Saint Small Talk

Melvin Carter Jr. was one of Saint Paul’s first black police officers, swearing his oath in 1976. He is also the husband to Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter and father to Saint Paul mayor Melvin Carter Jr. In this episode we discuss his early life in Rondo, his unlikely path to becoming a police officer, and the current work he is involved in with youth community outreach.

Bernard Hebda is the Archbishop of the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese for the Catholic Church. He previously served as Bishop of Gaylord, Michigan, and Coadjutor Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey. In this episode we talk about his journey in the priesthood, his time in Minnesota, and many questions about the Catholic faith.

Steph Shimp is the co-owner of Blue Plate Restaurant Company in the Twin-Cities.

Jane Prince serves on the Saint Paul City Council, representing Ward 7 on the Eastside. Prior to her election in 2015, she served as City DFL chair and as legislative aide to then councilman Jay Benanav. On this episode we share stories, talk about her path to the council, and discuss the issues facing Saint Paul today.

Host Isaiah Sullivan and Producer Marshall Saunders have a conversation with Casey O’Brien, a five-time cancer survivor and University of Minnesota graduate.

Aaron Benner is the Dean of Students at Cretin-Derham Hall and a lifelong educator. In 2019 Aaron was awarded $525,000 in a settlement with Saint Paul Public Schools, where he had taught for over a decade. In this podcast we talk about his path to becoming a teacher and the events that led to him suing Saint Paul Public Schools.

David Palm is a criminal prosecutor for the city of Saint Paul. He has worked with a variety of groups, all the way from people experiencing homelessness and economic difficulty in Nebraska, to those in governmental alcohol and drug treatment plans in Saint Paul. On this episode we talk discuss everything from local challenges to systemic issues as a whole.

Host Isaiah Sullivan and Producer Marshall Saunders have a conversation with Trevor Miller, Associate Dean at the University of Minnesota College of Design.

Saint Small Talk Host Isaiah Sullivan has a conversation with Ryan O’Connor, Ramsey County Manager.

In this 50-second preview episode, host Isaiah Sullivan describes what Saint Small Talk is all about.