Showing Up with Merci D.

#blackloveletterstohardcore - Chris from Bored Magazine

I couldn’t do this series without interviewing fellow photographer and ALYK sponsor, the one and only Chris Victor - the founder and editor of Bored Magazine! He’s also the vocalist and lead for the outlaw hardcore band from the Lone Star state, Texas, True Grit. In conversation with Chris, we discussed the DFW hardcore scene, professionalism vs. mental health, and how he celebrates Black mental health as a father. HAYRF has teamed up with Act Like You Know Vol.1 - an annual hardcore punk festival happening in Tulsa this November. Over the past month, we’ve been working on a series of episodes that will feature all the Black performers on the 2022 lineup. The interviews will explore the relationship between Black hardcore musicians and mental health. HAYRF is also participating in a three-way coverage collaboration and co-sponsoring the fest with For The Punks - an online publication and resource for fans and creators to connect, learn, and grow together. Stay up to date with FTP on social media before, during, and after the festival for featured posts, interviews, and more! All ALYK proceeds will be donated to Oklahomans for Equality - Oklahoma’s resource for LGBTQ+ persons and their families. OFE seeks equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals and families through intersectional advocacy, education, programs, alliances, and the operation of the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. Single day Act Like You Know Fest passes are now available at actlikeyouknowfest.com! There’s a handful of weekend passes left as well. If you have bought or plan to buy a weekend pass, enter the promo code ALYK918 at checkout to receive discounted after show tickets. After show tickets are limited and will sell out! If you’ve already purchased an after show ticket at full price, email okhcbooking@gmail.com and they will refund the difference. The day-to-day lineups are available on ALYK’s Instagram @actlikeyouknowfest and Twitter @ALYKFest. Proceeds from the ALYK after shows will benefit the Terry Williams Memorial College Fund.

#blackloveletterstohardcore - Jabril from Shiiva

Welcome to the second installment of our #blackloveletterstohardcore series! Stay tuned until the end of the episode to find out how you can potentially win a complimentary hotel stay for three nights during the ALYK November fest, as well as a paid opportunity! I had the incredible opportunity to meet Shiiva's vocalist and lead, Jabril! During our conversation, Jabril spoke about how he dreams up new projects, how he translates his emotions into art, and what his priorities are with hardcore. HAYRF has teamed up with Act Like You Know Vol.1 - an annual hardcore punk festival happening in Tulsa this November. Over the past month, we’ve been working on a series of episodes that will feature all the Black performers on the 2022 lineup. The interviews will explore the relationship between Black hardcore musicians and mental health. HAYRF is also participating in a three-way coverage collaboration and co-sponsoring the fest with For The Punks - an online publication and resource for fans and creators to connect, learn, and grow together. Stay up to date with FTP on social media before, during, and after the festival for featured posts, interviews, and more! All ALYK proceeds will be donated to Oklahomans for Equality - Oklahoma’s resource for LGBTQ+ persons and their families. OFE seeks equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals and families through intersectional advocacy, education, programs, alliances, and the operation of the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. Single day Act Like You Know Fest passes are now available at actlikeyouknowfest.com! There’s a handful of weekend passes left as well. If you have bought or plan to buy a weekend pass, enter the promo code ALYK918 at checkout to receive discounted after show tickets. After show tickets are limited and will sell out! If you’ve already purchased an after show ticket at full price, email okhcbooking@gmail.com [okhcbooking@gmail.com] and they will refund the difference. The day-to-day lineups are available on ALYK’s Instagram @actlikeyouknowfest and Twitter @ALYKFest. Proceeds from the ALYK after shows will benefit the Terry Williams Memorial College Fund.

#blackloveletterstohardcore - Corey from Move BHC

HAYRF has teamed up with Act Like You Know Vol.1 - an annual hardcore punk festival happening in Tulsa this November. Over the past month, we’ve been working on a series of episodes that will feature all the Black performers on the 2022 lineup. The interviews will explore the relationship between Black hardcore musicians and mental health. HAYRF is also participating in a three-way coverage collaboration and co-sponsoring the fest with For The Punks - an online publication and resource for fans and creators to connect, learn, and grow together. Stay up to date with FTP on social media before, during, and after the festival for featured posts, interviews, and more! All ALYK proceeds will be donated to Oklahomans for Equality - Oklahoma’s resource for LGBTQ+ persons and their families. OFE seeks equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals and families through intersectional advocacy, education, programs, alliances, and the operation of the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center. It’s an honor to start off the series with Move BHC's vocalist and lead, Corey! We talked about how he protects his aura, how he remains honest in hardcore, and what fuels his energy. Weekend passes and after show tickets are available at actlikeyouknowfest.com! Proceeds from the ALYK after shows will benefit the Terry Williams Memorial College Fund. If you have bought or plan to buy a weekend pass, the fest is currently running a contest to give away some complimentary hotel stays for the fest. The rules are simple - post the flyer to Twitter or Instagram and tag the fest. The winners will be randomly selected and receive hotel for three nights. You MUST tag the fest to be eligible! The contest will run until August 1st.   Thank you, Act Like You Know Fest!

Nonfiction Love with Jailyn Neville

At the top of the year, I had the lovely opportunity to meet Jailyn Neville, the host of Wish You Were Here - a podcast that cherishes human connection. Her podcast was recommended to me during my episode with Chase Clark, the host of the Renaissance Project podcast. In conversation with Jailyn, she described her relationship with mistakes, burnout, and nonfiction love.

Showing Up with Merci D.

Through this podcast, I’ve been able to meet so many amazing people, and today’s episode is no exception! That is right! Earlier this year, I had the beautiful opportunity to chat with Boston’s own Merci D!  Merci’s discography is absolutely insane! Her rhythm and rhyme are timeless. Her poetry and cadence remain unmatched. In this episode, Merci and I discuss her 2021 EP “OOZE”  as well as how she congratulates herself, how she defines a win and some of her favorite failures.