North Carolina

Discover how this historically rural state built on tobacco and textiles is rapidly changing. Entrepreneurs find a warm welcome in Durham, Native Americans come home to ancestral lands, and families separated by race and class work toward healing.

Jes Averhart is a proud member of Black Wall Street Homecoming, a local group of Durham entrepreneurs who are revitalizing the community. She comes from a blended family and has recently discovered that her late father had roots in Durham.

In Oxford, Thomas visits a unique community brewery. He learns from the owners that there’s much more behind the names of the flight he’s been offered. The brews celebrate the local experiences, offering a window into the community unlike any other.

Pastor Yoo has worked hard to support new arrivals to his church community. Sushioki, a fusion restaurant, is an extension of his service that provides jobs that offer a stepping stone to those eager to work with limited opportunities.

Jaki Shelton Green is North Carolina’s first African American poet laureate. She generously shares both her photos and her poetry with Thomas. He travels with her to the cemetery where her late daughter, Imani, is buried. Jaki recites selections from the book inspired by her loss.