Shows
The Roll DownDEI: The Neuroscience of Memory & History of Colonization and OppressionThis is part 2 of a three-part series on DEI. In this episode, Matthew and Alethea dive into how the brain creates and stores memories—and explore the critical consequences of misremembering or erasing history. We are living in a time when books are being banned, DEI language is being legislated against, and educators are restricted from teaching accurate historical truths. In this context, preserving and sharing accurate history becomes an act of resistance. Matthew and Alethea offer a brief yet powerful overview of colonization, oppression, and racism—drawing connections to today’s political climate, particularly the ongoing dehumanization of immigr...2025-06-1257 minThe Roll DownDEI is the New ______This episode kicks off a three-part series surrounding DEI. In this episode, we break down what DEI is and means, give a brief history about it, and discuss some of the contradictions and hypocrisy from the current administration regarding DEI. While we cannot cover everything that has happened since the inauguration, we wanted to provide some context and lay the groundwork for what is to come in the episodes to follow. Hosts: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Melendrez Designer: Cameron Stingley Follow us on IG: @therolldownpodcast The Roll Down po...2025-05-2948 minThe Roll DownState of Our Country, Pt. 2 w/ Danielle Coke BalfourWe have our first guest of the season! Danielle Coke Balfour is back again and joins us as we dive into part 2 of the state of our country. In this episode, we discuss with Danielle her perspective on what’s currently happening with this administration and DEI, and how the past five years got us to this moment. We also talk with her about removing a best-selling product from Target after their DEI rollback, and how she’s continuing to show up and do her part. Follow and support Danielle’s work: A Heart on Fire2025-05-011h 06The Roll DownState of Our Country: Let's Do This DifferentlyEpisode 2 marks the first of a two-part series focused on the current state of our country. In contrast to previous seasons—which focused more on analyzing national events—this episode intentionally shifts the lens toward self-care, strategic resistance, and holistic health in the pursuit of justice. Matthew and Alethea offer psychoeducation on the Central Nervous System, exploring how stress is internalized and how we can intentionally disrupt the stress cycle. The episode highlights the importance of regulation and embodiment as vital tools for sustainability and well-being in the midst of chaos. The worksheet linked is mean...2025-04-171h 16The Roll DownSeason 3 IntroWe're back! After a bit of a hiatus Alethea and Matthew are back behind the mics and ready for another season. In this season intro they give listeners a brief introduction of who they are, the history of the podcast, and the hopes and values for season 3. Hosts: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Melendrez Designer: Cameron Stingley Follow us on IG: @therolldownpodcast The Roll Down podcast is part of the Chasing Justice Podcast Network. To find out more, visit chasingjustice.com.2025-04-1024 minThe Roll DownSeason 2 FinaleThis season launched in January 2023 and is wrapping up in 2024, something that our hosts did not anticipate. In this finale, Alethea and Matthew reflect on what it took to get this season launched and highlight each of the episodes and what they appreciated about them. They express their joy and gratitude in what was accomplished in the midst of more unexpected life circumstances which caused the season to take a year and a half to complete, and they give a brief vision for what the upcoming season will be focused on. Hosts: Alethea L...2024-04-0438 minThe Roll DownBook Interview: “A Heart on Fire” w/ Danielle Coke BalfourWe have our first returning guest, Danielle Coke Balfour, back to discuss her first book, “A Heart on Fire: 100 Meditations on Loving Your Neighbors Well”, which was released in October 2023. We talk with Danielle about what sparked her desire to write (and illustrate!) the book, and how she landed on her “ten pillars of a life of good work”. We also highlight one of the meditations in the “Justice” section that resonated with us and directly connects to the foundation of The Roll Down. We hope you enjoy this fun and inspiring conversation with one of our favorite guests! ...2024-03-1438 minThe Roll DownThe Lenses Institute and Beyond: Our Time to Heal from Religious Trauma and Workplace/Spiritual AbuseThis episode is a continuation from the previous episode where we discussed the lead up to, and the closing of, all Lenses offerings in the U.S. in July 2021. In this episode, Alethea and Matthew share more about their experiences in the organization outside of what happened with Lenses, and they’ll explore the impact of these events and practices they utilized to heal. Though their story is specific to the Cru ministry, anyone who has endured religious trauma and/or workplace abuse may benefit from the practical elements they offer. Additional Resources: 2024-02-221h 12The Roll DownThe Lenses Institute: Our Story to TellOn July 29, 2021, The Lenses Executive Team released a statement which announced that all Lenses offerings in the U.S. would be shut down effective immediately. From that day until now, there have been various things said about why Lenses closed, and much of what has been said is not remotely true. As the three year mark is coming up this summer, Alethea and Matthew felt it was time to let people know what really happened. And though this episode is specific to one organization, those who have endured workplace and/or spiritual abuse may resonate with the themes from...2024-02-081h 50The Roll DownState of Our Country: Activism and Self-CareThis is part two of a two part episode where we discuss the state of our country as of April 2023. We acknowledge that we barely scratched the surface in our last episode due to the sheer amount of obscene things in the news each week and the lack of hours in a single day to process it all. Today's episode will focus more on practical ideas of how to engage at the local level and how to continue practicing self-care in the midst of our fight for justice. We hope that this will be an encouragement to you who...2023-05-2549 minThe Roll DownState of our Country: Where do we begin?This is part one of a two part episode where we discuss the state of our country as of April 2023. We will cover some of the various atrocities that have taken place during the last two years, some of the ignorant policies being implemented and some of the connections we have made to other historical events. From book bans and attacks on the LGBTQ+ community to mass shootings and immigration, there is so much that can be said. As you listen, know that some of these events can be retraumatizing so please go at your own pace and care...2023-05-111h 05The Roll DownCulture Creator, Not ChaserThis episode is an invitation into the life, person and work of a woman of color in the creative sphere. Our guest and friend, Danielle Coke, walks us through how she rests, dreams, creates and perseveres as she’s doing justice work. Danielle Coke is a designer turned illustrator, advocate, speaker, and entrepreneur. She’s the founder of Oh Happy Dani, a lifestyle brand and educational platform that uses artwork and resources to encourage hope, inspire justice, and make complex ideas more accessible. She’s driven by her desire to help everyday...2023-04-061h 01The Roll DownRefinding Your VoiceIn the last episode, special guest Sandhya Oaks talked about reclamation identity, resilience, and addressed why so many people are wrestling with the question “who am I?” This episode is a continuation where Matthew and Alethea let us see their journeys in reclamation identity and how that led to refinding their voices. They share how a crucial part of the journey was regaining agency to choose when and how to be a bridge for others, especially as People of Color. Matthew and Alethea hope this episode will give hope for those struggling to find their voice in a chaotic worl...2023-03-231h 05The Roll DownWho Am I?This episode is a powerful invitation towards reclaiming our identity and what it means to be resilient. Our guest and friend, Sandhya Oaks, walks us through some of the ways that she (and we) can return to the core of who we are by slowly taking back our God given identities through the hard but beautiful and necessary journey of story work. Sandhya is a Speaker, Ministry leader, Story Coach, and Spiritual Director. Born in India and adopted as a Transracial Adoptee in the Midwest, her story lends to walking with others through identity reclamation an...2023-03-0959 min
The Roll DownThe Hope of BelongingWhile there are many acronyms being thrown around these days, here’s one of great value to our communities—DEIB—which stands for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. The common thread in each is that something needed to be done institutionally where these things lacked. You may have heard talk about these terms in smaller combined fragments but they are a mightier and more holistic work when combined. Matthew and Alethea are going to take time breaking it down for us by defining the terms and analyzing the work itself. The heart behind this episode is to give clarity, common...2023-02-231h 13The Roll DownHow are you REALLY doing?As promised, Alethea and Matthew wanted to dive more deeply into the reasons behind their unexpected hiatus—not because they owe it to their audience, but because we’re family here and they desire to share the entirety of their lives with you. Their hope is to bring you into their life’s story over the last 1.5 years in a vulnerable way while acknowledging the risks involved and without filtering their pain. They also recognize that they are not the only ones having gone through a lot during this time so they hope to create a space for you to als...2023-02-091h 11
Racially SpeakingEpisode 41 - on the death of Tyre Nichols with Alethea LambersonDavid is joined again by show-regular, DEI consultant, and cohost of #therolldownpodcast , Alethea Lamberson, to discuss the aftermath of the death of Tyre Nichols. The two also share more honest thoughts and perspective on what this all means for conversations and activism.2023-02-021h 23
The Roll DownWe’re Back! (Season 2 Intro)After a year and a half hiatus, Alethea and Matthew are back behind the mics and more ready than ever for Season 2. In this episode, they talk about the myriad of feelings they have with the new season finally launching along with their hopes and dreams for what this season will be. While briefly acknowledging the unexpected break, they will dive more into the reasons why in the next episode. Hosts: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Meledrez Engineer: Katie Nguyen Palomares Designer: Cameron Stingley Follow us o...2023-01-2727 min
The Roll DownA Steady Lifeline (Season Finale)This season finale is a sweet celebration between our hosts as they reflect on what this experience has meant to them thus far. It has served as a steady lifeline for us all in the midst of the challenging last year. It has also been a warm welcome to the journey that they are on individually and collectively as they show up week after week bringing their full authentic selves to the conversation. In efforts to be good stewards of what God entrusted us with, we will continue to create a space for people of co...2021-07-2155 min
The Roll DownIt's The Range For MeThis episode is a thought-provoking discussion about the many and varied topics we’ve covered in Season 1 from the state of our country to the multifaceted suffering we endure and everything in between. Our guests share about the ways that they were met, challenged, and spurred on towards hope and healing in their pursuit of justice. We are being joined by a returning and beloved guest, Emma Tautolo, as well as by first time guests, Sandra Van Opstal and Tyler Burns. Sandra is the Executive Director and Founder of Chasing Justice and Tyler is the VP o...2021-07-071h 13
The Roll DownIn the Valley: Perseverance & Endurance(Live Episode) In the Valley Series This episode is focusing on persevering and enduring in the valley. We recognize that suffering and affliction come with this life so we wrestle with this idea in light of that reality. How we work through the suffering is what helps us to come out on the other side and even find an anchor in the midst. Join us as we discuss what it looks like to engage, persist and withstand the difficulty. This is part 4 of 4 episodes and today’s topic is on p...2021-06-231h 09
The Roll DownIn the Valley: Joy & RestIn the Valley Series Our conversation on Joy & Rest will be heavily influenced by Cole Arthur Riley’s unique prayer expression, “Black Liturgies”, that speaks to blackness, black emotion, black thought, black belonging and liberation. She gives great thought and encouragement for how we can lean into joy and rest in the midst of all the trauma as well as how we can be pushed towards hope in our pursuit of justice. Cole Arthur Riley is a writer, liturgist, speaker seeking a deeply contemplative life marked by embodiment and emotion. She is the f...2021-06-0959 min
The Roll DownIn the Valley: Lament & JusticeIn the Valley Series Our conversation on Lament & Justice will be primarily based on Dr. Soong-Chan Rah’s book Prophetic Lament. Lament, as Dr. Rah writes, is when we have to acknowledge that the world is not as it should be and that leads to various forms of suffering. Lament is profoundly lacking in the church and this has contributed to the ways injustices continue to happen. Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah is the Robert Munger Professor of Evangelism at Fuller Seminary. He previously served as the Milton B. Engelbrestson Professor of Churc...2021-05-261h 07
The Roll DownIn the Valley: Suffering and GodIn the Valley Series We are launching our second series of the season and it’s called “In the Valley”. We both are people of faith and believe in God and we aim to pursue and reflect God to others. Psalm 23 says that though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me. We know that every person will be in the dark valley at some point, whether it be brief, extensive or for our entire lives. It can take the form of chronic illness, death, unfulfilled dreams, oppression, abuse, and man...2021-05-121h 06
The Roll DownCommunity & Self-care in the Fight for JusticeThis episode serves as a great follow up to our last conversation about empathy, containment, and validation. The reality is that with so much happening in our world we are still hurting in many ways and are in need of healing. These two things, community and self-care, have come up a lot in conversations with friends who are in the pursuit of justice. We hope that this encourages you to lean into the community you’ve been given, to take care of yourself well, and to protect yourself from burnout. Host: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Melendrez...2021-04-281h 01
The Roll DownEmpathy, Containment and ValidationIn this episode we will dive into the power of Empathy, Containment, and Validation and some of the science behind it. While lighter than previous episodes, it is still an important conversation as it affects our daily lives and relationships therein. We hope that this gives you helpful language for your experiences and courage to process in the trenches. We also hope that this encourages you to model Jesus in your love for your neighbor and overall pursuit of justice. LINKED RESOURCES Brené Brown “Empathy vs. Sympathy” video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu...2021-04-141h 01
The Roll DownLiberating Women: From Colonized Femininity and Purity CultureLiberating Women Series The Roll Down’s first series is focused on the liberation of Women. The path for women to experience liberation is complex and layered as there are many facets contributing to the historic and modern day oppression of women. We hope this series first and foremost will bring healing and freedom to all women who listen, especially Women of Color. Secondly, we hope this can be educational for our listeners to learn about and have tangible ways to be allies and break down the demonic forms of oppression on women. This i...2021-03-311h 00
The Roll DownLiberating Women: From Unhealthy Masculinity & Gender Based Violence***TRIGGER WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE. Liberating Women Series The Roll Down’s first series is focused on the liberation of Women. The path for women to experience liberation is complex and layered as there are many facets contributing to the historic and modern day oppression of women. We hope this series first and foremost will bring healing and freedom to all women who listen, especially Women of Color. Secondly, we hope this can be educational for our listeners to learn about and have tangible ways to be allies and b...2021-03-241h 14
The Roll DownLiberating Women: From Oppressive HistoryEpisode 8: Liberating Women: From Oppressive History ***TRIGGER WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GENDER BASED VIOLENCE. Liberating Women Series The Roll Down’s first series is focused on the liberation of Women. The path for women to experience liberation is complex and layered as there are many facets contributing to the historic and modern day oppression of women. We hope this series first and foremost will bring healing and freedom to all women who listen, especially Women of Color. Secondly, we hope this can be educational for our listeners to lear...2021-03-1858 min
The Roll DownLiberating Women: From Spiritual AbuseLiberating Women Series: The Roll Down’s first series is focused on the liberation of Women. The path for women to experience liberation is complex and layered as there are many facets contributing to the historic and modern day oppression of women. We hope this series first and foremost will bring healing and freedom to all women who listen, especially Women of Color. Secondly, we hope this can be educational for our listeners to learn about and have tangible ways to be allies and break down the demonic forms of oppression on women. This is part...2021-03-101h 10
The Roll DownDeconstructing & Reconstructing Faith: What Does it Mean?We introduce Emma Tautolo, one of our close friends and a regular guest on the podcast. This episode focuses on what it looks like to deconstruct and reconstruct our faith, and the various emotions that could arise in the process. Host: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Melendrez Guest: Emma Tautolo Producer: Caleb Dea Social Media & Marketing: Jazzlyn Designer: Cameron Stingley Follow us on IG: @therolldownpodcast The Roll Down podcast is part of the Chasing Justice Podcast Network. To find out more, visit c...2021-02-261h 03
The Roll DownTo Be Seen is So PowerfulIn this episode we discuss the current rise in violence towards the Asian community as well as highlight how this violence and anti-Asian racism is nothing new. We also talk about what it looks like to have conversations about anti-Asianness in Black and Brown communities. A special thanks to several of our Asian American friends who spoke into this and helped us shape this episode. Orgs to support/follow: Asian American Christian Collaborative (@aachristcollab) Oakland Chinatown Coalition Stop AAPI Hate (@stopaapihate) Host: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Melendrez Pr...2021-02-1946 min
The Roll DownState of our Country: Election, Transition & InaugurationThis is part two, continuing the conversation from our previous episode discussing the state of our country. This episode is focused on the 2020 election season, the transition of power, the attempted coup, and the inauguration. Host: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Melendrez Producer: Caleb Dea Designer: Cameron Stingley Follow us on IG: @therolldownpodcast The Roll Down podcast is part of the Chasing Justice Podcast Network. To find out more, visit chasingjustice.com2021-01-291h 01
The Roll DownState of our Country: Covid and Racial UnrestThis is part one of a two part episode where we discuss the state of our country, specifically talking about Covid and the racial unrest we witnessed and experienced in 2020 on a national and a personal level. Host: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Melendrez Producer: Caleb Dea Designer: Cameron Stingley The Roll Down podcast is part of the Chasing Justice Podcast Network. To find out more, visit chasingjustice.com2021-01-231h 04
The Roll DownWe Talkin' About JusticeIn this episode we will dive a bit deeper into biblical justice. We will acknowledge some of the negative connotations that come with the word ‘biblical’ and look at how we see justice in both the Old and New Testament. Host: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Melendrez Producer: Caleb Dea Follow Us! www.instagram.com/therolldownpodcast The Roll Down is part of the Chasing Justice Podcast Network. To find out more, visit chasingjustice.com2021-01-1539 min
The Roll DownLet Justice Roll DownThis episode lays the foundation for listeners of what The Roll Down is all about. We share about how The Roll Down started, the vision of the podcast based in Amos 5, and the hope we have for our listeners. Host: Alethea Lamberson & Matthew Melendrez Producer: Caleb Dea The Roll Down is part of the Chasing Justice Podcast Network. To find out more, visit chasingjustice.com Follow Us! instagram.com/therolldownpodcast2021-01-0841 min
The Roll DownTrailerIntroducing: The Roll Down2020-12-3002 min