Dolores Lozano is a proud native of Southeast Houston.
Like so many Mexican-American families, she was born to working-class parents who entered the workforce straight out of high school. She is the daughter of Precinct 6 Chief Deputy Lillian Lozano and 37-Year Local Union 551 Member Jose Lozano.
As the eldest of three girls, Dolores grew up watching her parents exhaust whatever resources they had to make ends meet. And from an early age, Dolores’ parents taught her the value of hard work and emphasized the importance of education.
In the early 90s, the state of Houston public schools sent her parents on a search for more opportunities.
She ended up attending a magnet elementary school in River Oaks—30 minutes west of her birth home near Reveille Park. She later attended KIPP: 3D Academy in Fifth Ward and received a full scholarship to Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart for high school. As a result, much of her early life was spent in transit between her family home and her daily student life. It was clear to her, even then, that your zip code should not determine your future.
Dolores earned a scholarship to Baylor University in Waco, where she became the first-generation college graduate with a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She worked several jobs to pay for her tuition expenses, overcame institutional barriers, and survived an abusive relationship.
Post-graduation, Dolores spent a few years in speech pathology working with children in underserved communities. She later expanded her career in sports and entertainment, planning and coordinating large-scale events and community initiatives. Her work includes special projects for events like Super Bowl LI, NCAA Final Four tournaments, NBA All-Star games, TEDxHouston, and more.
At KIPP Voyage Academy for Girls, she worked closely with staff to evaluate and enhance programming for their annual Young Ladies’ Leadership Conference. Dolores convened groups of volunteers, designed workshops and panels, secured sponsorships for meals and goodies, and captured the event for two years following her first conference in 2016. Her actions resulted in reducing the cost of the conference by 25% and fostered new relationships that benefitted the school moving forward.
Dolores’ passion for Quality Education and Gender Equality was instrumental in launching Impact Hub Houston, a locally rooted, globally connected nonprofit organization working to make Houston a role model for how the world solves its most pressing issues.
During her tenure at BakerRipley, a nationally-recognized community development organization, she played a vital role in the response and recovery of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting local, state, and national task forces that determined where dollars would be allocated to best serve those in need.
As a small business owner, Dolores currently enhances the image, brand, and impact of nonprofits and businesses across the country. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she has helped small business owners secure over $500,000 in relief funds. She consistently leverages her relationships to drive impact for others. And she has repeatedly shown her understanding of the necessary give and take in relationships that allow for both parties to derive value.
Active in the Houston community, Dolores serves as a member of the KIPP Texas Board of Directors and Garden Villas Civic Club Board. Dolores is an Aspen Institute Ideas Scholar and has participated in fellowships with Management Leadership for Tomorrow, Latinos for Education, Colorwave, HTXelerator, and New Leaders Council.
In her spare time, she serves as a Child Advocate, Young Friend of AVDA (Aid to Victims of Domestic Violence), Houston Area Women’s Center Young Leader, and Junior League of Houston Head Active & Assistant Editor of the Houston News.
As a survivor, speech therapist, journalist, and every role in between, Dolores has protected our most vulnerable and opened doors of opportunity with confidence and strength. She looks forward to becoming the first Hispanic and first woman to be elected in her own right to the bench as the next Harris County Justice of the Peace in Precinct 2, Place 2.
Dolores is married to Kory Haywood and they have two dogs.
