Terence Narcisse is the founder and executive director of the East Harris County Empowerment Council (EHCEC).
He has dedicated his life to advocating for underserved communities and ensuring that families in East Harris County have access to resources, opportunities, and a better future.
As Narcisse, 34, describes it, the East Harris County Empowerment Council is “the regional development organization responsible for bringing opportunity and resources” to this often-overlooked corner of Houston.
The organization has transformed the lives of countless individuals in the six communities that comprise East Harris County: Crosby, Channelview, Sheldon, Galena Park, Jacinto City and North Shore.
Narcisse’s passion for community service is deeply rooted in his upbringing. Raised in the close-knit neighborhood of Barrett Station, he learned the value of sharing, interconnectedness and collective responsibility from a young age.
“My family is massive,” he says, recalling a childhood spent surrounded by a sprawling network of aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. This early immersion in a culture of kinship and mutual support shaped his worldview and laid the foundation for his future endeavors.
However, like many young people, Narcisse initially felt a pull towards the opportunities that seemed to lie beyond the familiar boundaries of his community.
“My goal was to get as far away from the east side as possible,” he admits, echoing a sentiment shared by many of his peers.
But fate, in the form of the tragic loss of his friend in a car accident at the age of 18, forced him to re-evaluate his aspirations and confront the true meaning of legacy.
“It was a stark reminder that we only get so much time here on earth,” Narcisse said. “It made me realize how important it is to give back.”
His journey as a community leader began with small acts of service – cleaning cemeteries, organizing events and providing essential resources to those in need. These efforts, born out of a desire to honor his friend’s memory, quickly evolved into a movement that resonated with the community’s deep-seated yearning for change and recognition.
The path to establishing the East Harris County Empowerment Council was challenging. Narcisse, who was only 18 years old then, encountered skepticism, opposition and even outright hostility from some within the community. With his mother’s unwavering support and his own growing conviction, he refused to be deterred.
He sought knowledge and attended a grant writing class, using part of his rent money to pay for the course. The class instructor even gave him the essential “do-it-yourself” kit for establishing a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization as a gift. At the time, he was a first-generation college student at the University of Houston, navigating higher education challenges while laying the groundwork for his nonprofit.
“Balancing school and launching community projects wasn’t easy, but I knew the work had to be done,” he said. “There was no blueprint for this. I had to learn everything—how to build relationships with donors and create programs that truly served people’s needs.”
One of the biggest challenges was convincing others that East Harris County deserved the same level of attention and resources as urban centers like Houston.
“People often overlook communities like ours because we’re not in the spotlight. But the need is just as great—if not greater—because we don’t have the same infrastructure or access to services,” he said.
Meeting the community’s most pressing needs
Teraira Snerling-Alix is the Council’s Chief Impact Officer. As a seasoned professional with 20 years of experience in community engagement and digital equity, she chose to work with the organization because of her passion for serving the underserved.
“Finding this work and actually being able to work with Terence was a huge driver,” she said. “To be so young, to be so driven, to have built this from the ground up with his hands and then to bring in people from all these different places with these different expertise to come in and kind of undergird his vision.”
Her role is to oversee all programs, creating frameworks and strategies to ensure directors fulfill grant requirements and effectively manage the programs to maximize their impact.
“My end goal is sustainability,” she emphasizes. “Are you really reaching the people? Are you really giving the people what they came to get and need?”
EHCEC has addressed some of the most pressing challenges facing Black and underserved communities in East Harris County, including food insecurity, education gaps, disaster relief and workforce development. “It’s not just about handing out resources—it’s about creating long-term change,” he said.
One of the organization’s defining moments came during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The storm devastated Houston, displacing thousands of families. EHCEC mobilized quickly to provide emergency aid.
“We weren’t just responding as an organization but as neighbors. People needed food, shelter and support, and we refused to let them fall through the cracks,” he said.
