Into the Mix
35 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 months ago - ★★★★ - 447 ratingsBen & Jerry’s is back with another season of Into the Mix, a podcast about joy and justice. Hosted by Ashley C. Ford and produced with Vox Creative, this season will bring you stories of struggle and success from the everyday people at the heart of our greatest fights — from voting rights, to cannabis justice, to dignity for migrant workers — today.
And don’t miss Season 1 for conversations about art and activism, with friends of Ben & Jerry’s like John Legend, Big Freedia, and Ava DuVernay.
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Episodes
34 Cents an Hour: Prison Labor & the Exception in the 13th Amendment
February 28, 2024 05:00 - 50 minutesJohnny Perez worked hard throughout his 13 year prison sentence. He sewed sheets and facilitated classes, met demanding quotas and helped other men prepare for life on the outside. The highest wage he was ever paid was 34 cents an hour. Meanwhile, prison labor generated $14 billion last year. So why do so many people like Johnny leave prison empty handed? In this Season Two finale, we’re going back to 1865, to understand how a key exception written into the 13th Amendment paved the way for t...
The Price of Freedom: Cash Bail and Pretrial Detention
January 31, 2024 08:02 - 30 minutesWhen Flo was arrested in 2016, he did not expect to be wrapped into the predatory bail industry. $7,500: that was the amount the judge set for his pretrial release. “$7,500 might as well have been a million dollars to me.” As a result, Flo spent two months in jail even though he was legally innocent. Half a million Americans are in pretrial detention at any given moment, and more than 60% of them are there because they can’t afford bail. In theory, bail is supposed to be one way out of jail. ...
“This is My City”: The Promise of Reparations and the Legacy of Urban Renewal
December 27, 2023 07:01 - 43 minutesPriscilla Robinson says the Southside neighborhood of Asheville, North Carolina was once a thriving, tight-knit community. She describes fruit trees and multigenerational homeowners, booming small businesses and neighbors who looked out for one another. But that all changed in 1968, when the city approved plans for “urban renewal” and displaced more than fifty percent of Asheville’s Black residents, including Priscilla and her family. Decades later, in 2020, Asheville became just the second c...
New Front Lines: How Med Students are Adapting to a Post Roe Future
November 29, 2023 05:02 - 41 minutesWhen 3rd year med student Megh Kumar told a mentor she’d decided to go into OB GYN, she got an unexpected piece of advice: don’t. It’s been more than a year since the Supreme Court revoked constitutional protections for abortion rights with their Dobbs decision. Since then 13 states – including Megh’s home state of Kentucky – have banned nearly all abortions. Some states have criminalized performing or abetting abortion. The effect has been chilling not only for patients who need them, but f...
I Am the Water: Grassy Narrows’ Land Back Story
October 25, 2023 04:05 - 42 minutesOn a cold night in 2002, Chrissy Isaacs watched yet another logging truck loaded with old growth trees hurtle past her home in the Grassy Narrows First Nation, down the only road into the reserve: built by and for the logging industry. Enough was enough. That night, she dropped a tree in the road to block the loggers, and changed her community forever. This is the story of land back, and the fight to correct the long, long history of colonizers claiming indigenous territories as their own fo...
Libraries Off-limits: Examining Florida’s book bans
September 27, 2023 04:05 - 38 minutesAndrea Phillips loves her job. She works at an elementary school as a reading interventionist, teaching struggling readers to love books. When she was told by her district to pack up her classroom library earlier this year, she was devastated. In 2022, Florida lawmakers passed HB 1467. This new law mandated that every book in Florida public schools be cataloged and reviewed for “harmful content”, and that schools create a system for parents to petition the removal of books they found inappr...
Police Free Schools: What does school safety really mean?
August 30, 2023 07:01 - 31 minutesMost kids in the U.S. go to a school that’s patrolled by police officers. They’re supposed to keep students safe, but after decades of increased surveillance, in-school arrests have skyrocketed for kids of all ages. And most of the kids arrested at school are students of color. A group of students in Des Moines, Iowa didn’t need data to know that police in their school district were harmful, so they set out to do something about it. Here’s how they worked with their community to build a great...
Be Back Soon!
August 01, 2023 16:57 - 23 minutesWe’ll be back in August with more episodes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Safe Routes for Refugees: One Woman’s Unlikely Journey from Afghanistan to the UK
June 14, 2023 05:01 - 30 minutesIn January 2021, Zahra Shaheer had to get out of Afghanistan… fast. So when she had the rare opportunity to secure safe passage for herself and her two children, she made the heartbreaking decision to flee, even though it meant leaving her mother behind. Now, Zahra and her mother remain separated by thousands of miles, and insurmountable policies that are designed to prevent her mother from reuniting with her family in the new home in the UK. David Miliband from the International Rescue Comm...
Gender Euphoria: What Happens When We Support Trans Kids?
May 24, 2023 04:02 - 31 minutesAs lawmakers consider more than 500 anti-trans bills nationwide, experts warn that these efforts will increase already-high rates of depression and suicidality for trans kids. But what happens when these kids are affirmed and supported in their transition? When their communities welcome them with open arms? Hear the story of Oli Oski, who, when he was just seven years old, helped convince an LGBTQ resource center to start offering play groups for trans and queer kids under 13. Oli is 19 now,...
"The Cows Don't Milk Themselves!": Migrant Farmworkers Fight for Dignity
April 26, 2023 04:01 - 37 minutesDid you know that without migrant farm workers, the price of dairy would be twice as expensive? Dairy farming is one of the most challenging jobs in agriculture, and like a lot of farmwork has notoriously weak legal protections for workers, leading to long hours, poor pay, and unsafe conditions. Host Ashely C. Ford tells the story of how a group of farmworkers came together after a senseless tragedy to demand change – and together built a safety net to protect their most vulnerable workers. ...
Green Cotton: Cannabis Justice in America
March 22, 2023 13:43 - 35 minutesBack in the day, Michael Thompson was a local legend in Flint, Michigan. He brought acts like Aretha Franklin to town, and did incredible work to ease vicious gang violence in his community. So when he was sentenced to 42 to 60 years in prison, Flint was shocked, and devastated. His crime? Selling marijuana to a police informant. Michael was still serving time while recreational dispensaries began popping up all over his hometown, and he ended up serving the longest sentence for a nonviolent...
Let My People Vote: Ensuring Voting Rights to Returning Citizens
February 22, 2023 05:01 - 31 minutesToday, over 4.5 million people can't vote in the United States because of a mistake they made in the past. Desmond Meade is one of them. He's a "returning citizen" who understands the devastating impacts of having your civil rights stripped away, and the redemptive power of second chances. So, he set out to do something about it, and brought about the greatest expansion of voting rights in America in half a century. It’s that work that just earned his organization a Nobel Peace Prize nominati...
Into the Mix is Back!
February 08, 2023 07:01 - 1 minuteBen & Jerry’s is back with another season of Into the Mix, a podcast about joy and justice. Hosted by Ashley C. Ford and produced with Vox Creative, this season will bring you stories of struggle and success from the everyday people at the heart of our greatest fights — from voting rights, to cannabis justice, to dignity for migrant workers — today. Season 2 begins with a conversation with the man who brought about the largest expansion of voting rights in half a century. Let’s get into it,...
Episode 12: Ava DuVernay
December 06, 2022 17:00 - 19 minutesAva DuVernay was a total film nerd growing up in Compton, CA; now she’s a bonafide Hollywood icon. Before making it big with films like Selma, 13th, and A Wrinkle in Time, Ava made her mark exploring themes and characters inspired by her own life. Join host Ashley C. Ford to learn how Ava uses her influence to make the film industry more inclusive, in front of, and behind, the camera. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 11: Erika Alexander
October 19, 2022 04:02 - 27 minutesErika Alexander started out as a child actor in Philadelphia before landing the iconic role of Maxine Shaw, Attorney at Law on the hit sitcom Living Single. Today, the veteran of screen and stage uses her storytelling skills to advocate for reparations for Black Americans. Host Ashley C. Ford interviews Erika Alexander about her career, family, and efforts to uplift Black voices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 10: Laci Jordan
September 21, 2022 04:02 - 22 minutesLaci Jordan was always a very serious student. When the time came to choose a career path, she decided to study criminal justice. But she soon found that her calling was not in law enforcement, but art. Host Ashley C. Ford interviews Laci about her journey from interning at the FBI, to using her art to envision a world free of police brutality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 9: Ben and Jerry
August 24, 2022 04:02 - 32 minutesFrom the beginning, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield wanted their company to be about more than just ice cream; they knew they could leverage their popularity to advance progressive causes. Host Ashley C. Ford talks to them about their decades-long friendship, how they found early success combining ice cream with social values, and what they’re working on today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 8: Phil Agnew
July 20, 2022 07:05 - 24 minutesPhil Agnew first became an activist in 2006, after learning about a Black teenager who had been killed by guards in a Florida youth detention center. He became an organizer a few years later when he co-founded the Dream Defenders, a grassroots movement for prison abolition and more. In this episode, Phil talks with Ashley C. Ford about the nuances of activism and organizing, as well as the wins and losses he’s experienced on his journey toward a better future. Learn more about your ad choices...
Episode 7: Patti Smith and Bill McKibben
June 22, 2022 09:05 - 27 minutesTackling climate change can feel so overwhelming, but the featured guests in this episode approach their climate justice work one event at a time. Punk icon Patti Smith, along with her friend, writer and activist Bill McKibben, stage inspiring events that use music, poetry and letter-writing (yes, letter-writing, in the middle of rock concerts) to mobilize against climate change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 6: Rashad Robinson
May 25, 2022 04:05 - 26 minutesThe online civil rights organization, Color of Change, has used many different tools to push for change: ads targeted to corporate leadership, fax machines sent to lawmakers, Twitter hashtags, and online petitions. Ashley C. Ford sits down with the head of the organization, Rashad Robinson, to talk about their innovative approach to improving Black lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 5: Jeffery Robinson
April 27, 2022 04:02 - 34 minutesIn this episode of Into the Mix, Ashley C. Ford talks to Jeffery Robinson, who has spent the last decade trying to correct the history books. Jeffery is a criminal defense lawyer and founder of the Who We Are Project, an effort that aims to uncover the hidden history of America’s anti-Black racism, the deep roots of white supremacy in our country, and how this impacts so many aspects of our society today—from book banning in schools, to housing segregation, to who is allowed to enter the high...
Episode 4: Big Freedia
March 23, 2022 04:00 - 23 minutesIn this episode of Into the Mix, Ashley C. Ford talks to Big Freedia, the performer who brought bounce music from the streets of New Orleans to the world. Join Freedia as she tells us how she got her start, how she faced personal tragedy — and how she’s continuing to show up for her community, using her platform to speak out against, and help reduce gun violence in New Orleans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 3: Andrew Aydin
March 09, 2022 05:04 - 25 minutesJoin host Ashley C. Ford in conversation with political aide Andrew Aydin, whose idea for a thrilling new retelling of Congressman John Lewis' life and role in the Civil Rights struggle is helping a whole new generation of students and activists connect with their past. Dive into the power of writing, of storytelling — and the magic that happens when you shine a light on the ongoing struggle for justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 2: Favianna Rodriguez
February 23, 2022 05:05 - 18 minutesIn this episode of Into the Mix, host Ashley C. Ford talks with artist Favianna Rodriguez — maker of bold, energetic murals, prints, and sculptures — about how her work both names, and helps transcend, the pain of systemic racism. She’ll share how her work explores the themes of racial and economic injustice through a “yes” framework that embodies how we want to live in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode 1: John Legend
February 23, 2022 05:01 - 25 minutesIn the debut episode of Into the Mix, join host Ashley C. Ford for a deep discussion with John Legend on his art, his activism, and how he’s blending the two to spearhead a movement for a more equitable world. His newest venture? Igniting systemic change where it all begins — locally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Introducing Into the Mix
February 09, 2022 05:01 - 2 minutesIntroducing Into the Mix — a Ben & Jerry’s podcast about joy and justice, produced with Vox Creative. Join host Ashley C. Ford as she talks with the artists, activists, and all-around amazing people who are working to build a better world. The struggle, the wins, the thrill of making change and forging a fairer future — it’s all in here. So get into it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Revisiting Reparations
February 19, 2021 15:00 - 33 minutesIn 1865, General William T. Sherman issued Special Field Order No. 15— a promise to redistribute 40 acres of once Confederate-owned land in coastal South Carolina and Florida to each formerly enslaved adult to begin mending the seemingly unmendable. It never came to pass. H.R. 40, also known as the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act, has been brought to Congress repeatedly since 1989, first by the late Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich), now by Rep. Sheila ...
Episode 6: The Myth of Post-Racial America
October 20, 2020 09:00 - 42 minutesFrom slavery to sharecropping to mass incarceration, American institutions have reproduced cycles of social rupture and exploitation by design. Is it even possible to imagine true equity as long as the current carceral system stands? Carvell Wallace and Jeffery Robinson begin with Bill Clinton’s 1994 Crime Bill before turning to the ways in which incarceration ripples through questions of voting, health, wealth, and state violence. With final words from Afro-futurist author Sheree Renee Thoma...
Episode 5: How We Arrive
October 13, 2020 09:00 - 29 minutesWhat does it mean to be well in America? Who is seen as deserving of healthcare? Racism has plagued the American medical system since its inception and continues to produce disparities in health and life expectancy to this day. In this episode, Carvell Wallace and Jeffery Robinson trace the decades-long epidemic of sharply higher mortality rates among both Black people giving birth and their babies. In conversation with OB/GYN and maternal/infant health advocate Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, as well ...
Episode 4: Broken Bootstraps
October 06, 2020 09:00 - 37 minutes“To pull oneself up by one’s bootstraps” was originally a metaphor for the impossible. It’s now one of the most American of American idioms — encapsulating a belief that one’s fortunes and failures hinge on individual responsibility alone. It simultaneously obscures the systemic economic theft of Black people and other people of color in the US by state and commercial interests, as well as the systemic economic enrichment of white populations by those same forces. In this episode, Carvell Wal...
Episode 3: A Home and a Country
September 29, 2020 09:00 - 32 minutesBlack bodies have always been on the line in America, whether on the auction block or in a parking lot in Minneapolis. American law has enshrined the state’s ability to enact violence with almost total impunity. And, going back to as far as the Colonial Marines in 1808, reclaiming one’s body from this system has required fearless acts of rebellion. In this episode, Carvell and Jeffery trace the evolution of slave patrols into modern policing, exploring the consequences of that origin story wi...
Episode 2: The Failure of the “Great Compromise"
September 22, 2020 09:00 - 44 minutesThe right to vote is the right to help define the future of the country. It’s at the heart of our democracy. But for much of US history, only property-owning white men had access to this right. Suffrage for Black men was hard won and enshrined by the 15th amendment after the Civil War. But, even that limited enfranchisement was quickly stymied by campaigns of terror and voter suppression that were then codified by the creation of the Electoral College — amplifying the power of white Southern ...
Episode 1: Desire, Prosperity, Fortune, Hope
September 15, 2020 09:00 - 26 minutesFar from promising the fruits of equality and justice for all, the United States was founded on white supremacist ideals. Given this legacy, how do Black parents decipher and explain American history to their children? Or, even what it means to be Black in the US? These are questions that host and writer Carvell Wallace and ACLU Legal Deputy Director and attorney Jeffery Robinson have had to confront. Their answer has been to look more closely at the past and at the laws that continue to ensh...
Introducing Who We Are
August 28, 2020 20:10 - 2 minutesIf America was built on a white supremacist foundation, what does that mean for our lives today? Join journalist Carvell Wallace and ACLU Deputy Director Jeffery Robinson for an exploration of how white supremacy became the law of the land. This is Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices