The Dallas Penn Day Proclamation: Mayor Adams Really Did This

One of the common refrains from Mayor Eric Adams’s scandal-plagued term of office is that the press didn’t give him credit for the good things he did. Hizzoner has a point. While it’s difficult to accept Adams as a martyr—start to finish, from COVID “mandate” (sic) extremism to library-funding cuts to the many corruptions he countenanced, the “Mayor of Swagger” made his own bed—that’s not the whole story.

The existence of Dallas Penn Day, which was somehow facilitated by a mayoral aide named Grant Yanney, is proof of that.

Who was Dallas Penn? Dallas was an incredible human being, born on Sept. 28, 1969. He died, from complications from diabetes, on April 30, 2024. Our last texts were that evening, while we were both watching the Knicks beat the 76ers in Game 7 of the NBA quarter finals.

“Tyrese Maxey is pretty damn quick—& to think of all those years we tried to make it with . . . Charlie Ward?” I wrote.

“Charlie Ward was game. But yeah he wasn’t a gamer. Chris Childs. Allan Houston. Jeremy Lin. A phalanx of mid-grade guards,” replied Dallas.

“Good to see Patrick [Ewing] tonight.”

Dallas answered with a red heart that’s still animatedly pumping in my messages—a gift, one of innumerable of encouraging thoughts and deeds and jokes that he gave so generously to so many people. That beating heart is one of Dallas’s affirmations made manifest: “It don’t stop.”

Before saying more about Dallas, let it be said that he shouldn’t need an introduction. In the media capital of the world, Dallas should have been much better known than he was. This isn’t a complaint per se but rather a question of recognition.

That here was this genius if uncategorizable writer, documentarian (see the “Food Warriors” series with co-host Rafi Kam especially), blogger, vlogger, satirist, “sneaker fiend,” podcaster ( “The Combat Jack Show,” “The Newlyweds Show”) and provocateur, and more, in our midst—wow. In brief, Dallas was a world-class aspirational city kid shit-talker trickster hip-hop comic philosopher extraordinaire. With his unfeigned and abundant enthusiasm, Dallas was an “influencer” before the term existed (and was subsequently degraded to the level of insult) only shows how far ahead of the game he was.

Which isn’t to say Dallas wasn’t otherwise well known. In the streets, and on the internets (it’s always plural in Dallas’s nomenclature, meaning interconnected networks)—he was an icon and a legend. As his beloved wife, Susan DeCarava Penn, can attest, rarely could one be out quietly with Dallas. First because he was, in his own words, “an oversized Black dude”; second because of his bold, extravagant, extroverted style, and third because of his immense number of friends and fans. If there was ever a real “people’s Mayor,” it was Dallas Penn.

Dallas coined the term “outfit architecture,” an apt accomplishment for a man whose day job was as a project manager for the city’s Department of Design & Construction and who wore Ralph Lauren Polo like Frank Gehry designed buildings—but with brighter colors and a little more flair. And credit where it’s due: Two inspired New York Times contributors, Julia Rothman and Shaina Feinberg, collaborated on an illustrated profile of Dallas’s fashion sense that appeared in May 2021.

Besides the Knicks, some topics I miss talking to Dallas about include Langston Hughes and Hughes’s onetime collaborator, Dallas’s father-in-law, the great photographer Roy DeCarava (a.k.a. “Mr. Roy”); any and all crazy-weird NYC street scenes (but no Times Square Show World token jokes here, please, kids might read this); “politricks,” a subject upon which Dallas had keen observations that would please no party loyalist; journalism, including one of Dallas’s heroes, Jimmy Breslin; Ralph Bakshi, a Jewish Brownsville, Brooklyn, boy and the creator one of Dallas’s favorite movies, 1974’s anti-racist, anti-mafia gangster satire Coonskin (a.k.a. Street Fighter). That Brownsville also raised two of Dallas’s close friends and co-conspirators, the late great rapper Sean Price and the indefatigable lawyer and activist Kenneth J. Montgomery, is a good way to close this loop for now.

It don’t stop, Dallas, but word counts, like “crabmeats,” like oxtails, are real. Dallas Penn forever!

Dallas Penn Day Proclamation

Whereas: Our public sector rises on the foundation of talented and tenacious women and men dedicated to serving our population of more than 8.3 million. The late Dallas Penn, who spent 25 years as a construction project manager with the New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC), shone brightly as one of these remarkable individuals. Today, I am pleased to join his family and friends in celebrating the remarkable life and accomplishments of this outstanding New Yorker.

Whereas: A proud native of Queens, Dallas gave back to his beloved hometown through his long career with DDC. He loved the important work and can-do spirit of his colleagues within his department and across City agencies. This was especially true post-9/11, when Dallas was among those who toiled tirelessly to clear the World Trade Center site. A true expert in the field of construction, he understood that the value of the projects he did for the City was in helping to make accessible, safe, and welcoming spaces where everyday people could gather.

He reveled in the architectural and engineering details tucked in the corners of cultural institutions, libraries, and police and fire stations. A stalwart union activist, Dallas was executive chair and delegate of Chapter 4 Local 375 DC37, fighting to improve the benefits and workplace conditions of his fellow labor union members and municipal employees.

Whereas: In addition to his distinguished public service, Dallas enriched life in our city through his contributions as a social media personality, podcast host, and expert on hip hop, the revolutionary sound that emerged from the streets of the South Bronx in the 1970s and went from underground to mainstream, galvanizing youth from marginalized communities and capturing the imaginations of people around the world. Dallas was an early and passionate champion of this dynamic culture, chronicling New York’s burgeoning rap music scene and uplifting and connecting his diverse readers and audiences as a keen observer and a charismatic, humorous, and pioneering blogger and vlogger.

Dallas was lauded as much for his fly urban streetwear and sneaker and Timberland boot collections and video reviews as he was for his ability to tap into the stories that each represented. He also made a positive difference through his efforts to raise awareness about diabetes and advocate for healthy nutritional habits and lifestyle choices in underserved communities. Dallas’s boundless creativity and talent, generous spirit, and zest for life are deeply missed by everyone who had the great privilege of knowing him. As you gather today to pay tribute to this quintessential New Yorker, I am pleased to recognize the indelible imprint he made on our global city. Together, we will ensure his memory and bold legacy of service will live on in our hearts and continue to inspire people of all backgrounds in the five boroughs and beyond.

Now therefore, I, Eric Adams, Mayor of the City of New York, do hereby proclaim Saturday, September 28th, in the City of New York as: Dallas Penn Day