Dr. Austin Dean Ashford, a brand-new Indianapolis transplant, multi-disciplinary creative, and performer at this year’s Chreece festival, talks about hip hop as community practice, why festivals matter to the city, how creativity builds connection, and why you shouldn’t forget the doctor.

Tap in with the Dr.: https://www.austindeanashford.com/bio

Artists on Chreece is a series of conversations with artists about their experience with the festival, their musical stylings, and more, from Chreece Media Day. Shout out to the Chreece team for having us.

Subscribe to the newsletter (out Mondays): https://patrickintheworld.substack.com/

Full archives: https://conversationpiecepod.com/
Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/conversationpiecepod/

Produced and hosted by: Patrick Armstrong

Filmed and edited by: Mike Lee Productions + Apicem Studios

• (00:00) - — Introductions
• (00:21) - — Becoming a Transplant
• (00:39) - — Discovering Chreece
• (00:54) - — First Time at Chreece
• (01:26) - — Why Chreece Matters
• (02:03) - — What Hip Hop Gives Us
• (02:22) - — The Performance
• (02:40) - — What He Brings to the Stage
• (03:13) - — Why You Should Pull Up
• (03:33) - — How to Support

On this episode of The Open Door, self-advocacy strategist Nora Elder stops by the studio to explore what self-advocacy truly means, how core values shape our decisions, and how Nora’s “Choose the Marble” practice helped her leave corporate life and build a purpose-driven business.

Learn more about Nora's work: https://choosethemarble.com/

The Open Door is a series where once a month we literally open the studio door and invite folks from the community to sit down with us and talk about whatever is on their hearts. To learn more go to https://bit.ly/opendoor2024.

Shout out to Life in Indy for sponsoring this initiative! Life in Indy is your comprehensive guide to the Indianapolis region. This site gives you a full virtual tour experience, so you can explore our community and discover where in Indy is the best place for your new home. Learn more at https://www.lifeinindy.com/

Subscribe to the newsletter (out Mondays): https://patrickintheworld.substack.com/

Full archives: https://conversationpiecepod.com/
Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/conversationpiecepod/

Produced and hosted by: Patrick Armstrong

Filmed and edited by: Mike Lee Productions

Engineered and mixed by: Popular Rapture

Music by: Mandog

• (00:00) - — Welcome to The Open Door + Episode Setup
• (01:02) - — Meet Nora Elder: Self-Advocacy Strategist
• (01:35) - — The “Choose the Marble” Story
• (04:20) - — What Self-Advocacy Really Means
• (05:36) - — Core Values: Why They Matter
• (06:20) - — Skills of Self-Advocacy: Boundaries, Saying No, Negotiation
• (07:48) - — Nora’s Four Core Values
• (10:13) - — How She Helps Clients Discover Their Values
• (13:21) - — Community, Women’s Networks, and Support Systems
• (19:17) - — What Nora Is Building in Year Two (Workshops + Speaking)

On this episode of Conversation Piece, designer, creator, and business strategist Navi Kaur stops by the studio to talk about her journey from watching Dragon Ball Z as a kid in India to helping build The Normies — an Indianapolis-based creative community and reaction channel with nearly 1 million subscribers. She dives into her path from immigrant student to financial officer, how The Normies grew from friends watching Game of Thrones to a full-scale business, and what it takes to sustain creativity, community, and leadership in digital media.

Connect with Navi: https://instagram.com/nerdy_nav/
Check out The Normies: https://thenormies.com/

Shout out to Frida's Flowers for sponsoring the show! Elevate your next event (or your living room) with some of Madeline's incredible work: fridasflowersindy.com/

This week’s Give Em Their Flowers shout out: Markéta, Rana, Blake Roebuck, and The Normies’ editing team for their creativity, care, and community spirit.

Subscribe to the newsletter (out Mondays): https://patrickintheworld.substack.com/

Full archives: https://conversationpiecepod.com/
Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/conversationpiecepod/

Produced and hosted by: Patrick Armstrong

Filmed and edited by: Mike Lee Productions

Engineered and mixed by: Popular Rapture

Music by: Mandog

• (00:00) - – Year of Community
• (01:05) - – Introducing Navi Kaur
• (02:00) - – How Navi met her friend group through Game of Thrones
• (04:08) - – Early love for anime and manga
• (06:04) - – Immigrating to America and finding identity through pop culture
• (08:24) - – Discovering manga at the library and bonding with siblings
• (09:52) - – From reading to reacting: The artistry of anime adaptation
• (11:10) - – Sub vs. dub: why both matter
• (12:00) - – Meeting The Normies crew
• (14:03) - – The first reaction video and how it all began
• (17:09) - – Building community through shared fandoms
• (20:14) - – When The Normies became a real business
• (22:19) - – Learning HR, payroll, and leadership on the fly
• (25:15) - – The evolution of scheduling, team roles, and creative flow
• (28:47) - – Letting go of control and trusting the team
• (30:37) - – Decision-making, leadership, and “no more ties”
• (31:32) - – A day in the life at The Normies studio
• (35:21) - – How new shows get added to the lineup
• (37:31) - – Staying in Indianapolis and why it works
• (40:57) - – On burnout, winter blues, and cost of living
• (44:28) - – Balancing creative and financial roles
• (46:33) - – Finding peace in nature and local trails
• (49:14) - – Give Em Their Flowers
• (50:36) - – On community, connection, and gratitude

T.G.I.FREE, an Indianapolis hip-hop artist and Chreece veteran, reflects on what performing at the festival means for the local scene, why it’s a marker of validation for artists, and how his signature songs “Set You Free” and “Big Free” capture his energy, conviction, and pride in his craft.

Connect with T.G.I.FREE: https://linktr.ee/Iamtgifree/

Artists on Chreece is a series of conversations with artists about their experience with the festival, their musical stylings, and more, from Chreece Media Day. Shout out to the Chreece team for having us.

Subscribe to the newsletter (out Mondays): https://patrickintheworld.substack.com/

Full archives: https://conversationpiecepod.com/
Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/conversationpiecepod/

Produced and hosted by: Patrick Armstrong

Filmed and edited by: Mike Lee Productions + Apicem Studios

In this episode of The Open Door, Kia Wright, founder of Voices Corporation, stops by the studio to talk about healing-centered engagement, empowering youth, and building community through art, trust, and care.

Learn more about VOICES Corp: https://voicescorp.org/

In this episode of The Open Door, Jacob Chaves stops by to talk about creativity, food, and how Indianapolis helped him find both his artistic voice and his community.

Learn more about Jake's work with Pattern Indy: https://patternindy.com/

The Open Door is a series where once a month we literally open the studio door and invite folks from the community to sit down with us and talk about whatever is on their hearts. To learn more go to https://bit.ly/opendoor2024.

Shout out to Life in Indy for sponsoring this initiative! Life in Indy is your comprehensive guide to the Indianapolis region. This site gives you a full virtual tour experience, so you can explore our community and discover where in Indy is the best place for your new home. Learn more at https://www.lifeinindy.com/

Subscribe to the newsletter (out Mondays): https://patrickintheworld.substack.com/

Full archives: https://conversationpiecepod.com/
Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/conversationpiecepod/

Produced and hosted by: Patrick Armstrong

Filmed and edited by: Mike Lee Productions

Engineered and mixed by: Popular Rapture

Music by: Mandog

• (00:00) - — Welcome to The Open Door and introduction
• (01:00) - — Kia on balancing parenthood, marriage, and leadership
• (02:30) - — Founding Voices Corporation and early beginnings
• (04:00) - — Healing through art and merging creativity with justice
• (05:00) - — Listening to youth and building trust in community
• (07:00) - — Defining community and what Indianapolis means to Kia
• (09:00) - — Growth and change in Indy’s creative and civic landscape
• (10:30) - — Housing insecurity and mental health advocacy
• (12:00) - — New programs: youth-led mental health, housing, and leadership
• (13:30) - — How to get involved and access Voices’ programs
• (14:00) - — Kia’s advice for those seeking help: “Just ask.”

Lillian Barkes, co-founder and CEO of Listen to Our Future, joins Patrick to talk about community, creativity, and connection in Indianapolis — from the need for more third spaces to why downtown’s corners deserve a friendly competition.

Learn more about Listen to Our Future: https://listentoourfuture.com
Learn more about La Parada Restaurant: https://www.laparadaindy.com/
Learn more about the Indy Cultural Trail: https://indyculturaltrail.org

The People's Perspectives on Indy is a series of short interviews with people around the city about their perspectives on Indianapolis.

Support the show

Subscribe to the newsletter.

Leave a review.

Check out our website.

Connect with us on Instagram.

Connect with Patrick

Instagram

LinkedIn

TikTok

Produced and hosted by: Patrick Armstrong

Filmed by: Mike Lee Productions + Apicem Studios

• (00:00) - – Meet Lillian Barkes: Founder of Listen to Our Future
• (00:33) - – What makes Indianapolis special
• (00:48) - – Building bridges between communities
• (01:40) - – The need for more third spaces
• (02:21) - – Misconceptions about downtown Indy
• (03:06) - – Exploring Indy’s Cultural Trail
• (03:24) - – Favorite local spot: La Parada
• (04:04) - – Lillian’s idea: “Battle of the Corners”
• (04:43) - – About Listen to Our Future and how to support

Hip hop artist Joosi Got Bars reflects on her journey performing at Chreece—from early features to headlining her own set—sharing gratitude, growth, and her drive to keep “pushing limits until something happens.”

Connect with Joosi: https://instagram.com/joosi_got_bars/
Check out DRAMATIC (The Mixtape): https://joosigotbars.bandcamp.com/album/dramatic

Artists on Chreece is a series of conversations with artists about their experience with the festival, their musical stylings, and more, from Chreece Media Day. Shout out to the Chreece team for having us.

Subscribe to the newsletter (out Mondays): https://patrickintheworld.substack.com/

Full archives: https://conversationpiecepod.com/
Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/conversationpiecepod/

Produced and hosted by: Patrick Armstrong

Filmed and edited by: Mike Lee Productions + Apicem Studios

• (00:00) - – Introductions from the West Side
• (00:36) - – Growing from Features to Full Sets
• (01:09) - – First Solo Set and the Power of the Crowd
• (01:42) - – Where to Catch Joosi at Chreece
• (02:01) - – Speaking Success into Existence
• (02:50) - – Pushing Limits Until Something Happens

In this episode of the People's Perspectives on Indy, local podcaster Michael Zarick shares his love for Indy’s community spirit, a vision for walkable, transit-first growth, and a tagline for downtown: “massive potential, incredible opportunity.”

Connect with Michael + Third Space Indy: https://thirdspaceindy.com/

The People's Perspectives on Indy is a series of short interviews with people around the city about their perspectives on Indianapolis.

Support the show

Subscribe to the newsletter.

Leave a review.

Check out our website.

Connect with us on Instagram.

Connect with Patrick

Instagram

LinkedIn

TikTok

Produced and hosted by: Patrick Armstrong

Filmed by: Mike Lee Productions + Apicem Studios

• (00:00) - – Introducing Michael Zarick
• (00:36) - – What He Loves About Indianapolis
• (01:30) - – A City Built by People Who Care
• (02:11) - – The Case for Transit, Density, Walkability
• (03:21) - – Three Words for Downtown
• (03:46) - – First Time on the Circle: “I’m in a city now”
• (04:17) - – Current Favorites & Restaurant List
• (04:50) - – Downtown Tagline: “Massive Potential, Incredible Opportunity”
• (05:13) - – Where to Follow & Support Michael