American Tributaries

Seth David Radwell lives in New York and Los Angeles and wrote the earnest, insightful and wonderfully thought-provoking “American Schism: How the Two Enlightenments Hold the Secret to Healing Our Nation”. Before working on the book, Seth had an extensive, successful corporate career in publishing, skincare, cosmetics, technology and consulting.

Our discussion covers, among other things:
*his motivation for leaving corporate America to help repair our civil discourse
*the impact of the printing press, yellow journalism and social media
*America’s dual roots in the Modern Enlightenment and Radical Enlightenment
*the essential nature of education for a representative democracy
*how the growing disparity of wealth has negatively impacted American society
*structural and mindset/value changes that would help improve civic relations

Seth finds hope in the groundswell he sees from the “frustrated majority” who recognize that we must change to improve how we function as a society.

You can learn more about Seth and his work at www.sethdavidradwell.com.

Tim Steckler lives in Brooklyn, New York and is an is an educator, theater artist, and researcher who uses theater and storytelling to promote civic engagement and bridge cultural divides. Tim has facilitated theater workshops in Jordan, Palestine, Germany and the United States.

Our discussion covers, among other things:
*the relationship between politics and theater
*Kentucky and Massachusetts communities bonding over bluegrass and Dominican music
*theater and cinema subject matter successes (expanding racial representation) and failures (neglecting geographic representation)
*insights gained by police and civilian participants in the Brooklyn-based “To Protect, Serve and Understand” community training program at Irondale, which Tim co-facilitated
*searching for “alternatives” or “reconciliation” rather than “solutions” to societal problems

Tim finds hope in the basic human need and ability to create relationships.

For more information about Tim’s work, please visit www.timsteckler.com.

Dustin McKinney lives outside Indianapolis, Indiana and is the community pastor at Calvary Chapel in the town of Danville. Prior to his work in the ministry, he was an educator and school principal.

Our discussion covers, among other things:
*his responsibilities and routine as a community pastor
*the importance of engagement, conversation and humility
*history and the Bible
*Take Your Tractor to School Day, corn, hoops and other elements of Indiana
*comparing and contrasting Indiana and New York City
*the drawbacks of overly-valuing profits and pride

Dustin finds hope in Jesus and in the strength he draws from that relationship.

Cody Shaklee lives in Longmont, Colorado, a few miles northeast of Boulder.  He’s a rare Colorodan who was not only born in the state but whose family has been there for multiple generations. Cody moved to New York City for film school and ended up working in restaurants for about a decade before moving back in 2014. He now owns a chain of laundromats in the Boulder area.

Our discussion covers, among other things:
*the hard work of owning laundromats (it’s not passive income!)
*his adjustments to New York City as a guy from rural Colorado
*misperceptions of New York City and Colorado
*the geography of Colorado
*thoughts on decency including being kind, not judging people, listening and empathy
*the homesteading life of his grandfather’s childhood in the 1910s

Cody finds hope in his children and in his wife and from the ability to find hope almost anywhere you look.

Savana Maxon lives in Meridian, Idaho, near Boise in the southeast part of the state, and is the head of operations for Lucro, a boutique consulting firm for the financial services industry.  We were connected by a mutual friend, Nic Adams who appeared on Episode 25 of the podcast.

Our discussion covers, among other things:
*how technology has impacted Idaho
*Idaho’s important role in refugee assistance
*her belief in getting up, showing up and being present to help others
*a deep dive into embracing change, personally, in business, within communities and as a society
*things to do and places to visit in Boise and Idaho

Savana finds hope in her children and the better lives they can lead.

Pam Jones Manocchio lives in Wilmington, DE, and is the executive director of the city’s Grand Opera House, where she has worked since 2006 and which offers a wide range of musical performances, comedy acts and Broadway shows. Pam and host Michael Whidden were classmates at Smithtown High School East on Long Island, NY.

Our discussion covers, among other things;
*the urban yet small town feel of Wilmington and the State of Delaware itself
*Pam’s education and career path into performing arts management
*the history of the opera house
*how the organization continued to offer performances during the pandemic
*Delaware’s beaches and other attractions

Pam finds hope in shared performing arts experiences, whether it’s appreciating or empathizing with a performer or feeling the energy from fellow audience members.

Podcast host Michael Whidden marks the one year anniversary of the show (the first episodes were uploaded on March 8, 2022) by expressing gratitude to guests, listeners and viewers...and especially his family. He shares what gives him hope: the power of conversation, especially in giving someone the respect of listening.

Kepler Knott lives in Raleigh, NC, where he has founded an organization, Community Corps, to promote a bottoms-up approach to universal service through localized summer citizenship boot camps.  Host Michael Whidden and Kepler are each members of the organization Braver Angels, the country’s largest organization building bridges across the political divide.

Our discussion covers, among other things:
*democracy’s tandem of personal freedom and personal responsibility
*the genesis of Community Corps
*how Community Corps would work
*the need to raise our children to achieve their full potential as human beings
*embracing nuance in perceiving and critiquing the world

Kepler finds hope in the vast amounts of energy and enthusiasm he encounters in the political middle and people’s desire to be grounded, care, listen and understand.

For more information about Kepler’s project, please visit www.community-corps.com.

Sergeant Major Rickey Jackson lives in Columbia, South Carolina, and is currently the 32nd commandant of the U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Academy at Fort Jackson. He grew up in North Philadelphia until his high school Junior ROTC Program inspired him to enlist in 1995. Since then, he has served in locations across the world, including Texas, South Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Kansas, South Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Poland and Latvia.

Our discussion covers, among other things:
*the classic “shark attack” experience of basic training and how it is evolving
*the unique strength that the U.S. military’s noncommissioned officer corps gives it
*details of his background and various assignments
*his deployment to a remote outpost in Afghanistan and the multiple hats he had to wear
*misperceptions of the Army and what’s being done to correct them

Sgt. Maj. Jackson finds hope in people, generally, and the next generation of soldiers, specifically, when you provide them with proper resources, training and care.

RaGina Scott Saunders lives on James Island outside of Charleston, SC, where she owns and operates Destiny Community Cafe, which makes food available to her local community on a pay-what-you-can basis through two food trucks, and a catering service. The cuisine she offers is Gullah Geechee, reflecting the heritage of her enslaved ancestors and their West African origins. RaGina has been recognized by local NBC affiliate WCBD as one of the “Lowcountry’s Remarkable Women”.

Our discussion covers, among other things:
*Gullah Geechee history and language
*many, many mouthwatering Gullah Geechee dishes
*Jon Bon Jovi’s role in the creation of Destiny Community Café
*powerful stories of the relief and resilience Destiny has delivered
*champions of Gullah Geechee cuisine like Martha Lou Gadsden (Martha Lou’s Kitchen) and the late Albertha Grant (Bertha’s Kitchen)
*how folks can donate to Destiny at www.paywhatyoucancafe.com

RaGina finds hope in the testimonies of her patrons, her faith in God and the kindness she sees being shared by so many people. She finds hope in love.