About Us
Building Bridges To Wellness
This initiative aims to provide essential holistic health and wellness services to the underserved and marginalized. And any individuals in need of the grace of our offerings. Focusing on communities of color and beyond. We are driven by the desire and necessity to ensure that the smallest and lowest earning communities of our county are afforded an opportunity to experience the benefits of specialized care and wellness programs that are often inaccessible. By bridging the gap between those in need and the specialized care of our Project Daraja wellness programs. We seek to empower individuals with tools to foster a culture where physical and mental well-being are prioritized. Leading to an improved quality of life. That can be felt in an everyday lived experience.
Project Daraja hosts community events throughout the year. Aimed at promoting increased awareness, education and understanding. These gatherings will highlight and feature the work of a diverse range of local practitioners who are also doing impactful and inspiring work. These practitioners align with Daraja's vision of employing collective energy and collaborative efforts to create accessible pathways to the tools and resources that will allow for elevated levels of healing the mind, body, heart.
Through partnerships with healers, doctors, and practitioners, Project Daraja will host events to educate and expose marginalized individuals to modalities of care that can have offer immediate, impactful and lasting benefits. The project also aims to secure donations to offer financial assistance and sponsorships for those who require support in an effort to facilitate access to care without barriers to entry. Additionally, Project Daraja will provide continuous support and opportunities for connection with regular check-ins with our participants. Community forums and special events. Creating a hub of wellness for all participants to connect and receive continued care.
Our goal is to establish our organization within the local community as agents and ambassadors of wellness. Providing programs and serving as a conduit to providers of holistic healing ,health and wellness and education.
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 actively involved in Black and African-descent Collaborative for Prostate Cancer Action (BACPAC), a community initiative dedicated to improving prostate cancer care for Black men. He 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. By incorporating patient perspectives, the GEMS project seeks to establish a patient-centered research cohort to assess the influences of genetic and non-genetic factors on fatal prostate cancer in Black individuals and marginalized populations. 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.