Hi, Christiaan here, host of Out to Lunch Acadiana. Everyone’s got a story. It’s why I got into journalism. People are just interesting. But having a story doesn’t mean you’re any good at telling it. That part takes skill. And a lot of discipline — Even if you’re using a large language model to help. Everyone needs an editor. It’s our motto at The Current. And it’s generally true in the world of business. Having someone to bounce ideas off of is vital for a composition of any size. Writing a book, however, takes a special kind of dedication. You might need something more supportive than an editor. How about a coach? LaToya Guillory is the founder of The Intentional Author and the creator of the Acadiana Black Author Expo. LaToya grew up in an Air Force family, bounced around the country, and eventually landed in Lafayette to attend UL, where she earned a degree in Child and Family Studies. She went on to get a master’s in Human Service Counseling with a specialization in Marriage and Family, and spent more than twenty years as a social worker. Along the way, LaToya has always been “the helper”: starting a kids’ club in her apartment complex, babysitting for children with Down syndrome, leading worship bands, guiding couples. On track to become a licensed counselor, she hit a major detour when her graduate program lost its accreditation, forcing a rethink at the exact moment she was also raising a young son. As The Intentional Author, LaToya now coaches writers through self-publishing — from the “I’ve got an idea” phase all the way to publication. She offers group masterclasses, year-long coaching plans, and one-on-one support, and she’s published several books of her own on purpose, marriage and faith. LaToya also saw a gap in Lafayette’s literary scene and launched the Acadiana Black Author Expo in 2023 to give local Black writers a place to be seen. A cancer diagnosis is a scary and all-too-common story. And it helps a lot to have someone to walk you through one of life’s most difficult chapters. Phyllis Weaver is the Executive Director of Miles Perret Cancer Services. Phyllis grew up in north Louisiana and moved to Lafayette for college. She thought she might be a teacher or an artist, but what really stuck was her love of community work. She joined the Lafayette YMCA as an assistant program director while she was still in school, and stayed there for fourteen years — eventually becoming Senior Program Director. After that, she led LA Soar, a nonprofit focused on youth, before joining Miles Perret Cancer Services as an event coordinator in 2024.In 2025, she stepped into the role of Executive Director. Miles Perret is a cancer resource center serving ten parishes across Acadiana. They provide everything from care kits and wigs to transportation help, school supplies for kids, counseling groups, fitness and nutrition classes, art therapy, and more — all free to clients. On the fundraising side, the organization is probably best known for big events like the Camellia Crossing “gleaux” run and Games of Acadiana. Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette.You can find photos from this show by Alisha Zachery Lazard at itsacadiana.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
