photo credit: Gregory Harrell

On behalf of Pop-Up Augusta, Garden City Jazz, and The Red Currant Events, we are grateful for your presence at yesterday's Progressive Dinner. 

The team has presented White Dinner events (pop-up dinner parties in secret locations) since 2016 & incorporated Progressive Dinners (each course at a different location) annually since 2018. Each year presents a unique set of opportunities, and this was our first one al fresco, featuring some of our downtown public art. 

We are always seeking out new experiences to share and would love to hear feedback. Until next time, enjoy a few features from the 2021 Progressive White Dinner. 

PUBLIC ART 

James Brown Statue (sculpted by orthopedic surgeon John Savage)

Keep Downtown Augusta Funky Mural (brainchild of artists Jason Craig and Leonard "Porkchop" Zimmerman)

"Spirit Of Funk" James Brown mural (artist Cole Phail)

Augusta Sculpture Trail https://augustasculpturetrail.com/ 

(download the OTOCAST app https://www.otocast.com/ to experience all ten sculptures up close and personal)

 VENDORS

Dinner: Black Lotus Cuisine, Proprietor, Chef Reggie White https://blacklotuscuisine.com/

Boozy Pops: JUSTice Pops, Proprietor, Sarah Bobrow-Williams https://www.instagram.com/justice_pops/

Live Jazz: Tim Sanders Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRL7YG2XaBI

Dinner Venue: Pergola at 2nd City Distillery https://2ndcitydistilling.com/

Comfort Break + After Hours Karaoke: Mi Rancho https://www.facebook.com/MiRanchoDowntown/

Special thanks to our volunteers: Greeter and hostess with the mostest Olivia "Cookie" Pontoo, photog extraordinaire Gregory Harrell, and gracious & vivacious tour guide, Cynthia Ward.

White Dinner Augusta https://whitedinneraugusta.com
Pop-Up Augusta  https://popupaugusta.com
The Red Currant Events+Hospitality https://growingaugusta.co/theredcurrant

Oh yeah... when posting to social media please use any combination of the following hashtags:

 #whitedinneraugusta #progressivedinner #labordayjazzweekend #popupaugusta #theredcurrant #gardencityjazz 

always grateful

kgordon |  http://growingaugusta.co/kgordonfriends  | +1 (762) 233-5299 | @growingaugusta

Alexander’s Great BBQ , 3007 Deans Bridge Rd 30906

Belly’s Kitchen, 2601 Deans Bridge Road 30906

Big Mama’s Soul Food, 2803 Wrightsboro Road 30909

Big T’s Seafood Restaurant, 4314 Wrightsboro Road, 30813

Broad Street Bullies, 855 Broad Street 30901

The Brunch House of Augusta, 573 Greene Street 30901

The Buttercup Bake Shop , 103 Maple Drive, Ste 11, Martinez GA 30907

Café 209, 566 Broad Street 30901

Catz Kitchen, 2456 Windsor Spring Rd, 30906

Chef Redd BBQ, 1501 North Leg Road 30909

Deshawn’s Seafood, 630 Atomic Road 29860

Event on Broad Bistro, 716 Broad Street 30901

Fielding Bros BBQ Shack, 855 Laney Walker Blvd 30901

HolyShakes!, 130 Eighth Street 30901

Humanitree House, 305 Eighth Street 30901

Jackie M’s and Son, 3308 Milledgeville Road 30909

Jamaica Hut, 3213 Wrightsboro Road 30909

Maryland’s Fried Chicken, 12 Broad Street 30901

Nutritious Alternatives, 1795 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd 30901

Palmetto Seafood Bar & Grill, 119 Laurens St NW, Aiken, SC 29801

Que at The Shop, 2121 Martin Luther King Blvd, Augusta 30901

Smoothie Groove, 448 Fabian Drive, Aiken SC 29803

Styles Deli, 397 Lee St, Johnston SC 29832

Sweet Savour Desserts, 3629 Morgan Road 30815

Taylor-Made Kakes, 1022 Walton Way Ste A. Augusta, GA 30901 

Timbuktu Cafe, 1944 Walton Way, 30904

Tippy Cakes Bakery, 1735 Washington Road, Thomson 30824

Tropical Smoothie Cafe, 262 Robert C Daniel Parkway 30909; 615 Mullins Colony Drive 30809

WSS1 (Wings, Subs, and Salads), 1301 Conklin Ave, 30901

GROWING AUGUSTA AND JOURNEY SHERWOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH LAUNCH NEW SOUTH AUGUSTA FARMERS MARKET – JULY 14

 Augusta, Georgia - Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency is proud to announce its partnership with Journey Community Church to establish a farmer’s market in South Augusta. Grand opening will be on Wednesday, July 14, from 4:00-6:30pm at the Sherwood Campus at 3131 Old Louisville Road.

The South Augusta Farmers Market, held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, will be a hub of activity for the whole family. Though a wide variety of products and services will be available, including urban ballroom dance demos, voter registration/education, a petting zoo and apiary, and the church’s Care Center; the top priority is providing access to fresh, healthy food for the neighborhood and surrounding area.

“Connecting local farmers to the community is us doing our part to attack food insecurity,” Campus Pastor Keith Walton said.

The market has been more than a year in the making, but stalled during the Covid-19 pandemic. Walton has remained committed to his vision, having led a group of volunteers in building raised garden beds at Dorothy Haines Elementary School and planning to build 20 more at the church on Old Louisville Road.

The South Augusta Farmers Market is always accepting new vendors which offer family-friendly, community-oriented products and services. Fees are waived for farmers. Cash, credit, and digital currency are accepted, and approval for SNAP-EBT is expected before the end of the year.

South Augusta Farmers Market – Journey Sherwood

3131 Old Louisville Road, Augusta GA 30906

July 14, 2021 (& every 2nd Wednesday)

4:00 – 6:30pm

To participate, visit https://www.growingaugusta.co/journeysherwoodmarket or email growingaugusta@gmail.com

karengordon

Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency

http://growingaugusta.co

TALK +1 (706) 751-2537

TEXT +1 (762) 233-5299

SUBSCRIBE +1 (706) 528-6855

Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency is a collective of farmers, artists, and builders of community. Agents of change. The mission is to create a food oasis in South Richmond County and empower farmers.

###

A Love Letter to the City of Augusta

August 17, 2015

kgordon

You ask me Why I Love Her? Well, give me time. I’ll explain.”

Those words from John Wayne’s “America, Why I Love Her” always resonate when I think of the city of Augusta.

Augusta is many things to many people… it’s the Garden City, golf central, the birthplace of soul, the Silicon Valley of The South. And unfortunately, for some, Augusta is a convenient whipping boy for those who harbor frustration or resentment toward their peers for unrealized potential – that of the collective community’s or their own.

For me, this is where I grew up, and where I choose to call home. Augusta is home to my family, and to an ever-expanding creative class and collaborative community. And downtown is the epicenter of it all.

Yes, downtown. The diamond in the rough. The place where some have said dreams go to die. But upon closer inspection, you notice a tightly knit collective of independent businesses, whose owners are heavily invested in the Central Business District. You’ll notice individuals from disparate industries coming together to address our community’s challenges.

City leaders, business professionals, and technical wizards are building stronger human and computer networks. Public school students connect with entrepreneurs and develop new disruptive technologies. Visual and performance artists are leveraging partnerships to bring beauty to unexpected spaces.

Augusta does indeed have its challenges – transportation, education, industry, etc. And every now and again, someone asks “why do you stay here? Why haven’t you moved away to make music in The Big City or on the road?”

I always welcome the question, because the answer is obvious.

Everything I need is right here in the Greater Augusta area, and most of it downtown. Music, cultural festivals, historical structures, and multiple opportunities to engage with the community. The Saturday Market, the Jessye Norman School, and Arts In The Heart Of Augusta, all provide opportunities for me to pursue my passion and interests while serving the public. Here, I get to combine my love for music with my love for the downtown community.

Over the past few years, I’ve sought in earnest to discover solutions to our community’s challenges and to understand why, for so many Augustans, the best answer is always “because we’ve always done it this way.” My husband has helped me to understand that you get out of life what you put into it… that what you see in others is simply a reflection of yourself.

The person in my mirror is convinced that there are always pathways to “yes”, that anything is possible once one decides that it shall be.

I see the tremendous resource that is our community. I see the gifts and talents on a daily basis, ready to be utilized for the common good. I see growth and opportunity, as our public education system receives a much-needed shot in the arm. I see the potential for innovation as more and more youth and millenials become increasingly engaged in social and political action. I see creatives forming strategic alliances and stamping out the notion of the starving artist.

All of these things create a kind of synergy unique to downtown Augusta. We are family, and we understand that we need one another to survive. The sum of what we can accomplish together greatly eclipses any milestone that we reach from our personal silos. In downtown Augusta, 2+2>4. Though the City has no formal initiative nor plan in place to support or promote small business ownership or to bring residents and visitors downtown, “townies” continue to work together to build a sense of place and to develop a viable collaborative economy.

It’s who we are. It’s what we do. We create. We innovate. We build. We respect. We live. And we love. We are Downtown Augusta.

A diamond in the rough is what I see when I look in the mirror, honestly. Karen needs polishing and refinement. Karen could use a good image consultant and publicist… a fresh coat of paint and a new wardrobe.

I am downtown. I am Augusta. I am the arts.

To reference Mr. Wayne,
You ask me Why I Love Her? I’ve got a million reasons why:
My Beautiful Augusta, beneath God’s wide, wide sky.

-kgordon

The Inaugural Augusta Black Restaurant Week July 20-25, 2021 celebrates and supports African-American- owned restaurants and eateries, and the role they play in socioeconomic progress.  All Greater Augusta restaurants were severely impacted by Covid-19, but many Black-owned businesses were overlooked in relief funding initiatives.

Participating restaurants, listed below, craft their offers separately - whether a menu item, or a discount, or an unexpected selfie photobomb. Like the food, each restaurant experience is unique and special. Guests who post selfies with #augustarestaurantweek are eligible to win an exclusive package from our host partners: Urban Pro Weekly, Growing Augusta: Arts, Agriculture, & Agency; and Pop-Up Augusta!

All are encouraged to patronize these businesses well beyond this special promotion. All restaurants are in Richmond County, Augusta, Georgia, unless indicated in parens.

Participating restaurants:

Alexander’s Great BBQ * Belly Kitchen * The Brunch House of Augusta * Big Mama’s Soul Food * Big T’s Seafood Restaurant (Columbia) * Broad Street Bullies * The Buttercup Bake Shop (Columbia) * Café 209+ * Catz Kitchen * Chef Redd BBQ * Deshawn’s Seafood (Aiken)+ * Events on Broad Bistro * Fielding Bros BBQ Shack * HolyShakes! * Humanitree House * Jackie M’s and Son * Jamaica Hut * Maryland’s Fried Chicken+ * Palmetto Seafood Bar & Grill (Aiken) * Que at The Shop * Sweet Savour Desserts * Taylor Made Kakes * Tippy Cakes Bakery (McDuffie) * Timbuktu Cafe * Tropical Smoothie Cafe (Richmond, Columbia, Ft. Gordon) * WSS1

—> Click to view Augusta Black Restaurant Week - Yelp Collection and map <—

Navigating through the Pandemic with EIDL & PPP…. 

As the global pandemic continues many business owners are navigating a second year of various challenges. From short falls in revenue, staff changes, and strains on processes and procedures, the navigation of maintaining a small business has truly taken its toll on local owners. However, even through the pandemic, there have been two sides of the story for businesses of various types. The smaller side is where business owners have done well and the extremities of the pandemic have not effected their business practices. Oppositely, the other side is where the daily navigation is just that, a daily challenge. It is projected that 40 percent or more of black-owned businesses may close due to the pandemic. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has expressed her concerns during a virtual meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and dozens of Black Chamber of Commerce members from across the United States. Yellen stated, “During the early days of the pandemic African-Americans were the first to lose their small businesses. They were the first to lose their jobs”. 

The known effects of the Pandemic won’t be known for years to come, but we must be intentional on offering assistance and creating innovative programs to lighten the load. We must ensure that business owners are armed with accurate information to help maintain, transition, and stay in business. One way to ensure equity is to make the information accessible and free. Luckily the Small Business Administration (SBA) and other federal legislators have been directed to increase their efforts to better serve Black, minority, and culturally specific communities and organizations across America. There is a plethora of information on the internet regarding Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Emergency Injury Disaster Loan  (EIDL), and EIDL Advance. The Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce (GABCC) is excited to track and progress the initiatives and efforts of federal agencies to ensure that no matter the size that all businesses are provided an equitable chance to thrive and serve at a greater capacity. We must lean into President Biden’s executive order on Advancing Racial Equity and Supporting the underserved community and see that this order is directly represented in our communities.

The PPP program has made several changes since February 2021, we will highlight some of these changes below

∙ Allowing sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals to receive more financial support by revising the PPP’s funding formula for theseapplicants.

∙ Eliminate an exclusionary restriction on PPP access for small business owners with prior non-fraud felony convictions, consistent with a bipartisan congressional proposal. 

∙ Eliminate PPP access restrictions on small business owners who have struggled to make student loan payments by eliminating student loan debt delinquency as a disqualifier to participating in the PPP; and

∙ Ensure access for non-citizen small business owners who are lawful U.S. residents by clarifying that they may use Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to apply for the PPP.

∙ President Biden. Specifically, the new rule modifies the loan formula for Schedule C filers to allow the use of gross income when calculating the amount of the loan.

The GABCC has been tracking business owners who have applied for the PPP, and has seen much highers rates of success by using alternative lending sources such as Womply (womply.com) and blueacorn (go.blueppp.com), rather than traditional banks. The PPP is excepted to run out of money by the middle of May if more funding is not added to the program. The PPP is scheduled to end on May 31 if not extended again. If you have not applied for this forgivable loan, do not hesitate. SBA reports an 88& forgiveness rate with $100 billion being forgiven so far with this program. There have also been multiple changes in rules and borrowers being knocked out of other programs when applying for PPP forgiveness too early. You as a borrower have up to 10 months to apply for forgiveness of your PPP load per the SBA.

The EIDL advance is the grant portion of the EIDL program. We have included a short guide to communiticating with SBA. Please see the guide below.

• Search your email to ensure you have not missed your opportunity to submit information to apply for the additional Targeted EIDL Advance, the email would have come from targetedadvance@sba.gov,and now includes an additional supplement of $5,000.

• The SBA also announced the opportunity to be reconsidered for the advance by emailing targetedadvancereevualtion@sba.gov if you were denied before. When emailing the SBA use the subject line of “Reevaluation Request for (insert your 10-digit application number). In the body of the email include identifying information for the application such as application number, business name, business address, business owners, name(s), and phone number. Be sure to also include the reason for the decline within your email. Businesses must be in low-income area and have experienced at least a 30% decline in revenues in any 8-week period in 2020(vs. 2019). 

If you received an EIDL loan last year, you may be eligible for a loan increase. SBA increased loan values from 150k to 500k. Search you email inbox for a message from sba-oda@updates.sba.gov.

Always refer to sba.gov for the latest information regarding PPP, EIDL, and other items to have knowledgeable conversations with your lender. - Ronic West, President/Co-Founder GABCC

Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce is here to service business owners in the CSRA community through advocacy, education, programming and more. Visit us at www.mygabc.org and follow us on social media @mygabc…

Made to Measure by Keith Jones

Keith Jones

From Afternoon of Style, to Made to Measure by Keith Jones, He has stood out and branded himself as the Subject Matter Expert of suits. Keith Jones has styled some of the who’s who in Augusta and around the surrounding area effortlessly. Whether it’s for a wedding, prom or just because it’s Wednesday; you want Mr. Jones in your corner, because he ensures your suits are made to measure. I had the pleasure of sitting down with the father of three and grandfather of three to discuss suits and all things fashion. I present to some, and introduce to others Mr. Keith Jones.  

 How did Made to Measure by Keith Jones happen?

It was kind of an interesting evolution. I've always appreciated style, enjoy dressing up, and looking my best. That was instilled in me by both my parents. They were always put together, and they impressed upon me when I'm presenting myself - particularly as a black man - that I make the best impression as possible. You only get one time to make a first impression.

I was the style guy, and then I branded myself with the lapel flowers. I heard about a company that was doing custom suits, so I decided to buy in the company. Once I received the initial order, I was very disappointed in the quality. It was very heartbreaking for me, because I was so excited about what seemed to be a perfect fit for what I wanted to do. In 2017, I started off again as the style guy, and at this time I took on a partner. But after some creative differences, we decided to part ways. At this point, I decided I had to be all the way in, put my name on it, launch this business, and go all the way. I wanted to have more control over the branding and the manufacturing.

Some people may think this style of dress is for the old heads or the uncles. How are you able to make it relevant through different age groups?

Trends come and go, but true fashion never goes out of style. My goal is to help people build their wardrobe. Constantly spending a lot of money on the latest, bad fashion, instead of investing in quality is no good. Getting those staple pieces and taking care of them will help you in the long run. 

 What do you see as trending styles for men this season?

Green is hot!! I've done a lot of green for weddings - that's probably one of the more requested colors this season. 

If you had someone that was trying to get in the business, what suggestion would you make?

I would say do your research. Look at people who are doing it and where you want to be. Start at the top and work your way down. Look at every level of what you want to do. Also, look at local or regional designers that are on the rise, people that you can actually talk to and follow on Instagram. Be committed and go all in. 

What's next for Keith Jones? What's next for the business?

I want to be able to offer everything, including men’s accessories. I want Made to Measure by Keith Jones to be a one stop shop. Maybe in the next 3 to 5 years being mobile.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithjonesmtm/

Artists ARE Essential Workers

Commentary by Niki Haris

On November 5, 2020, singer and recording artist Niki Haris addressed the 2021 Class of Leadership Augusta on Arts Day. Here is a portion of her speech. The entire speech can be found on the UPW Facebook page.

-      

First of all, thank you to Leadership Augusta and the Arts Day Committee for allowing me to be here today. Are you sure you want ME to do this talk? I'm not sure you do. After this talk, I expect to receive far fewer Christmas cards this year. This may not be a "fun" speech for some. I want you to know what most artists have been living through has not been FUN....

Are you sure you want to hear from an artist who is still grieving from the deaths of other artists like Bill Withers, Little Richard, Lyle Mays, Betty Wright, Bonnie Pointer and Eddie Van Halen (just to name a few)? These people were a few of my Heroes and Sheroes!! And my world is a little lonelier and darker now, knowing that their human existence is no longer in this realm...

Thank God they left their art....they were valued.

THE ARTIST ... We sing. We dance. We paint. We sculpt. We write. We teach. We play.

But…. what is it like to exist in a world where you are not valued? Or, at the very least, you felt on a daily basis that you were not valued by others? Things you value, you support, and you Fund!! I believe we have driven most artists into a state of crisis - what I have come to learn and call "a death of despair."

Artists are ten times more likely to be unemployed, underemployed and simply have no access to unemployment benefits during these difficult times. This in turn makes them more likely to face evictions and their chances of homelessness are 30% greater than the average citizen.
And yet, they find a way to sing, to dance, to paint, to write, to teach, to practice, to play.
Most Artists I know have NO healthcare. Which means they rarely have any checks on their physical well-being. Many Artists are food insecure and live in places that are commonly known as food deserts and therefore depend on family, friends or community, many of whom are in the same predicament.

Feeling unsupported or encouraged, many artists suffer from what is known as "atomy" or complete breakdowns of the soul. As I said before, despair. Which makes the struggling artist ten times more likely to consider suicide. And even attempt it. You need only to read the autobiographies of some of our finest artists to see this observation is true… Andy Warhol, Paul Robeson, Jackson Pollack, Van Gogh, Judy Garland, Drew Barrymore, Billie Holiday, and even Walt Disney himself to name a few.

I think you would agree with me that all those voices were and ARE, as our government has come to refer, “ESSENTIAL."

The artist was essential on The Titanic as they called musicians to help keep the people calm while trying to load the lifeboats on that doomed voyage. The artist was essential in the ghettos and Holocaust Camps of World War 1. Many times, the ability to play music and entertain was a matter of survival in the camps. An activity that caused some surviving musicians to experience feelings of guilt and depression for the rest of their lives. I remember seeing for the first time "The Problem We All Live With” (Ruby Bridges), the famous 1964 painting by Norman Rockwell. It still endures. What would the Civil Rights Movement be without its Songs of Freedom? Or the echoes of the crowd singing "We Shall Overcome”?

So… how will YOU respond to this Despair?

The Artist does not need "Boutique Activism" that allows people to say they are making a difference while they are really making a killing. Maybe we need heroes? I grew up on a song that asked " Did you ever know you're my hero? You are the wind beneath my wings.”

Well, I don't think the artist needs wind beneath their wings - we already know how to FLY!
We ask you to be the wind at our backs! Support us, encourage us. Be there when we perform. And Yes.... PAY US!!!

I have faith. And faith is the belief "that the good draws to it.” The good. Draw out the good in you and pass it on. And get to work...

Get to work my writers. Before Draconian censorship entwines you and tries to thwart your existence. Ask Primo Levi.

Get to work my dancers. Before someone tells you can't do that on this stage or your dance is vulgar. Ask Martha Graham or Alvin Ailey.

Get to work my painters. Find your own Diego Rivera, Picasso, Romare Bearden or Frida Khalo.

Get to work my musicians. Reach and find your new Nina Simone, John Coltrane, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, or Aretha Franklin.

Get to work my actors. Be a better Paul Robeson, Ozzie Davis, Meryl Streep, or Viola Davis.

Be brave my filmmakers. Before you are put on a “list" or called in to be questioned.

Stay vigilant my photographers. Keep your hand steady. For you ARE our new film makers. For without you we may have never known about Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, or George Floyd!!

Yes! Get to work my Artists. Do not despair. Your voices ARE essential!
Yes! We Sing. We Dance. We Paint. We Sculpt. We Strum. We Sew. We Cook. We Write Poetry and Books. We Film. We Plant, and We Grow, and We remember to Play.

Because this IS our work. This is our breath. This is our lives.

------------

Email: niki@nikiharis.com

Instagram: NikiHarisMusic

FaceBook: OfficialNikiHarisFanpage

FB: NikiHaris (personal page)

by The Empress Of Cool

Man, there’s something about walking into a new year and the requisite self-evaluation. It’s no picnic.

I’m struggling with this issue — this thing. It’s not about parenting, but this issue directly affects how I parent my kid in the fine city of Augusta, Georgia. This ‘thing’ directly impacts how I move throughout this community and interact with local leaders. And it determines the language that I use when talking to creatives and entrepreneurs who find themselves at a crossroads in life and career.

Rhetorical question? Perhaps. Hypothetical? Could be.

At its core, it’s a relationship question…. Let’s get into it.

I’ve a friend. She has a cool life, lots of friends, great family (of course, because ME), makes decent money…. no ‘real’ problems. They ain’t crazy, no criminal record, never went off the rails (as far as I know) — just your average guy. Single, not looking.

She has this ”suitor” who lives in another city…. is quite wealthy, and comes to visit, albeit rarely. He is special, of course, we know that. He whisks her off to faraway places to do the stuff that fantasies are made of. The suitor’s entourage grantS her every desire, and all she has to do is snap a finger.

All of us — her friends — know this. However… when said suitor announces his visit, my friend gets REAL extra. She doesn’t answer her phone or email. If I need to talk, she’s unavailable. I understand this, so I don’t expect anything to change.

I still love her though. We all still love her. After her ‘vacation,’ we still show up with hugs and wine, listening to stories about things we’ll never experience…. hearing about how exhausted she is, how she’s glad it’s over, but knowing that she is counting down the days til next time.

We wonder why she doesn’t speak of US in such loving terms. because, we’re here with and FOR her the other 51 weeks, even as she spends inordinate amounts of time, money, and energy to impress someone who has enough money to buy her affection and adoration, but will never truly appreciate who she really is. WE are still here, holding her hair … once the glitter has faded and champagne has gone flat.

My friend: CITY of Augusta (leadership)
Suitor: Big Golf Tournament
My friends & I: CITIZENS of Augusta

Can’t you just hear the citizens of Augusta channeling Biz Markie, leaving voicemails on 311, singing “You… got what I need… but you say he’s just a friend…..”

We are still here when heavy rains flood our streets and our homes. We are still here, counting the homeless population in 20-degree weather without a concrete plan for how we will serve them. We are still here, as we move forward with a downtown parking management plan that no one truly knows how to implement. We are still here, as our solution to a failing public education system seems to be ‘change the test’ or ‘blame the parents’. We are still courting charity rather than demanding equity.

We are STILL HERE…. We are STILL HERE as our leadership continues to sing that hook on repeat, that our City is known for golf, yet our citizens cannot set foot onto that storied patch of land on Washington Road. And STILL… we cannot figure out a way to properly honor James Brown, a man who proudly represented Augusta 52 weeks a year, from wherever he stood — whether mountain or molehill.

We are still here… asking my girl if a hot date and a fat check once a year is the same as or better than love and respect year-round. Why? Because we love her? How did we get to this place? Are we good with it?

“I don’t need nobody to give me nothing. Open up the door. I will get it myself” James Brown