Search Interviews

Two friends discussing growing up in Columbus, Georgia around the downtown area.

"Memories of The Row"

Colleagues Bryan Buckley (34) and Olivia Umoren (29) discuss growing up as the children of immigrants and their careers in health equity.

Friends and coworkers Jazzlyne Jackson (23) and Shinethia Ivey (58) share a conversation about what led them to become teachers, how they ended up working at the same school, the value of connecting with students, and the challenges and rewards...

Coworkers Silvia Bunn (67) and Deborah Clark (60) gather to honor and appreciate Deborah's years of service at the Mildred L. Terry Public Library, the first public library for African Americans in Columbus, GA. Deborah reminisces about coming to the...

Yolanda Lakes (50) sits down with her father, Raymond "Ray" Lakes (72), to ask about his upbringing in Columbus, GA and the world events, as well as personal experiences, that have shaped his current worldview.

Lea Zikmund (23) and her new friend James Douglas Whitfield (69) talk about James' deep religious practices, religious visions he has had, and what he wants his grandchildren to know about living a life of faith.

Kathy Purnell (54) interviews colleague Buddy Hannah (74) about his life and work in the arts, particularly his approach to building and celebrating community through this work.

Jessica Garcia (25) interviews her friend and colleague, Joy Ingram (44), about what led her into advocacy work and the power of storytelling as a survivor of sexual assault and intimate partner violence.

Joshua Liston (33) interviews his wife, Symphony Swan (34), about her life and her use of art and activism as means to archive Black culture and memories through the Black Family Archive Project and Cr8tv House.

Spouses Wanja Ngugi (35) and Steve Rutledge (49) sit down together to tell their love story and express their deep appreciation for one another.

Friends and colleagues, Erma Banks [no age given] and Callie McGinnis (77), discuss their former workplace: Columbus Area Library Association (CALA). They talk about the formation of the organization, pivotal characters in its development, and the events they created to...

Sisters Angela Bates (68) and Cheryl Jones (69) discuss the people who left an impression in their lives. They also reflect on the values of family dinners and honoring the traditions left behind by their parents.

Crystal DeBerry (40) talked with her board members Kristy Smith (45) and Torey DeBerry (43) about the creation of Indomitable Families Affected by Incarceration (IFAM). They discuss why they started and continue this work.

Siblings Betty Brown-Chappell (76) and Ben Brown (68) share memories from growing up on their family farm in the 1950s and 1960s outside of Bangor, Michigan. The two reflect on the collaboration between Black farmers in their community and the...

Best friends Wylene Carol (81) and Floyd Tunson (76) reflect on Floyd’s journey as an eclectic artist, how identity and location factor into success in the art world, and working together for the past 45 years.

Sisters Tammy Henry [no age given] and Tiffiny Benton-Hoke [no age given] sit down with their mother, Wilbertine Calhoun (73), to ask her about the parts of her life story that she has not shared with her daughters. As she...

Delores Thompson [no age given] shares a conversation with her cousin, Davian Chester (28), about the Juneteenth Google Doodle that Davian illustrated and how the reception to that piece of art affected his life and career. Davian also talks about...

Community members and friends Carolyne Edwards (79) and Robbie Jones (62) share memories of growing up in Virginia Avenue Park community.

Spouses, Darius Prather (35) and Leah Prather (27), discuss the work they do as community activists in their home city, Columbus, GA, the changes Columbus is undergoing, and the better future that they hope to help create for their four...

Colleagues and board members of OutFront Kalamazoo Frances Vicioso (34), Regan Hanley (63), and CoCo Marie (46) share their journeys coming into their identities, reflecting on how the queer experience takes shape across different generations and communities. The three also...

Paulette Isaac Napper [no age given] talks with her daughter Tomeka Napper (45) about leaving a record for her grandson so he knows about her life growing up in the south during the 1960s, family traditions, Jim Crow, and black...

Best friends Dee Armstrong [no age given] and Martha Jones [no age given] talk about Martha's career as a teacher, Dee's career as a news anchor, and what makes the two of them such great friends. They also discuss the...

Kymberli Smith (18) and her foster parent Keturah Hardy (45) talk about Kimberli moving in with Keturah while in the foster care system. They discuss their pasts and traumas and what they hope for in the future.

Kinshasa Vargas-Pile (47) talks to her wife, Heather Riley (41), about her love for being a librarian, especially in Baltimore, and the sense of community she has found through it.