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The Justice Briefing with Dr. Jemar Tisby

The Justice Briefing with Dr. Jemar Tisby

Written by: Dr. Jemar Tisby
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The Justice Briefing is your weekly guide to understanding current events through a historically grounded, theologically rooted, justice-centered lens. Instead of framing the world through fear or culture-war panic, we draw from the spirit of justice—from the biblical prophets to the Civil Rights Movement. This isn't just commentary; it’s discipleship for truth and justice.

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Episodes
  • How to Tell Powerful Stories about Justice

    How to Tell Powerful Stories about Justice
    Oct 16 2026

    How do you tell a compelling story about racism, injustice, or social change without making your audience feel like they're listening to a sermon? What separates a story that moves people from one that overwhelms them with its message? And how do you build a creative career telling these stories when there isn't an obvious path forward?

    In this episode of The Justice Briefing, historian, author, and filmmaker Dr. Jemar Tisby sits down with award-winning writer and director Nick Brooks, director of the new narrative short film What Will We Tell Them.

    Brooks is the author of Promise Boys, Up in Smoke, and the Ethan Fairmont trilogy. His creative career has taken him from teaching and writing children's books to filmmaking, music, and video game writing.

    Their conversation explores the craft of storytelling, the relationship between social justice and art, the importance of representation, and the persistence required to create opportunities.

    In This Episode, You'll Learn
    • Why justice-centered stories can become preachy.
    • How to build a story around characters.
    • Brooks's three ingredients for a strong story.
    • Why trusting your audience matters.
    • How lived experience shapes creative work.
    • How to pursue opportunities before you feel fully qualified.
    • How to move from inspiration to a finished film.
    • What went into making What Will We Tell Them.


    About Nick Brooks

    Nick Brooks is an award-winning author, director, and musician whose work spans young adult and middle-grade fiction, film, and music. His writing explores the lives of young people navigating institutions, expectations, and systems of inequality.

    Learn more about Nick: thenickbrooks.com

    What Will We Tell Them

    Learn more about the film "What Will We Tell Them" by subscribing for updates at: jemartisby.substack.com


    Chapters

    00:00 — Welcome and *What Will We Tell Them* screening announcement

    01:45 — Meet Nick Brooks: author, filmmaker, and creative artist

    04:47 — Telling stories about justice without preaching

    08:30 — Hook, heart, and theme: how Brooks develops stories

    11:19 — The influence of hip-hop, books, and Black storytelling

    14:47 — How to nurture social awareness in young people

    18:20 — Howard University, mentorship, and discovering education

    24:09 — Writing children's books and finding a creative purpose

    29:15 — Creating opportunities and getting a literary agent

    33:56 — Taking risks, handling rejection, and writing for GTA VI

    38:15 — How children's books opened doors to a new career

    41:11 — *Fruitvale Station*, Ryan Coogler, and becoming a filmmaker

    45:30 — Learning filmmaking by getting onto film sets

    48:13 — Mistakes to avoid when telling stories about injustice

    50:44 — The story behind *What Will We Tell Them*

    54:21 — Filmmaking challenges, preparation, and adapting on set

    57:29 — Private screening details and ways to support the film


    Stay Connected

    Subscribe to "Footnotes" for historically grounded analysis, commentary about faith and justice, and updates on new films and educational projects: jemartisby.substack.com

    Instagram: @JemarTisby

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    1 hr and 1 min
  • How to Build Your Own Table: 3 Steps to Find Your Purpose and Create Something New

    How to Build Your Own Table: 3 Steps to Find Your Purpose and Create Something New
    Oct 9 2026
    What do you do when the church, workplace, organization, or community you once called home no longer reflects your values?How do you know when it's time to stop fighting for a seat at someone else's table?And if you decide to leave, how do you figure out what comes next?Maybe you've spent years trying to make an institution better, only to discover that there's a limit to how much change its leaders will tolerate.Maybe your presence is welcomed, but your perspective isn't.Or maybe you have a vision for something different, but you're not sure you have the resources, experience, or courage to build it.This episode of The Justice Briefing will help you think through your next move.Dr. Jemar Tisby shares lessons from his journey out of white evangelical institutions and into building Tisby Media, an independent organization dedicated to truth-telling at the intersection of faith, history, and justice.Drawing on his personal experiences with racial exclusion, institutional resistance, and entrepreneurship, Jemar offers three practical principles for turning dissatisfaction into constructive action.You'll discover how to move beyond simply knowing what you want to leave behind and start identifying what you want to create.And you'll learn why building your own table might not be what you actually need.In this episode, you'll learn:How to recognize when an institution has made space for you without giving you meaningful powerWhy righteous anger can be a powerful starting point for creating positive changeHow to identify the deeper motivation that will sustain you when building something new gets difficultThe three factors that can help you discover a mission uniquely suited to your gifts and convictionsThe surprising difference between building your own table and building your own chairYou'll also hear about Jemar's forthcoming book, Notes from an Evangelical Reject, and get updates on projects from Tisby Media, including the upcoming short film What Will We Tell Them?If you're tired of shrinking yourself to fit someone else's vision—or you have a dream of creating something better but don't know where to begin—this episode will help you see the possibilities in front of you and take your next step with greater clarity.Mentioned in this episodeNotes from an Evangelical Reject — Jemar's forthcoming book, available for preorder. Publication date: January 19, 2027.How to Resist White Christian Nationalism — A self-paced course featuring practical action steps.Jesus Was a Migrant — Watch the trailer and learn about community screenings at https://jesuswasamigrant.com.What Will We Tell Them? — A new narrative short film from Tisby Studios. Book Launch Team — Join Jemar's launch team for exclusive resources, updates, and opportunities to help spread the word about Notes from an Evangelical Reject. Join HERE.Footnotes — Subscribe for historical insights and analysis at the intersection of race, religion, and politics. JemarTisby.Substack.com Episode chapters00:00 – How to Build Your Own Table02:27 – Why So Many People Are Questioning Their Institutions07:48 – Jemar's Journey Through White Evangelicalism12:58 – When You're Given a Seat but Not a Voice17:19 – Principle 1: Identify Your Internal Driver19:59 – How Righteous Anger Can Fuel Constructive Change21:24 – The Vision That Pulls You Forward22:28 – Principle 2: Create a Clear Mission24:09 – Discovering Your Gifts and Learning to Trust Yourself27:33 – Finding Joy and Passion in Your Work29:29 – Identifying the Need Only You Can Address31:09 – Principle 3: Decide What You're Actually Building31:43 – The Difference Between Building a Table and Building a Chair36:21 – How Jemar Built Tisby Media40:03 – The Justice Briefing, Teaching, and the Justice Institute42:40 – Tisby Studios and the Power of Film44:10 – What Will We Tell Them? and the Legacy We're Creating46:16 – Notes from an Evangelical Reject and the Book Launch Team54:02 – Upcoming Projects and New Developments58:04 – Why We Need New and Truer InstitutionsFollow Jemar TisbyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JTisbyAbout The Justice BriefingThe Justice Briefing is your weekly guide to current events at the intersection of faith, history, and justice.#TheJusticeBriefing #JemarTisby #EvangelicalReject
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    1 hr
  • Defying Tyrants with Dr. Matthew D. Taylor

    Defying Tyrants with Dr. Matthew D. Taylor
    Oct 2 2026

    In a rare guest interview, Dr. Jemar Tisby sits down with Dr. Matthew D. Taylor, author of the new book Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists.

    They discuss Christian supremacy, Christendom, and imperialism. Going deeper, they explore how Jesus displayed and taught about power, and why the tyrants who claim his name avoid those teachings with surgical precision.

    They also talk about the cost of this work. Dr. Taylor lost his job for writing this book.

    You'll come away with a theological case for defying tyrants and a picture of what that looks like in the church, in politics, and in everyday life.

    Get Defying Tyrants wherever you get your books.

    Topics Addressed

    • Pete Hegseth's speech and the new Office of Religious Affairs
    • Constantine's conversion and the merging of church and empire
    • Christian supremacy as the ideology beneath Christian nationalism
    • Why "antichrists" in 1 and 2 John refers to Christians who harm others in Jesus' name
    • The parable of the wheat and the tares
    • The cost of speaking out against authoritarianism

    Support conversations like this one by becoming a paid subscriber at JemarTisby.Substack.com.

    Resources Referenced

    • Matthew D. Taylor, Defying Tyrants: Following Jesus in a World of Christian Antichrists (Broadleaf, 2026)
    • Matthew D. Taylor, The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy (2024)
    • Matthew D. Taylor's Reckonings (Substack)
    • Scripture: Mark 10:42-45; 1 John 2:18-19; Matthew 13:24-30
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    59 mins
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