WATERSHED MOMENT. New partnership connects Fort Worth’s Morningside neighborhood to UNT Dallas.
WATERSHED MOMENT. New partnership connects Fort Worth’s Morningside neighborhood to UNT Dallas.
New Mount Rose, LULAC and UNT Dallas launch “Pipeline to Possibilities” initiative in 76104
FORT WORTH — A new partnership between New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, LULAC Council 22308 and the University of North Texas at Dallas aims to expand educational opportunity and citizenship access in one of Fort Worth’s most historically underserved neighborhoods.
On Cinco de Mayo, Pastor Kyev P. Tatum Sr. signed an affiliation agreement with UNT Dallas that formalizes a new experiential learning partnership between the university and New Mount Rose in southeast Fort Worth.
Leaders say the agreement is part of a broader effort they are calling the “Pipeline to Possibilities,” designed to connect residents in Fort Worth’s 76104 ZIP code with higher education, workforce development and citizenship resources.
“This is about creating access,” said Tatum, senior pastor of New Mount Rose and a UNT alumnus. “We want families in Morningside to see that college, citizenship and opportunity are within reach.”
The partnership will allow UNT Dallas students to participate in supervised experiential learning opportunities at New Mount Rose while also helping expand community-based educational programs in the neighborhood.
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 a 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 discussions about bringing those services directly into southeast Fort Worth.
“That presentation turned into a partnership,” Tatum said.
The first major initiative under 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 said the academy will provide citizenship preparation classes, civic engagement support, civil rights education and faith-based mentorship opportunities for immigrant and refugee families living in the area.
Leaders say the Pipeline to Possibilities initiative will officially kick off with two major community events this summer.
The first event will take place June 13 and will focus on introducing families and students to the broader educational and citizenship opportunities connected to the partnership between UNT Dallas, New Mount Rose and LULAC Council 22308.
The second event will occur during the week of the 2026 National LULAC Convention, when New Mount Rose and LULAC Council 22308 host the LULAC Youth & College Expo on June 18 at the church’s campus in southeast Fort Worth.
The expo is scheduled for 1 p.m. at New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church, 2864 Mississippi Ave., and is expected to bring together students, educators, admissions professionals and community leaders from across North Texas and beyond.
The event will serve as an official community-based highlight of the 2026 National LULAC Convention, which runs June 17–20 at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
“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.”
Organizers say the expo will feature college readiness workshops, career exploration panels, networking opportunities and a college and career fair.
A featured participant will be the Dallas/Fort Worth Admissions Regional Network, known as DARN, a coalition of nonprofit higher education admissions professionals representing colleges and universities nationwide.
Students from across North Texas, including representatives from the NAACP and the Young Women’s Leadership Academy, are expected to attend.
“This is a moment to remember,” said Aracely Vasquez Ramos, president of LULAC Council 22308. “We want young people to leave inspired and connected to real pathways for success.”
The partnership also includes plans for a symbolic and educational train experience connecting Fort Worth to the UNT Dallas campus, an initiative organizers are calling the “Train Ride to the Promise Side.”
Leaders say the experience is intended to expose students and families to college opportunities while reinforcing the message that higher education is accessible.
“It represents movement,” Tatum said. “Movement from barriers to possibilities.”
Community leaders say the effort is especially important in the 76104 ZIP code, which advocates often cite as having one of the lowest life expectancy rates in Texas.
At the same time, organizers say the neighborhood has become increasingly diverse, with immigrant and refugee families continuing to settle in southeast Fort Worth.
“Behind every statistic is a family trying to build a better future,” Vasquez Ramos said. “This partnership is about making sure opportunity reaches the community.”
The affiliation agreement between UNT Dallas and New Mount Rose became effective May 5 and will continue as a renewable partnership focused on student development, experiential learning and community engagement.
For organizers, the agreement represents more than a formal partnership.
“This is not just a program,” Tatum said. “This is a pipeline to possibilities.”
Event Information
Pipeline to Possibilities Summer Kickoff
LULAC Youth & College Expo
Contact Information
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