Shows
A Community ThreadAn Interview with the Creator of A Community Thread on the Radio!I recently had the honor of chatting on the radio with Shanti O'Connor, whose interview you may remember from earlier this year. Shanti cohosts a show on KPOV, the local radio station here in Bend, Oregon. At the time of this recording the program was called Voices from the Margins, but it is transitioning to Curiosity Lab, so if you are inclined to seek it out, be sure to keep an eye out for either name. As the A Community Thread interviews have come to a close for this year, I thought this might be a good opportunity for...2019-12-2329 min
A Community ThreadTyler Graham - October 28, 2019This is the 50th and final interview for this year and the 160th interview overall for A Community Thread. I owe a huge thank you to Leslie as it is unlikely I would have met Tyler without her. I first met Tyler, who is Leslie's husband, when I showed up at their house to interview Leslie earlier this year and that was the beginning of what has turned out to be a very lovely friendship with both of them. Tyler and I have spent many hours on many occasions in genuine conversation over the course of this year and...2019-12-161h 10
A Community ThreadTravis Wiggins - October 20, 2019Big thanks to Sheila Dunn for recommending Travis to participate here. I've actually known Travis for a year or so. We met through his wife, Emily, and I believe she initially wanted us to meet because of our sharing an interest in disseminating information via podcasts. Travis makes a podcast called Modern Folk and seems to have a pretty significant interest in living better and more thoughtfully. Travis also participated in a small group of folks I asked to gather together last year with the focus of giving me some advice as this project moved forward. It was so...2019-12-0952 min
A Community ThreadBecky Conner - October 17, 2019I'd like to begin here by offering a tremendous thank you to Shanti O'Connor for connecting me to Becky. We came so close to missing this incredible conversation due to some electronic mail complications, but we managed to recover and I'd say we are all better for it — all, in this case, being you and me and Becky, too. I met Becky at her home in Sisters and she intercepted me outside as I approached her driveway. We immediately went for a short walk to the Wychus Creek, which winds it way through the trees at the end of he...2019-12-0229 min
A Community ThreadSheila Dunn - October 15, 2019I've known Sheila casually for a couple of years now and several people have mentioned her name as a potential participant here, but nobody ever officially referred her until now. And I owe a big thank you to Jason Chinchen for finally being the responsible party. Sheila and I sat in her studio and chatted over a cup of matcha about many of the things on our minds. This interview is conversational and relaxed due to our already knowing one another and — spoiler alert — it doesn't offer much by way of figuring it all out or solving the world's prob...2019-11-2536 min
A Community ThreadWill Blount - Otober 11, 2019Laura Grayson referred Will to participate here several months ago and at that time Will asked me to reach out to him again "after September", when his schedule might afford him a little extra time. And so I did and he was kind enough to put me on the calendar. We met in a conference room at the Ruffwear and Embark headquarters, where Will serves as the President. This was actually our second meeting — our first being a couple of weeks earlier to chat about another photography project — so I had some idea of what chatting with Will was like...2019-11-1836 min
A Community ThreadKrayna Castelbaum - October 03, 2019Skye Kimel referred Krayna to participate here. It turns out that Krayna and I live nearby each other, so it was a treat to go to a home I have passed by several times and meet and chat with the resident there. Krayna met me with a big smile and promptly served me up a cup of hot tea and some bites of dark chocolate and a tour of her home. We sat on her sofa together and chatted about this and that until it seemed as though me might talk about everything before we even started recording. Then...2019-11-111h 02
A Community ThreadJerry Scdoris - October 01, 2019I'd like to offer a big and warm thank you to Andrew Smith for recommending Jerry to participate here. It's hard to imagine a circumstance in which I would have met Jerry otherwise. I feel very fortunate to have had this time with him today, which was so lovely and sincere and vulnerable and genuine. Jerry lives on a large plot of landed completely surrounded by BLM land with his 100 sled dogs. Jerry's a sled dog racer and a tour guide and the father to Rachael Scdoris, who has experienced a substantial amount of fame for her athletic accomplishments...2019-11-0438 min
A Community ThreadJesse Russell - September 23, 2019Skye Kimel recommended Jesse to participate here. I had heard of Jesse through mutual friends and had even taken a peek at his small-home development, The Hiatus, last winter, so it was a treat to finally meet him. We had a lovely and lively conversation and I left feeling invigorated. I transcribed the bulk of our conversation for your reading pleasure here, but there are some fascinating off-shoots that you'll have to listen to the audio in order to enjoy. I appreciated so much that Jesse's train of thought was often introspective and void of judgment. My guess would...2019-10-2836 min
A Community ThreadShanti O'Connor - September 18, 2019Dayna Taus recommended Shanti to participate here. I had heard of Shanti and even attended a presentation of hers a couple of years ago, but I couldn't quite remember the context and I know we hadn't met, so I was looking forward to meeting her today. I spent the last week in Maine, visiting my family, exploring my old stomping grounds, and generally not thinking too much about this project and really couldn't have asked for a more pleasant reentry than this warm and encouraging and honest conversation. I am so glad to be able to introduce Shanti to...2019-10-2139 min
A Community ThreadLisa Shropshire - September 07, 2019JJ Riddell recommended Lisa to participate here. It turns out that JJ has been working hard in community activism since at least the 8th grade, which is when he and Lisa met. I'm grateful to JJ for connecting us as Lisa and I had a wonderful conversation together. We spent a few hours together and covered nearly every topic. We chatted for an hour or more over a cup of coffee and an ocean roll before going on record and then revisited a couple of those topics which you'll read or listen to below. And then we kept it...2019-10-1437 min
A Community ThreadJason Chinchen - September 06, 2019Skye Kimel recommended Jason to participate here. And I am so glad she did as our time together was so rich. We chatted at Jason's kitchen table over some tasty coffee while in the company of his two three-legged dogs, Rally and Charlie. I felt as though Jason and I connected in a very real way and I am very excited to share our conversation with you here. I hope that you'll find our sincere back and forth encouraging. Jason is a man of many hats and one of them is that of photographer. I always feel a little...2019-10-0729 min
A Community ThreadAlyssa Loveday - September 2, 2019Jess Leblanc recommended Alyssa to participate here. It turns out that Alyssa coaches Jess' daughter through a basketball training program she organizes. So nice that Jess thought of Alyssa and even nicer that Alyssa accepted the invitation! We met at Alyssa's house on her lunch break and talked on her sofa while her big Labrador Retriever, Sawyer, tried his best to participate in the interview - you may recognize his presence as you listen. I would have loved another hour to dive even further into some of the topics we touched on, but I’m grateful for Alyssa’s pers...2019-09-3025 min
A Community ThreadSkye Kimel - August 30, 2019Hunter Dahlberg recommended Skye to participate here. They know each other through the blacksmith trade and we ended up meeting in Skye's workshop, marking the second blacksmith shop I’ve had the honor to visit during this project. I so love sitting in somebody's environment with them, surrounded by what they know. I don't know if that is a trait I've always had or one that I've developed throughout the course of this project, but I’m thankful for it either way. It was so fun to chat with Skye in a big industrial space. And I loved hearing her...2019-09-2340 min
A Community ThreadPriscilla Francis Ibarra - August 26, 2019Christy recommended Priscilla to participate here and she reluctantly accepted. Priscilla explained that she didn't feel that she was remarkable or influential enough to participate, but I countered that by explaining that part of my intention with this project is to celebrate and amplify the voice of the everyman/woman. So many of us have thoughts and feelings and ideas, but we rarely have a platform to discuss them in a public way. I am so glad that Priscilla overcame her initial hesitance and I am so very happy to introduce her to you here. Our conversation is real...2019-09-1641 min
A Community ThreadDorian Allstot - August 08, 2019Jared Anderson recommended Dorian to participate here. It was obvious through talking with both of them that they have a tremendous amount of mutual respect for each other. I found that connection to be quite moving. I am so grateful to Jared for recommending Dorian to this project as I doubt very much that I would have encountered him in this context otherwise. Dorian and his friends share an aesthetic and a way of life and during the time I’ve spent here in Bend, Oregon, I’ve noticed that this particular lifestyle is one that the people here tend...2019-09-0940 min
A Community ThreadGregg Morris - August 06, 2019Kevin Kraft recommended Gregg to participate here. He accepted and invited me to his home and we spent about an hour on record at his kitchen table chatting about maybe not all, but at least many of the things. He spoke very highly of his daughter, Ella, who I was delighted to meet after the interview. Gregg homeschooled Ella until high school started and it was really cool to bear witness to their bond that undoubtedly grew during their thousands of hours of teaching and learning together.2019-09-021h 03
A Community ThreadDayna Taus - July 24, 2019Kevin Kraft recommended both Dayna and her husband, Mike, to participate here. They both accepted and I actually scheduled an interview with Mike first, but we ended up talking for five hours without ever getting around to the more formal recorded portion. Then, later that evening, my partner and I joined Mike and Dayna and another couple for the evening and spent another six hours together. So, several days later, and after much thought, I met with Dayna, but not exactly as strangers. The conversation I had with Mike prompted some new material, so this interview with Dayna has...2019-08-2627 min
A Community ThreadJJ Riddell - July 16, 2019Laura Grayson recommended JJ to participate here. Laura and JJ have gotten to know each other through JJ's friendship with Laura's daughter and she had great things to say about his community involvement. We had a wonderful conversation about affecting positive change and I found JJ's perspective on the matter, as an activated student leader, to be inspirational.
When I was 17, I was living in a bubble of extreme Christianity in an economically impoverished part of rural Maine. I know I was thinking about a lot, but I don't think it was about cultural phobias and...2019-08-1940 min
A Community ThreadJared Anderson - July 15, 2019Amy Hoag recommended Jared to participate here. He readily accepted and we made plans to meet at his home - a serene spot on a creek just a little outside of Bend proper. We dove into a big conversation before we started recording, which didn't feel at all like a typical back and forth conversation, but more of a search and rescue - a mission to uncover some of the deepest of emotions. What is the anger? What is the sadness? What is the frustration? What do they represent and where might paying attention to them bring us...2019-08-1243 min
A Community ThreadChristy Walker - July 09, 2019Marcus Legrand recommended Christy to participate here. It took a few months for us to put something on the calendar as Christy keeps herself fairly busy with teaching at eight different high schools while simultaneously pursuing a Master's degree. I am sure had we met sooner, our conversation would have still been rich, but I can't help but be thankful we met when we did as I've lately started pushing a bit harder and asking more difficult questions during these interviews and Christy was up for the task.
We talk about education, about inclusion, about our...2019-08-0535 min
A Community ThreadJess Leblanc - July 03, 2019Tina Bollman recommended Jess to participate here. We met at her home that she is in the middle of selling and as I pulled up she and her son, Henry, were in the yard picking up pine cones. We chatted in the driveway for a few minutes and then ventured into the home that is now staged for selling and absent of all of her and her family's possessions. I can only imagine that felt a bit strange for Jess. Nevertheless, it didn't take us long to get comfortable with each other and start talking about the nitty gritty...2019-07-2949 min
A Community ThreadAlli Miles - July 01, 2019Laura Grayson recommend Alli to participate here. They are colleagues at Ruffwear and that's where I ended up meeting Alli. We sat in one of the private meeting rooms and chatted while the rest of the office wound down for the day. Alli's dog, Riggins, sat in for our chat, but didn't have much to say. He's probably heard it all before...
I'm pretty much constantly trying to find ways to grow this project and make these questions more poignant and cut to the quick of the mess it seems like we're living in and I'm...2019-07-2242 min
A Community ThreadCampbell Dixon - June 28, 2019Ashlee Davis recommended Campbell to participate here and described her as a "pure ray of sunshine". That's high praise, but after meeting Campbell, I'd have to say that I wholeheartedly agree. Campbell's desire to make the world better by smiling at others is a gift. Combine that with her efforts in volunteering and she ends up being a powerful force for good. The world needs more Campbells, but I can imagine that she is actually creating more just by her positive example. Some folks act in ways that serve as a contagion. That can be good or bad, but...2019-07-1525 min
A Community ThreadAmy Hoag - June 27, 2019Big thanks to David Hopper for recommending Amy here. And big thanks to Tucker the dog for providing some very soothing snoring sounds in the background of this audio.
Amy and I had a great chat before the interview. I think that time before the interview allows for a significant level of trust and vulnerability to come out during the more formal reordered conversation. Amy's interest in her personal development and growth so that she can better serve and care for others is inspiring. It seems that we can often get stuck in that first phase...2019-07-0824 min
A Community ThreadHunter Dahlberg - June 04, 2019Paul Arney referred Hunter to participate here. And we played a long game of back and forth over the course of a few months as we tried to schedule our meeting. It turned out just perfectly, though, as it tends to. We chatted outside Hunter’s blacksmith shop, Orion Forge, on a rad piece of steel furniture for a while before heading into his office for the recording. It was such a pleasure learning about Hunter’s past and how he ended up here with his shop and about some of his future plans. I’m sorry you don’t get to...2019-07-0136 min
A Community ThreadDavid Hopper - May 30, 2019Emery referred David to participate here. And I am so thankful! David proposed meeting in a park with some snacks, but I had to nix that for the practical reasons of audio recording, so we instead met at his home. It took about five seconds for us to hit it off and we basically had a mini interview before turning the recorder on. We talked about our childhoods and our jobs and our feelings about many of the things. David's heart for others and his sincerity and hopeful questioning of the world are evident within moments of chatting with...2019-06-2454 min
A Community ThreadSophia Ermisch - May 29, 2019Sharon Balsamo recommended Sophia to participate here and Ashlee Davis was singing her praises, too. I am so grateful to them because I really love these opportunities to chat with the younger folks. I don't have the fondest of memories from my high school days and seem to be forgetting more and more of them as those drift further and further back in time, so it was great to chat with Sophia about some of the stuff she's going through.
What really struck me as we chatted is that the things that are bothering her in...2019-06-1723 min
A Community ThreadLaura Grayson - May 25, 2019Courtney Wright recommended Laura to participate here. We had some scheduling conflicts for some time, so we had been talking about meeting for quite a while before it actually happened and that had the effect of bringing some healthy anticipation into the mix. Our time together ended up being a delight from start to finish. I got to briefly meet one of Laura's daughters and mingled with their dogs, Klondike and Aspen, who make cameos in the audio. And we got acquainted over tea and snacks before diving into the conversation below.
This is the first interview...2019-06-1040 min
A Community ThreadAshlee Davis - May 09, 2019I came to meet Ashlee through Sharon Balsamo. I didn't know anything about her prior to showing up at her door at our scheduled appointment but within minutes of meeting at her door we became friends and we dove into the deep end pretty quickly. We cover a variety of topics extensively and vulnerably and I believe this to be a model of an important conversation. It is certainly a heart to heart and I am a big advocate for all of us having more of those.
A couple of days after our interview I...2019-06-0353 min
A Community ThreadEmery Moseley - May 08, 2019Ryan Re referred Emery to participate here. I had only known of her as Bill Moseley's daughter, so it was great fun to meet her under completely different circumstances. Before we started recording we talked about the idea of how differently we may appear to others who we meet under different circumstances. We talked about quite a lot before recording, but fortunately that interesting conversation carries throughout the recording, too. It was so fun getting to know Emery through this interview and I so enjoyed getting a peek at the world through her eyes. 2019-05-2733 min
A Community ThreadKatie "Pinto" Lebrun - April 19, 2019Ryan recommend Pinto to participate here. I met her very briefly as I was leaving their home after Ryan's interview, not knowing Ryan would refer here. So, on this morning she greeted me with a big hug and then we chatted for a little while in the warm spring sunshine before heading inside for the interview. Pinto would have preferred to do the interview in a treehouse in Georgia, but we just couldn’t make it work, so we settled for floor cushions in a sacred room in her home. Pinto’s pretty much a bundle of smiles and warm...2019-05-2033 min
A Community ThreadTodd Cover - April 18, 2019Michelle Mitchell recommended Todd to this project. It took us a while to get a date and time nailed down, but we finally worked it out for this lovely spring morning. I showed up at Todd's door, which was wide open, and he greeted with me a smile as big as the room. We chatted over coffee and fresh pineapple for about an hour before getting into interview mode and connected well during that time, opening the door for a sense of familiarity in the interview portion of our conversation together and allowing us to dig pretty deep here...2019-05-1355 min
A Community ThreadSharon Balsamo - April 15, 2019Natalie Murphy recommended Sharon to participate here and she readily accepted the invitation. This was the absolute perfect interview for this particular day. I went into it feeling defeated but within minutes of chatting with Sharon I was completely turned around. We had a lively conversation and I enjoyed watching Sharon come alive as she spoke about what matters to her. I am so thankful that we were able to meet in the middle, as it were. Sharon didn’t overpower my feelings of frustration with over-the-top optimism or disingenuous and trite positivity, but she did articulate her truth wi...2019-05-0643 min
A Community ThreadTina Bollman - April 07, 2019Leslie, who has become a very dear friend through this process, recommended Tina to participate here. We talked a lot about the project before we began recording and then picked that conversation back up about halfway through this interview. In a rare turn of events, we end up trading places as Tina starts to put me through a fairly intense line of questioning. I enjoyed our entire experience together and hope my presentation of it offers you a good representation of how it was in the moment. I'm happy to introduce Tina to you here and I hope this...2019-04-2935 min
A Community ThreadCarlos Salcedo - April 06, 2019I met Carlos at a Black History Month event I attended at COCC at which Marcus was doing some readings. While there, I ran into Carol Delmonico and both she and Marcus pointed to Carlos as someone who should participate here. Carol introduced us and we chatted briefly. Then we exchanged a few emails over the next month or so. Carlos was not sold on the idea originally, but he eventually decided to participate. And then when we met for the interview, he expressed his hesitance in more detail. In the end, I gave Carlos the opportunity to forego...2019-04-2217 min
A Community ThreadNatalie Murphy - March 22, 2019Lisa recommended Natalie to this project. Natalie laughingly told me the story of their meeting. After they ended up as next door neighbors, Natalie and her daughter used to go out of their way to walk by Lisa's house when she was out in the yard with her kids in hopes to make their acquaintance. That’s evidently a good tactic as they’ve since become dear friends. We met in Natalie's office and had a very lovely conversation. She mentioned a couple of words that tend to make me only want to ask for more clarity - cont...2019-04-1532 min
A Community ThreadRyan Re - March 18, 2019Tiffani mentioned Ryan in our interview as they work together in the ecstatic dance and Lucid realm and then she immediately referred him to participate here. I met Ryan at his home and he greeted me with a beautiful array of snacks and dandelion tea and we sat together in a room in his house that has come to be called Temple iZ. Ryan and I clicked right away conversationally and ended up chatting for quite a long time before recording. Eventually, Ryan asked if we were recording and when he found out we weren't, he suggested we start...2019-04-0839 min
A Community ThreadJoan Song - March 17, 2019Joan came to LeeAnn’s mind as someone to refer to participate here because they had worked together on the Town Hall on Racism last fall and then met again over some follow-up KPOV radio interviews. When I met Joan she told me she had become familiar with this project through my short and sweet (my words not hers) Mayoral campaign - nice to know somebody was paying attention! Anyway, I am so grateful to LeeAnn for connecting us as I’ve had an interest in involving some younger folks in this project, but as a 36-year-old man, I have...2019-04-0123 min
A Community ThreadDan Baumann - March 05, 2019I directly invited Dan to participate here because as I've gotten to know him, I’ve come to understand his heart for bringing people together. When I started talking with Dan early in 2018, he was the manager of The Commons - a café that I frequent. We began planning the end of the year show for this project and became more and more familiar with each other throughout that process. We postponed this interview for a couple months as Dan was assuming his new role as owner of The Commons. The tone of the interviews change slightly when I int...2019-03-2549 min
A Community ThreadLeeAnn O'Neill - March 03, 2019As former colleagues at Saving Grace and now both members of Allyship in Action, Erin Rook recommended LeeAnn to participate here. Before we started recording, I asked LeeAnn why she decided to accept the invitation and she said, “… because, as a woman of color, I wanted to provide a voice and a face that had not been represented much in this project yet and have the opportunity to connect other voices from marginalized communities to the project.” That’s a pretty good reason, if you ask me. This interview is full of LeeAnn's heart and thoughtfulness. It was a pleasure...2019-03-1831 min
A Community ThreadAri Halpern - February 14, 2019I met Ari through his wife, Lisa, at the end of the year show I had this past December. He and I only chatted for a moment, but Lisa mentioned she was going to refer Ari to the project then. I arrived at Ari's office on a very wintery Valentine’s Day and as we chatted we could see the snow falling outside - quite romantic, really. As is often the case, we talked for quite some time before turning on the recorder. I often wish I could share that part of the conversation, but doing so would inevitably ch...2019-03-1133 min
A Community ThreadErika Spaet - February 12, 2019I originally met Erika through Donna Burklo sometime last summer. With neither of us having a proclivity for nonsense, we dove straight into the all the big topics during our first conversation. Due to my tumultuous upbringing in extreme religiosity, I tend to not have lots of room for it in my life these days. I actually associate it with more potential for bad than good. So, going into our first meeting, I knew that Erika was a pastor, but I did my best to lay my judgments aside. The resulting conversation was one of my favorites since moving...2019-03-0431 min
A Community ThreadTiffani Barnum-Hess - February 05, 2019Ian Carrick referred Tiffani to participate here after having met her at an ecstatic dance event. I’ve yet to personally experience ecstatic dance in any kind of structured setting, but I can say I have had some really wonderful times while dancing and have come away from them with a feeling that could probably best be described as ecstatic. Tiffani is now the third participant of this project who has mentioned ecstatic dance with great praise, so I might just have to try it one of these days. Anyway, it was so wonderful to meet Tiffani. We had a...2019-02-2530 min
A Community ThreadMarcus LeGrand - February 04, 2019Tim Hellman referred Marcus to this project. I had already spent some time with Marcus as he and Tim and I have been getting together to play some basketball. I met Tim through this process and I’m so grateful for our growing friendship. I’m also so grateful that he’s been willing to share his other friends with me as that camaraderie has contributed to this year’s positive start. It’s often the case that I don’t know much, if anything, about these folks before I interview them, so the dynamic changes a little bit when I d...2019-02-1817 min
A Community ThreadLeslie Blair Graham - January 30, 2019Mandy Butera referred me to Leslie and then I ended up meeting her soon after at an event that Mandy put on. I love to meet people for the first time when I show up for our interview, so we kept that initial encounter brief. A few days later, I met up with Leslie at her studio space and we dove into conversation like we were old friends. We must have recognized each other’s sincerity because our conversation carried an authentic and vulnerable tone. I easily could have chatted with her for the rest of the day. I’m ha...2019-02-1128 min
A Community ThreadPaul Arney - January 23, 2019Jesse Locke recommended Paul to participate here. He accepted immediately and enthusiastically, which led to my really looking forward to connect with him. We laid some plans to meet up at his tasting room and then make a trip to the brewery together, but due to time constraints, we stayed at the tasting room. After a short detour to the neighboring coffee shop, where we ran into Brandon Harris, we sat down at the bar and talked shop about beer and life and all the things you will read or hear below. And as we chatted, Paul’s wife, St...2019-02-0426 min
A Community ThreadRussell Huntamer - January 15, 2019Ian Trask recommended Russell to participate here. And due to his soon-coming trip to Mexico, we almost didn't meet up this morning, but we pushed through and I'm super glad for it. Russell's big dog, Bub, met me in front of his home and then Russell's wife, Brook, treated me to a hot cup of tea and made me feel at home. By the time Russell got home I was already comfortable on his couch. He sat down with me and we started chatting and after just a couple of minutes, his cat, Boo, made a home at my...2019-01-281h 10
A Community ThreadRichard Cork - January 09, 2019I met Richard as my friend and I were taking down the exhibit of this project at Crow's Feet Commons. He was sitting on one of the sofas and asked me if the work was mine. Then he proceeded to offer his thoughts on the material, going as far as to offer me one of the truest and kindest bits of praise I've ever received. He referred to my portraits as "confrontational". I encounter many people who have some aversion to that word and that practice. I am not one of those people. Don't get me wrong, I don't...2019-01-2129 min
A Community ThreadElaina Love - December 27, 2018After Cate Hollister and I reconnected at the end of the year exhibition I had, she put me in touch with Elaina. I can't say exactly what caused it, whether it was her forgetting about our first appointment or my forgetting my gear on the way to our rescheduled meeting or something else entirely, but I would use the word strained to describe our time together. It felt as though the point of what I am doing and why I was there with her was totally lost -you will likely hear it in the interview - and there was...2019-01-1422 min
A Community ThreadMandy Butera - December 11, 2018I first met Mandy through Shanan Kelley the night I was a guest on The Night Light Show. Shanan auctioned off some T-shirts that I designed and Mandy “won” one for a generous sum. Then, a short time after that, Alyson Brown officially recommended Mandy to this project. It took us some time to meet as I was compiling all of the 2018 interviews into a book and having an exhibition and all that jazz. I am very glad to start off the third year of this project with Mandy and I’m very happy to introduce you to her as...2019-01-0720 min
A Community ThreadAmy Wright - October 24, 2018As I mentioned in the last interview, Jill Rose immediately mentioned Courtney and Amy when I asked her to think of someone to refer to the project and I can see why. Amy marks the final interview for the second year of A Community Thread. So, she's the 60th for this year and the 110th since I began doing this. And I couldn’t have asked for a better way to wrap up this year. Amy’s heart and compassion shine through all of what she says below. She’s got zest and fire and an ever-ready smile, too. This w...2018-12-3136 min
A Community ThreadCourtney Wright - October 23, 2018When I asked Jill to think of some folks to recommend she immediately named Courtney and Amy from Sunny Yoga Kitchen. I had met them both previously, but never in a very personal way, so I was excited for this chance. I put a little scheduling pressure on them as I was scrambling to get the last of this year’s interviews on the calendar so I could then work on the book and prepare photos for an exhibition and, thankfully, they responded quickly and with care. I met Courtney after hours at Sunny Yoga Kitchen and we chatted at...2018-12-2833 min
A Community ThreadIan Trask - October 21, 2018When I asked Barbara to recommend people to this project, she immediately mentioned her husband, Ian, who I had the chance to chat with briefly at Rose's house in the summer. We found some time that worked for both of us and then put something on the calendar and then we pushed that date around a bit. We met at Ian's mother-in-law's house which is serving as the Trask basecamp while they work on their own home. And we dove right into meaningful conversation over some coffee and traded loads of stories and experiences before I turned the recorder...2018-12-2423 min
A Community ThreadMichelle Mitchell - October 19. 2018Quite a few months after her interview, Sarah connected me to Michelle. It took some time for us to schedule an interview and when we finally did meet Michelle was coming off a really difficult week at work. She is the founder and “Chief Culture Angel” at Humm Kombucha and had to make some really challenging decisions earlier in the week. In the end, I think it left her feeling more exposed than usual, which likely contributed to the depth of our heart-to-heart connection. Talking with Michelle in what was part storage room and part office came so easily and I le...2018-12-2123 min
A Community ThreadJill Rose - October 11, 2018Stephanie O’Brien recommended Jill to this project. They met rather serendipitously during Stephanie’s recovery at one of Jill’s yoga classes and became fast friends. Within seconds of walking through Jill’s front door, she offered me tea and set a large plate of freshly-baked scones on the table in front of me, foreshadowing her later statement of being a mother at her core. We had real talks throughout our entire time together and a great portion of it is here for you to enjoy. I appreciated Jill’s sincerity and vulnerability and I am very much looking forward to...2018-12-1727 min
A Community ThreadBruce Emerson - September 25, 2018Moe Carrick made another great contribution to this project by introducing me to Bruce. I believe they met each other through TEDx. Bruce’s role in that as well as his being a physics professor at COCC are just a couple of the ways he leaves his mark on this world. We met at the Science Center at COCC and chatted in one of the sky boxes that look out over the mountains. Bruce was so upbeat and energetic and, as he mentions later in the interview, he was wholly present with me during our conversation. Bruce, much like his wi...2018-12-1432 min
A Community ThreadStephanie O'Brien - September 24, 2018Erin Collins introduced me to Stephanie and I am so glad she did! We connected as soon I walked through her front door as we chatted about thrifting and vintage finds and then connected even deeper over, as odd as it my sound, cancer. My mother was diagnosed with cancer in the early ‘90s and has been in remission since. She and Stephanie are not just survivors but, more importantly, they are thrivers. I have been interested in exploring how having cancer has changed the individual’s life for the better and Stephanie had lovely things to say about that. She...2018-12-1023 min
A Community ThreadIan Carrick - September 16, 2018Moe Carrick referred a few folks to me and one of them was her son, Ian. We ended up meeting for this interview at Carol Delmonico’s house, where Ian was housesitting. Within minutes we dove right into deep topics and our entire conversation had a very solemn tone. It’s obvious to me that Ian spends significant time contemplating and is working hard to live in ways that honor his heart and values. We share a sensitive and curious nature and while that has plenty of perks, it also tends to allow for some heaviness - at least that is t...2018-12-0328 min
A Community ThreadJesse Locke - September 11, 2018Both Courtney Christenson and Shanan Kelley mentioned Jesse to me, but I have to give the formal referral credit to Shanan. Either way, I’m happy for the connection. The interview below is pretty different than many of the others. Maybe it’s because Jesse and I are peers or that we have a similar outlook or we are both into making pictures or maybe it’s all of that combined or something else entirely, but this interview felt like a conversation with an old friend. After their guard dog gave me the okay, Jesse and I chatted for quite a whil...2018-11-3044 min
A Community ThreadErin Rook - September 05, 2018Erin's name was sent my way on a couple of occasions, but I can officially give Amanda Stuermer the credit for connecting us for this interview. And then again, just after Amanda's referral, I met Erin briefly at a Community Conversations event. So, without reading too much into it, it seemed like we were meant to meet. And it might not have as much significance to him, but this being interview number 100 means quite a lot to me. Erin is so obviously doing heartfelt work and so articulate about it. Whenever I meet someone who seems to be living in...2018-11-2626 min
A Community ThreadWade Fagen - September 05, 2018Jim Radloff referred Wade to me way back in early summer, but due to a number of scheduling conflicts, it took a few months for us to finally meet. In answer to my needing a quiet place to record our conversation, Wade suggested we pile into his truck and head out into the woods. On the ride out there, Wade pointed to swaths of forest where logging and controlled burns had taken place. He pointed out healthy and unhealthy patches of forest and he gave me a political and cultural education about logging. I loved seeing the world through his...2018-11-1933 min
A Community ThreadTim Hellmann - August 31, 2018Tim is another Liz Goodrich recommendation. And another gem! We exchanged a few emails before meeting and each of them brought a smile to my face as Tim's got a lovely way with words. I find it really interesting to correspond with a stranger and then show up at their door without any idea of what they look like or how old they are or anything about them other than a few kind words passed along from another. After sitting in the wrong driveway for several minutes (I'm habitually early) and then realizing it at the last moment, I made...2018-11-1226 min
A Community ThreadBarbara Ball Trask - August 29, 2018I met this Barbara at a gathering that Rose Archer and her husband put on. Barbara Hastings was there, too, and she recommended I interview this Barbara. These community connections sure are starting to thicken. I found chatting with Barbara to be very easy. She has a lovely, no-nonsense way of getting right to the point while still being soft and welcoming. And she's not afraid to be real. I'm not afraid to be real either and I'm learning that that either works or it doesn't for some people. We've managed to create quite a facade, haven't we? And some...2018-11-0534 min
A Community ThreadDaniel Murphy - August 22, 2018Liz Goodrich recommended me to Dan. She asked if it was okay to send some Redmond folks my way. It sure is. Especially if they are of Dan's caliber. Dan and I share a deep sense of curiosity and I enjoyed learning about how Dan's has shaped his experiences. He exuded kindness and humility and openly admitted to his accumulation of information and knowledge and experiences as having helped him change his mind on some pretty significant social issues. I like that. I'm pretty sure we could all (me, too) use some mind-changing. And the time is now. You can...2018-10-2952 min
A Community ThreadJamie Foubister - August 17, 2018David Lutz introduced me to Jamie. We had only conversed through email prior to our meeting for this interview, so I was surprised by his accent when he met me at the door. Because he’s such a joy to listen to, I do highly recommend listening to this interview, but Jamie's got a lot more going on than his accent. I particularly enjoy that he speaks his mind and has a solid set of values including caring about being a good man. It's not every day I meet a man who openly admits to wanting to be a good on...2018-10-2242 min
A Community ThreadAndrew Smith - August 15, 2018My partner and I had a yard sale some months ago and we advertised free coffee to lure people in. It worked and ended up bringing Andrew by. We chatted for just a minute and I passed him my card on his way out. Then a couple of months went by and, seemingly out of the blue, I got a text from him, asking if I wanted to meet for coffee. And, just like that, we became friends. I don't meet many people like Andrew. He comes across as happy-go-lucky and optimistic. Nobody would ever refer to me as happy-go-lucky...2018-10-1517 min
A Community ThreadEd Weiser - August 10, 2018Carol Delmonico referred Ed to me. We met for the first time at his home and dove into good conversation right away. While he graciously made me a cup of coffee, his cats, Katniss and Norton, sized me up and quickly gave me the okay. A grandfather clock served as a metronome to our time together - you might hear it in the background if you pay close attention. My grandparents had one of those clocks and I think of my grandmother whenever I see one. She used to always yell, "Pick one!" when I would make frequent trips in...2018-10-0848 min
A Community ThreadLiz Goodrich - August 06, 2018Carol Delmonico introduced me to Liz at a Stoke Your Woke event at the library and recommended her to this project right then and there. Not even two weeks later we were diving deep into it in her office. Liz is fiery and really fun to talk with. She's got a lot on her heart and mind and is putting really positive energy and good work out into the world. Our interview ended up being quite a bit more conversational than many others have been. If you listen to the audio, you'll hear a bit more of our back and...2018-10-0140 min
A Community ThreadBritt McClintock - August 05, 2018My dear friend Adam introduced me to Britt a few months ago. He was in California for a wedding, so I made the beautiful drive down there to meet up with him. And Britt, a friend of Adam's from college days, made the trip up from Southern California. Somehow our first meeting felt like a reunion and, without missing a beat, we got along splendidly. We tried to do this interview then, but it just didn't fit into our busy social schedule. As luck would have it, though, Britt came up to Oregon for a wedding and came through Bend...2018-09-2436 min
A Community ThreadShanan Kelley - August 03, 2018Amanda Stuermer put me in touch with Shanan, recommending her with high praise. And Shanan enthusiastically responded to my invitation to participate here. We met for a coffee to get to know each other and to chat about some other things before meeting for this interview, so it seemed like we were old friends by the time we finally got down to it. It turns out that Shanan is super easy to be around. She's got a great, contagious energy and seems to be filled to the brim with encouragement. She's a real busy lady, but finds time to genuinely...2018-09-1734 min
A Community ThreadJohn Hughes - July 25, 2018Rose Archer very kindly put me in touch with Barbara Hastings to learn about my Enneagram type. While chatting with her she highly recommended that I interview her partner, John. She patched us together via email and, without delay, John and I set up a time to meet. He met me at their door and we immediately dove in. We were well into a deep conversation by the time we even reached the top of the stairs and over an hour went by before I got my recorder out. After getting a little acquainted, I learned that John's a musician...2018-09-1036 min
A Community ThreadErin Collins - July 18, 2018Alyson recommended I connect with Erin. In our first correspondence, she mentioned that we had previously met at a workshop with Mark Montgomery at Bend Community Healing. It must have been close to a year ago, but I remembered meeting her. We played the scheduling game for a few weeks, but we were finally able to meet up at her home. I am so glad we made it work because we had a wonderful conversation and I am really excited to share it with you below. I felt very peaceful chatting with her. She talks about some of the recent...2018-09-0325 min
A Community ThreadAmanda Stuermer - July 10, 2018Rose Archer recommended Amanda to me, which is just one of the many things I have to be thankful to her for. When I asked Rose to think of some folks to refer me to, she mentioned Amanda’s name immediately. And we managed to just catch Amanda in her last window of availability before heading out on some extensive international travels. She welcomed me into her home and we seemed to connect instantaneously. I had the chance to briefly meet her husband and one of her sons and her trio of dogs and each of those interactions was quite wa...2018-08-2732 min
A Community ThreadCourtney Christenson - July 02, 2018I owe Carol a huge thank you for introducing me to Courtney as we had a really lovely time together. It will likely not be our only visit and I am already looking forward to the next. We chatted in her kitchen for a short time, surrounded by her daughters and their neighbor friends and the productive sound of renovation work coming from the other side of the house. We eventually made our way into Courtney's work space and dove into some very great conversation. After over an hour of chatting, I had to insist on firing up the recorder...2018-08-2033 min
A Community ThreadRose Archer - June 25, 2018I used to tell folks that the interview process would take about an hour, but that is proving to no longer be the case. I should change my pitch as it occasionally goes well over that mark. For example, I spent four hours with Rose! We talked in her kitchen over a very tasty homemade smoothie. Then we chatted in her backyard, serenaded by the birds and the neighbor's welding project. We later moved into her living room for the recording portion. And, finally, out into her front yard for the photos. And I can assure you we were not...2018-08-1324 min
A Community ThreadDorothy West - June 22, 2018Throughout this interview, you will likely notice a number of longer-than-usual pauses between questions. And that is because I am processing what Dorothy just said. I don't know that I've ever had so many revelatory moments in a single conversation before. Casey recommended Dorothy to me and she promptly and happily accepted and invited me into her home. We got into real talk right away and, after quite some time, I had to insist that we do the interview for fear that Dorothy might have to repeat herself for the interview. And then after the interview, we dove right back...2018-08-0619 min
A Community ThreadDarlene Gertsch - June 19, 2018I could sing any number of high praises for Darlene, but I am going to keep this introduction short because you will know them all to be true by reading or listening to this interview. Meeting her was one of my greatest delights. She exudes kindness and joy and love in ways I have rarely, if ever before, encountered. Just being with her offered me very welcome encouragement and she will long remain a source of inspiration for me. I owe a big thank you to Susanne for connecting us together. Darlene's participation in this project is a gift to...2018-07-3020 min
A Community ThreadCarol Delmonico - June 15, 2018She met me at the entrance to their community-focused neighborhood and walked me up the hill to her home. We sat across from each other in the sunlight and immediately dove into a deep and warm conversation. We spoke for close to an hour before we officially started the interview and that thing I couldn't name in the introduction to my interview with Josh came alive again during that time. Carol has beautiful words to describe whatever it is that settles into the conversation between one and another. She and I share a skepticism for the system and the way...2018-07-2325 min
A Community ThreadLisa Cena - June 01, 2018Lisa told me that just after she made a new commitment to participate more fully in community, Darlene reached out to her about this project. Funny how things happen like that, isn't it? Lisa and I had a lovely conversation in which we both expressed a desire for change and growth while recognizing and admitting not having all the answers. I believe there's a lot of power in admitting we don't know. I'd love to see us all coming together to support one another for the greater good and communicating and listening about how best to do that. Lisa left...2018-07-1615 min
A Community ThreadDavid Lutz - May 24, 2018I met David through my partner as they often overlap in their work. David has been nothing but smiles and genuine friendliness every time I've seen him. He's a pleasure to be around because of his optimism and his seemingly effortless way of being present. He's one of the few people to recommend someone (Susanne) to this project without having already participated. And then, with a splash of irony, the person he recommended ended up recommending him. I am so glad for that because he has so much to offer anyone who will take the time to read or listen...2018-07-0929 min
A Community ThreadJim Radloff - May 23, 2018If seeing the Roman Collar inspires a reaction in you, I'd like to encourage you to put aside your initial response and read on. I went into my meeting with Jim with an open mind and an open heart and left feeling handsomely rewarded. I mention this only because I spent a significant portion of my life involved in religion and have been deeply scarred by it. Many years ago, I decided to live my life away from the church, but I believe it is very important to allow others space for it. I try very hard to withhold my j...2018-07-0219 min
A Community ThreadSusanne Frilot - May 20, 2018Susanne is a slight diversion from the usual method of meeting someone for this project. A mutual friend of ours, David Lutz, reached out to me and her and highly recommended that we connect. Shortly thereafter, she called me on the phone to suss out my ideas and goals with the project and then agreed to meet me at her home. I was struck by her enthusiasm and found it all too easy to smile with her as she so passionately spoke about things that matter to her. We had a very lovely and very warm visit and made plans...2018-06-2525 min
A Community ThreadCasey Davis - May 18, 2018Angela recommended Casey to me. She had very nice things to say about her and also sent me a link to this article that Casey wrote. It was pretty great to get a peek at who she was before meeting her. We were able to set up our meeting quickly and she invited me to come to her co-housing community. When I first arrived, Casey gave me a tour of the grounds and we chatted about any number of things. By the time we sat down for the interview, we had already developed a level of trust for each other...2018-06-1827 min
A Community ThreadAlyson Brown - May 09, 2018Shimiko introduced me to Alyson. I didn't know her, but I was familiar with her name as she has been following this project on Instagram since it's early days, coming to know about it after I featured her friend, Libby. She also knows a handful of other people I've interviewed, which seems to be a testament to the quality of this community. I met Alyson in her home and we got right to the interview. She wasn't feeling at the top of her health game on this particular morning, but she was gracious enough to keep our appointment and managed...2018-06-1118 min
A Community ThreadJosh Hayden - April 28, 2018Paul Evers passed along Josh’s information. Josh immediately accepted the invitation and invited me to join he and his family for dinner before even having met me. The timing for dinner didn’t line up, but Josh’s hospitality proved to remain rich throughout our conversation. Quite a lot of chatting, or maybe connecting is the better word, tends to happens before and after the official interview and I haven’t quite figured out a way to present that aspect to the world, but maybe that’s part of the future of this project. I can’t quite put a name to wh...2018-06-0421 min
A Community ThreadMoe Carrick - April 20, 2018Erin facilitated my meeting Moe and warned me she might be very busy but encouraged me to persist because my time with her would be "golden". Well, it is true that Moe is very busy, but she graciously made time for this interview and we set up a time to meet at her home. And Erin was correct in saying the time would be golden. Moe's husband, Jim, made me a cup of coffee and I acquainted myself to their sweet dog, Finn, while Moe took care of some last-minute business. Moe's got irons in many fires, but put everything...2018-05-2831 min
A Community ThreadCate Hollister - April 19, 2018Katie recommended Cate to me. In our initial correspondence, Cate warned me about the plastic cows, but I had forgotten that tidbit, so they came as a surprise when I saw them along her driveway. She was walking her four dogs when I arrived, which was just perfect because I brought my dog along. So, the first thing we did was take a walk to let the dogs acclimate to one another. And that set the tone for what would be a few hours of learning about each other. Cate made some cacao and we chatted and shared experiences and...2018-05-2136 min
A Community ThreadPaul Evers - April 18, 2018Angela got me in touch with Paul. He tried to get out of the interview by immediately referring me to his wife, but I twisted his arm. I make a point to not do much research on folks before I meet with them as I prefer the genuine nature of meeting someone face to face. My only point of reference for Paul was an image that Angela sent to me as Paul (spoiler alert!) dressed as Santa Claus, so I was surprised when Paul answered the door as a much younger man than I imagined. We exchanged a few emails...2018-05-1440 min
A Community ThreadKristy Starr - Apr. 06, 2018I came to know Kristy by way of Katy. And it just so happened that I heard some of Kristy's story on the Dog and Pony radio show on KPOV just before meeting her. I didn't know what she looked like, but as I made my way into the front door of her office, she was standing right there with a smile and an anticipatory look that likely matched mine. We sat and chatted for about an hour before the interview even started and chatted for another hour after it was done. Her warmth and enthusiasm are such wonderful traits...2018-05-0824 min
A Community ThreadKaty Ipock - Mar. 06, 2018Mindy introduced me to Katy. They met at a Ladies' happy hour event and Katy had her cracking up. A friendship ensued and now here we are. I met Katy at her home and we chatted in her living room. Katy's a comedian but, fair warning, you'll have to make plans to see her live because she didn't tell any jokes during our interview. She's also a DJ, but you'll need to go to Maverick's to scratch that particular itch as we also didn't do any dancing. We did have a lovely conversation, which you can read and listen to...2018-04-3020 min
A Community ThreadShimiko Montgomery - Mar. 05, 2018Donna introduced me to Shimiko. They know each other from crossing paths at Family Kitchen. Shimiko was all smiles and enthusiasm and sincerity. Hers is an absolutely contagious energy and one the world certainly needs more of. She managed to free up some time for me in her packed schedule and her newborn did us a favor by napping through our entire interview. Not feeling completely herself because of the lack of sleep that often accompanies a fresh baby, Shimiko tried to convince me to forget this interview ever happened, but I wasn't having it. She's got great things to...2018-04-2325 min
A Community ThreadDarlene Becker - Mar. 02, 2018I find very few things more gratifying than meeting a stranger and then becoming acquainted and sharing stories and laughing (and sometimes crying) with them. That happens organically here and there, but I have the privilege of experiencing it quite often with this project. I don't take it for granted. In fact, I consider it my responsibility to reflect that connection so that you might get a sense of the power of open communication and listening and honoring vulnerability. I am sure we all do this with our friends and family, but it can be done more regularly with folks...2018-04-1814 min
A Community ThreadKatie Cavanaugh - Feb. 26, 2018I am so thankful to Danielle, who came through with another powerful recommendation. Katie had to cancel our first appointment due to illness and then we got some dates mixed up and then, on this day, a snow storm had come through and it was debatable whether or not my little car could make it down her road, but we finally made it happen. And what's interesting is that it felt like we were meant to meet today. We started the interview with a hug and chatted over a fresh cup of coffee and, within just seconds, Katie had made...2018-04-1816 min
A Community ThreadHillary Hurst - Feb. 23, 2018Danielle recommended Hillary to me. It turns out that Hillary presented at TEDx and they met because Danielle was assigned as her coach. What a lovely connection! In the company of her cats and dog, Hillary and I chatted at a little table in her living room where she does her readings. She spoke with passion and experience and confidence and I genuinely loved every second of it. She gifted me with many kind words and a stone and a hug and even some hope. I go into these meetings most often with very little information about each person but...2018-04-1829 min
A Community ThreadKevin Kraft - Feb. 20, 2018Danielle referred me to Kevin and I'm so glad she did. Kevin invited me to his home and we sat on his floor over a cup of tea and chatted about all sorts of things. I can honestly say I haven't encountered sound healing to this degree before or even thought about it much. One of things I really love about this project is that it exposes me to a variety of experiences I may not have had otherwise. And I imagine the same is true for you as the reader. I am certainly guilty of more than my fair...2018-04-1827 min
A Community ThreadBill Moseley - Feb. 08, 2018Mindy recommended Bill to me by saying, "What inspires me about Bill is that he is willing to say and do what he believes in regardless if it aligns with popular opinion. He is willing to spend time and energy to change Bend so that it is more in alignment with values he holds in high regard. He is able to do this with a balance of grace and assertiveness that is rarely mastered." And that says it quite nicely. While I don't know Bill as Mindy does, I was completely impressed by how matter-of-factly he says things like this, "...2018-04-1828 min
A Community ThreadAngela Reid - Feb. 05, 2018Erin recommended Angela to me and she had some very kind words to say about her as she did it, setting the tone for a lovely and comical email exchange as we set up a time and place for our meeting. It might have been the familiarity with which Erin presented her or some cosmic connection from another life, but I felt like Angela and I were old friends as soon as we met. We had a really lovely and warm conversation inside the At Liberty space in downtown Bend. It went in a different direction than most of these...2018-04-1829 min
A Community ThreadSarah Leaman - Jan. 30, 2018One of my dear friends (Hi, Maggie!) from back in New England reached out to me and Sarah to connect us because she knew we both lived in Bend. It took a few months to organize something, so I finally just asked Sarah if she would like to meet by participating in this project. And she was keen on it. Oddly enough, after we spent about an hour together, we realized we had run into each other not long ago on a dog walk, too. Small world. Sarah and I have mutual friends in the realm where outdoor education intersects...2018-04-1827 min
A Community ThreadDanielle Mercurio - Jan. 29, 2018I met Danielle at an Opportunity Knocks event that Aly Waibel asked me to photograph. As the event was closing down, Aly began introducing me to some folks and Danielle was one of them. I recently interviewed her partner, Eric, too. We tossed around the idea of doing a joint interview, but separating them proved to be easier to schedule. I am not a relationship expert, but these two seem to have a really great thing going on. They are both full of genuine love and it shows on their faces and it comes out through their thoughtful words. I...2018-04-1822 min