JOHNATHAN UNDERWOOD

• he/him
• retail manager
• luxury eyewear
• 28 years a memphian — a native
• we believe johnathan is pure memphis because on social media, he connects folks with inspiration

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
Being ‘Pure Memphis’ means being able to wear my imperfections on my sleeve and not being afraid to color outside the lines. These traits allow me to express myself genuinely, see without prejudice, and connect effortlessly. My love of people and bringing them together stems from being born in such a raw and expressive community.

WHO IS THE KINDEST PERSON YOU KNOW?
This is such a tough question… I could sit here and create a list of 30 people without even trying! However, one person in particular comes to mind, and that is my friend Floyd Brummett. We have been friends for about 14 years now and I can’t imagine life without him. He’s my drag mother minus the drag, although we will throw on some heels every now and then!

It’s hard for everyone to navigate youth and adding the gay aspect in there makes it a bit challenging no matter how good you have it. When I navigated my 20s, he always supported me, guided me, and never judged even my most outlandish choices. To my mom, if you’re reading this, I love you and you were a strong runner up! LOL!

WHAT FICTIONAL CHARACTER DO YOU WISH YOU COULD MEET?
Hands down, Shonda Rhimes’ character, Olivia Pope, from the ABC series Scandal. She’s a smart, decisive, and fiercely fashionable black woman. I’m personally too Bohemian to ever present myself as eloquently as Olivia Pope, but I would love to sit down over a few glasses of Merlot to get her advice on handling life. Definitely a good binge if you’ve never seen it!

LISA MICHAELS

• stage name: purple haired tramazon
• she/her, and of course ‘your highness’ works quite well, too
• singer-songwriter/ musician, stand-up comic, show promoter and host
• entertainment
• 7.5 years a memphian

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
Ever since I lived here the first time when I was 18, I have had a love for Memphis. I only moved back to California after being in a serious car wreck. I’ve had four plastic surgeries on my nose, two while living in Memphis. The second put me out of work for six weeks. No work, no money, no food. I went back to SoCal, but I never lost my love for this city. I visited a few times over the years, but in 2012 I visited Memphis for the first time in 15 years and of course I fell in love with Memphis all over again. I visited in the spring of 2013. I stayed two months playing music at open mics all over the city to see what the reaction would be to transwoman playing music in Memphis. Well let’s just say the response was positive and I moved here in the fall of 2013.

MOVIES OR NOVELS?
Novel because you can envision what the writer is trying to convey with your own imagination.

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT DOING?
I love hosting and producing shows, especially when they are LGBTQ and or woman rights centric. I used to host the OutLoud Comedy Show at OUTMemphis, Group Therapy at Midtown Crossing Grill and until the pandemic Memphis Queer AF at BLack Lodge. I’ve been involved with Choices and hosted their Condomonium annual fundraiser for several years. I am very grateful that I have become a part of both the LGBTQ and entertainment communities here in Memphis. Memphis, it seems, loves me as much as I love her.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
I would love to fly. When I was a child I used to have vivid dreams about flying over my town. It made me so happy. That’s probably why I enjoy swimming so much. Close as us land based creatures will get to flying on our own.

BREEZY LUCIA

• she/her
• filmmaker
• 9 years a memphian
• we believe breezy is pure memphis because of her ubiquitous involvement in and promotion of the local film community

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
I’ve lived here almost a decade, during my 20s when I was figuring out how to be an adult and be my authentic self.

WHAT TERRIBLE MOVIE DO YOU LOVE?
I can’t in good conscience call a movie that I love “terrible” because then what does that mean about my movie taste? Everyone is entitled to their own opinions about movies, even if they’re wrong. Some movies that I’ve enjoyed in the past are usually from the 90s and early 2000s that just don’t hold up very well when you re-watch them, but the nostalgia supersedes the quality.

WHAT GAME ARE YOU REALLY GOOD AT?
I like to think I’m good at Bananagrams, which is a speed-based Scrabble type game with letter blocks. My family usually plays it when we all get together. Things get competitive.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT MEMPHIS THAT’S UNDERRATED?
My favorite underrated thing about Memphis is the amount of opportunities available. With the size of Memphis being what it is, you get a lot of the amenities of a bigger city without the hassle that comes with it. Memphis is also a cheap place to live and that’s great!

JOHN GILMORE

• he/him
• coordinator in the anthropology department u of m, pastor/spiritual director of open heart spiritual center
• 30 years a memphian
• we believe john is pure memphis because he is a warrior in life, an esteemed professor, and a spiritual leader

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
The grit (yeah, that cliché for here) and charm of this place resonates through me and keeps me determined to help this place become its best.

IF YOU COULD TIME TRAVEL, TO WHAT ERA WOULD YOU GO?
I have a fascination with ancient Egyptian/Nubian culture, so I would go back to the time around 750 B.C.E. when the Kushites ruled Egypt and it is acknowledged as a time of renaissance. There were the famed archers of Kush and a number of innovations that this culture brought into one that already had many advances in science, medicine, architecture, the arts and more.

WHAT’S YOUR BEST CHILDHOOD MEMORY?
I recall the beginning of summer when my mother would take my sister and me to the library to decide on what books we would check out for our daily reading time. I would get so excited about the chance to immerse myself in books. I started out having difficulties reading in school but once I learned, I began a lifelong habit of reading.

WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE RECEIVED?
My father told me that if I didn’t like something, I ought to know why. In other words, rather than base my thoughts, opinions, and attitudes on those of someone else, explore things for myself. This led me to a life of inquiry and discovery. It’s allowed me to meet people where they are and maintain a fairly open mind to new experiences. It is a great way to live life.

KAREN CAPPS

• art name: Karen Bottle Capps
• she/her
• artist/painting contractor
• art/screen printing/painting
• 34 years a memphian
• we believe karen is pure memphis because of her fun and clever art depicts the grit of memphis

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
My art is all about Memphis, from funky chickens to the car drivin’ blues folks. My business is called Real Memphis Trash (realmemphistrash.com), and with my partner, we make 16 tiny art pieces that are xmas ornaments, magnets, or you can hang them on the wall. We have seven different Elvises, BBQ Pigs, the Antenna Club, the Levitt Shell, guitars, Mississippi River catfish, and more. We produce seven famous Memphis and Delta musicians driving cool cars (Rufus Thomas in a yellow caddy and Memphis Minnie in an old truck). We have 10 T-shirt designs, all Memphis inspired and printed in my studio with water- based, eco-friendly dyes on soft cotton Tees. I also make a lot of larger scale art, all with found objects and lots of bottle caps. And let me say this right here, it takes a lot of time picking up “treasures” washed up on the riverbanks at the high water line, outside of juke joints, and dug up from 1890s to 1950s dumps uncovered by construction or water erosion. Not to mention drinking all that beer just for the bottle caps!

My second job as a painting contractor is focused on Midtown homes and businesses. We specialize in hand-pulled oil trim work, plaster repair and painting. No job is too big or small, just as long as it’s inside the loop.

WHAT’S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE THINK MAKES THEM LOOK COOL BUT ACTUALLY HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT?
Arrogance, tough guy attitude, someone who lacks empathy. I’ve had enough, really. I don’t even have to say the name. My hope is after this pandemic people will be kinder.

WHAT’S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN MEMPHIS YOU’VE EVER BEEN?
Memphis in the spring, March through May. The new leaves and grass create an intense green, blooming trees and plants, gorgeous homes, the Parkways, the parks, Dixon Gardens, Overton Park, Shelby Farms, Shelby Forest. This is the time of year to just drive, walk or bike around and soak it all up.

THEO DAVIES

• he/him/his
• urban farmer
• 16 years a memphian
• we believe theo is pure memphis because his passion and involvement in local “green” movements educate and support Memphis in being sustainable and environmentally friendly

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
I feel like Memphis is home to oddballs and misfits. The people who live here cannot be defined by one thing or another because each of Memphis’s residents are this weird amalgamation of characteristics with one important thing in common: we belong here. We’re here because some weird happenstance brought us to this city but the city is what has kept us here.

IF YOU COULD ONLY GROW ONE PLANT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Tomatoes. I take pictures of my tomato plants. I beam with pride when I have perfectly straight, hedge-like rows of tomato plants. I love hunting through the dense foliage for clusters of black cherry tomatoes or digging around in the vines to find that perfect Cherokee purple just hiding in the shade. I grew tomatoes in 2017 only to watch as a fungus consumed my plants. But I was determined to save them. I clipped vines and leaves every day, rain or shine. Some of the plants had nothing left to speak of when it was all said and done. But out of one hundred plants I only lost five.

WHAT TERRIBLE MOVIE DO YOU LOVE?
Some of the lines are cheesy and it’s absurd to think that the plot could ever happen in real life, but I love Starship Troopers. The giant bugs, the gruff teacher played by Michael Ironside who is really a battle hardened lieutenant, the love tango between Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, and Dina Meyer, and, of course, Jake Busey playing a translucent green electric fiddle. I could watch that movie over and over.

ELIZABETH BLONDIS

• she/her
• catering director central bbq & southern table catering
• 21 years a memphian
• we believe elizabeth is pure memphis because her homemade brand is memphis-proud

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
“Pure Memphis” can mean so many different things.

Multiple side hustles – check; community Pride – check; unwavering support of U of M athletics – check; way too many Growel Towels & 901 FC promo stuff – check. More than anything, our friends and family make Memphis home.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMPHIS MEMORY?
My favorite Memphis memory is meeting Craig. I know it sounds corny, but I was working my “side hustle” bartending at the Poplar Lounge when he came in. I was still fairly new to the city and learning about real Memphis with Craig was very special.

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE YOUR OWN NICKNAME, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
At work everyone calls me “EB”. I’m sure many people don’t even know my real name. Until the shipping department of CBQ was sold to Kemmons Wilson Companies, I was Director of Shipping as well as Catering. With all the packages going out the door, I became the “Trap Queen” – had my own song and everything.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT MEMPHIS?
The people of Memphis are what make this city special. I love the ‘real-ness’ of Memphis. We have a long way to go to overcome some old problems, but there is real progress as well. Memphians are so kind and generous with their support when community members are in need.

CRAIG BLONDIS

• he/him
• co-founder/owner & ceo central bbq, co-owner across the board restaurant group
• 48 years a memphian
• we believe craig is pure memphis because his homemade brand is memphis-proud

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
I feel the same as my wife, Elizabeth, when she said that “Pure Memphis” can mean so many things, but especially that our friends and family make Memphis home.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT MEMPHIS?
I always say Memphis is the world’s biggest small town. If you don’t know someone, you usually know someone who does.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMPHIS MEMORY?
Having grown up in Memphis it is hard for me to choose just one special memory. I love that I have been able to meet incredible people and grow as a member of the community. Although I have so many fond memories, going to the first Memphis barbecue festival has to be one of my favorites. Going to the festival allowed me to start many traditions and businesses.

IF YOU COULD CHOOSE YOUR OWN NICKNAME, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Back when CBQ first opened, a very nice woman at the old Bank of America in Cooper Young used to call me “Big Boss with the Hot Sauce” every day when I came in to make the deposit. One day we were out shopping for a Christmas tree and ran into the woman from the bank who called me out– which is when Elizabeth learned of the nickname. She hasn’t let me forget it.

AMY GOODE

• she/her
• publisher, memphis health and fitness magazine
• 39 years a memphian
• we believe amy is pure memphis because of her promotion of health and fitness to the mid-south

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
I’m a Memphian who chose to make my living focusing on the local health and wellbeing of this city and its inhabitants. What’s more Memphis- centric than that!

DO YOU FEEL LIKE A LEADER OR A FOLLOWER?
I definitely feel like I’m a leader. I’m a single mother leading a household every day, I lead the staff of my magazine and maybe most importantly I lead the way in local, free, print and web content promoting health and fitness in a community known for struggling in this arena.

WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU GET HOME FROM A TRIP?
I usually go for a run in Overton Park. It’s my way to reconnect with the city. I always miss the trees and how green Memphis is.

IF YOU COULD ASK YOUR PET 3 QUESTIONS, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?
•How do you eat the same food every day?
•What are you dreaming about when you are kicking?
•Why do you think it’s a good idea to bark at the neighbor’s dog who is 17x your size?

BIGGEST DAILY TIME WASTER?
I spend way too much time driving from place to place. In a city as geographically large as Memphis there are many vendors, clients, associates, friends and family that I need to connect with daily. Memphis is a car-centric city—not very good for our health and fitness, I’d love to see that continue to change. I’d love to see even more people biking, running and walking. Ironically it seems that COVID-19 has afforded more time to work remotely, connect digitally, prepare meals and exercise regularly.

ELIJAH TOWNSEND

• chef eli
• he/him
• executive chef/restaurateur
• food and hospitality
• native memphian
• we believe chef eli is pure memphis because of his culinary skills and dedication to his craft and peers

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
I am pure Memphis because I love and promote everything that’s happening in my beautiful city. Grit and Grind is definitely in the water and I’m proud to represent our belovedf city of good abode.

WHAT WOULD YOUR PERFECT SATURDAY BE LIKE?
Waking up to calls and texts from my friends to connect and go have brunch. We eat delicious food and have mimosas until we have had enough. I’d finish this day with a stroll on the Mighty Mississippi before resting to enjoy the downtown night life.

WHICH MOVIE SEQUEL DO YOU WISH YOU COULD ERASE FROM HISTORY?
OMG! Is Jeepers Creepers even a movie? It just never made any sense.

WHAT’S THE ONE FOOD YOU COULD NEVER BRING YOURSELF TO EAT?
Calf liver. Oh how I hate it. I remember being a child and my mother would make it with onions, rice and gravy. I was forced to sit at the table until it was all gone. Most times I never left the table until it was time to get ready for school. To this day won’t touch it.

WHAT WOULD YOUR PERFECT VACATION ENTAIL?
A drive down to Florida by way of Savannah, Ga., in a little red Corvette with my closest friend and companion (KJ) . We would stop on Tybee Island and take an historic home tour. We’d spend days in a beach cottage and nights enjoying scenic views and night life. Oh, and eat tons of seafood.

CAKE OR PIE?
Cake. Pound cake to be exact. All day. everyday!

BRUCE BUI

• he/his
• bianca bruchette (when I want to be extra)
• wardrobe directer, costume designer at Ballet Memphis
• 19 years a memphian — “I’m not a native, but I’m close enough”
• we believe bruce is pure memphis because of his sense of fashion, style, and his fashion creations

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
I am pure memphis because there is no other city that I feel more connected to, and proud to call my home. Memphis inspires me in the way I view the world, its inhabitants, and my approach towards design and style.

WHICH WOULD BE HARDER FOR YOU TO GIVE UP: COFFEE OR ALCOHOL?
Bye coffee. Nothing memorable starts with a coffee toast.

HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU WEAR THE SAME PANTS IN A ROW BEFORE IT BECOMES A PROBLEM?
Even in a pandemic lock down, I haven’t had reason to wear the same pants in a row. What’s the fun in that? I tend to rotate what I wear, and I probably have enough clothes to last a few months if there was a laundry detergent shortage. And I won’t even mention my costume stock in the back house… Is it considered hoarding if it’s your career?

WHAT IS THE FUNNIEST THING YOU HAVE EVER SEEN A MEMPHIAN DO?
Backstage at any drag show. Too many things to mention, but always full of funny moments.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMPHIS MEMORY?
I have a lot of favorite memories. I loved getting married at city hall during lunch time to my husband, then heading back to my show. I love taking bows at the end of every show with my Friends of George’s family, I loved walking into the new ballet building for the first time. I love the memory of the old bars like Backstreet and J-Wags.

MELISA VALDEZ

• she/her/ella
• ux/web designer web design
• 16 years a memphian
• we believe melisa is pure memphis because she’s a social justice fighter, and a latino advocate and educator

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
I feel deep responsibility for my city, especially underprivileged and under- represented communities like my own. That sense of responsibility has pushed me to volunteer with amazing organizations like Mid-South Immigration Advocates and Community Legal Center. It’s also my fuel, after a long day of work, when I need to follow a story for Memphis Noticias, a news project for Spanish-speakers that I run along with my partner, Manuel Duran.

IN A MOVIE OF YOUR LIFE, WHO PLAYS YOU?
I find it extremely important that whoever plays me speaks both Spanish and English, but the Spanish has to be perfect and the English has to have an accent. I just finished watching the 4th season of Money Heist on Netflix, so the actress at the top of my head right now is Alba Flores.

IF YOU COULD SHOP FOR FREE AT ONE MEMPHIS STORE, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU CHOOSE?
I’m obsessed with national and international home decor and furniture stores. Give me a few hours of free shopping at Ikea or Home Goods and you will make me the happiest woman in the world.

FAVORITE MEMPHIS MEMORY?
Summer of 2004. We had just arrived in Memphis. My parents were worried because we were running out of money and living in a hotel off Summer and Sycamore View. My dad looked through the phone book and started making calls at random to local churches. Long story short, the person my dad reached had a contact who was a Quaker, and they drove us to a house in Midtown, filled the house with food, toys, beds, and a few TVs. It was an amazing welcome to the city that became our home.

TAMAR LOVE

• pronouns: I am a-gender, so no preference
• teacher/musician
• education/entertainment
• 22 years a memphian
• we believe tamar is pure memphis because she’s an inspiring educator with a true love for music

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE PURE MEMPHIS?
I feel a deep connection to the blues, the ancestors who created this place, the people who grit and grind to sustain the rich heritage of this city.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMPHIS MEMORY?
Some of my favorite memories are being a part of the Memphis music scene. Whether it’s playing classical cello, or in my rock band, Mama Honey, I feel as if I belong and am welcomed in the Memphis music community. Finding your way in a world that doesn’t readily accept black, queer women hasn’t been easy. Music…has been a respite, a bubble, from the outside world.

WHAT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WERE YOU INVOLVED IN DURING HIGH SCHOOL?
I was definitely a music nerd. I was in the Creative and Performing Arts program at Overton High School and played the cello in the school orchestra. I was also in the Memphis Youth Symphony. I also remember writing a song for the Memphis in May song writing contest, and won. I was convinced I was the only person who entered the contest.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO TEACH?
Music opened my world up to people, places, and opportunities I would have never experienced. I grew up poor and exposed to violent situations, I could have easily become another statistic. Music changed the trajectory of my life. I’m not sure where I would be, or what I would have become without it. (I love) sharing my love (of music) with my students. I want to nurture their gifts, show them the world that saved me, and hopefully open the door to a life- changing experience.