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#TalkRadio – December 23: At The Well: A Conversation With Young Ministers On Faith and Civic Engagement
December 23: At The Well: A Conversation With Young Ministers On Faith and Civic Engagement
The nonpartisan “Igniting Change Radio Show with Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq.” program will be aired from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on Radio One’s WOL 1450 AM in the Washington, DC metropolitan area as well as nationwide on WOLDCNEWS.COM and Barbaraarnwine.com.
Please note, during the show there are 3 hard stop commercial breaks at 12:13 PM Eastern Time, 12:28 PM ET and 12:43 PM ET.
SPEAKERS:
Minister Cameron Barnes: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
Primarily a Community Coordinator in the Office of Faith Based Initiatives at Chicago Public Schools, Cameron Barnes also serves as National Voting Rights Advocate; National Youth Director of Rainbow PUSH; Transformative Justice Coalition Fellow and Freedom Rider; Associate Minister and Director of Youth & Young Adult Engagement, New Faith MB Church of Chicago.
Minister Eugene Pearson, Jr.: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
Transformative Justice Coalition Fellow Eugene B. Pearson, Jr. is a servant-leader, minister, and youth advocate passionate about empowering underserved communities. He serves as Assistant and Youth Pastor at St. John Missionary Baptist Church, where he blends faith and service to inspire the next generation. Eugene earned his Associate of Arts in Secondary Education (History) from Mississippi Delta Community College in 2025. There, he was a transformative campus leader, serving as Student Government Association President, drum major of the marching band, and a contributor to the revision of the college’s mission statement. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education (History) with a minor in Business at Mississippi College, where he serves as an elected Student Government Association representative. His long-term goal is to return to Gentry High School as a teacher, then principal, and ultimately district superintendent. In August 2025, Eugene became the youngest inductee in the history of 100 Black Men of the Mississippi Delta, Inc., and was honored with the 2025 Delta Flame Youth Leader of the Year Award. Grounded in faith and purpose, he lives by the words: “A vision isn’t accessible without faith, and faith isn’t accessible without God.”
Adrian Consonery Jr.: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
Transformative Justice Coalition Fellow Adrian Consonery Jr. is a passionate community leader, advocate, and organizer dedicated to civic engagement and social impact. He is the founder of Lyfeline Initiative Inc., a nonprofit focused on community development, vocational rehabilitation, and amplifying marginalized voices. With extensive experience in voter education, registration, and advocacy, Adrian has worked with organizations such as Black Voters Matter, the Transformative Justice Coalition, and HOPE Worldwide. A current Business Management student at Grambling State University, Adrian also serves as Young Adult Ministry Leader at Bridge Pointe Church in Marietta, blending faith, service, and leadership to empower others.
INTRODUCTION:
Hi Igniters For Change! The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2025, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled “At The Well: A Conversation With Young Ministers On Faith and Civic Engagement”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and will feature special guests Minister Cameron Barnes; Minister Eugene Pearson, Jr.; and, Adrian Consonery Jr.
On Thursday, December 7th, at 7:00 PM Eastern Time, our guests joined a virtual conversation entitled “AT THE WELL” presented by Kaleidoscope Outreach. “At The Well” was a powerful virtual conversation exploring the role of faith in civic engagement through intergenerational voices in a time when voices are loud and trust is fragile, people of faith are once again being called to the well, to pause, reflect, and engage with purpose. “At The Well: The Role of Faith in Civic Engagement” explored how faith communities could thoughtfully and courageously participate in civic life without losing compassion, integrity, or spiritual grounding. Drawing inspiration from the Biblical image of the well as a place of connection, dialogue, and transformation, this conversation created space for honest reflection and meaningful exchange. The intergenerational panel brought together faith leaders from across the country, representing diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Together, they dissected questions such as:
- What does civic engagement look like through a faith-centered lens?
- How can people of faith engage in civic life without compromising their values?
- What responsibilities do faith leaders and faith communities hold in shaping informed, ethical participation?
- How can different generations learn from one another in this season of social and civic change?
This was a dialogue, not a debate; a sacred space for the audience to listen, learn, and reflect on how faith informs action, advocacy, and community responsibility. This space was free to attend and open to all: whether you were a faith leader, community organizer, student, or someone simply seeking clarity and connection. The attendees listened, reflected, and engaged At The Well, where faith and civic responsibility meet.
Aside from our three guests, the other speakers on this panel were Dr. Sheryl Armstrong, CEO & Founder of New Life Pastoral Counseling; Michael Pope, Sr. Pastor at Bridge Pointe Church; and, Jennifer Robinson, First Lady of Salem AME Church. This panel was moderated by Ymorah Blakeney. Attendees said it was a great program that blessed a lot of people.
Given that this holiday season is rooted in faith, our Igniting Change show will reprise this amazing forum with our TJC Alumni who participated.
Proposed Questions
Barbara and Daryl will open the show with wishing everyone Happy Holidays, thanking everyone for all their activism in 2025, and asking people to put “TJC Under Your Tree” by donating to the 2026 voting rights work of the Transformative Justice Coalition at tjcoalition.org.
Questions are for all guests-
- Welcome back to Igniting Change! Happy Holidays!
- What motivated each of you to become a minister of Faith?
- This week centers Promise and Joy on Christmas Day. What does it mean to you personally?
- From your perspective, what is the Biblical or spiritual foundation for community engagement, and how does your Faith Tradition call believers to show up in public life?
- What do you say to your peers who are disillusioned or alienated from “the church” about Faith?
- What is your best advice for how people keep their and their followers’ and friends’ spirits uplifted at this time, when there’s so much negativity?
- How can faith leaders balance spiritual care with civic responsibility without becoming partisan or divisive?
- In what ways have you seen faith-based engagement effectively bring healing, hope, or tangible change within communities, especially those experiencing injustice or disenfranchisement?
- What role does the faith community play in helping individuals move from awareness to action when it comes to social issues?
- How can churches and faith organizations better partner with community groups, nonprofits, and local leaders to create sustainable impact?
- All of you are very aware, as TJC Fellows who have been through the program, that TJC sponsors voting rights leadership trainings for Gen Z and young Millennials.
- Why is it important to invest in young people in this particular moment in time?
- What does it mean to be a TJC Alumni?
- How has your TJC journey influenced your spirituality and civic engagement work?
- What encouragement or challenge would you offer to people of faith who feel hesitant, overwhelmed, or uncertain about engaging in their communities?
- What do you say to the millions of African-Americans and folks who sat out and did not vote in 2024- an estimated 19 million people who voted in 2020?
- (Time permitting: With so many things happening at the same time, briefly state one thing you wish people would also focus on right now to help make a difference, even if it wasn’t covered in today’s show.)
- What is the major work that you’re pursuing right now? (non-partisan)
- What are your one-minute final thoughts to our listeners?
- Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?
- Barbara and Daryl will wrap up the show.
[f time permits, Daryl, Barbara, and guests may share their favorite books and encourage people to donate towards TJC’s giveaways of banned and affirming books.]
[ If time permits, Arnwine and Jones will remind listeners:
- when you make those daily calls to the Congress at 202-224-3121 to Vote to Stop the Trump Takeover of D.C. and other cities and to tell the Senate to vote No on the SAVE Act
- to stay in those streets!
- BE SURE TO SIGN THE PETITION TO DEFEND THE SMITHSONIAN AT AMERICASHISTORYSOS.ORG,
- TJC will continue to vigorously defend the rights of all Americans and will fight the implementation of Project 2025 and our future shows will continue to cover any hate crimes and how we effectively protect ourselves while advancing our agenda for justice.]