The Communication Reset

Tarak is a poker playing phenom, a gifted athlete, and one of the wittiest guys I know. He also stares at the sun (I'm not kidding) and believes that he can control his dreams. Normally I would say that he is nutty begutty but this man is so sincere and thoughtful in his beliefs that it is hard not to take him seriously. Tarak offers yet another unique perspective to being black in America. 

This is part two of the Ed Diffendal Episode. Ed takes us on a deep dive of what it takes to climb Mt. Everest. He also talks about paying homage to his father in a deeply touching and incredible way. 

This is part one of a two part episode. This week I speak with Ed Diffendal. Ed works in finance but his heart is always in the mountains. Ed took a passion for the outdoors as a kid and turned it in to an obsession. Ed talks about how he became one of the few (less than 400 in history) people on earth the have climbed the highest mountain on each continent. Hear how Ed turned an outdoor barbecue into climbing one of the most challenging peaks in the world. Part two goes into depth on his journey to the top of Mount Everest where he freed his father's ashes into the jet stream. This is a wonderful story told by a super guy. Hope you enjoy it. 

Another midweek offering. This is a ridiculous episode starring my former partner in crime Larry Olson. Larry is irreverent, unorganized, immature, and basically boorish. He is also ridiculously magnetic and appealing. In other words, you want to hate him but you can't. In this episode we talk about how the group the Clash kicked out their drummer because he was too happy. We also talk about how peoples viewpoints and actions are directly impacted by how they were raised. Larry offers some pretty deep insights in his one of a kind incredibly annoying and provocative way. I hope you enjoy the conversation. Tell your friends. 

Paula Penn- Nasbrit is the author of Morning By Morning: How We Home-Schooled Our African-American Sons to the Ivy League. This is just one of her five published books. She also runs the management consulting firm PN&A, Inc. which helps companies design and develop effective training that transforms these organizations.

The quote "Aut inveniam viam aut faciam" Latin for "I shall either find a way or make one." Hannibal Barca, is the one that Paula chose for her Facebook page. To me, this sums up my experience in talking with Paula. She is an amazing writer, business leader, woman, wife, and mother. Paula was so insightful and forceful in her thoughts and words that she spun my world on its axis. I hope she does the same for you. 

This is a midweek show and is unique (at this point) to HIGTW. I am not more "woke" than you most likely but this show examines what it really means to be "woke" in my opinion. I sincerely hope that no one is insulted when they listen, but that is the risk we take. 

This week I speak with Peter Brantley. Peter is a triathlete, coffee connoisseur, and former teammate of mine at the University of Oregon. Peter talks about having a dad who really loved Corvettes and played to the beat of his own drum. He also talks about how hard it was for him to find where he fit in on the football team and how it took 30 years to come to peace around his experiences at Oregon. This is one of the most honest and raw conversations I have had with someone on the podcast and I feel lucky to have had the chance to hear Peter's story.   

Mike Lowe is a young father with two small children. He was born and raised in Beaverton, OR and was a sports star at Jesuit HS (one of the powerhouse schools in the Portland Metro area). Mike also happens to be biracial with a fascinating family story and circuitous route to where he is today. Mike helps to add to the tapestry being formed in the Black in America series. I am grateful for his attitude and optimism. 

Dr. Fred Pitts is the first guest I have had on twice. Fred is a doctor and and actor. A husband and a good all around guy. He also happens to be black. As part of this ongoing series on being black in America I wanted to talk to Fred about his experiences. The interview was challenging for me but also encouraging and enlightening. Fred has some views about who needs to work on the problem of racism that are going to challenge some folks. I hope you enjoy the episode. 

"There is no wrong way to be black, and no right way to be black. There is only a wrong way to be human, and a wrong way to be human." Episode two of the ongoing series that attempts to give a real voice to black life, black culture, and how some black people are making sense (or not making sense) of the protests surrounding George Floyd and so many other black people who have been brutalized at the hands of police. This week I speak with Salema Jenkins who talks about growing up in West Philadelphia in a black family that celebrated black culture and the importance of education. Even though Salema has attended toney and prestigious schools in her life, that life "aint always been a crystal stair." Join me as I try to listen and understand to a perspective on the world that needs to be heard and learned from.