In one of the most intimate and resonant conversations of It’s a Poetic Life, Addie Tsai and I explore the complexities of identity, belonging, and the myth of inclusion. Moving beyond the structural challenges of diversity and representation, this episode delves into the deeply personal—how we navigate the ever-shifting landscape of selfhood in a world that often demands we define ourselves in rigid terms.

Addie, a writer, poet, professor, and creative force, shares how their experiences as a mirror twin, biracial individual, and nonbinary person have shaped their perspective on fluidity—not just in identity, but in creativity, community, and survival. We discuss the tension between assimilation and authenticity, the pressure to conform even within marginalized spaces, and the ways in which true belonging often resists easy categorization.

From Audre Lorde’s challenge to define ourselves before the world does it for us to James Baldwin’s insistence that true community must allow for critique, this episode asks: What does it mean to live at the intersections of multiple identities? How do we navigate spaces where we are simultaneously insiders and outsiders? And ultimately, how do we create spaces where multiplicity is not just tolerated, but celebrated?

Join us for this thought-provoking and life affirming discussion.

Across histories and cultures, people have grappled with the meaning of belonging. Who gets to be part of a community? Who decides? And how do we navigate the spaces we call home when definitions of inclusion shift?

This episode was conceived last summer, but its relevance couldn’t be more timely. In this first installment of a three-part conversation, I sit down with Danielle Marshall, founder and principal consultant at Culture Principles, to explore the evolving nature of community, identity, and access.

We examine how labels shape perception, why flattening identities can erase individual experience, and how storytelling fosters real connection. We also address why diversity as a word often provokes fear, why equity is frequently misunderstood, and how these misconceptions can lead people to self-exclude from conversations that directly impact them. Whether in workplaces, neighborhoods, or cultural spaces, we often navigate unspoken boundaries that define who is welcomed and who remains on the margins.

As we dive into this three-part discussion, we explore the stories and structures that determine who is embraced and who is pushed to the edges. What defines true belonging, and who gets to set the terms? Tune in to this first segment as we begin unraveling these essential questions.

How do we carry grief through the places that shape us, and how do we find a way forward when it feels like everything has changed? In this heartfelt episode of It’s a Poetic Life, I reflect on the quiet weight of loss through the works of Elizabeth Bishop’s One Art and Marie Howe’s What the Living Do, exploring how their poetry offers ways to hold onto what matters and create meaning in uncertain times.

Joining me is the brilliant January Gill O’Neil, whose latest collection, Glitter Road, takes us on a journey through loss, love, and resilience. Together, we delve into how poetry helps us process both the small, everyday losses and the monumental moments that reshape who we are. January shares her stunning poem Begin Again, offering a powerful meditation on how grief transforms us and opens the door to rediscovery and connection.

This episode is about more than grief—it’s about the stories that tether us to life and how poetry becomes a bridge to something new, even in the hardest of times.