The African American Heritage House Lecture Series kicks off its 2025 Summer Assembly Season with Bivian “Sonny” Lee III, founder and CEO of Son of a Saint — a New Orleans-based organization that provides mentorship and opportunities to young boys who have lost their father. Lee will speak at 3:30 p.m. today in the Hall of Philosophy.
Lee’s work at Son of a Saint is inspired by the loss of his own father. Bivian Lee Jr. was an NFL defensive back for the New Orleans Saints from 1971 to 1975; when he died of a heart attack in 1984 at the age of 36, he left behind a wife, a daughter, and a son — Lee, who was just 3 years old. At 29 years old, Lee founded Son of a Saint on Jan. 1, 2011, in honor of his late father and his single mother. He has grown the organization to now serve over 500 boys with an annual budget of more than $5 million.
Over its 14 years of existence, Son of a Saint has raised more than $50 million to support its mission and its young men.
In a 2022 interview with Biz New Orleans, Lee said he hopes to teach perseverance and sustainability to the young men served by Son of a Saint
“It’s all about the long game; it’s not about the short game and instant gratification,” he said. “I want them to learn that you are the company you keep, and to surround themselves with great people, and to distinguish the difference between good and bad characteristics. I also want them to learn how to be independent, cultivate their natural talents, tap into their uniqueness and utilize their individual voice.”
Before founding Son of a Saint, Lee served as chief aide to the owner of the New Orleans Saints and the former New Orleans Voodoo professional arena football team. He also previously served as the director of operations for the New Orleans Zephyrs AAA baseball team and director of programs for the New Orleans Jazz Institute.
As Son of a Saint grows, Lee hopes the organization becomes “engrained in the culture and fabric of New Orleans and synonymous with the best of the city, like gumbo, jazz, red beans and the fleur de Lis,” he told Biz New Orleans. “Lastly, I would love to see mentees return to our program and become Son of a Saint mentors themselves, as well as great fathers to their own children.”
