TXK Roots

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.

Posted on April 30, 2023 in TXK Roots READ MORE

Zack Fischer

Zack Fischer, a Golfer on the Korn Ferry Tour, is from Wake Village, Texas, and currently resides in Benton, Arkansas. He is married to Kaitlin Fischer (8 years) and together they have a little girl, Hallie (2). Zack and Kaitlin have a golden retriever named Arnie Palmer. Fischer has been playing professional golf since 2011. Fischer is the only two time winner of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying tournament and recently won the Argentina Open which has qualified him for the 2023 Open Championship. … What is your favorite Texarkana memory?

Posted on March 30, 2023 in TXK Roots READ MORE

Tareka Lofton

A graduate of Arkansas High School, Pastry Chef Tareka Lofton is an award winning visual artist in painting and sculpture and a Le Cordon Bleu alumnus. After finishing pastry school in 2013, Tareka began baking cakes from her apartment and Loft 22 Cakes was born. Praises for these amazing cakes began to spread across the Dallas-Fort Worth area via a large swell of social media followers. … In 2017, Tareka opened Loft 22 Cakes first storefront bakery in Fort Worth’s Historic Near Southside. Tareka’s vision is to take both loves of food and art to create a treat you will never forget.

Posted on March 2, 2023 in TXK Roots READ MORE

June Williams Davis

June Williams Davis, a retired educator with 40 years of service, completed her career in Fort Worth ISD as the director of special programs. She also has taught in Texarkana, Lancaster, and Wichita Falls ISDs and served as a counselor in Fort Worth. She lived in Texarkana from 1951-1978. … She has a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology/social work and a Master of Education degree, both from East Texas State University, now known as Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Posted on February 2, 2023 in TXK Roots READ MORE

Will Bryant

Will Bryant is an artist, designer, and illustrator based in Austin, Texas. He’d like to think that he makes fun, exuberant, and sometimes humorous work. In addition to collaborating with brands, he also continues to develop a body of work in the form of painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture. … Growing up in Texarkana, TX he spent his time playing sports, watching Pee Wee’s Playhouse, and making lame jokes.

Posted on December 31, 2022 in TXK Roots READ MORE

Ryan Yarnell

“The woods of East Texas and Arkansas helped shape me into the man I am today.” That about sums it up for avid sportsman and Texarkana native Ryan Yarnell. Hunting and adventure have been a way of life for him since his earliest memories, and he has turned his love for the outdoors into an incredible career—traveling to some of the most beautiful places in America and beyond. … To read more about Ryan, make sure you check out “Blind Living.” … What is your favorite Texarkana memory? … Y2K. It snowed a lot in Texarkana and the power was out.

Posted on November 29, 2022 in TXK Roots READ MORE

Sunni Cranfill West

Sunni Cranfill West has a background of more than 30 years in the dancing and performing arts industry. She has studied and danced professionally with ballet companies, including Ballet Arkansas, Ballet Austin, The Lone Star Ballet, and the Russian Ballet. Eventually, Sunni turned in her pointe shoes for a pair of white cowboy boots. Sunni spent three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys as one of America’s Sweethearts and performed in front of the NFL’s record-breaking crowd of 105,000 in the inaugural game at AT&T Stadium.

Posted on October 31, 2022 in TXK Roots READ MORE

Blake Alkire, MD

photo courtesy of American Academy of Otolaryngology

Dr. Blake Alkire is an otolaryngologist—head and neck surgeon—at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston, Massachusetts, and an assistant professor of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School. Given his interests in global health initiatives, he also is on faculty with the Program in Global Surgery at Harvard and co-founded the Global Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgeon Initiative (globalohns.org), an international collaborative research group with hundreds of members from more than 40 countries with a mission to expand access for ear, nose, and throat conditions around the globe.

Posted on September 30, 2022 in TXK Roots READ MORE

Poteet Victory

Poteet Victory is one of the world’s most in-demand and collectible contemporary Native American artists. Although Victory’s work is abstract, his Cherokee-Choctaw influence still shines through his paintings. He has Native American heritage from his dad’s side; his grandmother was Cherokee, and grandfather was part Choctaw. … Born and raised in Idabel, Oklahoma, Victory was active in the rodeo circuit, riding bulls and wild horses by age fifteen.

Posted on August 31, 2022 in TXK Roots READ MORE

Jonathan Jones

Jonathan Jones spent his early years in Texarkana but has gone on to give life and personality to some of the most well-loved characters in sports. Currently, he is the community relations director for Indy Eleven Soccer and lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has been the mascot for teams across the nation and has performed internationally. Jonathan is also a photographer.

Posted on July 31, 2022 in TXK Roots READ MORE

TXK Roots

Buffy Youngblood

Zack Fischer

Tareka Lofton

June Williams Davis

Will Bryant

Ryan Yarnell

Sunni Cranfill West

Blake Alkire, MD

Poteet Victory

Jonathan Jones

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