Gary Malkin is "a seven time Emmy® award-winning composer, producer, performer, public speaker and Experiential Strategist dedicated to making a difference in the world by creating music-driven media and experiences that inspire the heart and catalyze individual and societal healing." "Gary’s grief from an unimaginable tragedy became a catalyst for his new life. Gary has found a sense of meaning and purpose in creating music and introducing all forms of the arts as healing tools. His organization that he co-founded with Clint G. Rogers, Wisdom of the World, produces media that combine musical and visual aids and spoken messages to engage our senses and deepen our receptivity to compassion, peace, empathy, forgiveness, gratefulness and patience."

Nae Lowery is optimistic. She and her twin brother were adopted by white parents in St. Louis. Both boys identified as gay going through public school, but Nae always knew she was, at heart, a female. Raised in a Christian church and active in worship there, they were shocked to be excommunicated when they 'came out.' Nae has been in the performing arts and is now a freshman majoring in journalism at Webster University. She is one of the speakers at the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Virtual Conference Feb.23-25. Also see Webster Speaks.

Precious Hardy says it took a village of support to get her where she is today. Her strong mother was very important in that 'village.' At Lincoln University in Jefferson City, she answered an ad for work because she had run out of money. The work was with Dr. Mara Aruguete in Psychology. Together they authored what came to be known as the Student Support Needs Scale. Now she is writing her dissertation for her PhD in Educational Psychology at Mizzou and is part of the Graduate Scholars of Excellence who mentor and recruit disadvantaged students.

Robin Clay is now Manager of Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives in the Office of Admissions at the Mizzou Med School plus working on his doctorate degree in the School of Education. He was my student his freshman year and we've loosely kept up since. He was introducing Ambassador Andrew Young at the recent MLK virtual celebration. He is in a perfect place to grow and make significant contributions in our evolving world. We touch on the Mizzou uprising of 2015 and Andrew Young's spotlight on the power of Jonathan Butler's spiritual, non-violent act of a hunger strike. One man changed so much and still there's much more to change.

The Howard County Bandstand has been well used since it was built in 1971 on the Courthouse grounds. A 50-year anniversary celebration is being planned for April 17 at 2pm. Stay tuned to see if Covid-19 and other factors cause a change of plans. Murph Tetley followed his father's footsteps in going to Central Methodist College, majoring in music, and playing the French Horn. He got his masters at MU and directed bands for 8 years before shifting to work in the computer industry and eventually teaching Management Information Systems at William Woods.

By responding to selected quotes made by Andrew Young through the years, Frank and Stephen sometimes agree and sometimes disagree in their personal perspectives of the quotes. Frank came to Mizzou in 1978 with his late African American wife and family and found the Columbia community less friendly than the campus community. Stephen arrived in 2016 following the 2014 Concerned Student 1-9-5-0 challenge to the Mizzou administration. He observes that Black students continue to be on the receiving end of microaggressions on and off campus. 

Dr. Larry G. Brown, known locally and nationally for both his expertise on White Nationalism and his professional gift of Story Telling, talks about growing up in Nebraska and family influences on the trajectory of his life. First in his family to go to college followed by Pastor preparation (Master of Divinity) at seminary in Indiana, Larry came to Columbia, MO in 1975 to get another Masters and then his PhD from the Mizzou College of Ed. He stayed and taught at Mizzou, Stephens, and now OSHER. He's done 100 interviews on Radio Friends with Paul Pepper singing and telling stories. 

There are only a dozen or so Certified Organic vegetable farms in Missouri which is another reason why Happy Hollow Farm is so special. Liz and Katie raise their two kids there and the place has evolved every year in infrastructure and offerings. CSAs work by memberships and as you can see at the website, there are several options for membership. High tunnels make some veggies available year round. Partnering with other organic providers gives variety to what can be offered to members and sold at the Farmer's Market in Columbia. 

My take is that Lee Lewis listened with a 'third ear' and it served him well. He built on new opportunities always expanding his capacities. His  threads in life include Health and Wellness, truth seeking, adventurer, house building, and family. He taught school in Norway, quit the Ocean Ranger the year before its disaster and has followed the principles of Bahá’í for 50 years. We met in an Ancient Secrets zoom meeting and I realized we had a few common threads. I appreciate Lee's humble spirit and ready humor.

Reuben Faloughi was saddened to hear a present-day Black senior at Mizzou confess not knowing about the campus events of 2015 that led to the resignation of the UM System President. But Reuben started to see the lack of commitment to systemic change the next year when he was "transitioned" out of his assistantship at The Bridge. "For a Black man, living is a form of activism." Today, Reuben is still healing and realizes that "everyone is wounded" and needs healing. "Racism is in the DNA of America and may be permanent." "I will embody being a good man."