Our Dream Deferred

Latest Episodes:

Building Strong Muscles of Cross-Partisanship Oct 18, 2023

For our season finale, we’re joined by Layla Zaidane, President and CEO of the largest nonpartisan organization of young lawmakers in the US, the Millennial Action Project (MAP). As we bring season 2 to a close, Zaidane brings an abundance mindset to help us all see a pathway to a more equitable future.

As a millennial and a “third culture” American with ties to American culture and her parents; home country of Morocco, Zaidane emphasizes the need to work toward solutions to social challenges from a perspective that values and finds ways to connect across differences.

Her approach, and that of MAP, centers on leveraging creativity and innovation to bring people to the table, build bridges, and provide spaces and platforms for Millennial and Gen Z leaders to lend their perspectives and co-create legislative solutions, strengthening our democratic institutions while modeling and inviting fuller engagement from all Americans. You can learn more about her work at www.millennialaction.org.

____ Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org. Our Dream Deferred is produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design for this episode was done by Bea Mitchell.

Cultural Mindsets: Understanding the Lenses that Shape the Way We See the World – Part 2 Sep 20, 2023

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Nat Kendall-Taylor, Chief Executive Officer at the FrameWorks Institute. A long-time collaborator with the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), he introduces the insightful world of narrative framing and its potential power in driving cultural change. Be sure to listen to part 1 if you haven’t already done so! ____ Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org. Our Dream Deferred is produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design for this episode was done by Bea Mitchell.

Cultural Mindsets: Understanding the Lenses that Shape the Way We See the World – Part 1 Sep 06, 2023

In this episode, part one in a two-part episode, we welcome Nat Kendall-Taylor, Chief Executive Officer at the FrameWorks Institute. A long-time collaborator with the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), he introduces the insightful world of narrative framing and its potential power in driving cultural change.

Nat is an expert in psychological anthropology and communication science and describes for us what framing is, the science behind it, and how integral cultural mindsets are to understanding how we—as a society and as individuals—view the central issues that confront us today. Nat helps us understand how three prevailing mindsets in the United States too often trigger unproductive ways of thinking, hampering discussion and solutions.

This conversation points to ways that learning how to frame an issue that evokes more productive cultural mindsets can enable all of us to better advocate for changes that help people reach their full potential.

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Resources:

https://beyondconflictint.org

Renewing American Democracy: Navigating a Changing Nation - https://bit.ly/44C8BNL

“Are we really as divided as we think? How dark forces are attempting to alienate us from our neighbours” - https://bit.ly/3sEQ1Y5

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Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org.

Our Dream Deferred is produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design for this episode was done by Bea Mitchell.

Misunderstanding Poverty: Changing American Mindsets Aug 16, 2023

We’re joined by Dr. Crystal Hoyt, Professor of Leadership Studies and Psychology at the Jepson School of Leadership at the University of Richmond. Her scholarship looks at the intersection of human belief systems and social justice, and in this episode, she offers us a look into research she and colleagues have conducted that uncovers unseen influences on both individual thinking and on shared societal perspectives that in turn affect wealth inequality and poverty. Dr. Hoyt shares insights on how mindsets shape our understanding of social issues, offering a fresh perspective on the state of American economic inequality and poverty. During our time together, she also explains how mindsets impact what we believe is possible, including whether eliminating poverty is achievable. By helping us understand the different kinds of mindsets, and why understanding their distinctions matters, we can better advance anti-poverty policy solutions. ____ Resources discussed: Mindsets of Addiction: Implications for Treatment Intentions - https://bit.ly/3OCYUsd Believing in the American Dream Sustains Negative Attitudes toward Those in Poverty – https://bit.ly/3sa3bfs Growth Mindset Messaging in Stigma-Relevant Contexts: Harnessing Benefits Without Costs - https://bit.ly/3QFhQcL The Implications of Mindsets of Poverty for Stigma Against Those in Poverty - https://bit.ly/44aFPn1 ____ Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org. Our Dream Deferred is produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design for this episode was done by Bea Mitchell.

How Politics Became Our Identity Aug 09, 2023

In this episode, we’re joined by Lilliana Mason, Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University's SNF Agora Institute, and author of Uncivil Agreement: How Politics Became Our Identity. Bringing together her unique blended expertise in political science and social psychology, Lilliana (Lily) digs into the details behind partisan animosity and the disturbing increase in extreme partisanship, especially changing attitudes toward the use of violence in politics.

Importantly, Lily’s work is helping us understand how the study of intergroup conflict applies in politics. Her work shows that Americans have becoming increasingly "socially sorted," resulting in lives where we live, work, and engage almost exclusively with people who share our identities—and the ways this sorting leads to distrust and otherizing, dramatically shifting attitudes and beliefs about others outside of one’s own political identity. Sorting—and what it does to us—limits our ability to compromise and build common ground. Through her research, she is equipping all of us with the knowledge imperative to ensuring our political parties can continue to be collaborators in our democracy. ____ Resources: Uncivil Agreement: How Politics Became Our Identity by Lilliana Mason - https://amzn.to/3KpG9Ya Radical American Partisanship: Mapping Violent Hostility, Its Causes, and the Consequences for Democracy by Nathan P. Kalmoe and Lilliana Mason - https://amzn.to/456IIpW ____ Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org. Our Dream Deferred is produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design for this episode was done by Bea Mitchell.

Unwritten Rules that Shape Us Jul 12, 2023

In this episode, we explore the importance of human-to-human contact and the impact it can have on our lives. Our guest, professor of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University and a recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant, Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Levy Paluck, emphasizes the value of engaging with people around us in order to have a positive impact on the issues that affect us all.

We also discuss the need to examine norms, how norms subconsciously filter how we interact with one another, as well as benefits of real-life conversations in shifting those norms. Join us as we delve into the power of human connection and the unwritten rules that shape us. ____ Links: “The effect of a supreme court decision regarding gay marriage on social norms and personal attitudes” - https://spia.princeton.edu/system/files/research/documents/Paluck.pdf “Engineering social change using social norms: Lessons from the study of collective action” - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352250X20301081 “The Supreme Court Overturned Roe. Will Americans’ Views Toward Abortion Change” - https://behavioralscientist.org/the-supreme-court-overturned-roe-will-americans-opinions-toward-abortion-change/ A report on a field experiment with London-area train commuters on the avoidance of pleasant conversations with strangers - https://julianaschroeder.com/s/Hello-Stranger-June-2021.pdf “Type Less, Talk More” - https://hbr.org/2020/10/research-type-less-talk-more “Rational Ritual: Culture, Coordination, and Common Knowledge” - https://academic.oup.com/princeton-scholarship-online/book/13454 ____ Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org.

Our Dream Deferred is produced by the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA).

Editing and sound design for this episode was done by Bea Mitchell.

Nothing Can Be Changed Until It is Faced Jul 12, 2023

As we kick off season 2 of Our Dream Deferred, co-hosts Tracy Wareing Evans and Karen Heller Key take a moment to reflect on their journey together and what brought them to their individual roles as advocates for positive social change. Episode 1 stories include family histories of taking on injustice along with recent changes in the world that have brought stark relief to issues of racial inequality and historic marginalization, together with a better understanding of the role human services can play in remedying these challenges.

We also explore the importance of sharing perspectives, thinking critically, and taking action to both unlock and highlight human potential. Join us as we reflect on these insights and discuss plans for the rest of season 2. ____ Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: Subscribe to stay updated on future episodes. Use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred. Write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org.

Our Dream Deferred is produced by the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA). Editing and sound design for this episode was done by Bea Mitchell.

Bonus Episode: An Introduction to Disrupt the Dialogue Nov 02, 2022

This bonus episode of “Our Dream Deferred” features a deep dive into a new podcast we are launching! APHSA is proud to premiere “Disrupt the Dialogue,” with APHSA co-hosts Tina Wright-Ervin, Organizational Effectiveness Consultant and Alexander Figueroa, Assistant Director of Learning and Development. It will be a place where leaders of color can share their personal experiences and insights regarding the effect that race has on their professional journey. We talk to Tina and Alex about their own personal journeys that led them to begin this new endeavor.

Stay tuned for more Our Dream Deferred episodes in early 2023! Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org.

This episode was produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design by Brandon Mitchell.

Hope Must Be Nurtured Dec 14, 2021

Today’s episode features Dr. Wendy Ellis, Assistant Professor of Global Health at The George Washington University and Founding Director of the Center for Community Resilience. Wendy is well known as a pioneer in our understanding of trauma and resilience – in our conversation she uses her expertise in health policy, her background as a journalist, and draws on her own lived experience to pull back the lens to help us see the systemic root causes of family and community trauma. A gifted communicator of complex concepts and of stories, Wendy shares the ways in which equitable access to community supports, like good schools, libraries, parks, and safe policing can enable families and communities themselves to not just bounce back from trauma and adversity but make it possible to bounce forward and thrive. Her Center’s work with communities across the country is catalyzing systems change that offers palpable hope for overcoming deep inequities and building communities where everyone can thrive.

Content Warning: Please note that this episode includes descriptions of violence and a brief mention of suicide.

Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org.

This episode was produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design by Brandon Mitchell.

Links:

Resources on the Building Community Resilience approach, including the Pair of ACEs Tree and the Resilience Tree: https://ccr.publichealth.gwu.edu/tools-resources/the-BCR-approach

Fostering Equity resources: https://ccr.publichealth.gwu.edu/fosteringequity

Center for Community Resilience 2021 Federal Legislative Agenda: https://ccr.publichealth.gwu.edu/sites/ccr.publichealth.gwu.edu/files/pdf/CCR%20Agenda%20Final.pdf

Living in Different Worlds Nov 30, 2021

This week we hear from philosopher, writer, and professor C. Thi Nguyen. Thi is perhaps best known for his recent essay in Aeon magazine, Escape the Echo Chamber, that went viral at a time when many Americans are struggling to understand the interplay between social media and the rise of conspiracy theories. Our conversation with him is wide ranging, spanning from the gamification of social media to the difference between filter bubbles and echo chambers, and why conspiracy theories are so appealing to many. Thi is the author of Games: Agency As Art, and helps us understand the power that games can have in our lives – both good and bad.

Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org.

This episode was produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design by Brandon Mitchell.

Links:

Thi’s website with links and additional information

Trust in Numbers: The Pursuit of Objectivity in Science and Public Life, Theodore M. Porter

The Seductions of Quantification Measuring Human Rights, Gender Violence, and Sex Trafficking, Sally Engle Merry

It’s All One History Nov 09, 2021

Today we hear from Tim Snyder, the Richard C. Levin Professor of History at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. Tim has written numerous books, including two that appeared on the New York Times best-seller list simultaneously, On Tyranny and The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America. Both volumes examine the rise of authoritarianism in the United States. As an historian specializing in the history of Central and Eastern Europe and the Holocaust, he draws parallels to our modern political climate and advises on how to defend our republic and individual freedoms. His advice: “Don’t obey in advance,” reminds each of us of our place in history, the responsibility we bear, and that everything we do has some kind of moral context, including looking away. If we become complacent, we then become vulnerable to the things we have chosen to forget.

Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org.

This episode was produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design by Brandon Mitchell.

Links:

- On Tyranny, a book by Tim Snyder

- The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America, a book by Tim Snyder

- The War on History Is a War on Democracy, Tim Snyder New York Times article

How Lie Machines Threaten All of Us Nov 02, 2021

Today we hear from Phil Howard, who is a professor of sociology, information and international affairs, and the author of Lie Machines: How to Save Democracy from Troll Armies, Deceitful Robots, Junk News Operations, and Political Operatives. Studying information infrastructure and social systems at the same time, he provides a unique and integrated perspective on the impacts of social media on modern life, and why it matters. By illustrating how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media have been used to bring out the worst in us, Professor Howard helps us see a better path forward. His ideas for public agencies include mapping out how to better meet constituents on social media,. Tune in for a wide-ranging and thoughtful conversation.

Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at jgaron@aphsa.org.

Links:

Phil Howard’s commentary and articles: https://philhoward.org/

The Navigator tool: https://navigator.oii.ox.ac.uk/

Oxford Internet Institute: https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/

This episode was produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design by Brandon Mitchell.

We Have to Be Truthtellers Oct 26, 2021

In this week’s episode of Our Dream Deferred: Fulfilling the Nation’s Promise, we’re in conversation with Derrik Anderson, Executive Director at Race Matters for Juvenile Justice. Derrik helps us reflect on the American Dream in the context of taking a frank look at the lived experiences of people of color in the United States. Derrik uses a historical lens to explore policies, their impacts on systems and institutions, and the biases they can lead to, and encourages us to continually do the work to counter racism, white supremacy culture, and other injustices. Key will be to create a shared language across institutions and groups to address these problems – an activity you’re participating in just listening to this podcast!

Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at cbecker@aphsa.org.

This episode was produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design by Brandon Mitchell.

Link:

https://rmjj.org/

The Stories We Tell Ourselves Oct 19, 2021

These past few years, as our country has become more fragmented, and longstanding biases have come into plain sight, we’ve searched for ways to understand what we’re experiencing more deeply and to benefit from perspectives that can help us envision a path forward. This week’s episode of Our Dream Deferred: Fulfilling the Nation’s Promise, we’ll cover the importance of narrative change and how to do it in a positive way, what we can do as leaders and organizations to contribute to meaningful change, and what behavioral science can teach us about how to reach the people and communities we serve.

This episode’s guest is Anthony Barrows, a Managing Director at idas42.

Be part of Our Dream Deferred. Use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at cbecker@aphsa.org.

This episode was produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design by Brandon Mitchell.

Links:

http://ideas42.org/learn

https://anthonybarrows.com/home.html

https://www.mobilitypartnership.org/paper-categories/narrative

Book Recommendations:

The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? by Michael J. Sandel

The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations by Robert Livingston

Scarcity: The New Science of Having Less and How It Defines Our Lives by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir

TRAILER: Our Dream Deferred Aug 02, 2021

An overview & welcome to Our Dream Deferred. Find out how we will explore the American story, as inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem, Dream Deferred: “What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over--

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?”