Loblolly Press In Conversation: Willie Carver Jr.

In this episode, we’re joined by Willie Carver Jr. for a conversation about writing and teaching in a time when it feels like everything is on fire. We talk about joy, not as a performance or a slogan, but as something you protect day to day. Willie shares how he steps out of guilt, how he shifts toward love and concern for other people, and how writing keeps him in community.

We also talk about what happened when Willie was named Kentucky Teacher of the Year, and how quickly that public recognition turned into backlash in the middle of the culture war. He walks us through what it meant to defend queer, Black, and brown students in a system that often would rather quiet the conflict than do the right thing, and why he ultimately left the classroom.

From there, we get into language and place, and what it means to protect Appalachian English instead of sanding it down. Willie talks about the pressure to “correct” a Southern accent, why “you might could” says something standard English can’t, and how voice becomes an ethical choice on the page. He also introduces Tore All to Pieces, explains the phrase, and reads from the book, including “Sometimes I miss these hills” and a section centered on Keisha.

In this episode, we talk aboutJoy without performance, and refusing guiltWriting as community and conversationKentucky Teacher of the Year, backlash, and leaving the classroomAdvocacy as calling out and trusting people to respondAppalachian English, accents, and what gets erased“You might could” and the humility built into the languageTore All to Pieces, and why the stories needed the voice they haveReading: “Sometimes I miss these hills” and a Keisha excerpt

Books mentionedGay Poems for Red Stateshttps://bookshop.org/a/113834/9780813198125

Tore All to Pieceshttps://bookshop.org/a/113834/9781985903708

Article mentioned“I’m Afraid to Return to the Classroom”: A Gay Teacher of the Year Speaks Out (Education Week)https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/im-afraid-to-return-to-the-classroom-a-gay-teacher-of-the-year-speaks-out/2022/05

Episode Credits

Hosted by: Andrew Mack

Guest: Willie Carver Jr.

Produced by: Loblolly Press

Music: Summersteen by Tony Sopiano

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