Just Wanna Quilt

Dr. Songer joins us for part 2 of our discussion of Polypropylene and masks. For more information, go to: http://makermask.org/. There is lots of cool science and mask information.

Dr. Songer is the founder of MakerMask.org, a group of volunteers providing science-based mask information and designs to community mask makers. She's been studying and testing masks, and we talk to her about all kinds of things, especially Polypropylene. This is Part 1 of 2. For more information go to: http://makermask.org/.

Michael Hecht, the President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc, the economic development agency for southeast Louisiana, joins us to talk about the health of the city and entrepreneurship during Covid-19. Here is more about Michael: http://gnoinc.org/uploads/M.Hecht.Biography.pdf and https://gnoinc.org.

Professor Roy Rando, an industrial hygienist from Tulane talks to us about masks. We have a great conversation about how to think about Covid-19.

Dr. Mark Wilson, an assistant professor at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, is a molecular toxicologist and industrial hygienist that have been deeply involved in how we keep our home and especially our work environment safe(r) with Covid. A fascinating chat. He will also be a panelist at the Homemade Mask (Virtual) Summit. And he's got a lot to say about Covid-19: Volunteered on the frontline of NOLA coronavirus testing response: Here's an article: https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_0452555c-6b9b-11ea-b1f3-db5e17d5412e.html. He has as a daily COVID podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHxkG1SlFxM Here is an article he was a part of for PPE, but it does not mention homemade PPE: https://www.commondreams.org/views/2020/05/04/we-must-redefine-frontline-providing-ppe-all-workers. And the T-Cell Clinic at Tulane Featured in TIME:https://news.tulane.edu/pr/tulane-t-cell-clinic-featured-time.

Professor Chris Schnittka of Science Education, Professor and Director of Faculty Engagement, Chippewa Thomas, and Scott Bishop, Director of Lifelong Learning joins us to talk about the mask making efforts at Auburn University. It is remarkable. https://www.auburn.edu.

Bailey Boynton from Glowforge talks to us about 3D laser printers and their 2 Million Essential Ears initiative (glowforge.com/earsavers). https://glowforge.com

How was the Ronald MacDonald House in New Orleans coping with Covid-19? We asked Marianne Addy.

Lauren Skinner, a nurse, talks to us about her life, and the BaLA mask. She started a facebook group, BaLa N95 Cover for Frontline Healthcare Workers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/890875771382856/. Hailey Barnett interviews her.

Shannon Kittrick is a chemistry and biology teacher, who owns a custom clothing line, www.youenjoymygoods.com, and a Beeswax Wrap Company www.beegoodwraps.comHer sewing Group, You Enjoy My Goods Sewing and Crafting Community has been sewing masks for Doctors and Nurses in the Phish Community.Her husband, Bryan Sylvain has also designed special custom fabric to make masks. Note: we talk about miscarriages and still births, and it gets a bit sad. (That's my fault).

Heather Grant is the Executive Director of the Strategic Sewing and Quilting Summit, a non-profit organization of high-power industry leaders thinking through ways to increase consumer participation. We talk about the impact of Covid-19 on the sewing community. For more info, see https://www.sewquiltsummit.org/.

Alison Parker joins to to talk about the amazing efforts of Ric Rack, a local group whose focus is educating the public on textile recycling. She is part of the costumers in the film community here, and she used her organizing skills in amazing ways. For more, see https://www.ricracknola.com.

William Nemitoff talks to us about Curious Form, a local art, fabrication and design company in the Bywater in New Orleans. Like many other local businesses, Curious Form has pivoted to assist with COVID-19 related shortages by transforming our space to a PPE Face Shield production site. They are also taking this opportunity to employ laid off workers & those in need of income. To date they have donated a total of 1,200 face shields through crowd and community fundraising. The masks also display inspirational lines of poetry written by local poets on the front of the face shield. They also sell them to the public to raise money: https://curiousform.com.

John Spartz, a Tulane medical and public health student, joins our Just Wanna Quilt team as we plan the Homemade Mask Summit for June 2020. We interview him so that you can get to know him!

Juilian McCleary had his whole year planned: singing on cruise ships. And then, things changed. He talks about making masks and his life in Las Vegas.

Gina Livingston joins us to talk about their efforts in the Atlanta area. We've been watching their amazing response for masks on Facebook. Gina joins us. She also talks about having a spouse in the medical profession, and how they are keeping the family safe. For more on the efforts, see https://www.facebook.com/groups/SMAHAtlanta/.

We've chatting with Hello Stitch, out of Northern California before, and we check in to see how they are surviving during the Spring 2020 and Covid-19. Go to http://www.hellostitchstudio.com.

Pam, my neighbor, is a journalist for construction news, and she is also the person that introduced me to Judy Walker (a key person in the whole Just Wanna Quilt project). We talk about PPE from her perspective.

Ebony Love of Lovebug Studios joins us to talk about all things happening to her during the Spring 2020. See http://www.lovebugstudios.com

Amanda Hayes, the Communication Manager for Joann's Stores joins us to talk about homemade masks, sewing, online shopping and so much more. We are thrilled that she made time to chat! Go to http://www.joann.com