As we approach July 4th this year, some are wondering how best to celebrate. Behind all our traditions -- family, food, parades, fireworks -- some significant questions linger. For the black community, Independence Day can call up some complicated feelings. But even more broadly this year, many are questioning what being a patriot really means in the current political climate. What is true patriotism? How do we express it without becoming nationalistic? How do we celebrate our hope in the vision of the founders and our resolve to love America enough to help it become the very best it can be for us and our children? Join our passionate, weighty, beautiful discussion, this week on The Let's Talk Sis Podcast.

This coming week will mark the celebration of Juneteenth 2025. While it's an important and meaningful celebration for many across the USA, others are unsure exactly what it is, why it's celebrated, and how they can appropriately participate. Especially this year, at a time of great division in our country, leaning in to understand the histories and lived experiences of others is vital and breeds the kind of connectivity, hope, and respect that is so desperately needed right now. Join us on this episode of The Let's Talk Sis Podcast as we deep dive on what Juneteenth is, why we celebrate, and how you can join in. Happy Juneteenth!

On March 27th, President Trump issued an executive order focused on "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." In part, it read, "Over the past decade, Americans have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s history, replacing objective facts with a distorted narrative driven by ideology rather than truth. This revisionist movement seeks to undermine the remarkable achievements of the United States by casting its founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light. Under this historical revision, our Nation’s unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed." The order goes on to empower Vice President JD Vance to "remove improper ideology" from federal museums and sites. The truth of the matter is that while America's achievements in the advancements of liberty are real and powerful, our history does also include real and painful stories of the oppression of women, African Americans, Native Americans, and other marginalized groups. We ignore, hide, or rewrite those stories at our own peril. The greatness of America is in the power of its people to see truth for what it is and to overcome and become better. That only happens when we see one another as human beings, listen to each other, find common ground, and come together to build what Dr. Martin Luther King called "the beloved community." After a recent trip to Washington DC and the Smithsonian African American Museum, we're eager to get into this discussion. Join us!

On Instagram, many of our followers are concerned about what they should be doing to engage in the major political issues they're confronted with everyday online. They see things they have questions and maybe even concerns about, but they're worried that they don't know enough to do anything, and even then, they don't know what they would even do! In this conversation, Emma Petty Addams, Co-Executive Director of Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG), a non-partisan and nonprofit social welfare organization, joins us to explore these questions.

At the base of everything we do is a desire to help all of us create more powerful human connections despite the differences that could divide us. We've made particular effort in our training and consulting work to help people understand how to use the most humanizing terms possible when we refer to one another. But the history of racial terminology is complicated and nuanced, and we know that many people wonder if they're doing it right or being as sensitive as they could be. We celebrate and honor that desire. In this episode, we take a walk through the history of racial terms to help you better navigate your relationships in the hope that it will help you form deeper human connections in the community circles wherever you live.

In today's socio-political climate, many of us regularly find ourselves in conversations with friends and family members about the state of our world and the many difficult cultural issues we face. Our kids, and especially our teens, are watching and listening. Carefully. And they have questions. As they're developing their own thoughts and opinions, our leadership and continual dialogue with them can help them form safe, healthy, productive viewpoints that will impact their own families and communities for good throughout their lives. Teen parenting expert, Brooke Romney, joins us for this beautiful conversation that's full of ideas about how to engage your kids in the vital conversations they need now more than ever. Follow Brooke on Instagram @brookeromneywrites.

This week during a podcast interview, Elon Musk surprised some listeners when he said, "The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy." While further examination of the context of his statement is helpful, clarity about the value of empathy and its powerful role in our homes, neighborhoods, communities, and the world is vital. This week we're joined by author and speaker Molly Bice Jackson whose new book, "The Commodity of Connection," shares her experience losing a child and how the human connections in her circle literally saved her life. Join us for this beautiful conversation about empathy, connection, and the simple ways each of us can make the world a better place, one by one.

Check out Molly's new book here.

"Propaganda" is a big word that we hear often, but what does it actually mean? Where are we seeing propaganda in today’s political and cultural landscape? And how should we respond when we see it? We’re digging into this important and highly relevant topic on today’s episode of The Let’s Talk Sis podcast.