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    Black History Month

    Dallas photographer champions beauty of Black community in joy-filled portrait series

    Stephanie Allmon Merry
    Feb 3, 2021 | 9:11 am

    When Dallas photographer Yesi Fortuna saw civil unrest unfolding around the country after George Floyd’s death last summer, she felt compelled to help. So she picked up her camera.

    On June 4, 2020, Fortuna opened the doors to her Fort Lion Studio and invited Dallas’ Black community for free portraits that would serve as a celebration of Black resilience. So many people were interested, she reopened for a second day. The results are now on display in "Black is Beautiful DFW," a new exhibit that has opened for Black History Month at Galleria Dallas.

    “The public response to George Floyd’s murder last May left many Black people feeling vulnerable, unheard and, most importantly, traumatized, as they were forced to grieve with no comfort through justice,” Fortuna says in a release. “I observed this reaction and felt inclined to nurture the souls of people experiencing this pain. I felt it was part of my duty as an ally.”

    Her campaign was part of a revival of the “Black Is Beautiful” movement started in the 1960s by the African Jazz-Art Society & Studios (AJASS) in Harlem as an act of defiance and deep self-love while promoting Black culture. (Read more about its history on the Fort Lion site.)

    Fortuna's project got a boost when a grant from the Dallas Office of Arts and Culture allowed her studio to put the photos in three ad kiosks in Fair Park, Deep Ellum, and West Village.

    The Galleria exhibit includes portraits of 30 Dallas families, individuals, and community influencers. Among them: Jay Grishby, Charis and Javory Moon, Olachi Uzoma Morrel, Erika Watkins, Hakeem Adewemi, Simi Adewemi, Sanya and Saveah Goodson, J'la Dade, Jonai Simmons, Denzel Knight and Doniqua Portley, Ryan Rich, and Autumn Heckard.

    "I think representation matters in ways we as humans can hardly articulate,” says Josette Archin, a subject in the photo series. “I know that visually we as Black folks are not represented as readily as the European standard of beauty, and the only way to dismantle it is for Black people to feel seen and be seen and celebrated in our many walks of embodiment."

    “Black is Beautiful DFW” portraits will hang on the Gallery Wall across from Apple on Level 1 of the Galleria through February 28. It is free to view, and visitors can learn more via a QR code included in the display.

    Portrait of Samora and Taleisha Goodson with kids Sekoura, Sanaya, and Saveah.

    Goodson family, Black is Beautiful DFW
      
    Photo by Yesi Fortuna
    Portrait of Samora and Taleisha Goodson with kids Sekoura, Sanaya, and Saveah.
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    Football for Footlights

    Dallas Cowboys player debuts on Broadway before heading to Texas

    Lindsey Wilson
    Jun 16, 2025 | 1:57 pm
    Solomon Thomas MJ The Musical
    Photo by Andy Henderson
    Solomon Thomas onstage at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City.

    Before he hits the field for the Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 season, NFL veteran Solomon Thomas took a final bow in New York City — not at MetLife Stadium, but on Broadway.

    Earlier this year, Thomas signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Cowboys after three seasons with the New York Jets. But before heading to Oxnard, California, for training camp with the 'Boys in July, he gave the Big Apple a dramatic farewell befitting a true Broadway fan.

    On June 13, Thomas made his Broadway debut in MJ the Musical, appearing for one night only in a special cameo role. The hit show, which celebrates the life and career of Michael Jackson, has long been a favorite of Thomas', who’s seen it six times.

    “I cannot think of a better way to celebrate my time in New York than by making my Broadway debut!” Thomas shared in a statement ahead of the performance. “I am so grateful to MJ for making this dream come true and for the support over the past few years. It’s truly an honor to be able to witness the greatness of these performers. I hope to see everyone at the Neil Simon Theatre on June 13!”

    Solomon Thomas outside MJ The MusicalSolomon Thomas outside "MJ The Musical" at the Neil Simon Theatre.Photo by Andy Henderson

    Thomas famously brought nearly a dozen teammates to see MJ, a moment featured in an episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks. He has also served as a CBS theater correspondent and presented at the 2024 Tony Awards.

    Thomas' special cameo is reminiscent of when Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made her Broadway debut in late 2024 with a walk-on role in the hit jukebox musical & Juliet at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

    “Solly has been such a great supporter and friend of Broadway and our show,” said MJ producer Lia Vollack in the statement. “We couldn’t think of a better way to thank him for his time in New York: giving him his Broadway debut!”

    MJ the Musical opened in 2021 and focuses on the creative process behind Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour. With a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon, the show blends dazzling spectacle with emotional depth. It earned four 2022 Tony Awards, including Best Choreography, Lighting Design, and Sound Design in a Musical.

    The current Broadway cast stars Elijah Rhea Johnson, who made his Broadway debut in the show in April 2023. Johnson was involved in the development of the role as “Middle Michael” and succeeded original star Myles Frost, who made history in 2022 as the youngest performer ever to win the Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.

    The national tour of MJ recently stopped at Fort Worth’s Bass Hall in May as part of the 2024–25 Broadway at the Bass season. Other productions are currently running in London, Hamburg, and Sydney.

    Solomon Thomas MJ The MusicalThomas in his Broadway dressing room.Photo by Andy Henderson

    Solomon Thomas MJ The Musical
      

    Photo by Andy Henderson

    Solomon Thomas onstage at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City.

    While Thomas is known now for both football and footlights, his off-the-field work continues to make a difference. He co-founded the nonprofit The Defensive Line with his parents in honor of his sister Ella, who died by suicide in 2018. Now in his ninth NFL season, the three-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee works to end the epidemic of youth suicide, especially among young people of color, by promoting open, honest conversations around mental health.

    As Thomas trades curtain calls for play calls, there’s no doubt he’ll bring the same heart and presence to the Cowboys locker room that he brought to the Broadway stage. And here's hoping the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders don't mind sharing the spotlight with Broadway's newest star.

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