Small Town Life, Big World Thinking With Civic Leader Stephane Swepson Twitty

Hi James Navé here, your host for Twice 5 Miles Radio. I'm pleased to welcome civic leader Stephanie Swepson Twitty to the microphone. Stephanie was born and now lives in Old Fort, North Carolina, surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest. I recently worked with Stephanie on the TEDx Asheville speaker selection committee. I was inspired to interview her because of her insightful questions to the speaking candidates. I also learned that Stephanie has a way of applying big world thinking to small-town living, thus the title of this show. Small Town Living. Big World Thinking. In this conversation, Stephanie talks about what it was like growing up in a small rural town that has a population of only 1000. Yet, even with its small population, Old Fort has embarked on a very ambitious modern project designed to imagine forward a bright future that will draw people from all over the world to visit, work, and play. Stephanie also discusses her job as the CEO of Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, which funds development projects around Western North Carolina. When I asked Stephanie what inspired the name Eagle in the title of her development corporation, she said Eagle Street was the center of the African-American business community in Asheville for many years. She thinks the term eagle might reference Friday being payday and the song Stormy Monday which says the Eagle Flies on Friday, and after that, you spend your dollars on the weekend. No matter where the name Eagle comes from, Stephaine talks a great deal about how African-American communities like the Eagle Street area in Asheville have gone through many ups and downs over the years. And finally, Stephanie and I talked about our shared excitement about the upcoming TED ask Asheville event in 2022. My conversation with Stephaine lasted 40 minutes. You'll be glad to know I have filled out the rest of the hour with a discussion on how to prepare yourself to give a TED talk. Although it's impossible to cover all the essential speaking points in such a short time, when you listen to my thoughts, you will have a fair idea of what to do next in preparing for your talk or upcoming speech, TED or otherwise. Enjoy the conversation.