Sharing stories with purpose
Pure joy flowed from my body as guttural screams as Beyoncé, clad in a shimmering silver Valentino gown, floated just above my section of Nissan Stadium. And it wasn’t just because Queen Bey was waving at me/in my general direction. A three-hour musical and cultural experience that embraced love, joy and uniqueness was ending, and all my elation and appreciation was coming out.
The Renaissance show was my first pop concert in 22 years. A few months later, I was in the audience as Kelsea Ballerini performed and emotionally expressed love for her hometown in Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. It was a sold-out concert and established Ballerini as an arena-touring artist.
“If there is one show that I’m glad you came to, it’s this one,” Ballerini told her fans. I was there on a Knox News assignment, but I was glad that I got to see that show. The energy of the crowd and the country singer’s genuine gratitude gave me a jolt of excitement to share another story about Knoxville’s vibrant culture scene.
I specialize in culture and entertainment reporting with the intention of amplifying underrepresented voices and experiences, broaching broader discussions on topics like race, gender and the LGBTQ+ community, or just brightening someone’s day.
Simply put, I believe my purpose is to share the stories of others through entertainment. And the opportunity to do that is what drew me to Knoxville two years ago from my hometown in North Carolina.
Culture is all around this city. There always seems to be a festival happening, a show to see, an arts and crafts market to go to, or new cuisines to try. We at Knox News regularly highlight seasonal activities and upcoming concerts. But what I enjoy most is exploring how these cultural events impact our community.
LaKeisha Fears-Perez, for instance, was in elementary school when she discovered the works of acclaimed poet and activist Nikki Giovanni. Learning about the accomplished Black woman from Knoxville inspired Fears-Perez to write poetry and organize poetry slams, open mic nights and art auctions in Knoxville with other creatives.
“I think what we’re doing now is just trying to live (Giovanni’s) legacy,” FearsPerez told me last year. “She created a fantastic foundation and now each person that looks at her is adding to the foundation and making improvements.”
The Delaney Legacy Committee, a group comprised of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, Knoxville Museum of Art, UT Libraries and the Delaney estate, is working to preserve the legacy of world-renowned artist Beauford Delaney and his family. The Delaney Museum is set to open in 2025, bringing art lovers from around the world to Knoxville and cultivating local artists.
“I think that this Delaney project is really bigger than just art,” Beck executive director Renee Kesler shared with me recently. “It is an opportunity for our community to show what it looks like to be a beloved community.”
I’ve also gotten to share the importance of popular annual events such as the Knox Asian Festival and Knox Pride Fest. Like when Knox Pride director John Camp explained why, amid the parade, many drag performances and other fun activities, the 2023 festival doubled as a protest to proposed Tennessee legislation targeting LGBTQ+ people.
“It is our job, it is our duty, it’s our privilege to be the voice for everyone and make sure that we’re steering the good things in our community and spotlighting the good and, if there’s bad, finding ways to fix that,” he said.
Even embarking on a playful scavenger hunt around the city has a profound purpose in Knoxville.
“(The scavenger hunt is) a great way for all of us to come together and say like, ‘Hey, we’re Asian and we’re proud, and we’re here and we’re part of the Knoxville community,’ and we just want to share that,” Girls Gotta Eat Good owner Jessica Carr told me just a few months after I started at Knox News.
Carr held the scavenger hunt, along with business owner Vic Scott, to support Asian-owned businesses during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in 2022. And last year, Carr and Scott hosted two night market events to celebrate Asian cultures and highlight minority-owned businesses.
Sharing voices and experiences like these is why I carry a deep passion for entertainment and culture reporting, especially here in Knoxville, a city that celebrates culture. So, when you read one of my articles about where to find the best burgers, venturing to Buc-ee’s, Dollywood or Knoxville’s growing concert market, remember it was reported with an intention, even if just to make you smile.
(And to show Beyoncé and Taylor Swift all the reasons why Knoxville is where they should be performing!)
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com . On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208 .