BOOM! September 2022

BOOM! COVER PROFILE

Yvette Jones-Smedley

Ageing well is maturing in wisdom gracefully, sharing what you know, and passing on the torch while it is still aglow.

This month’s cover profile is Yvette Jones-Smedley. Yvette is the Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Montgomery. Her role and leadership are a new beginning for the city as it officially tries to identify, recognize, support, and promote the diverse cultural and artistic sectors of Greater Montgomery. Many of us know that when it comes to our local culture we have a rich variety of influences, both historical and contemporary. Embracing our cultural diversity is what Yvette is shepherding so we can define “Montgomery Now” and into a better future for all of us. We recently shared some time with Yvette and getting to know her was both a joy and a pleasure. We hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as we have.

BOOM!: Please give us a brief biography, i.e., where you’re from, education, what brought you to the Montgomery area, did you raise your family here, schools, married, family, etc.?

Mother's Day with Daughter Tai

Yvette: I am a native of Montgomery, daughter of Gilbert Jones (decd) and Dorothy Posey Jones, and the second born of five siblings; three sisters and one brother, Donna, Rodney, Sheila, and Karen. We were a singing family known as the 5J’s, before the Jackson 5! We sang a lot of socials and benefits from the time my baby sister was about 4 years old. We all attended parochial school at St. John Elementary and St. Jude Catholic High School. I married while still in college at the University of Louisville, then we soon moved to Birmingham, where I continued working in community theatre as both an actor and director with various theaters also doing industrial film work.

My work earned me recognition as the first African American to win an Obelisk award for acting from Birmingham Regional Arts Commission (BRAC) for my

February 1988 my daughter Tai-Kristin Siobhan was born and I founded the Aldridge Repertory Theatre that October. My daughter was the greater labor of love. In

role of Sylvia in Two Gentlemen from Verona. I finished my undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. In

Celebrating Tai's Birthday

1989 I joined Actors Equity, Inc. As a member of the company at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF) I was the first African American on the stage as a professional actor in the role of Gower in Pericles Prince of Tyre under the direction of Martin Platt, founder of ASF. In 1997 I earned

my Master’s in Theatre Management and Arts Administration. The graduate degree program brought me back to Montgomery because the curriculum required 9 months in Tuscaloosa managing the administration for the BFA Theatre and Dance Programs and then 15 months of residency at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. After graduate school, because arts administrative jobs were scarce, I went back to the stage performing for two seasons at ASF. I then became an adjunct professor of Theatre at both Auburn University Montgomery and Alabama State University. Then in 2005 accepted the position of Performing Arts Program Manager with the Alabama State Council on the Arts, where I remained until January 2021.

My daughter, who was in the third grade when I returned to Montgomery in grad school, attended Resurrection Catholic School, BTW Magnet High School in the Musical Theatre Magnet program, graduated with a BFA in Opera Theatre from the University of Kentucky, spent

Yvette & Tai, Beach Tme for the Girls

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the next 7 years at the Disney World-Animal Kingdom in the role of Kibbi in Festival of the Lion King where she met her husband Nathan Cade Bestick. They married on 10/10/2020 (pandemic) and in February 2022 they give me my first grandchild Judah Cade Bestick.

Yvette sharing a precious moment with grandson, Judah

BOOM!: You are the Director of the Cultural Affairs Department for the City of Montgomery. The title sounds like a new way to approach our local arts community. Please share how you became the director of the Cultural Affairs Department and what its mission and purposes are. How would you describe what “Cultural Affairs” are for the city? How would you describe the food scene in Montgomery?

Yvette: The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) was created based on a recommendation from the 2020 Reed Administration Transition Team's Arts and Entertainment Committee. I learned about the position during that summer and applied, then after several interviews, I was offered the position in December of 2020 and began on January 8, 2021. The mission of DCA is to help identify, recognize, support,

Grandson Judah

and promote the diverse cultural and artistic sectors of Greater Montgomery. The department has taken the charge to equitably engage, enlighten and elevate a diverse and inclusive arts and cultural community through a curated series of performances, community engagements, and strategic cultural collaborations. Although this may sound like it is a new approach, I would argue that point, based on original documents of incorporation and city council proclamation calling the Arts Council of Montgomery into being, and organizing documents for the founding of the Armory Arts and Learning Center. The only difference here is that the Reed administration, in response to the recommendations from the Transition Team, saw fit to put adequate structure in place with the qualified personnel to develop appropriate strategies to meet the objectives. Through these endeavors, DCA recognizes and celebrates culture as the benevolent customs and traditions of kindred peoples and communities throughout Montgomery that inspire, inform, and ignite our vocational, intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual pursuits.

The food scene in Montgomery is as diverse as the population. DCA celebrates this diversity with activities designed to bring attention to our food culture including the Iron Skillet, Iron Wok, and Wooden Spatula contest. DCA involves food trucks

at all of our public events, and we have begun planning collaborations with the Curb Market on Madison Avenue.

BOOM!: Before your new position with the City of Montgomery you have been fully immersed in the arts world, as a professional actor, program director for The Alabama Arts Council and many other roles. Would you please share with our readers why the arts are an important part of the quality of life in Alabama and its cities?

Yvette: I personally believe that the arts are a win-win situation no matter where you are in the world. For example, when you attend a sporting event, you go

Tai-Kristin with Husband Nate and their son Judah

there (player or fan) wishing, wanting, and expecting somebody/team to get whipped. On the other hand, no one attends an arts event wishing, wanting, or expecting anyone to drop a line, miss a cue, or a dance step. Further in the arts, there is a mutual appreciation for the role that everyone who is involved plays. The performers appreciate the audience members, and the audience is there to enjoy the performances of the players. I might add these two basic elements of visual and performing arts are interdependent, teaching us to respect and value the roles we all play on the global stage as we interact as human beings. Finally, this culture of mutual respect creates an environment

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that encourages everyone to operate at maximum capacity for the good of the many.

BOOM!: In the arts community what have been some of your favorite roles/ jobs? Most rewarding experience?

Yvette: I enjoy directing, particularly working with youth. I believe that if you have 15 minutes of a child’s time then you should be imparting life-giving observations into their lives, sharing something that helps them on their journey of authentic self-discovery, and that improves their association with others. I am a big picture person, so organizing, planning, and staffing appropriately to create these healthy environments is very rewarding. Overall the most rewarding experience is when the plan you have worked on comes together and everyone involved goes away changed for the better.

My favorite roles off stage are Momma, Grandma, and daughter to my 92-yearold Momma. Favorite roles on stage include Lena Younger in A Raisin In The Sun, Gower in Pericles Prince of Tyre, and Sarah Louise Delany in Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters First 100 Years.

BOOM!: In your experience what can we do to encourage young people to explore the world of arts?

Yvette: We can create settings where young people can be introduced/exposed

Yvette & Mommie after church

Yvette: I like spending time with my family and friends outside at picnics, and barbeques around the pool or on the beach.

Being a mom these many years has been great, but life got really grand when my grandson was born!

to an array of traditional and nontraditional art forms. Then we can provide the young with environments where they may feel safe to explore the range of their artistic talent(s) consistently.

BOOM!: With a busy life, how do you like to spend time with family and friends? Describe your experience as a mother and grandmother? Tell us about your grandbaby, does he have a name for you yet?

Tai-Kristin, her husband Nathan, and Judah live in Minnesota. I was privileged to be there when Judah came home from

Yvette with Mother, Daughter, Sisters, Nieces playing all her favorite roles off stage

the hospital and I got to hold him for the first time. My maternal Grandma Tena Mae Posey, we called her Mamma Tee, used to always speak of tears of joy, and I have had a few in my day, but nothing like the volume of tears I shed holding him that day. We do a lot of Facetime because of the distance. But so far I’ve spent about 50 days with him since February despite the distance. He’s doing a lot of baby talk right now, but it sounded like he said Grandmommie about two weeks ago, so we’re going with that for now.

BOOM!: What are some of your favorite travel experiences? Favorite vacation spot? Any travel dreams planned?

Yvette: I loved visiting Disney World when Tai-Kristin was working there, and being in Florida, we visited a beach or two as an extra getaway. I enjoy New York, Tanglewood (Pittsville, MA), Seattle, San Jose, and Cancun (Yucatan peninsula). I want to visit the Redwood Forest in San Francisco. I love trees! I climbed a lot of them as a child.

Parents Dorothy and Gilbert make 60th Anniversary Toast in 3013 at home with family.

BOOM!: Do you have time to be involved in community, civic or church activities?

Yvette: I was fairly active before covid-19. Not so much now, but that is because the DCA position keeps me hopping with events. I really enjoy church activities, and look forward to that picking back up.

BOOM!: How do you like to relax and wind down from a full day of activity?

Yvette: Honestly, peace and quiet does it for me, but it takes a few hours of that to completely unwind from the day. I’ve created what I call my shesanctuary at home, so once I’ve had something to eat,

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I hang out there till bedtime. I choose not to watch network TV after hours, so if I have the television on its usually something that is not challenging our humanity, like National Geographic. Recently, my favorite way to unwind is watching Judah discover his world.

BOOM!: What is it about living in the Montgomery/River Region area that you like? What do we need more of?

Yvette: What I like about living in Montgomery is that it is full of opportunities, and it is relatively easy to connect with folk who can help make things happen. We have a rich and complex history in Montgomery, but the full story has yet to be told. I see this as an opportunity for young and old alike to come together and share with accuracy who Montgomery is now. We need more green space downtown. We need more arts programs for our youth.

BOOM!: As you’ve aged, how have your priorities changed? How would you describe what it means to “age well”?

Acting Head Shot of Daughter Tai, and Acting Head Shot of Yvette, 28 years apart

Yvette has Loved Trees Since She was a Little Girl

Yvette: When I was younger my priorities were tied to my endeavor to leave something behind that spoke truth to power about our humanity by providing an opportunity for individuals to transact cultural and artistic business with accuracy in an accountable fashion. I thought to do this with the founding of Art, Inc. Today it is the oldest African American Theatre organization in Alabama, Tuskegee Repertory Theater is the second oldest. Being seasoned by age and experience, I find my priorities have not changed. I still desire above all that truth be the currency of our transactions with one another. Although I realize that truth without graciousness may sometimes be harsh, I still feel that this can be accomplished through the creative community.

Ageing well is maturing in wisdom gracefully, sharing what you know, and passing on the torch while it is still aglow.

BOOM!: Give us three words that describe you?

Yvette: Methodical-Meticulous- Considerate

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BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or other activities that grab your attention?

Yvette: Hobbies I enjoy include putting together large-scale puzzles, reading, swimming, road trips, and learning more about operating systems.

BOOM!: What are some of the

Yvette with "My Shot" Cast at 2017 Celebration of the Arts Award future challenges you’re contemplating for the Department of Cultural Affairs? For yourself?

Yvette: DCA: Networking effectively for the greater good of the many. Maintaining consistency in quality experiences across DCA programming. But with these challenges will come the greatest rewards.

Personally: Trying to make the 900+ miles between Alabama and Minnesota seem not that far in the coming months and years.

BOOM!: Many people, as they age, experience a renewed sense of purpose, new goals, etc. How would you describe this sense of renewal in your life? Any advice for the rest of us seeking renewal? What are your thoughts on retirement?

Yvette: This position as DCA with the city has not perhaps renewed my goals, as much as it has given me an operating system (DCA) wherein I can go all out in pursuit of my goals. When I finished grad school I wrote a vison and mission statement for myself. The short version is as follows:

To live as a good steward of my time, talent, treasure, and temple and to be able to use my formal and practical training and natural administrative and artistic gifts in some altruistic endeavor for the uplift of my fellow man. Its working!

2019 "Bring It On" Cast at the Celebration of Arts

Department of Cultural Affairs Team

Yvette received 2022 Marian Gallaway Award

For those seeking renewal of purpose: If you have been purpose-driven then stay the course, the renewal station is built into your calling/journey.

On Retirement: I don’t know about anyone else, but I feel like for this season in my life I’m on an assignment from my creator for everything, and just like He gave me the assignment, He will release me when it is time to retire.

We want to thank Yvette for sharing someof her life's story with us this month. Besure and let her know you read her storyin BOOM! Also, as you seek new things todo in the city like special events, concerts,museums, etc., think about our culture andit's value to the quality of life for all of us. Ifyou want to reach out to Yvette, email her atyjones-smedley@montgomeryal.gov . If youhave questions, comments, or suggestionsabout our cover profiles, includingnominating someone, please text them toJim Watson at 334.324.3472 or email themto jim@riverregionboom.com.

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