Trailblazing Tex Brittany Metcalf

Both Darryl and Sgt. Donovan had highly viewed episodes. Listeners appreciated their perspectives and their conversation. Sgt. Donovan reached out to me after listening to Darryl's episode and had a great idea– bring them both back to the show and we further this conversation. To no surprise, Darryl was all in for this episode. Grateful for these two gents for coming back and bringing their voices together. Here is a sample of the questions that get asked and answered:


Why do you think everything is coming to a head?
What does defund the police mean to you?
Should we release body cam footage to the public?
What are your thoughts on social workers answering calls?

Daniel Kissoon, co-owner of Sutaria Training & Fitness in Houston, joins the show! I met Daniel Nov. 2019 in Austin, and I found his story intriguing. People have windy paths, but at the end of the day, they blaze their own trails and do fulfilling and impactful work. We discuss:


Sutaria and what separates his gym from the rest
Beginning his college career
Then, deciding to join the Marines, where he served for 4 years
Back to school at Univ. of Houston to pursue his degree
How he got into fitness and owning a gym
His favorite part about training

Coach Matthew Wilson, Boys Basketball Coach at The John Cooper School, joins the show! Coach Wilson and I go way back to our high school days, and I am happy we could sit down and chat. As the podcast continues to address our current social landscape, Trailblazing Tex and Coach Wilson had to re-record his episode. We still address is playing and coaching career, but we also cover about racial issues and injustices. We chat about:


His playing career (he played at both NYU and American)

His coaching career (D1, D2, JuCo, and high school)

His experiences

Learning and educating yourself

Conversations he is having with his players

His podcast: “The Extra Pass Podcast”

Sergeant Lee Donovan with the Houston Police Department, Special Victims Division, Crimes against Children's Unit joins us today! My goal is to have many voices on to the show. Most of us are on the same side and fight for what is right. Sgt. Donovan spends his time putting away people that prey on some of the the most vulnerable people in society– children. We discuss:


His transition from the corporate world to becoming a cop
How he navigated his career and became Sergeant
HPD protocols and how police are taught
Current protests and what can be done

Darryl graciously joins the show. We had an incredible conversation! It’s a bit longer than the other episodes, but 100% worth the watch and/or listen. We cover a lot in this episode:


Where he’s originally from in Houston
How he ended up becoming a petroleum engineer
Him being a Little and part of Big Brothers Big Sisters as a kid. Now he’s a Big for BBBS. Listen in to hear why he believes this organization makes the greatest impact
George Floyd, and other lives lost at the hands of law enforcement
Privilege
Being intentional with who we support. If we want to support our communities, and specific businesses, like black businesses (artists, chefs, film makers, etc.), we must do it intentionally. Do a little research about the businesses around you!
Places to eat in Houston to support black owned restaurants

I decided to shift the focus of the Trailblazing Tex podcast due to recent events. Officer Ari Ross joins us, and I am incredibly grateful to be able to sit down, have this discussion, while listening and learning. On today’s episode we discuss:


Her career and how she landed in law enforcement
Racial injustice within our country
Her experience with the protests as a member of law enforcement
What we can all do to help to continue to fight for what is right– we all have our own role to play
Her involvement with Marietta College and being on MCAA
A discussion around Marietta’s mascot