community-building

In this episode of "The Truth in This Art" podcast, host Rob Lee sits down with the dynamic Kenny Rooster to discuss their background in comedy, drag, and theater. They delve into the importance of collaboration in the Baltimore arts scene and how it has shaped their shows. Kenny shares their experiences as a performer and the transformative power of creating community through art. 🎭

Episode Highlights:

• Kenny's humble origins in burlesque and their love for theater. (00:00:10) 🎭
• The transformative experience of slam poetry and finding their comedic edge. (00:01:17) 😂
• The highs and lows of participating in the Seattle International Comedy Competition. (00:10:37)🌟
• The DIY nature of their shows and the importance of supporting artists. (00:29:18)🎨
• The power of collaboration and creating safe and affirming spaces for performers and audience members. (00:35:29)🤝

Key Takeaways:

• Collaboration and community-building are essential in the arts scene 🤝
• The transformative power of art in creating connections and friendships 🌐
• The importance of supporting and appreciating artists for their work 👏

Follow Kenny Rooster on Instagram @KennyRoosterComedy and check out the Hen House Show Instagram page for updates on their shows. 🐔
Links:
Website: kennyrooster.com 🌐
Instagram: kennyroostercomedy 📸
TikTok: kennytheroostercomedy 🎵
Facebook: Kenny Rooster 📘

🎙️ Enjoyed this episode with the hilarious Kenny Rooster? Show your support by leaving a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform! Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and continue bringing you great content. 🌟

If you want to go the extra mile and support the show even further, consider becoming a patron on Patreon. Your contribution helps us cover production costs and bring you even more amazing guests and episodes. 🙌

Thank you for being a part of our community and helping us grow! 🎉

The Truth In This Art is not just about exploring art, culture, and community—it's a platform that actively engages with them. Whether you're discovering the vibrant arts scene in and around your community or tasting the local flavors at Foraged, you're immersed in the heartbeat of Baltimore. Located in the Station North Arts & Entertainment District, foraged. a hyper-seasonal eatery where Chef Chris Amendola serves farm-fresh seasonal plates alongside beer & wine, all in an atmosphere as warm and inviting as our podcast conversations. The space, adorned with greenery, mirrors the eatery's commitment to local and seasonal ingredients, a philosophy that's deeply rooted in the natural world—just like the authentic stories we explore on the podcast. It's a full-circle community experience, even featuring a signature cocktail named after Rob Lee. With Chef Amendola being a frequent guest on our show, the partnership illuminates the rich intersections of arts, culture, and community that we both celebrate. Discover more at foragedeatery.com.

Highlights

From Artists to Activists: The Birth of Unio

Back in 2002, in a time before MySpace was consumed by Facebook and the ensuing social media revolution, Martin and his co-founder started an online community for professional artists. The platform was intended to connect artists not only among themselves, but also with the outer world. Over the years, there was an organic growth in the community as they expanded their focus to connect artists with activists, scientists, and the wider community too, realizing the potential of artists to inspire change beyond the art world. As Martin puts it, "artists have a special ability sometimes to think in different ways, and it's almost a waste if they're only there to sell pretty pictures".

Human Hotel: Connecting Climate Activists

Martin's initiatives created a space where artists and climate activists started coming together, giving birth to the curated travel network of creatives and activitsts called Human Hotel. The community saw great success,  initially conceived for artists, Human Hotel soon became a platform for climate activists during major events like COP26 in Glasgow. It served as an alternative to Airbnb, matching activists with locals willing to support their cause. Their success was fueled by their focus on building strong communities rather than simply profiting from accommodation. In Martin's perspective, "despite us having thousands of bookings, it was not a very good community success. Community is an antidote to money." And naturally so, he explains. Community is a space where people show up and give what they can because they want to, not because there is a renumeration to do so. Martin mentions how some of the best community he has seen has been among groups of people with very little wealth.

Rethinking the Future of Work

With the onset of COVID-19, Martin recognized the changing landscape of the future of work: remote and over distance, easily leaving people feeling alone and disconnected. This poses a threat to employee retention, as Martin puts it "it feels like I'm playing a computer game called 'work' all day. That's not a good feeling because you can just play another game and somebody pays you a little bit more." Instead of accommodation, the project began to shift its focus towards facilitating connections among remote and hybrid teams. That's where Unio was born.

Unio helps decentralize workplace culture, allowing employees to organize and participate in social events, even remotely, thus combating the loneliness epidemic exacerbated by remote work.

Unio's success metrics extend beyond traditional KPIs. They focus on de-siloing within organizations, ensuring employees from different teams interact through events. Success also means getting people to spend more physical time together, fostering stronger loyalty to the company.

The Future of Work and Building Communities

Unio's vision for the future involves reducing loneliness and increasing human connections in the workplace. They aim to demonstrate that community-building efforts are linked to tangible bottom-line results, although community-building involves a lot of intangible work. Martin, when asked to define what he would call a community, shares some really valuable insight:

"So for me, community is the effect that happens when you've been working on a project with a group of people. Once you leave, and if you don't come back, if it still continues, that's because community took over. And if it just flattens out when the money leaves, when the project organizer leaves, then community was not."

Take a moment to listen to the conversation in full, to hear Martin's insight on exactly how to go about creating and building a community with this level of depth and strength.

Find Martin on:

• LinkedIn: martin-rosengaard
• Instagram: @unio.social

Find Ben on:

• LinkedIn: bcostantini
• Twitter: @bencostantini

What if you held the power to direct the energy of democracy through your personal feelings and actions?  We promise to illuminate this connection as we explore the intersection of art, empathy, and democracy in this live recording at The Democracy Center with director Jim Herr.

The journey delves into creating space to pause and reflect on non-attachment, gratitude, and mindfulness. We reveal how kindness and compassion can enrich your daily life, and the profound impact of nature in helping us connect with our hearts. There's also a discussion with the audience around the themes of intention and curiosity in gratitude and their potential to foster empathy, the concept of impermanence, and how curiosity can help us understand our world better. 

We traverse the power of emotional reflection and connection, and how they can bring us closer to understanding ourselves and others. There's a profound discussion on the power of language to share our stories and build community, and how art and inquiry help us navigate our feelings. Lastly, we'll uncover the power of music, control, fear, and how connecting with our emotions can help us shape our world.

If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to leave us a 5-star rating and review. Your feedback is valuable to us and helps us grow.

Share your thoughts and comments by emailing us at hello@gratitudeblooming.com. We love hearing from our listeners.

And don't forget to check out our shop at www.gratitudeblooming.com to help us sustain this podcast or sponsor us here.

Thank you for your continued support. We appreciate you!

In this deeply personal episode, join me, Tshepo, as I chat with the incredible Sihle Ngqawana for an honest and heartfelt conversation about our individual struggles to show up for ourselves.

Life has a way of throwing challenges our way, making it difficult to fully embrace our authentic selves and be present in our own lives. Sihle and I open up about our personal journeys, sharing the hurdles we faced and the barriers we encountered on the path to showing up authentically.

"It's not always easy to show up" sets the tone for the official opening of the Daring Greatly Podcast, marking a new chapter in our collective pursuit of self-growth and community-building. Join us as we embark on this transformative journey together, learning how to show up as ourselves, for ourselves, and for our community.

Sihle Ngqawana's Socials
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/sihlengqawana/
sihlengqawana@gmail.com

Podcast Socials:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DaringGreatlyPC
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daringmediaza/
daringmediaza@gmail.com

Tshepo Mantje's Socials:
tshepomantje@gmail.com

In today's episode we are talking about one of our very favorite things - COMMUNITY! Join in on the discussion about the importance of why building a community around us of people that share core values is one of the most supportive things we can do for our health. Next week we will be sharing about HOW TO community build, so stay tuned for part 2 of this conversation. 

Connect With Us!
Her Wholeness Website
Facebook Podcast Community
Her Wholeness on IG - @her_wholeness_podcast
Brigette on IG - @brigettemiland
Email us at herwholenesspodcast@gmail.com

Credits:
Music by Elliot Dix
Elliot on IG - @street_magik 

We are so grateful for your listen and getting to connect with you! Can you help us by sharing this podcast with a friend?

Marielle Stankiewicz is a registered dental assistant and the owner of Sweet Peach Studios, a dental jewelry studio in Philadelphia. With a background in dental care, Marielle combines her creative sensibilities with her dental expertise to offer unique and personalized dental jewelry services.

In the course of this episode, we explore:

• How Elle's early forays into drawing and painting laid the crucial groundwork for her current passion: crafting exquisite jewelry pieces.
• The origin story of Sweet Peach Studios, ignited by Elle's personal quest for a tooth gem. Discover how this simple desire transformed into a thriving venture in dental jewelry.
• How Elle's background in dentistry sets her apart in the dental jewelry realm, providing an edge that enables her to offer expert guidance, ensuring the utmost safety and quality in every piece.
• The indispensable traits for entrepreneurial triumph, honing in on Elle's unwavering self-assurance and consistent dedication, which have been the driving forces behind her remarkable journey.
• The power of community and its role in inspiring growth, as we unravel how Elle's journey has been enriched by forging a network of supportive fellow creatives, fostering an environment of shared inspiration.

Marielle shares her journey from being a dental assistant to starting her own dental jewelry business. She discusses her early creative experiences, the inspiration behind her work, and the challenges and rewards of being an entrepreneur. Marielle emphasizes the importance of consistency, self-belief, and community in building a successful business.

Learn more about Sweet Peach Studios Here: https://www.instagram.com/sweetpeachgems/

🎧🌟 Don't forget to rate and review this episode to support the best in podcasting! 🌟🎧

This program is supported (in part) by a grant from the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation.

If you have a story about art, culture, or community, share it with us at rob@thetruthinthisart.com for a chance to be featured on 'The Truth In This Art' podcast.

Follow The Truth In This Art on Twitter, Threads, IG, and Facebook @truthinthisart

Original music by Daniel Alexis Music with additional music from Chipzard.

Episode illustration by Alley Kid Art.

About "The Truth In This Art"

"The Truth In This Art," hosted by Rob Lee, is a podcast that explores the essence of creativity and its community impact, amplifying artists' voices and their profound stories.

Connect with me:

Website | Twitter | Instagram 

Support the show:

Merch from Redbubble | Make a Donation 

Shawn Smith shares his stories of coming out in the rural midwest.

His involvement in an emerging Gay college campus organization began a path of LGBT activism, advocacy, and community-building as the Gay Rights Movement began to coalesce in the mid-70's across America.

Lured by the freedom and anonymity of big city life, Shawn shares his adventures along the road to freedom of sexual expression.

A writer and storyteller by trade, he's now quasi-retired and slacking poolside: A dirty old man enjoying the free and Fabulously Gay life that Palm Springs has to offer.

Contact Shawn at: macgizmoguy@hotmail.com 

Photo: Copyright Wilkinson/2022

Opening and closing music courtesy the very talented Zakhar Valaha via Pixabay.

To contact Wilkinson- email him at BecomingWilkinson@gmail.com

In this episode I talk with Cyril Jefferson -- change-maker, city councilman, and friend. We discuss kids' bedtime, loss and grief, gangs, community-building, how he met his wife (she was fly!), band geeks, and high school choral performances.

Thanks for being a part of this....  and enjoy!

If you enjoy this podcast and it provides value in your life, please consider joining the private group that makes it happen.

Check out these sponsors!!

• The Budding Artichoke  Instagram / Facebook
• Flywheel Press  Instagram 
• Guest promotion from Anonymous sponsor: Growing High Point Instagram 
• Esser Certified Public Accountant

The Friends We Meet is produced by Evan Blackerby & Human People Creative  Instagram 

Follow The Friends We Meet on Facebook and Instagram.

What if you could round up a group of like-minded entrepreneurs together under a house and as a group, come up with brand new and exciting ideas? That was how Launch House was formed. One day entrepreneur Michael Houck was sleeping on a mattress on the floor of his friend’s spare room during the pandemic when the life changing idea came to him. In this conversation with Joshua Rhodes, Michael shares what it’s like living in a house with strangers in an almost big brother-like situation, except that this house is packed with so much creativity. Learn the process of how ideas are made and what fun and interactive activities are done in the Launch House in order to build camaraderie and good business relationships.

Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!

• Here’s How »

Join the Rhodes to Wealth community today:

• https://rhodestowealth.com
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram

Ruth Pelham is the Creator of the Music Mobile, a unique inner-city program in Albany, NY. She’s a children’s musician, singer, songwriter, recording artist, educator, activist, and global community builder. 
If you were a child in inner-city Albany, NY and heard the Music Mobile song playing from the speakers of a brightly decorated blue van as it rode the streets of your neighborhood, you came running to share some fun, some music, some crafts and a unique community building, learning experience, unlike any other. Check out how one musician changed an entire city one neighborhood at a time.

"The challenge is that because we are human beings living in society we’re influenced and conditioned by all kinds of forces that can lead to us developing biases that are particularly destructive… and that cut us off from wholeheartedly connecting to others." 
~Alison Cohen, MST and Certified Mindfulness Teacher/School Coach

Join The OHMazing® Way podcast creator, producer and host, Beth Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP, and guest Alison Cohen, MST and Certified Mindfulness Teacher / School Coach, in conversation and practice with the critically important and meaningful topic of implicit bias. Alison first leads us through clear and concise definitions and examples of bias, explicit bias, and implicit bias. After skillfully laying a foundation, she then offers suggestions and leads practices to support us in increasing awareness of our own biases so that we can curate the wholehearted lives we wish to create. 

"In terms of implicit bias, research has shown there are really only a few ways currently to work with it meaningfully. One of those, interestingly enough, is loving kindness practice, as well as mindfulness meditation."
~Alison Cohen, MST and Certified Mindfulness Teacher/School Coach

One of the mindfulness tools Alison shares is a practice known as HALT. HALT stands for:

H: hungry

A: angry

L: lonely

T: tired

While the origination of this may be from Alcoholics Anonymous, neuroscientists, like Dr. Dan Siegel, recommend this practice for parents and others. Using HALT can be integrated into daily living in a myriad of ways. For example, before picking up your kids from school or entering a personal or professional conversation, pause and scan the mind and body for signs of being hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Without making yourself right or wrong, notice if any of those exist. If one or more do, name a way you can take care of yourself in the next moments so that you cultivate responses instead of habitual reactions. When you notice one or more of the "HALTs", a practice could be to pause and notice the breath, then feet, then belly, then hands. You might also choose to name aloud what you’re experiencing and share what you need before moving forward: In this moment I want to name that I notice I am tired and would like ________ (ie,  to get some water, have a hug, take a walk, etc) before we continue.

"What we are really talking about is love. And what are the barriers to really loving each other…. And if some of those barriers come from what we’ve breathed in and what’s been imprinted—the thumbs of culture—then each of us can make a courageous commitment to chip away at those in the name of love, connection, and ultimately what comes to mind, both individual and collective liberation."
~Alison Cohen, MST and Certified Mindfulness Teacher/School Coach

Connect with Alison:
Email: alisonc@soundstrue.com
Web: www.mindfulchangefromtheinsideout.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alisonecoh
Twitter: @1984AliCo
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cohenalison/

Connect with Beth:
Email: elizabeth@yoginos.com
Web: www.yoginos.com
Facebook: personal: www.facebook.com/elizreese
Facebook: Yogiños: Yoga for Youth®: www.facebook.com/yoginos/
Instagram: yoginosyogaforyouth: www.instagram.com/yoginosyogaforyouth
Twitter: @yoginos: twitter.com/Yoginos
LinkedIn: Beth Reese, PhD

“Courageous communication is one of the ways we can build towards the world we want to see.” ~ Alison Cohen

Join The OHMazing® Way podcast creator, producer and host, Beth Reese, PhD, E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP, and mindfulness coach and mentor Alison Cohen in a conversation around mindful communication. Alison shares examples of mindful communication in the contexts of family and in schools. This podcast is the first of 2 conversations Beth and Alison had with the next one being on explicit and implicit bias.

“Each of us wants to be able to live in ways that are aligned with our conscious values and yet part of being human is that sometimes we miss the mark!” ~ Alison Cohen

In this conversation Alison references and wishes to share the following resources:

• The engaged feedback checklist from Brene Brown's book Dare to Lead: Go to https://brenebrown.com/downloads/, then scroll down and click on "Engaged Feedback Checklist"
• Mindful Communication one-page handout of mine that many students of mine have found helpful: attached (if it's possible to attach a document)
• Ruth King's racial justice and social justice resource list: https://ruthking.net/racial-awareness-resources/
• Books: Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer, Mindful of Race by Ruth King, Blindspot by Dr. Mahzarin Banaji

Alison Cohen, MST 
Certified Mindfulness Teacher / School Coach
www.mindfulchangefromtheinsideout.com

3 Essential Elements of Mindful Communication + Mindful Communication Tips
(adapted from Dr. Lynn Rossy’s Mindful Communication work)

1. Cultivating Presence
“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand. They listen with the intent to reply.”
~ Stephen Covey

To become a more mindful, effective communicator, consider tuning into:

• Your awareness level: What feelings, thoughts, sounds, etc. are you aware of before the conversation begins and as the conversation begins?

• Your mind: Where is your attention in this moment?

• Your body: What message(s) do you want your body language to send during the interaction?

• Your intention: What is your intention for how you will show up during this interaction?

2. Listening With All the Channels
“People begin to heal the moment they feel heard.” ~ Cheryl Richardson

• Be present and listen “with all the channels,” especially during the first few minutes of any conversation.

• In communication, especially difficult communication, connect with the sensations of your body (feel your feet on the floor and sense the movement of your breath) as a way of staying open to what the other person says. Difficult communication often brings up fear in us, and staying with the breath and the body can be grounding.

3. Speaking Wisely
“Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.” ~ Plato

• If it’s appropriate, consider paraphrasing what you heard the other person say so that you’re sure you understood that person. We often only hear our version of what the person said.

• [WE WILL NOT BE DOING THIS] Before giving someone your advice, ask if it is wanted. We love to help but sometimes people just want to be heard. Simply having a sounding board can often help someone tap into their own internal wisdom.

“There are days when things are really rough. And, it’s different if you’re having a bad day and you’re sitting in front of a computer typing away, and when you’re working with a group of students who have dealt with oppressions of all kinds and have a fragile sense of being able to accomplish what you’re asking.” ~ Alison Cohen

Alison Cohen cherishes any and all opportunities to integrate community-building, contemplative practice, social justice, and joy. She incorporates trauma-informed mindfulness into her instructional coaching and leadership work with educators, school leaders, and young adults. Alison also offers mindfulness-based courses and workshops throughout the US and mentors participants in Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield’s two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Program. She is a Mindful Schools Certified Mindfulness Instructor, an MBSR teacher, and an avid retreat goer.

Connect with Alison:

Email: alisonc@soundstrue.com

Web: www.mindfulchangefromtheinsideout.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alisonecoh

Twitter: @1984AliCo

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cohenalison/

Connect with Beth:

Email: elizabeth@yoginos.com

Web: www.yoginos.com

Cell: +1 361 563 7448

Facebook: personal: www.facebook.com/elizreese

Facebook: Yogiños: Yoga for Youth®: www.facebook.com/yoginos/

Instagram: yoginosyogaforyouth: www.instagram.com/yoginosyogaforyouth

Twitter: @yoginos: twitter.com/Yoginos

LinkedIn: Beth Reese, PhD