The Defensive Line

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The Defensive Line Su***de Lifeline 24/7: Call or Text 988
or
Text HUDDLE to 741741

Our Mission: To end the public health crisis of youth su***de, especially for young people of color, by transforming the way we communicate and connect about mental health.

How do we maintain safe spaces when everything around us is changing?On October 7, Martha and Chris will present virtual...
10/02/2026

How do we maintain safe spaces when everything around us is changing?

On October 7, Martha and Chris will present virtually at Maryland’s 38th Annual Su***de Prevention Conference: Maintaining Safe Spaces Amid Change, joining experts, advocates, and individuals with lived experience for an important day of conversation around su***de prevention.

From resilience and connection to technology, workforce well-being, and youth mental health, the conference will explore what it takes to maintain meaningful support as our communities continue to change.

💚 Register now at the link in our bio!

Help us reach our $7,500 goal and support The Defensive Line’s work to bring youth mental health and su***de prevention ...
10/01/2026

Help us reach our $7,500 goal and support The Defensive Line’s work to bring youth mental health and su***de prevention education to more communities.

Bid on autographed sports memorabilia, one-of-a-kind experiences, wellness packages, and more. Every bid helps move our mission forward.

Ready to make your bid? Register now at the link in our bio and help us take it all the way to the goal line! 💚🏈

The strongest play? Knowing who to call when life gets tough. 💙For Su***de Prevention Month, we teamed up with and for...
10/01/2026

The strongest play? Knowing who to call when life gets tough. 💙

For Su***de Prevention Month, we teamed up with and for “The Strongest Play is to Ask 4 Help” at Coronado High School.

Students filled the field with the names of people they can turn to for support, while we put safety resources directly into their hands. By the end of lunch, 400 safety kits were distributed and nearly 900 students had been part of the conversation.

And the impact doesn’t stop there. We’re honored to be the beneficiary of ’s fundraising efforts this month. 🏈💚

Here’s to making asking for help one of our strongest plays.

We’re taking giving all the way to the goal line! 🏈💚Goal Line Giving kicks off tomorrow, October 1, and bidding opens at...
09/30/2026

We’re taking giving all the way to the goal line! 🏈💚

Goal Line Giving kicks off tomorrow, October 1, and bidding opens at 12 AM! For 10 days, you’ll have the chance to bid on autographed memorabilia, unforgettable experiences, wellness items, and more, all while supporting The Defensive Line’s youth mental health and su***de prevention programs.

Not bidding? You can still make an impact by donating directly or sharing the auction with your community.

Register now at the link in our bio and get ready to bid!

09/30/2026

Every young person deserves to feel like they have someone they can talk to when life gets heavy.

But before we can create that kind of support, we have to understand what might be keeping them from speaking up.

For our first Locker Room Talk with the Coppell High School Football team (), we gave the players the mic and simply listened.

Their voices and experiences are an important reminder that sometimes showing up for a young person starts with making sure they feel heard.

Here’s what they had to say. 🎙️💙

Sometimes the signs are easy to miss, especially when they look like typical changes that come with growing up.For this ...
09/29/2026

Sometimes the signs are easy to miss, especially when they look like typical changes that come with growing up.

For this week’s Coach’s Corner, we’re breaking down the L in D-LINES: Listen for the Signs.

A shift in mood. Pulling away from friends. Changes in sleep or energy. More negative self-talk. One change may not tell the whole story, but when something feels different, it’s worth paying attention.

Listening for the signs means looking beyond what’s happening on the surface and asking a more important question: What might be underneath it?

Swipe to hear from Jennifer Oparaodu, LPC, Owner and Therapist at As Yourself Counseling, on the verbal, behavioral, and environmental signs adults should pay attention to.

Because noticing a change can be the first step toward starting a conversation that matters.

On Su***de Prevention Day, TDL’s Martha and Ixchel spent the day at John Lewis Social Justice Academy in Dallas with mor...
09/29/2026

On Su***de Prevention Day, TDL’s Martha and Ixchel spent the day at John Lewis Social Justice Academy in Dallas with more than 300 7th and 8th graders.

Through a special interactive workshop, students explored who’s on their Defensive Line and the tools they can keep in their Mental Health Locker to care for themselves and show up for others.

But the day wasn’t just about teaching. Martha and Ixchel got vulnerable, sharing their own experiences and creating space for students to reflect, open up, and have honest conversations about mental health. With connection, trust, and giving young people the tools and language to ask for help and support one another, we're meeting them before crisis.

A special Sunday for the TDL family! 💙🏈Last Sunday, Chris and Martha got to watch Solomon and the Titans take on the Eag...
09/27/2026

A special Sunday for the TDL family! 💙🏈

Last Sunday, Chris and Martha got to watch Solomon and the Titans take on the Eagles and while in Philly, they also got to catch up with our Advisory Board member and Eagles coach, Autumn Lockwood!

Autumn made history as the first Black woman to win a Super Bowl, and we’re incredibly proud to have her as part of Team TDL.

Always special when football, family, and our TDL community come together. 💙

09/24/2026

Sometimes life calls an audible you never saw coming.

For our next Audible: Tell Me About It, Advisory Board Member Dr. Monique Marsh-Bell opens up about her son Braylon’s Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and navigating the emotions, adjustments, and unexpected turns that came with it.

Her story is a reminder that when life changes the play, adjusting doesn’t mean giving up on what you imagined. Sometimes it means learning a new way forward, giving yourself grace along the way, and meeting the moment as it comes.

🎥 Watch as Dr. Marsh-Bell tells us about her experience and how she learned to navigate a play she never expected to call.

Then, tell us about it: When life has called an audible on you, what helped you adjust?

Today is the day! Join us for The Playbook: Before the Crisis, an intimate conversation with TDL Co-Founders Solomon, Ma...
09/22/2026

Today is the day!

Join us for The Playbook: Before the Crisis, an intimate conversation with TDL Co-Founders Solomon, Martha, and Chris Thomas about mental health, connection, vulnerability, and what it really means to show up for someone before they reach a crisis.

We’ll talk about the lessons our family has learned since losing Ella and share practical ways we can all be more prepared to notice the signs, start the conversation, and support the people we love.

There’s still time to join us. Register now at the link in our bio!

Address

185 W Parkway Blvd
Coppell, TX
75019-3205

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