People of Faith for Justice
28 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsAs clergy and laity from a variety of backgrounds, our commitment to justice is expressed in differing ways dependent upon our faith tradition and our personal understandings of God. We will not always agree on issues, rather find ourselves surprised when we do. The manner in which we negotiate the differences amongst ourselves is in itself part of our commitment to justice. We believe that God wills shalom; peace, justice and well-being for all people, all nations, and for our planet.
God’s shalom has firm scriptural grounding in the concepts of social righteousness, justice and peacemaking.
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Episodes
Braver Angels - Connecting Across the Partisan Divide - 027
March 23, 2023 12:22 - 40 minutes - 37.6 MBCivic engagement in the U.S. has been on the decline for many decades. Citizens are participating in public affairs too infrequently, too unequally, and in too few venues to develop and sustain a robust democracy. What’s more, effective engagement is being seriously hampered by a partisan divide between people that seems to be growing. Our podcast this month takes a look at how these divisions are affecting our relationships, and what we can possibly do about it. There are groups currently...
Weaving Our Garment of Destiny - A Pilgrimage - 026
February 23, 2023 13:33 - 43 minutes - 40.4 MB“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere… hatred and bitterness can never cure the disease of fear, only love can do that.” These words, written by Martin Luther King, beckon us to a search for truth and meaning in the quest for racial justice and human rights everywhere. Two of our guests today, Ken Hill and Gina Whitaker, spent three weeks traveling the U.S. Civil Rights Trail this pa...
Climate Change - Global Challenges, Local Solutions - 025
January 26, 2023 14:41 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBGlobal climate change is on all our minds these days…or is it? Should it be? How can we ignore it? We live our lives, trying to maintain the status quo, but our status quo is leading to suffering and destruction. There is nothing that is in our lives that is not touched today by global climate change. The homes we build and live in, our transportation, the weather we experience every day, the clothes we wear, the trash we discard, the fuel that powers our heat, lights and automobiles, the fo...
How to Do Prison Time Successfully with Author Emanuel Bell - 024
November 24, 2022 14:38 - 37 minutes - 17.2 MBNone of us ever thinks that they, or anyone they know, will ever end up in jail or prison. But if life throws you a curveball and you find yourself, a family member, or friend incarcerated, wouldn't it be good to know all that awaits you behind those prison walls? During his 17 ½ years in prison, Emanuel Bell hit a lot of bumps in the road. It took him 14 years to understand how to successfully do prison time and stay out of trouble. Emanuel attended a creative writing class at Solano Pri...
2018 Paso High Grads - Still Dreaming Big - 023
October 26, 2022 19:02 - 21 minutes - 9.93 MBWe hope you were able to listen to last month’s conversation with Geoffrey Land, Social Studies teacher at Paso High, along with two of his current students who shared their process of becoming scholar activists, learning to speak out for justice and inclusion. We are excited this month to have Beatriz Lopez as our guest! Beatriz was also a student of Geof Land while at Paso Robles High School. In 2018 she participated in a community forum in which Beatriz and eight other undocumented stu...
I Do It For the Kids - Geoffrey Land SLO County Teacher of the Year - 022
September 21, 2022 13:38 - 41 minutes - 19.2 MBOur guests today are Geoffrey Land, a Social Studies teacher at Paso Robles High School who has just been named the SLO County Teacher of the Year, and two of his students, Israel Perez and Ana Lopez, both seniors at Paso High. A teacher and his students? What could be more ordinary, right? Not so…what makes this podcast special is the fact that Geoffrey Land is no ordinary teacher, and Ana and Israel are no ordinary high school seniors. Mr. Land has been busy teaching justice-making and a...
Rev. Dr. Caroline Hall - 2022 Woman of the Year - A Lifetime of Service - 021
August 25, 2022 16:56 - 37 minutes - 17.3 MBRev. Dr. Caroline Addington Hall, Rector of St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church in Los Osos, has been recognized this year by the office of Congressional Representative Salud Carbajal as an outstanding Women of the Year Award recipient. Caro has been our friend, colleague and partner in working for positive change in our Central Coast communities for decades. Rev. Hall has been described as tireless, fearless, and an incredible communicator. She is a published author, an advocate for the unhou...
America’s Gun Problem - What Makes Us Different? - 020
July 28, 2022 13:56 - 41 minutes - 19.2 MBThere are too many guns in the United States of America! Four hundred million firearms are owned by civilians in America–400 million–more guns than the US population. Nationally, there are more than 45,000 deaths caused by guns every year; that’s nearly 125 Americans per day killed by firearms. As of this year, guns are now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1-19. As horrifying as these statistics are, they are only a small part of the story. The real stories are told by the vi...
Earth Eternity - Healing Our Mistakes - 019
May 26, 2022 12:29 - 50 minutes - 23.1 MBOur guests today are three friends from the Central Coast of CA who share a mission: to make the Earth a better place for all their descendants. Earth Day, Earth Month, Earth Year–why not an Earth Eternity? We know that nothing lasts for eternity; one day, scientists say, our Sun will fail us and leave everything in darkness and cold, long after life on planet Earth no longer exists. But what about now? How do we celebrate our Earth’s longevity, long after a day in April, a month in Spring o...
Slava Ukraini - A Nation of Survivors - 018
April 28, 2022 11:48 - 1 hour - 32.3 MBOur guests today are three women from the Central Coast of CA who share their Ukrainian heritage and the pain, fear and anger they are experiencing during the current, ongoing Russian invasion of their country of origin. Our interview was remarkable. You will hear strong emotions expressed; some of the stories and concerns will be troubling. There is death, famine, war and struggle in Ukraine’s history. But there is beauty, art, joy, resolve and strength as well. RELEVANT LINKS PFJ ...
LGBTQ+ Communities - Their Struggle to Be Recognized, Respected and Protected - 017
March 24, 2022 13:07 - 45 minutes - 20.9 MBOur guests this month are Jamie Woolf and Ila Moncrief, both active volunteers with the GALA Pride and Diversity Center in San Luis Obispo and, in Ila’s case, the LGBTQ+ Center for Campus Life at Cal Poly. Ila serves on the GALA Board, and Jamie leads Tranz Central Coast, an organization supporting transgender and other gender-diverse individuals in SLO County. Through their work with the GALA Pride and Diversity Center of San Luis Obispo, Tranz Central Coast, and the LGBTQ+ Center for Campu...
SLO4Home - Answering the Call and Fulfilling the Promise - 016
February 24, 2022 13:49 - 35 minutes - 24.6 MBOur guests this month are Noha Kolkailah and Morgan Boyd, both volunteers with a brand new non-profit called SLO4HOME. Morgan and Noha are two of at least 100 other volunteers who have begun a long journey to create an organization and a plan to welcome and help settle several Afghan families in SLO County communities. The United States government made a promise to Afghan men and women who assisted us during our 20 year mission in their country. Now it’s time to honor our word, and through t...
Faith and Religion - Connecting Across a Changing Landscape w/ Professor Stephen Lloyd-Moffett - 015
January 27, 2022 16:49 - 49 minutes - 33.8 MBOur guest this month, Dr. Stephen Lloyd-Moffett, is a Professor of Comparative Religion at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. We are excited to hear his views on certain trends in faith and religion: the shrinkage or growth of various faith denominations and traditions; the significance of the rise of the “nones,” especially among Gen Z and Millennials; and the connection between faith traditions and social justice movements. After some discussion in our last episode about the relevance of religion ...
Getting to Know Us - Your People of Faith for Justice Board - 014
December 23, 2021 14:54 - 36 minutes - 17 MBJoin us after our Thanksgiving month break to get to know some of the folks who serve on the People of Faith for Justice Board of Directors! Maggie Fertschneider and Rich Kurrasch join us today to share their faith journeys, challenges in justice work, and how justice work can be deepened within a faith perspective. We ponder the questions of which justice issues are most imperative, and whether faith communities will continue to be relevant to today’s society. RELEVANT LINKS People of Fa...
Women’s March SLO Dawn, Andrea and Jen - Three Women on the Move - 013
October 28, 2021 15:00 - 49 minutes - 22.6 MBThis month, Jason and I reached out to speak with three of the co-founders of Women’s March SLO. These three women--Dawn Addis, Andrea Chmelick, and Jen Ford--are movers and shakers in our midst, dedicated to advancing the status of women and girls, speaking truth to power and weaving a legacy of justice and democracy in action! Dawn Addis reminds us of the importance of continuing to make change when she says, “From representation, to the wage gap, to childcare, to reproductive rights and...
Ruth Ann Angus - Faith in Action: Peacebuilder, Nonviolence Advocate, and Environmentalist - 012
September 23, 2021 15:11 - 34 minutes - 24 MBThis month we had the special treat of speaking with local activist, Ruth Ann Angus, of Morro Bay, CA. Ruth Ann wears so many different hats within her work as a social justice activist, it was hard to know where to start with our interview. We decided to build our interview as Ruth Ann has built her own agenda for justice—with faith as her cornerstone, nonviolence as her inspiration and tenacity as her constant companion. RELEVANT LINKS The Nonviolent Cities Project - www.paceebene.org ...
Peace Academy of the Sciences and Arts - Seeds of Peace - 011
August 26, 2021 12:59 - 25 minutes - 11.7 MBIn March we heard from Dara Stepanek about the Peace Academy of the Sciences and Arts. She described it as a place where children and teens could “learn by being.” We decided it would be fun to revisit this special place to find out how their summer program, Seeds of Peace, had gone. We are pleased to have one of their summer teachers, Sandra Sarrouf, and two parents, Lata and Grace, and their children, Ivy, Lily and Hugo, all of whom have been supporters of Peace Academy from its beginning....
Racial Justice - Liberation and Belonging for All - 010
July 22, 2021 12:34 - 56 minutes - 26.2 MBThe topic of racial justice and the quest for it has been reignited by Americans with a fervor that has not been seen for decades. Black Americans have borne the brunt of racial injustices consistently throughout our country’s history; now they are calling all of us to a new awareness of the continuing tragedy. The murder of George Floyd and so many more Black women and men by law enforcement was only made more startling when pinned against the backdrop of this past year’s struggle with COVI...
The Importance of Bees to Our Web of Life - What’s the Buzz? - 009
June 24, 2021 19:06 - 31 minutes - 14.7 MBBees are essential to our web of life. Jason and I are pleased to welcome Jody Tellier from Central Coast Beekeepers’ Alliance of SLO, and Christopher Carlberg of Hallelujah Honey in Wasco to our table today to talk about bees, bee culture, bee rescuing and so many other facets of the bee communities with whom we share our planet. What is it like to “keep” bees? What is bee rescuing? Have you ever imagined life on earth without bees, and what would that look like? Why is it important for hum...
Examining War - Veterans Speak Out - 008
May 27, 2021 18:02 - 55 minutes - 25.3 MBEach Memorial Day, our thoughts turn to all the men and women who have died serving our country in the military, both during peacetime and during war. It is a time when individually and as families and as a nation we reflect on the nature of war and the significance of military service, and to help in our reflection, we welcome Geronimo Whitaker and Peter Lucier to our program. Our guests are veterans of two very different wars fought in very different times, one as an Army foot soldier in V...
Protecting Sacred Water - A Conversation with Filmmaker Brittany App - 007
April 22, 2021 12:41 - 25 minutes - 11.8 MBWater is life. It cleanses us, sustains our bodies, and connects all living beings and the planet. Our bodies are 70% water and 70% of our planet home is covered with water. Every faith tradition has some sort of sacred water ceremony. Water grows our food and keeps our grazing animals alive. In this episode, we explore all that water means to Earth with filmmaker Brittany App in a joyful conversation honoring Earth Day. RELEVANT LINKS Where There Once Was Water (Brittany’s Film)...
Dismantling Racism - Local Faith Leaders Speak Out - 006
April 08, 2021 13:10 - 22 minutes - 10.5 MBGina and Jason sit down this week with Paula Hulet and Cornel N. Morton, Ph.D. Paula and Cornel have been working together to create a book group dealing with racism. They share their experiences with their book group and how it has been gratifying and enlightening for everyone involved. Racism is, and has been, a very important issue to walk through. However with recent events like the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor many are waking up to the racism that has been there the wh...
New Life K9s - Benefits for All - 005
March 25, 2021 16:01 - 24 minutes - 11.3 MBNew Life K9s is a local nonprofit with benefits for all. They provide trained service dogs to veterans and first responders living with PTSD free of charge. The service dogs help their humans navigate the challenges of living with PTSD. The dogs are trained by inmates in California prisons, and offer them unconditional love, acceptance, and an opportunity to give back to the community. The recidivism rate of inmates who train service dogs for New Life K9s is 0%. (The California average is ab...
Peace Academy - Learning by Being - 004
March 11, 2021 18:22 - 22 minutes - 10.6 MBThe Peace Academy offers a unique approach to education that could be called “learning by being.” The Peace Academy aspires to create holistic real world experiences in an eco-friendly and robust learning environment with the most comprehensive standards in the sciences, the humanities, and the arts. Their programs are designed for students to strengthen individuality, seek their potential, and maximize their opportunity to learn and contribute. While building bridges of respect among each o...
Getting to Know Gina & Jason - 003
February 25, 2021 14:43 - 47 minutes - 21.8 MBThis week Gina and Jason are on the other side of the interview chair. Jeff Manildi, producer of the People of Faith for Justice Podcast, steps out from behind the scenes to ask Gina and Jason some questions. We learn in this episode more about Gina and Jason’s prospective faith journeys and more about the history of People of Faith for Justice. RELEVANT LINKS Unitarian Universalist Association Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis (Book) United Methodist Restorative Partners Get...
Intimate Partner Violence - A Conversation with RISE SLO - 002
February 11, 2021 18:25 - 42 minutes - 19.6 MBIn our second podcast, we speak with friends from RISE SLO. RISE—Respect Inspire Support Empower—envisions a world free from sexual and intimate partner violence. Join us as we speak with Christina Kaviani, Director of Education and Communications and Stacy Salame, Director of Development and Marketing and understand the difference they’re making in our community. Hear why sexual assault and intimate partner violence affect the entire community and not just its immediate victims, how COVID-1...
What is Restorative Justice? - An Interview with Restorative Partners - 001
January 27, 2021 21:49 - 39 minutes - 18.1 MBPeople of Faith for Justice’s inaugural podcast is an insightful conversation with Sister Teresa Harpin, Executive Director and Vivien Devaney-Frice, In Custody & Re-Entry Programs Director, both on staff at Restorative Partners. We ask our guests to tell us just what restorative justice is, how it brings people together and how it can help heal people who have been victimized by our broken system of justice. Restorative justice, as opposed to our current system of punitive justice, focuse...
People of Faith for Justice - An Introduction - 000
January 19, 2021 15:07 - 1 minute - 1000 KBWelcome to the People of Faith for Justice podcast! People of Faith for Justice is an organization on the Central Coast of CA that began as a response to the Iraq War in 2001. Since then, we have been offering educational and community events to promote justice for all. Now, People of Faith for Justice is expanding our reach with this podcast. Gina Whitaker and Jason Sisk-Provencio will be your hosts. Gina has been a social justice activist for most of her life, and has lived on the Cent...