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Bull City Beautiful

The stuff we're made of. The people we're proud of.

Bull City Beautiful was born from a craving for storytelling.
It began with the accidental introduction, the lingering feeling of a conversation worth repeating, or a soundbite worth calling a friend to muse about.
Here in Durham, those moments happen all of the time. We may not have Ferris wheels, but what we do have are our people. That is more than enough.

Celebrate these stories with us. Discover Durham.

bold representatives of beauty

Dorian Bolden: Envisioning Durham 2.0 A local entrepreneur who is passionate about food, coffee, community and dope vibes. Learn More

Whisk and Rye: A Blend of Passion and Heritage A local couple who translated their passions into a profession. Learn More

Natasha Teasley: Curating Inclusive Outdoor Adventures Meet the Durham native who created an inclusive outdoor adventure company for the community. Learn More

Phyllis Coley: A Durham Native Highlighting the Achievements of Black People The founder of Spectacular Magazine created a platform to uplift her community. Learn More

Shannon Healy: Mixologist, Restaurateur & James Beard Finalist Durham's Alley Twenty Six is the first bar in North Carolina nominated for Outstanding Bar Program. Learn More

Joye Speight: Creating Memorable Experiences with Inclusive Events Meet the Durham native behind the largest minority- and woman-owned event planning team in the Triangle. Learn More

Zoey Best: Merging Her Durham Roots with Kava Roots Da Kine’s Kava owner aims to make alcohol alternatives more accessible to everyone. Learn More

Chef Zweli Williams: Flavors that Feed the Soul INDY Week’s 2021 Best Chef in Durham County is cooking up one-of-a-kind dishes inspired by her hometown in Zimbabwe. Learn More

Mara Shelton: Owner of the first female- and veteran-owned brewery in NC A local vetrepreneur using her brewery to support those who have served in the U.S. armed forces Learn More

Ro Rode: A Passion for Community, Nature, and a Donkey A woman who followed her passions all the way to Durham's Museum of Life and Science. Learn More

Moses Ochola: Sprouting Seeds of Entrepreneurship A Durham native with a love for food, music, the arts, and his community. Learn More

Nicole Swiner: One Woman, Many Passions A local mother, doctor, and author passionate about life and self-care. Learn More

Elizabeth Turnbull: Owner of COPA & Local Storyteller Elizabeth Turnbull is using her passion for storytelling to write stories and create cocktails Learn More

Victoria Facelli: A local superwoman wearing many capes A mom, writer, and lactation consultant advocating for inclusion Learn More

Jade Wilson: Portraits that Lead to Conversations Jade Wilson is using portraits to uplift voices that have been historically silenced Learn More

Chicken Hut: The Tapp Family Serves More Than Chicken Tre Tapp proudly continues his parents' legacy of serving the community. Learn More

Cornell Watson: Local Photographer Makes National Headlines Black photos matter. Durham photographer Cornell Watson is sharing photos of Black people through his Black lens. Learn More

Pilar Rocha-Goldberg: Latinx Advocate For more than a decade now, Pilar Rocha-Goldberg has been fulfilling a mission to integrate the Latinx community into the community in general. Learn More

Cornelio Campos: Revealing the Truth Through Art Whether as a conversation starter or an educational tool, Mexican-born Cornelio Campos uses his art to illustrate the realities of immigrating to America that often go overlooked. Learn More

Areli Barrera de Grodski: Coffee Aficionado Latin immigrant, Areli Barrera de Grodski started Cocoa Cinnamon with $75 and a bicycle. How? With energy and resilience. Learn More

Yousuf Zafar, MD: Comforted by Community Dr. Yousuf Zafar is in awe of the folks who are showing up throughout this crisis: his colleagues, his neighbors, and each and every Durhamite determined to conquer COVID-19 ... together. Learn More

Gabriela Maradiaga Panayotti, MD: Blooming With Hope She and her family contracted COVID-19 simultaneously. After their full recoveries, Dr. Gabriela Maradiaga Panayotti is finding room for hope in this season and the beauty of Durham's community. Learn More

Richard J. Chung, MD: Courage and Care Richard J. Chung, MD is one of the healthcare providers committed to caring for our community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's what he still finds beautiful despite the challenge. Learn More

Pierce McKoy: Spectacular Shine Over 53 years. Thousands of shoes. This man is a community staple. Learn More

Virginia Williams: Living Legacy The depth and richness of African American history in Durham makes the marking of Black History Month especially poignant. Here, we seek to lift up the voices of our living legends. Learn More

John C. "Skeepie" Scarborough: Generations of Greatness His family has had a hand in bringing grace and dignity to African American families for over 120 years. Learn More

Nolan Smith: Invested in What's Next Nolan's desire to see Black brilliance in Durham permeates Duke and beyond. Learn More

Selina Mack: Finding Homes for Durham's Heart Selina Mack is the executive director of the Durham Community Land Trust. As Durham grows, she's determined to ensure that its evolution doesn't outpace legacy communities. Learn More

Tiffany Griffin, PhD: Illuminating Black Brilliance Her scents are intended to awaken the senses. Here's what she thinks is beautiful about her Durham-grown story. Learn More

Olivia Lin: Naturally Inspired Cellist, pianist, and soon to be doctor, Olivia sees beauty everywhere. Learn More

Jesse Huddleston: Creating His Story "Durham is beautiful to me because Durham is where I became me. Whole, human me." Learn More