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Kids Who Create, Texans Who Lead: Storytelling, Civics, and the Road to Independence (Ep. 189)
About this Episode
In this two-hour live episode from Eagle Pass, I kick things off with author and educator S.A. Schneider, a middle-grade fantasy writer on a mission to spark kids’ creativity through stories, video games, and music. We dive into his unusual co-creator—a rescue wolf named Hunter Moon Moon—then explore how video games can be powerful storytelling engines, why imagination should be nurtured before grammar, and how parents and teachers can help kids become lifelong readers and storytellers. We talk narrative design, simple tools that let kids build games, the value of failure, and practical ways families can turn creativity into a habit.
In hour two, I’m joined by Daphne Armour and Nate Smith of the Texas Nationalist Movement to unpack Texan Arise—their statewide volunteer training push for the 2026 primaries. We cover how the Texas Legislature really works, why primaries are where most races are decided, the Texas First Pledge, and the path to getting a referendum on Texas independence. We talk practical ways Texans can plug into campaigns (often from home), why focusing on Austin beats chasing DC, and how an independent Texas could streamline government, strengthen the economy, and keep power closer to the people. Want to help? Visit tnm.me or joerooz.com/tnm to learn more and get involved.
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Special thanks to:
Executive Producer Wayne Rankin
Executive Producer Rosanna Rankin
Executive Producer Carolina Jimenez
Executive Producer Marisa Lee
Executive Producer Angela Wetuski
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Music: https://youtube.com/@pogo
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(00:00:51) Opening banter and studio kickoff
(00:03:52) Show intro, host welcome, platforms, and housekeeping
(00:10:25) Tonights lineup and guest preview
(00:11:01) Guest Steven Schneider joins the show
(00:11:36) Rescuing Hunter Moon Moon: life with a wolf-hybrid
(00:15:06) Author identity, kid engagement, and the intergalactic 12-year-old
(00:20:47) Video games as storytelling engines for kids
(00:23:44) Game narrative vs. books: design, tools, and examples
(00:27:47) DfandD roots, creativity, and techefs impact on imagination
(00:30:13) What schools miss: let kids tell stories first
(00:32:11) Building books with words to know and classroom supports
(00:36:09) Making storytellers at home: campfires, failure, and practice
(00:40:26) Storytelling culture, screen time, and classics for games
(00:44:36) Simple game projects and time: from Grimm to small builds
(00:46:30) Careers in narrative design and the future of games
(00:48:25) AI in writing and art: risks, uses, and ethics
(00:52:45) Parenting, accountability, and letting kids fail
(00:56:10) Grandkids, Aspergerefs, and authentic representation in fiction
(01:02:17) Influences, banned books, and where to find Steven
(01:04:03) Hour break and schedule notes
(01:08:44) Hour two: welcoming Daphne Armour and Nate Smith (TNM)
(01:14:45) Getting to know the guests: origins and fun questions
(01:17:52) Why they joined the Texas Nationalist Movement
(01:24:03) Principles: nonintervention, federal overreach, and state focus
(01:24:35) Launching TEXAN ARISE: training volunteers to win campaigns
(01:25:37) Inside a TEXAN ARISE workshop: civics, primaries, and process
(01:29:33) Texas legislature frustrations: priorities and process stalls
(01:33:55) Speaker power, committees, and grassroots leverage
(01:40:27) Building a pro-referendum House: pledges and candidates
(01:45:38) Talk to your representatives: pressure locally
(01:49:54) Citizen-legislators, pay, term limits, and access
(01:54:21) Why Texas independence: removing federal layers
(02:02:24) Closer to home: efficiency, budgets, and benefits
(02:05:44) Global self-determination: other movements and Alberta
(02:10:24) Path to a referendum: votes needed and current status
(02:12:17) How to help now: pledges, primaries, and volunteering
(02:17:10) Final calls to action and upcoming workshops
(02:20:29) Show wrap-up, support options, and closing
- Wayne Rankin
- Rosanna Rankin
- Carolina Jimenez
No transcript available for this episode.
