Hexel Colorado’s interest in urban planning and the walkability of cities didn’t begin with blogging; rather, it started with a significant lifestyle change. Initially, Hexel’s main outlets for content creation were his blog and Twitter. His car-free journey began in December for personal reasons, viewing it as a lifestyle experiment with the intent of eventually returning to car ownership. However, the experiment took an unexpected turn.

Faced with a $3,000 repair bill for his Prius, Hexel decided to go car-free to save money and pay off credit cards. By January, his curiosity grew, encouraged by a friend, Michelle Wong-Krause from the DART Board of Directors, who suggested he join the DART Citizens Advisory Committee. This sparked a curiosity-driven project where Hexel documented his experiences, writing about them and evolving his content into a blog.

By the spring of 2022, Hexel discovered the numerous benefits of a car-free lifestyle. His health improved as he walked and biked more, spending additional time outdoors. Financially, his situation stabilized as the money previously spent on car-related expenses shifted to other areas like food and dining out. This allowed him to move from a shared house in the suburbs of Grand Prairie to his own apartment in Dallas near Lower Greenville, offsetting the increased cost of living with savings from not owning a car.

Living car-free also deepened Hexel’s connection with his neighborhood. A month spent in Grand Prairie without a car revealed local gems he had previously overlooked, such as the nearby Albertsons grocery store and the historic downtown area. This experience highlighted how much he had missed in his own neighborhood and underscored the importance of walkability and access to local amenities.

“Realizing that the benefits of a car-free lifestyle were not universally accessible, particularly in areas like Southern Dallas with poor air quality and limited transit options, I recognized that walkability is closely tied to land use. Merely having sidewalks and bike lanes is insufficient if there are no destinations to walk or bike to. My awareness of the inequities stemming from past racist policies, which affected affordable and connected living, fueled my passion for advocacy,” Hexel Colorado stated.

Starting with his blog, Hexel wrote articles as these issues became more prominent in his mind. Initially, he published under his own name on www.hexel.blog, but he noticed that people struggled to find his Dallas-specific content. This led him to create the Instagram account “This Dallas Life,” which he later renamed “Dallas Urbanists” in October 2023, marking the beginning of a new chapter in his advocacy journey.

The Instagram account “Dallas Urbanists,” focused on amplifying the efforts of existing organizations such as the Dallas Bicycle Coalition and Dallas Neighbors for Housing. These groups had their own events and initiatives, and Hexel participated in them as an advocate, leveraging social media to spread their messages.

From January to October, Hexel’s social media presence grew gradually, primarily by highlighting these existing organizations. However, the first video that went viral was titled “How I Get Around Dallas Without a Car,” part of the national Week Without Driving challenge started by America Walks. Initially gaining a few hundred views from local groups, the video quickly gained traction and reached a wider audience, bringing in many followers. This video resonated with people who cared about public transit, cycling, and walkability but felt isolated in their neighborhoods. It validated their experiences and encouraged them to engage in advocacy.

Another successful video, “Downtown Dallas 1939,” featured old footage of people flooding the sidewalks, countering the notion that Dallas was never walkable and was always built for cars. Hexel edited a five-minute interview from the Dallas Morning News to create a linear story, which was shared thousands of times and had a significant real-world impact. A week after the video went viral, Hexel overheard strangers at an event discussing the video and reminiscing about when Dallas was walkable, not realizing he was the creator. This moment underscored the video’s influence on changing perspectives and sparking conversations.

Through these efforts, Hexel Colorado not only navigated his personal transportation challenges but also built a community around Dallas Urbanists, amplifying the voices of many who shared his vision for a more walkable and connected city.

“Successfully growing the community around Dallas Urbanists has been a balancing act of my passion for advocacy and my knack for creating engaging content. When it comes to choosing between creating content for Dallas Urbanists and doing advocacy work with the DART advisory committee, I acknowledge the challenges of managing both. I oscillate between the two roles, finding it difficult to focus on both simultaneously,” Hexel Colorado stated.

Hexel’s decision to rename his platform to Dallas Urbanists came after considerable deliberation with friends. Despite already having viral moments under the previous name, “This Dallas Life,” and receiving media attention, Hexel chose to rebrand to emphasize a collective effort. He wanted the platform to extend beyond himself, inviting more people to contribute to content creation and advocacy. This vision is gradually becoming a reality as more individuals get involved, allowing Hexel to dedicate more time to hands-on advocacy.

Hexel’s ultimate goal is to create a platform that documents and amplifies advocacy efforts, encouraging more people to engage in public comments and CPC meetings. By balancing his advocacy work with content creation, Hexel aims to maintain a cycle of documenting, sharing, and involving the community in urban planning and public transportation initiatives.

Hexel takes pride in several projects that have achieved tangible successes. One notable project is the Uptown Bike Survey. Despite initial skepticism from presenters about the feasibility of the McKinney-Cole bike lane option, Hexel and his team believed in its potential benefits. They released videos to encourage public participation, resulting in over 200 people providing input. The strong public response led to an extension of the survey deadline, indicating a significant impact from their advocacy efforts.

Another success story involves a video featuring a musician using a specific bus route in to downtown Dallas. The video, which used a 3D animated map technique, received around 13,000 views. More importantly, it directly influenced people to try the bus route for the first time. Hexel received messages from viewers who were unaware of the route’s existence, highlighting the direct impact of his content.

Hexel also made a difference through on-the-ground efforts, such as volunteering with DART during special events. For instance, a viral video created for St. Patrick’s Day weekend showcased the convenience of using bus route 3, significantly increasing public transit usage. Many people who watched the video mentioned they had no idea the bus was an option, demonstrating the power of effective communication in promoting public transportation.

In summary, Hexel Colorado’s efforts with Dallas Urbanists have led to notable achievements in urban planning and public transit advocacy. By balancing content creation with hands-on advocacy, Hexel has built a platform that not only informs but also mobilizes the community towards positive change. His vision for Dallas Urbanists continues to evolve, aiming to create a more walkable, connected, and equitable city.