The Shield
The opposite of addiction is connection.
We are creating connections one conversation at a time and facing addiction face to face. No topic is off limits, because there are no limits when it comes to substance abuse.
For even more content, make sure you subscribe to our channel on YouTube.
Episodes
55 episodes
Journey to Impact: A Conversation with Dr. Tamika Holmes
Dr. Tamika Holmes is the Founder and Executive Director of Community Care Development Network, a nonprofit rooted in her personal journey. Growing up with challenges that shaped her perspective, Dr. Holmes was inspired to create a space where f...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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47:43
Show and Prove: A Conversation with Shaheed Tawheed
Shaheed Tawheed is a hip-hop artist, advocate, and co-founder of Knowledge, Rhythm, and Understanding (K.R.U.), a foundation that teaches children and teens the core elements of Hip Hop, including deejaying, emceeing, breakdancing, and graffiti...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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42:51
Connecting Through Recovery: A Conversation with Shane Herring and Tim Cross
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Shane Herring, our Champion for the Cause, and Tim Cross, the CEO of Expected Transport Agency (ETA), the presenting sponsor for the 2025 End Addiction Walk. In this episode, we discuss why they’re pas...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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43:12
Fulfilling Essential Needs: A Conversation with Lindsay Gray
Lindsay Gray is the Executive Director of Bundles of Hope, a nonprofit focused on providing essential resources to mothers and babies in need. What began as a mission to supply diapers has blossomed into a community-driven effort, with Lindsay’...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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40:55
Building Genuine Relationships: A Conversation with Kelly Greene
Kelly Greene is the Founder and Executive Director of Food for Our Journey, a nonprofit dedicated to providing food and essential services to the unhoused community. What started as a passion project quickly grew into a vital resource, thanks t...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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40:25
Learning a New Language: A Conversation with Dr. Angela Sullivan
Dr. Angela Sullivan is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean for Admissions and Enrollment Management for UAB’s School of Public Health. She is also the Board President of the Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resources Coalition (ASPARC), an ...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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40:04
Answering the Call: A Conversation with Brandon Broadhead
Join us for a conversation with Homewood’s Fire Chief, Brandon Broadhead, who has been vital to the implementation of APC's ONEbox initiative in Central Alabama! Chief Broadhead discusses how he became interested in becoming a first...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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31:25
Our Future Leaders: A Conversation with Dr. Sherri Huff
Join us as Dr. Sherri Huff with Birmingham City Schools (BCS) discusses her role in launching wellness initiatives in BCS and helping promote the mental health and wellbeing of all BCS students. In addition to being an APC Board Me...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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26:55
Passing the Torch: A Conversation with Carie Wimberly
Join us as APC’s new Executive Director, Nichole Dawsey, interviews APC’s former Executive Director, Carie Wimberly, ahead of her formal retirement from APC. Since November 2020, Carie Wimberly has served as the Executive Director ...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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44:36
KLA Memorial: A Conversation with Tomeka Walker
Join us as the Founder and Executive Director of Khairi and Little Angels Memorial (KLA Memorial), Tomeka Walker, discusses the events that led to her creating KLA Memorial and how the organization supports mothers and families, who have lost a...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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29:28
Strong, Smart, and Bold: A Conversation with Lige’ Richardson-Shears
Lige’ is the Director of Community Engagement with Girls, Inc. of Central Alabama. Throughout her career, she has worked in various areas of prevention and mental health wellness. With her prior experience, she was led to Girls, Inc. where she ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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24:32
Serving Support: A Conversation with Anthony Phillips
Anthony is a local business owner and is well known within Birmingham’s service industry. Anthony joins Nichole to discuss how he has been sober from alcohol for 2.5 years while still actively working in the service industry, which...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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25:38
Ask the Question: A Conversation with Cheryl Dodson
Join us for the first episode of The Shield featuring Cheryl Dodson, the Executive Director of the Alabama Suicide Prevention and Resource Coalition (ASPARC)! Cheryl was featured on the popular 2017 podcast, S-To...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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38:08
Passion for Prevention: A Conversation with Nichole Dawsey
Join us as we get to know APC’s new Deputy Director, Nichole Dawsey, and learn more about how she found her way into the field of prevention and how she came to APC! Also, stay tuned for a special announcement from APC’s Executive Director, Car...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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57:44
Restoring Dignity Through Drug Court: A Conversation with Judge Fortune
Join us as Judge Maria Fortune tells us about presiding over Jefferson County Drug Court and her role in helping Drug Court participants be successful! Judge Maria Fortune serves as a Criminal District Court Judge, presiding over Dr...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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49:43
Unbound Grace: A Conversation with Tyler Harris
Join us as Tyler Harris discusses his recovery journey and the work he does at Unbound Grace to support those in or seeking recovery. In this episode, Tyler Harris tells us about growing up in Birmingham and attending Auburn ...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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45:13
A Day of Hope: A Review of End Addiction Bham 2024
In this episode, Lauren Sisler joins APC’s Executive Director, Carie Wimberly, and APC’s podcast producer, Ronnie Gatrey, to review End Addiction Bham 2024. End Addiction Bham is an annual event that APC hosts each spring to ...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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49:57
Numb: A Conversation with Shane Herring
Join us as Shane Herring discusses his experience with losing his sister to a substance use disorder, the impact it had on his life, and how he is using his own experiences and recovery journey to positively impact lives. Shane Herr...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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41:09
An Act of Service: A Conversation with Jasmine Gilbert
oin us as Jasmine Gilbert tells us about the work she does with local students and the implementation of prevention efforts in Birmingham. Jasmine, a Birmingham native and an alumna of Birmingham City Schools, discusses her lo...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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34:22
Narcan Nancy: A Conversation with Candace Rachel
Join us as Candace Rachel, the Rapid Response Coordinator for the Jefferson County Department of Health’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) initiative, tells us about the work that is being done to combat opioid overdoses in Alabama. C...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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41:50
Compact: A Conversation with Adam Schniper and Janae Pinson
Join us as Adam Schniper and Janae Pinson from Compact tell us about Compact's substance use prevention initiatives in Shelby County, Alabama, and how Compact has become a trusted, vital community resource. In 2016, Compact was est...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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34:11
Hang on to Hope: A Conversation with Bronwyn McInturff
Join us as Bronwyn McInturff, an APC board member and a social worker with nearly 25 years of experience working in the substance use field, discusses stigma, the evolution of substance use treatment, and treatment limitations due to funding.&n...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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52:16
INFOCUS: A Conversation with Emily Herring
Join us for a conversation with Emily Herring, LICSW, as she discusses the work of Fairfield High School’s INFOCUS chapter and the positive impact she is having on the lives of her students! Since 2020, Emily Herring, or Ms. ...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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36:43
Supporting Families: A Conversation with Dave Urech
Join us as Dave Urech tells us about what it is like being a parent of a child with a substance use disorder and his passion for working with families with a similar experience. Dave Urech, a Michigan native, moved to Alabama about...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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38:13
The Cost of Addiction: A Conversation with Dr. John Dantzler
Join us as Dr. John Dantzler discusses how he started his career in educational research and program evaluation, but found his way into the field of substance use. Dr. Dantzler discusses the importance of affordable and effective substance use ...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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55:44
