Best Assata Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 11: Mark 7:24–30, the Syro-Phoenician woman, and the politics of sass 26:30

2h ago26:30

26:30

Send us a text In this episode, Dr. Margaret Aymer and I interview Dr. Mitzi Smith to discuss her article in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse, “Race, Gender, and the Politics of ‘Sass’: Reading Mark 7:24–30 through a Womanist Lens of Intersectionality and Inter(con)textuality.” What does women's speech, Sandra Bland, a…

1
Queering Eros with Jon Carl Lewis 48:38

6d ago48:38

48:38

Jon Carl Lewis (he/him/his) is a spiritual guide and liberative educator in the queer, contemplative Christian tradition. He loves helping people recognize vital connections among the various aspects of themselves as a way of grounding their exploration of what brings them deep meaning, connection, and joy. You can learn more about him and read his…

1
Episode 10: Gen 2-3: Gender, Sex, and Church politics in the Age of AIDS 30:53

22d ago30:53

30:53

Send us a text In this episode, I interview Dr. Cheryl Anderson to discuss her article in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse, “The Song of Songs: Redeeming Gender Constructions in the Age of AIDS.” Can the book of erotic poetry also known as the Song of Solomon redeem harmful gender constructions in Gen 2-3? Can the Blac…

1
Thomas Sankara: Assessing the 3rd year of a revolutionary process 51:48

3M ago51:48

51:48

The eighth installment in Liberation School’s series of previously untranslated works by Thomas Sankara is published on the day Sankara was born in 1949. We would like to thank Bruno Jaffré and the editorial team of ThomasSankara.net for letting us translate and publish these works and the following interview dated September 20, 1985.The text is fr…

1
Queering Mystical Theology with Dr. James Staples 46:58

3M ago46:58

46:58

Dr. Staples’s research takes seriously the productive intersection of theology—specifically mystical theology—and poetry in the development of alternative modes of critical thinking in the Middle Ages. Studying the Middle Ages through the lenses of queer theory, posthumanism, gender and sexuality studies, and critical race theory, Dr. Staples demon…

1
Episode 9: Matthew 2: Escape to Egypt, Assata, and Fugitive Narratives 38:01

3M ago38:01

38:01

Send us a text In this episode, I interview Dr. Shively T. J. Smith to discuss her article in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse, “One More Time with Assata on My Mind: A Womanist Rereading of the Escape to Egypt (Matt 2:13-23) in Dialogue with an African American Woman Fugitive Narrative.” We discuss the ahistorical dep…

1
The class struggle in every commodity: Use value and exchange value 15:02

4M ago15:02

15:02

Every year, Pew Research publishes a study on the U.S. population’s political priorities. Their 2024 report shows that, like the previous years, “no single issue stands out after the economy,” with almost 75 percent of respondents rating it the main goal for the next administration, a rate “considerably larger” than any other policy. Yet when we se…

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Episode 8: Isaiah, Metaphors, Children, and Corporeal Punishment 25:23

5M ago25:23

25:23

Send us a text This episode Dr. Valerie Bridgeman joins me to discuss her article in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse, “‘I Will Make Boys their Princes’: A Womanist Reading of Children in the Book of Isaiah.” We discuss the good, bad, and ugly of the parent/child metaphor in Isaiah, rebellious Israel, and parental disc…

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Episode 7: Luke 18, Jesus, infants, and Fannie Lou Hamer 37:28

6M ago37:28

37:28

Send us a text Guest co-host, Dr. Mitzi Smith and I, interview Dr. Bridgett Green, to discuss her article in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible, "'Nobody's Free Until Everybody's Free': Exploring Gender and Class Injustice in a Story about Women (Luke 18:15-17)." Dr. Green broadens the world of infants in the Greco Roman world for our listeners …

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Queering Ontology with lenny duncan 41:52

7M ago41:52

41:52

lenny duncan (they/them) is a writer, speaker, scholar, and media producer working at the forefront of racial justice in America. lenny is the author of Dear Church, United States of Grace, and Dear Revolutionaries, and co-creator of the podcast BlackBerryJams with PRX. A PhD student in Historical and Cultural Studies of Religion, lenny's current r…

1
Episode 6: Acts 16, An enslaved girl named Rhoda? 28:27

7M ago28:27

28:27

Send us a text Guest co-host, Dr. Mitzi Smith and I, interview Dr. Margaret Aymer to discuss her article in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible, “Outrageous, Audacious, Courageous, Willful: Reading the Enslaved Girl of Acts 12.” Dr. Aymer discusses the intersection of race/ethnicity, gender, immigration and slavery in the ancient world. Dr. Aymer…

1
Capitalist contradictions and revolutionary struggle: An introduction 19:49

8M ago19:49

19:49

Hearing or reading about the “contradictions of capitalism” in an article or at a rally might be intimidating, like a foreign language or a term only a certain group can understand. While the contradictions of capitalism are complicated, working and oppressed people can easily understand them for the simple reason that we all live with and negotiat…

1
Episode 5: Revelation 12, the woman clothed with the sun, goddess Kali, and breast milk 43:15

8M ago43:15

43:15

Send us a text Dr. Sharon Jacob and Dr. Jennifer Kaalund join guest co-host, the Rev. Dr. Mitzi Smith, and me in discussing their article "Flowing from Breast to Breast: An Examination of Dis/placed Motherhood in African American and Indian Wet Nurses" in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse. Follow along as Dr. Jacob and …

1
Episode 4: Numbers 30, Africana Women, and Singleness 28:05

8M ago28:05

28:05

Send us a text Guest co-host, the Rev. Dr. Mitzi Smith joins me in interviewing Dr. Stacy Davis for her article “The Invisible Women: Numbers 30 and the Politics of Singleness in Africana Communities" in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse. Listen to Dr. Davis discuss vows made by single, never-married biblical women, the…

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Episode 3: Tribute to Gay L. Byron 35:07

9M ago35:07

35:07

Send us a text Gay L. Byron was the co-host of Womanist Bible Talk: A Podcast for Womanish Bible Readers and Their Friends. Gay died suddenly and unexpectedly December 6, 2023. The Rev. Canon Hugh Page and the Rev. Dr. Margaret Aymer joined me to pay tribute to this womanist scholar, researcher, teacher, preacher, and friend.…

1
Queering the Wild Goose with Assata de la Cruz 39:01

9M ago39:01

39:01

Assata de la Cruz is a Black and Indigenous Queer mother. She is the Executive Director of Savage Daughters and Director of Community Outreach for Soulforce, an organization for Queer folks reclaiming our spirits from weaponized religion. She is certified and trained a variety of embodied practices including Birth Work, Spirit Work, Heart Work, and…

1
Queering Community with the Rev. Nicole Garcia 38:10

11M ago38:10

38:10

The Rev. Nicole M. Garcia (she/her), M.A. LPC, is a queer transgender Latina who currently serves as the Faith Work Director at the National LGBTQ Task Force. Nicole earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from CU Denver and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado. Nicole earned a Master of Divinity from Luther Semina…

1
Capitalist urbanization, climate change, and the need for sponge cities 20:27

11M ago20:27

20:27

According to the United Nations Population Fund’s 2009 report, 2008 was the first time in history that over 50 percent of the world’s population resided in cities instead of rural areas. Because of the different ways countries define cities, others date the qualitative shift to as recently as 2021. Regardless, across the spectrum it’s undisputed we…

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Queerly Rooting with Rev. Jes Kast 52:10

12M ago52:10

52:10

The Rev. Jes Kast is a progressive minister, constructive theologian, and gardener. Raised in Michigan, Jes took her second call to ministry in New York City. After the 2016 election, she longed to share healing and desired a slower way of life. Those passions, among many others led her to taking a call as the settled pastor at Faith UCC in State C…

1
Episode 2: Abuse in the Book of Job 29:35

1y ago29:35

29:35

Send us a text In this episode, guest, Marlene Underwood, discusses her essay, "'Battered Love': Abuse in the Book of Job" in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse edited by Gay L. Byron and Vanessa Lovelace. Marlene discusses the treatment of Job by the deity through the lens of intimate partner violence. Learn how an upri…

1
Episode 1: What Is Womanist Biblical Interpretation? 10:36

1y ago10:36

10:36

Send us a text In this inaugural episode, hosts, Vanessa Lovelace and Gay Byron, explain how this podcast grew from their volume of essays featuring an ensemble of Old Testament and New Testament women scholars of color titled Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse to bring those voices to life in interviews with the contrib…

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Queer God de Amor with Dr. Miguel H. Díaz 38:21

1y ago38:21

38:21

Dr. Miguel H. Díaz is the John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service and was selected by President Barack Obama as the 9th U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Prof. Díaz obtained his doctorate in Systematic Theology from the University of Notre Dame. Among his scholarly interests include trinitarian theology, theological anthropology, que…

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Extradition of Alex Saab: U.S. takes effort to starve Venezuelans to new lows 8:39

1y ago8:39

8:39

Note: Following the original publication of this article, Alex Saab was extradited to Miami on October 16th 2021, and remains in prison awaiting an appeal.On March 18, The Cape Verde Supreme Court approved the extradition of Venezuelan government envoy Alex Saab to the United States. Saab was en route to Iran to secure food and medicine deals for V…

1
Queerness is Magic with Rev. Mihee Kim-Kort 42:43

1y ago42:43

42:43

The Rev. Mihee Kim-Kort is a Presbyterian minister, agitator, speaker, and writer. Her writing and commentary can be found in the New York Times, TIME, BBC World Service, USA Today, Huffington Post, Christian Century, On Being, Sojourners, and the author of the book Outside the Lines: How Embracing Queerness Will Transform Your Faith. She is co-pas…

1
From allies to comrades 26:47

1y ago26:47

26:47

Despite its association with sovereign nations involved in wartime alliances, the term “ally” has become influential in activist circles on the US left. Attention to debates over what it means to be an ally reveal the limits of the politics of allyship. They also provide an opportunity to reflect on the difference between allies and comrades. Allys…

1
Liu Liangmo: China’s anti-imperialist, anti-racist, Christian revolutionary (pt. 2) 24:31

1y ago24:31

24:31

Liu Liangmo’s story is as remarkable as it is unknown. An anti-imperialist, pro-Communist Christian, with a significant relationship to the Black Liberation Movement and the Indian Freedom Struggle, Liu lived in the U.S. as a diplomat after participating in the ongoing Chinese revolution. He wrote a column for the prominent Black newspaper. The Pit…

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Liu Liangmo: China’s anti-imperialist, anti-racist, Christian revolutionary (pt. 1) 30:06

1+ y ago30:06

30:06

Liu Liangmo (1909-1988) was a prominent Chinese anti-imperialist, religious leader and, from 1942-1945, columnist for the Pittsburgh Courier—at that time the nation’s widest circulating Black newspaper. Liu’s columns (and actions as an organizer) were a significant part of efforts by progressive Chinese people, on the mainland and in the diaspora, …

1
Queering Incarnation with Prof. Lisa Isherwood 40:40

1+ y ago40:40

40:40

Professor Lisa Isherwood is the first Professor of Feminist Liberation Theologies in the UK. Professor of Practice and Research Supervisor at the University of Wales and is an extensively published researcher with 28 books and numerous articles. Her work explores such areas as liberation theologies, feminist theologies, eco-theologies, Psychology o…

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Assata Shakur: The making of a revolutionary woman 11:04

1+ y ago11:04

11:04

In commemorating Black August, we commemorate the struggle of those who have fought before us and faced violent repercussions from the state. We uplift the revolutionary history of the Black working class and its fundamental position in forging and leading the struggle for liberation for all. And we recommit ourselves to the struggle for Black Libe…

1
Chongryon: The struggle of Koreans in Japan 28:21

1+ y ago28:21

28:21

In early 1956, construction was almost complete on what the Japanese authorities and general public thought was going to be a battery factory in what is now known as West Tokyo, but what at the time was farmland. When the “factory” was finished on April 10 of that year, however, a banner outside the perimeters announced that it was the new home of …

1
Queerness Subverts with Alicia Crosby Mack 41:20

1+ y ago41:20

41:20

Alicia T. Crosby (she/her/hers) is a justice educator, activist, and minister whose work addresses the spiritual, systemic, and interpersonal harm people experience. Alicia helps individuals, communities, and institutions explore and unpack topics related to identity, justice, journey, and intersectional equity. Her passions for justice, spirituall…

1
The Marxist theory of the state: An introduction 33:50

1+ y ago33:50

33:50

Our understanding of the state lies at the heart of our struggle to create a new society and fundamentally eliminate the oppression, exploitation, war, and environmental destruction characteristic of capitalism. In a socialist state, people collectively manage society, including what we produce, how much we produce, and the conditions of our work, …

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Supermajority of Cubans vote for revolutionary ‘Families Code’ 13:16

1+ y ago13:16

13:16

The Cuban people voted by supermajority on Sept. 25 to approve the Families Code, a revolutionary law that modernizes, recognizes and legalizes all manifestations of families in Cuba.The previous 1975 Family Code was revolutionary for its time, but needed a major updating with almost 50 years of growth in social consciousness worldwide and in Cuba.…

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Corporate personhood, monopoly capital, and the precedent that wasn’t: The 1886 “Santa Clara” case 20:36

1+ y ago20:36

20:36

How do the actual people in charge of corporations manage to remain protected from the consequences of the countless crimes they commit year after year? How is it that when CEOs make clear and obvious decisions that habitually violate every existing worker-won regulation, from the Clean Air Act to the Civil Rights Act, with very few exceptions, the…

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The “Powell Memo” and the Supreme Court: A counteroffensive against the many 22:08

1+ y ago22:08

22:08

By the early 1970s, the global revolutionary tide of socialist and national liberation struggles was at its apex, and the tide was washing over the U.S., with expanding and increasingly militant social movements and political organizations. The beginning of “neoliberalism” was a domestic aspect of the coming global counterrevolution, which devastat…

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Claudia Jones: “International Women’s Day and the struggle for peace” 53:13

1+ y ago53:13

53:13

In an article published this year for International Women’s Day, Maddie Dery summarizes the various experiences of the women’s liberation movement since the early 20th century: “The history of International Women’s Day teaches us that when we fight, we win”. This spirit, which threads through the historic struggle for women’s liberation and sociali…

1
Value, price, and inflation: Immediate and structural causes 28:08

1+ y ago28:08

28:08

Every working person is keenly aware that prices are up. Nasty surprises and disbelief keep turning up at the register. People are being forced to forgo even the most minor and seemingly harmless comfort purchases, adding to the accumulation of the indignities necessary for survival under capitalism.Even worse, the alleged culprits can seem abstrac…

1
Walter Rodney: A people’s professor 25:45

1+ y ago25:45

25:45

In a recent book on the ongoing relevance of Walter Rodney’s work, Karim F. Hirji notes that, “as with scores of progressive intellectuals and activists of the past, the prevailing ideology functions to relegate Rodney into the deepest, almost unreachable, ravines of memory. A person who was widely known is now a nonentity, a stranger to the youth …

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A party of action: Building the people’s movements in the streets 9:43

2y ago9:43

9:43

The Party for Socialism and Liberation is built on two essential premises. One is revolutionary Marxist theory and analysis on all issues affecting humanity and the environment we live in, especially the most pressing issues facing workers and oppressed peoples.We strive through our literature, newspaper, social media, video, agitational leaflets, …

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Founding statement of the Party for Socialism and Liberation 16:56

2y ago16:56

16:56

We are in a period where the world’s poor and working people are waging heroic struggles against imperialist war and exploitation.Millions of people poured into the streets in the last few years to prevent Bush and Cheney’s rush to war against Iraq, only to find that this imperialist war had the backing of both political parties of U.S. imperialism…

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“Shelby County v. Holder:” How the Supreme Court attacked Black voting rights 25:14

2y ago25:14

25:14

In 2013, five unelected judges gutted the right to vote for tens of millions of African Americans and others. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby v. Holder overturned a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) that prevented voter suppression. That provision—outlined in Section 4(b) of the Act—required state and local governments with …

1
PSL statement: Justice for Tyre Nichols — Take to the streets! 8:06

2y ago8:06

8:06

Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was mercilessly beaten to death earlier this month during a traffic stop by five Memphis Police Department officers. In a few hours, the video of his murder will be released to the public. Righteous outrage is already boiling across the country, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation will be joining thousa…

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Tupac's Aunt Escapes to Cuba using a Stick of Dynamite - Assata Shakur 7:47

2y ago7:47

7:47

Original Heists is presented by Triple Whale. Understand the numbers behind your Shopify store and sign up for a free trial. Tupac's aunt was a freedom fighter involved with the Black Panthers, and the Black Liberation Army. Who later broke her out of prison! Hear the incredible story of how Assata Shakur escaped and is still free and alive to this…

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Two Murders and a Blackmailer Escape HM Prison Parkhurst (UK's Alcatraz) Using a Magic Key 8:57

2y ago8:57

8:57

Original Heists is presented by Triple Whale. Understand the numbers behind your Shopify store and sign up for a free trial. Parkhurst Prison in the UK is called The Rock – just like it’s American counterpart. It was on an island, and housed heinous criminals, many of whom commited serious crimes like murder, or had done time at other prisons. Incl…

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They'd Catch Him If They Could - Did Frank Abagnale Really Escape From Prison? 7:27

2y ago7:27

7:27

Original Heists is presented by Triple Whale. Understand the numbers behind your Shopify store and sign up for a free trial. You may know Frank Abagnale from the movie Catch Me If You Can, or heard one of his many wild stories like pretending to be an airline pilot or doctor through the grapevine. But he also escaped from prison. Or at least he cla…

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Of, by, and for the elite: The class character of the U.S. Constitution 20:29

2y ago20:29

20:29

Contrary to the mythology we learn in school, the founding fathers feared and hated the concept of democracy—which they derisively referred to as “tyranny of the majority.” The constitution that they wrote reflects this, and seeks to restrict and prohibit involvement of the masses of people in key areas of decision making. The following article, or…

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Helicopter Escapes (Not just for James Bond) 6:54

2y ago6:54

6:54

Original Heists is presented by Triple Whale. Understand the numbers behind your Shopify store and sign up for a free trial. Helicopters have been used in 43 escapes, and have a 71% success rate. Some have even done it more than once, and even during the pandemic!By Triple Whale

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Yoshie Shiratori - This Prison Break Magician Escaped 4 times! 13:07

2y ago13:07

13:07

Original Heists is presented by Triple Whale. Understand the numbers behind your Shopify store and sign up for a free trial. Yoshi Shiratori escaped prison four times! Using what ever he had, which wasn't much he could pick locks with wires, contort his body, and use miso soup like you've never seen before.…

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June 1962 Attempt to Escape Alcatraz 9:28

2y ago9:28

9:28

Original Heists is presented by Triple Whale. Understand the numbers behind your Shopify store and sign up for a free trial. In 1962 Brothers John and Clarence Anglin, along with Frank Morris attempted to escape Alcatraz. The unescapble prison. Using paper mache fake heads, and rafts made out of rain jackets. But did they make it out?…

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Original Heists Season 2 - Original Escapes. 1:15

2y ago1:15

1:15

Original Heists is presented by Triple Whale. Understand the numbers behind your Shopify store and sign up for a free trial. Wes Barker is back presenting tales of daring, courageous, and wild escapes.By Triple Whale

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