Small Town Girl with Gwen Faulkenberry

Gwen Faulkenberry
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Biweekly

Come sit a spell—as my Granny used to say—and let's visit about all things Arkansas.  Gwen Faulkenberry is a small town girl through and through. Born and raised in Ozark, AR, she’s been everything from school teacher to a state Representative candidate. Gwen is a mother, author, English professor, an award-winning columnist–and now, a podcast host. On this podcast, Gwen sits down for thoughtful conversations that move fluidly from politics in Arkansas to big, deeply human questions about love, vulnerability, faith, identity, and what it means to stay connected in a digital world. Vulnerable, true, and deeply small town. Join the conversation at gfaulkenberry@hotmail.com! New episodes drop every other week.

  1. 7h ago

    The Ozarker: Using Social Media to Revitalize Rural Arkansas

    In this episode of Small Town Girl, Gwen Faulkenberry sits down with Porter Hays, creator of The Ozarker and co-host of the Hawg Talk podcast, to discuss the power of small-town pride, community storytelling, and revitalizing rural Arkansas. Porter shares how growing up in Ozark shaped his passion for serving his hometown, the mentors who influenced his life, and why he launched The Ozarker to spotlight local businesses, restaurants, events, and the people who make the Arkansas River Valley special. From promoting tourism to celebrating community success stories, Porter believes positive storytelling can help small towns thrive. Listen & Subscribe! Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/ Listen to past episodes! ARKANSAS ONLINE: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/podcast/smalltowngirl/ NORTHWEST ONLINE: https://www.nwaonline.com/news/podcast/smalltowngirl/ Chapters (00:00:07) - Meet Porter Hayes, The Ozarker(00:07:12) - Ozark County Sheriff's Office presents(00:09:20) - Porter: I Was Raised in Ozark(00:14:13) - Bob Rippy on His Influential Coach(00:15:55) - Rednecks in Ozark(00:17:47) - Hog Talk(00:20:12) - Visit Ozark(00:21:07) - Visit Ozark: Small Towns Will Be Included(00:24:45) - Ozark: Positive Changes in the Town(00:28:47) - Ozark Restaurant Open for COVID(00:32:55) - What would you bring back to town?(00:33:38) - Tyler Porter on the Benefit for Jackson Tedford(00:39:02) - One Autism Dad's Story(00:46:25) - Porter on revitalizing Ozark: "(00:52:07) - Covid on Podcast(00:53:03) - Sam Harris on Community Policing

    The Ozarker: Using Social Media to Revitalize Rural Arkansas

  2. Jul 15

    Cody Vest: How He Became a "BookTok" Content Creator

    From a small town in Arkansas to BookTok fame in New York City! In this episode of Small Town Girl, Gwen Faulkenberry sits down with Cody Vest, former Arkansas educator, literacy advocate, and viral BookTok creator with more than 300,000 followers across platforms. Listen & Subscribe! Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/ Listen to past episodes! ARKANSAS ONLINE: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/podcast/smalltowngirl/ NORTHWEST ONLINE: https://www.nwaonline.com/news/podcast/smalltowngirl/  Chapters (00:00:06) - Cody Vest on Small Town, Girl(00:02:36) - Cody Fern on Becoming an Influencer(00:03:50) - Viral Furniture Designer at Southern Loft(00:09:35) - Interviewing Min Jin Lee on a Podcast(00:10:04) - Talking to Reese Witherspoon About Her Book(00:11:49) - Judy Blume Meets Her Fans(00:13:49) - Black History Talk: The Great Migration(00:20:38) - Ocean Vong at the Literary Festival(00:22:35) - Gaining Out Of Education(00:27:08) - Teachers speak out about the challenges of teaching(00:32:39) - Black People on Colson Whitehead's 'To Kill A M(00:37:54) - Read Just Mercy: The Justice System's Failure(00:39:09) - Cody on Growing Up Gay in Arkansas(00:41:59) - Coming Out: Gay People's Stories(00:46:11) - Coming to Terms With Your Queer Identity(00:49:41) - What is Pride and Why It Matters?(00:56:12) - Black Lives Matter: Individual Freedom vs. the Greater Good(01:01:33) - Cody Case on Starting a Content Channel(01:06:01) - Cody Best on Social Media

    Cody Vest: How He Became a "BookTok" Content Creator

  3. Jun 17

    Immigration, Identity & Arkansas Politics with Dr. Alejandra Campos

    From Springdale to the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN and back to Arkansas, Dr. Alejandra Campos shares her family’s powerful immigration story and how it shaped her work as a political science professor at the University of Arkansas. In this episode of Small Town Girl, we talk about immigration in Arkansas, growing up as a Latino family in Northwest Arkansas, the poultry industry, voting rights, identity, education, and the complicated realities behind today’s political debates. Alejandra opens up about her parents’ journey from Mexico to Springdale in the 1990s, the sacrifices they made to build a life for their children, and how education, family, and curiosity helped shape her and her siblings’ paths. Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/  Opinions are of the host and guests and don't necessarily reflect the views of NWA Democrat-Gazette.

    Immigration, Identity & Arkansas Politics with Dr. Alejandra Campos

  4. Jun 3

    From Trump to “Wokeness”: Why America Feels So Divided

    From rural Arkansas to international law and academia, this episode features an in-depth conversation with legal scholar and author Lisa Pruitt about education, class, politics, identity, and the growing divide in America. Lisa shares her journey growing up in Jasper, Arkansas, becoming a first-generation professional, studying law at the University of Arkansas, and eventually building a career teaching law in California after years spent working across Europe and beyond. Along the way, she opens up about sexism in higher education, culture shock between rural and urban America, and how her relationship with her mother helped shape her understanding of politics and class. Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/  Opinions are of the host and guests and don't necessarily reflect the views of NWA Democrat-Gazette. Chapters (00:00:00) - Meet Lisa Pruitt: Small Town Girl(00:04:23) - Lisa Rappeport on Fighting for Women's Rights(00:13:32) - Teaching Retiring at 27(00:17:07) - Teaching Students to Stop Educated Arrogance(00:25:39) - Arkansas Tech Ozark: The Journey of Students(00:28:25) - Arkansas teacher on wokeness and indoctrination(00:36:20) - On the Problem of Ask Where I'm From(00:44:28) - Law School Professors on Their Syllabus(00:52:09) - Breitbart News: Patriotism(00:55:10) - How Can We Heal the Political Divide?(01:00:30) - The New York Times and Conspiracy Theories(01:10:22) - White Privilege and the Trump conversation(01:12:19) - Law Students on the Right and the Left(01:15:27) - Lisa Pruitt on Personal Responsibility

    From Trump to “Wokeness”: Why America Feels So Divided

  5. May 20

    A Hidden Lavender Dream in Eureka Springs

    Welcome back to Small Town Girl! In this special episode, we step out of the studio and into a breathtaking lavender field just outside Eureka Springs. And trust me, it’s as magical as it sounds. I’m joined by my longtime friend Kat, who shares the incredible story behind her journey from art teacher to lavender farm owner and entrepreneur. What started as a simple dream turned into a full-blown passion project filled with purpose, beauty, and community. If you love small-town charm, inspiring stories, and scenic escapes, this is a place you’ll want to add to your list. Check them out: https://lagrangelavender.com/ Listen & Subscribe! Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/ Opinions are of the host and guests and don't necessarily reflect the views of NWA Democrat-Gazette. Chapters (00:00:00) - Small Town, Girl(00:02:06) - Vinovating a Barn(00:05:11) - A caregiver's dream to retire to a lavender farm(00:09:33) - Farmers grow lavender in Northwest Arkansas(00:16:01) - Exploring a cow pasture in Eureka Springs(00:18:47) - Farmworkers renovating a barn(00:21:51) - How I Met My Husband On Christian Mingle(00:27:29) - Where Everything Clicks: Lavender Cafe(00:32:24) - Bachelor in the Barn(00:33:55) - What Do You Provide For a Wedding Venue?(00:35:23) - Kat's dream: The Lavender Bloom

    A Hidden Lavender Dream in Eureka Springs

  6. May 6

    Revitalizing Rural Arkansas with Justin McCormick

    In this episode of Small Town Girl, we sit down with Justin McCormick, Executive Director of Main Street Ozark, to talk about the heart, hustle, and hope behind revitalizing small-town Arkansas. From growing up in Altus and Coal Hill to working in larger cities and ultimately returning home, Justin shares his powerful journey of rediscovering purpose in the place that raised him. We dive into the challenges and opportunities facing rural communities, the importance of investing in local businesses, and what it really takes to bring a downtown back to life. If you care about small towns, entrepreneurship, or creating vibrant communities where people want Connect with Justin & Main Street Ozark: Main Street Ozark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetozark?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Web: https://mainstreetozark.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnszNXAOLsNt8-ExWHFCs9id8OSDi5rf_lDMyylJihB1oczaHD8Ouxb9yYVmQ_aem_Q3cT7qhGHx-dkAoszQ2l-w Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MainStreetOzark/ Email: mainstreetozark3@gmail.com Howdy Co.: @thehowdycompanyAR Listen & Subscribe! Chapters (00:00:00) - Small Town Girl(00:01:03) - Meet the Furniture Designer from Southern Loft(00:05:28) - Super-involved girl at school(00:07:48) - Coming Out: Growing Up Gay in Arkansas(00:10:50) - Gay Voices on Growing Up(00:15:28) - On Masculinity in the Southern Women's Perspective(00:18:27) - Graduating from Fayetteville with a journalism degree(00:22:00) - One Gay Couple Adopt a Child(00:24:04) - Adopt a Little Boy from Arkansas(00:25:04) - Farmhouse in Denning, Oklahoma(00:26:35) - Who is the Main Street Ozark volunteer?(00:28:42) - The new executive director for the Ozark Chamber(00:34:00) - A Christmas gift for a hillbilly(00:37:18) - Reveal: The Western Market in Altus(00:41:17) - Farmers' Market and Springfest(00:43:55) - Howdy & Co: Help revitalize Downtown Ozark(00:51:30) - Ozark's potential on the river(00:53:27) - Ozark Mayor on the Future of the Town(00:58:57) - Main Street Ozark: How to find someone?

    Revitalizing Rural Arkansas with Justin McCormick

  7. Apr 23

    Colt Shelby: From suing Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to running against her

    In this episode of Small Town Girl, Gwen Faulkenberry sits down with Colt Shelby, a sixth-generation Arkansan from Cecil who is running for governor as a Libertarian against Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Shelby shares how a proposed 3,000-bed prison project near his hometown sparked his entry into politics. What started as concern over a development in his community led him down a deeper path of researching state government, criminal justice policy, education, and economic challenges facing rural Arkansas. Listen & Subscribe! Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/  More on Colt Shelby: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2026/feb/23/colt-shelby-opponent-of-franklin-county-prison/

    Colt Shelby: From suing Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to running against her

  8. Apr 9

    Leaving the Mission Field: Faith, Doubt & Deconstruction

    In this episode of Small Town Girl with Gwen Ford Faulkenberry, Gwen sits down with longtime friend Corrie Radtke, a former missionary whose life journey has taken her across continents, cultures, and through profound spiritual questions. Corrie shares her story of growing up in a charismatic Christian environment, entering the mission field with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), and spending years serving in Europe and the United States. Along the way, she wrestled with deep questions about faith, church culture, and the systems that shaped her spiritual life. Through various experiences, Corrie reflects on the moments that began to shift her perspective and lead her into a process of faith renovation and deconstruction. Listen & Subscribe! Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/  Check out Corrie's Work: https://substack.com/@corrieradke

    Leaving the Mission Field: Faith, Doubt & Deconstruction
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About

Come sit a spell—as my Granny used to say—and let's visit about all things Arkansas.  Gwen Faulkenberry is a small town girl through and through. Born and raised in Ozark, AR, she’s been everything from school teacher to a state Representative candidate. Gwen is a mother, author, English professor, an award-winning columnist–and now, a podcast host. On this podcast, Gwen sits down for thoughtful conversations that move fluidly from politics in Arkansas to big, deeply human questions about love, vulnerability, faith, identity, and what it means to stay connected in a digital world. Vulnerable, true, and deeply small town. Join the conversation at gfaulkenberry@hotmail.com! New episodes drop every other week.

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