coaltown

Rorri Geller-Mohamed is the founder of U Power Change, an organization focused on anti-racism and diversity, equity, and inclusion coaching and consulting. Through her program Changemakers, she helps women that identify as white to feel empowered and ready to engage in racial equity and justice work. Rorri also has a blog and podcast, Racially Responsible, focused on growing equity. Today, Rorri sits down with Christine to share her journey into the powerful work she does. Rorri breaks down what doing this work looks like and where to start. Learn how you too can become a catalyst for change in this episode of the We Rise Podcast. Welcome!

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Stay connected to Rorri through her website: U Power Change or through email at Rorri@UPowerChange.com

Also be sure to tune into Rorri’s podcast: Racially Responsible.

Check out Embrace Race for some valuable youth resources!

For some reading take a look at: My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

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Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

Elizabeth Hope Derby is a business and mindset coach based in Charlottesville, Virginia who partners with women entrepreneurs to help them create more sustainable, profitable and enjoyable businesses. Christine and Elizabeth explore the power of shifting from scarcity to possibility, the power of having a community to support you, and how to create movement by taking it one step at a time. Today on the We Rise Podcast, learn how your passion is your gift to the world. Enjoy!

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

To learn more about Elizabeth Hope Derby or her Business and Mindset Coaching, check out her website!

Follow Elizabeth Hope Derby on Facebook and Instagram!

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

Happy New Year!

As we begin 2022, Christine is thrilled to bring author and alcohol-free life coach, Karolina Rzadkowolska to share her expertise and passion for creating an alcohol-free life! Hear Karolina’s journey of becoming the best version of herself, learn the mental and physical benefits of taking a break from alcohol, and feel empowered to transform your life. In the face of a society that normalizes drinking, it is an act of resilience and rebellion to choose differently, to choose you! Imagine what you could unlock in your own life! Welcome to the We Rise Podcast.

Karolina’s new book Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You, made bestseller status on Amazon and is now available for purchase!

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Discover more on the powerful work that Karolina does by checking out her website: Euphoric Alcohol-Free. You can also follow and subscribe to her Facebook and Instagram.

Karolina has just released her first book, Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You, available for purchase now. 

Learn more about the alcohol-free lifestyle from Karolina on Euphoric The Podcast.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

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Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

Elizabeth Wright lives in Knoxville, Tennessee working as a Communication Strategist at the The Highlander Research and Education Center in Tennessee. A fierce advocate for justice, involved in youth organizing in Knoxville, and passionate about justice, Elizabeth shares some of the incredible work taking place in the South and Appalachian communities to bring about transformation, movement building and equity. Her passion for justice is palpable and inspiring. Enjoy!

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about The Highlander Research and Education Center, including their solidarity economy work, and find them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Find out more about the Knoxville Girls Rock Camp Alliance and check out their Facebook and Instagram.

Check out these valuable resources Elizabeth recommends: Media Justice, Press On, and Scalawag Magazine.

Discover the incredible work being done with youth in the South and Appalachian communities through Knox Know How, Seeds of Fire, and The STAY Together Youth Project.

Learn about the local work being done in the Knoxville community through organizations such as First Aid Collective Knox and the Knoxville City Council Movement.

Discover more about the work of Equal Health and their Campaign Against Racism program.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

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Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

In today’s episode of the We Rise Podcast, Christine welcomes friend and mentor Frank Dukes to share about his work as a mediator and community leader. Facilitating conversations for communities on a wide range of issues, Frank shares the importance of conflict resolution and building trust. Hear about embracing uncomfortable conversations, creating brave space, and cultivating community. Enjoy!

Frank Dukes received his PhD from George Mason University, and has worked at the University of Virginia for over thirty years. His current role is lecturer and distinguished Institute Fellow of the Institute of Engagement and Negotiation. Frank is a changemaker in helping communities navigate their differences and come together to create movement toward a better future.

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about Frank Dukes and his work at the Institute of Engagement and Negotiation.

Discover more about the work of the Clinch River Valley Initiative.

Find out more about the Bainbridge Memorial.

Learn more about UCARE: The University and Community Action for Racial Equity and the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

On today’s episode of the We Rise Podcast, Christine shares a beautiful conversation with Nicole Horseherder about her work to protect the water sources of Black Mesa, Arizona as well as the Navajo Nation. A Black Mesa native, Nicole is the director of Tó Nizhóni Ání, which translates to “sacred water speaks”. She explains the power of reconnecting with her culture and traditions as a way to empower her community. Learn about the profound impact of integrating science and spirit, the restoration of Black Mesa, and the empowerment of young activists.

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about Nicole Horseherder and the important work of Tó Nizhóni Ání.

Discover more about the work of the Office of Surface Mining, Navajo Nation Minerals Department, and the Hopi Office of Surface Mining.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the We Rise Podcast. Today, Christine explores resilience in the Chesapeake Bay with a focus on St. Michaels, Maryland. Sharing from personal experience, Christine talks about the high level view of the gorgeous Chesapeake Bay, focusing specifically on the Bay health. Discover the beautiful Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, and hear how St. Michaels, Maryland is creating economic and coastal resilience. Enjoy!

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Discover more about The Chesapeake Bay.

Learn more about the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, as well as Maryland's Community Resilience Program.

Discover more about the town of St. Michaels, Maryland and The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.

Learn about the Living Shoreline Collaborative facilitated by Dialogue and Design Associates in Virginia. 

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

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In this powerful interview, Christine speaks to the North America Director of Resilient Cities Network, Laurian Farrell. Join as she shares about her upbringing, passion for engineering, and drive to center equity and resilience in cities and communities. Laurian talks about the incredible power of bringing all voices to the table and the importance of equity and planning for a resilient future. Hear firsthand about her beautiful work toward transforming communities on today’s episode of the We Rise Podcast!

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Find out more about Laurian Farrell, as well as the Black Environmentalist Alliance.

Discover more about the incredible work of the Resilient Cities Network and the Community of Practice on Racial Equity.

Learn more about Janvieve Williams Comrie and AfroResistance. 

Learn more about urban equity and resilience by reading No Equity, No Resilience: Minneapolis is All of Us by Ron Harris and Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

In this episode of the We Rise Podcast, Christine is joined by leadership coach Heidi Metro for a powerful conversation about the importance of identifying your core values, leading from within and the freedom of setting boundaries. Learn about the power of looking inward before pouring out. Heidi also shares the beautiful work of the Keystone Collective, a group committed to social justice and equity work in the Midwest. Christine’s conversation with Heidi is rich and filled with wisdom! Enjoy!

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about Heidi Metro and connect with her on Facebook and Instagram. You can also send her an email at Heidi@TheNewNextLevel.com.

Be sure to check out Heidi’s YouTube Channel: Strategies with Soul as well as her series with husband Mike: Continued Conversations.

Learn more about taking the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and deepSee Consulting.

Discover more about Trudi Lebron and her Equity Centered Coaching.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

In today’s episode of the We Rise Podcast, learn about rising up and resilience in central Appalachia. Christine looks at some of the historic mining wars and the lasting impacts from the Battle of Blair Mountain in West Virginia, how the coal mining industry is shifting, and how communities are creating lasting change. Wrapping up the episode, hear about growing solar projects in Southwest Virginia, which are providing new avenues for local economic development and meaningful federal investment, through the Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia.

May this episode inform, encourage, and inspire you!

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about The United Mine Workers of America.

Learn more about the National Association of Counties and their reports on interconnected systemic challenges facing coal communities.

Read more about the Just transition Fund and the Political Economy Research Institute at UMass Amherst.

Find out more about renewable energy at the US Energy Association.

Discover more about the work of The Solar Workgroup of Southwest Virginia and its three co-converners: Appalachian Voices, University of Virginia College at Wise, and People Incorporated.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the We Rise Podcast! In today's episode, Christine focuses on women leading and centering women's voices, both a key component to building community and creating transformation. Be inspired by the progress of women, including trans and non binary folks, occupying more places of power. Hear stories of Wahleah Johns and Nicole Horseherder, leaders in the transition around coal and renewables in the Navajo Nation. From the power of story to connecting women to one another’s stories, this episode is about empowerment and hope.

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Rachael Rogers of Hello Seven and author of We Should All Be Millionaires

Find out more about Wahleah Johns and the work of Native Renewables.

Learn more about Nicole Horseherder and incredible work of her and her husband’s non-profit, Tó Nizhóní Ání.

Read more from “‘The End of Men’ and Rise of Women In The High Skilled Labor Market”, as reported by The National Bureau of Economic Research.

Tune in to Episode 4 of the Collective Resilience: We Rise Podcast with Lou Ann Wallace.

Tune in to Episode Episode 9 of the Collective Resilience: We Rise Podcast with Mayor Horne.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

Joined with two incredible women of Dante, Virginia, Christine shares a lively conversation with Pat Gibson and Catherine Pratt. Sharing about their upbringing in Dante and reminiscing about the past, Pat and Cat share their passion for revitalizing the community-oriented town of Dante, Virginia. Learn about the optimism it takes to rekindle the past for the youth of tomorrow, finding hope in others’ success, and the value of community. Welcome to another episode of the Collective Resilience: We Rise Podcast! 

Catherine Pratt was born and raised in Dante, Virginia, coming from a family of coal miners. In 2004, she helped create the nonprofit, Dante Lives On, which led to the creation of the Dante Coal Mining and Railroad Museum. She is now the Treasurer of the Dante Community Association.

Pat Gibson was born in Dante, but grew up in the town of Castlewood. Moving back to Dante in 1975, she is now the Chair of the Dante Community Association. With a passion to see Dante revitalized, she has her own vision of turning her home into a bed and breakfast for travelers.

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about the town of Dante and the work being done by the Dante Community Association.

Learn more about the Dante Coal and Railroad Museum created by Dante Lives On.

Learn about the towns and opportunities inspiring Dante: St. Paul, Cleveland, Clinch River, Spearhead Trails.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

Welcome back to the We Rise Podcast. In today’s episode, Christine has a lively conversation with Amanda Workman-Scott, the Director of Community Engagement at the West Virginia Community Development Hub. Amanda shares the importance of building trust, empowering communities, and overcoming fear of change. She also dives into the importance of work-life balance and preventing burnout. Join in as they talk communication, trust, and networking, which are key components to helping communities create the change they want to see.

Amanda is married with three children and originally from West Virginia. Moving away after college, she lived in St. Louis, Chicago, and Richmond. But after returning to West Virginia to help her parents with their farmers market, she was instantly reminded of the incredible community and sense of home she felt in her home state. Wanting that same experience for her children, her family made the decision to stay.

This was an incredibly rich conversation with so many tangible takeaways. We can’t wait to hear your feedback.

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about the work Amanda Workman-Scott is doing at the West Virginia Community Development Hub

Learn more about the Bridgeport Farmers Market.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

What is deep listening? Why is it so important? In this episode of the We Rise Podcast, Christine Gyovai dives into the power of listening and the impact of being heard. Learn helpful tips to be an active listener and its role in fostering deep connections, honoring a person’s worth, and creating possibility.

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Find out more about the Crossroads Youth Summit hosted by the International Storytelling Center taking place September 12th, 2021.

“How Important is Listening Really?” by Christina Holbrook McEntee

“Tell Me More: On The Fine Art of Listening”, an essay by Brenda Ueland

The Power of Deep Listening, a talk by Tara Brach

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

In today’s episode of the We Rise Podcast, Christine is joined by Fritz Boettner of Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective. Fritz is the director of Food Systems Development at West Virginia University Center for Resilient Communities, a learning laboratory for community transformation. Learn about the value of failure as feedback, the importance of building a firm foundation to turn an idea into reality, and the need for cooperation over competition. What does it take to change the food industry paradigm so it works in favor of all? 

Passionate about farming and agriculture, Fritz approaches his work from an economic, nutritional, and community perspective. His current work includes the development of Sprouting Farms, a farm training center in Talcott, WV and the Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective, a regional cooperative food hub designed to grow wholesale agricultural markets.

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about Fritz Boettner and his work at West Virginia University Center for Resilient Communities

Learn more about Sprouting Farms and Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective

Check out some of the farms and cooperatives partnering with Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective: Grow Ohio Valley, Garret Growers, and New Roots Community Farm

Some of the programs partnering with West Virginia University Center for Resilient Communities include: The Food Justice Lab and SNAP Stretch

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

In this episode of the Collective Resilience: We Rise Podcast, Christine connects with Mayor Horne of Dungannon, VA. Mayor Horne talks about letting love lead in creating change, and is a strong point of inspiration for the We Rise Podcast and for Christine. Mayor Horne shares how community members have joined to revitalize the town -- often through working regionally, creating safe and enjoyable spaces for youth, and pursuing growth through networking. Coming up against struggles and hardships, Dungannon has shown resilience and perseverance in creating new opportunities and generating the support they need to transform their town.

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about the Town of Dungannon.

Learn more about the organizations that have helped fund and support the revitalization of Dungannon: LENOWISCO, High Knob Enhancement Corporation, CDBG funding.

Learn more about some of the towns inspiring Mayor Horne: Dante, Cleveland, St. Paul

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

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Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

In Episode 8 of the We Rise Podcast, Christine connects with Christopher Rashad Green for a deeply inspiring conversation fueled by resilience, empowerment, and a story of transformation and connection. Christopher spent sixteen years incarcerated. Since his release in August of 2013, he has transformed his life as a motivational speaker, mentor, and advocate for change in communities in Virginia. He shares the power of keeping hope alive in cultivating change, the importance of healing from past trauma, and the role of trust, empathy, and passion as a catalyst for change.

Christopher is the founder of Free*Dome Unlimited and an organizer for New Virginia Majority where he leads the Court Watch of Central Virginia. He works in the Richmond region and also works as Community Organizer at the Legal Aid Justice Center of Virginia in Petersburg. His work addresses systemic issues affecting families and community members, from incarceration to youth justice.

LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED

Learn more about Christopher Rashad Green, founder of Free*Dome Unlimited and employee at the Legal Aid Justice Center of Virginia

Learn more about New Virginia Majority and the Court Watch of Central Virginia

Learn more about Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy

Learn more about trauma in the body through the documentary: Resilience

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

In this episode of the We Rise Podcast, Christine interviews Peter Hille, President of The Mountain Association.  Peter shares what it takes to create a new economy and the empowerment of seeing progress. Learn about a “just transition” and the importance of starting at the local level to create lasting and sustainable change for a community.

The Mountain Association

Some organizations collaborating with The Mountain Association include: The Brushy Fork Institute, Appalshop, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth.

Learn more about Gwen Christon and her store, Isom IGA.

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

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Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

In Episode 6 of the We Rise Podcast, Christine Gyovai speaks with Theresa Burriss about the resilience of coal mining communities, building momentum, and the creative way artists are leading change around the globe. Learn about the incredible transformations happening locally and internationally, and what it takes to create something new.

Theresa is the Director of Appalachian Studies at Radford University, the Director of the  Appalachian Regional and Rural Study Center, and the Director of Academic Outreach at the Higher Ed Center in Abington for Radford. She is a teacher, a wife, a mother, and a runner.

Growing up in Bristol, Tennessee, Theresa attended Emory University in Atlanta for her undergraduate studies, followed by time in DC working on Capitol Hill and a year in law school. After a stroke in 2012, Theresa and her family made the decision to move back to her roots. They live near Bristol and Abingdon, TN on 123 wooded acres preserving the land, fauna, and flora.

Links and Resources:

Theresa Burriss, Director of:
-Appalachian Studies at Radford University
-Appalachian Regional and Rural Study Center
-Academic Outreach at the Higher Ed Center in Abington

Learn more about:
-The Harm Reduction Program in the LENOWISCO district of VA
-The Southwest Virginia Workforce Development and their R.O.P.E.S. program
-Appalachian Sustainable Development and their Groundwork program
-Robert Gipe and the Higher Ground Community Theatre
-Opportunity Southwest Virginia
-Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy
-Appalachian Voices

Book and Media Resources:
-Women in the Mines: Stories of Life and Work by Marat Moore
-Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore by Elizabeth Rush
-Planeta Petrila (Official Trailer)

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.

In this episode of the We Rise Podcast, Christine is joined by Adam Wells, sharing the resilience of many Appalachian communities. Adam dives into the importance of reckoning with pain to create a new future and the importance of listening and sharing all voices and experiences when creating a new vision. Adam shares what it takes for a community to truly succeed.

Adam is the Regional Director of Community and Economic Development for Appalachian Voices, and his career has included environmental justice, activism, new economy, and solutions-based work. He and his wife Emily live in Southwest Virginia, raising their two young children, Ruby and Sawyer.

Links and Resources:

Appalachian Voices

Learn about the New Economy Program, Impacts of the Coal Industry, and Appalachian Voices commitment to Racial Justice and Equity.

Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards

Wise County, Virginia

St. Paul, Virginia

Norton, Virginia

Dante, Virginia Community Association

MountainRose Vineyard in Wise, Virginia

Collective Resilience: We Rise is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.

Follow Collective Resilience: We Rise on Facebook and Instagram.

Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.