Stirring Up Shift

Taxes have a long history in this country, shifting further after the introduction of income taxes. Join me in this episode as we hash through the history of federal income taxes, their uses, and their effects in the country. Low taxes and little to no federal protections caused chaos and mayhem for the working classes across the country during the Industrial Revolution and "Gilded" Age, following the Civil War and Reconstruction periods. All culminating as the country shifted toward the Progressive Eras and Great Depression/Prohibition Era. Taxing the rich corporations and “industry leaders” is not a new notion and resulted in many of the few benefits working America’s have access to in this country.     America's "Working Poor" Millions of Full-Time Workers Rely on Federal Health Care and Food Assistance Programs (2020) | GAO Walmart’s Food Stamp Scam Explained in One Easy Chart | Jobs with Justice Walmart and McDonald’s are among top employers of Medicaid and food stamp beneficiaries, report says | NBC Walmart, McDonald's among largest employers of SNAP, Medicaid recipients: Report | Fox Business   Walmart Check out Nancy Walton Laurie's $300 million superyacht that features a helipad, swimming pool, and aquarium | Business Insider Boat of the Week: Inside ‘Secret,’ the Lavish 271-Foot Superyacht Owned by Walmart Heiress Nancy Walton Laurie | Robb Report How Walmart is Dodging Billions in Taxes | Americans for Tax Fairness   Gilded Age How Upton Sinclair’s ‘The Jungle’ Led to US Food Safety Reforms | History.com   Great Depression New Deal | History.com Why Social Security Was the Cornerstone of FDR’s New Deal | History.com Social Security Act | History.com

The power of language, the framing and centering of beliefs and "identities" matter because of their impact on the rhetoric and discourse that influence and construct our society and culture. Join me as I dive into key reminders when going into this Tuesday's election surrounding the structuring of our state and federal governments, the importance of civic engagement for the democratic process and the weight of propaganda and misinformation. A disengaged and disempowered proletariat only serves the few. 

Over 2 years ago, Roe V. Wade was overturned by the US Supreme Court which opened the door for multiple states to pass abortion bans and continue to test the waters on the extent in which their governments can interfere in the privacy of women's reproductive rights and healthcare. More stories flood the media surrounding women turned away from hospitals and denied treatment, dying or almost dying in the process. What does this all mean? How have we gotten here with the steadily growing concern on preventable pregnant persons' deaths in America?   Resources/Recommendations/References: Abortion Bans Have Delayed Emergency Medical Care. In Georgia, Experts Say This Mother's Death Was Preventable | ProPublica Rest In Power: A Running List of the Preventable Deaths Caused by Abortion Bans | Ms. Magazine Infants dying, women at risk: Medical literature describes wide-ranging consequences of Dobbs Life Of The Mother | ProPublica Dozens of pregnant women, some bleeding or in labor, are turned away from ERs despite federal law | AP News Doctors Warned Her Pregnancy Could Kill Her. Then Tennessee Outlawed Abortion | ProPublica In Oklahoma, a woman was told to wait until she's 'crashing' for abortion care | NPR Pregnancy-related deaths are on the rise…and sepsis is a big reason | NIH Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: Current Status and Efforts to Address Them | KFF

Join me as we look into voter disenfranchisement through direct ways or from behind the scenes during the election process. Gerrymandering, Super PACs, and more. Participating in elections feels like a burden to many, more so now than ever, what have been some recently revealed causes? And longstanding practices? What are some small steps we can take to begin to stir up shift?   References/Recommendations/Resources:   Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens (2014) (Research Paper) Gilens and Page: Average citizens have little impact on public policy | PNHP Congress literally doesn't care what you think | Represent Us Influence of Big Money | Brennan Justice Center How Corporate Donors Get Their Tax Breaks and 5 Ways to Fight Back | Center for American Progress (CAP) Dark Money Basics | Open Secrets Dark Money | Brennan Justice Center Super PACs & Coordination | Brennan Justice Center Money in Politics | Common Cause  7 Facts about Americans' Views of Money in Politics | Pew Research Center Money, Power, and the Influence of Ordinary People in American Politics | Pew Research Center How Big Money Corrupts the Economy | Democracy Journal It Takes Lots of Money to Win Elections. Here's What You Need to Know | NPR How Jim Crow-Era Laws Suppressed the African American Vote for Generations | History.com History of Voting Rights The Man Who Rigged America's Election Map | Vox (Video) Gerrymandering Definition | Britannica Democracy Lab | TedED 'The Great Hack': Cambridge Analytica is Just the Tip of the Iceberg | Amnesty International History of the Cambridge Analytica Controversy | Bipartisan Policy Center Citizens United Explained | Brennan Justice Center Summary How States Define Lobbying and Lobbyist | National Conference of State Legislatures Political Action Committees (PACs) | Federal Election Commission Summary of The Mueller Report, for Those Too Busy to Read It All | Harvard After Mueller Revelations, How to Protect Election Integrity in 2020 (Video) | PBS News Block the Vote: How Politicians are Trying to Block Voters from the Ballot Box | ACLU Removal of On-Campus Voting on Election Day Sparks Uproar at Purdue | Inside Higher Ed NC Election Officials Removed Nearly 750,000 Ineligible Registrants Since Start of 2023 | North Carolina State of Election Boards Texas officials say they've scrubbed the voter rolls. Here's how to check if you're still on them | Texas Tribune Democracy Diverted: Polling Place Closures and the Right to Vote | The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights    

The discourse surrounding the celebration of Indigenous People's Day vs "Columbus Day" continues as the country denies reckoning with its own history of its founding. This history exists past and present as the fruits of colonization remain largely unacknowledged or blatantly ignored. The recentering of indigenous peoples in this narrative is crucial for our society to come to terms with the oppression, assimilation, and appropriation of indigenous communities and culture.     References/Resources/Recommendations:   Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) The Impact of Words and Tips for Using Appropriate Terminology: Am I Using the Right Word? | National Museum of the American Indian   Federal Boarding Schools Origin of Names of U.S. States | U.S. Dept of the Interior Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative | U.S. Dept of the Interior Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative | U.S. Dept of the Interior Video: Unspoken: America's Native American Boarding Schools (Part One) | PBS Unspoken: America's Native American Boarding Schools (Part Two) | PBS Struggling with Cultural Repression | National Museum of the American Indian - Smithsonian U.S. Indian Boarding School History | The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition   "Indian" Removal Act Remembering the Trail of Death and its Impact on the Potawatomi People The Potawatomi Trail of Death | The History Museum Immigration and Relocation in U.S. History: Native American | Library of Congress Trail of Tears | History.com The Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears | National Geographic (Video) How the Brutal Trail of Tears Got Its Name | Smithsonian Channel (Youtube)   Christopher Columbus Was Christopher Columbus a Hero or Villain? | Biography.com Why Columbus Day Courts Controversy | History.com Christopher Columbus | Britannica.com   Sand Creek Massacre (Video) UNUM Short: Remembering the Sand Creek Massacre | PBS Sand Creek Massacre | Britannica.com   Osage Murders How Marriage and Murder were Used to Steal Osage Oil Riches | History.com   Additional Butchered Tongue Lyrics (Hozier) | Genius Lyrics Understanding the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis Beyond Individual Acts of Violence Indiana Statehood | IN.gov Oklahoma | History.com Skunk, Bayou, and Other Words with Native American Origins | Merriam-Webster A Legacy of Negligence: The Historical Mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples in the United States | Berkley Public Policy Journal

Welcome back for the latest season! This episode lays the groundwork for later episodes as I utilize this message and practice of "Choosing Love." While it is quick to consider the transactional notion of this word and practice, I focus on continuing the effort and shift to re-envision what can be meant and taught surrounding this word and all connecting ideals. All forms of love are not something to be earned through "respect" and "authority" but is in actuality connected to the intrinsic value already within each of us and all other aspects of nature. Love is an act and a practice, not something owed or held; it's a way of life that is cultivated and developed throughout our lives. The "Choose Love" Movement by the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Foundation is an exceptional example of this idea in practice. Visit their linked homepage to learn more about the foundation, their impact, and their movement or if you're interested in utilizing their curriculum.      References/Resources/Recommendations:   Choose Love Movement Official Homepage Choose Love Movement Program Overview Choose Love Movement Educator Guide

Have you ever wondered why some parts of health are easier than others or why others are able to have better health than you? It may not just be a you problem. Join me in the season finale as I discuss what is meant by the social determinants of health, what goes into them and examples, and what that means for us.    References/Resources:  Social Determinants of Health | Benton-Franklin Health District Social Determinants of Health | Healthy People 2023 Understanding Social Determinants of Health | Illinois Department of Public Health

What is advocacy? What is activism? Why can protestors be so annoying? If you have thought or questioned this in light of current events, check out this week’s podcast as we cover the topic and famous movements throughout history.   Resources/References What is the Difference Between Advocacy and Activism? | Commons Library Activism Defined: What is Activism | Masterclass The History of Student Activism in the United States | Teen Vogue In pictures: A lookback at student protest movements in the US | CNN    

What’s up with maternal health and healthcare in the US? What is going on with EMTALA? While states with abortion bans be able to ignore this federal policy? Do you live in a maternity care desert? Why is the maternal mortality rate increasing in the US? If you’ve asked any of these questions or want to find out the answers, join me in this week’s podcast episode!

Agree or disagree, Roe V Wade has changed the landscape of healthcare in many states that support or oppose the decision — out of state travel bans, lawsuits for inadequate healthcare, and concerning statistics from states with restrictions or total bans. 

What does the military industrial complex and the militarization of our country’s police forces have in common? Did Kaepernick kneeling bother you? What about BLM? Join me in this week’s episode as I discuss this and so much more!

Have you ever wondered what was meant by the “military-industrial complex” or who popularized the term? Or how former-President Eisenhower is involved in the current affairs of our country? Join me as I discuss this and much more!    Resources/References: Military-Industrial Complex | Britannica Military-Industrial Complex | History.com Eisenhower Farewell Address Resources Eisenhower Farewell Address (Reading Copy)

What is the current state of our criminal justice system? How do we compare to the rest of the world? What’s the prison industrial complex? Tune in to have your questions answered about a “crucial” system that helps maintain “law and order,” in our country and many more!   References/Resources: Prison Industrial Complex Definition | Merriam-Webster Prisoners in the US are part of a hidden workforce linked to hundreds of popular food brands | AP News War on Drugs | Britannica Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2024 | Prison Policy Initiative Families in disbelief after hundreds of bodies found buried behind Mississippi Jail | PBS News Hour ‘The law is clear’: Families of deceased inmates missing organs demand answers | WVTM13 The United States Criminalizes People Who Need Health Care and Housing | Vera   Recommendations:  The 13th (Netflix Documentary) 60 Days In (TV Series) The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson Equal Justice Initiative Angela Davis’s Collected Works

What do you think of when you hear behavioral health? Do you think of it’s close relative, mental health? Join me as I continue the discussion on mental health through behavioral health — what it means, some recent struggles and changes in the country and considerations for the future.    Resources/References Behavioral Health | Healthline Mental Health vs Behavioral Health | Healthline Behavioral Health | CMS Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs) | SAMHSA

Have you or someone you know struggled with mental health in the past or currently is? What is mental health? What does that even mean? Why should I even care?  If you said yes or asked yourself or someone else any of these questions, join me in my discussion on mental health, what we can do to support it, and why it is most important now more than ever to put in the work and address the mental health crisis in our country. **If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis or thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 for the emergency lifeline.**   References/Recommendations/Resources:  Your Healthiest Self: Wellness Toolkits | NIH Caring for Your Mental Health | NIH What is Mental Health | SAMHSA Mental Health By The Numbers | NAMI Quick Facts and Statistics on Mental Health | MHA Mental Health | CDC Mental Health | WHO Mental Health Definition | APA The Lifeline and 988 | 988 Lifeline Help Someone Else | 988 Lifeline  

What happens in the home and community doesn’t necessarily always stay there, it can get carried around with a person into adulthood. Join me as I discuss adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). What are they? How can they happen? What are the risks and outcomes associated with them? How can we prevent them?  We know better, so, now, we all need to do better.   References/Resources/Recommendations: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) | CDC Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) | Kaiser Permanente Explore Your Number (ACEs Number Quiz) | NumberStory.Org What ACEs/PCEs Do You Have? | ACEs Too High ACEs Prevention Strategy Plan | CDC

Come along as we explore the history of public health and a few of its biggest advances. Where did the idea of public health come from? How has it changed the world and changed with the world? Why were we asked to quarantine, isolate, and wash our hands?    Resources/References:  A Brief History of Public Health It Took Surprisingly Long for Doctors to Figure Out the Benefits of Handwashing | History Channel 5 Advances that Followed Pandemics | History Channel

Join me this week as we wrap up our Black History Month Episodes briefly highlighting Black Inventors and their inventions! Do you know who created the three-way traffic signal? What about the clothes dryer?     References/Resources: George T Sampson Dr. Charles Drew Richard Spikes Garret Morgan George Crum 8 Black Inventors Who Made Daily Life Easier | History Channel African American Inventors II | National Geographic African American Inventors III | National Geographic Top 101 Black Inventors 15 African-American Inventors to Remember this Black History Month and Beyond Black Inventors and their Inventions Black Inventors and Inventions

Join me in this week’s episode as I discuss four accounts of the dark side of healthcare and medical experiments. Which case did you already know about? Which one surprised you the most?  1. The founding of modern gynecology 2. The “Immortal” Cells of Henrietta Lacks 3. Holmesburg Prison (Philadelphia, PA) 4. Arkansas Detention Center   Resources/References/Recommendations: Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present by Harriet A Washington   Modern Gynecology The ‘Father of Modern Gynecology’ Performed Shocking Experiments on Enslaved Women | History Channel Medical Exploitation of Black Women | Equal Justice Initiative   Henrietta Lacks Medical Exploitation Henrietta Lacks: Science Must Right a Historical Wrong | Nature Henrietta Lacks’ descendants reach settlement over the use of her ‘stolen’ cells | npr   Holmesburg Prison Philadelphia apologizes for experiments on Black inmates| npr   Arkansas Detention Center Arkansas jails’ ivermectin experiments recall historical medical abuse of imprisoned minorities | the Guardian

Have you heard of these historical events: 1. The Overthrow of Hawaii’s Monarchy 2. Seneca Village, New York City 3. Oscarville, Georgia 4. The Battle of Blair Mountain 5. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study If not, come join me as I discuss these overlooked moments in America’s history. They may be regionally and locally known in their communities but to the larger public, they tend to be uncommonly known. What’s their significance? How do they impact us, even today? The moments aren’t just any one’s history but, indeed, America’s history — only 5 have been highlighted of the many more that do exist out there. Moments that we all cannot allow to be erased or sanitized. History is uncomfortable when lessons are to be learned so the mistakes or misgivings aren’t repeated. However, that takes learning about and knowing the full depth and happenings of monumental events that have changed the course of history, no matter how big or small it’s been deemed. There’s a story to be told and heard — all it takes is for us to just listen.    References/Recommendations: Hawaii Overthrow of Hawaii’s Monarchy Census: Most Native Hawaiians now live in continental U.S. | Spectrum News   Seneca Village Before Central Park: The Story of Seneca Village   Oscarville Forsyth 1912 | Atlanta History Center Forsyth 1912: The Truth About Lake Lanier and Oscarville   The Battle of Blair Mountain West Virginia Mine Wars — The Battle of Blair Mountain What Made the Battle of Blair Mountain the Largest Labor Uprising in American History   The Tuskegee Syphilis Study The USPHS Untreated Syphilis Study at Tuskegee | CDC The Untreated Syphilis Study at Tuskegee Timeline | CDC