Belonging In The South: A Guide For Misfits Rebecca Lauderdale, MD

Today is part 2 of our conversation with Ashleigh Nelson and her mom, Debbie Jones, who share their personal journey of their evolving faiths. Ashleigh is Executive Director of the Evolving Faith Conference and Community, whose personal journey of acceptance not only transformed her faith, but her mother's. Debbie highlights the importance of proximity to 'the other' - a concept that can help us ask better questions and approach our differences with love and care. She openly discusses th...

Join me in celebrating Pride Month with a heartfelt conversation featuring Ashleigh Nelson and her mother, Debbie. They openly share the story of Ashleigh's journey as a gay woman raised in the evangelical church. Hear the incredible story of how Ashleigh, now the executive director of the Evolving Faith Conference, found love and acceptance from herself, her family, and a faith community, after decades of trying to deny an essential part of who she was. We also explore Debbie's jo...

Of the many Southern stereotypes, one that affected me early in life is that Southerners aren't smart. Luckily, I was able to embrace my intelligence by attending the best public high school in Mississippi: the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS). It was there I first felt comfortable embracing my nerdiness and my love for knowledge. I found "my people."In this episode of Belonging In The South, you’ll get exclusive access to a panel discussion from our last annual alumni we...

🎙️ Episode 8: Fabulous Misfit Book Club 📚🌟 In this episode, I share my top book recommendations for fellow misfits in the South, along with a new segment highlighting inclusive Southern spaces! 🌟If you’d like links to all the books and other things mentioned in this episode, go to the episode blog page here!📌 What you'll find in this episode:1️⃣ Three life-changing nonfiction books2️⃣ Two Fiction series3️⃣ Three Bonus reads that are currently on my nightstand 4️⃣ Inclusive Southern Space...

🎙️ "Loving the Misfit Within: Self-Acceptance and Belonging To Yourself" 🌈Join me, Rebecca Lauderdale, in this episode where my friend and colleague, Dr. Derrick Burgess, interviews me about my personal journey towards self-acceptance and finding a sense of belonging within myself. As a physician, born and raised in the South, I understand the unique challenges that many of us face while navigating our complex identities. Tune in as we discuss:🌟 The journey of self-discovery and embracing our...

In this episode of "Belonging in the South", host Rebecca Lauderdale speaks with former Mississippi State Health Officer and infectious disease specialist, Dr. Thomas Dobbs. They discuss how Southerners can improve public health, the effects of belonging and loneliness on health, and the criminal justice system. And yes, he's that Dobbs - from the supreme court case that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2021 - who through a quirk of the law found his name on a case he neither wanted nor was inv...