Daniel Ellis has quietly become one of Oak Cliff’s most consistent connectors through Live Local Oak Cliff, a platform that amplifies neighborhood businesses and keeps thousands of residents in the loop.

In this episode, Daniel shares how a desire to support local businesses turned into Live Local and how that same entrepreneurial drive led him and his wife to launch Diaper Buddy, a thoughtfully designed parenting product. We talk about designing and manufacturing a physical product from scratch, building momentum through grassroots support, and why Oak Cliff continues to attract builders and small business owners. We also get into what could be next for Live Local as it grows alongside the neighborhood.

We talk about Track 15’s origins, why community and giving can’t be automated or hacked, and what Oak Cliff has taught Andrew about building things that last. Along the way, he traces the friendships, neighbors, and small moments that quietly shaped his family’s life—and asks what it means to keep that spirit of generosity alive as the neighborhood continues to change.

Bonnie and Clyde didn’t come from nowhere, and they didn’t become who they were somewhere else. This episode looks at how poverty, proximity, and momentum shaped Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, and why Oak Cliff mattered at every stage of their lives. Before the headlines, the manhunts, and the legend, they were young people growing up in West Dallas and Oak Cliff during the Great Depression - tethered to family, limited by circumstance, and searching for motion in a world with very few exits. As crime replaced choice and survival replaced ambition, Oak Cliff remained the gravitational center of their story. This episode traces the real geography beneath the legend and asks what it means when some of America’s most infamous history is rooted not in distant frontiers, but in our very own neighborhood.

We talk about Track 15’s origins, why community and giving can’t be automated or hacked, and what Oak Cliff has taught Andrew about building things that last. Along the way, he traces the friendships, neighbors, and small moments that quietly shaped his family’s life—and asks what it means to keep that spirit of generosity alive as the neighborhood continues to change.

Andrew Snow has been part of Oak Cliff long enough to see how much of this neighborhood has been shaped by relationships. In this episode, the Track 15 cofounder reflects on how he landed here, the people who welcomed him in, and how that web of connections eventually led to building a nonprofit fundraising firm rooted in trust and generosity.

We talk about Track 15’s origins, why community and giving can’t be automated or hacked, and what Oak Cliff has taught Andrew about building things that last. Along the way, he traces the friendships, neighbors, and small moments that quietly shaped his family’s life—and asks what it means to keep that spirit of generosity alive as the neighborhood continues to change.

For more than three decades, DJ EZ Eddie D has been a steady presence on Dallas airwaves and a quiet force in the city’s hip-hop culture. In this episode, Eddie traces his path from Cincinnati to Oak Cliff, from early club nights to KNON and Knowledge Dropped, a show that became a home for true school hip-hop and social commentary. We talk about the Oak Cliff music scene of the ’80s and ’90s, the loss of local infrastructure, and what it meant to break records before algorithms took over. Eddie reflects on community, craft, and the importance of local radio, sharing stories of Biggie, KRS-One, early SXSW days, and more from his nearly 40 years in the Dallas music scene.

This episode is a little different. Instead of sitting down with a guest, we step back and tell the story of Oak Cliff itself. We trace how this part of the city came to be, from early settlement on the bluffs above the Trinity, to utopian experiments, speculative development, independence, annexation, and the long arc that followed. Along the way, we look at how geography, distance, and deliberate choices shaped Oak Cliff into a place that has always felt connected to Dallas, yet separate from it.

This isn’t a comprehensive history, and it’s not nostalgia. It’s an overview of how Oak Cliff became Oak Cliff and why that beginning still echoes in the neighborhoods, tensions, and sense of identity that exist today.

Michael and Lauren Boss are the founders of BOCO, a neighborhood music school in Oak Cliff. In this episode, they share how they started with a single student next to the Kessler Theater and grew into a school serving kids, adults, and families across the community. We hear about their approach to teaching music, curating what students learn, and giving them the chance to perform on real stages. From youth bands to adult programs, the conversation explores how BOCO combines education, performance, and neighborhood culture into a single, thriving space.

We’re looking back on the conversations that resonated most with our listeners. In this special episode, our team counts down the Top 10 most-watched episodes of 2025 - each one representing a story that left a mark on Oak Cliff and on us. From neighborhood organizers and artists to historians, filmmakers, and community builders, this episode revisits the moments that sparked curiosity, emotion, and connection. Along the way, you’ll hear short clips from each episode introduced by our team, reflecting on why these stories mattered. This isn’t just a highlight reel. It’s a snapshot of a year spent listening closely, asking better questions, and sharing the voices that make Oak Cliff what it is. Thank you for being part of it. We can’t wait to keep going in 2026.

Jordan Jeanty is a filmmaker and founder of Jeanty Studios whose wedding films are rooted in intention, faith, and care for the people he serves. In this episode, Jordan joins Doug and Grant to share his path from shooting on an iPhone to building a recognized wedding film studio, and why purpose and service guide every project he takes on. They talk about the responsibility of documenting life’s most meaningful moments, the emotional weight of wedding filmmaking, and how community, mentorship, and hospitality have shaped Jordan’s approach to both work and relationships. Along the way, Jordan reflects on storytelling that lasts, destination weddings, and the small, intentional practices that keep people at the center.

Patty Evans didn’t grow up playing baseball. Years later, after running a hyper-competitive men’s league team and walking through a season of personal loss, he found himself drawn to a version of the game built on community, not standings. That idea became Oak Cliff Sandlot. Patty talks about the early days of handing out cut-and-paste flyers, the first pickup game that unexpectedly drew 40 strangers, and how a simple invitation to “bring a glove, bring a friend, play baseball,” has grown into one of Oak Cliff’s most beloved neighborhood fixtures. We get into what it takes to protect a culture as it scales, the quiet discipline of keeping things unstructured, and why Oak Cliff Sandlot has become a place for adults to show up, belong, and play without pretense.

Matt James, Chief Animal Officer at Colossal Biosciences and an Oak Cliff neighbor, joins The Hidden City to unpack one of the most ambitious ideas in modern conservation: making extinction a thing of the past. We talk about how Colossal uses genetic engineering, AI, and assisted reproduction to revive keystone species like the woolly mammoth and dire wolf — and why rewilding has the power to restore entire ecosystems. Matt shares what functional de-extinction really means, the ethical questions that come with it, and how these breakthrough technologies are already helping protect at-risk species today. We also trade notes on our favorite walkable Oak Cliff spots and what makes this neighborhood feel like home.

Doug and Grant take The Hidden City out of the studio and onto the 10th tee box at Stevens Park Golf Course for a one-of-a-kind live episode, recorded during the Rosemont Dads' Club Oak Cliff Invitational. Between tee shots and a steady stream of neighbors wandering up to the mics, they talk with longtime Oak Cliffers, Rosemont Elementary administrators, local business owners, and a rotating cast of characters who’ve helped shape the neighborhood for decades. From on-air key lime pie reviews and heckling golfers to a few chaotic rounds of our game “Golf Course or Apartment Complex,” this episode captures Oak Cliff exactly as it is: funny, warm, unpredictable, and full of people who love where they live.

Krista Nightengale, Executive Director of Better Block, joins the Hidden City for a wide-ranging conversation about the messy, creative, and community-driven work of tactical urbanism. From her early days covering Dallas neighborhoods as a journalist to helping launch the Coalition for a New Dallas and stepping into Better Block’s full-time team in 2016, Krista shares how temporary installations have sparked lasting change in cities around the world. We talk about why Better Block works—120-day timelines, “what-if” testing, color as a crime-prevention tool, and the collaborative chaos of building public space with neighbors, kids, skeptics, and sometimes even unexpected advocates. Krista reflects on projects from Oak Cliff to Australia to South Dallas’s MLK Food Park, and how small interventions can shift mindsets, restore trust, and show communities what’s possible on their own blocks.

Senior City Planner and longtime Oak Cliff resident Don Raines Jr. joins the Hidden City to talk about the roots and rhythms that shaped Dallas’s most distinctive neighborhood. From the Caddo Nation’s influence and Oak Cliff’s “Brooklyn of the Southwest” beginnings to the flood that forged its independent spirit and the community’s reluctant annexation into Dallas, Don traces how character, creativity, and geography continue to define this side of the river. We talk about the Trinity River, the rebirth of Bishop Arts, and what’s next for Elmwood and the streetcar line as Dallas looks to its future.

Allison Macalik, co-owner of Little Joy Coffee, joins The Hidden City to talk about the community heartbeat of Elmwood and how a local coffee shop became a neighborhood gathering place. From her roots in Garland to her years in Austin’s local business scene, Allison talks about finding that same independent spirit in Oak Cliff—and how she and her husband Russ poured it into a coffee shop built for families, neighbors, and community connection. We talk about investing in the place you live, lessons from buying a local business, and how the families, friendships, and small moments of connection continue to shape life in downtown Elmwood.

Lydia Torrez has spent nearly five decades shaping young minds in Oak Cliff. Her story spans generations of faith, education, and community—as a former St. Cecilia Catholic School student who returned to lead the school as principal, twice. She reflects on her career as an educator at both Bishop Dunne and St. Cecilia, sharing how each helped nurture confidence and curiosity in students who might have otherwise been overlooked. From guiding the future of St. Cecilia through its Blue Ribbon Initiative to serving on the advisory council for the new Halperin Park, Lydia continues to help shape Oak Cliff’s future—guiding the same neighborhood that shaped her.

Amanda Mecsey started building a neighborhood studio by teaching mat Pilates in Kidd Springs Park. Joined by her husband and creative partner Kiel Jared, the two turned those early park classes into Oak Cliff Pilates—a community that now stretches across Dallas while keeping its Oak Cliff heart. We talk about those first classes in a second-story studio overlooking Davis Street, teaching through power outages with a gas generator, and creating a teacher certification program from scratch. From expanding into Uptown and Lower Greenville to keeping prices accessible and the vibe down-to-earth, Amanda and Kiel share what it means to grow with a community instead of outgrowing it.

Cam Leggett, co-founder of Nomad Grills, joins us to share the story behind Oak Cliff’s own portable grill brand that’s taken off worldwide. From welding early prototypes in a driveway to shipping to over 80 countries, Cam talks about the patience, precision, and grit behind a “ten-year overnight success.” We get into product design, startup lessons, and how Nomad has stayed rooted in Oak Cliff through events like Camp Nomad—a neighborhood block party that blends BBQ, music, and community.

Jason Hayes, Senior Vice President of Brand Experience at the State Fair of Texas, joins us to talk about the energy, history, and community behind one of Dallas’s most beloved institutions. We revisit the fair’s early days—including its brief Oak Cliff roots—and how that local spirit continues to shape Fair Park today. From Big Tex’s rebirth to the fair’s “most Texan place on earth” vision, Jason shares what it takes to honor tradition while keeping the fair fresh for generations to come.

From fish farms in Israel to museum shops in Rome, Ari Lowenstein’s journey has been anything but ordinary. In this episode, Ari shares how a love for food, sparked in Italian markets and nurtured through family recipes, became the heartbeat of Ari’s Pantry. We talk about the leap from corporate strategy to catering, the role his wife Amy played in making it real, and how Oak Cliff became the perfect home for an Italian-inspired neighborhood shop.

In this Texas Talk, Sarah unpacks the history of Dallas—from its untold origin stories to the lasting effects of segregation and redlining—and how those realities shape the city we live in now. She reminds us that being a neighbor isn’t about grand gestures, but about the everyday choices we make with our time, work, and resources. Through her “sphere of influence” framework, she offers tangible, practical steps to love our neighbors well, whether that’s inviting someone to dinner, rethinking hiring practices, or simply showing up at a city council meeting. Sarah challenges us to claim “neighbor” as part of our identity—and to see it as seriously as the other roles we play in life.

Wax Space hosts Texas Talks, a live lecture series featuring creative thinkers, entrepreneurs, and community voices from across the state. We bring a selection of these conversations to the Hidden City podcast so you can hear them, too.