WHQR Commentaries

Kamili Anderson is the current chair of the North Carolina Rice Festival Inc., which, since 2020, has annually hosted Gullah Geechee-focused educational and celebratory events in Brunswick County.WHQR commentaries don’t necessarily reflect the views of WHQR Public Media, its editorial staff, or its members.

Mahlaynee Cooper is a poet, teaching artist, and the founder of Speak Ya Peace NC.

Patricia Dew is the Brunswick County Library Director.

Shannon Rae Gentry is a writer, collaborator, educator, and community-minded creative working to reimagine encore magazine, our region’s longest-running alt-weekly, not just as a newspaper, but as a shared space where culture, civic life, and local voices meet.

Samuel Ibrahim is retired after a career in business and technology. He has lived in Wilmington since 1995, where he and his wife raised their four children. A grateful immigrant, he writes about American politics, civic engagement, and public affairs, drawing on his appreciation for the country that gave him freedom, opportunity, and the chance to build a better life.

Retired Navy Captain Wilbur Jones is an author and military historian who grew up in Wilmington during World War II. He was heavily involved in Wilmington, earning designation as America's first WWII Heritage City.

Jamir Jumoke is a writer, speaker, recidivism reduction and recovery coach, and community outreach specialist with the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition. With a passion for helping individuals rebuild, recover, and thrive, Jamir brings both lived experience and professional insight to community leadership, self-development, and social change.

Robert Leddy has been a member of the Writers Guild since 2000.

Born and educated in Scotland [of a Scots-Irish family], Alan was ‘called’ to teach and has taught in Scotland, Argentina and the United States in both public and private schools, and at the University [for the last 25 years]. Since moving to Wilmington four years ago, Alan parses his time volunteering at The Bellamy Mansion and teaching for OSHER [OLLI].

Bob Thompson is the Interim Pastor at Windermere Presbyterian Church.

Gary Trawick is a retired Superior Court Judge, writer, and teller of stories. He and his wife, Jennings, live in Burgaw.

Author and award-winning conservation educator Andy Wood is a fourth-generation biologist and graduate of Texas A&M University where he studied wildlife management, natural resource conservation, and museum science.