Everyday Nonviolence Podcast

In a wide-ranging discussion with host Jarren Peterson Dean, acclaimed authors Stanley Kusunoki and Kao Kalia Yang discuss the power art has to speak the truth and connect us to our shared humanity. They provide intimate examples of how their courageous storytelling has impacted their own and their audiences’ perspectives and lives.   Stanley Kusunoki, whose Japanese American parents were incarcer...

Millions of life-threatening Unexploded Cluster Munitions and Other Ordnance (UXO) continue to hold the land of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam hostage. Legacies of War is the only U.S.-based educational and advocacy organization dedicated to increasing awareness about the American Secret War in Laos and U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia. They are also actively engaged in securing funding for the saf...

Kyle Tran Myhre (aka Guante) is a poet and activist whose work explores the relationships between narrative, power, and resistance. He’s performed at the United Nations, been a member of two National Poetry Slam championship teams, and visited countless colleges, conferences, and festivals, using spoken word and storytelling as doorways into critical dialogue. In this episode, host Emily Roe speak...

George Lakey's unwavering dedication to using nonviolence to create a more just world began with his first arrest during the Civil Rights Movement and continues today with his leadership in campaigns for climate justice. In this episode, George speaks with host PJ Hoffman as he reflects on his career as an activist. George Lakey offers wise insights and resources for creating social change, even i...

Isuroon is a women-led, community-driven organization motivated by the belief that Somali women and girls deserve to be healthy and have a strong voice. In this episode, host Iman Shukri speaks with Isuroon’s Founder and CEO, Fartun Weli, about the language and literacy barriers, racism, sexism, religious intolerance and health disparities that Somali women in Minnesota face. Fartun shares the rel...

Angel Dawson is a Licensed Autism Spectrum Disorder teacher and a Restorative Practices Coordinator for an Intermediate district in the Twin Cities metro area. She has over five years of experience facilitating trainings for restorative practices in Special Education. She is dedicated to connecting people for the betterment of educating the next generation of youth and addressing educational traum...

Part two of a two-part Everyday Nonviolence Series addressing gun violence in Minnesota. Host Jarren Dean speaks with Maggiy Emery, Executive Director of Protect Minnesota, about bills passed during the 2023 state legislative session and the organization’s other efforts to address gun violence. Maggiy also shares actions each of us can take to help prevent gun violence in our community. Maggiy is...

ConnextMSP was built to ensure that young professionals of color in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region are recruited, hired, and supported by local employers as they launch their careers. This is a critical lever for addressing the harm caused by the racial inequities of our current economic systems, advancing inclusive economic growth, and building a 21st century workforce in our region. Join Ever...

Part one of a two part Everyday Nonviolence Series addressing gun violence in Minnesota Mary Lewis Grow and Martha (Marti) Micks speak with Host Jarren Peterson Dean about their work as co-chairs on Minnesota's League of Women Voters' (LWVMN) recent study on Firearms. In 1990 LWVMN adopted its first position paper on the issue and is now finalizing an updated version. Our guests share LWVMN's anal...

The gains made by the Civil Rights Movement under Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership demonstrate what can be accomplished through strategic nonviolent action. But how much do we really know about MLK and the nonviolent activism of the Civil Rights Movement? How do we continue to move King’s vision forward in our world today? Join host Jarren Peterson Dean and guest Peter Digitale Anderso...

The gains made by the Civil Rights Movement under Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership demonstrate what can be accomplished through strategic nonviolent action. But how much do we really know about MLK and the nonviolent activism of the Civil Rights Movement? How do we continue to move King’s vision forward in our world today? Join host Jarren Peterson Dean and guest Peter Digitale Anderso...

The gains made by the Civil Rights Movement under Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership demonstrate what can be accomplished through strategic nonviolent action. But how much do we really know about MLK and the nonviolent activism of the Civil Rights Movement? How do we continue to move King’s vision forward in our world today? Join host Jarren Peterson Dean and guest Peter Digitale Anderso...

The gains made by the Civil Rights Movement under Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership demonstrate what can be accomplished through strategic nonviolent action. But how much do we really know about MLK and the nonviolent activism of the Civil Rights Movement? How do we continue to move King’s vision forward in our world today? Join host Jarren Peterson Dean and guest Peter Digitale Anderso...

The gains made by the Civil Rights Movement under Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership demonstrate what can be accomplished through strategic nonviolent action. But how much do we really know about MLK and the nonviolent activism of the Civil Rights Movement? How do we continue to move King’s vision forward in our world today? Join host Jarren Peterson Dean and guest Peter Digitale Anderso...

The gains made by the Civil Rights Movement under Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership demonstrate what can be accomplished through strategic nonviolent action. But how much do we really know about MLK and the nonviolent activism of the Civil Rights Movement? How do we continue to move King’s vision forward in our world today? Join host Jarren Peterson Dean and guest Peter Digitale Anderso...

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are highlighting the work of St. Paul-based Women’s Advocates, which has been providing shelter and other services for victim-survivors of domestic violence for 50 years. Women's Advocates uses the tools of "radical hospitality, advocacy and collective action" to work towards a community free from violence, where all are safe and can live pro...

In this episode, Jarren Peterson Dean speaks with Mike Alberti, Managing Director of the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop (MPWW). Founded in 2011, MPWW is now the largest and most enduring prison-based literary organization in the country. It fosters literary community and a devotion to art inside Minnesota correctional facilities through high-quality creative writing classes and related programm...

In this episode, we hear from two women whose lives have been dramatically impacted by gun violence.    Jarren Peterson Dean is a special education teacher living in Plymouth, MN with her husband and young son.  In 2014, Jarren's boyfriend, James, was shot and killed near their home in Minneapolis. Jaren has been involved in a variety of social justice issues, including restorative justice, which...

In this episode of Everyday Nonviolence, we learn about the extraordinary work being done by the Eagle’s Healing Nest, an organization located in Sauk Center, Minnesota, dedicated to serving veterans dealing with the invisible wounds of war.” Host Ellery McCardle speaks with Melony Butler, Founder, Chair and Director; Mike Dunfe, a former resident; and Alec Embree, who currently lives at “The Nest...

In this episode, the Everyday Nonviolence podcast explores the painful history of Indigenous Boarding Schools. We also share examples of what is being done by faith communities to address the harm caused by these church-run schools. Host Diane Sandberg speaks first with Paula Palmer, Co-Director of “Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples,” about her research into Quaker-run schools and the...

In this episode, Elizabeth Lamin talks with host Ellery McCardle about the evolution of her beliefs on how to best address violent crime. Convinced that the traditional and prevailing emphasis on "accountability" has failed, she explains how she is incorporating different methods such as focused deterrence and restorative justice. Elizabeth Lamin is an accomplished prosecutor with over fifteen yea...

In this third and final episode in our series on mental health, we hear from an individual with a mental illness. Cindy Johnson Suplick speaks with podcast host, Diane Sandberg. During the conversation, Cindy talks about a variety of topics, including her personal experiences interacting with the police. After receiving her MBA, Cindy spent 30 years in marketing in the Twin Cities. She and her hus...

In our three-part series, we expand on  FNVW’s research/policy pape r, exploring the de-escalation of interactions between people with mental illnesses and the police. We hear three different perspectives: 1) a mental health advocate; 2) a crisis intervention trainer, therapist, and former police officer; and 3) an individual with a mental illness. During the series, we’ll learn more about mental...

In a three-part series, we expand on  FNVW’s research/policy pape r, exploring the de-escalation of interactions between people with mental illnesses and the police. We’ll hear three different perspectives: 1) a mental health advocate 2) a crisis intervention trainer, therapist, and former police officer and 3) an individual with a mental illness. During the series, we’ll learn more about mental i...

In this re-issued and updated episode, original host, Joann Perry, speaks with Mathew Walker about his participation in the Alternatives to Violence Program (AVP).  Joann learns how exposure to the principles and skills of nonviolence helped him gain greater self-awareness and empowered him with new tools for transforming conflict situations. After participating in an AVP workshop while incarcerat...