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Wallace enjoys telling a funny story about a time he attended a Leon Bridges show. To his surprise, a couple of concertgoers recognized him and, in a fit of star-struck rambling, started thanking him for everything he does for local children — the positive changes he’s made to the school system and the crucial fights he’s willing to wage. It wasn’t until after these words of gratitude that they realized Wallace Bridges is Leon Bridges’ dad.
Yeah — that’s right — Leon Bridges’ dad is a grassroots community leader and member of the FWISD school board. And Wallace admits he’s repeated this story a few times — jokingly submitting this as evidence that he’s equally as popular as the Grammy-winning artist.
Wallace and I are chatting at Black Coffee, where he talks enthusiastically about changes he’s made to the Fort Worth school system after his recent appointment to the school board as Trustee of District 4.
"Pardon my ADHD!" Wallace says, waving his hand excitedly as he resumes speaking. His apology is unnecessary. It's refreshing speaking to anyone about their passions, especially when that person can channel their exuberant energy into tangible action for the good of their community. "I listen to people," he says — a simple yet lost skill that Wallace credits for almost all of his success.
"When I was a kid, a man from my neighborhood would stop to ask me how I was doing in school, and we would throw the football together occasionally." This memory would ultimately inspire Wallace to become invested in the lives of Black and Brown children, just like himself.
"I got my start in public service over 30 years ago when I moved here from New Orleans," Wallace says. When he packed his bags for the Fort, he had gotten a new gig working at Bethlehem Community Center in Southeast Fort Worth, where he grew the program from 10 kids to over 200. "I know for a fact that young people want a safe place to be," he says. "I can't hand them a key to a house, but every Friday, I would talk to them about how to stay safe and give them a place to catch their breath."
In his new position as a school board member, Wallace makes sure to interact and engage with all of the children who are affected by the decisions he’s charged with making. Whether high-fiving or asking how their day is going, Wallace wears his commitment on his sleeves.
When it came time to interview candidates for the vacant superintendent position, it was the children who were front and center in his mind. "I checked off specific boxes," he says. And, after the school board announced Dr. Angelica Ramsey as the new superintendent of FWISD, Bridges says the sky is now the limit for the school's achievement. "She gets me excited to hit the ground running!" And Fort Worth can rest easily knowing Wallace is by her side, fighting for the marginalized youth who captured his heart.
Wallace Bridges' Hang-Out Spots:
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
