Small Town Girl with Gwen Faulkenberry

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.

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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/
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New episodes drop every other week!

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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.

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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
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!