PODCAST · society
Into the Mix
by Ben & Jerry's and ABF Creative
A new season of Into The Mix, a Ben & Jerry’s podcast about joy and justice, is back! Hosted by Ashley C. Ford, we’re bringing you inspiring stories from unexpected heroes. People who didn’t set out to be activists, but found themselves stepping up for something bigger than themselves. Like a singer/songwriter whose music headlines protests; an award-winning journalist whose story of being undocumented is changing how journalists discuss immigration; a WNBA champion who is using her influence to fight cannabis injustice and so much more. Tune in weekly to experience these amazing stories of courage, creativity, joy and justice. And don’t miss our previous seasons for more stories of struggle and success from communities across the world, plus conversations about art and activism, with friends of Ben & Jerry’s like John Legend, Big Freedia, and Ava DuVernay.
Episodes
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War on Woke: Where We Hold Out Hope
Antonio and other business owners in Florida sued the state after the Stop WOKE Act was signed, and won. What does that mean for the future of the act, and for business owners in the state? In our final episode of the season, we’re taking a deep dive into the fraught conversation of D.E.I., the...
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War on Woke: The Real Heart of the Problem
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is on a mission to curb conversations about race, diversity, and inequity of all shades. He’s banned books, trainings, and classes. He’s introduced laws and attacked businesses of all sizes. But why? What is the motivation behind the so-called “War on Woke” and where...
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War on Woke: Not Just About The Ice Cream
According to Antonio McBroom, a day without dessert is a disaster. So it makes sense that he’s now an ice cream entrepreneur, slinging scoops of Ben & Jerry’s up and down the Florida coast. At the core of Antonio’s business model is leadership training and mentorship for all of his scoop shop...
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Final Mini-Series Coming Soon!
We'll be back in November with our final mini-series of this season which delves into Florida's War on Woke and the ongoing fight to protect diversity, equity and inclusion programs. In the meantime, listen to some of our past episodes of Into the Mix. To learn more about how to support…
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Crooked Coffee: Let Us Shine
Ms. Livvy’s heroic efforts to protect voting rights have come at a cost. Her health has suffered, and she’s tired. But she knows there’s more work to do, especially with the November election on the very near horizon. In our final episode from Georgia, we’re diving into why your vote matters, why...
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Crooked Coffee: The Fight Against Voter Suppression
Ms. Livvy has watched as Georgia has become ground zero for voter suppression efforts. Laws that wipe people from the polls are popping up left and right, all claiming to curb so-called voter fraud… even though studies have shown over and over again that rates of voter fraud are between 0.0003...
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Crooked Coffee: Ms. Livvy Against The Machine
Voters in Coffee County, Georgia have another name for this place: Crooked Coffee, where elections officials have waged war on voters of color for decades. So residents weren't shocked when their tiny community made national headlines following the January 6th attack on the Capitol, after members...
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Cancer Alley: Victory is Mine
Ms. Sharon never thought she’d be the one to take down the industry harming her community. But as her fight gains momentum, she’s scoring wins that are making big impact. And Jo Banner never thought she’d own a plantation. But it’s a powerful way to protect the past, while defending her neighbors...
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Cancer Alley: This is OUR Briar Patch
The violent history of Cancer Alley began long before the petrochemical industry arrived in the 1960s. Prior to being dominated by plastics plants, this land was home to plantations. To understand how this stretch of the Louisiana River Parishes became a “sacrifice zone” – a place where plastic…
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Cancer Alley: Plan A is the Only Plan
The beautiful stretch of Louisiana where Ms. Sharon Lavigne lives goes by many names: the River Parishes, The Great River Road, The Mississippi River Industrial Corridor, and, worst of all... Cancer Alley. This 85 mile stretch of riverbank houses over 150 petrochemical plants. The majority of…
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The Workhouse: How to Close a Jail
How do you close a jail that’s as old as your city? Step one: gather your people. In the final episode of this series from St. Louis, we’re talking to the politicians, disruptors, and rabble-rousers who joined Inez’s fight to close the Workhouse. Here’s how they did it, and how you can do it…
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The Workhouse: The Court's ATM
More than half a million Americans are sitting in jail awaiting trial. And 60% of them are there because they can’t afford not to be. That’s why the Workhouse jail in St. Louis stayed so full for so long. Some people jailed there were pulled over for speeding, others learned they had outstanding...
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The Workhouse: A Scorpio Walks Into a Jail
Inez Bordeaux needs you to know three things: she’s a mom of four, a Scorpio, and she always gets her lick back. So when a court error sent her life into a seven year tailspin, she came out swinging on the other side, and set her sights on justice. How? By closing the jail that symbolized the...
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Season 3 Trailer: Let's get into it!
Into the Mix is all about joy and justice in action, and this season, Ben & Jerry’s is bringing you four multi-part stories that take you beyond the news headlines, and introduce you to the real people at the heart of some of today’s greatest fights for justice. Host Ashley C. Ford is taking you…
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34 Cents an Hour: Prison Labor & the Exception in the 13th Amendment
Johnny Perez worked hard throughout his 13 year prison sentence. He sewed sheets and facilitated classes, met demanding quotas and helped other men prepare for life on the outside. The highest wage he was ever paid was 34 cents an hour. Meanwhile, prison labor generated $14 billion last year. So...
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The Price of Freedom: Cash Bail and Pretrial Detention
When Flo was arrested in 2016, he did not expect to be wrapped into the predatory bail industry. $7,500: that was the amount the judge set for his pretrial release. “$7,500 might as well have been a million dollars to me.” As a result, Flo spent two months in jail even though he was legally...
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“This is My City”: The Promise of Reparations and the Legacy of Urban Renewal
Priscilla Robinson says the Southside neighborhood of Asheville, North Carolina was once a thriving, tight-knit community. She describes fruit trees and multigenerational homeowners, booming small businesses and neighbors who looked out for one another. But that all changed in 1968, when the city...
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New Front Lines: How Med Students are Adapting to a Post Roe Future
When 3rd year med student Megh Kumar told a mentor she’d decided to go into OB GYN, she got an unexpected piece of advice: don’t. It’s been more than a year since the Supreme Court revoked constitutional protections for abortion rights with their Dobbs decision. Since then 13 states – including...
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I Am the Water: Grassy Narrows’ Land Back Story
On a cold night in 2002, Chrissy Isaacs watched yet another logging truck loaded with old growth trees hurtle past her home in the Grassy Narrows First Nation, down the only road into the reserve: built by and for the logging industry. Enough was enough. That night, she dropped a tree in the road...
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Libraries Off-limits: Examining Florida’s book bans
Andrea Phillips loves her job. She works at an elementary school as a reading interventionist, teaching struggling readers to love books. When she was told by her district to pack up her classroom library earlier this year, she was devastated. In 2022, Florida lawmakers passed HB 1467. This new…
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Police Free Schools: What does school safety really mean?
Most kids in the U.S. go to a school that’s patrolled by police officers. They’re supposed to keep students safe, but after decades of increased surveillance, in-school arrests have skyrocketed for kids of all ages. And most of the kids arrested at school are students of color. A group of…
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Be Back Soon!
We’ll be back in August with more episodes!
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Safe Routes for Refugees: One Woman’s Unlikely Journey from Afghanistan to the UK
In January 2021, Zahra Shaheer had to get out of Afghanistan… fast. So when she had the rare opportunity to secure safe passage for herself and her two children, she made the heartbreaking decision to flee, even though it meant leaving her mother behind. Now, Zahra and her mother remain separated...
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Gender Euphoria: What Happens When We Support Trans Kids?
As lawmakers consider more than 500 anti-trans bills nationwide, experts warn that these efforts will increase already-high rates of depression and suicidality for trans kids. But what happens when these kids are affirmed and supported in their transition? When their communities welcome them with...
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"The Cows Don't Milk Themselves!": Migrant Farmworkers Fight for Dignity
Did you know that without migrant farm workers, the price of dairy would be twice as expensive? Dairy farming is one of the most challenging jobs in agriculture, and like a lot of farmwork has notoriously weak legal protections for workers, leading to long hours, poor pay, and unsafe conditions....
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Green Cotton: Cannabis Justice in America
Back in the day, Michael Thompson was a local legend in Flint, Michigan. He brought acts like Aretha Franklin to town, and did incredible work to ease vicious gang violence in his community. So when he was sentenced to 42 to 60 years in prison, Flint was shocked, and devastated. His crime?…
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Let My People Vote: Ensuring Voting Rights to Returning Citizens
Today, over 4.5 million people can't vote in the United States because of a mistake they made in the past. Desmond Meade is one of them. He's a "returning citizen" who understands the devastating impacts of having your civil rights stripped away, and the redemptive power of second chances. So, he...
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Into the Mix is Back!
Ben & Jerry’s is back with another season of Into the Mix, a podcast about joy and justice. Hosted by Ashley C. Ford and produced with Vox Creative, this season will bring you stories of struggle and success from the everyday people at the heart of our greatest fights — from voting rights, to...
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Episode 12: Ava DuVernay
Ava DuVernay was a total film nerd growing up in Compton, CA; now she’s a bonafide Hollywood icon. Before making it big with films like Selma, 13th, and A Wrinkle in Time, Ava made her mark exploring themes and characters inspired by her own life. Join host Ashley C. Ford to learn how Ava uses…
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Episode 11: Erika Alexander
Erika Alexander started out as a child actor in Philadelphia before landing the iconic role of Maxine Shaw, Attorney at Law on the hit sitcom Living Single. Today, the veteran of screen and stage uses her storytelling skills to advocate for reparations for Black Americans. Host Ashley C. Ford...
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Episode 10: Laci Jordan
Laci Jordan was always a very serious student. When the time came to choose a career path, she decided to study criminal justice. But she soon found that her calling was not in law enforcement, but art. Host Ashley C. Ford interviews Laci about her journey from interning at the FBI, to using her...
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Episode 9: Ben and Jerry
From the beginning, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield wanted their company to be about more than just ice cream; they knew they could leverage their popularity to advance progressive causes. Host Ashley C. Ford talks to them about their decades-long friendship, how they found early success combining...
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Episode 8: Phil Agnew
Phil Agnew first became an activist in 2006, after learning about a Black teenager who had been killed by guards in a Florida youth detention center. He became an organizer a few years later when he co-founded the Dream Defenders, a grassroots movement for prison abolition and more. In this...
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Episode 7: Patti Smith and Bill McKibben
Tackling climate change can feel so overwhelming, but the featured guests in this episode approach their climate justice work one event at a time. Punk icon Patti Smith, along with her friend, writer and activist Bill McKibben, stage inspiring events that use music, poetry and letter-writing…
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Episode 6: Rashad Robinson
The online civil rights organization, Color of Change, has used many different tools to push for change: ads targeted to corporate leadership, fax machines sent to lawmakers, Twitter hashtags, and online petitions. Ashley C. Ford sits down with the head of the organization, Rashad Robinson, to…
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Episode 5: Jeffery Robinson
In this episode of Into the Mix, Ashley C. Ford talks to Jeffery Robinson, who has spent the last decade trying to correct the history books. Jeffery is a criminal defense lawyer and founder of the Who We Are Project, an effort that aims to uncover the hidden history of America’s anti-Black…
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Episode 4: Big Freedia
In this episode of Into the Mix, Ashley C. Ford talks to Big Freedia, the performer who brought bounce music from the streets of New Orleans to the world. Join Freedia as she tells us how she got her start, how she faced personal tragedy — and how she’s continuing to show up for her community,...
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Episode 3: Andrew Aydin
Join host Ashley C. Ford in conversation with political aide Andrew Aydin, whose idea for a thrilling new retelling of Congressman John Lewis' life and role in the Civil Rights struggle is helping a whole new generation of students and activists connect with their past. Dive into the power of...
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Episode 2: Favianna Rodriguez
In this episode of Into the Mix, host Ashley C. Ford talks with artist Favianna Rodriguez — maker of bold, energetic murals, prints, and sculptures — about how her work both names, and helps transcend, the pain of systemic racism. She’ll share how her work explores the themes of racial and…
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Episode 1: John Legend
In the debut episode of Into the Mix, join host Ashley C. Ford for a deep discussion with John Legend on his art, his activism, and how he’s blending the two to spearhead a movement for a more equitable world. His newest venture? Igniting systemic change where it all begins — locally.
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Introducing Into the Mix
Introducing Into the Mix — a Ben & Jerry’s podcast about joy and justice, produced with Vox Creative. Join host Ashley C. Ford as she talks with the artists, activists, and all-around amazing people who are working to build a better world. The struggle, the wins, the thrill of making change and...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A new season of Into The Mix, a Ben & Jerry’s podcast about joy and justice, is back! Hosted by Ashley C. Ford, we’re bringing you inspiring stories from unexpected heroes. People who didn’t set out to be activists, but found themselves stepping up for something bigger than themselves. Like a singer/songwriter whose music headlines protests; an award-winning journalist whose story of being undocumented is changing how journalists discuss immigration; a WNBA champion who is using her influence to fight cannabis injustice and so much more. Tune in weekly to experience these amazing stories of courage, creativity, joy and justice.
And don’t miss our previous seasons for more stories of struggle and success from communities across the world, plus conversations about art and activism, with friends of Ben & Jerry’s like John Legend, Big Freedia, and Ava DuVernay.
HOSTED BY
Ben & Jerry's and ABF Creative
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Into the Mix have?
Into the Mix currently has 51 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Into the Mix about?
A new season of Into The Mix, a Ben & Jerry’s podcast about joy and justice, is back! Hosted by Ashley C. Ford, we’re bringing you inspiring stories from unexpected heroes. People who didn’t set out to be activists, but found themselves stepping up for something bigger than themselves. Like a...
How often does Into the Mix release new episodes?
Into the Mix has 51 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Into the Mix?
You can listen to Into the Mix on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Into the Mix?
Into the Mix is created and hosted by Ben & Jerry's and ABF Creative.
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