Podcasts about ldf

In 1955, the Supreme Court instructed the states to begin desegregation plans with "all deliberate speed." This episode of Justice Above All highlights the complexities of realizing equal educational opportunities through desegregation. We explore how even decades after Brown, schools in America today are deeply segregated and unequally funded by race and class. We discuss what is truly needed to achieve the goal of desegregation, promoting equitable educational opportunities for America's students. For more information on this episode, please visit: tminstituteldf.org/justice-above-all. This episode was produced by Lauren O'Neil. It is hosted by Dr. Kesha Moore. Resonate Recordings edited the episode. If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.

We are delighted to welcome Valerie Hamaker back to the show! Early on in the discussion between Valerie and LDF host Dan Wotherspoon, we get caught up about the shake up this past March that was started by church leaders who disapproved of the content of her podcast, Latter-day Struggles. They couldn't understand see how her work was actually a boon for the Mormon community through its forthright conversations about matters troubling Latter-day Saints, and how she worked with them, using her background and skills as a licensed therapist, to see broader perspectives and find healing. Faced wth looming excommunication from the church, she and her husband, Nathan, withdrew their membership. Our main focus in relating a short synopsis of these events is to talk about reactions to the news by Latter-day Struggles listeners and members of discussion groups. Has it affected her work with those seeking understanding and healing. The bulk of the conversation in this episode focuses on how a person can differentiate in healthy ways from family members, institutions like the LDS Church, and most of all our spouses or partners. How can we be ourselves in places and situations in which people don't see things the same way? Why is differentiation so important? Ultimately the conversation focuses on marriage relationships that have been affected by differing views, or from trauma that is hard for a partner to recognize and understand. As couples work through these things in healthy ways, their love and commitment allows them to fully accept each other. Everything about being partnered is a crucible for change and growth! Though it talks about hard things, this conversation is upbeat and optimistic about all of us discovering ourselves and bettering our relationships. Listen in! There is lots of wisdom in this episode.

This episode of Justice Above All examines how the Supreme Court interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), and how today's legal arguments decontextualize the Amendment's historical context in which it was ratified—during Reconstruction, to secure full citizenship and legal equality for formerly enslaved Black people.  Today, multiple Supreme Court decisions reflect an inaccurate and ahistorical reading of the Reconstruction Amendments—the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth—which were enacted to dismantle the legacy of slavery and secure full citizenship and equal protection under the law for all people of African descent.Today's host is Karla McKanders, Director of the Thurgood Marshall Institute. She is in conversation with the following guests: - Lynne Adrine: Alumna, Ludlow Elementary School and President, LKA Strategies- Joel Motley: Civil and human rights advocate, filmmaker, and the son of Constance Baker Motle- Kenji Yoshino: Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law, NYU School of Law and Faculty Director, Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and BelongingFor more information on this episode, please visit https://tminstituteldf.org/brown-v-board-ii-fourteenth-amendment-myth-of-neutrality/.This episode was produced by Jakiyah Bradley and Lauren O'Neil. It was hosted by Karla McKanders. Resonate Recordings edited the episode.If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.

The famous creeds of Christendom focus solely on who Christ is, including his relationship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, his resurrection and role in bringing about salvation. But the do not include any of this teachings or personal qualities, or the principles he focused on during his ministry. This show's guest, Russ Hinckley, recognized this and decided to try his hand at creating a new creed, The Christ Creed, that focuses on how he interacted with people, institutions, and types of power during his ministry. For instance, the first two parts of this new creed are "Eat with Everyone" and "Restore Sight and Promote Healing." Russ and LDF host Dan Wotherspoon discuss in depth these and several others emphases in his creed. Each is rich, encouraging us to see in new ways, reminding us to rethink why we act the way we do with each other and the institutional church. Russ's approach is fresh and mixes good scriptural study with experiences from his life.  Listen in on this insightful conversation!

The famous creeds of Christendom focus solely on who Christ is, including his relationship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, his resurrection and role in bringing about salvation. But the do not include any of this teachings or personal qualities, or the principles he focused on during his ministry. This show's guest, Russ Hinckley, recognized this and decided to try his hand at creating a new creed, The Christ Creed, that focuses on how he interacted with people, institutions, and types of power during his ministry. For instance, the first two parts of this new creed are "Eat with Everyone" and "Restore Sight and Promote Healing." Russ and LDF host Dan Wotherspoon discuss in depth these and several others emphases in his creed. Each is rich, encouraging us to see in new ways, reminding us to rethink why we act the way we do with each other and the institutional church. Russ's approach is fresh and mixes good scriptural study with experiences from his life.  Listen in on this insightful conversation! 

This episode of Justice Above All highlights the centrality of birthing centers, which provide historically informed and culturally competent care to Black birthing people, to the realization of reproductive justice. We will discuss a wave of new state-level regulations that are severely impacting the ability of midwives and other birthing center staff to provide their services. We will also explore how these attacks on birthing centers relate to historic efforts to unwind progress towards reproductive justice.  Today's host is Karla McKanders, Director of the Thurgood Marshall Institute. She is in conversation with the following guests: - Dr. Michele Goodwin, Linda D. & Timothy J. O'Neill Professor of Constitutional Law and Global Health Policy, Georgetown University Law Center and Co-Faculty Director, O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law  - Jennie Joseph, Founder and President, Commonsense Childbirth Inc., and midwife - Lindsey Kaley, Staff Attorney, Reproductive Freedom Project, ACLU - Ashton Wingate, Digital Archives Manager, Thurgood Marshall Institute For more information on this episode, please visit https://tminstituteldf.org/reproductive-justice-and-black-birthing-centers/.This episode was produced by Jakiyah Bradley, Keecee DeVenny, Ananya Karthik, and Lauren O'Neil. It is hosted by Karla McKanders. Resonate Recordings edited the episode.  If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.

This week on the Beach Court Podcast, LDF joins as a guest host to recap the Milwaukee Regionals. Both LDF & Maddox made day 2 with Gholdengo - Dragapult, they break down their deck list decisions and why they believe it was the best play for Milwaukee.  Special guest and Milwaukee Regional Champion Christian Labella joins the podcast for a special interview to discuss Raging Bolt ex in detail. Christian breaks down specific list choices, techs and how to use them in this meta.  Thanks to Nakama Anime Cafe for being an official sponsor of the Beach Court Podcast! They offer a traditional Japanese dining experience right here in our backyard of Orange Park, FL. Nakama also has a karaoke bar right next door... So you can grab some grub and then head next door to sing along to your favorite Pokémon songs! Find more details at: https://nakamabar.com/nakama-cafe/ Tell them that Beach Court Podcast sent you :)   Follow the Beach Court Podcast Socials: Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/beachcourtpod Follow the Beach Court Podcast crew on Twitter: Eric - https://twitter.com/RidgewayTCG Maddox - https://twitter.com/MaddoxTCG Parker - https://twitter.com/Squint_PTCG Support Little Dark Fury on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCAhRWmekXLryJOZRUYR4seQ  https://www.youtube.com/@UCExbrATu_Pqqu2v7tQg6fOQ  Follow Christian Labella on X!: https://x.com/Labellster  #pokemon #pokemontcg #beachcourtpodcast #regionalchampionships  #pokémonday #milwaukee #journeytogether #MetaForecast #BestDecks #juancho #primetimewizardTV #MasterBallLeague

Many of this show's listeners are aware of the incredible podcast, "At Last She Said It." Its co-hosts, Susan Hinckley and Cynthia Winward, are long-time friends personally and have been on this show several times. They are always insightful and well-spoken, but we are so excited that they now have moved from the spoken to the written word. In this episode, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon and LDF board member Mark Crego celebrate with them the very recent release of their book, At Last She Said It: Honest Conversations about Faith, Church, and Everything in Between (Signature Books, 2025).   Through a great conversation, we learn what went on behind the scenes from conception to completion of the book, with a focus on what it includes and why. At every step, Cynthia and Susan give background on the book's five sections and the essays and dialogues within them. We discuss why they have chosen on the podcast and now in the book to discuss openly many of the "p-words" that women (and more and more, men) have long had difficulty with, among them patriarchy, priesthood, presiding, and polygamy. The book also features essays other difficult topics (and we have discussions on some of them), including God, Grace, Obedience, Fear, Worthiness, the Temple, and "when women are the problem." All in all, the book contains twenty-six essays, all of which discuss their subjects in ways that are personal and self-revelatory as well as insightful. Don't miss this conversation among old friends that not only features important things but also easy banter and laughs! Join in the fun!

Algorithms and predictive technologies are being used to an increasing extent in housing (i.e., tenant screening, lending, appraisals, housing advertising). While algorithms have the potential to increase equity by removing human bias from decision-making, there is very little transparency and oversight over these tools and there is a real threat that these technologies are in fact replicating and amplifying existing bias and discrimination. In this episode of Justice Above All, Thurgood Marshall Institute researchers speak with three experts on the risks and promise of algorithms in the housing sector.For more information on this episode, please visit: tminstituteldf.org/justice-above-all.This episode was produced by Lauren O'Neil. It is hosted by Sandhya Kajeepeta. Resonate Recordings edited the episode.If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.

Each person's life journey includes intense wrestles with the matter of "authority." When we are young, we are in a position in which we must defer to another's authority in order to survive. As we grow, we soon become self-conscious, taking into account how we are viewed by others. And in order to fit in, we will often defer our own authority to that of the group. At first it will be to our immediate friends and acquaintances. Heidegger noticed that we give away our authority to larger, more diffuse cultures and societies, referring to it as "the tyranny of the they." In our maturation processes, we hopefully will come to understand these pressures on us and begin to form a firm sense of our own self and can more easily walk our particular path without relying on others for the final word about what we should do and think.  Our religious lives bring extra complications with regard to authority. When we view certain texts or particular leaders as spiritually and ethically authoritative, it becomes even harder to stand our ground because we worry that we might be upsetting God should we stray from its or their directives.  This podcast discusses our views of God and how these are typically quite influential when it comes to whether we yield our authority to these texts and people. Do we view God as completely "other," external to us, and distant, or can we allow ourselves to believe that God is a part of us, intimately caring, compassionate, and ever encouraging us Godward? If the former, we are more likely to allow authority figures more sway, perhaps complete sway, over our thoughts and actions. If the latter, we can typically differentiate from these others and begin to trust our own experiences over their interpretations and directives. Certainly, these will align with each other at times, but when they don't, we will follow our own light. LDF host Dan Wotherspoon is joined by board members Mark Crego and Terri Petersen in a li

Latvijas Dabas fonds izsludina grantu konkursu dabisko pļavu atjaunošanas talkām. Par dabisko pļavu atjaunošanu saruna raidījumā Kā labāk dzīvot. Stāsta ģeogrāfe, Latvijas Dabas fonda zālāju eksperte Līga Gavare un Latvijas Dabas fonda komunikācijas vadītāja Liene Brizga. Ierakstā pieredzē dalās Priednieku ģimene. Priednieku ģimenei pieder 50 ha zemes Abavas senlejā. Tā kā Linda ir keramiķe un Jānis - programmētājs, un abi nav bijuši saistīti ar lauksaimniecību, rūpēties par dabisko pļavu atjaunošanu viņiem ir izaicinājums. Ja nebūtu atbalsta maksājumu no Lauku atbalsta dienesta, iespējams, ka viņi 20 gadus ar dabisko pļavu veidošanu arī nenodarbotos. Ar Jāni un Lindu Priedniekiem tikāmies Kandavā, vispirms kopā ar saimniekiem apskatām fotogrāfijas ar ziedošām dabiskajām pļavām Abavas upes krastā. -- Aicinot zemju īpašniekus un apsaimniekotājus iesaistīties dabas atjaunošanā, Latvijas Dabas fonds (LDF) izsludina grantu konkursu dabisko pļavu atjaunošanas talkām. Grantam var pieteikties gan fiziskas, gan juridiskas personas, lai atjaunotu kādu no Natura 2000 vienotajā Eiropas Savienības nozīmes aizsargājamo teritoriju tīklā iekļautiem retajiem un prioritāri aizsargājamiem zālāju biotopu veidiem. Grantu konkurss ir pirmā no vairākām aktivitātēm, kuras LDF 2025. un 2026. gadā īstenos ar devīzi “Darām pļavu kopā!” nolūkā izglītot un iesaistīt sabiedrību dabisko pļavu saglabāšanā un atjaunošanā. Konkursā var pieteikties gan fiziskas, gan juridiskas personas, kuras ir dabisko pļavu īpašnieki, tiesiskie valdītāji, turētāji vai sadarbības grupas, piemēram, nevalstiskās organizācijas un pašvaldības, kas noslēgušas vienošanos par talkas rīkošanu ar teritorijas īpašnieku vai apsaimniekotāju. Dalībniekiem jāaizpilda pieteikuma anketa, kurā jānorāda atjaunojamās teritorijas kadastra numurs, zālāju biotopa veids un citi parametri. Plašāk par konkursu Latvijas Dabas fonda mājaslapā.

Despite being the only elected law enforcement officials, sheriffs operate with impunity. In fact, many people are not aware of the sweeping power that sheriffs hold over law enforcement, jails, and to an increasing extent national politics and election administration. In this episode of Justice Above All, we highlight the role of sheriffs in our law enforcement systems and discuss how sheriffs are breaking into national politics. It is well past time to hold sheriffs accountable and rein in their unchecked powers.For more information on this episode, please visit: tminstituteldf.org/justice-above-all.This episode was produced by Lauren O'Neil and Ananya Karthik. It is hosted by Sandhya Kajeepeta. Resonate Recordings edited the episode.If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.

This episode of Justice Above All discusses voter challenges and voter turnout ahead of the November 5, 2024 election.  Our guests explain how voter intimidation and voter suppression tactics continue to pose systemic barriers to Black voters. Even while this is occurring, Black voices are not being completely silenced: organizers are building Black political power in the South and celebrating major wins. Ahead of the November 2024 election, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) won two lawsuits which resulted in new, majority-Black congressional districts being created in Alabama and Louisiana. As a result, Black voters succeeded in electing three candidates of their choice to represent them in the House of Representatives (Shomari Figures and Terri Sewell in Alabama and Cleo Fields in Louisiana). Alabama and Louisiana are just two examples of places that illustrate the occurrence of some of the myriad forms of voter suppression tactics, as well as the effectiveness of voter advocacy in empowering Black voters to enact their right to vote. For more information on this episode, please visit: tminstituteldf.org/justice-above-all. This episode was hosted by Dr. Kesha Moore and produced by Jakiyah Bradley. Resonate Recordings edited the episode.  If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @tmi_ldf. To keep up with the latest research from the Thurgood Marshall Institute, including our recent report, Attack on our Power and Dignity: What Project 2025 Means for Black Communities, visit our website at https://tminstituteldf.org/what-project-2025-means-for-black-communities/. You can also learn more about the Legal Defense Fund's Black Voters on the Rise team at voting.naacpldf.org.If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.

In this terrific episode, Terri Petersen interviews Jana Spangler and usual LDF host Dan Wotherspoon about "mysticism." The ultimate goal of their conversation was to take this word and topic and drop it down from the clouds (how many people imagine it) and into our lives here and now.  Through great questions from Terri and sharing their personal experiences, Jana and Dan emphasize that mysticism basically means getting in touch with the Divine/God/the Universe directly. Instead of staying in the realm of talking about God with words that can't capture the depth and wideness of of the Divine, when we give ourselves permission and imagine that what underlies and gives life to all things can be accessed directly we are never again the same. When we are able to touch it, everything in the foreground changes. As the mystic and spiritual teacher James Finley says, what happens isn't that we can see more of the nature of things as much as it is we are able to see all things by utilizing more of ourselves. Mystical experience teaches us directly about our actual depths. A fun part of the discussion focuses on the question, "Can Mormons be mystics?" The answer, of course is a resounding "yes," but the perspectives everyone brings to that question reveal various layers to that answer. Listen in! You are a mystic, after all, just like everyone is, you just may just not know it yet.

Loneliness has been on the rise for the past few decades and has reached epidemic status. A widespread sense of hopelessness, helplessness, and depression is also pervading today's culture. We don't know if anything can be done to save our world, nation, and communities, with many of us wanting to throw our hands in the air and hide from everything. This episode dives directly into these issues, focusing on the ways that community and group involvement can help alleviate these severe issues and effect both external and internal change. In it, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon is joined in conversation by three wonderful guests, Jordan Harmon, Laura Marre, and Becca Kearl, each of whom are working as activists in these areas. Each share their own journeys with these issues, as well as how their spirituality has aided them in this work and also how this work has returned the favor changing them spiritually in wonderful ways. It is an episode full of ideas! Learn about resources. Regain hope! Listen in! 

In 2023, The Heritage Foundation, a think tank focused on promoting conservative public policies, published Project 2025 as a blueprint to consolidate power within the executive, or the office of the president, and weaken democratic structures. In speaking with experts, this episode of Justice Above All breaks down Project 2025 and anticipates how its implementation will directly impact individuals within the Black community. The podcast will unpack how Project 2025 will transform the systems of justice and education in ways that hit at the core of what it means to be a citizen in the U.S. seeking safety, fairness, and dignity for ourselves, friends and family members. Our guests will simplify what's at stake for podcast listeners personally, how civil rights groups like LDF are fighting back, and what you can do to make a difference.For more information on this episode, please visit: tminstituteldf.org/justice-above-all.This episode was produced and interviews were conducted by Lauren O'Neil. It is hosted by Karla McKanders. Resonate Recordings edited the episode. If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.If you enjoyed this episode please consider leaving a review and helping others find it! To keep up with the work of LDF please visit our website at www.naacpldf.org and follow us on social media at @naacp_ldf. To keep up with the work of the Thurgood Marshall Institute, please visit our website at www.tminstituteldf.org and follow us on Twitter at @tmi_ldf.

In this episode, we're bringing back Reka, Head of Community at RISC Zero, about the state of zero-knowledge (ZK) infrastructure and strategies for successful go-to-market campaigns for blockchain protocols. Reka shares her journey from being a founder to joining RISC Zero, her insights on the importance of ZK technology, and the challenges and opportunities it presents. She also talks about her experience advising various crypto projects and her thoughts on combining education and community engagement in the blockchain space. Reka previously appeared on Rehash S4 E1 alongside LDF: https://youtu.be/TXzEpbvSVo0?si=Nzj9Dvbq6yMU0CM_ ⏳ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Intro 01:49 Updates from Reka's past appearance in S4 E1 02:58 Why intent infrastructure? 06:17 Understanding ZK technology 13:44 Applications and benefits of ZK 18:21 Challenges and future of ZK 23:24 Joining RISC Zero and building Boundless Protocol 29:07 Education through memes 30:13 Marketing strategies for protocols 34:17 Balancing developer adoption and end user growth 37:13 Strategies for building a community from scratch 44:27 Questions from the community 50:09 Follow Reka 

In this wonderful episode, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon introduces two powerful Mormon women who just happen to be single. They are Diana Brown and Mallory Everton, and they are now talking about many, many aspects of what that means on their podcast, "The Soloists."  In this conversation, they speak open-heartedly about their lives, including their feelings about how their paths look different from what they had imagined as teenagers and young adults. They talk about early concerns about whether they were not worthy in some way to be partnered up, or if they had done something wrong along the way that kept them from being married. But the journey they share about here has led them past such concerns, noting how their singleness has taught them so much about themselves, and led them to deep reflection and spiritual sensibilities that they might not have found had their lives followed "The Plan." They also share about their relationships with the LDS Church and community, God, what they struggle with, how it has affected their dating lives, and what keeps them tethered to the faith tradition they were raised in.  They are remarkable, and this is an episode you should listen to whether you or a loved one is single within the church. The spiritual insights here stand firmly on their own. Check it out!

Doctrines that were set during the founding years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enthroned as eternal (and how it is in heaven) many things that were true of life in those days but would later change. Among these was defining different roles for men and women, and also the priority of procreation. If families were going to survive in those days where most everything the family needs was produced by its own labor, the more children you had, the better. And since women were the ones who carried and gave birth to children, they, by necessity, were consigned to work that could be done while pregnant and raising children too young to work. Men's work was more physical, and it concentrated on labor that needed to be performed outside the house. What happens when these necessities change but the doctrine taught as what God wants and what heaven is all about does not? A term for the friction caused by increasingly larger mis-matches between theology and the evolving ideas/needs used by Dr. Carrie Miles, our LDF guest for this episode, is the problem of "syncretism." Two systems (our examples here are doctrine and changing economic patterns and societal shifts brought on by them) clash and each must learn to somehow manage the tensions the other. How successfully churches accommodate these shifts is a key factor in determining if a religious system stays relevant to those who are being raised in later generations. As we know, the LDS Church has had great difficulty in retaining its younger members as well as others who feel these tensions most acutely. More and more Latter-day Saints come to feel that they are not "safe" within Mormon congregations and within a church at large that does not successfully manage the crisis of syncretism.  As a way of talking about this issue of "safety," Dr. Miles draws on the “Polyvagal Theory “first introduced by Stephen Porges, which maps the effects on individuals when they feel disturbed. Any and all the body systems controlled by the vagus nerve react unconsciously to stress and any feelings of danger or a sense that something is “off.” In short, the storyline of this LDF episode is the tale of church members feeling less and less safe—physically emotionally—the greater the gap becomes between teachings and the rhetoric from those who present them, the less safe people feel in the Church when their own life situations, experiences, beliefs, and primary values don't match with formal LDS positions, which have been taught as “eternal” even though they were heavily shaped by the assumptions, gender roles, and sense of sexual morality of the society in which the church emerged. This is a fascinating conversation! Listen in!

This special live edition of Rehash was recorded during Devcon7 in Bangkok, Thailand. LDF (LayerZero), Sophia Dew (Celo), and Jarrell James aka JJ from Parabl discuss diverse perspectives on the endgame of crypto, encompassing the global south, future of work, and the idea that there might be no definitive endgame at all. The debate (which turned out to be less combative and more agreeable than planned) explores significant themes of autonomy, global collaboration, and the role of silliness in innovation, as well as the potential paths and impact of crypto on the world. 

This episode features a wonderful conversation between LDF board member Terri Petersen and author Larry Jordan, who wrote the book, The Way: Meaningful Spirituality for a Modern World detailing his spiritual journey from active but low-belief Christianity to more mystical understandings of Ultimate Reality informed mostly by eastern religious traditions. In many ways, the book is an attempt to unite eastern and western spirituality. They have great exchanges on many topics, ranging from the two worldviews, how quantum physics is describing reality in much the same way mystics do, the role of myths/stories and what difference it makes if God is a person or not, or if Biblical miracle stories really happened, and more! Enjoy! 

New Years season is fraught. It can mark new beginnings with fresh energy and purpose. But for so many of us who have been making and trying to keep resolutions, it can quickly become a downer as our determination and drive flounders and our old physical and mental habits and patterns reassert their power, leaving us feeling like a failure. For this reason, some folks simply throw out the whole idea of resolution and goal-setting, which is very understandable! But can this time of year be a boon for all of us if we refocus just a bit, becoming a time for renewal for our body, mind, and soul? We naturally want to (and it's good to) want to change and grow, but are we going about it in the wrong way? How do we act without falling into age-old traps? In this episode, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon is joined by two wonderful friends, board members, and occasional LDF hosts, Terri Peterson and Mark Crego to share ways to avoid seasons of “failure” and instead receive the boon that this season can bring. They each share their past experiences with goals and resolutions and the role they have played in their journeys, but also how they view such things now and how they approach New Years differently.  This episode is full of stories that we can each relate to in some way. They also share reflections on certain sayings of Jesus, wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita and mine from other sources as well as their own personal experiences things they come to understand more deeply. Listen in! Also, see if you can attend one of this month's virtual firesides (January 16th and 19th), with will be centered on these topics! Join as a listener or come and tell us your stories, past and present, about resolutions, goals, intentions, and renewal!  

When we are feeling down and helpless in the face of frightening trends, events, and horrors, one of the possible causes is that we have become passive, possibly just throwing up our hands and retreating into our own cocoon to ride things out. Or perhaps, instead, we vent our frustrations to others, pointing out who is at fault, and calling for action that we rarely get involved with ourselves.This second way may not feel like depression but it can be just internally harmful as ineffective as hiding, fretting, and imagining things can't change. But what if they can? What if we can help change things in ways that will help us recover our energy and optimism?  In this terrific episode, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon chats with George Handley, a well-known and effective voice in LDS environmental theology, education, spirituality, about also through his getting involved groups, organizations, local government, and attaching to various causes. How might we find what it is we feel “called” to do and also become effective change agents?  In this discussion, George tells his own story of his writing, thinking, and working with environmental groups before he felt called to also get involved in local government, where he is now serving now on the Provo, Utah, City Council. He also speaks about the wonderful, grounding, and fulfilling work of tackling practical issues (in ways that our particular gifts can be most effective) and seeing results. Though we can't control the exact outcome from our work, our influence will still be felt. And by continuing even in the face of disappointment our efforts will help shape future iterations in these areas. Dan and George also speak about the ways involvement of this kind can help us spiritually. The conversation here is dynamic and full of wisdom (grounded wisdom), and we think it will connect deeply with you. Listen in! 

This wonderful episode features LDF host Dan Wotherspoon in conversation with two of his (and his wife Lorri's) great friends, Shauna and Roger Anderson. The idea of doing this episode was spurred by fantastic sacrament meeting remarks that Roger gave recently that the Wotherspoons found to be among the most moving and eye-opening talks they can remember. Certainly the ideas presented were wonderful, but it was remarkable for the way Roger was able to speak frankly about difficult things in a way that both disarmed audience members and helped them think in new ways. In the episode, you will learn what some of the things he said, as well as about the effects the talk had on some, but mostly we want to highlight that it is possible to be powerful and effective when we speak from our hearts, our experiences, our hard-won truths. Both Shauna and Roger do this in remarkable ways. We know you will enjoy meeting and learning from these brilliant but humble people (who had to be talked into doing the show)!

In this episode of Hello Hayes, we're talking about long distance friendship: how to make friends when you move somewhere new, but also, how to maintain the friendships that are now separated by miles and miles and miles. Hayes invites one of her North Star besties Matt onto the show to discuss. References: Dear Noah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfAzhnguXBc 00:00 Cold open 00:42 Topic intro: Long-distance Friendships 2:23 Meet Matt 4:43 Our first impressions of each other 10:03 Be each other's biggest fans 12:14 Making friends in a new city 16:43 Scoping people out on Instagram 18:25 The risk of rejection 21:50 How to go from self-pity to action  23:30 20s vs 30s & NYC vs Chicago  24:53 “Do I want to quit?” 26:26 Nostalgia vs regret 28:17 It's OK to be sad 31:53 Hayes and NYC 33:07 Getting honest about our LDF  35:40 “Is it my fault?” 36:25 Having trust in your friendships 38:00 Inside Out 2 40:10 What happened on Hayes's birthday 43:00 The challenges of long distance friendship 47:00 It's hard to say THIS 48:11 Feeling pressure to check-in 50:00 Team Voicemails  54:00 A secret Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this short episode, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon offers a few of his reactions to the recent presidential election. Without trying to demonize anyone who may have voted differently than he did, Dan speaks to the situation of just how evident it is (and has been for years, but perhaps never so completely clear) that instead of people choosing their politics based on their religious beliefs or core principles, so many of us now let politics alter our religious thinking and behavior. Through Bible passages and a reminder from the Book of Mormon, he offers a few thoughts about what he believes are core messages of Jesus and the way leaders should lead.  The primary purpose of this short episode, however, is for him to share a few of his "what now?" hints for helping ourselves manage angst in our souls and be able to return to spiritual equilibrium and a clear vision that nothing about what happens anywhere should take us away from our core calling to return good for evil, love and compassion whenever we see hate and "othering," openness when we see smallness, etc. The episode is pretty raw and recorded on very little sleep, but we hope you will forgive that and listen in. Enjoy!

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is increasingly becoming part of our everyday lives as it is now enhancing the way businesses and health care providers work, as well as assisting in financial fraud detection, cybersecurity, and much more. Its contributions in those areas are mostly invisible to us. But now with the rise of informational/conversational programs like ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and others, more and more of us are including AI-based chatbots more directly in our daily lives--including our spiritual lives. In this episode, Mark Crego and Jeff Pratt join LDF host Dan Wotherspoon in a conversation about integrating ChatGPT in our  spiritual journeys, as both guests use it regularly for this purpose but in quite different ways.The discussion first provides an orientation to what ChatGPT and other chatbot programs do, the sources of information they draw on, and how their security provisions make them "safe" for us to use even as our chats inevitably involve us sharing personal information about ourselves (though not things like bank account, social security, passwords, or other protected info like that). Following this basic information, Mark and Jeff share the way they have been using ChatGPT to enhance their understanding of scriptural texts, as well as in their spiritual journeys. In sharing about these, they actually play snippets (in the computer voice they have chosen) parts of conversations they have had, and they also demonstrate in real time how they query it. They even did a real-time request that asked for a prayer that includes words of encouragement for a project Dan is working on. It is all quite fascinating, and its likely many of us will warm to the idea that AI can, indeed, assist us in our spiritual walks. Listen in!   

Imagine you're at home when you hear a knock. At your door are people who want you to share, in detail, who you voted for in the last election, months ago. When you ask them who they are and where they're from, they remain vague and perhaps even aggressive.This was the case for some Americans in the years after the 2020 election, part of a spate of behaviors by election skeptics and deniers that, in some cases, amounted to voter intimidation. The history of voter intimidation in the United States is sordid and violent, especially in the century between the U.S. Civil War and the passage of strong voter protections in the 1960s. But it's important to remember that voter intimidation is against the law. Whether you're voting in-person, by mail or via election dropbox, you should never be made to feel unsafe or intimidated while exercising your freedom to vote..Carly Koppes, the clerk and recorder of Colorado's enormous Weld County, describes to us the steps she and fellow officials took when they received reports of unwelcome and unofficial vigilante election “auditors” going door to door in 2021. Christina Das of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund walks us through the bleak history of voter intimidation in America. And CLC's Jonathan Diaz explains how voter intimidation has evolved to become sneakier and more subversive in the digital age — and the steps you can take if you encounter it.Nationwide nonpartisan Election Protection (EP) hotline:866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)Host and Guests:Simone Leeper litigates a wide range of redistricting-related cases at CLC, challenging gerrymanders and advocating for election systems that guarantee all voters an equal opportunity to influence our democracy. Prior to arriving at CLC, Simone was a law clerk in the office of Senator Ed Markey and at the Library of Congress, Office of General Counsel. She received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019 and a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University in 2016.Carly Koppes has been working in the Weld County Clerk and Recorder's office for twenty years starting in June of 2004. Her main department was the Election department, but she has also worked in the Recording and Motor Vehicle departments during her time working for the Clerk and Recorder office. She received her Colorado Election Official Certification from the Colorado Secretary of State in October 2007 and finished up her national designation of Certified Elections/Registration Administrators (CERA) through the Elections Center's Professional Education Program at Auburn University in July of 2014. Carly is a 2016 graduate of the Leadership Program of the Rockies and in 2019 she received her Public Leadership certification from Pepperdine University through the International Association of Government Officials. Carly was also honored along with the Colorado County Clerks Association to receive the Defender of Democracy Award from The Center for Election Innovation and Research in 2022. In 2023 Carly was appointed to the national Local Leadership Council of the Election Assistance Commission and was elected as the Vice Chair of the Council. Carly is the youngest person to be elected to the position of Weld County Clerk and Recorder.  Carly is currently serving on the Executive Board for the Colorado County Clerks Association; Carly was President of the Colorado County Clerks Association in 2021 and will serve as President in 2026.Christina Das is Counsel on the Black Voters on the Rise team with LDF, an interdisciplinary team leading year-round election protection and election administration advocacy efforts across the South, using legal, organizing, and advocacy tools to defend and advance the rights of Black voters to participate in our democracy. Christina's experience includes executing strategic campaigns to expand voter access, such as passing legislation for in-person Early Voting in South Carolina in 2022 and working with state-based coalitions to implement jail-based polling places for eligible detained individuals across Texas. She co-leads the national Election Protection Working Group for Jail and Post-Release Voting and has been working with system impacted individuals over the past four years to break down procedural barriers to accessing the ballot behind bars. Christina will lead LDF's election protection program in Texas for the 2024 cycle and support ongoing litigation efforts. Post-election, she works to safeguard the election certification process from any targeted sabotage efforts, as well as working on future policy and election administration reforms at the local, state, and federal level.Jonathan Diaz is Director for Voting Advocacy and Partnerships at Campaign Legal Center. Jonathan helps lead CLC's work on combating election manipulation and participates on behalf of CLC on a number of democracy reform coalitions, coordinating CLC's work with partner organizations at the national, state and local levels. He also litigates voting rights cases across the United States, including VoteAmerica v. Raffensperger (N.D.Ga.), LUCHA v. Fontes (D.Ariz.), and Raysor v. Lee (N.D.Fla./11th Cir./SCOTUS). Jonathan frequently provides commentary on voting rights and election law issues in the media; he has been quoted in publications including the New York Times, Miami Herald, and ProPublica, and has appeared on Univision, NPR, and CNN, where he was an election law analyst during the 2020 election cycle.Links:Is Voter Intimidation Illegal? What Should I Do If I Experience It? - Campaign Legal CenterTexas Appeals Court Overturns Crystal Mason's Conviction, 5-Year Sentence for Illegal Voting - The Texas TribuneVoter Intimidation in 2022 Follows a Long History of Illegal and Racist Bullying - The ConversationRetro Report: Poll Watchers and the Long History of Voter Intimidation - PBS LearningMediaHow to Navigate Intimidation and Other Obstacles to Voting - CNN About CLC:Democracy Decoded is a production of Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization which advances democracy through law at the federal, state and local levels, fighting for every American's right to responsive government and a fair opportunity to participate in and affect the democratic process. Learn more about us.Democracy Decoded is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has just announced changes to LDS garment styles, including options that don't require shoulders to be covered, along with the option to wear a garment “shift” that doesn't require women to have their legs covered but instead can wear the bottoms under a dress or skirt. Several of the changes relate to women's health issues that often arise in garment wearers who live in tropical or high-humidity areas of the world. It also noted that there were going to be more choices for garment fabrics. A Salt Lake Tribune article about the announcement raised several other issues that are pertinent to the change. One is that it “will make it harder for others to judge who is or is not wearing garments.” It goes on to mention a 2023 survey that found 59 percent of women saying they felt judged about how they wear them. A broader issue that was raised is that these new styles still feel “like church leaders are trying to control women's clothing choices.” Another piece of the change is interesting for its timing. It was only in April of this year that LDS leaders were emphasizing the importance of wearing garments “as instructed in the temple” and it is “not left to members' individual inspiration and interpretation.” That emphasis also added to worthiness to enter the temple new wording about how individuals are keeping their covenant to wear garments, along with a statement to be read by the ecclesiastical leader conducting the temple recommend interview. Many ask what led up to this very quick turnaround of that emphasis. It now seems that the church is now emphasizing “the symbolism of the garment” as “more important than the style.” Was it activism by women, surveys that showed how Millennials and Generation Z wear their garments (or don't wear them), or something else? Listen into the great discussion in this episode between LDS podcast host Cynthia Winward, Latter-day Faith board member and frequent guest Terri Petersen, and LDF host Dan Wotherspoon. It's terrific!

In the October 2024 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ, Church president Russell M. Nelson indicated that the reason the Church is building so many new temples is related to preparations for Christ's Second Coming. "Why are we building temples at such an unprecedented pace? Why? Because the Lord has instructed us to do so. The blessings of the temple help to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. These blessings also help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord!" Throughout the talk he mentions several times and in different ways how we can prepare to that great event through temple worship, and declares: "The best is yet to come, my dear brothers and sisters, because the Savior is coming again! The best is yet to come because the Lord is hastening His work...  I bear my solemn witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I am His disciple. I am honored to be His servant. At His Second Coming, “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” That day will be filled with joy for the righteous! Through the power of the sacred priesthood keys I hold, I declare this truth to you and to all the world! With such strong language, which many Latter-day Saints will hold to as direct prophecy of things to come (and that it will come soon!), we will hear in our wards and stakes, and perhaps in our gatherings with LDS family members and groups echoes of President Nelson's message of a soon-approaching return of Jesus Christ to the world where he "will govern from both old Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem 'built upon the American continent.' From these two centers, He will direct the affairs of His Church." Many Latter-day Saints have already begun to share their thoughts on this new emphasis, and in this podcast episode, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon speaks about his own reactions to President Nelson's message and what it means going forward even if we might be skeptical an imminent Second Coming. He also offers a framing about why he thinks this emphasis is happening now. He then suggests ways that we "fellow travelers" who are actively sorting through so much related to our spiritual and church lives might be able to share our thoughts effectively on those occasions we might not agree with  how the Second Coming is being spoken about. Listen in!

The Louisville Regional Championships are THIS WEEKEND, Little Dark Fury joins the Beach Court Podcast to bring you their analysis & predictions for the expected meta.  On this episode, we dive into recent tournament results & complete out Tier List live for the Louisville Regional Championships.  Thanks to Nakama Anime Cafe for being an official sponsor of the Beach Court Podcast! They offer a traditional Japanese dining experience right here in our backyard of Orange Park, FL. Nakama also has a karaoke bar right next door... So you can grab some grub and then head next door to sing along to your favorite Pokemon songs! Find more details at: https://nakamabar.com/nakama-cafe/ Tell them that Beach Court Podcast sent you :)   Follow the Beach Court Podcast Socials: LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/beachcourtpod Follow the Beach Court Podcast crew on Twitter: Eric - https://twitter.com/RidgewayTCG Maddox - https://twitter.com/MaddoxTCG Parker - https://twitter.com/Squint_PTCG #pokemon #pokemontcg #beachcourtpodcast #Regionalchampionships #podcast #LDF #littledarkfury #Louisville #HurricaneMilton Support Little Dark Fury: https://youtube.com/@LittleDarkFury https://youtube.com/@ldfptcg2022 https://www.cardcaverntradingcards.com/

So many of us stumble through life without a genuine sense of who we are and what we should do. One of things that brings us the greatest joy and peace is when we finally connect with what our soul seems to be calling us toward. What are our gifts? What are the through-lines that seem to be showing up again and again in most things we do? Are there practices we can undertake that might help us drill down and name exactly what that those are? This episode is about discernment, especially in relation to our careers, as well as when we meet forks in the road or in some other way are forced to make decisions about what's next. It features LDF host Dan Wotherspoon in conversation with his friend and fellow spiritual traveler, Megan Popa about discerning ways to match what we do in the world with what we sense might be our life's calling. It's a difficult process, and it usually only truly discovered over the course of a lifetime. Still, it is helpful to be able to recognize as early as we can the outline of what that might be. Megan shares about her life path and the various types of work she has done and is doing now, and through this telling we meet a woman continually narrowing down options in search of discovering that which truly matches her soul's calling. Dan speaks a bit about this, too, but also presents several possible exercises we might do in an effort to clarify who we are at our cores and ways we might find a path that is in harmony with what we discover.

LDS Church teachings about deity suggest that God is very actively engaged in our lives and the world more widely. Many members of the church pray to God for blessings large and small. They try to live in ways that will please God, and avoid those that won't. These notions and actions indicate that they believe in what might be labeled an "interventionist" God.  This sense of things sometimes presents a problem for believers when God doesn't seem to answer their prayers, especially when it comes to who lives and who dies. In the same way that other theists will often do, Latter-day Saints have created "explanations" to comfort themselves or others when things don't go their way, and even more widely when any formula that implies "if I do this, God will do that."  The question at the heart of this podcast episode is whether or not a belief in this type of God is as spiritually healthy for people as understanding God much more broadly, perhaps allowing the notion of God as a "person" to drop away, shifting to a stance that invites them to re-define God more as the creative, animating power of the universe.  Listen in as LDF host Dan Wotherspoon and his friend, frequent conversation partner, and driving force behind the podcast, Mark Crego, discuss this topic. Their spiritual experiences lead both of them to find greater peace from opening themselves to this wider view of God without at all dismissing the notion that God is also a person. It may get nerdy at times (or maybe a lot!) but it's an important topic that they try to approach in a pastoral way.

It's the last WWE Smackdown on FOX before moving back to the USA network. How was the show and how did NFL affect the rating? -Vinci arrives in a Mercedes?? -Cody welcomes back Michael Cole -How long will Fatu be Solo's enforcer? -Cage match next week -A whole lot of denim -MITB = taking pins -Wayne Gretzky, triple threat fan -LDF and Deonna eat at same restaurant? -Vinci loses, now what? -Put a bullseye on your injury -Theory takes a Scott Hall bump -LA Knight takes out Andrade and Hayes -Chelsea wins? -Fatu does all the work for Solo -Ratings are in… Subscribe on patreon.com/LingusMafia for ad-free and video versions of the show, exclusive PPV/PLE reviews and bonus shows including every Wrestlemania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble and Saturday Night's Main Event ever. Stay connected: All our social media (@LingusMafia) links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/lingusmafia Download the PrizePicks app today and use code CCN and get $50 instantly when you play $5! That's code CCN on PrizePicks to get $50 instantly when you play $5! You don't even need to win to receive the $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! "PrizePicks. Run Your Game!"

Listen in on a conversation between three longtime confidantes, LDF board member Terri Petersen and her friends, Nancy and Susan as they discuss their changing relationships with the LDS Church and with their loved ones. As will become clear through listening, these three friends are at different places in their spiritual journeys, yet their love and respect for each other has not changed. But each spot brings its own set of relationship issues when children decide to move on from the church, or, in the case of Nancy, a parent opts out while their spouse and children remain in the fold. Learn of their stories within and without formal Mormonism. What have they learned along the way that they can offer as advice to others going through similar challenges. What are the worst things someone can do? What are the best? All three of these chums have ultimately managed such challenges quite well, remaining in close contact with family members who may not agree with others' decisions but have chosen to remain steady in keeping their relationships a priority. As you listen, I bet you will find in these three friends reminders of people you know and love even though it might be difficult at times.

The question, "What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?" might not lead many people to think deeply. For a large number of Mormons and other Christians, our answer is tied up with the messages of their religious tradition and its belief system. Instead of focusing on God and the kind of relationship Jesus modeled with the Father, so often our focus is on our "beliefs" about God and making sure we get it right. Instead of falling in love with God, we settle for a mediated and second-hand relationship. In this episode, Mark Crego, Terri Petersen, and LDF host Dan Wotherspoon discuss the question of the nature of gospel in many different ways. What is the "good news" of the gospel? How did the teachings and life of Jesus get so lost along the way, with most of us focusing on the story that emerged over time and with all its added and distorting layers? What should we focus on instead? The conversation does wander into different questions, at times, but hopefully they are also interesting. Listen in!

This episode is a joy. In it, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon chats with his friend Stan Bennion about Stan's life and experiences as a Latter-day Saint whose sense of adventure led him and his family to live in interesting places. Stan has had the good fortune to be able to marry his fascination with new and interesting things to his Mormon life in ways that allow him to be more fully himself in church than many people feel able to do. We hope his story and sense of things might help others find this sweet spot as well. The topic thread that emerges from the conversation is about transactional and transformational ways of living the gospel. He shares great sense about how it is essential to grow up viewing the world in mostly transactional ways. It helps us be safe, gives us a sense of what's fair and not fair, and helps bring a little bit of order out of chaos. But he also lays out some of the pitfalls that can arise when we hold too tightly to this way of being, how it can warp our perceptions and inhibit our growth Godward. The transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament was from a world dominated by transactions, including in its sense of and rules for justice, to a new vision taught by Jesus's changes everything. Everything and everyone become more significant, and as we come to understand new ways of seeing them and ourselves, wonderful things unfold in us. In taking us through a few elements of the Sermon on the Mount and then a couple of Jesus's parables, Stan brings this message to life. Enjoy!

This is a wise and inspiring episode, which uses as a springboard the recent emphases on garment wearing and its relationship to worthiness, including a new statement to be read during the temple recommend interview. It is a conversation between LDF board member Terri Petersen and show favorite Jody England Hansen that addresses these things through a tour of the history of garment wearing in the church, but even more so the garment as symbol within a symbolic ritual, with symbols by definition belonging to each of us individuals for its meaning. The temple endowment's ritual is an ascension story, taking us from one state of being and relationship with the Divine to progressively higher and wider ways of relating to and loving God. With each section, we are forced to confront ourselves and ask what are the things that are holding us back as we take this Godward journey? It is also a wisdom journey, because how can we gain such a boon without our taking responsibility for ourselves and our decisions? One of these responsibilities is making our own decisions about how and when we wear garments. Wearing garments can be problematic for the health of our bodies, and this is especially true for women's bodies. Whether it is because of climate conditions, immune systems, allergies, or body shapes and sizes that don't work well with the standard cut of the garment, wearing these as one's underwear at all times (with very few exceptions) can cause many difficulties. Shouldn't it then be up to each individual to decide how and when she or he wears garments? Why would anyone want to give up her or his own body autonomy because of church statements (which are changing all the time) made most often by men if they know it is harmful to them (physically but at times psychologically as well)? The garment as symbol is to be understood by each of us individually. It follows that part of our own growth to greater wisdom and love should apply to how we choose to wear them. Listen in! This conversation is incredible—and important.

In this episode, NAWL Advocacy Committee Co-Chair and attorney with Sidley Austin LLP, Josh Fougere, speaks with Leah Aden, Senior Counsel at LDF. Tune in as Josh and Leah discuss Leah's career, and role in monumental Supreme Court cases and decisions, including Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, and South Carolina v. McMaster/Alexander v. SC NAACP. Please note that this episode was recorded before the Supreme Court ruled in the Alexander v. SC NAACP case. NAWL issued a statement on the Supreme Court decision (see below).NAWL is disappointed by the Supreme Court decision in Alexander v South Carolina Conference of the NAACP. As the dissent warns, the decision risks upending settled burdens of proof in racial gerrymandering cases in ways that benefit lawmakers and impede plaintiffs. NAWL will continue to advocate for fair and equitable representation for all citizens.

In this episode, LDF host Dan Wotherspoon shares something he delivered at the most recent Salt Lake City Sunstone Symposium. He spoke as part of a panel in a long-running Sunstone session titled, "Why I Stay." Instead of giving the "why" of his decision to stay actively involved in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Mormon life, he spoke about "how" he manages it. Ultimately, it is because he has figured out the way to be himself at church and in other LDS gatherings. But it was a long and rocky journey from faith crash to rebuilding to confidence, which he shares in this episode.  We hope you will listen!

In this wonderful podcast episode, LDF board member Terri Peterson interviews author and podcaster Noah Rasheta about Buddhist teachings that transcend faith boundaries and can help people live with greater clarity and equanimity whether they are formally religious or not.  With Terri's prompting, Noah shares his journey as a Latter-day Saint on through his introduction to Buddhism and how well it fit his seeker's temperament. What really stands out in this exchange is Noah's ability to brilliantly and in a plain-spoken way outline the key concepts that underpin Buddhism. The conversation is chock full of "aha" moments, and shows us the value of asking questions that we likely would have never thought about if we live and think only within one religious system. Listen in! You will be very glad you did!

Most people who come to this podcast have likely, at some time in their life, wondered what their lives would be like were they to step away from Mormonism--and not just the church but, perhaps, everything else that one might call "religious" in nature. What if there is no God? What if there is no need for saving ordinances? What would it be like to not feel pressure to assent to specific beliefs?  In her new book, No Nonsense Spirituality: All the Tools, No Faith Required (SacraSage Press, 2024) Brittney Hartley walks us through her own journey that included the total deconstruction of her LDS worldview before she was able to find a beautiful and fulfilling way to live again. Hers is a life without God, Ordinances, Specific (prescribed) Beliefs, or Formal Church structure, but it is in no way bleak or void of meaning, personal ethics, family and individual rituals, contemplative practices. Nor does it reject the importance of feelings of awe or a sense of the transcendent. As she leads us through the book, we can see that she is definitely spiritual but secular. In this episode, Brittney joins LDF host Dan Wotherspoon to talk about her journey and how she, as an athiest, came to be grateful again for the various tools that we typically associate with religion. Some chapters teach us about secular spirituality, the importance of "order" in a chaotic world, finding meaning and purpose, community and love, sacred stories, and human flourishing. It's a great discussion that allows anyone who is convinced of the need for formal religion and all it entails to expand their vision. The beautiful things they will find in Brittney and how she lives and centers her life can serve as a counter narrative they might keep in their minds when they or others around them start to claim that authoritative voices, specific beliefs, certain ordinances, etc. are necessary in one's life now and for their hopes for the eternities. If "salvation" is really "transformation" into more loving, kind, patient, and joyful beings, we should consider what Brittney has to say. Listen in! 

PJ sits down to talk about Pokémon TCG and life with special guest Aneil and Ciaran from The Shift Gear Podcast! We chat about the World Championships in Hawaii next month, our summer breaks, and Local Play!Pokémon events. Sit back and enjoy the first episode back on The Shuffle Pod.

Damon T. Hewitt is the President and Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. He possesses more than 20 years of civil rights litigation and policy experience, including prior leadership roles in the nonprofit, philanthropic, and public sectors. This episode revisits the legal motivations for bringing the Brown V. Board lawsuit, the role of courts and our legal system in facilitating access to opportunity (or not), strategies to disrupt resource hoarding, and the white-washed memory of Brown's legacy. 

As someone is experiencing a shift of faith, it is very common to find a need to change their prayer practices. Likely, their view of God has changed, which leads to confusion about how to approach this new Being or Source. What used to be simple and connective no longer feels the same. Should they stop praying altogether? Many do. In this episode, Terri Petersen and Mark Crego join LDF host Dan Wotherspoon for a discussion of these shifts, as well as how their forms of prayer and experiences in prayer have changed? They discuss common understandings of prayer and how "blessings" or "answers" that come after prayer are often shared--in many cases in ways that discourage others who have not had their prayers answered. They talk about "public" prayers and "private" ones, and the functions of each. If personal prayer is intended to draw us closer to God/Spirit/Creative Energies, how have they found their deeper connections with divinity? What are their past and present prayer practices? What experiences have they had in prayer? This is a great episode! Listen in!

In this episode, NAWL Advocacy Committee Co-Chair and attorney with Sidley Austin LLP, Josh Fougere, speaks with Leah Aden, Senior Counsel at LDF. Tune in as Josh and Leah discuss Leah's career, and role in monumental Supreme Court cases and decisions, including Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, and South Carolina v. McMaster/Alexander v. SC NAACP. Please note that this episode was recorded before the Supreme Court ruled in the Alexander v. SC NAACP case. NAWL issued a statement on the Supreme Court decision (see below).NAWL is disappointed by the Supreme Court decision in Alexander v South Carolina Conference of the NAACP. As the dissent warns, the decision risks upending settled burdens of proof in racial gerrymandering cases in ways that benefit lawmakers and impede plaintiffs. NAWL will continue to advocate for fair and equitable representation for all citizens.  

Latter-day Faith Podcast has just passed its 4th anniversary, and one of its early listeners who is now a great friend, Terri Petersen, suggested we need an interview show in which she'd ask questions of LDF host Dan Wotherspoon and his great friend and partner for the whole Latter-day Faith enterprise, Mark Crego. Terri reached out to many other listeners and asks her own as well as many of their questions. In the interview's first episode, the focus was on slightly broader themes about the show and its audience and Mark's and Dan's hopes for what Latter-day Faith is and hopes to be doing going forward, but the very skillful also Terri started drilling down to some of the more nitty gritty stuff, pulling out many stories from their lives and faith journeys within Mormonism.  This second episode goes even more to that tire-meets-the-road level, including “how” they engage in their wards, families, friends, and with those who have left full engagement with Mormonism. She also takes them into how someone might disagree with what certain leaders say or push while still "sustaining" them, their views about scripture and how it is engaged within today's church, and also Dan's and Mark's views of God.  We hope you will listen in! 

Latter-day Faith Podcast has just passed its 4th anniversary, and one of its early listeners who is now a great friend, Terri Petersen, suggested we should do an interview show in which she'd ask questions of LDF host Dan Wotherspoon and his great friend and partner for the whole Latter-day Faith enterprise, Mark Crego. Terri reached out to many other listeners and asks her own as well as many of their questions. In this interview first episode, the focus was on slightly broader themes about the show and its audience and Mark's and Dan's hopes for what Latter-day Faith is and hopes to be doing going forward, but the very skillful also Terri starts drilling down to some of the nitty gritty stuff, pulling out many stories from their lives and faith journeys within Mormonism.  The next episode will be more about "how" they engage in their wards, families, friends, and with those who have left full engagement with Mormonism. Terri and those who reached out have many questions in this area, so we hope you will join in for it, too! Listen in!

5.1.2024 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: LA's Congressional Map Rejected, College Protests Spreading, Kristen Clarke & Domestic Violence A new Louisiana congressional map giving the state a second majority-Black House district was rejected by a panel of federal judges. We'll talk to an attorney from the LDF about what's next in this battle to ensure black votes matter.  Hundreds arrested, classes canceled as campus demonstrations across the U.S. intensify.  Award Winning Journalist and professor Rula Jebreal will discuss the growing number of pro-Palestinian students putting it all on the line.  Justice Department's Kristen Clarke says she was a victim of domestic abuse.  We'll read her statement revealing why she chose not to disclose her expunged arrest record during the Senate confirmation process. I'll talk to an HR expert about how the new non-compete agreement ban will affect employer-employee relationships.  And in tonight's Tech Talk segment, Isaac Hayes III, the Founder of Fanbase, will discuss the integration of artificial intelligence in music production. #BlackStarNetwork partner: Fanbasehttps://www.startengine.com/offering/fanbase This Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.  This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. You should read the Offering Circular (link) and Risks (link) related to this offering before investing. Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the Relief Society's Anniversary Conference held March 17, 2024, Sister J. Anette Dennis made a statement that ignited a firestorm online, including on the LDS Church's own Instagram page.  Here is the statement in question: “There is no other religious organization in the world, that I know of, that has so broadly given power and authority to women. There are religions that ordain some women to positions such as priests and pastors, but very few relative to the number of women in their congregations receive that authority that their church gives them.   “By contrast, all women, 18 years and older, in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who choose a covenant relationship with God in the house of the Lord are endowed with priesthood power directly from God. And as we serve in whatever calling or assignment, including ministering assignments, we are given priesthood authority to carry out those responsibilities. My dear sisters, you belong to a Church which offers all its women priesthood power and authority from God!.” In this episode, Dr. Julie de Azevedo Hanks, a prominent therapist and church commentator, joins LDF host Dan Wotherspoon to talk about the energetic and anguished conversations among Mormon women in response to Sister Dennis' remarks. In it, Dr. Hanks provides an overview of the things that have transpired in the past eight days (from when this episode is posted) and she and Dan speak about the current controversy as well as broader issues related to women's empowerment within Mormonism. Listen in!