A Philly Artist Turns Trauma Into Abstract Acrylic Paintings

A Philly Artist Turns Trauma Into Abstract Acrylic Paintings

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/fan_mail/new] A paintbrush can be a turning point, and this conversation proves it. We sit down with Philadelphia based multidisciplinarian artist, writer, curator, and creative facilitator Ayana Viviana to unpack how neurographic art and abstract acrylic painting can pull buried emotions to the surface and turn them into meaning, color, and forward motion. Ayana breaks down her neurographic art process in plain language: intuitive lines first, interpretation second. From there, we talk about what it really looks like to become a professional artist fast, including her early gallery experiences and the story behind her major sale, “Hire for Hire,” a piece that challenges us to “hire” our higher self instead of living on autopilot. If you care about emerging artists, pricing artwork, artist mindset, or building a sustainable creative practice, you will hear hard earned perspective without the fluff. We also dig into community art in Philadelphia, from a City Hall exhibition tied to Hispanic Heritage Month to a residency with Tacony Lab Community Arts Center under Mural Arts, where phrases became multilingual banner messages meant to spark everyday acts of care. Ayana shares what it felt like to get the invitation to live paint at Roots Picnic, why photojournalism is really “the art of noticing,” and how her cultural writing took her to Trinidad for a story that stayed with her. Subscribe for more real conversations, share this with a friend who needs a creative reset, and leave a review with one takeaway you want to carry into your week. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/support] Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram:  ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up  Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

How A Former NFL Lineman Builds Cash Flow And Legacy

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/fan_mail/new] Undrafted doesn’t mean unprepared. We sit down with Mike, a Chesapeake native and former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle, to trace the real path from instability to ownership. He opens up about growing up with a single mom, experiencing eviction and shelter living, and how that early fear forged discipline instead of defeat. The result is a money mindset built on survival, patience, and respect for every dollar. From Oscar Smith to junior college to the University of Miami, Mike explains what it feels like to bet on yourself, earn your way into elite rooms, and learn business by studying the people who already understand ownership. We also get into the realities of playing nose tackle, where your job is sacrifice and leverage, not highlight stats, and how that same concept shows up in smart investing: do the unglamorous work now so the results compound later. Then we go deep on financial literacy, athlete finances, and generational wealth. Mike shares what he’s seen players spend on jewelry, cars, and “experiences,” why investing in what people need beats “pretty investments,” and how he built an ownership group and later his own company focused on real estate and transportation. He breaks down cash flow, dividends, budgeting with a spreadsheet, and why he prefers investing money from a side hustle rather than risking the money that keeps your life stable. If you want practical wealth-building advice with real stories behind it, hit play. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs a reset, and leave a review. What’s one expense you’d cut this month to start investing? Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/support] Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram:  ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up  Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

Visible. Unapologetic. | Celeste Entity - ListenUp Podcast

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/fan_mail/new] She’s a rhinestone-soaked showgirl on Friday night and an IV tech preparing chemo and dialysis meds during the day, and somehow both roles make perfect sense when you hear her story. We’re joined by Cyleste Entity, a transgender burlesque performer from Virginia Beach who’s built a name in Norfolk-area bars and clubs by treating glamour like a craft and self-expression like a necessity. We talk about where she performs, how her striptease style evolves from classic inspirations, and what goes into acts that look effortless but require serious planning, rehearsal, and costume work. Cyleste also shares some of her earliest memories of wanting to wear what felt right, and how growing up in a Christian home shaped the silence, the boundaries, and the decision to lean on chosen family when support at home doesn’t show up. From there, we dig into the bigger cultural conversation around transgender visibility and the claim that schools or social media “create” trans people. Cyleste offers a grounded perspective: visibility changes how safe it feels to exist, not whether people exist at all. We also get real about mental health in the trans community, including depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia, and the pressure to meet impossible beauty standards, plus the small daily rituals that help her stay here and keep going. If you care about LGBTQ stories, trans identity, workplace bias, burlesque performance, or building resilience without losing softness, this conversation delivers. Subscribe to Listen Up, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/support] Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram:  ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up  Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

A Working Mom And Army Veteran Explains Why Accountability Beats Party Loyalty

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/fan_mail/new] Congress doesn’t just make laws, it sets the moral temperature for the whole country. When that temperature feels off, people notice, and they stop trusting everything downstream. We sit down with Haley Dollar, a mother of four, Army veteran, author, and Libertarian candidate running for Congress in Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District, to talk about what she thinks voters are sensing right now and why she refuses to squeeze her views into the usual Democrat vs Republican box. Haley lays out what “libertarian values” mean in practice: constitutional limits, personal freedom, and a neighbor-first culture that doesn’t need party permission to do the right thing. From her perspective inside federal agencies and as a veteran, she describes how corruption and lack of accountability can show up in everyday workplaces, not just in headlines. We also get into why political outsiders struggle with funding and access, and why she believes transparency and directness scare the system more than any polished talking point. Some of the most intense moments come when we discuss congressional workplace misconduct, secrecy, and the public cost of protecting powerful people. From there we shift into real-life policy that hits families now: homelessness and criminalisation, healthcare affordability, food safety, rising taxes, and the broader cost-of-living squeeze. Haley also shares her unconventional campaign approach, including a May 29 charity fundraiser in Norfolk that blends civic work with performance and community building. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s fed up with politics as usual, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation. What’s the first accountability change you want to see from your elected officials? Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/support] Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram:  ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up  Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely

How Clover Stokes Built A Modern Classic Rock Band

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/fan_mail/new] You can look fearless under stage lights and still be shaking inside. That’s the truth Clover Stokes shares with us, and it’s exactly why her story hits. Clover is the frontwoman of Monarch, a Virginia Beach local band making waves across the 757 with classic rock covers, a growing original catalog, and a live show that pulls people in fast. We talk about the real work behind becoming “larger than life” and what it costs and gives back when you choose a public creative life.  Clover takes us from karaoke nights and choir days to discovering Stevie Nicks performances on YouTube and realizing she needed the stage. We dig into her influences, from Fleetwood Mac and Heart to Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Linda Ronstadt, plus the Dominican and Latin music that shaped her ear early. Along the way, she explains how Monarch starts as a duo, learns the three-hour set challenge, books shows across Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, and beyond, and navigates the hardest part of band life: finding people who want to build something that lasts.  We also get honest about stage presence and confidence. Clover describes exposure therapy, the nights the nerves don’t go away, and the freedom of being celebrated for being loud, expressive, and fully herself. We talk songwriting, why Monarch refuses to be “background music,” and what it means to hear a crowd respond to an unreleased original like “Lord Only Knows (God Bless Rock And Roll)” as recording begins. Plus: fan moments that trigger imposter syndrome, the weekday day-job reality, and the playlist range that keeps her creativity sharp.  If you care about live music, building confidence, the Virginia Beach music scene, or turning influences into a real career path, you’ll take something practical from this conversation. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push, and leave us a review with the most unforgettable concert you’ve ever seen. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2160156/support] Do us a favor and like, comment, share, and subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes. To see the full video on YouTube go to Listen Up with Host Al Neely Reach out to us on our socials and hit us up with any questions! Email: Info@listenup.biz Instagram:  ListenUp4U Facebook: Let's Talk About It - Listen Up  Twitter: ListenUp@Listenup4U Website: listenup.biz YouTube: Listen Up with Host Al Neely