Erica Cokley was born in 1980 in Columbia, South Carolina. She graduated from Brookland-Cayce High School in 1998 and later studied at Strayer University in Charleston, where she earned an associate degree in business management. In the interview, she discusses how her childhood, her experiences at school, and the challenges she faces as a single mother intersect with her determination to participate in the political arena. Cokley remembers joining Fight for $15 when she was a Taco Bell employee, reflecting on her involvement in community issues and her determination to improve children’s living conditions and opportunities to succeed. In 2019, she formed Voices United, a non-profit organization. In 2020, she organized the Million Womxn’s March in North Charleston and was elected as a Charleston School District board member. Cokley discusses how the tragic deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd brought new urgency to working to stop racial injustices.
Thalia Orozco (b.1994) was born in Charleston, South Carolina. Her parents are from Michoacán, Mexico, and they came to the USA as agricultural migrant workers. In the nineties, they settled down in Wadmalaw Island, SC. Orozco attended Rural Mission, Frierson Elementary, Angel Oak Elementary, and graduated from high school at Charleston Collegiate. In the interview, she remembers her childhood and teen years and explains the challenges of growing up in the Sea Islands as a first-generation American- born citizen. She reflects on race relationships, belonging and exclusion, representation, and the barriers to political engagement. Thalia Orozco (b.1994) nació en Charleston, SC. Sus padres, originarios del estado de Michoacán, México, llegaron a los Estados Unidos como trabajadores agrícolas migrantes. En los años noventa se establecieron en Wadmalaw Island, SC. Orozco aprendió sus primeras letras con el programa Head Start en Rural Mission. Luego fue estudiante de las escuelas Frierson Elementary y Angel Oak Elementary y completo sus estudios en la escuela media y preparatoria en Charleston Collegiate. En la entrevista recuerda su infancia y adolescencia y explica los desafíos de crecer en el Lowcountry como ciudadana de primera generación nacida en Estados Unidos. Reflexiona acerca de las tensiones raciales y las cuestiones de pertenencia y exclusión que ha experimentado como así también acerca de las barreras y desafíos para la representación y participación política.
Yulma López-López (b. 1997) was born in Oaxaca, Mexico. When she was three years old, her parents decided to seek better luck in the United States and arrived to California where they worked as agricultural workers. Subsequently, the family moved to other states pursuing better employment opportunities until finally establishing themselves in North Charleston, South Carolina. López-López recalls her experiences at Midland Park Elementary and Charleston County School of the Arts and the teachers who helped her. She explains that she began to progressively understand her status as an undocumented immigrant and, therefore, the reasons why she could not access higher education in South Carolina. In 2016, thanks to a grant from The Dream.Us organization, she was accepted as a student at the University of Delaware. Along with other students, she is part of an organization that advocates for the rights of DACA students and seeks to persuade lawmakers in Washington of DACA students' rights. In the interview, López-López tells how she experiences the challenges of university life, including fear for her safety and that of her loved ones. Finally, she reflects on the limited information and support DACA eligible people and recipients have in the Lowcountry as well as the barriers to organizing politically. Yulma López-López (1997) nació en Oaxaca, México. Cuando tenía tres años, sus padres decidieron buscar mejor suerte en los Estados Unidos y llegaron a California donde se desempeñaron como trabajadores agrícolas. Posteriormente fueron mudándose a otros estados persiguiendo mejores oportunidades de empleo hasta que se establecieron definitivamente en North Charleston, Carolina del Sur. López-López recuerda sus vivencias en las escuelas Midland Park Elementary y Charleston County School of the Arts y a los maestros que la ayudaron. Explica cómo progresivamente fue entendiendo su condición de inmigrante indocumentada y las razones por las que no podía acceder a la educación superior en Carolina del Sur. En el año 2016, gracias a una beca de la organización The Dream.Us es aceptada como estudiante en la Universidad de Delaware. Junto con sus compañeros forma parte de una organización que defiende los derechos de los jóvenes DACA y busca persuadir a los legisladores en Washington. En la entrevista Lopez-Lopez cuenta como experimenta los desafíos de la vida universitaria, incluido el temor por su seguridad y la de sus seres queridos. Finalmente, reflexiona acerca de la limitada información y apoyo con que cuentan los jóvenes DACA en el Lowcountry como así también de las barreras que enfrentan para organizarse políticamente.
Karla Aguirre (b. 1995) was born in Mexico City, Mexico and lived there until she was six years old when her parents decided to immigrate to the United States. In the interview, Aguirre recalls her childhood in a neighborhood in the capital of Mexico, the journey to the United States and her impressions when she found herself for the first time in an unknown place surrounded by an unknown extended family. She explains that growing up in Johns Island was complex because she was part of two very different cultures: one of her classmates at the private school Charleston Collegiate, mostly middle-class whites, and the other, her working-class Mexican community. After finishing school, she participated in a workshop organized by United We Dream in Washington, DC. Then, she joined the organization as an activist and organizer. Aguirre talks about the barriers that dreamers face, including the high rate of mental health problems and the difficulty in accessing adequate services. She also reflects on the challenges of organizing politically, both in South Carolina and nationally, the positive and negative aspects of being an activist and organizer, and defends the right of undocumented youth to tell their own story and to define themselves. Finally, she points out that her dream is to resume her studies. Aguirre (1995) nació en la Ciudad de México, México y vivió allí hasta los seis años cuando sus padres decidieron emigrar a los Estados Unidos. En la entrevista, Aguirre recuerda su infancia en un barrio de la capital de México, la travesía hacia Estados Unidos y sus impresiones al encontrarse con una tierra y una familia extendida desconocidas. Explica que creció en Johns Island en un mundo muy complejo marcado por dos culturas completamente diferentes: la de sus compañeros en la escuela privada Charleston Collegiate, quienes en su mayoría eran blancos de clase media y la de su comunidad de origen mexicana y de clase trabajadora. Después de terminar la escuela, participó en un taller de la organización United We Dream para jóvenes DACA en Washington, DC y luego se unió a ellos como activista y organizadora. Aguirre habla acerca de algunas barreras que enfrentan los jóvenes soñadores, entre otros el alto índice de problemas de salud mental y la dificultad para acceder a servicios adecuados. También reflexiona acerca de desafíos para organizarse políticamente tanto en Carolina del Sur como nacionalmente, los aspectos positivos y negativos de su trabajo como organizadora y defiende el derecho de los jóvenes indocumentados a contar su propia historia y a definirse a sí mismos. Finalmente, señala que su sueño es retomar sus estudios universitarios.
Marcela Ortega was born in a rural area of the state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. When she was nine years old, her family moved to Tampico, Tamaulipas. In 1989, she decided to immigrate to the United States to build a more prosperous future for the son she was pregnant with. Ortega and her husband arrived to Johns Island, South Carolina to work in a store that sold beverages to migrant workers. Shortly after, Ortega began cooking and selling food to the agricultural workers in Johns Island fields and surrounding areas. In the early nineties, responding to the growing community's needs she established El Mercadito, the first Hispanic store on Johns Island. Later, she opened La Huasteca, a Mexican restaurant. In the interview, Ortega describes Johns Island at the end of the eighties and in the nineties and reflects on the changes she has witnessed. Finally, she remembers participating in numerous cultural events as a dancer and takes pride in the fact that her story has been featured in the local newspaper, the Post and Courier. Marcela Ortega nació y vivió hasta los nueve años en una zona rural del estado de San Luis Potosí, México y luego se mudó junto a su familia a la ciudad de Tampico en el estado de Tamaulipas. En el año 1989 decidió emigrar a los Estados Unidos para construir un futuro más próspero para el hijo que estaba esperando. Junto a su esposo se estableció en Johns Island y comenzó a trabajar en una tienda que vendía bebidas y algunos otros productos a los trabajadores migrantes que llegaban a la isla en la época de la cosecha. Poco después, Ortega comenzó a vender comida en los campos no sólo de la isla, sino de poblaciones aledañas. A principios de los noventa, respondiendo a la necesidad de la comunidad que comenzaba a crecer, estableció El Mercadito, el primer negocio de venta de productos hispanos en Johns Island. Posteriormente también abriría un restaurante llamado La Huasteca. En la entrevista, Ortega recuerda la vida en Johns Island al final de la década de los ochenta y los noventa y reflexiona acerca de los cambios que ella ha observado. Finalmente, cuenta que participó bailando en numerosos eventos culturales y que se enorgullece de que su historia haya sido contada en el periódico local Post and Courier.
Edith (b. 1967) was born in Mendoza, Argentina and lived there until 2001 when, like thousands of compatriots affected by the economic crisis, she decided to leave the country. She arrived to the United States with the help of good friends who were in South Carolina. She came with only her three children and the hope of a better life. She settled in North Charleston where has resided since then. In the interview, Edith tells about the process of learning to function in a strange community, how she was able to put an end to the abusive relationship she had with her children's father and how she learned to survive and thrive as a single mother. She discusses the different jobs she held and her family's strategies to get ahead. She is grateful and proud of her children. Finally, Edith reflects on the evolution of local organizations in which immigrants congregate and advocate for their rights. Edith (1967) nació en Mendoza, Argentina donde vivió hasta el año 2001 cuando al igual que miles de compatriotas afectados por la crisis económica decidió dejar el país. Llegó a Estados Unidos con la ayuda de unos amigos que estaban en Carolina del Sur. Solo traía a sus tres hijos y la esperanza de una vida mejor. Se estableció en North Charleston donde ha residido desde entonces. En la entrevista Edith cuenta acerca del proceso de aprender a desenvolverse en una comunidad extraña, como pudo terminar la relación abusiva que vivía con el padre de sus hijos y como aprendió a sobrevivir y prosperar como madre sola. Cuenta acerca de los diferentes trabajos que ha realizado y las estrategias de su familia para salir adelante. Se manifiesta agradecida y orgullosa de sus hijos. Finalmente, Edith reflexiona acerca de la evolución de las organizaciones locales en las que los inmigrantes se congregan y abogan por sus derechos.
Carmen Rigonan (b. 1948) was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico and raised by her grandmother in a large, poor family. Her parents died when she was young, and her aunts left to work in the agricultural fields of New York. She has fond childhood memories of playing in the riverbanks and the sugar cane fields. As a child, she contracted tuberculosis and was hospitalized for four years. In 1963, she moved to Corpus Christi, Texas where her sister and brother-in-law, a military officer, resided. Upon arriving, she experienced a cultural shock related to the national events and the racial dynamics of her new community. She dropped out of school and got a job at the military base in the Head Start program. There, she met her husband, a Vietnam War veteran of Filipino origin with whom she had two daughters. The family moved to several times to different states, including Puerto Rico, and settled permanently in Goose Creek, South Carolina in 1978. It was in the Lowcountry where Rigonan reconnected with her Puerto Rican roots. Later with a group of friends, she founded a non-profit organization called Tri-county Hispanic Association to promote community and cultural activities. In the interview, Rigonan reflects on the construction of her Puerto Rican identity and talks about the racism and classism that she has faced throughout her life. She takes pride in her multicultural family. Carmen Rigonan (1948) nació en Caguas Puerto Rico y creció junto a su abuela en una familia numerosa y pobre. Sus padres fallecieron cuando era pequeña y sus tías se marcharon a trabajar en los campos agrícolas en Nueva York. Sus recuerdos de infancia están asociados al rio y a los cañaverales de azúcar en los que jugaba. Siendo niña contrajo tuberculosis, “la plaga blanca” y tuvo que ser hospitalizada por cuatro años. En 1963, llegó a Corpus Christi, Texas donde residían su hermana y su cuñado que era militar. Allí sufrió un choque cultural marcado por los acontecimientos nacionales, pero también por las dinámicas raciales de su comunidad. No quiso estar en la escuela y consiguió trabajo en la base militar en el programa Head Start. Trabajando conoció a su marido, un veterano de la guerra de Vietnam de origen filipino con el que tuvo dos hijas. La familia vivió en varios estados, incluido Puerto Rico y se radicó definitivamente en Goose Creek, Carolina del Sur en el año 1978. Fue en el Lowcountry que Rigonan reconectó con sus raíces puertorriqueñas y junto a un grupo de amigos fundó una organización sin fines de lucro llamada Tri-county Hispanic Association, que tenía como objetivo promover actividades comunitarias y culturales. En la entrevista, Rigonan reflexiona acerca de la construcción de su identidad puertorriqueña, habla del racismo y clasismo que ha enfrentado a lo largo de su vida y se enorgullece de su familia multicultural.
Journalist and activist Juan Fernando Soto Martínez (b.1994) was born in the city of San Pedro de las Colonias, Coahuila, Mexico but soon his family moved to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. When he was seven years old, his parents decided to immigrate to the United States and settled down on Johns Island, South Carolina. From an early age, he excelled as a student, and a couple from the Catholic community provided financial support to further his education. He attended Charleston Collegiate, a private school on Johns Island and then Spring Hill College in Alabama where he earned a Bachelor in Journalism. After completing his degree, Soto Martinez returned to Charleston and founded Recursos Estatales (State Resources), an information service for the local Spanish-speaking community. In the interview, Soto Martínez reflects on his DACA status, the complexities of growing up in a small community, his love for journalism and his activism. He affirms his right to live his life on his terms and to pursue his dreams as a Latino gay man. El periodista y activista Juan Fernando Soto Martínez (1994) nació en la ciudad de San Pedro de las Colonias, Coahuila, México, pero pronto su familia se mudó a Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. Cuando tenía siete años sus padres decidieron emigrar a Estados Unidos y se radicaron en Johns Island, Carolina del Sur. Desde pequeño se destacó como estudiante y un matrimonio de la comunidad católica lo ayudó económicamente para que pudiera estudiar en la escuela privada de Johns Island, Charleston Collegiate y posteriormente en Spring Hill College en Alabama donde obtuvo el título de Bachelor en Periodismo. Después de completar sus estudios regresó a Charleston y fundó Recursos Estatales, un emprendimiento periodístico que sirve a la comunidad hispanohablante local. En la entrevista, Soto Martínez reflexiona sobre su situación de joven DACA, las complejidades de crecer en una comunidad pequeña, su amor por el periodismo y su activismo. Afirma su derecho a vivir su vida en sus propios términos y a perseguir sus sueños como joven latino y gay.
Jeanette P. Singleton was born on October 6, 1932 in Awendaw, South Carolina. She attended South Carolina College and later the University of South Carolina where she earned a master's degree in library science. Upon her graduation, in 1954 she was hired at Lincoln School in McClellanville, South Carolina. She worked in this institution for thirty-seven years until her retirement in 1992. In the interview, Ms. Singleton talks about the school's lack of resources during segregation and the challenges brought by integration. She remembers Hurricane Hugo devastation and the efforts to recover from it. Singleton laments the closing of Lincoln High in 2016 arguing the school was important for the local community, which took pride in its history and its graduates' accomplishments. Finally, Singleton reflects on her calling to be an educator and offers words of advice and encouragement to young teachers.
Eréndira Fabela Estrada (b. 1963) was born in San Pedro, Coahuila, Mexico. Her large family, school, and participation in the Catholic Church youth groups shaped her life. When she was twenty years old, she arrived for the first time to Johns Island, South Carolina to visit her sister and brother-in-law. There, she met her future husband and father of her daughter who worked as a contractor for a local farmer. Soon, Fabela Estrada was working with him in the fields and helping to manage the administrative side of contracting seasonal agricultural workers. The couple divided their time between Johns Island and San Pedro but decided to settle down definitively when their daughter started school. Motivated to improve her English to help her girl with the school homework, Fabela Estrada began taking classes at the College of Charleston. She continued studying until she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Spanish and Education. For twelve years, she has worked as a Spanish teacher at the Military Magnet Academy in the City of North Charleston. In the interview, Fabela Estrada reflects on her experiences working in the agricultural fields, her love for studying and teaching, and the difficulties and satisfactions she experienced by challenging her community traditional roles. Eréndira Fabela Estrada (1963) nació en San Pedro Coahuila, México y creció sin carencias ni lujos en el seno de una familia numerosa. Su familia, la escuela y la participación en los grupos juveniles de la iglesia católica dejaron una marca importante en su vida. A los veinte años llegó a Johns Island, Carolina del Sur para pasar un tiempo con su hermana y su cuñado que se habían radicado en la isla. Fue ahí donde conoció a su futuro esposo y padre de su hija que trabajaba como contratista para un ranchero local. Con él trabajó en todas las labores implicadas en el cuidado de los campos y la organización de los trabajadores. La pareja repartía su tiempo entre Johns Island y San Pedro, pero decidieron establecerse definitivamente cuando la hija de ambos comenzó la escuela. Motivada a capacitarse y mejorar su inglés para poder ayudar a la niña con las tareas escolares, Fabela Estrada comenzó a tomar clases en el College of Charleston. Poco a poco, continúo estudiando y se graduó con un Bachelor en español y educación. Por doce años se ha desempeñado como profesora de español en la escuela Military Magnet Academy en la Ciudad de North Charleston. En la entrevista, Fabela Estrada reflexiona acerca de sus experiencias trabajando en el campo, su amor por el estudio y la enseñanza y los desafíos que enfrentó para salirse de los roles tradicionales de su comunidad.
María was born in Caracheo, Guanajuato, Mexico. She is the youngest of eleven siblings in a family dedicated to rural work. She got married when she was twenty years old. Soon after, her husband, following in the footsteps of family and friends, left for the United States to work in agriculture. While her husband worked in the United States, she took care of the family in Caracheo. Each year, her husband went back home. However, after the terrorist attack in New York City, the trip became increasingly more dangerous. Thinking that her children needed to be with their father and have a better future, Maria decided to move to the United States and settled in Johns Island, South Carolina. In the interview, Maria talks about the process of adaptation to life in the United States, the difficulties related to physical and cultural isolation and the support she received from the island's Hispanic community. Maria affirms that, despite the obstacles, she is happy because her family is reunited and her children are well. At the time of the interview, Maria had four children and two grandchildren. / María, nació en Caracheo, Guanajuato, México. Es la menor de once hermanos de una familia dedicada al trabajo rural. A los veinte años se casó. Al poco tiempo su esposo, siguiendo los pasos de familiares y amigos, se marchó a los Estados Unidos para trabajar en la agricultura. Mientras Su esposo trabajaba en Estados Unidos ella cuidaba la familia en Caracheo. Cada año su esposo regresaba al pueblo para estar con la familia. Pero después del ataque terrorista en la ciudad de Nueva York el viaje se volvió cada vez más peligroso. Para que sus hijos pudieran crecer junto a su padre y tener un mejor futuro, María decidió mudarse a Estados Unidos y se estableció en Johns Island, Carolina del Sur. En la entrevista, María habla acerca del proceso de adaptación a la vida en Estados Unidos, las dificultades relacionadas con el aislamiento físico y cultural y el apoyo que recibió de la comunidad hispana de la isla. María afirma que, a pesar de los obstáculos, ella es feliz porque su familia está reunida y sus hijos están bien. Al momento de la entrevista María tenía cuatro hijos y dos nietos.
United Methodist Church minister James Ellis Griffeth (b. 1942) grew up in Greenville, S.C. He attended Wofford College and later Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC. He worked as a chaplain with the Greenville Health System for twenty-four years until his retirement in 1998. In the interview, Griffeth discusses his association with South Carolina Clergy Consultation Service for Problem Pregnancies (SCCCS) in Greenville. He explains why he became involved and details the problems women requiring counsel faced during that time in South Carolina. Finally, he reflects on his own spiritual beliefs regarding abortion.
Lidia Gabriela Ojeda Ruiz (b. 1997) was born in the town of Jerécuaro in Guanajuato, Mexico and came to the United States in 2006, with her two older brothers to live with her mother and her older sister who were already settled in Johns Island, South Carolina. In this interview, Ojeda remembers growing up in Mexico, the difficulty and confusion of leaving family and friends in Guanajuato to start a new life in the United States, and the challenges she faced adjusting to a foreign environment. She shares her story of adjusting to the school system, learning English and becoming acculturated. Moreover, she discusses her status as a Dreamer and the burdens placed upon DACA students to further their education beyond high school. Ojeda tells about her interest in criminal justice, her work with a local immigration lawyer, and her plans to continue her education in the future. In this interview, Ojeda reflects about how growing up in two different places, Guanajuato and South Carolina, have shaped her life and character.
United Methodist Church minister Wiley Barrow Cooper (b. 1942) was born in Greenville, South Carolina. In addition to his pastoral work, he had a long career in human services. In the interview, Cooper discusses his association with South Carolina Clergy Consultation Service for Problem Pregnancies (SCCCS) in Greenville. He explains why he became involved, his role as a volunteer counselor, and the problems women faced during that time in South Carolina. Finally, he reflects on his own spiritual beliefs regarding abortion and his participation in the civil rights movement.
Enrique Martinez is the owner of La Casa Mexicana, one of the first Hispanic stores in the city of Goose Creek. He was born in Tampico Tamaulipas, Mexico and studied Agricultural Administration at the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas. At the end of the 80s, he emigrated with his then-wife Marcela Ortega to the United States and after a brief stay in Texas, they settled in Johns Island, South Carolina. Martinez started working in agriculture, but the devastation caused by hurricane Hugo in 1989 and the subsequent real estate development in the area demanded more workers and created new job opportunities. Martinez found work in the construction of the Kiawah golf courses. He and his wife opened El Mercadito, the first Hispanic store in Johns Island. After their separation, Martinez left the island and moved to North Charleston. He became familiar with the growing Hispanic community of Goose Creek and decided to establish the store he still owns. In the interview, Martínez reflects on his experiences as an immigrant and the evolution of the Hispanic community in the area. He also speaks proudly of his children and of what he has been able to achieve in his life. / Enrique Martínez es el propietario de ”La Casa Mexicana” uno de las tiendas de productos hispanos con más trayectoria en la ciudad de Goose Creek. Nació en Tampico Tamaulipas, México y estudió administración agropecuaria en la Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas. A fines de la década de los ochenta emigró con su entonces esposa, Marcela Ortega, a los Estados Unidos y después de una breve temporada en Texas la pareja se asentó en Johns Island, Carolina del Sur. Martínez encontró empleo en la agricultura, pero la devastación producida por el huracán Hugo en 1989 y el posterior desarrollo inmobiliario de la zona demandaron más trabajadores y originaron nuevas oportunidades por lo cual Martínez comenzó a trabajar en la construcción de los campos de golf de Kiawah. Junto a su esposa abrió la primera tienda de productos hispanos en Johns Island ”El Mercadito”. Después de su separación, Martínez dejó la isla y se mudó a North Charleston. Se familiarizó con la vibrante comunidad hispana de Goose Creek y decidió establecer allí el negocio que todavía conserva. En la entrevista, Martínez reflexiona acerca de la evolución de la comunidad hispana en el área y sus experiencias personales como inmigrante. También habla con orgullo de sus dos hijos y de lo que ha podido construir en su vida.
Michelle Mapp was born on September 4, 1969 in Bad Kreuznach, Germany where her father, a U.S. Army drill sergeant was stationed. The family moved back to the United States when she was four years old and to the Charleston area when she was thirteen. Mapp attended Brentwood Middle School and Garret High School in North Charleston. She earned a bachelor's degree in Engineering from Clemson University and a Master of Engineering Management at George Washington University. She lived with her husband in Atlanta for several years and then relocated to Charleston in 2000. While teaching math at Stall High in North Charleston she observed the complexity of community factors that affected her students and became more interested in working on public policies. Following this interest, she enrolled in the master's degree program in public administration at the College of Charleston and started working right away with a newly formed organization, the Charleston Housing Trust. In the interview, Mapp discusses in length the need for affordable housing in Charleston and North Charleston and states that regional conversations and plans are needed and still lacking. She explains that affordable housing requires both finding resources but also modifying government building and development regulations. At the end of the interview, Mapp reflects about the Mother Emanuel AME Chuch massacre, the killing of Walter Scott, and systemic racism in Charleston and South Carolina.
Lebanese-American musician Peter Kfoury was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. His father was Lebanese and his mother Syrian. At thirteen, he learned to play guitar and soon after, he became fascinated with the oud, an old Mid-Eastern traditional instrument. He moved to Connecticut to attend college and for a few months, he took lessons with the Armenian musician George Mgrdichian. By that time, Kfoury started blending Middle Eastern music with jazz, rock, and funk. After a year, he decided to leave college and went to play music in New York. Later he returned to school and graduated as Dr. Chiropractor, the profession he has practiced for almost forty years. In the interview, Kfoury talks about the lack of diversity in the music offerings in Charleston as well as the lack of listening rooms. Responding to these voids, in 2016 he launched the World Music Cafe. John Holenko and Hazel Ketchum from Hungry Monk Music supported his efforts. Since then, World Music Cafe produces a monthly show that features three musicians of different musical traditions and styles. Finally, Kfoury talks about creating, recording and presenting his album At the Heart of Two Worlds.
Musician and educator Mervin Antonio Jenkins, also known as Spec the Spectacular for his talent at rhyming and freestyle, was born in Eutawville, South Carolina in 1972. He is the first child of Mary, a schoolteacher and Melvin Jenkins, an auto mechanic worker. It was on his father's garage that Jenkins listened to Run DMC, "Sucker MC's" for the first time. Then, he would learn more about rap music and culture with his cousin from New York. In the interview, Jenkins reflects on his career as a musician and as an educator that uses rap to engage young people. He shares the challenges and rewards of his career, stating that recording with Big Daddy Cane was one of his proudest moments. He discusses the evolution of rap music and its styles and names his favorite artists. When asked about a particular Charleston/Carolinas sound, he argues that the Carolinas never developed their own rap sound and style because it was not functional for the music industry. At the end of the interview, he performs "War of the Worlds" and freestyles responding to the audience prompts.
Radio host and producer Osei Terry Chandler was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1946. His father was a musician and his mother loved listening to music. Growing up in his multicultural city, he was exposed to all kinds of music. As a teenager, he joined his high school radio and mixed music at parties. He moved to Jacksonville, Illinois to attend MacMurray College and there continued DJing and working for the college radio. After graduation, he returned to New York to support his younger brothers and there he met and fell in love with Sadeeka Joyner, a young woman from Ridgeville SC, who would become his wife and the mother of his three children. In 1977, Chandler relocated to Charleston. Soon after, he found an opportunity to work on a jazz radio program replacing the host Tony Robertson. Later he focused mostly on reggae and Caribbean music. His program Roots Musik Karamu has been on the air in SC Public Radio since 1979. In the interview, Chandler recalls some of the most memorable moments of his career and reflects about the evolution of the music scene in Charleston. Finally, he states he has had a joyful life sharing his work with musicians and friends and explains that all the aspects of his life, family, his work as an educator and the music, are tied together. Mostly he always has wanted to share music that brings positive feelings and thoughts that are uplifting for the community.
Galen Hudson, owner of Monster Music and Movies Store, was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1967 and he grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. His earliest musical memories relate to his love for bagpipes and drums and the music of his Catholic grade school. He remembers the first record he bought- Steve Miller Band, Fly Like an Eagle when he was just a nine-year-old kid. He got his first job in a books and records store when he was a teenager. After graduating from college with a Bachelor in Psychology, he went to work for a retail music and entertainment store chain, Record Bar, in Chapel Hill. Later, he moved with his girlfriend to Charleston where he continued working with record stores, first at Manifest Discs and Tapes and later at Cats Music. In the interview, Hudson talks about the negative impact that the big boxes commercial model and the early file-sharing services had on the records business. However, he argues small local stores are resilient and have learned to adjust. He talks about Record Store Day, an initiative started by of a coalition of independent record stores fifteen years ago. He states his store and the Record Store Day are successful thanks to the Charleston community's cultural vibrancy and support.
