Podcast Summary: The Dream – Malynda Hale

Host: Jane Marie
Guest: Malynda Hale
Episode Date: September 26, 2025

Overview

In this relaunch of The Dream as an interview series, host Jane Marie explores contemporary obstacles to the "American Dream"—with a focus on racism, Christian nationalism, and historical erasure. Jane is joined by activist, artist, and nonprofit leader Malynda Hale for a frank, wide-ranging discussion about systemic injustice, the manipulation of faith, how history is being rewritten, and practical steps for advocacy. The conversation is candid, educational, and often personal, with personal anecdotes and actionable ideas for listeners.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Responding to Racism, History, and the State of the Nation

• Jane shares her frustration with heightened racism, erasure of Black history, and contemporary policies that feel regressive:
  • “I've been feeling like things have gotten really egregious lately ... I just had this icky feeling of like, oh, we just backslid many, many decades.” (06:14)
• Malynda emphasizes intentionality behind these changes:
  • “You’re not off base at all. And I think it’s by design... what they’re trying to conserve is this, honestly, this white Christian nationalist ideology and framework that serves that population specifically and ignores anything that happened in the past.” (07:14)
  • She outlines how historical injustices—bans on education, home ownership, and targeted destruction of Black communities—created lasting inequities that must be acknowledged for real progress. (08:00–09:07)

Christian Nationalism, Faith, and the Far-Right

• Malynda details the rise and threat of Christian nationalism:
  • “The Christian right has always been trying to infiltrate into policy because they believe that their beliefs are the things that should be driving America.” (09:45)
  • She debunks the notion that America is a Christian nation, noting its founding premise is actually religious freedom for all.
  • On the hypocrisy of the far right: “If you are going to try to govern from your beliefs, why are you not governing from the good parts?...these are all things that Jesus actually taught about and they're none of the things that are in the policies that Republicans are passing.” (11:38)
• Malynda frames her progressive Christian work through “The New Evangelicals,” a nonprofit empowering people to reject Christian nationalism and live out genuinely compassionate faith:
  • “We offer educational tools… a platform called TNE Connect, where we offer Theology 101 classes so you can relearn the Bible the correct way…” (13:18)

Weaponization of Christianity

• Examples of faith as a weapon:
  • “One of the most specific examples is with the LGBTQ community and specifically right now, like taking trans rights away and them trying to use Bible verses to, you know, affirm their positions. Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.” (14:41)
  • Malynda highlights how language for different identities has evolved—progress and awareness are met with backlash, often fueled by misinformation.

The Fight for DEI and Accurate History

• Resistance to affirmative action, DEI, and historical accountability:
  • Jane expresses how logical arguments often feel futile in these debates. (17:31)
  • Malynda: “People don't want to have to reconcile with the history of this country, but also maybe how they benefit from the history of this country.” (18:02)
• Dangers of erasing history and activism tools:
  • “We're taking the things to look at away right now....Where will kids in Florida learn that slavery was bad?” (25:33)
  • Malynda hopes forbidden knowledge might spur curiosity. She encourages following progressive educators and activists as a counterbalance (27:19).

Communicating with the Christian Right & Changing Minds

• On changing opinions:
  • Malynda shares a story of reframing “defund the police” through real-life scenarios relating to mental health, leading to changed minds:
    • “When I explained to them…it's just bad branding and bad marketing. But all we're asking is for there to be funding put into putting medical professionals...not always bringing the force of the police department to deal with that.” (23:12)
  • She notes the rise of "intellectual laziness"—many choose not to seek out information even when it’s accessible (24:34).
• On confronting white saviorism and ineffective allyship:
  • “Always uplift marginalized voices, specifically black women...And the second is check yourself for why you’re doing it, because if you are expected praise in return, you haven’t done the work yet.” (40:08)

Education, Representation, and the Power of Culture

• They discuss the shift in education and children’s exposure to diversity:
  • “For example, with my daughter, she has all these dolls. Everybody's a different race and that's normal to her.” (53:21)
  • “Kids don't care. If you make it normal and you normalize it, then they're just like, cool. That's what it is.” (54:18)
  • Jane shares how food and cultural experience can broaden empathy and understanding for both adults and kids. (57:44)

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• [06:14] Jane’s Frustration with Recent Racist Policies and Erasure
• [09:45] Malynda’s Explainer on Christian Nationalism
• [12:04] What Would Jesus Actually Do—as Opposed to Contemporary Christian Nationalists
• [14:41] Christianity Used as a Weapon Against LGBTQ+ Rights
• [23:12] Changing Minds—Defund the Police Example
• [40:08] Practical Tips for Advocacy and Avoiding Performative Allyship
• [53:21–55:34] The Importance of Normalizing Diversity for Children

Notable Quotes

• On historical accountability:

  • “If you feel guilt and shame about something, then you probably know that it was wrong, right?...There’s not a single person alive that blames current people for anything that happened in the past. That’s not at all what we’re saying. We are simply saying that you benefit from it.”
    — Malynda Hale [08:20]

• On the real meaning of being Christlike:

  • “Jesus was about who he’s for, not who he’s against...That’s the complete antithesis of what being a Christian is supposed to be.”
    — Malynda Hale [12:44]

• Regarding erasure and generational knowledge:

  • “But honestly, I feel like kids are going to be curious to find out the truth on their own because they're being kept from it…”
    — Malynda Hale [26:02]

• On allyship:

  • “If you are expected praise in return, you haven’t done the work yet to actually be able to do the work.”
    — Malynda Hale [40:08]

• Advice for starting tough conversations:

  • “Start by saying exactly what you’re afraid of and just say, ‘Hey, I want to talk about this. I don’t know where to start or who to talk to. Is there anyone willing to have this conversation with me?’”
    — Malynda Hale [44:05]

• On the importance of diversity in your life:

  • “Any form of diversity in your orbit is a beautiful thing. It makes you a better, well-rounded person... Food is one of the best ways—interdine with people from different cultures because you will get a story, you will get a history and you'll be exposed to something that you don't know about.”
    — Malynda Hale [56:50]

Actionable Takeaways & Advocacy

• Educate Yourself Continually:
  Malynda and Jane stress the importance of reading, consuming credible information, and being curious even as opportunities to learn are being restricted.
• Support Multicultural Programming:
  Donate to organizations and platforms (like PBS, NPR) that openly teach diversity, empathy, and the truth about American history.
• Uplift Marginalized Voices:
  Share, follow, and financially support the work of Black women, progressive Christians, and marginalized creators.
• Check Your Motives:
  “Advocacy without the need for applause” is real allyship.
• Model and Teach Empathy Early:
  Expose children to diversity, multicultural experiences, and honest discussions about identity and history.
• Start the Conversation:
  Don’t let fear of imperfection prevent you from engaging; honesty, humility, and a willingness to learn go a long way.

Notable Recommendations & Resources

• Organizations: Color of Change, Win With Black Women, The New Evangelicals (TNE)
• People to Follow: Monte Mater, Eric Feltus, Whitney Elise (The Reclaimed), Jemira Burley, Elizabeth Booker Houston, Kyondria, Dan McClellan (biblical scholar)
• Malynda Hale’s Substack: melindahale.substack.com
• Website/Socials: melindahale.com, Instagram and Threads @melindahale

Tone

The conversation is frank, warm, and at times deeply personal, blending practical advice with humor and a strong sense of urgency.
Jane expresses vulnerability and invites genuine dialogue; Malynda responds with empathy and well-articulated critique, all in the spirit of progressing toward a more equitable and truthful society.