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In Part 2, we pick up where we left off in Part 1. It was 2010, and seeing that guy with the broken guitar on Risa's next visit to SF was the nail in the coffin, so to speak. She was moving here. One of her friends who already lived here found a spot in The Sunset for her. She packed up a car and drove north with her dad. She didn't necessarily have a plan back then, but Risa and I share how The City just got both of us and hasn't let go. Risa tells the story of how her parents moved to Japan briefly when she was 18. She asked her mom, “So, why did you come back (to California)?” And her mom told her (paraphrasing), “Because you wouldn't be able to do what you're doing there, you wouldn't have the same opportunities.” It further affirmed for Risa her decision to move to San Francisco and pursue art. I ask Risa to catch us up on the last 15 years of her life. Generally speaking, she's been working to find her voice as an artist. She got into letterpress-printing, which she did for more than 10 years. She started a company with a friend and worked there for three years before branching out on her own. Doing so wasn't easy, but in hindsight, it made Risa stronger. She talks about a specific strain of misogyny that presented itself to women printmakers as well as how Risa handled that nonsense. That solo venture started off as a stationery company. She reached back to childhood memories, of a time when she witnessed letters coming to her mom from Japan as well her mom's messages back to her homeland. Risa saw those as lifelines to her mom's people back home, and wanted to preserve those memories and emotions and help others to do the same. Papallama was born. Before we talk about another fun thing Risa is up to, I need to express my newish-found love for 540 Bar on Clement. It's where Risa holds monthly “Drink and Draw” events, and it's quickly become one of my new favorite spots in The City. Risa started her monthly art events at the bar in 2022. The idea came from her letterpress days, when she'd do frequent “Letter-Writing Saturdays.” She told her friend Leejay, one of 540's owners, about it, and they decided to bring that same idea to the bar. Shortly after they hatched the plan, though, Risa's dad passed away. The first drink and draw was a month later, and so many of Risa's friends turned out for her. What started out as every second Thursday of the month now takes place at 540 Bar on the third Thursdays of every month. Risa speaks in a little more detail of the care and intention she puts into her Drink and Draw events. For me, it's an extension of her art as well as her love of community. But it's also just her being a good host. The next Drink and Draw takes place the same day that this podcast drops—October 16, 2025. See ya there! The conversation shifts to Risa talking about taking part in our Every Kinda People show at Mini Bar. And we end the podcast with Risa sharing all the ways to find her, both online and in real life. Follow her on Instagram @risa_iwasaki_culbertson. Her website is risaculbertson.com. Photography by Jeff Hunt
With 29 albums and an incredible 40 Billboard #1 singles under his belt, Brian Culbertson has solidified his place as one of the most exciting and genre-defying instrumentalists of our time. A powerhouse keyboardist, songwriter, and producer, Culbertson blends jazz, funk, R&B, pop, and more into a sound that's uniquely his — and always evolving. Known for his dynamic live shows and elaborate productions, Culbertson continues to push musical boundaries while delighting fans worldwide. With signature style, undeniable flair, and a sharp business sense, Culbertson is the visionary behind the annual Jazz Getawaysin Napa Valley, New Orleans, and Chicago (with more to be announced) — premier destination events that draw fans from around the world for unforgettable, music-filled weekends curated by Culbertson himself. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.
Risa Iwasaki Culbertson was born in Japan. In this episode, meet and get to know Risa, one of the 12 artists in Every Kinda People, our group show at Mini Bar. Please join us this Sunday, Oct. 19, from 4–7 p.m. at Mini Bar for our Closing Party happy hour. Some of the artists will be on hand, as will friendly bartenders and me (Jeff). Back to Risa, though. Her mom is Japanese and her dad is from Ventura County in Southern California. Risa spent her first five or six years in Japan before her parents moved to California. She has memories of life in Japan before they moved. And after the move, Risa often went back to visit her grandmother. Risa says that, as a kid, she loved going back and forth between two very different cultures Her dad was in the military, which is what brought him to Japan, where he met his wife. Risa is their only child, something she and I go on a bit of a sidebar about. I'm not an only child, but I've met and befriended my fair share of well-adjusted only children. Hell, I married one. Risa found creativity early, and ran with it. Her parents were older, and being half-American, half-Japanese, she didn't feel like she fully belonged in either culture. Risa might've gotten her creativity from her mom, who did pottery, quilting, and other artistic things. Her dad was “a mad scientist of sorts,” she says. He was into taking things apart and repurposing found objects. In Southern California, Risa spent time with other Hapa kids. Her mom was part of a large Japanese community, and there were plenty of mixed-race kids among that group. She's very much a product of the Eighties and Nineties and Southern California. She remembers the beginning of grunge and flannels. Risa remembers vividly when Kurt Cobain died (1994). Middle school for her happened in Orange County. Risa did hula dancing and tap dancing for many years, always while also painting and drawing. In high school, her art teacher was switched out and replaced with a nun who told the kids they couldn't use black inks. It felt to young Risa like too religious of a message, and it instilled in her an attitude of not wanting anyone to tell her what she can and cannot do with her art. She never took another art class. She was also something of a social butterfly in her high school years. Risa had different friend groups and in hindsight, feels like they were constantly getting together and doing things. Then we turn to what got Risa out of Southern California. One friend she met in college moved back to San Francisco, and another friend from down south wanted to move here. She visited The City and remembers sitting in a cafe talking to strangers. She felt then and there that the friendliness was right for her, and something she wasn't getting in Orange County. I share a quick story of being in Orange County and getting phone directions to a bar. Unbeknownst to me and my friends that night, the map put us on a highway … on foot. Yep. We rewind a little to chat about Risa's time in college. She always wanted to be at least art-adjacent, and so she took classes on manufacturing and even calculus. Thing is, she ended up liking calculus. Earlier in life, she sold stuff she made through catalogs she also created. That early entrepreneurship informed some business classes she later took in college, including business law. It all lead to Risa's getting a business degree. Right away, she started recognizing a disconnect between art and business. Back to her first impression of San Francisco, that day in that Haight Street cafe made The City feel like a place where she could get to know people. Risa shares a story that happened right before her move here. It involves a man boarding a BART train she and her friends were on. He had a broken guitar. They'd made googly eyes at each other, but she and her friends were too scared to talk with him. When he got off the train, he looked back and waved. Risa figured she'd never see this guy again. Three months later, she was back to visit her friend who lived here. She'd thought about him, but figured there was no way to actually find him. Then, as you can guess, it happened. Risa says she's still friends with that guy to this day. Check back Thursday for Part 2 with Risa, which includes the story of her move to San Francisco. We recorded this podcast at Risa's studio in the Inner Richmond in August 2025. Photography by Jeff Hunt
2025 September 28th - 9:30am Generations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 September 21st - 11:00am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 September 21st - 9:30am Generations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 September 14th - 8:00am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 September 14th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 September 7th - 9:30am Generations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 August 31st - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 August 24th - 8:00am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 August 24th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 August 17th - 9:30am Generations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 August 10th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 August 10th - 9:30am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 August 3rd - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 July 27th - 9:30am Generations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 July 20th - 8:00am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 July 20th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
Joseph Culbertson is a PhD candidate in Hebrew Bible at Asbury Theological Seminary. He received his MDiv in Messianic Jewish studies from The King's University. He shares his journey from the Church to Hebrew Roots to Messianic Judaism and back to the Church. We discuss common arguments made by Hebrew Roots/One Law advocates and he explains the beauty of diversity and unity in the body of Messiah between Israel and the nations. Enjoy!
Grant Mahoney rides solo as he welcomes on Cyclone Legend Bret Culbertson to discuss his ISU journey and the infamous Shaggy game before welcoming on fellow Cyclone Legend Michael Brandtner to talk through the McCarney-Chizik-Rhoads eras and more. Presented by Kelderman Manufacturing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2025 June 22nd - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 June 22nd - 8:00am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 June 15th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 June 8th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 June 8th - 8:00am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 June 1st - 9:30am Generations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 May 25th - 9:30am Generations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 May 18th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
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Zach Sise, American All-Star Series winner at Golden Mountain Speedway winner; Jesse Rocket, dirt late model and dirt modified race winner; and Allie Jo Culbertson, Rockfish Speedway winner are this week's guests.
How Gene Editing Could Transform Global Pork HealthJoin us for an exclusive conversation with PIC as we explore the historic FDA approval of the first gene-edited PRRS-resistant pig. Discover what this milestone means for the future of pork production, how gene editing differs from traditionalGMOs, and why this matters for both producers and consumers. We also dive into the potential $1.2 billion impact on global herd health and what's next as PIC plans for a responsible international rollout.
2025 May 11th - 8:00am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 May 11th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 May 4th - 9:30am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 April 20th - 8:00am Easter Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 April 20th - 11:00am Easter FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 April 13th - 8:00am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 March 30th - 9:30am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 March 30th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 March 23rd - 8:00am Foundations Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 March 23rd - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
2025 March 16th - 11:00am FUEL Sermon - Pastor Culbertson by St Luke's Lutheran Church & School
Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast Network! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. You can follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post daily reminders to pray for China (PrayforChina.us). You can also email me with any questions or comments @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. You can also find easy links to everything we are involved in @ PrayGiveGo.us! Summary In today’s podcast, I begin by talking about a great teaching opportunity in China (1:12) followed by an explanation of the “Borden Myth” (6:10). Then I work through a number of current China-related news topics (20:42). Finally, I turn to the province of the week, Guizhou, (40:32) and a couple of moving stories (45:16) of missionaries and martyrs. Wanna Teach in China? (bfwesten at gmail dot com) “I'm the only foreign English teacher in my university and the first one here since 2019! I've been teaching Spoken English to English majors in the College of Languages and Literature, which gives more opportunity to talk with students. I've been asked to teach Public Speaking and Debate next semester, so that should be fun and provide opportunities for good conversations. I've heard the university is hoping to increase the number foreign teachers in 2025 to about 10.. I'm wondering if you might have any brothers/sisters who are interested in spending some time in China. Our family would be thankful to have some like-minded folks around and I am happy to assist in the process. Salary is about 12k rmb (also, free housing and airfare reimbursement).” William Borden: No Reserve, No Retreat, No Regrets The Borden Myth: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/the-borden-myth Dr. Culbertson’s revised essay: https://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/regret.htm Denny Burk’s Unstudied Address: https://www.dennyburk.com/Stuff/2010-05-07-NoReserves,NoRetreats,NoRegrets.pdf Get the book: www.BordenofYale.com In the News: Shocking: Chinese Man Arrested for Surveilling California Base With Drone https://notthebee.com/article/doj-arrests-chinese-man-suspected-of-flying-a-drone-over-space-force-base-in-california Biden was born to be a Commie (His Record Proves It) https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-joe-biden-pardon-chinese-spies-2000732 https://nypost.com/2024/12/13/world-news/biden-pardons-high-ranking-chinese-spies/ Xi Thinks He Can Brainwash American Youth (He Probably Can) https://www.yahoo.com/news/beijings-envoy-us-calls-young-093000415.html China Struggling Economically (Paywall) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/12/10/why-struggling-china-has-hit-the-panic-button/ Young people in China are escaping the rat race by fleeing to ‘youth retirement villages’ https://moneywise.com/employment/young-adults-in-china-join-retirement-villages Pray for China Province of the Week: Guizhou Central China’s Guizhou is matched up with Missouri for prayer. See which Chinese province your state is praying for @ PrayforChina.us! Asia Harvest overview: https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/guizhou Wikipedia profile: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guizhou Guizhou Christian History https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/guizhou/1898-william-fleming https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/guizhou/james-adam https://www.asiaharvest.org/china-resources/guizhou/2004-jiang-zongxiu Resource of the Day: Guizhou: The Precious Province https://www.asiaharvest.org/bookstore/Guizhou-The-Precious-Province-The-China-Chronicles-N%C2%BA2-p630245560