The Facing Project

Today half of women in the tech field are likely to leave their positions by the age of 35. But in the 1970s it was even more challenging to work in the industry as a woman, and especially for a woman of color. But one organization is working to change those stats.Join J.R. Jamison and Kelsey Timmerman as they discuss Race, Tech, and the Fight for Equity.Photo – By Michael Himbeault via Flickr Creative Commons.Story –• Sink or Swim—In Code: Dr. Ruby Cain’s story as told to Aimee Robertson-West from Facing Racism in Muncie, Indiana Music –• "If I Wait" by Sunbyrn. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.5) license. From ccMixter.Chapters –[00:00] Introduction. [05:56] Story: Sink or Swim—In Code. [14:47] Interview with Chandra Ford and comparing Dr. Ruby Cain's and her career experiences. [16:54] Coping with an intimidating environment. [22:10] Has the tech industry changed? [25:31] Efforts to change the tech industry. Original air date: Feb. 27, 2021

Host J.R. Jamison sits down with Jim Fielding, a C-suite executive who spent 30 years leading some of the world’s most beloved media and retail brands, including The Gap, Disney, Claire’s, DreamWorks, and 20th Century Fox. Jim’s latest book, All Pride, No Ego: A Queer Executive’s Journey to Living and Leading Authentically, was released last year, and in their conversation the two explore lessons on empathy and cracking the rainbow ceiling.Chapters[00:00] Introduction.[02:01] How genuine leadership storytelling requires autobiographical details. [11:42] On how personalities contribute to leadership styles. [20:25] Being your authentic self. [23:47] On shifting corporate landscapes. [39:22] Queer mentorship and the rainbow ceiling. [46:45] Learning empathy through understanding others' lived experiences. [56:37] Context on corporations' roles in validating identity and affecting society. [1:03:39] Lessons beyond how one identifies. Original air date: May 25, 2024

J.R. Jamison is joined by writer and editor Fiona Robertson, whose latest memoir of grief, hope, and love explores Britain’s standing stones and the solace of their offerings in times of darkness, and lessons learned on endurance, survival, joy, and the luminous reminder of what it means to exist on this earth.

Kelsey Timmerman is joined by singer-songwriter Cliff Ritchey to discuss his new album, The Long Haul, and the stories behind his music that have been inspired by global travels and the simple country life of Markleville, Indiana—where gravel roads, sunsets, and stillness seep into his melodies of home.Photo credits: Kelsey Timmerman for Patagonia Books.

J.R. Jamison is joined by former co-host Kelsey Timmerman to discuss his latest book, Regenerating Earth: Farmers Working with Nature to Feed Our Future, and later Kelsey sits down with an Indiana farmer to explore how he’s working to build a local food system while healing the land through regenerative farming practices. Music in this episode - "I Leaned My Back Against an Oak (after The Water is Wide)" by AxletreeLicensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License.From the Free Music Archive.

J.R. Jamison is joined by journalist Mike De Socio, an Eagle Scout and adult volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America, whose new book dives into the history of the Scouts, exploring its tangled past with inclusion beginning in the 1970s, all the way through landmark policy changes in the mid-20teens that opened up Scouting for all.

J.R. Jamison is joined by journalist Mark Hertsgaard, whose latest book unpacks the histories of segregation, violence, and systematic oppression toward Black Americans through the lens of the largest mass shooting in New Orleans’ history that ultimately led to his friendship with Deborah Cotton and a lesson on empathy.