Yaritza Bynum
Yaritza Bynum was born in Dallas, TX and raised in Atlanta, GA. After finishing high school, she came home to pursue her Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business & Finance at the University of Texas at Arlington. While pursuing her undergraduate, Yaritza also started her career in banking. 
Yaritza is now a Treasury Sales Analyst at Bank of America specializing in Health, Education, and Not-Profit organizations. Yaritza has been with Bank of America for 2 years and has over 14 years of treasury/banking experience. She has her certification as a Certified Treasury Professional. Yaritza recently started volunteering through Bank of America’s Volunteer programs such as “Breakfast at Cathedral of Hope”. 
Yaritza resides in Dallas with her husband, Justin Bynum, and their son, Justin II.

Isra Alnatour
Isra Alnatour is an advocate for neglected voter groups and marginalized communities. She seeks to ensure that all citizens are aware of the power that comes through their vote and values voter education and civic accountability. As a student, Isra interned with various government agencies such as the City of Arlington, Texas Legislature, and North Central Texas Council of Governments and got to witness first hand how state and local governments operate. In an effort to further develop skills to assist the communities that she is a part of, Isra completed a fellowship with Emgage, an organization focused on education and empowerment of Muslim Americans through educational events and voter initiatives. Isra hopes to pursue a career policy and is currently planning on attending law school after she completes her masters. 

Isra is currently a Masters of Science Business Analytics student at Southern Methodist Methodist University. She received her B.A. in Political Science with minors in Business Management and Public Administration from the University of Texas at Arlington

Gabriela Perez
Gabriela Perez is a high school student at the Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet in the Law Enforcement cluster. She is currently serving as the LULAC District 3 Youth Treasurer and Texas State Youth Sergeant-At-Arms. She has participated in the Washington Youth Leadership Seminar where she learned about advocacy and the 2020 Census. She is interested in pursuing a degree in international relations and marketing. ​

Jessica Leija
Jessica Leija currently works as a financial analyst and part time as a tax professional working towards helping low income families become better educated in handling their finances to create their own future. Prior to this, she participated in community service with SMU Spanish Club and SMU's League of United Latino American Citizens, helping Hispanic communities have more confidence engaging in their community by informing them on local politics. She also provided free tutoring to students who otherwise couldn't afford it or had difficult schedules, working alongside their parents to create a learning environment at home.

Leija received her B.S. in Mathematics from Southern Methodist University in May 2018.

Omar Salazar
Omar Salazar is a proud product of Dallas ISD public schools in Oak Cliff Dallas. He graduated from Trinidad Garza Early College High School with an associate's degree as class valedictorian, which led him to be awarded the Hunt Leadership Scholarship at Southern Methodist University. He recently graduated from SMU with degrees in Human Rights, Sociology and a Minor in Statistics. At SMU Omar served in a peer education program named Rotunda Scholars and he also helped coordinate an annual college prep conference for high school students called AVANCE. He hopes to combine the multidisciplinary nature of his degrees to pursue a career in education policy. ​

Justin Bynum
Justin Bynum is a licensed attorney in the state of Texas who focuses his practice primarily on civil litigation and family law. Mr. Bynum's practice is founded on the principle that each of his client's deserves exemplary representation no matter the issue. Prior to starting his practice, Mr. Bynum worked as a consultant with a risk-management firm that specialized in child-abuse prevention. He is active in the Dallas Bar and regularly volunteers with organizations who work to provide legal services to Dallas' low-income community.
Mr. Bynum spent his formative years in Dallas, Texas. He then went on to receive his BA in Philosophy  from Bethune-Cookman University and his JD from Southern Methodist University.
Justin is married to his beautiful wife Yaritza, and together they share one child, Justin II.

vanessa larez
Vanessa Larez graduated with her high school diploma from Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy in Dallas ISD and associate’s degree in liberal arts from Cedar Valley College in 2018. While in high school, Vanessa interned for the City of Dallas in the office of economic development and DART through the Mayor’s Intern Fellows Program. Still in Dallas, she now attends Southern Methodist University and studies Corporate Communication and Public Affairs with a concentration in political communication, Spanish and Human Rights. Her current coursework at SMU have led her to gain a deep interest in the public sphere and how she can use it to advocate for human rights. This past summer, Larez studied abroad in London with the CCPA program to learn more about the public sphere on the international level and returned to begin an internship at The Commit Partnership for the Fall 2019 semester.

Anne Lawrence
Anne Lawrence is a proud science teacher for 172 8th graders at Williams Preparatory Middle School. Starting her tenure in 2015, Anne has remained dedicated  to providing students with opportunities to explore their natural intellectual curiosity and creativity. Anne spends time outside the classroom writing science curriculum for Uplift Education, sponsoring Student Council for her school, organizing social-emotional learning for 6-8th graders on her campus, and leading her science content team in professional development.
Anne graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s degree from Southern Methodist University in STEM Education.
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Olga Gonzalez
Olga W. Gonzalez just recently moved to Dallas from Austin, where she studied Organizational Communications at St. Edwards University. She is an after-school professional and has experience working in the OST (out-of-school) space for over 20 years. Olga is passionate about the importance and role that afterschool programs provide for youth, which includes providing a safe and enriching environment. She is currently the Director of Quality Assistance for Dallas Afterschool.

María Fernanda López
María Fernanda López is a Senior at Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership, the first public all girls school in Texas. She currently serves as the LULAC Youth State Director and represents Texas Youth on the National LULAC Board. She received the 2019 LULAC Young Woman of the Year award at district, state and nationals. Furthermore, Maria serves as a fellow for the Young Women’s Advisory Council which works to improve conditions and empower women of color in Dallas, Texas. Lastly, she co-founded the Student Voter Empowerment Coalition, dedicated to increasing voter turnout amongst young people of color. 

J Nicole Johnson
J Nicole Johnson, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, is currently a PhD student, earning her degree in Organizational Leadership. A native of New Jersey, she moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in 2013. Her desire to join the CAMP Fellowship is rooted in the various helping professions positions she has held throughout her career. These have been an array of positions from supporting students with varying needs as they navigate the education system to providing individual and group therapy to supervising group homes. She looks forward to utilizing the knowledge she gains to evolve the American K – 12 Education system, a system which has remained largely unchanged since the Industrial age, to provide a wholistic, equitable education to all children. ​

Shanice Harris
Shanice Harris, a Chicago, IL native, is a two- time alumna of Indiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and a Master’s in Public Administration accompanied by a certification in Human Resource Development. After attaining her master’s degree in May of 2019, she relocated to Dallas, where she currently serves as an Americorps Member Student Success Coach at John Neely Bryan Elementary School. As a result of her life experiences, Harris recognizes the injustices that are faced in education and is committed to helping create a system that is caring and inclusive for all students. ​

Brisa Salazar
Brisa Salazar is a senior at the School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center. She is an alum of the National Hispanic Institute, a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar, and is currently involved with her school’s advocacy and current events club, the Dallas Young Activists. As a proud member of the National Hispanic Institute, Brisa has served as a JFL fellow, a region counselor, and served as Director of Administration and Finance for two years in the Dallas alliance. She is going on to her fourth year with the institute, and in that time has committed herself to crafting a new narrative for the growing Latinx community, as well as community leadership. Brisa also worked on current Dallas ISD school board trustee, Ben Mackey’s campaign as a volunteer then a fellow, learning more about the election process and the need for social justice and equity opportunities for all students. Brisa enjoys the arts, public advocacy, community engagement, and debate.She hopes to go on to study and pursue a career in public relations, as well as, dedicate her time to investing back into her community and helping out families like her own. ​​

Baustin Shaw
Baustin Shaw is a Student Success Coach at City Year Dallas. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Carleton College.  
His love and passion for education advocacy first came from his love for his community. In middle school and high school Baustin participated in numerous community-based activities surrounding his church and volunteer work. From feeding people during the holiday season to working with local organizations such as City Square, community work was always being done in that time. This love for community followed him to college and began to transform into a social justice and education focused drive for change.  In college Baustin studied philosophy and education to begin a career in education politics and reform. This led him to work with many non-profits such as Generation Next, EdAllies, and POSSE to learn how education change happened outside of the classroom. And also with traveling experiences when he went to Seoul and took classes about international education change to gain a non-American view of what education can look like. 
Baustin is currently working with City Year at O.W Holmes middle school and planning to get his master’s in education politics to continue working in education reform as a career and to one day become Secretary of Education for the federal government.

Raffay Piracha
Raffay Piracha is a lifelong Dallasite, and senior enrolled in the University of Texas High School program. He is a community activist. Prior to joining the CAMP fellowship, he worked on several federal elections; before moving into city politics with an intimate role as a fellow at Miguel Solis’ mayoral campaign. Before entering UTHS, Raffay was a Debate Captain, a Mock Trial Captain, and President of  Model UN at J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson, Texas. Raffay serves as a moderator in Dallas’ largest political discussion forum, “Reform Dallas”. After graduation, Raffay aspires to major in Political Science, after which, he hopes to attend law school prior to beginning a career in politics. 

Krystal Watson
​Krystal C. Watson is a 2016 Manga Cum Laude graduate of the Lee P. Brown Criminal Justice Institute at Wiley College and 2021 Master in Public Administration Candidate at Tarleton State. During her undergraduate years, she excelled academically and encouraged her peers to become retention specialist to those who were academically challenged. Krystal has held positions within student organizations such as: Senior Class President and 2015-16 President of the Alpha Iota Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. while serving as a Student Ambassador in the Enrollment Services Division. In 2015, Krystal Watson received a $20,000 scholarship from the Antony Anderson Foundation/UNCF during their annual UNCF Evening of the Stars event televised on the BET network. She was also featured in the Huffington Post, Brennan Center for Justice, and The American Presidency Project Hosting due to her hosting forums on “Know Your Rights” and registering over 100 student voters in Harrison County. Democratic Presidential candidate Hilary Clinton shed light in the summer of 2015 on the constant violation of rights being impeded on students at the voting polls and noted the efforts of Krystal Watson making a difference in fighting for the right to vote.
Prior to her graduating, Krystal worked as an legal fellow in the Civil Rights and Social Justice section of the American Bar Association in Washington, D.C. During her tenure, she performed research and assisted in monitoring legal and legislative developments on various Civil Rights, Civil Liberties, and Human Rights issues. She attended Congressional hearings, meeting, and other events related to Civil Rights issues.
During her career as a public servant, She has aligned herself with a number of organizations including the Metropolitan Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Social Action Committee Co- Chair; DFW National Urban League, Fort Worth NAACP Chapter, and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, League of Woman Voters of Texas and the Texas Organizing Project- BCLI Fellow. Her involvement in these organizations has taught me the importance of effectively communicating, advocating, and organizing for her local community. 
Additionally, the skills Krystal has gained managing volunteers, coordinating civic engagement activities for the National Urban League and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. gives her the aptitude to meet the needs of the civilian’s whiles leading the DFW community in Civic Engagement work. She has also mastered effective communication, time management, and multi-tasking skills. Having worked two jobs while serving in a leadership role in her sorority enabled to efficiently handle multiple tasks at once. Her passion to serve the community and dedication to being a community ally makes her passionate to serve even more. 
Krystal’s passion and experience with advocating for community members to have their voices heard, she would be an ideal candidate to be a part of this program to serve the Dallas Community. She understands the need to have a diversity of thought at the table where decisions are made that affect the daily lives of people.

Luke Wendeborn
Luke Wendeborn is a passionate advocate for education, particularly in communities located south of I-30 in Dallas, TX.

An experienced education advocate and professional, Luke has lived and worked in the communities he has served, including during his time as a leader in City Year.

Vi Nguyen
Vi is currently a Public Health student at The University of Texas at Arlington with an interest in pursuing a career serving under-served communities.

​Understanding a need for greater investment in education to ensure a stronger future for our communities, Vi is currently seeking opportunities to build key leadership competencies necessary to serve the needs of diverse communities locally and beyond.

Nazadeen Knight
Nazadeen Knight is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina – Charlotte where she earned her Bachelors of Arts in Criminal Justice and Political Science with a minor in American Studies. She is currently serving as a Student Success Coach with City Year Dallas at O. W. Holmes Middle School.

Nazadeen has experience within the legal field, beginning with her marketing internship at The Avery Law Firm, PLLC in Charlotte, NC. She went on to be a part of the inaugural class of the Obama Foundation Community Training Days in 2017. In 2018, Nazadeen served as a Reginald C. Lindsay Fellow with the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. As a fellow, Nazadeen had the opportunity to work under the Honorable Judge Nathanial Gordon and within the Federal Public Defenders Office.

As a Boston native, Nazadeen was made aware of the educational discrepancies amongst school districts from an early age. For the first six years of her childhood education, she was a part of the METCO Program, a voluntary program designed to integrate suburban schools while promoting better educational opportunities for inner-city youth. Her personal and professional experiences are what drives her to make a difference within the education system so that all children are given equal educational opportunities.

Nikisha Patton Handy
Nikisha Patton Handy began teaching in 2005 as a special education teacher, earning a Bachelor's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, a Master's degree in Special Education specializing in Behavioral Interventions, and currently working to complete a Doctorate degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Nikisha is the proud business owner of 2 Inspire Peace which seeks to inspire peace in those that pour into children by offering stress relief and healing from trauma by way of mindful meditation, offering retreats, professional development opportunities, aromatherapy and de-escalation products, and life changing events for educators, mentors, and caregivers. Her goal is to create a spark and prompt a change in lifestyle among those who work with children to implement mindfulness and social emotional learning to decrease the lack of peace associated with childhood trauma and mental health concerns and increase teacher resilience. 
Nikisha Patton Handy has been an educator for over 15 years and made her choice to do so because she recognized the over representation of black students receiving special education. So, she entered the educational system to make an impact. Nikisha is currently serving as a mentor throughout the urban areas and Title 1 schools within the community hosting events for educators, mentors, homeschoolers, and caregivers to bring awareness to the importance of maintaining a mindful and healthy 
well-being to increase productivity and wellness to effectively and positively pour into our future in a more culturally responsive way. These events are hosted at the black bookstore in Dallas, Pan African Connection in an effort to heighten awareness among the black community about the power of the breath, meditation, mindfulness, and aromatherapy. 
Nikisha Patton Handy is also a member of the first cohort in Dallas, TX for BCLI (Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute) which recruits, supports, trains and places women of color who are eager to serve on local boards and commissions to become fierce and effective advocates for their communities. BCLI recruits people from local organizations working with low-income communities and communities of color on important policy initiatives. The organization that Nikisha represents within the cohort is TABSE (Texas Alliance of Black School Educators). TABSE is committed to improving the educational achievement of African-American students by increasing the participation and expansion of Texas affiliates. She is a member of and has presented sessions at both TABSE and NABSE (National Alliance of Black School Educators, the national affiliate) conferences on the subject of creating teacher resilience through culturally relevant mindfulness. Her entire career has always been committed to positively impacting and giving back to her community as a strong advocate for social justice and equity for all students. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

Sarah Sandoval
Sarah Sandoval is a senior at The School for the Talented and Gifted. She currently serves as President of her class’s student council as well as a National Hispanic Institute graduate and volunteer, former head coach, categorical coach, and participant. As a member of NHI, she has served on the organization for four years and counting to become a community leader for the expanding Latino community throughout the United States and Latin America. Her interests include, Teen Board, debate, fine arts, and caring for children. This past year, Sarah has had the honor of working alongside several educational activists and completing the Ben Mackey for DISD 2019 Fellows Program. Through this experience, Sarah was able to learn more about policy and its role in education as well as discover her passion for just and quality opportunities for all students. She hopes to pursue a career in the medical field and train to pioneer a nonprofit of her own one day that creates opportunities for at risk students.

Angela Burke
Angela Burke teaches physics and astronomy at Dallas Environmental Science Academy, a magnet middle school in Dallas ISD.  A Teach for America alumna, Angela has worked in a charter high school, a traditional middle school, and a magnet middle school.  She has worked with the Physics & Astronomy Department at Texas A&M University - Commerce (TAMUC) as a Teacher-in-Residence and has also been a Teaching Trust Ed-Fellow as well as a Texas Teach Plus Policy Fellow.  Last year, Burke continued her work in advocating for educational equity through policy as a DFW Teach Plus Policy Senior Fellow.  Burke feels her role as an educator is to ensure that her students understand and develop their own role as positive change agents in the world.

Burke graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. in Secondary Education with an emphasis in science and earned an M.S. in Physics with an education emphasis from TAMUC.