Human Connections (MSA Literary Arts)

Mississippi School of the Arts
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HUMAN CONNECTIONS is a podcast series curated by students in the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Episodes contain reflective commentary and clips from oral histories that present to listeners important voices, ideas, and issues of our community.

  1. 05/29/2025

    S4:E4 - Beyond the Pillow

    Elayjah Earles, Tiara Jones, and Crislyn Lance share poems inspired by dreams and nightmares—both literal and metaphorical. Through poetry, feedback, and discussion, they explore how one person’s nightmare might be another’s dream, depending on the individual.   Listener Writing Prompt: Write a short story about a character who begins to realize they are living in a recurring dream, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. As this episode suggests, dreams don’t only come during sleep, and nightmares aren’t always about monsters under your bed. With this prompt in mind and using inspiration from our poems, embrace your truth and express your truth. Reflect on your light or your fear, and explore it creatively in all its forms.    About Season 4: In this season of the Human Connections podcast, literary juniors and seniors discuss the themes of love, change, dreams, nightmares, and otherness. Each episode features students sharing their original work, offering one another feedback and thoughtful questions, and inviting listeners to reflect and write through creative prompts. Please check the show notes for each episode’s writing prompt.   This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

    10 min

  2. 05/28/2025

    S4:E3 - The Art of Being Ostracized

    In this episode, Chanel Hand, Sone’t Robinson, Jude Ryan, and Amelia Whitaker share poems about the experience of being “othered.” They discuss personal perspectives on what it means to feel like an outsider and offer each other feedback and questions about their work. This episode emphasizes the importance of expressing isolation, difference, and identity through art.   Listener Writing Prompt: What can you say about feeling different or strange? Write it down. Explain it. How might your experience help others feel less alone in their “otherness”? How might you help others feel not so “different” or “strange”?   About Season 4: In this season of the Human Connections podcast, literary juniors and seniors discuss the themes of love, change, dreams, nightmares, and otherness. Each episode features students sharing their original work, offering one another feedback and thoughtful questions, and inviting listeners to reflect and write through creative prompts. Please check the show notes for each episode’s writing prompt.   This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

    23 min

  3. 05/27/2025

    S4:E2 - Tragic Beauty in Change

    J.T. Ballard, Cooper Brumfield, Carter Hillman, and Quentin McClinton share poems on the difficult—but often transformative—nature of change. They reflect on how transitions shape us as humans and offer each other feedback on their work. Change can be terrifying, exciting, or both, and this episode explores that duality through their poetry.   Listener Writing Prompt: Write a piece that finds beauty in the pain of change.   About Season 4: In this season of the Human Connections podcast, literary juniors and seniors discuss the themes of love, change, dreams, nightmares, and otherness. Each episode features students sharing their original work, offering one another feedback and thoughtful questions, and inviting listeners to reflect and write through creative prompts. Please check the show notes for each episode’s writing prompt.   This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

    22 min

  4. 05/26/2025

    S4:E1 - Love in Various Colors

    In this episode, Steph Hartmann, Natalia Mather, Richie Stover, and Kierstyn Warner share poems exploring the theme of love—across friendships, family, and romantic relationships. They offer each other thoughtful feedback and reflect on love in its physical, mental, and emotional forms.   Listener Writing Prompt: Write about a time you felt most loved. What could you feel, see, taste, touch, or hear—and how did those sensations support or contrast your emotional experience? We wanted this prompt to invite exploration beyond romantic love. Consider writing about a bond that’s often overlooked in mainstream media: your love for a parent, a pet, a friend, or even a community.   About Season 4: In this season of the Human Connections podcast, literary juniors and seniors discuss the themes of love, change, dreams, nightmares, and otherness. Each episode features students sharing their original work, offering one another feedback and thoughtful questions, and inviting listeners to reflect and write through creative prompts. Please check the show notes for each episode’s writing prompt.   This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

    18 min

  5. 05/08/2024

    S3:E12 - Art and What it Means to Us

    In this podcast episode, Georgia Bailey and Rowan Booker talk about art and what art means to them. They talk about how art affects their day to day lives and what the world would be like without art. They also talk about the importance of art and why it means so much to them.   This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

    32 min

  6. 05/01/2024

    S3:E11 - In Pursuit of Art: Weighing the Impact

    In this podcast episode, Sarah Lawrence interviews Stephan Lawrence about how choosing whether or not to pursue art can impact a person's life and how either choice can be both positive and negative. Stephan shares his story and his experience, and he shares advice to those who want to pursue art but hold back.   This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

    17 min

  7. 04/24/2024

    S3:E10 - The Shaping of Two Artists

    In this podcast episode, Tiara Jones interviews mother Angela Jones and daughter Miracle Jones about the ways their art has impacted or shaped their lives.  They discuss what it was like growing up in their different eras with their mediums and how it affected themselves and the people around them.  The mother and daughter also give interesting facts about their lives and interests.   This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

    16 min

  8. 04/17/2024

    S3:E9 - What Music is to Me

    In this podcast episode, Sone't Robinson interviews her older sister Tyesha Batteast about her perception of music. Tyesha offers fascinating insight on what it's like to grow up around and create music.   This is a podcast series curated by the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Visit the department’s web site for more information about our program – https://msabrookhaven.org/programs/literary.

    30 min
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About

HUMAN CONNECTIONS is a podcast series curated by students in the Literary Arts Department at Mississippi School of the Arts. Episodes contain reflective commentary and clips from oral histories that present to listeners important voices, ideas, and issues of our community.

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