Episode 383

with Senator Jeff Merkley, Anis Mojgani, Joe Zimmerman, Afrovivalist, and Ron Artis II & The Truth

Host Luke Burbank and announcer Elena Passarello discuss doing away with minor annoyances in the “Not Too Distant Future;” U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon describes how partisan politics have gotten personal; poet Anis Mojgani laments his love-hate relationship with the possum; Sharon Ross, aka Afrovivalist, tells us how she prepares for eminent disaster; comedian Joe Zimmerman explains why his credit card purchases are the perfect alibi; and Hawaiian soul group Ron Artis II & The Truth perform “Carry Me Along” from their album from "Soul Street."

Senator Jeff Merkley
Politician

Jeff Merkley has a deep, rooted interest in the people of Oregon and beyond. The son of a millwright, Merkley moved with his family to follow the timber economy throughout his childhood. He grew into public service, beginning his career as an intern with former Oregon senator Mark Hatfield, and then working in DC at both the Pentagon and the Congressional Budget Office. Returning to home soil, Merkley served as the head of Portland’s Habitat for Humanity, the President of the Oregon World Affairs Council, and was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives prior to his election to the US Senate in 2009. Website • Twitter

Anis Mojgani
Poet

Anis Mojgani is as good as his words - which, trust us, are very good. A two-time National Poetry Slam Champion and winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, he’s written five books of poetry and performed for the United Nations. Originally from New Orleans he currently lives in Portland, OR, where he serves on the Board of Directors for Literary Arts. Mojgani’s grade-A words have appeared on HBO, NPR, and in a variety of literary journals, and he’s been commissioned to compose for the Getty Museum and the Portland Timbers. Website • Twitter

Afrovivalist
African-American Survivalist

When things start to go wrong, you want Sharon Ross on your team. Ross calls herself Afrovivalist – she is an African-American survivalist, a prepper, a member of the State Radiological Emergency Response Team, and a Leadership Committee member with the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, among other certifications and affiliations. Ross grew up in Southern Oregon in the early 70’s, where she was the first African-American student to attend community school, all while her U.S. Marine father schooled her in self-defense. Website • Insta

Joe Zimmerman

Comedian

For comedian Joe Zimmerman, working down south set his career on a straight shot up north. While living in North Carolina, his stand-up group the Beards of Comedy landed a record deal with Comedy Central Records. Since then he’s appeared on "The Tonight Show", "Conan", and his own Comedy Central half hour. His comedy albums have also shot up the charts, with "Smiling at Wolves" reaching number 2 on iTunes and Innocence debuting at #1 in October of 2018. Website • Twitter

Ron Artis II & The Truth
Hawaiian Soul Group

For Ron Artis II, life as a musician is the very epitome of paradise. The oldest son in a musical family of eleven children in Hawaii, he was crawling across his father’s piano and taking in his mother's beautiful singing from the very beginning. A multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter, Artis plays all genres of music (even creating new songs on the spot during his concerts), and released his debut full-length album "Soul Street" in 2018. Listen • Insta