For the first time, the JUST podcast hosted a crossover episode with the Who is my Neighbor? podcast, teaching Vera Cecelski and Georie Bryant. Tune in to understand the importance of knowing the stories of our communities and how to talk about our history in ways that seek justice.
0:00 Episode starts
0:43 Personal check-ins start
1:54 Rob announces crossover episode
3:01 Rob introduces Tammy, Keith, and Reynolds from DurhamCares
4:15 Jes praises Who Is My Neighbor for how they allow space for people to tell their stories
5:20 Will start to see gaps in how history is presented through questions
7:16 Rob talks about the importance of knowing the true stories of our communities
8:40 Who Is My Neighbor episode begins
9:01 Tammy introduces Vera Cecelski, site manager at Stagville State Historic Site
9:44 Tammy introduces Georie Bryant, descendent of enslaved people at Stagville
10:09 Tammy asks how they came to care about their stories and history and how it plays a role in their lives now
10:25 Vera talks about being invested in stories from a very young age because her father was a historian
14:41 Georie talks about history being a part of dinner conversations and learning about the black history in Durham in 4th grade
16:58 Georie talks about being on the Pilgrimage of Pain and Hope with his mom and learning about familial personal connections while on the tour at Stagville
18:36 Public history is a huge part of how we change the narrative
20:49 Keith asks about public symbols and historic sites in Durham and how they reflect our values
21:13 Vera shares that public symbols and spaces in Durham do not accurately reflect the people and the legacy
27:58 Georie talks about Confederate monuments in North Carolina and thinking about what those things represent for people who were indigineous and who were enslaved
32:20 Georie talks about the tension of acknowledging the wrong and giving space to process, not just wiping out the history
36:12 Reynolds asks what we should consider as we tell our history in a way that seeks justice
36:36 Georie talks about how we can not change history, so acknowledging to then be able to tell the story
43:25 Vera talks about the fundamental difference between a name on a highway and a monument
51:07 Vera talks about the importance of memory to action and enabling connectections to be forged
55:16 Tammy asks the guests who is our neighbor and what it looks like to love your neighbor
56:09 Georie talks about love meaning not letting someone do something that is harmful to themselves and being willing to confront them because you care
59:41 Vera talks about deep empathy being essential to bring someone into contact with deep narrative and discomfort that is essential to learning
1:04:36 Keith closes the conversation and thanks Vera and Georie
1:07:03 Who Is My Neighbor Episode Ends
1:07:06 Outro
Thank you to DJ Pdogg and Producer Lo Key for our awesome music throughout the show!
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Our hosts:
Jes Averhart, cofounder of Black Wallstreet Homecoming
Rob Shields, executive director of the Recity Network.
Our Producer:
Ben Azevedo, owner of Bear Cave Audio
Our Editor
Chris Pappalardo