TalkWithME

Jennie Washburn, V.2017.5

Each month, the Transformational Jennie Washburn joins Talk With ME host, Marcia Epstein, for real life conversation. SelfCare, Fun, Expressing Expectations, Getting Involved in Community, & Goodness. This month our message is Have Fun In Community! Jennie is a Licensed Esthetician & a member of Spiritual Entrepreneurs, Pryor Transformation, Shift 2 Degrees, Lawrence Women’s Network, & One Hundred Good Women. She also enjoys being onstage, including as a two-time contestant in Transformations, a charity gala. Find Jennie at Mic Drop for Willow Domestic Violence Center, & at https://skincarebyjennie.net

Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW of Speaking of Suicide

Stacey Freedenthal has worked in the field of suicide prevention since 1994, when she first volunteered at a suicide prevention hotline. She is now an associate professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, where she teaches courses on mental health assessment, counseling, and suicide risk assessment and intervention. Her website, speakingofsuicide.com, receives 70,000 visitors a month. Her book, Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals, will be published Fall 2017 by Routledge. Follow Stacey at www.StaceyFreedenthal.com & www.SpeakingOfSuicide.com

Sunrise Project, with Emily Hampton & Melissa Freiburger

In Lawrence, KS, Sunrise Project connects people of all ages & backgrounds to good food, community & the environment. 4 core programs: Lawrence Fruit Tree Project, SunRISE Youth Activists, Food Rocket, & Healthy Sprouts farm to preschool. Programming is expanding with the move into the former Sunrise Garden Center which creates a safe, fun and inclusive neighborhood center for shared community learning. More info at www.sunriseprojectks.org

Emily Hampton, ED & co-founder, has provided organizational leadership for Sunrise Project for 2 years. Previously, Hampton served as Development & Communications Manager at Communities In Schools of Mid-America; Lead Coordinator for the Farm to Preschool program in Douglas Co; Vice Chair & member of the Douglas Co Food Policy Council. She isChair-Elect for the Healthy Kids Workgroup of LiveWell Lawrence.

Melissa Freiburger, Director of Programs, has experience coordinating & directing health initiatives. Previous roles include Farm to Preschool Educator & Technical Assistance Specialist for the CDC’s National Early Care and Education Learning Collaborative Project. Freiburger is a member of Healthy Food For All, of LiveWell Lawrence; co-chair of Cordley Elem School’s Farm to School committee; and is founder & Site Leader for Hollaback Lawrence.

Damian Rucci, Writer & Poet based in NJ

Damian is sometimes a poet, sometimes a writer, and most times a mad man. He is the host of Keyport, NJ’s the Poetry in the Port reading series. Damian and Ezhno Martin just released the poetry collection, The Former Lives of Saints through EMP Press https://empbooks.com/home/books/ *** Listeners: around 18 minutes into the show Damian reads ” I Knew Superman” which includes images of his dear grandfather’s death by suicide. *** Follow Damian for his blogs, poems, performances & more at www.twitter.com/damianrucci/ & www.facebook.com/dfrucci/ & www.damianrucci.net/

Wolfgang Carstens of Epic Rites Press

Wolfgang Carstens is the author of numerous poetry collections and publisher at Epic Rites Press. He is organizer and host of Poets Underground, a poetry show that celebrates and showcases the best and brightest authors currently working the marrow of contemporary poetry www.youtube.com/channel/UCjJ58uQGzVqXjOyIlOTRpMQ/ Wolfgang lives in Canada with his wife, five kids, grandson, dog, mortgage and death. His poetry is printed on the backs of unpaid bills. More info at www.WolfgangCarstens.com & www.facebook.com/TheBloodMachine & at www.EpicRites.org

K.W. Peery, Songwriter & Poet

K.W. “Kevin” Peery is the author of 3 collections of poetry: Tales of a Receding Hairline, Purgatory & Wicked Rhythm. He is a regular contributor in Veterans Voices and the Australia Times Poetry Magazine.

Kevin writes about his personal life experiences. Grappling with morality and mortality, the unvarnished truth is breathtakingly obvious. His unapologetic vulnerability is neatly embedded within each work. He has an innate ability to dig up his past and offer it to the reader as if they were sitting across the table having a conversation with him.

Credited as a lyricist and producer, Kevin’s work appears on more than a dozen studio albums over the past decade. He is most well known as a founding member of the Marshall/Peery Project. This collaboration produced four critically acclaimed studio albums from 2005 to present. The Marshall/Peery Project frequently appear on the Roots Music Report and Americana Charts. Their songs are in regular rotation in the U.S., Germany, Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Much more music and poetry to come! So follow K.W. Peery on Twitter @KWPeery & at K.W. Peery – Lyrics & Poetry on Facebook www.facebook.com/KW-Peery-Lyrics-Poetry-522754801227864

Christine Waisner, of Active Minds of KU

Christine is a senior at Kansas U, and serves as President of the KU chapter of Active Minds, a national mental health advocacy group. After struggling with an eating disorder, depression, anxiety, and PTSD, she found a passion for mental health advocacy & got involved in Active Minds. She is a psychology major, graduating in May 2017, who plans to work with youth in residential treatment for mental health challenges. Later, she will pursue graduate training in Marriage and Family Therapy, to help families, including children affected by abuse and/or violence.

Alyse Bensel, Poet

Alyse & ME talk about Alyse’s writing & about the 4th Annual Poetry Fair in Lawrence, KS on April 15, 2017! The fair includes readings, networking & books to buy. Info at https://lawrenceartscenter.org/event/poetry-fair-2017/

Alyse Bensel’s poems have most recently appeared in The Adroit Journal, New South, Quarterly West, Tinderbox, The Collapsar, Glass: A Journal of Poetry, and elsewhere. She is the author of two poetry chapbooks: Not of Their Own Making (dancing girl press, 2014) and Shift (Plan B Press). She serves as the Book Reviews Editor at The Los Angeles Review, a literary journal from Red Hen Press. Alyse is also a PhD candidate in Literary Studies & Creative Writing at the U of Kansas, where she is a 2017-2018 Richard & Jeannette Sias Fellow in the Humanities, and will be in residence at the Hall Center for the Humanities Fall 2017. Follow Alyse at twitter.com/leaseandleaves & http://www.alysebensel.com/

Charles Clifford Brooks III, Poet & Southern Collective Experience founder

Cliff made a career out of telling the truth, but not outright. His first book of poetry, The Draw of Broken Eyes & Whirling Metaphysics, first published by Gosslee Books, was nominated for a Pulitzer and Georgia Author of the Year. In April 2017, his second collection of verse, Athena Departs: Gospel of a Man Apart, plus a re-release of The Draw of Broken Eyes & Whirling Metaphysics, both hit the shelves thanks to Backlash Press www.backlashpress.com In 2018, his epic poem, The Salvation of Cowboy Blue Crawford, will be available with special editions that include a CD of original songs and readings from the book.

Cliff’s biggest achievement in recent years has been the creation of The Southern Collective Experience. The SCE is a cooperative of professional artists who have the right-and-left-brain ability to keep a business in the black, meet deadlines, and still be pure artists. Four times a year, the SCE publishes a journal of culture, The Blue Mountain Review, and more often hosts open mic/lectures in a variety of places. NPR releases their radio show, Dante’s Old South, every month with a fifth Sunday.

Follow Charles Clifford Brooks III on Twitter, Facebook, www.SouthernCollectiveExperience.com & www.CliffBrooks.com

Mark Statman, Poet & Poet-Translator

Just listen! For Mark’s stories and poetry. For his respect and love for humanity. Be inspired!

Mark comes from a large family with 3 languages: Spanish, Yiddish, & also English. He studied with Poet & Professor Kenneth Koch who introduced Mark to the love of poetry & to the love of his life, Katherine Koch, Kenneth’s daughter. After many years living & parenting & teaching & writing in Brooklyn, Mark & Katherine moved to Mexico. His poetry collections include That Train Again (Lavender Ink, 2015), A Map of the Winds (Lavender Ink, 2013) and Tourist at a Miracle (Hanging Loose, 2010). Other books include Black Tulips: The Selected Poems of José María Hinojosa (University of New Orleans Press, 2012), the first English language translation of the significant poet of Spain’s Generation of 1927, and, with Pablo Medina, a translation of of Federico García Lorca’s Poet in New York (Grove 2008), His next translation collection, Never Made in America; Selected Poetry of Martín Barea Mattos, will appear with Lavender Ink/diálogos in April 2017. A former Associate Professor of Literary Studies at Eugene Lang College, The New School, he currently lives in Oaxaca, Mexico. Follow Mark Statman at twitter.com/statmanm & http://markstatman.com/

Katie Winter of The Lawrence (KS) Laboratory

Katie grew up in Lawrence, KS & lives there now. Between then & now she has lived, worked, & studied in Chicago, CO, Seattle, NY, & Taos. She has an MA from the U of CO in Education Foundations, Policy & Practice. More important, she has a passion for helping people of all ages and backgrounds learn & grow, including through arts and creativity. She has worked with youth in foster care, people experiencing homelessness, & immigrants. Currently Katie’s life is rich with family, friends, and her work guiding The Lawrence Laboratory, where diverse teachers from the community teach topics they are passionate about. 60-90 minute classes are hands-on or discussion-based to engage diverse adult learners. Follow Katie & The Lawrence Laboratory at www.facebook.com/The-Lawrence-Laboratory-1713296055603635 & www.thelawrencelab.com

Tiffany Burba

Tiffany is a poet and photographer living in Vancouver, WA. She is frequently found at poetry readings there & across the river in Portland, OR. But she loves family & NYC most of all. Tiffany’s work has appeared in Ghost Town Poetry, Volume Two (Printed Matter Vancouver, 2014); in the windows of local businesses for Poetry in the Shops in Vancouver, WA; The Poeming Pigeon A Journal of Poetry and Prose: Doobie or Not Doobie (The Poetry Box, 2016); and on C-Tran buses from January – June 2015 for Poetry Moves. Her first full length book of poetry & short prose “Meet Me Where I Left You” was recently released by Printed Matter Vancouver. Buy the book at http://www.createspace.com/6452675

Daniel Xaysongkham, Dancer-Photographer-Videographer

Daniel is a Laotian-Thai-American, a dancer, a former US Marine, a videographer & much more. He loves singing in the shower, playing video games, teaching dance, and eating pineapple, but NOT on his pizza. Daniel has been dancing contemporary hip hop much of his life. During his 4 years of professional training at KU, his favorite dance has become ballet. In May 2017 Daniel will be awarded his BA in Dance from Kansas University. Next, he heads to family in Salina, KS and then to Sacramento, CA to pursue film and dance as his new career. Follow Daniel & Dxpert Image at https://www.facebook.com/dxpertimage/ & https://www.instagram.com/dxpert_image/