Sorrow, Joy, and Community

Fear and Faith Formula Part 1 Feb 2025

"Faith is the substance of things hope for and evidence of things not seen." -the Bible. What if Faith and Fear have the same formula? It is February 2025. We have seen a fury of unjust, inhumane, and confusing executive orders geared to oppress, marginalize, disenfranchise, and harm people across communities in America and also with global implications.  What is evident, this is a strategy. And the most effective tool they have is fear. If fear and faith have the same formula, what happens when people by the millions are believing the same thing?  Please take what serves you, leave what doesn't. Do so with the same Compassion and Love it was given. You can follow Carmen on all social media platforms @revcarmendplayer

Music, Imagination and Revolution: H.Y.P.E. Conversation with KIL

"An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times. I think that is true of painters, sculptors, poets, musicians. As far as I'm concerned, it's their choice, but I CHOOSE to reflect the times and situations in which I find myself. That, to me, is my duty. And at this crucial time in our lives, when everything is so desperate, when everyday is a matter of survival, I don't think you can help but be involved. Young people, black and white, know this. That's why they're so involved in politics. We will shape and mold this country or it will not be molded and shaped at all anymore. So I don't think you have a choice. How can you be an artist and NOT reflect the times? That to me is the definition of an artist." Nina Simone I kick it with my dear friend Rahaman “Kil” Kilpatrick to discuss the role of music and the shift of human consciousness. Here is a little bit about Kil: In 1984, when Rahaman “Kil” Kilpatrick was 10 years old, he saw Run DMC performing “Rock Box” on American Bandstand & he knew he wanted to be part of the hip hop culture. While other kids were asking their parents for toys for Christmas, Kil begged his parents to buy him two turntables so he could be a DJ.   In 1992 Kil began attending Morgan State University & saw an article in Vibe magazine that Bobbito wrote highlighting the dopest hip hop radio shows. When he saw Morgan’s show Strictly Hip Hop 88.9 was namedhe knew he had to become part of that show! For the next 7 years from 1994-2001 Kil hosted Strictly Hip Hop which is currently the longest running hip hop radio show on the east coast.  After graduating from Morgan State, Kil dedicated his life to helping teens in Washington DC by running numerous teen centers throughout the city. He’s gone on to become a music producer who has produced by groups such as MOP, Maffew Ragazino, RJ Payne and Pete Rock’s 1startist signed his record label Amxxr. He also hosts by a weekly hip hop podcast Apt. 5B.   Please take what serves you, leave what doesn't. Do so with the same Compassion and Love it was given. You can follow Carmen on all social media platforms @revcarmendplayer

Art and Imagining a New World H.Y.P.E. Conversation w/ Chad Eric Smith

Our next guest on the H.Y.P.E. Conversations series is Chad Eric Smith. Shares with us his rich insights of the power of the imagination to forge the world after the struggle. Here is a little more information about Chad. "Chad Eric Smith is a visionary force within the arts, entertainment, and nonprofit realms. As Senior Director of Communications and Brand Management at Mural Arts Philadelphia—America's preeminent public art program—he spearheads transformative communications, innovative marketing, and dynamic public engagement strategies. As the creative mind behind the film production company MisterDuke Productions, Smith's groundbreaking films have earned critical acclaim on platforms like Amazon Prime and kweliTV, securing his spot as Washington, DC's Filmmaker of the Month, bestowed by the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music, and Entertainment. Not only an award-winning actor with a knack for embodying diverse personas, Smith is also captivating as a musician, crafting tunes that articulate the essence of emotion with melodic depth and funky vibrance." Please take what serves you, leave what doesn't. Do so with the same Compassion and Love it was given. You can follow Carmen on all social media platforms @revcarmendplayer

Walking with Grief H.Y.P.E. Conversations w/ Shandell P. Richards

******Content Warning: **** This serves as a content warning.  The topic of death will be discussed. Please take the precaution and care needed for yourself or sensitive listeners. H.Y.P.E. Conversations opens with a powerful conversation with Shandell P. Richards. She is a beacon of LIGHT with a story for us all. Shandell shares with us her walk with grief after a life altering event and how she transformed the experience into her invitation to MANIFEST the life of her faith, convictions, and imagination. This rich conversation with Shandell is full of BLESSons for those who have been newly initiated into the walk with grief, and those familiar for years. RESOURCES Lifeline.org https://988lifeline.org/ 55 Mental Health Resources for People of Color https://www.onlinemswprograms.com/resources/mental-health-resources-racial-ethnic-groups/ Please take what serves you, leave what doesn't. Do so with the same Compassion and Love it was given. You can follow Carmen on all social media platforms @revcarmendplayer

Sorrow, Joy, and Community

****Content Warning**** This episode contains mentioning of death, the death of children and genocide. Please take the necessary precautions to ensure you are taking care of yourself and sensitive listeners. We are facing an intense experience in this timeline. By the publication of this podcast, we would have witnessed over 100 days of genocide, specifically in Gaza, while simultaneously witnessing ethnic cleansing and genocide in other places on the globe including Sudan and The Congo. It is not hard to become overwhelmed, hyper-fixated, even transfixed by the images and information we encounter. We may even experience deep guilt for the privilege we hold. As a result we may become isolated, lessen our light, decrease the moments of celebrating life. However, it is vital we continue to give ourselves and each other opportunities to live life fully, to laugh, to live, to share , to love, to hope. It is imperative because the work we have to shift this human experience will require a lifetime commitment. What we pour into our lives and ourselves will be the fuel. In this episode Rev. Carmen d. Player invites us to reach for each other in community care and to allow ourselves to live fully. Because when we take care of ourselves and each other, the bitterness of sorrow is more bearable, the joy we share is magnified and multiplied. Resources: If you or someone you know need help, please consider these resources. Lifeline.org https://988lifeline.org/ 55 Mental Health Resources for People of Color https://www.onlinemswprograms.com/resources/mental-health-resources-racial-ethnic-groups/   Please take what serves you, leave what doesn't. Do so with the same Compassion and Love it was given. You can follow Carmen on all social media platforms @revcarmendplayer