State of Inclusion

A lot of us are watching our economy fall short — for us, for our neighbors, for our communities. Our communities need us to step up. They need our time, our energy — and, yes, our money. After all, we are the economy. Our choices, individually and together, shape it. The good news is that change can start right here, with each of us. I’m going to take you along on a journey I’ve been on over the...

While most of our podcast episodes are about looking out at other communities to learn and find inspiration, this episode is all about encouraging you to really notice what is happening right in your own backyard. We encourage you to take a Power Walk through your community and also to follow the money. As an example, I share a local project where, along with some good friends, we took our own Pow...

Whether or not you follow State of Inclusion, you know that 2025 was a difficult year for equity and inclusion, and 2026 is already shaping up to be even more difficult in so many ways. In this episode, we’ll take a moment to reflect on our 2025 discussions and look ahead to our podcast in 2026. Now is the time to lean in, not back. Find a full transcript and show notes HERE . Sign up for our news...

In this episode, we pause to express gratitude and reflect on the lessons learned through nearly a year of intentional engagement on immigration justice, in partnership with Village Engage and the Greenville Immigration and Faith Coalition. Listen in as our team explains how this journey has changed us and check out some of the photos from moments of community engagement. Welcome to this very spec...

If you care about making the world a better place, this episode is for you. My guest, Omkari Williams, asks us each to consider, "What if an activist looked like you?" In our discussion, she will share the ways that we can make activism and microactivism part of our daily lives. Along the way, she shares the main archetypes of activists. Spoiler alert: All activists are not headliners. Sometimes w...

In this episode, with the help of our guest Russell Stall, we will look back at the contributions past immigrants have made to Greenville, S.C. In doing so, we will draw from the lessons of our community's immigrant past to help inform our future.  Welcome to this very special series, New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors, where we will listen to and lift up the voices and st...

In this episode, we will hear from Julian Cabra, who came to the US from Colombia seeking asylum. Julian's story asks us to reflect on the sacrifices and risks parents take for the safety of their children, as he shares what it was like for him to flee home at the age of 17, leaving everything and everyone he loved behind. Welcome to this very special series, New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Ou...

Sometimes it takes someone new, coming from outside the community, to hold a mirror up, allowing us to see our community more honestly and realistically. In this episode, we will meet Chong Song, who came to the U.S. to marry a soldier. Following her husband’s military career, she has lived in many places across our country and beyond. In this episode, Chong shares a little of her life story, incl...

In this episode, we'll meet Andrew Assuah, a teacher from Ghana who has come to Greenville to teach French in our public school system. In our discussion, Andrew will share about his dreams for himself and his family as well as the principles he lives by. He'll also give us a glimpse into the differences between how American children and Ghanaian children view their education.  Welcome to this ver...

In this episode, we'll meet Maria Beltran, an immigrant from Ecuador, and a paralegal who works every day on behalf of local immigrants. You'll quickly realize, as I did, that Maria is a force, a person who gets things done, someone anyone would be happy to have by their side.  Welcome to this very special series, New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors, where we will listen to...

In this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing two Afghan sisters. They share about the artwork they did for this project and also offer a view into the challenges they and other girls have faced in their home country of Afghanistan. They also offer wisdom about how our community should think about immigrants and refugees, as well as how we can become better allies. Welcome to this very spec...

In this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing four Afghan youth. In their voices we hear the beautiful energy and resilience of the young, even ones who have left so much behind. We will learn a little about their journey and the dreams they have for their future. Welcome to this very special series, New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors. where we will listen to and li...

In this episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ziad Namouz, a beautiful and generous soul who shares a little of his heritage and culture every day through food. Ziad is one of the founders and owners of the Pita House Restaurant and Grocery, a place I've visited for years,. This interview is a reminder of how much richer our sense of community can be when we take the time to make a personal...

This week, we'll hear three different voices from my home state of South Carolina. Listen in as we hear from Laura Hornby with Welcome English Language Learners of Greenville and Interface Ministries, Matt Rollins of First Baptist Greenville, and Dulce López from the South Carolina ACLU. Each of these individuals personally lives out their commitment to loving their immigrant neighbors, providing...

If you are concerned about the safety and well-being of immigrant neighbors in your community, this episode is for you. If you're unsure about what you can personally do and how you can be a better ally, this episode, along with our next episode, is for you. In this episode, we'll hear from Emanuel Gomez Gonzales with Siembra North Carolina. Siembra NC is a team of people taking concrete steps in...

In this episode, I'll take you along with me on some of my local journeys as others and I work to build a more inclusive and equitable community right where we live.  This is the first in a series of episodes where we explore what it means to practice Self Work and GroundWork on the issue of immigration justice. At a time when our nation feels so divided on this issue, you'll hear how a small grou...

If you're concerned about the state of equity and inclusion in your community and across the country, this episode is for you. And if you're wondering what to do in the face of all the attacks and uncertainty, this episode is for you. We don't pretend to have all the answers to these big questions, but in this episode, we will hear from five guests about how they are feeling, about their big conce...

In this episode, we'll dig into the idea of civic health--what it is, how you can measure it, and what North Carolina has learned from measuring their state's civic health. Along the way, we'll also discover an approach to create a breakthrough on issues that divide us by using a tool called deliberative dialog, and we'll learn how North Carolina is developing their next generation of citizens and...

In this episode, we’ll hear about one person’s journey to nurture connection and community in their hometown and about using Civic Saturdays as a vehicle to bring people together. Along the way, we’ll explore stories and insights that remind us all just how important a sense of community can be. We’ll also share a few ideas about what we can do to foster and grow community in our own backyard.  Fi...

In November, Emma Winiski and I led a breakout session at the Government Alliance on Race and Equity annual conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Our Session was titled Building for All: Connecting Inclusive Practices to Improve the Built Environment and Beyond. In this episode, you'll hear an overview of our Six Practices for Building a More Inclusive Community, and Emma will share how Oklahoma City...

Over 2024, we had so many rich discussions here at the State of Inclusion Podcast. Join me as we take a few minutes to reflect on our main themes and the wisdom my guests have shared across the year. If you'd like to help us refine our work on equity ecosystem mapping, reach out to me at amesanders@stateofinclusion.com. Find a full transcript and show notes HERE . Sign up for our newsletter and jo...

Have you wondered how we can create a local economy that works for everyone? I believe it happens when we make different choices. Different choices in how we show up in our communities, in how and where we shop, what we buy, what we build, and how we invest. This episode is about someone who decided to show up and make a difference in their community by choosing to put their time and money where t...

If you wonder how to build a stronger and more cohesive community in these divided times, this episode is for you. In this episode, we will discuss the role community libraries can and do play as a key part of our social infrastructure. Our community library is one of the last free places where we are all welcome. We will explore how the library can be a place for both community bridging and bondi...

How can we co-create a more just, compassionate, vibrant, and inclusive economy? In this interview, Judy Wicks shares how the Circle of Aunts and Uncles in Philadelphia does just that as they invest in and support local entrepreneurs. In our discussion, Judy goes even further to help us understand how supporting local businesses can build a more sustainable future for our community.  Find a full t...

Join me as we talk with Darryl Heller, the chair of the South Bend Reparatory Justice Commission. We will discuss how the commission is bringing a restorative justice lens to its approach to reparations in South Bend, Indiana. This conversation offers practical and insightful ways to consider the very important and complex subject of reparations at a local level.   Find a full transcript and show...