Masons honor Hernandez for community service

By Will Friend

Roy Stanley Masonic Lodge #1367, A.F. & A.M. presented their 2024 Community Builders Award to Jessica Hernandez, executive director of Owenwood Farm and Neighbor Space. The celebration took place last Saturday, April 13, during Owenwood’s Spring Festival on their campus at 1451 John West Rd. in Dallas.

Hernandez is a first-generation immigrant Latina and college graduate, a DACA recipient, a proud mom, and someone who enjoys thriller and mystery books. At the age of seven, Hernandez overcame a near-fatal house fire, which led to years of surgery and physical therapy where she and her family were showered with support, which ignited her passion for community outreach and collaboration. 

With a background in mental health and social work, Hernandez has worked in diverse roles, including counseling centers, CPS, an advocacy center, Dallas ISD and a local nonprofit. Her journey led her to the Community Liaison position at S.S. Conner Elementary in 2017, where she fell in love with Owenwood’s community and eagerly embraced opportunities for collaboration with Owenwood when it opened in 2018.

In 2023, Hernandez was chosen to lead Owenwood and empower its vibrant community. Jessica strives on being a voice to the community and lending support to families in need and is dedicated to fostering collaboration. Owenwood Farm and Neighbor Space has grown immensely from its beginnings in 2017 and has become an integral part of the East Dallas community.

Owenwood has so many programs and offerings, the list has grown long. For their Spring Festival they had Parkland Hospital, Dallas County Health, North Texas Food Bank and others on site. The festival focused on Health and Wellness for families and individuals.