Curiosity Invited

Chrysta Bilton is an American writer and memoirist. Her first book, the memoir Normal Family: On Truth, Love, and How I Met My 35 Siblings, was published in July 2022 by Little, Brown in the US and Octopus in the UK. The book was listed among Kirkus's Best Nonfiction Books of 2022 and named a 'best' or 'must-read' book of Summer 2022 by The Washington Post, The LA Times, Vanity Fair, People Magazine, Amazon, and many others. The Sunday Times called Normal Family "a testament to human resilience, forgiveness and humour" and People Magazine called it "a riveting debut." The Atlantic wrote that "Normal Family will, in the very best way, leave you wondering what [family] actually means." Chrysta lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. Chrysta's 'family' is spread widely across the country. Please tune into our delightful, humorous and enormously touching conversation.

Daryl Davis and Jeff Schoep are two of the most inspirational gentlemen I've ever met. Both work at the forefront of a hands-on social movement aimed at building bridges of understanding and friendship ordinarily thought to be impossible. Having had the opportunity to sit down with each of them individually (Davis Episode 24; Schoep Episode 29) they agreed to sit down with me at the same time to speak about what it will take to overcome the growing factionalism in our society. Daryl Davis has worked to improve race relations by seeking out, engaging in dialogue with, and befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan. In 1983, he was playing country western music in a "white" bar in Frederick, Maryland, when a patron came up to him and said it was the first time he had "heard a black man play as well as Jerry Lee Lewis". Davis explained to the man that "Jerry Lee learned to play from black blues and boogie-woogie piano players and he's a friend of mine". The white patron was skeptical and over a drink admitted he was a member of the KKK. The two became friends and eventually the man gave Davis contact information on KKK leaders. A few years later, Davis decided that he wanted to interview Klan members and write a book on the subject, to answer a "question in my head from the age of 10: 'Why do you hate me when you know nothing about me?' That question had never been answered from my youth". Davis eventually went on to befriend over twenty members of the KKK, and claims to have been directly responsible for between forty and sixty, and indirectly over two hundred people leaving the Klan.Over the course of his activities, Davis found that Klansmen have many misconceptions about black people, stemming mostly from intense brainwashing in their youth. When they got to know him, Davis claims, it was more difficult to maintain their prejudices. The artist has recounted his experiences in his 1998 book, Klan-destine Relationships: A Black Man's Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan. Davis is not on a mission to "convert" bigots, white supremacists, Klansmen, or Nazis. Rather because of the earnest respect he offers all human beings and his core beliefs in the power of love, respect, fairness and his willingness to listen and find the heart of "the other," people are moved and transformed. Over 200 Neo-Nazis, Klansmen and others who belong to organizations that preach hate have chosen to leave those organizations and give Daryl their robes, flags, insignia, and other symbols of hate. https://www.daryldavis.com/ https://twitter.com/RealDarylDavis Jeff Schoep, once America’s most notorious neo-Nazi, now a consultant for the Simon Wiesenthal Center and an inspirational speaker for Conscious Campus, tirelessly holds keynote talks, lectures, and workshops from his unique vantage point. For over 2 decades, Schoep led America’s largest neo-Nazi organization, the National Socialist Movement (NSM), overseeing its growth to a nationwide movement. Beginning in 2016, through interactions with a black musician, Daryl Davis, and a Muslim film maker, Deeyah Khan, Jeff began to question not only his work, but his entire life. Experiencing relational dialogue and interpersonal relationships with those he once vilified changed Jeff’s life forever. In 2019, he left the the NSM and publicly denounced the ideology. Jeff Schoep transitioned from mastering propaganda that promoted hatred and fear dedication to speaking about our shared humanity. He provides unique insights into the inner workings of far-right extremism from first hand knowledge and personal experience. Jeff has spoken nationally and internationally, from synagogues to universities, from broadcasts to speaking at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway with Deeyah Khan. In 2020, Jeff founded Beyond Barriers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to a world devoid of extremism, radicalized organizations, hate, violence, coercive and violent ideologies. In addition to working alongside both community and government agencies, such as the Office of Juvenile Justice Department (OJJDP), Jeff and his organization, Beyond Barriers, have worked with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, RAND Corporation, International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE), mental health professionals, academic research and development teams, as well as religious and educational institutions across the United States and abroad. https://twitter.com/SchoepJeff https://beyondbarriersusa.org/ https://jeffschoep.com/

From his earliest years growing up between a clinic and hospital in his native Guatemala, Miguel Rivera has been learning and practicing healing. Veering from traditional medical paths of his parents and family Miguel's journey led him to the drum and ceremonies rooted in the earth. For over 50 years, Miguel's work has included talking circles, vision quests, Sundances and he has participated in well over 5,000 sweat lodges. He is a founding member of the Western Gate Roots and Wings Foundation, a member of the Guild of Future Architects and a Board Member for Wolf Connection. David and Miguel discuss his journey to learn these ceremonies from Native American elders, how he uses these teachings to help youth, veterans, as well as his work with people from all cultures. His journey has led him to work with Robert Bly, Dan Hillman, native elders Wallace Black Elk, Raymond Stone, Grace Spotted Eagle and so many others. Through all of his work, Miguel looks to bring people into a collaborative, kind, inclusive and prosperous world. An accomplished drummer, and a man in love with the language of sound, Miguel taught drumming at the Men’s Conferences in Mendocino and Los Angeles from 1991 to 1995 and in Minnesota from 1993 to the present. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Soldier’s Heart, Shade Tree, a mentoring group in Los Angeles. Along the way he has translated all the works of Humberto Akabal, outstanding Maya- K'iche' poet and artist from Guatemala. In addition Miguel has accumulated a lengthy list of film and tv credits for his work in sound effects and editing. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0729365/

Chrysta Bilton is an American writer and memoirist. Her first book, the memoir Normal Family: On Truth, Love, and How I Met My 35 Siblings, was published in July 2022 by Little, Brown in the US and Octopus in the UK. The book was listed among Kirkus's Best Nonfiction Books of 2022 and named a 'best' or 'must-read' book of Summer 2022 by The Washington Post, The LA Times, Vanity Fair, People Magazine, Amazon, and many others. The Sunday Times called Normal Family "a testament to human resilience, forgiveness and humour" and People Magazine called it "a riveting debut." The Atlantic wrote that "Normal Family will, in the very best way, leave you wondering what [family] actually means." Chrysta lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. Chrysta's 'family' is spread widely across the country. Please tune into our delightful, humorous and enormously touching conversation.