Podcasts about African

From the BBC World Service: Shares in the Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk tumbled 17% on Wednesday after the weight-loss drug pioneer warned of a decline in sales this year amid increasing competition and pressure on prices. Then, the United States renewed an agreement that gives 32 African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market. And later, the prime minister of Spain says he intends to ban social media for children under 16.

Berta Moreno is a Grammy nominated, multi-award winning jazz saxophonist and composer from Madrid, Spain. Her music combines contemporary jazz, Latin, African and Soul. She's performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Birdland, Dizzy's, and the North Sea Jazz Festival. She has shared the stage with artists like Dee Dee Bridgewater, Regina Carter, John Patitucci and Steve Gadd. And She's part of the multi-Grammy Award winning "Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra," directed by Arturo O'Farrill. My featured song is “Mi Cachimber”, my recent single. Spotify link.—-----------------------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------CONNECT WITH BERTA:www.bertamoreno.com—----------------------------------------ROBERT'S LATEST RELEASE:“MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET” is Robert's latest release. It transforms his jazz ballad into a lush classical string quartet piece. Praised by a host of classical music stars.CLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE LINKCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—---------------------------------------ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLE“MI CACHIMBER” is Robert's recent single. It's Robert's tribute to his father who played the trumpet and loved Latin music.. Featuring world class guest artists Benny Benack III and Dave Smith on flugelhornCLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE LINKCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------------ROBERT'S LATEST ALBUM:“WHAT'S UP!” is Robert's latest compilation album. Featuring 10 of his recent singles including all the ones listed below. Instrumentals and vocals. Jazz, Rock, Pop and Fusion. “My best work so far. (Robert)”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com  

In this episode of the GaryVee Audio Experience, I sit down with my good friend, the cultural savant Rich the Kid, to discuss how the music industry is evolving and what's next in culture and entrepreneurship. Rich the Kid gives us an exclusive look into his massive album that has taken two years to create. He also reveals his new clothing and skateboard brand, "Snake Pit," and his focus on signing the next generation of Atlanta artists. We dive deep into the mindset required to win today, from discipline and eliminating blame to finding opportunity in confusion.You'll learn:Why Rich the Kid's new album is a global, universal project inspired by African and Latin culture.My predictions on the next massive waves in business: Live Shopping, Live Streaming, and AI.Why "losers" are the only people not excited about change.Why discipline, not information, is the key to winning in business and life.

Popular historic dramas like Bridgerton, Little Dorrit and year of the Rabbit sometimes receive criticism that their diverse casts are historically inaccurate. But in fact there have been people of color in Britain since Roman times. In a previous video, I explored the lives of 7 fascinating black Aristocrats & Celebrities who were living in 18th century England and France. Today we'll travel forward in time and meet 7 more compelling people of African and mixed heritage who were making waves in Britain during the Victorian era. They include the Queen's own goddaughter and her royal ward, a renowned actor, a heroic nurse, a circus performer immortalized by the Beatles, one of the most visible models of the era and a best-selling composer. Here are their stories... Sara Forbes Bonetta Ira Aldridge Mary Seacole Pablo Fanque Fanny Eaton Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Prince Alemayehu of Ethiopia Join me every Tuesday when I'm Spilling the Tea on History! Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@historyteatime Please consider supporting me at https://www.patreon.com/LindsayHoliday and help me make more fascinating episodes! Intro Music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell Music: Brandenburg Concerto No4-1 BWV1049 - Classical Whimsical by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100303 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ #HistoryTeaTime #LindsayHoliday Please contact ⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on this podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ethiopia's national airline has resumed flights to the northern Tigray region after being suspended for a week amid military tensions. The suspension heightened fears of renewed conflict between the national army and Tigrayan forces - who accuse Addis Ababa of killing civilians using drones.  We hear from people in Tigray.   Also, are you using the right helmet while riding on a motorcycle? We look at the increase in the number of injuries and deaths from motorcycle accidents across many African cities.     Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Carolyne Kiambo, Keikantse Shumba and Ayuba Iliya Technical Producer: David Nzau Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

The difference between agroecology and regenerative agriculture is the deep social change we need in the food and agriculture system. As Laura Ortiz Montemayor told us once "ecology without social justice is just gardening". Million Belay, who leads the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, the largest social movement on the African continent, is very clear stop intervening with agriculture on the continent, stop imposing all kinds of rules, practices, seeds, inputs etc, which don't serve in this context (and we could argue in the context we come from as well, how many European banned pesticides are exported to the continent?)We talk about the shut down of the USAID which was actually a good shock to the system. And finally donors, which unfortunately dictate quite a bit the direction, are talking and slowly also acting around agroecology. We discuss how through lobbying they managed to get many countries to adopt agroecology policies in the last few years, what Million would do with a billion dollar and what his message for investors is.More about this episode.==========================In Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food podcast show we talk to the pioneers in the regenerative food and agriculture space to learn more on how to put our money to work to regenerate soil, people, local communities and ecosystems while making an appropriate and fair return. Hosted by Koen van Seijen.==========================

This week's In Class With Carr with Dr. Greg Carr and Karen Hunter, launches this year's Blackest History Month, affirming that African education is not—and has never been—merely a response to domination, but the transmission of enduring cultural coherence across generations. Using the Africana Studies Conceptual Categories, we juxtapose the latest intellectual warfare over the National Park Service's President's House site in Philadelphia, White nationalist attacks on expression and global political shifts with African-centered thinking to discuss how power, knowledge, and memory operate across time and space. We frame February as a recommitment to elevating African Ways of Knowing—cumulative, communal, and grounded in a long-view genealogy that refuses disappearance and insists on continuity.Are you a member of Knarrative? If not, we invite you to join our community today by signing up at: https://www.knarrative.com. As a Knarrative subscriber, you'll gain immediate access to Knubia, our growing community of teachers, learners, thinkers, doers, artists, and creators. Together, we're making a generational commitment to our collective interests, work, and responsibilities. Join us at https://www.knarrative.com and download the Knubia app through your app store or by visiting https://community.knarrative.com.To shop Go to:TheGlobalMajorityMore from us:Follow on X: https://x.com/knarrative_https://x.com/inclasswithcarrFollow on Instagram IG / knarrative IG/ inclasswithcarr Follow Dr. Carr: https://www.drgregcarr.comhttps://x.com/AfricanaCarrFollow Karen Hunter: https://karenhuntershow.comhttps://x.com/karenhunter IG / karenhuntershowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week Memoir Nation has the privilege of elevating the voices of four African-born authors who were part of a panel conversation with Brooke back in December. This was part of #ReadingAfricaWeek, a global reading celebration in which individuals and organizations share African books, create booklists, hold talks or panels, and spotlight writers. You can find out more at catalystpress.org, and we've curated a list for you as part of our own challenge this week to choose and read one African author (at least) in 2026. Thanks for listening and celebrating these authors with us this week. Sahra Noor is a Somali-American writer and global health expert. Her debut memoir, Salt in the Snow, is coming out in June 2026 and explores what it means to be shaped by the salt air of Mogadishu and the snowy streets of Minneapolis. Joanne Bloch was an exhibiting visual artist for most of her life, until she lost her sight. Unseen is her anthology that emerged from her experience of visual impairment and her desire for marginalized voices to be better heard. She lives in Cape Town. Colleen Higgs is a writer and publisher, and the founder of Modjaji Books, the ground-breaking southern African women's press she started in 2007. She is the author of Looking for Trouble, as well as two poetry collections. She also lives in Cape Town. Patrice Nganang was born in Cameroon and is a novelist, poet, and essayist. His memoir is Scale Boy, and he's also the author of eleven other books. He teaches comparative literature at Stony Brook University in New York.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This February marks 100 years of celebrating Black History month, which began as just a week in 1926. Now, as political efforts to scrub Black history from American classrooms intensify, historian and California native Jarvis Givens joins us to talk about his new book, “I'll Make Me a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month.” Givens says the act of preserving Black stories has always been political, always been about power, and always been a tool for liberation. Has learning Black history shaped the way you see America? Guests: Jarvis Givens, professor of African and African American studies, Harvard University. His new book is "I'll Make a World: The 100-Year Journey of Black History Month." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this powerful episode of RISE Urban Nation Podcast, host Taryell Simmons sits down with Constance “Serenity Sage” English, founder of the UnYes Movement and Siblings United Visitations, to explore how she transformed foster care trauma into a faith-rooted national reform movement. Serenity shares her journey from being silenced and separated from siblings to becoming a bold advocate for family preservation, sibling restoration, and healing-centered systems change. Drawing on her lived experience, spiritual grounding, and visionary leadership, she introduces the UnYes Movement as a reversal of every harmful label placed on foster youth—a resounding YES to identity, belonging, faith, and justice. This conversation is a call to action for leaders, advocates, and changemakers to move beyond awareness into restoration, and to help build communities where children are seen, heard, and never alone again. Links & Resources:

We’re talking about where faith & DNA collide. This is a throwback episode from my 2018 interview with Dr Simon Southerton. We’ll discuss how this former LDS bishop got excommunicated over his writings about DNA problems with the Book of Mormon and his book “Losing a Lost Tribe.” Check out our conversation… https://youtu.be/N0pD5jz01OA Chapters 0:00 Faith & DNA Collision Result in Excommunication 18:41 Cohen Haplotype 36:06 DNA Shouldn’t Vanish 54:45 The Flood & Religious Beliefs Check out our other conversations on DNA & Book of Mormon: https://gospeltangents.com/lds_theology/dna-book-of-mormon/ Faith & DNA Collision: LDS Bishop to Genetic Skeptic What happens when a molecular geneticist, serving as a faithful LDS Bishop, encounters scientific data that directly contradicts the keystone of his religion? I'm excited to release the full video of our 2018 interview with Australian researcher Dr. Simon Southerton. A former Senior Research Scientist with the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization), Dr. Southerton's journey from devout leader to vocal critic is one of the most compelling narratives in the world of Mormon studies. Dr. Southerton utilizes his expertise in population genetics to tackle apologetic theories regarding the Book of Mormon, offering a hard-hitting look at DNA, history, and the cost of following his conscience. Global Flood and “Cognitive Dissonance” Dr. Southerton's transition didn’t begin with DNA, but with the Flood. While serving as a bishop, he read an Ensign article classifying those who believe in a “local flood” (rather than a global catastrophe 4,500 years ago) as effectively denying the faith. Knowing that a global flood is scientifically impossible due to geological and genetic evidence, he felt alienated. This prompted him to research Native American DNA, hoping to find evidence supporting the Book of Mormon. Instead, he found that 99% of Native American markers are derived from Asia, with the remainder being post-Columbus European or African admixture. The realization hit him during a family night: “We chose Book of Mormon stories… by the end of that song I was pretty deeply upset… I remember thinking at the time I’m never going to sing that song again with my children because it’s wrong.” “Vanishing DNA” Theory A major portion of the interview addresses the apologetic argument—promoted by scholars like Ugo Perego—that Lehi's party was so small their DNA “vanished” or was swamped by existing populations. Southerton rejects this as inconsistent with the text. He argues that the Book of Mormon describes massive civilizations and rapid population growth, not a small family that immediately disappeared into a dominant culture. He notes that whole-genome sequencing of ancient Mayans consistently shows Asian ancestry, not Middle Eastern. Cohen Haplotype vs. The X Lineage Dr. Southerton explains why DNA can track ancient migrations if they actually occurred. He points to the Lemba tribe in Africa, who claimed Jewish ancestry. Genetic testing revealed they carried the “Cohen Haplotype,” a specific Semitic Y-chromosome marker, vindicating their oral history. Conversely, he takes aim at the theories of Rodney Meldrum, whom he characterizes as a “snake oil salesman”. Meldrum argues the “X Lineage” in North America is evidence of Middle Eastern migration. Southerton clarifies that the X lineage is an ancient marker arriving roughly 15,000 years ago—long before the Nephites—and is distantly related to Middle Eastern markers, splitting off 30,000 years ago. The Viking Argument Apologists often argue that since we can’t find Viking DNA in the Americas (despite knowing they were there), we shouldn’t expect to find Nephite DNA. Southerton dismisses this parallel. He argues that Vikings were raiders and traders who didn’t establish massive, centuries-long civilizations comparable to the Nephites and Lamanites described in the scriptures. Excommunication and Life After Faith Finally, Dr. Southerton opens up about the “draconian” process of his excommunication. While the Church charged him with “inappropriate relationships” during a separation from his wife, Southerton asserts the true motivation was his book, Losing a Lost Tribe. He describes the disciplinary council as a “15th-century” process where the outcome is decided before the accused enters the room. Today, Southerton identifies as agnostic, finding peace outside of organized religion. He emphasizes that one does not need the Church to be a “delightful, decent, good human being.” Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Except for book reviews, no content may be reproduced without written permission

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ashley Farmer to discuss the life and legacy of Queen Mother Audley Moore—an organizer, theorist, and political visionary who helped shape the very foundations of modern Black nationalism and the contemporary reparations movement. Though she was, as our guest writes, "one of the most important activists and theorists of the twentieth century," Mother Moore's figure has been largely confined to a handful of photographs and passing references, even as her ideas reverberate across generations. Dr. Farmer discusses how if Rosa Parks is remembered as the mother of the Civil Rights Movement, then Queen Mother Moore should be understood as someone who midwifed the political traditions of Black radical nationalism. Farmer traces Moore's extraordinary life, which spanned nearly the entire twentieth century—from the aftermath of Reconstruction to the rise and fall of Jim and Jane Crow, all the way until the late 1990s. Like Du Bois, her longevity allowed her to inhabit multiple political worlds, sometimes in tension with one another. We discuss how her early experiences in Jim/Jane Crow Louisiana, witnessing lynch mobs and growing up in a family shaped by both slavery and free Black community life, forged her political consciousness. We also explore the radical sisterhood she shared with Eloise and Loretta, women who were themselves deeply involved in Black liberation struggles and who helped shape Moore's earliest political actions. The conversation moves westward as they examine Moore's migration to Los Angeles, where the promise of escape from Southern racial terror collided with the realities of redlining, discrimination, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in Southern California. We look at how these conditions transformed LA into a hotbed of Black nationalist organizing—and how this period pushed Moore toward Chicago and eventually Harlem, where her political life would take on new dimensions. A portion of the discussion centers on the state's surveillance of Moore. Targeted first by HUAC and later by the FBI's Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO), Moore amassed thousands of pages of government files—documents that reveal both the threat she posed to the racial order and the broader pattern of state repression directed at Black radical women. Dr. Farmer analyzed thousands of these files and discusses some of what she discovered in them.  Dr. Ashley D. Farmer is a historian of black women's history, intellectual history, and radical politics. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Departments of History and African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to this book, she is the author of Remaking Black Power: How Black Women Transformed an Era.  If you like what we do and want to support our ability to have more conversations like this. Please consider becoming a patron. You can do so for as little as a 1 Dollar a month. Now, here is Dr. Farmer discussing her book Queen Mother: Black Nationalism, Reparations, and the Untold Story of Audley Moore Related conversations: "Attica Is an Ongoing Structure of Revolt" - Orisanmi Burton on Tip of the Spear, Black Radicalism, Prison Rebellion, and the Long Attica Revolt Free the Land! Edward Onaci on the History of the Republic of New Afrika Black Scare / Red Scare 2025 with Charisse Burden-Stelly "The Shadow of the Plantation" - Eugene Puryear on The Black Belt Thesis: A Reader  

The Context of White Supremacy welcomes Dr. Kellen Hoxworth. Classified as a White Man, Dr. Hoxworth is an “Assistant Professor of Theatre at the University of Buffalo, State University of New York. His academic interests focus on the intersections between performance, race, and coloniality, particularly in African and Black diasporic performance.” During our recent discussing with Dr. Chad Montrie, he told us that while researching Racially Restricted Regions of Minnesota he was inundated with blackface and minstrel show images. Dr. Montrie said, “They were everywhere.” At the schools, in the libraries, at the political meetings. All areas of people activity. The ubiquitous nature of these images motivated him to write a book on the subject and spurred Gus research other material on these racial performances. I soon located, Dr. Hoxworth's Transoceanic Blackface: Empire, Race, Performance. This 2024 publication asserts that minstrels shows are not a uniquely “american” form of entertainment. Rather, blackface and minstrel show performances where a crucial component of a global White Culture. People classified as White in every region of the globe partook in the humor and domination of the minstrel show. They are a massive component of what it means to be classified as White. #WhatDoesItMeanToBeWhite #TheCOWS16Years INVEST in The COWS – http://paypal.me/TheCOWS Cash App: https://cash.app/$TheCOWS CALL IN NUMBER: 720.716.7300 CODE 564943#

    Woke By Accident- Sambaza Podcast Collaboration Episode Details As the year ends, we're not just renewing subscriptions—we're reviewing relationships too.

Hear about travel to the Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe as the Amateur Traveler talks to Rael Zieve from Keep Travelling Africa about one of his favorite African itineraries. Why should you visit the Zambezi Valley?  Rael says, "Just the landscapes are quite amazing. I think you should go because the landscapes change. There are still people who live very humbly along the river banks, living out of their mud huts in very medieval conditions, and that type of thing. Even today in the 21st century." Rael's Recommended Zambezi Valley Itinerary (9 Nights Total) ... https://amateurtraveler.com/travel-to-the-zambezi-valley/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As African startups mature, the leap from seed to growth brings a new set of challenges — longer fundraising cycles, institutional expectations, governance, and the realities of scaling across fragmented markets. In this episode of Fund/Build/Scale, I sit down with Ngetha Waithaka, partner at Norrsken22, one of the continent's leading growth-stage funds. We talk about how investors evaluate African startups as they approach Series A and beyond, how founders can tell whether their business is truly venture-scale, and when bootstrapping may be the smarter path. We also dig into practical issues founders don't always hear about early enough — institutional readiness, governance, cross-border expansion, and how currency volatility shapes long-term outcomes. If you're an African founder preparing for growth capital, or an operator trying to understand what serious investors are actually looking for, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at what it takes to build something durable. RUNTIME 46:36   EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:13) Ngetha unpacks Norrsken 22's origin story and thesis (5:15) Should you bootstrap, or is your idea venture-scale? (10:30) Before talking to VCs, make sure you can demonstrate “institutional readiness” (15:05) African founders “have to start very early on the governance journey.” (20:17) Ngetha works with founders “from all over the map.” (22:55) Should African founders use Silicon Valley as a success model? (29:43) A few thoughts on currency fluctuations and international expansion (37:41) Where is Norrsken 22 looking for opportunities? (39:09) The difference between building for one market and building for Africa (44:24) Ngetha's advice to his younger self: “Success is not a linear journey.” LINKS Ngetha Waithake Norrsken 22 TymeBank AutoChek   SUBSCRIBE

The United States Department of Justice has released 3 million pages of documents as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The latest release is the largest to date and includes emails, 2,000 videos, and over 180,000 images. What do we know so far?Also in the programme: who is Kevin Warsh, the man appointed by Donald Trump as next chair of the Federal Reserve? And Nigerian musician Fela Kuti becomes the first African artist to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys.(Photo: Jeffrey Epstein in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry in 2017, Credit: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services sex offender registry)

Dan, Stelios, and Nick discuss how Spain is using Africans to win elections and not even lying about it, how Trump is a lion and not a faulty fox, and how we should be embracing the penguins.

Landfills across African cities are catching fire and releasing methane, an invisible greenhouse gas with more short-term warming potential than CO2. Sustainable strategist Mohamed A. Sultan reveals how local communities are turning this crisis into opportunity, diverting hundreds of tons of waste from landfills and helping thousands of farmers adopt more sustainable techniques. Learn why cutting methane emissions is a win-win opportunity to drive down global temperatures while also creating more livable cities. (This ambitious idea is part of The Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire and fund global change.)Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're touring the sub-continent today, choose your mode of transport — Cape Cart, ox-wagon, horse, mule, on foot? Before the arrival of steam locomotion, roads in South Africa were little more than rutted tracks created by repeated passage of wagons and animal teams rather than purpose-built carriageways. There was no formal road network in the early 19th century: routes developed organically where ox-wagons, horse-drawn carts, and pack animals repeatedly traversed the landscape, linking farms, military posts, and markets. These tracks followed natural contours and river fords, often taking months to traverse over rugged terrain. The primary transport machines on land before railways were ox-wagons and horse-drawn vehicles. The ox-wagon was the backbone of overland transport. It carried heavy goods — from wool bales and foodstuffs to mining equipment — over long distances and difficult terrain. Transport riders, both European and African, led these wagons into the interior, resting at outspans before continuing. Their significance was such that even towns and trails were defined by their routes. Before the age of railways, South African towns grew up along the overland routes forged by ox-wagons, horses and people on foot, and the rhythms of travel on those routes had a profound influence on where settlements were established and how they were spaced. In an era when roads were not engineered highways but repeated trails across the veld, the limits of what an ox-wagon team or a horse-mounted traveller could cover in a day shaped the practical distances between reliable stopping places, watering spots and supply points — and ultimately played a role in the birth and growth of towns. Drawn by spans of oxen, often 8–18 animals harnessed in long teams — these wagons carried goods, families and traders across great distances. Their average pace was slow by modern standards, typically around twenty kilometres per day under good conditions, depending on terrain, weather and the condition of the animals. This daily range was often the practical maximum that wagon drivers would plan for, and that distance became a natural unit for planning journeys, locating inns or out-span grazing grounds, and later for settlements that would service trafficked routes. Because of these constraints, towns tended to appear at intervals that corresponded roughly with a day's travel by ox-wagon or horse — places where travellers could rest, water animals, resupply or trade. These stopping points, sometimes initially little more than a watering hole or crossing on a drift, acquired markets, services and sometimes a church or administrative function as traffic increased and the surrounding countryside was settled. Over time, these logical halting-places evolved into permanent towns serving an increasingly local and itinerant population. The first public railway service in South Africa marked a dramatic shift in land transport. The Natal Railway Companyopened a small line in June 1860, linking Point (Durban) to Market Square using steam traction — this was the earliest operational stretch of railway in the country. Its first locomotive, “The Natal,” carried goods and passengers, representing a novel machine in the South African transport system and signaling a move away from animal-powered haulage. Almost simultaneously, railway construction began in the Cape Colony. In 1858–1862, the Cape Town Railway and Dock Company built the line from Cape Town to Wellington, opening sections to Eerste River and then Stellenbosch by the early 1860s. These early lines employed steam locomotives and rudimentary rolling stock (passenger coaches and goods wagons) — the “iron horse” replacing oxen and horses over these corridors. In 1931, South African entrepreneur Max Sonnenberg opened his first store in Cape Town chosing the name "Woolworths" specifically because the American F.W. Woolworth brand was already a global symbol of retail success.

We're touring the sub-continent today, choose your mode of transport — Cape Cart, ox-wagon, horse, mule, on foot? Before the arrival of steam locomotion, roads in South Africa were little more than rutted tracks created by repeated passage of wagons and animal teams rather than purpose-built carriageways. There was no formal road network in the early 19th century: routes developed organically where ox-wagons, horse-drawn carts, and pack animals repeatedly traversed the landscape, linking farms, military posts, and markets. These tracks followed natural contours and river fords, often taking months to traverse over rugged terrain. The primary transport machines on land before railways were ox-wagons and horse-drawn vehicles. The ox-wagon was the backbone of overland transport. It carried heavy goods — from wool bales and foodstuffs to mining equipment — over long distances and difficult terrain. Transport riders, both European and African, led these wagons into the interior, resting at outspans before continuing. Their significance was such that even towns and trails were defined by their routes. Before the age of railways, South African towns grew up along the overland routes forged by ox-wagons, horses and people on foot, and the rhythms of travel on those routes had a profound influence on where settlements were established and how they were spaced. In an era when roads were not engineered highways but repeated trails across the veld, the limits of what an ox-wagon team or a horse-mounted traveller could cover in a day shaped the practical distances between reliable stopping places, watering spots and supply points — and ultimately played a role in the birth and growth of towns. The first public railway service in South Africa marked a dramatic shift in land transport. The Natal Railway Companyopened a small line in June 1860, linking Point (Durban) to Market Square using steam traction — this was the earliest operational stretch of railway in the country. Its first locomotive, “The Natal,” carried goods and passengers, representing a novel machine in the South African transport system and signaling a move away from animal-powered haulage. So after that sojourn through the wonderful world of 1879, we return to Zululand. Lord Chelmsford was in a pickle. He had initially blamed the disaster at Isandlwana on his 2 IC Pulleine, and Durnford but by February, a few weeks after the battle, the general inclination of the Horse Guards back home was to point the finger at Chelmsford instead. In the British parliament, conservative prime minister Disraeli was struggling to spin a way out after the terrible news from South Africa, “It is a military disaster,” he said in the House of Lords on 13th February “…a terrible military disaster, but I think we may say it is no more…”

iShowSpeed's trip was not just a touristic excursion; it was a deep dive into the heart of African culture. From savoring local cuisines to participating in traditional rituals, he embraced the essence of each community he visited. This openness was celebrated by many, as it showcased the beauty and diversity of African traditions. However, it also raises questions about the spiritual dimensions of such experiences.2. Understanding Rituals and Spiritual Practices: As Phonchrist highlights, when visiting tribes, rituals often play a central role. While these practices can be enchanting, they also come with layers of significance that may not be immediately understood by outsiders. For example, the communal sharing of food and participation in ceremonies can be seen as a welcoming gesture, but they might also involve deeper spiritual connotations that require respect and understanding. As viewers, it's essential to recognize that not everything is as idyllic as it appears on camera.3. The Importance of Spiritual Protection: Phonchrist raises an important point about spiritual safety during such interactions. Traveling to different cultures and engaging in their rituals can expose individuals to spiritual energies that may be unfamiliar. The concern for High Show Speed's spiritual well-being is valid; he opened himself up to experiences that could have lasting effects. Whether through prayer or mindfulness, ensuring spiritual protection is crucial for anyone embarking on a similar journey.4. A Call for Awareness and Respect: While High Show Speed's intentions were rooted in love and discovery, it's vital for travelers to approach other cultures with a sense of responsibility. Immersion in rituals should not be taken lightly, as they may carry historical and spiritual weight. Being aware of the implications of one's actions in foreign cultures fosters respect and understanding, enriching the overall experience for both travelers and hosts.Conclusion: iShow Speed's journey through Africa offers a unique perspective on cultural exploration, but it also serves as a reminder of the spiritual dimensions of such experiences. As we celebrate the beauty of diverse cultures, we must also approach them with awareness and respect. The key takeaways from this discussion include the importance of understanding local rituals, the need for spiritual protection, and the call for responsible cultural engagement. Let us continue to appreciate the richness of global traditions while remaining mindful of their deeper meanings.

Sierra Leone has deep reserves of resilience, and an ability to come together and overcome great obstacles embedded in its culture. To provide the kind of history that is all too often overlooked when reporting on current events on the African continent, we are encoring this Hip Deep episode, which explores the nation's past. When Sierra Leone gained independence in 1961, Freetown swayed to the beguiling, breezy lilt of palm wine guitar and danced to the funky pop of Geraldo Pino and the Heartbeats. Once a center of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Sierra Leone became an improbable amalgamation of indigenous peoples and repatriated Africans freed from slavery. Thirty years of political and economic disintegration led to a horrific civil war that claimed tens of thousands of victims and created a generation of maimed bodies and ruined lives between 1991 and 2002. A significant portion of the violence was internal, with community members and sometimes children taking up arms against each other. Following the conflict, efforts to restore peace included truth and reconciliation programs aimed at strengthening social ties. This episode profiles the inspiring story of Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, a band formed in war-era refugee camps in Guinea. The band played a key role in giving citizens the courage to return home, and now, along with other young musicians in Freetown, attempt to pick up where others left off before the war. Produced by Simon Rentner with Wills Glasspiegel. APWW PGM #552 Originally broadcast in 2008

“Drum circles were created to build inclusivity, equity, and diversity.” In this episode, Nick speaks with Andrew Ecker to explore the cultural significance of drumming, particularly within indigenous communities, and highlights the historical context of drum circles as a means of fostering inclusivity and diversity and healing from trauma and addiction. What to listen for: Drumming and sound healing, overall, can positively impact our mental well-being The historical context of drumming reflects a blend of various cultural influences Drumming fosters community and shared experiences Addiction is based in shame and can often be spurred on by our early experiences Embracing our calling heals ourselves and others “All of us are connected to the earth. All of us are indigenous. All of us have the air, the water, the fire, and the earth flowing through us.” Identity goes deeper than culture or job titles; it's rooted in our relationship to the earth and life itself Separation from nature often fuels disconnection, anxiety, and burnout The elements are a reminder that we're not isolated individuals; we're part of a living system Reclaiming earth-based identity can be deeply grounding and healing “Do something for people — and you'll discover the truest truth of who you are.” Service often reveals purpose more clearly than self-reflection alone Helping others pulls us out of isolation and into meaningful connection You don't need to be “healed” or perfect to make a difference Showing up for others strengthens self-trust and self-worth About Andrew Ecker Andrew is a speaker, author, and creator of the Drumming Sounds Protocol, an evidence-based wellness intervention that blends ancient rhythm traditions with modern neuroscience to improve mental health, recovery, and community connection. With over 25 years of experience facilitating more than 5,000 drumming and sound-based programs, Andrew has worked with hospitals, treatment centers, universities, and tribal nations across the country. His book, The Sacred 7, explores identity, ancestry, and the transformative power of ceremony—a topic that resonates deeply with audiences seeking meaning, resilience, and personal empowerment. As a former youth outreach leader and recovery coach with over two decades in sobriety, Andrew brings a powerful, real-world perspective to conversations about trauma, healing, and spirituality. His ability to blend science, story, and spirit makes him a compelling guest for podcasts focused on wellness, recovery, leadership, and conscious living. https://www.drummingsounds.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-ecker-sacred7/ https://www.facebook.com/andrew.ecker1/ For our audience, please enjoy a free copy of Andrew's book, “The Sacred 7” — it's available for download at http://thesacredseven.com/ Resources: Interested in starting your own podcast or need help with one you already have? https://themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com/podcasting-services/ Thank you for listening! Please subscribe on iTunes and give us a 5-Star review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mindset-and-self-mastery-show/id1604262089 Listen to other episodes here: https://themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com/ Watch Clips and highlights: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk1tCM7KTe3hrq_-UAa6GHA Guest Inquiries right here: podcasts@themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com Your Friends at “The Mindset & Self-Mastery Show” Click Here To View The Episode Transcript Nick McGowan (00:02.959)Hello and welcome to the Mindset Self Mastery Show. I’m your host, Nick McGowan. Today on the show, we have Andrew Ecker. Andrew, what’s going on? Andrew Ecker (00:13.602)How’s it going, Nick? Nick McGowan (00:15.649)It’s good. I’m glad that you’re here. I’m excited for us to talk about music and drum circles and sound healing and all the things that relate to all of that. And we were gonna have a call maybe like a year and a half ago or so. And there’ve been some people that have like backed out of the show and I’ve been like, that’s fine. You can do whatever you want to do. But you were one of the people I was like, I hope he comes back. So I’m glad that you’re here. I’m glad that people are gonna be able to hear this conversation. And why don’t you get us started? Tell us what you do for a living and what’s one thing most people don’t know about you that’s maybe a little odd or bizarre. Andrew Ecker (00:48.769)Awesome. So before we do that, I’d like to just take a moment and honor myself in the space by introducing myself formally in traditional language of my ancestors. This is a language called Nde Baza, which basically means the people’s tongue. So Dago Tse, Tse Nde, Andirector Yenise, Adon Dae Nshinigye, Nde Nshe, Irish Pashachin, Nde Dasha Tshe, German Dasha Nali, Kote Goe Itshliye, Portland, Oregon, Enishe. Shama’e, Kathy Lindsay Woye, Shaza’e Del Eccorale. So my name is Andrew Eccor, my mother Kathy Lindsay, my father Del Eccor, my mother’s mother Elva Gallegos, Apache woman from New Mexico. She grew up in a little town called Capitan right outside the Mescalero reservation. Although my ancestral lines go back to the Madera Valley of Texas and Chihuahua, Mexico. The Apaches from this area are called La Pond Band Apache. My father’s mother Evelyn Beatty, an Irish woman from Pennsylvania. She actually was very proud that our ancestor William Beatty fought in the Revolutionary War to establish this country. So I do consider myself a son of the revolution on that side of my family. My mother’s father Leroy Lindsay, a Korean and Vietnam War veteran, and my father’s father Wayne Ecker, a World War II veteran. I have a daughter Bailey, son Peyton, a beloved fiancee named Monica. I was born in the ancestral land of the Multnomah Clackamas of Malamit in Portland, Oregon. although I currently reside in the ancestral land of the Akmal, Atom, the Peaposh and the Hohokam in Phoenix, Arizona. And very grateful to be here with you. So the thing that I do primarily is I work in healthcare and I’m a drum circle facilitator and sound medicine practitioner and also a peer support specialist, recovery coach. Most of the work that I do is in variety of different healthcare settings. So everything from psychiatric lockdowns to memory care, skilled nursing, prisons, jails, drug and alcohol treatment facilities, I facilitated about 5,000 wellness-based events with a protocol I’ve developed called Drumming Sounds. So Drumming Sounds is a step-by-step process of creating outcomes that are wellness-based. So reducing stress, increasing immunity, lowering blood pressure, Andrew Ecker (03:13.865)helping people connect through music and really creating a safe, sacred space for people to come into group drumming. So group drumming is a really powerful wellness intervention and so it’s a small group of studies done on it and it’s pretty amazing what the science community has found. So yeah, so that’s what I do and also do some coaching stuff, of course, help people out. Something unique about me, that a lot of people don’t know. You know, I grew up in a home where both my parents were addicted to drugs and my mom died of a cocaine overdose and my father died of cirrhosis of liver caused by hepatitis C. So growing up in that environment, I was around a lot of really intense experiences. And I think something that a lot of people don’t know about me is that because of that, My relationship with PTSD as a child was something really intense and my first suicide attempt I was seven years old. I remember attempting to hang myself at seven and thankfully, you know, I didn’t succeed. But from the time of that first attempt till really probably my late 20s, I was dealing with suicidal ideation and a severe relationship to other mental health concerns, including situational schizophrenia, depression, anxiety. These are all things I live in relationship with today. Nick McGowan (05:01.261)So, where do I go from here? know, way to drop everything on us. I first off want to thank you and appreciate how you started this and being able to show back to your ancestors and being able to talk from your original language. I think we can sometimes forget about where we come from. Our genetics do not. our generational trauma does not. There’s so many things that, like you dealt with so much with your parents. I’m sure we could just tackle through all of that, but what your parents dealt with, that then they transferred along to you and what their parents dealt with, et cetera, et cetera, and how all of that was tossed to us. Most people I don’t think really think about that because they just think, well, my parents are assholes, so I’m trying to do better or whatever. It’s like, well, let’s actually take steps back generations before that. and before that, before that. And I think we can sometimes also forget about where you actually came from. Like you rattled off a lot of family members. And as I was thinking about it, I was like, I’m making me, I maybe go like two layers deep. People beyond that, I don’t really know. And I don’t really know if they’re still around or what the hell’s going on or whatever, because of the way that I was raised. And it’s interesting to think about how we should. actually get back to more community-based things, but there’s a lot of unlearning to do with all of that. And I’ve read through the stuff you’ve sent. I’ve seen the different things you’ve done. I’ve known about you for a little bit, but I wouldn’t have even been able to know about the things that you’ve just rattled off. And really, mean, shit, where do you want to start with this? and thinking about from a mental health and a mindset and overall transformation, self mastery. I’m not trying to just throw out buzzwords, but like there are categorical things we can talk about here, you know? Andrew Ecker (06:59.456)Yeah. Andrew Ecker (07:03.264)Yeah, for sure. And that’s really why I’d like to share that traditional introduction because it does give us an opportunity to understand what healthy communities have looked at as self-identity, really the foundation of creating a healthy person. We’re talking about tens of thousands of years of this idea that we are our parents, we are our grandparents, we are from someplace and we live someplace. You know, these principles of self-identity. And just like you were sharing, know, remembering that is very important because we live in a time where our earth-based identity has been systematically erased from our mindset. And this is done through systematic organization of space, you know, ideas like the patriarchy, manoralism and feudalism. You know, these really predominant institutions systematically created a separation from us being our family and being from the earth. Yet all of us are connected to the earth. All of us are indigenous. All of us have the air, the water, the fire, the earth flowing through us. And the more that we can remember that, the more that we can validate that we are valuable just as a person. The contemporary culture has created this idea that we’re a job. And that’s our identity, that’s our value. And that idea was really created around feudalism and manalism historically because these were the only… Well, everyone in those systems was a job-based identity other than the landlords. And the landlords were the ones who were able to have an earth-based identity. If you weren’t have land and land title, You were a smith, a parson, a knight, a sewer, all of these behavioral based ideas of identity. And as we begin to really look at these constructs, you can see that the devaluing of the human condition is a purposeful and an intentional plot to really create what we’re faced with today. And what we’re faced with today is a lot of people Andrew Ecker (09:26.423)wandering around feeling valueless, hopeless, and really in a condition that promotes the use of destructive behaviors such as substances. know, myself, growing up in an environment where I remember the D.A.R.E. program coming into my school, and you know, during D.A.R.E., a lot of people don’t remember, but the D.A.R.E. police were getting children to turn in their parents for using cannabis. and for using substances. And I remember my mom was really scared that this was going to happen. So she kind of cornered me one day and said to me, you know, if they come into your school, you can’t tell them that we use this. And it was really weird to me, because like those were the best times I remember. You know, my job as a little boy was to clean the stems and the seeds out of the cannabis. You know, back when cannabis had stems and seeds. You know, and people rolled a joint. It wasn’t a free roll. You know, but my family used to sit around and smoke and that was when they were social. You know, nobody was drunk fighting. Nobody was in the bathroom or in the bedroom with the door shut. You know, doing intravenous drugs, they were social. And I just couldn’t understand that as a kid. But yet I remember them coming into my school and they had flags and Nick McGowan (10:24.073)You Andrew Ecker (10:51.996)guns and these were great big intimidating police officers. And I remember my heart racing and my palms getting sweaty. And thankfully they didn’t interrogate me. But what they did was they said to this group of children, if you have one drug addict parent, you’re 50 % more likely to become a drug addict. Now I’m not saying that they did this intentionally to give children this idea that they’re genetically flawed. They were trying to impart to these kids. that, you know, don’t use drugs. That’s what, you know, is the big thing. You know, just say no, all this stuff. But what it did for me is it told me, well, 50 and 50, that’s 100. That must be who I am. And this was the first time in my life that anyone told me I was genetically flawed. You know, and the extension of eugenics isn’t something that is merely a part of, you know, the Nazi regime. Nick McGowan (11:35.326)Hmm. Andrew Ecker (11:47.256)You know, eugenics enters into childhood ideas in these sorts of systematic ways. You know, now, you know, fast forward, we’ve come to a place of understanding that it’s not just eugenics, but it’s epigenetics and really looking at how we can create environments that create successful human beings. And that’s what I’m able to do with the drum circle. You know, the drum circle is really an environment that creates a healthy human being. as to where the destructive forces of incarceration, imprisonment and devaluing people because they have a mental health concern created those behaviors that were a part of my parents’ lives and unfortunately a part of my life. know, it wasn’t that moment that I became a drug addict when the Derikoff said that to me. But later on, as I would grow older, that seed started to take root. And when I was a teenager, I ended up in the spoon with my dad, meaning I was using heroin with my father. You know, my mom used to use me to shoplift. I was in and out of drug houses. I mean, it was, I was exposed to things as a little boy that only makes sense today in my path of service. You know, as I’ve learned to manage these things and as I’ve learned to show up and help people reconnect to who they are, it’s all made perfect sense to me. But as a little boy, man, I didn’t know what was going on. I didn’t know how to deal with it. I just wanted the pain to end. know, and, you know, thankfully I found heroin because heroin helped me through my suicidal ideation. Because I don’t know if I would be alive today if it wasn’t for heroin. You know, things got real bad for me when I was, you know, 17, 18 years old. Nick McGowan (13:41.68)I gotta be honest, I never thought I would hear anybody else say that thankfully I had heroin because that changed things. I overdosed on heroin when I was 19. And the people that were there in the room, I’m thankful that they wanted to save their own lives and one person like beat the shit out of me so I threw everything up. But I remember walking home smoking a cigarette after that being like, what the fuck just happened? All right. And looking up being like, all right, I guess there’s some reason why I’m here. And I think back to that. But that wasn’t like that one moment, just like the moment that you were talking about or any of those other little moments were just a bag of moments in a sense. All these things, like even as a little kid, you don’t really know. Like, and I totally understand where you’re coming from with the parents hanging around, smoking joints, all of that. I was in parts of some of that. My mom and dad were never together and it was like totally separate ways of being and all of that. living in and out of bars, basically, like being the kid eating a maraschino cherries and all that shit, and everyone just smoking cigarettes like a pack at a time and out around your face. There are people that don’t understand those things. Even like the dare stuff. I’ve had conversations with people kind of recently, like within the past handful of months, where some people were like, dare scared the shit out of me. And I didn’t want to touch like caffeine or anything else. Other people were like, I learned there were drugs out there. So was like, great, can I have some? And then other people went through stuff like you where they’re like, well, you’re telling me this is how it is. I think it’s interesting how we can suspect that, let’s just say, dare wasn’t trying to brainwash. know, let’s just say that their thing was like, we want to help and we want to make sure that you have the statistics. But these are also adults that are like, well, 50 % of you become addicts. So why don’t we just tell the kids that you take it as one way. Some other kid takes it a different way. And there’s no repercussion to that at all to then like, that wasn’t a thing that you then brought up the next day in school. It like, know what? Yesterday, I learned this thing and now I feel like the rest of my life is gonna change. That just started to grow bit by bit by bit. And then you already had the genes of being addicted. Nick McGowan (16:02.023)I know I have to come back to some fucking question basically. And my question at all times with that sort of stuff is like, how do we stop that from happening? Because even with the DARE stuff, it’s like, yeah, cool, thanks. Now I know there are other drugs out there and also know what the end is and I’ll fall back to marijuana because like, why the fuck? It’s a fucking plan. But all things in moderation and like all those different aspects to it. But what do we do? You know, like you move to music. And as a musician and creative myself, I moved toward that too, but I often think of the times of smoking a joint and playing music and like those are happy moments. but to some people that might be destructive and all of that, but you moved closer into music. So I think music sometimes can be part of our addiction, you know, like I’m addicted to sound. but being able to turn that into a healing thing. So I don’t want to just jump past everything you went through. Andrew Ecker (16:57.041)Thank Nick McGowan (16:59.844)with your parents because that made you who you are. But being able to look back at some of those moments to go, now with the work that you do, the way that you were raised, what are some of those bridge points that you can look at and go, man, I was really looking for community. I was looking for ways to do this and do that. You know what I mean? Andrew Ecker (17:18.16)Yeah, exactly. I really believe that all addiction for me is based around relationship and filling the void of the absence of relationship with the substance. And I remember the first time that this really happened to me, me and my mom were out shoplifting all day. I was just a little guy. I was, you know, probably eight, nine, I don’t know, somewhere around there. I remember being all bundled up and maybe even younger. I was you know, elementary school age. And she takes me to the park and she left me there at the park with a bucket of chicken. And I remember her saying, I’ll be right back and her driving off and me eating that chicken to fill the void and the fear of my mom not coming back for me. Being left at the park and knowing in my childhood mind that she was going to a dope house and there could have been something that happened. It was just the anxiety of that entire situation I was feeling with the warmth of that chicken. And then later on, you know, as I started to grow in my own personal self mastery, I started to look back at the patterns of loneliness and grief and isolation and how every time that I found myself using, really, it was that idea. It was about creating camaraderie at first, community. finding a judgment free zone. You know, I grew up being bounced around family member to family member. So definitely had home insecurity and really wasn’t, you know, in a place where I felt like I had a home. So I didn’t feel that sense of security that maybe most people grow up with. So when I found the security of friends that would accept me, you know, just if I got high with them, that’s all I needed. It wasn’t like I needed to be smart, it wasn’t like I needed to be funny, it wasn’t like I needed to be athletic, you know, it wasn’t like I needed to be a great musician, any of those things. I just needed to show up and get high and you know and have money to get high or be able to hustle and that was really my first support system was the community of people that I was using with and what happens for most people that are in the struggle of substance use disorder Andrew Ecker (19:43.015)is that they focus on what not to do. And they never really understand what the drugs and alcohol gave to them. You know, asking myself, what was it that heroin gave to me? What was it that alcohol gave to me? And how can I effectively create a way of meeting that need? Because we all have human needs. Every single one of us is going through something. And you know, it’s a lot easier when we go through it together and building that foundation of community. is so important in me being able to have functional behaviors today. So I’m constantly evolving in the way that I’m able to show up in community. I have my drum circle community. I have the people that I serve in the institutions and healthcare and the schools. And then I also have other activities like doing poetry or playing pickleball, going to the gym. You know, these are ways that I definitely look at creating community where I’m at. There was a time when church was a really big part of my life. You know, now I go to sweat lodge and I have a spiritual community there. Uh, you know, I’m not opposed to going to meetings, but I, know, I don’t go to a lot now, but definitely going to 12 step meetings and all of these things are a great way that we can build a supportive community. And when you ask, you know, Like when we think about children that have been affected by the mental health crisis, you know, how do we help them navigate? How do we help the youth navigate? And I think it’s really about creating a fortified sense of community. And, you know, when we think about drumming, oftentimes we go to this idea that drumming is this exclusive experience for indigenous communities, that it’s something that really is ceremonial and ritualistic and yes there is definitely ritual and ceremony but drum circles began as creating a culture of inclusivity, equity and really diversity because the drum circle of North America originated in the 1700s in New Orleans and under French colonial occupation Native Americans, Africans, Europeans, people from all over the world Andrew Ecker (22:09.146)were able to gather with the common language of group drumming. And that group drumming created a foundation for jazz, blues, R &B, gospel, and eventually rock and roll. So when I go in and I facilitate a drum circle, it’s from the American experience of group drumming that has always been about creating a culture of diversity, has always been about creating a space of connection. through diverse groups. And when we have that sacred space, we can know that something good is gonna happen. And we as Americans, we don’t know that the only truly American instrument is the drum kit. The jazz drum kit is really the only truly American instrument. So we have this vast history of drumming together that is hundreds of years old, literally as old as the concept of of America, yet for some reason this sort of stuff isn’t taught in school. And it’s not taught to us about the richness of creating a culture of diversity, of inclusion, of equity, and what the brilliance of that looks like in an artistic sense. And I think today we’re threatened by a voice that is coming from a group of people that says that diversity, inclusion, and equity is something to fear. And I’m like people, that’s the very greatest gifts that we’ve given to the world has come from us coming together as a people. And it feels good. You know, it feels good to give yourself an opportunity to be around people in an activity that you normally wouldn’t be around. And I think that that’s the power of our journey and the wellness and the brilliance of our community. Nick McGowan (23:58.594)Hmm. Andrew Ecker (24:04.405)And when we can get back to teaching each other that, when we can get back to fortifying the space of that concept of what that America looks like, we’ll have the brilliance of being the shining city on the hillside that calls the weary, that calls the hurting, that calls the desperate. And you know, the struggle that my parents went through, the pain that they were going through, and the ostracization of being criminalized for having a mental health issue. You know, that’s what this country has done very effectively. You know, 90 % of people in our prison system have a mental health issue. And that is sad that we have done this to the most vulnerable people in our population. And we have more people in prison than any industrialized nation in the world. But if you counted the people that were in psychiatric lockdowns, memory care, skilled nursing, and other forms of institutionalization, that number would be astronomical. And these are the people that I have spent the past 20 years working with, helping, desperately giving to, because in that space, I feel fulfilled as a human being, but I also get to see some of the most brilliant experiences and miraculous experiences in my life, Nick. I mean, we’ll go into these memory care facilities where we have late stage Alzheimer’s patients that are nonverbal and we’ll set the drum down in front of them. The nurses sometimes will come over and say, they won’t play, don’t even bother. I mean, this is our healthcare workers and we’ll say, no, just keep it there. And next thing you know, you see them tapping their foot. And before you know it, they’re playing and they’re singing and You know, it’s just miraculous to know that the tens of thousands of years of evidence-based practice of utilizing group drumming has not been wasted and that it’s still relevant to the healthcare conversation and it still is meaningful and it still helps people. Nick McGowan (26:15.97)Why don’t see how it can’t not continue that way, you know? Like, I think everybody that will listen to this will have heard at least one time, music is the universal language. And for us to be able to actually feel music, there are people that don’t really understand music. They don’t feel it the same way musicians do, let’s say. Like there are sometimes I’ll share things with people and I’m like, listen to how this happens with this and my God. then it just does things to you. You feel that at different times. Other people don’t know that. That’s just not part of their being. Yet still, they can feel the frequencies. If we really break it down into quantum level, we are all waves and frequencies anyway. And all of this ties into everything. man, I’m sitting here like I got chills even as you’re talking about, because I’m visualizing that older person who the healthcare workers are basically like, we see them every day. They don’t do anything because we also don’t do anything different. Andrew Ecker (26:48.163)yes. Nick McGowan (27:15.083)And we’re kind of jaded and overworked and fuck, I could really use a vacation. Like they have their own problems. And then they’re just like, no, don’t worry about them. They’re not going to do it. But that frequency will still get in there. So I could imagine it’s got to be a, that’s probably one of those things like drum circles per se is one of those things that people probably won’t go to on the top list of 30 things that they’re going to do to work on themselves at first. You know, so even Like if somebody were to say, you’re having these problems, you have some addiction, you have anything and they go, well, go to a drum circle. I would imagine most people would look at somebody like a dog would like, what the fuck does that, what do you mean? so what would you say to those people that haven’t even thought of that? This is one of those things where like, wow, I’ve talked to somebody, I went to a doctor and I’m doing these and we’re doing blah, blah, blah. What advice do you give to those people that this has been one of those things that. was probably not even deep, deep in their mind, even as a musician, to think about how drum circles and drumming could help them. Andrew Ecker (28:19.943)Well, I definitely feel that a lot of that has been because of the cultural stereotypes about drumming and this idea of, you know, the witch doctor or voodoo or, you know, something along these lines. you know, it just is, it’s crazy to really unpack when you have communities that have thrived with a relationship to the earth, lived functionally for tens of thousands of years. And at the heart of those communities, is group drumming, dancing and singing. I mean, this is literally the oldest wellness based event that we have as human beings. And somehow, you know, through the lens of religion and not even really, I would say because I was a pastor for three and half years that I can tell you that there’s a lot of reference in the Bible even of sound medicine. I mean, David, you know, played the leader for Saul who had like mental health concerns. And it’s, mean, there’s references to the women of Israel coming out playing the drum. So it isn’t like an educated Judeo-Christian bias. It’s an uneducated Judeo-Christian bias that creates this narrative that, those brown and black people are the people, those savages, that drum. And it’s really unfortunate because even Nick McGowan (29:21.642)Mm-hmm. Andrew Ecker (29:48.061)in the very progressive world of integrative medicine, there still is a void around drumming. I am a presenter at some of the most prestigious healthcare conferences in the United States. And I remember confronting a doctor that was talking about mindfulness and he had, he was a keynote and he had this tree of mindfulness and all of these branches led to different aspects of mindfulness. One of them, of course, went to yoga, Tai Chi, but there wasn’t a branch that went to drumming and dance. And I confronted him in front of the entire group of doctors, 500 doctors. And I said, why isn’t there a branch to drumming? And he was very apologetic. And he said, there needs to be a branch on that tree to drumming. And I said, yes, we’re working on making that happen. But it is overlooked. Nick McGowan (30:37.513)Hmm. Andrew Ecker (30:46.148)And you know, I can tell you that I am a part of a community of people that have the more that they drum, they may have come to a drum circle and been drinking and smoking. But by the time, you know, a couple of years go by and they get around people like myself that are completely abstinent from substance use and I’m drumming and having a great time and dancing, the more that they start to question, well, do I really need this? And then it’s just Nick McGowan (31:13.566)Hmm. Andrew Ecker (31:13.911)a matter of them just being in that environment. And I have friends come up to me and say, Hey, you know what? I didn’t tell anybody about this, but I haven’t drank in, you know, six months. And I’m like, right on, you know, and friends come up and say, I haven’t smoked in a year and I just kind of went away because drumming as well as you know, Nick, music gives us that feeling of community connection. I mean, there is no deeper connection. that you can experience, then when you hit a note or when you play a rhythm and everybody ends together and nobody said stop, or the thing just fades away into the brilliance of the experience and you’re just like, holy crap. This, mean, as a musician, and if you talk to musicians, they can tell you precisely when that happened in their life, because it’s one of those memories. Nick McGowan (31:51.954)Mm-hmm. Andrew Ecker (32:09.966)that is embedded into you on a cellular level. It is literally like you’re touching God. I mean, it is so powerful. And every person, we have communities where that was literally the entire community experience. I was fortunate enough to go to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and meet with the Havasupai. And I did three suicide prevention programs down there. This is the most remote Native American tribe in the continental United States. Nick McGowan (32:13.95)Mm-hmm. Nick McGowan (32:26.279)you Andrew Ecker (32:39.159)There’s no roads to their nation. There’s no airstrips. It’s only horseback helicopter or foot. That’s the only way you can get down there. And I met with an elder named Tiny Haunan. And Tiny was playing the drum and singing. And he said, when I was a little boy, we used to drum, dance and sing for a week straight. He said the people would fall asleep on the ground, wake up, start singing and dancing again. And they would drum literally for an entire week. Now the frequency of that, the cellular alliance, the reconfiguration of the energetic meridians in the body, like there is no place for depression in that environment. There’s no place for anxiety in that environment. I mean, you’re literally rewiring your nervous system and coming into our harmonic connection with the earth. And this is really what it means to be an earthling. You know, the music that we play, Nick McGowan (33:21.758)you Andrew Ecker (33:38.14)is something that we practice to play at the level that we can play at. But everybody knows that there’s a point where the instrument is playing you. And when you’re in that mystery, man, when you are in that mystery, like every single person deserves to experience that in their lives. Every single person deserves to be in the brilliance of that experience because it solves the issues, man. It solves it. Nick McGowan (33:50.055)Mm-hmm. Andrew Ecker (34:06.196)And when you taste that, you’re hungry for it forever. And I’ll go to, you know, like I facilitate drum circles and that really doesn’t happen in a drum circle. But a taste of that does happen. Like a place of connection to the feeling of support and the intricacy of music and even the freedom that you can experience in that space, it will happen. And You know, it does take a level of mastery to experience the depths of that. And hopefully people will be able to go on their journey with music to that place. like that is, dude, I mean, there’s nothing better than that right there. I mean, if you could take and put that into a bottle, people would spend their lives wanting to… And that’s why musicians do what they do, They will… Nick McGowan (35:02.119)Mm-hmm. Andrew Ecker (35:02.624)They will literally sleep on the couch of their best friend to go experience that. They will literally not go to work to go experience that. They will do whatever they possibly can to experience that. you know, unfortunately, in a world that doesn’t value music like our ancestors did, you know, for tens of thousands of years, and even today, you know, you go to India, they have ceremonies that are a month. where it’s just people drumming, dancing and singing for a month straight. You you go to Hopi right here in the United States on the Hopi reservation. They’re doing that same idea because the practice of living in integration with the earth promotes the quality of the earthling condition. So where you’re not worried, you go sleep in a mud house rather than go try to make a billion dollars so that you have a big old fancy house. if you get that experience of community. You know, and that experience of community solves everything, man. And we got to get it in our schools. We got to get it in our our our health care facilities. We’re trying our best. We train 350 people now in the drumming sounds protocol. We’re out there doing it every day, you know, and just trying to live our best lives. So is it the solution? I think that we have, like I said, thousands, literally people, thousands of years. Nick McGowan (36:17.638)Hmm. Andrew Ecker (36:30.459)of evidence-based practice out there. Like, wake up, people, wake up. Like, yeah, we need drumming. You know? Nick McGowan (36:39.836)Yeah, I mean, even just the community level of that, but the music and the frequency level of all of it and everything that ties into it. I love the work that you’re doing. I really do. I think it’s crazy that the arts and music especially is being taken out of different schools and everything’s being really like commodified almost, even when you think of music. For the most part, pop music. It’s an ABA, CAB sort of situation. It’s the same thing. There was even a thing like 10, 15 years ago where somebody played a Nickelback song forward and layered over another Nickelback song backwards and it was the same. And it was like, that is crazy. But that’s what is being pushed to us instead of feeling through all of this and allowing yourself to actually get into it. I’m really glad that you got to the point where you were saying that the music is playing you. Because any musician that’s really been in, I don’t know, in any sort of jam session or in a live band or something, even if you’ve remotely tasted that little bit, you know that that’s a real thing. And that’s a whole different level. And you’re right, that is divine. Like you are literally in it. I’d played guitar in worship bands for the better part of a decade. And if it weren’t for music, I wouldn’t have been there. Andrew Ecker (37:54.712)Dude, it’s fast, yeah. Andrew Ecker (38:03.5)Yeah. Nick McGowan (38:03.961)I wouldn’t have ended up having a relationship with God. And I also now at this point, no, he’s not some bearded dude on a fucking chair somewhere. Like it’s much bigger than that. But being able to feel that, like there are things where you couldn’t manufacture this feeling. So I’m glad he pointed out, like if we could bottle it, that would be great. But at the same time, the rest of the world is trying to bottle fucking everything else. So I’m glad that we can’t because you need to experience that, you know? Andrew Ecker (38:12.974)Yeah Andrew Ecker (38:20.322)Yeah. Andrew Ecker (38:28.202)I know, I know. You do, Nick McGowan (38:33.743)What a cool thing, man. And I really love the work that you’re doing. I appreciate you being on with us today. For the people that are on their path towards self-mastery, what’s your advice to those people that are walking toward that? Andrew Ecker (38:45.772)You know, I think first just be gentle with yourself and just understand that, you know, loving yourself is the simplest thing. I was doing my best and you know, we man, life is rough, man. I mean, we, we lose people. go through all kinds of stuff and people used to tell me all the time, you know, Andrew, you need to love yourself, especially when I was little, you know, they would tell me this and I, I’d be like, you know, I felt like I was doing something wrong, you know, like What does that mean? And you know, it really is as simple as just saying, I was doing my best through everything, you know, through the alcoholism, through the drugs, but look at what’s going on in your life. And if it isn’t working for you, change, you know, like don’t be stuck in a pattern that is something destructive. You know, being in a place where you can manage your thoughts is a very important aspect to living your successful life. allowing for the thoughts that don’t serve you to simply fade away and sometimes to be confrontational with those thoughts. You know, I remember reading God is love and I thought if I just focus on love, maybe all these thoughts of suicide would would leave me. So every time any anxiety came into my life, I would just simply start screaming love in my mind and take control of my mind. You know, sometimes we just have to overpower those thoughts that aren’t serving us. And, you know, I think that for me, the greatest act of my own self mastery is the place of service. Being of service to others has brought me to a place where I feel the best, Andrew. And sometimes, you know, showing up isn’t easy. Sometimes it’s hard, but I think about the people that I drum with in the institutions and You know, just to give everybody a really brief story before we kind of close this up. For 10 years, I went to this skilled nursing hospital. And for 10 years, this man would come out and he was in a bed and his hands were atrophied. And I’d have to pry his fingers open and put a maraca in his hand. And he would shake the maraca and say, Hallelujah, Hallelujah. You know, and he had this great big smile on his face. Andrew Ecker (41:11.164)And this man’s name that I’m mentioning today is Vance Gribbins. And one day I came to the hospital and I said, Where’s my buddy Vance? And they told me he went home to heaven. I was like, good for him. You know, I said, How long did he live in this hospital? I’ve been coming here for 10 years. And they said he lived in that hospital for 28 years. And for 28 years, man, he lived in a body that that he couldn’t feed himself, you know, and 28 years he was in a hospital bed. But every single time he had an opportunity to show up for drum circle or sing along or balloon toss or bingo, he was there. And you know, today we have people that have everything in their lives. They have money, they have beautiful homes, cars, all this stuff. And to get them to go out to, you know, an art display or to go and show up at an open mic or a drum circle. You know, it’s like the end of the world. They would rather sit in front of their TV and watch Judge Judy need potato chips. And I’m just calling people on their bullshit. You know, if we want to have a good world, we got to get out of our house. We got to connect with our neighbors. We got to say hi to people. We can’t just look down at our phone every time we see a homeless person and try to escape eye contact. You know, we need to engage with people and be the brilliance that we are. You know, the medicine that you have inside of you is a medicine that we need as a community. And that’s what this world needs right now. We need love. We need togetherness. You know, I stopped giving money to people when they would ask me for money on the street. But I immediately will say to a person, hey, can I pray for you? You know, and sometimes people will say, you know, hell no, I don’t want that. And sometimes people will say, you know what? I appreciate that. Please pray for me. And I remember one time me and Monica were in my my fiancee. We were in Salt Lake. And this guy had chains, gold chains on and he just put out a joint. I could tell he smelled like cannabis and everything. He’s like, hey, man, you got any money? I was like, no, but I could say a prayer for you. And I’m saying a prayer for this guy. And he’s like, that’s the good shit. That’s what he was saying. And you just never know how you’re going to impact somebody’s life if you make yourself available. So Nick McGowan (43:34.615)Yeah. Andrew Ecker (43:35.493)You know, want to be in the place of self mastery, be available for community. You know, get out there and do something that is just to be available. Volunteer, you know, go show up at the homeless shelter. Develop a podcast that’s giving to the community. Do something for people. You know, do something for people. And you know, you’re to find the truest truth of the truth that you are. And you’re going to make a difference in the lives of people. Nick McGowan (44:02.656)It’s hard to not clap right now and like really fucking root, you know what I mean? So thank you, dude. I appreciate that. I’ve been refraining back from the like, fuck yeah, yeah. You know, so I really appreciate it. And how that was also one of those. and by the way, one more fucking thing. Here it is. Man, that’s awesome. I think there are small things that we can do. Andrew Ecker (44:13.013)Yeah! Andrew Ecker (44:23.581)Yeah. Nick McGowan (44:32.002)to really help us be able to start down that path? Because you’re talking about a lot of things and to some people, and I try to break stuff down to like, what could anybody be thinking about being super analytical or whatever of like, man, that’s a lot of shit. And there’s like a lot of things that are going on. I’m having really hard time with this one little thing in my life right now. So taking those smaller steps, like even saying get out and do community, do community in the way that feels right for you to do. Like there are people that will go to church on Sunday and that’s my community time. And as soon as they walk out, they’re yelling at their kids, they’re hating on everybody. it’s like, you’re not really doing community at that point. And community can look different to everybody. And sometimes it’s just showing up literally in the neighborhood. And like you’re saying, and dude, I think we all do it. There are people around, look down at your phone. I do that at times where I’m lost in my own head and I’m thinking about things. I’m just… going through my phone, because I’m like, don’t want to have an interaction with somebody else. And as soon as I’m aware of that, I’m like, fucking, I gotta put my phone away. Hi, you know, like, just taking that step to get out there a little bit. You obviously love what you’re doing. And this is part of your calling and a deep purpose of yours. And I think the big thing for all of us to be able to take away from that is whatever that looks like for us, just lean into it. Just get into it a little bit more and enjoy that. And I… I love that you were talking about the amount of music and the things that go into that, like the feelings that we can get from all of that and how that opens people that haven’t been open for years and years and sometimes decades. So, Andrew, I appreciate you being on here. It’s been a pleasure having you on, man. I really appreciate it. Before I let you go, where can people find you and where can they connect with you? Andrew Ecker (46:16.065)so yeah, drumming sounds is pretty much the easiest way there. you know, if you Google drumming sounds, it’ll pull me up, but I’d like to give everybody a free copy of my book based on the traditional introduction of my ancestors, but applicable to any sort of person. it’s just a system of self identity and you can get that at the sacred seven.com. It’ll also put you into my email list and you can find out events we’re doing music festivals, trainings, drum circles, all that stuff. Nick McGowan (46:51.511)Again, man, it’s been pleasure having you on. Thank you for your time. Andrew Ecker (46:54.273)Thank you, Nick.

Bill Gates tells Gideon that a climate of fear has taken hold in the US business community under the Trump administration: “People are afraid to speak out about being afraid to speak out.” He discusses falling aid budgets, why philanthropy cannot replace government funding, and an ambitious new collaboration with OpenAI to improve access to healthcare in Africa. Gates also reflects on the more destabilising uses of artificial intelligence and his past association with the disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Clips: NBC4, Bill GatesFree links to read more on this topic: Bill Gates and OpenAI back $50mn AI rollout in African health clinicsTech titans lined up for Trump's second inauguration. Now they're even richerBill Gates and Sergey Brin among newly released Epstein photosBill Gates warns aid cuts risk big increase in child deathsSubscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner and the executive producer is Flo Phillips.Follow Gideon on Bluesky or X @gideonrachman.bsky.social, @gideonrachmanRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

******Support the channel******Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedissenterPayPal: paypal.me/thedissenterPayPal Subscription 1 Dollar: https://tinyurl.com/yb3acuuyPayPal Subscription 3 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ybn6bg9lPayPal Subscription 5 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/ycmr9gpzPayPal Subscription 10 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y9r3fc9mPayPal Subscription 20 Dollars: https://tinyurl.com/y95uvkao ******Follow me on******Website: https://www.thedissenter.net/The Dissenter Goodreads list: https://shorturl.at/7BMoBFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedissenteryt/Twitter: https://x.com/TheDissenterYT This show is sponsored by Enlites, Learning & Development done differently. Check the website here: http://enlites.com/ Dr. Eleanor Scerri is Professor at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, where she is the Head of the independent Max Planck Human Palaeosystems Research Group. She is an archaeological scientist interested in exploring the articulation between material culture, genetics, and biogeography to further theoretical, methodological and scientific advances in the field of human evolution. Her group is exploring the pan-African evolution of our species, Homo sapiens through a number of diverse projects. In this episode, we start by talking about H. sapiens in Saudi Arabia. We then discuss the spread of H. sapiens across wet tropical forests in Africa, and the diverse environments they inhabited there. We talk about H. sapiens on Malta and the Mediterranean islands. Finally, we discuss an expansion in the human niche and an out of Africa dispersal around 50 thousand years ago.--A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY PATRONS/SUPPORTERS: PER HELGE LARSEN, JERRY MULLER, BERNARDO SEIXAS, ADAM KESSEL, MATTHEW WHITINGBIRD, ARNAUD WOLFF, TIM HOLLOSY, HENRIK AHLENIUS, ROBERT WINDHAGER, RUI INACIO, ZOOP, MARCO NEVES, COLIN HOLBROOK, PHIL KAVANAGH, SAMUEL ANDREEFF, FRANCIS FORDE, TIAGO NUNES, FERGAL CUSSEN, HAL HERZOG, NUNO MACHADO, JONATHAN LEIBRANT, JOÃO LINHARES, STANTON T, SAMUEL CORREA, ERIK HAINES, MARK SMITH, JOÃO EIRA, TOM HUMMEL, SARDUS FRANCE, DAVID SLOAN WILSON, YACILA DEZA-ARAUJO, ROMAIN ROCH, DIEGO LONDOÑO CORREA, YANICK PUNTER, CHARLOTTE BLEASE, NICOLE BARBARO, ADAM HUNT, PAWEL OSTASZEWSKI, NELLEKE BAK, GUY MADISON, GARY G HELLMANN, SAIMA AFZAL, ADRIAN JAEGGI, PAULO TOLENTINO, JOÃO BARBOSA, JULIAN PRICE, HEDIN BRØNNER, DOUGLAS FRY, FRANCA BORTOLOTTI, GABRIEL PONS CORTÈS, URSULA LITZCKE,SCOTT, ZACHARY FISH, TIM DUFFY, SUNNY SMITH, JON WISMAN, WILLIAM BUCKNER, PAUL-GEORGE ARNAUD, LUKE GLOWACKI, GEORGIOS THEOPHANOUS, CHRIS WILLIAMSON, PETER WOLOSZYN, DAVID WILLIAMS, DIOGO COSTA, ALEX CHAU, AMAURI MARTÍNEZ, CORALIE CHEVALLIER, BANGALORE ATHEISTS, LARRY D. LEE JR., OLD HERRINGBONE, MICHAEL BAILEY, DAN SPERBER, ROBERT GRESSIS, JEFF MCMAHAN, JAKE ZUEHL, BARNABAS RADICS, MARK CAMPBELL, TOMAS DAUBNER, LUKE NISSEN, KIMBERLY JOHNSON, JESSICA NOWICKI, LINDA BRANDIN, VALENTIN STEINMANN, ALEXANDER HUBBARD, BR, JONAS HERTNER, URSULA GOODENOUGH, DAVID PINSOF, SEAN NELSON, MIKE LAVIGNE, JOS KNECHT, LUCY, MANVIR SINGH, PETRA WEIMANN, CAROLA FEEST, MAURO JÚNIOR, 航 豊川, TONY BARRETT, NIKOLAI VISHNEVSKY, STEVEN GANGESTAD, TED FARRIS, HUGO B., JAMES, JORDAN MANSFIELD, AND CHARLOTTE ALLEN!A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY PRODUCERS, YZAR WEHBE, JIM FRANK, ŁUKASZ STAFINIAK, TOM VANEGDOM, BERNARD HUGUENEY, CURTIS DIXON, BENEDIKT MUELLER, THOMAS TRUMBLE, KATHRINE AND PATRICK TOBIN, JONCARLO MONTENEGRO, NICK GOLDEN, CHRISTINE GLASS, IGOR NIKIFOROVSKI, AND PER KRAULIS!AND TO MY EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS, MATTHEW LAVENDER, SERGIU CODREANU, ROSEY, AND GREGORY HASTINGS!

Join us as we bring two nationally renowned Black poets conversation with a new generation of Black poets. This episode features former Virginia Poet Laureate and Old Dominion University poetry professor Tim Seibles talking with rising poetry star Ariana Benson about alien life, good grammar, and the dreams of Langston Hughes.  Later in the show: Poets Elizabeth Alexander and Nicole Sealey discuss the treasures of archives, the work of a generation, and the resonant truth you feel in your bones. Former Yale professor Elizabeth Alexander is President of the Mellon Foundation and the author of the New York Times best selling memoir, The Light of the World. Alexander and Tim Seibles are Furious Flower Poetry Lifetime Achievement honorees.

For the AFRICA TAP IN we are joined by Kenyan pan-africanist, Orina, host of "Sell Afrika to Afrikans" to talk the state of Kenya, must read books for decolonizing the mind, and more!Watch “Views from AmandaLand” Wed 10a EST at Youtube.com/AmandaSealesTV!Listen to the podcast streaming on all podcast platforms.Keep up with my releases and appearances!Subscribe to my newsletter for free at AmandaSeales.comThis is a Smart Funny & Black Production

"We're going to hire tons of engineers in Rwanda who are Rwandan to build this technology shoulder to shoulder with our American engineers."American foreign policy is experiencing a profound shift. It's now about trade not aid. But we've been waiting to understand what that means in practice. That's why an announcement by the US Department of State last November was so significant. The U.S. committed up to $150 million dollars to a partnership with Zipline. Zipline is an American company that designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones. Yes, drones. And it's one of the first real examples of the America First global health strategy in action. So that's why we're excited to speak with Caitlin Burton. Caitlin is the CEO of Zipline Africa. Plus: What she really thinks about aid

You can watch this episode as a video on youtube: https://youtu.be/C2atVWsvkS0 To support the show/get bonus content: www.patreon.com/terriblelizards We've barely mentioned African dinosaurs (apart from you-know-what) over the years and have repeatedly failed to give much love to the early sauropodomorphs either (the 'prosauropods'). Happily, this month we're getting a great two-for-one deal by speaking to Kimi Chapelle who tells us all about her work on the incredibly well-represented, but not actually that well-studied Massospondylus. This species is known from dozens of complete skeletons but has attracted surprisingly little attention in the scientific literature and Kimi has been working to correct that with a whole series of projects on this animal and its relatives. There's plenty to discuss and more to come on these overlooked dinosaurs, so headphones on and enjoy. Please support the podcast and get access to bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/terriblelizards Kimi's website: Kimberley (Kimi) Chapelle | Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University https://renaissance.stonybrookmedicine.edu/anatomy/people/facultypage/chapelle  A profile of her and her work from the Superscientists website: Dinova - Kimberley Chapelle — SuperScientists https://www.superscientists.org/superscientists/chapelle  

After their first time reading together, poet-pals Lynne and Patricia sit down with a seriously sleep-deprived Dion at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz, California to read and discuss their poems as the sound of waves pulses in the background.Lynne Thompson was the 4th Poet Laureate for the City of Los Angeles. The daughter of Caribbean immigrants, her poetry collections include Beg No Pardon (2007), winner of the Perugia Press Prize and the Great Lakes Colleges Association's New Writers Award; Start With A Small Guitar (2013), from What Books Press; and Fretwork (2019), winner of the Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize. Thompson's honors include the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Award (poetry) and the Stephen Dunn Prize for Poetry as well as fellowships from the City of Los Angeles, Vermont Studio Center, and the Summer Literary Series in Kenya. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, Poetry, Poem-A-Day (Academy of American Poets), New England Review, Colorado Review, Pleiades, Ecotone, and Best American Poetry, to name a few.Patricia Smith is the author of ten books of poetry, including The Intentions of Thunder: New and Selected Poems (Scribner 2025), winner of the National Book Award for Poetry; Unshuttered; Incendiary Art, winner of the 2018 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, the 2017 Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the 2018 NAACP Image Award, and finalist for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize; Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah, winner of the Lenore Marshall Prize from the Academy of American Poets; Blood Dazzler, a National Book Award finalist; and Gotta Go, Gotta Flow, a collaboration with award-winning Chicago photographer Michael Abramson. Her other books include the poetry volumes Teahouse of the Almighty, Close to Death, Big Towns Big Talk, Life According to Motown; the children's book Janna and the Kings and the history Africans in America, a companion book to the award-winning PBS series.  Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Poetry, The Paris Review, The Baffler,  BOMB, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Tin House and in Best American Poetry and Best American Essays.Smith is a professor in the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University and a former Distinguished Professor for the City University of New York.

Stephen Grootes speaks to Ayabonga Cawe, Chief Commissioner at the International Trade and Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) about South Africa’s consideration of antidumping duties on Chinese and Indian vehicle imports, amid a sharp rise in imported cars, stagnant localisation levels and growing pressure on local manufacturers, component producers and jobs. In other interviews, Dr. Sifiso Falala, President of African Credit Rating Association speaks about the launch of the African Credit Rating Agency and how it could reshape the assessment of the continent’s creditworthiness. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2026 Show Notes Addendum: Our last [for now] Ch 2 rerun (our last Ch 2 rerun specifically shared with incoming NintenDomain listeners in mind in the wake of the recent Ch F "Channel Trey" one-off) This was the first episode of the last season of Ch 2 - the one where we announced to the listeners that Ch 2 would be shutting down, as well as the episode where I revealed my then very recently discovered African and Jewish ancestry. This episode also has the distinction of being my personal favorite episode in Ch 2 history with perhaps the lone exception of the 5 1/2hr long "C2F: 'Finally our Final Finale'" series retrospective. You can also hear our very last non-retrospective Ch 2, C2E20: "....all good things...." if you look back to the NNR Dec 2025 podcast feed. And with that.....NintenDomain fans now have had a great look at the seeds to what went on to make "Channel Trey", while long-time NNR fans get a look back on a handful of really great moments in Ch 2 (and "quasi-channel 2") history. Enjoy this last [for now] installment! :-) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------Original 2024 Show Notes------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Broadcast is C2E16 for Theme Thursday, March 7th, 2024. Today's theme is vocal music from video games, on a program we're calling “Songs with Words”. BE SURE TO CATCH OUR SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT TOWARDS THE END OF THE EPISODE!! (It's highlighted in the show notes!)   Tracklist   Track# / Track Name / Game / System(s) / Composer(s) / Vocalist / Selected by   01) Shenhua (Vocal Version) - Shenmue - Dreamcast - c: Ryuji Iuichi (music) and Yumi Asada (lyrics) / a: Hayato Matsuo (orchestration) - Ioli - Hugues   a) Earcatcher - 00:00:00 b) Music - 00:00:08 c) Introduction - 00:04:12 d) Top of Show Business - 00:04:39 e) Discussion - 00:14:56   02) Connected (Yours Forever) - Tetris Effect: Connected - Multiplatform - Hydelic - Kate Brady - St. John   a) Music - 00:18:28 b) Discussion - 00:24:03   03) Melodies of Life (English Version) - Final Fantasy IX - PS1 - Nobuo Uematsu (music) and Hioyuki Ito (lyrics) / a: Shiro Hamaguchi - Emiko Shiratori - Hugues   a) Music - 00:28:34 b) Discussion - 00:34:30   04) Sky High - Daytona USA - Saturn - Takenobu Mitsuyoshi (music) and David R. Leytze (lyrics) - Takenobu Mitsuyoshi - St. John   a) Music - 00:40:45 b) Discussion - 00:45:33   05) Instructor Mooselini's Rap - PaRappa the Rapper - PS1 - Izumi Amano and/or Ryu Watanabe - John Simpson III and Saundra Williams - Hugues   a) Music - 00:50:35 b) Discussion - 00:52:43   06) My Intellivision - Intellivision Lives - Multiplatform - Tom Kahelin and/or Michael Schwartz - Michael Schwartz (?) - St. John   a) Music - 00:56:50 b) Discussion - 01:01:33   07) Sea of Love - It Came from the Desert - TG16 - Kenneth Melville - Terence Kirby - Hugues   a) Music - 01:05:28 b) Discussion - 01:07:51   08) Volver a Comenzar - Little Big Planet - PS3 - Cafe Tabvca - Cafe Tabvca - St. John   [NOTE: I failed to sync this track up to the vocal portion where we do the "this part right here" thing. My apologies! - St. John]   a) Music - 01:14:01 b) Discussion - 01:22:18   09) A Crimson Rose and a Gin Tonic - Katamari Damacy  PS2 - Asuka Sakai - Ado Mizumori - Hugues   [NOTE: Same as the above track - missed the "this part right here" thing. - St. John]   a) Music - 01:25:23 b) Discussion - 01:30:01   10) Sonic Boom (Ending Version) - Sonic CD (N/A) - Sega CD - Spencer Nilsen, Mark Young, and/or Pastiche - Pastiche - St. John   a) Music - 01:33:16 b) Discussion - 01:37:02   11) Sora wo Miagete (Ending Version) - Trails in the Sky the 3rd - PSP - c: Takahiro Unisuga / a: Yukihiro Jindo - Kanako Kotera - Hugues   a) Music - 01:41:18 b) Discussion - 01:47:26   12) Always Been but Never Dreamed - Tetris Effect: Connected - Multiplatform - Hydelic - Kate Brady - St. John   [NOTE: This time I caught the "this moment right here" thing. Hooray! - St. John]   a) Music - 01:51:04 b) Discussion - 01:55:38   13) Everything's Alright - To the Moon - PC - Ken Gao and/or Laura Shigihara - Laura Shigihara - Hugues   a) Music - 02:01:12 b) Discussion - 02:04:46 c) End of Show Business - 02:14:40 d) Oddie HD Updates - 02:19:42 e) MOAR End of Show Business - 02:20:37 f) *****OUR BIG CH 2 ANNOUNCEMENT***** - 02:22:36 g) EVEN MORE End of Show Banter - 02:26:12 h) Closing Track Discussion - 02:30:35 i) Sign-Off - 02:32:12   14) Still Alive - Portal - Multiplatform - Jonathan Coulton - Ellen McClain (as GLaDOS) - St. John   a) Music - 02:32:42 b) Outtakes - 02:35:35 c) [Audio-Only] The Debut YouTube Video of Oddie HD (the complete, unabridged audio) - 02:43:51   Total Episode Runtime: 02:54:34   Retro Game Club can be found here:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/retro-game-club/id1453018680   You can also follow Retro Game Club on Facebook and Instagram @retrogameclubpodcast and on Twitter @rgcpodcast.   Hugues' blog can be found here:    https://huguesjohnson.com/   Referenced Article about “Sea of Love”: https://www.tg-16.com/Lyrics_for_It_Came_From_the_Desert.htm    You can find Nerd Noise Radio on Facebook and on Twitter each @NerdNoiseRadio. There are also two Facebook Groups: Nerd Noise Radio “Easy Mode” where we just have general video game and nerd fun, or for the gearheads among you, Nerd Noise Radio “Expert Mode” where we deep dive sound hardware, composer info, and music theory.    You can find the blog at www.nerdnoiseradio.blogspot.com. Where we sometimes share additional show notes, and inside info. You can also find Nerd Noise Radio on Archive.org, where we have remixes and super bonuses only available there (such as a music-only alternative version of today's show).   Nerd Noise Radio is also a member of the Retro Junkies community, which can be found at www.theretrojunkies.com. And we are a member of the VGM Podcast Fans community on Facebook. St. John is also the admin of the Podcasters of Des Moines Facebook group, which features a number of other podcasters and great programs from the greater Des Moines area.   Thanks for listening! Join us again later this month for C1E82: “Run and/or Gun”! Delicious VGM on Noise from the Hearts of Nerds. And wherever you are - Fly the N!

Agricultural yields across sub-Saharan Africa are falling. We can create better seeds, fertilisers and insecticides which has the potential to increase agricultural yields. But what stops that potential being realised? We put a lot of attention on how to influence the behaviour or the choices of farmers, but what can policy also do to help the firms, large and small, that provide the inputs that farmers use? Hope Michelson of the University of Illinois is one of the authors of a new review of agricultural input markets. She tells Tim Phillips about the important gaps in our knowledge of how those markets are working.

Trauma does not live only in the mind. It lives in the body — and in community.In this powerful solo episode of The Secret Formula of Femininity, Dr. Nicole Monteiro explores why the body remembers trauma, how emotions are stored in the nervous system, and why movement, rhythm, and ritual have always been central to healing across cultures.Drawing from:nervous system sciencesomatic psychologytraditional African and diasporic movement practicesand her published research African Dance as a Healing Modality throughout the Diaspora (Monteiro & Wall, 2011)Dr. Monteiro bridges ancient collective healing practices with modern clinical understanding to explain how trauma is regulated, released, and integrated through the body.In this episode, you'll learn:Why trauma cannot be resolved by insight aloneHow the nervous system stores unresolved emotional energyWhy traditional movement and ritual regulated communities for centuriesWhat modern society lost when healing became individual and verbalHow women across generations can safely reintroduce embodied healing todayWhy collective practices restore safety faster than isolationIf you've ever said, “I've talked about this, but my body still reacts,” this episode explains why — and what your body has been waiting for.

National pride often comes from shared heritage—like a common language or ethnic background. Religious Nationalism can be seen in historical Russia, where being part of the Orthodox Church was considered key to being Russian, even if you spoke a different language, whereas Ethnic Nationalism is like modern Mongolia, where having the same Mongol background is what counts as national identity, even if people follow different faiths.—but for the small nation of Uruguay, that feeling of unity was forged not in a parliament, but on a soccer pitch. When the Uruguayan national team, La Celeste, stunned the world by winning the 1924 Paris Olympics, it was more than just a sports victory. That triumph created a profound, shared, and globally recognized national identity, transforming the soccer team into a powerful symbol that helped bond the country together in a way politics had struggled to achieve. Soccer’s ability to literally bring nations into existence has only grown with the growth and spread of the World Cup. Since 1930, the World Cup has become a truly global obsession. It is the most watched sporting event on the planet, and 211 teams competed to make it into the 2022 tournament. From its inception, it has also been a vehicle for far more than soccer. A tool for self-mythologizing and influence-peddling, The World Cup has played a crucial role in nation-building, and continues to, as countries negotiate their positions in a globalized world. Today’s guest is Jonathan Wilson, author of “The Power and the Glory: A History of the World Cup.” We look at history of the matches and goals, the tales of scandal and triumph, the haggling and skulduggery of the bidding process, and the political and cultural tides behind every tournament. Jonathan Wilson details not merely what happened but why, based on fresh interviews and meticulous research. The book is as much about the legends of the sport, from Pelé to Messi, as it is about the nations that made them, from Mussolini’s Italy to partitioned Germany to controversy-ridden Qatar.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morocco and Egypt are the only African nations in President Trump's Board of Peace. The body was initially meant to help implement a ceasefire in Gaza, but Trump says it could serve a wider role in ending global conflicts. We look at why Morocco and Egypt got the invitation to join the Board and what influence African countries will have, if any. Also, seven years after a corruption scandal involving an Icelandic company and some government officials rocked Namibia's fishing industry, the case is finally heading to trial. The whistleblower who leaked the evidence speaks for the very first time.    Presenter: Nkechi Ogbonna   Producers: Bella Twine, Basma El Atti and Blessing Aderogba   Technical Producer: Maxwell Onyango   Senior Producer: Charles Gitonga   Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla

The collapse of the post-war international system now underway will have a disproportionate impact on African countries that rely heavily on multilateral bodies like the UN. Beyond a pull-back of aid and humanitarian assistance, African countries must also contend with an increasingly hostile United States. Dozens of African countries have been targeted by the Trump administration for visa restrictions, trade sanctions, and regularly denigrated by the president himself. At the same time, U.S. diplomats across the continent were ordered by the State Department in January to remind African governments to express more gratitude to the U.S. for its "generosity." Judd Devermont, the former top Africa strategist at the White House during the Biden administration and now an operating partner at Kupanda Capital in Washington, joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the future of U.S.-Africa relations and China's expanding presence on the continent.

In this episode, we discuss recent developments at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil (ESB) following the deaths of Pupy and Kenya, the sanctuary's two female African elephants, in 2025.As we have seen in recent weeks, we are living in a time that is exposing a troubling side of our society — one where false and negative claims are more readily accepted than positive truth, and where it often seems easier to believe accusations of manipulation and corruption than to accept that honesty and integrity exist. In this conversation, we examine how anti-sanctuary narratives and the temporary suspension of ESB's license to bring in new elephants have emerged in this climate — and why the impact extends beyond elephants, affecting wider wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts.At the same time, we explore why this difficult moment may also present an opportunity: to bring clarity through evidence-based review, and to highlight the vital — and too often misunderstood and ignored — responsibility sanctuaries around the world take on when they accept elderly, chronically ill, and end-of-life elephants into their care.We urge supporters to sign and share our petition calling for fair, transparent, and equal standards — ensuring that Elephant Sanctuary Brazil and zoos in Brazil are assessed by the same regulatory criteria.What we know so far about Pupy & Kenya's passingTransparency and Accountability for AllThe episode transcript can be found here.Email: We'd love to hear from you podcast@globalelephants.orgWho we are: Global Sanctuary for Elephants exists to create vast, safe spaces for captive elephants, where they are able to heal physically and emotionally. There are elephants around the world in need of sanctuary, but too few places exist to be able to care for even a fraction of the elephants. International support is necessary to build sanctuaries for elephants in need of rescue and rehabilitation. Our pilot project is Elephant Sanctuary Brazil where Asian and African elephants relocated from across South America live their best lives.Website: https://globalelephants.org/Donate: Global Sanctuary for Elephants is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit. Our work is made possible by donations. You can support our work with a general donation, purchasing items from our wishlist, or adopting one (or all) of our elephants for a year. You can also donate with Crypto!Thank you for your support!Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads & YouTube. While we encourage and appreciate you sharing our podcast, please note that…This presentation is protected by U.S. and International copyright laws. Reproduction and distribution of the presentation or its contents without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.© 2023 Global Sanctuary for ElephantsA big Thank You to the talented musicians Mike McGill, Ron McGill, & Sean Rodriquez for composing our podcast jingle.

As European imperialism heated up in Africa in the late 1800's, King Leopold II of Belgium put into motion one of the most ambitious and villainous plans in all of European history - the theft of the entire Congo. Utilizing the work of explorer Henry Morton Stanley, European animus towards the Afro-Arab Slave Trade, the creation of dubious committees and associations, international lobbying of governments, public relations campaigns, and bogus treaties with the people of Congo, Leopold understood that "...we must be cautious, clever and quick to act. I would not expose myself to displeasing the English or letting escape a good opportunity to get some of this beautiful African cake." In 1885, the countries of Europe gave their blessing to Leopold's slice of cake at the Berlin Conference. This episode is Part 2 in a series on the Belgian Congo. It takes a look at how Leopold II of Belgium went from being a monarch of tiny Belgium to the owner of the biggest European colony in Africa. Upcoming episodes will discuss atrocities in the Congo, resistance and reform movements, and more.  -Consider Supporting the Podcast!- Leave a rating or review on apple podcasts or spotify! Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Check out my podcast series on Aftersun, Piranesi, Arcane, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart here: https://www.reflectinghistory.com/bonuscontent Try my podcast series "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart"-- What led to the rise of Nazi Germany? The answer may surprise you…Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? To what extent are ordinary people responsible for the development of authoritarian evil? This 13 part podcast series explores these massive questions and more through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who collaborated or resisted as the Third Reich expanded. You'll not only learn about the horrifying, surprising, and powerful ways in which the Nazis seized and maintained power, but also fundamental lessons about what fascism is-how to spot it and why it spreads. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that everyone can apply to the present day. Check it out on my Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory. Try my podcast series "Piranesi: Exploring the Infinite Halls of a Literary Masterpiece"-- This podcast series is a deep analysis of Susanna Clark's literary masterpiece "Piranesi." Whether you are someone who is reading the novel for academic purposes, or you simply want to enjoy an incredible story for it's own sake, this podcast series goes chapter by chapter into the plot, characters, and themes of the book..."The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it's kindness infinite." Piranesi lives in an infinite house, with no long-term memory and only a loose sense of identity. As the secrets of the House deepen and the mystery of his life becomes more sinister, Piranesi must discover who he is and how this brings him closer to the "Great and Secret Knowledge" that the House contains. Touching on themes of memory, identity, mental health, knowledge, reason, experience, meaning, reflection, ideals, and more…Piranesi will be remembered as one of the great books of the 21st century. Hope you enjoy the series as much as I enjoyed making it. Check it out at https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory. Subscribe to my newsletter! A free, low stress, monthly-quarterly email offering historical perspective on modern day issues, behind the scenes content on my latest podcast episodes, and historical lessons/takeaways from the world of history, psychology, and philosophy: https://www.reflectinghistory.com/newsletter.

Yemoja is one of the most revered and powerful mother figures in African spiritual traditions. Known as the Mother of Waters, she governs oceans, rivers, fertility, childbirth, emotional healing, and protection. From the depths of the sea to the hearts of her devotees, Yemoja represents creation, compassion, and unstoppable feminine power.In this episode, we explore Yemoja's origins in Yoruba belief systems, her role as the divine mother of many Orishas, and how her worship traveled across the world through the African diaspora. We also examine her presence in traditions such as Santería and Candomblé, her symbolism in rituals and festivals, and why she continues to be honored in modern spiritual and cultural spaces.This episode is a journey into water as life, motherhood as divinity, and the enduring legacy of one of Africa's greatest goddess figures.Read more at http://mythlok.com/yemoja/Dive into the story of Yemoja — where oceans meet origin, and mythology meets living belief.

Ale Sharpton, a legendary beer writer from Atlanta celebrating his 30th year in the craft beer industry in 2026, is back with the latest version of his Piano Keys chocolate vanilla imperial stout collab, this time with Creature Comforts. The beer celebrates diversity in the brewing industry, both in terms of flavors and the people brewing and enjoying them. The beer uses Ecuadorian cacao nibs from Condor Chocolate, three different types of vanilla, and fonio, an African grain that's been getting a lot of buzz in the beer industry of late.In this bonus episode, David Nilsen talks with Ale and with Blake Tyers of Creature Comforts about this new edition of Piano Keys stout.You can also listen to the original interview from 2022 here.Here's where you can check out more about the collab partners:Ale Sharpton: Website | Instagram | Piano Keys InstagramCreature Comforts: Website | InstagramCondor Chocolate: Website | InstagramCheck out David's book Pairing Beer & Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together.Follow Bean to Barstool on social media!InstagramFacebookPinterestSign up for host David Nilsen's beer newsletter for regular beer musings, and the Bean to Barstool newsletter for pairings, collaborations, and maker profiles.

Is the special relationship done? The question of whether the longstanding and unique bond between the United States and Britain is now toast arises as the U.K.'s hard left government prepares to unilaterally disarm not only itself, but America, as well. That would be the practical effect of one of history's worst international agreements. Pursuant to a “deal” awaiting parliamentary approval in London, the British government would pay billions of dollars to the Chinese Communist-tied African nation of Mauritius to imperil the U.S. military's essential use of the Indian Ocean island base called Diego Garcia over 1200 miles away.  Worse yet, if the Brits miss even a single payment, Mauritius can terminate their lease.  President Trump has correctly described this deal as an act of “GREAT STUPIDITY.” Parliament must repudiate it, or bid farewell to the special relationship. This is Frank Gaffney.

The collapse of the post-war international system now underway will have a disproportionate impact on African countries that rely heavily on multilateral bodies like the UN. Beyond a pull-back of aid and humanitarian assistance, African countries must also contend with an increasingly hostile United States. Dozens of African countries have been targeted by the Trump administration for visa restrictions, trade sanctions, and regularly denigrated by the president himself. At the same time, U.S. diplomats across the continent were ordered by the State Department in January to remind African governments to express more gratitude to the U.S. for its "generosity." Judd Devermont, the former top Africa strategist at the White House during the Biden administration and now an operating partner at Kupanda Capital in Washington, joins Eric & Cobus to discuss the future of U.S.-Africa relations and China's expanding presence on the continent.

My guest on this episode is just down the Texan road from me, Hal Rose. Hal first hunted South Africa back in 1994 and only returned some twenty years later. Well, as Hal will re-tell, the African bug bit him harder on his second trip and since then he has planned on returning to hunt this beautiful land every year since.   Hal shares some great stories across his 3 trips to South Africa, from Kwa-Zulu Natal, to Limpopo and down to the Eastern Cape. He also shares some great advice for those new hunters, looking at hunting Africa.   If you would like to reach out to Hal and talk about hunting or maybe even get some feedback on an outfitter you are looking at, then you can reach him via email on: halrose01@gmail.com   Hey, do me a favor? If you are enjoying these episodes, then please leave a 5* rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It don't cost anything and only takes 2 seconds. Thanks!

A deep dive into the Basketball Africa League's impact on sports, culture, talent development, and media, featuring insights from BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall and NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi. In 2019, a longtime dream for many became a reality when the National Basketball Association (NBA) committed to launching the Basketball Africa League (BAL). With 12 teams from the continent representing nations including Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and Rwanda, the league would showcase the diversity of culture, talent, and love for basketball across Africa while providing a pathway for youth to play professionally in their own nation. One of the dreamers to realize the opportunity was Amadou Gallo Fall, the former scouting director of the Dallas Mavericks and a lifelong champion of sport in Africa. Fall's work prior to the BAL is seen in the creation of a basketball academy in his native Senegal, working with the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program, and his former position as the NBA's managing director for Africa. As plans for the BAL start to move ahead, one of Fall's Basketball Without Borders colleagues, and former director of the program, would join the movement: beloved former Raptors General Manager Masai Ujiri, also the first African general manager in US professional sports history. Together, Fall, Ujiri, and many others would work to make the seemingly impossible possible. Featuring interviews from many supporters of the BAL, including rapper J. Cole (who played in the BAL's inaugural season), NBA superstar Stephen Curry, and former US President Barack Obama, Origin showcases the vast network of advocates who came together to make the ambitious endeavour a reality. Co-directors Richard Brown and Tebogo Malope highlight the diversity of the continent, the passion of the players, and the universal language that is love of the game. Stay Connected with ME: https://www.chonacas.com/links/

Marquett Burton is building a Training Center to be a catalyst for a global revolution.

Recently, Crossing Faiths host John Pinna appeared on Franck Zanu's podcast to explore the intricate relationship between religion, tribalism, and politics across the African continent. Zanu argues that faith in Africa is deeply intertwined with tribal identity, which often dictates access to economic resources and political power. The discussion delves into the nuances of religious conflict in regions like Northern Nigeria, suggesting that while it appears as religious persecution to Western observers, it is often driven by deeper issues of socio-economic marginalization and tribal resentment. They critique Western policy frameworks on religious freedom, noting that in Africa, religion frequently serves as a practical necessity for seeking divine intervention in the absence of adequate government infrastructure like healthcare. Furthermore, the conversation touches on the historical impact of colonialism on ethnic homogeneity and warns against foreign military intervention in domestic disputes, advocating instead for neutral, multi-faith dialogue and government-sponsored think tanks to address the root causes of regional tensions. Franck Zanu is the host of the podcast, “Zanu Project Rethink”. He is intense, explosive, analytical and deeply thought provoking. He is a life-coach, inspirational speaker, and human development consultant. Zanu's approach to working with people is unique. While he is empathetic, intuitive and objective, the most distinctive thing about his approach is the way he challenges you to see the issue in a completely different way. He is successful at turning the issue upside down and turning your perspective inside out so you see things from a brand new perspective, energizing you to action and instant results. He has served on many boards in the US including as Vice Chair of the International Institute of Connecticut, Chair of the Mayor's Youth Initiative project, and Commissioner of the city of Bridgeport Fair rent commission. He is an award winning Black History speaker at the African American Affairs Commission and Sikorsky Aircraft, both in Connecticut. Additionally, he was awarded the 2012 Most Outstanding Immigrant by the Connecticut Secretary of State.

In the beginning, there was nothing but air. The supreme being breathed upon it, and the air became water. Air and water moved together, forming mud. Seeing its shape, the supreme being breathed again – and life began. Today, we'll be exploring this creation story – born of Afro-Brazilian philosophy – forged under conditions of extreme violence, displacement, and resistance. During the transatlantic slave trade, more than four million Africans were forcibly taken to Brazil – far more than were sent to the United States. They brought with them their gods, their rituals, and their philosophies. Despite sustained efforts to suppress them, these traditions not only survived, but developed into sophisticated systems of thought that remain living practices today. We'll be exploring these traditions with José Eduardo Porcher Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. José is currently Director of the Spiritual Realities, Relationality, and Flourishing: Brazilian Contributions to Philosophy of Religion project, and has been centrally involved in a number of major research initiatives examining alternative approaches to philosophy of religion – including the John Templeton funded project Expanding the Philosophy of Religion by Engaging with Afro-Brazilian Traditions. In this episode, we'll explore the Afro-Brazilian religious tradition of Candomblé: its account of creation, its distinctive conception of God and the deities, and its striking vision of a world enchanted by a vital life-force that flows through people, objects, nature, and the divine. We'll ask what it means to live in a world where gods possess human bodies, where objects can be sacred, and where divinity is powerful yet limited. And we'll consider what these traditions might teach us about evil, responsibility, nature, and how to live well in a world that is far stranger than Western philosophy ever thought.   This episode is produced in partnership with The Global Philosophy of Religion Project at University of Birmingham, funded by the John Templeton Foundation. Links José Eduardo Porcher, Webite José Eduardo Porcher, Afro-Brazilian Religions (Book)