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.

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 we're simply the folks who make the coffee or show up day after day. Listen in to begin to answer the question: What kind of activist are you?

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 stories of local immigrants here in Greenville, South Carolina.

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 Our Immigrant Neighbors, where we will listen to and lift up the voices and stories of local immigrants here in Greenville, South Carolina.

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, including her immigration journey, as well as her honest and direct take on Greenville. 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 stories of local immigrants here in Greenville, South Carolina.

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 very special series, New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors, where we will listen to and lift up the voices and stories of local immigrants here in Greenville, South Carolina.

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 and lift up the voices and stories of local immigrants here in Greenville, South Carolina.

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 special series, New Roots, New Voices: Listening to Our Immigrant Neighbors, where we will listen to and lift up the voices and stories of local immigrants here in Greenville South Carolina.

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 lift up the voices and stories of local immigrants here in Greenville South Carolina.

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 connections with those we see and interact with regularly. 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 stories of local immigrants here in Greenville South Carolina.

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 pathways and opportunities for others to join them and act as well.

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 their community to make a difference in the lives of their immigrant neighbors and friends.

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 group of community members is working to make a difference by starting "close in."

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 concerns, and what keeps them hopeful. I'll also share my own perspectives on this challenging time and what it means for me and for the work of State of Inclusion.

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 civic leaders.

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.

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 applies Inclusive Practices to its built environment. If you link to the detailed show notes, there is also a video version of our presentation that includes the slides.

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.

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 their heart is and creating a way for others to join them in that work. Note: This interview was previously published on Next Economy Now.

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 bonding, as well as a place to grow civic engagement. The simple invitation to "Meet Me at the Library" is an invitation to a specific place, but it can be so much more.