Welcome to Twice 5 Miles Radio. I'm James Navé, your host. Today, we're joined by a familiar voice and a cherished guest, Jennifer Pickering, director of LEAF Global Arts. While Jennifer has joined us many times to discuss the vibrant work LEAF Global Arts brings to life, today's conversation is different. This time, Jennifer shares her deeply personal experience of Hurricane Helene's devastation to her Lake Eden home and the surrounding Swannanoa and Black Mountain areas.

In this episode, we step away from the usual questions and sit with Jennifer as she recounts the storm's impact. From her couch overlooking her land, she reflects on the heartbreaking sights of uprooted trees, damaged homes, and neighbors left with unlivable spaces and inadequate insurance settlements. Her thoughts flow freely, a stream-of-consciousness meditation on the losses and resilience sparked by this overwhelming storm.

Jennifer's strength and optimism shine through despite the damage surrounding her. Her ability to find light amid adversity is a core reason why LEAF Global Arts has thrived, and it remains intact even as her world slowly begins to heal. Join us for this powerful episode as Jennifer gives voice to both the devastation and the enduring spirit that defines her work and life. Enjoy the show.

Swannanoa, NC's Resilience: Jennifer Pickering on Hurricane Helene’s Flooding Impact

Provocative Conversations from Twice 5 Miles Radio is a podcast devoted to candid, often surprising exchanges with artists, thinkers, and cultural instigators who speak from the core. Each episode dives beneath the surface to explore the stories and questions that shape our lives.

I’m James Navé—poet, storyteller, educator, and longtime creative collaborator. With an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and decades of teaching experience across the globe, I help writers and performers tap into their authentic voices through public speaking, creative writing, and the Imaginative Storm method, which I co-developed with Allegra Huston.

My most recent book, 100 Days: A Poetic Memoir After Cancer (3: A Taos Press), documents a hundred days of healing and poetic reckoning. I’m also co-author of Write What You Don’t Know and How to Read for an Audience—practical guides for anyone seeking to speak and write with more truth and power.

I’ve directed festivals, hosted literary salons, taught with Julia Cameron, and memorized over 600 poems. I still believe in the power of a well-told story, the light through stained glass, and the open road with nothing but a podcast and a windshield full of stars.

Swannanoa, NC's Resilience: Jennifer Pickering on Hurricane Helene’s Flooding Impact

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