About our Founder

Andrew Elijah Pounders

Andrew attended elementary and middle school in Los Angeles County, California and graduated from El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, CA. Andrew was accepted to Xavier University of Louisiana in 2005 and earned “coming of age stripes” after becoming a Hurricane Katrina survivor and subsequently, battered and assaulted by a brutal college roommate who subscribed to conferring the title of “refugee” to geographically transplanted students and citizens. 

Shortly after Pounders, (who was affectionately known as “Fridge”, “Big P”, “Andy”, “DJ Poundizzle”, “Big Sexy”, and “The Boy”) escaped two additional gulf coast hurricanes, he was diagnosed with cancer and took the news valiantly and without complaining. 

He underwent four years of chemotherapy rounds without hesitation, along with radiation and later benefited from an autologous stem cell transplant procedure, hoping for a complete resolution of the disease and complications.

Pounders loved learning what was required to be a professional servant of his community. He remained committed to his endeavor to receive a bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana and eager to return to the gulf coast after enduring the toxic effects of chemotherapy. 

His family remembers a diligent and persevering hero and champion, as much as a dearly departed friend and beloved son.