Find the Good News with Oran Parker

There are people in our lives that everyone knows, and that everyone holds in high regard. That respect often comes from the actions and good works of those individuals. Sometimes it’s their good nature that places them in such high regard. More often, it’s some combination of both. I’m always looking to meet them, these people who bind good works with their good nature, and share their heart and soul with you on Find the Good News. Matt Young, the director of 1911 Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is one of those people. I’ve spoken to Matt many, many times over the years, and while our conversations were never very long, I was always left feeling better than I did before the encounter. Some have said that's Matt’s special gift, the ability to make a person feel like their conversation was the most important one that he had all day. I wouldn’t disagree with that. Matt’s friendly, charming, articulate, and professional; precisely the person anyone would want representing their project, group, organization, or movement,… but I’m always interested in the source. Where do these good qualities come from? What gives rise to them? What’s holding them all together? For Matt, like many of us, it is in the golden seam, the gilded glue that celebrates the cracks and fractures instead of running from them or denying their existence. Like many—like all—Matt Young has faced his own doubts, insecurities, and personal pains. He’s covered his true-and-best self—as many of us have done—fearing that in revealing all our parts we would lose many in our circles of friends, family, and peers. By bringing all the parts of his life out into the open, Matt has actually been witness to something wonderful, something that I would wish for all people. It is the golden seam that binds people to each other, the shining goodness that can be found in the beings around us if we give them a chance to be brighter, the glimmer of hope that invades the cracks and fractures, that heals, that unites. Yes, we talked about his professional journey to where he is today, as well as the new and exciting things that he, and those working with him, have in store for us at 1911 Historic City Hall. While all of those things are soaked in good news for Southwest Louisiana, I believe it’s Matt Young’s heart, radiating genuine kindness and goodness, that will make all of his good works and future endeavors pure gold.

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THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT MATT YOUNG & 1911 HISTORIC CITY HALL >> www.instagram.com/mattyoung84 or www.facebook.com/mattyoung84 and www.facebook.com/historiccityhallartsandculture 

When I started Find the Good News I couldn’t have predicted the effect it would have on me. Each and every guest has left an impact. This is the absolute truth; I think about each one of them in some small way each day. John O’Donnell, the man I visit with in episode 25, doesn’t break that stride. In fact, John's eagerness to serve and willingness to lead has only motivated me to continue seeking out good people in this community and beyond, bringing their personal stories to you. Whether it’s impacting our region through his day job as the director of the Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center, or the myriad of ways he puts his passions to work in our communities on a grassroots level, John is motivating people to be more active, to live healthier lives, and to get involved in small ways that make a big difference. John is knowledgable about what he’s talking about, and he has to be. When you're making changes you’re often making waves, and those who rock the boat should be able to back up their reasons for doing it. What I loved about John is that he doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to making changes, things that need to happen right now, and he presents these issues—as well as the possible solutions—in an infectious way that makes you want to start making them right away. My perception is that with each venture into good works, John O’Donnell is consciously learning—taking note of what worked, and what didn’t—and then adjusting his thinking and tactics to ensure that the next go-round is more successful. He’s working a long plan that will enhance the quality of life in Southwest Louisiana on many dimensions, but at the same time, he’s making sure there are small and visible victories along the way to help us all stay motivated to keep working toward a broader vision. He’ll make you think twice about what you’re cooking and eating, where you’re shopping, the businesses you support, the laws you're voting for, the way we’re planning and building, as well as the way we’re all getting around from place to place. It’s good news for all of us when there are people like John O’Donnell in the community. Not only are they good people, but they are stepping into leadership roles, and teaching the next generation of leaders by their example. 

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THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT JOHN O'DONNELL >> www.instagram.com/johnodonnell or www.swlahec.com 

Someone asked me how I go about finding good people, and determining whether or not they have good news to share. When I set out to Find the Good News I honestly just open a door, make an invitation, and give a person a safe and honest space to share what’s in their heart and mind, to share their story. It’s not hard to find the good in a person when those elements are in place. Sometimes, even if those elements aren’t in place you meet people that just give off a good vibe, that has an infectious joy and energy, and you want to see what they’ve got going on in their life. Local artist and art teacher Meagan Green was one of those people. Another Good Newsy recommended I get in touch with Meagan for the show, and they were spot on. I got a good sense about Meagan as soon as she showed up at the studio. For two people who didn’t know each other, we ended up sharing a lot of common territories, both spiritually and creatively. For me, as a confirmed Catholic, and the father of a gay son, her lecture titled “Opening a Dialogue for Queer Catholicism through Visual Art” spoke directly to me. We wandered into territory about our shared faith in this episode, and It’s my hope that what we share will open minds and soften hearts. Meagan is fun and funny, and I could tell that the creative spark in working in her. Her paintings and art installations are thought provoking, filled with meaning, and executed with the control of an artist well beyond her years. Beyond that, Meagan has been called to serve the next generation of artists as a teacher in Southwest Louisiana, pushing her students to explore new creative mediums, and exposing them to modern masters that are breaking through conventional artistic boundaries. So, how do I go about finding good people for this show? I just have to look. I have to listen. I’ll keep doing both, because when I do I rise up above the fuzzy and messy noise of sensationalism, and see people like Meagan Green there in plain sight, right here in my community, embedded in my faith,  ascending above the prejudices of the world, and sharing the good news of her life and talents with others.

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THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY PARKER BRAND CREATIVE SERVICES >> www.ParkerBrandUp.com

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT MEAGAN GREEN >> www.kmeagangreen.com or www.facebook.com/meagan.green.79