Dallas, TX
‘We are here in Texas’: Dallas Asian American Art Collective puts on its first show
A photography print of a man inside a minaret tower. A ceramic chalice. A tissue paper collage illustration from a children’s book. A short film about a trip to Europe with friends.
Each of these pieces of artwork was created by Asian American artists from North Texas and featured in the Dallas Asian American Art Collective’ first annual art show over the weekend.
The co-curators Leili Arai Tavallaei, Jackie Tao Law and Christina J. Hahn, who are all Dallas-based artists, partnered with The Cedars Union where they put on the show.
Tavallaei said the collective wanted to reflect the diversity of emerging and established AAPI artists in North Texas. The co-curator is a printmaker, mixed-media painter and animator whose work explores her mixed race identity as someone with parents who are Persian Iranian and Hāfu, mixed Japanese identity.
“A lot of people, when they hear of Asian artists, they usually think of international Asian artists that have made it big across the pond,” she said. “We here want to kind of make a statement that we are, in fact, here in the States. We are here in Texas.”
Law said that distinction of being an Asian American artist matters because being part of the diaspora is an entirely different experience from being Asian.
“You end up having this blend of maybe your home culture and then being from wherever you immigrated to,” said Law, who is a first-generation Hakka Chinese visual artist.
Here are some of the artists who displayed work at the show:
Growing up way out east in Tyler, Mallari said his family would travel two hours one-way to get groceries from the Hong Kong Market Place in Dallas. It was part of his family’s Sunday ritual: get a haircut, buy groceries and head home.
Mallari said there’s a “small but mighty” Filipino community in Tyler, but for a long time there wasn’t a space to pick up basic ingredients to make food from his culture.
“When I was a kid, I was annoyed that we would have to be there. But as I got older, I appreciated how important that was, how some of my favorite foods we wouldn’t have been able to make it or they wouldn’t have been my favorite foods had we not gone there.”
The second-generation Filipino American filmmaker describes “To Here and Back” as a visual tone poem that reflects the immigrant story.
“I think it’s about coming back to a place and seeing how time has changed it even though it’s kind of stayed the same in your head,” he said.
Berglund said this last year she focused on “trying to be more Chinese” and returning to her roots. A big part of that has been drawing scenes from everyday life in China, including sketches of three delivery drivers, a night market full of delicious snacks or people waiting in line with thick parkas.
“I was just there about a year ago during the winter when everyone was in the big, puffy jackets which is not something you see in Texas,” she said.
Originally from Beijing, the artist – who works as a web architect by day – now lives in Plano with her family. She sometimes makes sketches from photos and online reference art, which reminds her of how different the scenery is back in China.
“I remember the hutongs, which are the little alleys. I remember wearing my red scarf as a little kid and the yellow hats in elementary,” she said. “Seeing those things in drawings brings back a lot of memories.”
Choi is a medical student in North Texas by day and artist by night. His colorful, abstract paintings don’t immediately seem to reference language but that’s the inspiration for his work.
He said he incorporates Chinese typography into his pieces as a system that connects Korean and Japanese, the two languages that he speaks.
The artist said he wanted to explore questions like: “How do we represent the world through language? What are some ways that you can kind of twist or distort or play with the form of language to represent the world?”
Choi said language has been an important way to connect with loved ones.
“It’s how I feel connected to my family abroad. Whenever I go back to that language context, it feels like coming home in a way,” he said. I feel like so much of Korean culture is bound up in the way language is constructed, in the way you relate to people and honorifics.”
Arts Access is an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and KERA.
This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, Communities Foundation of Texas, The University of Texas at Dallas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and KERA retain full editorial control of Arts Access’ journalism.
Dallas, TX
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is confident about cost estimates to repair, rehab City Hall and insists the process has been transparent
Mayor Eric Johnson said he hasn’t made up his mind about the future of Dallas City Hall, the iconic I.M. Pei-designed landmark, but remains confident in the cost estimates to fix it.
City‑hired experts said it will cost $329 million to repair the nearly 50‑year‑old building and about $1 billion to rehabilitate and modernize it for the next 20 years.
Johnson said he trusts the numbers.
“I believe that those numbers are accurate,” Johnson said. “I just want to say that right up front, because I do know that there’s questions about whether or not these numbers are or have been inflated, or should we trust these numbers? I don’t know where we’d get another set of numbers that would be more trustworthy.
“These companies that have looked at this are very reputable, and so, I believe the numbers. I really believe that our jobs as a council and as a city are to do the best thing that we can, the best thing we can for our taxpayers. Not a good thing, but the best thing with the taxpayers’ dollars.”
The mayor said he, like everyone else, is waiting for more information. Earlier this month, he and eight council members voted to have the city manager determine how much it would cost to move City Hall to another building and compare that to staying and making repairs.
The city manager is also evaluating whether the current site could support private development. That report is due to the council no later than May, and the Finance Committee may be briefed on May 26. The full council could vote in June.
Development potential enters the conversation
Many people have floated the idea of a new arena and entertainment district downtown for the Dallas Mavericks, though no proposals exist.
Former mayors Ron Kirk, Tom Leppert, and Mike Rawlings have urged city leaders to move City Hall, saying it could attract billions in new development.
Johnson said he wants data, not instinct.
“I can’t govern the city based on a hunch or instinct or gut feel. I have to look at data. I would like to see what comes back and what they say this site could unlock,” he said. “Does my gut tell me that the best use of this part of downtown, is not to be a government center, which I think is kind of a dated concept in and of itself, to have a cluster of government buildings right in the middle of what could be the most vibrant part of your downtown that by definition closes at 5 p.m.
“My gut tells me that’s not a great idea. But I want the city manager to go through the exercise of actually exploring what private development options there would be. What interest would there be in this site? If there are really great economic development opportunities for the city that would be unlocked by us leaving this site, I would be very, very compelled by that.”
Preservationists push back strongly
Residents and preservationists have been vocal in their opposition. Former Mayor Laura Miller told CBS News Texas she doesn’t want City Hall sold or torn down and believes the process has lacked transparency and been “riddled with self‑interest.”
Johnson rejected that.
“I’m not sure why former Mayor Miller feels that way because I can tell you that the process has been the definition of transparent,” he said. “It’s just not true that this process hasn’t been transparent. You can go back to what I initially sent out, a memo. I put it in writing. I distributed it publicly, saying to the council, I want a committee to look at options for City Hall.
“So, that was very transparent. The meetings that were called subsequent to my request were all open to the public. Discussions were had at those meetings, and every single thing that has happened has been compelled by council action.”
Emails raise questions about engagement
The Dallas Morning News recently reported on 5,000 pages of emails related to the project and others, raising questions about how engaged the mayor has been.
Johnson dismissed the criticism.
“I’m fully engaged in everything that goes on around here. I’ve been fully engaged, and honestly, I’m going to decline to go quibble with the Dallas Morning News,” he said. “I don’t even know what these emails that they have found say. I do know what I do every day, which is I wake up early in the morning, come to this building, and give this city everything I have.
“I work tirelessly on behalf of the city, and I do everything I possibly can to make sure this city is represented well here, locally, nationally, internationally.”
Sports negotiations happening in parallel
The debate over City Hall comes as city leaders negotiate with the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars to keep both teams in the city. Johnson said he cannot discuss negotiations publicly.
“Keeping the Dallas Stars and keeping the Dallas Mavericks playing in the city of Dallas is one of the highest priorities of my administration, and it has been since I got here,” he said. “I can tell you this: We are going to do everything we possibly can to make these deals work for both of those teams and keep them in the city. I am confident that we will work this out.”
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The Dallas Mavericks (23-50) dropped their fifth straight game Wednesday, falling 142-135 to the Denver Nuggets (45-28) in a game that felt within reach early before completely getting away from them late. Dallas had a few solid stretches to start, showing some offensive rhythm and energy, but couldn’t sustain it as Denver’s shot-making and overall execution took over. Cooper Flagg continued his strong stretch with 26 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while P.J. Washington added 19 points and 15 rebounds with steady production inside. On the other side, Jamal Murray put together a dominant performance with 53 points, and Nikola Jokić orchestrated everything with 23 points, 21 rebounds and 19 assists, as the Nuggets controlled the game from the middle quarters on.
The Mavericks hung around for stretches in the first half, but a Jamal Murray explosion ultimately tilted the game, as the Denver Nuggets took a 68-59 lead into halftime in a game that quickly started to feel like it was slipping away. Dallas opened with solid energy, getting contributions from multiple spots, as Naji Marshall scored efficiently and Cooper Flagg made his presence felt early as both a scorer and a playmaker, helping keep things within reach. Flagg had a noticeable impact in those opening minutes—knocking down pull-ups, attacking downhill, and creating looks for others—while Marshall’s shot-making kept the offense afloat during key stretches.
But every time the Mavericks made a push, Murray had an answer. He completely took over the second quarter, piling up 33 first-half points on 11-of-15 shooting and 6-of-9 from deep, hitting pull-ups, step-backs, and tough contested shots that Dallas simply couldn’t slow down. At the same time, Nikola Jokić quietly controlled everything else, finishing the half with 11 assists and 9 rebounds, consistently creating easy looks and keeping Denver’s offense flowing even without scoring much himself.
Dallas had some bright spots, though. There were moments especially in the third where Dallas strung together a few stops and got downhill, but it never turned into anything real, as missed shots, turnovers, and Denver’s instant responses kept resetting the margin.
If this game didn’t make it obvious, nothing will Dallas desperately needs a guard who can defend at the point of attack. Jamal Murray didn’t just have a good night, he had complete control, getting wherever he wanted and scoring however he wanted, finishing with 53 points on 19-of-28 shooting and 9-of-14 from three. There was no real resistance at the top of the defense no one who could consistently stay in front, disrupt his rhythm, or even make him uncomfortable. Once he got downhill or into his pull-up game, it was over, and that kind of pressure completely breaks a defense before it even has a chance to rotate.
This is where roster construction starts to matter. Dallas has length and some versatility in the frontcourt, but without a guard who can actually contain the ball, none of it holds up. You can’t ask your bigs to clean everything up every possession, especially against elite shot-makers. That’s why this draft becomes so important. It’s not just about adding talen it’s about adding the right kind of player. Someone who can fight over screens, stay attached, and at least make life harder for guys like Murray at the point of attack.
Because nights like this aren’t just about one player getting hot they expose a structural issue. And until Dallas finds a guard who can defend at that level, this is going to keep happening.
Someone seeds to close, eventually
The Mavericks have played a ton of close games this season, but the results just haven’t followed, and that’s something that continues to show up late in these losses. Too often, possessions in crunch time turn into rushed shots, stalled actions, or empty trips, while a single defensive breakdown on the other end swings momentum the other way. It’s not just one game it’s been a pattern, and it speaks to a team that’s still learning how to execute when everything tightens up.
That said, context matters right now. Dallas isn’t necessarily trying to squeeze out every late-game win at this point in the season, and losses like these actually help their lottery positioning. There’s value in being competitive and getting those reps without sacrificing long-term upside, especially in a strong draft class.
But long term, this is something to watch especially with Cooper Flagg. He’s already showing flashes as a primary creator, but closing games is the next step: controlling tempo, getting to the right spots, and making the right reads under pressure. It’s okay that it’s messy right now given where the team is, but if the Mavericks want to take a real step forward next season, turning these close games into wins has to be part of that growth.
Cooper Flagg continues to shine
Cooper Flagg continues to look more and more like the centerpiece of what Dallas is building, and nights like this are a big part of why. He finished with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, impacting the game in just about every way despite the result. What stands out isn’t just the production it’s how he’s getting it. He’s initiating offense, pushing in transition, making reads out of drives, and consistently putting pressure on the defense as both a scorer and playmaker.
This stretch has been especially encouraging. Over the past few games, Flagg has been steadily trending upward, not just in scoring, but in overall control of the game. He’s starting to look more comfortable as the primary option, picking his spots better and showing more patience when defenses collapse. Even when shots don’t fall, he’s still influencing possessions through rebounds, assists, and defensive activity.
There are still things to clean up, especially late-game execution and shot selection in tighter moments, but that’s expected at this stage. The important part is that the flashes are becoming more consistent. For a team leaning into development, Flagg isn’t just putting up numbers he’s showing real signs of growth as a lead initiator, and that’s the biggest takeaway moving forward.
DALLAS – No contracts have been signed, and no proposals have been made, but representatives of the National Republican Party did receive all the rental information for the American Airlines Center (AAC).
American Airlines Center for potential RNC
What we know:
Sources confirm that the Republican Party is exploring a national convention for the midterm elections, with Dallas being one of the cities under consideration to host the event.
Dave Brown, the general manager of the American Airlines Center, told FOX 4 representatives of the National Republican Party toured the AAC in late February, but they didn’t share any details about the possible event.
The reps were given all the rental information, including technical aspects and rental fee details, which, on average, is about $125,000 per day.
As of now, no contracts have been signed, and there are no official proposals on the table.
Why the Republican Party is targeting Texas
What they’re saying:
Matthew Wilson is a political science professor at SMU.
“Typically, parties don’t have national conventions during the midterm cycle, but it signals, I think, a desire on the Republicans’ part to rally the troops,” said Wilson. “I think there are a lot of good electoral and coalition-building reasons why Republicans would focus on Texas, in particular as a site for trying to build some momentum to gin up greater Republican turnout in this fall’s electoral cycle.”
Cornyn, Paxton, and the 2026 Midterms
Dig deeper:
Wilson says choosing Dallas would signal that the Republican Party is taking the Texas races, in November, very seriously.
In particular, the race for U.S. Senate where Democratic state representative James Talarico will face the Republican runoff winner, either U.S. Senator John Cornyn or Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
It’s unclear when the convention will be held.
The chairman of the Dallas Republican Party, Allen West, said he has no knowledge of the subject.
The Dallas Police Department says it doesn’t have any information about a potential RNC either.
“Typically, their presidential year conventions give both parties at least a temporary boost or bounce. We’ll see if this can work in the same way it’s not been done before, and depending on whether it succeeds or not, we’ll see whether it gets done again,” said Wilson.
The only city under consideration
What’s next:
FOX 4 reached out to Mayor Eric Johnson’s office for comment but have not heard back yet.
Sources say that Dallas is the only location in Texas being considered. Some other state locations have been mentioned, including Las Vegas.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4’s Amelia Jones.
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