There's a lot of questions, disgust & even despair about our elections, especially in this year's presidential contest. History teacher and recent congressional candidate Myron Buchholz can put the experience in context of 200+ years of democracy in the US. Why the electoral college, who could vote, how can people be prevented from voting, and do our votes count, historically and currently - these are some of the questions. There's power, and even relief, in knowing the history, and in finding our way into our best future.

Jan Krist creates stunning songs of the human condition, sometimes with deep pathos, sometimes with a wry eye, always with superb lyrics and voice. She often takes the stage solo, but also commonly with Jim Bizer, and sometimes with the Yellow Room Gang.

Mindy Dillard is so many things, besides being an enchanting singer/songwriter. She's a Musical Alchemist, Body Image Activist, and sometimes she's Princess Fearless. And that's just a start. She created a one-woman folk rock opera called How to Survive a Poison Apple, combining mythological scholarship and soul-deep whimsy. She operates out of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Paula Palmer is leading an effort to tackle one part of America's dismal past with respect to Native Americans. Through a project called Toward Right Relationship with America's Native Peoples, she is engaging Quakers and the wider world in a kind of Truth & Reconciliation work. One step is an eyes-wide-open look at the well-meaning attrocities done by the Indian Boarding Schools and the groups, like Quakers, who led the effort.

George Lakey really packs a punch with his book, Viking Economics: How the Scandinavians Got It Right - And How We Can Too. Exploring the history and power of the "Nordic Model" for economic development and truly democratic government, George lights a way forward to a much better USA, in schools, health, foreign policy, and more.

Erika Kulnys is out to change the world, sometimes by tackling the "big issues", but also by inspiring the listener to heal themselves and therefore get out of the way of change. Operating from Nova Scotia, and with an enchanting voice, piercing lyrics, and great instrumentation, Erika takes the heart and soul flying into a better future.

The voice of Annie Capps transports the listener on a tour of her Midwest Urban Folk Blue Garden, filled with twang, jazz, soul,& hoochy coo flora, and more. With exquisite instrumentation by Rod Capps and others, Annie's songs are moving, joyful, fun, and powerful. Radiating from Michigan, Annie Capps shines a rich bouquet of music across the nation.

Peter Leidy does his work of building inclusion predominantly in the area of disabilities, and with considerable creativity, often writing new songs or crafting new lyrics for existing tunes to tell a story or convey a lesson. Whether the topic is disabilities or social justice, or politics or a sense of home, Peter brings tremendous wit and deep passion to the teachable moment.

Featured Music:

Rhonda Rucker is most often heard performing as part of Sparky & Rhonda, with a strong flavor of Southern Appalachian music, but also Civil Rights folk music, old hymns, and a number of songs by Rhonda. She was a medical doctor for 5 years, cares deeply about our Earth, and her writings include a recent novel called Swing Low, Sweet Harriet.

Judith Plaskow and Carol P. Christ helped to found the study of women & religion, starting in Yale University. They've written & co-edited several ground-breaking books of feminist theology together, but their upcoming book is Goddess and God in the World: Conversations in Embodied Theology.