the Grounded Futures Show is hosted by carla joy bergman and Uilliam Joy.
Uilliam (Liam) and carla discuss topics ranging from climate change to identity to how youth can gain new skills to thrive amid current and ongoing disasters that we are collectively facing. The show will take a deep dive on these issues, and be in conversations with incredible guests. We are a Gen-X and a Gen-Z, and we are keen on tearing down the walls between generations together and on our show!
Each episode includes a short segment called Delighting in our Friends, whereby Liam and carla delight and amplify friends' radical art!
Grounded futures show is produced on Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-waututh lands, but our guests are from around the world . The music for our show is by Sour Gout.
Logo Art by Robin Carrico IG: @somegaywizard
*transcripts are at grounded futures.com
Please note: season one was based on training youth, and we are grateful to all our guests who joined us on our learning journey! As of June 22, 2022 this season has been archived. Thanks for listening!
Season 4, ep 26: Weirding Time! with: Uli, Jams, carla joy, and a Time Talks History segment
In the season four opener, Uli, carla, and jams introduce some dreams for season 4, ruminate about other projects on the horizon, and reflect on their year off from making the Grounded Futures Show, and more! Plus, we will hear the first Time Talks History segment about the Doctrine of Discovery.
Thanks for listening! 🌀
Show notes:
Transcripts
Credits:
Time Talks History sources (in order) and further readings:
Further Reading:
The Grounded Futures Show, Episode 25: Remaining Unbroken, with chris time steele
“I've always been a rapper, since I was 12. So that's what I do. And it's the way I communicate best and most vulnerable.”
In their last episode of the season, Uli and carla share a wonderful talk-about with the always inspiring chris time steele! A dreamer, writer, and poetic historian, chris’ digs into many topics, from Hip Hop to basketball to community organising to breaking apart propaganda to the philosophy and beauty of anime. We also play a game, talk about the importance of curiosity, care, and listening alongside being fearless as we break open and let go. There’s also some impressive freestyle and a fabulous song.
Show notes:
Recommendations:
Transcripts
chris time steele is a co-learner, hip-hop artist, journalist, storyteller, videographer, and writer. steele has an MA and is a precarious teacher who seeks to work outside typical teaching styles experimenting with hip-hop and co-mentorship. steele contributes to Truthout, has co-authored works with Noam Chomsky, Joy James, and Gerald Horne, and is host of the Time Talks podcast. Through music, under the alias Time, steele has worked with Common, Mick Jenkins, Xiu Xiu & Psalm One
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
The GF Show art by Robin Carrico
Edited by Chris Bergman
Thanks for listening!
The Grounded Futures Show, Ep 24: The Struggle is Real, with Noleca Radway & Lily Mercogliano Easton
Uli and carla had a deep and vulnerable conversation with Lily and Noleca — two wonderful parents and educators — about the horrors of adult supremacy, the oppression of kids, and some pathways towards undoing adult supremacy and supporting youth freedom. They also talk about the joys and complexities of building trust within this power dynamic, the trappings of adulthood, what youth freedom looks like, and how this way of being in relationship with kids requires a profound resolve and devotion to care and love. There’s so much here, lots of real talk with plenty of curiosity and good humour woven in! And no fear: they both provide some concrete tips, too! #TrustKids
Show Notes:
Raising Rebels Podcast
Noleca’s Instagram
Lily’s twitter
Camp WA WA Segowea
The Story Store
Brooklyn Free School
Trust Kids! Book
Time Talks Podcast
Recommendations:
Lily’s:
Raising Rebels Podcast
Abby Wambaugh (comedian) + IG
Noleca’s:
Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur
Finding our Way Podcast
Transcripts
Bios
Noleca Radway is the Founder of Queer Media, a family production company specializing in audio and visual art through a Black Queer lens. She is the producer and host of the progressive parenting podcast Raising Rebels. Noleca is also the former Executive Director of the Brooklyn Free School, and now lives in Amsterdam with her partner and their three kids.
Lily Mercogliano Easton is an educator who lives with her three kids and husband in Albany, New York. She grew up at the Free School in Albany and was Head of School at Brooklyn Free School for twelve years. Lily is the Camp Director at Camp WA WA Segowea, and finds the most thriving and joy through parenting and building a trusting relationship with her kids (and one that’s imperfect in all the ways).
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
The GF Show art by Robin Carrico
Edited by Chris Bergman
Thanks for listening!
The Grounded Futures Show, Ep 23: Queer Brilliance, with Lindz Amer
“I hope that I can put a little bit of healing out into the world because I think we just need a lot more of that. There are a lot of hurt people out there.”
We had a pretty healing and joyful conversation with the fabulous writer, educator, and performer, Lindz Amer! We talked about the importance of creating queer affirming media for little Kids (and their adults), joyfully stitching back together intergenerational connections within the LGBTQ+ communities, and traversing non-affirming spaces. We also get into the muck and nuance of tough topics and realities, such as anti-trans, transmisogyny, the many genders, sexuality, gender performance, power & privilege, socialisation, smashing the cis-hetero-patriarchy, and so much more. Let’s join Lindz in Spreading Queer Joy!
Show Notes
Lindz IG and twitter
Lindz website
Lindz podcast
Lindz book: Rainbow Parenting
Disclosure Documentary
Recommendations:
YA Queer books:
Jonny Garza Villa
"Felix Ever After" by Kacen Callender
Steven Universe
Astrology: the chani app
Astrology for Writers
A league of our own (reboot)
Doc McStuffins
Vampirina
Spirit Ranges
Blues Clues and You
Sailor Moon
Uli’s
Bluey
Studio Ghibli Movies
Anime Series in general (Pokemon)
carla’s
Little Bear
TRANSCRIPTS
Lindz Amer creates LGBTQ+ and intersectional social justice media for kids and families. They created their beloved LGBTQ+ family webseries Queer Kid Stuff in 2016 which now has 4M lifetime views and counting! Their debut book "Rainbow Parenting: Your Guide to Raising Queer Kid and Their Allies" publishes on May 30, 2023 with St. Martin's Press. Currently, they host the Rainbow Parenting podcast, and perform at schools and libraries across the country, while also writing and consulting for children’s television. They worked with Nick Jr on the Webby award-winning Blues Clues & You “Pride Parade” music video, The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy, an upcoming episode of an extremely paw-pular show, and more! You can watch their TED Talk on why kids need to learn about gender and sexuality now with more than 2.5 million views!
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
The GF Show art by Robin Carrico
Thanks for listening!
The Grounded Futures Show, episode 22: Dreaming a Future, with carla and Uli
Delighting in our Friends!
Uli and carla spend episode 22 delighting in pals, AKA celebrating awesome artists, storytellers, and musicians who range in ages 3 - 63. This is an uplifting episode where they share wonderful songs, swoon over friends, and weave in other musings — including how they each find thriving in the everyday! Happy Palentines!
💫 YOU ARE LOVED💫
Show Notes:
Uilliam’s art
Julie Flett: julieflett.com
kitty lu bear: @fungifemme
https://www.emergencyhearts.com/
Other Music played:
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
The GF Show art by Robin Carrico
Sound Editing by Chris Bergman
Transcripts
Thanks for listening!
**
Lyrics for I'm Still Here (U.S. Political Prisoner Never Forgotten version)
[scott crow, Dissonance]
I'm still here
These song notes are kite notes
Fire blinking, spelling love in Morse code
Floating between bars with messages of life boats
No more pipelines, the pipe broke
We melted every cage into a key until our mouths could recite hope
[Time]
He said when it rains he pretends the cement is the smell of wet stone
he said i want my grandkids to find fossils of prisons smelling sour
like dead bones
The moon bowed to the birdsong morning
I'm trying to find god in an octave I'm still exploring
I mailed you libraries they threw em in the trash
The warden took your freedom but couldn't shackle your laugh
That's not dew, the prison grass is crying
The weeds that grow through the cracks is freedom trying
Birds drop seeds in the prison yard
Growing gardens of hope conspiring in the dark
The vines make a ladder and drape the barbwire
A crow flies overhead and drops a lighter
Orange reflects from her eye the image is fire
The ash swirls like a galaxy the stars wink and admire
He said "They will never be able to break me"
Turns out that's what broke the bars I've been reflecting on that lately
He said "I was dedicated to building things, not tearing them down"
He said “If you can breathe you can get through anything” I'm hearing him now
He said “If you can breathe you can get through anything” I'm hearing him now
[scott crow, Dissonance]
I'm still here
[Herman Wallace]
A defined voice
They removed my whisper
From general population to maximum security
I gain a voice
They removed my voice from maximum security
To administrative segregation
My voice gave hope
They removed my voice from administrative segregation
To solitary confinement
My voice became vibration for unity
They removed by voice from solitary confinement
To the supermax of Camp J
And now they wish to destroy me
The louder my voice
The deeper they bury me
I said, the louder my voice
The deeper they bury me
Free all political prisoners
Prisoners of war
Prisoners of consciousness
Herman Wallace, Angola 3
[scott crow, Dissonance]
I'm still here
[Time]
This is for:
Herman Wallace
Russell Maroon Shoatz
Marilyn Buck
Alvaro Luna-Hernandez
Iya Fulani Sunni-Ali
Romaine Chip Fitzgerald
Afeni Shakur
Delbert Africa
Safiya Asya Bukhari
Richard Mafundi Lake
Oscar Washington
Luis Rodriguez
Mondo We Langa
Phil Africa
Brian McCarvill
Hugo Yogi Bear Pinell
Geronimo Ji Jaga
William Lefty Gilday
Alan Berkman
Eddie Hatcher
Bashir Hameed
Robert Hillary King
Merle Africa
Kuwasi Balagoon
Robert Webb
Tom Manning
and
Albert Woodfox
[scott crow]
Dream of future, know your history
Organize your people, fight to win
The Grounded Futures Show, Ep 21: Sparks In-Between, with Scott Branson
“thinking alone is not as exciting as thinking together”
Scott Branson, a Jewish transfemme anarchist writer, and artist, joined carla and Uli for an inspiring virtual walk to think (and feel) together. They go deep into Trans worlding and talk pathways to gender abolition, discovering voice, embracing not knowing, sampling ideas, learning through play and making mistakes, practical anarchism, and more! This joyful conversation covers a lot of ground, including a poetry reading!
TRANSCRIPTS
Show Notes:
Scott’s webpage
Scott on IG:
Scott on Twitter
Practical Anarchism: A Daily Guide
Gay Liberation after May 68
The Abolition of Prison
How I Became a Genre Bender and Found a Voice
Women on the Edge of Time
The Dispossessed
The Earthsea Trilogy
Witch Hat Atelier
“We study with any person who can teach us.” -- Marge Piercy, Woman on the Edge of Time
Favourite quote by Ursula K, Le Guin:
“But he had not brought anything. His hands were empty, as they had always been.” -- the Dispossessed
Recommendations:
Scott’s Poem:
where had we left you?
a long necked white creature
bobbing in the distance
on the lake
it was clear we had overlooked
the mysteries of the world
so white i wondered how it kept clean
in polluted waters
i can’t wear white pants without staining
the sun doesn’t cause waves but lets us see them
and the lake ripples into this white protuberance
a child’s drawing of a sea dinosaur smiling
so happy to be here
where had we left you?
but that’s the best we could have done
on the pier no one sees
she swims unnoticed
except by me, in my quick glance,
and i decide to avert my eyes
and let her be
*
Scott Branson is a Jewish transfemme anarchist writer, teacher, organizer, musician and artist. Scott is also a co-host on the anarchist radio show/podcast The Final Straw Radio. Their book, Practical Anarchism: A Daily Guide, just published by Pluto Press, offers ways to infuse everyday life with ideas of mutual responsibility and collective liberation, combining anarchist and queer/feminist approaches to relationships, work, and living. Their translation of the queer theorist and gay liberation militant Guy Hocquenghem’s second book, Gay Liberation after May 68, was published in April 2022 through Duke University Press’s Theory Q Series. Scott wrote a critical introduction that situates Hocquenghem’s queer anarchism in relation to current liberation movements. Scott translated longtime prison abolitionist, anarchist, ex-prisoner, and psychologist, Jacques Lesage De La Haye’s The Abolition of Prison (AK Press, 2021). Their edited volume, Surviving the Future: Abolitionist Queer Strategies will be published by PM Press in January 2023.
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
The GF Show art by Robin Carrico
Thanks for listening!
The Grounded Futures Show, Ep 20: Alchemizing Futures, with Shaunga Tagore
“My desire is for everything in my life to be rooted in thriving, or the timeline of thriving.”
The magical episode where carla and Uli receive some deep healing via their wonderful guest, the quantum communicator, storyteller, weaver, and creatrix, Shaunga Tagore. Shaunga talks about their paradigm shifting project: Otherworldly Giants, as well as embracing ancestral connections, grief as love, communing with the cosmos and land, and of course, some Buffy! Enter into this magical portal with us, and feel and hear so much more!
Show Notes
Shaunga’s Otherworldly Giants: https://shaungatagore.com
Shaunga’s podcast: https://shaungatagore.com/channel/
Recommendations:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
She-ra: the Princess of Power + the 80s version
Transcript
Bio:
Shaunga Tagore is a queer, prizmatic (non-binary) theatre artist, writer, speaker, cat mama & Buffy enthusiast. (And they weren’t kidding when they called her, well, a witch.) Her witchy powers and ancestral roles include, but are not limited to: quantum communicator, creatrix, death doula, time keeper & grief worker. Shaunga is the founder of Otherworldly Giants, a creation company and storytelling school where we create and study stories that serve as altars for building a new world paradigm. Shaunga has spent the last decade working as an astrologer, cosmic coach, artist, and producer, primarily in queer, racialized, survivor, and disability justice oriented communities.
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
The GF Show art by Robin Carrico
Thanks for listening!
The Grounded Futures Show, Ep #19 Liberated Care, with Zena Sharman
“I think about care as a process, as an ongoing act of weaving — that it is this active thing that we do, that happens in relationships, that happens in communities.”
Zena Sharman joins the show to talk casting spells and weaving webs of care beyond institutions. This episode is all about intergenerational solidarity, and queering kinship and care in the everyday. Zena is a writer, speaker, strategist and LGBTQ+ health advocate and our conversation goes deep into the radical possibilities for care as an ongoing, consensual process — from grief care to ageing and dying, to gender open parenting, to centring pleasure and disability justice in health care.
Show Notes
Follow Zena on Twitter
Zena’s two books:
The Care We Dream Of: Liberatory and Transformative Approaches to LGBTQ+ Health
The Remedy: Queer and Trans Voices on Health and Health Care
Photo of Zena for show is by K. Ho
Recommendations:
Transcript
Zena Sharman is a writer, speaker, strategist and LGBTQ+ health advocate. She’s the author of three books, including The Care We Dream Of: Liberatory and Transformative Approaches to LGBTQ+ Health (published by Arsenal Pulp Press in the fall of 2021). Zena edited the Lambda Literary award-winning anthology The Remedy: Queer and Trans Voices on Health and Health Care. She’s also an engaging speaker who brings her passion for LGBTQ+ health to audiences of health care providers, students and community members at universities and conferences across North America. You can learn more about Zena and her work at https://zenasharman.com/
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
The GF Show art by Robin Carrico
Thanks for listening!
Grounded Futures Show, Ep #18: Feels Real Good, with Khari McClelland
“To be human is to be creative, and to allow yourself that privilege is where it is at…"
Khari McClelland, an award-winning musician and creative facilitator, joined us to launch season three! In this episode, Khari speaks about creating with and for community through time, what it means to be a just person, and the importance of growing and tending all our relations, while also embracing humility and the possibilities of being wrong — walking and falling and rising up together.
Show Notes:
Moving the Centre (Khari’s book)
Khari's music
Facilitation/Courses
Talk about sailing and water with Khari on IG: @igobykhari
Quote from episode: “Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” — Prentis Hemphill
Lucille Clifton: Blessing the Boats
Bio:
Imaginative. Bold. Genuine. Hopeful.
Khari Wendell McClelland is an award-winning musician and creative facilitator who uses the arts and experiential activities for transformational learning.
Based in Vancouver, Canada, Khari has worked with communities across Africa, Australia, Europe, North America and the Caribbean.
In a world with increasingly complex societal challenges, the need for values-based creative solutions is paramount.
Khari helps youth and adults explore core values and creativity as a means to self-actualization, community building and problem solving.
His approach is warm, insightful and engaging.
Transcript
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
GF show art by Robin Carrico
Thanks for listening!
Grounded Futures Show, Ep #18: Feels Real Good, with Khari McClelland
“To be human is to be creative, and to allow yourself that privilege is where it is at…"
Khari McClelland, an award-winning musician and creative facilitator, joined us to launch season three! In this episode, Khari speaks about creating with and for community through time, what it means to be a just person, and the importance of growing and tending all our relations, while also embracing humility and the possibilities of being wrong — walking and falling and rising up together.
Show Notes:
Moving the Centre (Khari’s book)
Khari's music
Facilitation/Courses
Talk about sailing and water with Khari on IG: @igobykhari
Quote from episode: “Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” — Prentis Hemphill
Lucille Clifton: Blessing the Boats
Bio:
Imaginative. Bold. Genuine. Hopeful.
Khari Wendell McClelland is an award-winning musician and creative facilitator who uses the arts and experiential activities for transformational learning.
Based in Vancouver, Canada, Khari has worked with communities across Africa, Australia, Europe, North America and the Caribbean.
In a world with increasingly complex societal challenges, the need for values-based creative solutions is paramount.
Khari helps youth and adults explore core values and creativity as a means to self-actualization, community building and problem solving.
His approach is warm, insightful and engaging.
Transcript
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
GF show art by Robin Carrico
Thanks for listening!
Grounded Futures Show, Ep #17: Feeling and Building More, with Eleanor Goldfield
“We need to connect to what feels like justice, what feels like freedom, and not just what sounds like it.”
The fabulous creative radical, Eleanor Goldfield joins us to talk about the importance of amplifying censored stories and radical ideas, rights vs Justice, the limits of language, the inherent violence of the state, finding ways to embrace pockets of thriving alongside despair, and so much more!
Links
Eleanor’s Website: ArtKillingApathy.com
HardRoadofHope.com
RadIndieMedia.com
Song: Floodlight
LeeCamp.net
Common Censored
Project Censored Episode on Roe vs. Wade
Silver Threads Podcast
Shout Your Aborotion
Act Out
Book recommendations:
Sentient
Hiking with Nietzsche: On Becoming Who You Are
By John Kaag
Transcripts
Music for our show by:Sour Gout
Logo art by Robin Carrico
Thanks for listening!
Grounded Futures Show, Season 2 - Ep #16
This is part one of our mini series on: Schooling, Education, and Finding Your Way
“I just have such a joy and a heart for helping parents to be what they really want to be with their kids, and really help that relationship flourish and move forward.”
Uilliam and carla sat down with Meghan Carrico, a long time participant and educator in creating alternate pathways to learning in community, including schools. We talk about finding joy while learning, the importance of community, and supporting the entire family to thrive. She also demystifies some of the misleading information about what it takes to get a highschool diploma,and other myths about youth finding their way into postsecondary institutions, career paths, and much else.
Resources
Final Straw
Meghan’s website
Victoria School of Innovation and Inquiry Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry Island Discovery SelfDesign Transcripts
Thanks for Listening!
Grounded Futures Show, Season 2 Episode #15
“Gathering people around food is a big part of what everyday thriving looks like in my life. And, even as the world falls apart, we will still probably have to eat dinner.”
We sat down with the wonderful Tahia Ahmed, a full-spectrum birth worker who connects birth, land, and racial and climate justice together in new and beautiful ways. We dive into conversations about our interdependence, the discipline of showing up for each other, centering trust, and the importance of deprofessionalizing care and love, and so much more!
Tahia Ahmed IG
Nesting Doula Collective
We Do This 'Til We Free Us
Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice
by Mariame Kaba
Joy James work
Thrutopia, coined by Rupert Read
Book Recommendation:
How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community
Book by Mia Birdsong
Delighting in our Friends:
Sour Gout (Zach Bergman) The album is here: “Movements in a Dead City"
transcripts
Grounded Futures Show, Season 2 Episode #14
“I love people, I'm just like that. I think that's what the motivation for the work is.”
We had a lot of fun talking with Dean about so many ideas and actions -- and we took a lot of passion paths together! You’ll hear about his early days of talking back to power, to building queer and trans solidarity, working across differences, to finding concrete ways to accompany each other during hard times, and embracing an ethos and the actions of promiscuity as a way to deepen mutual aid, and so much more! This is an episode you won’t want to miss!
Link to Transcripts
music by Sour Gout
Grounded Futures Show: Season 2 (Bonus episode)
In this short bonus episode, Liam and carla take a moment to celebrate the Grounded Futures Platform by sharing some jingles for two new shows: Resonant Rest and Mentorship in Motion! You'll hear from Oceaan Pendharkar, Melissa Roach, Jamie Leigh Gonzales, and Rebecca Peng... and some other news!
Link to all the shows at Grounded Futures: https://groundedfutures.com/shows/
Transcripts
Logo art by Robin Carrico
Grounded Futures: Season 2, Episode 13
“Neuroqueer is both an adjective and a verb. And so, automatically, the word has multiplicity built into it. And it invites you to play with the idea that who you are can also be an action.”
We are thrilled to welcome Kitty Sipple back to the show to talk about the roots and lineages of sanism, neuroqueerness, and Madness. Weaving them together in profound and powerful ways, Kitty also shares theirs and other folks' stories of resistance and thriving, and much more!
Twitter @fungi_femme Link to Transcripts and more show notes
Delighting in our Friends Segment:
Hari Alluri !
Dragon Shoots Its Whispers aka The Lightning Speaks!
Music for our show by:Sour Gout
Logo art by Robin Carrico
Grounded Futures Season 2, episode 12
“We learn love in the presence of a fully loving environment,"
Christina Rryder joins the show to talk about the importance of animating our activist and creative spaces with embodied mutualista (mutual aid), organic play, and radical care. How the threads from Occupy Denver to Social Justice Theatre led to cosplay. We also dive into living with neuro-difference and depression, science and climate change, the queerness in Sailor Moon, gatekeepers in Cosplay, wholesome anime’s, making time for your passions, and much more!
IG: @scientista_cosplay
Music for our show by:Sour Gout
Delighting in our Friends is all about Eleanor Goldfield and we played her song: Tangled from ehr EP
No Solo
Links to Eleanore’s work
Link to Transcripts and more show notes
Grounded Futures Season 2, episode 11
“As radicals we need to be offering a different exit from middle class life.”
Season two begins with a joyful bang! Liam and carla talk with the wonderful Nick Montgomery about radical exit plans, the limits and problems of “rights”, generational myths, the importance of cultivating alternatives, finding joy and humour amid disasters, and more
Music for our show by: Sour Gout
Links from our segment: Delighting in our Friends! The song by Time is, Barrel of a Pen (produced by AwareNess) This song is an Exclusive GF song (for now)
Time’s work
AwareNess’ work
Time Talks Podcast
Transcripts and more resources
For the final episode of Season 1, we were thrilled to talk with Paloma Pendharkar. Not only are they super rad, they are Grounded Futures’ new Resident! In this episode, Paloma talks about being open to new pathways to learn new things, find their own desires, and how to do all of that while finding ways to thrive amid capitalism. Paloma radiates a beautiful composition of humility and joy, and we had a great time talking with them!
One of our organizing values is that we eschew the unrealistic pressures of capitalist productivity and instead embrace the notion of Procrastithriving!
And, because of this core value, we don't have a new episode of Grounded Futures for May.
This is our bonus episode that originally aired dec 31, 2020. Or, check out any of the inspiring episodes with any of our previous guests.
We will be back in June with a new episode!
Pro(crasti)thriving, a verb, is when your core principle of cultivating every day thriving is anchored in anticapitalism - whereby y'all support the wellbeing of each other, as together we aim to create a more just world for all.
We sat down with Maya Motoi, an unschooled half “Japanese” half Dutch "Canadian" person who is queer, an anarchist, and a feminist who currently lives in Japan. We heard their story about moving solo from Japan to Vancouver at age 13, nerded out about Japanese culture, specifically animation, and the radical alternatives in Japan. The importance of listening to your gut, being present with all the beauty, and picking the right “fruit!” We dove into the intersections of work, social justice, sitting in the discomfort, and finding ways to thrive together in a capitalist world.
“I’ve always been a really big fan of listening to other peoples stories” - Maya Motoi
We sat down with the Indigenous artist John Velten to talk about the importance of creating and learning with and for each other, finding anchors in actions and mentors, listening to your whole self and the land, the healing of pulling from all your lineages, and so much more
“It’s a language in itself, this art form. And so, I’ve spoken, through formline design, my interpretation of our environment. And I feel like that’s where the art form stems from, for all these years too. “
The Grounded Futures hosts sat down with Lee Camp -- the intrepid political comedian and head writer and host of the hit show "Redacted Tonight with Lee Camp.” We talk with Lee about his teen years, how he got into comedy, the power of comedians in upending capitalism, the role of technology in creating a hopeful future, and the necessity of satire in busting open the corporate thought box. “Lee is the Che Guevara of comedy,” said Paul Provenza, and this conversation proves this to be true — that revolution can be joyful, fierce, and that laughter is crucial.
We’re opening 2021 with an incredible conversation our hosts had with Margaret Killjoy, a transfeminine author, musician, and podcaster. In this episode we look at what it means to prepare for end times, the ethics of getting paid as an artist/anarchist/activist in a capitalist system, and so much more!
It’s a New Year’s Eve, 2020 Wrap Up, Bonus Episode of the podcast! The Grounded Futures crew comes together to reflect on the show so far, talk about the challenges of this year, and finding hope and ways to thrive through it all. They also look at their experiences as youth or younger kids and how that influences them now and the decisions they make.
Joey, Liam, Jamie-Leigh, carla and Kitty, dive into some magical and grounding ideas and stories. New terrain for some of us is covered, as we hear about what it means to be multiple. The conversation explores how to thrive amid COVID, vicarious joyful healing through community (in particular through youth), and they each choose their favourite word (for now)! This is the last episode of the Grounded Futures Show in 2020, and it’s a joyful close to the year!
Joey, Liam, Jamie-Leigh, and carla sat down with Ruby Smith Díaz to talk about surviving the teen years, finding belonging and self through subcultures, the devastating impacts of capitalism and white supremacy on BIPOC bodies, the importance of movement joy and much else.
Deviating from the path that has been laid out by our culture and society can be an intimidating and liberating journey. This episode of the Grounded Futures Show brings MJ Brownlee, anarchist, anti-capitalist, and longtime friend of carla bergman, into conversation about his experiences with schooling, finding his own path, and being in relationship with himself and those he loves. He discusses how an anti-capitalist approach to schooling can open up experiences and create the ability to explore different trades, arts, skills and, ultimately, opportunities to build resilient, self-sufficient communities. He also touches on being a paramedic in the current COVID-19 pandemic, and how he is shifting his path once again in order to continue finding joy and thriving.
The Grounded Futures hosts are in conversation with community organizer Kian Cham. Youth hosts Liam Joy and Joey ask Kian about finding ways to thrive as a trans youth and adult under capitalism. Kian talks about turning to street culture and martial arts as a teen, the role of mentorship in his journey, and what it means to be an anticapitalist working towards a decolonial future. He also shares how he has been finding the sweetness in the everyday during the COVID-19 pandemic, and why this time of huge collective uprising gives him hope.
Meet Joey, Liam, Jamie-Leigh and carla! Co-hosts of the Grounded Futures Show!
In this short promo trailer our co-hosts discuss what's to come for the upcoming pilot season of the Grounded Futures Show. They will talk about the dynamic of mentorship and skills sharing in the creation of the show; what themes will emerge this season; and how to stay in the loop on the latest Grounded Futures news.
More about the Grounded Futures Show:
Our team work alongside youth to co-produce episodes on topics ranging from climate change to identity to how youth can gain new skills to engage meaningfully with current world events. The show will take a deep dive on these issues, and be in conversations with incredible guests!