By Accident, Choice, or Grace

Ep 9. The Flavor of Familiarity and the Risk of Openness

“When I hear culturally relevant food, I hear what can you make at home that grandma made.” – Janelle St. John Sebastian White and Janelle St. John, Executive Director of Growing Home, reflect on memory, identity, and the tension between familiarity and openness. Together, they explore how culturally relevant food can both root us in belonging and challenge us to grow beyond what feels known, using food as a pathway to dignity, imagination, and shared humanity.

Ep 8. Where Healing Grows: The Intersection of Farming and the Human Spirit

“I never want someone to feel like our relationship is just a transaction.” – Letisha Steele Sebastian White and Letisha Steele, Executive Director of Green City Market, reflect on farming, food, and what it means to build spaces rooted in care rather than efficiency. Together, they explore land and markets as places of relationship, vulnerability, and healing, where slowing down and staying connected can reshape how we relate to food, community, and one another. Explore the podcast: https://theevolvednetwork.org/by_accident_choice_or_grace [https://theevolvednetwork.org/by_accident_choice_or_grace] Learn about our fellowship: https://theevolvednetwork.org/the_evolved_way [https://theevolvednetwork.org/the_evolved_way] Support our work: https://theevolvednetwork.org/donate [https://theevolvednetwork.org/donate] Follow along: https://instagram.com/the.evolved.network [https://instagram.com/the.evolved.network]

Ep 7: The Classroom

“If you have a sharp knife in your hands, you can’t be doing a bunch of things… it really forces you to stop, focus, and be in that moment.” — Anna Erickson In this episode, Sebastian White sits down with fifth-grade teacher Anna Erickson of William Ray Elementary to reflect on their work together through The Evolved Network, classroom culture, and how structure, joy, and reflection help students feel capable, connected, and seen. Explore the podcast: https://theevolvednetwork.org/by_accident_choice_or_grace [https://theevolvednetwork.org/by_accident_choice_or_grace] Learn about our fellowship: https://theevolvednetwork.org/the_evolved_way [https://theevolvednetwork.org/the_evolved_way] Support our work: https://theevolvednetwork.org/donate [https://theevolvednetwork.org/donate] Follow along: https://instagram.com/the.evolved.network [https://instagram.com/the.evolved.network]

Ep 6: Soul Food, Community, and The Wretched

“The land carries memory — of pain, but also of possibility.” – Nick Davis Sebastian White and Nick Davis, a local farmer organizer, explore the historical roots of American agriculture, the displacement and resilience of Black farmers, and how land and food remain sites of struggle, healing, and liberation. Explore the podcast: https://theevolvednetwork.org/by_accident_choice_or_grace [https://theevolvednetwork.org/by_accident_choice_or_grace] Learn about our fellowship: https://theevolvednetwork.org/the_evolved_way [https://theevolvednetwork.org/the_evolved_way] Support our work: https://theevolvednetwork.org/donate [https://theevolvednetwork.org/donate] Follow along: https://instagram.com/the.evolved.network [https://instagram.com/the.evolved.network]

EP 5: The Tragedy of Philanthropy

“Philanthropy is not a dream scenario. The dream is a world where it isn’t needed because resources are equitably shared.” – Jessyca Dudley In this episode, Sebastian White sits down with Jessyca Dudley, CEO of Bold Ventures, to explore the paradox of philanthropy — how it’s rooted in extraction yet essential to nonprofit survival. Together, they discuss history, proximity, and what it means to reimagine philanthropy as repair rather than transaction. Explore the podcast: https://theevolvednetwork.org/by_accident_choice_or_grace [https://theevolvednetwork.org/by_accident_choice_or_grace] Learn about our fellowship: https://theevolvednetwork.org/the_evolved_way [https://theevolvednetwork.org/the_evolved_way] Support our work: https://theevolvednetwork.org/donate [https://theevolvednetwork.org/donate] Follow along: https://instagram.com/the.evolved.network [https://instagram.com/the.evolved.network]