This Is Nashville WPLN News - Nashville Public Radio

Prisca Dorcas Mojica RodrDespite finding acclaim and recognition in cities like LA and New York, and through her Instagram page @LatinaRebels, she struggles to find her place and feel seen in Nashville. She attributes part of that to being a disruptor- she was the one asking the tough questions and wearing upside down crosses while enrolled at Vanderbilt Divinity School. At the same time, she questions if people in Nashville aren't quite ready for an author like her who is forthright about writing for a Latine audience— not white people. Today we’ll talk about her journey to Nashville, what being Latina means to her, and what she wants to see from the Nashville Latine community and Nashville as a whole.

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton.

Further Reading and Listening


If you liked what Prisca had to say, pre-order Rodríguez's forthcoming book Tias and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us
If you want to learn more about the Nashville Latinx community, listen back to our bilingual episode on Spanish speakers 

Studies show that employee well-being, job satisfaction, retention and productivity all increase with a compressed schedule. In a recent six-month trial in the UK, nearly 90% of companies that gave a four-day workweek a try kept with it over a year later. But is it as good as it sounds? And how exactly does it work across different industries?

Today, we’re talking with a researcher and veteran HR leader about the rising popularity of compressed schedules. We'll also hear from one employer about how she transitioned her family business to a four-day workweek and what it's like to work there now from one of the company's team members. Join us!

This episode was produced by Katherine Ceicys.

Guests:


Timothy Munyon, associate professor of management at Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Tracey Power, chief people officer at Vaco, a global talent solutions company based in Nashville
Erin Richardson, third generation owner of family business, All-American Pest Control
Adrian Zavala, operator, All-American Pest Control


Further Reading and Listening


A study in the UK followed 60 companies that implemented a four-day workweek. Learn more about the results from this NPR story, These companies tried a 4-day workweek. More than a year in, they still love it
To learn more about the results of several studies on four-day workweeks, read this story from CNN, 4-day workweeks may be around the corner. A third of America’s companies are exploring them.
Academic researcher and guest Tim Munyon shared some insight about a recent study published out of Iceland in this WATE-TV story, Is a 4-day workweek worth it? What a UT business expert says.
Many restaurants are embracing the four-day workweek by only staying open for four days per week. For more on this trend, read the NY Times story, Can the Dream of the Four-Day Workweek Start With Restaurants?

n this episode, we’ll talk to Ren Fest enthusiasts and other folks who celebrate the medieval era to learn what inspires them to take up this type of historical reenactment, whether it’s a lifestyle or just for a weekend.

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

Guests:


Paolo Garbanzo, jester, professional entertainer extraordinaire
Kate Brown, The Honorable Lancer Rose de la Cumbe, Society of Creative Anachronism
Terrill Imboden, Kehinde, Laurel in the Society of Creative Anachronism
Ross Welbon, co-founder, Honey Tree Meadery
Melissa Blettner, CEO at Ancient Lore Village
Mandy Giffin, co-owner, Forest Gully Farms

If you don’t have a disability, you may not have ever thought twice about how you would get into a building or whether you can really trust a gluten-free label. When you are disabled, it can seem like every decision you make has to be calculated in order to avoid flareups, episodes or more. Prescription medication, surgery, therapy, Eastern medication, yoga, massages and more can all be solutions to alleviate or ameliorate a disability, but for some people, this is not enough. They might turn to the help of a service dog to guide them around, alert them to incoming medical episodes and more.

Today, we’ll talk with service dog handlers and trainers in Middle Tennessee to learn more about what these dogs can do, how to respond when you see one in public, and what it takes to train one.

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton. Special thanks to Tom Jedlowski.

Guests:


Chris Diefenthaler, Executive director of Assistance Dogs International
Hallie Wells, Regional Advisor of Puppy Raising Services at  Dog, Inc. (formerly known as Southeastern Guide Dogs
Austin Marshall, guide dog handler 
Claire Schulz, service dog handler and owner of Cosmic Service Dogs
Pluto, Claire's service dog and demo dog for Cosmic Service Dogs
Elizabeth Burton, This is Nashville Multi-media Producer and service dog handler


Further Reading and Listening


For a different take on the disability experience, you can listen to past This is Nashville episodes: "Navigating into adulthood with disabilities" and "The challenges of navigating Middle Tennessee with a disability — and what can be done to make it more accessible."
To learn more about how to acquire a program service dog near you, visit ADI's program guide

In 2010, Stacy Downey founded The Little Pantry That Could in North Nashville, which provided free food and support to any one in need –no questions asked. In 2022, the loss of a lease and sky-high real estate prices forced The Little Pantry to permanently close. Stacy, who has also worked at One Generation Away, joins us today to share her story and talk about her continued dedication to making sure everyone has the food and welcome they need. Join us.

This episode was produced by Katherine Ceicys.

Further listening and reading:


If you would like some background on food pantries, listen to our previous episode, The cost of food is on the rise. Here’s how it’s impacting Middle Tennessee.
When the Little Pantry that Could closed after twelve years of operation, several Nashvilles news outlets covered the story including News Channel 5 with The Little Pantry That Could set to close after 12 years and WPLN with In its final days, The Little Pantry That Could continued to offer more than just groceries.
If you want to know more about where Stacy continued her good work, visit One Generation Away.

While mainline denominations are seeing a overall decline in attendance, exvangelicals, a term that denotes former evangelical status, are part of a growing online community who are outspoken about why they’ve left the church.

In Nashville, evangelical culture is everywhere — think Bible verses on your favorite donut store’s boxes, prayer at social gatherings or the common practice of incorporating a gospel song into a set. With guest host Marianna Bacallao, we explore the experiences of exvangelicals in Nashville. Are the city’s exvangelicals finding support from one another, and if so how?

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

Guests:


Marianna Bacallao (host), Reporter, WPLN
Holly Meyer, religion news editor, Associated Press
Rev. Diane Dowgiert, Reverend, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville
Mike Maeshiro, ex-pastor, consultant for queer and deconstructing Christians
Heather Mae, artist, activist, and songwriter
Eve, ex-evangelical content creator, and host of Chewed Gum Live
Dr. Laura Anderson, therapist, religious trauma resolution coach & consultant, author of *When Religion Hurts You: Healing From Religious Trauma and the Impact of High Control Religion.*


Further Reading and Listening


Reorganized Religion by Bob Smietana and The Great Dechurching, by Jim Davis and Michael Graham.
For more about dechurching trends in the United States, Pew Research released two studies fairly recently: In U.S., Decline of Christianity Continues at Rapid Pace and How the Pandemic Has Affected Attendance at U.S. Religious Services.
Last fall, the AP released a report called, The Nones, about people who self-identify as “nonbelievers or unaffiliated with any organized religion.”

You can find additional background coverage by listening to the past This is Nashville episodes:


The growth of LGBT-affirming churches




1. *[The role of Black churches in Middle Tennessee](https://wpln.org/post/episodes/the-role-of-black-churches-in-middle-tennessee/)*

2. *[The Southern Baptist Convention report: What it means for abuse survivors and the faithful](https://wpln.org/post/episodes/southern-baptist-convention-sexual-abuse/)*