76 episodes

The socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds of Erie’s citizens have never been as wonderfully diverse as they are today.

In order to paint a holistic picture of the plight, hopes, and dreams of Erie, NEXT seeks to spotlight and analyze issues that affect inner-city Erie from the perspective of its next generation of voices – voices of those who are taking the lead on various aspects of the community. As it was during the days of the iconic Dr. King, the winds of change are often reflected in the actions and words of a younger and more idealistic age group.

NEXT with Marcus Atkinson WQLN

    • News

The socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic backgrounds of Erie’s citizens have never been as wonderfully diverse as they are today.

In order to paint a holistic picture of the plight, hopes, and dreams of Erie, NEXT seeks to spotlight and analyze issues that affect inner-city Erie from the perspective of its next generation of voices – voices of those who are taking the lead on various aspects of the community. As it was during the days of the iconic Dr. King, the winds of change are often reflected in the actions and words of a younger and more idealistic age group.

    Dr. Julia Robersion Interview

    Dr. Julia Robersion Interview

    For the past decade, Dr. Julia Robinson Moore has been researching and uncovering the truth about burial grounds for enslaved people in churches and communities in and around here home in Charlotte, NC. Dr. Moore is an ordained Presbyterian pastor and as she traveled around preaching at various churches she noticed something about the cemeteries that are on the church grounds of so many churches. What she noticed was that the cemeteries had two distinct sections, one that was manicured and well maintained with beautiful stones and gardens where the white people were buried, and the other, which was largely unmaintained, overgrown and had fallen into disuse. These were the graves of slaves.

     As a tactic for reclaiming dignity and bringing together those whose ancestors were slave owners and those who were slaves she has begun working with churches to restore the slave cemeteries. 
    She says that this work of hers is about building communities committed to truth telling and healing and racial justice and reconciliation. 

    Julia is an ordained Presbyterian minister and an Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at UNC Charlotte where she teaches courses in African American religion and racial violence in America among other things. She is the author of "Race, Religion, and the Pulpit...

    You will find her to be a gracious and gentle soul who is doing important work. It is rare to find a person who embodies as much beauty and dignity as Dr. Moore.

    If you want to find out more about her work
    you can contact her at through the University at email:

    https://religiousstudies.charlotte.edu/directory/julia-robinson-moore-dr-rob 

    • 56 min
    Gareth Higgins Interview

    Gareth Higgins Interview

    Life is heavy these days – complicated and contentious and lots of us are struggling with simple things like – how do we talk to people – often people we love – who are on the other side of some of the most important issues of our time.

    Author and activist Gareth Higgins is our guest today. Gareth was born in Belfast in 1975, grew up during a time of violent conflict in northern Ireland. He writes and speaks about the power of storytelling to shape our lives and world, to bring peace and make justice, and how to take life seriously without believing your own propaganda. He has been involved in peace-building and violence reduction in northern Ireland by helping the residents of Northern Ireland address the legacy of conflict that drove the violence.

    Gareth owns a Ph.D. in Sociology from Queen’s University Belfast, and helped teach the world’s first graduate course in Reconciliation Studies at Trinity College Dublin. He also helped found the Wild Goose, New Story and Movies & Meaning festivals. He leads retreats in North America and Ireland; and he founded The Porch Magazine.

    To learn more about Gareth and his work go to https://www.garethhiggins.net/about

    • 47 min
    Trump and The Blacks

    Trump and The Blacks

    Donald Trump's history of offensive language toward Black
    people is deeply troubling and has sparked widespread condemnation. From referring to African nations as "s***hole countries" to repeatedly attacking Black public figures with derogatory terms, such as calling Congresswoman Maxine Waters "low IQ" and labeling athletes who protested racial injustice as "sons of B’s," Trump's rhetoric has been divisive and harmful. His recent language on the campaign trail has particularly troubled many voters. Marcus uses some of these comments as a prelude to next week’s Trump-Biden rhetorical analysis. Tune in for a humorous yet cautionary commentary on some of these comments.

    • 28 min
    The Katt Williams Effect

    The Katt Williams Effect

    The Katt Williams interview with Shannon Sharpe garnered
    widespread attention and a large viewership for several compelling reasons. Katt Williams is known for his unfiltered and outspoken nature, making the interview highly anticipated by fans eager to hear his unapologetic insights about the industry and some of its most successful comedians. The interview became a must-watch due to the fusion of two distinct personalities, the promise of candid discussions, and the potential for unexpected revelations. Was it journalism did Sharp simply provide a platform for Katt to “Spill the tea?” You be the judge. Marcus and guest host Marc Blount unpack the interview on today’s episode of NEXT 2.0.

    • 39 min
    Christian Nationalism

    Christian Nationalism

    Christian nationalism poses significant dangers as it intertwines religious fervor with political ideology, potentially undermining the principles of religious freedom, pluralism, and democratic governance. By conflating religious beliefs with
    national identity and policy objectives, it can lead to the marginalization of minority groups, the erosion of civil liberties, and the exclusion of diverse voices within society. Moreover, it often promotes an exclusivist worldview, fostering intolerance towards those who do not adhere to the brand of Christianity espoused by its proponents. In this episode, we’re joined by Chuck Nelson, Pastor at The Cross in Erie, and member of Erie City Council, and Drew Himes, Pastor at COTC, Adjunct Prof at Gannon U, Psychotherapist & EMS Instructor at Butler County Community College. Co-host Chuck Cammarata leads this fascinating discussion on what this is and where it’s headed.

    • 58 min
    Living Black History

    Living Black History

    When we talk about black history, one of the things that we
    forget is we are all living history, so we want to highlight those people that are laboring in our community. They are serving the community, especially with our young people and with our economic circumstances. The work continues and we want to shine the light on that a little bit today, so to that we’ve got three very special guests that are doing their fair share to leave Erie better than how they found it. Joining Marcus Atkinson in this episode of NEXT 2.0 is Bishop Frank Quinn, Mr. Jason Roberts, and Mr. Edison Nicholson.

    • 54 min

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