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editor’s note
Inclusion, Not Exclusion Art Director Kristin Brenemen Managing Editor Amber Helsel Assistant Editor Micah Smith Editorial Assistants Maya Miller // Adria Walker Editorial Writers Tommy Burton // Dustin Cardon, Arielle Dreher // Brian Gordon, Christo Hicks // Mike McDonald, R.L. Nave // Greg Pigott, Julie Skipper // Miles Thomas Listings Editor // Latasha Willis Photography Imani Khayyam Ad Design Zilpha Young Business and Sales Advertising Director // ,JNCFSMZ (SJGÞO Account Executive // Brandi Stodard Distribution Manager // Richard Laswell Bookkeeper // Melanie Collins Assistant to the CEO // Inga-Lill Sjostrom Operations Consultant // David Joseph President and Publisher Todd Stauffer CONTACT US Story pitches // editor@boomjackson.com Ad Sales // ads@boomjackson.com BOOM Jackson 125 S. Congress St., #1324, Jackson, MS 39201 p 601.362.6121 f 601.510.9019 Would you like copies of BOOM Jackson for recruiting, welcome packets or other corporate, institutional or educational uses? Call 601.362.6121 x16 or email inga@jacksonfreepress.com.
BOOM Jackson is a publication of Jackson Free Press Inc. BOOM Jackson, which publishes every other month, focuses on the urban experience in Jackson, Miss., emphasizing entrepreneurship, economic growth, culture, style and city life. © 2015 Jackson Free Press Inc.
Cover photo of Cole Smith, who owns Creative Gifts Photo by Imani Khayyam. See more on page 11
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when the Brandon High School marching band was saved around the age of 12. was banned from playing the song during a halfIt was at a Christian powerlifting event, time show at one of the school’s football games. and I remember watching in awe as those Five years ago, I probably would’ve nodded men lifted all kinds of weights, and one even my head in agreement, but these days, I find myrammed his head through a cement block. It self looking more critically at was pretty cool. At some point statements like that. It makes (and in my 12-year-old brain, I me think that they don’t underdidn’t actually realize what was stand the most basic message happening here), the powerof the Bible: Do unto others as lifters opened an invitation for you would have them do unto non-Christians to come and you. That doesn’t mean exbe saved. I elbowed my friend cluding or chastising someone Jamie and told her to come up based on their sexual preferwith me. She had already been ence or gender or race or even baptized, so of course, she religion. And it means a public didn’t do it, and at the time, I school can’t pick one religion didn’t really understand why to push as the one for all. she refused to go. NonetheAmber Helsel, Exclusion doesn’t work, less, I went up to the crowd of Managing Editor and Jackson’s fairly inclusive people and bowed my head as attitude is what makes me love the powerlifters prayed with the city more. While I may roll us. It wasn’t until later that my eyes at some of the goings-on in the city, I night that I actually figured out what happened. still think that for a capital in a state that seems My aunt prayed with me, and I started my Chrisso behind the times at some points, we’re pretty tian journey. damn inclusive. Any time I try and come up with I did all the things you were supposed to a list of churches for features or just for my own do. I promised to stay abstinent until I got marinterest, I find that we have many kinds. You ried. I promised to follow Jesus no matter what. want to go to a Christian church? Jackson’s got I went on mission trips. I participated in so a few. Are you Jewish? Covered. Are you Budmany church events and vacation Bible schools dhist? The city has at least one dojo (that I know that eventually I couldn’t keep track. But then, of) for you. Are you a Muslim? The metro has a when I was 15, our youth pastor was fired. He couple of mosques you can attend. was, in my opinion, someone who was just tryOver the last few months, I’ve learned a ing to help a dying church. I stopped going for lot of new things, and the biggest lesson I’ve a long time after that, and to this day, I still don’t learned is that we’re all imperfect people. We go regularly. all have skeletons in our closets. We all have asLast December, my life turned upside pects that make us unique. down. I went through a terrible break-up right Beneath everything, we’re all the same. after moving into a house with my sister, which It’s time we started being inclusive instead of meant that on top of emotional turmoil, I was excluding people. You never know. If you open suddenly on my own. (First-world problems, I your mind to other ideas and talk to someone of know). So it was a difficult time, which is why, a different background than you, you may just around the first of the year, I decided to find a learn a thing or two. church that suited my needs. All that is to say, happy holidays, merry It didn’t take me long to find the church Christmas, Chanuka sameach (happy HannuI currently attend. It calls itself a “relational kah), happy Bodhi Day, and whatever I forgot. church,” which is nice because I’m tired of feeling like preachers only ever tell me what makes me a sinner. Of course, no church is perfect. A few Sundays ago, a guest preacher was talking about how it was time for the Christian church to rise up. “When a band can’t play ‘How Great Thou Art,’ we have a problem,” he said, referring to
November - December 2015 // The City’s Business and Lifestyle Magazine
IMANI KHAYYAM
Editor-in-Chief and CEO Donna Ladd
// by Amber Helsel
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