“Here is what you need to know about the Divine Miss P. She is an activist. She is a chef and organizer and honorary Auntie to what is now a few generations of this community’s children. She is a fierce mama lion for her chosen family and her community, especially those most marginalized by our society. She shows up where needed. She shows up when life hits you hard and others scatter. She will be present for her friends and those in need. She feeds us, challenges us to be better, forgives us, loves us, offers up wisdom with knowing humor and a belly laugh, and then she gets us up on the dance floor.” This is just the beginning of Jean Henry’s explanation of how inspiring Paquetta is to those fortunate enough to know her. She is so many things to so many people in Ann Arbor and beyond that it would be impossible to list here. In this podcast we talk about her years of activism, her work with mental health and healthcare in Washtenaw County, and her upbringing as a child in foster care.

52 Portraits 22: Paquetta Palmer

Rachel is a licensed acupuncturist residing in East Lansing, MI. She bravely reached out to me requesting to be a part of this project, and I feel there is no better way to introduce you to Rachel than by sharing an excerpt of the email she sent. I was so moved by her courage and I’m hopeful that her words will inspire you to take the time to listen to her story. It contains so much love, so much grief, and ultimately, so much hope.

“I’m reaching out to you now because I'm looking for opportunities to share my story of having a so-called "late term" abortion. I feel a great urgency to keep sharing a perspective on abortion that often goes untold. My pregnancy was planned and the baby was already loved and deeply wanted. I made the heartbreaking decision to abort the pregnancy and live with the grief and the "what ifs" that will likely haunt me for the rest of my life.”

From the podcast:

“I tell my story to make this child’s life matter. To give it purpose and meaning and honor, and for people to know that he was loved even though I made a choice that might to some seem like an awful choice. To me it was based in love.”

52 Portraits 23: Rachel Redmond

Marianne is a yoga instructor and has been a personal mentor of mine for over a decade. I have mentioned her in previous episodes as the friend who helped my partner and I heal after our car accident with what she called “trauma yoga”. She has been such a huge inspiration in my life and has taught me and many others through her example of what it truly means to love oneself. Marianne found yoga in her 50s when a nurse practitioner prescribed it instead of antidepressants. She had no idea what a huge part of her life it would become, and that she would eventually be leading others along this path. In this episode we get to hear an example of how Marianne guides her students toward their center, enabling them to move through the world with an awareness of a deep place of knowing inside of themselves. Enjoy!

52 Portraits 24: Marianne Simpson

“I feel like we should just abolish that question.” - Kayj, commenting on how she feels about people asking, “What are you doing these days?” 
Kayj is the co-creator of First Fridays Ypsilanti, a thriving, self-guided monthly art and culture walk hosted at multiple venues throughout the downtown areas of Ypsilanti. She is a lover of travel and a spiritual seeker, and Kayj shares in this podcast how the two seemed to go hand in hand on her recent trips to Zambia and India. I caught up with her recently during a time of transition as she steps down from her role as president of FFY. If you are feeling like you’re “in between” things in your life, or you find yourself questioning how you spend your time, this conversation has something for you.

mistylyn

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