Episode 106: Why Welcoming Everyone Gets Complicated with Garland Fuller

What this episode is about:

What does it actually take to build a space where people feel like they belong? Garland Fuller — culture consultant and founder of Third Space Academy — has made it her life's work to answer that question. We get into the gap between what organizations say they value and how they actually operate, why "I want everyone to come" is a lot trickier than it sounds, and what intentional community building really looks like in practice.

This one hit close to home — I share what I've been learning building my pop-up cinema project on Chicago's south side through the Change Collective fellowship, and Garland brings the strategic clarity to help it all click.

Let's get into it:

What is a culture consultant, actually? Garland breaks down the "people, place, program" framework and why culture is often the unseen force shaping how organizations actually operate — not just what's on the mission statement

Values: aspiration vs. reality — Why integrity and service are on everyone's list, what it actually means to walk the talk, and when it might be time to update values that no longer fit who your org has become

Third spaces are disappearing (or getting expensive) — From libraries to record shops to country clubs, Garland explains the spectrum of third spaces and who's really being invited in

The "I want everyone to come" trap — Why all-ages, all-inclusive spaces are aspirational but tricky, with real examples from Stephanie's micro cinema project (Poetic Justice vs. Disney night, anyone?)

Building the Community Impact Collective — Garland's digital sanctuary for femmes who are done fitting into boxes, why she built it for community over solo learning, and the Show and Tell Mondays that keep it real

Adapt or die: organizations that are going stale — A real talk about churches, legacy orgs, and what happens when your next generation isn't in your current membership

Practical strategies: surveying, focus groups, and why anonymous matters

Leadership advice that hits: People are watching you in the small moments more than the big keynotes

Chapters:

• 00:08 - Introducing the Guest

• 07:20 - Understanding Culture and Values in Organizations

• 16:55 - Creating All-Age Spaces: Building Community Connections

• 19:00 - Exploring Community Engagement

• 31:27 - Building Community and Support in Creative Spaces

• 36:14 - Facilitation and Empathy in Group Dynamics

• 44:21 - Facilitation and Engagement in Education

• 48:21 - Creating Third Spaces: Starting from Your Why

Things We Mentioned

Third Space Academy — Garland's coaching program for leaders building intentional community spaces

Community Impact Collective — Garland's digital community for femmes and changemakers

The Change Collective Fellowship — the civic leadership fellowship Stephanie participated in that sparked her pop-up cinema project

Soho House — referenced as an example of an exclusive, membership-based third space

Ray Oldenburg's concept of "third spaces" — the sociological framework underlying this whole convo (optional — confirm

Thank you for listening to noseyAF! So happy to have your ears!

This Conversation was recorded live for Lumpen Radio

Ep #104: Joe Schupbach: Care Is the Curriculum

SUMMARY

What does care really look like — beyond Valentine's Day chocolates and heart-shaped cards? In this episode of noseyAF, Stephanie Graham sits down with Joe Schupbach, a mission-driven educator, theater maker, and instructional coach with over two decades of experience in public education, nonprofits, and community-centered theater. Together they explore care as a daily practice: in classrooms, in collaborative creative spaces, in our neighborhoods, and in ourselves.

Joe shares how he stumbled into creative leadership, what trauma-informed teaching really means in practice, and why experiential learning matters more than ever in today's schools. The conversation moves through faith and identity, the joys of cooking as connection, and ends with a rallying call to get nosy about your local schools — and to support live, in-person art.

WHAT WE GET INTO 💬

You know when a conversation just goes everywhere in the best way? That's this one. Here's a taste of what Joe and Steph cover:

00:26 — Introduction to noseyAF

01:15 — Care as a daily ritual: not just something you perform on Valentine's Day, but how it shows up in classrooms, rehearsal rooms, and community spaces every single day

08:35 — How Joe accidentally fell into creative leadership — starting as a teaching artist right out of college and slowly becoming the person leading the room

18:06 — What trauma-informed teaching actually looks like on the ground, and why instructional coaches like Joe are changing the game in Chicago high schools

27:02 — Art-making during and after COVID-19 — how the pandemic forced a reckoning with what live, communal performance means and why it still matters

32:29 — Faith, identity, and how the personal bleeds into the professional for educators and artists alike

41:43 — Cooking as a love language: a genuinely delightful tangent about how preparing food for people is one of the most caring acts you can do

53:11 — How non-parents and non-teachers can meaningfully support local educators — including the surprisingly powerful role of Local School Councils (LSCs)

THINGS WE MENTIONED 🔗

Embarc Chicago — Joe's organization, working with 17 high schools in the Chicago area → embarcchicago.org

josephschupbach.com— Joe's personal site for artistic work, directing, and collaborations

Change Collective Fellowship — the leadership program Joe and Stephanie both participated in

Looking Glass Theatre — one of Joe's longtime artistic collaborators

PlayMakers Laboratory, The Neo-Futurists, The Ruffians, Salonathon, The Paper Machete — Chicago theater orgs Joe has worked with

DonorsChoose — mentioned as a way to directly support classroom supply needs

Local School Councils (LSCs) — the elected, community-based governing bodies of every Chicago Public School (and yes, you can be on one even if you don't have kids in the school!)

ALL ABOUT JOE SCHUPBACH 🎭

You're gonna love Joe — he's a two-MFA-having, theater-making, trauma-informed teaching wizard who genuinely believes

Ep #103: Mental Health for Expats — Building Community Abroad with Moved With Peace

Summary of the Episode

What really happens after you move abroad and the honeymoon phase wears off?

In this episode of noseyAF, host Stephanie Graham sits down with writer and community-builder Stephanie Rubinato to talk honestly about mental health for expats, postpartum depression, and the emotional realities of building a life far from home. Living abroad is often portrayed as dreamy and effortless—but this conversation pulls back the curtain on what’s usually left out.

Stephanie shares her personal experience navigating postpartum depression after moving to Italy, the isolation many immigrants and expats feel, and why community care is just as important as cultural immersion. Together, they unpack slow living, creative burnout, friendship shifts, and what it really takes to build meaningful support systems abroad.

This episode is a grounding, honest reminder that moving overseas doesn’t magically solve everything—and that seeking help, sharing resources, and building community is part of the journey.

What We Talk About

(aka: the real stuff you don’t see on Instagram 🇮🇹)

1. Mental health challenges for immigrants, expats, and digital nomads
2. Postpartum depression while living abroad
3. The gap between “aesthetic expat life” and reality
4. Building community through Moved With Peace
5. Slow living, self-trust, and creative rhythms
6. Friendship shifts, boundaries, and nourishment
7. Why vulnerability is a form of survival (not weakness)

Chapters

00:08 – Introduction to the Guest

03:07 – Navigating Mental Health Challenges as an Expat

22:32 – Navigating the Creative Chaos

35:51 – Building Community Abroad

39:51 – Navigating Friendships and Family Dynamics

Things We Mentioned

Moved With Peace – Stephanie’s community-centered project for immigrants and expats

Therapy resources & finding culturally aligned mental health support abroad

Slow living, journaling, affirmations, and grounding practices

The upcoming Italian Reset Retreat (launching 2027)

All about… Stephanie Rubinato

You’re gonna love Stephanie Rubinato — she’s a writer, community-builder, and calm-in-the-chaos type of creative.

Stephanie Rubinato is a writer and content strategist living in Italy, creating honest, grounded stories through Moved With Peace and Stephanie Rubinato Media. Her work centers slow living, self-trust, mental health, and building community—especially for immigrants and expats navigating life far from home. Through her writing, video projects, and upcoming retreats, Stephanie reminds us that we don’t have to do it all—we just have to do what’s real.

Connect with Stephanie Rubinato

Instagram: @movedwithpeace

Website: movedwithpeace.com

YouTube: Moved With Peace

Connect with Stephanie

Ep #102: Getting Dressed Is Identity Work How Personal Style Opens Doors with Stylist Kyla

Summary of the episode

Ever had a full-blown meltdown trying to figure out what to wear? Personal stylist Kyla gets it—and she's here to tell you that your closet struggles go way deeper than just "not having the right clothes." In this episode, we're diving into the psychology of personal style, why taking your image seriously is actually a power move (not vanity), and how getting dressed every single day is identity work in disguise.

Kyla shares her journey from tech career to personal styling, breaks down why smart women absolutely DO care about their appearance, and explains how your closet might be signaling things about you that you didn't even realize. We talk about the "sexy Trinity," why you should only shop four times a year (yes, really), and how showing up ready to be seen has opened doors Kyla never expected. If you've ever felt invisible, stuck in leggings, or like your wardrobe doesn't match who you're becoming, this conversation is for you.

What we're getting into

1. Why correcting people on your name is actually about claiming your presence (and how Kyla turned it into a whole brand)
2. The connection between personal style and leadership—and why the "charismatic guy" gets ahead while brilliant women stay in the background
3. How your closet reveals your mental state (spoiler: if it's cluttered, your mind probably is too)
4. The three S's of feeling sexy: skin, support, and subject (aka the sexy Trinity)
5. Why you should NEVER shop more than four times a year
6. The difference between transactional styling and transformational styling
7. How to build a mix-and-matchable wardrobe that actually serves you
8. Why talent isn't enough—and how Kyla's style helped her land opportunities she never saw coming
9. The real reason you have a closet full of clothes but "nothing to wear"

Chapters:

• 00:18 - Introducing Kyla: A New Perspective on Fashion

• 06:01 - The Journey of Identity and Image

• 19:12 - The Psychology of Personal Style

• 28:27 - Understanding Consumerism and Personal Style

• 45:11 - The Power of Style and Presence

Things We Mentioned

1. Kyla's Closet Essentials Checklist - $2 resource with styling lesson (available at kylanotkayla.com)
2. Master Class on Feeling Sexy - Kyla's course on the three S's of sexy style
3. The Sexy Trinity: Skin, Support, Subject
4. Capsule Wardrobe concept - Cyclical seasonal approach to your closet
5. Fashion Psychology - The real psychological impact of what you wear

Ep #101: Freedom, Flexibility, and Filling the Gap: How Melquea Smith Built a Creative Life Through Children's Book Illustration

Summary

In this episode, I sit down with Melquea Smith, a children's book illustrator, author, and world traveler who's redefining what it means to build a creative life on your own terms. Fresh off five weeks in Belgium (with cats and a chicken!), Melquea shares how losing her nonprofit job became the catalyst for going full-time as an illustrator, why representation in children's books matters deeply, and how she's scaling her art through Brown Sugar Graphics—a clip art membership celebrating Black and Brown kids in all their beautiful diversity.

We get into the nitty-gritty of how picture books actually get made, what authors should look for when hiring an illustrator, and why visual storytelling is so much more than "just drawing." Plus, Melquea drops gems on building a sustainable creative business, navigating perfectionism, and finding alignment between your work, your values, and your joy.

If you've ever wondered what goes into those gorgeous picture books, dreamed of going location-independent as a creative, or just need permission to imagine a different way of living—this one's for you.

Chapters

1. 00:19 - Introducing Melquea Smith: A Visionary in Children's Literature
2. 10:13 - Navigating Change: Embracing Freedom and Creativity
3. 20:00 - Transitioning to Children's Illustration
4. 35:06 - The Importance of Representation in Children's Literature
5. 56:41 - The Journey of Creating Diverse Clip Art
6. 01:02:01 - The Creative Journey of Brown Sugar Graphics

What We Talk About

1. How Melquea networked like a pro at the American Library Association Conference with custom postcards and a manuscript wish list
2. Losing a job in the nonprofit world and choosing full-time illustration instead of going back to corporate
3. Living and working abroad: five weeks in Belgium, falling in love with the Netherlands, and becoming a global citizen
4. The actual process of illustrating a children's book—from thumbnails to color scripting to final art
5. Why illustrators aren't just "drawers"—they're visual storytellers, marketers, and business owners
6. The severe lack of diverse, high-quality clip art featuring Black and Brown kids
7. How Brown Sugar Graphics is filling that gap with joyful, authentic representations of kids with different skin tones, hair textures, body types, abilities, and more
8. What authors should know before hiring an illustrator (hint: it's not just about the art)
9. The power of email lists, the exhaustion of social media, and showing up where it matters most

Things We Mentioned

This conversation was recorded live at Lumpen Radio in Chicago on Saturday, January 10, 2026.

Ep # 100: Chicago Artist Deirdre Fox on Turning Plastic Waste into Environmental Art & Visual Poetry

Summary of the episode

Chicago-based artist Deirdre Fox joins noseyAF for a live, unedited conversation from 105.5 FM Lumpen Radio about art, plastic waste, and environmental consciousness. Deirdre’s practice transforms discarded consumer packaging into drawings, fiber works, and installations that challenge how we think about disposability, permanence, and material value.

In this episode, host Stephanie Graham talks with Deirdre about her artistic journey, the idea of visual poetry, and how mindfulness—both in making and consuming—shapes her work. Together, they explore the tension between organic and synthetic materials, the limits of recycling, and the role artists play in addressing environmental responsibility through creative practice.

This conversation invites listeners to slow down, look closer, and reconsider the materials that move through their everyday lives.

1. Transforming plastic consumer packaging into drawings, fiber works, and installations
2. Visual poetry and storytelling through material
3. Mindfulness, consumption, and environmental responsibility
4. The evolution of Deirdre’s artistic practice from representational to abstract work
5. Making art that lives in the tension between permanence and disposability

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Introduction to noseyAF

• 02:30 - Deirdre's Artistic Journey with Plastic Waste

• 15:20 - Reflecting on Pouch Cove

• 29:36 - Finding One's Voice in Art

• 42:56 - Balancing Time and Creativity

• 52:13 - Exploring Artistic Processes and Sustainability

• 58:43 - Exploring Artistic Collaborations

You’re gonna love Deirdre they’re a Chicago-based artist turning everyday plastic waste into visually refined, quietly radical works of environmental reflection.

Deirdre Fox crochets and weaves plastic consumer packaging into drawings, fiber pieces, and drawing installations. Her work functions as personal gestures of environmental consciousness, rooted in the understanding that plastics made for convenience—like single-use bags—last far longer than intended, and that recycling alone is not an adequate solution.

Her practice questions systems of built-in obsolescence and accumulated waste, while creating visual poems that hold time, care, and material awareness. Deirdre has exhibited at FlexSpace Riverside Art Center, Hyde Park Art Center, Boundary Chicago, Evanston Art Center, the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Koehnline Museum of Art Gallery, and the Swedish American Museum, among others. She has received multiple grants from the City of Chicago and the Illinois Arts Council and maintains her studio at Mana Contemporary Chicago.

This episode is brought to you by Artist Admin Hour

Get your work done with structure, with company. Check out Artist Admin Hour at missgraham.com/artistadminhour

1. Instagram: @deirdre_fox_art

EP# 99 The Rise of Women’s Sports, NIL Money, and the Power of the Everyday Athlete with Angela Hollowell

✨ Episode Summary

Women’s sports are having a moment — and it’s about time.

In this episode of noseyAF, Stephanie Graham sits down with filmmaker, writer, and Melanin MVP founder Angela Hollowell to talk about the rise of women’s sports, the impact of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) money, and why the idea of the “everyday athlete” might change how we think about movement altogether.

We get into how women athletes, especially women of color, are finally getting visibility, how branding and social media have reshaped college and pro sports, and why athleticism doesn’t have to look one specific way. From glam on the court to cycling for joy, this conversation explores how creativity, confidence, and culture show up in sports — and in life.

If you’ve ever thought “sports aren’t really for me,” this episode might change your mind.

🗣️ What We Get Into

• Why women’s sports are finally getting real attention
• How NIL money changed the game for college athletes
• What an “everyday athlete” actually is — and why it matters
• Glam, femininity, and breaking outdated ideas of athleticism
• The pressure young athletes face in the age of social media
• Filmmaking, creativity, and finding balance without burning out

⏱️ Chapters

• 00:11 — Welcome & setting the scene
• 00:35 — The rise of women’s sports + NIL money
• 11:22 — How Melanin MVP came to be
• 17:06 — Everyday athletes & redefining movement
• 23:19 — Reality TV, Alabama, and cultural detours
• 27:30 — Documentary filmmaking & creative process
• 37:14 — Balance, focus, and doing less better
• 46:03 — Sports relationships & team dynamics
• 48:24 — Melanin MVP Awards brainstorm 👀
• 55:54 — The yearbook idea & what’s next

🔗 Things We Mentioned

• Melanin MVP – Newsletter + podcast spotlighting women athletes of color
• The Melanin MVP Cross-Training Quiz (not for the weak, apparently 😭)
• NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) legislation

🌟 All About Angela Hollowell

You’re gonna love Angela — she’s thoughtful, hilarious, deeply intentional, and casually changing how we think about sports and storytelling.

Angela Hollowell is the founder of Rootful Media, a creative documentary film production company based in Durham, North Carolina. She’s also the host of the video podcasts Honey & Hustle and Melanin MVP.

Her work centers Southern voices and explores the outdoors, health equity, environmental justice, and social impact — all through a thoughtful, culture-forward lens. Beyond filmmaking, Angela helps visual storytellers and creative entrepreneurs grow their audience and build meaningful creative businesses.

When she’s not working, you can find her outside, on a bike, or enjoying a fruity beer or margarita with friends 🍹.

🔌 Connect with Angela

• Instagram: @honeyhustlepod
• Website: https://www.angelahollowell.com/
• Newsletter...

Ep #98: Print Your Legacy: Lawrence Nalls on Multi-Generational Photography and Pride

Summary of the episode

Lawrence Nalls, managing photographer of Forty Photography, shares the profound journey of building a multi-generational Chicago photography studio rooted in legacy, storytelling, and community service. In this conversation, Lawrence reveals how his father's Vietnam War documentation sparked a family tradition that's now entering its third generation. We explore the emotional weight of photography as both art form and responsibility, the importance of print over digital, and why Lawrence believes every photograph should make you feel something. From learning to "figure it out" with his first camera to teaching his sons the business, Lawrence offers candid insights on building trust with clients, the hard lessons of running a creative business (yes, take deposits!), and how to help people see past their insecurities to capture pride. This episode is a masterclass in intentional photography, sustainable creative practice, and the power of printed images to preserve family legacy.

What we're getting into

You know how some conversations just feel like sitting down with someone who's lived it and learned it? That's this whole episode.

• The origin story of Forty Photography - from Vietnam War footage to a thriving multi-generational studio
• Why prints matter more than digital files - and how Lawrence shifted his entire practice around this philosophy
• The business side of photography - storage systems, deposits, redundancy, and the stuff nobody talks about
• Building trust and managing client insecurities - including Lawrence's "word bank" technique for portrait sessions
• Keeping enthusiasm alive after 19 years - the daily present philosophy and why relationships are wealth
• Film vs. digital and intentionality - how shooting film shaped Lawrence's approach to digital photography
• Parenting, sports, and passing down the legacy - raising two sons in the family business

Folks and Things We Mentioned

• Forty Photography - Lawrence's multi-generational Chicago photography studio
• John H. White - Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and church friend who inspired Lawrence
• Gordon Parks - Legendary photographer and director of Shaft
• Annie Leibovitz - Renowned portrait photographer
• Richard Avedon - Fashion and portrait photographer
• Sarah Oliphant - Artist who hand-paints canvases for photography backgrounds
• Chicago Alliance of African American Photographers (CAAAP) - Organization focused on documenting Black life with pride
• Rainbow Beach - Lawrence's "happy place" on Chicago's South Side
• Artist Admin Hour - Stephanie's Wednesday accountability sessions for...