The Valley Girl Hour: Wrapping Up (For Now) + What’s Next
An update on the final releases, the full archive, and where I’m headed next
Hello Valley Girlies,
What a season! First of all I just want to thank you for supporting the Valley Girl Hour. If you are reading this it’s because you think that what I am doing is cool enough to be invited into your inbox a few times a month. If you've listened to an episode, even if only for a few minutes, it means a lot to me and I do not take that lightly. In a world where you can literally listen to anything your little heart desires and you made time for little old moi? Girl, stop.
I know you are probably wondering what is next for The Valley Girl Hour and I do have some news on that front. After much thought and deliberation, I’m wrapping up this chapter of The Valley Girl Hour so I can focus on other projects. The show might come back in some capacity someday, but I’m not 100% sure yet and I’m giving myself permission to let that be undecided.
It is not without reluctance that I am stepping away. This show holds such a special piece of my heart. Before I started recording any episodes, I was just a valley girl who was looking for ways to feel more connected to my community and to tell the truest story of what it really means to be a valley girl. Not only did I want to go beyond the stereotype of “the valley girl” but I wanted to show that you can be a valley girl and be so many other things too. I think the show did that for me and I hope it did for you, too.
I also didn’t expect to walk away from each episode with such a deeper personal understanding of the San Fernando Valley and what life is really like for the diverse populations that inhabit it. And as much as it is diverse, the valley is full of people who are so similar, too. In such divisive times, it is nice to be reminded that at the end of the day, many people just want the same stuff - to feel safe and connected.
The biggest takeaway for me and the coolest part of the whole project was how I got to see the San Fernando Valley from a different perspective. This show just hit the tip of the iceberg but I will never see the Valley the same way and I’m better for it.
What’s next…
Before I step away, I want to make sure every episode lives in one place so anyone can listen anytime. I have five more episodes that were recorded in 2023 at the KPCRadio.com studios that I still plan to publish. You can look forward to one episode a week for the next five weeks, each one showcasing a new valley girl doing something super impressive in the 818. Once those are out, I’ll be done for the time being.
In the coming weeks, the show will continue with guests like Lauren Fractor (which you can listen to now), Addy Gonzalez, Erica Friend, Fabiola Carisoza, Dr. Jessica Mena and Kim Maiden (available tomorrow morning).
Lonely in LA? Lauren Fractor Weighs In
This episode was originally recorded in studio at kpcradio.com in 2023.
Highlights of Season 2
This show really turned out to be something of a love letter to the place I call home. I love getting to the heart of what drives my guests to do what they do and what makes them come alive. Sharing that with this community has meant so much to me and I’ve learned something from each person who joined me behind the mic.
Stephanie from Shift Our Ways Collective showed me what it takes to really get people together consistently to build a community that you can count on.
Tess from Bookish in the Valley reminded me how nourishing it can be to make reading a part of your life and how to use something you love to make new friends.
Alma from Juntas Social talked about the importance of finding home in an unlikely place.
And Veronica from Valley Girl Hiking Club made me see mutual aid in a new light and reinforced that a valley girl can be a multitude of things - what ever it means to you.
Ultimately, there are so many amazing Valley Girls out there who did not get a spot on the show. There just wasn’t enough time to get them all but that means it’s up to us to take this energy of supporting Valley Girls out in the wild. Support your local walking group, mutual aid collectives, urban farms, event planners and organizers, local businesses and whatever else Valley Girls are up to! A lot of the time, it’s women who are behind what makes the community run and so much of it goes unseen and underappreciated. So I hope you’ll join me in getting out there to be a part of things and to notice these women doing cool things for the SFV.
Thank you so much for supporting the show!
xo,
Lindsey