PIPELINE TO POSSIBILITIES New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth Signs Affiliation Agreement with the University of North Texas at Dallas.

 

PIPELINE TO POSSIBILITIES

New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth Signs Affiliation Agreement with the University of North Texas at Dallas To Open Up a Pipeline of Possibilities for Morningside 76104

WATERSHED MOMENT

New Partnership Connects Fort Worth’s Morningside Neighborhood to UNT Dallas

New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, LULAC Council 22308, and the University of North Texas at Dallas are launching a transformative new partnership designed to expand educational opportunity, citizenship access, workforce development, and experiential learning opportunities in Fort Worth’s historic 76104 community.

On Cinco de Mayo, Pastor Kyev P. Tatum Sr., senior pastor of New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church and a graduate of the University of North Texas School of Community Service, signed an official Affiliation Agreement with UNT Dallas establishing a supervised experiential learning partnership between the university and the church.

Leaders say the agreement represents a major step forward in what they are calling the:

“Pipeline to Possibilities”

— a community-centered initiative focused on connecting residents of southeast Fort Worth to higher education, career pathways, citizenship preparation, leadership development, and long-term opportunity.

“This is about creating access,” said Tatum. “We want families in Morningside to see that college, citizenship, leadership, and opportunity are within reach. We are building a bridge from the neighborhood to the university.”

Under the agreement, UNT Dallas students will participate in supervised experiential learning opportunities at New Mount Rose while helping support community-based educational initiatives throughout the 76104 ZIP code.

The agreement states that UNT Dallas “shall have total responsibility for planning and determining the adequacy of the educational experience” while the participating organization agrees “to serve as an Experience site for UNTD students.”

The agreement further establishes that the university will assign a faculty liaison for the experience and that students participating in the program will engage in assignments and programs connected to educational course objectives within the community setting.

Leaders say the partnership creates a formal framework for university students, faith leaders, educators, and community organizations to work together directly inside one of Texas’ most historically underserved neighborhoods.

The collaboration grew out of conversations between New Mount Rose, LULAC Council 22308, and Dr. Mara J. Queiroz-Vaughn, citizenship program director at UNT Dallas and LULAC international affairs ambassador.

Earlier this year, Queiroz-Vaughn presented UNT Dallas citizenship initiatives during a LULAC meeting in Fort Worth. Community leaders said the presentation sparked conversations about bringing those services directly into southeast Fort Worth.

“That presentation turned into a partnership,” Tatum said.

Nosotros La Gente Academy

The first major initiative connected to the agreement will be the launch of Nosotros La Gente Academy, a citizenship and community education program expected to begin this summer at New Mount Rose.

Organizers say the academy will provide:

• Citizenship preparation classes
• Civic engagement support
• Civil rights education
• Faith-based mentorship opportunities
• Educational navigation resources for immigrant and refugee families

Leaders say the initiative reflects the changing diversity and growing needs within southeast Fort Worth.

“Behind every statistic is a family trying to build a better future,” said Aracely Vasquez Ramos, president of LULAC Council 22308. “This partnership is about making sure opportunity reaches the community.”

Two Major Summer Events Planned

Organizers say the Pipeline to Possibilities initiative will officially launch with two major community events this summer.

The first event, scheduled for June 13, 2026, will introduce students and families to educational, workforce, and citizenship opportunities connected to UNT Dallas, LULAC, and New Mount Rose.

The second major event will occur during the 2026 National LULAC Convention in Fort Worth.

On Thursday, June 18, 2026, New Mount Rose and LULAC Council 22308 will host the:

LULAC Youth & College Expo

at New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church in southeast Fort Worth.

The expo will serve as a community-based highlight event connected to the 2026 National LULAC Convention taking place June 17–20 at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

The event is expected to bring together students, educators, admissions professionals, civic leaders, and community organizations from across Texas and the nation.

Organizers say the expo will feature:

• College readiness workshops
• Career exploration panels
• Networking opportunities
• Citizenship resources
• College and career fair opportunities

A featured participant will be the Dallas/Fort Worth Admissions Regional Network (DARN), a coalition of nonprofit higher education admissions professionals representing colleges and universities nationwide.

Students from across North Texas, including youth organizations, civic groups, NAACP representatives, and the Young Women’s Leadership Academy, are expected to attend.

“This is more than an event — it’s a moment of purpose,” Tatum said. “We are honored to welcome youth from across the country to our church and community.”

“Train Ride to the Promise Side”

The partnership also includes plans for a symbolic educational experience connecting Fort Worth students and families to the UNT Dallas campus through Trinity Metro rail transportation.

Organizers are calling the initiative:

“The Train Ride to the Promise Side”

Leaders say the experience is designed to expose students and families to college environments while reinforcing the message that higher education is accessible and achievable.

“It represents movement,” Tatum said. “Movement from barriers to possibilities. Movement from limitation to opportunity.”

Community advocates often cite Fort Worth’s 76104 ZIP code as one of the areas facing some of the greatest life expectancy and economic challenges in Texas.

Yet organizers say the community is also rich with resilience, diversity, faith, culture, and untapped potential.

“This agreement represents more than paperwork,” Tatum said. “It represents belief. It represents investment. It represents a future where the neighborhood and the university walk together.”

The affiliation agreement became effective May 5, 2026, and establishes a renewable partnership focused on student development, experiential learning, educational collaboration, and community engagement.

For leaders involved, the partnership signals the beginning of something larger.

“This is not just a program,” Tatum said. “This is a pipeline to possibilities.”

EVENT INFORMATION

Pipeline to Possibilities Summer Kickoff

Date: June 13, 2026
Location: New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church
2864 Mississippi Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76104

LULAC Youth & College Expo

Date: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church
2864 Mississippi Ave.
Fort Worth, Texas 76104

Held during the 2026 National LULAC Convention in Fort Worth.

CONTACT INFORMATION

New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church

817-966-7625
newmtrosembc@gmail.com

LULAC Council 22308

817-231-2476