WHAT WE GON DO?

MY MY MY!!!! This is your host Tre Borden, and I don't know about you but after the last few days, weeks, months and years of so much upheaval and ridiculousness, culminating with last night's nail-biter of an election, I AM TIRED. So many of us have been working tirelessly fighting against racism and inequity, and meanwhile have had to do whatever possible to provide safe environments for our families and communities during a global pandemic. We have created an episode to give you a taste of what meditation and healing looks like alongside some instruction on how to create a practice for yourself. We are so fortunate to have two amazing women of color who are creating more visibility for Black people in the healing industry and who are promoting wellness within the BIPOC communities. Leah Barros and Jazmin Hicks are going to take you through a healing session to relieve stress, reconnect and restore balance as we recuperate from one of the most stressful periods in modern history. They will also provide information on wellness practices and how to build capacity in your life for your own healing and emotional and spiritual vitality.

For much of this podcast we've been focusing on elevating the voices of BIPOC and progressive leaders who understand the daunting but worthwhile task of striving for an equitable society. Given our limited time and resources, and the near constant battle against exhaustion and dismay, it is justifiable to focus one's energy on the people who already understand what needs to be done and leave the people on the other side or who couldn't care less one way or another to their own devices. It is also unfair for BIPOC people, who for so long have shouldered more than their share of the burden in the fight for racial equality to have to endure convincing white people why this is a vital priority for our society. That all being said, we just experienced an election which was a referendum on the direction our country was headed under Trump, and a bewildering 77 million+ people for four more years of his leadership despite all we've seen during this administration. The overwhelming majority of those people are white, and in fact the majority of white people voted for what can arguably be called an unprecedented regression into a divisive, racist and anti-equality America the likes of which we hoped not to see again. What to do? While it is tempting to write those people off as lost causes who don't deserve our time, it is very difficult to imagine a country or a world that has embraced the changes many of us consider essential while so many of us continue to ignore and fight against an appropriate recognition of these issues. Going further, if we want to create a world without racism it is simply impossible to do this without white people being at the center of this transformation. It is very difficult to admit, but there needs to be a significant and successful effort to bring people together, across a seemingly uncrossable chasm of mistrust and disdain, if we have any hope of seeing a better world. To discuss this we invited Aja Davis and Molly Ola Pinney, co founders of the Facebook group White People Doing Something. The interracial couple began the group to engage white people in productive conversations around race and engagement after the George Floyd murder, and it has grown into a very robust group of 40,000 doing daily actions around engaging white people in difficult conversations and giving them the tools to create change in their communities. They discuss their philosophy with host Tre Borden in this week's episode that gives us some food for thought about the many approaches that are necessary to create a world where racism does not exist.

Guests: Qween Amor - Activist, Performance Artist, Nurse Omega Chuckii - Training and Outreach Manager, Oakland LGBT Center Ebony Harper - Advocate, Philanthropy Consultant, Activist It is so important to use this platform to center voices and perspectives that don't get nearly the focus and visibility they deserve especially those who represent communities under attack. Fewer communities are more threatened or marginalized than the Transgender community. Despite huge strides in cultural visibility via shows like POSE and prominent trans activists entertainers and even politicians in recent years, Trans people are still the most likely group to encounter violence and the least likely to receive justice. When you talk about Trans people of color at the intersection of a racist and transphobic society, it is even grimmer. Despite judicial victories at the Supreme Court and recent legislation in California, the Trump administration's assault on Trans people and the newly minted conservative majority on the Supreme Court make clear many of these gains are fragile and in peril. But that is not the whole story. Trans people are some of the strongest, most generous, most hilarious and aware people there are, and I think it is a fitting time to give them the floor to explain how they are interpreting the world right now. Qween Amor, Omega Chuckii, and Ebony Harper represent the best of activism, indomitability, humor and the knowledge of real shit that allows people to take care of themselves and others. This is the best episode we have produced, and I encourage you to listen to the ENTIRE EPISODE and get your life.

Featured Guests: Bill Borden - US Air Force Pilot and Vietnam Veteran, Tre's Dad Dr. Marsha Hirano - Nakanishi - Retired Vice Chancellor for CSU System, Second generation Japanese-American. 2020 has tested us to the breaking point. Many of us have suffered greatly as a result of the pandemic, and for people of color that suffering has compounded an already cumbersome daily reality that comes with living in a society built upon racism and exploitation. The upcoming election offers some comfort, but also comes with the knowledge that even if the election results in a new president, there is so much work to do to create a society that acknowledges and attempts to correct the moral wrongs that have led to our present calamity. It is exhausting! It is in times like this that we need to truly summon our resilience and ask our elders how they have managed to make it this far and perhaps give us a bit of perspective and context for what's to come. To do that we talked to two incredible people who have seen and experienced so much of the best and worst of America and lived to tell the tale. The first is Bill Borden, host Tre Borden's father, who is a 77 year old Vietnam vet, former Air Force pilot who has a lot to say about this country, why what is happening now is necessary, and why America is still the greatest country on earth; the second is Dr. Marsha Hirano-Nakanishi, the child of Japanese parents who went through internment, who went on to go to Stanford and Harvard on her way to becoming a long-time education administrator as Vice-Chancellor of the CSU system. She is also the mother of Tommy Nakanishi, friend of the podcast and dear friend and social justice warrior based in LA. Both Bill and Marsha have gone through many cycles of progress and chaos in this country, they have both endured the death of their soulmates, and yet, they still have an indomitable and joyful spirit that carries them and offers us a lot to think about as a new generation takes the mantle of building a world that can work for everyone. Join us and please subscribe to the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&v=cEkEjZXoY7o&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwhatwegondo.captivate.fm%2F&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbE1QSE1kWnB2UV9Bc1ZWTktwT1EtYkdSbWs5d3xBQ3Jtc0tsMUJ0NFQ3QlBnZExPYjNvX1Q5OTFNRHZWNzh0cFBadFd5NGw2MUJnRFRvUUxRTTFjdTlTOTZNdS1HRGNXTWtobWxRRFdDc1VnVVM5Vi1SVjIyWUJGc2ZlNVU5YWUwbm15WnNPM0ZxcUpRV1czRGNtSQ%3D%3D (http://whatwegondo.captivate.fm/)

Guests: Jodi Hicks - CEO and President, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California Adama Iwu - Activist and Co-Founder of We Said Enough; VP of State and Local Government, VISA Inc. The death of RBG is the tragic culmination of an administration that has overseen a reign of disrespect, misogyny and policies aiming to pull back many of the protections and rights guaranteeing women's autonomy in this country. The election of Donald Trump in 2016 spurred many women (and others) to action with millions taking to the streets during the Women's Marches and a national conversation on sexual assault and workplace harassment that propelled the Me Too movement to international prominence. This movement coupled with record numbers of women running for office created a feeling of genuine optimism for a future where women would be at the helm with abusive men running scared. COVID-19 along with the increasingly hostile federal administration have lead to a much less hopeful reality and have exhausted activists and ordinary citizens alike. During the pandemic women have seen the balance between work and home life obliterated comprising 80% of people dropping out of the workforce. This has widened the gender wage gap, and many Mothers are having to grapple with the cost of childcare (if it is even available), working and the health of their families if they are essential workers. The Trump administration has packed the courts with young, hyper-conservative judges who aim to rollback access to reproductive healthcare, with the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett the final nail in the coffin of Roe Vs. Wade. Most dispiritingly, after the most diverse field of Presidential candidates ever in history with many qualified and popular female candidates, the field once again is narrowed to two nearly octogenarian white men. It feels very bleak! But all is not lost, and hopefully this moment is a wake up call that the fight is very very far from over, and that there are many reasons to be hopeful about the near and long-term future of women in this country. We invited two extremely impressive and experienced women to discuss how to interpret our present and how to prepare for our future. Adama, a lobbyist and now activist, landed herself on the cover of Time Magazine's Person of the Year cover in 2017 for her work exposing sexual assault and harassment in the California State Capitol; Jodi, also a lobbyist, has taken the helm of California's Planned Parenthood Affiliates at one of the most pivotal and perilous times for women's reproductive health in a generation. Together they paint a compelling picture for why the threats cannot be underestimated but also why a new era for women is within reach if we work together and encourage a new, inclusive, and fearless generation of female leaders. This is our 30th episode! We are so excited to share this with you so please don't forget to subscribe to the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/redirect?redir_token=QUFFLUhqbllsOVNZaF9TSHljS1FtVDJqZ2NjdVpnamtvQXxBQ3Jtc0tsRDRiZ3ZCc0Z4eDBzUWYyNUpkX2kxUW1jRllRajFxMG9BMzUtSnJ4c2ZYWFhDQUJQWG43SUdISG1kN0MzUzA2LWVVSWFDNjhYa2x6S2ZnOTVOMXhLeXk0b1p5dmFFdGp4SnZ1RVBadDhGU3BQYlZhUQ%3D%3D&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwhatwegondo.captivate.fm%2Flisten&event=video_description&v=nHmI_DR_fqc (https://whatwegondo.captivate.fm/listen)

Guests: Brandy Bones - Vice President of Disaster Management, ICF Dr. Peter Schultz - Vice President of Climate and Resilience, ICF If you've been in California in the last few months, or anywhere else in the United States really, it is becoming almost impossible to deny the impacts of climate change. For the second time in two years wildfires in the Western US have threatened millions of acres, evacuated whole regions and caused air quality so bad San Francisco could have been mistaken for Mars for almost an entire week. The World Meteorological Organization has run out of hurricane names for 2020, and it's only September. Flooding is debilitating many parts of the southeast even some areas that aren't designated flood plains. In September Death Valley had a recorded temperature of 130 which is possible the hottest anywhere on earth in modern times. For many people experiencing these disasters it is no longer an isolated, once-in-a-generation event, but a frequent reality that threatens the short and long-term viability of their region as a place to live. The economic toll of these events continues to grow astronomically, not to mention the human costs of lost life and having to uproot whole communities with nowhere to go. This reality check takes place during a pandemic that has cost many people their health and livelihoods and decimated our economy with no end in sight. Not to mention a federal administration that still discredits climate change as a reality, let alone our most important global priority. Trump recently came to a still on-fire California to meet with the Governor and told gathered officials that “science doesn't really know” what's happening with climate change. It's unbelievable. As usual the populations most impacted by this lack of action are the poor, communities of color and other marginalized groups who usually contribute the least to the problem. A silver lining of this catastrophe is that what was once considered an abstract theory that only scientists understood or cared about is something is now extremely tangible, and this provides a moment for dramatic action especially when we consider the potential economic opportunities that would come with a green revolution to fight climate change. It is also a time to reexamine the systems we use to dispense relief so that communities are able to handle the immense resources necessary for fundamental change and allow for truly equitably driven solutions. To paint a picture for what this new world could look like, and how we might get there I invited two guests whose whole world is understanding the impact of climate change and how we can create resilient communities. Brandy is our first repeat guest, and this time she discusses her expertise on disaster recovery and the coordination between federal and local governments to rebuild and measure risk. Dr. Schultz brings decades of modeling experience as well as an understanding of how large a role economics and the private sector play in our ability to create an opportunity for change that can bring prosperity and sustainability to many communities.

Featured Guests: RaShall Brackney - Chief of Police for Charlottesville, Va Brandon del Pozo - Retired Chief of Police for Burlington, VT; Former Precinct Chief NYPD; Currently a drug policy and substance abuse researcher at Brown University. Julius Lewis - Active Police officer in Northern California On the heels of the disappointing (and expected) miscarriage of justice for Breonna Taylor, and our ongoing racial justice movement, calls to defund the police and acknowledge the white supremacy inherent in law enforcement are deafening and deserved. It is impossible to imagine how we can move meaningfully toward a more just and safe reality for Black people in this country without major reform and perhaps wholesale disestablishment of our criminal justice system. This should start with the police who are responsible for so much terror and death in Black and underserved communities and yet so rarely face true accountability. One of the most unproductive parts of this conversation has been the refusal of law enforcement to take responsibility for their shortcomings, and to lead the call to hold bad police accountable. It is imperative that reform-minded police advocate for desperately needed reforms if we are to repair the relationship between communities of color and law enforcement. The distrust runs so deep that it is hard to envision a different dynamic, but we wanted to have a conversation that would point toward a hopeful future and to do that we invited three reform-minded police officers, two of them a current and retired Chief, to speak about their ideas for how law enforcement needs to change. The conversation was provocative and insightful, and conveys a least a shred of hope that there are people inside this corrupted system that are earnestly striving for change and genuinely want to serve their communities. We spoke to the current Chief of Charlottesville, VA (a Black woman), the former chief of Burlington, VT (a white man who was also a precinct chief in the NYPD) and a police officer in Northern California (a Black man). Their perspectives and insights into the problems in law enforcement were a welcome reprieve from the hostile and delusional sentiments we are used to hearing from law enforcement representatives and the politicians who give them cover. It is so easy, and justified, to feel enraged at people who wear and stand by the badge, but it is also important to give space to those who do so while sincerely advocating for the changes we are calling for. Please take a listen and thank you to Chief Brackney, Brandon del Pozo and Julius Lewis for speaking so candidly and honestly. It is appreciated.

Guests: Lauren Cusitello - Legal Director Immigration Justice Project, American Bar Association (ABA) Grisel Ruiz - Supervising Attorney, Immigrant Legal Resource Center. During the last several months with the global pandemic and racial justice movement, not to mention the Presidential race dominating headlines, you might have lost track of the deepening horror that is our immigration system and the crisis it's been in. This crisis did not start with our current administration, but it has taken on more sinister and cruel overtones. Recent whistleblower allegations (which include mass hysterectomies) and legal decisions (easing the deportation of formerly protected immigrants) simply underscore how imperative it is that we pay attention. As we take calls to Defund Police and ICE and reform our needlessly punitive and racist criminal justice system it is also clear how much these movements overlap with immigration and asylum reform. To discuss how we got here, what we're up against we invited to attorneys on the front lines of the crisis advocating for immigrants ensnared in the system as well as the policy changes and community mobilization efforts that are key to reforming this terrible and in humane system. Please tune in and also subscribe to our podcast downloadable wherever you listen to podcasts: What We Gon Do hosted by Tre Borden.

Guests: Taylor Brandon - Founder of No Neutral Alliance; Formerly Staff at SF MOMA Faith Mckinnie - Community Engagement Coordinator - Crocker Art Museum/ Founder of Black Artists Fund Jova Lynne Johnson - Former Curator at MOCAD, Founder of MOCAD Resistance. The art world has not been immune from our country's racial reckoning, and in fact has often been the site of some of the most glaring examples of hypocrisy, tone deafness and systems that support white supremacy. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the culture of some of our most venerated art museums. While many institutions are lately making a public show of collecting notable BIPOC artists and having a more diverse slate of exhibitions, these same institutions often struggle to attract and empower BIPOC employees, resist calls to diversify their boards or appeal to the communities they supposedly serve, which are often in communities that are substantially diverse. Even worse when taken to task for their blind spots and racist practices many of these institutions diminish their credibility further by alienating BIPOC staff and community members who demand change and bungle even the most superficial attempts to prove allyship with anti-racist movements. BIPOC employees face a difficult question of whether or not it's even worth it to change these organizations, so many of which are rooted in white supremacy from within, or just abandon the moment altogether and begin new institutions that serve us. Few can speak to this with sharper clarity or authenticity than our three guests this week, all Black women who have been, or remain, part of major art museums and have spearheaded movements to hold them accountable for their racist policies, actions and leadership and demanded change. Taylor Brandon, Jova Lynne Johnson and Faith McKinnie speak to host Tre Borden about their experiences fighting intransigent museums and what it takes to build movements that can hold them to account while also providing space to empower BIPOC artists and communities. 

Guests: Poliana Geha - Beirut Based Consultant and Activist Natalie Samarjian - Beiruti Diasporan and Human Rights Activist On August 4, 2020 a neglected hoard of highly explosive sodium nitrate exploded in the port of Beirut. In an instant over 100 people died with thousands more injured with tens of thousands of people displaced and a central city destroyed. This tragedy is all the more infuriating and devastating because it was a preventable one, and it typifies the incompetence, corruption and lack of credibility that characterizes the Lebanese state. The explosion also adds new horror to the already crippling economic crisis gripping the country and the intense public health crisis resulting from COVID-19. As the country reels and calls for new government grow deafening, it is important to note the role Lebanon plays in the region as a key home of refugees (a third of the overall population) and a society where many different sects, religions and ethnicities exist peacefully. Rebuilding Lebanon will take many resources not least of which is the people of Lebanon themselves many of whom are asking themselves whether it makes sense to participate in the country's reconstruction or to start anew somewhere else. To outline the crisis and take us through some visions for the present and future we invited Beiruti resident and activist Poliana Geha as well as Los Angeles based Beiruti diasporan Natalie Samarjian. They step us through how Lebanon arrived at its present predicament before the explosion, the chaos and devastation that it wrought, and what a path forward may look like for a new Lebanon. Please listen to find out how you can be part of Lebanon's renewal, and how the struggles facing this important nation reflect many of the battles being waged in America and elsewhere.

Guests: Dr. Akilah Cadet - Founder and CEO of Change Cadet, a DEI consulting and coaching firm. Erica Lovett - Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Condé Nast. During the recent racial reckoning that has overtaken the US since the murders of George Floyd it has become very common to see brands hoping to become part of the conversation. From black squares to messages of supporting Black Lives Matter, the corporate reflex to provide public-facing solidarity is often undermined by the very real, and very documented, internal struggles within the organization. The struggle of being Black in corporate America is not new, but the willingness to come forward with accounts of racist behavior and the receipts to back it up is, and many companies are dealing with unprecedented upheaval and deeply tarnished brands. How do you create space in these organizations to hear and support BIPOC employees while also being held accountable for racist policies and leadership that has genuinely harmed people? How do you show solidarity as a company with a racial justice movement when it seems like any misstep could result in “cancellation”? We invited two amazing women whose job it is to help organizations navigate this terrain. Erica Lovett does it from within as the always excellent but suddenly in-demand head of Diversity and Inclusion at Condé Nast. Her work in this amazingly visible company whose struggles in this period have been well publicized, is crucial to the rebuilding of its brand. Dr. Akilah Cadet has been running her own consulting and coaching firm for years to help leaders and organizations build anti-racist organizations with leadership and employees, and has seen interest in her company skyrocket since late May. Her valuable perspective as an outsider asked to show up for companies who may or may not be willing to do the hard work is a perfect complement, and the conversation we had was very real and very insightful for companies and employees who want a better, more equitable, anti-racist place to work.

Guests: Brandy Bones - Urban Planner and Disaster Preparedness Expert Sarah Ullman - Filmmaker and Founder of One Vote at a Time (www.onevoteatatime.us) For many of us, the thought of a Biden presidency is not very inspiring, and the fact that he is the one facing off against Trump is cause for more dismay than it is comfort. For progressive young voters and many others who supported Bernie, Warren or any of the other younger, more diverse or inspiring primary candidates, it has been difficult to muster much enthusiasm for Biden's candidacy besides the fact that another four years of a Trump presidency seems like throwing our country and souls into an abyss. It is worrisome to think that apathy could contribute to this unthinkable future, and so it is time for difficult conversations about how we can get past our misgivings and find ways to generate some momentum for Biden's candidacy. With less than one hundred days until the election we invited dedicated advocates for change, Brandy Bones and Sarah Ullman to converse about finding the promise in this campaign, and the future it will make possible for an America in turmoil and in danger of irrevocable damage. This episode gets existential but also practical and even hopeful about what change we might see and how we might not be forsaken after all. This is an episode for anyone feeling bleak about November, and we hope it helps energize citizens to vote in this incredibly consequential Presidential election. It also underscores the importance of supporting other candidates so that we never find ourselves with such a frustrating set of options again.

Guests: Aaron Lambert - Talent Agent and Musical Theater Actor, Hamilton on the West End Nana Mensah, Stage and Screen Actor and Writer based in New York City. With the recent release of Hamilton on streaming services and the current global theater shutdown many are discussing what it means to have more diverse representation on stage and how to reimagine what creative voices theater should elevate. Whether trying to break into the cutthroat world of Broadway in Manhattan or the centuries-old elite theater world of the West End in London it is an uphill battle to make it for anyone let alone BIPOC performers, writers and theater professionals. Despite such obstacles this moment genuinely feels ripe for the hard work and conversations that could lead to real change especially with the emergence of the “We See You White American Theater” movement which demands tangible and radical and lasting change to the industry. To have this discussion, host Tre Borden spoke with Aaron Lee Lambert, performer in Hamilton on the West End and a co-owner of a boutique talent agency in London, and Nana Mensah a writer and performer for screen and television as well as an actor in New York theater.

Guest: Britta Guerrero, CEO Sacramento Native American Health Center As the nation grapples with its history of racism, genocide and exploitation the term BIPOC has emerged which stands for Black Indigenous and People of Color. It is important to recognize why we need to link and center the experiences of Black and Indigenous people as we confront the myths and lies that have held up America and its “heroes” for so long. As we topple statues of rapist murderers (whether it's Robert E. Lee, John Sutter or Christopher Columbus) and reconsider brands like Aunt Jemima and the Washington Redskins, who just today announced a decision to change its name, it is critical for us to to tackle these changes together and to understand the commonality of the respective struggles of these communities. To have this discussion we invited Britta Guerrero, CEO of the Sacramento Native American Health Center and an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache tribe to discuss America's past and the importance for collaboration and unity between the Black and Indigenous Liberation/Justice movements.

Guest: Dr. Flojuane Cofer - Epidemiologist, Public Health Advocate and Chair of Measure U Committee in Sacramento As calls to Defund the Police and invest more heavily in vital city services gets louder, the battleground is shifting from the streets into City Hall where many municipalities are attempting to pass budgets in an environment deeply skeptical of maintaining current priorities. Like many other cities Sacramento has a budget that is heavily skewed toward Public Safety. Unlike other cities Sacramento voters just passed a referendum called Measure U, which raised a permanent tax which politicians promised to put towards vital investments in economic development, underserved communities and mental health resources among other languishing priorities. However that is not how it has turned out and we invited the chairwoman of the citizen committee meant to recommend spending priorities, Dr. Flojuane Cofer to discuss what is happening and how this battle relates to the demand for cities to reconfigure how they spend taxpayer money to community members demanding change.

Guests: Delilah Clay - Lobbyist and Advisor, Manatt Leah Barros - Lobbyist and VP, Strategies 360 Andrea Perry - Lobbyist, Mercury Public Affairs The current momentum around racial justice and the tearing down of white supremacist systems in America has energized people on the ground and in capitol buildings around the country where policies are debated and signed into law. Criminal Justice is just one of the many industries that needs strong reform and dismantling. As important as protesting and pressure from constituents can be in convincing lawmakers; lobbyists and legislative advisors are often closest to the action and can be very powerful forces in how and when laws are pushed. To get more insight into this often murky process we invited three of the most effective lobbyists in Sacramento, the capital of California, who have each carved out a niche leveraging their access to advocate for racial justice and in some cases taking on legislative projects that advance issues for Black people. This was one of the best episodes yet as we talk about what can be done to capitalize on this moment and create lasting change for Black people in this country.

One of the most striking things about the protests against police brutality this time around is how they are being covered by the media. Mostly gone are the investigations and digging into wrongdoing of victims and the suspicious eye toward protesters and activists. In its place is coverage that has mostly focused on the righteous aims of the protestors and the overwhelming systemic oppression of black people in this country. Media coverage is hugely influential in how these events are discussed and absorbed by the public, and this comes at a time when media and journalism as an industry is highly scrutinized and is being disrupted by the messy intervention of social media and more independent outlets. Newsrooms are also in flux as WHO is covering the protests has changed substantially if not nearly enough. We brought in Erika Smith, the newest columnist at the LA Times who is black and queer, as well as our own producer Allison Joy to discuss the many competing forces surrounding media and its response to and coverage of this world-shifting movement.

Many interactions between the public and the police occur in moments of crisis. This often leads to inaccurate perceptions of how the community feels toward law enforcement both within a police force and within cities and neighborhoods. Whether it is a protest, a stop, a stop-and-frisk or a community meeting, these are not great ways to assess how the community members feel or give candid and accurate feedback about a community's sentiment. ELUCD is a company that uses modern data collection possibilities and ads to assess community feedback. They then partner with cities and organization's around the US to present better and more timely data on how the community feels about various issues. Some of their biggest clients are police departments. Tre speaks with ELUCD COO Sujeet Rao about how their data has begun to give a better picture of how communities feel. Sujeet gives his insight into police departments and the obstacles that exist to helpful dialogue that can lead to change. Please subscribe to our podcast and thank you for listening! Connect via instagram at www.instagram.com/treborden and www.instagram.com/trebordenco Find Tre Borden at www.treborden.com

Guest: Alina Cervantes, Professor of Early Childhood Education and Department Chair at American River College The killing of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and the protests that have convulsed the country have been impossible to ignore and are leading to some very long overdue discussions about the need for police reform, racism and white supremacy. These conversations are complex and fraught for adults to have, so one can imagine the difficulty some non-BIPOC parents might have discussing these issues with their young children. It is imperative for parents to have the tools to broach these topics head on as children will form an opinion on what they see no matter what. To find out useful tools and strategies we talked with Early Childhood Education Professor and Department Chair Alina Cervantes. She walked us through her own conversation with her young daughter, the checklist of strategies she recommends to all parents and the importance of this conversation becoming as commonplace as other difficult conversations parents undertake with their children all the time. THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT AND USEFUL TOPIC PARENTS PLEASE TUNE IN! Please subscribe to our podcast and like this post! Connect via instagram at www.instagram.com/treborden and www.instagram.com/trebordenco Find Tre Borden at www.treborden.com

Guests: Callie Chamberlain, Twin Cities New Leaders Council Ron Harris, Twin Cities New Leaders Council For many of us George Floyd's murder at the hands of police was our first introduction to Minneapolis. With some of the most progressive leadership in the nation when it comes to Local, Regional and National leadership, including the Chief of Police, it represented a community that was “getting it right”. So what went wrong? What led to the death of George Floyd and what will come from it? How has the community responded and what is the way forward? Minneapolis organizers and local leaders Callie Chamberlain and Ron Harris spoke to Tre Borden to give us an overview of a community in crisis, the overwhelming response from community members and organizations to rebuild, and what if any hopes they have for the future. Please subscribe to our podcast! Connect via instagram at www.instagram.com/treborden and www.instagram.com/trebordenco Find Tre Borden at www.treborden.com

This week we are focusing on performance artists who are building platforms and using them to advocate for equity and change. Last up is trans performance artist, twerk master and activist Qween Amor and she is coming with the HEAT! Qween is a fearless warrior against ignorance, racism, white supremacy and hypocrisy in all of its many forms. Her performances critique capitalism, complacency and hope to inspire people to be the fullest and most engaged version of themselves. She talks with us about what it's like to see her perform, how it feels to take up space even in the face of extreme adversity and violence, and what she hopes for the future in a world in chaos and turmoil.

Our first Pivot episode of What We Gon Do? features our editor Teddy Kareem talking about his first-hand experience with police and an examination of the sort of over-policing and community fear that has brought us to this point. What is it like to live in a deprived neighborhood and what sort of interactions every day lead to this boiling point? This is a vital watch for anyone wondering what this is all about. Thank you to Teddy for joining us and keep checking back as we create content to address this crisis!

This week we are focusing on performance artists who are building platforms and using them to advocate for equity and change. Second up is Tyler Matthew Oyer, performance artist, visual artist and singer songwriter. He joins us to discuss how he's getting through this difficult time, what we can learn from the past and how we can all use our voices to create radical change that is desperately needed. 

This week we are focusing on performance artists who are building platforms and using them to advocate for equity and change. First up is Terra Lopez, front woman of Rituals of Mine and co-founder of label Bitchwave Studios. She has been very effective at building an audience that cares about the issues she advocates for and leveraging it to create conversations, advocacy agendas and activism to create a more just and equitable world for queer people, poc and women/trans people. Please take a listen and learn how we can use our platforms more effectively.

We are dealing with so much! This week we are going to still run our interviews with three incredible performers who are using their platforms and practices to create change! They are all queer and amazing and committed to creating a world that respects and uplifts all people and demands the dismantling of inequitable systems. Still relevant even amongst the police state atmosphere we are undergoing. Terra Lopez - Frontwoman of Rituals of Mine and Co-Founder of Bitchwave Studios Tyler Matthew Oyer - Performance Artist, Singer/Songwriter, Visual Artist Qween Amor - Performance Artist, Activist, and newly minted Nurse!

Host Tre Borden recaps a heartbreaking week in American history and previews the performers interviewed this week who are using their platforms for change.

This week's episodes ask "What We Gon Do About Gatherings?” and our second conversation is with Damon Turner. He is the founder of TRAP HEALS - www.trapheals.com - a Los Angeles based arts and events collective centered around healing black people and communities of color. Damon and host Tre Borden discuss his practice and how he is spending his time preparing for a time after COVID-19. They also explain the power of “alchemy” to transform our biggest challenges into power and opportunity, and the importance of rest and healing during this time to make sure you are showing up as your purest self when this is over. In a time where Black people especially are suffering and experiencing so much loss and pain, this is an especially timely and poignant conversation.

This week's episodes ask What We Gon Do About Gatherings?” and our last conversation is with Whitney Richardson, the Global Events Manager for the New York Times. Based in London, she gives us a perspective on how The Times is responding to the crisis and the limitations on live events to create new forms of content that reach readers in new ways. She also discusses how to capitalize on some of the realities COVID-19 has wrought in order to reframe crucial conversations on issues effecting our world. Whitney also talks with host Tre Borden on her perspective of being a Black American woman living abroad during a global pandemic.

This week's episodes asks 'What We Gon Do About Gatherings?' and our first conversation is with Heather White. She is the founder of Boston-based fitness studio TRILLFIT (www.trill.fit) and head of Brand Marketing for HubSpot's INBOUND conference - www.inbound.com. Heather and host Tre Borden discuss the challenges and opportunities of providing wellness opportunities for her customers in a time where coming together can literally be deadly and how she took her business global by embracing new platforms and content delivery methods. She also talks about the obstacles for a 26,000 person conference to pivot and provide value in a much more virtual way!

WEEK 2 of WHAT WE GON' DO? Host Tre Borden introduces this week's topic - The Art of Gathering. How has the landscape of bringing people together changed in the short and long term? Get a preview of our conversations with this week's wonderful guests: Heather White - Owner of fitness and dance studio TRILLFIT - www.trill.fit - and Brand Marketing Manager for HubSpot's INBOUND conference - www.inbound.com Damon Turner - Founder of TrapHeals an event and arts collective focused on healing black people and offering opportunities to connect and care for one another. www.trapheals.com Whitney Richardson - Global Events Manager for The New York Times.

To close out our inaugural week Tre talks to Teresa Acuña, Associate Director at the Harvard Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School. We talk about reimagining Democracy, how we can be more active civic leaders and participants and how to keep the faith that we have the power to change our country. We end the episode with some amazing and tangible takeaways to make your voice heard so please tune in and start making your plan for November!

Second up this week is our interview with Robert Abelon, California Deputy Secretary of State for Policy and Planning. He is in charge of legislative actions and modeling around the state's elections. Recently he's been modeling what scenarios we might have to consider for voting given the recent COVID-19 Pandemic. Tre talks to Robert about how to guarantee safe and accessible elections, what reforms are in place now and might be put in place for November and what citizens can do to counter misinformation and tampering that they witness. Please subscribe to our podcast and like this episode!

Our First Interview about Elections which features Morgan Harper, Former Congressional Candidate for Ohio's Third District. She recently lost her challenge to incumbent Joyce Beatty in a primary contest heavily impacted by the coronavirus and a completely transformed voting and election landscape. She discusses her experience, warnings, and takeaways with host Tre Borden.

Trailer for a new video and podcast series called WHAT WE GON DO?! Hosted by Tre Borden. What We Gon Do is a weekly discussion between Tre Borden and selected guest friends who are experts in a topic related to current events. Tre asks the question, 'What We Gon' Do?' and his friends give their best answers and insight.