Rev. Dr. Traci C. West is Professor of Christian Ethics and African American Studies at Drew University Theological School (Madison, NJ). Traci is the author of Solidarity and Defiant Spirituality: Africana Lessons on Religion, Racism, and Ending Gender Violence (New York University Press, 2019), Disruptive Christian Ethics: When Racism and Women's Lives Matter (Westminster John Knox Press, 2006), Wounds of the Spirit: Black Women, Violence, and Resistance Ethics (New York University Press, 1999), and the editor of Our Family Values: Same-sex Marriage and Religion (Praeger, 2006). She has also published many articles and book chapters on sexual, gender, and racial justice, gender-based intimate violence, and clergy ethics. She has served on the editorial board of Journal for the Society of Christian Ethics, as co-editor of the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, on the Society of Christian Ethics Professional Conduct Committee, and the editorial board of T&T Clark Studies in Social Ethics, Ethnography, and Theology.

This episode discusses themes of sexual assault and violence. Please take care of yourself. 

Editing by Wazi Maret and David Beasley. Production by Dan Greenman and Nora Rasman. Transcription help from Kolenge Fonge.

Learn more, find transcript and more episodes at https://auburnseminary.org/fortification/.

Rev. Dr. Traci C. West

The creative force of gina Breedlove is as dangerous and delightful as this earth we share.​ Singer, Song​w​riter, Sound Healer & Medicine Woman​, gina was born in​ Brooklyn, NY.

She began performing at age 15, singing back up for the incomparable Phyllis Hyman​. Since, gina has toured all over the world with artists who, like herself, define and redefine genre; Harry Belafonte, Toshi Reagon, Ronny Jordan, Ani Difranco, Craig Harris, and Sekou Sundiata, to name a few.

This episode discusses themes of sexual assault and violence. Please take care of yourself. 

Learn more, find transcript and more episodes at https://auburnseminary.org/fortification/.

gina Breedlove

This conversation was recorded at Auburn Seminary's December 2019 Mountaintop Gathering in Oakland, CA. 

The creative force of gina Breedlove is as dangerous and delightful as this earth we share.​ Singer, Song​w​riter, Sound Healer & Medicine Woman​, gina was born in​ Brooklyn, NY. She began performing at age 15, singing back up for the incomparable Phyllis Hyman​. Since, gina has toured all over the world with artists who, like herself, define and redefine genre; Harry Belafonte, Toshi Reagon, Ronny Jordan, Ani Difranco, Craig Harris, and Sekou Sundiata, to name a few.

Malkia Devich-Cyril is an award winning writer and public speaker on issues of digital rights, narrative power, Black liberation and collective grief; as well as the lead founder and former Executive Director of MediaJustice — a national hub boldly advancing racial justice, rights and dignity in a digital age. After more than 10 years of organizational leadership, Devich-Cyril now serves as a Senior Fellow at Media Justice. Devich-Cyril is also a sci-fi nerd, a communications strategist, a veteran in the movement for digital rights and freedom, a leader in the movement for Black lives and the widowed spouse of comedian and editor Alana Devich-Cyril, who died following an intense two year battle with advanced cancer.

Malachi Larrabee-Garza is the Founding Director of Innovative Justice Solutions (IJS). In this role, Malachi provides strategic consultation to businesses and institutions, specializing in scaling operations and impact through cross-sector collaboration. Malachi is also proud to be a 2019-2021 Rosenberg Foundation Leading Edge Fellow, building reparations based projects within the emerging cannabis economy and the governance thereof.

Editing by Wazi Maret and David Beasley. Production by Dan Greenman and Nora Rasman. Transcription help from Kolenge Fonge.

Learn more, find transcript and more episodes at https://auburnseminary.org/fortification/.

gina Breedlove, Malkia Devich-Cyril & Malachi Garza

Fortification: Spiritual Sustenance for Movement Leadership is a Podcast featuring Caitlin Breedlove, Vice President, Movement Leadership at Auburn Seminary interviewing movement leaders, organizers and activists.

Fortification is a joint project of Auburn Seminary and Side with Love, a campaign of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Fortification Podcast