Building a life as an artist is an uphill climb. After decades of hustling to make it work, writer Stephanie Elizondo Griest had one big question: How do you determine if art is worth all the sacrifice it requires? Stephanie tells Anita about traveling the world for answers and what she learned about what it takes to build a life as a female artist.Meet the guest:- Stephanie Elizondo Griest is a professor of creative nonfiction at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the author of “Art Above Everything: One Woman’s Global Exploration of the Joys and Torments of a Creative Life”Read the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platformFollow Embodied on Instagram Leave a message for Embodied
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The Life of Trans And Queer Long-Haul Truckers
Long-haul trucking is not an easy job. The schedule is grueling, and the burnout rate is high. But the profession does offer a certain sense of freedom — particularly for queer drivers looking for work where they can present authentically and face less scrutiny or harassment. Anita talks with former trucker and writer Anne Balay about why LGBTQ folks are drawn to trucking. She also meets 24-year-old Ashleigh Lewis, a trans woman and third-generation truck driver who is committed to the profession despite its reputation.Meet the guests:- Anne Balay is the author of “Semi Queer: Inside the World of Gay, Trans, and Black Truck Drivers”- Ashleigh Lewis is a third-generation truck driver who is going to be featured in the upcoming documentary "The Trans Trucker Project" from filmmaker Hansen BursicRead the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platformFollow Embodied on Instagram Leave a message for EmbodiedSpecial thanks to filmmaker Hansen Bursic and his team for connecting us with Ashleigh.
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Dyslexia And The Reading Brain
At its best, reading is a portal to new worlds and new ideas. But a lot can get in the way — up to 20% of the population experiences symptoms of dyslexia, a lifelong neurological disorder that makes it difficult to read fluently. An author who learned to read when he was 18 and a dyslexia scholar help Anita understand how reading develops in the brain and what's at stake if dyslexic learners are left by the wayside.Meet the guests:- Dr. Shawn Robinson is an entrepreneur, consultant and author of the graphic novel series “Doctor Dyslexia Dude!”- Dr. Maryanne Wolf is the director of the Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners and Social Justice at UCLA in the School of Education and Information StudiesA special thank you to Eso Romero for contributing her insights as a teacher of dyslexic students to this episode!Read the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platformFollow Embodied on Instagram Leave a message for EmbodiedPlease note: This episode originally aired on September 12, 2024.Update: Version 4 of “Doctor Dyslexia Dude!” is coming out this fall — updates will be shared on Instagram.
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One Sperm Donor, 31 Half Siblings & A Long Search For Identity
Ryan Kramer was born through an anonymous sperm donor in 1990. By the time he was 2 years old, he already had some big questions about his identity — and the desire to find answers. Ryan’s search led him to become the first donor-conceived person to find his parent through DNA testing. He also co-founded the Donor Sibling Registry, an organization that’s helped connect tens of thousands of donor-conceived people with biological family. He tells Anita about meeting many of his own genetic relatives and what this journey has taught him about the meaning of those relationships.Meet the guest:- Ryan Kramer, co-founder of the Donor Sibling Registry and the first donor-conceived person to find his parent through DNA testingRead the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platformFollow Embodied on Instagram Leave a message for Embodied
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Undertaken: The Next Generation Of Funeral Directors
A significant portion of the funeral home workforce is entering retirement...but there's a crop of young people who are ready to take the helm. Anita meets two young funeral directors who felt called to this work at a young age. They take her inside their world -- from organizing end of life ceremonies to learning how to embalm for the first time. Plus, they share their hopes for a more death-positive future.Meet the guests:- Jasmine Berrios, licensed funeral director and embalmer, shares how she got into the industry, how being a funeral director impacts her dating life and how she tries to create boundaries around her work [@jasminethemortician]- Joél Simone Maldonado, grief care professional and educator known as The Grave Woman, talks about how her family influenced her career choice, how she educates her peers around culturally competent care and the importance of open conversations around death [@thegravewoman]Read the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platformFollow Embodied on Instagram Leave a message for EmbodiedBuy tickets for our August event at Motorco, all about transformation!Please note: This episode originally aired April 19, 2024.Update: Jasmine Berrios is now the secretary of the California Funeral Directors Association — the youngest officer in the organization’s 120-year history.
Sex and relationships are intimate — and sometimes intimidating to talk about. In this weekly podcast from North Carolina Public Radio WUNC, host Anita Rao guides us on an exploration of our brains and our bodies that touches down in taboo territory.Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter @embodiedwunc. You can find Anita on Twitter @anisrao.
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