For the eighth year, the State Fair of Texas and the Friends of Juanita Craft Civil Rights House & Museum are proud to announce the recipients of the Juanita Craft Humanitarian Awards. Juanita Craft tirelessly fought for civil rights and played a crucial role in integrating many Dallas establishments, including the State Fair of Texas. In honor of her efforts, achievements, and impact, the State Fair and the Friends of Juanita Craft Civil Rights House & Museum commend the following individuals who continue her legacy as advocates for positive change in our community. They will be recognized at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 12, at the Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center in the ballroom during the 2025 State Fair of Texas.
The Friends of Juanita Craft Civil Rights House & Museum established and executed the award selection process as part of their civil rights education and awareness initiative. Nominations were evaluated based on impact, active involvement in the community, commitment to social justice through notable efforts, evidence of time and resources used to address issues in the community and the quality of the submission. In partnership with Friends of Juanita Craft Civil Rights House & Museum, the State Fair of Texas brings the community together to celebrate the Humanitarian Award recipients.
Spark Award
First awarded in 2019, the Spark Award is designed to recognize a young person between the ages of 14-21 that is making an impact in their schools, neighborhood, or local community by contributing to making our world an even better place now and in the future.
Spark Award Recipient – Raymond Cardona
Raymond Cardona is a senior at New Tech High School in Dallas, Texas, with a passion for filming, photography, and art. His creativity allows him to capture stories and inspire others through meaningful visual expression.
Raymond is a Youth Revive Ignite Me – New Tech alum and recipient of the 2024 Youth Revive Community Action Project Day Revivalist Award, recognizing his heart to reconnect, rebuild, and revive his community. Through the National Youth Leadership Council’s Peacemaking Cohort, he led the assembly and distribution of care packages to the unhoused in collaboration with The Stewpot, furthering his commitment to building stronger communities.
He has shared his voice on the National Youth Leadership Council’s youth-led podcast and will also be featured in the upcoming 9/11 Day of Service documentary, which highlights young leaders using creativity and service to make an impact.
Raymond’s consistent service to his community makes him a deserving recipient of the 2025 Juanita Craft Humanitarian Award in the Spark Category, a recognition of his dedication to uplifting others and creating positive change. Grounded by the love of his family and friends, he continues to grow as an artist, storyteller, and servant leader, committed to leaving a lasting mark on his community and beyond.
Catalyst Award
Individuals under the age of 40 who are making an impact on civil and human rights in the city of Dallas by creating new initiatives and opportunities.
Catalyst Award Recipient – Tiffany Clark
Dr. Tiffany Clark, a 2007 DeSoto High School alumna, has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston, a master’s in community and school counseling from University of North Texas, and has a doctoral degree from Abilene Christian University, where she focused on conflict resolution. Tiffany co-founded Project E.D.G.E. (Excelling Dreams and Goals) in 2012 at DeSoto High School, a career services event that connects high school students with successful community leaders in a variety of career fields. The successful program linked over 500 students with opportunities for higher education and success outside the walls of the classroom. Project E.D.G.E. was hailed as a model community partnership when DeSoto ISD received the college readiness “GEAR UP!” grant from the Department of Education – resulting in over $7 million dollars for DeSoto students.
In 2017, Tiffany became the youngest woman ever elected to the DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees at the time. Through her six years on the DeSoto Independent School board, she focused on academics, accountability, and achievements for all students in DeSoto ISD to empower her community. She’s been an activist, advocate, and agent of change through implementing a community service policy and enacting an attendance policy to ensure that we get our fair share from Austin. She’s implemented staff mental health days and added African-American and Mexican American studies to their curriculum, and has created policies revamping the student dress code policy. She also developed a reputation as a “thought leader” on School Safety, including a headlining town hall in 2018 with state Senator Royce West.
In 2019, Tiffany was named a Dallas Business Journal ‘40 under 40’ honoree, which recognized her trailblazing leadership potential in Dallas/Fort Worth and beyond. In 2020, Tiffany was selected to participate in the Leadership TASB program, which is a yearlong educational leadership journey. In 2021, she was a recipient of the inaugural class of Texas Coalition of Black Democrats 40 under 40 Elected Officials and Community Leaders. In 2022, she received two distinguished awards: Community Woman of the Year from the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta, and she was inducted into the DeSoto High School Hall of Honor. In 2024, Tiffany was elected to serve on the State Board of Education, serving District 13, which encompasses Dallas and Tarrant County. Most recently, Tiffany earned the 2025 RadioOne (97.9 the Beat) SheIS Community Rising Star Award.
Tiffany also runs a nonprofit leadership development program in partnership with Christie Brown entitled Elevating Dreams by H.E.A.R.T.S. (Helping Education Adolescents through Relationship Time and Support). The program mission is to educate teen girls to exhibit self-awareness, to be effective leaders, and to display a sense of compassion and empathy to fellow citizens. She also has a children’s book titled “Being Different Makes You Unique” and workbook to support the book. Tiffany was a school counselor for 10 years serving both the middle and high school sector. Tiffany has also been an adjunct professor at University of North Texas at Dallas, where she taught future educators. She is an active member of Friendship West Baptist Church and is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Catalyst Award Honorable Mention – Trevelan Belknap
Trevelan Belknap is one of the founders of Inspired Vision Compassion Center, a large food bank serving Dallas and surrounding cities, which he started along with his mother, Pastor Karen Belknap, and sister, Dr. Teadran White.
The Inspired Vision Compassion Center was founded in 2014, in Southeast Dallas, and now provides groceries and necessities to almost 65,000 unique households, with about 2,000 families receiving assistance daily, Monday through Friday. In addition to free groceries, the Center has a free children’s clinic, sponsored by the Life Saver’s Foundation. South Dallas Employment Project operates an Adult Learning Center, located in the Compassion Center, providing job training and job placement assistance. Parkland Hospital comes to the Compassion Center two days per week, offering free health checks and financial assistance registration, increasing access to healthcare for low- income families. The Compassion Center partners with local animal nonprofits to provide pet food, vaccines, microchips, and spay/neuter services. The Compassion Center provides snacks, uniforms, and school supplies for about 60 local Title 1 schools. They also provide groceries to around 58 local churches, supporting their small food pantries.
Trevelan played a pivotal role in setting up the Christmas Blessing, a Christmas Toy event where 15,000-17,000 low-income children receive toys each year. He helps organize the Free Prom and Graduation Store, where high school students, who cannot afford to purchase the appropriate clothing for their events, can shop for free clothing, shoes, and accessories. He helps organize back-to-school events where students can get uniforms and school supplies, and teachers can get free classroom supplies. In late fall, he helps to gather the donation of 5,000 coats, as well as sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, and other cold-weather gear that is given to those in need.
Trevelan holds several degrees from Southern Methodist University, including a Master’s of Systems Engineering. He married Daisy Garcia Belknap, RN, in 2024, and they are expecting their first baby. He is also a part of the ministry team at Inspired Vision Church.
Trevelan has impacted hundreds of thousands of lives. He always has a hug for those that are hurting, a shoulder to cry on, and advice to help people make better decisions. Trevelan has devoted his life to ensuring that the basic needs of others are met. Trevelan makes daily videos advertising free groceries, and he often says, “At Inspired Vision Compassion Center, everyone eats!” Dallas and the surrounding areas are better places to live because of his commitment to meeting people’s needs.
Visionary Award
Designed to recognize individuals whose contributions are currently creating a positive effect on civil rights and community transformation in Dallas. This individual has committed their personal time, resources, and passion to take on a challenge that addresses equity and fairness presently.
Visionary Award Recipient – J. Reid Porter
Reid Porter is the Founder and CEO of Act (Advocates for Community Transformation), a Christian, place-based, justice organization that makes neighborhoods safer and stronger by empowering residents to fight crime on their streets, through shutting down drug houses.
Act’s legal advocacy model is a private solution to the public problem these drug houses pose. It takes existing civil laws to bring legal action on behalf of concerned residents against the owners of the drug houses to get an injunction forcing the owner to cease the illegal activity. Motivated to carry out justice as an expression of Christ’s call to love our neighbor, Act’s innovative approach disrupts this fight and provides a winning solution that brings neighbors, law enforcement, pro bono attorneys, and the church together to tackle this entrenched problem that plagues every major city in the United States.
Reid holds a J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law, where he was an editor on the law review and received a B.A. in history and a minor in Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to founding Act, Reid was a trial lawyer in Dallas and served as a volunteer in the historically underserved neighborhood of West Dallas. He is a Manhattan Institute Civil Societies Fellowship Alumnus, a Stand Together Foundation Catalyst Partner, and a Praxis Fellow. Reid’s work has been featured in Forbes, WORLD Magazine, The Dallas Morning News, and D Magazine. Reid lives in Dallas, Texas, with his beautiful wife and four amazing children.
Visionary Award Honorable Mention – LaJuana D. Barton
LaJuana D. Barton is often described as “the lady behind the scenes who gets things done.” A proud Dallas native, she graduated with High Honors from Franklin D. Roosevelt High School and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism – Public Relations from The University of Texas at Austin. Her time at UT, though challenging, helped shape her into a resilient and well-rounded individual.
Returning to Dallas, Barton was reminded by a cousin that “to whom much is given, much is required.” She chose to give back through the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), where she became the youngest Leadership Council member, and Paul Quinn College, reflecting her deep commitment to education.
Her volunteer work and fundraising skills led Senator Royce West to invite her to join his legislative team, where she has served for over 32 years—now as Chief of Staff. Known as one of Texas’ most effective political operatives, Barton has played a critical role in shaping policy, particularly in public and higher education, school finance, governmental relations, and grassroots organizing.
Among her proudest accomplishments are the establishment and growth of the University of North Texas at Dallas, the UNTD College of Law, and major advancements at Prairie View A&M University. She also co-founded the Dr. Emmett J. Conrad Leadership Program (1993–2020), which provided over 3,000 students with internships and mentoring. Many of the program’s alumni affectionately call her “Mama B.”
Barton is also a published author. Alongside her mother, Patricia Butcher Barton, she co-wrote Faithful Remembrances – Volume I, a collection of poetry to help readers heal from grief. Their work has been featured in newspapers, radio shows, and university lectures, and appears regularly in I Messenger News Group publications.
Her passion for history and community extends to volunteering with the historic Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church in Kirvin, Texas—coordinating virtual services for elderly members during the pandemic, including a 99-year-old congregant.
Despite a demanding schedule, she supports numerous organizations, including the Sister 2 Sister Breast Cancer Foundation (as its top individual fundraiser), Paul Quinn College, and the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center. She was recently appointed to the inaugural Community Advisory Board for the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at UT Southwestern.
Her many accolades include a scholarship in her name from the Conrad Alumni Association, the 2022 Unsung Hero Award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., recognition by Who’s Who in Black Dallas, and being named an Honorary Council Member by the Dallas Arboretum’s Black Heritage Celebration. In 2023, she was inducted into the 13th Annual “Women of Wisdom” class by Elite News.
Legacy Award
A lifetime achievement award for individuals, families, or organizations that have made important and sustained contributions to the understanding and promotion of civil rights.
Legacy Award Recipient – Kristi Lichtenberg
Kristi is the Executive Director of Cornerstone Crossroads Academy (CCA), where she loves to see students overcome obstacles and build bright futures. Before joining CCA, she spent 15 years in Garland ISD as a bilingual teacher and middle school assistant principal. She studied education at Texas A&M University–Commerce and is currently a student at UNT Dallas College of Law.
She gives thanks first to God, who met her in a dark and broken season and offered her the gift of a second chance, a life filled with meaning, purpose, and hope. Teaching and learning from young people, especially the amazing students of CCA, is one of the greatest joys of her life.
She considers it a profound honor to live in the Wheatley neighborhood with her four-legged friend, Maggie, and to serve at the historic Phillis Wheatley School, working with neighbors, churches, business owners, and individuals to restore it to its original purpose: cultivating community and nurturing students through education.
She is grateful to be part of Sunny South Dallas, her family, the staff and board of CCA, the Wheatley neighborhood, and friends at Cornerstone Baptist Church, Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, Redeemed Women, and the Men of Nehemiah.
Being honored for this work is deeply humbling, because the work itself is such a gift—each day is a reminder of purpose, grace, and the power of community.
Legacy Award Honorable Mention – Tavian Harris
Tavian Harris is an award-winning leader and the Founder & Executive Director of Seasons of Change Inc. (SOC), a nonprofit she launched in 2001 to empower vulnerable children, youth, and families. Under her leadership, SOC has served more than 1,000,000 clients and secured over $28 million in federal, local, and private funding to deliver evidence-based programs such as the Basic Center, Maternity Group Home, Transitional Living Program, PREP, and its signature Blessed to Give community campaign. She oversees a dedicated team of 74 staff members, 12 contractors, and 95 volunteers, who together serve thousands of families annually with essential resources and support.
Her impact has been recognized with honors including the Arlington Police Department Business Partnership of the Year Award (2021), the Fort Worth ISD Recognition Award (2022), the National Safe Place Network Community Involvement Award (2023), and the 2025 DFW Favorites Silver Award. She is co-author of the Possessing Your Power curriculum—listed on the 2018 HHS Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evidence Review—and is a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor, frequently leading capacity-building trainings and forging partnerships with civic and community leaders.
Mrs. Harris earned a Bachelor of Applied Arts & Science in Organizational Leadership (Summa Cum Laude) and an MBA, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) at South College. She has also enrolled at Texas A&M University–Commerce to complete an additional undergraduate degree in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management. Her commitment to lifelong learning reflects her passion for sharpening her leadership skills and advancing SOC’s mission of creating pathways out of poverty and helping families build brighter futures.
Please join us in congratulating these individuals for all their efforts in the community on Sunday, October 12, at 2:00 p.m. at the Briscoe Carpenter Livestock Center ballroom. For more information on the Juanita Craft Humanitarian Awards, please visit BigTex.com/JCHA. For more information on the Juanita Craft Scholarship and how to apply, please visit BigTex.com/Scholarship. For more information on the Friends of Juanita Craft Civil Rights House & Museum, please visit FriendsofJuanitaCraft.org.