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In this episode, Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, founder of the Black Food Security Network, describes how experimenting with one small church garden led to connections with other churches and then with farmers and eventually to a transformed ecosystem—in this case, a food shed. This inspiring refugia story weaves through health justice, food security, and climate resilience. Even more, this story celebrates the power of relationships among thousands of gifted, passionate, faithful people. Many thanks to Heber Brown for graciously welcoming us to a church garden at one of the network churches in Baltimore, where we enjoyed chatting together in the greenhouse. To learn more about Rev. Dr. Heber Brown as a pastor, writer, and speaker, take a look at his website. You can also explore the wider work of the Black Church Food Security Network here.Rev. Dr. Heber BrownTRANSCRIPTHeber Brown Our garden has really become like a front door. It's a demonstration site. You're not going to feed an entire city or community with a church garden, but it becomes an activation space for your congregation members and the neighbors to come and reap the personal and individual benefits of just being closer to soil, but then also to practice what collectivism looks like in a garden space. It's a very controlled environment for a laboratory for, “how do we do this together?” And those learnings can roll over into other places as well.Debra Rienstra Welcome to the Refugia Podcast. I'm your host, Professor Debra Rienstra. Refugia are habitats in nature where life endures in times of crisis. We're exploring the concept of refugia as a metaphor, discovering how people of faith can become people of refugia: nurturing life-giving spaces in the earth, in our human cultural systems, and in our spiritual communities, even in this time of severe disturbance. This season, we're paying special attention to churches and Christian communities who have figured out how to address the climate crisis together as an essential aspect of their discipleship. Today, I'm talking with Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, founder of the Black Food Security Network. Beginning with a small congregation, a 1500-square foot garden, and a divine calling, the Black Food Security Network now connects 250 Black churches and 100 Black farmers in the Mid-Atlantic states and beyond. Reverend Brown's story weaves through issues of health justice, food security and climate resilience. And I love how beautifully this story illustrates the power of refugia. One small experiment started to form connections, then spread and eventually transformed a whole ecosystem—in this case, a food shed. I think you'll find Heber's brilliance and humility and joy inspiring, but he would be the first to say that this network is built on relationships among thousands of gifted, passionate, faithful people. People finding and exercising their beauty and agency is the best part of this story. Let's get to it.Debra Rienstra Heber, it's so great to talk to you today. Thank you so much for spending some time with me.Heber Brown Thank you for the opportunity.Debra Rienstra You've told your origin story about the Black Food Security Network a million times. Will you tell it again for our listeners?Heber Brown Absolutely. So, somewhere about five years in to pastoring a beautiful congregation here in Baltimore City called the Pleasant Hope Baptist Church, I began to notice a pattern of members of our congregation who were being hospitalized, and in response to that, like any well trained pastor will do, we do the things that seminary and other places have taught us: to show up by the bedside, give prayer, give encouragement, don't stay too long, and get to the next member who needs that kind of pastoral care. And so I was doing what my family—which was a family full of pastors—and seminary taught me to do: to go and visit. And during those visits, and while extending that encouragement, those prayers and the like, I also got the opportunity to do deep listening and learn some things about the people in my church, that stuff that doesn't necessarily and normally come out on a Sunday morning during all of the activity of a service. And one of the things that would come up, that started to come up in the confidentiality of those sacred circles, was the ways that diet and food was a part of the picture that was leading to the dis-ease and suffering, physical suffering, of those in the church. And I began to hear that over and over again. So I'm going, I'm praying, I'm giving scripture, I'm listening, shaking hands and moving on, and listening and hearing about food being in the picture. Alright, next visit. I'm going, I'm praying, I'm giving scripture, I'm giving encouragement, I'm listening, shaking hands, move to the next person. Food comes up again. It came up so much that eventually I got tired of just hearing about this challenge and walking away. I got unsettled by listening to people who I love and share life with, share with me their challenges, and as much as I believe and know that prayer is powerful, I wondered if there was ways that I could pray in a different way, pray through action.And so I got the idea—well, God gave vision. Well, no, God didn't give the first vision. The first one was just my idea. And my idea was to partner with the local market that was really right across the main intersection from our church. And I wanted some type of pathway so that food from that market could get to our church, get to our members, and it could improve their quality of life and address the health challenges in our church. But I still remember the day I went over to that market. And when I went to that market, and I looked at the prices of the produce, and then I also took note of the—as the young folks would say—the vibe of the space. It failed the vibe test, and it failed the price tag test. I saw barriers that would prevent, or at least slow this idea around nutrient-rich produce coming from that market right across the main intersection to our church within walking distance. And I got frustrated by that. I was frustrated because what we needed was right within reach. It was right at our fingertips, literally, but those barriers there would have made it very difficult for us to acquire and obtain the food that was there. Over the years, and like you said, I've told this story many times, and it's a living story, and so even my reflections on parts of it illuminates different ways, even at this stage of my journey with this. But I thought about like, what stopped me from talking to the market manager anyway? So I made the decision on that day just to walk out and say, “No, I'm not going to pursue partnership.” As I reflect on it, I interrogate myself, like, “Why didn't you at least have a conversation? Because who knows, something could have come out of the conversation, and maybe they would have given you the food for free or the discounted rate...” et cetera, et cetera. And when I sat with that and I thought about it more, I think there was something within me that didn't want free food. I thought, and I still think to this day, in a different, deeper, more conscious way, more aware way—but back then it was just something within where I thought that free food would have been too expensive. And not in a dollars and cents kind of way. That would have cost us too much with respect to our dignity, our sense of somebody-ness, and I did not want to lead my congregation in kind of genuflecting to the benevolence and charity, sense of charity, of the “haves” of the neighborhood. I did not want to reinforce kind of an inferiority complex that comes with staying in a posture of subservience to what you can recognize to be unjust and racist systems that keep food away from people when I believe that food is a God-given right. Healthy, nutritious food is a God-given right. I didn't want to lead my congregation into that, and I didn't want to reinforce even a sense of superiority, which is an equally devastating and damaging thing to the human soul, to think that these poor Black people are coming across the street to get food, and we are in the position to help those poor, at risk, needy people. Whether inferiority or superiority, both, I believe, are corrosive to the human soul. I did not have the articulation of that then, but I had enough in me that was living in that space that stopped me from leading our congregation into a partnership there. And so I left out, I walked back to the church. While I'm walking back to the church, near the front door of our church, there's a plot of land, and that land I'd walked past a thousand times before that day, but on that day, with divine discontent bubbling up inside of me, that's when God gave a vision. God vetoed my idea, gave a real vision, and that vision was rooted in us growing our own food in the front yard of our congregation. And so I go inside the church and I announce this vision to members of the church, and I remember saying to them, “Hey, y'all. God gave me a vision!” And I saw eyes rolling, like, “Oh, here he goes again.” I was at that time, I was in my early thirties. I started pastoring at 28 years old. And, you know, I came in at 28, I had all the ideas in the world. We was gonna fix everything by the weekend. And this patient congregation gave me room to work out all of that energy around changing everything immediately. So they were used to hearing this kind of stuff from me before, and so the rolling of the eyes when I said, “Hey, y'all, let's start a garden,” was quite expected, but I'm grateful for a remnant of the folks who said, “This one actually might work. Let's stick with him. Let's go with him on this.” And that remnant and I, we got together, we started growing food in the front yard of our church, and long story short, that garden helped to transform the spiritual and the physical material conditions of our congregation. 1500-square feet. We started growing 1200 pounds of produce every season: tomatoes, broccoli, kale, corn, even watermelon some years. It just transformed our ministry and even attracted people to the ministry who were not Christian, who'd never come to the church. Some people flew in from out of town. Like this little congregation of like 125 people with the 1500-square foot garden became, for some people, a destination, like church. And I was like, “What is this? We don't have bells and whistles and smoke machines and everything else. We're just a regular church on the side of the road with a little piece of land. And this garden is becoming a calling card for our ministry.”Debra Rienstra It was such a wild thing to do, and yet—it's just a garden.Heber Brown It's just a garden!Debra Rienstra So, I want to come back to, now, you know, long fifteen years later, you have this network of 250 Black churches and a hundred Black farmers, mostly up and down the East Coast, but all over the US. And we'll get to that exciting development in a bit, but I want to go back to those early days, because we're really interested in how congregations get excited. So could you talk about Maxine Nicholas?Heber Brown Yes, yes. Maxine Nicholas was the president of the sanctuary choir when I first got to Pleasant Hope. And she also was the one who organized a lot of exciting trips for seniors. They went shopping and went to plays. And you know, that was my introduction to her, when I first got to the church. And really, that was the extent, pretty much, of what I knew about her, how she showed up in the ministry. And when I shared this vision from God for us to start a garden, she was one of the members who said, “I'm gonna help.” And it was critical that she...what she did was critical to even us having this conversation today because she had the agricultural and farming know-how. I didn't.Debra Rienstra You didn't know anything!Heber Brown No, I didn't know anything! I was, I mean, born in Baltimore City. Yes, I spent summers down the country. As we say in my family and community, we say, you know, “We're going down the country for the summer.” And so, when school let out, my parents took us down to our relatives' home in rural Virginia, and my big mama, mama Geraldine, we would stay with her. She had land. She grew, you know, all the things. I wasn't paying attention to any of that when I was a young child, but some seeds were planted. But it really wasn't what I was focused on then, so I didn't know much about growing or, you know, agrarian kind of rhythms of being at all. Sister Maxine, though, grew up with multiple brothers and sisters on a farm in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. She moved to Baltimore from North Carolina around the fifties, joined Pleasant Hope shortly after that, and had really grown with the church over the years. Though she left the farm, the farm never left her. It was still in her. I didn't know it was there. My seminary-trained pastoral eyes were socialized to lock in on the gifts that people had that could be in service to our Sunday service, the production of the corporate worship experience. So if you can sing, I was trained to say, “Hey, I think you should join the choir.” If you could play an instrument, get on the band. Could you stand for two hours or so? The ushers' ministry. But I had some major blind spots about the gifts of God in people that were detached— seemingly detached and devoid—from what corporate worship and liturgy could look like in our space. Sister Maxine stepping forward helped to challenge my blind spots. She's not just a sanctuary choir president. She's not just the planner of trips for the seniors. She was a farmer.Debra Rienstra Isn't that remarkable? I think so many churches are full of such talent and passion, and sort of untilled passion, right? That, as you say, we're so focused on church programs, whatever those might be, for a church, that we often don't realize what people are capable of in the service of the name of Jesus, right? So, now you say, when you go to work with a potential partner church, you look for the Sister Maxine.Heber Brown That's right, she's a profile.Debra Rienstra How do you find the Sister Maxines? Everybody wants them.Heber Brown Yeah. Many times, well, one thing I know for sure, I'll say. Sister Maxine is rarely the pastor. It's not the pastor or anybody with the big highfalutin titles up front on the website, on the camera. It's rare. I'll just say that: it's rare, in my experience, that that's your Sister Maxine. They do play a crucial role in the furthering and establishment of this kind of ministry, “innovation,” innovation in air quotes. But Sister Maxine is, in many times, in my experience, that's the one who is recognized as getting things done in the church. And many times, they're almost allergic to attention. They're the ones who are running from the microphone or the spotlight, but they're the ones who prefer, “I'm in the background.” No, they often say things like that: “No, no, that's not for me. I just want to get stuff done. You know, I don't know what to say.” Oftentimes they talk like that. But everybody in the church knows if it's going to get done, this one's going to do it. Or, you know, maybe it's a group, they're going to get it done. And so that's one of the things that I've just trained myself to look for, like, who really is over—you know, when I shake the hand of a pastor, many times I'm looking over their shoulder. Who is behind you? Because what I know is, “Pastor, and no disrespect, but you're not the one who's gonna be with me in the garden on the land. You'll be getting an introduction to the land most times, just like I will be when I first arrive.” Who's the person who already knows it? And then too, I think you find the Sister Maxine by listening. Hearing Sister Maxine's story, and really listening to the fact that she grew up on a farm in North Carolina. And watching her face light up when she talked about growing up, she talked about her parents, and she's since passed away, but I still remember so many conversations we've had. And she would tell me about how her parents would send all the children out to work the farm before they went to school. And she would chuckle and say, “My daddy sent the boys and the girls out there to work that land,” to kind of challenge notions of this is not a woman or a girl's work. Her parents like, “Nope. Everybody get outside.” And she chuckled and laughed and smiled sharing so many of those kinds of memories. And I think you can find the Sister Maxines oftentimes by doing deep listening. And sometimes it's not a Sister Maxine that's really doing the farming thing, but it might be a Sister Maxine who's into herbalism, or, you know, or who has stories about their elders or parents who could walk in the field and put stuff together and tend to a rash or a wound or a bruise. These things might not show up on a resume, but they're in the lines of the stories of the people who are right under our nose. And so maybe I'll just offer it finally, that maybe it's, you know, you find Sister Maxine by doing deep listening.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. Okay, so now you've got a church garden. And it's transforming the congregation. How? What's changing?Heber Brown Well, one of the things that transformed with the congregation was just like the pride. Members of the church was taking pride in what we were doing. You know, we're not a megachurch in the city. Never have been a megachurch. In fact, our church blended in so much in the background of the neighborhood that when I first got to the church, the trustees—really one of the trustees in particular—was really adamant about us needing to build a steeple on top of our building, because the steeple would then indicate to the community that this is a church. And thank God we never got a steeple, but we didn't need it. The garden became the steeple, and the members started taking pictures of the produce they were receiving from the church garden and posting it on their Facebook page, and putting it, you know, sharing it with their families. They began sharing recipes in the congregation related to what we were growing in our garden, and I saw people start coming to our church for worship and programming that were coming because we had a garden.Debra Rienstra Lured by the cabbages.Heber Brown That's it! Not these sermons I worked so hard to put together.Debra RienstraNope. It was the cabbages.Heber Brown I'm trying to say, “You know, this word in the Greek means...” and all this stuff. And I'm trying to, “Hey, y'all, I have a degree!” And I'm trying to show you I have a degree. Like, “no, we're here for cabbage.”Debra Rienstra You just need carrots. So, from there, we become this big network, and there's a lot going on between those steps. So you've got the garden. You start having markets after services on Sunday. What happens next to begin creating this gigantic network?Heber Brown Yeah, so this network, I mean, this activity with our garden continues to grow and mature. We're testing. We develop an appetite for experimentation and a curiosity, and nurturing kind of a congregational curiosity about what could happen, like, what if? What if, what if? And in that kind of context, my “what ifs” also grew to: “What if other churches could do this too?” And what if we could work together to systematize our efforts? And so I was very clear that I was not interested in a scaling of this experience in such a way that would create additional siloed congregational ministries. Like, that's not going to fix and help us get to the root of why we are hungry or sick in the first place. If we're going to, you know, really get at the root of, or some of the root, of the challenges, we have to create an ecosystem. We have to have churches who do it, but also work with other churches who are doing it. And we compliment—like a choir. You got your sopranos, your altos, your tenors, and you got some churches that will do this part well, other churches will do that part well, but if you sing together, you can create beautiful music together. And so that idea started rolling around in my head, and I started talking to farmers and public health professionals here in the city, and other folks, food justice folks in the city, and just kind of getting their reactions to this idea. I had never seen or heard of anything like that before at that time. And so I was just trying to get a read from others who I respected, to kind of give some insight. And in the course of that, this city, Baltimore, experienced an uprising related to the death of Freddie Gray.Debra Rienstra Yeah, this is so interesting, how this became a catalyst. Describe that.Heber Brown It kicked at the uprising and the death of Freddie Gray at the hands of Baltimore City police officers. And for those who are not familiar, Baltimore City, like many communities around this country, sadly, had experienced a long line of Black people who've been killed by Baltimore City police officers with no consequences to those officers or to government officials who supported them. So Freddie Gray in 2015 was the latest name in a long list of names and generations of Black families who've endured the brutality and the horror of those kinds of experiences. When the city goes up in demonstrations and protests against police brutality against Black people in Baltimore, one of the things that happened was those communities nearest the epicenter of the demonstrations and protests that were already what we call “food apartheid zones” and struggling with food access and food security, those neighborhoods...things intensified because the corner stores that they were dependent on also closed during that time. Public transportation did not send buses through the neighborhood, so they were stranded there. Even the public school system closed for a few days, and 80,000 students in Baltimore City, many of them who were dependent on free breakfast and free lunch from school, had to figure out something else. So with all of that support not there anymore, members of the community started to call our church, because by 2015 we were known kind of like as the “food and garden” church. They got food. It was our calling card. So they called the church office. They said, “Hey, Reverend Brown, Pastor Brown, we need food.” I called our garden team. We harvested from our garden. We called farmers that we knew. Other people just made donation to us. We transformed our church into like this food depot. We started processing donations, harvesting, loaded it up on our church van, and I was driving our church van around the city of Baltimore in the midst of the uprising, getting food to people and into the communities that called us to come.Debra Rienstra Wow, you've done a lot of driving vans around, it seems like. We'll get back to that. But it's just so fascinating that that moment catalyzed, it sounds like, an awareness of food insecurity that made it really real for people who are maybe aware of it, but now it's reached a sort of acute moment. And I love the way that you talked in an interview with Reverend Jen Bailey about how Black churches are already a network. And so that moment, it sounds like, activated that network. And in fact, the way that you talked about the legacy of Black churches having a spiritual vocation connected to social change for a long time, and so many people used to doing things with hardly any obvious resources, like not money or power, and depending on God to make a way out of no way. And it sounds like you just leveraged all of those incredible assets born of years of struggle and said, “We can do this. We can move from being consumers at the whim of systems like this to producers that create food security.” So how did you, you know, sort of leverage those assets and help people understand that they had them?Heber Brown Yeah, I think that what was helpful to me early on was to almost look at the church like, assume the posture of a social scientist. And to almost go up on the balcony of the church and look down on it. Like, just back up and try as best as possible to clean your lenses so you can just look at it. What does it do? What does it care about? What does it prioritize? Like, just really take notes. And that's a part of what I was drawn to do early on, was just: what does Pleasant Hope— and not just Pleasant Hope Baptist Church, but all the churches that we're in relationship with, and all the churches that I knew, being a preacher's kid, my dad still pastors in this city. And so I've grown up in the church, the Black churches of Baltimore and beyond, and so just stepping back and watching to see what it does gave me some curiosities, some clues, some tips and hints, like: wow, if it already does that, then if I can just run downfield a little bit and get in the path of where I know it's about to come, then potentially it could make what it's going to do anyway even more impactful. So an example is: pastors' anniversary or church anniversary services always have food in the picture. You're going to eat. And you don't have to be a Black—that's any church. You're going to eat throughout the year. It's a part of the practice of the faith. If you can run downfield and get in front of where you know the congregation is about to come—because church anniversary is the same Sunday every single year. And you can reverse-engineer like, at what point will the church need to buy food? At what point do they need to decide where they get the food from? At what point is the budget decided for the following year so they see how much money they're going to spend on food. If you can get in and kind of almost double dutch into those critical moments, like jump rope, and be like, “If I make this suggestion at this particular moment, then it's going to introduce something into the conversation with the trustees that might increase the amount of money spent on food that we then could use to connect with this particular farmer, which we then can use to connect with the kitchen ministry, who they can then use to create the menu for the meal.” And before you know it, you have a plate with local food right in front of everybody's faces at the church.Debra Rienstra You have said that after the pulpit, the second holiest place in the building is the kitchen.Heber Brown It really...honest to God, is the second, and it's a close second too, because everybody can't walk into that kitchen. And if you can strategize and think about how to leverage the stuff, the assets, but also your knowledge of how this entity operates, it could really be transformative.Here we are, chatting at the greenhouse. Debra RienstraHi, it's me, Debra. If you are enjoying this podcast episode, go ahead and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. If you have a minute, leave a review. Good reviews help more listeners discover this podcast. To keep up with all the Refugia news, I invite you to subscribe to the Refugia newsletter on Substack. This is my fortnightly newsletter for people of faith who care about the climate crisis and want to go deeper. Every two weeks, I feature climate news, deeper dives, refugia sightings and much more. Join our community at refugianewsletter.substack.com. For even more goodies, including transcripts and show notes for this podcast, check out my website at debrarienstra.com. D-E-B-R-A-R-I-E-N-S-T-R-A dot com. Thanks so much for listening. We're glad you're part of this community. And now back to the interview.Debra Rienstra You've really asked people to go back in the system to origins, like the origins of the soil, and think about the provenance of everything they eat—in the church, but also at home and and say, “Well, why can't we help Black farmers find markets for their food by creating this whole network?” Talk a little bit about what the network actually looks like. So you've got farmers, they create produce, and then you go with a truck, and sounds like it's all you! You go with a truck, bring their stuff to a church. So explain how that all works now in the larger network.Heber Brown Yeah, so now, after getting our official start ten years ago, so I started 15 years ago on this journey. The network itself, this is the tenth year. 2025 is our ten year anniversary. And now what our network looks like is helping member churches to start gardens on land that they own. We are very clear about starting on garden-owned—sorry, on church-owned land, just because in this kind of context, gentrification, eminent domain, that's real. You got Black communities who don't know if their land or property will be taken because a highway needs to be built here. And we don't, we've not tapped into, or don't have the sense of agency, collective agency, yet to push back against those kinds of things. And so church-owned land really is important because it creates some political buffers against systems that would be hesitant to snatch church land. Just politically, it's not a good idea. So knowing that about the political environment, that they don't want to mess with—they want votes from congregations. They don't want to, you know—congregations coming after them is like, “Oh, okay, well, let's grow food on the land that is less likely to be taken by politicians or developers.” And so we help churches to start gardens or agricultural projects. It might be composting, it might be rain barrels. It might be, you know, different types of things to either establish it or to expand it. And our gardens really become like a front door. It's a demonstration site. You're not going to feed an entire city or community with a church garden, but it becomes an activation space for your congregation members and the neighbors to come and reap the personal, individual benefits of just being closer to soil, but then also to practice what collectivism looks like in a garden space. It's a very controlled environment for a laboratory, for, “How do we do this together?” And those learners can roll over into other places as well.Heber Brown So gardens is one thing. Markets, Black farmers markets. We do them at churches. We like to do it on Sundays right after worship, when people are hungry anyway. We like putting those farmers right there before people get to their car. We want to make it feel like a family reunion, a cookout in your backyard, a holiday gathering. There's a DJ, we're line dancing, there's prepared food, and there's produce, games for the children. So kind of an event experience. It's really fun. It's an experience, you know? And that's what we really try to do with that program. It's not just transactional, “Here is your squash.” It's: let's give people a nourishing experience that even goes beyond the food that the farmers are bringing. And then we do Black farm tours, where we're driving people around to kind of literally get your feet on soil. And it's become an increasing request of groups and churches that many times they don't even know there are farmers right under their nose, like right around the corner. We're so disconnected from our local food environments. So Black farm tours are helpful. And then what you reference, with respect to driving food around—it's almost like, I've called it the BCSA program. It's kind of a play off of “CSA: Community Supported Agriculture,” like the subscription box program. Black Church Supported Agriculture looks like us helping farmers with the logistics of getting bulk items from their farm to congregations. And yes, over these past ten years, I have done a lot of the driving of refrigerated trucks and box trucks. It's been my joy, though, to do that. It's been a sanctuary for me, even while pastoring. I mean, so I'm preaching on Sunday, and then I'm delivering sweet potatoes on Monday, and like, behind the wheel of a big box truck. I love that kind of stuff, just because it helps me be feel free to explore my call beyond just more conventional, classic understandings of what it means to be a clergy person. So it's been great for me to experience that, but ten years in, it is increasingly important that I get from behind the wheel and pass the keys to somebody else, so that we might really systematize it, because if it stays with me, this network won't go far at all.Debra Rienstra Yeah. Okay, so I want to read a quote from you, and then I want to ask a question about that very thing. So you put it before that your vision is to move people from being—and this is my summary—your vision is to move people from being disadvantaged consumers to confident producers, and that means, and here's your quote, “co-creating alternative micro food systems, not just because of the racism and the oppression in the current food system, but also because of the impending challenges around climate change, the growing concerns around geopolitics, and, at the time you said this, Covid-19, which showed us how fragile our current food system is.” So the Black Food Security Network is wrapped up in health justice, food security, climate resilience. Do you have ways of communicating all of that to people? Are the folks who are buying the carrots and the kale aware of all that? And if so, how are they aware of all that?Heber Brown Yeah, many. I mean, this food is a very political thing, and so it sets a good table for conversations around all of that and so much more that you just lifted up. And so there are many one-on-one conversations or small group conversations or online, you know, conversations that happen where people do recognize the implications of what we're doing. Yeah, that goes far beyond your next meal. And so that is helpful. I am definitely interested, though, in how we do more in the way of communicating that. I would love to see, for example, Sunday school curricula created that kind of takes—again, if I'm looking at how churches operate today, Christian education programs are one of the things that have been on the church budget and in the air of the programming of the church for a very long time, and I suspect it's going to stay there. How do we inject it with Sunday school curriculum that fits? So climate change, racism, social justice, food justice. How do we have Sunday school curriculum, vacation Bible school and summer camp experiences that speak to that? How might we reimagine our Sunday live streams? Is anybody really watching the full one hour of your live stream on Sunday? Could it be that we could produce programming that perhaps pops in on a piece of the sermon, but then pops out to another segment that touches on these different things, so that people really have a dynamic experience watching? Maybe there's one stream of the Sunday service that stays just on the whole service, but maybe there's an alternative link for those who may be closer to the outer edges or different edges of the ministry, who's really not interested in hearing the church announcements and when the tea is gonna be and when the that...Maybe, if we thought about how to create material, curriculum, streamed experiences that are a little bit more dynamic, it would also create a runway for the sharing of those. And last thing I'll say is: what about our small group and discipleship programs at our churches? And so many congregations have book clubs and small group studies that have done wonderful things over the years. I wonder if there could be, in addition to those kinds of groups, where there's an action component. So we don't read just for the sake of reading. We read to reflect. We read to be activated to go do, and then we come back and reflect, and then we read the next thing, and then we go do, and then come back—a praxis. Could our small group and discipleship programs embrace a different kind of praxis, or for how they are experimenting with the practice of this faith in this day and time?Debra Rienstra “Okay, let's pause and go out to weed a little bit.” There you go. So one of the things I love about your story is the way you began with this—we could call it a “low-resource refugia space,” one congregation. And I'm curious how things feel different now. So ideally, refugia in nature persist and grow, connect and spread through corridors, and eventually you have this renewed ecosystem. So the Black Food Security Network is essentially a successful refugia network. You've created an ecosystem. What feels different now for you and for the whole network? You've been at this a long time.Heber Brown What feels different now? So I was thinking this week about the rhythm of nature, and in my personal embrace of this vocation, I try to mirror and mimic nature in a number of ways. And so like during winter, you won't hear me a lot. I'm doing what nature does, and the energy is in the roots and not in the fruit. And I don't take a lot of interviews. I don't travel a lot. I get real still and real quiet. And during the spring, I start poking my head out a little bit more. During the summer, it's go time. During the fall, it's harvest time. So I look at that personally, but now I'm also beginning to look at that organizationally, and with respect to this network. And I'm saying, I'm intentionally saying “organization” and “network” separate. With respect to the organization, I am clearer today, as we go through the life cycles of what nature does, that I now have the opportunity, and the responsibility even, to till the soil again in the organization. And a part of that tilling of the soil, turning the soil over, means me renegotiating my position in the organization. That out of necessity, I leaned into a role that, for the past decade, I've been organizing and bringing things together, but I recognize, and I always have, my highest and best use is really not in the management of the day to day operations of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. My skills are not as sharp in all of the ways that would continue to cultivate that kind of consistency and efficiencies in an organization. And so currently, I am working as hard as I can and as fast as I can to get out of positions that I've been holding, particularly with the executive director. This is not going to be overnight, but I'm articulating it and saying it out loud to help remind myself, remind my team, and also make it more real. I'm speaking it into—I'm manifesting it through my words that if the organization is to continue to grow and flourish. I can't stay in this role.Debra Rienstra Okay, you want to go back to the soil.Heber Brown Right here. For those who are listening, we're sitting at one of our member gardens, and this is where I belong. I still, I will obviously still have a role with the organization. I'm not leaving. But maybe there's a different configuration. Maybe I become more of a John the Baptist. I'm just going out, and I go out and I'm preaching in the wilderness about, and painting the picture, about the necessity of this stuff. And then after that, after I paint the picture, get folks excited, show them that it's real, help them in the early stages—I love talking about the early stages and my failures and all that kind of stuff. And then pass the baton. Once these congregations are activated and energized and ready, at some point very soon, passing the baton to those in the organization who will continue to work with them to mentor them and grow them. And then with the network as a whole, you know, going around and being like a people pollinator—that's what I really feel called to. I want to grow food, and I want to go around and people-pollinate. I want to introduce people. I want to connect folks. I think that's part of my highest use in the network, which will demand a renegotiation of how I show up in the organization.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah, because you've talked all along about how important relationships are in making this. It's always person to person, always about relationships. Yeah. So is the network right now fundamentally built on congregations, still? Like it's a network of congregations plus farmers.Heber Brown It's a network of congregations and it's a network of relationships with farmers. We really, over the years, one of the developments that we had over the past maybe year and a half or so, was that really the sweet spot of what we do well is work with Black congregations. That's what we do well. Black farmers, because of a century of discrimination and so many other systemic injustices against them—they need a high level of advocacy, technical assistance, support, financing, et cetera. And we really came to a place about a year and a half ago where we realized...before that point we were trying to help the churches and the farmers. I was like, no, it's enough getting a church to change one small thing, seemingly small thing. How are you going to do churches and farmers? And so a clarity around—what is the sweet spot of what we do well, and where's the thing that others are not doing as much? There are a lot of organizations now, thankfully, that give a lot of support to farmers in general and Black farmers in particular. We don't need to try to be the experts there. We can just be again in a relationship with those organizations that do that with the farmers, and just make sure that we're dancing well together in how, “If y'all help the farmers and we help the churches, now we bring together what our advocacy, organizing and programming can look like.” And so right now, it's congregations, and we're trying to increase our ability to serve our congregations well.Debra Rienstra Yeah, so that's refugia-like, too, in the sense that refugia are very particular to a species in a place, and when they spread and grow through corridors, the biodiversity increases. So you know, you're building, as you say, this ecosystem, and it naturally, you would have biodiversity increase, but there's still going to be specialized pockets. Okay, lightning round. and then a final question. Lightning round, what's your favorite veg?Heber BrownFirst thing that came up...oh man, that's a lot. Nevermind. I'm gonna go with kale. Stay with my kale.Debra RienstraKale! Okay. I'd have to say carrots for me, because they're so versatile. And they last a long time.Heber Brown I've had carrot hot dogs. I'm vegetarian, and so I've had carrot hot dogs. They are really good.Debra Rienstra Okay, so I wanted to ask you about being a vegetarian, because this is essentially the South, right? It is so meat centric. I'm vegetarian too. It is hard to find something to eat. How do you do that?Heber Brown Yes, yes.Debra RienstraWhat do you do about like, pork barbecue?Heber BrownYeah. So a lot of things—social functions and fellowships—I know I have to eat beforehand or bring my own food. And so that's what I do to kind of get through. It's like, I'm not going for the plate, I'm going for the people.Debra Rienstra Macaroni and cheese works.Heber Brown Mac and cheese still works a lot. So the sides—all the sides, I'm good on the sides.Debra Rienstra Yeah, me too. Most impressive farm skill?Heber Brown Attracting labor to help.Debra Rienstra That's a huge skill!Heber Brown Huge, huge huge. I'm still learning. I went to beginner farm school, and I'm still learning the farm stuff, and I'm excited about it, but I'm grateful that God has gifted me to get folks to show up to him.Debra Rienstra Unappreciated farm skill. Okay. Elderberry syrup for communion. Talk about that.Heber Brown When we all get to heaven, I think Jesus will be serving elderberry syrup. It's like, no, I'm playing. Yeah, that was one of those experimentations.Debra Rienstra Did it work?Heber Brown It worked! And then the next week, Covid hit and shut down. So we were just beginning. I partnered with an herbalist who was gonna—and she also was a baker, so she was gonna be doing fresh bread and elderberry syrup every communion Sunday. The day we did this, she was in the church kitchen, baking the bread, and the smell of bread is just going through the congregation. And I knew she had the elderberry syrup in this big, beautiful container. And so it was such a beautiful moment. And I was so jazzed about...I was jazzed about that, not only because the bread was good and like children were coming back for seconds for communion bread, but also because I felt like with the elderberry syrup and the bread, that it was in deeper alignment with our ethics and what we preached.Debra Rienstra It's better sacramentalism. Because, you know, as you've been saying all along, it's not consuming an element of unknown provenance. It's producing. It's the fruit of human labor, right? It's the work of God, the gift of the earth, and the fruit of human labor. And it's labor you've had your actual hands on. So it's a lot to ask for churches to do this, but it's, you know, one of these small experiments with radical intent that could be really, really cool.Heber Brown And I think in a time when congregations, well, I'm thinking about trustee ministries, those who are over financial resources of the church, right? So one of the ways that it worked at my church was, I was like, “Listen, I noticed in our financial reports here that we're spending X amount on buying these boxes of these pre-made communion cups. What if we could take some of the money we're already spending and divert it to an herbalist who could grow, who could make us the syrup that we need, and what if we can do it that way?” And so I had to speak to that particular ministry, not from the perspective of like the earth and the soil, but in a language that I thought that they could better appreciate was dollars and cents.Debra Rienstra Yeah, keeping those dollars local. Oh my gosh. Okay. Final question: what is your vision for the Church, capital C, in the next 50 years?Heber Brown That we'd be baptized back into the soil. That Scripture speaks about the ways in which we are brought from the soil, and God breathed into Adam, the breath of life. And I think there's more of the breath of life now back in the soil, if we would but release ourselves into the compost of what is happening socially now that we would be in a position where new life, resurrection, would be experienced in a different kind of way through our ministry.Debra Rienstra Heber, thank you so much. This was such a pleasure. Thank you for your time today. Thank you.Debra Rienstra Thanks for joining us for show notes and full transcripts, please visit debrarienstra.com and click on the Refugia Podcast tab. This season of the Refugia Podcast is produced with generous funding from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Colin Hoogerwerf is our awesome audio producer. Thanks to Ron Rienstra for content consultation as well as technical and travel support. Till next time, be well. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com

Now that the Trump administration has the money to significantly expand its mass deportation efforts, the question is how quickly it can reach its goal of deporting 1 million unauthorized immigrants a year, following historic levels of illegal crossings under former President Joe Biden. Also: today's stories, including how Armenia's government is facing off against its ancient church as the former tries to forge a peace deal with the country's long-time enemy, how artists throughout Baltimore are remembering Freddie Gray through their creative works, and how the nonprofit Greenagers in western Massachusetts employs crews of local high schoolers to help maintain trails. Join the Monitor's Christa Case Bryant for today's news.

Author's Note: This writing was adapted from a series of conversations around race in America and edited as audio, recorded in 2020, right after George Floyd was lynched.. The podcast of this writing is the real thing, as it were.  What follows is edited text to clarify the narrators, absent the audio.  Please consider following the podcast associated with this newsletter and leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe to support high-impact content like this.The author, David Foster Wallace, described the experience of reading his novel Infinite Jest as intended to feel “tornadic,” like you're in the middle of a tornado. That's what the last several weeks have felt like.Protesters:"Racist ass police! No justice, no peace! F**k these racist ass police! No justice, no peace!""F**k these racist ass police!"Owen Muir, M.D.:I originally tried making this episode a linear narrative, but it wasn't happening. So, welcome to the tornado of racism in America. Buckle up.George Floyd spent 8 minutes and 46 seconds gasping for breath.  Police officers, some of whom were very experienced, knelt on his back...until he didn't breathe anymore. As a psychiatrist, I often emphasize how the words we use to describe someone's death have meaning. So, I'll say, you know, completed suicide, not “commit.” And George Floyd was lynched.Welcome. This is about anxiety, uncertainty, and existential despair. And I recorded the narration in one take because I wasn't, like, going to get it right a second time. So much of what we say about race is calculated, polite, and wrong. So I'm not going to try to do that tonight.Here we go.Sequoiah:"Yeah. My general reaction to all this is a little more, a little more extended. The, uh, f**k".Owen Muir, M.D.:That's my teammate. She is a TMS technician at the mental health practice we worked at together. She also works in the community with patients helping put their lives together, but tonight she's a field reporter on the revolution.Sequoiah:"I am a TMS tech, Winnicott coach, and black woman. Which seems very important right now. George Floyd, Say His Name.  George Floyd, Say his Name.So I just got home from a protest in Flatbush. Police would not let us pass. We were chanting with our hands up. And after a while, they decided to push the line backward. We resisted—we stood there with our hands up. They pushed us and pushed us, and when we wouldn't..."Owen:Now, as someone with a lot of white privilege, I'm outraged at hearing this, like, wow, this is fucked up. So I called another colleague in the special operations community, and I'm not using names in this episode for semi-obvious reasons, and I heard what he had to say.Master Sergeant:“The things that U. S. police forces are apparently fully within their legal rights to do, like, use tear gas, would literally have…been against the Geneva Conventions. It's an actual war crime. We cannot gas a civilian population.”Owen Muir, M.D.:The person I'm interviewing has over a decade of experience in the special operations community. He has fought and killed for our right to do what my other colleagues were in the street doing, peacefully protesting.Master Sergeant:"This is a perversion of what the United States stands for. We invade countries who treat their people the way that our police forces are on camera treating Americans "Sequoiah:"People started to back up, , and run and they then started to hit us with batons. , I fell. And then we reformed the line."Master Sergeant:"It's disgusting in a lot of ways."Owen Muir, M.D.:So when someone whose life has been dedicated to protecting our freedoms tells me they're upset with what they're seeing, I take that pretty seriously.Sequoiah:"Well, the other night, well, last night, when the cops and protestors were getting into, into fights and they were trying to, the cops were trying to push back the protestors, I saw them bring out the batons and, like, start attacking people...and each time they'd tell us to back up and back up and kept pushing us and pushing us. And finally, there was a frustration in the air, and people started to act out."Owen Muir, M.D.:Now, as a psychiatrist, my life has been saved by police officers on more than one occasion. I have been physically attacked in hospital settings.  The police have been called, and I have not died, and my colleagues have not died thanks to them. And this is Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York, and these people are black people. The Flatbush, at least the area I was in, is a predominantly black neighborhood.  So, look, Americans love the police.  They are a highly regarded part of society by many people, but that's not the experience for black America I have learned.Master Sergeant:“There are many things you can do in that spectrum that don't involve actively using force against a human being, which makes the process easier across the board. If I don't have to hurt somebody, the only thing that is hurting another person does for me is further endanger my Troops. "Owen Muir, M.D.:Now this makes sense to me because, having run the show in a psychiatric emergency department, where I have to protect myself, other patients, and violent people themselves from getting hurt, sometimes we use violence, but oftentimes we don't.Master Sergeant:"What started this particular instance has been four cops lynched George Floyd. One guy put his knee on the man. We don't do that to terrorists actively trying to kill us. ""George Floyd, Say His Name."Sequoiah:"It was at that point that they called in more backup and started to attack and arrest groups of gathered people from the neighborhood.”Owen Muir, M.D.:Police officers, when they're called to stand trial for the use of force, have a standard called the reasonable officer standard.I feel like I have to make it relevant for me--a white person—to watch humans being murdered by police and then people killing each other in the streets about it. There was an article I read about six months ago about yet another person being slammed to the ground, handcuffed behind their back, and suffocated to death by the police. I was shocked..that the person was white. Until I read several paragraphs down that he had schizophrenia. Oh, that's what made it okay. Reasonable officers can only be judged based on what someone would do in that moment of terror when they have to decide to use force.Sequoiah:"I was so emotionally spent and so exhausted. And then we saw marauding bands of police officers going down the street, just telling people to go home and attacking groups of people on the street.”"George Floyd, Say His Name.  George Floyd, Say His Name."Owen Muir, M.D.:Police officers are represented by unions. Those unions have spent 20 years bargaining for lack of accountability to protect, in their minds, their members. This means police officers have the right to huddle and discuss their stories before speaking to prosecutors. It means many other things.  But importantly, whenever any officer stands trial, the jury is instructed, per Chief Justice Rehnquist, to not use the benefit of 20/20 hindsight in judging their actions, but only what a reasonable, that is, terrified person, would do at the moment.Master Sergeant:"We have an entire job in the US military to validate whether or not we killed someone the right way."Owen Muir, M.D.:The court system is what's supposed to do that for police officers. But it doesn't; it just says, eh, it's okay.Master Sergeant:"That's an actual thing; we have entire organizational structures dedicated to the legality of murder."Owen Muir, M.D.:Killing black or brown people in America, if you're a police officer, has literally never been ruled against the law. Ever.Master Sergeant:"To not call it murder, to call it, to call it killing combatants, that's what a JAG does. Overseas, when they're deployed, they tell you whether or not you can kill this person. And sometimes, even though we can kill someone, we don't because they have a much higher value as an intelligence asset. Or for any number of other reasons. Or they're not actively shooting at us when we go get them. That happens a ton. Because sometimes, when you see 20 or 30 goons show up outside your house, breach your door with a shotgun round, rush in, and then point all their guns at you, you won't fight back. And then, okay, well, he's not shooting back at us, so we're going to take him in, and then... "Owen Muir, M.D.:You don't get to kill someone. In the U. S. military. Deployed in the field. In Afghanistan. Even if someone's a terrorist, if they're not pointing a gun at you and about to pull the goddamn trigger.“Cause one of the things I don't want to do is vilify police officers. And, and ...”Master Sergeant:"I mean, Owen, to be perfectly honest with you,  You may not want to vilify police officers, but the things I've seen police officers do in the past week while they know they're being recorded are actively the actions of villains."Owen Muir, M.D.:This hit me like a ton of bricks. This is not okay, but when people call for help, and the police arrive, they deal with a crisis. A lot of those crises involve people with mental illness, and police officers are being asked to do a thing that like is a whole medical specialty. Like, I'm a psychiatrist. It was 45 000 hours of training to learn how to calm people down when upset and have experiences we don't have access to. And, if you're called to the scene of a crisis, and someone's acting in a really strange and scary way, and you have a gun. You've been told to protect yourself, don't let yourself get hurt or let this person harm you, and you know nothing bad will happen to you if you pull that trigger. You're going to pull that trigger.  More often than not. And that's about a thousand times a year. You're about... God knows it doesn't even matter. The percentage of time you're more likely to be killed if you're black and mentally ill. The fact that we have a statistic for that is fucked up enough. Help isn't helpful for black America. And that's just a fact of life.”Master Sergeant:"You know, I have friends in New York who are talking about the cruelty they see in these police officers' eyes. And what's worse, what's truly evil about this whole system is even in the throes of this violence, they're exhibiting racist and preferential behaviors towards white protesters versus black protesters. Or brown protesters. They're active, you know, taking it easier on white people because they're white. "Owen Muir, M.D.:And this is just f*****g killing me at this point. Ugh. Look, what's happening in the streets is not okay. It's not been okay for hundreds of years. And police officers are part of a system designed to keep order, and order used to mean slaves. That's just why they're there.Master Sergeant:"Things I don't even f*****g think about, man. Like, I'll go for a run or a rock at night. And I'll, I'll like, sometimes I'll go on my own, but if I don't go earlier, like, T. is like, well, I guess I'll go for a run. Like, one day, I just asked, like, why do you only run with me? Why do you only run with me? And she's like, well, it depends. We're in a quiet neighborhood in Florida, and I'm a black woman like I'm; there's a bunch of Trump signs everywhere like I'm not going running on my own. I was like, wow, yeah, I've never even thought along those lines; I don't question my safety when I go places. I'm hyper-vigilant for a lot of other reasons, but like, there's never a question in my mind, like if someone attacks me, it's not, it's an unexpected event, I'm not expecting, That at any moment, someone might attack me for the color of my skin. Because I'm in the neighborhood."William Osei, PhD.:"Hey, I'm Dr. Will Osei.I am a postdoctoral fellow, an African American psychologist living in Bedstuy, Brooklyn. " Owen Muir, M.D.:Dr. Osei is a scholar of racism and multiculturalism.And helped me explain what it's like for the black kids I've treated at Bellevue all these years.William Osei, PhD:"The average African American, this is like... This is a fact. This is not a revelation because we now have better cell phone coverage of these crimes. I remember being in Cleveland the day following Tamir Rice being murdered in the playground. And I was working with 12-year-old boys in the Cleveland school district. And I was devastated that day, and I went into that school expecting those boys to be devastated that their schoolmate, a kid they used to play with at the playground, was just murdered. And to them, it was nothing. It was more shocking because they knew a dozen people that the police had murdered. They knew that was just the latest murder that year. It just happened to be one that rose to the national conversation, but in Cleveland that year, there were probably 30, 50 police shootings.Owen Muir, M.D.:My level of outrage at watching all of this. That's privilege too.William Osei, PhD:"Yes. "Owen Muir, M.D.:Because to understand this as anything other than the rules of engagement would be a misunderstanding.  For a long time, Black America has known to watch out when you talk to the cops because they can kill you. Nothing's going to stop them if they want to. And they do. On camera. A thousand other times every year. And I wish it were as easy as saying it was a couple or even a lot of bad apples, but that is insufficient.Master Sergeant:"As far as privilege goes, I'm a combat veteran in the Ivy League. I'm an Arab Jew, but I look white enough that no one asks that question. I wear a suit, and you can't see my tattoos. And I... I can fit in anywhere from West Hampton to the slums of Bangladesh. Like, I'm good. You know what I mean? I have levels of privilege that people use to run for the presidency."Owen Muir, M.D.:But the magic of America is that white privilege runs out as soon as power wants it to. My colleague's married to a black woman.Master Sergeant:"And a huge part of this is like... It's the knowledge that I'm married to a black woman. My kids will be black, and this is like their plight. "Owen Muir, M.D.:Usually, we'd have credits now. Instead, I'm going to read these names.George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery, Brianna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Iyanna Jones. Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Sandra Land, Walter Scott, and a kid on a playground in Cleveland named Tamir Rice. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefrontierpsychiatrists.substack.com/subscribe

In Hour 2, John Hancock and Chris Rongey discuss ragtime music, Memorial Day reflections, and Cardinals baseball. Topics include “Dill Pickles Rag,” honoring those who served, the Freddie Gray incident at Camden Yards, and tornado relief efforts. They also touch on old TV tech, streaming issues, grilling, and family stories.

Join us as we take an in-depth look at Baltimore, marking a decade since the Freddie Gray riots. Former FBI agent Dr. Tyrone Powers will provide a critical analysis of law enforcement’s response during this pivotal moment in our history. Before him will be attorney and former State Senator Jill Carter, who will shed light on lawmakers’ essential role in the aftermath of the unrest. Attorney Billy Murphy will tackle the pressing legal issues surrounding these events, while Pastor Duane Simmons, whose church was at the epicenter of the turmoil, will share his unique perspective.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join the conversation with C4 & Bryan Nehman.  It's been 10 years since the death of Freddie Gray and the riots that followed soon after.  Today on the show C4 & Bryan were joined by a number of guests that were in the city during the unrest.  Guests included Mayor Brandon Scott, Fairfax Chief of Police Kevin Davis, former Governor Larry Hogan & Reverend Harold Carter Jr. of New Shiloh Baptist Church.  Scott Wykoff also joined C4 & Bryan as he was reporting live on the day of the riots.  Listeners also offered their insight as well.  Listen to C4 & Bryan Nehman live weekdays from 5:30 to 10am on WBAL News Radio 1090, FM 101.5 & the WBAL Radio App.

Torrey captures a variety of community discussions and perspectives on the Freddie Gray uprising.

Join the conversation with C4 & Bryan Nehman.  Baltimore is the dirtiest city in America.  President Trump is doing an interview with Jeff Goldberg.  Anti-Israel protests at Yale.  An update to the officer involved shooting in Arbutis.  Geoff Arnold joined the show discussing the current state of the Baltimore Orioles and a preview of the upcoming series against Detroit.  It's been 10 years since the riots outside of Camden Yards in the wake of the death of Freddie Gray.  Listen to C4 & Bryan Nehman live weekdays from 5:30 to 10am on WBAL News Radio 1090, FM 101.5 & the WBAL Radio App.

Join the conversation with C4 & Bryan Nehman.  Gov. Moore wants the Maglev in MD.  C4 & Bryan discuss Gov. Moore's op ed in The Baltimore Sun.  Stephen A Smith for President, hey it could happen.  More updates on the Trump tariffs.  Attorney Randolph Rice joined C4 & Bryan in studio to provide an update in Rachel Mornin trial.  People love Luigi Mangione.  Freddie Gray 10 years later.  Listen to C4 & Bryan Nehman live weekdays from 5:30 to 10am on WBAL News Radio 1090, FM 101.5 & the WBAL Radio App.

Torrey discusses the US Supreme Court decision to order the Trump administration to facilitate the return of a wrongly deported man.  We reflect on the 10 year anniversary of the arrest of Freddie Gray.  Baltimore City Schools bans cellphones for the upcoming school year. Listen to Torrey Snow live every weekday from 2:00 - 6:00 PM ET on WBAL News Radio 1090, FM101.5, and the WBAL Radio App!

This is a bonus of our recent conversation with Baltimore State Attorney Ivan Bates.Baltimore State's Attorney Ivan Bates joins the show to discuss his career, his involvement in the Freddie Gray case and the infamous Gun Trace Task Force, and his recent decisions in the Adnan Syed case.Check out our new True Crime Substack the True Crime Times at: https://t.co/26TIoM14TgGet Prosecutors Podcast Merch: https://www.bonfire.com/store/prosecutors-podcast/Join the Gallery on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/4oHFF4agcAvBhm3o/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProsecutorsPodFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prosecutorspod/Check out our website for case resources: https://prosecutorspodcast.com/Hang out with us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@prosecutorspodSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us a textApril 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the #BaltimoreUprising, a series of protests sparked by Freddie Gray's death in Baltimore Police custody in 2015.Baltimore has long reflected America's racial and political anxieties, making the Uprising a frequent subject of academic analysis. In this episode, Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle's Lawrence Grandpre and Dayvon Love critique two books: Beyond Black Lives Matter by Cedric Johnson and Invisible Weapons by Marcus Board Jr.While Johnson critiques BLM and Board affirms it, both argue that Baltimore's working-class grassroots were misled by neoliberalism, rendering their responses to Freddie Gray ineffective. This view overlooks successful grassroots political interventions by groups like LBS, which led protests during the Uprising and continues to advance community-driven agendas. By oversimplifying Black identity as manipulation by elites—whether through neoliberalism (Johnson) or patriarchy (Board)—both books fail to capture the political and ideological complexity of Baltimore's working-class Black communities. They also neglect to examine how academic detachment can distort analyses of Baltimore, Black life, and Black politics.Support the showIn Search of Black Power is a Black-owned internet show and podcast. This podcast is sponsored and produced by Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS). The internet show is published in collaboration with Black Liberation Media (BLM)

Baltimore State's Attorney Ivan Bates joins the show to discuss his career, his involvement in the Freddie Gray case and the infamous Gun Trace Task Force, and his recent decisions in the Adnan Syed case.Check out our new True Crime Substack the True Crime Times at: https://t.co/26TIoM14TgGet Prosecutors Podcast Merch: https://www.bonfire.com/store/prosecutors-podcast/Join the Gallery on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/4oHFF4agcAvBhm3o/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ProsecutorsPodFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prosecutorspod/Check out our website for case resources: https://prosecutorspodcast.com/Hang out with us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@prosecutorspodSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The cool thing about this project is that it's also a tribute to some of the people that helped shape not only my collegiate experience but who I am as a person and professional to this day. One of those is my big bro and mentor Tramon Lucas. In this episode of We See You, Tra sat down with me to discuss the bridging of the gap between “Old Morgan” and “New Morgan,” what it was like going to school during the Freddie Gray uprisings and how real world tragedies on and around the campus really forced us to grow up quickly and find our identities as journalists covering marginalized communities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Subscribe on Youtube for special episodes: https://youtube.com/@morningcupofmurder?si=y6y52dP-CUcPBEaW Join us on Patreon! For as little as $1 get amazing bonus content you can't hear anywhere else! https://www.patreon.com/morningcupofmurder Looking for Merch? Get exclusive designs on Teepublic and Bonfire! Teepublic: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/morning-cup-of-murder?ref_id=35179&utm_campaign=35179&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=Morning%2BCup%2Bof%2BMurder Bonfire: https://www.bonfire.com/store/morningcupofmurder/ Want to drop us a line or see what else we have going on? Find all things Morning Cup of Murder at our website: morningcupofmurder.com Want kid friendly chills? Check out our show The Cryptid Catalog where my son Killian and I weave a biweekly cryptid creature feature. https://open.spotify.com/show/7vwn8JNkTPOmxwRoHsVDc1 Information on todays episode: July 27th: Charges Against Officers Who Killed Freddie Gray Dropped (2016) Police brutality is a subject we've covered a few times on the show. Usually, though, they are incidents that take place with the eyes of the public watching. On July 27th 2016 charges were dropped in a case that saw a man's life taken during a series of events not witnessed by anyone other than the officers involved. A case that still leaves many wondering what exactly happened behind the closed doors of a police van. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Freddie_Gray, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/federal-officials-decline-prosecution-death-freddie-gray, https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/death-of-freddie-gray-5-things-you-didnt-know-129327/, https://theappeal.org/freddie-gray-five-years-later/, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/12/us/freddie-gray-baltimore-police-federal-charges.html, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/who-was-freddie-gray-and-how-did-his-death-lead-to-a-mistrial-in-baltimore/2015/12/16/b08df7ce-a433-11e5-9c4e-be37f66848bb_story.html, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32400497 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Simon's live chat with LBC's Matt Frei and The Spectator's Freddie Gray about the agonies of the Democratic Party as Joe Biden finds his voice on the campaign trail in Detroit.

In this gripping episode, Rabia and Ellyn are joined by the incredible Nathan Lee Graham to explore the tragic death of Freddie Gray Jr. On April 12, 2015, Freddie was arrested in West Baltimore. While in police custody he suffered severe spinal injuries which resulted in his death a week later. What really happened? Why was he arrested? Rabia, Ellyn, and Nathan delve into the details—from manipulated camera footage to false narratives—and uncover the cast of characters complicit in covering up the truth. Freddie's death sparked a movement, igniting massive protests, prompting military occupation in Baltimore, and sparking a nationwide cry for justice. They discuss how those responsible evaded accountability and reflect on the lasting impact of Freddie Gray Jr.'s untimely passing. Follow on Instagram at @rabiaandellyn or on their personal pages, @rabiasquared2 and @ellynmarsh. Check out their Patreon page for exclusive bonus content for Rabia and Ellyn Solve the Case at https://www.patreon.com/rabiaandellyn! And do not forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more Solve the Case, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA8XyM5mAldu9zswyj5zcLQ Thanks to our sponsors: Nurx =Taking control of your mental health starts here. Go to nurx.com/RABIAANDELLYN to get started. Lume = Control Body Odor ANYWHERE with @lumedeodorant and get 15% off with promo code Solvethecase at LumeDeodorant.com ! #lumepod Shopify = Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/solvethecase

(***TIMESTAMPS in description below) ~ Danny Hall is an Army Ranger, Green Beret, & Silver-Star Awardee. He served many tours of duty on multiple continents over the span of 3 decades. - BUY Guest's Books & Films IN MY AMAZON STORE: https://amzn.to/3RPu952 EPISODE LINKS: - Julian Dorey PODCAST MERCH: https://juliandorey.myshopify.com/ - Support our Show on PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/JulianDorey - Support VETPAW (Ryan Tate's Org.): https://vetpaw.org/ JULIAN YT CHANNELS: - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Clips YT: https://www.youtube.com/@juliandoreyclips - SUBSCRIBE to Julian Dorey Daily YT: https://www.youtube.com/@JulianDoreyDaily - SUBSCRIBE to Best of JDP: https://www.youtube.com/@bestofJDP ***TIMESTAMPS*** 00:00 - Danny Hall Joining Military Becoming Ranger Batallion, Dale Comstock, Delta vs Rangers

Marilyn Mosby, Baltimore's former top prosecutor, made headlines for her bold actions during her tenure. She fearlessly took on the Baltimore police, charging those involved in Freddie Gray's death, and advocated controversial positions, including refusing to prosecute low-level drug offenders. However, her own legal journey took an unexpected turn. Accused of federal fraud violations, she faced trial and ultimately received a non-custodial sentence. Was this an outlier? Did she receive special treatment? Join Doug Passon and Mark Allenbaugh as we delve into these questions and more on this week's episode of Set for Sentencing!   IN THIS EPISODE:   The backstory of the Marilyn Mosby Prosecution; Digging into the sentencing data and the facts to determine whether her non-custodial sentence was warranted; Critique of the sentencing memoranda (spoiler alert, the defense memo was F'ing fantastic); In praise of the Federal Public Defender; Gender disparity at sentencing; Walking the tightrope of using your kids as mitigation; Why lawyers should be less scared about going to trial; Remember that the guidelines actually suggest NON-CUSTODIAL sentences for ALL first time offenders!; Arguing collateral consequences at sentencing; Navigating the pitfalls of not accepting responsibility after trial.   LINKS:   "The 3Rs of Sentencing Narrative":  In this I make a few references to something I call “relativity” and “redemption” stories, which are 2 of the “3Rs” of sentencing. If you'd like to dig into the full 3Rs, visit the shownotes on the website and you'll find a link to an article I wrote on the subject for the Champion. www.setforsentencing.com/mosby  

Thursday, May 23 on Urban Forum Northwest:*Congressman Adam Smith (D) WA-09 ranking member, House Armed Services Committee provides an update on his priorities in our congress. And we will get his comment on Supreme Justice Samuel Alioto Jr.'s flying an American flag upside down at his Virginia home and another provocative flag flying at his vacation home in New Jersey.*Dr. Brent Jones, Superintendent, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) discusses several issues confronting SPS from the budget shortfall to the latest developments pertaining to school closures. *Dr. E. Faye Williams, Trice Edney Wire Syndicated Columnist has been monitoring the trial and sentencing of Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who served as State's Attorney for Baltimore. She gained national attention after the police killing of Freddie Gray in 2015 and her attempt to charge the officers with Gray's murder. She was reelected in 2018 but lost her 2022 election. *Isiah Anderson, Jr. of Brothers United IN Leadership Development (BUILD) will be joined by Deaunt'e Damper and Guy Davis as they comment on the organizations latest initiative the BUILD Black Wealth Grant Program.Urban Forum Northwest streams live at www.1150kknw.com. Visit us at www.urbanforumnw.com for archived programs and relevant information. Like us on facebook. Twitter X@Eddie_Rye. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thursday, May 23 on Urban Forum Northwest: *Congressman Adam Smith (D) WA-09 ranking member, House Armed Services Committee provides an update on his priorities in our congress. And we will get his comment on Supreme Justice Samuel Alioto Jr.'s flying an American flag upside down at his Virginia home and another provocative flag flying at his vacation home in New Jersey. *Dr. Brent Jones, Superintendent, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) discusses several issues confronting SPS from the budget shortfall to the latest developments pertaining to school closures.  *Dr. E. Faye Williams, Trice Edney Wire Syndicated Columnist has been monitoring the trial and sentencing of Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who served as State's Attorney for Baltimore. She gained national attention after the police killing of Freddie Gray in 2015 and her attempt to charge the officers with Gray's murder. She was reelected in 2018 but lost her 2022 election.  *Isiah Anderson, Jr. of Brothers United IN Leadership Development (BUILD) will be joined by Deaunt'e Damper and Guy Davis as they comment on the organizations latest initiative the BUILD Black Wealth Grant Program. Urban Forum Northwest streams live at www.1150kknw.com. Visit us at www.urbanforumnw.com for archived programs and relevant information. Like us on facebook. Twitter X@Eddie_Rye.

Hey Friends & Kin! Here is one of my favorite retro episodes that I wanted to share with you! For the full show notes you can find the episode wherever you listen to your podcasts! Have a wonderful week & I look forward to YOU looking forward to the next episode of Hand Me My Purse! ❤️✌

Welcome home y'all!  A spot for Nikki Haley voters with Biden? With Haley's drop out of the presidential race, we look ahead at what's to come for the two leading candidates following Super Tuesday.  And, President Biden is set to deliver his State of the Union address. We'll analyze what key messages we hope to hear and how they might impact his presidential bid.  In state politics, we spend a little time unpacking the rhetoric of North Carolina's republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson and the hosts differing views on how or whether to keep Trump supporters in the fold. Plus, we'll delve deep into the controversy surrounding Marilyn Mosby, the Baltimore City State's Attorney who prosecuted officers in the Freddie Gray case and implemented a robust reform agenda that law enforcement is still mad about.. Facing sentencing on trumped up charges in May, we have to ask how someone so right is treated so wrong?! —------- We want to hear from you! Send us a video @nativelandpod and we may feature you on the podcast.  Instagram  X/Twitter Facebook Watch full episodes of Native Land Pod here on Youtube.   Thank you to the Native Land Pod team:  Angela Rye as host, executive producer and cofounder of Reasoned Choice Media; Tiffany Cross as host and producer, Andrew Gillum as host and producer, and Gabrielle Collins as executive producer; Loren Mychael is our research producer, Baheed Frazier is our engineer, and Nikolas Harter is our editor and producer. A special thanks to Chris Morrow and Lenard McKelvey, co-founders of Reasoned Choice Media.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Day in Legal History: The Maastricht Treaty Creates the EUOn this day in legal history, the Maastricht Treaty stands out as a monumental agreement that reshaped the political and economic landscape of Europe. Signed on February 7, 1992, by the members of the European Community, this pivotal treaty marked the foundation of the European Union (EU), a milestone in the integration of European countries. Officially known as the Treaty on the European Union, it signified a new era of cooperation and unity among its signatories.The Maastricht Treaty introduced significant legal and political changes, establishing the EU's three-pillar structure consisting of the European Communities, Common Foreign and Security Policy, and Justice and Home Affairs. This structure was designed to enhance economic collaboration, ensure stability, and promote a more harmonized approach to external relations and internal affairs among the member states.Going into force on November 1, 1993, the treaty set the stage for the introduction of a single European currency, the Euro, and laid the groundwork for the creation of the Schengen Area, enabling passport-free movement across member states. Furthermore, it established the criteria for membership in the EU, known as the Copenhagen criteria, setting the standards for new members aspiring to join the Union.Over the years, the Maastricht Treaty has undergone several amendments through subsequent treaties, such as those of Amsterdam, Nice, and Lisbon, each refining and expanding the EU's powers and scope. These amendments have contributed to the evolution of the EU, making it more efficient and better equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century.Today, the Maastricht Treaty is celebrated not only as the birth certificate of the European Union but also as a groundbreaking achievement in the quest for European integration and peace. Its signing on February 7, 1992, remains a landmark moment in legal and political history, illustrating the power of diplomacy and the enduring quest for unity among diverse nations.A US federal appeals court recently provided the Supreme Court with a potential exit from engaging in a dispute over Donald Trump's claim of immunity from criminal prosecution for alleged election interference. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit issued a clear, well-reasoned 57-page decision unanimously rejecting Trump's assertion of absolute immunity for actions taken while in office, stating that such a claim "is unsupported by precedent, history or the text and structure of the Constitution." Legal experts commend the decision for its persuasive reasoning and thorough refutation of Trump's arguments, suggesting that the Supreme Court might be inclined to let the appellate court's ruling stand, avoiding further entanglement in Trump-related controversies.The decision was notable for its unanimous agreement among the judges, including appointees from both George H.W. Bush and Joe Biden, highlighting the legal community's broad consensus against Trump's position. The court criticized Trump's interpretation as "implausible," noting the lack of any precedent for requiring impeachment before criminal prosecution of federal officials. This unified stance from a diverse panel sends a strong signal to the Supreme Court, potentially reducing the likelihood of the justices taking up the case.Trump's response to the decision was sharply critical, framing it as detrimental to the presidency and the country, and his legal team is expected to seek Supreme Court intervention. Meanwhile, the backdrop of the 2024 presidential election adds complexity to the situation, with Trump facing charges related to his actions after the 2020 election and another legal battle regarding his eligibility to appear on Colorado's 2024 primary ballot under the 14th Amendment.Despite the DC Circuit's attempt to simplify the Supreme Court's decision-making process, the unprecedented nature of prosecuting a former president may compel the justices to review the case. Legal scholars are split on whether the Supreme Court will engage, recognizing the clear reasoning of the appellate court but also acknowledging the case's significant implications. Regardless of the Supreme Court's choice, the DC Circuit's decision stands as a robust rebuttal to Trump's claims, reinforcing the principle that no individual is above the law.DC Circuit Gives Supreme Court Easy Out of Trump Immunity FightTrump's New York criminal case, likely first for trial, faces crucial test | ReutersMergers and acquisitions (M&A) lawyers are experiencing a significant increase in workload due to the rising use of earnouts, a financial tool allowing buyers to delay full payment for a transaction until after the seller meets certain milestones. This tool has become particularly popular in recent years, especially in slow economic climates, as it helps bridge the gap between the buyer's and seller's price expectations while protecting buyers from future risks. Earnouts are now a common feature in negotiations, with their usage soaring in the last five years, contrasting sharply with the decline in overall deal volume.According to Bloomberg data, there were $80.2 billion in deals involving contingency payments last year, highlighting the growing reliance on earnouts despite a downturn in the economy and a drop in transaction volumes to $3.6 trillion, the lowest in recent years. The complexity of defining milestones and calculating payments significantly slows down transactions, increasing the legal work required to finalize deals.Earnouts have been particularly prevalent in the health and technology sectors, where early-stage companies often need capital for research and development before proving their concepts. These arrangements require careful negotiation to ensure both buyers and sellers agree on the metrics and accounting practices used to determine payouts.While earnouts can provide sellers with a significant portion of the sale price, they also introduce a level of uncertainty, as sellers must trust buyers to meet milestones that trigger these payments. Lawyers often advise sellers to be satisfied with the initial payment received at closing, treating any earnout payments as a bonus rather than a guaranteed sum.Disputes over earnouts are becoming more common, with an increase in legal dockets mentioning both earnouts and M&A. Lenders also play a critical role in these deals, often setting limits on earnout payments to prioritize repayment terms. Despite the potential for conflict, litigation remains relatively rare, as parties typically find it more beneficial to negotiate resolutions.M&A Lawyers See Flood of Work From Tool That Delays Deal PayoutsMarilyn Mosby, the former top prosecutor of Baltimore, was convicted in federal court for making a false statement on a mortgage application related to purchasing a Florida condominium. This conviction adds to her legal troubles, following two perjury convictions three months prior, where she was found guilty of falsely claiming financial hardship under the COVID-19 related provisions of the federal CARES Act to withdraw funds early from her retirement account. These funds were used for down payments on two Florida vacation properties. Despite being acquitted on a second count of falsifying a mortgage application for another Florida home, Mosby faces significant legal penalties, with the possibility of up to 30 years in federal prison for the mortgage application conviction and up to five years for each perjury count.Mosby, who gained national attention in 2015 for charging police officers in the death of Freddie Gray, had her career trajectory altered dramatically by these charges. At the time of the alleged offenses, she was earning a nearly $250,000 annual salary as Baltimore's state attorney. The case against her included allegations of misrepresenting a financial transaction between her and her husband to secure a lower mortgage rate. Mosby contends that the charges against her were politically motivated, aimed at undermining her re-election bid. The sentencing hearing for both cases has not yet been scheduled by U.S. District Judge Lydia Griggsby.Ex-top Baltimore prosecutor convicted of falsifying mortgage application | Reuters Get full access to Minimum Competence - Daily Legal News Podcast at www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Omar Little, Jimmy McNulty, Stringer Bell, Snot Boogie. If you recognize these names, you are probably a fan of the HBO series The Wire. June 2022 marked 20 years since the series premiere. It ran for five seasons, following the lives of the cops, criminals, political players, and everyday folks caught up in Baltimore's often futile war on drugs. Many argue that The Wire is the best television show ever created and has earned praise for its realistic, humanizing, multi-dimensional portrayal of Black characters. But 20 years on, the conversation about policing in Black communities has changed. The deaths of Freddie Gray, George Floyd, and many others after encounters with police and the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement have brought about more public scrutiny, debate, and criticism of the police.Listen to more Consider This at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, NPR.org, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Former Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby is looking at 60 years in prison on Federal fraud charges, after recently having been convicted of perjury.This is the same woman who fabricated an investigation and persecuted six Baltimore police officers over the in-custody death of black male Freddy Gray, way back in 2015.I covered the trials of those six officers in real-time--in all cases the charges against the officers were either dropped or the officers were acquitted at bench trial by a black judge.(See that coverage here: https://legalinsurrection.com/?s=mosby)In today's show we share our recollections of Mosby's outrageous conduct as State's Attorney in the Freddie Gray manner, as a cautionary tale about the hazards of making oneself visible to the criminal justice system.THERE IS ONLY ONE SELF-DEFENSE INSURANCE PROVIDE I TRUST!There are lots of self-defense "insurance" companies out there. Some are hot garbage. Some have limited resources. Some are simply, in my view, untrustworthy. But there is ONE that I PERSONALLY TRUST to protect myself and my family.LEARN which ONE I TRUST and WHY by clicking HERE:------> https://lawofselfdefense.com/trustDisclaimer - Content is for educational & entertainment purposes only, and does not constitute legal advice. If you are in need of legal advice you must consult  competent legal counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

In ESPN's short film Black Girls Play (which won Best Short Doc at the Tribeca Festival), filmmakers Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster chronicle the origins of the hand games that young Black girls have played for generations, and their influence on music, dance, and community all across the American creative landscape. Tracing the beginnings of the games all the way back to the slavery era, the film's collection of illuminating voices — including musicians, music educators and ethnomusicologists — trace a fascinating cultural history that explains the significance of hand games, particularly in the evolution of popular music from jazz all the way to hip hop. The film also explores hand games' influence on style and individualism everywhere from the playground to TikTok videos today.Filmmaker, artist and author, Michèle Stephenson, pulls from her Haitian and Panamanian roots and experience as a social justice lawyer to think radically about storytelling and disrupt the imaginary in non-fiction spaces. She tells emotionally driven, personal narratives of resistance and identity that center the lived experiences of communities of color in the Americas and the Black diaspora.In 2023, Michèle's feature documentary Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and premiered on MAX. Previously, her feature documentary American Promise was nominated for three Emmys and won the Jury Prize at Sundance. Along with her writing partners, Joe Brewster and Hilary Beard, Michèle won an NAACP Image Award for Excellence in a Literary Work for their book, Promises Kept. Currently, she is in post-production on a feature on the death of Freddie Gray and a program for the CBC on the Black Power movement in Canada.

In ESPN's short film Black Girls Play (which won Best Short Doc at the Tribeca Festival), filmmakers Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster chronicle the origins of the hand games that young Black girls have played for generations, and their influence on music, dance, and community all across the American creative landscape. Tracing the beginnings of the games all the way back to the slavery era, the film's collection of illuminating voices — including musicians, music educators and ethnomusicologists — trace a fascinating cultural history that explains the significance of hand games, particularly in the evolution of popular music from jazz all the way to hip hop. The film also explores hand games' influence on style and individualism everywhere from the playground to TikTok videos today.Filmmaker, artist and author, Michèle Stephenson, pulls from her Haitian and Panamanian roots and experience as a social justice lawyer to think radically about storytelling and disrupt the imaginary in non-fiction spaces. She tells emotionally driven, personal narratives of resistance and identity that center the lived experiences of communities of color in the Americas and the Black diaspora.In 2023, Michèle's feature documentary Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and premiered on MAX. Previously, her feature documentary American Promise was nominated for three Emmys and won the Jury Prize at Sundance. Along with her writing partners, Joe Brewster and Hilary Beard, Michèle won an NAACP Image Award for Excellence in a Literary Work for their book, Promises Kept. Currently, she is in post-production on a feature on the death of Freddie Gray and a program for the CBC on the Black Power movement in Canada.

Following a series of questionable arrests, plainclothes detective Wayne Jenkins finds himself relegated to the desk duty. But when Baltimore is roiled by protests following the death of Freddie Gray at the hands of police, Jenkins seizes an opportunity to get back in the action - and bring more crooked cops into his orbit.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay are joined by Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, former mayor of Baltimore and current Executive Director of the NBPA to discuss activism and philanthropy in the NBA (3:13), and serving as Mayor during civil unrest following the death of Freddie Gray (21:38). Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay Guest: Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Producers: Donnie Beacham Jr. and Ashleigh Smith  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Context of White Supremacy hosts the weekly Compensatory Call-In 11/11/23. We encourage non-white listeners to dial in with their codified concepts, new terms, observations, research findings, workplace problems or triumphs, and/or suggestions on how best to Replace White Supremacy With Justice ASAP. This weekly broadcast examines current events from across the globe to learn what's happening in all areas of people activity. We cultivate Counter-Racist Media Literacy by scrutinizing journalists' word choices and using logic to deconstruct what is reported as "news." We'll use these sessions to hone our use of terms as tools to reveal truth, neutralize Racists/White people. #ANTIBLACKNESS Less than a full decade from the death of Freddie Gray while in custody of Baltimore Police Department officials, former prosecuting attorney Marilyn Mosby was convicted for perjury this week. Jurors concluded the evidence showed that Mosby lied while applying for funds related to Covid-19. During the same week as Mosby's conviction, New York City Mayor Eric Adams had his phone seized by FBI agents. It's reported that Adams is suspected of knowingly receiving campaign funds from "Turkish nationals." Also in NYC, former convicted rapist Yusef Salaam rebounded from his racist incarceration in the Central Park 5 rape case to win a seat on the City Council. Since former President Donald J. Trump was heated about NYC's 2014 decision to compensate Salaam and his fellow wrongfully convicted pals, he must be boiling over with rage now - as his own legal dramas continue. #AlbinoAffairs # #TheCOWS14Years INVEST in The COWS – http://paypal.me/TheCOWS Cash App: https://cash.app/$TheCOWS CALL IN NUMBER: 605.313.5164 CODE: 564943#

City Lights LIVE presents investigative journalist Justine Barron, in conversation with Rabia Chaudry, Alex Vitale, Kim Brown and Sierria Warren, to celebrate the release of "They Killed Freddie Gray: The Anatomy of a Police Brutality Cover-Up Hardcover," published by Arcade Books. "They Killed Freddie Gray" exposes a conspiracy among Baltimore leaders to cover up what actually happened to Freddie Gray, who was fatally injured in police custody in April 2015. A viral video showed an officer leaning on Gray's back while he cried out in pain. But the autopsy concluded he was fatally injured later that morning while the van was in motion—during a multi-stop “rough ride”—from sudden impact to his head. None of the officers were convicted of any crimes based on this theory. "They Killed Freddie Gray" solves the mystery of Gray's death by uncovering new evidence of how he was killed by police and how his cause of death was covered up. This book includes a detailed map with annotations by the author, photographs, and a foreword by Rabia Chaudry. Justine Barron is an investigative journalist whose work focuses on crime, corruption, and media criticism, with a special emphasis on Baltimore. She is also an acclaimed storyteller and four-time winner of the Moth storytelling competition. In 2017, she co-investigated and co-hosted Undisclosed: The Killing of Freddie Gray. Justine grew up in Maryland and attended Baltimore's Johns Hopkins University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in English. She holds a master's degree in English Literature from Duke University. She now lives in Miami, Florida. Kim Brown has been covering national and international politics for over 10 years and has been a sought-after voice on issues on race and culture. She is the host of the Real News show Stir Crazy. Rabia Chaudry is an attorney, advocate, and author of the New York Times bestselling "Adnan's Story" and the critically acclaimed "Fatty Fatty Boom Boom: A Memoir of Food, Fat, and Family". Rabia received her Juris Doctorate from the George Mason School of Law. Alex S. Vitale is a professor of sociology at Brooklyn College. He is also the coordinator of the Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, The Nation, The Appeal, USA Today, Vice News, and other media outlets. Sierria Warren is a mother, activist, podcaster, and comedian. She witnessed the police van's stop at Mount and Baker streets during Freddie Gray's fatal encounter with Baltimore City police. You can purchase copies of “They Killed Freddie Gray: The Anatomy of a Police Brutality Cover-Up Hardcover” at https://citylights.com/they-killed-freddie-gray/ This event is made possible with the support of the City Lights Foundation. To learn more visit: https://citylights.com/foundation/

Freddie Gray was one of the seminal police killings when it occurred in Baltimore in 2016, leading to protests and riots and calls for reform. The officers were charged with murder by SAO Marilyn Mosby, but not of them were convicted. Justine Barron in her book “They Killed Freddie Gray” following the work of her podcast, after sifting through thousands of documents and interviewing witnesses, concludes that the State Attorney and Media got the narrative and the killing completely wrong. Barrone writes, “The media just as uncritically turned an enarmored eye to State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who emerged as a hero on the national stage, having pressed charges against six officers in the death of Gray.” She noted, “What the media failed to take notice of was that these superficially valiant prosecutions were based on the same false narrative the Baltimore City Police Department itself was hoping everyone would buy into” – and they did – “hook, line, and sinker.” The rough ride narrative, Barron debunks and arguing instead that police likely killed Gray when they threw him head first into the van at Stop 2. In her speech, Mosby issued a call for peace – and by announcing the prosecution, she stopped the protests and riots in their tracks – what Barrone argues was her actual goal. She came to believe that the prosecution “was not so much accountability as the manufacturing of consent and silencing of dissent.” Listen as Barron joins Everyday Injustice to discussion her book and its implications for police reform.

Author's Note: This writing was adapted from a series of conversations around race in America and edited as audio, recorded in 2020.   The podcast of this writing is the real thing, as it were.  What follows as text is edited to clarify the narrators, absent the audio.  Please consider following the podcast associated with this newsletter and leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe to support high-impact content like this.The author, David Foster Wallace, described the experience of reading his novel Infinite Jest as intended to feel “tornadic,” like you're in the middle of a tornado. That's what the last several weeks have felt like.Protesters:"Racist ass police! No justice, no peace! F**k these racist ass police! No justice, no peace!""F**k these racist ass police!"Owen Muir, M.D.:I originally tried making this episode some linear narrative, and it just wasn't happening. So, welcome to the tornado of racism in America. Buckle up.George Floyd spent 8 minutes and 46 seconds gasping for breath.  Police officers, some of whom were very experienced, knelt on his back...until he didn't breathe anymore. As a psychiatrist, I often emphasize how the words we use to describe someone's death have meaning. So, I'll say, you know, completed suicide, not commit. And George Floyd was lynched.Welcome. This is about anxiety, uncertainty, and existential despair. And I recorded the narration in one take because I wasn't, like, going to get it right a second time. So much of what we say about race is calculated, polite, and wrong. So I'm not going to try to do that tonight.Here we go.Sequoiah:"Yeah. My general reaction to all this is a little more, a little more extended. The, uh, f**k".Owen Muir, M.D.:That's my teammate. She is a TMS technician at the mental health practice we worked at together. She also works in the community with patients helping put their lives together, but tonight she's a field reporter on the revolution.Sequoiah:"I am a TMS tech, Winnicott coach, and black woman. Which seems very important right now. George Floyd, Say His Name.  George Floyd, Say his Name.So I just got home from a protest in Flatbush. Police would not let us pass. We were chanting with our hands up. And after a while, they decided to push the line backward. We resisted—we stood there with our hands up. They pushed us and pushed us, and when we wouldn't..."Owen:Now, as someone with a lot of white privilege, I'm outraged at hearing this, like, wow, this is fucked up. So I called another colleague in the special operations community, and I'm not using names in this episode for semi-obvious reasons, and I heard what he had to say.Master Sergent:“The things that U. S. police forces are apparently fully within their legal rights to do, like, use tear gas, would literally have…been against the Geneva Conventions. It's an actual war crime. We cannot gas a civilian population.”Owen Muir, M.D.:The person I'm interviewing has over a decade of experience in the special operations community. He has fought and killed for our right to do what my other colleagues were in the street doing, peacefully protesting.Master Sergent:"This is a perversion of what the United States stands for. We invade countries who treat their people the way that our police forces are on camera treating Americans "Sequoiah:"People started to back up, , and run and they then started to hit us with batons. , I fell. And then we reformed the line."Master Sergent:"It's disgusting in a lot of ways."Owen Muir, M.D.:So when someone whose life has been dedicated to protecting our freedoms tells me they're upset with what they're seeing, I take that pretty seriously.Sequoiah:"Well, the other night, well, last night, when the cops and protestors were getting into, into fights and they were trying to, the cops were trying to push back the protestors, I saw them bring out the batons and, like, start attacking people...and each time they'd tell us to back up and back up and kept pushing us and pushing us. And finally, there was a frustration in the air, and people started to act out."Owen Muir, M.D.:Now, as a psychiatrist, my life has been saved by police officers on more than one occasion. I have been physically attacked in hospital settings.  The police have been called, and I have not died, and my colleagues have not died thanks to them. And this is Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York, and these people are black people. The Flatbush, at least the area I was in, is a predominantly black neighborhood.  So, look, Americans love the police.  They are a highly regarded part of society by many people, but that's not the experience for black America I have learned.Master Sergent:“There are many things you can do in that spectrum that don't involve actively using force against a human being, which makes the process easier across the board. If I don't have to hurt somebody, the only thing that is hurting another person does for me is further endanger my Troops. "Owen Muir, M.D.:Now this makes sense to me because, having run the show in a psychiatric emergency department, where I have to protect myself, other patients, and violent people themselves from getting hurt, sometimes we use violence, but oftentimes we don't.Master Sergent:"What started this particular instance has been four cops lynched George Floyd. One guy put his knee on the man. We don't do that to terrorists actively trying to kill us. ""George Floyd, Say His Name."Sequoiah:"It was at that point that they called in more backup and started to attack and arrest groups of gathered people from the neighborhood.”Owen Muir, M.D.:Police officers, when they're called to stand trial for the use of force, have a standard called a reasonable officer standard.I feel like I have to make it relevant for me--a white person—to watch humans being murdered by police and then people killing each other in the streets about it. There was an article I read about six months ago about yet another person being slammed to the ground, handcuffed behind their back, and suffocated to death by the police. I was shocked..that the person was white. Until I read several paragraphs down that he had schizophrenia. Oh, that's what made it okay. Reasonable officers can only be judged based on what someone would do in that moment of terror when they have to decide to use force.Sequoiah:"I was so emotionally spent and so exhausted. And then we saw marauding bands of police officers going down the street, just telling people to go home and attacking groups of people on the street.”"George Floyd, Say His Name.  George Floyd, Say His Name."Owen Muir, M.D.:Police officers are represented by unions. Those unions have spent 20 years bargaining for lack of accountability to protect, in their minds, their members. This means police officers have the right to huddle and discuss their stories before speaking to prosecutors. It means many other things.  But importantly, whenever any officer stands trial, the jury is instructed, per Chief Justice Rehnquist, to not use the benefit of 20/20 hindsight in judging their actions, but only what a reasonable, that is, terrified person, would do at the moment.Master Sergent:"We have an entire job in the US military to validate whether or not we killed someone the right way."Owen Muir, M.D.:The court system is what's supposed to do that for police officers. But it doesn't; it just says, eh, it's okay.Master Sergent:"That's an actual thing; we have entire organizational structures dedicated to the legality of murder,"Owen Muir, M.D.:Killing black or brown people in America, if you're a police officer, has literally never been ruled against the law. Ever.Master Sergent:"To not call it murder, to call it, to call it killing combatants, that's what a JAG does. Overseas, when they're deployed, they tell you whether or not you can kill this person. And sometimes, even though we can kill someone, we don't because they have a much higher value as an intelligence asset. Or for any number of other reasons. Or they're not actively shooting at us when we go get them. That happens a ton. Because sometimes when you see 20 or 30 goons show up outside your house, breach your door with a shotgun round, rush in, and then point all their guns at you, you won't fight back. And then, okay, well, he's not shooting back at us, so we're going to take him in, and then... "Owen Muir, M.D.:You don't get to kill someone. In the U. S. military. Deployed in the field. In Afghanistan. Even if someone's a terrorist, if they're not pointing a gun at you and about to pull the goddamn trigger.“Cause one of the things I don't want to do is vilify police officers. And, and ...”Master Sergent:"I mean, Owen, to be perfectly honest with you,  You may not want to vilify police officers, but the things I've seen police officers do in the past week while they know they're being recorded are actively the actions of villains."Owen Muir, M.D.:This hit me like a ton of bricks. This is not okay, but when people call for help, and the police arrive, they deal with a crisis. A lot of those crises involve people with mental illness, and police officers are being asked to do a thing that like is a whole medical specialty. Like, I'm a psychiatrist. It was 45 000 hours of training to learn how to calm people down when upset and have experiences we don't have access to. And, if you're called to the scene of a crisis, and someone's acting in a really strange and scary way, and you have a gun. You've been told to protect yourself, don't let yourself get hurt or let this person harm you, and you know nothing bad will happen to you if you pull that trigger. You're going to pull that trigger.  More often than not. And that's about a thousand times a year. You're about... God knows it doesn't even matter. The percentage of time you're more likely to be killed if you're black and mentally ill. The fact that we have a statistic for that is fucked up enough. Help isn't helpful for black America. And that's just a fact of life.”Master Sergent:"You know, I have friends in New York who are talking about the cruelty they see in these police officers' eyes. And what's worse, what's truly evil about this whole system is even in the throes of this violence, they're exhibiting racist and preferential behaviors towards white protesters versus black protesters. Or brown protesters. They're active, you know, taking it easier on white people because they're white. "Owen Muir, M.D.:And this is just f*****g killing me at this point. Ugh. Look, what's happening in the streets is not okay. It's not been okay for hundreds of years. And police officers are part of a system designed to keep order, and order used to mean slaves. That's just why they're there.Master Sergent:"Things I don't even f*****g think about, man. Like, I'll go for a run or a rock at night. And I'll, I'll like, sometimes I'll go on my own, but if I don't go earlier, like, T. is like, well, I guess I'll go for a run. Like, one day, I just asked, like, why do you only run with me? Why do you only run with me? And she's like, well, it depends. We're in a quiet neighborhood in Florida, and I'm a black woman like I'm; there's a bunch of Trump signs everywhere like I'm not going running on my own. I was like, wow, yeah, I've never even thought along those lines; I don't question my safety when I go places. I'm hyper-vigilant for a lot of other reasons, but like, there's never a question in my mind, like if someone attacks me, it's not, it's an unexpected event, I'm not expecting, That at any moment, someone might attack me for the color of my skin. Because I'm in the neighborhood."William Osei, M.D.:"Hey, I'm Dr. Will Osei.I am a postdoctoral fellow, an African American psychologist living in Bedstuy, Brooklyn. " Owen Muir, M.D.:Dr. Osei is a scholar of racism and multiculturalism.And helped me explain what it's like for the black kids I've treated at Bellevue all these years.William Osei, M.D.:"The average African American, this is like... This is a fact. This is not a revelation because we now have better cell phone coverage of these crimes. I remember being in Cleveland the day following Tamir Rice being murdered in the playground. And I was working with 12-year-old boys in the Cleveland school district. And I was devastated that day, and I went into that school expecting those boys to be devastated that their schoolmate, a kid they used to play with at the playground, was just murdered. And to them, it was nothing. It was more shocking because they knew a dozen people that the police had murdered. They knew that was just the latest murder that year. It just happened to be one that rose to the national conversation, but in Cleveland that year, there were probably 30, 50 police shootings.Owen Muir, M.D.:My level of outrage at watching all of this. That's privilege too.William Osei, M.D.:"Yes. "Owen Muir, M.D.:Because to understand this as anything other than the rules of engagement would be a misunderstanding.  For a long time, Black America has known to watch out when you talk to the cops because they can kill you. Nothing's going to stop them if they want to. And they do. On camera. A thousand other times every year. And I wish it were as easy as saying it was a couple or even a lot of bad apples, but that is insufficient.Master Sergent:"As far as privilege goes, I'm a combat veteran in the Ivy League. I'm an Arab Jew, but I look white enough that no one asks that question. I wear a suit, and you can't see my tattoos. And I... I can fit in anywhere from West Hampton to the slums of Bangladesh. Like, I'm good. You know what I mean? I have levels of privilege that people use to run for the presidency."Owen Muir, M.D.:But the magic of America is that white privilege runs out as soon as power wants it to. My colleague's married to a black woman.Master Sergent:"And a huge part of this is like... It's the knowledge that I'm married to a black woman. My kids will be black, and this is like their plight. "Owen Muir, M.D.:Usually, we'd have credits now. Instead, I'm going to read these names.George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery, Brianna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Iyanna Jones. Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, Sandra Land, Walter Scott, and a kid on a playground in Cleveland named Tamir Rice. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thefrontierpsychiatrists.substack.com/subscribe

Bestselling authors William Bernhardt and Rene Gutteridge discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Justine Barron. Her work has appeared in Rolling Stone, NPR, and on stages across the country. Her investigative stories have been picked up by national news outlets. And she has pursued her longtime interest in justice by investigating and writing about the death of Freddie Gray while in Baltimore police custody. She has written a new book about it called "They Killed Freddie Gray: The Anatomy of a Police Brutality Cover-Up" which will be released later this year.Chapter 1: IntroductionWriterCon Small-Group Retreat in Branson, MissouriWriterCon Writers Conference in OKC Sept 1-4www.writercon.comChapter 2: News1) Update on "Grief Author" Arrested for Homicide2) Taylor Swift Spurs Pre-Orders for Mystery Book3) Reports of Unprofessional Conduct at New Leaf Lit AgencyChapter 3: Interview with Justine BarronIn this interview, you will learn:1) how she distinguishes journalism in short forms and books;2) best research procedures;3) tackling controversial subjects;4) working with law enforcement; and5) the challenges of writing about current events.Chapter 4: Parting WordsWriterCon is September 1-4 (Labor Day weekend) in Oklahoma City. We have more than sixty presenters lined up, plus the best roster of agents we've ever had, including movie/tv agents, publishers, and much more. Every year we've successfully helped writers find agents, but this year we're doubling down on innovation, creating new ways to connect writers to agents. And if you register now, you can take advantage of the Early Bird prices. For more info, visit our website, writercon.com.

Join C4 and Bryan Nehman as they discuss Governor Wes Moore's response to the FOP's criticism of his tweet about Freddie Gray. According to a poll from NBC's Meet The Press, the majority of Americans DO NOT want to see a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Also, Pastor Antoine Burton from "We Our US" joins the show to discuss how they will help with the Mayor's curfew initiative. Listen to C4 and Bryan Nehman live every weekday from 5:30-10:00 am ET on WBAL Newsradio 1090, FM101.5, and the WBAL Radio App.

We are joined by Devin Allen on this episode of How You Create. Devin is a photojournalist and activist from Baltimore, Maryland. Photography and activism go hand in hand for him. Devin is a self taught photographer who shot photographs from the Freddie Gray and George Floyd protests that were both published as covers for Time Magazine. He shares about his catapult into his photography career as an amateur, navigating the industry, and how to always keep your values at the forefront. Hear more about Devin Allen's journey on this episode of How You Create, Art and Activism with Devin Allen.

Tom's Midday Newsmaker guest today is Maryland Governor Wes Moore. A Democrat who bested a crowded primary field in his first run at public office, Moore won the general election handily in November 2022 to become the 63rd governor of the state of Maryland. He campaigned on a pledge to fight poverty across the state and build a more secure and equitable economy for all Marylanders. Moore is Maryland's first Black governor in the state's 246-year history, and is just the third African American elected governor in the history of the United States. A combat-tested Army veteran, he is also a former educational entrepreneur, the former CEO of an end-poverty philanthropy called the Robin Hood Foundation, and a broadcaster who was the original host of the Future City series on this station. He is the author of several books, including "The Other Wes Moore," an exploration of the power of opportunity, and "Five Days" (co-authored with journalist Erica L. Green), which examines events in Baltimore following the police-involved death of Freddie Gray. Moore was inaugurated in mid-January, and he has been in constant motion ever since. Governor Wes Moore joins us on Zoom from Annapolis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, do we win an emmy if we have an emmy-award winning journalist on our podcast (not asking for a friend)?! Fam, we have an AP and Emmy winning journalist (and a TV personality) up on this pod! Trust us when we say, you do NOT want to miss this interview with Christie Ileto, journalist and reporter for 6abc Action News. One of the most poignant and transparent interviews we've done, Christie talks about her role in the media, her career ambitions, and gets raw about mental health, her life as a mom of 2 young girls, and the definition of "having it all". The epitome of a Go To Girl, Christie is a force of a woman, journalist, mother, friend, daughter, advocate, and professional. Listen in, and prepare to be inspired! Before arriving in the City of Brotherly Love in 2015, Christie was a reporter for WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland. There, she was one of the first journalists to extensively cover the arrest of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old who died from spinal injuries while in police custody. She was on the ground moments before riots broke out following his funeral. For 12-hours of live breaking news coverage, she gave Marylanders and the nation an up-close look at the unrest fueled by his death. Christie's coverage continued with citywide protests for police reform, the sweeping changes to police brass, and the undercurrent of violence that gripped the city in the months that followed. Prior to Baltimore, Christie worked at WAFF in Huntsville, AL and KOAT-TV in Albuquerque, NM, where she appeared on CNN for breaking weather coverage. Christie is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, and a member of the National Association of Black Journalists. In her spare time, you can find Christie at [solidcore], traveling or attempting to master her father's recipes ... hoping to show her family back in Manila, Philippines that she can make the perfect pancit! Follow Christie: Instagram: @christie_ileto Snapchat: ileto_stiletto Twitter: @Christie_Ileto Facebook: Christie Ileto

Devin Allen joined me for the second time (check out episode 65) to discuss his book “No Justice, No Peace”. This book displays visuals of the Freddie Gray riots as well as classic photos from different periods of time. The book also has written pieces from various celebrities with different and necessary point of views. Devin and I also discussed the state of photography and art, his upcoming shoe and he also shares a ton of advice for upcoming photographers. Listen to the details of this legendary journey

POD BOYS, POD BOYS, YEAHHH THAT'S USSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!WE'REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BAAAAAAAAACK!!!!This one is a WELCOME BACK episode of sorts... We give you guys a long detailed check-in, prior to hitting on a lot of stuff... To include Elon Musk and his new toy, Twitter... Kanye/Kyrie and last but not least 'Her Loss'... Hope y'all enjoy it.WE THANK YOU FOR THE CONTINUED LOVE AND SUPPORT! REMEMBER TO LIKE/RATE/REVIEW/GIVE FEEDBACK on Apple Podcasts and Spotify... REST IN POWER to the late great Hank Aaron, Larry King, Pedro Gomez, Chadwick Boseman, Daniel Dumile (MF Doom), Earl Simmons (DMX), Terrence Clarke, Michael K. Williams, Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. (Young Dolph), Virgil Abloh, Betty White, Sam Jones, John Madden, Sidney Poitier, Bob Saget, Bill Russell, Ray Liotta, Aaron Carter, Coolio, Kirsnick Ball (Takeoff) ...AND ONCE AGAIN... REST IN POWER to a decade of BLACK Kings and Queens that lost their lives at the hands of those we pay to serve and protect; Rayshard Brooks, Makkah Bryant, Ahmaud Arbery, Jacob Blake, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Michelle Cusseaux, Tanisha Anderson, Tamir Rice, Natasha McKenna, Walter Scott, Bettie Jones, Philando Castile, Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, Eric Reason, Dominique Clayton, Dontre Hamilton, John Crawford III, Ezell Ford, Tony Robinson, Eric Harris, Freddie Gray, Terrence Crutcher, Alton Sterling, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland… And the list goes on.Music: Let It Breathe - Jaden SmithCame and Saw - Young Thug feat. Rowdy RebelPrivileged Rappers - Drake x 21 SavageSkrilla - Kodak Black

Justin Fenton was a reporter for the Baltimore Sun for 17 years. A graduate of the University of Maryland College Park, Justin worked as a reporter and editor for the student newspaper, The Diamondback, and then started at The Sun as an intern. In 2010, Justin's reporting led to an overhaul in how Baltimore police officers investigate sexual assaults. He was part of the Pulitzer Prize finalist staff recognized for their coverage of the Baltimore riots that followed the death of Freddie Gray. He was also one of the lead reporters who reported on Baltimore's Gun Trace Task Force Scandal. Justin subsequently wrote a book depicting the entire case called We Own This City, which was later produced by HBO into a mini-series of the same name. Justin himself appears in two episodes of We Own This City, playing a press conference reporter. Along with several state awards, Justin is also a two-time finalist for the national Livingston Award for Young Journalists. The Maryland Daily Record, the local legal and business newspaper, named Justin as an "Influential Marylander".

We Own This City–written by Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist Justin Fenton and the basis for David Simon's HBO miniseries–tells the shocking, true story of a massive police corruption scandal. Baltimore had been struggling with high rates of violent crime for decades when, in 2007, the police department established the Gun Trace Task Force, a unit of plain-clothed police officers whose mandate was to go after gun traffickers by conducting sophisticated investigations. Instead, the officers mainly patrolled the streets and stopped people, often without sufficient cause. They abused their power to steal money, to steal drugs that they sometimes resold, to plant evidence, and to lie about their activities, which were in many instances unconstitutional. The story broke in 2017, two years after the murder of Freddie Gray, another tragedy that rocked the city. In this episode, Julie and Eve talk to Justin about what the Gun Trace Task Force corruption scandal reveals about the war on drugs, police corruption, the relationship between politics and policing, the struggles between law enforcement and the communities they serve, and the suffering of those communities. Justin Fenton is an investigative reporter for the Baltimore Banner, a new nonprofit dedicated to supporting local journalism. He previously spent 17 years at the Baltimore Sun, covering the criminal justice system. He was part of the Pulitzer Prize finalist team for the coverage of the death of Freddie Gray and was a two-time finalist for the National Livingston Award for Young Journalists. He is the author of We Own This City: A True Story of Crime, Cops, and Corruption, as well as a consultant on the HBO TV series adaptation of the same name. Find us on Twitter (@bookdreamspod) and Instagram (@bookdreamspodcast), or email us at contact@bookdreamspodcast.com. We encourage you to visit our website and sign up for our newsletter for information about our episodes, guests, and more. Book Dreams is a part of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. Since you're listening to Book Dreams, we'd like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows about literature, writing, and storytelling like Storybound and The History of Literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode I am joined by Actor, Producer, Teaching Artist, Writer, and Strategist Davon Williams. Two-Time Anthem Award winner, Davon Williams is an International performer, the Director of Communications for Black Theatre Coalition, and a TED Talk alum. He is committed to using his talents to bring about substantive social change within his industry. As a performing artist, he has appeared in several national/international commercials, worked on TV/film projects as a member of SAG-AFTRA, and is an award-winning stage actor who has been featured throughout America and Asia. He has served as a ghostwriter for several politicians,  aided in the Occupy Hong Kong movement, and wrote for leaders of the Freddie Gray uprising. His podcast “The Receipts w/ Davon Williams”, became a viral sensation that led to major policy changes within the industry along with the creation and passing of the landmark legislation - the Black Theatre Matters Bill.Get in touch:Davon WilliamsInstagram: @daywilling Website: http://www.davonwilliams.com/homeYoutube Channel/Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCby_daXzNXlBjWcUWXLGo7gAyana Major Bey Website: www.ayanabey.comInstagram: @ayanambey, @theartistpivot Rate and Review this podcast:Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-artist-pivot-1455741Apple Podcasts: Just scroll down to the rate and review section on the podcast page *******Host & Exec. Producer: Ayana Major Bey Editor: Kieran Niemand Part of the Boundless Audio Network Get 10% off your first month with BetterHelp at https://betterhelp.com/artistpivot Support the show

On this episode I am joined by Actor, Producer, Teaching Artist, Writer, and Strategist Davon Williams. Two-Time Anthem Award winner, Davon Williams is an International performer, the Director of Communications for Black Theatre Coalition, and a TED Talk alum. He is committed to using his talents to bring about substantive social change within his industry. As a performing artist, he has appeared in several national/international commercials, worked on TV/film projects as a member of SAG-AFTRA, and is an award-winning stage actor who has been featured throughout America and Asia. He has served as a ghostwriter for several politicians,  aided in the Occupy Hong Kong movement, and wrote for leaders of the Freddie Gray uprising. His podcast “The Receipts w/ Davon Williams”, became a viral sensation that led to major policy changes within the industry along with the creation and passing of the landmark legislation - the Black Theatre Matters Bill.Get in touch:Davon WilliamsInstagram: @daywilling Website: http://www.davonwilliams.com/homeYoutube Channel/Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCby_daXzNXlBjWcUWXLGo7gAyana Major Bey Website: www.ayanabey.comInstagram: @ayanambey, @theartistpivot Rate and Review this podcast:Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-artist-pivot-1455741Apple Podcasts: Just scroll down to the rate and review section on the podcast page *******Host & Exec. Producer: Ayana Major Bey Editor: Kieran Niemand Part of the Boundless Audio Network Get 10% off your first month with BetterHelp at https://betterhelp.com/artistpivot 30-day free trial of Audible Get a free 30-day trial of Audible using The Artist Pivot Podcast Link!Get 10% off your 1st mo with BetterHelp Get 10% off your first month with BetterHelp, customized online therapy. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Mary Trump thinks Jared Kushner is an FBI informant. Ex-Cop involved in Breonna's Taylor's death takes a plea deal. Baltimore officer formerly charged in Freddie Gray murder promoted to captain in the same department and much moreCo-Host: Sharon Reed*** Indisputable, features Dr. Richey talking about the top news stories of the day, reading viewer comments, and engaging in debates and conversations with guests.Help support our mission and get perks. Membership protects TYT's independence from corporate ownership and allows us to provide free live shows that speak truth to power for people around the world. See Perks: ▶ https://www.youtube.com/TheYoungTurks/joinSUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE: ☞ http://www.youtube.com/IndisputableTYTFACEBOOK: ☞ http://www.facebook.com/IndisputableTYTTWITTER: ☞ http://www.twitter.com/IndisputableTYTINSTAGRAM: ☞ http://www.instagram.com/IndisputableTYTTWITCH: ☞ http://www.twitch.com/tyt

Join us to discuss the firing (de-election) of Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby and to recall her vicious political prosecution of six Baltimore PD officers in the Freddie Gray in-custody death. NEW! Law of Self Defense LAW SCHOOL COURSES!First-year law school classes, as Attorney Branca was taught them.First 20 students 50% OFF! MAX 40 students!https://lawofselfdefense.com/lawschoolFREE! Law of Self Defense “HARD TO CONVICT” Webinar!https://hardtoconvict.com/FREE, BUT VERY LIMITED SEATS!FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION!We ONLY consult on legal cases for our Platinum members!BE HARD TO CONVICT, become a Law of Self Defense Platinum member TODAY!http://lawofselfdefense.com/platinumFREE BOOK! “The Law of Self Defense”Physical book, 200+ pages, we just ask that you cover the S&H:http://lawofselfdefense.com/freebookPROUDLY SPONSORED BY CCW SAFE!Provider of Legal Service Memberships (aka “self-defense insurance”)Andrew is personally a member of CCW Safe!Learn more about what they have to offer at:https://lawofselfdefense.com/ccwsafeSave 10% off your first-year membership with code: LSD10FREE 5-ELEMENTS OF SELF-DEFENSE LAW CHEAT SHEET!Totally free cheat sheet explaining the 5-elements of any claim of self-defense.PDF download, zero cost:http://lawofselfdefense.com/elementsNOTE: Nothing in today's content represents legal advice. If you are in need of legal advice, please retain competent legal counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.#marilynmosby #freddiegray

Omar Little, Jimmy McNulty, Stringer Bell, Snot Boogie. If you recognize these names, you are probably a fan of the HBO series The Wire. This month marks 20 years since the series premiere. It ran for five seasons, following the lives of the cops, criminals, political players, and everyday folks caught up in Baltimore's often futile war on drugs. Many argue that The Wire is the best television show ever created and has earned praise for its realistic, humanizing, multi-dimensional portrayal of Black characters. But 20 years on, the conversation about policing in Black communities has changed. The deaths of Freddie Gray, George Floyd, and many others after encounters with police and the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement have brought about more public scrutiny, debate, and criticism of the police. As social commentary, is The Wire still relevant? We speak with NPR TV critic Eric Deggans and Ronda Racha Penrice, editor of the essay collection, Cracking The Wire During Black Lives Matter.In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

Dr. Carla Hayden is the 14th Librarian of Congress, and the first woman and the first African-American ever to hold that prestigious pose.  Born in Tallahassee, Florida, Carla grew up in Queens and in Chicago.  Her parents were both talented musicians – her father taught music at Florida A&M University – but Carla, by her own admission, did not have the music gene.  What she did have was a love of knowledge and of reading.After graduating from Roosevelt University in Chicago, and while looking for work, she became an “Accidental Librarian.”  A college friend gave her a lead on a job in a public library.  That tip led to a career in librarianship, including a doctorate in library science from the Graduate Library School at the University of Chicago, a teaching post at the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Science, and leadership roles in the public library systems in both Chicago and Baltimore.In Baltimore, as Executive Director of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Carla led that city's magnificent public library system for almost a quarter of a century and was widely praised – and properly so – for keeping the libraries open in the wake of riots that shook Baltimore in 2015, following the death of Freddie Gray - an African-American - man in police custody.In 2016, President Barack Obama nominated Carla to serve as the 14th Librarian of Congress.  Upon her confirmation by the Senate, she took over that prestigious post.The Library of Congress is a crown jewel.  It dates to 1800, and one of its first large acquisitions of books came from the personal library of Thomas Jefferson.  Though the Library of Congress was originally housed in the U.S. Capitol Building itself, fires in 1814 and 1851 – the first set by the British, the second, an accident – and a burgeoning collection required that the library move to its own building. Today, its astonishing collection is housed in numerous buildings, including the Jefferson Building, which contains the breathtaking Main Reading Room, completed in 1897.  The Library of Congress today has more than 171 million items, including 32 million catalogued books in 470 languages, 61 million manuscripts, 15 million photographs, 5 million maps, the papers of 23 presidents, and extraordinarily rare and precious books, including an original Gutenberg Bible and the Lincoln Bible. In fact, when Carla Hayden took the oath of office for the post she now holds, she took it on the original Lincoln Bible.  She shares with podcast host Chuck Rosenberg a wonderful story about that day, that Bible, her mom, and the oath.In 2021, Carla is also leading a new Library-wide initiative, Of the People: Widening the Path, to connect the national library more deeply with Black, Hispanic, Indigenous and other underrepresented communities.  To do this, the Library of Congress plans to expand its collections, use technology to enable storytelling, and offer more internship and fellowship opportunities to attract diverse librarians and archivists. The initiative, supported by a $15 million investment from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will allow the Library of Congress to share a more inclusive story about our contemporary American culture, our historical record and how we understand our past.The Library of Congress is a Palace to Knowledge.  It is one of the most important cultural institutions in the United States, and in the world.  The person privileged to run it is Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress.If you have thoughtful feedback on this episode or others, please email us at theoathpodcast@gmail.com.Find the transcript and all our previous episodes at MSNBC.com/TheOath