ABOUT THIS EPISODE
What does it mean to have civil courage? And what happens when you refuse to forget?
In this special episode, Shawna talks with her friend of 35 years, Professor Dr. Mirjam Rein, about an extraordinary project that began with a simple classroom conversation. Students from HTL Mössingerstraße, a technical school in Klagenfurt, Carinthia in the south of Austria, spent months interviewing seven people whose stories embody the meaning of standing up, speaking out, and refusing to look away.
Shawna is one of those seven voices. Her story is now on display at the Kärnten Museum (June 17-August 16, 2026), part of an exhibition that speaks directly to the question: How do we remember what our society wants us to forget?
In this episode, you'll hear:
- Why memory culture matters more than ever
- The concept of mono racism and what it means to exist in liminal space
- How civil courage lives in small moments (not just big protests)
- The stories of seven people standing for dignity, respect, and humanity: a refugee who lost everything, a historian reclaiming Holocaust memory, advocates for accessibility and women's safety, a human rights educator, a man honoring his family's resistance, and Shawna's own lived experience at the intersection of identity and belonging
This is a conversation about courage in action, humanity in practice, and the power of listening instead of looking away.
Download a companion guide here.
Learn more:
- Stolpersteine (Stumbling Stones) Project
- Code of Courage Podcast (Full Series on Spotify)
- "The 5 S's of Engagement: Navigating Your Path Through Allyship"
- https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/arts/smithsonian-trump-activism-american-history.html?unlocked_article_code=1.wFA.zExk.breg3ZLbbnPV&smid=nytcore-ios-share
If this is your first time with OTC, check out EPISODE 1: START HERE for more background on the show. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram!
Don't forget to check out Dr. Gann's new book, Mixed Signals: A Multiracial Window into Civility and Belonging at Work available in hardcover, paperback, and eBook. The audiobook is coming soon—stay tuned!
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