"I wanted this place to be a more inviting space than many record stores tend to be.... Our goal is to be a space that makes people feel comfortable and welcome, purchasing whatever music they love. That’s why we make an effort to host community events that connect us to the city at large, more so than just being a retail store."
"Whenever I feel like I need to refine myself to be like others, I have to remember that I have purpose in who I am. I am unique, and it’s important to remain true to you. And by doing that, you remind others to stay bold and authentic." Aaliyah Taylor, Exalting in Beauty
"CO.STARTERS helped me understand my value and figure out how to grow... I think financial success and emotional fulfillment are often sold as being mutually exclusive, but we get to choose our realities, and having both is possible."
Jeff Nixon is Festival Co-producer and the event coordinator for Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema and serves on the Board of Directors for AIDS Alabama. The seasoned event producer shares with us how 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted his work at the end of what would normally be a busy month of organized gatherings to celebrate PRIDE, the shifts Sidewalk has made in their programming, and how our community can continue to support…
Dr. Adrienne Starks is the founder and CEO of STREAM Innovations, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering young innovators, particularly in underserved schools and communities. The CO.STARTERS graduate shares with us her passion for science and the arts and her work as an AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Ambassador focused on spotlighting women working in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in the media. https://youtu.be/-p8OFc4jFtI