Etch The Edges

As an advocate of perspective and the lifelong pursuit of knowledge we find it refreshing to encounter people who take the time to consider, question, stop and think. Now, in that thinking we may not all arrive at the same conclusion, but we aspiring critical thinkers know the journey to the conclusion is always worthwhile, and perhaps in that journey we may find we have something in common. Joshua Longbrook is a person who upon a time stopped, took stock, and decided to think deeply on who he was and how he would move forward through life. On this episode of Etch The Edges we take a brief journey with Joshua and consider critically how history, economics, behavior, and science-fiction, all come together to tell the story of how we are, who we are, and perhaps with sincere consideration and pursuit of deep understanding, just who we might become. Take a moment and listen as we etch the edges with Joshua.

On this episode of Etch The Edges we talk with Kelly Kautz who is running as the non-partisan candidate in the Gwinnett County Board of Education election. Listen as she clarifies her perspective and discusses why she thinks the non-partisan approach is the right approach when it comes to school policy. She has pledged to bring her knowledge to the Board in order to do the hard work of leaning in deep and finding common ground among the divisions that right now threaten to poison our progress and hurt our community. She makes it clear that she will focus on removing the pork, getting the bacon out of the way and creating efficiencies in the bureaucracy, leveraging her skills and experience to meet the needs of a changing community. As we etch the edges on the conversation pay particular attention to how she will commit to listening, truly hearing the perspectives, and learning what needs to be addressed before recommending any action. She says effective evaluation of the current state of the system is necessary, if it hasn’t been done already. Give us a listen and let’s etch some edges.

Dr. Adrienne Simmons is running to serve on the Gwinnett County Board of Education as the representative of District 4. At this point everyone should know that in 2022 the fate of the country goes right through local School Boards and in particular Gwinnett County, Georgia. Everyone should know that fear tactics have pushed CRT as the next political wedge issue in order to garner votes and retain or gain power. Etch the Edges is always about facts and truth, so we must say that this new Republican tactic to divide communities and win elections is rearing its ugliness and fear mongering in Gwinnett County just as it is doing across the country. Listen as we etch the edges with Dr. Simmons, and as we always do with our guests, lean in and have an everyday conversation like everyday people. Adrienne makes it clear that doing the work on the school board requires that we listen to everyone, include everyone, get knee to knee at the table and stop with the nonsense, such as a CRT distraction, and get with the real, such as TLC, her approach to the issues. Listen as she focuses our conversation on Teachers, Learners, and Community. It’s a vital conversation that informs more than just the election for the School Board, but speaks to how we should view every election this year, focusing on what matters, focusing on what’s real.

Tony Sellers has watched intently and critically and decided that he must do something. As he watches the direction many in our county are choosing to take he has grown ever more concerned. He sees us on a precipice and Etch The Edges cannot help but agree with him. Book banning is without equivocation NOT THE WAY! Tony has decided to throw in and run for a seat on the Gwinnett County Board of Education. He’s taught in Gwinnett Public Schools for 18 years and truly believes in putting students first. It is time to focus on the work of meeting the needs of all our communities. Listen to his story as we Etch The Edges.

On this episode of Etch The Edges we welcome back Gwinnett County Solicitor General Brian Whiteside to talk about the challenges in Gwinnett County and how he has chosen to lean in deep and face them. As the first Black Solicitor General of Gwinnett there is a story to the man that absolutely must be shared. He comes from a family of tradition and service. He has stood staunchly against those who choose to do wrong and has spent a lifetime in service to others. In his own words he calls what some call arrogance, confidence. How he does this, pushes hard with confidence, is something he does for the entire community and seeks to model for the generations that come after. He sees his role in government as a servant-protector who has been chosen by the people to operate as a servant-leader. For the people his father used to say point the rescue boat towards the sea, not the land, because precious seconds matter. Listen to his story and get a good understanding of his perspective as we etch the edges on this episode. Brian Whiteside has much to say and sharp edges to etch. Join us and listen and see how he does it.

It’s always easy to make assumptions about people. It’s part of simply being human. However, we know the real work requires gaining some understanding and moving beyond the simple assumptions we make at first glance. This is important as we live out our daily lives and becomes even more important when we decide to choose who will lead us. The state of our understanding of government and how much we truly value how we are governed and who governs us, is clearly evident at every election. We don’t do a good job as a rule, just one opinion. Antonio Cortez Hicks clearly understands this and he has decided to do something about it. A popular saying is when you see something say something, or do something. Antonio has done both. He is clearly the kind of person we want to have engaged in our community, whether he does serve as an elected official, or doesn’t.  All of us should see him and hear him as he etches edges, stands up and stands out. He serves as an example not just for making an effort to run for office, but making an effort on anything that truly matters. As a mogul once said, “Don’t talk about it. Be about it!” Let’s etch the edges.

The state of Georgia is right in the middle of the evolving conflict that is the American political divide. The divide is ever widening even as many of us seek to close it. There are those running for office who take advantage of this divide to gain or retain power. Then there are those who have decided to step up to do what’s right for all of us, not just some of us, those who seek to close the divide and govern with courage, empathy, inclusion, and real-world solutions. We like to call them aspiring statesmen. One such aspiring statesman or stateswoman is Nicole Horn. We invite her back on the show to share with us again her point and purpose, why the need to elevate the profile of the Georgia Department of Labor is now more important than ever before.  And, how she would do the necessary work required as Georgia Labor Commissioner to fix what’s gone so very wrong. Listen to her, and let’s etch the edges.

When a person decides to run for office we should always give them some grace and thank them for deciding to do what is never an easy thing. If they’re doing it for the reason they should be doing it they have earned our consideration. We should give them some grace and assume positive intent. We should consider that the person running for the position sees a need in our community and is deciding to step up and step out, to do the work that needs doing in order to maintain our community, or more often than not uplift it and make it better. On this episode of Etch The Edges we get to have an everyday conversation with Lisamarie Bristol about her campaign, why she has decided to step up and step out, and why it has become so challenging. With honesty and candor she talks about the missteps, her position as a Democrat, not a Republican, and why it is important to talk to all the people, not just some of the people, even those with whom we don’t agree. The exercise of voting is all about knowing and finding understanding in order to elect someone that can and will personally address our concerns. The position of Solicitor General is important to the county and to you as a constituent. Listen to Lisamarie as she etches the edges and get the knowledge we know you need in order to make an informed decision.

Things are changing, for the better. Yes, it may not seem that way when we’re bowed, but we are ever unbroken, and things do get better, step by step, even after taking two steps back. We remain committed to three steps forward. Understand that when someone named Ruwa Romman, an immigrant Muslim from Jordan of Palestinian descent can run for office as a representative of Americans it is truly the realization of the American Ideal. Ruwa Romman is walking talking representation of the American ideal and it was here in Georgia that she found her purpose. She has decided to stand and run in a time when the fear and intolerance of a changing demographic has people violating rules and eroding the very democratic process they have developed. The cognitive dissonance is deafening but as Ruwa states and etches edges it just calls us to stand all the more. The franchise must be exercised and she has committed herself to ensuring that we all do so. Ruwa Romman is running for office. Give Ruwa a listen and hear how she etches the edges.

As we close out Black History Month, Black Heritage Month is my preference, we want to take a moment to highlight the achievements of Captain Hugh Nathaniel Mulzac. The assumption is that you do not know who this man is. So, we take a moment to hear from his granddaughter, Karen Mulzac Watkins of the Gwinnett County Board of Education representing District I. She tells the story of her grandfather and the challenges he faced as a Black man in the United States Merchant Marine. He was a man of great intelligence and character. He had integrity. He also believed in the American ideal, a belief that could be hard to maintain in the face of racism. However, he had grit, and he held his own line as well as his own counsel. He would choose the time of his elevation only if the opportunity was right. And this he did do, despite how long it took. Captain Mulzac is an American profile in courage and his story bears listening to today more than ever. Give Karen a moment and let her etch the edges on her family history, which is Black history, which is without equivocation, American history.