Top 5 of 2013: Rashad Mahmood – Generation Justice

The first episode of Spirituality and Social Justice with Rev. Quintana was a great introduction to live radio. Although I was a bit nervous, I had great support from Roberta, Melissa, Kamaria, Jazlin, and Nidal. We also had compelling material in Rev. Quintana’s story. It really made me feel like part of the team, and also helped me understand the challenges and triumphs our youth producers experience each week.


The Fellows! If I had as much going on as Jason and Pauly in college, my grades definitely would have taken a hit. It is great to see two young people so committed to improving themselves and their communities, and giving so much to Generation Justice. Jason’s passion, and engagement with a number of causes makes me regret not doing more outside the classroom in college, and Pauly’s experience already working for radio stations and newspapers makes me feel like a slacker! I’m honored to work with them and hope that the experience of the fellowship gives back to them as much as we at Generation Justice get from their presence.

Roberto Chene’s discussion on the personal impacts of historical trauma and the process of decolonization was moving on several levels. First of all, his Buddha-like aura, and the grace with which he led a discussion on a difficult topic was inspiring. It was also an opportunity to learn more about other members of the team, and hear deeply personal stories that brought to light the multi-generational impact of racism and other forms of oppression.


Victor! Not quite sure how to categorize this, but Victor’s presence, his story, his confidence, and willingness to stand up to injustice are all uplifting. I’m glad to have met him and I look forward to seeing the wonderful things he accomplishes in the future.



This was my favorite both for the product as well as the experience of watching it. I thought every aspect of the video was solid, from the interviews, to the discussions, to the editing work. But more importantly, the emotional punch of the video is incredible. I’m not going to lie, I teared up when the students went from talking about suicide attempts and depression to sharing about their support networks and how they survived and made peace with their issues. Even though I didn’t have much to do with the video, I feel privileged to be part of the organization that made it happen, and I can’t wait until it is released later this month.