Local Voices Collective

Local Voices Collective
  • 5.0 (4)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Local Voices Collective is a podcast made up of coffee shop conversations. Each episode, is a sit down with a guest — no scripts, no spotlight — just honest stories from everyday lives. If you believe that ordinary voices carry extraordinary meaning, you’ll feel at home here. Come listen in.

  1. S2E017-Sauntymia

    APR 1

    S2E017-Sauntymia

    In this episode, I sit down with Sauntymía, co-founder of Artistry Soul Collective, to explore what it means to build something that brings people together. What started as a simple desire for better music and community in Fort Worth turned into a space where artists can be seen, supported, and connected. We talk about the hidden gap between talent and opportunity, the power of simply recognizing someone’s work, and how one platform can change the trajectory of someone who was ready to give up. More than anything, this conversation is about showing up—for your city, for others, and for the quiet voices that just need a place to be heard.

    43 min

  2. JAN 22

    S2E016-Mariah

    In this episode of Local Voices Collective, Rafael sits down with Mariah, co-owner of Cherokee Lake Farms, a small regenerative farm in Texas run alongside her husband Peyton and their young daughter. What begins as a conversation about growing food becomes a reflection on stewardship, sacrifice, and community. Mariah shares how she has learned to work with the land—adapting seeds to the Texas climate, protecting soil through cover crops, and building systems rooted in patience rather than control. She also speaks candidly about the realities behind small-scale farming: the long hours, financial pressure, off-farm jobs, and family compromises required to keep the farm alive. At its core, this is a story about choosing meaning over money and seeing food not as a product, but as a connection—between people, land, and purpose.

    40 min

  3. 12/24/2025

    S1E015- Emily A.

    In this episode of the Local Voices Collective, we sit with Emily, a coffee professional whose relationship with coffee has grown far beyond the bar. We talk about her path from barista to roaster, how curiosity led her into the science and craft of coffee, and what it means to keep learning even after years in the industry. Emily shares how visiting coffee farms in El Salvador changed the way she understands the drink—connecting flavor to labor, land, and the people behind every cup. This conversation isn’t just about coffee. It’s about attention, care, and the environments we choose to spend our time in. About slowing down, asking questions, and building trust—whether that’s with producers, coworkers, or the people who walk through the door each morning. One cup. One conversation. One story at a time.

    51 min

  4. 12/16/2025

    S1E014-Shannon

    This week’s conversation is with Shannon, owner of The Roadside Stand, a Texas roadside produce stand built on relationships with local farms. We talk about what it means to keep food affordable without losing integrity, why transparency creates trust, and how food carries memory, culture, and connection. From pick dates to Pecos cantaloupes, this episode is about choosing experience over convenience.

    42 min

  5. 12/04/2025

    S1E013-Bencjones

    Bencjones is a Fort Worth musician and producer known for blending rock, soul, R&B, and Americana into a unique, genre-bending sound. He’s a songwriter, collaborator, and creative voice shaping the city’s evolving music scene through authenticity, presence, and community.

    1h 2m

  6. 11/26/2025

    S1E012-Julia D.

    Episode 012 — Julia D.: The Resurgence of Western Culture, Storytelling, and the Soul of Fort Worth In this episode, I sit down with Julia D., a lifelong storyteller and voice of the Western industry. We talk about Fort Worth’s evolving identity, the romantic Americana woven through the city, and why Western culture is experiencing a powerful resurgence on the national stage. Julia shares her journey from growing up riding horses in Nevada to becoming a writer who preserves and uplifts the stories of the Western world. Together, we explore the values at the heart of the industry — family, community, authenticity, and a deep respect for the land. We also dive into what it means to be a steward of culture, how traditions survive in a fast-changing world, and why rodeo continues to bring people together from all backgrounds. A conversation about heritage, storytelling, and the timeless pull of the open West.

    30 min

  7. 11/19/2025

    S1011-Holden

    This week, I sat down with Holden, an endurance cyclist who’s biked 1,000 miles across Texas on his own. We talk about the Race Across Texas, the grit it takes to ride for days, and the meaning he’s found in solitude, wide-open roads, and pushing past his limits. This episode goes beyond cycling — into history, land, friendship, and the kind of freedom you only discover miles from anywhere.

    1h 20m

  8. 11/13/2025

    S1E010- Alexa J.

    Alexa and I sat down for coffee this week and talked about what it really means to start over. She opened up about moving states, facing herself in a new place, and the quiet growth that comes from being on your own. We explored belonging, independence, and finding home through courage and reflection. This episode is about change, resilience, and learning who you are when everything around you shifts.

    1h 32m
See All (17)

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Local Voices Collective is a podcast made up of coffee shop conversations. Each episode, is a sit down with a guest — no scripts, no spotlight — just honest stories from everyday lives. If you believe that ordinary voices carry extraordinary meaning, you’ll feel at home here. Come listen in.

Information

  • Creator
    Local Voices Collective
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Local Voices Collective
  • Show Website
    Local Voices Collective