The Andre Roland Foundation was established in 2023 to honor the life, memory, and legacy of Andre Montez Roland, whose life was tragically cut short at just 14 years old. In the wake of his untimely death in 1989, Andre’s mother,Ms. Norma, created the Andre Roland Memorial Scholarship Fund as a way to turn grief into hope for others. That same year, she hand-selected the first recipient — Tracey Bush, a graduate of David H. Hickman High School, who went on to attend HBCU Lincoln University, in Jefferson City, Missouri.

For many years, the scholarship remained dormant from the first time it was awarded and even following Ms. Norma's passing in 2003. But in 2018, Christian, Andre’s younger brother, began digging deeply into his brother’s case. He started re-investigating the circumstances surrounding Andre’s death. Determined to uncover the truth, Christian made a vow to pursue every lead and get the answers needed to one day solve the case. Nearly 30 years had passed, and Christian was now an adult. There were many things he wanted to do to honor his brother’s memory he also began thinking about the scholarship his mother had started.

In 2021, Christian, made it his mission to revive the scholarship, raise awareness about Andre’s story, and continue the work his mother began. Since then, Christian has raised funds annually in memory of both Andre and their mother. Christian believed it was important to award both a male and female recipient each year. A requirement for the scholarship application was for the nominees to research Andre's story and write a essay. The essay has a set deadline. Christian wanted the students to really understand Andre's story and offering their own perspectives.

Andre’s story had remained largely untold — until now. The fight to reopen Andre’s case is ongoing and has been frustrating, but his legacy is already being felt in powerful ways and his family, friends and supporters will never give up. The foundation is a labor of love and justice, built on the determination to seek answers surrounding Andre's death and to ultimately get the JUSTICE that he deserves.

In Columbia, Missouri a community-led effort raised funds for a billboard honoring Andre, in 2023, so many supporters all over many states assisted with this effort, the social media platform FACEBOOK played a major role. It helped spread the word, drivers along I - 70 could see Andre's face on the billboard which was a reminder to everyone that his life mattered. It gave his name a powerful presence.

Andre’s story has reached new audiences through FACEBOOK, a YouTube documentary, (THE ANDRE ROLAND STORY, 2021), podcast appearances, and a feature in Vox Magazine (June 2024 edition) — all created to raise awareness,and inspire change. After countless restless hours and years of unanswered emails and phone calls, Christian and his wife Natasha have finally succeeded in finding a cold case detective to take on André's case. This has been a true blessing and has brought a renewed sense of hope.

The Andre Roland Foundation exists not only to seek justice, but also to give back. Through community engagement, scholarships, and storytelling, we are turning tragedy into purpose — ensuring that Andre’s light continues to shine and that no other family feels alone in their pursuit of justice.

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The Andre Roland Memorial Scholarship class of 2025