Standpoints

Today, we are presenting a special standalone episode recorded live during a panel discussion hosted by Andrea Baldwin, titled “The Time Is Always Right to Do What Is Right.” The panel was presented in collaboration with the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah during events commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This live audience conversation was recorded on January 20 2026. 

Joining Andrea on the panel were three powerful voices in the Salt Lake City area. Ashley Finley is a birth keeper, medicine maker, poet, activist, and educator. Bianca Mittendorf is a community-rooted leader, educator, and candidate for House District 7 in Ogden, Utah. Dr. Chelsea Bouldin is an Assistant Professor whose work engages Black women’s imaginative self-making and archival praxis.  

In their conversation panelists approach the civil rights movement not as a closed chapter of the past, but as an ongoing struggle, shaped by history and intensified in the present by backlash, misinformation, and renewed efforts to narrow who belongs, who is protected, and whose voice counts, in Utah and across the United States. The group takes on the question, “If the time is always right to do what is right, what does it mean to DO what is right?” As individuals? Collectively? And especially within institutions that claim neutrality? 

In this final episode of the five part series on justice, Dr. Andrea Baldwin is joined by  Nana Brantuo, a friend of the show, and a dedicated researcher, policy analyst, and advocate with over a decade of experience, advancing equity focus initiatives. Also joining is Crystal Rudds, an Assistant Professor of African American literature and culture at the University of Utah. Crystal's research interests include Black feminisms, Afrofuturism, and Black geographies. In this episode the three explore the barriers marginalized communities face in accessing safe affordable housing, the historical and contemporary forces that shape housing inequities, and the intersectional struggles that make it even harder for people to find stability.

In this fourth episode of a five part series on justice, Dr. Andrea Baldwin is joined by Rae Duckworth , the operating chairperson for Black Lives Matter Utah Chapter to talk about racial justice. Rae has been at the forefront of activism in Salt Lake City since August, 2021, and her journey has been deeply personal. As a black queer woman and the cousin of Bobby Ray Duckworth, who tragically lost his life at the hands of police during a mental health crisis, Rae's commitment to justice and community empowerment has been shaped by pain, resilience, and an unwavering dedication to the collective well-being of black and brown people in Utah. The two  dive deep into Rae's personal journey to activism, the unique challenges of fighting for racial justice in Salt Lake City, and the ongoing fight for liberation. Rae will also share insights on the intersectionality of race, gender, and mental health within the Black Lives Matter movement, and discuss how communities can contribute meaningfully to the fight for justice.

In this third episode of a five part series on justice, Dr. Andrea Baldwin is joined by Tyneshia Griffin, an environmental policy analyst at New Virginia Majority, whose whose work centers on environmental justice, energy affordability, and public health advocacy. As well as La' Portia Perkins, a scientist, artist, and project manager for the Wind Wildlife research program at the Renewable Energy Wildlife Institute. La' Portia's work merges conservation science with creative expression to illuminate environmental issues.  Together, the three will unpack the meaning of environmental justice, its deep connections to racism, classism, and colonialism, and the critical role of art and activism in shaping a just environmental future.

In this second episode of a five part series on justice, Dr. Andrea Baldwin dives deep into the urgent and essential work of reproductive justice. Joined by Cándida Duran Taveras, an award-winning filmmaker, documenting the sacredness of reproductive experiences, and Ashley Finley, a poet, Medicine maker, and birth keeper, committed to the liberation of all oppressed people. The three explore the intersections of Black feminisms and reproductive justice, the historical and ongoing injustices Black communities face, and the transformative work happening on the ground today.

In this first episode of a five part series on justice, Dr. Andrea Baldwin discusses black feminisms and black liberation with two powerhouse voices in the field of food justice, Chantel Kemp, a dedicated food justice advocate, and Justice Madden, a storyteller, researcher, and seed keeper. Together, the three explore how food justice connects to black feminist thought, challenges and triumphs of community food systems, and what it truly means to nourish liberation.

In this episode, Dr. Andrea Baldwin joins in conversation with leaders from the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE) former Chair Lysanne Charles and Executive Director Kenita Placide to discuss their work in advocating for LGBTQ rights in the Eastern Caribbean. This interview covers the organization's origins, mission, and challenges, as well as the current state of queer issues in the region. The guests share insights on ECADE's role in the global movement for gender and queer justice, their vision for the future, and upcoming initiatives.

Join the movement - https://ecequality.org/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ec_equality/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/ECequality

In this episode, Dr. Andrea Baldwin and Jenaya Amore sit down with a prominent academic, community advocate, and activist Dr. Brandy Faulkner. Known affectionately as the 'People's President' at Virginia Tech, Dr. Faulkner discusses their journey in balancing work within academia and the Black community, exploring the concept of 'Black aliveness' and its significance. They share insights on supporting minoritized and marginalized students in the current national climate, and offer advice for others engaged in similar work. The conversation delves into the guest's philosophy, their impact on both the academic and community spheres, and their vision for the Black community's future. We examine the challenges and importance of advocacy work, while imagining pathways to achieve positive change in the coming years.

In this episode, Dr. Andrea Baldwin and Jenaya Amore, chat with our guest Alyssha Dairsow, co-founder and executive director of CurlyMe! Ms, Dairsow has engaged with the Utah community since she moved there over 10 years ago. She focuses on young Black girls ages five to 14, at Curly Me! and provides mentoring and hosts events that help children of color embrace their best selves. From book clubs to panels to hangouts, she’s building a village around an underrepresented community and empowering them to embrace their uniqueness.Ms. Dairsow works to provide a platform where the voices in her community are heard, including her own. “Things will not change if I, or anyone else, stays silent,” she says, and laying the foundation for the future of the young Black girls in her community is what she believes will change Utah for the better. I decided to be a reliable resource for parents and Black girls because I noticed there weren’t many fun and reliable resources for our girls, says Ms. Dairsow, describing where the idea for the nonprofit started. I am confident Curly Me! will continue to grow into bigger and better events and outreach that will cross state lines and country borders.Curly Me! continues to hold their quarterly flagship events and is growing their programs as we speak. 

Follow Curly Me!:

IG: curlymeslc

FB: Curly Me SLC

Website: www.curlyme.org

Community building serves as a bridge to the collectivity of all Black womxn in and outside of the academy. In our final episode of the season, co-hosts Jenaya Amore and Dr. Andrea Baldwin engage in conversation with Producing Collaborator Shalonda Ingram about the importance of relationality between individuals and organizations which informs how mentoring is (re)defined and practiced.
Shalonda Ingram is a social omnipreneur based in the D.C. area. They are the founder of Born Brown: All Rights Reserved and Nursha Project. They also are a Place-maker at the Church of the Holy City in D.C. and Delaware.