Whoever coined the expression “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it” must have known Paula Blackmon. You’d think that the deputy chief of staff for Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and the mother of three young children (Aaron, 12; Evan, 7; and Reid, 5) might keep a tight focus on her prodigious work and home schedule. Not so. Blackmon casts her net much wider than that, pitching in with half a dozen charities and organizations that she finds personally meaningful.
DallasChild caught up with Blackmon on the heels of a business trip to Mexico, just long enough to hear about her work with The Promise House. The local group offers crisis intervention to teens and children, including emergency shelter, transitional living, education, counseling, street outreach and advocacy.
"While serving on the Research and Development committee for the Junior League, The Promise House was discussed in my group and I fell in love with the mission. It’s hard enough being a teenager, but one who has run away and possibly has children – that’s tough. So that is when I signed up to serve as project chair. If we can reach the teens, then we will have done our job.
We’re serving as life coaches to the women who have children, and we mentor and tutor those who live in the shelter. We plan monthly events for the girls and just act as role models to them. We plan monthly programs; for instance, we recently did crafts and played with the children, helped prepare healthy, easy meals and of course chatted with them.
→ Besides the Junior League of Dallas, I also dedicate my time to: Save Open Space, an environmental group that monitors legislation within the area; Dallas Summit, women leaders in our community; St. Thomas Aquinas Parent Association, my children’s school association; Community Partners Partnership, the fundraising arm for Community Partners, a group that supports Child Protective Services with donations of new clothing and toiletries; and Women’s Issues Network, a group of individuals that monitors the status of women and children.
→ Being a parent does impact my outlook. Like so many mothers in our city, I too live the daily hustle of job, community and family every day. I tend to gravitate to the issues that directly impact my life in that way. For example, because I have an asthmatic child, I handle the mayor’s environmental needs in the community. I’m interested in the air issues because my child experiences a direct effect from the air he breathes. [Dallas air quality] is in what is called “non-attainment,” where our air quality falls short of the national standard. I worked with city leaders who were writing a plan to bring our area into attainment and see where emissions could be cut.
→ My position with the city gives me an insider’s view of all things – not only the good things but the challenging ones, as well. Fortunately, my boss is a half-full kind of guy, so we turn our challenges into positives. All in all, there are so many issues within our city, and it does sadden me to see everyone not involved in one way or another.
→ The rewarding side of my work is that at the end of the day, month or year, we are shaping the future for our children and grandchildren. The rewards aren’t immediate, but I know in five, 10 or 20 years, they will be.
→ Balancing – such an easy word to pronounce but … Well, I have a great husband (Barry) who handles the three kids and house. He is an architect, and we have switched roles for the time being. My kids are a little older, so they understand what I am doing and I think they’re proud of me, which makes it all worthwhile. My family and friends are a must-do, while some events can wait. We have date night, with or without the kids. We also go on family vacations twice a year.
→ Get involved, and get your family involved. Find a cause – homelessness, environment, education or mentoring – and give your talents, time and, if possible, your money to it. Because when we all do something, we will make things happen."
