Where You Are

My guest cancelled! So I decided to talk for a few minutes about education—from a little bit about my time teaching at a military college, to my current job, to the challenges of teaching online. Join me for a shorter episode than usual. After this, I'll take a break for the holidays, but I'll be back in January for the rest of Season Three!

In my 35th episode, I speak with Alaina Browning, one of my favorite colleagues. Alaina shares her experiences as a librarian in both public and academic libraries. This semester, Alaina started a creative writing group at our college, where she offers weekly guidance and support to student writers, so we also talk about her background as a writer (she's up every day around 4:00 a.m. and recently finished a 400-page novel). As the conversation nears its end, we also discuss Alaina and her husband's plans to adopt a child this year. You will enjoy getting to know Alaina, so take a listen to the 35th episode of Where You Are!

This is one of my favorite discussions I've had in a while. Lori and Sabrina share some great stories about their 2014 marriage in Maryland, their experiences attending college in Tennessee, and their hopes and dreams for the future. Along the way, we touch on quite a range of topics: Santa Clause, America, intersectionality, and more! You are going to love these two women. They are perceptive, engaging, and fun; so come hang out with us for an hour!

Brylee and Alexa plan to launch their own podcast focusing on mental health. The two met recently in class at a community college in Alabama, and they found that they have many things in common. In this episode, we discuss their experiences and struggles with mental health; then, they explore possible directions for their podcast, which they plan to begin soon! Please note that we cover topics such as depression, anxiety, and suicide in this episode. As well, the discussion should be taken as an honest conversation sharing experiences, but none of us is a professional! If you have mental health problems, please talk to a doctor so that you can work toward a diagnosis and proper treatment. Here are some resources in or around Walker County, Alabama, where I work and these students attend college:Northwest Alabama Mental Health CenterHealth Action Partnership, Walker County, AL: Mental Health Support & Referral Resources For support elsewhere in the U.S., consider the following:National Alliance on Mental IllnessSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration And, as always, please remember the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255Internationally, consider this link: United for Global Mental Health

Take a listen to my wonderful conversation with Ally Stephens, a former student. Ally is so funny, intelligent, and kind; I'm so grateful to have had her on the show. In this interview, she shares some of her life experiences and what she has learned along the way. We also talk about her love of plants and Harry Styles.

Join me this week as I reflect on where I am; Fox joins me, as well, for a little conversation. Enjoy the episode!

In this episode, I interview Kevin King, founder of The King's Canvas, an organization in Montgomery, AL that provides “opportunity and access for underdeveloped and underexposed artists.” The King's Canvas uplifts not only the individual artists but also the community at large; take a look for yourself: “Vaccine-inspired murals destined for Montgomery neighborhoods unveiled at King's Canvas”; “The King's Canvas tells a Montgomery neighborhood's story in vibrant color”; “King's Canvas to host 2nd annual 'BBQ & Brushes' fundraiser, honoring bus boycott anniversary”. It was an honor to hear Kevin describe his work, and I'm sure you will all enjoy this interview.

Season Three kicks off with Keith O. Williams, candidate for Birmingham City Council, District 6. Keith discusses his plans for District 6, as well as his experiences as a candidate. In addition, he provides interesting historical background for the communities he represents. You can learn more about Keith's campaign at his website, keithowilliams.info, as well as his Facebook page, Keith O. Williams - Political Candidate.

In the final episode of Season Two, Fox and I look back at all of the guests we have had this season, as we discuss what we have learned from this year's journey with the podcast. We also talk about plans for next season. Fox has a few new episodes of his podcast, The Audio Parlor, coming out soon, so he previews those a little, too. Thanks to everyone for listening this season! We will be back in August with a brand new season!

Fox and I decided to revisit and remaster our interview with Jonathan Sweatt from Season One (we’ve added a new introduction). Jonathan directed Small Mouth Sounds for Theatre Downtown in Birmingham, AL last year, just before the pandemic. In fact, it was the last show Fox and I saw before quarantine, and what a wonderful show it was. In this interview, Jonathan talks about his experience directing the show. I wanted to share this interview to celebrate and uplift local theater and all the wonderful people involved in it who have been affected by the pandemic. Live theater is one of the things I miss the most; I can’t wait until it comes back!

My guest on the latest episode of Where You Are is Natalya Winters, a colleague of mine who not only excels as a mentor and leader in education but also shines brightly in her everyday life by intentionally creating safe spaces around her for meaningful conversation and encouragement. You can find her at her Instagram handle, @healingisthegoal, where she hosts a weekly live Instagram called Cue the Confetti: Safe Space Conversations. In these live videos, Natalya shares her platform with others in order to explore the world through the experiences of those who have inspired her. But in this episode of Where You Are, we turn the tables on Natalya as we explore her world! Natalya reminds us of the power of vulnerability, transparency, and intentionality as she discusses surviving domestic violence, working as an advocate and mentor, living in America in the 21st century, exploring her own inner world, and being a mother. Every time I talk to Natalya, I come away with a feeling of connectedness and warmth, and I always learn something new that I feel makes me a better person; I know that you will have the same experience. Please enjoy this interview with Natalya Winters, and go check her out on Instagram at @healingisthegoal. You won’t regret it!

The latest episode of Where You Are debuts tomorrow with my special guest, Ashley Harlan Kitchens. Formerly in advertising, Ashley is now a full-time college English instructor at a community college in Alabama. Her passion and creativity inspire me, and I think you will be inspired, too. Every year, Ashley collaborates with instructors across disciplines to create a museum (on campus, pre-pandemic and online, post-pandemic). Students then contribute to that museum with their class projects. Last year's theme was pirates! I admit I was selfish in this interview; I asked a lot of questions about Ashley's grading process, how she creates assignments, and how she manages work-life balance (she does and doesn't, by the way!). As an English instructor myself, I often find myself struggling with maintaining balance, so it was great to hear Ashley's advice. In addition to being a great teacher and leader at her college, Ashley also lives life to the utmost outside the classroom. She is an aerialist, which takes lots of training and strength. This was an hour well-spent for me, and I know that you all will enjoy it, too. If you have teacher friends, share it with them, too. Ashley is the type of teacher who inspires all of us teachers to be strive to be better.

I'm excited to share my interview with YouTube content creator, Vacated. Only 15 years old, "Vacated," has created a lasting presence on YouTube that started with Let's Play content and has evolved into a video essay format. It was a pleasure talking to Vacated about his creative process. I think everyone will enjoy this interview!

Sam Badger is running for Tuscaloosa City Council District 5. Sam lives in Alberta City and attends the University of Alabama, where he majors in political science and economics. At the age of 19, has taken the initiative to run for office so that he can represent his community. I found him on Facebook Live one day, where he often makes impromptu, live videos highlighting his daily experiences knocking on doors in Alberta City. Over the course of his campaign, he has logged hours listening to his fellow residents describe the problems and concerns they have—everything from infrastructure to public safety to economic development. I am struck by the power of his message and by his tirelessness. This is what we need more of in this world if you ask me: principled, passionate people willing to run for local offices in order to represent the real needs of their communities. The election is on March 2, and I think Sam has a fighting chance because he is building strong relationships and name-recognition by getting out there and putting in the legwork. He also has endorsements from West Alabama Labor and the UAW local 112 Mercedes. He challenges Kip Tyner, who has held the seat for more than 20 years. If you would like to learn more about Sam after listening to this interview, you can catch him on Facebook Live or at his website, recently launched, which is badger4citycouncil.com. And there you will find the ways you can contribute to his campaign if you are so inclined.

I look forward to y'all hearing my conversation with my friend, Misty Haynes! She is an integral part of the Salon & Spa Management Program at Bevill State Community College with a loving, kind soul. I always love hearing about the many interesting experiences she has had in life and what they have taught her.

Tionna Taite, Editor-In-Chief, 1956 Magazine Catch the latest episode of my podcast, Where You Are, tomorrow! In November, I sat down with Tionna Taite, editor-in-chief of Nineteen Fifty-Six, a new digital magazine at The University of Alabama that "celebrates Black excellence, culture, and students." Tionna talks about how she developed and executed the idea, her background that led her to this point in her life, the legacy of the magazine, and where she wants to be in the future. She is a highly motivated person with clear vision, and I find her approach to life very motivational. I think you will enjoy this interview. Please support Nineteen Fifty-Six! You can read it online HERE. Follow 1956Magazine on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Check out the latest episode of my podcast with my special guest, Janina Nobles. Janina runs the Child Development program at the college where we work, a program that continues to grow and thrive. I have gotten to know and admire Janina over the last few years as a colleague and friend, so I wanted to have her on the show to share what a great experience it is to get to know her. She is funny, multi-talented, smart, sincere--just beautiful, inside and out. The whole point of this podcast is to share with the world people who are lights in their communities, their workplaces, their world. And Janina is a light! I hope you'll listen as we discuss...well, pretty much everything! You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher. If you will, please like and subscribe (and leave a review!). I don't make money off the podcast; it's a passion project. But I do want to continue to grow the audience so that more people can meet the people I find interesting and amazing! Thanks, y'all.

Catch the latest episode of Where You Are tomorrow with two very special guests! First up, my amazing niece, Chelsey Freeman Long, who talks about her love of music, her education and future plans, and a lot of other things. I love my niece so much; she is smart, funny, loving, and independent. I can still remember when her parents brought her home from the hospital as a tiny little baby. She was born premature and spent quite a while in the NICU; in fact, she talks in the interview about how this might have influenced both her love of music (her parents made sure she had music playing in the NICU) and her independence. It was so much fun being able to have her on the podcast. Next up is a wonderful former student and (now) friend, Lily Hayley. Lily discusses her current career and her future plans, along with life during the pandemic. While she works in advertising/public relations, she also has great talent as an actress, and we talk about that, as well. Actually, I directed Lily in a production of The Merchant of Venice, so I know first-hand how talented she is. All in all, this is one of my favorite episodes because I get to talk to two wonderful, intelligent young women whom I admire a lot. Oh, and I always have a blast when I talk to either of them! Thanks to both for being on the podcast.

In the latest episode, I sit down for a fascinating discussion with Quentin Harrison, "music commentator, historian, journalist, and critic." His series of books, Record Redux, highlights female musicians who have made important contributions to the world of pop, and his writing style engages as much as it instructs and critiques. In addition to his books, Quentin contributes frequent reviews to Albumism.com. I think you'll enjoy this conversation about music, culture, race, politics, and more. For more about Quentin, check him out on Twitter @TheQHBlend, on Instagram at retromodernfly, and buy his books on Amazon.

Join me in a conversation with the amazingly talented artist and musician, Stacy Beam! I really enjoyed my time with Stacy, and I know you will, too. You can find Stacy’s work online at stacybeam.com, on Instagram at stacybeamfineart, and on Facebook at Stacy Beam Fine Art.

The latest episode features my special guest, Oab Jaturong Sewatanon, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University. I loved talking to Oab about his work with dengue fever, his time in the U.S., life in Bangkok during COVID, and more. We even talked about his reviews of Tenet and Mulan! You'll enjoy getting to know Oab, and I can't wait to have him on the podcast again.

In the second episode of Season Two, I sit down with Tom Whitaker for a great interview about growing up gay in north Alabama, hiking the Appalachian trail, fighting glioblastoma, creating beautiful collage art, and more.

In this episode, two of my friends from graduate school, Regina and Norman Golar, sit down with me via Zoom to discuss education, COVID, and more. One of my favorite parts of the discussion involves how each of us handles the concept of bidialectalism in the writing classroom. In other areas, it was interesting to hear how Norman and Regina have dealt with the pandemic as parents. I think you’ll enjoy this episode with two of my favorite people!

In the premiere episode of the second season, I sit down for a conversation with Fox Williams, who not only edits this podcast but also launches his own podcast, The Audio Parlor, this month.

Fox and I end our first season reflecting on what we have learned from the process of bringing this podcast to life and what we hope to do with it next season. Along the way, we discuss the technical challenges of editing and hosting a podcast, the rewards of connecting with guests and audience, and the excitement of working together on a creative project. We would like to thank everyone who listens to the podcast for supporting our first season, and we hope to have an even better second season. Look for Season Two in late August!

In the penultimate episode of Season One, I sit down with Ben to discuss education during these crazy, pandemic times, but the discussion ranges far beyond education. I always love hearing Ben’s thoughts; he comes with a wealth of knowledge about history, science, and political philosophy, and he has a real knack, for explaining ideas, which is one of many reasons he is a great teacher. I’m always inspired after discussion with Ben to read more, think more, and explore new ideas more.

It’s another episode of Where You Are, and since we find ourselves in the middle of a historic event: the Covid 19 Pandemic, I decided to ask where all of you are right now. I reached out to you over social media, asking for your stories, and you came through: students, teachers, Walmart employees, health care workers, and more. Throughout this episode, I’ll share those stories: some of your recorded audio; some of you wrote to me, so I’ll be reading those emails and messages.

In this episode, I sit down with Abigail Witthauer, owner of Roverchase and professional dog trainer for over 15 years. Dog lovers need to listen to this one! Abigail is an expert on canine behavior, and Roverchase offers so many wonderful services, including training, daycare, and boarding. My Rat Terrier, Dolly P., considers Roverchase her home away from home. Abigail offers fascinating insights into dog (and human) behavior!

In this episode, I introduce you to a wonderful woman, Sam Mitchell, who is a writer, director, photographer, and community activist. I met Sam many years ago when we were both taking a play-writing class at ArtPlay, and I have admired her since then. Constantly evolving and learning new things, Sam moves through the world with love and gratitude. She is an artist, a helper, a giver, and an inspiration. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

For this episode, I drove up to Decatur, Alabama to sit down with my two fabulous cousins, Kristi Garrison and Kenyala Hicks. Ostensibly, this is a conversation about our memories of Ryan School, the school we attended from kindergarten to eighth grade, but we talked about many other things, as well, from real estate (Kenyala is a superstar realtor) to traveling (Kristi is quite the adventurer) to stereotypes about Southerners. And we laughed. A lot. There is nothing quite like the bond between cousins. I love these two women, and I hope you enjoy our conversation.

I’m so excited to share this conversation with Carla Youngblood, who is one of the funniest, smartest people I know. In this interview, Carla talks about doing stand-up and one-woman show, writing her debut book, surviving breast cancer, teaching a class at ArtPlay in Birmingham, and so much more. She offers some excellent advice for all of us on living our best lives. Her book, Cancer Ain’t Funny! Laugh Anyway …, is available at her website, www.keepyoulaughing.com, along with her DVD, The Truth about Cancer. Carla’s mission is to inspire and encourage others, and that is exactly what she does!

In this episode, I sit down with Jonathan Sweatt, the director of Small Mouth Sounds by Bess Wohl. The show is a production of Theatre Downtown in Birmingham, Alabama.

In this episode, I make good on my promise to feature a few conversations with former students from Marion Military Institute. First up is Emily Kirby, who I taught way back in 2011 through 2013. Emily moved on to Jacksonville State University after MMI, where she worked on the school newspaper, The Chanticleer. Eventually, after graduating and working outside journalism for a while, she landed a job as a reporter for The Fort Payne Times-Journal, not far from her hometown of Pisgah, Alabama. She was just recently promoted to Managing Editor of that paper. This makes her a part of the long history and tradition of The Fort Payne Times-Journal that stretches all the way back to 1878, making it Dekalb County’s oldest newspaper. The Times-Journal publishes three days a week, and according to its website, serves about 8000 readers daily. I am so proud of Emily King for helming this publication! I think you will enjoy our conversation, which covers not only Emily’s stories of growing up in Pisgah, of attending MMI and JSU, of reporting for and now managing a newspaper but also some touching moments and insights about life, work, community, education, and the state of media.

In this episode, I join my friend, Ben (a great teacher and all-around wonderful guy), in a conversation about the current state of education. Ben is a high-school science teacher, who values experiments and projects that foster deeper learning in his students, and in this podcast, he discusses not only some of the problems he encounters in his efforts at improving education but also several fascinating ideas about teaching and learning, as well as mobilizing teachers. If you are interested in education, or if you are a teacher, or even if you are a student (and maybe especially if you’re a student), then trust me: you will find this discussion invigorating.

In this episode, I share my conversation with Barry Perkins, registered nurse, makeup artist extraordinaire at the Atrox Factory—yes, he has been making you scream for years at the largest indoor haunted attraction in the Southeast—AND he is also known as Reese Eve Cocx, drag queen and show director at Our Place, right here in Birmingham, AL. In addition to being a nurse, a makeup artist, and a fierce queen, Barry spends much of his time giving back to the community, along with his fabulous husband, the inimitable Sharon Cocx. This drag supercouple, in fact, was recently crowned the incoming Dueling Queens of the Mystic Krewe of Caritas, whose Disney Villains-themed Bal Masque XII is Saturday, January 18 at the Boutwell Auditorium.

In this episode, Fox and I chat for a few minutes about the trailer for the new Wonder Woman movie and our predictions about Steve Trevor, as well as our review of Trey Edwards Shults’ brilliant new film, Waves. Then, in the first of my series on consequential strangers—a term borrowed from Blau and Fingerman—Fox and I sit down with Kara, a young woman who works at a restaurant that I frequently visit; over the past year, she and I have had some interesting conversations, so I invited her to be a part of the podcast. In this interview, she discusses theology, dating, the #churchtoo movement, and more.

In the premiere episode of Where You Are, Carlton V Bell II and Damone Williams talk about Birmingham Black Repertory Theatre Company and their upcoming production of Donja R. Love’s Sugar in Our Wounds. Check out the following links for more information related to this interview:The Birmingham Black Repertory TheatreCarlton V Bell II (website)Official Site for Sugar in Our Wounds

We’ll see you next week for the first episode, but here’s a brief introduction about our plans for Where You Are. Episodes RSS