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Together, we research and break down complex, and even controversial, topics facing our society. Our goal isn’t to convince you to see things our way. We want to build a foundational understanding of these complicated topics so that we can address them together. We talk about some pretty heavy stuff on this show, and we tackle topics that might feel polarizing. But we do that because we have an important goal in mind: We want to change the way people have hard conversations. And, we think we can do that using research and discussion to create common understanding. And, since you’re here, we hope you want the same thing. So we suggest getting comfortable, and maybe having a good drink on hand as we work through this stuff. Welcome to our fireside.
Episodes

Monday Jul 20, 2020
Session 2 - Systemic Racism pt. 2
Monday Jul 20, 2020
Monday Jul 20, 2020
Robin and Jon take a closer look at systemic racism as it relates to housing and land rights. They discuss the racist ideas behind the seizure of native land, assimilation and segregation; they look at some of the explicitly racist programs and policies that affected Black and Indigenous Americans; they discuss what systemic effects those policies and programs still have today; and consider the outcomes of people of color because of this systemic racism.
This episode’s outline - including sources - is available on the podcast Facebook page (Fireside Breakdowns). And, as usual, we’d love to hear from you!
- Find us on Facebook
- Send us an email (firesidebreakdowns@gmail.com)
- Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform
Welcome to our fireside.

Monday Jul 06, 2020
Session 1 - Systemic Racism pt. 1
Monday Jul 06, 2020
Monday Jul 06, 2020
Update 14 July 2020: The original upload has been replaced with a newer version due to sound balancing issues. The contents remain the same. The only change is the audio mix. We apologize for the original issues.
Robin and Jon are jumping right into the mix!
In this episode, they're breaking down systemic racism - what it means, what it doesn't mean, how it developed, and how it impacts all people - especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Then, they discuss what systemic racism in the American criminal justice system looks like, and how it affects people of color.
Full Episode outline and sources:
Episode One: Systemic Racism and the Criminal Justice System
Intro
Welcome to session one. Pull up a chair, get into your comfy clothes, and pour yourself a drink. Probably stiff. Because for our first session we’ve decided to think small, really go for the manageable, and take on systemic racism. We know, we know. It hardly seems worth the time, but we wanted to really ease into our roles here and start with something relatively non-inflammatory and simple.
Ah… if only. Obviously, this is a massive topic that impacts all of our lives, no matter the color of our skin, every day. Sometimes in ways that are apparent, sometimes in ways that we never even notice. We will strive to keep this a direct, concise, fulsome breakdown, but the reality is we could dedicate literally hundreds of hours discussing this one topic, and still not be finished. For now, we’ll address what Systemic Racism is, what it is not, a history of where the idea comes from, and how it applies in today’s society.
So. I do recommend that drink. I hope you’re comfortable now. Because this conversation will likely cover some things that will be hard to hear, let alone accept. We will include our citations as we go through, and we’ll have our write up published as soon as we figure out how we’re going to do that. We hope you’re ready. Welcome to our fireside.

Monday Jul 06, 2020
Session 0 - Introduction
Monday Jul 06, 2020
Monday Jul 06, 2020
Welcome to the Fireside. In this episode, your hosts Robin and Jon introduce themselves and talk a little bit about who they are, why they're doing this podcast, and what they hope to accomplish.