How Sports Teams Tell the Story of People and Places with Marcus Thompson of The Athletic
Art Heals All Wounds
11/30/22
•38m
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Marcus Thompson is a long-time Golden State Warriors beat reporter and Bay Area News Group sports columnist and currently writes for The Athletic. Growing up, he was fascinated by two things: words and Bay Area sports teams. In our conversation, he highlights teachers and other adults in his life that encouraged him to lean into writing, including sportswriter Michael Silver.
From 1971 to 2019, the Warriors called Oracle Arena in Oakland home until moving to the swanky new Chase Center in San Francisco. Marcus notes that the brand of the Warriors was built on the accessible and communal nature of basketball and details the grassroots momentum of the team. He shares why he thinks the marketing and communication missteps have left fans feeling slighted, abandoned, and priced out of their beloved team.
We talk about how this uprooting parallels a lot of what’s happening in our community. I’ve been vocal about the shift in demographics, gentrification, and rising cost of living in the Bay Area, and as an Oakland native, Marcus has experienced it, too.
Finally, we discuss why it’s so valuable for young athletes to learn the art of storytelling. He explains what's required of them these days, including an element of branding and taking ownership over your narrative. Listen in to hear our conversation about how local sports teams often reflect the cultural dynamics of their community, and so much more.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Castbox, or on your favorite podcast platform.
Topics Covered:
● How Marcus became a sportswriter
● Ways that the Oakland sports teams mimic the story arc of Oakland, especially the Warriors
● Marcus’ take on the decision to move the Warriors from Oakland to San Francisco
● Solutions to bridge economic and cultural gaps in the Bay Area
● Why it’s so important for athletes to know how to articulate and express their story
Guest Info:
● Marcus Thompson - The Athletic
Follow Me:
● Art Heals All Wounds Website
● Art Heals All Wounds Instagram
● Art Heals All Wounds Twitter
● Art Heals All Wounds Facebook
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Previous Episode
Today, I’m joined by artists and educators Lenett Partlow-Myrick and Jenny O'Grady to discuss the medium of book art and the transformative workshops that they lead. Lenett describes book art as a way to reimagine the possibility of what books can be, how they’re created, and ways that we can interpret them. In their workshops, which they lovingly call “human bonding studios,” they lead groups of people through a journey of self-exploration and genuine connection.
Lenett and Jenny provide space, materials, and a thought-provoking question to get their students started. The focus isn’t on the end product, but rather being open to a different way of delving into deep conversations about one's intentions, limitations, and purpose. Lenett and Jenny believe that everyone is an artist and describe what they’ve witnessed when a group of adults take time to pause and get curious.
In our conversation, we also touch on Lenett and Jenny’s collaborative efforts outside of the workshops. They’ve recently wrapped up “Dos-A-Dos II,” a showcase of book art and poetry called at Howard Community College’s Richard B. Talkin Family Art Gallery. Listen in to learn more about Lenett and Jenny’s enriching perspective on how sculptural storytelling can impact individuals and communities on a foundational level.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Castbox, or on your favorite podcast platform.
Topics Covered:
● Jenny and Lenett’s introduction to book art
● Questions that workshop participants explore
● Ways to make art more accessible to people, especially those who don’t identify as artistic or creative
● The impact of quality, honest communication
● Using book art workshops as a way to dissipate polarity in communities
Guest Info:
Follow Me:
● Art Heals All Wounds Website
● Art Heals All Wounds Instagram
● Art Heals All Wounds Twitter
Next Episode
Iliana Sosa, Filmmaker: Love, Loss, and Legacy in the Film What We Leave Behind
December 7, 2022
•35m
This week, I’m joined by Mexican American filmmaker Iliana Sosa to discuss her first feature documentary, What We Leave Behind. It’s a deeply moving portrait of her grandfather, Julian Moreno, the patriarch of her family, and serves as a beautiful tribute to his legacy.
During World War II, Julian Moreno came to the US as a seasonal agricultural worker as part of the Bracero Program, later returning to his home in Mexico to start a family. Sadly, Julian was widowed at an early age with seven children to raise. Iliana’s mother was the first of his children to immigrate to the US, leaving Mexico at the age of 14 to go to El Paso, where she eventually met Iliana’s father. In the subsequent years, Iliana’s grandfather frequently took the bus from his home in Durango, Mexico to Iliana’s home in El Paso, then on to Albuquerque to visit other relatives. His visits were always brief so that he could return home to care for his adult son with a disability.
Iliana’s initial plan was to make a documentary film about her grandfather’s time as a bracero, but as in many documentaries, the story takes a twist. The film chronicles his journey of constructing a house in Mexico at the age of 89, and the larger message of what that project meant for him and his family.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Castbox, or on your favorite podcast platform.
Topics Covered:
● A brief synopsis of What We Leave Behind and why Iliana pursued this project
● How Iliana’s relationship with her grandfather changed over the course of filming
● Coming to terms with aging and things left undone at the end of your life
● The importance of family connection, particularly one with members on both sides of the US-Mexico border
● How capturing everyday life naturally crafted the storyline and portrait of Iliana’s grandfather
Guest Info:
● Watch What We Leave Behind on Netflix
Follow Me:
● Art Heals All Wounds Website
● Art Heals All Wounds Instagram
● Art Heals All Wounds Twitter
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