Author: Kailynn Johnson

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Drag in the South

India Taco (Photo: Drew Parker)

Whether you know it or not, your first introduction into drag probably occurred in your childhood living room. You may have found yourself watching a segment of Some Like It Hot on TCM or the iconic Divine receiving a formal introduction to the ’60s as Edna Turnblad in the John Waters’ hit Hairspray.

But for Skyler Bell, that entry point to the world of drag came while watching the 1995 film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo. That movie stoked their budding passion for drag, and years later, Bell would come to be known as Thee Native Supreme: India Taco, gracing the stages of The Bluff, Dru’s Bar, and Hi Tone.

Bell began doing drag when they were in college at Mississippi State University and has been performing for the past four years. Having grown up on a reservation in Choctaw, Mississippi, they even hold the honor of being the first drag queen from their tribe. And while Bell will always hold their humble beginnings and origins close to them, they realized they wanted more and moved to Memphis to pursue drag full-time.

The path Bell took is one that many aspiring Mid-South drag performers have walked. But what is it that draws people toward Memphis drag? There’s no doubt that the Bluff City is bursting with talent, and many of the performers who call Memphis home have worked hard to build up those talents.

Bella DuBalle (Photo: Drew Parker)

“When I first started doing drag in this city, it was very old-school, pageant drag. It was all about female impersonation, and this certain level of polish. There was almost like this unspoken rule of how things had to be done,” says Slade Kyle. They are a full-time drag entertainer, also known as Bella DuBalle, and serve as the show director at Atomic Rose on Beale Street.

However, as drag navigated into the mainstream, more styles began to appear. According to Kyle, if you’re lucky enough to get a front row seat to see the fifth season of Atomic Rose’s “War of The Roses” competition, you’ll see a diverse showcase of drag ranging from horror and camp drag to drag kings and pageant drag. Kyle says this is so audience members can get an idea of “all the crayons in the coloring box of drag.”

Moth Moth Moth (Photo: Vickie Quick)

Local activist, drag queen, newly crowned Miss Mid-South Pride, and Memphis Flyer 20 < 30 honoree Moth Moth Moth (Mothie for short) remembers when they started doing drag at Dru’s in 2016 in a “little orange dressing room,” with goth makeup and “really weird, obscure songs.” They recall performing with seasoned veterans like Beverly Hills, who began to appreciate this new, artistic way of drag.

“That type of perception was really early in Memphis,” says Mothie. “That eventually became much more of what everybody’s taste is now. Now people really appreciate, and identify, and love the gender fluidity of Memphis drag, and the way that so many different spaces are open.”

Keleigh Klarke (Photo: Gingersnap Photography)

Memphis drag is not only characterized by diversity and its ability to push the envelope, but it also holds true to the infamous grit-and-grind nature of the city. Kelly McDaniel, famously known as Keleigh Klarke on stage, has been doing drag in Memphis since 2001 and recalls a mantra that’s held true through it all. “If you can do drag in Memphis,” he says, “you can do drag anywhere.” McDaniel explains that it’s tough to do drag in Memphis, but you’ll find that masked under slayed lace fronts, Kryolan Paint Stick foundation, and MAC eyeshadow is a performer with thick skin.

“Our audiences here, they’re tough. This city by nature is a rough, hard city, and it takes a lot to impress people,” says McDaniel.

“It can be rough here, and it can be a rough industry for new entertainers to get into, but I think one of those things that sets us apart is that for the ones who do make it in the city, and do make a name for themselves and do make a legacy and a reputation and image, it makes you tough, it makes you grateful, and it makes you work a little bit harder because you want to keep that spot and keep proving yourself.”

Aubrey Ombre (Photo: Courtesy Aubrey Ombre)

Performers like Bell recognize this, and they also say the drag community in Memphis wouldn’t be what it is now without the legends that came before them and the legacy they cemented. Bell thanks not only veterans like McDaniel but also Kiera Mason, DuBalle, and Aubrey “Boom Boom” Ombre.

“If you go to a show, then you know Aubrey Boom Boom,” explains Bell. “Inside and outside of drag, that woman is everything. She’s helped me out, and the community, on and off the stage.” The legend Bell speaks of is Memphis native Aubrey Wallace, known not only by her stage name but also as the title-holder of Miss Gay Memphis 2019.

Miss Gay Memphis, formerly known as Miss Memphis Review, was one of the first crowns made in Memphis following the Stonewall riots. “Back then, it was illegal to do drag, so they had to wait until around Halloween to actually throw a party and dress up,” explains Wallace. “The Gay Memphis crown was created from that aspect of life. It has so much meaning to it and so much history that if someone competes for it, it’s a big honor to do so because you’re being a part of history and carrying on a legacy that has been passed on from generation to generation.”

As a queen with 12 years under her belt, Wallace possesses a wealth of knowledge that she’s always ready to share with newcomers. And her story starts at Backstreet Memphis, a place that many veterans say served not only as a launchpad for their career but also as a safe haven for their community. Performers like Wallace received their first glimpse into the gay club scene in 2010 at Backstreet, where their performance on the dance floor would capture the eyes of the club’s resident queens.

“They ended up putting me in my first drag show,” Wallace says.

McDaniel also remembers networking with the entertainers at Backstreet Memphis, who in turn taught him the basics of drag such as makeup. The club closed its doors in 2010, but its impact and legacy have been kept alive by those who experienced the magic firsthand. While many find it can be hard to pinpoint what exactly did it for Backstreet, McDaniel explains that it paid homage to the “hedonistic excess of those mid-to-late-’90s, early 2000s.”

“On a Saturday night, by 12, 12:30 at night, you could stand on the upper level and it would be a sea of people all in that space.” Clubs like Spectrum have tried to recreate this magic and succeeded in doing so for a new generation, but nothing has seemed to have the vibe that Backstreet possessed.

“Nothing recaptures the energy that was there, but that was a different time, too,” says McDaniel. “There was a lot less equality and inclusivity at that point for the gay community, so that was our place to go. It was also open to anyone else who wanted to be a part of that environment.”

A lot has changed since the glory days of Backstreet. Wallace has noticed a change in her confidence, which enables her to help prepare new performers take to the stage. “We’re open to taking people under our wing and getting them started and a stage to start on,” she says. “With me, when someone comes to me, I teach them the way of life first and teach them what you’ll go through and some of the obstacles you’ll have to overcome. Then I’ll teach them the aspect of drag.”

Those lucky enough to be one of Wallace’s “drag children” are privy to family dinners and family outings, where they’re taught the values of life, humbleness, and things they need to succeed in the drag world.

“You have to be respectful and mindful of who has helped you, and who came before you,” Wallace says. “As I grew up, I learned from so many legends. Some that are not here, some that are still here, like Alexis [Marie Grayer-von] Furstenburg, Beverly Hills, Kiera Mason. A whole bunch of them. They’ve groomed me into who I am today, and since then I’ve stayed humble, I’ve stayed respectful, and I’ve always fought for everyone’s fairness and rights.”

Wallace’s dream for the “next generation of drag” stems from a hope that they will be able to show their talents on stage and come in “shining bright as a star.” She sees the potential in them, yet there has been a number of obstacles recently that may change the way a newer and younger generation interacts with drag.

Still, it’s almost impossible to have a conversation about drag without mentioning the influence of RuPaul’s Drag Race. The show first aired on February 2, 2009, and is hosted by drag superstar RuPaul. The competition-style reality show follows a group of drag queens who compete for the title of America’s Drag Superstar.

Many credit the show as being a pivotal part of bringing more acceptance and awareness to the drag community. This, coupled with social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, has allowed the public to interact with the drag community without leaving their homes.

“By pushing it into the mainstream, more people are aware of drag,” Kyle explains. “They’re more aware that it is an art form. There’s a lot of easy misconceptions if you don’t know what drag is.”

In turn, making drag more mainstream through this kind of exposure encourages more nuanced discussions. These discussions can lead to more education and understanding of the art form.

In an October 2022 interview, Mothie told the Flyer that the demographic for drag is changing, and it now includes 14- to 22-year-olds. Mothie also said that younger people “deserve a piece of this culture.”

However, there are opponents of drag, including many lawmakers in Tennessee, who have been working to make sure that younger audiences don’t have access to it.

On September 23, 2022, a family-friendly drag show at the Museum of Science & History (MoSH) was scheduled as the ending celebration of the museum’s Summer Pride programming. However, the event was canceled by event organizers after a group of armed Proud Boys arrived.

Jackson Sun writer Angele Latham reported in October 2022 that a Jackson Pride drag show, which was also initially advertised as “family-friendly” and slated to be held at a local park, was limited to participants 18 and older after weeks of meeting with lawmakers.

This began to amplify the conversation of whether drag shows were appropriate for kids, or “family-friendly.”

In November 2022, the Flyer also reported that legislation was filed by Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson that could potentially make public drag shows in Tennessee a crime.

Johnson proposed that new language be added to Section 7-51-1401 that defines “adult cabaret performance” as “a performance in a location other than an adult cabaret that features topless dancers, go-go dancers, exotic dancers, strippers, male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest, or similar entertainers, regardless of whether or not performed for consideration.”

This proposed new amendment would prohibit drag performances on public property and other public spaces. If passed, this law would apply to drag shows in the state of Tennessee.

The bill also goes on to make performing in “adult cabaret performance” on public property or “in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult” a Class A misdemeanor. Repeat offenders face a Class E felony.

Performers agree there are forms of drag that are family-friendly and some that are not. However, Kyle notes that this holds true for every medium. Wallace also explains that performers know that what they perform in front of children will be different than what they perform at a nightclub.

For many, the answer to whether kids should be exposed to drag performances is simple: If you don’t want your kids to see it, then don’t bring them to a drag show. But the truth is that they’ll have access to it in other ways, whether it’s through HBO Max’s Trixie Motel, Allison William’s performance of Peter Pan, or the childhood rite of passage of playing dress-up.

“We’re all born doing drag. Every kid knows what it’s like to put on a costume and pretend to be something else,” says Kyle. “I think it’s incredibly important for kids to have access to [drag.] Not just for the kids that will be queer. It’s important for every kid to understand that their differences make them special.”

Many performers agree that drag serves not only as an outlet to express emotions but also as way to find yourself. Drag is an art form, Mothie reiterates, and when you start to limit people’s ability to express themselves, the aftermath can be harmful.

“I know personally for me growing up, I was always in my parents’ shadow because everyone says I had the same talent as my mom and dad,” adds Wallace. “That was something I had to get away from because I wanted to be me and who I am, and find who I really am. Drag helped me do that. Kids in general will never know who they are or who they want to be if you can’t let them express it. Whether it’s dressing up in their mom’s clothes, watching a play or something like that, [drag] has saved a lot of people’s lives. It definitely saved my life.”

With the complexity of drag and its positive influences on culture and the economy, many are baffled that lawmakers are working to criminalize it. Activists like Mothie have been fighting tirelessly against proposed “pointless” legislation and believe there’s a lot more for lawmakers to worry about than drag performances.

“Tennesseans should take pride in how strong our drag is in Tennessee, how much Tennessee is an incubator for what’s next in drag for the rest of the country,” says Mothie. “Everybody knows, just don’t nobody tell the truth: Memphis is where it’s at. Memphis will always be where it’s at. Drag will only get stronger here, despite the BS legislation that’s coming down on everybody.”

A Senate hearing on Tennessee’s anti-drag bill (SB 003) was scheduled for Tuesday, January 31st, after our press deadline. Follow memphisflyer.com for updates.

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Teaching Still a Source of Fulfillment for Post-Pandemic Educators Amid Shortage

Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in the way we approach work and education. Weekly work meetings began to look like the opening credits of the Brady Bunch, as Zoom became the new meeting room, and the once-common setting of a school lecture hall was replaced by a computer screen.

Jeff Riddle, director of Teach901, says that he believes that the constant shifting and changing of things through virtual learning throughout COVID-19 contributed to what has been reported as a national teaching shortage. In March, the National Center for Education Statistics stated that 44 percent of public schools had reported teaching vacancies. 

Though the pandemic cannot be sourced as the primary cause of the current teaching shortage, it aggravated the problem. Educators say the shortage has been in the making for years.

A fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Education states: “Throughout the pandemic, many districts have faced significant challenges in attracting and retaining teachers, and preexisting teacher shortages in critical areas such as special education; bilingual education; science, technology, engineering, and math; career and technical education; and early childhood education have only been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“You see programs like Teach For America that have lower numbers, across the board. I think people just have more autonomy and agency in what they do for employment,” Riddle says. 

“I think more people have entrepreneurial ideas, and how to monetize those things. I think for classroom teaching, it’s been a tough time, because the way education is done is in person and in a classroom. I think the virtual world, and the remote-job allure is just very counter to that. I think people working from wherever they want to work is a counter to in-person learning.”

Riddle says that this, coupled with adjusting back to in-person learning, schools “being asked to grow students where they’re at,” and constant “pivots and adjustments,” have created a “wild couple of years.”

While many have strayed away from traditional jobs, the idea of impacting a younger generation is still a rewarding career, says Riddle. In fact, when he started leading Teach901 in the early stages of the pandemic, Riddle started directly interacting with several candidates who were looking for ways to get licensed and inside the classroom, even if they didn’t initially take this path in college.

Kalona Gryskwicz is currently a teacher at Believe Memphis Academy, located at 2230 Corry Road. Gryskwicz graduated from the University of Memphis in 2018 with a degree in sociology. She started out working an in-office job at an insurance company for about two years. She admits that she realized that she didn’t like the job and that she wasn’t fulfilled.

“When we were sent to work from home during the pandemic, I did a lot of thinking about what I wanted to do,” says Gryskwicz. “I realized I wanted to do something that contributed to society, because I felt like I wasn’t doing that. I was just in my house comfortably, working from home, doing something for a company that seemed to only benefit the company, and not society.”

Gryskwicz says that she had always thought about teaching, so she reached out to Teach901, who put her in contact with a large number of schools in Memphis.

“It was overwhelming, but it was super eye-opening to see what the need for educators was,” says Gryskwicz. “I saw such a huge need for people who work in community service positions, like teachers and nurses, or those kinds of jobs. Jobs that seemed to truly benefit society, not just the institutions themselves, but the people who work in them, and I really wanted to be someone who made a difference. I feel like teachers do that.”

Gryskwicz says that she had calls coming in from everywhere, asking her to interview for a teaching position, even though she says she “didn’t have the credentials that teachers need.” While she made this known, she says that the schools were constantly reassuring her that this was totally fine, and that there were alternative programs to help her get the proper licensing.

Riddle says that there are a variety of different programs that can help people get their licensing. 

If someone can take a Praxis exam, a school may be willing to hire them on the basis that they enroll in an educator preparation program,” says Riddle. “A lot of times this is going to be called the ‘Job-Embedded program.’ So it’s like a chicken and an egg though. Based on their Praxis test results, or if their interview is impressive enough for a school to want to hire them, they also have this requirement to enroll and participate in an ‘ed prep program.’”

Gryskwicz says she enrolled in Relay Graduate School of Education during the summer of 2022, which she says is being paid for by her school. She also recently got her practitioner’s license.

“I’m currently in grad school getting my masters in teaching, while teaching,” Gryskwicz says.

Gryskwicz says that having her education paid for is nice, and the professional development and aid that has been offered is appealing, However, these incentives do not necessarily glamorize the position. She calls it a necessary job, with very rewarding benefits.

“It’s a really hard job. It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had. It’s also the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had.”

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Completion of Cooper-Young Rainbow Crosswalk To Be Celebrated with Drag Show and Ceremony

Credit: Jerred Price

Memphis City Beautiful commissioner and founder of the Rainbow Crosswalk Project Jerred Price announced that the remaining three sides of the rainbow crosswalk of the Cooper and Young intersection will be installed on Saturday, October 8th, and Sunday, October 9th.

In May 2022 Flyer writer Toby Sells wrote that this project was initially approved in 2019, when Price made a change.org petition to paint one side of the crosswalk. The project was painted in November of 2019. According to Price, Memphis is the first city in Tennessee to adopt a project like this. 

“In 2019, I thought, ‘Why doesn’t Memphis have anything that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community that we have, especially in the Cooper-Young neighborhood?’” says Price.

According to Price, the Cooper-Young neighborhood has one of the highest concentrations of “same-sex identifying households in the southeast United States.”

“With a community like that, and its diversity, support, inclusion, and equality, I thought it would be nice to have something that showcases that, and lets people know that we embrace that.”

Price says that he partnered with the Cooper-Young Community Association, who offered “overwhelming support for the project,” to bring this idea to Memphis City Council. Price also states that this was the first project to be heard by the new Public Art Oversight Committee.

Price believes that this project will showcase Memphis as a “safe haven for diversity.”

“People see that and they’re like, ‘Okay, Memphis is really leading the way here in the state because we made state history by installing that crosswalk,’” Price says. “The city has always been at the forefront of equality and standing for equality and equal rights, so I felt like Memphis needed to lead the way again, in showing the state and the LGBTQ+ population of our state and city that we do support diversity, we do support inclusion, we do support equal rights. The crosswalk, I think, when people see it, it gives them a sense of inclusion, that their city welcomes and supports inclusion and diversity.”

Once the project is completed on Sunday, there will be an outdoor drag show and installation ceremony at 3 p.m.

“What we’ve created is going to be celebrated, and we want everyone from every community there. It’ll be a fun, family-friendly show, and it’ll be a celebration of the intersection, becoming a four-way rainbow crosswalk,” says Price.

Price says that he is currently in conversation with “local CDCs in Whitehaven to make an artistic crosswalk in Whitehaven.” In partnership with Commissioner Britney Thornton, Price founded an organization called “Crosswalks For A Cause,” where they share the vision of having an “artistic crosswalk,” in each community around Memphis. Price says they intend to put plaques up by these crosswalks to teach people about the history of those communities.

“After we have a network of crosswalks throughout Memphis, we want to create an online or self-guided tour that will lure people away from the known attractions in Memphis, like Beale Street and Graceland,” Price says. “We want people to learn more about the communities that make up Memphis.”

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Brandice Daniel Celebrates 15 years of Fashion, Diversity, and Designers of Color

Brandice Daniel (Credit: Lebo Lukewarm)

Memphian Brandice Daniel is the CEO and Founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) and the nonprofit Icon360. Currently celebrating its 15th anniversary, HFR is known for holding a number of events such as “The Prelude,” which is a kickoff to New York Fashion Week, and a “Black History Month: Fashion Summit,” which has included speakers such as Lindsay Peoples Wagner and Tom Ford. The Memphis Flyer sat down with Daniel to talk about her journey and diversity efforts in the fashion industry.

Memphis Flyer: Tell us a little bit about yourself

Brandice: I am Brandice Daniel. I manage two companies, Harlem’s Fashion Row and Icon360. At HFR we act as a bridge between designers of color, and brands. We do that through collaborations with brands and brand strategy. With Icon360 we provide funding to HBCU fashion departments. We also provide funding to designers or color.

How did you get into fashion, and at what point did you realize that you could play an integral role in making a change?

My first real, fashion, corporate job was in Memphis. I worked at Catherine’s, which used to be on Knight Arnold. I started there in allocations, and that was my first experience. I started HFR in 2007, and in 2009 I started to do some research and realized that less than on percent of designers sold in major department stores were designers of colors. Within that same group, African Americans spend around 22 billion dollars on apparel. That was when I decided, not that I was necessarily going to make a change, but I knew I had to try.

I know you said you started in 2007, but did you have something that actually pushed you to do that?

Honestly, it was just an idea I had to do a fashion show in Harlem. There were all these incredible Black-owned boutiques that were popping up in Harlem, and they were luxury boutiques. That was definitely a catalyst, I think, to the idea of starting HFR. The first fashion show we did was not perfect, but it was done. The planning of that event was when I started to get a much clearer vision as to where this was going to go.

You said the first fashion show that you all did wasn’t perfect, so what was it like to look back at the fashion show from 2007 and to now be celebrating your 15th anniversary?

Oh my gosh, every time I look at pictures from that show or anything from that show, I’m so excited because it wasn’t perfect, but it was perfect. It was taking an idea and actually seeing that idea in a physical form. It’ still one of my proudest moments. That very first event. It makes me quite emotional, quite honestly, because I didn’t even understand what was going to come from that.

Is there a special reason why you decided to come back to Memphis for the fashion show?

Every five years I’ve committed to doing a fashion show or event in Memphis. I often see people leave their homes, and go and do something great in another city, but they never bring it back to their city. So since the very beginning of HFR, every five years I’m going to bring what I do in New York to Memphis. We did our 5th year on South Main, and our 10th year we did at Clayborne Temple, so I’m excited about our 15th. I’m excited to bring what HFR does back to my city.

How would you describe the fashion and creative culture of Memphis?

I know that the creative community in Memphis is so inspiring and so exciting. Especially this new generation of creatives in Memphis. I just love what I’m seeing. I recently spoke at “A Great Day In Memphis,” and I got a chance to hear Carmeon Hamilton, Kameron Whalum, Chassidy Jade, and Victoria Young on a panel, and I was just so inspired by them and what’s happening. So many people are finally embracing the arts and you know Memphis has such a rich history and culture in the arts. We’ve got deep, deep roots in the arts. For fashion, I’m excited about the opportunity and where it can go in Memphis.

You’ve done a lot of work to improve diversity efforts in fashion. What has changed in the past 15 years? What areas still need improvement?

When I first started HFR, no one wanted to talk about race. No one wanted to discuss it; it was such a taboo topic. I’m really happy that now we are able to have open dialogue around race and fashion, because for me, that’s my purpose, quite frankly, to provide equal opportunities to Black and Latin designers. I’ve definitely seen so much progress there. I think 2020 sped up the process, but I think the work now is keeping our foot on the gas. There are so many other challenges that are happening, so I think now we’re focused on how do we keep this conversation at the forefront. Brands are like “oh okay, we’re done talking about that,” and I see that as a big responsibility for HFR, to keep that conversation going.

So what makes you excited to keep continuing what you do?

The designers. It’s simple. I get to discover incredibly talented and creative designers who look at this industry, understand the challenges, and against all odds say, “this is still what I want to do.” It’s the thing that keeps me going. They deserve the opportunities, the platforms, the connections, they deserve it all. They are definitely one of my biggest inspirations. So as long as new designers keep popping up, as long as designers of colors continue to stay in this race, I will too.

Well, that was a great note to end on. Is there anything else you’d like to add or give insight to?

One thing I will add is that I talked a lot about how Memphis has played a big role in who I am and what I do, and I say to people all the time that the people of Memphis are so special. But they don’t realize how special they are, because they’re surrounded by people who are just as special. So when you take a Memphis person and put them out of their environment, they always thrive. They always thrive. I’ve seen it over, and over, and over again. It’s like telling a fish that water is wet. Right? They don’t know water is wet, because that’s where they’ve always lived, and that’s how I feel about Memphis. People don’t understand how special of a city Memphis is, and how special the people in the city are.

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Mayor Seeks Public Input on Park Renovation After Neighbors’ Complaints

Park bench at Cancer Survivor's Park. (Credit: Memphis Flyer)

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s office says that it will seek public input concerning renovations to Audubon Park, after several complaints from neighbors.

The $8 million project was recently announced by Memphis Parks, and will include a new playground, pavilion, and golf course, according to a post on the Memphis Parks Facebook page. 

The post also states that Memphis City Council approved the budget, and Strickland signed off on it. The renovation was part of Strickland’s 2022 budget proposal for $95 million in capital improvements that also promised a new Lester Community Center and a new Mt. Moriah police precinct. 

According to Angela Link, leader of a group called “Saving Audubon Park,” the Memphis Parks department released design renderings of the proposed Links at Audubon. She says that these renderings failed to acknowledge that the renovations will eliminate public use of green spaces by the lake at Audubon Park.

Several citizens have voiced their concerns regarding these renovations, with many criticizing the lack of transparency by Strickland. A new website, savingaudubonpark.org, states that citizens found out about these plans through other media outlets. 

“Despite the mayor’s suggestion that he wants transparency in his administration, there have been no public meetings to discuss the plan or get feedback from the people who currently use this area, the taxpayers of Memphis,” the website says.

The Flyer reached out to the mayor’s office regarding these concerns, and they released the following statement.

“​​The golf course design portion of Audubon Park in question has yet to be finalized,” reads the statement. “Greenspace near the lake will be available for use by the public. Memphis Parks will be seeking public input in an upcoming community engagement forum.”

Link agrees the course needs a renovation, but there “is no need to expand the course at the expense of all the greenspace.” 

“This greenspace and lake area is used by picnickers, walkers, dog walkers, teens playing hacky sack, families flying kites, and feeding the ducks, people just eating their lunch looking at the lake and all the rest people who are seeking a quiet calm refuge to just enjoy nature,” Link says. “If this plan moves forward, there will be nowhere in East Memphis for all these people to go to enjoy the outdoors by a lake.”

On Tuesday, September 27, citizens Laine Agee and Cathy Minch set up a table at Cancer Survivor’s Park to encourage parkgoers and visitors to sign a “Save The Park,” petition, in hopes of reaching 150 signatures. According to Minch, an employee with Memphis Parks informed her that if they received 150 signatures, a meeting would be set up to discuss concerns.

The Flyer reached out to Memphis Parks but has not yet not received a response.

Minch says that she recently went to a groundbreaking ceremony for the new pavilion and playground at Audubon Park. She initially thought this ceremony was for the golf course.

“There were about 25 people down there, and Mayor Strickland was at the podium, and he had this big mound of dirt behind him with shovels stuck in them, a big [public relations] opportunity for him,” Minch says. “While they were filming him talking, I held my sign up behind him. One of them said ‘sneaky deals,’ and the other one said ‘don’t tell the public.’ I held both of those up and people started coming from both ends.”

Minch says that they threatened to call the police if she didn’t stop, but she didn’t care. It was at this moment that she was approached by an employee and was able to receive pertinent contact information.

“It got their attention,” Minch says. “I consider this a success.”

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Memphis Urban Market Provides a Holistic Cure

Memphis Urban Market (Credit: Natasha Fountain)

Natasha Fountain does all things natural. “From my hair to my legs, everything is natural for me,” she says.

As a natural herbalist, Fountain says that she has struggled to find a space and place that caters to the health and wellness of Memphis.

“We have different vegan festivals scattered out here and there, and farmers markets, but there really isn’t a place that has it all in one place,” says Fountain. “Me being an active, holistic person, I want to provide more options to our city on a weekly basis.”

Fountain is used to finding natural solutions to her problems. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fountain discovered that by mixing her favorite Oolong tea with herbs, she could find a solution to her recent weight gain. This actually spearheaded her journey towards learning about herbalism, which birthed her tea company SovereignTea.

Fountain participates in the Agricenter’s Farmer’s Market every Wednesday and Saturday. However, she realized that there wasn’t really a market that catered to Black entrepreneurs and farmers. Fountain says that she had met many Black farmers around the city, but there seemed to be a lack of them at the market.

On Sunday, October 2, Fountain and other vendors will join together for the inaugural Memphis Urban Market, “a marketplace for health, wealth, and wellness … for us, and by us.” The market will run from 1 p.m.to 6 p.m. at the Agricenter on Sunday afternoons.

“The difference between the Memphis Urban Market and the main farmers market in Memphis is that it’ll be a place that has people that look like you, and teach you things about their products, and about their ‘why,’” says Fountain. “I feel like Black entrepreneurs don’t really have a voice, and with them having this marketplace, they will have a way to express themselves and sell their products and services.

“My ultimate goal is to change the city’s narrative,” she adds. “I want to provide a holistic and natural way to heal from the trauma of our city and our crime.”

According to Fountain, there are a limited amount of places for patrons to find “real, healing, holistic, health, and wellness,” in Memphis.

“People typically go to the Midtown area for things like this, but it’s all over the city of Memphis and no one knows that,” she says. “We have different restaurants and stuff like that, but nothing in particular that can really help us be healed. I wanted to make one sole place where we could all come together to build the camaraderie up.”

While the market promises many holistic wellness options, there is a financial literacy component as well.  The TIAA Institute states that “financial literacy is low among many U.S. adults, including African Americans. On average, African American adults answered 38% of the “Personal Finance (P-Fin) Index” questions correctly.”

“With me targeting Black entrepreneurs, and Black people, in particular, I know that we are the least knowledgeable when it comes to financial literacy, business literacy, and home ownership as well. For me, I wanted to be able to help Black people as much as I can. I want to make sure I cover all the bases for our wellness.”

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Salon Owner Combats Hair Discrimination with Education

Textures Studio via Facebook

Black men and women in Tennessee celebrated a major win this year, as Tennessee lawmakers passed the CROWN Act. 

In an August 1st Flyer article by Hawa Ceesay, it is explained that the CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” prohibits companies from discrimination based on an employee’s hairstyle. The passing of the CROWN Act not only sparked conversation in the Black-hair community, but it caused many to further examine the injustices that Black and brown people face based on their hair.

According to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, hair discrimination is rooted in “systemic racism and its purpose is to preserve white spaces.” Joshua Adams of the Memphis chapter of Black Lives Matter explains that all facets of lives have been touched by systemic inequalities and that spaces that were meant to serve Black people directly, such as barber shops and salons, were set up as a response to living in a “de facto segregated world.”

“Why do some barber shops not have a loctician on hand? It’s because of systemic segregation. A lot of white people don’t know how to do Black hair. We’ve lived our lives almost in separate enclaves for decades, if not centuries, here in America,” Adams says.

It’s a luxury that many Black and brown people aren’t afforded – to be able to walk into any franchise salon and have someone cater to their specific hair needs and treatments. While many salons and licensing programs now require stylists to know how to do natural hairstyles and treatments, many salons were opened in Memphis as a response to this.

“Hair is hair, but you have to be educated on all types of hair,” says Seville McKinnon. “No matter what race you are, there are people of every race that have coarse hair, that have fine hair, thin hair, and big hair.”

McKinnon is the owner of Textures Studio located at 8100 Macon Station in Cordova. While McKinnon and her team offer a number of traditional salon services, as well as those that cater to Black and brown customers, McKinnon explains that at its core, the salon’s main focus is on maintaining a “healthy head of hair.”

McKinnon says that the salon recently revived a hair-talk series called “Shop Talk,” where she would encourage clients to bring someone who has never been in her shop, in hopes of educating people on hair and any myths or questions that they may have.

“It’s very interesting to hear the stories that a lot of women of color share. Whether it’s in the professional world, in the personal world, or their relationships, about the struggles they have with their hair,” McKinnon says. “It’s really interesting for us as professionals, really explaining and helping a person understand their head of hair. Even though you live with it, it can be hard to fully understand and grasp the concept of what you need.”

As a woman who grew up in Memphis, McKinnon says that the hair landscape has changed so much. Being a stylist that has worked hard to stay up to date with trends such as wigs and extensions, she realized that there are a lot of young girls who haven’t been able to fall in love with their natural head of hair.

McKinnon admits that she has worn extensions and braids when she was younger, but it wasn’t because she felt like she had to. This is where she believes a shift has occurred when looking at haircare.

“I’m hoping more professionals come on board with really being able to educate clients in falling in love with their hair,” McKinnon says. “I don’t think we’re done. I think we still have a ways to go.”

In educating clients on their hair and how to maintain it, McKinnon explains that there are a lot of things that play a role in the success of this. One of these is making sure the client is able to find a licensed stylist.

“Hopefully everyone can come back onto the seriousness and the certification of understanding hair, so they can relay that information. I think it’s important for every professional, no matter what race, to work on.”

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On the Scene at Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade

(Credit: Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade/Facebook)

One of the most intense fights of my life happened at a bar in Mexico City, Mexico. Several onlookers gathered around what seemed to be an out-of-place boxing ring at the bar called La Riña. There, they would see me engage in a showdown against Axel Ramirez, where I reigned victorious after a three-round match, resulting in a knockout.

It was the culmination of my rigorous training at the Delphi Boxing Gym in Los Angeles, California. After about a three-minute workout that comprised running on a treadmill and learning combos, I knew I was ready to take on some of the toughest opponents like Luke O’Grady and Rocky Balboa.

It’s at this point that I must clarify that I did not make an almost 27-hour drive to California, but rather a 20-minute one to Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade, located at 1026 North Germantown Parkway in Cordova. Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade is Memphis’ first and only virtual reality arcade.

“It’s like playing games on steroids,” explains Crystal Walton of Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade. “Instead of playing games with your fingers, you are a part of the game. When it comes to throwing a ball, you are literally throwing a ball. When there are zombies attacking you feel like you’re fixing to get eaten. It is a more intense way of playing games. You can be a part of the game, instead of just playing the game.”

As someone who grew up in the Just Dance and Michael Jackson:The Experience era, I thought I had lived through a video game renaissance. There, I’d be taken to some of the elaborate dance floors and music video sets, where I’d simply mirror the actions of the players on screen. However, after 45-minutes of virtual reality, I realized I had experienced something far more extraordinary than the dance battles my siblings and I held in our living room.

I arrived 15 minutes prior to my appointment time, where I sat through a thorough yet comprehendible orientation on how to use the two controllers, and how the headset worked. As Walton walked me through the process, she showed me a small hole in the wall. This hole was not the result of natural wear and tear, but according to Walton, it was a testament to the surreal experience of the game itself. She goes on to tell me a story about how an older customer was fighting zombies and ran into the wall. Better the wall than your brain, right?

Bluff City Virtual Reality Arcade offers over 60 games, with options for both single and multiplayer modes. With a plethora of titles and experiences to choose from, such as Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality and Propagation (Walton’s son Lucas’ personal recommendation), you’re bound to find something to settle your virtual reality appetite.

“When somebody’s come in here and they’ve had a hard day, they put that headset on, and their mood changes from ‘eh’ to ‘yay,’ it’s an amazing experience for me to see them change,” Walton said. “I have first-timers that come in here that are like ‘yeah, whatever,’ then they put that headset on and their face immediately changes with the biggest smile on their face saying, ‘oh yeah, I’m coming back.’”

The arcade also offers PC repair and upgrade services, while also facilitating the sales of new and old gaming PCs.

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Carlisle Cutbank Bluff to connect to Tom Lee Park with ADA-accessible walkway

Carlisle Cutbank Bluff Credit: Memphis River Parks Partnerships

The Carlisle Corporation has made a $1.5 million investment into the first ADA-accessible walkway that connects the bluff in Downtown Memphis to the riverfront at Tom Lee Park.

The path will be named Carlisle Cutbank Bluff in honor of the late Gene Carlisle. According to Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP), this is the first time that “commercial development has been connected to the riverfront.”

“The Carlisle Cutbank Bluff represents the partnership’s commitment to easy, equitable access to the new park,” said Tyree Daniels, board chair of MRPP. “This beautiful new feature makes it so much easier and more fun to move between Downtown and the riverfront. It means that visitors will find it much easier to get from upstairs on Main Street down to the river in a more equitable way, and we couldn’t be more excited about this achievement, but also making this available for our community.”

Chance Carlisle, CEO of Carlisle LLC, said, “Two things that really hit home for us was the ability to provide the first of its kind, ADA-accessibility to the park. For the last 40 or 50 years, with the exception of maybe a month or so in May, Tom Lee Park was sort of an afterthought, rather than a signature riverfront. It’s hard to be a great riverfront city without an excellent front door, and what Memphis River Parks has done, and all of the donors, is really give Memphians a park that we can be proud of, for all of Memphis.”

Carlisle said the river plays an important role in the future of Downtown, transitioning from a center for agricultural products and commerce to a “twenty-first century vision of it being about tourism, development, and a high-quality of life.”

He said, “This is what it means to be in Memphis, and to have that be associated with us is wonderful. It’s always been — and Downtown has always been — a neighborhood for everybody. The investments made at the Mobility Center, the investments made at Tom Lee Park, just continue to add to that momentum.”

The bluff includes an ADA-compliant switchback ramp as well as a staircase, two “stone scrambles” for climbing, and new trees and grasses. 

Garrett Uithoven of Montgomery Martin Contractors says that the colorizations of the stone are designed to go from cool blues and grays at the bottom, and transition to cream beige and a red-orange at the top to reflect the natural recurring colors in the bluff along the Mississippi River.  

“If you cut into the undisturbed bluff at any point along the river around this region, you would get that same color in the dirt and rock that make up the banks of the river,” Uithoven said.

He also says that there are accent lights with uplights that shine on some of the trees, with others shining on the stone faces.

The bluff will open in 2023, the same time that Tom Lee Park will be open to the public. Daniels says that Tom Lee Park is now 50 percent completed.

“Imagine the catalytic effect on Downtown, when Tom Lee Park is complete,” said Penelope Huston of the Downtown Memphis Commission. “To unlock the true power of Downtown, all the individual assets have to be connected, like they are here at the Cutbank Bluff.”

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DeMoir Books & Things Provides ‘A Seat at the Table’ for the Community

Credit: Demoir Books And Things

As a Black man with locs, Jeremy DeMoir remembers the first time that he saw a book character that looked like him. He recalls the moment that DC Comics debuted the character Static Shock, and he was able to say “hey, he kind of looks like me.”

This memory represents two themes that would remain prevalent even in his adult life: his love for reading and the importance of representation for Black and brown children.

DeMoir is the owner of DeMoir Books & Things at 739 North White Station Road, Memphis’ only Black-owned, brick and mortar bookstore. Through reflecting on his experiences as a child growing up, as well as his career as an educator, DeMoir realized that there was a lack of book accessibility in Black and brown schools.

“When I was growing up we had a few Black-owned bookstores, and they slowly dwindled out as Barnes and Noble came into the neighborhood,” DeMoir said. “With the rise of Amazon, a lot of independent bookstores closed in general. So now in the city, there are four independent bookstores. I realized that in a city that is predominantly African American, there was a need, and when you see a need, then you realize you should feel that gap.”

Accessibility was one issue, but after serving as a teacher in traditional, charter, and urban schools, DeMoir also realized that there was a lack of representation in reading material. He didn’t want his remedy to only exist within the walls of his classroom. As an adult whose passion for reading extended through childhood, he wanted to offer this gift to adults as well.

“Just having experiences where you can recognize yourself in literature is such a rarity, even to this day,” said DeMoir.

DeMoir says that at DeMoir Books & Things, they pride themselves on “giving everyone a seat at the table.” The store allows for local and independent authors to apply to have their books placed on shelves through consignment agreements. People are also able to rent the spaces for events such as book signings and community gatherings.

“We’re not just a bookstore, but a community hub,” DeMoir said. “We donate free books to schools, to teachers, and to any child who comes into the store that is under the age of 17. Most companies, bookstores included, are trying to make that sale. Not that making sales and paying payroll isn’t important, but we want to make sure that we are providing kids with additional opportunities to access books.”

While outreach is a major component of DeMoir’s purpose, he explains that it isn’t always a “beautiful balance” between making sales and meeting the needs of children.

Challenges remain in not only accessing book titles to sell on their shelves, but in meeting “their own needs.”

“People do read, it’s just they’re not reading as much as we would like them to due to inflation, to rising costs and everything,” said DeMoir.

He said while people want to read, some are tasked with the decision of either putting a meal on the table, or keeping their lights on over buying a book. To combat some of these challenges, DeMoir set up a GoFundMe account to help keep the store afloat as rent prices have “soared astronomically” alongside taxes and light bills.

While challenges are inevitable for any business owner, DeMoir says he knows he is needed, and that’s what allows him to keep going. He explains that the pandemic created several missed opportunities for children, thus providing “gaps.”

“When there’s a need, you try to provide it,” he said.

DeMoir is also the parent of two children, and he says he constantly making sure that they feel supported with literacy.

“It’s super important to find books for my boys with characters that look like them. My boys definitely play a huge part in representation and wanting to have more access to books with kids of color and storylines outside of the stereotype.”