Sola Akinola
This interview is with Sola Akinola, a musician and musical instructor in Grand Prairie, TX. Sola talks about his childhood as the son of Nigerian immigrants, describing a sense of alienation from both his peers and his culture. He discusses his interests such as favorite school subjects, stories, games, and musical involvement that led to his current career. Sola shares his experiences of discimination and racism as a Black man and first-generation American, and he describes how these experiences have impacted his relationship with and understanding of the United States. He also talks about the intersection of these aspects of his identity with his neurodivergence.
Kevin Ireland
This interview is with Kevin Ireland, a seminarian studying at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Kevin talks about his perceptions of gender growing up, including the media and family dynamics that shaped those perceptions. He talks about his experiences parenting a child in the LGBTQ+ community, such as supporting their engagement with the Texas legislature.
Joanna Crawford
This interview is with Reverend Joanna Crawford from Live Oak Unitarian Church. Joanna left a career in marketing and was interested in process theology, eventually running a liberal church in Cedar Park, an area in Austin that is slowly becoming more racially diverse. Joanna has dealt with a fair share of hardships, like her daughter surviving cancer as well as being a woman minister, but all that has shaped her religious views in a positive way. Joanna also speaks to the hardships of virtual church service, which luckily, she’s accustomed to.