Makers, Dreamers, Doers

Hey, friends! It's been a while. Well, almost four months! This episode is a little life & mental health update, and some words on how I'm getting out of my own way and pursuing a lifelong dream of writing. The podcast is being featured at cff.org/blog, so I wanted to say hello to folks who may be listening for the first time.

In episode 19 of the Makers, Dreamers, Doers podcast, Morgan talks with Jessica Grider, a fellow mom-of-twins (+ a singleton!), high school librarian, hobby gardener, and writer. Morgan and Jessica compare notes on their experiences with finding out they were having twins, twin pregnancy, C-section birth, (tandem) breastfeeding, and the emotions that come with weaning but knowing that it's 'time'. Jessica shares about why she and her husband don't share a bedroom (spoiler: yes, they like each other, and, yes, they have sex) and how it's made them more intentional about spending time together.Morgan and Jessica delve into a conversation about race: The difference between racist remarks and genuine curiosity about the differences between her skin color and her boys'—both are things that Jessica experiences often as a Black mother to biracial children; raising 'white-presenting' boys and how that may change how she and her husband have conversations with them about police brutality and racial bias when they are older; and the importance of open dialogue and honesty in interracial relationships.Jessica also shares about her transition to becoming a high school librarian and what she loves most about her role in the 'hub' of her school (she was previously a high school English teacher for 12 years, including through the COVID-19 pandemic); what it's been like being a librarian in the midst of a frenzy of book bans from the political right across the country, and how her school district has mostly remained immune from the discriminatory bans happening in libraries across Missouri; and, lastly, why representation in libraries and literature matters (Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop: "Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors")Books Mentioned in This EpisodeJuliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera The Poet X by Alyssa Acevedo Supermarket by Bobby Hall Love, Theoretically by Ali HazelwoodBabel by R.F. KuangThe Poisonwood Bible by Barbara KingsolverLawrence mom gives birth to 'MoMo' twins — article referenced in the episodeYou can learn more about Jessica and her life as a school librarian raising three boys by following her on Twitter and InstagramYou can learn more about Morgan and her work by following her on Instagram | morganbarrett.co

In episode 18, Morgan sits down with Nancy O'Connor, the Executive Director at Growing Food Growing Health, a non-profit in Lawrence, Kansas which runs school gardens and a community garden at a women's residential drug addiction treatment center (Growing Food Growing Hope). Nancy shares her love for fresh, organic, locally-grown food through a conversation on how Growing Food Growing Health began and has grown over its 14 seasons (and counting). Nancy shares how the kids she's worked with over the years have found a passion for growing healthy food through the GFGH programs, particularly through the connections they make with fellow gardeners and those who benefit from the food they grow. Nancy shares how gardening has taught the teens she works with about where their food comes from and the labor it takes to get (healthy) food on our plates.Nancy and Morgan muse about what keeps them coming back to gardening, despite the unglamorous work and frequent failures and flops. They talk about their love for gardening—how it reconnects us to nature, encourages us to slow down, and teaches us to be present.Books Mentioned in this Episode:Michael Pollan (author)Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall-KimmererNancy is also the author of the Rolling Prairie Cookbook (Buy her book on ThriftBooks!)Follow Morgan on Instagram | Learn more at morganbarrett.co

In episode 17, Morgan sits down with her friend Farai Harreld to talk about breaking generational cycles, motherhood, home schooling, representation in education, and instilling a love for nature in children. Farai is a mother, spouse, writer, herbalist, and much more. Born in Zimbabwe, raised in Botswana, and now living in Kansas, she calls all three places home. Farai is thoughtful and intentional in all of the work she does—in examining her own generational trauma and breaking cycles, in raising and educating her children, and in the way she lives upon the Earth—and she brings that energy to this conversation.Books Mentioned in this Episode:To Bless The Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings by John O'DonohueChildren's books by Phoebe WahlTo learn more about Farai and her work, visit her website at faraiharreld.com or follow her on Instagram at @thehillbillyafricanLearn more about Morgan and her work at morganbarrett.co or follow her on Instagram at @morganbarrett__

A piece Morgan wrote for the Lawrence Times (never got published) about her favorite local coffee spot, La Prima Tazza.Instagram | Website

For Episode 16, Morgan sits down with Tayanna (Tay) Nelson, the photographer and owner of GoodBodies, a KC boudoir photography business, and Hey Tay, a queer-focused KC wedding & portrait photography business. Morgan and Tay talk about why Tay's photography focuses on marginalized identities, what trauma-informed boudoir means & what it looks like in Tay's studio, unpacking society's body & beauty expectations imposed upon us, Tay's advice to 'stay in your lane' and 'keep your eyes on your own paper' when it comes to other peoples' bodies & their supposed health status, what Fat Camp is and how it's a middle finger in the face of what 'fat camp' has meant in the past, what's behind the hate directed toward fat people and LGBTQIA+ folks, and the persistent joy of queer love even in the face of hateful legislation.Whew! It's a fun and loaded episode. Enjoy!You can learn more about Tay's work and enjoy her good humor by following her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTokgood-bodies.com | hey-tay.comYou can learn more about Morgan and her work by following her on Instagram | morganbarrett.co