originally published in The Chattanooga Times Free Press
We’ve been glued to the news on TV and internet day and night. Definitely time to take a break from holding my breath. What to do? We decided to go to the riverfront, become one with the river’s flow and check out the replicas of Christopher Columbus’ Nina and Pinta. This history buff was fascinated by the ancient boats that sailed the seas. And they brought back fond ocean memories of my island girl youth.
Every year, we struggle to resist the temptation minute to minute to over-sugar ourselves. It begins with Halloween candy and proceeds to Thanksgiving dinner, exploding with holiday eating extravaganzas with the year’s tastiest foods. By the New Year, the scale shows our over-indulgence. It’s no coincidence that 12% of gym members join in January. And it’s discouraging that 80% of New Year’s resolutions disappear in February.
(originally published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press)
Always a fan of international projects, I eagerly attended the recent reception marking Chattanooga’s new collaboration with Ukraine’s city of Trostyanets. What a pleasure to meet its mayor, Yuriy Bova! Mayor Tim Kelly had formalized a cooperative agreement with the war-torn Ukrainian city that’s only 20 miles from the Russian border.
Speaking with Mayor Bova and his interpreter was a real pleasure. I was delighted when he mentioned his desire to be online. I told him about my podcast and asked if he’d like to do an interview. Never imagining that he would say yes, I held my breath as his staff made the arrangements to connect my office in East Ridge with his in Ukraine. Would this actually happen?
Continue reading Ukrainian moment in Chattanooga – by Deborah Levine
Rachelle Zola is a storyteller and advocate for racial equity, known for her 40-day hunger strike in 2021, urging Congress to pass H.R. 40 to create a commission to study reparations for African Americans. Recently, she completed an 825-mile pilgrimage from Chicago to Montgomery, performing her one-woman show, LATE: A Love Story, which explores personal and collective stories about racism in America.
After walking 825 miles from Chicago to Montgomery, hear Rachelle’s stories:
Rachelle invites you to reimagine our shared world as one that celebrates our diversity and freedom to be our authentic selves. Begin by asking just one person today: “What do you want me to know about you?” – if it’s someone you know well, you may want to add “today” – “What do you want me to know about you today?”
See Rachelle’s website: www.late.love
In PART 1, “Near Medgar’s Desk – Mound Bayou,” we chronicled the little- known history of Mound Bayou, Mississippi, the first all-Black town in America founded by ex-slaves. The person who arranged to get us there was Bernard Strong who was born and raised in Mound Bayou. In PART 2, Mr. Strong shares more about our recent trip along with his innermost thoughts about growing up in Mound Bayou.
As a native of Mound Bayou, what were a few thoughts that ran through your mind as we approached, spent time in and left Mound Bayou?
Continue reading Notes from a Native Son – Mound Bayou (Part 2) – by Terry Howard
Delaney Norvor is a pioneering technology expert and advocate for underrepresented professionals, currently serving as the Director of Product Management at the National Apartment Association. Despite facing selective mutism due to dystonia, she excels in managing over $30 million in product assets and leading diverse teams. Passionate about mentorship, Delaney empowers marginalized and disabled individuals to navigate their careers, championing inclusivity and systemic change within the tech industry.
Yuriy Bova is Mayor of Trostyanets, a Ukrainian city just 20 miles from the Russian border that endured occupation for a month. Badly damaged in fighting with Russian forces almost two years ago, Trostyanets is one of six settlements being rebuilt in a pilot program to develop the skills and experience needed for a far broader reconstruction drive.
Trostyanets is now in partnership with the City of Chattanooga whose Mayor Tim Kelly formalized a cooperative agreement with the war-torn Ukrainian city. I met Mayor Bova at a recent reception celebrating the collaboration with many city leaders and organizations like Sister Cities.
Hear Mayor Bova discuss through his translator:
Takeaways:
Originally published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press
Chattanooga is a hub for artists and aways has been. On September 25, ArtsBuild will celebrate 55 years of building our city through the Arts. There will also be a celebration of 10 years of the Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Awards with this year’s awardees: Cam Busch, Rita Lorraine Hubbard, Alan and Norma Mills, and Anna Baker Vancura. Several Holmberg relatives recently visited Chattanooga’s Mizpah synagogue which Ruth and her Ochs family helped create, as they’d done with The Chattanooga Times. Meeting them was a reminder that the past and present are interwoven through our city’s creative souls and their supporters. Whether it’s architecture, visual arts, dance, or music, we have a rich legacy of artists shaping our community. That legacy includes generations of writers, as demonstrated by the local Authors Fair hosted by the downtown public library this past weekend.
Continue reading Celebrating our city’s literary artists – by Deborah Levine
As we get closer to the vote for president, the weariness is overwhelming and calls for a nap. I hate being so tired that I get fussy and cranky. But know that it’s helpful to rest rather than act in that state of mind. I wrote this poem honoring the nap, especially for those whose nerves are frayed and tempers are so hot that you’re tempted to do something really nasty.
Avi Hoffman is a globally renowned award-winning actor, director and producer, and Co-Founder & CEO of Yiddishkayt Initiative, Inc. (YILoveJewish.org)
This is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting Antisemitism through the Arts : Yiddish Saves The World.
Avi was recently awarded Congressional recognition. He was invited to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis and was inducted into the Bronx Jewish Hall of Fame for his lifetime work advancing Jewish culture, Yiddish language and Holocaust awareness.
