When I applied to present for LecturesOnTap, I wasn’t sure I would get it. When I received an email back asking me to meet to discuss the topic further, I was ecstatic.

I am a young academic. Presenting in any capacity at any venue means something to me. But something about this was different. This isn’t just a talk, it’s a brand and a movement that I have already professed my adoration for, and to get the chance to play a role in it meant so much. (See this blog post.) 

I was blown away by the engagement and support that I received. I remember the looks of surprise, of questioning, the quiet notetaking, and the questions that followed. These were moments that showed me people were leaning in, genuinely trying to understand. I am deeply passionate, and I will always work as hard as I can to ensure my work is quality. After last night, I am even more invigorated to continue to learn as much as I can, and it reaffirmed my desire to make my scholarship more accessible. 

I’m trying to carve out my own lane on a well-trodden path, and every single moment of last night reminded me why I do any of this. Knowledge is infinitely valuable. It’s not merely for trivia or degrees. It gives us the capacity to understand each other in ways we didn’t know were possible. 

If even one person left last night and realized that the distance between themselves and a snake handler is not as far as it may have seemed, then I have done my job. If someone can, even only a little bit, understand a religious group and ritual that they otherwise would not have, then I hope it gives them the capacity to apply this elsewhere in their lives. 

The ability to pursue knowledge used to be a privilege reserved only for those with time and wealth. I don’t take it lightly that I have the means to keep learning and sharing. 

I talk with my hands, I bounce when I speak, I speed up when I get excited. Any chance I get to share my work will be met with that level of enthusiasm, it’s how I best engage with ideas and how I show the work I care about. 

But at an event like last night, I could not be more grateful. Grateful for the audience who leaned in, for the questions that challenged me to think more deeply, and for the space that LecturesOnTap creates for curiosity to flourish. 

Being part of this event wasn’t just about giving a talk; it was about connection. It was about seeing people wrestle with ideas, laugh, reflect, and leave with something they hadn’t had before, even if it was just a small shift in perspective. It reminded me why I do this work, why I spend hours researching, writing, and thinking: because knowledge is not just a possession, it’s a bridge. 

And last night, I got to help build one. 

LecturesOnTap gave me more than a stage. It gave me a moment of clarity about why sharing knowledge, in the most human and enthusiastic way I know how, matters. I am energized to continue, to keep learning, to keep showing up exactly as I am: hand gestures, bouncing, speeding up and all, because it’s part of how I live the work I love. 

Thank you, Ty and Felecia, for creating this space, for believing in my work, and for giving me the opportunity to be part of something I already admire so deeply. I am truly grateful.