Season 4: Race and Religion

Episode 2: Judaism

Sometimes a gift is even greater than can be known at the

time it was given. Such is the case with this episode of "Roundtables on Race."

Recorded several weeks before her death on March 9, 2024, Rabbi Raachel

Jurovics, rabbi-in-residence for the Diocese of North Carolina, joined host the

Rev. Kathy Walker and Rabbi Capers Funnye, spiritual leader of Beth Shalom

B'nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, in Chicago, Illinois, to explore Judaism.

Together, they share the beauty of the oldest of the Abrahamic faith

traditions, identify how differences in the practice of Judaism are navigated, how

the faith commands its practitioners to relate to one another, and more in a

wide-ranging conversation that enlightens, inspires and educates.

Season 4: Race and Religion

Episode 1: Hinduism

Season 4 of "Roundtables on Race" is taking a bit of a departure from its usual format. As we take a season-long look at "Race and Religion," each episode will feature a different faith tradition, exploring its beauty and traditions, and its intersection with society, both in the United States and in countries of origin.

The season premiere explores Hinduism, one of the oldest faith traditions and practiced by approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide. Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Dr. Vijay Satnarine, the director of education strategy for the Hindu American Foundation, and Mr. Prashant Sheth, a member of the board of directors for Interfaith Action for Central Texas (iACT), for a fascinating conversation that shares the beauty of the Hindu faith, aspects of the faith you think you know that are actually misunderstood, concepts and tenets of the faith that may sound familiar, and how the historical intersection of Hinduism, law and society can be seen in the United States today.

Season 4: Race and Religion

Bonus Episode: A Multicultural Christmas

"Roundtables on Race" is back with a "Very Special Christmas" episode, when host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by friends and family to talk about the Christmas holidays and how we celebrate this beautiful season in different cultures. Her guests, the Rev. Cornelia Eaton, Priscilla Thompson, Nancy Robayo and Andrew Walker-Watson, all share Christmas memories from Navajoland, Venezuela, the Bahamas, Miami and the podcast's home, North Carolina, and offer their hopes for us all in the coming year.

Season 3: Race and Education

Episode 10: Season Wrap-up

The Rev. Kathy Walker brings the season on race and education to a close with a look back at what we discussed, and a look ahead to what's coming next on "Roundtables on Race."

Season 3: Race and Education

Episode 9: The Politics of Race and Education

It seems almost impossible to believe that education could

be a political hot-button, but it has become just that. Or has it always been?

Either way, the question that must be asked is....why? Host the Rev. Kathy Walker

is joined by Senators Kimberly Jackson and Dwight Bullard to explore the

question. Their answers may surprise you, as they explain why education has

always been a passionate issue, the nuances of education challenges, and why

some of the most confusing actions today are actually a sign of progress and

hope.

Season 3: Race and Education

Episode 8: Race and Faith-Based Schools

Given that this podcast is produced by the Episcopal Diocese

of North Carolina, it didn't seem right to have a season-long conversation

around race and education without discussing the role of faith-based schools

and their tremendous impact on communities of color - especially Black and

Indigenous communities. So in this episode, host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by the Rev. Bradley Hauff, Indigenous Missioner for The Episcopal Church, and the Rev. David Madison, executive director for the National Association of Episcopal Schools, to take a look at the role

those schools have played in the past and where they stand today.

Season 3: Race and Education

Episode 7: Curriculum and Texts (and a whole lot more)

One of the hotly debated topics of conversation around

education these days is what is actually taught in schools. There is a lot of

misinformation and error around this, but it leads to the questions: where

does the information taught in schools come from? How are the textbooks -

whatever they contain - created and chosen? Who decides the curricula used? In this episode, host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Dr. Jonathan Zimmerman, professor of the history of education at the University of Pennsylvania; and Mr. Rann Miller, author, educator and creator of curricula, to discuss these topics and a whole lot more, including how to have difficult conversations, how to stay open, and where to draw the line.

Season 3: Race and Education

Episode 6: The Funding of Education

When it comes to looking at race and education, especially

its inequities and challenges, the conversation often becomes about the

question of resources. And of course, when it comes to resources, the first one

discussed is usually funding. Whether in relation to elementary, secondary or

higher education, the questions are the same: How is education funded? How are

those funds allocated? What factors in to the decisions? In this episode, host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Kris Nordstrom, senior policy analyst for the NC Justice Center, and Jared Bass, acting senior vice president for the Education department at the Center for American Progress, to delve into these questions, learning not just the answers, but the impact those answers have on us all.

Season 3: Race and Education

Episode 5: Race and Higher Education

In the year 2023, no season focusing on race and education would be complete without a conversation about the Supreme Court decision that dismantled affirmative action in college admissions. The impact of this decision will be felt by institutions of higher education for years to come -

but why? Why was affirmative action in place for college admissions in the

first place? And how will higher education institutions respond? Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Professor Estela Mara Bensimon to explore and answer these questions.

Season 3: Race and Education

Episode 4: The History of Black Education

With all of the conversation around the teaching of racial

history, little time is spent learning about the history of Black education. It

is a rich and inspiring one, with many lessons of its own to teach. In this episode, host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Dr. Ricardo Phipps, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Saint Augustine's University, and Chrystal Regan, executive director of Tryon Palace and former education section chief for the NC Museum of History. The conversation is rich with history, legacy and the indicators that may tell us history is repeating itself.