The Forum

Jude Lane will explain the ABLE account, a free savings option for people with disabilities -- what the account is, how it works and how to set one up. - An ABLE account is a savings and / or investment option for people with disabilities who qualify....

Crises looming with the Trump election include deportation of immigrants, ongoing war in Gaza, and threats to groups such as gay and trans persons. A meeting on Nov. 22, 2024, was a post-election connection among people with fears about the Trump presi...

SuEllen Fried leads the second part of All Souls' series of events spotlighting youth suicide prevention. Fried is the author of four books on bullying, founder of BullySafeUSA and the President Emeritus for Prevent Child Abuse America.

Jackson County Children’s Services Fund board members Ann Mesle and Judy Morgan will talk about how the fund and its partners combine care, connections and creativity to provide hope against child poverty, abuse and neglect by promoting children’s ment...

A death by suicide is like no other. Mickey and Bonnie Swade, founders of Suicide Awareness Survivors Support (SASS-MoKan), and Marcia Epstein, survivor of suicide losses, will talk about the challenges of knowing when and how to comfort a suicide loss...

Michelle Irwin, Community Outreach Specialist with First Call Kansas City discusses how to provide tools to help identify the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide in youth.  (Rebroadcast from 4/27/2023)

Angela Schultz and Ben Griffiths of Compassion and Choices will discuss end-of-life options and the importance of documenting your wishes, having conversations with your loved ones, and your healthcare provider.

Natasha Herdman created Pawsperity because she believes in a two-generation, “all-in” approach to breaking the cycle of poverty. Basic needs for food and shelter must be met before a parent can guide children through school and out of poverty.

Stephanie Godfroy, the local leader of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, discusses recent issues in gun control and the passion behind the Moms' demands.  She will discuss the organization, their goals and means of fulfilling them.

Devin Burghart is president of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights and coordinates the Seattle office. He has researched, written, and organized on virtually all facets of contemporary white nationalism since 1992,

Itzel Vargas-Valenzuela, program director at Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation (AIRR) and Judy Ancel, president of the Cross Border Network, will talk about the current crisis at the U.S./Mexico border and the impact of immigration on t...

Stephanie Godfroy, the local leader of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, discusses recent issues in gun control and the passion behind the Moms' demands.  She will discuss the organization, their goals and means of fulfilling them.

Dr. Mubarak Awad discusses "Seven steps to ending the cycle of violence in Israel-Palestine". - Awad may be the world's leading expert on the nonviolence of the First Intifada. He is Palestinian, born in Jerusalem in 1943, bachelors, masters, PhD,

Continuing an annual tradition, the Forum welcomes Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas to share an address on the state of the city, in All Souls' Bragg Auditorium.

Mark Hull discusses "The Role of Media in Conflict". Hull is a Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He holds a PhD from National University of Ireland / University College Cork and ...

For decades, China's rise to power came with the reassurance that this rise would be peaceful. Tragically, this direction has changed under the leadership of Xi Jinping, the current head of state of the People's Republic of China (PRC),

Emily Penrose-McLaughlin serves as Executive Director of HealthEd Connect, a KC-based nonprofit, empowering women and children through evidence-based health, education, and advocacy. Penrose-McLaughlin will share about the organization’s partnership wi...

Richard Ned Lebow speaks on deterrence, its failures, and relations between the US and China. Lebow is Professor Emeritus of International Political Theory in the Department of War Studies, King's College London and James O.

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Angela Schultz and Ben Griffiths of Compassion and Choices will discuss end-of-life options and the importance of documenting your wishes, having conversations with your loved ones, and your healthcare provider.

Rev. Letiah Fraser, an activist and organizer connected with the Kansas Poor People's Campaign, disability rights advocate and hospital chaplain shares her passion around the intersections of faith, race and disability.

Kelly G. Loeb, Community Engagement Coordinator for the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, brings more than 20 years of personal and professional experience to the area of aging and brain health. She will share resources for people living with Alz...

Kansas City Director of Public Safety Melesa Johnson explains collaborative city efforts to reduce violent crime such as Partners for Peace, Multidisciplinary Public Safety Task Force and focused deterrence,

Timmon Wallis, Director of NuclearBan.US, explains how the "Skills devoted to nuclear weapons are needed to combat climate change." His 2023 book on Warheads to Windmills documents how the life cycle costs of wind and solar energy per megawatt hour is ...

The Forum welcomes Teresa Woody, litigation director of Kansas Appleseed, which is a statewide advocacy organization dedicated to the belief that Kansans, working together, can build a more thriving, inclusive, and just Kansas.

A death by suicide is like no other. Mickey and Bonnie Swade, founders of Suicide Awareness Survivors Support (SASS-MoKan), and Marcia Epstein, survivor of suicide losses, will talk about the challenges of knowing when and how to comfort a suicide loss...

Devin Burghart is president of the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights and coordinates the Seattle office. He has researched, written, and organized on virtually all facets of contemporary white nationalism since 1992,

University of Kansas Professor Karl Brooks discusses dangerous historical parallels and real world impacts that stem from protracted leadership struggles in the US Congress such as this year's struggles within the Republican party over whom to support ...

Join us this Saturday, when we re-air the interview that Shelia Johnson did last November with special guest Lauren Conway Founder & CEO InnovateHER KC. Lauren began her career in operational management roles working for large corporations in her home...

Nuclear power is being promoted by some as an answer to climate change. Attorney Bob Eye has represented groups concerned about nuclear power plants and waste disposal for many years and will describe the downside of this energy source.

Ty Gorman, Senior Representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Kansas & Oklahoma and Gretchen Waddell Barwick, Director of the Missouri Chapter of the Sierra Club discuss how Evergy, that serves the KC metro area,

Brian Silva, VP for Outreach at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, discusses the rise of White Christian Nationalism and the efforts to eliminate abortion access and reproductive rights, plus the movement’s threat against LGBTQ+ right...

Craig Volland, Agriculture Committee Chair for the Kansas Sierra Club, will explain why Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are a flawed and inherently cruel technology for producing meat, and also review recent U.S.

Spencer Graves and Doug Samuelson propose experiments to document the impact of citizen-directed subsidies in support of local news by analyzing their effects on the local political economy. McChesney and Nichols have recommended distributing 0.

The U.S. Supreme Court is back in session and constitutional law professor Allen Roston of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law joins the forum to review the recent significant rulings by the court and to anticipate important issues in ...

Jean Peters Baker reflects on her last term as Jackson County Prosecutor and the efforts to reduce violence in the city. She will also look ahead to the challenges awaiting her successor as well as other current issues facing Kansas City.

Rising rents, evictions and a deteriorating housing stock are denying people the basic right of having a home. Save, Inc's Toni Casey and Heather Bradley-Geary will talk about solutions to fight against the housing crisis.

Leaders from the League of Women Voters -- Anne Calvert in Missouri and Connie Taylor in Kansas -- take a look at important legislative issues facing Kansas City metro residents in the coming year. Both state chapters are fighting to protect voting rig...

Americans die younger than people in 50 nations. Author Stephen Bezruchka, Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington, tells how America went from one of the healthiest nations in the 1950s to one that pumps wealth to the rich while neglecting ...

W. Kelly Oliver, is one of still living colleagues of the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.  Frank Baron recently recorded an interview with him.  Kelly Oliver was one of 800 apprentices associated from about 1930 to 1959 with the projects of Frank...

In this informal presentation, Peter Graham will reflect on the impact of Kierkegaard’s pamphlet on a young man’s spiritual awakening.  He will contrast the impact of this jarring existential tour de force with other subsequent humanist and scientific ...

Dr. Malati Harris and Dr. Derrick Hurst will discuss the founding of Rainbow Kids & Families and its role in the community. - Rainbow Kids & Families is an elementary school student & family led organization striving to help LGBTQIA+ students and fami...

Dr. Sosinski is board certified in palliative care and hospice., working exclusively in palliative care and hospice.  He will discuss the development of hospice and palliative care -- and the difference between the two.

Dr. Michael Wolfe will start out by explaining the origin of the term “Nature’s God”, which appears in the Declaration of Independence. This concept, that God and Nature are indistinguishable, arguably has its modern philosophical origins with Baruch S...

Kansas State Senator Marci Francisco will give us an inside look at the 2023 legislative session, which included the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Governor Laura Kelly vetoed a near-record number of bills, leading to many high-stakes votes in the Legis...

Cheryl Thomas, Founder and Executive Director of Global Rights for Women, explains the background, mission and operation of Global Rights for Women.  The organization has worked with more than 60+ international partners to identify obstacles to justice...

The American Midwest is environmentally rich and complex, home to some of the world’s largest freshwater lakes and streams as well as cities, prairies, forests, and farmlands. Nevertheless, the unique environmental opportunities and challenges the regi...

Michelle Irwin, Community Outreach Specialist with First Call Kansas City discusses how to provide tools to help identify the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide in youth. 

Author Joni Wickham talks about her personal journey and the real world experiences behind her tips for women leaders (and the men around them) shared in her best-selling book, “The Thin Line Between Cupcake and Bitch.

The Great Plains Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is dedicated to saving, protecting and improving the lives of animals in the Kansas City metro area. Development & Engagement Manager Kyle Gabrielson explores the organization’s mission ...

Headlining All Souls' series of events spotlighting youth suicide prevention, Jane Clementi, the mother of Tyler Clementi, talks about the impact of her son's life and death, the creation of the foundation in his honor and the musical composition,

SuEllen Fried leads the second part of All Souls' series of events spotlighting youth suicide prevention. Fried is the author of four books on bullying, founder of BullySafeUSA and the President Emeritus for Prevent Child Abuse America.

Climate change has happened. It’s no longer a future threat. We’re living with it today. The environment is filled with new challenges but we can survive; even prosper. Join Bob Grove –activist, author and host of the Climate Hour – to learn how to pro...

Doug Samuelson and Eva Lee discuss "The threat of misinformation to public health" and what might be done to counter this problem. Much communication and control have become increasingly driven by images, memes and social media messaging rather than h...

Continuing an annual tradition, the Forum welcomes Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas to share an address on the state of the city.

Attorney Denise Lieberman, representing the plaintiff clergy who are challenging Missouri’s abortion ban, will talk about the state of their lawsuit, the ban’s reliance on a singular religious view and how it violates the Missouri Constitution’s robust...

John Mueller, prolific author, Professor Emeritus of international relations at Ohio State University and Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, discusses his 2021 book, "The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency".

Lora McDonald, the Executive Director of MORE2, discusses problems with law enforcement in the Kansas City Metro Area and about MORE2's primary annual public meeting scheduled for February 23, billed as 2-23-23.

Kansas City poets Ron Faust and Joseph Davis will discuss their writings and how they use poetry to communicate visions of social justice. Ron Faust regularly writes for Peace Works in Kansas City and has written a number of books.

Ryan Sorrell, the founder of The Kansas City Defender, talks about the role of Black media and his fast-growing news outlet. It uses innovative digital strategies, pushing the boundaries of journalism for a largely Gen Z audience,

Research has documented two ways to acquire expertise:  (1) Expert intuition can be obtained by learning from frequent, rapid, high quality feedback.  (2) Without such learning, people are identified as experts through mastery of a body of knowledge.

Jackson County Children’s Services Fund board members Ann Mesle and Judy Morgan will talk about how the fund and its partners combine care, connections and creativity to provide hope against child poverty, abuse and neglect by promoting children’s ment...

Community Engagement Coordinator Mike Marcus of Reconciliation Services and Thelma's Kitchen will be discussing how we can foster community healing through the ripple effects of building trust, lowering stigma around issues of poverty and trauma,

Michael Tisius, now 41, faces execution in Missouri for his crimes at the age of 19. His lawyer, Keith O’Connor, makes a case to spare the life of Tisius, a prison artist, whose childhood, teen years and eventually his court defense descended a trail o...

Take a deeper look at the midterm elections with Michael A. Smith, Professor of Political Science and Chair of Social Sciences at Emporia State University and editor of the book, Much Sound and Fury, or the New Jim Crow?

Join us this Saturday, when Shelia Johnson will be welcoming a special guest Lauren Conway Founder & CEO InnovateHER KC. Lauren began her career in operational management roles working for large corporations in her hometown of Saint Louis, MO.

Our heavily industrialized food system is a major contributor to climate change. Regenerative agriculture, which strives to restore the natural health of soils, could greatly reduce this impact. Craig Volland,

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker explores what’s being done to rebuild the people's trust in our courts and police, and how that might be the secret ingredient to reducing the high levels of violence in our community.

National-award winning opinion writer Toriano Porter of the Kansas City Star Editorial Board will discuss the importance of free speech, freedom of the press and the newspaper’s recent decision to publish a letter to the editor criticizing Kansas City ...

Kansas City, Missouri, is the only city in the country in which the Police Department is controlled by a state governor. Clark Achelpohl will talk about the movement to change this, its history since the Civil War,

UMKC History Professor Andrew Bergerson, who has specialized in studying modern Germany, discusses the parallels of today’s increasing worldwide and American political polarization with the experiences in fascist Germany and Italy that led to World War...

Una and Fiona Nowling, long time producers of The Tenth Voice (LGBTQIA) and Every Woman shows on KKFI, discuss current concerns of gender non-conforming individuals and groups. These include violence, US court decisions, and public health concerns.

When even conservative Kansas voters are telling the US Supreme Court that it’s out of sync with the American public, maybe it’s time to consider options for Court structural reform. UMKC School of Law professor and constitutional law expert Allen Rost...

Khiana Leapheart - Join us this Saturday, when Shelia Johnson will be welcoming special guest Khiana Leapheart, a breast cancer survivor.  October is breast cancer awareness month, and we wanted to take this opportunity to talk to Khiana about their e...

Interim Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Collier has taken charge of the now-fully accredited Kansas City Public Schools, building on her 22 years in the district. She will talk about the moral imperative of meeting the challenges ahead in the ever-changing...

UMKC political science professor Dr. Max Skidmore discusses the anti-abortion movement, the distortion of the term “pro life,” the rampant campaign to use the power of government to force women to carry unwanted pregnancies to term and the recent attem...

Anne Calvert and Janet Milkovich, presidents of the nonpartisan Leagues of Women Voters of Kansas City, Jackson, Clay, and Platte Counties in Missouri, and Johnson County in Kansas, describe how their leagues are fighting voter suppression and protecti...

Dana Ortiz, Executive Director of Family Promise of Lawrence, introduces us to this national organization whose mission is “Empowering families in a housing crisis to achieve stabilization through community connections."

Marci Francisco, Kansas State Senator and UUCL member, offers a recapitulation of the August 2nd primary election and a preview of the November 8th midterms.

Louise Hanson, local librarian, activist, and collector of Kansas cookbooks (>500) recognized that food helps Kansas settlers maintain connections with their diverse countries of origin.  Her presentation, "Tasting the Past: Exploring Kansas Food Memor...

Knowledge about the Red Planet has increased dramatically in recent years, thanks to many sophisticated probes from NASA and other nations. Tom Cravens, member of KU’s Space Physics group, will bring us up to date on the "Evolution of the Atmosphere of...

Jeff Nichols, leader of the meditation group at the Unitarian Universalists Congregation of Lawrence for the past 8 years, will discuss the science and spirituality of meditation. -   - Recorded at the Unitarian Universalists Congregation of Lawrence...

Dr. Jennifer Schrimsher, Douglas County Health Officer and infectious disease specialist at Lawrence Internal Medicine, has said, relative to the COVID pandemic, “We could probably spend an entire day talking about the lessons of this past year.

Christina Haswood represents the 10th District, which includes Baldwin City and southeastern Lawrence, in the Kansas House. She is Native American, a graduate of Haskell INU and Arizona State, who earned a master’s in public health from KU Med Center i...

Carol Curt Enos discusses the discovery of a missing copy of Shakespeare's "First Folio," and its implications concerning the mysteries surrounding the life of the Bard of Avon. - This presentation was recorded at the Unitarian Universalist Congregati...

 The Forum is on its summer hiatus, so, in its stead we present a recent presentation by Dr. Kathy Rose-Mockry, past Director of KU's Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equity. She has had a career devoted to advocacy for a wide range of areas,

Dr. Barbara Schowen will present her paper, “The Colonial Legacy: How the Culture of the Early Colonies is Still With Us.” She examines the origins and characteristics of the Virginia, Massachusetts, New Amsterdam,

An amendment to the Kansas Constitution on the ballot for the August primary would explicitly end abortion as a constitutional right. Dr. Melinda Lavon, owner of Bloom Midwifery in Lawrence, will examine the implications of this vote.

While the All Souls Forum is on Summer Hiatus, this alternative from Morning Headlines is presented. - Marcy Wheeler is an independent journalist writing about national security and civil liberties at emptywheel.net. -

Major media everywhere shape our understanding of everything including crime.  Spencer Graves describes this.  In the early 1800s the US had more newspapers per capita than any other place or time. Today we face major problems with political polarizati...

Zack Pistora of the Kansas Chapter, Billy Davis of the Missouri Chapter, and Ty Gorman of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign will discuss the status of utility scale and roof-top solar power generation in Kansas and Missouri,

The newly reopened Kansas City Museum took on the mission of giving the City a portrait of its past. Museum Collections Director Denise Morrison describes their process of figuring out whose stories get told. (Recorded 5/15/2022)

The mother and aunt of 26-year-old Matthew Bland-Williams bargained with God as they drove to the emergency room. He was dying – a victim of Kansas City’s gun violence. But Pamela Bland and Arletha Bland-Manlove descended into a system that offers fami...

Why does our society have so much difficulty dealing with effeminate men? Why is it that some people, including some in the LGBTQ community have problems dealing with "sissies?" Are there connections between this "sissyphobia" and misogyny?

What does it take to actively work against inequities historically perpetuated by education? See how one Kansas City public charter school addresses the whole child with joy while teaching to deep levels, equitably for all children.

Storytelling is as old as human culture and has many uses and impacts, including teaching morality, providing entertainment, and building empathy. National Storytelling Network member Gary Kuntz will discuss the various ways storytelling is used,

Marty Kraft sits on KC's Environmental Management Commission. Stan Slaughter is Director of Education for Missouri Organic Recycling. They will discuss how to scale up local use of soil-regenerating inoculants through community involvement,

A community’s ability to resettle refugees is a critical benchmark of a city primed for growth. Local agencies are working to ensure refugees don’t just arrive, but thrive. Join Cori Wallace, Engagement Director at Della Lamb Community Services,

Kelsey Ryan, the founder and publisher of The Beacon in Kansas City and Wichita, speaks from the frontlines of non-profit journalism, with a view of the imperiled state of local, in-depth news coverage and a look at what it takes for start-up newsrooms...

Aaron Deacon, Managing Director of KC Digital Drive, explores the digital future of Kansas City in the critical pursuit of equitable access, the promise in economic opportunities and the fascinating potential of next-generation innovation in a truly Sm...

Steve Nicely is with the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Greater KC and a retired KC Star journalist.  Sarah Crews is the founder of Heart Land Prairie Cemetery in Central Kansas. The state's first prairie restoration natural cemetery is on land donated ...

Henry Stoever and Cris Mann of PeaceWorks-KC describe their work for nuclear disarmament through civil disobedience and lobbying Congress, and talk of other strategies, including supporting the Cities Appeal of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuc...

With the rapid spread of disinformation endangering public health and polarizing politics, communities desperately need trustworthy local news. Years of runaway media consolidation and ad-driven clickbait have destroyed newsrooms and left major issues ...

Former State Senator Kiki Curls unpacks the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure package recently signed into law by President Biden and discusses its potential effect on Missouri.

Continuing an annual tradition, the Forum welcomes Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas to share an address on the State of the City.

Kansas City Star reporters Eric Adler, Kevin Hardy and Mike Hendricks discuss a month long investigation into how a neglected section of the city has become a hunting ground for real estate speculators and why many Black residents feel they are once ag...

In a time of changing enrollment and financial challenges, the Kansas City Public Schools is engaging the community in shaping the future of our city’s schools. District leaders will discuss "Blueprint 2030" and the mission to give all children a quali...

Attorneys Craig Lubow and David Bell analyze the impacts of recent court events, including cases involving Kyle Rittenhouse in Wisconsin, Officer Derek Chauvin in Minnesota, Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, and Cameron Lamb and Kevin Strickland in Kansas City...

After Charlottesville, after the Jan. 6 riot on the Capitol, and as militias grow geometrically, Leonard Zeskind explores strategies for turning back the ominous tide. He is an author and activist who has spent more than 40 years on the front lines in ...

  - Women’s reproductive rights are under attack like never before. Attorney Bob Eye, a long time advocate for Women’s rights, will give us an update on the various threats working their way to the US Supreme Court and also on the upcoming referendum ...

  - Cheryl Kimmi, the outgoing executive director of the Kansas City Fringe Festival, will host a lively discussion about the arts and its effect on the community.. The Fringe Festival gives new artists with a way to get their material before the publ...

  - UMKC's Professor Dr. Loyce Caruthers and Institute for Urban Education Associate Director Dr. Brad Poos retrace the history of Critical Race Theory, examining its intent to reshape America's understanding of itself and the mischaracterizations tha...

Stacey Johnson-Cosby, Realtor with ReeceNichols and President of the Kansas City Regional Housing Alliance will discuss the economic shutdown and how it negatively impacted private property rights across the country,

  -   - Pulitzer Prize winning author, Heather Ann Thompson, will be speaking about her book, Blood in the Water, on the Attica prison uprising of the 1970s. Thompson will address the history of the uprising, its subsequent cover up,

  - Retired public health executive and activist Jim Nunnelly stands in the breach of Kansas City's public health crisis, rallying communities to solutions in the fight against the pandemic, diabetes, heart disease and other killers that hit hardest o...

Dr. Richard Randolph, MD is the Senior Chief Medical Officer for Heart to Heart International.  He has treated many zoonotic infectious diseases including COVID 19, Ebola, Zika, Cholera, Malaria, and Chikungunya. Dr.

Zack Pistora is the state lobbyist for the Kansas Sierra Club and Interim Executive Director of the Kansas Rural Center. He will cover the challenges Kansas faces in regards to the state’s water supply and water quality - from decreasing aquifers to to...

Jason Miles, an activist with Reaching Out From Within, talks about prison reform in Kansas and turning back mass incarceration from the inside through the non-profit's work empowering prisoners through mentorships that help them gain career skills and...

Counselor Lynn Barnett, a gender specialist, explores the challenges and issues ahead for the trans+ and non-binary community, speaking from her close personal experiences with members of the community and their families.

  - NOTE: Due to a technical issue, this program was not broadcast on 10-14-21; however, the replay here is the intended program. - Nomachot Adiang, an organizer for Missouri Health Care for All, recounts the ongoing struggle for Medicaid expansion -...

Bryce Reeder, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Missouri-Columbia, takes a close look at how climate change is already straining our world, the increasing peril in climate forecasts,

George Guastello, Union Station president & CEO shares important perspective regarding this historic exhibition gathering more than a thousand original objects and photographs from around the world in an unparalleled opportunity to confront the singula...

In this rebroadcast of PEACE TALKS RADIO, we consider a 2020 film documentary made in response to the times we are living in. "The Antidote" is a feature documentary that weaves together stories of kindness, decency,

The ACLU reports that over 360 voter restriction bills are being proposed by legislatures in 47 states across the country. This wave of action by GOP legislators follows in the wake of false claims by former President Trump that the 2020 election was s...

Several states have passed legislation barring teaching critical race theory in public schools. Today we explore critical race theory and how race is taught. How should academics proceed in light of the political backlash to teaching about race? -

In this week’s edition, we will hear about three aspects of climate change. Dr. Michael Mann, an American climate scientist explains why extreme weather is more common. Dr. Sarah Chadburn, from the University of Leeds in the UK,

In this episode, Brooke Palmer, a Kansas City native, reflects on how diversity positively affected her education. She then hosts a panel discussion about several contemporary topics with a diverse group of high school students who are friends and appr...

While COVID-19 and Voting Rights are eclipsing most of the news, problems still exist in other areas.  Among those problems is the upsurge in immigrants and asylum seekers coming across the U.S.'s southern border with Mexico.

Kevin O'Donoghue and Niseema Dyan Diemer follow up last week's show by talking about the importance of saying the word, "NO" in maintaining your mental and emotional health. This is part two of a two part series.  The first part,

Kevin O'Donoghue and Niseema Dyan Diemer ask five critical questions to help you discover your true self and so find true freedom.  This show is part one of a two part series.  The second part, "The Importance of Saying "NO" will be aired next week on ...

Meg Fowler, Resource Center Coordinator at  Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ (KSPHQ) will discuss the rise in suicides in America since 1999.  She will also describe how to recognize warning signs of suicidal behavior and how to prevent and intervene. -

Podcast Host Stephanie Van Hook and University of Mary Washington Professor P. Anand Rao discuss the connection between Gandhi and the civil rights movement and how it ties into the legacy of CORE co-founder James Farmer. -

All Souls Forum is on hiatus until after Labor Day. This week, we present a climate change podcast from Radio Ecoshock entitled, "Climate in a Fiery World." - Harvard's Dr. Loretta Mickley has discoveries about how fiery this planet is.

All Souls Forum is on hiatus until after Labor Day. This week, we present the Juneteenth Special presentation of "Let's Talk About Race" from KBOO Community Radio in Portland, OR. - Juneteenth, the African American celebration of emancipation has been...

  - Dr. Gina Lane of William Jewell College and Dr. Matthew Harris of Park University will speak about how language is used in politics to campaign and popularize ideas and legislation. They will focus on the metaphors that shape our political world a...

John Fish Kurmann manages a Community Recycling Center, Green Events and Litter Abatement Programs for Bridging the Gap.  Involved in recycling for 25+ years, he will follow up on Neil Seldman's Forum (May 6,

Burdett Loomis, an educator and political observer, will discuss the accomplishments of the Biden/Harris administration. Traditionally, the first 100 days of a presidency have been a measure of effectiveness of newly elected officials.

After decades of scrambling to organize world governments to act collectively to ameliorate multiple, global climate crises, governments again plan to work together to affect global environmental problems.  Via President Joe Biden,

One of the annual traditions for the All Souls Forum has been a movie-themed Forum on the day of the Academy Awards ceremony.  In the last year we have missed seeing movies in theaters and many of us have filled our hours at home by streaming movies an...

Neil Seldman will speak about finding end-uses for materials separated from the waste stream, and the urgency of developing these business opportunities as China is refusing to continue taking portions of the waste stream line plastics.

Originally, Bryce Reeder, Assistant Political Science Professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia was to speak about the macro elements of the Paris Climate Accord; however, due to an emergency, Dr. Reeder was unable to make the presentation. -

Lawyer Stacy Shaw rose as a leader of Kansas City’s racial uprising after the killing of George Floyd that rallied thousands, black & white, to a renewed call to action. Shaw looks at what was accomplished, where we’ve fallen short,

Through a crisis-laden winter, KC Tenants shut down Jackson County's Housing Court with protests against evictions and is carrying on a #CancelRent campaign in a fight for Kansas City's most vulnerable communities exposed by the inequitable pain of the...

Stan Slaughter, Education and Garden Specialist with Missouri Organic Recycling, is a former award winning science teacher and has long been a force in the local gardening movement.  Stan, however, is best known for the scores of songs he has written a...

Lee Gum and Craig Hewett of the Kansas City chapter of Extinction Rebellion spoke August 21 at Jacobs Well Church, 42nd and Wyoming in Kansas City, Missouri.  This episode is excerpted from that presentation. -

Lee Gum and Craig Hewett of the Kansas City chapter of Extinction Rebellion spoke August 21 at Jacobs Well Church, 42nd and Wyoming in Kansas City, Missouri.  This episode is excerpted from that presentation. -

Peaceworks KC held its annual commemoration of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Sunday at Loose Park. KKFI was on hand to record. This year marks the 74th anniversary of the two tragedies.

We remember when Farm Aid came to Kansas in 2011, with a press conference featuring Jim Hightower, Neil Young, Willie Nelson, as well as local movers and shakers in the agricultural movement.

Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear sounded the alarm recently about large amounts of dangerous nuclear waste passing through Kansas City unless we work to stop it. Peaceworks KC sponsored Kamps speech March 21 at the Rime Buddhist Center in KCMO.

Peaceworks KC held it's annual Memorial Day vigil at the Kansas City weapons plant. There was a die-in memory of those who died due to contaminants at the old weapons plant at Bannister Federal Complex, and seventeen activists were arrested for trespa...

George Hoech will discuss the recent energy remodeling of his house, most alluringly, adding solar power. Having done similar remodeling eleven years ago, Rita Norton will talk about the joys of resulting and continuing comfortable living and about liv...

Dr. Seft Hunter, Exec. Director of Communities Creating Opportunity, will share results of a multi-year study examining life-expectancies by zip code. A 13 - 15 year difference occurs in life-expectancy between blacks and whites,

Members of Physicians for a National Health Plan make the case.

Winston Apple is a well known area environmental and political activist. He will get into the details of the Green New Deal which has been proposed by national political leaders to address both the climate crisis and the need for social justice.

Megan Rush, Payton Templeton, and Sasha Bornstein are students in K.U.’s Environmental Studies Program.  They will discuss their interest in protecting the environment, our most pressing issues, and what stands in the way of solving them.

The phrase “foster family” is surrounded by culturally influenced impressions that are loaded with emotional connotations. But foster families are real families with real people with hugely varied needs and commitments.

Teaching and emeritus status at William Jewell College have provided a base from which Ed Chasteen has led Hatebusters for more than thirty years. His sharing among diverse people across the region and the United States has been facilitated by people o...

The odds are stacked against our Jackson County representatives in Jefferson City, Missouri’s State House. Voters elect people trusted to represent us. But are representatives and voters spinning our wheels?

Our move from community to polarization is well-illustrated by anti-immigrant policies, white nationalism, male chauvinism, racist authorities, and anti-Semitic killers. Leonard Zeskind, author of Blood and Politics,

As print media companies combine, and broadcast companies expand their holdings, local news media are shrinking, like Kansas City's own Star. Spencer Graves suggests that the future of our democracy depends on the quality of news coverage.

Cynthia Levin, in her 40th season with the Unicorn Theater, has been director, actor, designer or producer for over 300 productions. She is committed to inclusion and diversity without limits on topics. Producing Artistic Director for the Unicorn Theat...

Michael Smith, Ph.D., professor of Political Science and chair at Emporia State University, will discuss why for every ten U.S. adults, six vote and four don’t. What separates them? What difference has this made in our current state of affairs?

A long-time activist for social justice and sustainable living, Emily works with 350KC to create a surge of action to address climate change. She will discuss Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming,

Faisal Khan is the new C.E.O. for the Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center on Euclid Avenue. He will discuss the Health Center’s role as a community advocate for social justice as well as a public health resource for the community and its members. Mr.

Following a quarter-century All Souls Forum tradition, the Mayor of Kansas City, Sylvester “Sly” James, Jr., will deliver an annual State of the City address. He will review the City’s accomplishments and challenges over the past year,

Former FCC Commissioner spoke in support of community radio on October 5th, providing a good segment for playing, especially during fund drives. - The speech was delivered at opening night of the 2018 Grassroots Radio Conference in Portland Oregon,

Pachamama Alliance's Advancing Climate Solutions through Local, State and Regional Partnerships event on 12/8/18 had their first workshop to present Paul Hawken's radical, emerging new NY Times Bestseller: DRAWDOWN: THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN EVER PRO...

Recent history invites re-reading of George Orwell’s novels and essays, as well as others who address the consequences of expressing truth to power. Are 1984, Animal Farm, Brave New World, The Prince, and An Enemy of the People warnings,

The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, 45th Human Rights Award dinner keynote talk by Dr. MaryLouise Patterson on the correspondence between playwrite, poet, author and racial justice activist Langston Hughes and her parents whic...

Bob Solger is founder of the Solar Design Studio that specializes in photovoltaic design, consulting & financing. He will cover the current transition to a more decentralized electrical grid from increasing production of renewable energy,

Max Skidmore holds a Univ. of Minnesota PhD in American Studies, a large field that combines history, political science, popular culture, etc.--extending specifically to study of such phenomena as Medicare and Social Security.

Paul Johnson is an organic farmer and legislative lobbyist for the Kansas Rural Center. The current Farm Bill re-authorization is stalled in Congress. Paul will cover the disconnect between where taxpayer money should be spent to promote healthy diets ...

Scott Burnett has worked with Jimmy Carter on international and domestic Habitat for Humanity projects, usually in natural disaster areas. Scott will present a slide show detailing several projects from Anniston, Ala.

Dave Helling, member of the Kansas City Star editorial board and well known political columnist, will share his thoughts as we head into the Midterm elections.

Dr. Manny Pedram will present a brief history of the annual United Nations Day celebration affirming the “goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.” Then, Dr. Pedram and Matthew Westra will review the causes of 21st century failu...

Joe Spease is chair of the Kansas Sierra Club's Energy, Fracking and Legislative Committees. He will cover the history of the Koch Brothers' fossil fuel interests, their financial support of climate change denialists,

During Vietnam involvements, Tom Crane joined the Peace Corps as a medical technician in Malawi, using opportunities to travel widely in Central Africa. After further government service with the ACTION Agency, he earned an M.A.

The Austin & Ferguson, L.L.C. is a full-service, immigration law firm with a heavy caseload on the deportation defense side, and with lots of advocacy within the community on immigration issues. Angela Ferguson is well known in the All Souls community ...

Every day in K.C., about 42 poor tenants are evicted–they can’t afford the rent. The lack of affordable housing is a national epidemic. City Housing Department Deputy Director Jennifer Tidwell will preview what might go into a City Hall plan,

A prominent civil rights attorney in Kansas, Bob Eye, will update us of the changing balance on the United States Supreme Court and possible effects on our civil liberties.  

Terry Spence and Craig Volland will explain how Big AG’s political power increasingly threatens rural landowners’ quality of life and property values. It’s the environmental injustice nobody talks about. Terry is with the Socially Responsible Agricultu...

Yale Professor Jason Stanley, author of "How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them", spoke at KKFI's Kicking the Koch Habit Conference" earlier this month. Here's what he had to say.

The author of Democracy in Chains ws the keynote speaker at KKFI's recent Kicking the Koch Habit Conference. We bring you that speech. Coincidentally enough, today is Nancy's birthday.

Jim Hightower closed out the kicking the Koch Habit Conference. We bring you his remarks.

The annual Hiroshima/Nagasaki Remembrance, hosted by PeaceWorks, Kansas City, at Loose Park Lagoon in Kansas City, Missouri, gathered 66 persons to hear talks, sing and take a vow of nonviolence. Calling for acts of love, Henry Stoever,

Press Conference: 50 Years Since the Democratic Convention in Chicago What: News conference announcing protest against war and police violence on the 50th anniversary of the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. -

On July 6 at the Community Christian Church, Peter Lumsdaine discussed "Turning the clock back from midnight:  How we can address the crisis of 2018 and renew eco / justice / peace work for the 21st century.

We bring you highlights from Sunday's rally against family separation.

Peaceworks KC held their annual Memorial Day Vigil at the entrance to the new Kansas City weapons plant at 150 Highway and Botts Road. There was a die-in and five were arrested. KKFI was on hand to record.

Donald Trump ran for president as a disruptive force; he built his candidacy and administration on years of partisan attacks on government. Nevertheless, presidents are not kings, and our public and private institutions continue apace.

Described as an eco-theologian and pro-science evolutionary evangelist, Reverend Michael Dowd teaches that "evidence is modern-day scripture, and ecology must be the heart of theology."   He will discuss our sacred responsibility to future generations ...

Mike is Executive Director of Stand Up KC.  He will lay out the new Poor People's Campaign: National Call for Moral Revival, a multi-racial effort to fulfill Dr. Martin Luther King's vision to eradicate the "triple evils" of racism,

Amy Adamson, concerned citizen and landowner near Baldwin City, KS, will discuss dilemmas over conflicts between land-owners, the Kansas Corporation Commission, surface-right holders and oil and gas drillers. Priorities change over time,

As a social worker, Linda Johnson has had experience working with all age groups and typically lived in a multi-generational household. Camilla Huet-Derrossett is an Economist and will be discussing the trends that we are seeing with the millennials.

The current chokehold on public discussion harms us all. Jamie Jackson is an active supporter of Citizens for Justice in the Middle East, Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, and Jewish Voice for Peace--all working for peaceful and j...

Jackson County, Mo. includes 18 cities and towns and over 650,000 people. As the County moves forward, what are some changes we can expect in the jail, Combat, the courts, and other services the County provides? Jackson County Exec., Frank White, Jr.,

Robert F. Sommer is author of Losing Francis: Essays on the Wars at Home.  Through his own tragic experience with the cost of the wars in Iran and Afghanistan, Bob exposes the disconnect between the world of war and the universe of no-war in a nation t...

We bring you highlights from Peaceworks annual meeting held on Sunday, March 11th.

George Baggett speaks about why the EPA matters.

Juan Gonzalez spoke in Kansas City on September 29th at All Souls UU Church in a benefit for KKFI.

The marketplace corrodes artistic performance–live theater, music, dance–into a marketable commodity. Media’s role in holding it accountable for something more is in decline. Journalist and professor Paul Horsley is the performing arts editor for The I...

Richard Mabion, President of the Wyandotte County NAACP and co-host of EcoRadio KC (Mondays at 6pm), talks about environmental concerns in Wyandotte County.

The right to vote is a fundamental pillar of United States democracy, but if the Trump administration succeeds, countless Americans will face barriers to voting ahead of the next election. Sara Baker, Legislative and Policy Director for the ACLU of Mis...

Following a quarter century All Souls Forum tradition, Mayor of Kansas City, Sly James, will deliver an annual, state of the city address. He will review the City's accomplishments and challenges over the past year,

Lon Swearingen has been a special education teacher for 25 years, board member and president for Whole Person, a regular contributor to KKFI's Heartland Labor Forum, and a member of ADAPT, a grass roots disability advocacy organization. Mr.

Friends of Community Media brought David Barsamian, host and producer of Alternative Radio, heard on KKFI every Wednesday at 9am, to St. Garabed's Church in Kansas City on December 1st. We present his remarks.

Paul Johnson is a keen observer of the Kansas legislature, having served as lobbyist for the Kansas Rural Center and other non-profits for many years. - He will consider new possibilities opened up by the 2016 election of several moderate Kansas legis...

This episode features excepts from a Forum featuring the four Democratic candidates competing in the August 7 primary in Kansas District 3 in the US House:  Jay Sidie, Tom Niermann, Brent Welder, and Chris Haulmark.  This event was held December 19,

Literacy emerges from a broad range of factors that include early childhood learning opportunities, development stages at which children are ready to learn abstract skills, and the flexibility of schools and teachers.

KC for Refugees is a Kansas City organization for helping find homes, language skills, employment, education and transportation for refugees in the Kansas City area. Central to this busy organization, Dr. Sofia Khan, an M.D. and U.S.

KKFI's own Judy Ancel speaks about the importance of labor movements in today's world.

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement ~ like Lewis Diuguid, established in St. Louis ~ Our Fathers: Making Black Men is a must-read for people wondering what to do to reverse urban despair, improve schools,

We are living in a divisive moment built on years of white supremacy that created racial inequalities in public policy. Dr. Robyne Stevenson, former resident of Kansas City and now Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida,

There are those who claim this dream for theirs alone. Will America have the moral courage . . . with love, to save the dream for all? - Alvin Brooks is a former mayor pro tem, civil rights leader, and anti-crime crusader.

Since the 1970s, the Environmental Protection Agency has struggled to maintain the agency created for protecting health and the environment through regulations based on U.S. laws, including through fluctuations for industry OR the environment.

Shannon Jackson is an anthropologist specializing in Urban Studies, Technology and Embodiment, and Social Theory. She has published on the impact of the Google Fiber inaugural selection of Kansas City and the impact of its strategy on the prospects for...

With varying enthusiasm, every president from FDR through Carter supported ~ and expanded ~  New Deal programs. Reagan began attacks by Republican presidents, while Clinton and Obama attempted to rekindle its flame. Max Skidmore,

Designers and staff who are involved with the Plexpod repurposing of the beautiful, old neighborhood Westport Schools will describe and discuss what’s happening.

Tex Sample discusses White Working Class Rage.

The managers at Bannister Federal Complex always claimed that the facility was a "non-nuclear" component of DOE nuclear activities. Maurice Copeland, a long-term employee and supervisor of the BFC, has served as an advocate for sick workers for 17 year...

How we eat can greatly affect our health, our planet, and social justice. Matt Menger will provide practical omnivorous dietary advice that supports our need for more sustainable food systems, ethical cuisine, and healthier daily choices.

Peaceworks' annual Hiroshima and Nagasaki remembrance was held in Loose Park on Sunday, the anniversary of Hiroshima we this program today on the anniversary of the NagasakI bombing

In the U.S., political-economic institutions are defined by an emerging crisis. Stagnant to weak economic growth characterizes the modern economy. Wall Street’s rise to power has meant the financialization and destabilization of the economy,

The Renowned Economist, Richard Wolff spoke at a benefit for KKFI on April 24th 2017. We bring you the third and final installment. Check out the first two parts here

The Renowned Economist, Richard Wolff spoke at a benefit for KKFI on April 24th 2017. We bring you part two of that talk, now. - Check Out Part One Here

The Renowned Economist, Richard Wolff spoke at a benefit for KKFI on April 24th 2017. We bring you part one of that talk, now.

Judy Morgan, Missouri State Representative from the 24th district, gave a legislative update on June 1st at All Souls UU Church. KKFI's roving recorder allows us to listen in.

The conference titled Resistance was held in New York City June 2nd through June 4th. It looked at questions of power, strategy and tactics as resistance to Donald Trump rises.The focus of many panels this year was on moving beyond Trump into an examin...

Humanity is losing the race against global warming.  But sequestration of carbon in the soil can absorb enormous quantities of greenhouse gases.  Award winning educator and composting expert, Stan Slaughter, will explain.  Last year,

Baggett is a long-time observer of the art of propaganda with experience as an environmental activist and a corporate-employed scientist. He will discuss how modern techniques in mass media and internet have created more effective propaganda platforms ...

Enjoying arts, architecture and historic neighborhoods in KC, John Hoffman will discuss his program, “Arts Alive,” its events discovering art, artist workshops, and the many art-connected businesses and organizations,

A partner in the firm of Slough, Connealy, Irwin & Madden, Fred Slough is a graduate of Kansas State Univ. and U.M.K.C. Law School, 1974. Fred has litigated criminal and civil matters, eventually focusing on personal injury, employment discrimination,

Historical and media images and self-examination are used to discuss White Privilege and Institutional Racism. Ms. Irving is part of the White Privilege Conference occurring in Kansas City 27 - 30 April 2017.

Thousands of people showed up at Washington Square Park in Kansas City on Earth Day to rally for Science. KKFI was on the scene to record.

Former federal law enforcement agent, Jon Adams (MBA), discusses his experience and philosophy on the state and history of U.S. incarceration. From his unique experience as an Immigration Agent and Deputy U.S.

What are your options when dealing with serious illness and do not want to prolong your dying?  There's hospice and palliative care, and seven states now allow physicians to help people end their lives. Ann Allegre is a retired hospice physician,

As the Boomer Generation fully enters the traditional retirement years, this group faces both anticipated and unanticipated challenges. Kimber Givner, J.D., M.S.W. and Executive Director for Phoenix Family,

For people apparently suffering mental health problems, the sobering and stabilization units of the Kansas City Assessment and Triage Center offer a healthy option to jail and/or emergency rooms. Stephanie Boyer, LMSW and program manager for the K.C.

Inner city residents are particularly at risk for asthma due to poor indoor and outdoor air quality. Erica Forrest, Training and Education Supervisor for the Environmental Health Dept. at Children's Mercy, K.C., is a registered respiratory therapist,

Craig Wolfe, President of the Heartland Renewable Energy Society, recently received intensive training from Al Gore's Climate Reality Project.  He will discuss why we should consider the climate an emergency,

British Folk Legend Billy Bragg was in town last month for the Folk Alliance International Conference last month. He rocked the Westin Crown Center in Kansas City with his fiery plea for compassion and solidarity. Recorded on February 18th, 2017

Burdett Loomis, professor of political science at the University of Kansas, will share with us some ideas on where the "Trumpification" and national and local politics may be leading us. We will be discussing what our government now looks like and what...

Riding an unexpected wave of grassroots enthusiasm, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders electrified crowds during the 2016 presidential primary and easily won the Kansas democratic caucus with 67% of the vote. This Wednesday, March 1,

A political cartoon can make people think about current events and tries to sway opinion.  Lewis Diuguid, former columnist and editorial board member at the Kansas City Star, and Bette Tate-Beaver, executive Director of the National Association for Mul...

To side-step institutional living or loneliness, some seniors are banding together in condominiums or houses for community and mutual support. Gayl Reinsch, founder of the Kansas City Co-housing Coalition, will share some examples and introduce three r...

Max Skidmore, U.S. Presidents expert and UMKC's Thomas Jefferson Fellow, Distinguished & Sr. Fulbright Lecturer and Scholar, will discuss the phenomenon of the new U.S. President.  The title says it all.

The annual MLK Forum, sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee and Southern Christian Leadership Conference, recorded on the afternoon of Martin Luther King Day, 2017 at Friendship Baptist Church prior to the mass celebration. -

On November 28th at the Uptown Arts Bar, Monique Gabrielle Salazar and Keith Wilson spoke about their recent experiences at Standing Rock. KKFI was on hand to record.

More than ever, the public needs research and factually oriented journalists to inform them about politics.  Newspapers are being decimated; still, they and other platforms are providing excellent content for people to read and use.

The Underground Radio Legend spoe a the Grassroots Radio Conference back in October.

The Dakota Access and Keystone XL Pipelines bring together environmental politics, pipeline policy, indigenous peoples' rights, sovereign treaty relationships with Native American tribes, and historic resource exploitation. Attorney Robin Martinez,

Kansas City native Barbara Bichelmeyer took over as Provost of the University of Missouri--Kansas City in 2014, after 19 years at Indiana University.  She chose to return because of the opportunity she saw at UMKC.  A year and a half into her tenure,

The Black Lives Matter movement raises visibility about the continuing impact of gross inequality and discrimination in America.  Thoughtful writers note that privileged Americans face several stages of internal self-examination and that too few make i...

Mr. Apple, founder of Populists in Action, will present an overview of how the ballot initiative process can be used by citizens in Missouri (and 23 other states) to pass legislation without going through the state legislature.

CSTAT is a data driven, public-facing initiative focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of city services, monitoring progress toward the City Council's Strategic Priorities elaborated in the Five-Year Citywide Business Plan since 2014.

Among the most conten?ous issues in the presiden?al campaign are interna?onal trade and Islam. Rakesh 'Raj" Bhala is Assoc. Dean, Int’l. & Compara?ve Law, KU Law School and also trained in economics. He will cut through the par?

Dr. Bedell comes to KC with a diverse background and explicit commitment to being in, and of, the KCPS community. He will share his aspirations and his expectations for community support.

Although Kansas City's Eastside has been hit hard by job loss, historic racism, and a catastrophic housing crash, the City's redevelopment initiatives have mostly passed it by. Eastside leaders are challenging that,

The 2016 five year health plan (“CHIP”) addresses factors with direct impact upon the wellness of KC, targe?ng health deficits by way of broad, mul?‐disciplinary & neighborhood‐level stakeholder engagement.

Barnhart and Eickhoff, founders of Quindaro Press, publish interes?ng books of history for young adults and older readers. They will discuss their work in general, with emphasis on Tanya Anderson's upcoming book Gunpowder Girls,

With an aging popula?on, the goal is an end of life with as much grace as possible, with minimal impact on those who provide support. George, who recently completed this process with his parents, and Camilla, Marke?

The Supreme Court's recent Whole Women's Health decision limits states' restric?ons on abor?on rights. The Court's balancing of compe?ng interests of reproduc?ve rights and legisla?ve power sets the stage for further conflicts over access to abor?

This November, Missouri voters will decide on Amendment 6, which would require Missouri  voters to show a state or federal issued ID card for the purpose of voting.  Ron Berry is coordinating the NO campaign against Amendment 6 and has been organizin...

Brian Steed is a military historian and Mideast specialist at the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. On this 15th anniversary of 9‐11, Brian will posit that to defeat ISIS, we need to be?

George Frazier is author of The Last Wild Places of Kansas. He’ll discuss his journeys across Kansas by car, canoe, and on foot in search of the state’s remaining wild places - tenacious stretches of unplowed prairie, ancient springs,

Dr. Amber Watts is an Assistant Professor in the University of Kansas' College of Liberal Arts o Sciences who investigates health behaviors, prevention strategies, and bio-behavioral processes associated with cognitive decline & dementia.

Hamsa Stainton, Assistant Professor, Religious Studies at the University of Kansas discusses the Hindu epic, The Mahabharata. - Hamsa Stainton's research interests include Hinduism; Sanskrit poetry, literature and aesthetics; devotion and prayer; Shai...

KU Professor William Lindsey's primary research interest lies in analyzing how individuals and groups in Tokugawa Japan (1600-1867) constructed and contested social identity and power along lines of ritual and symbol made available through the bricolag...

The annual Hiroshima/Nagasaki Remembrance will, this year, feature a time to apologize for the US nuclear attacks in 1945 and will suggest taking immediate steps toward a nuclear weapon-free world, a nonviolent world. Recorded on Saturday, Aug. 6,

The second part of Amy Goodman's talk from her visit to Kansas City on the Spring. - You can hear part one here.

Our first part of Amy Goodman's April Kansas City appearance. - Amy is preceded by her co-author, Denis Moynihan, as well as Kansas City poet, Joseph Davis.

Recorded on Sunday, July 10th at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church. John Fish Kurmann, Josh King, and Craig Wolfe presented "The Climate Mobilization: The Case for Immediate Action." KC Climate Coalition sponsored the event,

On this special addition of The Forum, we present two eloquent speakers: First we'll hear First Lady Michelle Obama's Commencement Address to City College of New York. Then, we'll hear Chris Hedges talk at the Left Forum, also in NYC. -

In April, area peace activists gathered at Whiteman Air Force Base to witness against the drones operated out of there. In this special forum, we will air remarks from many of the participants.

Recorded on May 19th at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library. Newspaper and TV coverage of the Syrian / Iraqi refugee crisis and the threat of extremist violence generates great fear and concern.

Regular attendees who have been around All Souls for ten years or so know Joseph Davis for the periodic, original poetry he offers at occasional services. All of that poetry is the sort that knocks ours socks off with its poignancy and its fresh persp...

Ms. Kositani-Buckner is the new executive director of the American Jazz Museum located in the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District in Kansas City. She will lay out her plans to promote and enhance the entire experience that one can enjoy from both the...

The Supreme Court is balanced between conservative and liberal wings and the current vacancy has already created 4 - 4  deadlocks. Dr. Cantu is Associate Professor of Law at UMKC Law School and will discuss the standoff between the President and Congre...

Dr. Kara Tan Bhala is President of the Seven Pillars Institute for Global Finance & Ethics, and editor of Moral Cents: The Journal of Ethics in Finance, covering topics of banking regulation, global financial collapse & Buddhist ethics in finance.

Don Stull is professor emeritus in anthropology at K.U. He writes about the consequences of the meat industry for farmers, workers, and communities that host their plants: Slaughterhouse Blues: The Meat and Poultry Industry in North America,

Veteran K.C. actor Damron Armstrong’s plan is to present plays specific to the African American community but which hold universal appeal. In this post-Ferguson era, the new theater aims to bridge the gap between the reality of the black experience and ...

Retired Brig. General, Dean of U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Dr. Chris King serves on an international military advisory council on climate change. Dr. King will discuss the impact that water scarcity and other environme...

The process of normalizing relations between the United States and Cuba is ongoing. Lewis W. Diuguid, Kansas City Star journalist, and Bette Tate-Beaver, Executive Director of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME),

Congress will likely vote this year on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement among twelve Pacific Rim nations. Judy Ancel is Director of Worker Education and Labor Studies at UMKC.  Jim Turner is the Missouri Chapter liaison to the Sierra Club’...

On Wednesday, March 9, 2016.at All Souls UU Church, . Authors Jeff Clement and Derek Cressman (When Money Talks)

After years of suburban Kansas City living, Kathy and David Winn fulfilled their dream of owning land with the purchase of a 105-acre tract in Cass County, Missouri.  The rare Mead's Milkweed and learning that their tract is a true native prairie remna...

Can we teach hungry people to fish . . . or perhaps grow their own fruits, berries and nuts?  In just three years, 85 community orchards have been installed as a means to provide a sustainable food system for food insecure families.  Rob Reiman,

Academic libraries have dramatically evolved to embrace collaborative and interactive learning that incorporates rich technologies and a wide variety of information formats.  Bonnie Postlethwaite, Dean of Libraries,

Kansas City, MO is acting to move steadily toward social, economic and environmental resilience. Jerry Shechter, Sustainability Coordinator in K.C.’s Office of Environmental Quality, will discuss strategies and best practices that are moving us to su...

Advanced medical technologies can be exorbitantly costly. However, it is not human inventiveness and inventions in medical science that are responsible for the U.S. per capita health care expenditures that are double and triple those of other advanced...

Families of the dying are often caught between the hope of not “giving up too soon” and the hope of not prolonging the suffering. Dr. Allegre will offer her experience in hospice and palliative care to help us understand how we can make more appropriat...

MARC, KCATA and other partners are updating the Smart Moves plan. RideKC will provide better transit access to jobs, support development in activity centers and corridors, and provide intra-city mobility—suburbs and core—throughout the region.

Craig Volland is Agriculture Chair of the Kansas Sierra Club. He will discuss how the Post WWII "Feed the World" political and economic paradigm transformed America’s food system from diversified & high quality to high tech & low quality.

Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Sly James will speak on The State of the City at the U.U. Forum at All Souls. This continues a long-standing tradition of a Forum presentation by the Kansas City mayor each January.

John Kurmann is lead coordinator for 350KC, part of at the 350.org global climate action movement. He will report the good, bad, and ugly results of the recent meeting of 194 nations in Paris addressing the climate crisis—and what we need to do next.

Bruce Proctor’s journey—from top secret Pentagon war-policy insider to American deserter— was harrowing. Bruce’s brother, All Souls member Alan Proctor, compiled his brother’s correspondence and recollections of his exile.

Megan Crigger is the inaugural Director of Creative Services for Kansas City, Mo. Megan came to Kansas City just one year ago from a comparable position with the City of Austin, TX. She will describe her anticipation, expectations,

Kansas City City Manager since 2011, Troy Schulte is responsible for making city government run efficiently and economically—advising and serving the City Council and the KC Mayor. Mr. Schulte has an impressive background in economics and will discuss ...

Wilder, who works in internet security and peoples’ networks, asks the question: How can one live a good life in a society that’s so bad? Is the hour already too late to save humanity and its home? In a world without privacy,

Join the celebration of a gift of an original Sadako peace crane to the library. Guest speakers: Sadako’s brother, Masahiro Sasaki, and President Truman’s grandson Clifton Truman Daniels. You may recall that the young girl, Sadako,

Cynthia Short, with Investigating Innocence, has spent years as a public defender with much effort devoted to death penalty cases.  She will discuss the state of the death penalty in Missouri.

Ron Jones is KCUR Director of Community Engagement.  He will discuss how the partitions of Troost, State Line, the Wyandotte-Johnson County line and the Missouri River affect the KC experience.

Paul Johnson is a lobbyist for the Kansas Rural Center and reports to the Kansas League of Women Voters. He will discuss state budget issues and problems of Agriculture, water and the environment

Newly elected to the KC City Council, former Missouri State Senator Jolie Justus, will discuss issues of criminal justice reforms for our nation which jails citizens at the highest rate in the world.

Since its fur trading and livestock days, animals have been central to KC’s identity and landscape. Formerly a professor of geosciences at UMKC, Dr. Urbanik will examine the past and present connections between KC’s human and non-human inhabitants.

As American society changes, so do American families. So why does the image of the white picket fence with breadwinner father and homemaker mother persist? Prof. Smith, Dir. UMKC’s Family Studies, will provide a bit of history of the American family an...

Evie Craig is president and CEO for reStart, an organization with which All Souls has been involved for over twenty years. Ms. Craig, having received contracts from the Veterans’ Administration & numerous awards,

Understanding the impact and relationship of anxiety and chronic illness is crucial for managing both.  Kathleen Riordan, LSCSW and Everett Murphy M.D. will explore what this means for all of us.

Capitalism is relocating to new centers in China, India, Brazil.  In its old centers like the U.S., economic prospects darken.  Worker incomes stagnate.  Multinational businesses force governments to lower their taxes and then either raise personal tax...

Kansas City is on the cutting edge of the Tiny House movement.  Local activists, including Joshua Farmer of the Tiny House Collective, are working in partnership with KCMO officials and bringing the sustainable and adaptable model to life.

Nuns on the Bus, a project of NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice lobby.   Led by Sister Simone Campbell, this group of nuns is travelling around the country holding town hall meetings about social justice.

Robert Baker, of Bopaphonics fame, spoke on Energy Efficiency at the Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence back in November.

This week on the Forum, we'll hear the full speech given by Kansas City native and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Rhodes (How To Make An Atomic Bomb) in Independence at the  “Remembering Nagasaki: Propagating Hope” event co-sponsored by PeaceWor...

This week, we conclude the Green Party Presidential Candidate Forum started last week.  This was recorded in July at the Green Party Annual National Meeting at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  James Lane,

On July 24th, at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, The Green Party held a candidate forum.  KKFI was on hand to record it.  Part 2 airs next week. - The five candidates are William Kreml, Kent Mesplay, Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza Curry,

Analyst and Author, John Brewer spoke at the Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence back in January.

Michael Hoeflich holds degrees from Haverford College, Cambridge University, and Yale Law School. He taught at the University of Illinois from 1980-1988, was dean of the Syracuse University College of Law from 1988-1994,

The Green Party took time out from their annual meeting in St. Louis to hold a rally in Ferguson across from the police station on Saturday, July 25th.  KKFI was on hand to record this rally which featured Green Party presidential candidates,

Professor Kronk’s research focuses on the intersection of environmental and natural resources law and federal Indian law.  Currently, Professor Kronk is engaged in several projects related to the impact of climate change on indigenous people and energy...