On this all new episode of FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD, Reese welcomes Rabbi Becca Diamond of Temple Kol Tikvah in the Lake Norman area of North Carolina. They discuss the rise of antisemitism in the wake of the October 7th terror attacks in Israel, and the importance of supporting and celebrating Jewish identity as a means to combat this oldest form of hatred. Rabbi Diamond explains passionately the significance of building vibrant and supportive Jewish community experiences, offering insights on how non-Jews can be helpful during challenging times for the Jewish community. In addition, Rabbi Diamond discusses the often complex and evolving relationship between the Jewish and Black communities during significant historical moments from the Jim Crow era to the present day. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of Jewish identity during a moment of profound mistrust and pain in the Middle East and here at home.

It took some time, but having my first Tik Tok influencer as a guest on FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD was certainly worth the wait. Kellee Knighten Hough, who by trade is a theater actress, has spent the better part of 14 years using her online presence to discuss the importance of voting, of participating in this country's electoral process. From blog posts on her MySpace page to her now viral Tik Tok's, some of which get over one million views, she uses her distinctive and sometimes confrontational style to try and edify watchers on not being indifferent to the role they play in our country and the laws we all live with. We discuss low voter turnout, shifting demographics, White supremacy and its impact on the Republican party and the need to not lose hope, but to VOTE HEAUX! She yells, she cajoles, she informs, she confronts and she always, always brings receipts!

Kellee's social handles:

TikTok: @bellekurve

YouTube: @bellekurve

IG: @kellebelle09

Twitter: @voteheaux

Website: https://voteheaux.org/#!/

For anyone wanting non-partisan information on how to register to vote, to look up their own current registration or to find a polling place: https://www.vote.org

When you want to know the best way to support someone in your life who may be a member of a marginalized community, you could do no better than to ask a smart, compassionate and accomplished member of said community. And that's precisely who we have on FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD, Christopher Oldi joins us for a little "Queer 101" as well as helping us understand what's happening to Transgender kids as they face a cycle of discrimination that always seems to land on members of the LGBTQ crowd. On this Transgender Awareness Week, getting Chris' input means a lot. His career as the LGBTQ staff attorney for Legal Services of Hudson Valley, New York gives him the bona fides to share some important insights at a time when support for young people on the margins is so desperately needed.

GLAAD Transgender Resources: https://glaad.org/transgender/resources/

I dip into my list of awesome friends for my guest on this episode of FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD, author Dan Bredeson joins me to discuss his new book SEEDS OF CULTURE. Dan shares how what he learned growing up on farm in Wisconsin to be the best way to influence culture in any organization. But we also dive into his life as a farm kid, and how from those humble beginnings went on to being a sales leader at a Fortune 500 company, a stay-at-home-dad home schooling his kids through COVID, and a graduate student securing a masters degree in organizational development. And each step on his journey required him to do something that many of us struggle with, trusting his instincts. If you need some encouragement trusting your gut, trusting that looking at something in your life differently might be a challenge, then this is the episode for you to listen to.

Dan's book, SEEDS OF CULTURE, can be found here:

https://greenleafbookgroup.com/titles/seeds-of-culture

Friends, I've got a special cross-over episode of FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD that I'm sure you'll enjoy. Jonathan Catherman, host of the RAISING THEM READY podcast and my good pal, shares an episode of his pod featuring IHRA Motorsports Hall of Fame member Doug Herbert. Doug is a racing legend, but it's what he's done off the track that made me want to share this remarkable conversation from RAISING THEM READY. After losing both is teenage sons in the same tragic, high speed auto accident, he committed to turning his tragedy into others salvation by starting the B.R.A.K.E.S. Foundation. Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe operates a driving academy to teach teens and their parents about the importance of being safe and responsible drivers. Through corporate sponsorships with partners like Kia Motors, Doug and his team offer these academies free of charge throughout the nation. He's an amazing person and his story will certainly resonate with those of us who have young drivers in our homes. And Jonathan is a thoughtful and great podcast host and author who also provides parents with tools to raise young people to be more confident and kind adults. I encourage everyone to listen and get involved with B.R.A.K.E.S. and to throw a follow on RAISING THEM READY. You won't be sorry!

Doug Herbert's foundation, B.R.A.K.E.S.

https://putonthebrakes.org/home

Jonathan Catherman's pod, RAISING THEM READY

https://open.spotify.com/show/5vkXRLy3YwYavEINCW8Ww3?si=a5bdca14bebc4e04

Jonathan's website featuring all his best selling books

https://thecathermans.com

Imagine starting the chapter of your life just after college, ready to tackle the world and a new career only to start losing your eyesight. On this episode of FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD we hear about this very scenario from Sonya Chapnick. In the very prime of her young adulthood, Sonya was diagnosed with a degenerative retinal disorder that would eventually lead to blindness. She shares the immense embarrassment and humiliation she felt having to explain her underperformance to her employer, and how this revelation transformed her entire perspective on life and career. But despite these difficulties, Sonya has not allowed her visual impairment to hinder her achievements or her passion. She has creatively, and with so much bravery, continuously showcased her remarkable resilience and determination throughout her life. Sonya's journey is such a great example of strength and perseverance in the face of adversity, one that is sure to inspire!

Sonya's online Yoga Therapy practice Yoga Gently: https://www.yogagently.com

I'm so glad to welcome Dr. Amy Cooter, Director of Research, Academic Development and Innovation for the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism at Middlebury College to discuss her area of expertise, the modern militia movement in the U.S. and its ties to political violence and domestic extremism. Dr. Cooter's years of study included spending time with actual militia members in the state of Michigan and what she discovered may surprise those who think of militias as a monolith of government hating Americans. Hers is an important voice on a topic that has reach into our present climate, and if we're to play a part in seeming the potential violence that appears to be brewing between political divides, I'm just grateful she has shared it with us on FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD.

Show Notes:

Dr. Cooter's essay in American Scientific; Citizen Militias in the U.S. Are Moving toward More Violent Extremism - https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/citizen-militias-in-the-u-s-are-moving-toward-more-violent-extremism/

Secy. Hillary Rodham Clinton's essay in The Atlantic: The Weaponization of Loneliness - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/08/hillary-clinton-essay-loneliness-epidemic/674921/

Nazis of Copley Square, by Charles R. Gallagher - https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674983717

Homegrown: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism, by Jeffrey Toobin - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Homegrown/Jeffrey-Toobin/9781668013571

If there's an issue that won't change until we all start looking at it differently it's race. And my guest, Glodean Champion, has decided she has had enough of the old ways that have been tried before. Her TEDx Talk, ENOUGH WITH RACE ALREADY, IT'S TIME FOR A NEW SOCIAL CONSTRUCT, takes a brave look at how love is the only antidote for the ills that have plagued us for far too long. Her journey through corporate America, the U.S. Navy, and living and working abroad has shaped her role as a thought leader and put her in a place where she is ready to be vulnerable with others in an effort to show them a way to look past race and see one another as God intended. Not an easy task or conversation, but I'm certain you'll be glad you listened.

Glodean's TEDx Talk on YouTube: https://youtu.be/8RAte5P4SOw

My essay: In America, Our Ugly History Of Racism Isn't On Shuffle, It's On Repeat: https://medium.com/@reesegolchin/in-america-our-ugly-history-of-racism-isnt-on-shuffle-it-s-on-repeat-63aa777675a8

On a weekend when we celebrate America's birthday, FLIP IT ON ITS HEAD welcomes Roger Bennett, the co-host of the MEN IN BLAZERS podcast and NBC show, to discuss his unique journey to becoming an American citizen. Growing up in Liverpool, England in the 1980's was a grim experience, but Roger had his dreams of the America that MTV, Miami Vice and the Chicago Bears told him all about. And he turned that dream into a reality, becoming a citizen in 2018. We talk about being an immigrant and all that it means, as well as discussions of our beloved football.

Roger Bennett's memoir, (RE)BORN IN THE USA, can be found here, and I encourage you to find it in a local bookstore near you: https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/reborn

Check out the MEN IN BLAZERS website: https://meninblazers.com/

Roger hosts ROAD TO THE CUP, with USWNT Captain Becky Sauerbrunn. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1QaEEky2OHi8GZYElq43ro?si=457259b868df4ac5