Vol. 8, Issue 1: Jackson Grown

JACKSON GROWN

VOL 8, ISSUE 1

SUMMER 2022

EDITOR’S NOTE

There's a definition that says to grow is "to become, gradually or increasingly." Our city stands at a unique moment in time, each of us who call this place home now responsible for the community we can cultivate. Seeds are being planted, and roots are growing.

I think what this issue of Jackson Grown asks us is, who are we becoming?

In the excitement over this growth and change, we have the opportunity to work alongside programs like the SOUL Collective and the Jackson Grown Leader Fellowship, support initiatives like the new Downtown Arts District — we have the chance to build the future of our community together.

I hope that in this crucial moment, we all look around us to see how we can build our future across racial, cultural, and socio-economic lines. That we don't always choose the path that is the easiest or fastest, but the one that builds our community in the most meaningful way. That we will get to work and invest in our students, entrepreneurs, artists and build something truly Jackson Grown.

C O U R T N E Y S E A R C Y, E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F

A PUBLICATION OF OUR JACKSON HOME VOL. 8, ISSUE 1: JACKSON GROWN BROUGHT TO YOU BY THECO | WWW.ATTHECO.COM EDITORIAL BOARD

CONTRIBUTORS

E D ITO R - IN - C HIE F D E SIGN E R

FEATUR E D WRI T E RS

Courtney Searcy CO PY E DITO R

Olivia Chin

CONTACT W E B SITE & B LO G

Amani Alshaef Addison Brown Libbie Brown Olivia Chin Trista Havner Beanie Knott John Mark Walls Kristi McMurry Woody

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

FEATUR E D P H OTOGRAP H E RS

Dan O'Neal Kristi McMurry Woody Megg Allison Courtney Searcy Annalise Bennett

CONTENTS 2/EDITOR'S NOTE Courtney Searcy

6/STORY

Yeilding Growth: Trunetta Atwater Trista Havner

14/STORY

A Place to Thrive Olivia Chin

20/POETRY

Home Grown

Amani Alshaef, Beanie Knott, Damona Posey, Addison Brown

28/FEATURE

Jackson Grown: The First Year John Mark Walls

34/ESSAY

Creating Belonging Libbie Brown

40/PHOTO ESSAY

Weirdlooks Dan O'Neal

48/FEATURE

Downtown Arts District Lizzie Emmons

52/SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Growing Downtown Together

Card Capital GP, Haven Insurance, and High Point Logistics

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6 • OUR JACKSON HOME 6 • OUR JACKSON HOME

BY TRISTA HAVNER

As a lifetime resident of Jackson, I have logged countless trips to the old train depot on South Royal Street. I have visited as a little girl barely tall enough to see all of the old train memorabilia, as a teenager looking for something dangerous to do while walking the train tracks, as a newly engaged woman taking engagement photos on the old box cars, and as a young mom desperately trying to entertain little ones on hot summer days — and the history of the depot is not lost on me. I know that, for nearly two centuries, the station served as a connection point. The trains took men to war, goods to market, small town people to bigger cities and new opportunities. As I parked in the lot in front of the depot last week and stood in front of the big green doors I have seen so many times before,

this place felt different. The outside looks much the same, but the way it made me feel was unfamiliar.

Something is happening inside those walls that drew me in and the whole place feels very much alive.

There is a purpose, really a person, behind that energy. A woman has put feet to a dream, and our whole community has a front row seat to watch her dream unfold.

I officially met Trunetta Atwater a few months ago at a birthday gathering. I say “officially” because I already knew a lot about her. I have been following her work and so many of my trusted friends that know her well had nothing but glowing things to say about her. We sat across from each other, a bonfire between us, and I immediately noticed her presence. She was calm and even, but when she spoke every VOL. 8, ISSUE 1: JACKSON GROWN • 7

woman hung on her words. She has quiet depth, the kind that comes from experience and wisdom.

She drew me into her story, and I instantly felt safe sharing mine, and that’s no accident. As I sat down to interview her, Trunetta told me about her childhood and her family, and it was pretty clear why I felt so comfortable with her.

She is intentional about being and creating a safe space wherever she is because she had that in her family as a child. Her parents and her large extended family, full of aunts and uncles and cousins, made sure that she had the confidence to be fully herself. They let her explore her interests, from letting her paint the walls of her room to introducing her to entrepreneurship and college — she was always free to take risks and encouraged to think bigger about what her life could be. Trunetta felt supported and loved unconditionally, and that framework emboldened her to go do that for her community.

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Trunetta took that confidence from Lexington, Tennessee to the University of Memphis, where she studied finance and began working towards a career in banking. She envisioned starting in the world of finance as a teller and working her way to the top and owning a bank one day, so she took an internship at Union Planters as a college student and began climbing that ladder.

She did receive a Bachelor’s Degree of Finance, but circumstances led her to pursue a different approach to having a job in finance. She was also engaged to her now husband, Quinton, and decided to move back home to Lexington in 2004. She and Quinton got married, and she was accepted into a very prestigious management training program through Regions Bank, where she worked for 4 years before becoming the Area Manager at CashMaster.

While these jobs were utilizing her finance knowledge and expertise, nothing could dampen the desire to run her own business. So, after the

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birth of her son in 2009 and paying a small fortune for photographs of him, she revisited a hobby that she had dabbled in for many years: photography. After a photography class in 2010, she started taking pictures of her young son, Jaxon, and posting them to social media, and people noticed. She started being asked to take maternity photos and family portraits and, after seeking out the advice and counsel of mentors in the photography world, she decided that this could be a real, viable full-time business.

Trunetta had a young son and was working on her MBA (which she earned in 2012) when she decided to quit her job at Cashmaster and pursue photography full time.

It did not take long for people to notice Trunetta’s work. Referrals poured in, and her business grew organically. While she enjoyed capturing babies and families, she really grew to love boudoir sessions.

She continued to find that these sessions where women were bearing and embracing their physical insecurities led them to break through emotional insecurities. She wasn’t just capturing these women and their beautiful vulnerability, she was giving them tools for empowerment. Freedom, even.

Fancy, Trunetta’s luxury boudoir photography business, was born from these experiences. This business traveled with her from Lexington to Louisville, Kentucky to Columbia, South Carolina and right back to Jackson, Tennessee in 2020 as the Atwaters returned home to be near Trunetta’s father, who was battling cancer. She knew this would be her family’s last big move, and she began dreaming about what impact she wanted to have here. It did not take long for Trunetta to realize her vision: to capture people as they are and empower them to tell their unique stories. She wanted to specifically tell the positive stories of the Black community in Jackson, and in doing so, provide a network of support to help promote personal and professional success, aptly named the Soul Collective. As I sat across from Trunetta, I could feel her energy shift as she began to unpack her plans for Soul Collective. That passion, while controlled and deep, was palpable.

Originally, the idea behind the Soul Collective was to provide a weekend for women to gather and be empowered personally, but as she began reaching out to community members, Trunetta

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realized that the greatest need was an empowerment of the Black business community. There was not a safe space for Black business owners to ask questions of more experienced business owners and, while there is amazing talent and drive and passion, many potential entrepreneurs simply did not know how to capitalize on their passions.

That is what the Soul Collective will do — provide a safe space to incubate Black businesses through education and connection to resources and avenues of commerce.

The Soul Collective has partnered with theCO to provide access to CO.STARTERS, a program that provides aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools necessary to take their passions and dreams and turn them into a reality. That is really all that anyone needs, isn’t it? Resources and tools. Trunetta, along with her partnership with theCO and the Soul Collective program, is bridging the gap between passion and action.

As I was feverishly attempting to record every word Trunetta was saying (because, if you’ve met her, when she speaks, you listen), I had a very profound moment of realization of our context. We were sitting at a table in the middle of the nearly empty train depot that has functioned as a tool of connection for its entire existence. The floors have been lovingly refinished by Trunetta’s husband, the walls have been painted, many pieces of the depot have been restored. In that moment, I was hit with the gravity

of what this space will soon be. The depot will house a high-end selfie bar, Trunetta’s photography studio, a juice bar, health and wellness operations and diverse retail vendors. All Black-owned, all run with passion and professionalism.

Trunetta’s dream only starts with the doors opening. Her vision is a space filled with a diverse clientele and a community who has mutual love and respect for each other, and for the Black business community to grow and thrive in this space.

The train depot will once again be a space where connection happens.

I really could have stayed and listened to Trunetta all afternoon.

Her vision is clear and she has the skills and experience to realize it, and there is something incredibly powerful and magnetizing about a woman who is not afraid to go boldly in the direction of growth.

I had asked all of my prepared questions, but I really wanted to know what the Jackson community could do to support the Soul Collective. Without hesitation, her answer: “show up.” Pay attention to the growth, talk about the work the Soul Collective is doing with the right connotation, expect it to provide the tools necessary to grow the Black business community and then come and support these businesses. Spend your money with entrepreneurs who have poured themselves into the details of their businesses. Try something you have never experienced before and expect to be impressed. Volunteer for events at the Soul Collective, get to VOL . 6 , I SS U E 2: H OME & GARDE N • 1 2

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photo by December Rain Hansen

know the business owners and share about products and services that you love. If the community wants the Soul Collective to be a success, then it will be. And what a gift this space will be for everyone who chooses to participate, as this place will undoubtedly foster a culture of collaboration and education. I know it will, because the leadership of a program like this matters.

Tremendously.

And Trunetta

Atwater is one of the most dynamic and thoughtful leaders I know. She has walked a path towards personal and professional success and she has chosen to stop, look behind her and beckon her community to walk alongside her. That is the perfect equation for yielding growth, and I am convinced the Soul Collective, and whatever else Trunetta decides to do, will yield growth. Learn more at soulcollectivetn.com.•

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A Place to Thrive

BY OLIVIA CHIN PHOTOS BY KRISTI MCMURRY WOODY

Spring in Jackson, Tennessee is often a season of contradictions.

The most beautiful flowers bloom on dogwoods and Bradford pears, but they don’t smell as nice as they look. Rain comes to water the growing plant life, but severe weather can threaten both the outdoors and our own houses and roads. The temperature is finally high enough that you can wash your car outdoors, but beware of the green pollen that will soon engulf everything you hold near and dear.

Still, there’s something special about the changing of the seasons and the coming of spring. Even though you can’t always predict the weather, you can still plant seeds in your garden with the hope that, at some point, they will grow. It may take longer than you expect, but the growth is still happening, even when you can’t see it.

For Camille Sikes, spring is one of the busiest but most rewarding periods. As the Groundskeeper of

the University of Memphis Lambuth campus, Camille and her labor are bound to the changing seasons. Spring is a hectic time of cleaning out the remains of winter leaves and sticks, mulching, and planting new native flowers and other plants. Summer is the time of watering, maintaining the grounds, and just trying to make it through the heat. Fall brings amazing colors but many, many leaves to work around. Winter is the slowest season but allows for time to plan ahead for new projects.

Originally from Lake Charles, Louisiana, Camille moved to Jackson at age 15. She had always been interested in nature and plant life, and as a college student at the University of Memphis Lambuth, she worked in the community garden. Learning under the guidance of biology Senior Lecturer Dr. Rebecca Cook, Camille realized that working with gardens, plants, and landscapes made her thrive.

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“I really liked gardening with Dr. Cook as a student worker; that’s where I got started,” Camille remembered.

“I’ve gotten to plant a lot of trees with Dr. Cook.”

After graduating with her degree in biology, Camille worked for a Beech Bluff nursery. She considered pursuing a master’s degree and was accepted to the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

However, Camille wanted to put her young son’s needs first and worried that the graduate student workload would be harmful to their relationship and her mental health. It was then that Camille decided to continue working outdoors, trading the mental load of academia for the physical load of groundskeeping.

Now, as the Groundskeeper at her alma mater, Camille is able to use her biology background as she identifies

16 • O U R J A C K S O N H O M E

and plants native species throughout the campus. She strives to create habitats that attract helpful birds and insects. Camile explained, “From an ecological standpoint, I plant a lot of native perennials and try to make pollinator gardens . . . there are a lot of like, micro-habitats that you can create to encourage the wildlife.”

Further, she considers the needs and desires of the students, faculty, staff, and community members who walk through the campus each day. Part of her job is to make the sidewalks more accessible for them and to allow the surrounding trees, shrubs, and flowers to form a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. This particular part of her work allows Camille to connect with the local community.

“It’s something you have to actually be here and maintain for it [growth] to

18 • O U R J A C K S O N H O M E

happen,” Camile said. “And it gives me a place in the community, really, you know? . . . It’s been good to see it progress.”

Another integral part of Camille’s work is to maintain the Level 2 arboretum on campus.

The University of Memphis Lambuth became a certified Tennessee Urban Forestry Council Level 2 arboretum in October 2015. According to the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council, in order to be certified as a Level 2 arboretum, the campus grounds must house 60-89 distinct tree species labeled with both scientific and common names, a map of tree locations available to the public, and payment of dues for certification and recertification is required.

The Level 2 status could have been lost without the efforts of Camille Sikes and Dr. Rebecca Cook.

“We lost a lot of trees over the years and weren’t replacing them,” Camille mused. “We would have technically lost our arboretum status if we didn’t plant species to replace them. So we’ve tried to replace specific native trees that have died and add other beneficial or beautiful trees to our collection.”

The labeled arboretum trees can be viewed as you walk across the campus. Many of them are large and established, while others are still getting started. Camille hopes to see them all flourishing in the years to come.

As we head into the busy spring months, Camille encourages people who are new to gardening and outdoor work to slow down and take their time.

“My advice would be to take it slowly and not overwhelm yourself,” Camille said. “Now that we’re warming up out of the pandemic a little, and some people are nervous about that,

I think it kind of goes along with growing things seasonally. Just slowly let yourself come out of the winter or this more internal season . . . I would definitely encourage people to get out in nature and connect with it. It’s just really good for you and good for your mind. Nature will always hold you.”

Spending so much time in nature has led Camille to understand how much the environment impacts our mental health. Our connections with the earth and with each other are vitally important to our lives. As Pulitzer Prize winning-novelist and poet N. Scott Momaday once wrote, “We humans must revere the earth, for it is our wellbeing.”

Camille has faith that the work she does has a bigger impact than she might see in one season or two.

Rather, Camille’s work and nature’s growth will continue to spread joy and effect positive change in our native ecosystems for years to come. For visitors to the University of Memphis Lambuth campus, it’s easy to enjoy the fruits of years of labor; just breathe in deeply and take a look around you. • REFERENCES

Momaday, N. Scott. (2020). Earth Keeper: Reflections on the American Land.

HarperCollins.

Tennessee Urban Forestry Council.

(2022). Tennessee arboretum certification program. TUFC.com. https://tufc.com/ programs/tree/arboreta/ University of Memphis Libraries. (2022).

Lambuth history and archives. LibGuides.

Memphis.edu. https://libguides.memphis. edu/c.php?g=1155948&p=8437614

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Home Grown

Poetry by students at JCM-Early College High PHOTOS BY ANNALISE BENNETT

20 • OUR JACKSON HOME

Our Homeland

BY LAUREN ADDISON BROWN

KIRK

PHOTOS BY COURTNEY SEARCY Growing up anywhere has its ups and downs.

Its hills and valleys, valleys and hills. the grass that rises on the hillsides of Jackson On the valleys of our land.

The grass that tries to grow in places it shouldn’t; In our ditches we dig to let water flow In the plots of land to make our community grow.

The clouds in the sky full of rain, Full of sun Full of love Full of snow The smallest cities The biggest crowds The unperfect farms The imperfect people The people from everywhere The people from nowhere Inside of the state The land of the volunteers The land in which we’ve all shed tears The land that keeps our holds in place The land Our land.

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Hey Neighbor!

AMANI ALSHAEF Hey Neighbor!

Hey Aunty!

Hey Neighbor!

Hey Cousin!

All gone.

Jackson, Jackson is my home now Everything so new People I do not know Kids stuck on screens The childhood I had filled with love Gone. Gone. Gone.

No friends No family Just me, my sister, mom, and dad

22 • OUR JACKSON HOME

The childhood where I was with cousins 24/7 Gone.

The neighborhood where it was filled with family Gone.

The nights with family Gone.

The sleepovers with all my cousins Gone.

The corner store Gone.

The feel of protection Gone.

The food The air The people All different It was so warm there Family always together But it is so cold here So many problems Do not get me wrong Jackson has its positives As you live here You get fond of it The school is amazing Neighbors are decent Land is beyond compared to where I am from But Detroit is my home.

But Detroit is my home The place I yearn Where my heart belongs The place I feel safest.

Hey neighbor!

Hey stranger!

Sounds odd on my tongue But here is where I stay.

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24 • O U R J A C K S O N H O M E

Lasting Times BETHANY KNOTT The days are slow but the years are fast to be known and loved from here and above is it enough to make things last?

It feels like my childhood is over I grew up too fast sleep through the days, through the nights I ponder of memories which I grow fonder is it enough to make things last?

Ignorant and blissful matured too fast no more playing pretend is this the end or is it enough to make things last?

As I get a paycheck, a boyfriend, a car time flies by too fast the yarn of my life unravels as I think back to that day in the gravel am I enough to make things last?

The answer is not in myself nor in others, I've found past my sorrow don't sit by the side, dormant spend your life in the moment and remind yourself there is a better tomorrow Watch the sunrise eat that cake in a million ways give yourself a reason to wake We persevere together our skin thick rise as a community past our insecurities we are Jackson grown.

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Changing and Gaining DAMONA POSEY Since I was little this town has never stopped growing. It lives on thriving never shedding a feather.

I would often say will this place ever stop growing?

Day by day improved.

Shiny and new, open minded, full of positive attitude The weather’s always sunny and cloudy. Growing up here is the best I have been.

A town that gets better with every fix. With me I will admit.

The town seems smaller but is growing right before our eyes.

And the best of it all is I get to be a witness to it.

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jackson

GROWN “WE BUILD TOO MANY WALLS AND NOT ENOUGH BRIDGES.” SIR ISAAC NEWTON

BY JON MARK WALLS

It was partly selfish. Admittedly, I wanted to feel closer to home.

Reflecting back, I wanted to reconnect with a meaningful period of life in a place I loved. Like many folks sprouting a few gray hairs, I felt like I could offer a bit of advice to the generation just behind me.

The blank spaces in our daily schedules during the 2020-2021 COVID year(s) provided a moment to brainstorm about how we could build on the Jackson Grown series started in 2017 and published in Our Jackson Home magazine.

Together with Courtney Searcy, Justin Searcy and a team of volunteers, we had the “brain space” to think about how alumni from the Jackson Madison County

School System (JMCSS) and members of the Jackson community could offer something to some of the best hidden gems in Jackson’s public schools.

In August 2021, we kicked off the Jackson Grown Leader Fellowship centered on mentor investment, skills development, network building and knowledge growth during the critical final year of high school.

From the outset of Jackson Grown, we received wonderful input and strong coordination from the community. The Kickoff event was held at Baker Bros BBQ and sponsored by the Jackson Old Hickory Rotary Club. Speakers included Superintendent Dr.

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Marlon King and New York Times Best Selling author Brad Montague.

Renow]ned artist LOLO offered a guest performance of her song Shine. She also took the time to speak deeply about why it was important to Love Yourself.

Relying heavily on the incredible, consistent commitment of school counselors and principals, the Fellows arrived for the first meeting at the end of September.

Admittedly, there was a bit of nervousness and uncertainty on everyone’s side. Would the students connect with one another? Would they care? Were we being overly idealistic?

The Fall semester centered on introducing students to a few of the JMCSS’s most inspiring alumni.

Having spent a career walking hundreds of feet above the ground in some of the world’s most inspiring settings, professional slackliner Heather Larsen (Northside ‘04) spoke to the Fellows about what it was like to Take Risks. At that first September meeting Carita Cole (JCM ‘03) joined as well and spoke about the risks she took and fears she felt as she continues to grow her rap career and serve Jackson with West Tennessee Legal Services.

In October, multi-platinum award winning songwriter Josh Miller (Liberty ‘05) reflected on the importance of allowing yourself the freedom to Be Creative. The November/December meeting welcomed world-renowned actress and fashion model Wakeema Hollis

30 • OUR JACKSON HOME

(JCM ‘01) who talked with each of the students about what it meant to Stand Bold.

As we turned the corner into the Spring semester, the program turned its focus on encouraging the Fellows to reflect on challenges they see or experience in the Jackson community. They worked hard to think about and frame the issues by identifying • An issue they care about and why they care about it • An example they have seen in the community of this challenge • An idea or two of why that challenge might exist • A proposal for how the issue could be addressed In January, with LOLO (Lauren Pritchard) came back as the group moderator at Hub City Brewery, the Fellows sat together in a round table and presented their issues to one another. She helped guide them through their initial ideas and presentations in an environment that was both safe, encouraging and creative.

Building on the conversation with LOLO, the Fellows continued to structure their ideas. In February, they had the opportunity to sit with a select group of mentors from the community. Each mentor was chosen based on their expertise and experience which connected with the Fellows’ individual interests and the City Challenges they selected.

March was “practice month” and each Fellow came prepared to

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present five minute speeches in front of the other Fellows as a trial run for the final Challenge to the City at the end of April.

Observing the Fellows over the course of the year has been as inspiring as it has been encouraging.

They have had the courage to dive into issues ranging from gang violence, littering, teacher pay, intercultural understanding, nutrition, guns, abuse and the availability of extracurricular opportunities for youth. These are, of course, difficult and highly complex.

Too often as adults we become

32 • OUR JACKSON HOME

numb to the reality of these and similar issues. We overlook them because, perhaps, our day to day lives don’t intersect with them directly. Or maybe, we are reluctant to dive too deeply into them because we are afraid our assumptions might be challenged or we will be called to take action that shakes our personal status quo.

The 2021-2022 Jackson Grown Leadership Fellows challenge the Jackson community to look at them, listen to their stories and answer their calls to action.• Learn more at ourjacksonhome.com/ jacksongrown.

Become an Arts Advocate Today! www.tn4arts.com Did you know that your license plate could help secure and provide grants / programs for the arts across the state of TN? The TN Specialty License Plate Program was created in the 1980s to provide a dedicated revenue source for arts and cultural activities across our state.

This program along with the Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC) and Tennesseans for the Arts (TFTA) actively support local arts organizations like Our Jackson Home and our Soul of the City event. Now you can show your support by stopping by your county clerk’s office and purchasing your plate today.

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down syndrome

BY LUKE PRUETT

LE BONHEUR COMMUNITY SERVICES IN WEST TENNESSEE

BY LUKE PRUETT

34 • OUR JACKSON HOME

Creating Belonging

BY LIBBIE BROWN PHOTOS BY MEGG ALLISON

Our second baby, Eliza Joy, changed our lives the moment she entered our world in March of 2020. I will never forget looking over every detail and searching for clues the first time I held her in my arms. She had a head of dark hair, full cheeks, and an extra 21st chromosome. I was convinced as I took in all of her beautiful features, especially her almond shaped eyes, wide gap between her toes, and adorable little ears. Eliza was born with Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome.

I had an uncomplicated pregnancy, but after a minor abnormality was found during Eliza's anatomy scan, our doctor suggested a common prenatal screening to "rule out" any genetic conditions.

We never felt the relief most expecting parents experience when they receive their negative results for these genetic tests. Instead, we received the news that Eliza was positive for Trisomy 21. We were told the result wasn't a diagnosis, so we would need to go through more invasive and risky tests to know without a doubt before she was born. We declined the extra tests and began a season of waiting and trusting that our daughter was being knit together with a purpose.

We were not strangers to the disability community. I had grown up around children with disabilities, had chosen to study music therapy in college to work with individuals with disabilities, and had served in that setting for three years before starting a family. However, the

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circumstances are different when you're the parent, and it's your child who is going to need additional support, face challenges, and battle the stigmas of a diagnosis.

We could only see the hard days ahead and all the what-ifs of the future. Would we be good parents to a child with a disability? What if she has significant health needs?

How will this affect our son? If we could have seen a glimpse of the last two years of our lives during that time, our worries and fears would have melted into gratitude for the complete gift of raising our daughter, full of pure joy and feisty determination.

With the help and encouragement from our

36 • OUR JACKSON HOME

community of family, close friends, and our church body, our initial fears and doubts began to fade.

Our people rallied behind us and supported us in specific ways as we waited to welcome Eliza into our family, with or without an extra chromosome. We were connected with two women, now dear friends, who have children with Down syndrome in the weeks before Eliza was born to ask questions and see what life actually looks like on the other side of a diagnosis.

It was a relief to know we were not alone and others had walked this path before us. Even with complications due to the pandemic, support and resources from the community continued after Eliza

was born. Throughout the first two years of her life, countless members of the larger Jackson community, including doctors, early intervention specialists, and therapists, poured their gifts and time into Eliza and our family as we sought out every avenue to help her thrive. Our journey would have looked markedly different had we been left to figure out the details on our own.

Our expectations of life with our daughter had to shift the day we found out she had Down syndrome.

While our family and future looks different than we envisioned, life with Eliza is far more "typical" than we anticipated and filled with more joy than we could have

hoped. By moving through life at a slower pace and with a little more patience, we have adjusted our priorities for what truly matters and holds value. Just because something is difficult or takes more time does not mean it's bad or not worth the investment. Eliza shows us every day that overcoming obstacles is worth every extra therapy session or time practicing a skill that comes naturally to others. No one can predict Eliza's future, but as a community we can ensure that we are creating an environment where everyone, no matter the level of their abilities, can flourish and live a meaningful life.

There are days I worry about Eliza's future, the community she

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When we realize our responsibility in cultivating and protecting our community for one another, we offer a chance for everyone to belong. will grow up in, and the people she will surround herself with as she grows and becomes more independent. I will not always be able to fight all of her battles, but I can encourage those in our immediate community and Jackson as a whole to take up the fight for inclusion and kindness with our family.

If you're a parent, I encourage you to have the hard, and maybe uncomfortable, conversations with your children regarding people with differences. Don't shy away from their questions, but honor their curiosity and tell them all the many wonderful things about serving and loving those who are different from us. Seek opportunities to surround 38 • OUR JACKSON HOME

yourself with others not like you and celebrate all the varieties of abilities and strengths in those you encounter. If you are in a position of authority in a workplace, consider employing people with disabilities. And if you see families like ours or individuals who move through the world differently than you out in public, smile or engage with them. Others will learn from your example, and it could spark them to be more inclusive and kind when they have an opportunity in the future. When we realize our responsibility in cultivating and protecting our community for one another, we offer a chance for everyone to belong. •

SERVING YOU FOR OVER 35 YEARS

adelsberger

We are kind of like the Avengers, but for MARKETING.

V O L . 8 , I S S U E 1 : J A C K S O N G R O W N • 39

BY DAN O'NEAL

Weirdlooks is a documentary series where I use my creative ability to capture precious memories. As a photographer-filmmaker I capture real life situations in an effort to educate others about different perspectives on life.

As life goes on somehow we continue to judge a book by its cover, but we’re all different and beautiful in our own ways.

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BRANDON JOHNSON "People have a habit of comparing themselves to others — instead of finding their own voice. Never be afraid to let your own voice out."

UNKNOWN

"Always keep God first, and everything else will come to you — But you gotta have faith!"

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UNKNOWN

“I asked her; “Momma, you worried?” Momma said, “Boy I’m more worried about you than me.

I know where I’m going. What you gone do after I’m gone?”

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MARK “You are who you are, and so when you show up it’s good enough. "

GEE HERRON

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith Timothy 4:7” What does that mean to you?

Herron: I didn’t want to give up, but during those times that’s what got me through it”

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DESHAUNDON So you would tell me if I was to do anything in this world to choose my friends wisely?

Deshaundon: Hell yeah!

CARSON C. COLE “You know it’s cold out here, why you just chilling outside?”

Carson: “Yeah I know. I’m sitting out here because it makes me feel alive” 44 • O U R J A C K S O N H O M E

CORY

“It means everything to me, just spending time with them — just let 'em know that I’m here anytime they need something they can always come to me, so I always try to make sure I find time with my kids.”

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CREATING A DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT

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On April 5th, 2022, the Jackson City Council approved a designated Arts District for the City of Jackson.

The large upside down "L" shaped map outlines areas of Downtown Jackson that include visual and performing arts locations. Arts and cultural locations include the LOCAL, the West TN Farmers Market, the Ned, the Train Depot, the Carnegie, the Civic Center, the Jackson-Madison County Library, the New Southern Building, and features 12 current or in progress murals.

The map outline of the Arts District was created by the City of Jackson's Public Arts Commission.

The Public Arts Commission is comprised of members appointed by the City Mayor which currently include City employees, local artists, and representatives from

Visit Jackson and the Jackson Arts Council. Public Arts Commission members Andrew Boks, local artist, and Lizzie Emmons, Executive Director of the Jackson Arts Council, formally presented the Arts District proposal to the City Council in April that was unanimously approved.

The Arts District in Jackson is at its formative stages and already includes many areas where the arts are currently on display and are performed. By designating a formal Arts District, the City encourages enhancement of the arts and universal access to artists and cultural arts organizations in the outlined area. The Arts District will activate an inclusive environment that will foster creativity and vitality for the City of Jackson. The area is intended to encourage new and

V O L . 8 , I S S U E 1 : J A C K S O N G R O W N • 47

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continued alliance with artists, musicians, creative organizations, events, and historic and cultural arts assets, and contribute to sustainable creativity and innovation within Jackson.

Access to the arts is critical to a healthy community. The arts are deeply ingrained into our humanity and our collective cultural experiences. Arts Districts help encourage walkability and social engagement in communities, as well as promote social equity and tolerance through mutual understanding and participation in the arts. Arts also have a significant economic impact. In the City of Jackson alone, the arts generate a total of $4.7 million in annual economic activity. Designating an official Arts District will encourage the continued economic activity by supporting adjacent businesses,

such as restaurants, lodging, recreation, and retail, as people travel to the area to participate in arts and cultural activities.

Plans are underway to promote the new Arts District and encourage continued creation of art in this area of Jackson. The Jackson City Council's establishment of the Arts District will encourage awareness and appreciation of the arts, encourage exploration of a wide variety of cultural experiences unique to the City of Jackson, enhance quality of life and quality of place, and help preserve cultural and historical assets. This act of creative placemaking in our City opens many doors to funding opportunities, partnerships, and awareness of the arts that will significantly impact our community in a positive way. • Learn more at 731arts.com.

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SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Growing Downtown Together CARD CAPITAL GP, HAVEN INSURANCE, AND HIGH POINT LOGISTICS

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As Downtown Jackson grows and expands, a group of business owners have formed a venture known as Card Capital GP to invest in continuing that growth.

In early 2020, High Point Logistics and Haven Insurance were looking for a place to locate their offices, and evaluating opportunities around the city. They chose a vacant Regions Bank building on Liberty and East Lafayette, and as they began to do business downtown, they quickly realized the many benefits, from walkability to the close-knit nature of community.

As their businesses grew, some of the other buildings around them became available at the same time, so they began purchasing the vacant buildings with the hopes of filling them with tenants.

Together, R.E. Butts, Caleb Meriwether of Haven Insurance, Adam Ferguson of High Point Logistics and Drew Shaub of Butts Foods, Inc., formed Card Capital GP. They have purchased 140,000 square feet of commercial and residential space, and what started as mostly vacant property is now over 60 percent full, with more tenants on the way.

These properties include what was previously the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, 200 East Main, 209-213 East Lafayette, and 210 East Layette, and several other properties.

For the group of investors, liv-

ing and working Downtown has motivated them to be a part of developing the community they have become immersed in.

“The idea is we are local, and we all live in this area, and we want to see these things happen downtown” Merriweather said.

It could feel risky for businesses to invest in an area that has been vacant, but Card Capital GP has seen that their tenants are happy that they did. They credit businesses like the West Tennessee Hearing & Speech Center and their Executive Director Kimberli Moore for taking these risks. They were the first tenant to commit to one of these vacant buildings.

“If you want to change something, you have to do something about it. Our tenants are doing that," Meriwether said.

“I hope that when someone comes to Jackson, the first place they look to live is downtown, midtown.”

These business owners are committed to investing in opportunities for growth for business and culture downtown.

“I think everybody wants to work in a fun location, know your neighbors, and build that sense of community — and being downtown allows you to do that. There’s a sense that we’re all in this together to build this community and create opportunities to enjoy Jackson,” Meriwether said. •

VOL. 8, ISSUE 1: JACKSON GROWN • 51

52 • O U R J A C K S O N H O M E

COMING SOON TO DOWNTOWN JACKSON

TURNTABLE COFFEE COUNTER

with LIGHT TRAP BOOKS & GREEN HAWK RECORDS

Turntable Coffee Counter will be relocating to 300 East Main Street to continue investing in the heart of Jackson by crafting drinks, collaborating with friends, employing neighbors, and building community.

Light Trap Books will also be located inside Turntable's new location. Green Hawk Records will also have a selection of records available at the shop.

HAVNER'S FRAME SHOP Havners Frame Shop will be moving Downtown to expand the shop and include an art gallery showcasing local artwork.

RESTAURANTS & RETAIL This fall, a French continental restaurant will open on weekends with reservation only indoor and outdoor seating. There will also be a storefront including both wine and a butcher shop.

V O L . 8 , I S S U E 1 : J A C K S O N G R O W N • 53

WHY HAVEN? Because Haven is an independent insurance agency, we enjoy the opportunity to customize an insurance program for you. How? By using our relationships and contracting authority with many different insurance companies, we can craft varied coverages and price points and present you with options.We evaluate your needs, gather and organize information relevant to your risks, and then work with underwriters at different insurance companies to find a program for you.

We work so that you win.

THEHAVENIP.COM 731.577.43

HIGH POINT AD

Brought to you by our neighbors.

OUR JACKSON HOME JOURNAL IS BROUGHT TO YOU THANKS TO THe MEMBERS OF THE NEIGHBORS CLUB.

Learn more

ourjacksonhome.com/Theneighborsclub

2021-2022 Neighbors UNITED WAY OF WEST TENNESEEE - PODCAST SERIES SPONSOR JACKSON MADISON COUNTY SCHOOLS - JOURNAL PARTNER TOWN & COUNTRY REALTORS - PODCAST TITLE SPONSOR JACKSON ENERGY AUTHORITY - JOURNAL SPONSOR

INDIVIDUALS KATIE & JACOB WEATHERFORD | BEN & MONICA HARRIS | DARIN HOLLINGSWORTH | ALEX RUSSELL | FRIZZELL FAMILY | THE BRAKHANES | HALEY WILDRIDGE| ROSS AND LAURA PRIDDY | ONTONI REEDY | BRANDON, CHRISTEN, AND AUGUST HARPER | JONATHAN AND DR. TERESA LITTRELL MCSWEENEY |ALLISON SHIPP & FAMILY | LOLO | THE VAN DER LINDES | COLTON & REBECCA CREASY| KEN AND CHRISTY FULLINGTON, NEST REALTY | ANDREA & EDWARD HAZLEHURST | MANDY WHITE | DR. KRISTY SHERROD | JAN AND MARIO IRIGOYEN | CHRISSY WATSON | PAUL AND EMILY TAYLOR | ALEX REED | MAYOR SCOTT CONGER | DARREN LYKES| STACEY MCADAMS | BETH ANN & ADAM SIMPSON | MEREDITH GAITLEY TRIMMER | MARK & DAWN CARLTON | LANDON & STACY PRESTON | ALLAN & JENNIFER TRENTLY | BARRY AND LINDA FULGHUM | DIANNE HOWELL | KELLI CRANE BONIFER | FRANK MCMEEN | NICOLE NEWMAN | HAYNES AND NICOLE RUSSELL

BUSINESS NEIGHBORS TURNTABLE COFFEE COUNTER | HUB CITY DELI | SYRENA’S CAFE | HUB CITY COOKIE COMPANY | ASIA GARDEN CHINESE & JAPANESE RESTAURANT | BROOKS SHAW & SON OLD COUNTRY STORE | UNITED WAY OF WEST TENNESSEE | WEST TENNESSEE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | GIVE BACK JACK BLESSING BOXES | RIFA | PERSONNEL PLACEMENTS, LLC | ODONATA COACHING & CONSULTING | HEALTH CARE PHARMACY | CPR CELL PHONE REPAIR | ADELSBERGER MARKETING AURA OF JACKSON LLC | WOODY & PEARL PHOTOGRAPHY | HCB CORPORATION | HAVEN INSURANCE PARTNERS, LLCPERSONNEL PLACEMENTS, LLC | KATIE HALE | TEAM AT TOWN AND COUNTRY REALTORS | BLUE MOON BEAUTY | CHARLES PATTERSON AND JOSEPH PATTERSON, ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW | VISIT JACKSON TENNESSEE | NEST REALTY- TRACI CARNEY AND SUZANNE DEMENT | HAVNER'S FRAME SHOP | STYLED CONCEPTS | METAL DEVASTATION RADIO | JENNIFER TRENTLY, SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR | WEST TENNESSEE BANK | GARNER BLUE SHOP | SONDER FINERY CO. | BIRDSONG DESIGN CO. | GROUNDED PLANT COMPANY | LIGHT TRAP BOOKS

Contributors IN THIS ISSUE

ANNALISE BENNETT was born and raised in Jackson TN. She graduated high school this spring and is enrolled at the University of Chattanooga where she plans on majoring in Graphic Design or Marketing. She is passionate about anything having to do with art and never leaves the house without her film camera.

LIBBIE BROWN is a wife, mother to three littles, and creator in her home.

Libbie moved to Jackson from North Texas almost 8 years ago and couldn't bring herself to leave the community she had found. She enjoys cultivating a love of learning, reading, and the outdoors with her children, as well as spending time with family and friends.

OLIVIA CHIN Originally from Medon, TN, Olivia Chin has worked in West Tennessee academic libraries for over 6 years. Her best Halloween costumes (so far) have been David

58 • O U R J A C K S O N H O M E

Bowie and Freddie Mercury. Her favorite hobbies include drinking local coffee, reading true crime novels, and going to emo concerts with her husband.

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.

COURTNEY SEARCY became the Program Director of Our Jackson Home at theCO in 2020, having contributed to OJH as a writer, photographer, and volunteer since 2015. Courtney serves as Editorin-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.

DAN O'NEAL is a self taught photographer and filmmaker. He has the artistic ability to display beauty in unexpected places.

AMANI ALSHAEF is a senior at Jackson Central-Merry Early College High School. She was raised in Detroit, Michigan but later moved to Jackson, Tennessee when she was nine years old. She enjoys spending time painting and participating in events with family and friends. She hopes to open several businesses with her mother while earning her bachelor’s degree.

BEANIE KNOTT is a freshman at Jackson Central-Merry Early College High School and is a survivor of their middle school emo phase. After moving in a giant circle across the U.S. three times, and even across the

Atlantic, in the span of eleven years, they finally settled in Jackson for good. They enjoy terrible jokes, the color red, pretending to be an old lady, and survive solely on the broke college student diet.

DAMONA POSEY is a junior at Jackson Central-Merry Early College High School. She has always loved writing poems and writing has been one of her favorite hobbies growing up. She would always have a journal with her just in case she had an idea that came to mind for her next story.

In her head, she imagines that she is a famous writer and that everything she has written has come out great.

ADDISON BROWN is a ninth grader at Jackson Central-Merry Early College High and is officially classified as an emo kid. She’s ambitious and passionate about everything she does. Throughout her life Addison has been involved in scholarly life everywhere she lived, including the poor mental health, diet, and sleep schedule.

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Growing our community, together.

CARD CAPITAL GP Growing our Community Together CARD CAPITOL