Conversation Piece Podcast

On today’s episode of Conversation Piece, Madeline Mirelez-Perez Mackinnon joins the show to talk about tapping into play when creating and how that (and so much more) sits at the heart of her work with Frida’s Flowers. Madeline talks about the privilege of getting to spend some formative years in Mexico City, the role her experiences with Lark Song and the Orr Fellowship had in the launching of F...

On today’s episode of Conversation Piece, digital curator, creator, and entrepreneur Shay McCoy joins the show to talk about leaving full-time corporate and going full-time small business owner. Shay shares about laying the groundwork for such a transition with City of Shay, how creating content has created community, and why Indy is the place she’s doing it all! She also talks about what brought...

On this week's episode of Conversation Piece, LaStar Jackson, entrepreneur and founder of luxury fashion brand Saint Avenue, joins the show to talk about intentionality and purpose in art. LaStar shares about his upbringing and how his mother's interest in fashion influenced him from a young age. He also discusses the journey of starting his brand, including the challenges he faced with previous b...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, CEO of Melanin House Brandz Brandon Lee Buckley, also known as B.Lee, joins the show to talk about building brands and businesses as a creator and influencer. B.Lee talks about the roots of his creative and entrepreneurial passions, networking as early as seventh grade, and getting involved in the Indianapolis events scene. He also shares how he got in...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, Nicha Stapanukul joins the show to talk about navigating the classical music scene as a performer, teacher, and community facilitator. Nicha shares her origins as a pianist, immigrating to the U.S. from Thailand by herself as a teenager, and the shift from performance to education coinciding with a shift from comfort to survival. She also talks about h...

On today’s episode of Conversation Piece, Newfangled Confections CEO Carrie Abbott joins the show to talk about bringing innovation to the small business community. Carrie shares how she got into candy making, her love for the process of what you do, and the power of affirming others chasing their small business dreams. She also discusses the necessity of understanding folks’ “why" and how that wh...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, Mike Lee steps out from behind the camera to talk about his journey from Chicago to Indy to entrepreneurship. Mike shares about the first time he picked up a camera, his love for the post-production process, and when he knew it was time to pivot towards being a full-time creator and entrepreneur. He also discusses what it means to "deliver moments" for...

On this week’s episode, Tasha Jun joins the show to talk about what it means to write honestly about the most intimate parts of ourselves. Tasha shares her childhood of significant moves, from the U.S. to Tokyo to California to Indiana, the rejection and reclamation of her ethnic identity, and how she captured it all in her debut memoir Tell Me the Dream Again . She also discusses what it means to...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, Chief Brand Officer for The Basketball League (TBL) Jennifer Magley joins the show to talk about going after what you want and how we all want a place where everyone knows their name. She shares her journey from pro tennis player to coach to corporate, going viral after being laid off, and how community is key to breaking through oppressive systems. Je...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, Demel Bolden, a multifaceted creator and founder of DRVN LLC, joins the show to talk about overcoming adversity and taking life head on. Demel shares about the traumatic experience that shaped his early life, the origins of his passion for visual storytelling, and his first viral moment. He also breaks down how he continues to find new ways to grow, th...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, Ella Ashwill, CEO and founder of the ERA, joins the show to talk about equitable artist representation, how to get it, and where we're at now. Ella shares her journey from Indiana to California and back and how the numerous roles she's played throughout her career have helped inform her approach to her work consulting for artists. She also talks about...

On this week’s episode, the one and only Anthony Murdock II joins the show to talk about the journey of finding wholeness within ourselves. Murdock talks about resisting whiteness through discovering identity, the way language helps us give life to our experiences, and how liberation is at the root of all our stories. He also shares how the lives of folks like Assata Shakur and Dr. James Cone info...

On this week’s episode, multimedia mastermind and CEO of Push Prep Greg Buck joins the show to talk about the work he’s been doing in the city and the things we can achieve when we come together as a creative community. Greg shares growing up in the city after moving from Michigan, his basketball career, and how he got started in photography. He also talks about when he knew he could pursue multim...

On this week’s episode, Polished Communications CEO and President Casey Harrison joins the show to talk all things entrepreneurship! Casey shares about when she first fell in love with communications, her journey into the small business world, and how her core values permeate both her personal and professional lives. We also discuss the unknown accessibility points for entrepreneurs just starting...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, we're dropping a little bit early for the holiday! That's right, it's 317 Day here in Indianapolis and we are joined by the young legend himself, Mr. How You What, 4200Kory. Kory talks about growing up on the far east side of Indianapolis, what led him to music in the first place, and the love he saw from the city after his first project dropped. He al...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, Sara Easterly, Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Lori Holden join the show to talk about their new book Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents and Allies . They share about their respective relationships with adoption, how they all came together, and what it means to navigate the power dynamics of adoptee, birth...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, former guest and good friend Leah Burns joins the show to laugh it up while diving deep into a whole mess of things. Leah shares more of her personal journey growing up in Central Arkansas, the ongoing navigation of her faith, and questioning if it really is an honor to be Asian (spoiler alert: it is!). Leah also asks Patrick some questions. Again, lot...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, film directors Jason Poon and Jeff Wu join the show to talk about their latest project, NO CLOUDS IN MY SUMMER, a surreal romantic drama that non-linearly explores a young man’s introspection after a breakup. Jason and Jeff share their experience working together, their origins in filmmaking, and how they came to this particular endeavor. They also dis...

IT'S A BONUS EPISODE! On this very special episode of Conversation Piece, Patrick posts up at the Circle Centre Mall in downtown Indianapolis at The Intersection, part of the NBA All Star weekend where food and fashion come together in a showcase of who's who and what's what in Naptown, curated by EatHere and Cargo Streetwear. First, Patrick talks with Bradley Houser, co-founder of Eat Here Indy,...

It’s NBA All Star Month in Indianapolis! On this week’s episode, one of Naptown’s hiphop staples Skypp joins the show to educate us on Indianapolis’ past and present hiphop scene and where we could go from here. Skypp shares his early beginnings, from writing rhymes in middle school to standing on set with legends in high school to continually rising up the iTunes rap + hiphop album charts with ea...

It’s NBA All Star Week in Indianapolis! On this week’s episode, the Walk and Talk legend himself Sampson Levingston joins the show to school us on how you can’t find a moment in Indiana’s history without Black people in it. Sampson talks about his journey from playing football at Indiana State to starting his Through2Eyes blog where he could share our city’s history with the masses and how writing...

It’s NBA All Star Month in Indianapolis! On this week’s episode, the best host in the game Olivia West joins the show to get us hyped for everything going on in the city these next few weeks. Olivia talks about her upbringing in LaPorte running the 4H circuit and hooping, the pivotal moment at Purdue that set her on her current path, and becoming one of the voices of our hometown teams, the Indian...

On this week's episode, good friend Dr. SunAh Laybourn joins the show to talk about her new book Out of Place: The Lives of Korean Adoptee Immigrants . Dr. Laybourn shares how the book developed over the past seven years, what it means to challenge our own identities as Korean adoptees and as immigrants, and the importance of building upon the scholarship that has come before. You may have also he...

On this week’s episode, screenwriter and personal essayist Mindy Stern joins us to talk about her experience as a domestic, same-race adoptee. Mindy shares about her early thoughts and feelings about adoption, how those feelings evolved very quickly, and the written journals that would come about because of it all. She also expands upon her journey with reunion, leading to a really important discu...

On this week’s episode of Conversation Piece, comics artist and author Sarah Myer joins the show to talk about their graphic novel Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story ! We talk about the process of crafting such an intimate, imaginative telling of their early journey, from their love of The Little Mermaid and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as a child to their experiences with racism (both extern...