Episodes
How is the attack on the US Capitol connected to September 11, 2001 and the wars that followed? The answer may help explain why nearly 1 in 5 of those arrested for their part in the January 6 riot are military veterans—and more importantly, may tell us what we need to know to disrupt the cycle of violence.
Published 01/29/21
Published 01/29/21
The assault on the US Capitol left dozens injured, five dead, and a nation reeling. There have been many calls for healing, but how? How do we meaningfully address what happened? In this podcast, Preemptive Love founder Jeremy Courtney talks responding about the attack, engaging the phenomenon of Trumpism, and how we can provide offramps—with reconciliation and accountability—for those who want to find a way home.
Published 01/15/21
Many worry about the risk of violence after the US election. But most Americans have no idea what it’s like to live through political unrest or what to about it. We asked members of our team who've lived through political violence and war what Americans should know.
Published 10/28/20
Showing up on the frontlines where you live is a phrase we use often at Preemptive Love. And in this special episode, we ask: What does it look like to put our bodies on the line in the US today? In the midst of a wave of protests sweeping all 50 states, and on at least four continents, declaring the truth that Black Lives Matter, we have a chance to make our presence matter. Faitth Brooks, director of programs at Be The Bridge, and Nick Mahlstadt, a father of seven from small-town Iowa, join...
Published 06/12/20
In this season finale, Erin Wilson, podcast host and senior field editor, sits down with Jessica Courtney, Preemptive Love's vice president of international programs, for an honest look at what they've learned about themselves as they've cared for others.
Published 05/20/20
Ahmaud Arbery’s life is more than a hashtag. The story is all too familiar—men and boys losing their lives for no other reason than that they are Black. In this special episode, we hear from Toni, Preemptive Love’s director of gathering, and her husband Sam Collier about their lived experiences as African Amerian peacemakers living in Georgia, the very state where Ahmaud was murdered. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, the Colliers act as candid guides helping us confront the violence in...
Published 05/13/20
We’re looking ahead. Because when all of this is over, we’re going to run hard toward gathering. We need each other. We hear from Vjolca Capri, who gives her first-hand experience of attending a Love Anyway Gathering. As a hijab-wearing Muslim woman, she wasn’t sure what to expect when she attended one. What she experienced surprised her
Published 05/06/20
Remember when we used to eat together? In this episode, we travel everywhere from Atlanta to Iraq for a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to gather around the table with strangers. War begins in our heads and hearts long before it reaches our hands. But that also means the solution can begin with us. And sometimes, healing all that’s tearing us apart starts with a meal.
Published 04/29/20
COVID-19 anywhere is a threat to everyone, everywhere. In this special bonus episode, Preemptive Love team members call in from around the world to share why they are staying home—and exactly who you are helping when you do the same.
Published 04/27/20
Preemptive Love founder Jeremy Courtney has seen the very worst of war. The most powerful thing he's learned after a decade in Iraq? We're not just at war with each other. We're at war with ourselves.
Published 04/22/20
What if the very skills we’re all learning to stop the spread of coronavirus could help us stop the spread of violence? In fact, what if what we’re experiencing now could lead us to end war?
Published 04/15/20
Come behind the scenes with us! We're sharing compelling never-before-heard conversations from the Love Anyway film, immersive clips from the Love Anyway fall tour (including live music!), and raw audio from our friends choosing to love anyway across the US. We also share how YOU can be part of the virtual spring Love Anyway tour with Preemptive Love founders Jeremy and Jessica Courtney — and surprise guests from around the world.
Published 04/07/20
Who are the helpers in times of the COVID-19 pandemic? Many of us are familiar with Mr. Roger’s advice to “look for the helpers” in times of chaos. In today’s special episode, we talk with people across the U.S. to explore what it looks like for all of us to not only look for the helpers — but to be the helpers — even in a global pandemic hitting very close to home.
Published 04/01/20
How is coronavirus impacting our refugee friends in Iraq, Syria, and Mexico? How can we love anyway in the face of panic and the spread of disease?
Published 03/12/20
We need your help, podcast listeners! Help us by filling out a short Love Anyway podcast listener survey. Your feedback helps us keep telling compelling, true stories about people who love across enemy lines. You can also share your opinions about the past three seasons of Love Anyway, so we know what YOU think is working—and what we could do better. To show our thanks: The first 25 survey applicants will receive a free Love Anyway enamel pin from our Preemptive Love shop! And we'll also...
Published 02/17/20
This breaking episode of Love Anyway breaks down what’s happening between Iran, Iraq, and the US, but we also take you behind the scenes of a conversation with our Preemptive Love colleague, and friend, Ihsan Ibraheem. Ihsan has lived his whole life in Iraq. And he’s lived through what seems like countless wars.
Published 01/09/20
What does the assassination of top Iraqi and Iranian commanders by the US mean for the Middle East?
Published 01/04/20
Journey with us back to the US-Mexico border. Hear how violence is growing in Juarez, get a quick update about asylum-seekers, and discover how you can come alongside refugee families who are stuck. Bonus: Preview something BIG we’re rolling out for Giving Tuesday.
Published 11/21/19
Preemptive Love team members just returned from northern Syria and give a firsthand account of the ongoing crisis caused by the Turkish offensive. They share how the violence against vulnerable communities, particularly the Kurds, is continuing, despite a so-called ceasefire along the Syria-Turkey border. In this breaking episode, our team unpacks what displaced people are facing weeks after the US troop withdrawal in northeastern Syria.
Published 11/08/19
Preemptive Love is on the ground in Northeastern Syria. This is the biggest crisis we’ve seen at one time...and it’s getting worse. In this breaking episode, hear from our colleagues in the Middle East, who share what they’re seeing unfold.
Published 10/24/19
We hear from our Preemptive Love team about how the decision by the US to pull out of northeastern Syria could have reverberations that last generations.
Published 10/08/19
Iraq is facing its biggest emergency since the rise of ISIS. We speak with members of our team in Iraq to get the latest on the situation, why we should care, and what we can do about it.
Published 10/07/19
Preemptive Love founder Jeremy Courtney hosts a reflective episode featuring a diverse collection of memories and experiences about 9/11.
Published 09/11/19
What are mirrors and windows? And why are they important in our lives and the lives of our families? In our season two finale, we talk with Saira Siddiqui of Confessions of a Muslim Mom, along with Shawn Smucker, author of When We Were Strangers.
Published 08/21/19