Lavardis and Dwala Anderson

By Courtney Olson

Lavardis and Dwala Anderson exceptionally embody the sacrificial and hardworking spirit necessary to commit oneself to community building. 

Both born and raised in St. Augustine, Lavardis and Dwala had very different childhoods. While Dwala was raised in a two parent household, Lavardis’s young life did not bring him the same stability. He lost his mother at a pivotal point in his childhood, leaving him homeless through his high school career. Despite these harrowing circumstances, Lavardis continued to perform at the top of his class, play football, and earn the respect of his peers, all while quietly couchsurfing, questioning where he may spend the next night. People like Mrs. Gordon Mills, Mr. and Mrs. Twine, and Buster Robertson shared first hand stories about community leadership with Lavardis, which helped him stay optimistic and persevere, rather than letting his circumstances define him. 

“I’m a no excuses kind of guy”, Lavardis says

Lavardis went on to earn his real estate license and returned to St. Augustine in his adulthood. As the co-listing agent on the property at 

791 West King Street, he did a bit more research. Finding that it was once a boarding house, owned by Zora Neale Hurston, and then was later owned by Johnnie Pasco, Lavardis immediately realized the importance of maintaining the property. 

The Andersons purchased 791 West King, setting their intentions on creating a cultural resource center and museum to honor the work of those who have owned the building before. At the date of purchase, the Andersons inherited a structure in ruin. The old home had been condemned and reconstruction seemed impossible to most. However, the word impossible has never applied to the Andersons. Spending twelve to fourteen hour days, they worked tirelessly to restore the old building. Those who have worked as contractors on the project were specifically chosen to do so due to their shared respect for the importance of the work being done. Lavardis has even gone as far as to mentor others, helping them become licensed in their field of pursuit as they gained hands-on work experience in this massive construction project. 

Now, 3 years after purchase, the building stands completely renewed. Downstairs houses a small museum dedicated to the local foot soldiers of 

The Civil Rights Movement. The cultural center also houses Zora Neale Hurston’s full collection of works in their downstairs library. Upstairs, they have renovated what were once boarding rooms into four short term rentals, available for booking at zorasojourn.com. Visitors staying upstairs will have full access to the library and museum on the first floor, which will be funded by a portion of the revenue from the vacation rentals. 

The Anderson’s goal with this cultural center is to use the funds from the bed and breakfast to be able to provide much needed community resources to those in the area. The Zora Neale Hurston Cultural Center will be a place where people can come for helping furthering their careers or education, learning financial literacy, hosting community events, and much more. 

Lavardis and Dwala’s endless effort to fill a gap in West King is evident in their every action. This project was completely self-funded and has been closely protected by the Andersons during the entire process of development. Because of this, their goals have remained focused, and they can now proudly present their efforts to the community. Based on the accomplishments they have made in a few short years, the area of West King can look forward to the Anderson’s future endeavors to contribute to the growth of their community.

"Loving Our Town" December 5, 2025