Daniel Lopez is a Colombian Immigrant who has lived parts of his life in Texas. He studied Political Science and philosophy and graduated from Pontifical Xaverian University. Daniel developed a thesis on human development indexes within his community. In 2022 Daniel decided to move to Texas to expand his possibilities of positively impacting people’s lives. He enjoys tennis, video games, and music.

Nivia is a Youth Specialist at the Center for Urban Transformation. Originally hailing from Santa Fe Colon, Honduras, she is proudly Garifuna, which is Afro-Latina. She is pleased to serve the Fifth Ward community, which is closely linked to her Afro-Latin culture and traditions. In her position as Youth Specialist, Nivia brings her expertise and experience to benefit the community.

A native of Jacksonville Florida, Domenique attended Texas Southern University where he majored in Sociology and Sports Management. As a student, he advocated for equitable education through the usage of open educational resources (OERs) while also working as a research intern with the Center for Justice Research. Domenique, a US Army veteran, sports lover, and ardent runner, believes in empowering members of the community with the resources needed to achieve recognizable change in their everyday life.

Tafara (Fara) Cameron is a native Houstonian born and raised on the Southwest side of the city. She uprooted her life and took her heritage, culture, morals, values, gifts and talents to the University of Oklahoma as a first- generation college student on a full academic scholarship funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations in 2009 and a Masters of Education in Adult and Higher Education with a concentration in Student Personnel Services in 2011. She has had over 10 years of professional experience in several capacities including admissions/ recruitment, diversity and inclusion efforts, K-12 education, consulting, project management and the non-profit sector. She is elated to offer her experiences in the ever-growing and thriving historic Fifth Ward community on the programming team as a Programs Coordinator. She is a firm believer of possessing a growth mindset and validating all efforts related to equity, access and opportunity for youth and young adults

Hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, this member of the team has a deep-seated passion for building healthier communities. Her expertise lies in addressing health disparities and inequities by leveraging the power of community engagement and innovation.

Jeremy Dean is a Houston native who grew up in Braeswood, not too far from 5th Ward. He attended Florida A&M University, where he attained a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. After finishing college, Jeremy furthered his basketball career and played professionally in France. As a student, he mentored youth and coached AAU basketball, where he had the opportunity to help other young people reach their goals, whether in the classroom or on the court. Jeremy is passionate about helping at-risk youth and utilizing his lived experience to empower them and provide the necessary support to help them better themselves and manage challenges in their lives.

Dalise Lashley-Enabulele was born in New York City and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She attended Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College in New York City, where she attained her Master of Social Work. Additionally, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Services and Associate of Science in Liberal Arts and Science at New York City College of Technology. ​ Dalise pride herself on being an authentic, creative, and empathetic individual that seeks to support and empower the youth to achieve their desired goals and potential to ensure a successful and fulfilling future. She enjoys art, writing poetry, traveling, and exploring the outdoors.

Zenoria is the Workforce Development Coordinator and a native Houstonian who grew up in the Acres Homes community. Prior to joining the Center for Urban Transformation team, she served her community working as an employment counselor to assist job seekers find work by addressing their personal barriers, facilitating job readiness trainings and various other activities in helping job seekers obtain employment. She later had the opportunity to serve as a manager of various workforce development programs. Zenoria is excited to work within the 5th ward community to assist individuals with obtaining employment and becoming self-sufficient.

Anna Fondren was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She received her Bachelor of Science (2017) and Master of Science (2019) both in Criminal Justice at Illinois State University. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Prairie View A&M University studying Juvenile Justice and is anticipating graduating August 2023. Anna is passionate about the unequal treatment of minority youth in the juvenile justice system, the social inequities that negatively effect minority youth, and social buffers that deter youth from engaging in delinquency. Anna is thrilled to work at a place where she can make a difference in the lives of the residents of Houston’s historic Fifth Ward. (Youth Specialist)