Behind the Seen

In this episode, Mark and Branden sit down with Lisa Fields, the founder of the Jude 3 Project, to discuss the complexities of race, politics, and social justice in America.  They delve into Lisa's background, her journey into ministry, her work with the G3 Project, and the importance of courageous conversations. Together, Branden, Mark and Lisa to think about personal responsibility, the importan...

In this episode, Mark and Branden explore the complexities of belonging and acceptance in today’s fragmented culture.  Joined by artist and leader Derek Minor, who shares his journey of resisting divisive systems and promoting authentic relationships, they delve into the shifting nature of community, especially among younger generations, and the role of acceptance in fostering true connection. Wit...

In this episode, Mark and Branden delve into the complex layers of identity with guest Brian Recker, who has critically reexamined the evangelical environment.  Brian shares his personal journey of deconstructing deeply rooted beliefs, shedding light on biases related to race, religion, and identity. The conversation explores the need for environments that facilitate the exploration of biases, the...

After a two-year hiatus, hosts Branden Polk and Mark Bauer explore the personal and societal upheavals experienced during their absence.  They discuss the importance of vulnerability, the impact of race, faith, and political divisions, and the broader challenges facing society. As they reflect on their own life transitions and the state of the world, they delve into themes of trust, leadership, an...

Welcome to 'Behind the Scene' with Brandon Polk and Mark Bauer, a podcast dedicated to exploring the complex layers of identity and addressing challenging topics such as racial dynamics, political divides, and gender stereotypes. This season, they will engage in raw and unfiltered conversations with diverse guests, aiming to spark change and foster compassion and connection.  Join them on a journe...

Continuing with our #CheckTheBox theme for this season, special guest Karith Foster joins us to discuss two boxes we tend to put people in when it comes to the race conversation: Victim or villain. In reality, those labels aren't so cut and dried, especially when you introduce intersectional identities into the mix.  Karith Foster is a comic turned motivational speaker, TV & radio personality, act...

What are barriers to men living conscious, compassionate, connected lives in their homes and communities? How does this apply to the race conversation? Guest: Addison Brasil, VP of branding for tethr, an online peer-to-peer support community for men. Follow us on Instagram Behind the Seen: @behindtheseenpod Mark Bauer: @BarkMauer Branden Polk: @BrandenPolk Tethr: @tethrformen Learn more about your...

In this episode, we discuss policing behavior (behavior of police) and the act of policing other people's behavior in our day-to-day lives. Recent civil unrest around the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police has shined light on inconsistencies in what we view as acceptable policing. More often, policing of any kind is a preservation of power and is an attempt to invalidate those who are be...

In this episode we discuss the killing of Ahmaud Arbery. A lot of white people are being confronted for the first time with the injustice of racism and unsure how to process it. Others are perplexed why race has to be dragged into the equation at all. In this conversation, Branden turns the questions on Mark to discuss how the unexamined identities of white moderates continue to perpetuate racism....

Before the Tiger King, the quarantine binge was the reality show Love is Blind, which puts strangers in neighboring cubes and allows them to get to know one another without the benefit of seeing each other. Then, they fall in love. Or at least that's the idea. But is love REALLY blind? How do subtle ways we talk even give away things about how we were raised? And if love isn't blind, should it be?...

Has coronavirus altered how you view racial disparity? Has it amplified it? Who are the populations most affected by coronavirus disruptions? Disruptions of this magnitude always allow for a shift in the landscape. When all of this lifts, how can we rebuild more equitably? Follow us on Instagram Behind the Seen: @behindtheseenpod Mark Bauer: @BarkMauer Branden Polk: @BrandenPolk Website Wonymedia....

This is actually a replay of one of our favorite episodes from last season. I've experienced a lot of fear the last few weeks around quitting my job and moving to Los Angeles for the summer, and in conversations with friends there seems to be a widespread season of fear that a lot of folks are walking in. So, in this episode we go a little deeper into understanding what fear is trying to tell us a...

In this episode, we review the Emanuel documentary, which covers the history of the black church in Charleston leading up to the church shooting in 2015 by Dylan Roof that killed nine congregants, including the pastor. The movie's primary emphasis is on the expressions of forgiveness by family members toward Dylan Roof, less than 48 hours after he committed that heinous act. Co-hosts Mark Bauer an...

In the last episode on racism in dating, Todrick Hall briefly touched on something that a lot of listeners picked up on: Colorism—the idea that whiteness has defined some skin tones and features in people of color as more beautiful and acceptable in society. This twisted idea has resulted in a sort of prejudice and resentment from some blacks toward other blacks. In this episode, we discuss the or...

In a freewheeling conversation about dating, singer/songwriter/producer Todrick Hall joins Behind the Seen to discuss our racial “preferences,” how we acquire those preferences in the first place, and why we are OK completely disregarding a different group of people as potential partners based on such inconsequential factors as race. References For more on the breakdown of numbers by Nathalie Resh...

In today's episode, we're talking about code violations. We have our own personal codes, informed by religious texts or some other source, that we violate every day. And we have societal codes, laws and regulations that are in place to help guide, control and keep order in society.  We discuss how easy it is to slip into a cycle of guilt and shame when we violate our codes, and how difficult it is...

Welcome back to Season 2 of Behind the Seen! We kick off season 2 with an episode on what it means to be human. A lot of our experience as humans involves stumbling through life trying to figure out what, exactly, makes us tick. What makes us happy. And we have to do this while simultaneously fighting off identities that the world wants to put on us. But we’re never really able to fully comprehend...

The Oscars never fails to provide good fodder for race discussions and this year proved no different. Despite the diverse representation of presenters throughout the program and several firsts for black honorees and other people of color, the show wasn’t without its detractors. Even the Best Picture winner, Green Book, was widely panned for historical inaccuracies and for how creators approached t...

In this episode, we take the audio from our first Facebook Live that included special guest Bill Riedel, pastor of Redemption Hill Church in Washington DC. We brought pastor Bill on to discuss the race and the gospel series he preached earlier this summer. He discusses what compelled him to teach on this subject and what he learned in the process. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....

In this episode, we discuss Justification, a really strong word used both in a legal context and a theological context. Justification is the act of showing something to be right or reasonable. In the theological context, the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God. And in the race conversation, what we’ve done historically is justify legally and spiritually the mistreatment of...

In this episode, we take a different approach to those articles you see all over the place this time of year that tell you how to talk to your relatives about politics. Our culture is so polarized that even a holiday about solidarity and gratitude can be hijacked to create division rather than unity. And so we will talk through what it looks like to have a posture of curiosity and gratitude, and o...

In this episode, we discuss Dehumanization, which is a pretty strong word but one that we all engage in in some degree or another. Dehumanization occurs when we don’t fully see other people for their inherent worth or value. We don’t see the hardships they might be enduring, the joy as well as their sorrows. You might argue that dehumanization is among the greatest sins. If Jesus says the greatest...

In this episode, we discuss the importance of safe spaces. They are certainly important for minority or marginalized people to associate to freely air grievances without feeling a need to defend themselves. Less often we hear about safe spaces in regards to white people. Steve Park, executive director and founder of Little Lights in Washington DC, joins the episode to talk about the community guid...

In today's episode, we discuss how identity politics--the associating of people around social groups by which they identify--is often necessary to advancing equity where these groups have been typically marginalized. Politics of identity flips that and is more of a manipulative device that seeks control rather than justice, and uses identity as a wedge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit mega...

In this episode we discuss the ego, and how the ego creates stories about ourselves and the world in a way to understand reality. Think of it as a sort of programming. And this programming that tells us how to see the world becomes integral to our identity. And any new information that is introduced that conflicts with what we know literally becomes an attack of the self. How can we posture oursel...