The Dissidents

In this week’s Hold my Drink + Counterweight podcast, we speak with Izabella Tabarovsky. Izabella is a Russian-Jewish immigrant whose article, The American Soviet Mentality (among many others), was paramount in framing our ideas on the current American experience. The collective demonization and polarization that has captured our country has frightening parallels to Izabella’s experiences behind the “Iron Curtain” in the Soviet Union. Join us as we discuss black American consciousness, viewpoint diversity, and collective mentalities. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and an herbal tea, bourbon, mimosa and watermelon vodka. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post The American Soviet Mentality on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In this week’s Hold my Drink + Counterweight podcast, we speak with the author of Reinventing Racism, Jonathan Church. Jonathan uses Stoicism as his basis for pushing back against racism, and an evolving neo-racism found in tropes like White Fragility. Join us as we discuss how Stoicism may be an answer to resolving inequities and injustices in our societies and so much more. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and water (because you know, that seemed like a solid Stoic choice!) To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post Stoicism and Racial Justice on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In this Bonus Episode, our guest is author, Shane Ahalt, Sr. Shane is a former Naval Aviator, Teacher, Father and Husband. He recently released his crime novel, Out of the Red and into the Black. We discuss the inspiration for his novel as well as the challenges and resiliency in black America. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a virgin Irish Coffee. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In this week's Hold my Drink  + Counterweight Podcast , we speak with Dr Monica Osborne, an author, professor and mother. Monica, a former professor of critical theory, speaks of her own struggles with critical social justice in her son's California school. As a student and teacher of critical theory, she sees the distortions in its implementation, especially in early education. Everything has been simplified into a binary of good and evil, which fails to capture the nuance and complexity that defines the human experience. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a scotch. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post The Dangerous Journey Beyond the Binary on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In this week's Hold my Drink  + Counterweight Podcast , we speak with Zander Keig, a Wellness & Belonging Consultant, Social Worker of the Year, Coast Guard Veteran and a first-generation Mexican-American Transexual Man. His appreciation of viewpoint diversity sometimes has him at odds within the trans community and he speaks with us about his challenges to find his “way” or his Tao, and how he shares this in his own practice. Like all communities, the transgender community is not monolithic, but comprised of unique individuals with different experiences. Zander shares with us his own journey, all with a chaser of civility, of course, and an Argentinian Malbec. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post The Tao of Transitioning on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In this week's Hold my Drink + Counterweight podcast, our guest is writer Steve Peters (aka Steve QJ). We discuss how our obsession with Critical Theory and anti-racism has created a communication gap. If we cannot speak to each other across our differences, then we are lost. Honest and good-faith communication is key, and we are determined to keep the conversation going. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a tea. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post Conversations in Black & White on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In this week's Hold my Drink + Counterweight podcast I speak with Jennifer Friend, a volunteer case worker for Counterweight, and therapist in private practice in the Washington DC area. Jennifer shares with us her own experience pushing back on a toxic county-wide diversity initiative with a former employer, and how she helps others navigate similar challenges as a therapist. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a vodka and tonic with a splash of lime. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post Toxic Diversity on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In this Hold my Drink + Counterweight Podcast , David Bernstein and I speak with Irshad Manji, author of Don't Label Me and Founder of Moral Courage. She shares with us her revolutionary methods for creating community and "honest diversity". Moral Courage reaches beyond our differences to build on our commonalities. It welcomes disagreement and seeks engagement to produce actionable steps towards an enduring diversity. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a cucumber vodka concoction (milk + protein for Irshad).   To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post The Tao of Diversity on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In this week's podcast I team up with co-host David Bernstein to create a joint podcast with Counterweight; the first of many to come. David and I sit down with Amna Khalid, a Professor at Carleton College and the former John Stuart Mill Faculty Fellow at the Heterodox Academy to discuss how we can promote diversity without division. Amna suggests imagination, curiosity and education as the cornerstones for building a new diversity paradigm. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a rum punch. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post In Support of Imagination and Viewpoint Diversity on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In this week's podcast, co-host Timothy Mayo and I discuss Affirmative Education and how we can create equal opportunities for our children, regardless of race or socio-economic background. Timm, an entrepreneur, elite soccer referee and musician, is a patriot and a proud American Descendent of Slavery (ADOS), whose family was victimized in the Greenwood district of Tulsa, OK, aka "Black Wall Street". He believes in diversity and diversity of thought and seeks to throw off the shackles of what he calls Liberal Racism to promote victors and not victims. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a chai tea. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post Affirmative Education on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.