In this episode, I interview Jenn McEwen, the director of Wake on Stage. We discuss how the program brings together talented students and community groups from across Wake County to showcase their creativity and passion for the arts. Jenn shares the story behind how Wake on Stage began, what inspired her to create a platform for young performers, and how the event has grown into a celebration of artistic talent in the community.

Throughout the conversation, we talk about the wide range of performances featured at Wake on Stage, from music and dance to theater and other artistic expressions. Jenn also explains the importance of giving students opportunities to perform, collaborate, and gain confidence while sharing their talents with a larger audience.

If you’d like to watch the live stream and see these incredible performances for yourself, be sure to follow the link below to tune in and support the amazing artists of Wake County. - https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1430775461690738&vanity=UnitedArtsWake 

In today’s episode, Sophs sits down with Emily Foster, the Co-Director of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival taking place in Durham April 16th–19th. We talk about the great new films and filmmakers that will be showcased, what makes this year’s lineup especially exciting, and how the festival continues to be a vital platform for documentary storytelling.

Emily also shares insights into the curation process, highlights a few must-see premieres, and offers tips for first-time attendees looking to make the most of their festival experience. We wrap things up with a look at how documentary film is evolving and why events like Full Frame remain so important for both creators and audiences alike.

In this episode of Oak City Move, Sophs sits down with Dave Klemp, executive director of the environmental non-profit, Trees for the Triangle. Trees for the Triangle is a "pay what you can" non-profit that helps restore trees in the Triangle area, planting new trees as well as replanting old trees. During this episode Dave and Sophs discuss the importance of Urban Forestry (especially amongst climate change), how Trees for the Triangle is actively helping communities, as well as where he thinks urban forestry will be in the next 10-20 years. Listen to here about everything they are doing for the Triangle as well as to find out Dave's favorite tree species!

 Breyton Hill interviews Adriana Brassart, Head of Public Diplomacy and Press at the Delegation of the European Union [European Union] to the United States. Adriana explains what her job is and how she first got into the realm of politics.

With Adriana’s previous experience working as an International Policy Officer for the Middle East and now the Head of Public Diplomacy and Press for the United States, the pair discusses how to combat misinformation with media literacy and a critical eye.

Adriana goes on to explain why even college students should care about what is going with the European Union and offers some advice on how to get into journalism, public policy, or politics in general.

Breyton ends the interview with the next Breyton Interrogation: a series of questions to get to know you rather than what you do.

Breyton Hill interviews Dr. Laura Bottomley, an engineering professor at NC State, about her career journey, motivation, and common misconceptions about engineering. 

Dr. Bottomley talks about her original dream to be an astronaut right up until the moment she got in the classroom. “I loved it. Teaching was the ultimate puzzle… to figure out how to explain things to people so that they would understand and would get excited about stuff. I was sunk.”

Breyton asks Dr. Bottomley about her career mentors over the years and how one of those mentors prompted Dr. Bottomley to found Women in Engineering at NC State. Dr. Bottomley didn’t see a lot of change happening with regard to getting women into and excited about engineering so she became that change with her K-12 outreach program, the Engineering Place. 

The pair discusses how engineering is making a difference in the world and that “engineers are not just people who do math and science alone in their room with the door shut and never talk to people. That image is completely incorrect. [Engineers] have to be very wholistic.”

After clearing up common misconceptions about engineering, Dr. Bottomley offers the question of “what kind of difference do you want to make in the world? Where do you want the impact of your life to be?” and offers some advice on how to discern that. 

“Begin with the end in mind,” she says, “but as you learn more, be willing to change.”

The interview continues with Dr. Bottomley’s current soapbox “we need to teach more critical thinking in this country. Anti-intellectualism is dangerous. I don’t think that we should aspire to be ignorant.” 

Breyton ends the interview with the Breyton Interrogation: a series of questions to get to know you rather than what you do. 

Breyton Hill then transitions to interviewing at North Carolina Museum of Natural Science’s Astronomy Day. 

Secretary of the Raleigh Astronomy Club, Ann Murphy, discusses her interactive booth about how time passes differently and your weight and jumping height changes on different planets. 

Ann introduces Pluto’s five different moons. Breyton dives deeper into these moons and the dwarf planets in our solar system including Pluto, Eris, Ceres, Haumea, and Makemake. 

Breyton additionally spoke with volunteer, Toby, on different kinds of telescopes. Volunteer Syndey, also at the telescope booth, explains that using a telescope or binoculars, you can see Mars currently in retrograde.

Lastly, Breyton discusses the potential of alien life with Toby. 

In this episode Sophs sits down with Destinee Wormack and CJ Jones, students of NC State who will be showcasing their research project at the Symposium on Afrofuturism and Diasporic Scholarship on feb. 19th! They discuss their project and how it focuses on pregnant women of color in prison systems, how these topics are often overshadowed and how they are helping bring it to the forefront. We also discuss different projects and events during or following the symposium open to the public, students or grad students, as well as Nc State's African American Cultural Center and all the great opportunities that come with checking it out! I heavily recommend checking out both the symposium as well as the cultural center after listening to this episode!!

In this episode Sophs speaks to Laura Martin, the chief outreach officer, for Step Up Ministries, an organization that helps individuals and families find housing, work, and overall stability! Step Up offers programs and classes to help prepare people for interviews and other professional meetings that can help provide for them and their family, and provide other help and stability even afterwards. Listen for more information on how Step Up is helping serve the community by stabilizing it!!

In this episode Sophia sits down with representatives Kaya Littleturtle and Madison Phillips, as we discuss the North Carolina Museum of History's 25th annual celebration of African American History. We discuss what they are most excited about this years exhibit, the excellent performers attending, as well as how important it is for us to remember our history and our roots in order to break the cyclical nature of history!

In this episode of Oak City Move Sophs sits down with Avery Hobgood, a volunteer at Read and Feed, a non-profit that helps kids learn literature while also getting food to help them and their families. Listen as Avery explains the many different parts and surprises of Read and Feed, raising awareness about food insecurity and how it can connect to children learning, as well as what listeners can do to join in and help out! 

In this episode of Oak City Move, Sophs talks to Meg Carpenter, a director of the Note in the Pocket foundation. Note in the Pocket strives to provide families and children in need with clothes that make them feel like their best selves. They strive to protect the dignity and identity of these families by making sure every article of clothing is in great conditions and even try and match certain colors or superheroes to the children that love them. They work with a lot of other nonprofit groups in the area to make sure that needs are met and even practice excellent sustainability by recycling clothes that dont live up to standards. Listen for more information and to hear this amazing conversation about how to help those in need.

In this episode Sophs talks with Alicia Carlucci, founded and head of Friends of the Wake Counter Animal Center, a nonprofit that helps fund the Wake County Animal Center and find animals forever homes. They go over the different programs that the FWCAC provides to the center and how it helps to educate the community and fundraise so senior and ill animals have a chance at finding their forever home! Listen to learn how you can help find animals forever homes in wake county!!