Fortification

This conversation was recorded at Auburn Seminary's December 2019 Mountaintop Gathering in Oakland, CA. The creative force of gina Breedlove is as dangerous and delightful as this earth we share.​ Singer, Song​w​riter, Sound Healer & Medicine Woman​, gina was born in​ Brooklyn, NY. She began performing at age 15, singing back up for the incomparable Phyllis Hyman​. Since, gina has toured all over the world with artists who, like herself, define and redefine genre; Harry Belafonte, Toshi Reagon, Ronny Jordan, Ani Difranco, Craig Harris, and Sekou Sundiata, to name a few. Malkia Devich-Cyril is an award winning writer and public speaker on issues of digital rights, narrative power, Black liberation and collective grief; as well as the lead founder and former Executive Director of MediaJustice — a national hub boldly advancing racial justice, rights and dignity in a digital age. After more than 10 years of organizational leadership, Devich-Cyril now serves as a Senior Fellow at Media Justice. Devich-Cyril is also a sci-fi nerd, a communications strategist, a veteran in the movement for digital rights and freedom, a leader in the movement for Black lives and the widowed spouse of comedian and editor Alana Devich-Cyril, who died following an intense two year battle with advanced cancer. Malachi Larrabee-Garza is the Founding Director of Innovative Justice Solutions (IJS). In this role, Malachi provides strategic consultation to businesses and institutions, specializing in scaling operations and impact through cross-sector collaboration. Malachi is also proud to be a 2019-2021 Rosenberg Foundation Leading Edge Fellow, building reparations based projects within the emerging cannabis economy and the governance thereof. Editing by Wazi Maret and David Beasley. Production by Dan Greenman and Nora Rasman. Transcription help from Kolenge Fonge. Learn more, find transcript and more episodes at https://auburnseminary.org/fortification/.

The creative force of gina Breedlove is as dangerous and delightful as this earth we share.​ Singer, Song​w​riter, Sound Healer & Medicine Woman​, gina was born in​ Brooklyn, NY. She began performing at age 15, singing back up for the incomparable Phyllis Hyman​. Since, gina has toured all over the world with artists who, like herself, define and redefine genre; Harry Belafonte, Toshi Reagon, Ronny Jordan, Ani Difranco, Craig Harris, and Sekou Sundiata, to name a few. This episode discusses themes of sexual assault and violence. Please take care of yourself. Editing by Wazi Maret and David Beasley. Production by Dan Greenman and Nora Rasman. Transcription help from Kolenge Fonge. Learn more, find transcript and more episodes at https://auburnseminary.org/fortification/.

Rev. Dr. Traci C. West is Professor of Christian Ethics and African American Studies at Drew University Theological School (Madison, NJ). Traci is the author of Solidarity and Defiant Spirituality: Africana Lessons on Religion, Racism, and Ending Gender Violence (New York University Press, 2019), Disruptive Christian Ethics: When Racism and Women's Lives Matter (Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), Wounds of the Spirit: Black Women, Violence, and Resistance Ethics (New York University Press, 1999), and the editor of Our Family Values: Same-sex Marriage and Religion (Praeger, 2006). She has also published many articles and book chapters on sexual, gender, and racial justice, gender-based intimate violence, and clergy ethics. She has served on the editorial board of Journal for the Society of Christian Ethics, as co-editor of the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, on the Society of Christian Ethics Professional Conduct Committee, and the editorial board of T&T Clark Studies in Social Ethics, Ethnography, and Theology. This episode discusses themes of sexual assault and violence. Please take care of yourself. Learn more, find transcript and more episodes at https://auburnseminary.org/fortification/.

Rev. Jen Bailey is an ordained minister, public theologian, and national leader in the multi-faith movement for justice. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Faith Matters Network, a Womanist-led organization equipping community organizers, faith leaders, and activists with resources for connection, spiritual sustainability, and accompaniment. Jen comes to this work with nearly a decade of experience at nonprofits combating intergenerational poverty. Rev. Bailey is an ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and serves locally on the staff of Greater Bethel A.ME. Church in Nashville, Tennessee. This episode was recorded pre-COVID. Please use health and safety guidance regarding the use of physical spiritual spaces referenced in this conversation. Editing by Wazi Maret and David Beasley. Production by Dan Greenman and Nora Rasman. Transcription help from Kolenge Fonge. Learn more, find transcript and more episodes at https://auburnseminary.org/fortification/.

Erica Woodland, LCSW is a black queer/genderqueer facilitator, consultant and healing justice practitioner who has worked at the intersections of movements for racial, gender, economic, trans and queer justice and liberation for more than 17 years. He is the Founding Director of the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network, an organization committed to advancing healing justice by transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color. Learn more about his work at www.nqttcn.com and www.ericawoodland.com Editing by Wazi Maret and David Beasley. Production by Dan Greenman and Nora Rasman. Transcription help from Kolenge Fonge. Learn more, find transcript and more episodes at https://auburnseminary.org/fortification/.

Amber L. Hollibaugh is an American writer, filmmaker and political activist, largely concerned with feminist and sexual agendas. She is a self-described lesbian sex radical, ex-hooker, incest survivor, gypsy child, poor-white-trash, high femme dyke. Read more about her in My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home. Learn more, find transcript and more episodes at https://auburnseminary.org/fortification/.

This conversation features co-hosts Cara Page and Caitlin Breedlove in conversation with organizers Shira Hassan, Mia Mingus and Sonali Sadequee. The conversation came out of the urgency of Black Lives Matter uprisings in Minneapolis, and across the US, to respond to the police murder of George Floyd and this moment of movement building to interrupt white supremacy, policing & state violence, and anti-Blackness. Many of us had reached out to each other, reflecting on the questions; what can abolition, survival and transformation look like in these Covid-Times? This podcast episode is the result; a reflection on the intersection between healing justice and transformative justice.  We began with these questions: what are healing and transformative justice? What is the difference between these two frameworks and where do they align? And how are both of these frameworks critical to understanding and practicing abolition work in this moment?  Learn more about the guests and find a transcript of the conversation at auburnseminary.org/fortification. This episode is part of an ongoing series in collaboration with Cara Page, Susan Raffo and Anjali Taneja. Learn more about their work at Healing Histories: Disrupting the Medical Industrial Complex. Editing by David Beasley and transcription support by Nora Rasman. Music by Abhimanyu Janamanchi

Some programming announcements and the new podcast from Auburn Seminary, "Friends for Life" where we learn how to live, thrive, love, and win through the 2020 election season and beyond.  In this episode Macky Alston and Lisa Anderson speak with Raquel Willis and Rev. Lawrence Richardson. Learn more - including a transcript and graphic recording from the convo at Auburn Seminary.

The conversation began with these questions: How do historical harms and abuses of the state and the medical industrial complex elevate the ways in which communities are criminalized? What are the historical roots and wounds of disease-based capitalism  in the U.S.? What has community dreamed and manifest based on these pasts? What do we need to know or pay attention to as this disease- and disaster-based economy uses this pandemic to fuel policing, surveillance, and eugenic ideas? To what end will COVID19 be used by the state against marginalized communities? Learn more about the guests. Find a transcript of the conversation.  This episode is part of a series in collaboration with Cara Page, Susan Raffo and Anjali Taneja. Learn more about their work at Healing Histories: Disrupting the Medical Industrial Complex. Editing by Wazi Maret www.wazimaret.com, transcription support by Kolenge Fonge and music by Abhimanyu Janamanchi.

The conversation began with these questions: What is the present economy of care and the economy of healthcare and what is being disrupted in this economy? Where are the fractures? Where are there new connections among different healthcare and healing systems and practices? What are you seeing that's generative and transformative in the present moment? What was already there on the ground that is deepening? What are you seeing that's transformative along and between borders? Learn more about the guests. Find a transcript of the conversation.  This episode is part of a series in collaboration with Cara Page, Susan Raffo and Anjali Taneja. Learn more about their work at Healing Histories: Disrupting the Medical Industrial Complex. Editing by Wazi Maret www.wazimaret.com, transcription support by Kolenge Fonge and music by Abhimanyu Janamanchi.