In this inspiring episode of Little Big Voices, Mark talks with Corey Hopkins, a filmmaker, musician, and digital media mentor at the African American Youth Harvest Foundation (AAYHF) in Austin, Texas.

Corey opens up about the challenges and setbacks that led him to pursue a solo music career while working at Amazon, and how he used music and songwriting to process his emotions during difficult times.

We dive into Corey's journey to AAYHF and finding his passion for mentoring youth in videography and life skills through the Krew12 program. Corey tells the story of meeting AAYHF leader Michael Lofton and how his belief in Corey's potential changed everything, leading to building a media studio from an empty room and creating over 200 episodes highlighting the organization's impact.

Corey shares the power of speaking your dreams into existence and putting in the work to make them a reality. He discusses teaching kids creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and professionalism through filmmaking projects, and how working with the youth has transformed his own life and music.

The conversation explores Corey's reflections on his personal growth, relationships, and the wisdom gained from hitting "rock bottom". Corey opens up about the role of family, faith, and fatherhood in shaping his path, and shares what's next for him, AAYHF, and his production company Love Arrangements.

Connect with Corey Hopkins: Instagram: @coreyh3d Love Arrangements: lovearrangements.org/

Learn more about AAYHF's programs and how to support their mission: https://aayhf.org/

Check out Corey singing "A Change is Gonna Come" written by Sam Cooke, which Corey says is the soundtrack to his own life. The video was produced by Mark Caddell and Little Big Voices.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend and consider joining the Little Big Voices community at http://littlebigvoices.com/join

The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the producers. (c) 2026 Little Big Voices

He invited all who braved it to travel and learn and grow with him. I invite you to lean in and enjoy this journey with Don at the wheel.

Portrait by John Langford
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Don’s Blog: My Road (2005 – 2020)
Donisms: Favorite sayings of Don remembered by his friends and family.

Don’s Music References:

About Walt Wilkins

On Spotify and Apple Music

The album Plenty on Spotify and Apple Music

Between Midnight and Day on Spotify and Apple Music

Songs About Texas Music Video and Tribute to Don by Walt Wilkins

About Darden Smith

On Spotify and Apple Music

Blessings on Spotify and Apple Music, by Darden Smith

Wonderful Tonight on Spotify and Apple Music by Eric Clapton

Don Strickland Memorial Playlist on Spotify– these were Don’s favorite musical artists with a few additions from friends and family.

Don’s Book References and Complete Show Notes:
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams
Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell
Books by Yuval Noah Harari
Mortality by Christopher Hitchens
Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov
The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
The Bible
Orwell’s Roses by Rebecca Solnit
Recollections of my Non-Existence by Rebecca Solnit
Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca Solnit
Anticancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber

Don's Obituary by Jan Chapman

Our treasured Don Strickland – husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, grandad, mentor, and friend – slipped out of a failing body and into the next adventure on Thursday, October 27, 2022. The love of his life, Jo Ann, was by his side, as she was for over 41 years. Don made a brilliant and inspiring 4-year effort to live life to the fullest while coping with the gradually disabling effects of glioblastoma.

“Please don’t let this event define your lives in negative ways,” Don wrote 3 years ago. Nothing would please him ...

After graduation, Don worked as a movie actor and launched several theatre companies in Los Angeles. He eventually moved back to Texas where he wrote, produced, and directed children’s musicals and created a touring theater company. 

He taught language arts, history, and theatre to middle-school and high school students for over 25 years – during which he took hundreds of students on pilgrimages to Assisi, Italy. He is currently a certified Academic Coach - his mission to help students co-create and reach their academic goals. He serves and has for over for over 20 years as the youth director for a church in Austin, Texas, where he guides the youth program, leads youth pilgrimages to the Lama Foundation in New Mexico, and oversees the Youth Rite of Passage program. He just returned from his own 500-mile Camino Santiago pilgrimage walk in Spain.

Today, we’ll be visiting with Don on topics he’s very passionate about, including rites of passage, pilgrimages, and the hero/shero journey. Hang tight, y’all - this will be cool – I promise.

Show Notes:
Contact:
Message Don: If you are a parent, teacher or young person, and would like to explore academic coaching, feel free to contact Don at donhale@academicalchemy.org or visit his website, Academic Alchemy.

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References:
Rites of Passage
Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage Walk
The Hero's Journey

Adult Rites of Passage:
Woman Within
The Mankind Project

He is the author of two books. The first, The Sound of Austin, portraits and essays of the most intriguing and influential musicians who call Austin home, including stunning portraits of Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, and my favorites, Junior Brown and Alejandro Escovedo.

His latest book, The Topography of Fear, is both an external journey of traversing the continent on motorcycle over mostly gravel roads and off-road trails and an inward journey of facing his dragons of worry, doubt, fear, and panic attacks.

Show Links:
Purchase the Topography of Fear, by Mathew Sturtevant
Message Mathew at 512-924-2385 or mathewsturtevant@gmail.com
Check out photos of Mathew's adventure on Instagram @GiddyUPBikeAdventures

Visit us: littlebigvoices.com
Message Mark at mark@littlebigvoices.com
Follow Little Big Voices Facebook and Instagram - thank you!
Support the Little Big Voices Community!

Show Links:
Check out Minnesota Gopher Football!
Learn about body dysmorphia.
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Visit Us at littlebigvoices.com
Message Mark at mark@littlebigvoices.com
Follow Little Big Voices Facebook and Instagram - thank you!
Support the Little Big Voices Community!