2023 Back to School Festival

A Press Conference for the Not My Son 4th Back-to-School Festival will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 8:30 am at the basketball court at J.P. Hawn Park, 2600 N. St. Augustine Road, Dallas 75227. Confirmed special guests participating in the festival include Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua, State Representative Venton Jones, K107 FM Radio Personality J Kruz, Park Board member Daniel Wood and City Plan Commissioner Tabitha Wheeler.

The 4th Annual Not My Son Back-to-School Festival for pre K through high school students will start at 9 am through 12:30 pm on Saturday, August 12, 2023, at J.P. Hawn Park, 2600 N. St. Augustine Road, Dallas 75227.

Every child attending the highly anticipated event will receive a backpack overflowing with school supplies and all the essentials that will equip them to start the school year. Some uniforms and shoes will also be available.

Historically, this event has served over 1,000 students. This year, it will again feature a day of fun with family-oriented activities and games designed to get students excited to start the upcoming school year. “We are family, and we are able to use our extensive network of partner organizations to provide not only school supplies but services and resources that families need to support their children throughout the school year,” said

Tramonica Brown, Executive Director and Founder of Not My Son.

The choice of the Pleasant Grove area for this event stems from Brown’s observation that this community is often overlooked and grouped with South Dallas or Mesquite, resulting in limited resources being allocated to it. Pleasant Grove has a predominantly minority population, with approximately 90% being from minority backgrounds. Moreover, around 95% of the residents in this area face economic disadvantages and 60% of the youth are considered at-risk. The location of J.P. Hawn Park is strategic, as it is within walking distance of six apartment complexes, three elementary schools and both middle and high schools located less than ten minutes away.

Sponsors of the event are Chase Bank, Resource One Bank, Independent Financial, Inter Bank, Yum Ice Cream and Adam Bazaldua.

Not My Son, a women-led, grassroots, non-profit organization, is focused on building community relationships while taking direct action in the community. The mission is to empower underrepresented voices and provide resources to those in the community who need them most. The organization is centered around three pillars, community outreach, social activism and civic engagement. Their goal is to enhance wellness and provide a safe platform to strengthen individuals and families and decrease poverty.