Small Black Birds

Over the past decade, the remains of nearly 2,000 people have been found in the Arizona desert,  one of the busiest crossing points along the border.  But Scott Warren and other volunteers with No More Deaths who conduct the searches for missing people know the actual number is much higher, and that is why they leave water and food in the desert.  So why is the government criminalizing this life-saving work ?

Molly Crabapple's unique style of art, especially her works from Guantanamo prison and Occupy Wall Street, combines illustration and text in ways that challenge the idea that art is something you see rather than something you feel.   

Even though the story of the Black 14 happened over 50 years ago, it will still seem familiar because not a lot has changed since 1969.


Apologies for the audio quality in this episode!

When the International Olympic Committee changed its rules to prohibit athletes from raising their fists or taking a knee while on the medal podium, athletes risked  being stripped of their Olympic medal for speaking out against injustice.

Among the best in the world at what they do, these women dominate their competition on and off the field

[1:24] Ada Hegerberg: The world's best goal scorer has been embarrassing Europe's top goalies for years, but it wasn't until she stopped playing that people really took notice

[8:25] Bianca Valenti:  Even for a pro surfer that rides 40 foot monster waves,  challenging a male dominated sport to embrace women was no day at the beach

Unique trailblazers like these prove that when life doesn't go as planned it’s still possible to figure it out on the go.  Their stories remind us that pursuing your own path, where one didn't exist before, doesn’t happen all at once.  It takes one courageous step at a time.
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[1:04] Brittany Howard, the singer/songwriter for the genre bending Alabama Shakes opens up about how her sister inspired her to pursue her dreams

[5:37] Ry Cooder, a guitar virtuoso who unlocks hidden sounds and stories about the people and places all around us

[11:21] Charley Parkhurst, one of the most celebrated whips in California’s gold country proved you don't have to be like everyone else to be the best

Thank you to Mary K. Croft for her performance of The Secret of Charley Parkhurst

These larger than life characters sought to create a different world and relentlessly followed their convictions to make it a reality.  Along the way, they transformed challenges into exploration, risk into reward, and fear into determination.

[1:07] Slick Rick: Hip Hop's original storyteller and the most sampled artist of all time.  The Smithsonian exhibits his signature eye patch

[5:23] Dr. Oliver Sacks: As unique and idiosyncratic as his many clients, he explored the mysteries of music, memory and consciousness to unlock life's hidden meanings

[11:44] Marie Catherine Colvin: A journalist by profession, but a fire-eater at heart, she went to dangerous places to bear witness to the excessive cruelty of conflict and show us the human cost of war

smallblackbirdspodcast at gmail dot com 

In city after city, Americans protesting the murder of George Floyd were met by militarized police using excessive force and firing rubber bullets and other projectiles.  Three women blinded by police while at a protest describe what happened to them and why they continue to speak out against police violence.

[01:24] Linda Tirado, author and professional photographer covering protests following the killing  of George Floyd by Minneapolis police

[06:13] Nia Love, Sacramento resident joining with neighbors to protest police violence in her hometown

[10:22] Vanessa Dundon, a Navajo and mother of four serving as a Water Protector at Standing Rock

NOTE: The intro music is shorter in later episodes