Podcast appearances and mentions of John Blake

A good sales process has structure, clarity, and follow-through. James and guest John Blake discuss the most recent changes in the sales landscape.

It's Scholastic Journalism Week - On this episode we're joined by Del Ellerton. Del is a journalism teacher at Midtown High School, formerly Grady High School, in Atlanta, where he's also the school's track and field coach (he previously coached football too) for a school that has won a bunch of city and region championships.Del is a Mississippi native whose experience includes 10 years as a journalist at places including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Bloomberg News and 22 years as a teacher. He's advised student media since 2008. Del is a grad of Grady himself as well as the University of Georgia College of Business with a masters in journalism from Columbia.Del talked about becoming a teacher, how he teaches his classes, balancing teaching and coaching, and the stories his students report on.Read the work of Del's students in The Southernerhttps://thesoutherneronline.com/Del's salutes:William Raspberry, Byron Pitts, Robin Roberts, John Blake, Monica Pierce Kaufman and Max RobinsonThank you as always for listening. Please send us feedback to journalismsalute@gmail.com Visit our website: thejournalismsalute.org Mark's website (MarkSimonmedia.com)Tweet us at @journalismpod and Bluesky at @marksimon.bsky.socialSubscribe to our newsletter– journalismsalute.substack.com

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.ktfpress.comIn this month's bonus episode, we talk all about why and how to have difficult conversations about important political subjects with people who disagree with you. We get into:- What are goals are in these kinds of conversations- Strategies for regulating our emotions and achieving those goals- The power dynamics to keep in mind when having these conversations- And afterward, our segment Which Tab Is Still Open?, diving into a fascinating conversation with Rev. William Barber about what Democrats could gain if they paid attention to poor votersYou can find the video of the portion of this episode that we recorded live at ktfpress.com.Mentioned in the episode- Disarming Leviathan by Caleb Campbell- The Deeply Formed Life by Rich Villodas- Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero- When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert- Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Shila Heen- Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, and Ron McMillan- John Blake's interview with Rev. William BarberCredits- Follow KTF Press on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads- Follow host Jonathan Walton on Facebook Instagram, and Threads.- Follow host Sy Hoekstra on Mastodon.- Our theme song is “Citizens” by Jon Guerra – listen to the whole song on Spotify.- Our podcast art is by Robyn Burgess – follow her and see her other work on Instagram.- Editing by Sy Hoekstra- Transcripts by Joyce Ambale and Sy Hoekstra.- Production by Sy Hoekstra and our incredible subscribersTranscriptIntroduction[An acoustic guitar softly plays six notes, the first three ascending and the last three descending – F#, B#, E, D#, B – with a keyboard pad playing the note B in the background. Both fade out as Jonathan Walton says “This is a KTF Press podcast.”]Sy Hoekstra: Hey everyone, it's Sy. Quick note before we start. Stay tuned after this recording of our conversation, which we did on Substack Live because we recorded our segment, Which Tab Is Still Open, separately due to some time constraints we had. Thanks so much for listening, and the episode officially starts now.Jonathan Walton: If your relationship is broken by what you think about trans rights, then I think we need to examine what kind of relationship you had in the first place, because I think our relationships have to be much more than our opinions about the latest political topic of the day.[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Jonathan Walton: Welcome to Shake the Dust, seeking… [long pause] Jesus, confronting injustice. I am Jonathan Walton [laughter], and we're live on Substack.Sy Hoekstra: Jonathan starts the live by forgetting our tagline [laughter].Jonathan Walton: It's true. It's true. So welcome to Shake the Dust. My name is Jonathan. We are seeking justice, confronting injustice. See, this is live. Live is hard. Go for it, Sy.Sy Hoekstra: [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Thank you for being here, Sy.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, sure. I'm Sy Hoekstra, that's Jonathan Walton.Jonathan Walton: [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: We're doing this live, if you couldn't tell. This is a live recording of our podcast. We are gonna ease into it, and then we'll be good. Don't worry.Jonathan Walton: [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: We're doing this live as a recording, and then we will be releasing the audio and the video later to our paid subscribers. So if you're listening, welcome. Alright, we are gonna be talking today about a subject that comes to us from a listener that came in as a question on our finale episode, but it came in a couple hours too late, and I missed it before we started recording. But it was such an interesting question that we decided to make a whole episode out of it. So thank you to Ashley, our listener, who sent this in. We will be talking about basically, how to regulate yourself and actually strategies you can employ when having difficult conversations with people you disagree with on important subjects, the power dynamics and everything all around it, and literally just how to do it, which is actually kind of something that a lot of people have been asking us.Ashley comes at it from a really good angle that we'll be talking about too. So we'll get to all that in a moment. We will also be talking, as we usually do in our episodes, doing our segment, Which Tab Is Still Open, diving a little bit deeper into one of the recommendations from our newsletter. And this week, we will be talking about a really great interview with William Barber, the Reverend William Barber, and basically how poor people can but often don't affect elections because of the ways that the Republican and Democratic parties approach poor people. So we will get into all that in a second. I will apologize for my voice still sounding like I have a cold. It sounds like I have a cold because I have a cold, and [laughter] I have the eternal fall-winter, father of a two year old in daycare cold [laughs]. So bear with me, and I appreciate your patience. Before we get into all this, Jonathan Walton, go ahead.Jonathan Walton: Well, if you are listening live, thank you, thank you, thank you so much for tuning in, and I just wanna encourage you to become a paid subscriber of our Substack. If you do that, you get access to video and audio of this conversation afterwards, you also get bonus episodes and our entire archive of bonus episodes as well. Plus, when you become a monthly paid subscriber, you also get access to our monthly Zoom chats, and you'll be able to comment on our posts, communicate with us on a regular basis. And so that would be great. Plus, you'll be supporting everything that we can do to help Christians confront injustice and follow Jesus. And so that's particularly in the areas of political discipleship and education, as we try to leave behind the idols of the American church. And for everybody, if you do listen to this, please go to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you might listen, and give us a five-star rating. If you wanna give less than that, you can also but you can keep that to yourself.Sy Hoekstra: [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Thank you so much for your support and encouragement. We really appreciate it.Sy Hoekstra: Four stars and below, give us those ratings inside your head [laughter]. Also, if you have any questions and you are listening live, feel free to put them in the chat. We can answer those as we go. And alright, Jonathan, let's jump right into it.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: We got this question from Ashley. She comes at it from an interesting angle. I wanted to talk about the things that she doesn't wanna do, and then get into her questions. So she said, when she's talking about people that she disagrees with on important political or religious subjects, there's a couple of things that she did growing up. One of which was the only reason that you're engaging in these conversations as a conservative Evangelical, is to change people into you [laughs]. Is to win people over to your point of view and make them the same as you. That's your goal. Then she said she kind of grew up a little bit, went to college, became what she called it, an ungrounded liberal arts major [laughs] and started getting into what she described as the sort of millennial slash Gen Z cusp age that she is.Just it being cool to shut people down and just defeat them, destroy them in an argument. So she's just like, “I don't wanna be there just to make people into me. I don't wanna be there just to destroy people.” But she said now she finds herself in a position where most of the people around her largely agree with her on important subjects, and she just doesn't spend a lot of time around people who don't. So just kind of wants to know how to get into that, because she thinks it is important. She was saying some political organizers really convinced her that it is important to be doing that. And she just wants to know how you regulate yourself, how you go about it, and all that.What's the Goal When You're Having Difficult Disagreements on Important Subjects?Sy Hoekstra: And although that question was really interesting, and we're gonna jump into the actual strategies, I think Jonathan, the place to start is when you're having these conversations with someone, if you're not trying to cut them off, if you're not trying to turn them into you, and you're not trying to shut them down, what are you trying to do? What's the actual goal of what these conversations are? And for those of you who might be listening live or listening to us for the first time, this is Jonathan's wheelhouse [laughter]. This is right in what Jonathan does all the time. So Jonathan, go ahead, tell us what is the actual goal of these conversations?Jonathan Walton: Yes. So I wanna start off by saying that none of this is easy.Sy Hoekstra: For sure.Jonathan Walton: I'm giving you a cookie cutter, boxed up wonderful version of a cake that you don't… Like all the ingredients are in there, all you need to do is add water. And life is not like that.Sy Hoekstra: Yes.The Goal Should Be Connection, not Cutting off or ColonizingJonathan Walton: But if you're not trying to colonize someone or make them into you, and you're not trying to cut someone off just because they disagree with you, or you're not trying to cancel them, shut them down, hold them accountable in a way that leaves them feeling like a puddle of ignorance in front of you, then what you're actually trying to do is connect with them. And so I think that God made us to be in relationship with other people, and being in relationship with other people means that we're able to sit before them, to see and be seen, without trying to consume or control the other person. It's impossible to connect with someone that you're trying to control. It's impossible to connect with someone, to love someone that you're trying to consume, like to be enmeshed with and turn into yourself.And so I think one of the ways that we, what we're actually trying to do, instead of colonizing someone, instead of consuming someone, instead of controlling someone, is to connect with them. And so the foundational question that we need to ask ourselves when we're in conversations with someone who we disagree with is, “What do we want from the relationship?” So, yeah, we want to connect. And then we ask ourselves the deeper questions, hey, Ashley, [laughter] a deeper question of, “What kind of connection do I want with this person?” So for example, I know a couple. They voted differently in the election.Sy Hoekstra: [laughs] Than each other, or than you?Jonathan Walton: Yeah. Than each other.Sy Hoekstra: Okay.Jonathan Walton: I don't know if how I voted will even come up, because that wasn't the premise of the conversation.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: But this couple, their actual argument is not about like you voted for Trump and you wanted him not to vote for him. The actual thing is, how do we love each other amidst a disagreement? Because they don't know how to hold the reality that I believe something different from you and we can still remain connected. The only option they have is to consume the other person or calling them out, “You need to think like me.” Or be consumed, “I need to think like you.” Or, “Do we need to get a divorce?” Like, no. It is possible to remain connected to someone while being in disagreement, even vehement disagreement. I think what we actually need to agree on is, how do we wanna be connected? I think that's the foundational question.Connection Versus ConversionSy Hoekstra: Yeah. I like that a lot. It's funny, when we were talking about this, this did not… I don't do emotional health and relationship discipleship and all that kind of thing that Jonathan does all the time. And your answer did not immediately occur to me [laughs]. I was thinking about Ashley's question, and I was like, “Wait a minute, what is the goal? I don't even know.” Anyways, I think the framework of connection is super, super helpful, and I appreciate you laying it out for us. And it's helpful for a couple of reasons. One is, it roots us in actual relationships, meaning your real life circumstances are what's guiding you. Your goals in your relationships is what is guiding you in how you approach the question of how you have these conversations.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: And then it's something that is sort of an antidote to that evangelical tendency to try to convert everyone, like you were talking about.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: Meaning, it's like, if you have a separate goal, then you can leave those other goals behind. But those other goals, if you don't have a new goal, those goals always stick. How you were raised is not going to change or move or be as prominent in your mind if you're not replacing it with something else.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, yeah.Sy Hoekstra: It's something that you can focus on, that you can actually do. Meaning you can make as much of an effort as you can to connect with someone, and they might not work, but you know that you did everything that you could, as opposed to trying to change someone. If your goal is changing people or defeating people, that never works. It very rarely works. And this is a weird thing that a lot of, I've realized growing up in evangelical churches, you couldn't face this directly, the fact that the overwhelming attempts that you made to evangelize someone didn't work [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yeah. Right.Sy Hoekstra: That was just a reality that you had to ignore. The vast majority of the people that you tried, they ignored you and walked on their way. And you couldn't just stop and go like, “Maybe the thing that I'm offering them is actually not all that attractive [laughs]. Maybe the church or the community or whatever, is getting in the way of…” That stuff you couldn't face. You had to believe that you had the best way, and you had to change people, or you had to shut them down. You had to shut down your opponents if you were talking about, atheists or whatever. And that stuff, it leads to constant anxiety, because you don't control the outcome, but you want to.You feel like you have to control the outcome, but you do not control the outcome. And when it comes to connection, again, you don't control the outcome, but the goal is that you attempt, you do everything that's in your power to attempt to reach your goal of connection with this person.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And then it also filters out the people that you don't need to have a connection with [laughter].Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: You don't have to respond to trolls. You know what I'm saying? You don't have to convert everyone. Because you're not trying to do all those things, it takes a lot of pressure off you. But I'm sorry, you were trying to say something. Go ahead.Jonathan Walton: Well, no, I think just to give some other resources, I'm pulling from Disarming Leviathan by Caleb Campbell. I'm pulling from Deeply Formed Life by Rich Villodas. I'm pulling from Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero. I'm pulling from Difficult Conversations. There's like, Crucial Conversations and Difficult Conversations and I get them mixed up.Sy Hoekstra: [laughs].Jonathan Walton: And also I'm pulling from When Helping Hurts. Because, oftentimes too, When Helping Hurts, I think it's really good, because we can start out with really good intentions, with trying to do something, quote- unquote, good for someone, when I think in reality what Sy was saying is true. We can only control what we desire, how we communicate that desire, and then pursuit of that desire.There is Vulnerability in Pursuing Connection as a GoalJonathan Walton: And then the other person actually gets to respond to that. And what's difficult about being vulnerable in connecting is that if you're trying to convert someone or control someone or colonize someone, they are rejecting a message or an idea. Or is it whereas if you are trying to connect with someone, you could feel rejected.And I think it's easier to try and persuade someone, or convince someone of an idea, rather than it is to connect with you as a person. I've been rejected by people, not just romantically [laughter].Sy Hoekstra: That too, though.Jonathan Walton: And it hurts. That as well. It's true. Tears.Sy Hoekstra: Sorry [laughter].Jonathan Walton: But one of the things is… No, it's cool. It's alright. Things worked out, praise God. But I think there's a vulnerability in, let's say I'm having a conversation with someone and they say, “Hey, Jonathan, I don't actually believe that police reform should happen. I think it's a few bad apples.” I have a few ways to go in that conversation. I could say, “Hey. Have you seen these statistics from this magazine and these FBI reports?” And go down deep into why Memphis is rejecting federal oversight. I could do that. Or I could say, “Oh, I feel afraid when you say that, because the results of that are, I'm afraid to walk outside my house because there aren't people actively pushing for reforms in the police department that occupies my neighborhood.”And that is vulnerability, because they could then invalidate my fears with their response, or whatever the thing is, but I think that that's the costly work of following Jesus in those moments.You Don't Need to Have Conversations with People Whose Goals Are Not ConnectionSy Hoekstra: Yeah. And just one more note on the goal, because we're starting to get into how these conversations actually work. But I did just wanna say one more thing about the overall goal of connection first before we move into that, just because I think this one is important. Especially for people who do ministry work of some kind, or talk about the kind of things that we talk about publicly, is if your goal is connection and the other person's goal is not connection, that's another reason that you don't have to talk to them [laughs]. Meaning, here's what I'm talking about here. I've seen you, Jonathan, in situations with people who do the kind of classic Christian thing when they disagree with something you're saying in public. They come to you and they say, “Hey, I've heard you talking about, let's say, police brutality. And I have some thoughts, I was wondering if we could just talk about it. Could we set up some time to have a Zoom?”And I've seen you go like, say to this person in not so many words basically, “I don't actually think that your goal is to have a conversation right now. I think you're upset with what I'm saying and you want to try and change me. Is that correct?”Jonathan Walton: Yeah [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: You just said that to them, and not rudely. You put it in kind words, but you're just like, “Am I right in thinking that that's really what you want here?” And if they can't say no, then you will say, “Okay, I'm sorry. I don't really think I have time for this,” [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And move on. Which is something that I don't think a lot of ministers feel the need to do. But if someone is cutting off the possibility of connection from the jump, and all they're saying is, “I want to change you,” or they're refusing to not say that all they want is to change you, [laughs] you don't have to talk to them. You have no responsibility to talk to that person because you don't have a responsibility to get into an argument with anyone. Even as a pastor. Your responsibility is to shepherd people and to lead people, and if our conversation is just going to be an argument, you don't have to talk to them. You may still want to, everything I say is subject to your personal relationships with people and your individual circumstances, but that's an option, and I want more people to know that [laughs], because I think a lot of people spend a lot of time trying to just win arguments when they don't need to be having them.Winning Arguments Is Not What Leads to RepentanceJonathan Walton: Yeah. And also too, I think we've misidentified what the fruit of a won argument is.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: So for example, if I preach a sermon, or I have a conversation with a small group of people and I give a call to faith, and someone decides to follow Jesus, I did not win an argument. They're not saying I have the best ideas, or I presented things in a really compelling way, none of that is happening. What's happening is the Holy Spirit is working within them for them to respond in some way. It's the kindness of God that leads to repentance. The Gospel is the power and transformation. I can't say, “You know what? What I drew on that napkin, or what I put in that card, when the PowerPoint slide opened and everybody went, ooh,” like, no. That was not the power. It is the power of God that draws people nigh into himself.Sy Hoekstra: Nigh unto himself [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes. KJV baby. KJV [laughter].How Do We Achieve Connection in Difficult Conversations?Sy Hoekstra: So let's get into then the actual strategies and kind of the meat of the question.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: That's it. Let's get into, how do you regulate yourself and what do you actually do to achieve the goal of connection?We Have to Know Ourselves to Connect with OthersJonathan Walton: Yeah, so I think the first thing is that we can't know other people unless we know ourselves. So for example, if… let's say I was having a conversation over the weekend with someone, and they said to me, “Well, I can't believe they would think that way.” And then I said, “Well, if I were in your situation, I would be pretty angry at that response. Are you upset? Do you feel angry?” I have to know, and be willing to name that I would be angry. I have to know, and be willing to imagine, like how to empathize. Like I'm listening to them, then I wanna empathize with how they're feeling, and then ask them, “Does that resonate with you?” To build some sort of emotional connection so that we stay grounded in them as an individual and not stepping up to the argument. Like “Oh, yeah. Absolutely, what they did was wrong.”I don't wanna participate in condemning other people either. I wanna connect with this person. We could commiserate around what happened, but I think we should prioritize what is happening for the person right in front of me, not just rehashing what happened to them. You know what I mean? Like figure out what's going on. So I think we have to know ourselves to be able to know other people, which includes that emotional awareness and intelligence. And then I think after that, we should affirm what's true about that person. And then, if we've done that, then be able to ask some questions or share our own perspective.Sy Hoekstra: Or what's true about what they're saying.Jonathan Walton: Yes, what's true about what they're saying, yeah. And then be able to lean in there. And if there is an opportunity and the person desires to hear what you think about it, then that's great, but I guarantee you, they will not wanna hear about what you're saying if you don't connect with them first. And so creating or building a foundation of trust that you're not trying to just convert them or consume them or colonize them, but you are trying to connect requires that first part. So slowing down, then knowing how we feel, and then being able to connect around that level is a great place to start.Connect with Whatever Is True in What the Other Person Is SayingSy Hoekstra: Can you tell us what finding what's true and what someone is saying and then affirming that value, what does that actually sound like?Jonathan Walton: Yes, absolutely. So let's go to a different script. There was a woman that had a conversation with me and was very upset that Black people could vote for Trump. This was a racially assigned White woman saying these things. And she was, I mean, raising her voice very loud, and so I said my goal… I did actually speak over her. I said, “So my goal in this conversation is for us as a group to remain connected and aware of each other and ourselves. What is your goal in what you're saying?” And I think that kind of threw cold water in her face because she didn't know what to do with that. And so she slowed down, then she said, “Well, I don't know. I haven't processed anything,” that was kind of what she blurted out.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. I knew that, actually [laughter].Jonathan Walton: Yeah. And I said, “It's great that like you need… this is a space to process.” I said, “What I would love for you to do is to slow down and tell us what you want, because I don't think you want me to be angry, and that's actually how I'm feeling right now. Was that your goal, was for me to feel angry and disconnected from you?” And she goes, “Well, you shouldn't be mad at me.” I said, “I can own my feelings. I didn't say you made me angry. I said my feeling in what you're saying is anger. Is that your intention? Is that what you're trying to foster? Because I would actually like to have my emotional response match your intent.” And it was not an easy conversation, but she did say after about 15 minutes of this kind of back and forth, she said, “I wanted to just close my computer,” is what she said, “But I didn't.” And then I said, “I'm so glad you chose to stay.”Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: “I'm so glad you chose to remain in our group. And to affirm again, you are valuable here, we desire your contribution and things like that.”Sy Hoekstra: And you were specifically in like a cohort that you were leading.Jonathan Walton: And I think it is hard to move towards someone who… Yeah, I was leading. I was leading. And everybody else was silent. They were not saying anything, but I had follow up conversations with one person after that, who said they were very grateful that I did that, because they were like, “I didn't know that you could be patient like that with someone so animated.” They were like, “I don't understand how you were calm in that situation.” I said, “Well, I was calm because I knew who I was. I was facilitating the conversation. I was leading the dialogue.” And I said, “When I'm with my mom,” not my mom, my mom passed away. “But if I was with my dad or my brothers in that conversation, I would have to do the same thing, but it will require more work because of the emotional history that's there. This history of my family and stuff under the bridge.”So each relationship is gonna bring with it its own porcupine quills, if you will, but that doesn't mean our steps change. I think our goal is to love our neighbor as ourselves. And if we don't know ourselves, we can't love our neighbors. So in the way that we would want patience and want grace and want respect, I think we need to extend that as best as we possibly can by trying to build a connection.Sy Hoekstra: And if you're talking about, I think that's really good for a discipleship situation. Anybody who disciples people, I hope you just learned something from that story [laughs]. But if you're having, by the way, Jonathan, I've noticed as we're talking, there's a very long delay. So I apologize.Jonathan Walton: No worries.Sy Hoekstra: I just interrupted you with something that was related to something you said like three sentences later, I'm sorry [laughs].Jonathan Walton: You're all good [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: So I think when it comes to a political issue, if you're talking to someone who's saying something that you find very hurtful or very upsetting or whatever, which is where I think a lot of these questions come up for people. For a lot of people it's, “How do I talk to a Trump supporter?” That's kind of the question.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: And then, like Jonathan said, it's going to be very hard. It's going to depend on your relationship with that person. And this work can be hard. It's very hard to get people to talk about their emotions, but that's what we need to do when somebody's talking… if they're being very anti-immigrant. You need to find a way into how they're communicating and what they're saying as angry as they are, whatever. An underlying thing might be, “I feel insecure about the economy of our country, I feel insecure about my job. I feel like I'm not gonna be able to provide because somebody's gonna undercut me in wages or whatever.” All that stuff. And the way to connect with that person is to say, “That makes sense, that feeling. And if I felt that that was happening to me, I would also be insecure.”Maybe it is also happening to you, you know what I mean? You have to just find a way into that feeling, and then say, “But the way that I feel secure is X, Y and Z, about…” If you want to talk about solidarity and lifting everyone up actually makes all of us more secure. You can get into the nitty gritty of immigration and economics, if you know that stuff, and say [laughs], “Actually, in general, immigrants really help us economically. And so I actually feel more secure. I know that immigrants commit crime at lower rates than citizens. And I trust the numbers that say that, and that comes from police departments. We can go look at your police department stats. So immigrants coming in actually lowers crime. I know that's a shock, but. So I feel more secure.” All that kind of like, you try and find a way to connect on the emotion and speak in a… What I'm doing right now is summarizing and being slightly glib, but [laughs] I think that's the best you can do.People You Connect with May Not Change, or Take a Long Time to ChangeSy Hoekstra: And I know to some people, if you have a really obstinate person that feels hopeless and impossible, and I think what we're saying is you give it your best shot, and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. And there's nothing you can do about it not working. And it might also be something, by the way, where you talk to them now and that's the beginning of a 10-year process of them changing.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: You don't know. This is why I said that stuff's out of your hands, is what I mean. So that's where we need to find our own internal piece about it. And then, I don't know, there's a number of other thoughts I have about what you have to do to prepare for all that, like the prep work that goes into it. But do you have other thoughts about that, Jonathan?Jonathan Walton: Well, I mean, I think just all of what you said is true, and I just wanna lean into what you said about, you cannot rush the process of that relationship. Because if your relationship is broken by what you think about trans rights, then I think we need to examine what kind of relationship you had in the first place. Because I think our relationships have to be much more than our opinions about the latest political topic of the day. We've got to be able to have conversations with people that are deeper and contain the multitudes that a person holds, as opposed to the latest tweet or share that they had.Sy Hoekstra: [laughs].Jonathan Walton: We're talking with people, we're not talking with a minimally viable product that's before us like, “Do I want this or not in my life?” And so I think even in the, let's take the example, like Caleb Campbell did a great example of this immigration. If someone actually believed that they were going to be invaded, I'm making quotes with my fingers, but invaded and they're gonna lose their job and they're gonna lose their emotional and spiritual and social security, not Social Security like the actual entitlement program, but social security like their feeling of social safety, that is objectively terrifying. If that is the narrative, then we can actually connect with people around why they're afraid.And if we connect with them why they're afraid, not convince them why they shouldn't be scared, then you actually have the opportunity to share with them why they may not need to be afraid. Because, as Sy said, immigrants crime actually goes down. Immigrants actually pay billions of dollars in taxes. Immigrants actually start businesses at a higher rate than our native population. All those things, but we can't get there unless we're connected. We cannot correct people without connecting with them. So, yeah.Getting Good at Connection Takes PracticeSy Hoekstra: Yeah. I think this takes a ton of practice.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: You will be bad at it at first, and that's [laughter]… So I think another part of it is you have to know why it's important to you. That's another thing, and that's a personal thing. But you have to understand why connection with someone whose political beliefs or whatever you find kind of abhorrent [laughs] is something that is important to you, that work has to be done on your own and ahead of time.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: You also have to take into account… sorry. You'll just get better at it over time. So meaning it, I'd say it's only like in the last few years that I've really been able to participate in extremely difficult conversations about politics or whatever, and just be okay [laughter], no matter what the consequence of it is. And sometimes that's still not true, depending on the relationship I have with the person, but I don't know. You've got to remember that people… actually, at the beginning I remember I told you she talked about, as a young person or as millennials and Gen Z wanting to shut people down. And I actually don't think that's a generational thing. I think that's just a young people thing.I think when I was 22 I thought it was awesome to shut people down [laughs]. And I think all the most recent, this is something I know from justice advocacy work, but all the recent neurology science basically tells us you don't have an adult brain until you're like 25 [laughter]. You don't have your impulse control, you know what I mean? It's just hard.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: And it just takes time to retrain yourself to do something, It can take years. So fear not, is what I'm saying, if you think you're bad at this.Being Aware of How Much You Know about a SubjectSy Hoekstra: And then I think something that's kind of deceptively emotional is the things that don't seem emotional, like knowing your facts and being able to bow out of conversations when you don't know your facts [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: Like if you have a feeling that something's wrong, but somebody's saying something wrong, or bigoted, or whatever, but you don't have the information, A, it's gonna make you much more comfortable if you do have the information, if you've read up on it, if you know the subjects. Because you find as you dig deeper into different political issues and hot button topics, there really are only so many opinions that people have, and they're usually based on relatively shallow understandings of information. So you can know a lot of the arguments ahead of time. You can know a lot of the important facts ahead of time. You've just kind of got to pay attention and that's something that happens over time.And then if you don't know that stuff, and you try and engage anyway just based on instinct, you're gonna have a lot of times where you say stuff that you regret later [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes. Yes.Sy Hoekstra: You're gonna have a lot of times where you maybe even make up something just because you wanna be right and you wanna win.Jonathan Walton: Yes, you wanna win.Sy Hoekstra: And then bowing out and letting someone believe their terrible thing without you fighting against it, sometimes that can be really hard, but that's an emotional issue, that's something about you being…Jonathan Walton: Right. That's a feeling. Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. It's always gonna be feelings, and that's why you got to have your goals clear, and whenever you can, know your stuff.Jonathan Walton: Yeah. Adam just said something, really quick. He said, “I've literally had notification of high heart rate from my Apple watch during such conversations.”Sy Hoekstra: [laughs] Yes.Jonathan Walton: And being able to have conversations without a high heart rate notification is becoming more normal.Sy Hoekstra: Yes. Good.Jonathan Walton: Yes, that has happened to me so many times. And it's true. It's fewer, it's less than what it was before that.Sy Hoekstra: That's so funny. I don't have a smart watch, so that's never happened to me, but that's so funny. And I'm glad that it's improving for both of you [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yeah. And it's a way to track if your spiritual formation's actually forming you [laughter].Sy Hoekstra: True.Engaging in Hard Conversations with Connection as a Goal is ExhaustingSy Hoekstra: So one more thing though is, this is exhausting.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: One of the reasons it's exhausting is not just because the whole thing is hard, but the issue is no one's ever gonna come to you, again, I guess, unless you're a pastor, and say, “Hey, next Wednesday at 4:00 pm I wanna talk to you about immigration.”Jonathan Walton: Right [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: They're going to come to you, you're gonna be having a dinner, and there's gonna be a completely random out of nowhere comment that you do not expect coming and your instinct may be in that moment to get angry or to just let it pass because you don't wanna deal with right now or whatever. And all that you have to take that into account. Again, over time it'll get easier to respond to random acts of racist bigotry, whatever. You know what I mean?Jonathan Walton: [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: But it is something that's hard to do for anyone, and so you need to take the exhaustion of constantly being on alert into account when you think about, how do I wanna connect with this person? Because if it's someone where you have to be on alert the whole time and ready to go at any moment [laughs], that's difficult. And that's somebody that you might need to hang out with less or whatever.Jonathan Walton: Yes. Yes.Sy Hoekstra: You have to make those decisions for yourself. And so I'm just saying, be willing to take that into account. Be alert to that way that you can become exhausted. Because, again, if you're really tired and you just have a snap reaction, you can say stuff you regret later.Jonathan Walton: Yes. Yes.Sy Hoekstra: Alright, Jonathan. Do you have… Yeah, you have thoughts. Go ahead and then we'll get to...Jonathan Walton: No, I was gonna say, off all of that, I think is mitigated by asking myself, “What kind of connection do I want with this person?”Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: And all of us have relationships that are not as healthy as we'd like them to be. And if my goal is not to convert someone or I don't feel this like abnormal, huge weight of this person's salvation, because that's not my responsibility, then I can say, “You know what? I just can't be with that person right now. I just can't do that.” And be able to enter into that in a healthier way, and it'll be a more loving thing.The Power Dynamics of Difficult ConversationsSy Hoekstra: Yeah, absolutely. Let's just get into, I think that's a lot of the meat of it, but let's talk about just some of the power dynamics and other things that are going on during these conversations. Jonathan, I'm happy to start if you want, but you can go ahead if you have some things you wanna flag for people.Jonathan Walton: Well, I think if we're not thinking about power dynamics then we're missing what's actually happening. So when men to women, able-bodied to disable-bodied, rich to poor, educated to uneducated. All of these things are playing all the time. So somebody's like, “Oh, you're playing the race card, or you're being ageist,” that's just the table. It's not a card. That's just the society we live in. We live in a segregated, stratified society. And so to be able to be aware of that, I think respects whether you are in the ecosystem or whether you've been lifted up by the ecosystem because of the hierarchies that we live in. I think that's just something we have to take into account of where we are and where the person that we are engaging with is or is perceived to be, then that can be a gift, just in the conversation. Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: So that's sort of like keeping in mind whether you're talking to someone who's basically [laughs] above or below you on different hierarchies, which is gonna be important. Like, if you're talking, if I as a White person am talking to a Black person about race, I have to understand the dynamics. For me, at least, what I'm thinking about is I have to be personally familiar with the stuff that Black people hear all the time [laughs], and how it is often heard, and that sort of thing. Not because I need to apply a monolithic understanding of race conversations to any individual, but just to know that that individual is probably going to hear something I say this way, or feel this way about something.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: I'm sorry about the sirens in my background. I live in Manhattan [laughter]. So I think that's one thing. But then the other way is I as a disabled person, if I'm trying to talk to an able-bodied person about disability stuff, I just need to take into account how much more tiring that's going to be, and the work that I may have to do after the conversation to process whatever terribly insulting thing was said to me [laughter].Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And I do that all the time. That's something I have to do when I get home from dropping my daughter off at daycare. It just depends on what happened on the way there, or whatever. Another thing is that the, a person you're talking to can always walk away [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: Nobody needs to be in this conversation, and that you need to be able to accept that. You need to be able to let people go the way that Jesus did when they rejected his teachings. Because if you don't do that and [laughs] you try and force them into conversations with you, again, that's what we're trying to avoid doing, is panicking about the results and trying to make somebody like you because you think the world needs to be the way that you are. That's the colonialist mindset [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: And then I think one other thing for me is how the person… this is back on the hierarchy thing. How what somebody else is saying is affecting other people around you, or the other person that that person has to interact with. Meaning the person that you're trying to connect with might be someone, like not the person you're talking to. It might be somebody who's sitting next to you, it might be somebody who's not there.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: So that's just the other thing to keep in mind, because you might be trying to show somebody else that they have support, that's a huge thing. That's the person who you have a conversation with after your cohort call that you were talking about earlier. And it might be just like, if I'm talking to another White person and I know, actually doesn't matter if I know them or not, but if I'm talking about connection, if I know people of color who have to talk to this person and they're saying something that I think I can head off or correct in some way, then I should do that. And I should keep in mind my connection with that White person, but I've also top of mind it's gonna be the connection that I have with people of color who interact with that person too.Okay, those are my thoughts on that big question. Jonathan, do we have anything else to say about these conversations before we move to Which Tab Is Still Open?Jonathan Walton: [laughs] Well, I don't have anything more to say about that conversation. I do have two problems that our live audience will get to engage with.Sy Hoekstra: [laughs].Jonathan Walton: One is that I need to get… it's one o'clock.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: And so I have a time stop.Sy Hoekstra: Right now?Jonathan Walton: Yeah. And my phone is also telling me, yeah, because I was thinking, I didn't know we're gonna talk past one o'clock, but…Sy Hoekstra: [laughter] Well, we started like 12:15 so.Jonathan Walton: We did. We did, we did. And then my phone as we entered into this conversation is on the red.Sy Hoekstra: Is about to die. Alright, cool. So then I think what we'll do, Jonathan, is we'll record the Which Tab Is Still Open separately, and just add that to the bonus episode.Jonathan Walton: Absolutely.Sy Hoekstra: So again, everybody, if you wanna hear the recordings of this afterwards, and now I guess the extended version of this episode, become a paid subscriber at KTFPress.com, or just on, you're on Substack right now if you're listening to us. Become a paid subscriber, that would be amazing. If you wanna get our newsletter that's actually free, you can follow us on the free list and get us that way. Thank you so much for joining us today, we really appreciate it. Give us a five-star review on Apple or Spotify and we will see you next month. We do these once a month now that we're in the off season. And our theme song is “Citizens”, by Jon Guerra. Our podcast art is by Robyn Burgess. Joyce Ambale does the transcripts. I'm doing the editing right now and the production of this show, along with our paid subscribers. Thank you all so much for joining us, and we will hopefully see you next month or on the paid list.Jonathan Walton: Yep, bye.Sy: Bye.[the intro piano music from “Citizens” by Jon Guerra plays briefly and then fades out.]Which Tab Is Still Open?: Rev. William Barber and Poor VotersSy Hoekstra: And now this is the separate recording of Which Tab Is Still Open. We're gonna dive a little bit deeper into one of the articles from the newsletter that Jonathan brought up recently. Jonathan, why don't you tell us about the article, and we'll get into a little discussion about it.Jonathan Walton: Yes. So our good friend, John Blake, award winning journalists and former guest on this podcast interviewed Reverend Dr William Barber on his thoughts after the election. It was one of the most interesting things I read post-election, because Dr Barber has a perspective most politicians and pundits just don't. He takes a perspective of poor people seriously, like Jesus [laughter]. And so one of the things he argues was that about 30 million poor people who are eligible voters usually don't vote because neither party is addressing the issues that are important to them, like minimum wage, affordable health care, strengthening unions, etc.There was talk about strengthening unions, but not in the ways that communicate about the needs and priorities of low wage and poor workers. Republicans mostly blame poor people for their poverty, that is a consistent thing over the last 60 years. And Democrats ignore them altogether because they see them not as a viable voting block to mobilize, we should get middle class voters, which is not the same as the working poor. Barber has a history of successfully organizing multiracial coalitions of poor working class people in North Carolina to make real difference in elections. So it's not just a theoretical thing, like you can actually win elections by doing what MLK did, which Barber is in the tradition of you can have a multicultural coalition of impoverished or economically impoverished, marginalized people in the United States and actually have and hold power in the country.So even as Kamala Harris lost in November in North Carolina, voters elected a Democratic Governor and Attorney General and got rid of the veto-proof majority in the state legislature, even with all of the nonsensical gerrymandering that exist there. So Sy, what are your thoughts on all this?Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. I'm very happy that somebody in the mainstream news is actually talking about this [laughs]. That's one thing. I just haven't heard... This is one of those things where if somebody, if the Democrats got this right, they could win a lot more. I don't know how much more, Reverend Barber is very optimistic about it. I haven't dug into the numbers the way that he has as a political organizer, but he basically says if you swing like 10 percent of the poor vote in any direction in many states, and you could change a whole lot of stuff.Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: I mean, you can read the article for his exact arguments. But it is definitely true that we don't address poor voters any real way, like we get stuck on, I've talked about this before, the bias toward, quote- unquote, real America, which sort of amounts to working and middle class White people and really does not address actually impoverished people. And the average, Reverend Barber is very sensitive to this, which I think is why he's effective, is the average welfare recipient in the United States today is still White. That hasn't changed. Welfare recipients are disproportionately Black and Brown. But the demographics of this country are such that you can be disproportionately high as a racial minority, but White people are still gonna be the majority of the welfare recipients.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And the potential interest alignment between those groups has always been intentionally broken up by elites in this country. And the thing that this raises for me is our constant, throughout our whole history, our belief that basically, poor people's opinions don't matter, that poor people's interests don't matter, and maybe poor people shouldn't even be voting in the first place. We had to have a movement in this country for universal White male suffrage [laughs] in the first few decades of this country, that was a fight. And the reason was they did not want you voting originally, if you didn't own property. And the belief behind that was, if you don't have property, then you don't have a stake in society. You don't have a sufficient stake in society to, I don't know, uphold the responsibility of voting.And in a lot of different ways that bias or that bigotry, frankly, has shot through a lot of different ways that we think about economics and politics. And just the idea like, it does not make sense to start with. If anything, the people with the most stake in how the government treats them are the people with the least power, with the with the way that society is run, are going to be the people who suffer the most when society is run poorly [laughs]. And the people who have the most independent wealth and power, meaning they can, regardless of what the government is doing, they're going to be generally alright, because they are wealthy landowners, if we're talking about the beginning of this country. They're actually kind of the least interested in how society runs, and maybe the most interested in maintaining the status quo and not having things change, which I think is what we're actually talking about.I think we're actually talking about not having significant change [laughs] in our economics, when we talk about the people who have the most quote- unquote, responsibility or the most sense of responsibility for how the society goes. And I think all of that bleeds into how both parties think today, because both parties are made up of elites. And I think there was this huge and terrible reaction to the CEO of United Healthcare being assassinated. And I was reading some stuff about it that basically said, if you're talking about healthcare, which is one of the issues that William Barber brought up, I think the reason that a lot of people don't understand the anger and the glee over the fact that this guy was killed online, which there was a ton of, which I don't support.But if you're trying to understand it there's so many elites who are the healthcare CEOs themselves, the politicians who write healthcare policy for whom, the biggest problem that health insurance is ever going to be is maybe a significant amount of paperwork. Maybe you get something declined or not covered, and you have to fight a little bit and then you get it covered again. It's not something that's going to bankrupt you or kill you. But that's a reality for many, many people around the country.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: And if it's not bankrupt or kill, it's long, grinding trauma over a long period of time.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And it's just so easy for us to lose sight of stuff like that and then not understand as a political party, why addressing those problems directly wouldn't matter. And when I say us in that case, I mean people who are economically comfortable and who have educated and are doing okay in this society. And so all this is what Barber's comments bring up for me is, he is trying to pay attention to real needs that real people have, and alert his party, the Democrats, to the fact that if they understood and paid attention to and took those needs seriously, they would have a ton of voters who nobody's counting on right now. Like there's no strategy around them.It's not you would be stealing voters from the Republicans, you would be bringing in a whole bunch of new voters and doing something that no one is expecting, and you'd be able to [laughs] actually make a big difference that way. Jonathan, if you have any thoughts or just your own responses to me, or your own thoughts.Jonathan Walton: Well, I think there's a there's a few things like, yeah, I'm grateful for John Blake and for media personalities that take the time to center the most marginalized people, because that was not the conversation. All the post mortem of the Democratic Party and the celebration of what Trump did, neither one of those things included real solutions for materially impoverished people in the United States. They were not a group of people that were, when you said, counted, it's literally they're not counted. They do not count in that way. There isn't analysis, there isn't engagement. And so that I think is deeply saddening. So I'm grateful for John Blake for highlighting it. I'm grateful for Barber for the work that he does.I think one of the things that highlights for me is the… because you use the word elite, and I think there was an essay a while ago that I read about the word elite and what it means and how we use it. Like Tucker Carlson says the elites, when in reality he is elite. Elite is Hell.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: The money that he makes, the universities that he went to, the position that he holds. Me and you are elite. We both have Ivy League educations, we both have graduate degrees. We are both financially secure, we are both educated and well connected. And the majority of, some of that, that I realize is that if I have those things I am insulated from the suffering that millions of people experience around health insurance. And because our classes in the United States are segregated and our churches are also often segregated, we are not going to have relationships with people that are struggling with these things. It's very difficult, at least for me, to live in Queens, to have conversations and relationships that are cross class.My children participate in activities that cost money. That's a proxy for a class decision. I drive, I do not take the train. That is a class communication. I live in a home and I own it, I do not rent. That's a class. I drive to a supermarket like Costco. You have to pay for a membership to be in Costco. These are all economic decisions, and there are going to be certain groups of people that I do not interact with every single day, because I have more money. And so I think if we stretch that out across the Democratic, Republican independent leadership in our country, the majority of us do not interact with people that are from a different class, higher or lower. And so we have these caricatures of what life looks like, which is why an executive can say it doesn't matter if we deny or defend or depose or delay or all the things that were written on these bullets that came from the person that killed the United Healthcare CEO.The reality is, I think we do not… I don't think, I know this, we do not prioritize the poor in this country. And to what you were saying, it's not that we don't prioritize poor and marginalized people, it's a strategic, intentional exclusion of them. So [laughs] like you said, the reality is, if you were not a wealthy land-owning White person, you were not allowed to vote or hold elected office. And so that's a reality. So each time a tier of people wanted to be included, there was an argument, there was a fight, there was war, there was violence. And so I believe that there is an opportunity that Barber is talking about too. It does not have to be violent to include people who are poor and marginalized.It's really just a decision to and the time and intentionality to do it. And I wish that the church did that. I wish that politicians did that. I wish that we did that as a society. And I recognize in my own life it is even still difficult to do because of how our society has set up invisible and very real fences between economic communities.Sy Hoekstra: And it's remarkable for you to say that in some ways. I mean, it makes sense that you would be the person to notice it, but it is remarkable in some ways for you to say it because you grew up as you've talked about many times, quite poor in the rural south.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And you are actually directly connected to people who don't have a lot of money, right?Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And that's still your reality that your day to day life does not involve that many poor people.Jonathan Walton: Right. And that is, to be totally transparent, that is one of the hardest things about getting older and having children. When we go home, when I say home I'm thinking Brodnax.Sy Hoekstra: The small farming town in Virginia that you're from.Jonathan Walton: Yes. Where I'm from. It's exceptionally clear to me that the access that I have to resources, the decisions that I'm making each day are infused with the wealth and resources that surround me, just by virtue of the location that I live in. So we have to do really, really, really hard work to include people who are across classes in our lives, so that when we consider what we're going to do with our power, they are included in that decision. And I think Barber did a great job of explaining why that is strategically important as well.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, so two points. One is, thank you for talking about that. For those of you who don't know, Jonathan and I are good friends. That's why I can say, “Hey Jonathan, let's talk about [laughs] your background as a poor person.”Jonathan Walton: Yeah [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: We've talked about this a ton on the show before, Jonathan is very open about it in public. And that, I actually think, hearing you talk about the tension and how your hometown is versus your new adopted home, a lot of that is actually part of the answer. Just people being willing to be totally open about their own financial circumstances, and the differences they see between places, because that is something that we hush up and we talk about, we make it shameful to talk about your money. We make it shameful for everyone to talk about their money. You're not supposed to talk about it if you're rich, you're not supposed to talk about it if you're poor [laughs]. You're basically only supposed to talk about it if you're right where the Republicans think real Americans are [laughter]. You know what I mean?Jonathan Walton: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: And yeah, just being willing to talk about it openly and in a not ashamed way actually goes a long ways to breaking some of the taboos that hold the silence on these issues. That's one thing. The other thing is, you said at the end just now, that William Barber would argue that it is strategic to basically address the needs of the poor voters who are not voting. But earlier you said it is a strategic exclusion, or like a strategic that they're evading talking about these issues.Jonathan Walton: Oh yeah. So in the Constitution, there is a strategic exclusion of poor, marginalized, non-White-land-owning-educated-well-healed people. There's the intentional strategic exclusion of those people for the maintenance of power and dominance, right?Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: And I think there needs to be a strategic, intentional inclusion of those people, and the intentional redistribution, and I know people hate that word, redistribution [laughs] of resources, so that people can be included in our society in a meaningful way.Sy Hoekstra: Well, Jonathan's a communist. You heard it here first.Jonathan Walton: [laughs] It's not the first time I've been accused of loving the Marx.Sy Hoekstra: Loving the… [laughs]. But I think the other aspect of it is just, the reality is that the donors that support both parties, these are not priorities of theirs. In fact, a lot of times they're opposed to the priorities of theirs. They are the healthcare CEOs. They are the people who have to negotiate against the unions. They are the people who would have to pay up the higher minimum wages. So that's part of the thing that makes it challenging. But Barber's been able to do the work [laughs] in North Carolina and make a difference there. And it's not… and he was one of the people, organizing like his is what made North Carolina a swing state in the first place from a traditionally deep red state. So it's worth trying, guys [laughs].Jonathan Walton: It is.Sy Hoekstra: Take a look, Democrats.Jonathan Walton: Worth trying.Sy Hoekstra: It's worth trying [laughs]. It's not just worth trying for political victories either. It's also worth actually addressing poor people's needs [laughs], to be clear about what I'm saying.Jonathan Walton: Yeah. And I think I was convicted. Like, Shane Claiborne said this and others like Merton has said this, and Howard Thurman said this, and MLK said it, and Jesus said it. The center of the church should be marginalized people. That should actually be the thing. “The poor will always be with us,” is not an endorsement of poverty. That's not what that is. You know what I mean? [laughter] Some people were like, “Well, people are supposed to be poor, and I'm supposed to…”Sy Hoekstra: I know. I know. Or, the poor will always be with us, and that means that we should not try to end poverty, because Jesus said you can't end it.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, right. That, no. But the reality that that is a broken, tragic theology that aligns with White American folk religion and requires no sacrifice from people who are on the upper end of a dominant hierarchy. That's what that is. Yeah. I hope that even if the political parties of the United States do not pay attention to what to what Barber is saying, that the Church will. That would be great.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah. Amen to that. Alright. I think we're just gonna end it there. I already did the outro and everything, the credits and all that stuff in the Live episode, so I think Jonathan and I at this point are just going to say thank you all so much for listening. We will see you in January for the next episode. Goodbye.Jonathan Walton: Thank you. Bye [laughter].[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Sy Hoekstra: How what somebody else is saying is affecting other people around you, or the other person that that person has to interact with, meaning the person who youJonathan Walton: [burps].Sy Hoekstra: [laughs], remember, I can't mute you if you just burp into your microphone.Jonathan Walton: Yes, sir. My apologies. [laughter] Welcome to live everyone.Sy Hoekstra: Welcome to live Substack.Jonathan Walton: I drank a ton of water. They saw me just do that [laughter].

Host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by Dr. John Blake, the current Affiliate Membership Trustee of the AAPD Board, to for a conversation focused on how the advocacy and research of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry influences and supports not only pediatric dentists, but general dentists as well. Dr. Blake shares his unique professional journey as a general dentist focused on pediatric needs and how it led to various leadership roles in organized dentistry. Guest Bio: Dr. John Blake is the Executive Director and Dental Director of the Children's Dental Health Clinic (CDHC) in Long Beach, Calif. This non-profit program and teaching facility helps the comprehensive dental needs of underserved, special needs and medically complex patients in their Long Beach and Catalina Island programs. Prior to joining CDHC, Blake spent his first 12 years in private practice. He is the current Affiliate Member of the AAPD Board of Trustees and President of the California Dental Association (CDA). He has also served on the CDA Council on Government Affairs for the past 6 years while remaining active with oral health related policy and legislative issues. Blake is also the president of the Living Hope Clinical Foundation, a fellow of the American College of Dentists and the Pierre Fuchard Academy, a part-time faculty member of the USC. School of Dentistry, and a member of the ADA council on government affairs. In addition, he helped start the CARE Dental program at St. Mary's Hospital. This grant-funded non-profit program is specific to patients with HIV.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's episode is the first of what I hope will be a series of conversations where I get personal in a brand new way: by interviewing members of my family! One of the interesting facts about my family, especially the Dobsons (my mom's side), are that there are a LOT of doctors. In this first episode, I start with the most senior living member of this medical lineage, and interview my Great Uncle Jack (aka Dr John Blake Dobson), as well as his daughter Susan Dobson. I hope you find this exploration of medicine through the generations as meaningful as I have! Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanchanmd

Historically, nationalism has often turned out to be a bad idea. The most obvious examples of nationalism leading to atrocities include the Nazi regime in Germany and Benito Mussolini's fascist dictatorship in Italy, but today's geopolitical scene involves a variety of problematic nationalistic movements, including in India, Turkey, Brazil, and Hungary.  Even though nationalism frequently leads to violence or even genocide, people keep trying it. Perhaps the logic is something like “As great as MY nation is, maybe this time it will work!”  Here in the United States, nationalism has usually come with a particularly Christian flavor. Aside from the usual concerns associated with nationalism, this pairing of politics and religion poses unique challenges. Does it even make sense to combine a political ideology like nationalism with a religion like Christianity (especially Catholic Christianity, which is all about universality and solidarity across borders)?  On this episode of Glad You Asked, theologian and activist Jim Wallis discusses the nature of Christian nationalism, whether nationalism can ever be truly Christian, and how people of faith should respond to the resurgence of Christian nationalism in the United States today. Wallis is the founder of Sojourners and the author of 12 books, including America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America (Brazos). He is the inaugural chair and founding director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice. You can learn more about this topic in these links. “Any religion allied with nationalism is dangerous,” by Stephen Schneck https://uscatholic.org/articles/202304/any-religion-allied-with-nationalism-is-dangerous/ “Christian nationalism distorts the faith, says Lexington Bishop John Stowe,” by Heidi Schlumpf https://www.ncronline.org/news/christian-nationalism-distorts-faith-says-lexington-bishop-john-stowe “How one evangelical leader uses the Bible to expose the ‘False White Gospel,'” by John Blake https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/28/us/evangelical-christianity-false-white-gospel-wallis-cec/index.html Glad You Asked is sponsored by the Claretian Missionaries USA, an order of Catholic priests and brothers who live and work with the most vulnerable among us. To learn more, visit claretians.org.

Thursday, October 24, 2024 Inside Sports with Al Eschbach -Bill Belichick's 24-year-old lady friend, Thunder - Nuggets opener, the John Blake years comparison, Big 10 & SEC Domination and more. Follow the Sports Animal on Facebook, Instagram and X Follow Tony Z on Instagram and Facebook Listen to past episodes HERE! Follow Inside Sports Podcasts on Apple, Google and SpotifySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Find the Dark Knight Review here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/maverick51411/episodes/2024-10-16T04_00_00-07_00Find the 9 Points Ratings System here: https://www.alostplot.com/9-points/ In this conversation, Maverick and Andrew discuss the film 'The Dark Knight Rises' and analyze the character development of Batman and the villain Bane. They explore Batman's motivations and the challenges he faces as he tries to find purpose and overcome his physical limitations. They also highlight the compelling dialogue and ideology of Bane, who stands for anarchy and seeks to bring down Gotham City. The conversation touches on the disjointedness of certain scenes and the suspension of disbelief required in some instances. Overall, they appreciate the humanization of Batman's character and the nuanced portrayal of Bane. They express mixed feelings about the portrayal of Catwoman, with one host finding her attractive but the other feeling she was a stock character. They also discuss the character of John Blake, with one host disliking him as a version of Robin and finding his arc forced, while the other appreciates his role as an up-and-coming detective. They have differing opinions on the character of Alfred Pennyworth, with one host loving his arc and the other feeling it was disingenuous. They also discuss Lucius Fox and his role as a minor character, and share their thoughts on Commissioner Gordon, finding his character compelling at the beginning but becoming more stock towards the end.----------Highlights:0:00 'The Dark Knight Rises' Introduction4:53 Opening Scene12:50 Old Man Bat18:31 The Batman Returns to Gotham28:53 Escalating Stakes30:17 Bane: The Perfect Opposing Force35:40 Bruce Wayne's Transformation46:00 Subverting Expectations54:19 Climax Over The Bay1:01:13 Catwoman1:03:54 John Blake: The New Robin1:10:35 Alfred Pennyworth1:15:38 Lucius Fox1:19:27 Commissioner Gordon1:24:49 Lasting Impact of the Trilogy#thedarkknightrises #bane #batman #alostplot #thedarkknighttrilogy #thedarkknight #batmanvillains #catwoman #thedark #youmerelyadoptedthedark #characterarc #characterdevelopment #robin #sidekick #anarchy #film #filmthoughts #moviethoughts #alfredpennyworth #alfred #luciusfox #commissionergordon

A ghost seeks forgiveness from beyond the grave and some photos make a woman question reality. It's time to summon the Shadow... This week on Snap, we're featuring supernatural stories from our evil-twin podcast, Spooked: true-life stories told by people who can barley believe it happened themselves. You can listen to Spooked on any podcast platform... Be afraid.STORIESSpooked LIVE: Glynn Washington x John BlakeGlynn's brother pays him a visit. And Journalist, John Blake, shares his family story about a ghost that sought forgiveness from beyond the grave. These stories were told at Spooked LIVE at the haunted Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. Thanks, John, for sharing your story with us! To learn more about John's story reconciling with his mother's family, be sure to check out his amazing memoir — More Than I Imagined: What  A Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew. You can also follow his work on his website.This story was produced by Zoë Ferrigno and Davey Kim. The original score was created and performed live by Doug Stuart and Brijean Murphy. Picture PerfectWhen Susiy and her family visit a new town, they have no idea who they'll be running into.Suisy, thank you for sharing your story with us.Produced by Anne Ford, original score by Lalin St. Juste, artwork by Teo Ducot.Spooked has a Youtube Channel! Subscribe now for a new scary story each week.Season 15 - Episode 46

John Blake Executive Vice President, Public Affairs/Senior Adviser for the Texas Rangers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was honoured to have this opportunity to record this conversation with the phenomenal violinist Sara Caswell, who is a GRAMMY Nominee for the Best Improvised Jazz Solo. We focused on the recent 9 Horses album, Strum with mandolinist and composer Joseph Brent, and she also spoke to me about some of her other collaborators including esperanza spalding, Chuck Owen, Nadje Noordhuis, and mentors including David Baker, Mimi Zweig and Josef Gingold. She shared how she started playing the 10 stringed Hardanger d'amore, her rich early musical life in Bloomington, and how she is grounded and inspired from her family and friends.  You can read the transcript or watch the video, both linked here on my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/sara-caswell  https://9horses.bandcamp.com/album/strum https://saracaswell.com/ Merchandise store: https://www.leahroseman.com/beautiful-shirts-and-more Buy me a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman Thanks! Newsletter sign-up: https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter Catalog of Episodes: https://www.leahroseman.com/about photo: Shervin Lainez Timestamps (00:00) Intro (02:19) 9 Horses album Strum, Joe Brent (07:12) clip from The House that Ate Myself, 9 horses album Strum (08:30) 9 horses trio and different recording projects (11:50) clip from Americannia from 9 horses ablum Strum (13:09) acoustic versus electric violin (15:06) about Sara's Hardanger d'amore fiddle (23:00) clip from Long Time Away  (25:27) Sara's approach to teaching jazz (28:33) GRAMMY nomination, Chuck Owen the Jazz Surge (32:59) Sara Caswell quartet The Way to You, Nadje Noorduis (34:26) excerpt from South Shore  Sara Caswell quartet The Way to You by Nadje Noorduis (37:30) early musical life in Bloomington, David Baker, supportive parents, Mimi Zweig (40:55) Josef Gingold (48:14) related episodes and ways to support this project (48:57) Bloomington years with David Baker, Jamey Abersold, Janis Stockhouse, Stanley Ritchie (53:32) New York early years, John Blake, Sylvia Rosenberg (56:47) clip from Jennie Pop Nettle-Eater (57:22) meeting Joe Brent (59:18) esperanza spalding (01:02:54) the joy of collaboration (01:04:31) clip from Strum (01:05:19) work-life balance and self-care

Glynn's brother pays him a visit. And Journalist, John Blake, shares his family story about a ghost that sought forgiveness from beyond the grave. These stories were told at Spooked LIVE at the haunted Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. Thanks, John, for sharing your story with us! To learn more about John's story reconciling with his mother's family, be sure to check out his amazing memoir — More Than I Imagined: What  A Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew. You can also follow his work on his website.This story was produced by Zoë Ferrigno and Davey Kim. The original score was created and performed live by Doug Stuart and Brijean Murphy. Artwork by Teo Ducot.Spooked has a Youtube Channel! Subscribe now for a new scary story each week.

John Blake is not only the Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for the 2023 world champion Texas Rangers, but he is also a docent at the George W. Bush Presidential Museum, where he has volunteered since the museum opened its doors in 2013.John joined host Andrew Kaufmann to talk about his deep-rooted love of presidential history, his feelings when the Texas Rangers finally took home a World Series trophy last year, and why he loves spending his Saturdays volunteering at the Bush Museum.Hear more from John on this episode of The Strategerist, presented by the George W. Bush Presidential Center.Related content: Volunteer at the Bush Museum

The Scariff Show takes place this weekend. A host of events and entertainment will be on offer on Sunday (1st September), from show jumping and dog shows, to family fun and even a LEGO competition (Building Better Lego Championship)! To find out more about the Scariff Show, Alan Morrissey was joined by Committee member, Beckha Doyle and Chairman, John Blake. Photo (c): Scariff show via Facebook

Elektro und Pop: Seit dem gefeierten Debütalbum "Living in a Magazine" 2001 hat Zoot Woman bis heute sechs weitere rausgebracht – zuletzt vor einem Monat die LP "Maxidrama". Mit Synthies, inspiriert von einer Zukunftsvision der 80er und New Wave, hat die Band Ende der 90er Jahre einen Mix generiert, der zwar an Vorbilder wie Daft Punk oder Justice erinnert, allerdings um weitere, poppigere Elemente erweitert. Das Brüder-Duo Adam und John Blake, das in den Anfängen als Trio mit Produzent Stuart Price richtig durchgestartet ist, produziert nach wie vor strukturierte Songs, mit Dance-Elementen und leicht melancholischem Gesang, in welchem sich John Blake Themen wie Liebe, Verlust oder persönlichen Reflexionen widmet. Das neue Album "Maxidrama" beschreibt Zoot Woman selbst besonders originell und innovativ. Begleitet von Drum Machines und Synthies schildern die Lyrics das Drama des Lebens, und welchen Einfluss wir selbst auf die Beziehungen darin haben. Bevor Zoot Woman im Oktober auf Tour geht, schauen sie schon mit den neuen Tracks bei uns – im studioeins vorbei!

It's Thursday, June 27th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Nicaragua has shut down 250 Protestant groups Roman Catholic Churches have faced persecution in Nicaragua under the regime of Daniel Ortega. The dictator is increasingly targeting Protestant churches as well.  The central American country shut down over 250 Protestant groups in recent years. Earlier this year, authorities imprisoned 11 Evangelical pastors associated with Mountain Gateway, a ministry that drew thousands to its Christ-centered events. Nicaragua is ranked 30th on the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.   Israeli Jews are asking for New Testaments Jews for Jesus reports more people of the Jewish faith are seeking New Testaments. The nonprofit offers the New Testament to Israelis for free. The group sent over 1,200 New Testaments to Israelis since the Muslim terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7th, 2023. Aaron Abramson, the Executive Director of Jews for Jesus, told The Christian Post that the terrorist attack has prompted many Israelis to have spiritual questions. He said, “Israel has prided itself in its ability to defend itself, so [the Hamas attack] was a real blow to that for people. … If you can't put your trust in … a military solution … then where do you put your trust? … And I think that's why a lot of people were starting to sort of dig into those spiritual questions.”  In Romans 1:16, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.” Supreme Court okay with Biden's censorship of Facebook The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of the Biden administration yesterday in a social media case. Multiple states and social media users accused the government of pressuring media companies, like Facebook, to censor content about COVID-19 and the 2020 presidential election. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch ruled against the Biden administration. In the dissenting opinion, Justice Alito warned, “If a coercive campaign is carried out with enough sophistication, it may get by. That is not a message this Court should send.” Vermont's crisis pregnancy centers allowed to speak the truth A federal court in Vermont is allowing pro-life pregnancy centers to continue their lawsuit against the state. The centers are challenging a state law that censors their free speech. The law only applies to pregnancy centers, which could face fines of up $10,000 if the state's attorney general believes their advertisements are misleading.  Julia Payne with Alliance Defending Freedom said, “Pregnancy centers should be free to serve women and offer the support they need without fear of unjust government punishment. As our case continues, we will urge the court to support the rights of pregnancy centers that provide these critical care services.”  70% of Americans approve of homosexual faux marriage A new survey from Gallup found nearly 70% of Americans believe that faux homosexual marriage should be legal. And 64% believe that sexually perverted lifestyles are morally acceptable.  However, support for these issues is plateauing and even declining slightly. This is driven by a drop in support for such lifestyles by Republicans. Forty-six percent of Republicans support such lifestyles now, down from 55% in 2021. The drop in support comes as Democrats have supported sexually perverted lifestyles for children through the schools and medical industry. Low home inventory and high interest rates drives prices higher The National Association of Realtors reports the sale of previously owned homes is down 2.8% in May, compared to last year. Existing home sales are now at a 30-year low. With low inventory and high interest rates, home prices continue to climb. The median home price in May was a record $419,300. That's up 5.8% compared to last year.  If you can forgive, you'll be happier The American Bible Society released their latest data from the “State of the Bible USA 2024 Report.” The report found that people who say they are willing to forgive others were more likely to score higher in Human Flourishing which involves happiness, health, purpose, character, and relationships. The report also noted that young people who engage with Scripture score higher in Human Flourishing. Dr. John Blake, editor-in-chief of the State of the Bible series, said, “Not only do [Gen Zers] score higher on the Human Flourishing scale than other young adults who don't read the Bible — but they have the highest score of any generation.” In Proverbs 8:35, Wisdom says, “For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the LORD.” Why Virginia Worldview listener gave $200 Ginger and her husband Michael in Jonesville, Virginia gave $200 yesterday to help fund the 6-member newscast team for another fiscal year. I called her last night and asked her what she liked about The Worldview in 5 Minutes. GINGER: “I like the very clear, Christian worldview that's presented, the fact that it's just straight news, straight facts, but then you also, by the addition of Scripture and a little analysis, show how Christians should think about these things.” She was encouraged to hear one uplifting story about Tennessee. GINGER: “I really appreciated you presenting the story about the Tennessee governor and his recent signing of the call for fasting and praying for the state of Tennessee. We live near there, but actually go to church in Tennessee. So we know, have a lot of friends and it's been very exciting to ask them. ‘Did they realize that? Do they know that?' I just thought that was fantastic that you presented it because you may be the only news source that shares that.” Ginger also liked the recent human interest story I highlighted about the Katy, Texas couple who discovered a newborn baby girl on the ground who had been abandoned. GINGER: “The story about the couple that found the baby was heartbreaking in one sense, but tremendously hopeful. Life was valued and life was saved in a culture that worships death. I so appreciated that being reported as well.” Ginger urges other Worldview listeners to make a donation today to help us reach our $84,000 goal. GINGER: “If you appreciate the objective news and the Christian worldview then definitely it needs to be supported. It's such a rarity. Now, my one thing would be don't wait to the last minute like I did.” McMANUS: (laughs) “Well, it is the last minute. That's okay, as long as people get in, before the wire.” GINGER: “It is definitely a worthy cause to support Adam. I don't even realize how much work is put into the research and the gathering. There's so much out there. It's so refreshing to have a new source and a news broadcast that I can listen to. I can quickly get the gist of the news that day, but from the Christian worldview that I share. It's refreshing!” 23 Worldview listeners donated $3,105.37 And finally, toward our $84,000 final goal by 5:00pm central this Saturday, June 29th, 23 Worldview listeners stepped up to the plate to help fund our 6-member team for another fiscal year. Our thanks to Rob in Annandale, Virginia, Edward in Burnt Hills, New York, Rich in Roanoke, Virginia, and Paul in Glen Allen, Virginia – each of whom gave $25. We appreciate Augustine in Auburn, California who gave $30, Samuel in Niceville, Florida who gave $37.37, Jeremy and Kristin in Cleveland, Tennessee who gave $40 as well as Colleen in Melbourne, Florida and Joshua in Hortense, Georgia – both of whom gave $50. We're grateful to God for Eli in San Diego, California who gave $58, as well as Eben in Kansas City, Missouri, Kirsten in Drake, Colorado, Corrie in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Amy in Snohomish, Washington, Leslie in Middletown, Delaware, Cory in Morrison, Colorado, and Tamar in Poplar Bluff, Missouri – each of whom gave $100. And we're thankful for the sacrifice of Don in Rogers, Minnesota who pledged $15/month for 12 months for a gift of $180, Michael and Ginger in Jonesville, Virginia, Stephen in Morgantown, West Virginia, and Rick and Barb in Arlington, Washington – each of whom gave $200, Duane in Moriarty, New Mexico who gave $300, and Michael and Jacci in Valley Center, California who pledged $80/month for 12 months for a gift of $960. Those 23 donors gave $3,105.37.  Ready for our new grand total? Drum roll please. (sound effect of drum roll) $64,160.53 (audience cheering) We still need to raise $19,839.47 by 5:00pm Saturday, June 29th In order to hit our $84,000 goal, we still need to raise $19,839.47 in just 48 hours.  I had hoped that 40 people would be inspired to make a donation yesterday, but only 23 did so.  At this point, on this Thursday, we need 60 people to make either a one-time donation or a monthly pledge. I wonder if you might be one of four people to give a one-time gift of $2,000.  There might even be someone who would invest $5,000 in this Christ-centered work. Could you be one of 6 Worldview listeners to pledge $100 per month for 12 months, 4 people to pledge $50 per month for 12 months, and 8 people to pledge $25/month for 12 months? Time is ticking. (sound effect of ticking clock)  We need your help by 5:00pm central on Saturday, June 29th. Your support enables our 6-member newscast team to thrive. We have  three writers – Kevin Swanson, Jonathan Clark, and myself, the researcher, Emily Munday, and the uploaders of the audio on multiple platforms – Rebekah Swanson and Kayla White. Were you touched by what Ginger in Jonesville, Virginia said today about what makes this newscast special?  Did you hear what 10-year-old Lukas in Olympia, Washington said yesterday about why he gave $10 of his own money? I need you to step up to the plate. Please, go to TheWorldview.com, click on “Give,” select the dollar amount you'd like to donate, and click on the recurring monthly tab if that's your wish. Ask God what He wants you to give to this newscast that proclaims Jesus Christ as our standard for Truth. Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, June 27th, in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldView.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

What has the power to change our minds about the world? In John Blake's case, it was a surprise encounter.“I knew I had a white mother,” says award-winning journalist John Blake. “Her name is Shirley, and her family hates black people… that's all I knew.”At age 17, John Blake's father casually asked him if he'd like to meet his mother for the first time. Three days later, he found himself in the waiting room of a hospital. “The meeting is nothing that I expected,” he recalls. “It's incredibly shocking.”Today, Blake tells the story of his childhood, born in the sixties as the son of an interracial couple in Baltimore. His story sheds light on the history of racial prejudice in the United States, and offers wisdom about the ways in which we might find hope and healing in the midst of all kinds of struggle and hostility.Show Notes:Resources mentioned this episodeMore Than I Imagined by John BlakePDF of Lee's Interview NotesTranscript for Abridged EpisodeJOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, and discounts on live showsSubscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.comSee Privacy Policy: Privacy PolicyAmazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

John Blake's father was Black. The mother he never knew was white. The two met in Baltimore in the 60's when interracial marriage was illegal.“I knew I had a white mother,” says the award-winning journalist. “Her name is Shirley, and her family hates black people… that's all I knew.” At age 17, John Blake's father casually asked him if he'd like to meet his mother for the first time. Three days later, he found himself in the waiting room of a hospital where he uncovered a long held family secret. “The meeting is nothing that I expected,” he recalls. “It's incredibly shocking.” Today, Blake tells the story of his childhood shedding light on the history of racial prejudice in the United States. He offers wisdom about the ways in which we might find hope and healing in the midst of all kinds of struggle and hostility.Show Notes:Resources mentioned this episodeMore Than I Imagined by John BlakePDF of Lee's Interview NotesTranscription LinkJOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes, ad-free listening, and discounts on live showsSubscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.comSee Privacy Policy: Privacy PolicyAmazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Award-winning journalist John Blake tells the story of his quest to reconcile with his white mother and the family he'd never met—and how faith brought them all together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Blake, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs and Senior Adviser with The Texas Rangers joined The WBAP Morning News. How well did opening day at Globe Life Field go the other day? Did everything go off without a hitch? Also, Ernie complains about the unveiling of the new banner, which was wrinkled?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Greenville, NC, contemporary jazz vocalist Christie N. Dashiell honed her skills at Howard University and later at the Manhattan School of Music. Ms. Dashiell's trajectory includes performances with Howard's premiere vocal jazz ensemble, Afro Blue. She has also performed at the Kennedy Center as a participant in the 2010 Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead program; at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C.; and, as a part of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Jazz for Young People program. She is the recipient of DownBeat magazine's Best College Graduate Jazz Vocalist and Outstanding Soloist awards in the jazz vocal category. Most recently, Ms. Dashiell appeared on season three of NBC's The Sing-Off, as a member of Afro Blue. She can be heard on several nationally released recordings including John Blake's Motherless Child, The Jolley Brothers' memoirs Between Brothers, and as a Kennedy Center Discovery Artist on NPR's JazzSet hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater. She has since performed in concert with Esperanza Spalding, Fred Hammond, Smokey Robinson, Geri Allen, and Allan Harris. If you enjoyed this episode please make sure to subscribe, follow, rate, and/or review this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, ect. Connect with us on all social media platforms and at www.improvexchange.com

1st hour of the G-Bag Nation  Top stories of the day John Blake GBAG of the DAY Crusty's Corner 

Minisode: Hey Last Looks Crew! I'm your host, Jaime Leigh, a hairstylist with years of experience in the film industry. In today's minisode, we're diving into a topic that's incredibly important for all artists in our field: avoiding burnout and achieving a healthy work-life balance. Ah, work-life balance—the elusive unicorn in the film industry. Episode brought to you by: John Blake's Wigs & Facial Hair BUY the podcast a COFFEE: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/lastlooks Last-Looks.com: https://www.last-looks.com/ Join Last Looks Crew & Stay in the Loop: https://www.last-looks.com/join-last-looks-crew

Visit http://JohnBlakeAudio.com to Learn How to DOUBLE Your Enquiry-to-Sale Conversion with The Lead Flow You Already Have. In this episode, we had an enlightening discussion with leadership coach Nicky VeenVliet about the insidious mindset traps that often prevent high achievers from reaching their full potential. With over 15 years of experience empowering executives, entrepreneurs, and teams, Nicky provides insightful examples of taking ownership, cultivating self-awareness, and developing emotional regulation. We explore the tendency of successful people to hit an imaginary threshold where self-doubt and trauma surface, despite external success. Nicky emphasises accepting circumstances while taking action, rather than dwelling on "shoulds" and "fairness." Another trap is an inaccurate self-assessment which affirms a distorted self-image. Nicky advocates getting frank feedback from a coach or therapist to reveal blind spots.  Nicky explores imposter syndrome in accomplished women who feel inadequate beneath external confidence. Childhood patterns drive these fears, requiring therapeutic work to overcome. She notes our inner dialogue is often far harsher than external feedback. When staff constantly asks questions, sometimes we reinforce dependency by always providing solutions. Nicky suggests asking “What do you think?” instead, which empowers teams to self-manage and think independently. This parallels coaching children to solve issues themselves first before seeking help.    Nicky points to emotional addiction as another stealth obstacle. We unconsciously crave the thrill of conflict or victimhood. With awareness, we can pivot to more positive motivations and regulation. We share frameworks for setting boundaries, having difficult conversations and managing emotions productively. In working with male clients, Nicky uncovers far more intense shame and reluctance to show vulnerability. Cultural norms discourage men from openly addressing fears and trauma, which builds huge pressure. Creating a safe space for men to confide without judgment is critical.  Nicky stresses the immense value of seeking outside perspectives to gain self-insight. We all have blind spots. Feedback requires courage but enables growth. You don't need to wait until you hit rock bottom – continuous learning empowers progress.  Listen to Nicky's enlightening insights in this episode. If you relate to the self-limiting patterns she described, don't despair. We all face doubts and struggles. But with self-awareness, responsibility, and support, we can overcome conditioning to achieve personal and professional aspirations. To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide. Inside you'll get word-for-word email follow-up templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.  

Visit http://JohnBlakeAudio.com to Learn How to DOUBLE Your Enquiry-to-Sale Conversion with The Lead Flow You Already Have. In Episode 195, we're tallying down the top 10 episodes of 2023 on Master Dealmakers Secrets, sharing invaluable sales mastery secrets based on listener feedback. Starting at number 10, we discuss considerations when changing industries, highlighting competition levels, ease of lead generation, and startup costs. At number nine, we address the seven biggest revenue leaks hampering small business sales, offering actionable solutions for 2023. Eighth place focuses on asking better questions in sales, emphasising the shift from transactional to trusted advisor status. Seventh place reviews The Ultimate Sales Machine, applying concepts from large enterprises to small businesses. Sixth place gives a transparent glimpse into sales struggles, highlighting key learnings for coaching through failures. Fifth place honours 'Start With No,' transforming sales conversations with psychology and strategic questioning. Fourth place goes to digital marketer Will on email and lead gen case studies. We discussed types of email campaigns, including some results from my past client,s as well as Will's expertise in generating leads. Lots of practical tips any business can apply immediately! Bronze medalist is inspirational coach Nikki Thomas. Despite almost retreating corporate life after being told her idea was terrible, Nikki rebounded to lead thousands in personal growth workshops by persistently chasing her dream. Her tale offers motivation and guidance to keep chasing your big goals in 2023! Snagging the silver medal is digital expert Eli Wild who shares wisdom from 20 years in sales and Silicon Valley by refining an automated inbound funnel system. He reveals pivotal mindset shifts separating six and seven-figure earners plus advanced techniques fusing neuroscience and psychology to influence buyers. And our 2022 grand prize podcast guest is offers specialist Trevor Toe Cracker Crook, responsible for over $3 billion in sales. His four-phase system incorporates subtle psychological triggers that make even sceptics enrol. By knowing precisely who you help and enticing them into conversations, attracting clients becomes effortless rather than constant hustle. We look forward to continuing the podcast journey in 2023, shattering revenue goals with more sales mastery secrets. Get out there, smash objectives, and catch us on the next episode! To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide. Inside you'll get word-for-word email follow-up templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.

Visit http://JohnBlakeAudio.com to Learn How to DOUBLE Your Enquiry-to-Sale Conversion with The Lead Flow You Already Have. Today in Episode 194, we're going to talk about the three most important questions to ask when qualifying leads at the start of a sales conversation.  Okay, on to today's topic - the three key questions for qualifying leads upfront to avoid wasting time later. Talking to unqualified prospects costs you in multiple ways. For service businesses, you waste time and money sending technicians on-site. Plus you lose opportunity cost from not spending that time with qualified prospects more likely to buy. You also waste backend time following up with poor prospects. The solution is properly qualifying upfront using these three simple but powerful questions: 1. Why us? This reveals whether you're perceived as unique or commoditised. "You came up on Google" means you're seen as a commodity. If they say "My brother insisted I call only you," you have differentiation. 2. Why now? This uncovers the prospect's sense of urgency and timing reasons. Needing work done by Christmas shows urgency making them more qualified. No plans until next year means don't invest much time now. 3. Why this way? This lets you challenge assumptions and create differentiation. Most prospects don't professionally research your product. Gently probing their thinking often reveals gaps you can fill with your expertise, creating value. Let me share an example of hot water systems. Most plumbers just quote what's requested. But say, "I'm curious why you want gas?" and "Do you have solar panels?" Now you can propose a heat pump system using their solar energy, differentiating you as the expert. Asking these three simple questions prevents wasted effort on unqualified leads. You filter prospects appropriately and uncover opportunities to stand out. Your competitors commoditise themselves by answering superficial questions while you have meaningful conversations creating value. I'm also excited to launch my 10-week Sales Mastery Certification training, bringing my elite consulting to small businesses and sales professionals. Stay tuned for details! As always, listen to this episode to convert more prospects faster. To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide. Inside you'll get word-for-word email follow-up templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.

Visit http://JohnBlakeAudio.com to Learn How to DOUBLE Your Enquiry-to-Sale Conversion with The Lead Flow You Already Have. People don't just invest money when buying your product. They invest time, identity, energy, and reputation too. Ignore this at your peril.  In episode 193, I explain why with an example. A Registered Training Organisation sells £6,000 courses, with most fees covered by government funding. Students pay little upfront, yet 50% drop out. Why?  The sales pitch takes 2-3 minutes. People enroll on a whim, not fully grasping the commitment. The RTO never engaged the other 4 "buying currencies" beyond the low cash price.  When you make a purchase, you invest 5 currencies, not just money:  Time – Willingness to spend hours learning, integrating, etc.  Identity – How owning this alters your self-image.  Energy – Motivation and effort in utilising the product.  Reputation – How this shapes what others think about you.  Money – The actual cash exchanged.  For the RTO, students invest little money so the sales pitch ignores the other currencies. However, completing the course takes real time, energy, and motivation. Dropping out suggests students lacked the willpower and habits needed to follow through.  The pitch should have asked questions about willingness to invest 10 hours weekly. It should have explored how having this professional qualification will change students' identity and reputation.  When people visualise themselves investing in these currencies, they feel accountability. An engaged client becomes a motivated client.  Whether selling marketing services, websites, or training, applying this model creates loyal customers. They fulfill requests quickly, complete courses, and value what you provide.  So don't assume money is the only buying currency. Listen to this episode and dig deeper to really engage with your clients, considering the time, identity, energy, and reputation that's been put into a purchase. To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide. Inside you'll get word-for-word email follow-up templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.

John Blake is an award-winning journalist at CNN.com, the online site for CNN. He is also the author of “More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew.” He has been honored by the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Academy of Religion, the National Association of Black Journalists, the Religion Communicators Council and with the GLAAD Media Award. He was most recently the winner of the 2019 Sigma Delta Chi awards for Excellence in Journalism for his online columns on race and politics. His 2020 essay, “There's One Epidemic We May Never Find a Cure For: Fear of Black Men in Public Spaces,” was recently selected by Bustle Digital Group as one of the 11 best essays on racism and police violence. The other authors on that list included Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ibram X. Kendi, and Roxane Gay. Blake's first book, “Children of the Movement,” was a finalist for the 2005 NAACP Image Awards in the Outstanding Literary Work Non-Fiction category and a finalist for the Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Awards. He has spoken at high schools, colleges, symposiums and in documentaries about topics such as race, religion and politics. Blake is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and a graduate of Howard University.

Visit http://JohnBlakeAudio.com to Learn How to DOUBLE Your Enquiry-to-Sale Conversion with The Lead Flow You Already Have. In episode 191 of the Master Dealmaker Secrets podcast, I share the three biggest red flags to watch for when reviewing sales resumes. Over the last year, I've looked at over a thousand resumes for sales roles in my company. I've gotten really skilled at screening candidates efficiently. When reviewing resumes, I watch for three instant red flags that tell me a person isn't worth interviewing. The first red flag is if they aren't currently in a sales position. There's a saying “If you're not now, you never were.” Time away from sales causes those muscles to atrophy quickly. While not an automatic disqualifier, I want candidates selling now to hit the ground running. The second red flag is short sales role tenure. As a profit center, companies work hard to retain top sales talent. If an applicant left a sales role fast, I probe for details. No legitimate reason is a warning sign. The third red flag is exaggerated sales backgrounds. Some stretch retail or gig experience as formal sales roles. I verify claimed credentials before relying on them. Once I screen resumes, interviews assess three key factors. First, does the person have industry knowledge from working in the field? Second, are they bought into my vision and culture? Third, can they sell? Ideal hires check at least two boxes. I emphasise evaluating cultural fit beyond sales skills. Strong salespeople can still damage team dynamics. I involve colleagues from different roles in interviews to get balanced perspectives. Everyone notices different things. Extra observers provide insights I may miss. I use a structured process with specific questions to thoroughly assess candidates. In the last year, I've learned key lessons hiring over 10 salespeople. Careful resume vetting, interviews, and assessments are crucial to avoid costly hiring mistakes. I want to share my experience to help you build world-class sales teams. Listen to this episode and be aware of these red flags when hiring new salespeople. You'll have the tools to properly evaluate your candidates and make the best decision for your business. To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide. Inside you'll get word-for-word email follow-up templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.

This week on Militantly Mixed, your Sir Auntie, Sharmane Fury is joined by John Blake, a distinguished senior writer at CNN.com and the author of "More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew." We discuss John's extraordinary life journey, marked by the complexities of growing up with a predominantly Black identity while his white mother was absent due to her confinement in a mental institution during his childhood. The conversation explores the intricate intersections of race, identity, and family, John's journalism career, and the pivotal moment at age 17 when he finally met his mother, compelling him to reconcile the complexities of his Mixed identity and the profound challenges of mental health within families. This episode is a riveting exploration of self-discovery, resilience, and the power of storytelling. You can purchase you copy of "More Than I Imagined" Amazon or the independent bookshop.org. Please check out Auntie TaRessa Stovall's article on John Blake and his book here - Mixed Auntie Confidential Article *** 2023 BE YOUR MIXED ASS SELF FUNDRAISER T-SHIRT *** The 2023 Be Your Mixed Ass Self Fundraiser T-Shirt has begun, get your shirts here⁠. *** NEW SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT *** ⁠Matcha and Masala⁠: Blended Besties Spill the Tea, a new show hosted by ⁠Sharmane Fury⁠ and ⁠Rhia Maïr Kaur,⁠ a couple of Mixed mates musing over matcha, masala, and murder. Introducing Matcha and Masala: Blended Besties Spill the Tea, a new show hosted by Sharmane Fury and Rhia Maïr Kaur, two vibrant Mixed Besties who bring their unique perspectives as Black-Japanese-British-American and Punjabi-Welsh individuals. Join them as they examine a myriad of topics, from their shared love for tea, to exploring the complexities of Mixedness, and discussing life's multifaceted experiences. With a blend of curiosity, humor, and an eagerness to explore, they tackle subjects ranging from hobbies and politics to social issues and maybe they'll even solve the occasional murder mystery. So put the kettle on, grab a cuppa, and join Matcha and Masala on their exciting journey of discovery and connection. ⁠Instagram⁠ & ⁠Tik Tok⁠: @MatchaMasala Subscribe, rate, and review us on ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ to show your support! * * * You can continue the conversation on our private Facebook group after you listen to this episode at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://facebook.com/groups/militantlymixed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ * * * Produced and Edited by Sharmane Fury Music by: David Bogan, the One - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dbtheone.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ * * * Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or send me an email at Sharmane@militantlymixed.com. * * * Militantly Mixed is a fan-sponsored podcast, if you are enjoying the show please consider sponsoring us on ⁠Patreon⁠ and ⁠Paypal⁠ today! Thank you. This is a ManeHustle Media Podcast. Turn your side hustle into your ManeHustle. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/militantlymixed/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/militantlymixed/support

Visit http://JohnBlakeAudio.com to Learn How to DOUBLE Your Enquiry-to-Sale Conversion with The Lead Flow You Already Have. Welcome to the Master Dealmaker Secrets podcast! In this episode, we're exploring the five reasons why business owners often stumble when they decide to build a sales team. For many entrepreneurs, the journey begins with the realisation that they no longer want to handle sales themselves. They've been the driving force behind their company's sales efforts and have decided it's time to bring in a salesperson. But how they go about it can make or break their success. The first reason is a common mistake. Not profiling the role they're looking to fill properly. Just like creating a targeted advertisement, understanding the profile of the ideal salesperson is crucial. What's their demographic? What's their background? Do they have industry-specific knowledge or experience? Defining this profile sets the foundation for attracting the right candidate. The second pitfall is the lack of a screening process. Hiring a salesperson isn't the same as hiring for other roles. To identify potential sales champions, business owners need to employ a sales-specific behavior profiling tool. This tool helps ensure that the person they bring on board is likely to succeed in the sales role. Next up is the absence of a documented sales process. Many businesses simply throw their new hires into the deep end, hoping they'll figure it out. But this sink-or-swim approach often leads to failure.  To set salespeople up for success, businesses should have a clear, documented sales process in place that empowers new hires to hit the ground running and build their confidence. Have you found yourself struggling with your team's performance? Do you want to know what the 5 biggest reasons why business owners fail when building a sales team are? Listen to this episode to find out! If you're a business owner and you are thinking about expanding your sales team, or you already have one but it's not working as it should this episode will help you immensely. You are going to have the tools to know what to focus on so that you don't make any of the common mistakes business owners make, and you are going to be able to get the most out of your sales team. To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide. Inside you'll get word-for-word email follow-up templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.

Imagine growing up not knowing who your mother was…John Blake, award winning author, senior writer for CNN comes onto the show to discuss his newest book “More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew”, a riveting biography that focuses on the journey of one mixed race man that combines race, anger, loss, redemption, forgiveness and hope.John Blake is an award-winning journalist at CNN.com, the online site for CNN. He is also the author of “More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew.” He has been honored by the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Academy of Religion, the National Association of Black Journalists, the Religion Communicators Council and with the GLAAD Media Award. He was most recently the winner of the 2019 Sigma Delta Chi awards for Excellence in Journalism for his online columns on race and politics.His 2020 essay, “There's One Epidemic We May Never Find a Cure For: Fear of Black Men in Public Spaces,” was recently selected by Bustle Digital Group as one of the 11 best essays on racism and police violence. The other authors on that list included Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ibram X. Kendi, and Roxane Gay.Blake's first book, “Children of the Movement,” was a finalist for the 2005 NAACP Image Awards in the Outstanding Literary Work Non-Fiction category and a finalist for the Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Awards. He has spoken at high schools, colleges, symposiums and in documentaries about topics such as race, religion and politics. Blake is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and a graduate of Howard University.https://johnkblake.com/ Come on the show and tell your story! Call 510-852-9550What it means to be multiracial in America, one story at a time, from the studio to the streets.DOWNLOAD and SUBSCRIBE to Generation Mixed, on Apple, Spotify, IHeart, or Spreaker!FOLLOW us on:Instagram| @generationmixedpodcastWanna be on the show? Text or call 510-852-9550!Subscribe to our newsletter at www.Justjmarc.comPlease email us here with any suggestions, comments, and questions for future episodes.generationmixedpodcast@gmail.com

We welcome to the show Tiktok star, Duck guide, and all around great dude John Blake Riddle !! We cover first time waterfowl tips, hot early goose season, social media duck hunters, and great advice !!! Stick along for the ride !!!

On this episode we are joined by John Blake, award winning journalist at CNN and author of the celebrated book, More Than I Imagined: What A Black Man Discovered About The White Mother He Never Knew. We invited John to speak with us because – HIS STORY. OMG. And the way he tells it. OMG. You must know about it and you must read it. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Thread or Insta Lisa @lisasharper or to Freedom Road @freedomroad.us. We're also on Substack! So be sure to subscribe to freedomroad.substack.com. And, keep sharing the podcast with your friends and networks and letting us know what you think! www.threads.net/@lisasharper www.threads.net/@freedomroad.us freedomroad.substack.com/ www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/706045/more-than-i-imagined-by-john-blake/

CNN journalist John Blake joins Danielle for a gripping discussion about his life as a "closeted bi-racial" man, as chronicled in his book More Than I Imagined. Read an excerpt via CNN here: What a Black man discovered when he met the White mother he never knew.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are two guests in this episode of the podcast. John Blake is a senior writer and producer at CNN and the author of the new book More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew. John reflects on vulnerability and the vocation of writing, life journeys and life wisdom, the people who made us, how the personal is truly the political, navigating and surviving the color line and questions of belonging and identity. He also shares the importance of finding one's own true authentic voice in writing, specifically, and life, more generally. Friend of the podcast and Chauncey DeVega's heterosexual life partner and brother from another mother Mr. Bill returns for a discussion of the new Indiana Jones movie The Dial of Destiny, why it moved us so much, nostalgia and the critic, what comes next for Mr. Jones, and of course the announcement by Disney that there will be fewer Star Wars and Marvel TV shows and movies. Chauncey also ponders the importance of keeping our hope tanks full, the emotional and other junk that too many of us fill our pockets with, and managing stress and how our bodies always keep score. And of course, Chauncey DeVega shares his thoughts on the recent series of amazing professional wrestling matches between FTR and Bullet Club Gold and CM Punk and Samoa Joe on the AEW Collision television show, why his beloved New England Patriots are in big trouble after not signing DeAndre Hopkins, the genius of Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and updates the listeners of the podcast about another misadventure that befell him at the sin-filled movie theater during a viewing of the new comedy Joy Ride. WHERE CAN YOU FIND ME? On Twitter: https://twitter.com/chaunceydevega On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chauncey.devega My email: chaunceydevega@gmail.com HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE CHAUNCEY DEVEGA SHOW? Via Paypal at ChaunceyDeVega.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thechaunceydevegashow

In this episode, we'll be tackling a cross-border killer who sparked an investigation on both sides of the English Channel, involving both the British and French police. This case includes science experiments, missing bodies, bin bags, chickens and frogs…not to mention the clever forensics that put this quirky perpetrator behind bars.Here's how you can get in touch with comments , suggestions and donations: Website: https://www.prashganendran.comTwitter: @PrashsMurderMapFacebook Podcast: fb.me/prashsmap Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/prashganen/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prash_ganendran/ Email: prashsmurdermap@gmail.com Want to listen to Murder Casebook Volume 1 ? Check out the Audible Links to .COM AND .UK AUDIBLE USAUDIBLE UKOne off donations gratefully received: https://www.paypal.me/prashsmurdermap Credits: Research, writing, narration and audio editing by Prash No part of this episode may be reproduced or copied in any form without the written permission of Prash's Murder Map.Sources Baker, Keiligh, “Daniel Rosenthal appears in British court charged with murdering his father in France more than three decades ago”, Daily Mail, Jun 2015, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3126831/Man-appears-court-charged-murdering-father-34-years-ago.htmlBerry-Dee, Christopher, “Prime Suspect – The True Story of John Cannan”, John Blake, Jul 2007“Daniel Rosenthal”, MurderUK.com, https://www.murderuk.com/daniel-rosenthal.htmlDixon, Hayley, “Convicted murderer missing from psychiatric hospital”, The Telegraph, Aug 2013, https://web.archive.org/web/20130814015222/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10235821/Convicted-murderer-missing-from-psychiatric-hospital.html“Missing murderer Daniel Rosenthal ‘was allowed out'”, BBC News, Aug 2013, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-23670291Smith, Vicky, “Daniel Rosenthal: How did one of Britain's most brutal murderers walk free from hospital?”, Mirror, Aug 2013, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/daniel-rosenthal-how-one-britains-2153069“The mad scientist who cut up his parents with a hacksaw”, Daily Echo, Jan 2008, https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/1972979.the-mad-scientist-who-cut-up-his-parents-with-a-hacksaw/

How have relationships shifted your perspective on life and love?  In this episode, Jacqui talks with John Blake, an award-winning journalist who tells the story of his quest to reconcile with his white mother and the family he'd never met. Together, they explore how healing systems—from families to the culture of an entire country—begins with true and honest human connection.  This memorable conversation will shift your understanding of how building relationships and telling stories have the power to invite greater love and healing into every aspect of our lives. Resources: John Blake's book, More Than I Imagined can be found here.

In this conversation on race, Simma talks with John Blake, a well-known author, and journalist with CNN. He reports on race, religion, and politics. His most recent book is, More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew John Blake's story begins with a familiar narrative of a biracial child struggling to find their place in a racially divided America. But just when you think you know where the story is headed, a surprising twist throws everything into question. What happens when John meets his estranged white family members as an adult? Will he reject them as he did with his white heritage? Or will he embrace them, leading to a transformative journey of empathy and forgiveness? Join us as we explore John's journey of racial reconciliation and the power of relationships in bridging seemingly impossible divides.   Why Race Is Important Race is a central theme not only in the personal lives of many individuals but also in the larger context of American society. Understanding the importance of race requires recognizing that it shapes people's experiences, opportunities, and challenges in significant ways. By talking about race and valuing the various perspectives and experiences that come from different racial backgrounds, people can grow in empathy, cultivate meaningful relationships, and foster a more equitable and just society. In the conversation between Simma Lieberman and John Blake, John shares that his own experiences growing up as a biracial child with a white mother and black father has had a profound impact on his life, shaping both his personal struggles and his professional pursuits as a journalist reporting on race relations in America. He emphasizes that race is a key element in understanding and addressing social issues and that acknowledging and embracing diversity can ultimately bring people together and create a better society. In this episode, you will be able to: Realize the potential of building bridges across racial divides for a more inclusive society. Grasp the impact of compassion and pardoning in breaking the shackles of prejudiced thinking. Appreciate how knowledge can be a catalyst for change in combating racism. Understand the intricacies of racial outlooks and the space for growth and transformation. Appreciate the value of purposeful diversity and interaction in minimizing bias.   The resources and solutions mentioned in this episode are: Purchase John Blake's book More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew Read John Blake's articles on CNN about race, religion, and politics Participate in Simma Lieberman's facilitated dialogues to bring people together across race Practice empathy and forgiveness towards individuals who may hold racist attitudes or beliefs Read books by authors like Ibram X. Kendi and Jon Blake to educate yourself on race and racism Take action towards creating a successful multiracial, multireligious democracy by working towards racial justice and equality in your community.   The key moments in this episode are 00:00:02 - Introduction 00:01:53 - Why Race Is Important 00:03:54 - Discovering His Mother's Race 00:05:49 - Meeting His Mentally Ill Mother 00:11:02 - Lessons About Empathy and Forgiveness 00:15:52 - The Importance of Relationships in Combating Racism 00:17:47 - The Need for Intentional Diversity 00:19:19 - Telling Optimistic Stories 00:21:57 - The Continual Conversion Process 00:26:45 - Creating Opportunities for Meaningful Contact 00:30:28 - Importance of Diversity in Communities 00:34:52 - The Capacity for Change in Racism 00:37:57 - Cancel Culture and the Importance of Listening 00:41:01 - Personal Music and Book Recommendations 00:42:08 - Recommended Readings and Eric Liu's Work   Guest Bio John Blake is an award-winning journalist at CNN.com, the online site for CNN and an author. He has been honored by the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Academy of Religion, the National Association of Black Journalists, the Religion Communicators Council and with the GLAAD Media Award. He was most recently the winner of the 2019 Sigma Delta Chi awards for Excellence in Journalism for his online columns on race and politics. His 2020 essay, “There's One Epidemic We May Never Find a Cure For: Fear of Black Men in Public Spaces,” was recently selected by Bustle Digital Group as one of the 11 best essays on racism and police violence. The other authors on that list included Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ibram X. Kendi, and Roxane Gay. Blake's book, “Children of the Movement,” was a finalist for the 2005 NAACP Image Awards in the Outstanding Literary Work Non-Fiction category and a finalist for the Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Awards. He has spoken at high schools, colleges, symposiums, and in documentaries about topics such as race, religion, and politics. Blake is a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and a graduate of Howard University.   Host Bio Simma Lieberman, The Inclusionist helps leaders create inclusive cultures. She is a consultant, speaker and facilitator and the host of the podcast, “Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People.” Contact Simma@SimmaLieberman.com Go to www.simmalieberman.com and www.raceconvo.com for more information Simma is a member of and inspired by the global organization IAC (Inclusion Allies Coalition)    Connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn Tiktok Website   Previous Episodes Why We Must Bridge Divides: A Conversation on Inclusive Leadership with Sally Helgesen & Mercedes Martin Rising Above Racism: Dr. Randal Pinkett's Journey to DEI Expertise Cops Against Systemic Racism: Ed Cronin & Mike Alexander's Journey [Part 2] Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating

Is racism baked into our nation's DNA? Is there any hope for change? John Blake, a CNN journalist and author of More Than I Imagined, explores the personal and social aspects of race as he shares:his own experience as a biracial kid growing up in West Baltimoretime at Howard University and working for CNNunderstanding of race and faith in Americaexperience of learning about his own white family as a young adultreasons for hope_Guest Bio:John Blake is an award-winning journalist at CNN.com and an author. He has been honored by the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Academy of Religion, the National Association of Black Journalists, the Religion Communicators Council and with the GLAAD Media Award…He has spoken at high schools, colleges, symposiums and in documentaries about topics such as race, religion and politics.  Blake is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and a graduate of Howard University._Connect Online:WebsiteTwitterFacebook_On the Podcast:More Than I Imagined by John BlakeCry of the Beloved Country by Alan Paton Beloved by Toni MorrisonTranscript available at: amyjuliabecker.com/john-blake/_Season 6 of the Love Is Stronger Than Fear podcast connects to themes in my latest book, To Be Made Well, which you can order here! Learn more about my writing and speaking at amyjuliabecker.com._A transcript of this episode will be available within one business day on my website, and a video with closed captions will be available on my YouTube Channel.Connect with me: Instagram Facebook Twitter Website Thanks for listening!

I don't know if I've ever read a book quite like John Blake's "More than I Imagine."The subtitle is: "What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew"John is a senior writer at CNN. In this conversation, John and I talk about:his very difficult childhood growing up in West Baltimore in the 60's and 70'show he grew up disliking white people even though his mother was white, in part because he was told after his mom disappeared that her family disliked black peoplehow meeting his mother at age 17 for the first time began to broaden his understanding of racial differencehis view that facts don't change people, relationships dothe point that an emphasis on relationships does not mean policy changes aren't necessary, or that everything can be fixed through relationships or interpersonal kindnesshis wild ghost storyhis roller coaster faith journey, and how interracial churches were the demonstration of faith's reality he needed to believe in Christianityhow there was a "golden age" of racial integration in America's schools from the early 70's to the late 80's, but how America believed a lie that it wasn't working and how we have now resegregated to 1968 levels, much of that due to our own choiceshow he believes racial integration is crucial to how our country grows stronger, and how our pulling apart and into racial segregation is causing many of our problemsThis book is a great, great read. John is a great writer, and his story is incredibly personal and well told. It's riveting.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John discusses the indictment of Trump over the classified documents he retained. He then talks with author John Blake about his new book “More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew". Next, Stephen from Kentucky calls in to talk about JFK and Trump. Then lastly, John interviews Dan Schlissel from Stand Up Records about newly remastered Richard Prior albums. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A mixed-race kid in search of the mom he's never known. It's not a movie – it's the moving life story of journalist John Blake. This week, Steve and the gang chat with John about his amazing journey and what he learned along the way. The post John Blake | More Than I Imagined | Steve Brown, Etc. appeared first on Key Life.

In his new book, "More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew", CNN journalist John Blake shares an intimate story of his journey with race, faith, and forgiveness.  In this interview we talk about racial identity, the usefulness of the term "racial reconciliation," and a bit about The Wire.  John's book is now AVAILABLE!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 3: The Drive at 5: Dr. Wilfred Reilly—Professor of Political Science at Kentucky State University & Author of “Taboo: 10 Facts You Can't Talk About”—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss his latest National Review editorial, “Robin DiAngelo and Scott Adams: Double Standard on Race.” PLUS is basic math racist? According to a presentation by Ontario Mathematics Coordinators Association's (OMCA) President Jason To, “2+2 = 4” is a dog whistle for white supremacy. You can read Dr. Reilly's full article here: https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/03/the-scott-adams-scandal-in-reverse-proves-our-racial-double-standard/ While appearing before the House Armed Services Committee, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin denied that military bases are funding programs like “drag queen story hour”—despite evidence presented by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) that suggested otherwise. While appearing on Fox News with Sean Hannity, Senator Rand Paul stated: “I'm 100% confident that Fauci lied to us.” He went on to explain that because former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci is still technically working on behalf of the federal government, he may be eligible to receive legal protection from the government. During a House hearing on Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she could not explain why IRS agents showed up to the home of independent journalist Matt Taibbi the same day he was scheduled to testify before Congress.

Highlights:  ●      “CNN has stooped to a new low in our ruling elites' attempt at racially dividing America. John Blake, a senior writer at CNN, is accusing white people, that's right, white people; not Asians, not Latinos, no! He's accusing white people of wearing what he calls a ‘digital blackface' whenever they share comedic memes or gifs featuring black people!” ●      “CNN continues to be insufferably left-wing and liberal, and as we can see with this absurd stretch in the form of digital blackfacing, CNN has become virulently racist in the process.” ●      “Fox News' primetime lineup was bringing in upwards of a quarter of a million among the 25 to 54-year-old demographic. That's five times what CNN is pulling in! 80 thousand as compared to a quarter of a million.”    Timestamps:     [01:22] On ‘digital blackface', the latest racist accusation from CNN [02:41] How people are responding to this parody of repulsiveness on the part of CNN [04:00] How Chris Licht appears to not be rescuing CNN [06:52] The latest rating implosion for CNN and MSNBC Resources: ●      Learn how to protect your life savings from inflation and an irresponsible government, with Gold and Silver. Go to http://www.turleytalkslikesgold.com/ ●      Stop handing over your personal data to Big Tech! Visit https://www.expressvpn.com/turleytalks to get three extra months free! ●      Ep. 1504 Indictment BACKFIRES as CASE Against Trump IMPLODES!!! ●      Protect YOUR HOME from Title Theft TODAY: https://www.hometitlelock.com/turleytalks ●      Email me at steve@turleytalks.com or comment below on what you'd like to see in my new guidebook about Escaping the Great Reset! ●      Get Over 66% OFF All of Mike Lindell's Products using code TURLEY: https://www.mypillow.com/turley ●      Join Dr. Steve for an unedited, uncensored extended analysis of current events in his Insiders Club at https://insidersclub.turleytalks.com/ ●      BOLDLY stand up for TRUTH in Turley Merch! Browse our new designs right now at: https://store.turleytalks.com/ ●      Make sure to FOLLOW me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrTurleyTalks ●      Get 25% off Patriotic Coffee and ALL ITEMS with Code TURLEY at https://mystore.com/turley   Thank you for taking the time to listen to this episode.  If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and/or leave a review. Sick and tired of Big Tech, censorship, and endless propaganda? Join my Insiders Club with a FREE TRIAL today at: https://insidersclub.turleytalks.com Do you want to be a part of the podcast and be our sponsor? Click here to partner with us and defy liberal culture! If you would like to get lots of articles on conservative trends make sure to sign-up for the 'New Conservative Age Rising' Email Alerts.

 Topics include:1)Trump vows retribution for his supporters in Waco, Texas at his first 2024 campaign rally;2)Gov. DeSantis shows early primary state strength in Iowa and New Hampshire polls;3)CNN analyst John Blake says that some whites are guilty of “digital blackface” for posting memes of GIFs of blacks online to make their points;4)Ray Epps sends cease and desist letter to Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and 5)Congress is looking to add civil liberty protections to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) section 702 that permits govt to search your phone without a warrant. WATCH AND SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL https://www.youtube.com/@carljacksonshowandblog   More: www.TheCarljacksonshow.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecarljacksonshow Twitter: https://twitter.com/carljacksonshow Parler: https://parler.com/carljacksonshow http://www.TheCarlJacksonshow.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kentucky Republican Congressman and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer joins Fox Across America With Jimmy Failla to discuss what his committee has recently uncovered about Hunter Biden's shady business dealings in China. Jimmy tells us why even Democrats like Bill Maher and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo are calling out Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his politically motivated investigation into former President Trump. PLUS, Contributing Editor at The Spectator Chadwick Moore shares his thoughts on CNN analyst John Blake's article explaining how a person might be guilty of ‘digital blackface'.   [00:00:00] Cuomo and Maher criticize Bragg's Trump investigation [00:19:15] Rep. James Comer [00:37:35] ESPN honors Lia Thomas for Women's History Month [00:56:04] AOC joins TikTok and promotes the controversial app [01:14:23] Reacting to the school shooting in Nashville [01:32:50] Chadwick Moore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's bizarre tale begins in Chelsea in 1977, where we go to the home of Walter Travers Scott- Elliot and his 60-year-old wife, Dorothy. The couple enjoyed the riches of what they had worked hard for all their lives, and they were pretty well off, upper crust if you will. Walter and Dorothy came from well-established families and lived in a penthouse apartment surrounded by expensive collectibles. The couple managed a small staff at home. In November of 1977, they hired a man named Roy Fontaine. Roy Fontaine presented himself just as you would imagine a butler would. He was refined and well-spoken. He quickly impacted the Scott-Elliots and gained their trust; they even let him sign checks for them and handle their finances. Unfortunately for the Scott-Elliots, there was a lot about their new butler that they did not know and would pay dearly for. Mr. Fontaine was not who he said he was; his real name was Archibald Thomson Hall, but that was only the beginning. Join Jen and Cam on this episode of Our True Crime Podcast entitled ‘The Butler Did It: Roy Fontaine.'Edward OctoberpodVHS gave us a brand new shiny listener discretion. He's the best. Check him out at @octoberpodVHS.All music is original and amazing courtesy of our executive producer Nico @wetalkofdreamsSources:https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/nostalgia/crimelibrary/archibaldthomsonhall/themurderousbutler/https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/history/glasgows-demon-butler-who-became-24957298https://murderpedia.org/male.H/h/hall-archibald.htmhttps://murderpedia.org/male.H/h/hall-archibald.htmhttps://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/the-monster-butler-fake-toff-serial-1098917https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6z5amshttps://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C15180674Books:Hall, Roy Archibald (2002). To Kill and Kill Again: The Chilling True Confessions of a Serial Killer. John Blake. ISBN 978-1-85782-555-8.Pender, Paul (2012). The Butler Did It: My True and Terrifying Encounters with a Serial Killer. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 9781780575612.Nicol, Allan (2011). The Monster Butler. Black & White Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84502-336-2.