Walls Family Foundation Gala Shines a Spotlight on Scholarships, Awards, and Prostate Cancer Awareness

By Marion Apio

Undeterred by persistent rain, people packed Robby’s restaurant in West Hollywood on Nov. 15 to raise money and awareness for the treatment of prostate cancer. This disease disproportionately affects Black men.

Those attending the “Casino Royale Masquerade Under the Stars” fundraiser included prostate cancer survivor Kent Joshi, who implored men to get their annual screenings.

“Be the CEO of your own health,” he said.

The 2nd annual fundraising and awards gala hosted by The Walls Family Scholar Athlete Foundation honored the legacy of its founder, Larry D. Walls, who lost his 14-year battle with prostate cancer in August 2023.

The classy, mask-adorned affair featured a lively reception and networking with games. Funds raised during the event will go toward scholarships for underprivileged athletes to pursue their dreams and passions in sports.   

“You are the key to our success,” Tiffiny M. Walls-Fox, the daughter and executive director of the Walls Family Scholar Athlete Foundation, said.

Walls-Fox, a civil litigator and trial lawyer, presented attendees with masquerade keys as a token of gratitude for their support.

A centerpiece of the fundraising was a silent auction featuring memorabilia from sports and entertainment legends, including Kobe Bryant, Dr. Dre, Michael Jackson, and the 2025 championship Dodgers.

Creative Charity Auctions, a 20-year-old business that generates funds for charities through high-end item sales, and its consultant, James Killebrew, managed the gala auction.

The foundation, established in 2006 by Larry Walls, a former deputy district attorney in the Compton hardcore gang unit, was relaunched last year in his honor to support scholar-athletes in historically underrepresented communities.

Saturday’s gala honored several community champions, including President Cynthia Teniente-Matson of San Jose State University, legal trailblazer Margo Bouchet, Amour Delus of The Monique Woolley Foundation, and Coach Randy Hare of Monrovia High School.

Teniente-Matson received the Driving Diversity in Academics and Athletics Award, becoming the first Latina to be honored. 

She noted in her acceptance speech that Larry Walls attended San Jose State, where he competed on the track and field team.

“I miss him every single day, and I spend a lot of time with him,” said former teammate and fraternity brother Gerald Dolphin, who attended the event with his other fraternity brother, David.

Bouchet, a Los Angeles lawyer and co-founder of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, received the Lifetime Achievement in the Legal Profession Award. Amour Delus was presented with the Champion Award for her work with The Monique Woolley Foundation, which provides a platform for suicide survivors to share their stories. 

Delus said she re-launched her foundation after losing her daughter to suicide.

“This is my way of giving back to the community,” she said.

Coach Hare, who was honored with the Lifetime Achievement and Coaching Award, was recognized by the executive director for helping revive the high school girls’ basketball team during her senior year.

The evening also served as a critical awareness campaign for prostate cancer.

 An estimated 313,780 new cases of prostate cancer were expected this year. Non-Hispanic Black men have a 40% higher chance of developing the disease. 

The five-year survival rate for localized prostate cancer is nearly 100%, but it drops to about 32% if the cancer has metastasized.

Dr. John Carlos, a board member and 1968 Olympic medalist, sent a message from Ghana: “The spirit, the light, Walls and the great work that he’s doing—even in the flesh he did it and he’s doing great things in his spirit.” 

Foundation officials announced plans to hold future events every September, during Prostate Awareness Month, and to host a second annual Founder’s Day on June 28, 2026, with a “Caliente Carnival” theme.