On The Upside

Jared and Scz don't believe that dance music is just about entertainment. They believe it's a tool for liberation, a lense for historical and cultural exploration, and a catalyst for community building. By teaching our youth how to be better deejays, they're teaching then how to be better humans. On this episode of On the Upside, learn how Rhythm Science Sound, a grassroots community music education organization, is building our community through music. Rhythm Science Sound is our July Looking Up grant recipient. They will use the funds towards their Mixing Matters program. Learn more about Rhythm Science Sound and how you can get involved at rhythmsciencesound.com This episode's featured Carmichael's Kids book is I Got the Rhythm by Connie Schofield-Morrison.

Dress for Success’ flagship program is both simple and incredibly meaningful. Suiting. For many impoverished women around the globe no matter their talent or dedication they cannot get that dream job without “looking the part” so to speak. On our latest episode, we learned how the Executive Director of Dress for Success Louisville, Michelle Dayvault, helps between 700 and 1,00 women each year.

It’s not at all uncommon for beleaguered owners to abandon or turn over to a shelter a dog that they can’t or no longer want to care for. Many of these dogs belong to breeds widely regarded as dangerous, such as Pit Bulls, Dobermans, Rottweillers, and more are never adopted and often euthanized as shelter resources are stretched thin. At first Saving Sunny focused on getting dogs out of shelters providing them with much-needed care and finding them homes. While this remains an important part of their mission, in 2014 they started the Community Dog Resource Center or CDRC to get to the core of the problem and stem the flow of dogs into the shelter in the first place. This effort is the focus of this month’s Looking Up grant. Learn more about Saving Sunny and how you can get involved at savingsunnyinc.org. This episode’s featured Carmichael's Kids book is The Curious Garden by Peter Brown. Find us on Facebook and stay up to date with all On the Upside things. facebook.com/ontheupsidepodcast Twitter: @OntheUpSid

Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, is a bit of a buzz phrase these days. In short, it refers to what a company does to make the world a better place with the result being something other than simple profit. Adam talks with Scott Koloms, Co-founder of Canopy, a non-profit startup with a goal to make Kentucky first in good business. Canopy aims to provide the tools and certifications to help for-profit businesses mind their environmental wake and help solve social problems in Kentucky. Canopy is also the February recipient of the Looking Up Grant. As a start-up company, they will be using the funds to help hire and pay staff, as well as move into a new working space. Learn more about Canopy and how you can get involved at canopyky.com. This episode’s featured Carmichael's Kids book is The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson. Find us on Facebook and stay up to date with all On the Upside things. facebook.com/ontheupsidepodcast Twitter: @OntheUpSidePod ‏

“I think we’re actually born inherently creative. The way in which we express that looks different.” – Ben Terry Creative Mornings is a free, monthly gathering that brings together all kinds of people who have different creative outlets. It celebrates the culture makers in our community and there’s free breakfast! On this episode, Adam talks with the Lead Host of the Louisville chapter, Ben Terry, about all things creative. Learn more about Creative Mornings and sign up to attend at creativemornings.com/cities/lou This episode’s featured Carmichael’s Kids book is Ish by Peter Reynolds.

It's hard to put your finger on what trees do because it's hard to find something trees don't do. Over the past four years, Louisville Grows has planted several thousand trees across Jefferson County. On this episode of On the Upside, you'll find out how Louisville Grows is making an impact on our community via urban agriculture and how they're planning to use the funds from our Looking Up Grant to plant 10 new trees in the Shelby Park/Smoketown neighborhood this March. Learn more about Louisville Grows and how you can get involved at Louisvillegrows.org. This episode’s featured Carmichael's Kids book is The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. Find us on Facebook and stay up to date with all On the Upside things. facebook.com/ontheupsidepodcast Twitter: @OntheUpSidePod ‏

By definition, you can't do it by yourself. People come to play for the Louisville Civic Orchestra because it's a community enterprise. It’s an opportunity to be a part of something that is literally bigger than yourself and requires a community to make. On this episode of On the Upside, Adam welcomes Jason Raff, Artistic Director and Conductor for the Louisville Civic Orchestra. Jason shares his experience with the Louisville's oldest civic orchestra (now on it's the 103rd season) and all the great things it's doing for the Louisville community. Learn more about LCO, how to audition or attend a concert at louisvillecivicorchestra.org. This episode’s featured Carmichael's Kids book is The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat. Find us on Facebook and stay up to date with all On the Upside things. facebook.com/ontheupsidepodcast Twitter: @OntheUpSidePod ‏

Fresh food is a basic human right. On this episode of On the Upside, you'll learn about New Roots, a non-profit organization uniting communities to spread food justice, and how they’re using money provided from our Looking Up Grant to give food insecure families access to fresh, healthy food this winter. Learn more about how you can become a “veggie cheerleader” at newroots.org. This episode’s featured book is Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. Find us on Facebook and stay up to date with all On the Upside things. facebook.com/ontheupsidepodcast Twitter: @OntheUpSidePod ‏

We don't read stories about dragons so that later in life we believe in dragons. We read stories about dragons so that later when we find them, we have the courage to fight them. On this episode of On the Upside Adam, self-proclaimed bibliophile talks with Carmichael's Kids bookstore manager, Michelle Shaver, about the wonders of kids books and their impact on kids and adults alike. Carmichael's Kids is located at 1313 Bardstown Road. They have a host of events and programs at the store, as well as in the community like book clubs, story time, and book fairs. To learn more visit carmichaelsbookstore.com. The featured book on this episode is The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore by William Joyce. Find us on Facebook and stay up to date with all On the Upside things. facebook.com/ontheupsidepodcast Twitter: @OntheUpSidePod ‏ Onward and upward!

“A lot of kids don’t feel they are successful because everything is about how well you do on a test and music makes students feel successful. It gets them out of the academic cloud they are in every day.” - Penelope Quesada On our third episode of On the Upside Adam talks with Looking Up Grant recipient, Penelope Quesada. Penelope is the general music teacher at Semple Elementary, a title one school in Jefferson County where 80% of the students are on free or reduced lunch. Due to budgetary constraints, Penelope found herself teaching music largely without musical instruments. She will use the funds from the grant to purchase 35 ethnic percussion instruments for her classroom that will serve her 600 students so that they can learn about music from around the world. You can donate or simply reach out to Penelope at penelope.quesada@jefferson.kyschools.us. Find us on Facebook and stay up to date with all On the Upside things. facebook.com/ontheupsidepodcast Twitter: @OntheUpSidePod ‏

Why is imagination so important for kids and adults alike? It’s free. On this episode of On the Upside Adam talks with Sean Hennessey, Director of Marketing and Development at Squallis Puppeteers, a nonprofit organization that uses the art of puppetry to free imaginations, create fantastic characters, and to tell the stories that are important to our community. Squallis Puppeteers have been making puppets, performing and teaching children (and adults) in Louisville, Kentucky since 1997. You can learn more about Squallis and support all the fantastic they’re doing by visiting their website: squallispuppeteers.com. You can also see all the great work they’re doing in person this Saturday, October 27th, at their annual Boo Ball. Find us on Facebook and stay up to date with all On the Upside things. facebook.com/ontheupsidepodcast Twitter: @OntheUpSidePod ‏

The Kentucky State Parks Foundation (KSPF) is one of our third-quarter Looking Up Grant recipients. Their mission as a non-profit organization is to connect people to the outdoors, immerse them in our rich history and culture, and to ultimately help them experience our beautiful state and all it has to offer. Molly Caldwell, President of KSPF, talks about the organization's use of private funds to help maintain the quality and beauty of Kentucky's 49 State Parks when Kentucky state funds cannot. KSPF will use the money provided by On the Upside's Looking Up Grant to connect and transport 100 school-age Louisvillians out to one of Kentucky's State Parks as part of their Inside Out Education Program. Want to help out KSPF? Check out their recent initiative to raise funds for our parks, Kentucky Parks & Crafts. Find us on Facebook and stay up to date with all On the Upside things. facebook.com/ontheupsidepodcast Twitter: @OntheUpSidePod ‏

On the Upside is a brand new podcast based in Louisville, KY hosted by Against the Grain Brewery co-owner, Adam Watson. On the Upside is a bi-monthly show featuring some amazing people doing amazing things. Here's a taste of what's to come.