Beyond the Culture

#019: What has God called you to do to serve Him in his kingdom? God's kingdom is enormous, and we're all called to do different things to serve Him. Sometimes God will allow things to happen in our lives to teach us the power of obeying Him and living out our purpose.

In this episode of Beyond the Culture with Dr. David M. Walker, we have Jennifer Jones Austin, a fourth-generation leader of faith and social justice. She's a child and family advocate, CEO, and executive director of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agency: an anti-poverty policy and advocacy organization with human service agencies operating throughout New York City. She is also a wife, a mother, and the author of 'Consider It Pure Joy.' 

Jennifer shares her calling to work with children suffering from abuse and communities in poverty. She also shares her inspiring journey with cancer and the lessons it taught her as God had intended.  

 Quotes:
·       “In our society, the three are inextricably linked; race, poverty, and justice involvement all go hand in hand.”- Jennifer [17:31]
·       “God was showing me that even in the darkest of your days, joy can be found.”- Jennifer [50:45]

What you will learn in this episode:
·       [2:34] She describes her childhood as a preacher’s kid as one filled with more freedom and understanding compared to other preacher’s kids.
·       [6:32] How her parents influenced her intentionally and unintentionally to become the best she could be while lifting the community.
·       [12:04] How she was called to work in child abuse and neglect as part of her social justice and later addressing poverty for families and the causes of stresses that attack poverty communities.
·       [19:05] Understanding the persistence of racism in America’s systems and structures and how Jennifer is using her voice to speak to such issues.
·       [23:41] The importance of having people of color in key policymaking and product development roles in organizations to bring real change.
·       [29:10] The late Chadwick Boseman’s actions of respecting his church and community and how that spoke of his character.
·       [31:41] Jennifer narrates her thorny journey with cancer and how God worked miracles for children to rescue her as she’d been rescuing them.
·       [44:01] The lessons her cancer suffering taught her about obeying her purpose and value.
·       [47:02] Why she felt the need to put her cancer journey into words and write her book ‘Consider It Pure Joy’.
·       [54:05] She narrates why her biggest regret was allowing someone’s destructive words to take hold of her and her time. 
·       [1:08:40] Jennifer explains how she’s working towards ending solitary confinement for incarcerated people in New York. She also talks about racial equity that she’s centered on right now and publishing a book. 

Relevant Links:
Website: https://www.jenniferjonesaustin.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jennifer-jones-austin-74232465
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PureJoyJJA

 Book: https://www.amazon.com/Consider-Pure-Jennifer-Jones-Austin/ 

#019: What has God called you to do to serve Him in his kingdom? God's kingdom is enormous, and we're all called to do different things to serve Him. Sometimes God will allow things to happen in our lives to teach us the power of obeying Him and living out our purpose.

In this episode of Beyond the Culture with Dr. David M. Walker, we have Jennifer Jones Austin, a fourth-generation leader of faith and social justice. She's a child and family advocate, CEO, and executive director of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agency: an anti-poverty policy and advocacy organization with human service agencies operating throughout New York City. She is also a wife, a mother, and the author of 'Consider It Pure Joy.' 

Jennifer shares her calling to work with children suffering from abuse and communities in poverty. She also shares her inspiring journey with cancer and the lessons it taught her as God had intended.  

 Quotes:
·       “In our society, the three are inextricably linked; race, poverty, and justice involvement all go hand in hand.”- Jennifer [17:31]
·       “God was showing me that even in the darkest of your days, joy can be found.”- Jennifer [50:45]

What you will learn in this episode:
·       [2:34] She describes her childhood as a preacher’s kid as one filled with more freedom and understanding compared to other preacher’s kids.
·       [6:32] How her parents influenced her intentionally and unintentionally to become the best she could be while lifting the community.
·       [12:04] How she was called to work in child abuse and neglect as part of her social justice and later addressing poverty for families and the causes of stresses that attack poverty communities.
·       [19:05] Understanding the persistence of racism in America’s systems and structures and how Jennifer is using her voice to speak to such issues.
·       [23:41] The importance of having people of color in key policymaking and product development roles in organizations to bring real change.
·       [29:10] The late Chadwick Boseman’s actions of respecting his church and community and how that spoke of his character.
·       [31:41] Jennifer narrates her thorny journey with cancer and how God worked miracles for children to rescue her as she’d been rescuing them.
·       [44:01] The lessons her cancer suffering taught her about obeying her purpose and value.
·       [47:02] Why she felt the need to put her cancer journey into words and write her book ‘Consider It Pure Joy’.
·       [54:05] She narrates why her biggest regret was allowing someone’s destructive words to take hold of her and her time. 
·       [1:08:40] Jennifer explains how she’s working towards ending solitary confinement for incarcerated people in New York. She also talks about racial equity that she’s centered on right now and publishing a book. 

Relevant Links:
Website: https://www.jenniferjonesaustin.com/
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jennifer-jones-austin-74232465
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PureJoyJJA

 Book: https://www.amazon.com/Consider-Pure-Jennifer-Jones-Austin/ 

#018: In today's episode, I do something uniquely different. I'm calling it, Take 2. Take 2 is a short replay of a previously recorded episode. In episode #003, I have a great conversation with Ruth-Ann Wynter. I wanted to rebroadcast this episode because it was packed with power; it was filled with insight. She talked about being authentic, being yourself, and she left us with the message that what the world needs right now is "YOU."  So, let's go back to episode #003. The title of that episode is Bridging Gospel Music and the Entertainment Industry with Ruth-Ann Wynter.

#018: In today's episode, I do something uniquely different. I'm calling it, Take 2. Take 2 is a short replay of a previously recorded episode. In episode #003, I have a great conversation with Ruth-Ann Wynter. I wanted to rebroadcast this episode because it was packed with power; it was filled with insight. She talked about being authentic, being yourself, and she left us with the message that what the world needs right now is "YOU."  So, let's go back to episode #003. The title of that episode is Bridging Gospel Music and the Entertainment Industry with Ruth-Ann Wynter.

#017: Mary Wanjiku Gichuhi provides an impassioned conversation on the subject of domestic violence.

Have you ever been in a hard situation that you can’t seem to get out of? Or maybe you know someone who has and has discreetly judged them on why they stay? Domestic violence is one of those situations that might take you to the deep end of life and only you have the power to make things better. 

In this episode of Beyond the Culture with Dr. David M. Walker, I have a conversation with Mary Wanjiku Gichuhi, an international motivational speaker, a Ph.D. candidate, and a bestselling author with eight self-help books. She was awarded the best motivational speaker of the year in Europe in 2019 and is a proud mother of one son.  

She shares her story from a domestic violence victim and a refugee to a successfully minded woman. Listen in to learn how to aggressively chase your dreams and change your thinking to a growth mindset.

Quotes:
“If you want to change your life you have to have one reason that is going to motivate you when everything is dark.”- Mary [21:47]

“You have to do a lot of self-development when you’re at your lowest point, it’ll be critical to help you to create the extraordinary life that you want.” – Mary [23:36]

What you will learn in this episode:
·      [2:34] Mary shares her childhood and educational background plus when and how her experience with domestic violence started.
·      [7:14] How she ran away from her home country Kenya to look for safety and found it in Amsterdam.
·      [10:28] Having the bravery to leave a toxic situation, reinvent yourself, and be able to help others in similar situations.
·      [13:36] The complexity of staying in domestic violent relationships and the underlying issue of mental health illnesses. 
·      [15:31] Mary explains how she discovered she had the capabilities to become an author. 
·      [17:56] How to change from a victim mentality to a growth mindset by investing in yourself.
·      [24:01] How to surrender to a relationship with God and believe in what you’re capable of achieving.
·      [26:37] Learning how to be aggressive when going after your dreams and not allowing anything to stop you. 

Relevant Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.w.gichuhi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary_wanjiku_gichuhi/
Email: [email protected] 

Books by Mary Wanjiku Gichuhi:
From Refugee to Living Free: 7 Guiding Principles to Living an Extraordinary Life
Women’s Guide: Master the Art of Living Free
50 Winning Habits Great Moms Know
22 Tips to Re-Invent Your Life and Succeed
Reborn to Live Free
Mary’s Motivation for Depression Survivors
Things All Students Must Know

National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE

#017: Mary Wanjiku Gichuhi provides an impassioned conversation on the subject of domestic violence.

Have you ever been in a hard situation that you can’t seem to get out of? Or maybe you know someone who has and has discreetly judged them on why they stay? Domestic violence is one of those situations that might take you to the deep end of life and only you have the power to make things better. 

In this episode of Beyond the Culture with Dr. David M. Walker, I have a conversation with Mary Wanjiku Gichuhi, an international motivational speaker, a Ph.D. candidate, and a bestselling author with eight self-help books. She was awarded the best motivational speaker of the year in Europe in 2019 and is a proud mother of one son.  

She shares her story from a domestic violence victim and a refugee to a successfully minded woman. Listen in to learn how to aggressively chase your dreams and change your thinking to a growth mindset.

Quotes:
“If you want to change your life you have to have one reason that is going to motivate you when everything is dark.”- Mary [21:47]

“You have to do a lot of self-development when you’re at your lowest point, it’ll be critical to help you to create the extraordinary life that you want.” – Mary [23:36]

What you will learn in this episode:
·      [2:34] Mary shares her childhood and educational background plus when and how her experience with domestic violence started.
·      [7:14] How she ran away from her home country Kenya to look for safety and found it in Amsterdam.
·      [10:28] Having the bravery to leave a toxic situation, reinvent yourself, and be able to help others in similar situations.
·      [13:36] The complexity of staying in domestic violent relationships and the underlying issue of mental health illnesses. 
·      [15:31] Mary explains how she discovered she had the capabilities to become an author. 
·      [17:56] How to change from a victim mentality to a growth mindset by investing in yourself.
·      [24:01] How to surrender to a relationship with God and believe in what you’re capable of achieving.
·      [26:37] Learning how to be aggressive when going after your dreams and not allowing anything to stop you. 

Relevant Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.w.gichuhi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary_wanjiku_gichuhi/
Email: [email protected] 

Books by Mary Wanjiku Gichuhi:
From Refugee to Living Free: 7 Guiding Principles to Living an Extraordinary Life
Women’s Guide: Master the Art of Living Free
50 Winning Habits Great Moms Know
22 Tips to Re-Invent Your Life and Succeed
Reborn to Live Free
Mary’s Motivation for Depression Survivors
Things All Students Must Know

National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE

#016: Dr. Frederick Engram provides an informative and eye-opening conversation on the subject of race.

Did you know that racism was created long ago in civilization? Critical Race Theory suggests that race was constructed as a social concept by white people to further their economic and political interests at the expense of Black people. This is why whiteness and blackness exist in the first place. 

In this episode of Beyond the Culture, my guest is Dr. Frederick Engram. Dr. Fred is an assistant professor of instruction in the Department of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and the Center for African American Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington. He focuses his work on the lived experiences of African American graduate students enrolled at PWIs (predominantly white institutions). 

Dr. Engram explains Critical Race Theory in detail and the importance of the civil rights movements like Black Lives Matter in pushing towards reparations and change. Listen in to learn why honesty is the only way to move forward, even in the current political scene. 

Quotes:
“Black people cannot in and of themselves be racist because race itself- whiteness and blackness- was socially constructed by white people.”- Dr. Engram [27:16]

“We have to start telling the truth. For too long we have lived in a whitewashed environment that created this image of something that is completely false on average.”- Dr. Engram [45:20]

What you will learn in this episode:
·      [3:17] Dr. Fredrick explains his view on the nomination of Kamala Harris as the first black woman on the national presidential ticket- she is qualified but...
·      [5:46] Is Kamala Harris qualified as a Black woman or as a political leader?
·      [7:45] The opposition and challenges Black women leaders face when vying for top political positions.
·      [11:27] He describes how he got involved in helping Black students get into predominantly white institutions with the right kind of representation.
·      [18:57] Critical Race Theory- how the issue of race existed to separate classes with lighter skin seen as superior.
·      [21:45] When the term ‘white people’ was constructed and legalized. The difference between the ‘white society’ of then and now. 
·      [27:00] Why Black people cannot be racist since whiteness and blackness was constructed by white people to exalt authority. 
·      [30:15] The process of reparations that is needed to at least repair the damage of four hundred years of oppression. 
·      [35:03] The Black Lives Matter movement- the importance of civil rights movements to achieve justice. 
·      [38:00] The individual roles we can play in the Black Lives Matter movement when protesting against the killing of Black people.
·      [40:19] The significance of the NBA and NFL’s contribution to the Black Lives Matter movement by supporting policy changes. 
·      [45:18] Why we need to exercise honesty in what we teach, so we can move forward.

Books Mentioned:
·      Birth of a White Nation: The Invention of White People and Its Relevance Today, Dr. Jacqueline Battalora
·      Black Labor, White Wealth or PowerNomics, Dr. Claud Anderson
·      Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing, Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary

Relevant Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/FredEngram
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.engram

#016: Dr. Frederick Engram provides an informative and eye-opening conversation on the subject of race.

Did you know that racism was created long ago in civilization? Critical Race Theory suggests that race was constructed as a social concept by white people to further their economic and political interests at the expense of Black people. This is why whiteness and blackness exist in the first place. 

In this episode of Beyond the Culture, my guest is Dr. Frederick Engram. Dr. Fred is an assistant professor of instruction in the Department of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and the Center for African American Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington. He focuses his work on the lived experiences of African American graduate students enrolled at PWIs (predominantly white institutions). 

Dr. Engram explains Critical Race Theory in detail and the importance of the civil rights movements like Black Lives Matter in pushing towards reparations and change. Listen in to learn why honesty is the only way to move forward, even in the current political scene. 

Quotes:
“Black people cannot in and of themselves be racist because race itself- whiteness and blackness- was socially constructed by white people.”- Dr. Engram [27:16]

“We have to start telling the truth. For too long we have lived in a whitewashed environment that created this image of something that is completely false on average.”- Dr. Engram [45:20]

What you will learn in this episode:
·      [3:17] Dr. Fredrick explains his view on the nomination of Kamala Harris as the first black woman on the national presidential ticket- she is qualified but...
·      [5:46] Is Kamala Harris qualified as a Black woman or as a political leader?
·      [7:45] The opposition and challenges Black women leaders face when vying for top political positions.
·      [11:27] He describes how he got involved in helping Black students get into predominantly white institutions with the right kind of representation.
·      [18:57] Critical Race Theory- how the issue of race existed to separate classes with lighter skin seen as superior.
·      [21:45] When the term ‘white people’ was constructed and legalized. The difference between the ‘white society’ of then and now. 
·      [27:00] Why Black people cannot be racist since whiteness and blackness was constructed by white people to exalt authority. 
·      [30:15] The process of reparations that is needed to at least repair the damage of four hundred years of oppression. 
·      [35:03] The Black Lives Matter movement- the importance of civil rights movements to achieve justice. 
·      [38:00] The individual roles we can play in the Black Lives Matter movement when protesting against the killing of Black people.
·      [40:19] The significance of the NBA and NFL’s contribution to the Black Lives Matter movement by supporting policy changes. 
·      [45:18] Why we need to exercise honesty in what we teach, so we can move forward.

Books Mentioned:
·      Birth of a White Nation: The Invention of White People and Its Relevance Today, Dr. Jacqueline Battalora
·      Black Labor, White Wealth or PowerNomics, Dr. Claud Anderson
·      Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing, Dr. Joy DeGruy Leary

Relevant Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/FredEngram
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.engram

#015: A Panel Discussion with Black Women About the Historical Selection of Senator Kamala Harris as the 2020 Vice Presidential Nominee.

#015: A Panel Discussion with Black Women About the Historical Selection of Senator Kamala Harris as the 2020 Vice Presidential Nominee.