The Upstander Ripple Effect – Details, episodes & analysis

Being the best version of ourselves, so we can be upstanders for the world around us, takes time and intention. Stacy Sims, Executive Director and Founder of The Well, joins us in this episode to help us understand the importance of mindfulness in an age of distraction.  

“If we don't have practices that allow us to be sort of old school - out in nature, walking around, reading books, playing games - we're just going to keep buying the narrative that the technology is selling us.”  -- Stacy Sims, on the need for people to unplug in order to foster mindfulness 

Stacy is a Cincinnati-based wellness expert who walks the talk. She explains how mindfulness practices including movement, breath work, and meditation can help counterbalance the effects of the technology we consume and the disconnection from our inner selves that is so prevalent. The conversation explores the role of character strengths in mindfulness practices, and how celebrating strengths can promote harmony in our lives. Download this episode for help integrating mindfulness into your everyday life to improve mental, emotional, and physical well-being. 

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/   

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org 

Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/ 
https://x.com/cincyhhc 
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity 

Episode Resources 

Learn more from Stacy and her team
https://www.thewell.world/  

Investigate your own character strengths for free
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/  

Dive deep into character strengths and positive psychology with our partner, the VIA Institute on Character https://www.viacharacter.org/  

Learn what it means to “tow” a character strength
https://medium.com/@admin_3133/boosting-your-character-the-benefits-of-strengths-towing-f2ab2d16b8a6  

The book Stacy mentioned, The Anxious Generation
https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036  

The Surgeon General’s announcement on youth and social media use
https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/23/surgeon-general-issues-new-advisory-about-effects-social-media-use-has-youth-mental-health.html  

Visit us anytime
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/  

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This episode tackles the daunting task of building community in a deeply divided post-election landscape head-on. 

"I think it is the essential project of this moment and it’s something I
think is going to be very hard for both sides to do.” - Jackie, on community building

Hosts Kevin Aldridge and Jackie Congedo acknowledge the challenges inherent in that task, but insist it's essential work. They explore historical models of community, from the exclusionary Volksgemeinschaft put forward by Nazi Germany to Dr. Martin Luther King's inclusive Beloved Community, to illuminate the path forward. The conversation delves into the evolution of American identity, from melting pot to salad, and the dangers of ideological bubbles.  

From the archive, we bring you the story of Rob Herman, the son of Holocaust survivors who relied on upstanders and community to make it out alive. Then, Jackie and Kevin share more with the upstanders at the Pantsuit Politics podcast. Ultimately, this episode is a call to action - a challenge to listeners to reflect on their role in being a "light" and contributing to community-building.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity   

Watch Rob Herman’s episode of Hear My Story
https://youtu.be/sZ9BDF5ZvEI 

Find out more about Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland on Pantsuit Politics and watch their episode of Hear My Story
https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/
https://youtu.be/df9g-GpWxHs?si=b0K6AQtmvBVfROUd  

Read Kevin’s article with Rep. Greg Landsman
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/columnists/2024/11/08/landsman-hopeful-pragmatic-democrats-republicans-can-get-work-done-under-trump-administration/76114830007/  

Read the Op-Ed by Ari Jun https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2024/11/04/opinion-we-must-hold-empathy-for-those-who-lose-tuesdays-election/75928117007/  

What the Nazis envisioned when they spoke of community https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/volksgemeinschaft-peoples-or-national-community  

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Beloved Community”
https://thekingcenter.org/about-tkc/the-king-philosophy/  

Opinion: Americans have to try to understand each other https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/11/12/election-aftermath-understanding-political-opponents/  

Eric Ward on the “radical” center
https://momentmag.com/hold-our-communities-together-with-eric-k-ward-and-nadine-epstein/ 

Bonnie Jean Feldkamp's column
https://www.creators.com/read/bonnie-jean-feldkamp/11/24/be-the-light-that-trumps-hate-is-forced-to-face 

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Standing Up Strong with Dr. Roger Bretherton
A special series of the Upstander Ripple Effect podcast 

“Sometimes there's a critique of sort of positive psychology that says, this is very individualistic, it's just about making people feel better. And I would stand with you guys really in the sense of saying, ‘No, I actually think this is an issue that is for society. It's for a culture, it's much wider.’” 

-Dr. Roger Bretherton on how the intentional use of character strengths ripples out to make positive change 

Discover the transformative power of character strengths with insights from Dr. Roger Bretherton, renowned for his expertise in clinical psychology and the cultivation of virtues. In this compelling discussion, Dr. Bretherton reveals strategies to shift from focusing solely on deficits to embracing and enhancing personal strengths. Explore practical tips for developing and utilizing character strengths effectively in everyday life, including innovative techniques like strength priming and positive discussions of others' strengths. Join us to uncover how these approaches not only impact us as individuals but also foster positive change within our communities. 

The Upstander Ripple Effect is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Immerse yourself in stories that speak to the resilience of the human spirit here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this series. 

How have you used your character strengths? Email us at podcast@cincyhhc.org  

EPISODE RESOURCES:  

 Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/  

 Take the character strengths survey for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/  

 Find out about upstander trainings and professional development with character strengths https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/trainings-and-offerings/  

Visit the VIA Institute on Character https://viacharacter.org/  

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/  

This episode made possible with generous support from the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family. Find all the content in the Guttman Family Center for Storytelling here https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/storytelling/  

Find out more about Dr. Bretherton
https://staff.lincoln.ac.uk/rbretherton  https://www.viacharacter.org/topics/articles/roger-bretherton-and-authentic-insight  

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It’s time to celebrate the remarkable impact of upstanders. From commemorating Juneteenth to addressing the aftermath of an antisemitism controversy at Pride this year, local upstanders are making a pivotal difference. Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge take you into the archives at the Holocaust & Humanity Center, unveiling artifacts from a notable upstander in Cincinnati's Holocaust survivor community whose moment of upstanding started a movement. We're also thrilled to have Debra Messing as our special guest, who shared her powerful insights on combating antisemitism during her recent visit to Cincinnati to celebrate this year's Upstander Award winners.

EPISODE RESOURCES:
Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/  

This episode made possible with generous support from the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family. Learn more about the Guttman Family Center for Storytelling here https://youtu.be/oP6VUOjuK5A?si=WvC_B0tZnK8Yq8_d  

Visit our YouTube channel to catch all our stories, including
Debra Messing https://youtu.be/GJnNuDf0XaE?si=XF-z-2vhMPOD-xOx
Werner Coppel https://youtu.be/bUKLrd3XsXs?si=sX-ThNO6fBIFSWii

Take the character strengths survey
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/  

HHC statement on Israel and antisemitism https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/never-again-is-now/  

Book a speaker for your school or group through the Coppel Speaker’s Bureau https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/programs-and-events/book-a-speaker-coppel-speakers-bureau/ 

Read Kevin Aldridge’s recent columns https://www.cincinnati.com/staff/2647297001/kevin-s-aldridge/  

 Find out more about this year’s upstander award winners
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/press-releases/meet-the-2024-upstander-awards-winners/   
including Pantsuit Politics https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/
and Lamont Ragan https://www.weeroyals.org/ 

Read more about Debra Messing https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/4-things-to-know-about-cincinnati-upstander-awards-headliner-debra-messing/
https://iamavoter.com/
https://www.psi.org/ambassadors/debra-messing/ 

News stories mentioned
Pride Board resignations https://cdn.fedweb.org/fed-31/2/JFC%2520and%2520JCRC%2520Statement%2520on%2520Cincinnati%2520Socialists%2520and%2520DivestCinciPride.pdf
Madisonville shooting https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/crime/2024/06/17/police-madi

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Character strengths are a set of 24 traits that are present in everyone, no matter their age, race, culture, or beliefs.  Sharing the science of these strengths is what Standing Up Strong is all about. Jake is the Senior Manager of Professional Development Trainings & Upstander Education at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. He works with groups from school age through adulthood, to help them understand the framework of character strengths in partnership with the VIA Institute on Character. A free, short survey is available to everyone to find out what their top character strengths are. They represent the best in us, and some strengths come to us more easily than others. This episode, hosted by Jackie Congedo, will inspire you to get to know your character strengths and explain why you might feel better about the world once you do. 

Episode Resources: 

Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/ 

Take the character strengths survey for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/ 

Find out about upstander trainings and professional development with character strengths https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/trainings-and-offerings/ 

Visit the VIA Institute on Character: https://viacharacter.org/ 

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/   

This episode made possible with generous support from the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling  https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/storytelling/   

Some resources Jake relies on for strengths work and historical context: 

Jewish Immigration to Australia - https://sydneyjewishmuseum.com.au/news/international-migrants-day-waves-of-jewish-migration-to-australia/ 

A scholarly article of the above - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14443058309386871  

Anti-Jewish Violence in Poland after Liberation - https://www.yadvashem.org/articles/general/anti-jewish-violence-in-poland-after-liberation.html  

Strength Spotting & Elevation - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan-Niemiec-2/publication/342716477_Character_strengths_cinematherapy_Using_movies_to_inspire_change_meaning_and_cinematic_elevation/links/5f033e0345851550508dce79/Character-strengths-cinematherapy-Using-movies-to-inspire-change-meaning-and-cinematic-elevation.pdf  

Golden Mean - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan-Niemiec-2/publication/333222366_Finding_the_golden_mean_the_overuse_underuse_and_optimal_use_of_character_strengths/links/5d091fda92851cfcc6229856/Finding-the-golden-mean-the-overuse-underuse-and-optimal-use-of-character-strengths.pdf

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One act by one person in one moment can have lasting effects, and  when we use our character strengths, there’s no limit to the kind of positive ripples we can start! That's the Upstander Ripple Effect. Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge bring you the first podcast from the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Included in this episode, hear the story of Sister Nancy Linenkugel, a Catholic nun who  forged a friendship with Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, and the scrapbook of their connection that now lives in our archives. Also, catch part of our conversation with Elisha Wiesel, an upstander who is carrying on the legacy of his father, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. Join us here - where upstanders are everything.

Connect with us: 

Email: podcast@cincyhhc.org 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/ 

X: https://x.com/cincyhhc 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity 

Episode Resources: 

Learn more about us https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/ 

This episode generously supported by the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Visit our YouTube channel, where you can find all our videos and full episodes of Hear My Story, including Sister Nancy Linenkugel and Elisha Wiesel.  https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Take the character strengths survey for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/ 

HHC statement on Israel and antisemitism https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/never-again-is-now/ 

Elie Wiesel Foundation https://eliewieselfoundation.org/ 

Read Co-host Kevin Aldridge’s most recent columns https://www.cincinnati.com/staff/2647297001/kevin-s-aldridge/ 

Find out more about Brothers N Motion, the story shared by Kevin https://ceaicincy.org/brothers-n-motion/ 

News stories mentioned:
https://president.osu.edu/story/message-042924  https://www.adl.org/resources/blog/campus-antisemitism-surges-amid-encampments-and-related-protests-columbia-and-other
https://www.yahoo.com/news/nazi-flag-put-outside-home-214147620.html
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2024/05/01/daily-briefing-divisive-confederate-flags-harrison/73532024007/
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2024/03/19/antisemitic-banner-hung-over-cincinnati-freeway/73018939007/ 

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We pick up the second part of our conversation with Neal, one of the founding researchers in the field of positive psychology. Neal helped us lay the groundwork to understand the science of character strengths, and how they are key to unlock our potential to be upstanders. 

Our top character strengths represent what we value most in the world, what is most essential about us, Neal explains. When we are faced with difficulty, our strengths can shine through, if we look for them. Noticing that will give you something to look for the next time you rise to meet a challenge – what character strength did I just lean on? Bravery? Kindness? Hope? Reflecting on that can bring new appreciation of yourself and your ability to navigate life’s ups and downs. Neal shared how knowing ourselves through the lens of character strengths can shed light on everything from our career goals to what we do in our off time, but we hope you remember first and foremost how your character strengths can be the way you stand up against injustice. That is what makes an upstander!

Questions about character strengths? Email us your thoughts podcast@cincyhhc.org

Episode Resources:

Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center – holocaustandhumanity.org

Take the character strengths survey for free: Assess Your Character Strengths | Personality Assessment (holocaustandhumanity.org)

Visit the VIA Institute on Character: VIA Character Strengths Survey & Character Reports | VIA Institute

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this episode: Home - Mayerson Foundation

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling  https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/storytelling/

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Character strengths are the key to unlocking your potential to do good that you may never have heard of before. We sat down with one of the founding fathers of the field of positive psychology, Dr. Neal Mayerson to break down the science, and how it’s changing lives around the world.

Nearly 25 years ago, Neal and a select few colleagues practicing in the field of psychology were using all the available tools of the time to help their patients be free from the effects of mental health struggles, and it still wasn’t enough to satisfy them. They felt their patients needed not only less depression and anxiety, which they could sometimes achieve, but more fulfillment, purpose, and happiness. So they set out to discover a better way. The result is the field of positive psychology, and the development, through years of scientifically validated research, of 24 unique character strengths that exist in all people across space, time, and culture. Once you learn about the strengths that naturally come to the forefront in your own personality, you can harness them in ways that can change your life, and the lives of others. In the first part of our conversation, Neal goes in-depth on his personal experience developing this field of science, and how it is used every day in educating people about being an upstander here at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center.

Questions about character strengths and being an upstander? Email us your thoughts podcast@cincyhhc.org

Episode Resources:

Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center – holocaustandhumanity.org

Take the character strengths survey for free: Assess Your Character Strengths | Personality Assessment (holocaustandhumanity.org)

Visit the VIA Institute on Character: VIA Character Strengths Survey & Character Reports | VIA Institute

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this episode: Home - Mayerson Foundation

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling  https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/storytelling/

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WHAT YOU DO IN THIS MOMENT MATTERS.

The world needs more upstanders — people who stand up for themselves and others in the face of injustice — bending the arc of humanity toward its better nature. The first podcast from the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center features inspiring untold stories of courage and resilience from those who survived the Holocaust, curated exclusively from our archives. We’ll introduce you to people activating their character strengths to stand up for justice in our world today. And we’ll show you how to tap into your own strengths to become an upstander right now. Chief External Relations Officer at the Holocaust & Humanity Center Jackie Congedo joins co-host Kevin Aldridge, Opinion Editor at the Cincinnati Enquirer, in sharing these stories and thoughtful perspectives on what’s happening in the world today. The Upstander Ripple Effect will remind you that you can start ripples of change right where you are, right now. 

The Upstander Ripple Effect is a production of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling.

Coming soon.

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Lea and Drew Lachey have been reaching audiences for decades as singers, choreographers, and performers on screens big and small. Now they’re turning their sights from just entertaining people, to encouraging them to be the best of humanity. We were so pleased to welcome Lea to the podcast studio to talk about their project – a musical called label-less. 

“It's really just about human stories”  - Lea Lachey on the show label-less 

As Lea and Drew describe the show, “You’re invited to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.  Using contemporary music, powerful choreography and personal stories to spread a message of Heart, Humanity and Hope.” Lea joined Jackie in the podcast studio to talk about how the show came about, how she’s handling criticism of some of the monologues in the show, and her visit with the cast to the Holocaust & Humanity Center that left them feeling, “so empowered.” 

Download this episode today, and then share it with a friend.
This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/   

Email us podcast@cincyhhc.org 

Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/ 
https://x.com/cincyhhc 
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity 

Episode Resources 

Find out more about label-less
https://www.labellessmusical.com/
https://www.lacheyarts.com/labelless  

Assess your own character strengths for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/  

Visit the VIA Institute on Character to learn more about all 24 character strengths
https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths  

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