Meet Allison Carter | Creator and Host of Not Your Little Lady

We had the good fortune of connecting with Allison Carter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Allison, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Originally I am from North Georgia, up near Chattanooga, Tenn. Growing up I always knew I was different from my friends. I was more curious about learning a new language than going muddin’. I’d rather daydream about where I was going to end up than consider my whole life being in my hometown. A real-life Kelly Clarkson song right here.

That being said, I still spent a lot of time living in the moment and taking in my interaction with people who were the same as me yet, different from me. These experiences have been invaluable to me as I’ve grown up into who I am today. Thanks to where I grew up, I can easily move between different groups of people while also keeping a firm grasp on my own thoughts and ideals.

It has also impacted who I am today by creating an understanding that you don’t know something until you know it. Without exposure or a curiosity you stay the same. You can’t change or grow without discovering. I’ve truly come a long way in my beliefs due to maintaining a curiosity, being mindful that I don’t know everything and being open to learning something new.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What sets Not Your Little Lady apart from others in podcasting is that it focuses on telling stories about the American South. And I don’t mean stories about how awful it is or poverty porn, but ones about how there are so many good people living here and working to change it.

I definitely would not say it was easy to get where I am today. My podcast is a result of my full-time career’s shortcomings. The newspaper where I worked in Alabama would not push back against the norms of the area. I wanted to tell everyone’s stories, not just the ones that were socially acceptable. That led me to finding my voice as a podcaster and as a soft-spoken person it took me a minute.

The thing I’m most proud about is that I’ve kept my podcast going for 6 and a half years. It has been a one-woman show – plus the people I interview – for 6 of those years and it is a labor of love. I’ve been called stubborn and that’s accurate. But, creating a feminist podcast in this region requires you to be stubborn to keep going!

I want people to know that Not Your Little Lady is for everyone. The podcast highlights women and femme-identifying individuals who challenge the American South’s social norms. So, it’s first and foremost for those of us who have been here, live here, known we were different and decided to stay to change it. BUT! That doesn’t mean that someone outside of the South or someone who identifies as a man can’t learn something from it. In fact, those are some of the exact people I hope listen to the podcast. They’ve got the most to learn about who we really are in the American South.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First things first….I love walking and in the right part of the city you can walk almost anywhere. So, this itinerary is gonna include a bit of walking.

On Sunday we’d grab cortados from East Pole Coffee in Poncey-Highlands – in my opinion they make the best cortados. Then we’d go take a stroll in Oakland Cemetery. Sit for a while. Read a few headstones. Take in the breeze and catch up. After that, we’d head to Gaja Korean Bar in EAV.

For Monday, we’d start the day off slow. Then grab a late breakfast at the Majestic Diner on Ponce. After that we’d head over to the High Art Museum for some art.

On Tuesday we’d head over to Golda Kombucha to get a kombucha flight. Spend the rest of the afternoon strolling around the Beltline. Then we’d have dinner at Desi Spice.

For Wednesday we’d go into Videodrome to peruse and pick out a movie to watch that night. Grab a bottle of wine from Elemental Spirit and order pizza from Savage Pizza.

Thursday would include a drive up to Buford Highway for some bubble tea from Quickly Boba Tea. Then go to Nam Phuong Buford Highway for some very tasty pho. Once we come back into town I’d take them on my favorite walk down the PATH Parkway then people watch from the Kroger Porch on Ponce with some watermelon and coconut water.

I’d be most excited for Friday when we’d pop into Manuel’s for my favorite hamburger and then catch a movie at The Plaza. At the end of the movie we’d take photos in SayBre’s Film Photo Booth and then walk over to Jeni’s Icecream to sample their latest flavors.

Their last day in town, Saturday, means heading over to Patagonia off the Beltline where TanBrown Coffee has a pop-up every other Saturday then we’d head to El Myriachi in Kirkwood for dinner and end the night with karaoke at Bob & Harriet’s Home Bar.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want give a shoutout to four people. Is that too many? I hope not! One is a set and that’s my parents – mom, dad and stepmom. I know it’s a little cheesy, but without them believing in me and staying strong I’d not be where I am today. 

My mom showed me that women are strong and can stand on their own in who they are. She also taught me to be brave. Throughout her life she faced many obstacles from people disapproving of her choices, yet she did what she knew was best for herself, me and my sister. 

My dad and stepmom have always been there to push me harder and help me believe in myself. They never doubt that any endeavor I take on will succeed. Their advice on how to navigate difficult topics has helped me so much.

Lastly, I want to shoutout Sherhonda Allen. She has been an amazing role model as well as mentor for me. We met at my second full-time job as a photojournalist. At times, the newspaper was a tough environment for me to be in because I was very green in journalism. My goals were high, but often support within the newsroom fell short, except for Sherhonda. We’d talk for hours about story ideas, life and future aspirations. We’d strategize about how to get the newspaper to tell more holistic in-depth stories. We even collaborated on a story about rural women’s reproductive access in Alabama. She always championed me and my ideas. Even more importantly, she told me straight when it was time for me to move on. I am forever indebted to her and her guidance. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without her continued support and encouragement.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyourlittlelady/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/notyourlittlelady/

Other: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-your-little-lady/id1223807546 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3IqiPdFtbhhLoWrwBC5qSN?si=d4770b14431b4382

Image Credits
Logos by Rowan Finnegan