What happens when empathy moves beyond individual compassion and becomes a tool for systemic change? In this episode, host Jenell Coker sits down with Dinora, the Executive Director of the San Diego Organizing Project (SDOP), to explore how faith-based organizing builds power among the most vulnerable.
As the oldest daughter of immigrant parents who fled civil war in El Salvador, Dinora became a "translator" early in life—navigating complex systems for her family in a language they didn’t speak. She shares a heart-wrenching childhood story of a brush with law enforcement that exposed the harsh realities of structural bias—a reality Jenell contrasts with her own experience to highlight the profound difference privilege makes.
Together, they discuss:
The Power of Faith-Based Organizing: How SDOP unites congregations to move from charity to justice, securing wins like the Immigrant Legal Defense Program and the Oceanside Police De-escalation Policy.
The Challenge of Coalition: Why real solidarity isn't supposed to feel like "home," and the difficult work of building bridges across race, class, and faith.
Intersectionality & Identity: Dinora’s experience leading as a queer, Latina, Catholic woman, and the tension of navigating spaces that don't always fully embrace her.
Avoiding the "Oppression Olympics": How to honor distinct pains without letting them divide the movement for collective liberation.
Join us for a conversation about living in the "in-between" and using that unique vantage point to build a more just and empathetic world.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Coalition Politics by Bernice Johnson Reagon
The "Oppression Olympics" (Elizabeth Martínez & Angela Davis)
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