Mississippi Hokkeko Members Pave The Way
For Kosen-Rufu In Their State

Andre And Helen Taylor lives In The Mississipp City Of Starkville

One couple that exemplifies the essence of this African and African/American Web Site is the husband and wife team of Andre & Helen Taylor. Andre & Helen Taylor are for  certainly Proud Black Buddhist. If you ever happen to meet Andre & Helen Taylor you will meet two truly proud Southern African/American Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist. They live in the Mississippi town of Starkville, Mississippi about a three hour drive from Memphis,
Tennessee and the most noted landmark is Mississippi State University and the Columbus, Mississippi Air Force base in the next town. In Starkville the Southern culture is still in tack and they are one of the few Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist families living in the state of Mississippi. Andre and Helen's home is like a Buddhist oasis in a religious desert. Their Southern culture of simplicity, straightforwardness and hospitality makes Andre and Helen very warm people and pleasant to be around. 

They both joined Nichiren Shoshu in 1987 and they became Hokkeko members in 1997.  Andre and Helen grew to be citadels in the city of Starkville, Mississippi. Andre Taylor is an everything but a retired, retired Air force Master Gunnery Sergeant . Andre is a quiet laid back brother who one would mistake for a Southern brother, in reality Andre was born in New York in the Bronx and raised in Manhattan. His laid back style is like the elegant chest board that sits in his den waiting to be challenged, and if you challenge Andre he is prepared to win in life as he would a chest game. Helen Taylor is a sister who was a true Southern bell. Andre while stationed in Columbus, Mississippi Air force base had to literally break the Southern Bell's family's mean red eyed horse to win the love of his life.

 While Andre attended Howard University Helen earned a master's degree at Mississippi State University. Since joining Buddhism they have put their faith and practice to the test and have made many remarkable achievements too numerals to list. Helen and Andre have developed many community programs for inner city youths. The most successful are their computer learning centers placed in public housing throughout the state of Mississippi. They own a day care center and also an entertainment complex and offices at the bottom floor. At the top floor Andre operates a professional Boxing and Kicking boxing gym where trains fighters. They both are founders of an African/American tennis club and Helen founded the "Mississippi Voices for Children" and advocacy group to advocate for Children, their parents and child care providers. 

Andre once upon a time was the President of the Local NAACP. They both are on countless boards and they found an annual city Festival outing called the Black Hills Festival in Starkville. Andre and Helen are both solid in their faith and Helen is an avid Buddhist reader. Helen's mom's practice as well as their son Cheikh who is a recent Howard university graduate. While other friends and family practice traditional Christians Faiths Andre and Helen are setting the foundation for Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism in Mississippi for the new millennium. 

If you ever get a chance to eat Helen and her mom's Soul cooking, they cook so good you will have to take your shoes off so you can wiggle your toes. Andre and Helen attribute their faith and practice of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism to their achievements. They are proud the pillars of their community and most of all Proud Black Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist. In the last two years since becoming Hokkeko members in 1997 Chicago Chief Priest Rev. Hodo Sugeno has made Four visits to Starkville encouraging the Mississippi members. If you happen to be in Chicago, Taisekiji or the Ghana Temple and you see Andre & Helen Taylor you will know them to be the proud members from Mississippi.