Meet Kiwana Denson
FOUNDER OF THE JE'SANI SMITH FOUNDATION & MOTHER OF JE'SANI SMITH
For Kiwana Denson, grief became a calling. After losing her son Je’Sani to a rip current off Whitecap Beach in 2019, Kiwana transformed unimaginable pain into purposeful action. She now leads the Je’Sani Smith Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to water safety education and coastal hazard awareness across Texas, especially in the very place Je’Sani loved: Corpus Christi. Though Kiwana now lives in Houston, her presence is deeply felt in the Gulf Coast Capital. From local outreach efforts to legislative triumphs, she’s a driving force behind a statewide movement to eliminate rip current-related deaths.
“I can't imagine my life not doing this… because his story has the ability to save lives, to save another person from despair.
The foundation began humbly, with a scholarship for one of Je’Sani’s classmates at King High School. That small gesture, just a month after his passing, bloomed into something much larger. Kiwana’s advocacy led to the creation of the Je’Sani Smith Beach Safety Alert, new city signage, stronger lifeguard presence, and in 2021, passage of two state laws: the Je’Sani Smith Act and a statewide designation of “April as Beach Safety and Rip Current Awareness Month.”
Even with limited funding, the foundation’s impact is tangible. Thanks to persistent awareness efforts and partnerships, Nueces County recorded zero rip current-related fatalities in both 2022 and 2023—a powerful testament to prevention.
“Our success isn’t measured by zeros. It’s measured by the safeguards put in place and by people making better choices at the beach.
Through partnerships with local governments, social media campaigns, billboards, school presentations, and in-person events like Juneteenth and Lucy’s Snack Bar’s Community Day, the Je’Sani Smith Foundation has become a visible and trusted presence. Locals and visitors alike now recognize the foundation’s logo and message:
Know the flags. Respect the water. Be prepared.
Still, the work can be exhausting. Kiwana balances her full-time job in safety at ExxonMobil with her nonprofit responsibilities, traveling frequently, coordinating outreach, and managing operations. She dreams of the day the foundation can afford to hire full-time staff and increase the impact made by the Je’Sani Smith Foundation.
“Sometimes I just want to sit and remember Je’Sani. But he lives through me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. His story has the power to prevent other families from experiencing the same heartbreak.
Kiwana’s efforts through the Je’Sani Smith Foundation go far beyond honoring her son’s memory. With tireless leadership and deep community connections, she’s made water safety part of the public conversation in Corpus Christi and across the Texas coast.
From distributing bilingual educational materials and installing signage at beach access points to participating in local events and presenting at schools, the foundation’s mission is rooted in accessibility, awareness, and action. Each initiative is built around a central truth: knowing what rip currents are, and how to respond, can mean the difference between life and death.
About Je’Sani:
Je’Sani Smith was a gifted athlete, a natural leader, and a deeply compassionate soul. Tall, charming, and full of life, he was known for his humor, his Fanta soda, and a quiet wisdom beyond his years. His friends remember him for his generosity, uplifting spirit, and signature phrase: “Let Him change you, not they.”
He was an artist, a dancer, a poet, and a protector. Je’Sani loved music, the beach, and giving back, often in ways his family only discovered after his passing. In just 18 years, he left behind a ripple effect of kindness and strength that continues through the foundation that bears his name.
Though he is gone, his legacy lives on in every flag raised, every billboard posted, every conversation about coastal safety.
