Just Talks Podcast with Ali M. Collins

Frederick Douglass didn't fight for freedom until he realized he shouldn't be a slave. 📖✊🏾 That line hit me hard when I first heard it from Ernest Crim III. And honestly? It underscores just how important our work preserving Black history is right now. We talk a lot about "curriculum" and "book bans" in the news, but Ernest made it personal. He talked about the rising tide of anti-Blackness in...

"Frederick Douglass didn't fight for freedom until he understood he shouldn't be a slave." That insight set the tone for a powerful conversation with Ernest Crim III. For years, Ernest used social media to teach overlooked histories—from Aunt Polly wielding a butcher knife against slave catchers to modern-day activists fighting local injustice. His platform grew to over 400k followers. Then, in la...

Feeling like your community is flying under the radar? Li Lovett exposes a critical truth: when people are too stressed or isolated to track what's happening, their rights are the first to be stripped away. In this powerful clip, she reveals how social media is transforming into a lifeline for democracy. From farm workers with massive followings to hyper-local outlets reaching remote areas, she ex...

Get early access to new episodes and members-only content ➡️➡️➡️ https://www.patreon.com/justtalkspodcast/membership This one’s a bit later than usual. Normally I try to post new podcast episodes on Fridays to provide early access for paid members (giving everyone access on Tuesdays.) This episode took a bit more time, because it’s JAM PACKED with helpful tips on protecting immigrants and supporti...

Get early access to new episodes and members-only content ➡️➡️➡️ https://www.patreon.com/justtalkspodcast/membership How do you bring activist energy into local governance without losing your community roots? In this episode of Just Talks Podcast, host Ali Collins interviews Ami Chen Mills, a Santa Cruz educator, author, radio host and mayoral candidate challenging the status quo. Ami is a longtim...

Silicon Valley wealth is changing our towns. Who will stop it? 🏠🚧 Amy Chen Mills joins Ali Collins to discuss the urgent battle for Santa Cruz. From skyrocketing housing prices driven by tech commuters to the fight against mass surveillance, Amy explains why "expert" activists are the only ones who truly understand the stakes. She breaks down how to bridge the divide between community members an...

Get early access to new episodes and members-only content ➡️➡️➡️ https://www.patreon.com/justtalkspodcast/membership How do you amplify marginalized voices in a digital landscape designed to silence them? In this episode of Just Talks Podcast, host Ali Collins sits down with Ranier Maningding, founder of LLAG Media, to discuss the art of storytelling for social justice. Ranier is a communications...

The second season of Just Talks Podcast is coming soon, and the stakes have never been higher. I started last season in 2021 by documenting the attacks on our educators and the resulting political fallout. Now, I’m expanding the lens. This season, I’m bringing you exclusive conversations with artists, experts, and influencers who are fighting the good fight across the country. Why tune in? Because...

In this episode Carrie Sampson, Ph. D. is an associate professor in the Division of Educational Leadership and Innovation at Arizona State University. Many of those most targeted are leading education justice work. In this Interview she shares that the impacts of these attacks is having major impacts on students ultimately the future of public education. Get educated and take action! Carrie talks...

In this episode Erin Jones is a Black mom and DEI educator from Washington with 30 years of experience as an educator. On today’s episode of Just Talks, Erin describes how folks complaining most about public school curriculum are people who aren’t actually aware of what is going on in the classroom. She’ll teach us how to support educators locally, and educate ourselves to be better allies in the...

In this episode I spoke with Dr. Isaac Kamola, an associate professor at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Professor Kamola’s teaching and research focus is on understanding the production and consumption of political ideas and the resulting impacts on our democracy. His latest book project, Free Speech and Koch Money: Manufacturing a Campus Culture War , examines the dark money behind the so-calle...

Dr. Walter D. Greason connects the dots between the January 6th Insurrection and racial backlash targeting school boards. Let's discuss! In this episode Dr. Walter D. Greason, Professor and Chair of the Department of History at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, is an interdisciplinary scholar, historian, urbanist, and economist. In the wake of the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlot...