Points of Departure: Recent Episodes
Leigh Wood
Arkansas Global Changemakers presents, with KUAF, the podcast Points of Departure, an extension of their work connecting people from around the world to each other to discuss possible solutions for local manifestations of global problems.
We hear from Apunts - a company working to build more inclusive job opportunities for people with disabilities.
In today's episode we hear from students and some stakeholders who helped assess the City of Fayetteville's green business guideline.
In this special episode of Points of Departure Laurence and Rogelio revisit a discussion from 2021 they facilitated with economist and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Muhammad Yunus. This week, Yunus was made the interim prime minister of Bangladesh after widespread protests across the country ousted the former leader Sheikh Hasina. We get some context on the politics and hear from Yunus on social entrepreneurship, global warming, COVID-19 and his own ties to Arkansas.
Chris Thompson develop the health app and social media platform Sober Sidekick out of desperation - facing his own recovery in isolation he needed to connect with other people struggling like him. Now that app and his
How do you reframe climate change anxiety to create sustainable solutions? Sarah Lewis share how she helps companies, organizations and individuals make holistic choices to serve the planet.
In this episode we hear from sustainability coordinators with the city of Fayetteville about how they are working with students, consumers and businesses to develop guidelines that incentivize green practices.
Toshihiro Nakamura may have cut his teeth working for the United Nations in peace keeping and global development in conflict and disaster zones around the world, but his organization - Kopernik - scales down projects to see what fits for the local communities they work with.
Chemist and environmentalist, Martin Wolf explains how business and nature are out of balance and explores how to put the two on a more harmonious track.
We hear from Alyssa Snyder of Seeds that Feed, one of Arkansas Global Changemakers' community partners, about her experience joining the first changemakers course in Barcelona.
In this episode we hear from Maria Cruz Conde, from the nonprofit Open Value Foundation about how companies and investors can accurately measure their impact.
In this episode Laurence and Rogelio speak to a group of architects who are re-designing what housing can look like and how they draw techniques from communities around the world to develop for more affordable housing options.
We look at how one organization in Malawi is fighting inequality and extreme poverty through micro-financing.
Modern-day explorer Nacho Dean has walked across 31 countries and swam 5 continents all in the name of raising awareness about our changing climate. He shares his experience, the role of adventure in fighting the climate crisis and techniques for everyone to build a more sustainable future.
In this episode, author and professor Todd McGowan examines the past, present and future of Capitalism.
Austrian-American social scientist and author Riane Eisler dismantles popular ideas about society and human development to image a more equitable future.
Rogelio and Laurence talk impact investing with University of Arkansas finance professor Cash Acrey.
University of Arkansas Rome Center professor Camilla Lai takes us on a field trip to a local multiethnic market in Rome with her global studies class.
In this episode we hear from Luz Solidaria, a foundation in Spain working to provide equitable and affordable energy services to consumers while also giving back to charitable causes around the world.
Who is fit to work? And who decides? We hear from a professor and social entrepreneur in Spain who are trying to make the labor market more inclusive.
We hear from the founder of an inclusive tea company in Barcelona about topics ranging from immigration, socially responsible companies and how to measure the real outcomes of development projects.
In this Episode Laurence and Rogelio visit an amusement park in Spain that's helping kids suffering with serious illness and their families.
The Arkansas Global Changemakers kick off a season in Europe with a trip to the UofA hub in Rome.
In the fifth episode of Points of Departure, we hear from four students about their experience with the Arkansas Global Changemakers. Three University of Arkansas Students - Juliana , Sol Halle and Caleb Elkington-Stauss - and one high school student from Hass Hall Academy - Anders Hare - share how the changemaker class and model have helped them discover new approaches to addressing social problems, integrating business and public service and how young people can find the tools to make a direct impact in their communities.
In the fourth episode of Points of Departure, Laurence and Rogelio introduce us to Meredith Adkins, Director of Northwest Arkansas Industry and Community Engagement in the Division of Economic Development, and Mark Howard, P4 advisor and former P4 lead consultant, who tell us about the P4 initiative with the Arkansas Global Changemakers.
In our third episode, we welcome Camilla Lai, Global Studies Faculty member at the University of Arkansas Rome Center and Francesco Bedeschi, Director of the UA Rome Center to the podcast to discuss building global classrooms, creating service learning opportunities and cultivating the Changemaker experience in Rome.
We discuss a global classroom that includes students in Bangalore, India, and in Fayetteville, Arkansas, that focuses on finding solutions to common problems, building cultural competency, and on social innovation in the biomedical field.
In our first episode, we meet hosts Rogelio, Laurence and Leigh and learn about the Arkansas Global Changemakers' work in bringing communities together to enhance local solutions to global challenges.