20 Minute Takes

This week on 20 Minute Takes, Nikki takes us on a history lesson to mark the 50th anniversary of the Chicago Declaration of Evangelical Social Concern.  In Chicago, 50 years ago, over Thanksgiving weekend, a group of concerned Christian leaders gathered to ask how their faith should inform how they show up in the public space.  The result was the drafting of a statement about Christian commitment to social justice that some view as one of the most influential documents, for the church, of the decade.  It became the founding document for Christians for Social Action, and influenced many others.20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social ActionHost and Producer: Nikki Toyama-Szeto Edited by: Wiloza MediaMusic: Andre Henry

This week on 20 Minute Takes, we talk with authors Kathy Khang and Matt Mikalatos about their new book, "Loving Disagreement".  They discuss ways to move beyond civility, to engage across difference.  Their new book, "Loving Disagreements" was released in October, 2023.You can find Kathy  on all social media platforms:  @mskathykhangMatt can be found at: FB: facebook.com/matthew.mikalatosBlueSky:@mattmikalatos.bsky.socialinstagram.com/mattmikalatos20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social ActionHost and Producer: Nikki Toyama-Szeto Edited by: Wiloza MediaMusic: Andre Henry

This week on 20 Minute Takes, we talk with Jason Chu. He's a rapper, public theologian, and activist.  He and Nikki talk about Gospel imagination, and having a Christian faith that navigates today's complexities and contradictions.  He shares from his new album "We Were the Seeds."You can listen to Jason's music on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon, etc.Catch him @jasonchumusic (on all social media): Instagram, TikTok,  Twitter/XAnd learn more about him at jasonchumusic.com20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social Action.Host: Nikki Toyama-SzetoEdited by: Wiloza MediaMusic: Andre Henry

This week on 20 Minute Takes, we talk with Olatunde Sobomhein. He's  co-author of the book Creative Hustle and CEO of Streetcode Academy. He and Nikki talk about the interplay of imagination, ambition, and reflection, as well as his organization's work at empowering communities of color through tech and innovation in rapidly changing communities like East Palo Alto.This is the final episode of season four! If there's a particular guest, episode, or subject that you enjoyed hearing from this season, or if you have any comments or feedback for us, please send us an email at [email protected]  with the subject line "20 Minute Takes." We look forward to hearing from you! Be on the lookout for season five this fall.

This week on 20 Minute Takes, we talk with Nina Balmaceda. She is the associate director for the Center for Reconciliation at Duke Divinity School, as well as the president and CEO of Paz y Esperanza International. Listen in as she and Nikki talk about what peace building looks like in Colombia, the church's involvement in this work, and God's dream of shalom for the world.

On this week's episode, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Nia Campinha-Bacote. She's a community curator/collaborator, and is the lead designer of On Breath & Being, a collection of meditation and breath-work practices that focus on countering the effects of racial trauma for BIPOC. In this conversation, they discuss an embodied faith, the power of breathing, and the necessity of spiritual practice for those who do the work of justice.

As we begin to wrap up our series on Hidden Hunger, we chat with Jeremy Everett. He's the Executive Director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, as well as the author of the book "I Was Hungry: Cultivating Common Ground to End an American Crisis." Nikki Toyama-Szeto chats with him about the state of food insecurity in the United States, who it affects, and how churches and faith communities might begin to engage creatively with this solvable problem.

On this quick take,  Ally Henny discusses Juneteenth, and what practices she and her family cultivated to celebrate Black freedom. Ally is the author of the new book "I Won't Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You," as well as vice president of The Witness. You can find our full episode with Ally here.

This week, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Ally Henny. She is the author of the new book "I Won't Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You," as well as vice president of The Witness. Listen in as they discuss the prophetic voice and presence of Black Women in the world as well as Ally's journey of finding her voice amidst the pressures of erasure and racism, inside and outside of the Church.Find our QUICK TAKE with Ally on Juneteenth here.

This week on 20 Minute Takes, Nikki Toyama-Szeto talks with Dr. Christina Edmondson. She's co-host of the podcast Truth's Table,  as well as co-author of the book Faithful Antiracism: Moving Past Talk to Systemic Change. Listen in as they discuss the book, the sort of work and healing required of those who do the work of racial justice, and how the Church is called to pursue racial justice as a prophetic act of repentance.