Critical Futures
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An interview-based podcast by the IHJE. It’s Critical, because the time is now to conjure the world we want to live and thrive in. It’s also Futurity: the intentional imagining and materializing of liberated futures.

Introducing
Series 1: Anti-Racism Consortium
Throughout 2023, Critical Futures will release episodes once a month in partnership with the Anti-Racism Consortium: a panel consisting of content experts, community advocates, and organizations that each have a history of working to develop and advocate for anti-racist health policy. These episodes will feature conversations between organizations and their community partners that highlight how to deeply work with community — exploring ways to share power and ways to move us all towards liberation. Support for the Consortium received from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Follow the podcast here on the IHJE website or on your favorite podcasting platform!
Introducing
Series 2: THE FUTURE OF...
Critical Futures continues its commitment to the intentional imagining of liberated futures through the new series: THE FUTURE OF… In this series, we chat with experts in various sectors to learn about what they are doing to shift the critical now for a radical new future. Across these episodes, you’ll hear how these experts envision, for example, the future of therapy; the future of trans organizing; and the future of graduate education. No matter the specific topic, all of our guests will prompt you to reflect: what world do we want to live in? What world are we fighting to build? And how will we build it in just ways?
Series 1: Anti-Racism Consortium
27 August 2023
"Community Health Workers"
We talk to Denise Octavia Smith, Abdul Hafeedh bin Abdullah, and Rumana Shams Rabbani about their efforts as Community Health Workers to advance access and equity in community health and healthcare.
6 August 2023
"Aligning with Community and for Community"
We talk to Rhonda BeLue from University of Texas at San Antonio along with her community partner Michelle Lugalia-Hollon. In our conversation, we discuss how to cultivate alignment with community and for community when working to create more equitable healthcare systems.
2 July 2023
"Maintaining Longterm Anti-Racist Alliances in Healthcare"
We talk to Pat Matthews Juarez and Paul Juarez along with their community partner Neely Williams. In our conversation, we discuss how to establish and maintain long-term community partnerships and transdisciplinary alliances that are built upon trust.
4 June 2023
"Engaging Community Partners to Foster Antiracism in Research"
We talk to Melody Goodma from NYU Public Health’s Center for Antiracism, Social Justice, and Public Health (CASJPH) about engaging community partners in order to foster antiracism in research.
30 April 2023
"Health as a Human Right: Power Building for Community-Driven Change"
2 April 2023
"Equitable Engagement: Trust & Transparency in Longterm Community Partnerships"
2 March 2023
"Reimagining Community Partnerships"
We talk to Faybra Jabulani from Forward Through Ferguson along with her community partner Michelle Barbeau about how to reimagine community partnerships.
Series 2: THE FUTURE OF...
17 September 2023
"The Future of Graduate Education"
We talk to Josue David Cisneros, Patrick Earl Hammie, and Jorge Lucero from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign about the future of graduate education. We discuss the problems facing contemporary graduate students and our guests’ efforts to reimagine and recreate graduate school as an inclusive space where students can thrive through the Interseminars Initiative.
20 August 2023
"The Future of Abolition"
We talk to Jaden Janak (Assistant Professor, Modern US History) about the future of abolition. We discuss abolition as the theory and praxis of destabilizing the carceral state to liberate Black, queer, and trans lives – while also cultivating livable lives for all.Â
16 July 2023
"The Future of the Present"
 We talk to Joquina Reed from J Reed Consulting LLC about the future of the present — about what it means to live in this space right now and leverage these moments for alternative futures.
18 June 2023
"The Future of Healing & Therapy"
 We talk to Selome Araya from Root Alchemy Institute about the future of healing and therapy and about how to move towards holistic approaches to health and wellbeing.