🎙Interview: Emily Williams
Meet the host of Beyond Voting podcast.
Emily R Williams (she/her) coaches women of color to accelerate positive change at work and in their personal lives. When they do, they help to create a better world for everyone. Emily has written policies to end sexual harassment and increase inclusion in workplaces nationally and globally, including at the United Nations. Emily has worked with national governments, institutions of higher education, companies, nonprofits and advocates in more than 20 countries to advance social justice. Emily provides consulting, speaking, leadership coaching and training to organizations. In her spare time, you can find Emily dancing to Chicago house music or checking out cute cafes.
Follow Emily’s work on LinkedIn.
Learn more about the Beyond Voting podcast by visiting the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership website. You can also follow the show on Instagram.
Can you start by telling us what the Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership is and what drew you to leading the organization?
The Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership (ACSJL) is a semi-autonomous social justice organization. We are affiliated with Kalamazoo College, a small liberal arts college in the Midwest. We exist to increase the capacity of social justice leaders. We do that in a variety of ways: through public education about the social justice issues unfolding right in front of our eyes and providing advocacy training to support radical social justice activism. Our reach is expansive, at this moment, we’re spending a lot of time working with students. We also work with human rights leaders globally and with local activists in the Midwest and nationally.
What drew me to leading the organization is a slightly complicated question. In short, I feel deeply called to support social justice leaders, of all kinds, and to support movement building. Building strong social justice movements is how we transform societies. We desperately need movements that bring people together and model a world that truly values everyone, all living things, the planet. And I’m doing my part right now by leading the Arcus Center.
Beyond Voting is not the first podcast affiliated with the Arcus Center. Radical Futures Now was a podcast from the organization from 2020-21. What was the aim of that podcast?
Radical Futures Now aimed to support listeners in connecting with activists around the world who were engaging radical social justice ideas and work. The episodes delved into topics such as community care, the impact of colonization on spirituality and family structure, women’s resistance movements…super interesting topics, all in an effort to help people build radical futures.
And what made you all decide to return to podcasting three years later?
Three years later, we realized we needed to have another in-depth conversation about social justice and reach our audience in a critical period before the 2024 elections. Podcasting is such an effective way to reach people and cultivate an ongoing conversation about social justice.
At the time of this interview, the 2024 U.S. election has already occurred and we have a new President-elect. I felt it was still appropriate to do this interview after the fact, given the title Beyond Voting. What was the genesis of this podcast and what were you all hoping to accomplish?
The 2024 elections were a really big deal. There was so much to say about what people were thinking, how they were regarding voting, taking for granted the guarantee of our rights, the benevolence of politicians and powerful people, and ultimately misunderstanding their own power… It seemed absolutely critical to address these things and to have conversations about the big questions in people’s minds. We hoped that our reflections and our guests could really help to provide some guidance and perspective.
This is still what we want. We want to be able to provide some perspective and guidance that allows people to channel their anxieties, misgivings, and disillusionment with our society into something constructive centered on community-building, and activism.
The first season of Beyond Voting was the conversation we needed to have. And it is still totally relevant after the election. If people are still wondering what happened or feel convinced that we need a third party, or if you are wondering how to strengthen our movements to meet this moment…If you still don’t fully understand what fascism is...you should definitely listen to Season 1. We had some really insightful and informative conversations about all of these topics.
There are people that feel demoralized in this moment, for various reasons, such as those related to their concerns about protecting immigrants and asylum seekers; accessing abortion; combating climate change; avoiding discrimination based on race, gender, sexuality; or all the above. What are you telling folks who feel like the electoral system has let them down?
I affirm them. The electoral system has let us all down, but that doesn’t mean we just throw our hands up and do nothing. Our disenchantment with the electoral system is our call to action. It’s our sign to get involved.
I am telling people to get organized and to pay attention. We all have to pay attention to what is happening in electoral politics because as we’ve learned acutely over the last decade, the policies and practices of our elected officials impact our lives immensely. So, while I understand that it can be overwhelming to constantly hear about the whims of the incoming administration, we have to assume responsibility for creating a better world and for protecting each other.
If we’re going to resist the harmful policies espoused by the incoming administration, we’re going to have to stand in solidarity with people in identity groups we may not belong to. Solidarity is going to be required to protect the rights of others. By doing so, we are protecting everyone’s human rights.So I am telling people to stand in solidarity with the communities being targeted.
I’m also telling people to stay optimistic. The reason why we are in a moment where politicians and others in our society can get ahead by espousing hateful rhetoric and harmful agendas is because our social justice movements have been successful. Starting with the Civil Rights movement and anti-discrimination laws, movements for transgender rights and visibility, women’s movements, DACA and immigrants rights movements, the labor movement is making a resurgence. There is such backlash because our social justice movements built a lot of power. All that power doesn't go away in just 4 years. It will help us stand strong against the attacks the administration has vowed to bring.
Activism can feel overwhelming, especially when you are new to it. What advice would you offer to folks who are ready to fight for what they believe in, but aren’t sure where to start?
Definitely start by learning about the groups that are already doing work on the issues you care about. Connect with them in person, go to their events, their rallies, their meetings, get to know people and learn about the work from them. Then, when you’ve built relationships and have an in-depth understanding of the work and what should be your role in it, get active. Start leading the work in community with others.
And what about advice for folks who know what they are interested in, but are afraid of burning out?
Burnout is real, but it shouldn’t be the reason why people don’t engage at all. So, my advice is to build in super healthy self-sustaining practices into your day and get so committed to your well-being (so that you can show up for our social justice movements) that no matter what comes, you can meet it with integrity and strength. When we sustain our bodies, minds, health, finances and spirits, it reminds us why we fight for social justice at all. It’s because we all deserve to thrive in this country and in this world.
Also, don’t hate me, but you might want to limit your social media intake. If you do, it’ll likely have a positive impact on your energy and outlook on life.
Will there be a second season of this podcast, and if so, what would be the focus?
More than likely there will be a second season. We’re still working through the particulars. If we’ve learned anything from season 1, it’s that many people want to get involved in social justice activism and we can reach them as we grow the podcast.
Aside from listening to Beyond Voting, what is at least one thing that everyone should and can do after reading this interview?
Follow us on instagram @arcuscenter and make a personal plan to stay engaged with what’s unfolding in the news, while also maintaining healthy boundaries with social media. You can also join our mailing list to learn about our events, calls to action and opportunities.
Definitely connect with the organizations and activists in your community doing work on the issues threatening peoples’ rights and ability to live decently on this planet. We are also looking to connect with social justice activists, artists, teachers, faculty, community organizers, facilitators. So reach out, we’re Ready to Build!
If this show’s topic interests you, you might also want to check out the Sounds Like Impact interview with Jenna Spinelle of When the People Decide podcast.