Hey Amarillo

A conversation with Deetress Peoples, the Canyon resident behind the "Black is Beautiful" book project and a member of WT's Faculty and Staff Diversity and Inclusion Council. With host Jason Boyett, Peoples shares how parenting propelled her into community activism. She shares about her upbringing, driving for Uber in Amarillo, and why uplifting the local community of Black residents in Amarillo and Canyon is so important to her. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative and Jimmy John's.

A conversation with Jami Cowart, voter registration coordinator for the Amarillo League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization. Cowart grew up in Amarillo before moving away as a college student. She spent the next two decades living in and around Nashville before returning to her hometown. With host Jason Boyett, Cowart discusses how Amarillo has changed, why she got into politics, and why the upcoming local election is so significant for Amarillo's future. This episode is sponsored by Wieck Realty and Terra Accounting & Consulting.

A conversation with Molly Dyer, an Amarillo resident and the host of the popular "Witchcraft Off the Beaten Path" podcast. Molly grew up in a very conservative faith tradition, but today describes herself as a witch and practitioner of paganism. With host Jason Boyett, she describes arriving in Amarillo a few years ago from the Texas Hill Country after a career in law enforcement. Despite an outlook that may set her at odds with most local religious beliefs, Molly says, "I absolutely LOVE Amarillo."

A conversation with Lonnie Shaw, the owner of SkyWest Assisted Living in Amarillo and Canyon. A long-time entrepreneur, Lonnie has owned and operated multiple businesses, from janitorial services to remodeling and restoration. He bought SkyWest after his father became a resident there. Several years later, he'd be enduring the biggest challenge of his career. With host Jason Boyett, Shaw shares about his unusual career path and how COVID impacted life and work in a facility like his. This episode is sponsored by Terra Accounting & Consulting and Shemen Dental.

A conversation with Marcy McKay, a local, award-winning novelist and the author of the recent book, When Life Feels Like a House Fire: Transforming Your COVID-19 Stress. McKay and her family survived a house fire in their Wolflin home several years ago. She draws on that experience to share with host Jason Boyett how anxiety, insomnia, depression and other tensions all relate to trauma. She also details the ways Amarillo continues to inform her writing. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative and La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries.

A conversation with Brian Hudson, a project manager with Xcel Energy. Trained as an aerospace engineer—a literal rocket scientist—Hudson briefly pursued a defense industry career before returning to Amarillo. He recently oversaw the completion of the massive, $900 million Sagamore Wind Project, which provides clean energy to residents of the Texas Panhandle. With host Jason Boyett, Hudson shares why he came back to Amarillo, how COVID restrictions nearly derailed the wind project, and why this area is perfect for renewable energy. This episode is sponsored by Bivins Pointe and Terra Accounting & Consulting.

A conversation with Ana Ramirez, a senior business consultant with the Small Business Development Center at WTAMU. The daughter of immigrants, Ramirez works almost exclusively with the local Hispanic community. She helps small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs navigate everything from idea generation to market research. She shares with host Jason Boyett how she found her niche in our community and why the Hispanic workforce is so central to Amarillo's future. This episode is sponsored by Jimmy John's and Wieck Realty.

A conversation with Dr. James Avery Rush IV, MD, who goes by the nickname "Jave." A psychiatrist, he shares with host Jason Boyett about the impact of COVID on local residents' mental health, plus his work with elderly dementia patients and a vital new facility coming to Amarillo. He also gives insight into the reason he and his family—including his high-achieving younger brothers and his father—have invested so much in Amarillo. This episode is sponsored by Pesttex and Terra Accounting & Consulting.

A conversation with Robyn Bilson, owner of the creative branding agency Hatched Studio. She found her way into her marketing business by way of the fashion world, after launching and learning to market Semblance boutique (now closed) several years ago. With host Jason Boyett, she shares about introducing some of Austin to Amarillo, the state of women's fashion, and why more and more women-owned businesses are taking shape in our city. This episode is sponsored by Shemen Dental and La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries.

A conversation with Clay Stribling, President/CEO of the Amarillo Area Foundation. A Hereford native and former attorney with Brown and Furtunato, Stribling guides this community foundation as it serves the Texas Panhandle, from supporting nonprofits to matching donors with community needs. Clay shares with host Jason Boyett his path into this unique position and why AAF has invested so heavily in the Panhandle's future. This episode is sponsored by SKP Creative and Terra Accounting & Consulting.