Hope Is My Middle Name

Bayou Dave, aka David Rivers, has a calling. It involves a whole lot of trash and a vision for a clean, healthy, vibrant world that his kids can grow up in. So every day, he goes out on Houston’s Buffalo Bayou on a big makeshift barge and picks up trash—167 dump truck loads every year. He’s been called King of the Bayou, and he notices every little shift in the ecosystem. To hear him talk about the return of the snakes, or the bald eagles—his delight is contagious and his commitment, compelling. To see Bayou Dave take on rivers of trash visit BuffaloBayou.orgConnect with Kate Tucker on instagram.com/katetuckermusicHosted and produced by Kate Tucker, Hope Is My Middle Name is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media in collaboration with Reasonable Volume.Please follow, rate, and review this podcast, it makes a BIG difference. Thank you!

Betty Reid Soskin became a park ranger at the age of 85, bringing a wealth of experience to the National Park Service. As Betty says, “What gets remembered is a function of who’s in the room doing the remembering,” and Betty’s history is helping other untold stories come to light at Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California. From working in a Jim Crow union hall during the war, to starting one of the first Black-owned record shops in America, to receiving a Presidential Medal, Betty has lived many lives and she’s fully shown up for all of it. Now 101, Betty shares with us why she has even more hope for the future. For more about Betty’s memoir, and forthcoming documentary, visit SignMyNameToFreedom.comFind your local National Park at FindYourPark.comConnect with Kate Tucker on instagram.com/katetuckermusic Hosted and produced by Kate Tucker, Hope Is My Middle Name is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media in collaboration with Reasonable Volume.Please follow, rate, and review this podcast, it makes a BIG difference. Thank you!

In the age of TikTok and Instagram, it seems there’s no place we haven’t seen, but if you’ve ever been to Alaska, you know there’s a whole lotta world left to discover—a world on the forefront of climate change, the energy transition, advocacy for Native rights, and... regenerative tourism. Because in the midst of all that Alaskans are navigating, including challenges with transportation, supply chain, and food security, they’re seeing unprecedented numbers of tourists. The islanded town of Sitka swells from under 9,000 to nearly half a million in the summertime, coming in on cruise ships. These ships bring opportunities, and they also bring complications for the people who live there, and for the environment. In her role as regenerative tourism catalyst, Mary Goddard relies on Alaska Native values of sustainability and hospitality to build a healthy relationship between her community and the tourists who visit, inviting us to join in stewarding the land, the sea, and the culture.  Mary Goddard's food blog is ForestFreshAlaska, and you can find her artwork at AlaskaMary.com. If you want to visit Sitka, she recommends you stay at CampStarlightAlaska. And if you’re a veteran or first responder, Mary and her husband invite you to reconnect with nature at Waypoint for Veterans.Mary's references in the episode include: AIANTA (American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association), Spruce Root; Sustainable Southeast Partnership, and Sealaska. Connect with Kate Tucker on instagram.com/katetuckermusic Hosted and produced by Kate Tucker, Hope Is My Middle Name is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media in collaboration with Reasonable Volume.