Back in America

  Part 2/2 I am Stan Berteloot and this is Back in America, a podcast where I explore American's identity, culture, and values. My guest today is a candidate running as an independent for president of the United States. A man who's not white, not black but a dual citizen of The United States and The Navajo Nation. For three years he lived with his family in a one-room hogan with no running water o...

  The death of George Floyd, a black man who died on Memorial Day after he was pinned down by a white police officer, has sparked protests across the United States and even abroad. In France, the event has even revived anger over the death of Adama Traore a black Frenchman who died in police custody 4 years ago. Some 20,000 people demonstrated in Paris on Tuesday. I met my guest at the Kneel for j...

Hello Back in America's fan! I hope that you are well and safe wherever in the world you are. This is a short update about the podcast and myself. The podcast is doing very very well. I am receiving amazing feedback and have some exciting interviews lined up. On a personal note, we've moved over the memorial day weekend and we are living among boxes. Since my wife my 3 daughters and our 2 dogs are...

  Join our exclusive mailing list! In this episode, I speak with John Michael Greer (JMG) an author and blogger in the fields of nature spirituality, and the future of industrial society.  He is the author of more than fifty books and a blogger.  He lives in Rhode Island with his wife Sara. Our conversation takes us to the suburbs of Seattle in the 70s. We discuss Druidry since JMG is a druid and...

A few words before this episode. Gil who's interviewed here has been laid off since I recorded this episode and the NYC Compost Project and the curbside compost collection in NYC, for which he worked are coming to pass. Curbside compost pick-up will end on May 4 and the Compost Project will be completely mothballed in July, he told me.  However, Gil’s spirit is still high. “I’m doing okay,” he wro...

In this episode, I speak to Share My Meals 's President and Co-Founder Isabelle Lambotte about her vision for Share My Meals Inc. The non-profit was initially created to fight hunger by recovering meal surplus from corporations and Universities cafeterias. Since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, Share My Meals's volunteers are working non-stop to feed the community in need. Councilwoman Miche...

I am Stan Berteloot and this is Back in America. Today I am speaking via Skype with Princeton High School Principal Jessica Baxter. Jessica, as most school leaders across the globe, is faced with the challenging task of adjusting to the reality of the Coronavirus pandemic. When the school closed, initially for two weeks on March 16 putting in place remote learning was only part of what had to be d...

I am Stan Berteloot and this is Back in America. Today I am speaking with Richard Heinberg a Senior Fellow at the Post Carbon Institute, and one of the world’s foremost advocates for a shift away from our current reliance on fossil fuels. Richard has written for many publications including Nature, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, The American Prospect, Public Policy Research, Quarterly Review just to...

Matt Dubberke, Ron Menapace, Fernando Freitas from Homestead Princeton Ron Menapace owner of Homestead #Princeton talks about his experience from corporate America working in sales for a #Pharma company to creating a home décor and furniture store in Princeton. He shares his challenges competing against large online retailers and the commoditization of furniture as well as his fears of a business...

Je suis Stan Berteloot et vous écoutez Back in America, un podcast où j’explore la société américaine à travers des parcours de vie hors du commun ! Cette interview est pour la première fois en français. Mon invitée est la peintre française Carole Jury. Carole vit à Princeton dans le New Jersey depuis cinq ans. Elle est à l’origine du groupement « Women Artists I From France to USA ». Hyper active...

Today I am speaking with someone who wants to be a voice for the voiceless. Someone passionate about civil justice. I am talking with Thomas Parker or Tommy, as he likes to be called. Tommy is 67. He was hired as a janitor in 1979 by Princeton University and joined the Print and Mail Services of the University in 1983. In 2011 The University recognized your social engagement with the Martin Luther...

I am speaking with John Lam , the principal dancer at the Boston Ballet. John is joining me via Skype from his home in Quincy Massachusetts. His parents immigrated to California from Vietnam. He grew up in an underprivileged household and discovered his love for dance at the age of 4 at Marin Ballet, through the Performing Stars of Marin a children's program that has helped some of the most impove...

Hello back in America fans! This is just a quick update - Tomorrow on Thursday at 8 PM we are releasing an amazing interview of the principal dancer at the Boston Ballet. John Lam is the son of Vietnamese refugees. He grew up in a poor neighborhood of San Fransisco, is gay which in his parents' culture is pretty tough, yet he married a man and had two sons. I look forward to your comments after yo...

Hilary Porta is a leading mindset expert and life architect who helps people design a career and life they love by combining neuroscience-based mindset coaching to shatter the mental limits and provide strategy and a framework for an epic life. Hilary travels across the globe not only speaking on stages both domestically and internationally but also where she helps Fortune 500 CEOs, professional m...

In this episode, we explore the idea behind a school system created 100 years ago in Germany and which is increasingly popular throughout the world: the Waldorf education based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy. My guest is Elan Leibner the chair of the Pedagogical Section Council of North America and a teacher at the Waldorf School of Princeton. Elan gr...

  Leticia Fraga is the first Latinx ever elected to Princeton Municipal Government. She has many responsibilities in Princeton. Born in Mexicali, Mexico, Leticia is one of eight children. At the age of 12, she immigrated to the US, settling in Washington State with her family. During their first five years in the US, she worked in the fields, side by side with her siblings and parents. With their...

This is part 3, the final part of my interview with Chris Tylor, in parts 1 and 2 we learned how he worked as a carpenter for 15 years. How he went on to lived in a Zen monastery for a year before deciding to go back to university for graduate social studies. Here in episode 11, part 3 we talk about white men's privileges and reparations to the African-Americans. How can white, educated men deal w...

In part 2 of my interview with Chris Tyler, we talk about his experience working with victims of domestic violence. Chris is now a student in social studies and works with abusers. This conversation brings us on the topic of masculinity. Chris is helping men step out of a cycle of trauma and abusive behaviors. He talks about the social stereotypes of men and how to deal with them. Listen to episod...

I have edited my interview with Chris Tyler into three installments. In part 1 we meet Chris. After being a carpenter for 15 years he is thinking about becoming a monk in a Zen monastery. We discover what its like to seat for hours practicing mindfulness. Chris shares moments of doubt and awakening when what he calls a 'voice,' helps him move forward with his new life. Listen to part 2 to hear Chr...

In this installment is speak with Cassandra Shuck from Hunterville, North Carolina. I met Cassandra, at a press event in New York last October and her story immediately struck me as amazing.   She had a very tough, abusive childhood, struggled with her first husband, yet she managed to move on to become the incredible woman she is today.   After a successful corporate career, Cassandra now heads a...

Erden Eruç, a Turkish-American adventurer, is the 1st man to do a solo a circumnavigation by human power. He has done it on a 24-foot ocean rowing boat. He & his wife Nancy Board joined Back in America to discussed the challenges and the mental health issues experienced by Erden upon return. Now Erden embarks on a new adventure, the #Themidgardexpedition to explore sustainable ways to live.  ...

In this episode of Back in America, I meet with Denis Devine a 46 years old man from Fishtown, Philadelphia. Denis, an ex-journalist, is the organizer of Dad's night a monthly meeting of men. For the last 6 years, Denis' Dads Night has brought together dads from his neighborhoods at different bars. The idea of dad's group, which count 350 members, came to him one day at a play-ground when he was w...

Hello Liliana, I meet you a few weeks ago and I immediately realized that you are a pillar of the Latino community here in Princeton. You work for Princeton public schools and for the Princeton township human services department. You are highly educated: you have a law degree from the University of Madrid and a Minor in international law from Harvard. You've moved to Princeton in 2007 and a year l...

  For the first installment of a series on amazing survivors of domestic violence, I speak with Sheri Kurdakul from Princeton, NJ. Sheri is the CEO and founder of VictimsVoice an app that provides a legally admissible way for victims to document abuse incidents. Sheri speaks with Back in America about her father’s abuse that started when she was a toddler, her recovery from  post-traumatic stress...

  This is the third installment of Back in America In this podcast,​ I explore unique and amazing American stories from my multicultural perspective. This episode is part of a series on masculinity in America. Here I speak to Robert Kandell an author and coach. I met Robert in New York as he was promoting his book, unHIDDEN - 'A book for Men and Those Confused by Them'. I speak with Robert about h...