Kaleidoscope

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A podcast about identity, faith and social engagement in dangerous times. In intimate conversations with activists, entertainers, authors and spiritual leaders, journalist Deborah Jian Lee unpacks stories about love, life, faith and justice. Prepare to laugh and be transformed as we explore the pa…

Deborah Jian Lee


    • Jun 29, 2018 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 18m AVG DURATION
    • 22 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Kaleidoscope

    Mini: That's A Wrap

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2018 13:01


    Kaleidoscope wraps up the season with highlights featuring rebels, squishy feelings, and loads of joy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Jade Perry — Reclaiming Self-Care

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2018 30:55


    Jade Perry is a mystic and activist who writes about the intersections of race, spirituality and chronic illness. As a tarot card reader, emerging herbalist, and multimedia artist, Jade wears many hats. Jade also always wears tasteful glasses. In this episode, Jade talks about the fluidity of disability, an experimental strip class, and her grandmother’s style of resistance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mini: Spoon Theory 101

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2018 7:25


    Chronic illness and disability writer, Jade Perry, explains Spoon Theory. The idea offers an effective and important framework for folks in the chronic illness community, and it’s making its way into the mainstream lexicon. Jade joins Kaleidoscope to explain this theory so we all can be in the know. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Deborah Jian Lee — “Love & Basketball” [Rebroadcast]

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2018 31:58


    We’ve got a format breaker episode for you. This week, Deborah Jian Lee takes us on a journey through her life, work and the origin story of Kaleidoscope. Buckle up for a wild ride of basketball, heartbreak, and a secret underground party.(CW: sensitive language, racism, violence) Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow Deborah @deborahjianlee. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mini: "I Could Be A Jedi"

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2018 12:16


    A tour through Hollywood moments that have made Kaleidoscope’s diverse audience feel seen and heard. In this episode about representation done right, nostalgic listeners open up about the life-changing experience of seeing themselves portrayed positively in media. This special episode touches on Asian-American tropes, complex identities and, of course, sex and cake. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Cindy Wang Brandt — “Mom’s a Heretic”

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2018 23:40


    “Unfundamentalist parenting” advocate Cindy Wang Brandt on deprogramming from toxic parenting culture. Brandt is an author, blogger and founder of the popular Facebook group “Raising Children Unfundamentalist.” The group’s tagline is, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and systematically decimate capitalism, racism & cis-heteropatriarchy.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mini: #Halp! Toxic Boyhood

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2018 7:48


    A listener sees toxic masculinity in her kid’s friend group and asks for advice. Author, blogger, and founder of an unfundamentalist parenting group, Cindy Wang Brandt, offers guidance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mahdia Lynn – Beach Moments

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2018 24:46


    Trans Muslim activist Mahdia Lynn gets real about her life and work. She unpacks the hard times - mental illness, addiction, and police brutality - but also the life-affirming times that revolve around justice, resistance, and hot sauce. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mini Episode: The Queer Underground

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2018 13:02


    What’s the story behind Kaleidoscope’s tagline? Every episode ends with, “Let the world see you. When they do, they’ll never be the same.” This mini episode reveals how this quote came from an unrequited love story at an underground queer club, all set against the backdrop of an anti-queer campus.(CW: homophobia) Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow Deborah @deborahjianlee. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Deborah Jian Lee – “Love & Basketball”

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2018 31:58


    We’ve got a format breaker episode for you. This week, Deborah Jian Lee takes us on a journey through her life, work and the origin story of Kaleidoscope. Buckle up for a wild ride of basketball, heartbreak, and a secret underground party.(CW: sensitive language, racism, violence) Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Follow Deborah @deborahjianlee. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mini Episode: #Halp! Hamster Wheel of Despair

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2018 12:39


    Two listeners experiencing terrible times write in seeking guidance on how to survive and move forward when life falls apart.New York Times best-selling author Kate Bowler, who write about life after her stage four cancer diagnosis in Everything Happens for a Reason, And Other Lies I’ve Loved, offers her advice. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Kate Bowler — Rage and Romance

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2018 32:44


    Kate Bowler, Duke Divinity professor and prosperity gospel scholar, wrestled with this theology’s promise of wealth and health after receiving a stage four cancer diagnosis at 35. In this conversation, Kate opens up about how this crisis changed everything - faith, friendship, romance - and about how surprising beauty can blossom from terrible times.Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.Follow Kate @katecbowlerFollow Deborah @deborahjianlee See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mini Episode: #Halp! Social Justice Newbie

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2018 8:33


    A listener, "Social Justice Newbie," writes in with post-election regret and a resolve to mobilize her church toward political engagement. But then she hits hurdles. Michelle Higgins, a St. Louis-based activist and church leader, weighs in with lessons from the front lines, book recommendations and concrete advice. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Trauma Laughter

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2018 32:46


    Michelle Higgins is a church leader and racial justice activist in St. Louis. Her message, that blackness is integral to the church, is often met with apathy, rejection and even death threats by some white evangelical peers. In this episode, Michelle talks about the challenges of her work, about the cost of putting herself out there and why she keeps going. (CW: sensitive language, racism, threats of violence) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mini Episode: Danny & Rueben

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2018 10:39


    On this mini episode, we’re sharing an extra from Deborah's interview with Danny Cortez.He’s the Southern Baptist pastor who changed his position on LGBTQ equality in 2013. He came out as LGBTQ-affirming coincidentally right before his son Drew came out as gay. So after after Danny became LGBTQ-affirming and his church became a Third Way congregation, it opened him up to new practices. This is the story of the first time Danny did something he never expected to do.Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Danny & Drew Cortez - "Love is a Choice"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2018 29:03


    This episode features pastor Danny Cortez and his son Drew. In one car ride in 2013, they came out to each other for different reasons, and it turned their world upside down. In conversations with each of them, we learn about the triumphs and troubles that followed. (TW: homophobia, self harm, religious trauma, depression)Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    tw cortez love is a choice danny cortez
    Mini Episode: Intersectionality 101 with AnaYelsi Velasco Sanchez

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 11:02


    In this week’s mini episode, we’re introducing a new special segment. It’s called 101. A 101 is a quick crash course in a word or issue that might be new to some of us. We invite guests who specialize in these topics to unpack them.This is Intersectionality 101 with AnaYelsi Velasco Sanchez. AnaYelsi is a faith organizing and racial justice educator. She identifies as an immigrant and IndoLatinx Venezuelan. She has a number of interconnected social identities, making her just the right person to explain this concept.Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mini Episode: #Halp! Racist Relatives and finding $$$

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2018 13:29


    This week on #Halp, Kaleidoscope's advice column, M. Barclay and Eboo Patel answer listener questions about confronting racist relatives and finding money for good causes. Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Mini Episode: Imagining a non-binary world with M Barclay

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2018 6:59


    M Barclay dishes about thrill and awkwardness of dating after coming out as queer, imagining a non-binary world and beach parties.Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Eboo Patel — From Discord to Decency

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2018 24:15


    Eboo Patel is a former faith advisor to President Barack Obama and the co-founder of Interfaith Youth Core, which aims to make cooperation among religions a social norm. In this episode Eboo discusses his challenges promoting religious tolerance and raising Muslim children in this current hostile era.Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    M Barclay — Breaking the Binary

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2018 27:58


    M Barclay is the first non-binary trans person commissioned as deacon in the United Methodist Church. In this episode, we follow M over their 12 year path to ordination. Along the way M opens up about coming out… twice, dealing with public rejection and the turmoils of love.Learn more about the show at kscopepod.com and don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

    Trailer — Welcome to Kaleidoscope

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2017 2:19


    A sneak peek into season one of Kaleidoscope. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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