The Beth Zemsky Podcast

Welcome back to a new episode of Interact/Interconnect: The Beth Zemsky Podcast!!! Over the past few months, I've taken a break from the podcast to share with you the Facing Change Building Board Diversity (link) videos. These videos are still available on my website in case you haven't yet had a chance to check them … Continue reading "Over It So Now What with Liz Loeb (BZP025)"

With Guest Athena Adkins

Many people understand abolitionism as something connected to the effort to end chattel slavery in the US that ended with the Civil War and Emancipation. In this episode of the podcast, Beth is joined by LaDonna Sanders Redmond to discuss modern day abolitionism as a paradigm for healing our institutional systems and ourselves from oppression. … Continue reading "Abolitionism with LaDonna Sanders Redmond (BZP023)"

I am honored that this episode of the podcast is launched in partnership with Valarie Kaur's People's Inauguration https://thepeoplesinauguration.org/ Valarie organized this People's Inauguration out of the recognition that while a renewed functional government is necessary, it will not alone transform our communities into places were all of us are valued and free. Rather all of us … Continue reading "The People's Inauguration (BZP022)"

Beth welcomes Nisha Anand from Dream Corps to the Beth Zemsky Podcast. Links for more: https://www.thedreamcorps.org https://www.ted.com/talks/nisha_anand_the_radical_act_of_choosing_common_ground_nov_2020

For this episode, Beth catches up with her longtime friends Antonio Cardona, LaCora Bradford Kesti, and Ernest Comer – three of the people who have been instrumental in the impact Public Allies Twin Cities has been making in the lives of young people and the broader community for the last ten years. We dig into … Continue reading "Public Allies Twin Cities 10th Anniversary (BZP020)"

  For this episode, via Zoom from California, Beth welcomes her old friend and colleague, civil rights attorney, writer, filmmaker, activist, and current world-changer, Valarie Kaur. With her new book, See No Stranger (www.SeeNoStranger.com), hot off the press, and the Revolutionary Love Project (www.RevolutionaryLoveProject.com) she founded going viral online, we catch up with Valarie for … Continue reading "Revolutionary Love with Valarie Kaur (BZP019)"

In our first ever Zoom episode of the Beth Zemsky Podcast (and our second one featuring Beth's dog, Bert), we focus in on how opportunities for introspection and systemic change are often brought about by crisis. We talk about how crisis can often reveal things about ourselves and our organizations that we'd maybe rather not see, and about the temptation … Continue reading "Intentionality in Crisis (BZP018)"

In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Beth's longtime friend and colleague Cynthia Zwicky about the ancient tradition and emerging movement work field of Restorative Justice. While we talk about Cynthia's experience primarily within the context of the education system, we also reflect on how the practice of restorative justice can provide a … Continue reading "Restorative Justice with Cynthia Zwicky (BZP017)"

On today's episode, we tackle the huge topic of leadership with Beth's longtime friend and colleague, former Executive Director of the Headwaters Foundation for Justice, David Nicholson. We take a bit of a “thinking-out-loud” approach to the topic and frame it within the scope of the many kinds of leadership currently on display in this country … Continue reading "Leadership with David Nicholson (BZP016)"

In this episode, Beth sits down with her longtime friend and colleague, Dave Mann for a chat about the emerging and evolving individual and collective narratives of the upcoming 2020 Presidential Election. We talk about what messaging is gaining traction, what isn't, and what's maybe just starting to. We talk about how this election already … Continue reading "The Emerging Narratives of the 2020 Presidential Election with Dave Mann (BZP015)"

A special bonus on location edition of The Beth Zemsky Podcast featuring Barbara Satin and Rebecca Voelkel. Together, they and Beth celebrate 195 years of collective activism along with a room full of their closest friends while raising funds to support the important work of the National LGBTQ Task Force.

Buckle up for an all-star edition of the Beth Zemsky Podcast as Beth welcomes back Rev. Dr. Rebecca Voelkel and welcomes for the first time to the podcast, community icon Barbara Satin. Together, we reflect on their collective 195 years of service and activism as we approach their triple birthday bash and fundraiser for the … Continue reading "Activism and Legacy with Barbara Satin and Rev. Dr. Rebecca Voelkel (BZP013)"

In this episode, we sit down with Beth's longtime friend and comrade Rox Anderson, Director of the Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition and Rare Productions. We touch briefly on a few of the complexities surrounding the recent events involving Minnesota State Representative Ilhan Omar and talk about how moments like these can be leveraged by outside … Continue reading "The Power of Community Spaces in Movement Building with Rox Anderson (BZP012)"

Happy Hanukkah! In this episode we sit down with Beth's longtime friend and colleague Susan Raffo to talk about Healing Justice. We talk about its history, how the concept itself is rooted in the ancient wisdom of cultures around the world, and how it's just recently begun to gain greater visibility in the broader Social … Continue reading "Healing Justice with Susan Raffo (BZP011)"

In this episode, we talk about the state of our democracy, our world, the challenges our communities are facing from inside and out, and what we as individuals feeling lost in the middle of it all… can do about it. We also talk about how the lessons and traditions from the Jewish High Holidays (and … Continue reading "Reflections on the Teachings of Rosh Hashana for Movement Builders (BZP010)"

In this episode, we talk Narrative Strategy with Beth's colleague Eleonore Wesserle, Communications Consultant and founder of the new Narrative Strategy Consulting firm Dreams To Power. We talk about Eleonore's “Now Wow How” issue framing system and how it can be used to maximize our Movement Building work. We also apply some basic Narrative Strategy concepts … Continue reading "Narrative Strategy with Eleonore Wesserle (BZP009)"

In Episode 8, we talk about the events taking place around immigration, Trump's performance in North Korea, the trend of celebrities reinforcing polarization by responding to hate with hate, the media's obsession with the Mueller investigation (to the exclusion of other news), the Right's most recent attack on pre-existing conditions, the increasing radicalization of the … Continue reading "An All Current Events Edition of The Beth Zemsky Podcast (BZP008)"

Welcome to a very special edition of The Beth Zemsky Podcast! For episode 7, we venture deep into the caverns below the University of Minnesota on an epic quest to officially archive the first 6 episodes of The Beth Zemsky Podcast, and to commemorate Episode 100 of The Twin Cities Pride Podcast. For our expedition, … Continue reading "Commemorating Episode 100 of The Twin Cities Pride Podcast with Lisa Vecoli, Curator of The Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies at the University of Minnesota (BZP007)"

In this episode, Beth talks about the recent Facilitating Cultural Change workshop, her experience at the 30th Annual Creating Change Conference sponsored by the LGBTQ Task Force, the truth behind Trump's “booming” economy narrative, and other slight-of-hand tactics that the Right continues to engage in behind the smokescreen of the day-to-day distractions and trauma. In … Continue reading "Building Relationships Across Polarization (BZP006)"

Beth and Phyllis talk about how organizations can work towards equity and make a difference in their communities through Intercultural Organizational Development. Along the way, we also briefly discuss Net Neutrality, the CDC's list of newly banned words, the Alabama Senate race, and reacting to trauma in a polarized world. Beth and Phyllis also share … Continue reading "Intercultural Organizational Development and Systems Change with Phyllis Braxton (BZP005)"

A special double-length episode with Rev. Dr. Rebecca Voelkel. Beth and Rebecca reflect on lessons regarding values-based intersectional movement building that they gleaned from their history of faith-based organizing. They also talk about the implications of these lessons for secular organizers in this time of deep polarization, particularly the difference we each can make through … Continue reading "Faith-Based Organizing and Graceful Engagement with Rev. Dr. Rebecca Voelkel (BZP004)"

Beth talks about how we can redirect our anxiety and our reactive energy into movement building actions that can help to reinforce and communicate our collective core values.

This episode focuses on the concept of issues-based vs. values-based organizing. Beth also talks about her trip to Norway, the Philando Castille Verdict, the recent controversy at Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and other current events.

Welcome to the Beth Zemsky Podcast. In Episode One, we get to know a little about Beth. Then we get a brief introduction to Social Change and Movement Building.