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Sharon McMahon, America's Government Teacher and creator of Sharon Says So, joins Diana to discuss being Minnesotan,  complexities of cultural identity and its relationship with democracy, focusing on how allegiance to group identity can overshadow commitments to national values. 

Through an engaging discussion, Sharon & Diana underscore the importance of hope and the power of making meaningful change.  

• Exploration of white evangelicalism as a cultural identity 
• The tension between cultural membership and national allegiance 
• The role of discomfort in driving change and progress 
• Bryan Stevenson’s perspective on hope as a choice 
• The need for visionary leadership in shaping future solutions

About Sharon:
A #1 New York Times bestselling author, educator, and host of the chart-topping podcast Here’s Where It Gets Interesting. Sharon's newsletter, The Preamble, is one of the largest publications on Substack, where she provides historical context and non-partisan insights to help readers navigate today’s political landscape. 

IG: @sharonsaysso 

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• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
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• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.

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Read a book by a teenage author lately?

You will now!

Zion Lester is a teenage author who wrote a children's book with Big Ideas about homelessness. "Zion Learns to See" is her newest book co-written with her Dad Dr. Terence Lester, Found of Love Beyond Walls.  An organization raising awareness and advocacy for those experiencing poverty and homelessness.

This episode we learn from  Zion, a young author who, alongside her father, Dr. Terence Lester, is making strides in awareness and advocacy for our neighbors experiencing homelessness.

Zion shares her journey from observing her father's dedication to spearheading initiatives in her school, in second grade!

The power of storytelling and the unique lens through which children view the world can lead to profound community impact.

The heart of our discussion beats to the rhythm of kindness, compassion, and justice—values that Zion practices through her advocacy work. This dynamic duo celebrates  power of family bonds in inspiring  change-makers and influencing our next generation to wage peace and make our world more just, connected and equal.

As we wrap up, we celebrate Zion's literary feat with her book, "Zion Learns to See," and encourage our audience to support her passion to change how we see ordinary people experiencing homelessness. Parents, grab a tissue because you are going to witness the most impactful words we can tell our kids, "I See You".

Support a Teen Author with a big message: buy her book HERE.

Find out more about Love Beyond Walls

Follow Zion @ZionJoyLester

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Yes! I will sign up to get the newest episode delivered by owl to my inbox!

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• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
• Follow Diana on Social Media @dianaoestreich    
• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.

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Imagine a world where the strongest force isn't violence, but Peace. 

Dr. Reverend Vonnetta West is a force. Her work is reshaping hate and conflict with the power of Kingian Non-Violence. As a Senior Trainer at The King Center in Atlanta, a Consultant training us to work for justice in our workplace or in Liberia in the school she founded to positively impact youth.

She  joins us to illuminate the transformative power of Kingian nonviolence, a force that remains as potent today as it did during the civil rights movement. 

Dr. West challenges us to break free from the norm, daring us to become "creatively maladjusted" and "transformed nonconformists" in a society often blinded by hate and division. 

This episode promises to reshape your perspective on conflict, encouraging a deeper understanding of nonviolence as a practical tool for change, rather than a mere ideal.

Confront the harsh realities of hate and understand the necessity of a committed nonviolent stance through this episode's penetrating insights. We tackle the horrors of the Holocaust, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and more, examining how maintaining our humanity is essential in the face of violence that seeks to define our norms. By discussing the role of social media in desensitizing us to brutality and the challenges of upholding peace, you'll be drawn into a profound reflection on our moral responsibilities and the power of nonviolence in preserving our shared humanity.

In our final chapter with Dr. West, we're inspired by the King Center's educational programs that breathe new life into the strategies of the 1960s civil rights movement and their enduring relevance today. We explore the beloved community's vision and the six steps of nonviolence in a way that's both enlightening and actionable. By the end of this episode, you'll not only have a greater appreciation for the complexities of waging peace but also be equipped with the knowledge and conviction to stand against violence in all its forms and declare yourself a peacemaker.

This is a growing podcast, will you take 30 seconds and help us?

Yes! I will sign up to get the newest episode delivered by owl to my inbox!

Heck yeah! I will leave a review because I know how much it help

• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
• Follow Diana on Social Media @dianaoestreich    
• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.

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 Rev Cece Jones Davis is a Woman Who is Making History Today.

Her impact has been recognized and celebrated throughout the United States, including an Emmy nomination for a KFOR News conversation on racial (re)conciliation, receiving the 2021 Change.org Changemaker of the Year Award and Special Congressional Recognition for her efforts in civil rights and social justice.


From a small town to leading the charge to challenge injustice Reverend CeCe Jones Davis has the audacity to make history.

In this Episode:

-  Her story of trying to be a stay at home mom and  ending up leading the charge to save Julius Jone's life and  challenge the death penalty to be  just.

- How she found her purpose by following one child or person who introduced her to the issues of AIDS  advocacy and menstrual justice.

- The only book she's read twice, and wants  YOU to Read!

She leaves us with  one question to ask ourselves:

"Determine for yourself, what do I believe about children?
Once you determine what you believe about children, figure out what direction you want to move toward and don't stop."

Find out more about Rev Cece Jones Davis
Follow her @CeCeJonesDavis

 

This is a growing podcast, will you take 30 seconds and help us?

Yes! I will sign up to get the newest episode delivered by owl to my inbox!

Heck yeah! I will leave a review because I know how much it help

• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
• Follow Diana on Social Media @dianaoestreich    
• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.

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Rev Sharon Risher shares her journey from the Emanuel Church shooting tragedy to leading the charge for gun reform and the end of the death penalty. 
Discover her story of transformation on our latest podcast episode. 


In this Episode learn:

•  How being a gun violence victims family member changed her mind.
• How she found her purpose.
• What Women Leaders we should be supporting.
• Why taking action is how we find our hope.
• Ways we can Wage Peace instead of stay silent to end Gun Violence.

This is a growing podcast, will you take 30 seconds and help us?

Yes! I will sign up to get the newest episode delivered by owl to my inbox!

Heck yeah! I will leave a review because I know how much it help

• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
• Follow Diana on Social Media @dianaoestreich    
• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.

Send us Fan Mail

Elie was born and raised in Jerusalem to Christian parents who are neither Jewish nor Palestinian. Elie’s life experiences of growing up in Israel/Palestine is why she chose to pursue graduate studies in Conflict & Reconciliation and Creative Writing. Her research and writing skills are the foundation for the collection of stories of Peace Heroes from all around the world.

Peace Heroes was born out of a desire to empower children living in the shadow of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to face the challenges around them and overcome them in positive, life-giving, and healing ways. It began its journey in 2013 when a Palestinian school in Jerusalem decided to purposefully teach its students peace in an environment marked by violence. The heroic warrior is a very strong concept/image within Palestinian and Israeli society, but for both communities it is completely tied in with militaristic achievements.

Peace Heroes aimed to reframe the students’ sense of who is a hero by introducing them to a different kind of hero—real-life heroes who prioritize peace as a way of living over and above everything else. We believed that these remarkable women and men would not only inspire students with their stories but would also model the ways in which each and every one of us can make a difference for good in the world around us

Support Elie and find out more about this work:
 www.globalpeaceheroes.org
https://www.instagram.com/globalpeaceheroes/

Connect with Peacemakers in Israel/Palestine
https://www.friendsofroots.net/
https://www.theparentscircle.org/en/about_eng-2/
https://bethbc.edu/christ-at-the-checkpoint/
https://tentofnations.com/

This is a growing podcast, will you take 30 seconds and help us?

Yes! I will sign up to get the newest episode delivered by owl to my inbox!

Heck yeah! I will leave a review because I know how much it help

• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
• Follow Diana on Social Media @dianaoestreich    
• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.

Send us Fan Mail

Blackness + Holiness and a daughters tribute to a Mother with mental illness.

Marcie Alvis Walker is the creator of the popular Instagram feed Black Coffee with White Friends. She is also the creator of Black Eyed Bible Stories. Marcie is passionate about what it means to embrace intersectionality, diversity, and inclusion in our spiritual lives. 

• Find out what 8th grade Marcie + Diana would be wearing if our dreams came true.
• The transformative power of a Mother's love- and how society erased her value because her mental health struggles.

• We uncover the transformative power of love—how it shapes us, molds us, and ultimately, leads us to our essential truth.

• Love's role in the arena of public justice, drawing inspiration from the likes of Cornel West and the vibrant black trans community celebrated in "Paris is Burning." 

• The release of "Everybody Come Alive"  Marcie's book is more than just an announcement—it's a call to action, urging us to live out the very tenets of love and justice we've discussed.

This is a growing podcast, will you take 30 seconds and help us?

Yes! I will sign up to get the newest episode delivered by owl to my inbox!

Heck yeah! I will leave a review because I know how much it help

• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
• Follow Diana on Social Media @dianaoestreich    
• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.

Send us Fan Mail

A viral instagram challenge became a New York Times  bestselling book that challenged a generation the summer George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery became a rallying cry in cities and towns across the country, forcing the United States to confront the racism of its past and present. 

How do we combat racism, change the world and become A Good Ancestor?

Layla Saad, an East African, Arab, British, Black, Muslim woman living in Qatar, came up with an impressive answer — a 28-day process that she calls a "personal anti-racism tool" designed to teach those with white privilege how systemic racism works and how they can stop contributing to white supremacy in the world.

Her book is called Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor.

I wanted to catch up with her and ask her 

• How does language change us or challenge us?
• What purpose is worthy of spending our lives on? 
•  How do we find our purpose?
•  Where we can do Justice, wage peace and put love on display as ordinary people if we aren’t a NYT best selling author?

Her superpower – language – becomes a beacon of inspiration, a tool for courage, and a medium to spread love. Tune in and join us for an enlightening conversation that promises to challenge your perspectives and ignite a your spark.

Follow her on IG  @laylafsaad
https://laylafsaad.com/

This is a growing podcast, will you take 30 seconds and help us?

Yes! I will sign up to get the newest episode delivered by owl to my inbox!

Heck yeah! I will leave a review because I know how much it help

• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
• Follow Diana on Social Media @dianaoestreich    
• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.

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Have you listened to an adult adoptee's perspective on foster care and adoption?

I'm an adoptive mom and I learned from Angela Tucker, a Black woman adopted out of foster care by white parents , what I most wished I had learned through the adoption process.

• Learn the one phrase Angela says an adopted person in your community needs to hear from you!
• Listen to the story of an 85 year old birth father who is looking for his 55 year old daughter in Angela’s documentary film.
• Learn how her parents taught her to humanize her birth mother.
• Adoption is often a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

Watch Angela's story advocating for adoptee's rights in her  2013 documentary Closure, which recounts the search for her birth parents and is streaming on Netflix, Hulu, iTunes, Amazon Prime.

Read her book "You Should be Grateful" anywhere books are sold.  "You Should Be Grateful" challenges the fairy-tale narrative of adoption, giving way to a fuller story that includes the impacts of racism, classism, family, love, and belonging.

Follow her on Instagram @angieadoptee

This is a growing podcast, will you take 30 seconds and help us?

Yes! I will sign up to get the newest episode delivered by owl to my inbox!

Heck yeah! I will leave a review because I know how much it help

• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
• Follow Diana on Social Media @dianaoestreich    
• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.

Send us Fan Mail

Get ready to enter the world of Ariel Gold, a fierce advocate for Palestinian rights and the Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, America's oldest interfaith peacemaking organization . This remarkable woman has spent 20 years working diligently to bring peace to a region marred by violence, and in this episode, she shares her journey and  two action steps we can take to stop the violence  today.

Ariel's testimony of how the violence in the Holy Land has shaped her faith is sure to touch your heart, highlighting the strength found in ancient words and shared human experiences.

Learn about the transformative power of Jewish Voices for Peace and the significant role that women peacemakers play in the Middle East. This episode examines the dire circumstances in Gaza under Israel's blockade and the need for Christian allies to support Jewish Voices for Peace. Ariel's inspiring journey from a secular Jewish identity to passionate advocacy for Palestinian rights serves as a beacon of hope in a divided world. Listen in to understand how small actions can shape a better future, reiterate the necessity of peace, and remind us that we're all created in the image of God.

This is a growing podcast, will you take 30 seconds and help us?

Yes! I will sign up to get the newest episode delivered by owl to my inbox!

Heck yeah! I will leave a review because I know how much it help

• Raising my hand to get Diana's writing on  substack
• Follow Diana on Social Media @dianaoestreich    
• Yes, I want free tools from The Waging Peace Project! 
• Buy our book Waging Peace, One Soldier’s Story of Putting Love First  to support Veterans, peacemaking and stories that are changing the world.
• Find our Merch here, and Wear Your Peace.
• Bring a Waging Peace Keynote or Workshop to your school, organization, or faith community.