Why Jackson, Tennessee?
photo by Hannah Mayer
I get this question a lot. “But, why Jackson?”
I’m not a native to Jackson, but I do call it ‘home.’ I came here from my little hometown in northcentral Wisconsin in spring of 2009. I was enchanted by the stark differences in culture, climate and inflection. At the time, Jackson felt big to me. There was more than one Wal-Mart and grocery store to choose from. More than one movie theatre. I could be anonymous when I left the house to do little things like buy toilet paper or put gas in my car. I often wondered if I had moved to another country. While the people appeared to be speaking the same language as I was, it sounded much different and they had different uses for some of the words. Don’t get me started on what a “toboggan” is…
I was able to put down roots here, have a career, meet people, make friends, engage in various non-profit organizations and be a part of the bigger community. After over 10 years here, I decided to try something else. I went off to live in a bigger city out west. I dove into the depth of city life by renting a tiny studio apartment in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. I experienced so much there, especially in 2020. So much growth and learning.
But, I came back home to Jackson. And this is where I found true community and belonging. I joined the CO.STARTERS program at The CO, where I met some of the most influential people who are out there everyday making west Tennessee a great place to live, work, learn, create and play. I began to realize that what makes Jackson unique and beautiful is that it’s size is “just right.” It’s not too big and it’s not too small. It’s big enough to offer plenty of opportunities, diversity, culture and activities. And, yet it is small enough to not get swallowed up. Small enough to maintain and grow a supportive community of people who know and care about one another, who cheer each other on, lift each other up and sit with each other in sorrow.
In the heat of summer, as we were all rounding the corner on the second half of 2021, I found myself among some brilliant creatives. We were popping up in locally owned businesses, supporting non-profits, and sharing our art together. We created a Facebook group where we could continue to find and support other artists, makers and creators. We began to plug into other art organizations in the area, including the Jackson Arts Council. We even revived a beloved event that had been dormant for a few year, Arts at the Market. We’ve began meeting monthly, getting involved with other events and collaborating with more movers, shakers, and makers in west Tennessee.
The future of the creative scene in Jackson is bright and exciting and I am delighted to be a small part of it.
