Hello My Name is America

Get ready for a mind shift this week as we chat with our friend J.D. Colbert, a member of the Muskogee Creek Nation, as he brings some vital and necessary truths to address the root causes of our deep divisions. On this episode, we cover the dark and disturbing history between our federal government and the native peoples of this land, touching on topics like the guardianship program, boarding schools, the grand theft scheme of federal land allotments, and even the ways in which our founding documents refer to our native brothers and sisters. J.D. invites us to consider the impending racial and cultural shift taking place in America, and explore what that means for the future of “whiteness" in this country.

Ever wondered how our democracy will survive if we continue on this path of self-destruction? If so, you won’t want to miss this discussion with Mark Gerzon, author and President of Mediators Foundation, as he shares with us why the engine of democracy is breaking down, and what he believes we could do to fix it. In a powerful conversation, Mark sheds light on the splendor of our complexity, highlighting that no American can be summed up as simply red or blue. He explains our desperate need to get outside our comfort zone and learn from people who are different than we are. We also discuss the incredible gift millennials are to democracy, because their appetite for innovation could be a key to our successful reinventing of democracy.

David takes us into his own personal discovery of what unity is NOT in America as he dives deeper into the real reasons we are so deeply divided as a nation. In this solo episode, David shares his heart for why we need to catch a vision for a pathway forward, but to do so, we must be willing to go back and find out how the trust was broken, walking through America’s foundations to understand how we got here. He recounts his own difficult journey of disappointment as he discovered that America was built and continues to thrive on a false hierarchy of human value, and challenges our white brothers and sisters to join him as he and Erin explore how to dismantle that hierarchy in each of our hearts so we can discover who we really are as individuals and as a nation.

How well do you know the story of the Little Rock Nine? Take a journey with us back to 1957 as we speak to Randy Dotson, a Park Ranger at Little Rock Central High School, the place where nine African-American children stood against the separate but equal doctrine. This week marks the 65th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education case, which found that school segregation was unconstitutional. “Our being there was a direct affront to white supremacy,” said Elizabeth Eckford, one of the Little Rock Nine students. What can we learn from this situation as the number of highly segregated schools, defined by zero to 10 percent white enrollment, has more than tripled in the past 30 years?

Erin also shares about coming to terms with her own racism and implicit bias against black people and a discussion ensues about how we can connect with the racism hiding in our hearts through empathy.

It is with great excitement that we introduce our friend, Mechelle Brown, Program Coordinator at the Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa, OK.

We entered into Mechelle’s office on the first week of our 50-state journey, believing that race in America was, for the most part, a problem of the past. During our time with Mechelle, we experienced a deep heart transformation that we are excited to talk about on this episode, as we walk back through that conversation with Mechelle, and allow her to share the story that changed our lives.

During our chat, Mechelle also fills our listeners in on the efforts underway to preserve the story of Tulsa’s Greenwood district, once known as Black Wall Street, the wealthiest black-owned business district in the country until it was burned to the ground by Tulsa’s white community in the summer of 1921. We discuss the details of what happened that fateful day, as well as what Mechelle sees as the pathway to racial healing and transformation for the city.

This encounter is a deep well of heart-felt exchange, as she gives us her story and we give her our genuine longing to understand.

Please let us know how this episode impacts you. We are excited to hear if this episode encourages you on your own journey of asking “why”. If you like what you hear, please take a moment to subscribe to our podcast, and thank you for listening!

Chatting with our mentor and friend, Michelle Place. As Director or the Tulsa Historical Society, Michelle Place serves as a convergence point for the city. She works to illuminate the fullness of Tulsa’s vibrant history, including its darker, racist past, which many Tulsans, both black and white, have sought to forget.

Michelle was the first person we met on our 50-state journey. Her unique role as a preservationist of stories, including that of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has allowed her to bring these stories to light for many, including us.

Michelle shares how her unconventional southern upbringing shaped her to do the work she is doing today, and fills in our listeners on some of the lesser-known impacts of policies like integration. We discuss Michelle’s “tough love” as we recap with her our introduction to phrases like “the winners write the history” and “white privilege”.

Please take a moment to share your feedback, comments and questions. And if you like what you hear, please take a moment to subscribe to our podcast, and thank you for listening!

The right question posed at the right time has the power to totally rearrange one’s life. At least this was the case for us. Join us on episode number one, as we retell the story of the day a single question did just that, and served as the catalyst for what would become a journey for our family to live in all 50 states over the course of one year, learning about the root causes of division and searching for the keys that could help us heal America’s deep divides.

David shares about his background in politics, working as a republican political operative until he came to the realization that his work was driving a wedge between communities and families by stirring up fear and hate through his campaigning efforts.

Erin and David share about the day they met their oldest daughter, Grace, and how their experience as parents to a child with special needs incited their hunger to look for a new lens through which to view the world. They share how it was Grace who awakened them, and inspired them to embark on this learning journey.

Erin recounts the day she posed a question to David that changed the course of their lives, and then proceeds to walk listeners through the painful process of walking away from the American dream she and David had built, in exchange for a radically new one, living on an RV and investing in a dream to understand the root causes of division in America with the desire to then uncover the solutions we need to heal our divisions.

The couple closes with a summary of what listeners can expect in the coming episodes, highlighting many of the themes and topics that will be discussed as they introduce guests on the show from all over the country, representing a vast array of backgrounds, religions, races, political leanings and lived experiences. Through this podcast, they couple shares their dream to provide a space to cultivate a common memory between those they are hosting on the show each week, and their listeners.