Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home

This week I get to share a small piece of the great legacy of The Shreveport Sun, which turns 105 later this year. You can find my full discussion with Ronald Collins Jr., the Editor, here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:48 1. On November 6, 1920, The Shreveport Sun was founded by Melvin Lee Collins, Senior. It is the oldest weekly newspaper for African Americans in Louisiana.   Fast forwar...

This week I sit down with one of our community's most important leaders, Tabatha Taylor, the Chair of the Shreveport City Council. You can find our full discussion here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:42 1. For more than 25 years, you have been advocating for autism awareness. Your adult son, Dominique, is non-verbal and was diagnosed with autism at age 2.   Your advocacy efforts have led t...

I love sitting down with people who have taken their faith and made it their work and action. You can find my full discussion with Deidra Lewis-Robertson, Director of Friendship House for Community Renewal International, here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:37 1. You are an integral part of Community Renewal International as the Director of Friendship House and Director of Operation H.O.P.E...

Greg Powell is bringing the fun with his company SB Rides and helping to piece together the stories that shape us with his bike and bus tours. You can find our full discussion here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:31 1. How did you come up with the idea of Social Bike Rides or SB Rides as most know it?   6:52 2. Tell me about 515 Pierre Avenue.   11:42 3. You have led bike tours focused on b...

The title of this week's episode is "It's all about perspective" (I title them each week for Channel 12 when they house the episodes on their KSLA 12 App). All that to say, I absolutely loved the opportunity to sit down with Emily Hays as she shared her fresh, useful and really instructive perspective. You can find the entire discussion here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:34 1. Born and ra...

This week we sit down with the one and only Maggie Martin. You can find my full discussion with the Shreveport journalistic icon here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:33 1. You have been an institution in Shreveport journalism. I read that it was a dream come true for you to be a journalist, one you chose many years ago when you were a young child reading The Times on your stoop in Queensbor...

This week our focus is Mardi Gras! You can find my full discussion with Tony Richardson and Karen Baker, Krewe of Gemini, here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:28 1. Both of you are part of The Krewe of Gemini, the oldest parading Mardi Gras Krewe in Shreveport-Bossier.   We recently kicked off Mardi Gras season 2025 with Twelfth Night.   Tell me when it was and some of what happened that ni...

Like so many of my guests, Clarrissa's journey is an instructive one and so rich with valuable lessons for us all. You can find our full discussion here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:28 1. You and I first met about a year ago. As I have mentioned several times here, I currently chair the advisory board for LSUS’ Institute for Nonprofit Administration and Research (or INAR as most people k...

This week we sit down with one of the great thinkers about community that we have. You can find my full discussion with Mack McCarter here.     Here are the questions that I asked:   0:46 1. Mack, you are the founder and coordinator of Community Renewal International, one of our community’s most impactful nonprofits that you first started in 1994. You are also one of the great thinkers about commu...

Centenary College has experienced tremendous growth under Dr. Christopher Holoman, its president since 2016. When you sit down with Dr. Holoman, it's clear why. You can find my full discussion here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:39 1. On March 17, 2017, you were formally inaugurated as Centenary College’s 31st President.   Since taking over, Centenary has experienced tremendous growth, inc...

So much wisdom in this conversation about what we make a 21st Shreveport-Bossier into. You can find my full discussion with Chase Boytim, Proprietor of Fatty Arbuckle's Pub, here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:32 1. You are deeply entrenched in Shreveport restauranteur and bar owner history, having gotten your start with the Cush brothers.   Let’s start here today.   Tell me about the Cush...

Sitting down with Africa Price, this week's guest, it's so clear how she has excelled in numerous, key positions in our community. You can find our full discussion here.   0:34 1. You’ve had a varied and rich professional career. From executive editor of the Shreveport Times to Chief of Staff, Director of Governmental Affairs, and Director of Communications and Public Relations for two different M...

People like John Dean who for many years have been both business leaders and incredibly active in trying to make our community better make me want to call them "business activists".  You can find my full discussion with John here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:34 1. John, you have had a great career as a CPA at the accounting firm Heard, McElroy & Vestal but what I want to focus on tod...

Stepping up because your community needs you and because there's so much opportunity to make a difference are at the heart of this week's discussion. You can find my full conversation with Oliver Jenkins here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:25 1. One of the themes I want to explore with you today is how to get more people like Oliver Jenkins in our community.   To highlight but a few things...

How to work across the aisle and get transformative projects done like the new Jimmie Davis Bridge are at the core of this week's discussion. You can find my full discussion with Barrow Peacock here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:28 1. Many people know you as Senator Peacock. But before you became Senator Peacock, you ran four unsuccessful campaigns for both houses of the Louisiana State L...

Supporting our students as administrators, teachers and parents is our focus this week as we sit down with Dr. Barzanna White, Caddo Parish District School Psychologist.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:41 1. You are the Caddo Parish District School Psychologist. In your role, you focus on student supports, positive school climates, suicide prevention, bullying prevention and safe and drug fr...

I have completed 117 episodes so far about fascinating people doing important work.  But the journey of Howard Pernell Allen is as riveting as I have found.  You can hear my full discussion with him here. Here are the questions I asked:   0:38 1. You were born in 1964. In 1981 you were arrested and sentenced to Angola for murdering someone. You were sentenced to life without parole, probation nor...

So many of my guests are people who have been in the trenches, often far removed from the spotlight, doing invaluable work for our community. This week's guest is no exception. You can hear my discussion with Former Director of Security for Caddo Schools, Roy Murry, here (or wherever you get your podcasts by searching "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home").   Here are the questions...

What do we sound like as a community? This week for the first time we dive into our local music industry. You can find my full discussion with Drummer John Hoffman here (or wherever you get your podcasts by searching "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home").   Here are the questions I asked:   0:44 1. You are at least a second-generation local musician. Tell me about your dad, Stan Ho...

Collaboration, Communication and Capitalizing on External Resources are the themes of this week's episode. You can find my full discussion with Commissioner Stormy Gage-Watts and Captain LaTienda Pierre here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:43 1. Commissioner, let’s start with you. You serve as the Chair of the Juvenile Justice Committee. How often does the committee meet and can you share s...

"If you want friends, you must first find yourself friendly" is the title of this week's episode. You can find my full discussion with Mario Chavez, Former Caddo Parish Commissioner and Owner of MersaTech, here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:27 1. We’ll cover a lot of ground today but let’s start here.   On October 9th you will be the featured speaker at the free entrepreneurial event, 1 M...

This episode is a first as I sit down with a friend and former employer who in the second half of the episode wanted to ask me the questions.  You can find my full discussion with Kempten Schwab, Managing Director for STS Capital Partners here.   Here are the questions I asked:   0:45 1. You appear to have had three large chapters in your professional career; the European Union, at Praeses here in...

Dr. Aubra Gantt, Chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:   0:35 1. In March of 2023, you were named the first female Chancellor for Southern University Shreveport (or SUSLA as many call it). You are a Shreveport native and graduate of Green Oaks and...

Damien Ford, Project Manager and Associate Architect for Mike McSwain Architect, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:   0:36 1. Damien, you are a Project Manager and Associate Architect for Mike McSwain Architect. Let’s start here today. Tell me some about where and how you grew up?   13:38 2....

Filmmaker Alexander Jeffery sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:   0:35 1. In 2015, your short film, The Bespoke Tailoring of Mister Bellamy, won the Louisiana Film Prize. I’ve read where you called this a “life-changing moment”.   Talk to me about why winning the film prize was so important fo...