Ann’s podcast.
Welcome to Life Gets Real. Hosted by singer/songwriter/author Ann Reed, it's a series of interviews with women, all of them over 60. It's conversations about experiences of life so far, what's behind, and what's ahead. With heart and humor we talk about grief, love, loss, hope—what happened and how did we get to be where we are right now. It's women's stories.
Available now on Apple, Google Play and Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Some of you already have the podcast app on your phone or tablet. But if you don't, it's easy, it's free, it's knowledge, it's fun. Please listen, subscribe and review. We think you will really enjoy these conversations.
Our first podcast is an interview with Marcia Avner. Marcia has had a full life as an advocate, organizer, and educator. A short list of her work: Communications director for Senator Paul Wellstone, Assistant commissioner of energy for the state of Minnesota, legislative director with the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group and Director of Public Policy at the Minnesota Council of Non-Profits; Marcia has served on the board of directors of Lifetrack Resources, Non-Profit Voter Engagement, the Governor's Commission on Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Friends of the Mississippi, and Wellstone Action. Listen Here.
Available now on Apple, Spotify, and Google Play or wherever you get your podcasts!.
Interviews now available on Life Gets Real:
Kim Hines
Playwright, actor, coach, activist, Kim Hines has been in the business of theater for over 50 years. She has written close to 30 plays and her plays have been performed from coast to coast. Four of Kim’s plays have been produced at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The first African-American Female playwright to receive a core-membership at the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis, Kim is the recipient of the Bush Fellowship for Playwriting, and numerous awards for using her art to bring social issues into the light. Her alma mater, Macalester College in St Paul, Minnesota bestowed upon her The Distinguished Citizen Award for her work in theater and education. Listen Here.
Mary Tjosvold
Entrepreneur, author, feminist, humanitarian, Mary Tjosvold., better known as Mary T, is the CEO of Mary T, Inc, an organization that owns residences designed to meet specific needs of seniors and of adults and children with developmental or physical disabilities and medical complexities. She has been active with the American Refugee Committee, and the Center for Victims of Torture. Mary T has been involved in developing schools in Camaroon, and has traveled extensively, working to help women and children escape sex-trafficking. If that weren’t enough, she is the proud owner of Crooner’s Lounge and Supper Club, home of the Dunsmore Room. Listen Here.
Sharon Day
Ojibwe Elder Sharon Day was born and raised in Minnesota. Part of her spiritual practice is to care for water, and in 2003 Sharon Day, Josephine Mandamin and other indigenous women began Mother Earth Water Walks to bring awareness about water issues. By walking long distances with and alongside water and praying for it with each step, the women raise awareness about how water is connected to our lives.
Sharon is also one of the founders of the Indigenous People’s Task Force, formerly known as the Minnesota American Indian AIDS Task Force. She has received numerous awards for her leadership and her work with indigenous youth. Activist, writer, playwright, poet, water walker, Sharon Day. Listen Here.
Jearlyn Steele
Singer, writer, speaker, performer, Jearlyn Steele. Her talent and experience is awe-inspiring. Solo or with her family, The Steeles, she has sung with Prince, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Carol King, Mavis Staples, Peabo Bryson — the list is long. Her voice is also heard on Twin Cities Public Television’s award-winning program, Almanac, and on her show Steele Talkin’ on WCCO Radio 830, A brilliant keynote speaker, her presentation on TedX remains one of my favorites.
Whatever she does, it is done with beauty, integrity, humor and soul. A Voice with a capital V. Listen Here.
Ann Bancroft
Activist, explorer, teacher, Ann Bancroft, is one of the world's preeminent explorers and an internationally recognized leader who is dedicated to inspiring women and girls around the world to unleash the power of their dreams. She is the first known woman in history to cross the ice to the North Pole, led the first women’s east-west crossing of Greenland, and with Norwegian polar explorer Liv Arnesen sailed and skied across Antarctica’s landmass — the first women to do so. Listen Here.
Linda Eaglespeaker
Seventh generation ceremonial herbalist, storyteller and healer, Linda EagleSpeaker is the Elder-in-Residence at the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center. She leads a risk-reduction program for girls 11 - 21, helping them reconnect with their cultures. Girls who attend are referred to the MIWRC by juvenile justice courts, child welfare departments, or schools. Half of the participants are victims of sex trafficking. This conversation is heartfelt, wise and awakening. Listen here.
Dr. Pauline Boss
Professor emeritus of education and human development at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Pauline Boss is a family therapist and pioneer in the interdisciplinary study of family stress. She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking research on what is known as ambiguous loss.
Her books include: Ambiguous Loss: Learning To Live With Unresolved Grief; Loving Someone Who Has Dementia:How To Find Hope While Coping With Stress and Grief and many other. Her most recent book: The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in Times of Pandemic and Change. Listen here.