How and Why Did this Podcast Get Started?
Sisters, Kelley Richey and Julia Avery, love politics, art, fashion, film, music, psychology, animals, etc. While they love discussing these shared interests, they live so far away from each other and there’s never enough time to talk as much as they would like. In their endeavor to get closer to one another, they decided to develop a podcast. This provides a structured and goal oriented platform to further research and delve deeper into the topics they are passionate about.
The Family Ties Podcast Mission
“Our goal goes beyond just strengthening our personal relationship. We both care deeply about humanity, planet Earth, and the impact we have in this world. Our hope is to not only entertain you, but share our life stories and explore our passions with you. We will strive to reach you personally and to make you feel included and part of “The Family”. In addition, we will provide you with a platform for you to share your life and passion with us as well! Please join us in our quest for knowledge, understanding, empathy and renewal.”
Who Are We?
Avery Family Tree
Meet Kelley Richey
Home: Aurora, CO
Age: 32
Sibling Assignment: Middle Child
Weird Birthday Fact: Kelley was born on the 23rd day of the worst month of the entire year, August (so hot and gross). Born blue, she was immediately spanked by the doctor to force her first breath. She would never live down the disappointment she had already proven to be by not being born a week earlier on her mother’s birthday.
Past and Current Passions: Horses, Trick Rider, Horse Instructor, Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Film Directing, and Fashion Design
Episode Highlights from Kelley
Kelley was and is OBSESSED with horses. Her Mom and Dad thought this was a harmless phase and fed into it ignorantly by giving her horse figurines, books, etc. If it had a horse on it…SHE WANTED IT.
One Christmas her Mom and Dad gave her a hand-made certificate that allotted her one riding lesson at a local farm. From then on, she worked full time at the stables in exchange for lessons (She was 12 though….ummmm child labor laws anyone?). She has a one-track mind and is not easily distracted from her goals. She was GOING to have a horse someday. Of this she was certain. Cut to her 13th birthday when she finally got her heart’s desire. More accurately put, she worked, sweated and bled to get the horse of her dreams.
Later On
Kelley was homeschooled all the way through Senior Graduation. Her experience with homeschooling is the main reason for a vast amount of insecurities. Of which include a hunch that she has always had a learning disability of some kind as well as issues with focus, depression, and anxiety.
At the age of 13 on Christmas, Kelley saw the newly released Lord of the Rings part 1. It changed her life and inspired her to make movies from then on! She became a super fan of Elijah Wood, who was her first serious crush/love. To this day she remains a fan with an embarrassing amount of posters and collectibles! Kelley had originally wanted her career to be within the Equestrian world. But then she realized that there was a big and beautiful world out there in which she could nurture her artistic side!
She has also used up at least 3 of her “9 lives”, which will be a fun discussion in a future episode.
Meet Julia
Home: Jacksonville, FL
Age: 27
Sibling Assignment: Second to Youngest
Weird Birthday Fact: Stuck on the idea that Julia would share her birthday with Jesus, Julia’s Mom lied about her birthday. She was told her birthday was December 25. Julia’s Mom was adamant that the clock in the hospital room was 10 minutes behind the rest of the hospital clocks. Susie claimed that the nurses did not take that into account when entering the date on Julia’s birth certificate. On Julia’s 16th birthday, she found out through her sister Janet that it was actually December 24.
Passions/Interests: EVERYTHING. Literally everything. When she was younger, she had a career schedule made, planning out a different career for each day of the week.
Episode Highlights from Julia
Julia was homeschooled all the way through to Senior Graduation. As a result of her homeschooling experience, to this day she also harbors fears of having a learning disability. And similarly to Kelley, deals with focus issues, test taking anxiety, etc.
Julia participated in a variety of random programs while growing up. For almost six years, she volunteered as an assistant to the teacher and owner of a Preschool run at a local church. She found it to be a very needed safe space and enjoyed it. She was forced by her Mom to participate in a program called Teen Court. It’s a great program for teenagers who aspire to work for the Legal System. Unfortunately that was one of the few things she had no interest in doing.
Like her sister, Kelley, Julia shared a love for horses and accompanied her to the Horse Barn and Equestrian Shows. She also would work at the barn to earn free lessons. In addition, Julia would catch ride horses for some of the wealthier clients at the barn in order to show. Even though it was real work (and ahem! Child labor laws again anyone?) it was another safe space from home and she loved it!
Final Fun Fact
Julia and Kelley’s best friend starred in a short film Kelley made early on for a college assignment. It was the role of Julia’s lifetime…maybe.
No Comments