Heather Bruegl reminds us that if we want to use the tools we have to make America great in ways it never has been, we need to know, talk about and learn from the true history of this land. An historian specializing in federal Indian policy, Heather shares true stories of colonial violence, displacement and betrayal of Native Americans, including of the tribes indigenous to this region. A citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and first line descendent Stockbridge Munsee, Heather shares how she came to her love of history and her experiences of both happiness and anger in returning to the land of her ancestors. 

Heather is a graduate of Madonna University in Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in U.S. History. She has become an ‘’accidental activist,’’ speaking to different groups about intergenerational racism and trauma and helping to bring awareness to our environment, the fight for clean water and other issues in the Native community. In addition to serving as the Director of Education for Forge Project, she travels and speaks on Native American history, including policy and activism.

Website: https://forgeproject.com/

Recommended article: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/05/return-the-national-parks-to-the-tribes/618395/

On this episode of the Good Work Hour, Terri and Micah welcome Isaac Green Diebboll (known as Ize to those who know him well!) Ize is a filmmaker from NY, living in Sullivan County. He went to a Quaker school, where he learned to appreciate the power of shared silence when he was young. He lives on a small farm and his film practice is supported by the disciplines of drawing, piano and dance. He has an MS degree in Urban Ecology from Parsons, and is a cofounder of the nonprofit org, ENGN Civic Creative Center. He’s served with his local fire department, planning board and human rights commission. Isaac is also involved in local indigenous language preservation.

His film Terrell Homes is the story of the fight for public housing in Newark, New Jersey. Told through multiple perspectives over 4+ years, the film centers on a resilient black matriarchy, featuring the personal narratives of residents, neighbors, activists and government officials, while tracing tedious planning meetings, protests, community gatherings and moments of prayer. This is a raw portrait of displacement, and a testimony to those who fight and die for what they believe in.

While Ize initially created short films to support the activism of the fierce matriarchy in this public housing community, he’s started editing a feature length film in order to show the legacy of the mothers of Terrell and to make visible the tragedy that many public housing communities face. Deep relationships with the residents have been cultivated over the years and it is his passion to ensure their stories are known.

Terrell Homes Trailer:      https://vimeo.com/645855828

Personal Website    www.greendiebboll.com

Personal Email      [email protected]

ENGN Website      www.engncntr.com

Hosted by Susan and Terri

The mission, vision and values of the Ulster Immigrant Defense Network include words like: a network of safety and support to immigrants, regardless of status; a society where everyone is welcomed, respected, and safe; and building a world of racial justice, equity and inclusion, and respect for diversity. On this episode, Evelio Martinez and Daniel Woodham explain the many facets of the work of expressing compassion for immigrant friends and neighbors, sharing how they came to this work, what it’s teaching them, and how others can get involved.  

Daniel Woodham is a caseworker with UIDN and also an organic vegetable farmer. He loves travel, meeting people from other countries and learning about foreign cultures and languages, as well as fighting against injustices, both global and local, and forming alliances with others in this work. He lives with his wife and son in Kingston.

Evelio Martinez is from Guatemala, and has lived in Kingston now for about 4 years, where he works in a local factory. He volunteers frequently with UIDN to be a voice from the immigrant community, and he likes to help fellow Latinos to get settled in this area. 

For info on how to get involved in and support the network, visit: https://ulsterimmigrantdefensenetwork.org/ 

Math Suks? Odd Socks?? What’s going on???

There’s a mathematician on this episode of The Good Work Hour! Japheth Wood joins co-hosts Terri and Hélène to discuss the relevance of math in our lives, how math impacts our thinking, and the ways the programs he’s involved with align with the work of Just Transition. Japheth is a mathematician who is engaged in the mathematical education of students at many levels. He is a Continuing Associate Professor of Mathematics at Bard College with responsibilities in the Math Department and in Quantitative Literacy. Japheth has also taught with the Bard Prison Initiative at the Eastern Correctional Facility in Napanoch. He directs the Bard Math Circle, whose focus is on middle school mathematics in the Mid-Hudson region. In addition to our fun conversation, get ready to hear songs you have probably never heard before and see if you can solve a math problem about red and blue socks!

bardmathcircle.org

[email protected]