Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home

Episode 99 Ross Barrett - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Venture Capitalist Ross Barrett sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:36 1. Ross, you’re a venture capitalist. Let’s start here today. For the lay people out there, and I put myself in that group, could you explain what venture capital is and how you got into the space to begin with?
 
26:06 2. You are involved in multiple companies. I want to give people a sense of your work and world by focusing on a couple of them. Can we start with you telling me about Esperance Pharmaceuticals?
 
35:53 3. Now let’s shift to another company where you are deeply involved. Can you tell me about the Cancer Focus Fund?
 
47:06 4. My last formal question is - talk to me some about why someone like you with a global reach would want to continue to remain in and call Shreveport home.

Episode 98 Larry Clark - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Larry Clark, LSU Shreveport Chancellor Emeritus, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:34 1. You have had an incredibly productive and successful career and I know there’s still much more ahead for you.
 
You were the Dean of the College of Business at LSUS from 1985-1994. Then you returned to Shreveport where you served as the Chancellor of LSUS from 2014-2023.
 
Let’s start here today.
 
When you arrived back at LSUS, it had an enrollment of 3,810 students. Fast forward 10 years and, for the first time in school history, enrollment has surpassed 10,000 students.
 
Start, if you could, by telling me the story about how LSUS got into offering online programs - one of the keys to its growth and to its unprecedented success today.
 
5:52 2. In preparing for today, I have spoken to you about your 29 plus years of involvement with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (or AACSB).
 
What did you notice in your over 30 different university reviews that was different than when you arrived to LSUS in 1981 and that is still different today? And what are some of the factors you attribute this to?
 
17:56 3. During your time as chancellor, cutting-edge places for learning and research have transformed the LSUS campus, including the centralized Student Success Center, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, IdeaSpace, Cyber Collaboratory, Pilot Education Center, Human Performance Lab and Veterans Resource Center.
 
Talk to me some about the process you used, during your time as chancellor, for prioritizing your initiatives.
 
31:06 4. When you first arrived in Shreveport, you didn’t know a single person. You said, “a way to get to know people is to get involved.” And in your time here, you have been deeply involved in so many different aspects of our community.
 
My next few questions focus on your civic involvement.
 
You are one of only two citizens that were on both the Biracial Commission and the Black-White Communications Task Force.
 
We have discussed the subject of race relations a number of times on this podcast. In my opinion, race relations is one of the areas of our city that is hindering us and holding us back. What are some recommendations for change or action items you would suggest as we look to build stronger race relations in our future?
 
39:32 5. Another common topic on the podcast are the low self-esteem issues many people face when claiming Shreveport as their community and home.
 
You are extremely positive about Shreveport and one of our city’s very best advocates. What do you see when you look at Shreveport that so many others struggle to see?
 
42:06 6. Lastly, you are chairman of the Shreveport Capital Improvements Committee, a committee that was formed to help determine what projects should be prioritized in the 2024 bond referendum. What can you share with us about this process?

Episode 97 John Atkins - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Businessman, Community Philanthropist and Caddo Parish Commissioner John Atkins sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:30 1. John, you’ve long been one of the people I really look up to in town.
 
Let’s start here today.
 
What role did the Atkins Family play in bringing Centenary to Shreveport in 1908?
 
8:35 2. Tell me about the loss of your grandfather in the plane crash of 1954.
 
20:43 3. How does a former Conoco Geophysicist and McKinsey Consultant end up in the Timber business?
 
47:05 4. Like you, your mom and dad both were very engaged members of our community. Tell us what you may have learned from each.
 
55:08 5. Your family has actively supported our community philanthropically for decades. What are your personal areas of interest and why?
 
1:01:05 6. Since 2016, you have served on the Caddo Parish Commission. What compels one of our community leaders, like you, to make the time to serve?

Episode 96 Jamon Turner - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Chairman of Just Believe Training, Jamon Turner, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:33 1. I know you do a lot of different things. Let’s start here today. You once said the following:
 
“We’re a youth program. We host these really wild camps where kids get to kick loose, meet new friends. You know, city kids, country kids merging, learning about each other.
 
See, we’re kinda like the superhero of camps. We learn about agricultural trades, horses, cattle. All sorts of that fun stuff, you know. We don’t just do western stuff. We go hiking, camping, fishing, kayaking. Pretty much anything outdoors. See we’re the middle man for the kids who can’t. Who don’t have access to these opportunities. We find them, we plug ‘em in, we take ‘em.”
 
Tell me about the camp described above and then we’ll get into some of the other programs Just Believe offers.
 
2:30 2. Your nonprofit, Just Believe, provides hands-on equine and agricultural education programs along with trade introduction for youth. Tell me how it started.
 
6:25 3. You once said the following,
 
“It takes $49,000 to keep a kid incarcerated all year long. You can literally run 32 kids through my program at that for 10 weeks.”
 
Talk to me a little about the quote above and perhaps some of the rehabilitative aspects of your programs.
 
12:20 4. Tell me about some of the other programs offered by Just Believe.\
 
15:41 5. There are so many people you've impacted through the years. Give me a story of one kid who has gone through your program, who they were and who they became.
 
24:10 6. I asked my guests last week this and I wanted to ask you:
 
Will you share a story of a preconception you had or a gap in understanding or awareness that you had that has been changed because of all your time working with Just Believe?
 
28:02 7. How do you see an equine program being beneficial to the community?

Episode 95 Rolanda Hewitt - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

3rd Grade Math and Science Teacher, Rolanda Hewitt, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:35  1. You are a 3rd grade math and science teacher at University Elementary School. In your career, you have received numerous awards for your work, including Teacher of the Year twice and Teacher of the District in Caddo Parish.
 
I am so excited to have you, not only because of the wealth of experience you bring to today’s discussion but because you are our very first public elementary school educator in 90 plus episodes.
 
Let’s start here today.
 
Teaching school is one of the most important careers one can take on but also one of the more challenging. What are some of the things you personally do to stay resilient and keep from burning out?
 
5:50  2. What is it like working in a school post COVID?
 
14:48  3. I know that the environment created at a school makes a huge difference in teacher retention. Talk to me about this and some of the factors that determine whether teachers thrive and remain focused versus factors in the environment at a school that might lead to job dissatisfaction?
 
23:56  4. What is the biggest challenge as an educator today?
 
30:39  5. How can community members get more Involved in helping with the challenges our educators face? What opportunities exist to be mentors, tutors, etc?

Episode 94 Vicki and Matt Whitehead - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Common Ground Youth Program Directors Vicki and Matt Whitehead sit down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:36 1. You are the Youth Program Directors at Common Ground. How did you first get involved with this extraordinary nonprofit?
 
8:13 2. Common Ground is doing something this year that very few nonprofits have the opportunity to do – celebrating its 20th anniversary! Common Ground was founded as an outreach program of Grace United Methodist Church to Cedar Grove residents.
 
Tell me about Thursday nights at Common Ground.
 
14:21 3. Tell me about 2-3 of your other programs.
 
29:42 4. A couple of years ago I had Clay Walker on this podcast. At the time he was the Director of Juvenile Services for Caddo Parish. He explained that the number one factor for the 66 kids who were repeat offenders in detention was that they did not have a single pro-social adult in their life. Not a parent, not a grandparent, not an aunt, not an uncle, not a principal, not a teacher, not a coach, not a pastor, not a mentor.
 
I know that mentoring is such an important aspect for the kids you serve through Common Ground.
 
For those listening and thinking I really want to get more involved in strengthening my community, tell me about the type of mentoring activities you offer.
 
37:58 5. Volunteering is all about giving back. But often what happens during volunteering is we actually gain more educationally and/or emotionally than the people we are assisting.
 
Will each of you share a story of a preconception you had or a gap in understanding or awareness that you had that has been changed because of all your time working with Common Ground?

Episode 93 Glenn Kinsey - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Businessman and Community Philanthropist Glenn Kinsey sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:28 1. I could cover so much ground with you here as you and your family presently and historically are one of the most important families in the Shreveport-Bossier community.
 
Let’s start here today.
 
You have said that your dad, Norman’s, greatest business achievement was the founding of transcontinental gas pipeline. Tell me about this.
 
3:02 2. Your mom, Peggy, was a force for this community. She believed passionately in education and garnered numerous awards and recognitions in her lifetime for her extraordinary community involvement.
 
Tell me about Peggy and some of her incredible work to make our community better.
 
4:42 3. Together with your siblings, you own and manage Kinsey Interests, a family office active in oil and gas, real estate, timber, and public and private equity, based here.
 
Kinsey Interests employs almost 500 individuals in North Louisiana and over 5000 individuals across the globe through their direct investments in more than 35 companies.
 
I have heard people describe our community and the process of trying to address some of its challenges as eating an elephant, one bite at a time.
 
As a family who is extraordinarily philanthropic and always giving, talk to me some about your process. How do you determine where to focus your efforts and contributions in a community that could use so much investment, attention, and support?
 
19:48 4. You know, from previous conversations that we’ve had that I’m a huge fan of the documentary you helped put together several years back.
 
Tell me about the Soundbreaking project. How it came about and your involvement with it.
 
25:56 5. In 2011, your father Norman received the very prestigious honor of Louisiana Legend. During his acceptance speech he ended with the following,
 
“Although I have had the means and the freedom to locate practically anywhere on the planet, Shreveport and LA is my choice.”
 
What keeps you and your family here and so committed to this community?

Episode 92 Dr. Gary Joiner - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Historian Gary Joiner sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:26 1. Gary, you are one of our community’s foremost historians. Among numerous other things, you are the chair of the department of history and social sciences at Louisiana State University in Shreveport and the author or editor of 38 books.
 
I’m just going to jump right in today as I want to pick your brain on several different questions.
 
First off, one of the recurring themes of this podcast has been trying to understand why so many in this community have a negative self-image about Shreveport-Bossier as their city and home. I was at a meeting last week and someone even characterized this pervasive sentiment as a disease.
 
As someone who knows where we’ve been about as well as anyone, when did this “disease” start? Have we always had it? And what do you attribute it to?
 
16:38 2. Maybe not a super deep question. But as I delve more and more into the work on this podcast, I can’t help but think in your words that “history matters” and that one reason we may lack self-respect is because we’re not being taught who and where we’ve been locally.
 
I know when I was growing up that I took Louisiana History as an eighth grader. But are we being taught local history, Shreveport-Bossier history, in our schools and if not, why not?
 
22:40 3. Give me one of your favorite stories about our community’s past that many people locally are probably not aware of.
 
31:43 4. It was recently announced that LSU Shreveport and KTAL/KMSS have partnered to create the Caddo Parish Civil Rights Heritage Trail project. The series will identify the people, places, and events that significantly impacted the Civil Rights Movement in Caddo Parish, Louisiana.
 
In describing the project, I read a description on KTAL’s site of historic trauma. It says the following:
 
“Historic trauma has the power to destroy people, families, communities, and cultures. And though these subjects are difficult to discuss, historical literacy (digging into history from multiple perspectives) is crucial to understanding the lives, joys, hopes, dreams, misfortunes, and fears of those who came before us. And understanding those who came before us can help us do something significant: understand ourselves.”
 
Tell me about the origin of this project.
 
55:04 5. Tell me about the Clio App and what’s the best way to follow this project as it unfolds.

Episode 91 Dr. Betsy Boze - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Academic and Higher Education Administrator Dr. Betsy Boze sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:25 1. Betsy, you are one of our great local success stories. Graduating from Byrd High School, you went on to become (to name but a couple of the prestigious positions you’ve held), the president of the College of the Bahamas and CEO and Dean of Kent State University at Stark. 
 
Through our discussion today, I want to learn about you but I also want to lean on you to get your perspective on a number of things Shreveport-Bossier related.
 
Let’s start today with a fun fact that most people probably don’t know. In 1970, you were responsible for the first recorded flying of the Earth Day flag. Tell me about this.
 
2:49 2. As I said I want to lean on you for your perspective, as someone who has lived in eight countries what do you think is holding us back from becoming one of the next, great medium-sized cities in America?
 
4:54 3. What gives you hope that we’re headed in the right direction as a community?
 
6:45 4. Not too different from my second question. But if someone came to you and said, you can have any three new additions to the Shreveport-Bossier community if your children and any children they may have will commit to stay and live in Shreveport-Bossier, what would those three additions or changes be?
 
9:26 5. Two major themes of this podcast are who are we as a community and why do so many people in this community struggle with Shreveport-Bossier as their city and home. I’d love to hear your perspective on both of these questions.
 
What is our identity in Shreveport-Bossier, in your opinion?
 
11:56 6. To what do you attribute the prevailing negative self-image we often find among the people who live here?
 
15:07 7. Is there anything else you would like to share or talk about?

Episode 90 Chancellor Robert Smith - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Chancellor of LSUS, Dr. Robert Smith, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:
 
0:36 1. You came to Shreveport after serving six years as Provost of Valdosta State University in Georgia.
 
You once said, “LSUS is one of the few institutions, regional universities, that you can find in this country that is not struggling.”
 
Let’s start here today. Talk to me about what is meant by the “Enrollment Cliff”.
 
2:15 2. I read where LSUS has the most graduate students of any university in Louisiana. Talk to me about how LSUS has been successful in avoiding the enrollment cliff.
 
3:37 3. For people who are not technology savvy at all and hear the word "online" class, what does that mean exactly? How does that work?
 
7:56 4. I believe one of the goals of the administration is to attract more face-to-face students. Talk to me about some of the challenges the university faces in achieving that goal.
 
12:14 5. Talk a little bit about the relationship between LSUS and LSU Health.
 
14:02 6. At the end of May 2023, you were named the new chancellor of LSU Shreveport. In addition to all that we’ve discussed, talk to me about some of your priorities and initiatives.
 
21:00 7. For someone listening to our conversation who says I have an idea of where I think LSUS should plug in or a gap they can fill, what's the best way to get into contact with the university?
 
23:03 8. In preparing for today’s discussion I learned something fascinating, that you are a first-generation college student.
 
With roughly half of LSUS's undergraduate students self-identifying first-generation, talk to me about how the University is taking a proactive role in addressing the needs and concerns of this student population.