2021
Ep. 9: David F. Walker -
Race, Stories and the Hero Delusion
Eisner Award-winning writer David F. Walker joins Justin to discuss his work bringing historic episodes of racial justice -- and injustice -- to life. His new graphic novel, The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History, created with artist Marcus Kwame Anderson, just came out Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 2021.
David discusses the power of comics to educate and (maybe?) change minds and hearts, the danger of casting ourselves as heroes in our own stories, and how to take care of ourselves creatively.
David and Justin also talk about treading water until you can swim, and David’s bucket-list writer ideas, including his jones for the Lone Ranger and Tonto.
David is the co-creator of the Eisner-winning comic book Bitter Root. He has written major titles for DC (Cyborg, Young Justice), Marvel (Power Man and Iron Fist) and Image. He is also a filmmaker and a recognized expert on 1970s Black film. David is an adjunct professor at Portland State University.
LINKS
The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History https://amzn.to/3svJ1s3
Bitter Root Vol. 1 https://amzn.to/3bAhort
Who was Fred Hampton? https://bit.ly/2Lnl7OJ
“The 1968 Kerner Commission Got It Right, But Nobody Listened”, Smithsonian Magazine, March 2018 https://bit.ly/3i9gK5A
Classics Illustrated https://bit.ly/3bPlpbZ
“Bad Apples of Bad Barrels? Philip Zimbardo on the Lucifer Effect” https://bit.ly/2KfBKLy
The Hero’s Journey, made popular by Joseph Campbell https://bit.ly/39KkruX
2020
Episode 8: Jon Feinberg - Giving Voice to the Voiceless
Civil rights attorney Jon Feinberg talks with Justin about his twenty years of work on exonerating innocent people incarcerated in our prison system. Jon and Justin also talk about his work with immigrant families gravely impacted by the Trump administration’s family separation policy. Parenting and keeping a healthy balance under intense work demands are also major topics. A rich, revealing conversation from which Justin learned so much.
LINKS: Immigration advocacy groups and books discussed:
National Immigration Justice Center
National Immigration Litigation Alliance
Girl Woman Other by Bernadine Evaristo
The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
Author Gary Shteyngart
Episode 7: Anna Solomon - Whose Story Are We Telling?
Whose story are we telling? Is it the story we’re meant to live, or someone else’s? Is it forced on us by society or family or religion? How do we make sure it's ours?
Anna Solomon’s provocative third novel, The Book of V., charts the paths of three women separated by generations, and their struggles to express their authentic selves. Woven into the Jewish story of Purim, the novel grapples with what is to have one’s own identity, especially as a women pressed by cultural ideas of who she should be.
Anna and Justin discuss the challenges of writing in the age of COVID, releasing a book during lockdown, and the dance of parenting and working as a writer. They also discuss the surprising wonder of letting go of the process and letting the writing "wander."
The Book of V. has been named an NPR Best Book of 2020, a Good Morning America Book Club book, and has been praised by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine and many more. Find it at the link below.
LINKS
The story of Purim
Anna’s website
Anna on Good Morning America
Anna’s LA Times piece on life during quarantine
Episode 6: Rodney Hicks - Sit Down, Job
Where you do begin with Rodney Hicks' career as a Broadway actor and playwright? At the age of 22 he was a member of the opening cast of RENT. He later returned to RENT’s closing Broadway cast in the role of Benjamin Coffin III. He's enjoyed continued success in his Broadway career over the years, as well as many guest roles on TV including in NYPD Blue, Grimm, Leverage and others.
More recently Rodney originated the role of Bob in the Tony-award-winning musical Come From Away. At the height of the show’s success in 2015, Rodney was diagnosed with a neurological condition that took away his voice and his ability to sing. That physical and spiritual challenge, and the profound transformation it offered him, are central to our conversation.
In recent years Rodney has turned his focus to playwriting, with two of his works being named Semi-Finalists for the Eugene O’Neill Theater Conference.
Rodney has spoken elsewhere at length about surviving childhood trauma, and in this talk he describes turning that adversity into a surprising strength. Justin and Rodney also discuss his new movie Mighty Oak, their previous collaboration writing an original musical, and the necessity of forgiveness for a healthy life. This is a conversation about living one's best life with love and kindness, today.
Recorded in September 2020.
LINKS
Rodney's website www.rodneyhicks.net
Spiritual Liberation by Michael Beckwith https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Liberation-Fulfilling-Souls-Potential/dp/1582702055
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson https://amzn.to/391GKgL
Pema Chodron https://pemachodronfoundation.org/
Thich Nhat Hanh https://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/
EMDR therapy https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/
"Maybe" from Annie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrr3EmaF3gA
Episode 5: Vanessa Wright - Writing into Parenthood and Personhood
Writer and homeschool parent Vanessa Wright explores the daily challenges of balancing of parenthood and personhood. In her friendly and distinctly honest way, Vanessa’s blog and social media posts tack between raising healthy kids and nurturing a healthy self. Her unexpected journey into homeschooling her three kids, now teenagers, has taught her practical, living lessons about how young people shape their own identities -- and how we can do the same in adulthood.
In this real and funny conversation, Vanessa and Justin explore the critical need for parents (especially primary caregivers) to practice self-care and sustainable boundaries to be the best parent they can be. Other topics include Vanessa’s recent 365 days of yoga, as well as her evolving spiritual life as a Christian, drawing her toward the stories of women in the Christian tradition, including Mary Magdalene.
LINKS
Big Life Journal biglifejournal.com/
The Home School Mom www.thehomeschoolmom.com/author/vanessa/
Author and scholar Richard Rohr cac.org/richard-rohr/richard-rohr-ofm/
Author and scholar Peter Enns peteenns.com/about/
Episode 4: Sam Lubell - The Beauty of Failure
Architecture journalist Sam Lubell is a self-described “expert in failure.” As the co-author of the literary phenomenon Never Built, Sam’s passion is uncovering structures that never came to be.
Sam’s immersion in unrealized dreams -- from suspension bridges with skyscrapers for legs, to a geodesic dome for the Brooklyn Dodgers -- has given him unique insight on how spaces make us more -- or less -- human.
On Oct. 28, Sam releases his new book Life Meets Art: Inside the Homes of the World's Most Creative People.
Sam and Justin also discuss raw beauty as a cure for depression, architecture as a civil right, and how to balance work and relationships, especially as a freelancer.
Sam Lubell's website: www.samlubell.com
Life Meets Art www.amazon.com/Life-Meets-Art-Inside-Creative/dp/183866131X
AMAZING photos of Never Built NY at the Queens Museum www.theverge.com/2017/9/17/16304212/never-built-new-york-queens-museum-art-exhibit-preview
GREAT VIDEO of Never Built NY at the Queens Museum
https://vimeo.com/241024579
CRAZY photos of Never Built L.A.
www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2017/feb/09/unbuilt-los-angeles-city-might-have-been-in-pictures
Episode 3: Ahuva Zaslavsky - The Unexpected Image
What is the job of visual art? Should it comfort a viewer? Make them feel good? Or disturb them? Shake them up? Should it do all of these things?
Justin talks with visual artist Ahuva Zaslavsky about the power of art to push us out of our comfort zones to new places. They also talk about Ahuva’s focus on “I vs. We” in her art, the balance of being a parent and an artist, and the healing magic of totally impulsive decisions.
Ahuva Zaslavsky completed her undergraduate work in behavioral sciences before gravitating to visual art. She is currently pursuing her MFA at Pacific Northwest College of Art. She has held solo exhibitions of her prints and paintings at PNCA Gallery, the Multnomah Arts Center and the West Linn, OR public library.
LINKS
Ahuva’s website: www.ahuvasz.com
Galleries of Ahuva's art: www.ahuvasz.com/projects-1
Episode 2: Andrew Callard - The Spacious Container
Play is the key that unlocks the door of creativity, says musical adventurer Andrew Callard. What’s more, play unlocks a “spaciousness” that allows unexpected things to blossom and grow.
In this far-ranging chat about creativity, collaboration and meditation, Andrew and Justin draw on their long friendship to talk about trusting your creative gut, using limitations as fuel, and the of the iPhone Voice Memo app.
Andrew Callard is a singer and songwriter who has collaborated with musical acts all over the world. He’s recorded with Senegal’s Djiby Seye (the nephew of Youssou N’Dour) and Cuba’s acclaimed Havana C. Andrew has released projects in multiple genres including a capella, pop and, under the name Andres Enrique, salsa.
Episode 1: Rabbi Eve Posen - Reimagining Lost Voices
When is it time to change what we believe? To rework old ideas, to question longstanding assumptions, to empower unheard voices? Rabbi Eve Posen believes the time is always now.
In this timely and wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Eve and Justin discuss the ongoing project of reinterpretation — How we look back at our holy texts, traditions and assumptions, and by doing so, how we look forward.
Rabbi Eve Posen is the co-author, with Lois Shenker, of Pirkei Imahot: The Wisdom of Mothers, the Voices of Women. She is Associate Rabbi at Congregation Neveh Shalom in Portland, OR.
Episode 0: Welcome to
QUALITY HUMAN
What’s QH all about?
Starting September 15, 2020, join Justin for conversations with novelist Anna Solomon (The Book of V.), design journalist Sam Lubell (Never Built Los Angeles), musician Andrew Callard and many more.
Listen wherever you find your podcasts.
