Podcasts about far west texas

Recorded at Kimes Ranch in the Fort Worth Stockyards, this episode features Gerry Gesell, a ranch manager, leather craftsman, polo player, cow horse competitor, podcast host, and actor. Gerry's brand, "Many Irons", born from the mantra “many irons in the fire,” connects cowboys, surfers, and firefighters through shared stories and wearable art.  Gerry discusses transitioning from high-speed polo pony training to cow horse showing, reflecting on humbling lessons from recent competitions. He delves into his creative process behind "Laundromat Texas", a short film premiering July 27, 2025, at Dallas's Texas Theater, capturing Far West Texas's misfit spirit. From racing a train on a three-year-old colt for a Tecovas commercial to crafting artistic chaps for Teskey's, Gerry's passion for creation shines. He shares the vulnerability of writing on Instagram, the authenticity of his podcast "There's Always Something to Chase", and the horseman's paradox—asking horses to risk all while keeping us safe. With humor, heart, and rapid-fire revelations—like his love for Rancho Deluxe, fear of heights, and a gum-in-hair middle-school kiss fail—this episode celebrates chasing dreams and embracing failure. Enjoy the show! This episode is brought to you by Kimes Ranch and Kerry Kelley Bits and Spurs. 

This episode of Fort Worth Famous finds Susie in Far West Texas with Dustin from JJTM, Andrew and MegAnn from FWRoots, and Jeremie and A-Aron from the Flower Shop in Austin. We braved wind storms, dust storms, and the Texas sun, and had the BEST time ever. We started our trip in Big Bend National Park where we celebrated Andrew's 40th birthday and his engagement to his cohost. Love was in the air! Big Bend is always amazing and life changing and this year did not disappoint. Listen to Part 1 on Fort Worth Roots for more on this.  Moving on from Big Bend we hit up the BB Ranch State Park and made our way up the most beautiful highway in Texas, Hwy 170 (also known as River Road), before hitting up Presidio and making our way to Marfa. Listen to Part 2 about our interaction with the Marfa Lights on the Jerry Jonestown Massacre Podcast. Again... life changing.  This episode is a recap of our trip along with some added fun of Dustin and Susie hitting up two more national parks and two more state parks before spending the night in Cloudcroft, NM, in a haunted hotel called The Lodge.  Hope you have fun listening to this episode!  Love you, Mean it!!  XoXo  

This week, Dustin traveled to Far West Texas with the Fort Worth Roots Crew and a little bit of Fort Worth Famous to spend a week in the Chihuahuan Desert. This is the second episode in a series, and I highly recommend going over to the Fort Worth Roots podcast and listening to it first, […] The post Show 624 – “FAR WEST TEXAS” Part 2 – The Marfa Lights appeared first on The Jerry Jonestown Massacre.

We did it again! We took several Fort Worth Texas Podcast groups to Far West Texas. The full story will be broken into 3 separate recordings. Part one happens right here and then you get part two on the Jerry Jonestown Massacre Podcast and part three on Fort Worth Famous Podcast.   The journey starts in Big Bend National Park. Then we head to Terlingua, Marfa, and every place in between. Thank you for being part of the magic that makes this show possible! Find all of our sponsors under our "Trusted Sponsors" Tab on our soon to be renovated web site, www.fortworthroots.com Donovan Manufacturingwww.donovanmfg.comNight vision, thermals, machine gun rentals, AR-15 parts, classes, and more!Also under the same umbrella get all of your print needs through our friends. Banners, vehicle wraps, business cards, brochures, tshirts, and anything else you might need. Find information on the print shop on Facebook at dillon-press. Also, you can email them at  dillon@dillon-press.com Purple Web Consultingwww.purplewebconsulting.comWebsite design and hosting, E-commerce integration, digital strategy and consulting.817.629.6069Making modern business tools accessible to the small business owner so that they can compete with the big dogs! Fort Worth Float CompanyIs your day filled with noise and distractions? Overstimulating sounds and activity? Our daily lives have become overwhelmed with tasks and responsibilities, with very few ways to shut off the world for a brief moment. WELCOME TO FORT WORTH FLOAT COMPANY. They specialize in providing sensory deprivation flotation tanks, providing the ultimate relaxation experience. Offering various pricing and packages, and three different tanks, Fort Worth Float Company meets everyone's floating needs. Hoppin (Fort Worth)Weisenberger St, Fort Worth TX 76107No more waiting for the bar tender. Simply walk up to the wall of taps, scan your arm band, and enjoy!!! This place charges you by the ounce. A great place to unwind or for your next big event. Find them on Instagram as @hoppinfwtx.Have a Fort Worth Event coming up this week? Call during our recording window and let us share it with the city. 817.988.1292. The Davis TeamLook no further than our friends at The Davis Team for all of your property needs. No commitment necessary. If you have questions about property then visit them online : yourdavisteam.com or give them a call 817.755.0504   Galaxy Wilderness Disc Golf  Galaxy Wilderness is dedicated to promoting Disc Golf to the masses for its health benefits through outdoor therapy, exercise, and camaraderie.Find them on Facebook as Galaxy Wilderness Disc GolfGalaxyWildernessDG@gmail.com(682) 228-0399 The Body Scrubberyon Instagram @thebodyscrubberyOnline at www.thebodyscrubbery.comPhone:925.808.8222A boutique and unique spa experience. "Don't cheat yourself, treat yourself!!" Luxury foot spa, full body scrubs, infrared heat wraps, massage, bubble tub, mud wraps, facials, couples packages, and small group parties.   Eaton Data SolutionsWe work to have relationships with vendor partners who specialize in different methods of vulnerability detection and management so that we can offer enterprise tools and solutions to small and medium sized companies (SMB's).Find them online www.eatondatasolutions.com Roofing Solutions by Darren Houk!Roofing Solutions can help with all your residential and commercial roofing needs. Roofing Solutions by Darren Houk islocally owned and operated. We are insured and have the experience to carry out most roofing projects.Web Page: https://www.roofingsolutionshouk.com/Phone : 817-882-6520 McFly's Pub6104 LTjg Barnett Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76114 · 4.1 miA BADASS little 1980's/ Back to the Future themed bar with an excellent outdoor patio complete with fire pit and room for your fur baby. Daily drink specials and fun activities almost every day of the week. See whats new at McFly's on their Instagram page @McFlysPub. Tres Amigos Tacos and Tequilatresamigostacosandtequila.comChef Sandy brings a fresh perspective and culinary expertise to Tres Amigos, continuing the spirit of female led entrepreneurship and the culinary excellence that Chef Paul was known for.909 W Magnolia Ave, Fort Worth, TX 76104 Cloudland Recording Studiowww.cloudlandrecordingstudio.comCloudland Recording Studio is an analog and digital recording studio located in the heart of Fort Worth, Texas. We are just one mile from downtown and five minutes from the Near Southside entertainment district of Magnolia Avenue. Baez Maintenance Services.www.baezmaintenance.com817-528-3056BMS is family owned and operated providing professional commercial cleaning services to establishments throughout DFW.With client satisfaction as a primary goal, high quality maintenance is available as frequently as requested. This includes a 24-hour support system, which guarantees a quick response. Since our beginning in 2017 there has only been one major goal here at BMS; customer satisfaction. 

Today, Hunter spoke with Paul Chambers and James McDermott of the Far West Texas Public Defenders Office. This time, they joined to discuss how Paul discovered and James litigated a pattern and practice of discovery violations by the El Paso District Attorney's Office.     Guest James McDermott, Chief Public Defender, Far West Texas Regional Public Defender Paul Chambers, Deputy Chief Public Defender, Far West Texas Regional Public Defender Resources: Far West Texas Public Defender in the News https://elpasomatters.org/2024/12/15/el-paso-district-attorney-prosecutorial-misconduct-ruling/ Read the Transcripts Here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12B3vAOl2yedDdFPUEkAzrrovbHnUdayB?usp=sharing                            Contact Hunter Parnell:                                 Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patron www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN Trying to find a specific part of an episode? Use this link to search transcripts of every episode of the show! https://app.reduct.video/o/eca54fbf9f/p/d543070e6a/share/c34e85194394723d4131/home  

Day 1:We drove from Wichita Falls to Monahans Sandhills State Park. We spent about 2 hours in the park hiking and sledding down sandhills. This park is very small, and you can rent sleds at the Visitor Center for $6 per sled per day.They do have camping at this park, but we chose to continue on to Balmorhea State Park. The campgrounds there have been recently renovated, and the facility was amazing. We got there right before dark and took a quick dip in the pool— we had the place all to ourselves! The water stays around 74-76 degrees year-round, so it wasn't too cold. Be sure to bring towels because, as soon as we got out, it was quite nippy! The park was at full capacity, so plan ahead and book your site before you get there.Day 2:We woke up early and headed out to spend time in Marfa before driving into Terlingua. We drove through Fort Davis before getting to Marfa, and we could have easily spent more time there. The Davis Mountains are beautiful, and we plan to make a return trip!We took our sweet time, with no agenda except checking into our rental. It was a barn with three rooms that we rented out. We met my parents, two siblings, their spouses, and kids there. They each got a room, while I slept in the van with one of the girls. The other two girls slept on the couches in the common room to have more space.We were able to hike around the property, visit the ghost town, and check out some of the old mine spots. We also enjoyed looking at all the amazing rocks, ocotillo, and cactus.Day 3:We decided to wake up early (ish) and get a good breakfast in our bellies before heading into the park. We went to the Chisos Basin portion of Big Bend National Park to hike the Window Trail. It's about an hour and a half from Terlingua to this part of the park. This trail is a great option for families with small children and adults. There were 7 adults and 9 kids in our group. The 2-year-olds were in backpack carriers, and the others, aged 4 and up, hiked themselves. The trail is about 4.5 miles in total, and it took us around 2 hours to complete. We didn't rush and took our time, letting the kids climb on rocks along the way. It definitely could be done faster, but we enjoyed a leisurely pace.After finishing the hike, we all ate lunch and then headed to the Hot Springs, which is about a 45-minute drive (give or take). The last mile or two before you can park is very narrow, and parking is limited, but we got lucky and found spots for all three of our vehicles. The Hot Springs Trail is short and easy. I highly recommend visiting this spot when you're in Big Bend! The hot springs water stays around 105°F, and it's a small pool area where you can sit and soak. The Rio Grande runs right next to the hot spring, so it was fun to warm up in the spring and then dip into the chilly river! We spent about an hour there before driving back to Terlingua, which took about an hour. We arrived back at our home away from home around 4:30 PM.We had planned our meals ahead of time, and all but one were crockpot meals, which worked perfectly since we had a hot meal waiting for us after a long day of hiking.Day 4:We decided to hike the Mule Ears Spring Trail, a short, 2-mile trail that's an easier hike. This trail is in full sun, not in the Chisos with trees, so make sure to wear long sleeves, bring a hat, and apply sunscreen! At the end (or halfway through) this trail, there is a tiny spring of water flowing out of the rocks, surrounded by green ferns. It was beautiful and very surprising, considering the entire hike is through desert cacti and rocks. I highly recommend it!A few kids were on "breakdown mode" for part of the trail, so it took a bit longer, but we weren't in a rush. Next, we drove to Santa Elena Canyon, which is an iconic and breathtaking location in the park. The canyon is so grand and beautiful that it's hard to describe its beauty. The trail is easy, and most of our group completed it. While we were there, we also saw a pack of wild horses grazing near the river, which was pretty cool!Afterward, we took the highway out of the park to return to Terlingua, but you can also take a “shortcut” down Old Maverick Road, an 11-mile stretch of bumpy dirt roads. Two of the three cars in our group took the dirt road, while my parents, kids, and I drove the longer but smoother highway. We all arrived back at our place within 5-10 minutes of each other, so it wasn't much of a difference!Day 5:Everyone was ready for a more relaxed day since it was our last full day in West Texas. We decided to visit Big Bend Ranch State Park to hike the Closed Canyon Trail. The road from Terlingua the state park is a scenic, beautiful highway that runs alongside the Rio Grande. The Closed Canyon Trail is short, easy, and stunning! You do need to stop at the visitor center to get your permit before entering the park.We had lunch at the end of the trail in a shady spot before heading back to the house. In the afternoon, half of our group went on another adventure near our property, while the other half went shopping and grabbed a margarita at the Star Light Theatre. We never ate at the Star Light, but here's a tip: get there early if you want a spot! The line starts forming at 3 PM, and the restaurant opens at 5 PM. The Cantina opens at 4 PM. We tried the frozen prickly pear margaritas, and they were delicious!We let the kids explore the store, and each of them picked out a souvenir. Then we walked to the Terlingua Cemetery, which turned out to be a very special experience. The kids loved reading the tombstones, and if a grave didn't have one, they would talk about who it could be and what might have happened to them. It was unexpected but really beautiful to see the empathy and compassion the kids showed for the people there.I highly recommend getting a map of the Terlingua Ghost Town and exploring the old buildings, school, and church to learn more about this small mining town.Final Thoughts:West Texas is vast and wide open, with many miles between towns and not much that's convenient, so you'll need to plan ahead. Fuel up whenever you can, especially in Alpine or Marathon, depending on which side of Big Bend you're entering from. You'll also want to plan your meals and pack food well. We cooked every breakfast and dinner and brought snacks and sandwiches for lunch while hiking.Also, bring plenty of water!I'm sure I left a lot out of this summary of our Far West Texas trip, but the main takeaway is that it's beautiful. It's one of the most majestic areas I've been to. I love the lack of cell service and the bright, starry skies—so amazing to see! The area has very little light pollution, so be sure to plan to stargaze while you're there. I would love to know if you've been or if you plan to go way out west. I've designed a new collection around this trip and it will launch late January to early February. Chat soon! 

Reach out to us ittasteslikeburningcast@gmail.com youtube@ItTastesLikeBurning Twitter.com/@ITLBcast https://www.reddit.com/u/ITBLCast/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Or support us on patron patreon.com/ItTastesLikeBurning As always reach out with any questions, concerns, and comments until next time Thanks Jesse and Matt This podcast is hosted by ZenCast.fm

*The national debt is affecting farmers and ranchers.  *Wheat harvest is starting early in the Texas Panhandle.  *The agenda of animal rights activists is a concern in the Texas High Plains.*American farmers, ranchers and business owners could pay more in death taxes.  *Far West Texas leads the state in pecan production.  *Wheat harvest is underway in North Central Texas.*New research was discussed at the American Sheep Industry convention.  

Our love for the world around us and our passion for protecting that world can come from many different places. It can come from a connection to the land, or a magical experience we had with other people in a particular place, or our sense of awe from the beauty of the living creatures that inhabit these ecosystems. But that love and passion can also come from seeing or experiencing the destruction of the same ecological web, from pollution in the air that rains down onto a playground, or the clearing of a wildlife habitat to make way for a fossil fuel pipeline.Dave Cortez has been organizing for environmental justice in Texas for the better part of two decades. He lives in Austin now, but the love and passion that guides him came from the Rio Grande, the Sierra Madre Mountains and the high desert of West Texas. And from fighting a copper smelter and other threats to the land, air and water in and around his native El Paso. Dave has a fierce love for his El Paso Community. But cutting his teeth as an environmental justice organizer in his hometown wasn't easy. Dave is now Director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, where he's bringing his El Paso roots and years of experience on the streets and in the communities around Texas to the Sierra Club's statewide campaigns.I've known Dave for many years and used to regularly attend environmental justice meetings in Austin that he helped organize. I've seen him rise from an on-the-ground organizer to the leader of the Texas chapter of one of the oldest and largest environmental organizations in the world.Our conversation tracks his education as an environmental justice organizer. From the playgrounds of El Paso to the gentrifying neighborhoods of Austin, his story reflects the changing nature of the American environmental movement and the exciting possibilities of more robust connections between community-based frontline environmental justice struggles and the large and powerful environmental organizations with nationwide influence.You can listen on Substack, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast platforms.Please rate, review, and share to help us spread the word!Dave CortezDave Cortez is a 3rd generation El Pasoan now based out of Austin where he lives with his partner and six year old daughter. He grew up and learned organizing on the frontera, where industrial pollution, poverty, gentrification, racism and the border wall are seen as intersecting issues. Dave serves as the Director of the Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter, and has been organizing in the Texas environmental movement for 18 years. Dave is supporting staff and volunteers across Texas who are organizing for power by centering racial justice and equity alongside frontline communities directly impacted by polluting industries.Quotation Read by Dave Cortez"There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives. Malcolm knew this. Martin Luther King, Jr. knew this. Our struggles are particular, but we are not alone. We are not perfect, but we are stronger and wiser than the sum of our errors. Black people have been here before us and survived. We can read their lives like signposts on the road and find, as Bernice Reagon says so poignantly, that each one of us is here because somebody before us did something to make it possible. To learn from their mistakes is not to lessen our debt to them, nor to the hard work of becoming ourselves, and effective. We lose our history so easily, what is not predigested for us by the New York Times, or the Amsterdam News, or Time magazine. Maybe because we do not listen to our poets or to our fools, maybe because we do not listen to our mamas in ourselves. When I hear the deepest truths I speak coming out of my mouth sounding like my mother's, even remembering how I fought against her, I have to reassess both our relationship as well as the sources of my knowing. Which is not to say that I have to romanticize my mother in order to appreciate what she gave me – Woman, Black. We do not have to romanticize our past in order to be aware of how it seeds our present. We do not have to suffer the waste of an amnesia that robs us of the lessons of the past rather than permit us to read them with pride as well as deep understanding. We know what it is to be lied to, and we know how important it is not to lie to ourselves. We are powerful because we have survived, and that is what it is all about – survival and growth. Within each one of us there is some piece of humanness that knows we are not being served by the machine which orchestrates crisis after crisis and is grinding all our futures into dust. If we are to keep the enormity of the forces aligned against us from establishing a false hierarchy of oppression, we must school ourselves to recognize that any attack against Blacks, any attack against women, is an attack against all of us who recognize that our interests are not being served by the systems we support. Each one of us here is a link in the connection between anti-poor legislation, gay shootings, the burning of synagogues, street harassment, attacks against women, and resurgent violence against Black people. I ask myself as well as each one of you, exactly what alteration in the particular fabric of my everyday life does this connection call for? Survival is not a theory. In what way do I contribute to the subjugation of any part of those who I define as my people? Insight must illuminate the particulars of our lives." - Audre LordeRecommended Readings & MediaTranscriptIntroJohn Fiege  Our love for the world around us and our passion for protecting that world can come from many different places. It can come from a connection to the land, or a magical experience we had with other people in a particular place, or our sense of awe from the beauty of the living creatures that inhabit these ecosystems. But that love and passion can also come from seeing or experiencing the destruction of this same ecological web: from pollution in the air that rains down onto a playground or the clearing of wildlife habitat to make way for a fossil fuel pipeline.Dave Cortez has been organizing for environmental justice in Texas for the better part of two decades. He lives in Austin now, but the love and passion that guides him came from the Rio Grande, the Sierra Madre mountains, and the high desert of West Texas—and it came from fighting a copper smelter and other threats to the land, air, and water in and around his native El Paso. Dave has a fierce love for his El Paso community but cutting his teeth as an environmental justice organizer in his home town wasn't easy.Dave Cortez  Two of my close family members worked at the plant. My dad's brother worked at the plant and then worked at Chevron on the other side of town. And then his brother in law, worked at the plant and retired. And here I was, this younger punk, you know, sort of just not super close to the family, showing up at events and they asked what I'm doing and, oh, they think I'm a paid protester, you know, forget my education, forget what's at what I'm actually saying. You know, it's, deep cultural assimilation. It's deep colonization, sort of this Stockholm syndrome that develops out of poverty and repression. It's horrific, and it's sad to watch. People fiercely defend the only thing that has helped them in their eyes and not be able to acknowledge the harm that's been done. It's not different from, you know, addiction in that way, or depression.John Fiege  Or domestic abuse. Dave Cortez  Exactly. It's heartbreaking. It still hurts me to talk about. John Fiege  I'm John Fiege, and this is Chrysalis.Dave Cortez is now Director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, where he's bringing his El Paso roots and years of experience on the streets and in the communities around Texas to the Sierra Club's statewide campaigns.I've known Dave for many years and used to regularly attend environmental justice meetings in Austin that he helped organize. I've seen him rise from an on-the-ground organizer to the leader of the Texas chapter of one of the oldest and largest environmental organizations in the world.Our conversation tracks his education as an environmental justice organizer. From the playgrounds of El Paso to the gentrifying neighborhoods of Austin, his story reflects the changing nature of the American environmental movement and the exciting possibilities of more robust connections between community-based frontline environmental justice struggles and the large and powerful environmental organizations with nationwide influence.Here is Dave Cortez.ConversationJohn FiegeWell, you grew up in El Paso in Far West Texas, and it's right on the border of Mexico and New Mexico. Can you tell me a bit about growing up there, and your family and how you saw yourself in relationship to the rest of nature.Dave Cortez  I've got a little picture I'm looking at my my very first demonstration. It's a bunch of kids, kids meaning college kids, my my age at the time, about maybe 22, 23, and a big peace flag and we're hanging around what was called Plaza de Los Lagartos, Plaza of the Alligators. And we're there I think we're protesting, must have been continuing invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, but you know, I keep it up. And I keep pictures of the mountains of West Texas, the edge of the Rockies is what cuts into the central central part of El Paso, the Franklin Mountains. And then you have the Rio Grande, the heart and soul of that land. And on the other side of the river, those mountains continue into the Sierra Madres all the way down to the coast. It's majestic. It's, you know, that land is as colonized as is its people. You know, it's been, the river has been dammed up upstream in New Mexico, and two reservoirs to provide water for agriculture and farming and things like that, recreation. It was the only area of water that we we had access to when I was a kid. We would drive up to Truth or Consequences and load up on nightcrawlers and whatever other tackle and bait, and then take my dad's car and drive along somewhere, find a good spot. And fish from the shore for a couple of days at a time, camp, and, you know, that was a desert lake. It was wild for me, because we didn't have water, you know.John Fiege  So tell me about what you did. Dave Cortez  Well, we would just go up there. That was, that was our place to go get get access to water, you know, away from the desert, you know, growing up in El Paso, you just, it's It's dry, it's desert, we get, we used to average nine inches of rain a year, it's down now, you know, but the Rio was, it's always been sacred and it was special, it was a place you could go and see water. Not all year round, but most of the year and see it flowing and you look in any direction, away from the mountains, and you can see what feels endless, but it's actually you know, two or more hundred miles to the horizon, you see Thunder heads 30, 40, sometimes 45 or 50,000 feet high way far away, you think maybe you hope maybe those might come your way, maybe we'll get lucky and get a little bit of rain. Most times they don't. But with that sometimes you're blessed with the outflow that carries the smell of creosote, a native plant in the region that everybody's come to call the smell of rain. And, you know, even if you don't actually get the rain yourself, you might get some of those breezes and some of that wonderful smell. And it's, it's life giving, it's restorative. As a kid, you know, I was fortunate that my family made an effort to take us out into the desert quite a bit, we would go chase storms, we would watch lightning, my father would turn the AM radio to a blank station so we could hear the the lightning on the radio, the static pop. And we got a real kick out of that and we'd go off roading and find spots and park and you know, just hang out. And that was a pretty common thing for a lot of folks around town is just to get out into the desert. You know, my my heart and soul and my spirit is connected to that land, it is part of that land, I draw strength from those mountains, from that river. I worry about moving further away, what that might do to me, how how that might be a strain. Even just being here in Austin 600 miles away, it feels very far. You know, my family was middle class, I call it 80s middle class. And, you know, both my parents worked. I have two older siblings. And you know, we were all in public school and doing our thing. You know, everything seemed, you know, like The Wonder Years kind of situation. And you know, you don't when you're young, if you're fortunate, you don't see a lot of the issues around you. It wasn't until my teens, my parents split. And I was living with my mom and started to see a lot more other sides of life, some of the struggles, and just kind of notice more about the town, about the culture. But it was really when I moved back to El Paso after college, here in Austin at St. Edward's, where I studied political science and philosophy and environmental policy. When I moved back, it all started to come together how much I missed, how much I was removed from about my community and my culture in my youth. You know, so the language is the biggest example. We did not speak Spanish in my family. It was something my parents spoke to each other when they needed to talk about something that we didn't need to know about as kids. John Fiege  Right, right. Dave Cortez  You know, we didn't know about our indigeneity we weren't raised around that, we didn't know about the cultural connection to the land. I think in some way the spirit in my family drew us towards it. We would go spend time around those things, but we didn't really have conversations about it. And the biggest thing I didn't know about was how heavily polluted and contaminated the air was growing up. I tell a story about going into middle school. This time I was in in private school and Catholic school. Just being out on the playground it's a you know, concrete schoolyard kind of situation. And you run your hand on the on the railing and there's yellow chalk-like stuff and you don't think twice about it because it's like chalk. Or it's dust. Well, you know, in that part of town, downtown El Paso, it's because of the copper smelter. We had a 110 year old lead and copper smelting operation called Asarco that was less than two miles away from where I was going to school. And you know, you move on, maybe, you're a kid, maybe you wash your hands, maybe you don't. And it just, you know, when I moved back, I thought of that--I thought of all the times, I used to play in the dirt, like every other kid in El Paso does, you know, you don't got Barton Springs to go to or Greenbelt Creek, you play in the dirt, dig tunnels, and that stuff gets in you. And that's loaded with heavy metals, arsenic, cadmium, lead, you name it. It was it was a huge shock for me to learn that the land that I was around as a child, and the air that I was around as a child was just heavily contaminated. And I knew nothing about it. John Fiege  But what was the experience like when you were actually in college and getting more heavily into activism? Like what was motivating you? And how did you see yourself in relationship to other folks?Dave Cortez  Right on. Well, I can't leave out that the reason I came to Austin was because of my older brother and my older sister. I had never seen green, like this town, when I came to visit my sister in the summer. So I just was blown away, everything was green, there was water, it rained, I just felt like an oasis and I wanted to come here. So I went to St. Ed's, which ended up being, you know, expensive as hell, but really cool in the sense of, you know, an opportunity to learn, to be away from home. You know, and so, I didn't really know what to make of this town when I was here. I didn't know what to make of the people, the students, but by the grace of the Creator, in serendipity, I was thrown into a class on social movements. And that's a study in the 1960s. And so, you know, I developed a really foundational experience learning about the broader politic of American civil society, in that case, which blossomed into deeper learning around political theory and rhetoric, dating all the way back to some of the Greek philosophers, and modern day political thinkers, but I really got a ton of wild information into my head. In 2006, it wasn't here in Austin. It was on North Padre Island. The Austin Sierra Club was organizing a trip, there was a woman I liked at the time. And we were were fancying each other and were like, "Hey, let's go camping. I don't know what a crawfish is. But they're doing a crawfish boil. And they say they're going to clean up the beach." So we grabbed my SUV when we went and set up, and it was awesome to be out there around all these people we didn't know, you know, offering us free food and beer and just, you know, associating on this beach. And that, I really loved. Folks might not know this, it's like 60 plus miles of primitive Beach, outside of Corpus Christi. But I didn't quite understand what we're really doing until the next morning, right at dawn, when I was awoken by these huge sounds of tractor trailers hauling right by the water right in front of us. Just a caravan of them driving down to the other end of the beach to do gas drilling. You know, we get out of the tent, and we're watching this and I mean, you just want to, you know, throw something at those trucks, you know, and go put your body in front or something like "What the hell's going on?" And you're just watching the rubber, the plastic, you name it just fall off these trucks. And in their wake is just a mass of debris, and trash. And this is all in endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle habitat, its nest a nesting area for the Kemp's ridley sea turtle. And that's why we were there. And so, you know, right after that we all commiserated and got to work and picked up more trash than I think, you know, I've ever picked up. And I'm still shocked that that was allowed. But that's really where I started to take a turn and understand more about how the state facilitates this destruction, the destruction of the land and for the profits of few. And shortly after that I graduated, and that was it for my time in Austin.John Fiege  So after you graduated from college, you went back to El Paso, and you became an environmental justice organizer for El Paso, ACORN. And it was shortly after your time there in 2009, that right wing activists did a big hit job on ACORN and brought down the organization in the US for the most part. An ACORN was was a powerful community organizing group at its height, and it had this unique community based organizing model. Could you talk a bit about the ACORN organizing model and how it, possibly, I assume, became part of your organizing DNA?Dave Cortez  Just like learning about the 1960s is a pillar of my practice. The  work with Acorn is right there with it. You know, it shaped me, maybe it's just because it's one of the first things I learned about, but it'll be with me, as long as I do this work and have breath in my lungs. You know, some people were quick to point to that it's built out of the school of the Industrial Areas Foundation and Saul Alinsky model of community organizing, and yeah, that's true. But, you know, I didn't know any of that. I didn't, you know, I was, I was just taken in by these folks. There was a guy, recovering addict, just trying to make his money doing his canvassing while I was hanging out at a coffee shop, kind of where I was living in El Paso, the university. And there's my day off and I'm out there hanging out. There's this dude, his name was Ken. Ken let me know how they were planning to reopen the ASARCO copper smelter, the big 120 820 foot tall smokestack that I grew up around, and I was shocked. And, and that's, you know, like I studied all these things. And I was like, wow, I cannot believe that that's right there, my mom lives over here, you know, she works there, I live over here. And, you know, I told them, whatever I can do to help: get more letters, spread a petition around, whatever I can do. And they invited me in to meet the team, which was a small team. And the first task they gave me was actually nothing to do with that it was just to go distribute information about free tax prep, helping people in a really poor community, not far from where I went to middle school in which is not far from the smelter, get access to tax prep, in English and Spanish. And at the time, I had a, I had a mohawk. I covered that thing up real fast. I wore a straw cowboy hat and went door to door knocking on people's doors, let them know about this. And Jose Manuel, the the lead organizer at the time, the director saw me and, you know, was into it. And, you know, they offered me a job after a few days of that. And the job was doing the same thing, plus inviting people to come to a community meeting about the reopening of ASARCO. So here's a way that we can help you. With some, you know, with your money, basically, your your bottom line, and also, there's a situation happening, that can affect and will affect your your health and well being, and the safety of your family. At the time, I didn't realize that there was a very intentional strategy there. But that strategy is essential to the work that we do as environmentalists and in climate justice activists around the country, and here in Texas, people are struggling, and you got to find ways to help them directly with what they're struggling with day to day, which is often their pocketbooks. And so if you can do that, you're going to build some trust, you can build some relationships, and then you might be lucky to talk to them about another bigger, more complicated issue.John Fiege  That seems to be, like, a really beautiful definition of the difference between environmental justice organizing, and traditional environmental organizing, where environmental justice organizing, you have to start with the community, and make sure everybody you know, you have to deal with everything, you can't just isolate an environmental issue. Would you agree with that?Dave Cortez  Absolutely. Absolutely. I don't know where that came from. I again, I'm not a I've read all the books about these things, but that, the model that was picked up by so many organizations and NGOs is is you know, it's it's almost like counter revolutionary, it's almost counterproductive. Like you're intentionally trying to marginalize your base in silos, you know, so, so whatever we do, you know, I try to espouse that in folks, some of the work we've done around Austin and other parts of Texas, that's the route we go, talk about bills, talk about bills every time and then, you know, start to figure out what else is going on, you know. With ACORN, a major flaw in the national model was that they would want to sign people up to be bank draft members, like you, you'd push a card onto them, "Hey, send this card in with your bank info or something. And we'll sign you up, you know, so you get access to our help." And obviously, I didn't do that. And as the work evolved, and we got more people canvassing and doing the work, we didn't do that either. It went against our values. Now, if there were middle class people, people with more means, yeah, we'd asked them to do that, too.John Fiege  To contribute a certain amount each month.Dave Cortez  Yeah. But we also did things differently, in the sense of, we organized, we found, you know, folks who are highly motivated by the issues, students, artists, residents in the nearby communities who wanted to contribute, and contribute their time, That theory in the ACORN model of, you got to get people financially bought in to be committed, I think can be challenged and there's lots of ways to get people plugged in. And so, one other key here was, you know, I wasn't brand new, this work wasn't brand new. There had been people fighting ASARCO before I was involved, obviously, and it had ebbed and flowed in terms of how much community opposition from just, like, working class people was centered. There was a lot of wealthier folks, politico types, you know, people who worked for legislators or senators or city people, you know, academics, things like that. And there was a handful of working class people in a smattering of workers from plant workers. So our job was really to find more just like students and people in the impacted communities, but it had been going on for so long that people were really drained. You know, parents who, whose children had MS as a result of this or had other health problems, they eventually backed off because it was just too exhausting to go up against the machine of the Texas State Government and go testify, and struggle, and they just couldn't do it anymore. You know, so we had to find new people and inject new life. You know, we made it a point to work with some of the younger folks to start a--not really an acorn chapter--but just a group on the campus called students for reform. And those kids are amazing, a couple dozen students, Chicanos, for the most part, all going off to do awesome things in their lives. But for three, three years, four years, they they led the fight, they're on campus challenging the administration to disclose more information and trying to represent student opposition to the reopening of the smelter.John Fiege  I was looking up some articles about ASARCO. I found this this one 2010 article from John Burnett, who's a NPR correspondent based in Austin. So he talks about in 2009, the US Justice Department announced the settlement of one of the largest environmental bankruptcies in US history, in which ASARCO would pay a record $1.79 billion to settle claims for hazardous waste pollution in you know, at 80 sites, as many as 20 states, including the copper smelting operation in in El Paso. And he quotes some interesting community members like an 82 year old former maintenance worker named Miguel Beltran, who says, "you can't get a job here in El Paso compared to ASARCO, ASARCO is the best place to work. We were just like a family." And John Burnett, also quotes an anti-smelter activist named Debbie Kelly, who says, "They marketed very well. And the people of El Paso were brainwashed believed that this was the most wonderful thing El Paso could possibly have, this tall polluting contaminating smokestack." And this is this classic tension and environmental justice organizing. The big polluter in town is often the biggest and best paying employer as well, especially for folks with limited education. And these working folks often side with the company in some ways, and then at some times, kind of accepting the environmental problems for the economic opportunities. And the smokestack itself is this shining symbol of progress and prosperity that goes way back to the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution. What was your experience with this tension between economic opportunity and environmental health in the organizing, and how that was represented in the media?Dave Cortez  Well, let's take a few cracks at it, because it's a big question. You know, I'll start with my family, two of my close family members worked at the plant, my dad's brother worked at the plant and then worked at Chevron on the other side of town. And then his brother in law, worked at the plant and retired. And here I was, this younger punk, you know, sort of just not super close to the family, showing up at events, and that's what I'm doing and "oh," they think, "I'm a paid protester," you know, forget my education, forget what I'm actually saying. You know, it's, it's deep cultural assimilation. It's deep colonization, sort of this Stockholm syndrome that develops out of poverty and repression. It's horrific. And it's sad to watch, you know, people fiercely defend the only thing that has helped them, in their eyes, and not be able to acknowledge the harm that's been done. It's not different from, you know, addiction in that way.  Or, or depression in that way. John Fiege  Right.  Or domestic abuse. Don't talk about it. Dave Cortez  Domestic abuse. Exactly. You know, it's heartbreaking. It still hurts me to talk about. But, you know, that was the case. And you know, in that situation, just try and make peace with your family just, you know, get through the gathering. And you go on in, you know, some of my family was very supportive, you know, like, "yeah, that stuff's bad, and we should do better." You don't get investments in the well being of a community that like say, in Austin and all this money flooding here and STEM education being invested in and, you know, pre K access and, you know, nature based education and Montessori education, things like that. All of this is part of that, that conflict that pushes you to try and find the best thing you can for your family. And any of the workers that I organized alongside say the same thing. They were so proud and happy--Daniel Adriano another sort of lead visible face against the reopening of smelter, he's a former steel worker, you know, he tells a story about like, his dad worked there, his uncle, his cousins, you know, it was just like a family thing, like everybody, if you could get a job at ASARCO, you knew you'd be okay. You could raise a family, maybe even your wife or your spouse, your partner wouldn't have to work. But, you know, behind that, that Golden Gate, there was a lot of things that people weren't being told. You know, things like, maybe you shouldn't be taking your work clothes home and washing them. Right. They sent people home to wash, and that's very common in heavy industry in the 80s 70s 80s and 90s, you know, these these companies do that. In Danny's case, his kids got sick, you know, and they developed health problems. And he points to that as part of the reason washing his clothes in the same machine with, as his kids clothes. His wife feels guilt about that. Heavy guilt. John Fiege  Yeah. That's hard. Dave Cortez  You know, it's violating. You know, they had them--that settlement came because they, well, in part because ASARCO was caught for illegally incinerating hazardous chemical weapons waste materials from Colorado, in the smelter in these men weren't told about it. And they shoveled this stuff in there and were exposed to, you know, not recycled waste, just direct waste from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wow facility, a weapons manufacturing facility, Dow Chemical weapons manufacturing facility. That stuff was burned and they were exposed. You know, it's infuriating. And once they learned that, and they were falling ill and they had some evidence, they tried to organize other workers, let them know former workers let them know what was going on. And, and they encountered the same thing that I encountered with my family: just like this, this wall of acceptance, this willful ignorance. You know, I don't know about that, you know, just like denial, denial. And that was really hard on them. They got ostracized, they lost a lot of friends. You know, and so they found allyship in other people whose families had been sick, residents on the other side of the river in the Colonias, whose children had been severely sick, who were bleeding every night because of bloody noses and heavy metal contamination. You know, they found allyship with Debbie Kelly in the current place, which is sort of a wealthier neighborhood, you know, the educated, more white affluent folks who didn't want the smelter around. And this, that's how the "Get the lead out" coalition really came together it was--you just had these different interests aligned around this lack of justice, but the worker piece was always--and the economic piece was always always, you know, the straw that would break our back. And when ASARCO hired a PR firm, Teresa Montoya, to build their campaign, their marketing campaign to reopen the smelter, that was their big thing. I want to work for ASARCO I want to work for ASARCO and they march out all these Chicanos and throw them in front of a plant in their hard hats and talk about the good jobs and the pay. You know, it's tough to compete with. I know the people in Port Arthur, in Corpus Christi, even down in Brownsville, you know, and you name it. John Fiege  It's the same story everywhere. It's the same story.Dave Cortez  In Appalachia, as well, with the coal miners. Absolutely. The amount of energy it takes to fight Goliath. You know, you never have enough you never have enough resources. You got a PR firm In, you know, this facility was owned and run ASARCO, Grupo Mexico owned by Carlos Slim, at the time the wealthiest man in the world, you know, like, you're never going to have enough just to stop the bad thing. How are you going to strategize and organize in a way where you're talking about building the good, and replacing it with something better and taking care of these people? It's doable, it absolutely is. But at the time, when you're in the sock like that, it's very hard to pivot. And it's very hard to motivate people who have resources to give you those resources to bring on people to pay them to do that work. It's a boxing match, take your hits, and wait for the time to throw a punch. You know, and I think one thing that really hurt people hurt ASARCO a lot, was when it came out that at their operations in Arizona, El Paso and elsewhere, in the 70s and 80s, they had been using health standards, health assessment screenings that were based on a false standard that black men and brown men had a 15% higher lung capacity than white men, therefore, they could be--they could work 15% longer, they could be exposed 15% more than white men. And that came out. And you know, we had some incredible, dedicated educated volunteers who were digging this information up, who were, you know, putting it to the to the news outlets. And without the news outlets putting that information out there, like the New York Times that put it out about the hazardous chemical weapons waste, you know, we wouldn't have been able to really punch back. But that stuff came out and then we could organize with it. We made materials out of it. I made sure everyone knew that, you know, this is the kind of crap that this place was built on, no matter what they say now you can't trust them. John Fiege  Right. Yeah. And this--another thing that John Burnett brought up in this NPR story is, he quotes some longtime community members who said that when the winds were blowing to the south toward Juarez in Mexico, the smelter would crank up production and send pollution directly into Mexico where they could, they could do nothing to regulate it or stop it even worse than in the US. And that's a pretty insidious and cynical route around US environmental regulations. American companies have this long history of sending their polluting factories and jobs overseas. But in El Paso, they could just send the pollution directly to Mexico while keeping the plant and the jobs in the US. Were you able to do any cross border organizing in El Paso to combat this kind of flagrant disregard for air pollution in Mexico?Dave Cortez  I wasn't able to myself, or it wasn't a choice I made to do myself on the broader scale. Marianna Chu, who worked at the time for the Sierra Club, and as an independent activist and organizer did a whole hell of a lot and deserves a ton of credit. Marianna, and others were also were able to build relationships in the Colonias and get to talk to people that were, you know, the definition of directly impacted, right on the other side of the river. You know, you drive through, you pass on I-10, and you look to the left where you're passing through downtown, and it's just colonias and that's Colonia Felipe and some students who we'd found and became acquainted with at UTEP and were filmmakers and they were able to get over into the colonias and document the lived experience of some of these folks, and it's horrific, and they made a short film, I'm happy to share called The Story of Cristo and it's a little boy, you know, who's like that, he's bleeding, bleeding every night, because he's got heavy metal contamination, two years old. You know, and that story spread. You know, it was similar to other families all throughout the Colonia. Dirt roads, just full of metal, not a lot that could be done unless there was funds provided for it. And part of that settlement in relation to the chemical weapons waste was that ASARCO would give money to an outfit in Mexico to pave those roads. You know, that's it. Accept no wrongdoing. No, no responsibility. We don't admit nothing but, here, take this and leave us alone.John Fiege  Literally, sweeping it under the rug. They're just laying asphalt over the dust.Dave Cortez  Absolutely. I mean, that's that's absolutely right. And, you know, one interesting intersection here with with the colonias there was, as we marched towards the end of 2007 and 2008. You know, we're still fighting the plant, it started to become more and more dangerous and people were less responsive, and less receptive to being interviewed on camera with our comrades, and the gangs, were starting to move in to the Colonia and control things more. And that was that it wasn't safe anymore you can, the last thing you should be doing is driving over there with a camera. And so those stories sort of drifted away, those folks. And we weren't able to really work with them a whole lot more, because the narco war was starting to take root.John Fiege  Because it's, it's how it's the same thing they do to fight you, they give your neighbor a job, and then and they get your neighbor working against you. Dave Cortez  Absolutely, I mean, you know, you're not going to go toe to toe with the same weapons, you got to find a way to find their weak spot and cut them at that weak spot. And, you know, I learned that, I learned that in this fight, you know, we weren't scared of these people. We weren't scared of their minions. We weren't scared of the, you know, the former workers who wanted the plant to open. We weren't scared of them. They tried. Everybody tried to intimidate you, you know, but I'll start with, with that part, first, as a critical strategy. My, you know, 23 year old high energy, Mohawk wearin' self, right, like, I thought I knew it all and was ready to go, just like against that jerk down on Red River Street in Austin. And, you know, the first public meeting, debate, whatever, that we helped organize, some of those, those workers were there outside and they were, you know, they pick a smaller person, a woman to argue with, and she ain't scared of them. But you know, soon enough, there's, there's four or five of them around her and oh, man, you know, machismo is something all of us from the border suffered from and that kicked in hard. You just get into it with these guys. But, you know, that is not the way, that is not the way. You know, arguing and fighting, especially with the people, even though they're trying to get you to do it. The people who want a job in these facilities, the community members who just want a better way for their life, you cannot let the people at the top pit us against each other. That's why it's so important to be anchored in community talking about the nuance, you know, how to step and where, what to look out for, and really trying to build together, it has to be at the forefront.John Fiege  Isn't that the history of American industrial capitalism, that for it to work, the, the industrialists need to pit various groups of people against one another, whether it's along lines of race, or income, or religion, or geography, or immigration status, or, or whatever. Like, that's, that's how it works. You need to divide people by those things, so they don't get together and they don't, they don't form a allegiances.Dave Cortez  That's right. That's right. I mean, it's, but it's not something that's created by the oligarchs and the industrial capitalists and the power holders. It's something that they exploit, right? It's a, it's a wound that's already there. And, you know, it's something that concerns me greatly about broader civil society, and our failures to build community, in relationship in brotherhood and sisterhood. You know, in a true spirit of mutual solidarity, the more that we neglect doing that work, the easier it is for something to divide us or someone to exploit it, we see it, there's an endless amount of examples we can point to. But if you start your work in trying to build something better, and build through a positive relationship, it's going to feed in the long run, it'll help you endure all of the struggles that are going to come the conflicts, you know, the the infighting, the personality disagreements, whatever, you got to have some foundation and I learned that from that, that night outside the UTEP Library arguing with these guys that, "No, we got to we got to find a way to work with these workers. We got to really center the fact that people need work in jobs." And and that's where, you know, I really started to become close with, not the guys I argued with, other workers who were already disaffected, Charlie Rodriguez, and Danielle Riano and Efrain Martinez and others. You know, they became, in some ways they already were but from my work, they became the center of what we're trying to do and focus on, that this is actually not what we want these, these jobs are not the kind that we need, because look what they did to me. And so that's one piece. We've got to find a way to get people more meaningfully involved with the policies we're trying to change, so there's just a far greater number of people pushing for positive investment in something that is, you know, not just like NGO staff, you know, like, the less NGO staff and those boardrooms, the better. You know, get every day, people in their meeting, pressing for these decisions, and calling for it, and that makes it much harder for the special interests to push push their own agenda.John Fiege  Well, that's a good transition to Occupy Wall Street. So in 2011, Occupy Wall Street began in New York City in Zuccotti Park. And then the movement quickly spread around the world, including to Austin. And I know you were heavily involved in Occupy Austin, and its campaign to get the city to divest from commercial banks. I participated in a couple of those occupy Austin Bank actions. And I don't think I'd met you yet. But, you know, as many people might remember, one of the big discussions and debates around Occupy was whether and how to organize and whether to make formal demands, which always makes me think of Frederick Douglass who famously said, "power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did. And it never will." But those words from Frederick Douglass, were not the guiding light of many occupy organizers and participants, I'd love to hear you talk a bit about your experience with Occupy Austin, and the internal debates and conflicts about what it was and how it should operate. And what you brought away from that whole experience that you put into your organizing work after that. Dave Cortez  Yeah, it was one of the most exciting times of my life so far, you know, to be able to three, four, sometimes five nights a week, meet up with 50 to 60 people not at a general assembly, but a working group meeting, and everybody's there ready to, you know, talk and break out and figure out the next step for getting people to close bank accounts. And, you know, organizing the rally and building the art and all those things. It was organic. I'm so happy that, I'm fortunate to have that experience in this city, and in this country. It was real, you see the romanticized version of uprisings in film, in writing, and on the news, different ways around the world. But, you know, this was that, at least the closest I've been to it, and it wasn't just the, you know, the sign holding, and, you know, petition gathering, we did all that. But it was, I mean, like people were, people were in, you know, the sacrifice time away from whatever they had going on around them to contribute to something better, and I have never seen an appetite, so large for participating and contributing to something that can change the world. I've seen it tried to be engineered a whole lot by NGOs. And it's laughable. It's insulting, you know, but for me at the time, it was it was like a dream come true. I remember a week before occupy launch, there was a meeting happening at Ruta Maya, and the room was full of people, and, you know, a bunch of white dudes, hippie yoga types on stage, you know, talking about some stuff, but I'm up there front row, just, you know, like, eager. And just like listening, I'm like, "This is great," you know, so they open the mic for everybody to come up and have something to say. And it was awesome. I'd just never seen it. You know, I was like, "wow, this is the Austin I always wanted to see," you know. Sure enough there was a meeting after that the next day, and the next day after that. And that kind of continued on for a few days. And then and then there was the day of the launch and lots of people packing City Hall. I mean, you couldn't move there were so many people out there and there were people talking for hours. Everybody was just willing to stay. And you know, I can't, I just can't believe how patient people were for weeks. And just like hanging out. You know, I think they just wanted something different. And they wanted to be part of something, like I said, Now, me, day one. I'm like, "yo, if we're gonna be out here, we need some data." And I got my clipboard. And my dear friend and former partner Betsy had been working for a group that was doing foreclosure organizing and getting people to move their bank accounts or close their bank accounts. And so, you know, I got some, some materials from her and took up like six clipboards, to the to the rally. And that was my whole shtick was just like, "Hey, y'all, we should close our corporate bank accounts," and people loved it. You know, it was like, "hey, here goes, put your name down, if you want to help out," and I mean, I filled up pages and pages of this thing, people who wanted to help out or close their bank accounts. And from that, you know, like, you'd find more people that were like, "Hey, I used, you know, I can help with that. And I used to work at a bank," or, you know, "I've got some time on my hands," you know. And so we, it was rad, because while all the noise was happening, the day to day that people were more familiar with Occupy Wall Street. You know, the the General Assemblies, the infighting, the conflicts with the unhoused folks and things like that, we had this parallel track of our bank action crew, which was doing, building switch kits, and, you know, trying to reach out to people to, you know, help walk them through how to close their bank accounts and stuff like that, or organize marches on the bank, so people could go in and come out and cut their credit cards, so we could all celebrate, you know, like, that was, that was great. That's classic organizing. I, you know, if you weren't down in City Hall, every day for that first month, you're missing out on something, you know, I don't think people appreciate enough how much work people invested into trying to maintain a space, like, maintaining a physical encampment is, you know, the people with the most knowledge on how to operate a small, little civil society is the people have been doing it before, which is our unhoused folks, you know. And there was a huge class conflict, that really emerged quickly, that the police and the city manager and others began to exploit, you know, by trying to bring more unhoused folks down to City Hall, allowing some to sell and distribute drugs, not enforcing any oversight, you know, we had women attacked, you know, and attempted assaults and things like that, that they were just looking the other way on. Because they wanted this to go away. And it was up to us to figure out how to manage that. And that really became the core of the non-bank action, kind of conversations. You know, everybody wanted to do solidarity with everything else. But it was really about, like, how do we keep this thing going? And how do we maintain our presence here? You know, do you negotiate with the city? Who negotiates? Who's responsible? Do we just say, you know, F-U, we're not going to talk to you all, you know, but like, through all that, like, some amazing friendships were developed, and I mean, like bonds, true, real friendships, and people may not be super close anymore, but all it would take is a phone call or text to bring people back together. You know, it's something I'll just value for the rest of my life.John Fiege  Yeah, totally. And in 2015, The Austin Chronicle named you the best environmental activist in Austin for your work as, "The heart and soul of Sierra Club's 'Beyond Coal' campaign in Central Texas." And I know you've done all kinds of work with the Sierra Club. But I wondered if you could talk about what the fight has been like to transition from dirty energy to clean energy in Texas, which, of course is the oil capital of the country. And looking over the years you've been doing this work, what stands out? What have you learned from this massive campaign?Dave Cortez  Like you said, it's Texas, we're the number one carbon emitter in the country, and a huge one in the world and the United States cannot meet the modest two week goals in the Paris Accords unless Texas gets its act together, you know, and we got some real problems here, not just from fossil fuel pollution, but from industrial and toxic pollution and just from our livelihoods, you know, there's another story out yesterday, you know, are we going to have power next week, because we're going to hit hit the peak of the summer. You know, it's hard to think about the fight for clean energy in Texas without thinking about the power of the fossil fuel and industrial industries. There's there's been a battle since 2000 and 2005 to stop new power plants and advocate for clean energy. The fuel type changes and you know, back then it was coal and then it is gas and and now, it's like, oh my god, we just don't have enough power. Now, how do we get it? But it's still the, you know, trade associations, the Association of Electric Companies in Texas, you know, Oncor, which is an electric distributor company, NRG, you go down the line, Energy Transfer Partners, all of these fossil fuel corporations, making billions and billions of dollars, still call the shots, they still influence, and basically direct, decision makers on what is going to be acceptable in terms of, even, discussion. You can't even get a hearing in the state legislature on flaring reduction, which is a very modest thing. Because they have enough influence to make sure that that conversation is not even going to happen. And their members, like Energy Transfer Partners, and others are some of the biggest donors to politicians in the state. So, you know, why shouldn't we listen to those people? Kelsy Warren, Dakota Access Pipeline CEO, behind Energy Transfer Partners, gave a million dollars, his largest donation ever to Governor Abbott, right immediately after the legislative session. And this is after his company made well over a billion dollars, I think it's closer to $2 billion, coming out of the winter storm, Energy Transfer Partners. While people died, these people decided it would make better financial sense and profit sense to go ahead and withhold supplies of gas to power plants and gas utilities, and let the price go up before they would deliver that gas and therefore make a ton of money. Forget that more than you know, some say 200, some say 700 people died, many of them freezing to death, many of them carbon monoxide poisoning during the storm, forget that. It's all about the money. And that's the biggest takeaway here, just like we would be fighting Carlos Slim, and ASARCO and other folks, you got to look at what the interest is, you know, why are people supporting this? Why are they facilitating this? I know, it's easy to just say, well, we just got to vote these people out. Well, you know, we've got to come up with strategies that will allow us to do that. We've got to come up with strategies that will make it so, in this state that's so heavily corrupt and captured by corporate interests, fossil fuel interests, industrial interests, that we're going to find a way to cut into their enabling electorate. Their enabling base. And it's more than just a voter registration strategy. It's more than just a mobilization strategy, or getting people to sign a petition, it gets back to what we started talking about with ACORN. What is their base? Where are they? What are their interests? And where does it make sense to try and make some inroads, and cut away? And unfortunately, we just don't have enough of that happening in Texas. There's an effort to try to build coalitions with, you know, some social justice and some youth focused organizations. But we're all part of that same progressive "groupthink" or Democratic base, that we're not actually doing much to expand, other than registering some new voters. And there's a lot of unpacking that needs to happen. You know, can we go talk to some steel workers or some people on the Texas-Mexico border, who started to vote more for Republicans and Trump, because they were worried about the Green New Deal? They're worried about losing their oil jobs. Why, I mean, like, to this day, we haven't made that pivot collectively as a movement, and it's hella frustrating.John Fiege  Yeah, it gets back to what we were talking about earlier with, you know, kind of the DNA of environmental justice orientation to this work, the work has to be intersectional if you want to transition Texas, the oil capital of the world, to to non-fossil fuel based energy, you know, you need to deal with, with voting rights, you need to deal with the bad education system, you need to deal with healthcare issues, you need to deal with police brutality, and you know, it's like it's all connected. To think that we can remove this issue of decarbonizing our energy source from all of that other, you know, what some people see as messy stuff is delusional, it just doesn't doesn't work, doesn't make sense. Especially, and it's so obvious in places like Texas, where, you know, what are they doing? They're just trying to, they're trying to suppress the vote, like, they know what the deal is, you know, they're they're losing numbers. They need to disenfranchise more voters in order to maintain this system. Dave Cortez  You know, there's an important caveat and distinction for environmentalists, environmental justice folks, or whatever. You know, if you talk to John Beard with Port Arthur Community Action Network, you know, he's a former steel worker. His whole pitch in Port Arthur is about youth engagement jobs, investing in the community. He's willing to talk to the companies, things like that. It's not environmental-first type of thinking. But the enviros, and you'll see this any legislative session, if you pay attention, we are on the far losing side of the losers. Okay, the Democrats being the losers, you know, Democrats in Texas carry House Bill 40, which is the ban on fracking bans. You know, Mrs. T, Senator Senfronia Thompson out of Houston, she authored that bill, Black Democrat, you know, revered for her work on voting rights and reproductive justice. You know, enviros, we are way, way out of the mix. And so even if we got those organizations doing the work you're talking about, to speak about climate change, speak about the grid, you know, pollution, things like that, we'd still be part of that losing side. And I'm not saying we need to need to be building out into red country, or rural country. It's a critique of the broader progressive movement that we aren't doing enough to find people, the greater majority of people that don't participate in our process, in politics, in voting, except in presidential elections. We are not doing enough to reach people who are just going about their lives and do not give a s**t about the things that we post online about our petitions or positions, or our op-eds, or whatever. That is where the fight is, we've got to draw more people in while the right wing tries to keep more people out. That's our only pathway. And so--John Fiege  What does a just transition mean to you?Dave Cortez  It's what we've been talking about, it's a whole shift in, you know, the operating system of a of a community, whether it's a town of 50,000 people or a state of, you know, 25 million. Just transition means that we're taking into full consideration, our triple bottom line, you know, our health, and shelter, and food, you know, our economics, our jobs, and ability to put, you know, bring income and get the things that we need. And, you know, just the land and our ecology. Just transition has to anchor that we are--that those things are connected, and that they're not--they can't be separated, that in order for our families, and our children and our neighbors and all that, to have a future and have a livelihood, we need to be concerned about our air quality, concerned about our water quality, but also about the quality of their education, the access to healthy food and grocery stores. If you were to talk to people and ask them to envision what, you know, their dream society looks like, which is a hard thing for people to do nowadays. You know, you'll hear some of these things and just transition is the process that we take to get there. It's not about you know, getting a worker from a fossil fuel job into a clean energy job.John Fiege  Well, and speaking of that, you know, in addition to your beyond coal and just transition work, you've done a lot of work with low income communities of color in Austin around a whole assortment of things: illegal dumping, access to green space, community solar and solar equity, green gentrification among among a bunch of other stuff. Can you talk about gentrification and how Austin has changed in the time you've been there and the tension that's emerged about Austin becoming one of the greenest but also increasingly one of the least affordable cities in the country? Dave Cortez  Yeah it's tough. People in Austin are largely still here to just party, have fun, make money. You know, they're really eager to do what they moved here for, you know, go do the cool thing and the restaurant, and the corporate soccer game and whatnot, you know, fine, whatever, I'm not trying to harp on people who want to have a good time, the problem is that there's no thread of the greater good of civil society, of trying to care for those in town that struggle and have the least. That doesn't exist here. It's just, it has lessened every year, it might be new people moving here might be more money here, and people being displaced. But you know, for the most part, with gentrification, the white wealthy middle class here is strong, you know, median family income is close to $90,000, you know, qualifying for affordable housing, you can make a ton of money and still qualify for affordable housing. And the people that move in, my brother calls them the new pilgrims. They're not super interested in learning what was there before, they're interested in what's around them now, and what might come in the future. And we do have a responsibility to make sure that we not just offer up but press on people at the doors, at community events, you know, cool, fun, s**t, barbecues and things like that, to learn what was there before they came, you know, sort of an onboarding into the neighborhood. And we did some of this in Montoplis, my old neighborhood that I lived in before I moved to South Austin, you know, people who I was like, "man, they're never going to help us," they're just, you know, part of that new white, middle class "new pilgrim." When I learned the history of the community, and the issues that were going on, I said, "Hell, yeah, whatever I can do," from, you know, cooking funding, speaking, writing letters, coming to meetings, you name it, you know, but we had to keep on 'em. And we had to give them a meaningful task. There is a lot of power, gentrification sucks. But I've really tried to work with myself on not being--automatically hating folks for just trying to move in into a home. But you do have to challenge folks on how they behave after they've moved in, you know, in Austin with our urban farming and desire for new urbanism and density and things like that, the culture of I know what's best is so thick, and it's really hard to stay patient. But I try to, even when I get mad and angry and frustrated, I try to remind people of what's called the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing, and the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond's Principles of Anti-Racism, encourage them to read them, and to do everything they can to just shut the F up, and go listen to the people that they're talking about in affected communities. And get a sense of where you might be able to build some common ground.John Fiege  I actually wanted to spend a minute on that because, you know, you started, or you were one of the organizers, who started environmental justice group in Austin years ago, and I went to a bunch of the meetings. And I feel like that's where, you know, we got to start hanging out a bunch for the first time. But you would always start the meetings with the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing. And, you know, those came out of this meeting hosted by the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice and Jemez, New Mexico back in the 90s. Can you talk more specifically about the principles and why they're important to the work you're doing?Dave Cortez  So when you're thinking about undoing racism, or being an antiracist or antiracism work, you know, you're acknowledging that you're confronting a built system, something that's built under a false construct, race, you know, and when you're going to combat that, there's, you know, there's a lot of issues to it or whatever, but the Jemez principles will help you see, how do you approach people and talk about it? You know, for example, listen, let people speak is one of the principles, you know, listen to the people on the ground. Don't barge in there don't don't come in with your your petition and your fancy stuff and, or be online and be a dick. You know, go try to introduce yourself and get to know people. You know, ask questions. That's okay. You know, people were very generous for the most part, whether they're Black or Brown or or Native or Asian, or you name it, you know? If you're able to ask questions and listen about an issue, people will likely talk, you know. Trying to work in solidarity and mutuality is another big one for me, you know, it's not just about like, "I'm here to help you," versus, "I'm here because our struggles are connected and intertwined. And for me and my family to be successful and get what we need, it depends on your family, and your people being successful and getting what you need. How can we work together to make sure that we everything we do reinforces that and that we lift each other up?" A lot of things that we see is very transactional in the advocacy and activism world, you know, sign this, and then we'll go do that for you, or will tell the person to do the thing and change? It's not so much how can what can we do to help you directly, like we talked about bills and taxes and things like that. But also, we have to know that, what is it we're gonna get out of it, it's not just this potential policy outcome. There's tremendous value in human relationships. And in culture and community building, you're going to learn about the people in your community, you're going to learn about the history, you're going to learn, you know, and make new friends and maybe some recipes, maybe, you know, some new music or something. It's limitless. You know, humans have tremendous potential in beauty. But we we rob ourselves of that by, you know, retreating into our silos in our, in our four walls. You know, Jemez can give something--these are short, short, little principles that can give people something to read and reflect on, they can be kind of abstract and theory based, but when you're advocating for change, and then you look at these and you ask yourself, "sm I doing this?" There's tremendous potential for learning, and changing how we do our work.John Fiege  And the Sierra Club is one of the oldest large-scale environmental groups in the world. And it's traditionally been a white organization. Its founder John Muir made racist remarks about Black and Indigenous people, and in 2020, the Sierra Club officially apologized for those remarks and the white supremacist roots of the organization. In Texas, with your work and your presence, I feel like you've really helped the Sierra Club evolve there, where you are, and you th

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Today is our first episode with a repeat guest! The one and only Katie Beal Brown is back on the show and we're talking all about creating a strong brand identity. We're diving into the importance of knowing your audience, the power of storytelling, and the opportunities and challenges that come with being the face of your brand.  Katie Beal Brown is a fourth-generation West Texan, born and raised in Midland, TX. Growing up, some of her fondest memories were from the time spent with her grandparents out on their family's ranch in Far West Texas near Fort Davis. Katie attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, where she met her future husband, Tyler Brown, a Houston native and seventh-generation Texan. Katie and Tyler Brown married in her hometown of Midland in 2013 and immediately moved to New York, NY where he had an opportunity in private equity real estate and she continued to grow her career in advertising. With years of experience at industry-leading agencies, she set out on a new venture to build her own brand, Lone River, celebrating her roots in West Texas. Lone River pioneered the tequila-style hard seltzer category with its introduction of Lone River Ranch Water and more recently Lone River Ranch Rita. After less than a year of record sales, Lone River Beverage Company was purchased by Diageo, one of the world's largest producers of spirits and beers including world class brands like Casamigos, Crown Royal, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Guinness and more. Lone River now leads the tequila-style seltzer category as the #1 Ranch Water in the U.S. Katie continues to lead the business on a day-to-day basis, as CEO of the brand and works closely with Diageo leadership to build further on Lone River's success.   Resources & Links: Episode 6: The Importance of Taking Risks with Ranch Water Founder, Katie Beal Brown How Brands Grow book Join The Directory Of The West Get our FREE resource for Writing a Strong Job Description Get our FREE resource for Making the Most of Your Internship Email us at hello@ofthewest.co Join the Of The West Email List List your jobs on Of The West   Connect with Katie:  Follow on Instagram @katiebealbrown and @ranchwater Check out their website   Connect with Jessie: Follow on Instagram @ofthewest.co and @mrsjjarv Follow on Facebook @jobsofthewest Check out the Of The West website   Be sure to subscribe/follow the show so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This series began with a question: what does abortion access look like in Far West Texas? But what about when the struggle isn't to end a pregnancy — it's to start one? Kathleen Shafer and David Branch decided they wanted to have a baby not long after they got married. In the years since, that's meant countless drives from Marfa to Austin for fertility treatments, so far without success. In the final episode of So Far From Care, they sit down to talk through what it means to make a choice, or a family. And what happens when those things don't feel possible in the place you call home. Produced by Zoe Kurland, Carlos Morales, and Annie Rosenthal. Music written and performed by Clara Brill. Series artwork by Dio Cramer and Hannah Gentiles.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. And in Far West Texas, we have that, literally. But when it comes to finding formal childcare out here, you might be out of luck. In Marfa, “daycare” can look like bringing your toddler to your restaurant job — or counting on a web of friends and family. Yasmine Guevara's son was born when she was 21, and she's not sure what she would've done without her mom's help. In the last few years, she's seen parallels in their lives: both of them single parents struggling to provide for their kids in an increasingly expensive tourist town. But that's not something Yasmine and Kristina have ever really had a chance to talk about. In this episode, they sit down to ask each other the questions they've never asked. Produced by Zoe Kurland, Carlos Morales, and Annie Rosenthal. Music written and performed by Clara Brill. Series artwork by Dio Cramer and Hannah Gentiles.

In rural Far West Texas, it's a baseline expectation that you often have to rely on yourself. And for Stephanie Winston, that wasn't intimidating— it was the point. At least, at first. Stephanie and her family moved off-the-grid to see what they were capable of — and in a converted shed way out in the desert, she found maternal care that made her feel safe, and supported. But as she navigated life as a homesteader, she found herself reconsidering the assumptions we make about what moms should carry alone. Produced by Zoe Kurland, Carlos Morales, and Annie Rosenthal. Music written and performed by Clara Brill. Series artwork by Dio Cramer and Hannah Gentiles.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned last year, people around the country have found themselves having to drive long distances to access abortion. But in Far West Texas, long drives to care have long been a reality. And as reporter Annie Rosenthal learned soon after she moved to Marfa, that's not just the case for abortion, but for most everything in the reproductive realm. Last year, Annie put out a call: asking how living out here has shaped people's options and decisions when it comes to having kids. She heard back from people all around the desert, about things she'd never expected. Produced by Zoe Kurland, Carlos Morales, and Annie Rosenthal. Series artwork by Dio Cramer and Hannah Gentiles. Theme music written and performed by Clara Brill.

This is the weekly newspaper columnTexas wine AVAs episode #2 10-11-2023Texas wine facts: Texas is the fifth-largest winemaking state, behind California, Washington, New York, and Oregon. And Texas wine is No. 3 in economic impact, just behind California and New York. Both rankings according to the National Association of American Wineries.There are eight Texas AVAs (American Viticultural Regions). Last week we examined three around Fredericksburg, this week the remaining five.• Texas High Plains. Heart of the Texas wine grape growing, a monster AVA spanning eight million acres of the Texas Panhandle, basically from Lubbock to Brownfield. Grows 80-plus percent of Texas wine grapes, supplying wineries across Texas and beyond. Located on the Llano Estacado, one of Earth's flattest expanses. First thought—how could this be?Topography. The elevation is 2,800 to more than 4,000 feet. It is called the “High Plains” for a reason. Such elevations include some of the world's premier wine regions, especially in the Americas—think Chile and Argentina. Climate is dry, but there is irrigation. Sandy loam soil drains well and vexes phylloxera. Brisk winds thwart mildew. Plunging nighttime temperatures deliver important diurnal shift. That is a textbook definition of a wine grape region.• Escondido Valley. Far West Texas, just north of the Big Bend. Covers 50 square miles, 250 acres of vineyards. Contains some of the oldest vines in Texas, provides hot days, cold nights, sandy soil. It once supplied grapes to the huge Ste. Genevieve Winery in Fort Stockton, but that enterprise folded. Now supplies grapes to the rest of Texas.• Mesilla Valley. West of El Paso, includes part of New Mexico. There are 40 acres of vines that benefit from the 4,300 feet altitude; most of the vines are in New Mexico.• Texas Davis Mountains. The Davis Mountains, part of the Rocky Mountains, are rugged and deliver 5,400 foot elevations, cooler temperatures, and more precipitation. Challenges, yes. Rewards, yes. The AVA is some 270,000 acres, but less than 50 acres of vineyards. The new frontier of Texas AVAs. Look for Blue Mountain Vineyard and Chateau Wright offerings.• Texoma. The newest Texas AVA spans 3,650 square miles north of Dallas-Fort Worth and hugs the Texas-Oklahoma border, including Lake Texoma, from which it gets its name. More than a dozen wineries are based there, with tourism and events driving a major part of the operation, similar to the wineries and tasting rooms in the Texas Hill Country AVA.Texas wine. Forty years ago, a snicker, maybe a guffaw. No one is laughing at the Lone Star State now.Last roundThe doctor told me my DNA was backward. And I said: “AND?” Wine time.Email: wine@cwadv.comNewsletter: gusclemens.substack.comWebsite:  gusclemensonwine.comFacebook:  facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/Twitter (X): @gusclemensSince you subscribe to my newsletter, it follows you enjoy wine and humor and are an adventurous, inquisitive person. Each morning, The Sample sends you one article from a random blog or newsletter that matches your interests. When you find one you like, you can subscribe to the writer with one click. Give it a try Link to The Sample This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit gusclemens.substack.com/subscribe

It's a rainy night in Far West Texas— the drops hit the roof of the radio station, the pitter patter a percussive rhythm. You gaze out the window, and far away, you see lightning strike. Uh oh. You know what that means. The tower is out. In this episode, Marfa Public Radio's station manager Travis Pope, reading a selection of The Tower Regulations Manual. To help keep Marfa Public Radio awake and the radio tower up, donate to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

Today on The Arwen Lewis Show - Arwen welcomes Music Artist A third generation Austinite, Al splits his time between Houston and the Big Bend high desert area of Far West Texas. His album of new music, Somewhere in West Texas, recorded in Marfa, TX, features an all-star lineup of musicians, including Fran Christina (Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bonnie Raitt), Scrappy Jud Newcomb (Ian McLagan, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Patty Griffin, Slaid Cleaves) and Chris Maresh (Eric Johnson, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Wayne Shepherd). Al says of the album: "Great songs, two guitars, bass, drums, and a cloud of dust - recorded way out West." Jimmie Dale Gilmore says, “Something Good is Gonna Happen - in fact it already has! The new album, “Somewhere in West Texas” by Al Staehely is full of heart, humor, and fun. This recording is a long overdue, surprising, genre-leaping addition to the catalog of an iconic rock star. His Texas roots shine through as do the musicianship and pitch-perfect, no-frills production. It is a jewel.” "Somewhere in West Texas", the new album by Americana singer-songwriter Al Staehely is out now along with the focus track “Mercy of The Moon” can be viewed HERE: https://youtu.be/1NMPxhXJGbg LINKS: http://www.alstaehely.com/ https://www.facebook.com/al.staehely https://www.instagram.com/alstaehely/ CONTACT: Facci PR Sarah Facciolo – Sarah@faccipr.com The Arwen Lewis Show Host | Arwen Lewis Executive Producer | Jeremiah D. Higgins Producer - Sound Engineer - Richard “Dr. D” Dugan https://arwenlewismusic.com/ On Instagram, Follow Arwen Lewis Here: @thearwenlewisshow @arwenlewis www.thejeremiahshow.com On Instagram @jeremiahdhiggins https://linktr.ee/jeremiahdhiggins

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

This episode was brought to you by Zavala's Barbecue Distribution. Rubs and sauces from some of the best BBQ joints in Texas and beyond now just a click away from being at your doorstep! Sign up for their new monthly BBQ subscription box service! Check out http://bbqdistro.com/tales for all of your BBQ needs and be sure to follow zavalasbarbecuedistribution on Instagram.   Far West Texas is one of the most magical regions of the state to visit for a number of reasons, but until recently barbecue wasn't one of them. That has changed in recent years and Brick Vault Brewery and Barbecue is a big reason why. Phillip Moellering came to Marathon for school and never left, having worked at the beautiful Gage Hotel for 14 years and in 2018 opening Brick Vault. With a strong menu of quality sides, craft sausage and meats produced by Phillip, Jerek Lara and the Brick Vault that pair well with their award winning housemade beers created by brewmaster Amy Oxenham, Brick Vault Brewery and Barbecue is an oasis as you arrive at the gateway to Big Bend. Instagram: brickvaultbreweryandbbq Thurs-Fri: 5p-9p Saturday: 12p-9p Sunday: 12p-5p  

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

On today's episode, I am joined by Katie Beal Brown, the founder and CEO of Lone River Beverage Company. We're talking all about the importance of taking risks, how changing your perspective mitigates your fear of risk, and how the personal growth process is far more important than achieving your goal.  Katie Beal Brown is a fourth-generation West Texan, born and raised in Midland, TX. Growing up, some of her fondest memories were from the time spent with her grandparents out on their family's ranch in Far West Texas near Fort Davis. Katie attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, where she met her future husband, Tyler Brown, a Houston native and seventh-generation Texan. Katie and Tyler Brown married in her hometown of Midland in 2013 and immediately moved to New York, NY where he had an opportunity in private equity real estate and she continued to grow her career in advertising. With years of experience at industry-leading agencies, she set out on a new venture to build her own brand, Lone River, celebrating her roots in West Texas. Lone River pioneered the tequila-style hard seltzer category with its introduction of Lone River Ranch Water and more recently Lone River Ranch Rita. After less than a year of record sales, Lone River Beverage Company was purchased by Diageo, one of the world's largest producers of spirits and beers including world class brands like Casamigos, Crown Royal, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Guinness and more. Lone River now leads the tequila-style seltzer category as the #1 Ranch Water in the U.S. Katie continues to lead the business on a day-to-day basis, as CEO of the brand and works closely with Diageo leadership to build further on Lone River's success. Resources & Links: Get our FREE resource for Writing a Strong Job Description Get our FREE resource for Making the Most of Your Internship Email us at hello@ofthewest.co Join the Of The West Email List List your jobs on Of The West Connect with Katie:  Follow on Instagram @katiebealbrown and @ranchwater Check out their website Connect with Jessie: Follow on Instagram @ofthewest.co and @mrsjjarv Follow on Facebook @jobsofthewest Check out the Of The West website Be sure to subscribe/follow the show so you never miss an episode!

Today we have a special guest coming to us all the way from Texas! On this episode, Katie Beal Brown shares her journey and advice of building a brand that celebrates your roots.Katie Beal Brown is a fourth-generation West Texan, born and raised in Midland, TX. Growing up, some of her fondest memories were from the time spent with her grandparents out on their family's ranch in Far West Texas near Fort Davis. With years of experience at industry-leading agencies, she set out on a new venture to build her own brand, Lone River, celebrating her roots in West Texas. Lone River pioneered the tequila-style hard seltzer category with its introduction of Lone River Ranch Water and more recently Lone River Ranch Rita. Lone River now leads the tequila-style seltzer category as the #1 Ranch Water in the U.S. Katie continues to lead the business on a day-to-day basis, as CEO of the brand and works closely with Diageo leadership to build further on Lone River's success.In this episode, we'll chat about:The story of her pivot from working in advertising in New York to moving back to Texas to launch an entire brand and journey Measuring success by how far we've come and what we've already accomplished instead of what's yet to comeAs an entrepreneur, having to get comfortable making decisions with an element of unknownThe power of a brand and having a story behind it to tell Finding ourselves right where we're at and focusing on belonging instead of fitting inResources & Links:The Gap and the Gain by Dr. Benjamin Hardy & Dan Sullivan [affiliate link]Learn more about partnering with me as a speakerInquire about advertising on the Climbing with Coach Kiah podcastCheck out the Backroad Cowgirls site!Shop the Coach Kiah Store. Use code climb10 for 10% off your first purchase!Download a FREE Habit TrackerConnect with Katie: On Instagram @ranchwaterOn Instagram @katiebealbrownConnect with Kiah: Follow on Instagram @coach_kiah and FacebookSign up for my email newsletter!Check out my websiteSome of the links mentioned are affiliate links, which helps to support this podcast at no additional cost to you.Make sure to hit subscribe so you don't miss out on future episodes. If you like what you heard, take a moment to leave a 5-star review!Find the complete show notes here: https://www.coachkiah.com/blog/building-a-brand-that-celebrates-your-roots-with-katie-beal-brown

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Originally from PA and now living in TX, singer/songwriter/author, Drew Kennedy and I randomly met at the Austin airport when he noticed my Tim Williams Band hoodie. I was heading home and he was heading to Ireland to write songs in a castle (the most badass sentence I ever heard someone say.) At the airport, we immediately started chatting about the similarities between music and comedy, and we continued that conversation in this episode. From insurance to becoming a full-time musician, we also discuss his songwriting process, our love for 90s alternative, his favorite Phillie (it'll surprise you!), and of course, a hell-gig story. Pat House is a nationally-touring comedian based out of Philadelphia. A regular performer in comedy clubs, casinos, and theaters all over the country, Pat has been a choice opener for Sebastian Maniscalco, Tom Segura, and Dan Cummins. He recorded his first album Biggest Thing in 2013, and his latest album Heard Enough Yesterday, hit #1 on the iTunes comedy charts. Both can be heard on iTunes, Amazon, and Pandora.About Drew Kennedy's new album "Marathon": “We had one rule when we started recording this record: If we don't have it, we can't use it.” It's a simple concept – the premise that makes up Drew Kennedy's ninth studio album, Marathon – but the result is a vivid and immersive ode to a corner of the world that the singer-songwriter has fallen in love with over the years. Kennedy and his collaborator, Davis Naish, packed up a select set of instruments and headed to a small adobe house in the tiny Far West Texas town after which the album is named – as he mentions in the opening track, a town born of Buffalo Soldiers and Seminole Scouts and the third transcontinental railroad, with seven high school seniors; the entire town has less than 400 residents – where they spent a week recording his latest 11-song collection. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

In this episode, we talk with Jeff Davis County Judge Curtis Evans about growing up in Far West Texas, his passion for horses and roping, and the real star of the courthouse in Fort Davis, his dog Lou.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Anthony Bourdain travels to the untamed land of Big Bend, Texas. It's an area that pits man against nature - and the land usually wins. Original Airdate: Season 12, 2018.To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

It's the 1970s in Far West Texas, and local bad boy Robert Chambers has always found his way to trouble — women, drugs, rock stars, mountain lions. And when cocaine starts flowing across the Mexican border like never before, Robert dives in headfirst.

Sheriff Thompson tightens his grip on power in Far West Texas, but rumors swirl his reach is even greater than that.

As a federal trial comes to a swift end, the community in Far West Texas grapples with the truth.

All hail West Texas :) It was so nice to reconnect with @sarabutton who joined us from Marfa Texas while hanging out in her newest venture the @marfafilmshop before she headed out for an Instax Photowalk. Sara has had a long history with film photography so it makes a lot of sense that she has launched a film shop. Sara shared with us how she got started and some of the adventures that she had since she started shooting in the mid-'90s. We got a little silly at the end with some TV jingles and talked about hopefully getting together at PolaCon later this fall. If you ever need film and film accessories and you're in Marfa hit up Sara. Thanks for hanging out everyone.“Sara Button is a photographer living in Marfa, Texas. She started & runs the local camera shop, Marfa Film Shop, which is housed in a cute micro adobe on San Antonio Street. The film shop provides a large variety of different film, cameras, film equipment, and more to people living in or traveling through Far West Texas.”Follow Sara at https://www.instagram.com/sarabutton/Photography Chat is a weekly Instagram Live @merlindb hosts every Thursday at 5pmPST/8pmESTGive me a follow if you want to see the episodes live https://www.instagram.com/merlindb/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/photographychat/donations

Christy is the Founder of Marfa Meats Located at 18268 US Hwy 90 Marfa, Texas: She is on a mission to reconnect people with the source of their food and get Far West Texas meat onto dinner plates across the nation and possibly the world.

In a country that lacks legal representation for all, some people are fighting for change.    James McDermott, Chief Public Defender of Far West Texas, and Scott Ehlers, Director of Public Defense Improvement at the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, are two of those people.   In this group interview, James and Scott discuss the Texas Indigent Defense System and how they make a positive impact in their respective areas.    We uncover the barriers stopping people from receiving fair legal representation and even hear some heartwarming stories about clients that James and Scott represent.    If you want to dive deep into the complexities of the Texas Indigent Defense System and learn how you can help, this is the episode for you.   Key Topics and Takeaways    What James and Scott do, and the role their offices play. Community outreach and support services within the Texas Indigent Defense System. Why the willingness for judges to work with public defenders is so important. The barriers stopping Texas from providing fair legal representation. The real price of public defense and why Texas has not allowed more state funding. Who the average client of a public defense office is. The importance of client-centered and holistic defense models. Guests: James McDermott, Chief Public Defender Far West Texas Far West Texas Regional Public Defender Scott Ehlers, Director of Public Defense Improvement, Texas Indigent Defense Commission Texas Indigent Defense Commission    References County Sixth Amendment Center Texas Fair Defense Project  Texas Inmate Families Association 

As a federal trial comes to a swift end, the community in Far West Texas grapples with the truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sheriff Thompson tightens his grip on power in Far West Texas, but rumors swirl his reach is even greater than that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the 1970s in Far West Texas, and local  bad boy Robert Chambers has always found his way to trouble—women,  drugs, rock stars, mountain lions. And when cocaine starts flowing  across the Mexican border like never before, Robert dives in headfirst. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BORDERLANDS is the tall-but-true tale of a charismatic outlaw, an iconic small-town sheriff, and the record-setting drug bust that ensnared them both. Set in the rugged Texas borderlands, host Rob D'Amico transports listeners back to the opening salvos of the War on Drugs, when Mexican cartels were first emerging as hyper-violent mega-corporations, the US government was engaging in draconian narcotics crackdowns, and there was so much dirty money swirling across the Rio Grande that even the most incorruptible citizen would be tempted. But as much as BORDERLANDS is the story of guns, briefcases full of cash, and daring smuggling runs — and it is — the show also unearths the secret, hallucinatory, and utterly unique world of remote Far West Texas, where on the right night you might spy naked women wearing only hiking boots dancing in the full-moon light, meet a guitar-strumming Lothario leading a leashed mountain lion into a honky tonk — or even stumble upon a billion-dollars worth of cocaine sitting unguarded in a horse trailer in the center of town. In the tradition of films like No Country for Old Men and novels like Charles Portis's Gringos, BORDERLANDS mashes up the shockingly real and the deeply surreal, chronicling not just the events of a crime, but digging deep into the mystery and aura of one of America's most myth-soaked regions. You can find Borderlands here https://www.campsidemedia.com/shows/witnessed-borderlands

David Sleeper is a mule trainer, dog whisperer and natural mystic whom I met in the desert of Far West Texas. On today's episode, David and I continue our conversation about his dog Tejona and rehabilitating humans from his work: THE CAUSE BEHIND THE CAUSE, The Source of Human and Canine Dysfunction and the Cure. We discuss how thoughts are things and why overcoming our fears is essential for healing and returning back to the Oneness. Overcoming the victimization mindset is a thread that runs throughout David's work, and as we grow through challenges, we realize the Oneness. Recorded at historic Building 98 in Marfa, TX.Check out David's website at: https://www.i-am-paradox.comIf you enjoy A Thousand Serious Moves, subscribe & share with your friends.Become a patron at:www.patreon.com/ATSMPurchase some of my art at:www.etsy.com/shop/HANAEL777If you'd like a tarot reading, email me at:htxoracle@gmail.comWith love from Marfa,Amanda Holstien

In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Sterry, a writer based in Marfa. Sterry talks about her writing career and how a letter to the editor got her a job at the local newspaper. She shares why the newspaper was special at that time and a few of her favorite memories. She then talks about her move to write for Texas Monthly, which she continues to do now. Episode Timeline: [00:03] Intro [01:19] Growing up in Texas [07:59] A Thanksgiving trip to Far West Texas [10:28] So what was the plan? [11:59] A letter to the editor [16:36] Why The Big Bend Sentinel is special [27:10] Writing for Texas Monthly [33:58] Absorbing words [37:33] Full circle [39:46] Jessie's rapid fire questions Resources Mentioned: Chinati Foundation The Big Bend Sentinel Molly Ivins Randy and Evi Quaid in Marfa Jake Silverstein Sterry's articles on Texas Monthly Snake! By...

A quick review of the 2020 Census figures in Far West Texas, and how they'll effect the redistricting process at the local level. Get on the email list at hearmeoutalpine.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hearmeoutalpine.substack.com

On Episode 170, I'm joined by singer-songwriter, album producer, and artist Jon Randall. During this episode, we talk about Randall's upcoming solo album--his first in 15 years, The Marfa Tapes--the collaborative album with Jack Ingram and Miranda Lambert, what drew him to the Far West Texas town, songwriting, working with the likes of Dierks Bentley, Parker McCollum, and the aforementioned Ingram and Lambert, and writing songs with Guy Clark. This episode's presenting partner is Desert Door Texas Sotol. In addition, this episode is sponsored by WYLD Gallery, The Blue Light Live, and Hot Damn Coffee.New Slang PatreonNew Slang TwitterNew Slang InstagramNew Slang FacebookNew Slang Merch StoreThe Neon Eon PodcastThe Neon Eon Merch StoreSupport the show (https://www.paypal.me/ThomasMooney)

Episode 141 is with The Panhandlers--the West Texas collaboration between songwriters Josh Abbott, William Clark Green, John Baumann, and Cleto Cordero of Flatland Cavalry--who released their debut self-titled last Spring. As their namesake alludes, these songs are about the Panhandle of Texas and the greater West Texas area in general. As sons of The Panhandle and Far West Texas, their solo catalogs have often echoed the howling winds that drive Heaven and earth across the South Plains, the unrelenting sun that dries out cattle pastures and iron orchards of the rugged oil fields, and most importantly, the resilient folks who claim the Land of Big Sky home. The quartet understands them more than most due to their time working and living in the Hub City of Lubbock for long stretches of time. With The Panhandlers, they've written and recorded an album's worth of richly detailed vignettes and organic dust-blown ballads that celebrate their West Texas roots and heritage. During this interview, we talk about those West Texas roots, talk about the Blue Light songwriting culture, the works of Jerry Jeff Walker and Billy Joe Shaver, and hear a handful of stories about life in Lubbock. This episode's presenting partner is Desert Door Texas Sotol. For more information, click here.This episode is presented by Hot Damn Coffee. Use the coupon code "SLANG" (all caps) for 20% off in their merch store. Visit here.This episode is sponsored by The Blue Light Live in Lubbock, Texas. To get BL merch, click here.Check out the New New Slang Patreon here. Follow New Slang on Twitter here, Instagram here, and Facebook here. To order New Slang merch, visit the online store here. Follow Tom Mooney's Cup of Coffee here and The Neon Eon here.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thomasdmooney)

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Today’s episode features our interview with The Rev. Mike Wallens, co-chair of the Rio Grande Borderland Ministries (RGBM) for the Diocese of the Rio Grande, and Nellie Fagen, project coordinator for Rio Grande Borderland Ministries (RGBM) through Blueprint. Mike Wallens is the Vicar of an Episcopal church in Marfa, Texas and serves four other churches in the Big Bend region of Far West Texas. The Rio Grande Borderland Ministries which Mike serves covers all of New Mexico and Far West Texas. The ministries of Rio Grande Borderland Ministries include working with the Anglican Diocese of Northern Mexico as well as shelters on the U.S. side of the border. Mike helps coordinate responses to the humanitarian crisis along the southern border of the United States, maintaining open communication with the Border Patrol in the Big Bend Sector and supporting Rio Grande Borderland Ministries partnership with Boquillas Beyond Mexico Mission, Inc. Nellie Fagen serves as project coordinator for Rio Grande Borderland Ministries and focuses on developing and implementing strategy for marketing, communications, and fundraising. Nellie has passions for social justice, advocacy, and community building. Be sure to learn more about Rio Grande Borderland Ministries at their website riograndeborderland.org. Sign up for their monthly newsletter and stay up to date on their ministries and ways you can be involved. Follow Rio Grande Borderland Ministries on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @RioGrandeBorderlands. Follow EMM on FB, Twitter, and Instagram where we are @emmrefugees. Join in the ministry of welcome by making a gift to Episcopal Migration Ministries. No gift is too small, and all gifts are used to support and grow our work resettling refugees, supporting asylum seekers, and creating welcoming communities for all of our immigrant siblings. Visit episcopalmigrationministries.org/give or text HOMETOWN to 91999. Our theme song composer is Abraham Mwinda Ikando. Find his music at https://abrahammwinda.bandcamp.com

Max KabatPublisher At West Texan Media Group Website Address: www.bigbendsentinel.comABOUT West Texan Media Group:Max Kabat is the Publisher and Co-Owner of West Texan Media Group, LLC, owners of The Big Bend Sentinel and Presidio International — two weekly newspapers covering the vast Big Bend Region of far west Texas. He is also Co-Founder of goodDog, a B Corp brand consultancy that helps mostly mid-stage, founder-built, mission-driven brands grow by articulating a single storyline and then bringing it to market.WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE YOU HAD TO OVERCOME IN YOUR BUSINESS?Exploring the future of local, independent journalism and how it might thrive instead of just survive.WHAT MAKES YOUR COMPANY UNIQUE?West Texan Media Group — publishing company established in the last 13 months to put out two weekly newspapers in Far West Texas. One bilingual. One for the Big Bend Region — an area with a square mileage larger than the state of Maryland.THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN MARKETING THAT I SEE COMING IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS IS?Continuing to deal with the societal effects of giving things away for free in order to advertise to people in a more efficient, effective manner.WHAT MAKES WEST TEXAN MEDIA GROUP UNIQUE?We have been around for roughly 10 years. We help companies that are mostly founder-led, principle-led, mostly B Corp companies. We are a B Corp, Good Dog is a B Corp, and most of our clients are as well. We have just found this niche of companies. When we started doing it 10 years ago, they were smaller companies; now you have organic companies that are valued at over a billion dollars, and they’re bought by large conglomerates. We help them through particular growth stages in their business, where the current consumer that they’re going after sort of plateaus; how did they get back to growth, how do they get towards the next space as this idea of conscious consumerism becomes a little bit more mainstream. BluHorn Media Planning and Buying Software Is an affordable, easy-to-use tool that advertising agencies, media buyers/planners, and digital media directors and strategists use to plan media, buy media, analyze media, report media, and reconcile programmatic, digital and traditional media buys. BluHorn integrates with Nielson, Comscore, BluHorn Programmatic (powered by Centro), and QuickBooks; saving you time and money. While other tools on the market like MediaForce, GaleForce Digital, Advantage, Strata, and FreeWheel may require contracts, BluHorn remains a cost-effective solution with no contract requirements. Enjoy a 14-day risk-free trial of BluHorn Media Buying software today at BluHorn.com.

Katie Brown is the 'Fancy Lady Cowgirl' behind Lone River Beverage Co. and their wildly popular Ranch Water. Katie shares how leaving her home in far West Texas to live in New York City ultimately led her back to her Texas roots. She shares her passion for upholding the values of the West and why she was originally hesitant to share the full story behind Lone River Beverage Co. Katie is a #FancyLadyCowgirl through and through and you'll love her story! https://www.loneriverbevco.com Instagram - @ranchwater @loneriverbevco

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

On Episode 90, I'm joined by journalist Christian Wallace, an associate editor at Texas Monthly, where he has delivered some of the best in-depth reporting and robust storytelling of recent memory. Namely, his nuanced storytelling of the Permian Basin oilfield in both the written word and most recently, the breakout podcast series, Boomtown. As a true West Texas native (a son of Andrews, Texas), Wallace and I discuss Far West Texas adventures, appreciation, and concerns that come with tourism, the oil industry, as well as the cliched stereotypes that are often associated with the various regions of West Texas. Wallace, along with some of Texas Monthly's best minds, recently ranked, discussed, and wrote about the Willie Nelson discography--all 143 albums by the legendary Texan. We discuss that list, the creation & process, as well as a handful of superlatives for standouts.Lastly, we turn our attention to songwriter artist Terry Allen--specifically, his 1975 full-length debut album, Juarez. For more information on Boomtown, click here. Check out Willie Nelson's Catalog Rankings here.Be sure to check out the Blue Light compilation, Monday Night Lights. It's 50 songs by 50 Blue Light songwriters for 50 dollars. All proceeds go directly to Blue Light staff during this trying time. Check out mondaynightlights.com to purchase.Check out Episode sponsor Blue Light Live. Check out their line of merch here -> www.bluelightlubbock.comThis episode is sponsored by Smith Iron & Design. Order here –> smithironanddesign.comFollow New Slang on Twitter here, Instagram here, and Facebook here. To order New Slang merch, visit the online store here.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thomasdmooney)

Readings from Far West Texas magazine, published on Fridays.

On West Texas Talk this week, General Manager Elise Pepple talks to artist Nick Terry about how to meditate and take a deep breath during a crisis. Then, Pepple talks to Laura Thoms about living at the McDonald Observatory. Laura’s already prepared for social isolation and offers some tips for people who are new to it. In the final segment of this week's show, we hope to lift your spirits. We’re creating a new series of videos called 'Tiny Porch.' This is a social isolation music series inspired by NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts. We’re asking musicians in Far West Texas to record a cover song from their porch. The videos are an opportunity for listeners across Far West Texas to come to... Hosted by Elise Pepple for KRTS

This week, we’re delving deeper into Respect Big Bend. Diana Nguyen talks to Marilu Hastings of the Mitchell Foundation and Dr. Michael Young with the Bureau of Economic Geology at UT Austin. They talk about how the Respect Big Bend initiative got started and discuss potential impacts renewable energy production could have on Far West Texas. Later, Nguyen talks Brendan Byrne — the space reporter for member station WMFE in Orlando. They discuss Blue Origin’s mysterious operations in West Texas. Hosted by Diana Nguyen for KRTS

Nance Klehm, Radical Ecologist — Elise Pepple is the GM of Marfa Public Radio in Far West Texas. She believes in the power of storytelling to shape and animate who we are, where we live, and how we relate. Elise spent the last decade learning the contemporary branches of oral storytelling apparent to her: oral history, radio, live storytelling, and podcasting. She got her start in radio when she brought StoryCorps to her small town in rural Alaska. She studied radio at the Salt Institute for Documentary Study. She used to produce fun projects like The Other AK: an experiment in narrative tourism and Portland Brick, a project building public memory. She also used to host a live storytelling series called Hear Tell where everyone would end up laughing and crying together. She also also used to teach college students. Now she fills out a lot of paperwork, deals with lightning strikes to a transmitter on a mountain, and raises money.

Those of you that listen to the show regularly probably know that my partner and I frequently travel down to Marfa, Texas. If you’ve never been, I really can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s my opinion that seeing Donald Judd’s work permanently installed at the Chinati Foundation is one of the most pure experiences you can have seeing a work of art. But here’s the thing, there’s also a lot about Far West Texas that’s interesting for reasons entirely separate from Donald Judd. This brings me to my guest, writer, curator, and historian Lonn Taylor. Lonn is a bit of a local celebrity in Marfa. His books Texas, My Texas, Musings of the Rambling Boy, and, most recently, Marfa for the Perplexed are my first recommendations to anyone interested in the region. That’s because Lonn’s writing offers a most insightful and unique view into the lives of some of the most eccentric Texans. Reading Lonn’s essays, many of which were originally published between the pages of the Big Bend Sentinel, has opened up a world of stories, both big and small. They make a real case for why we should all read a bit of history, and, for me, they’ve changed the way I think about a place I’ve loved for a long time. If you thought you knew all there was to know about Marfa, I guarantee Lonn will show you something new.For someone so influential in Marfa, Lonn actually lives one town down the road in Ft. Davis, where he retired after a 20 year career as a curator at the Smithsonian. He’s completed major projects on the history of furniture in Texas and New Mexico, the myth of the American Cowboy, as well as a landmark book on the Star Spangled Banner. We had our conversation one afternoon at Lonn’s desk looking out at the mountains which surround the town. You can see them in the portrait we shot together, which you’ll find at our website www.williamjesslaird.com/imageculture or on Instagram @william.jess.laird or @image.cultureFinally I just wanted to say a quick word about another legendary Texas resident, Boyd Elder, who passed away last week. I met Boyd when I was a kid, the first time I ever came to Marfa with my family. It’s funny that I just had this conversation with Lonn, because his work is really about exploring the exceptional people that make a place special. Boyd was certainly one of those people. I’ll miss him, I know many will. Rest in peace Boyd.I’d like to thank Lonn and Dedie for having us by their home. I’d also like to thank all the staff and volunteers at the Chinati Foundation, Jenny Moore, Caitlin Murray, Tim Johnson, Robert and Rosario Halpern, Buck Johnston, Camp Bosworth, Elise Pepple, and Marfa Public Radio. Of course a final thank you to Boyd Elder for everything you gave to Marfa.This show is produced by Sarah Levine, our music is by Jack and Eliza.If you like the show it makes a big difference if you subscribe, leave a review, or give us a rating on Apple Podcasts. Thanks so much for listening. See you next week.

A few weeks ago Josh was out in the Far West Texas town of Marfa. It's known as an international arts destination because of Donald Judd's Chinati Foundation, but it's still a ranching community in a remote and beautiful country. Josh had the pleasure of sitting down with Robert Halpern, the publisher of the local paper: The Big Bend Sentinel. He talks about growing up in a family of Jewish merchant pioneers, life in the borderlands, how Marfa's has changed, and the importance of the fourth estate in this era. Josh and Robert discover a shared surname, so they might be distant cousins, or as they say on the frontera... primos.Check out The Big Bend Sentinel at: http://bigbendnow.com/

An interview with Raymond Caballero, author of Lynching Pascual Orozco: Mexican Revolutionary Hero and Paradox. > Complete show notes and transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more) 

An interview with Israel Campos, award-winning pitmaster and owner of Pody's BBQ. Recorded in June 2015. > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more) Mentioned on this podcast: Pody's BBQ on Facebook Pody's BBQ on TripAdvisor Texas Monthly on Pody's BBQ Smokestack Lightning by Lolis Eric Elie   The 100 Best Barbecue Restaurants in America by Johnny Fugitt The Prophets of Smoked Meat by Daniel Vaughn  Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook by Robb Walsh Chimney (Weber Chimney) Charcoal Starter Hatch New Mexico Chiles

An interview with barrel racer Lisa Fernandes, recorded at the Pecos Rodeo, June 2015. > Transcript> MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more) > Official page for the West of the Pecos Rodeo

An interview with historian Lonn Taylor, the "Rambling Boy" columnist for the Big Bend Sentinel, and author of several books, most recently, Texas People, Texas Places. Recorded in Fort Davis in March 2015. > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

An interview with photographer Paul V. Chaplo, author of Marfa Flights: Aerial Views of Big Bend Country. Recorded at the Texas Book Festival in Austin, October 2014. This is #16 in the 24 podcast series Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, Texas and the greater Big Bend region www.cmmayo.com/marfa "These stunning images of one of the most sparsely populated and least visited regions of North America are not your typical coffee table book pretty pictures. In Marfa Flights: Aerial Views of Big Bend Country, Paul V. Chaplo, a classically trained visual artist who also happens to be a professional photographer, found and composed out of this swirlingly violent and bone-dry landscape something wondrous and haunting. Photographed from a single engine airplane, at various times of day, the land and sky and jewel-like ribbons of water come alive with form, muscle, and color." > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

An interview with Greg Williams, Executive Director of the Rock Art Foundation. Though the Rock Art Foundation has been working hard to spread the word, it still seems a well-kept secret that some of the most spectacular rock art in the world is tucked into the nooks and crannies of the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of Far West Texas (and into Coahuila, Mexico). I had the great privilege of being able to view some it, specifically, the rock art at Meyers Springs near the tiny border town of Dryden, Texas, through the tour offered by the Rock Art Foundation. Recorded at Meyers Springs Ranch on August 30, 2014. This is #15 in the 24 podcast series Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, Texas and the greater Big Bend region www.cmmayo.com/marfa   > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

A hike over Burro Mesa into Apache Canyon in the Big Bend National Park, plus the reading of a brief translation from the memoir of Maximilian's gardener, Wilhelm Knechtel, about the Kickapoo ambassadors in 1865. This is #14 in the 24 podcast series, "Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, TX & the Big Bend." www.cmmayo.com/marfa > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)  

Interview with John Tutino, professor of the history of Mexico and the Americas in the History Department and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington DC. Professor Tutino is the author of Making a New World: Founding Capitalism in the Bajío and Spanish North America (Duke University Press) and editor of the anthology Mexico and Mexicans in the Making of the United States (University of Texas Press). This is #13 in the 24 podcast series, "Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, TX & the Big Bend." www.cmmayo.com/marfa > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Interview with Dallas Baxter, founding editor of Cenizo Journal. Recorded in February 2013 in Alpine, Texas. Baxter talks about the flowering of arts in the desert, the aftermath of 9/11, the challenges and delights of living in the Big Bend, and the story of a successful and dynamic print journal in this digital age.  #12 in the 24 podcast series, "Marfa Mondays," which has been extended through 2015.  > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

27th annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas: cowboy songs by cowboys Michael Stevens, Craig Carter and Doug Figgs-- and an interview with Michael Stevens. Recorded on February 23, 2013. This is #11 in the 24 podcast series, "Marfa Mondays: Exploring Marfa, TX & the Big Bend, 2012-2013."> Transcript (excluding song lyrics, however) > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

C.M. Mayo reading live for PEN San Miguel in the Teatro Angela Peralta, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, on January 29, 2013. After a brief consideration of literary travel writing in the digital age, Mayo reads from her article in the winter 2013 issue of Cenizo Journal, "A Visit to Swan House," about the Presidio, Texas teaching house of adobe visionary Simone Swan, which features Nubian vaults, constructed by means of an ancient technique rescued by Swan's mentor, the renowned Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy. >Visit the Adobe Alliance webpage for more information about Swan House and photographs.> Transcript  > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Mary Baxter came to Marfa years ago for the horses and cattle business and stayed to paint the sky-haunted landscapes in a Sorolla-like play of light: mountains, plains, horses huddling beneath a cliff, a canyon bruised purple with twilight, gold grass, the visual Haiku of a red water tank. Recently returned to Marfa after a decade in (relatively nearby) Marathon, Texas, Mary Baxter talked to C.M. Mayo in her sun-filled studio in October 2012. > View some of Mary Baxter's works at www.baxtergallery.com > Read her biography and view more works at Hunt Gallery > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Elvis. The private art gallery. Lithium. And even better: no email. C.M. Mayo recounts a visit to this remote Chihuahuan Desert oasis in May of 2012. C.M. Mayo is the author of the novel,The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, which was named a Library Journal Best Book 2009, and the collection Sky Over El Nido, which won the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. She is also author of a travel memoir, Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico. She is at work on a book about the Big Bend region of far West Texas, apropos of which she hosts "Marfa Mondays," a series of 24 podcasts exploring Marfa, Texas and environs. For more about these and other books and podcasts by C.M. Mayo, visit www.cmmayo.com   > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

C.M. Mayo recounts her experiences with the bizarre and mysterious phenomena of the Marfa Lights, comments on some of the literature and research, and interviews other witnesses.  > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

An interview with Paul Graybeal, owner of Marfa's Moonlight Gemstones. It was no exaggeration for historian Walter Prescott Webb to describe the Big Bend region as "an earthwreck in which a great section of country was shaken down, turned over, blown up, and set on fire." In short, there is ample evidence of millions of years of dramatic geological activity, with the craggiest of mountains to rocks of all kinds, from mammoth piles of boulders to pebbles. In this interview with Paul Graybeal, learn about agates, thundereggs, and more. Visit Paul Graybeal's Moonlight Gemstones at www.moonlightgemstones ; and watch the etsy.com video, "There's No Place Like Here: Marfa, Texas" in which Graybeal makes a brief but amusing appearance.  For more about C.M. Mayo's Marfa Mondays Podcasting Projects, visit www.cmmayo.com/marfa > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

An interview with Cynthia McAlister about the bees of West Texas, both imported and native to the northern Chihuahuan Desert. McAlister holds a masters degree in biology from Sul Ross University and is the author of several articles on bees, among them,"Our Native West Texas Bees," which appeared in the winter 2012 issue of Cenizo Journal. Recorded in late January 2012. > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

C.M. Mayo interviews Avram Dumitrescu, an artist and illustrator whose paintings have been featured in "Marfans: Art from the Plateau" at the Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery in Odessa, and also showcased in Cenizo Journal. A native of the Channel Islands and raised in Belfast, he earned a bachelor's degree and Masters in Applied Arts from the University of Ulster at Belfast. He is married to journalist Megan Wilde. For more about Dumitrescu, and to view his portfolio, visit www.onlineavram.com. Recorded in late January 2012. > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

C.M. Mayo interviews Mary Bones, curator of the exhibit "The Lost Colony: Texas Regionalist Paintings," in the Museum of the Big Bend, Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas. The Lost Colony refers to the summer art colony at Sul Ross which began in 1932 and ended somewhat mysteriously in 1950. Alpine is 30 minutes northeast of Marfa-- right next door. Of the region, as Michael Duty writes in the introduction to the exhibit's catalog, "It... has long called to artists who have been captivated by its natural beauty, its history, and its people. In recent times, the area has also drawn the attention of writers and reporters who have written numerous articles touting the area's prominence as something of a center, albeit a far flung one, for contemporary art. Those articles focus primarily on Marfa and the influence that minimalist sculptor Donald Judd has had on the town..." Later, Duty adds, that Judd "was certainly not the first artist to be so captivated". Mary Bones explains the inspiration for the exhibit, and shares the stories about and friendships of some of the painters, in particular Texan Julius Woeltz and his teacher Xavier González, a native of Spain, both of whom made trips to Mexico City to study the Mexican muralists, including Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco. Some of the other painters discussed are Mabel Vandiver, Anna Keener, Elizabeth Keefer, Coreen Mary Spellman, Harry Anthony De Young, Beatrice Cuming, Otis Dozier, William Lester, James Swann, Ethel Edwards, Alice Reynolds, and Juanita Montgomery. Several of these paintings can be seen in the article by Mary Bones, "The Lost Colony: Texas Regionalist Paintings -Rediscovering an Artistic Past," Cenizo Journal, 4th Quarter 2011. > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)    

Interview with Charles Angell, owner of Angell Expeditions, on the Big Bend: how he got here, the rivers, the birds, geology, archaeology, rock art, movies, and much more. > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)

Ever since I first heard about Marfa and the remote mountain ranges of West Texas, I yearned to go there. About a decade ago, on a brief visit, I drank in the majesty of the vast spaces, the bluer than blue skies, and at night, stars beyond stars, and— yes, they're real—the Marfa Lights. But the people? Breezing through, I didn't have a chance to talk to many, for I was deep into writing another book, Miraculous Air, about Baja California, Mexico's nearly 1,000 mile long peninsula. Once that wrapped up, I wanted to come back to explore Marfa but first, what I imagined would be a lickety-split project: researching and writing a novel based on the strange but true story of, as the title says, The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire. It seems a pattern with me, that writing a book always takes about seven times longer than I had planned, but never mind, finally, I am returning to Marfa and West Texas. No, not to live: I'm based in Mexico City, but over the next two years, in a series of journeys, I'll be writing a book about Marfa and environs. So why the podcasts? In the past, as I did while writing Miraculous Air, I would have turned out a series of travel articles for newspapers and magazines. I may still write an article or three, but I am less interested in which is the cheapest / best / coollest bed-and-breakfast & etc., than I am in talking to people and, now that podcasting is possible, rather than stash my notes and taped interviews in the drawer, I can share them widely. With this series of 24 podcasts, scheduled for the third Monday of each month from 2012 through 2013, I invite you to join me in this adventure in listening.  [UPDATE: Through 2016] > Transcript > MARFA MONDAYS PODCASTING PROJECT (ALL PODCASTS)  > World Waiting for a Dream: A Turn in Far West Texas > C.M. Mayo's home page (books, articles, and more)