In this episode of The My Story Podcast, Ari sits down with Dr. Tamara Elaine Zellers Buck, a journalism educator, department chair, and attorney whose life is—by her own definition—“a study in contrast.” From growing up a barefoot, rural Southeast Missouri “country girl” to thriving in big-city spaces like New York, Dr. Buck shares the experiences that shaped her identity, ambition, and purpose. She opens up about navigating confidence vs. arrogance, facing racism and bigotry as a Black woman in the Mid-South, and rebuilding after major setbacks—including flunking out of college, battling depression, and finding her way back through SEMO, professional journalism, and eventually law school. Along the way, she credits a pivotal mentor who changed her trajectory, and she explains how faith, family support, and relentless determination helped her juggle teaching, parenting, and even co-owning a bar to fund her goals. Dr. Buck closes with hard-earned advice on reading, embracing failure, and speaking up—because “a closed mouth don’t get fed.”
