Connections Radio

Laurie Fitz joins author Marcie R. Rendon, White Earth Ojibwe, to hear and discuss selections from her recent book, Anishinaabe Songs for a New Millennium (2024, University of Minnesota Press). Rendon was included on Oprah Winfrey’s 2020 list of thirty-one Native American authors. Her poem-songs evoke and keep alive a world still unfolding around us, reflecting our place in time for future generations. Her singing, breaking the boundaries that time would impose, carries the Anishinaabe way of life forward in the world. – www.upress.umn.edu/9781517917432/anishinaabe-songs-for-a-new-millennium

Laurie Fitz is joined by co-hosts Susan and Sally from the Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA)—the largest of MN’s regional library systems, serving 8 member-libraries with more than 100 library locations across the greater Twin Cities area. Along with some of their indispensable team as guests, hear about the magic of these modern libraries and their systems for keeping us up on various media with tools for knowledge, communication, and community connection. For this 5-part series with MELSA, tune in for these broadcasts on the 2nd Saturdays of the remaining months in this year. – www.MELSA.org / [email protected]

Hosts Laurie Fitz and Rick Bernardo visit with two leaders from Resources for Enriching African Lives (REAL): founder and executive director, Tsehai Wodajo, with board president and chair, Olga Tolle-Rodrigues. REAL’s local community has been transforming lives through education and empowering girls to be leaders in their communities in Ethiopia. Join them September 14 for their 20th Celebration Fundraising Gala (Union Depot, Saint Paul)—to celebrate 20 years of accomplishments and to strengthen the work ahead. – www.real-africa.org • www.real-africa.org/events-1/real-celebrating-20-years

Laurie Fitz is joined by co-hosts Susan and Sally from the Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA)—the largest of MN’s regional library systems, serving 8 member-libraries with more than 100 library locations across the greater Twin Cities area. Hear about the magic of these modern libraries and their systems for keeping us up on various media with tools for knowledge, communication, and community connection. For this 5-part series with MELSA, tune in for these broadcasts on the 2nd Saturdays of the remaining months in this year. – www.MELSA.org / [email protected]

Hosts Laurie Fitz and Rick Bernardo visit again with local musician, Nathaniel Harris—to share his growing “Circles of Musical Connection.” He’s built a Twin Cities following from the ground up, performing at festivals, on stages, at local Kowalski’s Markets, the Midtown Global Market, Lund’s and Byerly’s, and now weekly Sundays at Minneapolis’s Longfellow Grill (3–6 PM). – www.Facebook.com/NathanielHarrisLive

Laurie Fitz and Rick Bernardo visit with the Rev. Don Dewey, longtime minister, former Regional Minister of the Pacific Southwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and Rick’s long ago former Pacific School of Religion classmate in Berkeley. We discuss many changes over the decades in churches’ nature and membership—and re-emerging evils of systemic racism, poverty, war economy, and the distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism. – www.FCCtorrance.org / www.Disciples.org / www.PoorPeoplesCampaign.org

Hosts Laurie Fitz and Rick Bernardo visit with minister (United Church of Christ), musician, event producer, and Center for Courage & Renewal facilitator, Alan Claassen—one more remarkable person with whom Rick had the privilege of attending grad. school at Pacific School of Religion (in Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union). Alan has a rich history of skills and ways he makes a difference in connecting people far and wide—including tools for courageous transformation—influencing and providing space for inspired work by many others in turn.  www.SonomAlan.wordpress.com  –  www.CourageRenewal.org

This week we cover Ashti’s Journey to Jazz, coming soon to Children’s Performing Arts this month! Host Laurie Fitz is joined by composer Thomasina Petrus and author and playwright Carmen Rubin.

Host Laurie Fitz visits with the ReConnect Rondo Youth Council about their historical research, social analysis, restorative justice work, and professional communications. Through their podcasts they aspire to amplify stories that have been silenced, uncover the systemic racism that lies under the pavement, and continue the work that previous generations started. – www.ReConnectRondo.com / www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbRQ3xBjonZVmMQphTayvXpFFCh2tuvky

Hosts Laurie Fitz and Rick Bernardo visit with Mari Harris—award-winning singer/songwriter, actor, speaker, and a lover of life with a commitment to provide entertainment, empowerment, and love through the arts. She performs internationally on stage, in concert halls, on television, the internet, and the big screen—exciting and inspiring audiences with her voice, talent, and presence. –  www.MariHarris.com / [email protected]