By Carly Brantmeyer
Carrboro Commons Photo Editor

“I have lived through hell,” said documentary photojournalist Donn Young, while recounting his experiences as a survivor of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the storm that has been deemed one of the nation’s worst natural disasters.

Donn Young, the director and curator of “40 Days & 40 Nights,” holds the project’s signature print, as he sits in his in-home office. Young made the photo after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005.
Staff photo by Carly Brantmeyer

Young moved to Carrboro in August 2008 and recently moved to Chapel Hill last month, after living in New Orleans since the early 1980s.

Last month, he shared with UNC-Chapel Hill lecturer Jock Lauterer’s introductory photojournalism class his journey and mission to archive, restore and preserve his photography and the artwork of other New Orleans artists, for the state of Louisiana and for future generations.

The storm hit on Aug. 29, 2005. Young and his family evacuated on Aug. 27. Despite a sense of hopelessness and destruction after the storm hit, Young said he felt called back to New Orleans.

For years, Young documented human rights, housing projects and jazz musicians.

After Katrina struck, he proposed to the state of Louisiana a vision for a project that would document the face of Hurricane Katrina and the destruction that flooded the city. Young, who became the director and curator for the project, called it “40 Days and 40 Nights.”

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By Katie Reich
Carrboro Commons Staff Writer

Chancellor Charlie Nelms of North Carolina Central University will be speaking at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Chapel Hill this weekend for its fifth annual Men of Destiny conference.

“I’m going to deliver a message about what we must do as men to raise, nurture and mentor a generation of character-centered, service-oriented boys and girls to become leaders in our communities, our state and in our nation,” Nelms said.

The 11 a.m. worship service titled “100 Men in Black” will be held Sunday, April 19, at the church, which is located on the corner of Merritt Mill Road and Franklin Street.

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By Kelsey Kusterer
Carrboro Commons Staff Writer

At the spring opening of the Wednesday Carrboro Farmers’ Market on April 8, a sizable crowd turned out for free seedlings and advice from Tim Stark, author of Heirloom: Notes from an Accidental Tomato Farmer.

Tim Stark, farmer and author of Heirloom: Notes from an Accidental Tomato Farmer, signs a copy of his book for Allison Hayes, a Chapel Hill resident and volunteer at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market. Stark discussed his book and gave advice on gardening to farmers’ market visitors Wednesday.
Staff photo by Kelsey Kusterer

Sarah Blacklin, the farmers’ market manager and a Carrboro resident, said the midweek market starts
each year on the second Wednesday in April when the danger of the last frost passes. The first Wednesday market, located at 301 W. Main St. in Carrboro, was stocked mostly with herbs and baked goods.

“It’s a nice way to break up the week,” said Blacklin of the midweek market.

Blacklin knew that Stark would be attending a public dinner in Chapel Hill at Lantern Restaurant the evening of April 8. When Blacklin approached Stark about hosting a discussion of his book at the farmers’ market, he agreed.

Along with having the chance to speak with Stark, market-goers also had the opportunity to get a free seedling at the market entrance. Local farmers donated a variety of seedlings like bok choy and sun gold tomatoes.

Jane Saiers, a medical writer from Chapel Hill, and Anne Jackson, a portrait artist from Carrboro, came to the Wednesday market for the seedlings and a chance to talk to Stark. They have tried growing tomatoes in the Northside Community Garden, located at 400 Caldwell St. in Chapel Hill.

Blacklin hoped the free seedlings would encourage visitors to plant their own gardens and give visitors the opportunity to ask Stark and other farmers for gardening advice.

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By Sarah Shah
Carrboro Commons Staff Writer
Every Wednesday morning, Luke Glatz collects raffle tickets from people attending a business leaders meeting. Later, he reads out ticket numbers to announce the lucky winners.

Luke Glatz, 20, collects a raffle ticket from Margaret Cannell, executive director of the Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce, at Extraordinary Ventures. Luke is just one of 18 people with disabilities employed by Extraordinary Ventures, located at 200 S. Elliot Road in Chapel Hill.
Staff photo by Sarah Shah.

Despite having a developmental disability, the 20-year-old Glatz is one of the young adults who are employed at Extraordinary Ventures.

The Arc, the world’s largest community based organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, estimates that the unemployment rate for people with developmental disabilities is nearly 75 percent.

Extraordinary Adventures is a Chapel Hill non-profit organization whose primary mission is to provide employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities ages 15 years and up.

“It’s important for them to have a sense of accomplishment, and know that they are worth something,” director of Extraordinary Ventures, Marc Roth said.

Roth said he rents out a 3,000 square feet conference center in Chapel Hill at which businesses and organizations can conduct meetings. The proceeds go directly to the employment of young adults with disabilities, who work at the center by helping to set up and clean up for events.

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By Becky Wessels
Carrboro Commons Staff Writer

There is no big sign on the street marking its location. The front entrance is actually on the side of the building and can be driven past without notice. However, Oddities and Such, an antique store owned and operated by Richard Watts, is about to celebrate its 13th anniversary on July 4.

Richard Watts enjoys collecting odd and unusual things to sell in his store, Oddities and Such, like this singing toy rabbit. Watts’ collection includes five singing Billy Bass fish, some discontinued laserdiscs and a flag portraying Elvis, among other objects.
Staff photo by Becky Wessels

At Oddities and Such, located at 501 W. Main St., Watts has been selling all sorts of antiques, used furniture and unusual items for the past 13 years in the store that his father built in 1948. The other half of the building is occupied by Ink Spot Copy Shop.

“I’ve been doing this about 18 years,” Watts said. For five years, he would sell antiques at a flea market where Carolina Fitness is located. He decided to move into the store property since his family owned the space.

Watts said he prefers to sell “items from the 1950s, lamps and waterfall furniture.”

Watts does not stock the store with extremely expensive items but with things he thinks are reasonably priced.

“I have fair prices on fair things. I look for different, unusual things,” Watts said.

Watts, who has lived in Carrboro his entire life, can’t believe he has been operating Oddities and Such for so long. “I’m just surprised that I’ve been here 13 years,” Watts said. “My life revolved around three years, and then things would change.”

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By Amelia Black
Carrboro Commons Staff Writer

Consistent rain did not deter patrons of this month’s 2ndFriday Artwalk in Chapel Hill and Carrboro; in fact, April 10 was one of the busiest evenings that many store owners had seen in a while.

Ken Meardon shows off his photo art to Jon Broch, who visited 2ndFriday Artwalk for the first time on April 10. With 24 participating venues, the Artwalk has become a thriving entertainment option for patrons of downtown Carrboro and Chapel Hill.
Staff photo by Amelia Black

On the second Friday of every month, 24 stores in Chapel Hill and Carrboro participate in the Artwalk. The stores open their doors from 6 to 9 p.m. for patrons to view art exhibits that local artists have created. A reception is held where people can meet the artists, and light refreshments are usually served.

The art typically stays in the store throughout the month. Some venues, like the Century Center and Town Hall, hang exhibits for two months.

“I really thought the rain would make more people stay inside,” said Erin Schultz, an employee at the Jesse Kalisher Gallery in Carrboro for three months.

“We’ve been very slow over the last few weekends, even though the weather was nice, but this is the busiest Artwalk I have seen in a while,” Schultz said. “I attribute it to people just wanting to get out of the house because the weather has been so nice over the last few days.”

The gallery, which features Kalisher’s black and white photography, rotates in a new exhibit at every Artwalk.

“It’s near-free exposure for artists and gets people in stores they might not normally go to as a patron,” Shultz said. “It’s kind of like having an open house every month.”

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By Kelly Esposito
Carrboro Commons Staff Writer

A large blank canvas in downtown Carrboro is about to get a makeover, again.

Local artist Emily Weinstein said the outside wall of Jade Palace Chinese & Seafood Restaurant, located at 103 E. Main St., will soon feature a new mural.

Local artist Emily Weinstein is designing and coordinating the painting of a new mural on the outdoor wall of Jade Palace at 103 E. Main St. in downtown Carrboro. She will enlist the help of local children to paint the Jade Palace mural. This mural in her driveway was painted by kids in her neighborhood, located off Ephesus Church Road in Chapel Hill. The original community mural on the outside wall of Jade Palace was painted in 2001, but it was mysteriously painted over in 2007. The new mural will feature elements of the Chinese zodiac.
Staff photo by Kelly Esposito

“We are going to get started as soon as the paint comes in and everything gets organized,” Weinstein said.

She is in the last stages of designing the mural, which will feature elements of the Chinese zodiac. She has ordered special paint that resists the wear and tear that sometimes plagues outdoor murals.

The actual painting process will be coordinated by Weinstein. She plans to enlist the help of local children through Volunteers for Youth, an organization that finds volunteers and mentors for children in Orange County.

“We’re going to set up a spring or summer program with the kids,” Weinstein said.

History of the mural

The wall used to be home to another mural that was painted in late 2002. It was the brainchild of Kimberli Matin, who owned the Zodi Gallery that was located next to Jade Palace. Local businesses and residents were able to purchase squares of the quilt-like design and participate in the painting process, said Jackie Helvey, owner of UniqueOrn Enterprises.

Weinstein oversaw the project, which featured the theme, “What does community mean to me?” The money earned from the project was donated to Club Nova, a non-profit organization in Carrboro that helps adults with mental illnesses, Helvey said.

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By Kafi Robinson
Carrboro Commons Staff Writer

In the heart of Raleigh, residents anticipate the completion of one of the state’s most historical and highly revered monuments. Carrboro residents can proudly say that much of the project’s planning and preparation takes place in the center of their own town in a small mill house on East Carr Street.

David Swanson, 52, is the owner of Swanson and Associates, an architect firm located on 100 East Carr St. Swanson is on the design team working on the Freedom Project in Raleigh, a monument honoring African Americans in North Carolina. Once this project is complete, Swanson says he wants everyone to “think about what freedom really means to them in this day and age.”
Staff photo by Kafi Robinson

David Swanson, a 52-year-old registered landscape architect from Chapel Hill, is the founder of Swanson and Associates, P.A. Even with more than 28 years of experience in this field, Swanson feels especially honored to be a part of the planning and designing of Raleigh’s Freedom Monument.

“This is a very unique project,” Swanson said, “and the collaboration between the artist and landscape architect makes this special and especially rewarding.”

The Freedom Monument will be a public art display honoring the African-American experience in North Carolina. Across from the Legislative Building, the Freedom Monument will be a contemporary interpretation of a freedom grove, a place where slaves would come to learn and converse with each other.

“This particular project is both specifically sited and suited for the location in Raleigh,” Swanson said.

The monument will be an open park-like space, displaying pieces of art, sculptures, statues and other commemorative works of art.

The goal of the Freedom Monument is to unite people of all backgrounds and help them appreciate freedom, something that many of their ancestors never had. Once this project is complete, Swanson wants everyone to “think about what freedom really means to them in this day and age.”

Even though Swanson works from an office in Carrboro, he finds his location very convenient, stating that most professional offices can work and relocate anywhere. “[I] just prefer the small scale of Carrboro,” says Swanson.

Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, Swanson has been a resident of Chapel Hill since 1965. In 1983, Swanson graduated from North Carolina State University’s department of landscape architecture in the College of Design and later taught in the same department. He has worked in North Carolina since 1984 as a registered landscape architect, establishing his firm in 1988.

Swanson previously worked as a town planner in several small North Carolina communities and actively participates in local planning efforts. His work emphasizes both historical and environmental preservation. Some of his projects include the stormwater pond and green for the North Carolina Museum of Art and the Visitor’s Education Center for the N.C. Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill.

By Kafi Robinson
Carrboro Commons Staff Writer

Down a tiny road in Carrboro in the back room of a small church, fun, laughter and life lessons are learned through the art of dance.

Joy Williams, 28, grew up in Pittsboro. In 2007 she founded Dance Chapel Hill! a dance studio in Carrboro. Joy’s choreography focuses on healing and building one’s self-confidence and image.
Staff photo by Kafi Robinson

Joy Williams, a 28-year-old from Pittsboro, is the founder of Dance Chapel Hill!, a dance studio located in Carrboro’s Church of the Harvest on Hillview Street.

Williams founded Dance Chapel Hill! in 2007 and began teaching in 2008. The goal of Dance Chapel Hill! is to coach students in expressing their emotions through dance.

“We talk about issues that they may have or something affecting the community. We talk about it, then we move to it. It’s a new concept,” she said, “but we’re making it work.”

Dance has been a part of Williams’ life since she was a young girl, growing up in a small community outside of Pittsboro.

“My parents introduced [dance] to me when I was a small child,” she said, “I was about 5 years old.”

But during her teenage years, Williams quit dancing. It wasn’t until after high school that she picked it up again.

“I just had to find time in my schedule again,” she said.

Dance Chapel Hill! offers a unique variety of classes for every age group and skill level. Williams also teaches many different styles of dance including ones that are Spanish or African-inspired.

“I teach a creative movement class for children, where I only speak Spanish,” she said. This class introduces students to body movements, positive interaction with other children, and exploring space, time and limits through dance. This class is perfect for a child who is fluent in or learning Spanish as a second language.

Along with these cultural classes, Williams also teaches Pilates, yoga and other forms of relaxing, meditative movement classes.

Williams spends much of her time working with middle and high school students who may need mentoring or an outlet to positively relieve stress.

Joy Williams teaches cultural dance classes at Dance Chapel Hill! a studio outside of downtown Carrboro. She teaches Afro-fusion and many Spanish-inspired classes for students of all ages and experience levels.Staff photo by Kafi Robinson

“Many of the students are at risk of getting pregnant, not going to college and thinking that they don’t have a life ahead of them,” Williams said.

The themes of these classes are self-confidence and healthy self-image. The classes relate to people’s personal issues that can connect to broader social issues in the community; it calls for deeper discussions and more intimate dances, she said.

“My job,” said Williams, “is to give them hope for something more through dance.”

What drives Williams is her strong faith and her belief that people of all ages and ethnicities can find healing and deliverance through the art of dance.

“Dance is for everyone,” she said, “don’t ignore it.”