American Uprising, the Polaris Project & a SEAsoned Chef

What does resistance look like across centuries? And how are people still guided by the North Star today?

On this episode of World Footprints, we follow stories of rebellion, liberation, and adventure—from a long-buried slave revolt in Louisiana to the frontlines of modern human trafficking, ending with a culinary odyssey on the high seas.

🔥 The Largest Slave Revolt in U.S. History—Hidden in Plain Sight

Guest: Daniel Rasmussen, Author of American Uprising
Many Americans know the names Nat Turner and John Brown. But the largest act of slave resistance in U.S. history? That story unfolded in 1811 outside New Orleans—and until recently, it was mostly erased from public memory.

The 1811 German Coast Uprising image. Wikimedia Commons

Historian and author Daniel Rasmussen joins us to discuss his groundbreaking book, American Uprising: The Untold Story of America’s Largest Slave Revolt. He reconstructs the 1811 German Coast Uprising, when over 500 enslaved people organized a march toward freedom in a bold but tragic stand against oppression. Rasmussen shares why this event was silenced for so long and what it reveals about the roots of America’s racial legacy and its path toward civil war.

“This was not a chaotic mob—it was an organized rebellion,” says Rasmussen. “And yet for over 200 years, it’s been buried.”

✨ The Polaris Project: Modern-Day Abolitionists

Guest: Bradley Myles, Former CEO of Polaris Project
Named for the North Star that once guided enslaved people to freedom, the Polaris Project is carrying that legacy forward in the 21st century.

Bradley Myles, then CEO of Polaris Project, explains how the organization is fighting human trafficking through systemic change, survivor support, and real-time response. He walks us through the work behind the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and how Polaris Project leverages data and partnerships to dismantle the structures enabling modern slavery.

“We’re not just helping people escape a trafficking situation—we’re working to prevent the next one,” says Myles.

Polaris’s comprehensive approach connects historical injustice to today’s hidden exploitation and calls on all of us to act.

🍽️ SEAsoned: Life, Love, and Food on a Superyacht

Guest: Victoria Allman, Yacht Chef and Author of SEAsoned
What’s it like to live and cook aboard a luxury yacht that cruises through turquoise waters and docks at glamorous ports? Victoria Allman doesn’t just live the dream—she wrote the book on it.

Skar is a fish from Iceland that resembles Salmon.

Chef Victoria Allman, author of A SEAsoned Chef

In her memoir-meets-cookbook, SEAsoned: A Chef’s Journey with Her Captain, Victoria recounts her journey alongside her husband Patrick (on his first assignment as yacht captain), whipping up gourmet meals while navigating unpredictable seas, eccentric passengers, and chaotic crew mishaps.

She joins World Footprints to share tales from the galley, including:

• The realities of working in close quarters with your spouse

• What happens when the engine room floods mid-journey

• And why food can be the anchor that keeps everything afloat

Expect humor, heart, and a few sea-salted recipes you’ll want to try at home.

🔍 Episode Highlights

• The 1811 German Coast Uprising and why it was erased from American history

• How Polaris Project tracks and combats modern human trafficking

• Behind-the-scenes stories from a globe-trotting yacht chef

👣 Why This Episode Matters

This episode connects the dots between past and present struggles for freedom and dignity. Whether through historical justice, survivor advocacy, or storytelling from the open sea, these guests shed light on the human spirit’s enduring drive toward liberation and meaning.

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