This just ain't working for us...and it does not have to be this way.

About This Episode

Can we be strong enough to name what is broken without demanding everyone speak our language?. In this deep dive interview, Tyler sits down with Relando to explore how power shapes the very terms of our engagement—from who gets to be heard to who gets to claim they are being "rational". They discuss the "canary in the coal mine"—the word "just"—and how it is often used as a defensive mechanism to waive away accountability for systemic harm.

Through the power of storytelling, Relando shares his own origin story running through Detroit, witnessing firsthand how landscapes and resources change across racialized borders. He highlights how intentional "design decisions," such as redlining and the GI Bill, have created disparities that reverberate across generations. This conversation invites us into a collective maturation where we stop hiding behind good intentions and find the courage to mourn what has been lost—not only for the oppressed but for the humanity we sacrificed within ourselves to uphold dehumanizing systems.

These topics are pointed and may spark internal resistance. Invite your objections to come along for the ride. Do not let them close your ears to the message. You are strong enough to lead with your humanity. We must name what is broken to find collective hope. Let’s engage these difficult questions together.

About Relando

Relando Thompkins-Jones is a macro social worker, social justice educator, strategist, and storyteller who uses media and education to advance equity and social justice within people, organizations, and communities. For more than a decade, he has worked across higher education, nonprofit, public, and private sectors, planning and implementing experiential activities and projects that advance diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice.

He is also the Founder & Director of Narrative Strategy and Learning Ecosystem at Social Justice Origin Stories, a multimedia storytelling project that explores the personal experiences, defining moments, and influences that inspire people and organizations to pursue social justice. Through conversations with activists, educators, organizers, scholars, and everyday changemakers, the project seeks to reduce isolation among justice-seekers, preserve community wisdom, and help listeners discover their own place in the work.

The phrase "If we can change how we think, we can change what we do" is central to Relando's approach, and he finds fulfillment in engaging with others using the liberatory power of storytelling, education, and authentic human connection to co-create the conditions for collective thriving.

Website: Social Justice Origin Stories | YouTube Channel | Audio Podlink

Media Mentions

Becoming the People Podcast Episode: Grief is the Medicine

Danger of the Single Story TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee