Foxfire Dispatch: a new podcast hosted by HCDP’s own Gina Baxter

Debuting over the summer solstice, The Foxfire Dispatch is a podcast that shows how small sparks can light the way to positive change.

Hendersonville City Councilwoman Gina Baxter and Granville County's Liz Purvis are the hosts of the new show, which taps into North Carolina culture and invites people who may have been on the margins of politics to see that there is space for them to get involved. 

“We want people to see politics as accessible and relevant and interesting,” Gina said. “We’re about supporting community and grass-roots change.”

The idea for The Foxfire Dispatch began earlier this year when Carolina Forward—the non-partisan think tank fighting for “a more just, democratic and prosperous North Carolina”—contacted Gina and Liz to see if they were interested in the project. The two had communicated online through various progressive networks but hadn’t met in person until they started working together. 

The podcast focuses on the intersection of local politics and statewide politics, with regular spotlights on fun non-political things that are geared toward young progressives in North Carolina. It also serves as a platform to amplify grassroots efforts throughout the state in areas such as housing affordability, environmental protection, and social supports.

Podcast fans may notice that Foxfire Dispatch has some similarities with the Hometown Holler featuring Daniel Ayers and Quinn Ray, but it differs in several ways.  For one, The Foxfire Dispatch is hosted by women and is geared more toward a female audience.  “I think Hometown Holler has done a lot of good work and they’ve been a great support for us—we recorded our first episodes in their studio, for example. At the same time, their audience definitely skews male so we’re leaning into that difference and focusing on hobbies and interests that women tend to follow.  Hometown Holler is very breaking-news focused and data focused whereas we lean into things like why we care about compassion.”

New episodes of The Foxfire Dispatch will come out each Friday.  Things to look forward to include an interview with Reyna Walters-Morgon, DNC vice chair for civic engagement and voter participation, as well as collaborations with other progressives around the state.  "We're always looking for ideas and suggestions, so I hope people will feel free to share with us," Gina said.   

Interestingly, Gina notes that the biggest response to the podcast so far has been related to episodes that delve into the details of NC State government and how it functions.  “People have been interested in how we are affected locally because of North Carolina’s status as a Dillon state, which means that local municipalities only have rights that are expressly granted to them by the State,” Gina said. “On city council, we see this affecting us a lot in terms of what we can and cannot do with ordinances.”   

On the non-political front, Gina shares her knowledge of the North Carolina music scene and Liz discusses the world of Reality TV.  Both Gina and Liz are “astrology girlies” and enjoy talking about astrology-related themes. They are also dedicated to showcasing community action of all types.

“Lately I do feel that there’s been a shift in local engagement and it’s great to have a way to encourage that,” Gina said. “Our first episode focused on the incredible turnout for the No Kings Rally all over the state, and that was the perfect way to begin.”

The Foxfire Dispatch is available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music.  Check it out here: https://rss.com/podcasts/the-foxfire-dispatch/

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