The Year of the Mirror
In the closing episode of 2025, [un]phased unedited holds up the mirror to a year of reckoning. The doctors unpack cultural flashpoints—from executive orders galore, through trans (kids) rights and immigration policy to Jan 6 pardons—that forced us to confront our values around equity and justice.
We trace how language shifted: “belonging,” “resilience,” and even “DEI” itself took on new meanings, revealing both fatigue and transformation. Corporate accountability is on trial, as boycotts and quiet retreats continue to expose the difference between performative commitments and true change.
Amid disruption, grassroots movements and micro-communities modeled resilience and care, reminding us that resistance often begins at the local level. And we invite listeners into personal reckoning: What did you unlearn, reclaim, or reimagine in your own equity journey this year?
As we move toward 2026, we ask: What threats loom largest—and what possibilities remain if we act together, even (and ESPECIALLY) when tired?
Mentioned in the Show:
Don't get angry, but the 2025 Oxford Word of the Year is 'rage bait' - NPR
UVA Board of Visitors holds final meeting of the year amid tensions on Grounds – 29 News (VA Local News)
You read that white: Pantone's 2026 Color of the Year is 'Cloud Dancer' - NPR
