As a happy birthday to Si Kahn for his 80th birthday, this week and next week we are sharing songs and stories by & about Si as performed by the hand-chosen successors to Si's work and music. Today that means we are joined by Phoebe Rees & Joe Jencks. Phoebe lives in Whitley Bay in northeastern England, and Joe Jencks is based in Chicago, and if you don't know Si, Phoebe, or Joe, it's time to remedy that serious shortcoming and to find your place in the wide human community that flows from Si Kahn.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Atheist, Quaker, Buddhist, Non-affiliated, Meditation, Catholic, Jewish, Mysticism, Native American

One of the sources of the rich cadre of authors and activists I have here on Spirit In Action is the promotion of writers done by Peter Bermudes of GLPR – that's Gail Leondar Public Relations – and it was through Gail that I was first acquainted with GLPR, though Peter has been at the helm since 4 years ago. In many ways, the mission of GLPR dovetails perfectly with that of NSR, helping find and raise up the voice of those making this world better through their ideas and writing. GLPR has done promotion for so many vital and powerful change leaders over the decades, like Dr.

Andy Hanson has lots of history with making music, but has only only seriously worked on conveying his music to the world in the past 5 or so years. Having performed previously with the band WYBLUE, Andy is now principally a solo act, able to draw on his guitar, keyboards, and even saxophone. His preferred genre is folk, though it's possible that folk for those who are 3 decades younger than me, like Andy, includes variants and characteristics not of my generation, because Andy tells me there is something new called 'murder folk'. Andy lives in Eau Claire, WI.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Evangelical Christian, Catholic, Non-affiliated

The team at FNVW and their Everyday Nonviolence Podcast guest-hosts today for Spirit In Action. Jarren Peterson Dean  interviews acclaimed authors Stanley Kusunoki and Kao Kalia Yang discuss the power art has to speak the truth and connect us to our shared humanity. Stanley Kusunoki's Japanese American parents were incarcerated in the U.S.

Leslie Evers joined me for her first Song of the Soul back in 2020, just after the advent of COVID, and it was a rich occasion of musical and spiritual sharing. She has been a singer and songwriter since she was a kid, so in some ways the release of her first record in 2014 and the second one this year represents a fruition of decades of creativity and art on the folk/jazz/rock continuum.

Gisele Bolton is an inspiration of where a passionate heart for healing the world can lead you. From her home in the Chippewa Valley of Wisconsin, Gisele earned degrees in International Politics and Human Rights and in Global Studies, Human Rights and Justice in the Middle East and Africa. She added languages, including Arabic, to her toolkit, and she volunteered and interned in diverse countries like Lebanon, Kenya, and Honduras.

Nick Foytik brings with him music deeply marinaded in blues, soul, and rock n' roll, something not-so-common in Wisconsin's north woods where Nick grew up. Nick has been building his chops for some 20 years, and yet it's really only the past few years when he's really launched his music career full-scale, still focused mostly in the upper Midwest. In addition to his solo gigs and those with his Nick Foytik Band, he continues to work as a guitar for hire. Expect to be delighted by his blues-y songs and finger-guitar artistry.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Catholic, Buddhism, Taoism, Non-affiliated

Ken Grossinger has written a compelling new book about the synergy and power possible between art and organizing. His book is Art Works: How Organizers and Artists Are Creating a Better World Together and it brings together many social change efforts of the recent decades and the various forms of art that empowered dramatic movement toward change. From the Civil Rights movement to Black Lives Matter to environmental efforts to a wealth of other actions, looking at a wide spectrum of forms of art, not just music and painting, Ken's book is amazingly deep and wide in its purview. Ken's 35 years of organizing and his eagle eyes give him a valuable vantage point to analyze that made and missed opportunities for artists and organizers to harness their mutual strengths.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Jewish

Our guest is Nerissa Nields, who shares equal lead billing with her sister, Katryna, of the group known as The Nields. Their website proclaims them to be "equal parts Beatles, Cranberries and Joni Mitchell", and that description is admirably accurate and concise. It's hard to adequately capture the power of their songs and voices except to tell you that you need to brace yourself to be inspired, moved, and likely brought to tears. We're only able to share a tiny fraction of the riches of their 21 albums in our show. Check Nerissa's personal site for info on her books and other creations.