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PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

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Birmingham Times
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Magic City Smooth Jazz Legacy Series will pay tribute to organization’s founder, Bernard Lockhart. (File)

By Gwen DeRu | The Birmingham Times

ENJOY SUMMER AND THE COOL WEATHER!!!

…Now is the time to take ONE DAY – QUICK VACATIONS!!

TODAY, AUGUST 7…

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

**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.

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

**THE LAST RESPONDERS WITH FIEND WITHOUT A FACE @SKEPTIC? at The Nick.

**GLADYS IMPROV at Saturn.

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

**JOSE CARR EVERY THURSDAY, 5-7 p.m. at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, at 1631 4th Avenue North.

**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, AUGUST 8…

IT IS FRIDAY…the weekend starts…

**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.

**Q DOT & JAXXXON + FRIENDS at The Nick.

**ANDREA REALLY – ZEITGEIST EP RELEASE SHOW at Saturn.

**BACK TO SCHOOL ROCK & RALLY w/ THE VELCRO PYGMIES at Avondale Brewing Co.

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

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9…

**PEPPERWOOD at The Nick.

**Y’ALL THINGS CONSIDERED at Saturn.

**T.U.B.S. 10th ANNUAL JERRY CELEBRATION at Avondale Brewing Co.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10…

Magic City Smooth Jazz Launches New Series with Tribute to Founder

Jazz artists and professional dancers will take to the stage at Iron City on Sunday, September 7, to launch the new Magic City Smooth Jazz Legacy Series and pay tribute to organization’s founder, Bernard Lockhart.

Admission is free and tickets are required, but seating is limited. For tickets and information click here: www.mcsjazz.com. Reservations should be made by August 10.

With a mission rooted in fostering arts access across Birmingham, Lockhart established Magic City Smooth Jazz and its flagship event, Jazz in the Park, bringing smooth jazz into underserved neighborhoods and cultivating community spirit.

Lockhart, a native of Leeds, and longtime Birmingham-area resident, passed away in December 2020 at the age of 59. His wife, Jackie Crenshaw Lockhart as well as the MCSJ Board of Directors and children John, Rachel and Bernadette, have worked together to keep the legacy and spirit at the forefront in the local arts community.

Featured performers for the September event are bassist Julian Vaughn and the Daniel Jose Carr Jazz quartet. A master of groove, Vaughn brings melodic depth and vibrant energy, fusing classical technique with soulful improvisation—perfectly capturing the smooth jazz essence Bernard championed.

Bernard’s son and daughter – John and Rachel – will also take the stage in a heartfelt tribute, blending contemporary and jazz dance to celebrate their father’s passion and lifelong dedication to the arts.

**SINGO BINGO EVERY SUNDAY, 1 p.m. at Cahaba Brewing Company.

**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.

**LANCE LOPEZ at The Nick.

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

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

MONDAY, AUGUST 11…

**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.

**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at The Nick.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12…

**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.

**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.

**FREE – MR. MICROPHONE KARAOKE at Saturn.

**SUPERSTAR KARAOKE LATE NIGHT TUESDAYS at The Nick.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13…

**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.

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

**TRASHY ANNIE with MADAM RADAR at The Nick.

**FREE – MR. MICROPHONE KARAOKE at Saturn.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14…

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

**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.

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

** FREE – NATTY NIGHTS: CHAYSE PORTER & HIS PALACE DOORS with BITTER CALM and TIMBER at Saturn.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15….

**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.

**WILLIAMSON BROTHERS ALBUM RELEASE at the Nick with BAAK GWAI, DRUNKEN PRAYER at The Nick.

**LATE NIGHT with BITTER ROUTE, COLD PROMISE and EVA LAVANTE at The Nick.

**COMEDIAN DON “D.C.” CURRY at the StarDome Comedy Club.

**BIT BRIGADE performs “MEGA MAN X” LIVE at Saturn.

SHOW OF THE MONTH

Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time

Available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu and can also be found in DirectTV and FUBUTV.

This gripping documentary 5-episode series explores the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina, tracing the chaos, courage, and resilience of those who faced the storm. Directed by Traci A. Curry and executive produced by Ryan Coogler (Sinners, Black Panther), through compelling eyewitness accounts, rare archival footage, and expert analysis, the series uncovers the urgent race against time to save lives and rebuild a city, shedding light on the social and political challenges that shaped one of America’s most harrowing disasters.

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

“Happy Land” by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is a short story that explores the resilience and endurance of Black women in the face of adversity. Set in the late nineteenth century, the narrative follows a group of formerly enslaved women who are brought from the South to Iowa by a landowner promising freedom and a new start. However, the reality falls short of these promises, as the women face harsh living conditions, isolation, and the challenge of forging a community in an unfamiliar landscape.

Through richly drawn characters, Perkins-Valdez illuminates both the suffering and the hope that accompanies displacement. The women, despite their hardships, cultivate strength through communal bonds, memory, and faith. “Happy Land” becomes a meditation on the search for true freedom, belonging, and happiness, examining the ways in which these women attempt to reclaim agency and dignity in a world that has long denied them both. The story celebrates their perseverance, and the quiet heroism required to build a new life against the odds.

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

LOOKING AHEAD AND PLANNING SOMETHING TO DO…

FOR COMMUNITY LOVERS…

**KURT GRAY SPEAKS AT LEADERSHIP BIRMINGHAM – Author and Social Psychologist Kurt Gray will speak, August 25, 6 p.m. at the Red Mountain Theatre.  The theme is Woven Together – Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground. Woven Together features national and local experts who explore longstanding systemic issues and identify solutions to address these challenges – elevating big ideas, sparking conversations and driving transformational change. This event is by Our Community Foundation, Leadership Birmingham and Alabama Humanities Alliance.

**LAWSON STATE LAUNCHES CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING – Alabama Power Foundation in partnership with Lawson is launching a new Customer Service Professionals Program September 2025 to help meet rising workforce demands for skilled customer service representatives.

**ADDICTION PREVENTION COALITION (Upcoming Events)

DATES include:

*August 8 – ADDICTION: ADDRESSING STIGMA IN MEDICINE with Bronwyn McInturff, 10 a.m. – Noon online.

*August 15 – Ruptures and Repairs: Family-Centered Approach for SUSs with Jack Sykstus, 10 a.m. – Noon online.

*August 16 – PADDLES FOR PREVENTION Pickleball Tournament, 2 -9:30 p.m. at Veterans Park – Alabaster Pickleball Courts. For more PB.Pickleball.al@gmail.com.

*September 26 – (SAVE THE DATE!!) MIND MATTERS: A CONVERSATION ON MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE & THE WORKPLACE at Jefferson State Community College. (Look for more.) For more, visit apcbham.org.

FOR MEN…

**SATURDAY – PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS – A health and wellness forum with a free breakfast hosted by John Ray, a Prostate Cancer survivor on Saturday, 9 – 11 a.m. at Golden Corral in Hoover on Lorna Road. For survivors and men over 40 year of age that are interested in information about Prostate Cancer.  Call for more 205-224-4448 before Noon on Friday.

FOR OUR YOUTH…FOR STUDENTS – BACK TO SCHOOL…

**SATURDAY – CORNELL LEWIS 10th ANNUAL BACK TO SCHOOL RALLY, 2:30 – 6 p.m. at Helena Sports Complex, 110 Sports Complex Dr., Helena, Al 35080. For more, cornelllewisfoundation@gmail.com.

**SAFE HAVEN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS – This program begins August 11 with hours Monday -Thursday, 3:30 – 8 p.m. and Friday, 3:30 – 6 p.m. for Grades K-8. It will offer reading initiatives, chess club, homework assistance, creative writing, tutoring and more. This program is offered at the following parks: Central Park, Ensley, Fountain Heights, Hawkins, Inglenook, Memorial, M.L. King. For more info, contact 205-254-2391

**CITY CENTER ART (CCA) is Space One Eleven’s Afterschool program designed to help young artists in grades 2-12 build visual communication skills, foster creative thinking and have fun making art. Dates are in the Fall 2025 Semester (13 weeks) beginning September 2).  Enrollment is open.  For more or to register visit SpaceOneEleven.org. Call 205-328-0553.

**POOL HOURS EXTENDED SUMMER Open weekends ONLY until Monday, September 1, 2025.

**YOUTH VOLLEYBALL is September 15 – October 27 for 3rd – 8th Grade games on Mondays at 6 p.m. Registration August 4. Game location is Fountain Heights, 1101 15th Avenue North. Contact 205-335-0483 and 205-451-9895.

FOR FOOD LOVERS…

**SATURDAY – COOKOUT & CAR SHOW – Saturday is the day, 3-7 p.m. (across from Cottons) in Ensley for Free BBQ, Car Show, Kids Fun area, music by Deirdre Gaddis & Prodigy and more.

**SATURDAY – DISTRICT 6 SUMMER FARMERS MARKET – Head out, this Saturday, to Memorial Park, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. for fruits and vegetables PLUS for free ice cream, free hamburgers, hotdogs and chips, a live chef Demo from Chef Amanda and $5 vouchers all while they last.

NEAR AND AROUND THE SOUTHEAST … IN ALABAMA, IN LOUISIANA AND FLORIDA!

**AUGUST 10 – DISTRICT 6 SUMMER FARMERS MARKET, 1:30 – 3:30 pm. at Memorial Park with free ice cream, free hamburgers, hotdogs and chips, live chef demo with Chef Amanda and $5 vouchers while they last.

**SEPTEMBER 18-21 – LOUISIANA FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL is in Lake Charles, LA.

**NOVEMBER 7-9 – WHISKEY, WINE & WILDLIFE is in Vilano Beach, St. Augustine, FL.

**MAY 7 -10, 2026 – ST. AUGUSTINE FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL is in St. Augustine, FL.

FOR ART LOVERS…

LOVE DANCE, MUSIC, PERFORMING ARTS AND MORE? Then, here is something to check out! RIGHT NOW!!!

**SEASON AUDITIONS  – Apply at Encore Theatre & Gallery through Sunday.  Welcome to non-union performers of all races, body types, gender identities and experience levels. Some roles are paid and all are deeply rooted in collaborative storytelling and meaningful stage work for actors, vocalists, dancers, narrators, ensemble movers with featured roles and chorus opportunities available across several titles. BY APPOINTMENT ONLY! Submit headshot/resume to: encorebham@gmail.com with a subject line: ‘Season Audition – (Your Name)’ For more: 205-202-4008.

**SOUTHERN ARTISTS PRIZE COMPETITION – Artists from Alabama and the southern states are eligible to participate in a prize competition.  The deadline is extended until September 7!!! Submit for the ‘1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art’. There is a $10,000 CASH PRIZE from the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston.  The winner will receive a cash prize. A work by the winning artist will be exhibited in the museum for a full year. The museum will also invite the winner to Charleston for the official unveiling of their artwork, part of a three-day celebration honoring the artist.  Artists must reside, work in or be from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. More details about the submission process at: gibbesmuseum.org/1858-prize. (Applications are accepted exclusively through the museum’s website.)

FOR LOVERS OF BALLET…

There are things going on at Alabama Ballet that are important to many, especially ballet lovers… THINGS INCLUDE: *SEASON TICKETS are available now and the season included classics, featured works and a tribute to Roger VanFleteren. *INDIVIDUAL TICKETS go on sale August 11 which could include Legacy in Motion, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, at home: Mixtape, Sleeping Beauty and Unbound. *SCHOOL REGISTRATION is now open and you can register today. *FREE EVENT is August 16 – Family Day at the Ballet, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Alabama Ballet Center for Dance. *NUTCRACKET YOUTH CAST AUDITIONS registration is open for registration. LEGACY IN MOTION: CELEBRATING ROGER VANFLETEREN is a One-Night-Only Tribute in September.  For more information, go to alabamaballet.org.

FOR MOVIE LOVERS…

AT THE SIDEWALK FILM FEST…

…DON’T MISS – AUGUST 18-24 – The 27th ANNUAL SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL!!

**TODAY – CATVIDEOFEST 2025, 2 p.m.

**TODAY – SOUNDTRACK KARAOKE: SUPERHERO NIGHT, FREE, 8 p.m.

**FRIDAY – BAD MOVIE NIGHT, FREE, 7 p.m.

**FRIDAY, SATURDAY, and SUNDAY – GODZILLAFEST 2025: GODZILLA (1954).

**FRIDAY, SATURDAY, and SUNDAY – GODZILLAFEST 2025: MOTHRA vs GODZILLA (1964).

**FRIDAY, SATURDAY, and SUNDAY – WEAPONS.

**SATURDAY and SUNDAY – PAJAMA PARTY – AN AMERICAN TAIL.

AT THE VULCAN PARK AND MUSEUM…

**AUGUST 16 – MOVIES ON THE MOUNTAIN, Saturday with TOY STORY at Vulcan Park & Museum.

FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND FUN… LAUGHTER, FOOTBALL AND MUSIC…

**AUGUST 29 – WEEK ZERO CLASSIC COMEDY JAM featuring BILL BELLAMY, hosted by NEPHEW TOMMY with Special Guest MS. VEE at the Historic Boutwell Auditorium.

**AUGUST 30 – CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY vs VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY AND FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY vs UNIVERSITY of WEST ALABAMA at Legion Field.

**AUGUST 30 – BBQ FESTIVAL at Legion Field with live music and food.

**AUGUST 31 – LABOR DAY CONCERT – ONE NIGHT ONLY – A TRIBUTE TO LUTHER VANDROSS featuring JAY LAMBERT & THE BYRON THOMAS COLLECTIVE, 7 p.m. at the Birmingham Museum of Art.  Look for more right here, soon.

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.

Finding Purpose in the Pause

By
Birmingham Times
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Did you feel the soft kiss of the upcoming fall season? For one moment, those recent 70-degree temps transported us to a land far away as we were able to enjoy a taste of cooler weather.

But, we do know it was only a commercial break because we are in Alabama after all – the home of extended summer and fall seasons. But the preview did serve as a gentle reminder – change is coming. So we’d do ourselves a favor and get ready, if only mentally.

But let me add here, even though we know the cool respite wouldn’t last long, it was great to get that break from the sizzling summer temps. And if we have that much joy in a short burst of a season shift, how much more can we benefit in our personal lives from quick changes and short, meaningful shifts?

Yes, this is a call for you to switch it up and do something a little different, even if it’s for a short while. Switch it up on a small scale. Take a step back. Break away for a day or two. What could this simple break do for you? Could the reset give your body and mind a chance to heal and breathe again? Could it supercharge your creative fuel? Would it help restore the spark between you and your spouse? Either way, consider this your alarm, your wake-up button even, to cut back and slow down.

The assignments can wait; the work will always be there; and the demands will keep pulling on you until you decide to pause and breathe some fresh air into your situation. Let the season be a grand reminder that change is good, and arguably, needed.

I am sending well wishes your way as we enter into a new season as well with our children heading back into class. May comfort, safety, peace and meaningful pauses find you in this next season.

As always, I’m cheering for you and I am at keisasharpe@yahoo.com if you’d like to chat or if you have a question.

“Through literary arts, we repair what systems have broken and I’m eager to apply this work with incarcerated youth.”

By
Birmingham Times
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BIRMINGHAM POET LAUREATE, SALAAM GREEN, RECIPIENT OF THE PRESTIGIOUS ACADEMY OF AMERICAN POETS LAUREATE FELLOWSHIP WHICH WILL SUPPORT HER PROJECT FOR INCARCERATED TEENS; AL.COM, AUGUST 2.

Birmingham City Schools Leads State in Mathematics Recovery Following COVID 

By
Birmingham Times
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Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Mark Sullivan, Ed.D. speaks to media about the system's strong mathematics proficiency following the COVID pandemic. (BCS)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Birmingham City Schools system continues its strong academic rebound over the past five years.

A study of 8,000 school districts across 30 states found that Alabama is the only state where students’ average mathematics proficiency exceeds pre-pandemic levels.

Among districts in the state, BCS ranks first for mathematics recovery and seventh among other large, urban districts, according to the study.

“Several years ago we took a long look at Birmingham City Schools’ academic achievements and we discovered there were some things that we needed to work on,” said Superintendent Mark Sullivan on Tuesday. “A few years ago, we had 15 schools in the state A-F report card that were listed as F schools … Two years ago we cut that number in half to seven schools.”

Sullivan points to strategies like intersessions, optional instructional weeks held after each grading period, and a focus on providing wraparound services and tutoring as reasons for the success.

The superintendent also announced that the district has achieved its highest grade from the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) and reduced the number of failing schools to its lowest number since the inception of the program.

“This is a testament to the hard work of our educators, it is a testament to the hard work of our students, it’s also a testament to the commitment of their parents, community, as well as the commitment of our school board who put the resources in place to ensure our students had what they needed to be successful,” said Sullivan during Tuesday’s press conference.

Full results of 2024-2025 ACAP testing will be released later this year.

More details are available in this case study by Curriculum and Associates.

Behind the Wall to Wall: Antoine Williams and Josiah Golson to Open New Exhibit at Birmingham Museum of Art   

By
Birmingham Times
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Josiah Golson, left, and Antoine Williams, in front of their collaborative piece "Go to the tree and get the pure sap and find out whether they were right" as part of the Birmingham Museum of Art's Wall to Wall installation series. (Reginald Allen, for The Birmingham Times)

The Birmingham Times

The Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) will open on August 9 a contemporary exhibition, Wall to Wall: Antoine Williams and Josiah Golson. Titled Go to the tree and get the pure sap and find out whether they were right, this site-specific installation explores Black neurodiversity through an interactive multi-media exhibition created by Florida-based artist Antoine Williams and Tennessee-based artist Josiah Golson.

As part of BMA’s ongoing series, Wall to Wall, it continues the Museum’s commitment to fostering thought-provoking, immersive experiences, while enlivening the BMA’s lobby area. A reception and panel discussion to mark the opening will be held Thursday, August 7.

“[Williams] and [Golson] have created a dynamic experience that challenges and expands the conversation around neurodiversity, encouraging everyone to think more deeply about inclusivity and accessibility in both art and our communities,” says Jade Powers, Hugh Kaul Curator of Contemporary Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art.

Antoine Williams in front of the collaborative piece titled “Go to the tree and get the pure sap and find out whether they were right” at the Birmingham Museum of Art’s Wall to Wall installation series. ( Reginald Allen, for The Birmingham Times.)

Williams is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice is at the intersection of cultural mythologies, critical Black study, Surrealism, and his working-class upbringing in Red Springs, North Carolina. Antoine received his MFA from UNC Chapel Hill. He has taken part in a number of residencies, including the Joan Mitchell Residency in New Orleans, The Center for Afrofuturist Studies, The McColl Center of Art and Innovation, The Hambidge Center, Loghaven Artist Residency, and Rubenstein Arts Center at Duke University.

Golson explores personal and collective narratives of identity and advocacy through drawing, painting, poetry, performance, and video. Golson returned to his hometown of Chattanooga after earning his law degree at the University of Texas in Austin. While practicing law, he founded the 800 Collective to creatively inspire and organize civic discourse and engagement. Golson then pursued an artistic practice full time to facilitate workshops through 800 Collective and to complete The Souls of Free Folk (Polyphemus Press, 2018), an illustrated book of poetry inspired by the legacy of Black art and activism.

Josiah Golson in front of the collaborative piece titled “Go to the tree and get the pure sap and find out whether they were right” at the Birmingham Museum of Art’s Wall to Wall installation series. ( Reginald Allen, for The Birmingham Times.)

Go to the tree and get the pure sap and find out whether they were right employs Afro-Surrealist logic and Dr. Moya Bailey’s Black Feminist Disability Framework to examine the lived experiences of Black individuals navigating ability and disability, specifically within neurodiverse communities. The installation questions the functionality of existing social structures — such as education and work culture — and whether they require reimagining, expansion, or dismantling.

The exhibition consists of three major components:

  • A large-scale wheatpaste installation, The Harvesters, will be positioned in the Museum’s main lobby, featuring Surrealist imagery inspired by Zora Neale Hurston’s writings on Mother Catherine. The imagery portrays an organic ecosystem that transcends societal constraints.
  • An interactive archive, known as the Garden Cart, will feature a wooden cart containing materials, texts
  • Visitor engagement prompts exploring historical laws and policies affecting Black neurodiverse individuals. Visitors will interact with archival materials and contribute reflections, creating a growing dialogue on care and community resilience.

The installation will also serve as a gathering space for neurodiverse communities. In cooperation with local organizations, BMA will facilitate programming that amplifies voices within these communities.

The panel discussion on August 7 brings the artists into conversation with Dr. Michele Kong, co-founder of the Birmingham-based KultureCity, the leading global non-profit centered on disability inclusion.

5–6 p.m.: Opening Reception

6–7 p.m. Panel Discussion

Registration is required to attend these events.

To register for the opening reception, contact Dianne Williams at dwilliams@artsbma.org or 205.254.2389. To register for the panel discussion, click Register Now!

‘I Dropped Down on One Knee … And as I Proposed All of Our Friends and Family Started Gathering’

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

Tamara & Jason Forbes

Live: McCalla

Married: Aug. 20, 2022

Met: Fall 2012, on Twitter, now X. Although Jason and Tamara were both students at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa [UA], they did not initially meet on campus. Jason took to Twitter to make her acquaintance.

“I knew of her because I saw her twitter activity through our hashtag #UA16. That was a way for incoming freshmen to connect, and I saw her posts. She was and is attractive, so I followed her [and when you follow someone] you see the person’s interest, likes, and tweets and that planted a seed,” said Jason.

“After that, we texted a few times and then we fell off. We didn’t end on bad terms or anything, we just never made time for each other,” recalled Tamara. “We’d see one another in passing and at parties but we had never gone on a date. Until, a few years later [fall 2015], he slid in my DM’s again, and that led to our first date.”

First date: Fall 2015. They went on a movie date in Tuscaloosa to see ‘Woodlawn’.

“I picked her up from her apartment and I guess I viewed it as a nice intro date where you get to talk to somebody,” Jason said. “But it went well. Getting to see each other outside of campus, parties, and seeing each other outside of our online personas and super social environments was a big step.”

“It was nice. He picked me up, he opened the car door, and he talked to me about his mom and his family. He was such a gentleman, it kinda made me feel bad about not pursuing it and making the effort the first time around,” Tamara said.

The turn: Spring 2016. “We started spending a lot of time together,” Jason said. “We went on more dates [but] we weren’t really making the turn, so I reached out to Tam, and I asked her to plan a date so that I could see some investment, like the time and investment I was putting in. I asked her if she would plan something interesting for us to do outside of the normal young 20s dating [activities such as movies, bowling, etc.], and a couple weeks went by and I wasn’t really hearing from her, and when I called her, she said the date had slipped her mind.”

Jason had had enough. There was seemingly no reciprocity, so he told her, “Never mind, don’t worry about it. I think we want different things. And we stopped talking for about a month, and that next time we saw each other, that’s when things changed,” he said.

That day was UA’s ‘A Day’ [the University of Alabama’s annual spring football scrimmage game. “I saw him at a tailgate and we hung out that night, and then the dates started becoming more frequent. I was beginning to hang out at his apartment, and he would come to my apartment, and we got pretty serious after that,” Tamara said.

The proposal: September 2020, at a Selfie Museum in Leeds. “I did it the weekend after her 26th birthday. At that point we had been dating for a while, had graduated and both came back to Birmingham… I knew it was time to get engaged, but I wanted to make it special. I tried to throw her off by making her birthday really big, and that following weekend, I suggested that we go do something lowkey like check out the new Selfie Museum in Leeds. And so, I set it up so that we ‘accidentally’ ran into a friend and his [wife] who just so ‘happened’ to have her camera with her. We went onto [one of the themed sets] and took some pictures, and then I dropped down on one knee and proposed. And as I was proposing, all of our friends and family started gathering around us,” Jason said.

“I was surprised, I started seeing all my friends and family appear right before he got down on one knee and I was in such shock that I didn’t hear anything Jason said,” Tamara laughed. “He had to ask me, ‘are you gonna say anything?’, and it took me about 30 seconds to respond because I was trying to take it all in. I think he was a little worried I wasn’t gonna say ‘yes’ because of my long pause, but I answered him, and I said ‘yes’.”

“I wasn’t worried,” Jason said. “I wouldn’t have been down there if I was worried about what she was gonna say.”

Tamara and Jason Forbes met in Fall 2012 on Twitter. The pair married in 2022. (Provided Photos)

The wedding: Downtown Birmingham, at BridgeStreet Gallery and Loft, officiated by Jason’s childhood pastor, Pastor Deborah Debardleben. Their colors were mauve and burgundy.

Most memorable for the bride was the first look. “We had got a bunch of opinions from people about whether or not we should do a first look, and I’m glad we did. He was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs with his back turned, and when the photographer said turn around, he looked at me and started crying,” Tamara said. “And then I started crying, and it was just a beautiful intimate moment. It was the only moment where it was just me and him that entire day.”

Most memorable for the groom was seeing his bride walk down the aisle and honoring his late mother’s absence. “I, of course, came down the aisle first, and we had an empty seat in the front to honor my mom’s life [who had passed away in 2017 from heart failure], and seeing that empty seat made me emotional,” Jason said. “When you have missing parents and you hit major life milestones it kinda brings it full circle that you don’t get to share it with them. And when I saw Tam coming down the aisle, I lit up, it lifted my spirit in a moment that I felt sad.”

They honeymooned in Punta Cana, Mexico. “We did a lot of exploring, we ate a lot of good food, we partied, and we ended up missing our flight and got two extra days of honeymoon time,” Tamara said.

Words of wisdom: “Do what works best for you and your marriage. I’m not saying it’s horrible to take advice from other couples, but it may not work for you. So do whatever works for you and your household,” Tamara said.

“I think it’s important to keep you and your partner’s goals (long and short term) top of mind and do whatever it takes to make the goals happen and make your union work,” said Jason. “Even if that means throwing out societal roles as it pertains to gender norms, do whatever it takes to pour into your partner the way they need to be poured into.”

Happily ever after: The Forbes are expecting their first child, a baby girl, due on August 17.

Tamara, 30, is a North Birmingham native, and Gardendale High School grad. She attended the University of Alabama, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders and works for a municipal court system as a magistrate.

Jason, 31, is a West End native, and Ramsay High School grad. He attended the University of Alabama, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. Jason works as a footwear buyer for Hibbett Sports.

“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 Barnett Wright bwright@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

School Superintendents Gonsoulin and Sullivan Reflect on Lessons from Military Training

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Birmingham Times
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Superintendent Mark Sullivan, Ed.D., left, and Jefferson County Schools (JEFCOED) Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin, Ed.D. meet at Titusville Branch Library for their first joint public interview. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Javacia Harris Bowser | For the Birmingham Times

Whenever crises hit Birmingham City Schools (BCS) Superintendent Mark Sullivan, Ed.D., and Jefferson County Schools (JEFFCOED) Superintendent Walter Gonsoulin, Ed.D., both say they are uniquely equipped to deal with them in part because of their military training.

Sullivan, who served in the U.S. Navy Reserve for 24 years, and Gonsoulin, who served in the National Guard, were both deployed during the U.S.’s involvement in the Gulf War in Iraq. Gonsoulin was deployed in 1990. Sullivan, who was deployed twice but did not see combat, also worked stateside in military hospitals in 1990 and again in 2003.

In November 2019, Gonsoulin was named superintendent for JEFFCOED, becoming the first African American to serve in the role. Just a few months later, education systems across the country would be faced with the unprecedented challenges of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Meanwhile, Mark Sullivan was named interim superintendent for BCS in May 2020, at the height of the global health crisis, and by August of that year the school board officially appointed him to lead the district.

Under Sullivan’s leadership, BCS provided students with the technology, meals, and instruction they needed to keep learning. And for both Sullivan and Gonsoulin, communication was key. Gonsoulin, for example, gave teachers and students the guidance and reassurance they needed through videos and virtual listening tours.

During a recent conversation with The Birmingham Times, Sullivan and Gonsoulin reflected on how the military helped prepare them for their current roles and how camaraderie helped them cope with the pressures of the pandemic.

The first day of the 2025–2026 school year for both Jefferson County and Birmingham is Thursday, August 7.

Gonsoulin: The military, for me, provided stability, structure, guidance, discipline. It made me do things I never thought I was able to do. I’ll never forget reading the requirements to pass basic training. We had to walk 12 miles with all the equipment and everything on us. I was like, “Who walks 12 miles?” That’s what I was thinking at the time, but [the military] slowly developed me as a person to push beyond my own boundaries and taught me that I could do more than I think I can. I believe that has carried over into every other part of my life. So, when presented with an issue [or] an initiative … and people say, “Hey, we’ve never done this before” — well, that’s how I started off [in basic training for the National Guard]. I had never heard of anybody walking 12 miles. And guess what? I walked 12 miles and still had energy left.

Sullivan: That’s what I was going to say. [The military] prepares you for things you would not ordinarily think you would be able to do. … I would not be sitting here as superintendent if it were not for the U.S. Navy. In the military, they are constantly training. The reason they always train is because when something actually happens, it becomes automatic for you. It’s like muscle memory. It’s the same thing in education. Oftentimes, we just want to provide professional development one time, and teachers should have it. But you have to provide ongoing training and professional development, so it becomes muscle memory. Then, when you are in a very stressful situation, you just follow your training. It teaches you to calm your mind when you see a crisis happening. The slower you are able to think, the better decisions you make. When people make rash decisions, they tend to make the wrong decisions.

The military helped Gonsoulin and Sullivan prepare for careers in education, first as classroom teachers and eventually as district leaders who had to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and beyond. Here’s how they handled it.

Gonsoulin: We had to have someone to lean on, that colleague, that confidant, when no one else understands what you’re doing. You can’t go home and explain it to your spouse, but the people that are involved in it understand the pressure. COVID was very unique in that it was ever-changing. If you think you were ahead of it at 8 o’clock in the morning, by 4 o’clock that afternoon you’re behind it. So, having colleagues like Dr. Sullivan and other superintendents to be able to call on and say, “Hey, look, I’m going through this” or “What are you going to do about this?” — that was key. It was a space where I could be vulnerable, as well, because sometimes situations would come up and there was no play in the playbook to deal with it.

Sullivan: Walter would always say, “Plan for 14 days out.” The pandemic taught us to be very agile, to be able to lean on each other. Because I took things 14 days at a time, it also taught us that we can’t be so rigid in our expectations, that when something is not exactly the way it should be, when it’s not working, well, let’s just figure it out. … If everybody works as a team, then you’ll see positive results.

How Kendra Lyas Turned Her Birmingham Business into Finalist on ‘Oprah’s Favorite Things’

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Birmingham Times
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Kendra Lyas, founder and CEO of Swaddle Bar, a Black-owned children’s brand based in Birmingham that’s equal parts comfort, community, and purpose. (Provided)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

From college beauty queen to a mother of two to founder and CEO of Swaddle Bar, a Black-owned children’s brand based in Birmingham that’s equal parts comfort, community, and purpose, Kendra Lyas carries many titles under her belt. And it’s all because of another title that she embraces.

“I’m a hard worker, but I know that my success comes from God,” said Lyas.

Founded in 2024, it took just 10 months for her Swaddle Bar brand to secure placement in 50 stores across the country and earn a finalist spot on “Oprah’s Favorite Things” 2024.

“It [Swaddle Bar] is a women-led philanthropy company,” Lyas said. “We have a team of seven ladies. And we have put together a collection of products. The profits go towards a ministry called Mwana Village It is in Congo, West Africa.”

Her product line includes soft swaddles, waffle-knit robes, ponchos, and plush towels,

With 50-plus retail placements, a soon-to-launch Amazon store, and a commitment to Mwana Villages, a nonprofit that supports orphans in the Republic of Congo, Lyas is proving just how much of a hard worker she is.

“I have never been to Africa … But I have a friend, she’s the executive director from Mwana Village and her name is Wellen Bridgers. I know her personally, I know that whenever Swaddlebar donates proceeds to them, that the money is going directly to those children,” Lyas said. “I just view this company as a huge opportunity for not only Moana, but for other organizations that we partner with to really reap the benefit of retail sales.”

 Miss Alabama A&M

Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Lyas, 47, attended Fairfield High School where she graduated in 1996 as valedictorian and then enrolled at Alabama A&M University where she was pre-med/biology with a chemistry minor.

While at A&M, Kendra, who was Miss AAMU in 1999-2000, also studied Spanish Culture and Civilization abroad at Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain.

“I remember driving around campus a freshman and thinking like, ‘hmm, that’d be great to be Miss Alabama A&M one day. it was a dream that I knew that I might one day act on,” said Lyas.

At one time, Lyas said she wanted to be a doctor.

“I went to Yale University for a summer [between 1995 and 1996] worked with some cadaver, and realized, that I didn’t want to be in a clinical environment all day, every day, and started looking into some other options,” she said. “But after doing all that summer programs, I’ve realized that, you know, it was I was not built for the hospital all day.”

The Pharmaceutical Path

After graduating in 2000, Lyas worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for 15 years after meeting another African American female rep.

”There were not many Black women in pharmaceuticals,” Lyas said. “I only knew her and maybe one other. She just showed me what she did, and it resonated with me because I was going to be able to use my science to read the clinical studies and figure out how certain medications were going to help patients.”

Lyas remembers the pharmaceutical path being tough. “They  usually don’t hire people straight out of college… The interview process was grueling,” she said. “I got hired before switching to another company and worked with them for nine years.”

Stepping back from that role felt like, “the road less traveled, “she said. Lyas decided to quit pharmaceutical sales in 2012 to become a stay-at-home mom.

“I looked at my priorities and said, ‘what’s more important that? I get one shot at raising these children,’”

While raising her children Lyas said she rediscovered her love for sewing which led to her first company The Paisley Pea, a baby and maternity brand in 2014.

“I ran that business for five years and it was pre-pandemic. When the pandemic rolled around, I was trying to decide what direction we were going to go in and decided to accept an offer for the sale of the company … [But] I couldn’t shake the wanting to give back,” she said. “And I know that business is a great way to do that. So you can call me a social entrepreneur. Someone who’s an entrepreneur for the benefit of the community.”

Grandma’s Hands

Sewing was something she picked up from her grandmother, Lyas said.

“I learned about sewing by watching her and I loved it,” she said adding, “when my kids would be taking nap, I would pull out my machine and make things for them.”

Her hard-working demeanor was something instilled in her from a young age, Lyas said.  “My parents always encouraged me and my brother. I feel that it was always a part of us that you better get the best grades. I feel like I’m self-motivated and that probably helped them in their parenting, because they just needed to tell me one time.”

Maintaining her varies roles is “much easier now because my first company, I had it when my kids were little. And so now that they’re bigger, oh, it’s so much easier because they have their own life.”

Her daughter is now a rising sophomore at the University of Southern California where she is a presidential scholar and a son who’s a rising sophomore at Vestavia Hills High School.”

To explore Swaddle Bar products or learn more about the brand, visit www.swaddlebar.com

New Poll Shows DEI Initiatives Downplay Racism, but Project 2025 Doesn’t

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Birmingham Times
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A new poll shows growing public skepticism toward the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. (BlackPress of America)

By Stacy M. Brown | Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

A new poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows growing public skepticism toward the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Conducted July 10–14, 2025, the survey of 1,437 U.S. adults revealed that only about one-third believe DEI efforts reduce discrimination against women, Hispanic people, or Asian Americans. Four in 10 say DEI initiatives help address bias against Black people. Yet nearly 30 percent believe these initiatives increase discrimination, including against white people.

The AP-NORC poll also noted a sharp drop in the number of Americans who acknowledge racial discrimination against Black and Asian people. In 2021, 61 percent said Black Americans faced a great deal or quite a bit of discrimination. That figure now stands at 40 percent. For Asian Americans, it dropped from 46 percent to 30 percent. Despite this decline in perception, 74 percent of Black respondents say their communities continue to experience significant discrimination.

The polling results come amid escalating concerns about Project 2025, a sweeping 900-page policy blueprint published by the Heritage Foundation and widely viewed as a roadmap for a second Trump administration. According to the Legal Defense Fund’s Thurgood Marshall Institute, Project 2025 poses a direct threat to Black communities by proposing to dismantle civil rights protections, privatize education, and expand executive power with minimal oversight.

The LDF’s report, Attack on Our Power and Dignity: What Project 2025 Means for Black Communities, warns that the agenda would eliminate racial data collection in federal agencies, weaken anti-discrimination laws, and roll back protections for workers, students, and voters.

“The assault on Black communities envisioned by Project 2025 will almost certainly condemn us to demise,” said LDF President Janai Nelson.

Education is a central battleground. Project 2025 calls for eliminating the Department of Education and replacing federal oversight with state control, even in states with a documented history of racial discrimination. It also seeks to defund school programs that address systemic racism or acknowledge white privilege. These efforts echo past segregationist rhetoric.

In a February 2025 Newsweek opinion piece, Dr. Stephanie R. Toliver of the University of Illinois cited former North Carolina Justice I. Beverly Lake’s 1954 warning that inferior education was preferable to racial integration.

Toliver drew a chilling parallel to the present: “Just as Justice Lake once saw inferior education as an acceptable price to pay for preserving racial purity, today’s rhetoric proposes that a substandard education is a small cost for maintaining racism, homophobia, trans violence, and antiblackness.”

Human Rights Watch also issued a 2025 statement linking the rollback of DEI initiatives to the broader global assault on anti-racism efforts. The organization called the Trump-era movement against DEI a “clear example” of mainstreamed racism, urging governments to reckon with the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and apartheid by adopting reparations and structural reforms. As perceptions of discrimination wane and support for DEI programs declines, civil rights advocates warn that these attitudes reflect not progress, but apathy, denial, and a dangerous rewriting of history.

“Our democracy stands at a crossroads,” Nelson said. “A path of infinite promise towards a more inclusive, equitable, and durable democracy on the one hand, and one of immeasurable and, potentially, irretrievable demise on the other”

Birmingham’s Top Food Influencer Gets Dish Named in His Honor at Popular Restaurant

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Birmingham Times
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Collaborating with LaDarrius “LHUT” Hutcherson. Christina Renteria, CEO of Jake’s Soul Food Café, said she wanted to make sure that every element of the new meal “screamed” LHUT. (Provided)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

What do you get when you combine one of Birmingham’s most popular restaurants with the city’s most renowned food influencer?

On August 8, Jake’s Soul Food Café in collaboration with LaDarrius “LHUT” Hutcherson is bringing the LHUT Meal to its locations in Hoover and Tuscaloosa.

Since 2022, Hutcherson has amassed nearly 120,000 followers on his social media platforms with his review of local Birmingham restaurants and activities. And the LHUT meal will feature the influencer’s favorites: salmon as the main protein, accompanied with white rice, cabbage, plantains, and a small skillet of cornbread.

Christina Renteria, CEO of Jake’s Soul Food Café, said she wanted to make sure that every element of the meal “screamed” LHUT.

“It’s All Him”

“It’s all him,” she said. “It’s all about what he likes. It’s all about what represents him. Everything that you’re gonna see leading up to the actual launch of [the meal] on August 8 is all him shining through food, through this representation, through marketing, through everything.”

Hutcherson said, “When doing this, I wanted it to be something exclusive to me. Together, [Renteria and I] decided that the protein should be salmon, [even though] it’s not currently on the menu. … I love salmon, and people who follow me know that I love it. That’s my go-to. It’s no secret.”

Also available with the meal will be the LHUT drink: “It’s a mocktail Lemon Drop,” said Renteria.

“We are a family-friendly restaurant, and we do not serve alcohol,” she added, “but we wanted to make sure the drink was something [everyone] could enjoy. … Even if you bring your kids or your teenagers, you all can be cute and fancy [sipping the LHUT] drink together.”

The LHUT Meal will be available at Jake’s Soul Food Café for a limited time at both locations: Fridays through August, and then on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until the end of November.

On August 8, Jake’s Soul Food Café in collaboration with LaDarrius “LHUT” Hutcherson is bringing the LHUT Meal to its locations in Hoover and Tuscaloosa. (Provided)

The “Only Option”

When Renteria had the idea for a collaboration, she had only one name in mind — “LHUT,” she said.

“He was my only option. I knew I wanted to do a collaboration with someone who was consistent in what they’ve been doing, someone you’ve seen grow, someone that was in the food-influencer industry because we’ve never seen a restaurant, local or even national, do this kind of collaboration with an influencer. I thought it was a great way to bring together two industries that no one would think of.”

Just so happens that Renteria and Hutcherson crossed paths at an event they happened to both be attending. “I was at the table with my partner, and I said, ‘He’s right there. I’m gonna shoot my shot,’” recalled Renteria.

“I got up, went over, and talked to him. It was just genuine and direct, and I said, ‘Look, I have this idea I want to talk to you about — and you’re my only option, so you have to say yes.’”

Renteria continued, “I want to show the community, I want to show our industry, I want to show our city, our state, and even beyond, whoever it reaches, that there can be community among all industries.”

“Divine Timing”

“It was an honor to be considered,” Hutcherson said. “I feel like, at this point, Jake’s is a household name. If you’ve been to Birmingham, if you’ve been anywhere surrounding Birmingham, you know of Jake’s, you’ve heard of Jake’s. They have a really good reputation. I’m all about aligning myself with brands that are consistent with where I’m trying to go with my brand.”

“I also believe in divine timing, and I believe in things happening organically because this, of course, was always the idea I had for myself. For it to come to fruition the way it did, to me, says everything it needed to say: ‘This is God.’”

Hutcherson added, “I’ve seen other not necessarily influencers, but celebrities, do these collab meals. Whether it’s through McDonald’s or Popeye’s, it’s always kind of curated based on what’s already on the menu. I think what makes this menu special is that it’s something Jake’s doesn’t currently offer.”

The launch date of August 8 was especially important to Hutcherson because of what it represents in his life.

“It was my grandmother’s birthday. She passed in 2021,” he said. “This is a big deal for me. Not only is the collaboration a huge deal for me, but the date makes it even more special.”

“The Power of Collaboration”

The LHUT Meal is just one part of the collaboration between Hutcherson and Jake’s Soul Food Café. In September, Renteria and Hutcherson will host a conference titled “The Power of Collaboration.” The event will be held on September 27, at The Harambe Room (1815 4th Ave. N., 3rd Floor, Birmingham, AL 35203).

“It’s really going to focus on showing and teaching how to do collaborations,” said Renteria. “My background is in legal and in business. I’m going to be talking about the legal way to create a contract, what should be included, what is a win-win situation when you’re doing a partnership or collaboration, and what’s the difference between [the two].”

Hutcherson will speak from an influencer perspective on how he negotiates, how he makes sure he’s covered legally, and how influencers help with projects.

Want to experience or order the limited-time-only LHUT Meal? Visit here for tickets or one of Jake’s Soul Food Café’s two locations — Hoover (3075 John Hawkins Pkwy, Hoover, AL 35244) and Tuscaloosa (3615 McFarland Blvd. E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35405). And you can follow LaDarrius “LHUT” Hutcherson on Instagram and TikTok.

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