{"version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1","title":"No Matter The Water","home_page_url":"https://nomatter.fireside.fm","feed_url":"https://nomatter.fireside.fm/json","description":"No Matter the Water is a five-part audio documentary about how ingenuity, faith and community are keys to learning to live with our ever changing environment. The series follows five South Louisianans adapting to life on the Gulf Coast as the land and weather change around them. From floating homes to restoring land, each episode highlights how people are protecting what matters: their families, their traditions and their way of life.\n\nThis series brings listeners into kitchens, churches and backyards to encounter neighbors helping neighbors, local knowledge leading the way, and communities adapting, working hard and looking out for each other.\n\nWhether you're interested in disaster recovery, preserving your heritage, or how community can get us through the larger challenges of our time, No Matter the Water is a tribute to the strength and wisdom of people who call this place home.","_fireside":{"subtitle":"A podcast about everyday South Louisianans adapting to our changing climate with ingenuity, faith and community.","pubdate":"2025-06-29T20:15:00.000-05:00","explicit":false,"copyright":"2026 by Ga De Don","owner":"Rachel Nederveld","image":"https://media24.fireside.fm/file/fireside-images-2024/podcasts/images/e/e6705c67-7577-4980-91ad-c3b8a7b5d867/cover.jpg?v=1"},"items":[{"id":"bb651e4a-10ab-429d-87c9-ac32e7e77201","title":"Episode 5: Monique","url":"https://nomatter.fireside.fm/5","content_text":"Monique is a multidisciplinary artist from “down the road” Saint Bernard Parish. A citizen of the Houma Nation, she grew up spending as much time as she could with her grandmother, learning how her elders lived a life of abundance off the land. When Hurricane Katrina hit, she and her family were suddenly homeless, and the vulnerabilities of where they lived became all too clear. Inspired by the story of a Houma elder in the 1800's, Monique decided to buy land further inland that her community could retreat to when needed.\n\nTo learn more about migrating communities and receiving communities, read our companion story, \"Adapting through culture: How the arts can help Louisianans facing land loss\"\n\nFrom the episode:\nhttps://moniqueverdin.com\nhttps://landmemorybank.org\nOkla Hina Ikhish Holo\n\nTo learn more:\nBayou Culture Collaborative","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eMonique is a multidisciplinary artist from “down the road” Saint Bernard Parish. A citizen of the Houma Nation, she grew up spending as much time as she could with her grandmother, learning how her elders lived a life of abundance off the land. When Hurricane Katrina hit, she and her family were suddenly homeless, and the vulnerabilities of where they lived became all too clear. Inspired by the story of a Houma elder in the 1800\u0026#39;s, Monique decided to buy land further inland that her community could retreat to when needed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTo learn more about migrating communities and receiving communities, read our companion story, \u003ca href=\"https://bit.ly/4nIEw8M\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u0026quot;Adapting through culture: How the arts can help Louisianans facing land loss\u0026quot;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the episode:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://moniqueverdin.com\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003ehttps://moniqueverdin.com\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://landmemorybank.org\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003ehttps://landmemorybank.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://ohih.net\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eOkla Hina Ikhish Holo\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTo learn more:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/4751sK7\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eBayou Culture Collaborative\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Monique, an artist and citizen of the Houma Nation, honors her ancestors by buying land inland—creating a place for her community to retreat as the coast disappears.","date_published":"2025-06-29T20:15:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/e6705c67-7577-4980-91ad-c3b8a7b5d867/bb651e4a-10ab-429d-87c9-ac32e7e77201.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":57006576,"duration_in_seconds":1425}]},{"id":"149d64f2-2d1e-48a1-8968-77d36c118a84","title":"Episode 4: De Sha","url":"https://nomatter.fireside.fm/4","content_text":"De Sha, a nurse and resident of Duson, Louisiana, had been gardening the “big box” way for years with little success, until she met a fellow gardener in CPR class. It changed her life. De Sha now has a prolific garden that benefits from incorporating native plants. Her natural gardening methods use less water and save money. Plus, increasing biodiversity can help address the rising floods and heat. It’s how people like De Sha make a difference in their own backyards.\n\nRead our companion article, \"Are you gardening for the future?\" about someone who is using gardens on a larger scale!\n\nFrom the episode:\nFightingville Fresh http://bit.ly/42lB6B7\nAcadiana Native Plant Project https://www.greauxnative.org\n\nFor more information on native plants on the gulf coast, visit http://bit.ly/48b4PAq","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eDe Sha, a nurse and resident of Duson, Louisiana, had been gardening the “big box” way for years with little success, until she met a fellow gardener in CPR class. It changed her life. De Sha now has a prolific garden that benefits from incorporating native plants. Her natural gardening methods use less water and save money. Plus, increasing biodiversity can help address the rising floods and heat. It’s how people like De Sha make a difference in their own backyards.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRead our companion article, \u003ca href=\"https://bit.ly/47vwfjJ\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u0026quot;Are you gardening for the future?\u0026quot;\u003c/a\u003e about someone who is using gardens on a larger scale!\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the episode:\u003cbr\u003e\nFightingville Fresh \u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/42lB6B7\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003ehttp://bit.ly/42lB6B7\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nAcadiana Native Plant Project \u003ca href=\"https://www.greauxnative.org\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003ehttps://www.greauxnative.org\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor more information on native plants on the gulf coast, visit \u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/48b4PAq\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003ehttp://bit.ly/48b4PAq\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"After over twenty years of gardening the big-box way, De Sha went back to her roots, and now has a beautiful AND prolific garden that gives benefits beyond what she expected.","date_published":"2025-06-29T19:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/e6705c67-7577-4980-91ad-c3b8a7b5d867/149d64f2-2d1e-48a1-8968-77d36c118a84.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":53601048,"duration_in_seconds":1340}]},{"id":"36c8716e-5dfd-4d2b-84bc-d5201b423cad","title":"3: Buddy","url":"https://nomatter.fireside.fm/3","content_text":"Everyone loves Buddy. He’s the uncle you wish you had and a genius hiding behind a thick accent and modest way of life. After an early career of world travel, Buddy settled down in a camp community north of the Morganza Spillway that floods regularly. When the time came to replace his trailer home, he thought, what if I just built a house that can float? Buddy’s home has inspired dozens others in the area, and with some tweaks is a viable alternative to raising our homes on stilts.\n\nRead our companion article about the viaility of amphibious homes, which includes images of Buddy's home both floating and on ground.\n\nLearn more about amphibious architecture from Bouyant Foundation ProjectLinks:Buoyant Foundation Project — Learn more about the viability of amphibious homes in Louisiana.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eEveryone loves Buddy. He’s the uncle you wish you had and a genius hiding behind a thick accent and modest way of life. After an early career of world travel, Buddy settled down in a camp community north of the Morganza Spillway that floods regularly. When the time came to replace his trailer home, he thought, what if I just built a house that can float? Buddy’s home has inspired dozens others in the area, and with some tweaks is a viable alternative to raising our homes on stilts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://bit.ly/4729q70\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eRead our companion article\u003c/a\u003e about the viaility of amphibious homes, which includes images of Buddy\u0026#39;s home both floating and on ground.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLearn more about amphibious architecture from \u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/4gQdCtR\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eBouyant Foundation Project\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLinks:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003ca title=\"Buoyant Foundation Project\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https://www.buoyantfoundation.org/\"\u003eBuoyant Foundation Project\u003c/a\u003e \u0026mdash; Learn more about the viability of amphibious homes in Louisiana.\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ul\u003e","summary":"Buddy lives where floods are expected—and instead of raising his home like everyone else… he made it float. Now his community is full of these floating homes.","date_published":"2025-06-23T12:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/e6705c67-7577-4980-91ad-c3b8a7b5d867/36c8716e-5dfd-4d2b-84bc-d5201b423cad.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":42830228,"duration_in_seconds":1070}]},{"id":"5350fc3d-6b5c-4ced-aab7-c6f859ab2ef6","title":"2: Reverend Harris","url":"https://nomatter.fireside.fm/2","content_text":"Reverend Harris is... a hoot. Born and raised in DeQuincy, Louisiana, he has pastored Evergreen Baptist Church for over 20 years. His congregation is a beautiful example of the role churches can play in adapting to a changing climate in our everyday lives. After Laura, his mission work really began to focus on disaster preparedness, a vocation that comes natural to a veteran whose upbringing taught him that his service extends beyond the church’s walls.\n\nTo learn more about how Churches can play a role in disaster preparation and recovery, read our companion story \"Near Lake Charles, faith fills in for FEMA\"\n\nResources:\nPamphlets mentioned, including building a resilient roof \nDisaster Justice Network\n\nPublic Tool Libraries in Louisiana: \nDequincy (Evergreen Baptist Church)\nLafayette","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eReverend Harris is... a hoot. Born and raised in DeQuincy, Louisiana, he has pastored Evergreen Baptist Church for over 20 years. His congregation is a beautiful example of the role churches can play in adapting to a changing climate in our everyday lives. After Laura, his mission work really began to focus on disaster preparedness, a vocation that comes natural to a veteran whose upbringing taught him that his service extends beyond the church’s walls.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTo learn more about how Churches can play a role in disaster preparation and recovery, read our companion story \u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/4qjSSiy\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u0026quot;Near Lake Charles, faith fills in for FEMA\u0026quot;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eResources:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/4o54Jz3\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003ePamphlets mentioned, including building a resilient roof\u003c/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.lowlandercenter.org/djn\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eDisaster Justice Network\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePublic Tool Libraries in Louisiana: \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/42mHbx4\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eDequincy (Evergreen Baptist Church)\u003c/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.lafayettetoollibrary.org\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eLafayette\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"After Hurricane Laura, Reverend Harris turned his DeQuincy church into a hub for disaster preparedness and recovery—for both physical and spiritual needs.","date_published":"2025-06-23T00:30:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/e6705c67-7577-4980-91ad-c3b8a7b5d867/5350fc3d-6b5c-4ced-aab7-c6f859ab2ef6.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":44138360,"duration_in_seconds":1103}]},{"id":"454ccfea-4c80-47cc-a953-a255c151945e","title":"1: Summer","url":"https://nomatter.fireside.fm/1","content_text":"Summer is a principal and lifelong resident of Chauvin, Louisiana. She’s the kind of person you can’t help but smile around, and everything she does is to make the world a better place. As a teacher she guided students to think about how they can have careers to stay in — and improve — their hometown deep in watery Terrebonne Parish, and used school lessons to help them process the complications of land loss and unprecedented storms. And through poetry she processes the changes in her town she can no longer deny.\n\nTo learn more about environmental curriculum in Louisiana, read our companion story: https://bit.ly/EducationNMTW","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eSummer is a principal and lifelong resident of Chauvin, Louisiana. She’s the kind of person you can’t help but smile around, and everything she does is to make the world a better place. As a teacher she guided students to think about how they can have careers to stay in — and improve — their hometown deep in watery Terrebonne Parish, and used school lessons to help them process the complications of land loss and unprecedented storms. And through poetry she processes the changes in her town she can no longer deny.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTo learn more about environmental curriculum in Louisiana, read our companion story: \u003ca href=\"https://bit.ly/EducationNMTW\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003ehttps://bit.ly/EducationNMTW\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","summary":"Meet Summer, a Chauvin principal using teaching and poetry to help her students—and herself—navigate land loss, storms, and staying rooted in a coastal town.","date_published":"2025-06-23T00:00:00.000-05:00","attachments":[{"url":"https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/e6705c67-7577-4980-91ad-c3b8a7b5d867/454ccfea-4c80-47cc-a953-a255c151945e.mp3","mime_type":"audio/mpeg","size_in_bytes":54893648,"duration_in_seconds":1372}]}]}