Rev. C.W. Dawson is an author, pastor, preacher, teacher and a columnist with the Columbia Missourian. Our focus this time is his new project, Colorism and Christianity. He plans to start his research with the Black churches in the U.S.A. followed by the White protestant churches. As a Deist, C.W. includes all existential beings as part of his family. He has intimate knowledge of Colorism from growing up with a very dark-skinned father and fair complected mother. People can help with his research project on his Facebook page or GoFundMe page. HIs email is [email protected]. Music during the show is provided by Jack Williams.

"Trail Blazers: The Free-Spirited and Extraordinary Lives of Ted and Pat Jones" was published April, 2022. John Beuerlein knew them well and shares anecdotes from the book that exhibit their passion for the land and for people. Ted was a farmer and took over Edward D. Jones from his father. He cultivated the business into being the 4th largest financial services company in the country. Along the way, he and Pat conceived and secured the future of Missouri's Katy Trail, the longest train to trails in the country. Their farm was returned to prairie and native plants and donated to the University of Missouri and the Missouri Department of Conservation. Listen to their story and be inspired. A 5-star interview.

Rev. Stephanie Sorensen, minister at The Life Enrichment Center, has a background rich in psychology, philosophy, and the spiritual teachings of ancient wisdom as well as New Thought. Prior to becoming  minister at LEC, Rev. Stephanie was  minister of the Oahu Center for Spiritual Living in Hawaii and the Ventura County Center for Spiritual Living in California. In addition to Sunday services, Rev. Stephanie provides counseling and private sessions to assist individuals in the practical, day-to-day application and practice of Spiritual Principles in their lives. She offers classes on the teachings of New Thought.

Raymond Thomas, PhD, was raised in a farming family in Jamaica and knew by the time he started college there that Agriculture was his area. I met Raymond at LU were he took four classes with me. He was doing research throughout his time in higher ed focusing on hydroponics, lipids, antioxidants, brain health, functional foods, and then tying them all together like joint pieces of a puzzle. He recommends websites like PubMed and Best Food Facts to gather practical information to apply in your own life.

Karen Digh Allen is the Callaway County Missouri elected Public Administrator. She is a National Certified Guardian, a member of the National Guardianship Association, member of the Missouri Association of Counties, and more. The role of County PAs has evolved since the 1890s and now they mostly handle individuals over 30. The State and Feds provide no funding. County taxes support the office and every county has different fiscal wherewithal. This very complex issue of assisting the incapacitated needs broad cooperation at every level.  

The Dromenon Project has it's roots in ancient history--at least as far back as 2000 b.c.e. Linda Austin became aware of the 11-Chartres Labyrinth in Memphis, TN connected to a Paul Winter album. A few spiritual steps later, she met Jean Houston and Peggy Rubin and started participating in Jean's Mystery Schools where the term Dromenon (path or road) was used in reference to the labyrinth. This present project is done via Zoom using "Finger Labyrinths" in 2-hour sessions every two weeks. It's billed as "Inner Pilgrimages for Modern Times." 

We got a little bit below the surface of Davion Thomas in this conversation about 3/4 in when he shared that he came to (found) his Self when he was 28 and overweight. We need to talk more about that, but it did bring about a LifeStyle change as well as a shift in his paradigm. In talking about personal development, he started with leadership (mission first, people always). His book, Sug-ar Kook-ie (L.I.F.E. is a Bittersweet Recipe), is a novel with multiple messages. He is the founder and CEO of Premium Marketing Plus with the goal of building a community of business owners to share ideas. His masters in higher ed has the emphasis of Historically Black Colleges & Universities. 

Beth Pelton is a professor emeritus of health promotion from the University of Iowa and now lives and works on the outskirts of Iowa City. She owns and teaches at Body Moves Fitness and Wellness Center in Coralville, IA. They cater to folks 50 and better. One of the center's primary movement forms is Nia and Beth is a 1st Degree Black Belt Nia Instructor. We discuss Nia's evolution and how we both discovered it at a National Wellness Conference. Mary Lenox, poet and inspirational speaker, is a Nia practitioner that recently connected me with Beth. Classes are also offered in Functional Aging and Ageless Grace plus a variety of workshops and programs. 

Nicketa Nicola Coombs, PhD, has built an excellent, holistic foundation for working in School Psychology with her degrees in Exercise Science, Wellness, Education, and School Psychology. Black women are some of the least protected demographic in the US and it hasn't been easy for Nicketa. The School to Prison Pipeline is of great concern to Nicketa. She works to increase quality in relationships, equity in school discipline and correcting the disparities due to race, gender, sexual identity, and sexual orientation. She is teaching Cultural Diversity this year at Mizzou.

Midwives have been assisting mothers from the beginning. In the U.S.A., Black women brought here as slaves were experts and served other Black women and then white women. As the medical profession tried to get a monopoly on childbirth, midwives were discredited. In Missouri in the late 70s, Janet Akremi and others developed some of the first standards for certifying midwives. Those standards were accepted by law and by the courts and went on to be used throughout the country. Listen and learn how important midwives can be in building healthy families.