Pray With our Feet

  What does it mean to pray with our feet? How can we spark change through conversation, one moment, one day, at a time?  What is the biblical basis for activism (Proverbs 31:8-9, Matthew 25:40 and Amos 5:24 and Isaiah 54:6-7).  All this and more on our first episode lifting up the intersection of faith and social justice / activism.  We delve into -  Sharing God's grace and love with folks who have different lived experiences than us.  Why activism must be intersectional - immigrant children in detention centers, folks caught in the web of mass incarceration, climate justice, dismantling white supremacy - all of it is connected.  The story behind the phrase "pray with our feet", a quote from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.   How we connect to God through our creativity.  Why we're so excited for you to hear our upcoming guests, some include: Rev. Amanda (founder of Raising Imagination, an online community, and co-Pastor at Middle Church), Avril Sommervile, activist and writer (Journey of a Life on Purpose) and Rev. Lyvonne Proverbs (founder of Beautiful Scars and Emmy-award winning media producer) and Dr. Marisela Gomez, author, activist and public health physician. Watch her TEDx talk.    Our podcast is generously edited by my husband Keston De Coteau, talented videographer / photographer / editor. Find him: https://www.keston.online   Get Social with Us:   Instagram: @praywithourfeet Twitter: @praywithourfeet 

What does it mean to embrace the revolutionary nature of Jesus - seeing ourselves as inextricably linked to the most marginalized: children on the border, folks caught up in the cycle of the prison industrial complex, etc.? How can we begin to cultivate transformation in our daily actions, and lean deeper into God's grace. Join Emelda as she enters into a heartfelt discussion with Reverend Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft, Executive Minister for Justice, Education and Movement Building at Middle Collegiate Church.  Rev. Amanda is also an activist, writer and founder of the online community, Raising Imagination, crediting its origins to her small town roots, the curiosity and openness of her three young children, the Presidential Election Cycle of 2016, the book The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt, the Theologian Walter Bruggeman, and her countless friends who, over time, expressed poignant interest in Amanda's ability to seemingly incorporate an activist lifestyle with her family. Passionate about the intersection of poverty, faith, politics, and feminism, her work is cited on CNN, Refinery29 the Wall Street Journal, WNBC and the Women's March, Inc. An ordained Minister, she's presented nationwide on topics including systemic injustice, religion, and involving young children in advocacy. Originally from a small town in Kentucky, she now lives in Brooklyn with her husband, 4-year-old twin boys, 2-year-old girl and thinks pizazz & grit (along with a lot of love and justice) can change the world. In this episode, we explore - What it means to reclaim and reframe Christianity, centering the revolutionary message of Jesus (James 2:16 and Matthew 25:40) How standing alongside the least of these, and speaking out against oppression and injustices like racism, white supremacy, climate change, is in line with revolutionary nature of Christ. What steps we can begin now to uplift change - starting with our own families. We go deep in this dialogue, because God calls us to action. Grab your cup of coffee, tea or smoothie, and pull up a chair! Stay Connected with Rev. Amanda: Raising Imagination Middle Collegiate Church @middlechurch Twitter: @raisingimagine Instagram:Raising Imagination Additional Resources for Further Study: Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman  White Fragility: Why It's so Hard for White People to Talk about Race by Robin DiAngelo Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad  The Conscious Kid  Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglass, Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online 

Join us for a conversation with writer, activist and faith warrior Avril Somerville. Born in the Commonwealth of Dominica, Somerville writes at the intersection of identity, community and love. She is the author of A Journey of Life on Purpose, a book of personal essays and poetry, and a forthcoming novel.  She is also an English teacher, wife and mother of three who lives in Pennsylvania. Avril is excited about her independent micro-press, SomerEmpress Publishing, Inc., and looks forward to publishing transformative literature of other gifted women writers of color. In this episode, we dive into: - The power of our words, and how understanding this helps us walk in liberation.  - Seeing ourselves as deeply connected to those around us, especially the most marginalized, understanding Jesus stood for justice (Matthew 25:40 and Amos 5:24).  - Why mindfulness, really being presented and grounded in God and our faith, is vital. - Realizing activism takes many shapes and forms; if you are not able to be on the front lines, you can still show up and serve. Avril says: "Use your gifts, where you are, to tap into your purpose." - God has designed us for intimacy, the act of sitting down and beholding one another. We must not allow technology to strip this away from our consciousness.  - Avril's own creative journey and sources of inspiration. Stay in Touch with Avril Somerville: www.somerempress.com IG: @somerempress  Twitter: @somerempress  Show edited by my talented husband Keston De Coteau (videographer,  photographer and editor) www.keston.online 

Join us for an engaging conversation with Lyvonne Proverbs, MDiv, a New York City native, and body and sex-positive light-worker, pastor, preacher, transformational speaker, writer, poet, educator, and conscious creative social entrepreneur. An Emmy-award winning media producer, Proverbs graduated from Seton Hall University, Yale Divinity School, and Columbia Theological Seminary. She is a highly sought after presenter and has partnered with Lyft, Auburn Seminary, the Atlanta University Center, San Francisco Department of Health, Young Women Social Entrepreneurs and more. Rev. Lyvonne offers consulting for sacred and secular institutions, as well as individual and group spiritual life coaching. Rev. Lyvonne has been featured in ESSENCE, Cosmopolitan, and The Washington Post magazines and is the host of Courageous Currents podcast on KPFA, where she fosters conversations with her guests about life at the intersection of faith and social justice. Sojourners named her one of "11 Women Shaping the Church" in March 2019. We delve into quite a bit during this episode: - Understanding Jesus as liberator for the most marginalized.  - How thinkers rooted in black liberation theology, founded by Dr. James Cone (God of the Oppressed and many other books) and womanism (defined by Alice Walker in her 1983 book In Search of our Mothers' Gardens), expanded her own personal understanding and expression of Christianity. Some of these womanist thinkers  include: Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon, Rev. Dr. Emilie M. Townes, Delores S. Williams, and Ebony Janice Moore.  - Healing from incest (at the hands of her biological father) and founding Beautiful Scars, an online storytelling agency focused on trauma, healing and resiliency. - @WereSurthrivors platform, a digital community for Black Christian women who are also survivors of childhood sexual abuse. By harnessing the power of narrative, she helps survivors (and communities, at large) shift from silence to storytelling. - Moving beyond the shaming of our bodies and sex / sexuality  which is so prevalent in many churches so we can realize our personal and collective liberation in Christ.   - Seeing the body as a divine expression of God's love for us, and embracing various practices to center self care with intention. - The importance of therapy for our well being. Check out Open Path Collective for affordable care options.  Connect with Pastor Lyvonne via her website: https://lyvonnep.com (where you will find links to all her social media pages).  Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online.

Join us for an interesting discussion with Elizabeth Rhodes, writer, designer, and author of the children's book, Feminism is for Boys (for ages 0-3). Elizabeth is an advocate for women's rights and a self-proclaimed feminist. She believes feminism is for all genders, including boys. Elizabeth hopes parents will find this book useful in helping inspire boys to connect with the word feminist, as well as show all children a book representing diverse boys that are proud of their interests, express emotions confidently, seek friendships outside of their similarities, and believe unapologetically in true equality. Elizabeth is a mother to Alora - a loud, strong, fierce human. Her partner Russell was a huge inspiration for the creation of this book. Russell identifies as a feminist and proudly teaches Alora to expect equality. We delved into - - Common prejudgements about feminism, and her journey into feminist thinking. Elizabeth says: "It has been a common misconception in our culture that feminism is reserved for women, and is pursued at the detriment of men. In fact, when feminism is truly successful, all genders will benefit." - Understanding social media as a tool to speak across differences, learn about various lived experiences, and build community, online and off line. - How the Feminism is for Boys book empowers parents to have discussions around gender equality and the diverse beauty of differences at a young age. - How we can all begin to build bridges in everyday life: listening deeply, connecting across generational divides with conversations that acknowledge our lived experiences differ (and that's OK). - How we can create change: speak up when you see something happening that marginalizes others, be honest about your own mistakes along this journey, acknowledge them and then share those lessons with others and honor the value of others lives daily. Connect with Elizabeth via her website: https://www.feminismisforboys.com (where you will find links to all her social media pages).    Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online. 

Join us for an engaging conversation with Lou-Ann Wattley Belk, creative Mama and founder of Well Worth Watering, a newly birthed blog and online community that channels the pregnancy, birth and mothering stories of black women in order to nourish and empower black birthing people.  As we work to dismantle the roots of the deep injustice that exist for black women's maternal health, we can't ignore the narrative. We have to uplift as many stories of success as we do stories of sorrow. Lou-Ann's goal is to fearlessly hold space for both. Well Worth Watering serves as a call to elevate the voices of black mother's unique stories—stories that might otherwise wither on the landscape of the maternal health crisis. It has also become a mantra for Lou-Ann to unapologetically use her voice, creativity and writing for something greater than herself. Committed to learning and growing in her roles as a mother of 2, wife, brand design consultant and creative writer, Lou-Ann now calls Northern Virginia home. We delved into:  - Challenging our ideas / notions of black motherhood, birthing experiences… honoring the many narratives. - How anti-blackness impacts black mothers and children.  - Ways we can all support black mothers - from listening to our lived experiences to donating to organizations like Black Mamas Matter Alliance .   - Lifting up self-care along our motherhood journeys.  Resources and Ways to Support  - Submit your birthing / motherhood story to Well Worth Watering  Why Black Mothers and Babies are in a Life-or-Death Crisis, The New York Times  Black Mamas Matter Alliance  Black Mothers Keep Dying after Giving Birth. Shalon Irving's Story Explains Why (NPR)  Sisters in Loss podcast Spotlights faith filled black women who share their grief and loss stories and testimonies. Black women experience miscarriage and stillbirth four times more than white women according to the NIH and CDC. The case of Lashonda Harris Kira Johnson's Case (Judge Hatchett's  Daughter-in-law) Stay Connected with Well Worth Watering: https://www.wellworthwatering.com IG: @wellworthwatering  -  Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online. 

Join us for a dynamic conversation with Danielle Frisby, founder of  UnBoxing Change, a community engagement event business  created to tackle the most pressing problems people face on the planet. UnBoxing Change allows customers to become Agents of Change by way of creating events that are mission-driven and are attached to the communities that are in need of service and support. Danielle is a Social Impact Event Planner; she organizes families and entrepreneurs with healthy plans of action - from startups ready to launch to Mommies ready to pop, she's got you covered! She is a complete believer of holistic healing and planning, her passion is deeply rooted in the balance and rhythm of life, work and love!  We delved into -  - Centering God and prayer in business, creative projects and everyday life.  - Empowering young people and building intergenerational dialogues.  - How she builds hubs through Unboxing Change to connect youth from around the state of Maryland (middle and high schoolers) who are interested in ministry, business, activism, etc. to mentors who are doing that work, on the ground.  - Her system to help you move from overwhelm to calm and clarity: The Stress Shred (21 Day Challenge). For more info., reach out to her on Instagram through direct message or email: UnBoxingChange@gmail.com - Stay Connected with her: Unboxing Change  - If you enjoy this podcast, please rate, like, share and leave us a review on iTunes.  Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online. 

Join us for a heartfelt chat with Christine Gibson about creativity, motherhood, activism, and progressive Christian faith. Christine was born and raised in Queens where she still resides with her husband and two children. She is training to be a certified birth doula with Carriage House Birth. She became passionate about birthwork after delivering her two children at home with a midwife. She has a BA and MA in International Relations and professional experience in the non-profit. She operates a small handmade business, Queens Knits and runs a monthly group called the Queens Knitting Circle to fulfill her passion of crafting and community building. Christine has been a member of Middle Collegiate Church for the past ten years and loves to share the church's progressive message to whoever will listen. We delved into -  - Her relationship with God and the power of her church community (Middle Collegiate Church) which lifts up radical love, justice and cultivating change in the world.   - Centering authenticity and community  in creative entrepreneurship.  - Using social media as a tool to foster dialogues around social justice, and how the death of Mike Brown propelled her into a new season of activism.  - How a miscarriage eventually led her to study becoming a doula; Christine wants to give other women the birthing experience she didn't have.  - Seeing her progressive Christian faith as inextricably linked to movement building.  Helpful Links mentioned during this episode:  Middle Collegiate Church https://www.middlechurch.org/ Shi Shi Rose https://www.shishirose.com/ Valarie Kaur: Breathe and Push speech (mentioned at the end of this episode) https://valariekaur.com/2017/01/watch-night-speech-breathe-push/ Carriage House Birth (doula training organization) https://www.carriagehousebirth.com/

Pull up a chair, your favorite beverage and get comfy! You don't want to miss our conversation with visual artist Paige Meredith. This was recorded on the go so excuse some of the slight background noise. Paige has such a heart for lifting up others through her artwork. We know you'll leave this conversation inspired. She is a self-taught illustrator living and working in the beautiful Ozark hills of Northwest Arkansas. Days spent in the studio consist of making both digital art on her iPad and more traditional art with an absurdly large collection of watercolor, acrylic paint, gold foil, micron pens, color pencils, as well as another ridiculously massive collection of audiobooks. Because, Paige says, "I love getting lost in a story almost as much as I love making my own. And both at the same time are my happy place... Encouragement makes the world better by reminding us that we each have a gift to with which to make the world sparkle. To put more encouragement into the world {whether through a reminder that you can stick on your computer or a class where you can explore your creativity} : that's why I'm here."  We delved into quite a bit during this episode:  - Being community taught as an artist - recognizing that all we learn comes from numerous sources.  - Joy and creativity as forms of revolution and resistance!  - How living with a learning difference (ADD) helps her build  a community which goes beyond the surface. - Moving away from the guilt so often associated with being a Mama, and learning to center self care.  - What it means to live out your faith / commitment to change.  Stay Connected with Paige: Paige Meredith Art Find her on Instagram: @_paigemeredith_  Resources Mentioned During this Episode: The Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes Reject the Hustle (a new movement...)  Make sure you pop over to their blog!  Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, James Clear  Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online. 

Happy New Decade! We're sharing prayers and scripture verses with you for the months ahead. And, we're also excited to launch an e-newsletter (you can sign up here)! During the next several episodes we're lifting up the intersection of wellness and social justice with some amazing guests: Rowana Abbensetts, founder of Spoken Black Girl magazine, Leilani, founder of Raglin Consulting and a Healing Retreat for Women of Color, and Kellene Diana, founder of The GREEN Heart Community; there is one active division, the GALS Division and two upcoming divisions: the GUYS DIVISION and GLOW DIVISION (for teens and preteens dealing with social anxiety). You can join over 1,500 GALS in  the GALS division: www.bit.ly/ibaad (subscribe to the newsletter and get alerts when the other divisions will start); if you are in Baltimore area, don't miss her upcoming event, Light the City Green, Jan. 11. Far too often, wellness and healing are overlooked in discussions related activism; yet, we cannot do this movement work without commitment to caring for ourselves - mind, body and spirit. The brilliant writer and thinker Audre Lorde once said: "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.  - Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: Sign up for our NEW e-mail newsletter IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online. 

Join us for an inspiring discussion with Kellene Diana, mental health advocate, bestselling author, and proud founder The G.A.L.S. Green Heart Community - a multi-level, member-based community providing numerous resources and accountability for purpose-driven women seeking personal and professional development as they continue to heal from anxiety and depression.  G.A.L.S. was developed in Baltimore, MD as a result of Kellene Diana's personal struggle and triumph over anxiety and depression. She has a commitment to erasing the stigma associated with anxiety and depression amongst women of all nationalities from all over the world.  The GREEN Heart Community has one active division - the GALS Division, and two other divisions on the way - GUYS DIVISION and GLOW DIVISION (for teens and preteens dealing with social anxiety).  Join the Community!  You can join over 1, 500 GALS in the GALS division at  www.bit.ly/ibaad ; the website is still under construction, but people can sign up for the newsletter for alerts on when the other divisions will start: www.thegreenheartcommunity.org.  G.A.L.S. has assisted over 1,000 women worldwide in achieving their dreams despite anxiety and depression by encouraging members to seek therapy in conjunction with providing resources and training to encourage personal development. -  Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: Sign up for our NEW e-mail newsletter IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online. 

Join us for a heart-centered conversation with Leilani Raglin about finding our path in activism, faith, advocating in organizational / corporate spaces, and her work with self care / wellness for women of color. Leilani is the founder of Raglin Consulting, and EmpowerWOC Project: Healing Retreat. She is a social entrepreneur with a background in business, leadership, organizational development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), specializing in growing radically authentic, empowered, and equity-minded organizations, leaders, parents, and families, while creating intentional, positive change in the community.  Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo Ibram X. Kendi (author, professor and anti-racist activist) Support the work Leilani is doing with her retreat, and learn more: https://www.empowerwocproject.org and follow their new IG page.                                EmpowerWOC Project: Healing Retreat Photo Credit: Irah Dizon                                              EmpowerWOC Project: Healing Retreat Photo courtesy of Leilani Raglin -  Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: Sign up for our NEW e-mail newsletter IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online. 

Grab your smoothies, and join us for a great chat with Rowana Abbensetts, writer, mental health advocate and founder of Spoken Black Girl Publishing, about the power of centering wellness and self care as activists / change makers and parents.  Far too often, we push these practices to the back burner, but they are essential for our well being. As a lifelong writer, Rowana has made it her mission to help women heal through telling her own story and inspiring others to do the same. Spoken Black Girl Publishing is designed for women of color to share mental and emotional holistic wellness experiences.  Her fiction and poetry has been published in Obsidian Literature & Arts in the African Diaspora, Moko Magazine, Free Verse, Late Fee and many other publications. Support the Work of Spoken Black Girl Publishing: Become a supporter of Spoken Black Girl on Patreon! Shop the Spoken Black Girl Online Store  Spoken Black Girl Self-Love & Healing Journal  -  Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: Sign up for our NEW e-mail newsletter IG: @praywithourfeet  Twitter: @praywithourfeet  This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online. 

Join us for an illuminating conversation with Dr. Marisela Gomez about prioritizing wellness in daily life, centering spiritual messages rooted in love (Jesus and the Disinherited, Howard Thurman), being intentional about how we use social media, and the importance of listening to the body, a transformative practice which helps us heal from various forms of trauma and more.  Dr. Gomez is a mindfulness practitioner (ordained in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh's Order of Interbeing), public health scholar activist, and physician. Of Afro-Latina ancestry, she lives in Baltimore exploring the intersections of social justice activism in community building/research from a ground of love in action.  She is the author of Race, Class, Power and Organizing in East Baltimore, and numerous book chapters in popular and scholarly publications. She practices with Baltimore and Beyond Mindfulness Community for people of color (POC) and social activists. Connect with Dr. Gomez Further / Additional Resources:  Her blog at Huff Post and http://www.mariselabgomez.com/ on the intersection of wisdom justice and mindfulness. Baltimore Mindfulness Community  TedTalk on healing racism through waking up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSZEsPnhlXg Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of this World for Crucifixion  and Empire  Liberate Meditation app (available on Android  and Apple) 

Welcome to Season 2 of the Pray with our Feet podcast! It's been a while since Season 1 wrapped, and we are excited to be in conversation with you all again. And, if you're on Instagram or Twitter, we regularly share there, too!  This season our theme is racism in the church: How do we dismantle it, along and also begin to move towards reconciliation? Throughout the season, we'll explore  -  - Racism in the Church (form a historical perspective), looking at    the early church. - Racism & the early church (biblical roots): how this connects what we are seeing in the American church today? - In what way does the church need to rediscover the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to deal with racism? - What are the shifts - administrative, cultural and individual - that need to take place in the collective body of Christ to uproot racism and the ideology of white supremacy? - What are the strategies we can begin to lean into as individuals, and church bodies to uproot racism within our own hearts and minds? We're excited to bring you conversations with ministers, activists, and organizers doing the deep and necessary work of anti-racism. Here are a few of our upcoming guests mentioned in this episode:  Rev. Jacqui, Pastor of Middle Church. You can donate here to help rebuilding after the fire.  Rev. Fran Pratt  Rev. Brown TY to our Season 2 Sponsor, Earth is an Island Designs (power the revolution with your purchase. They have donated $9,800 to progressive causes!)  Shop small and conscious today.  Announcements: Our podcast store is opening soon. In the meantime, get your The Revolution Needs our Joy, Too mug now!  Stay in community with us on IG and Twitter.  Stay tuned for our NEW Instagram Live pop-up series, "Continually Awakening," starting in Jan. 2021, where we make space to keep the conversation going around social justice and faith in between PWF podcast episodes.  Credits: HUGE thank you to my husband, Kes, our podcast editor!  He is also a talented creative entrepreneur, videographer and photographer! You can work with him and explore his work here. 

What does it mean to reclaim Christianity, committing to the daily work of anti-racism, and revolutionary love of Jesus? We sat down with Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis, Ph.D., Senior Minister at Middle Collegiate Church, a 1,300-member multi-ethnic, welcoming, and inclusive congregation in New York City (and full disclosure, my home church, loves!) for a conversation which delved into: - The need for each of us to make anti-racism a daily practice  - Rooting our minds and spirits in revolutionary love  - The challenging joy of leading a diverse church that is radically inclusive and leaves no one out regardless of race, sexuality / gender identity or ability.  - The essential duty of church membership to push leaders towards anti-racist practices which goes beyond the pew and into our daily lives - the way we love, work, shop and come in community.  She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and earned her Ph.D. in Religion and Society/Psychology and Religion at Drew University. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Dr. Lewis hosted "Just Faith," an on-demand television program on MSNBC.com and is a frequent media commentator. Her books include The Power of Stories: A Guide for Leaders in Multi-racial, Multi-cultural Congregations, Ten Strategies for Becoming a Multiracial Congregation, and the children's book, You Are So Wonderful!  She is currently at work on a book about how to heal souls and our world.   Stay Connected to Rev. Jacqui and Middle Church:  Middle Church is rebuilding after a tragic fire. You can support this ongoing work by donating here.  Visit Rev. Jacqui's website, and follow her heart-centered work.  Join the Movement at Middle Church!  Announcements: Our podcast store is opening soon. In the meantime, get your The Revolution Needs our Joy, Too mug now!  Stay in community with us on IG and Twitter.  Stay tuned for our NEW Instagram Live pop-up series, "Continually Awakening," starting in Jan. 2021, where we make space to keep the conversation going around social justice and faith in between PWF podcast episodes.  Credits: HUGE thank you to my husband, Kes, our podcast editor!  He is also a talented creative entrepreneur, videographer and photographer! You can work with him and explore his work here. 

Merry Christmas, Pray with our Feet Community! We caught up with Rev. Fran Pratt, pastor, writer, musician, and mystic about her deeply moving prayers which call us to the daily work of anti-racism, honoring the earth and uplifting the Beloved community. We delved into her faith journey -  leaving a fundamentalist evangelical background into progressive Christianity, prayer as both spiritual practice and art form, her powerful prayer: Litany for Racism in the U.S., the need for Christians to understand Jesus through the eyes of those pushed to the margins (liberation theology).  Fran is author of Call and Response: Litanies for Congregational and regularly creates and shares modern liturgy here and on Patreon. She serves as Pastor of Worship and Liturgy at Peace of Christ Church in Round Rock, Texas, where she lives with her spouse and two young daughters. Resources Mentioned During this Episode: James Cone, The Cross and the Lynching Tree  Lisa Sharon Harper's work  Thank you to our Sponsor:  TY to our Season 2 Sponsor, Earth is an Island Designs (power the revolution with your purchase. They have donated over $9,800 to progressive causes!)  Shop small and conscious today.  Stay in Touch:  Our podcast store is opening soon. In the meantime, get your The Revolution Needs our Joy, Too mug now!  Stay in community with us on IG and Twitter.  Stay tuned for our NEW Instagram Live pop-up series, "Continually Awakening," starting in Jan. 2021, where we make space to keep the conversation going around social justice and faith in between PWF podcast episodes.  Credits: HUGE thank you to my husband, Kes, our podcast editor!  He is also a talented creative entrepreneur, videographer and photographer! You can work with him and explore his work here. 

Jesus came to extend radical love and compassion to "the least of these," (Matthew 25:40) - people pushed to the margins of society. We chat with Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III, Senior Minister at Pleasant Hope Baptist Church, social entrepreneur and activist,  about how he centers social justice in his ministry, the significance of the black church - its origins, roots, pioneering thinkers and theologians - and why we must come to understand Jesus as a community organizer, who came to "preach the good news to the poor." (Luke 4:18)  This is part 1 of our discussion, stay tuned for part 2, released next week, the first Friday of Black History Month.  More on Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III: He is the Founding Director of Orita's Cross Freedom School. Based on the Freedom Schools of the 1960's, Dr. Brown works to reconnect Black youth to their African heritage while providing them hands-on learning opportunities to spark their creative genius and build vocational skills.​ Additionally, in 2015 he launched the Black Church Food Security Network a multi-state alliance of congregations working together to inspire health, wealth and power in the Black Community.  The BCFSN accomplishes this by partnering with historically African American churches to establish gardens on church-owned land and cultivates partnerships with African American farmers to create a grassroots, community-led food system. Resources Mentioned During this Episode:  - Black  Baltimore: A New Theory of Community  - Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, author of The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors, among other books.  - Rev. Harvey Johnson, Union Baptist Church  Thank you to our Season 2 sponsor:  Earth is an Island Designs makes conscious apparel and household goods  affirming our commitment to a better world, sharing $20 per item purchased for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic to help repair humanity + our beautiful, all-giving  island Earth. Use the code Invest20 for 20% off your purchase. Earth is an Island Designs has donated $10,560 to progressive causes to date!  Announcements: Our podcast store is opening soon. In the meantime, get your The Revolution Needs our Joy, Too mug now!  Stay in community with us on IG and Twitter.  Stay tuned for our NEW Instagram Live pop-up series, "Continually Awakening," starting in Feb. 2021, where we make space to keep the conversation going around social justice and faith in between PWF podcast episodes.  Credits: HUGE thank you to my husband, Kes, our podcast editor!  He is also a talented creative entrepreneur, videographer and photographer! You can work with him and explore his work here. 

Tune in for Part 2 of our stimulating discussion with Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III, Senior Minister of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church, and founder of the Black Church Food Security Network.  We unpacked quite a bit during this episode, including:  - Understanding God stands on the side of the oppressed (through the lens Black liberation theology) and thinkers like  Rev. Dr. James Cone (The Cross and The Lynching Tree) and Howard Thurman, author of Jesus and the Disinherited (among other books).  - The essential work of believers in building bridges across generations and empowering ourselves. Check out his work with the Black Church Food Security Network, a partnership between black churches and black farmers around the country.  - Being unapologetic about the beauty of blackness, and seeing this way of moving through the world as linked deeply to a loving and affirming God.  - Why we must build beloved community (in the tradition of the Maroons, formerly enslaved people who set up their own communities), and understanding the unique finger print of God on not only individuals, but church bodies (each has a different calling).  Announcements: Thank you to all who have donated to the podcast! If you're able to send a donation to further our work (on Venmo). We are working on a Patreon page.  Our podcast store is opening soon. In the meantime, get your The Revolution Needs our Joy, Too mug now!  Stay in community with us on IG and Twitter.  Stay tuned for our NEW Instagram Live pop-up series, "Continually Awakening," starting in Feb. 2021, where we make space to keep the conversation going around social justice and faith in between PWF podcast episodes.  Credits: HUGE thank you to my husband, Kes, our podcast editor!  He is also a talented creative entrepreneur, videographer and photographer! You can work with him and explore his work here. 

As activists, we carry so much - emotionally, physically and spiritually. Take a moment to breathe, grab your notebook and get these tips from my Ebony Westbrook, meditation coach, vegan chef, and multi-passionate creative. During this episode we delved into the benefits of meditation and mindfulness, caring for the body by listening to it deeply (with healthy eating practices, body scans using meditation), self awareness and more.  Born and raised in Los Angeles California, as a young girl, Ebony grew a passion for singing/songwriting, jewelry designing and health wellness. She uses her gifts to bless others as well as blessing herself.  Connect with her work here.  Listen to the podcast here.  And follow her on Instagram: @shine_with_ebony.  Announcements: Thank you to all who have donated to the podcast! If you're able to send a donation to further our work (on Venmo). We are working on a Patreon page.  Our podcast store is opening soon. In the meantime, get your The Revolution Needs our Joy, Too mug now!  Stay in community with us on IG and Twitter.  Stay tuned for our NEW Instagram Live pop-up series, "Continually Awakening," starting in Feb. 2021, where we make space to keep the conversation going around social justice and faith in between PWF podcast episodes.  Credits: HUGE thank you to my husband, Kes, our podcast editor!  He is also a talented creative entrepreneur, videographer and photographer! You can work with him and explore his work here.