Where I Live: Fort Worth community leader reflects on family’s deep Northside roots

by The FWR Staff, Fort Worth Report
December 6, 2025

By Donny “Chris” Campbell

My story — like so many from this comunidad — begins with familia, hard work and deep raíces. I was raised by a single mother in the Northside who worked two jobs to keep food on the table, while my abuelita cared for us with the steadiness that shaped who I am today.

The Northside is more than home — it’s the story that breathes through us. Our comunidad is culturally rich and carries its cultura with pride. 

I walked the halls of Dolores Huerta Elementary, Kirkpatrick Middle School and North Side High School. After high school, I earned my Associate of Arts in business from Tarrant County College and am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in political science at Texas Christian University.

Today, I work at Hotel Drover in the Stockyards as the sales executive administrator, and I also own Esperanza Property Management — a company born here in the Northside.

One great uncle worked at the Jimenez Tortilla Factory, another owned a body shop on Azle Avenue and my abuelita worked at the Department of Public Safety office on Jacksboro Highway. 

My younger sister owns The Purple Carnation Boutique, a shop that reflects the creativity of our comunidad.

I remember going to Franko’s Market with my mom as she cashed her checks and watching my abuelita have her groceries delivered — long before delivery apps existed. 

My familia and I volunteered at the Northside Inter-Community Agency, a food pantry that supported our neighbors. I worked there in high school mentoring students, and today I serve as a board member.

I also serve on a committee for the Historic Northside District, where we champion small businesses and help preserve the history that makes our comunidad special.

Faith has always grounded my life. Every Sunday, my family attended Mass at All Saints Catholic Church with Father Stephen Jasso. Afterward, my abuelita took me to Esperanza’s for pan dulce — a memory I hold dear. 

My mom often brought us to the Northside Library for school projects, and afterward our reward was a trip to the Marine Park Pool.

Some of my favorite restaurants growing up were M&M’s Steakhouse and Sunny Burger — both now gone but never forgotten. Today, I head to Joe T. Garcia’s and Taqueria San Luis, places that embody the warmth and savor of the Northside. 

And like many kids, I got $10 haircuts from Boyo’s throughout high school.

Northside is known for its kindness and heritage. It’s filled with people like my mother, who would give the shirt off her back to someone in need, and my abuelita, who opened her door to anyone who knocked. That generosity lives in our streets, in our familias and in the small businesses that give the Northside its heartbeat.

From its streets have risen leaders like Louis Zapata, former mayor pro tem for District 2 and the city’s first Mexican American council member, and Sal Espino, who represented the area with devotion for 12 years. Their legacies continue to shape our community, and I hope to honor that spirit in my own public service one day.

The Northside welcomes everyone, and I invite you to come experience it — shop our small businesses, savor our cuisine and meet the people who give this comunidad its soul. I champion the Northside because it is thriving, resilient and home to a story that deserves to be honored for generations.

Mi lado norte es tu lado norte.

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