The Perfectly Imperfect Journey

Listening to your Gut, your God, and your Guides with Judge Ashleigh Parker

Throughout her life, Ashleigh Parker would get whispers of wisdom that, in her younger days she would ignore. Her Dad, a well-respected attorney, was a great role model to her, but she had no interest in practicing law until the moment it became clear that she was being called to that path. With that clarity she applied to, and graduated, from her father’s alma mater and began her career as a prosecutor. She was equally as certain that she had no interest in procedural law, until she found fulfillment when she joined the NC Attorney General’s office and was assigned to the DMV.  Being a judge seemed far out of the realm of possibility, until she was named the youngest African American female to the NC bench. When considering where she wanted to work as a judge, she had zero interest in family court, until that was her assigned courtroom and she discovered that she loved it. Ultimately Ashleigh made the choice to stop letting resistance stand in the way of what she is meant to do, and instead, now finds her clarity by being still and listening to her gut, her god, and her guides. 

 

Bio:
Judge Ashleigh Parker is a District Court Judge in the 10th Judicial District, which encompasses Wake County, located in Raleigh, NC.  Prior to her appointment by Governor Roy Cooper in 2017, Judge Parker served the citizens of North Carolina as an Assistant Attorney General at the North Carolina Department of Justice and as an Assistant District Attorney at the Wake County District Attorney's Office.

Judge Parker graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Wake Forest University and cum laude from North Carolina Central University School of Law.  She has been practicing law since she was 24 years old.  At age 30, Judge Parker was only the 3rd and youngest African American female to hold this position in Wake County since the District Courts were established over 50 years ago.

Judge Parker prides herself on her judicial philosophy of being “R.E.A.L.: Respectful, Efficient, Active in the Community, and Learned in the Law."   Judge Parker is passionate about increasing equity within the criminal justice system and educating our youth.  She has written for multiple publications, including the North Carolina State Bar Journal, on topics related to racism, sexism, and natural hair within the legal profession.  Additionally, Judge Parker has held numerous leadership positions in her profession and is currently Vice Chair of the NC State Bar CLE Committee and President of the 10th Judicial District Bar and Wake County Bar Association where she is the first African American female to be President of both bars and the youngest ever. 

Judge Parker serves as the lead Child Support Judge in Wake County and one of two Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Judges.  She is the Co-Founder of the Capital City Lawyer's Association Law Day Program.  Since its inception in 2014, this program has afforded over 900 minority high school students the opportunity to engage in a mock trial, interact with minority officers and attorneys, and take a tour of the local jail.  Most recently, Judge Parker is also the Co-Founder of the Wake County Legal Support Center which opened on January 9, 2023. This Center provides free legal information for individuals who wish to represent themselves with domestic and housing issues.

Lastly, Judge Parker is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated.  She lives in Raleigh with her 2 sons where they attend Elevation Church.  For more information about Judge Parker you can visit her website at www.JudgeAshleigh.com.

Links to articles:
Sexism: The Elephant in the Courtroom

My Crown is Professional

Justice Isn't Always Blind

A Call to Action: Fighting Racial Inequality Behind the Bench

Take the Front Seat

In the 2nd half of 2023, we have Beyonce and Taylor Swift selling out stadiums and Barbie filling seats in the movie theaters.  It feels like we are at an inflection point: more success and empowerment for women as represented in these social activities, or less, as reflected in supreme court cases and state restrictions?  Join us as we discuss recent books, movies, and personal histories with regards to women's rights and independence.  We invite all of our listeners to consider their own connection to misogyny, and when it is time to take the front seat. 

Going Quiet with Kim Hunter

Kim has been a “dabbler” most of her life…she started her career in software, but it didn’t give her much energy.  She knew she had a passion for food and started looking for ways to become more immersed in that world. She worked at her local farmers market, did some catering and worked in a couple of restaurants. She opened a restaurant, which gave her an outlet to create food that she loved and a community, but although it had a good run and moved her in the right direction, it still wasn’t quite the right outlet. She tried a food truck and quickly discovered that too was not for her, but every one of these steps has been an important part of her journey. Kim has found that going quiet in between her different ventures has always led her down the right path and she believes this regeneration time is critical to happiness.  Kim now shares her passion for food and community through hosting farm to table dinners in Western North Carolina.  Please listen in to hear Kim’s perfectly imperfect journey. 

 

Bio:

Kim Hunter is a chef, host, and curator of events that bring people together around the table. Inspired by sustainable ingredients that regenerate the land, she uses food as a medium for love and connection. Kim is a frequent chef and collaborator in underground supper clubs and pop-up dinners, and is passionate about food justice and equity. Kim was the chef/owner of her farm to table Korean restaurant in Raleigh, NC before relocating in 2022 to the mountains of North Carolina.

Information on upcoming events and pictures of gorgeous food: https://www.instagram.com/chefkimh/

Survivor with Trish Hegarty

Trigger warning: this episode includes a discussion of eating disorders.

 

When Trish Hegarty joined the cast of Survivor in 2014, it may have been her first experience in the Philippines, but she had already lived a lifetime of surviving family addiction issues, an eating disorder, and an unstable marriage. Listen in to hear Trish’s story of resilience and the power any of us can have to change someone’s life simply by sharing our own story. 

 

If you or someone you know needs help with an eating disorder, here is a resource:  

Eating Disorder Helpline: 888.375.7767

Or chat: www.anad.org/get-help/helpline-email/

 

Bio

Trish Hegarty was raised in the Boston area in an Irish Catholic family.  While it went undiagnosed as a child, Trish suffered from a learning disability, so she focused much of her energy into sports, eventually earning a spot as the Captain of her university’s women's soccer team.  After graduation, Trish transformed that passion for athletics into teaching Pilates and has owned her own studio for the last 25 years.  Trish is the proud mother of two fantastic girls whom she raised on her own.  

 

In 2014, after several years of trying to get on the show, Trish was a contestant on the CBS program, Survivor.  Through her tenacity and grit, Trish made it 36 days out of 39 and was eventually voted out 5th.  In August 2022, Trish was also a contestant on the show Snake in the Grass.

 

Trish still lives outside of Boston and is currently writing her autobiography. 

Serendipity

Serendipity is the unexpected, and often delightful, intersection of luck, coincidence, and opportunity.  Chance events are happening all around us, we are often just too busy to notice.  In this episode, Sherry and Anne talk about their own experiences with serendipity and how it is not enough to just wait for good things to happen; it is about mindset, a willingness to move beyond the analytical / thinking mind and to create action around serendipitous moments.  Along the way, we encourage you to embrace curiosity, openness, and adaptability to meet serendipity when it arises.

No Expectations with Josh Izenberg

Josh Izenberg started his college career with many interests and no solid idea of what he wanted to do after graduation.  Along the way he fell in love with filmmaking and headed to LA to make his dreams of being a wildly successful filmmaker come true.  Unfortunately, that did not turn out as planned, so Josh ditched his expectations of what “being a success” looks like and made a small film with some friends in Eastern Tennessee.  And there he had a revelation: with no expectations comes total freedom.  Josh has had several twists and turns on his way to winning multiple awards for his documentary films and his latest release, Eco-Hack!.  Please listen in to hear Josh’s perfectly imperfect journey.  

 

Bio

Josh Izenberg is a documentary filmmaker based in the California Bay Area. His film, SLOMO (2013), won over a dozen awards, including best short documentary at SXSW, premiered as a New York Times Op-Doc, and was shortlisted for an Academy Award. His subsequent film, the Netflix Original, Resurface, won the Jury Prize at Tribeca and was nominated for an Emmy. He’s since co-directed the short documentaries Game Hawker (2022) for Patagonia Films and Eco-Hack!, which won an audience award at Hot Docs and premieres with The New Yorker today, July 19, 2023

 

Website: http://joshizenberg.com/
Films: http://joshizenberg.com/films 

Yes, And with Dr. Maureen Aarons

For the majority of her life,  Dr. Maureen Aarons was a people pleaser, raised in a strict Catholic family where many decisions were presented as binary.  Even her decision to go to medical school seemed like a choice: be a doctor, or become a mom.  When she married the love of her life, who happened to be Jewish, Maureen describes it as “breaking their family’s hearts.” When she was diagnosed with cancer 3.5 years ago, Maureen began to more fully embrace the power of Yes, And.  Yes, she can still serve her patients, be present for her family, give back to her community AND she has to attend to her own needs to keep doing all the things she wants to.  Maureen believes “Yes, And” is the way to live a more fulfilled life.  Please listen in to hear Maureen’s beautiful life story.  

Bio:
I have been a daughter/sister for nearly 61 years, physician for 35 years, wife for 33 years, mother for 31 years and cancer patient for 3 and a half years. As long as I can remember I was drawn to asking questions, solving problems, and connecting with people of diverse ages and backgrounds. My diagnosis of invasive breast cancer opened a crash course in self-care, self-awareness and openness to change. "Shut up and listen” has long been my professional habit and has become (imperfectly;) my mothering mantra, as our three children grew.  Receiving a life-threatening diagnosis caused me to really stop and listen to myself.

While self-care is the ONLY work that ONLY we can do, healing cannot happen in isolation. My husband, our children, our friends, our extended family, and even my patients and acquaintances, were my scaffolding while my body and spirit underwent an intense period of renovation. The work of healing was both internal and communal. I received gifts and accepted help without hesitation and without anxiety. I said “yes” to everything that felt supportive and limited anything that didn’t serve my overriding purpose of wellness. My life before chemotherapy (followed immediately by Covid) was extremely productive but sometimes at the price of adequate sleep and any time for play. Though I had emphasized the great value of rest and personal boundaries to my children and to my patients, I did not prioritize either in my own life. 

Now, back to full time work in a brand new practice, I stay more consistently connected to myself and my own needs throughout each day, no matter how busy. Inside and outside of my office, I laugh more, spend more time with friends, stress less and stay much more curious about possibilities, present and future. The reciprocity of healing relationships allows us to both give and receive, in equal or unequal measure, without keeping score and and even with wild abandon.

Website: https://www.visiondermatology.com/ 

Be Anything You Want with Ava LaShay

Ava LaShay grew up never quite knowing where he fit in. He was a mixed kid in a suburban, predominantly white town when he figured out he was gay. Surrounded by negative perceptions of gay people, he suppressed that part of his identity and dedicated himself to caring for his young niece and nephew. Finally, during college, while being part of a queer support group on campus, Ava first encountered the world of drag.

 

“I have never felt more connected to life itself than I have since I started drag.“

 

Drag has opened up new avenues for Ava to engage in meaningful conversations with others, to support the queer community and to bring joy to people’s lives. And when she dons her wig and high heels, Ava TRANSFORMS. Through drag, Ava can embody any persona she desires, and her stage presence is magnificent. Join us as we delve into Ava's perfectly imperfect journey.

Bio

Ava LaShay is a Bay Area, CA based drag entertainer and event emcee. Often referred to as the Queen of the East Bay, Ava has spent the past 8 years building a name for herself in the community through hosting, producing and performing in countless shows and events. She loves to bring laughter and joy to people through the art of drag but also uses her artform to raise awareness of everyday issues the LGBTQIA+ community faces. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avalashay/

International Connector with Marti Grimminck

Marti Grimminck’s love of travel was cemented in her childhood growing up in New York and traveling with her parents. Her desire to connect was born out of this same love of travel; never missing an opportunity to meet someone new, Marti created relationships all over the world and founded a business focused on bringing a global perspective to companies in the US and abroad. Join us to hear Marti’s unique perspective and the serendipity that has formed her life. 

 

Bio

 

Marti Grimminck is a global business executive, social entrepreneur, keynote speaker and futurist designer. Working with corporations and governments, she designs the future of work, future of education, future of communities. She speaks globally on the future of work, hybrid workplace, virtual engagement and consumer trends of GenZs and Millennials.

 

As the Founder and CEO of International Connector, Marti has deep knowledge of emerging trends through the cultivation of an unparalleled global network of GenZs and Millennials across 190 countries. With 20+ years experience working on developing promotional campaigns, brands, products and platforms, Marti’s work is remarkably diverse and globally spread. She is the Executive Director of a portfolio of social impact programs developed through her innovation work including: Your Big Year youth empowerment, Innovative Resilience building connected resilient communities, and Future of Women in Tech elevating women leaders in business. 

 

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/martigrimminck/

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/martigrimminck_global/

Don’t Should on Yourself

Beyond being fun to say, “don’t should on yourself” can be an important mantra to live by.  Every time you say I should…(fill in the blank) you are creating a scenario where you are already behind the 8 ball. 

There is judgment in I should.  

There is abdication in I should. 

There is disempowerment in I should.

Check out this week’s episode for some strategies to get rid of the “shoulds” and walk more fully into your “I choose.”