Nevada Gibson’s second memory with Daniel Black is their “iconic” slap fight at Pacific Christian School after playing together during recess in third grade.
“For some reason we just started slapping the heck out of each other, like, in the face,” Gibson said in between laughs. “We got in trouble. We had to sit on the red bench.”
The goofy, ridiculous story sounds like the kind of hometown lore they might share on their new podcast, Big in a Small Town, which debuted in March. The show is released on Mondays across platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Each episode is an encouraging, bubbly conversation between the friends about self-improvement and reaching big dreams no matter where their feet are planted.
Central Coast dreamin’
Big in a Small Town is released Mondays on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Follow on Instagram @biginasmalltownpodcast. Co-hosts Daniel Black and Nevada Gibson can be found on Instagram @danny_blackie and @nevada_.
The now-besties rekindled their connection in middle school (the slap fight was never that serious) with mutual friends but got closer a few years later. Today they share dreams, plan life, strategize, and “therapize” with each other. Friendships like theirs made Black’s childhood in Santa Maria a little more enjoyable.
“The area itself, I would say there’s not much to do for kids,” he told the Sun. “You have to rely on the community and the social connections to make life fun and interesting.”
Now both 29 years old, Gibson and Black started a creative endeavor centered on making the most out of living in their hometown. Having moved away and returned, gaining life experience along the way, they both have much to share.
They’re proud to say Big in a Small Town is hosted by relatable people—although the content creators are starting to get recognized out and about—talking about average life on the Central Coast. So far, the hosts have tackled topics like how to stop beating a dead horse, aligned dating, taking things at face value, and finding a spark again.
Of course, they want to make their audience laugh, too. For as many listeners who want to absorb the motivational, personal growth ideas, there are just as many who want to “shoot the shit,” Black said.
Each episode begins with a question-and-answer segment they like to call, “Gay or sick in the head?” With no mal-intent, it’s a bit they do together in their own friendship, but it found a natural home at the top of the show.
Gibson said the idea floated into her mind like a little cloud looking for a home, and it’s now one of her favorite parts of the podcast. She and Black have long marked scenarios or actions as “gay” or “sick,” which developed into “sick in the head.”
For example, is it gay or sick in the head when a man at a bar hits on Gibson but keeps buying drinks for Black? In episode 1, they decided it’s sick in the head. But a little gay, too.
“The concept is really about using humor and joking about the models and systems that we have in society to also demonstrate how broken they are and that you choose your own reality,” Black told the Sun.
He’s come a long way as a gay man on the Central Coast. There’s little to no representation now, let alone when he was a kid.
Gayness was very “hush hush” back then, especially in the religious circles he grew up in. He was taught that gay people go to hell, he said.
As a content creator now, one of his main goals is to be the representation for the next generation. With an online presence, the podcaster feels he can help normalize queerness.
‘It’s the reason why I exist on this earth … just to create and have fun and inspire others’
—Nevada Gibson, podcast co-host
When he’s not busy recording, Black works in medicine and takes pride in often being the only gay health care provider at the hospital in a community-facing role. One of his limiting beliefs was the fear of posting authentic content online because of being judged at work.
“Just because you’re white or brown or Black or gay or bi or whatever doesn’t mean that you have to be the stereotypical model of what people expect you to be,” Black said. “Because those things can feel really trapping and limiting, and it can make you feel so small.”
Gibson likes to share her reflections to help people break their own barriers because she knows what it feels like on the receiving end.
“A big part of my life and my personal growth journey was seeing how other people grew and seeing what was possible for them,” Gibson said.
When you add up all her endeavors, the content creator models what it means to be a multi-faceted creative. She brings her film school technical chops to the podcast. After recording, she’ll spend eight hours in post-production editing and assembling promotional content for social media. Gibson loves when people get to see her doing the “technical shit,” a skill of hers since high school.
The co-host thought of the Big in a Small Town concept in September, sketched out the cover, got it shot by November, and rallied Black to start filming in December. He calls her the visionary of the podcast.
All themes and written materials are original. The hosts don’t jump at trending topics online because they want listeners to get a taste of their authentic lives.
“I also write everything because I don’t want AI to touch my fucking creative shit,” Gibson said.
The actual recording happens at Gibson’s home studio. Like many podcasts today, the hosts release a video version plus the audio. Viewers will see the two curled up on a sofa holding microphones, sipping iced beverages, and riffing.
“It’s the reason why I exist on this earth … just to create and have fun and inspire others,” Gibson said. “You can do anything from wherever you are.”
“It might be difficult; you may have to force your way in sometimes or feel uncomfortable,” Black concluded. “But if you want it, you have to go and do it.”
Staff Writer Madison White strives to live big in a small town, too. Reach her at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in April 16 – April 23, 2026.