Making Good

20 - Renard Bridgewater, MaCCNO

Bonus Season 2 Episode! 

MaCCNO is celebrating its 10th anniversary on November 20, 2022, at Zony Mash with a star line up! Check out all the details on this amazing event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/787259485803139/ 

In this episode, I spoke with Renard Bridgewater, MACCNOs Community Engagement Coordinator, about the organization's origin, purpose, and how they met the moment when the COVID-19 pandemic hit our city's musicians and artists hard. 

Since 2012, the Music and Culture Coalition of New Orleans (MACCNO) has been organizing, empowering, and advocating with New Orleans musicians, artists, traditional culture bearers, and other members and allies of the cultural community.

Renard Bridgewater is a native New Orleanian and graduate of both Holy Cross High School and the University of New Orleans. As a tenured veteran in the city's Hip-Hop community (performing under the moniker Slangston Hughes) and previous participant in Sweet Home New Orleans' Accessing Artist Revenue Streams course, he has a passion for live music and artist empowerment and continues to pass on the knowledge he has gained to help empower his peers. This is utilized in his Uniquity (yoo-knik-wi-tee) Music imprint, which provides a performance platform for regional/touring bands and local Hip-Hop, R&B, and Spoken Word artists, as well as providing music publishing for local artists and facilitating workshops that cultivate professional development in the music industry. He joins us after nearly fourteen years with The Times-Picayune, where he worked in HR and production.

 

19 - Ella Campbell and Reneé Blanchard, Season Finale

That's a wrap! Season 2's final episode is here!

Ella joined me again for this season's final episode. We talked about my book "Focused & Flexible: Strategic Planning for Small Business".

Ella and Renee discuss how our small businesses help us grow and evolve into better friends, lovers, and leaders. The challenges we find for ourselves stretch us beyond just being able to do the nuts and bolts of our everyday tasks. But cracks us open to the people we know we can become. We also talk the importance of more compassionate communication by explaining how we love with the people we love the most. 

So, yes, we got pretty deep into what it takes to create change in your own life, boundaries with friends and family members, and the "just do it anyway" philosophy I made up within the conversation.  It's an emotionally honest conversation about the challenges and great joy of making significant changes in your life. 

18- Leah Porche, RDN, LDN

Leah Porche received her Bachelors in Dietitics from Nicholls State University. She has owned her juice bar + yoga studio and worked in restaurants for many years. She teaches an approach to nutrition that focuses on the well-being of the person, not to a diet or a cultural norm. We spoke about her approach to Health At Every Size and even included some chair yoga at the end of the episode. Her blog On the Food Size offers recipes and ideas to fit your health, your body, and your lifestyle. 

Books mentioned in this episode: 

Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition

Anti-Diet

Decolonizing Wellness

More Than A Body

Body of Truth

Belly of the Beast 

17 - Molly Kimball, RD, Ochsner Eat Fit

Molly Kimball is a New Orleans nutrition journalist, podcaster, and founder of Ochsner Eat Fit. She has a real passion for helping people live their healthiest, strongest lives.

As founder of Ochsner Eat Fit, a nonprofit initiative that collaborates with local restaurants and chefs to develop and feature menu items that are nutritious and delicious, we’re always cooking up a blend of nutritious + delicious dishes. Our Eat Fit team has expanded beyond Eat Fit NOLA, offering Eat Fit in six regions throughout the state, driven by our talented team of registered dietitians.

16 - Ajax, Magnolia Yoga

Magnolia Yoga Studio is the first Black-owned yoga studio in New Orleans. Ajax opened Magnolia Yoga Studio in 2016 with an intentional approach to wellness. 

"Magnolia Yoga Studio is a state-of-the-art Beginners Hot Yoga Studio located in downtown New Orleans, LA. Our business model is based on Diversity in Yoga, Inclusivity in Yoga & Affordability in Yoga. We offer daily classes including our therapeutic The Hot 26&2 Yoga Series, Warm Vinyasa & Warm Vinyasa/Yin." 

15 - Olivia McCoy, We Help Nola

Olivia McCoy launched WeHelp Nola in the Fall of 2019 before the pandemic blew up the restaurant industry and put mental healthcare on the frontlines. WeHelp NOLA is a locally owned and operated organization that provides free, large-scale mental health care access to restaurant industry workers throughout New Orleans. These services are offered free of charge through extremely low-cost memberships with our participating restaurant owners. Through these monthly memberships, we are able to compensate participating practitioners, businesses, studios, and coaches, all providing services through WeHelp at a sliding scale or donation-based rate.  

WeHelp NOLA is the only company in New Orleans working to build a partnership between the restaurant employer and the mental health care community.  Restaurant and hospitality industry-related jobs are found to be, in the high stress- low control career categories, the most physically and emotionally taxing jobs within the marketplace.  Couple that emotional distress with long hours, poor sleep, a workplace driven by alcohol and drug abuse, and little to no provided health care access or support provided by your employer, and you find yourself in the reality of restaurant industry life within New Orleans.

14 - Salon 22, Women Centered Co-Working & Networking Organization

I spoke with three of the founding members of Salon22. Christa, Fey, and Mariska shared their vision for this new women's co-working space and discussed how their own journeys have impacted their mission to create this mission-directed space. 

Salon22's mission is to be an agent of change in New Orleans, shifting the balance of power in our beloved city. This diverse group of women is intent on creating a beautiful space for like-minded women from all walks of life to find commonality, belonging, and opportunities for political, professional, and personal collaboration. Salon22 is a space for speaking up and out.

Their intent is to create an inclusive space for women+ no matter their gender expression (including identifying outside the gender binary), racial and cultural background, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, or economic standing.

 

13 - Ruthie Winston, Winston & Associates

Ruthie Winston is one of New Orleans's only certified appraisers. She runs Winston & Associates. Ruthie began her appraisal education in 1987 with the American Society of Appraisers. She has been compliant with the Uniform Standards of Appraisal Practice (USPAP) since 1989 and completed the Appraisers Association of America NYU Appraisal Studies Program in 1990. Ruthie joined the International Society of Appraisers in 2006 and holds designations in Fine Art and Antiques & Residential Contents, achieving a Certification in Personal Property (CAPP) in 2011. She is also an auctioneer in Lousiana. 

It was so interesting talking with her about an industry I really knew nothing about. 

12 - Emily McElrath, Pivotal PT and Wellness

Emily McElrath is my physical therapist. She helped me go from constant mobility issues from an ongoing injury to weight lifting pain-free. We talk about the pelvic floor, weight lifting, and the right workouts throughout your menstrual cycle.  

Emily is a native of New Orleans and received her undergraduate Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training at the University of Southern Mississippi. She then went on to attain her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of St. Augustine in St. Augustine, FL.  Emily is a former collegiate runner turned Crossfitter who has a passion for helping people optimize performance. She is highly trained in Sports/Orthopedics and Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy and has first-hand experience modifying HIIT exercises for the pregnant and postpartum athletes to ensure they are able to continue their desired activity injury free. 

You can learn more about Emily's company Pivotal PT and Wellness here! 

11 - Lelia Gowland, Speaker, Writer, and Negotiator

Lelia Gowland is a sought-after speaker and writer on authenticity, compassion, and connection. Described as “the confidence fairy godmother we all need,” Lelia uses dynamic storytelling and personal vulnerability so we all feel less alone.

 

She is the author of "You Got This: The Ultimate Negotiation Guide for Professional Women" Lelia recently wrote an article about her marriage and consensual non-monogamy in the Huffington Post titled: "Married With A Toddler, I appear Straight. I'm Finally Ready to Stop Hiding My Identity". Lelia also spoke about her polyamorous eight-year marriage on The Only One podcast. You can listen here. 

Lelia is also a friend who offers sweet compliments and will purchase a dozen croissants from your store while wearing your business' t-shirt and then offer more sweet compliments. This is a great conversation that touches on some bigger issues, such living in the impacts of climate change and being your loud, goofy, proud self.