The long walk towards liberation: conflict, community and belonging with Susan Raffo

The long walk towards liberation: conflict, community and belonging with Susan Raffo

In this deep and wide-ranging conversation, I speak with Susan Raffo, writer, community organizer . She invites us to reimagine conflict as a natural part of being in relationship rather than something to be feared or eliminated. Raffo argues that difference, tension, and change are essential features of life, but that systems of oppression, historical wounds, and our growing discomfort with uncertainty often prevent us from engaging conflict in healthy ways. We explore what kinds of cultural “protocols” or practices might help communities hold tension without escalating into harm, and how reconnecting with land, ancestry, and interdependence can offer alternative ways of relating. Drawing on her walk across the United States, Raffo reflects on conversations with strangers that revealed common fears, longings, and desires for connection beneath political divides. She shares how the journey deepened her sense of belonging, not only to other people, but to the land itself, and reinforced her belief that community resilience depends on remembering our interconnectedness. The conversation ultimately offers a hopeful meditation on conflict, curiosity, and what it means to live together with dignity, difference, and care.

Conflict and Somatic Liberation: Rethinking Power, Trauma, and Resistance with Dr. Resmaa Menakem

In this episode of Stay, I am joined by renowned trauma specialist, writer, and somatic abolitionist Dr. Resmaa Menakem for a deeply expansive conversation on conflict, embodiment, and liberation in a time of escalating social and political tension. Drawing from his groundbreaking work in My Grandmother’s Hands and The Quaking of America, Resmaa reframes conflict not as a breakdown of communication, but as something rooted in ancestral trauma, systems of racial violence, and the body itself. Together, we explore how white body supremacy shapes our sense of safety and threat, and why so many interpersonal and societal conflicts are echoes of much older collective wounds. The conversation moves through somatic liberation, the limits of “hope,” the seduction of systems that offer inclusion without transformation, and the difference between accommodation and true liberation. Resmaa also shares powerful stories—from a spontaneous moment of collective dance in Brazil to reflections on James Baldwin illuminating his core teaching: liberation is not something to be captured or scaled, but something to be lived, embodied, and transmitted across generations. Resmaa lovingly challenges us to examine conventional ideas of progress, urging listeners to rethink what it means to engage in conflict, resist systems of harm, and remain connected to creation itself.

Where Shall We Go Next? The Emotions and Ethics of Travel with Dr. Anu Taranath

I sit down with Dr. Anu Taranath, author of the book Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World and explore the complex ethics, emotions, and systemic issues of travel. We delve into how travel shapes identity, empathy, and responsibility in an unequal world and get into the inherent conflicts that are built into traveling. In this conversation, we discuss how travel can evoke feelings of guilt and the importance of navigating these emotions mindfully. Dr. Taranath shares her personal journey of cultural dislocation and how it has shaped her understanding of belonging and empathy. The discussion also delves into the significance of literature in fostering connections and understanding across cultures, as well as the need to embrace discomfort as a natural part of the travel experience. Book-Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World Website: https://www.anutaranath.com/

Voices in Conflict: Art, Identity, and AI with Christine Rose Schemerhorn

From Midwestern conflict-avoidance to speaking up in a high-stakes creative industry, this episode follows one voice actor’s journey of finding her voice, while questioning what happens when voices can be replicated, controlled, or replaced. We explore hidden conflicts within the voice acting industry, where art, identity, and business collide. Actor Christine Rose Schermerhorn shares her experiences navigating typecasting, power dynamics, and the growing impact of AI, raising urgent questions about ownership, authenticity, and what it means to truly have a voice.

Beyond the Fields of Right and Wrong: Rethinking Conflict in a Polarized World with Bayo Akomolafe

In this episode of Stay, I sit down with philosopher Bayo Akomolafé to rethink how we understand conflict in a deeply polarized world. Rather than seeing conflict as something to fix or avoid, Bayo invites us to see it as the very condition through which life unfolds. He challenges the binaries of right vs. wrong, suggesting that our obsession with resolution and righteousness may actually keep us trapped in repeating cycles. The conversation explores the difference between morality and ethics. Instead of rushing to solutions, Bayo encourages us to slow down, notice the deeper systems shaping events, and engage with the “cracks” where transformation becomes possible. Ultimately, this episode is an invitation to move beyond being right and toward being responsive in a messy, interconnected world.