Dear Pledge Listeners,
Since my last newsletter, the country, in fact the world, has confronted two deadly pandemics--Covid 19 and Racism. In response to both, we have seen both extreme hatred and ugliness as well as extraordinary moments of kindness, courage, and people coming together. It has been a powerful, soul-shaking time.
Perhaps as a result, there are growing demands for true transformation at all levels, from our public security systems to the racism deep within each of us who lives in and conforms to a white supremacist society. I’m working hard to learn and to listen. Here are some resources that I have found to be powerful and informative, although I know I have barely scratched the surface:
For an overview of the situation and the three essential components for moving forward, read Michelle Alexander’s powerful and thought-provoking op-ed in the New York Times, “American, This is your chance.”
To see U.S. history through a more critical lens and, in my experience, more honest treatment than we might have learned in school, listen to the podcast, Scene on Radio. Every episode of every season of this podcast has challenged what I thought I knew about our society. The current Season 4, “The land that never has been yet,” continues to blow my mind about what I thought I knew about American history (and I was an American Studies major!) Season 2, “Seeing White” another great series that explores where the concept of “whiteness” even comes from.
Code Switch is another great podcast that addresses race. A recent episode, “A Decade of Watching Black People Die,” is a poignant and informative 22-minutes. They bring back an essay from 2015 by Jamil Smith, "What Does Seeing Black Men Die Do for You?" Sadly, it still is relevant. After hearing the older essay, they bring it to the present. This helped me connect todays horrors with the ongoing legacy of police brutality targeted at black people.
I’ve already recommended the 1619 Project from the New York Times. It just won a Pulitzer Prize and the podcast adds dimensions of voices and sound to the articles that will have you transfixed even if you have already read every word.
As for The Pledge, I recently re-listened to and was inspired by the episode on juvenile justice reform with Valerie Slater and her team at RISE for Youth, “You Saw His Greatness. It is exciting to see the work already well underway in transforming the juvenile justice system.
Finally, I also am reminded of the conversations I had with Kathryn, Althea and Miss. Katrina in “My Whole World Shifted” about the Charlottesville police presence during the white supremacists rallies. The images on the news today reinforce their words.
Season 3 of The Pledge is in production. Once again, I have the privilege of speaking to inspiring strong women. You can look forward to learning about how these women have stepped up to fight for voting rights in the states of Florida, Michigan and North Dakota. Everything from fighting to end gerrymandering to passing the long overdue Florida Amendment 4 that returned the vote to formerly incarcerated citizens. It’s a big year, and I’m excited for you to hear, once again, what’s possible when we act.
With deep sadness for the suffering and with hope that this suffering will hasten transformation.
Allison