Sullivan's Unheard Voices

About Sullivan's Unheard Voices

Our podcast is going to be a little different. We are going to elevate the voices of the unheard. We're going to talk to people that have been through it, and lived to tell the story. We're going to talk to people with disabilities, domestic violence survivors, victims of systemic oppression, but instead of focusing on the trauma we're going to focus on how they got through it. The hope is you will learn how to get through it too. If you've ever been beat up, cast aside, discriminated against, or otherwise been "othered", then this podcast is for you!

Publisher

Shawn Sullivan

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Dec 2023

Latest episode

9 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 206 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   9 Nov 2026

   Sullivan's Backstage Pass: Al’Uriel, 4th Ave Studio and Portland Reptile Lounge

   What happens when a photography studio, reptile sanctuary, music venue, and community gathering space all exist under one roof?In this episode of Sullivan's Backstage Pass, I sit down with Al, founder of Fourth Ave Studio and the Portland Reptile Lounge, for a conversation about photography, music, animal welfare, entrepreneurship, and the surprising realities of reptile ownership.What starts as a conversation about cameras and creativity quickly turns into a crash course in a world I knew almost nothing about. We talk about rescued reptiles, temperature gradients, UV lighting, animal husbandry, and why so many exotic pets end up abandoned because people never understood what they were signing up for in the first place.But the longer we talked, the more I realized this conversation wasn't really about reptiles.It was about community.What struck me most about Al is that he isn't building this space to get rich. He's building it because he believes spaces like this should exist. A place where photographers can create. A place where musicians can perform. A place where families can learn. A place where rescued animals can receive the care they deserve. A place where people can show up curious and leave knowing something they didn't know before.And maybe that's what fascinated me most.In a world increasingly obsessed with scale, efficiency, and squeezing every last dollar out of every square foot, here's someone building something for an entirely different reason: because he cares about the people, artists, musicians, families, and animals that pass through the door.The reptiles may grab your attention first.The photography may bring you in.The music may keep you around.But the real story is what can happen when someone decides to build a space around connection instead of transaction.Sullivan's Backstage Pass featuring Al from Fourth Ave Studio & Portland Reptile Lounge.Learn more about Fourth Ave Studio & Portland Reptile Lounge:2038 SE Belmont St, Portland, Oregon 97214Website: www.4thaveproduct.comPortland Reptile Lounge: www.portlandreptilelounge.comEmail: project_manager@4thaveproduct.comPhone: (971) 369-5136

2. 

   4 Nov 2026

   Sullivan's Unheard Voices 155: Leroy Moore

   What happens when an entire community is told its history doesn't matter? In this episode of Sullivan's Unheard Voices, I sit down with activist, poet, scholar, and Crip Hop founder Leroy Moore for a conversation that starts with music and quickly expands into something much bigger. We talk about disability justice, race, representation, poverty, education, activism, and the stories that society forgets to tell. From blues musicians whose disabilities have been written out of history to modern advocacy movements that often leave people behind, Leroy challenges many of the assumptions that shape how we think about disability and inclusion. Along the way, we explore the origins of Crip Hop, the importance of seeing yourself reflected in history, why funding matters more than slogans, and what happens when communities spend decades fighting for promises that never quite become reality. This conversation asks difficult questions. Why do we celebrate diversity while ignoring accessibility? Why do we talk about inclusion while failing to fund the laws that make inclusion possible? And how many voices have been lost because nobody thought their stories were worth preserving? Whether you're involved in disability advocacy, social justice, education, music, or simply trying to understand the world a little better, this episode offers a perspective that is rarely heard and desperately needed. Because before people can be included, they have to be seen. And before they can be seen, their stories have to survive. #DisabilityJustice #DisabilityRights #Podcast

3. 

   2 Nov 2026

   Sullivan's Backstage Pass: Jimi Bott

   What does it take to become one of the most respected drummers in blues music? On this episode of Sullivan's Backstage Pass, I sit down with legendary drummer, producer, and recording engineer Jimi Bott, a Blues Music Award winner whose career has spanned more than four decades behind some of the most influential artists and bands in modern blues. From Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Mannish Boys, The Proven Ones, Mark Hummel & The Blues Survivors, The Blues Giants, and Lisa Mann's Northwestern All-Stars, Jimi has spent a lifetime helping shape the sound of blues music on stages and recordings around the world. Along the way, he has performed, recorded, and collaborated with an extraordinary collection of artists, including Lisa Mann, Paul Gilbert, Curtis Salgado, Kevin Selfe, Kid Ramos, Brian Templeton, Jason Ricci, Nick Moss, Johnny Wheels, Lloyd Jones, Terrie Odabi, Ben Rice, Jason "JT" Thomas, Louis "King Louie" Pain, Marc Ford of The Black Crowes, and countless other musicians who have helped define the modern blues landscape. In this conversation, Jimi shares the story of the concert that changed his life forever, how a teenage blues fan inspired by Rod Piazza's band eventually found himself sitting behind the drums for the very group that sparked his musical journey, and what he learned from decades of touring, recording, and performing at the highest levels of the music industry. We dive into the art of drumming, volume control, musical feel, studio recording, band chemistry, songwriting, and the lessons that only come from a lifetime spent chasing the perfect groove. Jimi also opens up about being fired from his first professional gig, overcoming injuries that nearly ended his career, recording with guitar virtuoso Paul Gilbert, working alongside Marc Ford, building Roseleaf Recording into one of the Pacific Northwest's most respected studios, and why the greatest musicians never stop searching for ways to improve. More than a conversation about drums, this is a discussion about mastery, perseverance, humility, and devotion to a craft. Whether you're a musician, a blues fan, or simply someone who loves hearing the stories behind extraordinary careers, this episode offers a fascinating look into the life and mindset of a musician whose influence reaches far beyond the spotlight.

Who has been a guest on Sullivan's Unheard Voices

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Billie McBride
• Brandon Logan
• Sarzana Hasin Zafar
• Dug Cox
• Tony Tate

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

3,263

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 52 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

74

Social presence

0

YouTube

74

Engagement

0

Contact Sullivan's Unheard Voices

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Sullivan's Unheard Voices