The Murph's Talk

Project Rise Staff Spotlight!Today we are thanking Amanda Smith for her dedication and service! Amanda is part of the programming staff and is widely responsible for getting families to our special events and enrichment programming. She also works closely with our partners at @DLM Food & Resources, makes ongoing edits on the Akron Street Card, and much more! Amanda has a wonderfully big heart and it shows in everything she does. From interacting with other staff members to working with community partners and developing personal relationships with our families.. she is truly an asset to Project Rise. Amanda has built an admirable rapport with the community partners she works closely with and the families she brings to our events. Her smile and laugh are infectious and she has a special place in all of our hearts!

Socialite. Magnetic personality. Fun to be with. Confidence is a good thing. Marks energetic personality in this interview leaving you wanting to go outside and listen and watch birds

Experienced executive level manager with extensive experience in leading program operations and staff to deliver innovative and profitable services tailored to the community’s needs.

Rachel Ramirez (Ohio Domestic Violence Network)Rachel Ramirez, LISW-S, RASS, is the Director of Health and Disability Programs and the Founder of The Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury at The Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN). In this role, she oversees several initiatives on the intersection of domestic violence, disability, behavioral health and health access, with a focus on trauma-informed services and partner-inflicted brain injury. She also provides extensive statewide, national, and international training, consultation, technical assistance, and program support. Rachel has been with ODVN for 15 years and has co-authored several peer reviewed journal articles, as well as been featured on National Public Radio, The New York Times Magazine, and The Washington Post discussing brain injury and domestic violence. Rachel is a dedicated and passionate advocate for survivors of abuse and works to prepare systems to provide trauma and brain injury informed services. 

Over 20 years of experience providing neuropsychological treatment to individuals with known or suspected neurological illness/injury with a special focus on survivors of brain injury and their families. Established a nonprofit organization, Northeast Ohio Brain Injury Foundation (NEOBIF) to help promote information and resources for brain injury survivors and their families in northeast Ohio.

ProfileChristian Vaccaro's research interests are in sociological social psychology. Specifically, he has published and presented multiple research manuscripts that link together by their insights into how patterns of interactions between people in real world settings influence emotions, identities, and behaviors.He serves the university as director of training for the Mid-Atlantic Research and Training Institute for Community Behavioral Health, University Merit Scholarship advisor, Sociology Department program assessment point person, member of the Sociology Department Master's Committee, board member of the Frederick Douglass Institute for Intercultural Research, Legislative Committee co-chair for APSCUF, and Sociology Department Online Education Sub-committee chairperson. He is also active in public service and was an elected council member for the borough of Leechburg from 2013 to 2018,

Associate ProfessorOffice: 506-BB Leonard HallEmail: [email protected], U of Massachusetts at Amherst, 2000MA, U of Massachusetts at Amherst, 1994BA, English, Xiamen University, People's Republic of ChinaAcademic InterestsAsian American and Asian Diasporic (Women's) Literatureand Cultural Criticism; 20thand 21st Century Critical Cultural Theories and Literary Criticisms, including but not limited to feminist theories, postcolonial theory, Asian American and Asian diasporic cultural and literary criticisms, poststructuralism, postmodernism, comparative postcolonial and American multiethnic women's literature and feminisms, and MarxismMELUS 2013 Conference Committee cochair to organize and host the national conference of MELUS (Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the US), joined by the US Chapter of Association of the Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies, the national conference of postcolonial literature, on March 14-17, 2013, in downtown Pittsburgh.Former director, Women's and Gender Studies Program, IUP, 2012-15

Lingyan YangEducationPhD, U of Massachusetts at Amherst, 2000MA, U of Massachusetts at Amherst, 1994BA, English, Xiamen University, People's Republic of ChinaAcademic InterestsAsian American and Asian Diasporic (Women's) Literatureand Cultural Criticism; 20thand 21st Century Critical Cultural Theories and Literary Criticisms, including but not limited to feminist theories, postcolonial theory, Asian American and Asian diasporic cultural and literary criticisms, poststructuralism, postmodernism, comparative postcolonial and American multiethnic women's literature and feminisms, and MarxismMELUS 2013 Conference Committee cochair to organize and host the national conference of MELUS (Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the US), joined by the US Chapter of Association of the Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies, the national conference of postcolonial literature, on March 14-17, 2013, in downtown Pittsburgh.Former director, Women's and Gender Studies Program, IUP, 2012-15

Joan Van Dyke is an Associate Professor of Dance, and affiliate faculty for Women’s andGender Studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Van Dyke was appointed balletmaster of the former Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts. She serves as the director ofthe dance at IUP and Artistic Director of IUP Dance Theater.. Ms. Van Dyke was awardedUniversity Dance Teacher of the Year award for the Eastern District for Health, PhysicalEducation, Recreation and Dance. Ms. Van Dyke is the Artistic Director for the MahoningValley Ballet and director of curriculum Van Dyke and Company. Professor Van Dyke’sinterests include quantitative and qualitative research in dance, cast-based approach tochoreography, dance kinesiology, feminist theory, somatics and the Alexander Technique. Ms.Van Dyke is an invited choreographer, lecturer, and educator nationally and internationally.

Sarah is a native of northeast Ohio, growing up in this area. She graduated from Mogadore HS and then from Kent State with a bachelor of Music in Voice performance. She is a mother of three girls who are an inspiration to me every day. Charlotte is 11, Brooklyn is 8 and Madison is 2. They are amazing people, and I love being their mom. I have been married to my husband, Ben for 19 years and we share a passion for God, loving others and caring about our community. I also have three fuzzy members of our family, a beabull named Rubble an orange tabby named Daisy and a brand new kitten that jumped into our lives named Lilac. We live in Akron, and love our city. Sarah is the host of Good Morning Akron on WAOH.tv and also hosts for 330toGO, The Cleveland Guardians, and Fusion Live.She believes we all have a story and if we dive into our stories and work through our own messiness, we can help others to do the same! Together with her husband Ben, a pastor at the Kenmore Chapel, they have a podcast called Religious Recovery on this very topic having walked through three toxic/abusive church situations themselves and God has put it on their hearts to help others to heal too.

Global Entertainment Expo (GEE)Join us at the Summit Artspace in Akron, Ohio for the most exciting event of the year - the Global Entertainment Expo (GEE)! Get ready to immerse yourself in a world of entertainment like never before. From jaw-dropping performances to mind-blowing educational seminars, fashion show and food fiesta, GEE promises an unforgettable experience for all ages.Discover the latest trends in international dance, music and song! With a lineup of renowned artists, industry experts, and influencers, GEE offers a unique opportunity to connect with your favorite entertainers and gain insights into their creative processes.Explore the vibrant exhibition hall filled with cutting-edge technologies, interactive displays, and exclusive merchandise. Whether you're a die-hard fan or simply curious about the world of entertainment, GEE has something for everyone.Don't miss out on this incredible event! Mark your calendars and get ready to be amazed at the Global Entertainment Expo (GEE)!

Missoni Lanza:Welcome to Movement Bottega, a destination for innovative and transformative Pilates and movement training that is unparalleled in the Coachella Valley. Movement Bottega is located on El Paseo in the heart of Palm Desert. Our collective of seasoned instructors have extensive training and knowledge in fitness, sports performance, holistic movement & Pilates. Our mission is to connect you to your body’s natural intelligence to move with more strength, grace, and ease. Discover your new restorative escape for a world class movement experience.Music by Missoni Lanzahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60XOcc_cOY0https://www.movementbottega.com/

Torah BontragerPart 1: Family and why she escapedRiveting interviews about how Torah escaped her Amish family, moments of deciding to take her life, knowing there was potential of never seeing her life and the community she grew in, and preparing herself that she may never return to her Amish life again.How she has reunited with her family after 20 years, and how she has reunited with her father. She has been working with Professor Joan Van Dyke https://www.vandykeandcompany.com/ and created a ballet about the Amish.All proceeds of memoirs go to Amish Heritage Foundationhttps://www.amazon.com/Amish-Girl-Manhattan-Escaping-Breaking/dp/0989420078The ramifications of Wisconsin vs. Yoder: https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/amishstudies/vol10/iss1/9/Podcast: https://tim.blog/2008/07/15/escaping-the-amish-part-1/comment-page-2/

Jane Startzman talks about dance in Northeast Ohio and how she she dance today and the future of dance in Akron and beyond

Conversation with Robert Keith and Jane Startsman about Critical Thinking and how we can start to open our minds up to learn, listen and to open to each others thoughts and opinions.We want to hear from you about how you feel about this subject:Email: [email protected]

Robert Keith and his debut on his new music. Listen to how his music is Meditative and has a very 90's sound!https://www.electriccompany.studio/

Robert Keith“Challenging to being alive and then challenging acknowledging it, part of being an artists is acknowledging you are alive”Conversation about Educating needing emotional responsible adults, kids exploiting themselves and our journey internally and external journal and how they are working togetherWho are we as artists, where does are creativity come from, trusting are creative artistryMusic by Robert Keith@Electrico_https://www.electriccompany.studio/contact

Reverend Michael Howard talks about Trust, Fear, and the collective whole and how we can work together to gain each others trust again.Recorded at Electric Company, AKron, OHhttps://www.electriccompany.studio/

Brian Murphy talks about his story of being a Tramatic Brain Injury survivor.

Reverend Michael Anthony Howard, collective whole, social activist, interfaith organizer. "Building communities of justice, joy and passion for peace"He talks about his event that is coming up September 27th, and Highland Gathering Place (HUG), Akron, OHCommunity Life Collaboratorhttps://communitylifecollaborative.org/Summit Sustainability Alliancehttps://www.facebook.com/sosaward/UN Sustainable Developmenthttps://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/www.eventsakron.comProduced by: Electric Companyhttps://www.electriccompany.studio/