Six ‘Women with a Voice’ selected as 2022 Women in Tyler honorees to be recognized in March

Published 1:00 pm Tuesday, January 18, 2022

The Women in Tyler Committee has announced this year’s honorees who will be recognized in March.

This year’s theme, “Women with a Voice” recognizes selected honorees who are advocates for those without a voice. Active in the Tyler community, they use their voice as power to improve and make change happen.

Since 1999, the Women in Tyler organization has honored women who make an impact. Historically, each of the selected honorees share their stories on overcoming hardships, adversity and personal challenges.

“Basically you’re our local heroes and you serve as an inspiration as to what can be achieved with perseverance, strength and a passionate desire to improve the communities in which you serve,” said President of the Women in Tyler Committee Terri Sumpter.

Dr. Karen Jones, LaToyia Jordan, LaRhonda Hamilton, Callynth Finney, and Nancy Arellano Rangel were selected as the 2022 Women in Tyler Honorees to be recognized at the Women in Tyler Luncheon which will be held during Women’s History Month on March 17. In addition, Shannon Dacus will be receiving the 2022 Judith K. Guthrie Legacy of Service Award.

Each woman had an impactful story.

Jones, Reverend Pastor at Cedar Street United Methodist Church, said 20 years ago, she had a vision of making sure children had equipment they needed for school. At that time, it wasn’t so much laptops, as she gives out for free now, but it was a key factor in students’ lives. She rounded up volunteers who could refurbish computers and 21 years later, the eight-person team continues to run the active program.

Jordan, of Henderson, began the “I am Beautiful” movement, a nonprofit organization for girls, in 2013. She was in a valley herself and wanted to come out of it, she said.

“I am beautiful, those three words just came to me and I was like, ‘OK, I have to add something else to it,’” Jordan said. With guidance from her mentor, the movement began with an annual workshop for girls in the East Texas area. The free workshop taught girls how to dress, wear age-appropriate makeup and held fashion shows. This year, the organization is celebrating its 10th workshop.

Jordan has also donated prom dresses for five years to foster care agencies and has one more event planned for this year. Jordan is also the publisher and founder of Beautiful, Ambitious, Motivated (BAM) Woman Magazine and Podcast, which highlights women in business, leaders and women in the community and all over the world.

A mother of two, Jordan is a fierce proponent of girl empowerment and dedicates herself to pouring into girls and educating them about the issues they face such as self-confidence, self-esteem, health and beauty. Jordan also promotes healthy mother and daughter relationships. She continues to come up with innovative ways to bring all walks of life together through her various events she hosts annually.

Hamilton, professor of criminal justice at Tyler Junior College, came to Tyler from Texarkana with the mission to keep a backseat. She has ended up doing more than what she accomplished in Texarkana. Hamilton is the founder and President of NABCJ, the East Texas National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice.

“I have a passion for youth, for criminal justice and for veterans,” said Hamilton. She is a 21-year veteran and retired from the military in 2009. She also chartered the Zeta Youth Auxiliary for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Zeta Kappa Zeta Chapter in Tyler and was chosen as the East Texas area ZYA Director. She also sits on the board of the board of the Smith County Juvenile and Family Study and on the board of the Empowerment Community Development Corporation, where she also serves as secretary.

Hamilton is also a Sister 2 Sister mentor and Criminal Justice Student Association Advisor, Academic Success Coach and has served as a Court Appointed Specialty Advocate (CASA) for East Texas children. Hamilton is also a board director for the Tyler/Smith County League of Women Voters where she also serves as the Vice President of Community Relations and is a chair member for the League’s Women Equality Day Program and is also a member of the East Texas Pan-Hellenic Council, where she serves as scholarship committee chair and is a member of the NAACP and the American Criminal Justice Association.

Dacus, who is receiving the 2022 Judith K. Guthrie Legacy of Service Award, is a lawyer and partner at Dacus Firm, where she covers areas including commercial and business litigation, including patent litigation, contract disputes and personal injury claims.

Guthrie, who was one of the first female judges in East Texas, mentored Dacus when she arrived to Tyler 25 years ago. Dacus said it’s a moving honor to receive the award. Dacus, who was a Women in Tyler honoree in 2008, is actively involved in leadership positions with both state and local professional organizations. Likewise, she is engaged in the development and improvement of the Tyler community through service on local boards such as the Tyler Economic Development Council and the Hispanic Business Alliance, among others. She just finished her term as chair of the Texas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees, where she was the first Hispanic female chair, as well as in the East Texas Communities Foundation.

She said she broke down in tears when she got the call with the news. She called the award the highlight of her life.

Finney, who has been in East Texas for 20 years, is a local photographer who wanted to help house Tyler’s homeless population. She helped hundreds during the February 2021 storm. The call for help to the community was the seed that created an ongoing nonprofit, Tyler Street Team, which exists to provide emergency care for those experiencing homelessness, on location, and to connect them to local resources.

She said during the storm last year, the East Texas community raised $78,000. Since then, she’s gotten to know the needs of those experiencing homelessness and works to help others with the help of the community.

“We’ve been able to get a number of people into permanent housing, into long-term residential programs, treatment facilities and all kinds of things,” Finney said.

Arellano Rangel is the president and CEO of the Tyler Hispanic Business Alliance. She arrived at Tyler in 1998 and eventually became one of the first 50 freshmen to attend UT Tyler, where she also earned membership into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Alpha Chi National Honor Society and National Honor Society of Leadership and Success. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree and returned for her master’s at UT Tyler.

She said when she joined the Hispanic Business Alliance, she was only focused on being a full-time mother. Her parents, however, insisted and told her God has called her to the position.

“Our hearts have always been, since we were young, taught to serve. Serving is engraved in my DNA, to serve this community. I try to serve in whatever capacity I can as in boards, board officers, however I can, try to mentor, business coaching,” Arellano Rangel said.

Arellano Rangel, mother to two children, is actively involved in leadership positions with both state and local professional organizations. She is engaged in the development and improvement of the Tyler community through service on local boards.

The honorees will be recognized March 17 at the Rose Garden Center in Tyler. Tickets are $30 per person. Doors will open at 11 a.m., the buffet will open at 11:30 a.m. and the program will begin at noon.