We Create Birmingham: Jefferson County Memorial Project
“I think what we are trying to do here is change the historical memory of our community, and to do that we need everyone involved — not just those for whom racial justice is the central focus of their daily work.” — Abigail Schneider
I Create Birmingham: Virginia Newcomb
“Sometimes, I think that people are just beginning to catch on to this rich, creative, storied culture we have in the Deep South. But, we’ve always been here. Coming home has been key in discovering my truth, making my own art and opportunities, and finding other creatives to lean on.”
I’m a Starter: Chloe York
“I believed in my artistic ability but, as an introvert, I didn’t feel confident going out and networking. CO.STARTERS gave me the tools to learn how to market myself and a network of like-minded people to advise and support me. “
I Create Birmingham: Janet Simpson
“My writing now is reflective of my life now, and that centers around the norms of adulthood: being a caretaker, a friend, a spouse. I suppose that’s songwriting in your 40s.”
I Create Birmingham: Bettina Byrd-Giles
“There has been a stigma associated with Ensley, and those stigmas create barriers. I hope we will establish opportunities and a counter-narrative and spark a renaissance in what is a close-knit, family-friendly, and vibrantly creative community.”
I Create Birmingham: Charles Williams and Charles Williams II
“I’ve learned so many valuable lessons from my dad over the years. What has been most impactful has been watching him create space for the the future and building roles that the next generation is able to step into. I think that is a social responsibility we all have: to pay it forward and create career paths for the generation behind us.”
I Create Birmingham: LeNell Camacho Santa Ana
“Motherhood isn’t easy and a lot of assumptions are made about gender roles and stereotypes of women in my business. It’s important to me to build something inclusive.”
I Create Birmingham: Deborah and Alex Stone
“For as long as I can remember, my mom has been my best friend. I admired her work ethic and vision, and I never questioned her guidance. One piece of advice she gave me is, “Let other people’s ceiling be your floor.” She taught me that it was important to learn from others’ experience instead of the hard way or starting from scratch.”
I Create Birmingham: Michael and Nathan Pocus
“We are a millennial business, and we think of ourselves as global citizens. Our consumers share that philosophy and want to have a cultural experience, and we hope to celebrate and educate others about the history, science, and the people behind the coffee… There is something beautiful and artful about the entire process, and we want to approach coffee like wine. No harvest is exactly the same. It’s living. It evolves just like everything else.”
I Create Birmingham: Amanda Storey
“Even before I joined JVTF, I was interested in emergency food needs and the social justice issues that were connected to those needs. Being reactive to those needs and responding is part of our mission. Our ideas don’t always work, but I believe that vulnerability and making mistakes is part of the process of growing and improving, and so far we’ve been embraced by our community and our students.”
I Create Birmingham: Jane Reed Ross
“I’m passionate about building community in the spaces that facilitate the act of community and invite all kinds of people to come together to live, work, and interact. Designing public spaces is about inclusion.”
I Create Birmingham: Carolyn Violi and Royzell D. Walker
“Savage poses the question, ‘What makes a man civilized and what makes him a savage?’ I hope, more than anything, we inspire people to reevaluate how we look at each other now.”
We Create Birmingham: Willie Williams of Studio 2500
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: Mary Fehr
“I’ve always felt that we all are deserving of great love. It might not look how you or someone else imagined or it might take a long time to find. Sometimes, it might not be the first time. But I really do believe there’s a fairytale for everyone. My work is about telling those stories.”
We Create Birmingham: Jon Osborne
“My inspiration comes from listening to music, being a part of a support group, and volunteering. I try to be present in the moment, to focus on my craft, and allow inspiration came and go.”
We Create Birmingham: Kevin Key, Jamie Cottle, & Kyle Roberts
“Legacy is about doing what it takes — recognizing something inside you that drives you beyond your current circumstances.”
We Create Birmingham: Paul Janeway + Jesse Phillips
” I think that’s how creative people cope. When life is disrupted and you feel weird or anxious, you just go create something because that’s what you do to feel fulfilled or keep yourself busy… It’s part of our DNA.”
We Create Birmingham: Tyler Price
“To succeed as an architect, I think you have to be a constant observer of what works over here, what worked there, or what worked a hundred years ago. I hope to know that I’m doing something, while being respectful of wherever I am in the world with the architecture, to create good buildings.”
We Create Birmingham: Tyler and Jennifer Lyne
“People connect over a meal. Food brings people together, and food is tied to your memories and what comforts you… As a chef, that’s easy to see and understand. We know what goes into each slice of bread, the life cycle of every ingredient that made it on to a plate, and what it’s like to work 12 hours for something that’s gone in five minutes but hopefully creates this moment of happiness.”
We Create Birmingham: Willie Williams of Studio 2500
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