Explore every episode of the podcast BETTER presents: Make Food Food Again

What is a food system and why does defining it matter? In this Better primer, Mark Brand traces the food system from growing and processing to selling, eating, and wasting, while showing how wages, housing, trade, and public policy shape every link in the chain.

The episode explores a difficult contradiction: Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector employs more than 2 million people, yet the meeting cites 9.8 million Canadians, nearly one in four, as living in food-insecure households in 2025. Mark argues that hunger isn’t simply a question of whether enough food exists. It’s also about poverty, affordability, and the rules that determine who can access food.

This episode introduces a season about food insecurity in Canada, food policy, food waste, workers’ rights, grocery industry power, Indigenous food sovereignty, and school food programs. It’s a starting point for understanding how the food system works and how people can change it.

East Coast Credit Union is proud to support Better because we believe meaningful change starts with asking the right questions and challenging the way things have always been done. As Mark Brand explores the systems that shape our lives and meets the people working to improve them, we see a natural connection to our own purpose: using banking as a force for good to improve financial wellbeing, strengthen communities and help people thrive. When our members and communities thrive, we all do.

Learn more about how East Coast Credit Union is challenging the status quo of traditional banking and showing how business and banking can be a force for good: eastcoastcu.ca

Where is this season going? Into the systems that shape how food gets grown, made, shared, and accessed, and toward the possibility of making them work better for everyone. We are setting out to demystify the food system: how it works, who it serves, who gets left out, and how people can help change it. Drawing on decades of experience in restaurants, farms, and community food programs, he’ll make big ideas around food access, agriculture, and food justice clearer, more practical, and easier to act on. Because the systems we live with were built by people, and people can build them better. This season is a guide to understanding what’s possible when we work together to make good food and care more accessible to all.

East Coast Credit Union is proud to support Better because we believe meaningful change starts with asking the right questions and challenging the way things have always been done. As Mark Brand explores the systems that shape our lives and meets the people working to improve them, we see a natural connection to our own purpose: using banking as a force for good to improve financial wellbeing, strengthen communities and help people thrive. When our members and communities thrive, we all do.

Learn more about how East Coast Credit Union is challenging the status quo of traditional banking and showing how business and banking can be a force for good: eastcoastcu.ca

In Season 4, Make Food Food Again, Mark takes a deeper look at the systems that determine how we feed ourselves, who benefits, who gets left behind, and what needs to change. Through powerful human stories, investigative documentaries, and accessible explainers, BETTER explores the connections between food, health, labour, land, power, and dignity. From food banks and grocery giants to the people growing, preparing, and relying on our food, Mark asks difficult questions, challenges familiar narratives, and explores practical solutions. Because building a better world starts with understanding the one we've created.

East Coast Credit Union is proud to support Better because we believe meaningful change starts with asking the right questions and challenging the way things have always been done. As Mark Brand explores the systems that shape our lives and meets the people working to improve them, we see a natural connection to our own purpose: using banking as a force for good to improve financial wellbeing, strengthen communities and help people thrive. When our members and communities thrive, we all do.

Learn more about how East Coast Credit Union is challenging the status quo of traditional banking and showing how business and banking can be a force for good: eastcoastcu.ca

In this episode of Better, host Mark Brand sits down with Nova Scotian diver and content creator Sean “Saltwater Sean” McMullen for a deeply honest conversation about curiosity, healing, and finding purpose beneath the waves. Sean shares how boredom during COVID, a wetsuit from Marketplace, and a couple of vintage soda bottles led to a viral photo, national media attention, and the birth of the Saltwater Sean platform. Along the way, he opens up about sobriety, divorce, tinnitus and hearing loss, childhood bullying, and how diving, magnet fishing, and cleaning up local waterways became a way to reconnect with his inner child, his parents, his kids, and his community. This is a story about environmental action, mental health, and the power of simply doing your own “weird thing” so others feel brave enough to do theirs.

Social impact entrepreneur Mark Brand and Producer Madison Irvine unpack their conversation with ocean cleanup creator Sean “Saltwater Sean” McMullen. From diving Nova Scotia’s rivers, lakes, and coastline for trash to becoming an unlikely online creator, Sean’s story opens up a bigger conversation about authenticity, community, local arts, and playing the long game with your craft. This Season 3 finale also celebrates Nova Scotian identity, neighborhood kindness in Halifax, and the importance of supporting local art, podcasts, and emerging storytellers.

Actor, director, gamer, and entrepreneur Matthew Lillard has been a cult favorite for decades—from Scream and Hackers to Scooby-Doo and Five Nights at Freddy’s. But behind the characters is a story of failure, reinvention, and radical authenticity.

In this conversation with Mark Brand, Matthew opens up about: Growing up as an outsider: obese kid, learning disabilities, drama nerd in the 80s The moment he turned down Dancing With the Stars, fired his team, sold his house, and rebuilt his life and career How The Descendants “reintroduced” him to Hollywood as a man, not just the funny kid Building Beadle & Grimm’s and Find Familiar Spirits, brands that serve fandoms instead of chasing the mainstream Why helping friends win feels better than his own success How he uses his celebrity as a tool for impact, not ego Turning pain, insecurity, and “outsider” energy into art, business, and community This episode is a love letter to nerds, misfits, and late bloomers, and a masterclass in showing up as your whole self, even when it’s messy.

Coming soon! Matt Lillard! Actor, director, gamer, and entrepreneur Matthew Lillard has been a cult favorite for decades, from Scream and Hackers to Scooby-Doo and Five Nights at Freddy’s. But behind the characters is a story of failure, reinvention, and radical authenticity.

In this episode of BETTER, host Mark Brand sits down with legendary farmer, organizer, and food justice leader Karen Washington. Together they unpack why the food system “is not broken, it’s doing exactly what it’s geared to do,” and what it really takes to transform it.

Karen traces her journey from a Bronx backyard garden and the first life‑changing bite of a real tomato to decades of urban farming, community organizing, and calling out systemic racism in the food system. She explains why she rejects the term “food desert” in favor of “food apartheid,” and how that shift in language exposes the historical and political forces that determine who gets to eat well.

Mark and Karen also explore:

• Life and organizing before the internet—door‑knocking, church basements, and deep listening.
• How communities are responding to the dismantling of DEI funding by building local ecosystems and mutual aid networks.
• The difference between charity and solidarity, and why nonprofits must drop the savior complex and build long‑term trust and relationships.
• The global fight for food sovereignty, seed freedom, and biodiversity.
• Karen’s work at Rise & Root Farm in New York’s Hudson Valley—a queer, Black and brown, women‑led farm rooted in social justice and healing.

Throughout, Karen returns to a simple, radical idea: food is a human right, and real change comes when power and land return to us and when we rediscover our connection to one another.

In this episode of Better, host Mark Brand reflects on a powerful conversation with farmer, organizer, and food justice leader Karen Washington.

Together they unpack why “food deserts” is the wrong language for the right problem, and why Karen insists we call it what it is: food apartheid.

Mark and Madison explore what true leadership looks like, making complex issues accessible without watering them down, and how Karen’s decades of community organizing, urban farming, and movement-building have reshaped how we think about land, power, and who gets to eat well.

They dive into: Why food is never “just food,” but history, policy, dignity, and power How communities can build ecosystems of trust that don’t rely only on government. The role of youth and elders in driving change together What it takes to move from feeling overwhelmed to believing in and building universal access to food.

If you’ve ever wondered how to turn outrage into action, and how ordinary people can do extraordinary things for their communities, this episode is your invitation. 

karenthefarmer.com

In this episode of Better, host Mark Brand interviews with Hope Blooms Manager of Social Business and Innovation, Kolade and artist, author, and community leader Keonte Beals for a powerful conversation about self‑love, healing, and the transformative impact of community. This episode explores how safe spaces, mentorship, and representation can turn barriers into bridges and dreams into real careers.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:

• Hope Blooms & Uniacke Square
• Self‑Love as Daily Practice
• From Pain to Purpose
• Connection, Collaboration & Community Ripples

About Hope Blooms
Hope Blooms is a community‑driven organization in Uniacke Square that nurtures young leaders through gardening, food, entrepreneurship, and mentorship. 

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Hope Blooms
• Explore the work of Keonte Beals

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union.

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

In this episode of Better, host Mark Brand casts ahead to his interview with Hope Blooms Manager of Social Business and Innovation, Kolade and artist, author, and community leader Keonte Beals for a powerful conversation about self‑love, healing, and the transformative impact of community. This episode explores how safe spaces, mentorship, and representation can turn barriers into bridges and dreams into real careers.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:

• Hope Blooms & Uniacke Square
• Self‑Love as Daily Practice
• From Pain to Purpose
• Connection, Collaboration & Community Ripples

About Hope Blooms
Hope Blooms is a community‑driven organization in Uniacke Square that nurtures young leaders through gardening, food, entrepreneurship, and mentorship. 

Resources & Links

• Learn more about Hope Blooms
• Explore the work of Keonte Beals

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union.

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

Your host, Mark Brand, sits down with revolutionary journalist and author Michael Sheik, whose work shines a light on conflict, human rights, and the power of food in preserving culture and building resilience.

From facing life-threatening situations in Afghanistan to uncovering stories of genocide and survival, Michael’s journey is an inspiring testament to the role food plays in connecting us to our roots, telling untold stories, and fostering hope even in the most challenging times. In a world grappling with displacement, injustice, and changing identities, this conversation explores how culinary heritage can be both a form of resistance and a bridge to empathy. We discuss:

• How food serves as a lens for understanding conflict and resilience
• The impact of family history, migration, and trauma on personal and cultural identity
• Why preserving food traditions is vital for refugee and displaced communities
• Distinguishing between food security and food sovereignty, and why it matters
• The challenges and power of storytelling when holding perpetrators accountable
• The healing, hope, and agency that come from sharing meals and recipes across generations

This episode is for anyone who believes that culture endures through the recipes we share, the stories we tell, and the communities we nurture.

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union.

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

In this reflective episode, host Mark Brand and producer Madison dive deep and reflect on their powerful conversation with investigative journalist, writer, and advocate Michael Shaikh.

Together, Mark and Madison discuss the ongoing refugee crisis, exploring how displacement threatens language, customs, and generational identity. Drawing from Michael’s frontline experiences, they highlight stories of preserving cultural heritage amidst adversity, and the courage it takes to hold powerful institutions accountable. The discussion broadens to examine how social media shapes our awareness and behaviours, especially among younger generations, and stresses the importance of kindness, resilience, and finding common ground.

Mark and Madison also share personal insights on community building, food security, and the need for presence and authenticity in real-world connections. Their reflections underscore the value of standing together, mentoring others, and using both technology and storytelling as tools for positive change.

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union.

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

Your host, Mark Brand sits down with Benjamin McBride (BJ) and Michelle Monterrosa, advocates behind the 1-800 Happy Birthday project: whose work is transforming how we remember, honour, and heal in the face of tragedy.

From personal heartbreak to sparking national conversations, our guests’ journeys are a testament to the power of community, storytelling, and resilience. In a world that often overlooks the deep human toll of violence, this conversation is a reminder that true change begins with remembering those we’ve lost and lifting each other up. We discuss:

• Why honouring victims’ stories, and remembering names can be a way to healing
• How art, creative memorials, and public installations create opportunities for collective grief and hope
• The importance of grassroots advocacy, community action, and building safe spaces for support and truth-telling
• How vulnerability and compassion can help transform trauma into new visions for justice and reform
• The role of family, community leaders, and cross-generational mentorship in sustaining movements for change

This episode is for anyone who believes that justice is more than headlines, it’s about memory, love, and rewriting the narrative together.

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union. 

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

In this special discussion, host Mark Brand and producer Madi, reflect on their conversation with 1 800 Happy Birthday's advocate and special guest.

Mark and Madi discuss how personal and collective trauma can fuel meaningful advocacy and systemic change. They reflect on powerful examples of activism, emphasizing the importance of community support, mentorship, and empowering younger generations. This conversation highlights real-life stories of moving from grief to action, focusing on prevention, education, and resilience. Together, they chat about the impact of sharing knowledge and the value of thoughtful mentorship in effecting change.

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union.

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

We sit down with a leader whose work is transforming how we think about wealth, community, and the true meaning of success: Ken Shea, President and CEO of East Coast Credit Union.

From humble beginnings to guiding one of the region’s most community-focused financial institutions, our guest’s journey is a testament to the power of building significance, not just success. In a world that often celebrates individual achievement, this conversation is a reminder that the greatest impact comes from lifting others and investing in the places we call home. We discuss:

• Why true wealth is measured by the strength of our communities, not just our bank accounts

• How purpose-driven banking can create opportunities and resilience where it’s needed most

• The importance of partnerships, trust, and showing up for one another

• The difference between shareholder and stakeholder values—and why it matters

• How to turn compassion into action and make a lasting difference

• The role of transparency, accountability, and B Corp certification in building trust

This episode is for anyone who believes that success is about more than numbers—it’s about the lives we touch and the legacies we leave.

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union. 

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

Before we sit down with Ken Shea, President and CEO of East Coast Credit Union, we’re taking a moment to reflect on why this conversation matters.

In this special prequel episode, host Mark Brand and producer Madi share what drew them to the story of credit unions, and why community banking is more than just financial transactions — it’s a roadmap to resilience, empowerment, and real local impact.

This episode sets the table.

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union.

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

We sit down with Chef Sean Sherman, also known as The Sioux Chef whose work is transforming how we think about food, land, identity, and justice. Raised on Pine Ridge Reservation, Sean realized early in his culinary career that he could name a hundred European recipes, but barely any from his own Lakota heritage. That realization sparked a movement. We discuss:

• Why food is a language that connects, heals, and resists
• How Indigenous knowledge holds answers to climate, health, and equity crises
• Reclaiming food systems through plant diversity, ancestral wisdom, and education
• The balance of hope and resistance in a world of chaos
• How to be a respectful ally in Indigenous food movements
  
  

Sean’s next cookbook Turtle Island launches this November. Explore his 170+ videos on foraging, plant medicine, Indigenous cooking, and decolonizing food systems at: thesiouxchef.com Follow Sean: @siouxchef

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union. 

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

Before we sit down with Chef Sean Sherman the visionary known as The Sioux Chef, we’re taking a moment to reflect on why this conversation matters.

In this special prequel episode, Mark Brand and producer Madi share what drew them to Sean’s story, and why Indigenous food systems are more than just recipes — they’re a roadmap to justice, resilience, and reconnection. 

This episode sets the table. 

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union. 

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

Nadya Hutagalung is today’s guest, a media icon turned global changemaker. Once a beloved MTV Asia VJ, Nadya has since become a UN-recognized environmental activist, leading a powerful campaign that helped reduce the ivory trade across Asia.

Her work directly influenced a change in Thai legislation around ivory sales, and her journey is as personal as it is political, navigating threats, health battles, and depression to stay committed to her mission. Nadya’s story is one of transformation, resilience, and using your voice for real impact.

Find out more about Nadya Hutagalung and her advocacy work on her website: [insert URL]
Follow her journey and activism on Instagram: [insert Instagram handle]

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union. 

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

Buckle up for an electrifying episode of Better that will transform how you see celebrity activism forever! 

In this special prequel episode, Mark Brand and producer Madi share the extraordinary story of Nadya Hutugalang - a former MTV Asia superstar who traded Hollywood glamour for global impact. Imagine going from hosting a top modeling competition to standing toe-to-toe with UN officials and confronting dangerous ivory trade cartels. This isn't just another celebrity story; this is a masterclass in using your platform to change the world.

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union. 

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

Today’s guest needs no introduction, but he’s getting one anyway. Bun B is a southern icon, one half of the legendary rap duo UGK, and a cultural force who’s redefined what it means to use fame for good. From the booth to the boardroom to the burger joint, Bun’s legacy is layered with music, mentorship, and movement building.

He’s taught at Rice University, stood on the frontlines of natural disasters, and created Trill Burgers, crowned Best Burger in America by Good Morning America. We discuss:

• Building legacy through service, not just sound
• Grief, growth, and carrying the weight of UGK
• Designing a business that hires returning citizens & inspires hope
• Reclaiming cultural narratives, online and off
• The power of love, partnership, and staying grounded

It’s not just about great food, it’s about second chances, real jobs, and creating space for people who’ve been left out.

Follow Bun B on Instagram and visit the incredible Trill Burgers.

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union. 

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

Before we sit down with Bun B, rap legend, educator, entrepreneur, and community builder, host Mark and producer Madi talk about why this episode hits different.

This isn’t just a story about hip-hop. It’s about healing, hustling, and using every platform, from music to meat patties, to make a difference. In this behind-the-scenes conversation, we dive into what makes Bun’s legacy so powerful.

This episode sets the rhythm.

This podcast is proudly supported by East Coast Credit Union. 

At East Coast Credit Union, we’re proud to support community voices and meaningful conversations. The thoughts and opinions shared by guests on this podcast are their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of East Coast Credit Union.

BETTER is back for season three with Mark Brand. Enjoy this quick tease of what you can expect from these new interviews with important change makers. 

Andrew Knapp is today's guest; a dog-lover, photographer, illustrator, and a New York Times best-selling author! His dog Momo created an internet sensation by playing hide-and-seek all over the world. Andrew’s books about Momo include Let’s Find Momo!, Let’s Find Momo Outdoors! and more. His latest release was published just last week titled Let's Find Yaya and Boo at Home!: A Hide-and-Seek Adventure.

Find out more about Andrew Knapp, sign up for his newsletter & learn about his new book Find Momo Everywhere (which is viewable here and out in February) on his website: https://andrewknapp.com/ 

Follow along with Andrew and his furballs on Instagram.

This week, Mark's guest is Heather Plett, an international speaker, facilitator, writer, and life-long learner. She's the author of the book The Art of Holding Space: A Practice of Love, Liberation, and Leadership and the soon-to-be-released book, Where Tenderness Lives: On Healing, Liberation, and Holding Space for Oneself. She is also the co-founder of the Centre for Holding Space. Mark and Heather talk about their respective journeys through grief and the tools that we can all use to hold space for ourselves and those around us.

Before launching her work in holding space, Heather worked in leadership and communications in government and non-profit. Having spent most of her adult life in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, where she raised her three daughters, Heather has recently become nomadic while she decides where to settle next. (Read more about her here.)

Find her program here: afullbodiedlife.com 
Order her book here: https://a.co/d/0n0lDbJ 

This week's guest is award-winning broadcaster Ziya Tong. She is best known as the anchor of Daily Planet, Discovery Channel’s flagship science program. Her book The Reality Bubble won the Lane Anderson Prize for best science writing in Canada and was shortlisted for the RBC Taylor Prize. The book has been translated into multiple languages, and has earned praise from luminaries including Naomi Klein and David Suzuki who calls Tong’s book, “required reading for all who care about what we are doing to the planet.”

Tong also hosted the CBC’s Emmy-nominated series ZeD, PBS’s national prime-time series, Wired Science, and worked as a correspondent for NOVA scienceNOW alongside Neil deGrasse Tyson on PBS. 

Ziya served as the Vice Chair of the World Wildlife Fund Canada and is now on the board of directors of WWF International. She is currently working on a new documentary called Plastic People, looking at the frightening impact of microplastics on human health.

Twitter: @ziyatong
Blue Sky: @ziyatong.bsky.social
Mastodon: @ziya@journa.host

http://ziyatong.com/

This week's guest is a legend, especially in the projects on the south side of Chicago, where every unhoused human he looks in the face feels acceptance, love and dignity. He is the CEO and Founder of Taste For Thee Homeless. In this episode, you'll hear him talk about discovering his purpose, making people of influence like Chance the Rapper support his cause, and what he's planning next. Follow along with Mike on his Instagram for more @TasteForTheHomeless.

Host Mark Brand has a conversation with entrepreneur, social innovator, and activist, James Anderson. *DISCLAIMER* This episode will touch on suicide; please find some resources below if you are struggling. After overcoming a childhood riddled with great challenges, James’ story is one filled with hope and redemption. James graduated from UCLA with double honors while simultaneously helping to create one of the world’s leading criminal justice reform organizations—The Anti-Recidivism Coalition. In this episode, he will also talk about his work with Next Chapter.

Previously at Guayakí Yerba Mate, James spent his time on their senior leadership team focused on the development and execution of the corporation’s social impact commitment to hire system-affected individuals, creating a world-class company culture, and ultimately using business as a force for good. His knowledge, achievements, and innovative solutions to contemporary issues has led to invitations to meet with high ranking political officials including President Barack Obama. One of his key messages is that we all carry an innate ability to create unparalleled change in the lives of others.

Recommended Suicide Resources:
In Canada: https://talksuicide.ca/
In the United States: https://988lifeline.org/ 

Anthony Demby has worn many entertainment-industry hats for more than two decades. From managing the careers of artists such as Childish Gambino and John Legend to advising global brands, his journey has been diverse and expansive. In 2010, Demby combined his recording label, artist management knowledge, and cultural curiosity to found Humbleriot, a New York-based intentional idea shop that utilizes music, culture, and social impact to create dynamic experiences and tell compelling stories. Additionally, he leads a mentorship program for international artists, musicians, and creators. His roster has included clients such as Google, Sonos, Oatly, HBO Max, The Red Hot Organization, For Freedoms, and many others.

Follow Anthony Demby on socials: @dembycratic and @humbleriot.

Artists Ant told us he loves right now in this episode: Yaya Bey, Yussef Dayes, and NeOne the Wonderer.

“Hawaii” Mike is a branding maestro and founder of Chef for HigherTM, a pioneering culinary and culture brand leading the exciting new era of Cannabis legalization. Chef for HigherTM specializes in creating exemplary Cannabis-infused sweet & savory foods and hosting popular tastemaker dining events, and check out the New York line which just launched HERE.

For over 25 years, Hawaii’s been on the frontlines of music, media, and lifestyle, using Hip-Hop and Cannabis as conduits for pursuing his passions and refining his alchemy. Hawaii has worked with legendary Hip-Hop groups like Mobb Deep and consulted for global brands including Nike, Reebok, Estee Lauder, and Mountain Dew. As a talent manager, he guided the careers of influential personalities Nigel Sylvester, DJ Clark Kent, and Jonathan Mannion.

He founded LTD magazine, served as a lifestyle editor for The Source magazine, and was co-founder & editor-in-chief of tattoo publication INKED. He has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, VH1, BET, and Forbes. He currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, and is available for Private HigherTM catering events, Cannabis-related thought panels, and speaking engagements. Follow Hawaii on Instagram @HWMK.

Host Mark Brand welcomes Harold O'Neal to Better for a conversation about embracing conflict and creative storytelling through impact by turning inside. Don't miss a little performance on his keyboard at the end of the episode!

Harold O'Neal is a musician and social entrepreneur, known for his work as a producer, pianist, composer, public speaker, and storyteller. He is widely recognized for his association with the legacy of jazz pianists and has also worked with a diverse range of artists across various musical genres, including U2, Lupe Fiasco, Bob Geldof, Jay Z, and Damien Rice. O'Neal has also been granted fellowship to the prestigious Royal Society of the Arts, with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as patron. Recently, Harold O'Neal brought his storytelling expertise to Pixar's Academy Award-winning film, Soul, serving as a creative expert behind the scenes with his stories providing valuable resources to the filmmaking process. O'Neal is currently working on a range of exciting projects, including his next cinematic jazz album set for release in 2023. He's also producing and scoring a feature-length film with an Academy Award-winning director, scheduled for release in 2024. Additionally, he's collaborating with NASA's Chief Story Architect, Paul Propster, to co-found the Admira Summit, a social enterprise focused on youth outreach, technology, and storytelling.

Find out more about Harold O'Neal: 
https://www.pianocinema.com/
https://www.admirasummit.org/home
https://www.instagram.com/haroldonealofficial

Holley M. Kholi-Murchison is an artist and cultural geographer exploring work as a portal to self and communal actualization. They study the human condition, desire, and potential within and outside of evolving definitions of work and workplace. From their research, they tell love stories, make artifacts and resources, and design and program spaces that open pathways for creators to nurture their gifts, talents, and growing edges for their life's work and personal fulfillment. Currently, Holley is Managing Partner and Director of Studio and Media Lab at Oratory Glory, and a co-steward at Celie & Squeak. Find out more about Holley (including the Tell Me About Yourself or TMAY book referenced in this episode) HERE.

BETTER is back for season two with Mark Brand. Today, he welcomes friend and fellow DJ Kirk St. Cyr, better known by his stage name as 4 Korners. He’s the official DJ for the Toronto Raptors and an international musician – he’s played the top nightclubs in more than 20 countries across the world while collecting awards and accolades, AND an NBA championship ring! Find out more about 4Korners and listen to his debut album 4Korners of the World HERE.

Tara McGuire is a mother, a steep advocate for change in the fight against overdoses, a former broadcaster, and a powerfully potent writer. Her book “Holden After and Before," gives us an honest insight into her grief, carried from the loss of her son, Holden to the opioid crisis, which Tara points out is better viewed as what it truly is: an overdose crisis.

"He died because he made a mistake that day,” she says with heavy compassion for her own loss, and her son's loss, too, "He wasn't trying to die."

Holden's overdose at 21 is not an isolated event. 

Over 35,000 families know their version of her pain from the last five years alone. That's 21 deaths a day. And while the "cause of death," might be marked on paper with the same words, the Cause of Life and the person behind it only exists once.

We’re all one of one. That's the love part of the loss. That’s the crisis of One in many.

Tara has turned that love for her son into proactive activism. She is now invited to speak to judges with power to change the course of treatment made available to people struggling.

In this episode, we talk about the solutions—the life-saving solutions our youth deserve. 

And Tara drops bars in one of the most special elements of this episode. Through her prose and poetics Tara's gives voice to hope. At the top of Segment 2, we hear her read an excerpt and go into her world as she breathes in the life of her son . 

All of this takes us to the key emotion driving impactful change: compassion.

"We need to find out why people are numbing themselves with these substances at all. Who we’re losing through this overdoes crisis are our most sensitive people." Tara says, "We need to be in the prevention business... we need to provide care instead of punishment."

That part.

WORKS:
- Author of "Holden After and Before: Love Letter for a Son Lost to Overdose"
- Notably recognized essay: “I Can Feel Him Breathing”
- Tara's poems and essays have been recognized by Room Magazine, the Writer’s Union of Canada, the TNQ Edna Staebler personal essay contest, as well as broadcast on The Sunday Edition and The Vinyl Cafe on CBC Radio

TOOLS:
- Wisdom that guides us to our calling
- How to speak to your children about drug use with compassion 
- Language to help us demystify the stigma of substance abuse
- Permission to take your time with grief and guidance for how to express grief 
- How to transfer energy when someone we love dies 
- Reminders that bad advice exists everywhere and to feel your feelings
- The importance of ritual 
- Pharmaceutical information that helps us question why our doctors are prescribing these highly addictive meds to begin with when there are alternatives 

MEMORIAL FUND
After his passing, the Holden Courage Memorial Fund for Artists was created to support street artists. Link to donate here

Addictions Treatment Helplines in Canada

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (U.S.)

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Rick Doblin is a a psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist and the visionary behind MAPS—the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies), a non-profit dedicated to “delivering global healing through psychedelic research.” 

His research proves how psychedelics heal trauma. 

Rick started studying the power of psychedelics as medicine just one year before the US government scheduled an emergency ban on psychedelics—and he has continued to work on the frontlines of advocacy for the return of this medicine ever since. 

In this episode, you’ll hear us talk about the need for deep healing in a society that’s running on fumes. His words on PTSD and what’s possible for even the most complicated of cases brings a depth of hope that anyone with trauma (big t or little) can drop shoulders after listening. 

The long term effects measured by his clinical trials are there. The safety is there. The need is there. The only thing missing is the regulatory approval and the adaptation for certain psychedelics to move from Schedule I (the highest of offense) to Schedule II, which allows medical use. 

We also cover the extremes, like balancing a sober life with the use of this medicine— because that’s all it is, medicine—and combining it with therapy.  

And we catch beautiful quotes like this one:

“A lot of the people who are involved in substance abuse problems feel isolated and alone. Part of the antidote to that is to feel that you are connected to this magnificent adventure of billions of years that’s produced life on earth, and to feel that there’s this web of love that’s underneath everything.”

TRIGGER WARNING: 
This episode discusses suicide and suicidal ideation, and some people might find it disturbing. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please, contact your physician, go to your local ER, or call the suicide prevention hotline in your country. 

For the United States, the numbers are as follows:
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255), or message the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Both programs provide free, confidential support 24/7.

For Cananda, the numbers are as follows:
Call the Canada Suicie Prevention Service 1.833.456.4566, available 24/7/365 or Text the Crisis Text Line at 45645, available 4pm - midnight

WORKS:

- founder and executive director of MAPs—the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which has “dedicated the last 36 years to changing the way people think of, talk about, and consume psychedelics through research, education, and advocacy.”

- TED: The Future of Psychedelic-Assisted Research

TOOLS:

- Research that sheds light on the true safety psychedelics can provide in healing trauma

- Profound insights and data that open us up to what’s happening when our minds are on psychedelics 

- Reminders of the power therapy has and why I always always recommend it

- Insight into the studies MAPS is conducting to better understand the profound effects this medicine creates

- Discussions around the equity and accessibility of these tools and what changes have to happen

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Rachel Sumekh was in college when she noticed the problem: her peers are hungry. Then she spotted the solution and moved instantly into action. No flinching here. (You can see why we’re friends.) 

It didn’t take long for the administration to see her impact before they tried to shut it down. While they moved to block progress, the Obama White House named her organization a “Champion for Change.”

What one authority called rebellion, another named Revolution. 

Same coin, different sides. One truth.

In this conversation, Rachel speaks openly about the influence her Iranian-Jewish background has on her experience as a human in service to other humans.

You’ll hear us talk about our duty, as people, to help end each other’s suffering.

Let’s let that one hang.

That’s OUR duty: end each other's suffering. 

We also explore the chapter-close of her decade-long role as the Founder of Swipe Out Hunger—a national nonprofit committed to ending college student hunger, which is something that went largely overlooked before her eyes and heart took notice—proving once again that it just takes One of us (to start).

To date, the team at Swipe Out has proudly served over 4.8 million nourishing meals across more than 450 campuses. 

“This is a baton pass,” Rachel says mid-interview about leaving Swipe Out in the hands of new leadership. “These problems are so big. I’d need to be the whitest of white men to believe that I need to stay there and solve this problem.”

And with THAT truth, the episode is yours. Let’s go. 

WORKS:
- Founder of Swipe Out Hunger—a national nonprofit committed to ending college student hunger. From its beginnings as a grassroots movement at UCLA in 2010, Swipe Out Hunger has since served 4.8 million nourishing meals across more than 450 campuses in all 50 states and Canada.
- Board member for her LA based Jewish community, IKAR
- Owner, TypicalPersianGirl.com

RESOURCES:
If you or someone you know is experiencing hunger on a college campus, visit swipehunger.org to learn about resources

TOOLS:
- How to align your skill set with an issue you care about
- Tools to recover from lone-wolf syndrome
- Reminders that help us conceptualize away time from working
- Incredible awarenesses around the true path to creating change
- How to face the challenges of being idealistic as an adult
- Reminders to find safe people who you can open up to
- Stories that remind us HOW normal and common food insecurity really is 

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Eamonn Store is IN boardrooms changing the hearts, minds, and actions of some of the world's biggest companies. He’s the former CEO of The Guardian and current Founder & CEO of FairShare—an impact consultancy driven by the belief that “making a contribution to the World is no longer just a 'nice to have.'”

I call him a board whisper because he has the critical ability to get people in powerful seats to see past greed’s inherent blindness and come to truth.

We talk about capitalism’s many side effects—one being what Eamonn calls “addiction to winning,” and then move into how our current climate crisis, among other crises, can all see themselves in the face of this phenomenon. 

Thankfully, it’s hard-TRUTH-facing conversations like this, with people like Eammon who put action behind their beliefs, that brings us to see what’s most important and most possible: we have to show up for each other.

We have to. We have no other choice.

Trust, when I say, this conversation brings layers of wisdom about the machine, about community, about change, and our ability to make it—with a lens on what it looks like to live life with a compass of contribution at North. 

WORKS:
- Former CEO of The Guardian, North America
- Founder & CEO of FairShare, an Impact Consultancy that helps companies advance a Purpose beyond their product’s benefit and practices Conscious Commercialism, which “leverages the soul of your brand to the benefit of all while creating more long-lasting business value." 

TOOLS:
- Tools to help us give ourselves permission not to push for perfection when the world just needs us to show up
- Reflections that help us see our addiction to winning
- The importance of developing a worldview 
- Reminders to give yourself permission to reflect on the last 5 years of your life with a compassion-centered lens 
- Reminders to value stakeholders in business, rather than centering shareholders alone
- Questions to help you identify your true purpose 
- Reflections that validate the difficulty of disappointment that comes with hoping corporates aligns with true purpose and impact  

RESOURCE:
- You'll hear us also talk about YOUTH v GOV, a must-watch documentary 

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media with special support and assistance for today's episode from Sarah Burke.

Brother Ernie Paniccioli is a legendary hip hop & culture historian, humanitarian, and self-taught photographer who has been ‘documenting the culture since the start.' 

My first meeting with Brother Ernie was in Vancouver where he said the feeling of being seen—truly seen and known—was more alive because Indigenous people are "everywhere." Unlike in Brooklyn where he grew up eight blocks away from Biggie Smalls.

In this conversation, we track the history of hip hop as a global voice—a global power—and how it can teach us to inhabit a consciousness that promotes our collective wellbeing over a collective violence that he says, knowingly, only leads to the perpetuation of more violence. 

Here's a quote to kick us off, "If you're gonna love Tupac, if you're gonna love Biggie, then you have to look at it through a different lens—and that lens is how do we not hurt each other? How do we not expand on that violence? How do we not relive it? They say, History's best qualified to teach you, whether it's Germany and the Holocaust or the American Native situation. Unless you know your history, you're condemned to repeat it. So, my thing is very simple: let Tupac and Biggie rest in peace, but more importantly, learn from that and learn that violence creates more violence. What you eat, what you see, and what you absorb is what you become," he says before leading us into a list of recommendations to enlighten the mind and lighten the heart.

Also, special side note, if you're catching this at the time of air, Brother Ernie's work is currently being displayed at the GRAMMY Museum Experience, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The feature exhibit is called, “A Hip-Hop Life: Five Decades of Hip-Hop Music, Art and Culture" and displays early & exclusive, behind-the-scenes photos of Hip-Hop legends: Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Naughty By Nature, Lauryn Hill, the Fugees, Ice T, Chuck D, Queen Latifah, and many many more.

WORKS:
- Dig into the history (see Ernie's prints for sale here)
- Hip Hop Hall of Fame in 2014 
- Served as the chief photographer for the hip hop magazine, “Word Up!” for over 20 years
- Spokesman at The United Nations for The Temple of Hip Hop during the Hip Hop Peace Conference
- Published several books, including “Who Shot Ya”
- Featured as the subject of the award-winning documentary, “The Other Side of Hip-Hop"

TOOLS:
- Stories that help guide us into a deeper knowing of ourselves
- Wisdom that appeals to the importance of history, knowing it, and using it to shape the future
- Spiritual truths that guide us out of violence and into regular, good fun
- Legendary tales that remind us to celebrate the ones who gave us what we have today

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Zach Sciacca, aka DJ Z-Trip is a conduit for the power of music AND the love of music.

He has a history of working alongside the world’s greatest artists including Chuck D & Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Biz Markie and the list of legends goes on (check the list of WORKS below*)

His work showcases the connectivity that music brings us across lifetimes, friendships, memories… 

Music is one of—if not THE most—transformational tool we have. 

But when a song gets mashed with another, it transcends everything and becomes something entirely new. 

THAT power is something Z-Trip has mastered and even pioneered, in the truest sense of the word. Without Z-Trip, the modern-day mash-up doesn’t exist in music. His genius shows up in his ability to simultaneously create containers of celebration & containers of healing—both needed. It IS evolutions in music like this that have helped make me who I am today. 

What DJ Z-Trip DOES (for a living and for life) honors the past, present, and future all at once. 

Time is transcended. Feelings are processed. Memories are made and people are remembered. 

I bring him on today as my dear friend and someone I've been a fan of since before our friendship (shoutout Ant Demby for bringing us together at the Playlist retreat)—and let this stand as a reminder that bigging up your friends is always, always the move.     

WORKS: 
- Listen to DJ Z-Trip and support his crazy talent on Twitch, Bandcamp, Spotify, YouTube
- 2009 recipient of the "America's Best DJ Award" (he remains on the top 10 lists year after year)
- Respectively, Z Trip is the “Godfather of the mashup movement” 
- Topped the charts for “Best Album of Year” lists including Rolling Stone Magazine, Spin, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, among many others with his 2001 album, "Uneasy Listening, Vol. 1" 
- He has a history of working alongside the world’s greatest artists including Chuck D & Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Biz Markie and the list of legends goes on
- Opened for The Rolling Stones
- Headlined at major shows like Coachella and Rock The Bells
- Produced music for EA Games and Tony Hawk
- First and only DJ to have a remix approved by Nirvana and Kurt Cobain's estate

TOOLS:
- What it means to be an entertainer, to transcend space and create containers of healing
- Reminders to let you know the importance of slowing down and reflecting on the impact of your work and life
- The value of having perspective of where you’ve been to see where you’re going
- The beauty of people whose life purpose is to give people a break from the hard stuff
- Reminders of how music gets us through the day and through life
- Advice that guides craters to be conduits who connect creation to audience not audience to your ego
- Metaphors that reflect the balance we need for trust & safety AND playfulness & challenge
- The importance of reconnecting with the core of your being
- Stories that give the gift of gratitude for the music collectors in your life
- Reminders to be a fan of your friends and how they show up in life
- Truths that show us that time and time again, only you can do things your way
- Permission to adapt daily for the sake of creativity 
- Inspiration to be your own student
- Resonance that reflect the truth of how powerful music is as a healer 
- Wisdom that reflects the importance of respecting the culture and the history of your craft
- Inspiration to take what you’ve learned in life and open someone else’s world with it

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Jennifer Crawford is a gender creative queer who I could happily gush about for the entirety of this episode. 

We first met cooking for an organization called Sistering in Toronto, which does critical work with women and trans people who are predominantly street entrenched and fleeing violence.

You’ll hear that story upfront. (I promise, it’s a warm one.)

Jennifer is also the first queer winner of MasterChef Canada, and—wait for it—a professional wrestler who goes under the moniker of Moon Miss. BOTH of which make it super easy for us to talk about the inherent multi-dimensionality that comes with being a person (period), and that leads us right into talking about the trauma that first causes any of us to mask, and the secondary trauma that comes from the pain of masking.

It’s a lot of uncovering.

"There's a lot of peace in learning how your mind works and giving yourself that permission slip to treat the stakes as high as they are. When I think about authenticity, it's not something I think about a lot in terms of like, ‘Oh, am I being authentic?’ I think about the stakes being so high—and they are for so many. It's not just a thing we do for clout online. It is a thing we do to survive, and connect with other people, so that we can thrive together.” - Jennifer Crawford

Take that in. And get ready to feel a whole lot of permission.

(*Check the list of tools below for the full scope.)

WORKS:
- Winner of MasterChef Canada (Check their recipes at jenniferecrawford.com)
- Professional wrestler, under the name Moon Miss
- Columnist and author of the platform, “My Queer Kitchen" on Daily Xtra
- Columnist for SaltWire

TOOLS:
- Reminders that free you from having to mask who you are
- Truths that come from permission-granting lived-experience stories 
- How sobriety can help us discover more nuance about ourselves
- Insight into the beauty and gift that comes with noticing yourself 
- Reflections that help us depart from codependent patterns
- Lived lessons on finding the balance between humility and self-abandonment
- Truths that show you’re always worthy of nurturing
- Wisdom that creates doorways into small degrees of change (rather than the pressure to 180)
- Connection and truths revealed about lone-wolfing life and how to break away from the damage of this trauma response
- Ideas that free you from the trappings of niching down your life

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Yarrow Kraner is the founder of HATCH—a global network of innovators and co-conspirators actively doing the work to create a more beautiful, sustainable, and just world (people who Yarrow refers to as “real-life superheroes”).

HATCH'S mission is to accelerate solutions to global challenges. The how: by fueling extraordinary humans. The why: to HATCH a better world. 

Yarrow is a creative alchemist whose heart has the distinct ability to draw people out of a state of self-uncertainy and into a state of self-empowerment—one that has the literal power to change the world. 

I say that with no fluff. 

He is, with all sincerity a creative alchemist, builder of community, facilitator of hope, and someone who shows me the truest side of friendship. 

We have traveled the world together, backpacks on tight, creating safe spaces for people (like you, yes You) to see and discover their ability to make REAL change in this world.

Today, you’ll hear him wax poetic like, “There's a race between consciousness and catastrophe.” And speak truth that brings you deeper into the hope we need.

This one IS that: “You are either tapped into what you're meant to do in the world, or you have the potential to.”

This one goes out to all of us.

WORKS:
- Founder of HATCH—a global network of innovators who are actively pursuing a more beautiful, sustainable, and just world.
- Founder of H360, a machine learning platform that brings silos of organizations together to activate collaborations and create a  "Network of Networks" for collaborations with the power to improve the world.  
- Tate and Olivia's stepdad
- Named 2015 top 100 creatives in the U.S. by Origin
- Founder, Superdudes—the original online community (pre-MySpace) connecting and empowering real life superheroes while gamifing community volunteerism
- Director, Virgin Produced, which is the entertainment arm of Richard Branson’s Virgin group
- Filmmaker, photographer, and director, leading projects with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Richard Branson, Sean Combs (aka P. Diddy), as well as, international brands
- Aspen Institute Fellow

TOOLS:
Reflections that help us remember the endless value of true friendship
Insights to guide you towards your own backyard and the changes in your hands
Hope—THAT’S the tool
Truths that help us restore balance in ourselves and inner-knowing

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Loren Cardeli is a food sovereignty activist confronting the unjust power in our global food systems—systems that are crippling the well-being of people who grow our food. He asks us to look at the frameworks of our minds and says "To learn, we must unlearn."

He is the Founder and President of A Growing Culture—an activist collective and nonprofit you must catch on IG (Run. Don’t walk)

I’ll wait…

@agrowingculture’s posts center farmer justice. The humanity of this issue is important for too many reasons, but one stat makes it really easy to get:

“Right now, we have a food system [where] 1.2 billion people go to bed hungry,” Loren says. “70% of them are farmers. 70% of the hungry are the ones growing our food.”

Drink that in. 

These hard truths have the power to wake us up and garner global solidarity for folks who need support.

“We have no solution,” Loren says, “but I can point to 10,000 people that do, and none of them look like me. We champion those folks.”

Then he says, “There are no voiceless people. People say [to me], ‘Oh, you give voice to the voiceless.’ No. There's no voiceless. There's only silenced.”

This episode is in honor of the silenced and dedicated to the actions we are capable of together.

WORKS:
- Founder and President of A Growing Culture—an activist collective and 501c(3) nonprofit working towards a future of food sovereignty
- Keynote speaker, addressing agricultural issues through the lens of economics, political science, and life sciences while promoting farmer-led research and innovation for the purpose of helping farmers throughout the world create sustainable, self-driving futures.
- AGC PROJECT: “SEED IS POWER” - Seed is Power is a fund to ensure that seeds stay in the hands of the people. These funds support seed savers on their own terms. It’s designed to disrupt the status quo of philanthropy that often inadvertently harms communities. Instead, it creates a reciprocal system that redistributes power, building equity and community among seed savers.
- AGC PROJECT: “HUNGER FOR JUSTICE” - Hunger for Justice is a storytelling series designed to center justice in food system dialogues. The series is an opportunity to shift our focus away from symptoms, like hunger, and towards the injustices at the root of our failing food system. AGC provides an emergent and interactive global platform for movements on the frontlines of the struggle for food sovereignty to connect with broader audiences and with each other. Until every last million of us hungers no more, we must hunger for justice.
- AGC PROJECT: PEASANT AND INDIGENOUS PRESS - a bi-monthly forum, media workshops, a monthly dispatch, and a journalist fellowship program, Peasant and Indigenous Press centers and connects Indigenous and peasant communities with media and cultivates a more holistic and nuanced storytelling ecosystem.
- AGC PROJECT: BIPOC FARMER LEGAL FUND - The BIPOC Farmer Legal Fund provides pro-bono legal services to majority BIPOC-owned agricultural entities to create pathways for agricultural futures.

TOOLS:
- Access to the most empowering definition of activism you’ve ever heard
- Reframes for how to lift up voices that aren’t yours
- Reminders of our true humanity and connectivity 
- Stories that emphazie why we say “If the community is unwell, we’re all unwell.”
- Root definitions of words that will teach you how language distorts reality 
- Questions to ask yourself about belief versus fact and what narratives are running the behind the scenes of your daily life
- Reframes for how to think about power and where it belongs 

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Samantha Ramirez-Herrera is a radical creator and a trailblazer in every sense of the word. Born in Mexico with a legacy lived, made, and growing in the US, she has become “her ancestor’s wildest dreams”—something I heard her describe from stage in the mountains of Montana.


Sam is who I go to—as my North Star—to track the narratives being created in media that support the movements that support the people. Her work is provocative in that it represents resistance and progress all in the same sweep. 

Her mantra is “F-ck fear.”
 
And, to top it all off (not even kinda), Sam is an Emmy Award-Winning filmmaker, a self-made entrepreneur, and the founder & CEO of OffThaRecord—a creative studio with the mantra, “We are creatives who give a damn.”
 
She is a DREAMer who grew up in the United States undocumented, but what we learn without hesitation from her is that there is not a single DREAMER who’s out here wasting their opportunity. She says, “I am labeled as a DREAMer, but I am way more than that. I am a DOer. And I am a chain breaker for my family.”
 
I’ll take a DEEP breath to that one. 
 
It’s that quote, and all the stories she's lived to date, that brought us the name for this episode: “BEYOND DREAMER.”
 
This conversation is a repeat listen for those moments when we need to remember that we can make new rules for ourselves, our communities, our society, our future. 

It's not possible to leave this listen without a hunger for equity, a determination to “fuck fear,” (visualize those words in Old English, please) and a drive to love yourself radically. 


Get pen and paper. Your hands are about to be busy grabbing lines like this:

“Being an immigrant in this country is difficult. Because every day you’re attacked with words… and if you don’t love yourself radically, if you don’t love yourself in a revolutionary way, they can break you. But I choose to be unbreakable. And I choose to love myself.” - Samantha Ramirez-Herrera 

 
WORKS:
- CEO & Founder, OffThaRecord—a creative studio with the mantra “We are creatives who give a damn.”
- CIVICS FOR THE CULTURE—a campaign launched by Fair Fight Action (founded in 2018 by Stacey Abrams) to mobilize young people of color 18-35 to vote and be civically engaged.
- SEEDS OF RESILIENCE—Sam and her team at Off Tha Record worked with Food Well Alliance to uplift the stories of Black growers around Atlanta through a 4 part series titled “Seed of Resilience”. They discussed land access, growing food in the city, and the significance of supporting Black-led agriculture -- particularly in the South. 
- WE ARE HOME—a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-generational coalition calling on the Biden administration and Congress to take immediate action to protect millions of immigrants who call this country home and end the cruelty of our interior detention and deportation system.
- UNDERDOG DREAMS—OffThaRecord executed storytelling and video productions for Underdog Dreams, a non-profit organization working on revolutionizing the flawed child welfare system.
- Keynote Speaker, where she describes herself as "just a Brown immigrant pursuing all of my wildest dreams and hoping to inspire others to do the same."

TOOLS:
- How to transcend the lies of stigma
- How to make new rules for yourself
- What it really looks like to create the path to equity
- Tools to redefine yourself in alignment with your true identity and ACTIONS
- Contemplations to witness and honor the hardships and privilege people individually carry and inspiration to help guide you to work through yours
- Stories that motivate you to embrace your actual potential 
- Permission to love yourself radically
- Reminders that strengthen courage in the face of fear
- Everyday practices we can do knowing traumatic events are happening DAILY without time to process
- Reminders to see the way social media manipulates the mind. Sam talks about “appreciating the moments between the posts.”
- Reminders to protect our mental space and our energy
- Compassion around how addictive social media is
- We hear revealing stories that remind us to protect our mental health 
- Strong awarenesses around what happens when we normalize trauma rather than carrying for our mental health proactively 
- Absolute unending permission to curse. Sam and I joke about how we have to keep it quiet the first four segments because it’s made for radio

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Rhett Butler is an award-winning journalist whose reporting is actively saving rainforests. I met him at a climate conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, and immediately felt pulled to the sense of hope and action that exists in his work as the founder and CEO of Mongabay—a non-profit Conservation & Environmental Science news platform that has been raising human awareness of both wild lands and wildlife for 20+ years. 

“I didn’t have a big vision,” he said. “I just achieved little things along the way. Then you wake up 20 years later and…” 

I jumped in to finish his sentence because Rhett is humble, but his work is not. The power of the information he’s gathered has impacted the livelihood of our planet in profound ways. 

His platform, Mongabay, is special for so many reasons, but one, in particular, is that it allows other outlets to use its information, its storytelling, research, data, science, all for free—and, in that act, Mongabay has successfully aided in the preservation of precious ecosystems and changed the very fate of our planet more than once. 

This episode is a double-triple listen in that it gives us tangible mental health tools that can actively turn our climate despair into the hope we need to create planet-saving action. 

It’s also a visual listen. We get to see inside the very real threat environmental defenders, like Rhett and his team, experience globally. You’ll hear stories that will make the hair on your forearms spiderweb all the way up, with visuals that take you into the environments he protects and then back with information to armor you for the fight of preserving our existence here on Earth. 

We get real on the issues and talk misinformation (the WHY and the WHO) and then dig into what each of us can do to level up our information intake in a way that protects us all from mistruths. 

We get all of this alongside the very real hope that rises up when we dedicate ourselves to local acts of change. And if you know me, if you know this show, you know one thing: solutions are my love language. 

Let’s go.

WORKS:
- founder and CEO of Mongabay—a non-profit Conservation & Environmental Science news platform… with over 20 years dedicated to raising awareness and appreciation for wild lands and wildlife
- Editor-in-chief and CEO of Mongabay
- founder, WildMadagascar.org, a site that highlights the spectacular cultural and biological richness of Madagascar and reports on environmental news for the Indian Ocean island nation
- co-founder of Tropical Conservation Science (acquired by SAGE Publications in August 2016), an open-access academic journal that aims to provide opportunities for scientists in developing countries to publish their research
- co-founder, Tropical Forest Network, a social network in the San Francisco Bay Area broadly interested in tropical forest conservation and ecology
-  information source for The Economist, BBC, CNN, CBS, NBC, Fox News, National Geographic, the Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, Business Week, Bloomberg, the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Reuters, Voice of America, the Associated Press, the San Francisco Chronicle, the L.A. Times, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Forbes, among many other media outlets

TOOLS:
- Tips to support your mental health in the face of climate despair 
- Critical thinking tools that help us understand how we’ve been misinformed and why
- Insight into how corporations purposefully intend to mislead us for their capital gain
- Awareness of the very real threats that journalists and advocates defending nature experience
- Insights into what drives global change (and what local action to take)
- Stories to inspire sustained action 

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Chef Joshna Maharaj is​​ a chef and activist using social gastronomy to rebuild our food system. She fights for our right to healthy, scratch-made, delicious food anywhere institutional food is provided. This includes community food centers, hospitals, schools, prisons, etc.

Her work has proven what’s possible when we commit to revolutionizing our institutionalized food systems.

In this conversation, you hear us belly laugh all the way through about the gross corruption she used to see and has helped influence to change, but we also get very serious in discussing the long road of change ahead.

The energy switches to praise when we talk Earth and connectivity. Joshna says, "Resisting a true connection with good food is similar to resisting a true connection with your own humanity." 

Facts. 

We also dig into her first experience learning to cook in an ashram in India and how this showed her the ultimate truth: we eat the energy of the food, we consume the energy of the folks who made the food, grew the food, and served the food… and all of us are connected.

Her book, “Take Back the Tray: Revolutionizing Food in Hospitals, Schools, and Other Institutions,” walks us through the revolutionary changes we need in our broken, institutionalized food systems so that we can begin to heal in holistic, well-rounded, people-first ways. 

WORKS:
- Author, “Take Back the Tray: Revolutionizing Food in Hospitals, Schools, and Other Institutions”
- Finalist, Basque Culinary World Prize, which highlights “chefs who show how gastronomy can be a motor for change”
- Former Chef at The Stop Community Food Centre in Toronto. About The Stop: “For over 35 years, we've connected low-income Torontonians experiencing poverty to good food in spaces that are warm, dignified, and respectful.”

TOOLS:
- Reminders of where energy comes from and reminders of how to cultivate energy in a way that supports your being and the well-being of those around you
- Massive encouragement to go off the “regular path” in life 
- Insights that will elevate your understanding of basic human rights and the food system
- How waste is directly related to disrespect 
- Reminds of what IS and ISN’T food to support your connection to food as our essential lifeforce

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Nirvan Mullick is a filmmaker, storyteller, and the big-hearted founder of Imagination Foundation, a nonprofit born out of the success of one of Nirvan’s viral films, “Caine’s Arcade.” (If you haven't seen it, it’s the first link in the bio.) He also founded Interconnected—an LA-based creative agency that tells stories for impact.

The Venn diagram for his trajectory in life is “I see you. I want you to see you. I want everybody to see you.” 

That part is simple. That part is soul.

The hard part—the part that makes someone transcend creativity and embrace ACTION is the next part: execution.

In this episode, he walks us through his personal philosophy for how to see ideas come to life, how to see them nurtured, and how to see them embraced. 

What makes this POV special is that it isn’t a business trick. This isn’t the entrepreneur’s guide to wealth. This is CREATION and success uniting in its own way.

Nirvan takes us way past any “how to,” that stalks us from the click-bait corners of the internet. This isn’t that. This is anything but.

This is the science of nurturing your ideas, carefully, considerately, honestly. And coming to a creative conclusion that births something beyond your imagination.

Now, you might be asking, “How is that possible?” because we've been taught to think ideas are only as good as the person thinking them, but that's not the case.

An idea is as good as your ability to let go.

Nirvan says, “Ideas envision their own existence. Ideas have this inherent idea of what they want to become, and if you can tune in to them, they will tell you how to do [the idea].”

Think about that. IDEAS have IDEAS about their own existence. 

That’s the secret. (Not anymore, if you already pressed play, which you definitely should.)

After the film made an impact, Nirvan doubled down. He built a movement (#CardboardChallenge), which then led to the nonprofit. 

That’s how we got Imagitionation.org, which merged with TwoBitCircus.org and supports over 180 Chapters in 30 countries. The organization has received support and recognition from Lego, Ashoka, VANS (to name a few) for its work fostering the creative expression of kids worldwide.

But, you know what’s funny? When I ask Nirvan how he introduces himself, he says, “I am just a *guy trying to make things I care about for people I care about. And I care about everybody.”

And if you’re here, if you’re listening to this show, isn’t that you, too? 

*gender not restricted—you know. It’s US.

WORKS:
- Creator, filmmaker, director of Caine's Arcade, a short film that became a viral phenomenon in 2012, receiving millions of views and changing the life of a creative 9-year-old kid
- Founder, Interconnected—an LA based creative agency that helps tell stories for impact
- Founder, Imagination.org
- Filmmaker with works screened in festivals worldwide, from Cannes to Annecy
- Director of the viral #EarthToParis climate campaign for the UN Foundation and GOOD, generating over 1.4 billion impressions leading up to the historic Paris Climate Agreement 
- Board Member of TwoBitCircus.org, which Imagination.org merged with in 2018
- Recipient of the Dan Eldon Award for Creative Activism and the Big Ideas in Action award

TOOLS:
- Inspiration on where to find ideas and how to treat them
- Tips to inspire your curiosity
- Reminders of how impactful and necessary play is
- Stories that awaken your imagination
- Tools to seek out opportunities that support other people’s dreams 
- Mental health support for the very common and very real social anxiety that plagues so many of us (myself included)
- Confirmation that you’re special, unique, and that there really is only one You, and there’s a power to that

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Chef Charles Michel is a gastronomer, profound educator, and innovator whose work has the power to change our understanding of food systems—globally and at home. His activism offers us the opportunity to create a very powerful, and very needed, revolution spanning food education, community activism, connection to planet, and much much more.

He says, "Food is nature. Food is us. Food is the future."

He also says, “What we eat is the most intimate connection we establish with Earth and the people around us.”

Charles is a dear friend, for so many reasons, but the one I’ll pin at the top is this: he knows how to bring me into my heart center on two issues I get extremely passionate about: activism for our stomachs and activism for our planet. 

In this conversation, you'll hear Charles share history that enlightens us on why our food customs come with a fork and knife, how the monarchy still influences cultures today, what we can do to reclaim our relationship and experience to food, and that’s just the start. 

You’ll also hear powerful stories from Charles’ personal experiences ceremoniously sacrificing live rooster once yearly, and how this action connects your nervous system to our greater system, naturally.

Trust, that part of the conversation pulls you in and takes you away from the present moment (in the best way). And then we go deeper into activism with what can we DO to address global food systems and waste food. 

This conversation will, undoubtedly, make your life BETTER by bringing you even closer to the one subject we can all agree we love to embrace: food. 

Dig in. No knives. Hands only (or, in this case, ears). Let’s go.

WORKS:
- Classically trained Chef in Michelin-star restaurants
- Chef-in-residence at the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford
- Community Builder and Educator of his digital classroom, which you can find on Patreon 
- In-person educator of masterclasses like “A Course in Regenerative Living,” which you will find  on his website charlesxmichel.com 
- Competitor on The Final Table (Netflix) with the intention of activating on behalf of BETTER global food systems
- TED speaker, "Delicious Evolution - Food and Human Civilization"
- Former Consultant for the World Food Programme in Colombia

TOOLS:
- Wisdom that will empower you to envision new food paradigms in your own home and beyond

- Historic knowledge and philosophy to make your relationship with food new again

- Tools that encourage us to think critically about the cost of our current habits

- Inspiration to reignite curiosity in ingredients
- 
Insight to empower you to be a catalyst for inner, social, and environmental change

- Reminders for supporting your own emotional regulation through food

- Guidance for cultivating awareness of which foods make you feel your best
- Resources to find community in this food revolution

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

Sarah Eagle Heart is an Emmy-Award Winning Social Justice Storyteller and—in all seriousness—a true Social Justice Warrior. She’s the co-CEO of Return to the Heart Foundation, which, if we pause right there to experience the name alone, we feel the power, the empowerment, the justice, the heart, the truth.As the co-CEO of Return to the Heart Foundation, Sarah works tirelessly to enable and empower the very necessary visibility of Indigenous womxn. I’ve looked up to Sarah Eagle Heart and her work for many years now, making it a deep honor to have her here with us today.In our conversation, you’ll hear her begin with a greeting that reverberates past your ears, beyond your mind, and into your body’s knowing of where we come from as people—historically, ancestrally, culturally, environmentally, spiritually.

Sarah’s traditions carry a reverence for truth that, when heard with the ear of your nervous system, injects itself into the very bones of our being— easily and quickly. Making it so much more simple for us to disperse truth from lie—be it lies of capitalism, lies of racism, lies of a lack, and the list goes on as long as the trail of tears. 

Longer, even. Returning to truth is sacred work. Amplifying that truth, those stories, those peoples, so that we can return to a real care for our planet, our community, ourselves….. THAT is the sacred work we’ll hear about today from Sarah Eagle Heart.

This is a very special episode. And it’s an honor to have you listening with us today.

WORKS:
- Emmy-Award Winning producer of Crow: the Legend, inspired by the Native American legend
- co-CEO of Return to the Heart Foundation
- Co-author of “Warrior Princesses Strike Back: How Lakota Twins Fight Oppression and Heal through Connectedness,” written with her identical twin sister and psychotherapist, Emma Eagle Heart–White 
- Co-producer, “Lakota Nation vs. the United States,” a feature-length documentary chronicling the Lakota People’s present-day quest to reclaim the sacred land called Black Hills
- former, CEO of Native Americans in Philanthropy, a national nonprofit that focuses on investment in Native American communities
- Board Member, Women’s March
- Board Member, National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
- Board Member, We Stand United

TOOLS:
- Tools to address the root causes of racism
- The importance of acknowledging Indigenous history and how honoring this history leads to the changes we need
- Wisdom behind the importance of acknowledging the land you live on
- How to transfer TALK into ACTION
- Steps to decolonize your life and decolonize your work
- Understandings that enable us to lean into conflicting history, become comfortable sitting in discomfort, fear, and truth to enable safety for people who have had to live without safety for centuries

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media

“To navigate complexity, you need people who not only believe in the same change you do, but bring experience so deep and unique, it fast forwards your ability to see clearly,” I wrote this note about my brother, Little Shawn, after finding an intrinsic connection within myself that equally matches who he walks with inside himself. 

That deeper relationship we carry within our being creates room for our witnessing and connection with those who see (and KNOW) what we’re really about. Seeing yourself is that unique gift from the universe saying, “You’re right where you need to be. Don’t move. But make MOVES.” 

That’s what Shawn Pen, aka BEHIND THE SMOKE, is doing right now. He’s already written the documentary of his life, the book, the words. Now he's moving it to screen (documentary, that is) for us to see what’s really “behind the smoke.” 

If you know, you know. 

If you don’t, this episode will open windows into the rap scene in a way you’d only dream possible. Remember: hip hop and rap is the spine of culture. It’s the body. It’s the blood, And it influences everything around us. It influences everything I care about and everyone I care about. Peep the list (below) of Shawn’s WORKS, history, and the tools you’ll get from listening to this one-of-a-kind episode from a one-of-a-kind person.

WORKS:
I could list it. But it's better I don't. Let's start here:

On Wikipedia, it says “Tyrone Shawn Wilkins, (born December 21, 1969) better known as Little Shawn and Shawn Pen, is an American hip hop artist, rapper, songwriter and producer from East Flatbush, Brooklyn." 

Then it says, "Little Shawn released the single "Dom Perignon" (Uptown Records) featuring fellow Brooklyn rapper The Notorious B.I.G. on 20 July 1995. The music video also featured Busta Rhymes, another rapper from Brooklyn. It peaked at #5 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 as well as #87 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and #23 on the Hot Rap Tracks charts. The song was featured on the soundtrack to the Fox TV crime drama New York Undercover."

It's rumored that Tupac Shakur was on his way to record a verse for Shawn when he was robbed and shot 5 times in 1994. We get into this. And much more. (See the list of TOOLS below) And make sure to follow @behindthesmoke to stay plugged into WHERE HE'S GOING. Not just where he's been.

TOOLS:

- Tools to stay clear-headed when the world wants you foggy
- Unmatched tips for how to stay truly dedicated to your truth and knowing of self
- Tips that remind you how to present yourself in a way that honors your integrity
- Reminders that empower you to ensure your influence isn’t overtaken by outside influences
- Helpful guidance to uplift your image when others see you in a way that differs from your own knowing of who you are
- Inspiration for cultivating your clarity and sticking to it

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

BETTER is recorded on the unceded and ancestral territory of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and has been stewarded by them since time immemorial.
 

BETTER with Mark Brand is produced by Pamela Rothenberg of I HEAR YOU STUDIOS and Adam Karch with Orbyt Media