Kevin McShan is a journalist, speaker, disability advocate, and podcast host who has cerebral palsy. In this episode he and Jonathan Mahan have a vulnerable conversation about his experiences living with the disease. Disability is a sensitive topic that most of us prefer to avoid, today we're taking some time to bravely talk about uncomfortable topics such as his real versus perceived physical limitations, the emotional toll having a disability has, and the struggles of social isolation faced by most people with disabilities. If you want to watch this conversation in video format you can do so here: https://youtu.be/uE5dRygjqBg
Tyrone is a cyber security professional in the banking industry who has spent most of his career working in almost entirely white work places. In this episode we talk about topics such as how he handles microaggressions, what makes it difficult for Black professionals to advance, and even the different ways unconscious racial biases impact both white and Black people in the workplace. If you want to watch the video version of this conversation you can find it here: https://youtu.be/NrfkcD7_pf8
Whether it's folks on the religious right or the woke left or that vegan cross fitter you know one thing that is common in all groups of people is that many of them use their commitment to live by a certain standard as justification to be a jerk to people who aren't living by that same standard. Greg Fontus is both a DEI consultant and a Christian minister and in this episode he and Jonathan Mahan compare this phenomenon across various groups of people, explore why it is that this is such a common occurrence, and even discuss how we all can avoid this common pitfall in our own lives. If you want to watch the video version of this conversation you can find it here: https://youtu.be/M46s4Y9nRAs
When you feel like you have to change who you are and act out a role in order to make those around you feel more comfortable, and you do so in order to gain access to social capital, career opportunities, etc that is code switching. People of all backgrounds may do this at some point in their lives, but members of marginalized groups (racial/ethnic minorities, neuro-divergent people, members of LGBTQ community, etc) experience it constantly in our schools and workplaces. This is a truly fascinating conversation between Jonathan Mahan and Zeena Greene that not only covers code switching but also gets into where the notion of "professionalism" came from and how it is tied to the patriarchal, heteronormative, white supremacist aspects of our culture. If you'd like to watch the video version of this conversation you can find it here: https://youtu.be/PeiE-O73aQk
Empathy is a superpower, and one that everyone has the capacity for. However, oftentimes in life we find ourselves interacting with people who aren't showing any empathy. We may even have people in our lives who make a habit out of not showing much empathy. In this episode Kevin Shah and I talk about empathy; what it is, how to develop it in yourself, and how to help others show up with more empathy in their interactions with you. You'll even get a better understanding of why it's so hard for some people to show up with empathy in various situations, and how you yourself can get better at this as well. If you want to watch the video version of this conversation you can do so here: https://youtu.be/Qb2c5x6gWjw
The issues of police brutality, racial profiling, qualified immunity, and others have become hot button issues here in the U.S. Slogans like "Back the Blue" and "Defund the Police" are thrown around and those on opposing sides tend to strongly dislike each other. In this conversation I am joined by Brandon Lee, of Training for Transformation (T4T), as we discuss what's good, what's bad, and what's complicated in American policing both today, and throughout history. If you want to watch the video version of this conversation you can find it here: https://youtu.be/OQe6ae6RwBA
None of us could own all the things we own at the prices we paid for them if it wasn't for the regular exploitation and trafficking of other human beings for their labor. In this episode Kelli White and I have a conversation about the current state of modern day slavery, including both labor trafficking and sex trafficking. Unfortunately the situation is complicated with few easy answers about how to fix it. It is, however, an incredibly important aspect of reality to be aware of so we can each do our small part to resist it when we are able. If you want to watch the video version off this conversation you can do so here: https://youtu.be/LdCu5RQ787I
Your critics can often point things out to you that your fans are blind to. If you genuinely want to get better you should listen to what your critics have to say. That's exactly what Jonathan Mahan models for you in this episode as he talks to Dr. Karlyn Borysenko, an ex-Democrat who now supports Donald Trump. They talk about why she left the Democratic party, what information most people on the Left are missing out on, and how they can do better in the way they show up online and engage with those in their lives who disagree with them. If you'd like to listen to the video version of this conversation you can find it here: https://youtu.be/efHECf-3aD4
Tristan is one of relatively few people who has lived life both as a woman and as a man and has experienced how he's been treated differently by the world in each case. In this episode we'll be examining the concept of male privilege through the lens of his past experiences both pre and post transition. If you'd like to watch the video version of this interview you can do so here: https://youtu.be/D2JCRT4IRUA
Celia and Jeff are both members of marginalized groups and have experienced quite a bit of bigotry and hate in their time. In this episode we talk about the various ways you could respond in the face of such things and why a compassionate patient approach can often be the best option. You’ll hear Celia and Jeff tell real life stories of how they’ve responded to incidents they’ve experienced, as well as hearing about what their limits are for when they won’t choose to patiently engage, but will rather disengage to protect their own mental and emotional health. If you want to watch the video version of this conversation you can find that here: https://youtu.be/8guPzIZJI-Q
In this episode Symone Barnes and Jonathan Mahan have an open, vulnerable conversation about race. They compare their upbringings, relive cringe worthy moments involving racism from their past, discuss hot button issues like reparations and white privilege, and generally have the type of honest open interaction most of us will never have with someone of another race. if you'd like to watch this conversation in video format you can find that here: https://youtu.be/Z67Qco7lbPQ
Jeremy is a white man who supports both Donald Trump and the Black Lives Matter movement. In this episode he and I will be discussing how he came to recognize the reality of the nature and scope of racism and what the process of changing his mind on such a big issue was like. We'll also spend some time discussing what you can do to help open the eyes of white people in your life who don't see racism for what it is. If you want to watch the video version of this conversation you can find that here: https://youtu.be/WOj1a8OoAvk
When we see someone expressing views that make us angry we typically either just ignore them (and block them) or verbally tear into them in a comment. While those are understandable reactions they both have a very harmful impact on the world. In fact this type of behavior plays an significant role in the spread of extremism, hate, and violence in our society and if unchecked I believe things will get even uglier than they have been these last few years. The best remedy for the tense situation we're in is to have difficult conversations with people's whose views make you angry and to do so in a way that centers curiosity, empathy, and patience in the conversation. Today I'll be explaining thoroughly why I see this as being so important and what harm is done when we avoid these conversations or have them in a destructive manner. If you want to watch the video version of this episode you can find it here: https://youtu.be/vhSkN_AMeI8
Race is one of those topics most of us have been trained to avoid talking about altogether, and especially with people we disagree with. However, if we don't talk about race in a healthy way, things are unlikely to ever change. In this conversation Chuck and Jon (who do not see eye to eye on the topic of racism) will be discussing topics such as "what does the word 'racism' mean to you? ", "is racism still an issue today?" "what is the cause of continued racism?" "how do you explain racial disparities that exist today?", and much more.. Let's clarify though, they are the furthest thing from experts on the topic so don't come to learn about racism itself (you can better learn that from Black people who are choosing to speak up on the topic). However, if you want to learn how to have a respectful conversation with someone whose views on the topic make you angry then this is the perfect conversation for you. If you want to watch the video version of this conversation you can find that here: https://youtu.be/gI450jP30uk
Everyone has some forms of privileges in life and we should not be afraid or ashamed to recognize that. In this episode Jon and Maja discuss the various ways their lives have been less challenges for them than they would have been if they had not been able bodied, neurotypical, cis, straight, white people. You'll hear them cover experiences with getting hired and promoted, interacting with the police, moving across the country, managing their mental health, and more. If you'd like to watch the video version of this interview you can do so here: https://youtu.be/PqX3vT-GuBA
In this episode Jared Karol and I discuss how to keep your cool and converse effectively with people who piss you off. Regardless of your views there are people online that make you want to reach through the computer screen and throttle them when you read their comments and posts. We'll be discussing ways to manage your own internal state in the face of such infuriating people as well as ways to craft your responses to maximize the chance that they have some sort of impact on the recipient. Let's face it... Every one of us needs help with this right now. If you'd prefer to watch the video version of this conversation you can find that here: https://youtu.be/acASiNr1I9c
David Fite is a staunch libertarian and I am a progressive liberal and to be honest, I've always seen libertarians as naive and out of touch so this seemed like a perfect opportunity to sit down and have a difficult conversation. However the type of conversation that happens on this show is very different from what most people see and experience. In this conversation neither party was attempting to persuade the other, rather we are attempting to better understand one another by letting curiosity and empathy lead the conversation. I won't spoil anything for you but I will say that I was blown away by how many values we shared and how many principles we agreed on. Our differences in opinion boiled down to some relatively minor factors, which I definitely did not expect. If you'd like to watch the video recording of this conversation you can find that here: https://youtu.be/kGGj9BnJrTg
This was a very difficult conversation between Jonathan Mahan and Jeremy Notchick since they have very different views about Trump and it was recorded the week after the election. This is a conversation where both parties are focused on understanding, not convincing, each other. As a nation our inability/ unwillingness to engage in difficult conversations is standing in the way of growth and progress. This video is for liberals and conservatives alike and will be great for you to watch if you: A.) Want to get better at engaging in courageous conversations with people you disagree with B.) Want to honestly understand how people on the other side can think the way they do, or C.) Get your kicks from watching other people getting reaaallllly uncomfortable.