2023 Issue 6 Nov/Dec Focus - Mid-South Magazine

Serving the Mid-South LGBT+ Community and its Allies | Nov+Dec 2023 

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4 Music | Nov+Dec 2023 | focuslgbt.com

FEATURED WRITERS IN THIS ISSUE 

CONTRIBUTORS 

We rely on community contributors for Focus magazine news and stories. 

A huge thanks to these dedicated writers! 

Amanzi 

ARNETT 

Amanzi Arnett is a 

multidisciplinary artist based 

in Memphis, TN. Their work 

centers the liberation and 

preservation of the stories of 

Black and queer communities 

in the South. In addition to 

completing their first feature-length screenplay as the 

2021 Indie Memphis Screenwriting Fellow, their words 

have also appeared on platforms such as MIC.com, 

Minnesota Public Radio, and BBC radio. 

Tricia 

DEWEY 

Tricia is a longtime Memphis 

transplant, who has grown to 

admire the ‘grit and grind’. She 

is also a mom, wife, runner, 

reader, recovering lawyer, tree 

hugger, and ally. 

Minnassa 

GABON 

Minnassa Gabon is a Southern 

Californian now living in the 

Mid-South. She is the C.E.O. of 

Minnassa Wellness, a psychic 

intuitive, Reiki Master, and the 

Chair of OUTMemphis’ Senior 

Services. 

MUD 

Ethan James "Mud" McVay 

is a writer, stagehand, and 

interdisciplinary artist working 

in sculpture, performance, and 

installation art. 

Brandi 

RINKS 

Brandi Rinks is an Arkansan 

by birth and a Memphian 

by choice. She’s the host 

of Puttin’ on Airs Sunday 

mornings at 9am on WYXR 

Memphis, and she prefers her 

chocolate fried pies gritty. 

William 

SMYTHE 

William is a local writer and 

poet. He has been published in 

multiple magazines, both online 

and in print, and works with the 

community creative workshop 

collective, Memphis Writers. 

Other Contributors 

Chellie Bowman 

Juno Nicholas 

Molly Okeon, MS, LPCC 

Si 

Have a story that needs to be told? Pitch your story ideas to editor@focuslgbt.com 

Nov+Dec 2023 | focuslgbt.com | Music 5

CONTENTS | Nov+Dec 2023 

5 MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS 

7 THEME: MUSIC 

8 MUSIC 

Pianist Lucas Smith brings some class(ical) to 

the local music scene 

12 LGBT ADVOCATE 

In-depth interview with local musician and 

radio personality Dee Torrell 

16 MUSIC 

Saxophonist and vocalist Hope Clayburn is 

writing her own story 

20 MUSIC 

Multi-hyphenated artist Lawrence Matthews is 

on a spiritual journey 


How artist Sara Moseley is helping to shape 

the aesthetics of Memphis music 

28 ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT 

Prism Pages No. 10 

30 HEALTH + WELLNESS 

How can we use music to improve our mental 

health? 


A beautiful account of one Meritan foster 

parent who opened her home to children of all 

orientations 

34 LIFE 

New FULL horoscope readings for every sign! 

36 LIFE 

Q+A with filmmaker Naima Overton whose 

short film “Intersectionality” premiered this 

year at Indie Memphis 

ON THE COVER 

AND ON THIS PAGE 

Lawrence Matthews 

Photo for this page by 

Ahmad George & Lawrence Matthews 

Cover photo by Sam Leathers 

Find the story on page 20 


theme 

Dee Torrell of WYXR showing 

off one of her favorite albums 

photo by Chellie Bowman 

Find the story on page 12. 


music 

Duty of 

an Artist 

An Interview with 

Pianist Lucas Smith 

by William Smythe 

all photos courtesy Lucas Smith 

To shed light into the darkness 

of men’s hearts—such is the 

duty of an artist. 

Robert Schumann 

Garbed like a king, but with the grace of a queen, Lucas 

Smith steps up to the Steinway. He nods to the conductor 

after adjusting his seat, and the orchestra starts swinging, 

flourishing their instruments gracefully. He listens intently, 

his head in sync. Not a drop of concern crosses his face, 

except a furrowed brow, as if he is waiting for the right 

time to arrive. He waits as a man would wait for a train 

that he’s taken every day and, by now, has gotten the 

schedule memorized like the back of his hand. Speaking 

of hands, Lucas’ fingers delicately play with the air, as if 

he were the conductor himself, his nails waving the space 

like a baton. 

As the strings settle down, Lucas takes his cue and plays 

a chord, as if plucking it from a ripe plum tree in an orchard 

of sound. 

Baby, it’s Beethoven tonight. 

Lucas was born in Memphis in 1995. He always had a 

special interest in the musical arts, playing trombone in 

his middle school band. However, he grew a fondness for 

the piano after getting an electric keyboard one year. He 

played those keys until they broke to pieces or got jammed. 

Even though he passed up the trombone, Lucas still credits 

the instrument as a major influence on his classical training 

later in life. 

Lucas didn’t choose music as a career path initially. That 

wasn’t until halfway through his first year of dental school, 

where he found himself aimless during the semester. To 

alleviate his ennui, he began to play his piano as an outlet. As 

he grew more passionate in his playing, Lucas moved majors 

and schools, going to the University of Memphis for piano. 

Besides the piano, Lucas also has a specialty in playing 

the harpsichord and has been the resident harpsichordist 

for the Collegium Musicum at the university. Part of his 

studies took him on a conservatory trip to Ochsenhausen, 

Germany in the Bavarian countryside. There, he 

marveled at the works of Beethoven and Bach while 

learning lessons from modern-day masters in his craft. He 

graduated in May of 2023. 

During his time at the University, Lucas won the Rudi E 

Scheidt Soloist prize, where I saw his performance which I 

illustrated in the opening section. The magic of that night still 

astounds me, and I’m certain Lucas would agree that that is 

the beauty of art and music. There is a power that artists like 

him wield, an ability to conjure emotions out of pure sound. 

After our interview, Lucas has plans to practice with 

a singer and flutist (for two separate events) as well 

as prepare for his usual Sunday church service at First 

Presbyterian in Somerville. 


So, Lucas, I hate to begin with such a basic question, 

but I have to know: who are some of your favorite 

composers? 

Oh, that’s a loaded question. I can’t just love one. They 

all have a special place in my heart. But, if I had to have a 

top three, I would say: Debussy for sure; Bach of course. 

But I have a special fondness for HT Burleigh: an African- 

American composer who studied with Antonin Dvořák. He 

was a major figure in the early 1900s. In my opinion, he is 

vastly underrepresented. He only has one work for piano 

solo, but Burleigh created a ton of work for singers. One 

thing that I would say makes him stand out, though, is that 

he put the spiritual tradition into a Eurocentric style and 

notation. That is something I really admire and respect 

about his work. 

Oh wow, I had 

no idea about HT 

Burleigh. I may need 

to look more into 

his life and career. 

Would you also 

be interested in 

composing your own 

works? 

Oh, not right now, 

as if the thought 

hasn’t crossed my 

mind. I have been 

working on a few 

things but I wouldn’t 

say I have anything 

finished or ready 

for the public. But, someday, I wouldn’t mind having a 

composition. Isn’t it any artist’s dream to have something 

lasting and monumental? 

I can stand behind that sentiment for sure. What incited 

your passion for classical music anyway? 

At first, I had a special interest in jazz. But, after seeing 

how that genre incorporates the basic principles of the 

classical tradition, I started diving into that genre a lot 

more. I still dabble in jazz of course, but I definitely got 

attached to classical after I began studying it. Part of the 

joy of classical is finding new joys while exploring all these 

old composers. I have an open heart to what I’m presented 

with. And these composers provide you with so much 

material to play with. 

They certainly have. Would you be interested in doing 

non-classical work though? 

Lately, even if I get to do things non-classically, I can’t 

help but zhuzh it up classically. What I mean is that even 

if I get my hands on contemporary music, like Rihanna 

or Gaga, I can’t stop myself from finely tuning it to how 

it might sound in Beethoven’s hands. I would change the 

harmonics but not the melody. I even make the church 

music I perform on Sundays sound authentically baroque. 

Ah yes. I have a question about your church work. How 

does it feel being queer-identifying while in the church 

scene? Do you see any issues between the two? 

The way I see it, you’ve got to find the right place. You’ve 

got to find a group of people who will fight for you and 

who will also support your artistic endeavor. Even though 

we live in the South where not everyone has the same 

ideals, we still at least have the same sense of community. 

All being said, I have my own reservations about going to 

a church where I don’t feel welcome. In fact, I’ll even take 

a lower paycheck to be somewhere where my soul is fed. 

Because at the end of the day, you need to feel welcome 

and happy, not rich and miserable. 

So, another basic but much-needed question is what do 

you hope to see in your future? 

I still see myself staying in Memphis. But, I’d love to have 

a much bigger teaching studio. Even though I only have a 

few students, I want more. I would also absolutely love to 

collaborate with other composers or musicians and create 

concerts. It would be great to expose people to music 

they may have never heard before and that they would be 

touched by. I’d of course love to see the music department 

grow at my church. 

Finally, and curiously, are there any dirty secrets in the 

classical world? 

No comment. Those, I’m afraid, are staying locked away! Or 

at least between colleagues (laughs). I gotta maintain some 

semblance of sanctuary for my fellow miscreants in the arts. 

Oh, fine! Be that way. Well, I said I had one final question 

I’d be remiss not to ask: if you could give advice to 

anyone interested in pursuing your profession, what 

would it be? 

You should treat everyone with kindness around you 

because that’s worth more value than mere money. Show 

up and answer calls. Be fast and diligent or else you will 

get left behind. Our field is a lifestyle, a dedication; not 

a frivolous hobby. Also, you should try to maintain a 

good mental headspace. I do so by opening myself up 

to new experiences and reminding myself that ‘I’m only 

human; mistakes happen.’ Try your best not to dwell on 

past failures because eventually, if you stick to practicing 

dutifully and keeping yourself open to learning, you will 

make great successes and strides in this field. 

With an au revoir we conclude our interview, even though 

I believe Lucas still has a few thoughts left up his silken 

sleeves. Perhaps in a follow-up article, he will reveal more. 

But, for now, leaving a little mystery for him to divulge at a 

later date doesn’t hurt. 

If you’d like to know more about his upcoming concerts 

or works, then you can follow him on Instagram (@ 

pianolukey) for more updates. As for lessons, he teaches 

at the Howard Vance Guitar Academy (information can be 

found on his Instagram). Call for a personal lesson or to 

book him privately for your events. 


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We 

Belong 

A Conversation 

with DJ and Musician 

Dee Torrell 

by Mud 

Hello, my name is Dee Torrell. I am 

currently a DJ at WYXR FM 91.7 Memphis. 

I host the show called We Belong every 

Sunday afternoon at 4:00pm CST. 

photo courtesy of Chellie Bowman 


When did you start working with WYXR? 

I started at WYXR during the first week of its broadcast 

in October 2020. So, I was among the first set of DJs to 

bring the station in. It was during the pandemic, so we 

were also socially distanced, even in the training sessions. I 

was a DJ before WYXR, among other things. 

When did your DJ career start? 

I started in 1987 at a country station called WAKM in 

Franklin, TN. It was an experience because I was only 16 

at the time. I was at seven other radio stations before I 

started at WEVL, and that was my Memphis introduction 

in 2000. I started a Friday morning radio show called 

Modern World. It was basically 80s music and all the 

music I loved. So, when WYXR started and I was asked 

to be on the show, I had no idea what I was going to do. 

I wasn’t going to do the same thing that I did at WEVL. 

It was suggested I introduce myself as an LGBTQ+ DJ. I 

wanted to involve the entire show around the LGBTQ+ 

community and serve as an introduction for others 

outside the community. I realized that most of the music 

that I liked in the past year, not knowing what their actual 

background was, was all queer. My favorite artists for the 

previous two years have been Angel Olsen, Caroline Rose, 

and another artist named Nakhane. 

You started broadcasting at a very young age. What 

sparked that desire? 

I've grown up with the fact that I was connecting with 

the DJs on the radio stations when I was a child. I used 

to collect charts. I was always trying to find out every 

single song that ever hit the charts, just to see how 

they're reacting to something, and to see if I share that 

experience. So with radio, that was the next logical step 

to take. I spent probably about 14 years doing radio as my 

career. The most fun I've ever had was on the stations that 

were listener supported stations or ones that had a very 

creative outlook on the programming. WRLT in Nashville 

and WEVL were both wonderful experiences. I was also a 

music director of WUTK in Knoxville for five years. 

familiar with. Being in touch with the community, I learn 

more about what people's favorite artists are and what 

people like to do. I also bring people onto the show to 

talk about different things in the community, including 

community outreach and, in fact, legal issues. It started 

back in 2021. We had a whole panel of LGBTQ+ related 

legal advice. It all led up to this year with the anti-trans/ 

drag law, when they passed it. We had people on the show 

discussing their involvement with it. That also included 

the protests that we had last year. So we broadcast it to 

talk about it and really learn more about what we need to 

do. But the station is music first–but all different kinds of 

music. Primarily, I was trying to find new releases and also 

purchase new music going through Bandcamp, finding 

artists that don't have exposure on the radio stations. It's 

looking at what songs should be charted somewhere and 

they're not. And it's the most brilliant music out there. 

You play a wide variety of music. How do you determine 

what is played on your show? 

I didn't know the exposure of these artists, because 

we were not hearing them on other stations. So when a 

concert featuring an artist like Orville Peck, an artist that 

I’ve been playing since the beginning of the show, comes 

into town and sells out, I’m amazed. I wasn't sure how 

many people would really love this music. So the music 

itself has become more popular, even in the last 2-3 years. 

I do dig back to old music too. I will throw on Cole Porter, a 

lot of Billie Holiday, and Nina Simone. I played her once and 

people asked, “Wait a minute, why are you playing this?” 

I'm like, yes, she had been in the closet until a certain point 

of her career. A lot of these artists who weren't open back 

then had to slowly come out, even Luther Vandross never 

came out officially. There were many of us in the music 

industry, but we were not able at the time to come out 

and really reveal our true selves. So everything that was 

unfortunate back then is finally being brought forward, 

and I love to touch on the history of that. We do talk about 

Where does the name of your show, We Belong, 

originate? 

“We Belong” is a song I first heard in 2017 by Namoli 

Brennet. She's been around for 20 years, and it hit me, I 

did not realize that she was a trans artist. She's actually 

kind of grown her entire career, so you can actually hear 

the transitioning happen. The growth of a personal spirit. 

And the song “We Belong,” I call it the LGBTQ+ Anthem. 

It's one of the few songs where it just sinks in how happy I 

could be just being myself and no longer hiding. Of course, 

my coming out was in 2015, so it still means a lot to me. 

And that's the theme song we play on the show. 

And you pretty consistently play new music on your 

show, is that right? 

Yes, it's always a learning experience, and I always love 

pushing myself to find new music and artists I am not 


photos on this page courtesy of Dee Torrell 

history on the radio, and I love the educational aspect of it 

and mixing it in with whatever's new. Of course, I have to 

find some sort of easy transition between a song from 1937 

and 2023. But with this music coming out, let's broadcast. 

Let's give it a place. 

You are a musician as well as a DJ. What bands are you 

currently working with? 

I moved to Memphis in 1995 and probably started in 

bands here in 2004, and lately it's just snowballed into 

multiple bands. I do have a solo project that I am currently 

writing and will be releasing. I am also in Screamer; 

Thalamus; J Robot; Obscured, a Cure cover band; and 

Blood, Graffiti, and Spit. I’m filling in for Joy Bomb and 

Mama Honey, and I also sometimes play with Kathy Zhou. 

Could you talk more about Blood, Graffiti, and Spit? 

It was a project started by Holly Walnuts covering 

Hedwig and the Angry Inch. It's a wonderful tribute, and 

I am very honored to have joined the band in May 2022. 

We have performed a few times, and then this year we 

performed on the big stage at Memphis Pride. It was 

probably the most exhilarating experience. To be with 

queerness, with everybody around me. 

How has living in Memphis affected your show? 

I never expected this, coming out years ago. I 

never thought that I would amount to anything. We 

have progressed. Memphis has been wonderful. The 

community has been wonderful. Memphis also has quite 

a strong ally community. Which is surprising, being in 

the US South. It's a diamond in the rough. And I've had 

positive reactions with people who are conservative. 

They've been very loving and it's not something you'd 

find everywhere else in the United States. Or around the 

world. 

I think a big part of that too, is education and exposure. 

Yeah, and just being around somebody, whether or 

not somebody shares your beliefs. But if they know 

you, they have a stronger understanding. Maybe 

even stepping back on pushing any actual belief. Just 

because we're feeling positive. We're happier and they 

notice we're happier. 

And we belong. 

And we belong. 


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music 

photo by Elcrow Photography 

The Grit & Grind of 

Memphis Musician 

Hope Clayburn 

by Tricia Dewey 


Hope with her band Soul Scrimmage 

photo by Yubu Kazungu 

Hope Clayburn is writing 

her own story. She’s 

talented, creative, versatile, 

and always remembers 

to thank those who have 

supported her. She’s both 

a nurse and a musician, but 

music is her passion. And 

she is having a moment. 

Her music video for the 

song “Nobody'' debuted 

this summer, and her album 

Y'all So Loud, with her band 

Soul Scrimmage, comes 

out in December, with a 

show at the Green Room at 

Crosstown on December 16. 

Like any good Southern 

child, she says she started 

singing in church, and 

then fell in love with the 

saxophone when playing in 

her junior high school band 

in North Carolina. From high 

school in Richmond, she 

went on to college at the 

University of Virginia, and 

graduated with a degree in 

neuroscience, while playing 

in area bands. She says that, 

lucky for her, the mid-’90s 

in Charlottesville was a 

real hotbed of music with 

Dave Matthews and other 

great music happening. 

She played in a jazz band, 

got connected with local 

musicians, and played in her 

first ever rock band, Baaba 

Seth. People said they 

would be the next Dave 

Matthews. She says they 

weren’t that fortunate but 

they still do reunion shows 

and have been together 

almost 30 years. 

Clayburn decided to 

forego medical school to 

tour with some bands in 

the Northeast, including 

a band called Deep 

Banana Blackout. They 

signed to a small record 

label associated with the 

drummer of the Allman 

Brothers Band, so they got 

to tour with the Allman 

Brothers, and play music all 

over the world. But the band 

fizzled out, she says, like 

bands do, and that's when 

she realized right around 

9/11 that she couldn’t stay in 

New York. “That reminded 

me how much I love the 

South. I'm from the South. I 

like the space and the pace 

of the South.” 

Clayburn’s sister is a 

physician in Memphis and 

invited Hope to stay with 

her while she figured out 

her next steps. She decided 

to get her nursing degree 

from UT Health Science 

Center nursing program in 

the early 2000s and then 

worked at the Med in the 

Trauma Center for about 

13 years until right about 

when the pandemic hit. She 

loves medicine and science 

but her first love is music. 

Nursing helps her to fund 

her projects. Although she 

took a hiatus from nursing 

during the pandemic, she 

plans to return in 2024. 

She played in bands 

throughout nursing school 

and jokingly says she didn't 

sleep for three years. “And 

that's the whole thing. 

I'm never not going to 

play [music].” When she 

first moved to Memphis, 

Richard Cushing, founder 

and leader of FreeWorld, a 

legendary Memphis band 

that still plays on Beale 

Street, reached out and 

asked her to play with 

them. “I would play until 3 

a.m. on Beale Street and 

then have to go to nursing 

school at 7 a.m. to take an 

exam. That's what you do 

as Memphis musicians. You 

gotta do what you gotta 

do. The grit and grind of 

the Memphis musician is 

the true grit and grind of 

this city.” 

Through FreeWorld 

she met other musicians, 

including Robert Allen 

Parker Jr., now one of 

Clayburn’s best friends and 

one of the best guitarists 

in town. He approached 

Clayburn after seeing 

her play and asked if she 

wanted to put together 

her own band. She did, 

and Soul Scrimmage was 

formed from the musicians 

who routinely showed 

up to play with her at the 


Hope with Gritty City Bang Bang 

at a charity event for Hands of 

Mothers Rwanda at the Ravine. 

photo by Tricia Dewey. 

Full Moon Club, which has 

since closed. 

Cushing connected 

Clayburn to other 

musicians including the 

Lucky 7 Brass Band. 

Eventually through 

playing around town, she 

bumped into Victor Sawyer 

of the Lucky 7 when both 

were playing with different 

bands. A couple years later, 

Sawyer asked her to play 

with them and she said of 

course, “I've always loved 

that style of music. New 

Orleans brass band mixed 

with Memphis hip hop. I 

mean you can't go wrong 

with that. I’m very honored 

that Victor asked me. He's 

an amazing musician and he 

had amazing understanding 

to make a good band.” 

Clayburn was very busy 

this summer playing all 

around Memphis, and her 

entertaining video for 

the single “Nobody” was 

released in August. The 

video was inspired by the 

Memphis wrestling scene, 

and partnering with local 

wrestlers was a childhood 

dream come true for Hope. 

As a kid, she would turn 

on MTV videos and watch 

weekend wrestling as 

comfort TV. Her father was 

in the military and they 

moved every two or three 

years. Music videos and 

wrestling were how she 

was able to relate to new 

people. Her music video 

director, Yubu Kazungu, 

came up with a concept 

that represents Memphis 

in a way that hasn't been 

done before. They were 

welcomed by the folks at 

Memphis Wrestling and it all 

came together. 

The whole wrestling 

community has inspired 

her, and she was able to 

train with them to learn 

the moves as she became 

the Mistress of Mayhem 

battling Nyxx, the Goddess 

of the Night. Clayburn says 

Memphis Wrestling plans 

to air the episode where 

she interacts with Nyxx, 

Goddess of the Night, and 

she hopes to be in a regular 

rotation and continue to 

train with them. She says, 

“The song ‘Nobody’ invites 

the idea that you don't need 

nobody to tell you that 

you're somebody. You gotta 

believe in yourself and 

gotta be able to take the 

good and the bad and make 

something positive out of 

it. I feel very grateful that 

the video is being received 

well and that it gets to show 

my band. My band has 

some great musicians, and 

I am hoping to get them 

the opportunity to get out 

there and get their music 

out there.” 

Her new album set to 

come out in December 

is titled Y'all So Loud and 

contains mostly original 

songs. She’s been writing 

music since she was very 

young and loves to have this 

outlet. “I actually had this 

album recorded at Ardent 

Studios in Memphis almost 

eight years ago. It has taken 

me a while between nursing 

and everything to save up 

the money to finally get it 

out there. That’s how long 

it can take to actually get 

enough original music to 

make your own album. I 

don't write enough where I 

can put an album out every 

year. But I feel great that 

these are songs that I've 

written over the years and 

arranged with the band, 

so they've become kind of 

our little staple song set.” 

She classifies it as “soul 

funk rock with a Memphis 

twist and I'm really inspired 

by a lot of international 

music. It has little hints 

and tinges of African and 

reggae music. I'm trying to 

create basically a new kind 

of Memphis sound. I don't 

want to be arrogant–oh, 

I'm making a new Memphis 

sound. But you know it kind 

of combines what we've 

learned from playing in 

Memphis–the blues, soul, 

a little bit of other flavors 

from all the experiences 

I've had in different bands– 

African, salsa, reggae. It's 

soul music with a down 

home, but also international, 

feel to it. And it's energetic. 

Energetic soul funk rock is 

where I would put it.” 

She says she feels lucky 

to have found her place 

and to have this moment in 

Memphis: “I was just going 

to stay for a year and then 

20 years later, here I am. I 

feel very lucky and owe it all 

to the 901.” 


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music 

Following the Spirits 

and Bringing Truth 

Back into Music 

The Divine Journey of 


by Amanzi Arnett 


photo by Lawrence Matthews & Ahmad George 



wants to get real. The multi- 

hyphenated artist is newly 

independent, preparing to 

unveil a new body of work, 

and consistently wading 

through what it means to 

choose himself in a world 

that encourages conformity. 

The lean but big-spirited 

rapper has some new things 

to say. The aptly titled 

Between Mortal Reach & 

Posthumous Grip is a dance 

between his natural self, 

his spiritual journey, and his 

experiences in the industry. 

Rather than leaning into 

coded messaging and 

half-hearted confessions, 

he seeks to bare his soul 

and move into a space 

that’s more truthful and 

provocative than anyone has 

ever seen from him. 

“I want to make true 

art. Most of what I believe 

doesn’t line up with the 

mainstream understanding. 

And because I’ve lived a life 

of trying to align with that, 

I refuse to go back to that. 

Many factors contributed 

to the making of the 

album,” he says. “Messages, 

warnings, premonitions 

during 325i and feeling 

like my life was about to 

change and not yet having 

evidence of that change.” 

Change is something that 

Matthews has become well 

acquainted with. During the 

pandemic, he found himself 

in a season of transition. 

After shedding his stage 

moniker (Don Lifted) and 

carving out a more authentic 

lane for himself, he is 

following the signs to a new 

vision and sound, and has a 

new album on the horizon. 

“I don’t think people 

understand what it means 

to be seeking self through 

art, what it does to you, and 

what you’re asking of the 

universe in so many ways. I 

wanted to create something 

eternal and extend long 

past my physical experience 

here. I needed to create 

something that was beyond 

me and I needed a lot of 

help to do it. And a lot that 

help came in the form of 

a lot of channeling and 

spiritual connection that 

helped motivate, inspire, 

and push me.” 

Following the spirits has 

become a theme in the life 

of Lawrence Matthews. In 

Memphis, a city full of haints 

and stories longing to be 

unearthed, finding oneself in 

the company of the spiritual 

world is nearly inevitable. 

Earnestine & Hazel's has 

alleged hauntings, the 

Lorraine Motel casts a 

shadow of death over 

downtown, and a series 

of monuments to Black 

mourning and suffering 

litter the city. Memphis is 

a city with a rich spiritual 

heritage and an everpresent 

African undertone. 

Matthews released his 

album’s opener “Green 

Grove,” setting the course 

for what the entire project 

is about. It’s a full-bodied 

reflection of the South 

and its hold on us both 

spiritually and physically, an 

extension of the blues. 

The delicate and 

harrowing sounds of the 

blues are laced throughout 

his latest album, tying folk 

traditions with modernity. 

The blues and Memphis rap 

have a shared lineage and 

close bond. The storytelling 

and relationship with the 

macabre in Three 6 Mafia’s 

street renderings along with 

the laments of Playa Fly are 

glimpses into a sound and 

tone unique to the Bluff City 

and its blues legacy. 

Matthews found a new 

appreciation for the blues 

at his former label Fat 

Possum, which is primarily 

known for signing many 

Delta blues artists. “I was 

exposed to these artists in a 

literal way and felt a kinship 

to them,” he spoke of his 

time at Fat Possum. "These 

were people living complex 

and layered lives but were 

very talented people. We 

are from the same place. 

This soil. We are fueled by 

the same experiences and 

what it means to be Black in 

the South, and it manifests 

in telling certain types of 

stories.” 

He began to excavate 

his own family lineage, 

revealing his ties to men in 

his own past and bloodline, 

reflecting on the ways it 

mirrored the worlds of the 

Deep South artists he was 

getting to know through 

their recordings. 

There was a certain 

level of African spirituality 

woven into their music that 

Matthews also expressed 

in his music and visuals. 

They are elements that, 

along with the Christian 

mythology that permeates 

southern culture, highlight 

the deep relationship 


etween the often maligned 

spiritual connections Black 

people have explored for 

generations. For him, it 

became a kinship that, 

before that point, he hadn’t 

felt with other genres. It 

became his foundation. 

A certain type of 

understanding that echoed 

the changes he foresaw in 

his journey as both a human 

being and an artist. 

“There were a lot of 

deaths happening in 

and around that project. 

Whether it was personal, 

people connected to the 

project, or people being 

sampled, there was a lot 

of transition. It’s a very 

death-heavy project. It’s an 

entertaining and fun listen, 

but like life, it has all the 

aspects. You have to leave 

something behind to gain 

something else.” 

Exploring those complex 

feelings of longing, grief, 

emptiness, and separation 

actually led Matthews 

to a deeper and more 

honest relationship with 

his community and himself. 

Versions of himself also 

had to die, making way 

for softer edges in the 

exploration of his fluid 

identity and experiences he 

never would’ve predicted 

for himself. The unbelievable 

became inextricably linked 

to what is real. Communion 

with people and ideas that 

are absent from the body 

gave him a clearer path 

to the soul he wanted to 

remain present in his art. 

“There are many 

conversations about 

the soul of music being 

missing,” he said of the 

ongoing conversations 

about the current state of 

art. “It’s losing the warmth 

and the quality of what 

we love. A lot of us are 

competing for visibility and 

validation through social 

media apps, and people are 

going to create whatever 

they need to create to get 

that. So they aren’t creating 

purely from the exploration 

of self. The artists that 

we studied cared about 

operating from that space. 

Or they cared about a more 

capitalistic space for making 

money or selling records. 

But even with that, you’re 

at least chasing greatness. 

A lot of people are chasing 

digital currency that 

doesn’t pay off in the long 

run. People are becoming 

divested from the process 

of making art that we love 

so much.” 

In an age of repetitive 

media creation, monetized 

staged content, and the 

looming threat that deep 

fake videos and AI images 

pose to our perception 

of what’s real, truth isn’t 

prioritized. Industries have 

also increasingly leaned on 

manufactured sounds and 

imagery, often undercutting 

or entirely erasing the 

presence and contributions 

of living artists. 

“We are seeing a 

revolution of artists fighting 

against systems that forget 

how important artists are 

to the systems. Whether 

it’s the writers strike or 

any other battle for artist 

autonomy, you don’t get 

to have this entertainment 

without these people 

being present and using 

their voices. Execs are 

so separate from what it 

means to create things that 

they feel like they can do it 

without you. They feel like 

they can use machines.” 

Matthews is interested 

in going back to tangible 

ways of interacting with 

fans, art, and his craft. 

There is a desire for some 

feeling. Underneath the 

facade of social media and 

public-facing personas, 

the mask of a pseudonym, 

and the glamour of stage 

personas, Lawrence 

Matthews sought to find the 

most supernaturally human 

version of his creativity. 

“I found something 

more sustainable. It’s the 

self. You’re getting more 

deeply connected to self. 

And that includes grieving. 

I talk about tough things 

in my work, but it’s just 

life. It’s human life. It’s my 

life. It’s your life. It’s being 

truthful. Truth is rare, not 

commodified. The album 

represents the process of 

my own spiritual alchemy.” 

An alchemist is what we 

are witnessing in the art 

of Lawrence Matthews. 

Navigation of the self, 

his place in the musical 

landscape of his hometown, 

his contributions to the 

world, and the preservation 

of his voice along with Black 

voices who have made 

art possible. Presenting 

a collage of influences 

and an amalgamation of 

bold spectacle and quiet 

reflection. 

photo by Sam Leathers 


lgbt advocate 

Sara Moseley & 

the Aesthetics of 

Memphis Music 

story and above photo by Brandi Rinks 

According to Sara 

Moseley, she didn’t set 

out to become the art 

director at a record label in 

Memphis, Tennessee, or to 

work in the music industry 

at all. She was raised in the 

panhandle of Florida and 

attended Santa Fe College 

in Gainesville as a science 

major, with plans to attend 

medical school after. “I 

liked science, but the thing 

about liking science and 

being a scientist is that they 

are two different things,” 

said Moseley. “I’m a shitty 

scientist because I’m very 

right-brained. I’m more 

proficient in using my hands 

to make things.” 

Moseley grew up enjoying 

art and drawing, but never 

considered it as a career 

path. However, during 

college her calculus classinduced 

stress dreams 

inspired her to make a 

change, so she took a job 

at their art gallery. She 

enjoyed the gallery work 

so much that she switched 

gears and enrolled in art 

classes while continuing 

her gallery position, where 

her boss, an alumni of the 

now-shuttered Memphis 

College of Art, often spent 

time talking up the city 

of Memphis and his alma 

mater. During a class trip to 

Ringling College of Art and 

Design in nearby Sarasota 

for portfolio reviews, an 

MCA representative in 

attendance saw Moseley’s 

work and offered her a fullride 

scholarship on the spot. 

Having heard her boss speak 

so highly of the area and 

school, Moseley accepted 

without hesitation. “I put 

everything into my Chevy 

Cavalier, sold everything 

that wouldn’t fit, and drove 

to Memphis,” she said. 

Once at MCA, Moseley 

focused on illustration, 

comics and animation with 

aspirations of moving to Los 

Angeles to work at Cartoon 

Network as a storyboard 

artist after graduation. 

She wrote, illustrated and 

animated short films for 

three years at the art school. 

Once MCA's financial woes 

began to affect student 

resources, she quit school, 

entered the service industry 

and rented her own studio 

space at the Art Factory 

in Cooper Young. Moseley 

said it was a “typical 

restaurant work to sustain 

an art habit” situation, 


ut during that time she 

made contacts and friends 

such as Karen Carrier, 

owner of The Beauty Shop 

Restaurant and Bar DKDC, 

and Frank McLallen, a 

midtown musician in bands 

such as Jack Oblivian and 

The Sheiks and Tennessee 

Screamers, both of whom 

played a part in her path to 

becoming a record label art 

director. 

Moseley continued 

refining her work in her 

studio in between shifts 

at The Beauty Shop. She 

describes her aesthetic as 

silly and colorful, saying 

the term “too much” has 

never entered into her 

thought process. Her 

inspiration draws from 

artists such as Japanese 

graphic designer Tadanori 

Yokoo, vintage packaging 

and 1950s comics, and says 

she takes a more pen and 

ink illustrative approach 

to design than other more 

“painterly” artists, probably 

because of all the years 

she spent storyboarding 

comics and films at MCA. In 

2017, Moseley put together 

her first gallery show at 

Crosstown Art’s 420 Gallery 

entitled “Just So You Know” 

that ran for several days 

and included an artist talk. 

“I figured out that you 

actually don’t need anyone’s 

permission or some stupid 

made-up degree to be an 

artist,” Moseley said. “No 

one has ever asked me if 

I have a college degree.” 

Her self-funded and selfcurated 

gallery show was a 

success, and the first event 

in a pattern that appeared in 

Moseley’s art career where 

just showing up and making 

things happen on her own 

terms was a crucial step 

on a path she didn’t even 

realize she was taking. 

In 2018, Moseley was 

having drinks with McLallen 

and his bandmate from 

The Sheiks, Keith Cooper, 

at Bar DKDC while they 

planned the band’s annual 

holiday shows. After 

hearing that the band 

hadn’t planned anything 

special for the occasion, 

Moseley suggested a 

“Christmas in Space” theme, 

offering to take the lead 

on the decor and props. 

Taking inspiration from 

Memphis musician Harlan 

T. Bobo’s classic “Merry 

Christmas Spaceman” 

album, meshed with 

imagery from 1950s space 

race era comics, Moseley 

spent months designing 

the event, including the 

poster, backdrops, a framed 

curtain, and hand-made 

alien Christmas tree props. 

On Christmas Eve, after 

working the holiday dinner 

shift at her restaurant gig 

next door, she installed the 

scene at Bar DKDC with the 

help of the band until the 

Moseley's signs on display at Gonerfest 20 during Alien Nosejob's set 

early hours of Christmas 

morning. The performance 

was such a surprise hit that 

The Sheiks’ Christmas in 

Space has taken place every 

year since, often packing 

out Bar DKDC so much 

that there’s barely standing 

room. In 2020, due to the 

pandemic, they released 

a video instead, on which 

Moseley also did the art 

direction and execution. 

Moseley said the Christmas 

in Space experience is what 

she credits with orienting 

her career down its current 

unexpected path, with more 

bands approaching her to 

do album work and posters 

soon after, including her 

first festival projects such 

as designing the art for the 

2019 GRRL Fest fundraiser 

benefiting the Southern 

Girls Rock Camp. “If I had 

to give advice to people 

about how to start, I feel like 

most of it is just showing up 

and doing it,” said Moseley. 

“There’s a lot of room for 

someone to come in with 

new input and creativity.” 

Moseley used her skills 

and initiative in a similar 

way with a web-streamed 

fundraiser telethon for local 

video rental store and event 

space, Black Lodge Video, 

during the pandemic. At 

the time, she was working 

at an insurance agency 

and fighting a creative 

rut, so she approached 

the store’s owners about 

putting on a pre-recorded 

fundraiser telethon with 

them, featuring multiple 

bands performing, tee 

shirts for sale, and ending 

the night with a movie 

screening. She met screen 

printer Will Loren during 

their collaboration on the 

telethon T-shirts, who she 

would work with again in 

2021 on shirts for a show at 

B-Side featuring Optic Sink, 

Silver Synthetic and Model 

Zero. The poster Moseley 

made for that show was so 

striking that people kept 

25 Music | focuslgbt.com Nov+Dec 2023 | focuslgbt.com | Music 25

Art by Sara Moseley 

asking to buy a shirt with 

the design, so she worked 

with Loren to print shirts, 

and nervous that no one 

would buy them, she also 

went the extra step to 

create a large lighted Devil 

head display to feature 

them at the merch table. 

Zac Ives and Eric Friedl, the 

owners of Goner Records, 

were in attendance and 

asked Moseley if she’d 

like to meet with them 

to discuss her work and 

a possible opportunity. 

After years of making 

solid creative connections 

in midtown Memphis by 

displaying her talents and 

approaching others with 

her ideas and willingness 

to put forth the extra effort 

to take things over the top, 

the dynamic had reversed 

and the opportunities 

were now falling into her 

lap. At that meeting a few 

days later, Ives and Friedl 

asked if she’d be interested 

in doing design for their 

annual music festival that 

brings artists and attendees 

from all over the world, 

Gonerfest, which Moseley 

smartly negotiated into a 

full-time position that would 

allow her to quit her job at 

the insurance agency. 

Gonerfest 18 was the 

first large-scale event 

that Moseley was fully art 

directing, so she did a lot of 

learning on the job. Artist 

Jeff Mahannah did the 

poster design that year, and 

she made large wooden 

cutouts of the imagery 

for stage decorations, 

designed all the festival 

merch, banners, ads, made 

streaming graphics and 

took over the label’s social 

media. Her efforts were a 

success, and she continued 

thriving in her position, 

eventually taking over art 

direction on GonerTV, which 

also required teaching 

herself video editing and 

production along the way. “I 

feel like I’ve literally taught 

myself everything that I do 

currently in my job,” said 

Moseley, who swears by 

Youtube as a resource for 

artists. 

For Gonerfest 19, Moseley 

used her own designs 

for the festival branding, 

which took on a bewitched 

candy theme she said 

was inspired by cults and 

the Brach’s Candy heiress 

disappearance scandal of 

the 1970s. Moseley’s art 

direction and aesthetic 

is striking due to the odd 

inspirations and small 

details she includes in her 

work, shown when she went 

as far as finding a specialty 

candy-maker to custommake 

lollipops that matched 

the festival decor for the 

attendee gift bags that year. 

For Gonerfest 20, 

Moseley worked with 

painter Stacy Kiehl for the 

graphics, and took lessons 

learned from the large stage 

decorations of previous 

years to lighten the weight 

and size of the backdrop 

signs for installation and 

transport purposes, while 

adding additional details 

and elements such as colorchanging 

lights to avoid 

minimizing the impact. This 

year, the giant glitter skulls 

with light up eyes Moseley 

hand-constructed in her 

home studio hanging on 

either side of the Railgarten 

stage were so popular that 

Goner Records had multiple 

attendees offering to 

purchase them on the spot 

before the fest was even 

over. 

In addition to doing 

art direction for Goner 

Records, she has recently 

completed projects for 

Memphis Made Brewery, 

worked on the redesign of 

materials for several local 

parks, designed the album 

art for an Aquarian Blood 

album to be released in 

2024, and even created 

props for nationally 

televised programs such as 

“Young Rock” and “Women 

of the Movement.” 

Moseley has a mix of 

art school education and 

self-taught skills, and is 

now well-versed in such 

a wide variety of art 

techniques that she can do 

anything from illustration to 

sculpture, screen printing to 

prop and set design, video 

editing to painting, and 

over the years has used that 

range to instill her aesthetic 

into the history of Memphis 

music and culture in such 

a discreet, unpretentious 

way that she rarely gets the 

name recognition deserved 

for the finesse and vision 

required to pull off such 

large, successful projects. 

Despite her clear success, 

respectable job title and 

steady work in the art field, 

Moseley remains humble 

about the role her initiative 

and myriad of talents played 

in her career path. “I don’t 

really know how I got here,” 

she said. “I’m just kind of 

taking it day by day.” 


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arts+entertainment 

the 

no. 10 

I’m Alive 

by Juno Nicholas 

A mother and father watch on 

As their precious daughter succumbs to illness 

The doctors all try to find the cause 

But they can’t figure out what’s wrong 

So the mother and father wish upon a star 

“Do whatever you must to keep our daughter well” 

Day by day nothing changes 

The daughter only grows weaker 

The mother worries her prayers weren’t answered 

And the father weeps 

Their daughter dies or so she says 

The parents mourn for many years 

They dare not utter her name 

She disappears from all the pictures adorning the walls 

Nearly forgotten 

Until one day a man comes to their door 

He looks familiar almost familial 

He smiles wide and proclaims 

“Mother father- 

I’m alive” 

Juno Nicholas (he/him) is a trans senior in high school and an 

award-winning playwright and writer. 


To Black Southerners 

by Si 

I don’t know how to feel about odes. I don’t know where 

they come from or their school of 

thought. They’re a format to redefine. But I’m not 

calling this an ode because why should love be boxed 

into one format? When people think of the South, they 

don’t really see us. They examine generational traumas 

without actually doing anything about it. Using a broken 

magnifying glass to distort the truth. 


Our stories overlooked within massive space 

We are ground zero 

We are beautiful and impossible to define 

That one road that takes you to the post office back home 

Y’all can’t copy really 

Y’all can’t be bull riders or do rodeos like my cousins 

Y’all can’t steam jeans and preach like my aunt did 

in an assembly 

Y’all can’t play Spades or cards like us 

Can’t get into car accidents and still cruise the interstate 

That’s not really a flex but goes to show how we take 

flimsy rubber and make it last a lifetime 

The buses we share even though the public transit 

could do better 

Can’t make sweet tea like us 

Can’t ordain the body like us in hot weather 

Shining gold like each heatwave 

as the Shine n Jam sticks in place 


Don’t lose where you come from 

I worry that our accented lives will become relics 

Distant as oceans 

Do I resent home? 

Yeah because it could be so much better 

That can’t be the end of us 

Don’t lose the sighs and small laughs in elders’ stories 

recipes with extra attempts 

Don’t lose the long shortcuts 

with limestone crossroads 

Don’t lose the slant rhymes 

Don’t lose the glimpses of light in our 

contracted sentences 

Don’t lose what you know and won’t 

Don’t lose the tapped out boots or shoes you got 

Don’t lose the clusters of immigrants we got even 

though we’ve got different experiences 

But either way we’re from some South somewhere 

A useless attempt to keep us apart 

To Black Southerners. 

We are the mountaintop that could reach the clouds 

and bring their shade down to cool off. Fire and lighting 

bugs to honor factory workers and cleaners. Janitors 

and teachers. Bus-drivers and food servicers. Strangers 

and cousins you just found out about. Divorces and 

wide-web trees, honest love with no bounds. All for 

we descend from folks who had that smoke. Farmers 

who had that herbal ingenuity. All for we descend from 

complications, searching for tribes and languages when 

it lives through us now. Right here. Country, rural, city, 

and wherever we go. To be Black and from the South 

is to be the words griots said in secret / to be fighting 

words masked behind praise songs with inclined hands 

to back them up. 

Si (they/them) is an African-American and Dominican poet that goes 

beyond the pen. Aside from mixed-media poetry and short stories, 

they compose videos related to history and theatre. 

Want to see our full collection of 

The Prism Pages? Visit our website. 

The Prism Pages is a literary section in the magazine where original works of poetry and fiction from the community will be 

showcased. As a publishing company, we are committed to saving space for up-and-coming LGBTQ+ writers. 

Interested in submitting something? Email editor@focusmidsouth.com. 

This section is brought to you by the Focus Center Foundation 501(c)3. 

To learn how to support this and become a sponsor, please email info@focuscenterfoundation.org. 


health+wellness 

Utilizing Music in 

Improving Mental Health: 

The Gateway to Our Emotions and Our Bodies 

by Molly Okeon, MS, LPC-MHSP 

Ferren Family Counseling 

“Listening to music has a positive impact on our health by helping us recover faster when we experience stress and 

through the reduction of the stress hormone cortisol to help us achieve a calm state or homeostasis.” 

- Alex Doman, music producer and author of 

“Healing at the Speed of Sound: How What We Hear Transforms Our Brains and Our Lives” 

For mental health professionals, utilizing music in 

therapy can be an essential tool for connection and 

change. Familiar music creates nostalgia, reminding us 

of times – both uplifting and difficult – in our lives. It is 

crucial for mental health clients to be able to access 

their emotions, which can be a struggle for those who 

have experienced traumatic events; suffer from chemical 

imbalances such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder 

and other mood disorders; or struggle with alcoholism and 

addiction. For clients who have been sexually assaulted, 

their bodies are no longer a safe place. Traumatic events 

such as these create negative cognitions about themselves, 

including the belief that they are permanently damaged 

or somehow unworthy of love. Music can create a gateway 

between our emotions and bodily sensations. 

According to board-certified music therapist Lorrie 

Kubicek, MT-BC, the impact of listening to music can create 

an instantaneous effect on our mental health. At the base 

of psychologist Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” 

pyramid are physiological needs, including sleep, food, 

exercise, shelter, etc. Music can help us meet these needs. 

Mental health counselors will find that, without sleep, even 

with a full toolbox of therapeutic coping skills and the 

appropriate psychotropic medications, most clients can’t 

get their heads above water. Kubicek recommends “easing 

a transition to sleep with a soothing playlist.” Also in the 

base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is the need for exercise 

or movement. Kubicek suggests listening to upbeat, fastpaced 

dance music in order to find motivation for exercise. 

Exercise doesn’t always have to be intensive or long– 

necessary movement can equal a walk around the block or 

dancing alone at home several times a week. 

In the brain, music works by creating emotional reactions 

in the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala. The brain’s 

visual cortex is activated, resulting in the sound generating 

visual memories, perhaps in conjunction with repeatedly 

listening to a particular song or hearing it for the first 

time during a period of time in one’s life. This results in 

nostalgia, defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as “a 

wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for or return to 

some past period or irrecoverable condition.” 

If you are considered part of the later Generation X 

era, born between the years of 1965 and 1980, hearing 

grunge bands such as Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Nirvana 

or Soundgarden may evoke memories of high-intensity, 

loud, wild concerts or singing along passionately to lyrics 

that were both meaningful and relatable while driving 

with friends. Hearing the songs as an adult may result in a 

longing for a simpler time in life with less responsibilities, 

a time when you didn’t have to worry about paying bills, 

keeping a roof over your head, or working for a living. The 

emotional end result could be both uplifting and trying at 

the same time; however, either way, it can also be key in 

opening up an emotional and sensory connection to one’s 

mind and body that could otherwise not be accessed. 

In a therapeutic setting, music therapists–who have 

specialized master of arts degrees in music therapy– 

can utilize music in two ways: active and receptive 

interventions. Active interventions with clients involve 

making music, whether writing lyrics together or working 

with the therapist as they play a particular instrument 

to develop a melody for their own song. Clients who are 

musicians can utilize the instruments they play to develop 

a song on their own with the input of the therapist. 

Receptive interventions typically include listening to music 

rather than creating it. A therapist will play a recording 

and process the resulting thoughts and feelings that arise 

as the result of hearing it. Either option allows the client’s 

brain to connect and engage the body, empowering them 

to explore their feelings in a deeper, more intimate manner. 

Counselors strive to help their clients develop a better 

understanding of themselves, their patterns, their 

relationships and the world around them. Music can be a 

conduit in that journey, enhancing the client’s experience 

of life and helping them move forward in a more authentic, 

congruent way. 


Music and the Brain 

Playing and listening to music works several areas of the brain 

Corpus callosum: 

Connects both sides of the brain 

Motor cortex: 

Involved in movement 

while dancing or playing in 

instrument 

Prefontal cortex: 

Cotrols behavior, expresison 

and decision-making 

Nucleus 

accumbens and 

amygdala: 

Involved with emotional 

reactions to music 

Sensory cortex: 

Controls tactile feeback while 

playing instruments or dancing 

Auditory cortex: 

Listens to sounds; perceives 

and analyzes tones 

Hippocampus: 

Involved in music 

memories, experiences 

and context 

Visual cortex: 

Involved in reading music 

or looking at your own 

dance moves 

Cerebellum: 

Involved in movement while 

dancing or playing an instrument, as 

well as emotional reactions 

SOURCE: Music for Young Children 

Desert News graphic 

Therapy Is For Everyone. 

Ferren Family Counseling 

Call To Schedule Your Appointment: 901-498-9126 Midtown & Cordova Locations

lgbt advocate 

QA+ 

with Filmmaker 

Naima 

Overton 

photos by Malik Martin 

We partnered with Indie Memphis to bring you a queer 

guide to the 2023 festival. We also got to talk briefly 

with filmmaker Naima Overton, whose short film 

"Intersectionality" is being featured in the Hometowner 

Documentary Shorts competition this year. Overton was 

the 2022 Indie Memphis LGBTQIA+ grant recipient and her 

powerful film explores the lives of nine Memphians who are 

navigating the Black, queer experience in the South. 


What was your vision for 

“Intersectionality”? What 

did you want to share with 

the world? 

My initial vision with 

"Intersectionality" was to 

turn the camera on a few 

Black, queer friends of 

mine. I was frustrated with 

the lack of information on 

Black, queer figures that 

had come before us. This 

project was the beginning 

of an effort to document 

our full experience as 

Memphians and not be 

written out of history. 

As an artist what brought 

you to film specifically 

as a medium? Was there 

something that you felt you 

could uniquely accomplish 

with it? 

As a painter I’m so critical 

of my artwork. I gravitated 

towards film, specifically 

documentary filmmaking, 

because I am able to really 

relinquish control and 

simply focus on capturing 

the essence of someone 

else’s story. There’s no need 

or desire to “get it right” or 

perfect. The candor with 

the subject matter is all 

that’s necessary. 

Who or what inspires 

you? Where do you get 

inspiration from? 

I’m inspired by Black 

stories. We are shaped 

and molded by so many 

familial, religious and 

historical events. Each 

of our experiences are 

unique yet so similar at the 

same time. My goal is to 

invite people into a world 

that seems unfamiliar 

and hope that they leave 

with compassion and 

understanding that we all 

desire the same things. To 

be valued and heard. 

As a native Memphian, 

what are you excited for 

when you think about 

the future of our city? 

Alternatively, in what ways 

or in what areas do you 

think Memphis has some 

progress to make? 

Memphis has such a 

small town feel but yet 

everyone lives on their own 

island. I’m excited to begin 

having conversations about 

connecting communities. 

There are so many altruistic 

people and organizations 

in Memphis that operate 

within their own bubbles. I 

would really like to see more 

partnerships so that we can 

bridge those gaps. 

In a place where so many 

people are willing to give, so 

many people shouldn’t be 

going without. 

So, what’s next? If we want 

to keep up with you and 

your projects, where can 

we find/follow you? 

There is so much footage 

that didn’t make it into this 

short film. Every interview 

inevitably took a deep dive 

into religion and the Black 

church. I want to take those 

discussions to center stage 

with my next film. 

Is there anything else you’d 

like to share that we didn’t 

ask you about? 

Although this film 

is for the Black, queer 

community, I really want our 

families and friends to see 

this film. Our most intimate 

relationships have such an 

impact on our lives and how 

we show up in the world. 

I hope this film ignites 

conversations within the 

Black community about the 

added plight and feelings 

of being ostracized by our 

own family and friends. 


life 

HOROSCOPES 

Astrology Readings by Minnassa 

SCORPIO 

OCT 24 - NOV 22, 2023 

Element: Water 

Quality: Fixed 

Ruling Planet: Pluto & Mars 

Traits: Ambitious, intuitive, determined, 

secretive, honest, and jealous 

New Moon in Scorpio: November 13, 2023 

SAGITTARIUS 

NOV 23 - DEC 21, 2023 

Element: Fire 

Quality: Mutable 

Ruling Planet: Jupiter 

Traits: Adventurous, funny, optimistic, 

intellectual, loves to travel, and careless 

New Moon in Sagittarius: December 12, 2023 

ASTROLOGICAL MUSIC 

SOLFEGGIO FREQUENCIES 

In honor of this music edition, let’s talk about the amazing power of energetic music: The Solfeggio 

Frequencies. These nine frequencies are electromagnetic tones that have the capacity to heal, empower 

and transform. They have been used since ancient times in Gregorian chants and Sanskrit chants. You 

can easily find these frequencies on Spotify and YouTube. End this year adding these frequencies to 

your meditation time, listen while cleaning the house and/or reading, and play them during your sleep. 

Minnassa 

Wellness 

Mindfulness in the Workplace 

@MinnassaWellness 


ASTROLOGY FOR ALL SIGNS 

H October had two powerful eclipses – solar and lunar. We are still feeling their 

transformative, change-filled, and releasing effects. If you have been wondering whether to let 

something, someone, or a way of being go –YES! LET THAT SHIT GO! H 

ARIES 

(Fire-Cardinal) 

The changes that are upon you are opportunities to grow 

and evolve. Don’t get bogged down in what is happening – 

look for the gift and growth in the circumstance. 

TAURUS 

(Earth-Fixed) 

Stay the course. Allow the seeds you have planted germinate 

and grow. Don’t throw out everything and start over. 

Patience, dear one – keep moving forward. 

GEMINI 

(Air-Mutable) 

Get ready. The seeds you have planted will be blossoming; 

are you ready? Use and follow your intuition like a sharp 

sword to cut away the mess and make room for the flowers. 

CANCER 

(Water-Cardinal) 

End this year making choices that move you closer to your 

ambitions. Get your mind on your money and your money 

on your mind. Do, think, and be that which will bring you the 

future you desire. 

LEO 

(Fire-Fixed) 

Start now! No need to wait until the beginning of the year. 

Harness your fire energy (passion) and move forward with 

confidence and verve! 

VIRGO 

(Earth-Mutable) 

Yes – you can relax now. Let go of other people’s 

expectations and approval. Do you, baby, and do what makes 

you happy, joyful, and fulfilled. This is your true prosperity. 

LIBRA 

(Air-Cardinal) 

Get clear on what you want. Lay the foundation with clarity 

and purpose. Clarity will provide the vision and the path 

forward. Get out of your feelings and into your head. 

SCORPIO 

(Water-Fixed) 

During your birthday season the Universe is inviting you 

to FLOW! All that is in your heart let it flow, grounded in 

integrity. Make room for your blessings! 

SAGITTARIUS 

(Fire-Mutable) 

Step into your birthday season with focus. Like an eagle, 

set your sights on what you want and move towards it with 

power and purpose. 

CAPRICORN 

(Earth-Cardinal) 

Your persistence will pay off, dear Capricorn. However, 

put down your spreadsheet and to-do list–be open to new 

possibilities. 

AQUARIUS 

(Air-Fixed) 

Change is upon you. Use your insight to see the blessings 

in the new circumstances. This is what you asked for– it may 

look different, but the joy, hope, and healing are there. 

PISCES 

(Water-Mutable) 

Step back and see where you need to adjust, correct 

course, change the order, etc. Follow the light within and it 

will lead you to your highest path. 

* These horoscopes are for entertainment and inspirational purposes only. 

We 

Our Neighbors 

 

 


life 

An Open 

Mind & 

Open Heart 

Special to Focus Mid-South 

Barbara Love has 

fostered 75 children 

in 26 years, including 

LGBTQ+ children 

Barbara Love. Photos courtesy of Meritan. 

“I love to make a difference,” said Barbara Love. 

“Caring for these children over the years has kept me 

young and vibrant. 

Love explained she first became interested in 

fostering after learning a friend of hers had been 

mistreated as a child. “No child should feel unwanted,” 

Love said. After hearing her friend’s story, Love said, “I 

knew I needed to help.” 

When she started fostering children as a single parent 

in 1997, she said she had no idea what she was doing. 

“I just took whoever they needed me to,” adding she’s 

fostered children ranging from six years old to 18. “Some 

of the children were supposed to be here a week and 

ended up being here for well over a year. The longest I’ve 

had a child is two and one-half years,” Love said. 

In addition to fostering children of all ages, Love has also 

fostered several LGBTQ+ children over the years. 

“When you bring a child into your home,” Love said, 

“you have to have an open mind and let them express who 

they are.” She said of her LGBTQ+ children: “You just love 

them like everyone else and let them open up to you. You 

let them know you’re here just to love them. Not to judge 

them or hurt them… just to love them. All they want is to be 

loved and accepted.” 

She said one LGBTQ+ young man she fostered is now a 

fashion designer. “He told me when he came to me that no 

one would accept him,” Love said. “I allowed him to be his 

full self, loved him for who he was, told him to follow his 

dreams and now he’s a fashion designer.” 

With all the children, Love said, “you just have to have 

an open mind and open heart. I show them they are not 

just the product of their environment. I show them how 

to live, give them life skills and let them know they are 

worthy and important.” 

She said she can’t let herself dwell on the sadness and 

hurt many of the children have suffered. “I can’t dwell on 

the sadness,” she said, “because these kids are scared 

and just need to be loved. All a child wants is love from 

somebody. There’s no need to dwell on their pasts, no 

need to do anything but love them. They’ve already been 

through enough.” 

Love explained she’s been fortunate to have had 

minimal problems with her foster children over the years, 

even though she’s fostered some children who have had 

behavioral and other challenges. “It’s all about giving them 

love. When you do, they’ll listen to you… you redirect but 

still love. And always have candy.” 

A mother of two adult children, Love also adopted two 

of her foster daughters along the way. One daughter came 

to her when she was ten, Love adopted her when she was 

15 and she is now 22. The second daughter, Markiva, came 

to Love when she was six and will soon turn 11. 

“When Markiva came to me she was very shy and 

withdrawn,” Love said. “Today, she is on the dance team, 

making great grades… It’s been amazing to watch her grow 

and change. She calls me ‘Gigi’ and says she knows I’m her 

family now and always will be.” 


Fostering 

With Meritan 

Providing a Home of Healing 

and Refuge for a Child 

Barbara's second adopted daugter, Markiva. 

Barbara and Markiva during game night. 

Love stays in touch with many of her foster children, not 

just the ones she adopted. “Five of them think they are my 

children,” Love said proudly, adding that one of the young 

men is in the Air Force and “I go to his events and he 

comes to see me every time he is in town.” 

She explained when she started fostering she was with 

a different agency. But after a few years, switched to 

Meritan and she’s been very pleased. “Meritan has been 

100 percent great,” Love said. “The counselors are amazing 

and always available. Everything about my experience with 

Meritan has been wonderful.” 

Love, 53, also just started her second year of teaching 

fifth-grade reading and plans to continue fostering children. 

“I guess I just can’t get enough,” she laughed. 

“People ask me about it all the time,” Love said, 

“because they see me with all these different children. 

When I tell them my story, they ask me how they can be a 

part. I always encourage them to consider fostering. There 

are so many children in the system and we just can’t leave 

them there.” 

There is a great need for foster parents in Shelby 

County right now and Meritan encourages all families 

to consider fostering. 

“There are so many children waiting,” said Wallace 

Moore, who oversees foster parent recruiting, 

training and supervising for Meritan. “There is such a 

great need.” 

Moore explained that to foster, you need to be 

at least 25 years of age, have an appropriate space 

and have consistent income. He said the agency 

welcomes everyone to apply to foster, including 

single individuals, married couples and LGBTQ+ 

individuals and families. He said Meritan works hard 

to match foster families with children to ensure the 

best possible outcome. 

“We look for the best fit for the children and the 

families,” he said, “and we provide ongoing support 

along the way.” 

Meritan, which is a therapeutic foster care provider, 

also provides extensive training for foster families 

before they bring children into their homes. The 

training is customized to address the specific needs 

of the child. 

“Parents receive specialized training about how to 

best meet the needs of the child,” Moore said. “For 

example, if the child has special medical needs, if 

they need to go to therapy or if they need help in 

school. And Meritan is very supportive at every step 

of the process.” He added that each family and child 

is given a case manager who works closely with the 

family to coordinate services and meet whatever 

needs the family and child have. 

“We support foster families in every way we 

possibly can,” Moore said. “Because these children 

need a loving, safe place to call home where they 

can start to heal and we want to help make every 

placement successful for both the child and the 

foster family." 

INTERESTED IN BECOMING 

A FOSTER PARENT? 

Visit meritan.org/foster-care 

or call 901-766-0600 


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2023 Issue 6 Nov/Dec Focus - Mid-South Magazine

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