Restrictive voting laws and immigration policies shape who has a voice in our democracy. Attorney and activist Eric Cedillo joins Good God to discuss his work expanding voting access, advocating for Latino communities, and pushing for immigration reform. He and George Mason explore the systemic obstacles that keep people from the ballot box, the political roadblocks to reform, and the power of grassroots action to create change. With the Super Mega Marcha approaching, this conversation is a powerful reminder that democracy depends on those who show up.
Cedillo is the founder of The Law Offices of Eric Cedillo, a professor at SMU Dedman School of Law, and a longtime advocate for victims' rights, civic engagement, and access to justice.
Faith isn’t just a belief—it’s a way of life. Almas Muscatwalla, a dedicated interfaith leader and advocate for social justice, joins Good God to share how her Ismaili Muslim faith calls her into service. In conversation with George Mason, she reflects on the meaning of pluralism, the importance of understanding across differences, and the role of faith in shaping a more just and compassionate society.
Muscatwalla co-founded Faith Forward Dallas at Thanks-Giving Square to bring faith leaders together in action on issues like homelessness, racial equity, and refugee support. She has served in leadership roles with the Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation, Project Unity, and the Center for Asian Studies at UT Dallas, among others, working to build bridges across communities and create lasting change.
George Mason joins in conversation with Kim High, the passionate founder of Joppy Momma's Farm—a grassroots initiative tackling food insecurity in South Dallas. Kim shares her inspiring journey from corporate life to community farming, driven by her personal battle with diabetes and a leap of faith. Joppy Momma's Farm is not just feeding a community but also preserving the rich heritage of one of Dallas's historic Freedmen's towns.
Joppy Momma's Farm vows to empower, educate, and create greater opportunities for health, wellness, and self-sufficiency through sustainable, regenerative agriculture. Kim's work is a testament to the power of faith in action.
Read MoreIn this Good God episode, Tammy Johnson—Executive Director and Founder of Empowering the Masses in South Dallas—shares her inspiring journey from childhood poverty to leading an organization that addresses food insecurity through its CommUNITY Market, offering nutritious and culturally appropriate food to those in need.
Empowering the Masses provides career training and certification programs, equipping individuals to increase their earning potential and engage more deeply with their neighbors. Discover how faith, dignity, and practical support are transforming lives and entire communities in South Dallas.
Read MoreJoin host George Mason as he visits For Oak Cliff to discuss food security, access, and justice in Southern Dallas. Meet Julianna YeeFoon and Raven Shankle, leaders in the community's fight against food apartheid, and explore For Oak Cliff's innovative approaches to creating a sustainable and equitable food system. Discover how partnerships, education, and a vision for food sovereignty are transforming lives and neighborhoods.
For Oak Cliff's mission is to provide culturally responsive initiatives in South Oak Cliff to liberate the community from systemic oppression, create a culture of education, and increase social mobility and social capital.
George pays a visit to Restorative Farms where he meets with co-founder Brad Boa. He tours the farm and learns how this Community Farm is working to address the issues of food access by growing food and creating jobs for the community. Later, co-founder Owen Lynch joins George online and tells the origin story of Restorative Farms.
In South Dallas where a population of people has to leave their community to get access to healthy food, Restorative Farms works to support systematically underdeveloped communities. The farm's focus is on food sustainability but is also creating a network of local farmers who are working their land in an environmentally responsible manner. The farm provides job opportunities and fresh food, ingrains a pride of ownership, and fosters collaboration.
This episode is the fourth in the new series “More than Food for Thought: Community-Based Solutions to Hunger in South Dallas."
Read MoreGeorge pays a visit to the West Dallas Multipurpose Center where he tours the grounds, meets with Center Manager Ashley Hutto, and learns how the city of Dallas is addressing the issues of food access and insecurity.
In a part of the city where access to grocery stores and fresh produce is limited, the Center offers emergency food assistance, bilingual SNAP application support, a teaching kitchen, a Neighbors' Community Garden, and more. Follow along as George and Ashley explore the importance of seeking out sustainable and long-term solutions to hunger that arise from the community and maintain the dignity and independence of its members.
This episode is the third in the new series “More than Food for Thought: Community-Based Solutions to Hunger in South Dallas.”
This episode is the second in the new series “More than Food for Thought: Community-Based Solutions to Hunger in South Dallas.” In it, George introduces us to 4DWN’s Sunday Service and its leaders.
4DWN is a skate park, an organization, and a service-driven community that meets the needs of hundreds of kids and families each week. It creates upward mobility opportunities, and through its “Sunday Service” distributes with the help of its volunteers thousands of pounds of nutritious food—eliminating waste and feeding bodies, minds, and souls throughout this area food desert. It’s good for people, and good for the planet.
4DWN “is a metaphor, right? About four wheels down and rolling. It’s a sort of celebration of movement…all moving forward together.” - Rob Cahill
Read MoreThis episode is the first in the new series “More Than Food for Thought: Community-Based Solutions to Hunger in South Dallas.”
In it, George introduces us to Joey Darwin, Executive Director of Bridge Builders and the group’s South Dallas Community Market. Together, they explore what a grocery store would look like if the neighbors who shop there got to say what they needed and wanted.
In partnership with Brother Bill’s Helping Hand, that’s exactly what this market does; it offers nutritious food chosen by clients right in the community of South Dallas.
BridgeBuilders engages, equips, and empowers individuals, families, and communities in South Dallas.
Read MoreThe future is dark. Is this the darkness of the tomb—or the darkness of the womb? Valarie Kaur is a renowned civil rights leader, lawyer, award-winning filmmaker, educator, innovator, and best-selling author of SEE NO STRANGER. She leads the Revolutionary Love Project to reclaim love as a force for justice. In this conversation, Valarie Kaur reframes the present moment in history as one of transition and calls on us to show up in the labor of birthing a new future.
Read MoreBrian Williams was a surgeon on call at Parkland Hospital on July 7, 2016 and operated on the victims of the Dallas police shooting that launched the Back the Blue campaign. Hear how that night and its trauma, combined with the tragedies of the previous two days--the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile--positioned him to be a spokesperson and activist for racial justice.
Read MoreCarl Sherman, the State Representative responsible for the Botham Jean Act, explains how he transformed street protests into public policy.
Read MoreHer title is: Gun Violence Prevention Minister. And she's the only minister like this that exists, anywhere. Listen to Deanna Hollas from Dallas talk about the importance of her ministry and her views on guns, the Second Amendment, and the prophet Isaiah's vision of a peaceable kingdom.
Read MoreSonja Miller, faith director for the Texas Freedom Network, talks reproductive rights, public education, and finding common ground beyond left vs. right.
Read MoreTerry Greenberg leads an effort in Dallas to reduce unintended teen pregnancy. She and George talk about the lead causes of teen pregnancies and how they can be avoided through conversation, education and the support of the faith community. Visit ntarupt.org and TalkAboutItDallas.com to learn about these local efforts.
Read MoreMitri Raheb is a Palestinian Christian, born in Bethlehem across the street from where Jesus was born. He speaks on the conflict between Israel and Palestine and his creation of interfaith communities that respond to Palestinian suffering through art.
Read MoreKristin Du Mez reminds us that she is a historian first, even though her sensational book, Jesus and John Wayne, has invoked fierce theological backlash from evangelicals. Hear her response to the pushback, plus a breakdown of the patriarchy that is so persistent in evangelical churches.
Read MoreRabbi Rachel Mikva wrote the book, Dangerous Religious Ideas, and she is here to discuss the ways that religion is harmful.
Read MoreCarl Sherman, the State Representative responsible for the Botham Jean Act, explains how he transformed street protests into public policy.
Read MoreJust days before Martin Luther King Day, Reverend Dr. Frederick Douglas Haynes III talks with George about the misconceptions surrounding Dr. King’s legacy, and the important difference between equity and equality.
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