Podcasts about Action Center

This week, Scott is joined by Rabbi Eleanor Steinman, senior rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom in Austin. They discuss the new Texas public education curriculum, as well as LGBTQ+ advocacy through the lens of confronting Christian Nationalism, which is a particularly hot topic in Jewish congregations. Rabbi Steinman emphasizes the importance of making the world more fair for all and the work we all have to do in our current context. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.   Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This week, Scott is joined by former colleague Ilka Vega, who has traveled the world serving in various mission, justice, and advocacy roles and is currently serving as the Executive for Economic and Environmental Justice at United Women in Faith. The Texas Impact team first met Ilka when she was a high school student at the Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, a United Methodist affiliated school in El Paso primarily serving students who walk across the border from Mexico, when Ilka attended her first United Women in Faith Legislative Event. Scott and Ilka talk about her journey from Lydia Patterson, her work in climate and immigration advocacy and her current work with United Women in Faith. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.     Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.   

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Matt Gaventa, senior pastor at University Presbyterian Church in Austin. Matt is a Texas Impact Board Member, and our executive director's pastor, and Bee has been very excited about his sermon series leading up to the nation's 250th anniversary. After listening to Scott's conversation with Matt, we hope it gives you something to think about during this historic year. Rev. Gaventa is completing a sermon series highlighting some foundational historical texts which challenge us to think in new ways about the 250th anniversary celebrations and the work we still have to do to create a more perfect union. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.   Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org. 

Seth shares a thought on the recent Supreme Court ruling on carrying firearms in public, and how it relates to the concept of informed consent. Sarah Mervosh’s New York Times piece “Public School Students May Soon Be Required to Read the Bible.” Audio from Gina Plata-Nino, the Director of SNAP Policy and Advocacy at the Food Research and Action Center, being questioned before the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency held a hearing on “Combating Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in SNAP.” We're joined by Shannon Estes, President of CMI Gold & Silver. Mark St. Peter, Owner at Patriot Flip, LLC., joins the Show to share his personal story of how he got into the real estate business and why he decided to start Patriot Flip, a company that offers cash offers, traditional listings, and creative financing options to homeowners. He also talks about the importance of being honest with clients and giving them a personalized service that sets his company apart from others in the industry. Check them out at https://patriotflip.com/.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Scott was joined by Judge Manpreet Singh, the first Sikh judge elected in the state of Texas and first Sikh woman judge in the United States. Judge Singh talked with Scott about how the Sikh faith has called for equality for centuries and discussed how Sikh values connect with work in the public sphere and influence her own work. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Marcus Jones, author and University Chaplain at Huston Tillotson University in Austin after having previously served as the Executive Director of the Wesley Foundation at Midwestern State University, leader of the MOSAIC Cross-Cultural Center, and as Executive Director of UTA Wesley at the University of Texas at Arlington. Rev. Jones has extensive experience working on college campuses and has written books on the topic, so Scott talked with him about serving in an HBCU in this political climate, what students are thinking about what is happening in our civic life and what the broader faith community can learn from their advocacy and experiences. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.   Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.   

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Dr. Jim Rigby, who has served as the pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Austin for 40 years. Rev. Rigby has garnered attention over the decades for his commitment to justice and a progressive brand of Christianity, and he has been in the news recently as Senate candidate James Talarico's pastor.  Rigby is getting more attention than a typical candidate's pastor, probably because Rep. Talarico is a seminarian who is putting his faith at the forefront of his candidacy. To be clear, Texas Impact does not endorse candidates for public office. This episode of Weekly Witness is not about a candidate for office. Instead, like every episode of Weekly Witness, it's about a particular Texas faith leader and how they are doing ministry in their particular context. Currently, Jim Rigby's context includes having a parishioner with more than the usual amount of name recognition. So, this episode brings you a conversation about what it is like to do ministry from that perspective.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Dylan Corbett, founder and executive director of Hope Border Institute in El Paso. Dylan is a leader in the immigration space, working with and advocating for immigrants in communities across the globe before he landed in Texas. Dylan is especially influential in the Catholic Church when it comes to immigration concerns. He met with Pope Leo at the Vatican to share stories of migrants and was recently named by the Pope to serve on the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.  Scott and Dylan discussed his journey in faith, the importance of people of faith advocating for migration and the role of faith and Catholic social teachings in the public square. Scott also pressed him to invite the Pope to join us for a Weekly Witness episode, so watch this space for that.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev Tamika Nelson, executive director of United Campus Ministries of Greater Houston. Rev. Nelson was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); has served a United Methodist Church; and now works in a campus ministry affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the United Church of Christ. United Campus Ministry serves the UT School of Medicine, HCC locations, Texas Southern University, UHD, and Rice University.   Tamika has also participated in Houston Faith Votes, so Scott and Tamika discussed her ministry with young adults and how they are talking about our current policy climate, their leadership in the civic engagement space, and their barriers to participation.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by The Rev Becky Fox, pastor and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Lubbock. Covenant has a long history of engaging in justice ministries and advocacy in Lubbock and beyond. Scott and Becky discussed the important role churches like Covenant play in rural Texas and the role faith communities and faith leaders play in responding to the current political moment. With faith being in focus this election season, Becky discussed what it is like to have her denomination and mainline faith communities being discussed in mainstream culture. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.     Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This week, Scott was joined by The Rev Becky Fox, pastor and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Lubbock. Covenant has a long history of engaging in justice ministries and advocacy in Lubbock and beyond.  Scott and Becky discussed the important role churches like Covenant play in rural Texas and the role faith communities and faith leaders play in responding to the current political moment. With faith being in focus this election season, Becky discussed what it is like to have her denomination and mainline faith communities being discussed in mainstream culture.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Sister Denise LaRock, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, who has been working in the San Antonio area in ministries related to immigration for the last decade.  Sr. Denise discussed her religious order and their focus on justice and compassion ministries. She also talked about her work in the immigration space and the role the faith community plays in advocating for our immigrant neighbors.  Also, spoiler: Sister Denise has not met Pope Leo, but she and Scott talked about the impact the "American Pope" is having on our current culture and climate.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Brooke Dooley, associate pastor of youth and young adults at Friends Congregational Church in College Station. Brooke also serves as the youth director for the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ.    Brooke discussed her call to ministry, from a closeted youth trying to find a space in College Station to a liberal activist; then, her journey to seminary and serving as a pastor back in the town she grew up in, where she is now able to provide hope and guidance for the next generation of kids needing a safe space.    Scott and Brooke talked about the current political landscape, the questions young people are asking, and how faith communities can support younger generations.    We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us!   To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.   

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Brooke Dooley, associate pastor of youth and young adults at Friends Congregational Church in College Station. Brooke also serves as the youth director for the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ. Brooke discussed her call to ministry, from a closeted youth trying to find a space in College Station to a liberal activist; then, her journey to seminary and serving as a pastor back in the town she grew up in, where she is now able to provide hope and guidance for the next generation of kids needing a safe space. Scott and Brooke talked about the current political landscape, the questions young people are asking, and how faith communities can support younger generations. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Jody Harrison, a Baptist minister, member of the Baptist Women in Ministry Board, and a former chaplain and Capitol staffer. Jody is a member of several Texas Impact teams as well as a veteran of numerous political campaigns. Jody joined the pod for a fascinating conversation about her path from policy and campaign staffer to Baptist minister, reflecting on both her faith and policy journey. As a leader in the fight against Christian Nationalism, she discussed her advocacy work in the public education and reproductive health spaces and talked about how listeners could be effective advocates in our current political climate. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.     Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Mel Caraway, a retired United Methodist pastor and long-time Texas Impact Board Member. Mel is a leader in the faith-based climate advocacy space at the denominational level and international level as a long-time COP attendee.  Rev. Caraway joined the conversation to talk about his faith journey and how climate advocacy became his area of focus.  He also talked about the work listeners could take to engage their community and congregation in effective climate work—a perfect conversation for this Earth Day.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Almas Muscatwalla, co-founder of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanksgiving Square. Almas provides leadership in a number of North Texas faith spaces and is a leader in encouraging pluralism and interfaith dialogue.  Almas talked about her Ismaili Muslim faith tradition and how it encourages a commitment to community. She also discussed challenges facing our communities in our current political climate.  She challenged listeners to work to connect with those with whom we disagree, even discussing a recent encounter with a January 6 leader at the Dallas No Kings Rally.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Imaad Khan, a former policy analyst with Texas Impact who made numerous appearances back in the early days of the podcast. Imaad talked about his faith and advocacy journey pre-Texas Impact, including how his faith and family shaped his desire to study and work in the public policy space. He also offered reflections on his work post-Texas Impact and how he views our current challenges here in Texas and throughout the world through his faith lens.  This conversation was well-timed, because the three major Abrahamic faith traditions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) recently celebrated significant holy days/seasons—and Imaad offers reflections from his Ramadan journey.  But, coming out of the holy days/seasons, we are once again seeing an increase in anti-Muslim rhetoric, so Scott and Imaad reflected on that and the role people of faith play in creating a more supportive and inclusive community.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Trent Ormsbee-Hale, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Weatherford, TX. For long-time listeners, that congregation might be familiar, because he served with and then followed Texas Impact's past Board President, Rev. Franz Schemmel as the pastor upon Franz's retirement. Scott and Trent reminisced on their shared history. Scott knew Trent and his husband Anthony while they were undergraduate students. At that time, Trent was discerning his journey in ministry, coming out of a Fransiscan background in a journey that led him to now serving as an Evangelical Lutheran pastor. The conversation centered on what faithful advocacy and justice work looks like when faith leaders serve communities that might not always share all of our values. There are countless faith leaders serving in contexts where many in their congregations feel isolated or worried and find comfort in their congregation being a safe place to worship, gather and/or engage in justice work. Trent gave voice to concerns, challenges and opportunities experienced by many faith leaders living and working in rural Texas. To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us!     Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This season on Weekly Witness, we are highlighting faith leaders who advocate for justice and equity. Our conversation this week is a great reminder that "faith leader" does not always mean "clergy." As a lay-person, Robert Rivera has been a leading faith voice in the communities he has served, including in high levels of leadership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and as the Director of the St. James Family Life Center in Houston. Robert is a leader in connecting our faith institutions with immigrant communities, where he has spent decades organizing. He is also a leader in the Houston Faith Votes movement. We are excited to bring you this conversation with Robert to challenge all of us to think about our work in immigration advocacy and civic engagement. If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center and consider signing up. We want to give a special shout out this week to the Texas Faith Votes team and the Immigration Action Team and hope you will consider joining. We hope you enjoy this episode. and hope you share it in your social media feed. Make sure to tag us, and invite a friend to listen along. Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This season on Weekly Witness, we are highlighting faith leaders who advocate for justice and equity. Our conversation this week is a great reminder that "faith leader" does not always mean "clergy." As a lay-person, Robert Rivera has been a leading faith voice in the communities he has served, including in high levels of leadership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and as the Director of the St. James Family Life Center in Houston.  Robert is a leader in connecting our faith institutions with immigrant communities, where he has spent decades organizing. He is also a leader in the Houston Faith Votes movement. We are excited to bring you this conversation with Robert to challenge all of us to think about our work in immigration advocacy and civic engagement.  If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center and consider signing up. We want to give a special shout out this week to the Texas Faith Votes team and the Immigration Action Team and hope you will consider joining.  We hope you enjoy this episode. and hope you share it in your social media feed. Make sure to tag us, and invite a friend to listen along.  Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott welcomes Rabbi Josh Fixler, associate rabbi at Congregation Emanu El in Houston to the conversation. Josh is a friend of the program—so much so, in fact that we had trouble narrowing down the conversation because Rabbi Fixler has a wide-ranging justice portfolio. We landed on Christian Nationalism and civic engagement, because Rabbi Fixler has extensive expertise in those areas, and both have been at the forefront of the policy conversation in Texas over the last few weeks. Christian Nationalism has been a leading factor in harmful public policies in the reproductive health and public education policy areas, and it will require intentional civic engagement work from people of faith and good conscience to turn the tide. Rabbi Fixler talks about these policy areas and gives listeners tips and best practices for civic engagement. If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center and consider signing up. We want to give a special shout out this week to the Texas Faith Votes team and resources, as election season continues. We hope you like the new format. If so, make sure to subscribe, like and share the content with your networks.     Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This week, Scott welcomes Rabbi Josh Fixler, associate rabbi at Congregation Emanu El in Houston to the conversation. Josh is a friend of the program—so much so, in fact that we had trouble narrowing down the conversation because Rabbi Fixler has a wide-ranging justice portfolio. We landed on Christian Nationalism and civic engagement, because Rabbi Fixler has extensive expertise in those areas, and both have been at the forefront of the policy conversation in Texas over the last few weeks. Christian Nationalism has been a leading factor in harmful public policies in the reproductive health and public education policy areas, and it will require intentional civic engagement work from people of faith and good conscience to turn the tide. Rabbi Fixler talks about these policy areas and gives listeners tips and best practices for civic engagement. If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center and consider signing up. We want to give a special shout out this week to the Texas Faith Votes team and resources, as election season continues. We hope you like the new format. If so, make sure to subscribe, like and share the content with your networks. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Mara Bim for a conversation about her faith journey and work in the immigration space. She is familiar to many in the Texas Impact audience as a longtime friend and advocate, and she was recently a featured speaker at the Texas United Women in Faith Legislative Event. Rev. Bim serves as the Justice and Advocacy Fellow at Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas and as a writer with Baptist News Global.  The timing for the conversation was great, because it was the same week as the Faithful Resistance: A Public Witness for Immigrant Justice event in Washington, D.C. Thousands of people faith marched on the U.S. Capitol for a rally and for legislative visits, after a moving morning of worship with a powerful sermon by United Methodist Bishop Latrelle Easterling. (Event resources to stay engaged are linked at the bottom of this page) If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center, and consider signing up to get involved. If you are particularly interested in immigration advocacy, consider joining the Immigration Action Team.  We hope you like the new format. If so, make sure to subscribe, like and share the content with your networks.       Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Mara Bim for a conversation about her faith journey and work in the immigration space. She is familiar to many in the Texas Impact audience as a longtime friend and advocate, and she was recently a featured speaker at the Texas United Women in Faith Legislative Event. Rev. Bim serves as the Justice and Advocacy Fellow at Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas and as a writer with Baptist News Global.  The timing for the conversation was great, because it was the same week as the Faithful Resistance: A Public Witness for Immigrant Justice event in Washington, D.C. Thousands of people faith marched on the U.S. Capitol for a rally and for legislative visits, after a moving morning of worship with a powerful sermon by United Methodist Bishop Latrelle Easterling. (Event resources to stay engaged are linked at the bottom of this page) If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center, and consider signing up to get involved. If you are particularly interested in immigration advocacy, consider joining the Immigration Action Team.  We hope you like the new format. If so, make sure to subscribe, like and share the content with your networks. Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

Louisiana will have to pay a larger share of its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) because of changes made in the Trump administration's “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” to shift costs to states. Starting in October, Louisiana will be required to pay an additional $50 million. In October 2027, a cost increase could occur based on the state's error rate.WRKF's Alex Cox spoke with Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP director for the Food Research and Action Center, for more. When we think of researching ancient civilizations, we imagine archeological digs, bushwhacking through jungles and dodging wild animals. Yes, researchers still do that today, but they also rely on modern technology to learn about the past. Marcello Canuto, Tulane professor and director of the Middle American Research Institute, has spent much of his career researching Mayan civilizations, debunking many of the things we thought we knew. And a lot of research happens in a lab in New Orleans. He and his colleagues will present their findings at an upcoming Maya Cities Symposium at Tulane from March 5-7 — which is free and open to the public.Canuto joins us for more on the role of technology in archeology.For a long time, Louisiana has struggled with the health of new mothers and babies. Now, New Orleans is tackling that problem with the return of an old-fashioned practice: the house call. WWNO's former reproductive healthcare reporter Rosemary Westwood shares more. ___Today's episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman.You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It's available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you're at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you'd like to listen to.Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

“You'd be surprised by some of the people coming to us who are working multiple jobs and are still really struggling.” Pam Brier, CEO, The Action Center

They’re calling it a school funding crisis, but the numbers tell a different story: since 2018, public schools have lost 270,000 students while state funding has hit record highs. Christian Education Network Executive Director Troy McIntosh joins David and Mike to explain that public schools don’t have the money problem they and their media mouthpieces keep pushing. Instead, Troy brings the data: districts are becoming increasingly top-heavy as they hire administrators while classrooms continue to lack resources. After the news, David Bereit Executive Director of the Life Leadership Conference and CCV's Senior Fellow for Strategic Initiatives Peter Range join The Narrative to issue a bold challenge to the pro-life movement: stop being pawns for political parties and start holding elected officials accountable. In this hard-hitting interview, the guys discuss why the sanctity of life is a non-negotiable standard that politicians don't get to define. As pressure mounts to be "flexible" on the Hyde Amendment, David reminds us that our ultimate accountability isn't to a platform, but to our Maker. TAKE ACTION Now is the moment to speak up using CCV.org. Through our Action Center, you can quickly contact Senators Moreno and Husted to encourage them to defend the Hyde Amendment. The process takes less than a minute! Call on Ohio's US Senator Moreno and US Senator Husted to oppose taxpayer-funded abortion in any “deal” on Obamacare subsidies. More About David Bereit David Bereit is an internationally respected pro-life leader, strategic advisor, and dynamic communicator. David’s pro-life journey began in Bryan/College Station, Texas, where he rallied 60 churches and thousands of volunteers to drive Planned Parenthood out of local schools, revoke their taxpayer funding, reduce abortions, and ultimately shut down the local abortion center—prompting Planned Parenthood to label his town “the most anti-choice place in the nation.” David went on to found and lead 40 Days for Life, growing it into the world’s largest grassroots pro-life mobilization. Under his leadership, the movement activated 2,000 leaders and 750,000 volunteers in 600 cities across all 50 states and dozens of nations, leading to 14,643 lives saved, 177 abortion workers leaving the industry, and 96 abortion facility closures. Recently, top pro-life leaders and philanthropists asked David to launch and direct the Life Leadership Conference—a groundbreaking initiative to unify and strengthen the pro-life movement through strategic coordination, shared messaging, targeted mobilization, leadership development, and a $30 Million venture fund to maximize collective life-saving impact. A sought-after speaker and media expert, David has addressed over 1,000 live audiences, hosted hundreds of online events, and his insights have been featured in nearly every major media outlet. His work has inspired millions worldwide and helped raise over $100 million for pro-life and faith-based causes. David and his wife, Margaret, have been joyfully married for 32 years, live in the Washington, D.C., area, and are the proud parents of two adult children.

Gina Plata-Nino is the SNAP director for the Food Research and Action Center, a national nonprofit group focused on eliminating hunger in the US, and spoke about some of the impacts changes to SNAP could have on Missourians.

Two decisions hit Washington this week that could have massive consequences for families nationwide. On the judicial front, the Supreme Court is weighing whether states can protect women’s sports. At the same time, Congress is debating the extension of Obamacare subsidies, this time without Hyde Amendment protections for the unborn. Aaron, David, and Mike explain what’s at stake in these two major ideological battles. After the news, Dr. David Closson joins the podcast to unpack new survey data from George Barna and the Family Research Council, revealing a troubling gap inside America’s churches. While many regular churchgoers say they want clear biblical teaching on issues like abortion, sexuality, and religious freedom, foundational Christian beliefs about God, sin, and salvation are rapidly eroding. When churches go silent, culture fills the gap. Barna’s research shows that all seven “cornerstones” of a biblical worldview are in decline, even among committed believers. David explains what’s driving this collapse, why it matters for the Church’s witness, and what pastors and Christians must do to reclaim biblical clarity in an increasingly confused culture. TAKE ACTION Now is the moment to speak up using CCV.org. Through our Action Center, you can quickly contact Senators Moreno and Husted to encourage them to defend the Hyde Amendment. The process takes less than a minute! Call on Ohio's US Senator Moreno and US Senator Husted to oppose taxpayer-funded abortion in any “deal” on Obamacare subsidies. More About Dr. David Closson David Closson, Ph.D., serves as the Director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council, where he researches, writes, and speaks about life, human sexuality, religious liberty, and related issues from a biblical worldview. He is the author of FRC's Biblical Worldview Series, which seeks to help Christians and Christian leaders apply the teachings of the Bible to difficult moral questions. Dr. Closson's work has appeared on Fox News, RealClearPolitics, National Review, The Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, Decision Magazine, WORLD Opinions, The Gospel Coalition, Townhall, and The Christian Post. He is the author of Life After Roe: Equipping Christians in the Fight for Life Today (B&H Academic, 2025), co-author of Male and Female He Created Them: A Study on Identity, Sexuality, and Marriage (Christian Focus, 2023), and co-author of the forthcoming book Worldview Basics: A Worldview Curriculum for Students (Fidelis Publishing, 2026). Dr. Closson is a regular guest on Christian and conservative media outlets, including Washington Watch, FRC's national television and radio program heard on more than 800 stations across 48 states. He also speaks at conferences, seminars, and churches across the United States and abroad, addressing moral and cultural issues from a biblical worldview. Dr. Closson is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Ph.D.), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div., Th.M.) and the University of Central Florida (B.A.). He lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife, Abby, and their son, Daniel.

Senior Director of the Community Action Center Anika Rychner discusses their annual fundraiser for Operation Joy, which helps provide Northfield families with support during the holiday season. 

In this episode of Quakers Today, co-hosts Sweet Miche (they/them) and Peterson Toscano (he/him) invite you to learn more about the sometimes baffling practice of silent worship. Whether you're a long-time Friend or someone who has never stepped into a mostly silent meeting, we are pulling back the curtain to explore what happens in our hearts, minds, and bodies when we sit together in worship. The Purpose of Ministry We speak with author Rhiannon Grant about her book, Speaking in Quaker Meeting for Worship: What, When, How, and Why. Rhiannon helps us understand the purpose of spoken ministry in the silent meeting, explaining how speech that deepens silence is a vital part of our shared spiritual practice.  Quote: "The purpose of ministry then might be understood as deepening the silence of meeting for worship." Read a review of Speaking in Quaker Meeting for Worship by Paul Buckley at FriendsJournal.org.  Learn more about Rhiannon Grant's book and other Quaker Quicks at QuakerBooks.org/Collections/Quaker-Quicks. Our First Meetings for Worship Peterson and Sweet Miche share their first experiences in Quaker worship: Peterson's search for community after 9/11 and Sweet Miche's feeling of guidance at Pendle Hill. We also hear from Paula Christophersen, a Quaker in Germany, who shared her first experience of ministry. You can watch the full video of Paula Christophersen on YouTube or at QuakerSpeak.com. Meeting for Worship with Attention to Worship Peterson introduces a new format for meeting for worship he's been experimenting with: Meeting for Worship with Attention to Worship. This model of worship uses the meeting's existing structure to guide newcomers by making the internal work of worship visible and conversational. Quaker Fiction We explore how writers use fiction and poetry to make the internal, mystical experience of worship visible. Anne E.G. Nydam's story, “The Conduits”, reveals the flow of connection in meeting through glowing lines of light. Peterson shares two of his short stories! “Penn's Spring”, uses a mysterious, unexplained wet patch on a meetinghouse wall to represent a spiritual movement in a "stagnant and dry" meeting. “What Is Actually There” features a high-schooler named Jordan reflecting on the enduring effort of the Quaker path. “A Fine Showing for the Court of Owls” by Jonathan Doering is a story about the radical Quaker abolitionist Benjamin Lay. Read Quaker-themed fiction and poetry in the November 2025 issue of Friends Journal. Listener Responses Who is someone you've encountered in fiction that embodies Quakerness? The character could be from a book or movie. They could be a hero or even a minor character, and they do not need to be Quaker.  This month's fictional “Quakers” include: Pooh Bear, Maisie Dobbs, Gumby, Ted Lasso, Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, WALL-E, Stevens from The Remains of the Day, and Dorothea from George Eliot's Middlemarch. Next Month's Question We want to hear from you! What do you believe now that you didn't believe before becoming a friend or before encountering Quakerism?  Leave us a voice memo with your name and town at 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377). (+1 if outside the U.S.) You can also reply by email at podcast@FriendsJournal.org or on our social media channels. Sponsors Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation content. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Sweet Miche. Season Five of Quakers Today is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee and Friends Fiduciary. For over a decade, the American Friends Service Committee has provided technical and strategic support for divestment campaigns around the world. Today, AFSC's Action Center for Corporate Accountability aims to expose and reduce corporate complicity in mass incarceration, immigrant detention, border militarization, and the Israeli military occupation. Visit investigate.afsc.org and find resources to help you divest from corporate-sponsored state violence. Friends Fiduciary is a Quaker non-profit offering cost-effective, professional investment services to Friends meetings, churches, schools, and organizations. We offer five value-aligned portfolios, managed by 12 SEC-registered firms. We screen every holding for Quaker values, engage in shareholder advocacy, and in 2024, distributed $16 million to our constituents. Learn more about us at FriendsFiduciary.org. Music in this episode comes from Epidemic Sound. For the extended video version of this episode, visit the Friends Journal YouTube channel (insert hyperlink). For a full transcript, visit QuakersToday.org.

When a man can secretly order abortion pills in his wife’s name and force them on his pregnant girlfriend, something is deeply broken in our culture. This week's episode of The Narrative breaks down a shocking Ohio case that exposes the growing dangers of unregulated abortion pill access and the cultural ideology enabling it. Aaron, David, and Mike unpack how current FDA rules allowed a man to order abortion drugs in his wife’s name and forcibly give them to his pregnant girlfriend. They also highlight the media’s stunning lack of coverage, the worldview driving that silence, and what must happen now to protect women from coercion and abuse. After their discussion, Evans and Ben Nwankwo of Ambassadors for Self Determination—native Nigerian brothers who now live in Ohio—join the conversation to expose the brutal reality of Christian persecution in Nigeria and an ongoing genocide claiming roughly 30 lives every day. The guys unpack the violence, the government’s complicity, and how US pressure and foreign-aid leverage could finally force change. Don't miss this episode, which pulls back the curtain on two stories the mainstream won’t touch and learn what must happen to protect women and save persecuted Christians. Take Action As Christians, we must act now! Our brothers and sisters in Nigeria are facing a daily threat most of the world refuses to acknowledge, and Congress needs to hear from believers who won’t look away. Take one minute today to contact your US Representative and Senators through our Action Center and urge them to back Senator Cruz’s legislation. Your voice can help push America to stand up, apply the pressure, and protect innocent Christians before more lives are lost. Also, the Trump Administration can restore protections for women and their children by reinstating the safeguards around the abortion pill. Use CCV’s Action Center to contact your members of Congress and federal leaders today, it takes just 60 seconds to demand real accountability and save lives.

Scott Wopata, outgoing Executive Director of the Community Action Center and incoming Community Development Director for the City of Northfield, talks how the CAC is serving the community during the SNAP benefits freeze, Operation Joy, his new role with the city, and more. 

10/31/25: Crystal FitzSimons is the President for the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), leading the organization to achieve its vision: A nation in which all people have the nutritious food they need to lead healthy and productive lives. Prior to taking on the President role, she oversaw FRAC’s work to improve and strengthen the school, summer, and afterschool nutrition programs. Joel talks with her on "News and Views" about the impacts on SNAP due to the government shutdown. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Anika Rychner, the Senior Director of Community Action Center, begins a new show talking with other members of local (Rice County, Minnesota) non-profit organizations about societal issues and how these organizations seek to help and educate. Today, she talks with Erica Staab, the Executive Director of HOPE Center in Faribault about the intersection of […]

08/14/25: Jamie Selzler is filling in for Joel Heitkamp, and is joined by Crystal FitzSimons for a conversation about SNAP and Food Stamps being impacted by President Trump's budget bill. Crystal FitzSimons is the President for the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), leading the organization to achieve its vision: A nation in which all people have the nutritious food they need to lead healthy and productive lives; and mission: To improve the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing  bold and equitable policy solutions. Learn more about Crystal and the Food Research and Action Center on their website. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Texas Legislature is midway through the third week of Special Session No.1  and activity has slowed to a halt in the House as Texas House Democrats have left the state to oppose the congressional redistricting plan. Texas Impact's Bee Moorhead joins the program to give us the latest and talk about how Texans of faith can help encourage conversations about community rather than what we are currently seeing. Join Texas Impact's Rapid Response Team on the Action Center of our website to recieve a link to attend Marching Order Mondays with Scott and Bee. Join the conversation each week during the special session. 

Theo Morrison with the Lahaina Restoration Foundation shares plans for a park under Lahaina's historical banyan tree; David Tumilowicz with the Domestic Violence Action Center discusses federal funding cuts and staff departures

The Texas Legislature is nearing the end of the second week of the special session, but in this episode, we want to focus on the Thursday July 31 hearing in Kerrville, TX that focused on the July 4 flooding in Central Texas.  Our listeners will remember seeing the news from that day, and our prayers certainly go out to all who were impacted. We hope our prayers are also for leaders to do the work necessary to minimize loss in future disasters and to examine what went wrong and how we need to respond to keep this from happening again.  Joining us for the conversation are two Texas Impact staff leading our Climate Action Team, Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards, Texas Impact's Climate Action Fellow and Ava Burkhalter, an intern and researcher with the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program.  To get involved and join the Climate Action Team visit the Action Center of our website. texasimpact.org/action-center Find out more about the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program at www.southernclimate.org/about

In this first part of a two-part program, we travel back and forth in time to explore the battle between democracy and plutocracy that goes back to the very founding of the United States.  The extreme concentration of corporate power and the prevalence of monopoly are indeed inarguable. If the solution is once again to throw the tea in the harbor, what does that look like in the 21st century? In today's new Gilded Age of rule by the wealthy, rising anti-trust movements are challenging the stranglehold of corporate monopoly. Featuring Thom Hartmann, the top progressive talk show host in America for over a decade, a four-time Project Censored Award-winning journalist, and bestselling author. Learn more at his website. Stacy Mitchell, Co-Director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, which produces research and develops policy to counter corporate control and build thriving, equitable communities. Maurice BP-Weeks, Co-Executive Director of ACRE (Action Center on Race and the Economy) where he works on campaigns to create equitable communities by dismantling systems of wealth extraction in Black and Brown communities. Resources The Hidden History of Monopolies by Thom Hartmann All Life Is Organized Around Democracy | Thom Hartmann's keynote address to the Bioneers 2020 Conference Democracy vs. Plutocracy panel discussion (video) | Bioneers 2020 Conference Our Economic Future | Bioneers Reader eBook This is an episode of the Bioneers: Revolution from the Heart of Nature series. Visit the radio and podcast homepage to learn more.

In the second segment of Something I Have Always Wondered About, KYMN News Intern Maya Betti talks with Anika Rychner and Lisa Percy of the Community Action Center. Among the several topics that they discuss, they talk about what the CAC does, the funding of the organization, and its expansion from just Northfield to operating […]

In the second segment of Something I Have Always Wondered About, KYMN News Intern Maya Betti talks with Anika Rychner and Lisa Percy of the Community Action Center. Among the several topics that they discuss, they talk about what the CAC does, the funding of the organization, and its expansion from just Northfield to operating across all of Rice County. 

Guest: Thomas White Mike speaks to propulsion engineer Thomas White about their experience participating in The Planetary Society's 2025 Day of Action, where they met with six Congressional offices to lobby in support of space science at a critical time. Inspired to take action? Visit The Planetary Society's Action Center: https://www.planetary.org/action-center Follow us on Bluesky! Mike: https://bsky.app/profile/miquai.bsky.social The Planetary Society: https://bsky.app/profile/planetarysociety.bsky.social

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

This week, we turn our eyes to DC for a fight that will impact this legislative session and sessions to come as Congress is considering hundreds of billions of dollars of cuts to Medicaid. These cuts would be devastating—not just to the Texans who rely on that coverage, but to our entire health care system. We welcome Peter Clark, Communications Director with Texans Care for Children, to talk to us about that and how you can get involved.  Visit the Action Center on the Texas Impact website at texasimpact.org to sign up for weekly action alerts. Find out more about the work of Texans Care for Children on their website txchildren.org  Read Bee's post on Medicaid cuts on our Substack texasimpact.substack.com/p/medicaid-cuts-let-us-stop-you-right  

Among the many justice issues concerning people of faith in 2025, immigration is near the top of the list across the country and across faith traditions. This week we are bringing you three guests to lay a foundation for immigration advocacy—at the federal level and in Texas.  First up, we talk with Bobby Painter and Kristin Etter of the Texas Immigration Law Council, who bring us up to speed on current immigration realities here in Texas and throughout the country. Then, we welcome Texas Impact's Bobby Watson with the state of play at this point in the Texas legislative session.  Check out the Action Center on our website to consider how you can get involved. One timely option: consider joining Texas Impact's Immigration Team. Make sure you are signed up for Texas Impact's emails and our Rapid Response team so you can receive the weekly Action Alert and updates—because your voice is needed now more than ever.   Find out more about the work of the Texas Immigration Law Council at txilc.org

This week we are excited to bring you content from Texas Impact's Public School Defenders' Lobby Day. We are joined by State Representative Gina Hinojosa, House District 49, while walking back to the Capitol after she addressed the Public School defenders to discuss voucher plans and how Texans of faith can push back against SB 2 and other voucher bills.   Later in the program we are joined by Texas Impact's Public Education Policy Advocate, Grace Bonilla, to talk about the lobby day and the work of the PSDs.  You can learn more about the Public School Defenders and Texas Impact's other issue teams, and see our weekly action alert, in the Action Center at texasimpact.org. Watch a clip from Scott's interview with Representative Hinojosa on our Youtube Channel. https://youtu.be/-7b-1RC-o08

In our latest, we talk about Chevron's energy partnership with Israel with Dov Baum, director of the American Friends Service Committee's (AFSC) Action Center for Corporate Accountability. We get into where and how much Chevron is making from Israel. We talk about the current call for a boycott of Chevron over their support of Israel's genocide in Gaza, organic boycotts of companies like Starbucks and McDonald's and the history of energy boycotts. We also discuss this weekend's actions at Chevron locations around the country. Bio// Dov Baum is director of AFSC's Action Center for Corporate Accountability. Dov is the co-founder of Who Profits from the Occupation and of the Coalition of Women for Peace in Israel. She is a feminist scholar and teacher who has taught about militarism and the global economy from a feminist perspective in Israeli and U.S. universities. Dov is also one of a group of Israeli Reservists who have made public their refusal to serve in the military, including in a public statement to the Washington Post. --------------------------------- Outro- "Just from Chevron" by the Dirty Projectors Links// + Boycott Chevron: www.boycottchevron.info +Chevron Weekend of Action: Jan 31-Feb 2 (https://bit.ly/4aVMSVX) Follow Green and Red// +G&R Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/greenandredpodcast⁠⁠⁠ +Our rad website: ⁠⁠⁠https://greenandredpodcast.org/⁠⁠⁠ + Join our Discord community (https://discord.gg/uvrdubcM) +NEW: Follow us on Substack (https://greenandredpodcast.substack.com) +NEW: Follow us on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/podcastgreenred.bsky.social) Support the Green and Red Podcast// +Become a Patron at https://www.patreon.com/greenredpodcast +Or make a one time donation here: ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/DonateGandR⁠⁠⁠ Our Networks// +We're part of the Labor Podcast Network: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.laborradionetwork.org/⁠⁠ +We're part of the Anti-Capitalist Podcast Network: linktr.ee/anticapitalistpodcastnetwork +Listen to us on WAMF (90.3 FM) in New Orleans (https://wamf.org/) This is a Green and Red Podcast (@PodcastGreenRed) production. Produced by Bob (@bobbuzzanco) and Scott (@sparki1969). Edited by Scott.