New Friends New Life (NFNL) announces the recipients of its 2026 ProtectHER Awards: Baker Botts and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., Elizabeth Carlock Phillips, and Janet Jensen. The awards, sponsored by Thomson Reuters, will be presented at the annual NFNL Stand for Her Luncheon, on September 24 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas. The luncheon will feature actress, producer, and founder/CEO Tracee Ellis Ross in a conversation moderated by NBC 5 anchor Laura Harris.

Community leaders Lottye and Bobby Lyle will serve as honorary luncheon chairs, joining mother-daughter co-chair teams Beth Thoele and Brooke Russo and Kathy Helm and Marci Kramer in leading the event, which supports NFNL’s mission to restore and empower survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Established in 2013, the ProtectHER Awards recognize individuals, corporations, and agencies whose leadership and service advance the protection, dignity, and value of women and girls in Dallas, across the nation, and around the world. Past recipients include Erin Nealy Cox, The Meadows Foundation, Methodist Health Systems, Santander Consumer USA Foundation, Inc., and Southwest Airlines.

For the past two years, the Baker Botts/Toyota Pro Bono Legal Clinic has played a critical role in supporting members of NFNL’s Women’s Program by providing free legal services that remove barriers to stability and independence. From addressing family law matters to resolving issues that impact employment, housing, and financial security, the clinic has helped survivors move forward with confidence and hope.

“Each year these partnering entities show up with expertise wrapped in empathy, lighting the legal path forward for our members” said Bianca Davis, CEO, NFNL. "Their unwavering commitment helps remove barriers that too often stand between survivors and the fresh start they deserve."

Through her tireless advocacy for Trey’s Law, Elizabeth Carlock Phillips has become a powerful voice for survivors of sexual abuse and human trafficking. This landmark legislation prohibits the use of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence survivors of sexual abuse, child sexual abuse, and human trafficking. Inspired by the tragic loss of her brother, Trey Carlock, who experienced childhood sexual abuse at a summer camp and died by suicide in 2019 at the age of 28, Phillips courageously shared his story with lawmakers to help ensure survivors would never again be silenced. Today, Trey's Law is helping hold perpetrators accountable in Texas and serving as a model for similar legislation across the country.

“At New Friends New Life, we recognize the courage and tenacity required to impact legislative change,” said Davis. “Elizabeth has transformed personal tragedy into meaningful action, creating protections that will benefit survivors for generations to come."

As founder of The Jensen Project, Janet Jensen has transformed the way organizations serving women and girls affected by gender-based violence build capacity and strengthen their impact. Through strategic funding, leadership development, collaboration, and technical support, The Jensen Project has equipped agencies across the country with the resources needed to expand services, improve outcomes, and better serve survivors.

"The Jensen Project's advocacy, investment, and commitment to collaboration have strengthened the anti-trafficking movement and created meaningful, measurable progress for survivors nationwide," Davis added. "Janet understands that lasting change happens when organizations are equipped to work together, and her leadership continues to elevate the entire field."

“Thomson Reuters is proud to stand alongside New Friends New Life in honoring these ProtectHER Award recipients,” said Heather Panton, Senior Advisor of Social Impact and Human Rights, Thomson Reuters. “Their tireless efforts reflect the values we champion – truth, justice, and human dignity. We are committed to leveraging our data, technology, and subject matter expertise to help combat trafficking in communities across the U.S. and around the world.”

Underwriting sponsorship opportunities begin at $3,000. A limited number of individual tickets are available at $300. To reserve sponsorships or seats, visit www.newfriendsnewlife.org/luncheon, email events@newfriendsnewlife.org, or contact Chief Development Officer Priya Murphy at 214-217-8652. Media Sponsor is NBC 5/ Telemundo 39.

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About New Friends New Life (NFNL)

Founded in Dallas in 1998, New Friends New Life (NFNL) is an award-winning organization that restores and empowers trafficked and sexually exploited teen girls, women, and their children while leading efforts to end sex trafficking and exploitation through awareness, advocacy, and systemic change. In 2025, NFNL served 320 teen girls, women, and their children, providing holistic programs that support stability, emotional healing, education, economic mobility, and long-term independence. NFNL advances its mission through advocacy, legislative reform, community education, and strategic partnerships. Its drop-in Youth Resource Center (YRC), launched in partnership with the Texas Governor's Office, has provided comprehensive preventative and restorative services to more than 700 trafficked and high-risk teen girls since opening in 2018. NFNL’s Men's Advocacy Group has engaged men in the fight against sex trafficking and exploitation since 2015. In 2024, NFNL was named the D CEO Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Organization of the Year (Midsize). For more information, visit www.newfriendsnewlife.org.

It was a fun change of pace for the Coppell Cowboys and Cowgirls as they traded an early morning 5K for a two-mile race under the lights at McInnish Park. The Friday Night Hawk Invite is one of the kids’ favorite meets of the year. It’s close to home, the atmosphere is different, and getting the chance to race at night makes the meet a little more special.

Even with the shorter distance, the race came with its own challenges. With little breeze, warm conditions and uneven ground to navigate in the darkness, the runners still had to stay focused and race hard from start to finish.

Coppell competed across six divisions, with several strong team and individual finishes throughout the night. The Elite Varsity Boys came especially close to taking home the team title, finishing 2nd out of 10 teams, while the JV Boys earned 3rd place in a large field of 29 teams. On the girls’ side, many of Coppell’s younger runners continued to gain valuable racing experience.

“This is one of the kids' favorite meets of the year,” Coach Wren said. “It's close to home and getting to run at night is a really cool experience.”

Individual and Team Highlights

Elite Varsity Boys — 2nd Place Overall

The Elite Varsity Boys came within reach of winning the meet, finishing 2nd overall out of 10 teams. Alesh Khowala and Tanish Neelapu led the way, finishing just one second apart in 5th and 6th place.

Top Performers:

• Alesh Khowala — 5th, 10:24

• Tanish Neelapu — 6th, 10:25

• Vihaan Sahni — 17th, 10:42

• Marco Noyola — 19th, 10:48

• Isaiah Assefa — 20th, 10:49

With 77 runners in the Elite Varsity Boys race, Coppell placed all five of its top runners in the Top 20.

Coach Wren was happy with the effort, even though the team came just short of the top spot.

“I was really pleased with how they ran overall,” he said. “We just missed out on 1st place. The kids were prepared and competed hard.”

Elite Varsity Girls — 7th Place Overall

For the Elite Varsity Girls, this part of the season is also about gaining experience. The team is currently made up entirely of freshmen and sophomores, giving the younger runners an opportunity to learn with each race.

The girls finished 7th overall out of 11 teams in a field of 79 runners.

Top Performers:

• Finleigh Sanders — 28th, 13:02

• Rachel Stumm — 33rd, 13:17

• Bishakha Sinha — 41st, 13:26

• Mirabelle Sagel — 43rd, 13:30

Coach Wren sees each meet as another opportunity for this young group to develop.

“We have a lot of youth running on our Elite Varsity Girls team right now with only sophomore and freshmen runners,” he said. “They continue to compete hard and learn more and more every time they race. They'll continue to grow as the year moves on.”

Varsity Boys — 13th Place Overall

The Varsity Boys competed in a much larger field, with 213 runners and 27 teams taking part in the race.

Coppell entered a team of only six runners, all upperclassmen, and finished 13th overall.

Top Performer:

• Abishek Suresh — 13th, 10:52

Suresh led the group with a Top 15 individual finish.

“It was only a team of 6 made up of upperclassmen,” Coach Wren said. “I was proud of their effort.”

Varsity Girls — 12th Place Overall

The Varsity Girls also faced a large field, competing against 179 runners and 24 teams. Like the Varsity Boys, this group was primarily made up of upperclassmen.

Top Performers:

• Shrriya Bedse — 35th, 14:11

• Avery Fishman — 66th, 14:45

The girls finished 12th overall as a team.

“This team was primarily made up of upperclassmen as well,” Coach Wren said. “These girls work extremely hard in practice, and it was fun to see them compete underneath the lights.”

JV Boys — 3rd Place Overall

One of the strongest team finishes of the night came from the JV Boys. With 366 runners and 29 teams in the race, it was the largest field of the night.

Coppell worked its way to an impressive 3rd-place team finish, with Ahan Kothalkar leading the group in 8th place.

Top Performers:

• Ahan Kothalkar — 8th, 11:50

• Colten Karstendiek — 17th, 12:02

• Jake Terry — 28th, 12:36

For Coach Wren, the result was encouraging not only because of the team placement, but also because of what he saw from the runners throughout the race.

“I loved what I saw from the JV boys last night,” he said. “Many of them ran really good races that will lead to more confidence in future races. Finishing 3rd out of 29 teams is a good accomplishment.”

JV Girls — 12th Place Overall

The JV Girls had an especially young group on the course Friday night—the entire team was made up of freshmen.

They competed in another large field, with 348 runners representing 28 teams, and finished 12th overall.

Top Performers:

• Adeline Mendola — 36th, 15:25

• Sehbin Lee — 38th, 15:32

• Mackenzie Fluornoy — 66th, 15:56

Coach Wren was encouraged by the progress he continues to see from this freshman group.

“This team was made up of all freshmen,” he said. “This class works extremely hard in practice, and it is beginning to show in the meets. They continue to get better each week.”

Looking Ahead

Next week, Coppell heads to Wylie for the DUBEast Invitational on Friday morning. The meet will primarily give the team’s younger and less experienced runners another opportunity to race, gain experience and continue building confidence.

“We run at the DUBEast Invitational in Wylie next Friday morning,” Coach Wren said. “This meet will primarily be for our younger and more inexperienced runners. The kids continue to show up every day and do the necessary things to get better. As a coach, it's fun to be a part of such a hardworking, coachable group. I'm excited to see us continue to grow as a team.”

With another race in the books, Coppell’s runners will keep working, learning and getting stronger as the season moves forward.

We’re proud of their efforts, and we’ll keep pushing forward until the next race!

Contact Information

For more details or to support the team, please contact:

Patricia Chi
Email: chi.patricia@gmail.com
Phone: (469) 831-3709

Grant Halliburton Foundation and Center for BrainHealth, part of The University of Texas at Dallas, are partnering to present Journey: The Art and Legacy of Grant Halliburton, an exhibition on view Sept. 8–25 at Center for BrainHealth, 2200 W. Mockingbird Lane in Dallas.

Presented during Grant Halliburton Foundation’s 20th anniversary year and National Suicide Prevention Month, the exhibition connects Grant’s creative legacy with two decades of work in North Texas to strengthen youth mental health and prevent suicide. A series of public programs throughout September will extend the conversation through mental health education, brain science and community engagement.

“Twenty years of impact began with the Halliburton family’s decision to turn unimaginable loss into action,” said Kevin Hall, president of Grant Halliburton Foundation. “This exhibition gives our community the opportunity to know Grant not only as the name of our Foundation, but as a gifted artist whose life continues to inspire this mission and save lives. We’re grateful to partner again with Center for BrainHealth to share the Foundation’s story, reflect on how far we’ve come and invite more people into the work still ahead.”

The exhibition also invites visitors to consider the connections between creativity and proactive brain health, expanding the organizations’ partnership through art, public programming and community conversation.

“Our partnership with Grant Halliburton Foundation reflects a shared commitment to helping people build stronger, healthier minds and lives,” said Laura Bloom Gordon, chief marketing officer of Center for BrainHealth. “Through this exhibition, we have an opportunity to connect art, mental wellness and brain health in a deeply meaningful way. With a variety of events all month, we hope to inspire conversations that strengthen resilience, connection and hope. This partnership builds on our collaboration through the Mental Wellness Collective and promotes community engagement in service of a common goal: helping more people understand and strengthen their brain health.”

The Mental Wellness Collective brings together North Texas mental health, brain health and youth-serving organizations to strengthen youth mental health and resilience.

Journey will feature more than 50 of Grant’s original paintings, charcoal works, drawings and sketches, along with selections from his personal writings and poetry and a Listening Lounge featuring music he wrote and recorded with his high school bandmates. The exhibition will span three floors of Center for BrainHealth’s Brain Performance Institute building. A preview on the first floor will welcome visitors and introduce the exhibition, with most of the collection and accompanying elements displayed on the second and third floors.

Together, the works and interpretive elements will trace the connection between Grant’s creative legacy and the mission that grew in his memory. Grant Halliburton Foundation partnered with Business Council for the Arts (BCA) to thoughtfully curate the exhibition and bring Grant’s art, story and legacy to life. Amy McCloskey, a Foundation co-founder and Grant’s sister, collaborated closely with BCA throughout the curation process, contributing a personal understanding of Grant and his work.

“Co-curating Journey with Amy was a profound honor,” said Jill VanGorden, chief operating officer and head of programs for Business Council for the Arts. “To help tell this story alongside Grant’s family is a privilege and reminds me exactly why the Foundation’s work matters. The exhibition doesn’t shy away from its origins. It holds space for grief while foregrounding what has been built from it, allowing visitors to find hope on their own terms. This project also gives tangible form to what BCA’s Arts and Health Committee has long championed and what research continues to affirm: that art meaningfully shapes individual well-being and the health of our workplaces.”

The Foundation’s earliest efforts were rooted in art and creativity. In May 2006, Grant’s work was presented at the ArtCentre of Plano in Journey: The Art, Music, and Words of Grant Halliburton. That same year, the Foundation awarded its first art scholarship to a graduating student at Plano West Senior High School, where Grant attended. The 2026 exhibition returns to that creative beginning while showing how the mission has grown.

“Twenty years ago, our family was searching for a way to help other families avoid the loss we experienced,” said McCloskey. “Grant’s artwork offers a glimpse of the creativity, humor and depth he brought to the world. Presenting Journey again during our 20th anniversary year brings us back to where the Foundation began and reminds us why this work remains so important.”

Since 2006, Grant Halliburton Foundation has reached more than 375,000 students, educators, parents and professionals through mental health education, suicide prevention training and community resources. Since launching in 2021, the Foundation’s Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line has helped more than 5,100 people find providers and resources, answered more than 4,600 calls and provided more than 12,800 follow-ups to individuals and families.

The September collaboration comes amid an urgent need for continued prevention and early intervention. The CDC’s most recent final mortality data, released in 2026, identify suicide as the second-leading cause of death among people ages 10–24 in the United States.

For personalized guidance finding mental health and substance use providers and resources, call the Foundation’s free Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line at 972-525-8181, Monday through Friday,
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Navigation Line is not a crisis service.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Text Line volunteer. Both services are free, confidential and available 24/7.

SEPTEMBER EXHIBITION EVENTS
All events at Center for BrainHealth, 2200 W. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas

• September 8–25
Journey: The Art and Legacy of Grant Halliburton

The exhibition will be open to the public Sept. 8–25 on Wednesdays and Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. Appointments are available on other weekdays by calling Center for BrainHealth at 972-883-3400. The exhibition is closed Saturdays and Sundays. Learn more at granthalliburton.org/journey.

• September 17 | Reception: 6–7 p.m. | Talk: 7–8:15 p.m.

The Resilience Gap: How to Strengthen the Teen Brain in a Tech-Obsessed World

Kicking off the 2026 season of the popular BrainHealth Presents speaker series, Eva Telzer, Ph.D., and Mitch Prinstein, Ph.D., will discuss how technology, social media and artificial intelligence are shaping the developing teen brain and share evidence-based strategies that support attention, emotional regulation and social connection. Attendees will also have an opportunity to experience Journey and explore Grant’s artwork during the evening. The event is for guests ages 21 and older. Learn more and purchase tickets at centerforbrainhealth.org.

• September 24 | 6–9 p.m.

The Art of Connection: Creativity, Mental Wellness and Brain Health
A Young Professionals Event presented by GHF YP and Think Tank

Grant Halliburton Foundation Young Professionals and Think Tank, Center for BrainHealth’s young professionals group, are partnering to present an evening for guests in their 20s, 30s and 40s. The event will feature networking, a private viewing of the Journey exhibition and a panel including artists and mental health and brain health experts exploring the connections among creativity, mental wellness and brain health.
Learn more at granthalliburton.org/journey.

OTHER SEPTEMBER EVENTS

• September 1–30 | Galleria Dallas
Galleria Dallas Mural

Created for Grant Halliburton Foundation’s 20th anniversary and National Suicide Prevention Month, this public mural explores how hope grows when a community shows up. Featuring a preview of Grant’s artwork, suicide prevention steps, mental health resources and September events, the installation invites visitors to learn more about the Foundation, discover how to support someone in crisis, find help and explore Journey. The mural is located on Level 1 at the south end of Galleria Dallas near Sephora and ALO.

• September 10 | 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m. | Plano Event Center
When Life Hands You Teenagers

The Foundation’s annual conference equipping parents, educators and mental health professionals with tools for supporting youth mental health. Learn more and register at granthalliburton.org/wlhyt.

• September 17 | 6 a.m.–midnight
North Texas Giving Day
Supporters can help build on 20 years of lifesaving mental health education, resources and suicide prevention programs. Early giving begins Aug. 28. Learn more and give at granthalliburton.org/ntgd.

About Grant Halliburton Foundation: Grant Halliburton Foundation is a Dallas-based nonprofit established in 2006 in memory of Grant Halliburton, who lived with depression and bipolar disorder and died by suicide at age 19. The Foundation works to strengthen the network of mental health resources for children, teens and young adults; promote better mental health; and prevent suicide. Through education, resources and support, it equips students, educators, parents and professionals to recognize signs of distress, respond appropriately and connect young people with help. Since its founding, the Foundation has reached more than 375,000 people across North Texas. Its Here For Texas program offers two free resources: HereForTexas.com, a searchable database of mental health providers and resources, and the Here For Texas Mental Health Navigation Line, which provides personalized assistance finding care. Learn more at GrantHalliburton.org.

About Center for BrainHealth: Center for BrainHealth®, part of The University of Texas at Dallas, is a nonprofit translational research institute committed to enhancing, preserving, and restoring brain health across the lifespan. Major research areas include the use of functional and structural neuroimaging techniques to better understand the neurobiology supporting the continual growth of cognition, well-being and social connections in health and disease. This leading-edge scientific exploration is translated quickly into practical innovations to improve how people think, work and live, empowering people of all ages to thrive and unlock their brain potential. Translational innovations leverage 1) the BrainHealth Index, a proprietary measure that uniquely charts one's upward (or downward) brain health trajectory whatever their starting level; and 2) Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Tactics (SMART™) brain health training, a strategy-based toolkit developed and tested by BrainHealth researchers and other teams over three decades. The center's landmark longitudinal study, The BrainHealth Project, launched in 2020 with the goal of identifying actionable strategies for optimizing brain health throughout life, uncovering the dynamic relationship between lifestyle factors, biological markers, brain training and cognitive performance. It is co-led by Dr. Sandi Chapman, Dr. Mark D'Esposito, Dr. Geoff Ling, Dr. Ian Robertson, Dr. Vince Calhoun and Tom Leppert, with Georgeann and Adm. William McRaven (ret.) serving as national spokespersons.

About Business Council for the Arts: Since its founding in 1988 by Raymond Nasher as a Dallas Citizens Council initiative, the Business Council for the Arts (BCA) has championed the integration of arts and business across North Texas. Today, under the leadership of Founder’s Chair Nancy Nasher, Board Chair Joel Austin, and CEO Stacie Adams, BCA serves a network of more than 150 organizations committed to strengthening workplaces, classrooms, and communities through the arts. BCA’s programming spans creative workforce development, community engagement, and leadership cultivation. Signature initiatives include On My Own Time™, Art at Work, and the Leadership Arts Institute, alongside committee-driven efforts focused on Arts & Health, Arts & Real Estate, and Arts & Technology. To learn more, visit www.ntbca.org.

The Coppell Cowboys and Cowgirls kicked off their cross-country season with a strong showing in Waxahachie on Saturday, August 15. It was the first 5K of the season, and despite the hot August weather, the Waxahachie course—known for producing fast times—gave the runners a good opportunity to see where their summer training had taken them.

Even without the full team competing, Coppell came away with plenty to celebrate. Both the Varsity and JV Boys won their team divisions, while the Varsity Girls finished 3rd and the JV Girls earned a solid 4th-place finish overall.

With several runners needing more training time and others dealing with injuries, some of Coppell's younger athletes had an early opportunity to step up and compete at the varsity level. Coach Wren was pleased with what he saw from the group in their first 5K of the season.

“I was excited to see what many of these younger runners did with that opportunity,” Coach Wren said. “I was pleased with the way that the runners competed in their first 5K of the season. I’m looking forward to watching them grow as runners as the year goes on.”

Individual and Team Highlights

Varsity Boys — 1st Place Overall

The Varsity Boys started their season with a team victory, led by Sidharth Kerthipati’s 3rd-place finish.

Top Performers:

• Sidharth Kerthipati — 3rd, 14:44
• Tanish Neelapu — 9th, 15:15
• Samuel Meier — 11th, 15:31
• Alesh Khowala — 21st, 15:48
• Vihaan Sahni — 34th, 16:10

It was a good opening race for the boys, especially with Coppell not yet competing with its full lineup. The team still found a way to come away with the win while giving several runners valuable early-season racing experience.

Varsity Girls — 3rd Place Overall

The Varsity Girls also got their season off to a good start with a 3rd-place team finish. Finleigh Sanders-Burk led the group, followed by Rachel Stumm, Bishakha Sinha and Anusha Patki.

Top Performers:

• Finleigh Sanders-Burk — 22nd, 19:11
• Rachel Stumm — 29th, 19:38
• Bishakha Sinha — 32nd, 19:46
• Anusha Patki — 34th, 19:50

With some younger runners getting an opportunity to compete at the varsity level, this first meet gave the girls a good starting point for the season ahead.

JV Boys — 1st Place Overall

The JV Boys made it two team victories for Coppell. Isaiah Assefa led the way by winning the race, with Rigved Nehere joining him near the front in 3rd place.

Top Performers:

• Isaiah Assefa — 1st, 16:30
• Rigved Nehere — 3rd, 16:45
• Ahan Kolthalkar — 10th, 17:17
• Colten Karstendiek — 12th, 17:25
• Lukas Stumm — 15th, 17:28

Five Coppell runners finished in the Top 15, giving the JV Boys plenty to be happy about after their first race of the year.

JV Girls — 4th Place Overall

The JV Girls finished a respectable 4th overall, with two Coppell runners breaking into the Top 10. Hannah Stumm led the group with an 8th-place finish, followed just six seconds later by Shrriya Bedse in 10th.

Top Performers:

• Hannah Stumm — 8th, 21:33
• Shrriya Bedse — 10th, 21:39
• Avery Fishman — 23rd, 22:37
• Pragna Vykuntam — 38th, 23:16
• Anandi Dhuipalla — 39th, 23:17

Coach Wren also recognized several other runners who had good races on Saturday, including Charlotte Baade, Avery Arthur, Mirabelle Sagel, Cannon Stehly and Vihaan Sharma.

For the team, Saturday was about more than where everyone finished. With the full lineup not yet back together, the first meet gave Coach Wren and the runners a chance to see where they are and what they can continue working on in the weeks ahead.

Looking Ahead

Next up, Coppell will trade the traditional 5K for something a little different. The Cowboys and Cowgirls will compete at the Friday Night Hawk Invite, hosted by Hebron at McInnish Park. Instead of another 5K, the runners will take on a 2-mile course under the lights of the baseball and softball fields.

“We will be shifting gears a little bit and running a 2-mile course at the Friday Night Hawk Invite hosted by Hebron at McInnish Park this week,” Coach Wren said. “This is a fun meet that is run underneath the lights of baseball and softball fields. I look forward to seeing our athletes compete again on Friday.”

One race is in the books, and there is still a lot of season ahead. With two team wins, solid finishes from the girls and younger runners already stepping up when given the opportunity, Coppell has plenty to build on.

We’re proud of their efforts, and we’ll keep pushing forward until the next race!

Contact Information

For more details or to support the team, please contact:

Patricia Chi
Email: chi.patricia@gmail.com
Phone: (469) 831-3709

Discover your next favorite artist at the Second Annual Citrusfest, a one-night-only live music showcase celebrating emerging talent, artist discovery and Dallas-Fort Worth’s growing music scene, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, at The Studio at The Bomb Factory.

This year’s lineup features R&B and soul musician and actress Alexis Ray Parker, genre-blending singer-songwriter D.X.N., indie-country artist David Forsyth, award-winning singer-songwriter Leslie Austin and American Idol contestant TRVR?, among others. The evening will be hosted by Jazzi Black, midday personality on 97.9 FM The Beat.

The event will also feature appearances by music industry professionals who will provide participating artists insight, mentorship and valuable connections to help build sustainable careers in music. This year’s industry professionals include Amp Buchanan, independent A&R executive, artist development strategist and Grammy U mentor; Tre Nagella, Grammy Award-winning producer, mixer and recording engineer; and Dale Brock, an entertainment professional with more than 25 years of experience in talent buying, touring, festival production and live entertainment.

Founded by Sydney Peters, Citrusfest was created to give unsigned and independent artists meaningful exposure, industry connections and opportunities to advance their careers. Peters launched the concept in 2020 while studying at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and brought Citrusfest to Dallas as a live showcase in 2025. With a background in artist relations, live event production and operations, Peters continues to grow Citrusfest as a platform where emerging artists can perform, learn, connect and reach new audiences.

“Citrusfest is about discovering great music, but it’s also about creating access,” said Peters. “We want artists to walk away with more than a performance. We want them to gain relationships, knowledge and opportunities that can help them take the next step in their careers.”

For music fans, Citrusfest offers the chance to experience a diverse lineup of artists in an intimate setting and discover new music before these performers reach a wider audience. For artists and industry professionals, the evening creates a place for connection, collaboration and conversation around the future of music in DFW.

Citrusfest is made possible through the support of Citrus Ventures Group, Peter Damon Group, The Studio at The Bomb Factory and One Stop Technical Resource Services (OSTRS).

EVENT DETAILS

WHAT: Second Annual Citrusfest
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026 6:30-10 pm
WHERE: The Studio at The Bomb Factory, 2727 Canton St., Dallas, TX 75226
TICKETS: $25
INFORMATION & TICKETS: thecitrusfest.com

ABOUT CITRUSFEST

Founded by Sydney Peters in 2020, Citrusfest began as a virtual platform designed to create exposure and opportunities for unsigned artists during the pandemic. The concept expanded into its first live Dallas showcase in 2025 and returns in 2026 with a growing roster of performing artists and industry professionals. Citrusfest brings artists, music fans and industry leaders together through live performance, mentorship, discovery and meaningful connections, while contributing to the continued growth of the Dallas-Fort Worth music community.