Systemic oppression conditions us to deny others’ and our own humanity. Many justice-seekers unwittingly perpetuate that dehumanization when they assume they must suffer, punish, or martyr themselves to dismantle oppression. At Joyous Justice, we're imagining and embodying a different way. Wholeness, love, and thriving are the antidotes to the brokenness in our world and in our own lives. Each week, April Baskin–with her friend and colleague, Tracie Guy-Decker–delves into theoretical and practical aspects of the pursuit of justice AND wellness.
In this captivating episode 139 of the Joyous Justice Podcast, a pivotal moment unfolds as April Baskin and Tracie Guy Decker delve into a heartfelt and transformative discussion: They unveil significant changes that will shape the future of the podcast, marking a new era in their journey of advocacy and growth. This episode is not just an update; it's a reflection of resilience, the power of collaboration, and the beauty of evolving paths. As April takes a bold step in a new direction, and Tracie explores exciting endeavors, they invite listeners to be part of this momentous transition. Filled with profound insights, personal revelations, and a glimpse into the future of Joyous Justice, this episode promises to be a compelling listen that will leave you inspired and curious about what lies ahead.Links:Tracie & Emily's latest podcast: https://dtass.buzzsprout.com/For Lucifer fans!: https://lightbringers.buzzsprout.com/Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What, if anything feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?If relevant. what feelings and sensations are arising as you reflect on themes from this episode, and where in your body do you feel them?What key insights or strategies are you carrying forward and how do you want to weave them into your living and/or leadership?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!
1/18/24 • 31:30
SummaryIn this episode, Kohenet April Nichole Baskin discusses the concept of on-ramps and piloting in relation to personal growth and transitions. She explores the idea of using the new year as an opportunity for reflection and experimentation, emphasizing the importance of spacious on-ramps and the value of piloting different practices as needed. April shares her personal experiences with navigating difficult circumstances and the lessons she has learned from floating and pivoting. She encourages you to embrace or experiments with on-ramps and piloting as tools for personal growth, and creating an ecosystem for success. Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Key TakeawaysTake the time to reflect on your life and identify areas where you can create spacious on-ramps for personal growth and transition.Experiment with piloting different practices and approaches to see what works best for you.Embrace the new year as an opportunity for reflection and setting intentions, but remember that you can choose your own target date for personal goals.Create an ecosystem for success by identifying the path of greatest ease and leveraging your strengths and resources.Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!
12/19/23 • 35:11
Join recently-ordained Kohenet April Nichole Baskin in a captivating examination and reconsideration of what often gets classified as "pragmatic" or "practical." April delves into the transformative power of mindfulness about language and advocates for a reframe, or at the least, thoughtful consideration of what we label as "pragmatic" and "practical." She asserts that visionary, strategic thinking and action that challenges conventional mindsets can, in fact, be some of the most pragmatic and practical thinking and actions we can employ. This episode is a vibrant blend of personal anecdotes and visionary insights, culminating in a powerful call to, when necessary, intervene when brilliant insights and strategies are being shut down or ignored because they were (in)directly labeled as impractical. Instead, as allies and practitioners, we can bridge communication gaps and embrace and pilot innovative, effective, and joyously just strategies.Key Takeaways:Redefining Pragmatism: Understand how pragmatic thinking is often misinterpreted, and learn to distinguish it from default or fear-based thought patterns.Challenges of a Visionary Woman of Color: Hear April's experiences and the distinct challenges she's faced in promoting forward-thinking ideas in organizational settings.The Limiting Power of Language: Explore how language can both confine and liberate our thinking, impacting our ability to embrace innovative strategies.The Visionary's Approach: Learn the importance of transcending conventional thinking to adopt more visionary and intentional actions.Joyous Justice – Pragmatism Meets Vision: Discover how Joyous Justice programming blends practicality with strategic and visionary thinking.Strategic Thinking vs. Practicality: Understand why it's crucial to prioritize strategic thinking over mere practicality, especially when exploring new possibilities.Bridging Understanding Gaps: Emphasize the need for improved communication and collaboration to effectively bridge gaps in understanding.
12/7/23 • 26:51
In this episode (recorded as an Instagram Live before April's Kohenet ordination), April unpacks and examines the buzzword term "trauma-informed." Thinking and talking about trauma has become more and more common. While this is, generally speaking, a good thing, it's important--especially with something fraught, fragile, and potentially triggering--for us to be clear about what we mean, what is possible, and what is safe. April offers a new term, "trauma-agile," to help make things clear. Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Want to work with us? If you are considering one of our group or executive coaching packages, but want to talk it through, you can schedule a no-obligation zoom with April: https://app.usemotion.com/meet/april-baskin/chat-w-april?d=30All content © 2023 The Joyous Justice Podcast.
9/21/23 • 49:20
The limits our circumstances can place on us often creep in incrementally until we wake up one day and realize we aren’t allowing our full selves to shine. Originally an Instagram Live, this episode finds April reminding herself she can and has created space for what she wants and who she is. There is room for our whole selves in this big wide world–if we’re courageous enough to claim the space. Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Want to work with us? If you are considering one of our group or executive coaching packages, but want to talk it through, you can schedule a no-obligation zoom with April: https://app.usemotion.com/meet/april-baskin/chat-w-april?d=30All content © 2023 The Joyous Justice Podcast.
5/25/23 • 32:17
In this contemplative episode, April reflects on key insights she gained while on vacation. Rest and fun opened up the truth that despite leaning into heart- and spirit-led living, there is still more room–and even an obligation–to be fully and truly oneself. Movement toward that truth can feel scary, since humans sometimes (often?) compromise who we are in service to belonging. But belonging based on censoring our true selves is not true belonging. Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Learn more about Brené Brown’s writing and research: https://brenebrown.com/Want to work with us? If you are considering one of our group or executive coaching packages, but want to talk it through, you can schedule a no-obligation zoom with April: https://app.usemotion.com/meet/april-baskin/chat-w-april?d=30All content © 2023 The Joyous Justice Podcast.
4/13/23 • 44:18
In this reprise of episode 30, April and Tracie reveal the liberatory wisdom in eight practices from Passover observance.Find April and Tracie's full bios and submit topic suggestions for the show at www.JewsTalkRacialJustice.comLearn more about Joyous Justice where April is the founding and fabulous (!) director and Tracie is a senior partner: https://joyousjustice.com/Resources mentioned:Learn more about the characteristics of White Supremacy Culture: https://www.dismantlingracism.org/uploads/4/3/5/7/43579015/okun_-_white_sup_culture.pdfHear the song "All my relations" by Ulali: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swgz8nocENw%20 and read the lyrics: https://www.flashlyrics.com/lyrics/ulali/all-my-relations-27
4/6/23 • 35:22
In this vulnerable episode, April shares recent experiences uncovering and working to heal old wounds including feelings of rage, betrayal, and fear. She shares details of fear she’s been navigating and ways it’s been holding her back and that she’s ready to let go of. For April, transparency around her process of feeling and transmuting suffering toward healing is a strategic move to help counter the perception that to have joy we must deny or ignore suffering. Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Want to work with us? If you are considering one of our group or executive coaching packages, but want to talk it through, you can schedule a no-obligation zoom with April: https://usemotion.com/meet/april-baskin/chat-w-april?d=30All content © 2023 The Joyous Justice Podcast.
3/30/23 • 39:57
Resilience has gotten a bad rap recently. The ability to “bounce back” has been conflated with the requirement to bounce back into oppressive dynamics. But it’s those oppressive dynamics, not the bouncing back, that’s ultimately the problem. In this episode, April explores the difference between the gift of resilience and the ways in which it has been weaponized by capitalist and neo-colonialist contexts, and previews the work she’ll be leading in the Redefining Resilience workshop next week.Secure your spot in the workshop: joyousjustice.com/resilienceDiscussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Want to work with us? If you are considering one of our group or executive coaching packages, but want to talk it through, you can schedule a no-obligation zoom with April: https://calendly.com/aprilnbaskin/chat-w-aprilAll content © 2023 The Joyous Justice Podcast.
3/16/23 • 20:21
In this episode of The Joyous Justice Podcast, host April Baskin talks about our relationship with thriving, why so many of us have a bad relationship, and how we can start healing it.Our relationship with the concept of thriving begins when we are very young and money is one of the core areas where we have the most negative programming. As adults, we must evaluate our beliefs associated with thriving, question them, and do the inner work. Healing your relationship with thriving is the foundation of positioning yourself and our movements for long-term sustainability and success.Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feels or is more possible for you now after having listened to this episode? How do you want to further integrate or apply what you're learning? What's one first step you can take, today even?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Want to work with us? If you are considering one of our group or executive coaching packages, but want to talk it through, you can schedule a no-obligation zoom with April: https://calendly.com/aprilnbaskin/chat-w-aprilAll content © 2023 The Joyous Justice Podcast.
3/9/23 • 46:03
In today’s conversation, we’re thinking about the difference between making something happen, and making space to see what happens. We explore the transition journeys we are both on, the messaging that April is receiving from her body and the Divine while she navigates being sick, the need to slow down when in the midst of massive transformation. Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Want to work with us? If you are considering one of our group or executive coaching packages, but want to talk it through, you can schedule a no-obligation zoom with April: https://calendly.com/aprilnbaskin/chat-w-april
3/2/23 • 45:08
In this special conversation, we share some important announcements about transitions that all three members of the Joyous Justice team are embarking upon. In this season of emergence and introspection, all of our transitions are both unique, and sacredly timed and interwoven. April also describes how she’s releasing shame around how her mind works. And, we share our appreciation for Joyous Justice, this podcast, and the potent transformation that we’ve experienced and is to come.Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Want to work with us? If you are considering one of our group or executive coaching packages, but want to talk it through, you can schedule a no-obligation zoom with April: https://calendly.com/aprilnbaskin/chat-w-april
2/23/23 • 30:54
In this episode, we're sharing segments from a live Grounded & Growing class on some key foundational elements of the Success System version of the S.H.E.M.A. Process. April discusses the foundational power of shifting our focus toward what we truly want. And for those of us who may have a hard time knowing what we want, she shares a tool (a Wheel of Well-being. You can make yourself a copy from the link below) and some key questions to help guide you.Make your own copy of an interactive Wheel of Well-being here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/11v7y1pvHKs8BG2DDyiZ2wfpFS5lt9P57rAzLx0KeJzI/edit?usp=sharingWhen thinking about what you want (next) in one aspect of your life, consider these questions:What's going well? What do I appreciate about this area?What would I love to embody or accomplish next in this area?How can I weave more joy, fun or justice into this area?What are resources or how can I get support/help to enhance this area?What's one thing that I could start or stop doing that would make everything in this area easier?Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Learn more about Grounded & Growing and sign up for the waitlist at joyousjustice.com/applyVisit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
2/16/23 • 19:54
In this episode, we dive into a unique and enriching conversation, blending the ancient wisdom of Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish New Year of the Trees, with the cutting-edge realm of artificial intelligence technologies like ChatGPT and Lensa AI. Join us for a thought-provoking 'socratic seminar' style discussion as we explore the ethical dilemmas, biases, and potential impacts of AI on society, particularly in the context of social justice and diversity. How does AI measure up against the enduring wisdom of nature? What lessons can we learn from the natural world in our pacing and approach to the rapidly evolving AI landscape?This episode is not just a discussion; it's an insightful journey through the intersection of natural traditions and digital advancements. Tune in for a rich and engaging exploration of how to navigate the AI era with the rootedness and thoughtfulness mirrored in the growth of trees. Embrace the challenge of balancing tech trends with tree traditions, and discover the unexpected insights this juxtaposition reveals. Subscribe now and join us in co-creating a future that harmonizes the wisdom of the past with the innovations of the present! #JoyousJustice #NatureMeetsTech #AI #TuBShevat #NatureWisdom #EmergentStrategyThis week, we put Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish New Year of the trees, in conversation with AI (artificial intelligence) technologies like ChatGPT and Lensa AI. We weigh in on this debate (or socratic seminar, as April calls it) and think about our pacing as AI becomes an increasingly bigger part of our lives. Explore ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/chatFind Jo Kent Katz’ website here: https://www.jokentkatz.com/Learn more about Ricardo Levins Morales: https://www.rlmartstudio.comLearn more about Aurora Levins Morales: http://www.auroralevinsmorales.com/Listen to our episode titled “Slow, deep, irreversible”: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1146023/11710644Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
2/9/23 • 32:48
The past week or so have brought an unwelcome reminder that anti-Black racism is alive and well in 21st-century America. With this as backdrop, we’re reprising episode 44. In this conversation, we respond to a common question about racial justice work and explain that because the Jewish community is a global, multi-racial people, racial justice already is and must continue to be a core Jewish value and issue.Read Josefin Dolsten’s op-ed in The Forward, entitled “As Jews, we need to speak out against DeSantis’ efforts to erase Black history:” https://forward.com/opinion/533221/jews-black-history-desantis-speak-out-erase/Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectRead more about Rabbi Leora Kaye and her work: https://reformjudaism.org/author/rabbi-leora-kayeCheck out what we mean by Jews of the Global Majority here: https://joyousjustice.com/global-majority-jewsListen to April on the BBC’s Heart and Soul on Black Jewish Lives Matter to hear more about her thoughts on our global multi-racial Jewish community: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct2fnqReview the Jews of Color Field Building’s research on population demographics: https://jewsofcolorfieldbuilding.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Counting-Inconsistencies-052119.pdfCheck out this article about the importance of cultural competence for teams: http://www.theinclusionsolution.me/cultural-competence-part-2-why-is-it-important/Check out our discussion/reflection questions for this episode: www.joyousjustice.com/blog/jews-talk-racial-justice-ep-44Find April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
2/2/23 • 21:36
Tracie shares one of the ways she says present throughout the day amidst the immensity of the to-do list or the demands to be productive: saying blessings over daily rituals. She tells us about the blessings she says over things that may seem mundane–like a cup of coffee or a workout–-, and what effect this has had on her life. Interested in Grounded & Growing? Apply now! https://joyousjustice.com/applyLearn about Marcia Falk and her book The Book of Blessings: New Jewish Prayers for Daily Life, the Sabbath, and the New Moon Festivalhttps://www.marciafalk.com/blessings.htmlDiscussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
1/26/23 • 22:43
Inspired by April’s appearance on a panel entitled, “Religion is…divisive,” and in the shadow of Martin Luther King Jr Day, we dig into the ways religion can be used to defend or to dismantle systemic oppression. Together, we think through what we believe comes after the ellipses (we don’t LOVE ‘Religion is… divisive.’), weaving in our understanding of the role of religion historically and contemporarily. Register for our upcoming live, interactive 5-day workshop, Roadmap to Resilience: https://joyousjustice.com/roadmapInterested in Grounded & Growing? Join the waitlist! https://joyousjustice.com/applyRead more about David Kyuman Kim (Executive Director, Center for the Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, Stanford University): https://ccsre.stanford.edu/people/david-kyuman-kimWatch Eboo Patel’s TED Talk, “Building bridges - religions’ role in our societies:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYLesUKHPGcLearn more about Dr. Gabor Maté: https://drgabormate.com/Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
1/19/23 • 41:10
In a follow up to our last episode, today’s conversation focuses on joy in adulthood. We talk about joy as abundance and about the ways we can weave joy into our everyday life and give it structure–not to squelch it, but to help it serve our best interests. April also explains how she has tweaked her habit tracker to weave in joy. And, we share other things that are bringing us joy right now (like stovetop popcorn with butter!). Register for our upcoming live, interactive 5-day workshop, Roadmap to Resilience: https://joyousjustice.com/roadmapInterested in Grounded & Growing? Join the waitlist! https://joyousjustice.com/applyLearn more about Annie-Rose London and their work: http://www.annieroselondon.com/Read about Brené Brown and her work: https://brenebrown.com/Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
1/12/23 • 55:10
We’re on the other side of 2022, and we're thinking about how we can cultivate joy in 2023. April recounts a moment from several years ago when she was struggling to even access joy and reflects on where she is with that journey now. Plus, we harken back to our childhoods and talk about what brought us joy then (and spoiler alert: what brought you joy then might also bring you some joy now!). Register for our upcoming live, interactive 5-day workshop, Roadmap to Resilience: https://joyous-justice.mykajabi.com/roadmapInterested in Grounded & Growing? Join the waitlist! https://joyousjustice.com/applyRead more about Sonia Choquette and her work: https://soniachoquette.net/Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
1/5/23 • 39:46
🌟 In Episode 120 of the Joyous Justice Podcast, during this season of short days where light becomes a precious commodity, hosts April Baskin and Tracie Guy Decker delve into the transformative power of light as a metaphor for change. This isn't just a conversation; it's a journey through the dynamics of personal and systemic transformation. Discover how uncovering and uniting our individual lights can overpower the darkness of systemic oppression and societal challenges. This episode tackles the profound idea that the energy required to create solutions is fundamentally different from the energy that perpetuates problems. It's a call to action, encouraging you to break free from internalized limitations and embrace the strength in unity. Learn why seeking help isn't a weakness but a strategic move to reignite your inner power, and how celebrating small victories contributes to significant change. Tune in to be part of this enlightening discussion – because when we change our approach, we can indeed change the world. 🔥💡 🌍 🕯️ ❤️ #JoyousJustice #IlluminateYourWorld #CollectivePowerRegister for our upcoming live, interactive 5-day workshop, Roadmap to Resilience: https://joyous-justice.mykajabi.com/roadmapInterested in Grounded & Growing? Join the waitlist! https://joyousjustice.com/applyDiscussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
12/29/22 • 41:18
Inspired by the Chanukah themes of rededicating the Temple, April and Tracie explore what it would look like to practice rededication, particularly as an alternative to New Years’ resolutions. While resolutions might feel transactional or center around deficit, rededication recognizes what we’re working for and builds upon it. And, we get into the important role that community and our interconnectedness plays in moving toward the world we want. Interested in Grounded & Growing? Join the waitlist! https://joyousjustice.com/applyLearn about James Clear’s book Atomic Habits: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habitsRead about Cheshbon HaNefesh, accounting of the soul: https://www.judaismyourway.org/2021/08/20/soul-accounting/Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
12/22/22 • 34:33
As we’re hosting our Roadmap to Resilience workshop, we’re feeling reflective and appreciative about where we are and where we’ve been. So, we’re sharing a conversation from last spring inspired by a session of Grounded & Growing, the program on which Roadmap to Resilience is based. April and Tracie recently realized they have different practices in response to injustices. Though their actual behaviors diverge, what they have in common is that they are using intentional and strategic attention as a form of a social and racial justice practice. Because of our many different identities and experiences, our social justice practices are not one-size-fits-all. Some of us need to protect ourselves from re-traumatization. Others need to counter the numbness and dehumanization that has become default reactions to injustice. All of us can contribute to a world of justice, wholeness, and healing.Register for this live, online workshop and find out more info: https://joyous-justice.mykajabi.com/roadmapLearn more about the police killing of Stephon Clark:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Stephon_ClarkSupport our Jewish Black & Cherokee woman-led vision for collective liberation here: https://joyousjustice.com/support-our-workDiscussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
12/8/22 • 28:39
There are MANY amazing people doing change-making work, and there are some chronic challenges playing out. In this week’s conversation, we’re digging into these five core barriers: stress and anxiety, lack of confidence, isolation and loneliness, not knowing the next steps or how to move forward, and the fragmentation and compartmentalization of our living, learning, and leadership. It is for this reason that we’re offering “Roadmap to Resilience,” starting December 5th. Register for this live, online workshop and find out more info: https://joyous-justice.mykajabi.com/roadmapThe phrase “white supremacist delusion” comes from Sonya Renee Taylor. Learn more about her and her work: https://www.sonyareneetaylor.com/Support our Jewish Black & Cherokee woman-led vision for collective liberation here: https://joyousjustice.com/support-our-workDiscussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskinFollow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
12/1/22 • 46:16
For the third year in a row, we’re bringing mindful attention to the American holiday on the fourth Thursday of November, commonly known as Thanksgiving. We think (and grieve) together about how Americans talk and think about the holiday and the Indigenous people who Thanksgiving by turn whitewashes or simply ignores. We’re also thinking about ways we might make our own observance with our values.For the first time ever, we’re releasing this episode early if you want to consider our thoughts as you prepare for your observance. Find our whose land you’re on: https://native-land.ca/Learn more about Landback: https://landback.org/Find out more about Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb and her work: http://www.rabbilynngottlieb.com/Read about Jews on Ohlone Land: https://www.jewsonohloneland.org/Register for our live online workshop, Roadmap to Resilience: https://joyous-justice.mykajabi.com/roadmapSupport our Jewish Black & Cherokee woman-led vision for collective liberation here: https://joyousjustice.com/support-our-workDiscussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?Listen to our previous episodes about his holiday: Ep. 64: Grateful Family Day: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-joyous-justice-podcast/id1530726949?i=1000543045694Ep. 13 Jews Talk Thanksgiving, Part 2: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-joyous-justice-podcast/id1530726949?i=1000501333206Ep. 12 Jews Talk Thanksgiving, Part 1: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-joyous-justice-podcast/id1530726949?i=1000500457117Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC, our team, and get connected & involved in our community!Join our online community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590922415522750Submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskin Follow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)
11/22/22 • 35:07
We dig into a phrase (attributed to Ricardo Levins Morales) that we can and should apply to social justice movements and our lives more broadly: slow, deep, and irreversible. Mainstream American/Western society often prioritizes speed and urgency. This conversation gets into why that’s often ineffective and can even be harmful. Anchoring in the “slow, deep, and irreversible” is immensely beneficial in our lives and in our movements toward decolonization and collective liberation. We also want to hear from you: what does slow, deep, and irresistible in your work and in your living look like for you?Register for our live online workshop, Roadmap to Resilience: https://joyous-justice.mykajabi.com/roadmapVisit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC and our team, or to get involved in our community.Reach out to us and submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectLearn more about our podcast at https://joyousjustice.com/podcastCheck out our offerings and join one of our programs! https://joyousjustice.com/coursesFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskin Follow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Support the work our Jewish Black & Cherokee woman-led vision for collective liberation here: https://joyousjustice.com/support-our-workLearn more about Aurora Levins Morales: http://www.auroralevinsmorales.com/about-me.htmlLearn more about Ricardo Levins Morales:https://www.rlmartstudio.com/about/about-the-artist/Discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?
11/17/22 • 27:43
In our first official episode as the Joyous Justice Podcast, we take a moment to reflect on what the phrase “joyous justice” means–in both our lives and leadership. While the phrase itself might seem oxymoronic in a world where many assume that pursuing justice requires the justice-seeker to suffer, we know that joy and justice must be paired together. We articulate the benefit and beauty of a justice pursuit that aligns our healing with the healing of the world.Visit https://joyousjustice.com to learn more about Joyous Justice, LLC and our team, or to get involved in our community.Reach out to us and submit a question, insight, or topic or guest suggestion at https://joyousjustice.com/connectLearn more about our podcast at https://joyousjustice.com/podcastCheck out our offerings and join one of our programs! https://joyousjustice.com/coursesFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskin Follow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Support the work our Jewish Black & Cherokee woman-led vision for collective liberation here: https://joyousjustice.com/support-our-workListen to Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAwaNWGLM0cDiscussion and reflection questions:1. What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?2. What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?3. What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?4. What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?
11/10/22 • 30:20
We’re sensing that for many of you, the present moment is filled with overwhelm and despair. In this week's episode, we’re sharing some insights for how to navigate it all. We talk about acknowledging the state we’re in, determining the level of intervention we need based upon the oppression/danger scale, and engaging in the important rituals of emotional honoring and release. Tracie also shares some of her own experiences around her own conditioning and how these lessons have applied to her life.Join our mailing list at https://joyousjustice.com Check out our offerings and join one of our programs! https://joyousjustice.com/coursesFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskin Follow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Find April and Tracie's full bios and submit topic suggestions for the show at www.JewsTalkRacialJustice.comLearn more about Joyous Justice and join our mailing list: https://joyousjustice.com/Support the work our Jewish Black & Cherokee woman-led vision for collective liberation here: https://joyousjustice.com/support-our-workListen to Lauryn Hill’s song “Doo Wop (That Thing)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6QKqFPRZSADiscussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?
11/3/22 • 35:59
As we reflect on the high holidays, we delve into lessons we can glean from this past season and the moment we’re in now (and all the heaviness many of us are feeling). How can we align ourselves with the future we want by being aware of ALL of our vibes and nurturing and holding ourselves in whatever we’re feeling?Join our mailing list at https://joyousjustice.com Check out our offerings and join one of our programs! https://joyousjustice.com/coursesFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskin Follow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Find April and Tracie's full bios and submit topic suggestions for the show at www.JewsTalkRacialJustice.comLearn more about Joyous Justice and join our mailing list: https://joyousjustice.com/Support the work our Jewish Black & Cherokee woman-led vision for collective liberation here: https://joyousjustice.com/support-our-workDiscussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?
10/27/22 • 16:31
After Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene's tweet about the 2018 California Wildfires being caused by a space laser controlled by the Rothschild family ignited a slew of jokes on social media, April and Tracie take some time to think about different reactions to antisemitism.Join our mailing list at https://joyousjustice.com Check out our offerings and join one of our programs! https://joyousjustice.com/coursesFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskin Follow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Find April and Tracie's full bios and submit topic suggestions for the show at www.JewsTalkRacialJustice.comLearn more about Joyous Justice and join our mailing list: https://joyousjustice.com/Support the work our Jewish Black & Cherokee woman-led vision for collective liberation here: https://joyousjustice.com/support-our-workMaya Angelou said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them; the first time.Toni Morrison said, "The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.”Eric Ward's article "Skin in the Game: How Antisemitism Animates White Nationalism" investigates the ways in which antisemitism intersects with racism in White Nationalism.Lilla Watson is credited with the quote "If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." Some report she prefers to credit authorship for the phrase to Australian Aboriginal Rights groups.You can read Bernie Sanders memes and learn about how he leveraged the moment into nearly $2M for worthy causes in this article from the AP. Check out our discussion and reflection questions for this episode:https://joyousjustice.com/blog/jews-talk-racial-justice-s2e2-there-is-no-jewish-space-laser-periodMore discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?
10/20/22 • 28:23
This week, we’re bringing back last year’s juicy conversation about Simchat Torah (lit. “Joy of Torah”) where Tracie and April discuss some of the holiday’s traditions. The symbolism of the holiday--appreciating the totality of the Torah and starting the cycle anew--illuminates for ways we can do the same with our own life and racial justice curricula. Join our mailing list at https://joyousjustice.com Check out our offerings and join one of our programs! https://joyousjustice.com/coursesFind April’s TikTok videos here: https://www.tiktok.com/@aprilavivabaskin Follow us on Instagram (@joyous.justice), Twitter, (@JoyousJustice), or Facebook (www.facebook.com/joyousjustice365)Find April and Tracie's full bios and submit topic suggestions for the show at www.JewsTalkRacialJustice.comLearn more about Joyous Justice and join our mailing list: https://joyousjustice.com/Support the work our Jewish Black & Cherokee woman-led vision for collective liberation here: https://joyousjustice.com/support-our-workLearn more about Simchat Torah here: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/shemini-atzeretsimchat-torah-101/Remember Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, z”l, and learn more about his work here: https://rabbisacks.org/Check out, This is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared, by Alan Lew, here: https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/alan-lew/this-is-real-and-you-are-completely-unprepared/9780316739085/Check out more from Yoshi Silverstein here: https://mitsuicollective.org/who-we-are/Learn more about the history of the Mourner’s Kaddish and Rabbi Akiva here: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/282142?lang=biListen to our previous episode about our Life Curricula here: https://joyousjustice.com/blog/jews-talk-racial-justice-ep-53Read and use our discussion and reflection questions for this episode (from 2021):https://joyousjustice.com/blog/jews-talk-racial-justice-ep-56More discussion and reflection questions:What in this episode is new for you? What have you learned and how does it land?What is resonating? What is sticking with you and why?What feels hard? What is challenging or on the edge for you?What feelings and sensations are arising and where in your body do you feel them?
10/13/22 • 24:26