Each week online, the Bessie Smith Cultural Center here in Chattanooga features community members reading children’s books - to spur dialogue on race relations.

In Alabama, the Jefferson County Memorial Project - based in Birmingham - remembers the Black men and women killed in racially motivated violence by white mobs in the county during the Jim Crow era. The project’s new executive director is Joi Brown. Recently, I spoke with her about the project’s mission of research, education, advocacy and memorialization - and its future.

Last month, the City of Chattanooga - and our campus, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga - started to offer a comprehensive training in manufacturing, known as the Manufacturer’s Excellence Program.

A training program in Chattanooga for manufacturing jobs. Joi Brown of Alabama’s Jefferson County Memorial Project. Bessie’s Front Porch - and this week’s Talking Writing. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

Richard Winham shares the first part of a virtual performance by Ghanaian drummer Kofi Mawuko and his Ogya World Music Band from Chattanooga’s Barking Legs Theater for a concert by UTC’s Office of Multicultural Affairs as part of their International Night celebration.

Next year, Common House will open in the historic former YMCA building in Chattanooga’s Southside. It calls itself as a social club designed for connection.

In a few weeks, Here Come the Mummies will come back to Chattanooga and perform from the mound of AT&T Field. Friends of the Festival says the concert on Saturday, October 17th will be the first physically distanced live show of this size in this city since the spring.

Mickey McCamish of Chattanooga’s Friends of the Festival. Rob Praino of Common House, coming to Chattanooga. Tennessee Valley StoryCorps - and Barking Legs Theater. These voices - and more - on this edition of “Scenic Roots.”

Today on Tennessee Valley StoryCorps, Shea Brill and Frances McDonald of Mark Making.

Richard Winham shares a virtual performance by Americana singer-songwriters Adam and Chris Carroll from the Mountain Spirit Acoustic Series for the Isis Music Hall in Asheville, North Carolina.