On this special episode of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin talks with Mary Hondermann of El Futuro. El Futuro provides comprehensive mental health services in a bilingual environment to thousands of individuals and families across North Carolina. During the conversation, Mary and Justin talk about the organization's mission, how they've adjusted their work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some of Mary's favorite client stories. On Thursday, December 15, in collaboration with Rubies at Five Points,...
Dec 13, 2022•31 min
On episode 28 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Victoria Bouloubasis. Victoria is a journalist and multimedia producer based in Durham, North Carolina. She shares what it's like growing up as the child of immigrants, moving from North Jersey to Clemmons, North Carolina at age 7, and how being a "restaurant kid" shaped her relationship with food and food culture. (3:04) Victoria would go on to study Journalism and Spanish at UNC-Chapel Hill with ambitions to publish magazine features. Sh...
Jul 25, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 28
Jed Byrne grew up in Baltimore County, Maryland, not the city of Baltimore, which is an important distinction to make, according to Byrne. After reading The Color of Law , which makes specific reference to the history of Baltimore, and Clemson University where he went to college, Byrne says he better understood how place, and the ways they are built, determine how communities thrive or suffer. (5:13) Byrne graduated from Clemson with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2007, one year before th...
Jun 22, 2022•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 27
On episode 26 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Mark Overbay. Mark's origins begin in Kingsport, Tennessee where his interest in food and nutrition started when his father was diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes. He became the food guru of his family, learning about healthy eating habits and nagging his parents to try new ways of cooking to support his father's health. (2:03) In turn, Mark learned about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship through his parents -- his parents owned a jewelry ...
May 30, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 26
On episode 25 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Anna Gibala. Anna spent her childhood in Durham after being adopted from South Korea at 3 months old. Her interest in the culinary arts started early in life, watching cooking shows with her father and using food as a centerpiece for good times with her friends. (4:52) After graduation, Anna enrolled in culinary school at Johnson & Wales before venturing out to the west coast to further explore a career in food and level up her skills ...
Apr 18, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 25
On episode 24 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Erik Landfried . Erik is a transportation expert and urban planner from the mean streets of Beantown Boston, Massachusetts. He developed an affinity for maps and geography at a young age, always paying close attention to his surroundings as he traveled around his hometown by foot, bus, or subway. (1:39) Eventually, that passion led Erik to a decade-long position at GoTriangle after receiving his Master’s degree in urban planning from UNC-C...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 24
On episode 23 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Jay Kutchma. Jay is a musician hailing from Johnstown, Pennsylvania where his knack for music began with the smooth sounds of the accordion. (4:36) After high school, Jay took a hiatus from music. He earned a degree in biomedical engineering and eventually became a science teacher in the only other place that would hire him besides his hometown. That’s right: Durham Public Schools. (16:30) After he left teaching, Jay reconnected with his l...
Oct 01, 2021•1 hr 51 min•Ep. 23
In collaboration with Let’s Talk Durham, I had the pleasure of interviewing Raleigh mayoral candidate Dr. Terrance Ruth for a special episode of The Buddy Ruski Show. Over the last couple of years, Raleigh city government has been in a bit of turmoil, from the election schedule being changed, to calls for a special election to unseat the current mayor prior to the end of her term. Dr. Ruth and I decided to keep things focused on his particular candidacy and what motivates him as a leader and nom...
Aug 23, 2021•53 min•Ep. 23
On episode 22 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Lord Fess. Fess is a rapper and entrepreneur hailing from Baltimore, Maryland but has called Durham home for most of his life. He is one of the first people I met on the scene way back in the early aughts when he was performing as part of the rap duo Toon & The Real Laww under the alias Professor Toon. Good times… good times. We talked about overcoming childhood traumas and how those early experiences shaped the rest of his life and hi...
Aug 18, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 22
On episode 21 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Josh Harmon. Josh is a comedian and writer based in New York City. He and I became fast friends during my first stint as a teacher with Putney Student Travel, an experiential learning program based in Vermont. We talk about his picturesque upbringing in New Jersey, playing music at an early age with his older brother Michael, and why every kid in his school was fighting to get into Yale. From there, we get into his time as a student at Amh...
Jun 23, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 21
On episode 20 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Mike Shields. Mike is an arborist by trade but an artist at heart, based in New York City. He is the co-founder of Across the Margin , a media and publishing company founded in New York City. Mike and I met through our mutual friend, and my long-time roommate, Tom Rau . We cover Mike’s upbringing in the Northeast, his college years at Virginia Tech, the idea of “manifest dismantling,” and being fangirls of Jenny Odell. Mike had the pleasur...
May 11, 2021•58 min•Ep. 20
On episode 19 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Margaret McNab . Margaret is a marketing specialist based in Durham, North Carolina. We shared a lovely conversation about growing up in Montana, her origins in Oregon, that one summer in Prague (spicy) and how she got to Durham in 2009. Margaret led Public Relations for Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (what is now Discover Durham) from 2010-2012, during a pivotal time in Durham’s recent history. She’s been a champion of freelancer...
Mar 28, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 19
On episode 18 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Nevy Ramadanovic . Nevy is one of the many characters in the Runaway Extended Universe. He and I had the pleasure of working together during my tenure at the company, including a stop in Charlotte for our New Carolina tour back in 2017. He and I talked about how he got into DJing, who his inspirations are in the industry, and how he’s been able to maintain during COVID. Obviously, we’ve all been stuck at home and like many of you, Nevy has...
Feb 26, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 18
On episode 17 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Saleem Reshamwala. Saleem is a videographer based here in Durham, North Carolina. He is incredibly wise and considerate, always tinkering and experimenting. He never settles for the status quo and is constantly thinking about how we can improve everyday life through an outta the box approach. You’ll hear some of that in our conversation as we discuss the future of education, why empathy is important to fostering strong communities, and how...
Feb 01, 2021•1 hr 38 min•Ep. 17
On episode 16 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Daniel Watkins, aka Danny Blaze. Danny is a retired rapper and lifelong Durhamite. His journey as a musician is one to be admired for his perseverance through the ever-changing media landscape that indie artists rely so heavily on. Danny didn’t start getting into hip-hop until high school. His story as a professional hip-hop artist began at North Carolina Central University in the classroom of 9th Wonder, acclaimed producer and former memb...
Jan 08, 2021•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 16
On episode 15 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Nicole Oxendine. Nicole is the founder of Empower Dance Studio in downtown Durham. She is a Durham native, born and raised. As a young person, Nicole swore off working as a teacher or opening a dance studio, but fate had a different plan. After graduating from Hollins University with a degree in Psychology, Nicole became a dance teacher with Durham Public Schools. After spending years working with youth in her community, Nicole founded Emp...
Dec 07, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 15
On episode 14 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Bernard Worthy. Bernard is the co-founder, CEO and CTO of Loanwell , a financial tech company headquartered in American Underground in Durham. Originally from Marietta, Georgia, Bernard made his way to the Triangle for undergraduate school at UNC Chapel-Hill before moving to Durham to help found a church and start his journey as an entrepreneur. He comes from a family of entrepreneurs and learned the value of persistence and creativity at ...
Jun 30, 2020•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 14
On episode 13 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Rose Domanico. Rose is a passionate political organizer currently serving as the Vice President of Durham Democratic Women. Similar to my interview with David on episode 12, my guest is a born-and-raised Durhamite. We revisit some of her favorite and most informative childhood memories in the Bull City before diving into her work at DDW and examine what it takes to get people out to the polls. If you would like to learn more about Rose's w...
May 01, 2020•52 min•Ep. 13
On episode 12 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews David Delaney Mayer. David and I are childhood friends from the same Watts-Hillandale neighborhood in Durham. We reminisce about the good ol' days growing up in Durham and how early exposure to the complexities of communities shaped our upbringing. Then, I ask David about being a "one and done" player at Duke alongside Kyrie Irving and falling in love with documentary filmmaking after falling out of love with basketball. *** Each week, you...
Apr 22, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 12
On episode 11 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Cameron Barnard , aka FootRocket. We talk about home schooling and geek out over WhoSampled.com while Cameron tries to explain to me what the heck VaporWave is. We also talk about his musical influences and what he looks for in a sample. Then, as a special treat, Cameron shares a small sample of his new upcoming EP, Colony. *** Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring new conversations with intriguing people. Follow ...
Oct 08, 2019•57 min•Ep. 11
On episode 10 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Bliss Floccare. We talk about a few taboo topics including sex work, identity, nude retreats, and pornography, to name a few. It's a conversation that will enlighten even the most "woke" among us. I'm grateful that Bliss took the time to break it down for me AND she provided the White Claw. A true hero. *** Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring conversations with intriguing people as we unlock the truths that make...
Sep 18, 2019•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 10
On episode 9 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin interviews Joshua Gunn. We talk about growing up in Durham, vaulting onto the hip-hop scene at an early age, updating the Chamber of Commerce in the 21st Century, and why being intentional when designing a city's future is important. *** There is a brief introduction that ends at 03:17 if you'd like to skip straight to the interview. Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring conversations with intriguing people as we unlock the t...
Sep 05, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 9
On episode 8 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY gets back to podding, and who better to join me than Ned Phillips , film director and recently un-retired pick up hoops veteran. We talk about growing up in Durham, his early career as an amateur filmmaker, being a tour guide in Europe, what makes good storytelling, and how Marvel has changed the industry for years to come. *** Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring conversations with intriguing people ...
May 24, 2019•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 8
On this special crossover episode, I want to share with you an interview I conducted with Durham Mayor Steve Schewel for one of my other projects, Town Hall, a show that I produce in conjunction with Aaron Mandel, Josh Hardt and the Clarion Content. The two of us discuss Durham in 2018, what went well, where we can improve, and look ahead to Mayor Schewel's State of the City Address. The full video can be seen here. *** Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring conversation...
Feb 18, 2019•1 hr 7 min
On episode 7 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin FINALLY FINALLY has a conversation with his journalism Jedi Master Aaron Mandel where one of us is actually a guest on the show. We talk learning to take no bull in New Jersey and moving to Durham over Raleigh and Chapel Hill because no one likes a wine and cheeser. We also talk founding the Clarion Content (which you should support along with this show), the circumstances that created a powerful movement in Durham at the turn of the decade and what i...
Feb 12, 2019•56 min•Ep. 7
On episode 6 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin FINALLY has a conversation on-air with alien mother and co-owner of The Mothership, Katie DeConto . We talk being a Masshole from New Hampshire, living on a commune with her family in Carrboro, and opening a space for weird artists in downtown Durham at the start of the "renaissance." *** Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring conversations with intriguing people as we unlock the truths that make us all unique. Follow on socia...
Jan 17, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 6
On episode 5 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Justin reconnects with his former podcast producer, Killer Bees teammate, and Martin Scorsese of North Carolina film, Holland Gallagher. We talk Hurricane Katrina and moving from NOLA to NC, his growing passion for the arts while a student at UNC-Chapel Hill, the story behind HYPE, a web-series set to debut in January 2019, and why he hates Marvel movies. Things may have gotten heated... *** Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring con...
Dec 18, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 5
On episode 4 of The Buddy Ruski Show, Raj Bunnag and I talk for about 2 hours before actually recording the podcast. We discuss his upbringing in Maryland as a first-generation American, his Thai heritage and experience living in Thailand after high school, his inspiration for the crazy art he produces, and why we should all be more thankful. *** Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring conversations with intriguing people as we unlock the truths that make us all unique. Y...
Nov 28, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 4
On episode 3 of The Buddy Ruski Show, I had the pleasure of spending quality time with my friend Toriano Fredericks, co-owner and head chef at Boricua Soul . The two of us take a trip down memory lane to learn more about growing up in Connecticut, college, and his time overseas. Then, we talk about the “Independence Day” that led Toriano to his wife Serena and their future together as life partners and business co-conspirators. *** Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring ...
Nov 13, 2018•57 min•Ep. 3
On episode 2 of The Buddy Ruski Show, my dear friend and former/maybe future co-host of The Rundown, Mandy Padgett, sat down with me to talk about enrolling in her dad’s Media Law class at Elon, her massive shoe collection, working at Soccer.com, and what needs to happen for Durham’s creative scene to grow in the right direction. *** Each week, you’ll find new episodes at BuddyRuski.com featuring conversations with intriguing people as we unlock the truths that make us all unique. You can follow...
Nov 06, 2018•57 min•Ep. 2
