konversations

“Accepting the New Terms and Conditions” | Toriano Fredericks

Serving up food, heritage and culture. Toriano Fredericks, owner of Euro-African restaurant Boricua Soul, speaks with Tobias Rose about the challenges of owning and operating a restaurant. Learn how Boricua Soul pivoted their business in March 2020, the lessons Fredericks has learned so far as a restaurant owner and his beliefs about the future of the restaurant business. We also hear the story of how Boricua Soul came to be, their values as a family-run business and their journey to owning a brick and mortar in the historic American Tobacco Campus in Downtown Durham, North Carolina. 

“Realigning the Stars” | Cicely Mitchell

Biostatistician by day and festival runner by night! Cicely Mitchell, artistic director of SummerStage at Golden Belt Campus, sits down with Tobias Rose to discuss how she turned her passion for jazz music and art into the Art Of Cool Festival in downtown Durham. Mitchell shares how her idea for a small jazz event became  a major festival featuring artists like Anderson Paak. Mitchell also shares her journey as an HBCU alum and how it has impacted her career. Finally, hear how 2020 allowed her to pause and her thoughts about the future of music festivals. 

“Against the Concrete Horizon: For the Community” | Erin Kauffman

Creating space for community is harder than it sounds. Tobias Rose and Erin Kauffman, executive director of Durham Central Park, discuss the challenges of retaining the Park’s identity while Downtown Durham continues to experience gentrification. In March 2020, the Park faced its biggest challenge yet from the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn about the Park’s pandemic pivot, including significant changes to how they budget, fundraise and host events. Wrap up with Kauffman’s words of wisdom as a nonprofit leader and her vision for the future of the Park.

“New School Rules” | Michael J. Schoenfeld

How did higher education adapt to the societal changes caused by the pandemic?  Michael J. Schoenfeld, vice president of public affairs and government relations at Duke University, sits down with Tobias Rose to discuss how it felt to manage a global brand during a worldwide health crisis. Schoenfeld shares how his team navigated decision-making during this time and his thoughts on the unexpected division caused by mask mandates. Schoenfeld also speculates about the lasting impact of the pandemic and the truths it has revealed about human nature.

“Will the Kids be Alright? Classrooms of the New Economy” | Caroline Brickhouse

From learning how to teach virtually to caring for the mental health of our young people, teachers are the unsung heroes of the pandemic. Caroline Brickhouse, 2021 Durham Public School teacher of the year, joins Tobias Rose to discuss the challenges of primary education during the pandemic. We also hear her thoughts on returning to the classroom and the unexpected involvement of politics. Teaching digital native students, Brickhouse also speaks about her efforts to combat misinformation and disinformation in the classroom.