LET’S TALK ABOUT REST

— and how powerful rested people can be.

Find past episodes of the RLJ Podcast by clicking your favorite streaming icons below:

Let’s talk about rest — and how the practice of rest can impact the love we give.

Let’s talk about love — and how love for ourselves and others impacts justice.

Let’s talk about justice — and how we all can more deeply support justice.

Meet Us

  • My name is Francina Kahl. I am a wellness consultant, physical therapist, speaker, tea ceremonialist, writer, and educator. Born and raised in Zimbabwe, I have lived in the United States for over 20 years. I am married to the love of my life, and together we have 5 children through birth and adoption.

    Passionate about tea, storytelling, and connecting with people, I turned my dream into reality by launching "Be Still Tea" in March 2020. This coincided with the racial uprising in the United States, a challenging time that prompted deep self-reflection about my own story around race. Growing up in a country colonized by the British and now living in the United States, where racial tension and trauma has persisted, I recognized the need to engage in this work, both to heal personally and to contribute to a better world for my children.

    My journey began with learning and healing from my own racial trauma, unpacking the ways in which I was not truly free. This process of healing eventually led me to connect with Jackie, and together, we developed a profound bond in our shared commitment to racial justice. This connection and our growing relationship has paved the way for the emergence of our collaborative work, which is deeply intertwined with my passion for stillness.

    I firmly believe that we cannot heal what we are not willing to face. And we can only confront these issues when we allow ourselves to be still, listen, and truly feel.

    Our bodies and life stories hold immense power - grounding us and connecting us with our true selves. By embracing our stories and finding stillness, we can learn to listen to our lives and find the rest and restoration we need.

  • Hi. I'm Jackie.

    I'm a daughter, sister, friend, partner. I'm a ceramic artist, a lifelong learner, and unlearner. I'm an immigrant and an activist.

    I love to sit and create at my pottery wheel, take a bike ride, dance, make a fire, speak Spanish, snowboard, swim, read, travel, take public transit, play hide-and-go-seek, nap, and circle with wise people. I strive to give and receive love in ways that benefit the community as a whole. And I love the possibilities of cultural paradigm shifts.

    Why me? Why this podcast? Why now?

    As a child I knew the way I experienced the world was from a privileged place. Why did I have so much (safety, security, financial abundance, etc.) when many people did not?

    I could tangibly feel this advantage and I experienced it as I entered each phase of life-- through the praises I received in school, my acceptance into college, the groups I was invited into, the career opportunities I had access to, and even the bonuses I got at work.

    But I didn't know what to do with this understanding.

    For many years, I sought answers in academia. I studied international immigration and public policy and history within an indigenous-lead indigenous studies program. It was in an academic setting that I learned about the history, impact, and resilience of BIPOC people and about the horrors done by white colonizers to BIPOC around the globe. In class I discussed how the history of colonization, and current systems of white supremacy, contribute to the advantages I have today.

    However, it was in academia where I kept, at arm's length, any responsibility I have for these inequalities. I experienced shame and embarrassment as I learned more about the white-dominate systems from which I benefited and currently benefit. I questioned my place in the world. I felt I was in the wrong family, the wrong place. It took time for me to realize that I was, in actuality, in the right place to first, acknowledge my unearned advantage and second, use my resources to support a more just ecosystem.

    Why now?

    The uprisings following the murders of George Floyd, Breanna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery and other black Americans by police officers shook me. I vowed to practice responsibility in a way I never had before. Now, over three years since the uprisings, I'm here to continue the conversation of racial equity and how the theme of rest can shine light on our path forward. I'm here to dive deeper into conversations between myself (person in a white-body) and my co-host Francina (person in a brown-body) about what we can do separately and collectively, right now.

What can you expect from this podcast?

  • Stories about REST LOVE & JUSTICE practices and our evolutionary journeys with these three powerful themes

  • Interviews with racial justice leaders about how REST LOVE & JUSTICE is woven into their work

  • “Vibe Out” episodes where we speak about topical themes involving rest and racial justice

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