Southern Steep: Brewing Stronger Community

On the series finale of Southern Steep: Brewing Stronger Community, current and former cohosts go down memory lane, sharing reflections on previous season clips, the rich conversations had with guests, and the podcast overall. The hosts share what they have loved and learned throughout this journey as well as their continued hopes for the South. Ultimately wishing for the South to keep Southing. T...

In this episode of Southern Steep: Brewing Stronger Community, co-hosts Shanice Bailey and Nicole Elinoff are joined by Raymond Velazquez, Director of Prevention for the Western North Carolina AIDS Project and Alison Gaye, a Senior Manager on NASTAD's Drug User Health Team. Ray and Alison discuss the paths that led them to doing essential harm reduction work in the South, their personal philosophi...

In this episode of Southern Steep, co-hosts Rodderick and Jacobi learn about Corey Haskett's path towards becoming the Harm Reduction Program Coordinator at US helping US, People Into Living. Corey talks about the importance of syringe services programs, mental health, and providing proper sex education to priority populations.

On this special episode of Southern Steep: Brewing Stronger Community, Nicole, and Jacobi speak with attendees of NASTAD's second-annual Southern CBO Summit, which took place in San Antonio, Texas, January 17-19, 2024. This dynamic episode features Noah Baker (Delaware HIV Consortium), Dexter Davis (Urban League of Hampton Roads), Yvonne Arizpe (Legacy Community Health), & William Wheaton (Positiv...

In this episode, co-hosts Jacobi and Rodderick share space with the wonderful Kyanna Parsons and learn about her professional journey into the field of HIV. Kyanna talks about having to unlearn biases and stigma surrounding HIV and how she’s made it her mission to address misconceptions to underserved communities.

In this episode, recorded on World AIDS Day, co-hosts Justin and Shanice are joined by Leisha McKinley-Beach, Founder and CEO of the Black Public Health Academy. Now, on the brink of retirement, McKinley-Beach discusses her lifelong commitment to ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S., and her new venture that aims to forge intergenerational partnerships that cultivate opportunities for other passion...

In this episode, co-hosts Rodderick and Shanice join forces to converse with the talented AJ King. AJ is based out of Washington DC and is the Director of Intercultural Affairs at Howard University, as well as the Director of Street Outreach at Sasha Bruce Youthwork. Conversations center around AJ’s passion for theatre and the arts, and how they’ve helped him pave a way towards advocacy, social wo...

Justin and Nicole are back, and joined by the Queen Bee of Let's BEEHIVE, Inc., Dr. Andrea Dunn. Dr. Dunn is buzzing all around Central Florida: creating impactful partnerships, engaging in research, educating Black women about PrEP through the "She is PrEPalicious!®" campaign, and bridging the gap between pharmacists and HIV prevention work. The conversation is rich and one you won't want to miss...

Southern Steep is back for Season 4, kicking it off with an amazing guest, Joelle Espeut, Director of Programming of The Normal Anomaly Initiative, Inc., a Houston based organization centering Black, queer plus persons to overcome barriers, end stigma and problematic narratives to actualize a new normal. Nicole is joined by a new co-host, Justin, and the pair dive into discussions on creating new...

In Season three’s season finale, co-hosts Rodderick and Nicole have the delight of speaking with two guests, Mahelet Kebede (NASTAD) and Kelly Ross-Davis (1917 Clinic). Conversations go from defining trauma, trauma-informed approaches (TIA), and healing centered engagement, to how trauma impacts folks living with and impacted by HIV in the South, to the importance of utilizing sex positive languag...

On this episode of Southern Seep, Rodderick and Jacobi take a dive into the intersection of art, healing, health education, and advocacy with the founder and director of Brave Soul Collective(BSC), Monte J. Wolfe. BSC is a DC-based multi-disciplinary arts, education, and HIV/AIDS outreach organization working to illuminate the lives of LGBTQIA+ people of color through the performing and healing ar...

Southern Steeper’s Jacobi Hunter-Wright and Necole Elinoff come together to talk prevention, equity, access, and how trans-masculine identified communities are operationalizing leadership not only in the South, but across the landscape. Ty and Lee explore how the intersections of their personal and professional endeavors impact how they approach their communities and work. This discussion centers...

In this special episode of Southern Steep: Brewing Stronger Community, Nicole and Isaiah speak with attendees of NASTAD's first ever Southern CBO Summit, which took place in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in January. This dynamic episode features  Dexter Davis (LGBT Life Center), E. Lee Dyer IV (BONDS), Dean Edwards (PALSS), & Malcolm Reid (THRIVESS), summit attendees from four impactful community-based...

This episode starts with Southern Steep host Isaiah calling Rodderick out on channeling Barbara Walters with his check-in question. Together they interviewed special guest Dietz on patient navigation and gender-affirming care. Dietz (any pronoun used with respect) is a transgender health educator, trainer and consultant who has specialized in the field of healthcare navigation in various iteration...

As part of its CDC-funded Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) project, NASTAD released Re-envisioning Community Engagement: A Practical Toolkit to Empower HIV Prevention Efforts with Marginalized Communities, in the summer of 2022. The toolkit was the culmination of a yearlong project aimed at enhancing community engagement efforts in the southern United States, and is inclusive of NASTAD’s collabo...

On this episode of Southern Steep, Bianca, and our newest host, Rodderick, interview the Assistant Director of Health Services at JASMYN, Christina Woodhouse. JASMYN is an organization that works with LGBTQIA+ teens and young adults to provide HIV/STI testing, PrEP, housing support, and mental health services in Jacksonville, Florida. This episode covers various topics, including mental health, bo...

On this episode of Southern Steep, Nicole and previous hostess with the mostess, Justine, speaks to Mulan Montrese Williams. This episode covers a wide range of topics, including: pageantry, sex work, housing, and ultimately the importance of investing in other Black, Trans Women and Black, Trans led organizations. Mulan shares more about her work with Divas in Dialogue, a sisterhood of trans wome...

Southern Steepers Jacobi Hunter-Wright and Bianca Ward come together to talk prevention, equity, housing, and how women are operationalizing leadership in the South. A true Florida gal, D’Metris explores her humble beginnings in the work as she explores her experiences in the South fighting for health equity and accessible housing. This episode's Southern Charm B.E.A.T. AIDS which stands for, “Bla...

In this episode, Isaiah and Nicole speak with S. Mandisa Moore-O'Neal, Executive Director of the Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP), a national research and advocacy organization. Mandisa shares more about her background and what brought her to this work, her and CHLPs investment in the South, and provides an overview of the state of HIV criminalization in the southern region. As an added bonus-...

The Southern Steep team reunites for a third season, bringing back some familiar voices and welcoming a new host! The team share their wishes for season 3, their why for doing this work, and what listeners can expect for this season. The team also learns more about Rodderick's potato salad. We hope you enjoy season 3. This episode's Southern Charm highlights The Normal Anomaly Initiative, a Housto...

Nicole and Jacobi finally co-host together! In this episode, the dynamic duo speaks with Samantha Daley, Development Coordinator for BYP100, a member-based organization of Black youth activists creating justice and freedom for all Black people. Samantha shares her passion for movement organizing, her love for reproductive justice, and her work with ARC Southeast-- raising funds for more equitable...

In this episode, co-hosts Bianca and Nicole have a heartfelt and powerful conversation with Alex Bradley, Outreach and Community Education Manager at Honoring Individual Power and Strength (HIPS). Alex shares the wealth of services and support that HIPS have been providing to the community for decades and the essential work of faithful volunteers. They discuss the beauty and the delightful chaos o...

In this episode, co-hosts Bianca and Isaiah speak with Dafina Ward, JD, Executive Director of Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC), to discuss her leadership journey as a Black woman in the South, the care and support she has offered her staff throughout the pandemic, and the role and impact that SAC plays in the South as a convener of critical conversations. Dafina shares her great pride in the formatio...

In this episode, co-hosts Nicole and Vrushabh speak with Jermaine Daniels and Derrick Robinson from BASIC NWFL. Located in the Florida Panhandle, Jermaine and Derrick discuss the charms and challenges of being in a rural setting, including transportation barriers and the telehealth opportunities brought by the pandemic. This episode's Southern Charm highlights OASIS Florida, another organization i...

In commemoration of NASTAD’s 30th anniversary, Deputy Executive Director Natalie Cramer joins podcast co-hosts Nicole and Isaiah to discuss the organization’s long-running ties to community and the grassroots. As NASTAD’s longest-tenured staffer, Natalie recounts how the organization has evolved over time, and how it has refined its technical assistance approach. NASTAD’s latest efforts to address...