I Create Birmingham: Sherry Hartley
“We are constantly tweaking our product offerings based on feedback and requests from our customers. That is one of the benefits of shopping with a locally owned company. We have direct interaction with our customers and can make quick changes.”
I Create Birmingham: Steven Romeo
“It is our mission to elevate the visibility of LGBTQ people and advocate for improved quality of life through the arts, strategic partnerships, and community programming in the Southern and Midwestern United States.”
I Create Birmingham: Jamorris Rivers
“It’s a simple idea really. Take any unused space and partner 2 different artist together in order create something in a special way while inviting the public to be a part of the action is brilliant. Collaborating at this level can have big positive results for any community.”
I Create Birmingham: Toby Richards
“My hope is to share these engaging artifacts as educational tools for our community and develop programs to increase awareness of the museum’s collection, while also establishing ourselves as a sustainable presence in the community.”
I Create Birmingham: Laurin Humphries
“More than anything, I think I learned how to handle this job under a lot of stress and pressure and how to develop relationships with my customers that make them feel very important to us, no matter how big or small the job.”
I Create Birmingham: Saramia Arenas
“I want to connect those dots for makers and consumers alike by creating a space where people can easily find goods from artists in their area and participate in workshops…”
I Create Birmingham: Jimmy Tracy
“I’ve always pretty much bought produce from the local folks. I never gave it much thought back in the day. It just seemed like the thing to do.”
I Create Birmingham: Raven Dewitt
“The answer is in the question–Birmingham doesn’t need another meat-heavy restaurant. There is a great demand in this city for vegetarian and vegan food, the niche just hasn’t been filled yet.”
I Create Birmingham: Tom Cosby
“The Lyric seats only 750…so it is going to be a much more intimate experience, especially with its close up seating. We also have high hopes for the acoustics as the entire hall is shaped like the “bell” of a trumpet. Bottom line, the Lyric is first and foremost a performing arts facility, a place where movie showings will be the exception, not the rule.”
I Create Birmingham: Brian Hawkins, aka Voice Porter
“I’ve been called talkative, loud, the ringleader, and a lot of other things pertaining to the use of my voice, but my favorite one was “the Representative” my assistant principal at Ensley Magnet High School called me that just before we staged a school walk out.”
I Create Birmingham: Brian Arnold
“Independent publishing is definitely important because it gives the artist creative control and the freedom to publish their work when perhaps no one else will. It embodies the DIY spirit and not waiting on validation from a higher up source. Self-publishing zines has allowed me to put my photos out there in a way that’s cost effective and on my own terms.”
I Create Birmingham: Bruce Lanier
“We believe that a true community emerges best from unplanned encounters. One of the best things we have learned from our small space is that everyone has something interesting to share. Working out of your basement or garage is a lonely enterprise, and a lot of people give up when something that was once fun becomes monotonous. That will not happen here.”
We Create Birmingham: Klein Arts and Culture
We Create Birmingham: Andrea Early
We Create Birmingham: Ashley Woods
We Create Birmingham: Will Mason
We Create Birmingham: Aaliyah Taylor and Gelenda Norman
We Create Birmingham: Jordan Higgins and Jacob Patrick of Electra Film Lab
We Create Birmingham: Cameron Sankey
We Create Birmingham: Dr. Leah Tucker
We Create Birmingham: Tyler Jones
We Create Birmingham: Edina Shrestha
We Create Birmingham: Cristal Laraé Brister
We Create Birmingham: Jessica Moody
We Create Birmingham: Ursula Smith
We Create Birmingham: Anthony Waller
We Create Birmingham: Viola Ratcliffe
We Create Birmingham: Jorge Castro
We Create Birmingham: Anna Foshee
We Create Birmingham: William J. Rushton
I Create Birmingham: Yogi Dada
“My gift is to share my story and the stories of the people, particularly women, who I am creating jewelry for. I am approaching fifty, and I wear my stories proudly: the lessons, the pain, and the love… I want to make people who have felt beaten down at some point in their lives feel powerful and important. I create art for the human condition.”
I Create Birmingham: Hunter Lewis
“If you want to have a world-class city, you have to go out and vote with your fork… It’s time that we, as members of this community who can afford to do it, support local food, shop at farmers markets, and go out to eat.”
I Create Birmingham: Kathy and Kyle D’agostino
“I love that Birmingham is full of creatives who value local collaboration…. Who doesn’t want to be part of a renaissance?”
I Create Birmingham: Alan and Kaitlin Slattery
“There are moments when I’m in the back of the store working on a new line, and I can hear Kaitlin and Harrison in the front of the shop. Even though I can’t see them I know that we are there together. We share the same goals and the same dream.”
I Create Birmingham: Jamie and Dontez Heard
“We were lucky to have discovered our creativity and passion together, but to experience loss in the same exact way strengthened our bond. We were able to support each other in a way that forced us to grow and build each other up.”
I Create Birmingham: Jay Draper and Mark Thompson
“I’m proud of what we represent in our community. I love to look around on Saturdays when we are busy and see customers of all different ages, races, and backgrounds enjoying the shop. There’s something about nature that brings people together, and we have the opportunity to be a welcoming presence.”
We Create Birmingham: Klein Arts and Culture
We Create Birmingham: Andrea Early
We Create Birmingham: Ashley Woods
We Create Birmingham: Will Mason
We Create Birmingham: Aaliyah Taylor and Gelenda Norman
We Create Birmingham: Jordan Higgins and Jacob Patrick of Electra Film Lab
We Create Birmingham: Cameron Sankey
We Create Birmingham: Dr. Leah Tucker
We Create Birmingham: Tyler Jones
We Create Birmingham: Edina Shrestha
We Create Birmingham: Cristal Laraé Brister
We Create Birmingham: Jessica Moody
We Create Birmingham: Ursula Smith
We Create Birmingham: Anthony Waller
We Create Birmingham: Viola Ratcliffe
We Create Birmingham: Jorge Castro
We Create Birmingham: Anna Foshee