Shawn Williams and Ryan Trimble deconstruct politics, government, sports, entertainment current events, all things Dallas and all things Texas. An Allyn Media production. Deconstructing Dallas has garnered multiple awards. The podcast was internationally recognized with a 2021 Hermes Creative Award and a 2021 Communicator Award, and was part of Allyn Media's work that helped the firm win D CEO's Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Awards 2021 for Equity Leadership, out of fellow finalists th ...
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In this episode of Deconstructing Dallas, Ryan Trimble and Shawn Williams explore the role of immigration in the state’s economy and also discuss wildlife conservation. Ryan reflects on his recent Dallas Morning News column advocating for the reintroduction of ocelots in South Texas, emphasizing the importance of creating conservation strategies th…
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In this episode, Ryan Trimble and Shawn Williams chat with the president of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Harrison Blair, who shares insights into his family's history in Dallas, including ties to Negro League Baseball and community advocacy. Harrison discusses the chamber’s significant growth, expanding from 100 to over 900 members, and hi…
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In this episode of Deconstructing Dallas, our guest is Linda McMahon, the inaugural CEO of the Dallas Economic Development Corporation (EDC). Linda shares her journey from growing up on military bases to becoming a key leader in Dallas’ economic development. Shawn and Ryan talk to their friend Linda about her work at The Real Estate Council, includ…
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In this episode, hosts Ryan Trimble and Shawn Williams sit down with Jake Allyn, the versatile actor, producer and writer making waves in Hollywood. As the son of Allyn Media’s founder Rob Allyn, Jake offers a unique perspective on creativity, reflecting his dynamic journey from football fields to film sets. He gives us an inside look at his latest…
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This week Ryan and Shawn turn their attention to the world of finance with guest Chris Gannett. Chris is an investor, executive and former CMO of American Idol, now at the helm of Gannett Partners. He shares insights into his fascinating career journey, from Wall Street banking to the music industry. Deconstructing Dallas dives into the transformat…
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On January 1, 1863—known as "Freedom's Eve"—the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, marking the end of slavery in most American states. However, the news wouldn't reach Confederate-controlled Texas until June 19, 1865, a day now commemorated as "Juneteenth." In today’s episode, Ryan and Shawn are joined by Jarred Howard, CEO of the National…
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In this episode your favorite podcasters interview Rick Loessberg, author of Two Societies. Two Societies discusses how a presidential commission of eleven individuals with differing opinions studied the horrendous rioting of 1967, unanimously concluded it was not the result of radicals but was instead a response to decades of pervasive discriminat…
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The latest episode brings Shawn and Ryan to the Exchange Club of Lake Highlands' June meeting where your hosts were the featured speakers. They took the time to record a podcast and what do you know...they interviewed one another. The guys covered a lot of ground, including their backgrounds, life at Allyn Media, the Deconstructing Dallas podcast o…
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In this episode of Deconstructing Dallas, Shawn and Ryan are joined by Heather McGhee, an expert in economic policy research and the author of the book "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together." Heather discusses her journey exploring the intersection of racism and economics in America, highlighting the impact of r…
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In this episode of Deconstructing Dallas, Shawn and Ryan sit down with Sam Thompson, CEO of the Circle Ten Council Boy Scouts of America. Sam shares his insights into scouting and its impact on character development and citizenship training. He discusses the transition of scouting to include girls and the importance of inclusivity in scouting progr…
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Ryan and Shawn catch up with Nicole Brewer and Ross Mulford of Classic Whimsy, the nation's leading e-commerce provider of classic children's clothing. Nicole shares about the history of the company, and the recent rebranding and Ross dives into the growing e-commerce landscape in North Texas. To learn more about Classic Whimsy visit www.classicwhi…
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Tens and tens of listeners rejoice! Deconstructing Dallas has made it to 100 episodes. From politicians to artists, activists to educators, Shawn and Ryan have interviewed a diverse slate of guests who have impacted Dallas, Texas, the U.S., and the world. This show marks the official kickoff of the podcast’s 7th season and the first recording of 20…
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Shawn and Ryan catch up with SMU's Director of Athletics Rick Hart. Rick shares about SMU's investment in facilities, winning seasons for SMU football and other sports, as well as the exciting news of SMU's move to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).Από τον Deconstructing Dallas
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This week on Deconstructing Dallas, Shawn and Ryan are joined by Jennifer Scripps, President and CEO of Downtown Dallas, Inc., the principal advocate, champion and steward of Downtown Dallas. DDI is a nonprofit that also manages the Public Improvement District for Downtown, providing added security, cleanup, homeless outreach, and general customer …
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As Season 6 draws to a close, and they guys prepare to celebrate a podcasting milestone, Mark Lamster joins the show. Mark Lamster is the architecture critic for The Dallas Morning News and Loeb Fellow of the Harvard Graduate School of Design. His 2018 biography, The Man in the Glass House, about the late architect Philip Johnson, whose memorial to…
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Bishop Arts Theatre Center (BATC) is kicking off their 30th Anniversary season with the world premiere performance of Franky D. Gonzalez’s new play, The Tragedy of Othello. This entertaining and thought-provoking production is a 120-minute show which will begin October 19th and run for three consecutive weekends through November 5th, 2023. Franky G…
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Chef Samir Dhurandhar, Founding Chef at Nick & Sam's and author of the book Raising the Steaks is this weeks's guest. Chef Samir talks about the inspiration he drew from eating his mom's cooking and what it was like meeting Julia Child. Chef Samir also gave details on his time at Sfuzzi and explains why Nick & Sam's has been at the top of the game …
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Vice President and City Leader of the All Stars Project (ASP) of Dallas, Antoine Joyce joins the show, continuing what has been a stellar 6th Season. Antoine has led the creation of cutting-edge youth and community development programs throughout Dallas and nationally. He is also a dynamic and passionate bridge-builder who has introduced Afterschoo…
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Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde shares great news about student achievement in the district as Ryan and Shawn come back from summer break.Από τον Deconstructing Dallas
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Shawn and Ryan catch up with Rebecca Acuna, the Director of Government Affairs for PepsiCo. Rebecca shares some inspiring stories from growing up in South Texas, and talks about all her work in politics, including leading the charge for President Biden's 2020 campaign in Texas. Rebecca also discusses her passion for helping children and families as…
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Shawn and Ryan chat with Texas State Director of Trust for Public Land, Robert Kent. Robert announces big developments for a great space in Shawn's neighborhood (Big Cedar Wilderness) while giving an update on the progress of Five Mile Creek. And Ryan asks Robert directly: Are you a chocolatier? https://www.tpl.org/…
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This week, Shawn and Ryan talk about the newly branded Shops at Red Bird with local developer Terrence Maiden of Russell Glen. Terrence highlights the opportunities and challenges of working in under invested communities and discusses how the rebirth of Red Bird is coming along. Terrence also informs Deconstructing Dallas about his work with the Ma…
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Joli Angel Robinson, CEO of Housing Forward, walks Shawn and Ryan through a fascinating career that lead her to leave the private sector to become a public servant. Joli talks about her work at the Dallas Police Department as well as her personal connection to affordable housing, homelessness, and housing instability. Shawn and Ryan also discuss th…
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We're back for Season 6 after an abreviated Season 5. Katrice Hardy, Executive Editor of the Dallas Morning News is kicking off 2023. Katrice was most recently Executive Editor of the Indianapolis Star, which won a Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. Katrice shares her vision for The News and talks about her beloved LSU Tigers and their recent N…
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In the 2nd part of this joint episode, Ryan and Shawn talk with Tom Foley, Founder of T2D Concepts. After actively practicing law for 15+ years, Tom directed his efforts to designing innovative, social entrepreneurially models to drive social justice. In 2016, Tom partnered with celebrity chef Tiffany Derry to launch Roots Chicken Shak. The Shak, a…
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This week is a double episode, with the first from Chef Tiffany Derry. Chef Derry's restaurant Roots Southern Table pays homage to the way she grew up eating in the South. Roots founders, Chef Tiffany and Tom Foley (featured in Part 2) know that we are stronger together and that we must honor our roots. At Roots Southern Table, Tom and Tiffany want…
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This week Shawn and Ryan speak with Cody Cosmic, Executive Director of Friends of WRR. Cody chats about the iconic, 100 year old cultural asset: a radio station that belongs to the City of Dallas. Cody expands on how the Friends of WRR work to ensure the station is available for generations to come. The Friends of WRR is a passionate and thriving c…
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Councilman Adam Bazaldua, Chair of Dallas' Quality of Life, Arts and Culture Committee is the guest on this episode. Chairman Bazaldua talks to Ryan and Shawn about his days as a chef and educator, as well as reflections on his first council term. Chairman Bazaldua also looks forward to some of his 2022 priorities.…
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The Deconstructing Dallas crew speaks with Nadine Lee this episode, President & Chief Executive Officer of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Before coming to DART, Nadine was the Chief of Staff for Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). She also led the development and implementation of the Flatiron Flyer Bus Rapid Transi…
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This week, Deconstructing Dallas hosts Shawn Williams and Ryan Trimble were joined by YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas President/CEO Curt Hazelbaker. Curt, who has been the CEO since 2017, actually began his YMCA career 40 years ago as a day camp counselor. Moving up through the ranks of the organization Curt has a keen understanding of the inner workin…
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Chief Eddie Garcia stopped by to talk to Allyn Media’s Shawn Williams & Ryan Trimble about what led him to Dallas and what he plans to do now that he’s here. Chief Garcia is Dallas’ first Latino Chief of Police in the department's 140 year history. A Puerto Rican immigrant, Chief Garcia has spent 30 years in law enforcement. From SWAT to VICE and a…
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Dr. Eric A. Johnson, Chief of Economic Development, Housing and Neighborhood Services for the City of Dallas, joins Shawn and Ryan on Deconstructing Dallas. Tune in to hear about Johnson's transition to Dallas (moving here just one week before the COVID-19 shutdown) and why he considers himself a creative disrupter with a competitive spirit. Johnso…
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Shawn Williams and Ryan Trimble welcome Christine Perez, Editor of D CEO, on Deconstructing Dallas by way of the MZ Virtual Studios in Cyberspace. From the days of hobby writing as a young girl to winning the 2021 Editorial Excellence Awards, Perez shares her journey in learning from the best in the business in our "can-do" city of Dallas. Founded …
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Tune in to hear Shawn and Ryan break things down with Jason Stanford, co-author of New York Times bestselling book, Forget the Alamo. Stanford discusses how he and co-authors Bryan Burrough and Chris Tomlinson came to write this historical piece and the most recent events that led to its flying off library shelves. If you’re still waiting for your …
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Philip Hiatt Haigh, Executive Director of the Circuit Trail Conservancy (CTC) joins Shawn and Ryan as their first in studio guest since March 2020. Philip explains why Dallas consistently ranks among the least bikeable cities, systemic challenges with transportation, and how active transportation (anything but your car) makes a city more robust. In…
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Former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Joe Straus talks about his family's political history in Texas and his own entry into politics. He also discusses the decision he and his wife made to join a Black Lives Matters march in the Terrell Hills community of San Antonio. Speaker Straus also talks about his organization Texas Forever For…
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Jerry Hawkins, Executive Director of Dallas Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (DTRHT) join Ryan and Shawn on this episode. DTRHT is part of a national 14-place initiative by The W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Jerry explains the reckoning that's needed in order address the lingering effects of racism, and discusses some of the historical events that …
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Dale Long grew up in racially turbulent and thoroughly segregated Birmingham, Alabama. He was in the 16th Street Baptist Church the day it was bombed by Ku Klux Klan members, killing Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley and Denise McNair. Dale recalls his memories from the moment the bomb went off and the events that followed, along …
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Lynn McBee takes the cake as the first ever returning guest on Deconstructing Dallas. From the MZ Studios Virtual Studios in Cyberspace, Shawn and Ryan speak with Lynn McBee - CEO, Board Chair, biochemist, runner, former Dallas Mayoral candidate, philanthropic extraordinaire, among many other worn hats. McBee talks about her role as CEO at Young Wo…
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From Christian ministry to recent Editorial Writer at The Dallas Morning News, Ryan Sanders shares his journey and life calling to being a writer. Sanders discusses DMN candidate questionnaires and endorsements, working with the editorial board, and the shifts in content creation during a distant and digital year. Sanders is also author of two book…
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Trammell S. Crow joins Shawn and Ryan to talk all things EarthX and the environment on Deconstructing Dallas. Trammell tells how he accidentally planned the largest environmental gathering in the world (because everything's bigger in Texas) and how their one-day event grew into a larger global movement. From the unintended impact of COVID extending…
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Shawn Williams and Ryan Trimble welcome Ollie Chandhok, Market President and Publisher of Dallas Business Journal (DBJ), into the virtual MZ Studios in cyberspace. Ollie dives into data, his views on how the pandemic has changed the way people view news, and that 'Dallas swagger' he's come to love during his time here. As one of the largest busines…
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From the virtual MZ Studios in cyberspace, Shawn Williams and Ryan Trimble visit with Luis Briones, Texas Public Policy and Government Affairs Director at Airbnb. A South Texas native, Briones is now seeing Dallas through the lens of hosts and visitors throughout the city. He speaks on the reality of ‘party homes’ in short term rentals, hotel occup…
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From the virtual MZ Studios in cyberspace, Shawn Williams and Ryan Trimble catch up with former State Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas). Our hosts visit with Rep. Branch on his memories from his first election and the impact of his signature higher education legislation. They also dive into Branch’s work to preserve a critical piece of American history: t…
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Shawn Williams and Ryan Trimble sit down (in the virtual MZ Studios in cyberspace, that is) with Stephanie Keller Hudiburg, Executive Director of the Deep Ellum Foundation. Tune in to hear Stephanie’s take on all things Deep Ellum - from the district’s rich historical roots in blues and jazz, to the economic powerhouse it has become today with over…
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Executive, lobbyist, public speaker, author, and movement maker Terri Broussard Williams joins Ryan Trimble and Shawn Williams on Deconstructing Dallas. If you need an extra jolt of do-good, feel-good influence in 2020, look no further than tuning in with Terri Broussard Williams as she discusses her work of inspiring others to create change and tu…
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On today’s episode of Deconstructing Dallas, President and CEO of Communities In Schools Dallas Region (CISDR) Adam Powell talks about the uptick in depression, mental health and suicidal ideations amongst our youth and the work CISDR is doing to bridge this gap. While mental health does not discriminate, Powell says the response often does. That’s…
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Sharon Grigsby, Metro Columnist at The Dallas Morning News (DMN), joins Shawn Williams and Ryan Trimble at the MZ Studios Dallas Virtual Studios in CyberSpace. On Deconstructing Dallas, Grigsby discusses joining DMN right out of college, why the past eight years have been the best part of her career, and the transition to a remote newsroom since CO…
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Shawn Williams and Ryan Trimble kickoff the Fall season of Deconstructing Dallas with some sports talk before diving into all things technology with newly hired Chief Information Officer for the City of Dallas, Bill Zielinski. With the pandemic having launched us into a world even more reliant on technology - from virtual school classrooms to hosti…
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Dallas Mavericks Assistant Basketball Coach Jenny Boucek talks about her playing career which was cut short by injuries and her second career as a coach in the WNBA and NBA. Coach Boucek is the 3rd female coach in NBA history and the only single mom coaching in The Association. Coach also shares what it was like coaching Sue Bird when she was with …
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