“We know what truly makes Deep Ellum tick is the people.”

Stephanie Keller Hudiburg
Executive Director
Deep Ellum Foundation
.…on a new “Deep Ellum People” streetlight pole banners going up in Deep Ellum this week, featuring local business owners, artists, musicians, and others.

Earlier this year, streetlight pole banners across Dallas’ historic Deep Ellum neighborhood featured “then and now” looks at buildings from the cultural district’s past and present. This week, new banners are going up in the buzzy live music and street life district—featuring not buildings but people. “Deep Ellum People,” to be exact.

The Deep Ellum Foundation is installing new banners on Elm Street, Main Street, and Exposition Avenue that celebrate the neighborhood by highlighting business owners, artists, musicians, and other stakeholders “who have invested their talent, sweat, and tears into the incomparable Deep Ellum Cultural District,” the foundation said.

The foundation sent out a call for nominations last year to see who should be featured on the banners. After a local stakeholder-led selection process, portraits of over 120 #DeepEllumPeople will be featured as part of the rollout. Beyond the streetlight poles and social media, People can also visit DeepEllumTexas.com to find full-length articles on the highlighted community members. Their stories will be released weekly throughout the remainder of 2024 and 2025, the foundation said.

One banner subject is Sandy Rojas, co-owner of Pepe & Mito’s Mexican Cafe, which marked 30 years in business last May. ““I’m excited Deep Ellum is still here,” Rojas said in a statement. “I love that we have the arts festival, street markets. More and more people should know Deep Ellum has diversity—a lot of things, arts, a meat market that’s been there for 100 years, a cheese company.”

“We’re very hands-on with our business, and that, we wouldn’t change,” Rojas added. “It keeps things exciting. It can only grow so much because it’s so small. It stays unique. As long as we stick with that, we’ll be successful.”

The Deep Ellum Foundation’s Stephanie Keller Hudiburg said the idea for the new banner campaign came to her “because I feel strongly that it’s the people who make Deep Ellum special.”

“We want people to come down for shows, and food, and history, and new and shiny things, too, but we know what truly makes Deep Ellum tick is the people,” she added in a statement. “There is an energy that is palpable where even though it is the premier entertainment district in the region, you get the sense walking down the street that it’s a community, almost like a small town of its own.”

Breonny Lee, president of the Deep Ellum Community Association, served as the portrait photographer for the series. Taylor Adams Cogan is the author of each story for #DeepEllumPeople beginning this year. All of the stories and photos will be contributed to the Deep Ellum Archive, a partnership with the Dallas Public Library.

Deep Ellum Block Party slated for Nov. 23

The banners are going up just in time for a  Deep Ellum Block Party happening on November 23, when stages across Deep Ellum will feature Cameron McCloud of Cure for Paranoia, Kierra Gray of The Grays, and Scarlet McPherson of King Clam. Attendees will also encounter artists and other surprises throughout Deep Ellum during the event, with restaurant specials and activations also available in the neighborhood throughout the day.

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.

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