Ep 21 - Social movements, ecological justice and humble boldness with Dr. Sarah Nahar

In this episode, we hear from Dr. Sarah Nahar. Dr. Nahar is a nonviolent action trainer and interspiritual theologian. An emerging expert of Excreta Infrastructure Technologies, her doctoral work centers on ecological regeneration, community cultivation, and discard studies. She is the former executive director of Community Peacemaker Teams and serves as the staff supervisor for Mennonite Action.Learn more about Sarah’s work here:https://www.sarahnahar.com/Check out The Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability:https://www.palestinenature.org/Use the Mennonite Action toolkit for election protection solidarity: https://shorturl.at/4aCa7Jonny’s column on right-wing critics of Israel: https://anabaptistworld.org/jewish-safety-palestinian-freedom/ Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara, who is a co-producer along with Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. 

On this episode, we hear from our hosts after their sabbaticals about their time off, the World Cup, Palestine solidarity, movements against mass surveillance and the strengths that Mennonite Action has to offer given the state of our world.Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara, who is a co-producer along with Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. SEMILLA in Guatemala City, home to a Mennonite seminary, language school and guesthouse:https://semillagt.org/Organizing against Flock in El Cerrito, CA:https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/qKBPV7xDQ1268

On this episode, we hear from Mennonite Action’s founding directors Nick Martin and Adam Ramer. As they transition out of their director roles, we talk to them about their joys, hopes and lessons learned.Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara, who is a co-producer along with Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing.

On this episode, we hear from Mennonite Action alumnus Amy Yoder McGloughlin. She is the Conference Minister with Allegheny Mennonite Conference, and she is the Denominational Minister of Education with the Mennonite Church USA.  She's been travelling to Palestine every year since 2013, leading delegations with Community Peacemaker Teams. We talk to her about her upcoming book and a recent delegation to Palestine that some Mennonite Action folks went on!Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. Iran Money Clock: https://iran-cost-ticker.com/Picket and Pray registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tU6krXE_RRGWnxK-mzybJg#/registration

On this episode, we hear a report-back from Joanna after her trip to Minneapolis during the ICE surge and amidst the mass movement resisting ICE occupation. She, along with Adam Ramer, participated in a Week of Action conference coordinated by organizers in the city. They also had a chance to meet with Mennonite Action folks in the Twin Cities and learn about how they are participating in the movement. Joanna recorded conversations with community members Jakob, Joan, Phil and Sadie which is followed by a conversation with Jonny. Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. mennoniteaction.org

On this episode honoring Black History Month, we interview Drew G. I. Hart. Dr. Hart is an associate professor of theology at Messiah University where he has directed the Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice program in central PA since 2021. He co-hosts Inverse Podcast with Australian peace activist Jarrod McKenna and is the author of Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism (2016), Who Will Be A Witness?: Igniting Activism for God's Justice, Love, and Deliverance (2020), and he co-edited and contributed to Reparations and the Theological Disciplines: Prophetic Voices for Remembrance, Reckoning, and Repair (Nov. 2023). His newest book is Making It Plain: Why We Need Anabaptism and the Black Church (September 2, 2025). Drew regularly speaks at colleges, conferences, churches, and community groups across the country. He is married to Renee and is the father of three sons.Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. Sing Down The Doors: https://www.mennoniteaction.org/updates/singdownthedoorsAP article on Target featuring Menonite Action: https://apnews.com/article/target-ice-protest-minneapolis-4a9012400f6c8b44e96451a04e0113c8Making it Plain by Drew Hart: https://heraldpress.com/9781513816364/making-it-plain/

In this powerful episode, the Mennonite Action national team reflects on their journey as they enter their third year of activism. Nick Martin is the co-founder and Campaign Director at Mennonite Action. Adam Ramer is the co-founder and the Fundraising and Partnerships Director at Mennonite Action. Holly Harris serves as the Digital Communications Coordinator. Rhea Clymer and Lorren Oesch serve as distributed organizers.The conversation highlights the lessons learned over the past two years, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and adaptability in response to changing political landscapes. We hear insights on the Courage Tour, which successfully trained over 1,000 individuals across the US reinforcing the organization's commitment to countering Christian nationalism and Zionism. The team discusses the significance of building community connections and the role of faith in motivating public action, while also addressing the ongoing struggles faced by marginalized communities, particularly in relation to Palestine and immigration issues.Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. KeywordsMennonite Action, Courage Tour, Christian nationalism, Palestine, immigration, grassroots activism, community organizing, faith-based action, social justice, anti-authoritarianismChapters00:00 Introduction to Mennonite Action Team01:31 Reflections on Growth and Lessons Learned07:06 Impact of Political Events on Organizing12:25 The Interconnectedness of Struggles17:43 The Role of the Church in Social Justice21:40 Strategies Against Authoritarianism25:20 The Ceasefire Illusion and Its Implications27:28 Grassroots Organizing for Palestine33:21 Local Solidarity and Immigrant Support37:37 Red Line Moments: Community Mobilization45:16 Looking Ahead: Plans for the Future

We pull Front Light editor and producer Ken Ogasawara from behind the curtain to reflect on an amazing first season of Front Light! Ken is a writer and podcaster with Mennonite Central Committee Ontario during the day and by night and weekends a co-director of Mennonite Action Canada. We whet our appetite with some tasty stats from the year before diving into the full course of highlights from our amazing guests over the past year. Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. 

In this episode, we interview Jonathan Smucker and Janna Hunter-Bowman, two academics who have participated with and researched Mennonite Action. We talk about the Peace Theology in Movement: A Lunchtime Colloquium of AMBS and Mennonite Action, and Mennonite Action’s role in the greater Anabaptist and activist world. They offer unique and personal insights into our circumstance and our organization. Buy Mennonite Action’s organizing guide, Courage To Enter The Song, here: https://www.amazon.com/Institute-of-Mennonite-Studies-4-book-series/dp/B0C7J3VYTHReckoning in Mennonite Peace Theology: Reinhold Niebuhr’s Realism and Four Waves of Development by Janna Hunter-Bowman: https://jmt.scholasticahq.com/article/142713-reckoning-in-mennonite-peace-theology-reinhold-niebuhr-s-realism-and-four-waves-of-development Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing. 

In this conversation with Anna-Lisa Gross and Daniel Hunter, we explore the intersection of peace traditions and organizing against authoritarianism, emphasizing the importance of community, nonviolence, and the teachings of Jesus. Daniel is a prolific writer, here are his articles are Waging Nonviolence:https://wagingnonviolence.org/author/danielhunter/His most recent article is about the response in DC to Trump deploying the National Guard.Anna Lisa is rooted in the Church of The Brethren and recently wrote two articles for Anabaptist World focused on Gaza:https://anabaptistworld.org/i-wont-eat-again-until/ https://anabaptistworld.org/entrapment-stew-and-murderous-aid-recipe-mediterranean-stew/Together they are organizers with Choose Democracy, and among other things, are thinking about tax resistance as a tool of mass noncooperation. Choose Democracy launched the One Million Rising trainings, which is an effort to get people organized to resist authoritarianism following all the No Kings marches. 20,000+ people were at the first training! They also led Freedom Trainers, which is the training that Nick did. Here’s the Noncooperation Library provided by the Freedom Trainers.Drop Site News: https://www.dropsitenews.com/From Christians for a Free Palestine, written by Rev. Margaret Ernst, this prayer on the news of a ceasefire:God of LifeWe lift voices that are hoarse from screaming for justiceEyes that are wet with tearsOr that can cry no more.2 years, God. Do you hear our cries?Do you hear the cry of Gaza?  There is news of a ceasefire.There is dancing in the streets. There are children who have lost everythingTelling us the war is over, for good.Preserve their hope, oh Lord.Stop the bombs.Release the prisoners.Feed the people. You are a God that saves.And yet, where has that salvation been, these past two years?
And so much longer before.Over 67,000 dead, and likely so many moreHundreds of thousands woundedUnder the rubble
What shall we say to the Woman who wakes to news of ceasefireAnd then must ask,“Where am I to go?What do we do with our lives?Where shall we live?"What shall we say to  The parent of a childBloodied just hours after news of the ceasefire brokeAs the world slept and then cried “Free Palestine”And yet we still yell itWe refuse to accept 'peace'Defined by those who profit from war.You are a God that liberates. Preserve the faith of Palestinians, God,And show your saving power. Let every tear of joy shed
in theseDays of anticipationWater the future.May every laugh and song of childrenLifted to the sky Defend against planes and dronesFrom here on forward.You are a God that heals. May there be quiet in Gaza, God. And while there is quiet there, Lord,Strengthen our cries across this globe for true justiceA true peaceFor the kingdom comingThat we glimpse And is not yetFirm up our souls to keep marchingTo keep singingKeep goingTill liberation is won.Amen.