Our New South

Our New South - Season 3 - Episode 8 - Sara Bradley: Top Chef, Local Table

Chef Sara Bradley joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II to discuss how her upbringing in Paducah, Kentucky, a cultural crossroads at the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers, shaped her unique approach to Southern cuisine. Bradley shares stories of growing up in a fusion of cultures, blending her mother's Eastern European Jewish heritage with her father's Appalachian roots, as well as her choice to return to "small-town" Paducah to invest in her local community. Bradley is the owner and head chef of Freight House, a seasonal restaurant in Paducah, and a James Beard Award semi-finalist. Widely recognized for her television appearances, she represented Kentucky on Bravo's Top Chef and won the Food Network's Chopped: Legends tournament. Beyond the kitchen, Bradley is deeply involved in community service and ecosystem ethics, partnering with local farmers to create sustainable supply chains, fighting food insecurity alongside organizations like the Lee Initiative, and utilizing invasive species like silver carp to protect local waterways. Links: Learn more about Sara Bradley: https://chefsarabradley.com/ Visit Frieght House in Paducah, Kentucky: https://freighthousefood.com/ Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/ Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our New South - Season 3 - Episode 7 - Gina Chavez: Music and Belonging

Gina Chavez joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II to discuss how growing up in the eclectic musical hub of Austin, Texas, shaped her genre-bending sound and her perspective on the "New South." Chavez reflects on her journey as a Latin American who connected deeply with her roots through music and instrumentation. She also shares her experiences reconciling her queer identity with her Catholic upbringing, arguing that true belonging comes from embracing all parts of oneself. Gina is a Latin Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter whose music intentionally blends English and Spanish with influences ranging from folk to Nueva Trova. She co-founded the Niñas Arriba College Fund, an organization that provides full college scholarships, housing, and paid internships to young women in El Salvador. Learn more about Gina Chavez: https://www.ginachavez.com/ Donate to the Niñas Arriba College Fund: https://www.ninasarriba.org/ Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/ Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our New South - Season 3 - Episode 6 - Michael Twitty: Ingredients and Traditions

Michael Twitty joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II to dismantle binary definitions of Southern identity. Twitty explores the intersection of his African American and Jewish heritage, describing how he blends Seder plates with soul food in what he calls "Kosher Soul". He also discusses the impact of the Great Migration on American culture, and shares why he views recipes as a blueprint for cultural sovereignty. Twitty is a renowned culinary historian, living history interpreter, and the James Beard Award-winning author of The Cooking Gene. His other works include Rice, Kosher Soul, and his latest release, Recipes from the American South. A creator of the blog Afroculinaria, Twitty is dedicated to preserving African American foodways and currently collaborates with Colonial Williamsburg on the Sankofa Heritage Garden to restore ancestral agricultural practices. Links: Learn more about Michael Twitty and Afroculinaria: https://afroculinaria.com/ Check out Michael Twitty's latest book, Recipes from the American South: https://www.phaidon.com/en-us/products/recipes-from-the-american-south Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/ Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our New South - Season 3 - Episode 5 - Lizz Wright: Songs of Blues and Greens

Renowned vocalist and composer Lizz Wright joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II on this episode of Our New South to discuss how the spiritual and sonic landscapes of the region define her music. Wright reflects on the deep connection between storytelling, the church, and the resilience of Black American culture, describing the New South as a place of adaptation and survival. Wright first gained national attention with her critically acclaimed debut album, Salt, in 2003. In 2022, she launched her own independent label, Blues & Greens Records. Beyond music, she is a culinary artist and co-founder of Carver 47 Food & Wellness Market in Chicago, a space inspired by the legacy of Dr. George Washington Carver that blends art, food, and community wellness. Learn more about Lizz Wright and Blues & Greens Records: https://www.lizzwright.net/ Learn more about Carver 47 Food & Wellness Market: https://www.carver47.com/ Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/ Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our New South - Season 3 - Episode 4 - Daniel Suárez: NASCAR, Monterrey, and Victory Lane

Daniel Suárez joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II to discuss his unlikely rise from a working-class family in Monterrey, México to the pinnacle of American stock car racing. Suárez details the culture shock of moving to the U.S. without speaking English, his rivalry and camaraderie with Bubba Wallace, and why he views the "New South" as a place defined by inclusion rather than the "Old South" past. Suárez is the driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet and serves as Mexico's ambassador in the NASCAR Cup Series. He made history in 2016 as the first driver born outside the United States to win a major NASCAR championship and later became the first Mexican-born driver to win a Cup Series race. Recently sworn in as a U.S. citizen, he is actively involved in community outreach, visiting schools to inspire Latino youth to define their own path to the American Dream. Learn more about Daniel Suárez: https://danielsuarezracing.com/ Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/ Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices