Life & Work with Jerry Grimes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerry Grimes

Hi Jerry, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am from Eastern North Carolina, the portion of the state between the Interstate 95 corridor and the barrier islands known as the Outer Banks. Eastern North Carolina is also known as the Inner Banks or Down East. That distinction has always been of the utmost importance to me as North Carolina is an expansive state geographically, culturally, and intellectually. Life is seen and lived in various ways throughout the state while remaining united by a foundational love of family, community, and our universities. My journey steadily moved me westward from my native Mount Olive to Goldsboro to Winston-Salem and then from Richmond, Virginia, to Los Angeles, with time in Chicago. I have always had a love of comics and filmmaking. My earliest studies were in theater and film at Saint Augustine’s College and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. I was mentored by filmmakers Marco Williams, Steven L. Jones, Ron Stacker Thompson, and Leander T. Sales. This journey ultimately led me to a dual journey of studying theology and entering academia.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has been anything but smooth, but it has been a collection of teachable moments and experiences that yearn for reflection. I have battled illness, heartbreak, and innumerable disappointments that made my recovery, friendships, and accomplishments more meaningful than they could have ever been without the adversity I experienced.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am working toward yet another graduate degree, but this experience transcends my desire to achieve an academic title. I am pursuing research on postbellum American Religion, concentrating on North Carolina between 1865 and 1899. The intersection of religion, gender, race, and politics at this time has been researched by numerous scholars whose expertise far surpasses my own, but I found archival material that reframes how we understand that period of American history, especially in North Carolina with an impact that reverberated throughout the Eastern Seaboard.

How do you think about happiness?
I am the father of a young daughter whose primary loves in life, in addition to her family, are science and soccer. Nothing makes me happier than spending time with her. I am also a music lover who believes that musical genres are made to be broken. I try to make it a point to listen to at least ten different music genres or styles a day as I am traveling or working. I enjoy creating things. Whether writing a song, drawing an image, or jotting down an idea, I am at peace when bringing something to life and watching what it does or does not do. I have found that living is merely an act of breathing, but civility is found in appreciating how something gets made and daring to make something as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jerrygrimes.com

Image Credits
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