In this first episode of the 2026 Beyond the Clock (BTC) season, Anna and Ash are joined by Nikiko Masumoto, this year’s BTC Resident Artist, farmer, and memory keeper who invites us to explore memory as a living practice. In this episode, we reflect on the quiet rituals (personal and public) that carry culture forward and how, across rural communities, artists and cultural workers are tending something essential: memory and imagination.

Inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s idea that hope is grounded in memory, this conversation considers how remembering can guide us through uncertain times. When artists act as memory keepers, they are also operating as futurists that hold complexity, honor ancestral wisdom, and open space for imagination, especially in the midst of grief or rupture. Nikiko invites us to remember that memories are not simply stories that preserve the past; they are recipes for futures we are still learning how to make.

BTC Season 1 Album: https://www.publictransformation.org/beyond-the-clock-album

Masumoto Family Farms: https://www.masumoto.com/

Weaving has a storied history in Appalachia. Indigenous groups like the Cherokee and Shawnee developed robust weaving traditions using plant fibers. When European settlers colonized Appalachia in the 18th century, they brought their own styles of weaving. These days, fiber artists in Appalachia are noticing an increased interest in weaving, and so they're making the craft more accessible to beginners. And they’re finding ways to connect in person for mentorship opportunities.

All across Appalachia, communities have historically leaned on music to help get work done. Whether tending the garden or marching along the picket line, music has been a way to keep people motivated and rally them around a cause. In the small town of Lansing, North Carolina, community organizers recently hosted the first annual Fly Around Music and Arts Festival. The event was a celebration and continuation of a months-long effort to recover from Hurricane Helene, which hit western North Carolina in 2024.Fly Around Fest took its name from the song “Fly Around my Pretty Little Miss,” a traditional tune recorded by old-time giants Frank Blevins and Ola Belle Reed, who were both from around Lansing. With a nod to the area’s musical roots, the festival was a testament to the endurance of a community bound together by interconnected traditions of community work and music making.