An overview & welcome to Our Dream Deferred. Find out how we will explore the American story, as inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem, Dream Deferred: “What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over--

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?”

These past few years, as our country has become more fragmented, and longstanding biases have come into plain sight, we’ve searched for ways to understand what we’re experiencing more deeply and to benefit from perspectives that can help us envision a path forward. This week’s episode of Our Dream Deferred: Fulfilling the Nation’s Promise, we’ll cover the importance of narrative change and how to do it in a positive way, what we can do as leaders and organizations to contribute to meaningful change, and what behavioral science can teach us about how to reach the people and communities we serve.

This episode’s guest is Anthony Barrows, a Managing Director at idas42.

Be part of Our Dream Deferred. Use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at cbecker@aphsa.org. 

This episode was produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design by Brandon Mitchell.

Links:

http://ideas42.org/learn 

https://anthonybarrows.com/home.html 

https://www.mobilitypartnership.org/paper-categories/narrative 

Book Recommendations:

The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? by Michael J. Sandel

The Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth About Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations by Robert Livingston

Scarcity: The New Science of Having Less and How It Defines Our Lives by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir 

In this week’s episode of Our Dream Deferred: Fulfilling the Nation’s Promise, we’re in conversation with Derrik Anderson, Executive Director at Race Matters for Juvenile Justice. Derrik helps us reflect on the American Dream in the context of taking a frank look at the lived experiences of people of color in the United States. Derrik uses a historical lens to explore policies, their impacts on systems and institutions, and the biases they can lead to, and encourages us to continually do the work to counter racism, white supremacy culture, and other injustices. Key will be to create a shared language across institutions and groups to address these problems – an activity you’re participating in just listening to this podcast! 

Be a part of Our Dream Deferred: use the hashtag #OurDreamDeferred or write to us at cbecker@aphsa.org. 

This episode was produced by APHSA. Editing and sound design by Brandon Mitchell.

Link:

https://rmjj.org/