TCB Oct. 14, 2021 — His Secret Oath

OCT. 14-20, 2021 TRIAD-CITY-BEAT.COM

HIS SECRET OATH Rep. Keith Kidwell was named as a member of the extreme right-wing group the Oath Keepers. He says it’s none of your business.

BY JORDAN GREEN | PAGE 6

Everybody eats PAGE 12

MArk Robinson is trash PAGE 10

Barroom fatigue PAGE 11

OCT. 14-20, 2021

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

This Tanger Center

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ast Thursday my wife and I went to the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts for a performance

by Brian Clarey of Wicked. In a manner of speaking, it took us more than 10 years to get to our seats.

Am I the only journalist still working locally who remembers back in 2011, when Mayor Robbie Perkins, fresh off his election victory against Bill Knight, began touting the necessity of what came to be called the “GPAC”? This was before Steven Tanger made the donation that would bring the project to its final tipping point, before council okayed $20 million for the project that would eventually cost more than three times that, before they chose a site and tore down the building where Solaris used to be, before they eventually broke ground.

Because Perkins never once mentioned the performing arts center in his lengthy, expensive and verbose campaign for mayor, I knew it was a done deal — one of those #sogreensboro instances where a decision was made far from the public eye, pre-approved and set for the fast track,

inevitable as the dawn.

And so I got on board. The fight, such as it was, had ended before it had even begun.

I watched all the deliberations in council meetings and went to public-input sessions. I got reports of the background machinations to garner support for the project, about the labyrinthine quest for funding, the deep misunderstandings some of the movers and shakers held for what the building would actually be used for.

While it was being built, I drove past every day on the way to drop my kids off at school. They love musicals, and were excited about the slate of Broadway shows.

My wife considered season passes. Even I found myself sort of giddy as I watched it come to be, understood the ramifications for the immediate neighborhood and, indeed, for the city itself. We were ready and waiting for its opening weekend, which happened to fall in late March 2020 just as the coronavirus reared its head.

I mean, c’mon.

And so last week we took our seats on the right side of the orchestra level. We took photos of the inside and texted them to our kids, two of whom are off at college now. We settled in for the show, 10 years in the making, but never in doubt.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

The sheer amount of patience that’s required to tolerate abusive customers is physically and emotionally draining…

—James Douglas pg. 11

1451 S. Elm-Eugene St. Box 24, Greensboro, NC 27406 Office: 336.256.9320 BUSINESS PUBLISHER/EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Brian Clarey brian@triad-city-beat.com

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Allen Broach allen@triad-city-beat.com

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EDITORIAL ADVISOR

OF COUNSEL

Jordan Green jordan@triad-city-beat.com

EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR

EDITORIAL INTERN

Jonathan Jones

Sayaka Matsuoka sayaka@triad-city-beat.com

STAFF WRITER

Nicole Zelniker nicole@triad-city-beat.com

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CHIEF CONTRIBUTOR

Jasmine Gaines calendar@triad-city-beat.com

ART ART DIRECTOR

Robert Paquette robert@triad-city-beat.com

TCB IN A FLASH @ triad-city-beat.com First copy is free, all additional copies are $1. ©2021 Beat Media Inc.

SALES SALES EXECUTIVE

Drew Dix drew@triad-city-beat.com

KEY ACCOUNTS

Chris Rudd chris@triad-city-beat.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Carolyn de Berry, James Douglas, Matt Jones, Jordan Howse, Jen Sorensen, Clay Jones

COVER Photo illustration of Keith Kidwell by Robert Paquette

OCT. 14-20, 2021

Coronavirus in the Triad: (As of Wednesday, Oct. 13)

Documented COVID-19 diagnoses NC 1,439,938 (+22,735) Forsyth 50,506 (+816) Guilford County

65,182 (+1,203)

COVID-19 deaths NC

17,330 (+385)

Forsyth

537 (+12)

Guilford

843 (+4)

Documented recoveries NC

1,371,830 (+33,227)

Forsyth

*no data*

Guilford

61,596 (+1,843)

Current cases NC

50,788 (-10,876)

Forsyth

*no data*

Guilford

2,742 (-644)

Hospitalizations (right now) NC

2,277 (-309)

Forsyth

*no data*

Guilford

100 (-13)

Vaccinations NC First Dose

5,668,961 (+36,598)

Fully vaccinated

5,682,740 (54%, +55,656)

Forsyth First Dose

226,046 (+1,207)

Fully vaccinated

210,659 (55%, +1,712)

Guilford First dose

313,720 (+1,666)

Fully vaccinated

294,916 (55%, +2,176)

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UP FRONT | OCT. 14-20, 2021

CITY LIFE Oct. 14-17

by Jasmine Gaines

THURSDAY Oct 14.

Triad Elite Team Fall Festival @ Keller Williams (Kern) 5 p.m.

The real estate agency of Keller Williams celebrate their new office with the community. Come out to enjoy free coffee, funnel cakes and corn hole with a chance to win a grand prize. For more information visit the Triad Elite Team Facebook page.

Labyrinth Outdoor Screening @ Bailey Park (W-S) 6:30 p.m.

FRIDAY Oct. 15

Murder on the Orient Express @ The Little Theatre (W-S) 7:30 p.m.

Agatha Christie’s greatest literary achievement is hitting the big stage.

The fan favorite has been adapted to radio, two movies and a board game.

The murder mystery premiered as a play in 2017 and became one of the most produced plays in America. Kick off the mysterious season with this production. Tickets are available on The Little Theatre website.

SATURDAY Oct. 16

PARTICIPATE IN OUR RESEARCH

Pure Barre Class @ Oden Brewing (GSO) 11 a.m.

with Dr. Blair Wisco at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro

WE’RE EXAMINING: emotional and physical reactions to memories of stressful or traumatic experiences.

YOU MUST BE: •Age 18 or older •Able to read and write in English THE BASICS: •5 visits to our lab within 2 weeks •$150 total compensation

WHAT YOU’LL DO: •Interviews and questionnaires (3 hour visit) •Monitor your bodily reactions while you think of past experiences (2 hour visit) •Wear a cardiac monitor and answer questions on a tablet computer on 3 days (30 min set-up per day)

WANT TO SEE IF YOU’RE ELIGIBLE?

CONTACT US TO GET STARTED!

Oden Brewing hosts Pure Barre for a free outdoor class. Come join them with your yoga mats. Spaces are limited so register quickly online. Visit their Facebook page for more information.

You will be asked to complete screening questions online and over the phone.

Email or call us to get more information and be directed to the online survey.

Sundance Film Festival @ Foothills Brewing Tasting (W-S) 6 p.m.

Or, scan the QR code to take you straight there.

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Dr. Blair Wisco - UNCG

copelab@uncg.edu

Come relax on the lower lawn of the beautiful Bailey Park and enjoy the free premiere of Labyrinth. Local food trucks will be on hand. For more information visit the Facebook page.

The outdoor premiere showcase of the 95-minute theatrical program of seven short films is coming to the Foothills Tasting Room. This event will display new independent filmmakers from around the world whose work includes fiction, documentaries and animation. Bring your own seating or blanket to enjoy the show on the back lawn. For more information visit the event page.

SUNDAY Oct. 17

Fall Art Pop Up @ ByGood Coffee (W-S) Noon

OCT. 14-20, 2021 | UP FRONT

Fall Harvest Dinner @ Little Light Bread & Soup Co (GSO) 6:30 p.m.

Get a delightful taste of Italy at this fall harvest tasting. Little Light Bread & Soup Co. will have numerous options that highlight seasonal ingredients. Tickets can be purchased on the Little Light Triad website.

Triad Tech Savvy @ High Point Public Library (HP) 9:30 a.m.

Are there any tech savvy kids in your family? Children in grades 5-8 are welcome to participate in one-hour robotics and coding sessions. To register for tickets, visit the event page.

Fall Pop-Up Mall Vendor @ Kindernest Preschool (GSO) 10 a.m.

The final Art Pop up of the year is here. ByGood Coffee and Arts Council have collaborated to host this mixed media event. The art display will include art on canvas, handmade jewelry, live performances and activities for children.

For more information visit the ByGood Coffee Facebook page.

Carolina Shag Dance Lesson @ Baxter’s Tavern (GSO) 2 p.m.

“Shall we shag now or shag later?” Join the professional dancers William and Lani Greene for a free introductory lesson in the Carolina Shag. After the dance lesson stick around to display your moves at the Cat5 Band concert for just $10. Bring a chair or blanket to enjoy the open-air bar and beautiful fall weather. Visit their website for more information.

Join the Kindernest preschool as they celebrate the fall season. The event will include vendors and a raffle for goods and services such as Walmart and Target. Check out the webpage for more information.

Fallfest Early Childhood Resource @Windsor Community Center (GSO) Noon

Guilford County community organizations welcome families in transition and those experiencing homelessness to their resource fair. Educational vendors, food and children actives will be available on-site. This free event is also open to the public. Visit the event page for more information.

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NEWS | OCT. 14-20, 2021

NEWS

NC lawmaker on Oath Keepers roster says it’s not the public’s business

by Jordan Green

ANTHONY CRIDER

Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort/Craven), who serves as the House majority deputy whip, has been formally associated with the right-wing extremist group the Oath Keepers after hackers released a roster.

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North Carolina state lawmaker appears on the membership roster of the Oath Keepers, a far-right paramilitary organization that played a prominent role in the Jan. 6 assault on the US Capitol.

Rep. Keith Kidwell, who serves on the Republican leadership team as a deputy whip in the NC House, is among some 38,000 people whose names appear on a membership roster leaked to the media after a hacker reportedly breached the Oath Keepers data. The entry for Kidwell includes a notation for “annual” and a date in 2012, suggesting he made a onetime donation to the organization. Other names on the roster are coded “life” and “liberty tree,” suggesting more robust levels of financial support. Kidwell was first elected to the NC House in 2018, representing rural Beaufort and Craven counties near the NC coast.

Reached by phone at a number included in the Oath Keepers data, Kidwell declined to comment.

“I am not going to exacerbate a theft of data from any organization,” he said.

“I’m going to refuse comment since the organization targets retired law enforceinformation was ill-gotten. That is just ment and military veterans for recruitprotection of people’s rights.” ment based on a premise that they will The data breach has also uncovered uphold their oaths and resist a vaguely participation in the Oath Keepers by a defined tyranny. Long hostile towards southern California sheriff and the chief the Black Lives Matter movement, the of staff for the New York Guard, a state organization and its leader Rhodes took volunteer force that augments the New an increasingly radical stance during the York National Guard. Based on reportGeorge Floyd protests in the summer ing by WNYC/Gothamist, the office of of 2020 and in the runup to the 2020 New York City Mayor presidential election.

Bill de Blasio opened an To date, 22 members ‘I’m going to refuse of associates of the Oath investigation into three members of the New Keepers have received comment since the York Police Department information was ill- federal charges in conwhose names appeared nection with the assault gotten.’ on the roster. WNYC/ on the US Capitol, with a – Rep. Keith Kidwell Gothamist reported that majority accused of parit was able to identify ticipating in a conspiracy dozens of current and former police, to obstruct the electoral certification on court and corrections officers in the New Jan. 6. Five have already pleaded guilty.

York City area, although the news outlet “The Oath Keepers adhere to a dandid not name the officers. The breach gerous doctrine, which is the insurrecalso disclosed the identity of an Oath tionist doctrine of the Second AmendKeeper member who is running for New ment,” said Brian Levin, who directs York City Council. the Center for the Study of Hate and The Oath Keepers was founded by Extremism at California State University Stewart Rhodes in 2009, shortly after in San Bernardino. “It says there is a the election of President Obama. The constitutional and natural right to armed

rebellion — a right of armed rebellion upon subjective determination of government tyranny.”

While declining comment on the inclusion of his name on the Oath Keepers’ membership roster, Kidwell told Raw Story he doesn’t believe the information should be in the public domain.

“I think you using the data is just as criminal as somebody going in and stealing it,” he said.

According to the Freedom Forum, founded by former USA Today publisher Al Neuharth, “There’s no official standard for when it’s a crime for a journalist to publish leaked information, because the government has never prosecuted such a case.” The nonprofit also advises that “a journalist can’t be punished for publishing info that was obtained illegally, as long as the journalist didn’t do anything illegal.”

In 1971, the US Supreme Court upheld the right of news organizations to publish the Pentagon Papers, even though Daniel Ellsberg, the private contractor who leaked the materials, was prosecuted for violations of the Espionage Act. In 2001, the Supreme Court

OCT. 14-20, 2021 | NEWS ANTHONY CRIDER

Kidwell, shown here at the Daughters of the Confederacy House in May 2019, has a legislative track record that includes bills to prohibit abortion, increase police power and erode protections of sanctuary cities.

expanded the press freedom to include materials obtained from private citizens.

In Bartnicki v. Vopper, the court held by a 6-3 majority that “the First Amendment protects the disclosure of illegally intercepted communications by parties who did not participate in the illegal interception.”

NC House Speaker Tim Moore did not respond to calls from Raw Story seeking comment on Kidwell’s information turning up on the Oath Keepers membership roster.

Four months after taking office in the NC House, Kidwell met with members of the NC Sons of Confederate Veterans at a reception in Raleigh that was

abortions after a fetal heartbeat can attended by other lawmakers. At the be detected, and to increase punishtime, the group was lobbying lawmakments against individuals who point ers to protect Confederate statues after laser devices against students and antiracists law enforcement oftore down the Silent To date, 22 members of ficers during protests.

Sam monument at Another bill sponsored UNC-Chapel Hill in associates of the Oath

by Kidwell would allow August 2018. The Uni- Keepers have received versity of North Caroprivate citizens to bring federal charges in lina System eventually civil action against connection with the reached a settlement local jurisdictions seen Jan. 6 insurrection. to give the Silent Sam as violating state law monument to the NC by enacting so-called Sons of Confederate “sanctuary” ordinances, Veterans, but a judge later overturned it. which prevent law enforcement agencies Kidwell’s legislative track record from gathering information on citizenincludes sponsored bills to prohibit ship and legal status, and then sharing it

with federal authorities.

A handful of pending bills addressed concealed-carry laws in NC — a Second Amendment issue that is a top concern among the Oath Keepers membership.

One would authorize state prosecutors and other officials to carry concealed firearms while performing their official duties, while another would carve out an exemption to allow emergency medical personnel to carry concealed weapons while assisting law enforcement.

This story was produced in partnership with Raw Story.

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NEWS | OCT. 14-20, 2021

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Cure Violence to aid Winston-Salem with recent spike in shootings

by Nicole Zelniker

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un violence across the country is out of control.

Everytown, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the United States, reported a record number of back-to-school shootings in 2021, 30 between Aug. 1 and Sept. 15. One of those shootings was at Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, where one student died, and another was Parkland High School, where there were no fatalities and where the Mount Tabor shooter was a student.

Since the Mount Tabor shooting on Sept. 1, authorities have found handguns at multiple schools in Forsyth County including RJ Reynolds High School, Parkland High School and Mount Tabor High School in addition to three BB guns found at Paisley IB Magnet School.

The wave of gun violence is not restricted to schools, either. Local mothers, like Evette Wooten and Lisa Scott, spoke with WXII and the Winston-Salem Journal about losing family to gun violence. Additionally, the Forsyth County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council approved $940,000 for the 2021-22 fiscal year to reduce and prevent crime among juveniles through intervention programs.

Enter Cure Violence, an international organization dedicated to stopping gun violence by detecting and interrupting conflicts, identifying and treating the highest-risk individuals and changing social norms.

Winston-Salem is becoming the third North Carolina city to partner with the program, after Durham and Greensboro. As noted in a previous TCB article, Greensboro’s branch became a reality in 2019, when city council voted unanimously to give the program $500,000.

The Winston-Salem branch is being set up by the city and will likely launch in 2022.

Gary Slutkin, the former head of the World Health Organization’s Intervention Development Unit, founded Cure Violence in the mid ’90s. Slutkin saw, based on the maps and charts, that gun violence looked a lot like the epidemics he was familiar with.

“Violence is a behavior and behavior is contagious,” said Charles Ransford, senior director of science and policy at Cure Violence. “A lot of the time when you’re dealing with a pandemic, it’s about behavior, like mask wearing.”

Slutkin started in Chicago and saw a 67 percent drop in shootings within the first year. His intersectional approach

STOCK IMAGE

Since the Mt. Tabor High School shooting on Sept. 1, authorities have found handguns at multiple schools in Forsyth County.

with gun violence firsthand. of finding people jobs and mediating “I grew up in a good household, but conflicts proved to work. my family was connected to the streets,” “You don’t threaten people,” said he said. “At 16 I was looking at three Ransford. “It doesn’t work as well as years in prison. I’d joined a gang and when you support them. This is what got three charges in three months. After he’d been doing with AIDS.” getting in that trouble, I turned my life Cure Violence’s policy is to talk to around.” people in each individual commuLike the people at Cure Violence, Gist nity they work in to find specific needs, sees a need for a more intersectional whether it’s housing, jobs, mediation or approach. something else. They work with orga“It’s deeper than gang violence,” he nizations already in the community like said. “There is a lack of H.O.P.E. Dealers Outreach programs for these young in Winston-Salem. Frankie Gist founded H.O.P.E. in ‘It’s deeper than people. There’s a lack of funding to cater to their 2012, after Trayvon Martin’s gang violence. needs. These kids grew up murder. The organization There is a lack without a father. They grew combats police brutality up in a house where gangs and gun violence by offering of programs for these young and drugs and guns were educational programs, back the norm. They grew up to school drives and hosting people.’ in a neighborhood where protests in Winston-Salem.

– Frankie Gist of H.O.P.E. these things were happening “I love what [Cure Vioaround them. lence is] doing,” said Gist, “My organization, we’ve been workwho is the CEO of H.O.P.E. “It’s needing tremendously hard to tackle gun ed. I do believe in the positive impact violence,” he continued. “I won’t say we they’re making. When they’re coming changed it, but we gave our community into my city, before they start one-onthe tools to change themselves. We won’t one training, they need to sit down with be able to save the world or even the city boots on the ground individuals to figure of Winston-Salem, but if we reach those out the true problems.” few and those few reach more, we’ve Gist was born and raised in Winstondone our work.”

Salem and has seen the city’s problems

Ingram Bell, the program manager at the Greensboro branch, is thrilled to see Winston-Salem create its own branch in addition to the ones in her city and Durham.

Bell, a lifelong activist who herself was a victim of gun violence, is a firm believer in the Cure Violence model.

Greensboro’s branch works with people who are associated with gangs or have committed gun violence. The people at the organization help them find jobs and mediate conflicts between gang members to avoid retaliation.

“Once Winston-Salem gets up and running, we’ll help them,” she said.

Bell believes part of why Cure Violence is so effective because they know where to go. Many of the people working with them have current or former ties to gangs, so they have ins with the community they are working with in a way that police do not.

The Durham branch was the first in North Carolina, and organizer there came to Greensboro to help Bell and the others set up their branch. Bell plans to do the same once the Winston-Salem branch gets going.

“I’m excited that Winston-Salem has taken this step and implemented Cure Violence,” she said. “It’s needed in every city. It works.”

EDITORIAL

Mark Robinson is trash

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TUE. OCTOBER 19th & 26th Frazier Fribush & Sluppick

Sun. OCTOBER 24th Doug Wamble

ark Robinson of Greensboro upon to resign over his comments pertainis North Carolina’s lieutenant ing to LGBTQ+ Americans, he doubled governor, which makes him down on those comments with a list of the highest-ranking Republibooks he wants banned from public schools can elected official in the state, president of in the state. He called the books, which the state Senate with a tiebreaking vote, as explore LGBTQ+ identity, “filth” as well. It’s well as a sitting member of the NC Board important to note that none of these books of Education. are currently being used in NC public And he is trash. schools.

His remarks in the video that surfaced Mark Robinson is trash. Trash. Trash trash over the last week, referring to the state’s trash.

LGBTQ+ community as “filth,” should There’s a difference, in this case between come as no surprise to anyone who’s foltrash and filth. Here we’ve laid out many lowed his ridiculous career path, which specific reasons as to why our lieutenant before his viral YouTube mogovernor is trash, and the list ment at a Greensboro City would have been even more Council meeting, included egregious if we could get his Until they say neither public service nor poold Greensboro drinking budotherwise, we litical experience, though he dies to go on the record. did spend some time working Robinson’s besmirch of every assume everyone for Papa John’s pizza. His LGBTQ+ person in North in the party feels résumé is not what makes him Carolina — or anywhere, for the same way. trash. that matter — comes without Robinson is trash because qualification. It’s the same sort of his comments, yes, and of mentality that defines a hate because of his farcical attacks against public crime, and as such is dangerous for anyone education in general, which as a member to communicate, let alone the highest-rankof the board of ed are particularly grieving Republican elected official in the state. ous. He’s trash because of his thoughtBut that’s what happens when trash gets less embrace of the politics of exclusion, elected to office. Let’s not forget who thoughtless because he doesn’t know what brought him here. Robinson is the highest“the politics of exclusion” means. He’s trash ranking Republican in North Carolina, a because he communicates in cruel memes. heartbeat away from being governor. Until He’s trash because he appeals to the worst and unless they say otherwise, we must asaspects of human nature. sume everyone in the party feels the same He’s trash because, after being called way.

OCT. 14-20, 2021 | OPINION

OPINION

Sun. OCTOBER 31st Wright Avenue Halloween Party Mondays Open Mic w J Timber

WEEKLY EVENTS WedneSDAYs

THURSDAYs

DJ PREZ - In the Beat of the Night

Maia Kamil

Live Broadcast 103.1 WUAG

221 Summit Ave. Greensboro, NC

www.flatirongso.com

9

CULTURE | OCT. 14-20, 2021

In the weeds

Some nights are worse than others

I

sit down and light a cigarette. It’s 2:30 a.m., and while I can still hear various voices out on the street, the doors are locked. A regular asked me to call him a cab 15 minutes ago, and he’ll

by James Douglas be standing outside for the next 45, minimum. At least he’s calling a cab.

Others wander to and fro in front of the locked door, aimless, like zombies. The old refrain, “You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here” has merit on nights like these.

Before I count the register, before cleaning, before stocking, some nights I just sit, if just for a few minutes. There are nights like, “Something was in the air tonight,” or “It’s a full moon, the crazies came out!” And then some nights you are off your game. Sometimes, every bad customer in town shows up on the same night to remind you that they still exist. The fighters, the creeps, the stiffers, the yellers, the particulars, the “Let me buy the house a shot” ballers.

Some nights, you have to sit down in the silence, stare in the middle distance, ignore the tinnitus that is creeping its way in now that the music is finally off, now that the night is mercifully over.

“What in the hell,” I ask the empty bar, “was that?” The building doesn’t reply, as always. It’s been here since 1905, too old to be answering any questions. I receive a text from a colleague down the street, talking about the night they’ve just had.

“People were out of control this weekend,” they said.

It’s rougher these days, by most accounts.

Many reject the idea of shared trauma and JAMES DOUGLAS mass hysteria as a cop-out for people’s behavior, but there is a definite line separating “then” and “now.” The service industry is not immune, in fact; Some nights you have to sit down in the silence, stare in the middle distance. they get the brunt of it. Nearly every day, there’s a story about a server, bartender, or chef taking shaming their young server. And instead of being asked much these days. abuse from customers. Niki Farrington, executive chef to immediately leave for having a tantrum and vocally I try to react as Niki would, and none of us are always at Willow’s Bistro, shared an encounter with a cusassaulting their server, a slouching manager shuffles successful. We’re all stressed out nowadays. It’s not tomer who screamed in her face during a busy Saturday out of the kitchen. A company man much to expect people to generally be night: “IT’S YOUR FAULT!” in a packed dining room after through and through, the type of guy decent. Working at a dive bar, it’s eastheir meal was delayed. She handled it with “grace, who calls everybody “chief,” he arrives ier to address someone’s behavior and compassion and composure.” A bartender at a popular just to comp their meal and hand out still keep your job. If a customer is bebar experienced the “worst shift [they’ve] ever had” gift cards. Not so much as a tap on the ing a problem, that’s it. AMF. They’ve recently which included a packed house, a staff shortwrist. probably had enough or didn’t need to age and screaming customers, including one who got in Naturally, many are realizing be there in the first place. Most bars her face and said, “This bitch can’t do her job” while she that they don’t have to tolerate low do that; that’s how they retain good was doing precisely that. pay, abusive customers and predacustomers. Imagine if a restaurant had Instances like these are intensely degrading and most tory management policies. The sheer the same policy. jobs would fire the workers if they were to respond amount of patience that’s required to I clean up in blessed silence, thankin kind. We’re seeing the effects of corporate policies tolerate abusive customers is physically and emotionful that the night wasn’t terrible. Tiring is different from that insist that the customer is always right. We’ve all ally draining, so it’s only natural to move on. Employees terrible. seen it: a customer causes an unnecessary scene, loudly used to be easily replaceable at some places, not so

It’s not much to expect people to be generally decent.

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By Sayaka Matsuoka

I

n the beginning, Niesha Douglas was frustrated.

When a group of well-meaning community members started brainstorming ideas a few years ago of how to improve the predominantlyBlack Warnersville neighborhood in Southeast Greensboro, Douglas felt like they were leaving a crucial component out of the conversation: the neighbors themselves.

“There was some misconception about the neighborhood,” says Douglas, who grew up in Warnersville. “They would hold these meetings during the day, when people were working, and I was only able to attend because I was going to school in the evenings. So I brought a different perspective of how I see my neighborhood.”

In the following months, Douglas became more involved in the process of how to tackle food insecurity in the area.

While talks about how to improve the area started as early as the mid-2000s, 2014 data by the Committee on Food Desert Zones showed that the neighborhood was one of 17 food deserts in the city. This really drove home the need to increase food access in that part of the city. But to do that, its residents needed to feel a sense of ownership in the project.

All of these small and large conversations that took place over the last two decades have been collected in a new book by Douglas, an adjunct assistant professor of health, physical and secondary education at Fayetteville State University, and Marianne LeGreco, an associate communications professor at UNCG. Everybody Eats, published in August, includes eight case studies about food activism, including the planning of urban farms and a mobile farmers markets. The book also covers practical input about policy changes that could make improvements to existing structures. But the first part of the journey was getting residents on board, LeGreco says. And there’s a reason why Warnersville was picked specifically.

“Warnersville was Greensboro’s first named, predominantly-African American neighborhood,” LeGreco explains.

“For a very long time it was thriving.

Ashe Street had quite a few Blackowned businesses but in the ’60s during urban redevelopment, the neighborhood

OCT. 14-20, 2021 | CULTURE

Culture Everybody Eats documents the fight for food justice in Greensboro

SAYAKA MATSUOKA

Niesha Douglas and Marianne LeGreco are co-authors of the new Everybody Eats book.

saw a lot of change. A lot of those businesses were torn down “I noticed that in the meetings, they would refer to the and replaced with public housing. Folks were relocated to people in the neighborhood as if everyone was in need and make way for other developments and then there were only everyone was poor and everyone was hungry,” Douglas says. two real spaces left: JC Price School and a park.”

“That’s when I started talking about the history of the neighThis kind of demolishing of thriving Black neighborhoods is borhood.” neither new nor is it confined to GreensDouglas was raised in Warnersville by boro. And the effects of such devastaher grandmother and aunts. She says she tion are long-lasting, often resulting in was never food insecure, and that many Learn more about poverty and lack of resources for those in the neighborhood owned their homes. at ucpress.edu. The book She realized quickly that more people that remain. And that’s exactly what groups were hoping to alleviate when they is also available to order who lived there needed to be a part of the started their projects in the area 15 years conversation about solutions. through Scuppernong Books ago.

“I had to speak to them in their language “A significant part of this is not just for them to understand the stereotyping in Greensboro. about access, but also about poverty,” that they were doing,” Douglas says.

LeGreco says.

Eventually, the idea for a mobile farmers When Douglas started going to some of the community market in the neighborhood took off. Then an urban garden meetings back in 2011, she noticed that the conversations was built at the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, giving the were framed in a deficit model, always casting the people of residents access to fresh food. But even with a well-intenWarnersville as victims who needed to be saved. tioned plan like that, organizers ran into hiccups. They had the

Eats

Everybody

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CULTURE | OCT. 14-20, 2021

SAYAKA MATSUOKA

Everybody Eats was published in August and contains eight case studies about food activism, including the planning of urban farms and a mobile farmers market.

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land and the seeds, but they lacked the manpower to sustain such a program. Direct community-involvement and investment would be necessary for long-term success, LeGrego says.

“You really need to have this driven by and owned by the people in the neighborhood,” she says. “Food is tricky because people like to come out and volunteer on occasion but when it’s July and you have to get up at 6 a.m. to water before it gets hot outside and you have to do it every day… it gets to be a drain to be a volunteer…. It becomes unsustainable.”

Eventually, the initiative acquired grant funding to hire a farm manager, who continues to tend to the garden to this day. There is now a community fridge next to the garden, where some of the produce is offered to anyone who needs it.

“Food is one of those rare things that we have to make a decision about every single day, in many cases more than once,” LeGreco says. “These are conversations we’re always going to have to have.”

The book is meant to show that, LeGreco says: everything from successes like the launch of a downtown food truck project, to the less successful initiatives like the short-lived Renaissance Food Co-op, which closed in 2019 after just two years in op-

eration. It demonstrates just how complicated tackling food insecurity can be.

“It’s about realizing that this issue is bigger than just food,” Douglas says. “It’s about health, access to healthcare, the reasoning behind why certain areas are food insecure, like their adjacency to grocery stores and farmer’s markets…. Just because we have an idea that can help a group of people doesn’t mean that the idea can be executed in a way that is everlasting or sustainable. It’s a daily thing that needs to be thought out with intention, and you need to get the right people involved.”

This is why the authors are careful not to offer concrete solutions on how to tackle food insecurity broadly. Through their research and observations, they instead offer recommendations on how other communities can start to get involved in helping their neighborhoods too.

“We might not be able to keep a single project, but as long as we’re keeping the conversation, we’re going to create the possibility for future groups to come in and keep the conversation going on food, and I think that’s cool and promising,” LeGreco says.

CROSSWORD

‘It’s Time to Get Things Started’— this is what we call these characters.

SUDOKU OCT. 14-20, 2021 | PUZZLES

by Matt Jones

Across

1 Jousting weapon 6 Subjects that get “buried” 11 “Cribs” network 14 Bend (down) 15 Herb similar to black licorice 16 Paranormalist Geller 17 In-N-Out Burger “secret menu” order 19 Peccadillo 20 Ripped up 21 Land west of Wales 22 Express a viewpoint 24 Science lab container that could be corrosive if spilled 27 Lingers on 30 “One-of-a-kind” digital asset some times labelled a “crypto-collectible” © 2021 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) 31 MSNBC host Melber 32 “Empire” star ___ P. Henson 37 Jacob’s Old Testament twin 41 Genre associated with Hunter S. Thompson 44 Texas Hold ‘em stake 45 Boat or plane 46 It may touch the same-named part of a cup 47 Airport near the U.S. Open site 49 Celebratory events 51 It’s typically made with apples, walnuts, and mayo Answers from last issue 58 Homer classic 26 Cat-___-tails 59 Highway subdivision 27 Long story (not short) 60 Actor Alan of whom Bill Hader does a good impression 28 “___: Legacy” (2010 sci-fi sequel) 64 Defensive tennis shot 29 Contraction and perpetual bane of grammar purists 65 Chocolate-dipped cookie desserts supposedly 33 Eastern European relish made with red pep named after Phil Rizzuto per, eggplant, and chilis 68 Venezuelan’s “very” 34 Fish eggs 69 Muscat resident, for one 35 Airport for SXSW attendees 70 Newspaper pieces 36 Eleventh graders, for short 71 Programming language named for Lord 38 Spot for a houseplant Byron’s daughter 39 It comprises 11 time zones 72 Evenings in ads 40 Diamond deciders 73 Astronaut’s pressurized outfit 42 Nintendo franchise, familiarly Down 43 Aquarium growth 1 Aspiring atty.’s exam 48 Brooklyn or Romeo Beckham, to Sir Elton John 2 “___ extra cost” 50 Adjusts to something new 3 Bleak crime fiction genre 51 Name yelled at the end of “The Flintstones” 4 Acquire 52 How some things are read 5 DDT-banning org.

53 Nation that’s mostly Sahara Desert 6 Corrective eye surgery 54 It may consist of a soft drink with soft serve 7 “___ Nous” (1983 film) 55 It joins the Rhone at Lyon 8 Someone performing home repairs, e.g.

56 “No” voters 9 Night school class, for short 57 “Stagger ___” (African-American folk song) 10 Accompany to the airport, maybe 61 “In ___ of gifts ...”

11 Madonna #1 title that’s ... self-descriptive 62 “Unforgettable” singer Lovato 12 “If I Had a Hammer” singer Lopez 63 Kind of prof. or D.A. 13 Covered with ivy 66 901, to Nero 18 Actress Salonga 67 Fix, as in gambling 23 “Slumdog Millionaire” actor Dev 25 “Que es ___?” (“What’s this?”)

©2021 Jonesin’ Crosswords

(editor@jonesincrosswords.com)

Answers from previous publication.

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SHOT IN THE TRIAD

Hiatt Street, Greensboro

CAROLYN DEBERRY

The Mock Judson Voehringer Co. Hosiery Mill, an official Guilford County landmark and site on the National Register of Historic Places, is being converted into apartments and townhomes. The two-story mill was constructed in five phases starting in 1927 and later became the Rolane Factory Outlet until its closing in 1999.