The Unfinished Circle

As the culture wars escalate, classrooms have become battle grounds for fragile parents who have been indoctrinated to believe that long-running well-established teaching techniques and education principles are Trojan horses for “woke” liberalism. On today’s episode we explore one of the latest casualties: Social-Emotional Learning.
How social-emotional learning became a frontline in the battle against CRT -- https://www.npr.org/2022/09/26/1124082878/how-social-emotional-learning-became-a-frontline-in-the-battle-against-crt

We take a look at the senate race in Georgia, the misuse of COVID funds, how redlining has evolved, as well as other headlines you might have missed, including some life-affirming news.

Book bans are all the rage as the culture wars escalate. Today we talk about the dangers of book bans, and we take a look at some of the most banned books. You might be surprised what made the list. For more visit https://www.rd.com/list/banned-books/

RIP Coolio, Black Girl Music Magic, and other headlines you might have missed.

We take a look at the Republican party’s recently released Commitment To America: who and what it’s really committed to, who it harms, and how can we not give consent to the commitment.

A podcast helped free a prisoner, poor people in Mississippi or Puerto Rico can't catch a break, the pandemic really isn't over, and more.

Our world has become so focused on trauma and healing, we wonder if maybe there’s a few things we got wrong. Is there a hidden curriculum to healing, perhaps the journey is the destination? What are our wounds, and what are they doing and what are they building? Are we using terms like “growing edge” or “meaning-making” as ways to obscure recovery because we are simply framing healing and transformation as a return to something familiar or getting to something we’ve been told is what we should be achieving? Are our responses to the crises of today actually becoming part of the crises?

Special guest Nell Geiser joins us to talk about unions, the labor movement, why they matter, and what we can do to support them. Nell is director of research for the Communications Workers of America, a labor union representing workers in telecommunications, media, technology, public service, airlines, manufacturing, and other sectors.

The midterms are fast approaching. As evidenced by recent actual and proposed changes to laws, it’s not hyperbole to say that these might be the most important midterms ever. We discuss what’s at stake, and what we can do to ensure greater equity and liberation for everyone. Spoiler alert: VOTE!

We talk about the death and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II, why some people aren't shedding tears, and we give Serena Williams her flowers.

Welcome to Season 2! Revs Kelly and Ogun return from break to share their adventures and mishaps, plus a conversation about the labor movement and unions having a resurgence.

On a recent visit to the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City to view an Art Deco installation, Rev Kelly was inspired by what was conspicuously absent from the exhibit. It reminded her that we have still not accepted Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr's invitations in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail."

Headlines from the past week you might have missed.

What can reclaiming pleasure bring into our lives? How can it help us change our world for the better? And what do the voices of marginalized peoples and ancestors have to teach us when it comes to practicing and reclaiming our joy?

Pleasure is a feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment. Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, or environmental reform or stasis with the desire to make improvements in society. Pleasure activism is the work we do to reclaim our whole, happy, and satisfiable selves from the impacts, delusions, and limitations of oppression and/or supremacy.

On July 5, 1852, abolitionist Frederick Douglass took the stage before a a predominantly white audience at Rochester’s annual Independence Day ceremonies to deliver a speech now known as, “What, to the Slave, Is the Fourth of July?” Sadly, 170 years later, much of his speech still holds up. What is Independence to the oppressed today?

The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade thereby eliminating constitutional protections for access to an abortion. We share our thoughts and feelings about the ruling, discuss the other precedents and protections that might be in jeopardy, and provide ways to support women during these perilous times. This is a follow up to Ep.29 which we recorded when a draft of the decision was leaked to the public.

We revisit Juneteenth, Rev Ogun shares about his Juneteenth #blackjoy experiences including meeting a member of The Squad, and we talk about what liberation means for all of us.

It's our Pride episode. We take a look at Pride history, black pride trailblazers, rainbow washing, and we have an impromptu conversation about our own sexuality. We also talk about Juneteenth and offer some recommendations for our white bodied friends.

It has been well-known and documented for decades that factors such as race, income, and ZIP code are big influences on whether a person will live a long and healthy life or not. But, none of these factors stands alone. Each of our identities—as a woman, a person of color, being LGBTQ, having a disability, among others—are inextricably linked to each other. Recognizing that we all carry many identities that come with varying levels of power and privilege is called intersectionality.