Welcome to Our House Our
Legacy Collective
Meet our team
Meet our team
"Our House Our Legacy Collective is more than a name , it’s a promise to build spaces where empowerment lives and legacy grows."
Sharon DeSilva
President
Sharon V. DeSilva, Esq.: is a visionary leader, devoted mother and passionate community advocate whose life’s work is rooted in service, empowerment, faith, and
legacy. When she came to the United States in 1978, she could not have imagined the journey ahead. What began as navigating life as an outsider evolved into a powerful testimony of perseverance, purpose, and divine direction. Today, she is committed to ensuring that others—especially those whose voices are stifled by fear—are not only seen, but truly heard.
As the President and Founder of Our House Our Legacy Collective, Sharon transformed
a lifelong dream into a living mission. The organization mission is to operate as a true collective force dedicated to uplifting the whole person—empowering individuals to love
themselves boldly while strengthening their communities with giving hearts. Through
this work, she continues to turn vision into action, building a legacy grounded in love, courage, and community celebration. Professionally, Sharon serves as an attorney and also dedicates her time to serving on several community boards. She collaborates with children, families, and adults to address concerns, foster growth, and create meaningful and lasting solutions. Through these efforts, she has witnessed—and helped cultivate—priceless achievements within the various communities she holds dear. At the heart of Sharon’s journey are her two amazing children, Victoria and Fabien.
Motherhood is her greatest inspiration and deepest motivation. Their unconditional love
fuels her drive to overcome obstacles and to build something meaningful that will impact generations to come.
Her life’s mission is beautifully simple: to love God by doing his work through service to
others. For her, leadership is not about titles; it is about impact. It is about creating spaces where empowering others within diverse communities results in love of self. Sharon believes that every human being should reach a stage in their life where they can look into the mirror and confidently say:
I LOVE YOU!
Theresa A. Lent
Vice President
Theresa A. Lent serves as Vice President of Our House Our Legacy Collective, bringing decades of hands-on experience in caregiving, community advocacy, and organizational leadership. With a professional background in information technology and operations, Theresa combines structure, problem-solving, and compassion to support families, caregivers, and underserved populations. She has played an active role in building community-based initiatives, coordinating resources, supporting caregiver education, and helping create safe, dignified spaces where people feel seen, valued, and supported. Deeply committed to service, Theresa is passionate about strengthening families, empowering caregivers, and leaving a lasting legacy of care within the community.
Camille Dale-Evans
Secretary
Born with a natural spirit to lead and serve, Camille Dale has always carried a deep commitment to community upliftment. Long before joining Our House Our Legacy Collective, she was actively engaged in community-centered initiatives, including participating in theatrical productions and creative programs designed to support and give back to those in need.
When Camille met the visionary Founder, Sharon DeSilva, and learned of the mission behind the Collective, the decision to join was effortless. The purpose resonated deeply, it felt aligned with her own calling to serve, empower, and build.
As Secretary, Camille brings heart, structure, and dedication to the Collective’s work. She is passionate about building systems that strengthen impact while ensuring every initiative reflects love, compassion, and empowerment. Her vision is not only to support the mission today, but to help establish a lasting legacy of community development for generations to come.
Through leadership, service, and an unwavering belief in collective empowerment, Camille continues to help shape future communities and lasting legacies. With intention and integrity guiding her work, she believes Our House Our Legacy Collective will become a household name, impacting communities for years to come.
Marcia Knight
Treasurer
Marcía L. Knight proudly serves as Treasurer of Our House Our Legacy Collective, Inc., where she supports the organization’s commitment to strengthening families, preserving legacy, and fostering long-term community stability. With several years of experience as a former union Treasurer, she brings disciplined financial oversight, transparency, and accountability to the board — ensuring that resources are managed with integrity and aligned with the organization’s mission.
Her professional background as a licensed REALTOR® and entrepreneur further deepens her understanding of housing stability, asset preservation, and generational wealth building — principles that directly connect to the heart of Our House Our Legacy Collective’s work. Marcía believes that sound financial stewardship is not simply about numbers, but about protecting vision, opportunity, and future generations.
Outside of her leadership responsibilities, she values quality time with family, travel, and intentional self-care. She enjoys cultivating peaceful environments and experiences that reflect stability and growth — values that mirror the organization’s dedication to creating strong foundations for families and communities alike.
Through structured oversight and heartfelt commitment, Marcía remains dedicated to helping ensure that “our house” today becomes “our legacy” tomorrow.
Gwen Pope
Board Member
The oldest of two children, born to Anne Pope, we migrated to Albany from Mississippi at a very young age. I grew up in a Christian household where it was understood that I had an obligation to be involved in church, live a decent life, always maintain self-respect, and give back because there were some who either did not have much or were unable to care for themselves.
As a young child, our church youth group would travel to one of New York State’s youth detention centers and spend the day with the residents of the facility. For a couple of years, we had one of the residents spend her vacation times with us because she had no home to go to. While it was a lesson in sharing and sacrifice, it also taught me about gratitude and not taking anything for granted, but in every situation to be appreciative.
Following my graduation from undergraduate college, I returned home and picked up where I left off, helping others, and by age 26 I served on a few nonprofit boards of directors. I also began to get actively involved with the Albany NAACP because it was during a time of major unrest—protests, shootings on college campuses, and local situations of police brutality.
Over my adult years, I have served on several community-based boards of directors, with a few being Drake Manor, Wizards Wardrobe, and the Albany NAACP, where I have served in the capacities of 1st Vice President, President, and currently as the North East Regional Director, where I serve as the liaison between the branches in the Capital Region and the NYS Conference.
I consider it to be an honor and a privilege to be involved with Our House, Our Legacy Collective, and again to give back and work toward a goal of helping others through the collective.