Welcome
At TAAC we’re raising funds and promoting initiatives to serve the people who need them most. We believe in taking action with urgency in order to raise public awareness about some of the most pressing issues facing today’s society. Please join us by supporting our efforts to make a measurable difference in the lives of others.
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Celebrating TAAC Presidents
Lila Debra Stevenson is the youngest of eight children born to the late Willie Stevenson and Lila Kelly Stevenson. She grew up in a strict Christian household in Englishtown, NJ. Debra's relationship with God and service to God's people is most important to her. Debra taught Sunday school, served as the church secretary and presented weekly "children's object lessons" during the Sunday worship service. Education, teaching others and organizing community activities have always been a major part of her life! Debra developed her love of teaching at an early age and received her Bachelors degree in elementary education from Rutgers University in NJ. The New Brunswick Public School District hired her to teach first grade upon completion of her student teaching experience. She went on to attain her Masters degree and Principal's certification from Rutgers University in New Brunswick. During her 32 years working in that school district, Debra served as a classroom teacher, Supervisor of Humanities, Director of Whole School Reform and an assistant principal. While teaching, supervising afterschool activities and raising three busy young men, Debra served her community in many ways. She wrote a grant and founded the HELP Program, an afterschool tutorial program to support struggling students living in the low income housing project. The program grew to have three sites to assist minority students in the east Windsor and Plainsboro areas. The other community service program that Debra developed was "College Tours" to visit the HBCUs along the east coast. During "spring break" Debra and her co-founder Elaine Martin would take two busloads of high school students to visit historically Black colleges and universities. “The primary purpose was to expose our minority students to colleges that had administrators, professors and students that looked like them. I wanted them to know that there were schools where they could thrive and survive! I know that I made a difference in their lives!” Since moving to The Villages, Debra has made many friends, learned to play cards, improved her golf game and learned to enjoy all of life's many blessings. She is a proud mother of three adult sons and grandmother to six beautiful, smart and kind grandchildren! “God has truly blessed me!” Debra states “I'm proud of the work done in service to the members of The African American Club”. She initiated the Platinum brunch for our senior members, Juneteenth celebrations and reinstated the annual Veterans' Recognition Ceremony. “TAAC is a vital organization to members of The Villages community!”
Debra Stevenson
TAAC President: 2023 - 2024
Members Spotlight
Born and raised in the District of Columbia, Lawrence Parker, his seven brothers and four sisters were parented by Joseph and Mary Parker. Lawrence attended Spingarn High School but was compelled to leave school prior to graduation in order to seek employment. At the age of 21, fate landed on his doorstep as an opportunity to work as a messenger for The Architect of the Capitol culminating in a career spanning over 31 years. In a few short years, Lawrence worked his way up the ladder from messenger to senior service officer and finally to facility manager as a building inspector at the grade of GS-12. During this time, he also attended night school and obtained his GED. Lawrence married the love of his life, Mamie, in 1981. They retired in The Villages in 2002. Lawrence quickly began to make his mark in the neighborhood. As a member of The African American Club of The Villages, Lawrence took the lead in coordinating and promoting various social events, sometimes through his personal enterprise known as the LP Sound Machine. Also, Lawrence and Nelson Bickley founded a men’s club known today as the Sophisticated Gents of Florida. Among his many talents and accomplishments, Lawrence designed and made exquisite writing pens. He joined the Woodwork Shop Club and began designing and producing beautiful wood products such as bookshelves, cabinets and just about anything that could be made out of wood. Lawrence is known to many as an events “guy” who can come up with interesting ideas along with ways to raise funds to support his social club affiliations, The African American of The Villages and the Sophisticated Gents of Florida. Always classy and elegantly attired, it is no surprise that one of his funding ideas involved an All Male Fashion Show. Also, he partnered with others to give breath to the idea of raising funds, via golf tournaments, to award scholarships to underserved high school students. And, he started and continues to host a monthly evening of night club style music and dancing, aka ‘Uptown Jammin’. Lawrence is actively energetic and participatory, suggesting that there is nothing that Lawrence has put his mark on that he does not enjoy. Of remarkable valor, Lawrence has continued to promote fundraising events and host Uptown Jammin monthly dances in spite of becoming legally blind. He stands as a model to all who refuse to allow their God-given-talents to remain idle. All of what he promotes is further enhanced by the backing and support of his loving wife, Mamie. Service to others is their motto and both he and Mamie continue to demonstrate their selfless act of giving.
Lawrence Parker
Visionary leader with the motto "service to others"
