Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Sounds Good with Branden Harvey
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| Backhanded Optimism with Adam J. Kurtz | 25 Oct 2021 | 00:43:07 | |
Sounds Good Season Finale // If you've been looking for a sign to change your life, this is it. As you've probably figured out by now, life isn't a linear line. It's full of ups and downs, uncertainty, and confusion; however, what guides us through is intentionality. That's what illustrator and author Adam J. Kurtz's fourth book, You Are Here (For Now): A Guide to Finding Your Way, tackles. In it are essays and illustrations aimed to help readers with personal transformation — instead of simply living life getting through it day by day, Kurtz wants you to actually enjoy where you are and who you are. As a best-selling designer, artist, and public speaker (whose work has been featured in the New Yorker, NYLON, and more), Adam has dedicated his whole life to finding the humor, truth, and optimism in being alive. He channels the lessons he's learned through his art and wants you to know that it's all going to be okay. His art and stationary brand has been sold all over the world and he's amassed a big social media following through his work in mental health. In this episode, Adam J. Kurtz talks to us about what purpose really means to him and how we’re never as alone as we feel. | |||
| How to Turn Good Intentions into Real Change in Your Workplace | 18 Oct 2021 | 00:42:07 | |
The gap between good intentions and real change is a big one to fill. While many companies are interested in making their workplaces more diverse, it’s not enough to simply want more inclusion. It takes real systemic change to transform any professional setting into an equitable one and many value-driven organizations find themselves stuck at being just short of making real progress. Thankfully, that’s what our next guest is working to solve. Bethaney Wilkinson is the author of The Diversity Gap, a guide to instituting diversity efforts in workplaces. Bethaney’s lived experience as a Black woman in Georgia has been a driving force in writing The Diversity Gap. She's spent over 10 years working with values-driven organizations to diversify their teams, serve their neighbors, and pursue social change with integrity and authenticity. She’s also the founder of The Diversity Gap Academy, an online learning platform which aims to provide leaders with racial justice education. In this episode, Bethaney shares what racial justice means to her and how people can create an inclusive workplace environment where everyone can feel safe. | |||
| Navigating Change Is An Opportunity for Growth | 07 Aug 2021 | 00:56:15 | |
Growing — whether in our personal or professional lives — requires change. But change can be terrifying, no matter what stage in your life you’re at. Fortunately, there are people who can help us deal with change — and show us how it can transform our lives and the communities around us. Josh Chambers has done it all. Prior to being an entrepreneur and the founder of the Moon March agency, he was an aid worker, an advertising executive, and a professional athlete. Now, with his agency, he helps people navigate change — and he helps businesses do good by helping them to their fullest potential. Whether he’s helping brands show what they do best through thoughtfully executed campaigns or helping business owners grow into their brand identity, Josh sets an example of how to make change work in our favor. No matter how scary, change can be an opportunity for growth and thanks to his decades of experience, Josh is able to share exactly how that mindset has benefited him and others. This is a bonus episode! | |||
| Esmé Wang — Living with Ambition Despite Limitation | 12 Feb 2018 | 00:43:39 | |
Award-winning writer Esmé Wang knows from personal experience how tough it is to be ambitious and deal with limitation. She is a woman who lives with chronic illness, including late-stage Lyme disease and schizoaffective disorder. She believes that just because one lives with limitations — whether they be caregiving responsibilities, disability, chronic illness, or any other life circumstance that cause you to feel fenced in, doesn’t mean a person can’t leave a legacy of creative resilience. Esmé Weijun Wang is a novelist and essayist. Her debut novel, The Border of Paradise, was called a Best Book of 2016 by NPR and one of the 25 Best Novels of 2016 by Electric Literature. She was named by Granta as one of the “Best of Young American Novelists” in 2017, and is the recipient of the Graywolf Nonfiction Prize for her forthcoming essay collection, The Collected Schizophrenias. In her blog, The Unexpected Shape, she provides resources that assist ambitious people who live with limitations In this conversation, Branden and Esmé tackle the question of why people living with illness need both the practice and living-out of resilience in their daily lives — and how boundaries laid out in life’s game can make things more interesting. | |||
| Becca Stevens — Love as the Most Powerful Force for Change | 05 Feb 2018 | 00:45:29 | |
Becca Stevens is an author, speaker, social entrepreneur, founder and president of Thistle Farms. After experiencing the death of her father and subsequent child abuse when she was 5, Becca longed to open a sanctuary for survivors offering a loving community. In 1997, five women who had experienced trafficking, violence, and addiction were welcomed home. 20 years later, Thistle Farms continues to welcome women with free residence that provide housing, medical care, therapy and education for two years. Residents and graduates earn income through one of four social enterprises. Becca has been featured in the New York Times, on ABC World News and NPR, was recently named a 2016 CNN Hero and a White House “Champion of Change" in 2011. Her newest book, Love Heals, was published in 2017. In this conversation, Branden and Becca go deep into the shared humanity, peace and harmony that we all long for — and ultimately, how to create the time and space for healing to happen. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/becca
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| Meera Lee Patel — Making Friends with Your Fear | 29 Jan 2018 | 00:42:02 | |
What if our deepest fears are shining guideposts, lighting the way to what we truly want in life? Instead of pushing them aside, what happens if we begin listening to our fears—and allow them to lead us bravely into the unknown? Author and illustrator Meera Lee Patel has taken the big, scary concept of fear and crafted a personal, yet universal love letter to it in her newest book My Friend Fear: Finding Magic in the Unknown. Using her own experience with anxiety, Patel help readers examines fear — where it comes from, how it can hold you back, and how it can be harnessed into a power for good. In this Sounds Good conversation, Branden and Meera go deep into the difference between leading lives that are driven by curiosity or security — and the power of changing the story that your fear tells you. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/meera | |||
| Dana Falsetti — Self-Awareness as Our Most Important Work | 22 Jan 2018 | 00:40:14 | |
We are so much more than our bodies or anyone’s opinion of it. We have too much to offer and too much important work to do to spend time worrying about catching up to society’s standards that all-too-often silence our self-assuredness. Dana Falsetti is an advocate for women who want to find the confidence to live life more fully. Originally known for her strength in yoga, Dana now uses her platform to inspire critical thinking, self-awareness, and confidence across multiple media including her podcast, public speaking engagements, writing, and brand partnerships — in addition to her international yoga workshops. She has been featured in print and online publications including but not limited to: Seventeen, People, Shape, Upworthy, Mantra, NY Magazine.. In addition, she was the 2017 Shorty Award winner in the Health and Wellness category. In this conversation, Branden and Dana dive deep into the need for us all to come home to ourselves — and eventually, showing up in the world exactly who we are and lifting the collective consciousness. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/dana | |||
| Natalie Norton — Sticking Around for the Miracle | 15 Jan 2018 | 01:15:14 | |
Author, speaker, and life coach Natalie Norton’s life has been put through the ringer. She is no stranger to pain. Tragedy began with the unexpected death of her younger brother in 2007. After this event, her life slowly unraveled over the next few years with the death of her youngest son, a failed adoption of 3 beautiful children who had been living in Natalie’s home for 2 years when the state unexpectedly reunified them with their biological mother. Furthermore, a sudden ‘brain surge’/seizure left Natalie unable to communicate, remember her own name or identify her children as her own. Most recently, her 11 year old son was struck by a a compact SUV while crossing the street — leaving him no option but to spend a month in the ICU. Today, his recovery is still ongoing. This unbelievably painful sequence of events is a mapping of Natalie’s life that, miraculously, has lead her to conclude that it’s worth sticking around for the miracle. In this conversation, Branden and Natalie delve deep into the truth of why a personal commitment to passion and drive changes everything and the idea that our lives are meant to be so much more than the pain inside of it. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/natalie | |||
| Sarah Corbett — The Art of Gentle Protest | 01 Jan 2018 | 00:57:43 | |
Today, there are good reasons to doubt the effectiveness of many elements of conventional activism—oftentimes marked by aggression, extreme extroversion and violence. Award-winning campaigner Sarah Corbett started looking for alternatives that appealed to the introvert, namely, craftivism. Sarah’s gentle protest approach to craftivism aims to change the world with deliberate, thoughtful actions that provoke reflection and respectful conversation instead of aggression and division. She’s a world-traveling storyteller, has given several TEDx Talks and wrote A Little Book of Craftivism which was published in 2013, and How To Be A Craftivist, published in 2017. Also notable to mention, Malala has attended one of her workshops. In this conversation, Branden and Sarah chat about how craftivism can be for everyone. From skilled crafters to burnt out activists, gentle protest can be for those people who want to challenge injustice in the world but don’t know what to do, where to start or how to prioritize their energies and time.
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| Jenna Kutcher — Showing the Real, Not the Highlight Reel | 18 Dec 2017 | 00:44:04 | |
Our ability to empathize, belong and love rests on our willingness to be vulnerable. In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really seen. Jenna Kutcher is passionate about showing something deeper than perfect online. She’s a small-town Wisconsin girl who has single-handedly built a six-figure income photography business, fostered a massive social media following and currently hosts and produces the podcast “The Goal Digger Podcast” where she uses her platform to share the deepest parts of herself with intention. In this conversation, Branden and Jenna go beneath the surface of her story — her journey of how she sees herself, her second miscarriage and the what no one told her about working for yourself. | |||
| Liz Vice — Seeing Our Calling as an Invitation | 04 Dec 2017 | 00:57:50 | |
Most of us become impatient in the process and loathe uncertainty. However, Liz Vice has reconciled this truth in a profound way by learning to soar despite roadblocks in her story. While battling with an autoimmune disease for 7 years, Liz felt she had to reconcile with the fact that she would have to forfeit her dreams — instead, her life took a turn for the spectacular. Raised in Portland, Oregon — Liz Vice is a gospel and R&B singer and currently the music director at Hope Brooklyn while balancing touring, playing venues and festivals around the country. She has worked on the background casting for commercial and feature films such as Portlandia, Green Room, the A-List and C.O.G as well as employed by Weiden+Kennedy — an independent advertising agency responsible for clients like Airbnb, Coca Cola, Nike and Old Spice. However, Vice’s path toward film and music was not a straight one, but, rather, shaped by the dreams others had for her. In this conversation, Branden and Liz discuss the power of calling amidst medical roadblocks and the importance of surrounding yourself by people who won’t let you quit. | |||
| Flynn Coleman — Letting Go of the Need to Save Everything | 27 Nov 2017 | 00:38:56 | |
Meet Flynn Coleman, a modern-day wonder woman in the world of social justice and advocacy. She’s an international human rights lawyer, educator, author and CEO of Malena, a socially conscious fashion line that focuses on empowering women artisans around the world. She has worked with the United Nations, the United States federal government, and corporations and human rights organizations around the world. Flynn is a contributing writer for such publications as HuffPost, Global Citizen, and Darling Magazine. Flynn is also the founding fellow at the Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship at NYU School of Law. Her passion is celebrating humanity’s diversity while constantly drawing attention to the truth that we’re all just one conversation, one smile, one laugh away from connecting with anybody else. In this conversation, Branden and Flynn get down to the nitty gritty and discuss the idea that no one can save everything. Flynn helps us discover that this knowledge frees us up to give our energy to do the things that matter to us — and to surround ourselves around the people and causes that make us feel alive. | |||
| Nigel Poor — Why Finding Commonality Can Change the World | 20 Nov 2017 | 00:46:08 | |
Every single day, it feels like the media and politicians want us to think that we live in a dangerous world filled with monsters. Inside spaces like prisons, the news wants us to believe that there is nothing redemptive inside, only disappointment and violence, rather than looking at the people inside with compassion and commonality. Nigel Poor, is a social activist, artist and co-creator of the podcast Ear Hustle who has given her life to this idea. Nigel Poor is a visual artist whose work explores the various ways people make a mark and leave behind evidence of their existence. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. In 2011, Nigel got involved with San Quentin State Prison as a volunteer teacher for the Prison University Project. In 2013 she started working with a group of incarcerated men producing a radio project that eventually turned into Ear Hustle — the winner of Radiotopia's Podquest contest in 2016, chosen from more than 1500 international entries. In this conversation, Branden and Nigel chat about the important in rallying a belief that commonality and compassion might be some of the most powerful forces on Earth. | |||
| How a College Student Founded NOLA’s First Glass Recycling Plant | 02 Aug 2021 | 00:37:00 | |
Recycling glass turned this young founder into a TikTok star. Franziska Trautmann was at the end of her college career when her frustration at her city’s (New Orleans, Louisiana) lack of a recycling program for glass boiled over. But rather than just stewing on it, she jumped into action and created the solution that she wanted to see. With the help of her friends, Franziska set out to change her city for the better with her company, Glass Half Full. Today, Glass Half Full is a company that collects glass in New Orleans and converts it to beach-like sand and glass cullet which is then used for disaster relief, eco-construction, new glass products, and so many other things. Glass Half Full reimagines recycling — and they collect all this glass for free with the help of volunteers too. Franziska Trautmann and Glass Half Full are making the world a better place one glass collection at a time. | |||
| Chewbacca Mom — Laughing Your Way Towards Defiant Joy | 13 Nov 2017 | 00:42:39 | |
The world knows Candace Payne as “Chewbacca Mom,” the wife and mother of two from Dallas who captured the hearts of nearly 200 million people around the world with nothing but a toy Chewbacca mask, a smartphone, and 4 minutes of infectious laughter. Candace’s viral moment of simple joy became Facebook Live’s top video. But what the video doesn’t show is Candace’s storied journey of daunting obstacles on the way to the joy-filled life—extreme poverty, past trauma, and struggles with self-worth. She recently wrote a book called, Laugh It Up!, where she tells the rest of the story behind the woman in the mask. In this conversation, Branden and Candace chat about the unlimited positivity and possibility that each day holds if we choose to move toward defiant joy. | |||
| Amena Brown — Finding Inspiration on the Mountain and in the Mundane | 06 Nov 2017 | 00:43:33 | |
Does it ever feel like our souls hold massive record collections: melodies, rhythms and bass lines? Memories that ask you to dance and memories that haunt you in a minor key? Lies that become soundtracks to your days while truths play too softly to be heard? Spoken word poet, author and speaker Amena Brown seems to think so. Amena Brown’s broken records played messages about how she wasn’t worthy to be loved. The author of five spoken word albums and two nonfiction books (including ‘How to Fix A Broken Record’), Amena performs and speaks at events from coffeehouses to arenas with a mix of poetry, humor, and storytelling. In this conversation, Branden and Amena explore and debunk the myth that we have to always be searching for the adrenaline in order to make profound work or do impactful things. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/amena | |||
| Abby Falik — How Travel Exposes the Nerve You Can’t Ignore | 30 Oct 2017 | 00:48:24 | |
The British born essayist, Pico Lyer, once said, “We don’t travel to move, we travel to be moved.” There is a unique power in global experiences that takes us outside our comfort zones and shapes our empathy. Abby Falik is one of those individuals who have discovered this power. Abby is the Founder & CEO of Global Citizen Year, an innovative ‘for-purpose social venture’ on a mission to make it normal for kids to choose a ‘bridge year’ abroad after high school: an experience that builds self-awareness, global skills and grit. Abby is a recognized expert on social innovation and the changing landscape of education. She has been featured by Forbes, NPR, The Washington Post and The New York Times. In 2016, Fast Company named her one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business. In this conversation, Branden and Abby go deep into the philosophy behind the importance of travel and the strength in pursuing a possibility that is not yet happening. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/abby | |||
| Firuzeh Mahmoudi — Why Activism is the Same as Breathing | 23 Oct 2017 | 01:07:54 | |
The 1979 Iranian revolution radically shaped who Firuzeh Mahmoudi is today. She grew up witnessing massive rallies, captivated by the excitement, chaos, and hope. Years later, when protests erupted in 2009, Firuzeh — with no prior experience — organized concurrent rallies in 110 cities in support of the Iranian protesters – the largest global day of support for Iran in history. She is now the founder and director of United for Iran, an independent nonprofit based in San Francisco that works for civil liberties in Iran — with a special emphasis on using technology to fight injustice. In this conversation, Branden and Firuzeh talk about how working to advance civil liberties globally by advocating for human rights, supporting civil society, and engaging citizens all over the world can be the most challenging and rewarding work a person can be a part of. | |||
| Dr. Tererai Trent — Awakening the Sacred Dream Inside of Us | 16 Oct 2017 | 00:51:38 | |
Before Dr. Tererai Trent became Oprah’s “favorite guest of all time,” she was a woman with a forgotten dream and a profound desire to recreate our world for the better. Born in rural Zimbabwe, Dr. Trent is one of the most internationally recognized voices for quality education and women’s empowerment today. She’s the author of ‘The Awakened Woman: Remembering and Reigniting Our Sacred Dreams’ — a book that shares her story of how she planted her dreams deep in the earth and they prayed they would grow and break the cycle of oppression of women today. In this conversation, Branden and Dr. Trent go deep into the heart of the power of an awakened woman and why our dreams will have greater meaning when they are tied to the betterment of your community. | |||
| Clint Smith — How More Understanding Activates Real Hope | 09 Oct 2017 | 00:49:31 | |
Clint Smith is a poet whose work goes beyond passion and straight into the world of social engagement — his work creatively invites his listeners out of ignorance and into the world of a real and authentic kind of empathy. Clint Smith is a writer, teacher, and Ph.D. Candidate at Harvard University. He is a 2014 National Poetry Slam champion, an Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist, and author of the poetry collection Counting Descent. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Guardian,and he has delivered two popular TED Talks, The Danger of Silence & How to Raise a Black Son in America. In this conversation, Branden and Clint go in deep into the heart of our work of building a better world coming from an understanding of how the world has already been built. | |||
| Kevin and Blake Walsh — Choosing to Stay Until Tomorrow | 02 Oct 2017 | 00:52:20 | |
Seconds before Kevin Walsh was about to attempt suicide in 2007, he received an unexpected phone call from his first crush, Blake. That phone call saved his life. Now, a decade later, the two are married. Not many people had heard their story until Kevin posted his story on Quora in answer to the question, “What is one moment in your life you thought could only happen in a movie?” His response went viral and was then featured on HuffPost, Buzzfeed, The Independent, and People. In this episode, Branden, Kevin, and Blake go deep into the human struggle to find a reason to stay until tomorrow and the power of speaking our love for each other out loud. | |||
| Cody Goldberg — Play as a Form of Radical Inclusion | 25 Sep 2017 | 00:56:35 | |
When Cody Goldberg and his wife received the news that their daughter, Harper, was diagnosed with a condition that would require her to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life, it would change everything. More specifically, it would make Cody a forever zealot for inclusion of children experiencing disability in playgrounds across America after realizing how alienated they are from them by design. As a graduate of NYU in film and television who then pursued careers at Red Bull and Adidas, Cody has never accepted the idea that you have to let go of play. He’s currently the Executive Director of Harper’s Playground, a non-profit that is dedicated to leading with the belief that the power of a well-designed and realized inclusive play space can truly transform a community. In this episode, Branden and Cody chat about the work of being radically inclusive one playground at a time and how we can all benefit from more play. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/cody
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| Adam Foss — Making an Impact From Inside a Broken System | 18 Sep 2017 | 00:50:59 | |
Former prosecutor, Adam Foss is a fierce voice for compassion in criminal justice reform. He’s currently the founder of Prosecutor Impact, a non-profit organization built around the mission of improving community safety in the US by requiring better incentives and more measurable metrics for success beyond, simply, “cases won.”. Not only did he advise President Barack Obama on criminal justice reform, but he was also named the 2017 Nelson Mandela Changemaker of the Year. There is no other way to describe Adam Foss but as a 21st century ‘Giant of Justice’. Recorded together at Life is Good HQ in Boston, Branden and Adam discuss the difference between sympathy and empathy and gain a better understanding of the most important actor in the criminal justice system: the prosecutor. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/adam | |||
| Drake White — A Roadmap to Your Ideal Self | 11 Sep 2017 | 00:41:47 | |
Drake White is an American country music singer and songwriter from Alabama with a passion for storytelling. With his passionate delivery from the stage, White seems to have inherited his grandfather’s ability to touch crowds with a sermon. However, White stresses that he isn’t a preacher, but doesn’t see a problem with putting his own methods for surviving the world out there. He’s most popular for his debut single, "Simple Life," for his label release early in 2013. A year later, White signed with Big Machine affiliate Dot Records. In August 2016, Dot released White's debut album, Spark. Most recently, he has been nominated by the CMA for ‘Entertainer of the Year’. Drake has found the beauty between the partnership of drive and creativity. In this conversation, Branden and Drake talk songwriting, investing in others and living outside the rulebook. Thank you to Talkspace for sponsoring this week’s episode. Go to talkspace.com/sounds and enter coupon code COUPON to get $30 off your first month. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/drake | |||
| How Poetry Keeps Us Hopeful with Maggie Smith | 26 Jul 2021 | 00:41:53 | |
Maggie Smith is an award-winning poet who shot to prominence in 2016 with her viral poem, Good Bones. Widely celebrated in the poetry community for her lyricism and her poetic style, Maggie’s poems have appeared in publications such as The New York Times and The Paris Review. Her bestseller, Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change (2020), was a breakout collection of personal essays and affirmations which launched her to new heights. Returning with Goldenrod — a collection of poems that explore themes such as parenthood, love, memory, and solitude — Maggie reminds us all of the magic of the present moment, the virtues of staying grounded, and the importance of human connection. In this episode, Maggie talks about being a recovering pessimist, raising her kids in times of injustice, and how poems — like people — evolve. | |||
| Pantsuit Politics — Setting Out to Find the Nuance Again | 04 Sep 2017 | 00:56:40 | |
Sarah Stewart Holland (a progressive) and Beth Silvers (a conservative) became friends in 1999 and haven’t recovered since. Sarah, a professional blogger and social media consultant, and Beth, a human resources executive and yoga teacher, challenged the notion that talking news with your politically opposite college friend is always messy. What evolved out of their friendship was Pantsuit Politics — a podcast that has someone on the right (Beth) and someone on the left (Sarah) having conversations with the goal of listening to each other first and talking politics second. In this conversation, Branden, Beth and Sarah, talk about bringing a distinctly women-centered perspective to the conversations happening around politics, intending only to learn from each other rather than walking into the discussions trying to win. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/pantsuitpolitics
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| Dylan Marron — How to Have Conversations With People Who Hate You | 28 Aug 2017 | 00:51:24 | |
Dylan Marron is a writer, performer, video maker and self-acclaimed snacker. He also receives a lot of hate messages on the internet. Producing work that mainly focuses on social justice issues such as race, sexuality and privilege, Dylan’s learned how to take hateful conversations online and turn them into productive conversations offline — an idea and practice that we could all benefit from. Dylan’s creative resume has included (but not limited to) writing multiple series for Seriously.tv, the voice of Carlos on the hit podcast Welcome to Night Vale, an alum of the New York Neo Futurists, and the creator of Every Single Word (Tumblr's "Most Viral Blog" of 2016; Shorty Award Nominee), a video series that edits down popular films to only feature the words spoken by people of color. And now he’s started a new podcast, Conversations with People Who Hate Me. In this conversation, Branden and Dylan go deep into the complicated and sometimes hilarious navigation of two strangers who disagree getting to know each other. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/dylan | |||
| Anis Mojgani — Finding Your Way Back to Being Human | 21 Aug 2017 | 00:59:58 | |
Anis Mojgani has been said to be a poet who gleefully spurns the boundaries of poet. He is not only a two-time National Poetry Slam Champion, winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, and multiple-time TEDx Speaker, but he’s also an Iranian American living in Oregon with a passion for processing the human interior. Notable to mention: he is one of Branden Harvey’s favorite poets. Anis has performed his slam poetry around the globe and has performed for audiences as varied as the House of Blues and the United Nations. He is also the author of three poetry collections — Songs From Under the River, The Feather Room, Over the Anvil We Stretch. In this conversation, Branden and Anis (while eating doughnuts) take an in-depth look at how poetry can be a tool for creative exploration through the tremendous grief and joy that life holds for humanity. | |||
| WeRateDogs — Wielding Twitter as a Joy Outlet | 14 Aug 2017 | 00:55:20 | |
In 2015, WeRateDogs was born. If you would've told Matt Nelson then that he’d be entertaining 750,000 people in less than a year, he would've laughed in your face. For those of you who never knew something like WeRateDogs existed, it does. More than 3 million Twitter followers eagerly await the internet phenomenon of dog photo submissions being paired with witty captions — and the final products are brilliant. Not only is WeRateDogs used as a “joy outlet” for it’s followers, Matt has also ventured to use his online presence to converse and bring awareness to global conversations. In this episode, Branden chats with Matt on the creative craft of molding your words to convey your embarrassingly quirky thought or idea in 140 characters for your unpredictable audience. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/weratedogs | |||
| Noor Tagouri — Breaking the Glass Ceiling with a Hijab | 07 Aug 2017 | 00:45:04 | |
Never disregard an 8 year old who dreams of becoming Oprah one day. Noor Tagouri, a Libyan-American storyteller and journalist, is currently one of the most talked about young adults in the country having worked with the CBS Radio, Newsy, CTV News while being known as the first hijab-wearing news anchor on American television. After the release of her first documentary passion project, The Forest Haven Story, and she went on to embark on a unique journey to achieve of her dreams of exposing cultural injustices and combating the challenges facing women on a global scale. In this conversation, Branden digs deep with Noor to truly understand the power of the right question while always aiming to break the glass ceiling. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/noor | |||
| John Jacobs — Life Isn’t Perfect, But Life is Good | 31 Jul 2017 | 01:07:39 | |
Where does true optimism come from? How do we choose to gravitate toward hope when there is so much pain in the world? These are questions that John Jacobs, co-founder and CCO (Chief Creative Optimist) of Life is Good, has been resiliently living out the answer to ever since his early childhood. 1989 marked the beginning of his passion for three main things: spreading optimism, helping children in need, and making rad and iconic t-shirts. In this conversation Branden chats with John about trading blind positivity for meaningful optimism. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/john | |||
| Ashley LeMieux — Holding Sorrow and Joy in the Same Hand | 24 Jul 2017 | 00:59:34 | |
The Shine Project began when Ashley Lemieux’s heart was taken by the inner-city youth of Phoenix, AZ. What began as a small project has now resulted in over 40 scholarships being given to help kids go to college since 2011. Ashley’s life’s work has been a testament to the love she pours out amidst a story that has been embedded with so much pain. In this heartfelt conversation, Ashley shares about how a call one Sunday morning asking both she and her husband to become permanent guardians to two kids overnight changed their lives forever — and how it took a dark turn 3 years later with a letter from the court in the mail. This is the first time she publicly shares her story. More: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/ashley -- Good News: https://www.goodgoodgood.co Sounds Good Podcast: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/podcast | |||
| Zim Ugochukwu — Cultivating a Love for Curiosity and Travel | 17 Jul 2017 | 00:51:04 | |
Zim Ugochukwu believes that everything about travel comes from a spark of curiosity. She’s currently the founder and CEO of Travel Noire, an award-winning boutique travel company and is a passionate advocate for personal transformational. Her background consists of everything from cloning genes at 19, to running a national anti-tobacco campaign, working on the Obama campaign, becoming a precinct judge while in college, and travelling through 90% of Asia. In this conversation, Branden and Zim unpacked the importance of seeking to call out the beauty in ‘otherness’ in the people around you while asking the questions that take you places. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/zim | |||
| Shantell Martin — How to Find Your Way to Yay | 10 Jul 2017 | 00:45:52 | |
“Who are you? Are you you?” British visual artist Shantell Martin has originated her work upon the foundation of these two questions and is now an unconventional truth-teller in her field. After moving to New York from Tokyo, she became best known for creating stream-of-consciousness drawings and light projects with childlike wonder and joy. Her artwork (mainly lines and stick figures) has appeared in the Brooklyn Museum, Museum of the Contemporary African Diaspora, Bata Show Museum, as well as many other well-known art venues in New York. In this conversation, Branden and Shantell discuss how understanding who you are and asking unconventional questions are keys to keeping the wonder alive in your work. | |||
| Jonny Sun — The Strange Hope of Being an Alien | 03 Jul 2017 | 00:54:23 | |
You've probably seen @jonnysun's "weird Twitter" tweets of his life as a lonely alien experiencing earth. What you might not know is that Jonny Sun, the Asian Canadian playwright, artist, architect and comedian has a master's degree from Yale, is a PhD candidate at MIT, and is a fellow at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center. In this episode, Branden talked to Jonny about navigating the world of happiness in art and academia while wrestling with depression and anxiety. They also giggled through a conversation about Jonny’s news book, ‘Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too’. | |||
| Do Petitions Even Do Anything? | 19 Jul 2021 | 00:34:05 | |
Petitions help people feel like they’re making change in the world — but do they really make a difference? Stuart Perelmuter, the founder of OD Action and Atadvocacy, has worked for over a decade to keep hundreds and thousands of people informed and engaged in progressive politics through cause-related community development. From launching his own action network to working as a communications strategist on Capitol Hill, Stuart Perelmuter has partnered with various candidates and causes — including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — to create a better world. In this episode, Stuart Perelmuter shares his experience with petitions, why it’s important to keep up the pressure after signing a petition, the importance of community-driven change, and how and why petitions — and the people who sign them — really do matter. | |||
| Eric Holthaus — Recognizing the Human Story in Weather | 26 Jun 2017 | 00:32:32 | |
In 2014, Rolling Stone referred to Eric Holthaus as “the Rebel Nerd of Meteorology”, mainly in regards to his reputation for being defiantly optimistic in the world of science. His work as a meteorologist and writing has highlighted the belief that climate change is the most important and consequential story of our time. Furthermore, Eric’s transparency about living with autism and advocating for self-care have changed the way he interacts with the rest of the world. In this conversation, Branden and Eric discuss how weather unites us in unique ways — and how this notion should be celebrated. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/eric | |||
| Rick Hanson — The Neuroscience of Good and Bad News | 12 Jun 2017 | 00:58:06 | |
Dr. Rick Hanson is a psychologist and New York Times best-selling author who creatively works at the intersection of three circles: psychology, neuroscience and the contemplative wisdom that has been established around the world. His work has been featured on the BBC, CBS, and NPR and has focused on helping people turn everyday experiences into a powerful sense of lasting well-being. In this conversation, he speaks to the empowerment that comes with using our inner resources for hardwiring happiness in relationship with pain. | |||
| Yonathan Moya — Humanizing the Mexico/U.S. Border | 05 Jun 2017 | 00:51:17 | |
Yonathan Moya is a photographer responsible for the creation of a project, Border Perspective, that took him on a 9-day photographic journey along the U.S. & Mexico border. As he took part in different dialogues and sought to tell truthful stories of those he encountered at the border, he gained a fuller understanding of a place he called home. Through his photography and international work, he wants to challenge others to see the world around them differently and go beyond their current worldview, into a new understanding of who they are and how they can positively, contribute to our society. | |||
| Stephen Kenn — Objects as a Gateway to Connection | 29 May 2017 | 00:42:47 | |
Stephen Kenn operates a Los Angeles based design studio focused on furniture and leather goods. Driven by curiosity, Stephen takes a thoughtful and optimistic approach to his work, believing there is always a way to make things simpler. He begins all design projects by seeking out materials that will last a lifetime and experimenting with new processes. In this conversation, Branden and Stephen discuss the idea of seeing objects as an opportunity for story. More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/stephenkenn | |||
| Ahmed Badr — Challenging the Refugee Narrative | 22 May 2017 | 00:39:10 | |
When Ahmed Badr was 8 years old, his family's home in Baghdad was bombed. He and his family became refugees and moved to Syria. After living in Syria for two years, they applied for a UN Refugee resettlement program and were placed in the United States. Ahmed is the founder of Narratio, a platform for creative expression that seeks to create empathy and alleviate childhood illiteracy by empowering youth through the publishing of poetry, photography, art and narrative. Ahmed is also a published writer, photographer, and poet. With work appearing on the Instagram blog, HuffPost, Adobe, and others, Ahmed explores the intersection between creativity, the refugee experience, and youth empowerment. | |||
| Ken Wytsma — Exposing the Myth of Equality | 15 May 2017 | 01:00:06 | |
Ken Wytsma is is a leader, innovator, and social entrepreneur. He is the author of The Myth of Equality, Pursuing Justice and The Grand Paradox and president of Kilns College, where he teaches courses on philosophy and justice. He is also the founder of The Justice Conference, an annual international conference that introduces men and women to a wide range of organizations and conversations on racial inequality and social justice. | |||
| Sara Li — Raising Your Voice to Start a Movement | 08 May 2017 | 00:33:26 | |
Sara Li is the founder and director of Project Consent, an international nonprofit campaign that aims to combat sexual assault and rape culture by raising awareness about the importance of consent. She founded Project Consent in high school and is now seeking to maintain a sense of normalcy while running a fast-paced and influential organization while in college. Sara is also a writer and contributes to MTV, Elite Daily, Thought Catalog and more.
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| Jeremy Courtney — Unmaking Violence with Preemptive Love | 01 May 2017 | 00:46:08 | |
Jeremy Courtney is cofounder and executive director of the Preemptive Love Coalition (PLC), an international development organization based in Iraq that brings relief to families fleeing war in Syria and Iraq, helps refugees rebuild their lives, and provides lifesaving medical care for children in conflict zones. | |||
| TJ Martin & Dan Lindsay — Empathy as an Artform | 24 Apr 2017 | 00:45:46 | |
TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay have been collaborating since 2007 and co-directed the documentary “Undefeated” which won the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary, making TJ the first director of African-American descent to win an Oscar for a feature-length film. They recently co-directed a new documentary about the LA riots called LA 92. | |||
| Kellie Haddock — Getting to the Other Side of Tragedy | 17 Apr 2017 | 00:49:02 | |
Ten years after a horrific car accident killed her husband and severely injured her son, Kellie tracked down and thanked the team of medical professionals who saved her son's life. She shared her heartwarming story of gratitude with The Thank You Project, which went viral.
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| How to Keep Juneteenth Alive All Year Round | 28 Jun 2021 | 00:29:14 | |
Pulitzer Prize winner Professor Annette Gordon-Reed has been celebrating Juneteenth her entire life. But in light of the global spotlight on the Black Lives Matter movement from last year’s protests against police brutality, more and more people are aware of what Juneteenth represents for America. As well as a celebration of Black joy and liberty, Juneteenth is an opportunity to reflect on the history of emancipation—and how we can continue to fight for civil rights the other days of the year too. In this episode, Professor Gordon Reed — a notable American historian and Harvard professor — shares why she wrote On Juneteenth, her personal relationship to the federal holiday, and why this year’s Juneteenth felt different than years before. → Read Good Good Good's guide on how to celebrate Juneteenth | |||
| Liz Bohannon — Crossing the Point of No Return | 10 Apr 2017 | 01:12:25 | |
Liz is full of energy, knows what taking big risks looks like, and is the founder of Sseko Designs, an ethical fashion brand that works to educate and empower women. In this episode, Branden and Liz talk about saying yes, feminism, and speaking your dreams out loud. | |||
| Orly Wahba — Using Kindness to Empower Others | 03 Apr 2017 | 01:10:03 | |
As a child, Orly had the terrible experience of her family’s home burning down. This left her spiraling into depression. The only solution that helped bring her back into the light? The incredible empowerment that comes with small acts of kindness. | |||
| Leah Nobel — Having Conversations with 100 Strangers | 27 Mar 2017 | 00:48:18 | |
For her forthcoming album, Leah Nobel personally conducted a hundred interviews with people of a wide array of background and personalities. She then translated their experiences to song, the results of which is her new album. | |||