🎙️ [Preview] Trump's America: Poverty & Ancestral Trauma in the U.S.

Hey y'all, 👋🏽

For our 1st private podcast of the year, we reflect on history and our ancestors to reckon with today's world. We share a reflection from the Road Trippin' for Change series. Listen on your favorite podcast app, YouTube, or PeerTube. For today's full epside, become a Seedling Member starting at $2/month.

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🎙️ Trump's America: Poverty & Ancestral Trauma

On the 5th day of our roadtrip, Bear and I finally get settled at a campsite with time to reflect and chill. One the drive, I was able to reflect on the U.S. and how we were back in Trump's America. I speak to my own ancestral history and how it intersects with the larger story of the United States and settler colonialism.

Don't worry! It's not all heavy, we also hear from the chipmunks who have alot to say about Landback and a "dinosaur bumble bee." This was originally recorded on July 14, 2025 as part of our ongoing Road Trippin' for Change series.

In the Episode

• The Dust Bowl and the parents of Boomers
• Paper Moon and Nomadland as lessons in Trump's America
• HIstory of Poverty in the United States
• Settle Colonialism's Impossible Choice for European Settlers
• Breaks for bees, squirrels, and hawks
• The intersection of privilege and trauma
• Understanding our own ancestral trauma
• Letting nature be our guide to healing

Media, Resources, & News

• Paper Moon (1973)
• Nomadland (2020)
• Hoopla - Rooted Resource
• By the Fire We Carry by Rebecca Nagle
• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives
• Ubunutu & Other Lessons from Black Liberation
• The Will to Change by bell hooks

I hope it's a grounded listen amidst these raging waters! 🌊 If you are enjoying the podcast, please subscribe, rate, & review on your favorite podcast app. It helps new folks find us!

In Solidarity,
Sam Chavez (she/they/he)
the roots of change agency

About the roots of change podcast:

🧑‍🌾 Cultivating Connection, Empowering Change We talk about navigating heart-first activism & storytelling. Host Sam Chavez connects with organizations, campaigns, and social change communicators who are boldly creating change in today's social, political, tech & media landscape.

Watch Our Season 4 Preview!

We're back for season 4 to combat the storytelling that the regime is spreading. Host Sam Chavez discusses the importance of storytelling in activism and social change. They highlight the current socio-political climate, emphasizing the need for authentic narratives that empower communities. (watch on PeerTube or YouTube)