Search Interviews

Shaquill Gibson (21) is interviewed by CHS staff person Kemali Green (28) about growing up in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn and his community there. They also reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic, incarceration and racial justice.

Friends Selina X [no age given] and Teronia C (60) talks about how they each ended up in prison, what their sentencing was like, and what the re-entry journey looked like for each of them.

Jayden Mayo (18) speaks with CHS staff person Kemali Green (28) about growing up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, the lessons he learned from his grandfather, his experiences with incarceration and his goals for the future.

Partners Joi Purvy (35) and Jasper Joyner (33) sit down to talk about their beloved city, Memphis. The two talk reflect on the kind and welcoming community that has embraced them and provided them security as Black queers. They also...

Activists Sophie Secor (22) and John Xavier Acosta (33) have a discussion with friend and fellow activist Darwensi Clark (42) about their convictions and thoughts surrounding New York politics.

Sartura Smith (62) talks with her friend LaTamarah "Tammi" Stackhouse (48) about growing up in Tampa, Florida during segregation. She describes Central Avenue, a historic district for black owned businesses, her parents being restaurant owners there, family dinner traditions and...

Friends and soul sisters Natasha Herring (48) and Virginia Vasquez (40) remember their grandparents' life and talk about how they have been influenced by them at various stages in life.

Sherry Neil (49) and Nia Hodge (50) talk about the importance of community, conversations about mental health for Black women, and their hopes for Fresno in terms of equity.

Long-time friends and colleagues Madaha Kinsey-Lamb (73) and Jim Marley (80) discuss their work and friendship over the years.

Naomi Love (27) interviews her new friend Susan Canaday Henry (48) about getting over her arachnophobia, her career, her relationship with art, her childhood, and the life lessons that she has learned along the way.

One Small Step conversation partners Robin Boone (66) and Jim Pokorny (63) discuss their formative political experiences, their relationship with Christianity, the importance of finding common ground with those of different political affiliations, and the essential goodness of human nature.

Dr. Carolyn Pryor (62) interviews her friend and colleague Dr. Jovita Oruwari (55) about her career in breast cancer surgery. They talk about the importance of Black female representation in the medical field and how having a doctor who looks...

Shelda Washington (67) has a conversation with her daughter, Laisha Washington (40), about her childhood in New York, her education, and being a mom.

Danny Bell (76) tells his daughter Sydia Bell (35) about growing up in Brooklyn and the day that he saved her mother.

One Small Step partners, Rachel Barnard (52) and John Duvall (63), discuss privilege and racism. They examine how each of these is reflected in their own life experiences, and John brings some new ways of looking at these concepts to...

Friends Naomi Graver (24) talks with Edgar "Ed" Holley (52) remember their mutual friend, Cheikh. Ed was a baseball coach for Cheikh when he was just a teen. Years later Ed would learn that he left a huge impression on...

Monica Whatley (32) interviews her friend, Bandele [no name given] (73), about his incarceration in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Bandele reflects on what he learned during the 33 years during which he was detained, his relationship...

Kiplyn Primus (60) interviews her friend and colleague Daryll Harris Griffin (72) about Daryll's life, focusing on her family, her business career, and her experiences as a member of the Atlanta Business League.

Saul-Yuan Calvillo (25) and their colleague and friend, Vei Darling (24), talk about life and communities in New York, queerness, and the city's influence on identity.

Colleagues Briiz Jean-Baptise Vicioso (19) and Ru Hensley (24) talk about their experiences growing up as young queer people, how their understanding of gender and sexuality has changed over time, and the hopes they have for the work they do...

Mark Ugbomah (34) asks his father, Obiajula Ugbomah (58), about his childhood, migrating to the United States, and finding home and belonging in music and important interpersonal relationships.

Carlton Thompson (33) shares a conversation with his brother Davelle Merrick (24) and mother Yvette Thompson (56) about their experiences moving from New York to Virginia, their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the loss of their grandfather.

Friends and One Small Step partners Kimberly Lemite (54) and Daniel Elliott [no age given] reflect on the impact of their family histories. They talk about the legacy of slavery in the United States and what it means to truly...

Madaha Kinsey-Lamb (73) sits down with friend and colleague Egeria Bennett (72) to speak about the early days of Mind-Builders -- a non-profit arts education center located in Bronx. They reflect on the obstacles they faced, how they chose teachers...

Jacob A. Johnson (67) interviews his uncle Edgar Lawrence (92) about his time in the Navy, his transition back to civilian life, and his life after the military.