November 13, 2025 • 30 mins
In our first segment, we welcome Sharif El-Mekki, Founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development (CBED) — a nationally recognized leader working to rebuild the Black teacher pipeline and advance educational equity. With more than 25 years of experience as a teacher, principal, and movement-builder, Sharif shares how CBED is transforming the educational landscape through professional learning rooted in racial justice, strategic partnerships, and policy advocacy. We also highlight BMEC2025 — the Black Men Educators Convening happening November 20, 2025, a powerful gathering for Black educators and allies committed to systems change.
Website: www.thecenterblacked.org
X (formerly Twitter): @centerblacked
Instagram: @centerblacked
Facebook: CenterBlackEd
YouTube: The Center for Black Educator Development (channel) youtube.com
We then turn to an extraordinary annual tradition that blends faith, humanity, and healing. Each November, Gift of Life Donor Sabbath brings together faith leaders from diverse traditions to share a vital message: organ and tissue donation is an act of love, compassion, and charity. All major religions in the United States support donation as a selfless gift that saves lives. Joining us for this inspiring conversation are: Imam Dr. Raymond Brock-Murray, Masjid Baitul Nasr Pastor Charles Leonard, Saint Mark’s Church Rabbi Michael Singer, Congregation Brith Sholom Cynthia Slater, donor mother and advocate Yvette Mason, two-time liver recipient Together, they explore how faith traditions uplift the lifesaving mission of donation, how spiritual leaders guide families through difficult decisions, and why communities of color — especially those disproportionately affected — benefit deeply from trusted faith voices championing this cause.
As always, we close with an invitation to take action: During Donor Sabbath this November, have the conversation with your loved ones and consider registering as an organ donor at donors1.org. Through collective compassion and courage, we can offer hope, healing, and the gift of life.
Gift of Life Donor Program / Donor Sabbath Website: www.donors1.org — specifically their “Gift of Life Donor Sabbath” page. Gift of Life Donor Sabbath
Facebook: Gift of Life Donor Program – FB page Facebook+1
Instagram: @donors1
Website: www.thecenterblacked.org
X (formerly Twitter): @centerblacked
Instagram: @centerblacked
Facebook: CenterBlackEd
YouTube: The Center for Black Educator Development (channel) youtube.com
We then turn to an extraordinary annual tradition that blends faith, humanity, and healing. Each November, Gift of Life Donor Sabbath brings together faith leaders from diverse traditions to share a vital message: organ and tissue donation is an act of love, compassion, and charity. All major religions in the United States support donation as a selfless gift that saves lives. Joining us for this inspiring conversation are: Imam Dr. Raymond Brock-Murray, Masjid Baitul Nasr Pastor Charles Leonard, Saint Mark’s Church Rabbi Michael Singer, Congregation Brith Sholom Cynthia Slater, donor mother and advocate Yvette Mason, two-time liver recipient Together, they explore how faith traditions uplift the lifesaving mission of donation, how spiritual leaders guide families through difficult decisions, and why communities of color — especially those disproportionately affected — benefit deeply from trusted faith voices championing this cause.
As always, we close with an invitation to take action: During Donor Sabbath this November, have the conversation with your loved ones and consider registering as an organ donor at donors1.org. Through collective compassion and courage, we can offer hope, healing, and the gift of life.
Gift of Life Donor Program / Donor Sabbath Website: www.donors1.org — specifically their “Gift of Life Donor Sabbath” page. Gift of Life Donor Sabbath
Facebook: Gift of Life Donor Program – FB page Facebook+1
Instagram: @donors1
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning. You're listening to Winsight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Batadmorrow. Faith leaders across the country
are coming together during National Donor Sabbath to encourage organ
donation as an act of love and service. We'll tell
you more about that in just a moment, but first,
let's talk about an issue that impacts us all. We
need more black.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Teachers, Scharifa ol Mecki, CEO of the Center for Black
Educator Development.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
One of the defining times in my high school academic
history was Algebra one, taught by mister Burns. He was
one of two black teachers at the school I attended.
He was also one of my favorite teachers. So smart
he sent in a correction to the publisher of our
math book patient because a student of math I was not.
(00:46):
And most importantly, he stood out as a role model
of what was possible. Talking to us right now is
Sharif L. Mecki, Founder and CEO of the Center for
Black Educator Development. Sharif has spent over twenty five years educating, leading,
and advocating to rebuild the national Black Teacher pipeline so
(01:06):
that there are more teachers like mister Burns. And also
to advance educational equity. Under his leadership, CBED convenes educators
across the country, designs professional learning grounded in racial justice,
and pushes for systemic policy change. And also there's something
coming up the BMEC twenty twenty five Black Men Educators
(01:28):
convening in twenty twenty five. That was a mile ful
s real. Great to see you.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Again, great to be here, Thank you, thank you. Yeah.
We call it b MECH for short mech. It is aboutful.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Yeah, thank you. Now you you transitioned from being a
teacher and principal to foundings b MECH And I wonder
if you can tell us what the mission of the
organization is.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Oh, absolutely so.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Center for Black Educated Development was simply designed to rebuild
anational black teacher pipeline starting right here in Philadelphia. What
I saw as a principal as shoemaker, was we started
having students who said, Hey.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
We're going to become teachers.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
We're coming back to our school, we're coming back to
our city. We want to lead classrooms of our own
one day. And so we wanted to refer them to
a program to give them the support support as they
matriculate through college and what we found. We could not
find any formal programs for high school students who were
interested in becoming teachers. And we knew that for high
school students, you know, there were a lot of like
(02:30):
career opportunities college, you know, you had upward bound you
had programs for you know, if you wanted to be
an architect, if you wanted to be a carpenter, a welder,
all these things, cybersecurity.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
But we did not see any formal.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Programs to support high school youth who were interested in
exploring what does it mean to become a teacher, What
does it mean to lead classrooms of my own? What
does it mean to have pedagogy that reflects the you know,
best practices? You know, how do we explore that? And
so we decided to design it ourselves. You know, so
when you don't see something, you know, if you can
(03:08):
get the right group of people, you can try to
step into the gap and support the community in that
kind of way.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
And that's what we did building the Center for Black
Educator Development.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Well, you transition from being a teacher and a principal
to founding this organization and working on a national scale.
What are some of the biggest challenges that you've faced
in scaling your impact, and what lessons from your time
in the classroom still guide you.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Well, yeah, I'll start with the lessons.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
You know, listening to the youth is probably the most
important aspect of our work, you know, and that was
the same as a teacher and a principal.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
I think even our campaign, our tagline is we need
black teachers. So anyone can look up hashtag we need
black teachers. You know, we need black teachers dot org
will take you to the website, share the story, share
the research.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
And all those kinds of things.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
But that came from students that came from high school
students in our roundtable as we were, you know, discussing
to them like, hey, you know what inspired you to
start this journey to become a teacher?
Speaker 3 (04:06):
What do you think are barriers?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know, all those kinds of things, And they came
up with this campaign slogan to convince their peers to
at least take a look at what they felt was
a priority in education. And you know, I would say,
you know, one of the challenges, the biggest challenges will
always remain and this is we see this across the
country a student's experience in school informs their outlook on
(04:33):
the teaching profession. If they have a miserable experience, if
they feel disrespected, they feel unseen and unheard, you know,
a significant number, then we won't even entertain the idea
of becoming a teacher.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
You have others who've told us, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
What, we're going to become the teachers we wish we
had and knew we needed, you know, and our good friend,
doctor Chris Emden has often said that sometimes recruiting black
youth to become teachers means recruiting someone to return to
the scene of a crime, a crime committed against themselves.
And so we have to have that, you know, really
big picture of view, but also the proximity and engaging
(05:10):
students to hear about their experiences, see what they're interested in,
and then also at least invite them into the profession
and let them know, here's the impact that you can
make on future generations, not just the students you have,
but those students grandchildren.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Many districts struggle to retain teachers of color after hiring them.
What support systemic, relational, relational, or financial does CBED CBED
advocate to help black educators thrive long term.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Oh yeah, that is such a critical piece, you know,
doctor Ingersoll here at University of Penn like and sometimes
recruitment is recruiting someone or fill in a bucket with
a hole in it, you know. And our vision is
that the best recruitment plan is a strong retention plan.
And so what we do is part of our programming,
(06:04):
part of our pillar programs, is the Future Tatures of
Excellence Fellowship. This fellowship provides support for students, you know,
college students as well as their early career teachers, both academically,
socially as well as financially. You know, we want, we
believe that students who are committed to teaching should leave
college as debt free as possible. We know that if
(06:27):
you are doing other public sector work, your certification, for example,
is often paid for.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Your training is paid for.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
But for teachers, they have to come out of pocket
often to do that, and that means it's an expensive
proposition to even become a teacher. You need certification, you
need clearances, you often need your master's degree, and you
also have to pay for this on your own, which
means it becomes expensive.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So we advocate for higher salaries.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
We support doctor I'm sorry, Senator Hughes's and his colleagues
work to make sure that student teachers receive stipends. We
believe in what the mayor has proposed with housing support
for new teachers. So all of these things you know,
can support you know, financially, but we also believe that
the more anti racist your school is, the higher your
(07:18):
retention rates will be as well.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Now, at BMEC twenty twenty five and other convenings, what
do you hope participants will walk away with in terms
of relationships, commitments or next steps? And how do you
ensure these gatherings aren't just inspirational but catalytic.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Oh absolutely, you know that's I think one of the
best things about it is the it serves as a
catalyst for action. You know, inspiration can can be fleeting
as soon as you get off the plane and return home,
or you know, the tote bag of materials you've got
stay in.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
The trunk of your car for a months.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
You know, what's really important or the connections and the
work that comes out of it, the inspiration that leads
to action. And so from that, for example, we have
organizations around the country that launch that started, you know,
because of their attending of b MECH we have it's
intergenerational as well, which is you know, rare in the
education space where we have high school students who are
(08:20):
considering becoming teachers all the way to professors, researchers and
retired teacher activists all in the same room where these
students early career teachers can actually learn from those who've
paved the path and lit the way. But also it's
a two way street. The elders can also learn from
(08:41):
the youth. You know, we often talk about this intergenerational power.
B MECH is one of those places in education that
where that occurs, where it's not just elders, you know,
leading a classroom. It is truly intergenerational and community building.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
We have educators who.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Have said, you know what, I'm staying in the profession
because of that inspiration, but I also found tangible support there.
You know, I found a coach, I found a mentor,
I found strategies that support as well as you know,
school leaders, school and district leaders have also said the
same thing.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
So, you know, the inspiration is fine.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I think it's important, but nothing is as important as
thoughtful and deliberate action.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
In today's climate, with increasing restrictions around race, education and curriculum,
what do you see are the greatest threats to diversifying
the educator workforce? And also on the flip side, what
emerging opportunities give you hope for moving further and faster.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Yeah, you know, we often say mindsets matter most.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
So the propaganda, the false narrative about education, the idea
of what we want you to enter, but we want
you to erase yourself and your culture and your history ultaneously.
That's you know, that's a no win situation, and so
we believe that it's important to continue to teach truth,
to elevate accurate history, to celebrate cultural contributions from around
(10:14):
the sector. You know, But the main thing is, do
not erase, you know, what black educators have contributed to
this space, Do not ignore black pedagogy, do not call
uh you know effective.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Black educators is divisive. You know, the activism that.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
They have brought to the table for hundreds of years
still matter, and it matters greatly, particularly in the time
with negative and racist rhetoric about black communities and particularly students,
who are really our collective future, not just our community's future.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
It is they're the future of this country.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
And we see that constantly through students of color and
their work and the importance of education. I would say, like,
what accelerates the work, what inspires us? They are also
the youth, you know, they are still choosing despite the
madness and the mayhem that they may see and hear
(11:10):
about them, about themselves, about their history, They're still signing
up and say, you know what, I'm going to lead
a classroom. I am going to be who I was
waiting for. I am going to stand in that gap
and continue this tradition, these black teaching traditions that have
inspired hundreds of thousands, millions of students over generations, So
(11:33):
that how can we not stand up and fight for
them and make sure that the path that they need
to run on is a smoother, more stable, more predictable,
and more honored than ever.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
Well.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Certainly, educational opportunity contributes to social justice, and that's what
this organization is all about. If people want to know
more not only about the for Black educator development, but
also the upcoming BMAC Black Men Educators Convening twenty twenty
five slated for November twentieth, twenty twenty five this very year,
(12:13):
right here in Philadelphia. Where do they get all the
information about all those things?
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Yes, we're excited that Philadelphia has been the centerpiece for
this black Mail Educator convening.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
For years now.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
This is actually the eighth nationalum convening. And they can
go on the website www Dot Doust Center, blacked dot org,
www Dot Doust Center, blacked dot org, and on all
the social media platforms at Center Black ed. If you
forget all of that, just look up we need Black
(12:45):
Teachers dot org and it'll take you to the same spaces.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Fantastic. Well, mister Burns inspired me to go into education.
I actually was an education major, but then somewhere along
the line I pivoted and here I am in radio.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
But mar you for your teaching, your platform. You're teaching people.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
All the time right that I do look at those
kind of platforms that you, especially those of the radio
personalities like you who use it responsibly and are constantly
uplifting communities. You are an educator, Lorraine Valleboro.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Well, I'm very honored for you to say that, and
education is certainly very important to me and uplifting the
message that you are promoting, which is that we need
black teachers, and this organization, the Center for Black Educator Development,
is doing an extraordinary job increasing the opportunities to get
(13:39):
people into that pipeline to become teachers and to truly
make a difference in the lives of young people. Sharif
al Mecki, Founder and CEO of the Center for Black
Educator Development, thank you.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
So much, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Each November Gift of Life Donor Sabbath brings together faith
leaders from across traditions to share one vital message that
organ and tissue donation is an act of love, compassion,
and charity. All major religions in the United States support
donation as a selfless gift that saves lives. Well. Today,
(14:16):
we are joined by an inspiring panel supported by Gift
of Life Imam doctor Raymond Brock Murray of musjid By
toul Nassur, Pastor Charles Leonard of Saint Mark's Church, Rabbi
Michael Singer Congregation brit Sholom, Cynthia Slater, donor, mother and advocate,
and Yvette Mason, a two time liver recipient. Together, we
(14:40):
will explore explore how faith and humanity intersect in the
life saving mission of organ donation. So let's begin, doctor
brock Murray, Let's start with you from the Muslim perspective,
Good morning, how does faith guide the decision to give
the gift of life through organ donation?
Speaker 5 (15:00):
So, first and foremost, someone and thank you for having
me on the show and especially the invitation gift of life,
for having me and miss killer Brule as well for
thinking to having me participate. So there are a lot
of ways to understand the Islamic perspective. Right, all of
the Islamic perspectives on organ donation are rooted in obedience
(15:21):
to God. What is our responsibility as human beings to
do what is pleasing to God? Where we know that
He expects of us as pristion and that actually is
the foundation for the decision too and to not donated
organ believe it or not. And so we have a
few different schools of thought, just very briefly, you know, similarly,
(15:42):
as you'll see in all of the other scriptures that
we have part of our conversation today, the idea in
Islam that to save one life is as if to
save all of humanity. A lot of that informs our
approach to deciding to donate an organ right, because I
know that there's a great possibility that if I do donate,
(16:03):
an organists going to go to someone in need and
either save their lives or increase the quality of their life.
But similarly, the other side Islamically is sometimes we try
to honor the body of a person who might be deceased.
And so I think that most of our struggles as
a community around this issue really revolved around when has
a person passed away in terms of organization, but then
(16:27):
also on top of that, how do we honor the
body of the deceased by not causing any harm to
their bodies as well? And so I think religiously we're
kind of grappling with that and having these conversations from
community to community over time and trying to clarify what
that means to us as servants to God.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
I find it absolutely delightful that you refer to that
saying from the Torah that won't save one life and
you save the world. And that's also in the Talmud
Rebbi Singer and the Jewish traditions saving a life nefesh
is a core value. How does that teaching connect with
(17:07):
the message of donor Sabbath.
Speaker 6 (17:09):
So first again, thank you for having me, and thank
you to the gift of life. This is such an
important conversation and really to try to get out the
message and the word that organ donation is the highest
meat spa. We say commandments, so we believe in these commandments,
these meets vote that God, God gives, and the highest
one is to save a life. In fact, saving a
(17:30):
life even pushes a lot of other laws that we
might have that we value in Judaism, such as keeping
the Sabbath. And this is the most important law that
we really have. What we can do to save another
life because we believe, as you quoted from the Tulmulta
and as i mom pointed out, to save a life
(17:52):
is to save an entire world, because truly you are
one of a kind. Each person has a story background,
and there's only going to be ever one of you,
and so you are priceless in the eyes of God.
And so we feel that by you can show the
deepest honor and can fulfill the highest mitsvah of saving
(18:13):
a life, either as a living donor or as after
someone has passed away, and that this enables the person
who has passed away to actually perform this amazing meets
Vah to save up to sometimes eight people with organ donation,
and so we look at that as sort of the
highest way of honoring God and fulfilling the commandment to
(18:37):
save a life. And most of us, in our regular lives,
we don't go around like Superman like saving lives on
a regular basis. But here you can be. You can
be that person that God has blessed with the ability
to perform this commandment in Picoa Nephesh. As you mentioned
in saving another person's life. In Judaism, you know there
(18:58):
can be really no higher Meetsvah than doing that.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Well, we're hearing from two traditions, Judaism and Islam. Let's
turn to Christianity, Pastor Leonard. Many people turn to their
clergy for spiritual clarity. How does the Christian faith view
donation as an act of compassion and service.
Speaker 7 (19:19):
In the Christian Faith? For us, it's very, very, very
very I think important that we go to the life
of Jesus Christ where Jesus he says no greater, no
greater love than one in the laid on one's life
or another. So I think we share and with the
other two faiths that are present. We share that same
understanding that it's a high gift be able to give
(19:42):
life to another. And that's what are in our religion.
That's what it's about. It's about giving life, bringing life,
you know, into a situation.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
And when it comes to organ donor.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
Tissue donat and so forth organ donating, it's important that
people understand that they are doing it doing a great thing.
As Rabbi said, you know, you're saving as much or
helping as much as eight eight people who will be
recipients from some organs, especially when people are passing. What
I do is try to get that across the people
that there is a great thing that you're doing. Don't
(20:15):
feel that you're don't feel that you're doing something that
that's not allowed in Christianity. No Jesus, he said it, Well,
no one has no greater love than one in the
lay down one's life for another. And this we're giving life.
No greater love than to give life to another. And
that's how we see it, that we're giving something that
life can come come up from the ground. Almost person
(20:37):
who has very little hope. There's so many that are
on I think, on the waiting list, waiting for an
organ or whatever, and if we have someone who have
that organ, we have to be able to get to
our people to say, here's the opportunity for you to
give life to someone else. So we we treasure that
and that that understand that Jesus had no greater love
have have one than the layd down one's life for another.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
That's beautiful. We've spoken about the spiritual underpinnings about why
it is acceptable and a great thing to become an
organ donor. Let's talk about the reality of what that is. Yvett.
You've been given the gift of life twice. What message
would you share with others who may still have fears
(21:21):
or misconceptions about organ donation.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
It's interesting you would form the question in that way.
I had my second transplant and there was a family
member who I had the opportunity to talk to about
donating their father's organs. He had an aneurysm and that
was what ended up terminating his life. But my cousin
(21:48):
initially was not going to donate, and I talked to
her and said, you know, I know this is a
hard decision to make at this point, I said, but
I'm your cousin, and that I'm a recipient, and because
someone chose in this time of need for someone else,
that made that sacrifice for someone else, you know, I
(22:11):
just want to encourage you to consider doing the same.
She did choose to do that. I also had another
friend who we had been talking for a while. She
knew I had a transplant, and her husband ended up
passing away the same thing. And I remember going to
the service and looked over to greet them at the service,
and she and her kids all raised their risks. They
(22:32):
had their green bracelet on, showing me in that moment
that they chose to donate. And so, you know, it's
it's a hard thing, but I like to talk about
just how it's blessed me to be able to live on.
And I've had four children, one of them I had
(22:55):
a few months after me before my transplant, and then
so I have a pre transplant son, and then I
have two boys and a daughter after the transplant, and
so it is a sacrifice. But my hope is that
people will choose to give, because you just give the
(23:16):
opportunity for families to make memories with their loved ones.
And I just try to do my best to honor
the two families that were willing to make that sacrifice
for me.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
It is incredibly moving to know that you were able
to have children and to be able to be the
mom that you wanted to be post transplant, and that
is extraordinary that you'll have the opportunity to see them
grow and thrive. Cynthia, as both a donor mother and
(23:46):
a pastor, you've experienced this deeply from both sides. How
has your faith helped you find purpose and healing through
your son's legacy? And also tell us about your son.
Speaker 8 (23:57):
I'm a minister at Unity Lutheran Church in Wilmington and
a retired community social worker for over thirty years. I'm
here today as a proud mother of Ezekiel Wilson Slater,
my son who was an organ donor. When I think
of Ezekiel, I think of that his name means the
strength of God, and over the last several years, I'm
(24:21):
often reminded how much of God's strength that myself and
my family has needed to get through these tough times.
I remember his laughter, his smile, He loved fashion and baking,
and I remember he was such a nurturing person and
he loved flat flowers and being out in nature. We
(24:43):
often had to remind him to put his shoes on
because he would go out in all types of weather
barefooted because he wanted to see the snow, or he
wanted to climb in the mud. He especially loved sunflowers.
They were his favorite, and we planted sunflowers and seeds.
When I speak of his memory, I referenced Ezekiel to
the sunflower. Like Zeke's sunflowers grow tall and they lean
(25:07):
toward the light, and that's what he did. When Ezekiel
was sixteen, he came home excited from his driver's education
class about presentation that they had and he told me,
he said, Mom, I want that little heart on my
driver's license. He said, I want to be an organ donor,
(25:27):
and that heart became a symbol of love and generosity
throughout his life. At only twenty one, Ezekiel's life ended
far too soon, but through his decision, he gave life
to six people. Like the sunflowers he loved so much,
he planted seeds of hope and renewal in the lives
of others. Even in his passing. As a donor, Mom,
(25:49):
I've learned the grief and gratitude can coexist it's now
my mission to reach out to black and brown communities,
especially to talk openly about the power and the importance
of organ and tissue donation, you know, try to dispel
some of the urban legends and the myths that are
out there. And because like Ezek your sunflower, I look
(26:11):
at it that one small seed of love can grow
into a field of life. And through this selfless generosity
of his family and myself, we find solace in knowing
that his legacy lives on Ivett.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
I'm going to give you the last word, because your
story is really about the extraordinary gift that the gift
of life has provided for you, your family, your community.
And I wonder what your message would be to those
listening out there who are on the fence, who may
have heard all these misconceptions, may have certain misinformation on
(26:49):
their own part, and their reluctance to take that step
to become a potential organ donor. What would be your
message to them?
Speaker 4 (26:57):
My message to them would be, if you look at me,
I can't even begin to talk about how much I've thrived,
and this month actually is both of my transplant anniversaries.
When we don't have information like I know, I wouldn't
be as aware of in donation if I had not
(27:19):
gone through my experience, and so that makes it mean
a lot more than me. I just would encourage people
to research, make sure you not just put it on
your license, but let your family know what your wishes are.
Because my cousin, she knew that her her father wanted
to donate, but she wasn't going to because she was
(27:41):
just grieving. She was just so hurting. And so it's
just always better to have the conversations and consider the
fact that in you making that sacrifice, because it is
a sacrifice, you know, you're letting go of your loved one,
and I empathize with that. But to actually be able
to experience and see someone that's living and thriving, I've
(28:03):
been able to go and share with others across the world.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
Actually that was.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
A unique situation of being able to share my story
and the fact that my faith has definitely strengthened and
encouraged me along this journey to know that through my
journey of pain and struggle, that I'm able to help
others to know that there is hope, there is a
future where people can help somebody else make a difference
(28:30):
in the world, and they will not be able to
even get an understanding of the level of impact that
it would have on other families to be so generous
and kind.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Each November Gift of Life Donor Sabbath brings together faith
leaders from across traditions to share this one vital message
that oregon and tissue donation is an act of love, compassion,
and charity. All major religions in the United States support
donation as a selfless gift that saves lives. We've been
joined by Emam Doctor Raymond Brock Murray, Pastor Charles Leonard,
(29:04):
Rabbi Michael Singer, Cynthia Slater, reverend and donor, mother and advocate,
and Yvette Mason, a two time liver recipient. Organ donation
is truly an act of love that transcends faith, culture,
and background. Again, every major religion supports it as a
gift of compassion and humanity. During Gift of Life Donor
(29:25):
Sabbath this November, take a moment to have that important
conversation with your family and your faith community. You can
skip the trip to the DMV and register right now
at donorswe Dorg. Together through faith and action, we can
honor the spirit of giving and help more people receive
the gift of life. Thank you all for joining us today.
(29:47):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Life
Loraine Ballard. I'm Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for
service to our community and media that empowers. What will
you stand for? You've been listening to Insight and thank
(30:10):
you
Good morning. You're listening to Winsight, a show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Batadmorrow. Faith leaders across the country
are coming together during National Donor Sabbath to encourage organ
donation as an act of love and service. We'll tell
you more about that in just a moment, but first,
let's talk about an issue that impacts us all. We
need more black.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Teachers, Scharifa ol Mecki, CEO of the Center for Black
Educator Development.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
One of the defining times in my high school academic
history was Algebra one, taught by mister Burns. He was
one of two black teachers at the school I attended.
He was also one of my favorite teachers. So smart
he sent in a correction to the publisher of our
math book patient because a student of math I was not.
(00:46):
And most importantly, he stood out as a role model
of what was possible. Talking to us right now is
Sharif L. Mecki, Founder and CEO of the Center for
Black Educator Development. Sharif has spent over twenty five years educating, leading,
and advocating to rebuild the national Black Teacher pipeline so
(01:06):
that there are more teachers like mister Burns. And also
to advance educational equity. Under his leadership, CBED convenes educators
across the country, designs professional learning grounded in racial justice,
and pushes for systemic policy change. And also there's something
coming up the BMEC twenty twenty five Black Men Educators
(01:28):
convening in twenty twenty five. That was a mile ful
s real. Great to see you.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Again, great to be here, Thank you, thank you. Yeah.
We call it b MECH for short mech. It is aboutful.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Yeah, thank you. Now you you transitioned from being a
teacher and principal to foundings b MECH And I wonder
if you can tell us what the mission of the
organization is.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
Oh, absolutely so.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Center for Black Educated Development was simply designed to rebuild
anational black teacher pipeline starting right here in Philadelphia. What
I saw as a principal as shoemaker, was we started
having students who said, Hey.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
We're going to become teachers.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
We're coming back to our school, we're coming back to
our city. We want to lead classrooms of our own
one day. And so we wanted to refer them to
a program to give them the support support as they
matriculate through college and what we found. We could not
find any formal programs for high school students who were
interested in becoming teachers. And we knew that for high
school students, you know, there were a lot of like
(02:30):
career opportunities college, you know, you had upward bound you
had programs for you know, if you wanted to be
an architect, if you wanted to be a carpenter, a welder,
all these things, cybersecurity.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
But we did not see any formal.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Programs to support high school youth who were interested in
exploring what does it mean to become a teacher, What
does it mean to lead classrooms of my own? What
does it mean to have pedagogy that reflects the you know,
best practices? You know, how do we explore that? And
so we decided to design it ourselves. You know, so
when you don't see something, you know, if you can
(03:08):
get the right group of people, you can try to
step into the gap and support the community in that
kind of way.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
And that's what we did building the Center for Black
Educator Development.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
Well, you transition from being a teacher and a principal
to founding this organization and working on a national scale.
What are some of the biggest challenges that you've faced
in scaling your impact, and what lessons from your time
in the classroom still guide you.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Well, yeah, I'll start with the lessons.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
You know, listening to the youth is probably the most
important aspect of our work, you know, and that was
the same as a teacher and a principal.
Speaker 3 (03:41):
You know.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
I think even our campaign, our tagline is we need
black teachers. So anyone can look up hashtag we need
black teachers. You know, we need black teachers dot org
will take you to the website, share the story, share
the research.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
And all those kinds of things.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
But that came from students that came from high school
students in our roundtable as we were, you know, discussing
to them like, hey, you know what inspired you to
start this journey to become a teacher?
Speaker 3 (04:06):
What do you think are barriers?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know, all those kinds of things, And they came
up with this campaign slogan to convince their peers to
at least take a look at what they felt was
a priority in education. And you know, I would say,
you know, one of the challenges, the biggest challenges will
always remain and this is we see this across the
country a student's experience in school informs their outlook on
(04:33):
the teaching profession. If they have a miserable experience, if
they feel disrespected, they feel unseen and unheard, you know,
a significant number, then we won't even entertain the idea
of becoming a teacher.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
You have others who've told us, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
What, we're going to become the teachers we wish we
had and knew we needed, you know, and our good friend,
doctor Chris Emden has often said that sometimes recruiting black
youth to become teachers means recruiting someone to return to
the scene of a crime, a crime committed against themselves.
And so we have to have that, you know, really
big picture of view, but also the proximity and engaging
(05:10):
students to hear about their experiences, see what they're interested in,
and then also at least invite them into the profession
and let them know, here's the impact that you can
make on future generations, not just the students you have,
but those students grandchildren.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Many districts struggle to retain teachers of color after hiring them.
What support systemic, relational, relational, or financial does CBED CBED
advocate to help black educators thrive long term.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Oh yeah, that is such a critical piece, you know,
doctor Ingersoll here at University of Penn like and sometimes
recruitment is recruiting someone or fill in a bucket with
a hole in it, you know. And our vision is
that the best recruitment plan is a strong retention plan.
And so what we do is part of our programming,
(06:04):
part of our pillar programs, is the Future Tatures of
Excellence Fellowship. This fellowship provides support for students, you know,
college students as well as their early career teachers, both academically,
socially as well as financially. You know, we want, we
believe that students who are committed to teaching should leave
college as debt free as possible. We know that if
(06:27):
you are doing other public sector work, your certification, for example,
is often paid for.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Your training is paid for.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
But for teachers, they have to come out of pocket
often to do that, and that means it's an expensive
proposition to even become a teacher. You need certification, you
need clearances, you often need your master's degree, and you
also have to pay for this on your own, which
means it becomes expensive.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
So we advocate for higher salaries.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
We support doctor I'm sorry, Senator Hughes's and his colleagues
work to make sure that student teachers receive stipends. We
believe in what the mayor has proposed with housing support
for new teachers. So all of these things you know,
can support you know, financially, but we also believe that
the more anti racist your school is, the higher your
(07:18):
retention rates will be as well.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Now, at BMEC twenty twenty five and other convenings, what
do you hope participants will walk away with in terms
of relationships, commitments or next steps? And how do you
ensure these gatherings aren't just inspirational but catalytic.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Oh absolutely, you know that's I think one of the
best things about it is the it serves as a
catalyst for action. You know, inspiration can can be fleeting
as soon as you get off the plane and return home,
or you know, the tote bag of materials you've got
stay in.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
The trunk of your car for a months.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
You know, what's really important or the connections and the
work that comes out of it, the inspiration that leads
to action. And so from that, for example, we have
organizations around the country that launch that started, you know,
because of their attending of b MECH we have it's
intergenerational as well, which is you know, rare in the
education space where we have high school students who are
(08:20):
considering becoming teachers all the way to professors, researchers and
retired teacher activists all in the same room where these
students early career teachers can actually learn from those who've
paved the path and lit the way. But also it's
a two way street. The elders can also learn from
(08:41):
the youth. You know, we often talk about this intergenerational power.
B MECH is one of those places in education that
where that occurs, where it's not just elders, you know,
leading a classroom. It is truly intergenerational and community building.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
We have educators who.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Have said, you know what, I'm staying in the profession
because of that inspiration, but I also found tangible support there.
You know, I found a coach, I found a mentor,
I found strategies that support as well as you know,
school leaders, school and district leaders have also said the
same thing.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
So, you know, the inspiration is fine.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
I think it's important, but nothing is as important as
thoughtful and deliberate action.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
In today's climate, with increasing restrictions around race, education and curriculum,
what do you see are the greatest threats to diversifying
the educator workforce? And also on the flip side, what
emerging opportunities give you hope for moving further and faster.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Yeah, you know, we often say mindsets matter most.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
So the propaganda, the false narrative about education, the idea
of what we want you to enter, but we want
you to erase yourself and your culture and your history ultaneously.
That's you know, that's a no win situation, and so
we believe that it's important to continue to teach truth,
to elevate accurate history, to celebrate cultural contributions from around
(10:14):
the sector. You know, But the main thing is, do
not erase, you know, what black educators have contributed to
this space, Do not ignore black pedagogy, do not call
uh you know effective.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Black educators is divisive. You know, the activism that.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
They have brought to the table for hundreds of years
still matter, and it matters greatly, particularly in the time
with negative and racist rhetoric about black communities and particularly students,
who are really our collective future, not just our community's future.
Speaker 3 (10:47):
It is they're the future of this country.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
And we see that constantly through students of color and
their work and the importance of education. I would say, like,
what accelerates the work, what inspires us? They are also
the youth, you know, they are still choosing despite the
madness and the mayhem that they may see and hear
(11:10):
about them, about themselves, about their history, They're still signing
up and say, you know what, I'm going to lead
a classroom. I am going to be who I was
waiting for. I am going to stand in that gap
and continue this tradition, these black teaching traditions that have
inspired hundreds of thousands, millions of students over generations, So
(11:33):
that how can we not stand up and fight for
them and make sure that the path that they need
to run on is a smoother, more stable, more predictable,
and more honored than ever.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
Well.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Certainly, educational opportunity contributes to social justice, and that's what
this organization is all about. If people want to know
more not only about the for Black educator development, but
also the upcoming BMAC Black Men Educators Convening twenty twenty
five slated for November twentieth, twenty twenty five this very year,
(12:13):
right here in Philadelphia. Where do they get all the
information about all those things?
Speaker 2 (12:17):
Yes, we're excited that Philadelphia has been the centerpiece for
this black Mail Educator convening.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
For years now.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
This is actually the eighth nationalum convening. And they can
go on the website www Dot Doust Center, blacked dot org,
www Dot Doust Center, blacked dot org, and on all
the social media platforms at Center Black ed. If you
forget all of that, just look up we need Black
(12:45):
Teachers dot org and it'll take you to the same spaces.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Fantastic. Well, mister Burns inspired me to go into education.
I actually was an education major, but then somewhere along
the line I pivoted and here I am in radio.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
But mar you for your teaching, your platform. You're teaching people.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
All the time right that I do look at those
kind of platforms that you, especially those of the radio
personalities like you who use it responsibly and are constantly
uplifting communities. You are an educator, Lorraine Valleboro.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Well, I'm very honored for you to say that, and
education is certainly very important to me and uplifting the
message that you are promoting, which is that we need
black teachers, and this organization, the Center for Black Educator Development,
is doing an extraordinary job increasing the opportunities to get
(13:39):
people into that pipeline to become teachers and to truly
make a difference in the lives of young people. Sharif
al Mecki, Founder and CEO of the Center for Black
Educator Development, thank you.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
So much, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Each November Gift of Life Donor Sabbath brings together faith
leaders from across traditions to share one vital message that
organ and tissue donation is an act of love, compassion,
and charity. All major religions in the United States support
donation as a selfless gift that saves lives. Well. Today,
(14:16):
we are joined by an inspiring panel supported by Gift
of Life Imam doctor Raymond Brock Murray of musjid By
toul Nassur, Pastor Charles Leonard of Saint Mark's Church, Rabbi
Michael Singer Congregation brit Sholom, Cynthia Slater, donor, mother and advocate,
and Yvette Mason, a two time liver recipient. Together, we
(14:40):
will explore explore how faith and humanity intersect in the
life saving mission of organ donation. So let's begin, doctor
brock Murray, Let's start with you from the Muslim perspective,
Good morning, how does faith guide the decision to give
the gift of life through organ donation?
Speaker 5 (15:00):
So, first and foremost, someone and thank you for having
me on the show and especially the invitation gift of life,
for having me and miss killer Brule as well for
thinking to having me participate. So there are a lot
of ways to understand the Islamic perspective. Right, all of
the Islamic perspectives on organ donation are rooted in obedience
(15:21):
to God. What is our responsibility as human beings to
do what is pleasing to God? Where we know that
He expects of us as pristion and that actually is
the foundation for the decision too and to not donated
organ believe it or not. And so we have a
few different schools of thought, just very briefly, you know, similarly,
(15:42):
as you'll see in all of the other scriptures that
we have part of our conversation today, the idea in
Islam that to save one life is as if to
save all of humanity. A lot of that informs our
approach to deciding to donate an organ right, because I
know that there's a great possibility that if I do donate,
(16:03):
an organists going to go to someone in need and
either save their lives or increase the quality of their life.
But similarly, the other side Islamically is sometimes we try
to honor the body of a person who might be deceased.
And so I think that most of our struggles as
a community around this issue really revolved around when has
a person passed away in terms of organization, but then
(16:27):
also on top of that, how do we honor the
body of the deceased by not causing any harm to
their bodies as well? And so I think religiously we're
kind of grappling with that and having these conversations from
community to community over time and trying to clarify what
that means to us as servants to God.
Speaker 1 (16:45):
I find it absolutely delightful that you refer to that
saying from the Torah that won't save one life and
you save the world. And that's also in the Talmud
Rebbi Singer and the Jewish traditions saving a life nefesh
is a core value. How does that teaching connect with
(17:07):
the message of donor Sabbath.
Speaker 6 (17:09):
So first again, thank you for having me, and thank
you to the gift of life. This is such an
important conversation and really to try to get out the
message and the word that organ donation is the highest
meat spa. We say commandments, so we believe in these commandments,
these meets vote that God, God gives, and the highest
one is to save a life. In fact, saving a
(17:30):
life even pushes a lot of other laws that we
might have that we value in Judaism, such as keeping
the Sabbath. And this is the most important law that
we really have. What we can do to save another
life because we believe, as you quoted from the Tulmulta
and as i mom pointed out, to save a life
(17:52):
is to save an entire world, because truly you are
one of a kind. Each person has a story background,
and there's only going to be ever one of you,
and so you are priceless in the eyes of God.
And so we feel that by you can show the
deepest honor and can fulfill the highest mitsvah of saving
(18:13):
a life, either as a living donor or as after
someone has passed away, and that this enables the person
who has passed away to actually perform this amazing meets
Vah to save up to sometimes eight people with organ donation,
and so we look at that as sort of the
highest way of honoring God and fulfilling the commandment to
(18:37):
save a life. And most of us, in our regular lives,
we don't go around like Superman like saving lives on
a regular basis. But here you can be. You can
be that person that God has blessed with the ability
to perform this commandment in Picoa Nephesh. As you mentioned
in saving another person's life. In Judaism, you know there
(18:58):
can be really no higher Meetsvah than doing that.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Well, we're hearing from two traditions, Judaism and Islam. Let's
turn to Christianity, Pastor Leonard. Many people turn to their
clergy for spiritual clarity. How does the Christian faith view
donation as an act of compassion and service.
Speaker 7 (19:19):
In the Christian Faith? For us, it's very, very, very
very I think important that we go to the life
of Jesus Christ where Jesus he says no greater, no
greater love than one in the laid on one's life
or another. So I think we share and with the
other two faiths that are present. We share that same
understanding that it's a high gift be able to give
(19:42):
life to another. And that's what are in our religion.
That's what it's about. It's about giving life, bringing life,
you know, into a situation.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
And when it comes to organ donor.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
Tissue donat and so forth organ donating, it's important that
people understand that they are doing it doing a great thing.
As Rabbi said, you know, you're saving as much or
helping as much as eight eight people who will be
recipients from some organs, especially when people are passing. What
I do is try to get that across the people
that there is a great thing that you're doing. Don't
(20:15):
feel that you're don't feel that you're doing something that
that's not allowed in Christianity. No Jesus, he said it, Well,
no one has no greater love than one in the
lay down one's life for another. And this we're giving life.
No greater love than to give life to another. And
that's how we see it, that we're giving something that
life can come come up from the ground. Almost person
(20:37):
who has very little hope. There's so many that are
on I think, on the waiting list, waiting for an
organ or whatever, and if we have someone who have
that organ, we have to be able to get to
our people to say, here's the opportunity for you to
give life to someone else. So we we treasure that
and that that understand that Jesus had no greater love
have have one than the layd down one's life for another.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
That's beautiful. We've spoken about the spiritual underpinnings about why
it is acceptable and a great thing to become an
organ donor. Let's talk about the reality of what that is. Yvett.
You've been given the gift of life twice. What message
would you share with others who may still have fears
(21:21):
or misconceptions about organ donation.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
It's interesting you would form the question in that way.
I had my second transplant and there was a family
member who I had the opportunity to talk to about
donating their father's organs. He had an aneurysm and that
was what ended up terminating his life. But my cousin
(21:48):
initially was not going to donate, and I talked to
her and said, you know, I know this is a
hard decision to make at this point, I said, but
I'm your cousin, and that I'm a recipient, and because
someone chose in this time of need for someone else,
that made that sacrifice for someone else, you know, I
(22:11):
just want to encourage you to consider doing the same.
She did choose to do that. I also had another
friend who we had been talking for a while. She
knew I had a transplant, and her husband ended up
passing away the same thing. And I remember going to
the service and looked over to greet them at the service,
and she and her kids all raised their risks. They
(22:32):
had their green bracelet on, showing me in that moment
that they chose to donate. And so, you know, it's
it's a hard thing, but I like to talk about
just how it's blessed me to be able to live on.
And I've had four children, one of them I had
(22:55):
a few months after me before my transplant, and then
so I have a pre transplant son, and then I
have two boys and a daughter after the transplant, and
so it is a sacrifice. But my hope is that
people will choose to give, because you just give the
(23:16):
opportunity for families to make memories with their loved ones.
And I just try to do my best to honor
the two families that were willing to make that sacrifice
for me.
Speaker 1 (23:26):
It is incredibly moving to know that you were able
to have children and to be able to be the
mom that you wanted to be post transplant, and that
is extraordinary that you'll have the opportunity to see them
grow and thrive. Cynthia, as both a donor mother and
(23:46):
a pastor, you've experienced this deeply from both sides. How
has your faith helped you find purpose and healing through
your son's legacy? And also tell us about your son.
Speaker 8 (23:57):
I'm a minister at Unity Lutheran Church in Wilmington and
a retired community social worker for over thirty years. I'm
here today as a proud mother of Ezekiel Wilson Slater,
my son who was an organ donor. When I think
of Ezekiel, I think of that his name means the
strength of God, and over the last several years, I'm
(24:21):
often reminded how much of God's strength that myself and
my family has needed to get through these tough times.
I remember his laughter, his smile, He loved fashion and baking,
and I remember he was such a nurturing person and
he loved flat flowers and being out in nature. We
(24:43):
often had to remind him to put his shoes on
because he would go out in all types of weather
barefooted because he wanted to see the snow, or he
wanted to climb in the mud. He especially loved sunflowers.
They were his favorite, and we planted sunflowers and seeds.
When I speak of his memory, I referenced Ezekiel to
the sunflower. Like Zeke's sunflowers grow tall and they lean
(25:07):
toward the light, and that's what he did. When Ezekiel
was sixteen, he came home excited from his driver's education
class about presentation that they had and he told me,
he said, Mom, I want that little heart on my
driver's license. He said, I want to be an organ donor,
(25:27):
and that heart became a symbol of love and generosity
throughout his life. At only twenty one, Ezekiel's life ended
far too soon, but through his decision, he gave life
to six people. Like the sunflowers he loved so much,
he planted seeds of hope and renewal in the lives
of others. Even in his passing. As a donor, Mom,
(25:49):
I've learned the grief and gratitude can coexist it's now
my mission to reach out to black and brown communities,
especially to talk openly about the power and the importance
of organ and tissue donation, you know, try to dispel
some of the urban legends and the myths that are
out there. And because like Ezek your sunflower, I look
(26:11):
at it that one small seed of love can grow
into a field of life. And through this selfless generosity
of his family and myself, we find solace in knowing
that his legacy lives on Ivett.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
I'm going to give you the last word, because your
story is really about the extraordinary gift that the gift
of life has provided for you, your family, your community.
And I wonder what your message would be to those
listening out there who are on the fence, who may
have heard all these misconceptions, may have certain misinformation on
(26:49):
their own part, and their reluctance to take that step
to become a potential organ donor. What would be your
message to them?
Speaker 4 (26:57):
My message to them would be, if you look at me,
I can't even begin to talk about how much I've thrived,
and this month actually is both of my transplant anniversaries.
When we don't have information like I know, I wouldn't
be as aware of in donation if I had not
(27:19):
gone through my experience, and so that makes it mean
a lot more than me. I just would encourage people
to research, make sure you not just put it on
your license, but let your family know what your wishes are.
Because my cousin, she knew that her her father wanted
to donate, but she wasn't going to because she was
(27:41):
just grieving. She was just so hurting. And so it's
just always better to have the conversations and consider the
fact that in you making that sacrifice, because it is
a sacrifice, you know, you're letting go of your loved one,
and I empathize with that. But to actually be able
to experience and see someone that's living and thriving, I've
(28:03):
been able to go and share with others across the world.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
Actually that was.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
A unique situation of being able to share my story
and the fact that my faith has definitely strengthened and
encouraged me along this journey to know that through my
journey of pain and struggle, that I'm able to help
others to know that there is hope, there is a
future where people can help somebody else make a difference
(28:30):
in the world, and they will not be able to
even get an understanding of the level of impact that
it would have on other families to be so generous
and kind.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Each November Gift of Life Donor Sabbath brings together faith
leaders from across traditions to share this one vital message
that oregon and tissue donation is an act of love, compassion,
and charity. All major religions in the United States support
donation as a selfless gift that saves lives. We've been
joined by Emam Doctor Raymond Brock Murray, Pastor Charles Leonard,
(29:04):
Rabbi Michael Singer, Cynthia Slater, reverend and donor, mother and advocate,
and Yvette Mason, a two time liver recipient. Organ donation
is truly an act of love that transcends faith, culture,
and background. Again, every major religion supports it as a
gift of compassion and humanity. During Gift of Life Donor
(29:25):
Sabbath this November, take a moment to have that important
conversation with your family and your faith community. You can
skip the trip to the DMV and register right now
at donorswe Dorg. Together through faith and action, we can
honor the spirit of giving and help more people receive
the gift of life. Thank you all for joining us today.
(29:47):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Life
Loraine Ballard. I'm Lorraine Ballard MOREL and I stand for
service to our community and media that empowers. What will
you stand for? You've been listening to Insight and thank
(30:10):
you
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.