Giulia Millanta is the best Americana singer from Italy you could ever hope to encounter. She's been in the USA, in Austin, TX, for the past 10 years or so, and she seems to be producing endless riches of music, 8 albums to-date. While her talent & craft are impeccable, it is her heart-and-soul touching lyrics and voice that make her a memorable treat for all who are blessed to hear her perform.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Catholic, Buddhism, Atheism, Non-affiliated
A valuable, even vital, addition to the resources for dealing with mental health challenges is called 'Peer Support', and a primary sources of peer support the wide range of mental health diagnoses is the Wellness Shack. Their director, Bob Schrader, speaks of the operation and functioning of the Wellness Shack and the specifics of peer support groups. They've been functioning independently since 2003, after splitting off from NAMI Chippewa Valley.
Featured Music:
Fighter - by Emma G
Autumn Sky Hall is an amazing and astounding - and young - folk/Americana singer/songwriter hailing from Sacramento, CA, complete with an enchanting & versatile voice, dancing guitar fingers, and emotionally compelling lyrics. Autumn pours her inner experience and growth through her songs so that to hear her is to know her and the human condition better. Find her on Facebook, on Bandcamp, and all the usual places.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Non-denominational Christian, Non-affiliated, Buddhism
Leslie Smith has shined as part of all the great folk locales, the Newport, Kerrville, and South By Southwest music festivals, and her songs have been done by many folk-greats, like Lucy Kaplansky and Dar Williams, although I think they are best out of Leslie's own mouth and guitar. Along the way to now she did a stint as part of a New York bluegrass band called Arabesque, but then she headed back to Pittsburgh, back to her center. Her influences include country & bluegrass, as well as lots of folk, but the music that flows out of her is all Leslie Smith, with lyrics, voice & guitar that massage the heart and the gut in the real hurts and hopes of life. She joins us via Zoom from Pittsburgh, PA.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Non-affiliated, Catholic, Presbyterian, Unitarian-Universalist
Today's Spirit In Action guests, both strongly pacifist, moved to areas that were overwhelmingly and oppressively military-oriented, and had to figure how to deal with that, both for themselves and for their families. Lucretia Humphrey's journey took her to Great Falls, Montana, surrounded by nuclear warheads, and Molly Wingate ended up in Colorado Springs, in the midst of a number of military bases. They co-wrote an article for Western Friend, Two Quakers Living With the Military, in which they explore the issues & experience of being of a tiny pacifist minority swallowed in a sea of military minds. In this age of extreme polarization, it's more important than ever to understand how to communicate & connect beyond political our silos, without giving up on our principles.
Chris Haddox has played so many instruments, hiked & paddled so many hills & rivers, and worked in so many fields that it's hard to wrap your mind around it. And even though Chris wrote his first song in 2nd grade and played an astounding variety of instruments all through school and beyond, this past year, at 62, is the first time he's recorded his songs for the world. Chris has degrees in animal science, recreation & parks, community development, has led the local Habitat for Humanity, and has taught 14 years as a professor of Sustainable Development at West Virginia University. His songs have deep roots and country echoes, and the music will strum your heart. Chris Haddox hails from from Morgantown, West Virginia.
Monica Tetzlaff is an associate professor of history at the University of Indiana of South Bend, and her special interest is in African-American history. In September of 2021 she presented online, as part of IU's “Pop-up University”, a program called The Role of History in Reparations: From Global to Local.
Pat Humphries & Sandy O are the members of Emma's Revolution, an entity with its own soul & mission, beautiful music to call forth the deepest of emotions, both grief and joy, always with the aim of steering the world toward justice & healing. If only we could unite the world like Pat & Sandy blend & weave their voices & instruments, peace and justice would already be the norm.