Author: Kailynn Johnson

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Student Loan Forgiveness Provides Optimism for Young Borrowers

(Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash)

The option to buy a home, along with options on other major life decisions, could soon be a reality for Gen Zers and millennials thanks to some student debt relief. 

In an article published in the Memphis Flyer in June, Amy Schaftlein of United Housing stated that people who fall in this age category are opting to stay out of the housing market, due to its highly competitive nature. 

“With an overly competitive real estate market with millennials and Gen Zers not able to get in because it’s too competitive to get a home loan, many people gave up,” Schaftlein said. “Even millennials with a higher income represent a huge increase in the amount of rent applications.”

Schaftlein also mentioned that a number of things contribute to younger people not being able to qualify for loans in a timely manner, such as student loan debt. 

However, with the announcement of student loan forgiveness, could this mark a shift in how millennials and Gen Zers approach life after college?

President Joe Biden recently announced that he is forgiving up to $20,000 of federal student loan debt. Those who received Pell Grant will have up to $20K forgiven, while other borrowers can have up to $10K forgiven. According to a fact sheet by the White House, this relief is only available if the borrower has an individual income of less than $125K, { “250K for married couples.”}

Alanna Spears is currently a senior at the University of Memphis studying biology. When the Biden administration made the announcement, Spears, like many others, shared her excitement on social media, and how this will positively impact her future moving forward.

“I want to buy a house one day, and student loans are looked at in debt to income ratio when applying for mortgages,” Spears said. “Even if only half of my debt is cancelled, that significantly lowers my debt to income ratio, which could be a determining factor in if I get a house or not. With rising housing costs, my fiancé and I want to buy a house in the next few years and debt cancellation has made that dream a possible reality for us.”

Redfin reports that the median selling price for a home in Memphis is $188K. The U.S. Census stated that as of July 1, 2021, the median household income is $41,864.

Spears said that she and her fiancé are now able to plan for the future, and realistically save and plan for their goals. 

According to the White House, 43 million borrowers will benefit from student loan relief. The White House also estimates that at least 20 million people will have their total debt canceled.

Information compled by the the Education Data Initiative reports that more than 862,000 people in Tennessee have student loan debt, and that the average borrower has about $36,418 in debt. State residents have a total of $31.4 billion in student loan debt.The site also states that 51.8% of borrowers are under the age of 35.

As a result of this announcement, the Biden administration extended the student loan repayment pause through December 2022, with repayments expected to resume in January.

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Shelby County Infant Mortality Rate Decreases; Still Higher Than Average

(Credit: Shelby County Health Department/Facebook)

The county’s infant mortality rate decreased by 28 percent from 2019 to 2020, according to the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD), though officials could not precisely point to the cause of the drop. 

The infant mortality rate is the probability of a newborn dying before reaching the age of one, according to the World Health Organization. Shelby County has historically had one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country.

State and county averages here are still higher than the national average. But the new figure is the lowest infant mortality rate in Shelby County since 2009, according to the 2022 Tennessee Child Fatality Annual Report. 

SCHD officials said a number of factors contribute to infant mortality such as “physical and mental health of families before, during, and between pregnancies, along with the health education, and resource systems that support those families.”

SCHD spokeswoman Joan Carr said state officials have not yet released statewide vital statics for 2020. So, the health department does not yet have enough information to determine all the factors that have contributed to Shelby County’s infant mortality decrease. 

“However, Shelby County Health Department has been making sustained efforts over the past 20-plus years to reduce Shelby County’s historically high infant mortality rates,” Carr said.

Dr. Michelle Taylor, SCHD director, said her department “provides a wide range of programs and resources that directly and indirectly impact infant mortality rates by providing families with support they need to give babies a healthy start in life.” Some of these include TennCare Presumptive Prenatal Program, Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program, and the Community Health Access and Navigation in Tennessee (CHANT) program. 

“While we celebrate the recent decrease in infant mortality, it’s important to note that [infant mortality rate] in Shelby County and Tennessee overall remains higher than the national average, and the significant racial disparity between Black infant deaths and white infant deaths have not improved since 2016,” said Taylor. “Black infants in Tennessee are still twice as likely to die before their first birthday than white infants.”

Tennessee’s infant mortality rate exceeds the national rate, which is 6.3 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the state’s child fatality report. However, this is the lowest reported rate for Tennessee over a 20-year period. 

In 2020, 495 children in Tennessee did not survive to their first birthday. Shelby County still had the highest infant mortality rate in the state that year with 89 deaths. 

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“It’s About Black Culture” — Fans Prepare to Say Goodbye to the Southern Heritage Classic

Southern Heritage Classic/Facebook

Fred Parson gives a speech — maybe more of an order — to family and colleagues every year as he prepares to celebrate the Southern Heritage Classic weekend.

“I tell anybody in my family, ‘Do not get married on this weekend,’” Parson said. “Check the calendar before you schedule your wedding on the Southern Heritage Classic. It’s not a good weekend to do anything else … because I’m not going to be there.”

This weekend will be a bittersweet one for Parson. He’s a 1999 graduate of Tennessee State University (TSU), an alumnus of the school’s famous marching band, the Aristocrat of Bands, and he’s been to every Classic except for one. This weekend, Parson will likely experience the magic of the Classic for the very last time. 

The Southern Heritage Classic is the annual football matchup between TSU and Jackson State University (JSU), both historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Since 1990, fans have met in Memphis to witness the matchup between the two teams, and to participate in a weekend full of events that are a touchstone of Black culture.

JSU announced in February it would no longer participate in the Classic, terminating their contract agreement early due to scheduling conflicts. As alumni and fans prepare to say farewell to the Classic, they begin to reflect on the many elements that contribute to the event’s iconic nature.

For Shun Hill, a 2003 TSU graduate and Aristocrat of Bands alum, “there’s nothing like the feeling of being part of the halftime show.”

“Marching into the stadium … there’s nothing like the crowd’s reaction to a great show,” Hill said. “It’s actually sad that it’s the last one. I don’t know how many I’ve been to, it’s been at least 15 or so. It’s been a part of my life since high school. It’s going to be hard to let it go. It’s going to be very hard.”

Hill talked about several enjoyable aspects of the game such as the familial aspect of tailgating, to the trash talking prior to the game. She said that alumni have discussed the future of potential matchups for the next game, but she believes nothing compares to the rivalry between the two schools.

“I don’t know what HBCU football will occur after this, but I can’t see it nearly having the crowd support or even community support that Jackson and TSU have because of the communities that exist here within Memphis,” Hill said.

The tight-knit community aspect is one that many experience first-hand as HBCU alums, but Parson explains that it also impacts those outside of the HBCU community, and even those outside of Memphis.

“Most of the time these kids [in DeSoto County] don’t know much about Memphis,” he said. “They didn’t grow up in Memphis. All they hear about is the bad stuff and what you see on the news. But when you go to the Classic, and when you go to the tailgate, you see thousands on top of thousands, on top of thousands … probably between the game and the tailgate, you’ll see 100,000 people out there. And everybody is just love. 

“It’s about Black culture. It’s about two universities. They’re just out there having good, genuine fun for a weekend.”

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Snkrr Bar, Swish Teamed Up for “Sneakerhead” Fundraiser

(Credit: Justin Griffin)

The term “sneakerhead” is not a name that is designated lightly. 

Those who are privy to this moniker may be familiar with standing in long lines to obtain the newest release, or scouring online marketplaces and groups to secure some of the most enviable kicks. It’s an industry taken seriously, especially in Memphis.

“A lot of people don’t know, but Memphis is actually the sneaker distribution capital of the world,” explains Dominique Worthen. “Nike is the No 1. sports footwear company in the world. When you order a pair of shoes and you’re in Alaska, then it has to touch Memphis.” 

Worthen is the founder and owner of Snkrr Bar, a shoe restoration store located in Midtown, with locations in Atlanta and Houston. 

“It was very interesting to me that there was no place that refurbishes, cleans, and restores Nikes, when they all come from Memphis,” Worthen said. “We’re strategically placed in Memphis. It’s been crazy.”

Worthen has long taken pride in his sneaker collection. In fact, his sneakerhead days date back to his childhood, which was formative to Snkrr Bar’s inception. As a child, Worthen lived in Flint, Michigan, where he he grew up “extrememly underprivileged and poor.”

“I always cherished a nice pair of sneakers,” Worthen said. “I didn’t have much growing up, and that’s what kind of got me in this business. 

“I always knew how to maintain a pair of sneakers for a long time. … I wasn’t able to afford a bunch of sneakers when I was younger. So, I had to make it stretch; I had to make it work. I picked up a bunch of tricks of the trades and tips before I opened up my business. As an adolescent, I was just trying to stay fresh.”

Worthen recently partnered with Fred Griffin, the founder and creative director of fashion brand Swish, to host “Sneak and Link,” an event for Memphis creatives to “collaborate” last month.

The event was advertised as a “sneaker art experience” at The Hendrix on Walnut Grove. Patrons were encouraged to grab some kicks, grab a friend, and partake in a sneaker customization experience. The event promised “swish vibes,” with the dress code being “put that shit on.” Creativity was in the hands of attendees, with the option to either paint a canvas or a pair of their favorite kicks.

The event itself was born out of collaboration. According to Worthen, Jones visited the Midtown location and sparked a conversation on ways that the two could give back to the community, and “invoke change.”

“It was a brainchild of both of ours,” Worthen said. “I don’t think either of us can singlehandedly take credit for it.”

Griffin founded Swish during his days at Mississippi State University, but relaunched the brand during the pandemic.

“It’s a brand that looks to uplift through sports and culture,” Griffin said. “Through this brand, different events [like the Sneak and Link event] allow me to tap into the culture and give back.”

Giving back plays a major part in Griffin’s creative purpose, as he initially hoped for the event to inspire not only creatives in the community, but children in the community who are aspiring creatives. In fact, the name “Swish” pays homage his to his early years as an athlete.

“They used to call me ‘Swish,’” Griffin said. “It kind of just stuck. When I got to college I started playing around. … I’ve always played around with fashion. In fact, my brother and I had a brand in middle school where we sold stuff in school and what not. In college, I just took the name Swish and put it on t-shirts and what not.”

While it started out as a creative pastime for Grffin, it didn’t take long for him to realize the brand’s potential. He credits his signature pink Memphis Tiger shorts that flooded our timelines for so long as Swish’s first big break.

“I’ve had NBA players wear my stuff,” Griffin said. “Bow-Wow came and did the Millennium Tour and I styled him for that. I’ve grown so much from there.”

Griffin explains that the defining aspect that made Worthen a viable partner was their shared intention to accomplish their dreams, while also giving back tot the community.

“We’re grinders,” Griffin said. “We both have a goal and a mindset to try to be great, and to do that in a way where we can accomplish our goals and dreams while giving back to the community.

“We’ve been able to connect in that way. … in doing some marketing work for the Grizzlies, I was able to bring him in and do a lot of different work there. We both had the same ideologies and the same goals as far as where we want to go and what not.”

The event was modeled after sip and paint, but instead of canvases, patrons took their creativity to sneakers. 

The creators had always planned on giving the funds raised from the event to schools in some capacity. In fact, one of their sponsors, T-Mobile, helped them halfway. However, a week prior to the event, they visited Cummings Elementary school, who recently had a ceiling cave in.

“In trying to be the most effective, and really reach those who needed it the most, instead of doing several schools, we just focused on one school. We all felt like they needed that help right away.”

In combining their donations, Griffin and others were able to show up to Cummings’ open house, held at the Boys and Girls Club, to hand out donations and supplies to 250 students, as well as teachers. Griffin says that he hopes to hold the event again, and keep it going.

“I think the event has potential to reach a lot of people in the city, but also give back as well,” he said. ”Everything I do, I try to — in some way — make it loop into giving back. At the end of the day, yes, I’m starting to garner a name for myself, and influence others, and the city, but none of it means anything if I can’t help others or help the ones that come from my community come up.

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New Blues Foundation Interim CEO Wants to Get “Back to the Basics”

Credit: Blues Foundation

Kimberly Horton was recently named interim president and CEO of The Blues Foundation after the departure of former president and CEO Judith Black.

Horton, originally from Jackson, Mississippi, has served as a manager and agent working with artists like Billy Price, Dexter Allen, Lady A, and more.

The Memphis Flyer spoke with Horton as she prepares to move to Memphis to fill this role. — Kailynn Johnson

Memphis Flyer: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Horton: I’m just me! I’m a native of Jackson, Mississippi. I’m a mom of two — I have a 26-year-old daughter, and a 15-year-old son. I have been working in the music industry since 2008. My daughter is going to be taking over my company, Heathrow Muzik Box, LLC,  since I’ve been appointed interim president and CEO of The Blues Foundation. 

I have a master’s from Belhaven [University] in management and a master’s from Jackson State University in public health, and I’m looking forward to moving to Memphis.

What do you think of the state of blues in Memphis right now? Do you think it’s going strong? Is it weak?

That’s kind of hard to answer, because I think that the blues is always going to be going strong. It’s just having people in place to have it out on Front Street. I think Memphis is definitely a place where the blues, in my opinion, will always be going strong.

Do you think locals still love the blues? What about tourists?

The blues is a part of the culture in Memphis. Not just in Memphis, it’s part of the culture. Especially for the African American race. You know Willie Dixon said it best, “Blues is the root, everything else is the fruit.” So, all of the music that we listen to, whether it’s rap, gospel, R&B, all of that has something to do with the blues in some shape, form, or fashion. So, definitely locally, nationally, internationally, yes, it’s going.

A lot of your knowledge of blues comes from first-hand accounts. Do you think this makes your interest in blues a little more personal?

Oh, yes, definitely. Being able to touch, and listen to, and be in contact with — especially coming up in the South, of course — the blues was the real deal. I didn’t know what I was singing at the age of six. “The Thrill Is Gone” and “Sweet Sixteen,” those were two of  B.B. King’s songs that my dad would play quite often. At the age of six, to be able to actually see him, and meet him was like, “oh my gosh.” Most little kids were ready to see The Jackson 5, I was ready to see B.B. King. So yes, definitely. Even being in close contact with living legends of today as well, I love it. It’s where I’m most comfortable.

So, what do you think about the future of blues in Memphis?

It’s going to keep going. We’re going to make sure that young people know it’s there, and how and why they got the music that they’re listening to, and hopefully bring interest to the younger generation. Growing and thriving.

How do you plan on bringing a new generation of blues in, while also maintaining its already rich history?

The educating part of the blues has dropped off a little bit. [We will be] getting back into blues, and bringing back blues in the schools, exposing the younger generation to exactly what it is, where it came from, how we got where we are. 

[We’ll get] the school enrichment programs back in place and do outreach into the community to make sure young folks know the blues is where you got your rap from. The blues is where you got your everything from. That’s going to be one of the major plans. 

Hopefully, being able to partner with the Recording Academy to do some work with Grammy U, which reaches out to the university capacity for younger folks. Everybody thinks that the blues is sad and drowning, but it’s not. The blues is actually life. So, just getting them re-exposed to where it came from.

Piggybacking off of that, you said you’re looking to work with a new generation of blues artists as well, and bring more diversity in. Why do you think diversity is so important in blues?

I’m saying diversity not just in color but I’m talking about gender as well. We have some wonderful female artists that are blues artists, and a lot of the time they get overlooked because they don’t play a harmonica or a guitar, but they actually sing the blues. So, bringing diversity in that aspect, as well as making sure that our people — my people — know that we still have an obligation to the heritage of the blues.

You kind of touched on it just then, and a little earlier with some of the educational outreach programs that you all plan to do. Are there any other changes that you plan to make at the foundation? Even as interim CEO?

There are, but I’m not at liberty to speak about those at the moment. I want to wait until I actually get into the office full-time. My main change is to get the confidence of the artists back. They’ve lost confidence in the foundation, so I want to gain the artists’ confidence back, to make sure they know that we’re there, we’re here, we’re thriving, and we’re intending on making sure that the awareness is available.

So, what makes you excited about stepping into this role? What are you most excited about?

I’m most excited about working in an area that I love, that I have a true passion about — being able to come in and actually make some positive changes for the foundation. Just getting everything back to the basics — getting back to what it used to be, and better.

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Millennials, GenZ Discovering Elvis Thanks to New Film, TikTok

Austin Butler as Elvis Presley.

As someone who grew up in the early 2000’s, I knew of Elvis in three distinct ways. 

I knew that many of his songs had narrated a film, Lilo & Stitch, that was on constant replay in my house. On Full House, I knew that Graceland was the ideal location for Uncle Jesse’s dream wedding and that a convincing look-a-like had helped him learn the importance of family. An honorable mention is the memory of a nine-year-old me singing the lyrics “Elvis, Elvis let me be. Keep your pelvis far from me,” in my best Rizzo impression during recess.  I knew of him in the ways that he influenced pop culture, but I never explored the oeuvre of Mr. Presley.

It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that I, like many other Gen Zers, began to feel responsible for his death. Yes, there are at least a handful of twenty-somethings who feel responsible for the death of a man who died years before we took our first breaths. Or, at least that’s what Colonel Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks, led us to believe in Baz Luhrmann’s film, Elvis.

The feeling of being gaslit by the narrator is just one of many shared reactions to the film. During your nightly scroll on TikTok you’re bound to see videos set to Doja Cat’s “Vegas” sparking some type of conversation about the film or about Elvis himself. Clips of Austin Butler play simultaneously next to a video of Elvis, showing his arguably perfect impersonation. A few scrolls later, you’ll be led down a rabbit of Elvis’ entire filmography in three minutes or less. 

“I think with the release of Elvis, we’ve definitely seen a resurgence in Elvis within pop culture recently, though his presence has been felt for much longer,” said Bobbi Miller, a pop culture expert and the host of “The Afternoon Special” on TikTok. There, she has a following of more than 366,700 as “your friend who knows just a little bit too much about pop culture.” 

It’s important to note that there are devoted twenty-something Elvis fans whose entry to fandom happened prior to the film’s release. 

“I was a fan before the movie and went into hiding upon its release,” Meghan Moody said while also explaining how her father was able to obtain a copy of Elvis’ high school graduation program for her.

While the film may serve as just another element in Elvis lore for longtime fans, it can be argued that the film has also opened the opportunity for a new generation to be exposed to the King of Rock, birthing a new era of Elvis fandom.

It can be hard to pinpoint exactly what “does it” for fans of the film. In a viral clip, Butler can be seen on stage teaching Jimmy Fallon how to “shake, rattle, and roll.” As he dances across the stage, you may wonder how big of a role that Butler’s performance plays into the like-ability of the icon.

“This is a tough one because Austin Butler’s performance really does question where Elvis stops and Austin Butler starts,” said Miller. “He really embodied the character. I do think it’s a mix of both, or more so, one dressed as the other … I think the voice he chose to use for Elvis and the general aura of the character is very alluring. This, coupled with the fact that the movie doesn’t go out of its way to show Butler as Elvis at his absolute lowest, or ugliest, might’ve aided in people falling for Butler as Elvis.”

Miller argues that the love for nostalgia can be a major contributor as well.

“It’s the nostalgia of it all,” she said. “I think before these biopics, Gen Z and Millennials are definitely aware of these stars, but biopics only heighten their awareness. 

“More often than not, these biopics, similar to Elvis, don’t go out of their way to show these stars at their most awful. In fact, they often elicit sympathy in the audience. This isn’t always the case, but it definitely happens. However, I think it’s mostly nostalgia.”

Miller said Gen Zers and Millennials love to discover things from the past, and she believes that biopics are the perfect vehicle for this. 

“Nostalgia will always be trendy,” Miller notes.

While Reddit threads are flooded with educational material for fans who came straight from the movie theater, and women promise to perfect their bouffant hairstyles for Halloween, it can definitely be argued that a new generation is discovering The King.

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A Look Inside Memphis’ First Anime-Themed Tattoo Shop

(Credit: Jarvis Ross)

When walking into Inkatsuki Tattoos, one may feel as if they’ve been transported into the ultimate fandom fantasy. The walls are adorned with anime lore including posters from My Hero Academia, and pixel art made from perler beads of Luffy and Saitama. An enviable Funko Pop collection featuring Charizard, Mirio Togata, Tomura Shigaraki, and Laxus Dreyar is housed in the same vicinity of a figurine army featuring Naruto and Todoroki.

The store’s name itself is even a nod to anime culture, juxtaposed with tattoo artistry according to Jarvis Ross, the shop’s owner. Ross took the name “akatsuki,” which is what he describes as a “black sheep team.”

“It’s a black sheep team from Naruto, a popular anime … Akatsuki …Inkatsuki, a team of dope, black sheep tattoo artists.”

Ross says that he has been a longtime fan of anime, dating back to the days where his cousin would collect Dragon Ball Z action figures.

“Back when I was like 8, he came from Cali with all these foreign action figures, and he was telling me about them. He put me on the show, and I’ve been watching it ever since.”

Inkatsuki, located on Lamar Avenue, is the first anime-themed tattoo shop in Memphis. Ross and his team also specialize in wood carving, shoe customizations, piercings, and more.

Ross’ shop recently went viral on Facebook, with a post that has more than 2,000 shares and close to 700 likes. The post is flooded with comments and reactions from prospective customers expressing their excitement for this one-of-a-kind experience and those eager to hop onto Ross’ table hope for sleeves dedicated to showcasing their love for anime.

“I’m deep into anime, and I have an anime community on Facebook as well [Memphis Hidden Leaf Village]. So I used [anime] as my theme for my shop.”

Ross originally opened a private shop under the same name on Airways back in 2021, but recently moved into a bigger space in April. 

While Ross’ shop is advertised as a tattoo shop, he tells me that he’s a jack of all trades.

(Credit: Jarvis Ross)

“I’m an artist,” Ross elaborates.

“I do all types of art. Woodwork, paintings, tattoos, graffiti, T-shirts, customizing shoes — I like creating things.”

One of the most formative settings for Ross’ early work was during grade school, where he says that he would be in the back of the classroom drawing. While most students used their notebook margins and desks as canvases, Ross used his and his classmates’ arms.

“The teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I just blurted out ‘I want to be a tattoo artist,’ and I went back to drawing on someone’s arm,” Ross recalls.

“I was rebellious at the time, but I ended up becoming a tattoo artist for real.”

While Ross’ classroom would serve as a primitive shop, he explains that he didn’t really get into tattooing until he was in college.

“I used to spend my money on tattoos. I asked the man who was doing my tattoos, ‘How much do you make in a day?’ He said anywhere from 50 [dollars] to 1,000 depending on your clientele and how much work you put into it.”

Ross says on that same day, the artist let him practice his first tattoo on himself on the spot.

“I tattooed ‘I did this myself,’ on my leg.”

The artist’s work has since evolved from his protege days, with a number of favorites in his portfolio.

“I did a Samurai Jack piece on a color blind client a couple of years back. Even though he couldn’t see red, he said it looked great and he loved the piece.”

As Ross reflects on the recent exposure gained from the viral post, he realizes how grateful he is for his community and his team.

“I’m very thankful for everyone sharing the Facebook post and showing love to Inkatsuki Tattoos, and for the Inkatsuki team, N3ko, Nay, Corey, Gates, and Nicki.”

Corinthian Smith (Credit: Jarvis Ross)

The community aspect is important to Ross and his business, whether online or offline.

“When the community is doing bad, I’m doing bad. When my customers and the economy are doing bad, then they don’t have the money to spend and get the things that we offer,” he explains.

But Ross isn’t one to let circumstances keep him down long. He says even if he has to get a “9-5,” he’s still making content.           

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The Forge Memphis to Bring Zipline Experience to Mud Island

The Forge Memphis rendering (Courtesy DCA)

The Forge Memphis has recently introduced a $10 million private investment into Mud Island.

The project “will require no incentives from any governmental bodies.”

According to The Forge Memphis, the project is “an aerial adventure course with accompanying programming and activities designed to deliver unique year-round activities for adventurers of all ages.

The project was presented to Memphis City Council on Tuesday, August 9th, and according to Doug Carpenter, founder of Doug Carpenter and Associates (DCA), “takes very little footprint off of Mud Island.”

“I think that it leaves so many open opportunities for other people, organizations, and  businesses to join us in activating Mud Island … I think that’s an area that people are really impressed with, the amount of activity we can generate with as little groundspace that we have to take.”

Carpenter said there was originally an idea to put a zipline across the Mississippi River. After hiring a firm to do a study on the area, Carpenter also asked for a study on Mud Island.

“Mud Island has been looking for a solution,” Carpenter said. “It’s a really unique piece of property and requires unique responses. The feasibility of a zipline across the Mississippi River did not work out, but the Mud Island potential was really large.”

Katie Elizabeth Carpenter joined Doug and Frank Ricks, principal and founder of LRK, an architecture firm based in Memphis, as a co-founder to develop a business plan. In the process, the team met Jeremie Bacon, founder of The Forge Adventure Parks.

Doug said that for the last two-plus years, the team has been designing, redesigning, and evaluating how they could “be a positive catalyst for the reemergence of Mud Island.” 

“Our design team has created a course that is really remarkable in an urban setting,” Doug said.

The Forge Memphis will include a Skybridge zipline tour, an aerial challenge course and climbing areas, and a food and beverage operation in the current Gulf Grill space.

According to the press release, the Skybridge tour will include two ziplines, with the first carrying guests “500 feet from the top of the Skybridge over the Wolf River Harbor toward the Memphis skyline, connecting with a custom-built tower and elevated rope bridge.” The second will “carry guests almost one quarter of a mile over the Wolf River Harbor at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, landing near the Mississippi River model’s Gulf of Mexico.”

(Rendering courtesy DCA)

“It’s really a remarkable zipline experience over the Harbor, where you have views of the city, day and night. Then you have views of Arkansas, and the flood plains, and the mighty lights on the bridges,” Doug said.

Doug added that behind the Gulf Grill is a depressed area that will have two to four climbing elements that will “blend in with the treescape there.”

The planners also hope the project activates Mud Island with music festivals, races, summer camps, and other programming.

“It’s a public space, so we want it to be a public space. We love the Riverwalk, it’s quite frankly one of the coolest things around, and we want more people to experience that. Our grand vision is that at any time, if you went on Mud Island with no prior knowledge, you would find something interesting to participate in, to watch, and to listen to,” Doug added.

There is also room for educational programming for school groups on topics such as water conservation and water ecology, says co-founder Katie Elizabeth Carpenter.

“It’s more than just a zipline. I think that’s something really important that we want to emphasize. There’s lots of opportunities for programming and activations outside of the adventure aspect,” Katie Elizabeth explained.

“It’s not just entertainment, there’s an educational component. It’s really important for us, in Memphis, to provide that to people who quite honestly, may not have had those experiences outdoors, in this kind of environment,” Doug added.

The Forge Memphis anticipates a nine- to 10-month construction period with hopes of a grand opening in the summer of 2023. 

While Doug said the next steps are to execute a lease agreement with Memphis River Parks Partnership and the City of Memphis, the other components of the business plan have been accomplished.

“We have designed and engineered plans for all of it, and we will be privately funded. We are asking for zero subsidies from the city, or the state … or any of those bodies. We truly are a lease agreement away from executing the plan. Once that’s done, that will start the construction calendar essentially.”

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Wolf River Conservancy Receives $1 Million NAWCA Grant

(Credit: Wolf River Conservancy)

The Wolf River Conservancy recently announced that it received a $1 million grant. According to Deb Haaland, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, this grant is “part of a larger, $95 million effort to conserve and restore more than 300,000 acres of important habitats across North America.”

Funding for this grant was made possible by the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“We’ve protected nearly 19,000 acres of land, and we do that in a variety of ways. … conservation easements, where the owner retains ownership, but they are restricted as to what they can do on the property,” says Ryan Hall, director of land conservation for the Wolf River Conservancy. “Also fee simple purchases. A lot of that ends up being public land that is protected forever. Our mission is to preserve and enhance the Wolf River and its watershed. Our land conservation, land protection actions are really what drives that.”

“We’re building out the Wolf River Greenway throughout the city of Memphis. We’re about halfway done, about 14 miles completed out of 26. We’re trying to activate that greenway,” Hall adds.

Hall describes the greenway as a “paved path through the city of Memphis along the Wolf River.”

“Also, at least once a month we do river trips down different sections of the river, so you get to experience different sections of the Wolf from the state of Mississippi and all the way to Downtown Memphis.”

In reference to the Wolf River Conservancy, Steve Cohen, Tennessee District 9 Congressman, stated, “The work they do is transformative, and this NAWCA grant underscores our government’s commitment to organizations that are committed to ensuring the viability of our ecosystems and environment for the future.”

According to the Wolf River Conservancy, “NAWCA is the only federal grant program that is dedicated to the conservation of wetland habitats for migratory birds.”

“It’s money set aside for the purpose of protecting wetlands and adjacent uplands, primarily for migratory bird species,” Hall adds.

“Think of waterfowl that go up and down the Mississippi Flyway. You can also think of anything else that migrates like hummingbirds which go from the Yucatan Peninsula all the way up through the United States into Canada.”

NAWCA funding affects the United States, Canada, and Mexico. While Hall explains that the funding is very robust, it can be quite difficult to obtain one of these grants.

“We went through a pretty rigorous grant application,” Hall explains. “You have to secure a pretty healthy level of match money and we were able to do that with some conservation easements that we protected here recently in Shelby County. We also got some large match partners; for instance the State of Tennessee is a match partner in our grant for $100,000. A couple of years went into the background of putting this all together.”

This is the second time that the Wolf River Conservancy has received this grant, with the first time being in the late ’90s when it received $1 million to protect the Ghost River section of the Wolf. Hall says they are hoping to apply for the end of next year (2023.)

Hall says that the conservancy has recently closed on a property in Piperton, Tennessee.

“It’s beautiful wetlands that recharge the Memphis Sand Aquifer, and it’s going to actually be added into the Wolf River Wildlife Management area, so it’s actually going to become public land,” says Hall.

“That’s the beauty of this NAWCA grant. Not in every case, but in many cases you get to grow protected land, you know that the public can have access to, but also serves wildlife purposes, aquifer recharge purposes, and wetland preservation purposes. That’s the step that we are in now; administering funds to protect lands,” he adds.

The next property on their list is closer to Confluence Park, which is north of Downtown, Hall adds. 

For Shelby County specifically, Hall says that there is going to be more protected land.

“The wetlands, particularly in Fayette County, Tennessee, and even further upstream in Benton County, Mississippi, and one of our target properties to protect is in Benton County. So those wetlands have a really close relationship with the Memphis Sand Aquifer.”

Hall explains that the rain filters through wetlands, and in about a week or less recharges the drinking water, “ensuring safe, clean, drinking water that all Memphians like.”

“That’s the biggest impact, even if you never leave your house.”

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Food & Drink

Memphis to Your Mouth: 32 Years of D’Bo’s Wings

On August 2, 1990, David and Leticia Boyd’s mission to bring the “Buffalo wing” to Memphis came into fruition as the first D’Bo’s Daiquiris, Wings & Seafood opened as a food truck.

Almost 32 years and thousands of customers later, D’Bo’s has grown into multiple locations around Memphis, with franchise locations in Michigan and others on the horizon.

It’s the next step in the growth and expansion of D’Bo’s, says Julian Boyd. Boyd is the son of David and Leticia and is proudly carrying the torch that his parents laid of being responsible for making Memphis the “Hot Wing Capital of the World.”

“It’s been a fantastic ride, and we are so grateful for everything that has taken place,” Boyd says.

“We’re known for the blues, we’re known for the barbecue. However, because of D’Bo’s, Memphis is known for its wings. There were no wing places in Memphis like this 32 years ago, but to be able to set the standard at the way it’s set to now, it’s a great thing to be able to see. We’re bringing that Memphis to your mouth. That’s the way that we’re looking to do this thing. Memphis to your mouth, and Memphis to your market.”

It’s no secret that hot wings are a staple of Memphis culinary culture. That fact is something that many Memphians are proud to boast about, especially when visiting new cities. However, it seems that no other city can produce a hot wing the way the Bluff City does.

“We opened one in Detroit in February. That one up there is doing fantastic,” Boyd says. “It’s such an exciting opportunity because we’re breaking into new markets. It’s all about the strong foundation that was set by David and Leticia Boyd.”

Boyd recalls memories from his formative years when he and his late brother David Boyd II would be at the first brick-and-mortar location on Kirby Parkway and Knight Arnold, standing on crates and operating the cash register.

Photo: Benji Aird/Airdography
New owners Ashlei and Ross Williams pose at D’Bo’s Riverdale’s reopening.

“That was fun for us back in the day. So now it’s so much fun to be invested in the business in this way and focusing on the growth and development through franchising and finding franchise partners,” he says. “If we’re going to do this franchising thing the right way, we have to be hands-on and supportive to ensure the success of every single location because at the end of the day, that’s our family name up on that building.”

There are currently two locations that sport the Boyd moniker in Memphis, with one of the original locations being newly franchised. D’Bo’s on Riverdale is now owned and operated by a sister-and-brother duo, Ashlei and Ross Williams.

The Williams siblings were born and raised in Memphis, and are eager to bring their entrepreneurial spirit and family legacy of hospitality to the D’Bo’s franchise.

“About two years ago in the pandemic, my sister and I knew we were both at an area where we wanted to pivot and explore new opportunities,” Ross says. 

Ashlei explains that one of the positives of the pandemic was that many of her creative services were booming, and she wanted to be smart with her revenue. This created the perfect opportunity for Ross to “circle back and pitch himself again,” which was around the time that D’Bo’s started franchising.

“The company is positioned now to grow … and for Ashlei and I as young entrepreneurs, not only did I want to invest in a brand that was exciting and that we liked, but also one that is positioned for growth,” Ross explains.

“It’s also about being Black millennial entrepreneurs. It’s important for us to tell the story of legacy. Tell the story of what legacy can look like. I think we’re personally interested in expanding the footprint of Black businesses in general, and franchising is a great way to do that and bring more Black owners in,” Ashlei adds.

Ashlei also says it’s been a joy to work with Julian as another Black millennial. 

“You can pass something down and the next generation can take it over and improve it and make it better. We’re just excited to be on the journey here for this legacy location and what it means to Memphis.”