TCB June 8, 2023 — Fired

BY GALE MELCHER | PG. 4

CITY LIFE

THURSDAY JUNE 8

Bust the Bus @ First National Bank Field (GSO) 5:30 p.m.

Charles Aris Executive Search has partnered with BackPack Beginnings and the Greensboro Grasshoppers for the fourth annual Bust the Bus fundraiser. The orgs are seeking enough nonperishable food donations to fill a school bus. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

Made You Look: A Portrait Experience @ SECCA (W-S) 6 p.m.

Join SECCA for this free immersive portrait experience. Participate in conversation with Winston-Salem-based artists about the power of the portrait before learning the foundations of taking your own. Visit secca.org for more information.

FRIDAY JUNE 9

Arts Splash Summer Concert @ Washington Terrace Park (HP) 6 p.m.

High Point Arts Council is excited to announce its free summer concert series highlighting various genres of music like jazz, blues and Latin. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets

by MICHAELA RATLIFF

and bites to eat. Visit the event page on Facebook for more information.

JUNE 8 - 11

atmosphere. Kids activities and food vendors will also be available. Find more information at dunleath.org

Abby Bryant & The Echoes @ Stock + Grain Assembly (HP) 8 p.m.

Show Your Pride Party @ Doggos Dog Park & Pub (GSO) 7 p.m.

Celebrate Pride Month at Doggos! This year, you and your pups can take photos in a color powder photo booth. Support the local LGBTQ+ community by purchasing a Love Wins Lemonade Boozy Slushie, as $1 from each purchase will be donated to Greensboro Pride. More info on Facebook.

The Prom @ Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance (W-S) 7:30 p.m.

Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance invites you to a production of The Prom. The musical comedy follows what happens when a high school student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, causing a frenzy to the town’s parents who value heteronormative tradition. Purchase tickets at theatrealliance.ws/box_office/

SATURDAY JUNE 10

Dunleath Porchfest @ Dunleath Neighborhood (GSO) 11 a.m.

Porches become stages during the Dunleath Porchfest. Take a stroll through the neighborhood and enjoy live music from 61 acts in a festival-like

TCBTix

Abby Bryant & The Echoes will take the Stock + Grain stage performing a selection of Americana and soul hits from their debut album Not Your Little Girl. Visit stockandgrainhp.com for a lineup of this month’s performances and more information.

SUNDAY JUNE 11

Baby Goats & Beer @ Wise Man Brewing (W-S) 12 p.m.

Start your afternoon with baby goats from Rivas Ranch and beer from Wise Man Brewing. Farm fresh products like beef, eggs and other items will be available for purchase. Find more information on the Facebook event page

Spring Pop Up Market @ Boxcar Bar + Arcade (GSO) 12 p.m.

Stop by Boxcar for a free yoga session (11 a.m.) with Monica Nicholson before supporting and shopping with local vendors during the spring market. Play arcade games, enjoy drinks and see what Perennial Peaces, All Pets Considered and others have to offer. Visit Facebook for more information.

Find more events and add your own to our calendar at triad-city-beat.com/local-events

For more information, scan the QR code or email chris@triad-city-beat.com.

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June 15 | Part Time Party Time Band

June 29 | Chairmen of the Board

What the First Amendment is,

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COVER:

Original

and

is

by Sayaka Matsuoka

not e take the First Amendment pretty damn seriously around here. Hell, it’s how we do our jobs. For a refresher, here’s the text as it’s written out in the Constitution in full:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Nowhere in there does it mention letting people who say unhinged things on social media keep their jobs, does it?

Well, that’s where it seems former Greensboro Fire Department Captain Dustin Jones is a bit confused.

As we’ve reported already, Jones was fired from the Greensboro Fire Department in mid May after posting several anti-trans, anti-LGBTQ+ and racist things on his personal Facebook. When TCB reached out to Jones for comment for the story, he stated that he was always “off-duty” when he made the aforementioned posts and that his dismissal was an infringement on his First Amendment rights.

In a letter, City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba upheld the department’s decision to let Jones go after finding a pattern of behavior in which Jones repeatedly disregarded the GFD’s social media policy. After submitting a public records request, TCB got a hold of the department’s policy. Here are some of the most pertinent parts.

Under the section that discusses “unofficial” websites and weblogs — aka, personal social media posts — the department is clear in its expectations of its employees who are, may we remind you, public servants.

All posts should “[u]phold the

Wdepartment’s value of respect for the individual and avoid making defamatory or disrespectful statements about employees, citizens, partners, vendors or other agencies.”

Well, when Jones called Sheriff Danny Rogers a “clown” and a “joke,” that violated the policy. When he attacked the trans community and posted interior pictures of a private citizen’s home, that violated policy.

The cherry on top is the part of the policy that seems to have anticipated Jones’ exact argument.

“As public employees, department personnel are cautioned that their speech either on or off duty, and in the course of their official duties that has a nexus to the employee’s professional duties and responsibilities may not necessarily be protected speech under the First Amendment.”

Boom! It’s like they knew Jones was gonna use this argument. Additionally, the policy warns that “[d]epartment employees should assume that their speech and related activity on social media sites will reflect upon their position within the department.”

But wait! There’s more!

Department employees are also prohibited from “[s]peech containing obscene or sexually explicit language, images, or acts and statements or other forms of speech that ridicule, malign, disparage, or otherwise express bias against any race, any religion or any protected class of individuals.”

So, while Jones continues to rack up support amongst local conservatives, positioning himself as a martyr, raising thousands of dollars along the way, he should know that his argument that his “free speech” was infringed upon, holds no water. Oh, and good luck suing people over that termination letter. It’s called public record.

Photo Illustration Design by Aiden Siobhan

photo of Dustin Jones by Todd Tuner

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Don’t consider people who are different than you a threat.

Dozens show up at city council to support LGBTQIA+ community in wake of GSO

Fire Capt. Dustin Jones’ firing

by Gale Melcher

ead more.”

That’s what NAACP Greensboro President Kay Brown said she’d tell Dustin Jones, a former Greensboro Fire Department captain who was dismissed last month after repeatedly posting anti-transgender and racist posts on his personal Facebook page.

“Don’t consider people who are different than you a threat,” said Brown, who attended Tuesday evening’s Greensboro city council meeting to commend the city for their decision to fire Jones. “They’re trying to live their lives the same way you’re trying to live your life.”

Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, Jones posted several times on Facebook in an attempt to get supporters to speak out against his firing. In return, dozens of counterprotesters who support the LGBTQIA+ community showed up outside of council chambers ahead of the meeting.

A bright Progress Pride flag fluttered in the hands of counter-protesters in the plaza outside Melvin Municipal Office Building. Protesters supporting Jones were nowhere to be seen. Jones slipped inside the building while counterprotesters made speeches and dozens gathered around to listen.

Brown said that Jones’ behavior “undermines public trust,” because Jones’ posts could make members of marginalized groups worry that a first responder might hesitate to do all that they can to save them “based on an outdated, homophobic or transphobic belief.”

Del Stone with the Working Class & Houseless Organizing Alliance agreed.

WHOA and other groups like NAACP Greensboro and Guilford For All gathered together to support the LGBTQIA+ community and speak against Jones’ behavior on Tuesday evening. Jones would be fine after losing his job over what he posted, said Stone, who warned: “The people who aren’t gonna be fine are the people he’s targeting in his posts and the people who are gonna continue to be marginalized.”

The backstory

As outlined in a letter upholding Jones’ termination by City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba, Jones published at least five posts on his Facebook page from 2021 to earlier this year that were in violation of the Greensboro Fire Department’s social media policy

The most recent post advocated for “Straight Pride,” while another made disparaging comments about Rachel Levine, a transgender woman and a pediatrician who serves as the US assistant secretary for health. Other posts made light of the Black Lives Matter movement after the killing of Tyre Nichols. In another instance, Jones commented on a video in which Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers was attending an NC A&T State University homecoming parade. He called the sheriff a “joke” and a “clown.”

Jones also posted a photo with the caption: “You know what’s insane…. A white person can paint their face black and be accused of being a racist. Yet a man can dress as a woman and be called a hero.”

This piece is part of our CityBeat that covers Greensboro and Winston-Salem city council business, made possible by a grant from the NC Local News Lab Fund, available to republish for free by any news outlet who cares to use it. To learn how, visit triad-city-beat.com/republish.

Former Fire Captain Dustin Jones, left, attended Tuesday’s city council meeting but did not speak.

PHOTO BY TODD TURNER

GFD’s social media policy warns that “[d]epartment employees should assume that their speech and related activity on social media sites will reflect upon their position within the department.”

Department employees are also prohibited from “[s]peech containing obscene or sexually explicit language, images, or acts and statements or other forms of speech that ridicule, malign, disparage, or otherwise express bias against any race, any religion or any protected class of individuals.”

Prior to the city council meeting, Rogers stood with members of his department on the curb outside of city council chambers.

When asked about Jones, Rogers said he didn’t know who he was.

“I don’t get caught up with what people say about us or about me,” Rogers said. “I just focus on what I can do for the community of Guilford County with the team that I have.”

A staff member told Triad City Beat that the group was standing outside because they had just finished a work meeting, and that no one had any idea who Jones was.

Allies speak out during council meeting

Mayor Nancy Vaughan, the former executive director of Guilford Green Foundation, told TCB that she supported the City Manager Jaiyeoba’s decision to uphold Jones’ termination.

“It wasn’t one post,” she said, “it was a number of posts. Jones’ repeat offenses violating the public’s trust deeply troubled Vaughan.

“The one that I found most offensive was, during his job, he took pictures of the interior of a resident’s home and that is a huge violation of public trust,” Vaughan said.

After responding to a structure fire in 2021, Jones took pictures showing hoarding conditions and posted them on social media, Jaiyeoba’s letter reads.

Jaiyeoba also wrote to Jones that the net effect of these posts was to “dehumanize, delegitimize, disparage and disrespect those who are different than you. Organizational culture is defined in large part by what behaviors are tolerated. We simply cannot tolerate this kind of behavior from a leader of this organization.”

Inside city hall, council chambers brimmed with dozens of people eager to speak. During the public comment period, outbursts from protesters and counterprotesters alike rang throughout the room and many were escorted

from the chambers, some for refusing to stop speaking when their time expired, others for swearing and yelling at speakers. When the doors opened, boos or cheers could be heard from the overflow section in the lobby.

Many who spoke in support of the LGBTQIA+ community did so with passion in their voices. They noted the increased discrimination that the transgender community is facing throughout the country now. Others called Jones and his supporters fascists. And still, others noted how even though the city did right by firing Jones, they’ve let the officers who killed Marcus Smith remain members of the Greensboro Police Department.

On the other side, supporters of Jones echoed the fired firefighter’s argument that his First Amendment rights were violated and rebuked counterprotesters who spoke passionately against Jones and his supporters.

“Why don’t we say that the First Amendment right for free speech is for everybody as long as it does not lead to violence?” asked Adrian Harris, a supporter of Jones.

Still, studies have shown that negative media of transgender communities can lead to negative outcomes for transgender people.

A 2019 study in which 545 participants were surveyed also found that more frequent exposure to negative media depictions of transgender people was associated with 18 percent increased odds of being depressed, 26 percent increased odds of experiencing anxiety, 25 percent increased odds of PTSD and 28 percent increased odds of experiencing global psychological distress.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, from 2017 to 2020 the rate of violent victimization of lesbian or gay persons (43.5 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 16 or older) was more than two times the rate for straight persons (19.0 per 1,000), and the rate of violent victimization against transgender persons (51.5 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 16 or older) was 2.5 times the rate among cisgender persons (20.5 per 1,000).

Jones himself never spoke during Tuesday’s council meeting.

“I’m just here to listen,” he told TCB

But counterprotester Paulette Montgomery echoed sentiments heard throughout the night during her time at the podium.

“The crowd here tonight, from the packed chamber to the overflow seating and the protestors outside,” she said, “this is what community looks like. Happy Pride.”

While Dustin Jones called for supporters to protest his termination, dozens more counterprotesters showed up at Tuesday’s city council meeting to support the LGBTQIA+ community.

PHOTO BY TODD TURNER

Downtown Greensboro is getting permanent outdoor patios after city contributes funding

by Gale Melcher

utdoor dining patios made popular during the pandemic are here to stay. Downtown Greensboro Inc. is partnering with Modstreet of Durango, Co. to construct 13 permanent outdoor patios, with installations beginning next week.

According to a June 1 post on DGI’s website, the temporary outdoor dining patios installed in 2020 are being removed to “pave the way for new permanent outdoor dining patios to be installed at the same establishments beginning on June 12.” All patios are expected to be completed within four days. The outdoor patios are ADA compliant and fit within one or two parking spaces and are safety-tested to withstand vehicle impact up to 30 miles per hour, adding 8-12 dining seats to a restaurant depending on the size of their patio according to DGI’s site.

The patios cost a total of $430,700 — covered by $142,700 in city funding and $288,140 from DGI.

“This is the largest one-time investment DGI has ever made back to the community. And so for us it was really about finding a partner in this,” according to DGI’s Director of Strategic Initiatives Rob Overman.

City contributes funding

ccording to city documents, significant financial constraints were placed on businesses with temporary outdoor dining patios as many of them lacked basic design elements and failed to comply with accessibility requirements.

“Not all of these business owners have the resources necessary to bring these outdoor areas into compliance with accessibility standards, or to bring them up to a uniform design that would beautify the downtown landscape. In order to ensure accessibility and beautification, city council must grant funding,” the document states.

The resolution authorizing the funding agreement with DGI passed 8-0 in July 2022. Mayor Nancy Vaughan recused herself from voting on the item since she was a member of DGI’s board of directors. City Manager Taiwo Jaiyeoba is listed on the current board of directors, as well as chairman of Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston and County Manager Michael Halford. Vaughan is no longer listed.

The project is an idea that’s been in the works for around two years, said Overman, adding that the patios were ordered in January.

DGI’s President and CEO Zack Matheny was re-elected to city council in 2022 after having previously stepped down from his seat on council in June 2015, just days before being named head of DGI. In 2015, Matheny told TCB that he resigned to avoid a perceived conflict of interest. According to publicly available tax documents from 2021, Matheny gleaned an annual salary of $172,058 as DGI’s president and CEO. DGI’s chief financial officer and next highest-paid employee, Joy Ross, was paid $65,403. In 2020, DGI’s total revenue amounted to $1,895,606 with $1,464,904 in total functional expenses, generating a net income of $430,702.

Overman adopted the project when he came on board in September 2022.

MODSTREET Parklets at School House Kitchen and Libations in downtown Olde Town, Colorado

COURTESY PHOTO

DGI will own the patios and lease single or double patios to restaurant owners. Monthly rates are $250 for a single, $400 for a double, according to Overman

According to Modstreet’s co-founder Maggie Kavan, the products are meant to last 25-30 years.

A changing downtown

It made logical sense to partner with the city, Overman said, explaining that they would be working with the city anyway to get authorization for things like extending licensed premises, etc. “It was easy working with the city, and everybody agreed that this was a fantastic idea,” he said.

Assistant City Manager Trey Davis told Triad City Beat that it took a “considerable amount of coordination and other things that had to be done to get to this place for installation.”

Council passed several amendments to existing ordinances in October 2022 that many critics said target the houseless community. Matheny was among the councilmembers who voted in favor of the amendments.

Sec. 18-44 of the city’s code was altered to specify that anyone or object that prevents 36 inches of clear access “to freely pass through a sidewalk, public passageway or entrance or exit to a building” would be charged with a misdemeanor and fined up to $50, and Sec. 16-10 was changed to state that anyone who leaves “any object, substance, or waste” on the street or in a public space would be charged with a Class 3 misdemeanor and fined a maximum of $50.

The new patios could be viewed as hypocritical given the new amendments that appeared to target houseless people leaving belongings on sidewalks, but Overman said that they’d be in accordance with city code.

“Depending on the site, some of them will have an ADA-compliant ramp…. Some of them will have ramps that come onto the sidewalks but will maintain ADA-compliance with the 36 inches that you have to have on the sidewalk,” he said. “Greensboro has wide sidewalks so we’re fortunate.”

Permanent patios will be installed at the following 13 locations:

Lewis & Elm

Blue Denim

Cheesecakes by Alex Crafted Green Bean

Grey‘s Tavern Lao

Little Brother

Los Chicos

Natty Greene’s Stumble Stilskins

White & Wood

A rendering of a permanent patio.

COURTESY PHOTO

‘cille & ’scoe

A rendering of a permanent patio.

COURTESY PHOTO

City of W-S: Stop hitting yourself

Pride Month sashayed into Winston-Salem with big plans and much promise: an annual Pride Festival scheduled for the middle of the month, a new crosswalk mural to commemorate the occasion and, in a show of support and to increase visibility, the city temporarily changed the profile picture on its Facebook page to a version of the city logo emblazoned with the Pride flag.

That adjustment would last about an hour.

After a swarm of comments on the page — both for and against the move — the city swapped out the Pride logo for the original.

Awareness Month and Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, among others. The city is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion, however, as a matter of fairness we cannot promote one cause over the others through our logo.”

He forgot National Camping Month, National Fruit and Vegetables Month, National Salsa Month and National DJ Month, all of which have chosen June to highlight their causes.

June is Pride Month

But c’mon. The city is not dropping a mural to celebrate salsa, nor is it planning a weekend of festivities to honor local DJs (though that’s not a bad idea).

Compounding this unforced error, an email from the city’s Director of Marketing and Communications Frank Elliott blamed the reversal on an unnamed rogue employee who posted the item “without authorization” and “prematurely,” which, if one parses the language, are understood as somewhat contradictory statements.

It’s like, Which is it, Frank? Was it unauthorized, or did someone post an authorized image too soon?

Then came equivocation: “In addition to being Pride Month, June is also recognized as PTSD Awareness Month, Gun National Violence

No, in Winston-Salem — and most of the rest of the nation — June is Pride Month, a time for the LGBTQIA+ community to revel in their identities even as our state pursues legislation that marginalizes or outright denies their existence. And it’s a chance for Winston-Salem to demonstrate to those who make the laws that the city could not and would not function without the LGBTQIA+ folks and the people who support them.

In short, Pride is a time to stand up to homophobic and transphobic bullies, not acquiesce to their petty demands.

Courtesy of NC Policy Watch

In Winston-Salem — and most of the rest of the nation —

by Kevin Six

think there is so much power in music and how it can translate messages across cultures and communities to one another,” says Terrell Dungee, a member of Triad Pride Men’s Chorus.

“It’s always been a goal of our chorus to bring a sense of awareness to LGBTQ+ people in the community. Highlighting their everydayness of being folks who enjoy song and performing for the fellow community.”

On Sunday, June 4, a large gathering at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in High Point hosted a musical troupe with a mission. The Triad Pride Men’s Chorus and Triad Pride Women’s Chorus had come together in the face of a sharp uptick in hateful legislation against LGBTQIA+ people.

“In the face of all these attacks against queer and trans folks in the community,” said Dungee, “we wanted to lend our voices and proclaim that we’re here to stay. That we’re a part of this community, with humanity with reliance and joy and that’s what this concert is about celebrating.”

Their goal was a weeklong singing tour around the Triad to spread a message of love and acceptance. Their roster ranged from protest songs to queer anthems to music created by queer artists.

“One of the songs that we’ll be performing is ‘This Is Me’ from The Greatest Showman,” Dungee said. “And the real core message of that song is that we are real, we are unique and it’s something we won’t hide from. We actually want to have that be celebrated and the song is in defiance of them being oppressed and that’s kind of how I view this chorus being out here and making joyful noise together as an act of pushing back against oppression.”

Churchgoers and other event attendees greeted them with smiles and words of encouragement before the show as they entered in matching, sparkly black outfits.

Lea Henderson Lagesse, Director of Development for Triad Pride Women’s Chorus, expresses how they have so far felt so welcomed, having performed at Well-Spring Retirement Community the day prior and set to perform at Trinity Presbyterian the following Friday.

“We’ve had wonderful churches and organizations that have been very interested in having us in their space and are welcoming and want to bring us into their conversations,” Lagesse said. “It provides a sense of hope I feel for the community and for the generations in the Triad area. You really see a bunch of people from all walks of life come together to support Triad Pride and their arts programs. Being involved in that really gives me a lot of hope.”

In between each song, members of the chorus were given the chance to tell stories of their experiences living as or having a loved one being LGBTQIA+. These ranged from the funny to the heartwarming to the sadness of experiencing rejection and discrimination. One man spoke of being bullied throughout school for being gay. Years later, he saw his bully bagging groceries at a supermarket and decided to forgive him because he felt that nobody should be judged for what they did as a kid. One woman shared about the pain of losing her mother. Her religious father was deeply in grief, but only a month later, he attended her wedding to another woman with open arms. With each story, candor was rewarded with applause from the congregation, just as they cheered for the beautiful melodies of their singing.

“Our goal is to share that we won’t go back; we’re singing songs of empowerment but also sharing stories about our growing and facing obstacles for being a part of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Janet Villas, President of the Triad Pride Women’s Chorus. “We’ll be telling stories of how we were forced to overcome things that straight people never have to deal with and how we’ve been able to persevere and feel the love and share the love.”

‘Joyful noise’: LGBTQIA+ Men and women’s choruses travel the Triad spreading messages of equality

Members of the Triad Pride Men’s Chorus perform in High Point.

PHOTO BY PAUL MUSICK

“I

Our goal is to share that we won’t go back.

“ “

Q&A with Diarra ‘Crckt’ Leggett of Boomerang Bookshop

by Sayaka Matsuoka

Boomerang is typically at the Corner Farmer’s Market every Saturday. They will also be at the Black Food Truck Festival for Juneteeth in downtown Greensboro on June 17.

Follow them on social media at @boomerangbookshop

Diarra “Crckt” Leggett has been running Boomerang Bookshop in and around Greensboro for the last six years.

PHOTO BY SAYAKA MATSUOKA

A Q CULTURE | JUNE 813, 2023

We first wrote about Boomerang back in 2017 when you first started the business. What’s been going on since then?

A

Well we just finished six years. It’s the same bus and I’m still doing it as a side business. The pandemic was tough because I was hitting a lot of book sales when I first opened up and getting a lot of inventory, but book sales slowed down during the pandemic. Now, I get books from individuals. I do prefer the sales, but I make more connections through individuals. Other than that, the business hasn’t really changed that much. It’s been pretty steady. The main change is that my hours have made it so that I can’t afford to go to People’s Market in Glenwood anymore. I used to sell there every week. So now, I only sell a couple times on the weekends.

How has your relationship with the community changed over the years?

It’s developed. I feel like I have a place in the community now. And people who have not come into contact with the bus are usually positively receptive. They say they’ve never seen anything like it or they’re happy to have experienced something like that. Older people tell me that it reminds them of the library book mobile and I tell them that’s exactly what it is.

How would you describe your relationship with books?

It’s kind of funny. Because I work around books all the time, in various modes of exchange, I don’t really keep books like I used to because I come across them very frequently. Books are very liquid in my personal life now.

What kinds of books do you like to get?

I like to try and sell diverse literary- and speculative-fiction books. I also like to sell radical politics, people’s histories and lots of African-American interest books. And I think it’s important because there hasn’t really been an outlet for that. Recently there has been a bookstore and restaurant in Friendly Center that opened. It’s a Black-owned bookstore, but there hadn’t been one in Greensboro for years. So I like to reflect some of my own cultural background through the books.

Q

Q A Q A 10

Do you feel like that’s becoming more important as of late?

I would think so. I currently work outreach with the Alamance County Public Library and there’s just been a lot of attacks on freedom of speech and availability of readings and of literature, of different ideas. It makes me feel like my positions are more necessary than ever. It also seems like people are hanging onto their books a little more than they used to. It seems like people are placing a greater value on the written word, a more personal value.

Can you tell me about the break in?

So for years, I’ve parked my bus at my house. It’s not very accessible so I left it unlocked for a long time but I guess I left it unlocked one too many times and someone broke in. It looked like they stayed in there for a night or two. They took a lot of stuff. They took books on Buddhism, eastern religion, philosophy, human sexuality, all of my graphic novels. They also took like all of my zines and various odds and ends that were my personal belongings.

CULTURE

Diarra “Crckt” Leggett has been running the Boomerang Bookshop bus in and around Greensboro for the last six years. Recently the bus was broken into, which Leggett says was a huge violation of privacy. In a conversation with TCB, Leggett shares how the business has grown and how important books are in this current political landscape.

Q A

Based on your social media post, it looks like the person left a note apologizing for breaking in. How did that make you feel?

It made me empathize with them somewhat. It kind of made me think that it was a really bad situation all the way around.

Q Q Q Q

How can people help you out?

A A A A

They can donate books. They can bring them to the Corner Farmers Market on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon and they can always message me on Instagram or Facebook.

Will you take monetary donations?

I’d prefer books over funds. I did a Gofundme for a new transmission a few years ago, but I’m not really comfortable doing that again.

Any plans for a store location?

It started off that way. Like in the back of my mind, I would still like to have a brick-and-mortar [location] so I have one place to be, but I really like meeting people where they are. I just wish I was able to do it more frequently.

What are you reading now?

I just finished a book called Babel by RF Kuang. It was really good. It was a really interesting look at British imperialism through the lens of translation.

Diarra Leggett’s book bus was broken into last month. For years, Leggett said he parked the bus near his home and left it unlocked. Leggett says those that want to support his business can donate books replenish some of the inventory that was taken.

PHOTOS BY SAYAKA MATSUOKA

Habitat Greensboro’s Home Ownership Program now taking applications

Greensboro, North Carolina

Open enrollment for Habitat Greensboro’s Homeownership program opened on Feb. 15. Applications are available online at habitatgreensboro.org or at the Gate City ReStore, with applications considered on a rolling basis.

This is not a giveaway. The Homeownership Program helps traditionally marginalized families buy affordable houses in the city. Applicants must meet minimum household income requirements — between $25-$35,000 a year, depending on size — and provide documents such as a current lease, Social Security cards for all household members and statements of income for all household members along with the application. Homes are custom built, one-story single-family homes and one and two-story townhomes with 2-5 bedrooms and 2-3 bathrooms.

Applicants are selected on three criteria: a need for adequate housing, a willingness to partner with Habitat Greensboro and the ability to pay an affordable mortgage. The program is open to all households who meet these guidelines — Habitat does not discriminate for any reasons related to race, sex, national origin, religion, familial status, handicap, or color.

“Last year, out of more than 400 applicants, only 10 people met the guidelines,” said Christine Byrd, Director of Development and Communications of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro. “Many applicants either didn’t answer all the questions in the application or include all the attachments.”

She said, “we want to walk alongside them on their journey.”

The process can be daunting — after being accepted, applicants must take required homeownership courses on budgeting and financial literacy, household maintenance and simple repairs. The families must also put in 250 hours of “sweat equity” that could include pitching in on the construction of the house or helping out with other Habitat Greensboro projects. All classes count towards the required 250 hours, and every adult in the household can contribute.

But in the end, they are able to purchase a new or refurbished home with a mortgage not to exceed 30 percent of household income.

It’s an important program, Byrd said, because “very few builders build starter homes anymore, and starter homes in Greensboro do not come at starter home prices; $200,000 is not a starter home.”

And she reminded that there has been historic discrimination in the real estate and finance industries against people of color, non-English speakers and other marginalized communities.

More details, instructions, FAQs and the application itself can be found at Habitat Greensboro’s website, habitatgreensboro.org.

“I know there are a lot of people in Greensboro who have interest in this, who probably don’t think they qualify,” Byrd said. “But chances are, we can help.”

Saturday night performances featuring:

William Wolfram, piano (July 1)

Gil Shaham, violin (July 8)

Mighty 5’s, Beethoven/Mahler (July 15)

Hélène Grimaud, piano (July 22)

Awadagin Pratt, piano (July 29)

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

easternmusicfestival.org

SHOT IN THE TRIAD

BY CAROLYN DE BERRY

West Friendly Avenue, Greensboro

Early evening at First Baptist Community Garden.

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

by Matt Jones

Across

1. Pulitzer-winning rapper Kendrick

6. Over again

10. “Butter” group

13. Awestruck

14. Narcotic-yielding leaf

15. Navy, e.g.

16. Desert of Israel

17. Daybreak, in poetry

18. Teensy bit

19. <---

22. Like some verbs (abbr.)

23. Gradually lessen

24. <---

32. Loser to Bjorn in the 1976 Wimbledon final

33. “Didn’t think I had it ___”

34. Angiogram image

36. Dallas basketball player, for short

37. Mythological Theban with a chemical element named after her

39. Exclude

40. Rhode Island-based auto insurance company

43. Crust deposits

44. River deposit

45. <---

48. Massachusetts Cape

49. Greek vowel

50. <---

59. Jacob’s biblical twin

60. Wilson who says “Wow”

61. Gut trouble

62. Flippant

63. Format for old ringtones

64. Internet company with an exclamation point

65. Collector’s objective

66. “Mr. Roboto” group

67. Angioplasty device

Down

1. “Video Games” singer ___ Del Rey

2. Like some whiskey

3. D&D spellcaster

4. Simian

5. Echo effect

6. Pinnacle

7. First-time gamer

8. Hosiery hue

9. Poster heading

10. Amorphous amount

11. “Coppelia” costume

12. Sewn line

15. Guggenheim Museum’s Spanish location

20. Empty fully

© 2022 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com)

31. In any way

35. Pot starter

38. Serpentine symbols

41. “12 for 1” Columbia House deal, essentially

42. Admit freely

44. React harshly toward, like a dog

46. Everyday expressions

47. Tech bros?

50. Asks for table scraps

51. Spot in the ocean

52. Cafe au ___

53. Knucklehead

54. Actress/inventor Lamarr

55. Alternative to DOS or Windows

56. Dull pain

LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS:

21. “Four Leaf Clover” singer-songwriter Moore

24. “Letters from Iwo ___”

25. Car rental company

26. Courteous

27. Writers Guild of America, for example

28. Atlanta university

29. Rise up

30. “Sex and the City” role

57. Inert element used in lights

58. Moderate horse gait

‘Exactly!’ — that’s what that is.

© 2023 Matt Jones

amythyst kiah june 24 sam bush band july