Listen Now

In this final episode of Season 1, Jen talks with Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin, a sociologist of race and place teaching at the University of Tennessee. Enkeshi is the founder of The Bottom, a community event space that includes a Black book shop, a community podcast studio, and Sew It Sell It, a program that teaches sewing and entrepreneurial skills to children between the ages of 12 and 16. Enkeshi is also the co-host and producer of the Black in Appalachia podcast. Originally from Guyana, Enkeshi talks about her journey from South America to Atlanta to New York and what brought her to Tennessee. She shares about how her experiences of feeling out of place in Knoxville combined with her doctoral research inspired her to create The Bottom. Most history classes in mainstream, public education teach a white-washed version of history, which leaves out the experiences and perspectives of marginalized people groups. Enkeshi talks about learning this white version of American history growing up in Atlanta and then learning another version, centered in Black experience, in college and grad school. She shares her hope that the Black in Appalachia podcast can provide some of this education to young Black folks in our region. Also a mom to an almost three-year-old, Enkeshi describes the ways her husband and her community have supported her in her endeavors and how that sense of community is essential to finding ways to thrive despite the systemic racism that plagues our country. Support The Bottom. Buy Books at The Bottom. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Jade Adams is the owner of Oglewood Ave, a modern houseplant boutique which combines the art of interior design with the science of plants. As the owner of Jade Adams Photography, she specializes in capturing milestones and experiences as a wedding photographer. Since weddings and events got cancelled, postponed, or scaled back due to COVID, Jade found herself selling some of her houseplants and Oglewood Ave was born. Jade talks about the tragic accident that inspired her to shoot for her dreams, how her Instagram account exploded with nearly 8,000 followers in just five months, preparing for her shop’s grand opening, and what it’s like being plant mom to 300 houseplants. A self-described wild child who just can’t sit still, Jade shares how taking care of her plants actually helps her take care of herself. Oglewood Ave is located at 3524 North Broadway in Knoxville. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Ashley Dawn Addair is a visual artist with a deep well of questions and a hunger for clarity. She describes her work as a “primal coping response” and her process of creating as an embodied improvisation. After her first art show sold out, she abandoned her pragmatic goal of becoming a teacher to travel with her partner and turn her hobby of painting into a source of income. In this conversation, Ashley explores the cognitive dissonance she holds between freedom and groundedness and between owning a business and wondering if we really need any more stuff in this world. She also talks about homeschooling her three young kids, being a partner, and applying for grad school. She shares about her struggles with imposter syndrome and how she’s working to set clear boundaries while dismantling those that are outmoded or not useful. Ashley knows it’s time to reimagine our world and she shares what really matters—love and relationships. Insisterhood Season 1 is winding down. Only two more episodes left before we press pause until 2021. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com.

Rhea Carmon is a poet, a math teacher, a mother, a wife, and so much more. As Knoxville’s Poet Laureate, Rhea is using her platform to share the power of story (and the power of telling your own story) with school children. Rhea talks about her reality web series, Beyond the Spark, and her role as a coach to other poets. She also shares the story behind her spoken word collective, The 5th Woman, and how her realization that speaking our stories out loud can bring healing. Rhea believes that our stories reveal that women share many of the same experiences and emotions, regardless of race, class, and other dividing lines. Rhea shares her story and talks about the effect poetry has had on her life, her battle with MS, revising her body, and her journey of motherhood. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Tammy Kaousias is the owner of Kaousias Law and Inner Space Yoga Supplies, a manufacturing business that makes yoga props and meditation cushions. She was also the second owner of Glowing Body Yoga Studio and that’s where Jen and Tammy’s paths intersected. Tammy and Jen reflect on their boss/employee relationship and discuss leadership, group dynamics, and interpenetrating mandalas (or something like that). A long time meditator, Tammy talks about how contemplative practices and yoga were essential to helping her manage the stresses of the legal profession and of caretaking for her elderly parents. Tammy serves on the Knox County Election Commission and she shares the “why” behind her passion for ensuring citizens’ voting rights. Tammy and Jen also discuss toxic positivity, the power of listening, developing a sense of self apart from external factors, balancing leisure time with productivity, and the key ways that Snap ’n Pops can be used as tools of insistence. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Amy Gibson is the owner and producer of Wide Lens Media and the creator of the Every Woman Vote project. Amy’s business allows her to combine her passion for public policy and the arts and, because she’s the boss, she chooses to work with mission-driven organizations that share her values. Amy shares the story behind Every Woman Vote, the ways women vote everyday (not just Election Day), and the powerful connection that develops when a woman tells a story. Amy shares her “voting story” and the ways politics showed up in her family (hint: listen for her “Give ‘em hell, Ronnie” story). Amy describes herself as a “lame triathlete” and discusses how competing in the 50+ group revealed a kind of “aging in” to community over competition. Pre-order your Insister Swag by Sept 30th. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Kim Lomonaco is the co-owner of Glowing Body Yoga & Healing Arts, where she also leads the yoga teacher training, teaches three classes per week, and offers Thai Yoga Massage. When she’s not at the yoga studio, she’s either working as a Speech Language Pathologist in an acute care setting or co-parenting her young son. Kim tells the story of her long history with Glowing Body, how she came to be co-owner, and why having a business partner is like having another marriage. Kim talks about transitioning to online platforms as a result of COVID and how she negotiated her own experiences with perfectionism and anxiety during the pivot. She also shares about the toll motherhood took on her body, the uncertainty that comes with being “healthy” but feeling like something’s still not right, and what it was like to advocate for her own health and well-being. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Callie Konane Rickards is the sparkle sorceress (aka maker, designer, and owner) of Konane Wildcraft, which offers handmade reflective festival fashion for radical self-expression. Callie talks about her history in the industry, claiming her place in the Knoxville fashion scene, and designing a powerful, last-minute look for the final night of Knoxville’s Fashion Week. After schooling Jen in some Burning Man lingo, Callie shares about her first time at the festival and how she found her medium (sequins!). Callie also talks about her Hawaiian ancestry, the meaning of her name “Konane,” and how presenting as white in a plus size body has driven her to prioritize representing bodies of all shapes, sizes, and colors in her work. COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the festival community and in turn, Konane Wildcraft. Callie shares about her side gig as an employee, why she felt called to support healthcare workers by making masks, and how she expresses herself through the art of living. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Dr. Patricia N. E. Roberson is an assistant professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee and the host of the podcast, Attached. Her research focuses on how marriages and families impact health for low-income and rural populations. Attached, co-hosted by two of her colleagues in Iowa and Texas, focuses on making relationship science approachable by discussing relationships in pop culture and by using research to filter out the good relationship advice from the bad. Along with sharing some good relationship advice, Patricia also talks about her history in academia, her experience of commuting between her husband and two young children in Tennessee and her work in California, how she developed a thick skin, why she’s a big picture thinker, and what’s it’s like to insist on her expertise even in front of a bunch of white, male doctors. The new season of Attached begins on September 1st! Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Melissa Everett is the artist and mastermind of Melissa Everett Textiles. A self-taught quilter and textile artist, Melissa finds joy in the expressiveness of improvising colors and shapes. Although she grew up here in Appalachia where quilting is a folk tradition driven by functionality, art, and storytelling, she quickly discovered that modern consumers don’t necessarily see it that way. Melissa talks about finding balance between making the things she wants to make and the things customers want to buy. She also shares about her love of Pearl Jam, how she learned to quilt by reading blogs as a tired new mom, why she prefers the stage of motherhood she’s in now, and how stitching fabric together gives her hope for the future. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Abbey Matthews is a co-owner of HomeGrown HomeSewn, a Cincinnati-based fabric store and quilt shop. She runs the store alongside her parents and her husband while also homeschooling the older two of her four kids. Abbey shares the story behind her family’s business, why she chose homeschooling, and how in the world she’s managing to do both at the same time. After having four cesarean births, Abbey was ready to insist on her health and wellness. She talks about the steps she took to feel strong in her body and how her healthy choices trickled down to her kids. Because COVID has many more parents opting to educate their kids at home, Abbey—with her four years of homeschooling experience—shares her tips for staying sane while juggling school and work. This episode of Insisterhood is sponsored by Clean Republic—use the code SISTER10 to receive 10% off at clean-republic.com. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Mel Mullins is the owner of Knox Girl Soap and the Kitchen Manager of Real Good Kitchen. She’s also a wife and a mom of two young children ages 3 and 6. Mel focuses on adding joy to the small things in life (like taking a shower) through richly scented soaps, body butters, and lip balms. After getting fired from her job and navigating the tumultuous seas of failure and shame, Mel felt like she needed a win and Knox Girl Soap was born. Mel talks about her struggles with seasonal depression, how she puts her values of social justice and environmental protection into practice in her business, and the powerful connection between scent and memory. Mel was also featured in Episode 20 for her Help the Helper’s campaign. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Jill Bartine is a yoga instructor and a flutist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Before COVID, Jill was teaching 12 yoga classes a week, mainly at Real Hot Yoga and Breezeway Yoga Studio. When everything closed down in March, Jill came out of the gates swinging with her Vimeo subscription channel that now offers over 150 classes. Jill talks about falling in love with yoga and why she felt she wasn’t “good enough” to teach (hint: it involves the splits). Jill also discusses the stresses of parenting during a global pandemic and how she’s keeping her twin boys physically active. Given that Jill is a self-proclaimed perfectionist, she discusses how that shows up in her two practice-oriented jobs (yoga and flute) and how she learned to balance that perfectionism with growth mindset and the non-attachment of yogic philosophy. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood. This episode of Insisterhood is supported by Root Journey (rootjourney.com) and Crunchy Mama Box (crunchymamabox.com).

Ericka Ryba is the owner of Providence Road Pottery and an art teacher for grades 4-7. Ericka talks about the winding path she’s taken (and what providence has got to do with it) from culinary school to WWOOFing to health food stores and eventually back to school to become a teacher. Ericka shares her perspective on returning to the classroom in the current COVID climate and how her insist moment didn’t really end well. Ericka and Jen discuss how many of the secondary skills that come with practicing art (like creative problem solving) are important for entrepreneurs and also why drawing a horse can be an exercise in vulnerability. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood. This episode of Insisterhood is sponsored by Clean Republic—use the code SISTER10 to receive 10% off at checkout.

Sarah Loebner is the founder and toffee artist behind Tennessee Toffee Company. A graphic designer by trade, Sarah is on the brink of full-time entrepreneurship and shares about transitioning out of her day job in order to open her brick-and-mortar store in Sweetwater, TN. Sarah shares the story behind her business (including the joys and drawbacks of taste testing toffee) and who’s keeping her in check in the kitchen. Sarah is also a mom of two and wife to a husband who is legally blind. She talks about the ways she’s practicing self-care, how she managed to make over 700 boxes of toffee in a month (while working full-time at her other job), and how self-reflection and speaking up is so important when dealing with “mean girls” at the office. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood.

Wanda Malhotra is a health coach, the founder of Root Journey, the owner and curator of Crunchy Mama Box, a wife, and the mother of three kids ages 16, 18, and 3.5. Wanda talks about growing up in a melange of cultures (Indian, Italian, and Brazilian), how she had to insist on speaking for herself as an 18 year old entrepreneur in Brazil, why she decided to take on a second business, the steps she takes to build strong foundations for her businesses, what she does when she realizes she’s not following the same advice she gives to her health coaching clients, and the (delicious) downsides of storing her edible inventory at home. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com. Become a Patron and join the conversation! Support Insisterhood at patreon.com/insisterhood. This episode of Insisterhood is sponsored by Cook to Be Well.

Catherine Porth is the founder of Let Her Speak and a wearer of many hats in general. Catherine talks about her long history with entrepreneurship, why she was having a hard time trusting other women in corporate America, how her research revealed differences in the ways women and men network, and what she’s doing to help women in business make meaningful connections with one another. Insisterhood listeners receive 10% off at clean-republic.com with the code SISTER10. Learn more and connect at insisterhoodpod.com.

Chrissy Keuper is a senior news announcer and the host of All Things Considered at WUOT 91.9fm. Chrissy talks about how she “fell in” to radio, why she had to take a hiatus from the news, what her perfect day looks like, and why she’d rather listen than talk. Insisterhood is building a community on Patreon. Learn more and become an Insister at patreon.com/insisterhood. Connect and learn more at insisterhoodpod.com.

Dale Mackey is the owner of Dale’s Fried Pies and the co-owner of The Central Collective. Dale shares about her COVID pivot, why she’s not letting perfectionism steal her fun, and how she loves to perform but she’s not performing when it comes to doing the internal work of antiracism. This episode of Insisterhood is sponsored by Clean Republic. Use the code SISTER10 to get 10% off your order at clean-republic.com. Insist on the success of Insisterhood by becoming a patron at patreon.com/insisterhood. Connect and learn more at insisterhoodpod.com.

Kelly Smith Trimble is a writer, editor, gardener, and author of the book Vegetable Gardening Wisdom: Daily Advice and Inspiration for Getting the Most from Your Garden. Kelly shares about her relationship with gardening over the years and how it served as an intersection for her environmental ethos, her work, her health, and her mental well-being in the face of her husband’s illnesses and their experience with infertility as a couple. Connect and learn more at insisterhoodpod.com.