Rogene Gee Calvert was born Rogene Hom in Houston, TX, in 1948. Her father emigrated from the Canton region to the US as a “paper son” to the Homs while her mom was born and raised in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Rogene grew up in Houston as the 2nd of four children. Her parents co-owned a grocery store in what is now the Third Ward, Houston, so Mrs. Calvert grew up in the grocery business and began working in one at the young age of 11. During the 1960s, Rogene’s father was granted amnesty and granted US citizenship legally, so the family changed their names back to Gee. Mrs. Calvert attended the University of Texas at Austin where she majored in political science and met her future husband, Kent. After graduating, she became involved in the Community Welfare Planning Association, launching her highly successful career in public policy, advocacy, and non-profit organizations. Mrs. Calvert has been active in the Houston Asian American community, starting several non-profit organizations championing the physical and mental health of Chinese Americans in Houston. Currently, she is the Director of Outreach Strategies, where she is working on the Texas Asian American Redistricting Initiative, and the Vice President of Economic Development and Business Advisory Council Liaison at the OCA National Center.
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