Lies. A word we have become all too familiar with in the past few years. But what are they? Who tells them? Who believes them? Interesting questions, but perhaps more interesting are these questions. Who doesn't tell lives? Who doesn't believe them?

These and other questions are what my guest, award-winning author, Patricia Raybon and I discuss in this episode of "Livin' What You're Given" in an attempt to try to turn from lies. Through her latest fiction novel, "Double the Lies," Patricia calls us to challenge where the lies we believe, and perhaps tell, come from. Maybe they come from our culture, our traditions, or from lessons passed down based in fear and unchallenged misinformation.

These are all found when we examine the history of Denver, Colorado in the 1920's with regard to racial injustice, inequity and exclusion under the rule of the KKK. Ms. Raybon's work is well-researched and presented through the lens of a young black female amateur detective involved in and trying to solve a murder. She has two days to solve a case where she is the prime suspect, simply because she is not white.

Although it is easy to dismiss this as a story based in facts that no longer apply, that is another lie. Our brothers and sisters of colors still face many of the same injustices and biases today that deny them equity, equality and dignity.

So, what do we do with this history, especially if we want to be advocating for change?  We stop denying and shying away out of our own defensiveness. We educate ourselves to truth and choose to turn from the lies. Patricia gives us several tools to do just that by doing our own internal work and then checking out these voices on Instagram and Facebook. She points us to #readmorewomen, #readmoreblackwomen and #readmorewomenofcolor.

To find out more about this versatile, award-winning, truth-seeking artist, go to https://www.patriciaraybon.com, where you will find her essays, blogs, opportunity to join her writing community, and of course her books including "All that is Secret," and "Double the Lies" - her two latest fiction novels.

To connect with Gabriel Tafoya, who provided the song, "The Pivot" for this episode, go to [email protected]


The website to connect with Laura Padgett is https://lauralpadgett.com