About Us
Project Daraja’s mission is to build bridges to holistic health and wellness for underserved, marginalized individuals, and the broader public in Santa Cruz County. By fostering inner peace of the heart and prioritizing embodied wellness, we facilitate innate pathways for individuals to access the inner power and agency needed for personal transformation.
As inner wellbeing grows, so does community wellbeing, leading to a more loving, just, and connected society where emotional, physical, and mental wellness are woven into everyday life.
Building Bridges To Wellness
Project Daraja is dedicated to providing holistic health and wellness services to underserved and marginalized communities, with a focus on communities of color and low-income individuals. We aim to bridge the gap between those in need and specialized care, ensuring access to wellness programs that are often out of reach. By empowering individuals with the tools for physical and mental well-being, we foster a culture of health that enhances everyday life.
Through year-round community events, we raise awareness and educate the public by showcasing diverse local practitioners whose work aligns with our mission. These events create accessible pathways to healing for the mind, body, and heart.
In partnership with healers, doctors, and wellness practitioners, Project Daraja provides education and direct exposure to transformative care. We also seek to remove financial barriers by offering sponsorships and financial assistance, ensuring access for those who need it most. Beyond events, we provide ongoing support through regular check-ins, community forums, and special gatherings, creating a lasting hub for wellness and connection.
Our goal is to establish Project Daraja as a trusted community resource—championing holistic healing, wellness education, and accessible care for all.
Team Daraja
Board Of Directors
Kelvin Nivens - Founder / Executive Director /Board President
Founder and Executive Director, Kelvin Nivens, originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, has called Santa Cruz County home for over three decades. In that time, he has raised two daughters, forged lasting memories, and built strong connections within the community.
Drawing from a lifetime of learning and diverse experiences, Kelvin found his calling in the health and wellness industry. As an athlete, coach, teacher, trainer, and gym owner, he impacted thousands of lives over his 35-year career. Kelvin's approach to fitness seamlessly integrated physical strength training with mental well-being, always emphasizing personal peace and coaching his clients as whole individuals with love at the forefront.
From helping patients recover from injuries to guiding young athletes in their sports journey, Kelvin's passion for serving others shone through.
Facing his own health challenges with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and 8 years later metastatic prostate cancer, Kelvin was able to experience the benefits of specialized care first hand, largely due to the gracious generosity and support of the Santa Cruz County community. Kelvin has remained grateful for the outpouring of support he received. And looked for means and opportunities to pay forward the same love and support that was shown to him.
The gratitude for the grace given to him throughout his life. And a lifetime devotion of service to others. are part of the inspiration that led to the creation of Project Daraja. A vehicle and platform to continue impacting many more lives in a meaningful and tangible manner.
Kelvin is a member of the Rise Together 2025 cohort — a coalition of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color leaders and a team from the Santa Cruz Community Foundation. He is also actively involved with the Black and African-descent Collaborative for Prostate Cancer Action (BACPAC) and serves on the advisory board for the Germline, Environmental, Social and Structural Determinants of Lethal Prostate Cancer in Black Men (GEMS) project, which aims to address disparities in prostate cancer outcomes for Black individuals through a comprehensive analysis of biological, environmental, and social factors. Kelvin's firsthand experiences as a patient advisor provide valuable insights to guide researchers and clinicians in prioritizing outcomes relevant to those affected by prostate cancer, highlighting the importance of patient involvement in shaping research agendas and promoting health equity in the community.
Elana Solon
Elana Solon is a community relationship-builder, connecting like-minded people and organizations to each other for mutual benefit and the greater good. With a background in operations, hospitality, and intercultural communication, Elana currently serves as Philanthropic Operations Officer at Community Foundation Santa Cruz County. She also serves as a Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce Ambassador and on the Board of Leadership Santa Cruz County.
Reggie Stephens
Reggie Stephens, a Shreveport, Louisiana native, has led a diverse life in sports, education, art, and culture. From playing football at Santa Cruz High School, Cabrillo Junior College, and Rutgers University, he went on to a career with the New York Giants, including a Super Bowl appearance. Beyond sports, Reggie founded the Reggie Stephens Foundation (RSF) to support student athletes and has made a mark in music and artistry, collaborating in Mexico City and beyond. Partnering with Creative City of Kansas City and UNESCO, Reggie continues to inspire others with his commitment to making a difference in various fields.
Esabella Bonner
Esabella Bonner is a long-time Santa Cruz resident, entrepreneur, visionary, and award winning changemaker/activist working to help bridge our local community. In 2020, Bella followed her gut and organized the largest ever social protest gathering that Santa Cruz County has ever seen with over 5,000 people in attendance. While this was the first protest she organized, it was a great success and opened up a world of movement work to her. She then went and organized the community to make space for black and brown people at various paddle outs as a part of protests on the water in Santa Cruz to support Black Lives Matter. This led Bella to creating Black Surf Santa Cruz where she is the founder and executive director for the award winning organization which aims to promote physical, spiritual, and communal wellness and healing through surfing, recreation and education.
Dr. Rebecca Hernandez
Rebecca Hernandez, PhD (Mescalero/Warm Springs Apache and Mexican American), is the Community Archivist at the UC Santa Cruz University Library. There she partners with community members to promote the acquisition, preservation, and use of archival materials documenting the histories of Santa Cruz County. She is driven by the desire to create equitable spaces for people to learn, share ideas and histories.
Dr. Peg Capers
Dr. Peg Capers, DC, is a seasoned practitioner with over 18 years of experience specializing in nervous system regulation, optimization, and development. With a background in professional sign language interpretation, training, and evaluation, she brings a unique perspective to her work by understanding the nuances of human interactions. Dr. Capers believes in the power of the nervous system and embodiment in creating meaningful changes for individuals and communities. Through her involvement in Project Daraja, she aims to integrate her passion for sustainable healing and growth across all communities, recognizing the human nervous system as a unifying mechanism of evolution.
Emily Jackson - Acting Director of Programs & Operations
Emily Jackson is a consultant and career counselor with over a decade of experience in higher education, nonprofit management, program and curriculum design, and workforce development. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Emily has an MS in Counseling from San Francisco State University and is a nationally Certified Career Counselor (NCDA). With a holistic, strengths-based approach, she supports clients in navigating uncertainty, clarifying their unique gifts, and developing the skills needed to fully express their potential. As Acting Director of Programs and Operations at Project Daraja, Emily is responsible for guiding program design and implementation, partnership management, fundraising and development, and marketing and communications. She is honored to be a part of a team committed to building bridges to wellness in her community.