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Quakers Today

Quakers Today

By: Friends Publishing Corporation
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Summary

Quakers Today explores Quaker thought, faith, and action for everyone seeking to deepen their spiritual life and navigate our changing world. In Season Six, we’re going "into the wallet." Host Peterson Toscano is joined by new co-host Diana Yañez, a certified financial planner and Quaker. Together, they explore money not as personal math, but as a spiritual practice. From reparations to ethical investing, we dive into "The Priesthood of All Believers, Economics" to learn how to align our resources with our deepest values.

Listen to this Friends Journal podcast or watch the extended video edition on the Friends Journal YouTube page. Quakers Today is a project of Friends Publishing Corporation. Season Six is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee and Friends Fiduciary.

Copyright 2022 All rights reserved. Philosophy Social Sciences Spirituality
Episodes
  • Quakers, Money, and the Priesthood of All Believers

    Quakers, Money, and the Priesthood of All Believers
    Apr 14 2026

    Is finance truly "gross," or is it a vital spiritual practice? In the Season 6 premiere of Quakers Today, host Peterson Toscano is joined by new co-host Diana Yañez—a certified financial planner and convinced Quaker. Together, they move "into the wallet" to explore how our faith intersects with our finances.

    We’re calling this "The Priesthood of All Believers, Economics." We argue that we cannot leave the world of money to the "high priests" of Wall Street; every Friend has a role in discerning where our resources go.

    In this episode, we explore:

    • Money Biographies: Diana shares her journey from the 2007 foreclosure crisis to ethical financial planning, while Peterson reflects on his time serving the world's wealthiest executives.

    • Voices of the Season: Preview insights from upcoming guests on reparations, value-based pricing, and the business case for Quaker values.

    • Quaker History & Integrity: We revisit a 2012 Friends Journal article to ask how we stay honest in a capitalist system.

    • Ethical Investing Tools: A look at how to use InvestYourValues.org to screen your mutual funds and ETFs for fossil fuels, weapons, and private prisons.

    Question of the Month:

    What insights or practices guide your relationship with finance today?

    • Leave a voicemail: 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377)

    • Email us: podcast@friendsjournal.org

    • Social Media: Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.

    Links & Resources:

    • Read the full show notes and transcript: QuakersToday.org

    • Screen your investments: InvestYourValues.org

    • Learn about our sponsors: FriendsFiduciary.org and AFSC.org

    Featured in this series:

    Amy Carr, Douglas Tsoi, Lucy Duncan (Reparations Works), Susan Waltz, Fran Brokaw, Aangoo Tucho' Ethan Birchard, Traci Hjelt Sullivan (Right Sharing of World Resources), Nathan Kleban, and Lisa Graustein.

    Disclaimers:

    Quakers Today is a project of Friends Publishing Corporation. This episode is for educational purposes and does not constitute specific financial or investment advice.

    Diana Gisel Yañez is an Investment Advisor Representative of Natural Investments PBLLC. Natural Investments is an independent Registered Investment Advisor. Quakers Today and Friends Journal are not a registered entity and are not an affiliate or subsidiary of Natural Investments. See our Disclosures and Disclaimers and read our Form CRS.
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    17 mins
  • Sexuality, Gender Identities, and Quakers

    Sexuality, Gender Identities, and Quakers
    Mar 17 2026

    In this special end-of-season episode of Quakers Today, host Peterson Toscano explores the intersections of faith, sex, and gender. As an "Interval" between Seasons 5 and 6, we hear from LGBTQ+ individuals about living their truth with integrity within their spiritual communities. We feature insights from a pioneering transgender priest, a Quaker healer and musician, a best-selling queer author, and voices from the Southeastern Yearly Meeting.

    For a full transcript visit www.quakerstoday.org This episode is also available as a YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsJournal

    This Season of Quakers Today is sponsored by:

    • Friends Fiduciary
    • American Friends Service Committee
    Transgender Identity and the Church

    Rev. Dr. Tina Beardsley, one of the first transgender priests in the Church of England, discusses the evolving challenges trans and non-binary people face within both society and the broader LGBTQ community.

    "The trans experience is often about a journey toward wholeness that the church is only beginning to understand."

    Healing Through Song

    John Calvi, a Quaker healer and writer, shares the story behind the music he composed during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis to provide comfort and spiritual grounding. Many thanks to Pendle Hill and Dwight Dunston for giving us permission to use this excerpt from their podcast, The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope.

    • Takeaway: Music can serve as a vessel for collective healing during times of profound community trauma.
    • Link: John Calvi’s Website
    Horror as a Tool for Hope

    Queer author Ryan La Sala discusses his new eco-horror book, The Dead of Summer, and explains why "scary stories" are a necessary outlet for processing real-world anxieties.

    • Takeaway: We need stories that acknowledge the "horrible times" we live in to find the courage to move through them.
    • Link: The Dead of Summer by Ryan La Sala
    Community Beyond the Binary

    Peterson shares audio recorded at the Southeastern Yearly Meeting, capturing a celebration of community that transcends traditional gender binaries.

    "It was a celebration of community that transcended traditional gender binaries." — Peterson Toscano

    Thank You Notes from the Future

    Last month, we asked: If you received a thank-you note from 100 years in the future, what are they thanking you for?

    • Teacher Margaret (Email): Thanked for providing a "sheltering wing" for a child in turmoil whose descendants are now thriving.
    • BearCloverCA (TikTok): Thanked for planting native plants and minimizing waste to preserve the Earth.
    • Daniel Cummings (Social Media): Thanked simply for "not giving up."
    • ROmAnA (Social Media): Thanked for breaking a cycle of trauma and being a "good mom."
    Question for Next Month

    What insights or practices guide your relationship with finance today?

    Share your thoughts:

    • Leave a voicemail: Call 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377)
    • Email us: podcast@friendsjournal.org

    Social Media: Respond on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.

    Sponsors

    Quakers Today is a project of Friends Publishing Corporation. This season is sponsored by:

    • Friends Fiduciary: Ethical investing through a Quaker lens. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org.
    • American Friends Service Committee (AFSC): Challenging injustice and building peace. Visit afsc.org.
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    49 mins
  • Quakers and Finding Your Center in Turbulent Times

    Quakers and Finding Your Center in Turbulent Times
    Feb 17 2026
    In this episode of Quakers Today, host Peterson Toscano explores how we can remain steady when the world feels like it is spinning out of control. We revisit a vital conversation with Australian activist and Quaker Adrian Glamorgan about activism, despair, and finding our specific leadings. We also hear from Kat Griffith on the spiritual work required to bridge deep political divides in rural communities. Peterson also shares a personal reflection on the "chemistry of fear" and how the choice to love is a practical move against alienation. This Season of Quakers Today is sponsored by: Friends FiduciaryAmerican Friends Service Committee The Chemistry of Fear and the Choice to Love Peterson reflects on a message received during Quaker worship regarding the physiological impact of fear. Drawing on research and the wisdom of bell hooks, he discusses how fear narrows the mind and fuels "structures of domination." “The choice to love is a choice to connect—to find ourselves in the ‘Other.’” — Peterson Toscano Remaining Steady with Adrian Glamorgan We revisit words from Adrian Glamorgan, the Asia and West Pacific Section Executive Secretary of the Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC). Adrian shares his journey from "angry activist" to a grounded Quaker, emphasizing that quiet time is not inaction—it is a neurological reset. Read Adrian's article: “The Devoted Path,” December 2024 Friends Journal Bridging the Divide: Kat Griffith How do we talk to neighbors when political tension feels insurmountable? Kat Griffith shares her experiences in rural Wisconsin. This segment features audio from the QuakerSpeak video series. Watch the Video: How to Bridge the Political Divide Through Faith Reviews and Recommendations Book Review: Hiking Zen: Train Your Mind in Nature By Phap Xa and Phap Luu. Reviewed by Trevor Brandt. A practical guide to mindfulness through movement, helping us transform suffering into a new way of being. Read the full review: Friends Journal Book Review Recommendation: Scavengers Reign Peterson recommends the 12-episode animated series Scavengers Reign (available on HBO/MAX and Netflix). Set on a distant planet, it explores how life flourishes through ecological balance rather than "Good versus Evil." If you do not have access to Max or Netflix, you can watch the original short film version for free on YouTube: Scavengers. Both were written and directed by Joseph Bennett and Charles Huettner. Explore the Creators' Work: josephbennett.tv Answer our Monthly Question. Imagination Required! If you, or a group you are part of, received a thank-you note sent to you from 100 years in the future, what would the people of the future be thanking you for doing today? Share your response: Voicemail: Leave a message at 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377). Add +1 if calling from outside the USA.Email: Click here to email the showSocial Media: Find us on TikTok, Instagram, and X.You can follow Peterson on Bluesky and Facebook. Listener Voices: How do you stay steady? Special thanks to our social media contributors and listeners for sharing the practices that anchor them: Pumanti: Transparency in politics.MemawClaus: Making something from scratch.Copperkey13: Breathing.Jenny Okamoto: Dogs and a crackling fire.TransQuakerism: Assembling and painting miniatures.Andy: Taking prescribed medications.Catherine Habegger: Deep breathing.Sheila Garrett: A Thich Nhat Hanh meditation practice: “Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile.”Thanks also to Manda.and.her.menagerie, Youngfriendsmke, sarahmudd60, Gail, Rejena, Tom, Richard, and everyone who left voicemails and answered on social media. Quakers Today is a project of Friends Publishing Corporation. Thank you to our Sponsors The American Friends Service Committee works at the forefront of social change to meet urgent needs, challenge injustice, and build peace. Since 1948, AFSC has worked for a just and lasting peace in Palestine and Israel. Today, its Gaza team delivers lifesaving aid, while U.S. advocates push to end the occupation and apartheid system. In July 2025, AFSC and seven other Quaker groups declared, “Quakers discern genocide is occurring in Gaza and urge courageous action.” Read the statement and take action at afsc.org/crisis-gaza. Learn about other initiatives and actions at AFSC.org Season Five is also sponsored by Friends Fiduciary. Friends Fiduciary unites Quaker values with expert investing. They serve more than 460 organizations with ethical portfolios, shareholder advocacy, and a deep commitment to justice and sustainability. They walk the talk on environmental stewardship. The Quaker Growth & Income Fund has a 70% smaller carbon footprint than the benchmark. Friends Fiduciary supports science-based targets and urges companies to adopt clear, immediate climate transition plans. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org. Sponsors Quakers Today is a project of Friends Publishing Corporation. This season is ...
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    29 mins
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