Hi y’all! 👋🏽 As the U.S. and Israel unleash their vengeance in the Middle East, I wanted to return to our 1st ever podcast episode from 2023. In my conversation with communications expert and organizer, Nadia Rahman, we discuss the interconnected issues in Israel and Palestine, colonial history in the region, and our role in the U.S. Watch today's Intro.

Before we jump into the podcast, I want to acknowledge the emotions and grief surrounding the region. At the roots of change agency, we lead with heart and empathy in a path towards liberation for all including anyone who is oppressed in this world. I understand one podcast cannot fully express the deep, painful history in the region, the anti-semitism that has surged since Trump’s election, and the Islamaphobia that has only become more visible again.

Browse our archives for Part 2 where we finish our conversation about what this means for the 2024 election. Our predictions were pretty darn accurate!

In the Episode

1. Colonial history in the Middle East & ties to Turtle Island
2. Nadia's lived experience of visiting Israel and Gaza in 2022
3. What has shifted for her as an organizer in this moment
4. How people in the U.S. can take action
5. What October 7 means for the 2024 election

References / Resources

1. 🎙 Part 2: Israel-Palestine & It's Impacts for U.S. Organizing in the 2024 Election
2. 🌱 Healthy (Social) Media Practices During Conflict
3. 🌱 It Is a Global Cabal, Y'all!
4. 🌱 I'm Sick of the Patriarchy? | Woman, Life, Freedom
5. Follow Nadia on Instagram
6. Follow Nadia on Medium

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Hi y’all! 👋🏽 Who's hungry? As RFK Jr. and the MAHA movement continue to obsess with perfection, health, and ideal bodies, we turn to a more rooted approach to health. I share more about my new venture, Casa Chavez, and why I'm spending more time in the kitchen. We covered the Black Panther Party for Black History Month and why food is critical to fighting fascism. I hope you enjoy what I had a blast filming! Watch today's episode on PeerTube or YouTube.

Become a member starting at $2/month to watch the full episode: www.rootschangemedia.com/private-podcast/#/portal/account/plans

In the Episode:

1. Food prices, quality, and sustainability
2. MAHA's obsession with health and food
3. Food deserts and access to groceries
4. What's in a pumpkin?
5. Using the whole pumpkin across the year
6. Emergent strategy in nature
7. What's in Protein Powder?
8. Vegan substitutes for healthy snacks
9. Inside Michelin Star Kitchens
10. Mental health practices in the kitchen

References / Resources

1. 🗞️ The Black Panther Party,
2. 🎙️ Cesar Chavez, Farming, and Fighting a Living Wage
3. 🎬 2024 Election Coverage in Central Valley
4. 🎙️ MAHA, RFK, and the obsession with perfection
5. 🗞️ Food Deserts
6. 🏜️ Casa Chavez

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Hi y’all! 👋🏽 In todays, tech & media landscape, it feels like we've fallen down Alice in Wonderland's Rabbit Hole. Two spirit advocate and marketing expert, Taryn Talley, joined us live to unpack how we navigate this mess, while staying sane.

We got into the importance of storytelling for social change, the need to leave behind legacy media and social platforms, and the challenges posed by big tech algorithms. We close with ideas for grounding and community in these uncertain times. Watch the pod on YouTube or PeerTube.

🌱 Become a Seedling Member Today! Get more behind-the-scenes action from our trip and go deeper with activists & organizers at just $2/month.

In the Episode

1. What We're Leaving Behind in 2025
2. Leaving Behind Legacy Media and Social Platforms for Niche social platforms, networks, and communities
3. Navigating the Challenges of Big Tech as a social change communicator
4. Tips for Intentional Engagement and Community Building
5. Transparency in Consumer Algorithms
6. Tech's Need for Regulation and Accountability
7. AI's Historical Context and Ethical Concerns
8. The Role of Community and Storytelling in Change

References / Resources

1. 🗞️ What Happens When AI Eats its Own Slop? It’s Called Model Collapse. by Taryn Talley
2. 📲 Famm Connect - for LGBTQ+ professionals
3. 📚 Reaganland: America's Right Turn by Rick Perlstein
4. 🎙️ TikTok Ban: a Harbinger for the Social Future
5. 🎙️ Big Tech’s Big Brother Government Takeover | New Private Episode
6. 🎙️ Organizing Against the Global Right with Sam & Joe

About the roots of change agency

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3. Support with our Assist an Activist program

Healthy, Actionable Media

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2. Subscribe to our weekly digest(s)
3. Follow us on Mastodon, PeerTube, & BlueSky
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Hi y’all! 👋🏽

How are you caring for yourself in this moment of right-wing extremism and political upheaval? Watch this week's Seedling episode preview.

Today, I let you into my morning ritual and how I care for myself as an organizer and heart-first human when it's so easy to doom scroll and catch up on the recent MAGA shenanigans.

I hope you enjoy and that is sparks ideas for your care practices.

In the Episode

1. Indigenous Practices of Care
2. Tarot Cards as Curiosity
3. The vital importance of breathing
4. Discord and Online Community Privacy Issues

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Hi y’all! 👋🏽

We're officially back in 2026 with an amazing organizer, educator, and storyteller. Chris Torres from the Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice joins host Sam Chavez (she/they/he) to discuss the current political landscape and the importance of organizing in uncertain times. Watch the pod on YouTube or PeerTube.

Chris, an experienced organizer and movement strategist, shares how LDSJ is using a relational approach to leadership and building the next movement leaders. Despite the intentional chaos, Chris and Sam share a hopeful vision for activists to get involved and dig into practical strategies for movement leaders and the significance of staying rooted in community.

🌱 Become a Seedling Member Today! Get more behind-the-scenes action from our trip and go deeper with activists & organizers at just $2/month.

Timestamps

1. Navigating the Current Political Landscape
2. Mamdami's Success in New York as People Power
3. Strategies for Energizing Campaigns
4. Building the Next Leaders at LDSJ
5. Marketing vs. Storytelling
6. Moments for Radical Release
7. Movement Leaders for Inspiration
8. Opportunities for Emerging Activists

References / Resources

1. Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice
2. Marshall Ganz at Harvard Kennedy School
3. Rockwood - Personal Ecology
4. LDSJ's Radical Release
5. Deepak Bhargava

About Chris Torres (he/him)

Executive Director at Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice

Chris Torres has over 15 years’ experience as a community organizer, electoral campaigner, and movement strategist. He’s worked for a variety of progressive organizations and electoral campaigns including Community Change Action, The Industrial Areas Foundation, New Organizing Institute, The Working Families Party, National Immigration Forum, and United We Dream. He got his start organizing the political campaigns for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) and former President Barack Obama. Most recently, Chris served as MoveOn’s Political Director where he mobilized voters, small-dollar donations, and endorsements to elect progressive candidates and to advance public policy. Chris is dedicated to strengthening the progressive movement. In addition to his work, he serves on the board of the Alliance for Justice, is a trainer with the Leading Change Network, and is a master’s student at the CUNY School of Labor & Urban Studies (SLU).

About the roots of change agency

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Hey y'all! For our 1st private podcast of the year, we reflect on history and our ancestors to reckon with today's world. We share a reflection from the Roadtrippin for Change series. Watch today's episode or on PeerTube. To access the full episode, become a Seedling Member at $2/month.

On the 5th day of our roadtrip, Bear and I finally get settled at a campsite with time to reflect and chill. On the drive, I was able to reflect on the U.S. and how we were back in Trump's America. I speak to my own ancestral history and how it intersects with the larger story of the United State and settler colonialism. Don't worry, it's not all heavy, we also hear from the chipmunks who have alot to say about landback and a "dinosaur bumble bee." This was originally recorded on July 14, 2025 as part of our ongoing Road Trippin' for Change series.

In the Episode

1. The Dust Bowl and the parents of Boomers
2. Paper Moon and Nomadland as lessons in Trump's America
3. HIstory of Poverty in the United States
4. Settle Colonialism's Impossible Choice for European Settlers
5. Breaks for bees, squirrels, and hawks
6. The intersection of privilege and trauma
7. Understanding our own ancestral trauma
8. Letting nature be our guide to healing

Media, Resources, & News

1. Paper Moon (1973)
2. Nomadland (2020)
3. Hoopla - Rooted Resource
4. By the Fire We Carry by Rebecca Nagle
5. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives
6. Ubunutu & Other Lessons from Black Liberation
7. The Will to Change by bell hooks

Hi y’all! 👋🏽

We're back for season 4 to combat the storytelling that the regime is spreading. Host Sam Chavez discusses the importance of storytelling in activism and social change. They highlight the current socio-political climate, emphasizing the need for authentic narratives that empower communities.

Join us on Thursday for a Live! about Rooting into Strategic Communications in 2026. Our full episodes kick-off next Monday! Watch the pod on YouTube or PeerTube.

Timestamps

1. 00:00 A Chaotic Start to the Year
2. 01:22 The Power of Stories in Activism
3. 03:17 The Role of Storytelling in Social Change
4. 04:02 Rooting into Communications Live!

References / Resources

1. Live! about Rooting into Strategic Communications in 2026
2. New 2026 Planning Templates
3. Epstein & U.S History (membership)

About the roots of change agency

1. Explore healthy media & tech
2. Become a Seedling Member
3. Support with our Assist an Activist program

Healthy, Actionable Media

1. 🎬 Watch on PeerTube & YouTube
2. Subscribe to our weekly digest(s)
3. Follow us on Mastodon, PeerTube, & BlueSky
4. Bypass the algos on YouTube, Instagram, & TikTok
5. Join our secure Signal broadcast channel
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Hi y’all! 👋🏽 For our last public podcast of the year, we root into the winter with collaborator Taryn Talley. We recorded on Trans Day of Remembrance and addressed the hate against the trans community as a fear of freedom. As two spirit people, we balanced trans hate with indigenous community care. We share ideas to deepen your community organizing, concrete steps for addressing food insecurity, and the necessity of self-care in activism. Watch today’s episode.

This winter is a time to reflect and build resilient organizing practices for the year to come. We can build revolutionary act of self-love as a means to combat oppression that radiate beyond ourselves.

🌱 Become a Seedling Member Today! Get more behind-the-scenes action from our trip and go deeper with activists & organizers at just $2/month.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Trans Day of Remembrance: A Call to Action
• 02:58 Understanding Violence Against Trans Communities
• 08:54 The Role of Hate vs. Fear in Transphobia
• 11:54 Connecting Historical to Today's Issues
• 14:31 Indigenous Perspectives on Community and Organizing
• 23:18 Cultural Connections and Community Support
• 27:21 Food Sovereignty and Community Organizing
• 31:31 Self-Care and Sustainable Activism
• 33:47 Grounding Practices for Winter
• 50:01 Empowerment Through Intentional Choices

About Taryn

Taryn is Fractional Head of Marketing helping Brands through integrated marketing strategies. LGBTQ2SIA+(Transgender/Two Spirit) and Indigenous advocate. Offers a unique blend of strategic vision, deep tactical expertise, and proven results.

• LinkedIn
• Mastodon

About the roots of change agency

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• Become a Seedling Member
• Support Defunded Orgs with our Assist an Activist program

Healthy, Actionable Media

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• Subscribe to our weekly digest(s)
• Follow us on Mastodon, PeerTube, & BlueSky
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Hi y’all! 👋🏽 Joe Cardillo (they/them) and Sam Chavez (she/they/he) are back to tackle the big topic of Big Tech as we close 2025 and the 1st year of Trump's 2nd term. We cover how tech has changed drastically and how activists, organizers, & organizations can navigate the uncertainty with grace and humanity. We bring in some of our old school love of the internet as we envision a hopeful tech future without the bros at the helm. Watch today’s episode.

🌱 Become a Seedling Member Today! Get more behind-the-scenes action from our trip and go deeper with activists & organizers at just $2/month.

Timestamps

• 00:00 The Power of Tech and a Hopeful Future
• 06:10 Navigating Big Tech's Limitations
• 11:50 The Importance of Friction in Connection
• 17:28 Rediscovering Humanity in Tech
• 21:16 Celebrating the Joy of Niche Communities
• 23:25 The Intersection of Science and Media
• 26:28 Local News and Community Engagement
• 30:27 Detoxing from Big Tech
• 35:28 Redefining Success in Communication
• 41:33 Investing in Humanity Over AI

References / Resources

• Follow Joe Cardillo on Mastodon
• Follow Sam Chavez on Mastodon
• More on Olia Lialina (Wikepedia)
• Catch up on our cyber security resources

About the roots of change agency

• Explore healthy media & tech
• Become a Seedling Member
• Support Defunded Orgs with our Assist an Activist program

Healthy, Actionable Media

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Hi y’all! 👋🏽 This week, we unlock our 1st ever private podcast episode with guests Lisa Hurley and Sharon Hurley Hall to talk about rooted community that outlasts white supremacy. To commemorate the winter as a time of gathering, we get real about community and why many white spaces struggle with building the deeper layers of connection. Watch today’s podcast.

We look back on our chat from February just after Trump's inauguration. Both sisters are storytellers and use their power of words to imagine a liberated world.

It was a thoughtful conversation that confronts things head-on, while also being joyful and inviting!

Become a member: www.rootschangemedia.com/private-podcast/#/portal/account/plans

About Lisa Hurley

Lisa Hurley is an Anthem Award-winning activist, writer, and community builder. She is the author of Space to Exhale and the Founder of The Great Exhale. Her work operates at the nexus of self care, community care, joy, and rest. She is an Executive Member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a Juror for the Anthem Awards, and a Founding Member of The Book Academy. A respected voice, Her words have been quoted in Forbes, Essence, Entrepreneur, and Adweek. Lisa is a Reiki Master Teacher, and is also known for her inspiring affirmations on TikTok. Of Caribbean heritage, Lisa has an understandable preference for warmer climes. Her love languages are sunshine, naps, and laughter.

About Sharon Hurley Hall

Sharon Hurley Hall (she/her) is an author, educator and anti-racism activist. A former journalist and writer, Sharon is also the author of I’m Tired of Racism: True Stories of Existing While Black and Exploring Shadeism. In addition, Sharon is the Founder of Sharon’s Anti-Racism Newsletter (where she’s on a mission to fight racism one article at a time) and the SHHARE anti-racism membership community. In what passes for her spare time, Sharon provides mentoring for introverted Black women and creates courses to help people share their important stories.

Grow with Healthy Media:

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