I've known Dr. Jerry Woods for nearly three decades, and every time our paths have happened to cross I leave the interaction feeling a little bit better than before. Jerry Woods is the type of person can make you do that. Throughout our conversation on this episode, Dr. Woods discusses growing up in Pinson, Tennessee and attending grades 1-8 in a school district that was still segregated. He was part of the inaugural class of South Side High School and has remained in education nearly the entirety of his adult life. We also discuss his involvement in different aspects of Jackson over the years.

Lisa Williams-Lyons came back to Jackson to make a difference in a community that meant so much to her when she was a child. We open our conversation discussing her connection to Jackson and her experiences spending her summers here with both sets of grandparents. This allowed Lisa to simultaneously experiences two separate socioeconomic cultures in one city. She's carried those memories with her for hears, and they've helped shape how she wants to see Jackson evolve. During our conversation, we discuss our mutual love of travel and how important it is to bring positive aspects of other communities to Jackson.

Mayoral candidate Daryl Hubbard sits down to discuss why he's running to be the Mayor of Jackson, Tennessee. Mr. Hubbard has served as City Court Clerk for a number of years and is extremely passionate about needed changes in the criminal justice system. Mr. Hubbard was engaging and energetic throughout our conversation and his passion for the city is undeniable.

Drew Baker was born and raised in Jackson, Tennessee, and - like all lifelong Jacksonsians - has his story threaded throughout the town. Drew has spent the majority of his adult life in the food service industry, but a battle with alcoholism nearly derailed what has turned out to be one hell of a story. We dive deep into the pain of his addiction and, more importantly, how he stepped out of that darkness and is living a life for which he's extremely thankful. His restaurant is a cornerstone of downtown culture in Jackson with music, barbecue, and the occasional drag show - the progressive South at its best.

Keith Davis has lived a life unlike most Jacksonians. After graduating from Jackson Central-Merry, he attended college in Massachusetts before delving into the arts scene in Los Angeles, New York, and Paris. Keith returned to Jackson in 2014 and began to face a lot of the trauma he experienced as a black male growing up in the south in the 60's. His story is filled with wonderful memories and excruciating trauma.

Throughout our conversation, we explore how traumatic events can attach themselves to our personhoods and begin to affect our mind and body. We discuss Keith's journey in college and onto Los Angeles where he began to address his trauma piece by piece.

When he returned to Jackson in 2014, he once again found himself facing some of the same issues he faced forty years earlier.

I first met Keith when I took one of his yoga classes at The Lift. His teaching was graceful and his spirit was extraordinary. With his involvement in mental, physical, and spiritual wellness, he is truly a treasure in Jackson.

Lauren Kirk is the Chief Innovation Officer for the City of Jackson. If you don't know what that is, Lauren sums it up quite well by saying "My job is to make government better for people."

Over the course of thirty minutes, Lauren and I discuss the work being done by the City of Jackson to ensure that every community member is being served. We talk about investment in certain parts of the community and how public transportation has become more user-friendly in Jackson. We discuss the Love your Block program as well as initiatives to help combat poverty in Jackson.

The process of government isn't always exciting, but the work being done is substantial. Lauren is a perfect example of someone who walks the walk rather than talking the talk....except on this episode when she eloquently explains her role as Chief Innovation Officer of the City of Jackson.

It's our first episode of The Stories We Tell and we couldn't think of a better guest to open our show than Cliff Martin - the man behind the JKSN brand. Chances are, you've seen those four bold letters crisply placed across the front of countless t-shirts in Jackson. There's so much more to Cliff and the culture that he's cultivating in Jackson, though. We dive deep into how he started his business and how he wants to invest in the community around him. He frankly discusses the hustle in college that led to his inspiration for future entrepreneurship. We talk about race, social structures, and the progression of Jackson.   Our town is so fortunate to have people like Cliff who choose to come back to Jackson and invest in the culture and creativity of our city. 

Jackson and Madison County have so many stories to tell and the format of this podcast will allow us to sit down and have a conversation - to dig deep into a person’s story - who they are, what they do, and how it all impacts our city.