Our next guest on Sharing the Mic with David Phillips (January 1st) is the esteemed Katy Clune, who serves as Virginia’s state Folklorist and is the innovative Director of the Virginia Folklife Program at Virginia Humanities. With a profound commitment to preserving and promoting the rich tapestry of diverse cultures and traditions throughout the state, Katy's work is vital in fostering community pride and cultural heritage. She holds a master’s degree in Folklore from the prestigious University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she cultivated her passion for exploring the stories and practices that shape our lives. 

Her expertise and dedication were recognized with the honor of an Archie Green Fellowship from the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, highlighting her significant contributions to the field. Based in the historic city of Charlottesville, Virginia, Katy draws on her extensive background in cultural communications to engage with communities, ensuring that their voices and traditions are not only heard but thrive for generations to come.

Award-winning writer and author Tom Horton, a native of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, has written about the environment for the Baltimore Sun for over three decades. His lifelong interest in the Chesapeake Bay Region has found expression in a number of writings, including his memoir of life on Smith Island in the book An Island Out of Time (1996), as well as Bay Country, The Great Marsh, Turning the Tide, and Water's Way. Tom’s articles have also been featured in National Geographic. Tom has presented several lectures over the years at the BIC and brought his Salisbury University students here for learning tours during their class kayak trips. His last presentation of the documentary film Beautiful Swimmers Revisited was a standing-room only event.   

Cullen Strawn, PhD, Executive Director for the 
Arts at Old Dominion University has also overseen an art exhibition honoring the life and work of Eastern Shore artist and pastor Mary Elizabeth "MAMA-Girl" Onley (1953 - 2018). The exhibition is free and open to the public and will remain on view through May 10, 2025, at the Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries at Old Dominion University.

Folks are invited to explore a diverse collection of some 150 artworks and objects from MAMA-Girl’s studio, generously shared with the public by more than a dozen lenders, including the Barrier Islands Center and residents of the Eastern Shore, along with others across Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.

On this month’s episode of “Sharing the Mic,” host David Phillips sits down with Eastern Shore native Barry Mears. Author of the 2023 book Living Shoreborn: A Glimpse into Life on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Barry captures the power of community – not only in the book, but also in his daily life.

David Phillips chats with 3 former BIC Margaret Jane Dickinson interns. Tune in on September 1st to find out what Max Patten, Destin Rodgers, and Anna Hart have been up to since their respective summers in Machipongo! 

Our guest is Blake Tullos, BIC's Margaret Jane Dickinson Intern for the Summer of 2024. A native of Magnolia, TX, Blake's collegiate undergraduate studies brought him to Virginia – first to Hampden-Sydney College and then to James Madison University, where he's a rising senior. At James Madison University, he is pursuing a B.A. in International Affairs and a minor in history. 

Our guest is David Goodrich, author, retired United Nations climatologist, former head of the UN Global Climate Observing System, and helmsman on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather ship. Goodrich is the author of two non-fiction books that combine the science of climate change with distance cycling travel logs. His first book, A Hole in the Wind, captures Goodrich’s bicycle journey across the United States as he speaks with Americans from all political persuasions about climate change. His second book, A Voyage Across an Ancient Ocean, follows Goodrich as he cycles across the Western Interior Seaway. Goodrich has also published several other short non-fiction and fiction works in The Humanist, The Potomac Review, and National Geographic Traveler.

Jon Wehner of Chatham Vineyards - Chatham Vineyards is owned and operated by the Wehner family at historic Chatham Farm, a working farm for four centuries.

Jon Wehner is a second-generation winegrower on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. He learned about grape growing from his parents, who operated Great Falls Vineyard in Great Falls, Virginia, for over thirty years. He and his wife, Mills, and their three children own and operate the vineyard and winery.

Ken Heath of the gospel group Ken Heath and the True Disciples: Ken is part of the gospel band The True Disciples, who will once again perform at Art and Music on the Farm at the BIC in May. He is a native of Petersburg, Virginia, where he was raised to the sounds of the gospel music of the Black Holiness Church and Virginia’s rich gospel quartet tradition. The True Disciples are known for their spirited, electrifying performances. 

Ken Heath of the gospel group Ken Heath and the True Disciples: Ken is part of the gospel band The True Disciples, who will once again perform at Art and Music on the Farm at the BIC in May. He is a native of Petersburg, Virginia, where he was raised to the sounds of the gospel music of the Black Holiness Church and Virginia’s rich gospel quartet tradition. The True Disciples are known for their spirited, electrifying performances.