Best Johnny Organize Podcasts (2025)

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Christmas Episode/ and do the refs affect the outcome of games 38:09

Play Pause

6h ago38:09

38:09

Send us a text Talking about what I did for Christmas, and what games I watched today and why the officals can change the outcome of a game. Come on in buckle up and let's take this ride!!!!!! Support the showBy Johnny Ray Jr.

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S7E76 -Can You Consent If You’re Not Informed?” Malachi Barrett on Politics, Power, and News/Media 1:36:06

7h ago1:36:06

1:36:06

“Government power is derived from the consent of the governed—and can you consent if you’re not informed?” BridgeDetroit’s Malachi Barrett joins Detroit is Different for a candid, funny, and urgent conversation about the broken information environment shaping American politics. A military kid who was “always the new kid,” Malachi maps his route fro…

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S7E75 -Use Your Mind: Matthew Jones Detroit Story of Rage, Redemption, and Fighting Racism with Wisdom 1:23:13

5d ago1:23:13

1:23:13

“Aneb and I met in 1974 when I was incarcerated in prison,” Matthew D. Jones Jr., LMSW, ACSW tells Detroit is Different—and from that first line, this episode becomes a masterclass in how Legacy Black Detroit culture survives, adapts, and teaches. Jones walks us from Black Bottom (“Chene & Gratiot”) to Forest & Van Dyke, where “seniors… looked out …

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Ep. 46 Words Of Advice For Seed People 46:54

5d ago46:54

46:54

As we wrap up this year, I want to do something a little bit different. At the end of every Seed Farmer conversations I ask my guests two questions 1- What would you tell your younger seed-growing self? 2- What would you say to market growers & gardeners to inspire them to start growing seed? The answers I get are really wonderful and I often think…

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Sports Event Trends We’re Watching in 2026 31:40

7d ago31:40

31:40

At the end of every year, our editorial staff at SportsTravel likes to take a look back at the year past and a look ahead to the year to come. And this year, we’re joined by our newest addition, Paul Stevens, who became senior editor of SportsTravel in November after a career in the business-to- business media space. He’s also a true sports fan, wh…

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S7E74 -Healing Is the Legacy: Kayana Sessoms on Safe Spaces, Spirit, and Detroit 1:04:46

7d ago1:04:46

1:04:46

“Creating safe spaces has always been important to me,” says Kayana Sessoms—and that truth runs like a healing current through this Detroit is Different conversation with the founder of Hitha Healing House, a sacred space born from legacy, loss, and love. Kayana traces her roots through Mississippi, Arkansas, and Detroit’s west side, grounding her …

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S7E73 -From Pots & Pans to Plates & Legacy: Johnny Cannon and the Spirit of Joe Louis 29:41

7d ago29:41

29:41

“Sometimes you don’t know what you had until it’s gone—and then you realize it was community.” In this powerful Detroit is Different conversation, Johnny Cannon of Joe Louis Southern Kitchen takes us on a journey that weaves food, family, faith, and legacy into one rich Detroit story. Born and raised on the east side, five generations deep, Johnny …

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S7E72 -From Black Bottom to the Breakfast Table: The Joe Louis Legacy Lives On, Joe Louis Barrow II 35:33

7d ago35:33

35:33

“Long before Black people mattered in America, they mattered in Detroit.” That line alone sets the tone for this powerful Detroit is Different conversation with Joe Louis Barrow II, founder of Joe Louis Southern Kitchen and son of the Brown Bomber himself. In this episode, Barrow reflects on Detroit as sacred ground for Black legacy—where the Great…

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Ep. 45 I Wrote a Book with Julia Shanks! 31:59

9d ago31:59

31:59

So I've been quietly working on something since April. It hasn't exactly been a secret, but it has mostly stayed under wraps. In this episode, it's finally time to share that project. The big news: I've co-written a book with Julia Shanks of The Farmer's Office, and we've just submitted the manuscript to the publisher. In this episode, Julia and I …

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S7E71 -We Hate Poverty: Maureen Taylor on Legacy, Liberation & Detroit’s Future 1:18:26

14d ago1:18:26

1:18:26

“We hate poverty. We have to find a way to eliminate it.” That’s how Maureen Taylor— a historic Detroit frontline warrior for the poor—sets the tone for this electrifying Detroit is Different conversation recorded inside the historic General Baker Institute. From the moment she says she’s “a blue-collar African American from way back,” Maureen unfo…

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S7E70 -I Enjoy Joy: Erika Monaé Lewis on Connection as a Superpower 1:24:15

14d ago1:24:15

1:24:15

“I enjoy bringing joy for us all.” That’s how Erika Monaé Lewis — founder of The EMG Network and creator of Networking on Purpose — explains the spark that’s been in her since childhood. In this Detroit is Different conversation, Erika unpacks how growing up on the East Side near the old city airport, running the block with friends, and soaking in …

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S7E69 -My Legacy is My Daughters: The Purpose That Found Ken Chandler 1:33:02

14d ago1:33:02

1:33:02

“‘I finally realized my purpose the moment my daughter was born’,” Ken Chandler says as he opens up in a rare, vulnerable, and powerful first-ever public interview on Detroit is Different. In one sweeping, emotional journey, Ken traces his family’s three-generation Detroit legacy—from his grandfather’s East Side business empire to the hard truths o…

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S7E68 -If It’s Not There, Build It: Jahra McKinney's Story Behind Detroit Sound Conservancy 1:18:54

14d ago1:18:54

1:18:54

“If it’s not there, you build it.” With that declaration, Jahra McKinney—Director and Director of Collections at the Detroit Sound Conservancy—steps into the Detroit Is Different studio and delivers a masterclass on legacy, love, and the power of preserving Black culture. In this rich conversation, Jahra traces her family’s Detroit story from her g…

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NFL Recap, NBA Talk and Why organizations can't work 41:03

15d ago41:03

41:03

Send us a text Haven't been on here but I am here, and lets talk NFL, NBA and why some organizations suceed and some don't come on in, buckle up and lets take this ride Support the showBy Johnny Ray Jr.

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Ep. 44 Building Inclusive Seed Systems – Alexis Yamashita, Community Organizer 1:12:57

15d ago1:12:57

1:12:57

Alexis Yamashita is a community organizer, seed grower, and PhD student in Food Systems at the University of Vermont. Alexis has also been deeply involved with seed-based cooperatives. She helped found and served as co-director of Ujamaa Cooperative Farming Alliance, she co-managed the seed racks division of Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, and she…

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Paralympians Ezra Frech and Lindi Marcusen on the Challenges of Traveling with Disabilities 32:05

22d ago32:05

32:05

Like the millions of people living with disabilities, Paralympians have a multitude of ways they acquired those disabilities. Some like Ezra Frech were born with disabilities and many others like Lindi Marcusen acquired those disabilities later in life, in her case in a car accident just two weeks after her wedding. Nonetheless, the Paralympic Game…

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S7E66 -When Organizers Step Into Office: Stephanie Chang on Legacy, Justice & Detroit’s Future 1:16:41

21d ago1:16:41

1:16:41

“We can use the same skills we learned organizing on the block to organize inside the halls of power.” That’s how Senator Stephanie Chang frames her journey—from a young volunteer knocking doors with Detroit activists to becoming one of the most grounded and community-rooted legislators in Michigan. In this Detroit Is Different conversation, Chang …

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S7E65 -One Opportunity to Make That First Impression: The Gospel of Hot Sam’s with Tony Stovall 1:14:42

21d ago1:14:42

1:14:42

“Detroit would be a sad place if we weren’t all different,” says Hot Sam’s co-owner Tony Stovall, opening a conversation that moves like a masterclass in Black Detroit legacy, style, and spiritual grounding. In this Detroit is Different episode, Tony traces his journey from East St. Louis to the Eastside, from a 15-year-old getting his first suit t…

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S7E67 -By Us, For Us, About Us, Near Us: Gary Anderson on Black Theater in 2026 1:07:40

21d ago1:07:40

1:07:40

“If we don’t remember what 1926 taught us, we’ll miss what 2026 is calling us to do.”In this electric Detroit Is Different episode, Gary Anderson—Artistic Director of Plowshares Theatre Company—pulls us deep into the crossroads of past and future Black liberation through the lens of Black theater. Anderson reminds us that W.E.B. Du Bois’ 1926 call …

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Ep. 43 Breeding Tomatoes and Talking Co-ops – Fred Thériault, Tourne-Sol Co-operative Farm 45:19

27d ago45:19

45:19

Fred Thériault is a farmer and founding member of Tourne-Sol co-operative farm in Les Cèdres, Quebec, where they grow vegetables for 500 weekly CSA baskets and an acre of seed crops. I say "they" but I should guess I mean "we" because I farm with Fred at Tourne-Sol and we've been great friends for the last 25 years and have done all kinds of things…

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S7E64 -No Compromise: Dwan Dandridge on Building Wealth for Black Detroit 1:24:01

29d ago1:24:01

1:24:01

“Boycotting is good, but building is better.” In this Detroit is Different conversation, Black Leaders Detroit CEO & Founder Dwan Dandridge breaks down what it really means to build a Black future funded by Black people—one dollar a week at a time. We talk about why a simple commitment like, “We should be able to prioritize five minutes to donate a…

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S7E63 -Not Just Diversity: Darlene King-Turner on Equity, Detroit, and Black Men in Leadership 1:49:27

29d ago1:49:27

1:49:27

“We were really tired of the media narrative around Black men.” From that frustration, Darlene King-Turner – CEO & President of The Unity Collective – helped birth the National Black Men in Leadership Conference, now in its fifth year and returning to Huntington Place this December as a direct response to the murder of George Floyd and generations …

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S7E62 -“Detroiters Are Our Assignment Editors: Orlando Bailey on Truth, Power & Black Leadership” 1:20:40

29d ago1:20:40

1:20:40

“Detroiters are our assignment editors.” That line from Orlando Bailey sets the tone for a conversation that is both legacy-rooted and forward-looking, as he sits back in the Detroit is Different studio and walks us through his evolution from a kid in Youth on the Edge of Greatness to Executive Director of Outlier Media—one of Detroit’s most truste…

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S7E61 -Write It Down, Make It Plain: Cornetta Lane Smith on Legacy, Lineage & Detroit Love 1:43:25

29d ago1:43:25

1:43:25

“Write it down, make it plain.” That’s how Cornetta Lane Smith steps into the Detroit is Different studio—rooted, ready, and carrying her grandmother’s legacy with her. Across this powerful conversation, Cornetta drops stories that pull you straight into the heart of Black Detroit lineage: her grandmother migrating from “two blocks of Grand Junctio…

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Ep. 42 Inside the Seed Farmer Mentorship 16:55

1M ago16:55

16:55

Here's a peek inside the Seed Farmer Mentorship—a guided learning experience I've created to help growers build the skills, systems, and confidence to produce high-quality seed on their farms. This winter, I'll be hosting the mentorship for the second time, and I'm excited to guide a new group of growers through hands-on learning, practical tools, …

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S7E60 -The Man Who Recorded a Movement: Marsha Music on Her Father, Hastings Street, and the Birth of Detroit Sound 2:06:30

1M ago2:06:30

2:06:30

“He was one of the first Black independent record producer of the postwar era — and nobody knew.” That’s the spark Marsha Music brings into this powerful Detroit Is Different conversation as she unravels the epic, unsung story of her father, Joe Von Battle — the man who recorded Reverend C.L. Franklin, who cut Aretha’s first records, and who captur…

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S7E59 -From Black Bottom to the Tracks: The 94-Year Journey of Ardena Vaughn 34:41

1M ago34:41

34:41

From her living room in Romulus, 94-year-old Ardena Vaughn takes us from Black Bottom to the “tracks” in Romulus, weaving a lifetime of memories that tell the story of Legacy Black Detroit’s past and its unfinished future. Born at Herman Kiefer and raised on Cameron Street, Ardena remembers marching in the alley when “Joe Louis would win” with tin …

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S7E58 -Sweet, Not Soft: April Anderson on Growing a Business on the Avenue of Fashions 41:04

1M ago41:04

41:04

“We knew from the beginning we wanted to be that third space” — that’s how April Anderson, owner of Good Cakes and Bakes, breaks down why her organic bakery on Livernois is more than a storefront, it’s a whole ecosystem. In this on-location Detroit is Different conversation, April and Khary sit in the middle of fall rush and neighborhood kids’ even…

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Ep. 41 Strengthening Local Seed Security - David Catzel of Farm Folk City Folk 50:15

1M ago50:15

50:15

David Catzel is the BC Seed Security Program Manager at FarmFolk City Folk, the Regional Program Coordinator for the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, and serves on the board of the BC EcoSeed Co‑op. He also grows seed at Fraser Common Farm Co‑op. In this episode, David shares his experience supporting growers, organizing cooperati…

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S7E57 -Gridiron to Grind Mode: How Chase Money Found His Flow 57:07

2M ago57:07

57:07

“Man, I used to sell Skittles at school — got in trouble for it too — but that’s when I knew I wanted to be my own boss.” From that moment of hustle to becoming a collegiate athlete and rising rap artist, Chase Money embodies the new generation of Detroit legacy. In this powerful episode of Detroit is Different, Chase sits down with Khary Frazier t…

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S7E56 -How his Past Guides his Future, Shri Thanedar's Political Journey 1:15:49

2M ago1:15:49

1:15:49

From a small town in southern India Chikodi, where “we slept on the floor,” Shri Thanedar’s story moves from caste system expectations he rejected to a life built on duty — “I worked as a janitor at 14 and gave my pay to my mother.” He traces the thread of Indian culture that raised him: reverence for education (“public school and university were f…

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S7E55 -The Cost of Cool: Keir Worthy on Culture, Design, and Legacy Detroit 1:22:00

2M ago1:22:00

1:22:00

“You can’t call it a comeback when we never left,” says Keir Worthy, reflecting on Detroit’s cultural rebirth with a mix of reverence and reality. In this in-depth conversation, Keir—designer, cultural connector, and proud Detroiter turned New Yorker—dives into what it means to carry Detroit’s creative DNA across coasts while staying rooted in the …

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EP. 40 Let's Wrap Up Your Seed Season Review 20:31

1M ago20:31

20:31

You've reviewed your field records, gathered feedback from your team, looked at your sales channels, and even listened to your customers. Now it's time to bring it all together. This is the final episode of the 2025 Season Review Challenge! Let's pull together everything you've learned and turn it into a clear picture of your season. I'll also shar…

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S7E54 -From Grandma’s Bedroom to 500: The Pulse of Legacy Black Detroit 1:10:58

2M ago1:10:58

1:10:58

“Back in Detroit is Different studios—my grandma’s house—where the organ once sat and the stories still breathe.” Episode 500 turns the mic on founder Khary Frazier, with Kahn Santori guiding a deep dive into why this platform became the safe space for stories of contemporary Legacy Black Detroit. Khary maps his roots—“Rosa Parks, Linwood, Davison,…

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Ep. 39 Overwintering Brassicas - Matt Bell of Johnny's Selected Seeds 59:25

2M ago59:25

59:25

Matt Bell has worked at Johnny's Selected Seeds in Albion, Maine, since 2018. He is currently a trial technician focusing on cucurbits, but today's conversation dives into some of his previous work with brassicas. Matt comes from a family with a long history of seed saving and continues that tradition by growing seed at home outside of his work at …

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S7E53 -From Voting Tests to Community Benefits Agreements: Brenda Butler’s Detroit Playbook 1:08:44

2M ago1:08:44

1:08:44

“Council is empowered — they’re not using their power.” Brenda Faye Butler from Birmingham to Detroit—walks us through a life that links the Civil Rights South to the Eastside today: a coal miner’s daughter who landed here after the 1967 uprising, trained at 14 by Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth to knock doors and teach neighbors the civics needed to pass …

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S7E52 -Delivering Justice: How a Detroit Son Reconnects, Joe Drew-Hundley 1:37:58

2M ago1:37:58

1:37:58

"My father used to say, ‘If you’re gonna deliver mail, own the block you walk on.’ That stuck with me.” Joe Drew-Hundley, Deputy Director of the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities, sat down with Detroit is Different to trace his family’s Detroit roots from Waynesboro, Mississippi to the east side post routes that built Black stability and own…

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S7E51 -Speak Life, Live Love: a Detroit Poet Goddess, One Single Love Rose 59:23

2M ago59:23

59:23

“You speak life—I try to speak life every time I open my mouth,” says One Single Love Rose, and from there this episode blooms into a living archive of Legacy Black Detroit: four generations from Black Bottom to the East Side, Creole kitchens to jazz guitars, a mother born a “call bearer” whose veil marked prophetic gifts, and a daughter who learne…

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Ep.38 Listen to Your Seed Customers - Season Review week 4 20:19

2M ago20:19

20:19

This week we're turning our attention to your customers. The people who actually buy your seeds. Whether you sell seed packs through your online store, seed racks in retail shops, or bulk seed on contract to other companies, this is the perfect time to connect, listen, and learn. This minisode is part 4 of the 2025 Season Review Challenge, where I …

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S7E50 -No Code to Switch: Megan Douglass on Diaspora, Grief, and Growing Black in Michigan 1:11:57

2M ago1:11:57

1:11:57

“Jamaica taught me that Blackness didn’t need to be cleaned, civilized, or educated away.” With that declaration, scholar-activist Megan Douglass sits down with Khary Frazier for a Detroit is Different conversation that bridges continents, generations, and movements. In this deeply layered interview, Megan traces her roots from Greensboro, North Ca…

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Ep. 37 Look Back at This Year's Seed Sales, Season Review week 3 24:08

2M ago24:08

24:08

It's time to review your seed sales channels to see what's working and what isn't. Whether you're selling seed packs through your own company or bulk seed to other seed companies, there are a few metrics that will help you plan for next season. This minisode is part 3 of the 2025 Season Review Challenge, where I want to make sure you take the time …

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S7E49 -From District 81 to Films the Hustle of Ty 1:30:53

3M ago1:30:53

1:30:53

“Man, I was selling football cards out front of my mama’s house before I even knew what entrepreneurship was.” From hustling mixtapes and vintage football cards to building District 81, one of Detroit’s most iconic streetwear brands, Ty’s story is a testament to the grit and creativity that fuel Black Detroit’s legacy. In this Detroit Is Different …

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Ep. 36 Team Reflections: The Seeds of Next Season 20:39

3M ago20:39

20:39

Gather the crew - it's time for a season review! This week on the Season Review Challenge, we're talking about doing a team season review. That means gathering everyone who worked alongside you this year, and looking back together on how the season went - not just from your perspective, but from theirs. Taking time for a team review might feel risk…

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Dealing With Cancer of a Family Member/ And some Sports score 25:14

3M ago25:14

25:14

Send us a text This episode is special as I dive into the weekend of football briefly, but I give you guys an update on my brother and how I am dealing with his diagnosis. Come on in. buckle up and lets take this ride Support the showBy Johnny Ray Jr.

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S7E48 -The Game Ain’t Changed—Just the Product: E-40 Talks Ownership at Taste of Black Spirits Detroit 48:17

3M ago48:17

48:17

"I don’t boycott temporarily—I just say, ‘I’m not rockin’ with you no more.’” That line from Earl “E-40” Stevens set the tone for one of the most electric Detroit is Different conversations yet — a masterclass in legacy, ownership, and staying power from a Bay Area legend whose hustle feels right at home in the Motor City. Recorded live at the 2025…

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Ep. 35 Complete Your Field Records, Start Your Seed Review 16:29

3M ago16:29

16:29

You might be busy harvesting carrots, planting garlic, and wrapping up the season - but this is also the perfect time to pause and look back at your growing season. Before all the details of the season fade away, take a moment to review what you actually planted, what you harvested, and how it all turned out. Completing your field records now, whil…

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S7E47 -Denzell McCampbell on Detroit’s Fight for Equity 1:27:17

3M ago1:27:17

1:27:17

"Poverty is a choice to allow that to go on in the city," says Denzell McCampbell, and that fire fuels this Detroit is Different conversation. In this episode, Khary Frazier sits down with McCampbell—four generations deep in Detroit, raised in a Persian neighborhood rooted in union jobs and Alabama migration stories—to unpack his run for City Counc…

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S7E46 -From Pac-Man to Pages: Jelani Stowers on Books, Philosophy, and Black Detroit’s Future 1:27:39

3M ago1:27:39

1:27:39

“Nobody was the right person for the job … it just had to be me right now.” That’s how Jelani Stowers breaks down the whirlwind journey of taking ownership of Pages Bookshop in Rosedale Park, a cultural anchor in Detroit. In this conversation with Khary Frazier, Jelani traces his family’s roots—grandparents who migrated from Alabama and Virginia to…

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S7E45 -From Van Dyke to Hampton to Healing: The Journey of Mindful B Anthony 1:28:20

3M ago1:28:20

1:28:20

"Gratitude is the space where we humble ourselves to the blessing of life itself." From the jump, Mindful B Anthony sets the tone for a Detroit story rooted in legacy, resilience, and transformation. In this Detroit is Different conversation, he takes us on a journey from his family’s four-generation hold on Van Dyke and Mack—where his grandmother …

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Ep. 34 Roots Today, Seeds Tomorrow – Harvesting Your First-Year Biennials 23:37

3M ago23:37

23:37

All those roots you're harvesting for fall storage aren't just good for eating or selling at market. They are also the first stage of a biennial seed crop! If you've planted carrots, beets, turnips, onions, or winter radishes this season, you can choose the best roots now to grow a seed crop next year. This is another Seedy September minisode to re…