By Donna CorneliusThere’s a kind of hush all over Sara McDonald’s world. And she’s determined to break it.Her 11-year-old son, Jay, has Asperger’s syndrome, a disorder that’s on the higher-functioning end of the autism spectrum. The Crestline mom said it’s important for parents like her to tell it like it is – to be honest about living every minute of every day with a … [Read more...]
Artistic License: Walker’s Paintings Capture Landmarks
By Lee DavisYou may not know Dirk Walker’s name, but there’s a good chance you’ve seen his work. Walker, 62, is one of the top urban landscape artists in the Southeast, with his artwork hanging in corporate buildings and hospitals throughout the region. His artwork depicts landmarks in Birmingham such as Sloss Furnaces, the Alabama Theatre, the Railroad Park area, the … [Read more...]
A California Dream: Central Alabama Theater Founder Wants to Inspire Young Actors
By Emily Williams The man behind Central Alabama Theater is hoping to use his experiences and connections in "the biz" to inspire the arts community in Birmingham and its youth. Growing up in Gardendale, Carl Peoples never saw an acting career as a viable option for his life. He spent time singing with the youth choir at his Southern Baptist church but, living spitting … [Read more...]
Model Behavior: MBHS Student First Alabamian to Win Princeton Prize in Race Relations
By Emily Williams Spending a week in a YWCA of Central Alabama social justice leadership camp opened Katie Klasing’s eyes to the struggles people outside her hometown of Mountain Brook can face every day. She went home determined to share that understanding with her classmates at Mountain Brook High School. Her efforts have made Klasing the first Alabama resident to be … [Read more...]
Art History: Mountain Brook Graduate Heads Grand Bohemian Gallery
By Lee Davis When Katherine Miller graduated from Mountain Brook High School in 2005, she knew exactly what she wanted to do – attend Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and study pre-medicine. “I was dead set on becoming a doctor,” she recalled. “So I went through the pre-med program for about a year and a half. Then about halfway through an organic chemistry class, I … [Read more...]