Where words create division, art creates a new space to broaden understanding. Jonathan Kent Adams, a queer artist based out of Water Valley, Mississippi, joins Eddie and Chris to talk about cultural masculinity and conformity, the challenges of coming out both internally and externally, and finding God as a place of consistent safety.

Kiese Laymon speaks about the important role his grandmother plays in his life, the way in which the influences of our upbringing remain a part of us no matter what changes may come, and the incredible ability of art to unleash heavy truths from things we keep secret. This conversation, but more specifically Laymon’s art, speaks directly to the complexities of Mississippi in a way that helps listeners seek more understanding not just of one state, but an entire nation.