Lindsay Davis and Kristy McShan

[00:05] KRISTY MCSHAN: Hi, I'm Kristy McShan. I am a 48 year old woman out of Lafayette, Louisiana, and I'm a quality manager at a blood center here.

[00:21] LINDSAY DAVIS: Hi, my name is Lindsay Davis. I'm 26 years old. I am from Knoxville, Tennessee, and I serve as a family engagement coordinator.

[00:31] KRISTY MCSHAN: I work in the office of the dean of students as a family engagement coordinator. I was born and raised in Knoxville, and I completed my undergraduate degree at UT. I'm also an alum of UNC Greensboro. I completed my master's there in 2020. I am a proud member of an NPHC sorority, Zeta Phi beta Incorporated, and I really value sisterhood. My sister circle has always been my safe place. Issues that are important to me would be equity and inclusion for BIPOC, especially women.

[01:04] LINDSAY DAVIS: I am a heterosexual female from Louisiana. I'm a college graduate from a local college. I grew up in an upper middle class family and was fortunate enough to be provided my college education for free, cars for free, and many amenities in life. After graduating, I floated around jobs, thinking I had plenty of time to get my life together. Then kids happen. I'm very involved with animal rescue and volunteering at festivals and other events in my community. I'm a liberal conservative.

[01:36] KRISTY MCSHAN: Oh, nice to meet you, Lindsay

[01:38] LINDSAY DAVIS: Nice to meet you, Kristy So, I want to know more about, like, your involvement with, um, like, festivals and, like, animal rescue. That's the first thing that stood out to me. I was like, I'm not a huge. I like animals from a distance, but I don't. Like. I'm not a pet owner. Like, I don't. I don't want to deal with pets in the home, but, like, I can go to a friend's house and they have a dog. I'm like, all in. I love cows. I actually. There's cows in my neighborhood from a fellow farm, so that's really cool. But, like, as far as owning animals, I'm like, nothing.

[02:15] KRISTY MCSHAN: Okay, well, it's a passion of mine. It's something that I have loved since I was a kid. And one question I have for you later is going to be about what you wanted to be when you grew up. And that's kind of what I'll feed it. I guess I could feed in all my information then, or I can do it now, but it's just. I've always loved animals. It's just something that I have innate to me. And so when I got a house, I started fostering. We went through KatriNA here in NEW ORleans, and a lot of people evacuated, and there was no system in place for people to evacuate with THeIr pets. So our shelters were overrun with a lot of dogs and cats, and the need for fostering was huge at that time. So that's when I really got involved. At one point, I had 20 dogs at my house for various organizations, and it was really pretty crazy, but I just enjoy it. And over time, I've kind of gotten away from the fosterinG. I do more of the fundraising and more of the involvement with trying to promote animals to get them adopted. I just don't have the situation as I used to at home to be able to foster like I did, but I still have. I still have some. And as far as festivals, I'm a big music person and big communicating with people and interacting at my job. I'm in my office, I'm kind of siloed, so I don't get that interaction with people as much. So that kind of fulfills that niche. So I go to festivals and volunteer mostly at beer booths because we get free beer and free alcohol, and I get to interact with the public that way. And I've been doing that for 20 something years. So is there any volunteer stuff that you do?

[03:55] LINDSAY DAVIS: So, yes and no. I haven't gotten a chance to as much with COVID and the transition back home to Knoxville, so abruptly leaving Greensboro in 2020 and then making the transition back home, I'm slowly being able to get an opportunity to do more volunteering and service based activities, but primarily through my sorority because there is a service aspect to it. So being able to do goody bags for women who are experiencing homelessness, also being able to work with elderly folks and delivering some joy to them throughout the year, it's just some various aspects of that nature, but I'm looking forward to. I am more introverted. So I. I am very intentional about my people time. I'm in a very people centered and very service oriented role, and so my downtime is really hard for me to, like, muster up that extra energy to do that. And so I'm a financial contributor. I'm easy to give them money, but sometimes my time is a little bit harder to give. But we get a chance to do a lot of service at UT as well. So that kind of also curves that service aspect and volunteering as well.

[05:12] KRISTY MCSHAN: Right? And that's what we always need. We always need every. Every kind of volunteer. You need your financial people who can help contribute to sponsorship, and then you need your volunteers on your ground. You need coordinators. There's all kind of stuff. So I always say there's a niche for somebody somewhere if they want to fulfill something like that. How long have you been at UT?

[05:34] LINDSAY DAVIS: So I have been back at UT since August of 2020. So I am in my second year right now, fastly approaching my third year, which is crazy to think about. I think that Covid has taught me a lot about time not really being a real thing at a certain point of just like, it doesn't feel like it should be almost three years in this role and I was a little hesitant about coming back. I had a decent undergraduate experience here, but I just wasn't sure that I was ready to be back as a staff person. But the opportunity for this role is very unique and there's not a lot of family engagement coordinators at other universities. And so I knew that working with parents and families was a passion area for me. And so it just makes sense being able to come back to UT, be at home with my family, and then also just be in closer proximity to my friends and things of that nature.

[06:32] KRISTY MCSHAN: So in your role, do you help parents with the financial aspect of college or just getting their children adjusted to college? What exactly does your role?

[06:41] LINDSAY DAVIS: So, yeah, that's a great question. So I work with like the adjustment and the connection piece. So I think there's like a section that once you get your students across college, you just leave them there and like, you know, it's like the college now just takes care of them. And we know that that's not the case. We know that students still desire for their families to be involved. We know that families still have a desire to support their student. And so my role is really bridging that gap. So being able to provide updates on what's going on at the university, some reminders for families to like, nudge their student. So, you know, academic advising, getting their class schedules done. I work on the newsletter that sends out those messages to families that say, hey, it's about that time of the year. This is what your students should be doing. Here's how you can support them. But then also recognizing they want to have some fun too, they see their students having fun on campus. Ut is a huge football school, and so being able to host some opportunities for them to come to campus and see what it's like to be a student at the university is solely my responsibility. So a little bit of the financial aspect in that we can answer some of the basic financial aid questions, but mostly on that connection piece is where I spend most of my time.

[08:00] KRISTY MCSHAN: So in your college, I see you're a member of this, the MPHC so is that like, an honor sorority? That's a regular.

[08:07] LINDSAY DAVIS: It's a regular sorority. So it's a national Pan Hellenic Council sorority, primarily started by african american women. So my sorority was founded in 19, and so it's been around for a really long time. We've just celebrated 100 years two years ago, but then also just similar to panhellenic sororities, just a little bit different, and that it's more culturally based as well.

[08:33] KRISTY MCSHAN: So what do you feel you got the most out of your sorority life?

[08:38] LINDSAY DAVIS: For me, it's been sisterhood. So my mom really instilled the value of sisterhood into me growing up, and so I have a sister circle of, like, women that are my best friends who've grown up together, but being able to experience sisterhood on a national and international level, so I can go to Nashville and meet up with women who are my sorors and a part of the sorority and feel like I still have community there. I have a really hard time putting myself out there, and so this has given me built in community as I am still navigating life. When I moved to Greensboro for my masters, it was really nice because one of my supervisors ended up being a member of the sorority as well. And so there was just a sense of, like, homeless there that kind of, like, grounded me. And so I think that's been the biggest thing that I've gotten from being involved in my sorority.

[09:29] KRISTY MCSHAN: Yeah, I never got into sorority life when I was in college. I always thought, to me personally, it felt like you were buying friends to be part of this organization. Then my daughter joined one when she went to college, and I saw the whole different side of it. You know, the, like you said, the sisterhood. And my mom has a friend who is in the same sorority as my daughter was in. And so she's like, yeah, we're sisters, you know, and they're 30 year gap, you know, at least in age, probably more than that. But I just saw the coming together in the community that was with the sorority. So it was. It was kind of eye opening for me. And not just the whole party drinking scene I thought it was when I was in college, so.

[10:11] LINDSAY DAVIS: And it's hard to say that that's not an aspect of it, too, right? Like, that's still an aspect, but it really is mostly grounded in that commodity, that community. But then there's also the service aspect. So most sororities will have their own charities and organizations that they always sponsor and work with. And so for us, it's march of dimes, and. And so as someone who is interested in becoming a mother one day and knowing that there are services and things out there that kind of support, that if I fall into some type of hardship, being able to support their initiatives and services was something that was also important to me, too. And so I know that some people don't think about that aspect when they're looking for a sorority. Sometimes it's just the what feels good, and that works, too. Like, you know, that the service stuff sometimes has to come second if, you know, that's not your priority. But for me, it was something that was going hand in hand, knowing that I'd get the community that I value, but I'd also be able to do some volunteering and service with an organization that I'm also passionate about.

[11:15] KRISTY MCSHAN: Awesome. So I know you're still young, but do you have children?

[11:20] LINDSAY DAVIS: I do not have any children, no. So you said, I know that you're a mother. How many children do you have? What are their ages?

[11:27] KRISTY MCSHAN: I have two. My daughter is 22, and she'll be graduating in May from college. And then my son is 20, so. And he's. He wants to do physical therapy. She wants to be a teacher, so quite cool. Opposite spectrum. Yeah. But she's always, since she was young, loved kids and wanted to work, knew she wanted to work with kids, you know, but she kind of has a Kardashian spending habit. I wonder how she's going to fit in with this budget and being a teacher. But we all figure it out. We all learn how to adjust, I guess.

[12:03] LINDSAY DAVIS: So, Kristy you asked me earlier kind of a little bit about what I want to be when I grew up, and I'm going to be honest, I think I still ask myself that question, like, every other day. I originally wanted to do fashion design. I've always loved fashion, and that just seemed like I'm a really creative person. And so that just seemed like the obvious choice. But then high school comes and people start asking you about, like, well, how do you sustain yourself and, you know, the financial aspect and being able to take care of yourself? And I was like, I don't know, people buy clothes and all the things, and so kind of a bubble burst moment of trying to figure out what is a sustainability and being able to afford, I guess, my also similar Kardashian lifestyle as well. And so I have always enjoyed serving people. Like, even though I'm an introvert, I find a lot of joy out of being able to assist other people and, like, make their life easier or like build bridges, fill gaps, that type of thing. And so when I got to undergrad, I really wanted to do fundraising work for nonprofit organizations. I enjoy event planning, and so I knew that would require, like, really large scale fundraising events and things of that nature. I just kind of stumbled into student affairs because I really liked working at a college and university. And so something about it just kind of was like, I can do all the things that I love and be an education, which is something I had considered, but the financial aspect of being a teacher just didn't line up with my financial needs. And so being able to be, you know, and so it just, I knew that I needed to go to grad school, and I had a desire to go to grad school, and student affairs just most jobs require a master's, and so it just felt like the natural next step for me. And so this is what, I guess what I wanted to be when I grew up with somebody who is doing fundraising and event planning and service for other people, it just looks vastly different than what I imagined for myself.

[14:13] KRISTY MCSHAN: All right, that's good.

[14:16] LINDSAY DAVIS: I was gonna flip it on you. What did you want to be when you grow up?

[14:19] KRISTY MCSHAN: So along with my love of animals, of course, I always thought about being a veterinarian, and then also I wanted to own my own exotic cat sanctuary. So I wanted to have a sanctuary for lions and tigers and mountain lions and all kind of different cats, and I also wanted to be my vet for them so I wouldn't have to pay an outside vet to come and treat them. And that was always my main dream. And then, you know, you grow up, and I did work at a zoo for a little while, but that doesn't pay. And then when I got pregnant for my daughter, I had to leave that, that job. And then, like I said, I floated around with some different things. I worked in the service industry, waitress for a little while. Then I got a job in a lab, and that was also something I pictured when I was younger, like me working in a white coat, like a scientist. I've always wanted to help figure out something, a cure for something, not particularly cancer, but something, maybe animal related work in a couple of different labs. One was at LSU with Lyme disease research. So I did get to work with some animals with that, but it's not really what I want to do, because you had to experiment on animals to try and find cures and stuff, and I didn't really like that aspect of it at all, but it was still pretty, you know, pretty interesting. So how I ended up in quality and what I'm doing now is just, I ended up getting laid off from a job. I was working at a cord blood center and they lost their funding, it was grant funded. And so I was just kind of, this position came open. I had worked here before in the laboratory seven years prior. And my friend's like, come apply, you know, you need to come apply. And I think it sounds so boring, you know, I want to be out, I want to, you know, not audit, not be on the other side. But it, you know, it fell into place and I got the job and ten years later I'm still here. And it's changed a lot, it's evolved a lot over the years. We are more now process improvement and instead of just auditing and trying to prevent deviations from happening. So that's how I ended up on this story corps interview, which I'll ask you next, is we are moving more towards diversity, equity and inclusion and wanting to focus on that. And one of our goals this year was to find either a article or a video or something that spoke to Dei and learn something from it and then bring it back to our little team and talk about it and share what we learned. And we were offered some free classes from, I think it was Florida State University. And one of the modules had a little video by one. One love? No, something like that. Oh, no labels. Sorry, love has no labels. And it brought. I watched that, I went to that website and that's where I found StoryCorps and the opportunity to interact with somebody. And I watched a couple of the videos you got, they had posted and I said, this is pretty interesting, you know, this I think would be good exercise for me. We're so digital these days for me personally, that I communicate a lot through email. So I don't get the opportunity to speak with people one on one that often, especially people who I don't know, except when an auditor shows up here. So I thought it'd be really a good learning experience for me. Also a challenge for me to see if I could keep a conversation going for 50 minutes. It's been a while since I seem to have had one of those. So I just, I just felt it was good. It fell in with my goals and it was also, I just thought it'd be a fun exercise for me to do. So how did you get involved with doing this?

[17:57] LINDSAY DAVIS: Yeah, so it was mentioned earlier that, you know, UT is doing it a part of an initiative that they have going on this week, and part of that initiative is called lead, learn, serve, I think is the week. Don't quote me on that. I'm pretty sure that was the three. The three. The three letters are for it, but it's. My colleague in my office is our bias education coordinator, and she had asked me, she was like, I think you'd be really great at this. You should really consider going out and, like, applying. And I was like, sure. I'm a little nervous because I don't like small talk and so similar to you of, like, can I keep a conversation going for 50 minutes? I don't know, because at one point I'm going to be like, I feel like I said all my good things. I don't have anything else to say, but just, this is, like, a really cool opportunity. And it was really, watching the videos, I've been hearing other people's experiences, I was like, oh, this seems like it might be fun, and it seems like something really cool that I get a chance to go home and talk about tonight with my family. And so that's, you know, initially what I. Yeah, yeah.

[19:08] KRISTY MCSHAN: I have a meeting after this where I'm going to present a different, like, little thing on Dei, but I'm also going to try to encourage my co workers to. To sign up and try and participate in it because I think it's really interesting and we learned something about someone else and maybe something about ourselves during our time together, so we'll see. So what I know one of the things on our questions was about political views. So where do you on the spectrum fall?

[19:37] LINDSAY DAVIS: I tend to be more liberal, I guess. For me, my, like, personal political values really stems from accessibility and equity. And so really making sure that basic needs are met for everyone and they're met in a way that's accessible and safe and that, you know, people have autonomy to make decisions for themselves, but being able to provide parameters that are the same for everyone. And so that, I guess, is where I lean. I don't have, like, a political affiliation that I, like, strongly hold on to, but really it's about finding people that I think value the same things as me. And so making sure that healthcare is accessible for folks and, like, different medical procedures and things of that nature, that people are able to get them if they need them, and that there's safety there for those folks without having to go through too many hurdles. I think that's where, you know, I kind of. I lean on a lot of things and just making sure that everyone has a great quality of life. At the end of the day, life is already hard enough. And so if there's a way for us to ease some of those burdens, I want to be able to be a part of how we do those things. So what about you?

[21:03] KRISTY MCSHAN: I mean, I'm registered independent. I have a tendency to fall a little bit more conservative, but I'm like you. I want to see fairness in things and of course, definitely for environmental preservation and saving of our areas and endangered species, but also want corporations to be able to make some money and bring me, you know, some cheaper things. But I really never, I try not to talk politics too much because I have one friend who's very vocal about it, and she and I have had some strong disagreements on things and because she just doesn't give up. And to me, I want to just, you know, say something and let it go. And I don't watch all kind of political news. I try to just get a little bit of information and have it. And I. She wants to debate everything. So for me, it's caused a lot of turmoil. It's broken friendships. I don't get into it usually too, too much. But I saw, I was never, I was fortunate to be one who've always had a job where I've had healthcare. And when I saw another friend struggling because he lost his job due to health issues, and then the insurance was so expensive for him to get covered and all the medical bills that mounted up, I said, we really need to have something in place for people to have basic healthcare and good healthcare, not just, you know, you get the crappiest doctor who barely made it out of med school. You know, you get somebody good and you have access to that. And so I'm definitely for that. And I wish there's something in place where we could have better access to healthcare at an affordable price. I mean, you know, that I think.

[22:51] LINDSAY DAVIS: That is, like, that's something that I never thought about until my parents were in between jobs. And so there was a moment where my mom worked for the city, and so, you know, governmental benefits are sometimes better than private benefits. And so when she was transitioning out of that role, there was a moment where we didn't have healthcare insurance, and that was kind of scary. And I was just in high school, but I just remember there being just concern about, like, health wise, nothing can go wrong during this window of time. Like, everyone needs to be their best. Like, we just cannot afford, you know, for anything to, you know, any missteps in that area. And I didn't realize the magnitude of that until I got older and I needed to make sure that, like, I'm now my own healthcare. And so being able to understand what that means and what that looks like and what my needs are and then seeing friends who don't have that same access because of some of their part time work or their graduate students and the level of insurance available to them is just not the same without them having to pay just astronomical prices for things. It's just, it's one of the things that like, I guess I'm the most passionate about or most concerned with because it touches our lives in ways that we don't always think about. Like, even when you're in your best health, you're not thinking that, you know, you might need to go to a doctor next week and like, something drastic has changed or anything of that nature. So healthcare and I think education are the two things that, like, I am very passionate about and I don't think a lot about the environmental stuff until I guess it's been more recently with like climate change and things of that nature and seeing the effects of it. Like, I remember hearing about hearing about climate change growing up, but I was like, I don't know what that means. We've got thousands and thousands of years before that.

[24:43] KRISTY MCSHAN: Yeah.

[24:46] LINDSAY DAVIS: Seeing the effects of it and like, you know, how do we as humans treat this earth better and do better, but then also encouraging our politicians and people that have the ability to make change, do the good change and the good work? I guess it's emerging adulthood that I'm having to reevaluate the things that really are important to me. And so that brings up a really good gist. I don't think about those as often because it doesn't seem as prevalent in my day to day.

[25:17] KRISTY MCSHAN: Right. Yeah. So let me ask you one question. So what did, one thing I wanted to know, what did you get your undergrad and your master's degree in?

[25:28] LINDSAY DAVIS: Yeah, so I have my undergraduate degree in communication studies and I have my graduate degree in. I'm like blanking on like the full title, but it's student affairs and higher education administration. So primarily focused on the ins and outs of higher education and all of the systems in place at universities and colleges across the country. But my communications degree is the one that I think is the most valuable because it's taught me so much about just how to be an effective and intentional communicator. And that doesn't just translate in the workplace, but also just in my day to day. And so I learned a lot just about like, the nonverbals and things of that nature that helped me be a better person in the aspects of, like, sometimes I can disagree with things, and, I mean, I vocally disagree, but it's my nonverbals that give it away. And so being able to be more mindful about facial expressions or, like, being off putting to people or being able to read other people's nonverbals has helped me tremendously. I just think of times when, like, I've spotted someone in uncomfortable conversations and being able to be the person that's like, how do we defuse this right now? Because obviously someone's visibly, like, not comfortable or upset in those scenarios and things of that nature. So.

[27:04] KRISTY MCSHAN: So where do you fall in your birth order? Are you an only child or you, what?

[27:09] LINDSAY DAVIS: I am the oldest, so I have a younger sister. I have a younger sister. She's two years younger than me. And so she is the coolest human, I think, to ever exist. She's just so awesome. And so that's, like, my person. Are you an only child?

[27:27] KRISTY MCSHAN: No, I'm a middle child. So I'm like, it just made me think about it. When you were talking about kind of, you know, basically it seemed like mediating or trying to keep things at a level. And because that's a typical of a middle, middle child, you want to try and keep the peace, and that's basically how I am. I've always, I don't know if I've always been. I used to be kind of more of a aggressor, an agitator, I guess you would say. Younger sister didn't always see eye to eye. She was a little whiny girl, and. But now I just try to. That's how I am. I try to keep the peace with everybody. And I have friends or couples, and one couple has a problem with, you know, the guy has a problem with the girl, the girl has a problem with the guy. And I hear it from both sides, and I try to try to mediate. And, of course, they all tell you they're never together at the same time. So you can't, like, act as a therapist for them or anything. You just got to give them pieces of information. But that's just kind of how I am. That's why I was just curious about where you are in the birth order in your family. So. Interesting.

[28:28] LINDSAY DAVIS: So you mentioned this kind of earlier with your friend, but, like, is there someone that you often disagree with who you still respect?

[28:36] KRISTY MCSHAN: Well, I mean, my friend, like I said, she was my best. She used to be my best friend. In college, and we would party and stuff together and have a really good time, and she was environmentally conscious. And we can disagree. And still, I can still be friends with her. I just don't like combativeness. I don't like someone trying to wear me down to try and see their point. I can see your point. I can understand it. I don't have to agree with it, but we could still go our separate ways at the end. And so, yeah, I can, you know, truly, I don't have a problem. I can, I can handle with other, handle other people's different points of view. And actually, you learn stuff sometimes when you're talking to somebody with varying points of view and being, oh, I never saw it that way. Or, you know, that's, that's interesting. So how about yourself? I mean, are you turned off by that or you can.

[29:33] LINDSAY DAVIS: No, I, I don't often find myself in disagreement with a lot of folks that I spend my day to day with, but every now and then, it's like social media driven, right?

[29:47] KRISTY MCSHAN: Yeah.

[29:48] LINDSAY DAVIS: You know, Facebook is people's, we call it, we joked in the office earlier, their digital diary, or you'll see tweets and things. And it's like sometimes people just need to an outlet to say things. And so sometimes I respond, most times I don't. And for me, it, I ascribe to a philosophy of, like, is this the hill that I'm willing to die on? And most of the time the answer is like, no. Like, I can still, I can still disagree. And if the conversation comes up in person, like, I'm open to having it. But I guess I'm very similar to you in that it's the combativeness or people, like, really not letting up or not being willing to listen. I'm okay with discourse and things of that nature, but really being open to just listen sometimes I think is more important. Sometimes I don't have a response because I need to internally process what that means or I need to go research that for myself and then come back to this conversation. A lot of my beliefs and things are beliefs for me or core to me because I've taken time to research them, not just go off of something I, someone has said to me one time or done things of that nature. Like, it usually will spark a little something of, like, I don't think I thought of that about that before and let me go do my googles or grab a book, read about it first, and then I'm like, okay, now that makes a lot more sense because I recognize some people have beliefs and things and they don't know how to eloquently say them. And so being able to recognize that, it's like, I hear what you're saying, but in this moment, your delivery is turning me off. So I'm not open to hearing this. But let me make a mental note to come back to this because there might be something completely sound and right about what you're saying, but I'm, your delivery of it is not helping me get to that same point. And so that for me is like, I still will respect you because I think everyone deserves respect. It's like the bare minimum. But I'm very much so, like, agree to disagree and we don't have to talk about this again, like we've said it one time, we've made our peace with it, hopefully. But I don't think there's anyone in my life specifically that, like, we disagree and I still have respect for them. I think my parents are still learning. My dad is a pastor and so a lot of his beliefs are rooted in Christianity. And so sometimes it's being able to have conversations about where does his religious beliefs line up with his political beliefs. And so that is something that we still navigate together. Also just recognizing that, like, I, my walk of faith is different from his walk of faith and like, that is still important and we can still have that common ground. But I guess if I had to pick anyone that, like, we disagree but I still love and respect, it would be my dad. But that disagreement happens so rarely that I don't, I guess, think about it too often.

[32:51] KRISTY MCSHAN: So speaking on faith, and you said you walk a different path than your father. So what is your faith?

[32:57] LINDSAY DAVIS: So for me, I am a Christian, was raised southern Baptist, and my dad was raised Presbyterian. So, like, his father is a presbyterian pastor and my dad was a presbyterian pastor for a while of a church. But for me, it's, I still believe in Christ and I don't practice or don't talk about condemning folks to hell because I don't think that that was who Jesus was. I think it was about compassion and love for others and being able to help them be their best selves. And so that to me is how I guide my life when it comes, my christian faith and values, really being able to accept people for who they are and show them what crisis love looked like but not condemning them if they don't have the same beliefs as me or making them feel bad for sinning. Because at the end of the day, we all sin. And so there's redemption and there's grace and there's forgiveness in Christ. And so if people are willing to accept him and accept that, then I'm here to help lead him, to lead them to him. What about you?

[34:13] KRISTY MCSHAN: I was raised a Roman Catholic, and so I went throughout my high school and grade school years at a catholic school. So it was thrust upon me a lot and a lot of mass. And then when I went to college, I went to mass somewhat, but I just didn't get anything out of it. And then I saw the hypocrisy of some people who go to church regularly and they act like crap in their normal life. Excuse the language. So I just, it's like, I can believe. I can have my faith and I don't have to go to the mass. I do pray every night, and I do try to live a good life. And. And so I guess you would call me. I would still say I'm Catholic, but I'm more just a Christian, just a blanket, you know, have beliefs. I'm kind of along your lines where how can a God who is so forgiving and, and great, how can he also condemn people and be that spiteful? So I do have, you know, issues with that sometimes. But, yeah, I have faith. I definitely have a faith. I definitely have. And I also have a spiritual kind of one with nature, but I'm definitely more, I would say Christianity Christian focused. So. And I just, yeah, like, it's all about living life and trying to be a better person than you were yesterday, and that's how I try to be anyway, so. And that's one thing I'm learning through all this. The DEI coursework I'm going through is just, there's so much room to improve, improve yourself and become a, become a better person because we have. I know personally, I haven't always been the best. And there's stereotypes out there. There's issues, you know, things that you just, I'll drive by a car, and I'm like, the person's driving terrible. It must be a woman, and I'm a woman, but I just sometimes think, oh, gosh, you know, women drivers are terrible, and, or they're an old person, and I'm trying to get away from stuff like that. That's minor. But still, we all have some kind of bias or some kind of stereotype that we have kind of built in and just recognizing it and then changing. And that's what my focus is this year, really kind of recognize where I have weaknesses and try and build upon it. And improve. So did you discriminated against growing up for any reasons?

[36:48] LINDSAY DAVIS: You know, Knoxville is a very special place in that racism exists, but it's very blanketed and, like, not in your face. And, like, I don't remember ever feeling like there was. I never felt like Knoxville was racist or I encountered racism when I. Racism when I was younger, but I definitely did once I got to college and the start of the Black Lives Matter movement and things of that nature. And so there was a lot of targeting towards black students on campus from other students and then eventually from state legislature with funding for diversity of equity programs at the university. And so I know the first time that I was, like, really tested with an encountering racism, discrimination and things of that nature. And that was really hard to grapple with because I'm just 18, 1920 years old. I just want to go to school and get an education and, you know, feel like I matter at this university and I belong the same as my white counterparts. And that just wasn't the language and messaging that came from my peers and administration at times and state legislators who decide our budgets and things of that nature. And so that, I think, was probably the first time that, like, I really experienced any type of discrimination and also having to fight back in some aspect. And so I think I mentioned earlier, like, I was hesitant about coming back to UT because I had such a bittersweet experience at this university. Like, I grew up loving ut, my mom's an alum, and I knew that I wanted to be here and then to get here and to have such an experience where it just didn't matter if I came or went was really, like, disheartening. And so the idea of being a staff person and not having the same luxuries or liberties to stand up for myself was a little nerve wracking at first. But I think that the university has made some strides, and they are trying to be better and do better by black and brown and lgbtq students on this campus. But I want to be a part of that change. So, I mean, have you experienced discrimination at all?

[39:02] KRISTY MCSHAN: Well, growing up, I was always a tall, skinny little kid, so, of course, you know, I would get called Stringbean or just teased from my height, but nothing and the most I've felt lately is all around Covid. So at our work, we were mandated to get the vaccine unless you did an exemption, you know, a legitimate exemption. So then you had to fill out all this paperwork. Basically, I felt like justifying my beliefs because I didn't want to get vaccinated based upon personal religious beliefs. And so we had to fill out paperwork for that. And then after that was submitted, you had to come back and fill out more paperwork with more questions about your faith and why you didn't want to do it, whatever did that. Then we took a little while for them to come back and give us an answer if you were exempt or not. And then they instituted policies for vaccinated versus non vaccinated. So non vaccinated, we still have to wear masks, and we still have to. If we use a company vehicle, we have to ride by ourselves, and we have to wipe down all of our. The interior with sanitate, sanitizing wipes and the key and stuff once we leave the vehicle. So for me, I was like, gosh, this is just. I feel discriminated against. I feel like what other people in other situations feel when they're targeted or, you know, treated differently. And I thought, maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm the one who just, you know, feels that way. But then I went to one of our other locations, and they were wearing their masks, and I thought they were just doing it out of safety precautions and stuff. And they're like, can you believe that we're still having to wear masks and we have all these restrictions? And I said, oh, I didn't know y'all weren't vaccinated either. And, like, no, we're not. And, like, I feel discriminated against. You know, they were, you know, other ethnicities or you're not just, you know, not just, you know, white or whatever you want to call it. And so I said, okay, it's not just me that feels that way. So as a whole, the people who are not vaccinated, we feel a little discriminated against. But other than that, I can't say that I have it anywhere else in my life that I've really felt that way. So fortunate. I mean, it sounds like you've been pretty fortunate most of your life as well, so, yeah, it's definitely. That was another eye opening thing for me to just to feel that just, you know, I don't know if you ever had to read the scarlet letter, but she had to wear that a around her neck because she was an adulterer. And I felt like, oh, I'm wearing this mask, like I'm unsafe, I have a plague, and whatever, but I know the reasons. I know the reasons behind it, and I feel very fortunate that I was able to get an exemption and not have to take the vaccine, but it's just definitely different. It gives you a different outlook and feeling.

[41:57] LINDSAY DAVIS: Now I get that. I think that's something that we still navigate on campus with students and things of that nature. So recognizing, you know, it's. It's really hard when you work with such a large population from all different walks of life. And so being able to manage everyone's comfortability with still being out and about, like, people are still craving and desiring in person interactions, but everyone is also on a wide spectrum of being able to have, you know, like, where they feel comfortable. And so I've been really fortunate that, like, working in the office that I'm in, some of us are vaccinated, some are unvaccinated, but we had very open dialogue around what would make us feel comfortable in our own private spaces and public spaces together. That I think when people have open dialogue, I think it kind of helps change things when you're able to have conversations and stuff, because sometimes it's just like, over here in these policies, but, like, no one's asking us, the people that are on the ground, having to do the day to day work, like, how we feel or things of that nature. And so Covid has definitely been one of those things that's been really hard to navigate for us, and I definitely resonate with.

[43:25] KRISTY MCSHAN: So what do you want? I know you're still. You got a long life ahead of you, but what do you want to be kind of your legacy to the world, if anything?

[43:35] LINDSAY DAVIS: I guess my legacy would. I want every person I get a chance to interact with to feel like there was someone who cared about them and was in their corner, even if that interaction is just so brief. Life can be so isolated and lonely. And sometimes you just don't have community and you don't have someone. And so for me, it's being able to be that light and to be that person for folks when they don't feel like they have anyone. And then just knowing that I made a difference in some type of way in someone's life, if it's just a hello on the street or a nice note or a hug or that financial contribution, contribution to a shelter or anything in that way, just knowing that I was able to leave every place that I've gone a little bit better than what I found, it would be my legacy. What about you?

[44:30] KRISTY MCSHAN: So, as a mom, I don't want to just say my kids, but, yeah, I want to make sure I've raised good kids that are going to be contributing members of society. But for myself, I just want people to know that I cared and I put forth efforts. I try to give more myself than I receive, for sure, and be helpful to everyone. And also, like you said, feel like I made a difference. You know, I made a difference in the lives of hundreds of animals by rescuing them and fostering and. And that makes me feel good. But I also want to just be a little bit better, more contributor to society in some way. Like I said, I do the volunteering at festivals and different events around town, but I want to. I want to do a little bit more of that, get more involved with humanity projects and things, so I can feel like I'm contributing to more to society than just serving beer at a festival or organizing music groups or something like that. So. And what? So then what is your biggest hope for the future?

[45:34] LINDSAY DAVIS: Oh, my hope and desire is to eventually be a mom and just be able to say what you said of, you know, making sure I'm raising good human beings that are contributing greatness in this world. And so I don't have a timeline for that, but that is, like, the one desire or hope that I have for my future.

[45:55] KRISTY MCSHAN: That's awesome.

[45:58] LINDSAY DAVIS: I wanted to ask you earlier because I know you're talking about your love of music. What type of music are you into? I'm a huge. I love music a lot of. I don't have, like, a favorite genre. I listen to almost anything as long as it sounds good to me. I'm like, yeah, sign me up.

[46:13] KRISTY MCSHAN: Right? And that's. That's basically how I am. I'm more rock, but sometimes, you know, I don't know if, you know, stained or tulle or any of those bands, but those are the kinds of more alternative rock that I've liked, but also country. My daughter, when we would ride together, always had to listen to pop and Taylor Swift and what's her name, various different stars. So I got a taste of that. And then also, like, jazzy kind of music and blues, and I just like a variety. I just love live music. Just seeing someone perform. Like, last night, I went and listened to a guy. He just plays. He has a couple of his own covers that. I mean, his own songs that he wrote, and. And then he played a couple covers, like some maroon five or different, you know, kind of slower songs, and he played toxic, but he strung it out, like, slow, and it was different, you know, and just. Just various stuff. So we're having a big international festival coming next month, and it's music from all over the world. It's Africa and New Brunswick and South America and various countries that will come together and play for five days. And it's awesome. And it's music you've never heard. And I just. I just love it. And you get to see different cultures. Like, the african american, not african american people from Africa will be in our costumes, and they play drums, and I love drums. I love that, you know, that sound, that deep sound and stuff and the dancing that they do. So it's just. It's awesome. So what? So you said you listen to everything. You don't have a particular genre, right? If you have one honor that you like the least, what is it?

[48:03] LINDSAY DAVIS: It might be rock only because that's the only thing that I haven't gotten a chance to really explore a whole lot. Like, I know a few rock songs and, like, eighties rock music because my mom listened to it. That's what she listened to growing up. And so I'm a little familiar with that. But, like, anything outside of that, I'm, like, probably not there. Like, maybe a few that I think are rock esque bands that I've listened to before that I'm like, okay, I like their music, but I haven't explored it. So I guess that will be, like, the one that's ranked at the bottom because I don't listen to it as often. But I also love live music, and I played piano when I was growing up, and part of our. My lessons and things were rooted in being able to learn about other types of music. And so that's just kind of where that love comes from, is we've got a chance to listen to a lot of different live instrumentations of things. And so now I just. I am quick to listen to anything. I think before I logged in, I was listening to parisian classical music because, I don't know, it was just felt really calming today for. For this. And so I'm all over the place in my listening, but live music is definitely where I, like, get my most joy. I love going out to the likelis on the patio somewhere, having a cocktail and enjoying the sun. That is, like, my ideal afternoon. And so I'm hoping to actually do that today. We'll see.

[49:28] KRISTY MCSHAN: But, yeah, so what is a hobby then? We only have a couple minutes left, but what, like, what is a hobby of yours? So would you list that as one or.

[49:37] LINDSAY DAVIS: I am really into reading. I've gotten back, falling back in love with reading. So right now I'm in the middle of reading Jennifer Lewis's memoir and another fiction novel. And so I'm usually someone who's in between two books. I'm usually reading something nonfiction, something fiction, but that has been, like, my hobby, my new interest. So, yeah, what about you?

[50:04] KRISTY MCSHAN: I love working with animals, and I love watching movies and going to the park and walk or anything outdoorsy festivals and stuff. So that's basically what I am. So, coming into this conversation, what were your expectations, and did they change throughout this interview?

[50:24] LINDSAY DAVIS: I don't think I had a lot of expectation. I guess I was hoping that I would have someone who was conversational enough to, like, help me get outside of my box and not be just so, like, shy and timid. And so I think that has definitely been met. But then also, like, I guess reading your bio ahead of time, I was like, okay, I resonate with some of these things also growing up in a middle class home and things of that nature. And so just seeing, like, what did our differences, but also being able to find those commonalities. And so I don't think my expectations changed, but they definitely exceeded where I.

[51:02] KRISTY MCSHAN: Thought they were going to be. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, I agree with you on that. I mean, I was really nervous thinking about the conversation, how well it would flow. Flow, and if there'd be periods of stagnancy. But it all went well, and I really enjoyed talking with you. It seemed to flow pretty good, and I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be. That was my biggest concern, is being, like, really nervous and choked up during this. But it went well, and it was really nice getting to know you and talk about various things that are of interest to us.

[51:33] LINDSAY DAVIS: So you as well. I really enjoyed this.