Cracks in the Cement

For this Cracks in the Cement podcast episode, I talk about how some of the ADHD symptoms that I can relate to might get mixed in with my whiteness. I know there can be a lot of relief in realizing one has what is currently called ADHD or ADD, either thru a formal diagnosis or just reading the symptoms and having much of what felt confusing suddenly make sense. And it has been a relief for me, but where do I need to pay attention that I am still being responsible and accountable for the ways in which I have been conditioned as a White person? Check out our offering at Aokalypsis here: https://www.apok-ccrf.org

For this episode, Ronin (Ro) talks about what keeps them going in these times without losing their sh*t.If you're interested in the Emotional Resilience and Accountability Training, you can check it out here: https://www.apok-ccrf.org/for-individuals/Discount code: NEWCULTURE2026

How might white people bring up "your whiteness is showing" kind of thing with other white folks? Ronin shares four steps to make this easy, and without coming across as policing or superior. Youtube version here: https://youtu.be/czFnJdmXrzICheck out our workshops, courses, and hosted community conversations here: https://www.apok-ccrf.org

Ronin shares four ways white folks commonly think they're being helpful when they're actually overshadowing others and/or unconsciously prioritizing themselves. More information on our community conversations here - https://www.apok-ccrf.org/cccApril Harter interview - https://youtu.be/DwJrEjvvfdc?si=Zn_lqJlf-VTkgflh

In this episode of Cracks in the Cement, I have the privilege of talking to jen of wild root revival (certified in Embodied Sex Coaching, Sexological Bodywork, and Psychedelic Integration Coaching-- so fricking cool) about gender, queerness, embodied consent, and some ways to attend to ourselves after consent-ruptures. And consent not just in sexual encounters, but in how we navigate all relationships with other humans. (YouTube version found here.) jen is a queer + trans coach and bodywork practitioner, passionate about helping people come home to their bodies, their pleasure, and their power. At wild root revival, they offer somatic homecoming and liberation practices designed to help folks enhance their ability to be in and aware of their bodies, ground in their curiosity, cultivate intimacy, and amplify both their pleasure and their voice. They especially love facilitating clients' explorations with gender embodiment, libido and pleasure practices, belonging, and grief. Jen's own homecoming practices include lots of river time, friendship adventures, sexy/kinky/geeky pleasure practices, intimacies with grief, and all the trans community they can find. They have certifications in Embodied Sex Coaching, Sexological Bodywork, and Psychedelic Integration Coaching. Jen can be found at www.wildrootrevival.com or on Instagram at wildrootrevival. I reference the book "opening up," by Tristan Taormino-- the consent inventory is on pages 128 and 129. This is an amazing resource for those in any type of relationship, including if you've been in a monogamous relationship for 65 years. It's a list that allows you to check in with your body on what feels good and truly aligned for you. Cracks in the Cement podcast is connected to Apokalypsis Culture-Change Research and Facilitation. The name "cracks in the cement" was pulled from a talk from Rev angel Kyodo williams. A crack in the cement is an opportunity for new life. Our mission at Apokalypsis is to help release and replace entrenched mindset and behaviors inherited from colonization, a presence that very much affects many people’s current ways of thinking, values, personal lives, and communities. We are especially dedicated to cultivating awareness, resiliency, and personal accountability among individuals who are white-bodied or white-presenting. Check us out at https://www.apok-ccrf.org/

The smoke and mirrors of the United States occupation is gone for many of us who were not able to see it (mostly white folks). As we work through the nausea, sadness, hopelessness, anger, etc., let's use this awareness to take responsibility for the collective karma of being part of an occupation, and to really embody collective liberation. If you are interested in a healing session with me, you can reach me here: ronin@apok-ccrf.org

A quick episode to honor the current day human experience-- the grief, anger, hopelessness of war and climate change... and as humans have done forever through the worst of times, we are asked to find ways to help and hold each other and ourselves, and to find time for joy and connection. View on YouTube here. Cracks in the Cement podcast is connected to Apokalypsis Culture-Change Research and Facilitation. The name "cracks in the cement" was pulled from a talk from Rev angel Kyodo williams. Our mission at Apokalypsis is to help release and replace entrenched mindset and behaviors inherited from colonization, a presence that very much affects many people’s current ways of thinking, values, personal lives, and communities. We are especially dedicated to cultivating awareness, resiliency, and personal accountability among individuals who are white-bodied or white-presenting. https://www.apok-ccrf.org/ self-paced professional development for white folks, "Emotional Resilience and Accountability Training": https://www.apok-ccrf.org/resiliency_intro/

It was brought to my attention that I have been using the word “woo" because I feel nervous my spiritual practices will scare some people off. I was unaware of how discounting and diminishing that is to the healers and healing that are/is so needed. And when it comes down to it, we can't make everyone happy, so we need to be honest about who we are. ~*~ YouTube version: https://youtu.be/LvB6Eh5vH3g

White supremacy is a violent pattern of being-- both seen and unseen-- that demands us to pattern ourselves to fit in with it (or it will spit us out). This has created a wounded culture that needs healing (we must to do more than tear it down). I went to the desert to ask Gaia "What is the pattern of being that heals?" And [~She~] answered... Listen to hear [~Her~] response. --> YouTube version found here. Oyěwùmí, O. (2005). The invention of women. Anthropology in theory: Issues in epistemology, 448-454. The name "Cracks in the Cement" was pulled from a talk from Rev angel Kyodo williams. We look for cracks in the cement from which new life can grow. This podcast is associated with Apokalypsis CCRF: https://www.apok-ccrf.org

This episode distinguishes between two types of perfectionism, and explores what's underneath so we can do more than just hot potato everything that seems related to it. Talking to myself and white-bodied listeners, I also share some ways I think this might mix with our whiteness. Find video version here. Resources I mentioned: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.619018/full https://candisfox.com Professional development opportunities: https://www.apok-ccrf.org/training/ https://www.apok-ccrf.org/learning-groups/

Four years past the big white awakening of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement... Are places like Eugene, Oregon much better? If you are a white person, are you much better? This episode reflects on some ways I've learned white folks (I'm one of them) can show up in a much better way. ttps://www.apok-ccrf.org

What's slowing you down from stepping into your full self (and we need your full self now more than ever, as we enter new climate patterns and political challenges)? For me, it was alcohol and trying to be social in ways that don't gel with me (draining the shit out of me, and making me feel like a failure). Also, plz support our work by checking out our new self-paced professional and personal development course (for white people rn) at Apokalypsis: https://www.apok-ccrf.org/training/

A vision of my emotionally distant grandmother as a child inspires me to discuss how trauma, blocked grief, and a belief in group superiority create armor and plaque around one's heart, blocking the ability to feel others' pain, in turn being able to support or ignore genocide. Video version: https://youtu.be/PIwNFC7AATo

The condition of whiteness has programmed many of us white folks into thinking we can take up more than our fair share of time and resources. This episode reflects on how moving back is often the most helpful action we white folks can do.

This episode is dedicated to my mom and my partner for loving and accepting all of who I am. Thank you so very much <3 <3 <3

For this episode I dig a little more into how ancestral trauma potentially mixes with whiteness. Specifically, how being raised with messages that there is not enough food, resources, or unconditional love, coupled with individualism can create some harmful results. P.S. Rise Up Rooted is rebranding! Check out our new website here: https://www.apok-ccrf.org/

As we learn about tenets of white supremacy, productivity is commonly listed. Does this mean productivity is inherently bad? It seems to me it depends on what it's for, and if it's in healthy relationship with other beings and other aspects of ourselves.  The wounded masculine is a product of the settler/colonizer culture that pushes us all to be in constant productivity, not to support something divine, but to support capitalism and ward off a fear of being annihilated. For many of us, this is a felt sense, stuck in our muscles and neurons-- a need to be productive to prove we are worth taking up space. I am learning there is a healthy, divine masculine-oriented type of productivity. It's an energy that lifts and supports our divine feminine's creative force-- it wants to be of service in a meaningful way, and wants to get sweaty making things happen.   We have all been given the gifts/tools of our internal divine feminine and divine masculine-- when tapped into, allowing them to take turns, it seems to me this is what allows us to release harmful productivity conditioning and replace it with balance and focused flow.  Me and White Supremacy learning groups: https://www.apok-ccrf.org/learning-groups/ 72 Keys to Manifestation is the book I reference.

Those of us who are justice-oriented, and raised with white supremacy conditioning, can often find ourselves in the habit of being hyper-judgemental. For this episode, I reflect on how whiteness interacts with this phenomenon (we white folx have got to practice humility...), as well as my realization that being honest about how my discernment can easily slip into hyper-judgement opened me up to feel a respect and kindness to those who are prone to cancel others. Undoing our colonized brain means not canceling those who cancel us. The grand discovery: we are not going to be able to make the big problems go away in our lifetimes, therefore, it's all about building relationships and holding space for each other along the way (and as Layla Saad and other teachers and leaders have said, being a good ancestor).

A treasured friend of mine, M, requested I do an episode on grief, so here it is. Grief has become one of my favorite topics because thanks to friends of mine like Drea, and teachers like Martín Prechtel, I have come to understand that feeling (1) safe enough to work through our own grief, and (2) comfortable to hold another in working through their grief are necessary components of a healthy culture. And white folks like me really need to tap into that. AND as Martín teaches, we grieve because we praise, which is BEAUTIFUL~~~<3 Martín Prechtel's talk: https://youtu.be/UUwewfPPSbE?si=6QOUDD0fSqHk3orI Bayo Akomolafe on grief (one of my FAVORITE speakers/teachers): https://youtu.be/rcu60pvVs8s?si=Ehl7XaIENMgECF5K

This August episode offers updates on what going on with Rise Up Rooted (the organization from which this podcast springs), including its place on the path towards nonprofit status, as well as a bit of background and more information on the upcoming “Me and White Supremacy” book/learning groups (they start in October). If you or anyone you know is curious about these book/learning groups, this episode will offer you more understanding of how they roll. Thank you! :) More info: https://www.riseup-rooted.org/learning-groups/ https://www.riseup-rooted.org/workshops-with-robin/ Sign up for upcoming groups here: https://forms.gle/yoDg6CLRJtiweDybA Questions? You can email me at robin@riseup-rooted.org