Won't You Meet My Neighbor

Beautiful Day, formerly known as The Granola Project, is a nonprofit organization, based in Providence, RI, and it provides hands on job training for refugees who are from all over the world. Refugees gain experience in the kitchen, making delicious granola and packaging coffee and then selling their products at farmers markets. If you are not a local, go their website www.beautifulday.org and you can purchase items while supporting a very worthy mission or just consider donating because of the mission itself. Keith Cooper is the founder and Executive Director of Beautiful Day and Rebecca is the Director of Strategic Partnerships.

Denali Tiller is the creator and director of the incredibly moving film, Tre Maison Dasan. The documentary follows three boys, Tre, Maison and Dasan, each of whom have a parent who is either currently or has been incarcerated in the Rhode Island ACI. Maison is one of the boys featured in the film. The film is currently featured on PBS's Independent Lens through April 14th.

Stephanie Moniz is mom to Dasan. Both Stephanie and Dasan are featured in the very moving documentary, Tre Maison Dasan, which takes a look at how three boys (Tre, Maison and Dasan) and their families are affected by their parents' incarceration. This film, directed by Denali Tiller, who will be featured in episode 9 of WYMMN, along with Maison, has won awards across the globe and will be featured on PBS's Independent Lens and can be streamed on PBS.org, April 1st through April 14th. While in prison, Stephanie wrote and illustrated Resilient Mr. Ball for Dasan, under the pseudonym, Charlotte Apricot, and can now be purchased on Amazon. Stephanie is working on an activity guide to accompany the book, and has books in the works for children and adults. She also works with The Nonviolence Institute in helping youth to adopt nonviolent solutions to problems.

Shavon is my pastor and my friend. She offers so much wisdom in the areas of faith, community, relationships and race relations in the context of the church and in our communities. We talk about all these things and more. She is a great example of how to act with such grace amidst difficult conversations. You can find her at http://www.provpresri.org/.

Hilary and I talk about the Girls Rock organization and how she started the chapter in Rhode Island. We talk about using music as a vehicle for empowering girls of all kinds and educating them on media literacy, healthy relationships and establishing a sense of identity. We also answer the question, "Why not 'Boys' Rock?'". Check out Girls Rock RI or your local chapter today!

I like to refer to Kate Teichman and Casey Calderiso, of Wage House Improv Comedy Theater, as the Tina Fey and Amy Pohler of Pawtucket, RI. They are that good. They are seasoned improv pros and run Wage House, like a well-oiled machined, holding shows every week and a variety of improv classes so that Rhode Islanders (and beyond) can become comedy geniuses like them (my words). I've been taking classes with them for the past year and have learned soooo much. This podcast episode is for all my fellow comedy nerds (Rhode Islanders or not) and those who have been watching from afar but would like to learn more. As we discuss in this episode improv is for everyone.

Jen Long and I talk about art, people and music that inspires her, taking care of the planet, her brilliant Whale Guitar Project and much, much more. She treats us with a song at the end and I get the honor of joining in!

Listen to how helping someone move a bathtub and participating in a book club becomes the beginnings of a recipe for an amazing film festival. In this podcast I sit down with Anisa Raoof and Eric Bilodeau, directors of the Providence Children's Film Festival. We talk about how influential a great story is, through the medium of film. We discuss our favorite films, what the magical ingredients are to a successful film festival and how to keep the audience engaged. Check out the Providence Children's Film Festival at www.providencechildrensfilmfestival.org.

In my conversation with Scott Budnick we talk about the work that's being done at Mathewson Street Friendship Prayer Breakfast in Providence, RI. The breakfast serves between 250-300 people each week and truly is a community gathered on Sunday mornings. Scott, along with the leadership of the church and all of the amazing volunteers are in the trenches and fully committed to helping improve the lives of people struggling with food insecurity and homelessness in the city. They are truly inspiring.

Everyone has a story. Inspired by Fred Rogers who took the time to listen to people's stories, this podcast features conversations with those who would like to share their stories, starting with the people in my own neighborhood of Providence, RI.