Is finance truly "gross," or is it a vital spiritual practice? In the Season 6 premiere of Quakers Today, host Peterson Toscano is joined by new co-host Diana Yañez—a certified financial planner and convinced Quaker. Together, they move "into the wallet" to explore how our faith intersects with our finances.

We’re calling this "The Priesthood of All Believers, Economics." We argue that we cannot leave the world of money to the "high priests" of Wall Street; every Friend has a role in discerning where our resources go.

In this episode, we explore:

• Money Biographies: Diana shares her journey from the 2007 foreclosure crisis to ethical financial planning, while Peterson reflects on his time serving the world's wealthiest executives.

• Voices of the Season: Preview insights from upcoming guests on reparations, value-based pricing, and the business case for Quaker values.

• Quaker History & Integrity: We revisit a 2012 Friends Journal article to ask how we stay honest in a capitalist system.

• Ethical Investing Tools: A look at how to use InvestYourValues.org to screen your mutual funds and ETFs for fossil fuels, weapons, and private prisons.

Question of the Month:

What insights or practices guide your relationship with finance today?

• Leave a voicemail: 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377)

• Email us: podcast@friendsjournal.org

• Social Media: Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.

Links & Resources:

• Read the full show notes and transcript: QuakersToday.org

• Screen your investments: InvestYourValues.org

• Learn about our sponsors: FriendsFiduciary.org and AFSC.org

Featured in this series:

Amy Carr, Douglas Tsoi, Lucy Duncan (Reparations Works), Susan Waltz, Fran Brokaw, Aangoo, Ethan Birchard, Traci Hjelt Sullivan (Right Sharing of World Resources), Richard Kent, and Lisa Graustein.

Quakers Today is a project of Friends Publishing Corporation. This episode is for educational purposes and does not constitute specific financial or investment advice.

In this special end-of-season episode of Quakers Today, host Peterson Toscano explores the intersections of faith, sex, and gender. As an "Interval" between Seasons 5 and 6, we hear from LGBTQ+ individuals about living their truth with integrity within their spiritual communities. We feature insights from a pioneering transgender priest, a Quaker healer and musician, a best-selling queer author, and voices from the Southeastern Yearly Meeting.

For a full transcript visit www.quakerstoday.org This episode is also available as a YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/@FriendsJournal

This Season of Quakers Today is sponsored by:

• Friends Fiduciary
• American Friends Service Committee

Rev. Dr. Tina Beardsley, one of the first transgender priests in the Church of England, discusses the evolving challenges trans and non-binary people face within both society and the broader LGBTQ community.

"The trans experience is often about a journey toward wholeness that the church is only beginning to understand."

John Calvi, a Quaker healer and writer, shares the story behind the music he composed during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis to provide comfort and spiritual grounding. Many thanks to Pendle Hill and Dwight Dunston for giving us permission to use this excerpt from their podcast, The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope.

• Takeaway: Music can serve as a vessel for collective healing during times of profound community trauma.
• Link: John Calvi’s Website

Queer author Ryan La Sala discusses his new eco-horror book, The Dead of Summer, and explains why "scary stories" are a necessary outlet for processing real-world anxieties.

• Takeaway: We need stories that acknowledge the "horrible times" we live in to find the courage to move through them.
• Link: The Dead of Summer by Ryan La Sala

Peterson shares audio recorded at the Southeastern Yearly Meeting, capturing a celebration of community that transcends traditional gender binaries.

"It was a celebration of community that transcended traditional gender binaries." — Peterson Toscano

Last month, we asked: If you received a thank-you note from 100 years in the future, what are they thanking you for?

• Teacher Margaret (Email): Thanked for providing a "sheltering wing" for a child in turmoil whose descendants are now thriving.
• BearCloverCA (TikTok): Thanked for planting native plants and minimizing waste to preserve the Earth.
• Daniel Cummings (Social Media): Thanked simply for "not giving up."
• ROmAnA (Social Media): Thanked for breaking a cycle of trauma and being a "good mom."

What insights or practices guide your relationship with finance today?

Share your thoughts:

• Leave a voicemail: Call 317-QUAKERS (317-782-5377)
• Email us: podcast@friendsjournal.org

Social Media: Respond on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.

Sponsors

Quakers Today is a project of Friends Publishing Corporation. This season is sponsored by:

• Friends Fiduciary: Ethical investing through a Quaker lens. Learn more at FriendsFiduciary.org.
• American Friends Service Committee (AFSC): Challenging injustice and building peace. Visit afsc.org.