MADE IN JACKSON
VOL. 9, ISSUE 2 | FALL 2023
Editor's Note In 2014, I was a cliché of a recent college graduate working as a barista, feeing simultaneously lost and like anything was possible. A few of my friends, who were designers and writers and photographers, thought maybe we could make a publication like the ones we admired, but right here in Jackson. I’d heard a friend of a friend was making a podcast called “Our Jackson Home,” and took a chance on asking the podcast co-host Luke Pruett if we could get involved one day when he came in for coffee. Before I knew it, I was pulled into a group photo and among a ragtag group of folks assembled in Luke’s living room. What was a podcast became a blog, and what was a blog became a magazine for Katie Howerton’s senior art show. What was a senior art show became a full fledged program under the wings of theCO and Katie's talent. I wrote and volunteered for OJH through my first full-time job, and then I became Program Director in 2020. Since then, I’ve seen it continue to grow as we are able to create events and films and stories in collaboration with our community. I share this story because nothing rings more true to me than an issue about the people who make our city. What I have had the privilege to see behind the scenes is that Our Jackson Home only exists as a product of you, the readers, the stories told in
the pages, the volunteer writers and photographers who generously share their talents. At theCO, we have a mural that says, "Better Together,” and OJH is a product of that ethos. I am deeply grateful for every person who has given their time and talent to this space. I think it's a powerful force because as Ross Gay says in his book "Inciting Joy," “It might depolarize us and de-atomize us enough that we can consider what, in common, we love. And though attending to what we hate in common is too often all the rage (and it happens also to be very big business), noticing what we love in common, and studying that, might help us survive." Every issue and event we’ve done has shared the same sentiment — what is Our Jackson Home about? Who makes up Our Jackson Home? How might listening more attentively and looking more thoughtfully at our community give us the chance to grow? How might noticing what we love in common and sharing it together make our home a better place? As this is my last issue as the Program Director and Editor-in-Chief of Our Jackson Home, I can’t think of a better note to end on. I hope that this issue, full of stories chosen from community nominations and selected by community members, reminds each of us the important role we play in shaping our community.
COURTNEY SEARCY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
A PUBLICATION OF OUR JACKSON HOME VOL. 9, ISSUE 2: MADE IN JACKSON BROUGHT TO YOU BY THECO | WWW.ATTHECO.COM EDITORIAL BOARD E D ITO R - IN - C HIE F D E SIGN E R
Courtney Searcy CO PY E DITO R
Olivia Chin
CONTACT W E B SITE & B LO G
ourjacksonhome.com P HO N E & E M A IL
731.554.5555 courtney@attheco.com A D D R E SS
541 Wiley Parker Road Jackson, TN 38301
CONTRIBUTORS F E ATUR E D W R ITERS
FEATURED PHOTOG RAP H E RS
Lizzie Emmons Julia Stooksberry Ewoldt Hannah Gore Darin Hollingsworth Matt Marshall Courtney Searcy Maddie Steele
Trunetta Atwater Mirza Babic Dan Battle Hannah Gore Cari Griffith Courtney Searcy Maddie Steele
CONTENTS 8/COMMUNITY MAKER: BETHANY LUTZ
Deserving of Beauty Photos and Story by Maddie Steele
12/COMMUNITY MAKER: DAVID MCCALL
A Home in Theater
Julia Stooksberry, Photos by Dan Battle 18/CULTURE MAKER: SAMANTHA WOOD
Making Art Work
Lizzie Emmons, Photos by Maddie Steele 22/CULTURE MAKER: SHELBY TYRE
Taking Art to the Big Screen Photos and Story by Hannah Gore,
26/CULTURE MAKER: ONTONI REEDY
Creating Culture Together Trista Havner, Photos by Trunetta Atwater
34/CHANGE MAKER: WENDY TRICE MARTIN
A Beacon of Hope & Empowerment Matt Marshall, Photos by Cari Griffith
44/CHANGE MAKER: DARREN LYKES
A Measure of Love
Darin Hollingsworth, Photos by Courtney Searcy 50/CUISINE MAKER: CODY STOOKSBERRY
Brewing with Authenticity Gabe Hart, Photos by Mirza Babic
56/CUISINE MAKER: REBECCA CREASY
Together at the Table Photos and Story by Courtney Searcy
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making WHO IS MAKING COMMUNITY IN JACKSON? WHO IS CONNECTING US AND BUILDING OUR SENSE OF COMMUNITY THROUGH EVENTS, SPACES, OR OTHER ENDEAVORS?
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Deserving of Beauty R
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BETHANY LUTZ
BY MADDIE STEELE
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“Can you just photoshop me to look about 20 pounds lighter?” It is inevitable that this question, or one focused on another “blemish” in the body, is asked of me at least once during a photo shoot. Sometimes I’m asked to make them look a few years younger, get rid of the double chin, cut out the scar. You name the flaw, people want me to take it out in the photo. I’ve been asked to edit out all kinds of things people hate about themselves, as if they think the goal of a photo is to make them look like someone they’re not. I always laugh awkwardly at this question, usually saying something along the lines of “no, you’re so beautiful just the way you are” or “oh, there’s no need for that.” But inwardly I’m often asking the same question of myself. I struggle not to mentally cut away pieces of my body when I stand in front of a mirror. It’s a universal struggle for most women, yet a struggle most feel alone in, and we settle for the idea that we don’t deserve to feel beautiful in a piece of clothing. Bethany Lutz, owner of The Mother Thifter, spent most of her life feeling trapped by the same clothing and the feeling of being un-human, undeserving of beauty. Getting dressed each day was not a joyful ordeal filled with excitement; it was simply a routine, a mandatory part of her day. The pandemic of 2020 was transformational for most people, whether for good or for bad. Thankfully for Bethany, her life was flipped upside down and the heart of her business was born. As a Jackson native, Bethany moved away and never thought she’d return, until she had two young children and chose to move back home where her
family would be close by. That was in 2008, and her family has called Jackson home ever since. She lived a busy life, as most women do, of holding a million tasks every day and moving from one place to next. Life came to a rapid halt as the pandemic caused Bethany to be stuck in her house unsure of what to do with her time or how she wanted to make an income to provide for her family. She had the energy and space to hope and dream like she never had before. Her love for thrifting and helping women in the fashion world all began with a $100 Stitch Fix gift card, an online clothing store that customizes pieces of clothing for each person who places an order. When she received her package in the mail filled with pieces that someone else had chosen for her, it caused her brain to spin a little. Stitch Fix gave her these $100 gift cards to hand out to other friends, and Bethany convinced 15 people to sign up in a matter of 24 hours, even though the company was only going to reward her for six people signing up. Bethany had a realization — she was really good at convincing people to buy something. And so began the process of cleaning out every item of clothing she had, selling it on Facebook, and using the profits to build an entire new wardrobe for herself. “It was life changing because I had never been considered. In my adult life I had never been anything but a function, I had never taken the time or money to even think about what I wanted,” Bethany said. “Rebuilding my own wardrobe during the pandemic was just one of the ways I became a different person.”
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The transformation didn't just end with her wardrobe, but she started the simple act of washing her face and choosing skincare that was right for her. She began to touch her face, a sheer evidence that she was human, that she was a tender person that deserved to feel beautiful and cared for. “I realized I was a person, I’m a human being, I did not know that. So I just kinda tucked that away and kept doing life,” Bethany explained. After she cleaned out her closet and rebuilt the wardrobe, she looked around her house and realized there were more items she could sell. So, the home decor followed. She sold everything on Facebook and used the money to re-furnish her home. And so the cycle continued as she took the grocery money to Goodwill one week and resold the clothes to make a profit. As she repeated this process over and over, she began to see a business unfold before her eyes. As her friends and community continued to purchase Bethany’s clothes and see how good she was at piecing together outfits, they started asking her to clean out their wardrobes and rebuild them. She would arrive at their house and help them try on and get rid of old clothes or pieces that didn't serve them well. But it didn't stop with the closet cleanout. She then would bring in new pieces that were chosen specifically for that individual woman. Pieces that were hand picked because Bethany could see them looking beautiful wearing the clothes. Pieces that fit their bodies exactly how they were, not how they used to be or hoped they would be. This process of the closet clean out brought out all the emotions tied to these items. Feelings of shame, hurt, hope, joy, and ultimately the 10 • O U R J A C K S O N H O M E
stories attached were the reason why would want to wear and what would these clothes were kept for so long. look good on you.” Bethany takes customers from a place “How do you do that?” I ask, of discouragement and shame felt referring to her ability to know what a over their old clothes that don’t fit, woman will like and what looks good to clothing them in pieces that have for her body from just knowing her for intent, beauty, and honor behind them. a few minutes. “That is transformational, to be in “I think it’s because I’ve seen so the presence of people who are seeing many women standing in their closets, themselves for maybe the first time, and I’ve seen them wrestling with and seeing themselves with kind eyes,” themselves and what looks good on Bethany said. them,” she said profoundly. Most of the time, women are the “There’s a force in the world ones doing the preparation in all areas that really wants women busy and of life, so Bethany’s overwhelmed and “I love making people feel heart is for women to tired. And wants worthy and connected to have someone prepare women to say ‘as soon beautiful things and I like to as I finish this set of something for them in this one corner of their help people see themselves tasks I’ll focus on this lives. Getting dressed as deserving of beauty as a other thing.’ It’s a lie, baseline before they even in the morning should it’s a trick. I know all wake up.” be easy, not a moment these women who say filled with lies and shame. It should be ‘I’m gonna get back into the gym so a part of our day we look forward to, I can wear my old clothes, so I don’t not a time we dread as we fall asleep need new clothes.’ And it’s always at night. later,” Bethany said. “But by the time “Bethany is consistently making later comes you realize that life doesn’t magic with, to some, little to nothing. It stop and the time never came. No one is so much more than putting on clothes is going to take care of you, you are when you enter the store, though,” going to have to take care of you.” Alice Hardin said when speaking about This is Bethany’s heart. To care for her friend. “Bethany creates a special women in a way they’ve never cared for environment for everyone there, almost themselves. Whether you walk into The effortlessly showing hospitality, listening Mother Thrifter with $25 or $1000, to peoples’ life stories, sharing bits and she wants you to feel prepared for and pieces of her own story, encouraging thought of. Everything has been chosen flattering clothing and also just making with care, it has been vetted for you and others laugh.” it has been infused with the intention As I sit in Bethany’s storefront in of the place. a beautifully thrifted chair across from “I like beautiful things and being her, I’m surrounded by all these clothes surrounded by beautiful things,” that have had previous owners but are Bethany concluded. “I love making ready to be worn by women dressing people feel worthy and connected with intent. to beautiful things and I like to help Bethany looked at me and said, people see themselves as deserving of “After knowing you for only a few beauty as a baseline before they even minutes, I know exactly what you wake up.” V O L . 9 , I S S U E 2: M A D E I N J A C K S O N • 1 1
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A Home in Theater
M AK E TY
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BY JULIA STOOKSBERRY PHOTOS BY DAN BATTLE
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David McCall found his home in local theater, and now he is opening that door to the whole community. The Director of The Ned Ray McWherter West Tennessee Cultural Arts Center described his return as a full circle moment. “I have skin in that game, and I know what it can do, and it changed the trajectory of my life,” David said. David grew up in Greenfield, Tennessee, about 45 minutes away from Jackson. When the budget for his school’s arts program was cut, he was left searching for a community. That’s when he learned about the theater program at The Ned in Jackson. “In 1998, I saw an ad for auditions for the Wizard of Oz down here,” David remembered. “And since there was no hope where I was, my folks were like, ‘Hey, alright, we'll try it. We'll see. We'll see what's going on.’” While he didn’t walk hand-in-hand with Dorothy as the Lion or Scarecrow, he did land the role of “crow.” That year, the director recognized the “crows” during the awards banquet, and his love for theater grew from there. “To have this brand new community that valued what I could bring to the table: life changing,” he said. From there, he attended college at Murray State University, then worked at a theater in Virginia. He was a vocal coach and instructor in New York City for 11 years before moving back home during the pandemic. And when he got home, returning to The Ned was a “no-brainer.” First, he attended shows and volunteered. The next thing he knew, he agreed to become its next Executive Director. “This is right,” David remembered thinking. “Let’s go.”
David oversees dozens of productions and performances a year, even directing some (he said that is his favorite role at the moment). While the Ned primarily serves as a venue for other organizations, like the Jackson Theatre Guild and Hub City Theatre Company, it also produces shows of its own. David and his team’s approach to choosing those shows has received a lot of attention. Their 2023-2024 lineup started with Dreamgirls and will later include shows like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Julius Caesar, and Cinderella. He described his organization’s philosophy as “a celebration of what the community has to offer.” “I think the biggest thing was listening to the community. Mak[ing] sure we're talking to community folks, that it's not a closed door,” David said. “Dreamgirls came out of a conversation with members of the Black community, who had experience in theater,” David said. “And they said, “We really like to make this dream come true. Wink wink.’ I was like, ‘Let's go. Let's do it.’” “It's like taking that little spark that people throw out, then letting that compound and seeing what that looks like,” he continued. Dreamgirls performed to two weekends of sold-out shows. The musical was directed by Monola Patterson, choreographed by Mona Lisa Lanier, and musically directed by James Henning. The captivating show featured a robust cast, a live band, and clean directing. McCall said he remembers hearing rave reviews from strangers all over town about the show. However, it was the effect the show had on the cast
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photo by December Rain Hansen
and crew that made him emotional. “Ms. Monola, who directed Dreamgirls, had a life-changing experience, and you can see that now,” McCall said through tears. “She wasn’t allowed to sit in the bottom floor of the Alamo movie theater as a kid because of the color of her skin. And she went on to direct Dreamgirls to sell out crowds. I can't fix problems, but I can
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acknowledge folks; I can lift them up with the platform I have.” Now, David McCall hopes he can continue to share in all of the gifts theater has given him. “Theater forges a bond that goes so beyond anything outside of our control like skin color, like socioeconomic status,” McCall said. “Suddenly it's a common language.”
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making WHO IS MAKING JACKSON’S CULTURE? WHO ARE THE ARTISTS, WRITERS, MUSICIANS, ACTORS, FILMMAKERS, DESIGNERS, ARCHITECTS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND MORE WHO SHOW US NEW WAYS OF HEARING AND SEEING OUR CITY AND OUR NEIGHBORS?
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Making Art Work SAMANTHA WOOD
BY LIZZIE EMMONS PHOTOS BY MADDIE STEELE
Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, we are all born with a human desire to make and consume art. If you give children space to draw, or to dance to their favorite songs, or to act out imaginative scenes during playtime, you’ll see how art making naturally and unabashedly flows out of them. But as time goes by, children turn into self-conscious and often less creative teenagers, who then turn into busy adults with busy lives who don’t see making art as a useful way to spend time or a viable way to make a living. Samantha Wood remembers the transition that many of us experience from being an artistic child to being a busy adult. “When I learned about Vincent Van Gogh in third grade, I remember thinking that if I could have any job in the world, I would be a painter. But as I got older, it didn’t seem like a valid career option,” she said as she remembered her artistic spirit being dimmed as she grew up.
It took Samantha years to know what career she wanted. Nothing that she studied the first few years of college seemed to be the right fit, and in the back of her mind, she knew that the only subject she ever had a passion for was art. Not having any painting experience and being well into her college career, Samantha walked into her first art class at Lambuth University as an arts education major. In the beginning of her teaching career, she felt that arts education was her calling, but as the years went on, she wanted to be more creative than what she was able to be in her teaching. “I found that while I walked around the room watching students make art, I wished that I was the one sitting down instead. I wanted to be at that table, and I wanted to make the projects that I was helping them make.” After years of teaching and self-reflection, an unexpected injury in her immediate
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“Life can be so monotonous. Art is just the opposite of that, in the best way.”
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family caused her to realize that it was bring them to light in times of need. time to be what she had dreamed of “Sometimes when the world is needing being since third grade — a painter. enlightenment or encouragement in Every day, Samantha would paint certain areas, artists will have ideas before and after long days of teaching. about ways to convey solutions, and She would motivate herself daily with a provide ways to help move thinking quote by the artist who first sparked her forward or to comfort people,” said artistic journey as a child, Vincent Van Samantha. Samantha dreams of Gogh: “Great things are not done by Jackson having a stronger support for impulse, but by a series of small things working artists in our community, like brought together.” Slowly, she built artist housing and collective studio her own portfolio of original pieces space. She sees a growing interest from and mustered up the people in and around courage to contact Jackson in being active "Sometimes when the Ned Cultural Arts the world is needing participants in making Center for her own art. enlightenment or exhibition in their Although there encouragement gallery. After receiving is less infrastructure overwhelming support in Jackson to support in certain areas, from friends and family working artists than artists will have at her first show, she many areas of the ideas about ways to knew that she would world, Samantha has convey solutions, have the support to been a trailblazer in and provide ways to making new ways of be a full time working artist in Jackson. help move thinking running her art as her If you’ve ever business here. “The key forward or to looked at Samantha’s to being a working artist comfort people.” paintings, you’ll here is believing that immediately recognize them by the you can do it. When it gets hard, you bright colors and familiar depictions have to apply that same creativity to of things we all often see but usually how you’re going to make money as an overlook. She has a way of taking artist,” she said. She wants her former average objects like stop lights or students and other aspiring artists sunglasses or even bowls of broccoli, to know that it is possible to make a and helping her viewers see the inherent living as a full time artist in Jackson: beauty of the ordinary all around us. “It doesn’t matter how good you are Artists like Samantha make us at something. It really just matters how question and release fixed perceptions much you care about it.” of our collective lived environments. Ultimately, she aspires for her Their imaginations expand our art to be accessible and enjoyed by awareness and open us to greater her whole community, increasing the possibilities for a better, more colorful quality of life for anyone who cares to world. “It is so important what other take a moment to pause and interact people see from us. We affect the world with it: “Life can be so monotonous. in a major way,” says Samantha. Artists Art is just the opposite of that, in the can imagine wildly creative visions and best way.”
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Taking Art to the Big Screen SHELBY TYRE
BY HANNAH GORE
The City of Jackson saw the arrival of its first film festival this August, thanks to the leadership of one local filmmaker who decided to bring her idea into reality. The Hub City Film Festival was hosted at the Ned R. McWherter Center in August and featured an opportunity for locals to view movies made by filmmakers from the West Tennessee region. In addition to the film viewing, attendees were able to hear from these local filmmakers in panel discussions and Q&A sessions that occurred periodically throughout the festival. This festival was directed by Shelby Tyre, whose background in the movie and television world played a major role in her decision to plan and host a film event in Jackson that could bring the film community together. “Film has always been so fascinating to me. I loved watching
movies and television growing up. There’s something about when you are encapsulated in a story, the theater lights are low and it is just you and another world. I went off to film school and then moved to Los Angeles for a few years. But during the pandemic, I came home and instantly knew I was home and the only thing missing was a community of filmmakers and artists. I knew we were here, it was just about finding them. So a festival was the obvious answer to that problem,” Shelby said. Shelby was born and raised in Ohio and spent time in multiple states before moving home to Jackson. While she was growing up, Shelby often visited family in Los Angeles who were involved in the entertainment industry. She explained this connection to the industry helped her gain an appreciation for movies and television from a young age.
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“I did a lot of those studio tours and culture, Shelby began to pursue the when I would go visit family out in LA, planning of the Hub City Film Festival. so the film world was this amazing and “The idea sparked up among a few magical place that I badly wanted to be friends of mine about a year ago, and a part of,” Shelby stated. I’m the type that if I think I can do Shelby attended the University of something right then I’m gonna go for North Carolina School of the Arts, it,” Shelby said. where she studied production. She Shelby knew that there were explained that though she originally filmmakers eager to show their work to wanted to study directing, she chose their community, as well as people who production because were willing to help she felt that learning fund and organize a "Filmmakers and the art of creating film event. Despite the artists are here; a film in its fullness challenges of planning would be the most we just don’t have an event that is the beneficial to her in first of its kind, Shelby a place for us to her career. Shelby was encouraged by her mentioned that community and their meet and really she gained more to help and establish that film willingness knowledge of the be a part of the city’s community. My logistics behind how a first ever film festival. film is made, and how “This has been hope is that over valuable that was to simmering below the time that grows her in understanding surface here in West how to take an idea to and allows people Tennessee for a while. a movie screen. needed someone to find each other Itto just After graduating help bring it up to and collaborate college in 2018, the forefront and get Shelby pursued her it started. And I’m and create more filmmaking dreams really happy that I had films and art." in LA. She worked as a group of friends and an assistant to talent people to encourage agents, but felt that she was unable to me to try and do that,” said Shelby. do the kind of work she wanted to be Shelby made it clear that she doing. Eventually she made the decision wanted this event to become a way for to move back home to Jackson. She local filmmakers and film enthusiasts to began working with local news station make their presence known not only to WBBJ as both the nightly news director one another, but also to those who are and the Football Friday Night executive not yet involved but would like to be producer. in the future: “Like I said, filmmakers These events in Shelby’s life led and artists are here; we just don’t have a to a passion for seeing local cinema place for us to meet and really establish represented in the city of Jackson. that film community. My hope is that Inspired by her West Tennessee over time that grows and allows people community and their ability to come to find each other and collaborate and together to celebrate people, causes, create more films and art.”
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Shelby mentioned that she was incredibly proud of the event. Shelby’s passion for the art of film and her faith in her community played a key role in making this event happen, and she hopes that the festival will only grow more in coming years. “I think from this first festival we brought some awareness just to the fact that we are here and creating. I think the more we make our presence known, the more people who aren't filmmakers or artists will want to be involved. It doesn't just stop at this festival. I hope people are ready to hear more from us,” said Shelby, regarding how she thought the film festival impacted Jackson. It is because of Shelby and her team’s hard work that the festival was such a success. This film event has already made it apparent that there are people here who are waiting for the opportunity to be involved in this facet of the arts in Jackson. 26 • OUR JACKSON HOME
“When people think of film, movies, TV, etcetera, they think of the big Hollywood world. We often don’t think about the aspiring filmmakers and creators, or what those 'big Hollywood' people had to do to get where they are. There are James Camerons, Ava Duvernays, Greta Gerwigs, Wes Andersons, Christopher Nolans, etc. right here in West TN, we just have to give them their audience and support them to work toward their goals,” Shelby explained. Whether it be through sharing their own films or attending the festival to support other creators, the Hub City Film Festival is set to become a much-anticipated and well-attended celebration of another set of artists who find their way to Jackson, Tennessee. Contact Shelby Tyre at shelbyadeletyre@ gmail.com to learn more about the festival or get involved.
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Creating Culture Together
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ONTONI REEDY
BY TRISTA HAVNER PHOTOS BY TRUNETTA ATWATER
I ran into a friend from college last week who was in town visiting her parents. We stood in the cool
morning sun at the farmers market, marveling at the passage of time and how big our kids are. We reminisced about our late nights studying for tough exams and all of the change that has happened in our lives since, but mostly she could not believe how much Jackson had changed in the two years since she had visited. She was delighted that a local coffee shop opened downtown and that there were young entrepreneurs taking risks and making old things new, and she told me of the plans she had to go out with her husband to hear live music that night. Then she said the line I have heard over
and over again in the last year from native Jacksonians and visitors alike: “Jackson feels like it has new life.” I agree, but that feeling of vitality and motion does not passively happen. It is a result of the work, creativity, and vulnerability of neighbors and community members willing to create spaces that feel like home and that match the collective values of our city. That feeling my friend was describing of life and movement, that feeling that so many of us have felt deep in our bones the last few years, is growth. It’s our city and our neighbors defining what Jackson’s culture is and will be, and there are few better examples of a Jackson culture maker than Ontoni Reedy. I knew who Ontoni Reedy was
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long before I ever spoke to him. go. The individual shapes culture, He is one of those people whose not the other way around.” So as reputation precedes them, the kind Ontoni grew and eventually settled of man who everyone can attribute stateside in Memphis, Tennessee to something positive to even if they do attend the University of Memphis, not know him personally. It came as he continued to find ways to no shock to me that, when polled, contribute to what was happening our community chose to recognize while preserving his individuality. him as someone who is contributing Ontoni, in my house, is known to building culture. He is always as Mr. Reedy. He is my son’s building something and the list teacher, and a really great one. He of his contributions spans theater shapes young minds by weekday, and education and attends rehearsals cuisine. Ontoni and for local theater at "People put I met at Turntable night, serves as a themselves into a on a muggy board member for culture and they Monday afternoon Ballet Arts Jackson, to discuss some somehow tell it where to go. and questions I had for manages to capture The individual him about culture and edit footage shapes culture, in Jackson and for the account he not the other way his role there. He manages, “Eat731”, was, as I expected, that highlights and around." humbled by the promotes local idea that so many neighbors would restaurants and community events consider him a culture builder — a true local Renaissance man. and his answers to my questions Beyond that, he never fails to show were deeply thoughtful and his up to arts events and student’s soccer perspective unique. I started as I games. I was genuinely curious always start, asking about family about how he is able to do all of and upbringing. Ontoni grew up in the things that he does and why he Japan on a military base, the child continues to show up. His response, of a Black American serviceman in true Ontoni fashion, was sincere and a Filipino mother. He had and thoughtful. He defined culture ample exposure to various circles as “a community of people, willing and communities and learned how to show up for themselves and to navigate different cultures while each other, trying and risking and maintaining the pieces of himself failing and learning in the direction that made him unique. According of enjoying each other and the to Ontoni, he always believed place they live”. People willing to that “people put themselves into share passion with each other and a culture and they tell it where to connect over shared experiences,
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“People are trying. It seems so simple, and it is, but our community is providing things to do that are unique to their specific experiences,whether that be food or music or dance, and they are inviting their neighbors to come along. The key really is just trying with intentionality.” and using those exposures to bridge racial and socioeconomic and cultural gaps. That is why he is such an advocate for shared cultural experiences because Ontoni knows that theater and ballet and food and art all share a common thread — vulnerability. Vulnerability, if we allow it to, begets community and together we can build a culture that includes and emboldens and lasts. I can see Ontoni Reedy’s fingerprints all over the culture that our city is building. Ontoni was careful to point out that people have been building here for a long time. This new wave of business owners all over our city stand on the successes — and failures — of the entrepreneurs before them. Many Jacksonians have and will continue to contribute to the work of local theater and ballet and art organizations. He did, however, acknowledge that 32 • OUR JACKSON HOME
our community is providing more and more quality events and experiences of all kinds, which is a vital piece of building a rich and thriving community culture. When I asked him what he thought might have led to this shift, that familiar feeling of vitality growing in Jackson, Ontoni felt like it was a really simple explanation. “People are trying. It seems so simple, and it is, but our community is providing things to do that are unique to their specific experiences,whether that be food or music or dance, and they are inviting their neighbors to come along. The key really is just trying with intentionality.” What a beautifully simple concept. Building culture is really no more complicated than creating experiences that matter and inviting our neighbors to come along so that we can all benefit from the growth that will inevitably happen. Ontoni and I talked over coffee for a little under an hour, but I could have listened to him talk about his community all night. It is clear from his measured resolve and his profound passion that he has no plans to stop building what he is building anytime soon. Ontoni mainly works in the shadows, creating space for other neighbors to shine, only emerging to blow us away with an acoustic set or wow us with a theater performance. He is a paramount example of showing up and facilitating experiences for his community to enjoy, and he never asks for credit or recognition.
So what a testament to his impact that his community chose him as a culture builder. One of the things that Ontoni said about culture and building a place for shared experiences has stuck with me and has reverberated in my brain for the last week or so. When I asked him if he could sum up his thoughts about where Jackson could fill in the cultural gaps and make sure that we make a space that includes and never excludes, that builds and never tears down, that lasts and won’t falter, he tenderly concluded that creating culture will never just be about what our community can see. The tangibles like art and music and performance arts, while important, won’t sustain on their own, but “extending a chance for people to enjoy being
together and believing, hoping in a future that reflects all of us” will lead us home. Ontoni introduced me, via social media, to his favorite poet, Rudy Francisco, and I just can’t think of a more fitting line to encapsulate our conversation. From a poem titled Horizon: I hope I haven't already driven past my greatest moments. I hope there is something beautiful on the horizon that's just as impatient as I am. Something so eager, it wants to meet me halfway. With people like Ontoni Reedy to guide us, I have all the faith that there is, indeed, something beautiful on Jackson’s horizon, eager to meet us halfway if we will only try with intentionality.
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Changing Lives by
UNITING THE COMMUNITY MOBILIZING RESOURCES EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS
making WHO IS MAKING CHANGE IN JACKSON? WHO IS ADVOCATING FOR AND ACTING TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CALL JACKSON HOME?
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down syndrome BY LUKE PRUETT
LE BONHEUR COMMUNITY SERVICES IN WEST TENNESSEE BY LUKE PRUETT
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N C H A GE
MAKER
A Beacon of Hope & Empowerment WENDY TRICE MARTIN
BY MATTHEW MARSHALL PHOTOS BY CARI GRIFFITH
In the vibrant tapestry of the Jackson community, few threads
shine as brightly as the one woven by Wendy Trice Martin. As a stalwart advocate for equal justice and cultural awareness, Wendy has dedicated her life to fostering unity and empowerment in the Jackson community. She has been a master storyteller, a devoted educator, a community convenor, and a mother to so many. And through her tireless work, she has helped our community witness significant changes, while inspiring countless others. A Lifelong Commitment to Community Service
You know, there is not a time that I can recall when I didn’t know Wendy. Having grown up here and attended school primarily in East Jackson, Wendy was ever-present. She was leading Black History programs, summer enrichment
opportunities, and organizing community events. Her son, Jonathan, and I were just a couple of years apart and played on a couple of sports teams together. She was a friend of our family, and so incredibly well respected by everyone. I have heard her talk about how her own lifelong commitment to community service was inspired by the values instilled in her by her mother and aunt. The former allowed her to start a high school sorority in their home for her friends and set a future example by working in the community to educate adults. The latter served as a teacher, as a member of the state teacher association and then as one of the city’s recreation and parks directors. I wonder if either of them was aware of the seeds they were planting. Following in their footsteps,
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Wendy also embarked on a path that would also see her positively influencing the lives of young people. Her tenure in the JacksonMadison County School System spanned an incredible 34 years, during which she implemented those same Black History programs and youth enrichment initiatives I remember from my youth. She was teaching us to love ourselves and inspiring us to accomplish more than we might have thought possible. And if you ask anyone, they’ll tell you that Wendy is still just as active and still thinking about the next generation and the world they will inherit. Championing Representation and Cultural Awareness
I believe this is why she has always been so dedicated to the passing down of the AfricanAmerican story here in Jackson. In her role as the President of the Society of African American Cultural Awareness (SAACA), Wendy has been at the forefront of so many initiatives aimed at highlighting Black excellence and representation. From organizing the vibrant African Street Festival, which is over 33 years strong, to commemorating Juneteenth through the annual Freedom Day celebration, helping organize the Annual Miss Juneteenth Pageant, and advocating for the public recognition of the Godfather of Rap, Jackson’s own Gil ScottHeron. Her efforts have been instrumental in creating platforms
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where the community can come together to celebrate our rich heritage and learn about our history, while also encouraging us to make history ourselves. Under her leadership, SAACA has also been involved in various other significant events, including the official celebration of Black History Month at Jackson’s City Hall, where Wendy participated with special performances including the Lane College Choir, the Children’s Theatre Company and the Hub City Mass Choir. She also worked with groups like the NAACP and the Jackson Equity Project to organize voting marches and community forums, all while still being an incredibly active member at her church, the Historic First Baptist Church. A Voice for Equity and Justice
You see, Wendy's advocacy, deeply rooted in her unwavering faith, extends far beyond mere cultural celebrations to encompass a broader spectrum of social justice and equity. In a world where the clamor for equity and equality reverberates with increasing urgency, Wendy has emerged as a vocal and steadfast advocate for equal rights, fair housing, and equal opportunities in education and employment. In her numerous public engagements, Wendy has never shied away from addressing the pressing issues that plague society. She has consistently used her platform to highlight the systemic
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inequalities that persist and to call for a united front to combat these issues. Her poignant observations during community gatherings are not just a reflection of the current state of affairs but a clarion call for collective action. And while she has worked uniquely in the Black community, she has continued to emphasize the ongoing need for unity, understanding, and open dialogue, across ethnic lines, as vital tools in fostering a community that stands united in its fight against inequality. Wendy believes in the transformative power of honest conversation, a space where individuals can come together to share their experiences, learn from one another, and forge a path of understanding and empathy. Moreover, Wendy is a firm believer in the power of education as a tool for change. Through her initiatives, she has sought to create avenues where individuals, especially the youth, can access quality education, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to be active participants in the journey towards a more just and equitable society. What’s more is that as Wendy has sought to lift up icons of our community to inspire the next generation, she herself has become an icon. She is a beacon of hope, a lighthouse in the midst of the storm standing tall and showing the way. Through her relentless efforts, she is ushering in a new era where justice is not just a concept, but a
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lived reality for all; an era where the community moves forward hand in hand, united in their pursuit of a brighter, more inclusive future. Recognition and Future Endeavors
So, it’s only right that she’s being recognized as a “Change Maker.” And this designation joins a long list of other accolades that Wendy has received over the years, including the recent honor of being named one of the "2023 Influential Women of Jackson." But if you were to ask her, she would tell you that she doesn’t do it for the prizes, nor the awards. It’s certainly not been for the money either! Rather, it’s been for the opportunity to stimulate change. For the inspiration that she has shaped in individuals like me, who have been watching her for the past 40 years and are now the recipients of a tradition that began with her mother and aunt. Wendy Trice Martin stands as a pillar in the Jackson community, her efforts echoing the sentiments of unity, representation, and empowerment. Through her various initiatives and involvements, she has woven a narrative of hope and positive impact, encouraging others to join her in building a community that celebrates diversity and promotes equity. As we look forward to more milestones in her journey, one thing is certain: Wendy’s legacy will be one of inspiration, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the betterment of her community, our Jackson home.
"Wendy believes in the transformative power of honest conversation, a space where individuals can come together to share their experiences, learn from one another, and forge a path of understanding and empathy. "
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Vision in Action PAUL TAYLOR
BY ROSS PRIDDY PHOTOS BY COURTNEY SEARCY Paul Taylor is someone who truly cares about this place we call
our Jackson home. From his history in Jackson as well as time spent living in other parts of the country, Paul brings a unique perspective and understanding for where we have been as a community and has the vision and skills to help us accomplish better for our community. Paul Taylor is making change in Jackson. But what does it mean to be a change maker? Many in our community desire change or believe we can do better. Some are even able to go one step further with a dream, a wish, or an idea for how better is possible. But what sets Paul apart is that he is a visionary that can turn ideas into action. The famous Theodore Roosevelt quote is applicable to Paul: “Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action.” This is evident during his
term representing District 6 on the Jackson City Council. Outside of his commitment as a member of the council, Paul spent countless additional hours serving on multiple committees and as a sounding board to many city employees seeking to improve their departments. Most notably, as the chairman of the budget committee he worked to clean up financial issues from years past and worked alongside the city’s staff to put in a 5-year plan to give us the best opportunities for success. Along with others, he helped address challenges that bus riders were facing and helped usher in a new payment system and access to route maps creating a more accessible and usable public transportation system. Paul has always been a proponent of keeping our parks clean and safe. Even after his term on the council has ended he continues to serve on the Recreation and Parks board challenging the status quo and pushing us forward to provide an V O L . 9 , I S S U E 2: M A D E I N J A C K S O N • 43
excellent parks system for all in our There are several businesses that community. got their start at theLOCAL and This is evident in his service are now thriving staples in their to multiple nonprofits and his own spaces downtown. willingness to advise many Change is never easy. Change individuals and groups on a myriad makers are risk takers. Change of topics. Paul’s service to local makers are generous with their nonprofits and organizations ranges time, talent, and resources. from a preschool helping educate Change makers are sometimes and prepare underserved students, misunderstood. It is rare to find to work focused on the economic individuals in a community who development and quality of life can both see opportunities and can in downtown, and everything in navigate the challenges to make between. He has volunteered to those opportunities a reality in coach multiple moving a community sports teams in our forward. "Change is never community. He easy. Change makers Paul has the is always willing knowledge to are risk takers. to offer advice, understand some of Change makers are our most challenging consulting, and generous with their problems. He has the collaboration on time, talent, and projects as small talent and passion as a neighbor’s required to take steps resources. " home renovation towards solutions to question all the way up to large those problems. He understands scale planning for the future of our the nuances of our community and city and region. can hear all sides of an issue before This is evident from his creative moving forward. He will not dwell solutions as an architect, developer, for too long though before moving and businessman. Paul can bring the group he is leading towards big box retailers, restaurants, or actionable change. multifamily housing solutions Paul is an advocate for change into our community and at the and continues to make change, same time has a heart for helping not simply for the sake of change local small businesses find their but because he understands where start. Paul played an influential we have opportunities for growth, role in the design and execution and he leads us by taking practical of theLOCAL, an incubator for steps forward. He believes we entrepreneurs to get a taste of can be better. He has in the past operating their own retail space by and continues advocating for and providing micro-retail units with low acting to shape the future of our overhead in Downtown Jackson. community. 44 • O U R J A C K S O N H O M E
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Connecting to Change DARREN LYKES
BY DARIN HOLLINGSWORTH PHOTOS BY COURTNEY SEARCY Professional photographer Darren Lykes is driving change in Jackson through a surprising but powerful avenue — connection.
Darren’s involvement in the community is far-reaching. As both an event producer and leader, he was one of the founders of The STAR Center’s “Dancing with the Stars,” producer of Lane College Founder’s Day scholarship luncheon each spring, and chairperson of Jackson TN Pride – Pride in the Park and Pride After Dark. He serves on the board of the Ned, the Miss Tennessee Volunteer and Miss Volunteer America programs, as well as the Community Foundation of West Tennessee. Darren was born in McLemoresville, grew up in Atwood, and moved to Jackson in 2005. His parents met in college, and they have been married for 43 years. He is the middle child of three with an older brother and younger sister. With three nephews and one niece, Darren’s face lights up any time he speaks of them. Darren’s creativity and commitment to learning have
helped him to be a successful, much sought-after photographer. Those two characteristics and core values are among the reasons that he stands out as a change maker. Additionally, he makes meaningful connections with people in his photography and in his volunteer work in the community. He was among the first Black photographers in Jackson, and he is pleased to have seen more diversity come to his community of photographers. When asked how Darren considers himself to be a change maker, his authentic humble response was, “I don't. That's the thing. It's just who I am. And luckily, I've been able to make some changes but I really don't look at myself as a change maker. I look at myself as a person who's just being me and happened to be able to make some change along the way.” From raising $22,000 in the first year of Dancing with the Stars to now raising over $300,000 each year, Darren has provided creative leadership that helps The STAR Center make a transformational impact in the lives of those they V O L . 9 , I S S U E 2: M A D E I N J A C K S O N • 47
serve. He is very quick to lift others up as he describes his role in community work and events. Before Dancing with the Stars, Darren was asked to help transform an event at Lane College from a traditional Founder’s Day to a signature event for the college. When you walk into the event that he has produced for the past ten years you can see transformational creativity in the way a gymnasium is changed to a space that rivals some of the most elegant hotel ballrooms and event venues around the country. Though he is not an alumnus of Lane College, he is very proud of Lane’s role in the community as a Historically Black College. He feels a great sense of accomplishment in helping the college build affinity in the community and among alumni with the event.
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More recently, Darren and a dedicated Jackson Pride committee have continued to deliver a loving, inclusive, entertaining communitybuilding event, now in its fourth year. Darren emphasizes the team effort and collaboration that comes from one of his co-leaders of Pride, Heath Williams. Surrounded by good people, Darren has been the glue that has led to success for Pride. His love of community has made him beloved in the community. He has an ability to diplomatically navigate change and opposition while at the same time creating change. He is resilient and inspires others to be the same. “Change is not always easy, and we understand that and we've understood that and we keep pushing forward,” Lykes said. For him, the priority is more than just a tagline — celebrating diversity and
fostering unity. “I feel like we're creating this culture of visibility, and that is creating some change — and hopefully young people that are moving to Jackson and not-so-young people moving to Jackson will feel a little bit more accepted and a little bit more visible because of the work that we're doing,” Lykes said.
When asked what he believes his superpower is, Darren said “I love to connect people to other people. That's one of my superpowers.” This can be seen clearly through all of Lykes work in the community — a change maker moving our community forward by connecting people through events, organizations, and more.
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making WHO IS MAKING JACKSON’S CULINARY SCENE? IT’S MORE THAN JUST EATING AND DRINKING — WHO CREATES DISHES AND DRINKS THAT ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY AND EXPERIMENTATION, SHOWCASE THE CULTURAL AND REGIONAL ASPECTS OF FOOD, AND BRING US TOGETHER AROUND THE TABLE?
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Brewed with Authenticity CODY STOOKSBERRY
BY GABE HART PHOTOS BY MIRZA BABIC Iron City, Tennessee sits just north of the Alabama border, tucked right at the bottom of the state line. As its name suggests, the town is tough; its history marked with rebellion and anarchy in a setting that brings to mind Jason Isbell’s “Decoration Day” — a song rife with generational violence, a southern-fried version of the Hatfields and McCoys. Cody Stooksberry was born and raised in Iron City and describes his hometown as “a town that’s known for being a little outlaw.” Cody is the brewmaster at Hub City Brewing and Rock’n Dough Pizza here in Jackson. A self-described “beer nerd,” Cody fell in love with the process of brewing back in Iron City by simply wanting to understand it:“For me, to really get into something, I need to understand it. I need to break it down and build it back up. That’s how I got into brewing. What made a certain
beer a stout? Why was there so much flavor in an IPA?” Cody’s first love of beer developed a few miles south of Iron City, just across the state line in Florence, Alabama. There was a bar in Florence that didn’t exactly check IDs and always had over a hundred beers on tap. “I didn’t have a lot of money at the time; I was 20 years old,” Cody explained. “Every week, there was a beer that was set to expire, and they would sell it for cheap. That’s what I would buy. I was able to sample so many different types of beer during that time.” From there, he was hooked. The first brew Cody created was from a mail-order kit he ordered online; it was the beginning of a passion that has turned into a creative career right here in the Hub City. “When I was 20, I got my first beer kit in the mail. I did extract brewing for a year with those beer kits. I actually
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have a photo of me bottling my first beer. It was a 5% American Standard. I made my own labels and bottled it myself. I bought a bunch of Sam Adams, drank them, soaked them in the sink, saved the bottles, and used those for my beer. I would always go all out — make labels and names. It was all part of the process,” he said. The labeling and naming of his curated creations connected back to the reason Cody moved to Jackson in the first place — a job in marketing. “I moved here for a marketing job, but I didn’t love it,” he said. “I had been brewing beer for a while as a passion, but I heard that Rock’n Dough was brewing their own beer and that Hub City [Brewing] was opening and wanted to be part of that. I went down there and asked if there was any job I could do, so I just started serving and being around the process of it all.” For any creative, there are steps
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to honing a craft. There is a period of time when the process and the practice are being perfected. Often, it’s in those times when the growth of learning is undergirded by something sustainable but not necessarily rooted in excitement. For Cody, the time of perfecting his brewing process — of trial and error — occurred when he was running his own trucking company, something that he started as a way to simply make money. While planning and navigating routes for his drivers, Cody would brew beer with a headset atop his head to direct his drivers and wheat, hops, and yeast, distilling and mixing in their natural processes. Along with perfecting his brewing process, Cody also learned a valuable lesson that freed him up to really explore his passion:“I learned that you can make money every day, so if things don’t work out, there’s
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a way to make money somehow. It gave away. While Jackson may not exactly be me more freedom in my thought about polished, it’s not in any way “outlaw” what I could do. While I was on the like that small town on the southern phone with the trucking company, I'd border of Tennessee. Ninety-nine miles be brewing beer. I brewed beer all the never felt so far away. What Cody has time. I set my garage up as a bar, and found, however, is that brewing beer people would come over, and I would isn’t always about the end product. fill growlers. I really honed my brewing Sometimes, it’s about the experience ability during that time.“ itself. As Hub City Brewing nears “Brewing beer for me — the actual its fifth anniversary in Downtown process of it — is my happy place; I can Jackson, Cody isn’t slowing down. The turn my brain off. I can think clearly. mind of any creator, including Cody, It’s regimented, and in that regiment, is like the beer he you find consistency, brews — a living, and in that, you find "You’re doing it for breathing thing in clarity,” he said. other people, but constant motion and When Cody was evolution. soaking those empty you’re taking a little “I’m always Sam Adams bottles in bit of yourself and thinking about his sink all those years putting it into your ago, waiting for the the next beer,” he admitted. “There water to catalyze the product. Anyone are different types adhesive that stuck the who creates and of brewers. You labels to the glass, he truly loves it, that’s have the engineering couldn’t have imagined mindset — build a what they’re doing." where he would be beer; x and y equal today. But he was a z. Then there’s the artist's approach to creator then, too; he’s always been that. making beer, and it’s more of a ‘let's see He understood then and understands where this goes’ approach. I’ll flip-flop now that the most crucial aspect of the back and forth between the two.” creative process has to be authenticity Regardless of the creator role he — taking an honest piece of yourself plays — artist or engineer — in any and putting it into the product. given brewing process, what he has “When I first started brewing, it found is that there is a zen-like peace was selfish. Every single beer I made in the actual undertaking of brewing; was excitement about the beer and how there is a calmness in the work. I would like it. At some point, it turned Iron City is only 99 miles away the other way, and I thought more from Downtown Jackson, the place about how other people would like it,” where Cody now brews and stores over he explained. “That’s the transition 8,000 gallons of the beers he creates of trusting your authenticity; that’s to sell in Hub City Brewing, Rock’n where that zone is. You’re doing it for Dough, and countless restaurants and other people, but you’re taking a little supermarkets all over the western half bit of yourself and putting it into your of Tennessee. His first batch in Iron product. Anyone who creates and truly City was five gallons, and he gave it loves it, that’s what they’re doing.”
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Together at the Table R
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REBECCA CREASY
BY COURTNEY SEARCY
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Many of my strongest memories revolve around food. The pancakes
at the breakfast table in conversation with my grandfather, the glass of cider at a café while in Paris with a few of my friends, the dinner co-op with meals shared through my first years after college while my friends' children ran around the house. These moments built around food and drink shape our routines and sense and belonging. We build our families and our communities — chosen or given to us — around these rituals. In the months of the COVID-19 pandemic that stretched after the initial lockdown, I found myself working from home. Days stretched into months of uncertainty — the novelty of zoom meetings and virtual events became monotonous, and the feeling of isolation continued to creep in as meals shared at tables became meals eaten alone from a takeout container. I remember wishing for those chance encounters sitting in a coffee shop, bumping into an acquaintance and having a short, meaningless conversation. Fast forward to February of 2021, when a thick blanket of snow fell on Jackson, the deepest snow I’d seen in years. The snow finally began to melt as Turntable Coffee Counter’s opening day approached, and there was a line stretched out the door of Turntable Coffee Counter that Saturday morning as freezing temperatures and flurries persisted. For the first time in a year,
I sat with masked faces temporarily unveiled, across from my friends to enjoy a cup of coffee. Now, in their new location on East Main, so much that felt miraculous then feels commonplace. The routine of my week is oriented around this “third space” — I start my morning work with coffee, and watch quietly while someone picks up the Journal and reads a story. I meet a stranger who I notice is writing and editing next to me, I hug a friend who’s had a hard week. On Saturdays, I sit down to enjoy a pastry and a coffee, marking the beginning of the weekend without my laptop in tow. It’s become an anchor to Downtown Jackson’s community life. But despite the way it has become part of our “new normal,” there’s a careful art and science behind this gathering place. When you walk up to order at Turntable Coffee Counter, if you’re lucky to get there early enough, the first thing you see is a pastry display on top of a counter made by a local craftsman Chris Deming, stocked with whatever seasonal lineup of baked goods happens to be featured. When you order, you’re also likely to peek behind the barista and see a few women working methodically, rolling out dough and assembling each pastry. It’s all a well-oiled machine, or as the bakers describe it, like an ant farm of production as they navigate the narrow aisles of the small kitchen tucked in the coffee shop. It’s
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business as usual, but so much of the magic happening is what you can’t see. Rebecca Creasy, the Lead Baker at Turntable, is a big part of that magic. In 2021, Rebecca was on a firm career path, doing a job she loved. But she was always baking for friends and family, creating space for them to enjoy what she baked. She was a close friend of owner Anthony Kirk, who one day asked her if she wanted to bake for Turntable as they expanded to a larger space. Initially Rebecca took it as a joke, but the joke persisted, and became a real offer. Before she knew it, she was making the bold choice to step away from the path she had started on. Although deciding to bake for Turntable was a significant step for her, it was also one that had followed her entire life, like the Saturdays after Thanksgiving when the women in her family would gather to bake sun up to sun down. Her grandmother would bake for church gatherings and taught her to make pie. Going to these gatherings with her illustrated one thing to her: "food brings people together." This would follow her through college and beyond, as she would cook and bake and build friendships. So she took the leap. Something new for Rebecca meant something new for Jackson, too. “We tried to look at what other people were already doing well, knowing we didn’t have to recreate
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or compete with that, to see where Turntable pastries could fit in with what’s already in Jackson. How can we bring something different to the table with our food, drinks, and atmosphere? How can we serve the community in a way that isn’t being done yet? That’s so important when you think about a community, having all of these places for different moods, feelings, cravings. We’re giving people the opportunity to have a variety to choose from,” Rebecca said. This approach has manifested in multiple facets of the menu — with unique, nostalgia inspired pastries like the fruity pebble hand pie featured in their summer menu. The menu balances familiar flavors while bringing them to a unique creation, like a recent cornbread scone. Furthermore, Rebecca has a commitment to their items to being handmade from the crust down to the jams and toppings included. “Everything is done with reason and purpose. It's not just a pastry — there’s a thought or a feeling behind it. Our first summer menu was inspired by memories of being a kid on summer break and you eat that peanut butter sandwich with chips – it harkens back to these feelings or memories,” Rebecca said. “Becca isn’t scared to try things that no one else is doing in Jackson,” owner Anthony Kirk said of Creasy. This creativity has led to the success of the in-house bakery, as it has grown to become a team of
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four baking to keep the display cases stocked. The balance of familiarity and novelty has also been an effort to create a welcoming space for the community. He described drinks like “Elvia’s horchata,” made with Elvia Trejo’s recipe and that serve as a familiar cultural tradition to some and a new experience to others. Anthony said this means the menu and the space have things that are familiar, like a record their mom listened to among Green Hawk Record’s selection in-store or a menu item like a snickerdoodle cookie — but the menu also offers what may be new to a customer, like a galette or a sweet potato latte. I think back to those days of lockdown often, because it is easy to have rushed back into our lives without really marveling at the miracle it is that we can gather at all, that we can have those chance encounters and connections, that we can share our grief and joys, our monotony and our chaos with each other. “People are here every day, or they come here just to celebrate something, or for their Saturday morning when they want to get out of their routine. It’s people from different walks of life marking milestones. A wide spectrum of people sit next to each other daily,” Anthony said. It’s clear that spaces like Turntable, and the approach to the food and drink like they are offering there, are a vital part of the kind
of “making” our community that we set out to highlight in this issue, even if food may not always be the first way we think of as progress. Yet they are part of developing a culture with a unique and thoughtful identity, our community as a more connected and inclusive space, and giving us a space to bring that connection and shared identity into changing our community. I imagine some days, the repetitive actions of rolling out dough, cutting it into servings and keeping the case full may be monotonous, and not always infused with a great sense of meaningfulness. Maybe on the surface, nobody would pin a pastry as anything more than a pastry in the larger picture of our community. There’s a well-known Mother Theresa quote that says, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” It doesn’t surprise me that Rebecca describes everything she bakes as a labor of love. Many members of our community do daily work that will never be seen in the pages of this magazine, but I think the work of people like Rebecca reminds us to both look at our own work and at the work happening all around us with that same intention. If we are going to make our community and our world, we will make it with our daily, repeated efforts, with love and intention, but we won’t do it alone. We’ll bring it all together at the table.
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Contributors IN THIS ISSUE
TRUNETTA ATWATER is Owner of Trunetta Atwater photography and Founder of Soul Collective. Trunetta is a photographer, coach, and truth-teller. She specializes in challenging entrepreneurs to bring their creative ideas to life through photos. Her philosophy is to empower creatives to be fearless in their businesses, to be real with their audiences, and to maximize opportunities to promote their products and services. She believes creative businesses thrive as a tribe and it's her passion to lead entrepreneurs to their full potential through expressive photography. MIRZA BABIC is a multi-talented creative, adept at weaving captivating narratives through both visual and written forms of expression. With a foundation in photography and content creation, Mirza brings stories to life with a keen eye for detail and a flair for engaging storytelling. Beyond the lens, Mirza's versatility extends to music, where a passion for music production and a commitment to excellence shine through. Mirza is dedicated to crafting compelling narratives and immersive experiences that leave a lasting impact. DAN BATTLE graduated from Lane College in 2021 and landed a full-time Digital Media specialist role. He excels in creating promotional content for Lane College athletics, also serving as the lead photographer and graphic designer. In his free time, Dan runs "WeirdLooks," capturing street portraits and interviewing people from diverse backgrounds to understand their perspectives on life.
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LIZZIE EMMONS is the Community and Projects Manager of theCO. She is a passionate advocate for the arts and culture sector with experience in arts and nonprofit administration, event coordination, graphic design, education, therapy, music performance and visual arts. She is the previous Executive Director of the Jackson Arts Council and currently serves on the Board of Directors for ArtsEd Tennessee as the Board Secretary and the vice-chair for the City of Jackson’s Public Arts Commission. Lizzie has a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Master of Science in Education, both from the University of Tennessee at Martin, and a certificate in Arts Management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. HANNAH GORE is a photographer from Jackson,Tennessee, who currently lives in the nearby town of Medina. She graduated from Jackson State Community College in 2023 with a degree in mass communication. Through her passion for authenticity, she seeks to capture the heart and soul of Jackson through the art of photography. When she doesn’t have a camera in her hand, you can find her in the corner of a coffee shop with a good book, brushing up on her foreign language skills, or watching Korean dramas. CARI GRIFFITH is a gardener and a photographer with a lifelong affection for seed sowing and storytelling. She lives a very sweet life in midtown with her husband Rob. She spends most of her time behind a computer or a camera, and her most treasured moments are eating dinner with her friends both near and far.
GABE HART teaches 11th grade English Language Arts at Jackson Central-Merry High School. A lifelong Jacksonian, Gabe is a product of the JacksonMadison County School System and has taught English in JMCSS for fourteen years. Along with contributing to Our Jackson Home, Gabe also writes monthly columns for Tennessee Lookout, weekly columns and a podcast for Newstalk 96.5, and has been published in The Tennessean. He lives in Midtown Jackson with his daughter who attends high school at Madison Academic. When he's not in Jackson, he's most likely traveling with his partner, Laura, or spending time with her in her hometown of Philadelphia.
volunteer since 2015. Courtney serves as Editor-in-Chief for the blog and magazine and coordinates events and Our Jackson Home projects. She thinks the best things in life are good food, art, music, and friends to share it all with.
TRISTA HAVNER is a born and raised Jackson girl, a mom, wife, and small business owner. She and her husband, Charlie, have a charming local family business and are passionate about the history there. Trista can be found putting together frames in her family’s shop or lettering anything that will hold still. Her love for home grows daily, and she is passionate about being an agent of growth and positive change in her beloved Hub City.
JULIA EWOLDT STOOKSBERRY is the Community Engagement Manager for Hitachi Energy. She moved to Jackson in 2018 to work in media, and simply never left. She and her husband live in a really old house in Downtown Jackson with their two dogs and cat. When she isn’t working or writing, you’ll probably find her in her garden or at the local brewery.
MATT MARSHALL serves as President/ CEO of the United Way of West Tennessee. He was formerly Executive Director and Head of School at Hands Up! Preschool. Before that, he spent eight years in Higher Education at his alma mater, Union University. He’s the Cofounder of the Jackson-Madison County Equity Project; Past-Chair of the United Ways of Tennessee State Association; and Past-Chair of the Anti-Poverty Task Force for the City of Jackson. He is a 5th generation Jacksonian, but when not serving in the community, he enjoys spending time with his wife, children, and extended family. COURTNEY SEARCY became the Program Director of Our Jackson Home at theCO in 2020, having contributed to OJH as a writer, photographer, and
MADDIE STEELE is a writer and photographer who recently graduated from Union with a degree in journalism. She works in marketing at Leaders Credit Union and runs her photography business on the side. She is passionate about telling real and authentic stories from behind the camera or on the page. In her spare time, she loves hosting people, traveling, and baking cakes.
ROSS PRIDDY is a Mortgage Loan Officer with Leaders Credit Union and a former Jackson City Councilman. He was born and raised in Jackson. He met his wife, Laura, one summer in Colorado before both ended up attending Middle Tennessee State University. After college, they lived in New Jersey for five years and returned to Jackson as a family in the fall of 2013. Together they are raising their three boys, Jack (13), Thaddaeus (11), and Owen (7) and trying to figure out what it means to live in a place while trying to make positive change both big and small. DARIN HOLLINGSWORTH has had a thriving career as a financial advisor, a sales professional, a senior fundraising professional and a non-profit executive. Now via executive and philanthropy coaching, Darin is passionate about helping successful professionals realize and exceed their personal and professional potential.
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