In this episode, we're joined by featured guest Terri Lyons.  A Philadelphia native, Terri is an award-winning storyteller, actress, keynote speaker, and author of eight books, including her latest, "Light of the August Moon," a collection of short stories of modern history with a poetic twist, stories of the American experience spanning the Roaring Twenties through the Disco Seventies.  

Among other things, we'll discuss Terri's process of researching and writing "Light of the August Moon."  What's fascinating is the fact that many of the most controversial and/or pivotal events of American history took place during the month of August.  She writes, "There is nothing new about trying times...History occurs every month of the year, but so many events occured or culminated in the month of August.  August, the month when all things ripen."

This work should be required reading by all in the age of Trump.  We'll delve into the ways in which her work -  and its references to and critiques of America's painful yet resilient past -  cuts through collective psychic denial about racial and social injustice, promotes a level of introspection that can be healing and restorative, and raises our collective consciousness and understanding about history and its multiple impacts.  

I hope you'll join us for what will be a lively and thought-provoking episode of #VoicesForRacialHealing.

Maker education has the potential to empower all individuals to think critically about complex systems and encourage them to be active participants in building and shaping the future they want. 

In this episode, we are joined by Charles Sutton, a librarian and aspiring public intellectual. Through his professional and personal work, he is committed to developing human agency and structural change where needed. His interests include early and emergent literacy, critical making, and maker education/empowerment. Charles is a thinker and a tinkerer. The following quote from Ralph Ellison’s  Invisible Man sums it up best:  “Call me, since I have a theory and a concept, a “thinker-tinker.” 

In 2015, Charles spoke at TEDx Evansville on the topic "Maker Education: Empowering individuals to make a better world."  He discusses how he transformed his home into an urban ecological experiment – implementing workable alternatives to current practices that threaten our water, energy and food security. 

Can makers of all stripes facilitate healing and restoration of urban communities?  Can they - we, because we all can make something - help to ameliorate the deep-seated wounds to communities caused by racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, economic disinvestment, etc.? 

We will talk about this and much more in this episode.  Please join us!

This episode, I am joined by Erva Baden, a contemporary shaman who weaves together various healing modalities with compassion and humor to journey with folks who are committed to their own path of deep healing and transformation.  She is one of the original co-founders of Shadow Work Seminars (TM), a Reiki master, and a long-time facilitator in the Woman Within organization. She has also studied energy work, chakra healing, and core shamanic techniques under the direction of internationally recognized teachers. With more than 25 years experience in facilitating process work around the world, Baden's Soul Restoration series draws on her more recent study of trauma recovery to assist people to reclaim their lives and to restore their souls’ radiance from the effects of the traumas of racism.

She states:  As a woman of African descent, I have a growing awareness of how the 400 years of enslavement and oppression of my ancestors here in the United States of America still live in me as subtle messages influencing my thoughts and behaviors.  So…. having done lots of internal work over many, many, many, and many more continuing years it appears that I’ve been prompted to get out there and offer what I know and what I’ve experienced to a larger community of black folks. I believe we all have the innate capacity to heal – from anything. Sometimes we just need a coach, trainer, guide – someone to cheer us on, offer suggestions and walk with us along the path (it can get pretty rocky!). This is mind, body and spirit work at the deepest level. I will commit to you if you commit to yourself.

For more info about Erva and her Soul Restoration workshops, visit http://onesourceenergywork.com

Join me as I chat with and play some songs by Bethlehem and Sad Patrick, members of the Philadelphia-based musical duo Be Sad Music.  We'll talk about their 5+ year collaboration and themes of love, struggle and healing in their music.

Bethlehem, a singer, songwriter and self-described "vocussionist," was described as “Germantown’s next rising star” by WHYY/NewsWorks Philadelphia after the release of her first solo album, “Bigger Than Music”. Sad Patrick, a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, was kicked out of the Calliope School of Folk Music when he started using “jazz” chords. The duo, and their songs about love, love lost, and love that is better off lost, have won audiences over at notable performances at genre-spanning events throughout Philadelphia and beyond.  

“The local duo blends the focused minimalism and poetic lyrics of folk tradition with simmering, freewheeling jazz and blues — slick guitars, soaring vocals, nuanced melodies.” - John Vettese, WXPN The Key and Key Studio Sessions

“Bethlehem brings raw, unapologetic gospel energy to Sad Patrick’s songs. – Homer Jackson, Philadelphia Jazz Project

Go to their website for more info!

Did you see the videos of the incident between an off-duty cop in Anaheim, CA and a teenage boy?  It's shocking and disturbing on so many levels.  

Let's just say I'm glad I'm not a teenager in 2017, where walking on someone's lawn might end in a way similar to what happened.  

This week, I'm opening up the lines to hear from you...

Did you have a chance to view the videos? What's your take on what allegedly happened? Should the cop have been taken into custody along with the 13 year old and another teen who was charged?

How do you feel about the protests that have been growing outside the cop's home?

How does this hurt or help race relations in America?  

Why is shit like this always going down in California?

Is this an example of what Trump means by his slogan" Make America Great Again?"

Filmmakers Tim Viola (Twitter/IG: @tviola) and Kris Mendoza (Twitter:  @krismendozzzaaa; IG: @maestrofilmworks) chat with host Tieshka Smith about "Americano," an exciting and very timely new film project slated for production right here in the city of Philadelphia.  Americano is about a Syrian refugee who desperately chases US citizenship only to have it ripped away by a corrupt statesman, but not before inspiring the beginnings of a resistance. 

Conceived well before Trump came on the political scene, Americano tackles the preconceived notions that we have about Muslim immigrants, turning them on their head.  It asks viewers to consider this fundamental question:  What if the patriot we need right now, isn’t a citizen?

We'll talk about this exciting new project, why Philadelphia is the perfect setting for it, why we need a film like this right now, and the ways in which the community can get involved.  

Check out Americano on the web:   

Website:  http://americanoshortfilm.comFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AmericanoMovieIG:  @americanofilm

ABOUT AMERICANO:  Americano is a short, independent film written and directed by Tim Viola. Inspired by the hope and sacrifice of the American dream, Viola wanted to capture what the true core of this idea is and to remind Americans of the promise that lies in every individual. Viola teamed with award-winning filmmaker Kris Mendoza and Guillermo Cameo as Director of Photography. Cameo's projects have been featured all over the world. The cast includes Adam Budron, Rick Schnieder, Melody Vargas, and Esin Varan.

Melissa Holman of @EverydayPhilly and @Igers_Philly fame comes BACK this Friday to chat with me about the latest in Trump high drama:  The abrupt resignation of Michael Flynn, national security adviser (The Washington Post published a piece today entitled "The Flynn Crisis Paralyzes the White House"); Growing frustration among the elite GOP establishment players about what's happening; and, more. Among other things, we'll opine on why his missteps may be a blessing in disguise for social justice movements.  

There's a lot to talk about so you don't want to miss this episode!

Melissa Holman, photographer and co-founder of @EverydayPhilly on Instagram, chats with Tieshka Smith about the immediate impact a Trump presidency has had on photojournalism, street and documentary photography in Philadelphia.  

Among other things, Holman shares her insights into the ways in which Everyday Philly contributors have effectively used photography as a form of commentary, protest and resistance regarding hot button issues like immigration, law and order, public education and gentrification.  

Everyday Philly features visual storytellers who take on everyday life in Philadelphia. Images are curated by Holman (IG:  @melissa.holman) and fellow photographer/photojournalist Kevin Cook (IG:  @kevincookphoto).  Follow the feed on IG (https://www.instagram.com/everydayphilly/), Facebook (http://facebook.com/everydayphilly76) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/everyday_philly).