Active Allyship...it's more than a #hashtag!"

Sunni and Lisa are taking a hiatus from the podcast.  Please continue to follow us on instagram @activeallyship.podcast We appreciate you!! 

Lisa is  solo and is joined by Kate Sloan who talks about her upcoming book,  200 Words to Help You Talk About Sexuality & Gender.  Based in Toronto, Canada, Kate Sloan is a journalist, blogger, podcaster, and educator who has been writing about sex online and in print for over five years. On her blog she writes twice a week about sex, kink, relationships, fashion, beauty, writing, and mental health.ABOUT  200 Words to Help You Talk About Sexuality & GenderIt's frustrating not having the proper vocabulary to describe how you're feeling.Have you ever felt self-conscious when talking about a subject you aren't familiar with? Do you want to support your friends or loved ones when they come out to you but you don't want to say the wrong thing? Or maybe you're exploring your gender or sexual identity and can't figure out the correct term for what you're feeling. Let 200 Words to Help You Talk About Sexuality & Gender help navigate those conversations. The newest offering from Laurence King and Kate Sloan guides readers through the sometimes overwhelming topics of sexuality and gender. By offering 200 definitions of frequently used terms, 200 Words becomes the perfect guidebook to speaking with confidence on these topics.Our list of words fall under multiple categories to cover the wide range of vocabulary. From topics such as Gender Identities and Expression to Attraction & Desire, you'll learn which words are inclusive and which are archaic and offensive. We know gender and sexuality can seem like a big subject to decode, let us guide you through it.

Sunni and Lisa talk about Kentajo Brown Jackson and more! 

This is a re-play of an episode of our interview with Sunni and Lisa Propaganda about his book, Terraform: Building a Better World From https://www.prophiphop.com: …a poet, political activist, husband, father, academic & emcee With LA flowing through his veins & armed with a bold message, Propaganda has assembled a body of work that challenges and guides.  Propaganda's ideas stem from where he sits at the intersection. He sees how cultures cross and inspire one another, and can see the oneness of us all. Propaganda will cause you to nod your head, but more importantly he will stretch your mind & heart.   Book description:  Terraform: Building a Better World In this debut collection of essays and poetry, musician, speaker, and activist Propaganda inspires us to create a better, more equitable world.“If we get to make the very cultures that shape who we are, then let us remake them in the best way possible.”In this deep, challenging, and thoughtful book, Propaganda looks at the ways in which our world is broken. Using the metaphor of terraforming—creating a livable world out of an inhospitable one—he shows how we can begin to reshape our homes, friendships, communities, and politics.In this transformative time—when we are redefining what a truly just and equitable world looks like, and reflecting on the work that needs to be done both in our spiritual and secular lives—Propaganda rallies readers to create that just world. He sheds light on how nefarious origin stories have skewed our views of ourselves and others and allowed gross injustices, and demonstrates how great storytelling and excellent art can create and shape new perspectives of the world and make all of us better. 

Sunni and Lisa talk share their thoughts on the situation with Will Smith and Chris Rock. 

Sunni and Lisa are joined by Mary Ann Sieghart, the author of The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Taken Less Seriously Than Men and What We Can Do About It . Book description:  The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Taken Less Seriously Than Men and What We Can Do About It . Imagine living in a world in which you were routinely patronized by women.Imagine having your views ignored or your expertise frequently challenged by them.Imagine people always addressing the woman you are with before you.Now imagine a world in which the reverse of this is true.The Authority Gap provides a startling perspective on the unseen bias at work in our everyday lives, to reveal the scale of the gap that still persists between men and women. Would you believe that female US Supreme Court Justices are interrupted four times more often than male ones...96 percent of the time by men? Or that British parents, when asked to estimate their child's IQ, will place their son at 115 and their daughter at 107?Marshalling a wealth of data with precision and insight, and including interviews with pioneering women such as Baroness Hale, Mary Beard, and Bernadine Evaristo, Mary Ann Sieghart exposes unconscious bias in this fresh, feminist take on how to address and counteract systemic sexism in ways that benefit us all.

The Brady Bunch and a splash of the United Colors of Benetton, that's what Heather Mathes, author of Paid to Be Perfect: The Secret to Finding Your Perfect was marinated in! Lisa and Sunni have a follow-up conversation - Lisa originally interviewed Heather on her podcast Naturally Savvy.  Heather's story definitely goes beyond that conversation.  The ladies get into Heather's background which includes her adoption, which was extraordinary.   She was adopted by a white family who actually fought to make sure “Love” was at the center of the decision - Love over Race. Yes, I know!Not to give too much away, but Heather's biological parents were an interracial couple back in the day, like the 70's. So you can imagine the thought process for adoptions.  Listen up, so that you can get into this conversation - very insightful and enlightening!  The richness of cultures in Heather's family is all about Love! 

Optimism-sauce, that's what Brendan Slocumb was marinated in!  What a phenom!  An amazing violinist and author, his debut novel is called “The Violin Conspiracy”.  According to Brendan, the book parallels his real life by like 92%, so it's pretty close to real-life experiences - Brendan's lived experiences actually.The book, whew!  This conversation!  The connection that Sunni and Brendan have is akin to six degrees of separation - such a really small world!  Lisa was fortunate enough to  interview Brendan for his book tour, wait, did you listen?  If not, you've got to be sure to listen, let's call it the “Introduction - Overview - Interview”.This black man's gifts are super natural.  Simple stated, he's a creative who's talents cross platforms seamlessly.  Do you know where the roots from classical music came from?  Have you been to a symphony before?  We discuss the importance of “exposure” - it's a theme during this conversation.  Young, Seasoned, Black, White and everyone in between, classical music is for everyone!  

Lisa is hosting solo and is  joined by Brendan Slocumb, who talks about his book, The Violin Conspiracy. Brendan Nicholaus Slocumb was born in Yuba City, California and was raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a degree in music education, concentrations on Violin and Viola. While at UNCG, Brendan was the concertmaster for the University Symphony orchestra and served as the principal violist. He performed with numerous small chamber ensembles, including flute and clarinet choirs, and in the BESK string quartet.As a musician, Brendan has performed on violin with the Washington Metropolitan Symphony, the McLean Symphony, the Prince George's Philharmonic, and the Alexandria Symphony. He currently serves as the concertmaster for the NOVA- Symphony Orchestra. Brendan has been a frequent adjudicator and guest conductor for several district and regional orchestras throughout North Carolina and Virginia. He also performs chamber music with members of the Annandale symphony. He maintains a private music studio teaching lessons to students on violin, guitar and piano. He is the founder of the nonprofit organization, Hands Across the Sea, based in the Philippines. After touring the Philippines with the Northern Virginia Chamber Ensemble and witnessing firsthand the conditions that many of the young music students and their families endure, Brendan founded the Hands Across the Sea to offer support to the Berea School of the Arts in Manila, by providing instruments, lessons, and monetary support. The organization also supplements school supplies and dental and medical assistance. In his spare time, Brendan enjoys writing, exercising, collecting comic books and action figures, and performing with his rock band, Geppetto's Wüd.BOOK DESCRIPTION: The Violin ConspiracyGrowing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian's life is already mapped out. If he's lucky, he'll get a job at the hospital cafeteria. If he's extra lucky, he'll earn more than minimum wage. But Ray has a gift and a dream—he's determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his mother, who wants him to stop making such a racket; not the fact that he can't afford a violin suitable to his talents; not even the racism inherent in the world of classical music.  When he discovers that his great-great-grandfather's beat-up old fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach. Together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars left in its place. Ray will have to piece together the clues to recover his treasured Strad ... before it's too late. With the descendants of the man who once enslaved Ray's great-great-grandfather asserting that the instrument is rightfully theirs, and with his family staking their own claim, Ray doesn't know who he can trust—or whether he will ever see his beloved violin again.

Lisa is hosting solo today and is joined by Wayne Francis, who talks about the book he wrote with John Siebeling. Wayne Francis leads the New York City location of The Life Church and was the founder and lead pastor of the former Authentic Church, which merged with The Life Church in early 2020. Wayne and his wife, Claudene, have been married for twenty years and have two beautiful teenage daughters, Haleigh and Ryleigh.For years, Pastors John Siebeling and Wayne Francis have led thriving congregations that are the embodiment of diversity; Siebeling in Memphis and Francis in New York City. Many churches and leaders have sought their counsel, hoping to emulate their success.  At the height of the Black Lives Matter protests in Summer 2020, they pooled their insights and experiences to help others facilitate conversations about racism. The guide they developed is the basis of God and Race.  Siebeling and Francis examine the White-Black tension from both perspectives and answer all the uncomfortable questions we're afraid to ask—regarding ourselves, our families, our work and relationships, and the church. Most important, they provide practical steps anyone can take to become part of the solution.  Whether you are a church leader or just a caring person who wants to make a difference, God and Race provides inspiration and guidance to help you become an agent of reconciliation and change. These two wise pastors teach you how to find your voice and join in healing, to help bring our divided communities together with open minds, open hearts, and open hands. Many Christian books on race either do not ask the hard questions or, if they do, speak as critics outside the mainstream church. Siebeling and Francis probe the meaning of racial reconciliation and reveal how the church can be a positive and effective leader to move us forward, beyond hate and injustice, to equality and love.

Sunni and Lisa are joined by Maya Washington who talks about her book THROUGH THE BANKSOF THE RED CEDAR:My Father and the Team that Changed the Game.Maya Washington is the award-winning Writer/Director and Producer of Through the Banks of the Red Cedar and author of the memoir by the same name. Maya's multi-media work has garnered fellowships and/or awards from Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, Minnesota Film and Television, and others. She is a 2019 Commercial Directors Diversity Program finalist and workshop participant, and a 2019 McKnight Fellow in Media Arts. In 2021 she teamed up with Committee Films as a guest director for the Heidnik episode of the Fox series The Killer Next Door, and two upcoming episodes of History Channel's new show, I Was There, which will debut in 2022. Her award winning film CLEAR, about a woman connecting with her teenage daughter after a 16-year prison sentence for a crime she didn't commit, is streaming on Argo and KweliTV. Her award-winning narrative film, White Space (starring ABC Family Switched at Birth's Ryan Lane) aired on network television as a selection of African American Short Films and is streaming on KweliTV. Maya began her creative career as a dancer turned musical theatre actor in the Twin Cities vibrant theatre community as a child performer. While at USC, she studied acting, directing, film and dramatic writing, which allowed her to explore her passion for storytelling in a variety of mediums, later pursuing her MFA in Creative Writing at Hamline University. Her background on stage/camera and behind the scenes has given her the opportunity to work on everything from live theatre, commercials and print ads, to web series, films and television, and regularly publishes creative writing in esteemed literary journals and reviews. She gives back to the next generation as a speaker and workshop presenter, focusing on the development of youth, arts, and education. As the Creative Director of Running Water Entertainment, LLC, Maya is dedicated to projects that have a sense of “purpose” in the world, selecting stories that illuminate some aspect of the human experience that is untold, rarely seen, or might benefit from new approaches to issues of Diversity & Inclusion, primarily in America. Her projects have had a global reach, including Toronto, Budapest, Hong Kong, Berlin, and Rome.Book DescriptionA warm and invigorating memoir about a daughter's love for her father and her appreciation for how he and others changed the game of football forever.Gene Washington's football career ended long before his daughter Maya was born. She never saw the legendary powerhouse as anything but her dad. She didn't yet grasp the impact he'd had on the sport—and on America. To understand his historic role in the integration of college football, witness his influence on generations that followed, and fully appreciate his legacy, Maya had a lot of catching up to do.Maya retraces her father's journey from the segregated south to Michigan State during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement and his journey as an NFL pioneer after the 1967 draft. She reflects on how her father's childhood—and the racism he faced—shaped her upbringing and influenced his expectations of her. She also discovers how unbreakable the emotional bond between teammates can be. But above all, Maya and her father get to know each other. As their own bond deepens, so does Maya's connection to the sport that changed the trajectory of her father's life…and hers.

Sunni and Lisa are joined by Majora Carter who talks about her book, Reclaiming Your Community: You Don't Have to Move out of Your Neighborhood to Live in a Better One.Majora Carter is a real estate developer, urban revitalization strategy consultant, MacArthur Fellow and Peabody Award winning broadcaster. She is responsible for the creation and successful implementation of numerous economic developments, technology & green-infrastructure projects, policies and job training & placement systems.Carter applies her corporate consulting practice focused on talent-retention to reducing Brain Drain in American low-status communities. She has firsthand experience pioneering sustainable economic development in one of America's most storied low-status communities: the South Bronx. She and her teams develop vision, strategies and the type of development that transforms low-status communities into thriving mixed-use local economies. Her approach harnesses capital flows resulting from American re-urbanization to help increase wealth building opportunities across demographics left out of all historic financial tide changes. Majora's work produces long term fiscal benefits for governments, residents, and private real estate developments throughout North America. In 2017, she launched the Boogie Down Grind, a Hip Hop themed speciality coffee & craft beer spot, and the first commercial “3rd Space” in the Hunts Point sectionof the South Bronx since the mid-1980s. This venture also provides a rare opportunity for local families to invest through SEC approved online investment platforms. Majora is quoted on the walls of the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture in DC:"Nobody should have to move out of their neighborhood to live in a better one”.Her ability to shepherd projects through seemingly conflicted socio-economic currents has garnered her 8 honorary PhD's and awards such as: 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs by Goldman Sachs, Silicon Alley 100 by Business Insider, Liberty Medal for Lifetime Achievement by News Corp, and other honors from the National Building Museum, International Interior Design Association, Center for American Progress, as well as her TEDtalk (one of six to launch that site in 2006).She has served on the boards of the US Green Building Council, Ceres, The Wilderness Society, and the Andrew Goodman Foundation. Majora was born, raised and continues to live in the South Bronx. She is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science (1984), Wesleyan University (1988 BA, Distinguished Alum) and New York University (MFA). After establishing Sustainable South Bronx (2001) and Green For All (2007), among other organizations, she opened this private consulting firm (2008) - which was named Best for the World by B-Corp in 2014.While at Sustainable South Bronx, Carter deployed MIT's first ever Mobile Fab-Lab (digital fabrication laboratory) to the South Bronx - where it served as an early iteration of the “Maker-Spaces” found elsewhere today. The project drew residents and visitors together for guided and creative collaborations. In addition, Majora Carter launched StartUp Box, a ground-breaking tech social enterprise that provided entry-level tech jobs in the South Bronx, operating it from 2014-2018. Majora Carter has helped connect tech industry pioneers such as Etsy, Gust, FreshDirect, Google, and Cisco to diverse communities at all levels.BOOK DESCRIPTION: Reclaiming Your Community: You Don't Have to Move out of Your Neighborhood to Live in a Better OneHow can we solve the problem of persistent poverty in low-status communities? Majora Carter argues that these areas need a talent-retention strategy, just like the ones companies have. Retaining homegrown talent is a critical part of creating a strong local economy that can resist gentrification. But too

Sunni and Lisa weight in on the Holocaust controversy with Whoopi Goldberg. 

Lisa is hosting solo today and is joined by James Kilgore,  an educator, writer and activist based in Urbana, Illinois to talk about his book, Understanding E-Carceration: Electronic Monitoring, the Surveillance State, and the Future of Mass Incarceration.James Kilgore is an educator, writer and activist based in Urbana, Illinois. He writes widely on issues of mass incarceration and the politics and history of southern Africa. He has written four novels, all of which he drafted during his six and a half years in prison.He is also the author of a primer on the prison-industrial-complex: Understanding Mass Incarceration: A People's Guide to the Key Civil Rights Struggle of Our Time. When he is not writing, he works in his community to fight against jail building and to open door of opportunity for people with felony convictions.Book Description: A riveting primer on the growing trend of surveillance, monitoring, and control that is extending our prison system beyond physical walls and into a dark future—by the prize-winning author of Understanding Mass Incarceration“James Kilgore is one of my favorite commentators regarding the phenomenon of mass incarceration and the necessity of pursuing truly transformative change.” —Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim CrowIn the last decade, as the critique of mass incarceration has grown more powerful, many reformers have embraced changes that release people from prisons and jails. As educator, author, and activist James Kilgore brilliantly shows, these rapidly spreading reforms largely fall under the heading of “e-carceration”—a range of punitive technological interventions, from ankle monitors to facial recognition apps, that deprive people of their liberty, all in the name of ending mass incarceration.E-carceration can block people's access to employment, housing, healthcare, and even the chance to spend time with loved ones. Many of these technologies gather data that lands in corporate and government databases and may lead to further punishment or the marketing of their data to Big Tech.This riveting primer on the world of techno-punishment comes from the author of award–winning Understanding Mass Incarceration. Himself a survivor of prison and e-carceration, Kilgore captures the breadth and complexity of these technologies and offers inspiring ideas on how to resist.

Sunni and Lisa are joined by Celeste Headlee who talks about her latest book, Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism - and How to Do It. Celeste Headlee is an award-winning journalist who has appeared on NPR, PBS World, PRI, CNN, BBC and other international networks.  She was formerly a host at National Public Radio, anchoring shows including Tell Me More, Talk of the Nation, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition. For many years, Celeste has been a mentor and managing editor for NPR's Next Generation Radio Project, training young reporters and editors in broadcasting.Celeste is co-host to the Scene on Radio podcast—MEN with the podcast's producer, Duke University's CDS audio director, John Biewen. John describes the season: “Co-host Celeste Headlee and I will take a similar approach to the Seeing White series, which explored the history and meaning of whiteness. With MEN, we'll be asking questions like, What's up with this male-dominated world? Is male supremacy inevitable? How did we get sexism/patriarchy/misogyny, and what can we do about it?”Celeste will co-host new episodes of The Retro Report with Masud Olufani. Retro Report is a non-profit news organization that produces mini documentaries looking at today's news stories through the lens of history and context.Until February, 2017 Celeste was the Executive Producer and host of the daily talk show called “On Second Thought” for Georgia Public Broadcasting in Atlanta. You can listen live to On Second Thought, weekdays from 9 – 10 a.m. EST on the GPB News website. Click here for archives from past shows.In 2014, Celeste narrated the documentary “Packard: The Last Shift” for the Detroit Free Press. She has won numerous awards for reporting from the Associated Press and SPJ. She was selected twice to be a Getty/Annenberg Journalism Fellow and was selected as a fellow with the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources. She was also among the first fellows in Reporting on Native Stories for National Native News.Until September of 2012, Celeste was the co-host of the national morning news show, The Takeaway, from PRI and WNYC and anchored presidential coverage in 2012 for PBS World Channel.BOOK DESCRIPTION  - Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism - and How to Do It. In this urgently needed guide, the PBS host, award-winning journalist, and author of We Need to Talk teaches us how to have productive conversations about race, offering insights, advice, and support.A self-described “light-skinned Black Jew”, Celeste Headlee has been forced to speak about race - including having to defend or define her own - since childhood. In her career as a journalist for public media, she's made it a priority to talk about race proactively. She's discovered, however, that those exchanges have rarely been productive. While many people say they want to talk about race, the reality is, they want to talk about race with people who agree with them. The subject makes us uncomfortable; it's often not considered polite or appropriate. To avoid these painful discussions, we stay in our bubbles, reinforcing our own sense of righteousness as well as our division.Yet we gain nothing by not engaging with those we disagree with; empathy does not develop in a vacuum and racism won't just fade away. If we are to effect meaningful change as a society, Headlee argues, we have to be able to talk about wha

Lisa is hosting solo today and is joined by Howard French to talk about his latest book, Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War.  Howard French is a professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Prior to joining the Columbia faculty, in 2008, he was a reporter and senior writer for The New York Times, where he worked as a foreign correspondent for more than two decades. During this time, French served as the paper's bureau chief in Shanghai, Tokyo, Abidjan and Miami (covering Central America and the Caribbean).French's documentary photography has featured in solo and group exhibitions on four continents, and collected by the Mildred Lane Kemper Museum in St. Louis.For more information about his work, please visit his website: howardwfrench.com or follow him on twitter: @hofrench.Book Description: Revealing the central yet intentionally obliterated role of Africa in the creation of modernity, Born in Blackness vitally reframes our understanding of world history.Traditional accounts of the making of the modern world afford a place of primacy to European history. Some credit the fifteenth-century Age of Discovery and the maritime connection it established between West and East; others the accidental unearthing of the “New World.” Still others point to the development of the scientific method, or the spread of Judeo-Christian beliefs; and so on, ad infinitum. The history of Africa, by contrast, has long been relegated to the remote outskirts of our global story. What if, instead, we put Africa and Africans at the very center of our thinking about the origins of modernity?In a sweeping narrative spanning more than six centuries, Howard W. French does just that, for Born in Blackness vitally reframes the story of medieval and emerging Africa, demonstrating how the economic ascendancy of Europe, the anchoring of democracy in the West, and the fulfillment of so-called Enlightenment ideals all grew out of Europe's dehumanizing engagement with the “dark” continent. In fact, French reveals, the first impetus for the Age of Discovery was not―as we are so often told, even today―Europe's yearning for ties with Asia, but rather its centuries-old desire to forge a trade in gold with legendarily rich Black societies sequestered away in the heart of West Africa.Creating a historical narrative that begins with the commencement of commercial relations between Portugal and Africa in the fifteenth century and ends with the onset of World War II, Born in Blackness interweaves precise historical detail with poignant, personal reportage. In so doing, it dramatically retrieves the lives of major African historical figures, from the unimaginably rich medieval emperors who traded with the Near East and beyond, to the Kongo sovereigns who heroically battled seventeenth-century European powers, to the ex-slaves who liberated Haitians from bondage and profoundly altered the course of American history.While French cogently demonstrates the centrality of Africa to the rise of the modern world, Born in Blackness becomes, at the same time, a far more significant narrative, one that reveals a long-concealed history of trivialization and, more often, elision in depictions of African history throughout the last five hundred years. As French shows, the achievements of sovereign African nations and their now-far-flung peoples have time and again been etiolated and deliberately erased from modern history. As the West ascended, their stories―siloed and piecemeal―were swept into secluded corners, thus setting the stage for the hagiographic “rise of the West” theories that have endured to this day.

Sunni and are chat about the article, What Made Black History in 2021? "After the tumult and triumphs of 2020, here are the achievements that shaped the first year following the country's racial reckoning." By Dodai Stewart 12/17/2021 Here is the article:https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/us/black-history-2021.amp.htmlListen to here the highlights! 

Sunni and Lisa are joined once again by Amy Bauer, the creator of www.karensdaughter.com She is back to update us on her journey and much more! This is from her website - Hi, my name is Amy and I'm a Karen. My truth is rooting in growing up in a white, patriarchal society that taught me the white male is.If you're reading this and do not think this is true, then I encourage you to ask yourself how have you benefited from a white patriarchal society. When I was 15, I was offered a job filing papers in the Accounting Department at the local Glass Bottling Manufacturing Plant. I had this job through high school and partially through college. This meant that I didn't have to work fast food, retail, or in a bar/restaurant because I had office experience. Amy's career has been eclectic. Starting in her teens working at a glass bottling manufacturing plant, to post college corporate public relations, to a decade building community in the music industry, to finally landing in the Bay Area start-up world.  During the time of President Trump and a global pandemic, the world watched George Floyd murdered. Amy realized that in order to help others, she would first need to get her own house in order. With the help of a coaching program, a complete catatonic meltdown, having difficult conversations with her family about political, racial, and social issues, and working through the book, The Artist's Way, the idea of Karen's Daughter arose.  As a daughter of Republican parents (and ironically someone named Karen) Amy asked herself whether there are others out there like her: progressive white women with Republican families?  Did they want to show up better in this world for those in marginalized communities but lack the knowledge, resources, and skills to make an impact?As a way to process her own journey as Karen's daughter, Amy created KarensDaughter.com, to help remove the layers of unconscious bias and to show up as the person she was born as, not the person her family taught her to be.  Amy's hope is to build a supportive community of sacred spaces for white womxn who are willing to have these difficult conversations with family and continue to show up for marginalized communities and work toward equality for all. Are you Karen's Daughter?If your parents have different values than the modern world you want to live in, then you, too, are Karen's Daughter. My intention in starting this journey is to show up and put in the hard work as a white woman to make a better world for the generations that follow.  I hope that by telling my story, I'll encourage more people like myself to have these hard conversations and build a community that comes together to support each other.Who is “Karen”?We all associate “Karen” with a privileged “Speak to the Manager” white woman but Karen can come in many different varieties. There is not a “one size fits all” Karen. Throughout this journey we'll expand on Karen, as a person and a concept.In the case of Karen's Daughter, she represents my humble mother who would be too embarrassed to ask for the manager but may still have strong opinions about how things should be. She's an honest woman who loves her family, but may have some fears and prefers the comforts of home. My father is similar in a lot of ways. He is Karen's Husband who we will call “Kevin”** on this journey.  I also have an older sister, who we'll call Jennifer,** the most popular girl's name from 1970 - 1984.  And that leaves me, the youngest in a family of 4. You can call me Katie**. Bonus points for those who figured out why I chose that name. This is the story of Karen, Kevin, Jennifer and Katie. Welcome to our white middle-class family. 

Sunni and Lisa are joined by Ash Beckham.  Known for her viral Tedx Talk Coming Out of Your Closet, the “accidental advocate” for equality does not shy away from hard conversations. Her book Step Up: How to Live with Courage and Become an Everyday Leader (Sounds True, March 2020) is an empowering call-to-action to help mobilize all to embrace a different vision of leadership to create change in our workplaces, schools, places of worship, communities, and homes cultivated from both Beckham's personal and professional experiences.    Book Description:   A New Vision of Inclusive LeadershipWhat makes someone a leader? Someone you vote for, work for, or listen to for their expertise? With Step Up, equality advocate Ash Beckham challenges us to embrace a different vision of leadership―to stop focusing on external authorities and start reclaiming our own ability to create change. “What we need most are everyday leaders,” she writes. “We need people to step up and be the change they wish to see in the world. Anyone can do it. You can do it.” Whether your path involves activism, political engagement, or simply being a positive voice in your workplace, home, and community, Beckham's Step Up provides essential guidance on cultivating the eight pillars of everyday leadership:- Empathy―the art of relating to others with compassion for our shared humanity, regardless of whether we agree - Responsibility―how we can raise our awareness and consciously choose to behave in ways that heal instead of harm- Courage―understanding the nature of fear so we can move beyond our comfort zone one step at a time- Grace―how keeping our higher purpose always in sight helps us stop reacting with fear or anger- Individuality―learning to value and celebrate our uniqueness, including the parts of ourselves we often reject- Humility―ways to keep the ego in check and open the door to honest, collaborative relationships- Patience―guidance for disarming our tendency to rush ahead so we can act with greater deliberation and forethought- Authenticity―how we can embody our deepest truths and lead by example in any situationFor each pillar, Beckham shares engaging stories of her own journey from isolation and anger to a place of greater openness and connection―supported by scientific research and everyday practices to mindfully change the way you relate to yourself and the people in your life. Step Up is a powerful call to action―to speak when it feels easier to be silent, to do good without being self-righteous, and to create a world of inclusion where everyone has a voice and everyone belongs.

Sunni and Lisa are joined by  Dr. MarkAlain Déry who talks about structural racism in healthcare and his latest venture into health education via animation. Dr. MarkAlain Déry, who is a nationally recognized HIV/AIDS advocate and Medical Director of Infectious Diseases and Chief Innovation Officer for Access Health Louisiana – the largest Medicaid-providing clinic system in Louisiana. Throughout his career Dr. Déry has been dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and the social justice issues tied to it.  His most current efforts include releasing a series of free, innovative animated videos aimed at conveying crucial health messaging surrounding HIV medications designed to destigmatize HIV and people of trans experience. A truly exemplary infectious disease physician, even being named Internist of the Year by the American College of Osteopathic Internists, Dr. Déry remains steadfastly committed to working for human rights and social justice.  NoiseFilter — an educational platform that addresses health and wellness topics through creative storytelling — in conjunction with Access Health Louisiana (AHL) and theAIDS Education Training Center, is pleased to announce a new animation trilogy aimed at conveying crucial health messaging around HIV and HIV medications. NoiseFilter is hosted by Dr. MarkAlain Déry, an infectious disease physician, and Dr. Eric Griggs (Doc Griggs), a community health specialist both of AHL. Through daily podcasts, engaging live streams and whimsical animations, the doctors explain complex health topics simply and creatively. Dr. Déry is also the Medical Director of Infectious Diseases and Chief Innovation Officer for Access Health Louisiana where he specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS at the Pythian clinic in New Orleans. Alongside Dr. Déry and Doc Griggs, the new innovative animations — designed to destigmatize HIV while also amplifying the voice of people of trans experience — will also feature Milan Nicole Sherry, a trans rights activist and educator. “Our goal is to change the stigma that still remains around HIV,” said Dr. Déry. “The colorful and compelling videos use creative exploration into the human body to explain HIV medications and how they protect individuals from transmission.” In the first animation, Undetectable, Untransmittable and Undeniably Fierce! Déry and Doc Griggs journey inside Milan's body to explain that people living with HIV, who are taking their medications, can have the same quality and quantity of life as individuals living without HIV, also known as U=U.  The human immune system is depicted as an orchestra and illustrates how, when introduced, HIV causes chaos for the musical conductors. Get in Step with PrEP, the second animation, also features Milan as she joins Dr. Déry and Doc Griggs inside of Dr. Déry's body to explain how PrEp, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, prevents HIV transmission. In the video, PrEP is seen as a force field, targeting HIV once it enters Dr. Déry's body. One of the key takeaways is that people living without HIV can take PrEP as a defense as the autoimmune disease. The third animation, Little Miss Muffuletta (a reference to the popular New Orleans food staple), uses the classic nursery rhyme of Little Miss Muffet to explain nPEP or non-occupational post exposure prophylaxis. In this clever animation an HIV exposure has occurred and nPEP is needed to prevent HIV from replicating. When nPEP is us

Lisa is joined by Tamara Winfrey-Harris, a writer who specializes in race and gender and their intersection with politics, popular culture, and current events. She is the author of Dear Black Girl: Letters from Your Sisters on Stepping into Your Power, and she has been called to share her analyses in media outlets such as NPR's Weekend Edition and Janet Mock's So POPular! on MSNBC.com. Her work has also appeared in countless outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, Los Angeles Times, Bitch Magazine, Ms. and other media.  Winfrey-Harris is Vice President of Community Leadership and Effective Philanthropy at the Central Indiana Community Foundation, and she speaks at university campuses nationwide. She has dedicated her life's work to advocating for Black women and girls and defying destructive social narratives that limit their potential. She is co-founder of Centering Sisters, LLC, which unapologetically addresses the needs and issues of Black women, girls, and femmes. Learn more at TamaraWinfreyHarris.com.Praised by The Washington Post as “a myth-busting portrait of Black women in America,” Tamara Winfrey-Harris' The Sisters Are Alright: Changing the Broken Narrative of Black Women in America exposed the high cost of “misogynoir,” uplifted the experiences of real Black women and shed light on their quest to break free of enduring and vicious stereotypes.  Since then, the Black community continues to grapple with systemic racism, while the book has become a touchstone of Black feminist thought. With a television development deal in the works with Wise Entertainment and Gabrielle Union's I'll Have Another Productions, and an updated second edition, The Sisters Are Alright is more relevant than ever (Publication date: October 12, 2021; Berrett-Koehler Publishers).  While emancipation may have occurred more than 150 years ago, Winfrey-Harris argues that America still won't let Black women be free from an insidious coven of caricatures: the servile Mammy, angry Sapphire, and lascivious Jezebel. Persisting to this day, these stereotypes continue to infiltrate newspaper headlines, Sunday sermons, social media memes, cable punditry, government policies, big-screen portrayals and hit song lyrics.  The latest edition of this bestseller features new interviews with diverse Black women. Alongside these authentic experiences and new voices, Winfrey Harris offers fresh Black feminist analysis of current events, politics and, popular culture--from “W.A.P.” and the rise of digital blackface to new civic activism and the risks of Black maternity. These include: The evolution of stereotypes of Black women, with new real-life examples, such as the rise of blackfishing and digital blackface (which help white women rise to fame)The media's continued fascination with Black women's sexuality (as with Cardi B or Megan Thee Stallion).Black women and power and how persistent stereotypes challenge Black women's recent leadership and achievements in activism, community organizing and politics. Interviews with activists and civic leaders and interrogating media coverage and perceptions of Stacey Abrams, Vice President Kamala Harris and others.Debunking vicious misconceptions rooted in long-standing racism, Tamara Winfrey-Harris elevates Black femme voices talking about marriage, motherhood, health, sexuality, beauty, anger, and power and more.   

Lisa is solo today.  Her guest is Douglas Abrams who talks about the book he did with Jane Goodall, The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times.Doug Abrams is a multiple New York Times-bestselling author as well as an editor, literary agent, and film producer who is committed to helping catalyze the next evolutionary stage of our global culture. He co-wrote "The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World" with the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu and "The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times" with Jane Goodall. He has coauthored many bestselling non-fiction books and has has written two novels, "The Lost Diary of Don Juan" and "Eye of the Whale", which together have been translated into over thirty languages.  Doug is the Founder and President of Idea Architects, a creative book and media company helping visionaries to create a wiser, healthier, and more just world.  As a literary agent and editor, he has also worked with Bryan Stevenson on his #1 New York Times bestseller "Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption" and Stephen Hawking on his last book, the globalbestseller "Brief Answers to the Big Questions."  He has had the privilege of working with many great thought leaders, visionary scientists, and humanitarians including Nobel Laureates Nelson Mandela, Jody Williams, and Elizabeth Blackburn.  Doug has also worked with Desmond Tutu as his coauthor, editor, and literary agent for almost two decades.  Dialogue is key to Doug's work, and he believes that genius is a collaborative process. His goal is to bring people together in a cultural conversation through books and media that transform lives and ultimately the world.  Books and films he has developed have been credited with convincing then-President Bill Clinton to stop the genocide in Kosovo (THE BRIDGE BETRAYED), for launching the modern anti-slavery movement (DISPOSSIBLE PEOPLE), and for helping to expand a mass incarceration reform movement (JUST MERCY, a book and film starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx). Throughout all of his wide-ranging projects, Doug aspires to help build a prism through which life-changing conversations and experiences can be created and nourished.  He has had the privilege of interviewing global heroes and icons including Jimmy Carter, Bono, Carlos Santana, Richard Branson, and many others.   He was also on the founding team of JustGive.org, a philanthropy website that has pioneered new forms of giving and been responsible for giving over half a billion dollars to charity. He lives with his wife, Rachel, an integrative family physician, author, and lifelong conversation partner. He has three grown children, Jesse, Kayla, and Eliana.Book description: **THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**In a world that seems so troubled, how do we hold on to hope?Looking at the headlines—the worsening climate crisis, a global pandemic, loss of biodiversity, political upheaval—it can be hard to feel optimistic. And yet hope has never been more desperately needed.In this urgent book, Jane Goodall, the world's most famous living naturalist, and Douglas Abrams, the internationally bestselling co-author of The Book of Joy, explore through intimate and thought-provoking dialogue one of the most sought after and least understood elements of human nature: hope. In The Book of Hope, Jane focuses on her "Four Reasons for Hope": The Amazing Human Intellect, The Resilience of Nature, The Power of Young People, and The Indomitable Human Spirit.Drawing on decades of work that has helped expand our understanding of what it means to be human and what we all need to do to help build a better world, The Book of Hope touches on vital questions, including: How do we stay hopeful when everything seems hopeless? How do we cultivate hope in our ch

Sunni and Lisa are joined by Susan Verde who talks about her latest book,  I Am Courage: A Book of Resilience (I Am Books).Susan grew up in the heart of Greenwich Village in NYC. As a kid she kept a piece of chalk in her pocket (for spontaneous hopscotch) and her skate key around her neck, ready for the next adventure. She found inspiration everywhere and loved to write all about it! Now, Susan lives by the sea in East Hampton, New York with her 3 children, their dog, Gizmo and a menagerie of other creatures. Here, she writes books for children of all ages and teaches kids yoga and mindfulness. She is a yogi herself and is still working on her headstand. Her best-selling, award-winning stories range from explorations of music, art and museum visits to the concepts of serendipitous friendships, environmental issues, empathy and humanity with an emphasis on yoga and mindfulness.   Susan's stories celebrate the unique voices and experiences of kids and inspire adults to let their own inner child out…maybe for a spontaneous game of hopscotch every now and then. Susan's books have been translated into multiple languages. Susan loves to bring her knowledge of writing, yoga, and mindfulness to schools, libraries and yoga studios. She is also available to keynote events and offers workshops for educators, parents and aspiring writers.Susan is a frequent contributor to MindBodyGreen, YogaDigest, and other online magazines and has appeared on multiple podcasts (livehappy and KidLitTv) speaking about writing, parenting, mindfulness, and yoga.   Book Description:Encourage kids to find their inner strength with this companion to the New York Times bestsellers I Am Human and I Am Love!I move ahead one breath at a time.I act with bravery.I am courage. When we picture someone brave, we might think they're fearless; but real courage comes from feeling scared and facing what challenges us anyway. When our minds tell us “I can't,” we can look inside ourselves and find the strength to say, “Yes, I CAN!”From the New York Times bestselling team behind the I Am series comes a triumphant celebration of everyday courage: believing in ourselves, speaking out, trying new things, asking for help, and getting back up no matter how many times we may fall. Grounded in mindfulness and awareness, I Am Courage is an empowering reminder that we can conquer anything.Inside, you'll also find exercises to inspire confidence.

Sunni is back!  Woo hoo!  Sunni and Lisa are joined by Robert Allen  is a mental health professional, growth coach, and author with multiple advanced degrees in the areas of business, counseling, education, divinity, healthcare, and leadership to talk about his book  “Self Care: Let's Start the Conversation." With over 20 years of experience in both the public and private sector, Robert has served in various industries, from education, military, law enforcement, business, mental health, and ministry. He is the founder and CEO of New Dimensions Consulting Services, a company that specializes in helping businesses, entrepreneurs, and everyday people maximize their talents and leadership by engaging them through innovative mental health initiatives, trainings, and retreats.His book “Self Care: Let's Start the Conversation” is a refreshing conversation on healthy self-care concepts and practices that not only exposes the myths but also provides sound, concise principles, and guidance for those seeking effective strategies for retreating, reflecting, replenishing, and restoring themselves at every level of their lives. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: https://www.rwallenbooks.com  and www.ndcssolutions.com

Lisa is solo today and is joined by  Armando Lucas Correa to talk about his latest book, In Search of Emma: How We Created Our Family.   Armando Lucas Correa is a Cuban writer, journalist and editor who resides in New York. His first novel, The German Girl (Atria Books, Simon & Schuster), is an international bestseller that has been translated to fourteen languages and published in more than twenty countries. His second novel, The Daughter's Tale (Atria Books, Simon & Schuster) was published in 2019. Correa is the Editor In Chief of People en Español and the recipient of various outstanding achievement awards from the National Association of Hispanic Publications and the Society of Professional Journalism. Most recently, he was recognized by AT&T with The Humanity of Connection Award and as the Journalist of the Year by the Hispanic Public Relations Association of New York. More at: www.armandolucascorrea.comBook description: In the years before gay marriage was widespread and legal across the nation, the road to parenthood was difficult for gay couples - including for Armando Lucas Correa - the bestselling author of "The German Girl" and Editor in Chief of People Magazine en Español.            Exhaustively researching the possibilities, Correa eventually chose surrogacy—a long, arduous, and expensive method involving seemingly endless tests, paperwork, and difficult decisions. But with the help of science, a lot of patience, an egg donor, a gestational mother—and the unconditional support of her partner and family—Correa's dream finally came true with the birth of his beloved daughter, Emma.            In his latest book - IN SEARCH OF EMMA is the moving, true story of a man who always wanted to be a father and the long emotional road to making his dream come true.            Born in Cuba and raised in the USA, Armando Lucas Correa epitomized the American dream. He had everything he wanted: an incredible job as the editor of People magazine, meeting and interviewing glamorous celebrities; a steady partner; and a comfortable life filled with travel. But with the new millennium, he realized something vital was missing. A child.             In the years before gay marriage was widespread and legal across the nation, the road to parenthood was difficult for gay couples. Though his family would not be traditional, Correa was undaunted. Every setback, each emotional challenge was fuel that drove him to fulfill his dream. Exhaustively researching the possibilities, Correa eventually chose surrogacy—a long, arduous, and expensive method involving seemingly endless tests, paperwork, and difficult decisions. But with the help of science, a lot of patience, an egg donor, a gestational mother, and the unconditional support of her partner and family, Correa's dream finally came true with the birth of his beloved daughter, Emma.               Originally published in Spanish in 2009, In Search of Emma has been completely revised—available in English for the first time—and updated with a new introduction by the author to reflect Correa's growing family, which now includes three children.             Ultimately, In Search of Emma is an inspiring and beautiful story of love, family, and fatherhood that reminds us of that, despite the odds, we must never stop fighting to achieve our dreams.

Sunni & Lisa are joined by John Blake Senior Writer and Producer at CNN.com to talk about his recent article, White Supremacy with a Tan. Read it here:  https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/09/04/us/census-browning-of-america-myth-blake/index.html

Lisa is solo and is joined by ALBERTO A. GONZÁLEZ, JR., Senior Strategist for the Health Policy Project at UnidosUS  to talk about  a new survey finds continued concern from parents with emergency COVID vaccine authorization for kids under 12 on the horizon. 70% OF LATINO PARENTS SUPPORT COVID-19 VACCINE REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF     More than 5 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. As the Delta variant continues to spread across the country, risks for infection are increasing for Latino children who are back in school and remain unvaccinated.      According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Latino children are more than three times as likely to be hospitalized for COVID than non-Hispanic white children. A new survey by UnidosUS (formerly the National Council of La Raza) of Latino parents about evolving perceptions of the pandemic and vaccines has found an overwhelming majority of Latino parents now support policies that require all students and staff to be vaccinated for in-person schooling. Survey findings include the following:    Most Latino parents (nearly 90%) are increasingly concerned that their children will become seriously ill from COVID-19.    7 in 10 (70%) expressed support for requiring that all students and staff be vaccinated for children to safely return to school.    More than 6 in 10 Latino parents (62%) have vaccinated their eligible children, compared to 41% of parents overall.   Nearly half (48%) of all Latino parents intend to vaccinate their children under age 12 as soon as possible once vaccine is made available to that age group.    UnidosUS, previously known as NCLR (National Council of La Raza), is the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. Through its unique combination of expert research, advocacy, programs, and an Affiliate Network of nearly 300 community-based organizations across the United States and Puerto Rico, UnidosUS simultaneously challenges the social, economic, and political barriers that affect Latinos at the national and local levels. For more than 50 years, UnidosUS has united communities and different groups seeking common ground through collaboration, and that share a desire to make our country stronger.     

Lisa is solo today and is joined by Marianne Larned to talk about COP26 in Glasgow where young climate activists from around the world prepare to confront world leaders with their demands.  #WorldisWatching  Young people from Argentina, Mexico, Nepal, the Philippines, Russia, Uganda, the US, and countries worldwide are traveling to Scotland as  youth delegates to the United Nations COP26 -- the most historic climate conference of their lifetime -- where they will present their demands to world leaders.  They are painfully aware that our world is at a crossroads - and COP26 is a watershed moment.  They've experienced firsthand the devastating impact of the climate crisis on their people, and on their countries. They now feel they must stand up for a whole generation of young people--and for the collective well-being of future generations.    They want world leaders to take immediate and meaningful action, with the sense of urgency the climate emergency demands.  They are determined to work with these leaders to develop, fund and put into action concrete, effective, science-based policies and strategies to combat the effects of climate change—before it's too late.Marianne Larned is the best-selling author of the Stone Soup for the World series who uses the Stone Soup model to inspire people to work together we can build a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. In her new book, Stone Soup for a Sustainable World: Life-Changing Stories of Young Heroes, she spotlights 100 climate change trailblazers, environmental justice changemakers, green inventors and entrepreneurs, sustainable business leaders, and intergenerational legacy figures.Marianne is an innovative educator, thought leader, sustainability champion, and business strategist with a lifelong commitment to humanizing education to prepare future leaders to build a better world. In her role as the Founding Director of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute, she has used these educational tools and trainings with multicultural young people who are on the frontlines of climate change, social justice, and economic equity. She is recognized as a public-private partnership consultant, a Design Thinking pragmatist, and a sustainable workforce development strategist. As a pioneer in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), she has assisted Fortune 500 companies, Chambers of Commerce, and education, government, civic, and community leaders to develop triple bottom-line solutions for improving education, health care, and economic development. She directs the Institute's multicultural global team to develop the Institute's Sustainable Education Platform is a video-enhanced, content-driven, values-based, blended experiential learning environment to train young people to build resilient communities for a sustainable economy in the 21st century. It leverages the Stone Soup for the World series and companion curriculum and is dedicated to the Institute's long-time chairperson, Walter Cronkite.www.sustainabilityisfun.net & www.stonesoupleadership.orgBook Description: Stone Soup for a Sustainable World: Life-Changing Stories of Young Heroes  Stone Soup for a Sustainable World: Life-Changing Stories of Young Heroes features the stories of 100 climate change trailblazers, environmental justice changemakers, educator champions, sustainable business leaders, intergenerational legacy figures, green inventors and entrepreneurs, and emerging island leaders from 38 countries around the world, and 32 U.S. cities who are creating sustainability solutions to the global climate crisis. Their stories inspire us and their Call to Actions invite us to support them and their organizations to maximize their impact in building a more just, equitable, and sustainable world.

Lisa is solo and is joined by Derecka Purnell.  Derecka received her JD from Harvard Law School and works to end police and prison violence by providing legal assistance, research, and training to community-based organizations through an abolitionist framework. Her work and writing has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, The Atlantic, the Boston Globe, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, The Appeal, Truthout, Slate, and many other publications. Book description:For more than a century, activists in the United States have tried to reform the police. From community policing initiatives to increasing diversity, none of it has stopped the police from killing about three people a day. Millions of people continue to protest police violence because these "solutions" do not match the problem: the police cannot be reformed. In Becoming Abolitionists, Purnell draws from her experiences as a lawyer, writer, and organizer initially skeptical about police abolition. She saw too much sexual violence and buried too many friends to consider getting rid of police in her hometown of St. Louis, let alone the nation. But the police were a placebo. Calling them felt like something, and something feels like everything when the other option seems like nothing.Purnell details how multi-racial social movements rooted in rebellion, risk-taking, and revolutionary love pushed her and a generation of activists toward abolition. The book travels across geography and time, and offers lessons that activists have learned from Ferguson to South Africa, from Reconstruction to contemporary protests against police shootings. Here, Purnell argues that police can not be reformed and invites readers to envision new systems that work to address the root causes of violence. Becoming Abolitionists shows that abolition is not solely about getting rid of police, but a commitment to create and support different answers to the problem of harm in society, and, most excitingly, an opportunity to reduce and eliminate harm in the first place. 

Lisa is hosting solo.  She is joined by Dr. Sheila Modir & Jeff Kashou, LMFT.  Dr. Modir is  a pediatric psychologist at a children's hospital providing therapy to children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with a medical and mental health condition. Dr. Modir's research interests include the impact of racial trauma and risk and resilience factors in the context of this trauma, and she has presented at conferences, spoken on podcasts, and published articles on this topic. Jeff Kashou is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who is a manager of clinical product and service design for a mental health tech company that provides telemedicine to those with serious mental illness. Jeff has also served as a Clinical Director-at-Large on the Board of Directors for the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, where he helped lead the association to support the field of Marriage and Family Therapy and those with mental health issues. They both consult as experts in mental health for television productions, including for Disney and Freeform, to ensure the accurate and helpful portrayal of mental illness and treatment in the media.Book description:  The Proudest Color. For me, brown is more than feeling proud. It's the color I see when I see me.Zahra sees the world in vivid color. When she's happy, she feels a razzle-dazzle pink in her hands. When she's sad, she feels a deep blue behind her eyes. But she isn't quite sure how to feel about the color of her skin. Kids at school tell her she is different, but her mother tells her to be proud! From a diverse team and based on extensive research, The Proudest Color is a timely, sensitive introduction to race, racism, and racial pride.

Lisa is solo today and is joined by Rhonda V. Magee, author of The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulnes. Rhonda V. Magee (M.A. Sociology, J.D.) is a Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco and an internationally-recognized thought and practice leader focused on integrating mindfulness into higher education, law and social change work. A prolific author, she draws on law and legal history to weave storytelling, poetry, analysis and practices into inspiration for changing how we think, act and live better together in a rapidly changing world.Born in North Carolina in 1967, Rhonda experienced a childhood of significant trauma and challenge. Yet, she was gifted with the insight that through a life of caring engagement, self-development, and service with others, she could find a way up and out. She has dedicated her life to healing and teaching in ways that support others in a journey to wholeness and justice. A student of a variety of Buddhist and other wisdom teachers, including Norman Fischer, Joan Halifax and Jon Kabat Zinn, she trained as a mindfulness teacher through the Oasis Teacher Training Institute of the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. She teaches mindfulness-based interventions, awareness, and compassion practices from a range of traditions. A former President of the board of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, Professor Magee is a Fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, where she recently completed a two-year term on its steering council. She is a member of the board of advisors of the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness and the board of directors for the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute.A professor of Law for twenty years (tenured since 2004), Rhonda teaches courses dealing civil actions for personal injury and insurance recovery; courses dealing with race and inequality; and a course she co-created on mindfulness and lawyering, Rhonda is experienced in interpersonal dynamics-informed small group facilitation (supported by training, retreats, and practice through a variety of programs, including Stanford University's Interpersonal Dynamics Facilitator Program and Gregory Kramer's Insight Dialogue). Rhonda's teaching and writing support compassionate conflict engagement and management; holistic problem-solving to alleviate the suffering of the vulnerable and injured; presence-based leadership in a diverse world, and humanizing approaches to education. She sees embodied mindfulness meditation and the allied disciplines of study and community engagement as keys to personal, interpersonal, and collective transformation in the face of the challenges and opportunities of our time.Rhonda has served as a guest teacher in a variety of mindfulness teacher training programs, including those sponsored by the Mindfulness Awareness Research Center (2017, 2018), led by Diana Winston, the Engaged Mindfulness Institute, led by Fleet Maull (2017, 2018), and the Center for Mindfulness (2017), led by Saki Santorelli and Judson Brewer. She serves as daylong or retreat co-leader and solo teacher at centers including Spirit Rock Meditation Center, the Garrison Institute, the Shambhala Mountain Center, the Omega Institute, Esalen and New York Insight Meditation Center.Rhonda is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on mindfulness in legal education, and on teaching about race using mindfulness, including “Educating Lawyers to Meditate?” 79 UMKC L. Rev. 535 (2011), “The Way of ColorInsight: Understanding Race and Law Effectively Using Mindfulness-Based ColorInsight Practices”, 8 Georgetown J. of Mod. Crit. Race Perspectives 251 (2016), “Teaching Mindfulness with Mindfulness of Diversity,” in McCown et al, Resources for Teaching Mindfulness: An International Handbook (Springer, 2017), and “Community Engaged Mindfulness 

Lisa is solo and is joined by Qian Julie Wang, author of Beautiful Country: A Memoir.  Here is the book description: In Chinese, the word for America, Mei Guo, translates directly to “beautiful country.” Yet when seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994 full of curiosity, she is overwhelmed by crushing fear and scarcity. In China, Qian's parents were professors; in America, her family is “illegal” and it will require all the determination and small joys they can muster to survive. In Chinatown, Qian's parents labor in sweatshops. Instead of laughing at her jokes, they fight constantly, taking out the stress of their new life on one another. Shunned by her classmates and teachers for her limited English, Qian takes refuge in the library and masters the language through books, coming to think of The Berenstain Bears as her first American friends. And where there is delight to be found, Qian relishes it: her first bite of gloriously greasy pizza, weekly “shopping days,” when Qian finds small treasures in the trash lining Brooklyn's streets, and a magical Christmas visit to Rockefeller Center—confirmation that the New York City she saw in movies does exist after all. But then Qian's headstrong Ma Ma collapses, revealing an illness that she has kept secret for months for fear of the cost and scrutiny of a doctor's visit. As Ba Ba retreats further inward, Qian has little to hold onto beyond his constant refrain: Whatever happens, say that you were born here, that you've always lived here. Inhabiting her childhood perspective with exquisite lyric clarity and unforgettable charm and strength, Qian Julie Wang has penned an essential American story about a family fracturing under the weight of invisibility, and a girl coming of age in the shadows, who never stops seeking the light.

Sunni and Lisa are joined by Warren Bidford to talk about her book, Hear My Voice/Escucha mi voz: The Testimonies of Children Detained at the Southern Border of the United States.Warren Binford is an international children's rights expert who is both a professor of law and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado. She has traveled to over 70 countries and frequently works with children's organization worldwide to combat some of the toughest issues facing children and families in the 21st century, such as child exploitation and trafficking, children in armed conflict, children and families in migration, and more. She is known for her cross-disciplinary and solution-focused approaches to problems and has helped to build teams of doctors, lawyers, mental health professionals, artists, musicians, the media, documentarians, and others to focus their myriad talents together to help kids. Warren has a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School and a BA in Literature and Psychology, summa cum laude with distinction, and an Ed.M. in Early Childhood from Boston University. A former foster parent and inner-city teacher, she lives with her husband, children, horse, and rabbit in Oregon's Willamette Valley, and spends her free time hiking, backpacking, skiing, snowboarding, and occasionally, climbing mountains.Book description: The moving stories of children in migration—in their own words."In Spanish and in English, a devastating first-person account of children's experiences in detention at the southern U.S. border.... A powerful, critical document only made more heartbreaking in picture-book form." —Kirkus Reviews starred reviewEvery day, children in migration are detained at the US-Mexico border. They are scared, alone, and their lives are in limbo. Hear My Voice/Escucha mi voz shares the stories of 61 these children, from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Mexico, ranging in age from five to seventeen—in their own words from actual sworn testimonies. Befitting the spirit of the project, the book is in English on one side; then flip it over, and there's a complete Spanish version.Illustrated by 17 Latinx artists, including Caldecott Medalist and multiple Pura Belpré Illustrator Award-winning Yuyi Morales and Pura Belpré Illustrator Award-winning Raὺl the Third. Includes information, questions, and action points. Buying this book benefits Project Amplify, an organization that supports children in migration. 

Lisa is solo today.  She is joined by David Rubenstein the New York Times bestselling author of How to Lead and The American Story. He is cofounder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest and most successful private equity firms. Rubenstein is Chairman of the Boards of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Council on Foreign Relations. He is an original signer of The Giving Pledge and a recipient of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy and the MoMA's David Rockefeller Award. The host of The David Rubenstein Show on Bloomberg TV and PBS, he lives in the Washington, DC area.Lisa asks about his interviews with Henry Louis Gated on Reconstruction, David. W. Blight on Frederick Douglas, Jia Lynn Yang - on the history of immigration, Billie Jean King on activism, and more.  Book description:  The American Experiment: Dialogues on a DreamThe capstone book in a trilogy from the New York Times bestselling author of How to Lead and The American Story and host of Bloomberg TV's The David Rubenstein Show—American icons and historians on the ever-evolving American experiment, featuring Ken Burns, Madeleine Albright, Wynton Marsalis, Billie Jean King, Henry Louis Gates Jr., and many more.In this lively collection of conversations—the third in a series from David Rubenstein—some of our nations' greatest minds explore the inspiring story of America as a grand experiment in democracy, culture, innovation, and ideas.-Jill Lepore on the promise of America-Madeleine Albright on the American immigrant-Ken Burns on war-Henry Louis Gates Jr. on reconstruction-Elaine Weiss on suffrage-John Meacham on civil rights-Walter Isaacson on innovation-David McCullough on the Wright Brothers-John Barry on pandemics and public health-Wynton Marsalis on music-Billie Jean King on sports-Rita Moreno on filmExploring the diverse make-up of our country's DNA through interviews with Pulitzer Prize–winning historians, diplomats, music legends, and sports giants, The American Experiment captures the dynamic arc of a young country reinventing itself in real-time. Through these enlightening conversations, the American spirit comes alive, revealing the setbacks, suffering, invention, ingenuity, and social movements that continue to shape our vision of what America is—and what it can be.

Sunni is back!  Since Sunni missed the first interview with Melvin Gravely, II the author of "Dear White Friend" on August 25th,  she gets a chance to talk with Melvin about his book. Lisa stays in the background and Sunni and Melvin have a great conversation that you don't want to miss!Book description of Dear White Friend: The Realities of Race, the Power of Relationships and Our Path to Equity. My friend, I do not believe you are a racist.Melvin Gravely eloquently accomplishes what many have undoubtedly wished to do: talk openly to someone we know about race in the United States today. Gravely uses significant experience as a business and civic leader to express a rare balance in this timely message. Dear White Friend is a forthright, collegial conversation via chapters in the form of letters, each with a combination of personal reflection and meaningful hard facts. Gravely challenges the reader but without judgment or indictment. His depth of thought, deftness of expression, and clear, layman's terms make for an urgent call to begin to close the gap between races in America. The book presents an invitation to understand three questions at the heart of the issue: What is really going on with race in our country? Why must we care? And what can we do about it together? In the end, Gravely calls on us to ask ourselves, “What is my role in all of this?” After reading Dear White Friend, readers will understand why their answer to his question can change everything.

Lisa is solo today and is joined by Melvin Gravely, II to talk about his book, Dear White Friend: The Realities of Race, the Power of Relationships and Our Path to Equity.  This part 1 of a series of interviews with Mr. Gravely. Mel Gravely is the majority owner and CEO of a commercial construction company in Cincinnati, Ohio. As one of the largest construction companies in the region, it is a consistent member of the Deloitte 100 list of the largest privately owned companies.An active business and civic leader who has chaired the board of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber of Commerce, Gravely served on the board of the United Way, was a founding board member of the Cincinnati Regional Economic Development Initative (REDI Cincinnati), and vice chairperson of Artswave, the largest community arts fund in the nation.He co-chaired the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee, a group of 100 middle market CEOs working collectively toward meaningful civic action. He is also a board member of several private companies.Gravely earned a BS in Computer Science from Mount Union University, an MBA from Kent State University, and a Ph.D. from the Union Institute and University. He has written eight business books. He is the father of three adult children and married to Chandra (Webb) Gravely. They have one granddaughter.Book description: My friend, I do not believe you are a racist.Melvin Gravely eloquently accomplishes what many have undoubtedly wished to do: talk openly to someone we know about race in the United States today. Gravely uses significant experience as a business and civic leader to express a rare balance in this timely message. Dear White Friend is a forthright, collegial conversation via chapters in the form of letters, each with a combination of personal reflection and meaningful hard facts. Gravely challenges the reader but without judgment or indictment. His depth of thought, deftness of expression, and clear, layman's terms make for an urgent call to begin to close the gap between races in America. The book presents an invitation to understand three questions at the heart of the issue: What is really going on with race in our country? Why must we care? And what can we do about it together? In the end, Gravely calls on us to ask ourselves, “What is my role in all of this?” After reading Dear White Friend, readers will understand why their answer to his question can change everything.

Lisa is solo today and joining her is Zakiya Dalila Harris who spent nearly three years in book publishing before leaving to write her debut novel The Other Black Girl which she and Lisa talk about in this interview. Prior to working in publishing, Zakiya received her MFA in creative writing from The New School. Her essays and book reviews have appeared in Guernica and The Rumpus. She lives in Brooklyn.Here are some of the things Lisa asks Zakiya.  Listen to the interview to hear all of the questions and answers:In your book, a young woman Nella Rogers has been the only black person working at Wagner Books, a publishing house in Manhattan.  She has to deal with a lot of microaggressions from her white co-workers and one day, another black woman shows up at Wagner.  Nella is thinking, we can talk about black music, black hair, commiserate about micro-aggressions, but things go another way.   Have you had an experience like Nella, feeling both hyper-visible and ignored? Let's talk hair.  I love how you focused on the ways hair can both connect and divide black women. Not only can hair be a divider but Nella and Hazel are pitted against each other in meetings, Hazel playing both sides, publicly siding with white insensitive co-workers and telling Nella in private that she supports her.  Can you expand on this? One of the things Sunni and I talk about is showing up to work, to life in general after the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmed Arbury, George Floyd and so many others.  Nella feels the trauma but still has to show up to work with a smile.  Can you talk about this in your own life?  One of the first things I noticed was the way you play with structure and how readers occasionally jump between the present and the past in different chapters. When did the structure come to you? Book description:  INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA Good Morning America, Esquire, and Read with Marie Claire Book Club Pick and a People Best Book of SummerNamed a Most Anticipated Book of 2021 by Time, The Washington Post, Harper's Bazaar, Entertainment Weekly, Marie Claire, Bustle, BuzzFeed, Parade, Goodreads, Fortune, and BBC​​Urgent, propulsive, and sharp as a knife, The Other Black Girl is an electric debut about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing.Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she's thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They've only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust.Then the notes begin to appear on Nella's desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.It's hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there's a lot more at stake than just her career.A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary that is perfect for anyone who has ever felt manipulated, threatened, or overlooked in the workplace, The Other Black Girl will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist.

Sunni and Lisa are joined by Yale Historian Elizabeth Hinton to discuss  new book  AMERICA ON FIRE: The Untold History of Police Violence and Black Rebellion Since the 1960s Book description:What began in spring 2020 as local protests in response to the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police quickly exploded into a massive nationwide movement. Millions of mostly young people defiantly flooded into the nation's streets, demanding an end to police brutality and to the broader, systemic repression of Black people and other people of color. To many observers, the protests appeared to be without precedent in their scale and persistence. Yet, as the acclaimed historian Elizabeth Hinton demonstrates in America on Fire, the events of 2020 had clear precursors—and any attempt to understand our current crisis requires a reckoning with the recent past.Even in the aftermath of Donald Trump, many Americans consider the decades since the civil rights movement in the mid-1960s as a story of progress toward greater inclusiveness and equality. Hinton's sweeping narrative uncovers an altogether different history, taking us on a troubling journey from Detroit in 1967 and Miami in 1980 to Los Angeles in 1992 and beyond to chart the persistence of structural racism and one of its primary consequences, the so-called urban riot. Hinton offers a critical corrective: the word riot was nothing less than a racist trope applied to events that can only be properly understood as rebellions—explosions of collective resistance to an unequal and violent order. As she suggests, if rebellion and the conditions that precipitated it never disappeared, the optimistic story of a post–Jim Crow United States no longer holds.Black rebellion, America on Fire powerfully illustrates, was born in response to poverty and exclusion, but most immediately in reaction to police violence. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson launched the “War on Crime,” sending militarized police forces into impoverished Black neighborhoods. Facing increasing surveillance and brutality, residents threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at officers, plundered local businesses, and vandalized exploitative institutions. Hinton draws on exclusive sources to uncover a previously hidden geography of violence in smaller American cities, from York, Pennsylvania, to Cairo, Illinois, to Stockton, California.The central lesson from these eruptions—that police violence invariably leads to community violence—continues to escape policymakers, who respond by further criminalizing entire groups instead of addressing underlying socioeconomic causes. The results are the hugely expanded policing and prison regimes that shape the lives of so many Americans today. Presenting a new framework for understanding our nation's enduring strife, America on Fire is also a warning: rebellions will surely continue unless police are no longer called on to manage the consequences of dismal conditions beyond their control, and until an oppressive system is finally remade on the principles of justice and equality.

Sunni and Lisa are joined by Michael Carter who does not believe allyship has been beneficial. We delve into this to learn more about why Michael feels the way he does and to get advice from him on what allies could do that would be beneficial.

Sunni is away this week so Lisa is hosting solo.  Her guest is David Zucchino is a contributing writer for the New York Times. He has covered wars and civil conflicts in more than three dozen countries and is a four-time Pulitzer Prize finalist for his reporting in Iraq, Lebanon, Africa, and inner-city Philadelphia. Zucchino won a Pulitzer Prize for his dispatches from apartheid South Africa. He is the author of Thunder Run and Myth of the Welfare QueenBook description: WINNER OF THE 2021 PULITZER PRIZE FOR GENERAL NONFICTIONFrom Pulitzer Prize-winner David Zucchino comes a searing account of the Wilmington riot and coup of 1898, an extraordinary event unknown to most AmericansBy the 1890s, Wilmington was North Carolina's largest city and a shining example of a mixed-race community. It was a bustling port city with a burgeoning African American middle class and a Fusionist government of Republicans and Populists that included black aldermen, police officers and magistrates. There were successful black-owned businesses and an African American newspaper, The Record. But across the state—and the South—white supremacist Democrats were working to reverse the advances made by former slaves and their progeny.In 1898, in response to a speech calling for white men to rise to the defense of Southern womanhood against the supposed threat of black predators, Alexander Manly, the outspoken young Record editor, wrote that some relationships between black men and white women were consensual. His editorial ignited outrage across the South, with calls to lynch Manly.But North Carolina's white supremacist Democrats had a different strategy. They were plotting to take back the state legislature in November “by the ballot or bullet or both,” and then use the Manly editorial to trigger a “race riot” to overthrow Wilmington's multi-racial government. Led by prominent citizens including Josephus Daniels, publisher of the state's largest newspaper, and former Confederate Colonel Alfred Moore Waddell, white supremacists rolled out a carefully orchestrated campaign that included raucous rallies, race-baiting editorials and newspaper cartoons, and sensational, fabricated news stories.With intimidation and violence, the Democrats suppressed the black vote and stuffed ballot boxes (or threw them out), to win control of the state legislature on November eighth. Two days later, more than 2,000 heavily armed Red Shirts swarmed through Wilmington, torching the Record office, terrorizing women and children, and shooting at least sixty black men dead in the streets. The rioters forced city officials to resign at gunpoint and replaced them with mob leaders. Prominent blacks—and sympathetic whites—were banished. Hundreds of terrified black families took refuge in surrounding swamps and forests. This brutal insurrection is a rare instance of a violent overthrow of an elected government in the U.S. It halted gains made by blacks and restored racism as official government policy, cementing white rule for another half century. It was not a “race riot,” as the events of November 1898 came to be known, but rather a racially motivated rebellion launched by white supremacists.In Wilmington's Lie, Pulitzer Prize-winner David Zucchino uses contemporary newspaper accounts, diaries, letters and official communications to create a gripping and compelling narrative that weaves together individual stories of hate and fear and brutality. This is a dramatic and definitive account of a remarkable but forgotten chapter of American history.

Lisa is solo today with the incredible Precious Brady Davis. Precious Brady-Davis is an award-winning diversity advocate, communications professional, and public speaker. She currently serves as the associate regional communications director at the Sierra Club. She served for three years as the assistant director of diversity recruitment initiatives at Columbia College Chicago, her alma mater, implementing the campus-wide diversity initiative and providing leadership and oversight of national diversity recruitment and inclusion policy initiatives. She also served as the youth outreach coordinator at the Center on Halsted, the largest LGBTQ community center in the Midwest. During Precious's tenure, she launched a $1.6 million CDC HIV prevention grant, which provided outreach, education, youth programming, and testing services to over three thousand young African American and Latinx gay, bi, and trans youth. Precious is married to Myles Brady and lives in Hyde Park on the South Side of Chicago, where they are raising their daughter, Zayn. In her free time, she enjoys online shoe shopping, travel, and fine dining with friends. For more information visit www.preciousbradydavis.com.Precious talks about her book, I Have Always Been Me: A Memoir. Here is the book description:Precious Brady-Davis remembers the sense of being singular and grappling with “otherness.” Born into traumatic circumstances, Davis was brought up in the Omaha foster care system and the Pentecostal faith. As a biracial, gender-nonconforming kid, she felt displaced. Yet she realized by coming into her identity that she had a purpose all along.In I Have Always Been Me, Brady-Davis reflects on a childhood of neglect, instability, and abandonment. She reveals her determination to dream through it and shares her profound journey as a trans woman now fully actualized, absolutely confident, and precious. She speaks to anyone who has ever tried to find their place in this world and imparts the wisdom that comes with surmounting odds and celebrating on the other side.A memoir, a love story, and an outreach for the marginalized, Precious's sojourn is a song of self-reliance and pride and an invitation to join in the chorus.

Lisa and Sunni interview Toni Pettus who shares her experience as a Black LBGTQIA+ as a truck driver in the mostly white male dominated industry. She also shares her self-care rituals which help her handle the stress of her work environment.We will be back to our Did You Know" segment in September, 

Lisa is joined by Dr. David Campt.  David is an engaging speaker, a master facilitator, and an expert in the process of transformative dialogue. David also has significant substantive thought leadership in diversity, inclusion and equity areas related to anti-racism. His proficiency in advancing compassionate dialogue to create a more equitable world resulted in offering his thoughts and commentary in numerous articles, radio, podcasts, as well as national television appearances.Through his exclusive R.A.C.E. Method, David is known most for educating and coaching participants in a disarming, amiable, and practical way. His keynotes and courses provide the following insights that are transferable from the family, to the workplace, and to the community:Best practices in anti-racism activismThe Power of DialoguePersuasion based on neuroscience theoriesConflict resolution through dialogueAddressing political polarizationDr. Campt touches on some of these issues in this interview as well as helping Lisa communicate with a friend's husband who watches Tucker Carlson and  talking about his new group on Clubhouse, "White People Whispering." 

Lisa is solo this week and is joined by  Theodore R. Johnson a Senior Fellow and Director of the Fellows Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the NYU School of Law, where he undertakes research on race, politics, and American identity. Prior to joining the Brennan Center, he was a National Fellow at New America and a Commander in the United States Navy, serving for twenty years in a variety of positions, including as a White House Fellow in the first Obama administration and as speechwriter to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His work on race relations has appeared in prominent national publications across the political spectrum, including the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the National Review, among others.He is here today with Lisa to talk about his incredible book, When the Stars Begin to Fall: Overcoming Racism and Renewing the Promise of America. Below is the book description:  “Racism is an existential threat to America,” Theodore R. Johnson declares at the start of his profound and exhilarating book. It is a refutation of the American Promise enshrined in our Constitution that all men and women are inherently equal. And yet racism continues to corrode our society. If we cannot overcome it, Johnson argues, while the United States will remain as a geopolitical entity, the promise that made America unique on Earth will have died.When the Stars Begin to Fall makes a compelling, ambitious case for a pathway to the national solidarity necessary to mitigate racism. Weaving memories of his own and his family's multi-generational experiences with racism, alongside strands of history, into his elegant narrative, Johnson posits that a blueprint for national solidarity can be found in the exceptional citizenship long practiced in Black America. Understanding that racism is a structural crime of the state, he argues that overcoming it requires us to recognize that a color-conscious society—not a color-blind one—is the true fulfillment of the American Promise.Fueled by Johnson's ultimate faith in the American project, grounded in his family's longstanding optimism and his own military service, When the Stars Begin to Fall is an urgent call to undertake the process of overcoming what has long seemed intractable.

The Did you know Segment… it's back!  Where is it? What happened to it? Ok, it's really back, just not this week. *smile* Happy belated Father's Day to our listeners! Lisa shares her experience attending the Juneteenth celebration this year versus last year the mood was different for a number of reasons.  Clearly, 2020 was unprecedented on so many levels, no one could've foretold the life changing events!On this episode of Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag! The ladies discuss Juneteenth!  It's officially recognized as a Federal Holiday!!!!  A huge “Thank you” to Ms. Opal Lee for all of your efforts to make this happen! Listen to her story! Sunni and Lisa discuss the importance of having this information shared broadly… hint: Critical Race Theory.  This would be a whole other show and we do plan to discuss it in-depth as well.  Trust.Lisa shares a blog discussing disappointing with the “paid” holiday and what it doesn't do.  Of course you'll have to listen to hear the opinion.  Sunni isn't having any of it… yikes.  Ease up on the current Administration, they came in office with a huge disadvantage, huge!  Social media will set you up!  Do your research folks, do your research and use trusted sources.  Otherwise, it's a distraction from the real issues. Don't be distracted.How about we all celebrate Juneteenth - having the day off to do better and be better holistically - European Americans can take this as a day of learning, by committing to understanding another community for the benefit of humanity.  O yea, checkout www.brainpop.com for information that is not whitewashed and offers the real deal! If you aren't already, please follow us on IG|Twitter @activeallyship.podcast! And of course, there's our Facebook Page, Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag!  Drop us a line or two… Be sure to Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Share. the podcast!

The Did you know Segment… it's back!  Where is it? What happened to it? Ok, it's really back, just not this week. *smile* On this episode of Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag! The ladies converse with Propaganda…Propaganda was marinated in multi cultural communities in Los Angeles, California. He's hilarious and gives all the props to his mom for it and his sarcasm. Terraform… what is it, is that what you're inclined to ask?  The book, you're wondering what's all this talk about?  Trust us… this book is magical AF!  Sunni had a whole moment with “If Coffee Were a Man”… whew!  You've got to listen!  O wait, the story of how it came to be… wow!This dude is the absolute TRUTH!  His thought process, his ability to bring his thoughts to life, through pen and paper, through voice, through lyrics and melodic tones… so rich in flavor, the flavor of community, of culture, of lived experiences.The silliness of culture, are you familiar with this term?  Even if you are, you got to listen to this conversation.  Propaganda is a phenom!  He does not disappoint.  Listen to the show, purchase the book, check out his other interviews… indulge… a very rich experience.And the scarcity model… whew!  So many have been hypnotized by this, without even realizing it!If you aren't already, please follow us on IG|Twitter @activeallyship.podcast! And of course, there's our Facebook Page, Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag!  Drop us a line or two… Be sure to Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Share. the podcast!

The Did you know Segment… it's back!  Sigh… “Karen's” geez and geez… what's with the racist behavior… immediately followed by a lame ass apology…and “white” tears!  So, this “Karen” owns a hat store and thought it was a great idea to use the Star of David as an anti-vax symbol…this genius hails from Nashville, TN.  In other DYK news, Amy Cooper is back in the news, you know the lady that called that police on the African American man birdwatching in Central Park and lied and cried more “white” tears.  Well, apparently, she's suing her former employer for racism.  No words.  Shifting gears… if you have not seen High On The Hog (Netflix), see it.  If you've seen it, see it again!  Yes, it's that good!On this episode of Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag! The ladies converse with Karen's Daughter founder - Amy Bauer!  What an incredible conversation, like seriously, no exaggeration! On the question of marination, Amy Bauer is working on undoing some of that marination… it really isn't her truth. What an awaking!Like who knew?  An actual initiative for the good of humanity titled “Karen's Daughter”…if you haven't picked up what's being put down by now… The name “Karen” has become synonymous with European American women aka white women (and men) behaving badly based on their racist beliefs. But wait, Amy expounds upon “Karen” as a person and a concept, you've got to listen!Just when you thought you knew what “Karen” was all about, here comes Amy Bauer to educate you on the total and complete miseducation of her up close and personal engagement.  How have you dealt with relatives that have propraganda'ish mindsets and behaviors? O wait, wait!  As a European American woman/man - How about healing…have you thought about your own healing journey and how it can be transformative for your role in humanity and being or becoming an ally? **Bonus… You've got to listen to the story of Amy and the stranger on the park bench… it might make you feel like someone's cutting onions… but LISTEN anyway… Please.If you aren't already, please follow us on IG|Twitter @activeallyship.podcast! And of course, there's our Facebook Page, Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag!  Drop us a line or two… Be sure to Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Share. the podcast!

Our "Did You Know" segment returns shortly.  On this episode of Active Allyship...it's more than a #hashtag!" the ladies chat with Purpose Coach, Joey Chandler.  Joey helps actors, writers and other creatives develop their characters and get unstuck in their lives. His approach is based on the idea that the more you know about yourself, the more you can bring to your craft. His Purpose Survey is the foundation of his work. It takes less than 5 minutes and you learn more about yourself.  Sunni and Lisa took his Purpose Survey and it was spot on!  Joey goes over the results in this episode.  To take the survey, go here: https://joeychandler.net/purpose_surveyJoey opens up how he realized he was being a "good liberal" but knew he had to go deeper. He feels strongly that anti-racism work and purpose work go hand in hand.  Joey's authenticity really shines through. Here is an article by Joey Chandler on this topic: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-anti-racism-work-purpose-go-hand-in-hand-joey-chandler-he-him-?trk=public_profile_article_viewIf you aren't already, please follow us on IG/Twitter @activeallyship.podcast And of course there's our Facebook page, Active Allyship...it's more than a #hashtag!.  Drop us a line or two...be sure to Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Share the podcast! Cali by Wataboi https://soundcloud.com/wataboiCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream:  https://bit.ly/wataboi-caliMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/qXptaqHIH5g

On this episode of Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag! The ladies chat with Christopher Kilgour, founder of Color In The Outdoors, an outdoors DEI activity and advocacy organization.  His organization is focused on creating opportunities for people who either have never spent time outdoors, but didn't have a good experience in the process OR who consider themselves avid lovers of the outdoor world and want to continue to expand their experiences and skillsets.Christopher Kilgour was marinated in all things outdoors… being in the outdoors is a part of his core.  Recentering and fine tuning is second nature.  He grew up in Wisconsin, in a family of educators… learning about the land… learning how everything is intertwined and interconnected.He started Color In The Outdoors around 20 years ago, he was lucky enough to grow up very close to parks and was immersed in the outdoor world. The conversation is layered, access and cost may be issues that prevent folks from participating in the outdoor world.  What's clear is… there are levels to this… the Great Outdoors is expansive and can be experienced in many ways.  Common threads and themes for why people don't participate in the outdoor world are also discussed.  Let's just set the record straight… it is not a white thing.If you aren't already, please follow us on IG|Twitter @activeallyship.podcast! And of course, there's our Facebook Page, Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag!  Drop us a line or two… Be sure to Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Share. the podcast!Cali by Wataboi https://soundcloud.com/wataboiCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream:  https://bit.ly/wataboi-caliMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/qXptaqHIH5g

On this episode of Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag! Sunni and Lisa converse with Riaz Meghji, a human connection keynote speaker, author  and an accomplished broadcaster with 17 years of television hosting experience.  He joins the show to talk about his book, Every Conversation Counts: The 5 Habits of Human Connection that Build Extraordinary Relationships.Not only is this a must listen. interview, it is also a must read book.  Sunni and I discuss something he writes about in his book about Amy Cooper and Christian Cooper and you don't want to miss it!If you are curious about the book, here is the book description: You are one conversation away from changing your life. We all crave connection. We were never meant to live alone or communicate only in “likes” and retweets. In Every Conversation Counts, TV host and human connection keynote speaker Riaz Meghji digs deep into the dangers of isolation and loneliness, our social pandemic, that have been brought into sharp relief by the coronavirus crisis. He tackles a uniquely modern question: why are we so connected, and yet so alone—and how can we reconnect?Sharing personal insights from powerful interviews and years of on-air experience, Meghji offers 5 simple habits for building extraordinary relationships. He explains how to spark authentic conversations, win trust, create new business, and collaborate effectively. Meghji points a way forward to a better future—one in which we express genuine curiosity about others, listen with our whole hearts, show up as our authentic selves, and make every conversation count.If you aren't already, please follow us on IG|Twitter @activeallyship.podcast! And of course, there's our Facebook Page, Active Allyship…it's more than a #hashtag!  Drop us a line or two… Be sure to Listen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Share. the podcast!Cali by Wataboi https://soundcloud.com/wataboiCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream:  https://bit.ly/wataboi-caliMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/qXptaqHIH5g