Congratulations to our
2019 award recipients!
Abraham Award for Man of Faith
Dr. George Mason
Pastor, Wilshire Baptist Church
George has been senior pastor at Wilshire since 1989 and has served in leadership roles with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Fellowship Southwest, New Baptist Covenant, Duke Divinity School and Perkins School of Theology. He is the founder and president of Faith Commons, a multi-faith, multiethnic nonprofit that promotes the common good from a faith perspective. George holds a variety of degrees including Master of Divinity (1982) and Doctor of Philosophy (1987) degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. A native of New York City, George has been married to his wife, Kim, since 1979. They have three children and five grandchildren.
Wilshire Baptist Church has joined forces with Genesis Women’s Shelter by serving delicious meals, contributing financially and donating in-kind items on a frequent basis. George leads a congregation that proudly stands alongside the women and children served at Genesis, making a life-changing impact on so many.
Deborah Award for Visionary Leadership
Faith Johnson
Faith is the first African-American female to be elected district criminal judge in Texas and to serve as the District Attorney of Dallas County, where she attained the highly regarded status of Chief Felony Prosecutor.
As presiding judge for 17 years, she handled thousands of felony cases ranging from sexual assault to child abuse and capital murder. After leaving the bench, Faith practiced with a nonprofit law firm for two years before establishing Faith Johnson & Associates, L.L.P. in 2009.
In 2014, Faith was appointed to the Texas Public Safety Commission, where she oversaw homeland security, border patrol and terrorism. She is a member of the Dallas Bar Association, the U.S. Christian Chamber of Commerce, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Rotary Club of Dallas and the South Dallas Business & Professional Women’s Club. She serves as secretary, elder, debutante mentor and board member at The Potter’s House of Dallas.
Daughters of Zelophehad Award for Agents of Change
Ty Beasley & RSM US LLP of Dallas
Ty has more than 19 years of exerperience with RSM US LLP and is the managing partner of the Dallas office and the consulting leader for the central region, overseeing risk, technology and financial advisory services. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Loyola University New Orleans and an MBA from Webster University.
In addition to being the face of the firm in the North Texas business community, he is responsible for driving growth and maintaining an office culture of talent development, client service excellence, and innovation. Ty acts as a powerhouse to promote change and action from within RSM, leading the team in raising funds and awareness for women and children experiencing domestic violence through their Birdies Fore Love program. Ty serves on the board of the Genesis HeROs (He Respects Others), a group of fathers, husbands and friends dedicated to creating safe homes and communities for survivors of domestic violence.
Esther Award for Leadership Through Action
First Lady Yulonda Davis
Yulonda serves at New Legacy Community Church in DeSoto, Texas, alongside her husband and senior pastor, Reverend Bob Davis. They have been married for 39 years and have two sons, two daughters-in-love and seven grandchildren.
After retiring from the federal government after 37 years of service, Yulonda served in children and youth ministry for seven years. She currently leads the women’s ministry and is passionate and intentional about helping people learn how to be more like Christ.
When Yulonda became a member of Toastmasters International, which seeks to empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders, she met fellow members who had experienced domestic violence. After hearing their stories, she was compelled to do something, and she joined forces with Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support to help women and children find help and hope.
Miriam Award for Community Advocacy
Debra Nixon-Bowles
For many years, Debra envisioned establishing a nonprofit organization to help women and children who have experienced domestic violence. As the Founder and CEO of Women Called Moses Coalition and Outreach, Inc. based in Dallas, she has fulfilled her dream. Her passion for this cause is driven by her own experiences with domestic abuse as both a child and an adult. Debra has devoted countless hours to educate and empower individuals who are affected by domestic violence and is committed to helping others overcome obstacles and break down barriers. She has a knack for opening the right doors for great business opportunities and is persistent and dedicated in her convictions. Debra touches everyone she meets with her passion and zeal for life.
Abigail Award for Courage & Faith
Maria Escamilla
On March 13, 2011, Maria survived a horrific domestic violence incident at the hands of her then-boyfriend, who tortured her for hours and left her for dead. While she was recovering from the traumatic event, she knew that what she had experienced was against the law and that she wanted to press charges, but she did not know that organizations like Genesis could provide support to survivors. During Maria’s court trial, the Genesis HeROs came to sit on her side of the courtroom, support her and say “we believe you.” The HeROs helped her to believe that there are good men in the world and showed her the power of advocating for others. At the conclusion of the trial and in recognition of the unspeakable violence Maria survived, the jury awarded the highest dollar amount of compensation ever given to a domestic violence survivor in the United States. Since then, Maria has become an international advocate for other survivors. Her passion has motivated her to return to school to pursue a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology.