On the Other Hand

In part 2 of their conversation with Jim Hudson, Secretary of Arkansas Dept of Finance & Administration, April and John explore how Jim leads his team in these polarized times, manages risk, integrates faith and integrity into public service, and finds hope amid division. Jim explores how leadership in government requires balancing experimentation with accountability, explaining how his team tests n...

On The Other Hand podcast co-host April Chatham-Carpenter and guest co-host John O’Brien have a conversation with Jim Hudson, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, where he oversees multiple divisions and works with a wide range of stakeholders. In Part 1 of the interview, Jim describes his leadership journey, values, and consultative approach to mission-driven public servi...

In this 3rd and final part of April and Glen’s conversation with Presidential Scholars co-director Mike Hemphill, Mike reflects on the power of courageous leadership rooted in authentic relationships. He describes examples such as those between U.S. senators David Pryor and Dan Quayle, who prioritized their relationship and shared values over a political issue. He also cited the navigating of political ...

In this second part of our On The Other Hand conversation with Dr. Mike Hemphill, Co-director of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, April and Glen explore the PLS program, how their students are trained in the "laboratory" environment they provide, and also how bridging divides can be accomplished through good leadership. Mike digs into how we make sense of the world—and of each other—when fa...

In this first part of our interview with Dr. Mike Hemphill, Co-director of the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, April and Glen learn how Mike's path from academia to leadership work shaped a simple but powerful belief: leadership grows out of real human interaction, not titles or formulas. He talks about why patience, curiosity, and reflection matter so much when we’re trying to communicate across differences, and how idea...

In part 3 of our conversation with Annabelle Tuck, April and Glen delve into broader issues of the law and the jurisprudential philosophies that influence decision-making by courts in the state and nationally. Recent increased use of the “shadow docket” by the US Supreme court is of concern to Annabelle, as it has a major impact on the legal status of ongoing cases without providing any rationale into the reasons for these initial ...

In part 2 of our conversation with retired Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Annabelle Tuck, April and Glen explore her faith journey as she converted to Judaism, its coherence with her legal philosophy, and the Torah’s serving as a foundation for much of Western law. We also hear about her moral and legal views that led to her decisions in some legal rulings in Arkansas that continue to influence the lega...

April and Glen are joined by Annabelle Clinton Imber Tuck, a trailblazer in Arkansas law and the first woman ever elected to the Arkansas Supreme Court. In this first part of our conversation with Annabelle, we hear about her early life, starting in Arkansas, and including living in South America and later in Washington, DC, then winding up back in her beloved home state of Arkansas. She describes her e...

This episode of On The Other Hand is a “best of” recording of an interview in July 2024, when Glen and April spoke with Asa Hutchinson, an attorney and the previous 2-term Republican governor of Arkansas. Asa’s long history of public service includes serving as a US Congressman, one of the House managers for Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial in the Senate, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and...

In part 2 of our conversation with community activist Kwami Abdul-Bey, we hear about both his formal and atypical means of education that have led him to who he is today. He also outlines problems during his early times at the Air Force Academy due to his Muslim religion and related negative reactions occurring at a time when war with Iraq was breaking out. Some of his challenges during his early years ...

April and guest co-host John have a conversation with community activist Kwami Abdul-Bey, who has been a friend of Braver Angels in Arkansas for some time, co-founded or led local organizations, and serves as the Elections Coordinator & Organizer for the Arkansas Public Policy Panel. In this first part of our interview with Kwami, we explore his current involvement with several organizations locally...

In the second part of our conversation with Dr. Sherry Simon and Rev. Britt Skarda, we continue exploring what motivates their sustained civic participation and how people of faith can model engagement rooted in love and respect. Both guests describe the weekly gatherings in protest outside Congressman French Hill’s office as a diverse and committed community of citizens, consisting of veterans, teachers, parents, and neighbors, w...

In the 3rd and final part of our conversation with Jim Lagrone of Family Council's Church Ambassador Network, April and Glen explore with Jim issues of political polarization and civil discourse. Jim stressed the importance of character in political leadership, noting that leaders mirror the values of their culture.  He shared his admiration for forgiveness shown amidst tragedy. Jim also provided practical advice for navigating po...

In part 2 of our conversation with Jim Lagrone, he tells of a Baptist pastor who moved his family into a troubled neighborhood to turn it around, showing the positive ways faith-based efforts can have impacts beyond what occurs on Sundays in church.  He also described pilot programs in Arkansas and other states where churches successfully collaborated to address social needs like crime and homelessness. Jim emphasized the importan...

April and Glen talk with Jim Lagrone, director of the Family Council’s Church Ambassador Network (CAN). In this first part of our conversation, Jim describes his journey in ministry of nearly 50 years, which includes diverse roles like hospice chaplaincy and pastoral leadership. He shared his core leadership philosophy, which is rooted in humility, service, and a love for people. Jim admits to unexpected lessons learned about how ...

In part 2 of our conversation with Grant Morshedi and Angela Harris, April and Glen explore how Harmony Health is adapting to decreased government support, including a recently canceled CDC grant that would have funded a new building, which leaves them having to pay rent rather than owning a building for their services. Angela provided details about various funding options they utilize, such as via a ke...

On this episode of On the Other Hand, hosts April Chatham-Carpenter and Glen White speak with Dr. Grant Morshedi and Angela Harris of Harmony Health Clinic in Little Rock. They discuss the clinic’s free medical and dental services for uninsured Arkansans, volunteer staffing, support programs like a food pantry and behavioral health services, and the values of empathy and community that drive their work. Among the key issues discuss...

In part 2 of our conversation with publisher Eliza Hussman Gaines, April and Glen explore the Democrat-Gazette's efforts to adapt to digital platforms and reach younger audiences through social media and video content. Eliza explains the paper’s "readers first" approach, editorial rules to avoid loaded language, and the importance of the Freedom of Information law in Arkansas for community transparency. Eliza discusses the challen...