{\an2}- [Announcer] This is a production of WEDU PBS, {\an2}Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota.

{\an2}Major funding for WEDU Arts Plus is provided {\an2}through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation {\an2}by an arts loving donor who encourages others {\an2}to support your PBS station WEDU {\an2}and by the Pinellas Community Foundation, {\an2}giving humanity a hand since 1969.

{\an2}- [Host] In this edition of WEDU Arts Plus, {\an2}local talents use radio to inform and entertain.

{\an2}- I look at it almost like a band and the instruments, {\an2}but it's just the instrument that we're using is our voices.

{\an2}- [Host] The bright lights of neon art.

{\an2}- Neon's harder than it looks, putting glass tubing {\an2}and fire, and it doesn't wanna behave, okay, so you have {\an2}to learn to control the glass at its melting point.

{\an2}- [Host] The transformation of a community through art.

{\an2}- [Woman 1] So, they were able to acquire {\an2}what was 22 shotguns style row houses.

{\an2}Work with the community, brings some life {\an2}back into these houses.

{\an2}- [Host] And sharing cultural heritage {\an2}through traditional folklore dances.

{\an2}(speaking Spanish) {\an2}- It's all coming up next on WEDU Arts Plus.

{\an2}(jazz music) {\an2}Hello, I'm Gabe Ortiz and this is WEDU Arts Plus.

{\an2}Based out of St. Pete, the Tampa Bay Breakfast Club {\an2}is a morning radio show about hip hop life {\an2}and urban culture.

{\an2}Meet the hosts who inform and empower their listeners.

{\an2}(gentle music) {\an2}- I'm Jabaar Edmond, I go by Mr. Edmond.

(chuckling) {\an2}My role, I'm a host and I'm co-founder.

{\an2}- My name is brother John Muhammad, {\an2}your brother John, yourbrotherjohn.com.

{\an2}And my role on the Tampa Bay Breakfast Club is host {\an2}or co-host.

{\an2}- I'll just go by Qiana.

{\an2}Sometime you may hear the guys call me Q, {\an2}I may say Q just depending on my personality that day, {\an2}and I'm the female of the crew.

{\an2}I think I keep balance.

{\an2}When you look at the Tampa Bay Breakfast Club.

{\an2}So that's my role.

{\an2}- And I'm Bruce Moor Junior, a lot {\an2}of people do know Bruce Moor Junior obviously being born {\an2}and raised here and going to school here, {\an2}but there's many more people that know Reno.

{\an2}St. Pete is small and so the good things and bad things {\an2}that come with a small city, you know, {\an2}everybody knowing each other, of course, {\an2}we'll be one of the pluses.

{\an2}- [Woman 2] My neighbors were not only just my neighbors, {\an2}they became my family.

{\an2}- [Reno] Trying to put that back now, {\an2}like really getting back to a place {\an2}where we know our neighbors and we look out for each other.

{\an2}It was a St. Pete that existed, you know, south of central.

{\an2}And then there was another St. Pete {\an2}that existed north of central and downtown.

{\an2}It was a struggled in, and I think it's still, {\an2}you know, somewhat a struggle {\an2}for black people in the city of St. Pete.

{\an2}- Even with every step of progress {\an2}we make is still a struggle to implement that progress.

{\an2}Did y'all hear about the weed college, {\an2}the first cannabis college.

{\an2}- In Orlando?

{\an2}- First total size- - For itself.

{\an2}- [Qiana] No, no, yeah, I've been looking at it.

{\an2}- This is, this is serious y'all.

{\an2}- [Qiana] Over a year ago.

{\an2}- If you got the charges, go and get the degrees king, {\an2}you got years of experience, man.

{\an2}It ain't like you come into a classroom with no data.

{\an2}- Elon Musk said that a drug dealer knows how {\an2}to manage and run a business better- {\an2}- I can't believe that.

{\an2}- I'm all about education, but what I'm saying is {\an2}that we carried this industry on our backs.

{\an2}- The way we started the Tampa Bay Breakfast Club, {\an2}Jabaar approached me about what could we do, {\an2}how can we do something together?

{\an2}And then an opportunity to promote Amendment Four.

{\an2}Amendment Four is the, you know, {\an2}voting rights restoration to returning citizens.

{\an2}We were able to negotiate a deal where we got {\an2}like 30 minutes on the radio at 99 Jams {\an2}to talk about, you know, Amendment Four {\an2}and other local policies and politics.

{\an2}Enjoyed it, so we started doing it on Sundays {\an2}as like a podcast with at the time Janet Michelle, {\an2}she was our co-host and she filled that role {\an2}until she moved and then we had Carla Bristol, {\an2}Carla B, she came in for a season {\an2}and then Reno was behind the scenes.

{\an2}He was always present cause we did organizing together, {\an2}so he'd come and hang out and then, {\an2}the things that he was saying off camera was like, {\an2}man, we might as well have you on the show.

{\an2}- The negative thought that you is thinking about right now, {\an2}or any particular subject, y'all, just flip it.

{\an2}- Turn your problems into opportunities.

{\an2}- Problems are opportunities, man {\an2}- You got a deal, man.

{\an2}- We on the jump board together right now.

(laughing) {\an2}- Just being around people and clearly always talking, {\an2}I just felt like they at least learn something.

{\an2}So as you see that you're not gonna shut up, {\an2}You can have substance to your conversation {\an2}and not just be labeled as somebody who just love to talk.

{\an2}- Really being informative, looking to give the information {\an2}that isn't readily available in our community.

{\an2}- [Guest] Multiple meteorologists can look at the same data {\an2}and come up with a different forecast.

{\an2}- And so now you take those models, take that data and say, {\an2}"Okay, based upon all of that."

{\an2}- [Guest] Absolutely.

{\an2}- You might be in between here and there.

{\an2}And that's my know what I'm saying speech.

{\an2}Most recently, after Carla B's, you know, {\an2}transitioned out and went to do other things as well, {\an2}Qiana, we invited Qiana.

{\an2}- I've been working with the guys for awhile {\an2}outside of this and they called me to interview.

{\an2}And when I came in to interview that Sunday, after the show, {\an2}they was like, "Hey, you need to be a part of the show."

{\an2}And I was like, "Okay."

{\an2}- I look at it almost like a band and the instruments, {\an2}but it's just the instrument that we're using is our voices.

{\an2}- My voice is already kind of squeaky.

{\an2}I know I can get, my voice can get squeaky-er.

{\an2}- You have to have your, your radio voice on.

{\an2}And have that vocal control.

{\an2}- I talk lower when I need to calm it down.

{\an2}And when I'm very passionate about it, I slow it down.

{\an2}And because I want you to understand what I'm saying.

{\an2}What's good for the geese is good for the gander.

{\an2}So if you keep it secrets, just know that she can, too.

{\an2}- [Radio co-host] Oh- oh.

{\an2}- [Caller] Okay, ask you, you know why, see Q, {\an2}that's why you being on the Tampa Bay Breakfast Club, {\an2}(all laughing) {\an2}so you're gonna even things out, you know what I'm saying, {\an2}I was just joking, no.

{\an2}(all laughing) {\an2}- We just understand power, you know?

{\an2}And in terms of people's attention, you know, {\an2}cause it costs, people's attention costs, {\an2}that's why it's called pay attention.

{\an2}- We wanna present local information right up there {\an2}with, you know, the trending topics.

{\an2}- One thing and that's a common denominator with all {\an2}of us is that we're all passionate about our people.

{\an2}- For me, what you take from me is that I'm real {\an2}and I'm passionate about the growth of our people.

{\an2}- The overall goal I would say is {\an2}to have a more informed community.

{\an2}Around electoral politics, around health, around equity.

{\an2}- It's about the mission of connecting the dots {\an2}and closing the gaps, inspiring people {\an2}to see what's possible, you know, {\an2}and trying to be an example, you know, {\an2}I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing sometime, {\an2}but you know, you do the best that you can {\an2}with what you have and you pray {\an2}that others will be inspired to join in.

{\an2}(gentle music) {\an2}- For more info, {\an2}visit cdatcenter.org/tampa-bay-breakfast -club.

{\an2}Katherine Reynolds is an Oklahoma artist {\an2}who began work with stained glass, but the lure {\an2}of neon glow beckoned and in 1984, she answered its call.

{\an2}Today, she's an established neon artist and sign producer.

{\an2}Some say she's neon nobility.

{\an2}(dog barking) {\an2}(birds chirping) {\an2}(gentle music) {\an2}- My name's Katherine Reynolds.

{\an2}I'm the founder of Reynolds and Son Neon Incorporated {\an2}in Oklahoma city.

{\an2}We, I started glass bending in 1984 {\an2}as Reynolds Neon and my son joined me in '96 {\an2}and we became Reynolds and Son Neon Incorporated.

{\an2}(machine starting) {\an2}So I'm gonna start bending.

{\an2}(machine going) {\an2}I'm gonna move pretty quickly.

{\an2}I found out I was an artist in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, {\an2}when we lived up there in the seventies {\an2}and I started making things out of found objects.

{\an2}Then I got a job in a stained glass studio {\an2}up there and I was pretty good at it.

{\an2}In 1978, my husband and my son and I came back {\an2}from Eureka Springs, Arkansas and I had been working {\an2}in a stained glass studio in Eureka Springs {\an2}and February, 1980 my husband passed away, suddenly.

{\an2}And so my son and I were on our own.

{\an2}(gentle music) {\an2}And did stained glass for years, probably till about '83.

{\an2}Did the festivals, worked the festival {\an2}of the arts, sale festival, I did a lot {\an2}of commission work mostly.

{\an2}And I'd been fascinated by neon, you know, {\an2}it's the excitement of neon and it's sexy {\an2}and it's kind of dangerous, you know?

{\an2}And I think that that was the draw and I'd wanted {\an2}to make some neon art and the rest was history.

{\an2}I started on my pursuit to find someone to teach me.

{\an2}In 1984, when I started, there were no women.

{\an2}It was the good old boys club, kind of like the union, {\an2}although it wasn't a union, it was old glass benders {\an2}that had worked in sign companies forever.

{\an2}And I wanted to learn neon, so I had heard {\an2}that there was somebody, or there was a place {\an2}in Florida that had a class.

{\an2}So, I went down there and they said, wait a minute, {\an2}there's a guy here in town that wants to teach somebody.

{\an2}He'd like, he wants the money to teach somebody.

{\an2}And he looked at me and he shook his head {\an2}and he's like, "No, it's not gonna happen."

{\an2}And so I left and I was kind of discouraged, {\an2}but I persevered and I called him and I called him {\an2}and I pretty much spent a whole summer trying {\an2}to get this guy to take my, you know, to teach me neon.

{\an2}So I went over there and finally again in a miniskirt {\an2}and a hundred dollar bills and I waved the cash in his face {\an2}and he's like, "Okay, if you wanna learn {\an2}that bad, I'll take your money."

{\an2}And I started taking classes with him.

{\an2}Neon's harder than it looks.

{\an2}You have to, you're putting glass tubing and fire {\an2}and it doesn't wanna behave, okay, {\an2}so you have to learn to control the glass {\an2}at its melting point, right before it completely melts.

{\an2}And you have to blow it back out {\an2}because it does melt to some extent.

{\an2}So you have to learn to manipulate that glass {\an2}and to control that glass and that's the hard part.

{\an2}It's kind of meditative also while you're bending glass, {\an2}because you're in the zone, you stand there {\an2}over your fire with your glass and you have {\an2}to concentrate on what you're doing.

{\an2}(upbeat music) {\an2}There are five rare gases that come out of our atmosphere.

{\an2}And that's neon, argon, xenon, krypton and helium.

{\an2}Neon gas is red when it's lit, {\an2}argon gas is a very soft blue when it's lit, {\an2}when it's electrified, I should say.

{\an2}The molecules inside of the tube itself, {\an2}bounce back and forth from the electricity {\an2}and that bouncing back and forth charges {\an2}those molecules and actually creates the color.

{\an2}We have a clear tubing that actually you see the color {\an2}of the gas, either the red or the blue, {\an2}or we have a phosphorous coated tube, {\an2}which say we get a white phosphorus coated tube, {\an2}if we put argon in that tube, we have white.

{\an2}If we put neon in that tube, we have pink.

{\an2}So we have two options {\an2}with each phosphorus coated tube also.

{\an2}Okay, see, we have a clear, clear tube.

{\an2}It has neon in it that gives us the color.

{\an2}This is a white phosphorous coated tube.

{\an2}We put argon in this one and it gives us the white.

{\an2}If we put neon in this tube, it would be pink.

{\an2}Here's an example.

{\an2}This is a turquoise tube here, {\an2}has a turquoise phosphorus coating inside of it {\an2}and it's got argon in it and you can see here, {\an2}if you look at these electrodes {\an2}where the phosphorus coating ends {\an2}and the clear glass begins, you could actually see neon {\an2}and argon and that's the color the gas puts off {\an2}when the molecules are charged {\an2}from the transformer on the electrodes.

{\an2}So that bouncing back and forth in there creates a color.

{\an2}- [Woman] How do you make purple?

{\an2}- Purple is a purple, it's a clear tube, {\an2}with the purple phosphor in it and we add argon.

{\an2}- [Woman] How do you make green?

{\an2}- Green is a clear tube with a green phosphor {\an2}and we add argon, but now you also have the classic colors {\an2}where the glass itself is actually that color.

{\an2}So we'll have a Ruby red tube with a phosphor in it, {\an2}or without, it's still gonna be Ruby red, {\an2}cause the tube we would put neon {\an2}in there and we'd have a red tube.

{\an2}These ones are off, see the glasses.

{\an2}That's a double coated green, and that's an unusual color.

{\an2}We don't see much of that around, but it's pretty, {\an2}it's kind of a lime, limey green.

{\an2}You can see the corners started to chip off {\an2}on these old things, but they're hard to find anymore, {\an2}the rounded corners, they're beautiful little signs.

{\an2}Now I showed you those sculptures a little bit ago {\an2}and we had the blue, classic blue tube {\an2}and then the classic blue tube {\an2}that had the phosphorus coating on the inside {\an2}and you could really see the difference {\an2}in the saturation of color.

{\an2}(gentle music) {\an2}Neon has to have a background.

{\an2}Otherwise we call, what we call a skeleton neon, {\an2}but you still have to mount it to the wall.

{\an2}You know, it's got to, it's just a tube {\an2}that is free-floating otherwise.

{\an2}So, what I like to do with neon is I, and I have a design.

{\an2}You can use metal, you can use a plastic, {\an2}just really kind of anything that, {\an2}any kind of media to hold the neon together, {\an2}or to hide the hardware and use the neon {\an2}as either an accent piece or as the piece itself.

{\an2}We have to do repairs every day.

{\an2}We have at least a couple that we do every morning.

{\an2}That's what we start our day off, {\an2}getting the service checks back out on the road.

{\an2}And then we go to our jobs.

{\an2}So some days, you know, if we have a hailstorm, {\an2}we call that job security around here.

{\an2}Inside that sign can, is all the hardware, all the wiring, {\an2}everything that it takes to power the neon.

{\an2}We plug everything up ourselves.

{\an2}Yeah, it all has to be, it all has {\an2}to have an electrical source of some kind.

{\an2}And that's what charges those molecules {\an2}that create the color.

{\an2}I had no idea I was getting ready {\an2}to have to learn all this stuff {\an2}when I went and saw that little old man in Dell city, {\an2}(laughing) I wanted to make the pretty art {\an2}and then I ended up learning all this also.

{\an2}But I learned this by myself, I had {\an2}to figure it all out myself because he was gone by then.

{\an2}- We're getting the humidity out.

{\an2}We're cleaning all the impurities out of the inside {\an2}of this thing so it'll have a long life.

{\an2}- So really you have to be part artist, part scientist, {\an2}part glass bender, part electrician, {\an2}part mechanic, to do this job.

{\an2}(uplifting music) {\an2}I've been really lucky because I wanted to do this {\an2}as an art, but I've had a great commercial end {\an2}of my art, which I wasn't expecting in the beginning.

{\an2}So, I was instantly in business.

{\an2}A lot of people know about me {\an2}because I've been here a long time.

{\an2}So really we don't have the sign out front {\an2}because it's kind of like one of those things, {\an2}you either know it or you don't, you know, {\an2}and we can only handle so much business {\an2}because there's just the two of us here.

{\an2}I absolutely love it, I absolutely love it.

{\an2}And you know, everybody has a passion {\an2}for something, and this is mine.

{\an2}It's been good to me, you know, I, it has been my passion {\an2}and it has treated me very well over the years.

{\an2}(uplifting music) {\an2}- Find out more by visiting reynoldsneon.com.

{\an2}Since its inception, Project Row Houses {\an2}in Houston, Texas has had a positive impact on the lives {\an2}of people in the city's third ward.

{\an2}The arts organization has transformed {\an2}and celebrated the neighborhood's African-American culture {\an2}through the exhibition of contemporary installation art.

{\an2}(dramatic music) {\an2}- Twenty-five years ago, you couldn't even walk {\an2}down this street if you didn't live in the neighborhood {\an2}without some threat of physical violence.

{\an2}It was considered one of the most dangerous neighborhoods {\an2}in the city of Houston.

{\an2}What the city saw as poverty, blight crime, {\an2}and all the social ills that come along with that, {\an2}the artists saw as an opportunity to showcase their work {\an2}and use their work in a way to enrich the community.

{\an2}Project Row Houses is a twenty-five year old arts {\an2}and culture organization, based {\an2}in Houston's Northern third ward.

{\an2}We're located approximately three blocks {\an2}from Emancipation Park, a 10 acre park bought {\an2}by freed slaves to celebrate their freedom.

{\an2}We walk on the grounds of freed slaves {\an2}here every day, and that's not lost on us.

{\an2}When our most well-known founder, {\an2}Rick Lowe stumbled upon these houses {\an2}and he discovered this site, he saw it {\an2}and the other founders thought as {\an2}this unique opportunity, right?

{\an2}So, they were able to acquire {\an2}what was 22 shotgun style row houses.

{\an2}They were able to acquire this site and really work {\an2}with the community, renovate {\an2}and bring some life back into these houses.

{\an2}And that is how the concept of Project Row Houses started.

{\an2}We fostered the creation and exhibition of art {\an2}in several ways, one's through our artists rounds {\an2}that we have in the fall and the spring of each year, {\an2}and what the rounds do they address, {\an2}whether it's a social, political, economic, {\an2}whatever issue it's curated to address a theme {\an2}or issue that's happening in the neighborhood.

{\an2}We had a couple of rounds ago, {\an2}black women artists with black lives matter.

{\an2}Around before that dealt with the fact {\an2}that art could be used as a way to address prison reform.

{\an2}Most importantly, we use the resources that we have {\an2}to ensure that the history and culture {\an2}of this community is not erased.

{\an2}We were one of the first organizations to look {\an2}at holistically, what can we do to use our resources, {\an2}to enrich the community, not just beautify the space, {\an2}but actually bring some much needed services {\an2}to bring affordable housing into the community, {\an2}the place for young mothers to provide a sustainable, {\an2}supportive living environment for themselves {\an2}and their children so they can reach their professional {\an2}and personal goals.

{\an2}Project Row Houses has led, has been a leader {\an2}in changing the perceptions of what art is {\an2}and what it can do in terms {\an2}of not only community development, {\an2}historic and cultural preservation, {\an2}empowering people to see themselves in a different way.

{\an2}We get people from all over the country that come {\an2}in and just wanna sit and learn.

{\an2}And this is not some cookie cutter, here's a toolkit, {\an2}go take this and into your community, {\an2}but really explaining to them what it has taken {\an2}over the 25 years for us to get here.

{\an2}Now it's an institution, it is deeply rooted.

{\an2}It's not just in third ward, it is of the third ward.

{\an2}It was this conceptual idea that has transformed {\an2}into what many considered to be one {\an2}of the greatest social sculptures in the world.

{\an2}And it just came out of this idea {\an2}that art could transform and enrich a community.

{\an2}- To learn more, go to projectrowhouses.org.

{\an2}Dance is a powerful tool {\an2}that can help bridge generational divides {\an2}and connect young people to a wealth of cultural knowledge.

{\an2}In Columbus, Ohio, a young girl celebrates {\an2}her Mexican heritage through traditional folklore dances {\an2}or (speaking Spanish).

{\an2}(speaking Spanish) {\an2}(uplifting music) {\an2}(speaking Spanish) {\an2}(uplifting music) {\an2}- My mom told me stories that she wanted {\an2}to dance when she was little.

{\an2}And that she danced the song for a dance, {\an2}and she was happy when she danced.

{\an2}(uplifting music) {\an2}- When I was younger, I was very rewarding to be {\an2}on the stage and to be in front {\an2}of thousands of people and like, {\an2}I used to get like so much confidence and energy from that.

{\an2}And most recently I find it rewarding, {\an2}like transferring all that to my students.

{\an2}The sparkle that they have in their eye, {\an2}before they go on the stage and like the butterflies {\an2}they get in their stomach is like {\an2}what I used to have as a kid and I'm just {\an2}so excited that I'm able to pass that {\an2}on to the next generation of students, {\an2}the sort of experience that it's very unique {\an2}and not very common in Columbus.

{\an2}(upbeat music) {\an2}(audience clapping) {\an2}(speaking Spanish) {\an2}- This is the hat we had to wear, it's called a sombrero.

{\an2}And then, a rebozo, then if you wanted, {\an2}you could wear bracelets and gold earrings.

{\an2}The suit, I don't know what it's called {\an2}and then the skirt and the shoes.

{\an2}We were supposed to bring the braids like that.

{\an2}(upbeat music) {\an2}(speaking Spanish) {\an2}(uplifting music) {\an2}(audience clapping) {\an2}- As a second generation Mexican American, you know, {\an2}I think it's important to connect to our cultures, {\an2}make sure it doesn't get lost.

{\an2}So, it's one of the greatest ways to do that {\an2}and to really educate the greater community {\an2}about how diverse and unique each part of Latin America is.

{\an2}(upbeat music) {\an2}(audience clapping) {\an2}- He's discovering, we're discovering it.

{\an2}My mom wants me to keep going dancing {\an2}and grow up like Ms. Patino.

{\an2}(audience clapping) {\an2}(upbeat music) {\an2}(speaking Spanish) {\an2}- For more arts and culture in Columbus, {\an2}Ohio, visit experiencecolumbus.com.

{\an2}And that wraps it up for this edition of WEDU Arts Plus.

{\an2}For more arts and culture, visit wedu.org/artsplus.

{\an2}Until next time, I'm Gabe Ortiz, thanks for watching.

{\an2}(upbeat music) {\an2}- [Announcer] Major funding for WEDU Arts Plus is provided {\an2}through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation {\an2}by an arts loving donor who encourages others {\an2}to support your PBS station WEDU, {\an2}and by the Pinellas community foundation, {\an2}giving humanity a hand since 1969.

{\an2}(uplifting music)