Ep19: Whose Democracy?

Off Color is still on hiatus, due to pandemic. Sorry! But Rebekah aka the Tan Tigress is recovering from the traumas of the past year and has begun work on some new and dope projects including partnership with Culturs Magazine! This minisode is an interview with Korean adoptee and artist A.D. Herzel. 

The 2020 Election is almost over and with all the anxiety in the air we took some time to sit down and reflect on 2016. Rebekah and Janece didn't know it then, but Trump's victory was the catalyst that would bring them together on Off Color. We also spoke to Dr. Tania and Emma Teng about being first time voters in this historic election.

In 2016 Kaepernick took a knee as a protest for racial justice and eventually lost his job in the NFL. Today, players on almost every major sports team are kneeling and wearing gear branded with messages about Black Lives Matter and ending racism in America. What happened and how much work is there still left to do?

Special Guests

Bisi Johnson - NFL Minnesota Vikings Wide Receiver

Justin Adams - CBS 4 Denver Sports and News Reporter

Being a parent is tough, being a parent during a pandemic is torture. On this episode we interviewed moms and a dad at various points on the privilege spectrum to ask how they are holding up now that (virtual) school is back in session.

The 2020 election will be here before we know it and it’s time to talk about vote shaming, third party candidates, party loyalists and progressive youth “radicals”. Not to mention that complications of voting during a pandemic and systematic dismantling of our postal service. Get ready kids, this one is going to be a wild ride. 

Special Guests:

Saira Rao- Former Democrat candidate for US House and now registered Independent

Hashim Coates - Vice Chair of AAICD and “card carrying Democrat loyalist”

A very personal and intimate conversation about intersectionality in the activist community including anti blackness, conflict between black and brown organizers and LGBTQIA issues. We get face to face with the the pervasive sentiment in minority activist communities that "We show up for THEM, but they never show up for US!" But at the end of the day, we are oppressed in the same ways with different impacts and as soon as we acknowledge that the sooner we can fight together against a common oppressor.

Special Guests:

Lorena Garcia - Community Organizer, Former Candidate for US Senate,

Tezcatli Diaz - Director of Youth Civic Engagement at Student Voice, Student Vote

Elizabeth Torwudzo - Veteran, March Organizer, 

Brianna Hall - Employee at American Indian Science and Engineering Society

Shenika Carter - Actionist, Accountant, President of Caravan for Racial Justice

2: 30 - Guest Intos

12:30 - Why is it ok for allies to be in positions of power in some minority and activist organizations and not in others?

17:30 - I have never been asked “how do you identify” before.

19:00 How do we do it all?

20:40 - We show up for THEM but they don’t show up for US!

29:40 - What in the world is Black Lives Matter?

32:30 - We don’t know what each other’s struggles look like

35:30 - Caravan for Racial Justice

36:40 - Just Show up!

38:10 - I’m preaching to the choir

40:00 The bridges need maintenance

44:00 - Spending time together beyond the marches and protests

45:20 - Compassion and Humanity

47:00 - Simple doesn’t mean easy

48:30 - Closing thoughts, hopes for the future

59:10 - Surprise call in guest

Part one was WILD! In part two we get a little more serious in a powerful conversation with a former veteran and public health worker about what gun rights mean to minorities that have seen authoritarian oppression first hand. We discuss the Patriot Act, 4 year olds with swords, cancer, prep-ers and using the military's tactics against them.

Special Guests:
Charlie Watkins - Army Vet and NRA certified pistol instructor
Nami Thompson- Public Health Planner, Mother and gun owner

Content Links:
https://www.redneckrevolt.org/
https://www.facebook.com/AIODefense

America loves guns! When New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the civil lawsuit against the NRA we decided to find some gun owners and ask what they thought about it. This episode is part one of two. Special Guests: Comedian and podcaster Christie Buchele, Food Truck and Army Veteran Damon Tobias and Tai Chi Instructor Brother Sha Bazz

A short bonus episode that expands on our discussion in Episode 3 about going back to school during a pandemic. Covid has teachers and students worried about their physical and mental health, but there are still opportunities and reasons for hope.

A Facebook LIVE conversation about the new name for the neighborhood formerly known as Stapleton in Denver, Colorado. What does it mean to be neutral in a white supremacist culture and how can we move towards anti-racism? Special Guests include, Dr. Apryl Alexander and Vince Bowen of Black Lives Matter 5280, JC Futrell the grandson of John and Edna Mosley, Kim Brewer from #RenameStapleton, and Brian Diggs.