Moving From Awareness to Action
Why Our Voices and Choices Matter
In October 2025, Stay Awake Sunday helped us wake up. We focused on education and awareness—learning what’s at stake, how civic decisions shape our lives, and why our participation matters.
On July 18, 2026, Stay Awake Saturday is the next step: active engagement.
This gathering is designed to be interactive and participatory, with:
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Q&A conversations that let attendees wrestle with real issues
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Live polling questions to gauge where we stand as a community
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Commitments around:
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Voter registration
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Dinner table conversations about civic issues
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Signing petitions
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Inviting others into the process
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Our goal is to build momentum so that our voices and choices show up powerfully in the November 3, 2026 midterm elections.
October 2025 helped us understand why staying awake matters.
July 18, 2026 is where we act on it—together.
Why This Moment Matters
We are living through a pivotal chapter in our nation’s story. Policies and decisions made today will shape the opportunities, protections, and resources available to our communities for years to come.
As we continue to address issues that deeply affect our neighborhoods, we recognize the power of coming together in dialogue, learning, and collective action — a theme reflected throughout our Stay Awake Saturday resources and reflections.
This is a moment that calls for clarity, courage, and commitment.
It calls for your voice.
It calls for your choice.
It calls for all of us.
Why StayAwakeSaturday Matters
Elections shape the policies and priorities that impact our families, our neighborhoods, and our future. When more of us participate, our communities become harder to ignore — and easier to uplift.
Voting is not just a civic duty; it is an act of faith, stewardship, and love for our community. It is how we protect what matters, advocate for justice, and ensure that the needs of our people are seen and heard.
As our Westwood page affirms:
Stand up. Speak out. Take action.
Featured Speaker & Panelists
Dr. Tamura Lomax
Featured Speaker
Scholar, Author, and Revolutionary Activist
Dr. Lomax brings a powerful historical perspective on the role of the Black Church, young people, and women in movements for justice. Her work illuminates how faith communities have shaped — and continue to shape — the moral arc of our nation.
Pfeniox Brown
Panelist
Advocate and Community Leader
Pfeniox offers insight into the importance of youth engagement, civic participation, and community care, with a focus on building capacity for young men to become differencemakers in this upcoming election.
Breanna Prentis
Panelist
Immigration Law Student
Breanna represents the next generation of legal minds, bringing a fresh and grounded perspective on the challenges facing our communities and the power of informed advocacy.
Pastor Michael R. Lomax
Panelist
Senior Pastor, Westwood Baptist Church
Pastor Lomax will guide the spiritual framing of the evening, connecting faith, justice, and civic responsibility.
Ernest McGowen, III
Panelist
Associate Professor of Political Science
A former leader of Africana Studies and the Race and Racism Project at University of Richmond, he specializes in political behavior, elections, and race relations. He is the author of African Americans in White Suburbia and a frequent political analyst for national and local media.
Kendra Cochran
Panelist
Political Strategist, Organizer and Advocate
Kendra is a veteran political strategist and advocate with more than 15 years of experience advancing civic engagement and equity. As Political Action Chair for the NAACP Pennsylvania State Conference and founder of Fielding Your Dreams Outreach Consultants, she leads efforts to protect voting rights, build coalitions, and strengthen communities.
Your Voice. Your Choice. Your Commitment.
Stay Awake Saturday is more than an event — it is an invitation to join a movement.
A movement rooted in faith.
A movement grounded in justice.
A movement powered by people like you.
We encourage you to stay connected, explore our resources, and take the next step in your journey of awareness and action — echoing the spirit of our church’s call to remain engaged and committed to justice and community uplift.
Biographies
Dr. Tamura Lomax - Featured Speaker
Associate Professor
Tamura Lomax is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Michigan State University, where she teaches courses on the history of Black religion and Black social movements. She earned her Ph.D. in Religion from Vanderbilt University in 2011, specializing in Black religious history and culture and Black diaspora studies, with additional expertise in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, as well as Black British and U.S. Black Cultural Studies. Dr. Lomax is the author of Loving Black Boys: A Black Feminist Bible on Racism and Revolutionary Mothering (Duke University Press, May 2026), and its companion, Freeing Black Girls: A Black Feminist Bible on Racism and Revolutionary Mothering (Duke University Press, 2025). Her earlier book, Jezebel Unhinged: Loosing the Black Female Body in Religion and Culture (Duke University Press, 2018), examines the religious and cultural construction of Black female sexuality. She also organized and guest-edited “Black Bodies in Ecstasy: Black Women, the Black Church, and the Politics of Pleasure,” a special issue of Black Theology: An International Journal in 2018. In 2014, she published Womanist and Black Feminist Responses to Tyler Perry’s Cultural Productions (Palgrave Macmillan), a co-edited volume, with Rhon S. Manigault-Bryant and Carol B. Duncan. In 2011, Dr. Lomax co-founded The Feminist Wire, an online platform dedicated to feminist, anti-racist, and anti-imperialist socio-political critique. In 2023, the publication was acquired by Harvard University, where it is now preserved as "The Feminist Wire Collection." Dr. Lomax is also a managing editor of “The Feminist Wire Books: Connecting Feminisms, Race, and Social Justice," a book series published with the University of Arizona Press.
Pfeniox Brown - Panelist
Advocate and Community Leader
A Richmond native, Pfeniox is one of the newer ‘Official’ members of the Westwood Baptist family. Pfeniox is currently pursuing his B.S in computer Science from Southern New Hampshire University. He also serves as Data Coordinator for Fielding Your Dreams Outreach, who specializes in civic engagement within Black and unrepresented communities, aiding in the education and resource guidance of those communities and Black voters, especially during election cycles. An advocate and community leader, He offers insight into the importance of youth engagement, civic participation, and community care, with a focus on building capacity for young men to become difference makers not only in politics, but also in engaging with community and others in meaningful and impactful ways. His background in technology not only aids in his knowledge and understanding of our ever-changing world but gives him great insight into how tech can aid in civic engagement.
Breanna Prentis - Panelist
Law Student
Born in Richmond, VA, Breanna is a daughter of the Westwood community. With her extensive educational background, She attended J.R. Tucker’s Advanced College Academy (ACA) program where she earned an Associates of Arts in Social Science from J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College while also earning her Advanced High school Diploma. Before continuing onto Montclair State University where she obtained both her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2.5 years. Breanna currently attends New England Law Boston and is entering her 3rd year of law school. She served as event coordinator for the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) in her 1st year at NELB, to then going on to become President of BLSA in her 2nd year where she works to uplift, encourage, and advocate for the Black student population at NELB. She will continue to serve in that role in her upcoming 3rd year. She is passionate about serving her community and those who cannot represent themselves. Breanna represents the next generation of legal minds, bringing a fresh and grounded perspective on the challenges facing our communities and the power of informed advocacy.
Pastor Michael R. Lomax - Panelist
Pastor
Pastor Michael R. Lomax serves as the 15th Pastor of Westwood Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. In addition to his pastoral leadership, he serves as a Senior Vice President for a privately held company, bringing together extensive experience in both the corporate and faith communities. This unique combination of business leadership and theological service has enabled him to effectively minister across diverse settings while remaining committed to the principles of servant leadership.
Throughout his ministry, Pastor Lomax has demonstrated a passion for guiding individuals, strengthening communities, and fostering meaningful engagement between faith and everyday life. His leadership philosophy emphasizes stewardship, integrity, and service, recognizing the responsibility entrusted to those who lead both organizations and congregations.
Whether serving in the church, the workplace, or the broader community, Pastor Lomax is known for his commitment to helping others grow spiritually, professionally, and personally. His ability to bridge the worlds of business and ministry has made him a respected leader who encourages collaboration, accountability, and faith-centered action.
As pastor of Westwood Baptist Church, Pastor Lomax continues to provide spiritual guidance, inspire community involvement, and promote a vision of faith that is both relevant and transformative for contemporary society.
Ernest McGowen, III - Panelist
Associate Professor of Political Science
Former inaugural Program Coordinator of the Africana Studies program, and Director of the Race and Racism Project at the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia. His specializations include political behavior, campaigns and elections, and race and ethnicity. He is the author of African Americans in White Suburbia: Social Networks and Political Behavior focusing on the unique role of suburban residence and the distinctions between proximate and self-selecting social networks on African American racial opinion and participation. He has also published in numerous academic journals including Public Opinion Quarterly, Presidential Studies Quarterly, and Politics, Groups, and Identities. He has provided insight for a wide range of media outlets including NBC, ABC, and CBS News, The Washington Post, and NPR and currently serves as election night analyst for NBC Richmond.
Kendra Cochran- Panelist
Political Strategist, Organizer and Advocate
Kendra is a veteran political strategist, organizer, and advocate with over 15 years of experience advancing equity, civic engagement, and community-led change across Pennsylvania. She was recently appointed as the Political Action Chair for the NAACP Pennsylvania State Conference, where she will lead statewide efforts to protect voting rights, shape policy agendas, and mobilize Black communities through direct action and advocacy.
Kendra is the founder of Fielding Your Dreams Outreach Consultants, a firm that specializes in outreach strategy, coalition building, and leadership development. Her career has been defined by a deep commitment to justice and empowerment—working on the ground to build voter engagement programs, strengthen local infrastructure, and develop the next generation of changemakers.
A long-time NAACP member and trusted leader across the nonprofit and political spheres, Kendra brings both strategic insight and grassroots credibility to this statewide role. Her approach centers collaboration, clarity of purpose, and unwavering dedication to uplifting Black voices in every space where decisions are made.