What would it take?

In early May 2022, a draft of a supreme court opinion was leaked which highlighted the Supreme Court's intention to overturn Roe v Wade. This news has sent shockwaves through the country which are still rippling today. In this episode we will unpack why this matters and what the ramifications could be for women and families all across the country and examine the roots of the conservative obsession with abortion rights. While some see a religious obsession with when life begins or ideological convictions that equate abortion with murder...I see political games and outright racism. Listen in. Tell us what you think about What Would it Take? Link to podcast survey: https://forms.gle/1ZrtEwB8gjkRXB3w7

Since the war in Ukraine began in February, we've heard reports of terrible atrocities. Mass graves uncovered, the entire port city of Mariupal besieged for months which has led to a humanitarian crisis. Women and children injured or killed during strikes on residential areas. As I listened to reports in late February, I heard several prominent reporters openly noting their horror and surprise that we were witnessing such tragedies in a “civilized”country. Lets dig into this idea of "civilized" and "uncivilized" countries and how its roots in White supremacy influence our reactions to current world conflicts. Tell us what you think about What Would it Take? Link to podcast survey: https://forms.gle/1ZrtEwB8gjkRXB3w7

In this episode of the what would it take podcast, we're going to explore the concept of reparations. Why are they necessary? Who should they go to? And what would reparations practically look like? If you're still listening, then you must be wondering “what would it take, to repair the harm that has been done?”. Listen on to find out.

In this episode Ben is joined Reverend Chesla. She is dedicated to helping people develop healthy, liberating, loving relationships with the divine, themselves and others. She serves as a hospice chaplain, a wedding officiant, a couples therapist, as well as a sexuality educator. Learn more about Reverend Chesla at https://www.revchesla.com/.

For a lot of people, especially those that grew up in more conservative christian environments, conversations about sex come with a lot of baggage. We were told that our bodies, aka our flesh, was at war with the spirit and therefore we should resist the flesh. So we spend years suppressing, resisting and even demonizing our own desires thinking its the right thing to do. But what if that wasn't true?

Throughout the modern Christian spaces, abstinence only has been the most promoted as the way to teach sex education. In this episode we will unpack the ramifications of abstinence only and how it is not only insufficient, but that it can leave young people dangerously uniformed. Our churches and faith communities hold responsibility here and we can do better. Listen in.

Kimberly Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality which is a metaphor she created to discuss the overlapping systems of oppression that impact Black women. In today's episode we will explore other examples of intersectional revolutionaries and their work and how we can all work towards the liberation of Black women and nonconforming people. Listen in.

In this episode we remember Black ingenuity, Black greatness, and Black potential. Listen in as we celebrate Black History Month. Resources 1) History of Seneca Village https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seneca_Village#:~:text=Seneca%20Village%20was%20founded%20in,by%20Irish%20and%20German%20immigrants 2) More on Seneca Village https://www.centralparknyc.org/articles/seneca-village 3) Black Communities Under Water https://www.binnews.com/content/2021-06-30-amber-ruffin-exposes-history-of-flooding-black-towns-in-viral-clip/ 4) Black Wall Streets https://www.theroot.com/the-other-black-wall-streets-1823010812

In this episode, Ben and Kibler explore the history of Indigenous people in North American and explore both the genocide that is still happening and the amazing resilience of native communities.

Climate change scientists told us that severe weather would happen more frequently as weather patterns changed, and they were right. I'm not optimistic about the world my child will live in when he's 33. Luckily, there are brilliant minds wrestling with these problems and giving us reasons to be hopeful. We'll unpack why in today's episode. Today we're asking, What Would It Take to save the planet? Listen to find out.

To celebrate season one of the What would it take? podcast. Host Ben, and AW staffers Dani and Juan talk about the work, the topics, and hopes for the season two.

There is a mythical stigma associated with homelessness that says people who are homeless are lazy. They're often treated as “others”, and characterized as a “problem” to be solved or hidden. Lets take stock of our assumptions about homelessness and consider how we can truly love our neighbors. This is Episode 10 of the What Would It Take Podcast. Join me as I ask, What Would It Take for Everyone to Have a home? Links to sources for this episode: Article from Strong Towns, Resilient, Long-term Approach to Addressing Homelessness - https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2020/12/2/addressing-homelessness Article from Fox 11 Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles accused of moving the homeless in order to prepare for the Oscars - https://www.foxla.com/news/city-of-la-accused-of-moving-the-homeless-in-order-to-prepare-for-the-oscars Article from Los Angeles Times, L.A. near settlement to create shelters and clear homeless people off the streets - https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2021-04-12/la-nears-deal-build-shelters-clear-homeless-encampments Information from the National Alliance to End Homelessness - Chronically Homeless - https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/who-experiences-homelessness/chronically-homeless/#:~:text=People%20who%20are%20chronically%20homeless,Updated%20March%202021. Information from the National Alliance to End Homelessness -What Causes Homelessness - https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/what-causes-homelessness/ Information from homeless hub - Causes of Homelessness - https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/homelessness-101/causes-homelessness Proven Solutions from the coalition for the homeless - https://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/proven-solutions/ PDF resource from the National Law Center on homelessness and Poverty - No Safe Place, The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Cities - https://nlchp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/NoSafePlace.pdf Alternative resources than calling the police, from Don't Call The Police - Resources by City - https://dontcallthepolice.com/ Youtube video from Invisible People which share's Lavern's story - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toJQmP0D040

As we begin to see our way out of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are plunged back into the national epidemic of gun violence. Lawmakers trot out the same tired excuses for doing nothing all the while our friends and loved ones are lost. It doesn't have to be this way. This is episode 9 of the What Would It Take Podcast. Join me as I ask What Would It Take to find a cure for gun-related violence?

For weeks news outlets have been talking about the crisis at the US-Mexico border. What is actually happening at the southern border? And in response to so much suffering, what are we called to do as followers of Jesus? This is episode 8 of the What Would It Take Podcast. Join me as we explore the question: What would it take to truly love our neighbors? Links to sources for this episode: Vox article 9 questions about the humanitarian crisis on the boarder, answered: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22346509/humanitarian-border-crisis-biden-unaccompanied-children Center for Disaster Philanthropy report, Southern Border Humanitarian Crisis: https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disaster/southern-border-humanitarian-crisis/ Washington Post article The migrant 'surge' at the U.S. southern border is actually a predictable pattern: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/03/23/theres-no-migrant-surge-us-southern-border-heres-data/ USA Today article How US foreign policy in Central America may have fueled the migrant crisis: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/12/21/has-united-states-foreign-policy-central-america-fueled-migrant-crisis-donald-trump/2338489002/ Boarder Advocacy Groups from National Network for Immigrant and Refugee rights - Organizations to support: http://nnirr.org/drupal/border-groups

Many of us have grown up with a very strong understanding of what hell was. Eternal torment, literal flames, pain and agony forever. For a long time, our understanding of hell has been divorced from the practical realities that many face day-in and day-out, but does it have to be that way? This is episode 7 of the What Would it Take Podcast. Join me as we explore the question, What if Hell is closer than we think? Links to sources for this episode: Article from _Christian History Institute: Three Views of Hell : https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/three-views-of-hell Article from _Christianity Today: What is Hell? A Biblical Guide of Its Existence: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/heaven-and-hell/what-is-hell-a-biblical-guide-of-its-existence.html Bible Gateway passage Mark 9:48: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+9%3A48&version=NRSV Bible Hub passage Luke 13:28: https://biblehub.com/luke/13-28.htm CBS News story from _60 Minutes: Early results from 174 Flint Children Exposed to Lead During Water Crisis Shows 80% of Them Will Require Special Education Services: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/flint-water-crisis-effect-on-children-60-minutes-2020-03-15/ Article from _The New York Times : British Police Office Charged with Murder in Killing of Sarah Everard: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/12/world/europe/uk-sarah-everard.html Article from _National Geographic: The Campaign to Eliminate Hell : https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/160513-theology-hell-history-christianity Podcast _God is with poor people: Liberation theology's challenge to this world: https://thisishell.com/interviews/1015-lilian-calles-barger

When we endorse leaders, who favor policies that disenfranchise BIPOC, we are undercutting the Gospel message we claim to believe. Gerrymandering is a tool of voter disenfranchisement and even if it works in favor of our political party, we must stand against it. This is ep 6 of the What Would It Take? podcast. Today we're asking ourselves, what would it take for every vote to matter equally? Sources for this episode: Rock The Vote get involved opportunities: https://www.rockthevote.org/get-involved/ NPR _article, _In New Documentary, Stacey Abrams Probes The State Of Voter Suppression In 2020: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/05/909969046/stacey-abrams-discusses-voter-suppression-and-her-new-documentary-appearance NPR articke, Stacey Abrams On Why Securing Voting Rights Is As Necessary Now As In The Past: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/02/973067859/stacey-abrams-on-why-securing-voting-rights-is-as-necessary-now-as-in-the-past New York Times article, What is Gerrymandering? : https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/27/us/what-is-gerrymandering.html American Civil Liberties Union fact sheet on voter ID legislation: https://www.aclu.org/other/oppose-voter-id-legislation-fact-sheet Washington Post article, What counts as voter intimidation? : https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/10/30/voter-intimidation/ Center for Amrican Progress article, Voter-deterimined districts; ending gerrymandering and ensuring fiar representation : https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/reports/2019/05/09/468916/voter-determined-districts/ NPR _article, _Supreme Court Rules Partisan Gerrymandering Is Beyond The Reach Of Federal Courts: https://www.npr.org/2019/06/27/731847977/supreme-court-rules-partisan-gerrymandering-is-beyond-the-reach-of-federal-court Vox article, A new study finds voter ID laws don't reduce voter fraud — or voter turnout: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/2/21/18230009/voter-id-laws-fraud-turnout-study-research FiveThirtyEight article, What We Know About Voter ID Laws: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/what-we-know-about-voter-id-laws/ The Gaurdian article, Federal judge blocks North Carolina's voter ID law, citing its discriminatory intent: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/01/north-carolina-voter-id-law-blocked-discriminatory Associated Press article, Georgia House passes GOP bill rolling back voting access: https://apnews.com/article/senate-elections-bills-legislation-elections-georgia-842d9ad16a78901322f4b952f6c0d8dd

LGBTQ+ youth are at increased risk of suicide and violent crime. Teenage years can be difficult for everyone, but for lgbtq youth they can be especially dangerous. Why is that the case though? Well, our attitudes and beliefs about LGBTQ+ people are part of the problem. This is Episode 5 of the What Would It Take Podcast. Join me as I ask What Would It Take Love to Conquer All? Links to sources from the episode: The Reformation Project - https://reformationproject.org/ PBS News Hour article - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/study-finds-lgbtq-people-much-likelier-to-be-crime-victims GAP LGBTQ Religion Project PDF - https://ourgap.org/resources/Documents/GAP%20LGBT-Religion%20Project.pdf Q Christian Fellowship Prayer Wall - https://www.qchristian.org/prayerwall HuffPost nest article, Chilling Study Sums Up Link Between Religion And Suicide For Queer Youth - https://www.huffpost.com/entry/queer-youth-religion-suicide-studyn_5ad4f7b3e4b077c89ceb9774 The Trevor Project national survey results - https://www.thetrevorproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/The-Trevor-Project-National-Survey-Results-2019.pdf CDC resources for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health - https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth.htm NBS news article, _Nearly 1 in 5 hate crimes motivated by anti-LGBTQ bias, FBI finds - https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/nearly-1-5-hate-crimes-motivated-anti-lgbtq-bias-fbi-n1080891 Indiana Youth Group - https://www.indianayouthgroup.org/ OK2BME article, WHAT DOES LGBTQ+ MEAN? - https://ok2bme.ca/resources/kids-teens/what-does-lgbtq-mean/

Every year, through the U.S foster care system, thousands of children are sent back into abusive homes, unnecessarily separated from their parents or even abused while in foster care. We have a system that is failing our youth, and more often than not, its affecting Black and Native families disproportionately. This is Episode 4 of the What Would It Take Podcast. This week we're exploring the question, What Would It Take To Keep Our Families Together? Links to sources from this episode: The Appeal, _Hidden foster care: all of the responsibility, none of the resources: https://theappeal.org/hidden-foster-care/ Scary Mommy article, _Transracial adoption frequently ruins lives - I say this as a White adoptive mom: https://www.scarymommy.com/national-adoption-month-white-adoptive-mom/ Marquette Law Review, _Racial Bias in American Foster Care: The National Debate: https://scholarship.law.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5190&context=mulr Religion News Service, _Black children in foster care need relief from systemic racism, too:https://religionnews.com/2020/06/26/black-foster-children-need-relief-from-systemic-racism-too/ Foster-to-prision pipeline video _Step Inside the circle: https://vimeo.com/398088783?ref=fb-share U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, _Federal foster care financing: How and why the current funding structure fails to meet the needs of the child welfare field: https://aspe.hhs.gov/report/federal-foster-care-financing-how-and-why-current-funding-structure-fails-meet-needs-child-welfare-field#:~:text=Title%20IV%2DE%20funds%20foster,assistance%20makes%20up%20another%2022%25. Together we rise, _15 things you should know before fostering: https://www.togetherwerise.org/blog/things-foster-parents-should-know/ Todays Parent, _4 things I wish I'd known about foster parenting: https://www.todaysparent.com/family/parenting/what-i-wish-id-known-about-foster-parenting/

What should be one of the most joyful days of a life, ends up being the last for too many women. This is the episode 3 of the What Would It Take Podcast and this week we're exploring maternal and infant mortality rates in black, native and alaskan native women as we wrestle with the question what would it take for our mothers and children to survive. Links to sources from this episode: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System: https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternal-mortality/pregnancy-mortality-surveillance-system.htm Consumer Watch Dog article _Kira Johnson, Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles: https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/patient-safety/kira-johnson-cedars-sinai-los-angeles New York Times article _Why America's Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-orDeath Crisis: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/magazine/black-mothers-babies-death-maternal-mortality.html Center for American Progress comprehensive policy blueprint on eliminating racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2019/05/02/469186/eliminating-racial-disparities-maternal-infant-mortality/ Insider article _Black babie are 3 times more likely to die when cared for by white doctors. Their mortality rates plunges with Black doctors: https://www.insider.com/black-babies-more-likely-to-die-when-cared-white-doctors-2020-8 Kaiser Family Foundation article _ _Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: An Overview:https://www.kff.org/report-section/racial-disparities-in-maternal-and-infant-health-an-overview-issue-brief/ AJMC article _Racial Disparities Persist in Maternal Morbidity, Mortality and Infant Health:https://www.ajmc.com/view/racial-disparities-persist-in-maternal-morbidity-mortality-and-infant-health ProPublica article _Black Women Disproportionately Suffer Complications of Pregnancy and Childbirth. Lets TAlk about it.: https://www.propublica.org/article/black-women-disproportionately-suffer-complications-of-pregnancy-and-childbirth-lets-talk-about-it ProPublica sieries of articles _Lost Mothers: https://www.propublica.org/series/lost-mothers ProPublica article _The New U.S. Maternal Mortality Rate Fails to Capture Many Deaths: https://www.propublica.org/article/the-new-us-maternal-mortality-rate-fails-to-capture-many-deaths Medscape article Black Chief Resident Dies After Childbirth, Highlights Tragic Trend: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/939954?fbclid=IwAR1GK9-eSEfFshMTXz6fFiNa5Cm7HyIquUsQPwghf4gTq1jU5FTU84EjEs#vp_1 American Progress article _American Indian and Alaska Native Maternal and Infant Mortality: Challenges and Opportunities:https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/early-childhood/news/2018/07/09/451344/american-indian-alaska-native-maternal-infant-mortality-challenges-opportunities/

As Anabaptist christians, we claim to center Jesus' work and actions in our faith. If Jesus came to set the oppressed free, how can we go about our lives while ignoring the truth that our brothers and sisters are not only oppressed, but often murdered without justice? This is Episode 2 of the What Would it Take? podcast. Today we're exploring police abolition as we wrestle with the question: What would it take for everyone to be free? Links to sources from this episode: Washington Post article about John Crawford III - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/09/25/ohio-wal-mart-surveillance-video-shows-police-shooting-and-killing-john-crawford-iii/ Washington Post article about Kenneth Walton's traffic Stop -https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/08/16/father-utterly-terrified-after-trooper-points-gun-at-his-7-year-old-during-traffic-stop/ 8toAbolition policy changes PDF - https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5edbf321b6026b073fef97d4/t/5ee0817c955eaa484011b8fe/1591771519433/8toAbolition_V2.pdf 8toAbolition Resource library - https://www.8toabolition.com/resources NPR article about the Rodney King Riots -https://www.npr.org/2017/04/26/524744989/when-la-erupted-in-anger-a-look-back-at-the-rodney-king-riots Democracy Now! article about the Fred Hampton Assassination - https://www.democracynow.org/2014/12/4/watchtheassassinationoffred_hampton Link to The End of Policing by Alex S Vitale - https://www.versobooks.com/books/2426-the-end-of-policing Link to The Politics of Jesus by Obery M. Hendricks Jr. - https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Jesus-Rediscovering-Revolutionary-Teachings/dp/0385516657/ref=pdlpo14t0/132-1448369-0171828?encoding=UTF8&pdrdi=0385516657&pdrdr=f3c9a2b9-fc16-4433-a4b5-3c61c4a5bac4&pdrdw=pofwA&pdrdwg=fKHIB&pfrdp=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pfrd_r=9N5TVD5ZEW7JN68RKG85&psc=1&refRID=9N5TVD5ZEW7JN68RKG85

For this first episode host, Ben Tapper, takes a minute to introduce himself, his journey, and what you can expect from this podcast moving forward.