After surviving many challenges, Antioch’s Pastor Vann still standing
The Tulsa native adopted six siblings from foster care at age 20, "outgrew one and outlived two" husbands and worked as a nurse, among various life events.
When most American 20-year-olds were figuring out their life and career paths, Colleen Vann, of Antioch, known today as Pastor Vann, was putting her life on hold to adopt her brothers and sisters, who had been placed in foster homes for several years.
She and her husband at the time, with two young kids of their own, went to the courts to adopt six of her brothers and sisters. There would’ve been eight siblings total, but two older brothers had already aged out of the system by the time Vann turned 20.
Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and having moved to California in 1988, Vann’s mother, Ethel Mae Hamilton, died at age 34 of breast cancer. Vann, the third-oldest sibling, was 9 years old at the time. In those days, Vann said the father never received custody, only visitation rights to the foster homes in which each child was placed.
“We were all put in foster care and separated back then,” said Vann. “Even back then, foster care was not ideal, and it was very rough going from home to home and not really having that stability.”
By age 20, Vann knew what she had to do for her brothers and sisters, despite the costs.
“It was a hard struggle raising them along with my own,” said Vann, who got married at age 16, and later had two daughters, Toni and Reshunda, the latter of whom was autistic.
“It was not easy raising all of my siblings as my own,” said Vann. “Not having enough money to raise them and back then, they didn’t give financial help, only government food like cheese, canned meat and powdered milk There were no vegetables or anything to make a real meal, so we would have to grow our own vegetables or go to the fruit stand and get the almost-old vegetables and fruits.”
One of her sisters, Sheree Wright, who lives in Richmond, talks to Vann on a regular basis and feels she’s in a good place today because of Vann saving her from foster care.
“I would probably be on the other side of the tracks — meaning in trouble,” said Wright, who works as a caretaker for the elderly. “I probably would have not graduated too. We had our rough spots, but it always worked out and I can truly say she was my hero.”
Wright, like her other siblings, were victims in some of the family homes where they lived. Coming back home to live with Vann was a haven.
“I felt like I was finally safe — no more abuse, no more loneliness, no more sexual abuse and finally a real family. I was free,” said Wright.
Even the mom-sister dynamics did not confuse Wright or her siblings when it came to discipline.
“My sister raised me like I feel our mom would have raised us — a firm hand and love, with space to make our own decisions,” said Wright. “And when we screwed up, she would let us know; no different than any other parent.”
At age 69, Vann is a retired LVN nurse. She divorced her first husband, had two more kids of her own and outlived her second and third husbands.
“I outgrew one and outlived two!” she said.
Single now with 10 grandchildren, Vann started her own church in Antioch called New Jerusalem Worship Center Church of God and Christ and is proud of her marching days with some big names during the civil rights era.
“I’m a radical, baby! I marched with Jesse Jackson, H. Rap Brown, Stokely Carmichael and others. I didn’t get to march with Martin Luther King, but I went to some of his rallies and heard him speak,” said Vann. “I was learning about history and that I was ‘in’ history. It changed me. You know when you pull up your pants to straighten them out, well I pulled my life up and straightened it out.”
Vann talked about waking up and wanting to make a difference in her world.
“I was used to picking fruit and cotton and all that, but when I woke up, I wanted to have a different life, not just stay home,” said Vann. “And that’s when it all changed. I wanted a career; I wanted to make a mark in this world. I used to think everybody thought like I did — and, girl, I found out that everybody didn’t think like me!”
Vann said she talks often to all of her siblings, two of whom have since passed on, and that seeing how well her brothers, sisters and her own children have turned out is an accomplishment for her — along with becoming a nurse and now a pastor. She say she lives her life by the Bible and kindness to others.
“Be nice to everyone and show kindness. You see someone who needs help, give them a helping hand, because that could be you one day, needing help,” said Vann. “Each one teach one, each one help one — that’s what I live my life by. How can you go wrong with that?
“Whatever you do for someone, it will always come back to you and at the right time too. And just live life and experience it — now that’s the fun part!”
Wright looks up to her “mama/sister.”
“My sister is a strong woman; she will always be my hero,” said Wright. “And I’m still learning from her.”
Vann’s church is at 161A Sandcreek Road in Brentwood and can be reached at 925-339-8266.
Charleen Earley is a freelance writer and journalism professor at Foothill and Diablo Valley colleges. Reach her at charleenbearley@gmail.com or 925-383-3072.