The Power We Hold
Welcome to The Power We Hold podcast. My name is Vanessa Albury. I’m an eco-visual artist who grew up in Nashville, TN, went to college in Charleston, SC, and moved to NYC the day before my interview for graduate school at NYU in March of 2006. I left my apartment of 13 years in Brooklyn and I now live in the world making art and focusing on healing and love. This podcast follows my journey to becoming a better and better ally to people of all our beautiful difference ( BIPOC, LGBTQAI2S+ and fellow non-normative brained and bodied friends, neighbors and strangers) and a better steward of planet Earth, our shared home.
The lovely human and brilliant artist, Caleb Williams is my season 1 co-host on this journey because of her vast talents along with her willingness to have uncomfortable conversations with me and our shared belief in our intentions, integrity and love.
We are here to support you on your journey into better allyship and Earth stewardship with us.. I understand that people tend to listen to other people who look and sound like they do, so I’ve created this podcast to provide an example of how to navigate uncomfortable and even difficult conversations about race, gender, brains, bodies and the planet as a white person.
Also I'm in the non-normative brain category. I have narcolepsy with cataplexy from C-PTSD. I am by no means perfect. I will step in it, say the wrong thing, and I’m committed that being ok and to digging deeper and learning.
For those of you listening who are BIPOC, LGBTQAI2S+ and non-normative embodied, I thank you for listening and participating in the education process of informing the privileged classes of your experience of racism, sexism, ageism, body-ism and all the -isms in America and the world. I understand that is a generous action and I’m grateful to you.
My intention is for this podcast to give you, and us all really, hope for a future of equality and faith that many white, straight, generally normative people are on your side and truly want to create a better, equal and sustainable world together.
To get there, to understand each other, we must discuss uncomfortable topics and learn how to relate to each other through them.
With deeper understanding of each other, we can truly love each other. Thank you for joining me on this journey exploring The Power We Hold.
The Power We Hold
The Power We Hold Podcast S01 Ep06: Trevor and Vanessa in conversation with Heather McGhee about her book The Sum of Us
Thank you for joining me, your host and visual artist Vanessa Albury, on my journey to becoming a better ally to people of all diversities (bipoc, LGBTQAI2S+, non-normative brained and embodied especially) and steward of the environment in podcast form as The Power We Hold! My co-host is Caleb Williams who is the painter that I collaborate with on Between the Windows. She is 21 years my junior and makes art about her experience as a Black woman in America. We have in-depth conversation about difficult topics full of love and healing.
In episode 6, we reair the conversation Trevor Bayack and Vanessa Albury had with Heather McGhee about her groundbreaking book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, covering how racism hurts the privileged class. Heather McGhee is a writer, an activist and a regular guest on all the political shows such as CNN, Tedx, MSNBC, C-Span, Face the Nation among countless others . When Trevor and I read Heather's book, we were both mind-blown. We became aware of a subversive problem little discussed about racism and a new way to approach defeating it. A meager foot up is not worthy of holding EVERYONE back, right?! Heather McGhee's language is reminiscent of Joan Didion and her research opens the door to a new age of social change. As Ibram X. Kendi said, "This Is The Book I’ve Been Waiting For.” The Sum of Us is a must read for every American!
Originally recorded March 19, 2021 in Brooklyn, NY and aired on March 28, 2021.
Show Notes:
The Power We Hold Podcast IG, website
If you enjoy The Power We Hold podcast, please consider supporting us in covering the costs to create it on Patreon via Coral Projects.
Host Vanessa Albury IG, website
Co-host Caleb Williams IG, website (She's got great swag for sale!)
Coral Projects IG, website, creating underwater, eco-contemporary art to re-wild the ocean with oysters and corals.
Make a tax-deductible donation to Coral Projects and NY Oyster Reefs
Between the Windows IG, public art collaboration with Caleb
Music by Wael Elhalaby IG, Soundcloud
This is a clip from his song Clear Skys.
Audio Editor, and my cousin, making magic from my home recordings, Bryan Klausing of the Rain Junkies website, LinkedIn
Trevor's details:
Freedom Market, freedommarketnbk IG - Shop products made by BIPOC-owned businesses, many are eco-friendly. And you'll find Caleb's t-shirts with her brand Urban Jungle now on the FM!
Heather McGhee's details:
Her book The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
Do buy it from your local bookstore, bipoc owned if have one in your city. My favorite NYC bipoc-owned bookstore is also feminist, called Cafe Con Libros does ship!
Her website with appearance and talks
