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. 5H AGO

    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

  2. DEC 17

    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

  3. NOV 26

    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

  4. NOV 19

    How One Nonprofit Uses Dance, Language, And Story To Heal And Educate

    Send us a text What happens when culture becomes the bridge instead of the barrier? We sit with Rita Addico Cohen, executive director of the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance, to explore a life that stretched from Accra to Hampton Roads and a mission that now spans classrooms, libraries, and community stages. Rita shares how TACA’s African Cultural Education (ACE) program brings one country at a time into schools through language, storytelling, and dance—turning curiosity into confidence and delivering measurable gains in knowledge, relationships, and social-emotional skills. We dig into the design: six- to eight-week modules, vocabulary from major African languages, and a storytelling practice adapted from Ghanaian tradition that helps students name morals and navigate behavior with empathy. Thanks to a partnership with curriculum experts at Old Dominion University, ACE is built to scale. Rita’s own path—polyglot, federal interpreter, Manhattan School of Music alum, theater artist—powers a teaching style that makes heritage feel alive. Beyond classrooms, TACA convenes joyful public events: a gala featuring 20+ countries, country-focused showcases with local diasporas, and the return of Afrobeats Fest with youth workshops, college connections, and cultural scholarships. We also face the hard history. Rita unpacks the transatlantic slave trade’s reach, the endurance of African design and polyrhythms across global music and fashion, and why attempts to erase culture ultimately fail. Mental health sits alongside celebration, with monthly conversations led by clinicians to help communities of African descent process trauma and strengthen resilience. If you believe culture should be accessible, accurate, and shared, this conversation offers a roadmap—and an invitation. Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of culture, education, and community. Share this episode with a friend, and tell us which country you’d like to see ACE bring to your local school 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

    52 min

  5. NOV 12

    How Fashion, Music, And Community Power Hampton Roads

    Send us a text Fashion doesn’t just live in New York or Paris. It thrives wherever creators take the risk to build a stage. We sit down with Ann Ward Lester and Jennifer Lester of Splash Entertainment Group to trace how a model management experiment became Virginia Fashion Week, why they aligned this year’s showcase with Timbaland Way, and what it takes to turn a local runway into a real creative economy in Hampton Roads. Ann opens up about the early vision shared with stylist Ron Cook and the late, beloved Cookie Dabney, and how that collaboration set a professional standard for fittings, lineups, and show flow. Jennifer reveals the moving parts you don’t see: model calls, designer coordination, communications, and the 48‑hour scramble before lights up. Together, they map a pipeline where first collections evolve into paid work in New York, Paris, and Dubai—and how those alumni circle back to teach, mentor, and vend, keeping the ecosystem alive. We talk candidly about sponsor realities in a military‑leaning market, the rising tide from Pharrell’s Something in the Water, and why honoring local music on the runway turns a fashion show into a cultural salute. You’ll also hear beauty and skincare wisdom from Ann’s channel, Fabulous Life 101—practical routines for midlife skin health that complement the runway’s artistry. From vendor curation that favors actual makers to collaborations with Team Lamb, the episode offers a grounded blueprint for building a scene: focus on craft, elevate community, and let fashion, music, and film amplify each other. Join us, grab tickets via VAFashionWeek.com, and help push Hampton Roads further onto the creative map. If the episode resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review to support the artists shaping our city’s future. 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

    29 min

  6. NOV 5

    Where Music Becomes A Universal Language For Confidence, Culture, And Connection

    Send us a text What if a music program could flip the switch from shy to fearless in a single season? We sit down with Jake Smalls, music director at School of Rock Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, to unpack how performance-based training builds skill, confidence, and community faster than traditional lessons. With three themed seasons a year—think Best of the Nineties, Emo, Funk, or creative matchups like Muse vs. Radiohead—students rehearse with purpose, play real venues, and see their progress on stage. Jake brings a rare blend of physics, audio engineering, and gig-tested instinct to the classroom. Instead of locking kids into static bands, he and his team assign roles calibrated to each player’s level, so a beginner drummer can groove while a senior tackles the solo that raises the ceiling. That structure rewards consistent practice over the myth of raw talent and turns repetition into momentum. Along the way, students learn stagecraft: how to load in, listen across the ensemble, and handle the adrenaline surge when lights go up. We explore how diverse genres shape better musicians and broader citizens. From grunge to jazz fusion, from Miles Davis to Debussy samples inside Radiohead, influence moves like cuisine across cultures. The house band—an audition-only group—gig twice a month and tour the South, hitting places like Beale Street and Sun Studio, transforming “youth program” into “working act.” Alumni go on to Berklee or launch projects at JMU; instructors keep the pipeline fresh as active performers around Hampton Roads. If you’re searching for music lessons that actually get you on stage, this is your roadmap: free trials, phased casting, midseason previews, and final shows that fill rooms. Hit play to hear how thoughtful show design, smart casting, and a welcoming community can change a player’s trajectory. If the conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a nudge, and leave a review to help more families find their stage. 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

    29 min

  7. OCT 15

    From Hampton Roads to Hollywood: A Comic’s 17-Year Grind, Hecklers, and Heart

    Send us a text We sit down with Tim Loulies, a Hampton Roads comic and teacher, to trace his 17-year journey from sticky-note premises to packed clubs, from the Comedy Store’s unforgiving OR to the Apollo’s infamous boo, and into the wild psychology of being a heel in professional wrestling. Tim opens up about stage fright, why you literally lose your breath at the mic, and how “mental cardio” makes or breaks your first minute on stage. We dig into the craft: writing jokes that travel, building an opener that buys trust, editing tags that snap, and steering a room when chatter threatens the rhythm. Tim breaks down heckler control without punishing the crowd and explains why self-deprecation is a reliable on-ramp to shared laughter. He shares lessons from mentors like Steve Treviño and the late John Witherspoon, showing how consistency and energy turn a practiced act into something that still feels alive. There’s heart here too. Tim’s work on PBS’s Comedy Boot Camp with the Armed Services Arts Program reveals how stand-up can help veterans facing PTSD take back their stories and connect through laughter. We talk about teaching at the Funny Bone Comedy School, building community, and using nerves as a focus—not a flaw. Plus, details on the new Virginia Beach club opening, upcoming classes, and how to watch Tim’s Amazon special, “Sugar Glider.” Hit play to learn, laugh, and leave with practical tools you can use on stage or in any high-stakes room. If this conversation sparks something, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help more people find it. 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

    44 min

  8. OCT 9

    Virginia Beach Voices: Small Business, Big Community

    Send us a text Local stories can change the fate of a city when they’re told with care. Tony B sits down with Al Neely of Neely Media and Councilman Cash Green to chart a people-first media plan that lifts small businesses, reduces stigma, and builds real civic momentum across Virginia Beach. What starts as an origin story—an online inquiry, a community event, and a shared commitment—grows into a roadmap for accessible journalism and community-building that prioritizes human voices over headlines. We unpack why podcasts and social channels are now the front door for local news, and how Neely Media is scaling responsibly: on-the-ground reporters, consistent event coverage, and a community-focused newspaper slated for early 2026. Councilman Green shares a powerful personal journey from earning a GED to serving in public office, challenging old narratives about success and education while championing entrepreneurship as the backbone of District 7. Together, we highlight practical steps to start telling better local stories—free on-site exclusives for Virginia Beach businesses, weekly mobile visits on Tuesdays, and simple ways to request coverage through nealymedia.com. Along the way, we spotlight youth development through martial arts and the wider social benefits of disciplined training, mentorship, and belonging. We talk about turning everyday transactions into relationships by revealing the “business behind the business,” and why that kind of context builds trust, supports seniors, and strengthens the local economy. The tone is warm and candid; the mission is clear: people over politics, service over spotlight, and a city that’s ready to see itself—and support itself—more fully. If you believe local voices deserve a bigger stage, subscribe, share this episode with a neighbor, and leave a review with the name of a small business we should feature next. Your suggestion could be our next story. 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

    29 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 - 2025
  • Episodes
    79
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Listen Up with Host Al Neely
  • Show Website
    Listen Up with Host Al Neely