Be the Bridge Podcast

Latest Episodes:

264 - Knowing Our Assignment as Agents of Peace and Repairers of the Breach with Author and Activist Michelle Ferrigno Warren Apr 04, 2023

Show notes

As a faith leader and activist, Michelle Ferrigno Warren understands the power of proximity and of holding stories with honor and dignity. In this powerful episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast with founder and host Latasha Morrison, she and Latasha talk about God’s heart for justice, the lack of mercy immigrants are met with crossing the border, and the bad shape of the witness of the American Church.Michelle shares about her personal journey in Italy of seeing the empire on display at the Colosseum. And you do not want to miss their discussion of the upside down Kingdom of God as they exegete Isaiah 58 and Matthew 25. This is the perfect conversation for the Be the Bridge community the week of Easter. May we join Jesus and the prophets in the work of resistance, in the work of being disruptors, in the work of granting life and peace.

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts at Integrated Entertainment Studios
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Quotes:
“Advocacy is not mission drift for the church. It's the work of the Church.” -Michelle Ferrigno Warren

“I can never unsee and unhear the stories.” -Latasha Morrison

“I lament the reality of injustice in a country that says that they want to be defined as liberty and justice for all.” -Michelle Ferrigno Warren

Links:
Virago Strategies
Open Door Ministries
Christian Community Development Association (CCDA)
National Immigration Forum
The Power of Proximity: Moving Beyond Awareness to Action book By Michelle Ferrigno Warren
Join the Resistance: Step into the Good Work of Kingdom Justice book by Michelle Ferrigno Warren
Women of Welcome
Women of Welcome “Who is Welcome Here?” documentary
God’s Long Summer book
Prayer of Oscar Romero

Connect with Michelle Ferrigno Warren:
Her Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.

Find the full episode transcript here.

263 - Women’s History Month: Guarding Your Joy and Working Toward Healing with Author and Thought Leader Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

The NAACP Image Award-winning author, Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts joins Be the Bridge founder and podcast host, Latasha Morrison, for a profound conversation this Women’s History Month. Listeners get the honor of hearing Tracey talk about the sacred relationship of Black women and the women who have personally impacted her. There is beauty and depth, wisdom and vulnerability in Tracey’s story and words. Latasha and Tracey discuss what it looks like to work faithfully without recognition and the words of Jesus in John 5 about being made well as it relates to racial trauma. You’ll be challenged to find what brings you joy and to guard it. And you’ll be encouraged that joy can coexist with sorrow and anger. Listen in to hear the other “L” that Tracey adds to Listen, Learn, and Leverage. Then, head to our social media profiles to discuss this episode with the Be the Bridge community.

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Quotes:
“I always say that Black folks are the ultimate alchemists. We have learned how to transform pain.” -Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts

“There are people that will get it and some people who won't. And if I'm so worried about the people who won't get it, the people who are here will get overlooked. It's in Matthew where it says you sometimes just gotta shake the dust off your sandals. We're gonna shake the dust off our Jordans and keep it moving.” -Latasha Morrison

“Joy is teaching me to hope.” -Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts

Links:
Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration

book by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
Then They Came for Mine: Healing from the Trauma of Racial Violence

book by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
HeARTtalk with Tracey Michae’l

Podcast
HeArtspace: A Newsletter for Our Healing Journeys by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts

Connect with Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts
Her Website
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.

262 - Women’s History Month: A Sacred Journey from the Sunken Place to a Treasured Neighborhood with Marcie Alvis Walker of Black Coffee with White Friends Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

For Women’s History Month, we present a conversation full of the hurts and joys, laments and hopes of a sacred Black story. Marcie Alvis Walker, the woman behind the popular Instagram account Black Coffee with White Friends, joins Be the Bridge founder and podcast host, Latasha Morrison, for a dynamic conversation. They discuss being Black in predominantly white settings, the white backlash that comes after Black gain, and the effects of generational trauma. They dive into the beauty of mercy and what true integration means. You won’t want to miss Marcie’s words about the Asbury revival and the time of Moses in the wilderness.

This conversation will be beneficial to all listeners. And Latasha brings a great reminder for white listeners: “It's an honor when we invite you into these sacred conversations. When we invite you into our pain and our stories, and a lot of times that's for you to listen, and to ask yourself - ‘What is God trying to say to me in this?’ ‘What is God speaking?’ ‘What am I missing?’”

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Quotes:
“It's really important for us to see that it's not about what the room looks like. It's about what our humanity looks like in that room.” -Marcie Alvis Walker

“I believe that what was happening in 2020 was part of revival.” -Latasha Morrison

“It's one thing to be made equal; it's another thing to be treated equal. It's one thing to be made equal, and then treated equal; it's another thing to have equity. It's one thing to be made equal, treated equal, have equity; but it's a whole nother thing to have retribution and reparations and reconciliation - all which are biblical.” -Marcie Alvis Walker

“When you're able to connect culturally it's just a beautiful thing.” -Latasha Morrison

Connect with Marcie Alvis Walker:
Her Website
Instagram
Twitter
Black Eyed Stories Substack
Preorder Everybody Come Alive: A Memoir in Essays book by Marcie Alvis Walker

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization

261 - Black History Month: A Holistic and Historical Look into Community Building, Church Planting, and Coffee with Author and Entrepreneur John Onwuchekwa Feb 21, 2023

Show notes

As one of the founding pastors of Cornerstone Church in Atlanta and a co-founder of Portrait Coffee, John Onwuchekwa knows how to humbly lead and how to nurture a holistic vision of community. In this episode, John and host Latasha Morrison discuss the history of the West End of Atlanta and the example of redlining as systemic racism. They talk about the importance of creating new narratives through opportunities and perspectives. They both share stories of personal grief and how that impacts the work they do. John’s insights into business and community development, Ecclesiastes, and joyful perseverance will bring encouragement and hope.

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison

Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown

Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts

Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Quotes:
“Some people are called to start the work. And then there's others that are called to finish it, to take it on to the next level.” -Latasha Morrison

“Maybe even through the bitterness of life, there's ways to find hope and joy and perseverance.” -John Onwuchekwa

“Where do we go from here? We just take the very next step. And then once we get to that next step where both feet are firmly planted, we ask and answer that same question.” -John Onwuchekwa

Terms:
Redlining- the discriminatory practice in the United States that began in the 1930s of the government outlining certain geographic areas based upon race or ethnicity in order to deny services (both directly and indirectly) such as loans or insurance to someone because they were deemed to be a high financial risk; an inequitable and unjust practice that predominantly affected Black AmericansConnect with

John Onwuchekwa:
His Website
Instagram
Twitter
LinkedIn

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

260 - Take it to the Bridge: A Conversation on Black History Month with Be the Bridge Team Members Sean, Kaylee, and Mariah Feb 07, 2023

Show notes

We welcome in Black History Month with an episode from the Be the Bridge team! Sean Watkins, Kaylee Morgan, and Mariah Humphries join Latasha Morrison to talk about all things Black History Month because Black history is American history and Black History Month is for all people. If you’ve ever wondered about the history of February as Black History Month or why histories are separated in the American education system, you don’t want to miss this conversation. If you want space to feel seen and heard as a Black person during this month, you don’t want to miss this conversation.The Be the Bridge team provides listeners with depth, laughter, and things to lament and celebrate. They give personal stories of what Black history means to them and they give recommended resources and lessons to walk away with. Be encouraged that it is never too late to learn. The incredible Black history many of us missed out on growing up can be redeemed now in how we listen, learn, lament, and leverage our lives. May we work together to make sure the full story is told. May we celebrate the beauty and the resilience of the Black community this month and every month.

Links:
Become a Recurring Partner of Be the Bridge
Shop the Be the Bridge Store

Recommendations:
The Mis-Education of the Negro by Carter G. Woodson
Dr. Brittney Cooper
Eloquent Rage by Dr. Brittney Cooper
Elizabeth Eckford picture on first day of school
The Charles H Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit

Connect with Kaylee Morgan
Connect with Sean Watkins
Connect with Mariah Humphries

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.

Best of Be the Bridge - Political Activity as a Christian and the Compatibility of Social Justice and the Gospel with Eugene Cho Jan 24, 2023

Show notes

Why do politics matter? Why should Christians be engaged in politics? Is social justice compatible with the gospel? Pastor Eugene Cho joins Be the Bridge founder and podcast host Latasha Morrison on this episode to discuss these questions and more. He brings wise insight into faithful living in this time. You’ll be pastored and encouraged by the words and work of Pastor Cho. He and Latasha remind us that even now Jesus is moving and working.

Quotes:
“Here's the most simple reason why I believe politics matter: politics influences policies that ultimately impact people.” -Eugene Cho

“Sociologists are telling us that political identity is growing to become the most dominant way in which we see ourselves in the world. And I think to myself, that's idolatry.” -Eugene Cho

“You cannot love your neighbors if you don't know your neighbors.” -Eugene Cho

Links:
Connect with Eugene Cho:
His Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Bread for the World

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization

Best of Be the Bridge - God’s Design of Emotions and the Connection Between Hearts and Brains with Trauma Therapist Dr. Anita Phillips Jan 10, 2023

Show notes

In the midst of so much tragedy and so much to lament after recent times of white supremacy raging through racial terrorism and gun massacres, Latasha Morrison spoke with trauma therapist Dr. Anita Phillips for a timely and needed word. Dr. Anita shares about the importance of singing together, of physical touch, and of living sacrificially as a follower of Jesus. She dives deep into God’s design of emotions and the connection between our hearts and brains. This episode is filled with Dr. Anita’s pastoral voice as she invites us into a better understanding of how God created us to feel and to live.

Quotes:
“With everything that we have going on from some of the police violence with Black and Brown brothers and sisters, from Buffalo, to Texas, it's just all really too much to bear. I cannot understand how to do this apart from Christ.” -Latasha Morrison

“Our mental health, our relational health, our spiritual health is being undermined by how uncomfortable we are and how inarticulate we are and inadequate we are with emotion.” -Dr. Anita Phillips

“When I'm watching Jesus, I see Jesus expressing emotion freely and often with words and with his body.” -Dr. Anita Phillips

Links:
Connect with Dr. Anita Phillips:
Her Website
Instagram
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization

Best of Be the Bridge - Take it to the Bridge: A Conversation on Transracial Adoption Dec 27, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast, founder and host Latasha Morrison is joined by Tiffany Henness and Gina Fimbel to discuss transracial adoption. They talk about the importance of centering adoptee voices and of learning from adoptee’s experiences and ethnicities. This needed conversation deals with the ways our society has gotten things wrong with adoption and the ways to grow and do better. Listen in and lean in so we can build bridges and create safer and healthier spaces for adoptees.

Quotes:
“We think it's important that we empower those where this is their lived experience to do most of the talking. And so we do not want to silence those voices, because they are not voiceless. They’re just unheard.” -Latasha Morrison

“We often talk about adoption in such a simple way: black, white; it's all unicorns and rainbows. And I think that's a really dangerous and problematic way to frame it, because it really severely limits the public's perception about the complex dynamics of adoption and the trauma that's associated with it, not only for first families, but for adoptees as well.” -Gina Fimbel

“When I'm with other transracial adoptees, that's where I have felt the most freedom to be me.” -Tiffany Henness

Links:
Resources:
Be the Bridge TRA Resources
Be the Bridge Blog of Resources for Transracially Adopted People of Color
Be the Bridge Panel Discussions: Colin in Black and White

Connect with Tiffany Henness:
Patreon
Instagram
Journeying Home: Advent Readings for Adoptees Deconstructing their Faith
Tiffany’s Links

Connect with Gina Fimbel:
Instagram

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization

Be The Bridge - Christmas Bonus 2022 Dec 23, 2022

Show notes

In this special bonus Christmas episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast, Latasha Morrison is joined by three women she met at Christmas Con this year. Gina, India, and Rena have fun with Latasha discussing Hallmark Christmas movies. Their laughter will get you into the Christmas spirit. They also take notice of the improvements that Hallmark has made with diversity and inclusion in front of the screen and behind it. Movies (even feel-good, predictable Hallmark Christmas movies) broaden our imaginations and help remind us of the power and necessity of representation.

Quotes:
“We were at Christmas Con to feel that Christmas spirit.” -Latasha Morrison

“I'm not really a holiday person. But it's just something about those Hallmark channels. We watch them over and over and over. But it just gives you that good feeling.” -Gina

“I love to see us in roles of excellence.” -India

“I've always been a Christmas person. I love Christmas.” -Rena

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization

Be The Bridge - Christmas 2022 Dec 20, 2022

Show notes

Comfort. Peace. Joy. What word would describe this holiday season for you? Latasha Morrison brings together Michele Evans, Micah Smith, and Lauren Brown of the Be the Bridge executive leadership team to share some of their favorite Christmas traditions, memories, and meals. From the tender memories to the funny ones, and the decorations to the gifts, this episode is one full of Christmas cheer and heartfelt thoughts. May we acknowledge the tensions this season holds while embracing the grief and the celebrations. May we join together in laughter and in tears. And may we open our tables whether they hold Coca-Cola salad, cookies, or Breakfast burritos.

Quotes:
“Advent is a time that we remember who we serve. I know without Christ I could not do the work that I'm doing.” -Latasha Morrison

“There's just something about Christmas when everything just kind of slows down a little bit.” -Micah Smith

“There's some beauty in this season in the midst of a lot of brokenness.” -Latasha Morrison

Links:
Resources Mentioned:
She Reads Truth - Advent 2022: Joy of Every Longing Heart
Truth’s Table - The King is Coming: An Advent Devotional

Other Advent Resources:
“Advent Devotionals Highlight Immigration and the Black Church Tradition” article on Faithfully Magazine
Mary Had a Baby: An Advent Bible Study Based on African American Spirituals by Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan
“2020 ADVENT RESOURCES, WEEK 2: BLACK LITURGIES” article on Emerging Scholars Network

Connect with Be the Bridge:
Our Website
Facebook
Instagram

Connect with Latasha Morrison:
Facebook
Instagram

Host & Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison
Senior Producer - Lauren C. Brown
Producer, Editor, & Music - Travon Potts
Transcriber - Sarah Connatser

Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.

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