Buffy Youngblood
Buffy Youngblood is a Texarkana, Arkansas, native who was raised by her parents, Kim and Terry Youngblood. She has three older brothers, Jon, David, and Ben. After graduating from Dallas Baptist University in 2011, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in the fashion industry.
During her time in New York, Buffy gained experience working in various fields of fashion, including notable establishments such as Barney’s New York and Norma Kamali. It was also in New York where she met her husband, Ugonna Onyekwe. After dating for some time, they tied the knot and relocated to Los Angeles in 2017.
Two years later, Buffy and Ugonna welcomed their first child, Tigerlily. Buffy then found herself working as the West Coast wholesale Brand Ambassador for Zimmermann, which has given her the opportunity to travel all over the world, including Paris and New York for Fashion Week.
In 2021, Buffy and Ugonna launched their own kids streetwear brand called Lil in Los Angeles. The family has recently moved back to Dallas, Texas, where Buffy continues to work for Zimmermann and build her brand. She likes spending her time with family, working out, reading, and rediscovering Texas.
Where was your favorite place to eat in Texarkana?
My favorite place to eat was The Cobbler Shoppe. I still dream about their potato soup and hibiscus tea. I think a tear slipped down my cheek when I found out they closed.
What was the teen hangout when you lived here?
We hung out at Bringle Park a lot. We would blare music from someone’s car, dance, and goof around while the guys played basketball. When there was not something going on with school, we made the best of our time together.
Were you a Hawk, Leopard, Razorback, or Tiger?
I’m a bit of a traitor. I grew up and lived on the Arkansas side but switched to Texas schools in high school. So while I’m a little bit of both, I cheered for Texas High for four years. So, I have to go with, “Let’s go Tigers!”
How do you describe Texarkana to your friends?
They think I’m making it up half the time. I tell them how my dad worked in an office downtown where if you walked out the door, you were in Arkansas, and if you crossed the street, you were in Texas. They think it’s the coolest thing.
Who is someone from Texarkana who impacted your life?
I have two. One would be Mrs. Tullos, my cheerleading coach through high school. I’ve never met anyone like her. She’s brutally honest and tough on you in the very best way, all while being the most caring and thoughtful person you’ll ever meet. Another great person would be Mrs. Renee Smith, my English and creative writing teacher. She made me recognize I was capable of so much and inspired me to get out and push myself.
What do you think makes Texarkana famous?
Being the border city and State Line running down the middle of the town.
What do you miss about Texarkana?
Friday night football, of course. There’s nothing like it. The energy and community that surrounds it is something unmatched.
Anything else you would like to share?
A fun fact is that my mascot in high school was a tiger, and my three-year-old daughter’s name is Tigerlily, but we mainly call her Tiger. I have SO much tiger paraphernalia from those years, and my mom kept a ton of it. So, now I give it to her—things like a stuffed tiger from Sadie Hawkins, towels and t-shirts from football games, cheer uniforms, etc. It was all meant to be!
TXK Roots is Texarkana Magazine’s forum to highlight and honor Texarkana natives who have accomplished big things in the world. These folks may have relocated, but they took the values, education, work ethic and creativity instilled in them by growing up in this unique border city and used these qualities to blaze extraordinary trails. We asked them to share their thoughts about growing up here. No matter how far from Texarkana they may find themselves, we will always consider them our neighbors and we are proud to claim them as forever members of our extended Texarkana community. After all, “everyone is famous in their hometown!”
