Shomari Wills, author of "Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires." discusses the fascinating stories and explores the underlying values of the individuals who overcame tremendous challenges to succeed and transform post-Civil War America. We also talk about Shomari's own journey writing the book.

Shomari Wills is a journalist. He has worked for One Caribbean Television as a reporter, CNN where he served as a producer for Don Lemon, and Good Morning America where he won an Emmy as a producer. He has also contributed Slate and Vice. Currently he is developing a TV adaption of Black Fortunes with Dear White People producer Stephanie Allain. He is also hard at work writing a follow up to Black Fortunes and a young adult book. Shomari received an undergraduate degree from Morehouse College and a graduate degree from Columbia University, where he was named a Lynton Book Writing Fellow. Shomari was born and raised in Washington DC and currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

This interview is part two of the Fortunes show, see part one with Dr. Wanda Heading-Grant, Vice President for Human Resources, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at the University of Vermont. Both interviews are inspired by "To Sing of Common Things: Making A Way Out of No Way," an even series moderated by Dr. Heading-Grant at the Clemmons Family Farm.

To learn more: clemmonsfamilyfarm.org

Dr. Wanda Heading-Grant and I discuss her inspiring path to leadership and the importance of networks of support and sponsorship for women of color.

Dr. Wanda Heading-Grant is the Vice President for Human Resources, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at the University of Vermont. Throughout her years of leadership, she has been recognized for her dedication to social justice, and establishing programs and policies to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion to the classroom and the workplace. She has received numerous awards, including the 2019 Women Worth Watching Award from Profiles in Diversity Journal, the 2018 University of Vermont Alumni Achievement Award, and the 2018 National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education Individual Leadership Award. Heading-Grant is a Clinical Associate Professor in the College of Education and Social Services and a member of the graduate faculty at UVM, with certifications from Yale University, Harvard University, and the Society for Human Resource Management.

This interview is part one of the Fortunes show, see part two with author Shomari Wills. Both interviews are inspired by "To Sing of Common Things: Making A Way Out of No Way," an even series moderated by Dr. Heading-Grant at the Clemmons Family Farm.

To learn more: clemmonsfamilyfarm.org

How is knitting a community activity? How is it not? I talk with Jen Arbuckle, Kelly Otty, and Angela Zaikowski, the owners of Must Love Yarn, the LYS (local Yarn store) in Shelburne, VT, about fiber arts, community, and how it all knits together (get it?). This conversation sets us up for the World Wide Knit in Public Day, this Saturday, June 8th.

The second hour features an eclectic playlist of songs with themes of knitting, knotting, sweaters and wool, including Sufjan Stevens, Sophie Madeleine, Bjork, and The Greyboy Allstars.

GUEST BIOS:

A practicing healthcare architect for 25+ years and a voracious knitter, Jen Arbuckle balances her two work passions with her love of gardening and travel and a little volunteer work on the side. As an almost life-long Vermonter, she loves that being one of the co-owners at Must Love Yarn gives us the opportunity to build a knitting community that includes other knitters and farmers and fiber-lovers of all kinds.

Kelly Otty is currently manager and one of three co-owners at Must Love Yarn. She enjoys teaching knitting & crochet and especially loves to teach people who are new to these fiber arts. As a Vermonter from many generations and a graduate of UVM’s College of Agriculture, she appreciates working with the local shepherds who provide Must Love Yarn with gorgeous, locally produced wool yarns.

Angela Zaikowski is a practicing attorney who has found her creative outlet with knitting and as a co-owner of Must Love Yarn. Although she has a more behind the scenes role in running the business, you can find her on the weekly Must Love Yarn podcast where her knitting and yarn shenanigans are shared with the community. She is a self-taught knitter who can be found knitting away at various sporting events and meetings.

LEARN MORE:

https://mustloveyarn.com/

https://www.wwkipday.com/

At the Root is a new project that creates events and conversations that promote social justice work in community settings. I talk with creator jen berger about her work and how it taps into a very timely need for connection and action.

More about jen:

jen berger is a interdisciplinary, socially-engaged artist based in Burlington, VT. She uses painting, printmaking, multi-media, and performance for education and dialogue around social issues that affect us all. attherootvt.com

Burlington, VT has been sister cities with Bilwi, Nicaragua (also known as Puerto Cabezas on some maps) since the mid 1980s. For decades, community radio and television advocate Margarita Antonio, has worked to build independent community-focused media resources in Bilwi, and to connect with folks here in Vermont. In this podcast, we talk about her work, communication, long-distance collaboration, and more. We're joined by Vermont photographer and community media advocate, Dan Higgins.

When a parent is incarcerated, there is more than a physical absence. I'm talking with Resilience Beyond Incarceration Program Director Tricia Long and filmmaker Brad Salon about their new film "Downstream." This documentary shares the stories of those left behind when a parent goes to prison. Vermont children and caregivers share their experiences, revealing the complex and emotional terrain they navigate.

LEARN MORE:

http://www.lrcvt.org

https://www.downstreamfilm.com/

https://www.bearnotchproductions.com/

Musicals take us on a journey through song, dance, and emotion. I talk with Jose Rincon, the Executive Director of Lyric Theater, and Ashley O'Brien, Musical Director of Very Merry Theater about the power of musical theater and their recent collaboration with VTIFF's Global Roots Film Festival: a tribute to film musicals.

Learn more:

https://lyrictheatrevt.org/

https://verymerrytheatre.org/

https://vtiff.org/global-roots/

Embrace the joy, the effort, and the hustle of working for yourself -- with songs about our working lives and going after our goals. I'm talking with Mieko Ozeki and Bethany Andrews Nichols, the co-founders of VT Womenpreneurs, a project created to convene, connect, collaborate, and celebrate with local womenpreneurs. They produce digital content and experiences to support and promote a thriving community of women-owned businesses.

Learn more at https://www.vtwomenpreneurs.com/

Mieko Ozeki is the co-founder of Vermont Womenpreneurs and owner of Radiance Studios, a boutique digital marketing and personal branding agency. She is a Vermont transplant, who has lived and worked in the Green Mountain State for over a decade with her young family, and has a deep appreciation for a sustainable lifestyle. https://radiancestudiosllc.com/

Bethany Andrews-Nichols, co-founder of Vermont Womenpreneurs, is the owner and designer at Beenanza Design. With over 12 years in the design field she specializes in print & pattern design with a focus in block printing. She has been working over the past year to design a small line of Block printed backpacks with a cooperative in Jaipur that is going to launch soon! https://www.beenanzadesign.com/

Marilyn Maddison's abstract photography is mysterious and evocative. This episode, I talk with Marilyn about her work, what motivates her, and how she finds portals to new worlds in her everyday journeys.

Marilyn Maddison has been a lifelong photographic explorer using her camera as a tool to see the world in a more profound way. She describes photography as a form of meditation that helps bring her focus in to the present moment. Her desire is to inspire others through her photography to see the world anew with greater imagination and curiosity. See her work on Instagram at @marilyn2d.

We're talking about a different kind of storytelling this week: with maps and data. I speak with Noah Ahles and Kendall Fortney about mapmaking, visualizations, and how looking at our world from up above and far away can help communities, inspire creativity, and change our view of our role in the world. Music will have geographic inspiration, with songs from They Might Be Giants, Fleet Foxes, and The Angel.

ABOUT THE GUESTS:

Noah Ahles works at the UVM Spatial Analysis Laboratory as a Research Specialist where he creates high-resolution land cover maps across the United States. On a volunteer basis, he started the UVM Humanitarian Mapping Club in 2015 in response to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/UVMHMC/

Kendall Fortney has always been fascinated by the intersection of design, data and maps. For the last 8 years he has worked in software in a variety of industries, was the first Data Innovation Fellow for the Vermont Center of Geographic Information and will be starting at Social Sentinel as an Insights Analyst. Kendall also serves as an organizer for the Burlington Data Scientist Meetup, the geospatial and data science conference GeoDatSci, and is part of Code for BTV, a civic hacking group. For more info: https://kendallfortney.com/