Small Town Girl with Gwen Faulkenberry

From Trump to “Wokeness”: Why America Feels So Divided

Gwen Faulkenberry — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000

From rural Arkansas to international law and academia, this episode features an in-depth conversation with legal scholar and author Lisa Pruitt about education, class, politics, identity, and the growing divide in America. Lisa shares her journey growing up in Jasper, Arkansas, becoming a first-generation professional, studying law at the University of Arkansas, and eventually building a career teaching law in California after years spent working across Europe and beyond. Along the way, she opens up about sexism in higher education, culture shock between rural and urban America, and how her relationship with her mother helped shape her understanding of politics and class.

Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/

Opinions are of the host and guests and don't necessarily reflect the views of NWA Democrat-Gazette.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Meet Lisa Pruitt: Small Town Girl
(00:04:23) - Lisa Rappeport on Fighting for Women's Rights
(00:13:32) - Teaching Retiring at 27
(00:17:07) - Teaching Students to Stop Educated Arrogance
(00:25:39) - Arkansas Tech Ozark: The Journey of Students
(00:28:25) - Arkansas teacher on wokeness and indoctrination
(00:36:20) - On the Problem of Ask Where I'm From
(00:44:28) - Law School Professors on Their Syllabus
(00:52:09) - Breitbart News: Patriotism
(00:55:10) - How Can We Heal the Political Divide?
(01:00:30) - The New York Times and Conspiracy Theories
(01:10:22) - White Privilege and the Trump conversation
(01:12:19) - Law Students on the Right and the Left
(01:15:27) - Lisa Pruitt on Personal Responsibility

A Hidden Lavender Dream in Eureka Springs

Gwen Faulkenberry — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Welcome back to Small Town Girl! In this special episode, we step out of the studio and into a breathtaking lavender field just outside Eureka Springs. And trust me, it’s as magical as it sounds. I’m joined by my longtime friend Kat, who shares the incredible story behind her journey from art teacher to lavender farm owner and entrepreneur. What started as a simple dream turned into a full-blown passion project filled with purpose, beauty, and community.

If you love small-town charm, inspiring stories, and scenic escapes, this is a place you’ll want to add to your list. Check them out: https://lagrangelavender.com/

Listen & Subscribe!
Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/

Opinions are of the host and guests and don't necessarily reflect the views of NWA Democrat-Gazette.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Small Town, Girl
(00:02:06) - Vinovating a Barn
(00:05:11) - A caregiver's dream to retire to a lavender farm
(00:09:33) - Farmers grow lavender in Northwest Arkansas
(00:16:01) - Exploring a cow pasture in Eureka Springs
(00:18:47) - Farmworkers renovating a barn
(00:21:51) - How I Met My Husband On Christian Mingle
(00:27:29) - Where Everything Clicks: Lavender Cafe
(00:32:24) - Bachelor in the Barn
(00:33:55) - What Do You Provide For a Wedding Venue?
(00:35:23) - Kat's dream: The Lavender Bloom

Revitalizing Rural Arkansas with Justin McCormick

Gwen Faulkenberry — Wed, 06 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Small Town Girl, we sit down with Justin McCormick, Executive Director of Main Street Ozark, to talk about the heart, hustle, and hope behind revitalizing small-town Arkansas. From growing up in Altus and Coal Hill to working in larger cities and ultimately returning home, Justin shares his powerful journey of rediscovering purpose in the place that raised him. We dive into the challenges and opportunities facing rural communities, the importance of investing in local businesses, and what it really takes to bring a downtown back to life.

If you care about small towns, entrepreneurship, or creating vibrant communities where people want Connect with Justin & Main Street Ozark:
Main Street Ozark Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetozark?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Web: https://mainstreetozark.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnszNXAOLsNt8-ExWHFCs9id8OSDi5rf_lDMyylJihB1oczaHD8Ouxb9yYVmQ_aem_Q3cT7qhGHx-dkAoszQ2l-w
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MainStreetOzark/
Email: mainstreetozark3@gmail.com
Howdy Co.: @thehowdycompanyAR
Listen & Subscribe!

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Small Town Girl
(00:01:03) - Meet the Furniture Designer from Southern Loft
(00:05:28) - Super-involved girl at school
(00:07:48) - Coming Out: Growing Up Gay in Arkansas
(00:10:50) - Gay Voices on Growing Up
(00:15:28) - On Masculinity in the Southern Women's Perspective
(00:18:27) - Graduating from Fayetteville with a journalism degree
(00:22:00) - One Gay Couple Adopt a Child
(00:24:04) - Adopt a Little Boy from Arkansas
(00:25:04) - Farmhouse in Denning, Oklahoma
(00:26:35) - Who is the Main Street Ozark volunteer?
(00:28:42) - The new executive director for the Ozark Chamber
(00:34:00) - A Christmas gift for a hillbilly
(00:37:18) - Reveal: The Western Market in Altus
(00:41:17) - Farmers' Market and Springfest
(00:43:55) - Howdy & Co: Help revitalize Downtown Ozark
(00:51:30) - Ozark's potential on the river
(00:53:27) - Ozark Mayor on the Future of the Town
(00:58:57) - Main Street Ozark: How to find someone?

Colt Shelby: From suing Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to running against her

Gwen Faulkenberry — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Small Town Girl, Gwen Faulkenberry sits down with Colt Shelby, a sixth-generation Arkansan from Cecil who is running for governor as a Libertarian against Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Shelby shares how a proposed 3,000-bed prison project near his hometown sparked his entry into politics. What started as concern over a development in his community led him down a deeper path of researching state government, criminal justice policy, education, and economic challenges facing rural Arkansas.

Listen & Subscribe!

Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/

More on Colt Shelby: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2026/feb/23/colt-shelby-opponent-of-franklin-county-prison/

Leaving the Mission Field: Faith, Doubt & Deconstruction

Gwen Faulkenberry — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Small Town Girl with Gwen Ford Faulkenberry, Gwen sits down with longtime friend Corrie Radtke, a former missionary whose life journey has taken her across continents, cultures, and through profound spiritual questions. Corrie shares her story of growing up in a charismatic Christian environment, entering the mission field with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), and spending years serving in Europe and the United States. Along the way, she wrestled with deep questions about faith, church culture, and the systems that shaped her spiritual life. Through various experiences, Corrie reflects on the moments that began to shift her perspective and lead her into a process of faith renovation and deconstruction.

Listen & Subscribe!

Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/

Check out Corrie's Work: https://substack.com/@corrieradke

Forced to Leave Arkansas to Survive: Emily Waldorf's Story

Gwen Faulkenberry — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0000

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Small Town Girl, Gwen sits down with Emily Waldorf, an Arkansas mother, physical therapist, and plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the state’s near-total abortion ban.

Emily shares the heartbreaking story of a life-threatening pregnancy complication that forced her to leave Arkansas to receive emergency reproductive care. What began as a hopeful pregnancy turned into a traumatic medical crisis that left doctors unable to act under current state law. After days of waiting in the hospital while her condition worsened, Emily was ultimately transferred out of state for the care she needed to survive.

This conversation explores the human side of a deeply polarizing issue, focusing on compassion, medical decision-making, and the real-life consequences families can face when politics and healthcare intersect.

⚠️ Content note: This episode discusses pregnancy loss, medical trauma, and reproductive healthcare.

Abortion in America
https://abortioninamerica.org/

Faith, Politics & the Methodist Split: A Conversation with Pastor Brad Elrod

Gwen Faulkenberry — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Small Town Girl with Gwen Faulkenberry, Gwen sits down with Pastor Brad Elrod, a United Methodist minister and longtime friend, for a thoughtful and deeply personal conversation about faith, politics, and belonging. Gwen shares her own journey through faith deconstruction after a difficult season that included running for public office, facing political backlash, and reevaluating her relationship with the church she grew up in. During that time, Pastor Brad’s leadership and the welcoming environment of the United Methodist Church helped provide a space for healing, reflection, and spiritual growth.

Listen & Subscribe!

Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/

Running Without a Party: Why These Arkansans Chose Independence

Gwen Faulkenberry — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:00:00 +0000

In this meaningful episode of Small Town Girl, Gwen sits down with independent candidates Adam Watson (State Senate District 26) and Laura Marsh (House District 23) for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about the future of Arkansas politics. Both guests share why they chose to run as independents in a state dominated by party supermajorities, and what they believe voters are truly hungry for: good governance, transparency, and leadership that answers to people instead of party platforms.

Grief, Healing, and Learning to Live Again

Gwen Faulkenberry — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:00:00 +0000

In this deeply moving episode of Small Town Girl, Gwen Faulkenberry sits down with her dear friend and “soul sister,” Stacey McAdoo, for an honest, sacred conversation about grief, loss, and learning how to live again after unimaginable pain. Stacey shares her journey following the death of her son in a car accident—a loss that reshaped her faith, her identity, and her understanding of what it means to survive and heal. With remarkable vulnerability and integrity, she speaks openly about the darkness of grief, the anger and confusion, and the slow, intentional work of caring for herself when the world feels shattered. A former Arkansas State Teacher of the Year and current Executive Director of Teach For Arkansas, Stacey reflects on how loss has influenced her life, her leadership, and her commitment to living fully—honoring her son by choosing to live with courage, honesty, and hope.

Content note: This episode discusses the loss of a child and may be emotionally heavy for some listeners.

Chapters

(00:00:03) - Stacy McAdoo on Grieving the Loss of Her Son
(00:07:27) - Teacher on Becoming a Mother
(00:13:29) - Living On An Airplane
(00:20:52) - The Death of Norell Jones
(00:25:54) - "I Was Surprised at the Funeral
(00:29:57) - One of the Grieving Mothers's Favorite Exercise
(00:37:51) - Gwen on Giving in Grief
(00:43:56) - One Woman's Trip to the Beach With her Dead Husband
(00:46:09) - How to Live After You Lose a Child
(00:52:26) - A woman cleans up a woman's vomit
(00:53:16) - Grieving People Share How They're Helping Others
(00:56:23) - Grieving the Loss of a Child
(01:00:51) - God's Mercy for Job
(01:08:01) - Memories of the Loss of a Child
(01:11:40) - One woman's message about gratitude after the death of her husband

Public Schools, Poverty, & the Future of Arkansas

Gwen Faulkenberry — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Small Town Girl with Gwen Faulkenberry, Gwen welcomes Dr. Glen Fenter, superintendent of Marion Public Schools and one of Arkansas’s most experienced education leaders, for a wide-ranging conversation about public education in Arkansas.

With decades of experience as a teacher, coach, administrator, and superintendent, Dr. Fenter offers a rare inside perspective on why public schools are often labeled as “failing”—and why that narrative ignores the realities of poverty, state and federal mandates, standardized testing, and education policy.
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Read Gwen’s Column: https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/
Follow Small Town Girl, Gwen Faulkenberry:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gwendolannfaulkenberry?igsh=Mm9iNnNkcjhoMDQ3&utm_source=qr
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Join the conversation: Email gfaulkenberry@hotmail.com

Thank you to our furniture sponsor @MySouthernLoft ! Check out their expansive inventory at: https://mysouthernloft.com/

New episodes drop every other week!

#Education #arkansasstories #politics #publicschoolsystem #arkansas #SmallTownGirl #poverty

Growing Up Gay in a Small Arkansas Town

Gwen Faulkenberry — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the very first episode of Small Town Girl with Gwen Faulkenberry! On this podcast, Gwen sits down for thoughtful conversations that move fluidly from politics in Arkansas to big, deeply human questions about love, vulnerability, faith, identity, and what it means to stay connected in a digital world.

In this premiere episode, Gwen Faulkenberry sits down with her childhood best friend, Tony Chapman, to talk about what it was like growing up gay in a small town; Ozark, Arkansas. Raised in a conservative evangelical culture, Tony shares his deeply personal journey of identity, faith, friendship, and the long road toward self-acceptance.

Listen & Subscribe!

Read Gwen’s Column:
https://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/gwen-faulkenberry/

Follow Small Town Girl, Gwen Faulkenberry:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gwendolannfaulkenberry?igsh=Mm9iNnNkcjhoMDQ3&utm_source=qr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gwendolann.faulkenberry?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=VOmgTu5JpLnHLqcy&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1K7exmtJRN%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr#
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@user6617143631818?_r=1&_t=ZT-92dPCrpt4id
X/Twitter: https://x.com/gwenfaulkenber1?s=21

Join the conversation:

Email gfaulkenberry@hotmail.com!

New episodes drop every other week!

Welcome to Small Town Girl with Gwen Faulkenberry

Gwen Faulkenberry — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Come sit a spell—as my Granny used to say—and let's visit about all things Arkansas.

Gwen Faulkenberry is a small town girl through and through. Born and raised in Ozark, AR, she’s been everything from school teacher to a state Representative candidate. Gwen is a mother, author, English professor, an award-winning columnist–and now, a podcast host.

On this podcast, Gwen sits down for thoughtful conversations that move fluidly from politics in Arkansas to big, deeply human questions about love, vulnerability, faith, identity, and what it means to stay connected in a digital world.

Vulnerable, true, and deeply small town.

Join the conversation at gfaulkenberry@hotmail.com! New episodes drop every other week.

Our first episode drops TOMORROW, January 15th, 2026 at 12:00pm CT. Don't miss it!