And Then Suddenly

Melissa Panszi Riebe was at a crossroads in her career when she shared her jewelry making dreams with an acquaintance over dinner. The conversation that followed inspired her to launch A D'Zine. We talk about her transition from social worker to maker, the power of jewelry, and running a small business with purpose.

Susan was a high school junior in Great Falls, Montana when she was accepted into a vocal performance program at Tanglewood in Massachusetts. Being in a new place with fellow creatives changed what she thought was possible. We talk about broadening horizons, the road to writing, and why a teenage moment still matters today.

Susan is the first two-time visiting guest on the show! Check out episode 19 for her other moment.

Welcome to Season Three! It's been a while since I've released an episode and there's a reason for that. So let's catch up and kick off the season with where I've been. It's a story about mental health, long recoveries, and a bit about my audio destroying cat.

Thirty episodes with guests from around the country and the world, Season Two has been quite the ride. A quick look back at the unexpected moments and a big thank you to the people who shared their stories, the listeners who tuned in, and to the incredible leadership at Voice for partnering with the show for And Then Suddenly; Rising Voices.

And the season ends with a huge thank you to the healthcare workers who impact our lives, with special messages from previous guests Jack Ridl, Becky Curran Kekula, Susan Fritz, Catherine Rondthaler, and Neema Tembele.

Until Season Three, take care and stay healthy!

After learning the fifth round of IVF didn't work out, Elizabeth Howard Phillips realized she couldn't keep putting her body through treatments. Less than two years later, Kenneth Phillips found himself nervously driving Elizabeth and their adopted baby away from the hospital. From their hotel room in Florida, we talk about their journey through infertility, the craziness that comes with adopting a baby during a pandemic, and their new bright light Eleanor.

Additional Resources

• Connect with Elizabeth Howard Phillips
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Ashley Lauren Rogers was working in the steampunk scene when she learned a friend and colleague was accused of nonconsensual relations with someone else in the community. Seeing how willing people were able to dismiss the claims, her decision to immediately step away from the scene changed everything. We talk about the fantasy of steampunk, what happens when you decide to take a stand, why it's important to believe survivors.

Additional Resources

• Connect with Ashley: www.ashleylaurenrogers.com
• Is it Transphobic podcast
• Right to Play podcast
• New Play Exchange: Ashley Lauren Rogers

From her grandfather's passing on January 2nd to a friend's death in February to a global pandemic in March, the year 2020 has been a slow moving fire for Katherine Cooper. We talk about how she is navigating this collection of sudden moments during an unprecedented time and what it means to grieve "the right way."

Additional Resources

• Harvard Business Review: "That Discomfort You're Feeling is Grief"
• Katherine Cooper on Instagram

On May 23, 2015, scientist Jad Mahmoud Halabi was at a mall when he learned his Dad passed away. As his constant support system, his Dad taught him to embrace failure, see the world, and take advantage of every opportunity. Something switched after his passing and Jad decided to live this advice. We talk about what this new outlook is teaching him about his Dad's life, how it is increasing his curiosity, and how it impacts his work in science communication.

Additional Resources

• Jad Mahmoud Halabi on Twitter

When theater artist Paola Irun's father became ill, she made the choice to end her visa, her time in New York City, and return home to Paraguay. His eventual passing changed everything and sent Paola on a journey to find that "something" that had always been missing. We talk about how grief led her into the worlds of boxing, yoga, and how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted her art and life in Paraguay.

Additional Resources

• Paola Irun
  • On Facebook
  • On Instagram
• Her theater company Enborrador
  • On Facebook
  • On Instagram

Translation of opening audio:

I live my life the way I can. I do what I can. I go on as I can. But then the universe hits you with something. BAM! And everything stops, everything becomes still, paralyzed, immobile.

And I thought about stopping today (March 8th, International Women's Day), because today March 8th everything stopped, the world stopped, women stopped. And then, I told myself … my way of stopping is to make people listen to me, to listen to what I have to say. People need to listen to us. And not just right now but all through the night! …. LISTEN

-From the play "NOMBRE" which had to be cancelled due to corona virus pandemic, 4 days after its opening

Carmel Fauci was working in insurance when she met her second husband. He was a charismatic, brilliant underwriter and she learned he was a violent alcoholic right before the wedding. We talk about their relationship, her experience with men as a successful businesswoman, and what happened when she finally met her soulmate.

Additional links

• Carmel on Facebook