Reality Poets TV

This podcast episode was recorded before the sudden passing of Reality Poets TV co-host, LeVar "Var" Lawrence. Var passed away on May 11th after a brief illness and his loss is devastating to all who loved him. Alex Eshelman joined Vince and Var for his second appearance on Reality Poets TV, though he's been behind the camera for it all. This month, Alex officially transitioned from his role as OP...

"Boss lady" is on the podcast this episode! Jennilie Brewster sits down with Vince and Var to talk about starting OPEN DOORS, their work together over the past 10 years, and her career as an aritst. Jennilie Brewster is an artist who works in various forms, often exploring connections between our inner and outer landscapes. Her paintings and installations have been shown widely. Her essays have ap...

We're spotlighting a Freestyle Friday conversation with Weston Gehman! Listen here or watch on YouTube . Weston is the founder of Stairs2Chairs , born with a disability called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Weston has been determined to bring positive change to individuals just like him based on his first-hand experience of living with a disability. This understanding separates him from most organ...

Our podcast editor stepped out from behind the scenes to join us on the mic this episode! Vince and Var interview Kylie Miller about editing Reality Poets TV, getting connected with OPEN DOORS, and working with Judy Heumann. Kylie Miller is a Signal Award–winning and Shorty Award nominated audio journalist and social media specialist. She frequently works at the intersection of podcasting and disa...

Reality Poets TV is back with the first episode of 2026! Vince and Var chat with Reality Poet Theresa Williams about joining the group, her upbringing, and the future of OPEN DOORS. Theresa grew up in Ghana, and when she was a teenager moved to Washington DC and later Queens, NY. In 2003, an illness left her unable to walk. She became an advocate for herself and her friends. Theresa joined OPEN DO...

It's our final episode of 2025! Vince and Var chat about their holiday plans with family, share stories from their youth, discuss AI and music, and look ahead at 2026 which marks the 10 year anniversary of OPEN DOORS 10. Stay tuned for more Reality Poets TV in the New Year! The transcript for this episode is available on Google Docs  and the video version is available  on Youtube .  Reality Poets...

This episode, Vince and Var are chatting with author, speaker, and real estate broker   Jeffery Williams ! They talk about the imporance of education and community for newly injured people, Jeff's journey as an author and real estate broker, and much more. The transcript for this episode is available  on Google Docs  and the video version is available  on Youtube .  Reality Poets TV is a podcast f...

We've got a special guest for episode #10... Live Mula aka Chapo! Vince and Var talk with him about all things hip-hop, artistry and authenticity. Check out his new album Sinners! The transcript for this episode is available on Google Docs  and the video version is available  on Youtube .  Reality Poets TV is a podcast from OPEN DOORS, a collective of disabled artists, nursing home residents, advo...

This episode, Vince and Var interview Edward Funches , the founder of Inclusion Marketing and Advertising Group. Take a listen to learn about Edward's work, backstory, and more. The transcript for this episode is available  on Google Docs  and the video version is available  on Youtube .  Reality Poets TV is a podcast from OPEN DOORS, a collective of disabled artists, nursing home residents, advoc...

We're wrapping up summer with this podcast episode featuring our two summer interns, Owen and Thomas! They each talk with Vince and Var about their college experience, how they came to OPEN DOORS, what they hope for their futures, and more. The transcript for this episode is available on Google Docs  and the video version is available  on Youtube .  Reality Poets TV is a podcast from OPEN DOORS, a...

Welcome to this special episode of Reality Poets TV! The Reality Poets recently published a new poetry book, Wheeling & Healing 2: Holding the Mic in the Middle of the Storm . This podcast episode gives you a taste of the poetry in the book through poems performed at the book release party on Roosevelt Island. Wheeling & Healing 2 is a poetry anthology edited by the Reality Poets which includes th...

We've got another Reality Poet joining Vince and Var on Reality Poets TV! Jay Molina is usually the man behind the camera on this podcast but this episode, he gets on the mic to talk about his experiences joining OPEN DOORS, co-directing Fire Through Dry Grass , growing up in the Dominican Republic, moving to New York, and more.  The transcript for this episode is available  on Google Docs  and th...

Reality Poets TV is BACK! Vince and Var speak with Felice Belle, Artists Network Director at Narrative4 . They discuss the power of storyelling, collaborations between Narrative4 and OPEN DOORS, Felice's new poetry book  Viscera , and more. The transcript for this episode is available on Google Docs  and the video version is available  on Youtube .  Reality Poets TV is a podcast from OPEN DOORS, a...

Vince and Var are joined by OPEN DOORS Associate Director, Alex Eshelman. They talk about how he first became involved with OPEN DOORS, his love of Basketball, sports betting, and more. The transcript for this episode is available  on Google Docs  and the video version is available  on Youtube .  Reality Poets TV is a podcast from OPEN DOORS, a collective of disabled artists, nursing home resident...

Episode #4 features a special guest, Alex Elegudin. Alex is the co-founder of Wheeling Forward and a friend of OPEN DOORS. Vince and Var ask Alex about his experience becoming injured as a teenager, meeting his wife, running a non-profit, and more. The transcript for this episode is available  on Google Docs  and the video version is available  on Youtube .  Reality Poets TV is a podcast from OPEN...

We're back with Episode #3! Meet Reality Poets El and Shannon. First hear El, Vince and Var talk about being gun violence survivors, El's journey to joining OPEN DOORS, the influence of music, and more. Then Shannon, Vince and Var discuss Shannon's transition moving out of Coler, their experiences during the pandemic, the impact OPEN DOORS has had on Shannon, and more. The transcript for this epis...

In Episode #2, meet Reality Poets Pete and Francene! They share their personal stories, how they became involved in OPEN DOORS, their hopes for Nursing Home Lives Matter, and more. The transcript for this episode is available  on Google Docs  and the video version is available  on Youtube .  Reality Poets TV is a podcast from OPEN DOORS, a collective of disabled artists, nursing home residents, ad...

In Episode #1 meet the Reality Poets TV hosts, Vince and Var. They share their personal stories, the origins of OPEN DOORS, and what is to come. The transcript for this episode is available on Google Docs and the video version is available on Youtube .  Reality Poets TV is a podcast from OPEN DOORS, a collective of disabled artists, nursing home residents, advocates and allies led by the experienc...