On The Porch

This Week:   

Susie Crate, Ron Hatley, and Ted Williams are all residents of the former mill village of Bynum in northeast Chatham County. All are active in preserving and continuing Bynum’s unique spirit. Susie is working on the process of nominating Bynum as an addition to the National Historic Register; Ron is a lifelong resident who’s stories keep the history of the village alive and who with Ted, another life long resident, helps lead the Bynum Front Porch—a non-profit organization and actual location serving to present family-friendly events and programs that celebrate the community’s rich history and bright future.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This Week:   

Linda Royal directed, produced and edited the feature documentary films “STRAWS,” “Bringing It Home,” and “Love Lived on Death Row.” She received a Certificate in Documentary Film Studies from Duke University in 2005 and started By the Brook Productions. Her films have won awards at U.S. and international film festivals and reached audiences globally through educational use, community screenings, corporate office events and in-flight entertainment. With her films, she’s coordinated impact campaigns to address domestic violence, restorative justice and environmental policy. She is currently producing and directing MINNIE EVANS: DRAW OR DIE about the visionary art and life of African-American, self-taught artist Minnie Evans.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This Week:   

Born into a blue collar and agricultural clan in rural Pennsylvania, Jim Crawford was the first in his family to graduate from college. Earning his PhD from UNC, he taught US and World History at several universities in piedmont North Carolina for several decades. He served as chairman of the Chatham County board of commissioners, and currently serves as trustee for Central Carolina Community College. He is a firm believer in American democracy and trusts that the constitution will hold firm now as it has in past crises despite the broken, distempered electorate.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This Week:   

Associate Professor Alvis Dunn teaches Latin American History, North Carolina History, Humanities, and Geography. Dr. Dunn earned his doctorate at UNC Chapel Hill and taught for 15 years at Guilford College before coming to UNCA in 2013. He was born and raised in rural Chatham County, North Carolina, the son of postal employees who also farmed and ran a hardware store. Guatemala is his second home and his most recent work there has focused on US Citizens, who like him, have come to love that country.

James Wood is currently Professor of Latin American and modern world history at North Carolina A&T State University. He is the author of The Society of Equality: Popular Republicanism and Democracy in Santiago de Chile, 1818-1851 and the co-editor of Problems in Modern Latin American History: Sources and Interpretations, now in its fifth edition with Rowman and Littlefield. As a Fulbright scholar for Chile in 2016 he was a visiting professor at the Universidad Diego Portales in Santiago (where he observed Chilean student activism up close).

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This Week:   

Tony Harrington, is the 2024 President of NC REALTORS® and member of Cape Fear REALTORS®. With over 25 years in the industry, Tony is a dynamic speaker emphasizing professionalism and advocacy. His leadership roles, including President for Cape Fear REALTORS® and NC REALTORS® Regional Vice President, bring a wealth of experience. As a Platinum R President Circle Hall of Fame member, Tony invests in state association priorities, focusing on elevating member engagement and advocating for private property rights. His insights into defining REALTORS®’ value and fostering growth make him a valuable speaker for programs on industry opportunities and challenges.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This Week:   

Jean MacDonald, DTM, is the Queen of Connections, Creative Director, and Humorous Speaker of Business Brewing is an expert in communication and building relationships. She’s a Distinguished Toastmaster and a member of the National Speakers Bureau. Jean has published two books and has a new book coming out in the fall of 2024, “Be Wild, Be Crazy, Be You: Open Your Heart and Mind, and Feel the Confidence”. She’s grown from owning a multi-million dollar commercial insurance agency to being a pink Cadillac driving Mary Kay Cosmetics top earner. Jean is a so-so ukulele player, and a novice race car driver with the need for speed.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This Week:   

Dan Kane is an award-winning investigative journalist for the Raleigh, NC newspaper The News & Observer. Kane, with whistleblower Mary Willingham, is credited for unearthing substantive academic fraud regarding student-athletes who were directed towards phony classes, according to allegations. Kane also covered NCSU, legislative corruption, and the formation of the state lottery. His reporting on NC’s secretive personnel law exposed how the state kept much information about state employees from public scrutiny, which led to a new state law to expedite information-gathering about the pay and performance of state employees. He is a 1983 graduate of Saint John Fisher College in Rochester, NY.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This Week:   

Blair Reeves is a co-founder and Executive Director of Carolina Forward, a statewide public policy think tank in North Carolina. As Executive Director, he charts strategy and direction for Carolina Forward, as well as overseeing the organization’s public opinion research and policy advocacy programs. Reeves has also enjoyed a successful career in enterprise software and global health, in addition to service in the Peace Corps. He holds degrees from both the University of Virginia and Duke University, and lives in Chatham county with his family.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Natalie Murdock is a native North Carolinian, UNC alum, and NC State Senator for District 20, which encompasses Durham and Chatham County. She most recently served as Deputy Communications Director for NC Attorney General Josh Stein. She is the first woman of color under 40 to be elected to the NCGA and was elected in 2020 with over 100 thousand votes. As a freshman senator she immediately filed over 100 bills that range from supporting black maternal health, expanding healthcare access for ALL to providing greater access to the ballot.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

This Week:   

Gaurav Sharma is a Cybersecurity Architect at a leading IT company. Gaurav moved to the US from India in 2014 and found the cultural differences so fascinating that he started doing a standup comedy about it and has now performed across the nation when he is not protecting organizations against the bad guys on the internet.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS