From September 4 through October 11, the Shell hosts six consecutive weekends of sound, color, and community across the Orion Financial Free Concert Series and the Shell Yeah! Benefit Series presented by Mempho Presents.

A Lineup That Sounds Like Memphis

The fall slate runs the full range of the city’s musical DNA. Austin guitar phenom Jackie Venson, a Marvin Gaye tribute featuring Larry Springfield, the Memphis Country Blues Festival, Hattiloo Theatre’s 20th anniversary celebration, Gonerfest 23, a Hispanic Heritage Celebration, Opera Memphis marking 70 years, and Shakespeare at the Shell closing things out with Love’s Labor’s Lost. Nearly all of it is free.

The Birthday Weekend

September 10 through 13 is the main event. Stax legend Booker T opens the 90th-anniversary weekend with a special ticketed performance, followed by three free days: a birthday picnic with the Memphis Youth Symphony; Sounds of the Shell; The Gathering; and the Memphis Studio Superset, a mashup celebrating the studios that built this city’s sound.

The Shell has been the stomping ground for rising artists since before Elvis played it in 1954. Ninety years in, the tradition is not slowing down.

The post The Overton Park Shell Turns 90 With Six Straight Weekends of Free Music appeared first on We Are Memphis.

The first museum exhibition of David Uzochukwu’s career is not opening in Berlin, London, or New York. It is opening in Memphis, and that matters.

David Uzochukwu: Bodies of Water runs June 10 through September 27, 2026, at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, marking the debut solo museum show for the Austrian-Nigerian photographer and filmmaker. At just 27, Uzochukwu has already been published in the British Journal of Photography, i-D, and Dazed, exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London and Fotografiska in New York and Shanghai, directed episodes of Black Fruit that premiered at Tribeca, and landed on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Now the Bluff City gets him first.

Hybrid Beings, Dreamlike Waters

Bodies of Water gathers 22 photographs of figures who are part human, part animal. Adorned with fins, scales, and other features, they move through surreal landscapes built to test them, and they are equipped to survive. The images draw on mythology, fantasy, and histories of migration to evoke the adaptability and resilience of diasporic communities navigating environments often marked by hostility and exclusion. Within these imagined worlds, Blackness resists simple definition. It is fluid, shifting, and vibrantly alive.

A Memphis Connection Behind the Lens

The exhibition is curated by Efe Igor Coleman, an independent curator and Yale-trained historian who previously served as the Blackmon Perry Assistant Curator of African American Art and Art of the African Diaspora at the Brooks. Her return to the museum for this show puts Memphis at the center of a global conversation about identity and belonging.

The post Bodies of Water Brings David Uzochukwu’s Surreal Worlds to Memphis appeared first on We Are Memphis.

The Music Export Memphis 10th Birthday Bash is a free, public celebration at W.C. Handy Park on historic Beale Street, running from 2 to 7 PM. The lineup is stacked with Memphis talent: Hi Rhythm featuring Jerome Chism and Lina Beach, Optic Sink, Nick Black featuring Raneem Imam, and Black Cream featuring Deonna Sirod and Keia Johnson. DJ sets from South Memphis Jeff and DJ Rhinestonee, presented in partnership with WYXR, round out the music all afternoon.

Beyond the performances, MEM is filling the plaza with partners who have helped the organization tell Memphis’s story to the world over the last decade, including Amurica Photo, the Memphis Grizzlies, and more to be announced. The centerpiece experience is the MEM Lovebug Vinyl Listening Lounge, an immersive vinyl listening experience built inside a 1973 Lovebug trailer, created with support from Mempho Presents and in partnership with Memphis Record Pressing, Egglestonworks Speakers, Studio 417 Interiors, and Caleb Sweazy Woodworking.

Food and drink will be available for purchase. Parking is plentiful near Beale Street, including two garages on Peabody Place within one block of Handy Park. Bring blankets and chairs.

The event is free and open to all, but RSVP in advance for a chance to win a VIP experience at a future MEM event plus a branded tote filled with merch.

A decade of helping Memphis artists build careers worth keeping. Come celebrate it!

The post Music Export Memphis Is Turning 10 and the Party Is on Beale Street appeared first on We Are Memphis.

“Recognize” is a new citywide marketing campaign designed to shine a spotlight on the creative contributions and collective impact of the Memphis arts sector. The campaign is not just a celebration of individual milestones — it’s a call to the broader community to acknowledge what Memphis artists and cultural institutions have always delivered, and to say it out loud.

The numbers make the case plainly. Memphis’s arts sector delivers more than 2 million arts experiences annually to every zip code and demographic in Shelby County. From music and visual arts to food and fashion, those contributions are not just cultural amenities — they are tourism drivers, economic engines, and the connective tissue of Memphis identity.

“The visionaries behind these institutions have accomplished the unimaginable, creating work that moves and inspires both our community and the world,” said Elizabeth Rouse, President and CEO of ARTSmemphis. “Now is the time to unapologetically recognize that work that is the core of Memphis’ brand, our culture, and our unique position.”

Mayor Paul Young echoed that directly. “Art is part of Memphis’ DNA. It shapes our culture, strengthens our neighborhoods, drives our economy, and helps tell the story of who we are. When we support artists and creative organizations, we are investing in one of our city’s greatest strengths.”

The Recognize campaign is 100% locally produced, featuring collaboration from arts organizations including Playhouse on the Square, Ballet Memphis, Soulsville Foundation, Cazateatro, and others. For a full calendar of upcoming arts events and a list of organizations celebrating milestones this year, visit artsmemphis.org/recognize.

Memphis has always known what it has. This campaign is just making sure everyone else does too.

The post ARTSmemphis Is Asking Memphis to “Recognize” What the Arts Have Always Built Here appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Now in its second year, Summer SOULstice has grown into one of Memphis’s most anticipated summer events. The 2025 edition drew more than 3,000 attendees and generated over 145,000 views across social media. This year builds on that momentum with a lineup that spans comedy, Memphis hip-hop royalty, and underground legend status all on the same stage.

The event is more than a concert. It’s a full day experience rooted in the intersection of music, wellness, and community. Expect dope DJ sets, wellness activations, movement and play experiences, and a local vendor market alongside the headliner performances. Partners like Grind City Brewing Co. and Groovy Gratitude help ground the event in the Memphis culture it celebrates.

“The biggest thing traveling has taught me is that you can’t wait for someone else to create the spaces you want to be a part of in Memphis,” said Nico Hatchett, Chameleon Haus Chief Events Coordinator. “Sometimes you need to step up and say we can do an event like this here too and make it happen.”

General admission tickets start at $17.49 and VIP tickets are available at $80. Sponsorship opportunities are also available at three levels for organizations looking to be part of one of Memphis’s most culturally significant summer events. For sponsorship inquiries, contact Nico Hatchett at nhtchett@gmail.com.

Summer SOULstice is a love letter to Memphis. Come celebrate it.

The post Summer SOULstice 2026 Is Coming Back to Uptown Memphis appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Pablo Ávila just graduated from the University of Memphis as a Student Marshal with two majors, two Outstanding Senior Awards, and a whole lot of Memphis to show for it.

Born and raised in Bogotá, Pablo spent a gap year doing community service work in Mexico. That experience deepened something he had always carried: a drive to serve, understand people, and contribute to the communities around him. Anthropology was the natural fit. The University of Memphis had a practicing anthropology program that stood out, and his brother was already in the city. He made the move with intention.

What happened next is exactly the kind of story Memphis keeps writing for people who bring that energy to it.

Plugged Into the City

From his first semester, Pablo connected his academic work directly to the people around him. He started volunteering at Amigo Community Center, an amazing local nonprofit that connects resources to Memphis’s Latino community, and that work grew into a paid internship through the university. A full semester of real work alongside a community he was proud to be part of.

“My volunteer work opened that door so I could get paid, have an internship experience, and keep supporting that community,” he says.

He also partnered with the Benjamin L. Hooks Public Library on the 901Voices oral history project, pitching and leading interviews with Latino Memphians whose stories hadn’t been formally documented. His academic work didn’t stay in the classroom. It went back to the people.

“My work and research projects in school translated and contributed to the overall image and work being done in Memphis,” he says. “I thought that was super cool.”

Memphis Was Also Where He Found Home

During that same gap year in Mexico, Pablo met Katie, another participant in the same program. Memphis became the place they could both land, and they built a life here together. They enrolled at UofM and got married at Shelby Farms in the summer of 2023.

“We both came into Memphis from different parts of the world and fell in love with it.”

Pablo graduated as a Student Marshal for the College of Arts and Sciences, earning the Outstanding Senior Award for both of his majors and the Dean’s Award for the college. Katie walked across the stage as a Student Marshal too! He is about to transition into a full-time at the Consilience Group, a Memphis consulting firm where he grew from intern to part-time to the real thing, and Katie will being teaching young Memphians at Richland Elementary.

They are not leaving. That is what Memphis does for people who show up for it!

The post This City Did That: Pablo Ávila and the University of Memphis appeared first on We Are Memphis.

And then he built a whole studio.

Last fall, IMAKEMADBEATS partnered with Google and Urban Arts, the national nonprofit that teaches video game design as a pathway to college and career, to design and build a state-of-the-art sound studio at Urban Arts’ Game Academy in New York City. Professional recording equipment. Production tools. Game audio design. All free for NYC public school students.

He showed up with blueprints and a philosophy: “Fostering creativity in youth is one of the most powerful things we can do, especially in a time when most systems teach conformity and call it preparation. Creativity builds problem solvers and visionaries. I see myself in almost every young person I meet, because I know how much it matters to have someone believe in your ability to create something.”

That’s not a New York idea. That’s a Memphis idea.

Access Changes Everything

Urban Arts student Darlyn “Dayl!ght!” Gutierrez is the proof. Three years ago he had no idea he loved making music. Now he’s a rising college junior studying Music Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Production, and he was on stage at the studio launch performing an original release alongside IMAKEMADBEATS himself.

The talent was always there. The access was the variable.

90% of Urban Arts students come from low-income communities, and through the program they’ve achieved 100% college acceptance and earned over $46 million in scholarships. In April 2026, the Urban Arts Color Ball, where the studio took center stage, raised a record-breaking $1.1 million, with partners like Google, Paramount, Take-Two Interactive, Adobe, and NBCUniversal all in the room.

IMAKEMADBEATS didn’t move to New York to do this. He brought Memphis to New York. His values, his vision, his belief that young people deserve real tools and real investment, that’s what built that studio.

There is no shortage of that same vision here at home. If a Memphian can walk into a room with Google and come out with a studio that changes young lives, the ceiling is higher than we’ve been told.

The talent here travels. The vision here scales. And it starts with someone deciding to build something.

The post A Memphis Innovator Just Changed the Game in New York City appeared first on We Are Memphis.

DJ AD opens the night and Cat Daddy takes it from there with live music built for dancing and lawn games all night long. The vendor lineup is stacked too. Shop the 901 Deals sneaker pop-up, browse Slowdown Dry Goods, and get linked with permanent jewelry from Silk N Honey with even more vendors on site to discover.

Come hungry. Sabor Caribe and Chai Halal are serving up bites, and free drinks from Flyway Brewing, Old Dominick Distillery, and Rootstock Wine Merchants are on tap for the night. 

Food and drinks are first come, first served so arrive on time to get the full experience.

Strangewaze only comes around once this year. Tonight is the night.

Get all the details here!

The post Memphis’ favorite midweek party is back tonight for one night only appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Led by the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art in partnership with the University of Memphis Fashion Program, MAFW brought together designers, artists, students, stylists, photographers, and fashion lovers in a shared space built for visibility, connection, and creative risk. This year, University of Memphis students were not on the sidelines. They were in the room where it happened.

Senior students Beij King, Blaze Pointer, Kelsey Keck, and Kyissa Baccus, alongside current students Eric Venson II, Giovanny Gorosteita, Marco Mata, Nancy Cebria, and TJ Jordan, worked directly with designers, retailers, artists, models, photographers, and industry professionals to bring the week to life. For many of them, it was their first real taste of the industry, and it happened in their own city, on their own terms.

That last part is the point. MAFW creative director Ramona Sonin coordinates both the week and the University of Memphis fashion design program, and the student partnership was a direct extension of her beliefs about Memphis fashion. It deserves visibility. It deserves investment. The next generation of designers should not have to leave to get their start.

Memphis Art and Fashion Week was bigger than a runway. It was a proof-of-concept that when the right institutions, educators, and community members invest in Memphis creative talent, the city builds something that belongs to itself. 

Follow the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art on Instagram to stay connected to what they build with the University of Memphis students next.

The post University of Memphis Students Are Helping Build Memphis Art and Fashion Week appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Some museums ask you to observe. The National Civil Rights Museum’s newly expanded Legacy Experience asks something harder. It asks you to find yourself inside the story.

Opening May 16, the Legacy Experience picks up where 1968 left off. Housed in the Museum’s Legacy Building, the expanded exhibition covers the last 50 years of the civil rights movement with the kind of depth and honesty the moment has always deserved. Poverty, education, housing, gender equity, and nonviolence are not relics on a wall. They are the same conversations happening right now, rendered with new context and new urgency.

The reimagined space features interactive digital galleries, flexible classrooms, and changing exhibition areas designed to respond to real-time developments in civil rights and democracy. Visitors are not passive. There are spaces where you share your own perspective, engage with ongoing movements, and where the line between history and the present dissolves completely.

Memphis has always been at the center of this story. The Legacy Experience holds the full weight of what happened and what is still happening, and it invites everyone who walks through those doors to reckon with their place in it.

You won’t just learn what happened. You’ll understand why it matters and leave thinking differently about where you stand.

The Legacy Experience opens May 16 at the National Civil Rights Museum. All are welcome!

Learn more and plan your visit here.

The post National Civil Rights Museum expands with the Legacy Experience appeared first on We Are Memphis.

On May 21, he’s opening the door wider than ever.

A CHRISTOWNSEND JUNT is a one-man show designed to be something different. Not just a concert. An experience. An intimate night of music, storytelling, and community that walks through 11 years of his artistic journey in a space where the audience is part of the room, not just watching from it.

I want to create a forum for people to come and have a holistic experience that is unique and gives them a chance to go into my creative world,” Townsend shared. “And I hope this format becomes something other local artists can build on, too.

That last part matters. This is not just a celebration of his own work. It’s a blueprint. A proof of concept that Memphis artists can create their own stages, their own formats, and their own terms for connecting with an audience.

Doors open May 21. Entry starts at $11, but this is a proud-to-pay event. You pay what the experience means to you.

Get tickets here.

The post Chris Townsend Is Inviting Memphis Into His World appeared first on We Are Memphis.

His path to Hollywood ran straight through this city. Hunter trained at the Young Actors Guild in Memphis under founder Chrysti Chandler, who recognized early that he had something worth developing. From local stage productions to a Broadway touring run of The Lion King, every step was built on a foundation laid here. He later played Marlon Jackson in the national tour of MJ: The Musical, and it was that performance that put him on the film’s radar.

He filmed his scenes as part of the young Jackson Five in 2024. On set, he worked alongside veteran actors who shaped how he shows up to the craft. And just last weekend, he was back home on the riverfront, introducing Wu-Tang Clan at RiverBeat Music Festival at Tom Lee Park. A full-circle moment for a kid whose career started on Memphis stages.

Through all of it, the through line has been Memphis. The training ground, the community, the roots that made the reach possible.

Michael is in theaters now. Read the full story at Fox13 and The Commercial Appeal.

The post Jaylen Lyndon Hunter Is Taking Memphis To The Big Screen appeared first on We Are Memphis.

“I think I would consider myself a cultural curator. I do a little bit of everything. DJ, curate events, tell stories through content. Yeah. A practicing filmmaker.”

He returned to Memphis in 2021 and got back to work. DJing took a back seat for a minute, until it didn’t.

“I didn’t probably really start getting back into my DJ bag until ’24. And especially ’25.” Now he’s back in full force running his own event series Yo Breezye and Friends alongside everything else he has in motion.

“Now we’re having spaces like Swamp Bar, Cameo, and these smaller bars that are providing spaces for DJs to be creative and be DJs.”

This past weekend, Breezye took the stage at RiverBeat, his first real festival moment, and it meant something bigger than the set itself.

“It’s a big festival and it’s in Memphis and I feel like me and other DJs are starting now to get recognized by these larger organizations. So for Riverbeat and Mempho to reach out, it’s like okay, people are taking some notice. So it’s pretty dope.”

Photo from Summer Soulstice 2025 | Taken by @jbendr93/Jalen Jones

“You’re gonna see a lot more DJ-hosted events where it’s not a club or the bar putting it on, but it’s gonna be a DJ putting it on or a collective of DJs. It’s giving the power back to the creative side.”

That shift means more people who wouldn’t normally go out are going to start showing up because they rock with a specific DJ or collective, not just a venue. For Breezye, that’s not just a prediction. It’s already the plan, and with Yo Breezye and Friends he’s been building toward exactly that kind of moment.

Memphis gave him the foundation. Now he’s helping shape what comes next.

Follow breeezye on socials to stay up on upcoming sets and events.

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Link

The post DJ Yo Breezye Is helping put the Power Back in the DJ’s Hand appeared first on We Are Memphis.

A classically trained violist, DJ, and curator by title. A cultural connector by nature. Nico plays black nostalgic music woven into dance music, and she’s intentional about why.

“A lot of people, maybe even in Memphis, don’t realize that dance music is black music and that a lot of pioneers lived here and migrated to Chicago and Detroit and helped pioneer the sound.”

She’s not just saying it. She’s proving it every time she steps behind the decks.

What started as Nico wanting to bring Zack Fox to Memphis turned into Summer Soulstice, a 3,000-person moment that nobody saw coming, including her. But the real win wasn’t the crowd size. It was what happened after.

“Zack put Memphis on his map for his tour. That’s what I want. When we invite them and let them see how hungry people are here, they want to be a part of the map.”

That’s curation at its highest level. Not just throwing an event. Building a bridge.

Photo from Summer Soulstice 2025 | Taken by @jbendr93/Jalen Jones

This past weekend she took the stage at RiverBeat, joining a lineup that continues to prove Memphis doesn’t just have history, it has momentum. Festivals like RiverBeat and Mempho have become the platforms where local talent gets a national stage and Nico is exactly the kind of artist those rooms were made for.

She freestyles every set. No plan, no script, just reading the room and building the moment live.

“We create a moment together. And I think that’s why it’s really fun.”

Keep up with what she does next. Memphis is on the map and she’s one of the reasons why.

Follow DJ Nico on socials to stay up on upcoming sets and events.

• Instagram
• TikTok

The post DJ Nico Is Putting Memphis on the Dance Music Map One Set at a Time appeared first on We Are Memphis.

A SHARED SPACE: From Idea to Invitation

The vision for The Front Porch began with a question. What would it look like to create a space that feels accessible, calming, and genuinely welcoming to everyone who walks through the door? The answer took shape as a light filled building surrounded by greenery and anchored by a broad porch that reflects a long standing Southern tradition of hospitality.

Situated on a portion of the Second Baptist Church campus, The Front Porch was intentionally established as an independently operated nonprofit. This structure allows the space to serve the broader Memphis community without barriers, expectations, or requirements. The goal was not to build another venue, but to cultivate a shared place that belongs to the neighborhood and the city as a whole.

Central to this vision is Second Helpings Café, a public café designed to be both approachable and inviting. It functions as a daily gathering point where conversations begin naturally over coffee or a meal.

Design That Supports COMMUNITY

The physical design of The Front Porch reflects its purpose. Walls of glass allow natural light to fill the interior, creating a sense of openness and warmth. Inside, flexible rooms support meetings, workshops, small events, and quiet work. Outside, rocking chairs and shaded seating provide space for conversation or rest.

Gardens and landscaped green areas surround the building, reinforcing the idea that slowing down is both encouraged and respected here. Whether someone visits for a short break, an afternoon meeting, or a community event, the environment communicates ease rather than urgency.

The Front Porch also provides space for partner organizations that support community well being, including counseling and nonprofit services. This combination allows the building to support moments of celebration alongside moments that require care and reflection.

A Space Shaped by the People Who Use It

While the building is modern in form, the idea behind it is deeply familiar. For generations, front porches served as places where neighbors talked, children played, and relationships grew naturally over time. The Front Porch Memphis draws from this tradition while responding to the needs of life today.

Rather than emphasizing scale or spectacle, the project focuses on consistency and care. It creates room for ordinary moments that slowly build trust and connection.

The true measure of The Front Porch is found not in its architecture, but in the people who gather there. Each conversation, shared meal, and quiet pause contributes to the purpose of the space. Over time, these small moments create something lasting.

The Front Porch Memphis stands as a reminder that community does not require complexity. Sometimes it begins with a chair, a cup of coffee, and the decision to make space for one another.

#SoulLivesHere.

The post The Front Porch Memphis: Creating a Place to Pause, Connect, and Belong appeared first on We Are Memphis.

According to reporting from The Daily Memphian, artists like De La Soul and Wu-Tang Clan, both known for groundbreaking debut albums, built their music in part on Memphis soul. Through samples from Stax Records legends like Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Carla Thomas, these groups helped carry the city’s influence into a new era of sound.

De La Soul’s playful, genre-blending production and Wu-Tang Clan’s raw, stripped-down style may have emerged from New York, but both drew heavily from Memphis records—transforming classic soul into something entirely new.

That connection continues across the RiverBeat lineup. Artists like Salt-N-Pepa also reworked and reintroduced Memphis classics to new audiences, proving the city’s lasting impact across generations of music.

Now, those sounds come full circle as these artists take the stage in Memphis—bringing global recognition back to the source.

As RiverBeat begins, it’s more than a weekend of performances. It’s a reminder that Memphis music doesn’t just make history, it continues to shape what’s next.

The post RiverBeat Brings Hip-Hop Icons Back to Their Memphis Roots appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Northside High School, established in the mid-1960s, was originally envisioned as an integrated school serving a predominantly Black community during a time when segregation still shaped much of Memphis life. Klondike itself has long been one of the city’s most important neighborhoods for Black Memphians. In this place, professionals, musicians, educators, and doctors lived side by side, building a strong, interconnected community across generations.

Over time, like many urban neighborhoods, Klondike experienced decades of disinvestment. As integration reshaped residential patterns and families moved elsewhere, Northside High went from serving more than a thousand students to just a handful before closing in 2015.

Today, that legacy is not being forgotten; it’s being reimagined.

A New Vision for a Historic Space

Northside Square is a 270,000-square-foot redevelopment project transforming the former school campus into a multi-use community hub designed to serve both current and future generations of Klondike residents.

The redevelopment will bring together a wide range of resources under one roof, including:

• Comprehensive healthcare services
• Computer and technical training programs
• Workforce development opportunities
• Office and community space
• Visual and cultural arts programming
• Literacy advocacy support
• An upgraded gymnasium
• 42 units of 100% affordable housing on the third floor

This isn’t just about repurposing a building—it’s about rebuilding access.

At the center of this work is a belief that communities thrive when investment is intentional, holistic, and rooted in the people who live there.

Designing With Purpose and Care

For Roshun Austin, President and CEO of The Works Incorporated and President and Chair of Northside Renaissance Inc., the vision for Northside Square goes beyond infrastructure. It’s about creating an environment where dignity and belonging are built into the experience itself.

From supporting local Black artists to shaping welcoming, thoughtfully designed shared spaces, every detail is considered. Even sensory elements like the atmosphere of the lobby are intentionally curated to reflect care and pride for the residents who will call this space home.

All of the housing within Northside Square is affordable, ensuring that longtime residents and new families alike have access to quality, stable living in a neighborhood with a deep and meaningful history.

Honoring the Past, Building the Future

Northside Square stands as part of a broader movement to reinvest in neighborhoods that have long been overlooked. It reflects a shift from disinvestment to restoration, from vacancy to vibrancy, and from loss to possibility.

Most importantly, it reaffirms what Klondike has always known: this community has always held value, talent, and strength. What’s changing now is the recognition and resources being matched to that truth.

As Memphis continues to grow and evolve, projects like Northside Square remind us that progress is most powerful when it is rooted in place and when it honors the people who built it first.

#SoulLivesHere.

The post Northside Square: Reimagining a Historic Campus in the Heart of Klondike appeared first on We Are Memphis.

But that’s exactly what you’ll find at the TIGUrS Urban Garden.

More than just a green space, the garden is a living example of how Memphis is embracing sustainability, wellness, and community in real, tangible ways.

A Garden with Purpose

The TIGUrS Urban Garden was created as part of the University of Memphis’ commitment to sustainability and hands-on learning. Designed to operate in an urban environment, the garden demonstrates how fresh, healthy food can be grown even in limited spaces—making it a powerful model for cities like Memphis.

Students, faculty, and community members all play a role in maintaining the space, turning it into a collaborative effort rooted in shared impact.

And the best part? The produce grown here is free and accessible, reinforcing a simple but meaningful idea: sustainability should benefit everyone.

Where Sustainability Meets Wellness

Beyond the fruits and vegetables it produces, the TIGUrS Urban Garden serves another important purpose—it creates space for wellness.

Tucked into campus, the garden offers a quiet, natural environment where students can step away from the pace of academic life. Whether it’s a place to study, reflect, or simply reset, the garden highlights the connection between green spaces and mental well-being.

It’s a reminder that sustainability isn’t just about the environment—it’s also about creating healthier, more balanced communities.

Learning by Doing

At the University of Memphis, sustainability isn’t just something you study—it’s something you experience.

The TIGUrS Urban Garden gives students the opportunity to engage directly with concepts like urban agriculture, food systems, and environmental responsibility. Through volunteering and hands-on involvement, they gain practical knowledge that extends far beyond the classroom.

That kind of learning doesn’t just stay on campus—it carries into careers, communities, and the future of Memphis.

Rooted in Community

What makes the TIGUrS Urban Garden especially impactful is its connection to the broader Memphis community.

This isn’t a closed-off campus initiative. It’s a shared space that welcomes participation, encourages collaboration, and reflects a larger movement happening across the city—one that prioritizes access, sustainability, and collective well-being.

It’s a small but powerful example of how local action can lead to citywide impact.

Growing Something Bigger

The TIGUrS Urban Garden is just one part of the University of Memphis’ broader commitment to sustainability—but it tells a bigger story.

It shows what’s possible when innovation meets intention. When education meets action. When a city invests in creating spaces that serve both people and the planet.

Because in Memphis, sustainability isn’t just something we talk about—it’s something we’re actively growing.

The post How the University of Memphis is Growing a More Sustainable City appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Floetry reunites Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie “The Floacist” Stewart for a long awaited return to the stage together. Known for the seamless blend of soulful vocals and spoken word textures, the duo has built a lasting connection with audiences through songs that center feeling, honesty, and craft. Seeing Floetry live remains a reminder of the power of voices working in harmony, especially in a room that has hosted generations of memorable performances.

The evening opens strong with two respected artists who set the tone before Floetry takes the stage. Raheem DeVaughn brings smooth, romantic R&B rooted in groove and lyrical intention, delivering performances that feel personal and inviting. Teedra Moses follows with sharp songwriting and a signature vocal style that has earned deep respect across soul and R&B circles, balancing vulnerability with confidence. Together, they frame the night as an easy follow up to a busy music weekend, keeping Memphis tuned in and fully present as the city’s live music keeps rolling in.

The post Floetry Brings the Say Yes Tour to the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis appeared first on We Are Memphis.

After more than a decade in Memphis’ film community, Glenn noticed his work naturally shifting toward stories for younger audiences. That path took him to children’s film festivals across the country—experiences that were not only creatively inspiring, but also emotionally impactful.

“I kept thinking how meaningful these experiences were,” Glenn shared. “And I wished something like that existed back in Memphis.”

So, he built it.

Like You Film Club is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the emotional growth and mental wellness of kids and families through film. But it’s not just about screening movies—it’s about transforming the way people experience them.

In a time when watching a film often means sitting alone or scrolling on a small screen, Like You Film Club creates space for something different. Each gathering invites families to come together, watch with intention, and engage beyond the credits.

Every event begins with an introduction that provides context and themes to look for, encouraging audiences to think more deeply about what they’re watching. After the film, the experience continues with interactive activities designed to spark conversation, connection, and creativity.

It’s a simple but powerful idea: film as a shared experience, not just entertainment.

By bringing people together in this way, Like You Film Club is helping to build a stronger sense of community in Memphis. One where families can connect, kids can grow emotionally, and stories can open the door to meaningful conversations.

For Glenn, it all comes back to creating space for reflection, for connection, and for belonging.

And in Memphis, that’s exactly where the soul lives.

The post Like You Film Club Brings Community and Connection to the Big Screen appeared first on We Are Memphis.

A New Kind of Adventure on the River
Baron Von Opperbean & The River of Time (Opening Spring 2026)

Mud Island turns the page this spring with a fully immersive storytelling experience that blends imagination, science, and play. Baron Von Opperbean & The River of Time transforms the former River Museum into an interactive world where curiosity leads the way.
Equal parts art installation and living narrative, BVO invites visitors, especially young ones, to explore, experiment, and step inside a story that evolves with each visit. This is phase one of a much larger vision, with major expansion already on the horizon. For Memphis, it’s a fresh reason to reconnect with the river and reimagine how learning and art can intersect.

2026 centers the people who give Memphis its creative pulse. The artists, audiences, mentors, and neighbors who shape this city every day take the spotlight.
It is reflected in musicians who found their voice on the Overton Park Shell stage. In dancers who learned precision, power, and possibility through movement. In young people who recognized themselves in a Hattiloo Theatre performance for the first time. In artists whose work traveled from neighborhood walls to national platforms.

Throughout 2026, Memphis culture moves with intention and energy. Creativity shows up in public spaces, fills rooms, sparks conversation, and invites participation. So share the experience. Walk into the galleries, the theaters, the gardens, and shared spaces. Memphis has been creating for generations, and this year the city gathers to honor it together.

The post What’s Opening Next in Memphis: New Energy, New Spaces, New Stories appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Memphis Rap Tours brings that story to life through a guided bus experience that takes you through the neighborhoods, streets, and landmarks that shaped the city’s global influence on hip-hop. It’s not a traditional tour—it’s a moving mixtape, where every stop connects the music to a moment in Memphis history.

Where Music Meets Place

Along the way, riders hear the stories behind Memphis’s most influential artists, producers, and cultural movements—all while traveling through the very communities that shaped them. From iconic locations to lesser-known corners of the city, the tour offers a deeper understanding of how Memphis helped define the sound of Southern hip-hop.

With curated music, live narration, and photo stops built into the experience, it’s an immersive way to see—and hear—the city from a new perspective.

Rooted in Memphis Culture

Launched as the city’s first rap-focused tour, Memphis Rap Tours was created to celebrate both the entertainment and cultural impact of Memphis hip-hop.

Because here, the music reflects something bigger.

It tells the story of a city known for its grit, creativity, and influence—one that helped shape hip-hop as we know it today.

Come Ride

Whether you’re a lifelong Memphian or visiting for the first time, Memphis Rap Tours offers a new way to experience the city—through the music, the stories, and the places that made it all happen.

Because in Memphis, the soul doesn’t just live in the music.
It lives in the streets that created it.

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At The Studio Karaoke, that feeling is turned into an experience.

Founded by Memphis native Deidre Ellis, The Studio Karaoke was created with one goal in mind: to bring more joy to the city. After leaving Memphis and returning home with a fresh perspective, Ellis saw an opportunity to create something new in the local entertainment scene. Something that felt both globally inspired and deeply rooted in Memphis culture.

The result is a “karaoke box” concept—popular across many Asian countries and growing in cities across the U.S.—that offers private, bookable suites where guests can sing, celebrate, and connect in a space of their own.

But this isn’t just karaoke.

A New Way to Experience Memphis Music

Inside The Studio Karaoke, each room tells a story.

Guests can step into Memphis-inspired suites designed to reflect the city’s rich musical legacy, from the energy of performing on Beale Street to the intimacy of a recording studio session. Every detail invites visitors to not just listen to Memphis music, but to become a part of it.

Whether you’re channeling your inner performer in the arena-style room or vibing out with friends in a studio-inspired space, the experience is immersive, personal, and uniquely Memphis.

Designed for Joy, Connection, and Community

At its core, The Studio Karaoke is about creating space.

Space to celebrate.
Space to be yourself.
Space to experience joy without pressure.

By offering private suites, guests can enjoy karaoke with friends, family, or coworkers—no stage fright required. You control the playlist straight from your phone, order food and drinks directly to your room, and create your own vibe from start to finish.

It’s a different kind of night out—one that centers connection and comfort just as much as entertainment.

Rooted in Memphis, Built for the Moment

As a Black woman-owned business, The Studio Karaoke represents the kind of innovation and cultural influence that continues to shape Memphis today. It’s a reflection of the city’s ability to honor its past while embracing new ideas and experiences.

For Ellis, it all comes back to pride in the place she calls home.

Memphis has always been a city worth celebrating, and spaces like this make that even more clear.

Because here, you don’t just listen to the legacy.
You step into it.

Soul lives here.

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The Edge District has long carried a reputation for artists shaping their own ecosystem—brick by brick, print by print, canvas by canvas. The quarterly art crawl continues that tradition, offering an afternoon shaped by new work, shared space, and the easy flow between creative disciplines. Bars and restaurants along the route provide fuel for the journey, but visual storytelling takes the lead, filling sidewalks and studios with momentum.

WONDER COWORK CREATE
340B Monroe

Wonder Cowork Create blends shared workspace with an artist-forward environment designed for collaboration. The Monroe Avenue location regularly hosts makers working across mediums, from visual art to design-based practices. During the crawl, the space functions as both studio and gathering point, giving visitors a look at work shaped through collective energy.

The Ugly Art Co.
635 MADISON

The Ugly Art Co. carries a bold graphic presence that leans into illustration, screen printing, and experimental design. Known for embracing the imperfect and expressive, the Madison Avenue studio offers artwork that pulls inspiration from pop culture, street aesthetics, and Memphis grit. The gallery space often feels like a visual conversation unfolding in real time.

SOMETHING SOLID STUDIO
669 MONROE EXTENSION

Something Solid Studio centers functional art and thoughtful craftsmanship. The Monroe Extension location often showcases woodworking, sculpture, and design-driven objects that balance form and utility. Visitors encounter pieces grounded in process, material, and patience—art built with intention and physical presence.

Sheet Cake Gallery
405 MADISON

Sheet Cake Gallery provides a clean, approachable setting that highlights contemporary artists with distinct voices. The Monroe Avenue gallery regularly hosts rotating exhibitions that encourage close looking and open interpretation. During the crawl, the space offers a curated pause where visual ideas unfold at a steady, confident pace.

Marshall Arts Gallery
639 MADISON

Marshall Arts Gallery serves as a flexible exhibition space anchored by experimental spirit. Located on Marshall Avenue, the gallery often supports emerging artists and unconventional presentation styles. Installations frequently shift the way viewers move through the room, allowing the artwork to guide the experience.

Contemporary Arts Memphis
652 MADISON

Contemporary Arts Memphis operates with a mission rooted in education, access, and critical engagement with modern art. The Marshall Avenue space presents exhibitions by artists working across disciplines and concepts, often paired with programming that invites dialogue. During the crawl, the gallery acts as a hub for thoughtful exchange and layered visual narratives.

Slowdown Dry Goods
655 MADISON

Slowdown Dry Goods merges art, retail, and cultural storytelling. Located just steps away on Marshall Avenue, the shop highlights local artists through prints, apparel, and handcrafted goods. The space carries a tactile energy, giving visitors artwork that lives easily between walls and everyday life.

_____

As the afternoon in the Edge unfolds, streets along Madison and Monroe will connect the spaces naturally, encouraging chance encounters and shared discoveries.

The Edge District Art Crawl reflects how Memphis creativity thrives—through proximity, openness, and steady commitment to craft. Each studio tells its own story, and together they form a living map of creative labor in the city. The crawl invites everyone to participate simply by showing up, walking the route, and engaging with what’s made here.

Saturday’s crawl offers time spent inside the work and alongside the people shaping it. The Edge District sets the scene, and Memphis brings the curiosity.

See you out there.

The post The Edge District Art Crawl Returns, with More Rhythm and Creative Exchange appeared first on We Are Memphis.

For co-owner Ti-Pei Fing, the journey starts right here in the city.

Raised in Parkway Village and a graduate of Sheffield High School, Ti-Pei says his connection to Memphis only deepened after time away. Like many Memphians, coming back gave him a new perspective.

This city shaped me,” he shares. “Grit & Grind shaped me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

That mindset became the foundation for what would eventually grow into Juiced What You Needed.

Built From Scratch In Every Sense

The business didn’t begin in a storefront. It started with resilience.

After COVID, while Ti-Pei continued working as a restaurant manager, his wife Stephanie found herself out of a job. Determined to create something of her own, she built a food cart by hand, a small pull-behind trailer that would become the couple’s starting point.

They began serving at the Memphis Farmers Market, just steps away from where their brick-and-mortar now stands today.

As their food offerings gained traction, they expanded into beverages, making a clear decision about their approach: everything would be homemade, from scratch, and made with real ingredients.

That commitment still defines their menu today.

With no refined or heavily processed ingredients, Juiced What You Needed offers a different kind of dining experience. One centered on wellness, quality, and care.

We want you to eat like you’d be eating at somebody’s house.

A Space That Feels Like Home

When it came time to create their physical space in South Main, the vision was clear and led by Stephanie.

Ti-Pei jokes that he followed her lead, but the result speaks for itself.

The space was intentionally designed to feel like an extension of their home. It’s warm, welcoming, and filled with natural elements, an environment where guests are encouraged to slow down, stay awhile, and connect.

Whether it’s playing a game of chess, reading a book, or catching up with friends, Juiced What You Needed offers more than a quick stop. It offers a sense of belonging.

“This restaurant is a reflection of who we are,” he says. “And the menu reflects that too.”

A Full-Circle Moment in South Main

There’s something especially meaningful about where they’ve landed.

From serving customers at the Memphis Farmers Market to opening a storefront just across the street, Juiced What You Needed represents a full-circle moment, One that reflects both growth and deep community roots.

It’s a story that feels distinctly Memphis: built on perseverance, fueled by passion, and grounded in authenticity.

And today, that story continues to unfold in South Main, where Ti-Pei and Stephanie are creating not just food and drinks, but a space that truly feeds the community.

Because here in Memphis, it’s never just about what you build, it’s about what you pour into it.

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The Equality Trailblazers: Memphis Suffrage Monument honors Shelby County leaders who played a role in the nonviolent fight for women’s right to vote. This movement culminated in the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Tennessee holds a unique place in that history as the final state needed to secure that right nationwide.

But this monument goes beyond a single moment in time. It recognizes both the suffragists who fought for equality and the generations of women whose leadership and careers were made possible because of their victory.

Where Law and Legacy Meet

Its placement behind the University of Memphis Law School is deeply symbolic. The suffrage movement was, at its core, a fight for legal recognition, constitutional rights, and equal representation—values that continue to be studied, practiced, and upheld by students at University of Memphis today.

Several of the women honored here also made history within the legal and political systems themselves, breaking barriers in spaces where their voices were once excluded.

Honoring Memphis Women Who Led the Way

At the heart of the monument are the stories of trailblazing women whose impact reached far beyond Memphis:

• Ida B. Wells – A fearless journalist and anti-lynching activist who later became a powerful voice in the suffrage movement.
• Mary Church Terrell – A national leader who championed both racial and gender equality.
• Marion Griffin – The first woman to practice law in Tennessee and the first elected to the state House.
• Lois DeBerry – A trailblazing public servant and the first female Speaker Pro Tempore in the Tennessee legislature, serving for decades.

The monument also highlights additional leaders—educators, activists, and public servants—whose work in civil rights, government, and community leadership carried the legacy of suffrage forward. Many of these women are not widely recognized elsewhere, making their inclusion here especially meaningful.

A Living Timeline of Progress

Stretching along the riverfront, the monument visually tells the story of women’s rights across generations. A large-scale installation depicts a “100 Year March,” representing women continuing the fight for equality from 1918 through today.

Each etched panel shares the stories of individuals who helped move that progress forward—connecting the early suffrage movement to modern-day leadership and civic impact.

Why This Monument Matters

Public monuments reflect what a city chooses to remember—and who it chooses to honor. For decades, many of the women who contributed to the suffrage movement, particularly Black women, were overlooked in mainstream historical narratives.

The Equality Trailblazers monument helps correct that by placing their stories in a prominent, public space—inviting Memphians and visitors alike to learn, reflect, and take pride in the role this city played in shaping a more equitable future.

By placing this monument in the heart of downtown—alongside a leading institution like the University of Memphis Law School, it reinforces a powerful message: the fight for equality didn’t just happen in history books. It lives on in classrooms, courtrooms, and communities today.

Experience It for Yourself

Whether you’re walking along the river or exploring downtown, the Equality Trailblazers monument offers a moment to pause and reflect on the women who fought for a voice and the generations who continue to use it.

Their legacy lives on in Memphis.

Learn More Here

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In fact, Memphis was recently named the only major U.S. city where women own more businesses than men, signaling a powerful shift toward a more inclusive and representative economy.

At the University of Memphis, that momentum is cultivated every day through the Crews Center for Entrepreneurship, led by Whitney Hardy, whose work equips the next generation of founders with the tools, confidence, and connections to succeed.

Women Leading the Way

Leadership matters, especially in entrepreneurship, where women have historically faced barriers to access and opportunity.

Under Whitney Hardy’s leadership, the Crews Center continues to foster an environment where innovation is accessible, collaborative, and inclusive. Her role reflects a broader shift happening across Memphis—one where women are not only building businesses, but shaping the systems that support them.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, her leadership stands as an example of how women are creating pathways for future founders and redefining what entrepreneurship can look like.

Creating Space for Female Entrepreneurs

Memphis’ national recognition as a leader in women-owned businesses didn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of intentional investment in access, education, and community.

The Crews Center plays a key role in that ecosystem.

Open to students of all majors and experience levels, the Center provides hands-on opportunities to explore entrepreneurship through real-world application. From pitch competitions and accelerator programs to mentorship and funding opportunities, students are supported at every stage of their journey.

For female students in particular, spaces like this are critical.

Access to resources is only part of the equation. Confidence, representation, and community matter just as much. By creating an environment where women can see themselves as founders and leaders, the Crews Center helps turn possibility into action.

Where Entrepreneurs Are Made

At its core, the Crews Center is built on experiential learning.

Students don’t just study entrepreneurship—they practice it. Whether they’re developing early-stage ideas or launching full ventures, they gain hands-on experience that prepares them for real-world challenges.

This approach builds more than businesses. It builds an entrepreneurial mindset rooted in creativity, resilience, and problem-solving skills that translate across industries and careers.

Why It Matters for Memphis

The success of women entrepreneurs in Memphis is a reflection of a larger, community-driven effort to create equitable opportunities.

Programs like those offered through the Crews Center help sustain that momentum by continuously developing new talent and connecting students to the city’s broader entrepreneurial network.

And when women are part of that growth, the impact is exponential.

More women entrepreneurs mean more diverse businesses, more inclusive innovation, and stronger economic outcomes for communities across Memphis.

Building the Future, Together

Entrepreneurship is about creating something that didn’t exist before, and in Memphis, women are doing exactly that.

Through Whitney Hardy’s leadership and the work happening at the Crews Center for Entrepreneurship, students are gaining the tools to not only participate in that future but to lead it.

Because in Memphis, the future of entrepreneurship isn’t just innovative—it’s inclusive.

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The coming year goes beyond a single opening or one headline moment, and is full of momentum. Decades of artists, builders, storytellers, educators, and organizers all reaching a shared crescendo. From stages and studios to gardens and riverfronts, Memphis arts and culture are stepping forward together and inviting everyone to witness it.
This is an arts and culture year that is decades in the making.

Generations of Creativity, Celebrated Together

If you measure heritage in heartbeats and history, Memphis is marking something extraordinary in 2026. Some of our most vital arts and culture institutions are celebrating milestone anniversaries, proof that creativity here isn’t a trend, it’s a legacy.
These organizations didn’t just entertain us. They shaped neighbors, nurtured youth, challenged systems, moved bodies and minds, and told the stories only Memphis could tell. This year, we honor them all. Not by looking back, but by celebrating how alive they continue to be.

Supporting these arts organizations not only sustains their important work but also contributes to the vibrant cultural fabric of Memphis. Whether through attending events, making donations, or spreading the word, your involvement can make a significant impact! For even more inspiration, check out Shelby County Art for All, ARTSmemphis, and DANCE Memphis upcoming arts events, and much more.

What’s Opening Next: New Energy, New Spaces, New Stories

While we honor the institutions that built the foundation, 2026-2027 also opens the door to what’s next. Across the city, brand-new cultural experiences are taking shape. They are bold in scale, ambitious in vision, and unmistakably Memphis in spirit. Learn more about what’s opening next here.

The post 2026-2027: When Memphis Shows the World How Culture Lives appeared first on We Are Memphis.

After graduating from Booker T. Washington High School, he pursued his studies at LeMoyne Owen College and Lincoln University, before embarking on a career that would redefine music marketing. From promoting legendary artists like Sam Cooke, Nancy Wilson, and Earth, Wind & Fire, to helping launch hits like Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers’ Bustin’ Loose, Dr. Westbrooks’ influence reached far beyond Memphis. He became the first African American territory salesman at Capitol Records and later served as Director of Special Markets for CBS Records under Clive Davis—a role in which he expanded the reach of Black music globally and created opportunities for countless African American professionals in the industry.

But Dr. Westbrooks’ impact isn’t limited to music. He has always leveraged his success to give back to the community. From supporting youth programs and mentoring future leaders, to creating spaces for local artists to thrive, his work reflects a lifelong commitment to empowering others.

Most recently, Dr. Westbrooks returned to his hometown to celebrate the release of his book Lauderdale Sub at Crosstown Concourse’s Listening Lab. The event brought together local families, artists, and community leaders to honor the history and legacy of the Lauderdale Sub neighborhood. Guests shared stories, celebrated the contributions of families like the Westbrooks, Davenports, Pattersons, and more, and highlighted the importance of preserving and celebrating Memphis’ rich cultural history.

Dr. Logan H. Westbrooks embodies the spirit of Black excellence: a Memphis native who has left a global legacy, nurtured communities, and inspired the next generation of leaders, artists, and storytellers. His story reminds us that with vision, determination, and heart, one person can change an industry—and uplift a city in the process.

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For Brent Hooks, that legacy is both inherited and actively built. 

The native Memphian and regional vice president at Cornerstone Engineering recently became the first professional from Memphis and Tennessee to earn dual recognition on two of the nation’s most prestigious young professional lists in architecture, engineering, and construction: Engineering News-Record’s Top Young Professionals 40 Under 40 and Building Design + Construction’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2025. 

In an industry where representation shapes opportunity, Hooks’ achievement sends a clear message: Memphis produces leaders who shape cities across the country. 

Rooted in Memphis 

Born and raised in Memphis, Hooks’ leadership journey began early. He earned his degree in accounting and finance from the University of Memphis before completing an Executive MBA at Vanderbilt University, building a foundation that blends financial strategy with operational leadership. 

Before joining Cornerstone Engineering, Hooks served as Chief Administrative Officer at Allworld Project Management, helping guide the civil engineering and construction management firm through rapid growth. Under his leadership, the company earned recognition on Inc. Magazine’s Fastest-Growing Companies in America list in 2019 and 2023. 

Allworld played a role in several transformative Memphis developments, including Crosstown Concourse, the Fairgrounds redevelopment, Hotel Chisca, and The Citizen at Union and McLean — projects that continue to shape how residents experience the city. 

Today, Hooks leads strategic growth and operations for Cornerstone across the Southeastern United States, including Memphis, Atlanta, and Birmingham. His work drives business development while ensuring projects directly impact quality of life. His work increasingly intersects with large-scale redevelopment efforts, capital strategy, and public-private partnerships that influence how cities grow. 

“I view my work as an opportunity to make a positive contribution to my community,” Hooks has shared. 

Hooks has expressed long-term ambitions in real estate development and financial structuring, aiming to help shape the next generation of transformative projects in Memphis and beyond. 

A Legacy of Leadership 

Excellence for Hooks is generational. His great-great-grandmother, Julia Britton Hooks, was the first Black woman to attend Berea College. His great-uncle, Benjamin L. Hooks, served as Tennessee’s first Black criminal court judge and later as executive director of the NAACP. 

That legacy informs his commitment to access, opportunity, and civic investment. 

Beyond his executive leadership, Hooks serves on several boards, including the Downtown Memphis Commission, the New Ballet Ensemble & School, and the Chairman ACE Mentor Program of Memphis, supporting economic development and creative growth across the city. 

“This honor reflects the power of Memphis and what’s possible for our young people,” Hooks said of his national recognition. “I hope it inspires students across our city to explore careers in STEM.” 

Brent Hooks’ story is a reminder that Black legacy in Memphis isn’t just historical — it’s present, active, and building the future in real time. 

Because here, excellence doesn’t just live. 

It leads. 

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