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Birmingham City Councilor Crystal Smitherman on How Golf Became More Than She Imagined

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Birmingham Times
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Birmingham City Councilor Crystal Smitherman, third from left, is a First Tee alum, and board member with the group that empowers young people of all backgrounds to develop inner strength, self-confidence and resilience. (Provided)

By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | For The Birmingham Times

Birmingham City Councilmember Crystal Smitherman is an alumnus of Ramsay High School, Hampton University, the University of Alabama School of Law, and Samford University’s Cumberland Law School.

She is also an alumnus of First Tee Birmingham.

Crystal Smitherman

“My father (state Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham) introduced me to golf at a young age, and that introduction ultimately led me to First Tee,” Crystal said. “What started as time spent with my dad quickly became something much bigger. Through First Tee, I was able to formally learn the game and become part of a structured program that emphasized both skill and character.”

The younger Smitherman later competed across the country, representing the Birmingham chapter of First Tee. That experience broadened her worldview and instilled a deep sense of pride in the city she came from.

“In addition to learning how to play golf at a competitive level, First Tee taught me discipline, resilience, and leadership,” she said. “Competing nationally required focus, preparation, and accountability — qualities that extend far beyond the course. The program also exposed me to new environments and networks, helping me develop confidence and the ability to navigate spaces where I might otherwise have felt out of place.”

These days, the City Councilor plays golf when her schedule permits. “While I may not compete the way I once did, the foundation First Tee gave me is still there,” she said. “My game reflects life right now — busy, evolving, and occasionally humbling — but always grounded in fundamentals.”

It has long been said that more business deals are made on a fairway than in a boardroom. Smitherman said there is definitely truth in that stance.

“Golf provides an environment where relationships are built over time, conversations flow naturally, and trust develops organically,” she said that as an attorney and public servant, those relationships matter. While decisions are ultimately made in formal settings, the trust and mutual understanding that make effective collaboration possible are often built on the golf course.”
Smitherman is helping to build and direct young lives as a member of the board of Fore Alabama Kids, the Birmingham chapter of First Tee. That gives her a special opportunity to ‘play’ it forward.

“Being an alum gives me a unique sense of ownership and responsibility,” she said. “I know firsthand the impact First Tee can have on a young person’s life. Serving as a board member allows me to ensure that young people in Birmingham continue to have access to the same opportunities, exposure, and life lessons that helped shape who I am today.”

Par For The Course: How One Group Makes Golf Accessible in City Schools

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Birmingham Times
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Chip Thomas, the director of golf for Fore Alabama Kids, the Birmingham affiliate of the First Tee program recently helped run a session with students at Hemphill Elementary in Birmingham’s Arlington-West End Neighborhood. (Solomon Crenshaw Jr., For The Birmingham Times)

By Solomon Crenshaw Jr. | For The Birmingham Times

Chip Thomas, coach of Fore Alabama Kids, the Birmingham affiliate of the First Tee program, walks across a hardwood floor inside a gymnasium at Hemphill Elementary in Birmingham’s Arlington-West End Neighborhood.

After Thomas opens the session with exercise and balance drills, youngsters from kindergarten to fifth grade take turns using plastic clubs to knock tennis balls off a tee. The aim is to open the students’ eyes to the possibility of playing golf. Thomas knows the importance of making that happen.

“Being a Black man, I understand that where you grow up, it is football, basketball, and track. Those are the three,” he said. “Baseball is really not part of the equation anymore. And you get that misnomer, ‘Hey, golf’s not a sport.’”

And, some will say, golf is not a sport for minorities and people who are not wealthy. Thomas combats that errant perspective with hands-on sessions where youth try their hand at the sport.

“The big thing with kids is to make it [golf] engaging,” he said. “They do not want to listen to me talk about how to hold it and how you should swing for 10 minutes. We move around a bit to get them engaged, then let them figure it out once they get their hands on the club and once they understand safety.

“Let them explore a little bit. It is exploratory learning,” he added. “It is discovery-based learning, not directive. When you do that, the kids can find enjoyment rather than being bored. It is more activity-based.”

Many students at Hemphill and other Birmingham-area schools are introduced to golf through the Fore Alabama Kids Foundation.

First Tee is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the goal of improving children’s life skills through golf lessons. Based in Ponta Vedra Beach, Florida, the organization is said to teach more than 3.6 million youth annually through programs across the country and internationally.

Fore Alabama Kids received approval as a First Tee chapter in 2023 during the Regions Tradition, a senior major championship on the PGA Tour. The program launched with four children at Topgolf in downtown Birmingham. Since then, Fore Alabama Golf has had events at Highland Park, Roebuck, Bessemer’s Woodward, and Oak Mountain golf courses.

“We saw 175 on the course through the school program, which is Birmingham City Schools, some Jefferson County Schools, and Hoover,” said Carlos Carter, interim executive director and board chair of First Tee Birmingham, adding that the program has expanded to YMCAs and the Worship Center’s Freedom School, among other locales. “All combined, we’ve served over 10,000 kids annually.”

GROWING THE GAME

While Thomas serves as director of golf for Fore Alabama Kids, he also operates his own golf instruction business – Evolution Golf Initiative.

“Outreach is a big part of what I do,” the 35-year-old said. “I communicate with different schools, different principals, superintendents, whatever it may be. I also converse with (officials at) golf courses. I talk with the head professionals (and) the directors of golf in attempts to get more access to the kids to play the game and also grow it.”

Growing golf should go beyond country club communities, Thomas said. In those communities, fathers and mothers likely play, and their children will likely follow suit.

“What about the kid who has never even seen a golf course? Never even touched a golf club, never even watched it?” he asked. “We say we are growing the game, but why aren’t we in those areas? The reality is that is what First Tee brings — the opportunity to bring (golf) to those (unexposed) areas, get these kids engaged in the game and continue to grow it with life skills through the game of golf.”

Chip Thomas is seen in the Oak Mountain Pro Shop. (Solomon Crenshaw Jr., For The Birmingham Times)

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

You might think a golf coach named Chip Thomas got that name because he is good at performing or teaching a chip, the short, low trajectory shot from just off the green.

If you thought that, you would be wrong.

Born Michael Thomas II, he was nicknamed by his father, Michael Thomas I, almost from birth.

“I’ve been Chip since I left the hospital,” said Thomas. “In the hospital, he sat there and said, ‘I don’t really like it.’ In the hospital, he started calling me Chip, and then it stuck.

“I never touched a golf club. I never played golf until I was 10,” he said. “But Chip was always what I was (known by) before I even played golf or anything.”

At age 8 or 9, Thomas remembers watching the Tiger Woods Show, the era of televised PGA Tour events during which regularly scheduled programming was preempted by Woods making another charge to the top of the leaderboard, usually while wearing his signature red golf shirt. That whet Thomas’ appetite for the sport.

“Just watching Tiger on TV, I wanted to try it,” said Thomas. “I begged (my dad) to take me to a driving range. My dad did not even have clubs. Me neither. We got rentals, and I started hitting shots and just got into it.”

Summers in Shreveport, La., with his grandparents yielded rounds he played with his grandfather. He got involved in a local program in Syracuse, N.Y., and then a First Tee operation.

“Once I started doing these programs and I played golf all summer, I got (my father) to start playing golf,” Thomas said. “My dad was obviously never better than me. That is kind of the fun part. Maybe right at that early stage, he might have beaten me, but I actually cannot recall, to be honest with you.”

But despite being a Tiger Woods fan and developing a deep love of golf, he never considered playing on the Tour.

“I never saw myself as a professional golfer,” he said. “I played in college, and I played high school golf. I love the game. I loved playing, I love practicing, but I love the people more.”

After two years at Grambling State University and then the University of Central Oklahoma, Thomas enrolled in the professional golfers’ management program. That is how he became a PGA member.

“I’ve been a PGA member now for almost 11 years,” he said. “It is a distinction given to those who show player ability. Their mission is to really keep the game growing and thriving. Those are people who become head professionals of golf courses, general managers of golf courses, and, in my case, coach the game in different facets. It simply reflects your professional standards. It is almost like your doctorate in golf.”

For more on First Tee Birmingham, visit www.firsteebirmingham.org or Contact@forealabamakids.org.

Business Leaders, Entrepreneurs Gather in Birmingham for 2026 A.G. Gaston Conference

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Birmingham Times
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From left: Bob Dickerson, Birmingham Business Resource Center Executive Director; Issac Cooper, founder and CEO of IMC Financial Consulting; Stephen Glaude, president and CEO of The Coalition, and Dr. Anthony C. Hood, managing principal of Hood Allen Consulting during a panel discussion at the 2026 A.G. Gaston Conference. (Sym Posey, The Birmingham Times)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators filled Birmingham’s Red Mountain Theatre on Wednesday for the annual A.G. Gaston Conference under a theme of “Legacy, Leverage, and Liberation: Accumulating Assets That Lead to Wealth.” 

The daylong conference served as a catalyst for empowerment, choice, and community transformation. The gathering held during Black History Month is named after Arthur George Gaston, who built a business empire during segregation, demonstrating that wealth is far more than a paycheck.

One of the many panel discussions focused on the difference between assets accumulation and wealth building.

The session was moderated by Birmingham Business Resource Center Executive Director Bob Dickerson and featured Dr. Anthony C. Hood, managing principal of Hood Allen Consulting; Isaac M. Cooper, founder and CEO of IMC Financial Consulting; and Stephen Glaude, president and CEO of The Coalition.

“Words do matter, and I think those distinctions between assets and wealth are important,” Hood said. “You can accumulate assets, but to the extent that those assets also are tied to liabilities… There are a lot of people in our communities with negative net worth. But on the outside, they appear to be moving toward wealth.”

He challenged attendees to examine how many “assets” — homes, businesses, investments — are heavily burdened by debt.

“I see a lot of potential assets in our community,” he added, “but how many of those assets are encumbered by liabilities?”

The panel emphasized that asset ownership without discretionary income or margin can create financial strain rather than freedom.

Social Media-Fueled Narratives

Cooper pointed to social media-fueled narratives that oversimplify entrepreneurship and wealth creation.

“There’s a lot of communication on TikTok and YouTube on what it takes to establish a business. Folks think if they start an EIN number, they’re going to be millionaires in 20 years … it just doesn’t work like that.”

He stressed that wealth begins with cash flow discipline.

“When you peel through what it says for you to have discretionary income… the expenses that go out do not need to outweigh the money that’s coming in. If there’s no money left over, the conversation of wealth doesn’t even need to be entertained,” he said.

The conversation turned personal as Hood reflected on the blue-collar Birmingham neighborhood where he was raised.

“In the last 30 years, we’re in a place now where people make $150,000, but they’re buying a $600,000 house,” he said. “Now we’re defined by the amount of house and what we make in a year.”

He contrasted that with earlier generations who purchased homes well below their annual income, building equity slowly and deliberately.

The consequences of today’s approach are visible to younger generations, he continued.

“A lot of teenagers don’t want to buy a house because they see the stress that a lot of adults are in right now,” Hood noted. “They don’t see that as independence. They see the stress.”

Glaude echoed that concern, warning that presenting leveraged assets as wealth risks erodes trust.

“What we need to do is sit with the discomfort,” Glaude said. “We’re trying to run past this. We’re trying to conclude this. We’re trying to say, ‘Look what we’ve done,’ and we actually could end up making things worse.”

AI And Workforce Development

Beyond household budgeting, the panel addressed a looming structural threat: artificial intelligence and workforce displacement.

Hood delivered perhaps the starkest warning of the afternoon.

“If you are listening to me right now, it’s a good chance that you are going to lose your job. It’s not coming. It’s already here.”

Referring to widespread corporate layoffs, he urged families to prepare for economic volatility.

“Make sure you have enough cushion — six months, nine months, 12 months, 18 months of savings,” he said. “If you were making $200,000 but you lived in an $800,000 house… that’s just not a good place to be.”

Technology is also altering people’s emotional relationship with money, Cooper added. The shift from cash to digital transactions has reduced the “friction” of spending, making it easier to overspend without feeling the impact, he said.

“The relationship with money is less — there’s less friction,” Cooper said. “Their ability to have a memory that is emotionally driven is tough.”

“Retrain Assets”

The panelists pushed beyond traditional financial literacy.

Glaude urged communities to “retrain assets as a valuable thing” while rejecting the fantasy of overnight wealth. Cooper expanded the framework to what he called a progression — from literacy to coaching, to assets accumulation, to investment management, and ultimately estate planning.

“The number one thing that we are missing as a community is estate planning,” Cooper said. “Why do all this work to accumulate so much and let the government get their hand in the pocket when you’re trying to pass it down?”

He reminded attendees that wealth transfer — not just wealth accumulation — defines long-term community stability.

“Every tax bracket has blind spots,” he added. “Financial literacy isn’t just for poor people.”

Underlying every point was a deeper theme: mindset. “If we don’t get the mind right,” Cooper said earlier in the discussion, “all of the know-how, the concepts, all of this different information — it won’t change your life.”

The panel closed on a note of cautious optimism. Glaude described the report behind the discussion as a “flare in the sky,” meant to slow society down long enough to examine what wealth truly requires.

“There’s something good in having the awareness,” Glaude said. “Maybe even a little bit of agitation to get it right.”

The A.G. Gaston Conference, founded by Dickerson and Gaynell Adams Jackson, has always been more than a tribute; it is a call to action. It is an annual reminder that true progress is forged through cooperation, education, and bold economic participation.

First Tee Birmingham’s Carlos Carter: Leading With Purpose, Vision, and Heart

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Birmingham Times
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Carlos Carter is the interim Executive Director and Board Chair of First Tee Birmingham. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

For Carlos Carter, golf is more than a game — it is a way to build character, community, and opportunity for young people. As Interim Executive Director and Board Chair of First Tee Birmingham, Carter is guiding a rapidly growing youth development organization while keeping its mission firmly rooted in service.

“First Tee is a youth development organization that teaches kids life skills, collaboration, good judgment, and how to make decisions,” Carter said. “Those key commitments are seamlessly integrated into the golf lessons.”

Founded nationally more than 27 years ago, First Tee now operates more than 150 chapters across the country. Alabama’s chapter, however, is relatively new — and one Carter helped build from the ground up beginning in 2022, when it formed a 501(c)(3) before officially becoming a First Tee chapter in May 2023.

“When we started, there was no chapter. A group of us came together, met with headquarters, and the rest is history,” he said.

Today, First Tee Birmingham serves youth across multiple counties, with locations in Birmingham City Schools, Jefferson County, and Shelby County. The chapter operates at six sites, including Roebuck, Woodward, Oak Mountain, PGA Superstore, and Topgolf, reaching thousands of young people. While Carter, 40, serves in an interim executive role as the organization searches for a permanent leader, he remains involved in day-to-day operations.

“Any time I’m not working my full-time job [a local banking institution], I’m working on First Tee,” he said. “There’s always something to do — supporting coaches, meeting with partners, or working behind the scenes to make sure the program runs smoothly.”

Carlos Carter is guiding a rapidly growing youth development organization while keeping its mission firmly rooted in service. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

“LOVE THE GAME”

A former multi-sport athlete who played basketball, baseball, soccer, and football, he picked up golf in his early 30s.

“I’m not as great a golfer as people think,” he said with a laugh. “But I love the game. A friend convinced me to try it, and I got hooked.”

That late start helped shape his passion for First Tee’s mission. “I wish a program like this existed when I was younger,” he said. “It’s another positive option for kids — something that keeps them busy, teaches values, and gives them opportunities.”

Those values are already inherent in the sport, Carter explained. “Golf teaches honesty, integrity, and perseverance,” he said. “First Tee just amplifies that even more.”

One of the chapter’s proudest achievements came in 2024, when First Tee Birmingham received the Barbara A. Douglas & Dr. William J. Powell Community Award, presented in partnership with Golf Digest. The recognition placed the young chapter among the top programs nationwide.

“Out of more than 150 chapters, we were recognized for our impact,” he said. “Eighty percent of our kids are children of color, and our coaches reflect that too. When kids see someone they can relate to, they want to come back. That makes all the difference.”

“THE RIGHT PATH”

Carter did not grow up playing golf.

“I didn’t even go on a golf course until I was an adult,” the Anniston native said. “A friend of mine … got into golf when we were in our late 20s. He kept trying to get me out there, kept trying to get me out there, because we used to do a lot of things together. Play basketball. Shoot pool. We used to do things. We were very competitive, and he got into golf.

“He was telling me just how fun the game was, and I still wasn’t listening,” Carter said. “He finally got me out there. He had taken some lessons and was much better than I was. It just kind of got me hooked. I took some lessons; I got some clubs, and then I have been kind of hooked ever since.”

Carter can relate to the boys and girls served by the First Tee chapter. Golf was never considered an option when he was growing up. He only knew one person who played the sport — his barber.

“I didn’t know anybody my age, or anybody that looked like me around my age, who grew up playing golf,” he said. “We played basketball, football, baseball, even some soccer, but never golf. It provides these new experiences and giving kids something to do and to stay out of trouble as well, while instilling those values and life skills that they will take in whatever they do to make sure that they stay on the right path.”

Carlos Carter in the interim Executive Director and Board Chair of First Tee Birmingham. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

FAMILY PLAYS A ROLE

Accessibility is a key aspect of the program, Carter said. “If a child qualifies for free or reduced lunch, they pay nothing,” he said. “We’re removing barriers and creating access.”

Originally from Anniston, Carter graduated from Alexandria High School, Alexandria, Alabama, before earning his degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

As a resident for over 20 years in Birmingham, his favorite part about the city is the “small town feel,” he said.

“It is the largest metro area in the state… It is easy to find your community. Also, it is an important city. You cannot overlook its importance in the Civil Rights movement and what it has provided to not only people in this city, but across the nation.”

Carter has built a professional career in finance but finds his nonprofit work especially fulfilling.

“Nothing compares to helping young people,” he said. “Hopefully the lessons they learn here carry over into their careers, their families, and their communities.”

His family also plays a role in the mission. His wife, Breanna Carter, brings a nonprofit background and supports their organization, while his seven-year-old daughter recently completed her first First Tee session.

Looking ahead, Carter has a vision for the organization’s continued growth that includes expanding programming locations, offering teen leadership and career development initiatives, and building a pipeline for students interested in competitive golf and scholarships.

As First Tee Birmingham prepares to welcome a new executive director, Carter will continue to serve as board chair, guiding the organization at the strategic level.

“Leadership is about stewardship,” he said. “We want to keep building something that truly serves this community.”

Times freelancer Solomon Crenshaw Jr. contributed to this article.

For more on First Tee Birmingham, visit www.firstteebirmingham.org or Contact@forealabamakids.org.

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

By
Birmingham Times
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MJ THE MUSICAL at the BJCC Concert Hall, this weekend. (Photo by Matthew Murphy)

By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times

“CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY!!!”

TODAY, FEB. 19…

**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!

**Irondale Senior Activity Center Field Trip to the Negro Southern League Museum & Yo Mama’s Restaurant.

**JAZZ HAPPY HOUR with JOSE CARR AND HIS BAND, 5 p.m. at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

**DAIKAIJU with SKEPTIC at Saturn.

**KARAOKE KICKBACK EVERY THURSDAY, 6 – 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3rd, with Happy Hour 5-6 p.m. FREE. There is a weekly Cash Prize hosted by Loretta Hill.

**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS KARAOKE & MINGLE at Platinum with music by DEVYBE BAND and hosted by Jirus Horton. Line Dance with DESI KEITH & D2 at 6 p.m.

**LIVEST TAKE OVER at The Nick.

**RnB POETICALLY LIT, 5-7 p.m. at Lit on 8th, 518 Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. with HUNCHO ZAVY, KD MCQWEEN, CAROL HOOD, DKMODE, BRIANNE SHARDAW and hosted by HEMP THE ARTIST. Every Thursday.

**3rd THURSDAY at the Nick with RAMBLIN’ RICKY TATE at The Nick.

**FILMMAKER NETWORKING NIGHTS, 5 p.m. at 1821 2nd Avenue North

**EVERY THURSDAY- THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS, 7 p.m. at Platinum of Birmingham with DJ Slugga.

**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.

**FILM at Sidewalk Film.

**KARAOKE, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

FRIDAY, FEB. 20…

IT IS FRIDAY…the weekend starts…

**FIRST ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH YOUTH FILM CONTEST for grades 4-12. Film must be no longer that 5 minutes and is due by February 20, tomorrow. Film Screening and Awards is on February 28, 4:30 p.m. at Birmingham Ephesus SDA Church. Send all submissions to Admin@cinematiccreations.agency.

**CALVIN SEXTON & FRIENDS presents WINDS OF CHANGE – Celebrating the Music of JOTHAN CALLINS at the Carver Theatre of Performing Arts Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, 7 p.m. with CALVIN SEXTON (Trombone), ANTON KOT (Drums), IAN JESSIE (Bass), NIGEL INNIS (Tenor Sax), IVORY WANING MOON (Vocalist), and a Special Guest Artists.  This powerful New York City ensemble with special guests will share a night rooted in creativity, connection and the spirit of Birmingham jazz. For more, call 205-880-7381.

**BIRMINGHAM HOME SHOW starting TODAY through Sunday at the BJCC.

**QDOT + JAXXXON & FRIENDS at The Nick.

**GIMME GIMME DISCO at Saturn.

**FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, 5 p.m. at Howard’s Unlimited Lounge & Cocktail Bar at 4010 Avenue I with food by 1918 Catering Food Truck. Happy Hour at 5 p.m. Call 205-213-9097 for more.

**GOOD PEOPLE & GOOD MUSIC WITH GOOD PEOPLE BREWING at Dave’s, 6 p.m. at Dave’s Pub.

 SATURDAY, FEB. 21…

**SHARED LIGHT AN INTERFAITH GATHERING, 10:30 a.m. at the Irondale Public Library with Mayor James D. Stewart for a special roundtable bringing together diverse faith traditions in a shared commitment to justice, unity and community.

**3rd ANNUAL MAGIC CITY DESSERT COMPETITION, 7-10 p.m. at The City Club Birmingham benefits the Cahaba Valley Health Care.

**THE MIDNIGHT EFFECT: DARK HEARTS at Saturn.

**BEARHEAD, SPEAKIN WHISPER, DEAD ALLIES at The Nick.

**BILLY ALLEN + THE POLITICS w/C.A. JONES at the Upstairs at Avondale.

SUNDAY, FEB. 22…

**HOWARD’S UNLIMITED LOUNGE & COCKTAIL BAR, 4010 Avenue I, in Belview Heights opened recently by radio personality and D.J. CHRIS COLEMAN. Check it out for Sunday Brunch with food by 1918 Catering, music and more!! For more, call 205-213-9097. 1918 Catering is the best food for lunch, dinner or your special event.

**MOVIE SUNDAY BEST Screening at the Irondale Senior Activity Center.

**JAZZ NIGHT WITH BIRMINGHAM YOUTH JAZZ ENSEMBLE ALUMNI CONCERT, 5 – 6 p.m. p.m. at the Carver Theatre with the Birmingham Youth Jazz Ensemble.  This will be a captivating live jazz performance with New York-based trombonist and educator Calvin Sexton for an Alumni Concert like no other.

**JOSE CARR performing at JAZZ IN THE GARDEN SUNDAYS, Every 1st and 3rd Sunday, 5-8 p.m. at Denim on 7th, 2808 7th Avenue Suite105.

**EASE BACK 4th SUNDAYS, 5 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**2ND SUNDAY FREE SHOW with ZACH AUSTIN at The Nick.

**4th SUNDAY FREE SHOW with our favorite TAYLOR HOLLINGSWORTH at The Nick.

**MOTION SUNDAYS at Platinum, 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. with DJ CUZZO X DJ A1 Controlling the Vibes. There will be Drink Specials.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: ERIC EATON at the StarDome Comedy Club.

MONDAY, FEB. 23…

**WEEK DAYS – IRONDALE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER has activities starting at 8 a.m. with a Hot Lunch served for Seniors Monday – Friday, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  Call 205-951-1418 for details about the FREE program.

**MONDAYS – THURSDAYS – CFJS CARES RESPITE PROGRAM, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Call 205-278-7113 for more info.

**MONDAYS – GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP, 10-11:30 a.m. at CJFS Conference Room. Open to survivors who have experienced loss within the past 2 years. Call 205-278-7101 to sign up.

**MONDAYS – DEMENTIA CAREGIVER VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP, 3 p.m. and/or Tuesday at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Call 205-278-7113 for more info.

**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at The Nick.

**THE MOTH OPEN MIC STORYSLAM: LOVE HURTS at Saturn.

**AIMEE MANN, 22 ½ LOST IN SPACE ANNIVERSARY TOUR with JONATHAN COULTON at Iron City.

TUESDAY, FEB. 24…

**THE ALABAMA SOLUTION, 6 p.m. at the Irondale Public Library.

**Music Program with DJ DOUG at the Irondale Senior Activity Center

**TACO TUESDAY R & B NIGHT, EVERY THURSDAY at Hemings on 2ND Avenue.

**PODCASTING 101 at CREED63, EVERY TUESDAY at 5:45 p.m. Learn how to launch and create your own podcast at 1601 5th Avenue North, Birmingham 35203.

**JOSE CARR EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT at True Story Brewing.

**SONGWRITER’S NIGHT EVERY 2ND TUESDAY at The Nick.

**COVER SONGS: THE ART & CRAFT OF ALBUM DESIGN at Saturn.

 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25…

**REAL FUNNY COMEDY WEDNESDAYS at True Story Brewing. Sign up at 7:30 p.m.

**SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE II at Saturn.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: DARREN FLEET at the StarDome Comedy Club.

THURSDAY, FEB. 26 …

**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!!!

**JAZZ HAPPY HOUR with JOSE CARR AND HIS BAND, 5 p.m. at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

**FREE – WORLD RECORD BARBER POLE SUND & HOCKY at Saturn.

**KARAOKE KICKBACK EVERY THURSDAY, 6 – 9 p.m. at Jazzi’s on 3rd, with Happy Hour 5-6 p.m. FREE. There is a weekly Cash Prize hosted by Loretta Hill.

**BLUES JAM EVERY 3rd THURSDAY, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**THAT’S MY JAM THURSDAYS KARAOKE & MINGLE at Platinum with music by DEVYBE BAND and hosted by Jirus Horton. Line Dance with DESI KEITH & D2 at 6 p.m.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: GIGI LEFLAIR at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN LEARNMORE JONASI at the StarDome Comedy Club.

 FRIDAY, FEB. 27….

**MOVIE: SUNDAY BEST Screening at the Irondale Senior Activity Center.

**THE RUNAROUNDS at Iron City.

**CAN’T FEEL MY FACE: 2010 DANCE PARTY at Saturn.

**COMEDIAN LEARNMORE JONASI at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**COMEDIAN SPECIAL EVENT: GINGER BILLY at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**TRIPP at the Upstairs at Avondale.

NEWS TO KNOW AND USE – PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS TO WATCH…

 CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY AND MORE…

**MJ THE MUSICAL – A SMASH-HIT MUSICAL AND A FOUR-TIME TONY AWARDS WINNING MUSICAL IN BIRMINGHAM – MJ is taking the BJCC Concert Hall stage for a few more nights, TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY, with JORDAN MARKUS playing the title role of MJ on the First National Tour. Jordan made his Broadway debut playing the roles of both MJ and ‘Michael’ in MJ.  He is one of the greatest entertainers of all time. Now, Michael Jackson’s unique and unparalleled artistry comes to Birmingham in MJ and is centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour Created by Tony Award Winning Director/ Choreographer CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON and two-time Pulitzer Winner LYNN NOTTAGE. This is its premiere at the BJCC Concert Hall. Jordan is joined by MELVIN GRAY, JR. (MJ alternate), BRANDON LEE HARRIS (Michael), QUENTIN BLANTON, JR. (Little Michael), ERIC WILTZ (Little Michael), ERICK HAMILTON (Standby MJ, Michael) EVIN BOWLES (Joseph Jackson/Rob), J. DAUGHTRY (Berry Gordy/Nick), MICHAEL NERO (Tito Jackson/Quincy Jones), KEVIN CRUZ Alejandro), JACKSON VANN ((Little Marlon), KRISTIN STOKES (Rachel), JED RESNICK (Dave) and RAJANE KATURAH (Katherine Jackson/Kate).

 FOR HISTORY BOOK LOVERS…

**BOOK: TRAVEL NORTH BLACK GIRL by Author OLIVIA HILL, is a 3,000-mile journey in search of love, peace and home. This book is a creative nonfiction. It is a memoir set in the ‘60s up to the early ‘80s and the references to indigenous groups or reflections on Black culture is attempted to stay true to the time period and may not reflect the author’s current viewpoint or what is politically correct today. Olivia North was raised by her grandmother and is referenced as mom, saying that in Black communities’ having a grandparent raise a child was common and normal. The author rarely refers to siblings by name as a way to protect them and protect her psychologically as well as to keep some distance when writing of the darkest moments of her past. The language is in the dialect of her people in the journey, which is a mixture of African language, Southern accent and Gullah influence that was interwoven into the voices of the grandmother and relatives. She notes emphatically that it is not broken English, but the legacy of the Black experience in their tongue. The author states that for her people, there was a basic desire that drove them north – FREEDOM. So, the magnetic forces of the North pulled her just as it had for her ancestors. The book addresses the complexity of race, gender, generational trauma and the powerful healing that the wilds of Alaska provided after she wed her Jewish husband. When growing up, she had rarely been past the invisible racial line of the Troost corridor in Kansas City.

 FOR GARDEN LOVERS at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens…

**IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH – DR. BOOKER T. WHATLEY, a Tuskegee professor created the concept of community supported agriculture (CSA) in Alabama. An agricultural educator and horticulturist Dr. Whatley, an Alabama native, transformed how farmers and communities connect by introducing foundational principles for food systems based on cooperation and sustainability.  The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is involved in CSAs and serve as a pickup location for Snow’s Bend Farm just outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

**FEB. 27 – THE FOUNDATION OF JAPANESE GARDEN DESIGN, 1-2:30 p.m. with JULIA ADAMS, horticulturist.

**FEB. 28 – BIRMINGHAM CAMELLIA SHOW, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. FREE.

**MARCH 17 – ST. PATRICK’S DAY DISH GARDENS, 10-11:30 a.m. with ALLISON CREEL of Blue Rooster Farms.

 FOR OUR YOUTH …

**SATURDAY – 2026 PROM GIVEAWAY – High School seniors will be preparing for Prom season when ‘Hope with Grace’, Boutwell Auditorium and the City of Birmingham Youth Services host the Prom Giveaway on Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Historic Boutwell Auditorium. The Prom Giveaway will provide free prom dresses and suits to high school students, ensuing that every student regardless of budget has the opportunity to attend prom feeling confident and celebrated.  There will be a fashion showcasing prom trends and inspiration, an etiquette sessions to help students prepare for pro night and beyond, a live DJ, local vendors offering resources and services, on-site dress and suit fittings for the perfect look and additional resources offered that appeal to families attending with younger children. For more information, volunteer opportunities or partnership inquiries contact Hope with Grace at 205-401-7493 or email chill@hopewithgrace.org.

**SPRING TRADE EXPO – The UAB TRIO Educational Opportunity Center will have mini-workshops on March 12, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Birmingham Downtown Library, 2100 Park Place North. Sign up for a trade or apply for a job in plumbing, electrical, cosmetology, HVAC, CNA, apprenticeships, GED, CDL, welding and more. For info contact Rico Drakes at 205-224-7571 or trioeoc@uab.edu.

**5TH ANNUAL DUNDRILL HEIGHTS SPRING BREAK FILM CAMP, MARCH 23-27, 2026, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the YMCA Youth Center (Downtown), 2400 Seventh Avenue North. For more info, CALL 205-370-7805 or go to CinematicCreations.agency.

**UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA KIDS FEELINGS SURVEY – KIDS NEEDED ages 6-11 to test out a computerized activity designed to help kids learn about other peoples’ feelings. Families receive up to $600 for participating. IT will be 11 sessions at the Clinic at UAB. Engaging activities for kids, Parent Surveys, Cash payment for parents and kids and Kids earn prizes. Does your child show little concern for others feelings, School performance or Rules an consequences, then, For more on this research study, call 205-737-4610 or fastclinicaltrials@ua.edu. Study is by the Center for Youth Development and Intervention.

**BRAIN READ YOUTH STUDY – UAB is looking for children diagnosed with autism ages 7 – 13 to participate in an MRI study at UAB that includes a complimentary 10-week intervention for improving reading comprehension. The child gets to participant in an intensive intervention program at no cost, which may improve their comprehension. You will also help to learn more about how children understand what they read.  Children will be paid up to $250 for their participation.

For more contact The Cognition, Brain and Autism Lab at 205-202-0616.

**SMALL MAGIC – BIRMINGHAM TALKS – This program is committed to making Birmingham the best place to raise a child under age 5. It is designed to support early literacy, helping children become three times more likely to be ready for kindergarten. The program provides families with a wearable word counter – technology typically only available to high-income households – along with books, educational toys and the support of a personal coach to help track progress and set developmental goals.

**RENEW BIRMINGHAM – Services that are provided include: housing, adult education/work force development, transportation. jobs, youth services/education, community health and wellness. Call 205-201-4275 or visit www renewbhm.org. Email admin@renewbham.org. Address is 1801 Avenue H, Birmingham 1801 Avenue H.

**MAGIC CITY YOUTHBUILD is accepting applications from 16-24 year s old.  It is a 6 to 9 month program. Youth can earn their GED.  They get paid a biweekly stipend and get training in construction and healthcare careers.  Contact youthbuild@habd.net or call 205-983-7550 to learn more.

AROUND BIRMINGHAM…

**FEB. 28 – MAUSIKI SCALES & COMMON GROUND COLLECTIVE – MESSAGE IN THE MUSIC, 7 p.m. at the Carver Theatre.  This concert will be a powerful fusion of Afrobeats, Jazz, Funk and Soul. Music.

**MARCH 11 – REVOLUTIONARY ALABAMIANS: PEOPLE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE Panel Discussion, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the Electra Room at Vulcan Park and Museum. Check out this engaging and inspiring panel and discussion celebrating Alabamians who have shaped their communities through courage, creativity and conviction. Explore how meaningful change happens – not only through protest or politics, but also through art, education public service and community leadership.

Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send your questions, contact info with your events, your things of interest and more to: gwenderu@yahoo.com AND thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com. 

“So many [survivors of violence] can’t even get out of their bed because they’re dealing with grief. Some can’t go back to work because they can’t concentrate.”

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Birmingham Times
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SHEREE KENNON, FOUNDER OF WHAT ABOUT US, A BIRMINGHAM-BASED NON-PROFIT WHICH HELPS PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, WHO WILL BE IN MONTGOMERY, FEB. 24, FOR THE SURVIVORS SPEAK ALABAMA GATHERING; THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES, FEB. 19.

Cameron White’s Heart of Lion in ‘The Wiz’ at Birmingham’s Red Mountain Theatre

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Birmingham Times
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Birmingham’s Cameron White is currently starring as the Lion in the Red Mountain Theatre’s production of “The Wiz”. (Red Mountain Theatre)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Birmingham’s Cameron White has always had a passion for performing. From his early days in church plays at First Baptist Church Mason City and Mount Canaan Full Gospel Church, to his current role as the Lion in the stage production of The Wiz, White’s journey through the world of theater is a testament to both talent and persistence.

Cameron White

“I didn’t start off thinking I’d be an actor,” White says, reflecting on his career. “I’ve always been involved in music—my family’s full of musicians. I was always in the choir or playing an instrument, but theater came a bit later for me.”

White is deeply passionate about his craft and that includes his role in Red Mountain Theatre’s production of The Wiz, through Mar. 1. He often speaks about how The Wiz’s modern-day cultural expression resonates deeply with younger generations.

“This show is a tribute to Black culture, especially the ’90s era,” he said. “The director Monet and the choreographer Maleek Washington have authentically captured that flyness, that swag from the ’90s, when hip-hop and R&B culture were reshaping the world,” he says. “I want millennials and Gen Z to come and experience it—they’ll walk away wishing they were born in that era.”

First Taste of Theater

Born and raised in Birmingham, White, 48, graduated from West End High School in 1996 before heading to Alabama State University (ASU), where he earned a degree in biology and chemistry. His first taste of theater came at ASU, where he participated in a production of The Wiz, though at that time, he was in the ensemble.

“Theater wasn’t something I saw myself doing, but I tried it out in college, and I got cast in the background,” White shares. “I was like, ‘What am I even doing here?’ But I started to enjoy it, and then I got pulled into it professionally by my godmother, Belinda George Peoples.”

“It was called Summer Fest Theater then. She said they were holding auditions for [Smokey Joe’s Café], just tell them I told you to come,” said White.

Since then, White’s connection to Birmingham’s Red Mountain Theatre has been longstanding, with over 20 years of performances. His professional debut with Red Mountain was in the musical Smokey Joe’s Café, 2003, and he hasn’t looked back since. His most recent roles include performances in Dreamgirls as James “Jimmy” Early and Sister Act, Curtis Jackson, with The Wiz marking a full-circle moment for him as he returns to the iconic show — this time as the lion.

“For me, the connection to The Wiz goes deep,” White explains. “The first time I did the show, I played the Wizard. My brother came to see it, and he was so impressed by my performance. He passed away two months later. That was in 2015. He was 45. So, when this opportunity came around again, I knew I had to get involved. I didn’t know they would cast me as the lion, but it feels like a perfect connection.”

The character of the Lion, often seen as comic relief, also carries an emotional depth that White is excited to explore. “The Lion is a lot — too much for TV, radio, and everything else,” White laughs. “He’s bigger than life. But the beauty of theater is that you get to bring a piece of yourself into each character. With the Lion, I’ve had to dig deep and really channel him. I want the audience to watch and think, ‘He’s just like that!”

White’s connection to the theater is not just professional. It’s a family affair. He credits his two grandfathers, Reverend John Oscar Judkins and Vera White, for instilling a work ethic that has propelled him throughout his life.

Judkins as a tax consultant and notary business and White a construction company as well as an office cleaning and landscaping company in Birmingham.

“My grandfathers were businesspeople and created several companies. They built businesses when all odds were stacked against Black people, especially Black men. I carry that with me every time I step into a role,” he says, his voice filled with pride.

Delicate Balance

Though theater is an integral part of White’s life. He’s also a seasoned educator, having taught science in the Birmingham City Schools and Jefferson County School System for 17 years including Green Acres Middle School, West End High School, Huffman High School, and Woodlawn High School.

Now working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Food Safety and Inspection Services of Alabama. White maintains a delicate balance between his government career and his artistic endeavors.

“It’s definitely a duality,” he admits. “Theater is my hobby, my outlet. It’s that space where I can be anyone, be anything. But when it comes to my career, I’ve always felt like the skills I’ve learned in science and teaching have helped me stay grounded and focused. Both sides of me work together.”

White’s infectious energy and passion for his craft shine through, whether he’s performing in The Wiz, teaching, or contributing to his community. He is not just an actor but a mentor, an educator, and a proud product of Birmingham.

“For me, it’s all about embracing where I’m from and using the opportunities I have to give back,” White says. “Every role I play, every student I teach, every performance I give — it’s about making sure we represent the culture and the community that shaped us.”

THE WIZ runs at Red Mountain Theatre runs through March 1. Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday with 2 p.m. matinees on Saturdays and Sundays. Accessible performances will occur Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. (ASL and Audio Description) and Sunday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. (ASL). The show is recommended for ages 8 and up. Tickets start at $40, available at redmountaintheatre.org.

Birmingham Museum of Art Opens Café BMA by Kathy G., a Return to the Past

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Birmingham Times
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Café BMA by Kathy G. opened at the Birmingham Museum of Art this week. (City of Birmingham)

By Chanda Temple | City of Birmingham

As Jason Mezrano worked in the kitchen at the Birmingham Museum of Art earlier this month, everything felt familiar to him.

Real familiar.

Jason Mezrano (City of Birmingham)

He’s part of Kathy G. & Company, which once used to run the café at the museum. The company’s museum café closed more than 12 years ago. But this month, the company returned to run the cafe again, which is now called Café BMA by Kathy G. Within one hour of its soft opening, people were at tables, ordering house salads, angus beef burgers, chicken salad, quiche and more.

“It’s an honor to come back. I feel at home at the Museum of Art,’’ said Jason, executive chef. “We are so glad to be here.’’

The café officially opened on Feb. 11, and will have regular operating days on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jason said they are planning to have a Sunday Easter Brunch and a Sunday Mother’s Day Brunch with jazz music. He said more details will be provided soon on those events.

Jason is the son of Kathy G. Mezrano, founder of Kathy G. He said his mother played a major role in the look of the café, from the wait staff’s aprons and uniforms to the white linens and each table topped with glass vases filled with a fresh flower and greenery.

One lunch table on Wednesday was full of museum staffers, including Museum Director Graham Boettcher.

“Kathy G. and Jason Mezrano have knocked it out of the park. They know the food that people will enjoy most,’’ Graham said. “They know how to prepare it and know this community really well. I know that they will be really successful in this space.’’

“When I arrived at the museum 20 years ago, they ran the (museum) restaurant. So, having them back feels like a full circle moment.’’

The café menu features Kathy G’s classic French recipe chicken salad, which can come on whole wheatberry bread for a sandwich or with a salad. As a salad plate, it is topped with toasted almond slivers, has a touch of Dijonnaise, has tarragon and is accented with a whole wheat sourdough crostini and two, long flatbread crackers from Continental Bakery. The chicken salad plate comes with seasonal fruit, such as kiwi, grapes, blueberries and a slice of cantaloupe.

Some other menu items include:

• Cedar Planked Salmon, which is topped with a grilled onion crust and apple smoked bacon and presented on a bed of freshly made vegetable ratatouille

• Pan Seared Herbed Chicken “Nicoise” Salad on local greens with marinated cherry tomatoes, French green beans, grilled fingerling potatoes, a soft boiled egg, and a citrus vinaigrette

• White Truffle and Oil Parmesan Pommes Frites that when dipped into the accompanying roasted garlic aioli, taste close to a Lay’s Sour Cream and Onion potato chip

• The Café BMA House Salad made with mixed greens and frisse, spiced pecans, grilled honey glazed pears, crumbled belle chevre cheese and homemade sourdough from Continental Bakery

• Butternut Squash Soup, which has a little nutmeg and a trace of cinnamon blended in with roasted butternut squash. Each creamy and hearty serving is accented with fried sage on top to add additional flavor and texture.

• Flourless Chocolate Torte with Whipped Cream and Raspberries served on plate drizzled in chocolate sauce and raspberry sauce

• A kid’s menu includes a grilled cheese sandwich and fries; chicken finger and fries; or a PBJ sandwich served with strawberries and blueberries

“Café BMA is about creating food that feels thoughtful, welcoming, and connected to the experience of being in the museum,” said Jason. “It’s an honor to be part of the BMA and to contribute to how visitors gather and enjoy their time here.”

ASFA Students Hear First-Hand from Original Cast Member of “Rent”

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Birmingham Times
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Rodney Hicks, a cast member from the original Broadway production of Rent, visited with students at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. (Provided)

By Sherrel Wheeler Stewart | For The Birmingham Times

Aspiring theatre performers and producers at the Alabama School of Fine Arts got a firsthand glimpse of the reality of stage life recently with a visit from Rodney Hicks, a cast member from the original Broadway production of Rent. He was in Birmingham as a special guest for opening night of Rent, being presented by the Virginia Samford Theatre at Caldwell Park.

Rodney Hicks

Hicks was in his early 20s in 1996 when he took the stage as Paul in the original Broadway production of the Tony Award winning play. Rent, a story of love, resilience, community, hit Broadway as America and the world faced an expanding AIDS crisis.

Hicks returned to Rent in 2007 and was cast as Benny in the show’s closing season. He also was in the cast of Jesus Christ Superstar, and Come from Away. He currently stars in the Netflix series Forever.

He said he enjoys talking with developing artists. “Your purpose is not what you do. It’s what happens when you do what you do,” Hicks told the gathering of about two dozen students in a small ASFA theatre.

For him, the dream of being an artist started when he was 5 years old. He began working in the industry at the age of 17 on a show called Dance Party USA. He’s learned valuable lessons since that time.

“When you have leads, honor everyone in your space. Conduct yourself as a leader,” he said. “These are things you are not told in college. You learn as you go. Don’t ever give up on yourself. This is hard. You have to fall, because that is how you learn to stand.”

Hicks was joined at ASFA and at opening night by Birmingham native and veteran New York actor/producer Erich McMillan McCall. The two actors emphasized the importance of community theatre in developing young actors and producers.

“When community theatres and regional theatres across the nation present pieces that are a fabric of our culture, it can help move the needle forward to effective harmony and change,” Hicks said in a follow-up interview. “Attend live theatre. Support live theatre. Talk about live theatre to ensure community engagement.”

The Virginia Samford Theatre will present Rent Thursday – Sunday, February 19-22. For more information visit www.virginiasamfordtheatre.org.

I Immediately said ‘Yes’ Because I Loved Him’

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Birmingham Times
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BY JE’DON HOLLOWAY-TALLEY | Special to the Birmingham Times

ROY & PATRICE WILLIAMS

Live: Huffman

Married: Sept. 14, 1991

Met: Fall 1986, at Jacksonville State University [JSU]. Roy was a senior and Patrice a freshman. They’d crossed paths a few times, but the first encounter was at the first college party Patrice ever attended at the Leone Cole Auditorium on campus.

“I remember this tall skinny guy asking me to dance and he was trying to talk to me while we danced and I couldn’t understand anything he was saying,” Patrice recalled. “And when the song was over I got off that dance floor so quick, it was like ‘exit stage right’ because who tries to talk while they’re on the dance floor?”

By January 1987, Patrice and Roy made a connection that lasted. She began working for the school newspaper, The Chanticleer as the secretary where Roy was the news editor and recalled that Patrice had still not begun paying him any interest.

“…and when she started working there, I thought she was cute, and I told the editor, who was my former girlfriend,” he remembered, “I said, ‘I think I like that girl’ … And we would have these office gatherings and would go out as a group. One day in walks the editor, [and asks in front of everyone] ‘did you ask her?’,” Roy said.

“And I’m looking like, ‘ask me what?” Patrice said. And Roy was like, ‘oh yeah…do you want to go to the movies?’ And I said, ‘well, sure, when is it [the outing]? because I was thinking it was an office group thing, not a one-on-one thing.”

“I purposely chose a horror movie because I knew she’d have to huddle up close and squeeze on to me,” Roy laughed.

First date: February 1987, at a local movie theater in downtown Anniston to see ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.’ Roy picked Patrice up from her dorm’s lobby.

“Back then, it was an all-girls dorm and men couldn’t come up to the door, the RA would call you down … and when I got to the lobby it was just him, and at that time I was very ‘roll with the flow.’ I worked with him, so I trusted him and went ahead with him. But when I got to the car and saw no one else, that’s when it [really clicked] that it was just going to be us,” Patrice said.

Patrice added that Roy was the perfect gentleman. “I was really stepping outside of my norm by going to a horror movie, but he was very genteel. He asked if I wanted some popcorn, and he opened doors. He was very attentive, and he was giggling when I jumped at something happening on the screen. I spent most of the movie with my eyes closed,” Patrice laughed.

Roy remembered being happy to be in her presence. “I had to work to pursue her, and I eventually won her over,” he said. “I liked her, and I asked if I could come see her again and I would come to her dorm to study, and she would come to mine…”

The turn: October of 1987, Roy and Patrice attend the International House Ball, a formal which is where American students resided with the foreign students. It was then that Roy, who was a senior, knew he had fallen for Patrice, who was a freshman. Knowing he was about to graduate in December and move to Georgia to start working for the Columbus (GA) Ledger-Enquirer come January 1988, Roy proposed they date and leave room to see where it went. However, by December 1987, during Christmas break, Roy couldn’t bear the thought of ending the relationship.

“I fell for her. We had been dating for about three months, and I told her, ‘I think I’m falling for you. Would you be willing to stay in a relationship with me once I’m off campus?’ and she told me ‘yes,’” said Roy. “I came home as often as I could because I missed her. I knew I wanted this young lady who was still in college to remain mine. I couldn’t afford to come home often but I made it back at least once a month … And this was before cell phones when you had to pay to talk long-distance. I knew I wanted to ask her to marry me…”

“I was thinking of the caliber of man that Roy had shown himself to be and I was willing to endure the long-distance relationship,” Patrice said.

The proposal: Christmas Day, 1990, at Patrice’s parents’ home in Ragland, Alabama. Roy proposed in front of Patrice’ s family during the gift exchange, with her father’s blessing. Patrice was now a senior with only one more semester to go and by this time Roy was living in Birmingham and working at the Birmingham News. “I was making a lot more money, and only an hour away, and we had started really dating seriously and seeing each other very often,” Roy said.

“I was nervous, and I was hoping that I wouldn’t stumble over my words. And in a way, I wished that some of my family had been there. Her dad was a very serious man, and I remember him telling me, ‘You have my blessing, but if you can’t take care of her, you send her back home’ and I said, ‘no, sir, I can take care of her.”

“I think my sister knew Roy was about to propose because she was ready with the camera,” Patrice laughed. “But then Roy got down on his knee, and he was like ‘I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you,’ and I was thinking ‘this is really happening’, and I immediately said ‘yes’ because I loved him.”

Roy and Patrice Williams met at Jacksonville State University and began dating in 1987. The couple married in 1991. (Provided Photos)

The wedding: At Roy’s former church, Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Leeds, Ala., officiated by Reverend Clyde Beverly Jr. Their colors were teal, peach, and silver.

Most memorable for the bride was Roy’s late brother Dwayne Williams, coming to her changing area on official best man business.

“We wrote our own vows to each other, and we were supposed to write them on a card and they were supposed to be taped to the prayer bench. And we [she and her bridal party] were in the secretary’s office waiting for the ceremony to start and Dwayne (who served in the U.S. Army) came to that office like he was on official Army business,” Patrice remembered. “He said, ‘I’m here for your vows, my job is to tape them onto the bench, and I was like there aren’t any; I’m going to speak from the heart. And he was like, ‘What?’ He looked at me like I had lost my mind, and I said, ‘I don’t have any, but it will be ok.”

Turns out Roy hadn’t written his either. “I told him, ‘I’m going to speak from the heart too.’ My brother was very disciplined, and he just couldn’t understand [flying by the seat of your pants].
Most memorable for the groom was being serenaded by Patrice’s brother, Andre Oden, as she walked down the aisle. “He was singing one of our favorite songs, Luther Vandross’s ‘Here and Now’ as Patrice walked down the aisle, and he was singing so beautifully, and I was in awe of this beautiful young lady who was walking down the aisle to be my wife,” Roy said.

They honeymooned on a cruise to the Bahamas. “It was both of our first cruise, and we remember being embarrassed at the dinner table sitting with a group of strangers,” Patrice said. “Someone asked what we had done today, and I responded, ‘we’re on our honeymoon’ and left it at that,” she laughed. “I guess they were trying to ask what excursions we had been on, and we had been on our own private excursion.”

Words of wisdom: “Always put God first. Never lose yourself and never depend on someone else to be your sole source of happiness,” Patrice said. “Find happiness within yourself and depend on your spouse to enhance the state that you’re already at.”

“As a couple, you must also realize it’s important to give the other person their personal time. Patrice went on a girl’s trip early this year and she’s about to go on another one. I think it’s important that you spend quality time together but also realize that they need their personal time too,” said Roy. “Also, realize that you never really know what true love is until you have gone through the fire. My brother, who was the best man at my wedding, got killed on 9/11 in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon, and if not for Patrice, I would not have made it because I was broken. Even 24 years later, she has patience because September is a rough month for me. The weeks leading up to [his brother’s death anniversary] I get in a dark place, and without Patrice’s willingness to be patient with me and realize that I am at my darkest and [dealing with] depression… She’s been my rock and brought me through that.

And, we had seven years of infertility [in our early marriage], in which I was ready to adopt, but Patrice did not give up. She would literally go to sleep rubbing on her stomach, basically saying God is going to give me a child … And then we had our first child, and then of course she was pregnant with our second child, our son, who she found out she was pregnant with after my brother was killed at the Pentagon…”

Patrice added: “True love in marriage is just the icing. There has to be a foundational relationship that’s there prior to all of that. Our cake is baked well … We both have a sweet tooth and we enjoy the icing, but we enjoy each other without the icing as well. When someone is sick and you’re there in those hard times (and we both had some health challenges), it’s the good and the bad. It’s knowing that you’ve got somebody in your corner that has your back on this journey with you, that you can trust. That’s sustaining power,” she said.

Happily ever after: The Williams attend the Tower of Prayer Church, in Leeds, they cofounded and serve as a deacon, deaconess and Patrice as the financial officer. They have two children, Naja, 26, and Royce, 24.

Patrice, 58, is a Ragland Ala. native [Saint Clair County], and Ragland High School grad. She attended Jacksonville State University [JSU], where she earned a BA in political science, minored in accounting and graduated cum laude. Patrice has worked for the Alabama Department of Human Resources for the last 33 years, where she serves as the program manager for all financial programs in the Bessemer region.

Roy, 61, is a Jacksonville, Ala. native, and Jacksonville High School grad. He attended Jacksonville State University [JSU], where he obtained a BA in English and a minor in communications. Roy was a journalist for 25 years and worked 23 years at the Birmingham News. For the last 10, he’s worked as the public relations specialist for the Birmingham Public Library.

“You Had Me at Hello’’ highlights married couples and the love that binds them. If you would like to be considered for a future “Hello’’ column, or know someone, please send nominations to editor@birminghamtimes.com. Include the couple’s name, contact number(s) and what makes their love story unique.

Birmingham Personal Injury Attorney | Guster Law Firm, LLC

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