A visit with Texas-raised attorney J.E. McNeil about the need to hear each other beyond the liberal/conservative, urban/rural, ivory tower/commonfolk divides, what holds us back, and how to bridge the gap. J.E. is the former executive director of the Center on Conscience & War and author of a review of the book Dark Money in Friends Journal. Also part of this discussion with J.E. is mention of the Western Friend article by Tom Head about corporations, including the new "B Corp" classification.

Many may be sick of the interminable string of Christmas music, but they might feel quite differently if they had been hearing these songs - seasonal music by relatively popular, mostly folk, artists that speak for a better world, performers like John Lennon, Dar Williams, Cris Williamson, John McCutcheon, John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, & Louden Wainwright III.

When addressing climate change, we need all hands on deck including citizens and lawmakers who are politically conservative. Host, Peterson Toscano interviews Chandler Green, a graduate student at American University researching strategic communications. Chandler shares her insights about climate communication and the need for Republican voices in the USA.

The dramatic events at the Standing Rock Reservation are inspiring support for the work there, but also in many places across the country where the same kind of work is needed to care for our land, water, & future. The Chippewa Valley Earth Keepers (CVEK) were birthed in September, 2016, and have hit the ground running, making both practical and inspirational differences for our Earth, and core members Mary & Rob share the growing story of CVEK.

Kristen Graves is a dynamo of wonderful music and good work in the world. With the talent of Tracy Chapman or Janis Joplin, and with seemingly boundless energy, Kristen was recently the Connecticut State Troubadour, she was founder of Simply Smiles and also The 'Just Be Nice' Party, has 8 recordings, and draws on a religious studies major and diverse spiritual influences. And makes awesome, heart-moving, music, available on CDBaby.com.

Anne Hills opens eyes and changes hearts & minds with the kind of beautiful music that obviates the need of any kind of lecture, putting us all in the same family and with the same cause. Because her day job is in the social work domain, she has plenty of opportunities to work on concrete on-the-ground improvements, at the same time she uplifts and inspires us with her music.

All songs in this program are written & performed by Anne Hills:

On a rapidly changing planet we are already seeing risks to public health. Natasha DeJarnett from the American Public Health Association sits down with Peterson Toscano to outline some of these risks, but also the community building opportunity. We will also hear from Dr.

Katherine van Wormer's book, The Maid Narratives: Black Domestics and White Families in the Jim Crow South draws on interviews from black maids and white women who had maids, to understand the reality of segregation, its norms, and its consequences.

It's rather seldom that a predominantly folk-oriented musician can be a commercial success, but such a one is David Barrett. Of course, it helps if you write a song like One Shining Moment that gets adopted by the NCAA as their anthem. But that is such a tiny scratch on the surface of David's creativity & artistry.

Time for some country-rooted music today with Fizz Kizer. Actually, he's been told that he's "too country for the cafes and too folkie for the taverns". When playing with his trio, they're called Fizz & the Farm Hands. His music sings of country things, like the rivers and the taverns and the hearts that grow deep away from the cities.