Roundtables on Race

Season 4: Race and Religion
Episode 2: Judaism

Sometimes a gift is even greater than can be known at the
time it was given. Such is the case with this episode of “Roundtables on Race.”
Recorded several weeks before her death on March 9, 2024, Rabbi Raachel
Jurovics, rabbi-in-residence for the Diocese of North Carolina, joined host the
Rev. Kathy Walker and Rabbi Capers Funnye, spiritual leader of Beth Shalom
B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, in Chicago, Illinois, to explore Judaism.
Together, they share the beauty of the oldest of the Abrahamic faith
traditions, identify how differences in the practice of Judaism are navigated, how
the faith commands its practitioners to relate to one another, and more in a
wide-ranging conversation that enlightens, inspires and educates.

Season 4: Race and Religion
Episode 1: Hinduism

Season 4 of "Roundtables on Race" is taking a bit of a departure from its usual format. As we take a season-long look at "Race and Religion," each episode will feature a different faith tradition, exploring its beauty and traditions, and its intersection with society, both in the United States and in countries of origin.

The season premiere explores Hinduism, one of the oldest faith traditions and practiced by approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide. Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Dr. Vijay Satnarine, the director of education strategy for the Hindu American Foundation, and Mr. Prashant Sheth, a member of the board of directors for Interfaith Action for Central Texas (iACT), for a fascinating conversation that shares the beauty of the Hindu faith, aspects of the faith you think you know that are actually misunderstood, concepts and tenets of the faith that may sound familiar, and how the historical intersection of Hinduism, law and society can be seen in the United States today.

Season 4: Race and Religion
Bonus Episode: A Multicultural Christmas

"Roundtables on Race" is back with a "Very Special Christmas" episode, when host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by friends and family to talk about the Christmas holidays and how we celebrate this beautiful season in different cultures. Her guests, the Rev. Cornelia Eaton, Priscilla Thompson, Nancy Robayo and Andrew Walker-Watson, all share Christmas memories from Navajoland, Venezuela, the Bahamas, Miami and the podcast's home, North Carolina, and offer their hopes for us all in the coming year.

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 10: Season Wrap-up

The Rev. Kathy Walker brings the season on race and education to a close with a look back at what we discussed, and a look ahead to what's coming next on "Roundtables on Race."

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 9: The Politics of Race and Education

It seems almost impossible to believe that education could
be a political hot-button, but it has become just that. Or has it always been?
Either way, the question that must be asked is….why? Host the Rev. Kathy Walker
is joined by Senators Kimberly Jackson and Dwight Bullard to explore the
question. Their answers may surprise you, as they explain why education has
always been a passionate issue, the nuances of education challenges, and why
some of the most confusing actions today are actually a sign of progress and
hope.

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 8: Race and Faith-Based Schools

Given that this podcast is produced by the Episcopal Diocese
of North Carolina, it didn’t seem right to have a season-long conversation
around race and education without discussing the role of faith-based schools
and their tremendous impact on communities of color – especially Black and
Indigenous communities. So in this episode, host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by the Rev. Bradley Hauff, Indigenous Missioner for The Episcopal Church, and the Rev. David Madison, executive director for the National Association of Episcopal Schools, to take a look at the role
those schools have played in the past and where they stand today.

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 7: Curriculum and Texts (and a whole lot more)

One of the hotly debated topics of conversation around
education these days is what is actually taught in schools. There is a lot of
misinformation and error around this, but it leads to the questions: where
does the information taught in schools come from? How are the textbooks –
whatever they contain – created and chosen? Who decides the curricula used? In this episode, host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Dr. Jonathan Zimmerman, professor of the history of education at the University of Pennsylvania; and Mr. Rann Miller, author, educator and creator of curricula, to discuss these topics and a whole lot more, including how to have difficult conversations, how to stay open, and where to draw the line.

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 6: The Funding of Education

When it comes to looking at race and education, especially
its inequities and challenges, the conversation often becomes about the
question of resources. And of course, when it comes to resources, the first one
discussed is usually funding. Whether in relation to elementary, secondary or
higher education, the questions are the same: How is education funded? How are
those funds allocated? What factors in to the decisions? In this episode, host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Kris Nordstrom, senior policy analyst for the NC Justice Center, and Jared Bass, acting senior vice president for the Education department at the Center for American Progress, to delve into these questions, learning not just the answers, but the impact those answers have on us all.

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 5: Race and Higher Education

In the year 2023, no season focusing on race and education would be complete without a conversation about the Supreme Court decision that dismantled affirmative action in college admissions. The impact of this decision will be felt by institutions of higher education for years to come –
but why? Why was affirmative action in place for college admissions in the
first place? And how will higher education institutions respond? Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Professor Estela Mara Bensimon to explore and answer these questions.

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 4: The History of Black Education

With all of the conversation around the teaching of racial
history, little time is spent learning about the history of Black education. It
is a rich and inspiring one, with many lessons of its own to teach. In this episode, host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Dr. Ricardo Phipps, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Saint Augustine’s University, and Chrystal Regan, executive director of Tryon Palace and former education section chief for the NC Museum of History. The conversation is rich with history, legacy and the indicators that may tell us history is repeating itself.

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 3: Teaching Racial History

Among the many arguments around race and education is the teaching of racial history – what is taught and not taught, how the
subject of racial history is imparted to students, and the implications of
making changes to traditional approaches. Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined in this episode by Dr. Terry Harris, Dr. Catherine Meeks and Chris Coby, lifelong educators who have experienced this argument in the classroom and on the administrative side of education. What they have to say about the state of education and what students really have to say on this subject may surprise you.

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 2: Racism, Not Race

One of the ongoing arguments around race and education is
about the teaching of race and racism. They’re often used as interchangeable
terms in the course of conversation, so in this episode, the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Dr. Joseph Graves, Jr. and Dr. Alan Goodman, authors of "Racism, Not Race: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions" to explore the difference
between the terms and what we’re really talking about when these terms are used
in relation to education.

Season 3: Race and Education
Episode 1: Critical Race Theory

"Roundtables on Race" is back for its third season! This time around we will look at the intersection of race and education, and in this first episode, we explore the one topic that has been such a focal point of just about every conversation around race and education. That is, of course, critical race theory. It is a concept that has become a flashpoint, despite the fact the term is largely misunderstood, misused and not something that really applies as used in the conversation around race and education. Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by returning guest and dear friend of the podcast, Dr. Irving Joyner, professor of law at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law and legal commentator for local, state and national media.

Season 2: Race and Voting Rights
Episode 6: Trusting the Process

In the season finale of "Roundtables on Race," our season-long look at the intersection of race and voting rights culminates in a conversation about building trust in the system in which we cast our votes. Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Justice Bob Orr, current Republican and former justice of the NC State Supreme Court, and Mayor Jennifer Roberts, a current Democrat and former mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. Together, they are working as part of the Carter Center’s Conflict Resolution program by undertaking the “The North Carolina Network for Fair, Safe, and Secure Elections,” otherwise known as the “Trusted Elections Tour," a bi-partisan effort to explain the election process, answer questions and provide appropriate ways to resolve any questions or disputes. Most importantly, the tour is intended to ensure everyone is able to vote and can trust that their vote counted and mattered.

Season 2: Race and Voting Rights
Episode 5: The Role and Impact of the Courts

Among the many facets related to race and voting rights, one element front and center in today’s headlines is the role and impact of the courts. Historically and today, court decisions have had - and continue to have - a clear and decisive impact on a person's ability to vote, especially people of color. In this episode, host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by two guests who are actively involved in this work with tremendous insight to share: returning guest Professor Irving Joyner, award-winning professor of law at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law and legal commentator for local, state and national media; and Dr. Carol Anderson, Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of the bestselling and award-winning books White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide and One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression is Destroying Our Democracy.

Season 2: Race and Voting Rights
Episode 4: The State of Voting on College Campuses

Young adults have always had a significant presence in the voting process and social justice movements, and that presence is only increasing, with young adult voter turnout reaching record levels in 2018. With 2022 midterm elections approaching, we take a look at the state of voting on college campuses and the issues on the forefront of voters' minds. Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by the Rev. Kevin Matthews, who for more than 15 years has served as the Episcopal chaplain for St. Mary’s House in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Carmen Liñero-Lopez, program manager for the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition's Ask Every Student Initiative.
(And thank you for understanding the technical glitches we encountered during recording happen!)

Season 2: Race and Voting Rights
Episode 3: Facts and Myths of Voter Suppression

Following Episode 2's exploration of the systemic issues that might interfere with a person's right to vote, in this third installment of our look at race and voting rights, we discuss the more overt aspects of voter suppression – what those efforts are, some of the misinformation around them, and what each of us can do to help ensure everyone with the right to vote is able to do so. Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Karen Brinson Bell, executive director for the NC State Board of Elections, and Professor Rebecca Theobald, assistant professor of research at the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs and the head of the GeoCivics project.

Season 2: Race and Voting Rights
Episode 2: Barriers and Impact Factors

In this second episode of our season-long look at race and voting rights, we take a look at some of the systemic barriers and impact factors related to race and voting. Host the Rev. Kathy Walker is joined by Professor Irving Joyner, professor of law at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) School of Law and legal commentator for local, state and national media; and Kevin Briggs, a research fellow with The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations.

Season 2: Race and Voting Rights
Episode 1: Historical Context and Contemporary Trends

Roundtables on Race is back for its second season, taking a look at Race and Voting Rights. In the season premiere, host the Rev. Kathy Walker leads a discussion that takes a look back at the history of voting rights and how it compares with contemporary trends. She is joined by guests Professor Michael Bitzer, professor of politics and history at Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina; a contributor to OldNorthStatePolitics.com and the co-author of The New Politics of the Old South and The Future Ain't What It Used to Be; Professor Robert Korstad, emeritus professor of Public Policy and History at Duke University, and Professor Jemes Leloudis, associate dean for Honors and the Director of the James M. Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. Professors Korstad and Leloudis are the co-authors of Fragile Democracy: The Struggle Over Race and Voting Rights in North Carolina.

Season 1: Race and the News Media
Episode 6: Addressing the Past

In the Season One finale of “Roundtables on Race,” the Rev. Kathy Walker discusses news outlets that are examining their past and future,
especially around race-related news coverage. She is joined by two guests who
are leaders in organizations that are proving to be leaders themselves in
addressing past actions: Dave DeWitt, feature news editor for WUNC, North
Carolina Public Radio and NPR affiliate in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area,
co-host of the podcast “Tested,” and member of WUNC’s Inclusion Diversity
Equity Accountability (I.D.E.A.) committee; and Sewell Chan, editorial board
chair and editorial page editor for the Los Angeles Times, and soon-to-be
editor in chief for the Texas Tribune.