Houston is no stranger to hardship. From Hurricane Harvey to Tropical Storm Imelda, the fourth-largest city in the U.S. has weathered six federally declared flooding disasters in five years. 

Yet Houston remains a vibrant, resilient community. This vitality is powered in part by organizations like Tejano Center for Community Concerns, which has spent three decades building economic opportunity from within Houston’s neighborhoods. 

Building the foundation for community wealth

Tejano Center began in 1992 with five people gathered around a table. They all wanted one thing: affordable housing, for themselves and their community. Since its modest beginning, the center has grown. Now it  provides education, business development, social services and first-time homebuying assistance to create pathways to economic mobility. 

Homebuyer education remains integral to the center’s mission. In 2004, community member Gabriela Luna took a class. She eventually purchased her own home and became more involved in the organization. Today, she serves as its director of housing and community development, giving back to her community through the center’s comprehensive programs. 

“I feel every single day that I come to work that I pay it forward. I want to replicate what was done for me,” Luna said. “I am Tejano Center-made. It gave me the opportunity as it does with many of its clients.”

Recently, the center expanded to Pasadena, Texas, opening a charter school to serve pre-K through eighth-grade students. With support from J.P. Morgan through New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) and RDF, a certified Community Development Financial Institution, the center brought the RYSS STEM Academy to life.

“The $5.05M NMTC equity investment reflects our ongoing dedication to addressing critical needs of the greater Houston community for housing, education, health and social services,” said Melissa Pillars, Executive Director of NMTC at J.P. Morgan. “We believe that one of the most powerful ways to uplift a community is through education—because when people are given the tools to learn, they gain the power to lead, innovate and break cycles for generations to come.”

The school has grown to 150 students and provides STEM learning to students as young as three. RYSS STEM Academy hopes to continue expanding and serve students through fifth grade next year.

“Being an employee with Tejano Center has really shown me what it means to be a true wraparound service school, not just for our students, but for the families and the community,” said Yesenia Cervantes, Principal at RYSS STEM Academy.

Beyond education, Tejano Center desires to continue expanding and enhancing disaster-relief and recovery services while building on significant progress they’ve already made. 

“J.P. Morgan has helped build our future by investing in innovation and dignity,” Tamez said. “They've helped turn our most ambitious plans into real life-changing outcomes for families, for youth and for the future of Houston.”