The Relay

The term “Queer” is often used as a broad umbrella term for the LGBTQIA+ community. But the term not only describes sexual and gender identities, it is also a politic, a way of being and operating in the world. In this episode we continue our discussion about queerness as both a form of identity and a particular politic that aims to defy the limits of prescribed norms and structures in favor of more expansive ways of being in relation and in community with one another. We examine how these ways of being not only have implications for those who identify as queer, but also for how we all conceive of what’s possible in the way of justice and community-building. Roundtable guests for this conversation include once again Jude Feng, Dr. Jessica Davenport, and Janae Ariel. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

The term “Queer” is often used as a broad umbrella term for the LGBTQIA+ community. But the term not only describes sexual and gender identities, it is also a politic, a way of being and operating in the world. In this episode we’ll discuss queerness as both a form of identity and a particular politic that aims to defy the limits of prescribed norms and structures in favor of more expansive ways of being in relation and in community with one another. We’ll examine how these ways of being not only have implications for those who identify as queer, but also for how we all conceive of what’s possible in the way of justice and community-building. Roundtable guests for this conversation include Jude Feng, Dr. Jessica Davenport, and Janae Ariel.  CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

“Whiteness” is a term often used in discussions about race. And yet it is not so much a reference to white people, but rather to a set of behaviors, privileges and ways of being that are common to--yet often take for granted by--white people. In this episode, Secunda and Luke are joined once again by Dr. Rachel Schneider and the Rev. Dr. Matt Russell to continue their discussion of whiteness, it’s relationship to white supremacy, and how justice-minded white folks are seeking to disrupt and undo it’s already and always insidious and violent trajectory. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

“Whiteness” is a term often used in discussions about race. And yet it is not so much a reference to white people, but rather to a set of behaviors, privileges and ways of being that are common to--yet often take for granted by--white people. In this episode, Secunda and Luke are joined by Dr. Rachel Schneider and the Rev. Dr. Matt Russell to discuss whiteness, it’s relationship to white supremacy, and how justice-minded white folks are seeking to disrupt and undo it’s already and always insidious and violent trajectory. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

In 2018, Pittsburgh artist Alisha Wormsley created and posted what many considered to be a “controversial” billboard in the East Liberty neighborhood of the city. The billboard contained a single sentence that read: “There are black people in the future.” The simple statement was a profound one; in the context of a gentrifying neighborhood where black residents were being rapidly displaced, the billboard critiqued community planning strategies that expunge and erase black communities. But more than a critique, the billboard was also indicative of a particular artistic practice, mode of study and social engagement that has come to be known as “Afrofuturism.” In this episode, Secunda continues her conversation with De'Anna Daniels, Jaison Oliver, and Dr. Jessica Davenport about afrofuturism and its creative and cultural possibilities for community-building.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESFor more on Wormsley, click here.DrexciyaAdrienne Maree Brown - Octavia's BroodRhiana Gunn Wright - New Consensus Green New DealThe Intercept - A message From the Future with Alexandria Ocasio-CortezHow It Feels to Be A Colored Me - Zora Neale HurstonAaron Douglas - PainterThe Comet - W. E. B. DuBoisZone 1, Underground Railroad, Nickel Boys - Colson WhiteheadWayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments - Saidiya HartmanJohn JenningsKenitra BrooksIncidents in the Life of a Slave Girl - Harriet JacobsParable of the Talents - Octavia ButlerJessi Jumanji - ArtistAlondra Nelson - Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight Against Medical DiscriminationBlack Panther CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

In 2018, Pittsburgh artist Alisha Wormsley created and posted what many considered to be a “controversial” billboard in the East Liberty neighborhood of the city. The billboard contained a single sentence that read: “There are black people in the future.” The simple statement was a profound one; in the context of a gentrifying neighborhood where black residents were being rapidly displaced, the billboard critiqued community planning strategies that expunge and erase black communities. But more than a critique, the billboard was also indicative of a particular artistic practice, mode of study and social engagement that has come to be known as “Afrofuturism.” In this episode, Secunda is joined by De'Anna Daniels, Jaison Oliver, and Dr. Jessica Davenport to explore Afrofuturism and its creative and cultural possibilities for community-building.ADDITIONAL RESOURCESFor more on Wormsley, click here.DrexciyaAdrienne Maree Brown - Octavia's BroodRhiana Gunn Wright - New Consensus Green New DealThe Intercept - A message From the Future with Alexandria Ocasio-CortezHow It Feels to Be A Colored Me - Zora Neale HurstonAaron Douglas - PainterThe Comet - W. E. B. DuBoisZone 1, Underground Railroad, Nickel Boys - Colson WhiteheadWayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments - Saidiya HartmanJohn JenningsKenitra BrooksIncidents in the Life of a Slave Girl - Harriet JacobsParable of the Talents - Octavia ButlerJessi Jumanji - ArtistAlondra Nelson - Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight Against Medical DiscriminationBlack Panther CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

The Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) label is often used to describe those who descend from an incredibly large and diverse expanse of geographies, languages, histories, and cultures. This week Jude Feng is joined once again by Asian American advocates and activists Thu Nguyen, Muizz Akhtar, and Steven Wu to discuss some of the central issues impacting justice for AAPI communities across the U.S. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

The Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) label is often used to describe those who descend from an incredibly large and diverse expanse of geographies, languages, histories, and cultures. This week Asian American advocates and activists dig into both the significance and the drawbacks of using "AAPI" as a catchall term for the richness and complexities in their community/ies. We also discuss some of the central issues impacting justice for AAPI communities here in Houston and across the U.S. Roundtable guests include Thu Nguyen, Muizz Akhtar, and Steven Wu. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

Adrienne Maree Brown’s book entitled, Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds has become a staple among folks in our collective as well as among wider social movement circles. In this episode we continue our discussion of the book, specifically the ideas of “fractals” and “interdependence” and the implications for movement-building and the types of change we seek in our communities. Roundtable guests include Brandi Holmes and Jude Feng. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

Adrienne Maree Brown’s book entitled, Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds has become a staple among folks in our collective as well as among wider social movement circles. In this episode we discuss the book, specifically the ideas of “fractals” and “interdependence” and the implications for movement-building and the types of change we seek in our communities. Roundtable guests include Brandi Holmes and Jude Feng. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

“People of color” has become a term used to collectively refer to non-whites in the context of the United States. On the show, we continue our conversation considering both the advantages and the pitfalls of this term in the context of community-building and social movements. What does such a term accomplish? What are its limits? Roundtable guests include Dr. Jessica Davenport, Jude Feng and Stevens Orozco. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

“People of color” has become a term used to collectively refer to non-whites in the context of the United States. On the show, we’ll consider both the advantages and the pitfalls of this term in the context of community-building and social movements. What does such a term accomplish? What are its limits? Roundtable guests include Dr. Jessica Davenport, Jude Feng and Stevens Orozco, CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

Among the many threads that bond our podcast collective is a common interest in questions of religion and spirituality. During this episode, we’ll continue our examination of the relationship between religion, spirituality and justice-seeking. Guest voices include Brandi E. Holmes, Jude Feng, and Dr. Biko Mandela Gray. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

Among the many threads that bond our podcast collective is a common interest in questions of religion and spirituality. During this episode, we’ll consider the extent to which there is a relationship between religion, spirituality and justice-seeking. In particular, we’ll talk about how some of the concepts and commitments at work in 21st century justice movements pose a productive challenge to religious institutions and their theological practices. Guest voices include Brandi E. Holmes, Jude Feng, and Dr. Biko Mandela Gray. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

In this episode, hosts Secunda & Luke discuss the relationship between art and justice work, and then Secunda is joined by guests Lanecia Rouse Tinsley and Dr. Biko Mandela Gray to examine more specifically the work of Toni Morrison and celebrate her influence. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

In this episode, hosts Secunda & Luke discuss the difference between diversity and inclusion, as well as appreciation and appropriation. Guests Dr. Jessica Davenport, Dr. Cleve Tinsley, and Dr. Rachel Schneider sit down with Secunda to finish their discussion about what substantive, intentional relationships across social difference look like practically and what they make possible in struggles for justice and social transformation. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

During this episode, hosts Secunda Joseph & Luke Brawner discuss both the difficulty and necessity of some of the language used around racism, privilege white supremacy. Guests Dr. Jessica Davenport, Dr. Cleve Tinsley, and Dr. Rachel Schneider sit down with Secunda to continue discussing what substantive, intentional relationships across social difference look like practically and what they make possible in struggles for justice and social transformation. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate

During this episode, hosts Secunda Joseph & Luke Brawner discuss the origins of both The Relay and its partnership with Project Curate and introduce the show's reimagined roundtable format. Guests Jessica Davenport, Cleve Tinsley and Rachel Schneider sit down with Secunda to interrogate the common idea that if we all “just get along,” the issues of racism and inequity will be solved. As we question and challenge empty calls for diversity and reconciliation, we also consider what substantive, intentional relationships across social difference look like and what they make possible in struggles for justice and social transformation. CREDITSProduced, edited, and mixed by Luke BrawnerCo-Produced by Dr. Jessica DavenportMusic licensed through PodcastMusic.comArtwork designed by Heather HaleBECOME A PATRONJoin the neighborhood we're building and receive bonus content from this and other Odd Parliament shows for as little as $1 a month on Patreon!VISIT US ONLINEwww.therelaypodcast.comwww.instagram.com/therelaypodcast©2016-2024 Odd Parliament, in association with Project Curate