GO&DO NUVO: And the other local you talked to was Kelly Graham-McDonald. GIBSON: Kelly was working for a private company that had state money to provide group homes for adults with physical and mental disabilities. She was going into group homes where they were trying to help individuals achieve independence by getting out of the homes and into their own apartment. She was someone absolutely made for that job; she referred to all of her clients as my people. She cared deeply for them, and it really devastated her to lose that job. She had a very unique situation where, while a lot of people refer to being pushed out of their job and getting passive-aggressive hints that they might be losing their job (a lot of people used the phrase “managed out”), she came into the office one day and her office was just gone. They had just moved all of her stuff into a conference room, and that was the first hint, if you want to call it that, that she was going to lose her job. NUVO: What did you take from Terkel’s style and approach? GIBSON: Look, if I can have a conversation as well as Studs Terkel did on the day I die, I’ll have arrived. He did a two-part job. One is getting people to feel comfortable, open up and express the full measure of their story. And two is that editorial process that happens after the fact where, indeed, there’s the task of getting a 40-page-or-so transcript down to a seven-page chapter, and to make sure that you understand the essence of what they’re saying. And I have to say that — so far, so good — I’ve received nothing but positive feedback from folks who feel I’ve represented them fairly.
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PHOTO BY STEPHEN SIMONETTO
Nancy Lee, outside her Circle City Industrial Complex studio in 2009.
NOT WORKING READING AND DOCUMENTARY PREVIEW featuring author DW Gibson with local interviewees Nancy Lee, Kelly Graham-McDonald, Jenny Elig and Judy Wolf Saturday, July 28, 2 p.m. Bookmamas, 9 Johnson Ave.
notworkingproject.com, bookmamas.com
SATURDAY
Best of Indy 2012 Party @ Sun King Brewing Company Just in case you missed the giant ads or our cover story, we’d like to put in another plug for our Best of Indy Party, which is legitimately one of the best things going this weekend. In fact, we’ll go as far as to vote it the Best Party in Indy. You’ve got your Oreo Jones (our delicious, cat-loving cover subject), Angel Burlesque, Devil To Pay, Gay Black Republican and A Square DJs on stage; beer by Sun King; and all kinds of food from Yats, Hot Box, Bru Burger, Nicey Treat and West Coast Tacos. 2 p.m. @ 135 N. College Ave., $6 advance (bestofindy2012.eventbrite.com), $7 door 100% RECYCLED PAPER // NUVO // 07.25.12-08.01.12 // go&do
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