A Lexington man is making his mark on the music industry and he says he is just getting started.

Stephon Dupree began his career throwing parties and doing event promotions in Lexington before expanding to Louisville, where he made a connection that would change his life.

"I was just throwing parties, like doing party promotions and stuff like that, and then when I felt like I reached my peak in Lexington and I started throwing parties in Louisville and that's when I met my first artist in 2010, which was Bryson Tiller," Dupree said.

As his career grew, Dupree said he recognized it was more than coincidence.

"When it started to get consistent, I'm like, you know what, this is not luck, this is my calling," Dupree said.

His recent accomplishments include being recognized by the Kentucky State Senate and managing JVKE, the artist behind the five-times platinum single "Golden Hour."

Dupree said he never doubted the path he was on.

"I'm never in disbelief when I get behind something. It's like I'm a visionary, so I see it before it happens, and that's why now I don't talk as much as what I got going on now, because in the future I know it's gonna happen," Dupree said.

For Dupree, achieving success while rooted in Kentucky carries special meaning.

"It's super, super dope because I would never thought that, you know, coming from a place like Lexington, where we're known for like horses and bourbon and stuff like that and basketball, of course, I'll be able to shed light to not only the city but the state with contributing what I contribute to the to the music industry," Dupree said.

Looking ahead, Dupree said he wants to build a regional hub for artists who currently have to leave the area to find opportunities.

"I just want to bring a home company where we highlight artists around this region, not just Kentucky itself, like the Ohio's, the Tennessee's, most artists here, have to travel to Atlanta or travel to Tennessee to even get an opportunity," Dupree said.

Dupree added that his long-term goal is to give back to Lexington by educating the next generation of music professionals.

"Being a a vessel and a resource to reach out to and educate people on the music business prior to just, you know, making music because I think learning the business is way more important than to actually jumping into the music," said Dupree.

His message to anyone chasing a dream in the industry is straightforward.

"You gotta be delusional when you're chasing a dream cause nobody can want it more than you," Dupree said.

A Venezuelan family's journey from humble beginnings to running a well-known Lexington business has made Hispanic Connections of Lexington a go-to resource for immigrants in the area.

Mirna Cerrada, who co-founded the business, said her own experience as an undocumented immigrant shaped the foundation of what the company would become.

"I came here without knowing anything about immigration and I was undocumented for 18 years," Cerrada said.

That personal history became the driving force behind the business's connection to the community it serves.

"I was working as a medical interpreter, teaching Spanish, and striving just like all these immigrants do. That's the direct connection we have with the community we currently work with," Cerrada added.

Hispanic Connections of Lexington has been operating for over a decade, but it started with a much narrower focus.

"It was us two, and we started by offering insurance services, because that was the need in the community at the time," Cerrada said.

Her son, Denver Gonzalez, also plays a role in the business and recalled how it grew from those early days.

"We started small and I learned a lot about them, doing notarizations, translating documents," Gonzalez said.

The business has since expanded to offer help with taxes, document notarization, and even officiating weddings.

For Gonzalez, the business's success is also rooted in its values.

"It is genuinely a family business, from dealing with the manager to being an employee, but in reality we're just family here, which is something that the Hispanic community, I believe, really appreciates because we're very family oriented," Gonzalez said.

That family atmosphere has resonated with clients like Eugenio Canseco, who first heard about the business through friends.

"I learned about Hispanic Connections through some friends," Canseco said.

Canseco has since become a business owner himself, and said Hispanic Connections has been a key part of that journey.

"They've helped me a lot with the taxes and the business insurance," Canseco said.

Cerrada said her message to immigrants navigating similar challenges is one of persistence.

"And the keyword is to never give up. Keep going, keep asking questions," Cerrada said.

Looking ahead, Cerrada said her goal is simple, "we're always here, and we're going to continue."

Hispanic Connections of Lexington does not offer legal advice. Those in need of legal assistance are encouraged to contact an attorney.

Note: Mirna Cerrada's interview was translated from Spanish to English for this web article.

The SHARE Center in Lexington is bridging the gap in oral health care access for uninsured residents while also helping formerly incarcerated people reintegrate into society.

It took the center two years to get here, and they recently celebrating the achievement with the grand opening of its new dental clinic, offering free or low-cost dental services to those who may not otherwise be able to afford care.

"Our organization is Share Kentucky and we focus on helping, assisting people in need, people who have issues concerning whether it's employment, food, or whatever," Dr. Ishan Bagby said.

Bagby is the founder of the SHARE Center. The dental clinic was made possible in part by a donation of dental chairs by a local dentist, which were later refurbished and are now in use.

"We looked into the issue of dental services to the uninsured and we found that it is a very big problem and that's what we do, we try to address the issues that poor people, that people in need face and so we decided to go for it," Bagby said.

"We have 4 dentists, every one of them came out of UK's College of Dentistry or work there," Bagby said.

Since the grand opening, demand has been high.

"We have been inundated with calls to have appointments. People told us that there is a great demand and we are here to testify that there is a very, very gigantic need for more dental services to the uninsured, but right now we need the public to be a little patient with us," Bagby said.

The clinic is funded in part by Lexington's local mosques.

"One thing I want to make clear to the community is that we are a Muslim-based organization. We have this dental clinic has grown out of the four major mosques here in Lexington," Bagby said.

The dental clinic is open on Saturdays, though Bagby said patients may need to wait before scheduling an appointment.

Beyond oral care, the SHARE Center is also helping formerly incarcerated residents find their footing after release, connecting them with jobs, food, and community support.

Three people who found their way to the center share different stories but similar struggles.

Marocko Conley spent close to five years incarcerated before deciding to make a change.

"I was incarcerated for close to five years. Throughout that process I had decided that I needed to change people, places and things," Conley said.

After his release, Conley turned to the SHARE Center to volunteer and give back to the community, as well as becoming acclimated again.

"I'm just grateful, you know what I mean...it's definitely something that I sit up and just think every day like, 'Wow,'" Conley said.

Chance Riffe says after getting out and remaining sober, this is the best he's ever felt.

"I've spent my entire life addicted to drugs and selling drugs. I've done probably a total of 15 years in prison, and I just got out of federal prison on April 14," Riffe said.

Riffe said the SHARE Center has made a difference in his recovery.

"I'm already a success story for me to be sober as long as I have and I've worked so hard to get to where I'm at and it's been enjoyable adversity," Riffe said.

Saburah El-Amin found her way to the center through her own struggles and has since spent nearly two decades in a leadership role, guiding others.

"I ended up here at the share center because of the struggle," El-Amin said.

El-Amin said the work at the center is a collective effort.

"This ain't a me thing, it is a we thing, that's the way I look at it. It's a we thing. We all help pack food to give to the person who's coming here to get food," El-Amin said.

She added that the center has strong ties to employers willing to hire people with criminal records.

"It is a struggle for them to get employment and get places but fortunately we're tied into a lot of companies that will hire ex-offenders," El-Amin said.

With her son's 20th birthday just weeks away, Gabby Bustos is recalling the day that completely changed her life.

This October will mark two years with no answers and no arrests in the shooting death of Juan Angel Martinez Bustos. His mother, Gabby, said she is not giving up until she finds out who is responsible.

LEX News interviewed Gabby on Wednesday in Spanish. The following quotes have been translated to English.

On Oct. 4, 2024, Lexington police responded to a shooting near the Bustos' apartment. Juan Angel and his brother were both found shot. Juan Angel did not survive.

Earlier that month, Gabby had been in a car accident. While she recovered from her injuries, Juan Angel had stepped up and started taking care of his siblings.

"That day he was out, because he went to go buy food for his siblings," she said.

"When I heard that, it sounded like an explosion. I never imagined," Gabby added.

The loss has had a devastating impact on the entire family, including Juan Angel's youngest siblings.

"But this destroyed my family, my kids, the smallest. You should see my little girls. They're five years old now, but they still crying. Some days they wake up and they're asking for their brother, for Juan. My little girl, she's always telling me, 'Mom, I miss Juan. Where's Juan? When is he coming back?'" Gabby said.

Gabby also revealed that on the night her son was shot, she received a video showing him on the ground.

"Because I say, why? They recorded, and why didn't they call 911?" she said.

Despite the pain, Gabby continues to raise awareness not just for her own family, but for others in the community she says also deserve justice.

"It doesn't matter the color of the skin," she said. "There's a human. We're still humans, and that's why I don't like to speak just for my son. I speak for Esmeralda Rodriguez. I speak for Jose Salazar. I speak for Sergio Villarados. I speak for all of us. Everyone deserves justice."

Gabby is urging anyone with information on her son's death to come forward.

"This is your time. If you didn't help him at that time, it's your time to talk. Speak up," she said. "I'm going to fight until my last breath, because you deserve justice."

Individuals with information on Juan Angel's death crime are asked to contact the Lexington Police Department at (859) 258-3600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers through phone at (859) 253-2020, online at this link, or through the P3 Tips app at this link.

Hotel rooms across Lexington are sold out this weekend as the city prepares for one of its busiest stretches of the year, driven by the Railbird Festival at the Red Mile and the KHSAA softball and baseball state tournaments.

Tourism leaders say the economic boost will stretch well beyond concert tickets, reaching restaurants, distilleries, small businesses, and tour operators across the city.

"What we wanna see here at Visit Lex is people really enjoying the city. We're all about generating economic impact," Martina Barksdale with Visit Lex said.

According to Barksdale, the spending goes far beyond the festival gates.

"People are not only staying at hotels, but they're visiting our restaurants, visiting our distilleries, they are participating in tours and concerts and really pouring money into the small businesses that make Lexington what it is," she said.

Barksdale said she hopes the impact extends beyond dollars and cents.

"Impact increasing the quality of life for not only Lexingtonians but visitors and other locals alike in the Bluegrass region," Barksdale said. "So we're really just hoping that everyone has a good time and spreads the word about how amazing Lexington is."

Railbird draws more than 40,000 people per day, a number that could rise this year. Barksdale said the combined events represent a significant financial milestone for the city.

"It is definitely a multi-million dollar impact year over year, uh, especially with Railbird and KHSAA," she said.

In 2024, Fayette County reached a record-breaking $1.7 billion in economic impact, with the Railbird Festival weekend serving as a major contributor.

"We like to think we're the front porch of the South. We're a surprise and delight. Once we can get people here to the destination, we know that they'll come back."

The Lexington Clinic also offered an affordable parking alternative for festival attendees, but all 800-plus spots have sold out.

A nonprofit and a Lexington barbershop are teaming up to continue shedding light on organ donation.

Thomas Muhammad is a registered organ donor who suffered five strokes in 2011. He did not know if he would survive, let alone anticipate the challenges that would follow.

"I was able to, you know, recover, but my kidneys had stopped working at that particular time and they got my kidneys working again, and it's had a steady decline since 2011," Muhammad said.

Muhammad's kidneys are now failing and he needs a transplant.

"We have stayed off of dialysis as long as we can. We're checking my numbers," Muhammad said.

Muhammad is among the 27% of African Americans waiting for an organ transplant, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.

"How do you, you know, call a loved one or call a friend and ask them, can you have a kidney?" Muhammad said.

The nonprofit Network for Hope is working to raise awareness on the issue by meeting people where they are including at the barbershop.

"We wanted to engage the community through trusted places where they hang out, especially the African-American community that is so highly affected by diabetes and kidney disease," Audrey Oltzman, the inclusion and belonging program manager at the non-profit said.

That trusted place is Newtown Cuts Barbershop, where conversations about life happen naturally alongside a fresh cut.

"The barbershop has always been, kind of a safe haven for men in particular, especially men of color," James Garrett, a barber and shop manager at Newtown Cuts said.

"A haircut is already a 45 minute session. Most therapy sessions may last about 45 to an hour, so it's essentially kind of the same concept, being able to have a client in here," Garrett added.

"The barbershop environment gives us an opportunity to answer a lot of those questions that people may have around, organ donation," Oltzman said.

This Sunday, Newtown Cuts Barbershop will host its grand opening and Muhammad will be there to share his journey waiting for a kidney.

"I have children that I would like to be here for. I would like to see my daughter graduate next year, and without a kidney, I probably won't be able to make it," Muhammad said.

The event will take place on Booker Street in Lexington, from 1 p.m. 6 p.m., and those in attendance can also get health screens.