Juneteenth: The Push for a National, Inclusive Celebration of Freedom

Juneteenth: The Push for a National, Inclusive Celebration of Freedom

Juanta Griffin has called Oak Park, Illinois home since she was 4 years old, and has been serving our community as an organizer, mentor, and educator ever since. She has a long standing commitment to racial equity and justice -- she created a Black History Program for a local Oak Park daycare when she was just fifteen years old. She also helped usher in Juneteenth as a community-supported holiday in her town. On this episode she talks with Dan about the history of Juneteenth, how all Americans can (and should) celebrate it and more.

Deadnaming and the American Trans Community with Kylie Clifton

Deadnaming and the American Trans Community with Kylie Clifton

To honor Pride Month 2021, Dan and Kim explore an issue facing the Trans Community in America: deadnaming. Being that your friendly hosts identify as cis/hetero, it was time to welcome a guest. Kylie Clifton, recent high school graduate, identifies as a Trans American. In this episode, she discusses the issue of deadnaming, what Trans teen face in our country, myths and inappropriate questions, and more on her LGBTQ+ Community experiences.

Fighting the Trump Cult from Within - James Asher

Fighting the Trump Cult from Within - James Asher

How does a traditional Republican fight the Trump takeover of the GOP? That’s the question Dan and Kim asked a young Republican finding his voice speaking out against what he calls “Trumplicans.” James Asher, a self-described Young Republican, volunteer & staffer for local Republican campaigns and high school student, joined the show for a discussion on what’s next for politics from the next generation.

The Erosion of the GOP

The Erosion of the GOP

As a long time Republican-leaning voter, Dan is asking, ‘What happened to the party I once knew and mostly supported?’ If you’re like Dan and wondering that same thing, you’re in for an interesting conversation. If you’re more like Kim and you’ve seen this coming for a long time, you’ll have your thoughts confirmed. Either way, this episode is sure to get the political juices flowing.

Agree to Disagree?

Agree to Disagree?

How often does someone say to you, ‘Let’s just agree to disagree’ on important issues? Does it irritate you?

Can we sometimes agree to disagree? Sure. Pineapple belongs on pizza. If you don’t think it does, we’ll agree to disagree. But if you think Black Americans shouldn’t fear for their lives and they’re being unreasonable and White privilege isn’t real and systemic racism is fake news, we can’t agree to disagree.

So … where is the line? Kim and Dan work to find out in this episode of My Amerca.

My Political Opponent is Not My Enemy

My Political Opponent is Not My Enemy

Last week Kim and Dan unpacked why we see the media as the enemy. And why, despite the shortcomings of modern news and other media, they aren’t the enemy. This week the dynamic duo turn their undivided atten… sometimes we like to laugh at dumb shit and then… undivided attention to political opposition.

Do you see the “other party” as an enemy? Maybe it’s time to rethink this war-like attitude. Your political opponent isn’t likely your enemy.

“They might suck, but they’re not your enemy.” Kim

My American Celebrity Obsession: Framing Britney Spears

My American Celebrity Obsession: Framing Britney Spears

Why are we obsessed with celebrity? Is our obsession what fueled the paparazzi and their treatment of stars like Britney Spears? Or did the paparazzi create our obsession?

Should a father have complete control over his adult daughter when she can function as one of the most popular musical pop stars of her time?

In this episode, Kim and Dan unpack all of this and more when they explore The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears.

White Privilege - Black History Revisited

White Privilege - Black History Revisited

Closing out Black History Month, Kim and Dan revisit their previous episode Black History in America. Based on listener feedback, they realized they didn’t cover Black history very well, getting off topic (no surprise if you know Dan and Kim) and highlighting White privilege. With that in mind, your hosts revisit Black History Month and unpack what privilege looks like in the real world, and offer stories and resources for White America to learn about our Black history.

Side Note: Free Britney

Before sitting down to record the next episode, Dan and Kim had a brief discussion about Britney Spears and The NY Times “Free Britney” documentary.

This is the first episode of Side Note: the intermittent release of episodes that touch on a more timely subject, or a pre-episode tangent that doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the episode.

Links:

NY Times Free Britney Article

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 The My America podcast publishes every Thursday at 6 AM EST.