With the lowest life expectancy in Texas, this Fort Worth ZIP code now celebrates revival
The revival of a once bustling corridor in the south side of Fort Worth will be celebrated with the third annual 76104 Phoenix Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9.
The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Evans Plaza at 1050 Evans Ave.
The event is hosted by the community organizing group BRAVE/R Together and is open to all residents.
“I think it’s just important to celebrate at least once a year in a big way, to remind the community that we’re here, that we’re not going anywhere, that we are going to continue to provide resources, to give education and be a partner to the community as a rebuild for the future, and I just think it’s important to do that and make a big deal about it,” said Shawn Lassiter, founder and CEO of BRAVE/R Together.
The festival will have two parts: a “Family Festival” of arts, entertainment, information and inspiration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a food festival, “A Taste of 76104” from 3 to 6 p.m.
There will be various interactive stations that promote healthy living. This includes The Grove, where there will be workout and healthy lifestyle activities such as fitness classes and wellness workshops; a Kidz Korner dedicated to art and educational activities for children; and a market plaza with fresh produce and local products from farmers and vendors.
A Taste of 76104 will include four chefs, a drink specialist and a dessert chef. Tickets to the Taste of 76104 are $20 and can be purchased at bravertogether.org/phoenix.
“Phoenix” was the name chosen by residents to symbolize how their community has been down over the years, but, together, they are rising from the ashes. Each year, the festival includes a theme, and this year’s theme is “Prosperity and Progress,” a reflection of rebirth, rejuvenation, and renewal.
The neighborhood anticipates upcoming projects to help further restore the The Historic Southside community. The National Juneteenth Museum is set to open in 2026, while The Evans and Rosedale Urban Village, a 251-unit apartment complex, where 15 percent of the units will be available below market prices, is in development.
BRAVE/R TOGETHER is a community organizing initiative dedicated to fighting racial and systemic injustices with an initial effort in the 76104 neighborhoods of color.
The organization sprang from a Star-Telegram project in 2020 that examined a 2019 UT Southwestern study that reported the average resident in the 76104 ZIP code didn’t live to see their 67th birthday and had the lowest life expectancy in the state.
The series showed that the majority of early deaths were in neighborhoods east of I-35 — majority-Black communities of Hillside, Morningside and Historic Southside. These neighborhoods are in the same ZIP code as Fort Worth’s medical district west of the interstate.
The series showed that the interstate is a barrier for residents, as they lack access to grocery stores, pharmacies, doctor offices, transportation, and other resources.
BRAVE/R TOGETHER works with community leaders and collaborates with organizations, corporate partners, public officials and area residents to envision and provide community grants to innovative solutions to challenges in the 76104 ZIP code.
An annual benefit dinner on called 2024 Our Table: Southside Dreams took place Nov. 7. The proceeds will go toward the organization’s Community Grants Program.
Each year, BRAVE/R TOGETHER provides multiple grants of up to $10,000 that are available to eligible organizations, grassroots entities and individuals for projects, programming and capacity building that address disparities in the Morningside, Hillside and Historic Southside. According to its website, the organization has provided over $260,000 to 35 nonprofits in 76104 since its inception.
“We want healthcare in the community; we want fresh food; we want resources; we want education; and we want community joy,” Lassiter said. “All of those things are part of the festival, and we want to see that throughout the community.”
