[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 25 (Friday, February 9, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E305-E306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TRIBUTE TO KEVIN ``KP'' ENER, COMMUNITY SERVANT AND BROADCASTING 
                              ENTREPRENEUR

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 8, 2007

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to 
Kevin Ener, of Houston, Texas, who died last Saturday, February 3, 
2007. Kevin Ener, or simply ``KP'' to the multitudes who knew and loved 
him, was a self-made man and broadcast entrepreneur, who dedicated his 
life to serving his family, friends, neighbors, and the people of the 
community he loved more than any other, the Acres Homes community of 
Houston.
  Kevin Ener served the people of the Acres Homes community in a 
multitude of ways, but most of all by keeping them informed and 
providing them an outlet by which their voices could be heard. He used 
the broadcast station he founded, FM96.1 DaZone, and managed to empower 
his community. Madam Speaker, I want to share with you the story of 
Kevin Ener and his creation, FM96.1 DaZone, so the world will 
understand how much KP meant to the people of Acres Homes and why he 
will be missed so much.
  Kevin Dwayne Ener was born to Deborah and Carl Shankle on March 8, 
1970 in Houston, Texas. He was educated at Aldine High School and Texas 
Southern University, where he learned to become a legal assistant.
  But Kevin's true love and calling was music, both the performance and 
the business. His first business venture occurred when he was 13 and 
secured engagement as a mobile disk jockey at St. Monica's Catholic 
Church and at the Sid Ranch. By the time he was twenty, Kevin Ener had 
managed several record labels; he started his record label, AHEM 
Recording, before he was thirty.
  Along with his partner, Sean Whittington, Kevin produced music for 
many local artists, including Billy Cook, Phoenix, Big Mello, Hahje, 
Eda Massberg, and Nuyorka. Kevin's interest in music production soon 
led him to the business of music promotion, graphic design and 
production, merchandizing, artist management, and, ultimately, radio 
broadcasting.
  Madam Speaker, in his heart and soul, Kevin Ener was always a son of 
Acres Homes. So great was his love for this community that in May 2005, 
Kevin and his long-time

[[Page E306]]

friend Larry Williams, started a low power FM radio station. In those 
heady early days, the station broadcast from the living room of Kevin's 
house in Acres Homes. Later, as the station established its niche and 
found its audience, it moved the broadcast signal up the FM dial from 
89.1 to 96.1, and moved its base of operations to the corner of West 
Montgomery and South Victory Streets.
  Located in the heart of Acres Homes, FM96.1 DaZone soon became the 
heartbeat of the community. Led by Kevin and a team of over 30 
dedicated volunteers, the station broadcast a wide range of music, 
public service announcements, live-remote events, and public affairs 
programming, including exclusive interview shows with local government 
officials, community activists, economic developers, performing and 
visual artists, and leaders of faith-based organizations.

  From top to bottom, FM96.1 is and has always been a labor of love. It 
has no employees; no one involved with the station receives a salary; 
everyone serves in a volunteer capacity. The station operates largely 
on a barter basis, exchanging, for example, free staff haircuts for 
live remote broadcasts from the Acres Homes College of Barber Design, 
or free lunches on Fridays in exchange for ``shout outs'' to Chi Chi's 
Soulfood Kitchen. Modest cash donations are made in exchange for other 
on-air notices or promotions.
  FM96.1's mission and programming are targeted directly to the needs 
of the roughly 40,000 people who live in Acres Homes, an 
underprivileged and underserved historic part of north Houston. The 
mission of FM96.1 is to enhance the services, identity, unity and 
overall quality of life of Acres Homes' residents by providing 
programming focused directly on their needs and aspirations. It 
promotes local activities, community events, businesses, churches, and 
service organizations, offering a microphone to business owners, school 
principals, ministers, community service providers and politicians who 
seek to instruct, employ, build or inspire the community.
  Perhaps FM96.1's indispensable role in the Acres Homes community is 
best demonstrated by its response to a series of rapes and murders 
occurring last year within just a few miles of the station's broadcast 
location. Anchored by Kevin Ener, the station performed yeoman work in 
informing the community and participating in a series of weekly Town 
Hall Meetings at the Acres Homes Multi-Service Center. These meetings 
were held to inform local residents of the presence of a serial killer 
in the community, educate area women about personal safety, and inform 
the community about efforts being taken by a wide range of law 
enforcement agencies to find the perpetrator.
  In addition, under the leadership of Kevin Ener, FM96.1 routinely 
provided free promotional advertising and live remote broadcasts for 
such events as Christmas toy drives, school supply drives, little 
league baseball registrations, basketball camps, Trail Riders, youth 
ministry conferences, Juneteenth celebrations, park dedications, teen 
dances, North Houston City College registration, Stay-In-School drives, 
GED certification drives, disaster-relief commodity collection 
projects, community health awareness events, and voter registration 
drives.
  The depth and quality of service FM96.1, a creation of the love and 
vision of Kevin Ener, has delivered to the Acres Homes community is 
widely recognized and acknowledged and reflected in the many letters, 
certificates and testimonials it has received from civic organizations, 
churches, small business owners, community leaders, and elected 
officials. It is no exaggeration to say that the large radio stations 
serving the Houston market would be hard pressed to match the FM96.1's 
record of direct service to the Acres Homes community and effectiveness 
in addressing the real-world issues facing Acres Homes' residents.
  Madam Speaker, Kevin Ener was preceded in death by his father, Carl, 
and by his daughter Carolyn. He leaves to cherish his memory a beloved 
wife, Felisha, and nine devoted children: Brittany, Brandan, William, 
Kevin, Lois, Dexter, Chase, Jessica, and Nyah. Mourning his loss are 
his mother Deborah, his grandmother Daisy; brothers Robert, James, 
Kerry, and Carl; sisters Cora, Carlie, and Tiffany; and a host of 
relatives, friends, and admirers.
  In closing, Madam Speaker, let me say that although many a tear is 
falling in Acres Homes tonight, joy cometh in the morning. Because that 
is when the thousands of people whose lives were touched and uplifted 
by the incandescent, effervescent, and irrepressible Kevin Ener will 
remember that when he was in their midst, they were in the company of a 
hero. He will never be forgotten. Farewell, dear prince. May angels 
carry you to your final rest.

                          ____________________