If you’ve ever wondered what environmental justice has to do with national security - and with the pursuit of the American dream - then this is the episode fort you. Matthew Tejada was raised in Fort Worth, Texas, initially in a community lacking access to a healthy environment. Upon moving to a nearby community with totally different (and better) living conditions, he started to question why and how this unfairness in our society exists, and what he could do about it. In this episode, Matthew describes how low income communities and communities of color are disproportionately affected by a variety of threats, which exacerbate existing disparities in health, wealth, and lifespan. He reminds us that it’s a problem for everyone when huge swaths of society are at risk, and the work of addressing these disparities is essential to building resilience.

We also make a bit of time to freak out over the generational setback to our government through the hollowing out of the civil service. This isn’t one you want to skip.