Sojourn, Spring 2020

SOJOURN SPRING 2020

F RO M T H E E D I TO R

I’ve always been astounded by the storytelling power of photos. Flip through an old scrapbook or stop and view the gallery wall in someone’s home and you’ll start to feel like you can time-travel. As the shutter of a camera opens and closes, time seems to stand still. Then, as we look back on those memories, we can go back almost instantaneously and experience the moment all over again in our imaginations as if it happened yesterday.

Throughout this publication, you’ll see our theme of servant-hearted leaders come to life. Each photo essay bears a story of individuals in the Birmingham community who are making a difference in the lives of those around them.

With so many troubling headlines constantly circulating the media, we wanted to shine a light on the good that is alive and well in our city. The

leaders in these stories are humble, generous and kind, and you’ll likely never see their names in the news, but they are here — living and working and serving the people in our community.

So, as you immerse yourself in the pages that follow, let me encourage you to use your imagination to look beyond what’s on the printed page. Try to imagine the moment the shutter opened and closed on the subjects you see and use your mind’s eye to “see” what’s not on the page — the heart of each person and the stories of the people they’ve come to know and love.

The stories are many, and I wish we could all sit down and hear them together over a good cup of coffee. But for now, here are some photos, some snapshots of frozen time. Use your imagination, and you’ll be surprised at the stories you take in.

—Kaitlyn Baker Editor-in-Chief

MEET T H E S TA F F ME R E DI T H B E C K A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R Meredith is from Franklin, Tenn. She’s a senior, studying Print Journalism with a minor in Spanish. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in communications for a non-profit ministry. She currently works two internships as both a design intern for Keeping the Creativity and a development intern for Lifeline Children’s Services. Her passions include ethical orphan care, layout design and community engagement.

SA RA H KATE BENNET T PHOTO EDITOR Sarah Kate is a junior at Samford University from Nashville, Tenn. She is pursuing a degree in Journalism & Mass Communication, with a double concentration in Public Relations and Advertising. She is also the treasurer of Samford Public Relations Student Society of America. She has loved every minute of her Samford JMC experience!

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ASPIRE MOVEMENT

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D E S E R T I S L A N D S U P P LY C O .

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K U LT U R E C I T Y

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MCWANE SCIENCE CEN TER

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RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE

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SEEDS COFFEE CO.

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SOZO THRIF T

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UNITED ABILITY

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Photo by Abigail McCarter Cover photo by Clare Weigel

THE A SPI R E MOV E M E N T BY: ZOE PORTIS The Aspire Movement is a faith-based mentorship program for at-risk youth in Sayre, Ala. I work for this organization and help tutor kids every Tuesday and Thursday. The neighborhood these kids live in is very rough, and many of them come in discouraged, so me and my coworkers are here to encourage them. The Aspire Movement’s mission is to “[equip] mentors to develop and deploy leaders through mutually transforming relationships.”

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DE SE RT I SL A N D SU PPLY CO. BY: CLARE WEIGEL The old pharmacy corner store in the Woodlawn neighborhood houses shelves full of colorful books and poems on retro floor tiles and brick walls. Atop the shelves behind the desk there are old bottles with messages in them, as if they were once washed ashore. The afternoon light spills through the nautically inspired space with fishing, sailing, and diving motifs all around. The former pharmacy is now the Desert Island Supply Company (DISCO).

DISCO is a non-profit that is a part of the Woodlawn Writer’s Corporation. The corporation works with students in district schools on creative writing workshops. Executive Director Brian Connel and Assistant Program Director Emily Weiss are dedicated staff who work hard to encourage and help students cultivate creative thinking skills. Volunteers from lo-

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cal universities also come in and work with the kids.

Each year there is a new theme, and the poems and other works written by students are compiled into collections. Within the books are stories that surpass the years of these talented individuals and resonate with all who read them.

In addition to the creative writing workshops, DISCO also provides after-school workshops at the Woodlawn location. The program began in 2012 with just 70 students and has now increased to over 700.

“It’s the same students week in and week out, and in that way, we develop our program, they develop their knowledge about writing and English and poetry, and they also develop a catalogue of their own work,” Brian Connel said

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KU LT U R E CI T Y BY: CARSON HUNGERFORD Kulture City is an organization that is changing accessibility to create inclusion in all types of environments. For many people living with disabilities, it is difficult to find inclusive environments. That’s where Kulture City comes in.

By using technology, they have found ways to improve communication between the individual and the community. This organization is also creating spaces referred to as “sensory inclusive” spac-

es that allow families to attend large events, such as concerts and sporting events, without fear of it being too overwhelming for individuals living with a disability. These spaces often include bags with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget toys, and other items that can assist these individuals.

Emma Holcomb has been a volunteer with Kulture City for a couple of years now, and she loves getting to interact with the families.

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MC WA N E SCI E NCE CE N T E R BY: ABIGAIL MCCARTER

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RONA L D MCDONA L D HOUSE B Y : TAY L O R PAT T E R S O N In this series of photos, the beauty and servant-hearted roots of Ronald McDonald House Charities is displayed. RMHC is an amazing charity that provides room and board for families with children who have illnesses that cause them to be in the hospital for an extended period of time.

These photos were taken the week after Thanksgiv-

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ing, when students from Vestavia Hills High School and women from a local church in Birmingham came to volunteer. The high schoolers provided ornaments and decorations for families to decorate, and the women provided a home-cooked meal. In these photos, you can get a feel for what a normal night at RMHC looks like through the eyes of the amazing volunteers that make RMHC what it is.

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SE E DS COF F E E CO. BY: L AUREN CARE Y & SUSANNE MCCRARY Located in Homewood, Ala., Seeds Coffee Company is a non-profit cafe serving coffee, tea and snacks. All of their products are ethically sourced, and they focus on maintaining relationships with all of their vendors.

As it reads on their website, they “strive to tell the story of the EARTH, the SEED, the FARMER, the

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CULTURE, the story of COFFEE.” The entire process matters to Seeds, and all their proceeds go right back into it. Their profits go toward helping to end the unethical retrieval of coffee beans and the poor treatment of workers in third world countries. Aside from their great tasting coffee and inspiring mission, Seeds offers a homey, nostalgic location and friendly staff.

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SOZO T R A DI NG CO. BY: DREW WEHRY Every successful small business or nonprofit is run by special people who devote their time and effort to providing a unique experience for the people they serve. Norma, Rebecca and Joy at Sozo Trading Co. in downtown Birmingham easily fall under the category of special people.

They were so kind and eager to help. They let me in on the fun they have as they laughed and joked with one another.

Norma enjoys working on the display mannequins, Rebecca likes to work directly with people and help the customers, and Joy likes to help organize the special “halo” display items.

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Sozo works to provide jobs and aid for people in Uganda, but their focus is not limited to the land across the Atlantic. They also partner with nonprofits in the Birmingham area.

The Greek word “sozo” can mean to protect or keep safe. Everyone involved with Sozo Trading is working very hard to keep others safe by empowering them to succeed on their own. It is comforting to know that there are organizations like Sozo who are seeking to bring about real change in our world today and people like Norma, Rebecca and Joy without whom it would be impossible.

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U N I T E D A BI L I T Y B Y : C A R O L I N E B E N N E T T, M A D I S O N C H A M B E R S & K A S E Y S T R O U T Formerly known as UCP of Greater Birmingham, United Ability has impacted the lives of people all around the greater Birmingham community for more than 71 years. Through providing innovative services and connections to the community, United Ability strives to equip those who have unique abilities with the means to live lives of purpose.

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VA P OR T H R I F T B Y : H A N N A H S E A S E & L A U R E N PA S H L E Y Vapor Thrift Store is a nonprofit charitable organization in Birmingham, Ala., that has not only a local impact on our community but also a global impact on the world. The thrift store is part of Vapor Ministries, which works to alleviate poverty and make disciples throughout third world countries. Vapor Thrift Stores partners with local churches and organizations to work toward this goal of helping impoverished communities. This ministry is founded on Christian principles and is focused on spreading the gospel through their charity work. They show the love of Christ by serving the poor and seeking to break cycles of poverty.

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147 T E A M BY: ROBERT BURKE 147 TEAM is an organization close to my heart. Their mission is to help children and families in need in the United States. They have a few projects they do to accomplish this. One is Second Mile, where they provide kids with clothing, hygiene products and school supplies. Another is called Just for Kicks, where they give free shoes to kids in need. The project I participated in involved families giving away things they no longer need to people who need it more. It was an awesome experience to give things to people who were so grateful for things many take for granted.

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