Religion & Spirituality
*There are a ton of juicy resources! Make sure to scroll down to the end! In this episode, we’re featuring three guests and discussing the following topics. *Our participation in the Nobel Peace Prize Forum at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota. *Robyn shares her story of meeting Maya Soetoro-Ng, Director of the Matsunaga Peace Institute at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, founder of Ceeds of Peace; and President Barack Obama’s sister! *We introduce you to three Activists who discuss their journeys with peace, activism and spiritual healing. *Our paths to studying and teaching peace with Robyn receiving the “Newcomer Mediator of the Year” Award from the Center of Conflict Resolutions Chicago and Keme receiving the “First Decade Award” from Augsburg College, her alma mater. Featured Guests: *Penelope Summers, M.A., Energy Therapist Interview begins @ 16:19 sec. *Ricardo Levins Morales, Artist and Activist Interview begins @ 32:19 sec. *Andrew Williams, Executive Director of Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA) Interview begins @ 56:09 sec. Our guests discuss a range of issues with us. Women’s impact on peace The Greensboro 4, lunch counter sit-ins and the civil rights movement. Dr. Martin Luther King vs. Malcolm X Women's suffrage and black women being excluded from the movement. A white woman’s understanding of bell hooks, feminism and intersectionality. MP150 Police Review, A People’s Project Evaluating Policing The history of police departments and its relationship to slavery and white supremacy in the U.S. How the paths to inclusivity and healing needs truth, justice and reconciliation. How art facilitates healing and builds self esteem. The paradox of Colin Kaepernick and Nike’s relationship with cheap labor in South Asia. How to live social justice. How to get involved in activism despite feelings of despair and being overwhelmed. Spirituality and activism Why compassion and love are important in activism and social justice work. Guests’ Bios: *Penelope Summers, M.A., Energy Therapist Penelope holds an M.A. in Writing and a dual M.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies and International Administration and Conflict Management. She’s an Energy Therapist which includes working as an Intuitive, Medium, Reiki Master and EFT Practitioner. You can find her on Instagram at @ask._penny, Twitter: @summers_p and Facebook @ Penelope Jane. You can make an appointment with her via email at summerspenelope790@gmail.com. She offers her services at Eclipse in Roswell on Fridays. Their number is 678-682-8624 eclipsenewage.com. *Ricardo Levins Morales, Artist and Activist “Ricardo Levins Morales describes himself as a “healer and trickster organizer disguised as an artist.” He was born into the anti-colonial movement in his native Puerto Rico and was drawn into activism in Chicago when his family moved there in 1967. He left high school early and worked in various industries, and over time began to use his art as part of his activism. This activism has included support work for the Black Panthers and Young Lords to participating in or acting in solidarity with farmers, environmental, labor, racial justice and peace movements. Increasingly he has come to see his art and organizing practices as means to address individual, collective and historical trauma. He co-leads workshops on trauma and resilience for organizers as well as trainings on creative organizing, social justice strategy and sustainable activism, and mentors and supports young activists. His art has won numerous awards but the greatest affirmation is the uses to which is has been put by grassroots movements and communities.” RLM Art Studio, 3260 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis, MN, 55406. Phone: 612-455-2242. rlmartstudio.com. *Andrew Williams, Executive Director of Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA) “Andrew Williams, Executive Director (HECUA) has over 25 years of experience in higher education as a teacher, mentor, academic advisor, and administrative leader. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana and raised within a working-class African-American family, Williams was a first-generation college student. His upbringing and academic experiences sparked his intellectual curiosity in social difference, political resistance and human inequality. Recruited to play basketball, Andrew matriculated to Earlham College where his experiences and exposure to Quaker values sparked his sociological imagination and passion for social justice. Andrew eventually left the basketball team while serving as captain in protest over Earlham’s investments in corporations doing business in South Africa and joined leaders of the campus divestment movement. For Andrew, this was the beginning of a deep and sustained exploration of African and African Diaspora cultures and politics, engaged scholarship, and political activism. Throughout his career, Williams has worked to balance and link research, teaching, and political engagement on issues of interculturality, educational equity, international development, human rights, learning abroad, placed-based learning and social justice. More recently, Williams has served as Director of Multicultural Affairs at Carleton College, Director of Development and Communication for Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Assistant Director of the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence at the University of Minnesota, and Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion within the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts.” hecua.org Resources Books and Blogs I’d Rather Teach Peace, by Colman McCarthy Louise Hay, You Can Heal Your Life Strength to Love, by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos and Community, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love and Liberation, by Rev. angel Kyodo Williams Lani Guinier Why Every Yoga Teacher and Practitioner Needs Inclusivity Training, by Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts Nike’s Colin Kaepernick Ad Raises Issues of Workers Rights Videos, Documentaries and Films Keme Hawkins, Ph.D. receiving The First Decade Award at Augsburg College Greensboro Four, Independent Lens documentary (watch here) Colman McCarthy, I’d Rather Teach Peace Talk, TEDxGeorgetown Iron Jawed Angels Angela Davis on the Radical Work of Healing and Self Care Hong Kong Blessings, Robyn and Keme’s Peace Pilgrimage to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. Yoga Inclusivity Training Organizations and Institutions Center for Conflict Resolution Chicago Augsburg University Nobel Peace Prize Forum Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolence Social Change Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta Ceeds of Peace The Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Hawaii-Manoa Greensboro Four - Lunch counter sit-ins International Civil Rights Center & Museum, Greensboro, NC Women’s Equality Day Alice Paul Institute Intersectionality bell hooks Institute MPD150 Police Review, A People’s Project Evaluating Policing Want to support the show? Buy Ayurveda products from Banyan Botanicals! Robyn's Banyan purchase link HERE. *** To learn more about Robyn's favorite Ayurveda products, CLICK HERE. Ayurveda Consultations Email Robyn @ robynshealthyliving@gmail.com. *** Screenwriting and Writing Consulting Services Email Keme @ hawkins.keme@gmail.com. *** Social media Instagram: @spiritpathpodcast Twitter: @onthespiritpath Website: spiritpathpodcast.com If you like our vibe, be sure to SUBSCRIBE!