More than 10 years ago I interviewed Betsy Leondar-Wright about her superb book, Missing Class, and today we'll visit with her about the book she researched and wrote with Jessi Streib called Is It Racist? Is It Sexist?: Why Red and Blue White People Disagree and How to Decide in the Gray Areas. As in all her work, Betsy drills deep, past prejudices and proclivities, beyond entrenched sides and blindered perspectives, to find a better way forward for all of us. Betsy Leondar-Wright joins us from Arlingon, Massachusetts.
Today's guest-hosts are Nicole Diroff, Ben Yosua-Davis, and Peterson Toscano, of the Climate Changed Podcast from The BTS Center. In this episode they bring us a conversation that dives deep into the heart of what it means to find hope and community in a chaotic world. You’ll hear from two remarkable thinkers - Margaret Wheatley, a renowned author and leadership expert, and Deborah Reinstra, a professor and theologian whose work explores the idea of refugia from her book, Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonder, and the Healing of the Earth. These are small pockets of resilience in times of upheaval.
Todd Adams (or on BlueSky) has spent most of his life sharing music with the world, including running and owning record stores, but it is only in the past 5 years that he's really dug into writing & recording his own songs. Along the way, Todd was part of the team that brought WHYS-LP Radio into existence in 2005, and he spun records there for years on his All Over the Map show. The Todd Adams Experience album was released in 2021, and this show also includes songs from Todd's upcoming, but not yet released, album, Sprinkle Your Crumbs On My Grave.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Lutheran
Sometimes a really talented person can get lost in the background behind other very talented performers, and Gary Walters has certainly dealt with some of that. Gary frequently accompanies the amazing Carrie Newcomer (and others), and although Carrie gladly shares the limelight with him, it took an explicit announcement by Carrie at one of their concerts to alert me of Gary's other work, including his newest album, The COVID Sessions. In addition to his powerful accompaniment with folk musician Carrie, Gary's chops & flavors include jazz, classical, & much more. Gary Walters calls Indianapolis, Indiana, his home.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Presbyterian, Catholic, Non-affiliated
Jan Spencer is guest-host today for the fifth time, sharing an episode of Creating A Preferred Future which takes a look at an unexpected topic. In Jan upcoming new book, A Primer For Paradigm Shift, he has found a new friend in the City of Eugene, Oregon's Strategic Planning Goals. Today's show is a contraction of a longer written essay which explains how paradigm shift and the strategic city planning goals are made for each other. Just add an historic leap in social, economic and ecological consciousness.
James Schattauer has a long history of music in the Twin Cities, MN, area, and though his songs are wide and deep in variety, topic, and nature, much of his music career was as a children's musician, under the name Mister Jim (here's some of his kid-centric music). He shared some of those songs in his 2007 interview, but today he's bringing us deeply spiritual songs, including from kirtan and other Eastern influences, all from his album, One. A deep ground of heart-open, arms-wide, spirit shines through his music and life, living side-to-side with his healing arts practices of massage, Reiki, and Soul Song readings.
Guest-host Peterson Toscano of Citizen's Climate Radio is sitting in today for Spirit In Action, sharing climate info through a True Crime lens, in the 8th and final installation of a series called Hot Mess. The episode includes a round-table discussion with conservatives actively shaping climate policy, including Bob Inglis, a former Republican Congressman, Chelsea Henderson of EcoRight Speaks, and Katie Zakrzewski & and Zach Torpie, hosts of Green Tea Party Radio.
The podcast, SmallTownBigGays, (also available on YouTube) is produced weekly by Travis Gorell and Chance Smith, originating from Eau Claire, WI, and sharing the reality, the strengths, and the beauty of queer folks in places most often ignored or discounted. Travis also performs regularly in drag around the Chippewa Valley as Khloe Wold as one of many Dolls of the Valley. The podcast and this interview visit wide-ranging topics, including gay culture, religious connections, AIDS/HIV, body issues, and much more.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Lutheran, Catholic, Non-affiliated
Today we introduce you to a new-ish member of the wonderful crew of musicians of the Twin Cities of Minnesota, Emily Haavik. Emily brought down to the Cities some of the fruits of her time and connections in Duluth as part of Emily and the 35s, including many years with the Duluth Homegrown Music Festival. There are a variety of flavors of music channeled through Emily's music, and lately she's fond of the title glam country. Get ready for some glamming, some rocking, and some deeply moving music from Emily Haavik.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Evangelical Christian Upbringing, Lutheran, Henry Nouwen, Non-affiliated
With the passing last week of Joe Elder, a bright light for peace and justice and a dear friend and neighbor to so many has left us. We feel led to bring you again the interview we did with Joe 15 years ago, so that we can all hear Joe's voice once more. Back then, we told you that Joe Elder was the recipient on October 3rd, 2009, of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Network for Peace & Justice. Joe has traveled the world with quiet off-the-record messages and worked for peace from Vietnam to Sri Lanka. A University of Wisconsin professor of sociology and Asian studies, he has inspired thousands of students to broaden their horizons. Raised in Iran, son of Presbyterian missionaries, he was a CO in the Korean War and has been a Quaker since the 1950's. UW-Madison's International Academic Programs Department has declared May 11th "Joe Elder Day" for his 40 years of service to the India and Nepal programs.