Back in 2020, early in the pandemic, I discovered the music of Raianne Richards and Mark Mandeville and instantly adored it, and had Mark as my Song of the Soul guest. They've just released their new album, Making Promises, and it's more of the folk-centric music they create, with wonderful harmonies, stirring stories, and great instrumentals. Today we're joined by Raianne Richards, joining us from near Worcester, MA.
Kiran Ahluwalia was born in the Punjab, in India, but moved with her family to Canada when she was 7, well after she started training in the traditional music of her region. Kiran has continued her training, both deepening it and widening it. While her 8 albums are definitely rooted in the music and dance of her homeland, she has also enriched, extended, and diversified the songs she creates, most often carrying a message of connection and compassion. She divides her time between her homes near Toronto, ON, and NYC.
Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Sikhism, Buddhism, Atheism, Meditation
Like so many witnessing the immense suffering in Gaza, Cassandra Dixon wanted to do something to help the situation. Cassandra has made numerous visits to Palestine and has come to know many people there as personal friends, so she strongly felt the call to join the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza, carrying thousands of tons of humanitarian aid for the starving people of Gaza. At home in the Madison, WI, area, Cassandra does carpentry and home repair, leaving herself the time and freedom to annually spend a month or more in Palestine. Still, Cassandra needs and deserves our support, including through the GoFundMe to support Cassandra's participation in the flotilla.
Part 2 of a birthday celebration for Si Kahn on his 80th birthday, this week with John McCutcheon and Cathy Fink, sharing streams of music and meaning that flow from Si Kahn. Please consider donating to the Si Kahn Living Legacy on GoFundMe, to help gather and preserve the musical riches that Si has so prolifically generated. Both John and Cathy have half-century connections with Si, rich stories, and evocative music.
Timmon B. Wallis takes his life-long efforts for peace and the future of the planet to new depths and heights with his book, Warheads to Windmills - Preventing Climate Catastrophe and Nuclear War. In the book, Tim examines in thorough detail the threats that both nuclear weapons and climate change hold for the future of our planet, and then the wide range of factors implicit in our weaponry and energy sources, leading to a meticulous consideration of the agenda which will maximize the possibility of saving humans and the Earth, essentially beating swords into plowshares. Tim has spent his life building the tools of peace & getting rid of the weapons of war. Tim's Ph.D.
As a happy birthday to Si Kahn for his 80th birthday, this week and next week we are sharing songs and stories by & about Si as performed by the hand-chosen successors to Si's work and music. Today that means we are joined by Phoebe Rees & Joe Jencks. Phoebe lives in Whitley Bay in northeastern England, and Joe Jencks is based in Chicago, and if you don't know Si, Phoebe, or Joe, it's time to remedy that serious shortcoming and to find your place in the wide human community that flows from Si Kahn.
Brad Wolf has just released the book, A Ministry of Risk – Writings on Peace and Nonviolence – Philip Berrigan, powerfully capturing the life and ministry of Phil, in Phil's own words, his witness in the struggle for racial justice, against the Vietnam war and all wars, and against nuclear arms through the Plowshares movement. Brad is a deeply committed activist as co-founder of the Peace Action Network of Lancaster, and he recently coordinated the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal.
One of the sources of the rich cadre of authors and activists I have here on Spirit In Action is the promotion of writers done by Peter Bermudes of GLPR – that's Gail Leondar Public Relations – and it was through Gail that I was first acquainted with GLPR, though Peter has been at the helm since 4 years ago.
The team at FNVW and their Everyday Nonviolence Podcast guest-hosts today for Spirit In Action. Jarren Peterson Dean interviews acclaimed authors Stanley Kusunoki and Kao Kalia Yang discuss the power art has to speak the truth and connect us to our shared humanity. Stanley Kusunoki's Japanese American parents were incarcerated in the U.S.