‘He gave me a lot of holiday cheer’ | Harris County inmates open Christmas gifts with their children

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Forty children were reunited with their mothers for a holiday surprise this Christmas season. 

Their mothers are serving time at the Harris County Women’s Empowerment Center. For one mom, it was exactly what she needed to get a bit of peace. 

“He gave me a lot of holiday cheer,” said Ikea Lane about seeing her son, Daveon McGregor.

McGregor’s presence does most of the work, but his dance moves take a close second. 

Lane’s been incarcerated at the Harris County Women’s Empowerment Center for 14 months. She along with 16 other women got to spend the holidays –even if just for a day– with their children.

“This is a good thing, especially for people like me who have been incarcerated for so long and haven’t seen their kids,” Lane said. “I feel like stuff like this gives people hope.”

Navidad en el Barrio, a non-profit organization, and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office have made this event happen for more than a dozen years. 

“This is necessary because we want to teach the residents that there are people out here who believe in them,” said Israel Gomez, the founder of Navidad en el Barrio.

“It’s a reminder that no one should be forgotten,” said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. “And we know that everyone has value.  We know it’s important for people to not be judged.”

The women who reside at the Harris County Women’s Empowerment Center have low-level offenses, and Sheriff Gonzalez said it’s important to uphold accountability but just as important to provide opportunity.

“It’s a lot of us in these predicaments where we can’t see our children on a daily basis,” the sheriff said. “So, if you have family out there, cherish them, love them, spend all the time you can with them.”

Navidad en el Barrio has worked to improve recidivism rates through training, education and more for the past 36 years.  

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