Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.

Seeing White is an award-winning podcast series (originally aired in 2017) about a history that we probably didn't learn about in school. It's guided by 3 questions: Where did the idea of “whiteness” come from, what does it mean, and what is it for?  During this 10-session learning circle, you will probably hear or read, about parts of American history, going back to colonial America, that you might not be familiar with.  The goal of the discussions is to spark curiousity (an interest in learning more) rather than guilt, shame or anger. 

This sequel to “Seeing White” is a podcast series about democracy and whether we have ever really had one. The title is taken from a Langston Hughes poem entitled “Let America Be America Again.”

The series touches on concerns like authoritarianism, voter suppression, gerrymandering, neoliberalism, foreign intervention, and the role of money in politics. But it goes much deeper, effectively retelling the story of the US from its beginnings to the present. Previous participants say this information is critical to understanding how our system came to be and what it will take to move closer to the Beloved Community.  Audio podcast is supplemented with related video, audio or print pieces.

 How did our democracy become a kleptocracy, where "one person one vote" has been transformed to "one dollar one vote"?  The Lever has unearthed never-before-reported documents revealing this 50-year plot as a coordinated effort by wealthy individuals and political ideologues.  Across 11 audio episodes, the series traces this historic thread from the Watergate scandal in the '70's to the Citizens United decision, current Supreme Court outrages, and the 2024 election.  It's a story of infamous figures like President Nixon, Senator McConnell and Fox News founder Roger Ailes, plus operatives and oligarchs you've never heard of. 

 “Doughnut Economics,” developed by Oxford economist Kate Raworth, which proposes managing the economy specifically and deliberately to meet the needs of all within the means of the planet. The goals are to ensure that no one falls short on life’s essentials (from food and housing to healthcare and political voice), while ensuring that collectively we do not overshoot our pressure on Earth’s life-supporting systems, on which we fundamentally depend – such as a stable climate, fertile soils, and thriving biodiversity. The Doughnut of social and planetary boundaries is a serious approach to reframing our economic assumptions and objectives that can help guide human progress toward the social and economic justice in harmony with the Earth 

 Subtitled "Why It's Time to Break Up and How to Move On", journalist Malaika Jabali brings us a biting, brilliant, often hilarious guide to socialism for budding anti-capitalists who know it's time to dump their toxic ex (Capitalism) and try something finer.  She debunks myths, centers forgotten socialists of color who have shaped our world, and shows socialism is not all Marx and Bernie Bros - it can be pretty sexy.  

 A call for an end to discrimination and prejudice on the basis of age,  including a review of the intersection of ageism and  racism and other prejudices, This Chair Rocks is lively, funny, and deeply researched. Author Ashton Applewhite explains the roots of ageism in history, exposes the cost of the myth of independence, critiques the portrayal of older people as burdens to society, describes what an all-age-friendly world would look like, and offers a rousing call to action. Whether you're older or hoping to get there, this book will cheer you up, make you mad, and change the way you see the rest of your life. 

Spacious and affordable homes used to be the hallmark of American prosperity. Today, however, punishing rents and the increasingly prohibitive cost of ownership have turned housing into the foremost symbol of inequality and an economy gone wrong. Golden Gates explains why housing has become unaffordable and how we can solve the problem.

Compelling and accessible, Golden Gates tells the stories of people struggling to overcome San Francisco’s housing dysfunction. Although focused on the stories and challenges of a single city, the themes and conclusions are relevant across the U.S. where safe, affordable housing is becoming more difficult to find for all but the wealthiest among us.

 A dramatic expansion of a groundbreaking work of journalism, The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story offers a profoundly revealing vision of the American past and present. This book that speaks directly to our current moment, contextualizing the systems of race and caste within which we operate today. It reveals long-glossed-over truths around our nation’s founding and construction—and the way that the legacy of slavery did not end with emancipation, but continues to shape contemporary American life.  We will read one essay per week, and meet for 19 weeks.  It is a journey well worth the commitment. 

 For Spring 2026 

Start dates we'll have a separate registration link & more fabulous offerings, including "My Grandmother's Hands," "Subtle Acts of Exclusion," "The Fourth Turning is Here" and many others.