What’s dating like for a 16-year-old on Valentine’s? p31
PHOTO: COURTESY PATRICIA LOCKHART
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{WEEK THAT WAS By
Flyer staff
Memphis on the internet.
#OOTD
“Mwelu wanted to share his out t of the day,” the Memphis Zoo said in an X post.
“Is he rockin’ the Snoopy tted sheet or what?”
SUPER BOWLBOUND
ree former University of Memphis Tigers will suit up for the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX this weekend.
Kenneth
Gainwell, Bryce Hu , and Jake Elliott (above) all wore Tiger blue.
GRAMMY WINNER
Adrian Maclin, choir director at Cordova High School, earned the Grammy’s 2025 Music Educator Award last week. “Known for his philosophy of fostering a ‘choir family’ rather than just a choir class, Maclin emphasizes life lessons alongside musical excellence,” Memphis-Shelby County Schools said in a post on its website. “His dedication has had a positive impact on so many students, and many consider him a father gure in their lives.”
Questions, Answers + Attitude
Edited by Toby Sells
KKK, Fed Funds, & Special Session
Racist yers circulating in Memphis, confusion with funding freeze, and the passing of voucher plan.
KKK FLYERS
State and local groups are denouncing the recent distribution of racist yers promoting white supremacy groups in Memphis.
e yers were seen around the city last week, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the NAACP Memphis Branch. ey allegedly show anti-immigrant images and are similar to ones seen recently in other Tennessee cities, Ohio, and Virginia.
“ e circulation of such vile propaganda under the name ‘ e Ram of the Knights’ seeks to intimidate, sow fear, and divide our city at a time we must come together to address critical challenges and upli one another,” said NAACP Memphis Branch president Kermit Moore.
VOICE VOTES SILENCED
For years, citizens and some lawmakers have complained that voice votes on bills in Tennessee House legislative committees reduce transparency and, sometimes, are unfair.
In a voice vote, the chair decides if he or she heard more ayes or nays. ere is no vote count recorded, and no one really knows who voted how.
Senate committees, where roll call votes are standard for all bill votes, don’t have this problem.
e House adopted new rules recently that require roll call votes in committees through an electronic roll call system similar to the electronic roll call system used for votes on the House oor. Committee members would not be allowed to change their votes a er the votes are displayed.
FED FUNDING FREEZE
A Memphis environmental justice group feared the freeze on federal funding last week would interrupt its $20 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
e freeze from President Donald Trump was halted last Wednesday as confusion reigned across the country. e administration said it wanted time to evaluate each recipient.
e EPA grant was set to establish the Mid-South Environmental Justice Center along with a community
engagement plan, coordinated workforce training in green jobs, and hands-on water and air-quality testing. LaTricea Adams, founder, president, and CEO of Young, Gi ed & Green, said last week the organization was uncertain if they’d ever get their grant.
SPECIAL SESSION
In one of the most hotly-contested questions in modern Tennessee political history, the Tennessee General Assembly narrowly approved a $430 million private-school voucher program that critics say will grow quickly to $1 billion and endanger the state’s budget.
e House voted 54-44 in favor of Governor Bill Lee’s voucher initiative, only four more than required for passage, with 20 Republicans opposing the measure. e Senate followed with a 20-13 vote, concluding the governor’s six-year e ort to create a statewide private-school voucher program and wrapping up a special session in less than a week.
GOP lawmakers approved sweeping immigration legislation last week, creating a new state enforcement o ce, providing grants to law enforcement, creating distinct licenses for noncitizens, and making it a felony for public o cials to back sanctuary policies. No Democrat in either chamber of the Tennessee legislature voted in favor of the bill.
Tennessee Lookout and the Tennessee Coalition on Open Government contributed to this report.
Visit the News Blog at memphis yer.com for fuller versions of these stories and more local news.
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POSTED BY MEMPHIS-SHELBY COUNTY SCHOOLS
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PHOTO: JOHN PARTIPILLO | TENNESSEE LOOKOUT
Legislative Democrats held a press conference last Monday to denounce Governor Bill Lee’s school voucher plan, which was sped through a special legislative session.
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{CITY REPORTER
By Kailynn Johnson
HIV, STI Testing at School
Anew partnership will allow Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) to provide students and families with testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI), counseling, treatment, education, and more.
The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) announced its partnership with MSCS recently. The agency wants to provide more resources for younger people who have been diagnosed with HIV and to be proactive in preventing the disease.
Shelby County has historically had one of the highest new infection rates for HIV in the nation. In May of 2024 the SCHD noted an “alarming increase in newly diagnosed cases of HIV in our community.” Officials said the highest increase affected people aged 14 to 45, and was not “spread evenly throughout the county.”
“Preliminary data from the Tennessee Department of Health indicates the infection rate for people aged 15 to 19 in Shelby County increased by about 50 percent from 2022 to 2023,” the health department said in a statement. “Rates of new HIV cases among young people aged 15 to 24 years old in Shelby County are more than five times higher than the same age group in the United States overall.”
Shelby County Health Department director and health officer Dr. Michelle Taylor said the impact of HIV and STIs on young people is “significant” and is further complicated by stigma and “a lack of access to healthcare resources.”
Prior to this announcement, the health department, United Way of Greater Nashville, and John Snow Inc. (JSI) hosted the first Shelby County HIV summit in October at the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis. The summit not only facilitated conversations on how to coordinate efforts about HIV awareness and prevention, but also how to address rising rates in Shelby County, which Taylor said represents a renewed sense of commitment to teamwork.
During these conversations, people realized that the health department had not been in MSCS, the largest school district in the state, since be-
fore the pandemic, Taylor said.
“It was a renewed sense of urgency to say, ‘Hey, why aren’t we in the schools?’” she said. “Or, if we’re in the schools, ‘Why is it limited?’”
As a result of these conversations, Taylor and her team provided a memorandum of understanding to increase the health department’s presence at schools.
“Memphis-Shelby County Schools services 106,000 students and a lot of those students are adolescents, people we know we need to educate with comprehensive sex education and teach them how to best protect their health in every way,” Taylor said. “We’re super excited.”
According to Taylor, education plays a large role in diminishing stigma and engaging young people. She said this stigma still stands as a barrier to addressing HIV.
HIV rates rose 50 percent in Memphis teens from 2022 to 2023.
“Here in the traditional South, in what we know as ‘ e Bible Belt,’ a lot of times stigma can get in the way,” Taylor said. “Stigma and stigmatizing people who are living with HIV gets us nowhere. Especially when we know even if you’re living with HIV you can live a long, fruitful life.”
Taylor said HIV prevention and treatment have come a long way, resulting in more care for those living with the disease, which can aid in conversations that seek to address stigma.
“ is valuable partnership with MSCS will help us provide our young people with the information, screenings, and preventive care they need to protect themselves. I am grateful to the Shelby County Board of Education and Memphis-Shelby County Schools leadership for putting the health of students and families rst in making this benecial collaboration possible,” Taylor said.
PHOTO: REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SUPPLIES COALITION | UNSPLASH
Rumors and Reality
In which JB Smiley Jr.’s mayoral ambitions get intertwined with the Marie Feagins controversy.
Okay, we are at that stage of political and public developments in which rumors, which have been ying fast and furious, are yielding to reality and tying disparate events together.
To start with what would be newsworthy on its own, the ambitions of various would-be candidates for the o ce of Shelby County mayor in 2026 are crystallizing into direct action.
As noted here several weeks ago, the list of likely aspirants includes city council member and recent chair JB Smiley Jr., entrepreneur/philanthropist J.W. Gibson, Shelby County commissioner and former chair Mickell Lowery, Assessor Melvin Burgess Jr., Criminal Court Clerk Heidi Kuhn, and county CAO Harold Collins.
Smiley, Gibson, and, reportedly, Lowery are basically declared and actively nibbling at potential donors. Smiley in particular has been soliciting funding and support in a barrage of text requests.
For better or worse, meanwhile, the erstwhile council chair nds himself also at the apex of events stemming from the ongoing showdown between nowdeposed schools Superintendent Marie Feagins and the Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) board.
A suit against the board by Feagins quotes Smiley as having angrily responded to Feagins’ petition last summer for a legal order of protection against in uential commodities trader and political donor Dow McVean, with whom Feagins had feuded.
e suit alleges that, in a phone call, Smiley “shouted at Dr. Feagins, ‘Don’t you ever le a f***ing police report in this city again without telling me rst. … You don’t know these people. … My funders
are on me now telling me she has to go because they know I supported you. …
ey are telling me to get rid of you.’”
Smiley was also quoted in the suit as telling a third party, “We are coming a er [Feagins].”
• A bizarre sideline to the Feagins controversy: During a lull in last week’s proceedings of the local Republican Party’s chairmanship convention at New Hope Christian Church, a rumor spread in the church auditorium’s packed balcony that had astonishing implications.
It was that Feagins was the daughter of one of her predecessors and a well-known one at that — none other than Willie Herenton, who served a lengthy tenure as schools superintendent before serving an even longer time as the city’s mayor.
A tall tale, indeed. As it turned out, the rumor was based on someone’s hasty reading of a line in e Commercial Appeal’s account of the heated school board meeting at which a MSCS board majority voted Feagins out.
e line read as follows: “Prior to reading o her prepared statements, Feagins acknowledged her father and former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton, who were in the audience.”
e tell-tale word “were” is the key to the misreading. It indicates clearly that Feagins’ citation of the individuals was plural and not at all of the same person. But, coming late in the sentence, the verb seems to have been overpowered by the previous yoking of “her father and former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton.”
“Were” got read as “was.” And all of a sudden, a short-lived cause célèbre got birthed.
• For that matter, the con ict between schools superintendent and board in Memphis seems to have caused an equally over-excited reaction in the state capital of Nashville, where state House Speaker Cameron Sexton, well-known already for his frequent designs upon what remains of home rule in Shelby County, let loose with brand-new threats against the autonomy of the elected MSCS board.
As noted by various local media, Sexton announced his intention for a state-government takeover of the local schools system. Radio station KWAM, an ultra-conservative outlet, had Sexton on their air as saying, in a guest appearance, that “plans are being drawn up to declare the local school board ‘null and void’” and that “the state will take over the school board.” [Sexton’s emphasis.]
More of all this anon.
PHOTO: JACKSON BAKER
JB Smiley Jr.
SPORTS By Frank Murtaugh
Haggerty Is ‘Him’
Can this season’s star take the Tigers deep into March?
In seven years as basketball coach at his alma mater, Penny Hardaway hasn’t always delivered March Madness for the University of Memphis. But let it be said he has delivered star power. e Tigers have featured a rst-team all-conference player in each of Hardaway’s rst six seasons and will all but certainly make it seven straight this March when current headliner PJ Haggerty gains the honor from the American Athletic Conference. It would be an unprecedented streak for the proud program.
How good has Haggerty been since transferring from Tulsa? He’s among AAC leaders in scoring (21.6 points per game), steals (2.1), minutes (36.5), and free throws made (145). He could follow Kendric Davis and David Jones and become the third-straight Memphis player to win an AAC scoring title (he’s third in the entire country), and if the Tigers play enough postseason games, Haggerty could join six former Tigers — including his current coach — with a 700-point season. e sophomore’s numbers are all up from his 2023-24 campaign, for which he was named the AAC’s Freshman of the Year.
And the mark of true impact is consistency. Haggerty has scored fewer than 12 points in only one game this season and he’s topped 20 points in 15 games. e Texas native achieves this by regularly getting to the foul line (he’s fourth in the country in free throws) and making the shots (81 percent). Haggerty made 11 of 14 freebies in the Tigers’ two-point upset of defending national champion UConn in Maui. He hit 10 of 11 in another two-point win at Virginia in December. A famous coach around here once said his players would “make their free throws when
they need to.” ey’re all needed, and Haggerty makes them. It’s among the chief reasons Memphis is in the Top 25 with aspirations for more than a single NCAA tournament game.
“[Haggerty] is so good at what he does,” emphasizes Hardaway. “He’s a quiet spirit, but he plays aggressively. Once he gets going, he’s pretty dang good.” Hardaway shared those views of his star a er the rst game of the season He also noted that last season, only Zach Edey (the national player of the year and current Memphis Grizzly) took more free throws than Haggerty. PJ Carter has been a valuable reserve for Hardaway. e Tigers would not have beaten Connecticut without Carter’s starring role in overtime and he outscored Haggerty in last week’s win at Tulane. Alas, Carter is decidedly “the other PJ” on this roster.
ere’s a somewhat new, though already tiring, exclamation for athletes intent on seizing even more spotlight than the multimedia universe currently provides: “I’m him!” e message being, apparently, that the person shouting is e Man, e Guy, e Player Paramount To Your Team’s Chance At Victory. (I’ve yet to see, by the way, a WNBA star scream, “I’m her!” at a camera.) Haggerty, fortunately, does not lean on this mantra, but the notion is one to consider as March nears and the Tigers’ chances at an NCAA tournament run are tossed around whatever water coolers may still exist. e Tigers beat UAB on January 26th in a showdown for rst place in the AAC, and Haggerty’s 23 points were a large factor. But his nine assists helped make the victory a 100-77 blowout. Consider it a case of “him” making “them” better. “Trying to make the game easier,” said Haggerty a er the win. “Just get my teammates involved, get them going early.”
Memphis has suited up precisely three players who earned rst-team All-America honors from the Associated Press: Keith Lee (1985), Hardaway (1993), and Chris Douglas-Roberts (2008). Each of those players led a Memphis team to the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament and two of them reached the Final Four. at, more than the individual honor, is how the trio tends to be remembered among folks in blue and gray. For all his stardom — for all his “himness” — PJ Haggerty must li his teammates to new heights in March to gain legend status in these parts. For now, let’s say he’s checking the boxes.
PHOTO: WES HALE PJ Haggerty
The class of 2025
Every year, the Memphis Flyer asks our readers to nominate outstanding young people in Memphis who are making a di erence in their community. We chose the top 20 from an outstanding eld of more than 50 nominations.
Memphis, meet your future leaders, the 20<30 Class of 2025.
AUSTIN BROWN Director of Development and Communications, Community Legal Center (CLC)
A native Memphian, Brown decided to stay in the city and attend Christian Brothers University. ere, he became the philanthropy chair for Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Brown says the experience changed his life. “We did a bunch of volunteering opportunities. Just getting a chance to see up close and personal the disparities in the city showed me a lot of the things I wanted to address in my professional career, and in any way I could.
“What makes Community Legal Center unique is, unlike some other legal aid organizations you may be familiar with, CLC o ers services at a low cost, and on a sliding scale, depending on household income and household size,” says Brown. “We’re about lling in that justice gap and helping the people in the forgotten middle. So, people who probably make too much money to qualify for free legal services, but they don’t make enough to a ord a private attorney. I’m here to make a just Memphis. Simple as that.”
LIV COHEN
Membership and Community Engagement Coordinator, WYXR
“I grew up in Oxford, Mississippi. Memphis was the cool city to come to on a weekend, and I just kind of fell in love with it,” says Cohen.
She found her niche at the community radio station, WYXR. “I interned my senior year of college, and then just convinced Robby [Grant, WYXR founder,] to keep me around. … I manage all of our individual giving and memberships, so if you’ve ever gotten an email asking to donate to WYXR, it’s probably from me.
“I’ve found myself deeply rooted in the music community here, and it’s unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced or witnessed. People really care about each other here. e music is just unbeatable, and yeah, I’ve really found my people here and I love it. … I would love to see a city that really invests in creative types and puts them in positions of leadership as well.”
LEON CUNNINGHAM III Agent, New York Life Insurance
“I think Memphis is, right now, a land of opportunity,” says Cunningham. He’s got a lot of irons in the re. In addition to his work in the insurance eld, he is also dedicated to volunteerism. “I think I’m making an impact here from anancial place, but a philanthropy piece is something that I could hang my hat on at the end of the day.”
One of his passions is mentoring. “Embracing Brotherhood [Foundation] is a social group I kind of started through networking in Memphis. It’s centered around youth, but also minority males, helping them get connections throughout general areas and regions, supporting them in business and life.”
As if that’s not enough, he’s also a professional model, working on national accounts through the Tribe Talent Management. “I was de nitely shy. It opened me up. It helped me be comfortable in my skin.”
HUGH FERGUSON Biomathematics Research Student, Rhodes College
“I’ve always been interested in being a doctor, since I was probably 11 or 12,” says Ferguson. “I have a heart condition and other health conditions, and the care that I’ve received from other doctors has inspired me to make sure other people have that same access.” He volunteers for Remote Area Medical. “We go into rural areas, mostly in Tennessee, that lack proper healthcare. We set up remote clinics and get doctors around the region to help. We usually treat about a thousand people at each clinic.”
is inspired his research into AIassisted ultrasound devices. “We’re working on, not replacing [X-ray machines], but o ering an alternative to help underserved communities. You can’t learn how to care about someone from just reading about science. You have to go into eld work, and experience humanity, what it needs, and realize that you’re more than just a person. ere’s a whole story behind you.”
continued on page 10
COVER STORY BY CHRIS M c COY PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMIE HARMON
continued from page 9
ANTONELLA REYES FLORES
Case Manager, Endeavors
When unaccompanied immigrant children arrive in Memphis, Flores takes care of them. “It can be anything from helping them enroll in a school, or connecting them to something like Church Health and getting them their updated vaccinations, or getting them a PCP. If they’re struggling with mental health, connecting with mental health services. Or just connecting them to a local food bank. Maybe they are trying to get onto a local soccer team, or they want to get involved with the church. I’m there to have a feel for what they need, and ll those gaps.
“I want to build an inclusive Memphis. Everyone has their niche in Memphis, whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or you’re a nonpro t or higher education, there are so many overlaps. We need to keep working together to help the next generation of Memphis. We have to put so much back into our youth. ese are future doctors, teachers, engineers. We’re doing our part to guide them into helping build such a great Memphis.”
ZAVIER HAYES
Owner, Zavier Hayes Shelter Insurance
During the pandemic, Hayes got a job o er to work in insurance. “I’m thinking, ‘Nobody’s going to take a chance on me. I’m 23 years old! I’ve barely got a year of experience.’ … ey took the chance, gave me my own o ce in Mumford.”
Now, he’s his own boss. “You’re an independent contractor; you’re being your own entrepreneur. ere’s some days where it’s harder than others, and there’s some days where it’s like, man, I just wish I could copy and paste this day, and have this be every day. It’s a journey, and I truly enjoy it.”
In his o hours, he coaches basketball at Northpoint Christian School. “I love working with kids. It’s a chance to give back. I tell my players, ‘I was just in y’all’s shoes 10 years ago.’ And this is my chance to say, ‘Hey, if this was younger me, this is exactly what I would teach you guys to do.’”
RANEEM IMAM Musician
Originally from the Bay Area, Imam’s family is Palestinian- and LebaneseAmerican. “I call myself an Arabic cocktail, so I’m really mixed with a lot of great things to make a juicy cocktail,” she says. “I’ve always been singing. My mom says I was getting on top of tables and singing to guests, and convincing her to come to my room for short musicals that I would perform for her and my grandmother.”
At Rhodes College, “I ended up majoring in music and falling in love with Memphis music and all the opportunities that I could seize while I was there. I didn’t know where the road was going to lead, obviously, but I feel like it’s just a part of my life motto to start where you are.”
Her plan to hit the ground performing a er graduation was stymied by the pandemic, but she found an audience through virtual gigs. Now she’s pursuing music full-time and working on a full-length album. “I’m kind of exploring this line between funk, R&B, and pop, while also toying around with some Arabic in uence because I haven’t seen that yet.”
ALEXXAS JOHNSON Associate Attorney, Spence Partners
RASEAN JENKINS Board Office Advisor, Memphis-Shelby County Schools
“I got a scholarship to University of Memphis when I was studying Japanese history and language,” Jenkins says. “I was going through my neighborhood one day, and I had so many questions about why are we so separated as a city. What led Memphis to be this way? It ended up becoming my major, and I ended up becoming an urban historian.”
Jenkins is currently on track to nish his Ph.D. at the University of Memphis. “I’m writing my dissertation on A.W. Willis and his family’s work to integrate segregated spaces in the Mid-South.”
Teaching is in his blood. “I’ve been a mentor for Memphis-Shelby County Schools since I was 18, and also I do mentoring with the city. I want to be a professor one day, but I am very dedicated to our district here in Memphis and Shelby County. I would not like to leave the district. I would love to stay and just continue to grow here, but I really see myself being a college professor one day for sure, teaching history.”
“I do general litigation, so the easiest way to describe that is, everything except criminal [law] — except when I have to do criminal [law],” says Johnson. “So really, just a smorgasbord of things, which I love, because I’m somebody that is creative by nature. I thought when I decided to become a lawyer, I was a little bummed because I feel like lawyers are in this gray area, with not a lot of time to create and be innovative. ere are so many rules and procedures, and of course it’s a very old career eld, governed by things that happened in 1935. But thankfully, in the way that I write and cra my arguments, I’ve learned to become creative in this career eld.”
A native Memphian, Johnson returned home a er attending college at Alabama and a stint in Miami to attend law school. “Who doesn’t want to be a part of Memphis? I mean, everyone steals our swag anyways, so you might as well come here.”
NOAH MILLER
Multidisciplinary Artist
Filmmaker, photographer, printmaker, and painter, Miller does it all. His most recent exhibit, “Days,” ran for seven months at Crosstown Arts. “I’m interested in so many di erent things. e world is abundant! But most of the time, I have an idea that feels like it could be better represented in a different medium, whether that’s painting, sculpture, music, or lm. Film is the greatest medium of all because it’s everything packed into one thing. It scratches every itch for me. But I’m someone who wants to do it all: write the script, build the set, shoot the whole thing myself, edit, and even record the soundtrack. … is is why I’ve gravitated toward painting. I can realistically have something nished by the end of the week.
“Memphis feels like the biggest ‘punk’ city to me in the sense that everyone just does exactly what they want here (or they should be), and you can get away with it! It’s a very genuine place.”
The class of 2025 20 30
DAVID OPPONG
Project Engineer, Allworld
Project Management
Inspired by his scientist father, Oppong decided to pursue engineering. “I realized that whatever I wanted to do in life, I wanted to have a direct impact on people and help make people’s lives better. I’ve seen that through civil engineering because people are the most direct result of all the infrastructure that we have in this world. I knew that if I could be around to a ect the change and have a positive impact on people’s lives, then I would feel ful lled in my purpose to be an engineer.
“We work with MATA on a number of capital projects, and the very rst project that I had a chance to be a part of — and eventually got a chance to lead — was their electric bus program, which was for the procurement and implementation of up to 50 electric buses within their eet.
“I grew up in the city, and I stayed because I knew that I wanted to be part of the change to make this a better place.”
continued from page 11
PHOENIX POWELL
Community Advocate/Health and Wellness Specialist, OUTMemphis
Powell’s work for OUTMemphis includes cooking weekly community meals. “I found that I really have a passion for advocacy and made a decision to do it as my work last year. I feel like advocacy and cooking go hand-inhand because any civil rights movement that you look at, things like food and music have always been a part of it. I’m able to use food as a way to give back. … Now the stakes feel a little bit higher than they have been.
“ e work we do here is really needed. Every day, people come in and tell their stories. e common denominator is, they don’t really have a support system. ey don’t have a group of people that they can feel like, ‘ is is like my family.’ And when I’m cooking, I never like to shortcut things. ese folks come to us when they don’t have anything. I’m not going to give them the bare minimum.”
JUAN SANCHEZ
Project Engineer, Turner Construction Company
A native of Memphis with “proud Mexican origins,” Sanchez was the rst person in his family to graduate from college. “I was born here, raised here, went to school here, went to university here, currently working here. I’m currently building Memphis and building the communities that I’ve been a part of. It’s been full circle.”
Among the projects Sanchez has been the “boots on the ground” for are the Memphis Sports and Events Complex, the Shelby County Health Department, and the soon-to-be-opened Alliance Health Services’ Crisis Center. Project engineer, he says, is “a two-word title, but it has many di erent responsibilities. … A lot of what I do is coordination and problem-solving among our contractors, design team, and clients to assure construction advances safely, within budget, and on schedule.”
Sanchez takes time to recruit other Hispanic and minority kids into the science and engineering elds. He was the rst-ever guest speaker for the University of Memphis’ Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. “ ere’s much more for Memphis in the future, much more building, and I’m just excited to be a part of that.”
JOELLE THOMPSON
JOSH SHAW Musician, Blvck Hippie
“I started playing piano when I was 11,” says Shaw. “Music was just my own way of spreading my wings.”
Shaw’s band Blvck Hippie had a great year in 2024, touring extensively, and playing a huge gig at the Overton Park Shell. “Getting to play the Shell was just crazy! I found this little goal list I wrote out when I was a junior in college — my musical bucket list, basically. e top three were, one, tour. e second one was, do a European tour, and the third one was, play the Shell.”
Shaw completed all three items on their list last year and won the Indie Memphis music video competition for the second year in a row. Even sweeter, they got to bring their young daughter to the Shell show. “She got to see me play for the rst time! at was just kind of a dream come true.”
CIARA SWEARINGEN
Family Inn Advocate, Room in the Inn
Swearingen was already a volunteer for Planned Parenthood when she became pregnant at 22 years old, while a student at the University of Memphis. “Going through my pregnancy, I didn’t get a lot of support from my OB-GYN,” she says.
A er having to advocate for herself while enduring a high-risk pregnancy, she became an advocate for others in the same position. “ ere are things that, growing up, especially in the Black community, nobody prepares you for when becoming a mother. … ere are so many women, especially in the city of Memphis, that are struggling to let their doctors know, ‘Hey, I’m feeling this type of way. Is this normal?’
“Once baby gets here, and you’re in the hospital, that’s the most important time for moms to command and demand in their pregnancy. Luckily, I had my mom there with me when I had my son, but there are a lot of Black women in the city of Memphis who don’t have this support.”
Entrepreneur, The Four Way, Center for Transforming Communities
In 2002, ompson’s grandfather decided to reopen the shuttered Four Way restaurant a er seeing it on a Travel Channel list of the best soul food restaurants in America. “It was the only one that was closed,” ompson says.
Her family devoted themselves to “keeping the legacy alive because so many people from Stax and just around the neighborhood of LeMoyne-Owen College, … even Martin Luther King and notable people around the country, knew about the Four Way when they came to Memphis because it was a community staple. We’ve tried to continue that legacy.”
While working at the restaurant, she also earned a master’s degree in public health and was recruited as a community organizer at the Center for Transforming Communities (CTC). “My project that I’m doing right now with CTC is a community cookbook, speci cally based in South Memphis, to honor people like me and some of my friends who are third, fourth, and h generation South Memphians because there’s such a rich legacy in our community. I’m trying to capture the history and voices of our community.”
KATELYN THOMPSON
Policy Director, Tennessee
Senate Democratic Caucus
“I love Memphis because it’s in my DNA,” says ompson. “It runs through my veins.”
ompson is passionate about politics and wants to spread the word about participating in our democracy. “When I went to Tennessee State University, I had started the bus to the polls, and a lot of students didn’t even know that they could vote. … My wish to every school and university is that we could do better with that in educating our students so they can be involved because our students are the future.
ey’re going to be the ones to keep us moving forward. And if they don’t know what they’re supposed to do, then we’re going backwards.”
She’s already made a splash in Tennessee political circles. “It is such an honor to serve as the youngest policy director for the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to work with both Mayor Paul Young and Senator London Lamar. eir leadership and trust in me have been instrumental in my journey, and I truly admire their commitment to serving our community.”
MARGARET TONG Entrepreneur, Mochi & Mi, Bao Toan Kitchen & Bar
Tong was born and raised in Memphis, but “growing up, my classmates were predominantly white and Black. It was very rare for me see Asian people. Once I got myself into the Asian community, I felt more sense of belonging, with people that understand you, understand the culture.”
Tong helped put on the rst Asian Night Market, which has seen explosive growth over only two years. “We didn’t expect to have such a big turnout because we were like, ‘Oh, the community is small.’ … And then I saw that crowd! I was glad I was behind the table. ere was more room behind the table than there was in that crowd!”
Growing up, her mother had a nail business, but the pair decided to go into the food business together. Now, they’re the force behind Bao Toan Kitchen, the newest restaurant in Crosstown Concourse. “I’d like to see a Memphis that helps each other,” she says. “I love the people, the sense of community here, the Memphis pride here.”
continued on page 14
The class of 2025 20 30
CHOICES: Center for Reproductive Health is able to provide free to low cost family planning services due to Title X grant funding.
CONNOR
WEBBER
Staff Attorney, Tennessee Innocence Project
Why did Webber become an attorney? “I get asked that a lot, and the answer is that I like to argue.”
An internship at the Davidson County district attorney’s o ce led him to the Tennessee Innocence Project. “We investigate and litigate cases of wrongful conviction in the state of Tennessee. … We received more applications from Shelby County than any other county in Tennessee. is was clearly where the need was, and they asked me to move here and open the o ce with them. I said, ‘Absolutely.’”
One of the rst cases they tackled was Ricky Webb, who had been convicted of a “heinous crime” in 1976. “We started looking into his case almost 50 years later, and there was a lot of evidence that was covered up that really proved that he was in fact innocent. His conviction was overturned in October [2024]. It became formal on Halloween, and he became the fourth-longest serving exoneree in United States history. He served just shy of 47 years in custody.”
HALEY WILSON Actor, Choreographer
Wilson first came to Memphis for the annual United Professional Theater Auditions at Playhouse on the Square in 2019. She made her debut as the lead in A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline . “I played one of my dream roles, a country artist that I had always listened to growing up, and also started my company member position at the same time.”
Since then, she has performed in more than 30 shows, earning an Ostrander Award for Best Supporting Actress in Natasha, Pierre & e Great Comet of 1812, as well as three other BroadwayWorld Awards nominations. She’s taught and choreographed at Houston High School, St. George’s Independent School, and Memphis University School. “I like to live other people’s stories to the best of my ability,” she says. “Sometimes being yourself is hard, and so getting away and getting to be someone else for a little bit is what I strive for. Today was a hard day for Haley, but I’m going to go be someone else for a little bit and just get away from that.”
e Memphis Flyer extends special thanks to Sondra Pham Khammavong, 20<30 Class of 2024, for serving on this year’s selection committee.
steppin’ out
We Recommend: Culture, News + Reviews
Lunar New Year
By Sarai Bennett
e Chinese lunar calendar attributes each year to an animal. is year’s is the wood snake, representing wisdom, renewal, and a time for transformation. And the Memphis Lunar New Year Fair is occurring jusssst in time for those ringing in the Lunar New Year.
Hosted by the Greater Memphis United Chinese Association and sponsored by the popular Chinese restaurant, Dim Sum King, the fair was created to give participants and their families a day full of fun festivities. “We want all the Memphis community to really get a feel of Lunar New Year because Lunar New Year is not just about the lunar calendar; it’s also about other traditions — the food, culture, and the people, like family getting together and interacting with each other,” says E e Du, co-chair of the Memphis Lunar New Year Fair. is event was also intended to help people understand more about Asian culture. “It’s all about the people and the diversity, and seeing the culture and getting a feel of the Asian culture. at’s what we want to bring. It’s not just one thing. It’s a whole package of Lunar New Year, and the diversity and culture that comes with it,” says Du.
e Memphis Lunar New Year Fair will have performances and authentic cuisine.
If you plan on attending, be prepared to be amazed by many cultural performances, such as martial arts demonstrations and the dragon dance, which is a traditional dance said to bless the new year with good fortune and to ward o bad spirits. And feel free to indulge in a variety of Asian-inspired dishes from local food vendors, mahjong lessons, handson experience practicing calligraphy, and so much more. e Memphis Lunar New Year Fair will only be here this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a general admission fee of $15 and free admission for children 10 years old and under. To learn more information about the upcoming fair and where to purchase tickets, visit memphislunarnewyear.com.
MEMPHIS LUNAR NEW YEAR FAIR, AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL, 7777 WALNUT GROVE ROAD, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 10 A.M.-9 P.M., $15/GENERAL ADMISSION, FREE/CHILDREN (10 AND UNDER).
VARIOUS DAYS & TIMES February 6th - 12th
Black Odyssey
Hattiloo eatre, 37 S. Cooper, through February 16
Hattiloo eatre presents a vibrant reimagining of the Odysseus saga set in modern-day Harlem, telling the epic tale of Ulysses Lincoln, a soldier facing the most daunting of voyages to reunite with his family.
New Memphis Psychedelic Festival B-Side, 1553 Madison Avenue, Friday, February 7, 8 p.m., $10 Spaceman presents the New Memphis Psychedelic Festival, with four great varied bands representing a range of original psychedelic music made in the region: the heavy melodic tunes and singing of Twin Face Kline; the dream-poppy goodness of the Arc of Quasar; the intense, dynamic force of e Narrows; and the o cial debut and record release of Delta Stardust.
Dance eatre of Harlem
Orpheum eatre, 203 S. Main St., Friday, February 7, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, February 8, 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., $62.50-$97
Dance eatre of Harlem is a leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim, encompassing a professional touring company, a leading studio school, and a national and international education and community outreach program. Each component of Dance eatre of Harlem carries a solid commitment towards enriching the lives of young people and adults around the world through the arts.
In addition to its evening and matinee performances, on Saturday at 10 a.m., the dance company will lead a free workshop, open to all ages and abilities, with no prior experience required. Space is limited. Register at orpheum-memphis.com.
Lisa Hickman: Between Grief and Nothing: e Passions, Addictions and Tragic End of William Faulkner
Novel, 387 Perkins Ext., Saturday, February 8, 2 p.m.
In 1962, William Faulkner left his homestead in Oxford, Mississippi, to travel to the nearby Byhalia sanatorium for alcoholism rehabilitation. While such journeys were not uncommon, Faulkner’s experience took a dark turn that led to his ultimate demise. This book traces the sequence of events leading to his initial hospitalization, exploring facets of his emotional instability, mental health, and various addictions.
Meet the author Lisa C. Hickman at this event celebrating the release of Between Grief and Nothing.
PHOTOS: COURTESY MEMPHIS CHINESE COMMUNITY CENTER
MUSIC By Jake Sanders
Memphis: An Artist’s Last Stop
Drawing big-time acts to the Blu City.
If you live in Memphis, you’ve likely heard phrases like “home of the blues,” “heart of soul music,” and “birthplace of rock-and-roll.” Ask anybody; even Google AI insists (so it must be true). Yet Memphians have also seen their favorite artist skip over FedExForum for a tour stop in Little Rock. Despite the rich musical talent and history, Memphis is not a popular destination for national tours. Last-minute cancellations are not uncommon either, as seen just a few years ago with Drake and Moneybagg Yo. Still, locals pride themselves on a vibrant and historical music scene, which is undeniably true. Stax Records, Royal Studios, the Memphis Drum Shop, Easley McCain Recording, Sun Studio — the list goes on. Online lists of the nation’s distinguished music cities frequently rank Memphis in the top 10. But, over the past couple of decades, Memphis has resembled a black hole in the major touring circuit. If asked why, artists would likely say it’s not personal, just business. Simply put, ticket sales here are unpredictable. Memphis has a reputation as a “walk-up” city, meaning tickets are typically bought as a last-ditch e ort instead of far in advance. is could be related to Memphis’ relatively low socioeconomic level. is is not to say Memphis has no appetite for live music. Just look around: Music is everywhere. ere are roughly 60 locations within Memphis city limits that provide live music and entertainment, and these locations would not be paying musicians without their ability to attract an audience.
Live Nation is “filling a big empty hole that started with the death of Bob Kelley.”
Last December, a partnership between national entertainment agency Live Nation and Crosstown Concourse spawned the construction of a new Memphis venue. Sitting right next to the Concourse, the 1,500-seat venue is expected to host roughly 100 events a year, ranging from comedy to corporate meetings to concerts. Similar types of events can be seen at e Green Room at Crosstown Arts or e Crosstown eater, albeit with smaller crowds. According to a press release, the new venue is projected to bring more than
Live Nation’s planned venue
150 music industry jobs to Memphis, with base starting salaries of $20/hour, (theoretically) lling a Nashville-sized hole in Memphis’ professional music market. e press release steers clear of this comparison; rather, their plan is to “honor Memphis’ rich musical heritage while lling a key gap in the market, providing a platform for artists eager to perform in the city.” Here, in this almost-mission statement, lies the mysterious “black hole” of live music in Memphis.
By lling a market gap, Live Nation means providing a more “legitimate” venue for big artists to schedule shows. But what about all the other larger venues in Memphis? ere’s Minglewood Hall, Memphis Botanic Garden’s Radian Amphitheater, FedExForum, and even smaller locations like Lafayette’s Music Room that have boasted plenty of national acts. Is this “gap” due to a lack of venues, or is it a lack of artists’ interest? e latter seems more likely. But Live Nation’s massive list of nationwide artists likely bolsters their con dence to “ ll the gap.” is is what Sherman Willmott, former owner of Shangri-La studios and local music expert, feels the public should be focusing on.
“I think the lede here … is not the venue; it’s Live Nation booking. ey’re lling a big empty hole that started with the death of Bob Kelley. Over
that time period of the last 25 to 30 years, there’s been no … full-service promotion in town,” Willmott says. Bob Kelley, booker and promoter of Mid-South Concerts, died in 1998. e booking world since then has become “monopolistic. … ere’s very few providers.” Memphis especially is not known for large booking agencies/promoters or music business infrastructure, hence the potential impact of Live Nation booking on the Memphis music scene. Memphians will have access to hundreds more artists in pop, indie, electronic, hip-hop, country, and more. Even if the venue starts out slow, Live Nation will likely be able to keep it a oat long enough to catch on. “ ere’s no one with deeper pockets,” says Willmott.
e introduction of Live Nation to Memphis could point the city in a new direction regarding industry jobs, but 150 of them is a lot to promise. Willmott says he does not “see them hiring that number of people,” drawing on comparisons between the Orpheum eatre and e Green Room, each of which has a smaller sta . But if the new venue does hire that many, it’s possible for a larger music business market to open up in Memphis.
Naturally, there are some fears and questions about a nationwide corporation like Live Nation (recently involved in an antitrust lawsuit)
digging their claws into the Memphis music community. But Willmott points out the role of Crosstown Concourse in the new venue’s booking process: “Bookings at Crosstown are … between 70 and 90 percent local artists.” A er all, Crosstown was designed to upli the community arts, and events at e Green Room or Crosstown eater do just that. Further, the vertical village supports education (Crosstown High School) and healthcare (Church Health). It is hard to imagine Crosstown wavering from this community-focused vision, even when working with a corporate giant like Live Nation.
Sure enough, things are changing around Memphis. RiverBeat Music Festival is back for its second year in a row, boasting an even bigger lineup of global artists as well as a sure re program of lively and talented local artists like Jombi and Lina Beach. Grind City Brewing Company and Barbian Entertainment just announced a new venue, Grind City Amp, boasting a max capacity of 4,500 and a deep backdrop of Downtown Memphis. e outdoor venue is set to open in the spring of 2026. Although Live Nation and Crosstown have not speci ed their venue’s opening date, there seems to be a new era of shows coming to Memphis. Let’s hope our favorite artists start showing up on the bills.
PHOTO: COURTESY ARCHIMANIA Artist’s rendering of
AFTER DARK: Live Music Schedule February 6 - 12
Memphis Allstars
Reunion
Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Flic’s Pics Band
Led by the legendary Leroy “Flic” Hodges of Hi Rhythm.
Saturday, Feb. 8, 4 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
FreeWorld
Sunday, Feb. 9, 8 p.m.
BLUES CITY CAFE
The B.B. King’s Blues Club Allstar Band
Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m.
B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB
Dilla Day: Houseshoes (Detroit) meets Unapologetic With Houseshoes (early J-Dilla collaborator), IMAKEMADBEATS, Kid Maestro, and C
Major. Friday, Feb. 7, 9 p.m.
EIGHT & SAND
Merit Koch
Free. Saturday, Feb. 8, 6-9 p.m.
OLD DOMINICK DISTILLERY
Tennessee Songwriters Week Qualifier
Competitors vie for two spots in the regionals at Lafayette’s and a chance to play e Bluebird Cafe. Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m.
SOUTH MAIN SOUNDS
The Central BBQ
Sessions
Saturday, Feb. 8, 6-8:30 p.m.
CENTRAL BBQ
Wyly Bigger and Mario Monterosso
A fun night with two amazingly talented Memphis musicians. $10. Saturday, Feb. 8, 7-9 p.m.
SOUTH MAIN SOUNDS
Benefit for the Savior Foundation
Saturday, Feb. 8, 2-5 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
John Williams & the A440 Band
$10. ursday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Memphis Composers
Institute Concert
e MSO performs three orchestral works by emerging composers, alongside the premiere of artistic coordinator
D.J. Sparr’s Extended Play (for viola and orchestra). Sunday, Feb. 9, 2-3:30 p.m.
HARRIS CONCERT HALL, UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS
Natchez
Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Risky Whiskey Boys
Super Bowl Tail Gate
Party
Sunday, Feb. 9, 1-5 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
The Deb Jam Band
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m.
NEIL’S MUSIC ROOM
Van Duren
e singer-songwriter, a pioneer of indie pop in Memphis, performs solo. ursday, Feb. 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
MORTIMER’S
A Camp with Misty White
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 10 p.m.
B-SIDE
Almost Elton John & the RocketMen
Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Amber McCain Band
Saturday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Amy Lavere & Will
Sexton
Saturday, Feb. 8, 5-7 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Bleeding Hearts
Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
Born of Osiris - Winter 2025 Tour
With Entheos, Within Destruction, AXTY, Lost in Separation. Tuesday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m. GROWLERS
Candlelight: Tribute to Whitney Houston
Discover the music of Whitney Houston at Memphis
Brooks Museum of Art under the gentle glow of candlelight.
$29.63. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 6:30-7:45 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Church in the Wild Twin shows by rapper Dame Mufasa and Negro Terror, who will celebrate their latest single, “ e KKKaren Anthem.”
$15/advance, $20/at the door.
Friday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Devil Train
Bluegrass, roots, country, Delta, and ski e. ursday, Feb. 6, 9 p.m.
B-SIDE
Folk Alliance International Preview Party
Send o MEM artists to Folk Alliance in Montreal. Enjoy performances by all three artists: Rachel Maxann, Marcella Simien, and Savannah Brister. As always, it’s free. $20/open Bar. ursday, Feb. 6, 7-9 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Galleries of Sound:
A Performance by the Memphis Youth Symphony
e Memphis Brooks Museum of Art welcomes the musical talents of the Memphis Youth Symphony to its galleries. $20/ general admission. Saturday,
Feb. 8, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Gavin Adcock
e former Georgia Southern University football player also has raised cattle, but this “Need to Know” tour is all about his music. $77.35/general admission. ursday, Feb. 6, 8-10 p.m.
MINGLEWOOD HALL
Generation X Friday, Feb. 7, 10 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Gothique: Temple of Love Edition
With DJ Midnight, DJ Plastic Citizen. Saturday, Feb. 8, 10 p.m.
GROWLERS
Harmonic Horizons: A Flute and Guitar Journey presented by Iris Collective Step into a world where art and music converge in a truly unique setting. Iris Collective presents a concert that reimagines classical music in the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art contemporary gallery. $24. ursday, Feb. 6, 6-7:30 p.m.
Recitalist Valetta Brinson and pianist Henry Booker, known as Sir Henry to his fans, delight and inspire. On the program: Dave Ragland’s “I Believe,” Sharon J. Willis’ powerful “Soliloquy,” and more! Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.
ALL SAINTS’ EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Joe Restivo 4 Guitarist Restivo leads one of the city’s nest jazz quartets. Sunday, Feb. 9, noon.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Liz Longley presented by Folk All Y’all + Crosstown Arts
“… from Americana and gospel- avored soul to shimmering pop anthems and touches of jazz.” – Billboard. $20/general admission. Saturday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Memphis Dance Media Association
With DJ Fatherdad, Jos. Heat, Tripset. Sunday, Feb. 9, 10 p.m. B-SIDE
Modern Masters: Rahsaahn Barber and the Ted Ludwig Trio Acclaimed saxophonist Rahsaan Barber brings his unique blend of jazz, blues, funk, and world music. $25/advance, $30/at the door, $15/students.
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m.
THE GREEN ROOM AT CROSSTOWN ARTS
Night Phonk
With Nolan Void and Don Twan. Monday, Feb. 10, 10 p.m.
HI TONE
Nonconnah
With Vehicles at High Speeds, NoizGras, Dinosauria. 21+.
$10. ursday, Feb. 6, 9 p.m.
LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
Savannah Brister & Keith Paluso Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m.
BAR DKDC
Snorkler EP Release Show
With Big Clown, Blu City Vice. Saturday, Feb. 8, 9 p.m. B-SIDE
Sonidero Gotico: Vol. 3
With DJ Boozwa. 21+. $10. Saturday, Feb. 8, 9 p.m. HI TONE
The New Memphis Music Psychedilc Festival
Featuring a record release show by Delta Stardust, e Narrows, Arc of Quasar, Twin Face Kline. Lights by In nity Stairs. Friday, Feb. 7, 10 p.m. B-SIDE
The Pinch ursday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m.
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM
Thundergun With Anemoia, Ripken, Ohm(s) [Small Room-Downstairs]. Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. HI TONE
Unapologetically
Unplugged: Valentine’s Day Special Presented by Twenty Two Experiences, featuring Chris MC, TMRW, Baby, Kris O_OZ, Reggie Edwards, Foreign Sinatra. 18+. Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. GROWLERS
Vulgarity
With Scrape, A Kiss Before Dying, Feral God [Small Room-Downstairs]. $20. Tuesday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. HI TONE
Writers In The Round With Lorette Velvette, Greg Cartwright, Krista Lynn, Misty White, Drew Young, and Kristi Witt. Saturday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. BAR DKDC
Patrick McGee and the Midnight Choir
Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Theory of a Deadman ursday, February 6. $41.50/ reserved seating. ursday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. GRACELAND SOUNDSTAGE
William Outlaw ursday, Feb. 6, 8 p.m.
HERNANDO’S HIDE-A-WAY
Blind Boys of Alabama Living legends and modernday innovators. $20. Saturday, Feb. 8, 8-9:30 p.m.
GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
PHOTO: REGGIE JACKSON Negro Terror
CALENDAR of EVENTS: February 6 - 12
ART AND SPECIAL EXHIBITS
“2024 Accessions to the Permanent Collection: is Accessions series honors the new additions to the Metal Museum’s permanent collection throughout each calendar year. Tues.-Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. rough Nov. 2.
METAL MUSEUM
“All Rise: Memphis Bar Association at 150” rough arresting objects and powerful images, the exhibition will showcase the Memphis Bar Association’s historical signi cance and continuing relevance. rough March 29.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“A Memphis of Hope” Art Show
In honor of Black History Month, Gallery Ten NinetyOne presents a collection of works by artists of all di erent ages and backgrounds. Free.
Experience the artist’s journey from exploring watercolor, then acrylic, and most recently oil painting. Monday, Feb. 10-Mar. 8.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Carlyle Wolfe Lee: “Wonder”
e artist’s practice is devoted to a deeper connection with her natural environment, especially the exchange of color and light that occurs in her surroundings. Tuesday, Feb. 11-March 22.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
Chris Antemann: “An Occasional Craving”
Antemann re-envisions the concept of porcelain gural groupings with colorful, imaginative, and cheeky ceramic sculptures that parody the dynamics between men and women. Sunday, Feb. 9-April 6.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Earth Matters: Rethink the Future”
See the inner workings of a tree, learn about endangered species, and experience largescale visualizations of changes in our natural world. Learn more about biodiversity and climate change. $18. rough May 18.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Fall 2024 BFA Exhibition
e Fall 2024 BFA Exhibition features work by Ciridany Genchi Cortez and Piper
Grokulsky, both graduating seniors in Christian Brothers University’s department of visual arts. Free. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. rough Feb. 14.
BEVERLY + SAM ROSS GALLERY
“Faster Than Light: The Dream of Interstellar Flight”
Visit the planetarium to take virtual rides aboard spacecra of the future, based on whole new technologies, designed to achieve ultra-high speeds, using exotic next generation rocket fuels. rough May 23.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
Floyd Newsum: “House of Grace”
Large paintings on paper and maquettes for public sculptures that represent the artist’s interest in social practice. Sunday, Feb. 9-April 6.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Jay Etkin Group Show e rst show of 2025, with some Memphis favorites such as Roy Tamboli, Juan Rojo, Annabelle Meechum, and Carol Buchman. rough Feb. 15
JAY ETKIN GALLERY
Jennifer Watson: “Small Spaces”
e artist incorporates three-dimensional enameled copper sculpture into highly designed, jewel-like paintings that mix overlapping and colliding geometries with animal and plant imagery. rough April 13.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Jodi Hays: “Befores and Afters” Hays’ paintings can be found in many public and corporate collections including the J Crew Group, Morgan Stanley, Fidelity, and the Birmingham Museum of Art. rough Feb. 8.
DAVID LUSK GALLERY
Johnathan Payne: “Regenesis” e artist works at the abstract intersection of drawing, collage, embroidery, beadwork, and painting. rough March 22.
CLOUGH-HANSON GALLERY
Justin Bowles: “Green Fountain”
An ecstatic rendering of a fantastical garden. Bowles’ garden depicts a pool surrounded by animals and plants and crystal rock formations depicted in three intricate collage works. rough Feb. 16.
TOPS GALLERY: MADISON AVENUE PARK
Kenneth Lawrence
Beaudoin: “In the Hands of a Poet”
John McIntire fondly recalls Beaudoin’s creative process behind these “Eye Poems”: “He would just sit in the middle of piles of magazines and books,
cutting, gluing, and smoking.” rough Feb. 22.
TOPS GALLERY
“Let’s Eat”: Carolyn Moss and Georgia Smith Hospitality is over owing and interwoven through paintings created collaboratively by the artists. Each brings a unique style and ambience to the table.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“Memphis Skies: What’s That in Our Night Sky?”
Hop through constellations, learn cool star names, and groove to planetarium space music in this full dome audiovisual experience. rough May 23.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
“Pompeii: The Exhibition”
In a media-rich, object-based immersive experience, discover the bustling commercial port and strategic military and trading center that was Pompeii before Mount Vesuvius erupted. rough April 13.
GRACELAND EXHIBITION CENTER
Sheryl Hibbs: “Two Sides of the Same Coin”
An artist whose love of oils manifests itself in both representational and abstract artworks. Weekdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. rough Feb. 28.
CHURCH HEALTH
Sisters of the Brush and a Brother: “Paint Their Dreams”
Featuring works by Phyllis Boger, Patrick McGee, Barrie Foster, Ann Brown omason, and Jana Jones. Wednesday, Feb. 12-March 31.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“Southern Heritage Classic Exhibit”
Celebrating 35 years of an HBCU Memphis tradition, the exhibition tells the story of Fred Jones Jr., the founder of the Southern Heritage Classic. rough Feb. 28.
NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM
“Spirit of ’74, Fire and Water”
An exhibit uniting two St. Mary’s Class of ’74 alums, Mary Hills Baker Powell and Katie Dann. Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. rough April 3.
BUCKMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Thomas Dambo’s “Trolls: Save the Humans” International Paper presents this larger-than-life fairy tale, in which art and nature intertwine. rough May 21.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Thomas Jackson: “Chaotic Equilibrium” Jackson harnesses the wind to create ethereal works that blur the boundaries between landscape photography, sculpture, and kinetic art. rough
PHOTO: COURTESY DIXON GALLERY AND GARDENS
See Chris Antemann’s colorful, imaginative, and cheeky ceramic sculptures.
Send the date, time, place, cost, info, phone number, a brief description, and photos — two weeks in advance — to calendar@memphisflyer.com.
DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS, ONGOING WEEKLY EVENTS WILL APPEAR IN THE FLYER’S ONLINE CALENDAR ONLY. FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVENT LISTINGS, SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT EVENTS.MEMPHISFLYER.COM/CAL.
Work by Phyllis Boger is featured in the exhibit by Sisters of the
April 28.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Tributaries | Rachel David: “Engorging Eden”
A solo exhibition that transforms everyday furniture into fragmented expressions of life’s “chaos, joy, and loss.” Sunday, Feb. 9-May 11.
METAL MUSEUM
“Who is that Artist?”
Jorden Miernik-Walker Explore photography-based work through interactive components, created speci cally for the exhibit, that speak to function, loss, identity, comfort, and femininity. Sunday, Feb. 9-April 6.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
“Wintertide” Art Exhibit
New work by local artists Zoe Nadel, Nancy Jehl Boatwright, Anca Marr, JoRene Bargiacchi, and Pat Patterson. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. rough Feb. 28.
ST. GEORGE’S ART GALLERY AT ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
ART HAPPENINGS
33rd Annual Works of Heart Art Auction & Party
Over 130 pieces of heartthemed art. Proceeds bene t Memphis Child Advocacy Center. $100/general admission, $225/big heart lounge. Saturday, Feb. 8, 7-10 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
“A Memphis of Hope” Art Show - Artists’ Reception
A true representation of the community we live in. Free. Saturday, Feb. 8, 2-4 p.m. WKNO-TV/FM
Art Club: Brooks Portraits
A closer look at the Brooks Portraits, led by art history professor Mallory Sharp. $20/ general admission. Sunday, Feb. 9, 2-3 p.m.
Honoring Maritza DávilaIrizarry, Danielle Sierra, Juan Roberto Murat Salas, and Nelson Gutierrez, with music by Ted Ludwig and Michael Shults. Friday, Feb. 7, 6–8 p.m.
CROSSTOWN ARTS
Opening Lecture: Floyd Newsum’s “House of Grace”
Mark Cervenka will examine the trajectory of the artist’s career. Sunday, Feb. 9, 2-3 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
on page 20
PHOTO: COURTESY MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Brush and a Brother.
PHOTO: COURTESY DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Mark Cervenka examines the career and art of Floyd Newsum for the opening lecture of “House of Grace.” continued
continued from page 19
Opening Reception for Winter 2025 Exhibitions
Dixon members can explore the museum, enjoy refreshments, and socialize. Saturday, Feb. 8, 6-8 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Sweet Street - Broad Ave. First Friday
Customers will buy a punch card at a participating shop and visit the shops listed on the card to get a treat at each location. At the end, cards are returned to enter a raffle. Friday, Feb. 7, 5-8 p.m.
BROAD AVENUE ARTS DISTRICT
Temple of Souls Art & Vintage Shoppe
Jana Wilson, the artist behind Vintagia Memphis, presents Temple of Souls Art & Vintage Shoppe. Friday, Feb. 7, noon-5 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8, noon-5 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 9, noon-5 p.m.
VINTAGIA MEMPHIS
BOOK EVENTS
Dr. Wynn E. Earle Jr.: For Every Child, An Equal Chance
This book chronicles the evolution of the West Tennessee Educational Congress and its pivotal role in shaping educational policies, practices, and community engagement. Tuesday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m.
NOVEL
Emily Greenberg: Alternative Facts: Stories
Greenberg imagines the inner lives of the politicians, celebrities, artists, and entertainers who have ushered in our post-truth era. Thursday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m.
NOVEL
Lisa C. Hickman: Between Grief and Nothing: The Passions, Addictions, and Tragic End of William Faulkner
A book revealing how Faulkner’s fervent passions shaped both his life and his art, brilliance and madness emerged in equal measure as the author’s substance abuse shaped his reality. Saturday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m.
NOVEL
CLASS / WORKSHOP
Beginners Watercolor Painting Course and Critique
Award-winning artist Fred Rawlinson teaches technique, brushstrokes, color, and layering, with gentle critiques of student work. Supplies not provided. $350/six-week course. Monday, Feb. 10, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Tuesday, Feb. 11, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
CALENDAR:
FEBRUARY 6 - 12
Technique: ’80s Dance Night
Step into the electric pulse of the ’80s! Throw on your boldest neon and hit the floor for a high energy mix! $10. Saturday, Feb. 8, 9 p.m.-2 a.m. LAMPLIGHTER LOUNGE
FAMILY
Free Family Day
Enjoy live music from Soul Cnxn, food trucks, arts and crafts, games, and other engaging activities throughout the afternoon. Free. Saturday, Feb. 8, 1-5 p.m.
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
Preschool Story Time
Enjoy stories, songs, art activities, and creative play that connect with Collierville history. Friday, Feb. 7, 10:3011:30 a.m.
MORTON MUSEUM OF COLLIERVILLE HISTORY
Story Time at Novel
Figure Drawing (Nude Model)
Figure Drawing is back by popular demand. Artists of all levels can practice and increase their skills drawing the human form at Memphis’ art museum. $18/general admission. Thursday, Feb. 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
GSL Parish Hall Forum
GSL will welcome various community guests this winter and spring on select Sundays. Sunday, Feb. 9, 9:30-10:15 a.m.
GRACE-ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Horticulture Workshop: Bringing the Outdoors In
Learn about houseplants, including their preferred soil conditions, watering schedules, and light requirements. $20. Thursday, Feb. 6, 5:30-7 p.m.
MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
Mahjong at the Museum: Lessons and Open Play
Join Cassie Lazzo, The Mahjologist, for a lesson on how to play American Mahjong at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. $40/general admission. Sunday, Feb. 9, 12:30-3 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
Make Metal Ink!
These fine metals and jewelry classes offer the opportunity to focus on specific projects while learning metalworking techniques, ideal for those interested in creating small-scale or finer pieces. Saturday, Feb. 8, 1-4 p.m.
METAL MUSEUM
Printmaking with Maritza Davila
A six-week introduction to linocut printmaking. Participants explore the steps of relief printmaking from design to carving to printing. 65+. Tuesday, Feb. 11, 1 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Project Grow
Learn something new about gardening and horticulture every month while getting your hands dirty. All ages. Saturday, Feb. 8, 1-3 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Self Love Mini Retreat
Open yourself up to a heartcentered, nourishing day of love, connection, meditation, healing, and movement. Activities include self-massage, yoga, sound healing, journaling, facials, nidra, and tarot. $45/VIP members, $55/ nonmember. Saturday, Feb. 8, noon-3:30 p.m.
SANA YOGA EAST MEMPHIS
Stand-Up Comedy Class - Level 1
The joke’s on you, the laugh’s on them! Learn the art of stand-up comedy without driving to Nashville. Use the time saved to work on your jokes. If you always wanted to do it, then do it! Friday, Feb. 7
INDIE ACTING STUDIO
Terrarium Building Workshop
Learn the art and science of building a rainforest under glass that will live for years Saturday, Feb. 8, 11 a.m.
GREEN MANSIONS MEMPHIS
COMEDY
Bluff City Liars Improv
See the city’s most celebrated improv comedy group. Thursday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m.
HI TONE
Comedy Night
Open mic with the hilarious Ben Pierce. Thursday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m.
BAR DKDC
See traditional lion and dragon dances at the Lunar New Year Fair.
Nephew Tommy Thomas “Nephew Tommy” Miles has built a comedy career encompassing radio, television, film, and more. $40-$95. Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m.
THE SOUNDSTAGE AT GRACELAND
Open Mic Comedy Night
A hilarious Midtown tradition. Tuesday, Feb. 11, 8 p.m.
HI TONE
COMMUNITY
Baby Bash Giveaway MSCS will educate the public about options and services to prepare children for pre-K and kindergarten. Saturday, Feb. 8, 1-2 p.m.
EAST SHELBY LIBRARY
Blue Suede Vintage Grand Re-Opening
Celebrate BSV’s first day in their bigger, better space. Saturday, Feb. 8, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
BLUE SUEDE VINTAGE
Invasive Species Removal
Join an invasive plant specialist in a volunteer project at Overton Park. Dress appropriately and wear closed-toed shoes. Bring work gloves and hydration. Saturday, Feb. 8, 2-4 p.m.
OVERTON PARK
DANCE
Dance Theatre of Harlem
Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem is considered “one of ballet’s most exciting undertakings”— The New York Times. The company performs a forward-thinking repertoire that includes treasured classics, neoclassical works by George Balanchine and artistic director Robert Garland, and innovative contemporary works $39$89. Friday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.
ORPHEUM THEATRE
Recommended for children up to 5 years, Story Time at Novel includes songs and stories, featuring brand-new books in addition to wellloved favorites. Saturday, Feb. 8, 10:30 a.m. | Wednesday, Feb. 12, 10:30 a.m. NOVEL
Super SaturdayValentine’s Art
Get creative this Valentine’s season with a fun and heartwarming Super Saturday where you’ll paint your very own heart-shaped canvas to gift to someone special. Saturday, Feb. 8, 10 a.m.-noon.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
FESTIVAL
Memphis Lunar New Year Fair
A vibrant celebration of Asian culture, bringing the spirit of the Lunar New Year to the Mid-South, with traditional lion and dragon dances, live performances, and experience Asian arts, crafts, and food. $15/adult. Saturday, Feb. 8, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL
FILM
Cities of the Future 3D
Imagine stepping 50 years into the future and finding smart cities designed to be totally sustainable. Renewable energy is our primary power source, and spacebased solar power provides energy. Through May 23.
CTI 3D GIANT THEATER
Oceans: Our Blue Planet 3D
A global odyssey to discover the largest and least explored habitat on earth. New ocean science and technology has allowed us to go further into the unknown than we ever thought possible. Through May 23.
CTI 3D GIANT THEATER
PHOTO: COURTESY MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART Pariah, set in Brooklyn, is a coming-of-age story exploring sexual identity.
PHOTO: COURTESY GREATER MEMPHIS UNITED CHINESE ASSOCIATION
Space: The New Frontier 2D
From self-assembling habitats, commercial space stations, and rockets without fuel to the Lunar Gateway to deep space. Through May 23.
PINK PALACE MUSEUM & MANSION
The Audre Lorde Film Club presents: Pariah (2011)
A powerful coming-of-age story that resonates deeply with the themes of identity, self-expression, and resilience. Followed by a discussion led by Seth E. Davis. $5/general admission. Sunday, Feb. 9, 2-4 p.m.
MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Lunchtime Meditations
Visit the Dixon for free meditation sessions. Friday, Feb. 7, noon-12:30 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Taijiquan with Milan Vigil
This Chinese martial art promotes relaxation, improves balance, and provides no-impact aerobic benefits. Ages 16 and older. Free. Saturday, Feb. 8, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
Yoga
Strengthen your yoga practice and enjoy the health benefits of light exercise with yoga instructor Laura Gray McCann. All levels welcome. Free. Thursday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
LECTURE
Munch and Learn: Winter Sowing and Seed Starting Made Easy
A discussion with Pam Beasley and Tammy Hausmann. Wednesday, Feb. 12, noon-1 p.m.
THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
PERFORMING ARTS
A Night on Broadway
Experience the magic of Broadway at this Mardi Gras Ball! Dazzling performances, grand costumes, and show-stopping fun — all to benefit the LGBTQ community! $50/GA, $800/ GA tables of eight, $1500/VIP booths for 10. Saturday, Feb. 8, 8-11:30 p.m.
CORENET MEMPHIS
Heartbreakers: A Classic Burlesque
Revue
Performances by Requiemma, Wendolin Doll, Miss Mythical Mimi, Ruby la Rue, Felicity Fox, Danielle Jenice, Violette Shimmy, Lady Doo Moi, and your hostess, Chloe du Bois. $15, $20/ At the door. Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. GROWLERS
Memphis Matters
At a Memphis Matters show, an audience member shares a personal story, whether lighthearted, moving, or challenging. The ensemble then reenacts it with creativity and compassion. $20/Regular Ticket, $40/’Pay it Forward’ Ticket. Saturday, Feb. 8, 7-8:30 p.m.
THEATRESOUTH
Through the Looking Screen
An affectionate but unflinching one-woman, one-act operetta about a desperate young woman losing touch with the world beyond her PC and smartphone. Her ideas about the utterly relatable world of dating and work life in the social media age will have you in stitches. $26/Adults, $21/ senior 60+, $16/student, $16/teacher, $16/military, $10/sensory-friendly performance . Friday, Feb. 7, 7:30-9 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8, 7:30-9 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 9, 2:30-4 p.m.
GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE
SPECIAL EVENTS
Tu BiShvat: The New Year of Trees
Enjoy special activities in the galleries and studios in honor of Tu BiShvat. Free. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 4-6 p.m. THE DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS
SPORTS
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City
Thunder Saturday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m.
FEDEXFORUM
Memphis Hustle vs. Maine Celtics
See the G-League Affiliate of the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies! Monday, Feb. 10, 7 p.m.
LANDERS CENTER
Memphis Hustle vs. Mexico City Capitanes
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m.
LANDERS CENTER
Morrighan’s Bluff, Amtgard of Memphis
A medieval/fantasy live action roleplay game.
Join the adventure! Saturday, Feb. 8, noon.
W. J. FREEMAN PARK
Super Bowl LIX Watch Party
Sunday, Feb. 9, 3 p.m.
GROWLERS
WWE: Friday Night Smackdown
Witness the fallout from The Royal Rumble as Friday Night Smackdown returns! See all your favorite superstars, including “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens, Solo Sikoa & The Bloodline, Tiffany Stratton, LA Knight, Bianca Belair & Naomi, and many more! Friday, Feb. 7, 6:30 p.m.
FEDEXFORUM
THEATER
Black Odyssey
Obie-winning playwright Marcus Gardley blends classic mythology, African-American history, and modern theatricality to create a vibrant reimagining of the Odysseus saga, set in modern-day Harlem, telling the epic tale of Ulysses Lincoln, a soldier facing the most daunting of voyages to reunite with his family. While fate may seem in control of Ulysses’ destiny, his ancestors and their buried history will help guide his journey home. Thursday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m. | Friday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.
HATTILOO THEATRE
Parade
In 1913 Georgia, Leo Frank, a Jewish man from Brooklyn, is caught in a grueling trial after the tragic murder of his factory worker, Mary Phagan. Faced with prejudice and false accusations, Leo fights to clear his name. $25/single tickets. Thursday, Feb. 6, 8-10 p.m. | Friday, Feb. 7, 8-10 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8, 8-10 p.m.
PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE
Skeleton Crew
As the Great Recession looms over a Detroit auto stamping plant, workers Shanita, Faye, and Dez confront tough choices. Shanita considers her future with an unborn child, Faye weighs housing options, and Dez pursues his
Crossword
“Pretty good thinking …”
“Any chance of success, though?”
“Things don’t always go the way you want” 16 Cry made while holding one’s nose
Employment form info, for short
Bill of the Planetary Society 19 Egypt was once part of it: Abbr.
Flue problem
Tumult
Port north of Kuwait City
Word with bird or
Had something
“You’ve got the wrong person”
CD attachment?
52 Subject of the 1977 bestselling memoir “A Rumor of War,” for short 54 Blockage letters 57 “___ Day Will Come” (1963 #1 hit)
58 Renaissance artist who’s famous for his “Coronation of the Virgin”
62 Woolly “Sesame Street” character whose first name is Aloysius
Prop in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”
1 What one may be in the habit for?
2 What regularseason soccer games lack, for short 3 Jeffersons
Focuses 5 Equipment for mixologists 6 Word with “first of” or “best of” 7 1979 platinum album with the hit “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” 8 Minute, informally 9 Hardly Joe Cool
Titaness
dreams. Meanwhile, manager Reggie balances loyalty to his team with bureaucratic challenges. Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.
CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE
The Grace of Grace: Shining a Light Through Shakespeare’s Broken Villains William Shakespeare created a cast of fullyhuman “villains.” Why do we still revere them, and what makes them archetypal? Dan McCleary, who has performed for over 35 years, explores Shakespeare’s men of deformity, abuse, honor, and prejudice. This enhanced literary salon will feature full production values on stage. Saturday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 9, 3 p.m.
TENNESSEE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
The Minutes
A scathing new comedy about small-town politics and real-world power, The Minutes exposes the ugliness behind some of our most closely held secrets. $25/adult tickets, $20/senior and student tickets. Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. | Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. | Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.
THEATREWORKS @ THE SQUARE
We Saw You.
with MICHAEL DONAHUE
Memphis lmmaker/sculptor Mike McCarthy threw his annual El-Bow party, in homage to the shared birthdays of Elvis Presley and David Bowie, on January 25th at McCarthy’s Midtown home.
Each icon got his own cake made by Kasey Dees. e party, McCarthy says, “was for people who I worked with and sort of a payback to people I’ve been collaborating with.” is year, the party was part of a longer series of events dealing with the history of rockand-roll in Memphis. e Marcialyns with Marcia Cli on, Tim Prudhomme, Rev. Neil Down, and Memphis Flyer reporter Chris McCoy performed.
McCarthy kicked everything o with his Glam Rock Picnic last June, where he unveiled his 10-foot papier-mâché work-in-progress sculpture of Bowie, who performed in Memphis.
McCarthy will tentatively hold his “next Bowie sculpture awareness event” on February 25th.
e four Bowie faces have been cast into bronze by the Lugar Foundry. e statue, which portrays Bowie in the “Tokyo Pop” jumpsuit by Kansai Yamamoto, has four heads, which represent Bowie’s predilection for taking on di erent identities, McCarthy says.
above: Eldorado Del Rey,
and Elliott
circle: John Marvel McCarthy below: (le to right) Anneliese Jones and Mike McCarthy; Colton Olds; Hanna McCarthy and Jake Inman bottom row: (le to right) Rev. Neil Down and Millet Vance; Gri n Rone
PHOTOS: MICHAEL DONAHUE
Tricia Parker,
Bexley
above: Drew Whitmire and Kasey Dees circle: Ross Johnson below: (le to right) John Beifuss; omas Woodley; Tim Prudhomme; Alison Heverly right row: (top and below)
Chris McCoy and Laura Jean Hocking; Lisa Glaser and David Yandell
bottom le : Hans Faulhaber and Jewell Roesler
FOOD By Michael Donahue
Cheers to Bar Limina
Innovative cocktail bar opens in the Edge District.
Bar Limina is raising the bar on what a Memphis cocktail establishment should be.
Slated to open in March at 631 Madison Avenue in the Edge District, the space will be “a really great cocktail bar,” says owner Josh Conley, 34. “It’s a technique-driven cocktail bar. Just really well executed cocktails. Some plays on classics.”
In addition to “really high standards of service and really great drinks,” Bar Limina will “feature bartenders from all over the world right in this space with relative frequency.”
He says, “It’s really great for our guests. It o ers them this rotating concept: asking bartenders to come in and present an entirely di erent concept.”
“I really mostly learned on my own time,” Conley says. “It’s my hobby.”
with Conley’s Etowah Hunt Club dinner series. Etowah features at least four pop-up dinners a year, hosted by Conley and Cole Jeanes, chef/ owner of Kinfolk Memphis and the upcoming Hard Times Deli. e seasonal dinners feature top chefs from around the country.
“People will want to be here to see what the next attraction is. Same thing with the Etowah dinner series. Just a great extension of that.”
sta of local bartenders, who can learn new techniques, recipes, and ingredients from the out-of-town bartenders. “ at’s a lot of knowledge you just don’t get elsewhere,” Conley says. “We want to move the needle as to what Memphis does as a drinking city.”
e same concept is being done in other cities. “ e idea of a guest shi at a bar is not an original idea. But doing it at this scale and with this frequency isn’t seen anywhere else.”
As for food, Conley says, “We don’t have a kitchen sta . Just small plates, cheese, charcuterie. at sort of thing. And some other fun things.”
ey won’t feature live music inside the bar, which seats about 40 people. “It’s a pretty small place.”
But they have access to a small courtyard. “I can see live music being out there.”
e Bar Limina space was formerly occupied by Inkwell. “We’re in the process of redoing the aesthetics of the space and making it feel like our own.”
It will be “really bright and airy” with a lot of plants. “We’ve got those incredible terrazzo oors that are original to the building.”
some who have been nominated for
e visiting bartenders, which could be 40 or so people a year, will include awards, including the prestigious James Beard Award.
Bar Limina also will feature its own
quartz top “with this ox blood enamel nish on the front.”
And “a great U-shaped leather booth sits back in the corner.”
e rooms, including the bathroom, feature colorful, intricate tile patterns.
“ is space originally was a tile showroom, so all the tile through the entire place is wild.”
the originally
Colors include “light blues, creamy white, mustard yellow, olive,” he says. e front of the bar, which seats 12, has a black
“I’ll be bringing in some more wood elements to warm it up a little,” Conley marble cafe tables.”
Art work will include a 12-foot-wide piece of original art by Kyle Taylor behind the bar.
says. “We’ve got some early classic leather bar stools. We’ve got light white Art neighborhood right now.” gravitated” something
eir neighbors include Ugly Art Co., JEM restaurant, Rootstock Wine Merchants, and the upcoming Hard Times Deli. “ ere’s a lot of really good synergy in the neighborhood right
Conley, who is from Northeast Arkansas, is a professional bartender, who has worked “in and out of bars.
I’ve been around the industry.”
He “instantly gravitated” to the cra cocktail movement. “It was just something I got enamored with, and I made a lot of friends who worked in bars, or worked in co ee.”
worked
“I really mostly learned on my own time,” he says. “It’s my hobby.” Asked to name his favorite cocktail, Conley says, “I go through phases.”
If he only had one cocktail to drink for the rest of his life it would be a “cocktail à la Louisiane,” which he describes as a “Sazerac and Manhattan mash-up.”
But, Conley says, “I usually drink martinis at home. Gin. Always gin.”
Bar Limina has a lot in common
PHOTO: MICHAEL DONAHUE
Josh Conley
Heart Chakra of Love
A dip into this chakra can help balance your emotions.
Love is a hot topic right now. e concepts of compassion, empathy, and mercy are being talked about in the political and social arenas. And in the microcosm of our lives, it’s February, which means Valentine’s Day is on its way. Maybe love is in the air for you, or perhaps you’re sick of hearing about people’s feelings. Either way, a quick dip into the heart chakra can be a way to balance your emotions.
e heart chakra is one of the seven primary energy centers (or chakras) that are believed to exist in the human body. In Western culture, we mainly focus on those seven primary chakras that are aligned on the spine, although in Eastern medicine they acknowledge and work with many more.
A
balance your emotions.
e heart chakra is located in the center of our chests and is known as the fourth chakra. It sits in the middle of our seven chakras and helps connect the lower and higher chakras. Each chakra has a Sanskrit name, and the name of the heart chakra is “anahata,” which means unhurt, unstruck, and/or unbeaten. It serves as our center of love for oneself and others, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness. e anahata is associated with unconditional love, compassion, and joy. It is the source of deep and profound truths that cannot be expressed in words. Anahata is associated with the element air. Air disperses and integrates a spiritual understanding of love, compassion, and connection to everything you encounter. Air, like love, is within and all around us. We can embody this element by keeping our heart center open and our love free- owing.
e heart chakra is associated with the color green, which represents transformation and love energy. It is believed that the colors and symbols
profound e ect on the nature of our mind and mental state. Mentally, an imbalanced heart chakra can result in problematic issues, such as co-dependency, manipulative behaviors, feeling of unworthiness, and an inability to trust yourself or others.
Some signs your heart chakra may be blocked can include isolating yourself excessively, feeling lonely, holding grudges, or feeling jealous or defensive. Someone with a blocked heart chakra may have a fear of intimacy and have di culty trusting others.
If you are concerned that your heart chakra may be out of balance, there are some easy things you can do to help open it. Cultivating gratitude can help your heart chakra, as well as doing yoga, using heart-opening crystals, wearing the color green, or intentionally eating green foods. Saying heart-opening a rmations can also be a good way of balancing your heart chakra. You could even attend a sacred cacao ceremony, where the sacred cacao is believed to help open the heart center and connect you with the energies of the earth.
If you don’t feel like you are full of love right now, that’s okay. Just take each moment one step at a time. We’re all in this together.
Emily Guenther is a co-owner of e Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.
PHOTO: ATARAX42, CC0 | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
quick dip into the heart chakra can be a way to
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
By the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication
It’s Orwellian
A pair of pernicious porcine perpetrators are in the crosshairs of the Pataskala, Ohio, Police Department after a horrendous incident on Christmas Day, WOIO-TV reported. According to Chief Bruce Brooks, family members called for a welfare check on 75-yearold Rebecca Westergaard when they couldn’t reach her. Police found the woman dead on her property near her home. Westergaard had been mauled and eaten by two pigs that belong to her neighbor, police said. Brooks said it’s unclear whether charges will be filed, since the animals are livestock rather than pets. “It’s just not something we’ve ever dealt with here,” Brooks said.
The Tech Revolution
mayo) and mayo giveaways with team logos. And for 2025, Flavor Flav was revealed as the Duke’s Mayo celebrity mascot. Last year, Duke’s had a record day of online sales during the contest. They may-o be doing something right!
The Golden Age of Air Travel
• A Boeing 777 operated by Air France was forced to make an emergency landing in Brazil in early January after a passenger caused the toilet to be unusable, the Mirror reported. The flight, which was on its way to Rio de Janeiro, was almost there when it diverted to Fortaleza’s Pinto Martins International Airport. Brazilian media did not provide details of the clog. The unit was serviced and unclogged, and the flight continued on its way.
• Whitney Kayla Watt, 30, got herself arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting law enforcement on Jan. 5 at Indianapolis International Airport, the New York Post reported. Watt, who was flying on Southwest Airlines, objected to her bag being flagged as 5 pounds too heavy and let loose a string of obscenities and racial slurs after saying, “I work at a law firm. … I am freaking out right now,” among other things. She said one of her children, who were with her, was supposed to get “a very important surgery that he couldn’t have.” Penny Thomson, who witnessed the outburst and posted video on social media, noted, “What’s sad is her kids saw this and it didn’t even phase [sic] them.”
• The Summit County (Colorado) Sheriff’s Department responded to a call on Jan. 7 on the slopes of Keystone Resort: not an injured skier, but a wayward car that had taken a wrong turn and ended up on the Schoolmarm ski run. United Press International reported that the abandoned car had a note on the windshield, explaining that the driver had been following GPS and ended up stuck in the snow. A tow truck removed the car, which was returned to the owner. • A small Welsh village has been inundated by shoppers looking for an Aldi supermarket that doesn’t exist, Oddity Central reported on Jan. 6. A pin on Google Maps, probably dropped as a prank, directs shoppers and delivery drivers to a grassy field in Cyffylliog, leaving locals unamused. One large milk tank truck became stuck on a narrow village street while trying to locate the store, and “a bloke with a pallet of bread … thought he’d been hired to stock shelves,” one resident said. Finally, Aldi got involved and said it would work with Google Maps to get the pin removed.
Ewwww!
On Jan. 3, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies at the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina, The New York Times reported. The real highlight of the game, though, is the tradition of dumping five gallons of mayonnaise (Duke’s, of course) on the winning coach’s head. Other condiment-related attractions include mayo bobbing (trying to catch mayo packets swimming in
No Longer Weird
It’s that time again, Florida: falling iguana season. Accuweather reported on Jan. 8 that as temperatures drop along the Gulf Coast and Southeast Florida, cold-stunned iguanas are likely to fall out of trees after losing their grip on the branches. Residents are warned that the reptiles appear to be dead, but they’re just sleeping. Fully grown iguanas can be up to 5 feet long and up to 25 pounds, so they present a danger to unsuspecting humans walking along the sidewalk. Professional iguana remover Michael Ronquillo warns against handling the lethargic animals, saying they can become defensive when they warm up. Plus, their droppings can contain salmonella.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The world’s largest mirror isn’t an actual mirror. It’s Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni salt flat, a vast area that’s almost perfectly flat. After a rain, a thin layer of calm water transforms the surface into a perfect reflector that can be used to calibrate observation satellites. In these conditions, it may be almost impossible to tell where the Earth begins and the sky ends. I foresee metaphorically similar developments for you during the coming weeks. Boundaries between different aspects of your world — professional and personal, spiritual and practical — might blur in interesting ways. A temporary dissolution of the usual limits may offer you surprising insights and unexpected opportunities for realignment. Be alert for helpful clues about how to adjust the way you see things.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): From day to day, glaciers appear static. But they are actually slow-moving rivers of ice that have tremendous creative power. They can make or reshape valleys, moving tons of dirt and rock. They pulverize, grind, and topple trees, hills, and even mountains. New lakes may emerge in the course of their activity. I invite you to imagine yourself as a glacier in the coming months, Taurus. Exult in your steady transformative power. Notice and keep track of your slow but sure progress. Trust that your persistence will ultimately accomplish wonders and marvels.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In recent weeks, have you stirred up any dynamic fantasies about exotic sanctuaries or faraway places or mercurial wild cards? Have you delivered enticing messages to inspiring beauties or brave freedom-fighters or vibrant networkers? Have you been monitoring the activities of longshots or future helpers or unification adepts who might be useful to you sooner than you imagine? Finally, Gemini, have you noticed I’m suggesting that everything important will arise in threes — except when they come in twos, in which case you should hunt for the missing third? PS: When the wild things call to you, respond promptly.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Archaeologists found two 43,000-year-old flutes in Germany. Constructed of mammoth ivory and bird bone, they still produce clear notes with perfect pitch. They were located in a cave that contains ancient examples of figurative art. Some genius way back then regarded art and music as a pleasurable pairing! I propose we make these instruments your power symbols for the coming weeks, Cancerian. May they inspire you to resuscitate the value of your past accomplishments. May you call on the help of melodies and memories that still resonate — and that can inspire your future adventures! Your words of power are regeneration, revival, and reanimation.
Rob Brezsny
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): It’s your unbirthday season, Leo — the holiday that’s halfway between your last birthday and your next. During this interlude, you could benefit from clarifying what you don’t want, don’t believe, and don’t like. You may generate good fortune for yourself by going on a quest to discover rich potentials and stirring possibilities that are as-yet hidden or unexpressed. I hope you will be bold enough to scan the frontiers for sources of beauty and truth that you have been missing. During your unbirthday season, you will be wise to gather the rest of the information you will need to make a smart gamble or daring change.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Austrian playwright Elfriede Jelinek won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2004, and Romanian-German author Herta Müller earned it in 2009. But garnering the world’s most prestigious award for writers did not provide a big boost to their book sales. In some markets, their famous works are now out of print. In 2025, I hope you Virgos do in your own spheres what they only half-accomplished in theirs. I would love for you to gather more appreciation and attention while simultaneously raising your income. According to my reading of the astrological omens, this is a reasonable expectation.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): By day, Libraborn Forrest Bess (1911–1977) worked as a commercial fisherman in Texas. By night, he created visionary paintings inspired by symbols that appeared to him in states between sleeping and waking. Other influences in his art came from alchemy, the psychological philosophy of Carl Jung, and Indigenous Australian rituals. His life was living proof that mystical exploration and mundane work could coexist. I’m hoping he might serve you as an inspirational role model. You are in a phase when you have the power to blend and synergize seemingly opposing aspects of your world. You would be wise to meditate on how to find common ground between practical necessity and spiritual aspiration. Are there ways you can unite the desires of your head and heart? Of your need for safety and your longing for adventure? Of your craving for beauty and your fondness for usefulness?
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, arranged for himself to be buried after death with an army of 8,000 soldiers made from terra-cotta, which is a clay ceramic. Joining the gang below the earth’s surface were 770 horses and 130 chariots. For over 2,000 years, this assemblage was lost and forgotten. But in 1974, farmers digging a new well found it accidentally. In this spirit, I am predicting that sometime in the next five months, you will make interesting discoveries while looking for something other than what you
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Born under the sign of Aquarius, Clyde Tombaugh discovered the heavenly body known as Pluto in 1930. This was years before he earned advanced degrees in astronomy. His early education was primarily self-directed. The telescopes he used to learn the sky were built from tractor parts and old car components from his father’s farm. During the coming months, I surmise there will be elements of your life resembling Tombaugh’s story. Your intuition and instincts will bring you insights that may seem unearned or premature. (They’re not!) You will garner breakthroughs that seem to be arriving from the future.
find. They won’t be as spectacular as the terra-cotta army, but I bet they will be fun and life changing.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
Author Zora Neale Hurston said, “There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” I will adjust that counsel for your use, Sagittarius. According to my astrological analysis, the first half of 2025 will ask questions, and the second half will answer them. For best results, I invite you to gather and polish your best questions in the next five months, carefully defining and refining them. When July begins, tell life you are ready to receive replies to your carefully wrought inquiries.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Hemoglobin is an iron-bearing protein that’s crucial to most life. It enables the transportation of oxygen in the blood. But one species, the icefish of the Antarctic seas, lacks hemoglobin. They evolved other ways to obtain and circulate enough oxygen in the frozen depths, including larger hearts and blood vessels. The system they’ve developed works well. So they are examples of how to adjust to an apparent problem in ways that lead to fine evolutionary innovations. I suspect you’re now in the midst of your own personal version of a comparable adaptation. Keep up the good work!
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): One of the world’s deepest caves is Veryovkina in the nation of Georgia. At its lowest, it’s 7,257 feet down. There are creatures living there that are found nowhere else on Earth. I propose we make it your symbolic power spot for now. In my astrological opinion, you will be wise to dive further into the unknown depths than you have in quite some time. Fascinating mysteries and useful secrets await you. Your motto: “Go deeper and deeper and deeper.”
FILM By Chris McCoy
Paranoid Android
Sophie atcher is a robot with relationship problems in Companion
The word “robot” turns 125 years old in 2025. It was originally coined by Karel Čapek for his 1920 play Rossum’s Universal Robots. It was derived from the Czech word for “slave.”
But no one is more responsible for our modern conception of robots than Isaac Asimov. In his seminal 1950 book I, Robot, he laid out the ree Laws of Robotics: 1. A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would con ict with the First Law. 3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not con ict with the First or Second Laws.
Asimov’s stories weren’t primarily about “gee whiz, how cool would it be to have a robot?” — although there’s plenty of that. ey were about the ethical dilemmas presented by the fact that we humans have constructed autonomous beings who we expect to be our slaves.
But wait, you say. It’s not accurate to equate our relationship with machines, which are inanimate objects built for a purpose, with slavery, which is stripping the humanity from a fellow human. When I use a Roomba to vacuum the oor, it possesses no consciousness with which to experience su ering. But in the age of AI chatbots which give the illusion of sentience, that line is increasingly blurred.
Writer/director Drew Hancock’s Companion is a descendant of Asimov’s robot stories. It is near-future America, and Josh (Jack Quaid) and Iris (Sophie atcher) are excited about getting away for a weekend at their friend Sergey’s (Rupert Friend) secluded
lake house. ere, they hang out with Sergey’s girlfriend Kat (Megan Suri), as well as Patrick (Lukas Gage) and Eli (Harvey Guillén). Everyone’s supposed to be friends, but Kat seems pretty cold towards Iris. We also get the sense that Josh and Iris’ relationship may not be very healthy. He generally treats her as an a erthought, but she seems devoted to him.
en, one morning by the pool, Sergey tries to rape Iris when no one else is around. She seems confused at rst, then enraged. She pulls out a knife and plunges it into Sergey’s neck. Iris runs back to Josh, covered in blood and tears. But instead of comforting her, Josh tells her to “sleep.” Iris immediately goes limp because she’s his robot companion.
Obviously Iris violated the First Law of Robotics when she stabbed Sergey. But she was in danger of being raped, which is self defense, as de ned by the ird Law, except that there’s the pesky
First Law exception. So clearly, something has gone wrong here. And by the way, where did she get the knife? Most people don’t bring weapons with them when they’re lounging by the pool.
If it seems like I’m giving away too much of the plot, trust me that I’m not. Hancock’s screenplay has more than enough twists and turns in store. Even better, each plot reveal is grounded in the premise, surprising in the moment, and seems inevitable in retrospect. atcher is perfect as Iris, who is forced to grapple with the very Philip K. Dick-ian revelation that she’s not a real person, but a stunningly accurate fake. At rst, she leans into the robobimbo persona, but gets more subtle and human-like as the story progresses. e other big standout in the cast is Harvey Guillén as a conniving houseguest with secrets of his own. It’s a testament to how beloved the What We Do in the Shadows star is that when he made his entrance, half of the people
in my screening pointed at him like the Leonardo DiCaprio meme. Usually, January and February are the months when studios dump lms that they don’t know what to do with into theaters. So maybe I’m just happy to see a good screenplay executed well during the dry season, but I haven’t stopped thinking about Companion since I saw it. On the surface, it’s a tight techno-thriller with a sly sense of humor. But it’s also hinting at deeper issues, not just about feminism and the nature of consent, but also about our rapidly changing relationship with technology. At what point does the Roomba deserve rights?
Companion Now playing Multiple locations
Sophie atcher stars as a robot, grappling with the revelation that she’s not a real person.
Our critic picks the best films in theaters.
Becoming Led Zeppelin
This documentary traces Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham from their origins in the psychedelic scene of the 1960s to their triumphant Royal Albert Hall performance in 1970. The story is told in the band’s own words and features never-before-seen concert footage and an exclusive interview with Bonham recorded before his death. An IMAXsized tribute to a bigger-than-life band is directed by American Epic helmer Bernard MacMahon.
Love Hurts
The great Ke Huy Quan stars as Marvin Gable, a button-down realtor with
a secret. One day, his former partner shows up and tells him Knuckles (Daniel Wu) is back for revenge. That’s when Marvin’s past as an elite hit man both comes back to haunt him and comes in handy. Can Marvin save his life and keep his wife from leaving him?
Heart Eyes
Topping off the romance/weird genre mash-ups this week is this film from director Josh Ruben. Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay (Mason Gooding) are two cooffice drones who unfortunately have to work late on Valentine’s Day. It’s unfortunate because they’re mistaken for lovers by the infamous Heart Eyes serial killer. Can they stay alive long enough to fall in love?
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THE LAST WORD
By Patricia Lockhart & Aiden Lockhart
A Teen’s Perspective
What’s dating like for a 16-year-old on Valentine’s?
I’m a mom of four teenagers. An 11-year-old girl, twin 13-year-old boys, and a 16-year-old boy. And that 16-year-old is … DATING! is is a scary moment for me. Mostly because I know what “dating” looked like for me at 16. (We read and we don’t judge.) Nevertheless, I thought that this would be a great opportunity to hear about dating and Valentine’s Day from the perspective of a teenager. And now, here’s what my son has to say!
For teenagers, Valentine’s Day is a chance to celebrate your relationship, no matter how long you’ve been dating. As you have probably seen from most teenage rom-coms or from social media drama, Valentine’s Day can also be messy.
In high school, there are tons of unique relationships and several types of couples. Some teens have been dating for only a few weeks, while others are approaching year three! ere are some teenagers who struggle to start relationships because of their sexuality. Others struggle to keep relationships just because their partner loses interest and leaves them on “read.” Or some parents prohibit their teens from dating at all. Even if a couple may seem like they are going strong, it can come falling down.
Either way, dating and Valentine’s Day is a pivotal point for teens. Wherever they may be in their dating scene, here are a couple of things to keep in mind as a parent:
• Support your teen: You may not like who they’re dating, but support your teen and make sure they are doing well in their relationship.
• Don’t embarrass your teen: It can be easy to bring up their aws or messy habits, but it doesn’t feel good when you are getting embarrassed in front of your girlfriend or boyfriend.
• O er advice, but don’t lecture: Talking down to someone and talking to them are two di erent things. You want to make sure that you are talking to teens about their relationship. Be wary of lecturing without giving them an opportunity to be active in the conversation.
• Listen: Sometimes all teens want is for someone to listen. ey may not even want advice, just someone to listen to their situation and understand them. Luckily, I am in a healthy relationship. We have known each other for years and started dating only ve months ago. My partner has to be one of the most enthusiastic and energetic people I have ever met. Whether it comes to the situationships in season seven of e Rookie or her cases at youth court, she always brings her energy to the table (unless she is hangry). Also, seeing her smile just brightens my day. I’ll never forget that. But here are a couple of points that I have learned from other successes and failures that I use to guide my relationship. Teenagers, take a pic of this:
• Communicate your boundaries: Make sure that you both are looking for the same or similar things in a relationship. Let them know up front what’s a “no-go.”
• Respect each other: Everyone deserves respect. In person and online!
• Consent, consent, consent: Ask permission for everything, even hugging and kissing.
• Don’t lie to your parents. Just be open and up front. ey’re going to nd out anyway.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are my plans for my very rst Valentine’s Day.
I plan on taking my partner to Ciao Bella Italian Restaurant. Both of us are huge fans of Italian cuisine. With us being teens, we must factor in our parents. We aren’t fully independent, and we can’t just go sneaking out the window to a dinner date. So of course our parents will be there, but hopefully at a di erent table.
During dinner, I’ll present her with gi s. I know her pretty well. But I cannot a ord front row seats to the next WWE Smackdown. And a er the holiday season, my accounts aren’t over owing. Fortunately, I love to make homemade/cra y gi s. I’ll be making an assortment of cards and owers with a custom blanket that has her favorite celebrities on it (Eric Winter, Melissa O’Neil). In addition to that, I will be making a spray-painted sweatshirt with designs from Michael Jackson and Roman Reigns, a couple more of her favorite celebrities. Valentine’s Day as a teenager is a mix of excitement, nerves, and learning experiences. Whether it’s a rst date, a longtime relationship, or just navigating the highs and lows of young love, it’s a time of growth. Remember, as parents, it isn’t your role to control the journey but to support, guide, and — most importantly — listen.
Patricia Lockhart is a native Memphian who loves to read, write, cook, and eat. By day, she’s an assistant principal and writer, but by night … she’s asleep. Her son Aiden Lockhart is dating now!
PHOTO: COURTESY PATRICIA LOCKHART Sometimes all teens want is for someone to listen.
