Shows
We Are Chaffee PodcastBecca Williams, founder of Menopausey, on insatiable curiosity & ‘saving the world,’ entrepreneurship & creative problem-solving, practicing gratitude, the seasons of life & perimenopauseBecca Williams wears many hats in the tech world these days, including being the founder of the startup Menopausey, which, as the name suggests, is related to perimenopause and menopause. But she’s also been a newspaper and magazine photojournalist and owned a wedding photography business. She’s been a high school Spanish teacher and a middle school art teacher. She’s traveled in the world extensively and was an HIV/AIDS educator in the Peace Corps in Malawi, in Africa. She was a ski instructor at the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park, many years ago, t...
2025-09-0957 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastDr. Erika Altneu, geriatrician, on the art & science of geriatric medicine, good life & good death, and medical aid in dyingDr. Erika Altneu, geriatrician, talks with Adam Williams about the art and science of geriatric medicine. They talk about how she helps her patients pursue a good life and, when it's time, a good death. They talk about the community connection and creative problem-solving that accompanies being a physician in a small, rural community versus a large urban area like Denver, which has more resources.
Erika and Adam also talk about normalizing conversations about death as a matter of life in "death cafes," and the who, what, when, where and how of the medical aid in dying...
2025-08-2642 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastTommy Gram-Ahlene, on avalanche safety & ‘unconscious incompetence,’ climate change & the outdoor industry, the extraordinary nature of the Arkansas Valley & bootstrapping a dreamTommy Gram-Ahlene owns and operates two outdoor adventure businesses in the Arkansas Valley: Whitewater Attainment and BV Mountain Adventures. He has built an extraordinary outdoor life and career resume during the past 20 years. He has become a go-to resource and instructor far beyond the valley, too, including teaching swiftwater rescue, kayak instructor training, packraft instructor training, avalanche education and wilderness medical courses. He’s a backcountry guide, as well.
Tommy and Adam Williams talk about the “wicked learning environment” that the wilderness can be, and about taking to heart the life-and-death responsibilities of being a guide and instruc...
2025-08-0556 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastMelanie Roth, historian & preservationist, on St. Elmo, her godmother Annabelle Stark, the St. Elmo fire of 2002 & the loss of treasured outhousesMelanie Roth is a historian who has been a huge part of historic preservation efforts in the Buena Vista, Colo., area, working on many projects during the past nearly 50 years.
She talks with Adam Williams about the history of St. Elmo, now known as a ghost town. One of the last full-time, year-round residents of St. Elmo was Melanie’s godmother, Annabelle Stark, who would go to town in October and buy enough food, beer and cigarettes to outlast the high alpine winter.
They talk about the 2002 fire in St. Elmo, how it got started, why...
2025-07-2254 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastThree Years, Nearly 100 Episodes & What's Happening in SeptemberThis is Adam Williams' annual summer update episode, where he catches his breath in the recording schedule and takes a few minutes to summarize where the podcast has been and where it's going.
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The We Are Chaffee Podcast is supported by Chaffee County (Colo.) Public Health. Show notes, including the episode transcript, are at wearechaffeepod.com. Connect on Instagram @wearechaffeepod.
We Are Chaffee partners with KHEN radio (khen.org) in Salida, Colo., for local broadcasting of the We Are Chaffee Podcast.
Credits
Adam Williams, host, producer and photographer; Jon P...
2025-07-0804 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastNathan Ward, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, on ‘The Rider & The Wolf,’ a creative life of adventure, living in Kathmandu & bikepacking in MongoliaNathan Ward is the Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker behind "The Rider & The Wolf," which dug into the legend of mountain biking innovator Mike Rust -- and his mysterious disappearance and death. Nathan also is a writer and photographer who has spent many years roving the farflung corners of the globe, in pursuit of adventure and stories.
He talks with Adam Williams about some of the influences in his early years that led him out into the bigger world, seeking adventure. They talk about how he went from his first job out of college, in the financial district...
2025-06-2456 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastLara Richardson, on her memoir The Table, the rare life of ranching in contemporary America, family & community, and facing existential challengesLara Richardson is a rancher in Salida, Colo., and author of The Table, a memoir that dives into her and her family’s life on the ranch, growing hay and raising cattle, and connecting deeply as a multigenerational, extended family.
She talks with Adam Williams about The Table. They also talk about the daily risks and rewards of working on the ranch, and how constant learning and innovations are critical for ranchers to thrive. And about the dramatically increasing value of agricultural land – monetarily and otherwise – and the increasing pressures of land development. Among other things, including some e...
2025-06-101h 16
We Are Chaffee PodcastJohn & Coleen Graybill (Curtis Legacy Foundation), on great-grandfather Edward Curtis’ iconic work, shining light on Native voices and stories, and their Descendants ProjectJohn and Coleen Graybill, of the Curtis Legacy Foundation, are doing their "life's best work" in retirement. Through the Foundation, they are focused on raising awareness of indigenous peoples and their cultures. They use the iconic work of Edward Curtis, John's great-grandfather, to do that.
They talk with host Adam Williams about their own lives in photography, as well as Curtis' life more than a century ago and his 30-something years of documenting dozens and dozens of Native tribes in North America. They also talk about how they are extending that work through their Descendants Project today. A...
2025-05-271h 32
We Are Chaffee PodcastJohnny Buschmann, on Columbine, survivor’s guilt & ‘trauma camp,’ forgiveness & showing love, & living a joyful life with Chicki Minaj & Cardi BirdJohnny Buschmann was a 4’11”, 80-pound freshman at Columbine High School in 1999 when a mass shooting changed his life, and the lives of so many others. He talks with Adam Williams about that day, the aftermath and his healing – from the shooting, from unrelated family traumas and from his lifelong struggles with mental wellbeing.
This is an incredible, full-range human conversation. There are descriptions of the school shooting, family violence and suicidal ideation. There also is extraordinary grace and forgiveness, love and joy. There is humor and laughter, and there are wild stories of mischief with Johnny and his bro...
2025-04-151h 45
We Are Chaffee PodcastBetsy Dittenber, of the Community Foundation, on roller derby & personal transformation, social justice & nonprofit entrepreneurship, community resilience & the 'Tinder for volunteering'Betsy Dittenber, executive director of the Chaffee County (Colo.) Community Foundation, talks with Adam Williams about her early experiences in nonprofit work and volunteerism in Boston and Guadalajara. They talk about what a community foundation is and how it fosters resilience, and how the CCCF has created a website that is the “Tinder for volunteering” with local nonprofit organizations.
They also talk about Betsy’s roller derby days in Las Vegas, where she was a founding member of the Sin City Roller Girls, and how that experience was transformative for her, personally and professionally.
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The We...
2025-04-0150 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastJosh & Maddy Chance, of Headwater Farms, on their love story & traveling adventures in farming, ‘The Farming Chefs’ & ‘The Good Life’Josh and Maddy Chance were high school sweethearts. The persistent football star and the resistant cheerleader. Over time, they’ve traveled near and far with their shared interests in farming, until deciding to put down roots, start a family and begin building Headwater Farms in the Arkansas Valley (Colo.), in recent years.
They talk with Adam Williams about their origin story together, their farming adventures in Hawaii and Europe, and the importance of community to their mission at Headwater Farms.
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The We Are Chaffee Podcast is supported by Chaffee County (Colo.) Public Health. Sho...
2025-03-181h 25
We Are Chaffee PodcastJessica Oatman, on loss & joy, choosing to live for today, making vibrant art, surfing & family adventureJessica Oatman is an artist, teacher, coach and surfer, among other things. She also has three teenaged kids who have homeschooled their whole lives. As a family of five, they got rid of their stuff many years ago and moved into an RV and then a camper, and took the adventurous road.
Jess talks with Adam Williams about the hardships and tragedy that inspired such a live now, live for joy mentality. They talk about the misconceptions people have about that kind of life – no trust fund here – and what the reality of her life as an arti...
2025-03-0458 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastTracy Arthur Kachadourian, on conflict resolution, self-accountability, her emancipation as a teen & the benefits of investing in youthTracy Arthur Kachadourian is a professional mediator and an expert in facilitating conflict resolution. She and Adam talk about how to build more empathetic, accountable and resilient relationships, personal and professional. Among other things.
Tracy grew up in a home where conflict and her mother’s mental health challenges led Tracy to live in and out of foster homes for years and, ultimately, fight for emancipation from her mother as a young teen. Tracy talks with Adam about those difficult early experiences and how they influence her as the conflict resolution facilitator and mediator that she is tod...
2025-02-1853 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastJordan Cunliffe, on his love of soccer & coaching, self-sabotage & a decade of addiction, Carl Jung & doing hard things, and ‘an insane Google search’Jordan Cunliffe is a soccer coach and mentor to students at an alternative high school in Chaffee County, Colorado. He also is a former Division I university athlete whose drug addiction cut short his career playing the sport he loved more than anything.
Jordan talks with Adam Williams about growing up in a non-religious, non-traditional family in a heavily Mormon-influenced community in Utah. They talk about his move to New York to play soccer at Iona University, and the decade-long spiral of addiction and self-sabotage that unfolded after an injury sidelined him from playing. Among other things...
2025-02-041h 21
We Are Chaffee PodcastKrista Jarvis, on creativity under communist constraints, the ‘Velvet Revolution’, upcycled fashion & a circus 'village' to raise childrenKrista Jarvis grew up in communist Czechoslovakia and witnessed the Velvet Revolution. By the time she was a teenager, the country split into two nations: Slovakia and the Czech Republic. She talks with Adam Williams about creativity under communist constraints and the pivotal experience when she became an artist.
They also talk about the ways communism affected Krista’s family. Her dad fled to freedom when Krista was very young and her mom was a political activist hiding her religious faith. They talk about how it still affects Krista today and how it influences her parenting of two...
2025-01-2155 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastGina Lucrezi, on creating Trail Sisters, ‘The Candidate’, community & public service, gold for Team USA & harnessing her superpowerGina Lucrezi founded Trail Sisters, the leading women’s trail running organization in the U.S., if not world. This passion extends from her standout running career – track and trail – as a National Champion and 10-time All-American at DeSales University, then as a professional trail runner and as a gold medal-winning member of the 2012 Team USA World Long Distance trail-running team in Interlaken, Switzerland.
Gina talks with Adam Williams about those experiences and shaping influences in her life, as well as her volunteer service and leadership for Chaffee County (Colo.) Search & Rescue North, her being featured in “The Cand...
2025-01-071h 20
We Are Chaffee PodcastMatt Allen, D.D.S., on dentistry as public service & his tech venture DifferentKind, the two halves of life & our roles as parents, Liverpool fandom & communal singingMatt Allen, D.D.S., is a formerly practicing dentist who now is the CEO and co-founder of DifferentKind, a tech venture focused on making healthcare more human.
He talks with Adam Williams about how, having been the valedictorian of his high school class in Prescott, Ariz., he almost dropped out of Pepperdine University only months later, to dive full time into his band in L.A. They talk about the relatively safe choice of becoming a dentist like his father, and then the risk of leaving it behind to start a tech company.
They get...
2024-12-311h 19
We Are Chaffee PodcastICYMI: 2024 Review & 2025 KickoffIn this short episode, Adam Williams looks back at the year that was for the We Are Chaffee podcast, ICYMI (in case you missed it). He also looks ahead at 2025 and the upcoming episodes that will kick off the new year.
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The We Are Chaffee Podcast is supported by Chaffee County (Colo.) Public Health. Show notes, including the episode transcript, are at wearechaffeepod.com. Connect on Instagram @wearechaffeepod.
We Are Chaffee (wearechaffee.org) partners with KHEN radio (khen.org) in Salida, Colo., for local broadcasting of the We Are Chaffee Podcast.
Cred...
2024-12-2409 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastDavid Sorrentino, raconteur, on a ‘Bigfoot’ experience, accidentally enlisting in the Army, cycling the Great Divide, and 50 years of fly fishingDavid Sorrentino is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and of the U.S. Army. He’s a cyclist who has completed the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route three times, connecting America’s northern and southern borders. He’s an obsessive fly fisherman of more than 50 years. He’s a raconteur who has entertained audiences, well, probably everywhere he’s gone.
He talks with Adam Williams about how the gift of telling tales came to him upon his father’s death and how cycling has changed his life, despite David’s initial pooh-poohing of being one of those men in...
2024-12-1754 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastPaul Andrews, on growing up in small-town England, father wounds & positive masculinity, faith in the Universe & the Zen of affordable housing developmentPaul Andrews is the man with the vision behind The Crossing neighborhood development in Buena Vista, Colo. He talks with Adam Williams about that project, which is committed to 50 percent affordable housing through partnerships with the Chaffee Housing Trust and Chaffee Housing Authority.
Paul and Adam also go back to Paul’s roots in small-town England, where he says he grew up on the “wrong side of the tracks.” Through his father, Paul formed a lifelong connection with nature and an ambition to build a life that was beyond expectations.
Paul also tells of his first...
2024-12-101h 22
We Are Chaffee PodcastRama Yigit, of Rama’s Bread, on baking, village life & shepherding in Kurdistan, seeking asylum & the bittersweet freedom of not being able to go home againRama Yigit is a baker of Kurdish bread and baklava. He’s a circus performer and a paralegal who helps fellow asylum seekers document their stories. He also is a shepherd and farmer from Kurdistan, a region in eastern Turkey that is not recognized by Turkey.
Rama is most of a decade into the process to gain U.S. citizenship as an asylum seeker. He talks with Adam Williams about the how and why of that, what his fears are and how he feels about not being able to return home to see his village or family, wh...
2024-12-031h 19
We Are Chaffee PodcastMike Harvey, on Badfish & his life’s work, river surfing & a profound shift in perspective, whitewater park design & the Scout Wave … & ‘Derry Girls’Mike Harvey has been at the heart of the river scene in Salida, Colo., for more than 25 years. As a river guide and a competitive freestyle kayaker, a whitewater park designer and an entrepreneur carving out a market for river surfing and paddle boarding through Badfish, the manufacturing company and surf shop that he co-owns in Salida.
Adam Williams talks with Mike about how he and Zack Hughes started Badfish in Zack’s garage and became huge influences in growing the adventure sport of river surfing into what it is today.
They also talk about Mik...
2024-11-2657 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastAngie Jenson, on Mormon excommunication & challenging rules, wildland firefighting & tree activism, solo world travel & a revelatory experience in a Buddhist monasteryAngie Jenson was brought up in the Mormon church and, when she was a young woman, she sought excommunication from The Church. She talks with Adam Williams about why she felt that was necessary and about the formal exit interview that she went through to make it happen.
They talk about her 20+ years of solo international traveling, and how that traveling has influenced her spiritual growth, including a revelatory experience at a Buddhist monastery in Sri Lanka.
Angie also talks about her years as a wildland firefighter, working on helitack and hotshot crews, including a se...
2024-11-1255 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastCrossover: Adam Williams on the ‘Eyes on the Street’ podcast, talking community storytelling with Ryan ShortThis crossover episode features Adam Williams, host of We Are Chaffee’s Looking Upstream, as a guest on Ryan Short’s (co-founder of CivicBrand) Eyes on the Street podcast. (Ryan was a guest on Looking Upstream recently.)
In this episode from Eyes on the Street, Ryan and Adam talk about community storytelling and how it can be a catalyst for change. Adam shares insights about Looking Upstream and the larger We Are Chaffee storytelling initiative of which it’s a part.
They also talk about some of Adam’s creative interests, how he got into podcasti...
2024-11-0557 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastCrossover: Adam Williams on the ‘Eyes on the Street’ podcast, talking community storytelling with Ryan ShortThis crossover episode features Adam Williams, host of We Are Chaffee's Looking Upstream, as a guest on Ryan Short's (co-founder of CivicBrand) Eyes on the Street podcast. (Ryan was a guest on Looking Upstream recently.)
In this episode from Eyes on the Street, Ryan and Adam talk about community storytelling and how it can be a catalyst for change. Adam shares insights about Looking Upstream and the larger We Are Chaffee storytelling initiative that it’s part of.
They also talk about some of Adam's creative interests, how he got into podcasting, what he loves about...
2024-11-0557 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastDr. Erica Gift, on rewilding & foraging, psychology & food choices, the science of meditation, pathological optimism, magic mushrooms & a Vanagon named ‘Butter’Dr. Erica Gift is a professor of psychology at California State University in Northridge. She also informally is a botanist, and is a community educator on wild foods and bioregional herbalism.
She talks with Adam Williams about how she weaves her knowledge and passions for nature, food and psychology together. They also talk about rewilding, the science behind meditation and Erica’s “pathological optimism.” Among other things.
Like, Erica's six-month sabbatical years ago, in which she drove her 1982 Volkswagen Vanagon, named “Butter,” into the forests of the American West and sustained herself fully by foraging for food. I...
2024-10-2955 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastRyan Heckart, on his Green Street Barbershop & the resurgence of barbering, Slipknot & Des Moines, growing up in Flyover Land & the power of silenceRyan Heckart talks with Adam Williams about barbering history, the fall of barber shops through the late 20th century (thanks Beatles!) and the rise again in more recent years.
He tells the story of his barber shop, which he recently opened in Cockeyed Liz’s old brothel, and why he named the shop Green Street when it’s actually located on Main Street in Buena Vista, Colo. And why when he opened his new shop, he absolutely had to have an expensive pair of 101-year-old barber chairs.
Ryan and Adam talk about growing up in Flyove...
2024-10-2257 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastChris White, founder and builder of Yurts at Poncha Pass, on leaving a career in marine biology to build sustainable community in the mountainsChris White, founder and builder of Yurts at Poncha Pass, grew up in Santa Fe, left to become a marine biologist and oceanographer who studied gray whales in British Columbia and bottlenose dolphins and wave energy in Peru, and has since moved to the mountains of Colorado to build an earthship and a sustainable community.
He talks about all that with Adam Williams in this conversation, as well as his becoming an EMT as a sophomore in high school. Chris has many years of experience on ambulances and as a firefighter, including wildland, and as a ski...
2024-10-1553 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastStacey Joslin & Elizabeth Ruggiero, on mental illness & health, what’s missing in therapy, ‘normal,' neurodiversity, masculinity & the warrior spiritStacey Joslin is executive director of the Chaffee County affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Dr. Elizabeth Ruggiero is a systemic therapist. Both have extraordinary personal experiences that influence their insights on mental wellbeing.
They talk with Adam Williams about what’s missing in how we think about and experience therapy, and why it goes against the grain of conventional perspectives. They talk about stigmas and “normalcy.” And touch on neurodivergence and on the warrior spirit of masculinity. Among other things.
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We Are Chaffee's Looking Upstream podcast is a collaboration with Chaffee...
2024-10-081h 20
We Are Chaffee PodcastDerek Scott, pro skateboarder, on skating culture, history & the best rock band ever, the loss of his dad & the Heart of the Rockies RampageDerek Scott talks with Adam Williams about skateboarding culture, history and music. They talk about the failure and perseverance that’s a necessary part of skating. And about how a kid growing up in Salida, Colo., with not a lot of skating terrain became a competition skater traveling and winning his way to a pro career.
They also talk about Derek’s dad, Michael, who died last November and was a huge part of Derek’s life and skating career. In recent years, Derek was integral to the building of a new skatepark in Salida and bringing a Worl...
2024-10-0152 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastDebbie Cassidy, on a hero’s journey from intense generational trauma and ‘bad decisions’ to being a healer and spiritual teacherDebbie Cassidy talks with Adam Williams about generational family trauma that includes violence, tragedy and mental illness. There is great loss, grief and, in Debbie’s words, “a lot of bad decisions,” including drug addiction. But there also is a story of divine epiphany and a triumph of the spirit to overcome those obstacles. It's a remarkable hero's journey.
Adam talks with Debbie about having grace, resilience and empathy, despite the traumas and pitfalls. They also talk about the role of Deepak Chopra in Debbie’s life, first through one of his books and later with the man himsel...
2024-09-241h 18
We Are Chaffee PodcastAnna Heinauer, on nutrition & MyPlate, diet culture & ‘tricky foods,’ being a positive force in the food system & her children’s book, ‘Alice and the Garden’Anna Heinauer is an integrative nutrition health coach and she’s co-owner of The Lettucehead Food Company. Host Adam Williams talks with Anna about many things nutrition. Like, what is it, really? And why should we care about it?
They talk about the value of local food sources and the costs of short- versus long-term nutritional choices. They also talk about why the food pyramid chart that so many of us grew up with is bogus and what nutritional guidance has replaced that pyramid.
Adam also gets Anna’s insights on some “tricky foods,” and asks abou...
2024-07-3057 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastKen Matthews & Jon Pray, on Mick Jagger, Black Panthers, playing rugby, ‘Chaffee Housing Report’ & 'A Home in Paradise'Jon Pray and Ken Matthews join host Adam Williams for a half-interview, half-coffee chat episode.
Ken hosted a radio show called Chaffee Housing Report for several years. Jon was the radio engineer behind the scenes on that show as he often is for Looking Upstream. Adam pulls back the curtain to learn more about each of these guests and to get them to tell a bit on each other along the way.
Jon tells stories of interviewing Mick Jagger on the radio years ago, and covering a clash between the Black Panthers and riot police...
2024-07-1659 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastLooking Upstream's Growth & Evolution in Year ThreeIn this short episode of We Are Chaffee's Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams is solo. He highlights episodes and topics from the past two years of the podcast and talks about what's on his mind for Looking Upstream's growth and evolving future as the show heads into year three.
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The We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast is a collaboration with the Chaffee County Departments of Public Health and Housing, and is supported by the Colorado Public Health & Environment: Office of Health Disparities.
You can see show notes, read the show transcript, and learn m...
2024-07-0207 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastJulie Speer Jackson, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker & director of ‘A Home in Paradise’Julie Speer Jackson is an Emmy Award-winning documentary director and producer. In this conversation, she talks about how she went from studying biochemistry in French, while a college student in Brussels, Belgium, to theater and eventually a career in filmmaking.
She talks with Adam Williams about her innovative DocuReach approach to making films. It’s a model for social change that makes filmmaking a team sport, rather an ego-driven, command-and-control kind of endeavor.
They also talk about the evolution of technology throughout Julie’s career, from digibeta to the role of the Internet and YouTube, to her...
2024-06-1853 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastJason Marsden, on GARNA, the state of journalism today, being a cocktail party diversion at Harvard, and his friend Matthew ShepardIn this episode of We Are Chaffee’s Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Jason Marsden, executive director of the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA), rights advocate and former newspaper reporter.
Adam talks with Jason about his early years growing up on a farm, his studying post-WWII poetry at Harvard, and his time as an environmental reporter at the Casper Star-Tribune. They also talk about the state of journalism and truth in the media today.
And they talk about Jason’s friend, Matthew Shepard, who became the subject of national and international media cove...
2024-04-231h 16
We Are Chaffee PodcastSilvana Montero, on traumatic brain injuries, her multicultural upbringing and getting your ‘ride smile on’ with BicibitsIn this episode of We Are Chaffee’s Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Silvana Montero.
Silvana, a road cyclist, recounts the harrowing experience of when she was hit from behind by a motorist driving more than 45 miles per hour -- and the divine instruction that she heard in that instant that might have saved her life. That led to the first of two traumatic brain injuries that Silvana has been living with since.
They talk about how her life has changed, including the social isolation and grief that came with loss of friendships alon...
2024-04-0959 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastJennifer Dempsey, on the value of social circus, Belfast during ‘The Troubles,’ creating resilience through humor and being the world’s worst waitressIn this episode of We Are Chaffee’s Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Jennifer Dempsey, founder of the Salida (Colo.) Circus and former director of the Belfast Community Circus in Northern Ireland.
They talk about what a social circus is and the good it serves in a community. They talk about what it was like for Jenn to live in Belfast for 12 years, using the circus as a tool for bringing people together during “The Troubles.”
Jenn tells about how, as a two-time college dropout who was, in her words, “the world’s worst wait...
2024-03-2654 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastShane McNeil, on ‘Guy with the Chevy Tattoo,’ straight-edge punk, three chords and the truth, psilocybin, PMA & living in the grayIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Shane McNeil, singer-songwriter-guitarist, auto mechanic and jack-of-all-trades.
In this conversation, Adam talks with Shane about tattoos and Shane’s autobiographical song, “Guy with the Chevy Tattoo.” They talk about the early influences in Shane’s life, including straight-edge punk rock music and the ethos behind it. They talk about why Shane is so restless and optimistic, and about the most valuable lesson he thinks anyone can learn.
Adam and Shane explore being a “gray area” person in a world that wants to box...
2024-03-121h 33
We Are Chaffee PodcastGloria Esparza, on Gen Z, mental health among teens, generational disconnects, optimism for the future, and the best games of ‘cops & robbers’ everIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Gloria Esparza, an 18-year-old high school senior and a youth advisor through Chaffee County (Colo.) Family & Youth Initiatives.
Adam talks with Gloria about her upbringing in a home with three generations and two languages, teen mental health, loss of identity as an athlete due to significant injuries and generational disconnects in communication. Among other things.
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The We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast is a collaboration with Chaffee County Public Health and the Chaffee Housing Authority, and is supported...
2024-02-2753 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastThordis Simonsen, founder of the Museum of Authenticity, on living a bold, creative & courageous lifeIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Thordis Simonsen, the founding director and curator of the Museum of Authenticity in Salida, Colo. Thordis is a painter, photographer, writer and curator. She’s the author of three books, including "You May Plow Here."
In this conversation, Adam talks with Thordis about how she came to leave a career as a school teacher to go live in a small Greek village, where she would spend years interviewing villagers and documenting their life in photographs. Never mind that Thordis did not know Gre...
2024-02-1357 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastRay Nypaver, nature-based psychotherapist, on ego & identity, fear & love, death & connecting with our true selvesIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Ray Nypaver. Ray is a nature-based psychotherapist and running coach, essayist and poet whose newest book is "Light & Dark: Reflections on the Human Experience."
She studied at Naropa, a Buddhist-inspired university in Boulder, Colorado. Adam and Ray delve into matters of spirituality, and how we all can be our highest, truest selves. They talk about fear and love, ego and death, magic and joy. Among other things.
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The We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast is a collaboration with t...
2024-01-301h 36
We Are Chaffee PodcastZac Baird, keyboardist, on hanging out with rock stars, balancing life as a touring musician and dad, the hardest job he ever had & how he hooked up with KornIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Zac Baird, keyboardist and composer. Zac is known across musical genres for his skills with synthesizers and computers. He has toured the world far and wide, playing with various artists and bands for more than 30 years, including for more than a decade with the metal band Korn.
Adam talks with Zac, who had just returned home from nearly a year working and touring in Europe and North America with Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” tour. They talk about his early years with music, including his atten...
2024-01-161h 39
We Are Chaffee PodcastJed Selby, South Main developer & former pro kayaker, on affordable housing, building the future, his love of live music & what motivates himIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Jed Selby, co-developer of South Main in Buena Vista, Colorado. That includes the Surf Hotel, the bar and restaurant Wesley & Rose, and the concert venues of the Ivy Ballroom and the Lawn, among other things.
Jed is a former professional kayaker and former U.S. Freestyle Kayak team member. He’s a passionate lover of live music and has contributed a lot to the local area music scene for nearly 20 years.
Adam gets to know something about who Jed is beh...
2024-01-021h 26
We Are Chaffee Podcast2023 Review & 2024 KickoffIn this short episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams goes solo. He looks back at the diverse guests on the podcast in 2023. He also gives a heads up to the three guests who will kickoff the biggest month, so far, on the podcast in January 2024.
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The We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast is a collaboration with the Chaffee County Departments of Public Health and Housing, and is supported by the Colorado Public Health & Environment: Office of Health Disparities.
You can see show notes, read the show transcript, and l...
2023-12-2609 min
We Are Chaffee PodcastRob Dubin, happiness expert, on gratitude & resilience, employee happiness & ‘quiet quitting', a story of surviving against all odds & learnings from 17 years at seaIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Rob Dubin, a former filmmaker who has become an expert and international keynote speaker on happiness and resilience.
Rob and his wife, Dee, made national news 30 years ago when they survived several days in the backcountry during a phenomenal blizzard near Aspen, Colorado. Adam talks with Rob about that experience and not only how but why survival against all odds was possible.
A few years later, Rob retired from filmmaking at 42. He and Dee sold their home and bought a 40’ sai...
2023-12-1250 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastAlpheus “Alf” Rudd, 10th-generation master blacksmith, on times gone by, the value of old-world skills and self-sufficiency, and ‘Forged in Fire’In this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Alpheus “Alf” Rudd, a master blacksmith with a family lineage in the trade, dating back to at least the 1600s.
Adam and Alf take a ride through history and stories of a time gone by, personal, family and otherwise. Alf was abandoned by his father from the get-go, and his stepfather was lost at sea in the Pacific during World War II when Alf was only a baby. He has stunningly vivid memories of being run over by a car driven by his...
2023-11-2856 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastKatie Brown, rock climber and memoirist (‘Unraveled’), on navigating hidden trauma and anorexia while publicly being celebrated as the ‘best female climber of the millennium’In this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Katie Brown, the renowned rock climber that Climbing magazine named the “best female climber of the millennium” in 1999, and the author of ‘Unraveled,’ a memoir of Katie’s journey through darkness and back.
Adam talks with Katie about her growing up in isolation that was, at least in part, dictated by religious fervor in the household. She shares about how she walked the confusing tightrope of that isolation, of the expectations of god and her parents, and the fact that she was a rock cli...
2023-11-141h 08We Are Chaffee PodcastKeith Baker, County Commissioner and retired U.S. Navy Commander, on growing up in a ‘golden era,’ working with Gen. Colin Powell and servant leadershipIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Keith Baker, Chaffee County (Colo.) Commissioner, retired U.S. Navy Commander, and former owner of The Trailhead (Buena Vista, Colo.), to name just a few chapters in Keith’s story.
Keith talks about his country roots in Georgia and his perception of life as a child in the Sixties, a decade that had its challenges, for sure, but Keith was formed as an optimist from his early years on and overall saw it as as a golden era of possibility and progress, lik...
2023-10-3159 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastEddie Sandoval, chef, restaurateur and concert manager, on the visceral nature of music, sharing food as community, and travels in Southeast AsiaIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Eddie Sandoval. Eddie might be most known as chef and owner of the Asian Palate (Buena Vista, Colo.), along with his wife, Brynn. In recent months, he also became concert manager for the Surf Hotel.
In this conversation, Adam gets to know more about where Eddie comes from, his Midwest upbringing and his young adult years on the East Coast. They talk about how food came to be a central passion for Eddie, though he’d initially thought he’d become a schoo...
2023-10-1754 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastThe Fites (Mars & Ashley), on family #vanlife, living dreams now, finding commonality with strangers of all stripes, and authenticity as digital creatorsIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Mars and Ashley Fite.
The Fites are married digital creators who were early to living adventures on the road before #vanlife became a thing on social media. Ashley and Mars share fantastic insights and perspectives on life, travel, parenting and creativity.
They tell how their van life actually started with a monthslong 48-state road trip in a Honda Civic with their then 2-year-old daughter. They talk about how they came to be featured on HGTV’s show “Tiny House, Big Livin...
2023-10-0356 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastSuzy Kelly, historian & rancher, on capturing & losing stories of the past, Cockeyed Liz, Chief Ouray, post office controversy and changeIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with historian and rancher Suzy Kelly.
Suzy is a local historian and nearly lifelong resident of the Arkansas Valley here in Colorado. She holds a wealth of knowledge on the history of the area, and has built a legacy of preservation as a founding board member of the local Heritage Museum for the past nearly 50 years.
Adams asks about some of the local stories Suzy knows, just as she learned many of them by asking those who could tell the stories...
2023-09-1955 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastLaurie Benson, on ‘Leading from the Feminine,’ community, the power of perception, and accepting life with a neutral spiritIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with entrepreneur, author, speaker and coach Laurie Benson.
Laurie talks with Adam about her experiences working on climate issues around the world. They talk about her connection with indigenous women, and her work with mothers and children seeking safety and support at the U.S. border with Mexico. They talk about accepting life with a neutral spirit, and the power of perception to shape how we see and move through the world.
Laurie also shares about her current work, Inward Bound, w...
2023-09-0554 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastKimi Uno, on Riot Grrrl, ‘Howl’, her family’s experience of internment camp during World War II, and the importance of fighting for what’s rightIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with entrepreneur and activist Kimi Uno.
Kimi shares about the influence of the Riot Grrrl movement on her life when she was coming up in the Pacific Northwest. She and Adam talk about female empowerment and feminism, multiculturalism and anti-racism, and her history of activism.
They also talk about the U.S. government’s internment of Japanese-Americans, including Kimi’s family, during World War II, and the lasting effects it’s had on generations of a family and community at large.
K...
2023-08-2256 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastJoe Parkin, on cycling, doping and race fixing, and his many adventures in ‘search of that thing that so completely enthralls’ the mind and bodyIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Joe Parkin.
Joe was a pioneering American professional cyclist in Europe in the 80s and 90s. He also has been a professional and/or highly competitive BMX, mountain bike and motorcycle racer.
He’s been an aerobatic pilot. He spent several years as a highly accomplished long-range rifle shooter. He has been on several tours with the rock band of the actress Juliette Lewis. He has published two books and later worked as a magazine editor and writer. He’s owne...
2023-08-081h 25We Are Chaffee PodcastYear One Review & Year Two KickoffIn this short episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams goes solo. He looks back at the diverse guests and topical threads of conversations in the first year of the podcast. He also takes a look at the guests’ stories that will kick off year two.
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The We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast is a collaboration with the Chaffee County Departments of Public Health and Housing, and is supported by the Colorado Public Health & Environment: Office of Health Disparities.
You can see show notes, read the show transcript, and lea...
2023-07-2507 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastRick Bieterman & Katy Welter, of Watershed Ranch, on adventure & leaps of faith, leadership & community, land conservation & historic preservationIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Rick Bieterman and Katy Welter.
Katy and Rick are married partners in a life of ranching and historic renovation, and other adventures. They met on a 75-day outdoor leadership adventure in the mountains. They had come to that experience as individuals, strangers, who unwittingly had both traveled from Chicago to get there, and they left as a couple.
Adam talks with Katy and Rick about leaving behind careers as a lawyer and a teacher, respectively, in the Midwest to, ultimately...
2023-07-1156 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastEric S. Lee, on growing up in Detroit in the Motown era, practices for inner peace, and restorative justiceIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Eric S. Lee, executive director for Full Circle Restorative Justice.
Eric has a rich history of entrepreneurship and service to others, including as a chef and restaurateur, life coach and fitness trainer, book author and restorative justice facilitator. He and Adam talk about Detroit and the Motown era of Eric’s early years, and other influences in his life as a kid coming up there in the 1960s and 70s.
They talk about how Eric ultimately left behind a wayward li...
2023-06-271h 12We Are Chaffee PodcastTravis Macy, pro endurance athlete and author, on his new book, his father Mark Macy’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, love and grief, optimism and resilienceIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with professional endurance athlete and author Travis Macy.
Travis has a new book out, “A Mile at a Time.” It’s a collaboration with his father, the legendary endurance athlete, Mark “Mace” Macy, and Patrick Regan.
Adam and Travis talk about the impact of Mace’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and the ambiguous sense of loss and grief along the way. They talk about the role of humor and choosing happiness, and facing life with courage. They also talk about Travis and Mark’s relatio...
2023-06-1358 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastBrinkley Messick, on his journey as an artist, his passion for the wilderness, and what he struggles with and loves most about fatherhoodIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with artist Brinkley Messick.
Brinkley dropped out of art school, yet here he is, one of this area’s most recognizable artists with work that is known up and down the Arkansas River Valley and beyond. Brinkley describes himself as “naturally subversive.” He and Adam talk about how that, his study of anthropology, and his parents have influenced his work as an artist.
Brinkley shares about his upbringing and early influences in life, and why he loves music but feels like he hasn...
2023-05-301h 21We Are Chaffee PodcastElisia Parham, on slam poetry, Black Lives Matter, allyship, confronting her own biases, activism out of love, and having difficult conversationsIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Elisia Parham, poet, activist and social worker.
Elisia is a poet who grew up in unconventional circumstances. She and Adam talk about how those circumstances helped her to develop resilience and her voice, which she has used not only as a performing slam poet but as an activist.
Adam talks with Elisia about her path from being an activist out of righteous anger to being an activist out of love, and one who recently earned her Master’s degree an...
2023-05-161h 13We Are Chaffee PodcastSophia Herzog Gibb, two-time Paralympic medalist, on her swimming career, cultivating resilience and confidence, her dwarfism and a love storyIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Sophia Herzog Gibb, a two-time Paralympic medalist swimmer.
Sophie retired from world competition after the Tokyo games were held in 2021. She grew up in Fairplay, Colo., at first with dreams of being a competitive skier. We talk about what led her from skiing to glory as a swimmer. We talk about her growing up with a disability and how that affected her life in a small rural school, and fueled her fire to excel at academics and athletics.
Sophie...
2023-05-0253 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastWendell Pryor, on civil rights and public service, family values, the importance of Internet for rural connectivity, and only semi-retiring in his 70sIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Wendell Pryor, the retired former executive director of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) in Chaffee County, Colo.
Wendell tells about growing up in what was then a rural area outside Denver, coming up in a two-room schoolhouse without indoor plumbing, and spending weekends in the city with cousins. His dual-environment childhood and being surrounded by family values would be shaping factors in his life. Wendell would end up leaving the States as a teenager, however, to go to high school in...
2023-04-1856 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityRevisiting 'Chop Wood, Carry Water'Based on a listener's timely and meaningful email, this episode revisits a focus of building a path of purpose one step at a time by applying the Zen philosophy of chopping wood and carrying water.
Humanitou creator Adam Williams digs into some thoughts, resources and ideas about recognizing life purpose and cultivating success through the Zen Buddhist koan, "chop wood, carry water." Along the way, he dips into the wisdom of sages like Jedi master Yoda and Michael Jordan, Baba Ram Dass and Pablo Picasso, an 8th century Buddhist poet and the lightbulb inventor Thomas Edison. Adam...
2023-04-0624 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastMonica White, on her yearslong struggle with Lyme disease and her advocacy as founder of the Colorado Tick-Borne Disease Awareness AssociationIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Monica White, founder of the Colorado Tick-Borne Disease Awareness Association.
Monica enjoyed a career as a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Forest Service for a number of years, and then experienced a life-changing illness that took years just to get support for diagnosis, let alone treatment. It’s her path with Lyme disease, and that of her husband and their two children getting sick with it, as well, that inspired her to become an advocate in the field of tick-borne di...
2023-04-0457 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastAndrea Carlstrom, Dir. of Public Health, on a ‘wild, surreal’ pandemic ride, optimism & gratitude, and finding love on a Phish tour In this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Andrea Carlstrom, director of Chaffee County (Colorado) Public Health.
Andrea and Adam reflect on the recent past, with the three-year mark of the first COVID case noted in Chaffee County in mind. During the time that would follow, Andrea lived not only her own version of what everyone experienced with the pandemic, she also felt heavy responsibilities and stresses as director of Public Health responding to a health crisis in the face of political and social division. That included receiving politically m...
2023-03-1757 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastLenny & Amy Eckstein, of the craft distillery Deerhammer, on big career changes and taking risks, leadership and crafting company culture, and squirt boatingIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Amy and Lenny Eckstein, the married couple and entrepreneurial energy behind the craft distillery Deerhammer.
Lenny and Amy tell about their East Coast origin story, how they met and made their way west, and why they left behind successful careers in other realms to buy a building on Main Street in a rural mountain town in Colorado and start a distillery.
Amy shares fantastic stories about growing up with a dad and family that hustled to make business ideas...
2023-03-0758 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastJonathon Stalls, author, artist and advocate, on shedding painful life stories, learning to love himself, and advocating for connection through unhurried movementIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Jonathon Stalls, author of the book, “Walk: Slow Down, Wake Up and Connect at 1-3 Miles Per Hour.”
They talk about Jonathon’s 242-day walk across the United States as a pivotal experience for him, and the deeply painful buildup, including a suicide attempt, that led him to that mental and emotional space where a cross-country walk made sense to him, even if he had no idea what he was doing when he started it.
What Jonathon learned while walkin...
2023-02-2158 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastLes Messamer, on growing up fundamentalist, being shunned for enlisting during WWII, being a seagoing cowboy on the Pacific, and moreIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Les Messamer, a 96-year-old World War II veteran who one might swear has lived multiple lives simultaneously. Adventurous ones and otherwise.
Les tells about his upbringing in a fundamentalist religious farm community in Iowa, and why he defied its wishes and enlisted to serve in World War II, only to be shunned when he returned home.
Adam talks with Les about his post-war adventures as a sea-going cowboy taking several hundred heifers across the Pacific to Shanghai, China, and s...
2023-02-0756 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityThe Significance in Our InsignificanceIn this short solo episode, Adam Williams explores the mind-bogglingness of the Universe and our human arrogance to think it gives a fuck about what we give a foolish fuck about. He wades into our relatively insignificant places as humans in the vast universe and considers what our true significance actually can be.
Bonus: Do you know the distance of a light-year? How many light-years across the universe reaches? How many galaxies are in it? Adam dug up those fun facts for this episode ... Not that he can fathom what any of them mean. Mind. Blowing.
2023-01-2814 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityA Poem From Somewhere: 'Spark Cloaked But Burning'In this ultra-short solo episode, Adam Williams shares "a poem from somewhere, for whomever needs it." For anyone who knows feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression, this short poem, "Spark Cloaked But Burning," is one of compassion and solidarity. Read and listen to more at humanitou.com.
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All things podcast creation and publishing by Adam Williams (humanitou.com)
Music by Joe Johnson
2023-01-2603 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastTayte Pollmann, on earthship architecture and sustainability, trail running and writing in Nepal, living with five housemates and the importance of Liège wafflesIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Tayte Pollmann. Tayte is a writer, trail runner, Nordic skier, traveler and, it turns out, a lover of Liège waffles, artisan cheese and many other things.
Adam and Tayte talk about a roving range of topics, including food and their shared love of living in the mountains, and memories they both have of their dads introducing them to Nordic skiing.
Tayte also talks about his experience of living with five housemates in a time and place when housing af...
2023-01-241h 39
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityThinking About How We Impact OthersIn this short solo episode, Adam Williams thinks about a worthy question: What is the impact we have on others, and is it the impact we intend to have? Essentially, "Do I give them energy or drain their energy?" He explores this question and practice as one of self-awareness and compassion. Read and listen to more at humanitou.com.
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All things podcast creation and publishing by Adam Williams (humanitou.com)
Music by Joe Johnson
2023-01-2403 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityAt the Intersection of Creative Intention and Oops, Something Artful HappensIn this short solo episode, Adam Williams stands at the intersection of creative intentions and oopses, where truth lies in the inexactitude of life. He explores the practice of listening to the intuitive and recognizing "when something artful this way comes." Read and listen to more at humanitou.com.
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All things podcast creation and publishing by Adam Williams (humanitou.com)
Music by Joe Johnson
2023-01-2205 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityA Way of Being & Seeing on a Trail HikeIn this short solo episode, Adam Williams shares a couple poetic examples of his awareness practices while on a trail hike. Read and listen to more at humanitou.com.
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All things podcast creation and publishing by Adam Williams (humanitou.com)
Music by Joe Johnson
2023-01-2103 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityInsecurities, Courage & ConfidenceIn this short solo episode, Adam Williams sorts out some truths of being creative, like facing insecurities with courage and cultivating confidence. He cites Dutch artist, curator and designer Erik Kessels' book "Failed It!" and reflects on Kessels' belief that insecurity is essential to confidence.
Read and listen to more at humanitou.com.
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All things podcast creation by Adam Williams (humanitou.com)
Music by Joe Johnson
2023-01-1906 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityBeing 'The Man In The Arena' with Brené Brown & Teddy RooseveltIn this short solo episode, Adam Williams shares about his experience with the conflicting voices in his head, including Brené Brown's, Teddy Roosevelt's and his imagined critics', every time he creates as a writer, poet, artist, podcaster ... whatever the creative medium.
Read and listen to more at humanitou.com, where you also can see two artworks Adam made to go with this episode's show notes and related blog post on the website. You also can read the addendum, "Roosevelt's Bullet."
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Music by Joe Johnson
All things podcast by Adam Williams (humanitou.co...
2023-01-1709 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityHumanitou Is Dead, Long Live HumanitouHumanitou is dead, long live Humanitou. After an 18-month hiatus, Adam Williams is back with the Humanitou podcast. In this short solo episode, he tells what was going on during that time and about the lifeline that drew him back to the light.
Transcript and show notes are at humanitou.com.
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Music by Joe Johnson
Host, producer and all things podcast by Adam Williams (humanitou.com)
2023-01-1306 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastDominique Naccarato, dir. of GARNA, on growing up in Salida in the pre-Internet era, waves of change and a look into the 22nd centuryIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Dominique Naccarato, executive director of the Greater Arkansas River Nature Association (GARNA) and city council member in Salida, Colo.
Dominique’s story is Salida’s story, at least in part. She talks with Adam about growing up in Salida in the pre-Internet era and wanting to leave and never come back. And she did leave. And then she came back some years later and, ultimately, took on leadership roles that will have far-reaching influence on the future of her community and the...
2023-01-1057 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastJenny Davis, founder of Achieve, on neurodiversity, why you’re better at meditation than you think, and searching for the Dalai Lama’s tea potIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Jenny Davis, founder of Achieve, Inc., and Little Engine Eatery.
Jenny’s story of a Midwest upbringing and parents who divorced when she was a teen highlights her entrepreneurial spirit. Jenny and Adam talk about her setting aside the Christian faith of her parents and exploring Eastern philosophies, ultimately coming to identify as Buddhist. Jenny tells how she had to persuade her parents that, in fact, did not mean she had joined a cult. It would, however, lead to a frantic se...
2022-12-271h 20We Are Chaffee PodcastMike Orrill, retired pastor, on the difficulties of faith, freedom in doubts, the evolution of his beliefs, and the power of sharing storiesIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Mike Orrill, a retired Presbyterian pastor of 35 years.
Mike describes himself as a “poster child for doubt,” as he and Adam discuss faith and the dangers of certainty. They talk about Mike’s personal evolution over nearly 50 years from fanatical believer who needed absolute answers to his questions, to transparently fallible human who has become relatively comfortable with life's ambiguity. Mike shares how faith, belief in the afterlife, and even belief in God have never come easily to him.
“I think...
2022-12-131h 18We Are Chaffee PodcastBeck Cerón (Pt. 2), on loving his transgender & sober self, the freedom of “queer,” and allyship in pronounsIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks again with Beck Cerón, picking up where they left off in their previous conversation.
Adam and Beck go deeper into Beck’s story as a transgender man and the freedom he feels in his queer identity. Beck shares about his experience with gender dysphoria, as male in a female body. He talks about how that experience of himself tied to his use and abuse of drugs and alcohol, and ultimately how he would get clean and sober, and transition into the full...
2022-11-2958 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastRob & Sarah Gartzman (‘The Biker & The Baker’), on balancing fear and love in business and marriage, and building a future that worksIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Rob and Sarah Gartzman, a married couple who also are entrepreneurial partners who own multiple restaurants (The Biker & The Baker, Sweetie's Sandwich Shop) in the town of Salida, Colorado.
Sarah and Rob met as high school seniors in Evanston, Illinois, somewhere around 20 years ago, and they’ve taken a really compelling path together – and for a bit apart – and have ridden some big ups and some scary downs.
Rob tells about the unwritten rule in their lives that keeps them g...
2022-11-1558 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastMiki Hodge & Becky Gray, on lessons from the Rainbow Family, confetti joy and bringing Jane's Place to lifeIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Miki Hodge and Becky Gray. Becky and Miki share stories from their extraordinary lived experiences, and about how those tie to their roles in the development of Jane’s Place, an innovative housing, nonprofit and commercial project in the town of Salida.
Becky also talks about her years following the Grateful Dead around the country and being part of the Rainbow Family, living in a van with her then-infant son, and eventually their reentry into Babylon, which is what the Rainbow Fa...
2022-11-0158 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastBeck Cerón, on self-taught survival, addiction, sobriety and identityIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Beck Cerón.
There has been an intensity to Beck’s life. Adam and Beck talk about survival and the self-taught, self-reliant, hands-on kind of energy that his life has demanded from him. They talk about a sliding-doors moment in Beck’s youth and about addiction. They also touch on his sobriety, which has come during a nearly 10-year career as a distiller of whiskey, gin and so on.
Beck and Adam also got into another incredibly important and huge t...
2022-10-1858 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastAbigail Smedly & Tanya Wait, on public health, their paths to nursing, and the tangible expression of loveIn this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, host Adam Williams talks with Tanya Wait and Abigail Smedly, deeply empathetic public health nurses in Chaffee County, Colorado.
Abigail tells about a life-changing experience that happened in the country of Kazakhstan when she was 16 years old. Tanya tells about how her nursing career nearly was derailed before it began, due to, of all things, a public health crisis.
Adam asks what makes “public health” nursing different from the typical role nurses hold in hospitals and doctors’ offices. And Abigail and Tanya elaborate on the def...
2022-10-0453 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastArt Hutchinson, on a rare history and the weight of legacy, changing times and preserving neutral groundArt Hutchinson joins Adam Williams, host of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, to talk about a rare history and perspective in Chaffee County, Colorado.
The Hutchinson Homestead & Ranch is located along highway 50 between Salida and Poncha Springs, Colorado. The ranch has been a keystone in the community since before there even was a community, having been founded in the 1860s, soon after the Civil War. That’s before Colorado was a state, before nearby Salida was a town, before … well, nearly everything that’s come to be established in Chaffee County.
Art and Adam t...
2022-09-2056 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastNikki Ray, on growing up in a family struggling with drug addiction, run-ins with the law, getting clean and serving her community Nikki Ray and We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream host Adam Williams talk about Nikki growing up in a family that struggles with addiction, and how she too would end up experiencing many years of active drug addiction, starting at a pretty young age.
Nikki and Adam talk about her growing up in that environment and how it would lead to some significant losses in her life. They talk about why those losses pushed Nikki deeper into using drugs, rather than being the wake-up calls that might have helped her to shift course. In the process, she gives l...
2022-09-0656 minWe Are Chaffee PodcastAdam Williams, Host of Looking Upstream, & Lisa Martin, Producer & Community Advocacy Coordinator, talk about We Are Chaffee and the new Looking Upstream podcast with Ken Matthews on KHEN RadioLisa Martin, producer for the new We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast and Community Advocacy Coordinator for the We Are Chaffee initiative, and Adam Williams, host of the new podcast, talk with Ken Matthews on the Chaffee Housing Report radio show on KHEN 106.9 in Salida, Colo.
The conversation is the second of a two-part transition from the Chaffee Housing Report to We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream, a human-forward, conversational, storytelling podcast that will focus on upstream health factors such as housing and living conditions, social inequities, and many related policies and systems in Chaffee County, Colo.
2022-08-0953 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity118: A Poet Was There ... Nguyễn Chí Thiện, Vietnamese DissidentIn this solo episode, Adam Williams kicks off an occasional series called “A Poet Was There.” Adam reads his poem, "I Want Poets," which is his kernel of inspiration for the series, praising poets as essential truth tellers, the ones who are most equipped to help us understand the human experience -- our own and others’ -- more fully. In this episode, Adam tells the what, why and how of "A Poet Was There." He also highlights the story and work of the first poet in the series: Nguyễn Chí Thiện, a Vietnamese dissident who spent 27 years in and out of...
2021-06-0914 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity114: Adam Williams, on breaking conformity & the profound power of mismatching your socksAdam Williams, creator of Humanitou, goes it alone in this episode and shares one of his simplest, most private practices for breaking away from conformity: mismatching his socks. He's been doing it for years, and has been influencing his two sons in doing it, too. Frivolous and weird? Maybe. Shockingly empowering and profound? Could be. Listen to Adam lay out his reasoning and, well, advocate for everyone to mismatch their socks in this solo episode of the Humanitou Podcast. More at humanitou.com.
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Humanitou is created, produced and hosted by Adam Williams.
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2021-05-0517 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + CreativityNew Trailer: Humanitou PodcastThe Humanitou Podcast is about humanness and creativity. It's created and hosted by artist and writer Adam Williams, a super-curious introvert who might not be a superstar at small talk but loves thoughtful, energizing, one-on-one conversations. Humanitou shines light on failure and triumph, fear and love and all the messy and real parts of being human. There are conversations with fellow artists, thinkers, leaders and spiritual practitioners. And sometimes Adam goes solo to tackle the tough topics of being creative, not to mention just plain human. Topics like impostor syndrome, self-sabotage, and fear of success. Guests have included illustrator...
2021-03-1803 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity108: Adam Williams, on the season wrap-up, Humanitou updates and Lewis Hyde's 'The Gift'Adam Williams, creator and host of the Humanitou Podcast, wraps up Season One of the podcast, and talks about the newest goings on around Humanitou and his plans for the season break before he jumpstarts Season Two early in 2021. Along the way, he talks about Lewis Hyde's classic book, "The Gift," and how it's influencing his perspective on art creation (and even selling) as a means of gift giving, and how we all can play a role in keeping the energy of generosity flowing in the world. These things and more in this season-ending episode of the Humanitou Podcast...
2020-11-2314 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity106: Ber-Henda Williams, founder of The Power of Girlhood, on leadership and poetry, curiosity, FOMO and Sheila E.Ber-Henda Williams is an empathic coach and facilitator, a bilingual poet and storyteller, and founder of The Power of Girlhood, a leadership institute for teen girls in Detroit. In this conversation, we talk about Detroit, and about going against the tide and leading from where we are. We talk about the need for curiosity, love poetry as a tool against the political power structure, and going toe-to-toe with the boys in class, laying down beats and rhymes. We've got special shoutouts to DJ Kool Herc and Sheila E. ("she's not just some Prince protegé"), among many other influences, including Ev...
2020-11-021h 16
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity104: Adam Williams, on his fear of 'love', the nuances of karma, and healing our dis-ease and disconnectionsAdam Williams, creator of Humanitou, gets into a topic that he's really not comfortable talking about: love. In this solo episode, he starts with an odd little story that finally got him to speak on this issue he's got with love. He explores why he's not comfortable having this talk with you today, why that’s got to change and how he's changing it. He also briefly digresses into the nuances of karma, what it really is and what it really isn’t. And he shares some other things that he thinks you’ll find useful in your own relationsh...
2020-10-1224 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity101: Adam Williams, on building a path of purpose one step at a time, applying the Zen philosophy of chopping wood and carrying waterHumanitou creator Adam Williams digs into some thoughts, resources and ideas about recognizing life purpose and cultivating success through the Zen Buddhist koan, "chop wood, carry water." Along the way, he dips into the wisdom of sages like Jedi master Yoda and Michael Jordan, Baba Ram Dass and Pablo Picasso, an 8th century Buddhist poet and the lightbulb inventor Thomas Edison. Adam also shares the simplest of three-step action plans to create lasting success in your life. More at humanitou.com.
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Humanitou is created, hosted and produced by Adam Williams.
Show notes...
2020-09-1623 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity100: Ber-Henda Williams, empathic coach and bilingual poet, on empathy, systemic racism, cultural behaviors, collective grief, curiosity and reaffirming connections of humanityBer-Henda Williams is an empathic coach and facilitator, a bilingual poet and storyteller, and founder of The Power of Girlhood, a leadership institute for teen girls in Detroit. In this conversation, in the days following the police shooting of Jacob Black seven times in the back in Kenosha, Wisconsin, we talk about empathy and getting curious about ourselves, systemic biases and anti-racism. We talk about spiritual practices and having courageous conversations, and how to chip away at the callousness and lack of humanity that pervades society right now, and about the need for collective mobilization for something better. More...
2020-09-091h 00
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity97: Adam Williams, on humanness and creativity, and what Humanitou really is aboutIn this solo episode, Adam Williams, creator and host of Humanitou, digs into his own "humanness and creativity," going into those corners he so often asks his guests to vulnerably explore on the podcast. He talks about how his immense curiosity led him into the U.S. Army, and now guides Humanitou. He talks about leadership and empathy, communication and connection as humans who experience different yet relatable stories. He talks about why Humanitou exists and what its place is in his world. More at humanitou.com.
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Humanitou is created, hosted and produced by Ad...
2020-08-1227 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity94: Adam Williams, Creator of Humanitou, on Creative Resistance & Impostor SyndromeIn this episode, Adam Williams, creator and host of Humanitou, which typically features guests in "conversations of humanness and creativity," is riding solo and launching something new. Starting with this episode, Adam is committing to a series of five solo episodes mixed in with the coming months' conversations. In these, he explores his own humanness and creativity through topics that are relevant to listeners' own senses of humanity. He also draws upon other resources, like some of the amazing creators who join him for the Humanitou Podcast, and from others whose work and names you'll likely recognize. Authors, artists, spi...
2020-07-1236 min
Humanitou: Exploring Humanness + Creativity81: Becca Williams, on marriage, miscarriage and kids, yoga and tech consulting In this inaugural Humanitou Podcast episode, I talk with my amazing wife, Becca Williams. I reveal a secret I’ve been holding throughout our 17-year relationship, something I’d been playing it cool with since our beginning and just decided now’s the time to ’fess up. We get into some intimate experiences we’ve shared along the way but haven’t talked about for many years: the decision to have kids and the miscarriages that occurred in the process. Becca tells why she went into the Peace Corps in her 20s — and subsequently dropped out. She also shares how she applies h...
2020-03-0255 min