Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1538147
In some ways, these elders consider themselves retired. In other ways, they're just getting started. We asked them what wisdom they've gathered from the longevity of their leadership: S E A S O N E D A N D S T R O N G AGE 65+ Charles Richardson I'm on the River Edge board, and we are really trying to address mental issues, addiction issues. I'm proud we're able to do things that haven't been done before. I've always had the philosophy that no idea is a bad idea. Just because it didn't work in one timeline doesn't mean it won't in another. I think 25 years ago, if you'd said amphitheater, it wouldn't happen. We couldn't pull ourselves together for the '96 Olympics. But times change, diff erent personalities come in, and you have to let younger people have a voice. If it didn't work in the '80s or '90s, that doesn't mean it won't in the 2020s. When I fi rst came to Macon in 1982, the Cherry Blossom Festival stuck out to me. A Confederate regiment marched in the parade back then, and I thought, maybe this isn't the place for me. But things changed. Now I'm on the ONPPI board, and we've genuinely embraced the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. It's not just lip service. Mercer is a beacon in this community. MGA is becoming one. These institutions stand out. I'd say to people who are cynical: get involved. Get your hands dirty, fi nd out what's really going on. Don't rely on the rumor mill. Come to meetings, ask questions. You'll get answers. Everyone has a life to live, and they should live it to the fullest – enjoy themselves. And you enjoy yourself by being committed to the community. Wini McQueen Macon is a quiet gem. You don't really understand it until August/September 2025 | maconmagazine.com 57 you fi nd people who make the city open up for you. After a couple years, someone said, "This is an artist we need to support," and the city has opened up for me ever since. It's been 40 years now. Right now, I'm preparing a collection of artist books. One focuses on my travels in Africa searching for textiles, and another is dedicated to my family's history, from slavery to now. I'm also working with a gallery in Harlem, New York. It's a new venture, and I'm careful not to say too much before the contract is fi nalized, but it represents a new chapter. I've been comfortable in Macon, but now I'm ready to venture out and see a broader view of the art world. Kirby Godsey I'm excited about the Riverside development for Mercer's new School of Medicine. Alongside the convention center, hotels, living spaces, and retail, it's probably the largest single downtown development ever. It's transformative. Macon is uniquely positioned, geographically and culturally, to be Georgia's leading city outside Atlanta. We're accessible from everywhere, truly the crossroads of Georgia. The star for Macon has been rising and will continue to rise. The future is bright. We have great people, leaders, and vision. We're united in our diversity. That's special. Mercer plays a big role, as do MGA, Wesleyan, and Central Georgia Tech. We have entrepreneurial energy. NewTown has been critical in redeveloping downtown. Macon is creating its own future.