Authoring Action holds 10th annual Taste of the South fundraiser
Members of Authoring Action perform during the Taste of the South fundraiser last week.
Some of the most talented young people in our community and some of the best restaurants in the area were showcased at the Milton Rhodes Center for Visual Arts last Thursday during Authoring Action’s 10th annual Taste of the South fundraiser.
Authoring Action is a local non-profit organization that offers programs that help teens engage the world through creative writing, spoken word, film, poetry, art and design. Since 2010, the Taste of the South event has served as the fundraising event for the organization.
Held on Thursday, Nov. 21, this year’s event featured a variety of local restaurants and wineries serving up a host of Southern favorites. Entertainment was provided by the talented young writers and performers of Authoring Action, including Dakota Alcala, Alexander Banuelos, Johntae Lewis, Jada Robinson, Zoe Sides, and Austin Willard.
To kick off the event, dozens of supporters in attendance watched a video where Authoring Action alumni talked about how the program helped them to achieve success and become who they are today.
Local attorney Nicole Little said as a criminal defense attorney, her job is to tell the story of those who otherwise wouldn’t get to tell the stories themselves, and she learned how to do that as a teenager in Authoring Action.
“That means understanding their life stories, understanding where they may have fallen short, understanding their life upbringing, and bringing their story to life. That is what my job entails and I learned that as a 13-year-old with Authoring Action,” Little continued. “Nothing that I’m doing now is different than when I was 13 years old. We are all advocates, we’re agents to change the community where we live and I’m thankful to Authoring Action for blessing me with that tool so I can help change other people’s lives.”
While Authoring Action co-founders Lynn Rhoades and Nathan Ross Freeman thanked everyone for their support, it was announced that the fundraiser raised $27,000. All of the proceeds from Taste of the South will go toward Authoring Action and the Just Us program, a writing and film program that works with teens in the judicial system and those at risk of entering the system.
Authoring Action is a 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organization. For more information, visit www.authoringaction.org.
