A Whole New Conversation
EPISODE 301
On this episode of !nspire, we discuss resources for those experiencing food insecurity. Included on the discussion is Dan McPherron from Project Topeka, and Janet Cathcart and Marge Ahrens of the Central Topeka Food Oasis

Find out more

Project Topeka
Since 1986, Project Topeka Community Food Drive has been providing food for hungry families through its annual February food collection effort.

Find out more information and how you can assist Project Topeka

 

EPISODE 302
On today’s show, we’re discussing the importance of caregiving for all our animal companions, large and small, at the farm, in the zoo, and in the home.
Joining for this show is Brenda Grimmett, owner and founder of B & C Equine Rescue and Margaret Price is the manager of animal care at Helping Hands Humane Society.

Learn more about B & C Equine Rescue

Helping Hands
From its very beginnings in 1890 Helping Hands Humane Society has been advocates for animal welfare. HHHS, Inc. provides sanctuary for animals in need of compassionate care and protection.

Find out more information and how you can assist Helping Hands Humane Society in serving the community through education and addressing animal welfare issues.

 

EPISODE 303
Every year, thousands of Kansans spend millions of dollars on entertainment and tourism activities. And every year, more and more Kansans are spending those hard-earned dollars on Agritourism. Joining us to discuss this industry in Kansas are…Colby Sharples-Terry, public relations and communications manager for Kansas Tourism and Tonya Voigt, zoning & codes director for Douglas county.

Learn more about Kansas Agritourism sites as well as other activities Kansas has to offer.

Amy’s Meats
Good, healthy food takes time to produce. Amy’s Meats gladly shares the happenings here at the homestead with anyone who wants to know, education on how things were done, how they typically are done, and the way and why we do them are a large part of our service.

Find out more information and how you can get your seat at the The FarmHer’s Table or be part of the Farm-To-Fork Club.

 

EPISODE 304

The Metoo movement made people aware of the lopsided power dynamics between men and women in Hollywood. But there are still fewer women directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors and cinematographers than men. Joining us to discuss this topic is Katrina Parks, Director, Writer & Executive Producer @ Assertion Films and Sue Viccory, President at Heartland Films, Inc.

Sue assists other filmmakers. Check out her site

Local Women Producers
In this show we also got to talk with Sam Haskins, President of Take Ten Film, Inc and M.L. Bass an independent producer about their experiences within the industry.

Find out more information regarding women in the film industry at The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University

 

EPISODE 305

On this episode of !nspire, we discuss how Kansas played a role in the Underground Railroad and the efforts to help Freedom Seekers as they journeyed north. We include discussion on Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, and their role, and bravery to have such an impact on this movement. Guests include Kelly Erby, WU Professor of History/Asst. Dean, CAS, Washburn University

Washburn University History Department.

Underground Railroad in Kansas
KTWU recorded some separate pieces regarding people and places and how Kansas played a part in the Underground Railroad.

Find out more information from these resources on the KTWU Website.
 

EPISODE 306

On this episode of !nspire, we celebrate women in science. We discuss the career opportunities, the importance of mentorship for our younger ladies interested in science, and provide an inside look into the Washburn University Women In Science Say our guests for this discussion are Susan Bjerke, professor of Biology at Washburn University, and Karen Carmada, professor of Physics at Washburn University.

Washburn University College of Arts and Sciences.

Careers for Women in Science
Kris craven, Meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service Forecast office here in Topeka and Fani Limberopoulos, a scientist at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment who works in the field of environmental monitoring and emergency preparedness discuss their science careers.
.

Find out more information from these links: NWS Federal Women’s Program.
Careers at Kansas Dept. Of Health and Environment.
 

EPISODE 307

The leading cause of cancer death in the United States for African American women, with rates of incidence higher among black women under 40. Here to speak with us today about this important subject matter is breast cancer survivor, Linessa Frazier and doctor Rita Stanley, of Integrated wellness.

PBS NewsHour Breast Cancer articles.

Breast Cancer Awareness
1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime …and black women in the US have a 40% higher breast cancer mortality rate, the highest of any racial or ethnic group.

Find out more information from these links:

Stormont Vail Screening and Prevention.
The University of Kansas Health System St. Francis Campus Breast Center.
 

EPISODE 308
young-woman-making-music.

On this episode of !nspire, discussion of the challenges, the successes, and the inspiration for other aspiring youth and women in our communities with Maria Elena Cuevas, lead vocalist and acoustic, electric and traditional Mexican stringed instruments performer for MARIA THE MEXICAN, and Erinn Renyer, Founder and Director of the Topeka Cello Collective, Lecturer in Music in Applied Cello and Director of String Studies at Washburn University.

PBS NewsHour: How female musicians amplify each other when the industry won’t.

Women In Music
The results of a 10-year study have found that women remain underrepresented in many areas of the music creation process and other areas of the industry.

The USC Annenberg study was performed by examining artists, songwriters, and producers credited on each of the 1,000 songs on Billboard‘s Hot 100 Year End Chart from 2012 to 2021, along with the gender and race/ethnicity of every person in those three roles. In 2021, there were 180 artists on this chart — 76.7% of them were men and 23.3% were women. (No artists identified as gender non-conforming or non-binary in 2021.) Across all ten years, 78.2% of artists were men and 21.8% were women.

Find out more information from these links:

Annenberg study on Inclusion in the Recording Studio
 

Maria Cuevas and Erinn Reyner
EPISODE 309
young-woman-making-music.

On this episode of !nspire, we discuss housing issues and examine some of the challenges many face in finding an affordable place to live. Guests include Ginger Ellsperman, Program Manager/Certified Financial and HUD Housing Counselor and Abigail Panecatl, Tenant/Landlord Program Manager, at Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc.

The Home Buyer Program educates hundreds of people every year about the types of loans and down payment assistance for future home buyers.

Renting

According to Rentdata.org Approximately 15% of Americans qualify for some level of housing assistance. The Rental Assistance at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development can assist in finding affordable rentals and special needs housing.

If you’re currently renting or thinking about renting check out the following resources for more information:
Rental Housing Tools

Maria Cuevas and Erinn Reyner
EPISODE 310
young-woman-making-music.

On this episode of !nspire, a discussion on the racial disparities in infant mortality. We’ll discuss what drives these disparities, the impact on families of losing an infant, and the worries a black woman may have when pregnant. Guests include Tara James-Wallace, MSW, LSCSW, CTF-CBT YWCA Board of Directors and Dr. Jamesina Dickson, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecologist.

PBS NewsHour reports CDC data shows rise in maternal mortality and deaths of Black infants in U.S.

Racial disparities in infant mortality

Infant mortality is the death of an infant before his or her first birthday. The infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. In addition to giving us key information about maternal and infant health, the infant mortality rate is an important marker of the overall health of a society. In 2020, the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. .

CDC Report

Maria Cuevas and Erinn Reyner
EPISODE 311
actors rehearsing fight on stage in theatre photo

On this episode of !nspire, we explore the vibrant local theatre scene and how you can get involved. Joining us are Cassie Hermes, education director, Chelle Decker, resident costume designer and actor with the Topeka Civic Theatre and Aimee Rosenow, marketing director at Topeka Civic Theatre.

PBS NewsHour reports on how a theater in rural Appalachian Virginia brings regional themes to the stage.

A Night At The Theatre

Founded in 1936, Topeka Civic Theatre is the oldest continuously running community dinner theatre in the country. TCT strives to engage, inspire, and transform volunteers, audiences and our community through theatre with high artistic standards while keeping it affordable and accessible to everyone. They are committed to share the joy of live theatre.

Topeka Civic Theatre

Topeka Civic Theatre cast on stage photo
EPISODE 312
Staycation Photo

We’re going to inspire you to make your next “vacation”, a “staycation”! And here to help us with that are some beautiful, familiar faces! Joining us again today are Colby Sharples-Terry, public relations and communications manager for Kansas Tourism…and Marci Penner and Wendee Rowe from the Kansas Sampler foundation, and the big Kansas road trip.

Get familiar with the locations on the Big Kansas Roadtrip

Kansas Staycation

it’s time start planning your summer vacation. So why not make it a “staycation”! Kansas Tourism can provide great ideas for summer travel…without leaving the sunflower state..

Check out Kansas Travelto get your planning on schedule.

Staycation Photo
EPISODE 313
Staycation Photo

Most of us believed that word “gender” simply referred to male and female. But now it seems that “gender” encompasses a wide variety of categories. So many in fact, that it can be very confusing, especially to older citizens or folks who aren’t familiar with LGBTQIA populations.

More on gender identity can be found at PBS NewHour

Gender Identity in the Old West

To discuss gender identity in the frontier is Peter a professor of history and Columbia chair in the history of the American west at Washington State University and, he is the author of “Re-dressing America’s Frontier past

Check out another discussion from Peter at QVOICE NEWS

Old West Photo of Rancher, his horse and tied up steer laying on ground.
EPISODE 314
Staycation Photo

Our Inspire hosts together to reminisce about all of the fabulous topics and guests we featured throughout season 3.

Season In Review

It’s so hard to just talk about a few of these shows because they are all impactful! But how about our guests. All of our inspire guests have provided great wisdom and inspiration to all of us.

Inspire Hosts On Set photo
EPISODE 315
Staycation Photo

Our Inspire hosts discuss Kansas civil rights laws with Dr. Don Haider-Markel, political science professor for the University of Kansas.

Find out more about Civil Rights through the Department of Justice.

No Place Like Home – Lgbtq+ In Kansas

This discussion is based on a new film…No Place Like Home – The Struggle Against Hate in Kansas an inside look at the reality of life for our l-g-b-t-q-+ communities in Kansas.

Joining us for this discussion Oscar award winner and director for the film, Kevin Willmott, C J Janovy, author for No Place Like Home: Lessons in Activism From LGBT Kansas, in which the film is based and Luc Bensimon, activist for Black Trans Advocacy Coalition.

You can lean more about the film at noplacelikehomedoc.com

Inspire Hosts On Set photo
If you missed it see all of the topics that were covered in Inspire Season 1
If you missed it see all of the topics that were covered in Inspire Season 2
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Blanche Bryden Foundation
 
 

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