The Local, Volume 4, Number 1

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LOCAL V O L U M E F O U R | V O L U M E T H R E E

I S S U E O N E | I S S U E O N E

samford.edu

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Students from 44 states and 30 countries

#

in Alabama

13:1 student-to-faculty ratio

50

#

private university in the U.S. for value and affordability

—Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Best Value top college for employment of graduates —Educate to Career

—The Wall Street Journal

51,926 alumni worldwide

96

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#

nationally for student engagement —The Wall Street Journal

One of the nation’s premier Christian univerities -College Choice

undergraduate alumni are % ofworking or in further study

Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution/Employer.

within six months of graduation

EDITOR’S NOTE Birmingham has stories to tell. Its doors are open, dining room tables are crowded, and bellies are full. Some would define that as a southern kind of hospitality — one that welcomes any and all, stranger or friend, foreigner or local. Although not all who visit are here to stay, they leave a bit more encouraged than when they came.

Birmingham draws people in and sends them out. This spring’s Local is about the cultures, issues and individuals hosted by Birmingham. Our stories follow the impact the city has on the narratives of her people, and the impact our narratives have on Birmingham. These narratives highlight the give-and-take of a place and its inhabitants — the come and go of tradition, recreation and seasons. We are all storytellers of some kind, but here at the Local, we tell stories in the hopes of painting a more robust picture of the influence a community can have on the world.

Birmingham may be defined by her county lines, roadways and neighborhoods, but

her people are not confined to those spaces.

This issue of The Local consists of stories of past and present Birmingham locals who cross boundaries, mesh cultures and create change locally and globally. Our staff goes beyond the lines to report these stories. For me personally, the stories I sought brought me as far as the Appalachian Trail and as close as Birmingham’s community gardens.

These stories, and the others, show a bit of what has been and what can be locally grown.

Birmingham grows one bit of culture, one discussed issue, and one defined individual at a time. The Local wants to tell stories that start a conversation over a cup of coffee, or get readers on their feet. We hope this issue uncovers a bit of the truth for you, connects you with this city in a practical way and inspires you to get outside or host a dinner party.

Emily Frazier Editor-in-Chief

THE LOCAL | 1

WhiteRoom_AWM2019REV3.indd 1

10/27/18 3:54 PM

DETAILS PUBLISHER Clay Carey

EDITOR -INCHIEF Emily Frazier

DIGITAL TEAM DIGITAL EDITOR

Baylor Cook DEPUTY DIGITAL EDITOR

William Marlow AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Haley Joe Febrey

DESIGN TEAM DESIGN DIRECTOR

Catherine Payne DEPUTY DESIGN DIRECTOR

Caroline Wolfe PHOTO EDITOR

Anna Reeves McCutcheon

MANAGING EDITOR Carly Norman

COPY TEAM COPY CHIEF

Kathryn Jordan DEPUTY COPY CHIEF

Hannah Looper INSTAGRAM @the_local_bham THANKS Carol Guthrie Bernie Ankney

MISSION STATEMENT The Local exists to serve the Birmingham community through explorative storytelling about issues, individuals and culture in an effort to uncover, connect, and inspire.

COVER WE Garden manager Myron Pierre affectionately tends to this spring’s parsley. Story on page 35. Photo by Emily Frazier.

“I realized that there was a challenge in the community to eat healthy food and so we wanted to get it to where the available land in the underserved communities would be utilized for that purpose.”

The Local is an annual magazine published by students at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The stories and photographs that appear in The Local are produced by students in Samford University’s print and online journalism practicum programs. The views expressed in The Local do no necessarily reflect the views of the staff or of Samford University. Samford University is an Equal Opportunity Institution and welcomes applications for employment regardless of race, color, age, sex, disability, or national or ethic origin.

DOWNTOWN WEST END

CONTENTS SHADES CREST BLUFF PARK

Beginnings 07 08 11 14 16

Bib & Tucker

Sew-op opens doors & brings people together | AVONDALE

24 Hours in Birmingham Against the Wind

Culture 21

Changing dynamics between religions one meal at a time | SHADES CREST

24

Birmingham sailing club builds community | LAKE LOGAN MARTIN

Q&A with opera singer Hunter Enoch | AVONDALE

4 | THE LOCAL

A Place of Diverse Theology Birmingham Theological Seminary works to “break down walls” | BRIARWOOD

Zoe’s in Forest Park Behind the Curtain

Blessed are the Peacemakers

26

Five Loaves, One Heart United at the table |

WOODLAWN

H W

WOODLAWN LAKE LOGAN MARTIN

RUFFNER MOUNTAIN AVONDALE FOREST HOME- PARK WOOD

VESTAVIA HILLS

BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA 33.5186° N, 86.8104° W

MONTGOMERY

Issues

Individuals

32

Fighting Mental Illness

46

Un-Believing

35

Hunger Pangs

52

The Mindfulness Map

One patient at a time | WOODLAWN

Food deserts and who’s addressing them | WEST END, WOODLAWN, HOMEWOOD

42

Will Alabama Go for a Lottery?

Will they get it done? | MONTGOMERY

58

The adventures of a woman who didn’t take no for an answer | ASHEVILLE, HOMEWOOD The Enneagram

Bringing Back Precious Memories One bite at a time |

60

DOWNTOWN

Going Beyond the Sidelines

How an ESPN reporter transformed a tragedy into helping her community | BIRMINGHAM THE LOCAL | 5

Samford.edu/Arts-and-Sciences

@HowardCollegeSU

Journalism and Mass Communication Department Offering programs in:

Public Relations Advertising Journalism

Broadcasting Sports Media Film Production

Follow us on social media @Samford JMC

B

By Caroline Wolfe ib & Tucker Sew-Op, located on Fifth Avenue South in Avondale, aims to create an environment where individuals of any age can learn to sew and single parents can support themselves through textile manufacturing.

The nonprofit hosts a variety of programming, including workshops, Tuesday morning sewing sessions and a program called Magic City Seams Jr. for high schoolers who are interested in fashion design. “Alabama has a rich quilting history. Scholars believe that it’s very possible that African quilting traditions were passed on here. In an era when STEM takes over the conversation, sewing is a vital art form,” Viola Ratcliffe, program manager, said. For more information, visit bibandtuckersewop.org.

From top left to bottom: Pinning a quilt together; a program participant hard at work; Viola Ratcliffe, project manager, in her office.

Photos by Caroline Wolfe.

THE LOCAL | 7

24 HRS AFTERNOON

MORNING

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tart your morning off right with Big Bad Breakfast, one of Birmingham’s beloved breakfast places. From their grandmother’s chicken salad plate to their specialty huevos rancheros grits bowl, BBB serves up classic comfort plates with a spin. “Big Bad Breakfast is my favorite restaurant in Birmingham. It’s the best breakfast I’ve ever had and a super-fun environment,” said Birmingham resident Bethany Blount. For other palate-pleasing places in Birmingham, make sure to stop by First Watch in Vestavia Hills or Over Easy and Holler and Dash in Homewood with their Southern-style biscuits.

Photo by Hannah Looper

8 | THE LOCAL

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pringtime in Alabama is the perfect season for hiking on a good walking trail. With its 1,040 acres of trails on beautifully preserved land, Ruffner Mountain is the perfect space to enjoy nature on a sunny day. The 12-mile hike is perfect for trail runners or hikers and includes remnants of a mining past along with several outlooks providing views of downtown Birmingham. Whether you’re looking for a casual hike or just a place to enjoy and absorb nature, Ruffner Mountain is an ideal location. Oak Mountain State Park is another popular trail in Birmingham. Only 22 miles from downtown, it has more than 50 trails to choose from. Grab your backpack and water bottle and hit the trails!

Photo by Emily Frazier

in BHM DINNER

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eated on a beautiful overlook, Tip Top Grill provides the perfect sunset view and some of the best burgers in Birmingham. Because of its location and its incredible view, this restaurant is also a popular place to take photos. Feast both your belly and your eyes at this beautiful burger joint. Looking for more diverse eateries? Next time you’re in town, try Saw’s Barbecue, a holein-the-wall barbecue joint in Homewood, Wasabi Juan’s sushi burritos in Hoover or Melt in Avondale, which offers a classic twist on comfort food.

Photo by Hannah Looper

DESSERT

B

ig Spoon Creamery, located in Avondale, has some of the tastiest ice cream in Birmingham.

With unique flavors likes chocolate rum brownie, coffee whipped cream, malted fudge, salted caramel and caramel glass, you are sure to try something new. “Big Spoon Creamery is always such a fun place to go with your friends. The ice cream flavors are always one-of-a-kind and the staff is so helpful and friendly. I like going there on weekends, or just when I’m craving an ice cream fix,” said Allison Taylor, a student at Samford University. There are many other places to satisfy your sweet tooth in Birmingham. Edgewood Creamery on Oxmoor Road boasts several years of homestyle ice ream service. Looking for something different? You can also try Steel City Pops gourmet popsicles in Homewood, off Highway 280 or in the Summit.

Photo by Hannah Looper THE LOCAL | 9

1700 Lakeshore Ridge, Birmingham, AL, 35211 www.lakeshoreridgeapts.com

Lease Today!

(205) 942-9191

1200 Oaks Drive, Birmingham, AL, 35209

(205) 942-9366 \\ http://www.oaksatlakeshore.com/

Against theWind

Birmingham Sailing Club builds camaraderie

By Caroline Wolfe

E

xit the highway and drive 12 miles of winding country roads past Pell City to find the Birmingham Sailing Club on Lake Logan Martin. The Birmingham Sailing Club (BSC), established in 1963, is a private club that hosts a variety of events, including Sunday races, invitational regattas with other clubs across the southeast, a children’s junior sailing program and an adult Learn to Sail course.

Remington Garfield, a junior JMC major, started racing sailboats about 4 years ago on the Texas coast and joined the Birmingham Sailing Club after moving to Birmingham. “I’ve learned a lot from BSC about lake sailing and thistle sailboats, which is a different type of boat than I am used to. I would definitely recommend learning to sail to almost anyone,” he said. “It is truly a lifelong sport and the Birmingham Sailing Club is always looking for extra crew. It is a great way to sail without having to own your own boat.”

12 | THE LOCAL

Previous page: Out to sail on Lake Logan Martin. From left: A boat tied up at dock; sailing into Sunday afternoon light at Lake Logan Martin; Bill North of Birmingham Sailing Club poses while docking his MC Scow; view from a launch boat overlooking the racecourse. Photos by Caroline Wolfe.

Zoe’s in Forest Park Photo essay by Anna Reeves McCutcheon

One day in 1998, Deborah Fulton went shopping for a dress and bought a store instead. She received her Master’s in counseling from The University of Alabama at Birmingham, but traded an office with a chaise lounge for a little building with a 1970’s era couch decked in a woolly chevron blanket. All of this for an untraditional means of counseling individualistic shoppers with an affinity for retro pieces that keep their stories in the stitches.

Previous page: Ornate vintage gowns cascade across a back wall.

Clockwise from top left: The shop front from across the street; A late 90s Laser Jukebox decorates the entryway; A sequined display; Crates of records line the floor; A row of quirky ballgowns gracing the ceiling; Zoe’s branded store-front; An eclectic selection of furniture and novelties; A display of bottoms from the 1980s and 1990s; A poster-decked dressing room.

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Behind the Curtain Q & A with Hunter Enoch, freelance opera singer

By Caroline Wolfe

H

unter Enoch is a freelance opera singer. He sang the role of Baron Scarpia in Opera Birmingham's March 2019 performance of "Tosca." This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Q: Why did you become an opera singer?

A: I decided to become a singer when I was in high school. I was in a professional boys’ choir. We did an opera, and I felt like this is where my voice belongs.

Q: What do you enjoy about your job?

A: I enjoy the music, first and foremost. If you read (an opera) on paper, you never would have understood the emotional depth or the way they’re trying to portray the violence or the love; singing it elevates it to a different level. On top of that, it’s also gratifying to act and be a part of something artistic. It’s fulfilling in a way that other work I’ve done is not.

Q: What is something people don’t know about the life of an opera singer?

A: I think there are a lot of things people don’t know about it. One thing that I think surprises people is the traveling aspect of it. Most of the time when I’m performing, I’m nowhere close to my family. People are very surprised at the instability of the job. My schedule changes every single day.

16 | THE LOCAL

Q: What does a typical week look like?

A: It depends. If I’m on contract, it’s usually 6 hour rehearsals, in 3 hour chunks. Dress rehearsal is usually in the evening. Whenever I’m not in a production, I’m usually spending the same amount of time learning the music, and coaching (with someone) who’ll help you hone the character, because you want to be good to go on your first day of work.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who thinks they want to become an opera singer?

A: It’s an incredibly tricky, competitive field. You have to be away from your family and friends, maybe move to another country or another part of the country, and, when you’re in the younger phases of your career, you don’t get paid a lot. It’s hard to pursue something and make sacrifices if you don’t love it and know it’s something you really want to do. There are so many great things about being an opera singer. It’s a life that’s filled with blessings and sacrifices.

Above: Jennifer McGuire accompanies at rehearsal.

Right: Karen Slack and Noah Stewart rehearse for their roles as Floria Tosca and Mario Cavaradossi in Opera Birmingham's March production of "Tosca." Photos by Caroline Wolfe.

Culture

“The fellowship among city leaders and students found at the Five Loaves table is just a foretaste of the unity to come.�

THE LOCAL | 19

Chi Omega Z E T A

Z E T A

partnering with

since 2000

‘Blessed are the Peace makers’ How to change dynamics between religions, one meal at a time

By Kathryn Jordan

A

ccording to Pew Research, Baptists make up 31 percent of adults in Alabama, while Muslims make up less than 1 percent. But that less than 1 percent is concentrated and growing. In fact, The Association of Religion Data Archives did not even list Islam as existent in Jefferson County in 1980 or 1990. Between 2000 and 2010, there was an 83.3 percent jump in growth, the largest one second only to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Meanwhile, there was a 5.6 percent drop in the Southern Baptist community in Jefferson County.

Four years ago, Rob Bensinger, a Southern Baptist, came to the realization that he did not know any Muslims, and the idea for 5:9 Ministries was born. The numbers are thew reference to a verse in the Gospel

of Matthew, which reads, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Alongside his wife, Ginny, and Jase and Elizabeth Vann, Bensinger aims to rebuild bridges between the Christian and Muslim communities in Birmingham.

The mission statement of the organization is “to promote peace and build bridges between the Muslim and Christian communities through interfaith dialogue and interaction, for the overall good of our culture, and also to teach Christians how to engage in interfaith dialogue.”

This statement has proved true through many events throughout the year, from breaking Ramadan fast to basketball games to live nativity visits, and every quarter there is a Lunch and Learn event, where people of both faiths can discuss common themes in their respective scriptures, such as justice, law and sacrifice.

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Attendance to these events gained more traction when Vann and Bensinger were interviewed as a part a sermon at Shades Mountain Baptist Church in the fall of 2018. John Keyton attended this sermon and is now a regular supporter of 5:9 Ministries.

“I heard Jase and Rob speak at Live Sent Sunday, and I knew them from men’s ministry events, and after that service, I said ‘Sign me up, when is your next Lunch and Learn?’” Keyton said.

At these quarterly events, Southern Baptists and Muslims mix freely, talking about everything from sports to work to the perks of staying home for college. Shades Mountain Baptist Church and the Hoover Crescent Islamic Center alternate in hosting the events. Each group gets 20 minutes to talk about the topic in their respective scriptures. Who gets to present first?

“Home team bats first,” said Bensinger.

Bensinger and Vann present a slide show on the topic from a Baptist perspective while Sameh Asal, imam from the Hoover Crescent Islamic Center, presents a similar presentation from the Islamic perspective. Afterward, people can text in questions anonymously for a Q&A session for clarification from Bensinger, Vann and Asal.

Some of the best conversations about faith, however, are not happening during the presentations or Q&A, but in between sessions or at the lunch afterward.

“People sometimes ask me what I think about ISIS, and it’s a striking question, it’s like asking a Christian what they think of the KKK,” said Ream Shoreibah, a marketing professor at Birmingham-Southern College. “But I’d rather have them ask those questions to my face than behind my back. I want to be part of the conversation.”

And that is exactly what takes place at events with 5:9 Ministries- people become a part of each other’s conversations. Stereotypes are called out and narratives are exposed.

Her husband, Dr. Mohamed Shoreibah, agreed.

“When people think about Islam, they think dictatorships and other countries that claim to 22 | THE LOCAL

be ruled by Islamic Law, which are actually quite corrupt and a big part of the problem,” he said. “But we’re in more places.” Dr. Shoreibah was born in Egypt, having moved to the United States in 2001.

Why did he fall in love with the States?

“One of the reasons I fell in love with the States was democracy and freedom. The pillars of that are freedom of the press and the rule of law those are missing in many countries of the world.” He beamed with pride at his daughter Nada, a senior in high school and aspiring journalist. “And I’m so proud my daughter can be a part of that here.”

Despite the near hour of teaching from the Bible and the Quran, what people take away from the events are these conversations in between, the sharing of human experiences common to people of any and all religion: sickness and health, achievements and discouragements.

“I’d rather have them ask those questions to my face than behind my back. I want to be part of the conversation.”

Respectful discourse is shared followed by discussions on how to improve the community and how to best help those in need.

The importance of food, the substance that is essential to life, is undeniable in many faiths, but especially to Christianity and Islam. So the sharing of a meal between different communities, two that have been considered contentious in the greater narrative of history, is a beautiful image of the exchange Vann and Bensinger promote throughout the ministry.

In a place as diverse as Birmingham, complete unity is not feasible. But, as Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar once said, “Even if a unity of faith is not possible, a unity of love is.” That unity of love is what Vann and Bensinger hope to achieve with 5:9 Ministries.

But first, there is lunch.

Previous page: A meal is shared amongst the two communities at each Lunch and Learn event Top: The April 2019 Lunch and Learn took place at Hoover Crescent Islamic Center.

Bottom: Jase Vann (left) and his wife Elizabeth (right) helped start the nonprofit 5:9 Ministries Photos courtesy of Clare Weigel.

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A Place of Diverse Theology Birmingham theological seminary works to “break down walls”

By Hannah Looper

A

s I sat down with Ike Reeder, president of Birmingham Theological Seminary, in a busy coffee shop, the conversation proved to be as rich as the brew we sipped.

Reeder, son of Harry Reeder, Senior Pastor at Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham has been the president of Birmingham Theological Seminary (BTS) since April 1, 2018. As we spoke, he painted a picture and vision of the seminary that emphasized diversity, outreach and community.

BTS was founded in 1972 by Frank Barker, Pastor Emeritus of Briarwood Presbyterian Church and the Rev. Bill Hay, pastor emeritus of Covenant Presbyterian Church, on the premise that both men and women need to be trained for full-time Christian service, to equip them to teach, preach and witness on behalf of Christ. Today, it boasts more than 47 years of history and more than 3,500 students, 350 of whom have been awarded Masters level and Doctoral level degrees. The seminary is theologically Reformed, evangelical and is committed to the inerrancy of Scripture. A member of the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS), BTS from its inception has been located at Briarwood, a flagship church of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).

“Coming into this job, I wanted to approach the seminary in a way that helped continue to break down walls and barriers for people who otherwise would not be able to access seminary,” Reeder explained.

Birmingham Theological Seminary represents this both from its historical foundings and from what it is accomplishing now, with open-access education in Biblical theology through online classes. It’s mission statement is BTS is committed to making quality, 24 | THE LOCAL

sound, reformed theological education affordable and flexible to learners everywhere, equipping leaders for Christ’s church.

“We are pulling people to study theology in classrooms who will possibly walk into church together, ” Reeder said.

BTS Theology has effectively grown into a multi-generational, and multi-ethnic institution where both men and women may come together to learn and grow.

Thousands of students have deepened their relationships with one another while and theological challenge them in the study of God’s word, history and God’s ministry.

BTS is pursuing the goal of being both an accessible and affordable seminary, where people from all walks of life may study theology and prepare for ministry.

“When you’re not tied to a bricks and mortar campus, when your resources come from various locations and you approach education as kind of a service, rather than as an ivory tower or gatekeeping, this goal is much more attainable.” Reeder emphasized.

What makes Birmingham Theological Seminary so

effective? The seminary is a strong regional seminary that is under the direct accountability of a local church leadership and community. The advantage of this environment allows BTS to offer localized seminary training for “regular” church folks as well as current pastors and ministry leaders.

Location, as well as accessibility, is another BTS advantage. “Birmingham has the highest number per capita of PCA churches in America. In that environment, we have about roughly 20-22 PCA churches in the greater Birmingham area within an hour apart. Of those churches, roughly 60 percent are pastored by post-graduate level degrees.” Reeder explained. “This does not even include other local churches. BTS takes advantage of being connected to a large church that has both a passion for teaching the next generation, as well as the classroom space to do it.

“There was no earthly reason why it should have worked,” Reeder laughed. “But God was gracious and he provided. And as it grew, the seminary was able to meet more needs and take advantage of the opportunities.”

What makes Birmingham Theological Seminary so distinct is its diversity. “Diversity matters because the Bible says diversity matters,” Reeder explained. “You look oftentimes in Scripture, especially in the Old Testament, and it always says, ‘a people of God’, not an ethnicity of God.” Diversity is an important value of BTS. One of its primary goals is to develop a student body from as many different cultural groups as possible. The seminary aims to bring not just racial diversity, but also gender diversity, (men and women) multi-generational, and geographic diversity.

Another important focus of BTS is its admitting students who may not have completed an undergraduate degree but who are currently working in various ministry settings. This approach provides students the opportunity to have ministry training that is sound and orthodox but meets them at their level of learning and experience.

BTS Birmingham Theological Seminary does not seek diversity for its own sake, but as a means of cultivating an environment that brings many people together with a true sense of Christian focus.

“We help students achieve unity in the classroom, which helps achieve unity in the outside world,” Reeder added. “At the end of the day unity cannot be governed by an inside institution. Its governed by the heart. We can model it, we can preach it, but it comes down to the heart. Long term unity only comes from changed hearts.” This is essentially the heart of BTS. “BTS will forever remain a catalyst along my journey, not only in Christian ministry, but in all of life. I had the privilege to be instructed by pastors who knew their content but, more importantly shared their experiences, trials and triumphs,” Jason Williams, M.Div BTS 2014, Executive Director of the Aspire Movement said of Birmingham Theological Institute. “It has been said that seminary trains the mind, but suffering trains the soul. I’m thankful to the many godly instructors at BTS who addressed the hearts and minds of their students with practical examples and a realistic view of the full picture of ministry, joys and sorrows. I am far more prepared for the task God has called me to accomplish thanks to the affordable and flexible education BTS provides,” he continued.

This is the heart of Birmingham Theological Seminary. It not only aims to prepare, challenge, and equip people for ministry, but also helps them.

THE LOCAL | 25

Five Loaves, One Hope United at the table 26 | THE LOCAL

By Haley Joe Febrey

T

uesday nights are precious for the Five Loaves team. They are centered around a long wooden table. Conversation is exchanged as plates are passed. Spirits are high and a meal created from scratch is enjoyed. There are dirty dishes in the sink, but no one seems to mind.

The focus is on fellowship and one another.

Seated at the table are students who are different from one another. They attend different high schools, live in different neighborhoods and have different skin colors, but the table is common ground.

The city of Birmingham is no stranger to division. Once coined “Bombingham”, the city still lives in the shadow of its past built on racial division. Racial injustice is still visible in Birmingham, but a small group of Birmingham high school students are seeking unity in the city through a seat at the dinner table.

Five Loaves Birmingham is a venture started

by Urban Avenues, a nonprofit organization that brings together disconnected communities through creativity. Its other projects include Porch Sittings and Fish Camp Films.

The Five Loaves program is made up of students from two high schools in the Birmingham area seeking to learn leadership skills and the culinary arts. The program was started in 2014 by Alton Hardy, a pastor at Urban Hope Community Church.

The organization’s vision is simple: “What if we bring this city together by preparing a place for people to come together to dine and learn from one another?” said Madison Kerns, director of operations at Five Loaves.

Five Loaves works to bring people of different backgrounds together through the fellowship found at the dinner table. Students learn cooking skills from different chefs in the Birmingham area to prepare for different events they will host for influencers in the city.

The Five Loaves team hosts dinner parties multiple times a year. Students and dinner guests gather around a table designed to promote unity and good conversation.

“Anyone who sits at the table sees this team that demonstrates what the city has potential for,” said Kerns.

“Anyone who sits at the table sees this team that demonstrates what the city has potential for”

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28 | THE LOCAL

Students’ creative gifts of cooking work as a means to bring people together around the table. Dinner guests are showered in hospitality by students and are given the opportunity to talk about social change in Birmingham with one another.

“The beauty the students create has a connecting power,” said Kerns.

Dinner guests are sure to enjoy the food, fellowship and conversation that Five Loaves has to offer, but the impact of Five Loaves extends further than just the table.

The Five Loaves program fosters growth in creativity, teamwork and communication skills among its participants. “That’s the beauty of it, they’re getting exposure to different things,” said Kerns.

The students involved in Five Loaves come from different age groups, races and socioeconomic classes.

“They’re getting to learn how to work well with one another,” said Kerns.

Five Loaves dinner guests are brought together at the table, while the students are brought together in the kitchen. Students are exposed to peers who are different than them.

“I like it because there aren’t a lot of opportunities for me to do stuff like this at the school I go to” said Tirzah, a sophomore at Westminster School at Oak Mountain. “My school isn’t super-diverse. I like Five Loaves because I can get out of my bubble.”

The goal of unity is achieved through teamwork and a passion for cooking. “I’m in the culinary class at school, and I want to be a chef,” said Autumn, a senior

at Wenonah High School in Birmingham.

Many students in the Five Loaves program attend Wenonah High School, a high school that serves the Red Mountain area. Wenonah has a culinary program that partners with Five Loaves.

Five Loaves provides opportunities for students at Wenonah High School and surrounding high schools to combine their love for cooking with practical life skills for the goal of unity in Birmingham. “There aren’t a lot of opportunities to do stuff like this at the school I go to,” said Tirzah.

The heartbeat of Five Loaves is the students involved.

“We’re trying to execute the most change within Five Loaves through this team,” said Kerns.

The Five Loaves program starts with their students in the kitchen, but does not end there. “We have students who pursue culinary, but we also have students who dream of being microbiologists and doctors. They’re all wanting to go into different places,” said Kerns.

Five Loaves provides a space for students to learn and create. “We try to make sure the skills we’re teaching them are relevant across the board, even if it’s just personal skills on how to interact with people,” said Kerns.

The fellowship among city leaders and students found at the Five Loaves table is just a foretaste of the unity to come. A meal shared at the Five Loaves table leaves participants with the most powerful tool for accomplishing change: hope.

“My school isn’t super-diverse. I like Five Loaves because I can get out of my bubble.”

Photo on page 26: A Five Loaves student practices plating skills.

Previous page clockwise from top: Some of the students involved in Five Loaves. Student cooks at Five Loaves training night, a dish students created from scratch. At right, a Five Loaves student practices chopping skills.

Photos by Haley Joe Febrey THE LOCAL | 29

Issues

“Hunger does not mean skinny and underfed. It means sickness andand thethe inability to eat thethe foods thatthat promote a healthy, cominability to eat foods promote a healthy, fortable, and meaningful life.” comfortable, and meaningful life.”

THELOCAL LOCAL || 31 THE

Fighting Mental Illness One patient at a time

By Carly Norman

A

ccording to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, nearly one in five adults experience mental illness in a given year, while one in five youth aged 1318 will experience a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. Although Alabama ranks 48 out of 50 in access to mental health care within the U.S., there is hope for a brighter future in terms of addressing the widespread issue of mental illness

here in Birmingham.

Christ Health Center Clinic, a faith-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, has been serving patients for almost ten years. Access to mental health care is a pronounced need in areas like Woodlawn and surrounding communities where many patients are uninsured. This year, Christ Health expanded its operations to provide services to a growing number of clients.

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“Our mission is to provide excellent affordable health care and intentional community development to our neighbors in need and equip leaders to do the same,” said Shannon Massey, who oversees development and branding for Christ Health.

“There are not very many providers in the Birmingham area who accept patients without insurance or Medicaid and so our patients wait six to seven months for an appointment once we refer them, if they get seen at all,” said Massey.

According to Massey, even children who are privately insured have to wait up to six months for an appointment.

This lack of access to mental health care sparked the idea for the new Christ Health Behavioral Health Center, a clinic that will serve communities of low-income and uninsured patients who have trouble accessing those services.

“This is our first step to helping meet that need,” Massey said.

With so many suffering from mental illness and needing health providers, the nonprofit organization’s leaders decided they would need a separate facility to serve this growing need. Christ Health is a federally qualified health center, making it eligible for funding that would allow the construction of a brand new building. That building opened in April in Woodlawn.

Local architecture and interior design firm Birchfield Penuel & Associates headed up the building project.

“We actually started working with Christ Health Center when they first acquired the building they’re in now, which is next door to the building project site,” said Clay Birchfield, principal emeritus and architect at Birchfield Penuel & Associates.

34 | THE LOCAL

The firm specializes in clinics, but architects wanted to take extra consideration of the people who would be utilizing the facility as they designed the building.

“Obviously, you want this kind of setting to be comfortable and inviting. It probably leans more toward a hospitality environment,” said Birchfield.

The firm chose soft, neutral colors on the inside to make the building feel welcoming and peaceful. It was important for them to create a space that serves the community in a functional and hospitable fashion, Birchfield said.

“In this case the main focus was separating an adolescent and pediatric side from an adult side,” said Birchfield. “It’s a customer satisfaction issue – you want them to be able to enjoy their experience as much as possible and gain something from it.”

REV Birmingham has also contributed to this new project as well, providing their services for the developmental aspect of the new clinic.

“We’ve always been involved with Christ Health Center, because they’re our neighbor and they’re part of the community in which we work and serve,” said Ben Wieseman, director of catalytic development at REV. Although REV is not funding the project, it has provided consultation services for all design and real estate needs to help Christ Health navigate approvals and discuss specific design needs and expectations in relation to the Woodlawn neighborhood.

Previous page: a rendering of Christ Health Behavioral Health Center. Courtesy of Birchfield Penuel & Associates LLC.

Hunger Pangs The challenges of food deserts and who’s addressing them

By Catherine Payne & Emily Frazier

The word “hunger” evokes feelings of empty stomachs and scrawny, malnourished children in faraway Third World countries. Essentially, “hunger,” to many Americans, means not having enough to eat.

And that is true. But hunger is a lot more complicated than that, especially in Birmingham. Malnourishment and metabolic syndrome define hunger in America because of the processed and unhealthy foods that are more readily accessible to people in impoverished communities. Birmingham’s segregated past created pockets where residents do not have access to healthy foods, resulting in staggering numbers of those facing daily hunger and food insecurity.

While the facts about hunger in Birmingham can be dark, there is light because of many organizations that fight hunger with health food markets, community gardens and food programs.

Hunger in Birmingham can be seen in food deserts, areas where residents do not have the money or resources to access nutritious foods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define a food desert as “an area that lacks access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk, and other foods that make up a full and healthy diet.”

Food deserts can emerge for a number of reasons.

Many food deserts in Birmingham developed from the city’s segregated past, growing out of the practice of redlining, which occurred from the 1930s through the 1970s. Neighborhoods that were identified as risky and undesirable for whites were shaded red on maps, which formally divided housing locations of black residents and other minorities from whites. Many of the same places that were shaded red in pre-civil rights Birmingham are now locations of food deserts and food insecurity, Randi Pink wrote in a 2018 Civil Eats article entitled “Birmingham’s Food Deserts Have Been Defined by its Redlined Past.”

Some suggest the term “food desert” does not accurately describe the problem. Myron Pierre, the manager at WE Gardens in the food insecure neighborhood of West End in Birmingham, said he tends “to think of 36 | THE LOCAL

it as not a food desert but as a food apartheid, because a desert is something that happened naturally but an apartheid is something that has an involvement with a human element.”

“So there has been an effort to keep healthy food away from the underserved community,” said Pierre, whose organization works to provide more nutritions options to local residents.

Without healthy foods, people face serious health risks. “We are seeing crazy rates of diabetes and high blood pressure in these folks because they only have access to foods they can get at a convenience store, which is processed,” said Elizabeth Wix, director of media and fundraising at the Community Food Bank of Alabama.

Jesse Schaffer, the senior farm manager at Jones Valley Teaching Farm in Birmingham proper, explains the issue with health in Birmingham as “those who don’t have wealth don’t have access to health. From redlining to transportation, the issue is accessing distribution.”

In 2019, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama issued a regional, comprehensive hunger study of the people served by the food bank. Researchers found that one in six adults and one in four children

suffer from hunger and food insecurity throughout the 12-county region and 78 percent of respondents buy the cheapest food available, even if it is not the healthiest. However, the people served by the food bank want to eat healthier foods. The study found that the top five foods requested are meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, frozen fruits and vegetables, and grains.

“There is access to food but it’s not healthy food,” Wix said. “So when you can spend $1 for a double cheeseburger somewhere, but one pound of broccoli costs nearly $2 on average in Alabama ... people are having to make tough decisions.”

Hunger costs communities. The study explained that hunger leads to “higher rates of diet-related diseases and chronic illness, poorer educational outcomes, lost economic productivity, and higher healthcare expenditures.”

Hunger must be redefined so that we might understand its detrimental outcomes on individuals and communities. Hunger does not mean skinny and underfed. It means sickness and the inability to eat the foods that promote a healthy, comfortable, and meaningful life.

“I tend to think of it as not a food desert but as a food apartheid because a desert is something that happened naturally but an apartheid is something that has an involvement with a human element.”

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Solutions The Birmingham area has hunger pangs and this is how they are being fed.

We Cafe and WE Garden

Corner Market

WE Cafe and WE Garden are programs of Urban Ministry, a nonprofit organization that works with West End residents to build a thriving community.

Myron Pierre, known as “Soil Man,” is the WE Garden manager and has dedicated his time to building an organic thriving garden and educating others on whole foods.

“The biggest (community challenges) are health challenges,” Pierre explained. People are not wanting to grow up and stay here. They’re wanting to leave the area and have lost a sense of pride of where they live. There is a lack of resources and funding coming to this area, there are minimal employment opportunities, and not a whole lot of entrepreneurialism or businesses are coming here to provide employment opportunities.”

Clearly food deserts have detrimental effects on communities like West End, but WE Garden and WE Cafe are actively fighting those impacts. WE Garden is a community garden in the center of West End that grows fresh produce and herbs and even produces honey from bee hives.

“WE Cafe is a pay-as-you-can model cafe. We’re feeding the West End community healthy food and providing food for the community who can’t afford to pay,” explained McKinzie Harrison, the executive chef and chef instructor at WE Cafe. Both of these programs employ West End residents and teach them work and life skills.

“I realized that there was a challenge in the community to eat healthy food and so we wanted to get it to where the available land in the underserved communities would be utilized for that purpose,” said Pierre.

“My mission is to feed people and some of these people are homeless and this is the only hot meal that they get at all during the week,” stated Harrison.

The Corner Market is a program of the Central Food Bank of Alabama that provides fresh, healthy foods to neighborhoods where there is no full-service grocery store.

“We were interviewing people in low-income communities … and overwhelmingly we were told over and over we don’t need a pantry, we need a store. We want you to bring us a store,” said Elizabeth Wix. The Corner Market is a mobile grocery store that travels to economically distressed neighborhoods in Jefferson County. The market operates out of a 24-foot air-conditioned trailer that has been outfitted to be a one-aisle grocery store. “It offers fresh produce, lean meats, milk, eggs, yogurt, grains and other healthy foods at affordable prices,” explained Dakota Rhodes, the healthy food access coordinator at the Central Food Bank of Alabama.

The people in those neighborhoods often face difficult decisions when it comes to feeding themselves and their families; many times, the solution is to resort to fast and processed foods every day. With the help of The Corner Market, the consequences of food deserts are being lessened.

The Corner Market is fighting the consequences of food deserts by bringing healthy foods to communities without the ability to access those essential products.

“Many people are on a fixed income and may not have transportation to get to a full-service grocery store. Many of our customers are walking to the Corner Market from nearby housing,” said Rhodes.

38 | THE LOCAL

Photo on page 35: WE Garden produce. Photos on page 36: Myron Pierre holding parsley from the garden; a garden bed at WE Gardens. Page 37 photos: Antonio Robeiro-Howard gardens at WE Gardens; gardening at WE Gardens. Opposite page: McKinzie Harrison displaying WE Cafe meal; a diner at WE Cafe; customers eat at WE Cafe. Photos by Emily Frazier.

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Jone’s Valley Teaching Farm “We are inspiring people by showing them there is an alternative,” said Jesse Schaffer, Jones Valley Teaching Farm’s senior farm manager.

Jones Valley Teaching Farm is fighting the problem of food deserts by educating urban students about healthy foods and lifestyles in aspiration to help their communities. Their gardens are located on seven inner-city school campuses throughout the Woodlawn area and downtown Birmingham that work to show students how to grow alternatives to processed and fast foods. Through hands-on experience, students become excited about fresh and whole foods, harvesting produce that was planted by their own hands and eating healthy meals. The people behind Jones Valley Teaching Farm dream of a Birmingham that has a sustainable, accessible food system for all. They work to make that dream a reality through various initiatives, organizations, and individuals working together to end hunger in Birmingham.

Jones Valley farms are located in urban areas, setting them apart from cement, fast food restaurants, and tall buildings with lush vegetation and vibrant colors. “I hope people see our urban farm and they don’t unsee it,” said Schaffer. Jones Valley dreams that people see options, alternatives, and opportunity for healthier food and a healthier life when people see the life these gardens put forth.

Jones Valley Teaching Farm works toward this dream through education and partnership. Their programs not only partner with schools, but with other community gardens such as Sowing Seeds in Bessemer, WE Cafe and gardens, Dynamite Hill-Smithfield Community Land Trust, and other organizations to broaden their experiential learning and internship programs. Jones Valley Teaching Farm believes their work will only have long term results if done alongside these other like-minded organizations and works to eradicate food deserts in Birmingham.

Top: Myron Pierre tends to soil. Bottom: Pierre looks at gardens. Photos by Emily Frazier.

Opposite page: a map of WE Garden compliments of WE Garden.

Will

ALABAMA

Alabama lawmakers are currently debating a lottery that would fund education and the state’s general fund. Will they finally get it done?

By Baylor Cook

S

ince the first American colony was founded in 1607, the lottery has been a staple of American life. The history of the lottery is long and extensive, with many different views throughout American history on its legality and morality. In colonial times, some Puritanical colonies banned the lottery because they saw it as a vice, while other colonies used it to bail themselves out of hard financial times.

As history progressed, so too did society, and as a result, attitudes toward the lottery changed. Now, in 2019, 45 out of 50 states in the United States have a lottery. The only five states still undecided are: Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah.

Alabama has held a place on that list of undecided states for a long time, however the state has gotten close to leaving the list before. The state’s history with the lottery is troubled to say the least, but the question is why? If 45 out of 50 states have instituted a lottery, what is stopping Alabama?

The idea behind the lottery is simple. At its most basic level, the lottery is a form of gambling run by the state. There are typically multiple gambling games available in each state in the forms of: instant-win games, scratch-off games, daily games and games where the gambler has to pick three or four numbers. These games are typically sold at a variety of places, outside of casinos, that are frequented by a large portion of the 42 | THE LOCAL

state’s population. One can typically purchase lottery tickets at places like grocery stores, gas stations, and various other venues.

Since the lottery is run by the state, the state receives the revenue made by the games. The revenue is brought in, the government entities that run the lottery are paid off and then the remaining revenue is deemed as profit for the state. That profit can be allocated to one or multiple causes that the state deems as worthy. Around the nation, excess lottery revenue is used to fund public education, infrastructure, scholarships for college students, and much more.

Although the concept is relatively straightforward, Alabama has found a number of areas that have been deemed as causes for concern. Some have a moral issue with the lottery, some view it as a tax on lower income communities and some have questions as to how the money will be allocated. These issues, along with others, are what have stopped multiple votes on the lottery.

The last strong attempt at the legalization of the lottery was in 1999, under then Governor Don Siegleman. The legislation passed the state legislature, and was put to a statewide vote, during a general election.

The public resoundingly rejected the proposal. Since then, an attempt to place it back on a general ballot has been difficult and has never gained the support of

go for a

Lottery?

three fifths of the Alabama legislature required to pass a state constitutional amendment.

Under the current Alabama Constitution, lotteries are prohibited.

However, a proposal has been made during the current legislative session to legalize the lottery, and amend the state constitution. The hope of the sponsor of the legislation, State Senator Jim McClendon, is to have the proposal on the 2020 general ballot.

Will this work? Only time will tell ‌ but if we’ve learned anything from history, its chances are probably slim.

The state constitution currently prohibits lotteries in Alabama.

Photo of a gavel representing the legislative process through which the proposed lottery has to pass.

Photo by Baylor Cook.

THE LOCAL | 43

Zeta Tau Alpha

Breast Cancer Education & Awareness The Delta Psi Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha at Samford University proudly supports our national philanthropy, breast cancer education and awareness, by fundraising for the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation. The ZTA Foundation provides funds for educational programming, scholarships, leadership development, and breast cancer education and awareness.

The ZTA Foundation joins in the fight against breast cancer through support of the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walks® and through a partnership with Bright Pink®, a national nonprofit focused on prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer. ZTA also partners with the National Football League for its “A Crucial Catch” games.

Our ZTA chapter here at Samford hosts several philanthropy events throughout the year including Think Pink® Weeks each semester, Volley for a Cure, Mr. Samford, Pink out sporting events and spirit nights in the community.

Follow us: @ztadeltapsi

Individuals

“One thing I wish I knew before I went to college that I know now, is that I could be anything I wanted to be�

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Unbelieving The adventures of a woman not taking no for an answer

By Emily Frazier

L

ittle bare feet patter across the hardwood floor from above. Curtains whistle as they slide across iron rod awakening the front room with morning light. Brew strums a soft sound on the guitar.

The coffee grinder roars, echoing off the walls of the kitchen. Jennifer herds the kids to the breakfast table. Warm oatmeal is served.

Jennifer Pharr Davis is an Asheville, North Carolina native, a Samford University graduate, wife to Brew Davis, and mother to Charley, 6, and Gus, 2. She is an author, a public speaker, an ambassador for the American Hiking Society, founder of the Blue Ridge Hiking Company, and National Geographic 2012 Adventurer of the Year.

She is a woman of many titles and hats, but all of them rest on one post-graduate experience that forever shifted the trajectory of her life: hiking the Appalachian Trail. Jennifer is the competitive type, the one that doesn’t take no for an answer. Her experience on the Appalachian Trail paved the way for others to do the same.

Jennifer went to Samford University to play tennis and played all four years. One year she ran a half marathon, the next she skydived. One year she ran a full marathon, and the next she trained for an Iron Man and competed for class credit. Jennifer spent her college years stepping outside of her comfort zone, trying new things, and pushing herself to limits she had never acknowledged before. She explored very unfamiliar grounds when she competed in the Miss Samford beauty pageant. Her talent in the pageant?

Dribbling a basketball. No one was going to tell her she couldn’t.

Jennifer had no notable outdoor experience growing up, so no one believed she was serious about hiking the Appalachian Trail – it was just a dream she and a close friend tossed around in the early 2000s. But she had the AT on her mind when she started college, and in spite of other people’s disbelief and her friend letting go of the dream, Jennifer did not shake it. Others speculated if she would or wouldn’t, could or couldn’t, but these opinions weren’t going to stop her.

The mouthwatering scents of biscuits and bacon fill the cabin. Francisco, a Blue Ridge Hiking Company guide and stockbroker in his past life, hovers over the batch of scrambled eggs he is preparing for today’s group. Sleepy faces load their plates. They feed their hunger from the long day on trail yesterday for their last day on trail today.

Zippers rush, sealing Patagonia puffies and rain jackets. Bag lunches ruffle as they are shoved into daypacks.

To-go cups are topped off with Brew’s thick specialty coffee, or as Jennifer calls it, “sludge.” They load up three cars and head to the trailhead.

The granola bars crunch while boots are laced up.

They split up guys and girls and enter a section of the Appalachian Trail from different directions.

In 2011, Jennifer hiked the Appalachian Trail for the third and the fastest time – the fastest time ever set for men and women, to be exact. She finished the trek from Maine to Georgia in 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes. The hike averaged about 47 miles a day at a speed of around 3.5 miles per hour.

“I had to un-believe my body couldn’t do it,” she said.

Jennifer’s brand has pioneered a place for women in the industry. Her achievements counter the voices that made her, and so many other women, believe they could not physically accomplish certain goals.

They contradict the stereotype that the outdoors are for men. She surprised herself. Surprised because she was not a “hiker,” a “backpacker” or an “outdoor enthusiast.” She was not the scruffy, mountain man that comes to mind when the average person thinks of the backwoods.

She became what many people did not believe a woman could become and by doing so has taught women around the world to also un-believe the lies that kept them from trying.

“I had to un-believe my body couldn’t do it”

Water crashes as we try to make the leap across the shallow stream. A salamander slips through the hands that caught it. Rocks teeter under our feet as we find our balance and attempt to cross the creek while staying dry. Jennifer searches in the river pockets and under the damp leaves to step up her treasure-finding game because Francisco is up by two. Jennifer takes competition very seriously. She combs the bank for wild creatures, spring flowers, and other signs of life as winter begins to give way to spring.

The Blue Ridge Hiking Company is an adventure outfitter that provides guided hikes throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains for women, men and children, young and old, beginners and advanced. This particular tour group is from a private high school in Spartanburg, South Carolina, that began taking students on trail six years ago. The company supplies the food, drinks, backpacks, tents, and all other gear needed to outfit each individual for their time on trail. The company’s goal is inclusivity: making the outdoors obtainable and accessible for all.

“One thing I wish I knew before I went to college that I know now, is that I could be anything I wanted to be,” Jennifer said to the high school ladies sitting on the damp ground around her as they munched on Nutella sandwiches. “On trail you meet so many people from so many places who do so many things. I was constantly thinking ‘Oh, I didn’t even know that job existed.’”

Previous page: Jennifer pointing out peaks in the distance.

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48 | THE LOCAL

In 2008, the hiking company was just Jennifer.

She has hiked 14,000 miles on six different continents since she graduated college in 2004. Blue Ridge Hiking Company grew out of that passion and experience, and she began leading trips on her own. The company entered the 2019 season with about 10 guides, all of whom are Wilderness First Aid certified and have trail experience and knowledge of the region.

“I have spoken to so many people who are intimidated by hiking, but it’s just moving forward on a trail. Those are the clients Jen attracts,” said Lindsey Barr, Blue Ridge Hiking Company’s retail manager and a 13-year veteran of the outdoor industry.

The Blue Ridge Hiking Company typically takes out more women than men, Lindsey said, because of Jennifer’s brand. By including the once-excluded with excellence and quality, the hiking company has paved a path of its own in the outdoor industry. Like Jennifer, The Blue Ridge Hiking Company is pioneering a place for the unconventional.

“Blue Ridge Hiking Company’s growth has been a very organic process,” said Christine Martens, a BRHC manager and chemical engineer.

As Asheville’s tourism has grown, the outdoor industry has also grown, and the need for more guided hikes has followed suit.

“I have spoken to so many people who are intimidated by hiking, but it’s just moving forward on a trail. Those are the clients Jen attracts.”

Previous page, clockwise from top left: The Appalachian Trail in front of the Trail-er; Ladies navigating creeks and slippery rocks; A salamander slipping away; Jennifer searching for river treasure. This page: Jennifer sharing trail stories with the high school girls. Next page top to bottom: Haley’s wet wool socks on the porch of the Trailer; Francisco cracking jokes on the trail; Haley‘s joy warming up the damp Trail-er; Jennifer in her element. Last page: Jennifer taking in the view. Photos by Emily Frazier.

The community behind the hiking company has always dreamed big. In 2019, two big dreams came true, with a one-of-a-kind retail store for all ultra-light gear needs, and a hiker hostel with hot running water and the Appalachian Trail in its backyard.

Barr’s voice echoed in the empty room that would soon become the Blue Ridge Hiking Company’s retail shop. “The Nook is a very unique approach to outdoor retail. One that’s refreshing. It is great that what we put first is quality. It doesn’t matter what the brand name is or how profitable it is, it’s focused on quality and small companies.”

BRHC’s brick-and-mortar shop, a tiny storefront on College Street in Asheville, reaches pedestrians. Everyday people walking the streets of downtown Asheville can simply buy the best backpack on the market or book a hiking trip in the Asheville area by opening the door.

The Trail-er, a trailer-turned-hostel, reaches hikers on the trail, meeting their needs for a quality night sleep, clean clothes and a warm shower in Hot Springs, North Carolina.

The rain chatters on the tin roof of the Trail-er.

Haley Blevins, the caretaker of the hostel and a school teacher in her past life, pulls on her wool socks and slips on another sweater. She plops on the couch as she listens to the handyman’s electric saw screech from the porch. The renovations needed before the Trail-er can open for business are almost done.

Haley met Jennifer on one of Jennifer’s book tours in Florida and quickly became her friend.

Life has brought Haley to the Hot Springs Trailer for the spring. Like Francisco, Lindsey, Brew, Jennifer, and Christine, Haley represents the Blue Ridge hiking Company’s mission to get people outside regardless of the excuses life can bring.

Barr declined her fourth phone call and said “No matter who you are, what you are, what color you are, how tall you are, how old you are, we can get you outside. The trail doesn’t care what your background is or that you never backpacked before, it just cares that you’re there.”

52 | THE LOCAL

The Mindfulness Map The “Why” behind the Enneagram Story and Art by Anna Reeves McCutcheon

E

lle Olszewski is a daughter, a sister, a big-time St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan and a connoisseur of homemade pierogi. Olszewski is also a “Type 7.” Her most loyal companions include the Shadow of Sadness and Mrs. Debbie Downer. Her core fear is of being deprived or trapped in emotional pain, and her core desire is to be happy, satisfied and content. As a 7, Olszewski understands her tendency towards avoiding pain by filling herself up with experiences, hence her type’s core weakness, gluttony. She represents one of the nine “types” on the Enneagram.

Olszewski works as a corporate recruiter for Shipt, the internet based delivery service, but her certification in the Enneagram, through Enneagram coach Beth McCord’s program, has cultivated a depth not limited to the boundaries of the office. Olszewski implements her rich knowledge of the Enneagram to people in the office, the church and with those she is closest with.

Her passion for the system prompts her to teach others about it and to cultivate more meaningful relationships in her personal life.

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D

r. Anissa Ferris, Psychotherapist and Enneagram teacher at Ferris Counseling and Consulting, appreciates the succinct definition of the Enneagram that Anne Geary, Enneagram teacher, uses.

“The Enneagram is a map that illuminates nine distinct patterns of the human personality. It is the most powerful and practical system available for increasing emotional and social intelligence to create and sustain thriving relationships,” says Geary.

Ferris describes the Enneagram as a tool for self awareness and growth that she uses in her personal and professional life to better understand herself and others. Knowing a client’s Enneagram type is to better understand their paradigm, and therefore, to work with them in more impactful ways.

She says that, “For college students, it could be the most life-changing tool they ever use because it has a huge impact on what kind of career they choose, and understanding themselves before getting married or in a serious relationship.”

Olszewski prefers to coach people with Christianity in mind, and even disclaims to her secular groups that her training is faith-based.

“I don’t think that the Enneagram is very useful if you’re not a believer because it basically is like saying: ‘Here is where you are, here is where you want to be, but good luck getting there by yourself because true transformation is only going to come through Christ,” said Olszewski.

The Enneagram enthusiast peered into the ancient complexities of the nine-type system to unearth its inherent usefulness.

Olszewski began to investigate the nine Enneagram types in college after listening to Annie F. Downs, Christian author and speaker, talk about the impact of understanding the system. Upon discovering its usefulness in ministry and work, Olszewski sought legitimacy in the Enneagram by becoming a coach, in order to increase opportunity to help people understand the complexities of the types.

“I think the Enneagram is a really good visual and a really good rubric when it comes to personal growth and self-development,” said Olszewski.

When helping people to find their type, Olszewski ultimately seeks out their core fear and their core desire.

“Those are going to be the strongest determining factors of that person’s Enneagram type,” said 54 | THE LOCAL

Olszewski.

In conducting research from home, Olszewski warns against relying on online tests (which she mentions are only at a maximum of 70 percent accurate), and strongly suggests researching all nine types.

“Sometimes we’re just not honest with ourselves, so the question is maybe like, ‘How are you with money?’ and you are going to want to say that you spend your money well, but you may actually not, so it’s hard to be unbiased,” said Olszewski.

Olszewski considers the Enneagram to be an “archetype map” rather than a personality test, debunking the assumption that the Enneagram places a person in a box.

“I think of it kind of like color. So everything is red, orange, yellow, green, indigo blue, but there is an infinite range of color between those, and it’s just how we use all the different aspects of our personality,” said Olszewski.

The Enneagram is rooted in motivation. She references Enneagram coach, Beth McCord, who describes each Enneagram type as wearing a pair of glasses in which they see the world through a different lens.

“We don’t have the same vision of what it’s like to enter into conflict or the same vision of what it’s like to be loved, so I think it’s been most helpful when I’ve been able to understand the people closest to me,” said Olszewski.

She emphasized that the Enneagram pin-points and increases self-awareness.

“I like to think back on why I reacted in certain ways or why something is bumming me out or even just trying to see where I’ve been successful, so the Enneagram has been really useful in giving me a rubric of sorts,” said Olszewski.

She references her own type in reflecting on how the Enneagram has influenced her life, and how it has instilled in her a self-awareness.

“It is the most powerful and practical system available for increasing emotional and social intelligence to create and sustain thriving relationships,”

REFORMER

HELPER

“There have been so many times in my life where I’ve been turning up the volume, things have been getting really stressful, my plate is over-filled, I am avoiding text messages, and so I’ve been able to be like, ‘This is a typical reaction for when I’m feeling trapped.’ The Enneagram helps me understand what’s trapping me, what core fear is this hitting, and it’s been so helpful,” said Olszewski.

Olszewski spoke not only of using the Enneagram to promote self-awareness, but also to foster an awareness for her family, closest friends and roommates.

The Enneagram yielded reconciliation in her family through her understanding of the motivations of her family members. This has helped her understand how to love the people in her life more effectively.

Olszewski begins each of her workshops with what she refers to as “baseline information.” One of the first things that she tells people is that a person’s Enneagram type does not change.

“You may have mistyped, you may be in a serious integration or disintegration where you’re looking a lot like another type, but your core type actually never changes,” said Olszewski.

Olszewski spoke to the importance of finding one’s true Enneagram

ACHIEVER

INDIVIDUALIST

type, and the weight this can hold in the context of Christianity.

“I look at the Enneagram like a map so when you’re able to find your type you’re able to find that, ‘you are here’ on the map so you can see how you can get to your ultimate goal or how, in the context of Christianity, we can see where we are now and we can ultimately become more sanctified and ultimately look more like Christ,” said Olszewski.

Olszewski expressed that she struggles to coach secular groups in the Enneagram since people cannot find freedom simply by identifying their type.

“I am always very careful to emphasis that the Enneagram is just a tool.

The Enneagram itself isn’t going to bring any transformation, but it’s going to be honestly asking Christ to supplicate and fulfill all the areas where we have sin and weakness.”

Olszewski hopes to one day write her own curriculum for teaching the Enneagram, and potentially coaching as a full time career. Until then, she offers a one time meeting where she helps one to find their type, and workshops for groups. She can be reached at enneagramwithelle@gmail. com for scheduling. Olszewski will also be featured on Rachel Awtrey’s podcast, “Beyond the Bliss,” where she will be discussing the Enneagram.

INVESTIGATOR

LOYALIST

ENTHUSIAST

CHALLENGER

PEACEMAKER

FEARS AND DESIRES In the words of Elle Olszewski

That they are inherently corrupt.

Worthlessness, or that they are inherently unworthy of being loved.

Being worthless, a failure, incapable, unsuccessful and exposed.

Being inadequate, emotionally cut off, or insignificant.

Annihilation (that the world demands too much of them), the inability to find truth/answers.

Fear itself, being left without support or guidance, being blamed.

Being deprived or trapped in emotional pain.

Being weak, powerless, humiliated or at the mercy of injustice.

Being in conflict, or being overlooked and rejected.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

To have integrity, balance, to be virtuous to be ethical, and to be a “good boy or girl.�

To be loved and feel needed.

To feel valuable and worthwhile (without having to perform).

To be unique, independent and authentic.

Being capable and competent.

To have security and safety.

To be happy, satisfied and content.

To protect themselves.

To have inner stability and peace of mind.

For conducting your own research, Ferris suggests visiting enneagramworldwide. com and theenneagraminstitute.com 56 | THE LOCAL

Bringing Back Precious Memories With just one bite

By Carly Norman

I

magine this: a delicious, sumptuous pound cake staring back at you from your plate. You go to take a bite, and when the sugary delight hits your tongue it spreads a warmth through your body. This piece of cake has evoked an emotion in you that you can’t quite describe – sentimentality, perhaps? It tastes like coming home.

This might sound dramatic for a simple bakery item, but according to April McClung, owner and founder of Emily’s Heirloom Pound Cakes, a pound cake recipe holds the power to make people cry, laugh, scream and curse.

Four years ago, April and her husband Lacy McClung Jr. started to ask how they could raise money to send their two teenage sons overseas for a summer.

“We prayed, and God said ‘What about the pound cake?’ and in nine months we raised over $14,000 with our cakes,” McClung said.

After that, April says she felt God was calling her to leave her job and start a business selling her cakes. Nearly five years later, her pound cakes remain a community favorite in downtown Birmingham.

“You can’t go to the Whole Foods or the local grocery store and get what I can give you.

They just don’t make them like that anymore.”

To truly understand what is so special about these particular sweet treats, we have to travel back 100 years to the kitchen of Emily, Lacy’s grandmother and creator of the celebrated pound cake recipe. It was in that kitchen in Pickens County, Alabama where Emily – commonly referred to as “Big Momma” by close friends and family – first started making pound cakes for her family; According to Lacy, Emily would make her pound cakes ahead of time and then freeze them so when people came over she was always prepared to serve them with her sweet treats.

“She absolutely enjoyed cooking. She knew how to command a kitchen and run a team of cooks to prepare a meal,” said Lacy. “She loved to laugh and show you how to make things just a little bit better.”

April prides herself in that her local business provides customers with fresh bakery items made from scratch and with no preservatives.

“You can’t go to the Whole Foods or the local grocery store and get what I can give you. They just don’t make them like that anymore,” McClung said.

For the McClungs, the pound cake represents more than just a sugary treat – it is a celebration of the past.

One bite of this cake will take you back to a simpler time of communing around kitchen tables with family and friends, laughing and sharing stories while eating grandma’s baked goods.

The recent success of her business speaks for the love people have of this sentimental taste. In four years of business, Heirloom Pound Cakes now produces 5,000 packaged slices a month and hundreds of cakes with 17 different flavors. They ship all over the country, selling their products at restaurants, hotels, grocery stores and now on Amazon.

Though their recent growth is something to be celebrated, McClung is adamant about sticking to the roots which grew this family business into what it has become today.

“We have tapped into nostalgia,” said April McClung, who created the catchy slogan for the business: “Bringing back precious memories with just one bite.”

Lemon Glaze Recipe Ingredients 6-8 fresh strawberries 2 cups confectioners sugar 1/4 cup buttermilk 2 tablespoons lemon zest 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon flavor Instructions -Put confectioners sugar in bowl -Add lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and flavor -Pour in buttermilk starting a little at a time -Stir to desired thickness -If too thick, add more milk

Previous page from top to bottom: April McClung pulls out cake from oven. The original famous pound cake.

Photos by Emily Frazier.

Art by Anna Reeves McCutcheon.

THE LOCAL | 59

Beyond the Sidelines How tragedy helped turn ESPN reporter Lauren Sisler into a community advocate

By William Marlow

S

ports have dominated ESPN reporter Lauren Sisler’s life since she was a child growing up in Roanoke, Virginia. Her father coached various sports while her brother alternated between baseball, basketball and football.

On weekends, Sisler watched NASCAR with her family and sometimes visited racetracks. Her brother even joined a pit crew.

“If we were not playing sports, we were watching them. Sports were part of my family and upbringing but I never knew I was headed in this direction as a sports broadcaster,” Sisler said.

Although she didn’t see herself as a sports reporter until much later, a significant family tragedy caused her to search for a greater purpose both in her career and life.

Sisler discovered her passion for sports at age 3 when her parents enrolled her in gymnastic classes. Her love for gymnastics continued throughout her childhood and she began training for national competitions and eventually earned a spot at a national gymnastic competition in Florida.

For Sisler’s first competition, she had to walk across a balance beam. While she waited for her turn, nervousness overtook her.

“My nerves were running rampant,” Sisler said. “I just wanted to compete and do good on the national stage.”

Sisler’s turn arrived and she mounted the balance beam. She trudged across it and right before her dismount, she wobbled and fell. She slammed into the mat and a wave of disappointment rushed over her.

“In that moment, I had disappointed my

coaches and my parents. Here I am on the national stage and I fall off this balance beam,” she said. “I was heartbroken.”

Amidst the silent crowd, Sisler’s mother suddenly leaped up and told her they were still going to Disney World.

“That stuck with me because my parents were always supportive and part of my life every single day,” Sisler said.

Sisler said her parents and sports have been her biggest influencers throughout her life.

E

ven after falling at her first national competition, Sisler persisted and continued honing her gymnastic skills. She eventually applied for college gymnastic scholarships.

She applied to universities across the U.S. before finally attending the New Jersey-based Rutgers University. At 17, Sisler left her family to start her first semester. Despite being three states apart, Sisler called her parents every day.

On March 23, 2003, during her second semester, Sisler called her parents while studying. Their conversation drifted from gymnastic practice to school and then life. As they said goodbye, Sisler told her parents that she loved them. She hung up and went to bed.

During the middle of the night, Sisler woke to her phone ringing and saw that it was her parents. She knew this could not be good but answered the phone.

It was her father.

“My heart was pounding as I answered the phone. He was in so much distress and you could the hear the pain and distress in his voice,” she said.

Sisler begged her father to tell her what had happened. Sisler’s father told her that her mother had died.

“Those words pierced me like a knife,” she said.

Sisler’s father told her to pack and head home that night, and said he would pick her up from the airport when she arrived.

After landing in Roanoke, Sisler sprinted through the airport terminal until she reached the parking lot.

Her eyes darted across the lot as she searched for her father.

“All I wanted to do at that moment was jump into my dad’s arms. I needed answers. I needed to know what was wrong right then and there,” she said.

Her father never arrived. Sisler’s uncle and cousin picked her up instead. She assumed her father was at home or the hospital. During the ride, Sisler finally asked where her father was. Her uncle slammed on the brakes and parked on the side of the road. Sisler’s uncle told her that her father had died as well.

“With those words, my entire world flipped upside down. Two seemingly healthy people, in my mind, had passed away within hours of each other,” she said.

“How could this happen to my family?”

M

onths passed before Sisler discovered that both her parents had died from prescription drug overdoses. Both had suffered from chronic pain and had been requesting stronger medications. At first, Previous page: Sisler in her element. Above: On “The Nick Saban Show,” Lauren Sisler interviews University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban (left) as Eli Gold, Voice of the Crimson Tide, looks on. Photos courtesy of Lauren Sisler.

THE LOCAL | 61

“It is not just about the wins and losses, the big interviews or the national championships. It’s about the stories.”

their doctor had been prescribing them 90-day supplies of Oxycontin and eventually Fentanyl, a pain patch only given to terminally ill patients. However, neither of Sisler’s parents were terminally ill.

“What started as them coping with their chronic pain became abusing their prescription drugs,” she said.

Her parents’ deaths hit her the hardest when her family’s belongings were repossessed for auction later that year. As the moving truck sped away, Sisler stood in her empty house cradling a few family photos.

“Every single tangible memory I had of my parents was gone in that moment. When you think that your world has stopped spinning, you just want to give up,” she said. “You have these dreams ... set forth and then it is all taken away from you. Everything you do in your life has changed because of this drug and because of this addiction.”

With the next school semester approaching, Sisler considered quitting college. Her aunt and uncle encouraged her to continue, however, arguing she had made a commitment to her university, teammates, coaches and herself.

“That was the best advice and the best thing that happened to me. It was what I needed but it was a rollercoaster ride,” she said.

S

isler returned to school but began failing classes, neglected exercise and struggled in gymnastics. Instead of calling her parents before bed, she now cried herself to sleep.

As the school year progressed, Sisler tried moving on.

She focused on becoming a sports doctor, a childhood dream, and majored in sports medicine. However, she was still unhappy, her parents’ deaths continuously weighed on her.

She began searching for a greater purpose and found it not in a hospital but on the playing field. So, Sisler switched her major to sports broadcasting.

“I realized I was sulking in this tragedy and ultimately knew I had to regain control. Nobody was going to do this for me,” she said. “It was up to me to make that decision and change my path and that started with my career path.”

In 2006, Sisler graduated from Rutgers with a degree in communications and bounced between TV stations

62 | THE LOCAL

until she landed at ESPN in Birmingham, covering college sports. Throughout her career, Sisler said, she learned the power of storytelling.

“It is not just about the wins and losses, the big interviews or the national championships. It’s about the stories,” she said. “It’s about giving back to the community and being a public service for other people.”

Sisler said becoming a storyteller helped her be more open about her parents’ story. For seven years, Sisler refused to discuss their deaths due to the stigma surrounding addiction.

“My ability to tell stories was blurred because of my own misguidance and my inability to face my own truth. I was so ashamed because for me it seemed like my parents were failures,” she said. “People would think they had failed me.”

However, Sisler now utilizes her parents story to help her community. She has spoken publicly on college campuses and has become an advocate for families battling drug addiction.

“I realized addiction impacts so many people and their families. I was able to share my parents’ story more truthfully and say this is what happened to my parents but how they died does not define how they lived,” she said.

Sisler continues to struggle coping with her parents’ deaths even 16 years later.

“The hardest part for me is all the milestones my parents have now missed. They were there for my high school graduation, but they weren’t there for my college graduation,” she said. “I got engaged a few months ago. They won’t be at my wedding to walk me down the aisle. Those are the things that hurt me the most.”

However, from this tragedy, Sisler said she discovered her purpose.

“This tragedy has molded me into the person I am today and it is why I chose the path I did for my career,” she said. “Go into a career not because you’re just passionate but go into it with a purpose.”

S

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