By Sherry Koonce

The News staff writer

It’s one thing to have a dream, and quite another to turn that vision into reality. It takes determination, courage and ambition — all qualities Hilton Kelley displays on a daily basis in his quest to make Port Arthur a better place to live.

Kelley, 48, was nominated for The Port Arthur News 2008 Citizen of the Year because of his work as a community activist. His good deeds run the gamut: Helping the elderly, inspiring young people, championing environmental justice rights for Port Arthur citizens.

“He has a burning desire to make a difference in the lives of people. He has dedicated himself for eight years to fight the underserved people in the city of Port Arthur,” Warren A. Field, said of the man he nominated as the city’s top citizen.

A Port Arthur native who grew up in the projects, Kelley attended local schools and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1978. When he was 18, Kelley’s mother was killed, leaving a mark on his life that would ultimately result in his moving to California.

“After Mother was killed, I had to go to work full-time. I had a position in a warehouse delivering furniture, but knew that was not for me,” Kelley said.

In 1979, when the U.S. hostages were held by the Iranians, Kelley’s desire to do something pro-active first surfaced. He joined the U.S. Navy and was sent to San Diego for boot camp.

From 1980 to 1984, Kelley was an enlisted man, serving in the Navy foru four years until he was honorably discharged.

He stayed in California, married first wife Dorren and started a family. To support his family, Kelley worked first for Federal Express, then started his own maintenance repair service by using electrical skills learned in the Navy.

In 1988, opportunity knocked when he had occasion to become involved in the movie industry.

“I’d always had a desire to be in the movies. I was in drama in high school,” Kelley said.

For the next few years, Kelley stayed busy playing extras and bit parts in movies and television productions. He was cast as Michael T. Williamson’s (Bubba from the movie Forest Gump) stand-in and had a recurring role in Don Johnson’s Nash Bridges television series.

In 2000 Kelley attended Mardi Gras festivities in Port Arthur — an event he remembers as a catalyst for things to come.

“I had such a good time, but realized the city had changed dramatically. So many families had moved away, or gravitated toward the west end of town,” he said.

Back home in California, he began to ponder Port Arthur’s problems.

“God would not let my heart rest. All I could think about was why isn’t somebody stepping up to do something. I looked at the man in the mirror and thought, ‘Why not you? Are you helping, are your contributing to that town?’”

Kelley’s community activism didn’t take root overnight. One of his first efforts was to teach drama to young people, but that did not pay the bills. Once again he drew on his electical skills to earn a living, He met and married his second wife, Lydia, and together the couple are raising their blended families.

It has been a dream for the children to see Port Arthur as it was, before unemployment rates were high, before drugs — back when neighbors banded together to form one strong, cohesive community, he said.

Nearly as soon as he moved back to Port Arthur, Kelley said he had an issue with the way the city’s air smelled. He realized many children and adults in the community were suffering from asthma and bronchitis, and that a large number of people were dying from cancer — more than others around the state, he said.ee

He educated himself by talking with others who were concerned about the pollution, and in 2001 joined with the Refinery Reform Campaign to combat local air quality issues.

Kelly has worked with local industry to reduce harmful air emissions, and was appointed in August to serve as a member of the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

He organized The Community In-Power and Development Association, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to collecting scientific data about the sources, types and amounts of pollution emitted by local industry. CIDA works to educate low-income Port Arthur residents about air quality issues.

In 2002 Kelley testified before the U.S. Senate on behalf of impoverished communities across the nation and in 2003 received the Environmental Justice Award from Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter. In 2004, he received the Ben and Jerry Award for Environmental Activism.

Kelley has also been instrumental in helping Port Arthur elderly residents with Hurricane Rita repairs, and has helped to organize a music production studio at CIDA offices for the city’s musically talented young people. The goal, he said, is to get youth involved in positive activities, and off the streets.

Wesley Harris, a music producer, has worked with Kelley through the training offered by CIDA.

“When somebody has a vision, and actually goes after that vision and has success in that vision, then they are a role model,” Harris said. “He has been a true godsend, and I just thank God for him, for bringing someone here with such passion for improving the community.”

Contact this reporter at skoonce@panews.com.