Be the Bridge Podcast with Latasha Morrison
By That Sounds Fun Network
Be the Bridge Podcast with Latasha MorrisonMar 21, 2023
276 - Leading a Be the Bridge Group, a Non-Profit, and a Mental Wellness Movement as a Latina Woman with TBRI Practitioner Angela Gonzalez
Social Impact Leader, TBRI Practitioner, and Executive Director of The Nurture Place, Angela Gonzalez shares her story of being part of a local Be the Bridge group on this episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast with Latasha Morrison during National Hispanic + Latine Heritage Month. They discuss how creating brave spaces allows people to share, learn, grow, and lament together. And Angela opens up about her personal shift of trying to be accepted in predominantly white institutions to accepting herself and her heritage.
Angela passionately talks about why we should all be trauma-informed and be community focused. And she also shares why it is important for people receiving mental healthcare to see therapists that look like them. You will hear a call for churches and faith leaders to refer people to mental health care professionals. Latasha and Angela discuss the obstacles they have to overcome being leaders who are women of color.
This is a conversation that shares the impact of local Be the Bridge groups and that will help break the stigmas surrounding mental health!
Join in the conversation on our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn to let us know your thoughts on this episode!
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“A lot of the other things around us will burn, but God's justice will always prevail.” -Latasha Morrison
“Instead of asking the question: what is wrong with you? We ask the question: what happened to you? And that is a more compassionate way of seeing the world.” -Angela Gonzalez
"Therapists can help us to heal and become the people that we are supposed to be." -Angela Gonzalez
"There's not one group of people that can represent the totality of who God is. It takes every nation and every tribe. And when we fight against diversity, we're fighting against the will of God. We're fighting against the essence of who God is." -Latasha Morrison
Links:
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Resources Mentioned:
Trust-Based Relational Intervention
Connect with Angela Gonzalez:
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
275 - Proclaiming Black Dignity and Fighting Revisionist History with Historian, Author, and Educator Jasmine Holmes
Historian, Author, and Educator Jasmine Holmes joins Latasha Morrison on this episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast to talk about her books, her Instagram classroom, and her own educational journey. They both share the crucial moments in their journeys of this work and how pivotal having a community of Black women has been to them.
Latasha touches on the trauma that comes from BIPOC not having pain recognized in church and not being seen or heard in predominantly white faith spaces. And together they lament the stronghold white supremacy has on the United States. They dive into the untold stories of Black missionaries and what voices are not highlighted in classical education.
As bridge builders, we can bring truth to the revisionist history happening and bring dignity to the stories often misrepresented. We can choose to lean into conversations like these and be educators and reconcilers in this current cultural climate.
Join in the conversation on our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn to let us know your thoughts on this episode!
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“We know that anti-woke is really anti-Black.” -Latasha Morrison
“Finding the faithful stories of Black Christians who've gone before became this really empowering experience for me, a very transformative experience.” -Jasmine Holmes
“We are fighting tooth and nail not to reckon with the national sin of white supremacy.” -Jasmine Holmes
“The gospel is for everyone. But we completely leave out entire people groups when it comes to the history of the church.” -Latasha Morrison
Links:
If you’d like to partner with the Be the Bridge Podcast, please fill out our Advertise with Us form.
Ads:
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Resources Mentioned:
Carved in Ebony book by Jasmine Holmes
Mother to Son book by Jasmine Holmes
His Testimonies, My Heritage book edited by Kristie Anyabwile
Never Cast Out book by Jasmine Holmes
King Leopold’s Ghost book by Adam Hochschild
Their Eyes were Watching God book by Zora Neale Hurston
Instagram post by Jasmine about Black teachers who fought revisionist history
Reading Everybody Black Challenge
Heritage Mom Blog on Instagram
Crowned with Glory book by Jasmine Holmes
Connect with Jasmine Holmes:
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
274 - Committing to Democracy, Historical Truth-Telling, and Hope with America’s Government Teacher Sharon McMahon
As students and teachers go back to school, we are also going back to school on the Be the Bridge Podcast with America’s Government Teacher Sharon McMahon! You might know Sharon from her Instagram account, SharonSaysSo, or from her Podcast, Here’s Where It Gets Interesting. Sharon’s mission of curating facts, fun, and inspiration by educating Americans on democracy, politics, and history was the perfect pairing with the podcast because we value truth-telling and we believe that understanding can move us toward racial healing, racial equity, and racial reconciliation. Together, we are equipping people with truth.
In this episode, we take things to the classroom. Sharon shares the foundations of what makes a democracy and how critical thinking is developed. She gives homework to be proactive participants in this democracy and to be anti-racist. And she gives empowering reminders that we cannot afford to lose hope and we all have a part to play in this historical moment in time.Listen in for education and encouragement. Let’s be a movement of bridge builders that choose principles over party and hope over everything.
Join in the conversation on our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn to let us know your thoughts on this episode!
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“If the problem seems too big and you feel overwhelmed, you need to make the problem smaller. You need to bring the problem down to a level that you feel that you can do even one thing about.” -Sharon McMahon
“Becoming educated on this topic is the foundation of being able to take action on it.” -Sharon McMahon“Racism has never led us to a destination worth going to.” -Sharon McMahon
“The work that we do is about politics, because politics is about people. It doesn't have to be partisan. We're making it partisan. It should be bipartisan.” -Latasha Morrison
Links:
If you’d like to partner with the Be the Bridge Podcast, please fill out our Advertise with Us form.
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Shop the Be the Bridge Online Shop
Connect with Sharon McMahon:
Her Website
Instagram
Facebook
Here’s Where It Gets Interesting Podcast
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
273 - Confronting Buried History and Living as All God’s Children with Storyteller and Public Scholar Dr. Terence Lester
Storyteller and public scholar, community activist and author Dr. Terence Lester invests his wealth of wisdom and stories from his own experience into the Be the Bridge community in this conversation with Latasha Morrison. Dr. Lester shares about his restorative work with Love Beyond Walls, a non-profit which is bringing true social change serving people who are experiencing homelessness in Atlanta and beyond. They talk about the disconnect the church in America has with seeing people on mission trips with dignity but not people in our own communities with that same dignity. And they have a vulnerable discussion around “the talk” that Black and Brown families in America have in their homes because of having to survive in and navigate this racialized society.
This episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast will remind you of the power one person can have in someone’s life and the power there is in truly seeing people. It also brings continued conviction that covering up history and removing access to information prevents healing, reconciliation, justice, and redemption. We hope this conversation will prompt you to allow your own historical shaping to be interrogated and empower you to be a person of peace. May the power of God at work in Dr. Lester’s life offer encouragement that God is at work in and around you as well.
Join in the conversation on our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn to let us know your thoughts on this episode!
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“There are a group of people in this world that feel forgotten, and how dare I, having experienced the grace of God, not pass along that same love and support to my neighbor?” -Dr. Terence Lester
“There's a major theological problem that we have as the body of Christ that allows us to get here where we would think that poverty and sickness equates to criminality.” -Latasha Morrison
“You’ve got to get proximate to be able to serve.” -Dr. Terence Lester
Links:
If you’d like to partner with the Be the Bridge Podcast, please fill out our Advertise with Us form.
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Resources:
Love Beyond Walls Website
Dr. Terence Lester’s dissertation
Homesick Documentary by Dr. Terence Lester
I See You book by Dr. Terence Lester
When We Stand book by Dr. Terence Lester
All God’s Children book by Dr. Terence Lester
Connect with Dr. Terence Lester:
His Website
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
272 - BIPOC Mental Health Month: Addressing Mental Health, Racial Trauma, and the Road to Healing with Licensed Professional Counselor Dr. Chinwé Williams
In this episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast, host Latasha Morrison engages in a powerful discussion with Licensed Professional Counselor Dr. Chinwé Williams surrounding mental health. They talk through the collective trauma the world has endured and the racial trauma the BIPOC community endures. Dr. Chinwé shares about the benefits of somatic therapy, the need to foster emotional resilience in kids, and helpful tips for talkings with kids and teens about racism. Dr. Chinwé concludes the conversation with a word for the BIPOC community.
You will be empowered to be a mindful listener and to remain steadfast in the midst of struggles. You will feel validated and encouraged. And you will be reminded that there is always help and hope.
Join in the conversation on our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn to let us know your thoughts on this episode!
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“Racial trauma is real. Racial trauma is any sort of race based stress, any sort of mental or emotional injury that's caused by racial bias.” -Dr. Chinwe Williams
“We have to pay attention to what's happening. And we do have to start talking to one another. We have to talk to our children.” -Latasha Morrison
“Being seen and heard is actually essential to healing.” -Dr. Chinwé Williams
Links:
If you’d like to partner with the Be the Bridge Podcast, please fill out our Advertise with Us form.
Ads:
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Shop the Be the Bridge Online Shop
Resources Mentioned:
Seen book by Dr. Chinwé Williams and Will Hutcherson
Beyond the Spiral book by Dr. Chinwé Williams and Will Hutcherson
Five Ways to Help Children Build Emotional Resilience Instagram Post by Dr. Chinwé Williams
Four Tips for Talking to Kids and Teens about Racism and Social Unrest article by Dr. Chinwé Williams
Connect with Dr. Chinwé Williams:
Her Website
Facebook
Instagram
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
271 - Cultural Views: A Conversation on Book Bans with Be the Bridge Team Members Jefferson and Elizabeth
This episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast is part of our Cultural Views conversations where we do a deeper dive into societal and cultural issues with the intent of exposing our listeners to opportunities for the reassessment of their own values and perspectives. Other episodes of our Cultural Views conversations include gun violence on episode 250 and white Christian nationalism in a two part episode on episode 268.
Be the Bridge team members Jefferson Jones and Elizabeth Behrens join Latasha Morrison to discuss book bans. They provide the history of book bans and worldwide examples where bans have taken place. And they share why having this conversation is critically linked to bridge building.
Latasha, Jefferson, and Elizabeth’s words will help prompt conversations in your homes, Be the Bridge groups, and communities. There are action steps for white families and is encouragement for BIPOC families. You’ll be reminded that you don’t have to have all the answers but a willingness and openness to have conversations.
Join in the conversation on our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn to let us know your thoughts on this episode!
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“We have to work through the tensions of a democracy.” -Latasha Morrison
“Exposure to that information is not where harm is done. Harm is done when a child is exposed to information or harmful concepts, having no way to contextualize them, having no background information or way to make sense of it, and no comfort level asking questions.” -Elizabeth Behrens
“Trying to keep them away from things, that's only going to have them form opinions and worldviews that are not being shaped by you.” -Latasha Morrison
“Book banning is a building of borders around the imagination of people. Because many want the imagination of their children to be a offspring of what they know and not a development of what God is shaping in them or what's developing in them naturally because of the way that they are wired.” -Jefferson Jones
Links:
If you’d like to partner with the Be the Bridge Podcast, please fill out our Advertise with Us form.
Ads:
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Become a donor of Be the Bridge
Shop the Be the Bridge Online Shop
Resources Mentioned:
Cultural Views White Christian Nationalism
Cultural Views Gun Violence
Ruby Bridges
The Color of Law book
Video of 100 year old Florida widow of a WWII veteran talking about book bans
The Hill We Climb book by Amanda Gorman
Stop Book Bans Toolkit from the Author’s Guild
Tell Me Who You Are book
Be the Bridge Foundations Course
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
270 - The Journey of Finding Who You Are, Embracing Healing and Wholeness, and Celebrating the Sisterhood of Black Women with Author and Activist Faitth Brooks
Author, Speaker, Activist, Co-Host of the Melanated Faith Podcast and long time friend of Be the Bridge, Faitth Brooks spoke with Be the Bridge Podcast host Latasha Morrison about her recently released book Remember Me Now: A Journey Back to Myself and a Love Letter to Black Women. They discussed the trope of the strong Black woman, the toll it takes being the only Black woman in predominately white spaces, and overcoming purity culture.
They reminisce about the first time they connected and they laugh about their lives as dog moms. Faitth encourages Black men to protect, advocate for, and affirm Black women. And she reminds listeners that no matter what you’ve gone through or where you’ve come from, healing and wholeness are possible.
Join in the conversation on our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram and LinkedIn to let us know your thoughts on this episode!
Last chance! We love our community of listeners and we want to know more about you! Find the Listener Survey Here. (One participant will receive a Be the Bridge swag bag! Survey link will close June 30th.)
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“In order to move through pain, in order to move through hard times, we need to make room for softness and we need to make space for our hearts to have a safe place to land.” -Faitth Brooks
“You should be able to show up fully as yourself as a Black Christian in the space you want to be in and be accepted fully for your voice as it is without editing.” -Faitth Brooks
“Education is happening. There's no reason for anyone to be ignorant.” -Latasha Morrison
Links:
If you’d like to partner with the Be the Bridge Podcast, please fill out our Advertise with Us form.
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Give to the Work of Be the Bridge
Shop the Be the Bridge Online Store
Resources Mentioned:
Be the Bridge Podcast YouTube
Melanated Faith Podcast
Legacy Collective
Remember Me Now by Faitth Brooks
Clip of Faitth on Good Morning America
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Connect with Faitth Brooks:
Her Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Find the full episode transcript on our website here.
Listen to the episode on YouTube here.
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
Bonus - Surprise Happy Birthday to Latasha Morrison!
Our beloved Podcast host, and the Founder and CEO of Be the Bridge, turns 50 today! So we are taking a moment to celebrate the one and only Latasha Morrison! We've gathered some messages from guests you have heard on the show and guests you will hear soon. We hope you enjoy hearing Latasha honored by the words of Marcie Alvis Walker, Cam Lee Small, Angela Gonzalez, Dr. Claudia May, Raymond Chang, Michelle Ferrigno Warren, Faitth Brooks, Terry Wildman, Annie F. Downs, Dr. Terence Lester, and Jo Saxton.
Please join in the celebration over on social media! Share your words of encouragement, support, and appreciation for Latasha on this milestone birthday on our Instagram and Facebook posts today.
And consider giving to the work of Be the Bridge in celebration of and gratitude for Latasha. Thank you!
Thank you for being part of the Be the Bridge community and celebrating Latasha with us!
Bonus - Juneteenth 2023 with Filmmaker and Creator Garrison Hayes
On Juneteenth, we hold both celebration and solidarity for what the day means. And each year the Be the Bridge Podcast takes time to honor the history and present our community with an opportunity to learn. Filmmaker, creator, and business owner Garrison Hayes joined Latasha Morrison to discuss the historical context of Juneteenth and how to not water down this holiday but truly center Black joy and Black resilience. They also talk about Reconstruction, urban renewal, and even pickleball. They both open up about losing their fathers in 2021.
We hope you take time to learn, to reflect, and to tangibly support Black businesses! We'd love to hear in the comments over on our social media what you are doing for Juneteenth or what business you are supporting!
We love our community of listeners and we want to know more about you! Find the Listener Survey Here. (One participant will receive a Be the Bridge swag bag! Survey link will close June 30th.)
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“Context is everything. Historical context is everything with anything that we're doing.” -Latasha Morrison
“The easiest way, the clearest and simplest explanation of Juneteenth is that it's the day that celebrates the official end of slavery as we knew it at the time on June 19, 1865.” -Garrison Hayes
“What I think is really, really important is that we recognize that Juneteenth has always been about solidarity.” -Garrison Hayes
“I think for the month of June this is a Be the Bridge challenge: use some of your purchasing power to buy from Black owned businesses and support Black owned businesses and lift up Black businesses.” -Latasha Morrison
Links:
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Resources Mentioned:
Garrison’s YouTube video on Urban Renewal
Reform Alliance
Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power documentary on Peacock
Connect with Garrison Hayes:
His Substack
Instagram
Tik Tok
Twitter
YouTube
Garrison's Children's Book "A Kid's Book About Juneteenth"
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Find the full episode transcript on our website here.
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
269 - Creating the Life You Want by Unlocking Greater Holistic Health with Life Coach, Speaker, and Author BJ Thompson
Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to make a lasting change in your life? In this episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast, host Latasha Morrison is joined by life coach BJ Thompson for a dynamic conversation about how change starts in our mindsets. BJ opens up about some of his personal journey. And then they discuss the importance of taking care of yourself in a meaningful way and being part of work that is purposeful. BJ also shares about his book, Awaken a Better You: 4 Simple Steps to Create the Life You Want, and his movement, Build a Better Us.
Consider this a coaching session for the Be the Bridge community! Remember, working on your own healing and health isn’t selfish. It’s participating in the work of redemption and restoration. No matter your story or your struggle, you are not stuck. Hope, healing, and health are possible and you are loved for who you are!
Jump over to our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram to let us know your thoughts on this episode!
We love our community of listeners and we want to know more about you! Find the Listener Survey Here. (One participant will receive a Be the Bridge swag bag! Survey link will close June 30th.)
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“If you have the right tools and the right resources and the right mindsets, you can accomplish things much quicker, you can accomplish them with less trauma.” -BJ Thompson
“There's certain corners in growth you can't cut, because it's just a part of the process.” -BJ Thompson
“Your beginnings do not determine your endpoint or your middle point.” -Latasha Morrison
Links:
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Resources Mentioned:
Awaken a Better You by BJ Thompson
Awaken Conference - online replay
Build a Better Us
The 45 Day Challenge
Connect with BJ Thompson:
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
Bonus - The Tennessee Three with America's Government Teacher, Sharon McMahon
Recently, Be the Bridge Podcast host Latasha Morrison sat down with Sharon McMahon, known from her popular Instagram account @SharonSaysSo, to discuss a wide range of topics around democracy and the government institutions in the United States, being engaged in politics and having hope in the midst of it all. They talked about the recent events in the Tennessee state legislature, and we couldn't wait to share it with you! While you await the full episode, listen in as Sharon shares the historical context of the unprecedented events and why we all need to pay attention to them. Be reminded that your voice truly does matter!
Find a video clip of this podcast preview on the Be the Bridge Podcast YouTube Channel.
Subscribe to the podcast, sign up for our email list, and follow Be the Bridge on Instagram and Facebook so you know when the full episode releases!
268 (Part 2) - Cultural Views: A Conversation on White Christian Nationalism with Be the Bridge Team Members Sean, Elizabeth, and Micah
This episode is the second part of our Cultural Views conversation on white Christian nationalism. (Listen to part one released on 5/30 to get the full discussion!) Podcast host Latasha Morrison and Be the Bridge leaders Sean Watkins, Elizabeth Behrens, and Micah Smith continue to share why this conversation is needed, the importance of digging into the origins story of the US and our churches, and the difference between patriotism and nationalism. There are resources and practical steps given along with reminders of hope.
Be sure to subscribe to our email list so you know when the Be the Bridge Academy that the team talked about is open!
If you are a pastor and listening to this podcast and want more information on how to be able to change your own discipleship and spiritual formation of your church, we want to invite you to go to our website, BeTheBridge.com, where you will find the Resources tab where we share Recommended Resources, a book list of resources from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds that have been vetted by our training team.
We love our community of listeners and we want to know more about you! Find the Listener Survey Here. (One participant will receive a Be the Bridge swag bag! Survey link will close June 30th.)
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“There's a crisis of discipleship.” -Latasha Morrison
“One of the issues of Christian nationalism is that it allows for all of these conversations about all these different ethnic groups without actually talking to any of those ethnic groups and having them be included in the conversation.” -Sean Watkins
“I grew up with the Christian flag on one side and the American flag on the other. And if we don't think that our theology is shaped by our place and our space, then we're not being honest with ourselves.” -Elizabeth Behrens
“We're supposed to be trying to honor and glorify God, not a nation, not a group, not a denomination. But honor and glorify God. With everything that we got we're loving him.” -Micah Smith
Terms:
Christian Nationalism: a cultural framework that idealizes and advocates a fusion of Christianity with American civic life. Christian nationalism contends that America has been and should always be distinctively “Christian” from top to bottom – in its self-identity, interpretations of its own history, sacred symbols, cherished values, and public policies – and it aims to keep it that way.
Links:
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Resources Mentioned:
The Civil War as a Theological Crisis by Mark Noll
Equal Justice Initiative
The Next Evangelicalism by Soong-Chan Rah
Unsettling Truths by Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah
Santa Biblia: The Bible Through Hispanic Eyes by Justo L. Gonzalez
Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys by Dr. Richard Twiss
Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God by Reverend Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas
Be the Bridge Recommended Resources
National Memorial for Peace and Justice
The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration
Missio Alliance
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
268 (Part 1) - Cultural Views: A Conversation on White Christian Nationalism with Be the Bridge Team Members Sean, Elizabeth, and Micah
This episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast is part of our Cultural Views series where we do a deeper dive into societal and cultural issues with the intent of exposing our listeners to opportunities for the reassessment of their own values and perspectives. We have previously talked about gun violence on episode 250 and now we are diving into white Christian nationalism. Podcast host, Latasha Morrison, is joined by Be the Bridge team members Sean Watkins, Elizabeth Behrens, and Micah Smith to dive into a relevant topic impacting our community and our neighbors. At Be the Bridge, we want to make sure that we are equipping you to do this work. So in this episode, we will provide the historical context and present realities of white Christian nationalism.
Make sure you are subscribed as we keep the conversation going. In part two, we will look at how to disciple people through this.
If this conversation leaves you wanting to know more about the training Be the Bridge offers, learn more about our trainings for companies, organizations and churches here, learn about our Foundations Course here, and learn about our Transracial Adoption trainings and resources here. And subscribe to our email list so you can know when Be the Bridge trainings, events, and resources are released!
We love our community of listeners and we want to know more about you! Find the Listener Survey Here. (One participant will receive a Be the Bridge swag bag!)
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts with Integrated Entertainment Studios
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“What does it look like when we talk about orthodoxy and orthopraxy in our everyday lives? And so for me, as an African American, knowing the history here, it's hard for me to even say that America was a Christian nation.” -Latasha Morrison
“Our nation was birthed really out of genocide and enslavement. And so even though we say that we're a Christian nation, we've been violent from day one.” -Sean Watkins
“If you find yourself unwilling to genuinely and authentically challenge those systems, then you might be a white Christian nationalist. Not intentionally. I don't think a lot of us are out there just saying, ‘Oh, we want to just tear other people down.’ But that's a framework….In the long run, you're going to dehumanize and marginalize and justify hurting people in the name of religion.” -Micah Smith
“The top three curriculums used for homeschoolers, the top three curriculums used in private Christian schools, promote Christian nationalism. And those textbook companies have existed since the 50s and 60s. So you now have a couple generations where kids grew up on this. They had kids, they put their kids in those same schools with the same curriculums. You now have multiple generations who have been indoctrinated in this since the time they were learning to read.” -Elizabeth Behrens
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Links:
Jude 3 Project’s documentary “Unspoken”
Pew Research on How Americans describe ‘Christian nationalism’
Equal Justice Initiative
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
267 - AANHPI Heritage Month: Being Specific about our Stories and Giving Space for Honest Feelings with Korean American Storyteller Tasha Jun
In a gentle and heartfelt conversation, Korean American Storyteller Tasha Jun discusses her new book, Tell Me the Dream Again, with Latasha Morrison on the Be the Bridge Podcast. You’ll hear Tasha vulnerably share about her journey of embracing the whole story of being biracial. They discuss the importance of being specific about our stories, of honesty and community, and of representation. Tasha and Tasha give listeners encouragement on how to persevere through injustice and also how to sit with the feelings of anger and lament and grief. This episode is an invitation to show up as your whole self and know you are worthy of belonging.
We love our community of listeners and we want to know more about you! Find the Listener Survey Here. (One participant will receive a Be the Bridge swag bag!)
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“Belonging is being able to be in a place or a space, where you are your whole self and where your whole self is welcome to stretch out and also have room to become at the same time.” -Tasha Jun
“I hope that being really specific will help people to be specific about themselves, and just take a look within and be able to see their own distinctions with value and give attention to those things.” -Tasha Jun
“When we think diversity is really divisive, then we have missed something. Because diversity is a part of creation.” -Latasha Morrison
Links:
Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging book by Tasha Jun
Voices of Lament: Reflections on Brokenness and Longing in a World Longing for Justice book edited by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson
Connect with Tasha Jun:
Instagram
Facebook
Her Substack
Her Website
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
Welcome to the Be the Bridge Podcast!
Thank you for stopping by the Be the Bridge Podcast! This podcast is a resource from the non-profit organization Be the Bridge and is hosted by Latasha Morrison, the Founder and CEO of Be the Bridge and the author of the book Be the Bridge.
Be the Bridge responds to racial brokenness and systemic injustice in our world and believes understanding can move us toward racial healing, racial equity, and racial unity. This podcast is an extension of our vision to make sure people are no longer conditioned by a racialized society but grounded in truth. We have provided this podcast as a resource to help cultivate courageous conversations and equip all to flourish.
You will find interviews from a variety of thought leaders, faith leaders, and business leaders as well as authors and artists, activists and athletes. You will be encouraged, you will be challenged, and you will be changed. Thank you for subscribing and sharing!
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266 - AANHPI Heritage Month: Addressing Mental Health in Asian American and Christian Communities and Understanding One Another’s Stories with Pastor Raymond Chang
At Be the Bridge Podcast, we intentionally interview bridge builders doing incredible work all year long. And it just so happens that we are highlighting an interview Be the Bridge founder and our host, Latasha Morrison, had with Pastor Raymond Chang as we welcome in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month. They have an important conversation surrounding breaking the stigmas of mental health, discipling students, and acknowledging history.
Latasha and Raymond talk about a life-changing trip he took called the Reclaim Trip, where he and others with the Asian American Christian Collaborative toured historical Asian American Civil Rights sites in California. It was a trip that fostered remembering history and reclaiming identity. And he and Latasha even dream up an incredible opportunity for the Be the Bridge community. We are all connected; and gaining historical context helps us better understand, empathize, and lead in the church and in the culture.
We love our community of listeners and we want to know more about you! Find the Listener Survey Here. (One participant will receive a Be the Bridge swag bag!)
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts
Assistant Producer & Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“It's like most people don't see how the discipleship that many of us have inherited is actually a discipleship into deformation instead of a formation into Christ.” -Raymond Chang
“I don't think that you can fully understand how heinous white supremacy is until you see how it has affected the African American community, how it's affected and manifests within the Indigenous population, within the Asian American population, and the Latino population.” -Raymond Chang
“Understanding that history helps us move forward today in more solidarity.” -Latasha Morrison
“The more you understand the problem, the more you're able to actually concoct a solution, or at least be a faithful presence to try to be one.” -Raymond Chang
Links:
Asian American Christian Collaborative
TENx10 Collaboration
Epic Movement - Community of CRU for Asian Americans
Manzanar
Connect with Raymond Chang:
His Website
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
265 - The Beauty and Brutality of a Knotted-Up Life with Author and Bible Teacher Beth Moore
Beloved Bible teacher and best selling author, Beth Moore, joins Be the Bridge founder and podcast host, Latasha Morrison, once again on the podcast. They discuss her new memoir: All My Knotted Up Life and some of the stories she shares in it of growing up in racialized settings in Arkansas and Texas. They lament how we find ourselves in a time of being unable to reason together and of people looking away from injustice. Latasha and Beth agree on the need to know definitions in the language surrounding racial justice, that it is good and right to always be learning, and that remembering is a sacred act. They laugh together and share wisdom together. Beth is living proof of humble leadership and dedicated companionship.
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts at Integrated Entertainment Studios
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“We know that beauty is going to come from the ashes, but the ashes are just so hot at times.” -Latasha Morrison
“How long, Lord? When will lives be more important than sides?” -Beth Moore
“You don't have to worry that God's just taking this side or he's taking that side. He's just taking over.” -Beth Moore
“I want to be a companion to those who have been mistreated.” -Beth Moore
Links:
All My Knotted Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore
Connect with Beth Moore:
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
Find the full episode transcript here.
264 - Knowing Our Assignment as Agents of Peace and Repairers of the Breach with Author and Activist Michelle Ferrigno Warren
As a faith leader and activist, Michelle Ferrigno Warren understands the power of proximity and of holding stories with honor and dignity. In this powerful episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast with founder and host Latasha Morrison, she and Latasha talk about God’s heart for justice, the lack of mercy immigrants are met with crossing the border, and the bad shape of the witness of the American Church.Michelle shares about her personal journey in Italy of seeing the empire on display at the Colosseum. And you do not want to miss their discussion of the upside down Kingdom of God as they exegete Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25. This is the perfect conversation for the Be the Bridge community the week of Easter. May we join Jesus and the prophets in the work of resistance, in the work of being disruptors, in the work of granting life and peace.
Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts at Integrated Entertainment Studios
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser
Quotes:
“Advocacy is not mission drift for the church. It's the work of the Church.” -Michelle Ferrigno Warren
“I can never unsee and unhear the stories.” -Latasha Morrison
“I lament the reality of injustice in a country that says that they want to be defined as liberty and justice for all.” -Michelle Ferrigno Warren
Links:
Virago Strategies
Open Door Ministries
Christian Community Development Association (CCDA)
National Immigration Forum
The Power of Proximity: Moving Beyond Awareness to Action book By Michelle Ferrigno Warren
Join the Resistance: Step into the Good Work of Kingdom Justice book by Michelle Ferrigno Warren
Women of Welcome
Women of Welcome “Who is Welcome Here?” documentary
God’s Long Summer book
Prayer of Oscar Romero
Connect with Michelle Ferrigno Warren:
Her Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.
Find the full episode transcript here.
263 - Women’s History Month: Guarding Your Joy and Working Toward Healing with Author and Thought Leader Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
The NAACP Image Award-winning author, Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts joins Be the Bridge founder and podcast host, Latasha Morrison, for a profound conversation this Women’s Hist