Keep Your Voice Down

Aspiring TikTok influencer and Newport News, Virginia native Micah Temple drops by Keep Your Voice Down this week for a chat with hosts Alek Haak-Frost and Doug Sears, Jr. The trio discuss Micah's burgeoning social media presence, the fleeting nature of Tumblr fame, discovering one's people, pop cultural blindspots, and their respective Mount Rushmores of favorite films. You can find Mic...

Poet and spoken word artist Madison “Mocha” Hunter drops by Keep Your Voice Down for a chat . Alek, Doug, and Madison discuss the poet’s current locale, Memphis, Tennessee, where she is pursuing a Master’s degree in creative writing and a certificate in African American literature, and how it compares to her previous stops in Alabama and her hometown Detroit. The trio touch on Afrofuturism, Black...

Alek and Doug address the Georgia Bulldog in the room: Former Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is Super Bowl bound, and they're here for it. After fawning over Stafford and what he meant to Detroit, Doug and Alek discuss rooting for a player after they leave your favorite team, silver linings from the trade that sent Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams and the Lions' ensuing rebui...

Author Matthew Roberson stops by Keep Your Voice Down to discuss his forthcoming novel “ Interim ,” set to be released in March, and all things writing. Doug, Alek, and Matt talk process, influence, young writers’ dependence on film, television, and video games in lieu of reading literature, and Central Michigan University, where Matt teaches creative writing. Roberson is the author of four novels...

Warning : This episode contains explicit language Malachi Carter ( The Unapologetics (UN) Podcast ) drops by Keep Your Voice Down to discuss, well, everything. Doug, Alek, and Malachi talk Season 2 of UN, what to expect in Season 3, Malachi’s upcoming MLK Day online event “MLK, CRT, and The Gospel,” the respective greatness of Betty White and Spider-Man: No Way Home , and much more. Malachi’s even...

Doug and Alek wanted to discuss all things holidays, and felt it was necessary to bring in an expert, so we called Mrs. Christmas herself, Steph Hightree . These three wise people discuss Steph's lack of egg nog experience, ridiculous Hallmark Christmas movie plots, determining whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie or not (it certainly is), surviving Elf on the Shelf, and their favorite Chris...

James Hissong joins Doug and Alek to discuss his firm Grantsmanship Consulting LLC , the ins and outs of grant-making, trying to explain to his kids what exactly it is he does, Sturgis' forthcoming splash pad, and possibilities for the " old" Three Rivers Hospital . The show’s theme is “ Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us , and this week’s outro music is " For a Fistful of Spagh...

Former Three Rivers Middle School teacher Russell Ball joins Keep Your Voice Down to talk about his recent resignation after Three Rivers Community Schools staff were asked to remove Pride flags from their classrooms due to an "external challenge." Ball details the events leading up to his exit, what the flag represents to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and why the flags should remai...

At the top of this week’s episode Alek and Doug address Monday’s troubling news that teachers within the Three Rivers Community Schools system were asked to remove Pride flags in their classrooms in response to an “external challenge” by an unidentified party.    The hosts of Keep Your Voice Down are also joined by Sarah Lee , Director of Marketing Communications at the Kalamazoo Community Foundat...

Former Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Brian Persky joined Doug and Alek on Keep Your Voice Down this week to discuss downtown Three Rivers, his work with Discover Kalamazoo , the hierarchy of Halloween Candy, and why being a Detroit Lions fan is basically a combat sport. Brian is the Director of Sports Event Development at Discover Kalamazoo, the local convention an...

Doug rejoins Alek and the podcast this week to interview Podcaster Dan Moyle ( I'm Not In An Abusive Relationship , My America , Antiracism in Action ). Doug, Alek, and Dan discuss domestic violence and ways victims AND abusers can get help, his experience as a Domestic and Sexual Abuse Services board member, becoming an antiracist, asking "dumb white guy questions" en route to beco...

Doug and Alek are joined by Layne Deuel ( Spartans, Wolverines and Beards Podcast ) to discuss the best and WORST of sports cinema. Alek tells all of the stories including how he and his brother Shane used The Waterboy against their sister Kayla, why his Uncle Andy got in trouble for showing Mystery, Alaska to his niece and nephews, and the tragedy that occurred with Alek's VHS copy of Space...

Torrey Brown , a write-in candidate for Three Rivers At-Large City Commissioner , drops by the show to discuss why he's running, the importance of representation and transparency, his vision for a rec center for the city's youth, his upcoming induction into the Three Rivers Athletics Hall of Fame , and more. A technical snafu at the start of this episode left Alek in the driver's se...

Doug and Alek discuss Watershed Voice 's Fall Member Drive , the importance of local journalism, Halloween in Three Rivers, Alek's forgotten novel he recently picked up again, the legend of Dr. John K. Hartman, and Doug's love for cycling and drop-in hockey. Keep Your Voice Down’s theme is “ Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is "A Tender Heart"...

WARNING:  In this week’s episode, Alek and Doug get personal. No guest, no headlines, just a pair of college best friends discussing three aspects of their lives that explain who they are, and who they hope to become. So put on your hazmat suit (unless you’re comfortable with vulnerability and intimate conversations, then you’re probably safe with just the tissues), and tune into the Season 3 prem...

Doug and Alek go it alone on the heels of the Watershed Voice Artist Showcase to discuss the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of Alek's first foray into live entertainment, touching on what Alek learned, what he would do differently, and what the future holds for the event. Keep Your Voice Down’s theme is “ Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us, and this week’s outro music is "Yeah That&ap...

Doug and Alek are joined by Michigan Advance   Editor-in-Chief Susan J. Demas to discuss her recent column about the current state of affairs as it pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic, journalistic niceties, the shift in the way journalists operate amid an ultra polarized political climate, access journalism, and the highs and lows of mountain climbing (see what we did there?) Michigan Advance is a...

Doug and Alek join  Lisha and  Jules  on Screen Tea Podcast for a very (very) in-depth discussion about the 2015 Ridley Scott film The Martian.  Listen to Doug fanboy over Screen Tea, his favorite podcast on the planet, and Alek fanboy over Matt Damon, while Lisha and Jules try to bring the rickety vessel that is this episode safely home. Make sure to give our comrades over at Screen  Tea Podcast...

Doug and Alek are joined by Three Rivers poet and Watershed Voice Showcase opener Debbie Allen to discuss her upbringing in “old school” Philadelphia, her creative process, using poetry to work through pain and trauma, and the trials and tribulations of being a moderator for Three Rivers, Michigan Area Information . You can find Debbie’s artist page on Facebook , and her books are available for pu...

Doug and Alek are joined by Sow Good Seeds columnist and the most talented member of the Haak-Frost household Deborah Haak-Frost . The trio discuss the wonders of permaculture, why lawns are a problem, the many pursuits of Three Rivers nonprofit *culture is not optional , scones, and the GilChrist Retreat Center . You can read Deborah’s column and her other works on Watershed Voice’s website . Kee...

In this week's episode Doug and Alek discuss next month's Watershed Voice Artist Showcase , the Summer Olympics and why beach volleyball is the Fast and Furious of Olympic sports, as well as why you should watch Lovecraft Country and Summer of Soul immediately. Keep Your Voice Down ’s theme is “ Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us , and this week’s outro music is " I Think I Like It (...

Doug and Alek are joined by Three Rivers Library Director Bobbi Schoon to discuss the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of a two-time interim library director with five degrees (Spoiler: It's Bobbi, the Thanos of library directors), who has ascended to the full-time position after years of hard work and dedicated service to the Three Rivers community. The trio talk about the importance of lo...

Doug and Alek are joined by Watershed Voice columnist Steph Hightree for her long awaited and highly anticipated (probably) second interview to discuss raising a son with autism, how the stigma and general perception of autism has changed over the last decade, and why an emphasis on acceptance of autism should take priority over raising awareness of the developmental disorder. The trio also does a...

Doug and Alek are joined by recording artist and Kalamazoo native Sherridan Harris to discuss his debut album "Day in the Life,"  his songwriting process, the difference he sees between the likes of Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole , and the Southwest Michigan music scene. Harris' album can be found on all major streaming platforms, and can be purchased on iTunes under his artist name She...

Alek and Doug are joined by Sherry Hutchiso n, Doug's third grade teacher, to discuss the state of teaching throughout her career, and how Doug clearly peaked in elementary school. Keep Your Voice Down ’s theme is “ Howling at the Moon” by D Fine Us , and this week’s outro music is " Uptown Getdown" by MILANO . Any views or opinions expressed on “Keep Your Voice Down” are those of i...