krahe, who has served as a volunteer child advocate since 2021, shared that Dallas CASA will be honoring Francois Reihani, the founder of Dallas-based La La Land Kind Café, with the 2023 Judge Barefoot Sanders Champion of Children Award. The award is named for Judge Harold Barefoot Sanders Jr., a revered United States District Court judge for the Northern District of Texas, a past Champion of Children Award recipient and a steadfast supporter of Dallas CASA. His wife Jan Sanders served as a Dallas CASA volunteer advocate.
“Francois has created an atmosphere of intentional support for former foster youth alongside normalizing kindness,” he said.
Reihani first learned about the challenges youth aging out of care face during a Dallas CASA continuing education session seven years ago. He took his frustration about those challenges and turned it into the We Are One Project nonprofit that provided mentoring, counseling, life skill classes, help with college and stable housing for youth aging out of foster care. He then founded La La Land Kind Café to also provide job opportunities for the former foster youth, who face serious challenges including homelessness, food insecurity, incarceration, sex trafficking and more.
Dallas CASA is not the only group impressed with Reihani. Over the summer, he announced attracting $20 million in funding to expand La La Land Kind Cafes and he’s been named to Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30 list for social impact.
Board members also in attendance at the patron party included Corey Anthony, Veree Hawkins Brown, Margaret Cervin, Laura Losinger, Chair-Elect Scott Orr, Nicki Stafford and Linda Swartz. The Champion of Children event will feature a curated live auction for the first time, with items like a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle’s whiskey, a diamond necklace, a catamaran trip in the British Virgin Islands and more.
Patron party guests enjoyed stationed hors D’oeuvres, with brisket sliders, chicken satay skewers, Vietnamese spring rolls, halibut ceviche, mini crème brûlée and more. Drinks for the evening included wine donated by Miller and blood orange Moscow mules, with ingredients donated by LaValle.
* Photo credit: Kristina Bowman Photography