Tanuke "Tangi" Smith Our Founder

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Tangi grew up in Third Ward in the projects of Cuney Homes. Raised by her grandmother, the late Olivia Sholars, Tangi learned firsthand what community service meant at a young age. Under the direction of the late Ruby Mosley, Olivia and Ruby worked together and formed the senior citizens club. Olivia gained the nomination and was later elected President of the club by the seniors of the club. Tangi was taught by both women how to organize and manage people and coordinate community events. In 1983 Tangi experienced her first hurricane.

Alicia swept through Houston and dropped buckets of rain and destructive wind in Cuney Homes. After the storm was over, residents of the community and Ruby Mosley, Olivia Sholars, and Tangi went door to door assessing damages and taking note of items the residents lost due to the power outage. They walked for hours navigating through the large complex knocking on all 534 doors, talking to residents, and cataloging all the items needing replacing, such as medicine, food, milk, baby, and baby formula. The next day the ladies called for resources as the power was restored. It was then Tangi learned how to take inventory of the donated items and prepare food boxes for distribution. Later, Tangi graduated from Jack Yates High School. She went on to work for the Reverend Michael and Charlotte Bill at Bill Clare Family Mortuary; she never forgot her roots. After having a family, Tangi returned to the third ward with her children and started another life. 

Tangi helped where she could, but her heart was always focused on the people around her. After her children became adults, Tangi went back to school, earning a bachelor's degree in history and a minor in Journalism; Tangi wrote several articles for the TSU Herald, landing a position and digital Editor and assignment manager. Under the tutelage of Mrs. Dorris Ellis, Publisher and Editor in Chief of the Houston Sun, Tangi learned how to write for a larger audience. Later, Tangi co-wrote an article with Editor-in-Chief Jeffery Boney that was published in Houston's own Forward Times. During her undergraduate years at Texas Southern University, Dr. Vera Hawkins introduced Tangi to Dr. Robert Ford. He was the director of the TSU Enactus Club sponsored by Uniliver. Tangi worked her way up and became Vice president of the club; their major project was giving back to your community. Tangi took the program back across the streets where she grew up and started working with women teaching job readiness, and connecting the ladies with female business owners. Later Tangi was introduced to Mama PK, a solid human rights advocate; she began mentoring Tangi and developing Tangi's voice to become an activist and an advocate during that time. Mama PK and Tangi started a women's healing group at Shape Center called Sisters of Shape. Tangi became a regular at Shape Center again and volunteered to assist children with homework or wherever needed. One afternoon at Shape, Tangi was presented with an opportunity to participate in KPFT Community Radio. Where later, she became Chair of the Community Advisory Board. Where she still holds the seat. 

Later, Tangi connected with the Texas Organizing Project; she was a member with a strong voice; Tangi was a member of the Right to Justice Team. They taught Tangi how to speak to elected officials and list the demands of what the community needed. Tangi was at protests; she spoke out at George Floyd's rally. Within a year, Tangi became a member of the Community Leadership Team (CLT); she was nominated and elected to become a board member and later worked her way up to become Vice President of the Organization. 

Tangi then started listing hearing the stories of people who the judicial system impacted. Affected herself, Tangi knew the struggles people had when looking for employment, a place to live; she started collecting stories, writing articles, and moving into the direction of wanting to help others find the essential qualities of life; in 2016, Tangi started writing the foundation and the framework for Texas Federation of the People and Texas Federation of the People Foundation. Her passion was to get people jobs with decent wages, live in safe communities, and reunify families.