We spent a week in residence with the Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse at Grand Valley State University and their community partner Seeds of Promise in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was election week and a good time to ask the question, “What is one hope you have for our country during these divided times?” If I were to have answered the question, it would have … Continue reading Civil Discourse
Lauren Reliford is the political director for Sojourners in Washington, DC. Her work is centered on applying social theory, spirituality, research, and practice to the political policy that guides our nation. We talked about her political theory, her efforts to influence policy makers to legislate for the common good, and her inclination to care deeply. “I want to be a lifeboat, a safety blanket for … Continue reading Lauren W. Reliford
Mitchell Atencio is the associate news editor at Sojourners. Born in Atlanta, he now works out of the Sojourners D.C. offices on Capitol Hill. I interviewed Mitchell three days before the Supreme Court released its ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. We spoke about his work in media, his ongoing process of challenging his own assumptions, and his decision to be discalced out … Continue reading Mitchell Atencio
It’s mind-boggling to watch the steady march to war. To see the powerful leverage their position and lie as the world looks on. To bear witness to the human toll as innocent lives cower, or flee or die. To what end? How many resources will be squandered? How much blood shed? How many lives destroyed? And for what? For a grudge to be settled? An … Continue reading Ukraine
I’ve gotten to know Graham Bodie over the past year as I’ve gotten involved as a coalition partner for The Listen First Project, a group of organizations focused on using dialogue to heal the social fabric of America. Graham is a Chief Listening Officer of Listen First Project and also a professor of integrated media communications at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. “Swapping … Continue reading Graham Bodie
Many of you know that a few years back I had a small cancer scare. As if there is such a thing. I got off easy. We caught the bladder cancer small and early. It was removed with a brief outpatient procedure—like a polyp in a colonoscopy—and I didn’t even need chemo or radiation. We remain vigilant, with screenings every six months at first and … Continue reading Waiting…
Leroy Sullivan has been the mayor of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, since March 2004. Prior to serving as mayor, Leroy worked at a local chemical plant and was burned over 50 percent of his body in an explosion at the plant. He spent 37 days in a burn unit. Donaldsonville has a population of 7,436, but he says its residents experience the same struggles as larger cities: poverty, drug abuse, … Continue reading Leroy Sullivan
Kathy Webb served six years as a state representative in the Arkansas legislature and now is executive director of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. An activist all her life, Kathy noticed a shift from working with like-minded activists to the process of compromise she encountered as a legislator. “We are all a whole package, with the pluses and the minuses.” I have always believed that you can … Continue reading Kathy Webb
