They say to understand history it’s important to walk a mile in another’s shoes. Historian & teacher, Andrew Mychalcus may take this to extremes. He has lived in a Viking ship, ridden astride a horse during the Civil War as a soldier, and fought in the Battle of Hastings on the actual battle site. His reenactments have appeared in film and on the seas, but it might not be as glamorous as it sounds.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, more than one in five students report being the victim of bullying, but the number of children and adults who face mental intimidation, physical threat, or social manipulation may be even larger than that. What’s worse, is that numerous studies show that the impact of bullying can be both profound and long-lasting. 

Joining us to talk about prevention, support, and what we can do is Chase Masterson, founder of the Pop Culture Hero Coalition, an organization which seeks to use stories from comics, TV, and film to teach real-life heroism over bullying. 

Host Andrew Hiller talks to John Boyega about his role in the Star Wars universe, the cultural landmark it represents, and how it shaped his childhood. 

In fiction, heroes come in all shapes and sizes from the very young to the aged, from ghosts to aliens, and from every race, creed, religion, and gender, but on the silver screen and TV, there has been one type of hero that has been in short supply--The Black hero. Joining us to talk about heroes, role models, TV, and his Xistance is actor Cress Williams, star of the new CW series Black Lightning.

A preview of our upcoming episode featuring Cress Williams, the star of the new CW series Black Lightning. Williams chats with Xistance about life, television, heroes, and role models. 

At the cross-section of fandom and folk music, there is something called filk. One of the masters of filk is Pegasus Award winner, T.J. Burnside-Clapp.

Women’s marches are hardly a new thing. In some ways, the War on Women has been ongoing since the very birth of America. Ellouise Schoettler, came to adulthood at a time where women had very limited options… Nurse, teacher, librarian, secretary… but with the inspiration of a book and a group of craftswomen, this textile artist became one of the lead voices for women in the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment. In her time, she argued before Congress and in the White House. Now, she speaks to Xistance about her work, struggles, growth, and how the times may not have changed.

Corporate and personal story trainer Stephanie Garibaldi teaches the art of first-person storytelling for the University of Maryland, Story District, DC high schools, as well as in professional settings ranging from Fortune 500 companies to Non-Profit advocacy groups. She shares some of her best tips . . . not to mention a story or two with Xistance Host Andrew Hiller.

This episode we hear host Andrew Hiller discuss the process of telling his own life story. 

A sword swallower and an escape artist must be a master of sleight of hand. It requires consummate skill, practice, and occasionally trickery to delight an audience standing sometimes mere inches away. Johnny Fox has performed in Vegas, New York, and all around the country. His latest and greatest escape act, cancer, required the stagecraft not only of a magician, but a community.