Kathleen Purvis is a journalist with more than 40 years of experience at newspapers. She specializes in the food and culture of the South as well as travel, and has written three books for the University of North Carolina Press. She is currently a freelance writer based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

All Stories by Kathleen Purvis

October 2, 2022

For nourishment, there’s nothing like ‘first foods’

Pre-colonization diets provide far more than sustenance for the body. They also fortify and deepen ancestral relationships among tribes and families.

November 2, 2021

Activists rally against 'fixing' infants' bodies

Cosmetic surgery to alter genitalia took hold in the 20th century. The nonconsensual operations on children continue today, even as the outcry against them grows and some hospitals abandon the procedures.

November 1, 2021

Indie programmer delivers a global goulash of music

Bill Goldsmith has been disrupting the radio scene for decades. Through the internet, listeners all over the world can feast on his artful, eclectic playlists.

October 26, 2021

Ghost kitchens are more than delivery services

While commissary kitchens have been around for years, the pandemic and food delivery have transformed where those meals are prepared. Now known as cloud kitchens or ghost kitchens, startups and hotels have jumped onto this growing trend.

November 6, 2020

What being a poll worker taught me about US elections

For 2 1/2 weeks, I was a keen observer – and steward – of the voting process.