Newspapers / University of North Carolina … / Sept. 26, 2017, edition 1 / Page 17
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Beat from the street LARISA KARR Managing Editor lakarr@unca.edu Many stories lurk throughout Asheville, whether they are behind the Vaudevillian jazz folk played by buskers around Pritchard Park, the colorful business decorated with funky handmade crafts or the laughter from a patio as locals and tourists alike enjoy delicious beer. JUNE STAR, 30, UNEMPLOYED, ORIGINALLY FROM NEW YORK So, how would you describe your style? “My attempt to be as feminine as possible. I don’t really know. Today was dress casually. Some other days I usually try to go for more goth chic, like ‘80s casual goth chic.” Do you have a life motto that you live by? “Not really. Other than, I guess, ‘Just go for it.’ Live how you want to actually live.” Yeah. “Just pursue your own thing.” Yeah, that’s good. So, what in spires you creatively, would you say? “Very random stuff, mostly, mainly nature things. I do art stuff like this, so like bugs, mantises and stuff like that.” BRANDEON TRIDELL MILLER, 32, SPEAKER OF THE WORD OF GOD, ORIGINALLY FROM JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA So tell me about why you’re out here today. “Why I’m out here today? I just want people to know that Jesus loves them, that no matter if they believe in him or not, his arms are open wide and he still gave his life so that they may be saved and re ceive salvation.” And what initially inspired you Nice. That’s awesome. “That’s what I do.” What got you interested in art? “Just the impulse. I don’t know. I felt like doing it one day. I read a bunch of books on it and then I just decided to just do it.” Yeah. That’s cool. So, what’s one thing you like about Asheville and dislike about Asheville? “I like that it’s a very openly queer place. They have a great pro gram which is for trans people be cause I’m a trans woman and one bad thing is I guess the inevitable, encroaching gentrification.” That’s true. So, yeah, if you were to say one thing that inspires you from day to day, what would you say? “That other people have lived my life and, you know, prosper and you know, have lived fulfilling lives regardless of bullshit or preju dice, challenges like poverty and so forth.” to start sharing this message? “Well, ever since I was younger, I was growing up in a church, but I was taught a certain way of the church. But, when I was able to be come mature, as in a man, I had to come to an understanding. I had to receive Him for myself and believe on my own instead of having some one tell me how to believe or how to understand the savior, because He says we’re supposed to basical ly have our own relationship with Him, not through someone. But, if I say I believe, it’s not that I believe because my mom believed or some one else believed, but I believe be cause of me. I believe it because I mi IM ||, ^4. 4-. * PHOTO BVIUKEgASAm have a personal relationship.” Yeah. “I mean, what made me come out here, I was married, got a divorce. I was falling on hard times. The only thing I had was my bookbag and my Bible and the time of being out on the street, I did not blame God. But in that, I said, ‘Lord, help me to understand what it is that you’d have me to do out here because you allow all things. All things have to come through you, whether you say yay or nay. So, I took the time out, kept reading my Bible. I had a job but I didn’t have enough money be cause of child support.” Yeah. “All kinds of things, so I was just below level.” Rock bottom? “Yeah, being able to get any thing. So, being out there, I kept telling people about the goodness of the Lord, continued work at my job, helped with the homeless even though I was trying to get up on my own feet. I was still helping peo ple out and finally God made it to where I could get me a place.” OK. “I got me a place. He increased
University of North Carolina at Asheville Student Newspaper
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Sept. 26, 2017, edition 1
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