Program Participants

Jasmine Crockett is a State Representative, Civil Rights and Criminal Defense Attorney, proud lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and is running to be the next Congresswoman in TX-30. Representative Crockett earned her BA in Business Administration from Rhodes College, and her JD from University of Houston. She is licensed to practice law in Texas, Arkansas, and Federal Courts. Crockett is the past Bowie County Democratic Party Chair, holds various leadership positions within the legal community, and is a former board member of the Dallas County Metrocare Services. She also sits on the Business and Industry and Criminal Jurisprudence Committees of the Texas State House. From the courtroom to the capitol, Representative Crockett has never lost sight of the people and has been a voice for thousands of Texans. She has represented over 5,000 Texans in court, including over 400 peaceful protestors whom she represented pro bono. Rep. Crockett has also served as a public defender and is the former President of the Dallas Black Criminal Bar Association. She is running for Congress to take her proven fighting spirit to Washington D.C."

Shaun King is a civil rights leader, author, entrepreneur, husband, and father of five brilliant kids. He is the Executive Director of the Grassroots Law Project, which fights for racial justice and deep policy change and a founder of Real Justice, which helps elect new District Attorneys across the country. His most recent book, Make Change, was a New York Times Bestseller. Shaun is also the Editor in Chief of The North Star and recently started a clothing line called A Real One, which aims to have a Black owned supply chain from the seed in the ground all the way to the shipping.

Michael Russ is an influencer, thought-leader, servant, educator, encourager, social and racial justice activist. He is a first-generation college student, and has the distinct honor of being a Bill and Melinda Gates scholarship recipient. Currently, he is the coordinator of Intercultural Student Engagement and Academic Success Center at TCC South campus. Michael earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington. Michael is currently pursuing his doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to graduate in May 2022.

Dr. Shereah Taylor-Love currently serves as Dean of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Tarrant County College (TCC) South Campus, an appointment she began January 2022. She started her career at the College in 2011, as an adjunct and then full-time temporary instructor in the Teacher Education program; she was appointed to Professor of Education at South Campus in 2016. During her time in the Teacher Education program, she worked to grow the program in course offerings, number of enrolled students, and, most importantly, number of completions. She has served the College in many leadership roles, expanding her ability to collaborate across many departments and offices throughout. Prior to Tarrant County College, Dr. Taylor-Love was a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator in Fort Worth ISD.

Dr. Taylor-Love’s passion is teacher preparation and persistence. She provides teacher development, “Taylored for you and Loaded with Love” with the goals of building community, co-creating culture, and leaning into liberation. Additionally, she provides professional development to both pre-service and in-service educators in the areas of curriculum development, as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Teach For America.

As the President and CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (FWHCC), Anette Landeros is dedicated to providing valuable programming to businesses, championing the importance of workforce development, and creating opportunities for the economic mobility for all chamber members. Under her Anette’s leadership over the last two years, the Chamber has experienced a tremendous membership growth despite the pandemic as her team works diligently to provide valuable business resources for their members. Through strategic partnerships and new programming, the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is making tremendous strides to support the economic trajectory of our city while highlighting the diverse talent within our business community. Anette also serves on various local boards including Fort Worth Sister Cities International, Leadership Fort Worth, Carter Bloodcare, and the Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas.

Anette holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy analysis from Indiana University and a master’s degree in public affairs from the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin. Anette is a member of the Leadership Fort Worth organization, and alumnae of the Leading Edge Class of 2011. She was recognized by Telemundo as a “Heroe Hispana” and selected as one of HWNT’s Estrellas de Tejas in 2014. She was featured as one of 2015 Women to Watch and 2016 Forty Under Forty by the Fort Worth Business Press, and as a 2017 Woman of Distinction by the Girls Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains. Most recently, Anette was named the 2022 regional “Rising Star” by the North Texas Commission.

Cory Hughes is a husband, father, author, social activist, change agent, entrepreneur, life skills coach, and motivational speaker, minister of the Gospel and Lover of God's People and the word!

Christina is a results-driven equity, diversity, access, and inclusion professional with twenty years of experience working with underrepresented populations. Over ten years of her experience is grounded in organizational equity and inclusion policy and process change. As the City of Fort Worth's first Chief Equity Officer and Director of Diversity and Inclusion Department, she is responsible for the enforcement of the City’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance for Fair Housing, Fair Employment, Public Accommodations, ADA and Title VI and the Business Equity Ordinance for equitable access in City contracting and procurement and capacity building of underrepresented business firms as defined by the City’s most recent Disparity Study for contracting and procurement. Additionally, she is responsible for the creation and progress reporting of the City’s first Municipal Equity Plan across all City municipal service delivery and workforce development. The Department of Diversity and Inclusion consists of work in 3 divisions—Business Equity, Civil Rights Enforcement, and Municipal Equity. Additionally, she is responsible for tracking and supporting the progress of 22 recommendations made by the Race and Culture Task Force across criminal justice, economic development, education, governance, health, housing, and transportation. The newly created Department of Diversity and Inclusion supports several City Boards, Commissions, and Advisory groups including the Fort Worth Human Relations Commission, the Business Equity Advisory Board (formally the Minority and Women Business Enterprise Advisory Committee), the Mayor’s Committee on Persons with Disabilities, and the City Diversity and Inclusion Committee for Staff.

Before joining the City of Fort Worth as the City's first Chief Equity Officer, she served in the City of South Bend's Mayor’s Office as the first Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the City under Mayor Pete Buttigieg. In South Bend, Christina led workforce, workplace, community, diversity purchasing and contracting, and small local MWBE policy development. She also led the South Bend Human Rights Commission Staff from the Mayor’s Office which had jurisdiction to all of St. Joseph County. She served as the City LGBTQ liaison, and also led the City of South Bend's first MWBE Disparity Study. Additionally she wrote and led the City’s Inclusive Procurement Grant with Living Cities and Citi Foundation. Prior to those positions, she also held positions at the University of Notre Dame Gigot Center for Entrepreneurial Studies (now IDEA Center), Undergraduate Admissions Diversity Recruitment Leadership Team, TRIO Programs, and Human Resources as Notre Dame’s first Program Manager for university-wide Staff Diversity Recruiting. Christina holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University at South Bend with concentrations in Political Science and History and a Master’s in Non Profit Administration from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. Christina also holds a Master Compliance Administrator certification from the American Contract Compliance Association through Morgan State University. She also holds Municipal Emergency Management Institute certifications from FEMA. Christina and husband Reggie have been married for over 25 years and together have 5 children.

As Chief Operating Officer for T.D. Jakes Ministries, Frank Dyer oversees strategy, marketing, sales and human resources with additional responsibilities for Texas Offenders Reentry Initiatives (TORI). Prior to moving into nonprofit, Mr. Dyer was a senior executive for over 18 years working for three of the “big four” financial institutions in the US - Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Citibank. Throughout his career in banking, Mr. Dyer lead various areas including information management, risk compliance, and credit and mortgage servicing where he focused on process improvement and strategic transformation. As a senior operations leader for fourteen years, he cultivated and mentored managers while promoting diversity and inclusion in the manufacturing of consumer goods production for Phillip Morris, Borden and Dannon. Mr. Dyer’s extensive experience has been well-utilized in the classroom and as a corporate sector mentor, teaching several courses—Organizational Communication, Leadership, Human Resources, Supervision and Issues in Management—as an adjunct professor at both Paul Quinn College and Tarrant County College. He invests his personal time in the local community as a board member for The Texas Historical Society and The Center for Brain Health. Past board membership includes Camp Fire USA, Preservation Dallas, Junior Achievement and Nexus Recovery Center for Women. He has also been an active member of the NBMBA and Alpha Phi Alpha Incorporated fraternity. Mr. Dyer is married and resides in Dallas, Texas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and Management from The University of Texas at Arlington, and an MBA in Operations Management from the University of Dallas.

Larry Jefferson Jr., born and raised in Dallas, TX. Mr. Jefferson received a bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas and Master of Education and Master of Psychology from Angelo State University. Currently, Mr. Jefferson is pursuing his doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership through Abilene Christian College. Presently, Larry pours into young men of color as he oversees the Intercultural Network. Mr. Jefferson serves as an Adjunct Psychology professor as well. In 2019,

Mr. Jefferson was recognized as the a NISOD Excellence in Leadership Service Award and the John and Suanne Rouche Excellence Award recipient. He has a great passion in service, motivating, and supporting students.

Dr. Jeffrey Herr (Professor of Education & Philosophy/Program Coordinator for Education) is the 2020-2021 recipient of the Chancellor’s Award of Excellence in Teaching at TCC’s South Campus.

As a former middle and high school English teacher, Dr. Herr’s experiences at area schools spurred an interest in aiding in the pursuit of student self-actualization through respectful, real, and experiential means. Moreover, his co-edited book, The Value of Academic Discourse: Conversations that Matter (2018) and his recent development of a community-conscious, service-learning curriculum, has shown Dr. Herr to be an advocate for equitable change, proceeding from conversation to action.

When not enjoying the classroom and the comradery on South Campus, Dr. Herr enjoys spending time with his wife and four kids working the land, walking the 5 boroughs of NYC, doing philosophy, talking baseball, and spitting freestyle rhymes.

Jessica M. Taylor is a Diversity and Inclusion consultant, where she consults a portfolio of clients on their diversity and inclusion strategies. She most recently led external engagement initiatives and diversity and inclusion programming at Toyota. Where she was responsible for leading and executing diversity & inclusion strategies and multicultural partnerships across Toyota’s North American operations.

Notably, she steered a $4 million-dollar global HBCU strategy and national scholarship & internship repository, partnering with organizations like the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), Thurgood Marshall Foundation and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to assist students in securing financial support and full-time employment opportunities. To date, Jessica has assisted students gain acceptance to over 45 colleges in 22 states with over 3 million dollars in need and merit based funding.

A strategic thinker, former educator, and policy advocate, Jessica is an emerging voice on the national scene, engaging audiences on the topics of diversity, educational equity, and corporate responsibility. She’s been saluted among leaders as a 2021 Leader in Diversity by the Dallas Business Journal and her work has been featured in Essence, Rollingout Magazine, BounceTV and countless online and print editorials.

As an entrepreneur, Taylor is also the owner of Ezra Coffee Company, a specialty and ethically sourced coffee line that celebrates our collective american history, through flavored and infused blends. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Junior League and 100 Black Women. Jessica holds degrees from Belmont Abbey College and Indiana University.

For over fifteen years, Dr. Pérez has worked to assist young people, college students and professionals develop their racial consciousness by creating spaces for courageous conversations, and other opportunities to learn about the pervasive dynamics of racism, while preparing them for action. Because of his journey, he has developed a strong belief that if racism is left unchecked, society will continue to see an increase of racially charged occurrences that impact success for People of Color. Combining his education and lived experiences, from being a high school dropout to now serving as an educator, mentor, advocate, and leader in his community, has prepared him to recognize and confront racism in our educational system. Dr. Pérez recently completed his doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership from Abilene Christian University where he also completed his Master’s in Higher Education in 2015 and in 2011, he completed his Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas after transferring from Tarrant County College. Dr. Pérez resides in Fort Worth, Texas with his wife Geneva and kids Abigail and Jacob.

Tim Lynch is the President of DWL Foundation for Social and Economic Justice

The foundation's mission is achieving social and economic justice through dialogue, entrepreneurship,

and the arts. Tim is also the Project Manager for Alteryx’s global division (Alteryx is a data science company). Tim’s Philosophy is social and economic equality can be achieved through transformative leadership and sustainable processes. Tim is a summa cum laude graduate of Arizona State University with BA in Organizational Leadership and Project Management. Tim is also a certified Project Management Professional, and a certified Intercultural Diversity Manager.

The TAAACC Board of Directors has entrusted Charles O’Neal with carrying out the mission of the nation’s premier statewide Black chamber of commerce. With experience in business development, strategic communications and organizational development, O’Neal is charged with moving the concerns of Texas’ 250,000-plus Black-owned businesses to the top of private and public sector procurement opportunities, foster relationships that positively impact local Black chambers, and advocate for legislation that results in improved quality of life for Black Texans.

O’Neal has provided consultative services to a range of companies and organizations on the local, state and national levels. From framing messages to developing strategies for business growth, O’Neal has earned the trust of his clients and helped lead them to successful, profitable outcomes in the marketplace. From service as Chair of the Board of the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., and Chair of the USBC Communications Committee, from successfully shepherding the legislative agenda of the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce through the Texas Legislature, service on the Sustainable Energy Advisory Board of Energy Future Holdings, to conducting outreach for municipal bond elections, O’Neal has been entrusted with messages that result in improvements in the lives of Black Americans. In addition to serving as President of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce June 2010 through December 2011, providing exemplary leadership for the nation’s oldest and largest African American chamber of commerce, O’Neal also served 14 years as the DBCC Vice President for Business & Economic Development.

O’Neal’s long history of involvement in the Dallas community includes leadership as the DBCC’s Main Street Manager, working with community-based organizations, realtors, utilities, insurance and financial institutions to coordinate plans for revitalizing Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Additionally, O’Neal was instrumental in creating the MLK Boulevard Merchants Association. A nearly 20-year, award-winning career in the newspaper business provides the backdrop for O’Neal’s insight into the inner-workings of our city, state and nation and helps inform credible opinions on the entire spectrum of the African American Experience.

Johamna Hernández started her career as a classroom teacher in Buffalo, NY. Soon after teaching she joined the staff at Teach For America, where she supported corps members across Buffalo, NY. Since then, Ms. Hernández has worked on education policy as an Urban Leaders Fellow and has worked on several campaigns supporting candidates committed to advancing racial equity in education. Johamna has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University at Albany and a Master of Science degree in Early Childhood Education with a Bilingual Extension from Canisius College. Originally from New York City, Ms. Hernández now calls Tarrant County home, where she enjoys running and spending time with family.

Matt Houston is Principal of MLH Enterprises, a Dallasbased firm that provides education, professional development, and leadership consulting to organizations across the country. Clients have included The Nelson Mandela Foundation, KIPP Charter School System, and other real estate development businesses and corporations in the North Texas region. A desire to drive change, specifically in the area of economic equity for all, is Matt’s personal mission. Houston believes the path to success is through education and business creation. To that end, Matt works tirelessly to advocate for new businesses, wealth and job creation, and communities that create and value their economic engines. Matt is currently Professor of Entrepreneurship and Leadership at the University of North Texas at Dallas School of Business, a position that allows him to invest in students, the community, and the city at large. Houston was also a member of the Aspen Institute's Dallas Economic Opportunity Leadership Academy. Matt is a native of Dallas and earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Southern Methodist University (SMU) and his Masters of Business Administration degree from the Neely School of Business at Texas Christian University (TCU). He was also in the Blueprint for Leadership Program Class of 2008 (Center for Nonprofit Management) and Leadership Dallas Class of 2012 (Dallas Regional Chamber).