Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2020

16 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.VOICEofMPpodcast.com T here is perhaps nothing that defines a person more than their ability to accept who they are, where they came from and where they are going. And there’s no better time than right now to embrace acceptance — a year that has tested all our boundaries and shaken us to the core. We spoke with Charlton Singleton, co-founder of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra and member of the Grammy-winning band Ranky Tanky, and Chef Benjamin “BJ” Dennis, recent winner of the Charleston Food & Wine Marc Collins award. Both born and raised in the Charleston area, these two ambassadors of Gullah culture are proud to incorporate aspects of local tradition into their craft. As Singleton and Dennis BY PAMELA JOUAN A More Global Audience for Our Discussion with Chef Benjamin “BJ” Dennis and Charlton Singleton Gullah Photos by Juli Kaplan.