Deep Ellum People: Dezi 5
By Taylor Adams Cogan “I’m a musician, a community activist, and a Dallas native.” Dezman Lehman, known as Dezi 5, introduces himself simply, but behind that is plenty of history. For the musician, Deep Ellum isn’t just a place to perform: It’s part of his story going back to childhood. Dezi grew up in Oak […]
Deep Ellum People: Jeffrey Liles
By Taylor Adams Cogan Today, you can find Jeffrey Liles at concerts that fill the Kessler Theater and Longhorn Ballroom with music and inspired fans. As the artistic director of each, he’s booking the entertainment that people look forward to. While he’s working at venues with established names and reliable followings, Jeffrey got his start […]
Deep Ellum People: Pete Zotos
By Taylor Adams Cogan The floor creaks a bit when you walk in. Led Zeppelin plays over the speakers. The walls are so full of mementos and artifacts, you almost don’t hear staff greeting you as you take it all in. There’s a smell in the air: Fries? Is that tuna? Even a hint of […]
Deep Ellum People: Gino “LockJohnson” Iglehart
By Taylor Adams Cogan Gino “LockJohnson” Iglehart has been part of Deep Ellum for more than three decades; long enough to remember watching legends through a window because he wasn’t old enough to walk through the door. “I played my first gig in Deep Ellum when I was 16,” Gino, now 50, says, “so I’ve […]
Deep Ellum People: Shane Orr
By Taylor Adams Cogan Plenty of people in Dallas think they know Deep Ellum. Even more feel they can speak about it with authority – who’s there, what it’s about, how safe it is (or isn’t). But to understand the reality of this urban neighborhood, it’s better to talk to a resident, especially one who’s […]
Deep Ellum People: Joel Salazar
By Taylor Adams Cogan Joel Salazar came up in the Dallas dance and music scene because of his talent and work, but it’s his dedication to guiding others to do the same that keeps him thriving today. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Salazar was deep in Dallas’ underground dance music scene: drum and […]
Deep Ellum People: Leonard Fleming
By Taylor Adams Cogan Leonard Fleming didn’t set out to be a familiar face in Deep Ellum. Like so many in the community, he just kept showing up. Before the Deep Ellum Task Force officially existed, Leonard was already there — answering calls, walking blocks, and taking initiative when others avoided the neighborhood altogether. As […]
Deep Ellum People: Stephanie Keller Hudiburg
By Taylor Adams Cogan If someone moves to Dallas from a big city on the East Coast, it can be easy for them to feel out of place – DART can’t quite compare to WMATA, the Trinity isn’t exactly the Hudson, and the heat isn’t fully understood until you experience it. (But that doesn’t […]
Deep Ellum People: Moises Ochoa
There are countless perspectives on what makes a community safe. Plenty of people have opinions about what makes good policing. For former Dallas Police Department Sergeant Moises Ochoa, what made him a good officer was showing up – walking, breathing, and knowing the streets he served. Especially when it came to Deep Ellum. He worked […]
Deep Ellum People: Veronica Young
By Taylor Adams Cogan There’s no question: running social media for all of Deep Ellum is a cool gig. But not just anyone can do it. You need more than an eye for a good photo, some video editing skills, and the ability to keep up with platform trends. For our neighborhood, you need someone […]