Commissioner Lesley Briones has appointed Carlos Duarte to the Hispanic Cultural Heritage Commission and Carrie Rai to the Harris County Housing Authority.

Duarte is the inaugural President of ALMAAHH (Advocates of a Latino Museum of Cultural and Visual Arts & Archive Complex in Houston, Harris County), a nonprofit organization dedicated to Latino arts and culture in Houston, Texas. Over the past 30 years, he has been a transformative leader in driving progressive social change across the United States and Mexico. His efforts have included strengthening democratic processes through education at the high school and college levels, mobilizing youth, combating electoral fraud, founding coalitions, organizing workers to form labor unions, leading grassroots campaigns nationwide, and fundraising millions of dollars for various organizations.

As a member of numerous local, state, and national coalitions, Duarte has consistently advocated for initiatives to protect and expand democracy. He has served on the Complete Count Census Committees for both 2010 and 2020, helped establish significant pro-democracy, immigrant, and environmental organizations, and continues to serve on several boards, advisory councils, and coalitions. These include Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, Free Speech for People, Vote Riders, and the Houston 2036 Taskforce on Equity. Duarte holds a Master’s degree in Social and Industrial Psychology, a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, and is a Ph.D. candidate in Social and Cultural Anthropology.

Rai, MA, MSW, LMSW, brings over 15 years of experience working with individuals, groups, and communities. Growing up in Canada, she witnessed the ongoing injustices and violence faced by Indigenous populations, inspiring her to advocate for systemic, policy, and institutional reforms.

Rai has worked across various fields, including addictions, mental health, child welfare, homelessness, and public health. She offers extensive expertise in community collaboration, team building, strategic planning, research, and training. Rai earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto and Master’s degrees in Anthropology and Social Work. She is also a licensed social worker in the state of Texas.

For the past eight years, Rai has called Texas home, living with her husband, a native Texan and trans man. Together, they share their home with two dogs. In her free time, she enjoys running and hiking.