Folio 2.0: Vol. 35 Issue 2 by Folio Weekly

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

The Heavy Lift Jacksonville’s jazz comeback

NATE MONROE ON JEA, LOT J AND WHY HE WON’T RUN FOR COUNCIL.

COULD DECONSOLIDATION HELP BUILD COMMUNITY?

BENNY REVIVAL ON SIN, IDENTITY AND WORKING WITH FRANK OCEAN. 1

SINGLE AND READY TO MINGLE

VOLUME 35, ISSUE 2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 04

FROM THE PUBLISHER

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

COMMENTARY AND NEWS

THE COVER STORY

ENTERTAINING YOU

THE CROSSWORD

SPORTS

DEAR DUMBS

THE TEAM: JOHN M. PHILLIPS

JOHN ALOSZKA

PUBLISHER JMP@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

CREATIVE DIRECTOR JOHNNY@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

ISA BARRIENTOS

KERRY SPECKMAN

WRITER, MYSTIC ISA@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

COPY EDITOR, SELFIE QUEEN KERRY@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

TERRY JAYMES

CASEY CRAIG

CONTRIBUTING WRITER STORIES@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

CONTRIBUTING WRITER CASEY@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

VINCENT DALESSIO

TERESA SPENCER

CONTRIBUTING WRITER VINCENT@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

GENERAL MANAGER, AD GURU TERESA@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

OMAROSA M. NEWMAN

PAIGE GARCIA

COLUMNIST

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

BEHIND THE COVER This month’s cover happened at random. As I was walking through Downtown Jacksonville with the Let’s Ride Brass Band, I realized we would be approaching the original Stanton School. Next thing I knew, the band broke out into “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which was performed for the first time many years ago in that location. It felt like something that, for better or worse, could only happen in Jacksonville. And it was amazing.

JOHN ALOSZKA, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

@FOLIOWEEKLY

FOLIOWEEKLY.COM 3

FROM THE PUBLISHER: JOHN M. PHILLIPS

THERE IS ALWAYS LIGHT. February marks a lot of personal and national anniversaries and celebrations. On February 2, we celebrate my oldest child’s 9th birthday. Nothing has changed my life more than his birth. My mother passed away just months before he was born and always promised, you won’t know love until you have a child of your own. She was never more right. It was also an amazing gift to me as my birthday is February 4th. My wife and I met at a charity bachelor/bachelorette auction for Child Cancer Society which coincided with Valentine’s Day. The spark carried to an amazing partnership and friendship, and we love raising our family in Northeast Florida. It’s Black History Month. Folio 2.0 and Phillips & Hunt coexist in the historic Greenleaf and Crosby building and we commissioned murals of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Amanda Gorman, the inauguration poet who inspired us all with her passion and poise, saying, “For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” So many more were born and so many things happen in February. This month we celebrate love. Tying love and Black History Month together, I want to finish with a big happy birthday to Jordan Davis, who would have turned 26 on February 16. It’s hard to believe it’s been just over 8 years since he left us. He passed the same year my son was born. Because my son taught me so much about love and Jordan taught me so much about loss, it will always be a reminder that life is fragile. Love is light. Love one another.

4 4

AMANDA GORMAN, DEPICTED BY AMY WADE ON THE GREENLEAF AND CROSBY BUILDING.

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DCPS has started a new social media campaign. Now its goal may be laudable, and that’s to encourage people hurting to seek help, but the theme take off the mask, may be a little tone deaf. The centerpiece of the campaign is two videos, one featuring students and one featuring staff. Did you notice something about the videos? Well first they didn’t mention the pandemic once. How can they not mention it? Then the staff one, it’s surreal, that the district would say, hey, here is more pressure than ever during the pandemic, also what can we do to help. Their tone deafness is deafening. Well in a way it makes sense because the district is basically operating as if the pandemic is over. Social distancing is a lie, but worse some teachers have been threatened if they don’t further violate CDC guidelines by forming and teaching in small groups or pulling kids out during

FEBRUARY 2021 20 THE WAILERS FEATURING JULIAN MARLEY

MARCH 2021

Desk shields aren’t being replaced. Contact tracing is so woeful

I think a great story would be the media checking on with the district just to make sure they know the pandemic is still going on. CHRIS GUERRIERI

BRICKBATS + BOUQUETS BOUQUET TO HISTORIC STANTON INC. Historic Stanton Inc. is fundraising to renovate the original Stanton school into a community center with a gallery, dance studio and STEM education center. This is something worth applauding.

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20 DANA PERINO 21 FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS 23 KENNY G 27 JAKE SHIMABUKURO AT THE WJCT SOUNDSTAGE

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LAVILLA SHOWCASE

1964 THE TRIBUTE

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22 REO SPEEDWAGON 24 POCO, FIREFALL AND PURE PRAIRIE LEAGUE

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SEPTEMBER 2021 11 16

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30TH ANNIVERSARY OF EMPIRE & RAGE FOR ORDER

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AN EVENING WITH

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than lightening up and taking stuff off teachers plates admin has doubled down.

HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR

12 LED ZEPPELIN II

that it’s not effective in the least. The district is pushing kids to come back into the building to take a practice test. Then rather

25 ABBA MANIA

their planning. The deep cleanings they promised us are a thing of the past.

JUNE 2021

OCTOBER 2021 8 9

PABLO CRUISE AT THE PONTE VEDRA CONCERT HALL

NATE BARGATZE GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE TOUR

BRICKBAT TO BRENDA PRIESTLY JACKSON Constituents are rallying to recall CM Jackson after her vote in favor of Lot J, a slight to her constituents long sidelined by the Mayor and government in Jacksonville. We expect better from a CM who pledges herself to equity and justice.

904.355.2787 | floridatheatre.com 128 East Forsyth Street, Downtown Jacksonville

YELL AT US: MAIL@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

Follow us for the latest event news ACCESSIBILITY: Please inform the ticket office of any special arrangements you may require when purchasing tickets. An assistive listening system for the hearing impaired is available from the House Manager. The wheelchair accessible bathroom is located to the right of the Entry Lobby Bar as you face the bar, to the left of the statue La Vergognosa. The theatre does not have its own parking lot. Disabled permit parking is available on the street.

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To watch the full video interview, scan the adjacent QR code with your smart phone. 6

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NATE MONROE OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL, BY JOHN ALOSZKA (MIXED MEDIA)

8 8

NATE MONROE has had quite the year.

properly evaluated.” This received applause from Republicans

The Times-Union columnist has gotten engaged, set up shop

and Democrats alike—not because it favored deconsolidation (it’s

in Neptune Beach and continued to report on the controversies

worth noting, one possible outcome of deconsolidation would be

that swirl around City Hall. His columns, which range from statewide

Diamond losing his seat) but because it simply proposed looking at

news to block-specific local issues, have become must-read-

the issue. In Jacksonville, forming a committee to look at an issue

material for the Jacksonville political sector. They say that all press

is chicken soup for the soul.

is good press, but no one from City Hall wants to find themselves the subject of a Monroe column. Interviewing Nate Monroe is like stepping back in time, a time before Twitter, the 24-hour news cycle or Qanon. I was expecting to interview a firebrand, but instead I met a fire extinguisher, constantly directed toward Jacksonville’s city hall.

Monroe, who is no stranger to the subject, believes that deconsolidation would be challenging, “I think it would be really really difficult to unring that bell. And I’m not sure that it would be super practical.” In his eyes, City Council Members have all the answers they need regarding the 1968 effort, “I think the city needs to take a

His 2019 and 2020 columns, which largely focused on the JEA

hard look at some common sense reforms, one of them might be

and Lot J controversies, were a guiding light to Jaxsons dipping

the question of the beaches, what to do about the beaches,” he

their toes into city politics. But while Mayor Curry’s proposals may

said. “And obviously the funding, fulfilling these promises, but

have enraged the electorate, Monroe also believes they’ve caused

that’s less a consolidation issue now and more just a matter of

a rift in City Council, “The irony is that Lenny is not wrong when

political will.”

he says vendettas against him are partially responsible for killing

With Lot J and JEA done for now, (although he fully expects

LOT J,” said Monroe, “The part he leaves out is that vendettas go

both issues to continue to make headlines), he says he wants to

both ways: council members have a problem with him because he

focus on long term projects. But he also doesn’t expect the break to

has agitated some of them, that sort of politicking should have

be for long, “Every time that people expect a lull, something else

been baked into the cake when you were lobbying the council on

happens,” Monroe said, “I have no doubt that city government will

this issue.”

yield some new controversy or issue that’s rich for commentary.”

These scandals have harmed Mayor Curry’s approval ratings while seemingly increasing the columnist’s notoriety. During the

“I think JEA will continue to be a topic for this year, the question is when,” the columnist said. “Lot J will come back.”

height of the JEA scandal, Monroe said he would often hear

Monroe is aware that his columns have crossed some in

discussions about the subject around town, “I think JEA probably

City Hall, but he doesn’t mind, “Complaining about newspapers

resonated more than I had anticipated, it had resonated more than

offering criticism without solutions is a very common complaint

any other story I had worked on. It was the one story where if I was

about newspapers, I’ve heard it in every job I’ve worked at.”

at the bar and got caught up in some conversation with a regular person, it would come up.” JEA, for many, was the first time reading Nate Monroe with

“The people whose job it is to come up with solutions ought to be the ones coming up with the solutions. We have armies of people who are well compensated to do that.”

intention. Around every corner, every word, a new revelation would

Monroe makes it clear that he has no urge to enter the

appear—but these revelations don’t simply reveal themselves,

revolving door of commentators and government officials anytime

“During the height of this stuff… there were plenty of weeks where

soon, “Oh no, no, no, no,” which he said with a laugh,“Elected

the entire week, 40 hours, were devoted to just talking to people

office is totally out. I would like to think that I’m someone who is

about JEA stuff or combing through thousands of records,” Monroe

self-aware enough to know that I would be a bad politician. I would

said. Government oversight is important, but it doesn’t come easy.

be a bad public servant.”

Consolidation is the topic du jour of Jacksonville politics,

The story of Nate Monroe, however, is that he is a public

Councilman Rory Diamond, who lives on the water at the Beaches,

servant, constantly putting out a fire he didn’t start––and, thankfully,

recently opined on Twitter that “Deconsolidation needs to be

he gets there before it’s too late. 9

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COMMENTARY OMAROSA MANIGAULT NEWMAN

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

WE WERE HOPELESS, AND THEN AMANDA GORMAN SPOKE A week after the Capitol Riot, I packed my bags and prepared to travel to was to Washington, D.C. for my 7th inauguration. Unlike previous inaugurations, everything had changed. With the county sluggish from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the events of January 6th made our path forward more precarious. As I arrived at JAX and said goodbye to my husband, I had no idea what I would encounter in the next 10 days. The first sign that things had changed was at the gate of my JAX to DCA flight. Stationed at the entrance to the plane were TSA agents who informed all passenger to keep their IDs out and be prepared to be searched. Once on the plane I noticed two air marshals preseated in the cabin. Upon arrival in D.C., the airport was swarming with law enforcement agents and military personnel. I was relieved to see that my Howard classmate, Rebecca, had made it to the airport. We decided to wait for our driver at our old breakfast spot Ben’s Chili Bowl. During breakfast, Rebecca warned me to prepare myself for the scene I was about to witness in downtown DC. She informed me that every corner has the National Guard stationed on it. Later, as we drove through the tunnel to the JW Marriott, I was shocked to see wired fencing and barricade everywhere. Instead of the usual sights of patriotic decorations and celebratory signage, the Capitol looked like a heavily secured fort. Once I got settled into the hotel, I grabbed my camera and recorder to go and ask the central question that was on everyone’s mind: where do we go from here? I started with the barista at the coffee shop across from the hotel. I asked him what he thought it would take to heal the country. He said that he lived in D.C. all of his life and he had never seen it as divided as it was. He said the situation was hopeless. I stopped to talk to a woman in a shipping office who said she was just happy to have a job again after being unemployed for 8 months. I spoke with a lobbyist who had his masked pulled down under his chin and said that he expected nothing from “the swamp.” He said that January 6th was somewhat of a turning point for him, he was packing up and moving back to Nashville to be with his family. The US Capitol building looks more like a war zone than a beacon for democracy. Store fronts remain boarded up throughout the city and the wall erected around the White House remains. Throughout my time covering the inauguration, I proposed the question to as many people as I could. In summary, most folks I spoke to agreed that there needed to be a reckoning before

there could be a reconciliation. “No one will be held responsible, so what does it matter. The impeachment will be a waste of time and nothing will change” On the morning of the inauguration, I finally found the answer to the question of where do we go from here. It came from Amanda Gorman, the youngest person to deliver a poem at a U.S. Presidential Inauguration: “The Hill We Climb”

And so we lift our gazes not to what stands between us but what stands before us We close the divide because we know, to put our future first, we must first put our differences aside We lay down our arms so we can reach out our arms to one another We seek harm to none and harmony for all Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true: That even as we grieved, we grew That even as we hurt, we hoped That even as we tired, we tried That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious Not because we will never again know defeat but because we will never again sow division

The Heavy Lift

Jacksonville was once the jazz capital of the Southeast, but its rows of clubs have since been demolished in failed urban renewal attempts. As Downtown shows signs of growth, can the Jacksonville jazz scene follow? CASEY CRAIG

Crafted with notes of blues and brass, peppered with hints of

people. My favorite part about it is there doesn’t ever really feel

rag and rhythm, and an irresistible swing of soul: you may know

like there’s unhealthy competition between musicians...it feels like

it as jazz. As the one of the only true genres endemic to the USA,

a true community,” said the saxophonist for the 11-strong dozen-

jazz also holds over a century’s worth of influence in Jacksonville.

strong Let’s Ride Brass Band. Lettsome, who also placed 4th in

Historically, Downtown’s LaVilla neighborhood was home to many

the 2020 Carithian International Jazz Saxophone Competition, has

popular jazz venues in the early to mid- 20th century among Black

been playing jazz since age 8 and got more involved in the scene

musicians. During its hey-day, the night-life hub had gained so

when he entered college.

much traction it was referred to as the Harlem of the South and

For Lettsome, jazz is a fun and professional vector for

even played host to a young Ray Charles. Though LaVilla doesn’t

expression, a sentiment and co-founder of the group, Paul Jackson,

sing the way it used to, its spirit has carried over into the ‘20s,

echoed. “We have had some of the baddest cats come out of

where jazz is still roaring throughout the metro area. In present

Jacksonville!” He founded the current incarnation of his band 3

day, Jacksonville is home to John Lumpkin and Ulysses Owens Jr.,

years ago based with a desire to “put a light on the horns” and

the latter of whome is a Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer. In

to depart from the typical norms and lineup of the traditional jazz

addition to these patron saints of groove, from bebop to modal,

band. With over 14 years of experience as an established trumpet

fusion and back, Jacksonville is still “bad” in the best way with

player under his belt, Jackson wants to make jazz more accessible

special thanks to some of the area’s most innovative yet true to

and continue Jacksonville’s trek to revitalized recognition. “Our

form (or, occasionally, free-form) artists.

show is always a party! Bringing the New Orleans second line mixed

Through the last few years, Duval’s jazz bands have made

with the Southern Duval Vibe, we call it “That Duval Sound!”…

a name for themselves across the Southeast, playing gigs that

not only are we trying to bring a more modern approach to jazz,

include concert halls, weddings, city events, the Jacksonville Jazz

but we are trying to bring the “vibe” back! It should be fun! Our

Festival, and many more. The talent behind these bands are local

horns are our voices!” Jackson offers an uplifting sense of unity

whirlwinds of optimism and effortless cool that keep the music

among jazz artists in the area and his bandmate, Lettsome, couldn’t

going; one of which is none other than DeAndre Lettsome. “I love

agree more. One of the most notable aspects of the scene, he

the scene in Jax. It’s filled with some truly amazing musicians and

said, is the collaborative and encouraging atmosphere it offers.

RIGHT: “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” written by James Weldon Johnson, originates from the Lavilla neighborhood of Jacksonville. Today, the song is often referred to as the Black national anthem. Many key players of the Harlem Renaissance, including James Weldon Johnson and Zora Neal Hurston, are from Northeast Florida. To honor this history, which is Jacksonville’s history, our cover depicts scenes from Lavilla’s past, as its heartbeat, The Stanton School, prepares to undergo a revitalization effort to restore the building to its former glory. Mixed media by John Aloszka 12

LET’S RIDE BRASS BAND (TOP LEFT, BOTTOM RIGHT) AND ROB BIDWELL (RIGHT). JOHN ALOSZKA

“Musicians here cheer other musicians on, and I don’t ever see,

many have positive prospects, there lays an air of uncertainty,

with the exception of a few cases.”

particularly with performance spaces. “To be honest, I don’t know

In fact, many artists and bands make up a tight-knit community.

what the future holds for the Jax music scene,” Lettsome said.

Some of Let’s Ride Brass Band’s contemporaries and musical

“The caliber of musicians here is such that I believe it will continue

colleagues include The Band Be Easy, a 904-based jazz collective

to be a great place in terms of musicianship, however, I don’t know

(who Folio readers voted Best Jazz Band in our Best of Jax 2020

if the city will ever have venues like Smalls in New York or the Jazz

issue). Robert Bidwell, who currently plays trumpet with the band,

Corner in Hilton Head…I hope we do because, this city, in my

has observed a greater following within the community over the

opinion, has a sound that needs to be heard and cultivated.” Like

last few years. “Since I’ve been living here and playing jazz music,

Lettsome, Bidwell believes Jacksonville has a special, tailored tone

I’ve seen growth. Something that I’ve heard a couple of friends

worth sharing. “I recommend anyone who just wants to see what

say is that the music scene out here is not a competition, there’s

the scene is looking like to come out and listen. It’s remarkable,

a gig for everybody.” As a musician who has toured globally and

the talent that comes out of the city.” All 3 are determined to

played trumpet for over 15 years, Bidwell takes pride in the unique

keep the jams going, reaching across broad audiences beachside

sense of innovation and inclusivity within his scene. “I truly have

to streetside. “The future is bright and we are super excited to

a family out here. I’m surrounded by people who are passionate

continue to share our original music and write our story…LET’S

and continue to transform this music scene into something truly

RIDE!” Jackson declared.

beautiful.”

14 14

So, folks, you heard it here first: the heart of Jacksonville jazz

As musicians continue to hype each other up and promote

and its polyphonic pulse persists, so next time you’re out on the

their craft, what can fans expect next as the scene evolves? Though

town, listen a little closer––you might just hear that Duval Sound.

OUTSIDE THE HISTORIC STANTON SCHOOL JOHN ALOSZKA

COMMENTARY VINCENT DALESSIO

CONQUER THE DIVIDE

COULD DECONSOLIDATION UNIFY JACKSONVILLE?

SOCIETY IS FRAGILE RIGHT NOW, but times of healing are the most opportune to inflict change, like how doctors reset bones promptly after fracture. But it is during the most delicate periods of healing that there is the most opportunity to affect positive change. Jacksonville, like many other cities around the world, experienced a great deal of turmoil in 2020. From Black Lives Matter rallies to multiculturalism initiatives, local residents proved our city has the potential to be a role model in civil rights and cultural integration. Unfortunately, there is an unset bone holding the city back: Consolidation. When the concept of consolidating the governments of Jacksonville and Duval County was first suggested in the mid-1960s, it was supposed to be in response to corruption scandals, declining population and a stagnant economy, among other troubling issues. As a result, local voters overwhelmingly voted to approve the idea in August 1967. On October 1, 1968, Consolidation became official, creating a sense of autonomy throughout the city. But it also lost the bond of collectivity and effectively fractured Jacksonville’s cultural potency. In reality, Consolidation was an effort to suppress Black voters and dilute their voice by expanding the city limits. Jacksonville, at its Urban Core, is a predominantly Black city. But because of Consolidation, decisions on city issues are inaccurately represented as suburban and rural areas surrounding the city have more sway through votership. Like the broken bone analogy, the fracture between races in 16

Jacksonville has gone untreated for so long, it seems the only way to reset the damage of Consolidation would be to rebreak it. “Deconsolidation” would allow subcommunities to prosper on their own and, potentially, create a much more harmonious environment. “Historically Black neighborhoods were decimated financially and politically through Consolidation redlining efforts and remain victims to the remnants of Jim Crow oppression,” said Christina Kittle, a prominent local activist and organizer of the Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC). Kittle believes the deconsolidation of Jacksonville could result in the election of city leaders who are more representative of their constituents and better suited to address their unique needs. City leaders, like Mayor Lenny Curry, on the other hand, still celebrate Consolidation. Just three years ago, during a commemoration of its 50th anniversary, Mayor Lenny Curry said, “The spirit of Consolidation really is one city, one Jacksonville. It’s about getting city services to our people.” The current status of Jacksonville’s neighborhoods tells a different story. A far cry from the widespread blanket of abundance promised to residents throughout the city, the era of Consolidation has been defined by turf wars over government funding. Economic hoarding (as evidenced by the Jacksonville’s Sheriff’s Office receiving half of the city’s entire budget) means historically Black neighborhoods continue to struggle, which only fuels the disparity between racial groups, according to Kittle. She believes funds should be more

GIGI LUCAS BY VINCENT DALESSIO

equally distributed through community initiatives such as programs for kids to stay out of trouble, rehabilitation and mental health programs. The People’s Budget, prepared by JCAC, provides a concrete, material path to serve the community equally. The proposal suggests funding of the Sheriff’s Office to be reduced to 20% of the city’s total budget with remaining funds being invested in the people of Jacksonville including living wage job opportunities, mental health services and strengthened city infrastructure. (As JCAC’s website notes, “Crime decreases when the people are properly served.”) Yet when the People’s Budget was presented to the Jacksonville City Council, it received support from only one council member. Areas like Northwest Jacksonville continue to be severely underfunded. Neighborhoods that are considered to be most dangerous and most in need of funding are on the lowest rung on the Consolidation funding ladder. Septic tanks have plagued environments surrounding underprivileged neighborhoods for over a half a century. Curry’s recent press conference revealed a combined $26.8 million to be put toward the project, even though it’s recognized the project would cost $100 million at minimum. Jacksonville has a history of erasing entire communities. The construction of I-95 was a redlining effort that contributed to areas like Springfield forcing many of the neighborhood’s original Black families to move when property was bought out by builders from outside the area who then forced rents to rise. The once affluent and prestigious neighborhood of Sugar Hill is only one that has long been forgotten due to crooked infrastructure decisions by city leaders. The community of Cosmo is another. A space that once held the highest concentration of Gullah Geechee people in America, Cosmo is a mere shell of what it once was after being destroyed by Fort Caroline subdivisions. (The Gullah Geechee people are direct 17 17

descendants of people stolen from Central and Western African nations during slavery.) The deprioritization of preserving the history and heritage of Black historical groups like this is a perfect example of how Jacksonville politicians do not focus on making space for all groups. Like Kittle, Gigi Lucas is trying to patch holes in our community created by Consolidation. She founded SurfearNEGRA, a non-profit organization focused on bringing cultural and gender diversity to the sport of surf, while a similar program called Textured Waves addresses the underrepresentation of women of color in surfing by building community and camaraderie. Programs such as these, according to Lucas, help break down barriers between social groups while bringing the communal divide, that is obvious to so many, into the public eye. “I think it’s teaching us and resurrecting the narrative, in terms of why our current situation is the way it is and why we don’t see so many Black people engaging in the ocean,” she said. “But everything has its reason, and everything has its time. And now is the time for change.” Even as one of the most influential advocates for racial diversity in beach culture, Lucas herself still experiences oppression accessing public waterways. She recounted a recent incident in Jacksonville Beach when she was told to “go back to her part of town”—as she walked her dog outside her own home. “When I came to Jacksonville, my first impression was that this

wasn’t Florida. It was more like southern Georgia,” she said. “I was amazed by how segregated this city is and how it’s very clear who lives where in terms of culture and race.” The continued prioritization of the needs of white communities over all other racial and cultural groups has not only created a visibly antagonistic relationship between white and Black residents but between all communities. While the original concept of Consolidation may have been presented as a way of uniting disparate groups throughout the city, it has only served to widen the divide and foster a climate of self-importance. Instead of segregating, we should be celebrating Jacksonville’s multicultural populace—equally and in their own spaces. Deconsolidating the city would be a step in the right direction by offering more job opportunities, improving city services to the areas most in need, decreasing blight and eventually lead to a more equitably balanced government for all residents. “It’s always better when there’s more to eat,” Lucas said.”When you add more ingredients to anything, things get more interesting. People begin to innovate more… to shift their styles and perspectives and their paradigms.” Covering more than 800 square miles, Jacksonville is the largest city in the continental United States. That should be more than enough space to allow all of our communities to prosper on their own.

FOOD HAUL JOHN M. PHILLIPS

EATING AWAY IN MARGARITAVILLE THE NEW HOTEL ADDS ANOTHER WATERFRONT DINING OPTION TO THE FIRST COAST. ocean view outdoor seating. When we went we were two days away from 80 degree weather, and it was 50 degrees and windy. But it is easy to imagine how nice it will be on a Chamber of Commerce beach day. From a protocol standpoint, social distancing was respected, and all staff were properly masked. No noses to be seen. Some training was still going on, but the managers were working hard. This writer, a fan of Jimmy Buffett and cheeseburgers, chose the BBQ burger. It was a huge hunk of meat served on a big warm bun. It was a $2 up charge to order french fries and we had to ask for ketchup to dip them in. However, it was Heinz 57.

A WISE CITY PLANNER once said, you can never have enough places to dine on the water. A city with a river, ocean and intracoastal waterway should have many options. Lighthouse Grille was a landmark as one reached “the ditch” and then it was ditched

LEFT: OUTSIDE VIEW OF THE MARGARITAVILLE BEACH HOTEL ABOVE: THE BBQ BURGER WITH FRIES

for condos. A few less than ideal places came and went at the Landing from American Cafe to Hooters. Neither saw updates in decades. That same bullseye (and need of some renovation) is now on the River City Brewing. There are certainly lesser known waterways with good foodnamely Julington Creek and especially Palm Valley. And some decent places at the beach, but the berm blocks the view of the ocean. The latest arrival is the Margaritaville Hotel. It opened January 26 to little hype. Jimmy Buffett didn’t fly in to play. COVID-19 kept most of the changes in latitude and changes in attitude relatively mild. The brand-new hotel features 202 rooms with views of the

The big kosher pickle was included. The cold draft beer was Landshark, likely brewed right across town. Pulp Fiction’s Jules would agree, “This is a tasty burger!“ It’s difficult to judge a place during its launch. It’s even harder during COVID-19. Even more complicated to see if this will measure up to Sunday Fundays at the Lemon Bar, but it’s got huge potential. We give it 4 out of 5 shakers of salt. It would have gotten 5, but... you see this coming, parrotheads? The 5th is the lost shaker of salt. As it gets warmer, it could be one of the water adjacent greatest hits of Jacksonville.

Atlantic Ocean and three Margaritaville-inspired dining options with 19

NEW MUSIC RADAR

CONDUIT

GEMINI RISING

A song of soulful jazz-influenced-pop with heartfelt lyrics and an earnest delivery, “Gemini Rising” explores lust and need through the astrological chart. Even the most spiritually adverse can find solace with Conduit’s lyrics, which swerve from the straightforward “The weather is storming/but not in this bed” to the savvy “Gemini rising/I’ve got good timing.”

PICKS BY @JOHNALOSZKA

For fans of Amy Winehouse, Big Thief, and Mitski. HOTTE IN TOWST N

MAR TRY Meticulously written and assembled, “Try” can hang out with top-40 radio just as well as it could the backroom of a house party. Mar, who wrote and produced the single, creates a vision and a vibe, where the backing, lyrics and vocal production come from a cohesive singular voice. “Try,” at its best, is introspective and outwardly focused, recognizing that it takes two to put forth a good––or bad––effort. For fans of SZA, Frank Ocean and Ariana Grande.

AKAIMARJE

PASTEL PALMS PASTEL PALMS

Pastel Palms, the eclectic brain child of Joel Roberson, Eric Kingston, Tristan Tebbe and Andrew Simpson, create an elaborate album fusing elements of rock, pop, edm, and jazz that looks refinement in the face and then spits in its mouth. It’s hard to understate the influence of the wall-ofsound movement in modern day pop music, most recently championed by The 1975. Song-to-song chaos is difficult to pull off, but this is an album from a band that understands the congruences of music—the coordinating sleekness of pop and jazz and how it can artfully contradict and scale the brashness of edm and rock—an effect that is at times overpowering but never overwhelming. Pastel Palms , at its core, deals with loneliness, technology, heartbreak, and how they all feed each other. It’s not going to be an album for everyone, but that’s because it wasn’t intended as such. For fans of The 1975, Caroline Polacheck and Perfume Genius. The HOTTEST IN TOWN designation is given to releases that push local music in a new direction. All these releases are hot, don’t worry.

LA LA LAND

Akaimarje opens her track with “To love me ain’t enough/I want you there for me,” establishing a new type of empowerment, rooted not in words but in actions. Over a sparse bass line and vocal harmonies, she later hearkens back to this line in an elliptical moment, closing the song with “show me love.” Love, in action, is the most powerful form. For fans of Solange, BANKS, and Sza.

HOWDY

EL PASO

The town of El Paso has a long musical lineage, including country-great Marty Robbins. Howdy adds his own entry to the guestbook with a song about the distance and longing that comes with following your dreams. The song’s melody winds like a backroad, while the slide guitar evokes rolling hills; you won’t want it to end, but luckily you can press play again. For fans of Kacey Musgraves, Glen Campbell and Bobbie Gentry.

NATE DAE

GOOD MORNING

Hard, but still fun, this single and its accompanying video simultaneously broke Jacksonville’s internet connection when they were released––and for good reason. Evoking Kanye, Soulja Boy and elements of ‘90s West Coast rap and Texas chopped and screwed, Nate Dae finds his flow and graciously allows everyone else to come along for the ride.

THE MUSIC THAT MADE ME: GEEXELLA

For fans of 2 Pac, Kendrick Lamar and Isaiah Rashad

ASHTON CHASE

HUG MYSELF

COVID-19 will undoubtedly inspire many musical projects, and Ashton Chase throws his hat into the ring with “Hug Myself,” a song about spending the best years of your life in isolation. This song would function well outside of the current climate, but it’s punctuated by it. Chase makes the correct decision to have fun with the production, transforming the song from depressing to a laugh-while-you-cry moment. For fans of Brockhampton, A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti.

STRANGERWOLF EMPTY SHELF Strangerwolf returns with another collection of elegantly produced folk songs with edges that sparkle with country, rock and blues. “Empty Shelf,” the middle track, fully shines with an emotional delivery, production and heartfelt lyrics to match, “The smell of chamomile lingers in my bathroom/ I’m crying at the empty shelf again.” For fans of Bedouine, Bon Iver and Alex G.

Geexella (who uses they/them pronouns) has been entertaining and inspiring Jacksonville since 2013 as a DJ, rapper and activist. Their music often deals with intimacy, personal struggle and hope. It’s no surprise then that their Music That Made Me playlist is full of deﬁant tunes that broke the status quo:

KILLING ME SOFTLY Fugees IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD Duke Ellington and John Coltrane BLACK GOLD Esperanza Spalding STRANGE FRUIT Billie Holiday ESTUPIDO ROMANTICO Mazz THAT’S WHAT YOU GET Paramore SO MUCH THINGS TO SAY Bob Marley and The Wailers

LISTEN LOCALLY ON THE FOLIO LOCAL PLAYLIST. SCAN TO LISTEN

SHE DGAF The Internet TOMBOY Princess Nokia BUGGIN’ OUT A Tribe Called Quest The Music that Made Me: is a recurring column in Folio Weekly featuring prominent locals and the music that has shaped their lives. Listen to the playlist by scanning the adjacent QR code. 21

RAIN DOGS BEST OPEN MIC, BEST

PHILLIPS AND HUNT BEST LAW FIRM

KARAOKE NIGHT

GISELA REIS

BURLOCK AND BARREL

JOHANNA MORESCO

BEST YOGA INSTRUCTOR

BEST DISTILLERY

BEST DRESSED, BEST LOCAL WEIRDO, BEST LOCAL PERSONALITY

KESSLER CREATIVE

HEATHER SCHATZ

BEST AD AGENCY

BEST RADIO SHOW, FIRST COAST CONNECT WITH

MELISSA ROSS

SARAH HEDDEN

HUEY’S NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

CHRISTINE CUNNINGHAM

BEST WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

BEST NEW RESTAURANT, BEST TAKEOUT

BEST VETERINARIAN

MASK UP, JACKSONVILLE! CONGRATS TO ALL THE BEST OF JAX WINNERS! SOLUNA YOGA + SPA BEST YOGA STUDIO

DONNA DEEGAN

LAKESHA BURTON

SHANE LANTZ

BEST LOCAL HERO, MOST LIKELY TO RUN FOR

BEST FIRST RESPONDER

BEST SERVER

MAYOR NEXT, BEST LOCAL CRUSADER

HOROSCOPES JAN-FEB 2021 ISA BARRIENTOS PISCES Through the reclusion of your recent past, you will start feeling

VIRGO A partnership will come full circle as you take notes on your

like yourself again. Your spirit is your power and it’s stronger than ever— pour it into the divine beauty that you aim to create. A relationship might raise emotions that leave you still and unable to speak as spring comes closer. Cry until the flowers bloom.

relationship, your character and how they work together. Continue to serve those you love. Let them reciprocate. There’s no pride in solitude now—good company will fill your heart and fuel your spirit.

ARIES You’ve created a comfortable place to sit and think. Stay there for now. Feel the old hurts leaving your mind, making space for growth as you come into yourself on your own time. When you stand up, is it to gather materials or fulfill your duties? Both are dignified, there’s no wrong answer.

TAURUS The work you’ve put in won’t count until you hand it out. Life starts outside of your comfort zone: an endless, formidable network that dissects your every word. You can separate yourself from your art, but you’re a traditionalist, not a coward. Shine because you have to and dish out apologies as needed.

GEMINI Revelations will come in dreams whenever you finally get the chance to sleep. It’s not easy for you to be earnest, but something will sober you up soon. You might be surprised to find a sense of purpose, or at least a bit of grace, in your work. This is a good time to write and a bad time to fight.

LIBRA Clear the cobwebs from your desk and your body, your mind will follow suit. Busy days will be beautiful with each task sweeter than the last. There’s a feeling you’re rearing, a game that you’re winning, a love that you’re reclaiming. It all boils down to creation—let it flow through your gut and out of your hands. SCORPIO Inspiration will come over you in a lightning strike at the peak of your tenderness. Work could overwhelm you as the sweet essence of your post is overtaken by its drudgery. Clock out an hour early, go somewhere lovely and make something. Words will come easier than abstractions.

SAGITTARIUS Reconceptualize your idea of home; let your spirit’s sprint turn to a gentle pace through the hallway and around the kitchen. The demands of your daily routine will leave you with much to think about and nothing to say. You’re in a safe place, don’t worry about your reputation, nothing important is at stake.

fire after some philosophizing, thinking over the thoughts you’re given and deciding they aren’t yours. Go into your shell and crawl to the next town over. The air there is light, it will whisper words of death and life.

CAPRICORN A quick shake to the brain will activate some waves. You’ll have a restless mind for the time with a knack for expression and perhaps a lapse in attention. Growing pains subside for a while, allowing you to fly far away or stay home and create. Woes will ensue as you choose what to do. Go where the audience is.

LEO Your tongue will take a serious tone, you will speak on what you have and who you want to be to the world. Money and material might raise some realizations when the tide is high. Go to those you love for advice. Step into the heart of darkness and keep the romance in your mind.

AQUARIUS Beauty and dreams will meet and materialize, your mind will work double time making sense of it all through the end of the winter. Gathering data comes naturally to you, respect the process as you learn to relay it—you’ll find yourself in your voice. Match it with your energy and use it to create something.

CANCER Cowards in crowds will burn you out. You’ll find yourself in

YOU’RE ALREADY HERE. POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS ARE, TOO. With a reach of over 200,000 people each issue, Folio puts your business all over town.

TERESA@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM 24

LISTEN ON APPLE MUSIC

DEAR RIVERSIDE RAT:

Merrill welcomes Lisa Woehrmeyer, our newest financial advisor.

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POUR ONE OUT FOR THE FAKE FRIENDS. Dear Riverside Rat, Making genuine friends in Riverside can be an arduous task. In my experience, if you’re a creative that’s a little jaded and problematic, you’ll fit right in. Unfortunately, I don’t identify with either. Sure, I can always count on so-called friends for a night out in 5 Points, but when you need a true friend, it’s an every man for himself attitude. I get it. You’re busy. We all get busy. My problem is these same people speak of inclusivity as if they live by it. Yet, they can’t find the time for a person they’ve been out drinking with and had what they claim to be memorable experiences. It seems to always be about drinking too. We can pour our hearts over shots but can’t confide something serious without laughing it off in some self-deprecating way and quickly changing the topic to avoid awkwardness. What’s the deal with all these fake friends?

- InfamouslyInfamous

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 824 A1a N Suite 200 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 fa.ml.com/lisa-e-woehrmeyer

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I get where you’re coming from. Riverside, like many alt-scenes, seems to carry an air of selectively-woke creative types: They’ll gas up their Instagram stories with posts from intersectional accounts promoting mental health, but over a cigarette in Bold Bean’s backyard, they trash their own friends about the same issues they promote to gain followers. Even worse, they refuse to stand up for marginalized groups, like the ones they supposedly support, when their regional clout in 5 Points threatens to go down by four points. On the other side of the coin, toxic positivity is also an insidious issue I see used to shrug off accountability of being a lousy friend. From what you’ve told me about these friends, it sounds like the depth of their personality starts at the top of a barstool and ends at the bottom of a Yuengling. If they can’t pick up the phone and put down the drink at some point, it’s time to hang up entirely. These types seek convenience, not comfort. Their friend groups are like Hoptinger’s happy hour drink specials: strong at first, then you’re left a little disoriented and queasy wondering how you even got there in the first place. Their behavior doesn’t sound very healthy, and I hope they are able develop better lifestyle habits. As for you, I hope you realize when a friend is really just a “friend” and when it’s time to walk away. If you ask me (which you did), it’s time. You can do so much better and have so many other fun, engaging ways to meet potential friends. There’s now a Riverside kickball league (sign up, I did!) There’s open calls for paint & wine nights. Volunteering with a local non-profit is also a great idea for people who care about giving back to the community. And there are always plenty of singles sipping lattes who would love to hear about that stressful shift you picked up or that boy who left you stranded on the strip. Keep your head up—but remember, you deserve friends who are more reliable than the Cassat Avenue Domino’s—and make sure they deliver. - RIVERSIDE RAT Riverside Rat is a monthly advice column by Casey Craig dealing with the unique struggles of the Riverside social scene. Questions can be submitted to riversiderat@folioweekly.com.

SOCIETY PAIGE GARCIA

(THE) SEX (INDUSTRY) SELLS THE CLOTHES YOU WEAR MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLE STRIPPERS THAN THE QUEEN. OWN UP TO IT. ABC/THE BACHELOR

On a recent episode of my favorite unguilty, guilty pleasure, The Bachelor, a rumor swirled about a contestant who was “entertaining men for money.” The other women, conventionally attractive and in their 20s, ate it up, making assumptions and passing judgment—all while donning attire themselves that might best be described as “sexworker chic.” The problem of the conversation is, the debate never boiled down to the central and most important issue: The sex industry has set and defined generation after generation of trends in fashion, yet the stigma of being a sex worker allows for others to don the exact style they actively condemn. A quick history lesson: A sex worker is a person employed by the sex industry, (i.e. prostitutes, strippers, porn stars) and sex work is considered the oldest profession in the world. The industry has always infiltrated mainstream media, and the volume of the conversation is only getting louder. Pop culture icons like Cardi B and Lady Gaga have been outspoken about their time in the industry and are massive influencers when it comes to trend setting, by continuing to wear long acrylic nails, thigh-high boots, exposed lingerie, etc. But even with the transparent conversation surrounding the industry, there is still a massive stigma that hangs over the head of any and all who participate in the profession. In need of first hand perspective, I reached out to resident dancer and VFW (Very Funny Woman) Kellye Higginbotham who spoke to me candidly about her more than 13 years in the industry. “In our line of work the objective is to catch the eye of potential customers before someone else does. You want to be the hottest and feel the sexiest. Likewise, women want to feel the same at home and when they go out. Things like fishnets, legwarmers and thighhighs are articles of clothing I wear on a regular basis to work, and now, it’s perfectly acceptable to wear these items outside of the strip club, even celebrities wear them on the red carpet,” she said. “Sex 26

industry workers are ahead of the trends [because they are able to actively survey the targeted clientele], we always want to try something new to see what keeps the customer entertained and intrigued,” Higginbotham said. In other words, industry workers run a business, so their brand of sex has to sell in order for them to stay in said business, something that has become increasingly more difficult as the trendiness of their brand bleeds into mainstream culture. Popular online boutiques like SHEIN, boohoo and Fashion Nova take ideas for fashions they sell directly from sex workers and market their hard labor while giving zero recognition to the culture they continuously appropriate for their own financial gain. “It feels like we no longer have something unique. We are shunned for what we do, but you go buy the same outfit I wear to work for a party,” Higginbotham said.“Being a dancer isn’t something I like to casually bring up in conversation with someone before they get to know me out of fear that they will judge or stereotype me.” It isn’t a problem of donning the fashion that connects a person to their sexuality and makes them feel their best. It’s a problem that the very people starting the trends, sex workers, spend their life avoiding the answer to basic questions about their life, while they watch the fruits of their labor modeled on naive and judgmental bodies. Yes, sex sells, but at what cost? When it comes to The Bachelor, it is outrageous that the question was whether or not a contestant entertained men for money, when the real question is “Why are women demonizing a culture they are actively subscribing to?” Our growth as a society requires a recognition of the problem, the courage to address it and the persistence to change it. When we don the things that make us feel our sexiest, we must strive to remember where they started and give due credit to the people who paved the way to their popularization.

BENNY REVIVAL shot by JOHN ALOSZKA

BENNY REVIVAL DOESN’T WANT TO BE FAMOUS. HERE HE IS ANYWAY. bennY revivaL in conversation with isa barrientos 27 27

The past decade gave rise to platforms in which artists create and promote their work independently of labels and managers. Truth exists online for its own sake, each of us as individuals choosing to exhibit or evade identity, to take a profit or a loss. BennY RevivaL curated a cryptic persona that could only exist in a time of SoundCloud rap and Twitter virality. He poses in various locations in full costume or a sweatsuit and a mask. He’s a loner, he says, so most of these photographs are taken by strangers. Captions of eschatology and personal anecdotes are fully capitalized, punctuated only by ellipses. Mr. RevivaL is completely anonymous—his hands are the only exposed area of his body. Mr. RevivaL swears it’s not for show, though, that he’s not hiding anything, that his music and his posts are indeed tied to his true identity. The feeling he gets from wearing a mask is what he imagines others feel when putting on earrings or a watch. To show his face and post it online would fall in the category of selfies, he said, which he’s not about. BennY RevivaL is about prophecy. He’s got a sharp awareness of biblical scripture, evangelizing in songs and Instagram captions. Mr. RevivaL’s religion is straightforward: he studies the word of God, prays, and repents. He abhors anything occult: chakras, astrology and mysticism are satanic to him. “Anything kept in secret I hate and I despise,” said BennY RevivaL, “I despise keeping knowledge and wisdom and your opinions to yourself.” As such, BennY RevivaL’s music is remarkably candid. Over hightempo house-funk beats, BennY documents a cycle of sin and repentance. His tapes interpolate biblical scripture with hip-hop’s classic tropes of sex, drugs and delinquency. An air of shame hangs over every verse. In his 2018 album HIV Positive, he faces the diagnosis of a chronic illness, reflecting on the consequences of sexual depravity. LAURA chronicles his conversations with an imaginary friend from a house on the prairie. NORTH FLORIDA hits close to home as Mr. RevivaL explores Jacksonville’s culture and crime in a spirit of love for the city. Any label would be quick to pick up and sell his outlandish talent and character, one would think, but he’s not after money or notoriety. BennY himself admitted that he could be very wealthy right now, but turned away the opportunities to live authentically in service to God – again, BennY RevivaL is about prophecy. BennY RevivaL’s online presence outside of his personal accounts, forums, and blogs is minimal. He doesn’t follow anyone on his social media accounts to limit public information on him. He releases music across several SoundCloud accounts on a principle of non-aggression. In his words, “Mr. RevivaL forces nothing and shows the utmost respect.” He was featured on Blood Orange’s 2019 album Angel’s Pulse. The R & B icon referred to BennY as one of his “favorite artists ever.” Last year, he was featured on the B-side of Frank Ocean’s vinyl release for In My Room. These collaborations are the only works with BennY’s name on them that are available for purchase. “Anything you’ve gotten from me was free,” said BennY, “I don’t follow you, I don’t sell you anything, I don’t have a song on Spotify. Other artists that I worked with put it out.” “So please don’t get mad at me for something I gave you for free,” he continued, “Cause I ain’t going nowhere. It don’t matter if I’m 60 years old, this music is gonna pump, these pictures are gonna pump.” The following interivew has been edited for clarity, however we have chosen to leave Mr. RevivaL’s style of writing as he typed it. 28

How many people know your identity?

SEE .. MY IDENTITY IS REVEALED TO EVERYONE .. ANYONE I EVER PULL UP ON IT IS IN BARE FACE .. HERE I AM .. IF YOU WANT A MASKED FRIEND GO GET AN ACTION FIGURE OR A TEDDY BEAR .. THAT IS OF COURSE NOT MY THING TO SPEAK THE WAY I DO & THEN HIDE WHEN CONFRONTED OR CALLED UPON .. SEE .. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY ZERO ULTERIOR MOTIVE WITH MY DRESSING & MASKING UP .. IT IS NOT A GAME WITH ME OR AN ATTENTION SEEKING PLOT .. JUST MY REAL STYLE .. THIS STUFF IS AMAZING TO ME & I AM AMAZED BY IT SO OF COURSE I WOULD ADD THAT ELEMENT TO ANYTHING I DO .. IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT I PLAY DRESS UP DAILY .. WHETHER IT IS SOMETHING RELAXED OR SOMETHING LEFT FIELD .. IT IS WHAT WAS FELT THAT DAY .. SAME GOES FOR ANY MASK CHOSEN .. IT IS JUST HOW I WAS ROCKING THAT MORNING WHEN GETTING DRESSED .. COME SHOPPING WITH ME .. SIP TEA SIP COFFEE .. COME HIKING WITH ME .. COME GROCERY SHOPPING WITH ME .. MY IDENTITY IS REVEALED .. LOOK AT A PICTURE OR VIDEO OF ME .. WELL THEN OF COURSE YOU ARE ONLY GOING TO FEEL OR SEE MY STYLE .. WHICH IS COSTUMES SWEATSUITS & MASKS .. SO SILLY .. NONE OF US KNOW EACH OTHER .. WHY SHOW EVERYONE WHAT I HAD FOR LUNCH OR WHO I AM FIGHTING WITH OR WHAT BILL IS DUE .. SWEETHEART OUR STYLE & OUR CREATIVITY IS ALL WE NEED TO WITNESS FROM ONE ANOTHER ONLINE .. IDENTITY IS REVEALED TO ANYONE WHO CARES FOR IT .. BUT BE HONEST .. DO YOU REALLY WANT IT .?. CALL ME BACK ..

BENNY REVIVAL shot by JOHN ALOSZKA

What does Jacksonville mean to you?

@BENNY_REVIVAL

NORTH FLORIDA SHAPED DARN NEAR EVERYTHING FOR ME .. FROM MY STYLE TO MY RELIGIOUS PRACTICE .. SO SILLY .. BUT NO REALLY .. NORTH FLORIDA SHAPED IT ALL FOR Mr. REVIVAL .. NOT JUST DUVAL .. BUT ST AUGUSTINE .. MIDDLEBURG .. CALLAHAN .. YULEE .. FERNANDINA .. WALDO .. STARKE .. GREEN COVE .. THE WHOLE FIRST COAST & ANYTHING BORDERING OR SURROUNDING IT .. BEING OUT OF THESE REGIONS REALLY LETS ME KNOW HOW ATTACHED I AM TO HERE .. FROM THE VIBE TO THE FOOD TO THE LINGO .. FROM THE DRESS CODE TO THE PREJUDICES THAT LIES [sic] DEEP HERE ON THE FIRST COAST .. IT IS IMBEDDED IN ANYONE WITH ROOTS HERE I BELIEVE .. SOME OF THE OLDEST HISTORY IN ALL OF AMERICA RESIDES IN THESE PARTS .. WHICH COMES WITH A WHOLE LOT OF BAGGAGE & WHOLE LOT OF CURSES .. SAY NO MORE .. JACKSONVILLE COME GIVE ME A HUG ..

NONE OF US KNOW EACH OTHER How does your life of sin inform your work?

HONEY I AM THE GREATEST SINNER ALIVE .. ALL OF US ARE CAPABLE & UNDERHANDEDLY WILLING TO BE SICK IN EVERY WAY .. DAHMER OR GACY IS IN YOU .. JEZEBEL OR DELILAH IS IN YOU .. PUT THE CHRIST IN YOU TO OVERTAKE ALL OF THAT FOOLISHNESS .. TRUST ME BABYDOLL .. OR NOT .. CARRY ON WITH YOUR BAD SELF THEN ..

Name your musical and cultural influences.

GOOD & THE BAD .. GENIUS & THE DISABLED .. SAINT & THE SINNER .. LITTLE TO NONE OF THESE ENTITIES THAT MOST CONSIDER AS CULTURAL INFLUENCES DO I EVEN PAY ATTENTION TO .. ESPECIALLY IN POPULAR ART .. MODERN OR CLASSIC .. AT ALL LIKE SERIOUSLY .. GIVE ME A CLEAR BLUE SKY DAY IN THE MORNING & THEN BY NOON IT IS HAZY FROM LINES LEFT BY AIRCRAFT .. THAT INSPIRES ME .. GIVE ME A FOOD PRODUCT THAT HAS THINGS IN IT WE NEED A DICTIONARY TO INTERPRET .. THAT INSPIRES ME .. GIVE ME CASES WHERE PEOPLE ARE FOUND ORGANLESS IN DITCHES .. THAT INSPIRES ME .. ARTISTS .?. NAH .. SPIRITUAL BOOKS .?. NAH .. PROPHECY FULFILLED .?. NOW THAT IS ABSOLUTELY INSPIRING & INFLUENTIAL ..

Your tape HIV Positive tells a poignant story of sexuality, chronic disease and repentance. Would you have released something so raw without an alias?

ONCE AGAIN .. THERE REALLY IS NO ALIAS .. I SAID WHAT I SAID & MEANT EVERY WORD .. NOW IF YOU TAKE THAT AS IT BEING A TRUE STORY ABOUT MY LIFE OR SEXUALITY OR REPENTANCE THAN IT IS TOTALLY UP TO THE LISTENER .. DEFINITELY SERVED ITS PURPOSE & THAT TAPE IS A ONE OF ONE .. DID NOT KNOW HOW AMAZING OF A CINEMA THAT COULD BE WHEN I MADE IT .. IT WAS A TOPIC THAT I DO NOT THINK MANY CAN SAY THEY HEARD MUCH ABOUT IN MUSIC .. JUST TAKE A LOOK AT ANYTHING TITLED FROM ME MUSICALLY & YOU WILL SEE WHAT IS BEING SAID & WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN MISSING .. WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR ANOTHER LOWERCASE SERIES THAT DEALT WITH LIFE & DEATH .. HIV Positive CAME INTO PLAY .. THAT MOVIE NEEDED TO BE TOLD IN MUSIC .. IF ONE CAN WRITE LYRICS ABOUT IMAGINARY WEAPONS & MONEY .. IMAGINARY LIFESTYLES & LOVE .. WELL NOW IT IS MY TURN .. COULD HAVE SWORE [sic] THAT IS WHAT CINEMA WAS .. Mr. REVIVAL IS JUST CAPABLE OF TAKING IT TO A LEVEL WITH UNCOMFORTABLE TOPICS LIKE WHAT WAS SAID IN THE FIRST ANSWERED QUESTION .. OH .. HOW ABOUT I EMBODY A CASE OF HIV FOR 2018 MENTALLY .. FIRST SENTENCE SPOKEN ON THAT TAPE EXPLAINS WHAT I WAS DOING .. MY FATHER BORE EVERY SIN & EVERY SICKNESS FOR US .. THE LEAST I COULD DO IS MAKE AT ATTEMPT AT TAKING ON ONE OF THOSE THINGS .. AS YOU LISTEN TO IT THE MESSAGE IS CLEARER & CLEARER .. .. MY FAITH IS CONTAGIOUS WHILE THEIRS IS UNDETECTABLE .. GENIUS IF YOU ASKED ME .. WHICH IS WHY IT WAS MADE .. SWEETHEART THIS EXPLANATION IS DRAWN OUT BUT REALLY WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ARTISTICALLY I AM SPECIAL .. WHETHER THE VIEWER SAYS IT IS SPECIAL NEEDS OR A SPECIAL BLESSING .. WAS CREATED TO SAY THESE THINGS .. ABSOLUTELY NO DISRESPECT TO THE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE DEALING WITH THAT DISEASE .. HONEY THIS IS JUST HOW MY MIND WORKS .. MOVING WHEN THE SPIRIT TELLS ME TOO [sic] .. 29

POETRY IS FOR THE PEOPLE RED HAT I just want to wear my little red hat. But some man’s plight has changed the meaning of that. A rose colored hat, my favorite of all. A border wall crown, a family wrecking ball. Even though no script is clear. It’s crimson alone incites great fear. No longer a boy in his little red hat. A red colored door with an unwelcome mat. Might I too discard my big red gum? Would it befell the same rule of thumb? We’ve chewed too long to pretend to savor. This big red gums diminishing flavor. It’s color is clearly no matter at all. I just can’t chew this piece until next fall. - Michael Lane

BEST WISHES TO MY FIBERS

GARDEN OF ROSES

You, golden intruder,

i lay in my garden of roses, because you said to stop. and smell.

I’ll throttle your ashes yet. I’ll take fistfuls from your landscapes and hold tight this fallow prairie amidst a salvo of arrow and feather. I’ll sit here before you, baffled I’ll name each of my organs individually. In a leviathan groan, low and rapturous,

i lay in my garden of roses, face first into the dirt. because you had forgotten me. you left me, in my garden of roses, with shattered bones. and broken spirits. there’s something however, that shouldn’t be forgotten. there’s no rest for the wicked, in this garden of roses. -c.j.m.

Something like an iceberg dragging across the ocean floor.

FOOL’S GOLD It’s pretty to think of who I saw that day wretched warm awoken what winds swim more buoyant. Through creek and sea traversing my hands around my neck kicking myself with your heels nagging fooling making a mockery in the prettiest way. Drive a diamond to regress to coal green tea mint malevolent nostalgic that bundle of beautiful brick shoes keeping me grounded with the window wide while you leap smother me under cover. What’s pretty is the eyelids as I think. - Ben Adams

The cavern of my ear, this oblivion room, resounding with a gusty croak Something like gunshot in my ear. - Ana Boulineau 9-12-2020

ON A WINTER DAY Whistle creeps on quiet winds. drops pitter patter spills on pummeled, beaten, skin. rooftops clang like aluminum trays, rat-a-tat pots ‘n pans tap. witch nails scratch on shutter washboard. black-eyed dogs howl at sooty moon, scat cat purrs to purple crack. creaky arms, sway, a carpet of twigs and needles, washed out. bumper cars crash ‘n collide on slip ‘n slide roads. people round-up food and shovels in a madman dash. plows lay down salt, before the flakes fall. - Ash Slade

NO TOURS THIS IS THE NEW ME i yell from a roof burning bibles and wishes everyone wants a tour but i refuse to be a tourist in my own town welcome to my GOOD SHIT wine stains on tables people on my floor lime juice in my eyes NO TOURS NO TOURS smoking from the top flat window leave if you don’t belong This isn’t for you. - Euston Bryant

E BEING KNOWN the edge of the bed bites into my thighs sheets retreating to the other corner curling up and over her unshaved calf I step out for only a moment a hesitation of the clock but she is awakened by my absence go back to sleep, I mutter, closing the door so as to not blind her by the light she returns to the river of her dreams I empty my glass, placing it in the sink waiting to be cleaned with last night’s clutter flipping the lights I stumble back to bed she lays splayed out, chaotic and free blankets sheets flesh indistinguishable I crawl to my space by her side all I know are sad songs and sonnets dedicated to muses long lost to time and her incessant march to the future my own muse lays before me and words? they fail me for the first time my hearts prays it might be the last she presses her head against my arm whispering something unintelligible yet entirely understood - Leonardo Paley

ROOFTOP 2 ROCK BOTTOM Stale stella and a silver stick, Saw a red moon rise on a ledge riverside You asked if I wanted to stay, PA is so far away Bare feet to the wet pavement, Felt falling leaves from baby trees on our feet I walked alone into the dead of winter Wolves howling across the courtyard, Heard weird birds chirp in a yuppie jailhouse We sobbed with the sound of the freight train passing The sun’s coming up when you tuck in your sheets, I’m going on about a big moon’s degrees

FEBRUARY 25 • 8:00PM TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

A SOCIALLY DISTANCED EVENT WITH SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE

904-355-ARTS (2787) floridatheatre.com Florida Theatre Ticket| Office

or 355.ARTS (2787) | floridatheatre.com 128 East Forsyth Street, Downtown Jacksonville 128 Forsyth Street | Downtown Jacksonville

1/5/21 11:44 PM

Riverfront Parks Now is a coalition of nonprofits who have come together to engage the community in a dialogue about the future of downtown’s publicly-owned riverfront properties and the numerous benefits provided by parks and public spaces.

“Transforming Jacksonville’s Downtown Riverfront” Riverfront Parks Now envisions an extensive network of public green spaces and active parks along the riverfront that prioritizes public access, catalyzes surrounding development, and helps create a more resilient downtown.

Monday, March 15, 2021 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (Virtual event via Zoom) For more info visit FCFS.ORG The FCFS Presents Nancy Powell and Jimmy Orth Riverfront Parks Now Coalition

The stick’s turned purple, plastic, and round, You’re pacing in the kitchen blowing it out - Laura Monk 31

P A P E R

Alexander Chase

Jo Crawford

untitled

A Day at the Beach

Oil on canvas

Acrylic on canvas

Lilah Dees

Dallas Primavera

Blind Spots

Woman with Child

Acrylic on canvas

G A L L E R Y

Liz Hartless Self Portraits 120 MM

Casey Vandyke

Bailey Gumienny

Snapshots

Witching hour

Acrylic, oil pastels, charcoal (mixed media)

Oil on canvas 33

LOITER LOCAL KERRY SPECKMAN

ENTERTAINING YOU

FEB. 21

FEB. 26-28

FL CHAMBER MUSIC PROJECT, RIVERSIDE PRESBYTERIAN The Chamber’s string quartet and organist Jean Spyksma perform works for organ and strings (isn’t that convenient?) by Handel, Mozart and Vivaldi in an afternoon recital. Even better, it won’t cost you a Bach (i.e., it’s free).

WORLD OF NATIONS, TAILGATERS PARKING Got a case of wanderlust that a trip to Mr. Taco or Taste of Thai just won’t satisfy? Well, grab a five spot and hit up the city’s annual celebration of the sights, sounds and tastes of 25+ countries including Mexico, Thailand, Colombia, South Korea, Turkey and South Africa.

FLCHAMBERMUSIC.ORG

SPECIALEVENTS.COJ.NET

MARCH 2-7

MARCH 5

MONSTER JAM, TIAA BANK The crowd will be considerably smaller due to social distancing measures, but the trucks, including Grave Digger, will be just as loud, the competitors just as daring and the mullets in the stands just as plentiful. BYOE (Bring Your Own Earplugs).

AN EVENING WITH RODNEY AKINS, HERITAGE FARMS Sorry, stans, but it’s not “that” kind of evening. Rather, Atkins performs as part of the Concerts for a Cause, a country music and Southern rock series featuring dinner, drinks and a live show that benefits Investing in Kids (INK!).

MONSTERJAM.COM

TRINGALIBARN.COM

FEB. 28

NIGHT OF LAUGHTER, HAMBURGER MARY’S With Karissa T. Wade bringing the jokes, it’s going to be a peeyour-pants funny kind of night. Also, I have no idea what the “T.” stands for, but knowing Karissa, I’m guessing “Titillating.” Cinnamon LaRoche and Gabbi Haze also appear. HAMBURGERMARYS.COM

MARCH 6

KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE, AB TOWN CENTER The second of Anact’s Act Up drive-in events, Knock Down The House documents the highs and lows of running for office. While there, learn more about how you can run for office here in Northeas Florida. ANACT.COM 35

FOLIO-KU HERES THE DEAL:

FOLIO CROSSWORD 5

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T O W B A M A B R A D S A N E L P S L D O P

G U R U

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@FOLIOWEEKLY

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1 ‘60s psychedlic 2 Splat kin 3 Wise guy 4 26-down native 5 Oreo maker 6 Geronimos Tribe 7 Furry Friends 8 CSX Big Wig 9 A1A construction sign 10 “Turn up the A/C” 11 Bad bacteria 12 Succinct 13 Rick Scott, After Gov. 21 Tall and Lean 22 Cloud chopper 25 O’Hara Home 26 Mideast Nation 27 Walk in the surf 28 Duke or earl 29 Oolong, for one 30 Small ammo

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DOWN

32 Spanish ayes 33 Golden Rule word 34 Adam’s Apple site 35 I-95 crack filler 37 French name 38 Like notebook paper 40 Jaguars Foe 41 Fist Fight 42 Warm and cozy 43 Neptune, EG 44 Blue Hue 45 Cupid’s teammate 46 Crosses one’s fingers 49 Salon worker 50 “Faster! Faster!” 51 Right on a FL map 52 UNF Sports org. 53 Little cut 54 Clasic British Sports Cars 57 Folio bosses, briefly

A N I E U D T S

1 Daytona Beach-Based womans links org. 5 Mane spot 9 Counts calories 14 Ask a loaded question 15 Britton Hill, in FL, eg. 16 Miss FL pageant host 17 Kids TV explorer 18 Diminish 19 Rose barb 20 Duval County ____ 23 Tray type 24 Navel Variety 25 St. Johns ___ 30 Mali’s capital 31 Anthem contraction 32 Bird feeder food 36 Bucaneers QB 37 Magic grp. 38 Mrs. Pual Mccartney 39 Fit to be tried 40 Online chuckel 41 Ivanka, to Eric 42 Florida ____ 44 sneeze sound 47 Lake City-to-Yullee dir. 48 Jacksonville___ 54 Childhood Ailment 55 Jellystone Park Bear

56 Teen woe 58 Apt rhyme of “meet” 59 Casue of star wars? 60 Verbalized 61 First Atlantic hurricane to acrrue $1B in damage 62 Took a JTA bus 63 Bugle Call

D E U A T S I N

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ACROSS

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S U

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Solve this puzzle like a regular sudoku, but instead of using numbers, use the letters E-D-A-U-S-T-I-N (for former Jacksonville Mayor Ed Austin).

N C A A

D I E M T H O O U T R S L I I S N I E D E A S T

S U N R I S E

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N A A P B A L I C A S H N C E K O N Y L O T I M O O A N D S Y E T Y R

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SPORTS STUFF KERRY SPECKMAN

CAN YOU PICKLE THAT?

The West Coast sport is growing in Jacksonville, and it’s a pretty big dill.

Kerry Speckman

To the uninitiated, “pickleball” might sound some weird appetizer your grandmother brings to family picnics. Or a gala for gherkin lovers. What it actually is, however, is a sport. And not just any sport but one of the fastest growing recreational sports in the U.S. with almost 3.5 million regular players, a 650% increase since 2013. So how is it that a game made up in the ‘60s by a couple of dads to entertain their bored kids become the biggest thing in sports in years, yet so many people have never even heard of it? Often described as a combination of tennis, ping-pong and badminton, pickleball is played on a hard, flat surface that resembles a mini-tennis court using solid paddles, typically made of wood, composite or graphite, to hit plastic perforated balls (think Wiffle balls) across a net. Sure, it might not sound like the most exciting sport in the world, but what makes pickleball so popular is its accessibility—and inclusivity. With only 1,500 square feet of total playing space—compared to a 2,808-square-foot tennis court—the game

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is inherently more appealing to individuals who aren’t exactly in their athletic prime and/or those with physical limitations (having at least one bum knee is practically a requirement for taking up the sport). It’s easy to learn for beginners but can also be fast-paced and highlycompetitive for more experienced players. The financial investment is minimal with paddles starting around $30 (be advised: you get what you pay for), a couple of bucks for balls and some court shoes. And no fancy club membership required. (Bonus: it’s the perfect sport during a pandemic since players are usually at least six feet apart from each other, even when playing with a partner.) Verna Griffin became acquainted with the sport 12 years ago in South Florida, and it was, ahem, lob at first sight (heads up: picklers love wordplay). Unfortunately, pickleball hadn’t yet caught on in Northeast Florida, so she had to buy the equipment, as well as learn the rules, lingo and netiquette all online. She also had to find a place to play. The Neptune Beach resident, however, was undeterred and made a pact

with three friends to meet at a nearby city park and bring a friend. Within a month, 45 people were playing pickleball every Saturday at the Isle of Palms Park in San Pablo, even more impressive considering there were no actual pickleball courts there. Since then, she and other volunteers (launched a website for all things related to Northeast Florida pickleball— pickleballbythesea.com—while building the sport’s participation at public parks to an estimated 4,000. She has also become a certified pickleball instructor, a USA Pickleball ambassador and the de facto Godmother of Pickleball in Jacksonville. “There are so many benefits to [playing] pickleball. It’s a multigenerational game. We have players from 8 to 96,” Griffin said. “It has health benefits because any kind of movement is so important.” One player, she said, has lost 60 pounds playing. And then there’s the social aspect. Perhaps the best example of pickleball’s popularity in Jacksonville, not to mention the obsessiveness of its players, is Andy Zarka.

After giving up running (because bad knees) and cycling (boring), he discovered pickleball in 2019 and found it the perfect way to stay active, feed his competitive spirit and rekindle the sense of camaraderie he found playing pick-up basketball in high school and college. But playing locally four times a week wasn’t enough to satisfy his craving. “In a caffeine-filled, sleepless night, I decided I was going to open a pickleball store,” he recalled. “So I texted a friend [in the business] and asked him if it was the worst idea he ever heard. He agreed but said I should do it anyway.” Zarka, who also owns European Street Cafe, opened Jax Pickleball in San Marco last year. The sports boutique is the only store in North Florida dedicated specifically to pickleball carrying everything from equipment and apparel to bumper stickers and nutritional supplements (Pickleball Cocktail, anyone?). A self-admitted pickleball addict, he said he just wants to see the game grow. “I see it’s benefit socially and healthwise,” he said. Suffice it to say, thanks to Griffin and Zarka, pickleball is a pretty big dill. ANDY ZARKA PLAYING PICKLEBALL AND DETAIL OF THE BLUE COURT AND NET. JOHN ALOSZKA 41 41

YOU BELONG IN THE GREEN MARKET PLACE

SUSTAINABILITY COACH

The North Florida Green Chamber makes being green cool and convenient. Our creative tools and innovative programs bring our business community together on green initiatives while connecting you with thoughtfully sourced resources, news and data.

JOIN A COMMUNITY MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Become a North Florida Green Chamber member today!

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BUYERS’ CLUB

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ADVOCACY

BE BOLD. GO GREEN. TO LEARN MORE, VISIT NORTHFLORIDAGREENCHAMBER.ORG 42

ADULT ADVICE SHARI AND TERRY JAYMES

POLYAMOROUS SON IS HE TOO YOUNG TO KNOW HE CAN’T SETTLE DOWN? REPLY: TERRY: That sounds about right. SHARI: Victoria, you have yourself a player (or at least at this stage of his life). It’s way too early yet to see how this will play out since he hasn’t had a chance to see what kind of girls will agree to this arrangement. But they are out there! TERRY: You have to admit it. It’s pretty funny in a cute kinda way. I have had quite a few friends who have said the same thing. In fact, there was a time in my life that I wondered if I could be dedicated to one woman. You ladies really know how to put a spell on a guy. SHARI: When I think about what I thought when I was 14, I cringe. I probably thought I’d have a couple kids because

DEAR DUMBS,

that’s what society expected. But as I grew older, I realized

I’m a single mother to a 14 year old boy. I do my best to

that children just wasn’t my thing. Most likely your son is going

answer all his questions, however there are many I can’t handle.

to change his mind - a lot. I think the best thing for you to do

For example: He hasn’t had a girlfriend. Still too young for that. However he informed me that a lot of girls think that he’s nice and helpful. He says he loves every one of them and because of that, he believes he won’t be able to love only one girl when he gets older.

is relax and set a good example for him and womankind in general. If you’re in a long term relationship, show him (don’t tell - never works) that it can be rewarding. TERRY: From a man’s point of view I’m here to tell you that there’s nothing to be concerned about. Like I said, every guy I know has thought this at one point. I’ve seen guys take this into their 40’s which gets kind of sad. But even with those guys, there’s that one woman (maybe two or three) that comes

What are your thoughts?

into their life that changes their mind. Maybe tell him that his VICTORIA

feelings are perfectly normal and everything will change when

JACKSONVILLE BEACH

he meets the right woman. Get ready for a fun ride Victoria.

YOU’RE ALREADY HERE. POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS ARE, TOO. With a reach of over 200,000 people each issue, Folio puts your business all over town. TERESA@FOLIOWEEKLY.COM

FULL CREATIVE

INTRODUCTORY RATES

DIGITAL 43