Athens CASA/GAL Program & Adam Remnant
11/12/24 • 28 min
On this week’s episode of The Anna Jinja Show, we’re diving into the powerful themes of advocacy, resilience, and creativity. Host Anna Jinja welcomes the inspiring the Athens CASA / GAL Program team. These passionate advocates are voices of hope for children in foster care, providing support, stability, and a sense of belonging in some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
And we’re thrilled to share a very special musical feature by Adam Remnant, a multi-talented musician, songwriter, and Athens native. His song, “Curse of Canaanville,” touches on themes of family, resilience, and finding light amid hardship. This song is a tribute to the inner strength needed to overcome life’s adversities – something that resonates deeply with the work of the Athens CASA / GAL Program and the experiences of the children they support.
Join us as we hear inspiring stories and reflections from CASA/GAL’s Executive Director Tara Huffman and volunteer coordinators Carly Ferguson and Jess Chadwell, who share the impact of their work and the compassion that fuels it. Plus, we’re excited to introduce a special young guest, Jack, who joins the conversation and has agreed to write an original song for an upcoming episode!
Tune in to this heartfelt conversation filled with stories, music, and an important reminder: even in the toughest of times, there’s hope, community, love, and laughter!
Guest Links: https://www.adamremnant.com/ https://www.athenscasa.org/team
CURSE OF CANAANVILLE
by Adam Remnant
my mother’s old lantern tolls a light
through the darkness of the night
beyond the shadows amongst the weeds
where the light of town recedes
and since you’ve been gone
I have found you in the strangest of places
and you have been witness to my heart’s changes
so I am indebted to you and your many faces
lighting the way in a world that’s fading
men overtook these branches to feed our iron tongues
they carved their initials into the trunks
they carted them off leaving nothing but sawdust
now mother, father won’t stop drinking, he’s calling on his kin
he’s naming names spitting blood and cursing Canaan
yeah even the saved are forsaken
so I’m going back to the garden where the trees are in full bloom
I’m shaking off the ashes of brimstone and doom
I’m gonna pick a thousand apples in a single afternoon
so it seems the world can be a nightmare with heaven intertwined
men lower the canary down into the mine
but they’re raising up a raven seven times the size
and since you’ve been gone
I have found you in the strangest of places
and you have been witness to my heart’s changes
so I am indebted to you and your many faces
lighting the way in a world that’s fading
I’m holding a lantern that tolls a light
but you are nowhere within sight
so I’m returning on my own
to the place I once called home.
On this week’s episode of The Anna Jinja Show, we’re diving into the powerful themes of advocacy, resilience, and creativity. Host Anna Jinja welcomes the inspiring the Athens CASA / GAL Program team. These passionate advocates are voices of hope for children in foster care, providing support, stability, and a sense of belonging in some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
And we’re thrilled to share a very special musical feature by Adam Remnant, a multi-talented musician, songwriter, and Athens native. His song, “Curse of Canaanville,” touches on themes of family, resilience, and finding light amid hardship. This song is a tribute to the inner strength needed to overcome life’s adversities – something that resonates deeply with the work of the Athens CASA / GAL Program and the experiences of the children they support.
Join us as we hear inspiring stories and reflections from CASA/GAL’s Executive Director Tara Huffman and volunteer coordinators Carly Ferguson and Jess Chadwell, who share the impact of their work and the compassion that fuels it. Plus, we’re excited to introduce a special young guest, Jack, who joins the conversation and has agreed to write an original song for an upcoming episode!
Tune in to this heartfelt conversation filled with stories, music, and an important reminder: even in the toughest of times, there’s hope, community, love, and laughter!
Guest Links: https://www.adamremnant.com/ https://www.athenscasa.org/team
CURSE OF CANAANVILLE
by Adam Remnant
my mother’s old lantern tolls a light
through the darkness of the night
beyond the shadows amongst the weeds
where the light of town recedes
and since you’ve been gone
I have found you in the strangest of places
and you have been witness to my heart’s changes
so I am indebted to you and your many faces
lighting the way in a world that’s fading
men overtook these branches to feed our iron tongues
they carved their initials into the trunks
they carted them off leaving nothing but sawdust
now mother, father won’t stop drinking, he’s calling on his kin
he’s naming names spitting blood and cursing Canaan
yeah even the saved are forsaken
so I’m going back to the garden where the trees are in full bloom
I’m shaking off the ashes of brimstone and doom
I’m gonna pick a thousand apples in a single afternoon
so it seems the world can be a nightmare with heaven intertwined
men lower the canary down into the mine
but they’re raising up a raven seven times the size
and since you’ve been gone
I have found you in the strangest of places
and you have been witness to my heart’s changes
so I am indebted to you and your many faces
lighting the way in a world that’s fading
I’m holding a lantern that tolls a light
but you are nowhere within sight
so I’m returning on my own
to the place I once called home.
Previous Episode
Dr. Faustina Mensah & Jean Voneman Mikhail
Join us in a special episode of The Anna Jinja Show as we dive into the world of personal storytelling and poetry, where words become mirrors for identity, belonging, and resilience. This episode highlights a remarkable storytelling workshop where participants delved into their deepest narratives, led by expert storytellers who inspired them to explore their personal histories and share with confidence. The workshop culminated in unique partnerships with artists, sparking transformative exchanges that blossomed into original poems and songs, each a celebration of individual journeys.
In today’s featured collaboration, we hear from two talented participants:
Jean Voneman Mikhail, a poet from Athens, Ohio, whose work has appeared in The Northern Appalachian Review, Sheila Na Gig Online, and other literary journals. Jean draws on her rich experiences to bring heartfelt stories to the page, inspired by family and place.
Dr. Faustina (Faustie) Mensah, a Success Advisor at Ohio University and recent PhD graduate, is a passionate advocate for foster youth and non-traditional students. Through her research and mentorship, she champions inclusivity and the empowerment of vulnerable voices in education.
Together, Jean and Faustie share a powerful poem that speaks to the themes of home, heritage, and memory. Jean’s evocative lines recount Faustie’s memories of her late father, weaving a lyrical exploration of family love and the sense of home that transcends physical space.
Tune in for an intimate Q&A with Jean and Faustie as they discuss the surprising insights from the workshop, the role of storytelling in healing and connection, and the ways poetry can frame and honor our unique paths.
Don’t miss this poignant episode, available now!
Next Episode
Susan Strong & Goth Dad
We’re beyond thrilled to welcome Susan Strong—a powerhouse writer and open adoption advocate whose journey will have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about family. Her memoir, One Yes at a Time: How Open Adoption Transformed Our Family, reveals the raw, heartwarming, and eye-opening experiences that reshaped her family through love, trust, and openness.
But that’s not all! Susan’s career has taken her from the iconic MTV studios in New York to literary acclaim in Dayton, Ohio, with over 40 years of powerful storytelling under her belt. Now, she’s ready to share the secrets behind forming real connections with her kids and their birth families, the incredible lessons learned along the way, and how her media-savvy background shapes her unique perspective.
And there’s more—Colin, our talented audio engineer and musician, selected the perfect song, Dog, by his band, Goth Dad, which captures the loyalty and connection that define Susan’s adoption journey.
Don’t miss this episode packed with heart, art, and transformative stories that will leave you inspired!
Creative Content/Song
Dog by Goth Dad
i wanna walk with you
go wherever you tell me too
cause you know just what i need
we don't even have to speak
always come running when you call
you know i'll be there like your dog
i'll be your something new
you don't deserve what you've been put through
our feet pressing on the concrete
we don't even have to speak
always come running when you call
you know i'll be there like your dog
credits
released December 21, 2019
Recorded at Blue Sky Studios in Jackson, MS
Engineered/Produced by Will Foley
Mix/Mastered by Will Foley
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