Rodney Pierce, a middle school social studies teacher from Roanoke Rapids, narrowly defeated longtime incumbent Rep. Michael Wray in last month's Democratic primary. He campaigned with what he describes as an effort to "educate" voters about Wray's record in the N.C. House of voting with Republicans. Because no Republicans filed for the seat, Pierce will represent majority Black Warren, Halifax and Northampton counties in the legislature next year. Pierce spoke with WUNC's Colin Campbell about his goals to address economic development in an area he calls North Carolina's "Neglected Northeast," as well as how he mounted a successful primary campaign. He also discussed the challenges rural schools are facing and how his candidacy became a civics lesson for his students.

A significant portion of the funeral home workforce is entering retirement...but there's a crop of young people who are ready to take the helm. Anita meets two young funeral directors who felt called to this work at a young age. They take her inside their world -- from organizing end of life ceremonies to learning how to embalm for the first time. Plus, they share their hopes for a more death-positive future.Meet the guests:- Jasmine Berrios, licensed funeral director and embalmer, shares how she got into the industry, how being a funeral director impacts her dating life and how she tries to create boundaries around her work- Joél Simone Maldonado, grief care professional and educator known as The Grave Woman, talks about how her family influenced her career choice, how she educates her peers around culturally competent care and the importance of open conversations around deathRead the transcript | Review the podcast on your preferred platformFollow Embodied on X and Instagram Leave a message for Embodied