Episodes

  • The Story is the Mission: A Chat with Free Wheelchair Mission CEO Nuka Hart

    The Story is the Mission: A Chat with Free Wheelchair Mission CEO Nuka Hart
    Aug 28 2025
    Nuka Hart, CEO of Free Wheelchair Mission, joins us in this episode to discuss the importance of mobility and the central role storytelling plays in her organization's mission to serve the estimated 80 million people across the world who need a wheelchair. Nuka has the overall operational responsibility for Free Wheelchair Mission programs and management of its team, leading the strategic planning process and implementation of programmatic strategic initiatives for the growth of the organization. Nuka graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in studio art and has two young adult children.

    Free Wheelchair Mission is a humanitarian organization that designs and manufactures cost-efficient, durable wheelchairs for individuals living with disabilities in developing countries. Since 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission has distributed 1.5 million wheelchairs in 95 countries around the world, providing renewed dignity, independence, and hope through the gift of mobility, all at no cost to the recipient.

    The Orange County Miracle of Mobility event is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 4, 2025 beginning at 5:30PM PT at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Candace Sameron Bure (DJ of the TV show Full House) will host and attendees will have a chance to see Free Wheelchair Mission's newest wheelchair model, GEN 4 JOY, in person!
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    49 mins
  • Immersing Viewers in Scenes - Talking Watercolor with Becky Ryan

    Immersing Viewers in Scenes - Talking Watercolor with Becky Ryan
    Aug 15 2025
    As a child, today's guest Becky Ryan enrolled in art classes, which sparked an affinity for painting and established for her the value of practice. After painting casually for many years, Becky adopted a more intentional, dedicated approach, going on to earn an associate degree in fine art, enter contests, and sell work in local galleries. Becky experiences nature as grounding and motivating, finding it a source of tranquility, drama, and splendor and seeks to immerse the viewer into a scene through confident value contrast and robust color saturation to create bold liveliness.

    In today's show we hope to provide listeners with some thought provoking ideas that they can apply to their own writing as we discuss Becky's approach to watercolor painting, both en plein air and in studio, and how she turns inspiration from the local hiking trails, canyons, south county coastline, and nearby destinations such as the Coachella Valley into the award winning art work that has merited her inclusion among the Festival of Arts the last two years.

    Please also check out the art work that Becky donated to the Festival of the Arts to benefit The Artists Fund.
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    47 mins
  • Creative Identity Talks

    Creative Identity Talks
    Aug 3 2025
    George Gilliam, Executive Director of Creative Identity, a non-profit dedicated to strengthening the voice of the intellectual disability community, joins the show to share the story of how this incredible organization began and continues to flourish. By utilizing music, ceramics, silk painting and other art forms to grow the fine arts skills and foundations for prevocational skill development, clients learn how to express themselves creatively, make personal choices, develop their attention span and ability to follow through with directions.

    Founded in 1996, Creative Identity creates opportunities to meaningfully engage their clients to improve upon their abilities to work collaboratively, assume personal responsibility, and cultivate independence. Creative Identity currently serves clients in Anaheim and closer to home here in Laguna Beach in partnership with St. Mary's Episcopal Church. They also host an Etsy site where client art work can be viewed and purhased.
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    49 mins
  • Anticipation No More: Conversation with Emily Hine

    Anticipation No More: Conversation with Emily Hine
    Jul 29 2025
    Emily Hine is a social entrepreneur with a national reputation for forging successful partnerships that result in significant social change. Over the course of her career in fundraising, philanthropy, marketing, public relations, and as a founding member of three successful start-up companies, she has helped raise over $150 million for nonprofit organizations and formed companies that contribute to the awakening of humanity and the reduction of suffering.

    More than the "credentials you can put on paper", Emily is "(T)he one who writes. The one who let's life work through her" to work with businesses, nonprofits, and individuals that share the goal of increasing mindfulness, compassion, and peace on the planet.

    Emily's work has been published in several anthologies that are part of the Common Sentience Series by Sacred Stories Publishing:
    • Meditation, by Sister Dr. Jenna — My story “My Quest for World Peace”.
    • Signs, by Simran — My story “When God Showed Up at Rodeo Beach”.
    • GodTalk, by Neale Donald Walsch — My story “God’s Last Call”.
    Emily is documenting her spiritual journey and the mystical experiences that have guided her calling and helped her heal from stage II cancer naturally, in a forthcoming book, Holy Sit: Learning to Sit, Stay, Heal, and Serve.
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    54 mins
  • Calling All Garske Fans: Erick's in the Building!

    Calling All Garske Fans: Erick's in the Building!
    Jul 29 2025
    Erick Garske entered early retirement from a career as a software engineer. Now he spends his days focused on composing poems and prose instead of debugging source code. In this episode, Erick and I continue a really fun conversation that started over coffee when delivering Pageant of the Masters tix!

    Erick published his first chapbook, Terms and Conditions of Endearment, in 2022. In the spring, the Anaheim Poetry Review published one poem. In November, Eccentric Orbits - Volume 5: An Anthology of Science Fiction Poetry published two notable works. The new year saw Poetic Reveries, In the Depths of Winter, include two of his works. He was among five Pushcart nominees submitted by the editor of the Anaheim Poetry Review, volume 2.

    Erick recommends the Brighter Ukraine Foundation.
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    48 mins
  • So Much More Than Meets the Eye: Patty Truman & the Designing Women

    So Much More Than Meets the Eye: Patty Truman & the Designing Women
    Jul 29 2025
    Patricia Pepper Truman has always had a passion for writing, including poetry! Today she shares her history with the founders of Designing Women, her plunge into poetry, and even her experience running her first marathon! Patricia has been an active businesswoman for more than 40 years, first in banking then becoming a certified Escrow Officer and eventually originating and running the escrow company for Laguna Niguel Corporation. Patricia (Patty) was a professional model for many years before returning to the business world where she obtained her Real Estate license and became a top producer and Realtor of the Year. Never one to rest on her laurels, she later obtained her ministerial license becoming a staff minister where she performed spiritual counseling as a prayer practitioner, and was a well-received teacher of numerous classes through Centers for Spiritual Living. She was ordained in 2012 and is still active as a facilitator.

    Patricia is currently active in philanthropic endeavors and has explored many countries around our diverse and beautiful planet from which reflections are often caught in her poetry, essays, and prose pieces. Her work has been published in Creative Thought Magazine, and other print publications. She has published two books of poetry - Roses in the Lemon Tree and earth walk, both of which can be found here.
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    50 mins
  • Hanging Out with the True Art Stars: LBAA Board

    Hanging Out with the True Art Stars: LBAA Board
    Jul 18 2025
    Members of the 2025-26 Laguna Beach Arts Alliance (LBAA) Board & Advisors hang out with us on this episode to talk about the tremendous advocacy, collaboration, and impact the LBAA has on the Laguna Beach arts scene. Michael Ervin (President), Jay Kramer (Vice President), Amy Dechary (Advisor), and Nancy Villere (Advisor) join me (newly appointed Treasurer) to talk about the organization's history, benefits of membership, and incredible work to keep the arts foremost among the culture of Laguna Beach.

    Along the way we discuss a number of the programs, networking, and serendipitous partnerships the LBAA has helped bring to life; take a deep dive into the annual Art Stars awards gala; wax poetic about the Stu News Arts Calendar; give thanks for the strong collaboration with the city; and share appreciation for the hotels who help support the arts through the occupany tax.

    Our guests also share a bit about their LBAA member organizations (Laguna Beach Arts Commission, Laguna Beach Community Band, Third Street Writers, the Sawdust Arts Festival), the not-so-hidden gems of the Laguna Art Museum and LCAD, and share some of the exciting events coming up in the near future.
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    48 mins
  • We Need to Talk!

    We Need to Talk!
    Jul 2 2025
    48 mins