40 minute read
This and That
This & tHAT i
Leanne Morgan-The Big Panty Tour at the MPAC
Leanne’s style of comedy combines her southern charm and hilarious story telling about her own life into an act that keeps them coming back for more. As a stay-at-home, mother of three with a husband, people are always accusing her of spying on them because she seems to be living the same life that they do. The fact that everyone can relate to her comedy has made her a hit even among the strangest of audiences. Friday, July 24, 2020 7 pm. Tickets: $32. For more info visit www.mpaconline.org
Congressman Trey Gowdy to speak at Faulkner’s Annual Benefit Dinner
Faulkner University announced former Congressman Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, as the speaker for this year’s Faulkner Annual Benefit Dinner during a press conference held on Tuesday. President Mike Williams revealed the news on Montgomery’s campus. “Congressman Gowdy was entertained as a potential member of the President’s legal team for the impeachment proceedings, so he’ll have a lot to say that is relevant to what Montgomerians are talking about and thinking about as we think about the future of our nation,” Williams said. Since it began more than 40 years ago, Faulkner University’s Annual Benefit Dinner continues to be a longstanding tradition and a red-letter event on the social calendar for Montgomery and the River Region, selling out to nearly 2,000 guests. This year’s Benefit Dinner will be hosted at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center on October 1. Over the years, Faulkner has brought renowned politicians, journalists, athletes, coaches, comedians and astronauts to speak in Montgomery. Gowdy will bring his political experience as a member of Congress while also serving on the Judiciary Committee, Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Intelligence Committee, Education and the Workforce Committee and Ethics Committee on current issues from Capitol Hill to the River Region for what will be an exciting night. “We have hosted the Annual Benefit Dinner for years and have attracted renowned thought-leaders to speak in Montgomery to address timely and relevant topics,” Williams said. “Faulkner strives to bring provocative speakers who would not ordinarily be introduced to our citizens here to talk about these topics.” For tickets call 334.386.7257, or visit www.faulkner.edu/gowdy.
Capital City Master Gardener Association presents Lunch & Learn 2020 the 1st Wednesday of Every Month from 12-1 pm. They meet at the Armory Learning Arts Center, 1018 Madison Avenue, Downtown Montgomery. Autauga County Master Gardener Association presents Lunch & Learn 2020 the 1st Thursday of Every Month from 12-1 pm. They meet at the Trinity United Methodist Church, 610 Fairview Avenue, Prattville 36066. Elmore County Master Gardener Association presents Lunch & Learn 2020 the 2nd Tuesday of Every Month from 12-1 pm. They meet at the First Presbyterian Church, 100 West Bridge Street, Wetumpka 36092. For information, please contact the Montgomery County Extension Office 334.270.4133. Also visit www.capcitymga.org.
With schools, offices, museums, and archives closed and social distancing recommended, we’ve gathered links to Alabama resources on this site so you can explore our state's history from the comfort of your couch. We’ll be adding new content and virtual opportunities often, so be sure to check the site regularly. We hope this resource will make staying home and doing your part to protect your community a little easier. Presented by the Alabama Department of Archives & History. Thanks to our History@Home Partners: Alabama Bicentennial Commission, Alabama Heritage, Alabama Historical Association, Alabama Museum of Natural History, Alabama Public Television, Alabama State Council on the Arts, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities, Encyclopedia of Alabama, Historic Blakeley State Park, Historians Manifesto, History Museum of Mobile, McWane Science Center, Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, University of Alabama Museums, University of South Alabama Archaeology Museum, Wiregrass Museum of Art. www.alabamahistoryhome.org Discover Alabama History from the Comfort of Your Couch.
Wednesday, May 20: Hosted by Red Oak Legal, PC: 1:30-3:30 pm at 322 Catoma Street downtown Montgomery. This educational workshop presented by local attorney Raley L. Wiggins covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce and remarriage, nursing homes, long-term care and Medicaid qualification. Registration is required. Call 334-625-6774 today to reserve your seat or register online at www.redoaklegalpc.com. Get Your Affairs in Order, FREE Estate Planning and Asset Protection Workshop
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VIRTUAL CINEMA, SEE MOVIES – SUPPORT THE CAPRI
Kino Marquee is a new initiative that creates virtual theaters for temporarily closed art house cinemas so they can offer their audiences the opportunity to see at home the films that would otherwise be playing on the big screen. The Capri Theatre has chosen to give it a try. Order movies through the Capri Theatre's Virtual Cinema now at www.capritheatre.org. The price of the ticket will be split with the Capri Theatre, and you will have a five-day pass to view the feature (as many times as you like).
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HCA Caregiver of the Month Sherry Johnson
Sherry Johnson started working with our company in February of this year. She hit the ground running and has not stopped. Sherry has proven to be hard working, dedicated and diligent in her role as a caregiver. She has been on time to every assignment and has not missed a day of work. On her days off she will call and ask if there is anything available and will put her needs aside to assist.
Sherry is very kind-hearted, compassionate and gives exceptional service to the clients that she serves. She has gone so far as to do double shifts and on occasion three shifts back to back.
Clients often request her services and she is always ready, willing and available. Whenever we see Sherry, she has a smile on her face, a kind word and has never complained about anything. It has been a pleasure working with and getting to know Sherry, she has proven to be a positive asset to our team. Thank you for your efforts and providing outstanding care to our clients Sherry. Keep up the good work!! For more information visit www.homecareassistancemontgomery.com
During this time of social distancing, our goal at Alabama State
Parks is to continue providing you and your families with fun,
educational, and inspiring programs! We may not be able to
gather together in groups, but we will be using technology to
bring the fun to you and present creative things you can do
outdoors! For all those nature lovers who are unable to visit
one of the beautiful Alabama State Parks due to the COVID-19
precautionary measures, the State Park Naturalists will bring
the parks to you via modern technology. Please visit the
individual Facebook pages at these five parks:
Oak Mountain State Park: www.facebook.com/OakMountainSP/
Lake Guntersville State Park: www.facebook.com/lakeguntersvilleSP/
Gulf State Park: www.facebook.com/GulfStatePark/
DeSoto State Park: www.facebook.com/DeSotoSP/
Cheaha State Park: www.facebook.com/CheahaStatePark/
These virtual programs will be an assortment of Live Facebook
videos, short videos, photos, park stories, pictures, and maybe a challenge or two. Go to the Facebook pages for the five individual parks and look for the State Parks Naturalists’ content. The State Parks Naturalists have also created a survey to determine what type of content best suits the viewers. Take the survey. Of course, if you have one of Alabama’s wonderful State Parks nearby, we encourage visitors to take part in the many self-guided activities that provide social distancing, including camping, fishing, hiking, birding, biking and more. Please visit www.alapark.com for more information on the opportunities to explore our natural wonders as well as the precautions taken by Alabama State Parks to minimize the exposure for park visitors. Thanks for your support!
Alabama Book Festival Postponed
Alabama Humanities Foundation announced that the Alabama Book Festival set for April 18 in Old Alabama Town, Montgomery, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis. “As our state and nation face the pandemic of COVID-19, or coronavirus, social responsibility has become the guiding principle in how we deal with this looming crisis,” said AHF Executive Director Armand DeKeyser. “It is incumbent upon each of us, as individuals and as groups and organizations, to take precautions that might seem extreme but are aimed at slowing the rate of people who are infected. It is with that thought in mind that Alabama Humanities Foundation wants to do its part in the effort to keep people safer,” he said. Recommendations issued by the Centers for Disease Control against gatherings of more than 10 people contributed to the postponement. “Our plan is to reevaluate at a later date and reschedule this important literary event for our state,” DeKeyser said. Across the state and nation, similar postponements and cancellations are being done in an effort to curb the escalation of COVID-19. It has been declared a pandemic, and President Donald Trump has declared it a National Emergency. In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey has declared a state of emergency and ordered schools closed for two and a half weeks. Colleges and universities, as well as the community college system, have moved to online class delivery. “Critical steps to ensure the public is better protected are being taken throughout the country. At Alabama Humanities Foundation, we appreciate the support given to all of our events, grants and programs, but our number one role right now is one of social responsibility,” DeKeyser said. Along with Alabama Humanities Foundation, stakeholders for the 15th annual Alabama Book Festival include: Alabama State Council on the Arts, Alabama Public Library Service, Alabama Public Television, Alabama Writers Forum, Montgomery City-County Public Library, Alabama Center for the Book, Troy University, Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Endowment for the Arts Big Read and Regions.
Local Woman announced as Ms. Alabama Senior America 2020
Rev. Rose H. McCall was recently announced as the representative to Ms. Senior America, receiving the title of Ms. Alabama Senior America 2020. Rose is a native of Montgomery, Alabama and a graduate of Huntingdon College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. Ordained into the Ministry in May of 2012 at Hutchinson Miss. Baptist Church, she currently serves at the Maggie Street Missionary Baptist Church as an Associate Minister, designs and updates all church Facebook pages and is studying for her Doctorate in Ministry, after a break for her health in 2018. Rose’s family has its roots and beginnings in the soil of Lowndes County, Alabama, where she has traced them as far back as 1825 to her father’s great, great, great grandfather. Rose is an “active” retiree working with the Maggie Women’s Ministry and ACTS Food and Clothing Pantry, serving the local community’s food and sustenance needs, providing food and clothing through charitable donations given by the church family and their participation in the Montgomery Area Food Bank. Rose has been a Pageant Judge for more than 30 years, judging pageants on the local, State and National levels including the Miss America System (Alabama and Georgia prelims) and NAM State prelims. She is also a former member of the Alabama Junior Miss Board of Directors, serving from 2005 - 2010. During this time, she also worked for the Federal Government as a Civilian at Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Air Force Station, working in Graphics and Audiovisual Communications, followed by five years at the Central Alabama Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. Rose has devoted her year of service to her platform - "Nowhere to Live: The Homeless Crisis in America". The goal of her platform for the next three years is to develop a program for homeless women and children and Veterans in Alabama and beyond, because nothing is being addressed in this country to give people a secure place to live. In her hometown of Montgomery alone, the eviction rate is 12- 15 families a week. As the first footprint toward her goal, Rose made social and personal contacts with the Montgomery Housing Authority, Alabama State Legislators, The Montgomery County and Lowndes County Chambers of Commerce and Civic Leaders and several churches, to develop a chain of resources that can be used to move people forward, from hopeless and homeless to rebuilding a life for survival. Rose spends her “free time” completing her studies for her Doctorate in Ministry, working with the Women’s Ministry at church and the Food Bank Ministry. Rose’s hobbies include reading and collecting books, sewing, painting, drawing and public speaking. She is the mother of two children, Christopher, age 30 and Shannon, age 26. Rose's philosophy is: "Never give up on your DREAMS"!
FREE Do you suddenly feel like a longdistance grandparent because of the new “social-distancing” laws and guidelines facing our world today? We have gathered ideas from some of our most creative grandparents among our Ministry Partners to share with you to add to your grandparenting toolbox. Many of you are already long-distance grandparents, so these tools will be a blessing to you whether there are “social-distancing” requirements or not. Visit www.christiangrandparenting. net/shop/grandparents-shelter-inplace-activity-list/ to download your free activity list. Be intentional in your relationship with your grandchildren.
Someone’s Grandchild Needs Your Support
Alison Krauss concert set for Sept. 8 at Montgomery Performing Arts Centre
Bluegrass artist Alison Krauss is the latest to get a confirmed date at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre. Krauss will perform September 8 in a 7:30 pm show. Before coronavirus restrictions hit, she was to perform in June. A native of Decatur, Illinois, Krauss’ work as a bluegrass-country singer and musician has earned her an amazing 27 Grammy Awards, and 42 nominations. She’s had major hits with songs like “When You Say Nothing At All,” “New Fool,” “Looking in the Eyes of Love,” “Let Me Touch You For A While,” and many more. Her latest album Windy City was released in 2017. Tickets to the MPAC show range from $76.50-$126.50. The MPAC box office is open Monday-Friday, 10 am - 5 pm. You can reach them at 334-481-5100 or visit www.mpaconline.org.
Community Senior Life Keeps Its Communities Connected During COVID-19
Residents, resident families and employees of senior living communities are experiencing a lot of fear and anxiety surrounding COVID-19. While it may be impossible to fully alleviate fear, CSL believes that overcommunicating helps. “With the dynamic circumstances surrounding this outbreak, there is a lot of stress between our residents, resident family members, and our employees,” says Nick Wilmott, Vice President of Community Senior Life (CSL). “Our strategy is to be as transparent as possible and overcommunicate how operations are adapting.” CSL communities email resident families directly, print notices for residents, post communications to their web blog, hosted Facebook Live updates, posted photos and videos of resident daily lives, set up video chats, and even created a messaging portal where friends and family can leave messages for their loved ones. CSL believes it’s important for communication to go both ways – from the community out and outside the community in. “Facebook has been a very positive platform. It’s important to our residents, families, and CSL team to facilitate organic engagement in a time where we can’t be face-to-face,” Wilmott said. “We’ve started using the hashtag #spreadlovenotgerms and we take that to heart when we post. We really want our message to be positive and informative.” Although, at this time, no coronavirus cases have been diagnosed in any Community Senior Life locations the virus is affecting every aspect of day-to-day operation and each are adjusting and communicating the evolving, escalating threat of COVID-19. EastChase Senior Living located at 1775 Halcyon Blvd is owned and operated by Community Senior Life. You can follow all of their communications by following them on Facebook and subscribing to their blog: https://blog.communityseniorlife.org/.
During his Roaring Twenties heyday, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote three stories about the belles of Tarleton, Georgia, a setting readers recognized as a thinly veiled version of his wife Zelda Sayre's hometown of Montgomery, Alabama. In different ways, the heroines of these tales—Sally Carol Happer in "The Ice Palace," Nancy Lamar in "The Jelly-Bean," and Ailie Calhoun in "The Last of the Belles"—rebel against Southern expectations of women, revel in the newfound freedoms young people enjoyed at the outset of the modern age, and ultimately discover that home is far harder to run away from than they ever expected. Remarkably, although these minor masterpieces have long been regarded as among the very best of the 160-plus short stories Fitzgerald published during his short life, the stories have never (until now) been published as a trio. Gathered here to commemorate the centennial of both Scott and Zelda's 1920 marriage and the beginning of the Jazz Age they symbolize, All of the Belles captures all the winsome qualities readers love about F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing: the keen observation of manners, the comic insights, the lyricism, and the poignant, powerful sense of loss. To order your copy visit www.newsouthbooks.com
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BOOM! COVER PROFILE Tonya Terry, Life is Good, Live It!
This month’s cover profile is TV Personality and entrepreneur, Tonya Terry. Many of you know Tonya through her work as an anchor for WSFA’s Today in Alabama. She has a wake-up call every morning at 3:30 so she can prepare to help thousands of viewers wake up and start their days. Described as an effervescent fireball, this Alabama native is a "Southern Socialite" who loves all things family, friends, fashion and TROY University football. Tonya recently turned 50 and hasn’t shied away from the big 50, even a little bit. She loves her life and she knows how to live it! Blessed with a dream job at WSFA, Tonya has also ventured into the world of fashion by developing the WonderFULL World of Fashion, an annual show that features only plus-sized models. She says it is a way to show these ladies they are beautiful just the way God made them. If you’ve been watching Tonya through the years you know how comfortable she makes you feel. She’s relatable and fun, a valuable part of the River Region and now that she has turned 50 we’re excited to feature her in this month’s Cover Profile. She shared some of her life’s story with us recently and just listening to her describe her life was a sweet dose of enthusiasm and inspiration. We enjoyed getting to know her in a deeper way than what we usually see through our TV screens and we think you will too. We hope you’ll share Tonya’s story with friends and family too.
BOOM!: Please give us a brief biography, i.e. where you’re from, education, what brought you to the Montgomery area, did you raise your family here, schools, married, family, etc.?
Tonya: I was born in Washington DC, but I grew up in Troy, Alabama. I went all the way through the Troy City School System and went to Troy University (Troy State back then). I came to Montgomery for a job at WSFA back in 2002 and raised my family here for the most part. I have three sons; my oldest son is Ryan my middle son is Reggie and my baby is 21 years old and his name is AJ. I have four grandchildren my oldest son Ryan has three, Raylan, Riley and Malachi and my middle son Reggie, who's 27 has a daughter named Anna Marie Grace. I am a new Fiftysomething (50 years) and I live in Downtown Montgomery…and I’m loving it! BOOM!: You’ve been anchoring WSFA’s morning show, Today in Alabama since 2002, please tell us how you got started with your broadcasting career and WSFA? What is it you like most about working on Today in Alabama? Describe the relationship you have with your viewers/fans? What it’s like working with Judd Davis? Tonya: I started my broadcasting career at WTBF radio a country station in my hometown of Troy. I read the news there in the mornings before I went to school and then I got a weekend gig where I played oldies, it was called something like Down Memory Lane. I played really old songs like from the 30s and 40s. It was pretty fun. I really got into country music then which was probably pre-Shania Twain, more like Tonya Feelin' the Move
the Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt and Diamond Rio days. It was just a great time in country music, so I was glad to be a part of country radio back then.
I started working with WSFA in 2002 after working for other television stations including a five-year stint in Huntsville. What I like most about working for Today in Alabama are the people, the crew that makes all of us on-air folks look so good. They work hard each and every day to make that
happen. Viewers don’t realize what goes into a successful broadcast each day and we owe it all to the crew. They’re like my TV family, a cohesive unit with a great sense of humor, really smart, most of them are younger than me… together they help me keep up with what’s happening, Tonya celebrates her Golden Birthday; Fifty & Fabulous
what’s fun, what’s hip and cool. The other thing I like about WSFA is the heritage, that legacy of people that I grew up watching like Bob Howell and Kim Hendrix, Phil Snow, Dan Atkinson. You know, I work in the same place I used to watch Young World in! My relationship with the viewers is a very viewer/ anchor relationship for me, a lot of the people that I have come to know here in Montgomery are also viewers and they’ve become friends of mine. I like to be the person that they can depend on when they're waking up and rubbing the sleep out of their eyes to tell them what happened while they were sleeping and I like for them to come to me with their concerns and I address that as well. What is it like working with Judd Davis? It's a hoot! It is so much fun, he's like my brother from another mother and has been there for me in some of the most difficult times and I've tried to be there for him as well. He is my friend, I love him. I love the people that I work with but Judd and I have a special bond I think in that we have been working together for so long, 15 years together, I can lean on him professionally and personally and I hope that he feels the same about me. Judd is so funny, I laugh every day and he makes it a joy to come to work, he's an awesome person I'm so glad that he's my co-anchor and I hope that never changes! BOOM!: Looking back who were some of the most influential people to help you with your achievements? Tonya: I have to say the people that really helped me along the way had to be my teachers. There were many people that helped me along the way but most of them were in the education field. They were the teachers who I spent most of my day with, my mother was an educator, so I have to say it was the teachers who told me that nobody can take this away from you, you learn this, you take this with you wherever you go. It really taught me to be a well-rounded person, to know a little bit about a lot of things and this helped me so much in broadcasting. From my first-grade teacher Miss Tatum all the way through one of my Troy University instructors Dr. Padgett, Steve Padgett at Troy and the Chancellor of Troy University, Jack Hawkins, oh my gosh one of my favorite people in the world. I have to say also, even though they weren't in the broadcast business, my parents and other people, the elders in the community who wanted us to succeed and wanted us to do the right thing and taught us to respect people and taught us how to be nice to people and what it meant to be a good citizen, a good steward. I am blessed to have had those people in my life who helped raise me and helped me become who I am and who are also some of my most loyal viewers. BOOM!: As an anchor at WSFA, you have conducted hundreds of interviews, what are the ingredients for conducting successful interviews? Tonya: Making that person feel comfortable. When people are done with an interview with me and they tell me, “that was so much easier than I thought” or “you made me feel so good”, “I was so relaxed, I was so nervous at first but you made me feel so comfortable”. That is the biggest compliment that I can receive because I know they don't do this every day like I do. Even those that do it every day, it's not with me, it's a totally different location, it's a totally different topic, it's whatever… so you just assume that that person has an agenda. They have a point that they want to get Tonya with her sons AJ, Ryan and Reggie
Tonya with Co-Anchor Judd Davis, WSFA's Today in Alabama Tonya's Grands: Railyn, Rylee, Malachi and AnnaMarie Grace
across, usually an event they want to talk about or promote or some issue that is near and dear to them they want to talk about, so you give them that opportunity. I want them to feel like they've been heard, and they've been respected and that they've got their point across and they were comfortable. That’s the most important aspect of a good interview. BOOM!: You work with fashion retailer, Vivian O’Nay and you created the WonderFULL World of Fashion show that features plus-sized models, please share your ideas on fashion and style? Tonya: I love love love Charla, the owner of Vivian O’Nay, I admire her sense of taste and her sense of style. That's why I wanted to go work there. It's a great little part-time gig but I also like the people there, the atmosphere is a funtastic place to work because there are so many lovely, fashionable things, but the people who work and shop at Vivian O’Nay’s are great to spend time with. The WonderFULL World of Fashion got started ten years ago when myself and a couple of other young ladies thought, we don't see ourselves, as plus-sized women, represented on runways. We would go to our friend’s fashion shows and support them and love them, but we didn't see any people that look like us, maybe there was one token fit girl and that was it. So, we decided we can do better than that, we wanted a whole group of beautiful curvy confident stylish women up on that stage so that's where WonderFULL with two L's World of Fashion came from. I'm so proud that we did that, and it's been so successful and we're getting ready to celebrate our 10th anniversary in October of this year, it's been amazing. My idea on fashion and style is simply what makes you feel good! Life is too short and trends are for babies, I think once you get to be 50 years old, once you get to be a certain age, you get a certain level of confidence, you know what looks and feels good on your body. That's what you should go for. I don't care who says denim is in style or this kind of shoe is in style or what, I'm going to wear what makes me feel good and what works for me. So that's how my sense of style works. Whatever color Looks good on me, whatever style looks good on me and if I want to wear an evening gown and have sneakers on underneath that’s OK. By the time you get to 50 years old you really don't care what anybody says. You might bling those things out, put a little glitter on them or something like sparkles or sequins to make them look a little bit trendier, but other than that it's whatever makes you feel and look good! BOOM!: What are you most passionate about? Tonya: Life! Living oh my gosh it's like a passion fruit like a fruit that you want to squeeze the most out of. Because we all know none of us is promised tomorrow. My first 50 years of life have passed, and it seems like in a blink and I daresay if you ask other people about me, they will say I live my life to the fullest and that is my passion. I want to get all I can out of this life, I really do. BOOM!: How do you like to relax and wind down from a full day’s activities? Tonya: I love to read. I have a lot of my favorite books around me all the time, one the most recent ones I read was The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton who is one of the people that EJI (Equal Justice Initiative) helped get out of prison for something he did not do. His spirit is amazing. A Raisin In The Sun, one of my absolute all-time favorite books and then I have this one about my favorite recording artist called Prince: Inside the Music and the Masks. Books make me so happy that's why I like to read. I also like to catch up on TV shows and most of the time do that on the weekends. I try to exercise, I'm not some body builder obviously, but I like to take a walk, fresh air is really good for me and I talk to my friends during that time. I try to do that at least three days a week in Downtown Montgomery. Being healthier has changed my life and I can't stress that enough. I also get together with my friends for lunch or dinner or a glass of wine. I like to be around people that I like to be around.
BOOM!: What are some of your favorite travel experiences? Favorite vacation spot? Any travel dreams planned? Tonya: Favorite travel experiences last year include many places where I went following these young dancers that I have absolutely fallen in love with. They're called Les Twins and are identical twin brothers from Paris. They toured with Beyonce and I found out who they Tonya with Sister, Sunya, Brother, James and Dad
Tonya With Family Celebrating Grandfather Charlie Terry's 100th Birthday!
were when they competed on World of Dance and eventually won on WSFA on NBC. Their names are Laurent and Larry Nicolas Bourgeois and they are in their young thirties, two of the best dancers I've ever seen in my life. They do workshops all over the world and I have been to a few of them I don't dance with them although I've always loved to dance but if you saw them you would see why. One of my favorite workshop locations was in Montreal, Canada. I've become friends with them, and I love them so much.
My favorite vacation spot hands down, I would retire there today if I had the money, would be Jamaica! I feel like I'm from there, I feel home when I'm there, I love the people, I love the food, the music, I love the climate, the water is so blue and the sand is so white…it's just a beautiful tropical magical place. Stateside it would be New Orleans, it's the quirkiest most fun place that you ever wanted to be. I've met some of the coolest people, great jazz music, the food, so New Orleans but ultimately Jamaica.
As far as travel dreams, I went to Italy years ago, actually my first flight ever in my life, was to Venice and I went over there because my boyfriend at the time who eventually became my husband was stationed there with the army in a place called Vicenza. I would love to go back and see it through these 50 year old eyes!
BOOM!: Tonya Terry is a “Brand”, you’re a TV personality, author, speaker…how would you describe Tonya Terry, the person?
Tonya: Actually, “Very Tonya Terry” is the brand . Tonya Terry as the person is eclectic, I'm a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To myself I'm an introvert with extrovert tendencies. I love to be around the people I love to be around, I just don't love crowds, being out with a lot of people that I don't know like clubs or Mardi Gras or other big events like that. I do want to go to the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival but even that kind of makes me uncomfortable. As Tonya Terry the person, I’m cool, I’m pretty cool, maybe a better description would be I’m “dope”, as they say. BOOM!: You have spoken on how the media impacts the African American culture; would you share some of your ideas on this topic? Tonya: I think that it gives us an outlet to show who we are and how we're special and how amazing we are. But it also has held us back as African Americans for many years because we allowed the media to say who we were or tell us who we are and what was beautiful, and it didn't necessarily look like us. I've heard it said in the past the media wanted our rhythm but not our blues. Now, I don't see that as much especially with African American women. I see them as being assertive and saying this is who I am and I love her and you should love her and if you don't that's your problem, that's what I see now. Not as much as I used to see growing up. Now I see African American culture being given the outlet and the praise and accolades it deserves and has deserved for so many years in music, movies, literature, in politics and in every aspect of life. Education is an example, when you see successful movies being made like, Hidden Figures, it’s about people that were making amazing things happen and they looked like me, I didn't hear about that in my history classes my whole life, ever. But now my granddaughter will, so it's coming around. Finally, there's so many of us in the media now and I think that's what's making the difference on how the African American culture is impacted by the media. Tonya and the WonderFULL World of Fashion Models WSFA's Amanda Curren, Sally Pitts and Tonya
Les Twins My Favorite Celebrities
BOOM!: What is it about living in the Montgomery/ River Region area that you like? What do we need more of?
Tonya: As I mentioned before, I live downtown and I'm seeing a lot of the things happening downtown that we need citywide. Places for people to go and do and hang out and eat and just commune just be together because I think if you're not around people of different backgrounds and socioeconomics and religions and things like that you'll never be able to appreciate those differences. I think Montgomery offers that in pockets but it would be nice if we had a little bit more of it altogether. I think we've been living off our history here, Civil Rights and Civil War history, things like that. But EJI (Equal Justice Initiative) has spun that around on its head. I think EJI having the Legacy Museum and the Memorial for Peace and Justice has changed the game, it has shown that you can have something completely new and revolutionary and still have it do very well if it's run and done right. I love our Mayor Steven Reed. I love the fight that he is fighting, I love that he's just getting started and what a start he's had to have under these circumstances we're all having to deal with right now with the corona virus outbreak and the education system here in Montgomery being in shambles. When he was elected so many different things were happening that he is trying to turn around and change with innovative new ideas. It's wonderful to watch, it's a great time to be alive Tonya is Loving Life and living in Montgomery. I love Montgomery and its history, but I also love what I'm seeing happen and what I am praying continues to happen and grow in this city as it has potential out of this world.
BOOM!: As you’ve aged, how have your priorities changed?
Tonya: My priorities used to be me and what I wanted. Then my children came along, and they were my priority. Now my grandchildren are here, and they are a priority for me. But what I've realized now at 50 is that I can't do anything for them if I don't take care of me. My health is my priority now so when I say I love to travel that's because it makes me feel good and I believe that makes me a healthier person. When I tell you, I read a lot it helps me stay up on my vocabulary and my memory, it helps me be able to talk to a lot of different people about a lot of different things. I do crossword puzzles, word search, things like that because it's not just my physical health but my mental health my emotional health. My health is the biggest priority right now and that changed because my career and my family depend on my health being my priority.
BOOM!: Give us three words that describe you?
Tonya: Kind. I try my best to be kind to people and that's not something you should have to try to do but that is something that I've been striving to do more. To be kind you must consider other people's feelings so kind is a word that I would use to describe me. Smart. I am a smart person I have always been smart, and I don't mean just intellect. I mean just knowing people, knowing how to deal with people, how to navigate this thing called life and feel good about it at the end of the day. I am a smart cookie. Loving. I love my fellow man just because we're all trying to get through every day to the best of our ability and stay on top of things. It's hard out here, I realize that, and I love anybody who's trying to make that work on a day-to-day basis. As a human race I think we need more love and respect for each other so loving would describe me.
BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or other activities that grab your attention?
Tonya: I don’t really have any hobbies per se, the biggest two things I love to do now in my life are to be around the people I love and travel. I don't care where they live where they're going where they want to go let's do it, let's go! It's such a big world out there and I hate it's shut down right now. Travel changed everything for me, getting on a plane and going to another part of the country or world has changed my life and I hope that more people realize this and go experience other people, other cultures, taste other food, music. Travel opens up your whole life it changes your world it expands it and makes the world a smaller place and bigger place all at the same time, it's amazing!
BOOM!: Do you have time to be involved in community, civic or other activities?
Tonya: Most of the organizations that I'm part of are usually professional things to do with my fields of interest. I keep up with The National Association of Black Journalists because it keeps me abreast of what's happening in the industry and how that's changing. I'm not in a sorority or Junior League, organizations like that, because I know what it takes to be a part of those groups if you're going to be a valuable member and I just don't have time. Besides, I do have a three o'clock wake-up call, so I need to get in bed by 7:30 - 8 o'clock at night. So, it just doesn't make sense for me to
involve myself in something unless I have the time and energy to devote to it. I do some speaking at a variety of groups about my experiences if they think that will help, I like to go talk to children at schools, I've been the keynote at this or that or the commencement speaker. I’ve had people come up to me years later after they've gone on to college or to the military and they'll say I remember you spoke and you said such and such…I may not remember what I said but they remember and that's what matters most. I touched somebody, that's something my career allows me the opportunity to do and that’s amazing. Montgomery. This is an exciting time for our viewers and the entire staff at WSFA. We were at our original location for 65 years and now we will become part of the progress Montgomery has been experiencing in downtown with a stateof-the-art broadcast studio, be sure to tune in and watch Judd and myself on Today in Alabama. Tonya on Champs Elysées Avenue in Paris, France
BOOM!: With a busy life, how do you like to spend time with family?
Tonya: We actually play games a lot. I love anything that's going to keep my mind sharp and one of the games we play is called Heads Up we played that a lot because we get to act out things, it's like charades but with an app. I think Ellen DeGeneres actually came up with the app, the game’s been around for a long time. We also like to play board games because it reminds me of my childhood. We play music and dance or watch TV shows like The Voice and Doc McStuffins with the kids. As a family, we’re always up for some fun and sharing a meal.
BOOM!: Many people as they age seek new experiences, a renewed sense of purpose, new goals, even new careers, how would you describe this sense of renewal in your life? Any advice for the rest of us seeking renewal? What’s the future look like for Tonya Terry? How do you view the idea of retirement?
Tonya: Most recently, the whole team at WSFA has been going through a very big renewal. They recently began broadcasting from their new studios at RSA Avenue Dexter Building downtown Personal renewal is something we think about as we age too. I've thought about that because I've been at WSFA for 17 years now and worked at stations in Enterprise, Troy, Dothan and Huntsville before that. I've never left Alabama to work so sometimes I think I would like to do just that, pick up and go to another place, especially now that my children are all grown. Then my grandchildren would have an excuse to get on a plane or get in the car and come visit me. There are so many things out there I think would offer me a sense of renewal. I could write more, travel more, consult and because I live a stone's throw away from the Statehouse I've thought about getting involved in politics! There are so many things I could do, so the sky's the limit. I know I'm not afraid and I think that's what keeps a lot of people from changing, the fear of the unknown. I have no doubt that whenever I'm asked to leave or if I decide to leave WSFA I will land on my feet I'll be just fine and will find something else to fulfill my needs for growth and renewal. Many people seek a financial fulfillment but that's never been my goal. I go to work at WSFA every day and literally feel like somebody should pinch me. It feels like I'm dreaming. I absolutely love what I do so I would just have to find something else that I'm that
passionate about and there are a lot of things out there that I'm sure I could make a difference doing and I’m sure I will one of these days.
Regarding retirement I don't have much of a retirement plan except to maybe learn how to make a few drinks and move to Jamaica, tend bar and live in a little hut down there living out my days drinking rum punch and watching the sunset over that beautiful blue water. That's my retirement plan right now, maybe I'll come up with something better eventually but right now that's it. Follow your heart, follow your dreams. Life's too short and we don't know how much more time we have, so with the time we have left on this beautiful earth let's make the most of it, not just for ourselves but for other people. When you make other people feel good, when you change other people's lives when you make a difference in other people's lives you make them happy you make them smile, you feel that good energy from them and you give it to them in return, that's what life is all about. You'll want a lot more of that the older you get. I see that now; I feel that now and I hope you feel it too. Gosh this life is good just live it, live it!
We want thank Tonya for sharing her story with us in this month's cover profile. If you want to connect with Tonya, watch her in the mornings on WSFA's Today in Alabama or send an email to tonya. terry@wsfa.com. A special thanks to the professionals at Total Image Portraits for making this month and other cover shots the best they can be, you can check them out at www.totalimage.com. If you have questions, comments or suggestions about our cover profiles, including nominating someone, please send them to Jim Watson at jim@riverregionboom. com.
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