There is a line in politics that should never be crossed. In one of our elections in Grand Prairie, we are watching that line disappear. The implied practice of treating entire demographic groups as predictable voting blocs has erupted into open entitlement, where the right to hold office is viewed as belonging to a group, not earned by an individual. The dangerous principle that an elected seat can be an inheritance—something to be maintained within a particular demographic—is now overriding the democratic process.

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The District 3 Election and a Dangerous Precedent

The most egregious expression of this entitlement is currently playing out in the District 3 City Council election. In any open race, the expectation should be straightforward: candidates run, and voters decide. Instead, we are witnessing a troubling effort—both through direct outreach and in public conversations—to encourage voters to cast ballots for Mike Del Bosque, a candidate who is no longer alive. What’s even worse is that this effort appears to be coming from an incumbent candidate running for school board.

Del Bosque was first elected to this seat in 2019 and, after filing for reelection earlier this year, passed away unexpectedly in March. Because the filing deadline had already passed, his name could not be removed from the ballot (In contrast, in a separate school board race, Nancy Bridges also passed away, but did so before the filing deadline closed, allowing her name to be removed).

This is happening in a race with two perfectly capable living candidates. What is being encouraged here is not outreach—it is something else entirely. It is an effort to influence the outcome of an election by directing votes toward a candidate who cannot serve. Multiple Grand Prairie residents have reacted to this in blunt terms: grotesque. It undermines the basic promise of an election—the ability to choose a viable representative.

According to multiple sources who asked to remain anonymous, the reasoning behind this approach has been framed in the following way: voters were originally presented with three candidates, and now they are left with two, neither of whom is Latino. From that perspective, the seat should remain represented by a Latino candidate. The proposed path forward, as described by those sources, is to secure a majority of votes for Mike Del Bosque; in Grand Prairie elections, he would need at least 51% to win. Because he is deceased, such an outcome would not result in him serving, but could instead trigger a special election—one that would allow time for an alternative candidate to emerge. (As a side note, special elections cost the city around $30,000). Even if presented as a matter of fairness or representation, that approach fundamentally changes the purpose of the election itself. It shifts the focus away from choosing among the candidates who are actually running and toward engineering a different outcome altogether.

With Hispanics now making up the majority of the population, the irony is hard to ignore. The very dynamics that many have worked to move beyond—judging leadership through the lens of identity rather than merit—are reappearing in a new form. When any group, regardless of background, begins to frame public office as something that should be maintained based on identity rather than earned through open competition, it undermines the very progress that made broader representation possible in the first place. It sends a message to voters that their role is not to evaluate candidates as individuals, but to align with a predetermined expectation. That is not empowerment. It is a different version of the same problem.

Because most voters are not making decisions based on race. They are asking far more practical questions: Who can lead? Who can solve problems? Who can represent their interests? And those interests—public safety, infrastructure, public services—have little to do with the color of someone’s skin. (In Grand Prairie, it has more to do with socioeconomic demographics, but that’s a topic for another article.)

When the conversation shifts away from those realities and toward preserving identity in a seat, it begins to erode trust. Not just among one group, but across the entire community. Because public office is not an inheritance, it is a responsibility that must be earned—every single time.

Let’s be clear: casting a vote for a deceased person is a profound betrayal of the election process. It has real-world procedural consequences, replacing the finality of a voter-decided race with the maneuvering required for a later appointment. This fundamentally compromises the way representation is achieved in our city. Grand Prairie is a diverse city, but diversity does not mean uniformity. No community is a monolith; Hispanic voters are not a single bloc, and neither are Black, White, or Asian voters. Residents bring their own experiences, priorities, and expectations to the ballot box, and they deserve to be treated as individuals—not as predictable outcomes.

At the local level, most concerns are far more practical than political narratives suggest. A pothole does not care who fills it. It does not care about race, party, or identity, nor the racial makeup of the household it sits in front of. What matters is whether the person in office can actually do the work to get it fixed.

When Campaign Messaging Changes by Audience

A similar pattern can be seen in how campaigns are communicating with voters. In recent days, campaign text messages sent by a city council incumbent to different groups of voters have revealed a noticeable shift in emphasis. The core message remains the same—public safety, infrastructure, fiscal responsibility—but certain elements are highlighted or omitted depending on the audience. In some cases, identity-specific initiatives are prominently featured. In others, they are absent altogether.

That raises a reasonable question: Is tailoring examples to different audiences simply effective engagement—or does it cross a line when identity becomes the primary lens through which voters are addressed?

Because there is a difference between speaking to a community and reducing that community to a single defining characteristic. There is a difference between representation and assumption. And when that line is crossed repeatedly—across campaigns, messaging, and even election strategy—it begins to reinforce the very problem many residents are reacting to: the sense that voters are no longer being treated as individuals, but as racial categories to be managed.

When political campaigns choose to focus on dividing voters by identity rather than uniting them on issues of results and competence, they fail the community. When the line is crossed between legitimate outreach and cynical entitlement, confidence is shattered. Voters disengage, and the damage extends far beyond a single race, creating lasting doubts about the integrity of our local government. Public office is not something to be maintained; it is something that must be earned, every single time. The moment this principle is replaced by entitlement, we are undermining the very representation we claim to be strengthening.

The Faces of Grand Prairie Media Group opposes any campaign built on identity politics that divides residents instead of serving them. It also rejects any leadership approach that places one racial group above another in decisions involving public tax dollars, as it erodes trust and undermines the fundamental expectation of equal representation. At a minimum, such practices raise serious concerns under the principles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Single Member District 2

Tarrance Jones (Running unopposed)

At-Large Place 3

Gloria Carrillo

Wendell Davidson

Patty Harris

Robert E Williams Jr

Single Member District 4

Nancy Bridges (Certificate of Withdrawal)

Phil Jimerson

Mike Riley

Find your polling place via the city’s election website here.

This video was originally streamed live with poor audio. I have enhanced the voices on the recording via audio editing. Unfortunately, there are sporadic coughs on the recording from myself and others in the audience that could not be edited out without removing parts of the candidate’s answers. My apologies in advance!

District 1:
Jorja Clemson (Incumbent; unopposed)

District 3:
Mike Del Bosque (Deceased but remains on the ballot)
Amber Timberlake
David Chappelle

Place 7 at Large:
Bessye Adams
Marketta Nimo

Find your polling place via the city’s election website here.

This video was originally streamed live with poor audio. I have enhanced the voices on the recording via audio editing. Unfortunately, there are sporadic coughs on the recording from myself and others in the audience that could not be edited out without removing parts of the candidate’s answers. My apologies in advance!

Both candidates were invited to participate in this written candidate forum and were provided the exact same questions, with the opportunity to respond in writing. The responses below are presented in official ballot order. Nothing has been edited; each response appears exactly as submitted by the candidates.

Early voting for this primary race begins February 17, with election day on March 3.

Chris Turner

https://votechristurner.com/

1. What specific state laws or policies would you prioritize changing or introducing in your first term, and why?

a. If re-elected, my most important policy priorities include expanding Medicaid, repealing private school vouchers, fully funding our public schools, and increasing the minimum wage.

Equally important policy priorities include issues that specifically affect the HD 101 community, including my continued work to ensure that the Tarrant Appraisal District does not jeopardize our local public school funding, and legislation to further reform group homes to ensure the vulnerable population they serve is treated with the proper care and expertise.

2. How do you balance the needs of House District 101 with broader statewide priorities when those interests conflict?

a. As a state representative, it is important for me to work on both big picture priorities to improve the lives of Texans across the state and local issues that have specific importance to District 101 residents.

Often, these responsibilities overlap and I am able to fulfill both at the same time. However, if these needs conflict with one another, because I know I am the sole representative in the Texas House who is elected and duly sworn to represent the people of HD 101, the values of my constituents always take precedence. This is a responsibility I take seriously and remain committed to fulfilling.

3. What House committees would you seek to serve on, and how would that benefit this district?

a. Throughout my tenure in the House I have served on various committees, spanning topics from Redistricting to Higher Education, and I have found that no matter what committee I was a part of, there were always opportunities to serve my constituents.

The past two sessions, as a senior member of the House, I had the privilege to serve on two highly sought-after committees — State Affairs and Ways and Means. On State Affairs, I had the opportunity to vote on bills to increase the capacity of our electric grid, bills proposing regulation of THC, and to be the first line of defense against a myriad of discriminatory and harmful bills proposed by Republican lawmakers.

As a member of Ways and Means and as Chair of the Committee on Property Tax Appraisals, I supported legislation increasing the homestead exemption, fought against and defeated increases to our state sales tax, and passed legislation requiring our appraisal districts to follow the law and not harm our public school funding.

4. How do you evaluate whether a bill may have unintended consequences before casting your vote?

a. When casting my vote, I aim to take in as many perspectives on the legislation as possible to ensure I have a solid understanding of the legislation and to understand all impacts the bill will have. I read summaries of the bill developed by the House Research Organization and Legislative Study Group and review the committee report to see which individuals and organizations testified for and against the bill.

Oftentimes, if I am still undecided or have concerns, I will reach out to witnesses who testified on the bill, or to experts on the bill’s subject area who I have developed relationships with over the years. If I am not sure how the bill will affect my community, I reach out to representatives for the cities I represent, our school districts, or the local entity, community, or neighborhood that the bill would impact.

5. What is one vote you anticipate taking that may be unpopular but that you believe would be necessary?

a. While it is impossible to know what exact bills we will be voting on, I cast votes every session that may prove to be unpopular. It would not surprise me to see Governor Abbott bring back some of his failed policies from last session, such as punitive bail measures that strip away due process from the accused and are patently unconstitutional, as well as so-called property tax relief bills that unfairly tie the hands of local governments. It is not politically popular to be against those measures, but I opposed them before and will vote against them again.

6. How should the Texas state budget reflect the continued growth of districts like House District 101?

a. As the sole member representing District 101, it is up to me to ensure that the state budget provides fair funding for our community. That includes funding for the University of Texas at Arlington, funding for our parks such as Fish Creek Trail or Tyre Park and sidewalks, funding for the upkeep and expansion of our roads, and, most importantly, sufficient funding for our public schools.

In preparation for every legislative session, I discuss specific budget needs with the cities I represent to make sure I am advocating for items in the budget with the greatest need.

Lastly, we must expand Medicaid, which can be done as an amendment to the state budget. Expanding Medicaid would immediately provide health insurance to over one million Texans, including many residents in HD 101. It would also save insured HD 101 residents money because their premiums would no longer be used to subsidize care for uninsured patients.

For many residents, there is more month than money, and with increased tariffs and other economic issues affecting how far our dollar can go, I am committed to doing everything I can to help ease the financial burdens imposed by their state government.

Junior Ezeonu

https://www.votejuniorezeonu.com/

1. What specific state laws or policies would you prioritize changing or introducing in your first term, and why?

a. I would prioritize raising the state minimum wage from $7.25/hr to $15/hr through a phased-in approach where it increases by $1.55/hr annually until it reaches $15/hr after the 5th year. At that point then we should tie the minimum wage to the annual inflation rate so wages keep up with increases in cost of living.

b. I would propose a bill that bans private equity and institutional investors from buying single-family homes. Homeownership is out of reach for most Texans and it is true that there are several causes for this. But by banning institutional investors we can ensure that more Texans have an opportunity to compete in the market against other individuals and not corporations looking to turn neighborhoods into rental properties.

c. I would propose a bill that repeals SB 840, which allows multi-family developers to build on commercial or industrially zoned lots without requesting zoning changes. This law has caused a lot of frustration for residents and local leaders in suburban cities that want to have input into how their communities are developed. I don’t believe that leaders in Austin know what is better for local communities than their locally elected leaders and engaged residents.

d. I am vehemently against the private school voucher law that was passed last legislative session and would propose a bill to repeal it and provide more funding for public education while making sure that our public schools focus the funding on teacher pay and resources to improve the education of our students.

2. How do you balance the needs of House District 101 with broader statewide priorities when those interests conflict?

a. This is a great question. My job as an elected representative for House District 101 would be to prioritize the needs of my community and district first. There will be times when there will be legislation that is important to our state as a whole or to my political party, but I would have to make sure that I protect the interests of my district first.

3. What House committees would you seek to serve on, and how would that benefit this district?

a. Public Education and Trade, Workforce and Economic Development.

i. House District 101 serves families and students that primarily attend Arlington ISD, Mansfield ISD and Grand Prairie ISD. Ensuring that our public schools are properly funded and that all students have an opportunity to thrive and excel is a priority for me, so I would be honored to serve on that committee.

ii. It would also be important to serve on the Trade, Workforce and Economic Development Committee as we see all of the growth and opportunities that are coming into our district. The policies that are shaped within this committee would greatly impact my constituents both in the present and in the future, and I believe it would be very important that I serve on this committee.

4. How do you evaluate whether a bill may have unintended consequences before casting your vote?

a. I would evaluate if a bill has unintended consequences by meeting with key stakeholders on both sides of the bill, listening to the input of my constituents and analyzing the positive and negative outcomes of similar pieces of legislation in our state or in other states.

5. What is one vote you anticipate taking that may be unpopular but that you believe would be necessary?

a. None come to mind at the moment but as an elected official I will do my best to prioritize the interests of my constituents in every vote that I take. I will be responsive, honest and forthright with why I make the decisions that I make and explain my thought process on key votes.

6. How should the Texas state budget reflect the continued growth of districts like House District 101?

a. The Texas State Budget should include increased funding for infrastructure projects to support the growth of districts like House District 101, but also increased funding for public education and prioritizing opportunities to allow the DFW to become more interconnected through public transit projects.

Dareia Jacobs is a legally filed candidate for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4, Place 2. The primary election for this office is scheduled for March 3, 2026, with early voting from February 17–27, 2026. The general election will be held on November 3, 2026, as part of the Texas General Election. Justice of the Peace Precinct 4 serves the following cities within Dallas County: Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Coppell, DeSoto, Grand Prairie, Ovilla, and Irving.

Additional information provided by the candidate’s campaign, including platform details and contact information, is available on the campaign’s official website:
https://www.votedareiajacobs.com

Candidates and members of the public seeking information on how to participate in the Faces of Grand Prairie Local Elections Channel may review the Candidate Information Guide here:
https://www.facesofgrandprairie.org/p/candidate-information-guide-how-to

Faces of Grand Prairie provides limited complimentary distribution of candidate-submitted campaign videos as a public-information service. Publication of this video does not constitute an endorsement by Faces of Grand Prairie of any candidate or campaign.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ACMGU9tHm/

Back in 2021, when former City Councilman Junior Ezeonu ran in his first city council campaign and he came on the Faces of Grand Prairie podcast to answer questions in his runoff, it took about two minutes to realize that politics came naturally to him. And I don’t mean politics as a negative verb—I mean politics as a skill set. He understood how to dial into populist sentiment and then how to turn that into real connections with voters. What wasn’t clear at the time was whether Junior was genuinely a guy who loved his community and loved politics, or whether he was simply the kind of candidate who knew how to look like he did.

Over the last five years, from my perspective, he genuinely loves it. And when I say that, I don’t mean he loves attention or the performance of politics—I mean he loves policy, and he loves talking about politics. He truly enjoys listening to constituents and believes wholeheartedly that they matter, and that the things they care about should matter to the people who represent them. I don’t always agree with his positions, but what makes Junior different than most elected officials is that you can actually tell him that, and it doesn’t offend him. If anything, it makes him even more interested in what you have to say.

People pick up on that immediately, which is why he connects so well with people on the campaign trail. He knocks on doors of people he doesn’t know—which already puts him in the campaigning minority. He’s young enough to understand social media and use it well, but his specialty is meeting people face-to-face, especially at their front door. As he said on his recent podcast, his goal is “giving them a reason to go vote,” and voters absolutely do need a reason to go vote and get engaged. Often it’s the excitement or passion of someone else that sparks in them a desire to participate, even if they haven’t voted in years.

Junior behaves naturally as a person who believes people will go vote, and that he wants that vote. I talk to a lot of politicians and elected officials about voter turnout, and most are pessimistic about it and don’t think it will ever change because, deep down, they believe people are apathetic and don’t care about local politics. Junior doesn’t live like that, and it’s refreshing to say the least. We need more candidates and elected officials who are genuinely optimistic about voters and hungry to earn their trust, because Junior is right: you give them a reason, and they will surprise you.

You can check out his most recent appearance on the podcast in January 2025.

At the end of 2025, Grand Prairie City Council approved a charter amendment aimed at taking control back of city council meetings. The intention is understandable: bring order, reduce tension, and keep meetings efficient and professional. However, the underlying issues that have caused meetings to become unpredictable are not primarily a decorum problem or a “people talk too long” problem. They are a parliamentary procedure problem. By focusing on limiting public comment time rather than enforcing consistent procedure—especially during the consent agenda portion—Council may have solved the wrong problem and made the meeting dynamics worse as a result.

Grand Prairie residents have three opportunities to speak during a council meeting: consent agenda comments, public hearing comments, and general citizen comments. Historically, general comments have already been limited to a set amount of time and can be about anything the speaker chooses. Public hearing comments are structured by the hearing itself and are expected to remain relevant to the topic under consideration. Neither of those comment periods has been the true source of disruption. The recurring breakdown has been during consent agenda discussion, where the city has historically allowed residents to pull items for separate consideration without consistently applying a defined set of procedural rules regarding relevance, time, and the role of Council in responding.

A consent agenda is typically intended to group routine items together so they can be approved efficiently with a single motion. That structure can be appropriate in many cities when it is used for truly non-controversial business. In Grand Prairie, however, consent agendas have often grown large and complex, and some residents have reasonably felt that significant items were being bundled in a way that reduces transparency. When the city loads too many substantial actions into one grouped vote, it becomes harder for the general public to follow what is being approved, harder to distinguish routine approvals from major decisions, and easier for consequential actions to pass with limited public understanding. It is worth asking whether Council’s heavy reliance on large consent agendas has contributed to the very problem that needs fixing.

Compounding that problem, the city allowed a pattern to form where one frequent speaker could pull every consent agenda item off the floor for discussion. In practice, this did not function as meaningful agenda-based comment. Instead, it often became a prolonged question-and-answer process, mixed with personal political commentary that was unrelated to Grand Prairie governance and unrelated to the consent agenda items themselves. That is not what consent agenda discussion is supposed to be. Consent agenda discussion should remain focused on the agenda item in question, and it should never become a procedural loophole for turning a city meeting into a personal platform.

Over time, this dynamic has had a predictable effect on the room. Meetings have become tense, reactive, and uncomfortable to watch—let alone participate in. And it’s not just councilmembers and staff feeling that strain. Regular citizens who are not looking for conflict and are simply trying to follow city business have been put off by the atmosphere entirely. The result is that the process begins to filter out the very people it’s supposed to serve: engaged residents who want a functional public meeting, not a confrontation.

Importantly, if a speaker wants to address national politics or personal opinions unrelated to city business, there is already an appropriate place for that: the general citizen comment period. A resident can use their allotted general comment time to speak about anything they want, including Washington D.C. politics or the presidential election. The consent agenda discussion period, however, is not meant for that. Consent agenda discussion exists so citizens can comment on specific items of city business before a vote—not so a meeting can be redirected into unrelated political arguments.

This is why the city’s new charter amendment is so significant, and why it appears to address the wrong problem. The approved language states that citizens may sign up to speak regarding any item on the agenda, but for items listed on the consent agenda, each speaker will have a total of up to five minutes for all consent items combined. Citizens may speak for up to three minutes on any item scheduled for a public hearing, individual consideration, or during citizen comments, with zoning applicants receiving up to five minutes.

In plain terms, the city has placed a blanket five-minute limit on consent agenda comments regardless of whether a speaker is addressing one consent item or multiple consent items. This treats the consent agenda as if it is one unified topic, when in reality it may include numerous unrelated decisions involving spending, contracts, policy actions, agreements, and approvals. The result is that a resident attempting to engage seriously with multiple consent agenda items is now required to compress and rush their concerns, while a disruptive speaker retains the same five minutes with no greater requirement to be focused or relevant. This change does not correct the underlying disorder; it simply shortens the time available for the public to raise legitimate questions.

Even more concerning is the discussion from the Mayor and Council during the November council meeting that the new rule can be applied how they see fit, which also led to questions about when the speaker’s time started and stops if there are questions to be answered. That approach risks recreating the very instability Council claims it wants to eliminate. When procedural rules are subjective, enforcement becomes inconsistent. When enforcement is inconsistent, it appears political. And when it appears political, meetings become more tense, not less. Instead of restoring structure, the city may be expanding the conditions that lead to conflict—because residents will no longer know what to expect or what standard is being applied from meeting to meeting.

The final irony is that bundling consent agenda items is supposed to save time, but in Grand Prairie it has not achieved that outcome. Council still has to manage the consent agenda comment period, track speaker time across multiple items, determine what counts as addressing a consent item, and make judgment calls in real time. The city has not removed complexity from meetings; it has added a new layer of conflict around timing and enforcement. This is not a procedural improvement. It is a shift in where the tension will occur.

If Grand Prairie wants meetings that are orderly, professional, and productive, the solution is not primarily reducing citizen comment time. The solution is restoring a consistent framework of parliamentary procedure and enforcing it evenly. That means limiting consent agendas to truly routine items, separating major items for individual consideration, requiring comments to stay relevant to agenda items when speaking on those items, preventing back-and-forth debate during comment periods, and ensuring the chair maintains order without improvising new standards mid-meeting. This is not about silencing the public. It is about conducting public business with clarity, predictability, and fairness—so the meeting serves the residents of Grand Prairie instead of becoming a recurring flashpoint.

The new amendment takes effect this month, how it will go remains to be seen.

All candidates were invited to participate in a written candidate forum and were given the exact same questions, with the opportunity to respond in writing. Below are the responses presented in ballot order. Nothing has been edited—each response appears exactly as submitted by the candidates

Early voting for this specially called election begins today, with Election Day taking place on January 31. Find more information on all early voting dates, times and locations here.

Ana Coca

https://voteanacoca.com/

Question 1:
What are your top three campaign platform priorities or concerns?

My top three priorities are affordability, public safety, and smart growth. I want to keep Grand Prairie affordable for seniors, working families and young people by lowering the property tax burden and expanding housing options. I will support police and fire so neighborhoods stay safe and residents feel comfortable calling for help. I also want growth that benefits every part of the city, including the north side, with grocery stores, medical care, and good jobs. These priorities reflect what residents tell me they need to thrive.

Question 2:
As Grand Prairie continues to grow geographically and this council position is at-large, what specific steps would you take to foster community unity and ensure residents—from 75050 to 75054 and in newly developed areas—continue to feel connected as part of one Grand Prairie community?

As an at large councilmember, I would focus on connecting residents across all zip codes through strong communication and outreach. That includes better promotion of town hall meetings, neighborhood events, and language access so more people can participate. I would also support citywide initiatives that bring neighbors together through parks, community spaces, and cultural events.

Question 3:
As Grand Prairie grows and redevelops, how should the city balance new development with preserving its history, cultural identity, and long-standing institutions—and what role should City Council play in that effort?

New development should respect Grand Prairie’s resident needs, historical identity and cultural aspirations. City Council should require community input for major projects and support development that fits the character of existing neighborhoods. I believe in preserving local institutions, cultural spaces, and small businesses while welcoming new investment. Growth should build on what makes Grand Prairie special rather than replace it.

Question 4:
What standards of conduct, professionalism, and accountability do you believe City Council members should uphold—both during meetings and outside of them—and how would you model that behavior as an at-large councilmember?

City Council members should lead with integrity, respect, and accountability at all times. That means being prepared, listening to residents, and treating colleagues, city staff and community members with professionalism, even during disagreement. Councilmembers should always act in ways that build trust in local government. As an at large councilmember, I would model this by staying focused on facts, welcoming different viewpoints, and keeping my work centered on what is best for Grand Prairie, not politics or personalities.

Question 5:

City finances are complex, and this position is a special term that will require standing for election again in 2027. How familiar are you with the City of Grand Prairie’s financial structure, budgeting process, and oversight responsibilities, and how would you get up to speed quickly if elected?

I have experience with budgets and oversight through my work on city boards and as a leader of large organizations. I understand how important it is to balance growth, services, and taxpayer dollars. If elected, I would review city financial reports, work closely with staff, and ask clear questions so I can understand the budget quickly. Fiscal responsibility is key to protecting residents and supporting long term growth.

Rodney Anderson

www.rodneyanderson.org

Question 1:

What are your top three campaign platform priorities or concerns?

My top three campaign priorities are public safety excellence, fiscal discipline, and infrastructure reliability.

First, public safety excellence. Grand Prairie has an outstanding police and fire department, and my priority is to protect that standard. This means supporting recruitment and retention, competitive compensation, modern equipment, and data-driven deployment so our first responders can continue to serve effectively without burnout.

Second, fiscal discipline and transparency. Strong revenues alone do not equal strong financial management. I will focus on spending accountability, clear performance measures, and long-term financial planning that respects taxpayers and avoids shifting today’s costs to future generations.

Third, infrastructure reliability. Aging roads, water, and storm drainage systems are foundational issues that affect neighborhoods, businesses, and public safety. I will advocate for a utility-first, coordinated approach that fixes what’s underground before rebuilding streets and prioritizes projects based on risk and impact.

Together, these priorities reflect a practical, steady approach to city leadership—focused on core responsibilities, long-term planning, and earning public trust through results rather than rhetoric.

Question 2:
As Grand Prairie continues to grow geographically and this council position is at-large, what specific steps would you take to foster community unity and ensure residents—from 75050 to 75054 and in newly developed areas—continue to feel connected as part of one Grand Prairie community?

Grand Prairie’s size and diversity are strengths, but they require intentional leadership—especially for an at-large council member whose responsibility is to the entire city. Community unity doesn’t happen by accident; it has to be worked at consistently.

First, I have a track record of being visible and accessible across the whole city, not just in one area, regardless of political affiliation. That means rotating town halls and listening sessions throughout ZIP codes from 75050 to 75054, attending neighborhood meetings, school and community events, and spending time in both long-established neighborhoods and newly developed areas. An at-large council member should not be a stranger anywhere in the city.

Second, communication matters. I would prioritize plain-language communication about city decisions—why they’re made, how they affect different parts of the city, and what residents can expect next. People feel connected when they feel informed and heard.

Third, I would support citywide events, youth programs, and shared public spaces—parks, trails, recreation centers, and cultural activities—that bring residents together across geography, age, and background. These shared experiences build a common civic identity.

Finally, I would focus on fairness and consistency in decision-making. Residents may live in different ZIP codes, but they should all feel City Hall applies the same standards, attention, and respect.

Unity comes from presence, communication, and trust. My goal would be to help ensure every resident—no matter where they live—feels they are part of one Grand Prairie

Question 3:
As Grand Prairie grows and redevelops, how should the city balance new development with preserving its history, cultural identity, and long-standing institutions—and what role should City Council play in that effort?

Balancing growth with preservation requires intentional, consistent leadership, not reactionary decision-making. Grand Prairie should welcome new development that strengthens the city, but it should never come at the expense of the neighborhoods, institutions, and traditions that give the community its identity.

The City’s first responsibility is to set clear, predictable standards—design, compatibility, infrastructure, and traffic—so new projects fit their surroundings and contribute positively over time. When expectations are known upfront, developers can succeed without erasing the character of existing areas.

Preserving history and cultural identity does not mean freezing the city in place. It means respecting long-standing schools, churches, civic groups, small businesses, and historic neighborhoods by engaging them early and often when change is proposed. City Council should ensure redevelopment enhances these anchors rather than displacing them.

Council’s role is not to design projects, but to protect the public interest. That includes insisting on infrastructure readiness, maintaining fair enforcement of codes, and ensuring redevelopment delivers real community value—not just short-term gains. Council should also support adaptive reuse where appropriate, allowing older properties to evolve while retaining their character.

Finally, transparency matters. Residents are far more supportive of growth when they understand the “why,” the standards being applied, and how their input shaped the outcome.

Handled well, growth and preservation are not opposing goals. With clear rules and steady leadership, Grand Prairie can grow in a way that honors its past, reflects its diverse culture, and builds a future residents recognize as their own.

Question 4:

What standards of conduct, professionalism, and accountability do you believe City Council members should uphold—both during meetings and outside of them—and how would you model that behavior as an at-large councilmember?

Collegiality, respect, and accountability are essential to effective governing—especially at the local level, where decisions directly affect neighbors and daily life. City Council members should uphold standards that reflect the trust placed in them by the public.

During meetings, that means being prepared, respectful, and focused on the issue—not personalities. Council members should listen fully, allow differing viewpoints to be heard, and debate ideas honestly without personal attacks or theatrics. Disagreement is healthy; disrespect is not. Professional conduct also includes following established procedures, respecting the role of staff, and making decisions based on facts and policy rather than emotion or social media pressure.

Outside of meetings, the same standards apply. Council members should be accessible, truthful, and consistent in their communications. That includes avoiding misinformation, respecting confidential information, and holding themselves to a higher standard in public settings because their actions reflect on the entire city.

Accountability means owning decisions—especially difficult ones—and explaining them clearly to residents. It also means adhering strictly to ethics rules, open meetings requirements, and transparency laws, not just in letter but in spirit.

As an at-large councilmember, I would model these standards by being prepared, measured, and respectful; by treating colleagues and staff as partners; and by remaining an open book with residents. My goal would be to elevate the tone, build trust, and ensure City Council operates as a professional, effective governing body worthy of the community it serves.

Question 5:
City finances are complex, and this position is a special term that will require standing for election again in 2027. How familiar are you with the City of Grand Prairie’s financial structure, budgeting process, and oversight responsibilities, and how would you get up to speed quickly if elected?

City finances are complex, and I respect that this special-term position requires immediate effectiveness. I am already comfortable with public-sector budgeting concepts—operating versus capital budgets, reserve policies, debt obligations, and long-term forecasting—from years of legislative and board-level oversight. While municipal finance has its own structure, the fundamentals of accountability, transparency, and disciplined spending are consistent across levels of government.

I understand that Grand Prairie’s budget process is staff-driven, council-adopted, and closely tied to property and sales tax revenues, capital improvement planning, and reserve requirements. Council’s role is not day-to-day management, but setting priorities, asking the right questions, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are aligned with core services and long-term obligations.

If elected, my first step would be a structured deep dive with the City Manager, Finance Director, and internal audit staff to fully understand current assumptions, pressures, and constraints. I would closely review recent budgets, audit reports, and the capital improvement plan to understand trends—not just line items.

I would also spend time understanding how prior councils made tradeoffs, what projects are already committed, and where flexibility does or does not exist. That context matters.

My goal would be to be productive quickly—not by trying to reinvent the system, but by applying disciplined oversight, informed questioning, and a long-term lens. With preparation and focus, a council member can add value immediately while earning the trust of both staff and taxpayers.

Mary Dominguez-Santini

https://www.facebook.com/CandidateGrandPrairieCityCouncil/

Question 1:

What are your top three campaign platform priorities or concerns?

My top priorities for our community-

Economic opportunity and affordability; Transparency and Collaboration; Safe Neighborhoods and City Services; Responsible Growth & Development

I am proudly running independently, focused solely on serving my community with integrity, commitment and passion for service.

Question 2:
As Grand Prairie continues to grow geographically and this council position is at-large, what specific steps would you take to foster community unity and ensure residents—from 75050 to 75054 and in newly developed areas—continue to feel connected as part of one Grand Prairie community?

Building neighborhood to neighborhood leadership bridges, establishing community partnerships to ensure everyone feels included, developed community trust by getting involved creating windows of opportunity and ultimately creating city wide projects that include everyone ( small businesses, schools, churches, etc) use the big growth city to unite not divide there user slot of things that can be done.

Question 3:
As Grand Prairie grows and redevelops, how should the city balance new development with preserving its history, cultural identity, and long-standing institutions—and what role should City Council play in that effort?

Build a “Then & Now Grand Prairie” digital map: tap a location, see old photos/stories, and connect it to today’s redevelopment.

Expand markers, walking tours and neighborhood sign toppers, so residents and visitors experience history and ultimately the city should definitely invest in a big museum arts and culture center that would attract tourist. City Council members play a important role in helping with making this project a reality , they pretty much control funding , GP deserves this.

Question 4:

What standards of conduct, professionalism, and accountability do you believe City Council members should uphold—both during meetings and outside of them—and how would you model that behavior as an at-large councilmember?

Core standards, professional, transparent, integrity , stewardship, respectful, responsible, patient, caring, loyal both , nobody should be above the law, charters need to be reviewed and regulated to ensure unethical behavior doesn’t bring shame or economic loss to our city.

Question 5:
City finances are complex, and this position is a special term that will require standing for election again in 2027. How familiar are you with the City of Grand Prairie’s financial structure, budgeting process, and oversight responsibilities, and how would you get up to speed quickly if elected?

Understanding revenue sources and volatility is extremely important, reviewing, evaluating and analyzing capital improvement planning (CIP)

Amber Luckey

www.voteamberluckey.com

Question 1:
What are your top three campaign platform priorities or concerns?

1. Safe & Strong Neighborhoods
Every family deserves to feel safe in their home and community. I support fully resourcing police, firefighters, and first responders while building trust through accountability, transparency, and community engagement. Safe neighborhoods also mean well-maintained streets, sidewalks, lighting, and public spaces, especially in older areas that deserve the same attention as new growth.

2. Affordable Living & Family Support
Grand Prairie must remain a place where families can afford to live, work, and raise children. I will advocate for affordable and workforce housing options, access to healthcare, including a hospital, and expanded mental health, therapy, childcare, and respite services. As a parent and special education advocate, I understand how critical it is that city policies support families at every stage of life while attracting good-paying, sustainable jobs.

3. Small Businesses & Infrastructure
Strong local businesses and reliable infrastructure are the foundation of a healthy economy. I will work to strengthen partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce, support small business growth and retention, and attract employers that invest in our workforce. At the same time, I will prioritize infrastructure improvements, streets, sidewalks, drainage, and facilities, using smart planning, responsible budgeting, and accountability to ensure every dollar works for Grand Prairie.

Question 2:
As Grand Prairie continues to grow geographically and this council position is at-large, what specific steps would you take to foster community unity and ensure residents—from 75050 to 75054 and in newly developed areas—continue to feel connected as part of one Grand Prairie community?

Serving in an at-large position means every neighborhood matters, from 75050 to 75054, including our older communities and newly developed areas. Community unity doesn’t happen by accident; it requires intentional listening, presence, and inclusive planning.

First, I would prioritize consistent community engagement across the entire city. That means rotating town halls and listening sessions in accessible locations, ensuring participation from residents of all abilities, ages, and backgrounds, including the disabled community, individuals with special needs, and seniors.

Second, communication must be clear, accessible, and inclusive. I support using multiple platforms, including in-person meetings, social media, newsletters, and partnerships with schools, HOAs, faith-based organizations, and advocacy groups, while ensuring information is available in accessible formats and languages so no one is left out.

Third, unity is strengthened when investments are equitable. I would advocate for balanced investments in infrastructure, public safety, and services across all neighborhoods, prioritizing accessibility features such as sidewalks, curb ramps, lighting, and safe transportation options that support seniors, families, and individuals with disabilities.

Finally, shared experiences build connection. I support citywide events, cultural celebrations, youth and family programming, senior-focused activities, and business spotlights that bring residents together and reflect the diversity of Grand Prairie.

As a parent of a child with special needs and a longtime community advocate, inclusion is personal to me. I’m committed to representing all of Grand Prairie with fairness, accessibility, and respect, so every resident, at every stage of life, feels connected and valued as part of one strong community.

Question 3:
As Grand Prairie grows and redevelops, how should the city balance new development with preserving its history, cultural identity, and long-standing institutions—and what role should City Council play in that effort?

Balancing growth with preservation requires a collaborative, thoughtful approach. Grand Prairie is fortunate to have a strong City Manager, along with experienced facilities, engineering, and planning staff who understand both infrastructure needs and the importance of fiscal responsibility. City Council’s role is to work in partnership with that team, providing clear direction, accountability, and community-centered priorities.

As the city grows, new development should complement, not erase, our history and cultural identity. That means respecting long-standing neighborhoods, supporting legacy businesses and institutions, and ensuring redevelopment aligns with the character of the community. Growth should enhance what makes Grand Prairie unique.

City Council plays a key role by setting policy, engaging residents, and ensuring transparency. That includes listening to community voices early in the planning process, using data and professional expertise to guide decisions, and balancing economic development with preservation efforts. It also means being good stewards of taxpayer dollars by evaluating long-term costs, not just short-term gains, and ensuring projects are financially sustainable.

With collaboration, intentional planning, and respect for both our past and our future, Grand Prairie can grow in a way that honors its roots while creating opportunity for generations to come. That’s the balanced leadership I’m committed to bringing to City Council.

Question 4:
What standards of conduct, professionalism, and accountability do you believe City Council members should uphold, both during meetings and outside of them—and how would you model that behavior as an at-large councilmember?

City Council members set the tone for the entire organization and the community we serve. The standards we uphold, both during meetings and outside of them, should reflect integrity, respect, professionalism, and accountability.

My background in Human Resources has taught me the importance of clear expectations, ethical conduct, and consistent accountability. Whether managing employee relations, compliance issues, or sensitive situations, I’ve learned that trust is built when leaders act fairly, communicate transparently, and treat people with dignity, even during disagreement.

As a Facilities Manager, I’ve overseen engineers, HVAC and maintenance teams, general contractors, vendors, and suppliers. In that role, professionalism and accountability aren’t optional; they’re essential. Projects involve budgets, timelines, safety, and public trust. I hold teams accountable to standards, expect follow-through, and address issues directly and respectfully. I bring that same mindset to public service.

As an at-large councilmember, I would model professionalism by being prepared, informed, and respectful in meetings; by listening before speaking; and by asking thoughtful, solutions-oriented questions. Outside of meetings, I believe councilmembers must conduct themselves in a way that builds confidence in city leadership, being accessible to residents, transparent in decision-making, and accountable for their actions.

Disagreement can and will happen, but it should always be handled with civility and respect. Leaders should focus on problem-solving, not politics, and on serving the entire city, not personal interests.

My commitment is to lead with integrity, consistency, and professionalism, and to earn the trust of Grand Prairie residents through my actions every day.

Question 5:
City finances are complex, and this position is a special term that will require standing for election again in 2027. How familiar are you with the City of Grand Prairie’s financial structure, budgeting process, and oversight responsibilities, and how would you get up to speed quickly if elected?

I have a strong working understanding of how municipal finances function and a professional background that directly aligns with budgeting, oversight, and accountability. For more than 17 years, I’ve managed multimillion-dollar budgets, reviewed contracts, evaluated bids, and overseen long-term operational and maintenance costs. That experience has taught me how to read financial reports, ask the right questions, and focus on both short-term impacts and long-term sustainability.

I understand that the City Council’s role is not to manage day-to-day operations, but to provide oversight, set priorities, and ensure fiscal responsibility. I’m familiar with the city’s budget structure, capital improvement planning, and the importance of maintaining reserves while funding essential services and infrastructure.

If elected, I would get up to speed quickly by meeting early and often with the City Manager, finance staff, and department leaders to understand current financial priorities, constraints, and long-term obligations. I would also actively participate in the Finance and Government Committee, review audit reports, budget documents, and capital plans, and seek clarity on areas where efficiencies or cost savings may exist.

My approach is hands-on, collaborative, and data-driven. I take this role seriously, including the responsibility of earning voters’ trust again in 2027, and I’m committed to being fully prepared, informed, and accountable from day one.

Michelle Madden

www.VoteMichelleMadden.com

Question 1:

What are your top three campaign platform priorities or concerns?

1) Keep property taxes at current rate or lower.

2) Plan for and protect overburdening of the city’s infrastructure during our extended southward growth so that residents remain well-served and do not have interruption of services.

3) Promote transparency of decision making and finances.

Question 2:

As Grand Prairie continues to grow geographically and this council position is at-large, what specific steps would you take to foster community unity and ensure residents—from 75050 to 75054 and in newly developed areas—continue to feel connected as part of one Grand Prairie community?  

As Grand Prairie continues to grow, it is important to create intentional opportunities that bring residents together across all ZIP codes and newly developed areas. One way to do this would be to host additional city events in locations further south—such as Loyd Park—to encourage participation from residents throughout the city and ensure that all areas feel equally included.

In addition, a City of Grand Prairie–produced monthly newspaper-style publication mailed directly to residents would be an effective way to keep people of all ages informed, engaged, and connected. Providing consistent, accessible communication helps reinforce a shared sense of community and ensures that residents across 75050 to 75054 feel connected as one Grand Prairie.

Question 3:

As Grand Prairie grows and redevelops, how should the city balance new development with preserving its history, cultural identity, and long-standing institutions—and what role should City Council play in that effort?

As Grand Prairie grows and redevelops, it is important to preserve the city’s history, cultural identity, and long-standing institutions while continuing to support thoughtful development. The cultural events currently hosted by the city provide meaningful opportunities to celebrate and share our community’s heritage and should continue to be supported.

One potential enhancement would be the creation of a cultural conference or exhibit space at City Hall where cultural items and historical displays could be showcased, providing a permanent and accessible way to honor the city’s diverse background. At this time, I do not believe that growth and expansion require additional provisions for cultural events, but rather a continued commitment to maintaining and respecting the traditions and institutions that already serve our community well. City Council’s role should be to support these efforts by encouraging thoughtful planning, ensuring cultural considerations remain part of the conversation, and balancing progress with preservation.

Question 4:

What standards of conduct, professionalism, and accountability do you believe City Council members should uphold both, during meetings and outside of them, and how would you model that behavior as an at-large councilmember?

City Council members should uphold the highest standards of conduct, professionalism, and accountability both during meetings and in their interactions outside of them. This includes giving speakers full attention by maintaining eye contact, listening respectfully, and engaging thoughtfully. Professionalism also requires clear, respectful communication and timely responses to constituents and colleagues. Publicly questioning the integrity of a fellow councilmember undermines trust in the governing body and should not be acceptable. Standards of conduct must be clearly defined, written, and publicly available, with consequences for violations that are impartial and not determined solely by fellow council members.

As an at-large councilmember, I would model these standards through respectful engagement, consistent professionalism, transparent communication, and by holding myself to the same clear expectations I support for the entire council.

Question 5:

City finances are complex, and this position is a special term that will require standing for election again in 2027. How familiar are you with the City of Grand Prairie’s financial structure, budgeting process, and oversight responsibilities, and how would you get up to speed quickly if elected?

I have reviewed the FY 2025–2026 budget and understand the overall structure, though there are areas where additional clarification would be helpful. For example, greater transparency around what is included in each account, how funds are structured, and whether any accounts operate at a deficit and are subsidized by other funds would strengthen understanding and oversight. Having this information clearly documented in writing would be valuable.

To get up to speed quickly if elected, I would request meetings with the Budget Department to review the city’s financial structure in detail, ask targeted questions, and gain clarity on funding sources, expenditures, and oversight responsibilities

“At-large” means any registered voter who lives in Grand Prairie may vote in this election.

Candidates in Ballot Order:

Early Voting Dates and Times for the Special Election:

Early Voting Locations:

Voting Day and Times:

If it’s truly believed that there’s nothing we can do about excessive fireworks and gunfire on holidays, or more specifically, if our police believe that - then why even waste time on the pretense of a city ordinance at all?

Something tells me that as our nation celebrates its 250th birthday this year, the summer of 2026 is going to be a doozy for these kind of celebrations, so it’s my opinion that it’s worth discussing as a city now, rather than waiting until July 4 to begin warning people about it.

“Nothing Can Be Done.”

When people say “there’s nothing that can be done,” what they mean is that there’s nothing the police can do in the moment. And on that point, I don’t disagree. Once fireworks or gunshots are reported, the activity is often over by the time the 911 call ends. Unless it happens directly in front of an officer and the exact location is known, there’s little practical way for police to determine where to respond. Compounding that reality is the fact that, on nights like New Year’s Eve, police are prioritizing emergencies that pose more immediate danger they can reasonably respond to—drunk drivers, assaults at parties, and other active threats. Fireworks, while disruptive and illegal, don’t rise to the same level of urgency. Even when officers do respond to a reported address, if the activity has already stopped, it’s rarely worth the time to stop and question residents.

So again, this begs the question - what’s the point of having a fireworks city ordinance at all? Ordinances are effective in two ways: 1) if they are realistically enforceable; 2) If they aren’t enforceable, residents respect them simply as a rule.

What happens when an ordinance becomes ineffective? I believe this is where we are in Grand Prairie.

In the case of people who fire off guns or shoot off fireworks illegally, they are people put 60 seconds of their own fun and excitement ahead of the elderly, scared children, scared animals, veterans, and every other neighbor living within earshot of their “celebrations.” In other words - they’re assholes. I wish there were a different label (sorry to my pastor and my parents) but there isn’t one.

Solving the A$$hole Problem - Why Ordinances Don’t Work

In the case of fireworks, the ordinance may actually contribute to the behavior. Breaking the rule becomes part of the appeal—a short burst of excitement with little perceived risk. What’s happening here is less about criminal intent and more about teenagers and adults making stupid, reckless decisions they would never tolerate in any other context. That distinction matters, because it means this problem isn’t solved by stronger enforcement—it’s solved by changing social norms. You’re not dealing with heartless criminals, you’re dealing with people acting like momentary jerks.

Texas has already faced—and solved—a problem with the same characteristics. “Don’t Mess with Texas,” launched by the Texas Department of Transportation to combat littering, addressed a behavior that was momentary, thoughtless, and nearly impossible to police in real time. TxDOT’s research also showed that young men ages 18–24 were overwhelmingly responsible for the problem.

The state didn’t respond by writing more tickets or threatening harsher penalties. Instead, it changed how people felt about the behavior. “Don’t Mess with Texas” didn’t focus on fines; it reframed littering as embarrassing, inconsiderate, and un-Texan. That shift in social perception caused people to pause before acting. To drive the message home, TxDOT featured Stevie Ray Vaughan in a commercial that aired during the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day in 1986—placing the message directly in front of the audience most likely to ignore a lecture but respond to cultural cues.

The message spread like wildfire because they intentionally saturated the message in media, on highway signs, through the influence of famous Texans, collaborating with businesses and in conjunction with community efforts. Before that, the state relied on “Keep Texas Beautiful,” a slogan that resonated with middle aged women who weren’t the ones littering to begin with.

A citywide campaign aimed squarely at this kind of antisocial behavior—not through enforcement, but through social pressure—could have benefits far beyond fireworks and gunfire. When enforcement is unrealistic, changing what behavior is socially acceptable is often the only lever that works. A campaign that makes it clear this conduct isn’t bold, funny, or harmless—but embarrassing and inconsiderate—has the potential to reduce a whole category of problems that laws alone struggle to control.

There’s a real opportunity here for the city and police to work through the networks that already shape local behavior. Neighborhood leaders, National Night Out organizers, Grand Prairie–based influencers, local Facebook group administrators, and media platforms like Faces of Grand Prairie already have trust and visibility in the spaces where these norms are formed. If city leadership and law enforcement partnered with those voices to create an effective campaign, the message would actually permeate the places that matter.

The people engaging in this behavior aren’t taking cues from city websites or press releases. They’re taking cues from peers, group chats, neighborhood pages, and local social feeds. When those spaces consistently communicate the same expectation—that this behavior is embarrassing, inconsiderate, and not accepted—the pressure comes from the community itself, not enforcement after the fact. That’s how messaging reaches the audience that policing alone can’t.

Local elections in Grand Prairie are already taking shape, with several city council and school board seats scheduled to be on the ballot in 2026. Early developments are setting the framework for what issues and expectations are likely to define the upcoming local election cycle. Both city council and trustee elections will take place May 2, 2026.

City Council Seats Up for Election in 2026

In 2026, four Grand Prairie City Council seats will be up for election.

Three of these seats are part of the city’s regular election cycle. A fourth seat was added following the announcement that At-Large Place 8 Councilmember Junior Ezeonu will resign his seat to run for the Texas House.

A special election to fill that vacancy has been scheduled for January 31, 2026, with the filing deadline occurring on December 16.

Regular City Council seats on the 2026 ballot:

• District 1 (currently held by Jorja Clemson)

• District 3 (currently held by Mike Del Bosque)

• At-Large Place 7 (currently held by Bessye Adams)

The filing period for these seats is January 14 through February 13, 2026.

Grand Prairie ISD Board of Trustees Seats Up for Election

In addition to city council races, three Grand Prairie ISD Board of Trustees seats will be on the ballot in 2026.

GPISD trustee seats up for election:

• Place 2 – Single-Member District (currently held by Bryan Parra)

• Place 3 – At-Large (currently held by Gloria Carrillo)

• Place 4 – Single-Member District (currently held by Nancy Bridges)

The filing period for these trustee seats will run from January 14 through February 13, 2026.

What Voters Say They Are Looking For

Over the past year, Faces of Grand Prairie has gathered input from Grand Prairie residents through a combination of online outreach and in-person conversations to better understand how they view local leadership and which issues they consider most important in local races.

1. Fatigue with partisan campaigning and mudslinging
   Voters say they are tired of bitter, partisan-style campaigns and the nastiness that has crept into local races over the last several years. Many residents say the focus on party labels and partisan mudslinging feels misplaced in city council and school board elections, where the issues are fundamentally local and nonpartisan.

2. Moving Beyond Racial Representation as a Central Issue
   While both the city council and the school board are more diverse than at any point in the city’s history, residents are realizing that treating racial representation as the primary governing priority has not insulated either body from financial realities resulting in broader societal shifts, such as rising pressure to limit property taxes, calls for less regulation from city government, and increasing public frustration with the state of public education.

3. Professional Conduct and Accountability
   Voters are increasingly attentive to the conduct of both candidates and elected officials, particularly as Grand Prairie continues to grow. Incidents involving elected officials earlier this year, along with how they were handled, were embarrassing for many residents to witness and left a lasting impression. While this concern is not always visible in formal public meetings or constant online commentary, it continues to simmer beneath the surface among voters. The absence of loud or ongoing discussion should not be mistaken for indifference. For many residents, these moments have not been forgotten, and they remain part of how voters are quietly assessing professionalism, credibility, and seriousness in both those currently in office and those seeking to serve.

4. Citywide Perspective Over District Silos
   It has become increasingly evident to residents when issues are overlooked or handled inconsistently simply because they fall outside/inside a specific council member’s district. Voters are more aware of instances where decision-making occurs within district silos—or where the city itself appears to operate in its own silo—rather than through a coordinated, citywide approach. This shows up in both small, visible efforts, such as citywide initiatives like school supply drives, and larger policy decisions, including what types of development are allowed or blocked based on the preferences of individual council members rather than a shared vision for Grand Prairie.

5. Growth, Financial Oversight, and Community Cohesion

   As Grand Prairie continues to grow, residents are paying closer attention not just to how much the city is expanding, but to how that growth is being managed and overseen. Financial oversight of large-scale development, the expanding role of the city’s municipal corporations, and long-term obligations tied to growth are increasingly part of the public conversation—even when they are not yet fully visible or well understood.

   At the same time, many Grand Prairians want the city to continue to feel like one community, something that has become more challenging as the city stretches farther geographically. Even before the most recent annexation, Grand Prairie was already the longest city in Texas. As it grows longer and more complex, residents are less certain how the city is preserving its shared history, culture, and sense of identity alongside development. For many voters, questions about growth are no longer just about economics or land use, but about whether expansion is being balanced with cohesion, continuity, and a clear vision for what holds the city together.

6. The School District and a Shifting Education Landscape

   Alongside city elections, voters are also watching how Grand Prairie ISD positions itself in a rapidly changing education environment. Declining enrollment, shifting funding structures, and changing expectations around how and where students learn are forcing school districts across Texas to rethink traditional models.

   With surrounding districts adopting open enrollment models and expanding their CTE programs, Grand Prairie ISD will need to find ways to remain at the forefront. While the challenges facing public education are well known, how the district adapts—academically, financially, and structurally—will be an important part of local conversations as trustee races approach.

This overview is meant to set the stage for the 2026 local election cycle—not to draw conclusions, but to outline the landscape as it currently exists. With multiple city council and school board seats up for election, evolving voter expectations, and ongoing conversations about growth, governance, and community identity, the months ahead will bring greater clarity around priorities and leadership approaches. Future coverage will take a closer look at these themes as candidates emerge and the local conversation continues to develop.

Faces of Grand Prairie provides neutral and nonpartisan opportunities for candidates to share information with the Grand Prairie community during the 2026 election cycle. This process is open to candidates running for any office whose district includes Grand Prairie residents. Our goal is to offer equal-access information while maintaining fairness, transparency, and neutrality across all election-related coverage.

Below is a detailed overview of how candidates may submit materials for consideration.

Press Releases

Candidates may submit press releases at any time during the 2026 election cycle, and there is no limit on the number of releases a campaign may submit. Press releases are reviewed for accuracy, relevance, and community interest. While publication is not guaranteed, every submitted release will be considered as part of Faces of Grand Prairie’s editorial process to support balanced and informative news reporting.

All press releases should be emailed directly to facesofgrandprairie@gmail.com.

Requests for Interviews

Faces of Grand Prairie will begin conducting candidate interviews on January 1. Candidates who submit the request form will be notified when scheduling opens, along with instructions for selecting an interview time. All interviews will be scheduled on a first come, first served basis, and availability may be limited.

Faces of Grand Prairie will offer two interview formats:

• Recorded video interviews

• Written question-and-answer spotlights

All interviews will follow a consistent question structure to ensure fairness for all legally filed candidates. Every published interview will include the required neutrality disclaimer.

Requests for Public Forum Updates

Faces of Grand Prairie will host a 2026 Candidate Forum. Planning for this event is currently underway. At this time, candidates may use the request form only to receive updates about the forum. Once details are finalized—including format, timeline, and participation procedures—candidates who expressed interest will be notified.

Equal opportunity will be provided to all legally filed candidates once participation procedures are released.

Requests to Share Political Ads or Candidate Videos

Faces of Grand Prairie will offer one complimentary campaign video publication for any legally filed candidate who requests it. Videos must be created and produced by the candidate or the candidate’s official campaign and must comply with the Texas Campaign Laws and Platform Requirements listed below.

Videos may be submitted either as a published YouTube link or as a file shared through Google Drive that can be embedded in a website post. Approved videos will be published on the Local Elections Channel at facesofgrandprairie.org, emailed to all newsletter subscribers, and shared across Faces of Grand Prairie’s social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X.

This complimentary distribution is limited to one video per campaign during the 2026 cycle. Because Faces of Grand Prairie operates with limited staffing during election season, additional promotional requests will be considered only as capacity allows and are not guaranteed. All published videos will include the required neutrality disclaimer and do not signify an endorsement.

Faces of Grand Prairie will not share candidate-submitted content that targets, attacks, or disparages another candidate. Promotional submissions must focus solely on the submitting candidate’s own message. This policy applies only to promotional materials; Faces of Grand Prairie retains full editorial discretion to independently report on any newsworthy developments, including campaign-related conflicts or issues.

Texas Campaign Law Requirements for Video Ads

These standards come directly from the Texas Election Code and apply to all political advertising, including campaign videos:

1. Required Political Advertising Disclosure
   Videos must clearly identify who paid for and authorized the content (“Political advertising paid for by…”).

2. No Misleading Endorsements or Affiliations
   Videos may not imply support or endorsement by any individual, organization, governmental body, or by Faces of Grand Prairie.

3. No Impersonation or Misrepresentation
   Videos may not impersonate another candidate, use misleading titles, or otherwise misrepresent endorsements or roles.

4. No Use of Public Funds or Government Resources
   Videos may not be created using government staff, equipment, facilities, or publicly funded resources.

5. No Misuse of Government Seals or Insignia
   Videos may not use city seals, district logos, law enforcement badges, or other official insignia in a way that implies government approval.

Faces of Grand Prairie Platform Requirements for Video Ads

These standards ensure neutrality, fairness, and editorial integrity:

6. Videos Must Be Produced by the Candidate’s Official Campaign
   Content created by PACs, third parties, supporters, or outside organizations will not be accepted.

7. No Negative Campaigning
   Videos must focus solely on the candidate’s own message. Videos attacking or targeting another candidate will not be published.

8. Candidate-Only Submissions
   Videos must pertain only to the candidate submitting them. Content about other races or unrelated candidates will not be accepted.

9. Compliance Responsibility
   Candidates are solely responsible for ensuring their submissions comply with all Texas campaign laws and Faces of Grand Prairie requirements. Faces of Grand Prairie may decline to publish any video that appears to violate these standards.

Neutrality Statement

By submitting materials, candidates acknowledge that Faces of Grand Prairie does not endorse or oppose any political candidate or campaign. All election-related content published by Faces of Grand Prairie will include the appropriate neutrality disclaimer. All candidates will be treated equally within the limits of available resources and production capacity.

To submit your materials for the 2026 election cycle, please complete the Faces of Grand Prairie Candidate Submission Request Form at the link below:
Candidate Submission Request Form

Faces of Grand Prairie remains committed to providing voters with clear, accessible, and nonpartisan information throughout the 2026 election cycle. These guidelines ensure that every legally filed candidate has a fair opportunity to participate while preserving the integrity and neutrality of the platform. We appreciate your commitment to serving the Grand Prairie community and look forward to supporting an informed and engaged electorate.

Our goal is to provide fair, balanced, and transparent local election coverage that helps voters feel informed and confident when they head to the polls. To do that well, we want to understand:

• How you prefer to receive election news

• What issues matter most to you when choosing City Council and School Board candidates

• How you’re feeling about politics and elections going into 2026

• What improves trust — and what breaks it — during campaign season

Your input will directly shape the stories we cover, the interviews we prioritize, the issues we spotlight, and the way we communicate election information throughout the year.

Why Your Voice Matters

Grand Prairie is changing quickly — and so is our political landscape. Recent elections have shown:

• Voters are less tolerant of negative campaigning

• Transparency matters more than ever

• Residents want maturity, professionalism, and clarity from candidates

• People are seeking reliable, nonpartisan information they can trust

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The questionnaire is fully anonymous.
We do not collect names, emails, phone numbers, or any personally identifiable information.

We simply want to hear from you — honestly, comfortably, and without hesitation.

Take the Survey

Click on the Form Link Here

It takes only a few minutes and will help us deliver election coverage that reflects the priorities, concerns, and values of the people who call Grand Prairie home.

Thank You, Grand Prairie

To every resident who participates: thank you. Your voice strengthens our community, strengthens local journalism, and strengthens the democratic process in our city.

We look forward to sharing the results and shaping our 2026 coverage based on what you tell us matters most.

This is a long-form investigative feature exploring how Grand Prairie’s city-owned corporations are reshaping local government, business, and public life. You can listen to an audio version of this story below. Support future independent reporting like this through buymeacoffee.com/facesofgp.

When Councilman Kurt Johnson told residents at a recent town hall that Grand Prairie was freezing hiring and couldn’t give raises to employees due to falling sales tax revenues, the statement didn’t seem to match the city’s financial reports. After a review of the Grand Prairie’s 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, I saw no clear signs of financial distress.

That contradiction led me to dig deeper into how Grand Prairie’s finances actually work. What I found wasn’t a budget problem — it was a boundary problem. The city has built a system of corporations that blur the line between public service and private enterprise, shaping everything from downtown projects to land ownership.

The Rise of City-Owned Corporations

Over the past several years, the City of Grand Prairie has massively expanded its city-owned corporation structure designed to spur development, manage major assets and provide services to residents. For decades, the city operated with just two corporations— the Sports Facilities Development Corporation and the Housing Finance Corporation — both created several years ago.

The Sports Facilities Development Corporation was created in the 90’s to operate Lone Star Park.

The Housing Finance Corporation was created in the 90’s to manage affordable housing projects, including Mountain Creek Retirement Community, Cotton Creek Apartments, Willow Tree Apartments, and a workforce housing education program. In the past year, it’s acquired 7 existing apartment complexes in response to an aggressive campaign of so-called “traveling HFCs.” Five Housing Finance Corporations in Texas cities, namely Pecos, TX, began aggressively targeting apartments located in other cities for purchase, leaving many Texas cities to respond by purchasing their own apartment complexes themselves. These cities exploited a loophole in state law, and in response, cities like Grand Prairie filed a grievance with the state, which outlawed the practice of traveling HFCs in September 2025, but not before the city of Grand Prairie had acquired them.

But between 2020 and 2024, three new entities were added: the Local Government Corporation, the Hotel Development Corporation and the Public Finance Corporation.

The Grand Prairie Local Government Corporation was created in 2020 to acquire, develop, and redevelop property on the city’s behalf; it’s the corporation which fuels the development for EpicCentral and now the Downtown Revitalization project that is underway.

The Grand Prairie Hotel Development Corporation was created in 2021 to promote economic development, including but not limited to the acquisition, development, and redevelopment of real property within the City and the lease of City facilities, including two hotels and a conference center.

The Public Finance Corporation was created in 2023 but so far has no assets or activity, according to the recent ACFR.

While each of these corporations serves a specific purpose, together they’ve created a complex financial ecosystem. While private corporations are for-profit businesses owned by individuals or shareholders, municipally owned corporations are government entities established by a municipality to provide public services rather than to make a profit. Profitability makes it easy to determine whether a private corporation is successful or failing. But how do you determine success or failure of a municipally owned corporation when it’s based on providing services? Municipal financial operations are both complicated and straight-forward. By state law, when tax revenue is collected, there are specific places it must be spent. What makes Councilman Johnson’s comments confusing for the average resident is that in terms of Grand Prairie’s tax dollars and municipal utilities, such as water, property taxes, streets, etc - they are operating in the black and doing well.

Alternatively, city’s corporation finances are difficult to understand because they are “legally, financially, and administratively autonomous separate corporations” from the city itself. Each of these corporations are directed by a board of 4-7 people who are appointed by the city council, though the city council and the mayor sit on many of these boards themselves. This means that elected officials are largely the ones driving the city’s corporate activities, while the city government itself oversees the rest.

These corporations in cities of our size aren’t uncommon, but what makes Grand Prairie’s corporate strategy unique is the scope and grand vision. While other cities rely more heavily on public-private partnerships, if they use corporations at all, Grand Prairie’s corporations largely operate separately from its private sector. For example, Arlington built up its entertainment district through major private investment and city support, entities such as sponsored ATT Stadium for the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Live which is privately owned and operated with city support.

Grand Prairie owns several of its ventures such as The Summit, Epic Waters, The Epic, Lone Star Park, Epic Central, the Grand Prairie Convention Center, Ruthe Jackson Event Center, Prairie Lakes Golf Course, Tangle Ridge Golf Course, etc - all owned and operated by the city of Grand Prairie. Companies lease space or property managers manage it, but Grand Prairie controls a great deal of its oversight and vision.

Elected CEOs and the Three-Year Cycle

Unlike private corporations with long-term executives, the leadership of Grand Prairie’s system changes every three years — determined not by market performance but by voter turnout. Each new council brings new priorities, and since those council members appoint the boards — and often serve on them — the direction of the city’s corporations shifts with every election. We elect our representatives to steward tax dollars, maintain infrastructure, and represent the public — not to run corporations with complex revenue streams across multiple industries. That responsibility demands a different kind of expertise and a level of continuity that city government, by nature, can’t provide. And yet, the council now oversees four separate companies — none of which must be profitable in the open market to survive, and all of which they also help govern.

That instability wasn’t built into the system by design, but it’s an unavoidable byproduct of it. The model assumes continuity where politics guarantees change. What began as a long-term strategy to serve residents has become a revolving-door enterprise managed by people whose primary job was never meant to include corporate governance of this scope. This is where the larger question starts to surface: when does a service become a business? Each new board may inherit a mission to serve, but over time, service takes on the logic of business: expansion, revenue, and self-preservation. It’s not a flaw in leadership; it’s a flaw in design. A structure meant to guarantee service has instead created an endless cycle of shifting priorities — one election away from redefining what “public good” even means.

This structure entangles tax dollars with elections in ways few people recognize. Imagine a council member sitting on the board of a city-owned corporation that’s losing money while running for reelection. That official has an incentive to protect the project’s image until after the vote. In a private company, a struggling CEO can be replaced overnight. In government, accountability comes only with the next election — or an expensive recall — long after the financial damage has been done.

The opportunity or appearance of eventual corruption in a system like this is inevitable. A council that functions both as regulator and competitor is inevitably placed in situations where private development threatens a city-owned venture. Even the perception of that conflict undermines public trust, and the more the city expands its corporate footprint, the more impossible it becomes to avoid those overlaps.

Corporations Built to “Serve”

To maintain the level of services the city feels the residents need, Grand Prairie has chosen to expand rapidly — annexing new land, approving more housing developments, and investing heavily in tourism and entertainment through its city-run corporations. The strategy appears to bring energy and attention to the community, filling the calendar with city-hosted festivals, performances, and attractions that draw visitors to EpicCentral and Main Street. But again, we ask how the city now defines “service.” Each new project and “free” event is framed as something done for residents yet it depends on the same consumer spending that sustains private corporations because the city also relies on the sales tax revenue to make their corporations sustainable. While you’re in EpicCentral at the Arts and Music Festival, the hope is that you’ll spend money at one of the surrounding restaurants. The issue is that the city also invites food trucks and venders to attend the event at $125-$175 each, all of which compete with the restaurants themselves. The result is a system where public service and market performance are increasingly indistinguishable — where maintaining amenities now means selling experiences. When a city only does a few of these events a year, they do contribute to community togetherness and spur growth, but the city has ramped up its event activities to the point that there are essentially one major event happening every week. Each of these events become less popular with residents because they happen so frequently, but they also pull people away from other businesses in their own city. Which leads to the next issue: competition with its own business community.

City Hall vs. Main Street

By operating its own corporations, the city has placed itself in direct competition with the very businesses it’s meant to support. When taxpayer dollars are used to advertise city-owned ventures, the line between public service and marketplace competition disappears. The Grand Prairie Convention Center created competition for privately owned event centers in the city - as well as competition for the Ruthe Jackson Center it already owned less than two miles away. It begs the question - what growth is necessary because of demand and what growth is the city’s own grandiose plans? Were the entities that the city already owned making money? Were they self-sustaining?

It’s beginning to feel like Grand Prairie has built a model that treats growth itself as a public service.

Something else noticed more by residents is that the city often duplicates the work already being done by its own residents, nonprofits, and businesses — not because it needs to, but because it doesn’t seem to know how to support what’s already there. As an institution, it seems to feel a constant need to do something to prove its value — another event, another initiative, another program, another development — even when the community already has it covered.

This year, for example, local nonprofits and corporate sponsors organized four separate school supply drives, fully funded by private donations. The city and city council members hosted four more. The demand didn’t double — it just scattered. With families divided across eight different events, half the privately funded supplies went undistributed. That’s not collaboration; that’s waste — of private generosity, volunteer time, and taxpayer labor. The same thing happens throughout the year. While numerous churches and organizations plan trunk-or-treats, the city launches its own “Street or Treat” and other pre-Halloween celebrations. When the business community holds networking events, the city organizes its own.

The truth is, the city could probably cut back on a quarter of what it’s doing and residents would still feel like it was doing plenty. Grand Prairie already has an active calendar and visible leadership — no one is accusing the city of not doing enough. That’s what makes it feel less like coordination and more like a kind of civic anxiety — a need to prove it’s working for the community when, in reality, it’s often just working beside it — or worse, against it. But most taxpayers aren’t demanding more programs or festivals — they’re just asking for another grocery store on the north side of town.

So much of this effort seems driven by the idea that activity equals service, that motion equals progress. But sometimes, the most effective thing a city can do is to step back, listen, and let the people already doing the work keep doing it — with the city’s support, not its shadow.

Tax Exemptions for City Corporations, Not Small Businesses

The city is providing “services,” but it still relies on sales tax revenues to fund those services. When sales tax revenue dips, but the debt and overhead is still owed, it creates an imbalance. That imbalance helps explain why leaders now warn residents about ballot measures like Proposition 9, which would exempt a portion of business property from taxation.

Councilman Junior Ezeonu addressed Proposition 9 publicly, posting a video urging residents to vote against it. The amendment increases the real property ad valorem tax exemption for business owners from $25,000 to $125,000 — a change he called “a tax giveaway to large corporations that would shift the financial burden to homeowners,” a comment that shows a lack of understanding for how tax exemptions work.

In reality, Proposition 9 most directly benefits small and mid-sized businesses — the ones paying annual taxes on the equipment, furniture, or tools they already own. Most residents have no idea that businesses are taxed annually on things classified as Business Personal Property - tangible, moveable assets that a business can use to generate revenue. These would be any items from a hair dryer in a salon to a computer in an insurance office that are not attached to the property itself, which means that even businesses that lease their space must pay property tax for the items they own inside. For a large corporation like IKEA, a $125,000 exemption is negligible; for a local salon, café, or retail shop on Main Street, it’s the difference between surviving and closing.

Ezeonu’s comments reveal something deeper than disagreement over tax policy. They expose the tension at the heart of Grand Prairie’s financial model. The city’s growing network of corporations has become so intertwined with local revenues that even modest reductions in the tax base feel like existential threats. In a city like Arlington, where public-private partnerships share the burden of growth, a measure like Prop 9 might be absorbed easily. But in Grand Prairie, where the city itself operates entertainment venues, water parks, rec centers and housing complexes, every lost tax dollar reverberates through a system built to sustain itself.

Something else to consider is that the city’s enterprises pay no ad valorem taxes at all, yet the same officials who manage those entities caution against small tax relief for private business owners. It’s a level of hypocrisy that’s hard to ignore. “Good for me, but not for thee.” Each time Grand Prairie acquires a property or business under one of its corporations, that asset is removed from the tax rolls, meaning it no longer contributes to the very schools and services the system was designed to support. Members of the school board have expressed concern about this, requesting a seat at the table for decisions that directly affect their budgets — requests that, so far, have gone unanswered.

Adding to the complexity, Grand Prairie’s debt isn’t supported solely by property taxes but by the revenues of its city-run corporations. According to the 2024 bond filings, taxpayers remain ultimately responsible if tourism or sales revenues underperform. That dependency helps explain why city leaders view measures like Proposition 9 as threats rather than relief — not because the proposal itself is reckless, but because the city’s system has blurred the boundary between public service and private sustainability.

This pattern also helps explain the long, uneasy distance between City Hall and the business community. For decades, the city’s posture toward local enterprise — and especially toward the Chamber of Commerce — has been one of cautious detachment. That’s not to say every council member or employee shares that attitude; many are genuinely supportive of local business. But as an institution, Grand Prairie often prefers to operate alone — a habit deeply ingrained over time. Instead of collaborating with local companies for sponsorships or programming, the city often looks beyond its borders for partners or stages events entirely on its own. One councilman has said to multiple people, including the previous Chamber CEO, that he doesn’t believe we need a Chamber at all. It’s a mindset born from the same philosophy that built its corporations: if we control it, we can make it work our way. While much of this vision is framed around service and community improvement, it’s also about control — a struggle that has defined Grand Prairie’s leadership for generations.

This approach is reaching its limits. Rather than telling small business owners they don’t need tax relief while spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to host another city-sponsored event, Grand Prairie could be working with them — not merely as vendors at pop-up markets, but as sponsors, planners, and true partners in shaping the community’s future. Increasingly, the business community has noticed that it is being ignored, sidelined, or even placed in direct competition with the city itself — a pattern that is breeding resentment and deserves urgent attention.

Do Our Elected Leaders Really Understand the Numbers?

Perhaps the biggest concern about this system is the competency of our elected officials when it comes to operating these large scale operations. Councilmembers aren’t elected by voters because of their extensive knowledge of finance; often, it’s for their likeability and willingness to show up and support their constituents. I’ve listened to several town halls this year, town halls that rely heavily on city employees sitting in the audience and helping council members answer questions, especially on matters of finance. These council members are expected to make decisions upon the assumption they understand how everything works; these town halls give me pause that some aren’t doing their financial homework. To continue operating our city in a way that doesn’t lead down a dark financial path, residents will need to start demanding more financial literacy of our elected officials and voting like we want to keep our city financially solvent.

We’re All In This Together

The truth is, everyone wants Grand Prairie to work. The people running it, the people living in it — we all want the same thing. We want the city to keep growing, to stay safe, to keep feeling like home. That’s what makes this so hard to talk about. Most people don’t want to stir things up. They’ve known each other for years, gone to church together, raised kids on the same streets. It feels easier to stay quiet than to question something that’s done so much good.

But good intentions don’t make a system sustainable. At some point, a city has to decide what it is — a public service or a business trying to support one. Right now, Grand Prairie is trying to be both, and it’s starting to strain under the weight of that choice. But maybe it’s time we start talking about balance. Maybe we let the city stay in the public service business — keeping our parks clean, our streets safe, our water running — and let the business community stay in the private sector business — growing, hiring, creating, and investing in the city we all share. And where those two lines meet, we should do it together.

It’s called Antioch Life Park Cemetery, a historic site tucked near Mountain Creek Lake. This sacred ground was once home to Antioch Baptist Church, the Masonic Lodge, and the heart of a thriving Black community known as The Line. Before Grand Prairie had paved streets, before there were bridges or neighborhoods stretching to the lake, families worshiped here, learned here, and built lives of faith and resilience.

Many of the men buried in this soil served in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and beyond. Here are the known veterans with headstones at the cemetery:

Jack Adams
Will Adams
John Alexander
Bennie Allen
John Allen Jr.
Charles Anderson
Joseph V. Angle
Floyd Brown
James Brown
Vester Lee Caraway
Tyree Casey
J. Harvey Casey Jr.
Bird Christopher
Mack L. Clark
Judge Cole
Orville Taylor Cole
Robert L. Cook
Robert L. Cook Jr.
Bobby Joe Cooper
Robert Egan
William Egan
James Fain
Charles E. Fininen
Fred L. Foley
Gerald Gregory
Sidney Griggs
George W. Hardeman
Sidney Harmon
John Harris
Raymond Harris
Willie Harris
A.W. Hawthorne
L. D. Hayes
Leonza Herndon
Elmer Hill
Thomas Hill
C.J. Holland
Jackie Johnson
Johnny Johnson
Nolan Tray Johnson
Troy “Nub” Johnson
Ceolen Jones
Larry Eugene Jones
Sam Jones
Charlie L. Jordan
Robert Kennedy
Clarence Lee
Wilbert Little
Larry Dean Marshall
Charles McMillan
Charles Messmer
Ira Middleton
Edward Miholek
Loucious M Miller
Frank Montgomery
Ralph Moore
James E. Morton
Willie Mims Nelson
Alvin Nobles
Will Reed
Chester Lewis Richardson
Willie Henry Robinson
Cecil Rodgers
William Russell
Hubert Scott
James A Smith
Urel Smith
Cordia Smith Jr.
Jack W Smothers
Tarl Smothers
James Sneed
Jessie Spears
James C., Sr Stevenson
Ronald Storey
A.D. Sweatt
Sheridan Talley
Major Tallie
Tyree Taylor
Francisco Terrazas
Lawrence Thompson
Marvin Turner
Governor Walker
Elijah West
Jaysee O. White
Nat Williams
Rudolph Williams
Willie Williams
Willie Willis
Clyde Willrich
Johnnie Wiseman
James Wittman
Eddie Wren
James Yoder

Dr. Angela Lucky Vaughn, whose ancestors are buried at Antioch Life Park, is determined to keep this cemetery in the city’s memory. In our interview, she shared that most of the veterans here were African-American soldiers, laid to rest long before there was a designated Veterans Cemetery in the region. Some headstones have been swallowed by the earth, others lost under trees. Despite outreach to officials, the cemetery receives no funding or city maintenance, relying instead on volunteers who give their weekends to mow grass, clean headstones, and plant flags.

“We have more than a hundred veterans here,” Angela said.
“They served our country. They deserve to be remembered.”

The cemetery is privately owned, which makes funding from the municipal and federal government challenging, despite the number of veterans buried here. However, this cemetery suffers from foundation issues and sinking soil that are exp

That passion for remembrance is at the heart of a new tradition: Grand Prairie Veterans Day Parade, taking place this year on Saturday, November 8.

The parade will circle the waterfront behind The Epic, with speakers and entertainment at The Jambox Park. It’s a collaboration among local organizations, schools, and citizens who believe that honoring veterans means recognizing all who served.

Then, on Monday, November 10, high school students will gather at Antioch Life Park to clean headstones and place American flags on every veteran’s grave. It’s a powerful act of service—and one that ensures a new generation learns about the people who came before them.

“When I’m gone,” Angela said,
“I hope the students who came out here remember this place—and bring their families back someday.”

Many of the stories tied to Antioch Life Park connect directly to Ruthe Jackson, the matriarch of Grand Prairie history. Decades ago, she interviewed Angela’s grandmother, Iola Reed Smith, for her series It Happened in Grand Prairie.

In that 1986 recording, Ruthie and Iola talk about the early Black families who lived along The Line—the Reeds, the Jordans, the Watsons—and how they built schools and churches when they had nothing but determination and faith. Those oral histories, preserved on tape, are the foundation of everything Faces of Grand Prairie stands for today: community storytelling as preservation. Iola came back in June 1992 to talk to Ruthe about the upcoming Juneteeth celebration, and you can watch that interview here.

Carrying the Story Forward

When you visit the Grand Prairie Historical Organization and Museum on Main Street, you’ll see exhibits and archives that help connect these dots—the generations, the neighborhoods, and the unsung heroes. But places like Antioch remind us that some history still lives outside of walls and display cases.

So if you have a flag, bring it.
If you have time, come volunteer.
And if you have a story, tell it.

Because remembering isn’t just an act of history—it’s an act of love.

Grand Prairie Veteran’s Parade Saturday, November 8 Line up Starting at 8:00 AM, Parade starts at 10:00 AM

Cemetery Clean Up November 10 Starting at 9 am

Contact Dr. Angela Luckey-Vaughn at 469-644-8209 for more information on either event.

Click here to make a donation to Antioch Life Park Cemetery.

Support Local Storytelling

Help us continue producing stories like this by buying us a coffee at Faces of Grand Prairie. Every dollar helps us celebrate and educate our hometown through local media.

Three times a week, I get up at 4:15 (okay, 4:40) for an intense outdoor workout with our fearless leader Jenny Baum, and a loyal crew of early risers. Despite this being the one activity in my week where I talk the least, I genuinely enjoy the social side of doing something difficult together. And even with minimal conversation, I’ve learned a lot about the people in our group: a former NASA employee, missionaries, immigrants, moms with kids at SGP, teachers, and several grandmothers. Many of them are older than me—and they work harder than I do. It’s one of the most inspiring parts.

Jenny and I share a passionate love of ’90s music (okay, all music), and she cranks the jams while making us do 40 pushups and burpees on our birthdays —walking around reminding each of us how awesome we are. The workouts are as hard as you want them to be. She keeps it challenging, but always leaves room for you to choose your level of effort.

Camp Gladiator isn’t the cheapest workout in town, but here’s the truth: I had a cheap gym membership for years and went sporadically at best. I’ve worked out more in the past two months with CG than in the past two years combined.

All that to say—start doing that “thing” you’ve been putting off because it feels too hard. Do something today that challenges you mentally, physically, and spiritually. It builds perseverance and self-confidence. You won’t regret it.

I get nothing from Camp Gladiator for writing this—no perks, no promotion. Just gratitude. But if you want to try it out for free for two weeks (and at a much more reasonable hour than 5 a.m.), visit campgladiator.com

• Ristau Insurance Services — Kevin Ristau, Grand Prairie’s Medicare Expert. Helping seniors navigate the Medicare maze with confidence.

• Jenna Pecor, Seniors Real Estate Specialist — Supporting Grand Prairie families with downsizing, estate sales, and real estate transitions.

Support the Faces of Grand Prairie and buy us a coffee! For the price of a coffee, you’ll be supporting local media that highlights Grand Prairie businesses. www.buymeacoffee.com/facesofgp

If you’re turning 65 soon (or helping someone who is), understanding Medicare’s enrollment periods can save you money and stress.

1. Initial Enrollment (IEP)
You get a 7-month window — three months before your 65th birthday, the month of, and three after.
This is the best time to choose your coverage because you’re guaranteed approval — no health questions.
If you want a Medigap plan (which covers what Medicare doesn’t), this is when to lock it in.

2. Special Enrollment (SEP)
Life changes? Chronic conditions? Moving to a new area?
Certain situations let you make changes outside the usual window, sometimes more than once a year.

3. Annual Enrollment (AEP)
From October 15 to December 7, everyone on Medicare can review or switch plans.
Even if you’re happy with your coverage, it’s smart to double-check — plans, networks, and drug costs change yearly.

⚠️ Watch for scams: This is peak season for fake calls and misleading ads. Always work with someone local and trusted.

Bottom line: Review your plan every year, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The right information now can protect your health — and your wallet — later.

For 48 years, Children First Counseling Center has provided hope and healing to survivors of abuse, neglect, and trauma — regardless of their ability to pay. In this special episode of United Voices of Grand Prairie, hosts Patti Brock and Jean Bondy from Grand Prairie United Charities are joined by guest host Jenna Pecor and Amber Alexander, CEO of Children First Counseling Center, to highlight the 30th annual Little Lunch of Hope and its powerful theme: 💜 Catch Them Before They Fall.

More than just a fundraiser, the Little Lunch of Hope is a lifeline for children and youth in crisis. Every dollar raised helps Children First provide trauma-informed counseling that prevents kids from falling — into depression, isolation, or generational cycles of pain.

Amber shares her inspiring journey of service and leadership, while Patti and Jean discuss how partnerships between Children First and Grand Prairie United Charities create real impact for local families. Together, they remind us that early, compassionate intervention doesn’t just change lives — it saves them.

Take a look at previous costume pictures from the Little Lunch of Hope, then purchase tickets for the event here! https://www.childrenfirstinc.org/event/little-lunch-of-hope/

If you can’t make the event, consider leaving a financial donation in lieu of attendance here https://www.childrenfirstinc.org/c/kbc/