We prepare teams of leaders to:
Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) is about people: developing skill sets, bringing people together, and encouraging them to take action. As one of our leaders is so fond of saying: “The work is us.”
We are committed to tackling pressing issues that deeply impact our communities, from income inequality and homelessness to systemic racism and lack of adequate healthcare access.
Here’s what we have achieved as a collective group:
Safe and Healthy Homes for All
In response to deplorable living conditions in rental units across Dallas, some of the quietest community leaders from immigrant congregations learned to confront landlords, secure the support of African-American and Jewish allies, and negotiate with adversaries. They succeeded in overhauling the City of Dallas housing code to create the “best rental housing code in the state of Texas and are now working to ensure proper enforcement of that code.
Community and Police Relationships
After a shooting of police officers and protesters that left five officers dead, DAI clergy declared, “There is a repentance that has to happen in this nation.” DAI is working with congregations and community institutions to build and strengthen community-police relationships for greater accountability, trust and change.
Examples: overhauling Dallas recruitment processes, responding to after shootings of African American men – creating a space for conversation and healing, and now working to address SB4.
Parish Identification
Developed in the context of federal and state policy failures that fomented fear among immigrants, DAI negotiated widespread acceptance of church identification cards with police, health care, and other public entities. This innovative response to fear allowed immigrant parishioners to participate with greater confidence in public life. Photo: Texas Catholic / Revista Católica.
Strengthening the Hand of Labor
DAI has been at the center of several efforts to defend workers' dignity, including wage theft prevention, safer working conditions and the formalization of rest and water breaks for construction workers laboring in the Texas heat. Photo Credit: Workers Defense Project - Dallas
Congregational Development
DAI leadership training helps congregations identify and develop leaders, deepen relationships within the congregation, and become effective in the public arena. Photo Credit: Alan Pogue.
Walker Moore began organizing in 2012 and joined the West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) in 2012. He returned to Dallas Area Interfaith in 2022 after five years as the lead organizer of COPS/Metro Alliance -- the founding organization of the West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation. By focusing on leadership development, the organizations he works with promote change around workforce development, education, housing, immigration, healthcare, and safety.
Recent accomplishments include creating a $300 Million workforce development fund, the nation's largest municipally funded workforce development strategy, and increasing San Antonio's owner-occupied housing fund from $1.5 Million to $6.2 Million.
Prior to his time with the Industrial Areas Foundation, Walker organized with religious congregations in Waco, Texas for five years in addition to obtaining a B.A. in Biblical Languages from Oklahoma Baptist University, a M.Div. from George W. Truett Theological Seminary, and a M.S.W. from Baylor University. Walker and his wife Tasha have three daughters.
Tim McManus has been an organizer with the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) since 2009, working with projects in Texas, Arizona and California.
Tim is currently working with DAI leaders and organizers to expand the organization’s reach across North Texas. In addition, Tim supervises IAF organizing in Phoenix, Arizona, and a newly developing IAF project in the Central Valley of California. Tim’s work with the IAF has led to Medicaid expansion in Arizona, increased funding for after-school programs, parks and libraries in several cities, protections from immigration raids by law enforcement, local strategies dealing with mass incarceration, and the creation of county health care programs for undocumented immigrants.
Tim was recently part of a small delegation of
organizers, priests and lay leaders who met with Pope Francis in the Vatican to discuss this work. Prior to organizing, Tim taught high school theology for 8 years in Dallas, Dublin (Ireland), and Boston where he's from. He has a BA in Theology from Boston College, and a Master of Education from Notre Dame. He lives in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas with his wife, Marie (a bilingual speech therapist), and their three young children, and they are members of St. Cecilia Catholic Church.
Rev. Brian Lightner is a community organizer with Dallas Area Interfaith. His organizing efforts will be primarily concentrated in the region of East Texas (Tyler, TX).
Originally from Arkansas, Brian and his family relocated to Dallas, Tx in 2014, as a Pastor with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. As a bi-vocational pastor, he comes to us with over 13 years of experience in Pastoral Leadership and 20+ years of work in both non-profit and for-profit sectors.
He has obtained his B.S. in Business Management from Grambling State University and M.Div. from SMU/Perkins School of Theology with a dual concentration in Urban Ministry and African-American Studies.
With continued personal development and formation under the IAF leadership, he seeks to cultivate community leaders as they grow and be-come the change they want to see in their own communities. Brian is married to Quinny Lightner, and together they have four children and two grandchildren.
Originally from Ocaña, Colombia, Silvia Juliana Manzano moved to the United States in September 2018 with a vision of enhancing her language skills and pursuing graduate education. She holds a Law Degree from Autonoma del Caribe University at Barranquilla, Colombia, which has equipped her with a strong foundation in advocacy and social justice.
Currently, Silvia is working towards a Master’s Degree in Social Work at Texas Woman’s University, driven by her passion for community development. As an intern with Dallas Area Interfaith, she has actively organized for equitable housing conditions, particularly in the Bachman Lake area of Dallas. Her work focused on addressing unjust housing challenges and fostering community resilience.
Additionally, Silvia is now collaborating with Spanish-speaking parishes, helping to bridge gaps and identify new community leaders.
