Art can double as a mighty catalyst toward social reform, and some North Texas artists have continuously used their work as a weapon in the endless fight against racism and injustice. In a time of deep social unrest, the work of these local artists stands out for having a unifying…
As a boy, Al Schahn knew that the handmade violins his “papa” created made a distinct sound. Now 88 years old, Schahn began patiently restoring musical instruments last year and has since refurbished more than 20 violins, he says, including 13 that his father made. The instruments arrived from places like…
Not even the gale force winds of a hurricane could bring down the slave quarters in Jammie Holmes’ hometown. Holmes, a Dallas-based painter with an impressive following, is from Thibadaux, Louisiana. Through portraits of his family and friends, he captures the desperation and poverty prevalent in his hometown. When he…
Not many organizations present such an immediately recognizable motif as the Umbrella Movement. The object is a metaphor and sign for those seeking protection and cover from a brutal reality and has been adopted and adapted for use in protests throughout the years, including those marching across Dallas streets. For…
Protests have been ongoing in North Texas since last weekend, and the issues behind this surge of activism are nothing new. Though the fight for racial equality and against police brutality has been ongoing, there are many who may be participating in protests for the first time ever. We spoke…
The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, and a history of systemic racism, have resulted in mass protests across the globe. While these protests are vital to attract attention, start conversations, and instigate change, it’s also crucial that we strive to understand why this change is…
With racial tensions across the United States already at a rapid simmer, the recent killings of George Floyd, Tony McDade and Breonna Taylor have raised them to a rolling boil. Since late last week, thousands in North Texas have taken to the streets to protest police violence against black people…
On Sunday, President Donald Trump drew criticism from civil rights activists after tweeting, “The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.” Many critics pointed out that the word “terrorism” has lost some of its original heft since the “War on Terror” (a phrase that even…
Movie theaters have taken a huge hit from the coronavirus outbreak and now it could soon put the largest movie theater chain in the world out of business. AMC Theatres, a movie theater chain that operates 21 movie theaters across Dallas-Fort Worth, has been unable to generate revenue since audiences…
The looters who damaged small businesses in Deep Ellum over the weekend were not legitimate demonstrators protesting police brutality against black people and the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis cop. They were merely opportunists who targeted a neighborhood and small businesses owned by the very…
As the Black Lives Matter movement maintains its momentum with worldwide protests, people are looking to celebrities and influencers and anyone with any kind of platform to make a stand against racism and police violence. Not all of them seemed eager to take a stand. While millions of people are…
This weekend, people around the world put their COVID fears aside and came together to protest police brutality and racial inequality, prompted by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week. The three days of protests weren’t the only examples of solidarity among Dallas residents. Dozens of volunteers came…
Early Sunday morning, the Dallas Police Department’s Twitter account tweeted for followers to download its iWatch Dallas app and share videos “of illegal activity from the protests.” The police are looking to arrest lawbreakers at weekend demonstrations decrying police violence against black people. The benefit of the app, according to…
Dallas-based graphic designer, visual artist, and “professional doodler” Christina Moreland is fighting a war on the side of good for the soul of humanity. The weapons in her arsenal? Cartoons. Her latest assault on ignorance is a series of aphorisms in cartoon form through a series called Daily Tips for…
Things keep getting stranger, and uglier, in the story of a man denied a refund after his fiancee died. Justin Montney and Alexis-Athena Wyatt planned to wed in Colorado Springs this month, according to BuzzFeed News, but Wyatt died in a car crash in February. Montney reached out to Copper Stallion…
Wednesday night, this writer got a pitch from a publicist representing a current cast member from The Real Housewives of Dallas. The pitch mentioned that two new housewives, Tiffany Moon and Jennifer Davis Long, have joined the cast. Bravo did not respond to a request for confirmation, but rumor sites…
HBO Max, a new subscription streaming service by WarnerMedia Entertainment, launched Wednesday and offers new original programming. One of those new shows is a romantic comedy anthology series called Love Life, where each season focuses on the romantic life of one character. The first season centers on a young woman…
Mortal Kombat, the ultra violent fighter video game series, is now in its 11th incarnation. The blood-splattering game is so popular that its creator, Netherealm Studios, has gifted fans with the answers to every wish they ever had for a fighting game … except one fans didn’t know they wanted…
No matter how much we depend on them, CBD stores in Dallas were not considered essential businesses and were recently forced to close down. This started a domino effect that left thousands of patients and consumers in the area to either ration their cannabis-derived medication, or risk breaking the law…
Theater is one sector of the arts that requires a live audience in order to exist, and companies all over the world are suffering the devastating effects of the pandemic. Even the Globe in London, the renowned replica of Shakespeare’s theater, is reportedly on the verge of shuttering permanently. In North Texas,…
It’s not even June and there’s already a perfect Father’s Day story melting our hearts on the internet. On Tuesday, PepsiCo data analyst Chris Hart, a Rockwall native who now lives in Carrollton, found a YouTube account called “Dad, How Do I?” that moved him so much that he took…
This past week saw the release of the Al Capone biopic Capone, but those looking for a grim, gritty story of how the notorious gangster rose to power in Chicago may be sorely disappointed — the film instead depicts an aging Capone who luxuriates in his Florida estate and has all…
