Arkansas is being rapidly targeted by companies building AI and cloud data centers because of cheap land, lax regulations, and low utility costs.

The state and local elected officials will scream that AI data centers bring in so many jobs and revenue to Arkansas but they won't tell you about:

1. The extreme amount of water consumption needed for data centers for the cooling.

2. Massive electricity demand that raises utility rates for working families, all of our utility rates will rise while the billion-dollar corporations running the centers will get discounts on their bills.

3. Noise pollution that harms nearby residents, that makes our small communities unlivable or undesirable for residents.

4. Environmental harm on rural and low-income communities

5. They are dealing in corporate secrecy and little democratic oversight, none of their contracts have been made open to the public.

6. Few permanent jobs relative to the harm they cause.

7. Potential displacement due to land grabs and pressure on small towns. If you're interested in meeting with me to learn more drop a comment so that we can schedule a time.

Tap in with me January 31, 2026 1:00pm for a community discussion about this data center campaign.

Contact me at Osyrus Bolly - [email protected]

The episode of The Folding Chair podcast with Osyrus Bolly is dedicated to the month of September which is Suicide Prevention Month. I had the pleasure of interviewing a dynamic individual, Susie Reynolds Reece.

Susie Reynolds Reece is a powerfully engaging storyteller, mental health activist, and communication strategist who blends her lived and living experiences with evidence-based insights.

An avid writer, she explores the intersections of creative expression, autoethnographic storytelling, and best practices to pose new approaches to age-old issues. Her work reflects tragedy and resilience, drawing on real-life lessons to educate and encourage audiences to act.

Known for her ability to navigate complex topics with clarity, compassion, and grace, Susie approaches every space authentically. She deftly weaves humor, curiosity, and vulnerability into every message to ensure it leaves its mark.

Whether in her writing or on a stage, her stories stay with people long after they’re shared. Susie has led national training initiatives, advised federal organizations, and partnered with government agencies, nonprofits, and institutions to design impactful and effective communication-based strategies.

Her work consistently improves outcomes and helps organizations translate values into practice. She has expertise in applied communication, organizational program and instructional curricula development, crisis and conflict management, and lived experience-driven leadership.

As Director of Lived Experience Initiatives at the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), Reece leads national and multi-organizational efforts to embed lived and living experience(s) into programs, policies, and professional pathways.

As a trusted liaison and advocate for lived experience experts, Reece develops innovative practices that shape international guidance to center those with direct experience across disciplines.

Learn more about her at susiereece.org

On this episode, I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Ellen Chiocca and Dr. Esaa Mohammad Sabti Samarah about ending corporal punishment in schools. The mission of Arkansans Against School Paddling is to achieve a statewide ban on the use of corporal punishment in Arkansas schools by educating school personnel, board members, and legislators, encouraging lawmakers to sponsor a legislative ban, and promoting alternative, evidence-based disciplinary strategies rooted in respect and positive relationships rather than fear and pain. They also advocate for the protection of all students, not just those with severe disabilities, from this outdated practice

Dr. Esaa Mohammad Samarah

Dr. Esaa Mohammad Sabti Samarah is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

• He holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Florida and an MSW from Florida State University.

• His doctoral work focuses on child welfare accountability, policy implementation, displacement, and the experiences of religious minorities within the foster care system.

• Before academia, Dr. Samarah worked as a Child Protective Investigator in Florida and served as a Research Coordinator in university labs. His work is informed by both field experience and empirical research.

• He has earned recognition for academic achievement, including a Medal of Honor from the University of Florida.

Dr. Ellen M. Chiocca, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri.

• Dr. Chiocca completed her PhD in December 2018, and she has over two decades of experience as a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, serving vulnerable children and families.

• Her teaching and research interests include pediatric primary care, family health, cultural and developmental aspects of child assessment, and serving populations that may face barriers to health and wellness.

• Dr. Chiocca is known for her commitment to mentoring, educational excellence, and for integrating clinical practice with scholarship in child health.

On this episode of The Folding Chair podcast this discussion explores how proposed and enacted federal budget cuts affect everyday Arkansans. The conversation with Camille Richoux highlights which groups are most vulnerable to funding reductions, how budget choices reflect political priorities, and what Arkansans can do to organize and advocate for a fair and equitable federal budget that invests in people and communities rather than leaving them behind.Camille Richoux is the Health Policy Director at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, where she leads the organization's work to improve health access and outcomes in the state. A native of Louisiana, Camille was raised in rural South Arkansas, where she developed a passion for health justice through her mother’s advocacy work for children in foster care. She is a doctoral candidate in public health from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), where she obtained her Master of Public Health. She has published research in overdose prevention, harm reduction, and quality of life issues in LGBTQ+ youth. Camille serves on the board of the CAHR project, a grassroots organization working to prevent overdose and infectious disease transmission in Central Arkansas. 

“Storytelling Through the Arts: Banned Books & Beyond” featuring the innovative works of artist Loni Harshaw, a Little Rock native and art educator. Check out the upcoming events for this powerful exhibition:

Artist Reception Friday, August 8, 2025 - 5:30 pm

Artist Talk : Saturday, August 23, 2025 - 2 pm 

Media Specialist Panelist Discussion - Saturday, August 30, 2025  - 2 pm 

Loni Harshaw is the Visual Arts Chair at Little Rock Southwest Magnet High School in Little Rock, Arkansas and is currently an Adjunct Professor at Philander Smith University, where she has taught Art Fundamentals for the past 7 years.

She earned her B.S. in Visual Arts Education at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in 2009, her M.S.E in Educational Theory and Practice from Arkansas State University- Jonesboro in 2012, and her ESOL Certification 2023. Harshaw is a proud member of the Tau Rho Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and Lambda Nu chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, International Music Fraternity for Women. She has been teaching for 15 years. 

Harshaw is very passionate about the arts and education. She has mostly taught ART I, II, and III, Drawing I & II, Applied Art, and Art Appreciation for the Little Rock School District. She has served as an Art Facilitator for the Timmons Arts Foundation, Say It Loud! Readers and Writers, and various churches around the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock. She has been a club sponsor and co-sponsor for several art and social justice clubs at each school she has worked. Harshaw has taught all levels of education and has taught around the world; in Boston, MA, Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Kampala, Uganda.

Harshaw has helped build the Visual Arts Department at Southwest High by developing the mission and vision for the art programs, Senior Art Night, Community Art Nights, SEL Maker’s Space for Faculty and Staff, and visiting Middle Schools for recruitment. She has shown her dedication to the arts, on the district and state level, by leading professional developments, serving on the Artistry in the Rock Committee, and developing the first Middle School Portfolio Day.

As an Art Educator, Harshaw has chosen Art Literacy, telling and creating stories through art, as her primary mission. Her first body of art, as an emerging artist, focuses on banned book authors and is entitled “The Banned Book Series”. In this 25 piece series, she highlights authors of various ages, genres, and genders. Her professional debut was at the “Conversations with Artist Frank Frazier” as a visiting artist in December 2024. Her artwork is currently a part of the “HerSTORY & Beyond” exhibit at the Spellman Museum of Forney History in Forney, TX and the “In Search of Myself” exhibit at the ArtsXchange in East Point, GA. She will be a guest on The Finesse Media Podcast in April, 2025, where she will discuss the importance of Art Literacy.

Loni Harshaw’s most recent body of work is dedicated to musicians and the stories they tell. The purpose of this body of work is to spark a dialogue about each musical artist and the relevance of them being showcased together. She wants the viewers to search the musicians, listen to their music, and see how the generations have influenced the others. So often we forget about the foundation of different genres of music and how all of them are truly connected; this body of art is meant to ignite that forgotten curiosity about music, its origins, and its original story.

On this episode of The Folding Chair with Osyrus Bolly, Brotha Knowledge and myself explore the incredible potential for positive transformation and success that can emerge after incarceration with Maurice Burnette Ford.Maurice Burnette Ford is a speaker, author, and founder of 5 Times a Slave LLC, an organization dedicated to justice reform, storytelling, and community healing. He is the author of 5 Times a Slave: The Death and Resurrection of Maurice Burnette Ford and 5 Times a Slave: How Childhood Trauma Can Create a Career Criminal.

Drawing from his lived experiences with incarceration, addiction, and redemption, Ford uses his voice to break generational cycles and inspire transformation. His work explores the deep impact of childhood trauma on adult behavior, while offering a message of hope, healing, and personal responsibility.

Check out his books on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0FF3V8XZQ?ingress=0&visitId=92983629-b9d7-49b6-9f5a-30e986a0a954&ccs_id=91620cc8-3ac3-471c-8b02-f1c9e25698a5

The Folding Chair with Osyrus Bolly is back with another episode!

1. Let’s talk about what’s really in the NOT SO Big Beautiful Bill and why it matters with Dr. Quinyatta Mumford as she explains how it affects Arkansans, especially Black, rural, and low-income communities.

2. We also dive into the powerful work of her organization Village Public Health, which is a growing force for equity, education, and community care.

Dr. Quinyatta Mumford, Public Health Practitioner and Founder of Village Public Health and the Village Public Health Training Center.

Dr. Quinyatta Mumford is a dedicated public health practitioner whose life’s work centers on creating spaces where young people recognize and use their power. As the Founder and CEO of Village Public Health and the Village Public Health Training Center, she leads with a bold commitment to proactive and preventative care, weaving mental, physical, and emotional wellness into every initiative.

Guided by a deep belief that thriving youth build thriving communities, Dr. Mumford has pioneered programs that address the complex realities facing adolescents and young adults. Her leadership is marked by a holistic evidence based approach that meets young people where they are and builds a network of support around them.

Under her direction, Village Public Health has become known for its innovative models such as health coaching, youth community health worker training, and the Vibe Safe Initiative. The Village Public Health Training Center extends this vision by equipping future practitioners with tools and training grounded in real world impact, equity, and cultural relevance.

Dr. Mumford’s work is not just about delivering services. It is about igniting hope, inspiring possibilities, and cultivating environments where both youth and professionals feel valued, supported, and ready to lead.

Aliah Rowe is the Digital Media Director at For AR People. During legislative session, she hosted their weekly YouTube videos explaining nuanced legislation and created content for their various platforms.

On this powerful episode, me and Selyna have an honest conversation about what therapy and healing look like through an equity lens. We open up about the importance of culturally competent care, breaking generational cycles, and why mental health support in Black and Brown communities must be rooted in justice and lived experience. Check out my new single "2 Much", a soulful and vulnerable anthem released for Mental Health Awareness Month and Suicide Prevention on Spotify. Here's the link https://open.spotify.com/track/4D5rRsuSXYfbCedHIyMYK2?si=fc19f00c4a2a4b97

Finally the 2025 Arkansas Legislative Session has come to an end! The 95th General Assembly has adjourned, on the episode of The Folding Chair podcast we have special guest Latoya Morgan. We discuss a recap of some bills we followed during the legislative session, as well as vital information on how we should be supporting our public schools. Latoya Morgan is a passionate advocate, mentor, librarian, and change agent. She believes in empowering her community by engaging them with policies that affect their daily lives. A firm believer in the transformative power of literacy, Latoya uses it as a tool to enlighten and inspire her students, fostering a deeper understanding of the world around them.

We end the show with community news and updates, check out this episode and give us feedback!