Crossroads Podcast

The juggle and the struggle is real. I got a shoutout from Grim Yells at a Cloud Podcast who asked for funny podcasts to listen to...and I suggested mine. So, I decided to keep it light this episode and discuss the highlights of the Abolition 101 webinar hosted by Life After Release.

Franz Franta joins me to discuss the flooding in China and how poor dam infrastructure has lead damage to people and the planet. We talk about the record breaking hurricane season and how climate change has contributed to the increasingly destructive storms. Franz discusses her time living in Harbin and how a toxic spill reminded her of the current experience with the pandemic. Check out Franz's blog here.

Leslie Gordon from Urban Habitat talks with me about the housing crisis in Oakland, California and the Bay Area. We talk about the ways Urban Habitat is filling the gaps in the community through coalition building, leadership development, and public policy. We go in depth into land use, Community Land Trusts, and good old gentrification. Resources are below!

Rooted in Home: https://urbanhabitat.org/sites/default/files/Rooted%20in%20Home.pdf

Criminalization of Poverty: https://jotf.org/report/the-criminalization-of-poverty-how-to-break-the-cycle-through-policy-reform-in-maryland/

I'm joined by fellow HBCU alum Lavonya Jones to discuss her work with Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College. Building on the discussion about the gaps in education, we discuss the HBCUvc fellowship program and the ways Coach Jones has pushed the students she works with toward excellence. We reminisce on our time on campus and discuss how HBCUS are taking an active role in the fight for environmental justice.

In this case study episode, we're focusing on PFAS, Per- or Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, and their impact on our water and health. We walk through the history of PFAS and their use in practically everything since the 1940's. I talk about the global impact these chemicals are having. I give flowers to Harriet Washington and give major props to the Environmental Working Group. Resources are below!

States stepping up: https://www.huntonnickelreportblog.com/2019/03/pfas-states-not-waiting-for-epa/#:~:text=They%20include%20Alaska%2C%20California%2C%20Minnesota,14%20and%2013%20ppt%2C%20respectively.

PFAS in drinking water, Environmental Working Group report: https://www.ewg.org/research/national-pfas-testing/

PFAS in outdoor clothing: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653517306598?via%3Dihub

PFAS and water filtration: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/du-nai020520.php

Tibetan Plateau Report: Chen, M., Wang, C., Wang, X., Fu, J., Gong, P., Yan, J., et al. (2019). Release of perfluoroalkyl substances from melting glacier of the Tibetan Plateau: Insights into the impact of global warming on the cycling of emerging pollutants. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 124, 7442–7456. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD030566

The Teflon coverup:http://redgreenandblue.org/2018/08/22/yet-another-cover-3m-epa-knew-toxic-teflon-40-years/

In 2012, the police department of Camden, New Jersey was dissolved and reborn. Minneapolis is considering the same approach. In this case study, I talk about the history of policing, the differences between defunding and abolition the police, and my emerging ideas for community-based safety. This episode is a love letter to the Black and Missing Foundation and Angela Davis. Resources Below!

House Fire: https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2020/06/23/suspected-sex-trafficking-house-burned/

BAMFI Infographic: http://blackandmissinginc.com/cdad/images/BAMFI_Infographic_2018Stats.jpg

The Queen Speaks: Angela Davis: Abolishing police is not just about dismantling. It's also about building up

https://www.history.com/news/bass-reeves-real-lone-ranger-a-black-man#:~:text=Reeves%20was%20a%20real%2Dlife,Paris%2C%20Texas%2C%20in%201846.

I chat with rising high-school senior Bailei Burgess-Simmons and Princeton-Blairstown Center CEO Pam Gregory to discuss the PBC's history and what drew them both to the program. We talk about the importance of exposure and emotional intelligence. For more information on the Princeton-Blairstown Center check out their website: www.princetonblairstown.org

Taking a look at the use of incinerators in the US and abroad. I discuss the Wheelabrator Incinerator in Baltimore, Maryland and discuss the global impact of greenhouse gases. I give flowers to the Baltimore City Council and give a science lesson on the Oxygen cycle. "Confessions" Usher was always my favorite. Resources are below!

EU incinerator use: https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/science/earth/13trash.html

Wheelabrator Incinerator: https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/environment/bs-md-trash-incinerator-pollution-20180820-story.html

The Oxygen Cycle: https://byjus.com/biology/oxygen-cycle-environment/#what-is-oxygen-cycle?

This is the first episode in the "Curated Convos" series sponsored by Radial Solutions. I chat with Beverly John and Carlean Ponder activists and residents of Prince George's County and Montgomery County in Maryland. We dive deep into the Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights and Public Information Act. We discuss what can be done on the local, state, national and global level to address police brutality.

Doing a dive into the Law Enforcement Officer's Bill of Rights and states with upcoming primaries. I'm angry. I'm sad. And it shows. Resources below.

Cariol Horne Fired cop says "I don't regret it" after stopping police officer from choking suspect

MD LEOBR: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2015/04/24/the-police-officers-bill-of-rights/