The 2019 LHA Winner is Jordan Bell!
What happens when something important is left out of history, forgotten simply because it has been neglected to have been taught? Jordan Bell is a Roanoke Valley native who is striving to make change and bring about awareness in his hometown.
Jordan grew up in the Gainsboro neighborhood and often heard stories from family and friends about what it had been like before urban renewal. He became interested in the history of his neighborhood and started working on a documentary project called Gainsboro Revisited, to bring awareness to what urban renewal had done to this part of town. He began researching and interviewing elders, collecting stories from people who had lived there.
Gainsboro used to be a thriving African-American neighborhood, with lots of homes and businesses, but in the 1950s, in the name of progress, the neighborhood was fractured. During this time, over sixteen hundred homes were destroyed, as were 26 churches and 270 businesses. One devastating thing we learned was a graveyard, Old Lick Cemetery, was torn up and moved for the development of Interstate 581 and the Civic Center. According to Mary Bishop in her Roanoke Times special “Street by Street, Block by Block,” one of the most upsetting losses was not just the loss of physical spaces but of feelings of attachment, home and community for Roanoke’s African-American population.
As the saying goes you have to “know where you’ve been to know where you're going” and that is what Jordan is trying to accomplish. To know the future of Gainsboro, we have to understand its past. Jordan hopes his documentary, Gainsboro Revisited, will help accomplish this.
In addition to his interest in history, Jordan also enjoys working with children. He says that they will change the city and it's good to teach them about our history, to inspire them. He is a father, helps with summer camps at Apple Ridge Farm, and works as an instructional assistant in Roanoke City Schools. Currently, Mr. Bell is starting a Dress for Success program at Garden City Elementary, a program to help young boys build character, develop confidence and learn life skills. Through all of these things, Mr. Bell inspires children and adults every day.
Thank you, Jordan. You are truly amazing and we appreciate all you do.
Jordan grew up in the Gainsboro neighborhood and often heard stories from family and friends about what it had been like before urban renewal. He became interested in the history of his neighborhood and started working on a documentary project called Gainsboro Revisited, to bring awareness to what urban renewal had done to this part of town. He began researching and interviewing elders, collecting stories from people who had lived there.
Gainsboro used to be a thriving African-American neighborhood, with lots of homes and businesses, but in the 1950s, in the name of progress, the neighborhood was fractured. During this time, over sixteen hundred homes were destroyed, as were 26 churches and 270 businesses. One devastating thing we learned was a graveyard, Old Lick Cemetery, was torn up and moved for the development of Interstate 581 and the Civic Center. According to Mary Bishop in her Roanoke Times special “Street by Street, Block by Block,” one of the most upsetting losses was not just the loss of physical spaces but of feelings of attachment, home and community for Roanoke’s African-American population.
As the saying goes you have to “know where you’ve been to know where you're going” and that is what Jordan is trying to accomplish. To know the future of Gainsboro, we have to understand its past. Jordan hopes his documentary, Gainsboro Revisited, will help accomplish this.
In addition to his interest in history, Jordan also enjoys working with children. He says that they will change the city and it's good to teach them about our history, to inspire them. He is a father, helps with summer camps at Apple Ridge Farm, and works as an instructional assistant in Roanoke City Schools. Currently, Mr. Bell is starting a Dress for Success program at Garden City Elementary, a program to help young boys build character, develop confidence and learn life skills. Through all of these things, Mr. Bell inspires children and adults every day.
Thank you, Jordan. You are truly amazing and we appreciate all you do.
2019 Honorees: Jordan Hertz from House of Bread and Jill Loftis of Uttara Yoga
Our first honoree is Jordan Hertz. Ms. Hertz is a co-founder of House of Bread, formed in 2017. House of Bread is a local non-profit organization that helps formerly incarcerated women gain skills and become contributing members of society. They do this through teaching them to make and sell bread.
House of Bread offers a six-week session where women learn these skills from hands on training in the Local Environmental Agricultural Project Kitchen or L.E.A.P. Unfortunately, Jordan could not be with us today/ this evening, but we appreciate all that she does through House of Bread to support citizens in the valley.
Ms. Jill Loftis, a local yoga teacher, was nominated this year for her work in developing an active yoga community in Roanoke. She helps all kinds of people and has even changed some people’s outlook on life. Jill volunteers with Bethany Hall Drug and Alcohol Center, where she helps people work towards overcoming their addiction. She helps people learn mindfulness exercises to decrease their overall stress as well. In addition to helping the community at Bethany Hall, Ms. Loftis has taught over 100 yoga classes at nearby schools, local libraries, the City Market Building and even at Go Fest. All in all, Jill is a kind and thoughtful person who helps many people and heals many souls. Jill, thank you for your dedication to making Roanoke a great place to live.
House of Bread offers a six-week session where women learn these skills from hands on training in the Local Environmental Agricultural Project Kitchen or L.E.A.P. Unfortunately, Jordan could not be with us today/ this evening, but we appreciate all that she does through House of Bread to support citizens in the valley.
Ms. Jill Loftis, a local yoga teacher, was nominated this year for her work in developing an active yoga community in Roanoke. She helps all kinds of people and has even changed some people’s outlook on life. Jill volunteers with Bethany Hall Drug and Alcohol Center, where she helps people work towards overcoming their addiction. She helps people learn mindfulness exercises to decrease their overall stress as well. In addition to helping the community at Bethany Hall, Ms. Loftis has taught over 100 yoga classes at nearby schools, local libraries, the City Market Building and even at Go Fest. All in all, Jill is a kind and thoughtful person who helps many people and heals many souls. Jill, thank you for your dedication to making Roanoke a great place to live.
Our Inspirations
The life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Drawn Together, Minh Le
https://www.npr.org/2018/06/15/620428253/struggling-for-words-a-boy-and-his-grandfather-are-drawn-together-at-last
Drawn Together, Minh Le
https://www.npr.org/2018/06/15/620428253/struggling-for-words-a-boy-and-his-grandfather-are-drawn-together-at-last