Today we’d like to introduce you to Brent Bolding.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Our family has always lived by a simple motto: “It’s Okay to Be Extraordinary.” Every morning when I dropped the kids off at school, I’d remind them with those words. Over time, it became our family’s shorthand. OK2BX is a constant reminder that it’s more than okay to be yourself and not worry about fitting into the crowd.
In May 2021, we lost our daughter, Eleanor, to suicide. She was 17. She had come out to us as transgender on New Year’s Day that year, and we truly believed her transition was going well. After her passing, our family wanted to honor her by celebrating the qualities she embodied – kindness, inclusivity, and authenticity. That’s how the OK2BX Foundation was born.
Eleanor loved film. She was president of the CityLab High School Film Club and worked on their UIL film project. So it felt only natural to create the OK2BX Film Festival in her memory.
Now in its fifth season, the festival – which is held each April – features short films created by high school students from across the U.S. and beyond. We give out awards call Ellies in several categories, including Animation, Smartphone, Kindness, Inclusivity, LGBTQIA+, and Best of Show. Our family also presents the Spirit of Eleanor Award, given to the film that best captures her humor and kindness.
In partnership with SMU, the festival has grown to include workshops and a college fair that help aspiring filmmakers continue their creative journeys.
I serve as the producer, but OK2BX is truly a team effort. Everyone involved shares our values of kindness and inclusivity, loves Eleanor and what she stood for, and believes, as we do, that “It’s Okay to Be Extraordinary.”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like most new ventures, it’s been a journey of learning and adapting. After retiring from a long career in marketing, I quickly discovered that running a small nonprofit is an entirely different experience.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning to work within our limits. At the beginning, the possibilities felt endless, and everyone had wonderful ideas. We wanted to channel all the love people had for Eleanor into as many projects as possible. We hosted a few diversity festivals and events that were meaningful, but we eventually realized they would be difficult to advance on a larger scale.
When the idea for the film festival emerged, I had no idea how to start one. Fortunately, after a few phone calls, I connected with James Faust from the Dallas International Film Festival, who generously walked me through the process. His advice, along with support from family, friends, and Dallas’ incredibly welcoming film community, helped us get off the ground.
Now that we’ve established a strong foundation, our focus is on growth. We’ve built a fantastic committee, and our goal is to make the OK2BX Film Festival one of the premier showcases for high school filmmakers, while helping elevate Dallas’ reputation as a major film hub.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My career began shortly after graduating from the University of Texas, when I joined Congressman Charles Stenholm’s team. I worked on his first campaign, in his Washington, D.C. office, and later in the district. At that time, the 17th Congressional District covered a wide stretch of Texas — from Weatherford west to Big Spring, north around Lubbock, and east to Gainesville.
After my time in politics, I moved to Dallas to pursue opportunities that aligned with my Advertising degree. Early in my career, I focused on direct and database marketing, holding positions with organizations such as the Dallas Market Center, Compaq in Houston, Sprint, Belo Interactive, and Kubota. My longest tenure was with Texas Health Resources, where I served in the corporate marketing department.
I’ve been fortunate to build a career around a marketing specialty that proved valuable across a range of industries — and even more fortunate to have worked under leaders who encouraged and supported the continued development of that expertise.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I grew up in Stamford, Texas, a small town north of Abilene. When you live in a place like that, and your family is involved in everything from Friday night football to church activities, you learn early on what it’s like to live under a bit of a spotlight. That experience taught me accountability and community, lessons that have served me well ever since.
Stamford is also where my love of movies began. Most Saturdays, you could find me at The Grand Theater downtown, and later at the H&H Drive-In during my high school years. Those places opened a window to a bigger world and sparked my lifelong fascination with storytelling.
After high school, I headed to the University of Texas to study advertising. Austin in the mid-seventies was quite a change from small-town life. Let’s just say it was a wild and eye-opening time. I learned a lot there… and some of it in the classroom!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ok2bx.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ok2bx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ok2bxfoundation
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/80823871
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ok2bxfilmfestival-official741
- Other: https://filmfreeway.com/OK2BXFilmFestival
