Brown Sugar & Lace
Elder Honor and Support Community
Host of the Annual Elders and Community Tea and Sponsor of the NDOWE (Nellona Diane Offutt Williams Education) Scholarships.
Welcome
Honoring Elders. Inspiring Scholars.
Annual Elders and Community Tea
The 6th Annual Elders and Community Tea — March 20, 2027 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, Lincoln Reception Room.
NDOWE Scholarships
Annual $1,000 scholarships for underrepresented students, announced at the Tea.
Authors & Books
Books by Dr. Clarissa Williams — Mommy, Teach Me to Pray and From Idolatry to the Heart of Worship.
Founder
Dr. Clarissa Williams
Dr. Clarissa Williams is founder of the Brown Sugar and Lace Elder Honor and Support Community and Sponsor of NDOWE Scholarships in Springfield, Illinois. She is also a published author of one children’s book, Mommy, Teach Me to Pray, and one work of mature non-fiction, From Idolatry to the Heart of Worship.
NDOWE Scholarships
Nellona Diane Offutt-Williams Education Scholarship
Annual $1,000 scholarships supporting underrepresented students matriculating at community and four-year colleges and universities.
- 3.0 GPA minimum
- Proof of matriculation for the current academic year
- 500-word essay
- Application deadline: March 7, 2027
Your support funds annual $1,000 scholarships, ongoing documentation of elder stories, and the Annual Tea event.
— Ways to Support
Stay Connected
Letters from the Community
Receive gentle updates about the Annual Elder’s Tea, the NDOWE Scholarship, new Elder Stories, and upcoming book releases.