Multiculturalism Happens Here

Longtime VISIONS consultant and psychologist Dr. Sarah Stearns shares her story, starting with her rural Connecticut upbringing to becoming a founding consultant with VISIONS Inc. In addition to talking about her personal and professional trajectory, she shares how her own experiences with discrimination fueled her commitment to multicultural work and systemic change.This is the final episode of Season 1 of Into Liberation. Please make sure you follow us on your favorite podcast platforms, and sign up for our newsletter to stay updated about what we're doing. See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences.Any opinions and views expressed by the speakers are their own and do not reflect the positions of VISIONS, Inc. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

Today I'm excited to introduce you to Terry Berman, a senior VISIONS consultant,  elder, and mentor to many of newer VISIONS consultants as they have come into this work. Terry grew up in a politically active Jewish family in South Africa, witnessing firsthand the courageous activism of her parents, whose anti-apartheid work forced the family into exile. Terry shares her story, reflecting on the complexities around her white identity and how her early experiences informed a lifetime dedicated to social justice and activism. In this conversation, we talk about Terry's movement from apartheid-era South Africa to the challenges of navigating life in the UK, where she faced deep antisemitism and sexism, to the San Francisco Bay Area where she became deeply involved in women's rights and the LGBTQ community, organizing against police violence and doing solidarity work in Central America before connecting with VISIONS. See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences.Any opinions and views expressed by the speakers are their own and do not reflect the positions of VISIONS, Inc. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

Join us for a conversation with Louise Coggins, longtime VISIONS board member and current board chair of VISIONS, who first met the founders of this organization when high schools integrated in Rocky Mount, NC. So much of VISIONS history and way of being is rooted in its value of relationality. Louise's longtime connection and passionate support of VISIONS, and so many other organizations working for justice, is a testament to this. We start by talking about what it was like to grow up in eastern NC in the 1960s, and the process of integrating the schools. I want to offer a content note for mentions of threats of a couple of different forms violence a few minutes in.We then talk about her work with VISIONS, her career as a therapist, what she feels has and hasn't changed in the last 50 years and what message she has for people who are working toward an equitable and just world now. 2024 is VISIONS 40th anniversary and we're having a big celebration at the State Room in Boston on September 27th! Our guest speakers include Gloria Steinem, Verna Meyers, and The Rev. Dr. William Jay Barber II. Learn more here and join if you can! If you're interested experiencing our approach, VISIONS offers a 75-minute public workshop teaching our Guidelines for Effective Cross Cultural Dialogue on the last Wednesday of each month at 4pm ET / 1pm PT.  It's pay what you can, free if you want, and all are welcome. See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

Join us as we sit down with VISIONS co-founder, longtime consultant, and retired professor public health Dr. John Capitman! Dr. Capitman talks about how he specialized in eldercare and developed community interventions in public health, as well as how his background and the life experiences informed his commitment and his approach, including how a severe car accident and other trials deepened his empathy and understanding of systemic inequalities and the necessity of acknowledging multiple dimensions of oppression. We also explore the formation of VISIONS and its mission to combat oppression, including memorable moments of creating VISIONS with his partner Dr. Valerie Batts. Dr. Capitman's story offers insight into the what is needed to continue this vital work in difficult times.2024 is VISIONS 40th anniversary and we're having a big celebration at the State Room in Boston on September 27th! Our guest speakers include Gloria Steinem, Verna Meyers, and The Rev. Dr. William Jay Barber II. Learn more here and join if you can! If you're interested experiencing our approach, VISIONS offers a 75-minute public workshop teaching our Guidelines for Effective Cross Cultural Dialogue on the last Wednesday of each month at 4pm ET / 1pm PT.  It's pay what you can, free if you want, and all are welcome. See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

What does it mean to embrace a multicultural, democratic society in a nation scarred by Apartheid? Join us for the second part of our interview with Dr. Julian Sonn, who has spent the last thirty years working towards transformational change in South Africa. From the exuberance of the first democratic elections in 1994 to the ongoing quest for inclusivity, Dr. Sonn offers an in-depth look at the power and potential for leadership in bringing about transformation for South Africans. We recorded this just after a historic election took place here that offers powerful potential for change– if people can learn to work together. Dr. Sonn talks about the legacies of colonialism, fascism, and systemic oppression that has left an indelible mark on the country.  As he reflects on both the progress and setbacks over the last three decades, he underscores the potential of the VISIONS model to overcome barriers and move toward multicultural democracy, which has deep implications for understanding both the stakes and the possibilities of the present moment in South Africa and beyond. Will we see you in Boston in September 2024 for VISIONS 40th Anniversary Celebration? Learn more here!Interested in learning more about our approach and model? VISIONS offers a pay-what-you-can (free if you want!) introduction to our Guidelines for Effective Cross Cultural Dialogue on the last Wednesday of every month. All are welcome. Learn more about Guidelines and our other programs here! Some terms:Afrikaans - a language spoken in South Africa with influences from the descendants of European (Dutch, German, and French) colonists, indigenous Khoisan peoples, and enslaved African and Asian people in the Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope.Boers/Afrikaaners -Afrikaans-speaking descendants of Dutch, German, or Huguenot settlers in contemporary South Africa.Broederbond - see Wikipedia.See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

Join us for another VISIONS elder story as we sit down with Dr. Julian Sonn, who has been with VISIONS, quite literally, since its inception. This is another in our series of elder story podcasts that we're doing in honor of our 40th anniversary, which we'll be celebrating in Boston on September 27, 2024. Dr. Sonn is a psychologist and academic, and also worked extensively the VISIONS model while in exile in the US before returning to South Africa in the 1990s as Apartheid was ending. He talks about his early life and the experiences that shaped his outlook, and his trajectory from living in a pretty mixed town pre-Apartheid to experiencing displacement and the impacts of segregation, and how he ended up in the United States as a political exile, which is when he met VISIONS founders Valerie Batts and John Capitman.Dr. Sonn has spent the last 30 years in South Africa, consulting and in university positions working on transformative leadership, which we talk about that more in the next episode.  Will we see you in Boston in September 2024 for VISIONS 40th Anniversary Celebration? Learn more here!Interested in learning more about our approach and model? VISIONS offers a pay-what-you-can (free if you want!) introduction to our Guidelines for Effective Cross Cultural Dialogue on the last Wednesday of every month. All are welcome. Learn more and register here! Some terms: Afrikaans - a language spoken in South Africa with influences from the descendants of European (Dutch, German, and French) colonists, indigenous Khoisan peoples, and enslaved African and Asian people in the Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope.Boers/Afrikaaners -Afrikaans-speaking descendants of Dutch, German, or Huguenot settlers in contemporary South Africa. Broederbond - see Wikipedia.See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

This episode of Into Liberation features a conversation with the extraordinary Dr. Cassandra Joubert, who shares her story of growing up in racially segregated Houston and becoming a passionate advocate for maternal and child health.  Dr. Joubert talks about how her early life experiences and her time at Howard University in the early 1970s (amid the vibrant activism and Pan-Africanist movement) shaped her understanding of complex social issues, her work in her field, and her consulting with VISIONS.  Dr. Joubert also talks about how her mother's advice on financial independence led her to a career in policy advocacy and early childhood development. From research in neonatal intensive care units to leading philanthropic initiatives to ensuring hundreds of people working in early childhood development received VISIONS training, her work has consistently focused on improving the lives of mothers and children. Join us for an episode filled with warmth, wisdom, and inspiration from a life dedicated to making a difference.See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

Join us as we sit down with Vincent Johnson, as he recounts his  trajectory from being a 'third culture kid' to becoming the Director of Equity and Inclusive Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Growing up as the child of a serviceman who was stationed in Okinawa and Taiwan, as well as Washington, DC, Vincent's immersion in different cultures before attending Harvard University shaped his outlook and his approach to his work as a consultant and board member with VISIONS. Vincent recounts the major milestones in his life, including how an afro sparked a memorable Harvard application essay and the ways in which his varied experiences shaped his commitment to creating inclusive spaces at the law school. His story is not just one of personal success; it's a model for how learning to embrace our differences can lead to a more empathetic and just society.VISIONS 40th Anniversary Event is coming up on September 27, 2024! Please join us in Boston to celebrate if you can! New to VISIONS and want to learn what we're about? Our pay-what-you-can Guidelines for Effective Cross-Cultural Dialogue workshop happens on the last Wednesday of every month at 4pm ET. All are welcome. Come join us! See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

What do feelings and emotions have to do with anti-oppression work? Join me as I welcome longtime VISIONS consultant and counselor Felipe Garcia, who specializes in Transactional Analysis, the liberatory psychology framework at the core of our model. Felipe is the author of several articles, including one you may have read if you've been part of a longer VISIONS training called "The Role of Feelings in the Workplace." This year, 2024, is the 40th year of VISIONS existence, and this is another in our ongoing series of stories from elders in our community. VISION was founded in 1984 by a group of psychologists and others who brought their clinical skills to bear on the problem of racism and other forms of oppression, including the role that emotion and feeling plays in anti-oppression work. Not only has Felipe has not only done extensive work in this area–he still actively teaches what he calls The Responsive Process. In addition to Felipe sharing about his background and journey, we talk about what transactional analysis is and why it is so useful in anti-oppression work, and, of course, what the role of feelings in the workplace is!Read more of Felipe's work at https://www.winningtogether.org/See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

You've probably heard about the importance of mental health, but have you ever considered how it intersects with issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion? Join us for a  conversation with Dr. Haley Sparks, the Director of VISIONS' Mental Health Program, as we explore the terrain of DEI work and mental health. Dr. Sparks, a personality psychologist by training, shares about her journey and offers a preview of her upcoming workshop on rest and sustainability at VISIONS' 2024 Spring Summit.The revamped mental health program at VISIONS centers around a coaching model, and is designed to help clients engage in exploration of their identities through an anti-oppression lens.  If you've ever found DEI work challenging, you'll understand the importance of unpacking personal biases and negative experiences in a supportive environment, including the value of affinity work and the advantages of working with clinicians who share similar identities and experiences. Stay tuned for exciting updates on the Mental Health Program, VISIONS 2024 Spring Summit, and our 40th anniversary event, which will take place on September 27, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts! See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

What if you could immerse yourself in a captivating blend of personal stories, history, and introspective exploration, all while gaining powerful insights into racial equity, social justice, and their intricate relationship with land? That's exactly what we're offering in today's episode as we talk about PACE Connect @ Foxfire Ranch, taking place from March 15-19, 2024 in Mississippi's Hill Country. Foxfire Ranch is black sovereignty and community gathering space in Waterford, Mississippi. PACE Connect will be led by our  colleagues and friends, Dr. Jeanne Firth and Jabari Carmichael, who talk us through intersections of racial equity, social justice, and land justice . We further explore the importance of understanding our relationship with land and the histories intertwined with it in the context of outdoor education and leadership development. Mississippi native Jabari illuminates the significance of hosting this workshop in his home state, delving into  themes of community, relationships, and land sovereignty, work that he has done for nearly 13 years with Jeanne, who comes to the questions from a very different intersection of identities and family history. Anette Hollowell, whose family has owned Foxfire Ranch for over 100 years, speaks at the end about the history of the space and how it transformed into what it is today: a place for gathering, connection, and celebrating the tradition of hill country blues music.The music you'll hear in this episode is a hill country blues track called "Foxfire," composed for the venue by musician Lightnin Malcolm (gratefully included with permission from the artist). Curious to know more? Attend the PACE Connect @ Foxfire Ranch Info Session on December 13, 2023 (and register to receive a recording if you cannot make it!). If you missed the registration period, please email programs@visions-inc.org for more information. See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc, a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

Note: This episode was recorded before the events of October 2023.In this episode I speak to longtime VISIONS consultant Dr. Deborah J. Walker, who has spent her life doing anti-oppression work-- a commitment rooted in her experiences growing up in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960s. When she was 12, Dr. Walker was a block away from the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963, when it was bombed-- an inflection moment in the history of civil rights in the US. Dr. Walker takes us back to her childhood in Birmingham, Alabama, painting a vivid picture of the Civil Rights movement and the striking events that occurred in 1960s, from the Children's March, the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, and the 1963 March on Washington to the assassinations of President Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These experiences not only impacted her life, but also set her on the path towards working for social justice, change, and equity.Dr. Walker recounts her professional journey, where she learned to channel her clinical skills to support historically excluded communities — work that eventually led her to VISIONS. From understanding the importance of self-care to building alliances, Dr. Walker takes us through the learnings that not only helped her grow, but also nurtured her resolve to continue speaking truth to power.In the final part of our journey, we talk about the tour that Dr. Walker is leading along the Alabama Civil Rights Trail in May 2024. The trip includes visits to sites like the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Kelly Ingram Park, and the 16th Street Baptist Church. We discuss the  Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) and its striking exhibits on the histories and legacies of enslavement, incarceration, and lynching in United States. Dr. Walker emphasizes how vital it is to understand history as we learn to work together for a more just and equitable future.See what's coming up at VISIONS!About usInto Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc. VISIONS is a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall ...

Note: This episode was recorded before the events of October 2023.In this episode I speak to longtime VISIONS consultant Dr. Deborah J. Walker, who has spent her life doing anti-oppression work-- a commitment rooted in her experiences growing up in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1960s. When she was 12, Dr. Walker was a block away from the 16th Street Baptist Church on September 15, 1963, when it was bombed-- an inflection moment in the history of civil rights in the US.  In this conversation we talk about her early experiences, her entry into the work, and most recently, the tour of the Alabama Civil Rights Trail that she is leading on behalf of VISIONS,  which is taking place in early May, 2024. See what's coming up at VISIONS!About us:Into Liberation: A podcast about transformative change, equity, and liberation is a production of VISIONS, Inc. VISIONS is a non-profit that offers effective tools that help individuals and organizations communicate and forge connections across differences that drive collective success. Since 1984, we've offered research-based, time-tested approaches to cross-cultural learning that invite participants to engage in equity and inclusion work, starting at the personal and interpersonal levels and expanding to include changes toward institutional and cultural levels.Whether it's a book club, around the family dinner table, a school board meeting, or within your company, VISIONS offers actionable approaches that empower people to identify actions, explore their motivations, and effectively move through sometimes complex situations with respect and humanity for others and their differences. Follow us!Instagram: @visionsinc_orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/VISIONS.Inc.1984/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visions-inc.org/Music credit: Tim Hall @tv_hall...

Join us for a much needed conversation to process the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. In this episode we will review the various behaviors we classify as modern oppression and internalized oppression as well as provide you with alternative behaviors to combat their effects. The power and responsibility to irradiate oppression is within all of us.!To continue engaging with this model you can join us at our next training! More information can be found here: Upcoming EventsWhere to find us:Facebook: VISIONS-inc Instagram: @visionsinc_orgTwitter: @VISIONSincorgWebsite: https://visions-inc.org/

In honor of pride month and Juneteenth join me as I speak with Erica Perez from The Network/La Red. In our conversation we discuss the disproportionate violence against the black trans community as it relates to domestic violence and intimate partner violence. Check out these incredible resources that were shared during the podcast: Transgender Emergency Fund: https://transemergencyfund.org/Survived and Punished: https://survivedandpunished.org/GLAD: https://www.glad.org/The Network/ La Red Hotline: 800-832-1901Where to find The Network/La Red:Facebook: @tnlrtnlr https://www.facebook.com/tnlrtnlr/Instagram: @thenetworklared https://www.instagram.com/thenetworklared/Twitter: @thenetworklared https://twitter.com/thenetworklaredWebsite: tnlr.orgWhere to find us:Facebook: VISIONS-incInstagram: @visionsinc_orgTwitter: @VISIONSincorgWebsite: https://visions-inc.org/ 

Happy AAPI Heritage Month AND Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! Join in on a conversation with Hideko Akashi and Yoojin Lee, two VISIONS Consultants, who discuss Mental Health in the AAPI community and how it relates to anti-Asian racism. Also, our guests share important perspectives on structural oppression in relationship to AAPI's experience in the U.S. and examples of historical cross-racial solidarity.  Join them for an upcoming workshop on June 6th about AAPI's and Suicide, to register, use this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aapis-and-suicide-understanding-mental-health-risk-and-resiliency-factors-registration-331658187567Also, check out this incredible set or resources:https://liberationconsulting.padlet.org/libconsultingcollaborative/kb3zw0v3g1fuv18kFollow VISIONS Inc. @visions_inc.org or go to our website: www.visions-inc.orgThanks for listening!

Tori and I revisit a conversation that we started in January regarding the distinction between the issues of Human Trafficking and Sex Work. We talk about gender, incarceration and womanhood from intergenerational and perspective. Tori is the VISIONS Inc. Social Media and Marketing intern. Check out Tori's work by following VISIONS on IG: @visions_inc and like us on Facebook:  VISIONS-incThis episode is full of resources about these subjects but here are few of the ones we mentioned: https://coyoteri.org/wp/Coyote Rhode Island Podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/03P2FVG5OoyVWRJ23ZKVvyAre Prisons Obsolete? by Angela DavisHood Feminism by Mikki KendallJohn Oliver Show

Happy Spring! Happy Nowrooz! Happy two-year anniversary to Elika, our Executive Director. Elika shares about how cultural orientation, experience, and identity inform her role of Executive Director at VISIONS Inc. Through the practice of Cultural Sharing, a classic VISIONS tool, we explore the ways that Elika's identity impacts her understanding of the history of VISIONS and her dreams for the future! For more information follow us on IG: @visions_inc or go to www.visions-inc.org

We know it's March but we are giving you one more Black History Month episode because the celebration of Black History Month is a forever thing.  This final episode in the series covers so much! A relatively uncut conversation with Philadelphia's own Mr. James. Armond James was born and raised in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia, and credits his parents for providing him a strong foundation, and teaching him about hard work, respect and the importance of education. Mr. James graduated from Temple University, where he discovered a passion for teaching and politics.  Armond revels at the opportunity to build relationships with his student's inside and out of the classroom.You can follow Armond James on IG: @FulanijamesfoeFollow VISIONS Inc. on IG: @visionsinc_orgWe hope you had a great Black History Month and that you continue to find ways to stay rooted in history while striving for a better future!

This week I spoke with Marcel Woodruff about how his relationships with young people have informed his vision for the future of the black community. We also discussed the concept of decolonization and how  we can use this framework to center emotional literacy,  healing and historical awareness as we combat systemic oppression.  Marcel Woodruff is a native of Fresno California and graduate of Bullard Hight School. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in computer science from Xavier university of Louisiana and his Master of Divinity from Fresno Pacific University seminary. Marcel has served as mentor, adviser, and life coach from Fresno youth primarily from the South West and South East areas of Fresno for 15 years and during that time has worked with over 3000 youth in Fresno, Ca. Marcel currently works as a youth organizer with Faith in the Valley Fresno, and sits on the board of Neighborhood industries. Marcel is husband to Jolana Woodruff, a father of 3, and a man who loves his community. You can find marcel on Facebook: Marcel Celblock Woodruff, IG: @Marcel_celblock_enterprises Twitter: @CelblockSA or go to advancepeace.org ALSO check out this album featuring music from the youth in Fresno: https://music.apple.com/us/album/compassion-x/1351552587Stay in touch with VISIONS Inc.! Follow us on IG :@visions_inc.org

This week we are discussing education, what the main concerns for black students and educators are and the need to keep it real when it comes to teaching history and "critical race theory" in the classroom.Ayesha Wilson is serving in her second term as a Cambridge School Committee Member. She grew up in the Jefferson Park Public Housing Development in a single-parent first-generation Jamaican-American household and attended public school in Cambridge, and she is the first black woman who grew up in the Cambridge Housing Authority to serve on the Cambridge School Committee. Ayesha's wealth of personal experience with the issues faced in her community informs her approach to leadership every day. Throughout her life and career, she has been advocating for and engaging with the community, and specifically young people. Ayesha earned her Associate's Degree in Human Services from Urban College of Boston, then her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Social Work from Wheelock College. In addition to serving on the School Committee, she currently works for the Cambridge Housing Authority in youth development and as a live-in support specialist for adults with special needs. Ayesha also serves as Secretary for the NAACP Cambridge Branch, on the Board of Directors of YWCA Cambridge, a Member of the Greater Boston Association of Black Social Workers, a Member of the  and is an alum of Emerge Massachusetts. She is passionate about civic engagement, mental health, and making sure that our most marginalized and most underserved have all of their needs met. Ayesha particularly values being a strong role model for young people who want to give back to their community. Many of the projects she has worked on have been aimed at instilling these skills and knowledge in youth, creating the next generation of activists, advocates, and legislators.Follow Ayesha on IG @voteayesha or go to www.voteayesha.com to get involved with her campaign work. 

It's Black History Month! This month VISIONS Now! Features ALL Black Voices on ALL Black Topics ALL month long.  For our Reparations episode Jamila sat down with Aziza Robinson-Goodnight. A Boston based artist, educator and activist, Aziza is and leader in the reparations movement in Boston. We use one of the VISIONS Concepts  to discuss reparations and how it will impact African Americans.  To get involved with the reparation movement you can email: Bostonrepartions@gmail.com or follow The New Democracy Coalition on IG:  @thenewdemocracycoaltionyou can also visit : https://www.ncobraonline.org/ or https://reparationscomm.org/ for more information on the national reparations movement.Follow VISIONS Inc. @visionsinc_orgFollow Jamila @st_jamila

It's Black History Month! This month VISIONS Now! Features ALL Black Voices on ALL Black Topics ALL month long. For our Black Mental Health episode Jamila sat down with Adam Stevens (@dramaadam) to talk about black folks' relationship with the mental health system, theories and approaches that work, and the #blackmentalhealth movement. If you or someone you know is looking for resources in regards to mental health you can check out https://nami.org/Home Adam D-F. Stevens (he|they), MA, RDT, is a Registered Drama Therapist (RDT). He is the Artistic Director of the Collideoscope Repertory Theatre Company (CRTC) in the NYU Steinhardt program in Drama Therapy. He has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Drama Therapy programs at Antioch University in Seattle and Marymount Manhattan College in NYC. He sits on the Board of Directors for the North American Drama Therapy Association (NADTA) as Chair of the Cultural Humility, Equity, and Diversity Committee. Inspired by Robert Landy's Role Method and Role Theory in drama therapy, Adam has presented on and is developing the Black American Role Taxonomy, or BART, offering space for Black clients to reclaim racialized roles and deconstruct stereotypes appropriated by privileged others. In his clinical artistry, Adam looks to center the voices and experiences of marginalized folx.For more information about VISIONS Inc. go to www.visions-inc.org !Follow VISIONS Inc. @visionsinc_orgFollow Jamila @st_Jamila

Did you know that January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month? January 11th was Human Trafficking Awareness day. On this month's podcast I sat down with Jamie Beck, the managing attorney and founder of Free to Thrive (https://www.freetothrive.org/). 

Our July podcast topic is "History of the Land." This edition features a conversation with Jabari Brown, Kevin Connell, Jeanne Firth, and Theo Hilton. They discuss how to acknowledge the history of the land we walk on and build a better future from the knowledge of the past.

In honor of June's Race Unity Day, these old friends still find meaning in talking about Race. "We both love each other and continually grow from being in these conversations about Race along with its myriad of intersectionalities." Join VISIONS Contracts Director Lisa Fagerstrom and VISIONS Consultant Joe Steele as they share their incredible journey as friends. 

While VISIONS plans its first Spring Summit, we talk about the performative actions taken across industries over the past year, and what it would - and could - take to enact long-lasting, impactful change instead. How do we move from performative allyship to substantive change?

A year later: where are we? Some of the VISIONS staff discusses what we've been through, what we've overcome, and what we see VISIONS moving toward.

In this episode we talk with Jane from Fios Consulting about her experience with a new E-Learning tool from VISIONS called, Inclusion In Action. First we start by saying Black Lives Matter, we have always been an anti-racist organization and will continue to fight for racial justice. Contact us with any questions on how we can support you on your journey of anti-racism work.

In this episode, I talk with VISIONS consultant Joe Steel as we discuss the impact of COVID-19 on his work along with how he is responding and reflecting as he is having to stay at home.

In this episode, we get personal with Ariana Gil one of our VISIONS consultants based in Oakland. She shares about her experience as a bi-racial Mexican-American. We end with a challenge to make a relationship across difference. Find us on Instagram @VISIONSinc_org, on Twitter @VISIONSinc_org, Facebook and LinkedIn @VISIONSinc

In this episode, I am speaking with Vincent Johnson, Director of Diversity and Inclusive Excellence at Pittsburg School of Law. We talk about some of the VISIONS tools, and how he has incorporated those tools to create change across students, faculty, and staff. He shares the importance of D.E.I. work with First-Year students and the ways he has seen the positive impacts of the work.

In this episode, we talk with VISIONS Consultant Kyara Andrade about Intersectionality. We get into the weeds of who invented the term aka Kimberly Crenshaw and why she created it. We also share what it means to us at a personal level and how that has changed as more people begin to take on the term "intersectionality".

Happy New Year! Welcome back to MCHH in 2020, we are excited to continue to bring the content that stimulates all dimensions of self. In this conversation, we are talking with Jennifer Heifferon a learning specialist based in Oakland. She shares about her experience working with VISIONS as a client over the years and her most recent experience at our PACE workshop. To find out more information about our PACE workshop you can visit, https://www.eventbrite.com/o/visions-inc-17721170895.

In this episode, Jabari Brown and I have a conversation about Toxic Masculinity. TRIGGER WARNING, We do not get into any of the heavy and violent topics of toxic masculinity and this is more of an entry point conversation. We are both men and this was recorded as a live conversation and not a prepared statement or study against toxic masculinity. I (Isaac Ruelas) as your host do make a statement against toxic masculinity and the oppression of women and femme bodied people. To learn more about VISIONS INC. visit us @ www.visions-inc.org

Multiculturalism Happens Here, 2019 www.visions-inc.orgIn this episode, I talk with Jamila Batts-Capitman about self-care. Why does it matter and what are the different ways we self-care.

In this episode, we get into the ways that being out in Nature and the wilderness can support change when it comes to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Learn more at www.visions-inc.org

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Terry Berman around the ways VISIONS has supported schools that are thinking about change and equity. We get into setting ourselves up for success and pitfalls to avoid.

Episode #8 Multiculturalism Happens HereTalking spirituality with Jamila Batts-Capitman. So excited to introduce Jamila to the MCHH. We get into herstory with VISIONS, and the ways she has influenced change over the years. We also connect around spirituality and healing, and get creative about ways it can influence the work we do.

In this episode we talk with Senior Consultant Terry Berman as she describes her work with Schools over her time with VISIONS. We discuss what schools have been doing right and some easy steps for setting up your school for success when it comes to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion.

www.visions-inc.org Host: Isaac Ruelas Guest: Jabari Brown In this episode, we engage the ways in which perfectionism impacts us at the 4 levels (personal, interpersonal, institutional, cultural) and how liberation we think of liberation in relationship to each other.

website: www.visions-inc.orgDetails: In this episode we talk about the ways that feelings play a role in creating a multicultural space and why they can be helpful in navigating micro-agressions. We also hear from Doug W. a consultant with VISIONS around what liberation means to him.

We are stronger than hate. We stand with our Jewish community that grieves this heinous attack, and against this hateful rhetoric and violence. We also introduce a new segment were we talk about what liberation means to you at the four levels.

Talking about social media at the four levels, personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural. How the lines between interpersonal and cultural get blurred, and what the role of the institutional is? While getting real at the personal level.

In this episode, I look at being an English as a Second Language speaker through the levels of Personal, Interpersonal, Institutional, and Cultural. How a culture of white supremacy does not make room for differences and uses language to dismiss people with ESL. And how to stay in your power when experiencing racism bc of how you communicate.

Why multiculturalism matters and how it applies to today and the differences that we are constantly trying to navigate.