Advertise on podcast: The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope

Airing in celebration of Pendle Hill’s 95th Anniversary Gathering, this special episode marks the conclusion of Season 6 and the final chapter of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope. Across six seasons, The Seed has brought together Quakers, artists, activists, and seekers to explore visions of a transformed world breaking through the cracks of our broken systems. In this series finale, host Dwight Dunston is joined once again by Francisco Burgos, Executive Director of Pendle Hill, to reflect on the journey of the podcast, the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of active love, and the ways these conversations will continue to bear fruit long after the microphone is turned off. Dwight and Francisco revisit Dr. King’s book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? It examines what it truly means to incarnate a "strong, demanding love" in times of personal and societal crisis. Through memories from past guests—including healer John Calvi, poet Zenaida Peterson, and writer, facilitator, and leadership coach Valerie Brown—they explore how love moves from an abstract sentiment into everyday practices of solidarity, vulnerability, and justice. Francisco also shares how finding accompaniment in figures like Father Gabriel Romanell in Gaza helps us stay awake to injustice without surrendering to despair. Dwight’s Closing Reflections: An Evergreen Garden In his final sign-off, host Dwight Dunston leaves listeners with a heartfelt and tender meditation on the long arc of this work: Grounded in Kingian Nonviolence: Dwight reflects on the essential balance between principles and daily practice. While the steps of nonviolence are often easier said than done, living into love becomes sustainable when anchored in spiritual practice, art, and creativity.The Power of Community: Remaining hopeful in the face of injustice cannot be done alone. Moving in community transforms individual weariness into shared resilience and collective action.An Evergreen Resource: Although The Seed is concluding its run, Dwight reminds us that the garden planted across these six seasons is evergreen. These episodes remain open archives—places to return whenever you need to fill your "hope cup," nourish your soul, or remind yourself of what transformative power looks like in action.A Call to Witness: Listeners are invited to take the seeds nurtured in these conversations and plant them outward—carrying lessons of active love and justice directly into their own neighborhoods and communities.In This Episode: (00:27) Incarnating love beyond romantic ideals(03:53) Dr. King’s 1967 SCLC speech: Choosing a demanding love over hate(10:11) Redefining "cool" through faithful action and spiritual courage(11:32) Echoes from the seasons: Reflections from John Calvi, Zenaida Peterson, and Valerie Brown(17:01) Finding joy and presence amid crisis: The witness of Father Gabriel in Gaza(23:09) Honoring the hands that built The Seed(25:26) Dwight’s closing benediction and Kingian reflectionsHost: Dwight Dunston Guest: Francisco Burgos Producer & Editor: Peterson Toscano Early Production Support: Anna Hill, Ari Goodman, and Frances Kreimer Theme Music: The I Rise Project by Reverend Rhetta Morgan and Bennett Kuhn, produced by Astronautical Records Additional Music: Epidemic Sound NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

How do we use art to dismantle colonial narratives and stay grounded in our cultural truth? In this moving episode, host Dwight Dunston is joined by mother-daughter "artivists" Anito Gavino and Malaya Ulan. Together, they explore the intersection of family-centered practice, Filipina identity, and the power of storytelling as a tool for justice and healing. The conversation begins with a quote from environmental activist Vandana Shiva on ecofeminism and our refusal to be divided by race or separated from nature. From there, Anito and Malaya invite us into their creative process—a "living archive" that honors their ancestors while equipping the next generation to lead with love. About the Guests Anito Gavino is a Filipina multidisciplinary artist, movement scholar, and cultural worker based in Philadelphia. A top 25 Dance USA awardee and Leeway Transformation Award recipient, her work focuses on the intersections between Afro-Indigenous cultures and Filipino archives.Malaya Ulan is a 17-year-old Filipina-American "artivist" and the 2024-2025 Youth Poet Laureate of Philadelphia. A multi-dimensional poet, she merges writing with dance and film, recently delivering a TEDx talk on poetry as activism.Together, they lead the collective Ani Malaya Works, creating theatrical pieces that encourage critical dialogue and education. Key Themes Explored The Burden of History: Deconstructing Rudyard Kipling’s "The White Man’s Burden" and its impact on Black and Brown bodies.Hidden Legacies: The history of Filipino involvement in the U.S. military and the origins of police tactics like the baton (Kali/Escrima).Love as Practice: How their relationship evolved from childhood "theater games" to a shared ministry of cultural preservation.The Immigrant Experience: The "growing pains" of moving to new geographies and finding the "village" that sustains revolutionary work."I felt the change started when Malaya came. It was a spiritual connection that is just reuniting... how can I now use what I know to prepare you? This is love." — Anito Gavino ✨ Listen in for a conversation on why every act of remembering is an act of resistance. Learn more about Ani Malaya Works: https://www.anigavino.com/ NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

In this intimate mini-episode of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope, the roles are briefly shifted as host Dwight Dunston shares his own Quaker journey with guest John Calvi. From an antsy teenager in a Quaker high school to finding his "spiritual home" as an adult, Dwight reflects on the power of silence, memory, and the "upper room" of communal worship. Dwight recalls the bittersweet grief of his final high school meeting for worship, a moment where he realized the profound value of "settling in" with others. "We were bodies in space, but we were also... in a different room," Dwight reflects. After years of traveling and studying poetry abroad, it was a return to Philadelphia during a time of personal loss that led him back to a meeting house, where he finally felt he had found his place. In this episode, we discuss: The transition from "antsy teenager" to a seeker of silent worship.The lasting impact of Quaker education on alumni and their spiritual lives.Dwight’s journey through grief and his eventual "spiritual homecoming" at Merion Meeting. +2How the practices of poetry and faith intertwine in Dwight's work as an artist and facilitator.Related Resources: Dwight Dunston’s Official WebsiteJohn Calvi’s Official WebsiteMerion Friends MeetingKingian Nonviolence Training InformationWWUH Radio: Gay Spirit ArchiveGuest & Host Bios: Dwight Dunston (aka Sterling Duns) is a West Philly-based facilitator, hip-hop artist, and activist. A Level 2 Certified Kingian Nonviolence Trainer, Dwight brings creativity and care to his work in schools, festivals, and community centers to support healing and wholeness in individuals and ecosystems. John Calvi is a Quaker healer and singer-songwriter. For over thirty years, he has offered massage and healing touch to survivors of trauma and those living with AIDS. He is the author of The Dance Between Hope and Fear. NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

In this mini-episode, host Dwight Dunston returns to his conversation with Quaker healer John Calvi. They explore the history of John’s seminal song, "The Ones Who Aren't Here," and the weight of carrying love across time and loss. John shares the song's origins, written in his 20s during a time of "personal exile". Reflecting on the "fierce closet" of the early 80s, John notes, "As Pete Seeger said, you build a good building, can be used for a lot of different things over time". For John, the song became a "good building" for those seeking community during the AIDS crisis. The episode features a 1982 recording from WWUH radio. John reflects: "Perhaps ministry is that rare, too rare, song that teaches the pain as it lifts us up towards knowing what is possible". In this episode, we discuss: The social origins of "The Ones Who Aren't Here".Healing touch as Quaker ministry during the AIDS crisis.John’s work with the late nonviolence educator William J. Kreidler.Resources: "The Ones Who Aren't Here" (Song): https://youtu.be/3EANcOHwLbc (1982 Recording)John Calvi: https://johncalvi.com/Suede (Singer - Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suede_(singer)Meg Christian: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_ChristianLGBTQ Religious Archives Network (Calvi Profile): https://lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/profiles/john-calviWilliam J. Kreidler (Memorial Archive): https://williamjkreidler.com/"Nonviolence in the Classroom" (Reference to William Kreidler's work): https://biblioteca.cejamericas.org/handle/2015/4078Guest Bio: John Calvi is a Quaker healer and songwriter who offered massage and healing touch during the AIDS crisis. A member of Putney (VT) Friends Meeting, he has had his music recorded by artists such as Meg Christian and Suede. NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

What does love look like when it moves beyond sentiment and becomes a force for healing, justice, and transformation? In this Season Six finale of The Seed, we welcome John Calvi, a Quaker healer, certified massage therapist, and longtime advocate for survivors of trauma. John began offering healing touch during the AIDS crisis in 1983 and has since worked with survivors of war, torture, sexual abuse, and incarceration—always centering presence, compassion, and deep listening. He is also the founding convener of the Quaker Initiative to End Torture. The conversation is grounded in All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks, including her insistence that “there can be no love without justice.” From there, Dwight and John explore how love is experienced somatically—in the body—and how it becomes power when it refuses domination and instead fosters dignity, accountability, and repair. Reflecting on decades of healing work, John describes moments when the boundary between stranger and kin dissolves, when tenderness reveals both suffering and possibility at once. He speaks candidly about power—how “power over” wounds and constricts, while power rooted in love expands our capacity to remain present even in the face of immense pain. As John puts it: “Pain becomes suffering when it becomes all that we are. The work is to loosen the contraction of the body, of the heart, of the mind—so that pain does not take over our entire existence.” John and Dwight discuss the wisdom of the body, Quaker worship as a deeply somatic practice, and the slow, cyclical nature of healing. John distinguishes between pain and suffering, noting how laughter, stillness, touch, and truth-telling can interrupt despair and make space for hope. In his closing reflection, Dwight weaves together John’s stories with his own experiences of intergenerational care—of children and elders, beginnings and endings—inviting listeners to consider how love becomes real when it is practiced in tangible, embodied ways. This episode closes Season Six with a grounded offering of wisdom: that love, when paired with justice, is not abstract. It is practiced with hands, breath, presence, and courage. NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

In this mini-episode of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope, we return to a Season Six conversation with Inaara Neal-Shiraz and ,O—two people whose lives and work embody love as a healing force for justice. Inaara Neal-Shiraz served as the Inclusion and Belonging Coordinator for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, supporting Friends across four states and nurturing communities of care, discernment, and connection—especially among young adult Friends. ,O is a longtime healer, educator, and community organizer who has spent more than twenty-five years working at the intersection of social and environmental justice, supporting individuals and communities in healing legacies of harm. In this excerpt, Inaara and ,O reflect on fear not as something to conquer or eliminate, but as something to listen to. They explore breath, nervous systems, worship, and what it means to practice alchemy with our emotions. Fear, they suggest, may carry distorted messages—but also wisdom—inviting us to slow down, breathe, and remain present long enough to hear what is asking for our attention. As Dwight reflects, this conversation points toward a form of love that is not sentimental or passive, but embodied, intentional, and deeply attentive—a love practiced in grocery stores, on train platforms, and in moments when nothing appears to be “wrong,” yet everything is asking for care. To hear the full conversation this excerpt comes from, visit pendlehill.org/podcast or listen on Spotify.  What did you notice in your body as you listened? What did fear reveal to you? You can share reflections by emailing [email protected] or connecting with @PendleHill on social media. NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

How do we move beyond the "gatekeeping" of our institutions to practice a love that is truly transformative? In this soul-stirring conversation, host Dwight Dunston is joined by Zae Illo and Lisa Graustein to explore the intersection of spiritual practice and radical justice. Together, they challenge us to look beyond "market logic" and historical comfort to find a faith that meets people exactly where they are—on the streets, in the struggle, and in the heart. The episode grounds itself in the words of early Quakers Isaac Pennington, John Woolman, and Catherine Payton, using their 17th and 18th-century visions as a springboard to ask: What does it mean to "restore love to its right place" in a world of broken systems? Zae Illo is a public theologian and street minister in San Francisco. His ministry focuses on the material and spiritual needs of the unhoused, bridging the gap between faith and the harsh realities of urban life. He is the author of Wild Deep Waters and a prophetic voice on the necessity of "transgressive" love—a love that flows outside the bounds of what society deems "normative." Lisa Graustein is a lifelong Quaker, artist, and justice educator. Her work centers on healing, transformation, and dismantling white supremacy within spiritual and secular institutions. She brings a wealth of experience in mutual aid, peacebuilding, and "Afrofuturism," inviting us to imagine a future where resources are shared in common and every gate is opened. They explore: Love as Transgression: Why following the spirit often requires us to break cultural norms and "market logic."The Myth of Private Property: A critical look at the "Diggers" vs. early Quakers and the radical call to hold all things in common.Institutional Gatekeeping: How our organizations (and meeting houses) inadvertently limit access to the "light" and how to dismantle those barriers.Tools for Connection: Lisa’s "Great-Great-Grandchild" framework for finding common ground in a polarized world.The Ministry of the Streets: Why material assistance is a vehicle for hearing the testimonies of those the state deems "disposable."Politics does not determine someone’s character or someone’s essence... What if we were curious as to why?" -Zae Illo Hear "radical curiosity" and a call to live into the Kingdom of God as a present, breaking reality. NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

In this mini-episode of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope, we return to Season Three for a powerful moment from Dwight’s conversation with artist, facilitator, theologian, and mother Autumn Brown. Autumn reflects on fugitivity, freedom, and what it means to step into lostness so that belonging can find us. She explores how community, agency, vulnerability, and mutual care shape the conditions where people can come home to themselves and to one another. This excerpt comes from  Creating the Conditions for Belonging with Autumn Brown  Season 3, Episode 2  https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/2032871/13365431-creating-the-conditions-for-belonging-with-autumn-brown Learn more about Autumn Brown Website: https://www.iambrown.org/  Autumn Brown is an artist, facilitator, theologian, mother, and freedom worker. She is the front woman of the soul-pop band AUTUMN and the co-host of How to Survive the End of the World, the long-running podcast she creates with her sister, adrienne maree brown. Autumn brings twenty years of experience in movement strategy, consensus process, and racial justice facilitation, and has worked with community-based organizations across the U.S. and internationally. She is a former facilitator with AORTA (Anti-Oppression Resource & Training Alliance) and previously served as Executive Director of RECLAIM!, supporting queer and trans youth in reclaiming their lives from oppression. Autumn will also be the guest host of the Climate Changed podcast, a project of The BTS Center. Learn more at https://ClimateChangedPodcast.org NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

How do we speak truth in love—and stay grounded in care, courage, and connection while doing so? In this powerful, heart-centered conversation, host Dwight Dunston is joined by two guests whose lives embody the practice of love as a healing force for justice: Inaara Neal-Shiraz and ,O. Together they explore what it means to balance bold truth-telling with tenderness, to hold anger and compassion in the same breath, and to become “alchemists” of our own emotions. The episode begins with a passage from the Pendle Hill pamphlet Nonviolence on Trial by Robert W. Hillgas, which asks how we might name evil without losing sight of our shared humanity. From there, Dwight, Inaara, and ,O invite listeners into a living meditation on love—as practice, discipline, and transformation. About Our Guests ,O is a longtime healer, educator, and community organizer working at the intersection of social and environmental justice. For more than 25 years, they have led workshops and healing circles that support individuals and groups in addressing the legacies of racism, sexism, homophobia, and class privilege. ,O serves as Healing Justice Coordinator at Philly Thrive, is a founding member of Alternatives to Gun Violence, and leads the Quaker ministry Love and Respect Transform, which explores the transformative power of love. Inaara Neal-Shiraz (she/her) served as the Inclusion and Belonging Coordinator for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, supporting 10,000 Friends across four states and nurturing communities of belonging among young adult Friends. She brings her background in education, the arts, and nonprofit work to her ministry of connection—helping Quaker spaces become more inclusive and life-giving for people of all identities and experiences.  Elder Wisdom Throughout the episode, Inaara and ,O speak from different generations yet a shared spiritual lineage. They remind us that love is not sentimental—it is an ancient rhythm, an elder wisdom that lives in the heart. Love can be fierce, restorative, and revolutionary. Dwight reflects: “What if we weren’t afraid of love—to be seen, to be powerful, to let go of the king’s language and speak from the heart instead?” NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

In this special mini-episode of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope, host Dwight Dunston reconnects with guest Lisa Graustein to explore how art, love, and power intertwine in daily life. Together, they reflect on the creative process as an act of resistance, connection, and renewal. Dwight shares his newest creative project—an emerging genre he calls “Anthropocene Hip-Hop,” a musical form that bridges the natural world, social justice, and lyrical artistry. “I’ve been a hip-hop artist for years,” Dwight says, “but this moment calls for music that recognizes our interconnectedness—with each other, the stars, and the earth itself.” You will hear one of his original songs.  Lisa, a potter and educator, describes her recent community projects, including an art show inspired by Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower and a new installation called Night Lights, which uses ceramics to create vessels that radiate light through perforated clay forms. “To me,” Lisa reflects, “there’s something metaphorically powerful about a bowl with holes in it. That’s what love feels like—a container that holds, but with space for things to move through.” Through their conversation, Dwight and Lisa consider how love and power, like light and clay, must move freely to remain alive. Lisa says, “If we actually saw every human being as our sibling, every social problem we have would disappear.” Dwight responds, “That’s our human family—to see each other as resource, as places to cultivate belonging and hope.” Together, they remind us that recommitting to love—through creativity, justice, and everyday care—is itself a radical act. Guest Bio A lifelong Quaker, Lisa Graustein is a former middle and high school teacher who now works as a facilitator and trainer in diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has led Young Friends programs, worshiped with the full spectrum of Quakers, co-facilitated Quaker Coalition for Uprooting Racism cohorts, and helped start Three Rivers Meeting. An artist and solo mom, she lives on Neponset Band of the Massachusett land, colonially known as Boston. Lisa’s pottery and art can be found on Instagram at @LisaGraustein. NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

What happens when sacred stories are used to justify oppression—and when telling the truth feels like rebellion? In this episode of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope, host Dwight Dunston speaks with Sarah Ruden, an award-winning translator, essayist, and Quaker writer whose work exposes how language, power, and faith intersect. Known for her acclaimed translations of The Aeneid, The Gospels, The Confessions of Augustine, and Perpetua: The Woman, the Martyr, Ruden brings deep historical insight and moral clarity to this conversation about love, responsibility, and truth. Drawing on the biblical story of Hagar and Ishmael, Sarah unpacks how ancient hierarchies still shape the present. She traces the lineage of propaganda around women’s bodies from Ovid’s Rome to today’s reproductive politics—and challenges the spiritual evasions that allow injustice to endure. She also draws on her forthcoming book, Reproductive Wrongs: A Short History of Bad Ideas About Women. Key Quotes “The silence of women in the Hebrew Bible is very interesting—very provocative to think about.” “People, especially men, don’t want to take responsibility for what actually happens.”  “We have to start by telling the truth.” Together, Dwight and Sarah explore what it means to live with integrity in a time of crisis, how Quaker faith can both guide and confuse, and why empirical truth—science, evidence, and witness—matters for spiritual survival. 🔗 Resources Mentioned Reproductive Wrongs: A Short History of Bad Ideas About Women – forthcoming from KnopfPerpetua: The Woman, the Martyr – Yale University PressThe Face of Water: A Translator on Beauty and Meaning in the Bible – VintageThe story of Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 16–21)Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “When Peace Becomes Obnoxious” (1957) https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/when-peace-becomes-obnoxiousGrace Lee Boggs and “The Clock of the World” – The Harvard CrimsonLearn more about Sarah’s work at https://sarahruden.com/ NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

This mini episode of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope revisits our most downloaded conversation across six seasons, featuring visionary leader Niyonu Spann. Through excerpts from her full episode, Niyonu shares what it means to live with integrity—wholeness, surrender, and alignment with purpose. She reflects on the origins of her transformative workshop, Beyond Diversity 101, and offers listeners practical invitations to embody integrity in their daily lives. About Niyonu Spann Niyonu Spann is a facilitator, musician, and community leader with decades of experience in and beyond Quaker institutions. As Dean at Pendle Hill in the early 2000s, she created Beyond Diversity 101, a workshop that has transformed communities across the country. She is a prolific musician and founder of the performance group Tribe 1, which has carried songs of peace and justice throughout the U.S. and Nicaragua. Niyonu has also worked extensively with Chester Eastside Ministries in Chester, Pennsylvania. Compelling Quotes from the Episode “It is about wholeness. It is about remembering who we are.” —Niyonu Spann “I didn’t even know I needed that song, but I knew I needed that song. Thank you for that gift.” —Dwight Dunston Listen in for wisdom, music, and a reminder that integrity is the keynote frequency guiding us toward justice and belonging. Follow Niyonu on Instagram @niyonus and LinkedIn.  👉 To hear the complete original conversation, visit: https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/2032871/episodes/12356301-integrity-radical-truth-remembering-who-we-are-with-niyonu-spann NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

In this first full episode of Season Six of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope, host Dwight Dunston speaks with Lisa Graustein, a lifelong Quaker, educator, DEI facilitator, artist, and solo mom. Lisa reflects on the intersections of love, power, justice, and belonging. She shares stories of winding life paths, creating safer spaces, and the importance of daily recommitment to what matters most. Drawing on an Alice Walker quote about love activism, she reminds us that even in disorienting times, joy, truth, forgiveness, and care for the earth can ground us. Together, Dwight and Lisa explore the challenges of uprooting racism, the role of art and community in sustaining hope, and how faith can guide us toward more fluid, interconnected ways of being. Quotes from the episode Dwight: “Sometimes love actually means saying the hard things or showing up in a space even when it’s not easy.”Lisa: “Our faith at its core actively assumes there shouldn’t be norms… Listening to God and doing what God tells you to do today doesn’t mean we’re going to do the same thing all the time.”NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

Season Six of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope begins with Francisco Burgos, Executive Director of Pendle Hill. Host Dwight Dunston and Francisco reflect on this season’s theme—love and power—inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Dr. King wrote:  “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.” In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore: What love requires of us in the face of injustice and despair.How power, when rooted in service, can become transformative.The resilience of community in times of crisis.The role of testimony and imagination in shaping a more just world.Dwight and Francisco share personal updates, ground themselves in King’s words, and invite listeners to reflect on what social systems and testimonies we need today to build communities of dignity, justice, and hope. 📖 Featured Reading: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.

Episode Summary Today, we share an episode from a sister podcast, Refugia hosted by Debra Rienstra. Refugia are places of shelter where life endures in times of crisis. From out of these small sanctuaries, life reemerges, and the world is renewed. In this episode of Refugia, Debra speaks with theologian Ruth Padilla DeBorst. She describes life in Casa Adobe, an intentional Christian community in Costa Rica, and discusses what faithful living can look like as we seek to resist complicity in the abuses of empire. Season 4 of Refugia will be released this fall! Listen here or on your favorite podcast platform. Guest Bio Dr. Ruth Padilla DeBorst is a theologian, practitioner, teacher, and speaker with decades of experience in ministry throughout Latin America. She has served with organizations including The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, Latin American Theological Fellowship, and World Vision International, among others. She is a theological educator, both in Latin America and in the United States with her position at Western Theological Seminary. NEW Video Version available at Pendle Hill's YouTube page. The transcript for this episode is available on https://pendlehillseed.buzzsprout.com/ ---- The Seed is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker center open to all for Spirit-led learning, retreat, and community. We’re located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, on the traditional territory of the Lenni-Lenape people. Help us to grow The Seed! Share your thoughts with us through our listener survey. Follow us @PendleHillUSA on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to The Seed wherever you get your podcasts to get episodes in your library as they're released.  To learn more, visit pendlehill.org/podcast.  This project is made possible by the generous support of the Thomas H. & Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund.