Connections Media

How does the chain of connections start? Well, Connections.Media picks someone we feel drawn to hold space for.  Like anything, it is a feeling in your gut, something you just have to reach out and begin. Then we follow the journey from there, as one person picks the next, based on the conversation that took place on that day, in that moment. After 5 conversations a theme reveals itself, and a chain is complete.

Follow this theme of "FREEDOM"

Cody Dixon → Oleg Terentiev → Danielle Howle → Jason Chambers → Willis Tant

Danielle Ruth Howle

Town of Birth: Lawton, OK on Fort Sill Army Base
Occupation/Job/Life Purpose Work: Songwriter/musician. Life Purpose! Sing and write beautiful, true songs with passion and move molecules, provoke thought and well-being for self and people through music. Pick your own order!

Thoughts on “TIMING”

“I’m always LOOKING for the perfect song, but part of my life is teaching me to slow down and sit in your seat of authenticity and your seat of sovereignty and to not always be PUSHING forward. I need to enjoy what I’ve accomplished already and still move forward, but without pushing and ramming things. It's a great lesson and it is tearing any ego out of me.”

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Why do you think Oleg picked you for this?

I believe Oleg saw me respect his talent and what he had to say. I am honored to have Oleg as a friend and peer in music and creativity. As an elder, he respects my wisdom, but never holds back his own wisdom and knowledge. Oleg is a great tree of perception and self- knowledge. I am so honored to be chosen for this project by him; I had no idea how much I meant to him.

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Thoughts on “DARK VS LIGHT”

“I’ve been told to SIMMER down... that I scare the ever-loving shit out of people with my passion. My shadow self is just as powerful as my light self, and it’s real tough to find the harmony in my own duality, and be able to extend through love instead of aggression. Not everything is going to turn out the way I plan it. I don't always know how to bend and WEAVE so much with that, but I’m trying to do it and stay aware while doing it. And not fall back asleep into my darker patterns.

Even in a spiritual practice, one can become asleep searching for euphoria instead of feeling everything that comes through. Not always feeling, but just OBSERVING and being aware of situations and decisions. I MUST be responsible and hold myself accountable for the decisions I make, whether they're good or bad. Some that are in the past that affected an area of my life, or the ones that are going to affect my future. I just have to walk with a respect for fear of the darkness and not let it overtake me, or my light.

There's a lot of balance to be found and I’d like to have the perception to FIND that balance. Sometimes it's exhausting; sometimes it’s exhilarating.”

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Danielle Howle’s vibrance explodes from her when she performs. She also remains a firm and fierce presence offstage as well. The Americana singer-songwriter has occupied the music scene for four decades, opening for artists like Bob Dylan, the Indigo Girls, Ani Difranco, and Darius Rucker. Her overflowing passion has spilled over into the hearts and lives of people across South Carolina and beyond.

Apart from performing, Danielle has become an integral part of Charleston’s music scene by nurturing and elevating other local musicians. She co-founded the arts network Awendaw Green and serves as artist-in-residence, where she hosts songwriting workshops and recording sessions. Her involvement has fostered not only the growth of individual musicians, but also community ties between artists across the scene.

Despite her vast experience, Danielle still seeks out chances to learn and grow - through people, opportunities, and self-reflection. She is passionately in love with music, humanity, and life, and her love drives her onwards towards curiosity and discovery.

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Thoughts on “SEARCHING”

“It’s a huge responsibility to become one’s authentic self. It weighs on me hard. Being able to find my own value just because I breathe is a huge dynamic. The battle is between what I’ve been taught and what I’ve accepted. These SYMBOLIC silly rules are supposed to show the world that you have merit, value, and skill. They are scholarly and need to be abolished. They have to. I can only do that for myself. I can only walk it. Sometimes it’s so streamlined and DIVINE and easy, and sometimes it’s absolutely scary and treacherous.

At the end of the day, we’re going to die. And I don’t know what we do after, but I want to make good use of my time here. I want to see the small things in life, because they are so large. I want to be able to RESPECT that tree over there and also respect myself as much as I can, and others. Which I can always do better.”

Some things about Danielle you may not know

If you were an action figure, which 3 accessories would you come with?
Mega Clarity Clearing System. Compassion Enhancer. Light Speed Flight Safety in any Atmosphere

What types of things do you splurge on?
Nice food so I can eat well and share. Spoiling people who deserve it. Watching films and documentaries.

Favorite 80s jam?
Rock The Casbah by Joe Strummer of The Clash

How do you hope to make others feel?
Necessary, worthy, creative, a part of something greater than themselves. Safe to express themselves.

What is bounty to you?
Bounty is a form of benevolent wisdom to self. Bounty means the continuation of awareness for helping to solve concerns and problems that human beings face in their lives. Whether mental, physical, emotional, or otherwise. Bounty to me means awareness to do the next best thing and have the capacity for understanding what that is. Bounty is to share what you have and to know yourself and take good care to recognize what things are resources. You and I are resources, a healthy environment is a resource, our care for self, others and environment are resources. Synergy and compassion are also bounty. Perspective and love no matter what are bounty.

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Thoughts on “REPRESENTATION”

“I feel a responsibility to represent myself and South Carolina always. If a person cannot represent themselves, how can they represent something greater than themselves? Let me be clear; representing myself means doing the WORK inside to continually grow and REFINE as an individual. My gifts in music are a big part of this. When I can see see my own heart and put this CONFIDENCE and COMPASSION to service for that which is greater than myself, I get the true feelings of living. South Carolina, in my opinion, is a true, rare gem to live in and be a part of.”

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Based on our conversation today,
who should we talk to next and why?

Jason Chambers. Jason has a true gift with words as a poet and his work is world class to me. Minutes after I met Jason Chambers, he handed me his phone and said, “Read this”. I was blown away and knew he had written the poem I read, but asked if he did anyway, just to make sure. It was that good. I told him it was world class amazing. I saw him watching me sing just before we met, and knew he heard my words. I thought, ‘I'm going to go meet this person’ and I walked right up next to where he was sitting. I don't do this sort of thing normally. This innocent exchange (from one artist to another) is one of the highest forms of love. His willingness to share his gift with me (a stranger) gave me faith in people during a time when I did not know I needed it. I wanted the world to know this human is writing about all of us, the world, and speaking his truth at the same time. Jason's work helps me see authenticity, individuality, and the collective at the same time.

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Final Thoughts on “VULNERABILITY”

“When someone CARES enough to give of their time and life to lift someone else up, it shows the world their gifts. It’s nothing to be taken lightly. It's a HUGE responsibility. It weighs on me hard. But, I must be there for others, just because I breathe.”

Editor in Chief: Becca Finley
Article: Caralie Byrnes
Photos: Caitlin Billard