[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1458549864192{padding-top: 43px !important;padding-left: 10% !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”4060″ img_size=”large”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Abidemi Kayode: Teach How To Be A Person[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] “I’m deeply concerned with knowledge. How you acquire knowledge, how you use knowledge, and how you disseminate knowledge.” While it might seem unsurprising that an educator would be interested in all these aspects of knowledge, it is clear that Abidemi Kayode, a school administrator, concern runs much deeper than many in his vocation. Unlike the bulk of them, Abidemi isn’t so much concerned with knowledge learned from books and used to pass tests – dates, equations, etc. – as he is with knowledge about oneself and how to navigate the world one finds oneself in. This concern springs from Abidemi’s view that “the true definition of education is once you learn what you learn, you’re able to solve your own problems.” Certainly the knowledge of dates, equations, and definitions can help solve problems, but they’re not the panacea that our educational system and society at large seem to treat them as. Giving students, or “scholars” as Abidemi calls them, just this type of knowledge is “like going to Home Depot and grabbing a hammer. But if I don’t know what to do with that hammer, […]
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[vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1458549864192{padding-top: 43px !important;padding-left: 10% !important;}”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”4375″ img_size=”large”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]April Jones: Finding My Heritage[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]April Jones, artistically known as Sharie LaShell is an R&B recording artist. Her music combines R&B, Neo Soul, Rock, and Pop to create a smooth, light, but powerful sound. She loves to pay homage to the 90’s New Jack Swing period. She has a song that was released around the time of the pandemic that reflects that period. This song features 19-year-old Memphis rapper, Princess Yasmin and it is upbeat and jamming. She encourages the people to embrace as much positivity as they can, get up and dance, and let go of the stress, especially those things you can’t control! She brews her herbal tea, stocked with a blend that would benefit the throat of any vocalist or lyricist. She adds fenugreek, rose hips, lemon balm, and burdock root; all of which were gathered from Maggie’s Farm. She breaks up the tea by grinding it and then begins to strain it for her first cup. Filled with antioxidants and flavonoids, she sips as she speaks of how it gets her prepared to create music. Her smile was constant and bright, her voice engaging and textured. Her singing voice breaking […]
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The MFW History Ambassadors Program – HAP is an interactive, educational experience designed to enhance the knowledge of middle and high school students in underserved neighborhoods around the rich history, heritage, and culture of Memphis and Midsouth. Our Offerings HAP offers a six-week internship experience for students to discover and engage important people, places, and events that have shaped Memphis’ 200-year history. HAP participants will learn about the hidden gems of their neighborhoods, discover local history from the historymakers themselves, and connect with their own story along the way. This experience also offers career pathway trainings for school-aged youth interested in film production, media literacy, and broadcast journalism. Students will receive a modest stipend for completing this internship experience. Our Goal The goal of HAP is to foster a sense of civic and community pride through the cross-pollination of community and neighborhood stories. Thereby, connecting youth with historical and character building knowledge that not only enhances their sense of self and appreciation for the contributions their forebears have made throughout the years, but also instilling a greater sense of pride and ownership in the positive outcome of their future story. Our Process Over the course of six weeks, HAP participants […]
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Verge Memphis In the fall of 2016, we chronicled the musical stories of emerging artists, musicians and producers on a quest to reach new heights with the music careers in one of the most well known music cities in the world, Memphis, Tennessee. Some of the artists featured in the 62 minute film included local favorites Nick Black, Faith Evans Ruch, Marco Pavé, Brennan Villines, Kyndle McMahan, Black Rock Revival, and Keia Johnson. We also featured local DJ’s, studio engineers, music producers and legends like Larry Dodson, Jody Stephens, Tonya Dodson, Kevin Houston, Kirk Whalum, DJ Bay and Kurt KC Clayton, to name a few. And along the way, we met other artists, producers, festival organizers, and music enthusiasts who created beautiful backdrops of this amazing story about our city’s love and appreciation for the Memphis sound and indie grind. Be on the lookout for Verge Memphis Reloaded in 2022!
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Memphis Driven is a Television Talk Series exploring the limitless possibilities of Memphis and the mid-south all over the world. Our first stop was Los Angeles, California back in late 2018 where we met 30 Memphians pursuing their careers in art and entertainment. They each shared their amazing journey to Hollywood, the sacrifices they made to get there and the grit and grind lessons they learned to make it to the top.
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