Anita Rao interviewing Aya Shabu on stage at Motorco Music Hall about her one-woman show about family secrets. Photo by Kate Medley,
I enjoy hosting live events and leading conversations in the community about storytelling, sex and bodies, audio production and podcasting.
Some of my favorite recent events include: a conversation with author Kennedy Ryan at Flyleaf Books; a live event about family secrets at Motorco; a live event about Purity Culture in collaboration with The Monti; sharing the story behind Embodied and how I relate to the word “Dare” with Creative Mornings RDU; talking about the history and impact of the podcast rating system at Podcast Movement’s 2020 conference; talking about narrative podcasting at the Charlotte Podcast Festival; moderating a broadband-themed story slam for NC State’s Emerging Issues Forum; talking about news consumption during the coronavirus pandemic at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences; film festivals at NC State University and Meredith College; co-teaching a podcasting class at Duke’s Center for Documentary Studies; guest lecturing in multiple journalism classes at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Journalism; and hosting live podcasting events. I also regularly advise aspiring radio producers and podcasters on audio production and how to launch new projects.
I reflected on my approach to creativity and the storytelling process as part of the “Creatives In Conversation” series and talked about my experience as an Asian American in journalism with PAVE NC.