State of Inclusion
by Ame Sanders
In our podcast, we explore topics at the intersection of equity, inclusion and community. We learn ways that communities are facing (or not) their realities of inequity and injustice. We will meet people who are changing their communities for the better and discover actions that we can each take to improve our own communities.
Episodes
-
Beyond Either-Or Thinking
Sometimes I share an episode from another podcast. My last guest, Margaret Seidler, got me thinking about how we can all move beyond either-or thinking. I'll admit, after listening to Margaret, I wanted to know more. And I figured you guys might want to know more too. So today's episode is an...
-
Journey Toward Healing and Liberation
By sharing her personal story and painful family history, today's guest, Margaret Seidler, takes us along on a journey with her, a journey of discovery, of reckoning, and ultimately, of liberation. Along the way, we are reminded of the ability for story and art to connect us, to open our hearts…
more -
We Are the Economy
A lot of us are watching our economy fall short — for us, for our neighbors, for our communities. Our communities need us to step up. They need our time, our energy — and, yes, our money. After all, we are the economy. Our choices, individually and together, shape it. The good news is that change...
-
Power Walks, Exercising Your Civic Power
While most of our podcast episodes are about looking out at other communities to learn and find inspiration, this episode is all about encouraging you to really notice what is happening right in your own backyard. We encourage you to take a Power Walk through your community and also to follow the...
-
2025 Year In Review
Whether or not you follow State of Inclusion, you know that 2025 was a difficult year for equity and inclusion, and 2026 is already shaping up to be even more difficult in so many ways. In this episode, we’ll take a moment to reflect on our 2025 discussions and look ahead to our podcast in 2026....
-
New Roots, New Voices: Conclusion and Reflections
In this episode, we pause to express gratitude and reflect on the lessons learned through nearly a year of intentional engagement on immigration justice, in partnership with Village Engage and the Greenville Immigration and Faith Coalition. Listen in as our team explains how this journey has...
-
What Kind of Activist Are You?
If you care about making the world a better place, this episode is for you. My guest, Omkari Williams, asks us each to consider, "What if an activist looked like you?" In our discussion, she will share the ways that we can make activism and microactivism part of our daily lives. Along the way…
more -
Greenville's Immigrant History with Russell Stall
In this episode, with the help of our guest Russell Stall, we will look back at the contributions past immigrants have made to Greenville, S.C. In doing so, we will draw from the lessons of our community's immigrant past to help inform our future. Welcome to this very special series, New Roots…
more -
Ep. 7 - New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors
In this episode, we will hear from Julian Cabra, who came to the US from Colombia seeking asylum. Julian's story asks us to reflect on the sacrifices and risks parents take for the safety of their children, as he shares what it was like for him to flee home at the age of 17, leaving everything…
more -
Ep. 6 - New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors
Sometimes it takes someone new, coming from outside the community, to hold a mirror up, allowing us to see our community more honestly and realistically. In this episode, we will meet Chong Song, who came to the U.S. to marry a soldier. Following her husband’s military career, she has lived in…
more -
Ep. 5 - New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors
In this episode, we'll meet Andrew Assuah, a teacher from Ghana who has come to Greenville to teach French in our public school system. In our discussion, Andrew will share about his dreams for himself and his family as well as the principles he lives by. He'll also give us a glimpse into the...
-
Ep. 4 - New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors
In this episode, we'll meet Maria Beltran, an immigrant from Ecuador, and a paralegal who works every day on behalf of local immigrants. You'll quickly realize, as I did, that Maria is a force, a person who gets things done, someone anyone would be happy to have by their side. Welcome to this…
more -
Ep. 3 - New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors
In this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing two Afghan sisters. They share about the artwork they did for this project and also offer a view into the challenges they and other girls have faced in their home country of Afghanistan. They also offer wisdom about how our community should…
more -
Ep. 2 - New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors
In this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing four Afghan youth. In their voices we hear the beautiful energy and resilience of the young, even ones who have left so much behind. We will learn a little about their journey and the dreams they have for their future. Welcome to this very...
-
Ep. 1- New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors
In this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ziad Namouz, a beautiful and generous soul who shares a little of his heritage and culture every day through food. Ziad is one of the founders and owners of the Pita House Restaurant and Grocery, a place I've visited for years,. This interview…
more -
Part 2: Allies in Action for Immigration Justice
This week, we'll hear three different voices from my home state of South Carolina. Listen in as we hear from Laura Hornby with Welcome English Language Learners of Greenville and Interface Ministries, Matt Rollins of First Baptist Greenville, and Dulce López from the South Carolina ACLU. Each of...
-
Part 1: Allies in Action for Immigration Justice
If you are concerned about the safety and well-being of immigrant neighbors in your community, this episode is for you. If you're unsure about what you can personally do and how you can be a better ally, this episode, along with our next episode, is for you. In this episode, we'll hear from…
more -
Start Close In: Immigration Justice
In this episode, I'll take you along with me on some of my local journeys as others and I work to build a more inclusive and equitable community right where we live. This is the first in a series of episodes where we explore what it means to practice Self Work and GroundWork on the issue of...
-
How Are You Doing: Voices from the Field
If you're concerned about the state of equity and inclusion in your community and across the country, this episode is for you. And if you're wondering what to do in the face of all the attacks and uncertainty, this episode is for you. We don't pretend to have all the answers to these big…
more -
Building Civic Health, Building Community
In this episode, we'll dig into the idea of civic health--what it is, how you can measure it, and what North Carolina has learned from measuring their state's civic health. Along the way, we'll also discover an approach to create a breakthrough on issues that divide us by using a tool called...
-
Finding Connection, Purpose, and Community
In this episode, we’ll hear about one person’s journey to nurture connection and community in their hometown and about using Civic Saturdays as a vehicle to bring people together. Along the way, we’ll explore stories and insights that remind us all just how important a sense of community can be....
-
Building For All
In November, Emma Winiski and I led a breakout session at the Government Alliance on Race and Equity annual conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Our Session was titled Building for All: Connecting Inclusive Practices to Improve the Built Environment and Beyond. In this episode, you'll hear an...
-
2024 - Year in Review
Over 2024, we had so many rich discussions here at the State of Inclusion Podcast. Join me as we take a few minutes to reflect on our main themes and the wisdom my guests have shared across the year. If you'd like to help us refine our work on equity ecosystem mapping, reach out to me at...
-
A New Way to Fund and Build Affordable Housing
Have you wondered how we can create a local economy that works for everyone? I believe it happens when we make different choices. Different choices in how we show up in our communities, in how and where we shop, what we buy, what we build, and how we invest. This episode is about someone who...
-
Meet Me at the Library
If you wonder how to build a stronger and more cohesive community in these divided times, this episode is for you. In this episode, we will discuss the role community libraries can and do play as a key part of our social infrastructure. Our community library is one of the last free places where…
more -
Local Investing: A Circle of Aunts and Uncles
How can we co-create a more just, compassionate, vibrant, and inclusive economy? In this interview, Judy Wicks shares how the Circle of Aunts and Uncles in Philadelphia does just that as they invest in and support local entrepreneurs. In our discussion, Judy goes even further to help us…
more -
Approaching Reparations in South Bend
Join me as we talk with Darryl Heller, the chair of the South Bend Reparatory Justice Commission. We will discuss how the commission is bringing a restorative justice lens to its approach to reparations in South Bend, Indiana. This conversation offers practical and insightful ways to consider the...
-
At the Intersection of Art and Activism
We believe in the transformative power of art. It's a potent tool that can be used to touch hearts and open minds and contribute to the creation of a more inclusive and equitable community. Over the years, we've talked with artists, but this conversation is different. It is about street art, or...
-
Closing the Wealth Gap with Project Equity
Today, the richest 10% of households own 70% of the country's wealth, including 90% of the wealth from business ownership. We know this wealth gap is felt most acutely by everyday workers and people of color. So, how do we fix this very deep, widespread, systemic problem? In this episode, we hear...
-
Power in Coalitions
For those of you who are already doing advocacy and coalition work in your communities, this episode is for you. If you are trying to find a way to ensure your community’s needs are respected in the face of significant building and development, this episode is for you. We’ll hear how to use...
-
Supporting Inclusion Through Color and Design
Our work of Equity and Inclusion requires us to think multi-dimensionally, to think about ourselves, but also about those with whom we interact and about the structures in our environment, whether those are systems or physical spaces. My guest, Lori Weitzner, helps us explore the importance of…
more -
Community by Design
This conversation reminds us that the current systems that keep us from achieving equity and inclusion weren’t just an accident of evolution. They were designed—intentionally designed. These past designs and their artifacts also persist in our everyday lives, even when we have stopped many of the...
-
Building an Inclusive Economy
Today's guest is Tawanna Black, founder of the Center for Economic Inclusion. Tawanna makes a clear and compelling case for community leaders to work together with a focus on building a thriving, growing economy that works for everyone in their community. Tawanna also shares how her team has…
more -
Looking Back and Ahead
In this episode, we take a moment to reflect on the State of Inclusion Podcast for 2023 and look ahead to 2024. While DEI may be under assault on many fronts, I'll share why I remain optimistic about this work of equity and inclusion. We'll also listen to and reflect on a few pearls of wisdom…
more -
Why Neighborhoods Matter
Our guest, Nick Cotter, has dedicated his life to educating others on the causes and reality of persistent racial and economic segregation and working to address its consequences in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While Nick's work is clearly focused on Pittsburgh, the insights and...
-
Listening to My Neighbor's Voice, an Act of Love
If you want to discover how to become a better listener and learn techniques to help you listen with greater respect and love, this episode is for you. In this episode, Victoria Chance and Mary Anne Inglis of My Neighbor's Voice offer an approach to strengthen our listening skills and, at the…
more -
Moments of Growth - Part 2
As part of this work of equity and inclusion, we are each on our own journey of growth. Sometimes, a moment of growth is structured and intentional, but sometimes, it catches us completely unaware. After it happens, we’re never the same. In today’s episode, I asked three more of my previous…
more -
Moments of Growth - Part 1
As part of this work of equity and inclusion, we are each on our own journey of growth. Sometimes, a moment of growth is structured and intentional, but sometimes, it catches us completely unaware. After it happens, we’re never the same. In today’s episode, I asked three of my previous guests to...
-
Community Truth as a Foundation for Resilience and Equity
In this episode we learn about using the power of community truth-telling as a springboard for systemic change and equity in Cincinnati, Ohio. We talk with Kim Rodgers from the Center for Community Resilience at George Washington University and learn how they provide on-the-ground support to...
-
Making a Commitment to Equity with Conserving Carolina
In this episode, we hear from an organization that has come to realize equity and inclusion are integral to its mission. As we talk with Rose Lane of Conserving Carolina, she shares how her organization adapted its strategic plan and value statements and how they formally ensure social justice,...
-
Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation
Join us as Jerry Hawkins shares what it means to imagine a radically inclusive Dallas and Fort Worth. Along the way, Jerry also talks about how his organization delivers on its mission of truth, racial healing, and transformation for the communities it serves. Book Giveaway Alert We love books on...
-
Making State Parks More Inclusive in South Carolina
Hear from Paul McCormack, the South Carolina State Parks Director, as we talk about the actions he and his team are taking to make South Carolina's parks more accessible and inclusive. Along the way, Paul shares a little about what drives his commitment to inclusion and how he came to love the...
-
Adaptive Athlete and Disability Activist – Chris Sparrow
Join me as we hear from adaptive athlete and disability activist, Chris Sparrow. Chris will share what it has meant for him to get outdoors and re-engage with the sports he loves following a spinal cord injury. Along the way, he'll challenge us all to open our minds to what is possible and step…
more -
Preparing the Community Soil
Real and lasting community change is about broad community engagement, commitment, and change. That doesn’t just happen. It has to be cultivated. Join us in this episode as your co-hosts, Emma Winiski and Ame Sanders, talk about the practice we call GroundWork. It’s about reaching across the...
-
The Inclusive Community Outdoor Challenge
Sign up for our newsletter, The Inclusive Community, and join us for the 10-week Inclusive Community Outdoor Challenge. The outdoors has a diversity problem. It is time we noticed and did something about it. Journey along with me, Ame Sanders, as I complete each week's challenge in my own life…
more -
Focused on Results
Many communities undertake a coordinated program of actions and initiatives to strengthen inclusion and reduce disparities. If you want to see that type of results-focused action in your community or are already part of such a program, this episode is for you. This episode is part of our series…
more -
Diversity Education in Nature
If you have ever wondered what nature has to teach us about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, this episode is for you. In our discussion with Dan Kriesberg and Camille Simone Edwards, we'll explore how learning about and getting in touch with the diversity in the outer world will help…
more -
Economic Justice in Western North Carolina
Vicki Meath, and her team at Just Economics, are working to build an economy in Western North Carolina that works better for everyone. In this episode, we learn about the creative and practical steps they are taking toward economic justice. If you are working on economic justice, equity, or...
-
Building Community in Charlotte, NC
At the State of Inclusion Podcast, we are on a journey to discover what it takes to build more inclusive communities. There are few communities working harder at this than Charlotte, NC. In this episode, we talk with Janeen Bryant, Executive Director of Charlotte's Community Building Initiative....
-
Inclusion Starts Here
Inclusion starts with each of us. This episode is part of the series: The Practice of Building a More Inclusive Community. In this episode, we explore the practice area we call Self Work. Along the way, Emma Winiski and I will discuss and share ideas for how each of us can progress on our…
more
About this show
In our podcast, we explore topics at the intersection of equity, inclusion and community. We learn ways that communities are facing (or not) their realities of inequity and injustice. We will meet people who are changing their communities for the better and discover actions that we can each take to improve our own communities.
Hosted by
Ame Sanders