Quakers Today

Quakers and Neurodiversity

In this episode, co-hosts Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Sweet Miche (they/them) explore best practices for welcoming and supporting neurodivergent individuals in Quaker worship and educational settings. Poet and writer Kate Fox shares insights from her article "A Place of Unmasking," drawing connections between early Quakers' spiritual practices and contemporary understandings of neurodiversity. Kate discusses her experience of Quaker meeting as a space where she can authentically be herself, free from the pressures of masking neurodivergent traits.
Kate Fox raises essential questions: How can places of worship and schools better accommodate neurodivergent individuals? How do sensory practices, like stimming, help with spiritual grounding and concentration?
We also explore Julia Watts Belser's book, Loving Our Own Bones, Disability Wisdom, and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole, which invites readers to reconsider disability—not as something needing fixing, but as an integral part of human diversity, rich with spiritual wisdom and power. You can read Greg Woods' review in Friends Journal. 
Listener Responses: Neurodivergent Voices and Best Practices
We hear directly from listeners who share their experiences and recommendations:
Clayden, a South African teenage artist and TikTok creator emphasizes the value of dedicated spaces in schools and churches designed for people with sensory sensitivities and learning disabilities. You can follow him @claydendesigns 
Kody Hersh shares about creating a sensory-friendly space at a Quaker gathering, allowing attendees to adjust lighting, use fidgets, and regulate their environment to feel comfortable in worship.
Another listener highlights how simple tools like printed bulletins can support neurodivergent attendees by providing structure and predictability during worship services.
Question for Next Month
What belief have you had to unlearn in your spiritual or personal journey?
Share your response by emailing podcast@quakerstoday.org or call/text 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377). Please include your name and location. Your responses may be featured in our next episode.
Resources
For neurodiverse individuals, here are some useful apps designed to support communication, sensory regulation, social skills, executive functioning, and emotional well-being:
Communication & AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) Apps
Proloquo2Go – A symbol-based text-to-speech app for non-speaking individuals. Official Website https://www.assistiveware.com/products/proloquo2go
CoughDrop – A cloud-based AAC app for customizable communication. Official Website https://www.coughdrop.com/
Sensory Processing & Regulation Apps
Sensory App House – A collection of apps designed to support sensory needs. https://www.sensoryapphouse.com/ 
Autism 5-Point Scale EP – Helps users understand and regulate sensory and emotional states. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/autism-5-point-scale-ep/id467303313 
Social Skills & Interaction Apps
Social Story Creator & Library – Allows users to create social stories for different situations. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/social-story-creator-library/id588180598 
ABA Flashcards--Offers a customizable library of flashcards to reinforce learning and skill development across various areas, from academics to daily living skills https://chicagoabatherapy.com/aba-services/aba-therapy/ 
Routine & Executive Function Support Apps
Visual Schedule Planner – A visual scheduling tool for structured routines. ​​https://www.goodkarmaapplications.com/visual-schedule-planner1.html 
Routinely – Helps track habits and provides gentle reminders. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/routinely-habit-tracker/id6449163027 
Emotional Regulation & Anxiety Management Apps
MoodMission – Suggests activities for managing anxiety and emotional challenges. https://moodmission.com/ 
Rootd – A panic attack and anxiety relief app. https://www.rootd.io/ 
This podcast follows the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a way of creating content that works well for all audiences. It helps us make clear, easy-to-understand episodes that are welcoming for everyone. We follow UDL principles by carefully choosing audio, using plain language, offering transcripts for each episode, and inviting your feedback in multiple ways. 
Quakers Today: A Project of Friends Publishing Corporation
Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation content. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall.
Season Four of Quakers Today is Sponsored by:
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Vulnerable communities and the planet are counting on Quakers to take action for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. AFSC works at the forefront of social change movements to meet urgent humanitarian needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Learn more at AFSC.org.
Friends Fiduciary
Since 1898, Friends Fiduciary has provided values-aligned investment services for Quaker organizations, consistently achieving strong financial returns while upholding Quaker testimonies. They also assist individuals in supporting beloved organizations through donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, and stock gifts. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org.
For a full transcript of this episode, visit QuakersToday.org. For more Quaker content, follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and X (Twitter).

Quakers, Nature, and Indigenous Wisdom

In this episode, co-hosts Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Miche McCall (they/them) explore the deep connections between Quaker spirituality, nature, and Indigenous wisdom. This episode features Gail Melix, an Indigenous Quaker who shares how walking in the woods transformed her experience of burnout into a practice of prayerful meditation. Paula Palmer examines the legacy of Quaker-run Indigenous boarding schools and the painful losses experienced by Indigenous children. We also hear about Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book The Serviceberry, which invites us to reimagine our relationship with abundance, reciprocity, and the natural world.
Healing Through Walking Meditation: Gail Greenwater’s Story
Gail Melix (also known as Greenwater,) a member of Sandwich Meeting in Massachusetts and a member of the Herring Pond Wampanoag tribe, shares how she found healing through daily woodland walks. Facing burnout from social justice work, Gail sought guidance from Quaker and Indigenous elders and turned to nature for restoration. Through walking meditation, she discovered deep stillness, a renewed sense of peace, and even moments of profound connection with wildlife.
In The Delight of Being a Walking Prayer: Meditation for Healing, published in the February 2025 issue of Friends Journal, Gail reflects on the gifts of nature, the importance of listening to the land, and how slowing down can restore inner balance.
Reckoning with the Legacy of Quaker Boarding Schools
Paula Palmer, a Quaker researcher and activist, delves into the historical trauma inflicted by Quaker-run Indigenous boarding schools. Through an excerpt from a QuakerSpeak video, Paula describes how Indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families and stripped of their cultural identity. Many Quakers at the time failed to recognize the value of Indigenous cultures, blinded by the assumption that assimilation was an act of benevolence.
Paula reminds us that true healing requires listening, truth-telling, and ongoing dialogue with Indigenous communities. You can watch the full QuakerSpeak video, The Lasting Trauma of Quaker Indigenous Boarding Schools, on YouTube or at QuakerSpeak.com. Many thanks to Layla Cuthrell, producer of QuakerSpeak.  
The Gift Economy and Abundance: Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry
In The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, Robin Wall Kimmerer explores the idea that wealth is not measured by accumulation but by generosity. She describes harvesting serviceberries alongside birds, witnessing the mutual exchange that defines a healthy ecosystem. Drawing from Indigenous knowledge, Kimmerer challenges the scarcity-driven mindset of capitalism and invites readers to embrace a gift economy—one where all flourishing is mutual.
To read Ruah Swennerfelt’s full review of The Serviceberry, visit FriendsJournal.org.
Answers for This Month’s Question
In our last episode, we asked: "What is your relationship with nature like?"
Listeners shared stories of finding peace in the woods, experiencing the divine through the changing seasons, and feeling responsible for the land they live on. Thank you to everyone who called in, emailed, or commented on social media!
Question for Next Month: Neurodivergence in Worship and Education
For next month's episode, we invite responses from those who identify as neurodivergent or have neurodivergent children or students.
What are some best practices you have experienced or would recommend for places of worship or schools supporting neurodivergent people?
Leave a voice memo or text with your name and location at +1 317-782-5377. You can also comment on our social media channels or email us at podcast@friendsjournal.org.
Quakers Today: A Project of Friends Publishing Corporation
Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation content. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall.
Season Four of Quakers Today is Sponsored by:
Friends Fiduciary
Since 1898, Friends Fiduciary has provided values-aligned investment services for Quaker organizations, consistently achieving strong financial returns while upholding Quaker testimonies. They also assist individuals in supporting beloved organizations through donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, and stock gifts. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org.
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Vulnerable communities and the planet are counting on Quakers to take action for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. AFSC works at the forefront of social change movements to meet urgent humanitarian needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Learn more at AFSC.org.
For a full transcript of this episode, visit QuakersToday.org. Follow us on TikTok, Instagram, and X (Twitter) for more Quaker content.

Quakers and Money with Joann Neuroth, Alicia Mendonca-Richards, and Brian McClaren

 Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Miche McCall (they/them) look at how Quaker meetings align their financial practices with their values. The episode features Joann Neuroth sharing how Red Cedar Meeting in Lansing, Michigan, has shifted its financial priorities to work towards racial justice. Alicia Mendonca-Richards discusses how Quakers can embrace mystical knowledge to rethink our economy. You will also hear Brian McLaren from an excerpt of Climate Changed, a podcast by The BTS Center. He considers how to maintain a vibrant life while navigating unavoidable losses and significant uncertainties. 
Moving From Hand Wringing to Agency: A Quaker Meeting Uses Money as a Vehicle for Action
Joann Neuroth highlights how Quaker meetings can make financial decisions that align with their values. She emphasizes thoughtful stewardship, intentional action, and the potential to contribute to community well-being by using financial resources to address injustice and meet community needs.
Red Cedar Meeting moved its long-term maintenance fund to Liberty Bank, a Black-owned bank in Detroit, to support Black communities. It makes annual payments to The Justice League of Greater Lansing Michigan as reparations, acknowledging that these resources belong to those harmed by slavery, segregation, and white supremacy. Red Cedar Meeting also created a tiny pantry to provide free food to the community. This project began with a few members bringing extra groceries and grew to distribute approximately $11,000 worth of food annually.
Joann Neuroth wrote the article “Putting Our Money Where Our Hearts Are.” It appears in the January 2025 issue of FriendsJournal.org. Joann is a member of Red Cedar Meeting in Lansing, Mich. She has served on the boards of American Friends Service Committee and the School of the Spirit Ministry, where she will co-teach an upcoming spiritual nurture class, "God's Promise Fulfilled: Encountering and Embodying Grace in the Shadow of Empire”.
How Quakers Can Rethink the Economy
Alicia Mendonca-Richards shares her insights on how Quakers can rethink the economy. She argues that the current system, based on unsustainable growth and competition, distracts from what truly matters. Mendonca-Richards connects economic thought and mysticism, suggesting that mystical knowledge can be a foundation for courageous action and alternative economic models.
The full video featuring Alicia Mendonca-Richards and other QuakerSpeak videos can be found on the QuakerSpeak YouTube channel or at Quakerspeak.com. 
Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart by Brian McLaren.
In Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart, Brian McLaren explores the anxieties and uncertainties many people feel about the future of our planet and civilization. He acknowledges the serious challenges we face, including climate change, social and political divisions, and the decline of traditional institutions. However, instead of dwelling on despair, McLaren focuses on finding meaning and purpose in the face of these challenges. Audio with Brian McLaren comes from The BTS Center's podcast, Climate Changed, which offers intimate interviews and conversations around some of the most pressing questions about faith, life, and climate change. Thank you, BTS Center!
Read Pamela Haines’s Friends Journal review. Read more Friends Journal book reviews.
Answers for this month: In last month’s episode, we asked: What are some unexpected ways you find yourself drawn to repair?
Thank you to Callie, Lena, Erin, Micah, Maggie, and Joann for answering! 
Question for next month: What is your relationship with nature like?
Leave a voice memo or text with your name and the town where you live at +1 317-782-5377. You can also comment on our social media channels or send an email to podcast@friendsjournal.org.
Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation (FPC) content online. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall.
Season Four of Quakers Today is sponsored by American Friends Service Committee and Friends Fiduciary.
American Friends Service Committee:
Vulnerable communities and the planet are counting on Quakers to take action for a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. The American Friends Service Committee, or AFSC, works at the forefront of many social change movements to meet urgent humanitarian needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Find out more about how you can get involved in their programs to protect migrant communities, establish an enduring peace in Palestine, de-militarize police forces worldwide, assert the right to food for all, and more. Visit AFSC.ORG.
Friends Fiduciary:
Since 1898, Friends Fiduciary has provided values-aligned investment services for fellow Quaker organizations.  Friends Fiduciary consistently achieves strong financial returns while witnessing to Quaker testimonies. They also help individuals support organizations they hold dear through giving strategies, including donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities, and stock gifts. Learn more about FFC’s services at FriendsFiduciary.org.
Feel free to email us at podcast@friendsjournal.org with​​ comments, questions, and requests for our show. Music from this episode comes from Epidemic Sound. Follow Quakers Today on TikTok, Instagram, X, and visit us at QuakersToday.org.

Quakers and Staying Steady Amid Turmoil

Co-hosts Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Miche McCall (they/them) explore concepts of spiritual optimism and pessimism while navigating turbulent times. The episode features Adrian Glamorgan, who suggests Quakers can stay grounded and act faithfully during difficult times by embracing devotion. Additionally, we highlight the life of Minerva Hoyt, a pioneering conservationist who played a pivotal role in establishing Joshua Tree National Park.
Optimism and Pessimism: A Quaker elder shares lessons for staying steady in turmoil.
Miche chats with Adrian Glamorgan, a longtime activist who, before becoming a Quaker, powered his work through anger.  He provides insights for young activists who face growing challenges. How do we stay strong and steady in the face of human cruelty and violence? 
Glamorgan also talks about the Quaker concept of "New Creation," a vision of the world marked by human potential for good, cooperation, peace, and interconnectedness with the environment. While achieving New Creation might take time, it can serve as a compass, guiding Quakers toward a better future. He shares how, even in the nuts and bolts of serving on a committee or task force, we can find meaningful connections. 
Adrian Glamorgan wrote the article “The Devoted Path: Holding Fast to the Promise of New Creation.” It appears in the December 2024 issue of Friends Journal and at FriendsJournal.org. 
Adrian Glamorgan is a member of Western Australian Regional Meeting and Fremantle Recognised Meeting. He serves as the executive secretary of the Asia-West Pacific Section of Friends World Committee for Consultation, supporting the Section's diverse yearly meetings, groups, fellowships, and communities of interest, such as Quaker learning, peace, climate, and language inclusion. 
The Quaker Simplicity of Talking to God
Pradip Lamichhane from Bhaktapur Evangelical Friends Church in Nepal emphasizes that Quakers don't need elaborate rituals or intermediaries to connect with the divine. Talking to God can be as simple as expressing gratitude, a practice of thanking God upon waking up and before sleeping. George Fox's teaches that God resides within, Pradip encourages us to look inward for peace and blessings. 
You will find the full video featuring Pradip Lamichhane and other QuakerSpeak videos at the QuakerSpeak YouTube channel, or visit Quakerspeak.com. 
Book Review
Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park, written by Lori Alexander and illustrated by Jenn Ely.
Cactus Queen tells the story of Minerva Hoyt, a pioneering conservationist who played a crucial role in protecting the Mojave Desert's unique ecosystem; her efforts in 1936 led to the preservation of over 825,000 acres of desert. The book provides supplemental information about Minerva Hoyt's life, the various plants and animals of Joshua Tree National Park, and guidance for young environmental activists. Desert Cactus is recommended for readers aged 7 to 10 and is available as a hardcover or an eBook. Read Tom and Sandy Farley’s Friends Journal review.
Read more Friends Journal book reviews.
Quotes
“If someone's got a passion for ballet, F1, or being a horticulturist, a teacher, or an accountant, follow your passion. Better still, follow your leading as it arises because that will be part of the solution.” - Adrian Glamorgan 
“I'm not advocating Quaker for health purposes, but actually, it's quite healthy to do.” - Adrian Glamorgan 
“Silence is a power of many things. The silence will stop the war, silence will restart the joy, and the silence will restart the love.” - Pradip Lamichhane
Question for next month: What are some unexpected ways you find yourself drawn to repair?
How and when have you found joy and meaning in mending things?  In a world that often prioritizes the new, do you mend clothes, address debt, work toward restorative justice, or repair damaged relationships? What are some unexpected ways you find yourself drawn to repair?
Leave a voice memo with your name and the town where you live. The number to call is 317-QUAKERS, that's +1 317-782-5377.

Palestine, Food, and Memory with Dr. Riyam Kafri Abu Laban

In this special episode of Quakers Today, we share a conversation from The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope. Host Dwight Dunston speaks with Dr. Riyam Kafri Abu Laban, an educator, writer, and former principal at Ramallah Friends School. From her home in Ramallah, Dr. Kafri Abu Laban reveals how Palestinian cuisine is deeply tied to identity, history, and resilience. Despite the challenges of forced displacement and cultural appropriation, Palestinian food remains a bridge to the past and a testament to memory, resistance, and celebration. The Seed podcast is a project of Pendle Hill, a Quaker study, retreat, and conference center welcoming all for Spirit-led learning and community.
About Dr. Riyam Kafri Abu Laban: Dr. Kafri Abu Laban is a writer and educator whose work spans essays, poetry, and articles on Palestine, motherhood, and education. Formerly a chemistry professor, she transitioned to educational leadership as a principal and now leads initiatives at AlNayzak Organization. A proud Ramallah Friends School and Earlham College graduate, Quaker values continue to shape her life and faith. Follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Special Music: This episode features “Sada” by the Sada Trio—Ahmad Al Khatib, Pedram Shahlai, and Feras Sharestan—Middle Eastern virtuosos keeping their cultural roots alive in Sweden.
Friends Journal Fiction Issue: Explore Quaker-themed fiction in Friends Journal’s November 2024 issue, including “Bread of Life” by Vicki Winslow and “Penns Spring” by our co-host, Peterson Toscano. Read more at FriendsJournal.org.
Monthly Question: What novel, film, or television series changed your relationship with the world? Share your answer by calling 317-QUAKERS or responding on social media.
Follow Quakers Today on TikTok, Instagram, X, and visit us at QuakersToday.org.
Selected Quotes:
“Our cuisine is a direct extension of the land…we hold on to our food because it’s really our identity.” — Dr. Riyam Kafri Abu Laban.
“Food is resistance, memory, healing, and celebration for displaced people.” — Dwight Dunston.
Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation (FPC) content online. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall.
Feel free to send comments, questions, and requests for our new show. Email us at podcast@friendsjournal.org. Call our listener voicemail line: 317-QUAKERS.
Music from this episode comes from Epidemic Sound.

Quaker Wendy Sanford on Our Bodies, Ourselves

In this special interim episode of Quakers Today, host Peterson Toscano (he/him) talks with Wendy Sanford (she/her,) one of the original creators of the groundbreaking book Our Bodies, Ourselves. Wendy shares her role in writing the first edition and reveals how each subsequent edition reflected the input from diverse voices.
She discusses the importance of addressing issues of race, class, sexuality, and gender identity in the evolving landscape of women’s health and activism. This episode also includes insights from her memoir, These Walls Between Us, a story of friendship across race and class.
Featured Segments:
Wendy Sanford and the Evolution of Our Bodies, OurselvesWendy Sanford reflects on the book's origins in the 1970s when it sought to provide trustworthy health information for women. Over the decades, the book has expanded to include voices from diverse communities, addressing issues such as sterilization abuse, prenatal care, and transgender health. Wendy discusses how the book’s evolving content reflects the shifting landscape of feminist health activism.
Memoir: These Walls Between UsWendy recently published her memoir These Walls Between Us, which explores her friendship across race and class and the deep personal transformations it sparked. You can find more about Wendy's work on her website.
Quotes:
"The work is needed as much as ever. The questions are still there: Is it trustworthy information? Is it from a woman’s point of view?" – Wendy Sanford
"We were a group of white middle-class women. Our book said it was for all women, but the critiques taught us otherwise, and that was a real wake-up call." – Wendy Sanford.
"Each time we redid the book, we widened the understanding of who ‘we’ meant." – Wendy Sanford.
How to Follow Wendy Sanford:You can learn more about Wendy and her work by visiting her website: wendysanford-thesewallsbetweenus.com. Her memoir These Walls Between Us is available delves into her experiences with race, class, and social justice.
Friends Journal reviewed Wendy Sanford's memoir These Walls Between Us in August 2022, in a double review alongside another book. You can read the review here: These Walls Between Us review.
Friends Journal published a personal essay by Wendy in January 2006. Titled "Musings of a Universalist Friend" in the print edition, the essay reflects on her and her partner’s decision to marry in 1999. It discusses her views on the tie between Christian Scripture and anti-Semitism. You can find it here: January 2006 essay.
Announcing Season Four:
After this special episode, Quakers Today will return with Season Four on December 17, 2024. Expect more inspiring guests and thought-provoking content. Stay tuned for special features and announcements in your podcast feed in October.
Question of the Month:
What novel, film, or television series changed your relationship with the world? Fiction has the power to alter the way we see ourselves and the world around us. What story has shifted your perspective?
Leave a voice memo or text with your answer at 317-QUAKERS (+1 if calling from outside the U.S.), or respond via Instagram, X, or TikTok.
Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation content online. This episode was written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano. This episode’s audio of Wendy Sanford comes from Peterson's personal podcast Bubble&Squeak episode titled Female Body, available wherever you get podcasts. 
Feel free to send comments, questions, and requests for our new show. Email us at podcast@friendsjournal.org. You can also call or text our listener voicemail line at 317-QUAKERS.
This episode’s music comes from Epidemic Sound.

Queer Quaker Responses to Climate Change

In this episode of Quakers Today, co-hosts Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Miche McCall (they/them) explore how queer Quakers respond to climate change with joy, creativity, and radical inclusion. The episode features Damon Motz-Storey and Lina Blount, who delve into the intersection of queerness, spirituality, and climate activism. Miche and Peterson also review two books that provide fresh perspectives on environmentalism and queer ecology.
Featured Segments:
Queer Quaker Responses to Climate Change with Damon Motz-Storey and Lina Blount
Damon Motz-Storey (they/them), a genderqueer Quaker, discusses the importance of radical joy, play, and community in climate work:“We’re going to save the earth, and we’re going to do it in six-inch heels and full makeup.”
Damon Motz-Storey became the Chapter Director of the Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club in 2023. They have a wealth of experience leading environmental and climate justice campaigns in the Pacific Northwest. Their achievements include blocking major new coal, oil, and gas expansions, pioneering the Portland Clean Energy Fund initiative, and contributing to Oregon's 2021 state legislation for low-income utility bill discounts, home energy retrofits, and a commitment to 100% clean electricity by 2040. Damon also worked with the Coalition of Communities of Color, managing communications for Portland's successful 2022 city government reform measure and organizing record-breaking fundraising events to support racial justice efforts. They live in East Portland near Powell Butte and enjoys hiking, cycling, weightlifting, cooking, and performing in drag.
Lina Blount highlights the role of interconnectedness and reciprocity in climate justice:“Our liberation is bound up in each other's, especially in climate work, because it’s how ecosystems work.”
Lina Blount is an organizer, trainer, and nonviolent action strategist who has been involved in environmental justice campaigns in the Philadelphia area for over fifteen years. She currently serves as the Director of Strategy and Partnerships with the Earth Quaker Action Team. Lina has previously worked with the Divestment Student Network and has extensive experience as a canvas director and anti-fracking organizer in Pennsylvania. She identifies as a Quaker and considers the Earth Quaker Action Team, her primary spiritual community.
Book Review: Queer Ecologies and Sustainable FuturesBooks Reviewed:
Deviant Hollers: Queering Appalachian Ecologies for a Sustainable FuturePeterson and Miche review this collection of essays edited by Zane McNeil and Rebecca Scott, which critiques environmental exploitation and maps alternative futures through queer perspectives.
Smarter Planet or Wiser Earth? by Gray CoxMiche introduces this book, published by the Quaker Institute for the Future, which examines the ethical implications of smart technology and its role in building a sustainable global community. Read Brad Gibson's Friends Journal review.
Quotes:
"It is our superpower to insist upon joy, even in a world insistent on pushing us back into the closet." – Damon Motz-Storey
"Chosen family and ecosystems both offer models of connection that are life-giving and generative." – Lina Blount
"We can laugh and dance through climate action because that’s how we’ll keep going." – Damon Motz-Storey
"Ecosystems don’t just work locally. There’s this incredible web of interconnection." – Lina Blount
Announcing Season Four:
After a short break, Quakers Today will return to producing regular programs on November 12, 2024. Look out for extra features and announcements in October that will appear in your podcast feed. 
Question of the Month: We want to hear from you!
Here is a question for you: What novel, film, or television series changed your relationship with the world? The world of fiction can alter the way we see ourselves, each other, the natural world, the political order, history, and society. What work of fiction shifted your perspective or altered your worldview? 
Leave a voice memo or text with your name and the town where you live. The Quakers Today number is 317-QUAKERS. +1 if calling from outside the U.S. You can also answer on any of our social media pages: Instagram, X, or TikTok. 
Quakers Today is the companion podcast to Friends Journal and other Friends Publishing Corporation (FPC) content online. It is written, hosted, and produced by Peterson Toscano and Miche McCall.
Season Three of Quakers Today is sponsored by American Friends Service Committee. 
Do you want to challenge unjust systems and promote lasting peace? The American Friends Service Committee, or AFSC, works with communities worldwide to drive social change. Their website features meaningful steps you can take to make a difference. Through their Friends Liaison Program, you can connect your meeting or church with AFSC and their justice campaigns. Find out how you can become part of AFSC’s global community of changemakers. Visit AFSC dot ORG. 
Feel free to send comments, questions, and requests for our new show. Email us at podcast@friendsjournal.org. You can also call or text our listener voicemail line at 317-QUAKERS.
This episode’s music comes from Epidemic Sound. 

Quakers in the Future

In this episode of Quakers Today, we ask, “What does Quakerism have to offer society?”
Co-hosts Peterson Toscano (he/him) and Miche McCall (they/them) explore the concept of prefigurative practice within a Quaker classroom and beyond. What happens when students don't just learn about the future but begin to live it? They also feature queer Jewish poet Jessica Jacobs, who in her new book of poetry, interacts with the ancient book of Genesis. 
Sam Thacker and Zoe Levenstein
Sam Thacker is a history teacher at Germantown Friends School. Every January, GFS offers “mini-courses” that provide teachers and students a space for experimentation, investigation, and reflection. In his Friends Journal article “Let Your School Speak: The Power of Prefigurative Practice in Friends Education,” Sam wrote about his course, “Another World is Possible.” Through it, he invites students to engage deeply with hopeful and ambitious visions for social change. Sam and one of his students, Zoe Levenstein, explore how they brought prefigurative practice to life in their classroom. 
Sam explains that prefigurative practice is about more than just learning about change; it's about living it. We don't have to wait to build the institutions that will bring about the change we seek. Instead, we can start creating those institutions and practices now, making sure they align with the inclusive, just, and loving world we envision for the future.
Sam says, “If, for example, we are working toward a just, inclusive future, our institutions now should be just and inclusive. Prefigurative practice is proactive, courageous, and true to itself. In Quaker parlance, its life speaks.” 
Sam reasons that prefigurative practice is nothing new for Quakers, “I see Quaker institutions as examples of prefigurative practice. By and large, I mean in my article, I discuss meetings for business. Quaker meetings are prefigurative, both in their organization and in the form of worship: Prefigurative practice is vital.
Zoe shares her experiences of engaging with this radical educational approach. Through readings from influential thinkers like George Lakey, Joanna Macy, and Adrienne Maree Brown, the students were encouraged to reimagine the world and consider how they could contribute to creating it. 
I imagine a world where everyone is engaged because I think what really dampers my hope a lot is that it seems like people don't care in 20 years, my hope would be that even on the street level, I see people actively working to help each other. I also kind of imagine a world where song and music is more incorporated and like groups singing because I think it just kind of boosts the mood. I imagine a world in which doing activities like that is more encouraged. Yeah, I think it all comes down to human connection, and that makes people care.
Sam Thacker (he/him) teaches high school history at Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia, where he works with students on sustainability and climate action. He lives with his wife, Pam, and two young children; they are pursuing membership at Germantown
Meeting in Philadelphia, Pa. He is a songwriter, musician, artist, and lover of nature. In this episode, you heard Sam singing Purple Dreams.  Hear more of his music on his BandCamp page: 2xtruck.bandcamp.com
Zoe Levenstein is a rising junior at Germantown Friends School, a member of the Quaker Unity & Inclusivity Team (QUILT) at GFS, and helped to plan the 2024 Quaker Youth Leadership Conference in partnership with Penn Charter. Next year, Zoe will be the Environmental Action Club's student leader and participate in the community-wide Campus Climate Coalition. Zoe’s passion is music—listening, singing, and playing the oboe.
Jessica Jacobs 
In the August 2024 issue of Friends Journal, Michael S. Glazier reviewed Jessica Jacobs’ latest poetry collection, Unalone: Poems in Conversation with the Book of Genesis. Jessica Jacobs shares her journey as a writer, teacher, and editor, including founding Yetzerah, the first literary organization in the U.S. dedicated to supporting Jewish poets. Jessica reflects on her secular Jewish upbringing, her return to spirituality through studying the Torah, and the seven years she spent immersed in the Book of Genesis. She reads her poem  "Prayers from a Dark Room," where Jessica reimagines Gehenna—not as a place of torment but as a mirrored space of self-reflection and repentance. 
Jessica Jacobs (she/her) is the author of “unalone, poems in conversation with Genesis” (Four Way Books, March 2024); Take Me with You, Wherever You’re Going (Four Way Books, 2019), one of Library Journal’s Best Poetry Books of the Year and winner of the Devil’s Kitchen and Goldie Awards; and Pelvis with Distance (White Pine Press, 2015), winner of the New Mexico Book Award and a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award; and is the co-author of Write It! 100 Poetry Prompts to Inspire (Spruce Books/Penguin RandomHouse, 2020). Jessica is the founder and executive director of Yetzirah: A Hearth for Jewish Poetry.
Learn more about Jessica through her website, jessicalgjacobs.com, on X @jessicalgjacobs, Facebook, and Instagram @jlgjacobs
You will find a complete transcript of this episode at www.quakerstoday.org 
Question for next month
Here are our questions for next month: What is a Quaker response to climate change? What is a queer Quaker response to climate change? ​​By looking at climate change-related issues through multiple lenses, like queerness and/or Quakerism, we can discover fresh ways of responding. Answer the question that calls to you, or both! 
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This episode's music comes from Epidemic Sound. We also heard Purple Dreams from Sam Thacker and his band Double Truck.