This Is Hope

In this episode, I speak with Victoria Bomberry, former professor at the University of California and a minister of transformational programming. Victoria, who is herself indigenous speaks to the invisibility of native people and how colonization is still affecting you and me today. Victoria and her late husband founded the Seventh Generations Fund, which was the first Native American-led and operated foundation. The idea behind it– is to make decisions now as if you were making it for someone else who is seven generations in front of you. Victoria also speaks to the displacement of families and how people of faith should inform how we behave in the world. --------- See more episodes at www.thisishope.us Check out the Seventh Generation Fund here: https://7genfund.org/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

We are entering a New Year. And with that, there are plenty of folks making resolutions to change something in their lives– resolutions that often don't happen. Why does this happen? In this episode, I talk about the cycles of perfectionist fantasies that disable people from accomplishing what they want in life. A perfectionist fantasy is when you think you believe but you don't really believe. When you say you believe, what you mean is you intellectually agree that it's conceivably possible for a person like you to do such a thing. It's important to understand the cycles in our lives that do not help us. This enables us to identify them and change them. Perfectionist fantasies and tomorrow thinking is an incredibly disempowered way to live because we make plans that never happen… In order to break the cycles around us, we must also break the cycles within us. I hope that you can use this as a tool to navigate the plans that you have for the New Year. Important links: Sign up for the Sharity Global Grant Writing Academy: https://info.sharityglobal.com/grant-writing-academy?utm_source=ghl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Grant%20Writing%20Academy Visit my website: www.thisishope.us --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

In this episode, I speak with Reverand Cece Jones-Davis, a graduate from Yale Divinity School, ordained minister, death penalty abolishinist, womens advocate (as well as many other roles). Cece championed the Justice for Julius cause as an abolitionist against the death penalty– Justice for Julius gained momentum over the past year and led to the clemency by the Oklahoma governor. She also released an album called Alive, which is available on Apple, Spotify, Google and Amazon Music. Cece shares with us her wisdom on healing, perspective on retributive justice and capital punishment and shines light on what it means to be a firestarter. This episode was recorded one year ago, when the case for the exoneration for Julius Jones looked BLEAK. Yet, she chose to continue championing him and his family until the thing snowballed. ------------------------------------------------ Sign up for Sharity Global's Grant Writing Academy:  https://info.sharityglobal.com/grant-writing-academy —--------------------------------------------- Cece Jones-Davis's website: https://cecejonesdavis.com/ Alive album: https://cecejonesdavis.hearnow.com/ —--------------------------------------------- Watch the documentary and get involved in Justice for Julius: https://www.justiceforjuliusjones.com/ —--------------------------------------------- If you want to learn more about the theology behind abolishing the death penalty and against retributive justice: https://www.amazon.com/Executing-Grace-Penalty-Killed-Killing/dp/0062347373 https://sojo.net/tags/death-penalty https://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/all-christians-should-oppose-death-penalty/ https://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/death-penalty-pro-life-issue-too/ —--------------------------------------------- This is Hope Podcast Discovering hope through stories of struggle and transformation // This podcast interviews social entrepreneurs and people who are actively engaged in transforming their communities to better understand the process of hope and social transformation. https://www.thisishope.global/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

Show Notes: No one lives a lifetime without facing a tragedy (or two, or three or four of them!) In this solo episode, I share three ways that we can find hope in tragedies. I know that every tragedy is different and presents its own unique challenges... I know tragedies are painful. But what if tragedy is life's way of forcing us to stop-- think-- reorientate-- and in some cases... reset. 1. Tragedies force us to stop. 2. Tragedies teach us what is really important. 3. Tragedies present opportunities to start over, reset or make major changes. I use the analogy of a train, because that's exactly what life is like. We are all like trains running on railroad tracks, carrying loads that only increase as we grow older-- but occasionally our train gets derailed. So what can we learn from it? ------ Ad Links: Do you want to learn to write grants? Join me and other experts at Sharity Global-- and learn how to shake the money tree! Sign up here: https://info.sharityglobal.com/grant-writing-academy?utm_source=ghl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Grant%20Writing%20Academy ------ Visit my website: www.thisishope.us --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

Links Order the book: https://justharvestbook.com/ Get in contact with Greg: www.realtoughlawyers.com View the book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LeiD_QyThQ ------ I want to talk about the largest civil rights case against the U.S. government that you've never heard about. Even crazier, this case is quite recent, happening within our lifetimes…. This month, I sat down with Greg Francis, the lawyer who won the $1.25 billion settlement for black farmers against the U.S. Government. He rallied black farmers and civil rights advocates and provided enough evidence to prove the inherent racism of the USDA throughout its history, which caused black farmers to lose much of the generational wealth that could have impacted today's generation for the better. Better said, this land was stolen. If you are listening to this-- and you have a hard time reconciling or hearing this truth. You are probably living on stolen land… than good. I hope that you lean into that discomforting thought until you find yourself there. I digress… I enjoy talking to Greg Francis because so much of his story reflects what it means to actual hope. I think that hope starts out with a smile or a conversation-- but if you let it catch fire… it'll start disrupting systems and sometimes burning down the frameworks that make us safe-- so that we are forced to reconcile with truth--- Greg's story about how winning this case took getting out of the law firm and into the kitchens and living rooms of real people changed his life-- and while 1.25 billion is a lot of money… it's not even a drop in the bucket next to human dignity that comes with stating your plight-- and being heard by the people and powers that be. That's what these farmers wanted. That's what people all around you want. And if you are intentional and critically aware… you probably have the ability to do more healing than you'll ever know. People start to heal the moment they feel heard-- Greg fought to have that happen. And he's still fighting for that. Enjoy the conversation. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

There's too much to talk of transformation and not enough action. This is often, because situations in life seem so big and people don't know where to start. So, they throw their arms up and say... "I wish there was something I can do." And then do nothing. This is a form of learned helplessness. We feel we can't do anything or that whatever we do will impact nothing. So we do nothing.  Not in this community! In this episode, I explain a practical tool to help anyone start a project of their own-- from beginning to end. So, that anyone in the This Is Hope community can start taking proactive steps to personal and communal transformation. Find out more about me and view other episodes at www.thisishope.us Follow me on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Carina Lopez a naturopathic doctor who dedicates her life to offering integrated services to the community she was raised in as well as other communities facing systematic oppression. Transformation cannot be compartmentalized. A person is a whole body, spirit and mind and so is a community. Learning how to integrate these elements is important when addressing personal and social transformation. This episode is important for anyone who is working with social changes or transformation in any sector. We talk about: Ways to address roots issues and not symptoms of an issue Unique challenges that underserved communities face within their bodies Transgenerational trauma Birthing trauma Traditional medicine Dr. Lopez has written for the Daily News, Huffington Post, Riverdale Press, NDNR, Latinista and has studied under world-renowned healers, so she's really got some wisdom to drop. ----------------------------- Show Notes: 1:00 What was your origin story? 2:00 Birthing trauma 7:00 What have you overcome to get to where you are right now? The title MD is only going to give me a license to medicate my own community. Trangenerational trauma 14:00 What are unique challenges that people who are coming from oppressed communities face within their bodies? 20:20 What kind of advice do you have for someone who has a lot to unpack, but is rarely in a social environment that allows it? 25:00 Sistine Madonna and the relinquishment of power and beauty. View here: www.thisishope.us/blog 28:00 How did you get from New York City to Greece? 33:15 Pitfalls to the compartmentalization of transformation 36:00 What happened to homeopathy? 40:00 Learn from your community ____________________ Contact the Guest Doctor Carina Lopez vitalisthealingtraditions.com doctorcarinalopez@gmail.com ____________________ Contact the Host Amethyst Rodriguez www.thisishope.us amethyst@thisishope.us ____________________ Health Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast or reading this blog, you agree not to use this podcast or blog as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast or blog. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

The blog I referenced during the episode (about the year I spent "licking my wounds") is: https://www.thisishope.global/blog/2019/1/11/a-2018-marked-by-gratefulness This episode explains my personal account as a twelve-year missionary who spent a decade in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. This account explains the beauty and woes of working as a woman and minority in a faith-based organizational context. It is both a reflection, a critique and a tribute to all those who build and break. It also puts the nails into the coffin of one life-- so that I can truly live with the one that I have now.

Episode 7: Turn a Disability into an Ability + Tea and Social Work in Japan In this episode, I speak with Yuko Satoh, the director of the Tsubasa Institute and owner of the Tree of Life Aroma & Herb Cafe in Takarazuka city, Japan. Yuko contracted a rare disease when she was 24 years old that hospitalized her for 10 years and left her wheelchair-bound. Despite her setbacks, Yuko pursued her dream to start a small cafe. This eventually led her in starting an organization that offers social services for the physically and mentally handicapped. This interview is conducted through a translator who is a friend and fellow social entrepreneur, Eriko Miller who is also from Japan. This interview in anyone interested in how to: Turn your disability into an ability Serve the mentally and physically handicapped Listen to transformative voices Serve the country of Japan How to stay in contact with Yuko Satoh and the Tsubasa Institute: tsubasa-support.love Instagram.com/inochinoki_surumesyok --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

Show Notes: Intro The story behind Gatorade and the wide world of sports drinks. 6:30 Water Deprivation in Sports 8:30 Growing up in a family of inventors 9:45 How a sports drink became famous 12:00 The Gatorade lawsuit 13:15 How the conflict was the blessing 15:00 Leveraging Funding to bring in more funding 17:00 Selling your idea 17:30 What is the difference between an inventor and an entrepreneur? 20:30 Addressing Sustainability 23:00 Defining Inventivity 24:00 What is the Invent possible curriculum? 25:30 What does the Cade Museum do? 26:00 Bringing invention into a computer 28:00 Addressing the fear inside of yourself 30:30 Addressing your wounds and your scars 32:00 Embracing the parts of your story that you want to hide 33:00 How do you know that a wound is now a scar? 34:30 How do you find your community partners? 36:45 What happens when things don't go your way? 37:15 What is the Cade Museum? 38:30 How did you build the Cade Museum 39:45 What it means to be a bridge 41:00 Solving a community problem 43:00 How to organize communities 45:00 How to be in contact theo Phoebe and the Cade Museum Quotes: It is what is to be human is to be creative Failure is just as important as success because you learn better from what you did wrong. It's a launching point to move forward and continue. The inventive mindset is -- using your (23:30) Inventivity in a person is someone that is motivated by problems, not overwhelmed. The invention is never a solitary endeavor. You are so much more effective in your ministry if you minister from a scar, rather than a wound-- or even something you've never experienced at all. Links: https://www.cademuseum.org/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

In this episode, I talk with Idalia Martinez, an educator and writer who has dedicated her life to helping women and their families through traumatic situations. Idalia shares her story of domestic violence and gives insight into some of its causes and effects. She also shares practical steps toward prevention, healing, stopping generational cycles. 1:10 - Intro to Voicelessness, Anger and Violence 3:30 - Idalia Martinez's Bio 4:30 - How Idalia and I met 5:45 - What's not in your bio? 6:10 - What is domestic violence? 7:30 - Idalia explains her experience with domestic violence 10:00 - How can domestic violence affect life later 12:00 - Don't forget about the babies 12:30 - "Children speak when the chickens urinate" 14:00 - Importance of a child's voice 16:00 - The Silent Generation 17:00 - What makes a person voiceless? 19:00 - How can a person identify that they are voiceless? 22:30 - Where does the "Angry Bitch" stereotype come from? 24:00 - What is "the monster"? 29:00 - Is there a morality to anger? 29:30 - How do we identify anger? 32:20 - What are practical ways to express anger? 38:40 - What advice can you give to someone who is staying silent to survive? 44:45 - How does violence, anger and voicelessness affect the next generation 46:15 - How can we reframe our narrative around anger, especially regarding the gender norms associated with women 50:00 - Contact info for Idalia BOOK INFO Turn Domestic Violence to Victorious Dignity by Idalia Rosa-Martinez For pre-order ebook or info send email to idalia@irmwritescompany.com MENDING THE SCARRED INFO Contact me - MTSLadybug20@gmail.com OR mendingthescarredbypjm.com for ministry and retreat information. ANGER MANAGEMENT INFO - Total Life Counseling www.totallifecounseling.com Orlando - 407- 248-0030 Anger Management courses $99 8 hr in person course Orlando Anger Management 407-622-1770 No Insurance - Intern scale counselors available Celebrate Recovery www.celebraterecovery.com Pind a local meeting http://celebraterecoverygabc.com Freedom from Anger for Men Alejandra Proaño Healing Anger 778-322-3329 email - ale@healinganger.ca https://healinganger.ca Redeemer Counseling 407-405-7677 New Life Counselors 800-New-Life https://newlife.com Love UnVeiled Transforming Women into God's Image of Beauty 407-385-5796 email - info@loveunveiled.org Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Overcomers aceovercomers.org DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INFO - Florida Hotline - 1-800-500-1119 Finding Your Voice - TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL www.toastmasters.org Find a local club to help you Pind your voice --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

Episode 4: Why This Is Hope In this episode, I share a small part of my story and explain why I am choosing to create this podcast. 1 - I share about my vulnerabilities to doing the podcast. 2 - I share about a spiritual experience that I had as a teenager, which has guided my journey thus far. This experience has influenced the making of this podcast. 3 - I share a little bit of my background as a missionary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 4 - I share about where we find hope. 5 - I share why I want to do this and who it is for. ➡️ Search for

In this podcast, I interview Dave Lockridge, the founder of ACE Overcomers a Center for Resiliency and Trauma-Informed Training. Dave shares a about The ACE Study, the largest study of its kind with more than 17,000 participants. The purpose of the study was to see how stressful and traumatic childhood experiences influence later physical and emotional health. The study observed 10 types of adverse childhood experiences: emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, domestic violence against the mother, mental illness of a family member, substance abuse in the home, parental separation or divorce, imprisonment of a household member. As your ACE score increases, the risk for the following health problems increases in a strong and graded fashion: alcoholism and alcohol abuse, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), depression, ischemic heart disease (IHD), liver disease, fetal death, illicit drug use, smoking, attempted suicide, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, partner violence, obesity. Dave specializes in teaching survivors of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) how to understand trauma, so they can better care for themselves while overcoming the effects of ACEs. He also trains businesses about trauma, so they can better care for those who are still suffering from adverse childhood experiences. You can contact Dave at dave@aceovercomers.org and visit the website at www.aceovercomers.org 1:00 - What's your Origin Story 2:00 Pastors Marry people and they bury people 3:20 What is an ACE? 5:30 Prevention vs remediation 6:30 How God Called Dave 7:30 The ACE Overcomers Curriculum 10:00 Mini ACE Survey 14:00 What does a person's ACE Score mean? 15:45 Toxic Stress - How Stress Affects the Body 18:00 Where's the hope in having a high ACE score? 19:00 Congress Woman Shot and she was able to retrain her brain 21:00 Stigmas associated went mental conditions 22:00 Diagnosis and Trauma 24:00 Medications and Regulation 29:00 Can someone who struggles with trauma help others with trauma? 33:00 Self Talk and Stinkin' Thinkin' 35:00 Stress and Cognitive Functioning -------- This is Hope is a podcast that discovers hope through stories of struggle and transformation // The podcast interviews social entrepreneurs and people who are actively engaged in transforming their communities to better understand the process of hope and social transformation. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

In this episode, I interview JoAnn Flett, the managing director at Partners Worldwide, which is an organization that mobilizes long-term, hands-on global relationships to form a faith-based network that uses business as the way to create flourishing economic environments in all parts of the world. JoAnn was a professor of social entrepreneurship and also a Fulbright Scholar for a project that she continues to work with in Trinidad and Tobago. We talk about her process of using business as a model for transformation, a theological framework for social entrepreneurship and we explore some of the projects she's been working with. What is Social Entrepreneur? A social entrepreneur is a person who pursues novel applications that have the potential to solve community-based problems. These individuals are willing to take on the risk and effort to create positive changes in society through their initiatives. Social entrepreneurs may believe that this practice is a way to connect you to your life's purpose, help others find theirs, and make a difference in the world (all while eking out a living). You can follow JoAnn Flett on LinkedIn or by emailing her at flettjoann@gmail.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

Postcards from Babylon: The Church in American Exile Brian Zahnd and David and Kathi Peters with Global Story Films The discussion of Christian Nationalism with the Church being front and center of the conversation presents an opportunity for voices on the margins of Christianity in the United States to be highlighted. U.S. of American Evangelical Christianity has a lot of influence, through its money and its loud voice. But it's arguably, on the decline. I want to highlight a Christian pastor Brian Zahnd and thought leader and two intrepid filmmakers, David and Kathi Peters who are presenting a different version of the Christian expression in the U.S. Postcards from Babylon: The Church in American Exile is a book and documentary that deconstructs Christian Nationalism and civic religion. It challenges assumptions, that many Evangelicals have taken as truth or have blatantly ignored. It offers an alternative perspective and some guidance on how to navigate a faith journey outside of the prevailing Evangelical norms. Watch the film at https: www.postcardsdoc.com Purchase Brian Zahnd's book through his website: www.brianzahnd.com Subscribe through www.thisishope.us for more resources on finding hope in unexpected places and amplifying it. Music Credit: Freedom by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031 Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/-_freedom Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/vJdHGwJKMwY --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message

This is the promo video for This is Hope Podcast which is launching on January 26, 2021. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thisishope/message