Listen Up with Host Al Neely

Al Neely
  • 4.3 (6)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hi, I'm Al Neely. I've spent most of my life asking, " Why do people behave a certain way?  Why don't people understand that most everyone wants basically the same thing? Most everyone wants their fundamental need for peace of mind, nourishment, shelter and safety." What I have learned is that because of an unwillingness to open one's mind to see that some of the people you come in contact with may have those same desires as you do.  We prejudge, isolate ourselves, and can be hesitant to interact, and sometimes we can be belligerent towards one another.  This is caused by learned behavior that may have  repeated itself for generations in our families.  What I hope to do with this podcast is to introduce as many people with as many various cultures, backgrounds, and practices as possible.  The thought is that I can help to bring  different perspectives by discussing various views from my guests that are willing to talk about their personal experiences.Hopefully we all will learn something new. We may even learn that most of us share the same desire for our fundamental needs. We may just simply try to obtain it differently.Sit back, learn, and enjoy! 

  1. 22H AGO

    Finding Purpose Through Poetry And Care

    Send us a text A poem can carry what a kid can’t say out loud. That truth runs through our conversation with Malik Jordan, facilitator and Safe Passage team member at Teens With A Purpose in Norfolk. Malik traces his path from an angry 11-year-old to a mentor who helps teens express emotion, find purpose, and build safer neighborhoods—with art, with gardens, and with consistent care. We dig into how creative youth development turns vulnerability into strength. Poetry, music, and visual art aren’t just hobbies here; they’re practical tools for emotional literacy and leadership. Malik shares why reading a poem to his father was easier than starting a hard talk, and how healing circles and mental health first aid create space for grief, frustration, and hope. We also get real about manhood: the pressure to bottle feelings, how anger masks hurt, and what it looks like to lead at home by naming emotions and solving problems together. Then we step outside. Purpose Park—TWP’s half-acre urban farm—feeds families, pays teens, and transforms a block into a stage for community. HIPterns learn horticulture, earn certifications, and see new careers in landscaping and city work. A community fridge shares harvests with nearby neighborhoods, while internships at cultural institutions expand skills and networks. On the academic side, TWP pairs daily support with clear expectations, contributing to a 95 percent graduation rate by linking homework to personal goals and creative growth. Safety and dignity guide the work. As credible messengers, TWP staff walk the neighborhood, build trust, and deescalate conflict without policing. Malik recounts separating a heated confrontation near a youth practice and mediating afterward to stop retaliation. When a life was lost near the center, the team turned a makeshift memorial into lasting art with melted glass—proof that remembrance can heal and inspire. If you care about youth empowerment, violence prevention, food security, and real-world skills, this conversation offers a grounded blueprint for change. If the story moves you, share it with a friend, subscribe for more conversations like this, and leave a review to help others find the show. Want to get involved or enroll a teen? Visit twpthemovement.org and follow @TWPthemovement. Support the show Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram: ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

    43 min

  2. JAN 21

    Local Producer Turned Passion Into Regional Change

    Send us a text What does it take to turn a region into a creative hub? We sit down with executive producer and community leader Jamar C. Davis to unpack the strategy, grit, and heart behind building large-scale festivals, leading Hampton Roads Pride, and launching programs that actually change lives. Jamar traces his path from Governor’s School tech theater to founding JAM Entertainment after leaving a corporate event role during the pandemic. He shares how connection—not stages or lights—is the real product of live events, and why working on the soft opening of Pharrell’s Atlantic Park rewired his view of excellence. From artist advances to vendor wrangling, he opens the black box of production and shows how organized teams make magic feel effortless. Beyond the stage, we explore volunteer power, the “family cookout” energy of the Cousins Festival, and a new wellness series for queer Black and Brown men focused on relationships and health. As the new president of Hampton Roads Pride, Jamar lays out an inclusive mission that stretches far beyond a weekend: scholarships for future leaders, film projects that preserve queer history, and partnerships that make healthcare and counseling easier to reach. He doesn’t dodge the hard parts either—naming the pressure on trans communities and the collaboration gap across the 757 that keeps great work from scaling. If you care about culture, community, or the nuts and bolts of world-class events, this conversation delivers practical insight and real hope for what’s possible in Hampton Roads and beyond. Subscribe, share with a friend who builds things, and leave a review to help more people find the show. Support the show Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram: ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

    40 min

  3. JAN 12

    An Artist at 12 Years Old? | Jalani Vickers – ListenUp Podcast

    Send us a text A quiet swing, a rooftop at sunset, a barbershop buzz—sometimes the places we know best say the most. We sit with 12-year-old artist Jalani Vickers to explore how ordinary scenes become emotionally rich portraits, and why small choices like a hoodie slogan or a jersey number can carry unexpected weight. His world is part city dream, part neighborhood memory, and fully intentional about mood and meaning. Jalani walks us through his process from pencil sketches at his bedroom desk to polished digital color with help from his uncle. He explains that reading graphic novels sharpened his eye for pacing and characterization, and that visits downtown feed his love of cityscapes, even when the skyline is imagined. We unpack standout pieces from the Nonchalant Dreadhead series—an introspective kid on a swing wearing “Tax The Rich,” a focused hooper in a familiar court, and a tightly framed barbershop that makes you feel the room’s warmth. Along the way, he talks about discipline learned from boxing, the joy of being truly seen by viewers, and the difference between art that looks cool and art that makes you feel something. We also get real about support systems and access. Jalani’s mom, Blair, shares how she noticed his shift from doodles to deliberate work, why they debated the series name, and how local makers' markets and a simple online shop create real paths for a young artist. If you care about youth creativity, urban storytelling, and the craft of turning everyday life into lasting images, this conversation will give you fresh ideas and a lot of heart. Listen now, share your favorite moment, and tap follow to catch future conversations. If the story moved you, leave a quick review—it helps more people discover voices like Jalani’s. 🔗 Full episode, photos & transcript: https://www.listenup.biz/an-artist-at-12-jalani-vickers Support the show Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram: ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

    34 min

  4. JAN 7

    Food Becomes Memory When Craft Meets Heart

    Send us a text A plate can be beautiful, but the real magic is what it makes you feel. That’s where we go with Chef Jeremiah Cardinal—a cook who treats cuisine like an art you practice daily, not a badge you wear. From early days flipping burgers at sixteen to corporate chef heights and then a leap across the Atlantic, Jeremiah traces how Germany and Finland broadened his base while Poland’s top kitchens reshaped his standards. He shares the trial he failed on the hot line, the cold station he earned, and the mentors who turned service into disciplined teamwork—film review, precise roles, and relentless attention to the last five percent that separates good from unforgettable. We dig into technique without jargon: why a pacojet makes sorbets and ice creams impossibly airy, how a beetroot sorbet can anchor a chilled soup, and why shortcuts show up on the spoon. Jeremiah breaks down what “controlled chaos” actually means on a Saturday night and why protecting standards isn’t snobbery—it’s hospitality. Guests aren’t buying garnish; they’re trusting you with a moment. That belief led him to start Entre Nous, a private chef service built for intimacy between you and me. He explains how personal clients, family-style dinners, four-course menus, and holiday drop-offs bring restaurant-level craft into homes, minus the noise of a dining room and the stress of timing everything alone. We also map the shifting Virginia Beach food scene—more creativity, global influences, and a few local spots pushing boundaries with breads, seasonal menus, and bold specials. Along the way, Jeremiah’s mentors appear like guideposts: the cook who made kitchens feel like paradise, the sous chef who welcomed questions, the exacting chef who demanded better even when a dish looked fine. The takeaway is simple and generous: food is an art that disappears, but the memory lasts. If you want that kind of cooking at your table—or just want to hear how a craftsperson builds it—this one’s for you. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, subscribe for more chef stories and kitchen wisdom, and leave a quick review to help others discover us. Got a food memory that never left you? Share it with us. Support the show Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram: ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

    39 min

  5. 12/26/2025

    When One Of The Most Educated Groups Gets Laid Off, What Does That Say About America

    Send us a text The numbers don’t add up—or do they? We break down why black women, the most educated segment among black Americans and a cornerstone of the middle class, are experiencing historic job losses across government, healthcare, manufacturing, and construction. With unemployment touching a post-2020 high and roughly 300,000 black women exiting the labor force this year, we track how payroll cuts translate into household strain, reduced consumer spending, and community headwinds. We zoom in on the data first—federal job losses near 97,000 since January, sector declines, and wage gaps that persist even at higher education levels—then connect it to the bigger frame. Drawing from the canon of economic thought, from Adam Smith and Booker T. Washington to W. E. B. Du Bois and Frederick Douglass, we examine how market rules, public policy, and social narratives shape who gets hired, who gets cut, and how opportunity compounds. Along the way, we call out the gap between stereotype and reality: black women drive degrees, launch companies at high rates, and anchor household finances, yet face outsize exposure when budgets shrink and priorities shift. This conversation also charts the macro effects. When primary earners pull back, small businesses feel it, rural communities hollow out, and price pressures rise as demand softens. We unpack how DEI backlash, culture-war politics, and procurement choices intersect with real payroll decisions—and what a smarter playbook looks like: skills-based hiring, pay equity enforcement, public-sector pipeline protection, childcare stability, and capital access for women-owned firms. With the country moving toward a more diverse future, sidelining the very workers who invest most in education and civic life is a competitiveness problem we can actually solve. Listen for a clear, data-grounded path forward and share your takeaways with us. If this resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it to someone who cares about jobs, equity, and growth. Support the show Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram: ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

    18 min

  6. 12/24/2025

    From Haiti To Healing

    Send us a text A teenage diary named Nancy. A snowstorm walk after a father’s refusal. A boot camp commander who sees what no one else did. Yasmin Charles joins us for a fearless conversation that traces a path from Port-au-Prince to Brooklyn to the Navy—and into the kitchen where healing meets hunger. We open with the shock of migration and the ache of colorism, not in headlines but inside a blended family. Yasmin describes bullying, parentification, and the quiet violence of church masks—how scripture can become a shield that hides wounds instead of treating them. A single moment in boot camp flips the script: being chosen to lead becomes proof that her voice belongs in the room. From there, the culinary track and nutrition science collide, and she begins teaching food as medicine without sacrificing flavor, pushing back on an entertainment-only food culture that feeds epidemics of obesity and diabetes. The story turns raw and practical: deportation as a teen, a sister’s suicide attempt averted, and months living in a car while attending Norfolk State. Those pages forge her mission as a homelessness advocate. She lays out a dignity-first blueprint—keys, private rooms, on-site therapists, and job support—arguing that empathy and structure solve what charity drives rarely do. Along the way, we unpack choosing a child-free life, setting boundaries with family, and reframing forgiveness to include real healing. Yasmin’s voice is clear, warm, and unflinching, and her recipes for resilience are as useful as her kitchen tips. Come for the story, stay for the tools: nutrition you can use tonight, language for trauma you can carry, and a vision of community that looks like care. If this conversation moved you, follow and subscribe, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find these stories and join the conversation. Support the show Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram: ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

    51 min

  7. 12/17/2025

    From Classroom To Canvas: Jessica Chevon On Art, Censorship, And A Modern Renaissance

    Send us a text A decorated high school art teacher walks away from the system—and finds a bigger canvas. Jessica Chivon joins us to share how she traded classroom constraints for a studio-first life, why students are hungry for handwriting and analog craft, and how sketchbooks can quietly reveal anxiety, resilience, and hope. Her story threads personal transformation with a larger cultural shift toward authenticity in an age of AI and instant everything. We dig into the tensions inside modern education: AP-heavy schedules that sideline creative courses, permission-slip politics around museum nudes, and the chilling effect of censorship on curious minds. Jessica makes a compelling case that art has always been a grassroots technology—pen, paper, and an idea are enough to move people—and that’s exactly why it gets squeezed. From Shepard Fairey’s Hope poster to Norman Rockwell’s late civil rights works, we explore how images carry social change. She also spotlights Kehinde Wiley’s portraits and sculptures, which center Black subjects in heroic, Renaissance-inspired frames, reframing who belongs on the wall and why representation matters. COVID turned out to be an unexpected studio residency. With document cameras and livestreams, Jessica discovered that adults crave real instruction without the commute, and that kindness plus clear steps can turn “I can’t draw” into daily practice. She’s building an online school rooted in community, modeling a path many creatives quietly consider: use tech to teach, keep the work human, and let the craft lead. If you care about arts education, mental health, and finding your creative voice amid noise, this conversation offers practical insight and a hopeful map forward. Enjoy the episode, then subscribe, share it with a friend who needs creative fuel, and leave a review to help more listeners find these stories. Support the show Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram: ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

    40 min

  8. 11/26/2025

    How Writing Turned Loss Into A Life Rebuilt By The Ocean

    Send us a text Some stories aren’t meant to be told once; they’re meant to be lived, spoken, and reshaped until the truth inside them finally lands. That’s where we go with poet Tony B, whose book Runaway Home charts a fierce, tender path through grief, reinvention, and the power of choosing your own voice. We start with the line that won’t leave her alone—“I write because I don’t know what else to do”—and follow it from midwestern roots to a thousand-mile drive toward the Atlantic with nothing but a car, $4,000, and conviction. Tony opens up about losing her husband and father, pouring love into a restaurant that ultimately failed, and rediscovering her craft during the stillness of COVID. She explains how writing helps her process what she’s learned, while performance functions like confession, turning poems into actions. Together we unpack the structure of Runaway Home—family, relationships, grief, and the title section—threaded with acceptance, forgiveness, healing, and love. We talk about the difference between happiness and joy, why the ocean became a place to be rather than do, and how she learned to cancel old “subscriptions” to beliefs that didn’t honor her life. This conversation is raw, grounded, and filled with lines you’ll carry. You’ll hear how agency grows when we own our choices without denying what’s been done to us, how a voice becomes clearer when it’s spoken aloud, and why place matters when it resets your rhythm. If you’ve ever felt the pull to start over, to reframe your story, or to find home inside yourself, Tony’s journey will meet you where you are. Stream now, share it with someone who needs courage for a leap, and if it resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what belief are you canceling next? Support the show Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram: ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

    43 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Hi, I'm Al Neely. I've spent most of my life asking, " Why do people behave a certain way?  Why don't people understand that most everyone wants basically the same thing? Most everyone wants their fundamental need for peace of mind, nourishment, shelter and safety." What I have learned is that because of an unwillingness to open one's mind to see that some of the people you come in contact with may have those same desires as you do.  We prejudge, isolate ourselves, and can be hesitant to interact, and sometimes we can be belligerent towards one another.  This is caused by learned behavior that may have  repeated itself for generations in our families.  What I hope to do with this podcast is to introduce as many people with as many various cultures, backgrounds, and practices as possible.  The thought is that I can help to bring  different perspectives by discussing various views from my guests that are willing to talk about their personal experiences.Hopefully we all will learn something new. We may even learn that most of us share the same desire for our fundamental needs. We may just simply try to obtain it differently.Sit back, learn, and enjoy! 

Information

  • Creator
    Al Neely
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    84
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Listen Up with Host Al Neely
  • Show Website
    Listen Up with Host Al Neely