The Platinum Mask

Bella Hampton Farm is a sanctuary for compassionate living and sustainable farming. Nestor Estrada and Cesar Aragon started Bella Hampton Farm in 2022, pouring their hearts and sweat into creating a 20-acre haven where animals and people can live happily together. Tackling the challenges of caring for animals who have had a rough start in life, they are worked tirelessly to build a sanctuary that offers love, care, and protection. The farm's goals are the following: Provide a safe haven for neglected and abused farm animals who have been abandoned or discarded because they are considered non-profitable for other farms, offering them the love, care, and protection they deserve. Embrace and promote sustainable farming, producing fresh, high-quality products, and supporting local farmers and artisans. Our farm produces chicken and duck eggs and collaborates with neighboring farms to offer products such as microgreens, bread, jams, jellies, and honey. At Bella Hampton Farm, we believe in the power of hard work, dedication, and kindness. We're all about people, animals, and natural living happily side by side, and we love bringing everyone together to share good food and good times. Our unwavering commitment to a better world for both animals and people has made Bella Hampton Farm a true labor of love. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

The SERUN Foundation strives to provide a comprehensive/ holistic approach to combatting poverty and promote systematic socioeconomic growth within historically underserved and struggling neighborhoods. We began this mission by implementing our first program named Clean the Block Initiative. This initiative is an outreach program that tackles the disproportionate environmental effects on lower income communities. Through this program, our organization has operated in over 30 different communities across DFW and beyond. The SERUN Foundation's primary objective is to organize, equip, and empower community stakeholders while acting as a liaison between the neighborhoods, municipalities, and private investors. Our programs are tailored specifically for the neighborhoods we operate in and provide the necessary resources to tackle the the main issues that afflict the residence; not just the byproducts that stem from those issues. We urge all who've dedicated their lives to fighting injustice to stand with us and rally behind this movement! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Desiree “Dee” Powell is an Arlington, Texas native where she graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with her Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies and Masters in City & Regional Planning. She is an urban planner/place curator currently working for a national non-profit and is the founder of her own urban planning and design firm, DRBTS (Do Right By The Streets), which focuses on place keeping as a tool to implement temporary-to-permanent space activation projects in communities of color. DRBTS also specializes in educating and introducing the complexities of urban planning elements (land use, zoning, etc.) and its impact in communities of color. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Chloe is a Dallas-based creative who became intrigued by pop culture and film when she was young, despite being raised in a cult where films were usually not allowed. Once escaping as an adult, she became enamored with consuming art and wanting to learn how to create it herself. https://linktr.ee/girlwiththedragonairtattoo --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

The Hero of Mime, by Mark Murphy, is an Ocarina Musician and Mermaid performer. He provides an ensemble of fantasy characters for street performing at Renaissance Festivals and other events across the country. Whether you need a merman for underwater performance, or beautiful music for a festival ambience, The Hero of Mime is experienced in all sorts of performance art and will bring a little bit of magic to any event. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Ryan is a UX lead, lettering artist, sign painter, and type designer living in Dallas with her wife of 13 years. In her artwork, Ryan uses italic gothic calligraphy, funky display type, and other hyper-decorative letters that push readability to build meaning. She has spoken for a number of groups including Shopify UX and CreativeMornings, and her branding for a local political campaign was called “master class in visual political communication” by D Magazine. instagram.com/ryanrushing tiktok.com/@ryanrushing ryan-rushing.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Alex O'aiza is a Mexican-American indie artist from Dallas, Texas with a sound that mixes snappy pop hooks with gritty rock riffs and the rolling beats of Alternative RnB, and songs that are led by poetic lyrics exploring the Gen Z experience in a fast-changing world. Releasing a string of buzzy singles in 2019 led to press acclaim, local and college radio support and a label deal with Saint In The City Records at the start of 2020. Armed with a batch of hook-driven and genre-blurring new songs recorded with producers Caleb Turman and Austin Bello from celebrated pop-punk band Forever The Sickest Kids, O'aiza released new singles throughout the year and dropped his debut EP, Out Of My Mind, in August. 
The EP garnered widespread independent playlist support and radio airplay. In specific the title track was soon playlisted on KXT Texas, Idobi Radio, Alt 103.7 FM and XS Manchester radio. Out Of My Mind was also featured by tastemakers at Alt Press, XS Noize, Central Track and Stereoboard, who all praised O'aiza's combo of super-catchy pop hooks and indie-electro beats. O'aiza returned on 2021 with two stellar singles Runnin' 2 Death and How Your Love Feels where he showcased a more confident rock sound that was immediately featured on Spotify's All New Rock playlist. Alex is set to come back with bigger and bolder records than ever before, as he further pushes the boundaries of his artistry. https://lnk.bio/alexoaizamusic/?fbclid=PAAaaBgIZWXPmLyUcbTsrwYwJXoXg099FMqQXgarhbxDeQcHwX7_99htKzWAY www.alexoaiza.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Meet Dunnu, a mental health advocate and entrepreneur with an insatiable curiosity for making a positive impact on the world. He's not one to prioritize profits over purpose, believing that change should always come first. As the President of NRVE, a newly established mental health nonprofit, Dunnu is committed to addressing key issues such as homelessness and the youth in the DFW metroplex by building a strong community and gathering crucial data. Dunnu's passion for natural health has also led him to create his own company, Holisic Health, which focuses on providing high-quality wellness supplements and educating the public on natural health solutions. His ultimate goal is to decentralize healthcare and empower individuals to take control of their own well-being. In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, Dunnu is also deeply involved in the local music scene. He runs his own record label and media company, AGE Recordings, and produces music that blends bouncy bass-heavy beats with a Desi twist. His latest music video, "Loot," delivers a hidden message that encourages viewers to seek knowledge over material wealth. Despite his many interests and pursuits, Dunnu has found a way to weave them together seamlessly, creating a comfortable and fulfilling life. With so much ambition and drive, it's clear that this DFW native has many exciting things in store for the future. Stay tuned! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Preston Corbell is an American professional stuntman and actor, known for working on the WB/CW drama series One Tree Hill (2003-2012) and the CW series The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017). He has also worked as a performer with Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Comics. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Dr. Tiffany Tajiri is a licensed and board-certified clinical psychologist, a veteran US Air Force officer, and former Army behavioral health chief. Dr. Tiffany is CEO and founder of Freedom Rhythm, PLLC and Stand Up and Recover (nonprofit), Inc. She is the creator of the Rhythm Restoration & Freedom Rhythm protocols, and co-author of the Abundant Recovery curriculum at Abundant Church. She is the first woman to publish a faith-based combat recovery book entitled, Peace After Combat: Healing the Spiritual & Psychological Wounds of War. Dr. Tiffany is the podcast host for Behind the Service’s production of Peace After Combat. She is also the reigning Dr. Texas America 2023. But most importantly, she is a mother and wife whose mission is to teach people how to live an abundant life filled with spiritual and psychological peace & purpose. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Nicki Allen, MS, LPC, RPT, NCC (she/her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. She is a Certified Expressive Arts Therapist, a Registered Play Therapist, a Certified Dancing Mindfulness Facilitator, a Certified Advanced Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) Practitioner/Supervisor, and a trained EMDR therapist. Nicki is a doctoral candidate in the Counseling Program at the University of North Texas, with a specialty in play therapist training and supervision. Nicki is known in her community for serving those who are frequently targeted or marginalized, including survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence, artists, the LGBTQ+ community, and the Ukrainian American community. Nicki’s background in music, classical dance, Ukrainian folk dance, and theatre inform the creative lens through which she views the world. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Brad is a husband, a father of two, and a lifelong resident of the North Dallas area. He’s solely responsible for “Dallas Side Quest”, a cryptic and public outdoor adventure game which was implemented throughout the North Dallas area. During the weekdays, he’s a senior designer for Randy Angell Designs, one of the pre-eminent luxury outdoor designers in the nation, where he recently won 4th place in the “Million Dollar Pool Challenge” in 2022. These days, he has less free time than ever before, but when he finds some, he enjoys traveling, documentaries, audiobooks, games, bourbon & craft beer, home renovation & carpentry, writing, designing, flying around on (and falling off of) his OneWheel, all things relating to sociology, psychology, history, philosophy and politics, and most importantly, the never-ending pursuit of trying to be a good dad. When he’s not designing award-winning backyards, spending time with his family, or creating ambitious public games, you can find him supporting and spreading awareness for the pro-LGBTQIA+ organization known as “Kin-dom Community” where he serves on the board of directors. Along with his counterpart, pastor Pepa Paniagua, he’s also the co-host of their live-streamed monthly podcast, “Kin-dom Conversations”. He’s always proud to point out that it’s perhaps one of the only places on the entire internet where you’ll find an atheist and a pastor actually working together to do something positive. Kin-dom Community was founded by an openly queer pastor in order to create a space for those who have been harmed and rejected by traditional religious institutions. The organization is working diligently to create regular social meetups, offering support to LGBTQIA+ youth and their families, friends and allies, and attempting to create a community (both virtual and IRL) where people from all backgrounds, faiths, orientations and identities can come together and find understanding and compassion. Their greatest accomplishment thus far has been the successful launching of the very first LGBTQIA+ summer camp for kids in the state of Texas (and I believe, only the second in the nation), and they are well on their way to expanding their camp offerings to different age groups in several different areas throughout the nation. It’s not a stretch to say that Kin-dom’s work could very well be saving lives. To see the entire Dallas Side Quest story which took place from Nov. ’22 – Jan. ’23: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGR2hiBq_R4 Instagram: @dallas_side_quest Facebook: @dallassidequest To see some of the work that Brad and the Randy Angell Designs team have created: www.randyangelldesigns.com To learn more about Kin-dom Community: https://kindomcommunity.org/ To find Kin-dom’s archive of podcast content: https://kindomcommunity.org/video-content A short list of incredible treasure hunts (some complete, some still ongoing) that are well worth a search on Google and YouTube: Forrest Fenn’s “The Thrill of the Chase” Byron Preiss’ “The Secret” (not the self-help book) Kit Williams’ “Masquerade” Regis Hauser’s “Golden Owl” Alex Hirsch’s “Bill Cipher Hunt” (Brad’s personal favorite) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Breezy Farms is an initiative in self sufficiency. We grow and provide as much tangible food as possible to our family, both close and distant. We partner with neighborhood families that express the interest in gardening and becoming self sufficient but don't necessarily have the know how or the resources to start.  All you need is a backyard and the desire and we will include yours with ours. If you are willing, all we ask is that you specialize in one product, be it meat birds, egg hens, potatoes, herbs , tomatoes or whatever, your efforts will be aided and half your yield will be given back to you and yours, and the other half will be given to Breezy Farms for the goal of stocking a community grocery. A grocery that is supplied by the community of believers. If you are interested call 214.356.9379. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Junior Ezeonu is a Grand Prairie City Council Member representing the entire city of Grand Prairie as an at-large member. Junior was elected to the city council in June of 2021 in a run-off election after defeating an incumbent who had served for 12 years. Mr. Ezeonu is the first African-American council member to represent the city of Grand Prairie since the early 1990s, and he is also the youngest elected council member in Grand Prairie history. Councilman Ezeonu is of Nigerian descent and was born in Onitsha, Nigeria and moved to the state of Texas at the age of 2 years old. He is a graduate of UT Arlington and has a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science. Junior integrates the knowledge and understanding from his educational background to provide the City of Grand Prairie with high level service to improve the quality of life for all residents of the city. During college Junior served as a substitute teacher/tutor and educated students throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Area. He has worked in the Oak Cliff, Highland Hills, Pleasant Grove communities of Dallas as well as Fort Worth, Carrollton & Mansfield. His passion to improve lives and inspire others led to him serving as a substitute teacher and he has carried that same passion to his service as a council member for the city of Grand Prairie. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

For the past decade, Dara Ashley Freemon has held leadership positions throughout her academic and professional career. Leadership was an early passion of Dara’s and manifested into her passions about equal education opportunity, mentorship, and paying it forward. This young Dallas native started The Dara Ashley Foundation to provide mentorship, scholarship, and leadership programs for students who might be in the same place she was not too long ago. Dara started her academic career at Howard University, a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). While attending Howard University, she learned a great deal and not just in the classroom. Outside of school, the university’s commitment to serving its community was one of her greatest takeaways. She participated in the MET Choice program, a mentorship program, which she guided high school girls that attended an alternative school. This experience had a great impact on Dara as she was exposed to the youth of diverse lifestyles and cultures.  After Dara graduated from Howard University, she continued her education and attained her master’s degree in science from Towson University. Not only did she continue her education, but she also continued to mentor. Towson University started a program where collegiate students could be academic and youth mentors. In particular, every Friday afternoon, she led a 6th-grade science class in the Baltimore City school district. At the beginning of the class, she would introduce them to a fun science experiment. Following the experiment, her goal was to enlighten, educate, and edify the young students. Immediately after graduating from Towson University, Dara missed connecting with young minds and influencing the next generation. She created The Dara Ashley Foundation to create a lasting impact with new opportunities.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Debra Swersky is a tenacious (and enterprising) problem-solver who has spent the better part of the last decade learning how to best manage her primary lymphedema, chronic swelling that affects her right-leg and her right-leg only.  In January 2021 Debra launched Stemwear, a fashion apparel brand promoting asymmetric designs for all. Their signature silhouette, a one-legged legging, has been featured at New York Fashion Week with Runway of Dreams, in D Magazine and The Dallas Morning News, and on Texas Today. Originally designed as a cover-up to a compression stocking, Debra quickly realized that her bold fashion statement was being sought after by those looking to skirt the ordinary with their style and a “no fuss” legging for unilateral amputees.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Kevin Crouch is the Founder and Content Director of Ellis County Weather, LLC, a company devoted to providing forecast information and severe weather coverage for the residents of Ellis County, Texas. Kevin started ECW in 2015 as an experiment, and now operates a family of social media sites that boast over 37,000 followers/subscribers combined. Using his knowledge of Texas weather and communication skills, Kevin provides everything from daily forecast updates to live coverage of severe weather events that allow those in the path of the storm to receive real time updates and warnings. He resides in Waxahachie, Texas with his wife and two sons. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Farahana Kassam is a two time breast cancer survivor and the creator of the #flauntflat movement, an initiative geared towards spreading body positivity after her double mastectomy surgery. Farahana opted against reconstructive surgery and chose to stay flat because she believes “boobs don’t define me as a woman”. Farahana is also a certified mindfulness coach, published author, conscious dying coach and end of life doula. She lives each day creating purpose, meaning and experiences that enrich her soul and in turn encourages others to do the same! Her message; be present, stay open and curious, connect the dots, discover aha moments, experience happy and come back with a good story! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Mark Baker-Sanchez is the Founder, Editor-In-Chief & Design Director of DONE, a publication created for & by the underrepresented. The magazine challenges Idealistic perceptions and social constructs by highlighting issues of discrimination, raising cultural awareness, and providing a presence for the unknown, forgotten & marginalized. Direct community impact is prioritized through human-centered and co-creative approaches, with the purpose of elevating and empowering the people. DONE finds synthesis with what is and what isn’t deemed socially acceptable to spark dialogue as well as unite divided peoples. Photographer: Miguel Angel Salgado @salgadeaux Stylist: Tauri Partin @vic.tauri.ous Hair & Makeup: Will Adrian Creative Agency @the_waca   --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support

Imani Black is a multi-talented creative with a background in advertising and marketing. She graduated from the University of North Texas with a B.A. in Journalism and a concentration in Strategic Communications (aka Advertising). She produces engaging, strategic, and meaningful visuals, events, and ideas. Her creative work is inspired by her desire to learn by inserting herself into her interests and creating opportunities for herself and others. In Imani's spare time, she enjoys discovering Dallas, reading, exercising, and sharing business advice with creatives + showcasing her talents on YouTube.  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grayson-mask/support