Inspired by our new view of the universe provided by the recent Webb Telescope images, the 25th anniversary of the Spice Girls movie Spice World, and Top Gun: Maverick, we chose girl-power-meets-aviation as our motif for Best Of 2022.
For the cover shoot, we chose a group of badass local women to represent each of our seven Best Of sections and decked them out in flight suits and vintage clothes in signature colors. So let’s meet our #FlightCrew.
Tatiana “Lady May” Mayfield
Call Sign: RED
Section: Getting & Spending
Not only is Tatiana an amazing jazz singer often seen at Scat Jazz Lounge (111 W 4th St, Ste 11, 817-870-9100), but she is also a college professor who teaches at UTA and Dallas College’s Cedar Valley. Her signature stage style often includes a flower in her hair, a punch of color that elevates her look. Tatiana, take us shopping with you! (TatianaMayfield.com, @TatianaLadyMay)
Sharon Herrera
Call Sign: BLUE
Section: People & Places
As a United States Air Force veteran, Sharon felt right at home among the military aircraft at our photo shoot. The military connection is purely coincidental, as it’s her tireless work at LGBTQ Saves (1959 Sandy Ln), the charity she founded, that got our attention. Her nonprofit advocates for young LBGTQ+, and as its executive director, she works closely with that community and helps educate everyone else on current issues. Sharon, thank you for your service. Keep doing what you do. (LGBTQSaves.org, @LGBTQSaves)
Jana Renée
Call Sign: PINK
Section: Arts & Culture
As an artist herself, this muralist lent a keen eye for detail and a willingness to share her ideas at our photoshoot, making it that much better. (Let’s face it. We all need help.) Since pink was already her signature color, she became our #PinkLady. Even if you don’t know her, you surely know her work. With 26 murals around the city, how could you not? (JanaRenee.com, @TheJanaRenee)
Anita Ponder
Call Sign: YELLOW
Section: Night & Day
Not only is Anita an attorney at law, but she and her wife are also the co-owners of the Tranquility Hills vacation house in Comanche that we featured recently. Filled with custom handmade art, furniture designed for the house, and a host of indoor and outdoor amenities, it’s the perfect getaway. Given her personal style and her wife’s artistic touch, these two are the perfect caretakers of this mid-century masterpiece designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright’s. Anita, you are permanently penciled into our calendar. (Airbnb.com/H/SHComanche, Property 2380237 at VRBO.com)
Hao Tran
Call Sign: ORANGE
Section: Good Grub
When we invited Hao to model for this shoot, we knew only of her culinary adventures. She is the Hao of Hao & Dixya and co-owns local-foods market The Table (both at 120 St. Louis Av, Ste 103B, 682-703-1092), plus the new dumpling house The Pantry (713 W Magnolia Av, 817-919-9958). It turns out that she is also a pilot and a science teacher. In fact, she is a facilitator with the Teachers in Space program, which is why we chose orange as her signature color. Keep shining, Hao. The stars are aligned for you. (@Hao_Dixya, @TheTableFW, @ThePantryFW)
Jenna Hill-Higgs
Call Sign: TEAL
Section: On the Town
You might recognize Jenna. While her big, curly brown hair and infectious smile are certainly hard to miss, her activism and love for the queer community are her most beautiful features. While she’s owned Liberty Lounge (515 S Jennings) for only two years, the Near Southside spot has been a queer safe space for more than 30. In her recent interview for the Weekly’s Women on Roe vlog series, she expressed what many activists are feeling right now. “We have to be better than before. Activism has to turn up.” Her bar is a welcoming space where inclusion is the standard, and her smiling face greets patrons almost every day. Jenna, when is #GirlsNightOut? We have a “flight crew” reunion to plan. (LibertyLoungeFW.com, @LibertyLoungeFWTX)
Fatima Thomas
Call Sign: WHITE
Section: Sounds of the City
When you’re planning a girl-power-meets-aviation project and one of your favorite local bands put out an album in the early aughts called Welcoming Home the Astronauts, it’s a no-brainer to invite their new bass player to participate. It doesn’t hurt that Fatima is a badass musician with an exuberant stage presence. We were lucky she could squeeze us in. She’s a very busy gal, as she’s doing double-duty with the band Hess as well. Fatima, when’s your next gig? We’re so there. #GirlsRock (@FatimaPlaysBass, @Flickerstick_Official, @CaseyHe55)
Special Thanks
We owe a debt of gratitude to the people who helped behind the scenes. Tiffany Parish of Honeysuckle Rose Vintage styled the shoot and provided the blouses, gloves, and scarves for the models to wear under their flight suits. Lemongrass Salon gave us the space for everyone to get ready. Cosmonaut — I mean, “cosmetologist” — Cyndi Bell did the makeup while stylists Jensyn Begg, Ashley Bishop, and Keri Johnson did the hair. The Fort Worth Aviation Museum graciously allowed us to take over their grounds and photograph their planes. As for the amazing themed pictures throughout this special issue, they were shot by photographer Carlos Bonilla. Lastly, Weekly staffers Ryan Burger and Julie Strehl could really use a drink or 10 after that epic photoshoot. Jenna, where’s that bar of yours again? Me? I just need a nap.
To read about the winners, go to the Best Of Getting & Spending, People & Places, Arts & Culture, Night & Day, Good Grub, On The Town, and Sounds Of The City section articles on FWWeekly.com. To see the Best Of 2022 special edition in a flipbook, page-by-page format, click here.
