In this episode of Making Black History Today, we sit down with Bessye Adams, City of Grand Prairie Councilwoman, Financial Controller for DeSoto ISD, entrepreneur, and dedicated community advocate.

Bessye Adams shares her journey from growing up to becoming a leader in both public service and financial management. With experience spanning city government, education, and entrepreneurship, she offers insight into what it takes to lead with purpose, manage resources responsibly, and create lasting impact in your community.

In this conversation, we explore:
Her path into public service and leadership
The responsibility of managing public funds in education
Balancing multiple roles across government, finance, and business
Community advocacy and giving back
Building a legacy through service and leadership

Bessye Adams currently serves as an At-Large Councilwoman for the City of Grand Prairie and plays a key role in financial leadership within DeSoto ISD. Her work spans local and national initiatives, including her involvement with the National League of Cities.

This episode is a powerful look at leadership, accountability, and the impact of serving your community with intention.

New episodes of Making Black History Today drop every other Thursday at 5:00 AM.

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Emmy winner. Presidential Leadership Scholar. Dallas 500 Most Powerful. And he's just getting started. Hosts Liz and Porter sit down with Jerry L. Hawkins, historian, archivist, futurist, and one of Dallas's most powerful voices in racial healing and community equity.

Jerry produced the PBS/KERA documentary Recovering The Stories, led Dallas Truth Racial Healing & Transformation for nearly seven years, and is writing A People's History of Dallas, dropping in 2027.

If you want to understand how Black history gets made, preserved, and passed to the next generation, this episode is it.

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New episodes every other Thursday at 5 AM CST.

Noelle LeVeaux helped rebrand Dallas. Now she’s helping prepare the city for the global spotlight of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

In this episode of Making Black History Today, Liz and Porter sit down with Noelle LeVeaux, the marketing strategist behind the legendary Dallas "BIG" Campaign that transformed how the world sees Dallas.

Named one of Skift’s Top 50 Travel Marketers in the World, Noelle has spent more than three decades shaping Dallas through brand strategy, civic leadership, and purpose-driven marketing.

From D Magazine Partners to Communities Foundation of Texas to Visit Dallas, her work has influenced the identity of the city at every level.

Now, as Dallas prepares for FIFA World Cup 2026, Noelle is once again helping position the city on the global stage.

In this conversation we discuss:

• The Dallas "BIG" Campaign and how it rebranded an entire city
• FIFA World Cup 2026 Dallas and the opportunity for global impact
• Leadership through adversity and how a cancer diagnosis changed her perspective
• Philanthropy and co-founding Dress for Success Dallas
• What’s next for Dallas and the future of global city branding

If you care about leadership, marketing, city branding, or the future of Dallas, this episode is for you.

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