Author name: Patti Talbot

I met the amazing Jeannine Rivers Colburn last summer when I was reaching out to the world to invite participation in a course I developed called “Tender and Brave:  Authentic Anti-racism for the Well-Intentioned White Woman”.  As an African American woman, something about that title didn’t hit Jeannine quite right.  Who was this Patti Talbot?  What was she up to and what qualified her to teach such a course?  Instead of just stewing about what […]

This is Part 2 of a two part series featuring educator Angela Clevinger from Pulaski Virginia.  You’ll remember we left off after she talked about her homegrown roots as the daughter of a Klansman who changed her loyalties in her fifth grade year where she was inspired and motivated by her African American teacher, Mr. John Hocker.  She grew up to be a teacher working for equity and active in her local and state education

This is Part 1 of a two-part series featuring Changemaker Educator, Angie Clevinger.  I was fortunate to meet Angie at Radford University when I was teaching in the Educational Leadership Program there.  She was working on her licensure to be a school principal at the time and I could tell right away that she was something special. But when I read her writing, I knew that she was way beyond “special”.  Magical would be the

In this episode of our Changemaker Series, I had the great privilege of talking with my changemaker friend, Sandra Lima Argo.  I call her a “chameleon” because she has an amazing ability to adapt well to any circumstance and to help others do so.   Much has changed in the world since we sat down for this interview back in the spring, but as you will see, as always, Sandra has embraced the challenge as an

Carol Crawford Smith is the first changemaker representing the arts in this series that celebrates the work and lives of changemakers through the lens of our framework “Homegrown Solutions for a Patchwork World”.  You’ll remember that I interviewed her amazing son, Garland Smith, founder of the Omushana Company, a few weeks back.   When you read Carol’s story, you’ll fully understand where Garland got his ability to live his life to the fullest with purpose and

This latest episode in the Blue Roads Changemaker Series features Phyllis Albritton who I have long called “Blacksburg’s best-known citizen”.  Now, I don’t know if it’s true, but it is certainly true to me.  I’ve been in Blacksburg for more than 40 years and I don’t seem to know a single person who doesn’t know Phyllis, too.  She’s a big presence, and an important one, in our community. Until her recent vision problems began to

Featuring High School Seniors Kolby Brown and Molly McPherson It’s never too soon to be a Changemaker! In my first two-person interview for the Changemaker Series, I welcomed two rising high school seniors, Kolby Brown and Molly McPherson, to talk about their work for racial justice in our community.  These two young leaders recently organized a protest that took place prior to a meeting of the Montgomery County School Board on June 16th.   I wanted

Garland Smith is one impressive entrepreneurial changemaker!  I was fortunate to meet Garland and his family during his childhood schooling at Margaret Beeks Elementary in Blacksburg, Virginia where I was principal in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.   I hadn’t seen him or talked with him in years until I saw a recent ad for his socially-minded enterprise, The Omushana Company.  As soon as I saw this inspiring video, I knew I had to talk

I was fortunate to meet Boston history teacher, Kim Young, first as an online classmate in World’ Savvy’s Global Competence Certificate (GCC)  program for educators.   When I first laid eyes on this world traveling teacher, she was propped up in a bed with a computer on her lap tuning in from Palestine.   A year and a half into the GCC program, the group met up in Ecuador for a field experience working in an Afro-Ecuadorian

I was fortunate to meet Dr. Liovani Nazario during an immersion experience at the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding in Gainesville, Florida in October 2019.    As you’ll see and hear, Liovani’s story is a unique and inspired example of “Homegrown Solutions for a Patchwork World”.  Her life resonates with clear themes of fairness and inclusivity.  With a strong role model  in her mom,  she starts by telling us about her roots in Puerto Rico that