A woman who lost her sister in the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing shares her story.
PAGE 16
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On the Cover Staff
Hueytown native Sophie Whitfield has been an avid photographer since her early teenage years. The recent Hueytown High graduate has already traveled around the world for her budding photography business, but she is content to manage her business where her roots are. Read the story starting on page 19.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF SOPHIE WHITFIELD
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A Better Approach to Primary Care
Have you ever wondered why some doctors spend so little time with their patients?
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The West Beat
by JESSE CHAMBERS
The Christmas season is a lovely time of the year, but for many of us, our holiday experience changes gradually as we get older.
For many young people, especially kids, the Christmas holidays are fun and exciting. Most of them are living very much in the present moment, as they should. They’re excited about the gifts they expect to receive — and perhaps give — or the parties they plan to go to.
For many older people, Christmas is more about the past, especially since many of their loved ones are no longer around to share the holiday. For example, my family now consists of my girlfriend, one sibling and a few cousins.
It also makes sense that Christmas doesn’t necessarily pack the same rush and excitement for you when you’re 60-years-old as it did when you were six-years-old and mailing a long, crayon-scrawled list of wishes and wants to Santa Claus.
However, I’m not here to harsh anyone’s Christmas buzz. The holiday season, which also includes Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, is truly a fun, special time.
It’s really nice after a long year to take a few days off from work and other life routines and enjoy the simple holiday pleasures. After all, even seeing Christmas lights of various
colors glowing everywhere in the cold, dark winter nights is fun and inspiring.
Like most of us, I have my personal holiday traditions, things I do almost the same way each year. That includes putting up old Christmas decorations at the family home in Birmingham and making breakfast on Christmas morning, usually with biscuits, eggs, bacon and sausage. I always try to catch a showing of “Christmas in Connecticut” from 1945— one of my favorite films ever — on Turner Classic Movies.
However, we can also be a bit unconventional or non-traditional and put our personal stamp on the way the holiday is celebrated.
During one Christmas season years ago, my girlfriend and I visited her aunt in Cullman and cut down a scrubby little pine tree on some property her family owned. We decorated our little tree — it was maybe two feet high — and put it up in our apartment in Birmingham. I thought it was cute – kind of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
Some of the visitors to our apartment that season kidded us about it, but we enjoyed it. To us, that little tree symbolized the joy and meaning of the season – and the spirit of our time together – as much as any big tree could have.
For food, you can always try something different than the traditional holiday menu items of ham, turkey, dressing, gravy and cranberries.
For several Christmas dinners, I served a family-sized frozen lasagna, some garlic bread, a salad from a kit, a jug of iced tea and a pumpkin or sweet potato pie. Easy and fun. Little mess or cleanup. And it all tasted great.
There’s a lesson there. The holidays are for you and your friends and family to enjoy in any way you wish.
For example, if you’re at all creative or crafty, perhaps with sewing or woodwork, you can make a gift for someone.
Even if you don’t consider yourself creative, you can grab some simple art supplies and make a personalized Christmas card for that special someone.
Perhaps your Christmas “tree” could take the form of a big wreath or even some branches or greenery that you gather outside and arrange on your mantle.
Try an online search and you’ll find hundreds of tips and suggestions for nontraditional Christmas DIY – trees and decorations, gifts, crafts, foods and activities.
So go ahead — personalize your holiday, keep it fun and start some brand-new traditions with your friends and family.
Merry Christmas to All
We used to circle things in the Sears catalog at Christmas. Things we wanted. In red Sharpie. There was a KitchenAid mixer circled in our catalog. My wife had circled it. I looked at the mixer and felt depressed.
Namely, because I was 24 years old, newly married, and Christmas was not shaping up to be a good one.
I’d just been fired. I had been working on a construction crew, hanging drywall. It was a crap job. Crappy pay. Lots of dust. Someone on the crew had been stealing expensive power tools. And rather than locate the culprit, our boss fired everyone. Every worker. Young and old. We were all jobless in a matter of minutes. Game over.
So, there I was. No money or prospects. I wasn’t even a high school grad. And worse, we were out of beer.
Moreover, my wife had already erected our plastic Christmas tree in our one-bedroom apartment. There were already gifts beneath the tree. With my name written on the labels. She had been taking extra jobs, babysitting. Moonlighting with a temp service. She had been working overtime.
But I had no gifts for her. And my wallet was light.
So, the next morning, I looked in the newspaper. There weren’t many help wanted ads. Prison guard openings available. Sanitation workers, now hiring. Electrician assistants—must be certified. Exotic dancers—no pole experience needed!
Then I came across an ad for UPS driver helpers. “Santa’s Helpers” they called them. It was temp work. Pay wasn’t bad.
I didn’t even call. I just showed up. I figured initiative is what the top brass was looking for. I stood in the office. The lady handed me an application. She had a pack of Virginia Slims in her breast pocket. Her voice was like a tuba.
She said, “Can you carry 65 pounds?”
“Ma’am,” I said, “you give me a paycheck and I’ll have your baby.”
I got a brown uniform. I was on the truck the next morning. The job was uncomplicated. The driver drove; I carried packages to doorsteps.
I met a lot of people. I wished a lot of merry Christmases. And on my first day, I realized a very important lesson about this world:
UPS guys are invisible. These men and women perform a vital human service. In many ways, they keep the world spinning. Christmas without them would be a paltry affair. And yet they are seldom acknowledged. Let alone thanked.
I met some interesting UPS employees. My supervisor paired me with many different drivers. I rode shotgun with a semi-pro bodybuilder, an ex-philosophy professor, a Nashville songwriter, a Gulf War vet, a Hooters waitress, a Church of God preacher. I ran packages. I rang thousands—no—millions of doorbells. I trotted up enough apartment building stairwells to qualify for the US Olympic track team.
By the end of the season, I had lost 13 pounds. And beneath our personal tree were six gifts with my wife’s name on them.
On Christmas morning, she opened her gifts one by one. One of the tags, on a very special gift, read: “To Jamie—From the UPS Man.”
When she opened it, her face turned three shades brighter. She cried. So did I.
And we still use that mixer today.
SEAN DIETRICH
ILLUSTRATION BY SEAN DIETRICH
Christmas Morning
PHOTOGRAPH BY JILL WELLINGTON
I like to do Christmas morning big. Nothing extravagant, but usually a fun, large gift and several smaller toys, books, and candy. I really want the excitement and the “Look at this! Oh wait, look at this!” reaction from my boys.
Some mommas like to gift three presents, just like Jesus. That’s probably the most practical and humble way to celebrate, and I think that’s wonderful.
Some moms are just doing their best to get one thing for each kid this year. And momma, if this is you, they will love whatever you have under the tree.
I think the way we celebrate Christmas is a reflection of our childhoods—either you yearn for the nostalgia and to do it the way your family did, or you want a totally different experience.
Some of us wrap nothing. Some wrap everything. Gifts may be under the tree or laid out on the couch or floor.
Some have everyone in matching family pajamas on Christmas morning, and some are lucky to get anyone in their pajamas at all.
Some of us want a fancy meal on Christmas night, and some want to eat breakfast food and Reese’s Cups all day long.
I imagine there are spousal disputes on which way is right. However you choose to celebrate, I hope it brings you joy. If it doesn’t, change it. If traveling on Christmas Day is stressing you out, well, don’t travel. Feel free to just lounge in the afterglow of your morning festivities.
If you like to do it up on Christmas with lots of gifts, don’t feel bad about it. There are only a few short years where your children will be old enough to remember believing in Santa, so gift whatever amount works for your family. They have their entire lives to be practical.
And, if you crave a simpler Christmas, then simplify away. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you aren’t doing enough. Christmas morning is a feeling, one that you create with excitement and love, and the joy of Christ. There’s no right or wrong way.
We are stretched so thin around the holidays that it’s easy to let the magic pass us by. So, this Christmas Eve, when you finally hit your pillow, close your eyes, and remember that childhood excitement—searching the sky for a sleigh, listening for Santa, and thinking to yourself that there’s only one more sleep ’til Christmas! And know that joy is coming in the morning.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
With love, Holy Moly Motherhood
Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 9 and 4), nurse anesthetist, and writer in Birmingham. She shares her writing at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she tackles all things motherhood and marriage.
ALANA SMITH
Easy Christmas Cheese Trees
PREP: 10 MINUTES YIELD: 8 SERVINGS
Christmas Cheese Trees is a fun and festive holiday appetizer or snack that looks impressive to serve, yet only takes a few ingredients and ready in about 10 minutes. Perfect for busy schedules and last minute party food ideas.
Ingredients
1 (5.4 ounce) package
Laughing Cow cheese spread wedges (8 wedges)
4 pretzel sticks, broken in half
Dried fruit (Such as cranberries, cherries, golden raisins, dates, sun-dried tomatoes)
Dried herbs or finely chopped fresh herbs (Such as parsley, rosemary, thyme, chives)
Finely chopped nuts or seeds (Such as pistachios, pepitas, sesame seeds)
Spices or seasoning blends (Such as paprika, red pepper flakes, Tajin)
(optional) Wasabi peas (dried crunchy snack)
In The Kitchen with Kathleen Phillips
Grits & Gouda blogger
Kathleen Phillips is a food blogger, food stylist, cookbook author, and former Oxmoor House test kitchen director (Southern Living cookbooks). On her food blog, GritsAndGouda.com, she creates Southern shortcut recipes. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.
Instructions
Carefully unwrap the cheese wedges and insert a pretzel stick into the larger side of the triangles.
Arrange the dried fruit and/or nuts on the sides and top of the cheese, first. If you don’t place these first, the herbs and spices cling to the surfaces and the fruit and nuts do not stay on as well.
Next, sprinkle the dried or fresh herbs and gently press into the cheese. Lastly, sprinkle on the spices or seasonings, gently pressing them into the cheese.
On one of the trees, I coated the cheese wedge in crushed wasabi peas. It adds a pretty green color and a pop of flavor.
You decide what flavor, color, and texture combinations you want to put on the cheese wedges.
Arrange the little cheese Christmas trees on a charcuterie board or small platter. To gild the lily, arrange some tiny sprigs of fresh rosemary among the trees as a fun garnish.
NOTE: Christmas Cheese Trees start with Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedges found next to the beef jerky in the grocery store. It's just the right shape to form edible Christmas tree bites. Sprinkle or coat them with spices, herbs, dried fruit or nuts for colorful and healthier options for your cheese tray or charcuterie board this holiday season.
Helical Piers
At WestJeff Magazine, we seek to provide comprehensive coverage of business activity of all kinds in Western Jefferson County – and not just the big projects. We want to hear news and updates about all of the businesses in the area, both large and small. We also report on real estate, construction and infrastructure projects. Please contact us with any tips, information or photos you have at jesse@jbmcmedia.com.
Training for Bessemer students, boost for Bessemer Airport, Bell Hill Road update
by WESTJEFF MAGAZINE STAFF
Training for students
Bessemer City Schools launched a new modern manufacturing program on Oct. 21 as part of its Career and Technical Education (CTE) program, according to the school district’s Facebook page and other media reports.
Students can enter the program during their sophomore year of high school and earn industryrecognized certifications to work in such manufacturing sectors as machine operations, product line operations, system analysis and infrastructure.
Iverson Dudley, the CTE director for Bessemer City Schools, told ABC 33/40 News that the new program is designed to give students as many career choices as possible.
"It's important that they know that they can do anything that they want to do, so we want to expose them and give them options,” Dudley told the station. “If you want to do it we can show you how to do it."
The program is made possible through a partnership with Central Six Alabama Works and Mercedes-Benz. Students who are at least 16 years old can work with Mercedes-Benz part time and continue their education through the company's apprenticeship program. “These kids will be able to use those skills that they are learning and use it in the workforce, and we know that our students need every opportunity that they can to be successful in the workforce,” Dudley told CBS 42 News.
Central Six Alabama Works is a public-private partnership that serves Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker counties. The organization seeks to build a 21st-century workforce in the area by providing a variety of resources and information for employers, job seekers and educators.
Mercedes Benz began making cars at a plant near Tuscaloosa in 1996. It was the first time that the company had opened a manufacturing plant outside of Germany.
Airport improvement
The Bessemer Airport will soon build a new drone testing and education facility in partnership with the University of Alabama, thanks to a $500,000 federal grant, according to the Jefferson County e-newsletter on Oct. 31. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, a Democrat representing the state’s 7th Congressional District, came to Bessemer to present the grant to airport officials. Commission President Jimmie Stephens and Commissioner Sheila Tyson joined Sewell at the ceremony, along with Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley and other officials. Sewell’s office announced in March that she had secured $13.1 million for 13 community projects in her district as part of the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding package. The drone cage and testing facility will provide pilot training, product research and development, competitive activities, and recreation for the local community, including underserved students. Sewell also secured $850,000 in funding for Miles College in Fairfield to make security upgrades and improve public safety resources on-campus and in the surrounding community, according to the news release from her office.
Bell Hill Road update
The new $400 million UAB Medical West Hospital opened in August at 4501 Bell Hill Road in McCalla. To handle the new traffic demands caused by the facility, Jefferson County has been at work during 2024 adding more lanes to Bell Hill Road and installing a roundabout. The project is in its final phase, according to the Jefferson County e-newsletter on Oct. 31.
There have been “some unexpected challenges” for the project, but they have not affected the overall timeline, the newsletter said. For example, the asphalt work at the Eastern Valley Road end of Letson Farms Parkway is complete and the striping was to be completed soon.
The county said that the contractor was focused on finalizing asphalt throughout New Bell Hill Road, including the roundabout at the Lou George Loop tie-in, and building a retaining wall at Pediatrics West.
The final phases of the project will include permanent road striping, as well as the installation of permanent signs, right-of-way markers and detectable warning devices to ensure compliance with sidewalk regulations.
Bessemer City Schools launched a new manufacturing training program for its students in October. RIGHT: Terri Sewell
PHOTO COURTESY OF BESSEMER CITY SCHOOLS FACEBOOK PAGE
PHOTO COURTESY OF TERRI SEWELL
POW
The WER
of forgivness
by JESSE CHAMBERS
On September 15, 1963, a bomb planted by the Ku Klux Klan exploded at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, killing four young girls and marking a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. The bombing shocked America and galvanized support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
For the friends and family members of those four girls, this horrific, shattering act transformed their lives.
This includes Lisa McNair of Fairfield, an author, speaker and civil rights advocate whose sister, Denise McNair, was one of the girls killed. The youngest of the four, Denise was only 11 years old.
Born in 1964, McNair never knew her older sister except through pictures and family stories. “It’s shaped my whole life,” McNair told NPR, referring to the bombing and its aftermath.
Her attempt to tell her story in book form, “Dear Denise: Letters to the Sister I Never Knew,” was published by The University of Alabama Press in 2022.
In addition, McNair has advocated for the importance of preserving the history of the civil rights movement.
She also recently visited Wales, where she met some of the people
Lisa
is the
of
older sister, Denise, was one of four Black girls killed in a racist bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1963.
ABOVE: Denise McNair playing with her dog in her family’s front yard. She was only 11 years old when she was killed in the church bombing.
who were involved in a 1963 fund drive that raised money for a new stained glass window at 16th Street Baptist Church to replace the window destroyed in the bombing.
Keeping a sister close
“Dear Denise: Letters to the Sister I Never Knew” is a personal collection of McNair’s imagined letters to her late sister, offering a poignant exploration of grief, family and the impact of the Civil Rights Movement.
Through these letters, McNair gives voice to the pain of growing up without Denise and her struggles with her own identity as a Black female coming of age in the post-segregation era in Alabama. She also celebrates her sister’s legacy.
“Writing 'Dear Denise' was my way of keeping my sister close, of sharing with her all the things I wish I could have told her,” McNair said in a news release. “I want readers to understand the depth of loss but also the strength and resilience that came from that loss.”
McNair told NPR that she had always wanted to write a book about the experience but didn’t know where to start. A friend recommended
LEFT:
McNair
author
“Dear Denise: Letters to a Sister I Never Knew,” published by The University of Alabama Press in 2022. McNair’s
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LISA MCNAIR
that she write letters to Denise, and the stories began to flow.
“It just worked really well,” she told the outlet. “At times I would think, ‘Boy, I would really like to be having this conversation with you alive.’ ”
“It’s actually my life story, but I tell it to her in letters because she wasn’t there to be a part of the experience,” McNair told AL.com.
McNair takes some solace in the effect the deaths of Denise and the three other girls had on America.
“It’s a bittersweet thing, having lost her and not gotten to know her was really sad, but her death and the deaths of the other three
girls were a catalyst for the civil rights act and for a lot of change,” McNair told Al.com.
“My sister’s life, though short, had a profound impact on the country, and I hope my book helps others connect with that history on a personal level to understand our country’s history of racism and its impact on my family,” McNair said in the news release.
Facing our history
McNair also honors her sister’s memory by calling for the protection and preservation of Black history.
She spoke out recently against the so-called Divisive Concepts Law that Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed in March. Some critics argue that the law could prevent educators from fully exploring the harsh realities of racism and civil rights struggles in America.
“I fear that this law, with its vague language, will lead to the suppression of real Black history,” McNair said in the release. “We can’t afford to sanitize the truth about what happened to my sister, or about the systemic racism that led to her death. Teaching this history isn’t about making people uncomfortable—it’s about ensuring that we learn from our past so that we don’t repeat it. And it’s also about connecting with others through the power of forgiveness.
“Racism is our country’s oldest sin and Denise and the other girls did not die in vain,” McNair said. “Their lives and deaths are a crucial part of our nation’s history, and we owe it to them to tell their story truthfully.”
In 1963, Paris was an elementary-school student in Wales and donated money to the Alabama Fund to help buy a new stained glass window for 16th Street Baptist Church. BELOW (left): While visiting Wales, Lisa McNair met Vaughan Gething, who became the first black leader of any European country when he served as First Minister of Wales from March to August 2024. BELOW (right): A black-and-white photo of the stained glass window that was donated to 16th Street Baptist Church.
Trip to Wales
In September, McNair and her sister, Kimberly McNair Brock, were part of a group from Birmingham that traveled to Wales as part of the Sister Cities Program. The group went to Wales to honor the love and support that people in that country sent to 16th Street Baptist Church in the dark days after the bombing.
Only days after the church was bombed ,Welsh artist John Petts led a fundraising campaign to create a piece of stained glass – the Wales Window for Alabama –to donate to the church.
McNair said that “meeting John Petts’ family was truly special, as his portrayal of Jesus symbolizes the bond between Birmingham and Wales.” She also met people who donated to the Welsh fundraising campaign as children at St. Mary Primary School in 1963.
“It was amazing to connect” with them, McNair said.
ABOVE (L-R): Kimberly McNair Brock, Roma Paris and Lisa McNair in Wales.
Health & Wellness
We hope you enjoy this new addition to WestJeff Magazine, our Health & Wellness page, where we share tips from a variety of sources showing you how to improve the quality of your life. This month, we share some dietary and exercise tips from experts at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. You may think of pumpkins merely as a Halloween accessory or the basis for delicious pies at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but they’re a great food with many other uses. If you need to exercise and want to do something simple, UAB experts urge you to try walking. by WESTJEFF MAGAZINE STAFF
Pumpkins offer lots of health benefits and can be used in a variety of creative dishes, according to experts at the UAB Department of Nutrition Sciences.
“Pumpkins are a nutritional powerhouse,” Lizzy Davis, director of the UAB Dietitian Education Program, told UAB News. “They offer vitamins and antioxidants that can benefit every function of the body.”
Their orange color results from a high level of vitamin A and beta carotene, which is beneficial for vision, skin and the immune and cardiovascular systems. “The vitamin A and beta carotene in pumpkins pretty much benefit every system in the body,” Davis said.
Vitamin A helps grow and repair skin cells and is essential for a healthy white blood cell count. In turn, those white blood cells help bolster the body’s immune system and fight off germs. Pumpkins are also high in fiber and contain vitamin C.
Davis said that pumpkins are a very versatile food and can be roasted, baked or broiled to enhance a variety of dishes. “You can add pumpkin puree to baked goods like muffins, cookies and pancakes, or mix it into smoothies or oatmeal for a nutritious boost,” she said. “Pumpkin seeds can be tossed into trail mix or sprinkled on a salad for added crunch.”
Consumers can purchase both fresh or canned pumpkin, and there are differences in the two, according to Davis. “Canned pumpkin generally has a stronger flavor, deeper color and more nutrients per cup compared to fresh pumpkin,” she said. “Pumpkin pie mix, which is often found next to pumpkin puree, contains added spices and sugars.”
Walk It Out Get Creative with Pumpkins
Walking is a great exercise because it’s accessible to almost everyone and doesn’t require a gym membership or a lot of equipment. It also helps to improve your mental and physical health.
“No matter your age, movement capability or environment, you can reap the benefits of walking,” Kelley Pettee Gabriel, a professor in the UAB Department of Epidemiology, told UAB News.
Walking helps people manage their weight and reduces disease risk, including heart disease. It also improves overall physical and mental well-being.
“Our bodies are meant to move; movement releases endorphins, making us feel happier and clear headed,” Gabriel said.
Here are five tips to get started with walking:
Find a safe place to walk
“You can walk anywhere: a treadmill, a trail, your neighborhood or a local shopping mall,” Gabriel said. “Safety is the most important thing. If you are uncomfortable, you will not get a good walk in.”
You should also choose a well-lit area, especially for early morning or evening walks.
Make a plan
Gabriel suggests that you plan your walks ahead of time for consistency, safety and motivation. She suggests using a calendar to schedule walks and to try walking at the same time to help maintain accountability and avoid scheduling conflicts.
“Decide how long or far you want to walk each time,” Gabriel said. “You might want to start with 15-minute walks and work your way up to 30 minutes or longer.
Watch your steps
Tracking steps can help walkers establish goals and monitor progress, Gabriel said.
Some pedometers or fitness trackers offer extra features, but a basic step counter is all you need to get started, she said.
“A pedometer is useful for tracking distance,” Gabriel said. “About 2,000 steps equals a mile…”
Start slow
Starting with 10- to 15-minute walks will help the body gradually adapt to the new activity without it being overwhelming.
“Walking does not have to be competitive, so you can go at your own pace,” Gabriel said.
Light stretching before and after a walk is beneficial, especially as walks become longer. This helps prevent injuries and soreness
Staying hydrated before, during and after the walk can help support overall health and performance
“There are many ways in which people customize their walking session, including changing the intensity, duration and terrain,” Gabriel said.
Comfort is key
While walking, wear clothes that you are comfortable in, and be sure to protect your skin from UV rays on outdoor walks. Gabriel recommends applying sunscreen or wearing a hat. You should also buy a pair of comfortable, supportive walking shoes that can prevent foot pain and injuries. Brent Haverstock, co-director of the UAB Advanced Limb Preservation Clinic, told UAB News that walkers should choose a running shoe.
PHOTO BY WIKIMEDIA USER INFROGMATION
From Hueytown to Milan
by JESSE CHAMBERS
PHOTO BY SOPHIE WHITFIELD
Sophie Whitfield took this selfportrait in her home office in Hueytown.
Sophie Whitfield’s life as a photographer began when she was 13 years old. That’s when her parents, Datha and Jason, gave her a camera for Christmas.
Since then, the Hueytown native hasn’t looked back. Whitfield, who graduated from Hueytown High School (HHS) in May, began her career as a working photographer several years ago.
She also began working as a model in 2024, giving her a unique perspective both in front of and behind the camera.
Whitfield’s work has already taken her to Nashville, New York City and Milan, Italy.
However, Whitfield has no desire to live in one of those big cities.
This small-town girl is excited about running her own photography business, Sophie Brynn Photography, in Hueytown, which she calls a “close-knit community.”
“All my life, I always said, ‘As soon as I graduate, I am moving to New York, moving to L.A., moving to a big city,’ and that’s
always been my mindset, but now that I’ve traveled to those places, I have a newfound appreciation for my small town and realize that this is the kind of environment I want to live in for the future.”
By all accounts, Whitfield is blessed with not only the talent, but the character and determination, to run a successful business and career.
She’s also glad she began her photography career so young.
“Most people my age are still deciding what they want to do,” she said. “At least I know exactly where I want to be and what I want to do.”
A lifelong creative
Born and raised in Hueytown, Whitfield has always worked to develop her artistic side.
“She's always been drawn to creativity,” Datha said, noting that Whitfield took art classes and studied acting and singing. Her creativity was obvious to Rebeca Meraz, her Spanish teacher at HHS.
Whitfield was “always bringing creativity through class projects, her own personal notes and even with her personal style,” Meraz said. “She stood out by being true to herself and not following what others were doing.
Whitfield’s life changed irrevocably when her parents gave her that camera – a Canon EOS Rebel T7.
At first, Whitfield thought photography would be “a little hobby,” she said. But it proved to be much more.
“Within two to three weeks of doing it, I completely fell in love with it, and I took pictures of every person I knew at
Sophie Whitfield took this shot of models portraying a wedding couple during a photographer's content day at The Chapel at Seaside in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.
Whitfield took hundreds of photos of the models and stylists at Milan Fashion Week. These three models – one from Italy, one from America and one from England – were outside the Armani runway show.
ALL PHOTOS BY SOPHIE WHITFIELD
school and church,” said Whitfield, who showed her work on Instagram.
“I would drive her to shoots since she wasn’t old enough to drive,” Datha said. “Even then, her professionalism and dedication amazed me. I had a feeling from early on she’d pursue a creative path, and when she picked up a camera, it seemed like she’d found her niche.”
As a professional photographer, Whitfield is very focused on her clients.
“Whether it's a senior or a couple or family, I love capturing their vision and giving them something they can have forever,” Whitfield said. “In 50 years, they may not remember that exact moment, but they’ll have the pictures to remember it.”
Excitement in Milan
Whitfield’s career opportunities reached a new level in 2024
She became interested in modeling and entered a model search at Standard Models in Nashville. She signed a three-year contract with the agency in January and made two working trips to New York City this summer.
Modeling is another creative outlet for Whitfield.
“It's exciting because it’s completely new to me and allows me to explore new experiences,” she said. “Modeling is fun because, similar to photography, there truly are no rules. You can be as creative and out of the box as you want. That's what brands, agencies and clients look for and what makes you stand out.”
In June, she began a three-month photography internship with Swanky Fine Art Weddings, also in Nashville.
In September, Whitfield had perhaps her most exciting experience in the industry so far.
Under the auspices of Standard and Swanky, Whitfield flew to Italy to take part in Milan Fashion Week as a model and photographer.
Whitfield and the other models and photographers in her group didn’t attend the official runway shows.
“In Milan, it’s so exclusive,” she said. “It's by invitation only.”
However, she shot hundreds of photos on the red carpets at events featuring such designers as Fendi, Armani, Maison Margiela and Roberto Cavalli.
Many of her shots were of the hundreds of models and stylists who descend on Milan for the event and show off for photographers outside the venues.
Fashion Week “was super-busy, fun, exciting and fastpaced,” Whitfield said. “There were so many people, so many paparazzi.”
On the modeling side, Whitfield took day trips near MIlan and posed for portraits by two photographers, Sheri Angeles and Eleanor Christine. Angeles is also Whitfield’s agent at Standard Models.
Her experience as a model has helped Whitfield become a better, more sensitive portrait photographer.
“Modeling gives me a way to relate to the person that I’m taking photos of, because I know what it's like to be in that position,” she said. “I can make them feel more comfortable and confident because I can relate to how they’re feeling.”
Meeting other creatives
In Milan, Nashville and New York City, Whitfield met lots of creatives.
Nashville is “very busy but it’s such a creative space,” Whitfield said. “Any time I went to any kind of shoot or event, I was meeting so many other photographers, models, actors, singers, dancers – literally every single thing you can be.”
Whitfield has, in some ways, found her professional family –people who are similar to her “and have the same goal-oriented mindset,” she said.
“It’s really inspiring to be surrounded by so many creative people,” Whitfield said. “It cultivates different, deeper relationships, because you can relate to each other on a different level.”
Family tradition
In addition to being creative, Whitfield likes the idea of being an entrepreneur.
Hueytown Area Chamber of Commerce
There were so many people, so many paparazzi.”
“That’s a really big part of it for me,” she said.
She found plenty of inspiration for this path all around her growing up.
“My parents and a lot of people in my family are entrepreneurs,” she said. “Before I even knew about photography, I was able to get a lot of advice from them about starting and running a business.
Whitfield has some personal qualities that will help her in business, her mom said.
“She is independent, responsible and confident,” Datha said. “She enjoys new experiences and approaches challenges with a calm, practical mindset.”
“Sophie is hard-working, determined to make her dreams and goals happen,” Angeles said.
Meraz feels strongly that Whitfield can be successful.
“I’ve personally seen her in action – she took my daughter’s Quinceañera pictures – and they were stunning,” Meraz said. “Her creativity, her grace and passion is so infectious when you see her in her element.”
A bright future
Despite being a recent high-school graduate, Whitfield has no plans for college.
Milan Fashion Week was “exciting and fast-paced,” Whitfield said. She took this shot of American
“It makes me so proud to see how far she has come in a few short months. She’s a great photographer and has a bright future in this industry.”
Angeles also believes in Whitfield’s potential as a model.
“She has such beautiful features that I believe she’ll do really well in the beauty space,” Angeles said.
Whitfield is excited about her plans for the coming months.
“I moved back to Hueytown right before MIlan, and right now, the goal is to work my photography business,” she said. “I'm so excited to finally be able to do it full-time. I’ll be able to build my client base and make relationships with a lot of people in the Birmingham area.”
She’s also working as a content creator at New Heights Film, a Birmingham company that does wedding videography and is operated by Whitfield’s sister and brother-in-law, Jade and Jeremy Cunningham.
Hueytown is a good place for Whitfield to start her business and be successful.
“I like that Hueytown is a smaller environment, and everyone is so supportive,” she said. “I have so many clients who just keep coming back, and part of it is that they know me. I live in the same town as them. It’s more than just taking their photos once and never seeing them again. You keep those connections.”
For more information about Sophie Brynn Photography, go to sophiebrynnphoto.com or Instagram @sophiebrynnphotography.
“School will always be there,” she said. “I can go back in 5 or 10 years. While I have these opportunities, I want to grab them and go for it.”
She seems to have the talent to maximize those opportunities.
“Sophie definitely has an eye for photography,” Angeles said.
BELOW: Whitfield photographed these two women outside the Fendi show during Milan Fashion Week.
FAR RIGHT: Whitfield photographed this aspiring model outside of the Armani show in MIlan.
music star Khalid as he left an event.
ALL PHOTOS BY SOPHIE WHITFIELD
Hueytown Golden Gophers Football Team Clinches Regional Championship
Congratulations to the Hueytown High School’s Golden Gophers football team for recently being named the 2024 6A Region 4 Champions. Greg Patterson is the head coach and athletic director at HHS. Patterson is in his 22nd year of coaching, his fifth year at Hueytown and his second year as head coach.
Corner High School Marching Band Wins Best in Class
The Corner High School Marching Band recently swept best in Class 3A, winning all captions at the Pell City Marching Festival on Oct 19. The school’s band consists of 97 members and is led by Band Director Adam Murphy and Drum Major McKensie Sanford, according to abc3340.com.
Hueytown Intermediate and Primary Schools Host Fall Festival
Hueytown Intermediate and Hueytown Primary Schools recently came together to host a fantastic Fall Festival. It was a great opportunity to collaborate between schools and for faculty members to make memories with students.
Hueytown Primary School Celebrates Red Ribbon Week
Students at Hueytown Primary School recently celebrated National Red Ribbon Week by dressing up in fun costumes while learning the importance of living a drug-free life. The National Red Ribbon Campaign was begun in 1985 and is held each year from Oct. 23-31. The campaign was begun by The National Family Partnership, a grassroots, nonprofit organization.
Oak Grove Elementary Partners with Farmers Federation
Oak Grove Elementary School partnered with the Jefferson County Farmers Federation Chick Checkout Program. The initiative gives students a hands-on experience to learn about the life cycle of chickens in a fun and engaging way. There were smiles and cheers from everyone when the students watched the chicks hatch.
Corner High School Volleyball Team Wins Area Tournament
The Corner High School Volleyball Team was recently named Class 5A, Area 12 Tournament Champions.
Pleasant Grove High School Band Achieves High Ratings at Competition
The Pleasant Grove Marching Spartan Band received superior ratings in Majorette, Dance, Color Guard, Band and Percussion at the third annual Horse Creek Marching Invitational, which was held on Oct. 19 at Dora High School. In addition, the Dance Team won Best in Class. Twenty-one high school bands from central Alabama competed in the event, according to mountaineagle.com.
McAdory Elementary Students Enjoy Pumpkin Patch Field Trip
McAdory Elementary School Kindergarten students had a wonderful time on their visit to Griffin Farms Pumpkin Patch, which is located in West Blocton. The students enjoyed a petting zoo, hayride, pumpkin patch and numerous other attractions.
McAdory High School Volleyball Team Wins 6A Area Championship
The McAdory High School Volleyball team recently won its game against Hueytown, securing the title of 6A Area 7 Champions.
Alabama A&M Students Visit Fairfield High School
As a part of the Magic City Classic Blitz, Alabama A&M University students visited Fairfield High School to talk about campus life, scholarships and enrollment.
Western Area Events
Dec. 2: Pleasant Grove City Council. 6 p.m. Pleasant Grove City Hall, 501 Park Road. The Pleasant Grove City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. 205-7441723. cityofpg.com.
Dec. 2: Fairfield City Council. 6-8 p.m. Fairfield City Hall, 4701 Gary Ave. The Fairfield City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. 205-788-2492. cityoffairfieldal.org.
Dec. 3: Hueytown Board Of Zoning Adjustments. 4:30-5 p.m. City Hall, Council Meeting Room, 1318 Hueytown Road. 205497-0522. hueytownal.gov.
Dec. 3: Bessemer City Council. 6 p.m. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The Council meets the first Tuesday of each month in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org.
Dec. 3: Brighton City Council. 6 p.m. Brighton City Hall, 3700 Main Street. The Brighton City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. 205-428-9547
Dec. 3: Titusville Library Diaper Resource Day 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Titusville Library, 2 6th Ave.SW. Patrons in the community will be provided with free diapers and baby wipes. 205-322-1140. cobpl.org.
Dec. 4, 11 and 18: West End Crocheters. 10 a.m.- noon. West End Branch Library, 1348 Tuscaloosa Ave, Birmingham. Learn to crochet or work on a project of your own while enjoying snacks and making friends. Free admission. 205-226-4089. cobpl.org/locations/branch/WestEnd.
Dec. 5: Jefferson County Commission. 9 a.m. 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N., Room 270, Birmingham. The Commission meets on the second floor of the County Courthouse downtown in the Commission Chambers. 205- 325-5300. jccal.org.
Dec. 5, 12 and 19: District 8 Walking Group. Birmingham Crossplex, 2331 Bessemer Road. Each Thursday at 8 a.m., meet at the CrossPlex Starbucks for a coffee and a casual 1.5 mile loop. Walkers of all abilities and speeds are welcome. Sponsored by the Freshwater Land Trust. freshwaterlandtrust.org/get-involved/events
Dec. 9: Midfield City Council. 6 p.m. Midfield City Hall, 725 Bessemer Super Highway. The Midfield City Council meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.
Dec. 10: Bessemer Board of Zoning Adjustment and Appeals. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The city’s Board of Zoning Adjustment and Appeals meets on the second Tuesday of each month. For meeting times, call 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org.
The Wood Brothers, an American band combining folk, gospel, blues and jazz, will appear at Iron City Birmingham on Dec. 8.
PHOTO BY ALYSSE GAFKJEN
Dec. 10: Bessemer City Council. 9 a.m. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The Council holds a planning session on the second Tuesday of each month in the multi-purpose room on the first floor of City Hall. 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org.
Dec. 10: Hueytown City Council. Hueytown City Hall, 1318 Hueytown Road. The Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The pre-meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 6 p.m. 205-491-7010. hueytownal.gov.
Dec. 16: Ribbon Wrapping, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Titusville Library, 2 6th Ave. SW. Learn how to create your own holiday gift ribbons and bows for the upcoming holiday season. 205-322-1140. cobol.org.
Dec. 16: Fairfield City Council. 6-8 p.m. Fairfield City Hall, 4701 Gary Ave. The Fairfield City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. 205-788-2492. cityoffairfieldal.org.
Dec. 16: Pleasant Grove City Council. 6 p.m. Pleasant Grove City Hall, 501 Park Road. The Pleasant Grove City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. 205-744-1723. cityofpg. com.
Dec. 17: Christmas Cookie Decorating, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Titusville Library, 2 6th Ave. SW. Enjoy cookie decorating, holiday-themed storytelling and a cookie exchange. 205-322-1140. cobol.org.
Dec. 17: Brighton City Council. 6 p.m. Brighton City Hall, 3700 Main Street. The Brighton City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. 205-428-9547.
Dec. 17: Bessemer City Council. 9 a.m. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The Council meets the third Tuesday of each month in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org.
Dec. 17: Bessemer Planning and Zoning Commission. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission meets on the third Tuesday of each month. For meeting times, call 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org.
Dec. 17: Hueytown Planning & Zoning Commission. 5-6 p.m. City Hall, Council Meeting Room, 1318 Hueytown Road. This nine-member board, appointed by the mayor and City Council, meets on the third Tuesday of each month. 205-497-0522. hueytownal.gov.
Dec. 17: Hueytown City Council. Hueytown City Hall, 1318 Hueytown Road. The Council typically meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, however this month the meeting will be held on the second and third Tuesday, due to the holiday schedule.. The pre-meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 6 p.m. 205-491-7010. hueytownal.gov.
Dec. 19: Fairfield City School Board. 6 p.m. Fairfield Board of Education, Gladys T. Coleman Boardroom, 6405 Avenue D. Fairfield. The five-member school board meets on the third Thursday of each month. 205-783-6850. fairfieldschoolsystem.com.
Dec. 19: Jefferson County Commission. 9 a.m. 716 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N., Room 270, Birmingham. The Commission meets on the second floor of the County Courthouse downtown in the Commission Chambers. 205- 325-5300. jccal.org.
Dec. 23: Midfield City Council. 6 p.m. Midfield City Hall, 725 Bessemer Super Highway. The Midfield City Council meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.
Dec. 23: Bessemer Beautification Board. Bessemer City Hall, 1700 Third Ave. N. The city’s Beautification Board meets on the fourth Monday of each month. For meeting times, call 205-424-4060. bessemeral.org.
Ongoing: Exercise classes. Legacy YMCA, 1501 Fourth Ave S.W., Bessemer. Legacy presents a wide variety of exercise classes for members year round, including swimming, aerobics, aquacise, yoga, cycling, Zumba and Power HITT. Legacy also offers lots of youth sports, camps and health and wellness programs. For details, call 205-426-1211 or go to legacyymca.org.
Ongoing: Classes and workshops. Bessemer Public Library, 400 19th St. N. Bessemer. The library presents a wide range of classes, workshops and other activities for children, teens and adults. Adult classes include nutrition, computers and selfpublishing. Activities for children include a toddler playgroup and Pre-K storytimes. 205-428-7882. bessemerlibrary.com.
The historic Alabama Theatre in downtown Birmingham will present its annual Holiday Film Series from Dec. 13-22.
WESTJEFF STAFF PHOTO
Events Calendar
Dec. 1: Blind Boys of Alabama: A Christmas Special Show. 8 p.m. The Lyric Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N. A beloved gospel ensemble, the Blind Boys of Alabama will perform holiday standards with selections from their Grammy-winning holiday classic album, “Go Tell It On The Mountain" and the spirited “Talkin’ Christmas” album. For tickets and more information, call 205-252-2262 or go to lyricbham.com.
Dec. 2: Rick Bragg & Roy Wood, Jr.: In Conversation. 6:30 p.m. Alys Stephens Center, 1200 10th Ave. S. Join Alabama Humanities Alliance’s latest fellows, Rick Bragg and humorist Roy Wood Jr., for an in-depth conversation between two of Alabama’s finest and funniest writers and storytellers. For tickets or information, call 205-975-2787 or go to alysstephens.org.
Dec. 3-4: The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays. 7:30 p.m. BJCC Concert Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington. Celebrate the holidays with the entire family at this mindblowing spectacle featuring the talents of some of the most incredible illusionists on earth. For information and ticket prices, go to theillusionistslive.com/magic-of-the-holidays.
Dec. 5-22: Holiday Spectacular 2024 presented by Red Mountain Theatre (RMT), Red Mountain Theatre, 1600 3rd Ave. S. Usher in the holiday season with music, dance and joy as more than 75 of Birmingham's finest performers, including young talent from the RMT’s
Performing Ensembles and Conservatory, present a family-friendly extravaganza full of festive merriment. Tickets start at $39. For times and other information, go to redmountaintheatre.org.
Dec. 6-8: Magic City Nutcracker presented by Magic City Performing Arts, The Lyric Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N. Enjoy The Nutcracker, a timeless holiday ballet that follows young Clara's magical journey through a world of enchanted toys, dancing snowflakes and the regal Land of Sweets. For tickets and information, call 205-252-2262 or go to lyricbham.com.
Dec. 13-22: Alabama Theatre Holiday Film Series. The Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Ave. N. Enjoy classic holiday films, including “Elf,” “White Christmas” and “The Polar Express,” in the historic Alabama Theatre. Showtimes vary. 205-252-2262. alabamatheatre.com
Dec. 13-23: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. BJCC Concert Hall, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. Alabama Ballet is proud to present George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker as one of only eight companies in the world licensed by the George Balanchine Trust to perform this holiday masterpiece. 205-322-4300. For tickets, times and other information, call 205-322-4300 or go to alabamaballet.org.
Other Area Events
The legendary gospel Blind Boys of Alabama will present a Christmas show at The Lyric Theatre in Birmingham on Dec. 21.
PHOTO BY JIM HERRINGTON.
Dec. 13: Creole Christmas with Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Alys Stephens Center, 7 p.m., 1200 10th Ave. S. Celebrate the season as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band takes the stage with the Creole Christmas concert series. Join as the band performs New Orleans classics as well as some of our best-loved holiday selections with a twist. For tickets and information, call (205) 975-2787 or go to alysstephens.org.
Dec. 20: Taylor Hicks. 8 p.m. The Lyric Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N. The Birmingham native and American Idol winner will perform Rod Stewart and Christmas classics in a benefit for Toys for Tots. Tickets range from $34-$49. 205-252-2262. lyricbham.com
Dec. 21: The Brown Sugar Nutcracker. 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Alabama School of Fine Arts, Jemison Day Theatre, 800 19th St. N. Ursula Smith, a director, writer and choreographer in Birmingham, has re-imagined the holiday classic The Nutcracker to create a cultural holiday experience. For tickets, call (205) 458-0360 or go to us.patronbase.com/_DJDTheater/ Productions/65/Performances.
Dec. 21: Christmas with C.S. Lewis. 2 & 7:30 p.m. The Lyric Theatre, 1800 Third Ave. N. This play about British author C.S. Lewis takes place at Christmas in 1962 when Lewis hosts a group of American writers at his home and discusses his life and his Christian beliefs. Tickets are $65. 205-252-2262. lyricbham.com
U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY DOMINIQUE M. LASCO. PUBLIC DOMAIN.
The Illusionists, a group of five famous magicians, will present their holiday show at the BJCC Concert Hall Dec. 3-4.
American Idol winner Taylor Hicks will play a holiday show to benefit Toys for Tots at The Lyric Theatre on Dec. 20.
PHOTO COURTESY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL CANADA.
