The Voices of Winchester

Willie Carver: "Saving Kids' Lives"

Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr. is an accomplished educator, author, and advocate. He was named the 2022 Kentucky Teacher of the Year for his work teaching French and English at Montgomery County High School. He later left his teaching position, citing discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.
He has since become a prominent advocate for equality, testifying before the U.S. House Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in 2022. He is a board member of the Kentucky Youth Law Project. He works at the University of Kentucky and continues to inspire through his writing, public speaking, and advocacy.
He is also a published poet, with his collection Gay Poems for Red States receiving critical acclaim and multiple awards.
Willie is well-known in Winchester, having spoken at the former Wildcat Willie’s Distillery, now known as Regeneration Distillery, and was the headline speaker at the 2023 Voices of Winchester storytelling event at Leeds Center for the Arts.
Willie’s advocacy for Kentucky’s young people, particularly LGBTQ+ youth, involves counseling, lobbying the state legislature, and keeping abreast of legal issues surrounding the community.
He recently sat down with our Lisa Bush to talk about his work and his heart for struggling queer youth.
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About WinCity Voices
WinCity Voices (WCV) is sharing the voices of Winchester one story at a time. We are all about connection, conversation, and community. Launched in November 2021 as WinCity News & Views and rebooted in October 2022, we are a group of volunteers who love creating engaging content in all its forms. Our work consists mostly of short stories about ideas, happenings, people, places, and more. We also feature fiction and art of all kinds. 
Our Mission
WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.
Our Vision 
We envision a community where diversity is celebrated and all are welcomed, inspired, and empowered to become active participants in the social and civic life of Winchester and beyond.
Links
Website: https://www.wincityvoices.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wincityvoicesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wincityvoices/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wincityvoices.org
 

Jeffery Hale: ‘I have to be brave’

Winchester resident, teacher, and business owner Jeffery Hale is no stranger to contradictions. Unlike many gay people, who have eschewed religion, Jeffery fully embraces his Christianity—although his practice differs significantly from the dominant form that seems to get all the air in today’s America.
Jeffery describes himself as “a simple man trying to live in God’s love.” Yet his relationship with God and his personal spiritual practice are anything but conventional. He has found a way to ignore the often homophobic attitudes of many evangelicals while retaining his love for “Spirit”—his personal name for the Christian Trinity (God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit).
Last week, Lisa Bush sat down with Jeffery in the cozy confines of Mason on Main, the downtown shop Jeffery runs with his husband, Mason Rhodus. In a revealing and intimate 30-minute video for The Voices of Winchester Podcast, Lisa and Jeffery explore the many facets of his roots in Eastern Kentucky up to the present day.
This episode is the second installment of a three-part series of interviews Lisa is doing for us exploring the lives of three very different LGBTQ+ people in Central Kentucky.
WinCity Voices (WCV) is sharing the voices of Winchester, one story at a time. We are all about connection, conversation, and community. We are a group of volunteers who love creating engaging content in all its forms. Our work consists mostly of short stories about ideas, happenings, people, places, and more. We also feature fiction and art of all kinds. 
WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community. We envision a community where diversity is celebrated and all are welcomed, inspired, and empowered to become active participants in the social and civic life of Winchester and beyond.
Website: https://www.wincityvoices.org/
 

A quick announcement

A brief announcement about our YouTube channel and upcoming podcasts. The Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.

Jeffery Hale: ’I have to be brave’

Winchester resident, teacher, and business owner Jeffery Hale is no stranger to contradictions. Unlike many gay people, who have eschewed religion, Jeffery fully embraces his Christianity—although his practice differs significantly from the dominant form that seems to get all the air in today’s America.Jeffery describes himself as “a simple man trying to live in God’s love.” Yet his relationship with God and his personal spiritual practice are anything but conventional. He has found a way to ignore the often-homophobic attitudes of many evangelicals while retaining his love for “Spirit”—his personal name for the Christian Trinity (God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.)Last week, Lisa Bush sat down with Jeffery in the cozy confines of Mason on Main, the downtown shop Jeffery runs with his husband, Mason Rhodus. In a revealing and intimate 30-minute video for The Voices of Winchester Podcast, Lisa and Jeffery explore the many facets of his roots in Eastern Kentucky up to the present day.This episode is the second installment of a three-part series of interviews Lisa is doing for us exploring the lives of three very different LGBTQ+ people in Central Kentucky.The Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.

Gerica Horn: Life as a Transgender Woman

Gerica Horn is a vivacious and lovely woman. She is a hairstylist in east-central Kentucky with an open and outgoing personality. Yet Gerica was born a boy named Rodney. Join us as guest host Lisa Bush chats with her friend about what it was like growing up "different" and living her adult life as a transgender woman. This episode contains explicit material and is intended for mature audiences.The Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.

Lisa Bush: All Voices Reading Room

Lisa Bush is a writer and community activist who has launched a new project in Winchester, Kentucky -- All Voices Reading Room. Host Pete Koutoulas chats with Lisa about her new project, as well as some upcoming podcasts that Lisa will be hosting for us, featuring three members of the local LGBTQ+ community. Links:All Voices Reading Room on Facebook: https://bit.ly/allvoicesreadingroomAll Voices Reading Room Amazon wish list (to contribute books):https://bit.ly/allvoicesamazonThe Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.

Lisa Bush: ’Red Blood, White Ox’ - a story of love and injustice

Lisa Bush has lived in Clark County her entire life. She calls herself a “vintage resident” of Winchester, having been born in the historic Guerrant Clinic, which now houses the Bluegrass Heritage Museum on South Main Street. But her roots run deep in Eastern Kentucky; her family is from Wolfe County — the Red River Gorge area of the Commonwealth.For her first novel, Lisa Bush didn't just draw upon her knowledge of the land of her ancestors, she delved into a true event that happened in her family’s distant past. This personal connection, along with her deep understanding of the Eastern Kentucky landscape, brings a unique authenticity to her novel, Red Blood, White Ox.The Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.

Adam Kidd: Winchester, the definition of small-town America

In our latest Voices of Winchester podcast, host Pete Koutoulas sat down with Winchester real estate developer Adam Kidd to discuss the past, present, and future of downtown Winchester. We talked about saving and restoring historic downtown buildings, the high-side renovation project, the problem of the lack of affordable housing in Winchester, the vision of former city manager Mike Flynn, Adam’s vision of a “fraternity of business owners,” and the announcement of a new venue for live music on Main Street!The Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.

Bonus episode: The Mrs. Roper Romp

When we heard that Winchester residents Brett Cheuvront and Mason Rhodus were planning an event called "The Mrs. Roper Romp," we were quite intrigued! So, we invited the two into our studio to record a short bonus episode of the WinCity Voices Podcast to tell us all about this brand new (hopefully annual) event in downtown Winchester! Participants are invited to dress up as Mrs. Roper (or Mr. Roper) from the 1970s classic sitcom "Three's Company." This fun event will take place on Saturday, April 20, at The Hall on Main Street, which will be temporarily renamed The Regal Beagle for one night only!The Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.

Episode 8: Ken Howard and the Winchester Art Guild

Ken Howard is a retired educator, potter, farmer, and president of the Winchester Art Guild. The guild's retail store on North Main Street here in Winchester recently re-opened for the season, so we caught up with Ken to talk about the store, the art guild, the resurgence of Main Street, and lots more.  Your host for this episode is Pete Koutoulas. The Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.

Episode 7: Gay Poems for Red States

Welcome to Episode 7 of The Official WinCity Voices Podcast. On today's episode, host Lashana Harney is joined by Willie Carver to talk about his book "Gay Poems for Red States."About the Guest:Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr. is a youth advocate who works with the Kentucky Youth Law Project, Progress Kentucky, Narrative 4, and the Campaign for Our Shared Future. He is a Kentucky Teacher of the Year and the author of Gay Poems for Red States, a collection of narrative poetry about his childhood growing up queer in Appalachia. His creative work, which has been published in 100 Days in Appalachia, 2RulesofWriting, Another Chicago Magazine, Large-hearted Boy Blog, Smoky Blue Literary Magazine, and Good River Review, exists at the intersection of queer identity, Appalachian identity, and the politics of innocence.Willie is a candidate for the MFA in poetry at the University of Kentucky. He publishes and presents on the subjects of education, marginalization, and identity, and his story has been featured on ABC, CBS, PBS, NPR, and in The Washington Post, Le Monde, and Good Morning America. His advocacy has led him to engage President Biden and to testify before the United States Congressional Committee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. The Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.

Episode 6: We Believe You

Welcome to Episode 6 of The Official WinCity Voices Podcast. On today's episode, host Lashana Harney is joined by Latisha Jackson, Executive Director of Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center, and Keisha Morgan, the Lead Advocate at Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center. Latisha and Keisha shed light on the organization's mission to support survivors and create safer local communities like Clark County. We dive deeper into the challenges survivors face, the role of schools and institutions in promoting awareness, and the evolving societal attitudes towards sexual violence.And together, we explore actionable steps that we can take to support survivors, amplify the message of sexual assault awareness, and contribute to creating a safer community for everyone. Content Warning: This episode discusses sensitive topics, including sexual assault, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. Listener discretion is advised.About the Guests:Latisha Jackson is the Executive Director of the Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center of the Bluegrass region. She comes to Ampersand as an experienced Certified Addictions Professional with over 15 years of experience in substance use disorder and mental health treatment, case management, and over 7 years of experience in program development and operations management. Latisha has robust knowledge and experience working with human trafficking victims, youth and adolescents in foster care, and various at-risk populations within her social work career. She possesses a master's degree in Social Work from the University of Louisville and a Specialization in Alcohol Drug Counseling. Latisha is currently working toward her licensure as a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor. She is also a certified trauma-informed trainer and CPI certified. Latisha has always had a strong passion for social justice, empowering others to recognize their maximum potential while assisting them with breaking down barriers. She believes you should look through each person's eyes from a holistic approach to help those jump through the obstacles that have been hindering them from moving forward in life and even overcoming their traumas.  She states, “To have the opportunity to make a lasting, positive impact in the life of survivors and others we work with brings joy to my heart.”Keisha Morgan is the Lead Advocate at Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center of the Bluegrass. Born and raised in central Appalachia, she saw the need for compassionate and creative care for survivors of trauma, and that is what drives her to do the work now. As an advocate for survivors of sexual assault, Keisha has seen how important it is for survivors to be able to explore all aspects of themselves in healing and strives to provide the space for that.The Voices of Winchester Podcast brings your stories, our stories, & all of the voices of Winchester to your ears.If you like what you hear, be sure to follow us on social media @wincityvoices & check out more content like this at wincityvoices.org. Want to tell your story on the podcast? Email Lashana at lashanaharney@gmail.com or Pete at peteky1961@gmail.com. -----------WCV's Mission:WinCity Voices believes storytelling in all of its forms — the visual, the written, the spoken — is vital to meaningful change. Our storytellers provoke thought, promote happenings, and provide entertainment. Our mission is to celebrate creativity, foster informed conversation, and inspire the people of Winchester and beyond to build connection and community.