Lives Radio Show With Stuart Chittenden

Aly Peeler is a singer songwriter, ukulele instructor, mama, mentor, community organizer, and host of one of the most diverse talent filled open mics in Omaha. Aly was recognized by the 2019 Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards for best Americana and folk performer and enjoys performing with some of the most talented musicians around, including Andrew Bailie, David Hawkins, Mitch Towne, Collin Smith, and more. In our conversation, Aly talks about why she creates music, her songwriting craft, musical inspirations, and life as a performer during the pandemic. We also get to hear a recording of one of her songs as well as a couple of live rough cuts and a front porch street performance.

Sally Brown is a writer, artist and curator who focuses on feminist issues and women artists. In this show, Sally shares her transition from fashion design to art, her passion for art that explores female-centric perspectives, and the evolution of her project Les Femmes Folles. Her writing has been published in Bitch Magazine, Hyperallergic and Artslant, among others. Her artwork has been published and exhibited in the US and UK. The recipient of two Nebraska Book Awards for illustrating books, Sally edits Les Femmes Folles, a blog supporting women in art, and serves as Curator for West Virginia University. 

Women Who Run Nebraska is a state political action committee aiming to help elect more progressive women up and down the ballot. It was founded by Denise Powell and Leanne Prewitt who in this show explain the nuts and bolts of setting up and running a PAC, share their motivations for founding it, and the stunning successes that Women Who Run Nebraska saw in the November elections. They also share a little of what to expect in the coming months and years.

Precious McKesson makes history on Dec. 14, 2020 as the first African-American woman elector for Nebraska’s Second Congressional District, casting her vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Recognizing the inspiration and hard work of strong black women, McKesson reflects on being the elector, her role as political director for the Biden for President Nebraska campaign, how she came into politics, and what the future holds.

Poet and teacher Sarah McKinstry-Brown discusses the role of poetry and poets in this fragile time, as well as discussing themes explored in her poetry book, This Bright Darkness, related to mother-daughter relationships and the difficulties faced by women throughout time. McKinstry-Brown also talks about her poetic craft and the privilege and pleasure of teaching.

Reverend Dr. Eric Elnes, currently senior Minister for Countryside Community Church in Omaha, NE talks about his faith journey, his “Asphalt Jesus” walk as an affirmation of his beliefs, the intersections of social justice and theology, innovations in worship, and his new calling as he prepares to depart the Midwest for a new position at First Congregational United Church of Christ, Portland, OR, returning to his native Pacific Northwest.

Ilana Shapiro Yahdav shares her personal story of grief and her motivation to becoming an advanced certified https://www.yahdavhanlon.com/ (grief recovery specialist). Ilana describes what grief is, its non-linear nature, and its impacts upon us, as well as how we might work through our experiences with grief, especially during the pandemic.

Greg Ptacek is the President of Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company in Wayne, NE – Nebraska’s first benefit corporation brewery – before which he was Director of Economic Development for the City of Neligh, NE. We talk about his rural small town upbringing, his commitment to rural development, and the inspiration behind his founding Johnnie Byrd Brewery.

Sarah Rowe is a mixed media and performance artist and co-founder of Sweatshop Gallery in Omaha, NE. Rowe is of Lakota and Ponca descent and talks with me about how her work confronts issues of self-identity and exploitation and re-imagines traditional Native American symbology to fit the narrative of today’s cultural landscape. Rowe shares her life's artistic trajectory, influences, and aspirations.

Edison Red Nest III is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. After pivotal experiences in his life, culminating in serving a prison term, Edison learned a growing appreciation for his rich cultural heritage and traditions, which led to him founding Native Futures in 2013. Native Futures is a for-profit entity dedicated to supporting the flourishing of Native peoples and is the only native-owned and operated business in Nebraska’s Panhandle. As well as being an entrepreneur, Edison is a keen lacrosse player and owner of a drive-in movie theater!

Senator Adam Morfeld is the http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist46/ (Nebraska State Senator for District 46) in Lincoln and Executive Director of https://www.civicnebraska.org/ (Civic Nebraska), which he founded in 2008 while an undergraduate. Senator Morfeld talks with me about formative influences in his life, including being raised in a single parent household with his working mom occasionally using government subsidies and food support when times were tough. Senator Morfeld also discusses avoiding the corruption of power, how legislation gets made, working with elected officials across the aisle, and his aspirations for Civic Nebraska's efforts.

Mary Fraser Meints, currently Executive Director of Youth Emergency Services (YES) in Omaha, has spent her life advocating for at-risk youth. Meints has spent thirty-five years in the world of child welfare and juvenile justice including leadership roles with Uta Halee Girls Village and The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. In our conversation, Meints shares the work of YES and some of the powerful stories of the youth served, as well as her own life andmotivations.

Pole vaulter Jenny Green was predicted by Team USA’s trainers at https://trainatchulavista.com/ (Chula Vista), CA to be a potential Olympic Record breaker. Jenny was number two in the world in her age group, but that dream came crashing down at the Junior World Championships, where she had a fall, landing on concrete from 14 feet in the air, breaking her back. Yet this traumatic event opened up other opportunities to excel. Now a wellness expert working with https://www.welcoa.org/ (WELCOA), Jenny shares the empowering story of her athletic, professional, and personal rise, fall, and rise again.

Award winning author and poet http://www.rebeccarotert.com/ (Rebecca Rotert) joins me in conversation for this week’s show. Recorded via Zoom, we talk about her novel http://www.rebeccarotert.com/aboutnovel (Last Night at the Blue Angel) and its themes of motherhood and ambition, relationships, love and sacrifice, and masculinity. Rebecca also offers some advice for aspiring writers, reads from her epic poem Understory, and shares some of her own personal history and understory.

As co-founder and co-owner of http://verdisgroup.com/ (Verdis Group), a sustainability consulting firm, Craig Moody shares an evolving definition of sustainability and how Verdis Group’s work is increasingly guided by broader parameters. including issues of justice and race equity. Craig also speaks to the reaction of corporate America to issues of sustainability after the 2016 Presidential election, the opportunities inherent in the current pandemic crisis, as well as the entrepreneurial lessons he has learned over the last decade. In 2016, Craig was elected to the https://www.oppd.com/ (Omaha Public Power District) board of directors and currently serves as the chair of the board. We speak about the rigors of campaigning and of fulfilling the obligations of public service. Craig also shares the personal story behind his becoming an organ donor to his brother and one or two other surprising moments.

Artist Watie White helps us celebrate the 150th episode of Lives Radio Show & Podcast returning after having been the show's first guest in January 2017! This show is part two of our conversation in which Watie talks about the impact on his life and artistic practice of Rembrandt's The Omval and shares the surprising father and son coming of age story behind his forthcoming major exhibition at The KANEKO.

Artist Watie White helps us celebrate the 150th episode of Lives Radio Show & Podcast returning after having been the show's first guest in January 2017! This show is part one of our conversation in which Watie talks about his public art projects “Paying Attention is a Form of Prayer” at Fontenelle Forest and “100 People” all around Omaha, as well as how collaboration and co-creation appear in his artistic practice. Part two of our conversation airs next week.

Micah Yost is a serial entrepreneur. Over the past 10 years, he has started a handful of companies - some successful and some not – and consulted on $1 billion worth of fundraising deals for area companies. Micah talks about the attributes of entrepreneurship and his observations on Omaha's entrepreneurial ecosystem, as well as sharing his own personal story and motivation.

Community leader Topher Hansen has been involved in the substance use and mental health field since 1975. Since 2000, Topher has been the CEO of CenterPointe, a behavioral health organization that provides crisis response, treatment, rehabilitation and housing services for persons with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. We talk about the origins of CenterPointe, the social stigma around substance use and mental health issues, the needs in the community, and some of the personal stories that illustrate these issues.

David Scott was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, before journeying via Greece, Bali, and other destinations to settle in America's Midwest where he currently works for The Peregrine Hotel, a new boutique hotel in downtown Omaha opening later this year. An award winning hotel management and hospitality industry professional, David talks with me about the appeal of hospitality and the impact of the pandemic, his efforts towards diversity and inclusion in the industry, and more broadly about his life.