Sounds Good with Branden Harvey: Recent Episodes
Good Good Good
Sounds Good hosts hopeful conversations with optimists and world-changers about the headlines we can be hopeful about — and how you can get involved and make a difference. Every week, Good Good Good founder Branden Harvey sits down with the people driving positive change against the world's greatest problems. Each episode will leave you with a sense of hope about the good in the world — and a sense of direction on how we can all be a part of that good. Episodes are released every Monday.
Dive deeper into these stories and find more good news at goodgoodgood.co and @goodgoodgoodco.
Sounds Good Season Finale // If you've been looking for a sign to change your life, this is it. As you've probably figured out by now, life isn't a linear line. It's full of ups and downs, uncertainty, and confusion; however, what guides us through is intentionality. That's what illustrator and author Adam J. Kurtz's fourth book, You Are Here (For Now): A Guide to Finding Your Way, tackles. In it are essays and illustrations aimed to help readers with personal transformation — instead of simply living life getting through it day by day, Kurtz wants you to actually enjoy where you are and who you are.
As a best-selling designer, artist, and public speaker (whose work has been featured in the New Yorker, NYLON, and more), Adam has dedicated his whole life to finding the humor, truth, and optimism in being alive. He channels the lessons he's learned through his art and wants you to know that it's all going to be okay. His art and stationary brand has been sold all over the world and he's amassed a big social media following through his work in mental health. In this episode, Adam J. Kurtz talks to us about what purpose really means to him and how we’re never as alone as we feel.
Guest: Adam J. Kurtz, author of You Are Here (For Now): A Guide to Finding Your Way
Order You Are Here (For Now) on Bookshop or Amazon and follow Adam J. Kurtz on Instagram and Twitter
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Sponsor: Listen to the podcast Breaking Glass at breakingglasspodcast.com/good.
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The gap between good intentions and real change is a big one to fill. While many companies are interested in making their workplaces more diverse, it’s not enough to simply want more inclusion. It takes real systemic change to transform any professional setting into an equitable one and many value-driven organizations find themselves stuck at being just short of making real progress. Thankfully, that’s what our next guest is working to solve. Bethaney Wilkinson is the author of The Diversity Gap, a guide to instituting diversity efforts in workplaces.
Bethaney’s lived experience as a Black woman in Georgia has been a driving force in writing The Diversity Gap. She's spent over 10 years working with values-driven organizations to diversify their teams, serve their neighbors, and pursue social change with integrity and authenticity. She’s also the founder of The Diversity Gap Academy, an online learning platform which aims to provide leaders with racial justice education. In this episode, Bethaney shares what racial justice means to her and how people can create an inclusive workplace environment where everyone can feel safe.
Guest: Bethaney Wilkinson, author of The Diversity Gap and founder of the Diversity Gap Academy
Order The Diversity Gap (Amazon) (Bookshop) and visit thediversitygap.com
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Sponsor: Listen to the podcast Breaking Glass at breakingglasspodcast.com/good.
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Develop for Good pairs students with nonprofits to use tech to make a difference. The founder of the organization, Mary Zhu, is no stranger to the experiences of underserved communities. She’s the daughter of two Chinese immigrants and her cultural background was a huge driving force in helping see disparities in marginalized communities… and how to bridge those gaps. In high school, Mary even founded her first nonprofit organization — which aimed to sponsor children in underserved communities by selling cakes to the community. After spending four years at Stanford University, Mary noticed that technology and innovation weren’t intersecting with nonprofit spaces — so she decided to change this on her own.
Now, she’s the co-founder and executive director of Develop for Good, a nonprofit program that “pairs, trains and supports student volunteers as they develop technical product solutions for nonprofits.” Students who are pros at technology are able to gain hands-on experience doing innovative and world-changing work for nonprofits. And nonprofits are able to take their work to the next level through technology.
In this episode, Mary talks about how her childhood experiences impacted the work she does now, the value of social work, and the unique nature of her nonprofit — one that affords young people the chance to work in the tech industry without the financial burden Mary is so familiar with.
Guest: Mary Zhu, co-founder and executive director of Develop for Good
Visit Develop for Good’s website, developforgood.org
Sponsor: For purpose-driven brands and organizations looking for an agency specializing in collaborative problem solving and expert craftsmanship — learn more about Moon March moonmarch.com.
Sponsor: Listen to the podcast Breaking Glass at breakingglasspodcast.com/good.
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Growing up in the racially and economically segregated suburbs of Maryland, Patrice Berry found herself wanting to work in U.S. policymaking after experiencing firsthand how hard it is for marginalized folks to finish school, get assistance, and provide for their families.
She now works for the mayor of Oakland, California, working to improve local and state laws. It was there that she was inspired to found AssistHub, an app that helps Californians access any public benefits they may be eligible for. As it turns out, there’s a ton of unclaimed public benefits that’s available to everyone: $60 billion to be exact — and AssistHub is working to change that.
Finding the intersection between technology and public good is something Patrice has done successfully. In this episode, Patrice talks about her work with Oakland’s local community-based organizations, the inspirations that drive her goals, and the misconceptions of what public benefits are — and how Patrice is working to deconstruct those misconceptions.
Guest: Patrice Berry, founder of AssistHub
Visit AssistHub’s website, www.assisthub.org
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Sponsor: Listen to the podcast Breaking Glass at breakingglasspodcast.com/good.
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After trading jazz for a Harvard education, this doctor chose to support refugees by not only working in a refugee camp in Turkey, but by developing an app that supports refugees’ unique healthcare needs.
One of the major challenges of being a refugee is the lack of access to real healthcare, particularly for refugee women. But through the power of empathy and tech, there are now more avenues for refugees seeking proper care for their basic needs.
This week, we are joined by Aral Sürmeli, a Harvard educated refugee healthcare provider. Sürmeli has worked to offer solutions through public advocacy and digital solutions for refugees seeking shelter, pregnancy care, and much more. After starting his Masters in Public Health at Harvard University in the fall of 2018, Aral launched the HERA app — a mobile app connecting refugee mothers and children with preventative healthcare.
Before discovering his passion for refugee work, Aral spent his high school years in Turkey working for nonprofits and providing care for vulnerable communities. After losing his father to pancreatic cancer, however, Aral decided to study medicine and developed a focus in public health. In this episode, he shares how he became interested in refugee health after a visit to Turkish refugee camps — and how he’s exploring and working to solve the unique complications for refugees accessing healthcare through tech.
Guest: Aral Sürmeli, humanitarian and founder of HERA
Visit HERA’s website, project-hera.com.
Sponsor: For purpose-driven brands and organizations looking for an agency specializing in collaborative problem solving and expert craftsmanship — learn more about Moon March moonmarch.com.
Sponsor: Listen to the podcast Breaking Glass at breakingglasspodcast.com/good.
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Being an environmentally conscious consumer means shopping smarter, not harder. But with so much information and products in the world, it can be challenging to know where to start making choices that are good for the planet. Thankfully, our guest is doing the good work to help everyday folks make small, but valuable choices that benefit the environment. Laura Wittig co-founded Brightly — an online community and content platform that puts the environment first — to help consumers shop well for themselves and the earth.
Before she co-founded Brightly, Laura worked in the world of tech: Adobe, Amazon, and Google. She used her expertise to create an online platform to educate people on sustainability. In this episode, Laura talks about how anyone can make gradual steps towards becoming more sustainable in a way that works for them. We discuss some climate change good news. She also shares what it means to be an imperfect environmentalist that continues to make progress, and how to shed the cycle of unnecessary waste that’s so prevalent in our culture.
Guest: Laura Wittig, co-founder and CEO of Brightly
Visit the Brightly’s website, listen to their podcast, Good Together. You can follow Laura on Instagram and Twitter.
Sponsor: For purpose-driven brands and organizations looking for an agency specializing in collaborative problem solving and expert craftsmanship — learn more about Moon March moonmarch.com.
Sponsor: Listen to the podcast Breaking Glass at breakingglasspodcast.com/good.
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After getting out of prison, Jason Wang committed to helping ex-felons get jobs, end generational poverty, and re-enter society.
The United States’ incarceration system has made it nearly impossible for ex-felons to have a second chance at life.
From the minute they’re incarcerated to the minute they’re released, the U.S. justice system imposes the strictest and harshest of penalties. There is little support for felons once they return to life after imprisonment, and readjusting to society without support is extremely hard. Ex-felons are held to impossible standards during probation and expected to comply with an average of 18-20 requirements every single day — and 68 percent of felons end up being rearrested within three years of being released.
But there are people working to improve living conditions for ex-felons once they re-enter society. Free World is an organization working to end generational poverty and the chance of offenders reoffending, and is run by CEO Jason Wang, who is himself an ex-felon who was convicted as a minor. After leaving prison, he found it hard to readjust to civilian life — and now his non-profit works to get ex-felons into well-paying jobs to live life on their own terms.
Guest: Jason Wang, CEO of FreeWorld
Follow Jason on Twitter (@jasonwaang) and visit the Free World website (joinfreeworld.com) to support their work.
Sponsor: Moon March: For purpose-driven brands and organizations looking for an agency specializing in collaborative problem solving and expert craftsmanship — visit moonmarch.com.
Sponsor: Listen to the podcast Breaking Glass at breakingglasspodcast.com/good.
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After a 7.2 earthquake struck the western part of Haiti last week, it’s been all hands on deck to help the country get back on their feet. This week, we’re talking to Christy Delafield, Managing Director of Communications at Mercy Corps, about the devastating effect the earthquake has had on Haiti and how Mercy Corps has been helping Haitians through this tragedy. Almost two weeks after the earthquake, Haiti is in need of treatment for the injured, access to food and shelter, COVID responses, help to rebuild infrastructure — and more.
Mercy Corps is a global team of humanitarians who work together on the front lines of crisis, disaster, poverty and climate change. Their team in Haiti — made up primarily of local Haitians — has been working in Haiti for years prior to the earthquake, and is currently working to procure thousands of kits with essential supplies and solar lanterns, plus providing cash assistance to 5,00 families — and working to support Haitians long-term with climate change efforts and farming needs. Simply put, Mercy Corps is doing the good that’s desperately needed after tragedy.
Guest: Christy Delafield, Managing Director of Communications at Mercy Corps
Visit the Mercy Corps’ website and donate to Haiti. Contact your elected officials in support of aiding Haiti.
Sponsor: Moon March: For purpose-driven brands and organizations looking for an agency specializing in collaborative problem solving and expert craftsmanship — visit moonmarch.com
Sponsor: Listen to the podcast Breaking Glass at breakingglasspodcast.com/good.
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Contacting an elected representative is an effective way to make change, but it might not always be clear how to make your voice heard. Our show guest today is Jason Putorti, one of the founders of Resistbot — a free and easy to use messaging service that connects constituents directly with their elected officials. In the four years that Resistbot has been around, they’ve helped millions of people advocate for causes they care about — all in less than two minutes.
In short, Resistbot makes democracy quick and easy. Four years ago, Jason saw a problem in how complicated it can be to get your voice heard by our politicians. In this episode with Jason, we talk about his solution, how Resistbot redirects online chatter about important issues into action, and how numbers in a group really does make a difference in advocating for a cause. He also answers if politicians really care about what their constituents have to say.
Guest: Jason Putorti, co-founder of Resistbot
Text RESIST to 50409 to contact your elected officials — and make a small donation to keep Resistbot’s services going.
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Mental health influencer Poppy Jamie is letting go of the idea of perfection. The British entrepreneur and lifestyle personality made the radical choice to unsubscribe from habits that were making her miserable and in her new book, Happy Not Perfect: Upgrade Your Mind, Challenge Your Thoughts, and Free Yourself from Anxiety, Poppy shares why anyone can benefit from letting go of ideas that no longer benefit us.
In this episode, Poppy talks with us about our societal struggle with our egos, our lack of work/life balance, and why resting is the ultimate key to being at peace with ourselves. Her expertise in the field of making difficult, but necessary life changes for good will resonate with anyone who finds themselves struggling with their mental health.
Guest: Poppy Jamie, Author of Happy Not Perfect: Upgrade Your Mind, Challenge Your Thoughts, and Free Yourself from Anxiety
Order Happy Not Perfect from your local bookstore, follow Poppy on Twitter and Instagram, and check out the Happy Not Perfect app in the Apple Store and Google Play.
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Growing — whether in our personal or professional lives — requires change. But change can be terrifying, no matter what stage in your life you’re at. Fortunately, there are people who can help us deal with change — and show us how it can transform our lives and the communities around us.
Josh Chambers has done it all. Prior to being an entrepreneur and the founder of the Moon March agency, he was an aid worker, an advertising executive, and a professional athlete. Now, with his agency, he helps people navigate change — and he helps businesses do good by helping them to their fullest potential.
Whether he’s helping brands show what they do best through thoughtfully executed campaigns or helping business owners grow into their brand identity, Josh sets an example of how to make change work in our favor. No matter how scary, change can be an opportunity for growth and thanks to his decades of experience, Josh is able to share exactly how that mindset has benefited him and others.
This is a bonus episode!
Guest: Josh Chambers, CEO of Moon March
If you’re looking for an agency that builds and designs brands and campaigns for good, check out MoonMarch.com.
If you want to learn more about navigating change and coaching, visit JoshChambers.com.
And if you feel like you’re ready to make a change and sign up for coaching, you can email Josh at josh@joshchambers.com.
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Recycling glass turned this young founder into a TikTok star. Franziska Trautmann was at the end of her college career when her frustration at her city’s (New Orleans, Louisiana) lack of a recycling program for glass boiled over. But rather than just stewing on it, she jumped into action and created the solution that she wanted to see. With the help of her friends, Franziska set out to change her city for the better with her company, Glass Half Full.
Today, Glass Half Full is a company that collects glass in New Orleans and converts it to beach-like sand and glass cullet which is then used for disaster relief, eco-construction, new glass products, and so many other things. Glass Half Full reimagines recycling — and they collect all this glass for free with the help of volunteers too. Franziska Trautmann and Glass Half Full are making the world a better place one glass collection at a time.
Guest: Franziska Trautmann, Founder and Co-Director of Glass Half Full
Visit Glass Half Full and make a donation to support their work
You can also follow Glass Half Full on Instagram at @glasshalffull.nola and TikTok at @glasshalffullnola and Franziska herself on Instagram at @franzeeska.
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Maggie Smith is an award-winning poet who shot to prominence in 2016 with her viral poem, Good Bones. Widely celebrated in the poetry community for her lyricism and her poetic style, Maggie’s poems have appeared in publications such as The New York Times and The Paris Review. Her bestseller, Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change (2020), was a breakout collection of personal essays and affirmations which launched her to new heights. Returning with Goldenrod — a collection of poems that explore themes such as parenthood, love, memory, and solitude — Maggie reminds us all of the magic of the present moment, the virtues of staying grounded, and the importance of human connection.
In this episode, Maggie talks about being a recovering pessimist, raising her kids in times of injustice, and how poems — like people — evolve.
Guest: Poet Maggie Smith
Pick up Goldenrod from your local bookstore and follow Maggie on Twitter and Instagram.
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Petitions help people feel like they’re making change in the world — but do they really make a difference?
Stuart Perelmuter, the founder of OD Action and Atadvocacy, has worked for over a decade to keep hundreds and thousands of people informed and engaged in progressive politics through cause-related community development. From launching his own action network to working as a communications strategist on Capitol Hill, Stuart Perelmuter has partnered with various candidates and causes — including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — to create a better world.
In this episode, Stuart Perelmuter shares his experience with petitions, why it’s important to keep up the pressure after signing a petition, the importance of community-driven change, and how and why petitions — and the people who sign them — really do matter.
Guest: Stuart Perelmuter, founder of OD Action and Atadvocacy
Sign a petition or two at Atadvocacy:
Tell the Olympics to stop targeting Black women
Honoring Juneteenth is a good first step. Now, dismantle systemic racism
Support school sports for all students, including trans youth
Demand the Senate pass common sense gun safety laws
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Pulitzer Prize winner Professor Annette Gordon-Reed has been celebrating Juneteenth her entire life. But in light of the global spotlight on the Black Lives Matter movement from last year’s protests against police brutality, more and more people are aware of what Juneteenth represents for America. As well as a celebration of Black joy and liberty, Juneteenth is an opportunity to reflect on the history of emancipation—and how we can continue to fight for civil rights the other days of the year too.
In this episode, Professor Gordon Reed—a notable American historian and Harvard professor—shares why she wrote On Juneteenth, her personal relationship to the federal holiday, and why this year’s Juneteenth felt different than years before.
Guest: Professor Annette Gordon-Reed
Order On Juneteenth from your local bookstore
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Intervening when someone is being harassed feels scary. But a global, people-powered movement called Hollaback is making it easy to put an end to harassment — and they’re seeing huge progress. The organization has grown to 14 countries, where it provides free trainings on conflict de-escalation, bystander intervention, resilience, and more. Through their simple, effective programming, Hollback is on a mission to empower people to take a stand against harassment and effect positive change.
In this episode, Hollaback co-founder and executive director Emily May shares the disturbing story of harassment that inspired her to start Hollaback, why bystander intervention is important, how anyone can learn to be an effective bystander through Hollaback’s five steps of bystander intervention, and why we can be hopeful about addressing harassment.
Guest: Emily May, co-founder and executive director of Hollaback
Sign up for a free training, donate, explore resources, read stories of bystanders intervening, and more on the Hollaback website.
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The nonprofit New Story is solving global homelessness with innovative and holistic solutions. By providing financing and creating innovative home designs and processes, New Story has built 26 communities in four countries, all while partnering with local builders using local resources. The organization prides itself on experimenting with new housing solutions — they even built the world’s first 3D printed community in Mexico. Since 2015, New Story has funded more than 2,300 homes for more than 11,000 people.
In this episode, Branden speaks with New Story’s CEO, Brett Hagler, about the organization’s experience with startup accelerator Y Combinator, how New Story is coming up with scalable, more efficient solutions for ending homelessness, and how New Story’s latest project is helping improve financing access for families in Latin America. He also shares why we can be hopeful about the future of housing access.
Guest: Brett Hagler, CEO of New Story
Learn more and view their houses on New Story’s website or make a donation. (P.S. They’re hiring!)
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Sarah Red-Laird is “the bee girl” who started the nonprofit The Bee Girl Organization to educate and inspire communities to conserve bees, their flowers, and our countryside. The nonprofit helps to regenerate soil, bees, and communities through educational programs and events for both kids and adults. They also partner with universities, public land managers, and private companies to conduct bee health and habitat research.
In this episode, Sarah shares why bees are so important for agriculture and the environment, the problems facing bees, and simple action steps anyone can take to save bees.
Guest: Sarah Red-Laird, founder and executive director of The Bee Girl Organization
Learn more and make a donation on The Bee Girl’s website and follow @sarahbeegirl on Instagram. For more ways to make a difference, check out beegirl.org/helpourbees.
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Terence Lester (Love Beyond Walls) is making a difference for people experiencing poverty, homelessness, and economic inequality. He founded Love Beyond Walls, an Atlanta-based organization that serves people experiencing homelessness. He returns to the podcast for the second time to discuss the power of change-making in the context of community and collaboration. He shares tips for reducing burnout and how to break down barriers that prevent us from taking action.
Guest: Terence Lester, founder of Love Beyond Walls and author of “When We Stand: The Power of Seeking Justice Together”
Buy Terence’s book on Amazon or Bookshop, donate to Love Beyond Walls, and follow @imterencelester and @lovebeyondwalls on Instagram.
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There’s always good news if you know where to look. Every month, we publish a print newspaper called The Goodnewspaper, full of hope and ways to make a meaningful difference. In this episode, Branden sits with the managing editor of The Goodnewspaper, Kailey Thompson, to share our favorite good news stories from the first half of 2021. These stories will inspire you and challenge you to go out into the world and become good news.
Get good news delivered to your doorstep each month by subscribing to The Goodnewspaper at goodgoodgood.co/membership
Members get:
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A print Goodnewspaper delivered each month
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A beautiful centerfold poster featuring an inspiring quote each month
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Access to exclusive discounts to do-good brands
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And more coming soon
Guest: Kailey Thompson, managing editor of The Goodnewspaper
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Moms Demand Action began the day after the Sandy Hook shooting, which claimed the lives of 28 people, including 20 children. Shannon Watts, a mother of five, knew she needed to do something — so she moved into action to end gun violence. She started Moms Demand Action, a non-partisan grassroots movement of moms who fight for stronger gun laws in America and encourage responsible gun ownership.
Moms Demand Action has a volunteer chapter in every state plus Washington, D.C. Their work includes advocating for universal background checks, disarming domestic abusers, and responsible gun storage. Volunteers at their Gun Sense Action Network spend one hour per week driving phone calls into lawmaker’s offices or recruiting new supporters into the movement.
Activist Crystal Turner also shares the story of how her life has changed since losing two of her children to gun violence in 2015. Crystal turned her pain into purpose and is now a dedicated activist working with Moms Demand Action to push for common sense gun reform. She also founded Mothers in Healing, a nonprofit that provides grief counseling for mothers who have lost a child.
Guests: Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, and Crystal Turner, activist, Moms Demand Action advocate, and founder of Mothers in Healing
Text the word READY to 64433 to get involved with gun reform work where you live, visit Moms Demand Action’s national or state-specific Facebook pages, follow @momsdemand on Twitter and Instagram, and buy Shannon’s book, “Fight Like a Mother”
Background reading:
- Every day, 100 people in America are shot and killed in the United States
- The U.S. gun homicide rate is 25 times higher than that of other high-income countries
- 90 percent of Americans support common sense gun laws, such as universal background checks
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape countries where they face imminent danger because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Canada-based organization works to solve a multi-layered problem that goes beyond LGBTQ+ persecution — they’re also responding to a global refugee crisis. Refugees already face mounting challenges, but anti-LGTBQ+ legislation only adds to the obstacles. The organization addresses both challenges together.
The organization has been praised for helping 70 Chechen men resettle in response to anti-gay purges in Chechnya beginning in 2017. Since 2006, Rainbow Railroad has helped more than 800 persecuted LGBTQ+ people from 38 countries travel to safety.
In this episode, Branden Harvey sits down with Rainbow Railroad executive director Kimahli Powell to learn about the extent of the persecution LGBTQ+ people face around the world and the inspiring ways the organization provides transportation and support to bring people to safety.
Guest: Kimahli Powell, executive director of Rainbow Railroad
Learn more about Rainbow Railroad’s work on their website, follow @rainbowrailroad on Instagram, and donate to Rainbow Railroad’s important work to bring LGBTQ+ people to safety
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John Moe (“Depresh Mode,” “The Hilarious World of Depression”) is bringing humor to mental health. The writer and radio personality’s work often centers on his mental health journey, and his writing has appeared in numerous humor anthologies as well as The New York Times Magazine, McSweeney's, The Seattle Times, and many more publications. For two decades, he hosted nationally distributed public radio programs.
Following decades of living with undiagnosed depression, John is now using his platform to break down the stigma of mental illness. In his new podcast “Depresh Mode,” he interviews comedians, musicians, authors, and actors about living with depression, anxiety, and other common disorders. Through their honest, relatable conversations, listeners can learn more about their options for facing mental illness and feel less alone.
In this episode, John shares the power of sharing your story, how humor can make things less scary, and how we can all follow his example in breaking down mental health stigma by talking about it.
Guest: John Moe, writer and radio personality
Listen to John’s podcast, “Depresh Mode,” buy his book, “The Hilarious World of Depression,” and follow @johnmoe on Twitter
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Yonathan Moya grew up on the U.S./Mexico border and sought out a way to tell the stories of the people living there. Following a nine-day photographic journey in 2017, he launched an organization supporting families along the border. Border Perspective leads service-learning trips along the south Texas border to provide opportunities to support local immigrant ministries and to better understand the complexity of immigration.
In this episode, Yonathan and Branden discuss what’s currently happening at the U.S./Mexico border, the nuanced and complex historical and political contexts of immigration, and opportunities to create solutions.
Guest: Yonathan Moya, executive director of Border Perspective
Learn more about Border Perspective’s work on their website, follow @borderperspective and @yonathanmoya on Instagram, and donate to Yonathan’s father’s memorial fund
Show your support:
- Buy something from Border Perspective's Amazon Wish List to provide humanitarian relief to migrant families at the border.
- Volunteer with Border Perspective to support shelters that are overwhelmed by vulnerable migrant families navigating a lawful immigration process.
- Volunteer with Catholic Charities to care for unaccompanied minors in San Antonio.
- Take action through RAICES, the largest immigration legal services nonprofit in Texas.
- Donate to the United Nations Refugee Agency to support their work in solving the root causes within Central America that cause people to flee.
- Contact your representatives and tell them you want to see immigration reform that 1) respects people’s dignity and rights, 2) responds to both short-term and long-term problems, and 3) creates infrastructure that allows for a fair immigration process. Call 1-844-USA-0234 and enter your zip code to be connected with your representatives, or text RESIST to 50409.
Learn more:
- Child migrants: What is happening at the US border?
- 9 questions about the humanitarian crisis on the border, answered
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Gene Stone (author of “Forks Over Knives”) has spent the last decade writing about plant-based diets and their relationship to health, animal protection, and the environment. The former Peace Corps volunteer and journalist (Esquire, GQ, and Vogue) is a New York Times bestselling author who has written popular books including “Forks Over Knives,” “How Not to Die,” “The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick,” “The Engine 2 Diet,” and “Eat for the Planet.”
This episode, Gene shares his journey to adopting a vegan diet and simple action steps for transitioning to a plant-based diet to impact your health, animals, and the environment.
Guest: Gene Stone, journalist and New York Times bestselling author
Buy Gene’s new book, “72 Reasons to Be Vegan: Why Plant-Based. Why Now.” and check out his other books
Background reading:
- Veganism is the “single biggest way” to reduce our environmental impact
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All over the world, mysterious signs have been popping up. They say messages like: “Don’t give up.” “You are worthy of love.” “Your mistakes don’t define you.” Today we’re introducing you to the woman behind these messages and the global movement: Amy Wolff. One weekend in 2017, Amy and her family anonymously staked in yards in their small town of Newberg, Oregon. They had just learned of suicide rates in their town and wanted to find a way to encourage community members. Little did they know that their project would turn into a global movement featured on Good Morning America, Yahoo, the Washington Post, NowThis, and on countless other media.
Within days, Amy incorporated Don’t Give Up as a nonprofit, and products (which the organization sells at-cost) have shipped to all 50 U.S. states and 26 countries, including the Philippines, Rwanda, Costa Rica, and Zambia. Now the movement serves more than as a response to suicide — it’s also a comforting cancer patients, those enduring the loss of a loved one, and those recovering from sexual assault and inspiring people to have the courage to leave abusive relationships or overcome addiction.
In this episode, Wolff tells the story of her neighborhood-project-turned-worldwide-movement and reminds us of the power of simple, kind words at the right place at the right time for the right person.
Guest: Amy Wolff, founder of Don’t Give Up
Order Amy’s book, “Signs of Hope,” buy a sign on dontgiveupsigns.com, and follow @dontgiveupsigns and @amynwolff on Instagram
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At 22, Paige More (The Breasties) got a preventative double mastectomy before ever being diagnosed with cancer. At the time, she was working as a producer for Good Morning America and felt on top of the world, but she had just discovered she carried the BRCA 1 gene mutation that indicates a higher risk for developing breast, ovarian, and other types of cancer. While seeking resources, support, and guidance online, she was discouraged to find only stories of nightmare experiences and worst-case scenarios.
But Paige’s experience was different from those stories. After her surgery, she felt strong and sexy, so she started sharing her story on Instagram and co-founded a hopeful, empowering community for other “previvors” and women affected by breast and gynecological cancers. This community, called The Breasties, is a nonprofit organization that hosts events and retreats and offers a positive alternative to the nightmarish stories for others facing similar situations. The Breasties is on a mission to increase access to reliable information, provide a safe and empowering community, and help women feel less alone.
In this episode, Paige explains how sharing your story, giving yourself permission to be yourself, and showing up imperfectly but authentically are the keys to making an impact. Most importantly, when we work together in community, we have the power to make an even bigger difference.
Guest: Paige More, co-founder of The Breasties
Follow @paige_previvor and @the_breasties on Instagram and visit their site at thebreasties.org
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Photographer Aundre Larrow (@aundre) has worked with clients such as The North Face, Amex, Volcom, Lululemon, and the Warriors, and his work has been published in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. His work aims to show the fundamental value in each person and commonly captures the intersection of art and racial justice. He’s currently hosting an Instagram series called Equity Through Editing about how to edit photos to accurately portray skin tones.
In this episode, Aundre shares the challenges he and other content creators of color face in the photography, art, and creator industries, including lack of opportunity, imposter syndrome, and racism. He also explains how he uses photography as a vehicle for social change to increase access and racial equality and how we can create a more equitable future for creators of color.
Guest: Aundre Larrow, photographer
Follow @aundre on Instagram and view his work on his website, aundrelarrow.com
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Journalist and photographer KK Ottesen has photographed and interviewed the world’s most notable politicians and activists. She is a regular contributor to The Washington Post Magazine, and her work has appeared in many other international publications.
Her new book, “Activist: Portraits of Courage” includes portraits of Stacey Abrams, John Lewis, Tarana Burke, Edward Snowden, Bernie Sanders, Cecile Richards, Al Sharpton, Gabrielle Giffords, Angela Davis, and many more. In her book, these world-changers recount the experiences that sparked their work in social justice and politics and share the beliefs that keep them going.
In the first half of this episode, KK shares how through her interviews with them, she learned that most of the famous activists we know of today started their journeys simply by believing that a different world is possible, taking one small action step, and then committing to taking step after step. In the second half, she shares that anyone who has hope for a better future can be an activist. It’s more simple than you might think.
Guest: KK Ottesen, author of “Activist: Portraits of Courage”
Buy KK’s book and follow @kk.ottesen on Instagram
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Expert writing coach Allison Fallon says writing can help you unlock your purpose. Allison is the author of “The Power of Writing It Down” and founder of the writing coaching company Find Your Voice. In Allison’s newest book, she shares why writing down your story is one of the most powerful tools you have at our disposal to see your life with clarity and generate positive change.
In the first half of this episode, Allison shares why it’s important to sit with the obstacles, blocks, and pain we face in order to heal, understand, and relieve ourselves from the burdens of setbacks and frustrations of life and even anxiety or depression. In the second half, she shares how writing can help us make sense of a challenging world — and also make a bigger difference. The best news is you don’t have to be a “writer” in the traditional sense to tap into the power of writing it down.
Guest: Allison Fallon, author of “The Power of Writing It Down” and founder of Find Your Voice
Visit thepowerofwritingitdown.com and download the first chapter of her book for free, and follow @allyfallon on Instagram
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This teacher has turned to Instagram to combat misinformation. Sharon McMahon — who describes herself as “America’s (not boring) government teacher” — and her highly engaged Instagram community (self-described as Governerds) — just joined forces and raised enough money to forgive $50 million in medical debt — breaking records in just a matter of days.
Sharon is a former high school government and law teacher on a mission to confront political misinformation and conspiracies. She uses her popular Instagram account to spread non-partisan information about government and democracy. Through her account and her workshops, called Government for Grownups, she teaches how to spot bias and decipher facts from conspiracies.
In this episode, Sharon talks about paying attention to facts, how she carved out the best and most positive corner of the internet, and how we can actually make our country and world as thoughtful and generous as her community.
Guest: Sharon McMahon, host of Government for Grownups
Follow Sharon on Instagram to learn more about government and democracy
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Activist Leah Thomas created a platform to address the ways environmentalism impacts not only the planet, but the people on it, too. She calls the platform Intersectional Environmentalist, a movement that addresses and incorporates lawyer and scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw’s feminist framework of intersectionality.The platform Leah co-founded is now home to resources, information, and action steps to dismantle systems of oppression in the environmental movement.
In the first half of this episode, Leah lays out how environmental issues affect different communities uniquely and how intersectional environmentalism addresses these differences. In the second half, Leah explains how we all can embrace intersectional environmentalism through simple, everyday actions.
Guest: Leah Thomas, co-founder of Intersectional Environmentalist
Follow Intersectional Environmentalist and Leah on Instagram
Visit IE’s website to learn more and explore resources
Background reading:
- Interview with Kimberlé Crenshaw and explanation of intersectionality
- Intersectional Environmentalist resources by community
- Intersectional Environmentalist resources by topic
- Minority and low-income communities are more likely to live in areas exposed to toxic waste, landfills, highways, and other environmental hazards (American Journal of Public Health, 2011).
- People of color have less access to clean air than their white counterparts (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2019).
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After working on Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's presidential campaigns, Amanda Litman founded Run for Something, an organization dedicated to helping young and non-traditional candidates successfully run for office.
Run for Something removes barriers to entry by providing assistance with behind-the-scenes mechanics, tactical and strategic support, advice, mentorship, training, and everything in between. Between 2017 and 2020, they’ve helped elect nearly 500 candidates in 46 states.
In the first half of this episode, Run for Something co-founder and executive director Amanda Litman explains why anyone can run for office and why it truly makes a difference. In the second half, she lays out the steps for running for office — even if you aren’t sure what you want to run for yet.
Guest: Amanda Litman, co-founder and executive director of Run for Something
If you want to run for office, explore your options and get more information. You can also support people running for office by making a donation.
Read Amanda’s book (with a foreword from Hillary Clinton) and listen to the Run for Something Podcast
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Is the world becoming more peaceful? Or less? How would we know if it was? In an effort to measure peace, entrepreneur and philanthropist Steve Killelea founded the Institute for Economics and Peace, a nonprofit global research institute that measures peace levels around the world.
The Institute created the conceptual framework for “positive peace,” which describes the attitudes, structures and institutions that underpin and sustain peaceful societies. Hint: Peace includes more than just an absence of violence. The Institute’s work now informs influential institutions such as the United Nations and the World Bank.
In the first half of this episode, Steve describes the difference between “positive peace” and “negative peace,” plus how the Institute developed the framework for positive peace. In the second half, Steve and Branden share good news from data the Institute has collected.
Guest: Steve Killelea, founder and executive chairman of the Institute for Economics and Peace
Read the Positive Peace Report and dive into stories about peace
Read Steve’s book, Peace in the Age of Chaos
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This is the full-length, unedited version of our conversation with Jedidiah Jenkins. Jedidiah was one of our first-ever guests on the show when we launched Sounds Good five years ago. His episode remains one of our most popular episodes, so we thought it would be fun to release the full unedited conversation of our latest conversation together. Enjoy! Check out the previous episode in your feed for the shorter, edited version of this episode.
Jedidiah Jenkins is a travel writer who lives with life with intention and purpose. He worked a dream job as a lawyer for the nonprofit Invisible Children before quitting to bike 10,000 miles from Oregon to Patagonia. He wrote a New York Times-bestselling book about his experience and has inspired thousands of people to engage their own lives with similar curiosity and passion. He is also the executive editor of Wilderness magazine.
In this episode, Branden and Jedidiah talk about the nuance of purpose, how it’s different from what we imagine, and how we can find it — or at least get started in the right direction.
Guest: Jedidiah Jenkins, author of “To Shake the Sleeping Self” and “Like Streams to the Ocean”
Pre-order Jedidiah’s new book (out tomorrow!) and follow him on Instagram
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Jedidiah Jenkins is a travel writer who lives with life with intention and purpose. He worked a dream job as a lawyer for the nonprofit Invisible Children before quitting to bike 10,000 miles from Oregon to Patagonia. He wrote a New York Times-bestselling book about his experience and has inspired thousands of people to engage their own lives with similar curiosity and passion. He is also the executive editor of Wilderness magazine.
In this episode, Branden and Jedidiah talk about the nuance of purpose, how it’s different from what we imagine, and how we can find it — or at least get started in the right direction.
Guest: Jedidiah Jenkins, author of “To Shake the Sleeping Self” and “Like Streams to the Ocean”
Pre-order Jedidiah’s new book (out tomorrow!) and follow him on Instagram
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Dressember founder and CEO Blythe Hill is on a mission to use fashion to end human trafficking. What she started as a style challenge in 2009, she turned into a nonprofit with global reach. The challenge is simple: Every December, wear a dress (or tie) every day. It’s a great conversation starter, and it works to raise funds for trafficking prevention, intervention, and survivor protection.
In the first half of the episode, Blythe tells the story of how she started Dressember and how it works so effectively as a fundraiser and conversation-starter. In the second half, she gets to the bottom of QAnon, trafficking misconceptions and misinformation, and how you can make a difference.
Guest: Blythe Hill, founder and CEO of Dressember
Sign up to participate in or donate to Dressember, and learn more about Dressember and human trafficking on their website. You can also follow Blythe and Dressember on Instagram.
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Echo chambers are a real problem in our news and media consumption. We follow, listen to, and read news from people who tell us what we already believe, so we run the risk of missing out on the truth or valuable perspectives. Our guest, Harleen Kaur, co-founded Ground News, a news comparison platform that promises to uncover your media blind spots by offering news for people from all political ideologies through their website, app, newsletters, and browser extension.
In the first half of the episode, Harleen explains how our current media landscape came to be and the importance of uncovering our own blind spots, and in the second half she shares three things each of us should do every time we consume news.
Guest: Harleen Kaur, co-founder and CEO of Ground News
Visit Ground News on their website and download their app, sign up for their newsletters, and install their browser extension.
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Shane Claiborne is an outspoken critic of the death penalty. He’s a well-respected justice system reform activist and Christian faith leader, and he believes capital punishment needs to go for good in the United States — a country that’s in company with China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt for countries with the highest execution rates.
In the first half of today’s episode, Shane shares how he came to believe so passionately against the death penalty, lay out the most important facts, and celebrate progress that’s already been made, such as the abolition of the death penalty in some places and the growing conversation on the topic. He also casts a vision for what a future without the death penalty could look like. In the second half, Shane lays out how each of us can get involved.
Guest: Shane Claiborne, activist and author
Get involved in protesting against the death penalty at deathpenaltyaction.org, and learn more about Shane and his work at shaneclaiborne.com.
Background reading:
- The Guardian wrote this article about Lisa Montgomery, whose execution is scheduled for tomorrow, January 12
- Visit The Marshall Project’s ‘The Next to Die’ page for great journalism about death row and the death penalty
- Shane’s book, Executing Grace, talks about the death penalty from a faith perspective
- And Bryan Stevenson’s book, Just Mercy, is also a great and important read on the subject. He’s the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative.
- Learn why and how to abolish the death penalty
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The nonprofit Kids Boost empowers kids to become philanthropists and social entrepreneurs. With $100 in start-up funding, kids work with a one-on-one coach to raise funds for a charity they love. On average, participants turn the initial $100 into $1,850 for deserving charities.
In the first half of this episode, Kids Boost founder Kristen Williams tells the story of a 12-year-old named Jared, who inspired her to start Kids Boost, and how participants creatively raise money for the causes they care about. In the second half, Kristen shares how everyone — kids and grown-ups alike — can make a difference by doing what they love.
Guest: Kristen Williams, founder and executive director of Kids Boost
Donate to Kids Boost and follow Kids Boost on Instagram
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Miles Adcox (Onsite Workshops, Unspoken Podcast) is passionate about emotional wellness. His company offers life-changing personal growth workshops, leadership retreats, and emotional treatment. He lives his life by three concepts: Empathy over action, love over agenda, and grace over advice. He also co-hosts a podcast, Unspoken, with friend of the show Ruthie Lindsey.
In the first half of this episode, Miles explains what is and isn’t self-care, how to balance negative and positive emotions, and three steps to enhance emotional wellness. In the second half, Branden sits with Good Good Good’s managing editor, Kailey Thompson, to highlight the best news that came from 2020 and how we can be a part of the good in 2021.
Guest: Miles Adcox, owner and CEO of Onsite Workshops
Learn more about emotional wellness from Onsite, sign up for Rediscovering You or 30 Days of Living Centered, and follow Miles on Instagram.
Background reading on the year’s top good news stories:
- Lockdowns caused a 17 percent drop in global carbon dioxide emissions.
- Levels of nitrogen dioxide — a key ingredient in smog — declined by an average of 27 percent in 12 major global cities 10 days after lockdowns were initiated.
- Books on anti-racism rose to best-seller lists this year.
- Following increased Black Lives Matter protests, the majority of people support the movement.
- Protests against racial injustice led to policy changes around the country.
- We also put together our top good news stories from 2020 on our Instagram. Check out all the good that 2020 brought.
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Danielle Coke (@ohhappydani) uses art to educate and inspire her Instagram followers about anti-racism and allyship. For many of us, this year has inspired big questions about how to meaningfully take action and make a difference in the realm of a lot of big problems — and especially systemic racism and racial injustice. These problems aren’t new, but this year has brought them to front of mind for many for the very first time. Dani’s work helps people understand racial justice work and how to get involved.
In the first half of this episode, Dani guides us through five steps to allyship during a crisis, and in the second half Dani shares how we can maintain hope, despite how “bad” the year has been.
Guest: Danielle Coke, advocate and illustrator using art for activism and education
Follow @ohhappydani on Instagram to see Dani’s illustrations and shop her art
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Katherine Gehl says reforming our voting system is the solution to political division and gridlock. Our current political system makes polarization and incivility commonplace and compromise nearly impossible, but ranked choice voting promises to make efficient cooperation possible. Katherine founded Democracy Found and The Institute for Political Innovation, organizations that work to catalyze political change in America.
In the first half of this episode, Katherine describes how increased political competition and changing our voting system can make politics better, and in the second half she offers simple steps we can take to make a better election system a reality.
Guest: Katherine Gehl, co-founder of Democracy Found, founder of The Institute for Political Innovation, and co-author of “The Politics Industry: How Political Innovation Can Break Partisan Gridlock and Save Our Democracy”
Get involved in implementing ranked-choice voting and order Katherine’s book.
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Terence Lester (Love Beyond Walls, Dignity Museum) is on the forefront of providing support for people experiencing homelessness — in Atlanta, Georgia and around the world. More than 500,000 people experience homelessness every single night — and their needs are made worse by COVID-19. It's a serious problem — in need of empathetic and creative solutions.
In the first half of this episode, Branden sits down with Terence to discuss new solutions being created in response to coronavirus — and how Terence got into this work. And in the second half, Terence shares 3 common misconceptions about people experiencing homelessness and how we can help.
Guest: Terence Lester, founder of Love Beyond Walls and Dignity Museum
Donate to Love Beyond Walls, order Terence's book, preorder his new book, and subscribe to their podcast.
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The podcast that leaves you feeling more hopeful is coming back!
Sounds Good hosts hopeful conversations with optimists and world-changers about the headlines we can be hopeful about — and how you can get involved and make a difference. Every week, Good Good Good founder Branden Harvey sits down with the people driving positive change against the world's greatest problems. Each episode will leave you with a sense of hope about the good in the world — and a sense of direction on how we can all be a part of that good. Episodes are released every Monday.
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Before she became Oprah’s “favorite guest of all time,” she was a woman with a forgotten dream and a profound desire to recreate our world for the better.
What does a gentler form of protest look like? Could it be uniquely effective? Sarah Corbett, TEDx speaker, author, and activist of 30 years has perfected the art of gentle protest.
From projects with Lin Manuel Miranda, to writing for Netflix’s BoJack Horseman — from illustrating a book about an aliebn, to getting a master’s degree from Yale, Jonny Sun is doing it all. Somehow he’s also maintaining a humble approach to infusing a sense of empathy, hope, and purpose into the internet.
Currently touring with Switchfoot and Colony House, Tyson Motsenbocker is a songwriter and guitarist living in San Diego, California.
Branden Harvey jumps in with a short episode to share some exciting personal news, celebrate three years of making Sounds Good, and highlighting what’s ahead for Year 4 of the podcast.
soundsgoodpodcast.com
Nadya Okamoto founded PERIOD at the age of 16, and so Branden and Nadya talk about periods and how to make a difference while you’re young.
Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers launched their podcast, Pantsuit Politics, in November of 2015 with the goal of listening to each other first, and talking politics second — even though Sarah is on the left of the political spectrum and Beth is on the right.
He wore his own trash for 30 days. He built tiny houses for the homeless. He dumpster dived for food. And now he’s committing to only eat food he’s grown and foraged himself for an entire year. All for the sake of making the world a better place and helping others see the small changes they can make in their own lives.
Andy J. Pizza is an illustrator and podcaster. In this episode, Andy shares the story of his relationship with his mother, how ADHD has affected his life, and how Modest Mouse brought him out of a very dark place.
Author of Reasons to Stay Alive, How to Stop Time, and Notes on a Nervous Planet, and experiencing anxiety and depression himself, Matt Haig will be the first to tell you he believes the 24/7 modern world we’re living in is messing with our minds. But he also has a plan on how to seek health within our technology-centered lives.
At the age of 27, Kate Manser was working at Google when she had a number of people close to her die young and unexpectedly. It sent her into a tailspin of fear and anxiety, processing her own death one day. That is, until she slowly pivoted toward seeing these tragedies and her new awareness of her own impending death as an opportunity to live as fully as her loved ones had.
Joanna Waterfall is the founder of Yellow Co. whose mission is to equip and inspire creative, entrepreneurial women to become agents of good.
Erica Mandy left her six-figure 'dream job' as a TV news reporter in Los Angeles, the second largest news market in the country, all because of two things: 1) She kept hearing from people that they were tuning out news all together because it was too "depressing." 2) She, herself, was feeling depressed and anxious from ten years of covering horrific stories and presenting them in an alarmist way. So she decided to do something about it.
Brandi Lea loves people in incredible ways. She’s the co-founder of Beauty for Ashes Uganda, a nonprofit organization working toward long-term sustainable development and deep healing for single mothers and widows in Uganda.
She creates art for Casey Neistat and Kendrick Lamar. Her unique stream-of-consciousness line-drawings are on display in the Brooklyn Museum and the Museum of the Contemporary African Diaspora. Her name is Shantell Martin and she uses are to ask key questions like: WHO ARE YOU? ARE YOU YOU? HOW DO WE FIND OUR WAY TO YAY?
Discovered by Pharrell Williams and seen on Good Morning America, Dwayne Reed is the rapping teacher from Chicago responsible for the viral hit, Welcome to the 4th Grade. Dwayne, or as he’s called in his classroom: Mr. Reed, genuinely cares about his students and has found a number of creative ways to show them.
In 2015, Inc. Magazine recognized Noonday Collection as one of the fastest-growing companies in America. But years earlier, as Jessica Honegger stood at a pawn-shop counter in Austin, Texas, and handed over her grandmother's gold jewelry, her goal was much more personal: to fund the adoption of her Rwandan son, Jack, by selling artisan-made jewelry.
You’ve seen her poetry and art on Instagram, but you may not know the backstory behind the colorful creations she shares. Morgan has made her life’s work about creating for the stories of others, through music, words, art, and design.
Going from a small-town boy to protecting the President to serving as a Marine Corps infantryman in Iraq to experiencing post-traumatic stress and eventually to becoming an artist and a nonprofit founder, Richard Casper has a unique and powerful story to call his own.
As a DREAMer, Gustavo Guerrero is passionate about advocating for human rights, immigration reform, and civil and political rights. As a musician, Gustavo has found a tool to build empathy and understanding, and remind people that they matter — whether they have a social security number or not.
Nirrimi Firebrace is an award-winning Australian photographer and writer who catapulted into the public eye when she was just a teenager because of the unique way she shares her story through photos and words online. Nirrimi runs a popular blog called Fire & Joy, where she shares both heartbreaking and beautiful stories of her life. As a photographer she’s shot for Netflix, American Apparel, First Aid Kit, and Zelda Williams.
In 2015 when protests broke out in Baltimore in response to the death of Freddie Gray, photographer and activist Devin Allen was one of the first photographers on the scene to share his photos with the world. And now over a year after his rise to fame, Devin is helping change his community and the way it’s perceived for good.
As founder of International Justice Mission, Gary Haugen fights the chronically neglected global epidemic of violence against the poor. In this conversation, Branden and Gary go behind the curtain and dive deep into the story International Justice Mission, lean into the power of systems that care for the individual, and explore the idea that joy is the oxygen behind doing hard things.
In 2006, with no money and less than no experience, Harrison founded charity: water. Today, his organization has raised over $300 million to bring clean drinking water to more than 8.2 million people around the globe. In this conversation, Branden and Scott dissect his new book Thirst: an inspiring personal story of compassion, redemption, second chances, and the transformative power within us all.
Founding Omaze with his business partner Matt, CEO and co-founder Ryan Cummins is responsible for the online platform known for raising hundreds of millions of dollars for charity by raffling once-in-a-lifetime experiences. In this conversation, Branden and Ryan dive deep into the origin of Omaze, the intersection of philanthropy and storytelling, and the power of living for something bigger than yourself.
Kim Kardashian West took note of the powerful story Kendall Ciesemier broke on Alice Marie Johnson, an undeniably groundbreaking step toward exposing an injustice and leading to Alice’s freedom from prison. In this conversation, Branden and Kendall dive deep into her story of thriving in the midst of life’s struggles, finding purpose and passion, how to use media to drive social change, and where to begin after overcoming adversity.
Jamie is the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms and the New York Times bestselling author of ‘If You Feel Too Much’. In this conversation, Branden and Jamie get real and personal about the cost of putting everything into your work, moving courageously toward transition and new chapters, and why the greatest thing we can do is to choose to stay until tomorrow.
What if the secret about making a difference was getting weird? Author, speaker, and media producer, CJ Casciotta, has passionately given himself over to this idea. In this conversation, Branden and CJ talk about his newly released book: ‘Get Weird: Discover the Surprising Secret to Making a Difference’ — diving deep into the truth of how getting weird just might be the key to making the world a better place.
Civil rights activist, teacher, and author, DeRay Mckesson thinks hope is the belief that tomorrow can be better than today. In this conversation, Branden and DeRay talk about his book ‘On the Other Side of Freedom’ and his personal journey of advocacy and activism that has caught America’s attention.
In this conversation, Branden and Ben unpack what it means to lead a life of purpose and generosity, the importance of getting angry about injustice, the burden of fame, humanitarian work, and living into the questions that inevitably come with faith.
In this conversation, Branden and Lisa talk about her process of writing her latest book, The Most Beautiful Thing I’ve Seen. She also unravels what it means to hit rock bottom, understand what suffering is, feel what love can do, and continue to open our eyes to wonder in the heartbreak.
In this conversation, Branden and Barrett unpack the importance of making an impact where it matters most, building a company based on radical transparency and second chances, and the importance of fostering an attitude of gratitude in your sphere.
Jodi Ettenberg is a Canadian ex-lawyer who later discovered her passion in the world of food and travel. A decade later, because of a crazy unfortunate turn of events involving a spinal tap, Jodi is left wondering if she’ll ever be able to live her life of food and travel ever again. In this conversation with Branden Harvey, Jodi shares her wildly heartbreaking and powerful story for the first time on a podcast since the turn of events that changed her life forever.
In a pit of depression, Canadian producer, writer, speaker, Ben Nemtin, and his three best friends decided to create the world’s greatest bucket list to make them feel alive. In this conversation, Branden and Ben dive deep into how to make the impossible possible and why humanity puts off the things we really want to do in our day-to-day lives.
From his humble beginnings in Bradenton, Florida, R&B singer and classical guitarist Reggie Williams Jr. never expected his side project R.LUM.R to blow up. In this conversation, Branden and R.LUM.R fearlessly unpack the scars behind his successes and tell the truth about why empathy is the most powerful tool inside storytelling.
Mike Donehey is and singer, songwriter and guitarist primarily known for his work as lead singer in the Christian rock band Tenth Avenue North. In this conversation, Branden and Mike dive deep into matters of faith, balancing your personal life while gaining fame, speaking truth to power in politics, as well as the importance of refusing to give up your humanity for the sake of a brand.
Benjamin Von Wong is a world-renowned photographer who decided to use his talents to make a difference. He never set out to be a photographer, and he became one almost by accident. Nevertheless, in the space of the past 5 years since he quit his day job as a mining engineer, he’s earned a worldwide reputation as a brilliantly original photographic artist, and was even named one of four winners of this year’s Imaging Alliance award for Visionary Photographers.
Is the process of creating art more about becoming a mirror for the creator or the observer? Fine art photographer, Brooke Shaden, has explored this question for the better portion of her life and found the nuanced answer inside her own powerful story.
Nigerian American Amobi Okugo is a professional soccer player (now a reserve for Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers), who is passionate about athletes taking control of their financial lives. After watching so many athletes go broke, he started an organization called A Frugal Athlete — an organization helping increase financial literacy and encourage prudent financial practices among professional athletes.
Called "The Brené Brown of Wonder” by Mind Body Green and a “Millennial Motivator” by Fortune, Amber Rae is an author, artist, and speaker whose work invites you to live your truth, befriend your emotions, and express your gifts.
In 2005, Shawn Askinosie left a successful career as a criminal defense lawyer to start a bean-to-bar chocolate factory, Askinosie Chocolate, and never looked back.
Jacqueline Whitney had a plan for her life. As a teenager, she was great at school, great at volleyball, and knew those would take her down her dream path. Everything changed when a series of injuries affected her ability to exercise for more than a few minutes and to be able to focus on her school work without needing to nap.
After the tragic and unexpected loss of her husband, Kristine Carlson resolved to find hope in the midst of heartache and her life has never been the same since. Kristine Carlson is a New York Times bestselling author, speaker, and leader in the field of transformation.
Rob Lawless set out to meet 10,000 people for 1 hour each in November of 2015. He wanted to learn about others’ lives and see what comes of opening doors for no particular reason.
Founder of Design Sponge, Grace Bonney, believes that curiosity allows you to find deeper meaning inside whatever community you’ve found yourself in. This belief has altered her life in profound and impactful ways ever since she started building her own business.
Miles Adcox lives by these ideas: Empathy over action, love over agenda, and grace over advice. He is a speaker, writer, and CEO/Owner of Onsite — an extended care center for emotional trauma & co-dependency located in the rolling hills outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
After photographer Anjali Pinto’s husband died suddenly at age 30, she didn’t turn inward. She turned to Instagram. Over the course of the past year and a half, those Instagram posts—one a day, every day—have become a kind of documentary project: a tribute to Jacob and an unfolding of Pinto’s grief.
Olympic figure skater Scott Hamilton’s wake-up call came at the breaking point of his life — losing his mom to cancer. Today, the most recognized male figure-skating star in the world, Scott Hamilton has won 70 titles, awards and honors including an Olympic gold medal, an Emmy Award nomination, and induction into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
Tiffany Mitchell is a photographer, writer, visual storyteller, and advocate for the power of vulnerability.
Award winning social entrepreneur Justin Zoradi’s important work began the day he decided to no longer deny opportunities to others that he demanded for himself.
Multidisciplinary artist, entrepreneur and creative activist Ali Nelson didn’t always think of herself as an artist. But in 2008, everything changed with a series of tragic events.
Author and speaker Allison Fallon is someone who has lived into this idea that telling the truth about yourself is the hardest thing we can do, but the beginning of something really beautiful. Like many of us, she’s realized that something amazing happens when we realize we don’t have total control and are forced to surrender to a force that is bigger than ourselves.
Ally has written and published more than 10 books, coached hundreds of writers, developed multiple writing curriculums, worked as a managing editor at Donald Miller’s Storyline and recently finished writing her latest book, Indestructible. Indestructible tells the shocking story of a marriage that didn’t go as planned, the truth that shattered everything, and the beautiful unfolding around the realization that saving her marriage wasn’t worth losing herself. Through her hopeful journey, she’s learned to heal and grow stronger — because when chaos is present, change is often imminent.
In this conversation, Branden and Ally talk about seeing tragedy as an opportunity to shatter the barrier that’s between us and all the love we’ve ever wanted.
soundsgoodpodcast.com/allison
Do you believe that a broken heart could be the catalyst for most things we create and move toward in our lives? For photographer and world-traveler Theron Humphrey, this statement has been one of the truest statements for the trajectory of his life. And it’s been a wild one.
In 2010, the conflict in Somalia was raging heavily and the majority of Mogadishu and the South Central Regions of Somalia were lost to the control of the Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group al-Shabab. Somali-Canadian social activist, Ilwad Elman, living in Canada at the time, left the safety of her new home in North America to return to her home country of Somalia. Even in the midst of terrorism, conflict, and violence, Ilwad has remained in Somalia ever since — working for peace, security, and empowerment in creative and innovative ways.
Today, Ilwad Elman is known for her work at the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center in Mogadishu alongside her mother Fartuun Adan, the NGO's founder. She was voted the African Young Personality of the Year during the 2016 Africa Youth Awards. She is also the feature story in Issue 03 of the Goodnewspaper.
In this conversation, Branden and Ilwad discuss the opportunity we all have been give to live with intentionality and the opportunity to serve our communities. There is joy when we choose to educate ourselves in what is happening in our cities, and collaborate in order to add value.
soundsgoodpodcast.com/ilwad
How do we maintain resilience and consistency in the midst of opposition? The Women’s March was the largest single-day protest in US history—bringing together more than 3.3 million people in 500 US cities. And Linda Sarsour, a rising household name in the United States, was a big reason why that happened. But that doesn’t come without significant backlash and criticism even while promoting a message that advocates for the dignity and respect of all human beings.
Linda Sarsour is an award winning Brooklyn born Palestinian-American-Muslim racial justice and civil rights activist, community organizer, social media maverick, and mother of three. Linda has been at the forefront of major social justice campaigns both locally in New York City and nationally — particularly gaining national attention for her advocacy on behalf of American Muslims and as a co-chair of the Women's March. She is the former Executive Director of the Arab American Association of New York, co-founder of Muslims for Ferguson, and a member of the NY Justice League.
In this conversation, Branden and Linda discuss the power of choosing to embrace diversity — leaning into things that are divisive even though they are uncomfortable.
(Oh, and here’s the link to our Facebook Discussion group that we gave a shout-out to in the episode: https://www.facebook.com/groups/goodgoodgoodco/)
soundsgoodpodcast.com/linda
Award-winning writer Esmé Wang knows from personal experience how tough it is to be ambitious and deal with limitation. She is a woman who lives with chronic illness, including late-stage Lyme disease and schizoaffective disorder. She believes that just because one lives with limitations — whether they be caregiving responsibilities, disability, chronic illness, or any other life circumstance that cause you to feel fenced in, doesn’t mean a person can’t leave a legacy of creative resilience.
Esmé Weijun Wang is a novelist and essayist. Her debut novel, The Border of Paradise, was called a Best Book of 2016 by NPR and one of the 25 Best Novels of 2016 by Electric Literature. She was named by Granta as one of the “Best of Young American Novelists” in 2017, and is the recipient of the Graywolf Nonfiction Prize for her forthcoming essay collection, The Collected Schizophrenias. In her blog, The Unexpected Shape, she provides resources that assist ambitious people who live with limitations
In this conversation, Branden and Esmé tackle the question of why people living with illness need both the practice and living-out of resilience in their daily lives — and how boundaries laid out in life’s game can make things more interesting.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/esme
Becca Stevens is an author, speaker, social entrepreneur, founder and president of Thistle Farms. After experiencing the death of her father and subsequent child abuse when she was 5, Becca longed to open a sanctuary for survivors offering a loving community. In 1997, five women who had experienced trafficking, violence, and addiction were welcomed home.
20 years later, Thistle Farms continues to welcome women with free residence that provide housing, medical care, therapy and education for two years. Residents and graduates earn income through one of four social enterprises. Becca has been featured in the New York Times, on ABC World News and NPR, was recently named a 2016 CNN Hero and a White House “Champion of Change" in 2011. Her newest book, Love Heals, was published in 2017.
In this conversation, Branden and Becca go deep into the shared humanity, peace and harmony that we all long for — and ultimately, how to create the time and space for healing to happen.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/becca
What if our deepest fears are shining guideposts, lighting the way to what we truly want in life? Instead of pushing them aside, what happens if we begin listening to our fears—and allow them to lead us bravely into the unknown?
Author and illustrator Meera Lee Patel has taken the big, scary concept of fear and crafted a personal, yet universal love letter to it in her newest book My Friend Fear: Finding Magic in the Unknown. Using her own experience with anxiety, Patel help readers examines fear — where it comes from, how it can hold you back, and how it can be harnessed into a power for good.
In this Sounds Good conversation, Branden and Meera go deep into the difference between leading lives that are driven by curiosity or security — and the power of changing the story that your fear tells you.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/meera
We are so much more than our bodies or anyone’s opinion of it. We have too much to offer and too much important work to do to spend time worrying about catching up to society’s standards that all-too-often silence our self-assuredness.
Dana Falsetti is an advocate for women who want to find the confidence to live life more fully. Originally known for her strength in yoga, Dana now uses her platform to inspire critical thinking, self-awareness, and confidence across multiple media including her podcast, public speaking engagements, writing, and brand partnerships — in addition to her international yoga workshops.
She has been featured in print and online publications including but not limited to: Seventeen, People, Shape, Upworthy, Mantra, NY Magazine.. In addition, she was the 2017 Shorty Award winner in the Health and Wellness category.
In this conversation, Branden and Dana dive deep into the need for us all to come home to ourselves — and eventually, showing up in the world exactly who we are and lifting the collective consciousness.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/dana
Author, speaker, and life coach Natalie Norton’s life has been put through the ringer. She is no stranger to pain. Tragedy began with the unexpected death of her younger brother in 2007. After this event, her life slowly unraveled over the next few years with the death of her youngest son, a failed adoption of 3 beautiful children who had been living in Natalie’s home for 2 years when the state unexpectedly reunified them with their biological mother. Furthermore, a sudden ‘brain surge’/seizure left Natalie unable to communicate, remember her own name or identify her children as her own. Most recently, her 11 year old son was struck by a a compact SUV while crossing the street — leaving him no option but to spend a month in the ICU. Today, his recovery is still ongoing.
This unbelievably painful sequence of events is a mapping of Natalie’s life that, miraculously, has lead her to conclude that it’s worth sticking around for the miracle.
In this conversation, Branden and Natalie delve deep into the truth of why a personal commitment to passion and drive changes everything and the idea that our lives are meant to be so much more than the pain inside of it.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/natalie
Today, there are good reasons to doubt the effectiveness of many elements of conventional activism—oftentimes marked by aggression, extreme extroversion and violence. Award-winning campaigner Sarah Corbett started looking for alternatives that appealed to the introvert, namely, craftivism. Sarah’s gentle protest approach to craftivism aims to change the world with deliberate, thoughtful actions that provoke reflection and respectful conversation instead of aggression and division.
She’s a world-traveling storyteller, has given several TEDx Talks and wrote A Little Book of Craftivism which was published in 2013, and How To Be A Craftivist, published in 2017. Also notable to mention, Malala has attended one of her workshops.
In this conversation, Branden and Sarah chat about how craftivism can be for everyone. From skilled crafters to burnt out activists, gentle protest can be for those people who want to challenge injustice in the world but don’t know what to do, where to start or how to prioritize their energies and time.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/sarahcorbett
Our ability to empathize, belong and love rests on our willingness to be vulnerable. In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen, really seen.
Jenna Kutcher is passionate about showing something deeper than perfect online. She’s a small-town Wisconsin girl who has single-handedly built a six-figure income photography business, fostered a massive social media following and currently hosts and produces the podcast “The Goal Digger Podcast” where she uses her platform to share the deepest parts of herself with intention.
In this conversation, Branden and Jenna go beneath the surface of her story — her journey of how she sees herself, her second miscarriage and the what no one told her about working for yourself.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/jenna
Most of us become impatient in the process and loathe uncertainty. However, Liz Vice has reconciled this truth in a profound way by learning to soar despite roadblocks in her story. While battling with an autoimmune disease for 7 years, Liz felt she had to reconcile with the fact that she would have to forfeit her dreams — instead, her life took a turn for the spectacular.
Raised in Portland, Oregon — Liz Vice is a gospel and R&B singer and currently the music director at Hope Brooklyn while balancing touring, playing venues and festivals around the country. She has worked on the background casting for commercial and feature films such as Portlandia, Green Room, the A-List and C.O.G as well as employed by Weiden+Kennedy — an independent advertising agency responsible for clients like Airbnb, Coca Cola, Nike and Old Spice. However, Vice’s path toward film and music was not a straight one, but, rather, shaped by the dreams others had for her.
In this conversation, Branden and Liz discuss the power of calling amidst medical roadblocks and the importance of surrounding yourself by people who won’t let you quit.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/lizvice
Meet Flynn Coleman, a modern-day wonder woman in the world of social justice and advocacy. She’s an international human rights lawyer, educator, author and CEO of Malena, a socially conscious fashion line that focuses on empowering women artisans around the world. She has worked with the United Nations, the United States federal government, and corporations and human rights organizations around the world.
Flynn is a contributing writer for such publications as HuffPost, Global Citizen, and Darling Magazine. Flynn is also the founding fellow at the Grunin Center for Law and Social Entrepreneurship at NYU School of Law. Her passion is celebrating humanity’s diversity while constantly drawing attention to the truth that we’re all just one conversation, one smile, one laugh away from connecting with anybody else.
In this conversation, Branden and Flynn get down to the nitty gritty and discuss the idea that no one can save everything. Flynn helps us discover that this knowledge frees us up to give our energy to do the things that matter to us — and to surround ourselves around the people and causes that make us feel alive.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/flynn
Every single day, it feels like the media and politicians want us to think that we live in a dangerous world filled with monsters. Inside spaces like prisons, the news wants us to believe that there is nothing redemptive inside, only disappointment and violence, rather than looking at the people inside with compassion and commonality. Nigel Poor, is a social activist, artist and co-creator of the podcast Ear Hustle who has given her life to this idea.
Nigel Poor is a visual artist whose work explores the various ways people make a mark and leave behind evidence of their existence. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. In 2011, Nigel got involved with San Quentin State Prison as a volunteer teacher for the Prison University Project. In 2013 she started working with a group of incarcerated men producing a radio project that eventually turned into Ear Hustle — the winner of Radiotopia's Podquest contest in 2016, chosen from more than 1500 international entries.
In this conversation, Branden and Nigel chat about the important in rallying a belief that commonality and compassion might be some of the most powerful forces on Earth.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/nigel
The world knows Candace Payne as “Chewbacca Mom,” the wife and mother of two from Dallas who captured the hearts of nearly 200 million people around the world with nothing but a toy Chewbacca mask, a smartphone, and 4 minutes of infectious laughter.
Candace’s viral moment of simple joy became Facebook Live’s top video. But what the video doesn’t show is Candace’s storied journey of daunting obstacles on the way to the joy-filled life—extreme poverty, past trauma, and struggles with self-worth. She recently wrote a book called, Laugh It Up!, where she tells the rest of the story behind the woman in the mask.
In this conversation, Branden and Candace chat about the unlimited positivity and possibility that each day holds if we choose to move toward defiant joy.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/candace
Does it ever feel like our souls hold massive record collections: melodies, rhythms and bass lines? Memories that ask you to dance and memories that haunt you in a minor key? Lies that become soundtracks to your days while truths play too softly to be heard? Spoken word poet, author and speaker Amena Brown seems to think so.
Amena Brown’s broken records played messages about how she wasn’t worthy to be loved. The author of five spoken word albums and two nonfiction books (including ‘How to Fix A Broken Record’), Amena performs and speaks at events from coffeehouses to arenas with a mix of poetry, humor, and storytelling.
In this conversation, Branden and Amena explore and debunk the myth that we have to always be searching for the adrenaline in order to make profound work or do impactful things.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/amena
The British born essayist, Pico Lyer, once said, “We don’t travel to move, we travel to be moved.” There is a unique power in global experiences that takes us outside our comfort zones and shapes our empathy. Abby Falik is one of those individuals who have discovered this power.
Abby is the Founder & CEO of Global Citizen Year, an innovative ‘for-purpose social venture’ on a mission to make it normal for kids to choose a ‘bridge year’ abroad after high school: an experience that builds self-awareness, global skills and grit.
Abby is a recognized expert on social innovation and the changing landscape of education. She has been featured by Forbes, NPR, The Washington Post and The New York Times. In 2016, Fast Company named her one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business.
In this conversation, Branden and Abby go deep into the philosophy behind the importance of travel and the strength in pursuing a possibility that is not yet happening.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/abby
The 1979 Iranian revolution radically shaped who Firuzeh Mahmoudi is today. She grew up witnessing massive rallies, captivated by the excitement, chaos, and hope. Years later, when protests erupted in 2009, Firuzeh — with no prior experience — organized concurrent rallies in 110 cities in support of the Iranian protesters – the largest global day of support for Iran in history.
She is now the founder and director of United for Iran, an independent nonprofit based in San Francisco that works for civil liberties in Iran — with a special emphasis on using technology to fight injustice.
In this conversation, Branden and Firuzeh talk about how working to advance civil liberties globally by advocating for human rights, supporting civil society, and engaging citizens all over the world can be the most challenging and rewarding work a person can be a part of.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/firuzeh
Before Dr. Tererai Trent became Oprah’s “favorite guest of all time,” she was a woman with a forgotten dream and a profound desire to recreate our world for the better.
Born in rural Zimbabwe, Dr. Trent is one of the most internationally recognized voices for quality education and women’s empowerment today. She’s the author of ‘The Awakened Woman: Remembering and Reigniting Our Sacred Dreams’ — a book that shares her story of how she planted her dreams deep in the earth and they prayed they would grow and break the cycle of oppression of women today.
In this conversation, Branden and Dr. Trent go deep into the heart of the power of an awakened woman and why our dreams will have greater meaning when they are tied to the betterment of your community.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/tererai
Clint Smith is a poet whose work goes beyond passion and straight into the world of social engagement — his work creatively invites his listeners out of ignorance and into the world of a real and authentic kind of empathy.
Clint Smith is a writer, teacher, and Ph.D. Candidate at Harvard University. He is a 2014 National Poetry Slam champion, an Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist, and author of the poetry collection Counting Descent. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Guardian,and he has delivered two popular TED Talks, The Danger of Silence & How to Raise a Black Son in America.
In this conversation, Branden and Clint go in deep into the heart of our work of building a better world coming from an understanding of how the world has already been built.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/clint
Seconds before Kevin Walsh was about to attempt suicide in 2007, he received an unexpected phone call from his first crush, Blake. That phone call saved his life. Now, a decade later, the two are married.
Not many people had heard their story until Kevin posted his story on Quora in answer to the question, “What is one moment in your life you thought could only happen in a movie?” His response went viral and was then featured on HuffPost, Buzzfeed, The Independent, and People.
In this episode, Branden, Kevin, and Blake go deep into the human struggle to find a reason to stay until tomorrow and the power of speaking our love for each other out loud.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/kevinandblake
When Cody Goldberg and his wife received the news that their daughter, Harper, was diagnosed with a condition that would require her to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life, it would change everything. More specifically, it would make Cody a forever zealot for inclusion of children experiencing disability in playgrounds across America after realizing how alienated they are from them by design. As a graduate of NYU in film and television who then pursued careers at Red Bull and Adidas, Cody has never accepted the idea that you have to let go of play.
He’s currently the Executive Director of Harper’s Playground, a non-profit that is dedicated to leading with the belief that the power of a well-designed and realized inclusive play space can truly transform a community.
In this episode, Branden and Cody chat about the work of being radically inclusive one playground at a time and how we can all benefit from more play.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/cody
Former prosecutor, Adam Foss is a fierce voice for compassion in criminal justice reform. He’s currently the founder of Prosecutor Impact, a non-profit organization built around the mission of improving community safety in the US by requiring better incentives and more measurable metrics for success beyond, simply, “cases won.”.
Not only did he advise President Barack Obama on criminal justice reform, but he was also named the 2017 Nelson Mandela Changemaker of the Year. There is no other way to describe Adam Foss but as a 21st century ‘Giant of Justice’.
Recorded together at Life is Good HQ in Boston, Branden and Adam discuss the difference between sympathy and empathy and gain a better understanding of the most important actor in the criminal justice system: the prosecutor.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/adam
Drake White is an American country music singer and songwriter from Alabama with a passion for storytelling. With his passionate delivery from the stage, White seems to have inherited his grandfather’s ability to touch crowds with a sermon. However, White stresses that he isn’t a preacher, but doesn’t see a problem with putting his own methods for surviving the world out there.
He’s most popular for his debut single, "Simple Life," for his label release early in 2013. A year later, White signed with Big Machine affiliate Dot Records. In August 2016, Dot released White's debut album, Spark. Most recently, he has been nominated by the CMA for ‘Entertainer of the Year’.
Drake has found the beauty between the partnership of drive and creativity. In this conversation, Branden and Drake talk songwriting, investing in others and living outside the rulebook.
Thank you to Talkspace for sponsoring this week’s episode. Go to talkspace.com/sounds and enter coupon code COUPON to get $30 off your first month.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/drake
Sarah Stewart Holland (a progressive) and Beth Silvers (a conservative) became friends in 1999 and haven’t recovered since. Sarah, a professional blogger and social media consultant, and Beth, a human resources executive and yoga teacher, challenged the notion that talking news with your politically opposite college friend is always messy. What evolved out of their friendship was Pantsuit Politics — a podcast that has someone on the right (Beth) and someone on the left (Sarah) having conversations with the goal of listening to each other first and talking politics second.
In this conversation, Branden, Beth and Sarah, talk about bringing a distinctly women-centered perspective to the conversations happening around politics, intending only to learn from each other rather than walking into the discussions trying to win.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/pantsuitpolitics
Dylan Marron is a writer, performer, video maker and self-acclaimed snacker. He also receives a lot of hate messages on the internet. Producing work that mainly focuses on social justice issues such as race, sexuality and privilege, Dylan’s learned how to take hateful conversations online and turn them into productive conversations offline — an idea and practice that we could all benefit from.
Dylan’s creative resume has included (but not limited to) writing multiple series for Seriously.tv, the voice of Carlos on the hit podcast Welcome to Night Vale, an alum of the New York Neo Futurists, and the creator of Every Single Word (Tumblr's "Most Viral Blog" of 2016; Shorty Award Nominee), a video series that edits down popular films to only feature the words spoken by people of color. And now he’s started a new podcast, Conversations with People Who Hate Me.
In this conversation, Branden and Dylan go deep into the complicated and sometimes hilarious navigation of two strangers who disagree getting to know each other.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/dylan
Anis Mojgani has been said to be a poet who gleefully spurns the boundaries of poet. He is not only a two-time National Poetry Slam Champion, winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, and multiple-time TEDx Speaker, but he’s also an Iranian American living in Oregon with a passion for processing the human interior. Notable to mention: he is one of Branden Harvey’s favorite poets.
Anis has performed his slam poetry around the globe and has performed for audiences as varied as the House of Blues and the United Nations. He is also the author of three poetry collections — Songs From Under the River, The Feather Room, Over the Anvil We Stretch. In this conversation, Branden and Anis (while eating doughnuts) take an in-depth look at how poetry can be a tool for creative exploration through the tremendous grief and joy that life holds for humanity.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/anis
In 2015, WeRateDogs was born. If you would've told Matt Nelson then that he’d be entertaining 750,000 people in less than a year, he would've laughed in your face. For those of you who never knew something like WeRateDogs existed, it does. More than 3 million Twitter followers eagerly await the internet phenomenon of dog photo submissions being paired with witty captions — and the final products are brilliant.
Not only is WeRateDogs used as a “joy outlet” for it’s followers, Matt has also ventured to use his online presence to converse and bring awareness to global conversations. In this episode, Branden chats with Matt on the creative craft of molding your words to convey your embarrassingly quirky thought or idea in 140 characters for your unpredictable audience.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/weratedogs
Never disregard an 8 year old who dreams of becoming Oprah one day. Noor Tagouri, a Libyan-American storyteller and journalist, is currently one of the most talked about young adults in the country having worked with the CBS Radio, Newsy, CTV News while being known as the first hijab-wearing news anchor on American television. After the release of her first documentary passion project, The Forest Haven Story, and she went on to embark on a unique journey to achieve of her dreams of exposing cultural injustices and combating the challenges facing women on a global scale.
In this conversation, Branden digs deep with Noor to truly understand the power of the right question while always aiming to break the glass ceiling.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/noor
Where does true optimism come from? How do we choose to gravitate toward hope when there is so much pain in the world? These are questions that John Jacobs, co-founder and CCO (Chief Creative Optimist) of Life is Good, has been resiliently living out the answer to ever since his early childhood. 1989 marked the beginning of his passion for three main things: spreading optimism, helping children in need, and making rad and iconic t-shirts.
In this conversation Branden chats with John about trading blind positivity for meaningful optimism.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/john
The Shine Project began when Ashley Lemieux’s heart was taken by the inner-city youth of Phoenix, AZ. What began as a small project has now resulted in over 40 scholarships being given to help kids go to college since 2011. Ashley’s life’s work has been a testament to the love she pours out amidst a story that has been embedded with so much pain.
In this heartfelt conversation, Ashley shares about how a call one Sunday morning asking both she and her husband to become permanent guardians to two kids overnight changed their lives forever — and how it took a dark turn 3 years later with a letter from the court in the mail.
This is the first time she publicly shares her story.
More: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/ashley
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Good News: https://www.goodgoodgood.co
Sounds Good Podcast: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/podcast
Zim Ugochukwu believes that everything about travel comes from a spark of curiosity. She’s currently the founder and CEO of Travel Noire, an award-winning boutique travel company and is a passionate advocate for personal transformational. Her background consists of everything from cloning genes at 19, to running a national anti-tobacco campaign, working on the Obama campaign, becoming a precinct judge while in college, and travelling through 90% of Asia.
In this conversation, Branden and Zim unpacked the importance of seeking to call out the beauty in ‘otherness’ in the people around you while asking the questions that take you places.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/zim
“Who are you? Are you you?” British visual artist Shantell Martin has originated her work upon the foundation of these two questions and is now an unconventional truth-teller in her field. After moving to New York from Tokyo, she became best known for creating stream-of-consciousness drawings and light projects with childlike wonder and joy. Her artwork (mainly lines and stick figures) has appeared in the Brooklyn Museum, Museum of the Contemporary African Diaspora, Bata Show Museum, as well as many other well-known art venues in New York.
In this conversation, Branden and Shantell discuss how understanding who you are and asking unconventional questions are keys to keeping the wonder alive in your work.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/shantell
You've probably seen @jonnysun's "weird Twitter" tweets of his life as a lonely alien experiencing earth. What you might not know is that Jonny Sun, the Asian Canadian playwright, artist, architect and comedian has a master's degree from Yale, is a PhD candidate at MIT, and is a fellow at Harvard's Berkman Klein Center.
In this episode, Branden talked to Jonny about navigating the world of happiness in art and academia while wrestling with depression and anxiety. They also giggled through a conversation about Jonny’s news book, ‘Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too’.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/jonnysun
In 2014, Rolling Stone referred to Eric Holthaus as “the Rebel Nerd of Meteorology”, mainly in regards to his reputation for being defiantly optimistic in the world of science. His work as a meteorologist and writing has highlighted the belief that climate change is the most important and consequential story of our time. Furthermore, Eric’s transparency about living with autism and advocating for self-care have changed the way he interacts with the rest of the world.
In this conversation, Branden and Eric discuss how weather unites us in unique ways — and how this notion should be celebrated.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/eric
Dr. Rick Hanson is a psychologist and New York Times best-selling author who creatively works at the intersection of three circles: psychology, neuroscience and the contemplative wisdom that has been established around the world.
His work has been featured on the BBC, CBS, and NPR and has focused on helping people turn everyday experiences into a powerful sense of lasting well-being. In this conversation, he speaks to the empowerment that comes with using our inner resources for hardwiring happiness in relationship with pain.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/rick
Yonathan Moya is a photographer responsible for the creation of a project, Border Perspective, that took him on a 9-day photographic journey along the U.S. & Mexico border. As he took part in different dialogues and sought to tell truthful stories of those he encountered at the border, he gained a fuller understanding of a place he called home.
Through his photography and international work, he wants to challenge others to see the world around them differently and go beyond their current worldview, into a new understanding of who they are and how they can positively, contribute to our society.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/yonathan
Stephen Kenn operates a Los Angeles based design studio focused on furniture and leather goods. Driven by curiosity, Stephen takes a thoughtful and optimistic approach to his work, believing there is always a way to make things simpler. He begins all design projects by seeking out materials that will last a lifetime and experimenting with new processes. In this conversation, Branden and Stephen discuss the idea of seeing objects as an opportunity for story.
More: http://soundsgoodpodcast.com/stephenkenn
When Ahmed Badr was 8 years old, his family's home in Baghdad was bombed. He and his family became refugees and moved to Syria. After living in Syria for two years, they applied for a UN Refugee resettlement program and were placed in the United States.
Ahmed is the founder of Narratio, a platform for creative expression that seeks to create empathy and alleviate childhood illiteracy by empowering youth through the publishing of poetry, photography, art and narrative. Ahmed is also a published writer, photographer, and poet. With work appearing on the Instagram blog, HuffPost, Adobe, and others, Ahmed explores the intersection between creativity, the refugee experience, and youth empowerment.
More: goodgoodgood.co/soundsgood
Ken Wytsma is is a leader, innovator, and social entrepreneur. He is the author of The Myth of Equality, Pursuing Justice and The Grand Paradox and president of Kilns College, where he teaches courses on philosophy and justice. He is also the founder of The Justice Conference, an annual international conference that introduces men and women to a wide range of organizations and conversations on racial inequality and social justice.
More: http://goodgoodgood.co/soundsgood
Sara Li is the founder and director of Project Consent, an international nonprofit campaign that aims to combat sexual assault and rape culture by raising awareness about the importance of consent. She founded Project Consent in high school and is now seeking to maintain a sense of normalcy while running a fast-paced and influential organization while in college. Sara is also a writer and contributes to MTV, Elite Daily, Thought Catalog and more.
More: http://goodgoodgood.co/soundsgood
Jeremy Courtney is cofounder and executive director of the Preemptive Love Coalition (PLC), an international development organization based in Iraq that brings relief to families fleeing war in Syria and Iraq, helps refugees rebuild their lives, and provides lifesaving medical care for children in conflict zones.
More: http://goodgoodgood.co/soundsgood
TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay have been collaborating since 2007 and co-directed the documentary “Undefeated” which won the Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary, making TJ the first director of African-American descent to win an Oscar for a feature-length film. They recently co-directed a new documentary about the LA riots called LA 92.
More: http://goodgoodgood.co/soundsgood
Ten years after a horrific car accident killed her husband and severely injured her son, Kellie tracked down and thanked the team of medical professionals who saved her son's life. She shared her heartwarming story of gratitude with The Thank You Project, which went viral.
More: http://goodgoodgood.co/podcast/kellie-haddock
Liz is full of energy, knows what taking big risks looks like, and is the founder of Sseko Designs, an ethical fashion brand that works to educate and empower women. In this episode, Branden and Liz talk about saying yes, feminism, and speaking your dreams out loud.
More: http://brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/liz-bohannon
As a child, Orly had the terrible experience of her family’s home burning down. This left her spiraling into depression. The only solution that helped bring her back into the light? The incredible empowerment that comes with small acts of kindness.
More: http://brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/orly-wahba
For her forthcoming album, Leah Nobel personally conducted a hundred interviews with people of a wide array of background and personalities. She then translated their experiences to song, the results of which is her new album.
More: http://brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/leah-nobel
Katie Meyler was named TIME Person of the Year in 2014 because of her incredible and inspiring work as an Ebola fighter in Liberia. People named her one of the top 25 women changing the world. She’s also the founder of the non-profit organization, More Than Me.
More: http://brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/katie-meyler
Branden started off his role as a storyteller as a 16 year old photographer and slowly went down the path to telling stories focused on the good in the world. In this episode he shares the behind-the-scenes of his new hope-focused project, the Goodnewspaper.
More: http://brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/branden-harvey-goodnewspaper
Even in the midst of working for big names like Seth Godin and Apple, Amber felt like she lacked the sense of wonder she’d had as a child. In this episode, Amber shares how hitting a wall and having a breakdown led her being able to choose wonder over worry.
More: brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/amber-rae
Why are so many of the best people in the world so well-traveled? Why does travel have the ability to shift the way you see the world? Zach Houghton, the founder of Passion Passport, shares his story and perspective around travel.
More: brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/zach-houghton
In this episode, registered dietician nutritionist McKel Hill shares her personal story and tips for living a more healthy and balanced life. McKel is the founder of Nutrition Stripped, a blog, online community, and resource for a balanced wellbeing.
More: brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/mckel-hill
The story of a man who went from selling $800 bottles of champagne and $500 bottles of vodka as a New York City nightclub promoter to raising millions of dollars to provide clean water to people in need as the founder and CEO of charity: water.
More: brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/scott-harrison
Emily McDowell has been transforming the stationery industry since 2013 with her “greeting cards for the relationships we really have.” She's is a cancer survivor and the creator of Empathy Cards, a line of greeting cards for when you don’t know what to say. She’s also the co-author of her new book, There Is No Good Card For This. She has appeared on Good Morning America, NPR, and NBC, and featured in the New York Times, USA Today, and Women's Health.
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@EmilyMcDowell_: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook | emilymcdowell.com
@BrandenHarvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at soundsgoodpodcast.com Sign up for the Goodnewsletter at goodnewsletter.org
Nancy is the CEO of Crisis Text Line, a non-profit organization providing free crisis intervention via text messages and was the creator of Dress for Success, a non-profit organization that provides professional attire for low-income women, to help support their job-search and interview process. Her work has been recognized with all kinds of awards and honors including being named as one of Fortune’s “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders”, Marie Claire's "20 Women Changing the World”, and Schwab's "Social Entrepreneurs of the Year". She’s also a two-time TED speaker.
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@CrisisTextLine: In crisis? Text HELLO to 741741 | crisistextline.org
@BrandenHarvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at soundsgoodpodcast.com Sign up for the Goodnewsletter at goodnewsletter.org
Hannah Brencher is a writer, TED speaker, and a professional letter sender. In 2011, she founded The World Needs More Love Letters— a global community of over 20,000 individuals across six continents, fifty-three countries, and all fifty states who believe in the power of writing love letters. Hannah’s work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Oprah, Glamour, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune and dozens of other publications. She’s also the author of “If You Find This Letter.”
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@HannahBrencher on Twitter & Instagram | hannahbrenchercreative.com & moreloveletters.com
@BrandenHarvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at soundsgoodpodcast.com
Sign up for the Goodnewsletter at goodnewsletter.org
Matt Wertz is a singer-songwriter who's toured with acts like Hanson, Jason Mraz, Gavin Degraw, Five For Fighting, and Ben Rector. He’s also the host of the podcast Curiosity Habit. In this episode, Branden and Matt dive deep into Matt's background, his intentional curiosity, and growing self-awareness.
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@Matt Wertz on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook | mattwertz.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at soundsgoodpodcast.com
Sign up for the Goodnewsletter at goodnewsletter.org
Grace Theisen is a singer-songwriter living in Nashville, TN and she’s the co-founder of a non-profit that uses music to fight human trafficking in the United States called Songs Against Slavery. Grace balances both of these pursuits while also battling with chronic pain every day. In this conversation Branden and Grace talk about ambitiously pursuing dreams and social justice while also fighting to overcome difficult physical and mental health.
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@GraceTheisen on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook | gracetheisen.com
@SongsAgainstSlavery on Instagram & Facebook | songsagainstslavery.org
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at soundsgoodpodcast.com
Sign up for the Goodnewsletter at goodnewsletter.org
Nate Snell is the founder and owner of Pip’s Original Doughnuts in Portland, Oregon— a doughnut shop that has earned accolades and recognition from publications like the New York Times and Thrillist. But what makes this doughnut shop amazing isn’t necessarily the doughnuts. It’s the unique way that Nate has created a space that inspires community.
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@PipsOriginal on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook | pipsoriginal.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Bob Goff calls himself a "recovering lawyer" because after practicing law for 25 years, then becoming the Hon. Consul to Uganda, he gave up his law firm to pursue writing and speaking full time. Bob lives a life of adventure with his family and his NGO Love Does that operates all around the world in places like Uganda, Iraq, and Somalia.
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@bobgoff on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook | lovedoes.org
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Science Mike is a communicator who sees the world through the lens of science. You may have heard from Mike on his podcasts Ask Science Mike and The Liturgists Podcast. Branden sat down to talk with him about the science of optimism vs cynicism, making the world a better place, and how we all relate to one another.
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@mikemchargue on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook | mikemchargue.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Laura is an artist, world traveler, and outdoor lover going blind bit by bit, day by day. She has an eye condition Retinitis Pigmentosa that’s been slowly taking her vision from her her whole life. In this episode, Branden talks with Laura about how she doesn’t let this condition get in the way of her art, adventure, or living a life of optimism and hope.
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@lauralawsonvisconti on Instagram & Twitter | lauralawsonvisconti.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Get good news stories in your inbox every week at brandenharvey.com/goodnewsletter
This is Part 2 of Branden’s conversation with Jason Russell, the cofounder of Invisible Children and general creative genius. In this two-part interview Jason and Branden talk about creativity, breakdowns, and movements.
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@jasonradical on Instagram and @jasonrussell on Twitter | broomstickengine.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Jason is the cofounder of the iconic non-profit Invisible Children which was founded to increase awareness of the horrendous activities of the LRA in Central Africa. Jason was also the director of the iconic Kony 2012 film that took the world by storm. In this two-part interview Jason and Branden talk about what it means to create a movement, what Jason experienced during his breakdown and subsequent recovery, and Jason’s experience in the world of theater.
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@jasonradical on Instagram and @jasonrussell on Twitter | broomstickengine.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Blythe Hill is the founder of Dressember— a movement of people using a dress to fight human trafficking and change the world. Branden talked with Blythe about inspiring activism, facing criticism, and making an idea come to life.
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@dressember on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook | dressember.org
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Branden sits down with writer and speaker Tyler Huckabee days after Donald Trump was elected President of the United States to talk about empathy, justice, listening, and where we go from here.
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@tylerhuckabee on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook | tylerhuckabee.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Find show notes at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Allison, Meegan, and Natalie Closner are the three sisters that make up the band, Joseph. Originally hailing from Oregon, the Joseph girls have had an incredible year touring the United States and Europe. In just the last few months they’ve performed on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, CONAN, NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, and Ellen. Allison, Meegan, and Natalie are full of life, strength, courage, and hope and all of that rings so true in their music.
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@thebandjoseph on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook | thebandjoseph.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Join the Sounds Good with Branden Harvey Email Party at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Sarah is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Darling Magazine, an artistic quarterly publication that seeks to broaden the “ideals” of beauty in media by using all sizes of models and becoming the first magazine to not retouch women's bodies or skin in photos. Darling is now carried in over 300 retailers in the U.S. and abroad including Anthropologie and Whole Foods. Sarah and the Darling team have built a strong community of women who know their true worth.
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@darling on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook | darlingmagazine.org
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
Join the Sounds Good with Branden Harvey Email Party at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Charlie Todd is the founder of Improv Everywhere and has been producing and directing the group’s work for over fifteen years. Improv Everywhere as a group carries out pranks, which they call "missions", in public places. The chaotic and joyful experiences they create have gone viral on YouTube time and time again.
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@improveverywhere on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook
improveverywhere.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat
brandenharvey.com
Join the Sounds Good with Branden Harvey Email Party at brandenharvey.com/podcast
Hip hop artist and poet, Propaganda, grew out of the Los Angeles hip hop scene and has become a prominent voice in the world of political activism and education. He's assembled a body of work that challenges his listeners with every verse & reaches across the spectrum of pop culture.
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SOCIAL:
@prophiphop on Twitter and Instagram| humblebeast.com/propaganda
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | brandenharvey.com
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at gradient.is.
In 2004, Frank Warren started an art project called PostSecret. He asked strangers to mail their secrets they'd never shared with anyone to his house. The game plan was to put the few postcards he received into an art exhibit… but he just kept receiving more and more. Frank started a lo-fi blog where he shared a handful of secrets once a week. Now, PostSecret is the largest advertisement-free blog in the world and he’s received more than a million postcards from strangers.
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SOCIAL:
@postsecret on Twitter and Facebook. | www.postsecret.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at www.gradient.is.
Jessica Hische is an amazing lettering artist and author of "In Progress”. She’s done amazing hand lettering work for clients such as Wes Anderson, Penguin Books, The New York Times, American Express, Target, and Nike. Jessica is considered highly in the design community as someone who’s a helper— consistently providing advice on how she’s overcome obstacles in both work and life.
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SOCIAL:
@jessicahische on Twitter and Instagram. | www.jessicahische.is/awesome
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at www.gradient.is.
If you work in the creative or design world, you probably know Aaron’s name. And if you’re not in the creative or design world, you’ve probably still seen Aaron’s work. Aaron is a designer that’s worked with tons of brands and people you’ve heard of including Nike, Patagonia, Ford, and Barack Obama. And he’s also the founder of Field Notes— the iconic little notebooks you’ve seen all over the place. In this episode of Sounds Good, Branden and Aaron dive deep into philosophy, hope, and savoring the inconsequential.
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SOCIAL:
@draplin on Twitter and Instagram. | www.draplin.com
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at www.gradient.is.
Brad Montague is the creator of Kid President, the popular web series featured on Rainn Wilson's Soulpancake YouTube channel that has been viewed more than 16 million times. With a passion for helping foster creativity and compassion in young people he is constantly creating new and unique ways to make the world a better and more childlike place.
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SOCIAL:
@thebradmontague on Instagram & Twitter
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at www.gradient.is
David Nelson is a free agent wide receiver in the NFL. He played college football for the University of Florida, where he was a member of two BCS National Championship teams before playing for the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets. In the midst of his NFL career, David became passionate about helping orphans in Haiti and started a non-profit called i’mME that’s working to help orphans around the world in a unique and holistic way.
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SOCIAL
@DavidNelson86 on Instagram & Twitter
@imME_org on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter | www.imme.org
@brandenharvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Snapchat | www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.gradient.is.
Phil Martin is a photographer and EMT who also happens to be on the autism spectrum. He serves as a volunteer and advocate for Autism Speaks— the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization. Phil has a beautiful and powerful story and an especially great laugh. I can’t wait for you to get to know and learn from him. I know I’ve learned a lot from him.
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You can connect with Phil Martin on Instagram at @phil.martin and see his photography at www.dcportraits.org.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at Gradient.is.
In 2012, Bonnie Kate happened to be watching a movie in Aurora, Colorado when a gunman stormed into the theater and began shooting. Bonnie Kate was shot, but lived. On this week’s episode of Sounds Good, Bonnie Kate and her now-husband Max share the beautiful and hopeful story of how they’ve redeemed such a terrible tragedy in their lives, how they fell in love, the experience of their story going viral online (Their short film, Wildflower, has 1 million views!), and what’s next for them. You’re not going to want to miss this.
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You can connect with Bonnie Kate on Instagram at @bonniekatez. You can connect with Max on Instagram at @belikethefox. Follow them together on YouTube and Instagram at Adventure Us.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Zach King is a short-form filmmaker, internet personality most known for his “magic vines”. Zach has been a guest on Ellen, just wrapped up a season of the Amazing Race, and has more than 22 million followers across the internet. In this week’s episode we talk about how Zach has been able to stay humble, why he and his wife have decided to take in a foster child, and what’s next for his career.
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You can connect with Zach King on Instagram, Vine, YouTube, and Twitter.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
Timba Smits is an award-winning designer, artist, illustrator and part-time crime fighter based in East London. He's also the Creative Director of the magazines Little White Lies and Huck. In this episode Timba shares about his life growing up in Melbourne, Australia, working hard to accomplish his goals, and overcoming a difficult time in his life.
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You can connect with Timba Smits on Instagram and Twitter and see his work at www.timbasmits.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
Elsie Larson is a brilliant blogger, entrepreneur and all-around creative person. Elsie runs the popular blog A Beautiful Mess with her sister and through A Beautiful Mess has launched a handful of bestselling apps, dozens of courses, a number of products, and of course thousands of blog posts.
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You can connect with Elsie Larson on Instagram and check out A Beautiful Mess on Instagram and Twitter and at www.abeautifulmess.com. (And get 20% off A Beautiful Mess’ blogging e-course at shop.abeautifulmess.com with ‘20OFFSOUNDSGOOD”)
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
Ryan O’Neal is the singer-songwriter and composer behind the band Sleeping At Last. Sleeping at Last’s music has been featured in and used by the Twilight Saga, the Fault in Our Stars trailer, Dancing with the Stars, Jane the Virgin, Super Bowl Commercials, Ellen DeGeneres, a million episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, So You Think You Can Dance, Kid President, and dozens of other shows. This week Branden talked with Ryan about how he got where he is, his creative process, and what inspires him.
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You can connect with Sleeping at Last on Instagram and Twitter at @sleepingatlast and listen to his music (and subscribe to his fun newsletter!) at www.sleepingatlast.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com/goodnewsletter.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
Nirrimi Firebrace is an award-winning Australian photographer who catapulted into the public eye when she was just a teenager. She runs an incredibly popular blog called Fire & Joy, where she’s shared her beautiful, sometimes heartbreaking, and always hopeful life story through photos and words since she was a young teenager. She’s shot for all kinds of brands and bands all over the world and everywhere she goes she loves people well.
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You can connect with Nirrimi Firebrace on Instagram at @fireandjoy and see her photos and read her blog at www.fireandjoy.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com/goodnewsletter.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
In 2015 when protests broke out in Baltimore in response to the death of Freddie Gray, photographer and activist Devin Allen was one of the first photographers on the scene to share his photos with the world.
His photos were quickly shared by celebrities like Rihanna and Beyonce and one of his most iconic photos landed on the cover of TIME magazine. Since then, it’s been a crazy year for him. Under Armour hired him to tour with Steph Curry around Asia shooting photos, Pope Francis was gifted a book that included some of his work, and he had some of his photographs shown at the Smithsonian.
And now over a year after his rise to fame, Devin is helping change his community and the way it’s perceived for good.
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You can connect with Devin Allen on Instagram and Twitter at @byDVNLLN. And see his iconic TIME cover at www.brandenharvey.com/sounds-good/devin-allen
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
Learn more about him and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com/goodnewsletter.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
You’ve almost certainly seen Dallas Clayton’s fun and positive Instagram photos or at the least, some Instagram photos inspired by him. When he’s not busy writing books (for children of all ages), touring the world, painting on buildings, or climbing trees, he is generally trying find happiness and share it with others. He’s been called the Dr. Seuss of the internet generation, Justin Timberlake is a big fan, and I think you’re really going to love this quirky and unconventional conversation.
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You can connect with Dallas Clayton on Instagram and Twitter at @dallasclayton. Check out his books and art at www.dallasclayton.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. Learn more about him and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
Sammy Nickalls is an essayist and mental health advocate. She is a staff writer for HelloGiggles and the originator of the popular Twitter hashtag, #TalkingAboutIt. Sammy's work generally focuses on personal essays, feminism, and mental health awareness.
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You can connect with Sammy Nickalls and check out #TalkingAboutIt on Twitter at @sammynickalls.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end). And subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
Victor Saad is an Egyptian-American living in Chicago who believes that relationships are the most powerful engines for change. After ditching grad school to create his own successful masters program called The Leap Year Project, Victor founded the Experience Institute, joining forces with industry leaders from Leo Burnett, Stanford, and Ideo to design a new type of higher education rooted in real-world experience.
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You can connect with Victor Saad on Instagram and Twitter at @victorsaad.
Find out more about Experience Institute on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram at @ExpInstitute and www.expinstitute.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. And subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
Cubby Graham is one of the happiest and most lovable people on the internet. With 750,000 Instagram followers and plenty more spread across other platforms, the whimsical and hopeful photos Cubby shares on a daily basis have the reach to make people smile all around the world. The most amazing thing about Cubby’s influence is that he uses it for good in all kinds of ways. On top of being a fun-loving internet celebrity— Cubby also works at the innovative non-profit, charity: water.
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You can connect with Cubby Graham on Instagram and Twitter at @cubbygraham.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
You can subscribe to Branden’s weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Eryn Erickson is a musician turned entrepreneur living in Atlanta, Georgia. She’s the founder of So Worth Loving, a lifestyle brand focused on reminding people of their value. You’ve probably seen the words So Worth Loving on t-shirts, Instagram posts or all over Tumblr. So Worth Loving exists to dare people to live louder and love deeper. To remind people that they are valued. They are loved. They are worth fighting for.
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You can connect with Eryn Erickson on Instagram, and Twitter at @eryneddy.
Find out more about So Worth Loving on Twitter, Instagram and www.soworthloving.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. Subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Tyson Motsenbocker is a songwriter and guitarist living in San Diego, California. After the release of two EPs Until it Lands and Rivers and Roads, Motsenbocker defined himself as a mature lyricist and accomplished songwriter, sharing the stage with the likes of David Bazan, Vance Joy and James Bay.
In 2013, after the death of his mother and hero, Motsenbocker walked the six hundred mile stretch of coastline to San Francisco in memory of her. His most recent album Letters to Lost Loves is based on his experience losing his mother and walking down the west coast. The album has been incredibly well received. NPR described it as “a strongly-formed debut album from someone who's been through the ringer spiritually, physically and emotionally.”
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You can connect with Tyson Motsenbocker on Instagram and Twitter and buy or stream his new album at www.tysonmotsenbocker.com.
You can follow along with Branden Harvey’s travels and adventures on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. Learn more about Branden and subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
After pioneering anti-slavery initiatives in India with the International Justice Mission, John served as a federal prosecutor in the United States Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit for over a decade. It was here that he investigating and prosecuting labor and sex trafficking cases throughout the United States.
Through his work combatting human trafficking, John has earned numerous awards and has served as an expert to the United Nations and the European Union as they too seek to fight human trafficking around the world. He has also trained judges, prosecutors, federal agents, law enforcement officers, NGOs, and international delegations on human trafficking.
He recently left the Department of Justice to found the Human Trafficking Institute – which uses proven strategies to stop traffickers, rescue victims, and decimate the prevalence of slavery.
Oh, and get this: The head of the FBI’s Human Trafficking Program called John “every trafficker’s worst nightmare"
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You can connect with John Cotton Richmond on Twitter and Facebook and learn more about his work and The Human Trafficking Institute at www.johncottonrichmond.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. And subscribe to his freshly redesigned weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new www.Gradient.is.
Joshua DuBois is a former assistant to President Obama and became the President’s friend and spiritual advisor. Often described as Pastor-in-Chief. He was named one of the top 100 most influential African Americans in the country by The Root and Ebony Magazine. He’s written four cover stories for Newsweek and has been featured by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, CNN, and the Washington Post. Joshua is now the founder and CEO of Values Partnerships, a consultancy that has worked with Paramount Pictures, Oprah Winfrey, The History Network, and ABC’s Shark Tank.
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You can connect with Joshua DuBois on Instagram and Twitter and learn more about Joshua and buy his book at www.joshuadubois.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey.
And subscribe to his freshly redesigned weekly Goodnewsletter at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Jeremy Cowart is a photographerand idea chaser living in Nashville, Tennessee. While Jeremy iswell known for his work photographing people like Taylor Swift,Sting and the Kardashians, he spends most of his time dreaming upnew ideas and making them a reality. Between launching humanitarianprojects, a tech startup, a non-profit, and a soon-to-be-launchedglobal hotel chain, Jeremy knows how to use his platform, talentsand abilities to change the world for the better. Jeremy recentlyshared his inspiring life story in a 25 minute video and more than2 million people tuned in.
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You can keep in touch with withJeremy on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @jeremycowart and find out more about hisphotography work and the Purpose Hotel at www.jeremycowart.com.
You can keep in touch withBranden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchatat @brandenharvey and get to knowhim at www.brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts likeSounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Sara Hopkins is a news reporter turned viral comedic celebrity. Sara has an infectious personality full of hope, optimism, and kindness, which has earned her more than 960,000 followers on Vine, a quarter million followers on Instagram, and tens of thousands more scattered across the rest of the internet. She’s collaborated with brands like Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Target and has been talked about everywhere from Adweek and Business Insider to Vogue and People.
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You can connect with Sara on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Vine at @sayhop.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey. And subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Me Ra Koh has lived an incredible and diverse life. She’s spent time in a psychiatric ward, written several books, shot photos for some of the biggest brands in the world, and starred all over the television world. She’s recently starred on the Nate Berkus Show on the Oprah Winfrey Network, starred regularly on Disney, and is currently filming and producing a travel show with her amazing family of four all over the world. Me Ra is high-energy, full of intentionality, and loves to laugh. Today she shared about stepping into the unknown, being fully present in the moment, and the beauty of rejection and failure.
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You can connect with Me Ra Koh on Facebook and learn more about her at merakoh.com
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end).
Subscribe to Branden’s weekly Goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Adam J. Kurtz, or ADAMJK is an artist, and author of 1 Page at a Time, which has been translated into more than a dozen languages. As an artist he’s worked with the New York Times, HP, Buzzfeed, Tumblr and Urban Outfitters. In this episode, Branden and Adam talk about optimism, depression, making opportunities happen, and how to take life day by day.
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You can connect with Adamjk on Instagram and Twitter at @adamjk and see his work at adamjkurtz.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end).
Subscribe to Branden’s weekly Goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Kohl is the CEO and co-founder of Krochet Kids International, a non-profit using something as simple as crocheting to empower people around the world to rise above poverty. Today Branden talks with Kohl about the importance of travel, the secret to starting things, and how to change the world.
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You can connect with Kohl Crecelius on Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter at @kohlgreyson.
Find out more about Krochet Kids International on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and krochetkids.com.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end).
And subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Maia and Alex Shibutani are Olympic figure skaters at the top of their game. The duo have been in the public eye for years because of their incredible talent at such a young age, but also because brother-sister teams are uncommon in the sport. With 12 years of skating together under their belts, these siblings have competed together all over the world. They just won the National Championship and are competing at the World Championships the moment this episode is going live. ESPN called them stunning. The US Olympic Team describes them as incredibly dynamic in and outside the rink. On top of all of this, I just think Maia and Alex are some of the most genuine, interesting, and fun people I’ve ever met.
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You can connect with Maia Shibutani on Instagram and Twitter at @maiashibutani.
You can connect with Alex Shibutani on Instagram and Twitter at @alexshibutani
You can connect with them collectively on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat at @shibsibs.
You can connect with Branden Harvey on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end).
And subscribe to his weekly Goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good at the all new Gradient.is.
Becky Simpson is a designer, illustrator, and author living in Austin, Texas. Her work stands out as playful, genuine, and unique. So much so that Adobe brought her on as a creative resident. This means that for the last year her sole job has been to create from her heart. Her amazing work and outlook on life has been talked about by Buzzfeed, FOX News, Lifehacker, Jess Lively, and Refinery 29. Today Branden talks with Becky about her quirky art, how to follow your enthusiasm, the benefits of prioritizing opportunities, and how to build a supportive community of friends.
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You can connect with Becky Simpson on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @beckymsimps and see her work at beckysimpson.co and chipperthings.com.
Follow along with Branden Harvey’s travels on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @brandenharvey (with an -en at the end). And subscribe to his weekly goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good over at Gradient.is.
Britt Nilsson is most well known for her -almost- two season stint with ABC’s The Bachelor & The Bachelorette. In fact, you might be one of the millions of people who watched her dance, cry, and date on live tv. Today Branden talks to Britt about what the show was really like, how she came out of her lowest moment, and how she’s using her experience to make a difference in the world.
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You can connect with Britt Nilsson on Instagram at @brittkarolina.
Follow along with Branden Harvey’s travels on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @BrandenHarvey (with an -en at the end). And subscribe to his weekly goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good over at Gradient.is.
BC Serna is a world traveling storyteller, connecting with strangers everywhere he goes. When he’s not traveling the country speaking at high schools and conferences, BC can be found making films for non-profits and mentoring inner city youth. Today Branden talks to him about the value of traveling the world, engaging with controversial ideas, and removing our masks.
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You can connect with BC Serna on Instagram, Facebook, and of course YouTube by searching for ‘BC Serna’. Easy.
Follow along with Branden Harvey’s day-to-day on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @BrandenHarvey. And subscribe to his weekly goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good over at Gradient.is.
You’ve seen Ruthie Lindsey’s work. You just don’t know it. As a stylist, she’s worked with everyone from Warby Parker and charity: water to Mercedes-Benz and Lincoln. And crazily enough, Taylor Swift did a photoshoot in Ruthie’s beautiful home. She’s always dancing, giggling and speaking kind words. So much so that you’d never know the pain she’s overcome through the years and continues to overcome on a daily basis. Today Branden talks with her about choosing joy despite pain, finding your identity, and… well, rap music.
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You can connect with Ruthie Lindsey on Instagram at @ruthielindsey.
Connect with Branden Harvey and find out where in the world he is this week on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @BrandenHarvey. And subscribe to his weekly goodnewsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good over at Gradient.is.
Jedidiah Jenkins wants to live to be a billion. If you ask him how, he’ll tell you he wants to live every day fully alive. And really, he has. As one of the early leaders of Invisible Children, Jedidiah saw a small non-profit turn into a global movement. While Invisible Children was at its height, Jedidiah left to pursue a crazy dream to bike from Oregon to Patagonia. He came back with countless stories from the adventure. Now Jedidiah spends his time getting those stories out in the world as he writes his soon-to-be-released novel and shares snippets of his life on Instagram with his 108,000 followers. Today, Branden talks with him about what inspired him to live this unconventional life, why we need to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones, and why curiosity is so important.
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You can connect with Jedidiah Jenkins on Instagram at @jedidiahjenkins.
Connect with Branden Harvey and catch up on his latest adventures on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @BrandenHarvey. And subscribe to his weekly newsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good over at Gradient.is.
Maybe you’ve heard of Taylor Tippett, the happiest flight attendant in the world, or maybe you’re just one of the dozens of people who find themselves anonymously encouraged and inspired by her every single day. Taylor spends much of her life in the sky, but the story of how she’s changing the lives of her airline passengers has gone viral, covering more ground than even she does. Today, Branden talks to her about what she does, how she got started, and why we all should be a little more like her.
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You can connect with Taylor Tippett on Instagram and Twitter at @taylortippett, or just head over to her blog: atravelinlady.com.
Connect with Branden Harvey and catch up on his latest adventures on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat at @BrandenHarvey. And subscribe to his weekly newsletter at brandenharvey.com.
You can find more podcasts like Sounds Good over at Gradient.is.
Sounds Good With Branden Harvey is a weekly podcast that explores the lives, stories and adventures of the happiest people on the Internet. Every week, our host Branden Harvey sits down with someone who is spreading hope and positivity in the world, and tries to figure out just what it is that makes them tick. Sounds Good With Branden Harvey is part of the Gradient Podcast Network, with new episodes released each Monday.