A Moment with Erik Fleming

Host Erik Fleming opens the year by urging listeners to subscribe and support the podcast, then leads three in-depth interviews. Naomi Raquel Enright discusses her book Strength of Soul and the role of language and identity in confronting systemic racism. Dr. Eboni Preston Goddard explains her work with the National Parks Conservation Association to preserve and elevate Black history within nation...

Host Erik Fleming interviews Dr. Marlee Bunch about preserving Black female educators' oral histories from Mississippi, the Unhush framework, lifelong learning, and ethical uses of AI in classrooms. He also speaks with Dr. Patrice Fenton about the Ella Baker Institute’s youth leadership programs, community well‑being, and efforts to increase teacher diversity—especially Black men in schools. The e...

Host Erik Fleming speaks with Dr. Laura Chavez-Moreno about her book "How Schools Make Race," exploring how education shapes Latinx racial identities, bilingual programs, and racial projects. He also interviews political strategist Jacquetta Van Zandt on Boston politics, community power, and strategies for advancing Black leadership and Democratic prospects. The episode highlights how schools cons...

Host Erik Fleming interviews Cheryl Ann Wadlington, founder of Evoluer House, about her two-decade fight to heal and prepare Black and brown teen girls for college and life — and Kristen Torres, a Mississippi-born public policy strategist who explains how nonprofits and local governments can navigate Congress and federal agencies. The episode mixes uplifting success stories, policy insights on adv...

Host Erik Fleming welcomes return guests Bremond MacDougall and Lisa Cooper, who run Quite Literally Books, and a community leader driving change in Arkansas. The episode features lively discussion about three newly republished books — a women-only utopia by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a witty Civil War-era satire by María Amparo Ruiz de Burton, and a charming 1892 guide to intimate dinners — plus i...

Host Erik Fleming welcomes listeners and interviews two experts: Rajiv Vinnakota on rebuilding civic culture in colleges and engaging Gen Z, and Howard Yaruss explaining clear, practical economics. The episode explores constructive campus dialogue, the college presidents initiative for civic preparedness, how young people want to engage in person, and accessible explanations of tariffs, crypto, na...

Host Erik Fleming speaks with Lorena Quiroz about organizing after the 2019 mass worksite raids in Mississippi and efforts to prepare and protect immigrant communities, and with Anne Hand about reclaiming family history and pursuing Austrian citizenship through a restorative program. The episode explores themes of belonging, due process, humane immigration policy, intergenerational history, and th...

Host Erik Fleming discusses revival and purpose with Michael Bedenbaugh on constitutional reform and civic renewal, and Representative Pamelya Herndon on New Mexico’s universal childcare, gun safety, mental health in schools, and community justice initiatives.

Host Erik Fleming speaks with Dr. Wylin D. Wilson and Dr. Terri Givens about ethics, womanist bioethics, the role of the Black church in community care, and the politics of radical empathy. The episode covers Hurricane Melissa relief, recent election outcomes, and how education, empathy, and faith shape civic life and public health.

Host Erik Fleming leads a wide-ranging conversation with three experts: Les Leopold on labor and runaway inequality, Veronica Cardenas on immigration and humane legal support, and John Bonifaz on free speech, voting rights, and constitutional reform. The episode also includes a news roundup and calls for civic engagement. Listeners will hear concrete policy ideas, personal stories, and practical r...

Host Erik Fleming sits down with Dr. C. Nicole Mason, Maura Gillespie, and author Will Cooper to unpack women’s political power, the recent No Kings rallies, the state of American civic life, and Cooper’s new fictionalized take on Donald Rumsfeld. The episode blends policy analysis, grassroots strategy, and cultural commentary aimed at helping listeners connect the dots and take action.

Host Erik Fleming interviews Professor Sahar Aziz and Councilmember Wala Blegay in a wide-ranging episode about law, activism, and public service. Aziz examines national security, Islamophobia, campus protests, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, while Blegay discusses local governance, the impact of federal layoffs, EV infrastructure, and a Food-as-Medicine initiative to improve community health...

Host Erik Fleming interviews attorney and author Steven Eichenblatt about his memoir Pretend They Are Dead, tracing his discovery of his biological father's journals, the impact of abandonment, and how those experiences inspired three decades of advocacy for children as a guardian ad litem. The episode closes with a brief commentary on character and courage in public life, touching on current poli...

Host Erik Fleming sits down with three community-focused leaders—Dr. Nancy Pearson, Tania Anderson, and Hannah Bonecutter—to explore civic engagement, local government, and public service. The episode highlights practical steps for getting involved in local politics, the power of curiosity and contribution, and the lived experiences of leaders navigating activism, representation, and public life....

Host Erik Fleming speaks with three leaders — Mikel Bolden, executive director of the Mississippi Democratic Party; Renee Williams, CEO of the National Center for Victims of Crime; and Joan Garry, founder of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab. They discuss voter engagement and special elections in Mississippi, supporting crime survivors and ethical true-crime storytelling, and nonprofit leadership durin...

Host Erik Fleming sits down with political scientist Dr. Caroline Heldman and journalist Alia Dastagir to explore how survival becomes resistance for women facing harassment, assault, and online abuse. They discuss intersectionality, the limits of Me Too, trans-exclusionary movements, and survivor-led accountability. The episode also features legal analysis from the Pearson & Pearson team on k...

Host Erik Fleming welcomes two dynamic guests — former Mayor Chasity Wells-Armstrong and media activist Alysia Cutting — for a candid conversation about leadership, racial equity, community healing, and supporting women in public life. They discuss lessons from city government and the pandemic, Chasity’s coaching framework for sustainable leadership, Alysia’s "Check One Box" project, and grassroot...

In this episode host Erik Fleming interviews Amanda Janoo on well‑being economics — redefining success beyond GDP and designing economies that prioritize people and the planet — and Dr. Karida Brown on the history of Black education from emancipation through Brown v. Board and the ongoing fight against privatization and book bans. The conversation explores alternatives to growth‑focused capitalism...

Erik Fleming hosts historian Dr. Karlos K. Hill and cultural strategist Aurora Archer in a conversation about healing through truthful history and cultural change. They discuss teaching the Tulsa Race Massacre, confronting sanitized narratives, and building compassionate, action-oriented leadership. The episode centers on narrative change, collective healing, and practical steps for educators, lea...

Host Erik Fleming brings together three guests making change in culture and community: Keldamuzik, an artist and entrepreneur using her Tamz Berets to raise awareness and support for cancer patients; Dr. Donna J. Nicol, author of a biography about trustee Dr. Claudia Hampton and the fight to save affirmative action; and Dontaye Carter, a mayoral candidate focused on affordable housing, community c...

Host Erik Fleming speaks with messaging expert Anat Shenker-Osorio and educator Dr. Stacey Schultz about effective political communication, the race-class narrative, combating authoritarianism, and transforming education through innovation and restorative practices.

Welcome to an enlightening episode of A Moment with Erik Fleming, where host Erik Fleming delves into the intricate dynamics of politics, economy, and culture. This episode, aptly titled "The Great American Games," features engaging discussions with three distinguished guests who represent the intersection of money, politics, and sports. In the first segment, Erik converses with the insightful Waj...

Join Erik Fleming in this episode filled with insightful conversations on crucial topics shaping our world today. First, delve into a discussion with Dr. Marlene L. Daut, a renowned historian, as she explores the Haitian Revolution's significant impact on global history, particularly its connection to African American identity and struggles. Understand the persistent stereotypes and historical set...

In this first episode of Season 12, Dr. Brittany Friedman, an American sociologist and author, discusses her book Carceral Apartheid and the fight against institutionalized racism in American prisons.

In this final episode of Season 11, Shavonda Miles, CEO of Vonda Mone' LLC, and former federal employee Shernice Mundell, discuss their personal journeys in this political climate and give their definition of perseverance.