By Jaelon Jackson
School of Social Work
Kelli Rogers, Assistant Professor of Practice and Antong Lucky,
President & CEO of Urban Specialists
The path to lasting community change doesn’t start with a policy. It starts with the people.
That’s the belief driving the work of Antong Lucky, president and CEO of Urban Specialists, a Dallas-based nonprofit focused on disrupting cycles of poverty and violence in urban communities. In a recent conversation with Dr. Kelli Rogers, assistant professor of practice at the University of Texas at Arlington School of Social Work, Lucky emphasized the power of lived experience, collaboration and empathy in driving social impact.
“A lot of organizations parachute in with answers. We begin by asking questions and listening,” Lucky said. “The community is the solution. We just help catalyze it.”
Founded nearly three decades ago by the late Bishop Omar Jahwar, Urban Specialists engages directly with leaders who reside within the neighborhoods they serve. Lucky calls them “OGs,” individuals with deep-rooted influence and a personal stake in their community’s success.
That approach is central to everything the organization does, from community organization and mentorship to coalition-building and systems advocacy. It’sUSC3 meetings, short for Urban Specialist Community Collaborative Change Maker gatherings, bring together grassroots leaders, service providers and local officials to mobilize resources and share solutions.
“We believe the more touchpoints a family has — whether it’s job training, mentorship or mental health support — the better their outcomes,” Lucky said.
Dr. Rogers, who teaches macro social work practice and community engagement, noted how closely Urban Specialists’ model aligns with what social work students are being trained to do.
“A lot of our students want to go beyond direct practice,” Rogers said. “They want to engage at the community level, and Antong’s work is a blueprint for how that’s done well with authenticity, empathy and a real understanding of systemic barriers.”
Those barriers include more than just economic hardship. Lucky pointed to institutional mistrust, a lack of cross-sector collaboration and societal perceptions — particularly of returning citizens — as key challenges.
“Our biggest issue isn’t just policy. It’s perception,” he said. “Some of the most powerful experts in this work don’t have degrees. They’ve got lived experience, and that has to count for something.”
One initiative that exemplifies this grassroots-first philosophy is Urban Specialists’ Killing Ain’t Cool campaign. The movement brings violence prevention resources directly to neighborhoods impacted by gun violence. The effort includes partnerships with local platforms like Smash Da Topic and provides awareness events that center victims, survivors and at-risk youth.
Lucky also highlighted Urban Specialists’ Bishop Omar School of Entrepreneurship, which equips community members with business knowledge and connects them to funding opportunities. He also mentioned OGU, or Original Guys United, a program for formerly incarcerated leaders who want to give back.
“These folks don’t need saving. They need structure and support,” Lucky said. “And when they get it, they lead. They start mentoring, organizing and building businesses. They become the heartbeat of change.”
The conversation closed with a reminder that community transformation isn’t a top-down process. It’s a relationship. And trust, especially in historically marginalized neighborhoods, must be earned.
“We don’t tell people what to do,” Lucky said. “We equip them. We walk with them. And we stay out the way when it’s their time to lead.”