The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder is proud to introduce On the Radar, a new podcast spotlighting artists, leaders, and changemakers shaping culture and community. The inaugural episode features host Damenica Ellis in conversation with acclaimed multidisciplinary artist Michelle Perdue.
In this debut episode of the On the Radar Podcast, Ellis and Perdue explore the intersections of art, purpose, and resilience. The conversation traces Perdue’s creative evolution and unpacks how storytelling, whether through theater, poetry, or public speaking, can serve as a powerful tool for transformation, both personal and collective.
Perdue’s journey began in Minnesota, where she earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Minnesota and served in the U.S. Army Reserves. Her early commitment to working with young people and serving her community laid the groundwork for a career that would eventually span education, military service, acting, and motivational speaking.
After graduate school, Perdue moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, studying at the Ruskin School of Acting and becoming a member of the Screen Actors Guild. While preparing for an audition for The Vagina Monologues, she unexpectedly discovered spoken word poetry, opening a new creative chapter that would soon become central to her artistic voice.
Upon returning to Minnesota, Perdue’s spoken word performances resonated across Twin Cities stages. Her ability to blend vulnerability, clarity, and confidence led to invitations beyond performance spaces, including a pivotal moment speaking at a fundraiser for Zonta International. What began as a single invitation evolved into a professional speaking career, eventually leading Perdue to serve as an area director for Toastmasters International and become a certified speaking coach.
In addition to her work on stage and behind the microphone, Perdue is the author of Rise and Shine! How to Live a Life of Resilience and Perform at Your Potential, a reflection of her commitment to intentional living and personal growth. Her acting credits include the film Turnipseed, where she portrayed the mother of John Turnipseed, a role rooted in real-life storytelling and deep emotional care.
Perdue’s artistry has also been shaped by lived experience. Following a breast cancer diagnosis in 2017, she transformed her healing journey into Thrive, a one-woman theatrical work composed of three one-act plays centered on Black women navigating breast cancer. The production was accepted into the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, expanding its reach to national audiences.
Throughout the episode, Perdue shares her guiding philosophy: success is not defined by titles or accolades, but by how one shows up in the world. That belief carries through her work as a teaching artist in schools and women’s correctional facilities, where she uses poetry and performance to support healing, confidence, and self-expression.
The first episode of On the Radar sets the tone for the series, centering voices that reflect depth, intention, and community impact. With Michelle Perdue as its inaugural guest, the podcast opens with a powerful reminder that creativity, resilience, and storytelling remain essential tools for connection and change.
🎧 Watch the full video podcast embedded above and stay tuned for future episodes of On the Radar at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
read michelle’s story
Artist’s creative evolution expands beyond stage and screen
From a young age, she knew she wanted to act, even if she didn’t yet know what that path would look like. That early spark led her from Minnesota to Los Angeles and back home again, guiding her through realms as varied as education, military service, theater, poetry and motivational speaking. Perdue’s journey began in…
