Podcast appearances and mentions of King Center

Bonita T. Hampton Smith is the COO of the King Center and a visionary leader whose life’s work has been dedicated to uplifting women, inspiring leaders, and transforming lives. As an inspirational speaker, certified nonviolence trainer, businesswoman, and author, Bonita’s journey is a powerful testament to her unwavering commitment to making a difference. She joins Host Ramses Ja on today's podcast to discuss her latest work " Dear Black Woman Dear White Woman".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actor Brian Landis Folkins talks stage and screen, plus our weekly Top 10 Colorado Headliners   In this episode of the OnStage Colorado Podcast, the last one of 2024, hosts Alex Miller and Toni Tresca are joined by award-winning Colorado actor and all-around great guy Brian Landis Folkins. Know by his handle ‘The BLF,' Brian has been a fixture on Colorado stages for quite some time, and he's also become more active in film and TV. We ask him about how actors can put together a career on stage and screen to make it all work.   Also this week, we run down our usual list of Top 10 Colorado Headliners — shows of interest to keep an eye out for. This week's Headliners:   LuneAseas presents The 5 Points Nutcracker: A Jazz Experience, Dec. 20-22, The Savoy Denver HoliSLAY, Dec. 20-22, Meow Wolf Denver The Second City: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Sweater, Dec. 21, Northglenn Arts, Dec. 22, Lone Tree Arts Center A Roast of 2024: The 5th Annual Year-End Comedy Roast, Dec. 28, Bug Theatre, Denver A 1940's New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder Rocky Mountain Revels presents: The Ghosts of Hilbert's Hotel, Dec. 20-22, Boulder A Christmas Carol Participation Play, Town Hall Arts Center, Littleton, ends Dec. 21 The Nutcracker Ballet, Colorado West Performing Arts Company, Grand Junction, Dec. 19-23 Home for Christmas, Colorado Brass, King Center, Denver, Dec. 21-22 (free) Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Denver, through Dec. 22

The latest Capitol Notes, a look at the lack of diversity in clinical trials, a feature on the King Center in Milwaukee and the history of Landmark Lanes on Milwaukee's east side.

When Milwaukee's King Center opened almost 50 years ago, it was designed to serve the entire community. And for so long it has. But the narrative around the center changed a few months ago with a police killing.

The King Center on Milwaukee's near north side. U.S. monuments and their collectively skewed version of history. A World War II-era program that put pets on the front lines.

Watch Dr. Henry P. Davis III from First Baptist Church of Highland Park To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.lightsource.com/donate/857/29

Speaker: Reverend Dwight Yoo, Series: Acts the Gospel Spreading Movement, Passage: Acts 26:12-29

Find me and the show on social media. Click the following links or search @DrWilmerLeon on X/Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!   FULL TRANSCRIPT: Wilmer Leon (00:00): I am back. I'm back. I went to what I'm calling Cult Fest 2024, also known as the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That was a site to behold. But with all that said, president Joe Biden has decided not to pursue a second term for 2024. Without a primary, without an open process, vice President Kamala Harris has quickly become the Democrat's. Presumptive nominee. Is this democracy or a Bernie Sanders? Redo. Stay tuned. We're going to answer those questions, Announcer (00:41): Connecting the dots with Dr. Wilmer Leon, where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge. Wilmer Leon (00:49): Welcome to the Connecting the Dots podcast with Dr. Wilmer Leon. I'm Wilmer Leon. Here's the point. We have a tendency to view current events as though they are current, a vacuum failing to understand the broader historical context in which most events take place. During each episode, my guests and I have probing, provocative, and in-depth discussions that connect the dots between these events and the broader historic context in which they occur, thus enabling you to better understand and analyze the events that impact the global village in which we live. On today's episode, the issue before us is the 2024 presidential election and how the Democrats are selecting their nominee. My guest is Tom Porter. He's a lifelong activist and scholar, former dean of the African-American Studies Department at Ohio University, former director of the King Center in Atlanta, former host of morning conversations with Tom Porter. Tom Porter. Welcome back to podcast, my brother. (01:57) So Tom, as I said in the open President, Joe Biden has decided not to pursue a second term for 2024 without a primary, without an open process. Vice President Kamala Harris has quickly become the Democrat's presumptive nominee. I believe she has now amassed the requisite delegates in order to become officially the nominee on July 8th. Clinton advisor, James Carville, who is one tricky, somebody wrote a piece entitled Biden Won't Win, Democrats need a Plan. Here's one wherein he wrote, the Jig is Up, and the sooner Mr. Biden and Democratic leaders accept this, the better we need to move forward. But it can't be by anointing Vice President, Kamala Harris or anyone else as the presumptive democratic nominee. We've got to do it in the open, the exact opposite of what Donald Trump wants us to do. Tom, it doesn't appear, at least at this point that the Dems are listening to Carville Tom Porter (03:09): And they shouldn't. Wilmer Leon (03:10): Okay? Tom Porter (03:11): And they shouldn't. I remember the most important black labor leader in the country came out of a meeting with Clinton Carville and Al from, and he said, Tom, they're a bunch of fascists. It is the Clinton Wing that took over the Democratic Party under the leadership of the Democratic Leadership Conference, which was made of Southern governors, which has gotten the Democratic Party in trouble ever since. And what that means is that CarVal didn't want Kamala Harris. That's what that means. It had nothing to do with the open process and what have you. He would know open if he had a can opener, Wilmer Leon (03:58): But to his point about an open process, because further on in that piece, he talks about Clinton and Obama selecting, I think it was eight potential nominees, and that they needed to have regional town halls where these individuals would travel the country explaining their policies, introducing themselves to the electorate, and then based upon that, an individual would be, I think the term was selected, Tom. Tom Porter (04:30): Well, the effect of it is one of the things that Jesse Jackson and the Jackson campaign of 1984 is instructive and people should study that more. What Jesse found out that even though he was leading the other presidential candidates, that the rules of the Democratic party was stacked against him. It was called front loading. So for CarVal, they throw the word around democracy. First of all, the America's never been a democracy. It was born in slavery, genocide of Native Americans, and still the land from the Mexican. So the fact of it is it only had the possibility of becoming a democracy, and it has yet to come there. So what car is talking about it seems very, very interesting. But he crow controls the process, controls the day, and I'll guarantee you that Clinton and CarVal and that bunch are not going to have any kind of process that they don't control. And so it may look like it. I mean, it looks like Biden was chosen. He was number four. How did he get past three candidates and become number one? It wasn't open process. And I tell you one thing carve out and nobody else said anything because he was their choice because they wanted to stop Bernie Sanders. Wilmer Leon (05:52): There are those who say that Joe Biden was selected not to defeat Donald Trump. Joe Biden was selected to defeat Bernie Sanders, Tom Porter (06:03): And you are absolutely right. And that is what they have done. They did it with Jesse in 84. The whole Jaime thing was just that a hoax. Jesse never said it in any kind of way that was demeaning towards the Jews, but the JDL disrupted interrupted Jesse's announcement when he announced that he was going to run for president and hounded us, us being me, Florence Tate and Jesse, who were three people called the road team. When Jesse first started running in 84, they hounded us to JDO every place we went. And before we got secret service protection, it was Farhan and the FOI that protected us. So they were after Jesse from the beginning. It's instructed for people to read the platform of the Rainbow Coalition because Jesse has had the most progressive populous campaign in the 20th century. Wilmer Leon (07:00): I'm glad you brought that up. This takes us a bit off topic, but I think it is relevant because James Clyburn and a group of African-American leadership went in and met with Biden a couple of weeks ago, and that's when Clyburn came out with the line, we Riding with Biden. And one of the things that I said as a result of that was, what did you get for that endorsement When you walked into the room and you sat down with Joe Biden, did you put your own project 2025 plan on the table and say, look, Joe, here's what we need. Here's what we want. Here's what we demand. You're going to sign this or we're going to go back out here and tell people that you just fell asleep in the meeting. I don't know what they got for that. And based upon the way that this whole thing has gone, it seems as though they were once again on the wrong side of history. So for you to say that people need to go back and read the plan from the Jackson campaign, and then we can even go back to the black political, the Gary Conference, Tom Porter (08:15): Gary Convention, that Wilmer Leon (08:17): There's enough data. Go ahead. Tom Porter (08:19): Those are two documents that people need to read. Not only read, but they need to update them. That is the agenda that came out of the Gary Convention and Jesse Jackson's platform. Not only was Jesse's platform the most advanced in 1984, when I left the university, I was looking for something to do, so I decided to run for Congress and Jackie Jackson called me Jesse's wife and said, Jesse wants to meet with you. And I was in Cincinnati running for Congress, and I went to Chicago, spent the night at Jesse's house the day before 1983, and that's when Jesse asked me if I would work with him in the campaign. But I ran for Congress in Ohio and I ran in two counties that were 99% white and blacks and white in Cincinnati, which was a big city, said, don't go out there, show your literature, but don't show your face. Long story short, Mondell was at the top of the ticket. I got 2000 more votes than he did in Brown County and a thousand more than he did in Claremont County. He was at the top of stick. He was supposed to ticket, he was supposed to help me. The fact of it is it was just as populism that got basically these working class, mostly Republican whites to get behind Jesse because of his platform. It was a very populous platform to the left. Trump came along with a populous platform from the Wilmer Leon (09:52): Right, from Tom Porter (09:53): The right. And so the Democratic Party, instead of embracing Jesse's platform, which came out of the Gary Convention, instead of embracing it, they moved the leadership of the Democratic Party to the Democratic Leadership Conference and hired all of Jesse's people and gave them jobs which are meaningless jobs, moved the structure from the party someplace else. But these Negroes became deputy. This deputy, I call their names, but I don't want to, some of my still call friends, but they drank the Kool-Aid. And if you read some of the press around Clinton and his crew Al from, and James Carve, one theme was We don't need Jesse Jackson anymore. They marginalized Jesse so much so that in the convention in New York, Jesse didn't have a VIP pass. He had to come through the door like everybody else. That's Clinton and his crew, and Nancy Pelosi and Clyburn and all of the Negroes come out of that. Obama's position was to negate the progress and the black leadership that had gone before he calling Dr. King a simple country preacher, he couldn't carry Dr. King's dirty underwear. Wilmer Leon (11:12): Well, in fact, wait a minute. First of all is that negating the negation is the one question. And to your point, you can go and read President Obama's acceptance speech at the Nobel where he talks about Dr. King and then says, but I'm an American president. I have a different set of concerns that I must address. You don't quote Dr. King and then say, yeah, but you say, yeah, yeah. Tom Porter (11:43): But his job was to negate the advances that had been made and our responsibility, and this is what this generation of young people, when Joe Biden has to pass the torch, but not pass the torch, the Hakeem Jeffries and that crew, we have to negate them, which is called a negation of the negation, which is an affirmation of something at a high level Wilmer Leon (12:11): Because two negatives make a positive. Tom Porter (12:13): That's right. That's right. And so getting back to where we are now, of course Kamala Harris was not chosen as a result of some democratic process, and one would not expect that coming from the Nancy Pelosi, bill Clinton and them. And so the responsibility of this generation of young people and young people have actually shown from the mass worldwide protests around the George Floyd lynching, Greta and Climate can change the mass protests around the war and Gaza, the mass women protests around the world. There's a new populism that is emerging. And if Kamala Harris does not pick somebody to be the vice president to the left of her, she may have problems. Wilmer Leon (13:16): Now, when you say to the left of her, that's a very, very interesting designation because there are many who will say she is the left, that she was the left to Biden. And by the way, folks, Tom mentioned the Democratic Leadership Council, Joe Biden was an instrumental part of that as well. Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Joe Biden, they were all Nancy Pelosi. They were all part instrumental parts of moving the Democratic Party from the left. They want to say center, but it was actually to the right. So Tom, what do you say to those that say, oh, wait a minute, wait a minute, Mr. Porter, vice President Harris, it's to the left of Joe Biden. Tom Porter (14:03): It wouldn't be difficult. (14:07) I mean that's a distinction without a difference. They say Twi D and Twiddly dumb. She was as a black person, as a black person, she would have to be given the history that she is a part of, be the left of most white candidates. But at the same time, she was not on the left. And so for her to pick conventional wisdom is a bunch of Bs curse of all. Somebody's always been telling me, well, Tom, conventional wisdom or you don't understand real politics. I say, I'll tell you where you can go with both of those. So conventional wisdom says that she should pick somebody from a state that she needs a governor. The protests and the mass movements that are happening, the populous movements that are happening are to the left. And they're to the left because the Democratic party and the Republican party are so far to the right. But what used to be when we said left, we meant socialists or communism. (15:28) But the left today is anything left of the Democrat or Republican parties. But if she is to, there are two things that I think that are important now. One is the platform. One is the platform. I mean, she's going to be the vice president, the president nominee. That's a foregone conclusion because any of these other people who want to jump up, they can't go anywhere. What's this guy out of? West Virginia said that he was thinking about running, right? The base. Yeah. The base of the Democratic party is black and growing Hispanic, and he's not going to get any votes from them. And so for him to say that he might run and they know it. They know it. And that's why they use Clyburn in 2020 who just as he said, we riding with Biden, we know Joe and Joe know us. I mean some of that old coon foolishness. So they know they can't move without black folks. But the same time they hoping that they got other cly burns Wilmer Leon (16:45): And they know they can't move without black folks, but they never offer substantive legislation to demonstrate a commitment because for as much as they know they can't move without us. They don't want to appear to the broader demographic that they're with us. Tom Porter (17:11): Well, the fact of it is if they were true and honest, Jesse Jackson would've become leader of the Democratic Party just like Trump did. Obama could have become the leader of the Democratic Party, but that wasn't his job. His job was to look good. He and his wife while doing nothing, my daughter sent me a magazine cover the other day where Obama was on there, and it was something about the new generation of Kool. He was supposed to be the replacement for Miles Davis and Malcolm X, all of the black people. We considered to be cool just because they taught him how to dress and walk black and he could shoot a basketball. So he did not want to be head of the Democratic party. He liked his job. He had barbecues and all kind of black folks in the White House, and they line dance and did what they did, and then he came out and did nothing. So the key thing now for the Democrats, if they want to win, I wasn't going to vote for Joe Biden anyway, and I already said it, and anybody that co-signs what he did in Gaza, he could be running against the devil and I wouldn't vote for him or the devil, so I wasn't going to vote for him. (18:38) Kamala Harris, black people going on the glory, they went on the glory with Jesse Jackson. They went on the glory with Barack Obama because black people feel their late nationalism that when we get somebody black, we'll get a better deal if we get somebody white. But as they say, you might be my race, but you're not always my taste. But they're excited about Kamala Harris. They're all this money and black women on Facebook are putting on with camera. I don't have a problem with that. The problem is what's going to be the platform and is she going to choose somebody to the left of her a more populous candidate? Because if she's not going to do that, then what are we talking about more the same? And the other thing that the Democratic Party has to do in the new world that we live in, they've got to loosen the grips that the Israeli lobby has on the party. Wilmer Leon (19:38): What about, I want to quickly go back to the issue with the African-American women and this proclamation or this statement, this sentiment that Vice President Harris has earned the right to be the vice president. And that any attempt to either have a more open process or anything that might challenge that is a threat to black women, it's a threat to black womanhood. Your thoughts on these politics, this whole identity politics thing, because she's a black woman, now all of a sudden is hands off. Tom Porter (20:24): Yeah, I understand that sentiment, but I understand it. It's like with Obama, we knew we questioned Obama, but the black women said that Michelle would keep him in line. Remember that? Wilmer Leon (20:42): Oh yeah. Tom Porter (20:43): They said, Wilmer Leon (20:44): Because Michelle we're from Chicago. And when she said that, I said, oh, we got some straight gangsters up in this joint. We got some Tom Porter (20:52): Elkins. But it was also because she was darker Wilmer Leon (20:56): Than Tom Porter (20:56): Obama. And even though Obama himself said he was a mu mother, he was sure about one thing, and he really wasn't black. He was clear about that. So I understand the sentiment, but everything else in our politics we've got to be serious about. Wilmer Leon (21:20): Not sentimental. Tom Porter (21:22): Not sentimental. That's what Dr. King said and his great thing about power, he said love without power. He said, power without love is reckless, but love without power is weak, sentimental an anemic. And so I understand that everybody wants to see somebody. I'd like to see short guys run the world. I'm five six. Nobody's deeper than that. Wilmer Leon (21:53): No, Tom, it's taller than that. Tom Porter (21:57): You're absolutely right. So I understand the sentiment, but that's the reason why I tell people that you must study deeper. You can't be all form and no content because then you end up saying that Michelle is darker than Obama and therefore she'll keep him in line. They were both like Clinton and Hillary, which was their role model, latter Day Bunny and Clyde's. So I understand that sentiment, but unless they turn it into something, unless they talk about the platform, what is the platform going to look like? What is camera going to run on? I mean, I see her quietly distance herself from Netanyahu's visit. She's going to be in Indiana, but then she's going to secretly meet with him. It's not so much a secret. So we've got to be, these are very, very serious times. And as they say in my neighborhood in Ohio, now's not the time to be nut rolling. So these are very, very serious times. And so when we look at passing the torch, who are we passing the torch to? Not Hakeem Jeffries, not the rest of these niggas, Roland Martin, they're all getting in line. They're getting in line without even discussing the platform. Wilmer Leon (23:26): Well, first of all, could Kamala Harris get away with not meeting with Netanyahu, understanding the power of apac, not meet with Netanyahu and still win the election? Tom Porter (23:42): I think she could. Wilmer Leon (23:43): Okay. Tom Porter (23:44): I don't think, see, APAC has never been challenged, (23:49) And APAC represents that group in the Jewish community who attempts to control everything that they can, particularly in the black community, whether you're talking about the music, the culture, or what have you got to say it. We got to say it because if we don't say it, then we allow ourselves to be chumped. And the fact of it is, is that it's got to be challenged and she won't, but she can challenge it by who she picks and what the platform's going to be. In apacs power is basically through the media, the media and its money. It's not the numbers that they have that can put a candidate in office except maybe in New York City, but she won't. But that has to happen. We cannot allow a group of people to control significant aspects of our community and not say something about it. Wilmer Leon (24:58): Wait a minute. And to that point, to those that listening to this conversation, want to jump on the antisemitism train and accuse us of being antisemitic, APAC said, and you can go back and look it up in the newspaper, they were going to invest 100 million into the Democratic primary process to be sure that they would unseat or prevent from winning candidates whose politics were to the left, and that they deemed to be anti-Israel. That's not us making this up. That's them making the declaration. All we're doing is highlighting and calling your attention to what they said. So we're not making this up. Tom Porter (25:51): I let those kinds of conversations roll off my back that you anti-Semitic, the same way when somebody says, if we get into disagreement and the first thing they go to is you got a Napoleonic complex. And my answer to that, would I be wrong if I was tall? So you can't be afraid of all these things because they going to come at you anyhow. I said to Jesse, when the ING thing came up, I said, man, just don't cop to that. And some of the people who were around him told him to cop to that. It was the biggest mistake that he ever made because they never heard him said it, and he never said it in a derogatory way. About, on the other hand, in our first meeting in New York, Percy Sutton met us before we were supposed to meet with the Jewish leaders of New York with a yako on his head telling us how we had to talk and act in front of the Jews in New York. So look, I don't pay any attention to that. We have to challenge, we have to cash all checks when it comes to us. And it has to be a Pan-African perspective where we really, where the continent and blacks in the new world. We've got to challenge those things that oppress us because if not in this serious time, Trump them are going for all of the marbles. Wilmer Leon (27:18): Yes, they are. I mean, Tom Porter (27:19): They're going for all of the marvels, and there's enough Democrats, white Democrats who will side with that stuff. Because quite frankly, where we are right now, in order to solve the world's problems, we have to understand two things. Who's been in charge of the world for the last 400 years? White men look at the state of the world. They forfeited the right to run the world, but you're not going to give up just because you enslaved. A bunch of people stole the land from the Native Americans. If we give up, we'd have to give up what we got. It's too bad, but we not giving that up. And that's what trumped them. That's what Hitler was riding on. That's what Trump didn't riding on. We don't want to give. Democracy is what it means to pay reparations, give some of the land back to the neighborhood. What the hell with democracy? That's what they're saying. Wilmer Leon (28:13): I want to quickly go back to your point about challenging APAC and other type of organizations, and I want to tie it to what's going on in Gaza now nine months into that conflict. And the Zionist government of Israel has been taken a ass whooping for nine months straight. And so this whole mythology of the invincibility of the IDF, that they're this phenomenal military force and they're getting their ass whooped. And so the whole mythology behind this thing is being exposed. And so just as it's being exposed there, it's being exposed here. The question is, are we willing to do what we have to do to challenge that mythology in alliance with those that are fighting in Gaza? Does that make sense? Tom Porter (29:12): Sure, it makes sense. Well, the fact of it is, given the geopolitical alignment in the world today with China and Russia and Brazil and different formations coming together, even the EU who has been lockstep with Israel, the eu, it can no longer hold to that position because without Africa, Europe is broke in terms of the resources. And so the Israel, where it appears to be winning because of the devastation that it is reaping on the Palestinian people, there will be a reckoning, and it's coming slow, but it is coming even among the evangelicals who say that the rapture will come when Israel is safe and secure within its borders, and then Israel will be destroyed. Wilmer Leon (30:12): Look at Yemen. Look at what Yemen has been able to extract or the force that they've been able to exact upon in terms of their involvement in this process. A small Yemen is considered to be the poorest country in the world. They control the Red Sea. They're sending missiles 1200, 1400 miles across Saudi Arabia and decimating important ports that Israel controls. The whole dynamic is shifting. So with that, when you look, you've talked about the platform. I remember when the platform committee meetings used to be broadcast on television, and I used to sit and listen to 'em. I know I need to get a life, but I used to sit and listen to 'em. That's not happening anymore. So how does a candidate, Harris, what type of platform does she articulate having sat there for years while the Biden administration is involved in genocide, while the Biden administration has wasted trillions of dollars in Ukraine, how does she formulate a platform that takes us away from that failed, attempted world domination and moves us closer to the direction that the world is actually going as in bricks in the South and the Chinese? Tom Porter (31:47): Well, as if we look at the Middle East, Wilmer Leon (31:52): The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is what I was trying to get to. Go Tom Porter (31:55): Ahead. If we look at the Middle East, Wilmer Leon (31:59): Is that a reasonable question to Tom Porter (32:01): Ask? Not only is a reasonable question to ask, but it's a reasonable question to expect that it be answered. You can't allow a small country in the Middle East, which was settled by people who were not from, that had no connection to the original inhabitants of the Middle East to control the future of the Western world women. There's a movie called Rollover, and this was when the Arabs dominated the money thing through it started Kris Christoff and James Fonder and the Greenspan character played by Hume Cronin. At one point, the Arabs were not going to roll over the money, and Hume Cronin said, you are playing with the end of the world. That's where we're at. You can't allow a group of people since Jesus time to control your system in the way that these people do, because it won't work with people talking about if they leave the dollar, Wilmer Leon (33:26): Which they are doing, Tom Porter (33:28): Which they're doing, somebody else loses their influence because there's nothing back in the dollar to begin with talking Wilmer Leon (33:38): About other than more dollars. Tom Porter (33:38): Yeah, talking about only a paper Moon Wilmer Leon (33:45): And Tom, people really need to understand for it because it's not really being articulated here in the Western media. Again, the power of the bricks, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and now about seven or eight other countries have joined the organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, those two as quiet as is kept in the West man, they kicked the French out of Niger. You look at the development of the Sahel cooperation organization, man, they are kicking ass and taking names. They are finally moving beyond flag independence, and they are now actually taking control of their economies and they are taking control of their countries and they are kicking the west out. Tom Porter (34:42): The Palestinian leadership met for two days in Beijing. I mean the world, one of the most popular soap operas used to be. As the world turns Wilmer Leon (34:55): In daily city, Tom Porter (34:58): The world is turning. And quite frankly, it's turning away. Not so much from the West, but from the ways of the West. And they don't get it. They don't get it. You can't put sanctions on the whole world without putting sanctions on yourself. You can't tell people they can't come to America, and you'd be welcome in Panama and Costa Rica and Brazil. It doesn't work like that. Or you'd be welcome in Africa. It doesn't really work like that. You tell the people they can't come. Well, clues the borders work both ways. We can open 'em and close, and you can't. I mean, the policies are so stupid in the West. I mean, it's almost particularly in the United States because they have sold this white nationalism for so long, they'd actually believe it themselves. The world is going on without them. Wilmer Leon (35:52): And to their point, I'm looking up here seeing if I could put my hands on it, but I can't quickly, Dr. Ron Walters wrote a book a while ago, white nationalism, black Interests, and I strongly suggest that people get ahold of it. To your point about the policy and the borders, which they say that the Biden administration put Kamala Harris in charge of the borders. I was at the RNC and this woman, Latinos for Trump is who I was talking to. And she was talking about the border, the border. The Democrats have just, I said, wait a minute, wait a minute. You are not even talking about the American foreign policy in these countries that is decimating their economies and forcing these people to leave their countries to come here. And she looked at me very puzzled and quizzical, and I said, lemme give you an example. Chiquita Banana last week was convicted in federal court in Florida of having sponsored death squads in Guatemala. So Chiquita Banana, a US corporation is killing Guatemalans, torturing Guatemalans. And that isn't motivation for them to leave their countries. She didn't even want to touch that, didn't want to Tom Porter (37:18): Touch it. I mean, it's very interesting that Trump would say that the people who are coming across the border are taking jobs from blacks and Latinos. Who does he think are coming across the border? Wilmer Leon (37:33): Oh, I asked her about Haitians. I said, the United States. Thank you. Hakeem Jeffries, thank you Kamala Harris, thank you. Linda Thomas Greenfield, the United States is trying to rein invade Haiti. Where are the Haitians supposed to go? Tom Porter (37:51): I mean, the fact of it is we have got to make sure and say to anybody that says that they represent us. Hakeem Jeffries, John Clyburn, governor Wilmer Leon (38:06): Gregory, Gregory Tom Porter (38:06): Meeks. Gregory Meeks, that if you're going to represent us, this is the platform brother. I mean, you had Hakeem Jeffries and Jonathan Jackson down here in Maryland supporting the guy from that owns Total Wine and Liquorice who was running for Senator Now, I dunno, Wilmer Leon (38:28): David Tron. Tom Porter (38:29): Yeah. And also Brooke. I didn't have no dogging hunt. But how do you come down here in this neighborhood and you support a white candidate who was no more distinguished than Officer Brook for what? Well, I know what Johnson Jackson did. He's in the same business. He's a liquor distributor and by man owns Total Wine. But I understand that he paid off some of Hakeem Jeffries and John campaign debts. So I don't know. But that's not representing us. You're not representing us if you're not on the side of the Palestinians. If you don't believe in the two state Wilmer Leon (39:10): Solution, Tom Porter (39:11): You're not representing us. If you don't understand what's happening in Africa or Haiti or Cuba, 70% of the people in Cuba of African descent. So you putting sanctions on your own people, you can't be co-signing that. And we got to say this, we got to negate the negation. We, as Margaret Walker said, let a new race of men and women rise and take control. That's what time it is. Wilmer Leon (39:38): So how do we get the presumptive right now, democratic nominee, Kamala Harris as a woman of color, as a multi-ethnic woman, Jamaican and Indian, how do we get her to speak to those issues? Tom Porter (40:02): First of all, we got to energize the black community because they're counting on that. And we've got to say to black women, these are the issues that we think, and there are black women who agree with us. These are the issues that we think that are important to the black community, and we need to have townhouses. We got to not only reenergize our black community, but we need to reenergize a movement because the struggle's not over. And we've got to put before, we can't just say that Kamala, you black, and therefore whatever you do is cool because it's not cool. Wilmer Leon (40:45): But that's the narrative right now, we are so ecstatic, and I'm speaking in the global, we are so ecstatic now that she is in this presumptive position and they are saying that she has earned the right to be there simply because she's black, because she's a woman and because she's been the VP for four years. But when you go back to when she ran for the number one slot, she was the first one out the race. She had zero delegates. She got less than 5% of the vote. Black people didn't even vote for her. Wait a minute. And final point, Tulsi Gabbard torched her ass in 45 seconds. And folks, I ain't hating. I'm just putting out the data, Tom. Tom Porter (41:39): Well, I mean she's earned the right as much as anybody else, but that's not really saying anything. Wilmer Leon (41:46): Okay? Tom Porter (41:47): It's not ever saying anything. The question is, now you here and this is what we're saying. Wilmer Leon (41:52): So what you going to do? Tom Porter (41:53): Yeah, this is what we're saying. We already went through Obama with this stuff and see, we got to quit accepting this notion of the first black to do this. The only reason why, I mean, you take the question of black quarterbacks. The only reason why there were no black quarterbacks in the NFL until there were some had absolutely nothing to do with. There were black quarterbacks, quarterback at junior high, black high schools and colleges ever since. There were some. And so the fact that you decide to let us in don't have anything to do with it because we've earned the right, we've earned the right. Our ancestors paid the price for us to be any damn thing. We want to be in this country. But now, if you're going to represent us, this is what we need at this point. And if you can't do that, it's okay. Do like Biden did go sit next to him while he's fishing, but we have got to have more programs like this. Too many people are not rolling in the press. You have people who, when I was in radio, well, you got to do both sides. There's no good side to slavery. I'm not even going to attempt that one so Wilmer Leon (43:04): Well. In fact, Tom, I've always, particularly when I started talking about Palestine, and I'd get calls from Jewish listeners who would tell me that I'm not balanced. And I said, no, I'm not trying to be balanced. I'm the counterbalance. Because anything that the positions that you want to articulate in the narrative that you want to hear, you get it in the Washington Post, you get it in the New York Times, you get it in the LA Times, you get it on M-S-N-B-C-I-A, you get it on CNN all day every day. So I don't have to present that because it's already presented. I'm the counter to that. And I think I got that from you, by the Tom Porter (43:46): Way. Well, it's very, very interesting. I was watching the BBC yesterday and the BBC hosts was saying, Kamala Harris is black and Asian, as if these would become factors. And she had an affair with Willie Brown. I mean, first of all, she's running against the cat who's damn near serial rapist Wilmer Leon (44:12): And admitted as such. Tom Porter (44:14): But then nobody mentioned that JD Vance's wife was Indian. Nobody talked about Nikki Haley being Indian. It only comes up with his black people Wilmer Leon (44:29): Who I talked to at the convention and was an empty can just full of talking points. Go ahead. Tom Porter (44:38): And so we going have to, the black community is going to have to defend her even if she doesn't want us to defend her because they coming at her. Wilmer Leon (44:49): Oh, no question. Tom Porter (44:50): They're coming at her and somebody's going to slip up and use the N word. Wilmer Leon (44:56): In fact, when I was at the convention, I was on the floor right after they nominated JD Vance, and that whole process ended the day session. I'm doing my standup with the convention floor in the background. And this other news entity had allowed us to use their standup space. And as I'm wrapping up, I say, I find it interesting that a guy who just three years ago was telling America that Donald Trump was the next thing to add off. Hitler is now going to be standing next to this add off Hitler as his vp. I said, how does that happen? And when I said that, the guy who allowed us to use his space came up and said, you guys got to go. You guys got to go. And we said, well, wait a minute. So anyway, but I raised all that to say that question. I'm not hearing many people ask, JD Vance said that Donald Trump was the next thing to Hitler, and he's now standing next to his Hitler. Tom Porter (46:13): Well, I say this about JD Vance and I put it on Facebook that he is either the white version of the Spook who sat by the door or he is the opportunist of the highest order. And I think it's probably a combination Wilmer Leon (46:28): Of nation of the two. Tom Porter (46:29): Yes, yes, yes. And I think Trump may be a little bit concerned now because Trump is in hot water because people don't like him now. They tolerate him. You think Mitch McConnell lacks Trump? Wilmer Leon (46:44): No. Oh, well see, in fact, I'm glad you said that because my advice to the Democrats right now is just put together a clip, a montage of JD Vance, of Little Marco Rubio of what's the dude from South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, all of these folks who were, most of whom were sitting in Trump's box last week at Cult Fest 2024, which is also called the RNC Convention, put a montage of them, of Lindsey Graham saying, he's a narcissist, he's a bigot, he's an idiot. All of those put all that language Cruz, all the folks that were in that box kissing his butt. They need to tell the truth. Tom Porter (47:40): And at the same time, the Democrats, they've got some work to do. Oh, where do you think all of those people who were supporting Bernie Sanders in 2020, it's one thing for Bernie Sanders to be with the party, but those people, that's the reason why I said if she doesn't really pick a populous candidate as Vice President running mate, or if the platform is not one that is of a populous nature, she's got serious problems. Wilmer Leon (48:12): Those former Bernie people are part of that new crew called the Dual Haters. They're part of that new crew that is saying, we don't want either of these buffoons talking about Biden and talking. Tom Porter (48:25): And the fact of it is a significant number of the American people didn't want either one of 'em either. Correct. It was the press and the polls. And I say to people that polls are designed to shape and mold public opinion not to reflect the truth of public opinion. And of course, the other thing that nobody's ever, we haven't looked at, who are these people in the press? How many of them are actually Republicans? I know Lester Ho is Now, I'm not saying he's a Trump, but I'm just simply saying, because the press has been very, very lack in covering Trump. I mean, he lies. They never say that he lied. We are going to fact check him. Why don't you just say he lied about this? He lied about that. That's, that's the operative word. He lied. Wilmer Leon (49:21): In fact, I'm glad you brought up the polls because that part of the conversation got away from me for a minute because, and I know that the whole issue with Kamala now has just surfaced. So current polling hasn't taken place yet and hasn't been analyzed. But when you go back to, in looking at the numbers, you go to real clear politics. Trump at 58.4, Kamala Harris at 32.9. Now she has gained traction over the last couple of days, but still 58.4 to 32.9, that's not where you want to be with four months out from the election. Tom Porter (50:14): Yeah, but I think she has ignored the polls. I remember again. Wilmer Leon (50:18): Oh, absolutely. Tom Porter (50:18): Absolutely. I remember, again, traveling with Jesse and Negroes always ask these questions. They don't ask these questions. And they said, well, let's face it Jesse Jackson, you can't win Reverend Jackson. You got no organization, all this kind of stuff. And at that time, it was seven candidates in the race, and Jesse said, I'm number three, at least four other candidates that'd like to have my place. And so I think she has to ignore the polls because the polls are all part of the establishment, and they got a dog in the, and what's on the agenda now? What's on the agenda now is whether or not capitalism can in fact solve depressing problems that are facing the world today. And I would say that it can't. And so then what is the solution? I mean, I'm not saying that I have a solution, but I can say, what ain't the solution because it hasn't worked. (51:19) And therefore we got to be trying something new with some new people. And so the changing of the guard and the passing of the baton includes the passing away from white men, the same white men that who've been running the world, and the same white women who've been aligned with them. The passing of the church means that we got to not go with these Negro leaders who've been appointed, but to find our own leaders and to elect our own leaders, and the ones that don't do what we want 'em to do, we punish them by not electing them. Again, Wilmer Leon (51:54): Final question to you then. As you look at Kamala Harris as the presumptive nominee, I've been saying it can't work by just changing the messenger and not changing the message. Tom Porter (52:12): Oh, absolutely. Wilmer Leon (52:13): Go ahead, Tom Porter. Tom Porter (52:14): I mean, absolutely. We've already been there before. We've been there with Obama. Obama had, in the first term, he had the House and the Senate. He did nothing. And so we can't just change the message, the messenger or be satisfied that the messenger looks like us. We can't have got the demand and insist that people who represent us at whatever level, they represent us from the city council to the Congress and what have you, that if you're going to represent us, represent us. And if you not get the hell out the way, Wilmer Leon (52:55): But Tom, so what do you say to those AKAs that are ski win and doing the electric slide behind Kamala Harris and saying, oh, no, no, no, you can't do that now. Oh, no, no, no. You can't say that now because you can't put that on her now because we have to get her elected. And if you play those cards now, you're going to put her in a very precarious position and we'll lose the opportunity to have the first woman as a president. So what do you say to them that will respond in that manner? Tom Porter (53:30): We don't need a first black woman president because she's black. It's like people who say people fought and died for the right to vote. That's a lie. I fought and I didn't die for the right to vote, not for the right to vote, but the right to vote for something and somebody that would represent me. And so as the old folks say, you might be my race, but you're not my taste unless you willing to do what the ancestors have done. The legacy that you've inherited is not a legacy of people who went along to get along. It's a legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer. It's the legacy of Dr. King. It's the legacy of SNC and Core. That's the legacy. And if you ain't in that legacy, then get the hell out the way. Whether you a KAI don't know nothing about Greek organizations because I'm gamma delta iota damn independent. But my point of it is, we could no longer listen to these kind of arguments. I mean, these arguments go slow, slow. They say go slow. I mean, Wilmer Leon (54:43): Yours will come by and by. Tom Porter (54:45): Yeah. But we are past that. The world is in a serious position. And last side, look, we're in the world whether we are talking about the environment, whether we are talking about violence in the street, whether we are talking about homelessness, whether we're talking about whatever we're talking about, black people are impacted about that. And if you ain't for that, then get back. And we have to say that. I mean, I have no problem with saying to people, including in my own family, now look, if you ain't going to do nothing, get the hell out the way. I mean, I say that to my daughters, my grandkids, my friends. If you ain't going to do 'em, don't come around me because that ain't my style. And my heroes were Dr. King and Malcolm X and Fannie Lou Hamer. They weren't AKAs or Deltas. We didn't care nothing about any of that. And some progressive people were part of those organizations. But we can't, if she can't get elected on a platform that's a progressive platform than how is she going to govern as a progressive. Wilmer Leon (56:02): I want to thank my guests, brother Tom Porter. Man, thank you so much for joining me today. Tom Porter (56:10): It's been a pleasure, brother. Wilmer Leon (56:12): Folks, thank you all so much for listening to the Connecting the Dots podcast with me, Dr. Wilmer Leon and Tom Porter. Stay tuned for new episodes every week. Also, please follow and subscribe. Leave a review, share the show, follow me. Follow us on social media. You can find all the links to the show below in the description below. And remember, folks, this is where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge. Because talk without analysis is just chatter, and we don't chatter here. Unlike a whole lot of folks, we don't chatter here on connecting the dots. I'm going to see you again next time. Until then, I'm Dr. Woman Leon. Have a great one. Peace. I'm out Announcer (57:05): Connecting the dots with Dr. Wilmer Leon, where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge.

Elizabeth is known as Dr. Roz. She is a Nonviolence Strategist, Entrepreneur, Coach, and Change Maker. She earned three degrees, including her Ph.D., with only $1000 in loans. After retiring with 30+ years in and around higher education, she founded her college coaching practice, Debt Free Degree with Dr. Roz, and she is the Special Projects Manager for The Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta, Georgia. As a form of Nonviolence, her focus is teaching students to create WEALTH by graduating fully debt-free, using her proven G.R.I.T. blueprint, strategies, and accountability system. She attended her first training with The King Center in April 2018 and was immediately devoted to Dr. King's philosophy and methodology of Nonviolence365. It is not hyperbole to say that Nonviolence has impacted every facet of her life. Now, her mission is to incorporate Nonviolence into schools and universities, joining other practitioners across the globe to cultivate the Beloved Community. I'm going live using StreamYard! Before leaving a comment, please grant StreamYard permission to see your name at streamyard.com/facebook

This episode in our Christ at the Checkpoint series features Shane Claiborne, renowned Christian activist and author. At CATC he gave a presentation titled “Good Trouble on Good Friday." In this episode, clips from his presentation are interwoven with his conversation with Jen about taking our faith to the streets and resisting violence with love. Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist, and best-selling author.  Shane worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, and founded The Simple Way in Philadelphia. He heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living "as if Jesus meant the things he said." Shane is a champion for grace which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and to places like Iraq and Afghanistan to stand against war. Now grace fuels his passion to end the death penalty and help stop gun violence. Shane's books include Jesus for President, Red Letter Revolution, Common Prayer, Follow Me to Freedom, Jesus, Bombs and Ice Cream, Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers, Executing Grace, his classic The Irresistible Revolution, Beating Guns, and his newest book, Rethinking Life. He has been featured in a number of films and news outlets, and In 2023, Shane received the prestigious The King Center's Beloved Community Award for Social Justice from Dr. Bernice King (daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King). Shane speaks regularly at denominational gatherings, festivals, and conferences around the globe.  We also provide an extended interview from this conversation for our Patreon supporters. Consider supporting us at ⁠⁠  / acrossthedivide⁠⁠   for extra content and perks. Follow Across the Divide on Youtube and Instagram ‪@AcrosstheDividePodcast‬   / acrossthedividepodcast   Show Notes Learn more about Shane's work at www.shaneclaiborne.com  Common Prayer, Shane Claiborne The Prophetic Imagination, Walter Bruegemann The Other Side of the Wall, Munther Isaac “Good Trouble on Good Friday,” Shane Claiborne (Good Friday demonstration at Lockheed Martin) Sharing Communion at the U.S.-Mexico border wall Tent of Nations (Palestinian Christian peacebuilding organization)

This week's supreme Court rulings and the Israel/Hamas conflict This week on The Bulletin, Russell Moore and Mike Cosper welcome legal expert David French to discuss the decisions delivered by the Supreme Court. Then, Shane Claiborne joins Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll to discuss the Israel/Hamas conflict. Today's Guests: David French is a columnist for the New York Times. He's a former senior editor of The Dispatch. He's the author most recently of Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist, and best-selling author. Shane worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, and founded The Simple Way in Philadelphia. He heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living "as if Jesus meant the things he said." Shane's books include Jesus for President, Red Letter Revolution, and The Irresistible Revolution. In 2023, Shane received the prestigious The King Center's Beloved Community Award for Social Justice from Dr. Bernice King (daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King). “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Leslie Thompson Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Mark Moses Show is joined by Director of Sales & Marketing Ashley Dillow & Booking Manager Vincent Russo from The King Center for Performing Arts in Melbourne to talk about all the great things that will be coming up for the next couple of months at The King Center.  Listen to The Mark Moses Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 pm eastern on Sports Radio 107.9 FM/1560 The Fan & Sportsradio1560.com. You can also listen to Mark Mid days on 95.9 The Rocket. Follow him on social media @markmosesshow

The Mark Moses Show is joined by Manager of Athletic Communications Michael Parsons with Eastern Florida State College on location at The King Center to talk about his career and his thoughts on the upcoming Titans Fall Sports Schedule.  Listen to The Mark Moses Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 pm eastern on Sports Radio 107.9 FM/1560 The Fan & Sportsradio1560.com. You can also listen to Mark Mid days on 95.9 The Rocket. Follow him on social media @markmosesshow

The Mark Moses Show is joined by Head Basketball Coach Thomas Gray of Eastern Florida State College on location at The King Center to talk about his career, the NBA Finals and his thoughts on the upcoming Titans Basketball Season.  Listen to The Mark Moses Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 pm eastern on Sports Radio 107.9 FM/1560 The Fan & Sportsradio1560.com. You can also listen to Mark Mid days on 95.9 The Rocket. Follow him on social media @markmosesshow

The Mark Moses Show is joined in studio by Trey Etheridge with MPACT Ministries to breakdown how MPACT and Trey will be bringing Florida Gators Legend Tim Tebow to speak at The King Center in Melbourne this summer.  Mark also breaks down how Listeners can sign up to win a Meet & Greet with Tebow right now on sportsradio1560.com  Listen to The Mark Moses Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 pm eastern on Sports Radio 107.9 FM/1560 The Fan & Sportsradio1560.com. You can also listen to Mark Mid days on 95.9 The Rocket. Follow him on social media @markmosesshow

Find me and the show on social media @DrWilmerLeon on X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube Facebook page is www.facebook.com/Drwilmerleonctd FULL TRANSCRIPT Wilmer Leon (00:15): Welcome to the Connecting the Dots podcast with Dr. Wilmer Leon. I'm Wilmer Leon. So here's the point. We have a tendency to view current events as though they occur in a vacuum, failing to understand the much broader historical context in which they occur. During each episode, my guests and I have probing, provocative, and in-depth discussions that connect the dots between the current events and their broader historic context. This enables you to better understand and analyze the events that impact the global village in which we live. On today's episode, there are a few events that have occurred and transpired recently that I want to get into. First, the United States has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution granting Palestine full membership in the United Nations. It's important to remember that Palestinian statehood was recognized by the UN General Assembly in November of 2012 when it was given non-member observer status. (01:23) The US has agreed to withdraw troops from a key drone base in Niger. The United States recently agreed to withdraw more than 1000 troops from Niger, which will have a dramatic impact on the United States posture in West Africa. US lawmakers have passed a draft resolution containing some 95 billion in military aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, also approving a bill that will allow Washington to hand Kiev assets that have been seized from Russia and paved the way for a ban on TikTok. So with all of these things that are going on, oh, and by the way, more than 40 Palestinian protestors were arrested this week at Yale University. The school said that 47 students protesting peacefully the school's investments in military weapons manufacturers were arrested and will be referred for disciplinary action, potentially including suspension. And we know that a similar action has been taken at Columbia. (02:35) So again, speaking as an African-American looking at our current circumstances as a community and in the much broader American imperialist context, I decided to call my guest and I asked him, what's on your mind right now? He directed me to a speech by Dr. Luther King, Jr. Entitled, honoring Dr. Du Bois. The speech was given at Carnegie Hall in New York on February 23rd, 1968, in commemoration and celebrating the 100th birthday of Dr. Du Bois. In this speech, Dr. King said that Dr. Du Bois recognized that the keystone in the arc of oppression was the myth of inferiority, and he dedicated his brilliant talents to demolish it. And as Dr. Du Bois was creating the naacp, Dr. King said at the same time, he became aware that the expansion of imperialism was a threat to the emergence of Africa. He recognized the importance of bonds between American Negroes and the land of their ancestors, and he extended his activities to African affairs after World War I, he called Pan-African Congresses in 19 19, 19 21 and 1923, alarming imperialists in all countries and disconcerting negro moderates in America who were afraid of this relentless, militant black genius. That was Dr. King. So this is going to be the basis of our conversation For this segment of connecting the dots, let me introduce my guest. He's a lifelong activist and scholar, former dean of the African-American Studies Department at Ohio University, former director of the King Center in Atlanta, and former host of morning conversations with Tom Porter. He is Brother Tom Porter, and as always, man, welcome back to the Tom Porter (04:47): Good evening. Wilmer Leon (04:48): So with that long introduction, Tom, what's on your mind, man? What do we need to be paying attention to? Tom Porter (04:57): Well, it's interesting how you started off, and I would paraphrase what you said was what so many people are guilty of. That is an analysis of the results, not an analysis of how the results were obtained since we actually are told by the Israeli government and our government and the Western government that October 7th, 2023 started the Israeli Palestinian conflict. (05:35) And then we do a real stretch and say we compare the events of October 7th to the Holocaust. And that's a stretch. One incident involved a couple thousand people, the other one involved the assassination murder of millions of people, but they would have you to believe that they're one and the same. And that is so important today. If we go back to the speech by Dr. King, among other things, he said, while honoring dubois, that black America will never be free until a long light, long night of imperialism is lifted from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. And he also said, in honoring Dr. Dubois, who was an admitted and a vowed and proud communist, Dr. King in speaking of communism, said that our blind anti-communism, read Vietnam, read Korea, read Afghanistan, that our blind anti-communism has led us into one quagmire after another. So what's on my mind is that we're in a quagmire. (07:09) Where does the African-American community go from here? If we look at the African-American community, it's leaderless. There are individual pockets of people and groups that are challenging the system. But if you look at the black caucus, the black elected officials, the black actors, the black musicians, there's no real leadership. We forget that the movement in the sixties was a movement of African people. It was a movement of black people in this country, but it was a movement that was a Black Panther party in Britain, black Panther Party in the Virgin Islands in Puerto Rico. So it was a movement of African people against imperialism, against colonialism and neocolonialism. Now, the leadership seems to be embracing that very few of our leaders have called for a ceasefire, for instance, in the Middle East, very few of our leaders speak forcibly about the environment or about police brutality or about the medical conditions of black people. And that extends to the leaders in Africa where you have thousands of people risking drowning in the Mediterranean weather to stay in their home country. And then you complain about the Chinese building roads and infrastructure complain that they're trying to take over. So that's on my mind. Wilmer Leon (09:18): Well, it's very telling that you talk about leadership, because when I think about leadership, I think about Dr. Du Bois. I think about Dr. King. I think about activists like Dory Ladner. I think about Mrs. Hamer and Paul Robeson. I think about the Tom Porters of the world. Now we're looking at athletes and musicians. The discussion is LeBron James better than Michael Jordan? You asked that question. Oh man, you can be in a bar and wind up with damn near a fight on your hands that people are so personally invested in that conversation. But ask them about Palestine, ask them about Niger. Ask them about Haiti, and you'll get glazed looks, gloss looks, or you'll get talking points from CNN and MSN. Ask somebody about Ukraine. And the first thing you're going to get is, well, Vladimir Putin is an authoritarian and a dictator, or ask them about Taiwan and China and all they want to talk about is a spy balloon. (10:47) And then you mentioned some of the individuals in the Black Caucus. Right now, the United States is looking to work with Canada and looking to work with France to reinve for the, what is it, the third time in 30 years, reinve, Haiti, Hakeem Jeffries, an African-American member of Congress is leading that charge. In my open, I talked about the UN and vetoing, the initiative to take Palestine out of observer status and make it a full fledged member of the un. Linda Thomas Greenfield, an African-American woman raises her hand as the representative of the United States in the UN against people of color. You've got General Lang. I just talked about what happened, transpired in Niger, a black general, the of africom. General Langley, a black man is trying to find a way to undermine the new government in Niger and keep those US troops. Your Honor, those are just a few examples of what we're missing, what we're missing. And Tom, we don't even miss it. Tom Porter (12:22): You're so right. But the fundamental question for me as a black man, as an African man, I mean, at my age, 84, I'm okay, but when I think about the future of my kids and my grandkids, what about their future? And it raises the fundamental question, can African African-Americans obtain freedom, justice, and equality in a society that's imperialist capitalists and politically, economically, culturally, and socially? For all intents and purposes, that's a nation of white supremacists from the top to the bottom. And so the question is, do we stay here? One of the mistakes that I think that we've made that our politics and our politics has been to challenge the society to let us in on it, (13:44) To give us an Academy Award and whatever, whatever, whatever. And we have to ask ourselves, as James Baldwin raised, who wants to integrate into a burning house. And so that thing's on the table, as we see America in decline in many significant ways, including its allies in Western Europe at the same time that who realizes more when you are in decline than the people who are in decline. And so it looks as if, and the situation in the Middle East is part of that, that the West United States feels that Africa has insignificant leaders and the people are not united. And that is true for African people in the United States till they're going back in for another helping, they're going back in for another helping. And they sense that black leadership is weak. Black leadership are going to do what they've been told every four years and vote for the Democrats. And if I say don't vote for the Democrats, I'm not saying vote for the Republicans. I'm saying vote your interests. Wilmer Leon (15:16): Talk about that binary thinking because I wrote a piece a while back, the dangers of binary thinking for the African-American community. And what prompted me to write that was listening to these discussions about, well, if you criticize Biden, then you are either obviously or by default, you are championing Trump. And no, both of them are not above beyond reproach. Both of them are in fact, in many instances, they're engaged in some of the same activities because we tend to get caught up in the politics of personality and we lose sight of the politics of policy, not really understanding that Julian Assange, Donald Trump started that process. Joe Biden followed up on it. That's just one example. So this danger of binary thinking for us, it's got to be Biden or Trump. We can't see beyond the two options that we've been provided. Tom Porter (16:29): Well, that has to do with the philosophical underpinnings of what makes a society go in America. There's a rare university that offers political economy. They offer economics and political science at the same time. It's a rare school that offers, of course, in dialectical logic, symbolic logic is basically the structure of arguments. That's what you're going to see in New York in the trial is that who can argue correctly, not who's correct, but who can argue structure the argument that makes a better case than the other one. It has absolutely nothing to do, whether there's a crook and a bomb that's on trial that shouldn't even have gotten this far. Fortunately, I took philosophy, symbolic logic from a person who was a scientific thinker. And so he taught it in a electrical way, which means that your thinking should be rooted in the interconnected of things, the relationship between things, not this or that, black or white, either or. It can be boan. Wilmer Leon (17:58): Well, hence this program, connecting the dots, always trying to find context and provide the interrelatedness between events so that you're much better able to engage in better analysis because the factors that you bring more factors into your equation. Tom Porter (18:26): Oh, I mean, you're absolutely correct, but that is the thinking. If you don't vote for Biden, it's a vote for Trump. And if you don't vote for Trump, then it's a vote for Biden. That doesn't make any sense at all. But people say, those are the choices that we have. No, we have another choice. We forget that we made the most progress when we didn't have a black caucus, when we didn't have many black judges. When we had, maybe we had one judge on the Supreme Court, very few black mayors because we struggled, we fought, we banged on the door and push the door in. And that's not happening. That's not happening anymore. So you talk to people and it's that binary thinking, but it's that in everything. It's that. It's that kind of thinking. And that's one of the real problems that you have in the educational system here, why Americas is lagging far behind in certain critical bodies of knowledge. Because I soon realized when I was in undergraduate school that many of my professors concealed more than they revealed. Wilmer Leon (20:11): They concealed more than they Tom Porter (20:13): Revealed than they revealed. I remember when I started teaching at Antioch, one of the books I used in the child development course was Thought and Language by ky. And another faculty member said that that was too difficult for graduate students. How can a book be too difficult for graduate students? But the book by ky, which is thought Language is all the rage now rave now in educational psychology and psychology circles. But then because he was a Russian and therefore assumed to be a communist, even though he was born, if I'm not mistaken, before the Russian Revolution. But that's where we are. But the point is, my point today is what are we going to do? Are we going to go down with the ship? Are we going to get off the ship? But that's the fundamental, Wilmer Leon (21:38): Are we going to take control of the ship? Tom Porter (21:45): That's a good thought. Wilmer Leon (21:47): Well, to me, it only seemed like a logical extension of the other two options that you provided, or at least since we're using the metaphor of a ship, are you going to create your own lifeboat? Tom Porter (22:05): Well, I think it's now time before serious call, given some of the emerging forces in Africa and Brazil and what have you, even in Venezuela that it's time for a new Pan-African movement, 21st century style. It is really time. And I just talked to somebody who was in Geneva on, there's a conference, UN conference on racism and civil rights. I don't have the correct title, but he's on his way back and he said he's going to brief me in person, but he was very optimistic about some of the things that he was seeing. But also obviously, so there's movement and we're in a transitional period on the planet. So there was a unipolar world, it was United States, and it controlled mostly through NATO and other relationships, the politics of Europe and the United States. But now you have the bricks, you have a number of, we live in a multipolar world and it is not just the bricks with China. (23:46) There are all kinds of different relationships between countries and Latin America and Central America. And they may not all be trying to get away from capitalism, but they're certainly open to the new changes that are going on in the world in their own interests. I mean, countries entering relationships with China, not because they want to become communists, but because they want to get some of what China has to offer and they realize that they've tried the West. And so you have all of these around the world, these various groupings and what have you, and we've got to internationalize our struggle. That's not new with me. He was Malcolm, even Dr. King understood that and some new progressive forces. And I'm encouraged by what I see around what's happening in the Middle East that these young students on these campuses across the country, and I think that Gaza may be the achilles tendon of Joe Biden. Wilmer Leon (25:10): Oh, I think you're absolutely right. Not only is Gaza the Achilles tendon of Joe Biden, but I also believe that one of the reasons why the Biden administration and so many other forces in the West are so adamantly behind this settler colonial genocidal project is because I believe they understand as goes the settler colony of Israel, so goes the rest of colonization, period. And that the end of this is the, that Tom Porter (25:58): One of these days, somebody's going to really take a real look at the relationship between Israel, not just in this country, but in the rest of the world, and where does its power come from and where's his strength come from? Why would Biden put his presidency on the line, but not just his presidency, he actually believes what he's doing is right. Wilmer Leon (26:32): Well, he is on record and folks can scream antisemitism if they want to. He's on record very clearly as saying, I am a Zion, which a proves the point. Not all Zionists are Jewish, and not all Jews are Zionists because he's Irish Catholic, but he's very clear on I am a Zionist. And contrary to the dominant narrative, Zionism and Judaism or Zionism and Judaism are not the same thing. And being anti-Zionist doesn't mean you're, and being anti-Zionist doesn't even mean it means you are anti-Zionist. But their vested interest in controlling that narrative, which by the way, they are dramatically losing control of as evidenced by what we're seeing playing itself out on our college campuses. They've lost control of that narrative. And I don't see how they're ever going to be able to reclaim that narrative. Tom Porter (27:52): Well, it's very clear that the forces supporting Palestine is growing, and the questioning, which never happened before, Israel was never questioned before in a way that it is being questioned down. But the question is because, well, let's be clear. You strike up a conversation with the average white person about Jews and you'll get some antisemitism. And of course, Hitler was white. He wasn't a Jew, he was white, European, Mussolini was, and the rest of the fascists in Europe were Caucasians. And so what would make this country send him a bunch of weapons in the middle of a situation where the whole world is saying, you shouldn't do that? Wilmer Leon (29:02): Well, what did Al Hague say? He said, Israel is our unsinkable aircraft carrier in the region. And so they saw in that colony a ideological and military base bastion region that they believed would be their space to project power and to control that space. Tom Porter (29:41): I don't have the answer, but it's an interesting question. The reason why I say it's interesting because the relationship is not making sense now, Wilmer Leon (29:51): Right? Tom Porter (29:53): It's not making a sense. When you stand alone at the un, you voted against something that the rest of the world was for, Wilmer Leon (30:04): And you're voting for genocide. We're not arguing borders. We're not arguing an issue on the maritime navigation of the seas. We're not arguing whether it's 12 miles or 14 miles from your coast where you get into international waters. We're not arguing access to mineral rights. It's genocide. And it's not even debatable. It's not even debatable because those such as Netanyahu that are being in Morich and Benny Gantz, we have their own language. They have made it very clear in their own statements in court, you would call that statements against interest. We got to take 'em for their word because they're saying things that are really against their interest Tom Porter (31:15): And doing things that are Wilmer Leon (31:16): And do it exactly. Tom Porter (31:18): But still, the question comes back what's on my mind? I care less about the fight between Trump and Biden and more about what are we going to do because we come out losing whoever gets in, and we need to be clear about that. If Biden will do what he's doing in the Middle East and Haiti and in Africa, what will he do for us? When the vote comes up? Wilmer Leon (31:54): To that point, Tom, the house has just passed a 92 billion military spending bill where they're going to send something like 62 billion to Ukraine. They're going to send, I don't know, 20 something to Israel. And of course, Taiwan, while people in the United States are having to make decisions between paying rent and buying food or buying medicine, the homeless rate or the unhoused rate in the United States right now is somewhere 800,000. And that's just based upon the number of people in shelters that's not actually dealing in addressing the number of people that are living either under bridges in tents living with other family members. The social in indices in this country are, the rate of suicide is on the rise, particularly among white men. The rate of depression among children is on the rise. I mean, I can pick a litany of things. Oh yeah, go ahead. Tom Porter (33:15): The Misery Index, which used to be something that they used to measure the conditions of black people and other people of color in this country, now it's extended to looking at the misery index among whites, because when we talk about homeless, and DC is rare where you see a significant number of black people who are homeless, but you travel throughout the rest of the country in rural Virginia, rural Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, and what have you really see some poverty that you've never seen. Wilmer Leon (33:57): So my question is 92 billion, and that's just this latest round of funding. And we don't seem to, we're paying for healthcare in Ukraine. We're paying for pensions in Ukraine when Americans can't get either. But where is the pushback and the outcry from the Congressional Black Caucus, for example? Tom Porter (34:27): It really isn't. I mean, that's the problem, is the deafening silence come out of black leadership at all levels. Even here in Washington, I don't think the non-voting delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton has stood out, stood up for a ceasefire. Wilmer Leon (34:51): Nope, Tom Porter (34:52): I don't think the city council has called for a ceasefire. So where do we fit in all of this? That's the fundamental question for me Wilmer Leon (35:08): That it keeps going back to that, Tom Porter (35:11): Right? Wilmer Leon (35:14): The A DL is going to spend, I think the number was a hundred million dollars. I think that was the number on this upcoming election to unseat, if I'm off on that number, folks, I apologize. I was just getting it off the top of my head. I think it's a hundred million to unseat what are considered to be progressive Democrats. Now, in the 2020 election, and in the 2016 election, there was all this boohoo and crying and concern about Russian interference and Chinese interference and Iranian interference in our elections. Now you've got APAC getting ready to, or in the process, or they're in the midst of spending a hundred million dollars and not a moan, not a grip. Tom Porter (36:14): And the reason why is the influence, again, people always say the United States is supporting Israel. It is one way to look at it. Another way to look at it is that in significant ways, Israel and the Israeli diaspora controls significant aspects of American business, cultural, social, and economic life. And that book hasn't been written well. Wilmer Leon (36:52): Oh, okay. Tom, sounds like my next book. Yeah, that Tom Porter (36:59): Book hasn't been written. And so from that stand, well, Wilmer Leon (37:03): If you could get it written, how are you going to get it published? Tom Porter (37:06): It's interesting question. (37:11) So the protection of Israel and its influencing the rest of the world is something that I think gets overlooked because Israel is perceived as a little small country in a sea of Arabs and what have you. But actually it is more powerful than any African country. It is probably more powerful than most of the countries in Latin and Central America. If you look at its military, its weapons, its technology, industry and what have you. And so it is significant among nations of the world in terms of its influence. And APAC is a part of that influence. So again, that's where my mind is these days. What are we going to do? And then how are we going to get there when we decide what we're going to do? But guess what? We got to do it. Wilmer Leon (38:29): I asked the question about if the book were written, how would it get published? And I was looking off at my bookcase because this book right here, the Israel lobby and US Foreign Policy by John Heimer and Steven Walt, I remember when this book came out and they damn near ran these boys out of town. I remember it was how long I tried to get an interview with Heimer or Walt and what those guys were damn near in hiding because the uproar of the publication of the book, the Israel lobby. Now, it's interesting too, Tom, that you just mentioned how powerful Israel is, but give me that analysis. While they can't defeat Hamas and they can't defeat Hamas, they're getting their hind parts whooped in Gaza, Iran just sent them a real serious message about mess around with us if you want to, and we'll reign missiles down on you for the next 15 years. And Hezbollah has not gotten into the mix. Ansar Allah in Yemen has shut down the maritime traffic in the Red Sea, and before Iran launched their retaliatory strike against Israel, they captured a cargo ship in the Straits of Horus to demonstrate to the United States, we will shut down the straits of Horus. We will shut down the Red Sea, and you won't get a drop of oil or nothing. So when you talk about the power of Israel, talk about it in that context or those contexts. Tom Porter (40:28): Well, I think the United States, Wilmer Leon (40:33): Is that a good question to ask? Tom Porter (40:34): Oh, it's an excellent question because, but what we see in the West Bank and in Gaza, it's the same thing we saw in Vietnam. Same thing we saw in Korea. Same thing we saw in Cuba. Same thing we saw in Guinea Basa in Angola and Mozambique and South Africa. That is, you could misjudge the sentiment to say that the Palestinians don't support Hamas. Some of that is probably true, but one thing that all Palestinians are clear about Wilmer Leon (41:29): Freedom, Tom Porter (41:29): Freedom, justice, and equality. And I think that is a mistake that they've made. And I think that is a mistake that they've made in Lebanon. That is, they underestimate, in fact, they have increased the number of young Palestinians and young Arabs throughout the Middle East in their hatred for both Israel and the West and down the road. Arab leaders are going to have to deal with that. The people not going to, Wilmer Leon (42:04): And that's a very practical reality because some people listening to this conversation, when you make that statement say, oh, that's because they're antisemitic, and that's because they hate Jews. No, they hate oppression and they hate oppressors. And no matter what color stripe or size they are, I hate the person that has his or her foot on my throat, no matter what size that foot is. And no matter what kind of boot they're wearing, that's what I hate. Tom Porter (42:44): I think they're making the same miscalculation around the students. I mean, you can lock up 40, you can lock up 50, you can lock up a hundred people, but you really can't lock up an idea. And unless you are willing to make certain changes, the idea is going to grow. I mean, it's small, but it's significant that a group of auto workers, I'm thinking it was in Tennessee. Wilmer Leon (43:13): It was in Chattanooga, Tennessee Tom Porter (43:16): Voted to unionize. They thought they had broken the unions, but the conditions of such among workers, white workers and black workers, that something has to be done because they're filling it when they go to the grocery store. I went to Costco to fill up my gas tank the other day, and because I have to use premium in my 1992 Volvo wagon, it cost me almost $60. Wilmer Leon (43:55): I have to put premium in mine. It was 85. Tom Porter (43:59): Wow. So everybody's beginning to feel the decline of this economy At the same time that they're saying that the economy is growing, you notice they never say use the word development again. That's kind of like binary thinking. They never use the word, they always use word. The economy is growing. That's a quantitative analysis. But a qualitative analysis would be, are you developing as a society or your school's turning out educated people? But if you just deal with growth, it's all about numbers. Wilmer Leon (44:51): It's all about numbers, primarily because when they come and tell us that the economy is growing, they're talking about the financialized side of the economy. So if you have a 401k program, then you're happy as a clam because over the last three or four, maybe five quarters, the financialized side of the economy is running like gangbusters. But we're not manufacturing anything in this country anymore. The manufacturing base in this country is on the decline because we've exported all of those jobs to China and to Vietnam and to India. So the wage, has there been wage growth in this country? No. And to your point about the unions, so Sean Fe comes out the head of the UAW. He comes out in January saying the UAW endorses Joe Biden. But that same day, he has to give another speech where he comes out and says, the rank and file of the UAW does not back Joe Biden, because they're more concerned about their paychecks, and many of them are going to support Donald Trump. That's Sean Fain. That's not me. That's the head of the UAW making that statement. And that's what goes to the, as you talked about, the UAW in all places, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and from Chattanooga, they're going to Alabama now to a Mercedes plant in Alabama. Now that's going to be a harder fight. They're going deeper south. But still, Tom Porter (46:54): How can you have the largest economy in the world and be a detonation Wilmer Leon (47:02): And debt to your, who you consider to be your primary enemy, which is China, Tom Porter (47:08): Right? But how can you be? There's some oxymoronic about that, right? Wilmer Leon (47:13): That Tom Porter (47:15): You have the largest economy in the world, but Wilmer Leon (47:19): You're a better nation, Tom Porter (47:20): Better nation, and people are seeking different ways of economically engaging with each other other than using the dollar. And yet you, but every day people are feeling it. Every day people are filling at the pump, at the grocery store, at Wilmer Leon (47:44): The a pack of chicken wings and a gallon of milk, Tom Porter (47:47): The doctor's office. I mean, if you can Wilmer Leon (47:51): Get in. Tom Porter (47:52): Yep, yep. Wilmer Leon (47:55): So, Tom, to your point, what are we to do? Tom Porter (48:02): Well, we used to have men and women who thought these things. A lot of people are writing books. I'm encouraged about some of the things, and there's a lot going on in the street. There doesn't seem to be a unifying theme. I mean, the Montgomery Bus boycott was something that significant numbers of African-Americans, the black people felt in the north and the South, because many of us had a two-state experience, born in the south, grew up in the north, and so on our yearly summer visits back home, we ran into what our brothers and sisters and kin folks were dealing with. And it was a spirit in the community that it was our time to fight back and to be independent and what have you. That spirit, you can see it bubbling up young people. I'm encouraged by young people because you really can't lie to them as easy as you can lie to everybody Wilmer Leon (49:28): Else. Not watching CNN and MSPC, Tom Porter (49:32): Without a doubt. Without a doubt. So I'm actually encouraged. On the other hand, I would encourage people to get a passport. You never know when you're going to need it. I think you ought to look for options, particularly for your grandchildren and what have you. And that's not unusual. People are leaving America, not just black people going back to Africa, but white people going to Europe, and some of 'em are going to places like Puerto Rico, Wilmer Leon (50:08): Right? Central and South America, Tom Porter (50:10): And say nothing of Africa. So people are leaving. And that's one option. That's one option that has always been on my mind and Wilmer Leon (50:25): Abandon ship. Tom Porter (50:27): No, get on another ship. Wilmer Leon (50:29): Well Tom Porter (50:33): Get on another ship. Let Biden and Trump and that group fight it out. They seem to be doing a pretty good job of battling each other. But on the serious side, we've got to raise significant questions wherever we can. We got to discuss these things wherever we can. We can't allow this leadership class that we have, and even some of the so-called progressive pundits, we can't simply allow them to get away with what they've been getting away with. And I'm grateful for programs like this and some other programs or a few other stations where people are speaking out and are being heard and are being heard. Wilmer Leon (51:30): Just really quickly, did you happen to see the fallout from the National Action Network Congress, a convention where folks went in protesting as Hakeem Jeffries was brought in to speak and folks were protesting Hakeem Jeffries and Reverend Sharpton called him Renta Coons, and did you see any of that? Tom Porter (51:58): No, but I'm not surprised. Wilmer Leon (51:59): Okay, then I won't go any further into it. Tom Porter (52:02): Well, but you raised an interesting point about the bankruptcy of leadership. They used to refer to Al Sharpton as Jesse on a budget. But Wilmer Leon (52:23): Lemme just quickly make one point, because one of the things that Reverend Sharpton was promoting or displaying, he was basically saying, look at. So he got Joe Biden to do this little video and supporting, thank you Reverend Al, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But so everybody's, wow. Look, Reverend Al got President Biden to zoom in to the National Action Network Convention, but nobody seems to want to talk about that 10 days after Biden was inaugurated. Biden had to be forced. And I mean, kicking, brought in, kicking and screaming to have a meeting with black leadership. And when he got on that call, he disrespected everybody on that call. But if you didn't see it, you didn't see it then so Tom Porter (53:33): Well, but the role of, again, it just points out the bankruptcy of certain African leaders. I mean, here you have, well, a two-way race between Democrats and Republicans. Two Democrats are running in the primary to become democratic senators. One's a black woman and one's a white man. Without discussing Dem merits of either one of them, why would Hakeem Jeffries, Anthony Brown and Jonathan Jackson endorse the white candidate? I mean, why would you do that? I mean, Jonathan Jackson is from Illinois. I understand that connection between he and David Cron is Itron Wilmer Leon (54:37): Cone, cone, David Tron in Maryland. Tom Porter (54:43): He owns total wine and liquors, right? And Jonathan Jackson is in the liquor business. He's a big distributor in the Chicago era. I don't get Hakeem Jeffries, who's in New York. The point of it is, where's the integrity? Where's the integrity? On the one hand, you talk black out of the side of your mouth, and I'm not in any mean pushing black nationalism. I'm simply saying, why would you get in that fight? I mean, why would you get in that fight? Obviously, Wilmer Leon (55:21): Angela also, Brooks is running, right? That's what I'm saying. A black woman, and why wouldn't you back her? Tom Porter (55:31): But why would you get in the race at all since you got you from another state? And you would not want that to happen to you when you were running? And so there's obviously a cash nexus. Wilmer Leon (55:50): Well, we do know that Hakeem Jeffries has received, I think, over a million dollars from APAC over his tenure in office. And the same thing with Gregory Meeks. He's another one that falls into that same camp. And both of them, along with the Vice President, Kamala Harris, they're all behind the Global Fragilities Act, which is being used as the rationale for the United States to rein, invade Haiti. Go figure. Tom Porter (56:32): Again, we have to do an analysis of how the results were obtained rather than the results. I mean, it looks like Haiti is a failed state. So how do you go from the first independent black Republic on the planet? Well, not on the planet, but in that era, because there were black leaderships. But how do you become that, given any slave who could get to Haiti freedom? I mean, how do you get defeating Napoleon then? How do you become the basket case, a basket case in the world? How does that happen? Why do they still old friends and see should be the other way around, Wilmer Leon (57:25): Way around? (57:29) Why is the United States wring its hands and going through all these machinations talking about we have to go in and stabilize this country when the United States is responsible for the instability? Why does the United States send $60 billion to Ukraine when the United States is the one that started the fight in the first place, and Ukraine is merely the proxy for the United States? Why is the United States saying we can't do anything with Netanyahu? Yes, you can. You call 'em and tell 'em, you're not giving in any more money. You are against genocide, but you send them the bullets, you send them the bombs, you provide the logistics. Same thing with China. Oh, Taiwan, Taiwan, Taiwan, Taiwan. Why are you trying to pick a fight with China? Who by the way, holds more of your debt than anybody else in the room? Why? Let's get to the cause, right? Tom Porter (58:48): Of course. I mean, again, the Haiti situation, it gets played out and we go in, why did the United States involve itself in the overthrow of John Butra? Wilmer Leon (59:06): What was his aired? John Beron aired, Tom Porter (59:10): Aired Wilmer Leon (59:11): Twice Tom Porter (59:14): A legitimately elected democratic leader who's very positive. Why do you place sanctions on Cuba? Only because you don't believe in what they believe in? Wilmer Leon (59:33): Here's another, and Tom Porter (59:33): Then get upset when they're successful in the biotech industry and what have you. And the list goes on and on and on. But because they don't think that people study history or read history, Wilmer Leon (59:53): The average Haitian makes less than $3 a day. Folks, you can look it up. The average Haitian makes less than $3 a day, but somehow they can walk around with $1,800 sniper rifles, military grade equipment Tom Porter (01:00:18): Where they get 'em from. That's the question that you asked. All of these militias running around the deserts of Africa, where are they getting these weapons from? Where do they get food from? Wilmer Leon (01:00:33): Right, right, right. Brother Tom Porter. Man, as always, thank you. Tom Porter (01:00:45): Thank you for having me. It's been a long day. Wilmer Leon (01:00:48): I know it has, and I appreciate you giving me your time today. I got to thank you Tom Porter so much, man, for joining the show today. Greatly, greatly appreciate it. Tom Porter (01:00:57): Thank you for having me. Have a good evening, Wilmer Leon (01:01:00): Folks. Thank you so much for listening to the Connecting the Dots podcast with me, Dr. Wilmer Leon. Stay tuned for new episodes each week. Please follow and subscribe, go to the Patreon account. We'll greatly appreciate you contributing to the program. We can't do this without your support, so please go to the Patreon account. The address for that is on the bottom of your screen. Also, leave a review. Share the show with those that you think will like it, and then those that you think will hate it, send 'em to 'em anyway. They might just surprise you. Follow us on social media. You can find again, all the links to the show are below in the description. And remember, folks, that this is where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge because talk without analysis is just chatter, and we don't chatter on connecting the dots. See you next time. Until then, I'm Dr. Wilmer Leon. Have a great one. Peace. I'm out Announcer (01:02:08): Connecting the dots with Dr. Wilmer Leon, where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge.

In this season of Interactions, Terri Montague, and Brandon Paradise, engage with contemporary leaders and social change agents regarding the influence and convergence of Christianity, the law, and racial justice. Today's guest is Reverend Bernice King, the daughter of Corretta Scott and Martin Luther King Jr, a social activist in her own right and regularly speaks truth to power. Additionally, as the CEO of the King Center, Dr. King teaches the principles of nonviolent resistance, honors and shares her father's legacy, and protects against its misuse. This podcast is produced by the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University in collaboration with Canopy Forum.Bernice King: The King CenterCenter for the Study of Law and Religion: Center for the Study of Law and Religion | Emory University School of Law | Atlanta, GACanopy Forum: Canopy Forum

In this season of Interactions, Terri Montague, and Brandon Paradise, engage with contemporary leaders and social change agents regarding the influence and convergence of Christianity, the law, and racial justice. Today's guest is Reverend Bernice King, the daughter of Corretta Scott and Martin Luther King Jr, a social activist in her own right and regularly speaks truth to power. Additionally, as the CEO of the King Center, Dr. King teaches the principles of nonviolent resistance, honors and shares her father's legacy, and protects against its misuse. This podcast is produced by the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University in collaboration with Canopy Forum.Bernice King: The King CenterCenter for the Study of Law and Religion: Center for the Study of Law and Religion | Emory University School of Law | Atlanta, GACanopy Forum: Canopy Forum

President Biden tells Israeli PM Netanyahu that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza depends on Israeli steps to address civilian harm and aid worker safety; NATO celebrates its 75th anniversary and hears from the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister; interview with Federal News Network's Drew Friedman on a new rule to protect career federal workers from firings (34); EPA Administrator Regan and Vice President Harris announced $20 billion for clean energy project financing; wreath-laying at King Center in Atlanta on the anniversary of the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Mark Moses Show is joined in studio by Trey Etheridge with MPACT Ministries to about how MPACT and how Trey will be bringing Florida Gators Legend Tim Tebow to speak at The King Center in Melbourne this summer.  Listen to The Mark Moses Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 pm eastern on Sports Radio 107.9 FM/1560 The Fan & Sportsradio1560.com. You can also listen to Mark Mid days on 95.9 The Rocket. Follow him on social media @markmosesshow

How can educators embrace their crucial role in shaping lives and communities? Meet motivational speaker, author, and educational leader Dr. Kimberly P.  Johnson, whose life work illuminates the transformative power of teaching. I have known Dr. Kimberly for nearly 25 years, since we first met at a children's literature conference, where she inscribed a copy of her early book, The Adventures of the Itty Bitty Bunny, for my daughter. Since that time, I have followed her career with interest. Her TedX Talk and her book Data Doesn't Always Determine Success have been important influences in my own work in classrooms across the country. And, I can tell you from personal experience, she is one of the most engaging keynote speakers out there. She's got the power to motivate and lift an audience and inspire them to find the joy in teaching because she practices what she preaches.In this episode, Dr. Kimberly shares her COACHES acronym, guiding us through the profound impact that mentors and community leaders have in motivating and guiding the young minds entrusted to them.  Educators and families alike will enjoy the lively conversation that looks at how education needs to evolve to keep pace with child development and to prepare students to thrive using creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. We also explore ways that hands-on, experiential learning and providing a culturally responsive learning environment helps awaken curiosity and celebrates success. This episode underscores the pivotal shift in classroom management strategies, focusing on nurturing self-regulation over imposing control, thus laying the groundwork for a future of responsible and empowered adults.As a resource for families and educators alike, Dr. Kimberly shares a Positive Parenting Guide with 126 practical tips for engaging children and offering invitations to explore and self-regulate. The guide was created by her students at Clemson University. You can find the link in the show notes on my website. Dr. Kimberly, who holds multiple advanced degrees, is currently completing her Board Certified Behavior Analyst coursework and has a vision of applying this knowledge to enhance both educators' and students' experiences. We also discuss Dr. Kimberly's partnership with the King Center and her authorship of It Starts With Me with Dr. Bernice A. King.  It Starts With Me delves into the idea of BE LOVE as a verb, as a call to action and a catalyst for change.  This concluding message brims with hope and the importance of positive reinforcement and active listening in nurturing a world rich in compassion and understanding. Support the showRead the full show notes, visit the website, and check out my on-demand virtual course. Continue the adventure at LinkedIn or Instagram. *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.

A major Black History Month exhibit is now open in New York State Capitol. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the "1964: New Yorkers Who Shaped History" exhibit in the Capitol building, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Civil Rights Act. It also honors those who helped pave the way for its passage, and then continued the fight for equal justice statewide. The governor noted the state's pivotal role in the civil rights movement, adding it is critical that "we continue to honor and pay tribute to the New Yorkers who fought and marched for Black rights during this time." Meanwhile, the memorial service for Dexter Scott King will be held on February 10. Dexter, the third of Coretta and Martin Luther King Jr.'s four children, died on January 22 after battling prostate cancer.  The service will be held at Ebenezer Baptist Church, which will host a candlelight musical experience honoring his life. The event will be open to the public and live-streamed through the King Center. King's family says his body was cremated to honor his wishes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, we saw some big headlines in the oncology space, from Dexter Scott King's death from prostate cancer and MLB Hall-of-Famer Ryne Sandberg announcing that he was diagnosed with the disease.  The FDA also requested a label update for CAR-T cell therapies that would warn patients and providers about secondary malignancies that have been reported from the treatment. Also, we took a look at laughter therapy, and how it could help patients and caregivers.  We've also been busy covering two conferences — ASCO's Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, as well as their Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, so tune in later this week for a special podcast episode highlighting some major research from those events.  Dexter Scott King Dies of Prostate Cancer, Ryne Sandberg Diagnosed With the Disease Last Monday, Jan. 22, we saw two big stories in the prostate cancer space. First, Dexter Scott King, the son of the Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King, Jr., died of prostate cancer. He was 62 years old.  At the time of his death, King was the Chairman of the King Center, which is an organization focused on educating the world about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dexter Scott King was also the president of the King estate.  In a statement announcing King's death, his wife, Leah Weber said, “He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu. He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until the end.”  And on the same day Dexter Scott King died, Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer, Ryne Sandberg, announced that he was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer.  The 64-year-old — who was a 10-time All Star during his tenure for the Chicago Cubs, which ran from 1982 to 1997 — announced his diagnosis on Instagram. He said that received the diagnosis a week earlier and has started treatment. He asked that fans keep him in their thoughts and prayers.  FDA Requests Warnings on CAR-T Cell Therapies, Citing Secondary Cancers The investigation into CAR-T cell therapies continues. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested that approved BCMA- or CD19-targeted CAR-T cell therapies update their labeling to include a warning of reports of T-cell malignancies, including CAR-positive lymphomas, which have been reported in patients who use this type of therapy.  Back in November, the FDA announced that it was investigating reports of secondary diseases in patients who underwent CAR-T cell therapy. The available data shows that these diseases are extremely rare, and researchers are still looking into what, exactly, is causing them.  Now, the FDA wrote letters to the manufacturers of five CAR-T cell therapies, requesting that they include a Boxed Warning — which is the highest safety-related warning for drugs — outlining the potential risks of CAR-T cell products. The companies must respond to the FDA within 30 days of receiving the letters, which were sent out on Jan. 19.  Laughter Therapy May Improve Mood, Decrease Pain in Patients With Cancer And on a much lighter note, we covered recent research showing that laughter therapy can decrease mood disturbances in patients receiving palliative care for late-stage cancer, as well as their loved ones. The findings, which were published in the journal, Cancer Nursing, also found that the laughter therapy reduced pain perception in patients and decreased levels of burnout in caregivers.  Laughter therapy refers to alternative and complementary therapy using humor to help relieve stress and pain, in addition to potentially improving a patient's sense of well-being, according to the National Cancer Institute. In this instance, it consisted of five 20- to 30-minute sessions held over five consecutive days. The participants introduced themselves using funny tools to relieve tension, and moved their bodies in laughing rhythms.  “This indicates that our palliative care patients and family caregivers would have a positive view of the use of laughter or humor in their palliative circumstances,” the researchers wrote.   For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don't forget to subscribe to CURE®'s newsletters here.

Dexter Scott King, the son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, passed away at 62. Dexter succumbed to prostate cancer, leaving a profound impact on those that he touched. He was named after the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, and carried the weight of his father's legacy at a young age. He was just seven when his father was assassinated. Overcoming personal grief, he became a force in preserving his father's teaching and ideals and played a role as Chairman of the King Center and President of the King Estate. His family, including his brother Martin Luther King III and sister Bernice King, remember him as a brave and dedicated individual whose life was a testament to strength and resilience. Reverend Al Sharpton, echoing the sentiments of many, expressed deep sorrow, yet found solace in the belief that Dexter is now reunited with his reverend parents and sister, Yolanda. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: January 17th, 2022Global thought leader, peace advocate, and CEO of The King Center, Dr. Bernice A. King joins us this week to discuss the importance of social justice, her hopes for this generation, handling grief, and how she's carrying on her parents' legacies. Ways to observe The King Holidayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1oO4xsNlIshttps://thekingcenter.org/king-day-community-service-projects/https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-community-honors-legacy-of-martin-luther-king-jrFollow Dr. Kinghttps://berniceking.com/https://twitter.com/BerniceKinghttps://www.instagram.com/berniceaking/Follow Us:Instagram: www.instagram.com/candicekayla/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/CandiceKayla Website: www.candicekayla.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis could be facing more blowback for unsubstantiated allegations of an improper relationship; Delta Air Lines reports strong financial earnings; and Atlanta's King Center is preparing for the celebration of what would have been Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 95th birthday.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we look back at the history of the holiday and the international context at the time of its first official celebration. On today's podcast, hear from Coretta Scott King, speaking just months after the country's first commemoration of the holiday in 1986. After Dr. King's assassination in 1968, she led the charge to establish her husband's birthday as a national holiday. In this presentation, Mrs. King talks about the first celebration, plans for future celebrations, and some of her work promoting peace and freedom around the world.    Segment 1 (starting at 00:36): The first and second celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day Mrs. Coretta Scott King's speech is from BJC's 20th National Religious Liberty Conference, held in October 1986.  Read the biography of Coretta Scott King on the website of the King Center at this link.  The theme for the 2024 King Holiday Observance is ‘Shifting the Cultural Climate through the Study and Practice of Kingian Nonviolence.' Visit the website of the King Center to learn more, including a list of different ways you can honor the day.  The Progressive National Baptist Convention was the denominational home of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Read more about their history at this link on their website.  “The King Center” is the name commonly used for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, which was established by Mrs. King in 1968.   Segment 2 (starting at 06:18): International work for nonviolence   Segment 3 (starting at 18:09): Hopes and plans for future celebrations   Segment 4 (starting at 23:26): Closing Click here to listen to a presentation from former Rep. Barbara Jordan during this same 1986 event, which we presented in episode 7 of this season. Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

The Mark Moses Show is joined by Frank Hannon of Tesla to talk about his career, his love for playing the guitar and how his band Tesla will be performing this Saturday night at The King Center in Melbourne.  Click on the link below to purchase tickets... Tesla Tickets Listen to The Mark Moses Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 pm eastern on Sports Radio 107.9 FM/1560 The Fan & Sportsradio1560.com. You can also listen to Mark Mid days on 95.9 The Rocket. Follow him on social media @markmosesshow

Welcome to In Search of Excellence! This is the second part of an amazing episode with Martin Luther King III, a human rights activist, advocate, and philanthropist. He is the oldest son and the oldest living child of the civil rights icons, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. For the past five decades, Martin has continued his parents' legacy by dedicating his life to equality, social justice, and nonviolent activism, and is honored that activism through his dedication to human rights, voting access, gun violence prevention, race relations, and other important social causes. He advocates for underserved communities and he has led initiatives, including the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and he has also been awarded the Rosa L. Parks Award and the Lantern of Peace Award. Time stamps:01:00 The case of George Floyd- The police officers got the correct punishment- Being a police officer is a tough job- Protests all around the world – mostly non-violent- Banning on books and going backward- We have to do better08:13 Black people being killed by the police- A variety of things that have to be instituted and implemented- More in-depth psychological evaluations- Civilian review boards- Constant internal changes- Human relations and diversity training- Work together to create better communities13:30 The case of James Earl Ray- MLK III and his family claim he was innocent- There is a bunch of evidence that someone else did it- Ray died after serving 30 years in prison19:22 The advice to people purchasing their dreams- You have to have a plan, determination, focus, and work hard- Don't give up on your dreams- His mom saying his dad would be proud of him24:26 The spike of anti-Semitism- We must go far beyond tolerance- We have to find a way to get rid of hate as a society- Society has created insecurities that make people want to judge27:49 Anti-Semitism on campuses- The anti-Semitic atmosphere on campuses and the response of the leadership- There's got to be more to it because it doesn't make sense- Somewhere we've lost humanity as a society- We have to elevate humanity 36:57 Fill in the blank to excellence- The biggest lesson I've learned in my life    - How to forgive- Number one professional goal    - To find a way to bring people together- And moreSponsors:Sandee | Bliss: BeachesWant to Connect? Reach out to us online!Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Welcome to In Search of Excellence! My guest today is Martin Luther King III, a human rights activist, advocate, and philanthropist. He is the oldest son and the oldest living child of the civil rights icons, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. For the past five decades, Martin has continued his parents' legacy by dedicating his life to equality, social justice, and nonviolent activism, and is honored that activism through his dedication to human rights, voting access, gun violence prevention, race relations, and other important social causes. He advocates for underserved communities and he has led initiatives, including the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and he has also been awarded the Rosa L. Parks Award and the Lantern of Peace Award. Time stamps:01:56 Martin Luther King as a father- MLK III was 10 years old when MLK Jr. was killed- When he wasn't on the road, he spent time with his children- People always wanted to speak to him05:55 Moving to Atlanta and bullying- The first African American kids to integrate the Atlanta school- A kid with issues started bullying them- The change in their relationship- Mental health issues and bullying10:37 An advice to parents whose kids are bullied- Work to build a strong foundation within your children- Figure out how to fortify your child- Martin Luther King's speech about resilience 13:00 When did he find out how important was his dad?- Fully aware when he was assassinated- Many famous people used to come to their house- The president Kennedy was at his funeral- Listened to his dad's speeches later in life18:46 Traveling with his dad- His dad traveled a lot- 80% of the time he traveled alone- He would always seek his wife's advice and counsel- They met at Boston University- Moving to Montgomery and becoming the leader in the community23:16 The constant threat on Martin Luther King's life- The incident with a burning cross- Martin Luther King was in constant danger- A bomb was thrown at their home in Montgomery- The New York attack and the cross on the skin30:30 Martin Luther's King Jr. assassination- The day Martin Luther King Jr. was killed- Comforting conversations with his mother- His mom led the march on Memphis before the funeral35:00 The influence of I Had a Dream speech- The Civil Rights March in Washington- A speech that could be felt by everyone- The last message delivered at the National Cathedral- How to disagree without being disagreeable- It's important to have common ground and build relationships41:38 The winning of the Nobel prize- A validation that he was on the right road- Wanted to create a better world for all of God's children- Always better to resolve conflict than to pick up arms- His message is equally needed today45:36 Forgiveness and hatred- Dad and mom taught them to forgive- How to handle losing a loved one?- His grandmother and uncle were killed in the next 5 years- The traumatic meaning of special bulletins- His grandfather meets his wife's murderer- Harboring hatred or finding a way to release and love54:00 The burden of his name- Subconsciously felt the challenges- His mother liberated him by sayiSponsors:Sandee | Bliss: BeachesWant to Connect? Reach out to us online!Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Patricia Sampson is the Director of the Bookstore Resource Center at The King Center in Atlanta, Georgia. She has also work for the High Museum of Art Atlanta as Manager or Retail Shops and Visual Merchandising. She began her retail career in for-profit retail in her home state of New York. She wore many different […]

Patricia Sampson is the Director of the Bookstore Resource Center at The King Center in Atlanta, Georgia. She has also work for the High Museum of Art Atlanta as Manager or Retail Shops and Visual Merchandising. She began her retail career in for-profit retail in her home state of New York. She wore many different […] The post Patricia Sampson With The King Center appeared first on Business RadioX ®.

Wilmer Leon and Tom Porter discuss , as we exist in a political duopoly, what is the African American community to do when neither party is interested in representing its interests and the community does not seem willing to demand that they do.  The geopolitical landscape is changing from a unipolar world with the US as the unipolar hegemon to a multipolar world.  The US empire and neo-colonialism are struggling to survive.  This is a perfect moment in history for the African American community to coalesce with other oppressed peoples and implement change.   You can find me and the show on social media by searching the handle @DrWilmerLeon on X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube. Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/Drwilmerleonctd All our episodes can be found at CTDpodcast.com. Transcript: Wilmer Leon (00:14): I'm Wilmer Leon. Here's the point. We have a tendency to view current events as though they occur in a vacuum, failing to understand the broader historical context in which most events take place. During each episode of this program, my guests and I will have probing, provocative, and in-depth discussions that connect the dots between current events and the broader historic context in which these events occur. This will enable you to better understand and analyze the events that impact the global village in which we live. What are we to do when neither party is interested in representing our interests and we don't seem to be willing to demand that they do? For insight into this, let's turn to my guest. He's a lifelong activist and scholar, former dean of the African-American Studies Department at Ohio University, and former director of the King Center in Atlanta, and former host of morning conversations with Tom Porter. He's Tom Porter. Tom, welcome, and let's connect some dots. Tom Porter (01:21): Good morning and thanks for having me Wiler. Wilmer Leon (01:23): So Tom, there's a lot going on right now. There are certain times or moments in history when you look back at some time later and you say, wow, that was a pivotal moment. That was the time that changed the world, the industrial revolution, the first man on the moon, the assassination of Dr. King. I believe that we're in one of those moments right now, the transformation from a unipolar to a multipolar world with the US no longer being the unipolar hegemon, the US Empire and Neocolonialism are struggling to survive. Tom, with that being understood, your assessment of what I've just stated and what are we to do? Tom Porter (02:12): It's an interesting question. At the same time that the world is, and rightly so focused on the events that are happening in the Middle East, not dealing with it in terms of a historical context, but at the same time that this is happening, there's a big meeting in China celebrating 10 years of the Belt Road Initiative where countries from all over the world are there. We are at a pivotal moment in history and what's happening in the Middle East. It is a reflection of that. It's a reflection of something historically that was wrong from the very, very, the state of Israel was founded in 1948, not in the biblical times of old. And not only was it founded in 1948, and the question you have to really ask yourself, why did they simply allow the Jews to stay in Europe? That's an interesting question. So now if you look at what is happening in the Middle East and if you deal with the results and not how the results were obtained, that is the state of Israel is a geopolitical construct. (03:37) I say that because it was put where it was put, not because it had something to do with the Bible or history, but because it was a strategic move on the part of the West to solve a problem of what to do with the Jews in Europe and also to solve a problem of establishing a geopolitical body in the Middle East to checkmate the Arabs. But while this is going on, the world has moved on. It's no longer a duopoly. It is no longer the West that's dominating. It's not only China, but it's various other organizations and formations around the world in Africa and Latin and Central America, and even in Asia, all pointing in one direction that is trying to find a way to solve the pressing problems of today, which cannot be solved unless you have a multipolar world. Wilmer Leon (04:48): You mentioned the 10th anniversary of China's Belt and Road initiative in the fact that a number of countries from all over the world came to China in order to convene, and you had President Putin spending three hours meeting with President Xi, and this is a rarity. When Putin and Lavrov traveled, foreign Secretary Lavrov traveled together. Lavrov goes to meet with Wangee, the Chinese foreign minister, and they're talking about all kinds of trade initiatives. They're talking about security initiatives, all of this taking place, and the United States isn't in the room. That, in my opinion, speaks volumes about how the world has changed. Tom Porter (05:46): Well, the West is no longer the center of the world. The West is no longer the dominant force in the world, politically, economically and actually militarily because you have around the world, as I said, different organizations and formations and the west has been left out. I mean, take Israel for years. Yesterday the United States representative of the UN vetoed a proposition that was put on the table by Brazil, vetoed it as it has in the past, and that is whenever the subject of Israel misdeeds would come up at the UN and it would pass overwhelmingly, but it was vetoed by the United States. The problem is now that the world is not paying any attention to that veto. But what is also interesting in all of this, Wilma, is the presence of blacks out front representing this country. It was a black woman who vetoed it, Linda Thomas Greenfield. (07:09) Yes, it was Lloyd Austin who went to Israel, went to Israel, and then there was this deputy who I'd never heard of, this black guy who popped up and they always put us out front. We were always out front, but there's never any reciprocity, and that's one of the problems in the African world, including here in this country, is the lack of an understanding of reciprocity because there's no agenda. The last time there was an agenda was the agenda at the Gary Convention. That was the last time. I mean, for instance, everybody wants us to support their position, but we never ask them, what is your position on reparations? Not reparations in some little city out in Illinois that decides that it's going to give a few houses away, but reparations in the same sense that Israel got reparations, the Jews got reparations, the Japanese got reparations. We don't even put it on the table. Where's the black caucus in this? Do they have a position on what's going on in the Middle East? Do they really see any relationship between what's going on in the Middle East and what's happening to us in this country? Gentrification is nothing more than a move against black people to take land in the fifties and sixties. (08:42) They call it urban renewal. We call it negro removal when they put expressways through every major black community in this country that they could, and therefore separating not only black people in terms of communities, but also limiting the possibility that we would be able to act as a force, a unified force. Wilmer Leon (09:07): Go ahead. Tom Porter (09:07): So we don't make the connections between what is happening in the Middle East and potentially what could happen to us in this country as we are marginalized more and more. It's not just gentrification, but it's also the reduction of the quality of education and our school systems. It's also the quality of healthcare. It's everything that we consider the misery index, Wilmer Leon (09:42): And it's all of those things, the misery index that we keep being told that we can't afford to ameliorate or we can't afford to solve, but somehow we can find a hundred billion dollars to send to Ukraine. We can now have a president in Joe Biden who wants to send not only money to Ukraine, but now also send more money to the settler colonial state known as Israel. And you even have Janet Yellen, the Secretary of the Treasury, saying, oh, we can fight wars. We can afford to fight wars on two fronts. That's not a problem at all. Well, if we can fight a war on two fronts, then why can't we fight the war on poverty? Why can't we fight the war on homelessness? Why can't we pay teachers in this country who are supposed to be educating the most significant resource in our culture, our children? Then why can't we afford to pay them more? Why can't we fight those fronts instead of printing money in order to send to Ukraine and in order to send to the settler colonial state known as Israel? Tom Porter (11:06): Exactly. And the problem that I'm having in all of this Wilma, is, and as I talk with my friends, I say the fundamental question that we must ask ourselves today. What does all of this mean for us? Should we have representatives at the Belt and Road Initiative in China? I visited Palestine and Lebanon years ago in a delegation that was led by Jack odell, and one of the things that I admired about the Palestinians, even though they were in a large ghetto, they were organized. They had their own Red Cross, they had their own school system. They acted as if they were in exile. We act as if we belong to something, which each and every day is saying to us that you could stay here, but under our conditions, and we have to really ask ourselves, should we? The UN has already said that the conditions of black people in this country is similar to crimes against humanity. Should this woman who represents the United States represent us at the un or should we have our own? We have to connect ourselves to the forces that are moving forward, not continue to stay and plead each and every day for the devil to accept us in hell. Wilmer Leon (12:47): What I hear you saying there is we should be having an international Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. We should, as Mrs. Hamer did at the Democrat Convention because Mississippi would not seat black, a black delegation that we should create our own and take that to the United Nations. Tom Porter (13:16): Exactly. We have to act as we really are. We are people who are really in exile, whether we believe it or not, there was never any intention to free the slaves and there was never any intention when they were freed to honor that freedom in any meaningful way was never a 40 acres in a mule. I mean, there was never, they had no plan for black people of African descent in this country beyond slavery any more than they had a plan to give the land back to the Native Americans. They never had any plan, and they still don't have a plan. And we have been continuing in each generation, our politics has been focused on trying to convince the people who run this country that we are worthy of being a part of this piece of SHIT. Rather than saying, Hey, I mean it's like critical race theory. (14:25) Why should we be concerned about whether white people want to know about black people? We should be concerned about knowing about ourselves, knowing what our history is, what our history has been. It should be taught in every place that black people gather in the churches and the neighborhood houses and what have you, but we shouldn't be concerned about that. But if people seeking freedom would not be concerned whether or not they're enemies who have been their enemies and will always be their enemy because of the nature of the capitalistic system, they can't solve the problem of black people or the native Americans of brown people, of working people, of poor people within the confines of capitalism. It is impossible. Wilmer Leon (15:14): You mentioned putting black faces on the front of all of this. If we shift the conversation, for example to Haiti, that would be a perfect example of what you're talking about. It's Hakeem Jeffries who has been traversing the Caribbean, trying to convince Caribbean countries to join the US invasion of Haiti. I believe Kamala Harris was a part, I know she's not part of the CBC, but she was at one point that she also was down at Racom trying to convince Caribbean countries to back the US invasion of Haiti. And now they finally convinced Kenya to get on board and send a thousand Kenyan. So-called policemen to Haiti, and fortunately the Kenyan Supreme Court has said not so fast they think that this move violates the Kenyan constitution. But I just use that as an example of how African-Americans are put on the face. I call it minstrel internationalism because it's black face on white folks foolishness Tom Porter (16:37): Without a doubt. They haven't really asked anybody black to comment on what is happening in the Middle East. Only to say that I support the state of Israel or the state of Israel has a rhythm. Wilmer Leon (16:52): Right to exist. Tom Porter (16:53): Right to exist and right to defend itself. Well, that's an interesting question because it goes back to 1948. It's not like this is an old situation, and it was a land grab that the people who settled and formed the state of Israel were not from that part of the world world. Their history was in Europe. And that's why I say it was a geopolitical construct. I mean, they considered putting it where Uganda is, and then they were going to put it in Latin America. So they considered a number of different places. So there's nothing sacrosanct about the state of Israel because the other thing is they say that Israel is the only democracy in the, if in fact Palestinians were allowed to vote in elections in Israel, Wilmer Leon (17:57): They'd be outnumbered. Tom Porter (17:59): Yeah, they'd be outnumbered. But again, we have to ask ourselves, what does this all mean for us? Biden's making these crazy statements. What does it mean to us? What does it mean to us that we give Israel more money than we give the whole continent of Africa every year, but we take more out of the continent of Africa every year. Wilmer Leon (18:32): Go ahead, finish that. Tom Porter (18:33): Then we take out of any other continent. Wilmer Leon (18:36): And to that point, that's one of the things that motivated Niger to throw the French out of Niger, which was we have some of the most precious resources in our country that are extracted from our country every year and somehow some way we're one of the poorest countries in the world. And they were saying, we have to change that dynamic. And what did they do took, and you know what? I think this is a great place to talk about the difference between flag independence and real freedom. Because for example, when you look at Palestine, they have a flag. When you look at Niger, they have a flag. When you look at so many of these former colonial states, which are now neo-colonial states, they got their independence, which means they got a flag, they got a government to a great degree, they control a lot of their politics, but what they don't control was their economies. And when you control your economy, you then have real freedom. And that's what a lot of these resistance movements now are about, is controlling their, what did Gil Scott Heron say? When I control your resources, I control your world. Tom Porter (20:10): That's right. It's interesting because I'm constantly having to remind my friends from the Caribbean that who like to talk about we have our own flag, and I have to constantly remind them that brother and sister, that's just another place where the slave ship stop. Don't get this stuff twisted. And it's very important that we understand that because they are using, do you notice that people who were black Americans now refer to themselves as black American of Jamaican descent, black Americans, of what they were comfortable in being black Americans. And now that they understand that the country is using them, the Black studies movement was undermined by bringing reactionary Africans and people from the Caribbean into leadership. You don't have to take my word for it, do a survey. So because you can come here and don't have a commitment to the struggle of black people in this country, and you leave the real struggle that's going on in your country. So we're beginning to see that not only, but just notice this from now on, people who now say that I'm a black American and of so-and-so, but when you were taking advantage of everything that we had fought for, you were happy in being a black American. Wilmer Leon (21:37): But here's a point that I haven't heard anybody mention, and that is the Balfour Agreement from 1917, which is where the whole agreement to establish a colony in Palestine was agreed to in London. And one of the provisions of the Balfour Declaration was the civil rights and protections of the indigenous Palestinians will not be assaulted. They will be protected. In fact, if you read the Balfour Declaration, Israel isn't mentioned. All it talks about is a homeland for Jewish people in Palestine with a capital P. Tom Porter (22:33): That's interesting. But see, there you go, raising those vicious truths, Wilmer Leon (22:39): Connecting the dots, Tom Porter (22:43): Which is really so important that we understand, as Cabral would say, connecting the struggles that we understand the interrelatedness of the world in which we live, in which China talks about bringing the world together to solve pressing problems, Wilmer Leon (23:01): As does Russia, Tom Porter (23:03): Right? The West, basically everything is a matter of national security. They're motivated. The new justification for every dirty deeded that they want to do is it's a matter of national security. If black people really begin to push hard, they're going to say that it's a matter of national security that we have to deal with. Not that the issue that they're raising is not important. They're not even talking about unifying the world even to solve the problem of climate. They're not talking about peace. They're talking about war, strategic interests and what have you. They're not even discussing building a better world, because if they talked about building a better world, they would have to change the system. And I mean something as simple as trying to solve the climate problem. Well, you could always say that by so-and-so and so-and-So we're going to eliminate the use of automobiles and have more public transportation more. I mean, you can go some places in this country, like my state of Ohio, if you don't have a car, you can't get around. There's no rail system. I mean, one of the things about the east coast, you can go to Philly, you can go to New York, or you get in the Midwest, it gets tricky. Wilmer Leon (24:40): You can go to Europe and never need a car with trains and buses and subway systems. You can go to Europe and never need a driver's license. Tom Porter (24:54): It's a mess, I tell you. Wilmer Leon (24:56): But you know, I'm glad that you brought up war versus solving problems because going back to the meeting that recently took place in China, while that meeting was taking place in China and they were cutting economic deals, they were cutting development deals, they were talking about how to make the world safer and improve the world. Joe Biden was in the Middle East fanning the flames of war, encouraging Netanyahu to invade Gaza, telling him, I've got your back. Go ahead and go on in. And I found it ironic that a couple of weeks ago, maybe a month or so ago, we were looking forward to the Saudis signing a deal, an agreement to recognize the colony known as Israel. And then once Hamas went in and sent those missiles into the colony, the settler colony, Saudi Arabia said, no, that's probably not a good idea right now we need to sit back and reevaluate all of this. Tony Blinken goes to Saudi Arabia and Mohammed bin Salman makes him wait damn near an entire day before MBS sits down with Blinken sending a very clear message. The dynamic is changing Tom Porter (26:45): Because what the Arab nations have to deal with Wilmer Leon (26:50): Are the Arab people, Tom Porter (26:51): The Arab people, the Arab streets, and you got mostly all over the world. The population is getting younger and younger in Africa, in the Middle East, in Asia. It's getting young and younger, and they definitely want a better world, a world free from war. And what Biden and blinking and these people are all selling more war. Why would you send more military weapons to a country that's already just overburdened with weapons? And the thing that they don't mention in any of these discussions is that Israel has nuclear weapons that's always had them. And in contrast to when South Africa gained this political independence, the one thing that they had agreed to was to emulate their nuclear weapons. South Africa had nuclear weapons under apartheid, and one of their leading, if not leading most important trading partner was Israel. Was Israel. When people say Israel is an apartheid state, it has always supported apartheid. So that's not really, but a small step from supporting apartheid someplace else and instituting the same practices in your country. And Biden goes without any understanding, without any mentioning of the apartheid nature of Israel or in mentioning in a real meaningful, substantive sense, freedom, justice, inequality for the Palestinians. He didn't even mention the two state solution, I don't think. Wilmer Leon (28:47): No. What he did mention that he did in his last speech, he did utter the words to state solution. But what he did not do as he called for peace, he never talked about equality for the Palestinians. And he talked about democracy, but he never spoke about democracy for the Palestinians. Because if you talk, people need to ask themselves this question, what does it mean when Netanyahu or Ben or Mulch talks about an Israeli state? Nobody asks, what does that mean? And it's important for me to say right here, this is not an antisemitic conversation. This has absolutely nothing to do with Jews because this has everything to do with Zionism. And it's important for people to understand. Not all Jews are Zionists, and not all Zionists are Jews. So this conversation has nothing to do with antisemitism. It has everything to do with freedom and justice, not only for the Palestinians, because it has everything to do with freedom and justice for the world. Because if you solve that problem of the settler colonial state and the genocide that's being exercised in the settler colonial state, you can solve a lot of other problems at the same time. Tom Porter (30:40): Well, Israel will never be safe within its borders until it deals fairly with the Palestinians. I mean, you can't just, as Fanon would say, we rebel because we can't breathe. We rebel because we can't breathe. You have 2 million people pushed together in what is nothing but a ghetto. And then you're taking more and more of that each day. You're shooting more and more of them each day. We have to get beyond this notion that if we criticize Israel or if we criticize some behavior of some members of the Jewish community, that we will be accused of antisemitism. (31:29) We have to get beyond that. I mean, clearly they're going to anything that you say that is not in line with what APAC or one of those other organizations, you're antisemite. And so if you go for that, you will never say anything, even if it's in your interest. It's not in Hakeem Jeffries interest to be talking about, we got your back, Israel. They don't have your back. Where's the reciprocity? It's not in the interest of this black woman up in the UN doing the bidding of the United States by vetoing, by doing what the United States has always done. It is not in our interest. It is not an interest of black people. And you can't say that I'm doing my job because you can always leave your job. I mean, if you are doing something that's not in your interest, you're crazy. Wilmer Leon (32:30): You mentioned a world free from war, and I want to just reiterate the point that at that economic in China, they weren't talking about war. They were talking about peace. But what does Gil Scott Heron say? Ask them what they're fighting for and they'll never tell you the economics of war because you were asking about why is the United States sending more weapons into the region? The reason is Lockheed Martin makes a lot of money when they do Raytheon, which by the way, our Secretary of Defense sat on the board of makes a lot of money when they do. That's why these cluster munitions are being sent into Ukraine. Why? Because they've been sitting on the shelf for years because they've been banned internationally. They want to clear their basements and their shelves, say again, Tom Porter (33:34): Their inventory. Wilmer Leon (33:35): They want to clear their inventory why? So they can get contracts for new weapons. That's what a lot of this is all about. And because sending more weapons into Ukraine at this stage of the game isn't going to change the dynamics on the battlefield. That war is over. It's done. The only question now to answer is how much longer does the United States want to push Ukraine to continue to take this weapon? That's the only question. Tom Porter (34:07): And the fact is sitting, all these are matters into the Middle East, these ships and what have you. It's just a show and supporting the military industrial complex because the United States is not going to get involved in a war in a Middle East because it will inflame the whole Middle East and the state of Israel will cease to exist if that happens. So I mean, it is bs, but there's an old saying that capitalism can only grow under war, and socialism can only grow, can grow only in peace. And so the Chinese know that if we can build a better mousetrap, and we can't do that if we just trying to build up an army, what have you, we have an army, what have you, but we don't want to get in any kind of war at all. We're not going to get sucked into something. With Taiwan, we played a long game. The Taiwanese are Chinese people, and there's a difference between the government and people. So capitalism, the history of capitalism has been, war has been plundering, has been rape. That's the history of capitalism. It was founded Wilmer Leon (35:27): Markets and resources, markets, resources and labor. That's Tom Porter (35:34): We were both the market and the labor. Wilmer Leon (35:36): We, well, in fact, many will argue that that's one of the reasons why they had to end enslavement in this country was because they needed those enslaved individuals as customers. Tom Porter (35:52): That's interesting because that is basically what we are even in the country days, is consumers. (36:01) Consumers. And if we would stop, my godson has a book, the Myth of Black Buying Power, which is true. But the other side of that is that the strength that we do have is to withdraw participation in the game of capitalism except where necessary. That is real power. The guy who on the bus in Montgomery, he never quit lacking blacks, never quit discriminating against blacks in his mind. But he had to decide whether or not he was going to have a bus company or not, and he just held his nose and said, they can ride anywhere they want to ride. Wilmer Leon (36:48): Which is one of the things I always, and you were much closer to that than I was, than I ever could have been. I always felt that one of the mistakes that we made early in that game was getting back on the bus. Once we decided to not ride the bus. We should have sent the bus company into bankruptcy. Tom Porter (37:11): Right. And started our own. Wilmer Leon (37:14): Exactly. Exactly. Tom Porter (37:17): I mean, the history of black people in this country is that when we did our own, we had more power and greatest strength and greater community. You take the, I remember growing up with the Negro Leagues, it was nothing like it. And who cared about what Babe Ruth or somebody else was doing? Wilmer Leon (37:44): We had Hank Aaron, right? We had Josh Gibson. Tom Porter (37:47): The whole myth that black quarterbacks didn't have whatever it took to be quarterbacks, whatever were quarterbacks in every black high school to every black college in the country. They just wasn't playing in the NFL. Wilmer Leon (38:00): And look at the NFL today, Tom Porter (38:02): Right? And that is why the Negro Leagues, and that's a whole nother discussion about Jackie Robinson, not him personally, but the integrating of baseball had absolutely nothing to do, but fairness of being right by black people. It had to do with the fact that more people were going to see black baseball than was going to see white baseball. And whenever black baseball and white baseball meant black Wilmer Leon (38:33): Baseball, baseball won. Tom Porter (38:37): The same is true with the A, B, A and the NBA. More people were going to watch Dr. J and Artist Gilmore, they were going to watch the NBA. So we say we got to merge it. And it's so much that in America, it's like the difference between jazz and black music. Anybody can play jazz, but everybody can't play Wilmer Leon (38:59): Black music. Can't play black music. Well, it's interesting that you brought up the ABA and the NBA and comparing that to the integration of baseball, because when they integrated baseball, they didn't bring the black teams into Major League baseball. No, they did not. They brought the black players because if you bring the black teams, you have to bring black ownership. And I think it was Queen Mother Moore. And again, you may know that, you probably know that history a whole lot better than me, but I thought it was Queen Mother Moore in New York that kept advocating for don't take the players out of the Negro Leagues, integrate the teams. But when they went to the A, b, A and the NBA, the ABA was still, that was white ownership in the A, B, A. It was white ownership in the NBA. So what did they do with the A, B, A? They integrated players and teams instead of just players. Because if they had done the same thing with basketball that they did with baseball, a lot of those A teams would've folded. Tom Porter (40:08): You're absolutely right. You're absolutely right. So same, we see the same thing playing out today, and they give us Jay-Z and Queen B give us Obama and Michelle. They give us all of these things. And at the same time that the life for the majority of black people in this country is getting worse because it's good that magic decides to give some black kid a scholarship, but that's not the same as quality education for all black kids. That's like a lottery. You get lucky if Magic knows you or jz. JZ gets to do the Super Bowl a halftime at the Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean anything to these black kids who are out in the street, who can't go to the Super Bowl, can't go to a local NFL game, Wilmer Leon (41:17): May not have a television in their home to watch the Super Bowl. Tom Porter (41:21): It doesn't really mean anything. And so this kind of tokenism and we get caught up in it. I mean, right now we're kind of caught up in what's that? Will Smith and Jada? Jada Ja Wilmer Leon (41:34): Pinkett. Tom Porter (41:34): I don't know what it's all about, and I don't really care because it's really not that important. It just really isn't that important. So we have to be very, very, Wilmer Leon (41:44): Or the discussion about Tyler Perry and what Tyler Perry is doing and how great it is for black people, even though he has a non-union organization in Atlanta, and we know what unions did to help create the black middle class. He made a lot of his money playing off of stereotypes of black people. Tom Porter (42:08): He still, I mean, I think about a week ago I saw one of his movies, it was late at night. I turned on a movie. It was why I got Married or something. And it's basically black people playing white people in black face. That's basically what it is. I mean, the kind of issues that they have and the kind of jobs that they have Wilmer Leon (42:31): And the responses and solutions that are provided are not ours. In fact, I remember Barack is saying They playing you better than you. Tom Porter (42:42): No question. Wilmer Leon (42:45): So here's the question, Tom, what are we to do? We're looking at 2024 right now. We're looking at Trump and Biden don't know if Trump's going to get there because he may wind up in jail. Don't know if Biden's going to get there. He doesn't really know where he is. So given that right now, that's what we have. They're talking about Robert Kennedy now has declared he's going to run as an independent. Dr. West has left the Green Party and he's running as an independent. So to those that are watching and listening right now, Tom, what are we to do in a duopoly where neither party is concerned about us and we don't seem to be concerned about demanding that they are. Tom Porter (43:46): One of the reasons why they had to derail Jesse's campaign had and the Democrats derailed his campaign and led by a segment of the Jewish community. People forget that when Jesse announced that he was running for president and the convention center in Washington dc, the Jewish Defense League interrupted his announcement. And everywhere Jesse went in those early days, and in those early days, he called it the road team. It was myself, Jesse, and Florence Tate, the press secretary. We were traveling from city to city, and the JDL was harassing us at every place that we went. And it was because of the nation of Islam providing us security of security that they backed off. I can remember our first meeting in New York with a Jewish community, Jewish leaders in New York. Percy Sutton met us backstage with a Yama Corps in his head explaining to us how we had to deal with how we had to relate with Jews. (45:09) So the Jaime thing, they never heard. Jaime and Jesse never used Jaime in a negative derogative way. I mean, the Jewish community would tell you, New York is theirs, so they don't have a problem. Ask Chuck Schumer, right? So they didn't have a problem with that. Ask Gregory Meeks. But the base of the Democratic Party was labor and the black community labor split. A lot of labor went for Donald Trump. Trump. Some went for Biden. The black community is the only community that has remained loyal to the Democratic Party. The Democratic party. There's nothing on the agenda that speaks to any concrete solution to what black people need and deserve nothing at all. So my position is I'm not going to focus on the less of two evils. That's evil. Yeah, evil is evil. And that's been going on for a very long time. And we've come up short. (46:30) We came up short with Obama. We came up short with Clinton. We came up with both of the bushes. We keep coming up short. The only person who sincerely attempted to address the issues of black people was Jimmy Carter. And of course it got him in trouble. So we have to begin to think it's good to run as an independent, and I'm glad to see Cornell West through that, but he does not have the base and the understanding and the clarity that Jesse had in the notion of a rainbow coalition and the Rainbow Coalition. We used to call it the domestic third world in the sixties, the unity of black, brown and yellow people and whoever else wanted to you because that's where the strength is. And so unless Cornell West could pull it off and he can't, but we must independently, we must have an agenda that says, if you want our vote, this is what we're going to do. (47:35) And if you're not willing to do this, then we're not voting for you because you're going to come up, which we're going to come up with snake eyes anyhow. Because when you get in, as Biden has done, he does a lot of symbolic stuff and he's got some symbolic clowns around him, Clyburn Sharp, Al, and this group and all the people. I mean, there's just some interesting stuff that's happening and we're getting left out of it. Nobody asks us what we think about any of these issues, how King Jeffries can speak about the state of Israel, but he can't speak about reparations. I mean, what good is he to us if he's not carrying our water? I mean, what good is Lloyd Austin if he's Secretary of Defense Wilmer Leon (48:31): And not defending us? Tom Porter (48:32): That's right. And all of these so that if they're not doing that and we have to call 'em out, we have to call out the Black Caucus. If you say you represent us, this is what we want you to do. We'd be better off without you. Wilmer Leon (48:48): And in the state of things today. In fact, I'm glad you mentioned the Black Caucus, because I've said for a very long time that when you look at the original, I think it was 13, when you look at the original Black Caucus and you look at where they came from, they came out of the struggle. They came out of the community and they came out of organizations and organic, many of them organic organizations within the community we're now a couple of generations removed from that. And I don't think that it's an accident that they are now less progressive, less effective than the original group that was known as the Conscience, conscience of the Congress Tom Porter (49:42): And less connected to the community because they're not funded by the community. They are funded by outside interests, and they no longer see that they have to represent us. They don't go home to their communities. You don't hear anything from, I don't know any members of the black community, somebody, I mean Meeks, I don't know anything about Black Caucus. Yeah, black Caucus. I don't even know them anymore. I used to know all of them. I used to participate, but it's nothing to participate in now. And we've got to have a whole new thinking that's in line with where the world is going, not where the world has been. So that we need to have both a domestic and international policy. We need to be connected with the Belt and Road initiative. I'm not talking about just black people in this country, and there are some African countries that are connected. Wilmer Leon (50:49): A lot of them are. Tom Porter (50:52): We've got to rethink what does Pan-Africanism mean today? Because it is still important. I mean, we've only been in this country a short while, so I mean, it ain't like we've been here for a long time. So as Africa is beginning to emerge, that we must emerge with it. We must have a new way of thinking about Pan Africans and what does it mean? And the Chinese are trying bit by bit to reorganize Ong and the African, Asian and Latin American conferences that used to take place in this country. I mean in the world, we have to rethink all of this, but we have to also in rethinking that realize that we need these formations in today's world. Wilmer Leon (51:46): We need these formations in today's world. And you talk about organizing, and a lot of people listening to this might say, well, what do you mean? Well, when you look at, for example, the L-G-B-T-Q community, they organized, they demanded, they got a president to come out, an African-American president to come out and support same-sex marriage. You look at the women's movement and they organized. They demanded, and they got an African-American president who very proudly and rightfully says, the first piece of legislation that I signed was the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. And now you have folks that'll say, well, why is the African-American community complaining when there are African-American members of the L-G-B-T-Q community, there are black women that benefited from the Lily led better Fair Pay Act. There's a difference between being an indirect beneficiary of a policy. There's a difference between being an indirect beneficiary of a policy and being a direct beneficiary of a policy. Tom Porter (53:04): Well, as I say, I believe in reciprocity. And if you come to me, and I've experienced this before in the past, people asking me to support something, I said, where do you stand on the issues that affect black people? Don't come to me and say that our struggles are similar. I mean, I don't need to tell me that your struggle is similar to mine. I need you to tell me where you stand on those issues that impact me. When Kamala Harris was in Africa recently, the complaint of the Africans is that she spent more time trying to convince them why they should be involved with the LG community. I can never say that, right? Too many letters, but they complained that that's all she was talking about, the Africans. But where does this community stand? Wilmer Leon (54:03): Lemme just quickly interject that in that issue of L-G-B-T-Q on the continent, that issue was not an indigenous issue or an organic issue to countries on the continent. That issue was brought there by white evangelicals Tom Porter (54:26): Who Wilmer Leon (54:26): Went there and raised that and presented that as something that mattered in countries that didn't give a damn about it. Tom Porter (54:39): Again, as I say, we got to have a clear agenda, and it's got to be rooted in reciprocity, and it's got to be an agenda that impacts African people wherever they are. And because if you don't think about it in a large sense, what you'll get is what's happening to reparations. I mean, I think it's Evanston, Illinois, which has for some reason, they of doing something with reparations, and now they become a leader in the reparations movement. And then we have to watch these organizations in the black community because people are leading organizations today who 20 years ago were anti-socialist, were anti-communist, Ron Daniels and your mentor, I would say your mentor, but Ron Walters, they were part of expelling Ami Baraka from the Black Political Movement because he was a socialist. And yesterday Ron Daniel's organization was in Grenada supporting the anniversary of Maurice Bishop's movement. But 20 years ago, these people were on the opposite side. It's interesting that the MacArthur Foundation gave Ron Daniels $500,000. I don't know what for, but I know a leopard doesn't change its spots either. So they're bringing all of these people back. Al Sharpton, who used to be a snitch. How do you decide that you're not going to be a snitch? You go in and tell the people you were snitching to, I'm not going to do it anymore. (56:29) But these people, they have to justify. How do you come from that to where you presenting yourself as a leader? After Dr. King and all of the great speakers we have, it's easy for you to become a speaker. You can just plagiarize turn around Dr. King of Malcolm and what have you. So it's not Mr. Say, Mr. Do and what have you been doing in the past? So we got to take a look at the leadership and not be afraid to reject them. I think Barack Obama and his wife looked good. They were good representation of how middle and upper class blacks should look. Wilmer Leon (57:19): But what did they do Tom Porter (57:21): Right? Tom Wilmer Leon (57:22): Porter, I got to thank you as always, my brother. Thank you so much for joining me today. Big shout out to my producer, melody McKinley. Thank you so much, folks for joining Connecting the Dots podcast. I'm Dr. Wimer Leon. This is where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge. And remember, talk without analysis is just chatter, and we don't chatter on connecting the dots. Stay tuned for new episodes every week. Also, please follow and subscribe. Leave a review, share my show, follow me on social media. You can find all the links on the show in the show description. I'll see you next time. Until then, treat each day like it's your last because one day you'll be right. I'm Dr. Wilmer Leon. Peace and Blessings. I'm out

In this episode, Scott Modell, Ph.D. and Staci Whitney, LMSW are joined by Executive Director of the Adult Advocacy Centers, Katherine Yoder, MS, CFI. Katherine shares her experience as an individual with Autism and also discusses emerging trends she's recognized in the disability field.Katherine Yoder is a certified forensic interviewer and a person with disabilities herself. For more than 20 years she has worked with people with disabilities in various capacities, from direct care to investigating crimes against people with disabilities across the state of Ohio. She also served on the Mortality Review Committee for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. All of this work revealed the glaring gaps in the different systems when a crime is committed against a person with a disability. After co-authoring the Advanced Forensic Interviewing Individuals with Disabilities (Project FIND) protocol, Katherine founded the Adult Advocacy Centers (AACs) in March 2019 to serve crime victims with disabilities. Since then, she has co-authored the Project FIND Adapted protocol for individuals who do not speak and four AACs' ADEPT forensic interviewing protocols for crime victims with disabilities. She holds a Bachelor's degree in social psychology from Park University and a Master's degree in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati. She is a Nonviolence 365 Ambassador with the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Katherine has receved many awards, including the Equality in Advocacy Award from Ohio Victim Witness Association in 2018, the Social Justice Award from the Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission in 2021 and the Ohio Attorney General's Promising Practice Award in 2022. She was also a Diversability D-30 Disability Impact List Honoree for 2023. In 2023, the AACs were granted special consultative status to the United Nations, opening new doors to collaborations with international nonprofits, disability organizations and medical crisis responders around the world.

The Mark Moses Show is joined by Riki Rachtman to talk about his great career, his love for all things Rock Music and how he will be coming to The King Center on November 4th for his one man show "One Foot in The Gutter". Get tickets right now at the link below... Riki Rachtman Tickets Listen to The Mark Moses Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 pm eastern on Sports Radio 107.9 FM/1560 The Fan & Sportsradio1560.com. You can also listen to Mark Mid days on 95.9 The Rocket. Follow him on social media @markmosesshow

The Mark Moses Show is joined by Actor William Shatner to talk about how William will be coming to The King Center in Melbourne in November for a showing of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Mark and Mr. Shatner also breakdown how William got the chance to go into outer space in 2021 and how William is still having fun in his early 90s today.  Click on the link below for tickets to coming up on November 10th, 2023 at The King Center in Melbourne. William Shatner Tickets Listen to The Mark Moses Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 pm eastern on Sports Radio 107.9 FM/1560 The Fan & Sportsradio1560.com. You can also listen to Mark Mid days on 95.9 The Rocket. Follow him on social media @markmosesshow

Part two of our autumn 2023 edition of Unearthed! includes potpourri, repatriations, shipwrecks, art, and a few perfect October entries. Research:  “Early humans deliberately made mysterious stone 'spheroids'.” PhysOrg. 9/10/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-early-humans-deliberately-mysterious-stone.html Alutiiq Museum. “Archaeologists Recover 3,000-year-old Weavings from Ancestral Alutiiq Settlement.” Alaska Native News. 8/26/2023. https://alaska-native-news.com/archaeologists-recover-3000-year-old-weavings-from-ancestral-alutiiq-settlement/69558/ Australian National Maritime Museum. “Exploring South Australia's oldest shipwreck.” Phys.org. 8/15/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-exploring-south-australia-oldest-shipwreck.html Barker, Christopher. “Stolen van Gogh Painting Worth Millions Returned in an Ikea Bag.” Smithsonian. 9/14/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dutch-art-detective-recovers-a-van-gogh-stolen-in-2020-180982896/ BBC News. “Man finds 8,000-year-old dolphin bones in back garden.” 7/31/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66361506 BBC News. “Tiny Roman dog remains found during Oxford archaeological dig.” 7/25/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-66294261 Beazley, Jordan. “ANU museum to hand back stolen 2,500-year-old vase to Italy.” The Guardian. 9/13/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/sep/14/anu-to-return-2500-year-old-vase-to-italy-after-link-to-art-trade-exposed Bebber, Michelle R. et al. “Atlatl use equalizes female and male projectile weapon velocity.” Scientific Reports. 8/16/2023. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-40451-8 Beimfohr, Chelsea. “109-year-old survivor of Tulsa Race Massacre pens new book, speaks at King Center.” Atlanta News First. 9/26/2023. https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/09/27/109-year-old-survivor-tulsa-race-massacre-pens-new-book-speaks-king-center/ Ben Crump. “Ben Crump and Family of Henrietta Lacks Announce Settlement.” https://bencrump.com/press/family-of-henrietta-lacks-announce-settlement/ Binswanger, Julia. “Forgotten Winnie-the-Pooh Sketch Found Wrapped in an Old Tea Towel.” Smithsonian. 8/28/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/winnie-the-pooh-sketch-wrapped-tea-towel-180982800/ Briseida MEMA. “Archaeologists uncover Europe's oldest stilt village.” Phys.org. 8/11/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-archaeologists-uncover-europe-oldest-stilt.html British Library Medieval Manuscripts Blog. “Showing Elizabeth I in a new light.” 7/15/2023. https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2023/07/showing-elizabeth-i-in-a-new-light.html British Library Press Office. “British Library researcher throws new light on Elizabeth I.” July 2023. https://www.bl.uk/press-releases/2023/july/British-Library-researcher-throws-new-light-on-Elizabeth-I?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=press&utm_content=camdens_annals#:~:text=Helena%20Rutkowska%2C%20DPhil%20student%20at,to%20explore%20hundreds%20of%20previously Cell Press. “Ancient metal cauldrons give us clues about what people ate in the Bronze Age.” 8/18/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-ancient-metal-cauldrons-clues-people.html Chappell, Bill. “Iconic female artist's lost painting is found, hundreds of years after it was created.” NPR. 9/25/2023. https://www.npr.org/2023/09/25/1201501653/artemisia-gentileschi-susanna-and-the-elders Cin, Muharrem. “Makeup materials from Roman era unearthed in ancient city of Aizanoi in Türkiye.” Andalou Agency. 9/24/2023. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/makeup-materials-from-roman-era-unearthed-in-ancient-city-of-aizanoi-in-turkiye/2999909 Delgado, Maria Jesus. “Oldest hunter-gatherer basketry in southern Europe, 9,500 years old, discovered in Cueva de los Murciélagos, Albuñol (Granada, Spain).” EurekAlert. 9/28/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1003066 Dowell, Stuart. “Ghoulish remains of ‘vampire child' found in ‘grave of the damned'.” The First News. 8/7/2023. https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/ghoulish-remains-of-vampire-child-found-in-grave-of-the-damned-40397 Efford M, Taft S, Morin J, George M, George M, Cavers H, et al. (2023) Archaeology demonstrates sustainable ancestral Coast Salish salmon stewardship over thousands of years. PLoS ONE 18(8): e0289797. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289797 Flavell, Julie. “The Dog Who Served on Both Sides of the American Revolution.” Smithsonian Magazine. 8/25/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-dog-who-served-on-both-sides-of-the-american-revolution-180982781/ Gillett, Francesca. “Ancient 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck found off coast of Italy.” BBC News. 7/28/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66337902 Gorski, “119-year overdue book returned by WVU Library.” 12WBOY. 7/27/2023. https://www.wboy.com/news/monongalia/west-virginia-university/library-book-returned-and-it-was-only-119-years-overdue/ Handwerk, Brian. “Famed 5,300-Year-Old Alps Iceman Was a Balding Middle-Aged Man With Dark Skin and Eyes.” Smithsonian. 8/16/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/famed-5300-year-old-alps-iceman-was-a-balding-middle-aged-man-with-dark-skin-and-eyes-180982744/ Hanson's. “Panko game made to aid suffragettes a century ago found during house clearance.” 7/18/2023. https://hansonsauctioneers.co.uk/panko-game-made-to-aid-suffragettes-a-century-ago-found-during-house-clearance/ Jarus, Owen. “2,200-year-old remains of sacrificed giant panda and tapir discovered near Chinese emperor's tomb.” LiveScience. 8/18/2023. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/2200-year-old-remains-of-sacrificed-giant-panda-and-tapir-discovered-near-chinese-emperors-tomb Kent State University. “Atlatl weapon use by prehistoric females equalized the division of labor while hunting, experimental study shows.” 8/18/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-atlatl-weapon-prehistoric-females-equalized.html Kindy, Dave. “Piece of wood found at garage sale was part of the sunken USS Maine.” Washington Post. 9/17/2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/09/17/uss-maine-mast-arlington-cemetery/ Kuta, Sarah. “‘Perfectly Preserved' Glassware Recovered From 2,000-Year-Old Shipwreck.” Smithsonian. 7/27/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/glassware-2000-year-old-roman-shipwreck-180982615/ Kuta, Sarah. “See Underwater Wreckage From the Battle of Midway in Stunning Detail.” Smithsonian. 9/22/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/battle-of-midway-shipwreck-photos-180982938/ Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “A Virginia Museum Repatriated a Nigerian Sculpture and Received a High-Tech Replica in Return. Could the Exchange Shape Future Restitutions?” ArtNet. 7/7/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/chrysler-museum-factum-foundation-high-tech-facsimile-restitution-2332938 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “A Woman Bought a $4 Painting at a Thrift Store for Its Frame. Now, It's Been Revealed as an N.C. Wyeth, Worth as Much as $250,000.” ArtNet. 9/6/2023. https://news.artnet.com/market/thrift-store-buy-nc-wyeth-2355493 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Two 10th-Century Stone Idols, Which Were Stolen From a Temple in India and Found in a Garden Shed in the U.K., Will Be Repatriated.” ArtNet. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/10th-century-idols-found-in-garden-shed-returned-to-india-2335670 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Ancient Amazonians intentionally created fertile 'dark earth.'” Science Daily. 9/20/2023. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230920152306.htm Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology. “The scent of the afterlife unbottled in new study of ancient Egyptian mummification balms.” Science Daily. 8/31/2023. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230831121651.htm Mayorquin, Orlando. “Overdue Book Is Returned to a Library After Nearly 120 Years.” New York Times. 7/9/2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/09/us/massachusetts-overdue-book-119-years.html net. “Strange burial of 9th-century teenager reveals tragic story.” https://www.medievalists.net/2023/08/strange-burial-of-9th-century-teenager-reveals-tragic-story/ Miller, Ken. “Researchers exhume seven sets of remains in search for Tulsa Race Massacre victims.” The Oklahoman. 10/2/2023. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2023/10/02/tulsa-race-massacre-oklahoma-seven-graves-exhumed/71036617007/ MOLA Headland. “An Unusual Burial and a Tragic Story from Early Medieval Cambridgeshire.” 8/14/2023. https://molaheadland.com/an-unusual-burial-and-a-tragic-story-from-early-medieval-cambridgeshire/ Nowakowski, Teresa. “Historians Discover ‘Remarkably Intact' Shipwreck, Undisturbed Beneath Lake Michigan for 142 Years.” Smithsonian. 9/6/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-an-almost-entirely-intact-142-year-old-shipwreck-in-lake-michigan-180982848/ Nowakowski, Teresa. “The Netherlands Repatriates Nearly 500 Looted Artifacts to Sri Lanka and Indonesia.” Smithsonian. 7/11/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/netherlands-repatriation-sri-lanka-indonesia-180982514/ Osborne, Margaret. “Archaeologists Uncover Oldest Evidence of ‘Curry' Outside of India.” Smithsonian. 7/24/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-oldest-evidence-of-curry-outside-of-india-180982589/ Parker, Christopher. “4,000-Year-Old Cemetery Discovered Beneath Future Rocket Launch Pad in U.K.” Smithsonian. 8/1/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bronze-age-cemetery-rocket-launch-uk-180982633/ Parker, Christopher. “Divers Pull Wreckage of Tuskegee Airman's Plane From the Depths of Lake Huron.” Smithsonian. 9/5/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/divers-haul-engine-of-tuskegee-airmans-plane-from-lake-huron-180982845/ Parker, Christopher. “Manchester Museum Returns 174 Artifacts to Indigenous Australians.” Smithsonian. 9/7/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/manchester-museum-returns-174-artifacts-to-indigenous-austrailians-180982853/ Pendergraff, Gavin. “State archaeologist provides another update on excavation work in Tulsa.” KTUL. 9/14/2023. https://ktul.com/news/local/state-archaeologist-provides-another-update-on-excavation-work-in-tulsa Pittalà, Maria Gaetana Giovanna et al. “Count Dracula Resurrected: Proteomic Analysis of Vlad III the Impaler's Documents by EVA Technology and Mass Spectrometry.” Anal. Chem. 2023, 95, 34, 12732–12744. Publication Date: August 8, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01461 Potter, Lisa. “Daughters breastfed longer, and women accumulated greater wealth in ancient California matriarchal society.” EurekAlert. 7/12/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/995404 Public Library of Science. “Stone Age artists carved detailed human and animal tracks in rock art in Namibia.” 9/13/2023. PhysOrg. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-stone-age-artists-human-animal.html Ritter, Moira. “Detailed mosaic floor — with Medusa's face — unearthed in ancient Roman villa.” Miami Herald. 7/27/2023. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article277706663.html#storylink=cpy Royal Collection Trust. “Lost Artemisia Gentileschi Painting Rediscovered in the Royal Collection.” 9/24/2023. https://www.rct.uk/about/press-office/press-releases/lost-artemisia-gentileschi-painting-rediscovered-in-the-royal#/ Schrader, Adam. “British Museum Director Hartwig Fischer Will Step Down, Leaving the Unresolved Parthenon Marbles Debate to His Successor.” ArtNews. 7/28/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/british-museum-director-hartwig-fischer-step-down-next-year-2342951 Schuster, Ruth. “Synagogue From Late Second Temple Period Found by Black Sea in Russia.” Haaretz. 8/16/2023. https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2023-08-16/ty-article-magazine/synagogue-from-late-second-temple-period-found-by-black-sea-in-russia/00000189-fae4-d0b9-a5a9-ffef91b90000 Shaw, Garry. “‘Thunder floor' found at ancient Andean site in Peru.” The Art Newspaper. 7/18/2023. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/07/18/ancient-dance-floor-sounding-platform-andes-peru-archaeological-discovery Solly, Meilan. “Hidden for 400 Years, Censored Pages Reveal New Insights Into Elizabeth I's Reign.” Smithsonian. 7/18/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hidden-for-400-years-censored-pages-reveal-new-insights-on-elizabeth-is-reign-180982554/ Sullivan, Will. “Archaeologists Uncover Notched Logs That May Be the Oldest Known Wooden Structure.” Smithsonian. 9/22/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-notched-logs-that-may-be-the-oldest-known-wooden-structure-180982942/ Sullivan, Will. “Henrietta Lacks' Family Settles Lawsuit Over the Use of Her Cells Without Consent.” Smithsonian. 8/2/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/henrietta-lacks-family-settles-lawsuit-over-the-use-of-her-cells-without-consent-180982644/ The History Blog. “14th c. shipwreck cannon may be oldest in Europe.” 9/13/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68252 The History Blog. “2,000-year-old synagogue found in southern Russia.” 8/16/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68050 The History Blog. “8-year-old finds 1,800-year-old silver denarius in school sandbox.” http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68120 The History Blog. “Giant panda found in Western Han imperial tomb.” 8/6/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/67972 University of Geneva. “New discoveries on the wreck of Antikythera.” 7/24/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-discoveries-antikythera.html University of Gothenburg. “Shipboard cannon found off the Swedish coast may be the oldest in Europe.” EurekAlert. 9/13/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1001404 University of Montreal. “New evidence of plant food processing in Italy during Neanderthal-to-Homo sapiens period.” Phys.org. 6/29/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-evidence-food-italy-neanderthal-to-homo-sapiens.html University of Southampton. “Archaeologists reveal largest palaeolithic cave art site in Eastern Iberia.” Science Daily. 9/11/2023. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230911141015.htm University of Valencia. “Pigment production adapted to cultural changes and availability of mineral resources 40,000 years ago in Ethiopia.” PhysOrg. 9/11/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-pigment-production-cultural-availability-mineral.html Walls, Alex. “Salmon bones confirm sustainable chum fishery for 2,500 years under Tsleil-Waututh Nation.” PhysOrg. 8/30/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-salmon-bones-sustainable-chum-fishery.html Watts, Rachel. “Divers find long-lost artifact from sunken Empress of Ireland in St. Lawrence River.” CBC. 9/9/2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/divers-find-long-lost-artifact-from-sunken-empress-of-ireland-quebec-compass-platform-1.6959176 Weiwei Wang et al. ,Earliest curry in Southeast Asia and the global spice trade 2000 years ago.Sci. Adv.9,eadh5517(2023).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adh5517 Yirka, Bob. “Arrowhead housed at Bern History Museum found to be made from meteoritic iron.” Phys.org. 7/31/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-arrowhead-housed-bern-history-museum.html Yirka, Bob. “Placement of ancient hidden lamps, skulls in cave in Israel suggests Roman-era practice of necromancy.” Phys.org. 7/14/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-placement-ancient-hidden-lamps-skulls.html    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part one of our Autumn 2023 edition of Unearthed!, we have some oldest things, books and letters, projects specifically related to gender, edibles and potables, and animals.  Research:  “Early humans deliberately made mysterious stone 'spheroids'.” PhysOrg. 9/10/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-early-humans-deliberately-mysterious-stone.html Alutiiq Museum. “Archaeologists Recover 3,000-year-old Weavings from Ancestral Alutiiq Settlement.” Alaska Native News. 8/26/2023. https://alaska-native-news.com/archaeologists-recover-3000-year-old-weavings-from-ancestral-alutiiq-settlement/69558/ Australian National Maritime Museum. “Exploring South Australia's oldest shipwreck.” Phys.org. 8/15/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-exploring-south-australia-oldest-shipwreck.html Barker, Christopher. “Stolen van Gogh Painting Worth Millions Returned in an Ikea Bag.” Smithsonian. 9/14/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dutch-art-detective-recovers-a-van-gogh-stolen-in-2020-180982896/ BBC News. “Man finds 8,000-year-old dolphin bones in back garden.” 7/31/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66361506 BBC News. “Tiny Roman dog remains found during Oxford archaeological dig.” 7/25/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-66294261 Beazley, Jordan. “ANU museum to hand back stolen 2,500-year-old vase to Italy.” The Guardian. 9/13/2023. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/sep/14/anu-to-return-2500-year-old-vase-to-italy-after-link-to-art-trade-exposed Bebber, Michelle R. et al. “Atlatl use equalizes female and male projectile weapon velocity.” Scientific Reports. 8/16/2023. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-40451-8 Beimfohr, Chelsea. “109-year-old survivor of Tulsa Race Massacre pens new book, speaks at King Center.” Atlanta News First. 9/26/2023. https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2023/09/27/109-year-old-survivor-tulsa-race-massacre-pens-new-book-speaks-king-center/ Ben Crump. “Ben Crump and Family of Henrietta Lacks Announce Settlement.” https://bencrump.com/press/family-of-henrietta-lacks-announce-settlement/ Binswanger, Julia. “Forgotten Winnie-the-Pooh Sketch Found Wrapped in an Old Tea Towel.” Smithsonian. 8/28/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/winnie-the-pooh-sketch-wrapped-tea-towel-180982800/ Briseida MEMA. “Archaeologists uncover Europe's oldest stilt village.” Phys.org. 8/11/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-archaeologists-uncover-europe-oldest-stilt.html British Library Medieval Manuscripts Blog. “Showing Elizabeth I in a new light.” 7/15/2023. https://blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanuscripts/2023/07/showing-elizabeth-i-in-a-new-light.html British Library Press Office. “British Library researcher throws new light on Elizabeth I.” July 2023. https://www.bl.uk/press-releases/2023/july/British-Library-researcher-throws-new-light-on-Elizabeth-I?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=press&utm_content=camdens_annals#:~:text=Helena%20Rutkowska%2C%20DPhil%20student%20at,to%20explore%20hundreds%20of%20previously Cell Press. “Ancient metal cauldrons give us clues about what people ate in the Bronze Age.” 8/18/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-ancient-metal-cauldrons-clues-people.html Chappell, Bill. “Iconic female artist's lost painting is found, hundreds of years after it was created.” NPR. 9/25/2023. https://www.npr.org/2023/09/25/1201501653/artemisia-gentileschi-susanna-and-the-elders Cin, Muharrem. “Makeup materials from Roman era unearthed in ancient city of Aizanoi in Türkiye.” Andalou Agency. 9/24/2023. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/culture/makeup-materials-from-roman-era-unearthed-in-ancient-city-of-aizanoi-in-turkiye/2999909 Delgado, Maria Jesus. “Oldest hunter-gatherer basketry in southern Europe, 9,500 years old, discovered in Cueva de los Murciélagos, Albuñol (Granada, Spain).” EurekAlert. 9/28/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1003066 Dowell, Stuart. “Ghoulish remains of ‘vampire child' found in ‘grave of the damned'.” The First News. 8/7/2023. https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/ghoulish-remains-of-vampire-child-found-in-grave-of-the-damned-40397 Efford M, Taft S, Morin J, George M, George M, Cavers H, et al. (2023) Archaeology demonstrates sustainable ancestral Coast Salish salmon stewardship over thousands of years. PLoS ONE 18(8): e0289797. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289797 Flavell, Julie. “The Dog Who Served on Both Sides of the American Revolution.” Smithsonian Magazine. 8/25/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-dog-who-served-on-both-sides-of-the-american-revolution-180982781/ Gillett, Francesca. “Ancient 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck found off coast of Italy.” BBC News. 7/28/2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66337902 Gorski, “119-year overdue book returned by WVU Library.” 12WBOY. 7/27/2023. https://www.wboy.com/news/monongalia/west-virginia-university/library-book-returned-and-it-was-only-119-years-overdue/ Handwerk, Brian. “Famed 5,300-Year-Old Alps Iceman Was a Balding Middle-Aged Man With Dark Skin and Eyes.” Smithsonian. 8/16/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/famed-5300-year-old-alps-iceman-was-a-balding-middle-aged-man-with-dark-skin-and-eyes-180982744/ Hanson's. “Panko game made to aid suffragettes a century ago found during house clearance.” 7/18/2023. https://hansonsauctioneers.co.uk/panko-game-made-to-aid-suffragettes-a-century-ago-found-during-house-clearance/ Jarus, Owen. “2,200-year-old remains of sacrificed giant panda and tapir discovered near Chinese emperor's tomb.” LiveScience. 8/18/2023. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/2200-year-old-remains-of-sacrificed-giant-panda-and-tapir-discovered-near-chinese-emperors-tomb Kent State University. “Atlatl weapon use by prehistoric females equalized the division of labor while hunting, experimental study shows.” 8/18/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-atlatl-weapon-prehistoric-females-equalized.html Kindy, Dave. “Piece of wood found at garage sale was part of the sunken USS Maine.” Washington Post. 9/17/2023. https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/09/17/uss-maine-mast-arlington-cemetery/ Kuta, Sarah. “‘Perfectly Preserved' Glassware Recovered From 2,000-Year-Old Shipwreck.” Smithsonian. 7/27/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/glassware-2000-year-old-roman-shipwreck-180982615/ Kuta, Sarah. “See Underwater Wreckage From the Battle of Midway in Stunning Detail.” Smithsonian. 9/22/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/battle-of-midway-shipwreck-photos-180982938/ Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “A Virginia Museum Repatriated a Nigerian Sculpture and Received a High-Tech Replica in Return. Could the Exchange Shape Future Restitutions?” ArtNet. 7/7/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/chrysler-museum-factum-foundation-high-tech-facsimile-restitution-2332938 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “A Woman Bought a $4 Painting at a Thrift Store for Its Frame. Now, It's Been Revealed as an N.C. Wyeth, Worth as Much as $250,000.” ArtNet. 9/6/2023. https://news.artnet.com/market/thrift-store-buy-nc-wyeth-2355493 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Two 10th-Century Stone Idols, Which Were Stolen From a Temple in India and Found in a Garden Shed in the U.K., Will Be Repatriated.” ArtNet. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/10th-century-idols-found-in-garden-shed-returned-to-india-2335670 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Ancient Amazonians intentionally created fertile 'dark earth.'” Science Daily. 9/20/2023. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230920152306.htm Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology. “The scent of the afterlife unbottled in new study of ancient Egyptian mummification balms.” Science Daily. 8/31/2023. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/08/230831121651.htm Mayorquin, Orlando. “Overdue Book Is Returned to a Library After Nearly 120 Years.” New York Times. 7/9/2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/09/us/massachusetts-overdue-book-119-years.html net. “Strange burial of 9th-century teenager reveals tragic story.” https://www.medievalists.net/2023/08/strange-burial-of-9th-century-teenager-reveals-tragic-story/ Miller, Ken. “Researchers exhume seven sets of remains in search for Tulsa Race Massacre victims.” The Oklahoman. 10/2/2023. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2023/10/02/tulsa-race-massacre-oklahoma-seven-graves-exhumed/71036617007/ MOLA Headland. “An Unusual Burial and a Tragic Story from Early Medieval Cambridgeshire.” 8/14/2023. https://molaheadland.com/an-unusual-burial-and-a-tragic-story-from-early-medieval-cambridgeshire/ Nowakowski, Teresa. “Historians Discover ‘Remarkably Intact' Shipwreck, Undisturbed Beneath Lake Michigan for 142 Years.” Smithsonian. 9/6/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-discover-an-almost-entirely-intact-142-year-old-shipwreck-in-lake-michigan-180982848/ Nowakowski, Teresa. “The Netherlands Repatriates Nearly 500 Looted Artifacts to Sri Lanka and Indonesia.” Smithsonian. 7/11/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/netherlands-repatriation-sri-lanka-indonesia-180982514/ Osborne, Margaret. “Archaeologists Uncover Oldest Evidence of ‘Curry' Outside of India.” Smithsonian. 7/24/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-oldest-evidence-of-curry-outside-of-india-180982589/ Parker, Christopher. “4,000-Year-Old Cemetery Discovered Beneath Future Rocket Launch Pad in U.K.” Smithsonian. 8/1/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bronze-age-cemetery-rocket-launch-uk-180982633/ Parker, Christopher. “Divers Pull Wreckage of Tuskegee Airman's Plane From the Depths of Lake Huron.” Smithsonian. 9/5/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/divers-haul-engine-of-tuskegee-airmans-plane-from-lake-huron-180982845/ Parker, Christopher. “Manchester Museum Returns 174 Artifacts to Indigenous Australians.” Smithsonian. 9/7/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/manchester-museum-returns-174-artifacts-to-indigenous-austrailians-180982853/ Pendergraff, Gavin. “State archaeologist provides another update on excavation work in Tulsa.” KTUL. 9/14/2023. https://ktul.com/news/local/state-archaeologist-provides-another-update-on-excavation-work-in-tulsa Pittalà, Maria Gaetana Giovanna et al. “Count Dracula Resurrected: Proteomic Analysis of Vlad III the Impaler's Documents by EVA Technology and Mass Spectrometry.” Anal. Chem. 2023, 95, 34, 12732–12744. Publication Date: August 8, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01461 Potter, Lisa. “Daughters breastfed longer, and women accumulated greater wealth in ancient California matriarchal society.” EurekAlert. 7/12/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/995404 Public Library of Science. “Stone Age artists carved detailed human and animal tracks in rock art in Namibia.” 9/13/2023. PhysOrg. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-stone-age-artists-human-animal.html Ritter, Moira. “Detailed mosaic floor — with Medusa's face — unearthed in ancient Roman villa.” Miami Herald. 7/27/2023. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article277706663.html#storylink=cpy Royal Collection Trust. “Lost Artemisia Gentileschi Painting Rediscovered in the Royal Collection.” 9/24/2023. https://www.rct.uk/about/press-office/press-releases/lost-artemisia-gentileschi-painting-rediscovered-in-the-royal#/ Schrader, Adam. “British Museum Director Hartwig Fischer Will Step Down, Leaving the Unresolved Parthenon Marbles Debate to His Successor.” ArtNews. 7/28/2023. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/british-museum-director-hartwig-fischer-step-down-next-year-2342951 Schuster, Ruth. “Synagogue From Late Second Temple Period Found by Black Sea in Russia.” Haaretz. 8/16/2023. https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2023-08-16/ty-article-magazine/synagogue-from-late-second-temple-period-found-by-black-sea-in-russia/00000189-fae4-d0b9-a5a9-ffef91b90000 Shaw, Garry. “‘Thunder floor' found at ancient Andean site in Peru.” The Art Newspaper. 7/18/2023. https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2023/07/18/ancient-dance-floor-sounding-platform-andes-peru-archaeological-discovery Solly, Meilan. “Hidden for 400 Years, Censored Pages Reveal New Insights Into Elizabeth I's Reign.” Smithsonian. 7/18/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hidden-for-400-years-censored-pages-reveal-new-insights-on-elizabeth-is-reign-180982554/ Sullivan, Will. “Archaeologists Uncover Notched Logs That May Be the Oldest Known Wooden Structure.” Smithsonian. 9/22/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-notched-logs-that-may-be-the-oldest-known-wooden-structure-180982942/ Sullivan, Will. “Henrietta Lacks' Family Settles Lawsuit Over the Use of Her Cells Without Consent.” Smithsonian. 8/2/2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/henrietta-lacks-family-settles-lawsuit-over-the-use-of-her-cells-without-consent-180982644/ The History Blog. “14th c. shipwreck cannon may be oldest in Europe.” 9/13/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68252 The History Blog. “2,000-year-old synagogue found in southern Russia.” 8/16/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68050 The History Blog. “8-year-old finds 1,800-year-old silver denarius in school sandbox.” http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/68120 The History Blog. “Giant panda found in Western Han imperial tomb.” 8/6/2023. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/67972 University of Geneva. “New discoveries on the wreck of Antikythera.” 7/24/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-discoveries-antikythera.html University of Gothenburg. “Shipboard cannon found off the Swedish coast may be the oldest in Europe.” EurekAlert. 9/13/2023. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1001404 University of Montreal. “New evidence of plant food processing in Italy during Neanderthal-to-Homo sapiens period.” Phys.org. 6/29/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-evidence-food-italy-neanderthal-to-homo-sapiens.html University of Southampton. “Archaeologists reveal largest palaeolithic cave art site in Eastern Iberia.” Science Daily. 9/11/2023. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/09/230911141015.htm University of Valencia. “Pigment production adapted to cultural changes and availability of mineral resources 40,000 years ago in Ethiopia.” PhysOrg. 9/11/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-pigment-production-cultural-availability-mineral.html Walls, Alex. “Salmon bones confirm sustainable chum fishery for 2,500 years under Tsleil-Waututh Nation.” PhysOrg. 8/30/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-salmon-bones-sustainable-chum-fishery.html Watts, Rachel. “Divers find long-lost artifact from sunken Empress of Ireland in St. Lawrence River.” CBC. 9/9/2023. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/divers-find-long-lost-artifact-from-sunken-empress-of-ireland-quebec-compass-platform-1.6959176 Weiwei Wang et al. ,Earliest curry in Southeast Asia and the global spice trade 2000 years ago.Sci. Adv.9,eadh5517(2023).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adh5517 Yirka, Bob. “Arrowhead housed at Bern History Museum found to be made from meteoritic iron.” Phys.org. 7/31/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-arrowhead-housed-bern-history-museum.html Yirka, Bob. “Placement of ancient hidden lamps, skulls in cave in Israel suggests Roman-era practice of necromancy.” Phys.org. 7/14/2023. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-placement-ancient-hidden-lamps-skulls.html    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the state of Georgia, the Public Defender Counsel lacks independence from the Executive Branch. As a result, their ability to speak out on social issues is severely limited. For former Georgia Public Defender Devin Franklin, the inability to speak out against police brutality in the wake of the murder of George Floyd drove him out of a decade long career in Public Defense. For him, and for Hunter, the advocacy of a Public Defender cannot end in the four walls of the court room. Tune in to today's conversation to hear about the Fulton County Jail, Cop City, and what the Public Defender Council of Georgia should be doing to call out these injustices   Guests: Devin Franklin, Movement Policy Counsel, Southern Center for Human Rights Resources:  Southern Center for Human Rights https://www.schr.org/ Follow Devin  on Twitter https://twitter.com/BrotherInLawATL Timeline of Cop City https://scalawagmagazine.org/2023/05/cop-city-atlanta-history-timeline/ Autopsy of activist, Manuel Paez Teran , killed at Cop City https://www.cbsnews.com/news/atlanta-cop-city-manuel-paez-teran-autopsy/ DOJ investigates Fulton County Jail https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/doj-investigation-fulton-county-jail-inmate-death-other-reports Deaths in Fulton County Jail https://theappeal.org/fulton-county-jail-deaths-spiked-2022-pad-funding/ Inside Fulton County Jail https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/the-real-behind-the-wall-a-look-inside-the-infamous-deadly-fulton-county-jail/   Register for the SCHR Pain and Power: Confronting Police Violence in Atlanta Seminar August 19th at The King Center 449 Auburn Avenue Northeast Atlanta, GA 30312 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pain-power-confronting-police-violence-in-atlanta-tickets-673749441717?aff=oddtdtcreator   Contact Hunter Parnell: Publicdefenseless@gmail.com  Instagram @PublicDefenselessPodcast Twitter                                                                 @PDefenselessPod www.publicdefenseless.com  Subscribe to the Patron www.patreon.com/PublicDefenselessPodcast  Donate on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5KW7WMJWEXTAJ Donate on Stripe https://donate.stripe.com/7sI01tb2v3dwaM8cMN  

A recent (current, maybe?) health scare on my part has me furious with corporate healthcare and I'm left wondering: when are we going to say "enough is enough" with the over-corporatizing of every facet of our economy? Atlanta Voice editor-in-chief Donnell Suggs is my guest today, discussing the latest from Donald Trump MORE than inferring that Fulton County DA Fani Willis has had (or is having) an affair with a gang member and is seeking loftier public office. We talk Tim Scott's viability and of COURSE the "Montgomery Brawl." Then a check in on "Cop City" as opponents continue to grab signatures. Dr. Bernice King and the King Center wrote an open letter in the Saporta Report insisting the voters have that referendum say, as meanwhile, the city is lawyering up to nitpick over signatures hoping to derail said referendum.

CW: Brief mentions of suicide Associated Links: Support unbanked/underbanked regions of the world by joining the "at home in my head" Kiva team at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kiva.org/team/at_home_in_my_head⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Blog Link: ⁠⁠⁠https://harrisees.wordpress.com⁠⁠⁠ Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/XIhI8RpZ4yb⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoS6H2R1Or4MtabrkofdOMw⁠⁠⁠ Mastodon: ⁠⁠⁠https://universeodon.com/@athomeinmyhead⁠⁠⁠ Paypal: ⁠⁠⁠http://paypal.me/athomeinmyhead⁠⁠⁠ Helpful Resources: There are several online resources where you can read more about COINTELPRO and their efforts against Martin Luther King Jr. Here are a few suggestions: https://www.brandeis.edu/writing-program/write-now/2018-2019/silverman-jacob/index.html https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/apr/04/preventingtheriseofamessi https://theintercept.com/2023/02/07/fbi-denver-racial-justice-protests-informant/ The King Center: The official website of The King Center has a section on COINTELPRO that provides a detailed overview of the FBI's surveillance and harassment of King.  The FBI Vault: The FBI Vault is the online repository of the FBI's most important records and documents. You can find extensive information about COINTELPRO and King's involvement on this website.  The National Archives: The National Archives have a collection of government documents related to COINTELPRO that you can access online.  The Spartacus Educational website: The website offers comprehensive resources on COINTELPRO and Martin Luther King Jr., including timelines, biographies, and historical context.  The Stanford University Libraries: The library has a digital archive of primary sources related to COINTELPRO that includes FBI memos, surveillance reports, and other materials related to King's involvement. MLK Jr's family history: "Strength to Love" by Martin Luther King Jr. This book contains a collection of King's sermons, many of which reflect on the influence of his parents, particularly his father. "My Life with Martin Luther King Jr." by Coretta Scott King. Coretta Scott King was Martin's wife and was deeply influenced by his parents. Her memoir offers insights into the King family and the civil rights movement. "The Papers of Martin Luther King Jr." This multi-volume collection contains King's personal papers and documents related to his life and work, including letters, speeches, and other materials related to his parents. "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr." edited by Clayborne Carson. This book includes King's own reflections on his life and his parents' influence on his beliefs and activism. The King Center Archives. The King Center in Atlanta, Georgia, maintains an archives collection of materials related to the King family and the civil rights movement. It includes personal papers, photographs, and other documents related to Reverend Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King. Online resources such as biography.com and history.com also provide information about King's parents and their role in shaping his life and beliefs. BLM-related links: https://www.snopes.com/news/2022/04/04/home-purchase-by-black-lives-matter-foundation-scrutinized/ https://ccrjustice.org/dhs-race-paper https://www.vox.com/identities/2016/10/24/13380456/black-lives-activists-surveillance-fbi https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/19/fbi-surveillance-black-lives-matter-protesters-00097924 https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-race-ethnicity-philanthropy-black-lives-matter-5bc4772e029da522036f8ad2a02990aa https://www.axios.com/2023/06/14/black-lives-matter-support-blm-survey  https://theintercept.com/2023/07/06/fbi-social-media-surveillance-zerofo Music Credits: “Wishful Thinking” – Dan Lebowitz: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOg3zLw7St5V4N7O8HSoQRA⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tracie-harris/support

The C.O.W.S. welcomes Dr. Bethan V. Jones. An independent scholar whose work examines the relationship between fans, objects of fandom, and producers, Dr. Jones has published extensively on digital media, gender, antifandom and toxicity. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Transformative Works and Culture, Participations, and Sexualities, as well as edited collections for Palgrave and Routledge. She's also a board member on the Fan Studies Network. We'll discuss her 2022 paper on the White fandom around the cowardly Columbine shooters. Apparently, the Colorado killers are big news across the pond too. We'll relate this to Dr. Jones' report on her trip to Atlanta, Georgia. She attended an academic conference and made time for the Walking Dead tour. We'll discuss the racial demographics of the folks on these tours and what they reveal about White culture. We'll also see if she stopped by the King Center to pay her respects to the “Drum Major for Justice.” We heard about Dr. Jones from our recent conversation with Dr. Judith Fathallah, who's also in Whales. It seems they are pals. This program includes a staggering illustration of black male privilege. #Columbiner #WhiteFandom #TheCOWS14Years INVEST in The COWS – http://paypal.me/TheCOWS Cash App: https://cash.app/$TheCOWS CALL IN NUMBER: 605.313.5164 CODE: 564943#

This public radio documentary explores the practice of nonviolence in the quest for justice and equality. You'll hear archival sound from the U.S. civil rights movement, including interviews with associates of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.: Dr. Vincent Harding, a King speechwriter and first director of the King Center in Atlanta; Dorothy Cotton, who served as Education Director […]

The Peace Alliance welcomes folks from The King Center as we honor the birthday of Mrs. Coretta Scott King during our National Monthly Peacebuilders Podcast.   The King Center has graciously partnered with The Peace Alliance for a cohort to participate in the Nonviolence 365 training in beloved community. We celebrate this partnership as well as learn more about The King Center with our special guests Dr. Elizabeth Rosner and Dr. Tori Dudley.

Terence Lester is a storyteller, public scholar, speaker, community activist, and author who is the founder and Executive Director at Love Beyond Walls a nonprofit organization focused on raising poverty and homelessness awareness and community mobilization. He's known for nationwide campaigns that bring awareness to homelessness, poverty, and economic inequality. His awareness campaigns have been featured on MLK50, CNN, Good Morning America, CNN, Essence Magazine, TEDx, TVONE, Creative Mornings, USA Today, NBC, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) National Magazine, and NBCNews, as well as AJC, Black Enterprise, Rolling Out, and Upworthy. These campaigns have been viewed by millions of people worldwide. Three ideals drive Terence: (1) anyone can make a difference, (2) we don't live forever, (3) and it's worth dedicating one's life to making sure no one feels invisible. In 2016, Terence led the March against Poverty 2016, where he walked from Atlanta, GA, (the SCLC Headquarters) to the White House (over 800 miles) to bring attention to homelessness in the U.S. Terence led the 2018 March against Poverty as he walked from Atlanta to Memphis (386 miles). He finished the march and spoke at the historic Lorraine Motel for the 50th anniversary of MLK's assassination. In 2019, Terence opened Dignity Museum, the first museum in the U.S. to represent the homeless—out of a shipping container. Terence has delivered countless sermons and speeches at conferences, churches, schools, corporate settings, classrooms, and several unique spaces, including the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial in Washington, DC, the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Center for Civil and Human Rights, CCDA, Radio One's Praise in the Park, Morehouse College, Alabama University, and Paine College. He has spoken on the same platform as many other civil rights activists, such as Dr. Bernice King, Roland Martin, Gina Belafonte, Dr. Vonnetta West, Carlos Rodriguez, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, and Tamika D. Mallory. Terence's personal approach combines storytelling and digital media to help illustrate social justice issues with practical strategies to solving these ailments. He holds an associate degree in Media Production (2005), a B.A. in Pastoral Leadership (2008), a Master of Education in Counseling (2010), a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (2012). He is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at Union Institute and University with a concentration in Public Policy and Social Change. He has served on several ministerial staffs and has authored seven books and three traditionally published works including: I See You: How Love Opens Our Eyes to Invisible People, When We Stand: The Power of Seeking Justice Together, and his forthcoming book, All God's Children: How Confronting Buried History Can Build Racial Solidarity, all with InterVarsity Press. He also has a children's book coming out with IVP Kids that he co-authored with his fourteen-year- old daughter, Zion Lester, which deals with homelessness, belonging, inclusion, and encouraging children to serve others with empathy and compassion. Terence has also received numerous awards for his community activism, including: being named one of Atlanta's top 500 leaders by Atlanta Magazine, being named one of Coca-Cola's History Shakers, receiving the National Urban League Humanitarian Award, Brawny Giant' Award, the American Express NextGen Award, the SCLC Social Advocacy Award, Atlanta Voice's 50 under 50, the True to Atlanta Award presented by the Atlanta Hawks, Fulton County Schools Service Award, and Plywood People's Innovator Award. Terence happily married to his best friend, Cecilia Lester, and they have two amazing children, Zion Joy and Terence II.

Don't know much about colorism? After you listen to this episode, you'll better understand what colorism is and how it uniquely affects people of color, from dark-skinned to white-passing. I also open up about my biracial identity– what it's like to navigate being "too Black" for white people and "too white" for Black people.Allow me to donate to The King Center on your behalf! For every new rating or review for The Changemaker on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify, I'll donate. The couple of seconds you spend to rate the podcast will be well worth it!Sources:TIME, The Difference Between Racism and ColorismPew Research Center, Majority of Latinos Say Skin Color Impacts Opportunity in America and Shapes Daily LifeYour listen next list:Is It Racially Insensitive or Racist? Apathy or Hate? on Apple & SpotifyTone Policing: Problematic Prejudice or Reasonable Request for Respect? on Apple & SpotifyTo support Marie and get exclusive resources, head to patreon.com/mariebeech. To learn more about Marie's DEI services, head to mariebeecham.com. With business inquiries, reach out to hello@mariebeecham.com.

We are marking this year's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday with a special P.S. Weekly episode devoted to an aspect of MLK's legacy that isn't as regularly studied as his “I Have a Dream” speech or his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” We're focusing on how MLK and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement organized — a blueprint called the Six Steps of Nonviolent Social Change.In an educational conversation with Mira, Sabrina shares analysis and examples of how these steps shaped her own organizing as a student fighting for school integration.To learn more about the six steps and Dr. King's philosophy, visit The King Center.—To learn more about our work visit https://bellvoices.org.Want exclusive content from Miseducation? Join us on Patreon.To join the conversation, send us a message and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Did you know MLK was mentored by Ghandi? Did you know that he was very controversial within the Black community? Or that he turned away demonstrators who weren't committed enough to nonviolence? I'm teaching the things about MLK's movement that they didn't teach you in school.This episode also teaches you about Dr. King denouncing the Black Power movement, his personal thoughts on Malcolm X (straight from his autobiography), his issues with greed within the system of capitalism, and more. It's time for a refresher on this world-changing man.Allow me to donate to The King Center on your behalf! I'm donating money for every single rating you leave for The Changemaker on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify. Take a few seconds to join the cause!Works by Dr. KingThe Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr., Edited by Clayborne CarsonThe Drum Major InstinctLetter From Birmingham JailWhere Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?Your listen next list:Critical Race Theory 101: The 5 Basic Ideas You Need to Know on Apple & SpotifyCritical Race Theory 102: Three Important Criticisms You Need to Know on Apple & SpotifyTo support Marie and get exclusive resources, head to patreon.com/mariebeech. To learn more about Marie's DEI services, head to mariebeecham.com.

Family legacy is a recurring theme here at Into America. We've spoken with the great-grandson of Civil War hero and Reconstruction-era politician Robert Smalls, the grandson of the ground-breaking historian and archivist Arturo Schomburg, and the son of Pan-Africanist leader Marcus Garvey. But when you are the daughters of some of the most famous men of the 20th century, that legacy comes with even higher stakes. Ilyasah Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm X, and Dr. Bernice King, the daughter of MLK, share a birthright of inherited activism that few others can understand. They each run their families' foundations, the Shabazz Center and King Center, and strive to carry on their parents' fight for the future.In the spirit of summer family reunions, we're revisiting Trymaine Lee's conversation with Shabazz and King, about their famous parents, the ongoing push for equality, and what it means to inherit a legacy.(Original release date: April 1, 2021)For a transcript, please visit https://www.msnbc.com/intoamerica. Thoughts? Feedback? Story ideas? Write to us at intoamerica@nbcuni.comFurther Listening:Reconstructed: Birth of a Black NationJustice4GarveyHarlem on My Mind: Arturo Schomburg

Global thought leader, peace advocate, and CEO of The King Center, Dr. Bernice A. King joins us this week to discuss the importance of social justice, her hopes for this generation, handling grief, and how she's carrying on her parents' legacies. Ways to observe The King Holidayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1oO4xsNlIshttps://thekingcenter.org/king-day-community-service-projects/https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-community-honors-legacy-of-martin-luther-king-jrFollow Dr. Kinghttps://berniceking.com/https://twitter.com/BerniceKinghttps://www.instagram.com/berniceaking/Follow Us:Instagram: www.instagram.com/candicekayla/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/CandiceKayla Website: www.candicekayla.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.