Going Deeper Interviews

#2 Going Deeper Interviews with Julius Lester, Part Two. Julius talks about his exploration with his DNA and what that meant to him. He also sings briefly, the old gospel song "I love Everybody". A gem of an interview, so special since his death in 2018.

#1 Going deeper Interview with Julius Lester, Part One. I interviewed Julius 3 and a half years before his death in 2018. We spoke about his life, his work as a writer, musician, photographer, lay Rabbi, and more. He shared his thoughts about aging and race and more. The interview is continued in Part Two.

#3 Annie Cheatham Part One August, 2014 In the 1070's Annie started the Congressional Clearing House for the Future with Congressman Charlie Rose. She co-founded the Future is Female Project with Mary Claire Powell. Annie spearheaded the Local Hero Campaign, bringing awareness to the need to buy and eat local food in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. And more...

Episode Notes Marcie Sclove continues her interview with Annie Cheatham in August, 2014 in Amherst, MA.

Going Deeper Interview with Judy Brooks, Part One, September 2014. Four years before Judy's death, she spoke to Marcie about her life, including her Amherst experiences as an African American teacher in an all-white school. The interview took place during a period of racial issues in Amherst, and Judy helped to broaden the lens about these types of conflicts in Amherst. Judy Brooks and her husband, Barry, came to Amherst, MA in 1971. They were the co-directorsof the ABC House (A Better Chance) for 5 years. Judy taught elementary school in Pelham, MA for 31 years, served on the Select Board and Housing Authority, and lately has been active in the League of Women Voters.

Going Deeper Interview with Judy Brooks, Part Two, September 2014. Four years before Judy's death, she spoke to Marcie about her life, including her Amherst experiences as an African American teacher in an all-white school. The interview took place during a period of racial issues in Amherst, and Judy helped to broaden the lens about these types of conflicts in Amherst. Judy Brooks and her husband, Barry, came to Amherst, MA in 1971. They were the co-directorsof the ABC House (A Better Chance) for 5 years. Judy taught elementary school in Pelham, MA for 31 years, served on the Select Board and Housing Authority, and lately has been active in the League of Women Voters.

Going Deeper Interview with Ray Elliot, Part One, October, 2014. I interviewed Ray Elliot when he was 91 years old. A prominent African American leader in Amherst, Ray co-founded a group called Citizens For Racial Amity Now (CRAN) and worked to have proclaimed a National Day of Racial Amity in Amherst. Born in Cambridge, MA, a Bahai, and a chemist, Ray has many deep and important stories to tell.

Going Deeper Interview with Ray Elliot, Part Two, October, 2014. I interviewed Ray Elliot when he was 91 years old. A prominent African American leader in Amherst, Ray co-founded a group called Citizens For Racial Amity Now (CRAN) and worked to have proclaimed a National Day of Racial Amity in Amherst. Born in Cambridge, MA, a Bahai, and a chemist, Ray has many deep and important stories to tell.

Going Deeper Interview with Isaac Ben Ezra, Part One, October, 2014. Isaac was born in 1926 and grew up on the lower east side of Manhattan. He had a lifelong involvement with political movements, organizing along the way, including the Civil Rights Movement, Anti War Movement, the Campaign for Medicare in 1964, the Labor Movement, and more.

Going Deeper Interview with Isaac Ben Ezra, Part Two, October, 2014. Isaac was born in 1926 and grew up on the lower east side of Manhattan. He had a lifelong involvement with political movements, organizing along the way, including the Civil Rights Movement, Anti War Movement, the Campaign for Medicare in 1964, the Labor Movement, and more.

Going Deeper Interview with Loretta Ross.Loretta is an expert on the politics of women’s health, hate groups, and sexual violence. She is co-founder and national director of the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. She was Co-director of the 2004 Women’s March for our Lives, and co-author of Undivided Rights: Women of Color Organize for Reproductive Justice. We were lucky to have Loretta here in the Valley while she was a Research Associate at the Five College Women’s Studies Research Center. I learned so much from this interview!

Going Deeper Interview with Loretta Ross.Loretta is an expert on the politics of women’s health, hate groups, and sexual violence. She is co-founder and national director of the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. She was Co-director of the 2004 Women’s March for our Lives, and co-author of Undivided Rights: Women of Color Organize for Reproductive Justice. We were lucky to have Loretta here in the Valley while she was a Research Associate at the Five College Women’s Studies Research Center. I learned so much from this interview!

Going Deeper Interview with Shirley Whitaker, Creator of Ashes2Ashes, a memorial for the 4,000 African Americans who were racially terrorized during the Jim Crow era until today. This powerful event has been documented in a film by the same name. Shirley shares some original poetry as well as explains Ashes2Ashes. In Part two, friends join Shirley to recite a Lynching Play from the early 1900's.

Going Deeper Interview with Shirley Whitaker, Creator of Ashes2Ashes, a memorial for the 4,000 African Americans who were racially terrorized during the Jim Crow era until today. This powerful event has been documented in a film by the same name. Shirley shares some original poetry as well as explains Ashes2Ashes. In Part two, friends join Shirley to recite a Lynching Play from the early 1900's.

Going Deeper Interview with Jacqueline Wallace Jacqui Wallace is director of the Amherst Area Gospel Choir and a psychotherapist. Her positive and rich presence in the Amherst area community has been a treasure. She and her choir remind us: "I need you. You need me. We are one big family."

Frances, age 97 years old at the time of this interview, had been a model of activism for her whole life. She counseled draft aged men about exploring Consciencous Objector status during the Viet Nam War, fought hard (and won) to close the Yankee Nuclear Power Plant in Rowe, MA, and has been actively getting arrested for every progressive cause for all of these years. We lost Frances in 2019, and she lives on in her inspiration to activists everywhere. In this interview she has wise council for our current times…

Going Deeper with Frances Crowe. Frances, age 97 years old at the time of this interview, had been a model of activism for her whole life. She counseled draft aged men about exploring Consciencous Objector status during the Viet Nam War, fought hard (and won) to close the Yankee Nuclear Power Plant in Rowe, MA, and has been actively getting arrested for every progressive cause for all of these years. We lost Frances in 2019, and she lives on in her inspiration to activists everywhere. In this interview she has wise council for our current times…

Going Deeper Interview with Jacqueline Wallace, Part Two. Jacqui Wallace is director of the Amherst Area Gospel Choir and a psychotherapist. Her positive and rich presence in the Amherst area community has been a treasure. She and her choir remind us: "I need you. You need me. We are one big family."

Going Deeper with Jules Chametzky, Part One, May, 2016. Jules Chametzky came to the English Department at University of Massachusetts in 1959. He founded the Massachusetts Review literary magazine and helped form the faculty union at UMass. His latest book is called Out of Brownsville, Encounters with Nobel Laureates and Other Jewish Writers, A Cultural Memoir.

Going Deeper with Jules Chametzky, Part Two. Jules Chametzky came to the English Department at University of Massachusetts in 1959, he founded the Massachusetts Review literary magazine and helped form the faculty union at UMass. His latest book is called Out of Brownsville, Encounters with Nobel Laureates and Other Jewish Writers, A Cultural Memoir.

Going Deeper with Ervin Staub, Part One,September, 2016 Dr. Ervin Staub is Professor Emeritus in the Psychology Department at Mass. He founded the doctoral degree in the Psychology of Peace and Violence. His life’s work on understanding mass violence and genocide and the psychology of goodness came out of his own experience as a Holocaust Survivor in Hungary. He has worked in Rwanda helping with the Reconciliation Movement, helped US police forces understand active bystandership, and has written a curriculum for grade school aged children about bullying and being an active bystander.

Going Deeper with Ervin Staub, Part Two, September, 2016. Dr. Ervin Staub is Professor Emeritus in the Psychology Department at Mass. He founded the doctoral degree in the Psychology of Peace and Violence. His life’s work on understanding mass violence and genocide and the psychology of goodness came out of his own experience as a Holocaust Survivor in Hungary. He has worked in Rwanda helping with the Reconciliation Movement, helped US police forces understand active bystandership, and has written a curriculum for grade school aged children about bullying and being an active bystander.

Going Deeper with Al Miller, Part One, July, 2016. My dear friend, Al Miller, is a farmer, a poet, a furniture maker, and a Viet Nam Veteran. This is a profound interview. In Part II Al shared about his experiences in the war. But we couldn’t stop there, because so much has happened since the war to grow and integrate those experiences. So, we did another 2 parts!

Going Deeper with Al Miller, Part Two, July, 2016. My dear friend, Al Miller, is a farmer, a poet, a furniture maker, and a Viet Nam Veteran. This is a profound interview. In Part II Al shared about his experiences in the war. But we couldn’t stop there, because so much has happened since the war to grow and integrate those experiences. So, we did another 2 parts!

Going Deeper with Al Miller, Part Three, July, 2016. My dear friend, Al Miller, is a farmer, a poet, a furniture maker, and a Viet Nam Veteran. This is a profound interview. In Part II Al shared about his experiences in the war. But we couldn’t stop there, because so much has happened since the war to grow and integrate those experiences. So, we did another 2 parts!

Going Deeper with Al Miller, Part Four, July, 2016. My dear friend, Al Miller, is a farmer, a poet, a furniture maker, and a Viet Nam Veteran. This is a profound interview. In Part II Al shared about his experiences in the war. But we couldn’t stop there, because so much has happened since the war to grow and integrate those experiences. So, we did another 2 parts!

Going Deeper with Meg Gage, Part One, Meg’s professional work has been in progressive philanthropy. She started the Peace Development Fund and Proteus Fund, and co-founded the Traprock Peace Center. At the time of this interview (2017), Meg was quite busy addressing Amherst town politics on the Charter Commission, which led to the demise of Amherst Town Meeting and the beginning of the Amherst Town Council.

Going Deeper with Meg Gage, Part Two, Meg’s professional work has been in progressive philanthropy. She started the Peace Development Fund and Proteus Fund, and co-founded the Traprock Peace Center. At the time of this interview (2017), Meg was quite busy addressing Amherst town politics on the Charter Commission, which led to the demise of Amherst Town Meeting and the beginning of the Amherst Town Council.

Going Deeper with Penny Gill, Part One. A long-time professor of Political Science at Mt. Holyoke and a Dean at the college, Penny is no flake. All the more reason to take her experiences with the ancient Tibetan teacher, Manjushri, seriously. Together they wrote the book, What in the World is Going On? which brings a clear explanation and suggestions for what to do in these difficult times we are faced with. Here is a link to her website: Wisdom Teachings for our Time http://www.thewisdomteachings.org/

Going Deeper with Penny Gill, Part Two. A long-time professor of Political Science at Mt. Holyoke and a Dean at the college, Penny is unusual and wise. All the more reason to take her experiences with the ancient Tibetan teacher, Manjushri, seriously. Together they wrote the book, What in the World is Going On? which brings a clear explanation and suggestions for what to do in these difficult times we are faced with. Here is a link to her website: Wisdom Teachings for our Time http://www.thewisdomteachings.org/

Going Deeper with Mehlaqa Samdani, Part One. Mehlaqa started Critical Connections as a vehicle to educate folks about Muslims and to bring people from all faiths together. Her forums are outstanding, educational and personal both at the same time. Please check out her website at http://www.criticalconnections.org.

Going Deeper with Mehlaqa Samdani, Part Two. Mehlaqa started Critical Connections as a vehicle to educate folks about Muslims and to bring people from all faiths together. Her forums are outstanding, educational and personal both at the same time. Please check out her website at http://www.criticalconnections.org.

Going Deeper with Paula Green, Part One. Paula founded the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding and has worked all over the world with groups and individuals to promote dialogue and understanding among groups that are divided. Please see the Karuna Center’s website: www.karunacenter.org.

Going Deeper with Paula Green, Part Two. Paula founded the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding and has worked all over the world with groups and individuals to promote dialogue and understanding among groups that are divided. Please see the Karuna Center’s website: www.karunacenter.org.

Going deeper with Rabbi Benjamin Weiner, Part One. Rabbi Weiner is the religious and spiritual leader of the Jewish Community of Amherst, MA. After learning about his personal unusual path to becoming a rabbi in Part One, we explore some fundamental questions for Judaism in Part Two, about God and the afterlife and the political situation in Israel and Palestine.

Going Deeper with Rabbi Benjamin Weiner, Part Two. Rabbi Weiner is the religious and spiritual leader of the Jewish Community of Amherst. After learning about his personal unusual path to becoming a rabbi in Part I, we explore some fundamental questions for Judaism in Part II, about God and the afterlife and the political situation in Israel and Palestine.

Going Deeper with Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian, Part One. Andrea is a long time activist for social justice. Her latest creation is the Sojourner Truth School for Social Change Activism, a unique and widespread free school to teach about social justice movement building skills. It is an inspiring response to these difficult times in our country.

Going Deeper with Rev. Dr. Andrea Ayvazian, Part Two. Andrea is a long time activist for social justice. Her latest creation is the Sojourner Truth School for Social Change Activism, a unique and widespread free school to teach about social justice movement building skills. It is an inspiring response to these difficult times in our country.

Going Deeper with Frank Marchand, January, 2019. Frank is the guy you call when your pipes freeze in the winter or your faucet drips. For 43 years Frank has run a Plumbing business. We first met him at home when one of these problems occurred. But there is more. In 2014, Frank was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. His philosophical and spiritual telling of these past years brought him on Going Deeper. And, as of this writing, he is still going strong, spreading his love and positivity everywhere.

Going deeper with Ani Tuzman, Part One. Ani published The Tremble of Love in 2017, a multi-decade project of her’s, definitely a labor of love. We spoke about this important novel about the Baal Shem Tov (the Jewish mystic known to be the founder of Hasidic Judaism) and Ani’s life, growing up as a child of Holocaust survivors.

Going deeper with Ani Tuzman, Part Two. Ani published The Tremble of Love in 2017, a multi-decade project of her’s, definitely a labor of love. We spoke about this important novel about the Baal Shem Tov (the Jewish mystic known to be the founder of Hasidic Judaism) and Ani’s life, growing up as a child of Holocaust survivors.

Going Deeper with Johnie Sanders, November, 2019.Johnie Sanders is the Homelessness Organizer for the nonprofit organization, Arise for Social Justice, in Springfield, MA. Overcoming her own adversity growing up, Johnie uses poetry to give her solace and support in her difficult work, and shares some of her original poetry with us.

Melissa ia co-founder and co-director of EmbraceRace, a national community of adults supporting each other to raise a generation of kids who are brave, informed, and proactive on matters of race and racial justice. Please see their website: www.embrace race.org

Going Deeper Interview with Eric Bachrach, founder and executive director for 27 years of the Community Music School of Springfield (CMSS) in Springfield, MA.

Dr. Ruth Bass Green is an educator, teacher of piano and voice, and church musician for over 50 years. She is founder of the Hazelle Catherine Bass Music Institute and retired Dean and Lecturer at Mt. Holyoke College. Her passion resides in knowing that music can lift us up and move us towards peace, something she has worked for her whole life.

Episode Notes Ash Hartwell, an international educator, racial justice activist, and long time resident in several African countries, Egypt, and Afghanistan, shares stories of growing up in Hawaii and his many years abroad. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Andrea Battle, a retired high school teacher of government and social studies is fluent in Chinese, spending considerable time in Taiwan. She is an Iya Losha Priestess in the Santeria/Lukumi Religion and shares about her life. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes My husband, Richard Sclove, completed his 10 year project: a brilliant accomplishment that explains what went wrong in society over the last 400 years and what to do about it. This interview unpacks the substance of the book. This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes Earl Miller is the first Director of the newly formed Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service. This is an important Amherst Town Department to complement the Amherst Police Department in providing safety for all Amherst residents. Earl is wonderful, we are lucky to have him! This podcast is powered by Pinecast.