May 12, 2023: Community Advocacy

Trehon A. Cockrell-Coleman is a millennial on the move! Trehon is constantly working to achieve the right balance between his professional and personal life, and his altruistic nature. A native of Nashville, Tennessee and a resident of Tucson for 13 years, Trehon is known as the Tucson Community Connector. He interacts effectively with diverse individuals all while building effective working relationships and networks with members of the Southern Arizona community. More than anything, he is thankful that God allows him to constantly grow as a husband, father, and dedicated community volunteer.

Trehon is an engineer by trade. He has garnered thirteen years’ of experience as a test engineer with the world’s largest developer, producer, and integrator of weapon systems Raytheon Technologies. He is a native of Nashville, Tennessee and is the bi-product of the city’s public schools. Early in his adult life, he became an enthusiastic advocate for children and youth living in urban corridors because he vividly recalls those caring individuals in the community he was born and raised who showed him tough but go-make-something-of-yourself type of love.

His long history of advocacy began in 2007, while he was just a sophomore at Tennessee State University. It was at this time that Cockrell-Coleman founded The Beginner’s Leadership Achievement Awards™ (“BLAA”) after he had observed an array of public school students who either lacked motivation or had little awareness of how to make it in a difficult and sometimes, hostile world. Eleven years later, per the help of family and friends in Nashville, the BLAA continues to recognize and reward over 50 school-aged children and youth annually in his hometown although Trehon has physically resided in Southern Arizona since 2010. He thanks God for his parents who manage small but at times lengthy tasks to keep the charitable organization compliant and in good standing within the State of Tennessee.

Today, Trehon repurposed his passion in Tucson by humbly serving as Youth Pastor of Rising Star Baptist Church under the leadership of Sr. Pastor Amos L. Lewis. In this servant role, Cockrell-Coleman works tirelessly to challenge a generation indifferent to the church and what it means to be modern men and women of faith in the 21st century.

Cockrell-Coleman is married to the former Carmishun Shepherd of Houston, TX. The newlyweds at heart enjoy at-home movie nights and traveling to visit family members during the holidays.

Trehon and Carmishun welcomed their first child (Karsly Rain Coleman) on October 20, 2017 and are grateful for the safe arrival of their second child (Kree Ridge Coleman) on October 21, 2019.

Some photos from our May 12 meeting.