Tisha Powell and her daughter at home. photo: Tisha Powell

Why I love Durham

by Tisha Powell

 

I recently moved back to Durham after spending several years in Raleigh, and I’m so happy to be back. While Raleigh is a great place to live, I love Durham for its character and history. Durham has a story, and everything from the architecture to the restaurants to the diverse community speaks to its history and culture. 

 

Downtown Durham has grown so much in the six years I’ve lived here. It’s one of my favorite places — I love working and spending time downtown outside of work. It is great to see the old tobacco warehouses being turned into retail shops, apartments and condominiums. There are so many great restaurants too — I often go to Whole Foods, Parizade and Alivia’s Durham Bistro. Everything is easily accessible.

 

There’s a diverse group of people in downtown Durham, from college students to professionals in banking and health care. Duke University and N.C. Central University play big parts in our community. The young people really make the area come alive.

 

I also enjoy going to performances at the Durham Performing Arts Center, a place that brings the Big Apple to the Bull City with concerts and Broadway shows. It’s one of the gems of downtown.

 

I get to spend more quality family time in Durham because I work in the city. When it comes to my family, there’s something in Durham for all of us. The area is filled with great public and private schools, and my daughter is receiving a quality education both inside and outside of school. I just love taking her to the Museum of Life and Science. She especially loves the butterfly exhibit.

 

The parks in Durham are beautiful as well, making it a great place to raise a family and spend time outdoors. My family and I did a photo shoot for our annual Christmas card at Duke Gardens.

 

We also like going to Durham Bulls games. My daughter even sang the national anthem with our church choir during a recent Bulls game. And we hang out at the Streets of Southpoint frequently — there’s always something going on there, whether it’s performers playing music, doing magic tricks or making balloon animals.

 

I love how giving Durham residents can be. One of my favorite events is the Empty Bowls fundraiser, a soup-tasting event that benefits Urban Ministries of Durham. For the past two years, I’ve judged this event in which attendees can pay a flat rate and get soup and a bowl made by a local artist.

 

ABC11 has been in Durham for decades, making the station part of the city’s history. We’re in the center of everything. When I’m working there at night, I feel like I’m in the middle of so much activity. I can run out and emcee an event, introduce a famous singer on stage for the Durham Blues Festival and then be on the ABC11 set talking about that experience 10 minutes later.

 

There are so many reasons why I love Durham: The people are wonderful, and it’s a great place for my family to live and work. I’m happy knowing that my family is close together, and I’m glad to be part of such a vibrant community. 

 

Tisha Powell co-anchors ABC11 Eyewitness News with Frances Scott at 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and with Steve Daniels at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.