Watts of Change: Recent Episodes
Jennifer Watts
Watts of Change Podcast is dedicated to talking about something that makes most people uncomfortable: change. We bring on guests from all walks of life to discuss how we can create change, within ourselves and communities, for a brighter future.
On this episode, host Jenn Watts interviews youth vote experts and a Generation Z candidate. How do we mobilize this new voting power? What issues do Generation Z care about and what will it take for them to cast a vote for the 2024 presidential election? Jenn interviews the following individuals to help listeners come to their own conclusions and get involved:
Kwesi Chappin, Founder & President, Chappin Consulting. Kwesi Chappin is a community organizer based in Cheverly, Maryland. On a mission to create tangible change for Black folks, he teaches others how to turn their apathy into anger and hold elected officials accountable. He believes that when Black folks are treated like soccer moms by the political establishment, they'll get the resources and attention needed to win. In all of his endeavors, Kwesi takes a holistic and humans-first approach to organizing: meeting people and communities where they're at and listening to their needs in an authentic, respectful way. One of his former colleagues said, "it's like magic" when Kwesi is in the room. But it's easy to be in the community if you listen. Then, blending his knowledge with the community's, he equips people with the skills and tools to organize on their own. Most recently, Kwesi worked at the online racial justice organization, Color Of Change. As Senior Political Director, he was instrumental in moving the membership base beyond clicking petitions into deeper engagement both online and offline and kicking terrible district attorneys out of office.
In 2007, Kwesi's life changed when he joined the Obama campaign. As an organizer, he launched Cleveland's first successful presidential volunteer program, where he mobilized the city's residents to knock on their neighbor's doors instead of bringing in paid outsiders. From there, he served as Training Director at the New Organizing Institute. Next, he created the Black Roots New Media Bootcamp, the first-ever digital strategy training program for people of color, before returning to the Obama campaign in 2012. After that, he was in charge of statewide volunteer coordination and managing paid canvassers in Ohio, ensuring the state stayed blue.
Meg Hovious, (she/they) is a campaign advisor and mental health advocate committed to reimagining workspaces and culture. With a career in democratic politics and training in organizational design and cognitive psychology, Meg recently launched a boutique consultancy committed to changing minds about culture and mental health. Here is a unique collective of behavioral experts, organizational designers, mental health advocates, and educators making an impact at work, schools, and in community by increasing mental health literacy and advocating for better conditions for all.
Meg has previously served as Chief People Officer on Pete Buttigieg’s presidential primary campaign and as an advisor for Senator Mark Kelly’s reelection campaign.
Nick Roberts, Nick Roberts is a 22-year old candidate for Indianapolis City County Council District 4 to represent Castleton and Geist. After 7 years of community and political involvement, he is running for Council to advocate for investing in mental health programs, better infrastructure and stronger public safety.
For 2022 midterms, exit voting polls found that one in eight midterm voters were under 30, and 61% of those between the ages of 18 and 34 voted for Democrats. The results pushed the Fox News pundits Jesse Watters and Laura Ingram to suggest that the legal voting age should be increased to 21.
On this episode of Watts of Change podcast, host Jenn Watts sets the tone for a series on Generation Z and their voting power. She challenges young voters to think critically over the next two years and how they set the agenda for the 2024 presidential election. Jenn sets the stage for another mini series - this time on how Generation Z can wield their power to set policy agendas across the country.
Jenn will interview experts and young people who will explain why Generation Z can flip the script on issues that matter for new generations rising.
In episode 10, host Jenn Watts talks with TJ Wright to discuss how you build authentic, inclusive organizations with diversity as a core value for your mission. This is an important episode for changemakers, leaders and entrepreneurs.
Over the past decade, TJ Wright has used his superpowers of Storytelling, Systems Thinking, and “Friend-raising” to blaze new pathways, opportunities, and leadership around what it means to exist authentically in the workplace.
A forward-thinking leader with a keen intuition for out-maneuvering inequity; TJ has tackled countless burnt-out employees, lots of well-intentioned but poorly executed plans, and the chronic use of "That's just the way we've always done it” to implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) supplant “We don’t care/know-how”.
Presently, TJ is an entrepreneur serving entrepreneurs as CEO of Whelhaus Co; a holistic startup studio for Black entrepreneurs in the Midwest, and the first Black & openly LGBTQ+ Executive Director of The Speak Easy; Indiana’s first co-working space.
On this episode, host Jenn Watts interviews Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears. Ryan is in the middle of his campaign as the incumbent prosecutor. We talk to Ryan about his ideas for criminal justice reform, why he got involved in public service, his stance on legalizing marijuana, his unwavering commitment to ending violence against women and why he is determined to lift up our youth.
After graduating from Cardinal Ritter High School in Indianapolis, Ryan attended and played basketball at St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer. Ryan then obtained his law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. After completing law school, Ryan immediately began his career in public service at the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. During his fifteen years as a Deputy Prosecutor, Ryan tried more than 100 jury and bench trials. As Chief Trial Deputy in the Prosecutor’s Office, Ryan championed reform, innovation, and leadership, while carrying a caseload along with his fellow Deputy Prosecutors.
How do we disrupt Achievement Culture? On this episode, we discuss the pressures of achievement culture with special guest and dear friend Jonathan Shepherd, a Senior Data Analyst, writer, documentarian and improviser.
Achievement sounds great doesn’t it? What parent doesn’t want their child to achieve? What teacher doesn’t hope their students achieve at a high level? Of course achievement in general is a good thing but the Culture of Achievement created by high stakes accountability measures, financial gains, religion, policies, familial expectations, outdated cultural practices and even martial expectations is having a dangerous effect on us and our children.
How do we disrupt Achievement Culture to find our true passions, live healthy lives and love ourselves for who we vs living ONLY for an achievement that ultimately won’t make us, or our kids, happy? We argue that Happiness, or contentment, is not attained by your collective achievements. In fact, one can find strength and self love in failures.
In this episode, host Jenn Watts shares how and why she started her consulting company, Watts Change Agency. She explains how it was time to be her own boss, build her own platform and work on issues that inspire her. Jenn explains how anyone can start a company with a vision, an understanding of your values and the desire to love what you do everyday.
On this episode, host Jenn Watts interviews political candidate Destiny Wells. She is running for the Secretary of State of Indiana and is breaking barriers in the GOP supermajority state as a female, democratic candidate.
Destiny Wells grew up in a blue collar family in Morgan County, where she learned the importance of the values that small-town Hoosiers hold dear: family, freedom, and progress. She is the daughter of eight generations of farmers, whose love for working the land has stayed true even through hardship.
Destiny left home to attend Indiana University as a first generation college student. And in the throes of 9/11, she enlisted in the Army National Guard at the age of 19 and later joined Army ROTC. In the military Destiny found what many of us are looking for: a steady paycheck, health care, a path toward retirement, and the ability to serve our country and our community.
19 years later, Destiny became a U.S. Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel continues to proudly serve. Outside of the military, she also became a lawyer and an entrepreneur.
Destiny is running for Indiana Secretary of State to safeguard democracy and the freedom to vote right here at home. She has worked at all levels of government—local, state, federal, and the multi-national level with NATO. As an attorney, she's been Associate Corporation Counsel for the City of Indianapolis and Marion County, and Deputy Attorney General for the State of Indiana. And as a military intelligence officer, Destiny has seen first hand the state of democracy across the world.
Following the abortion podcast series, host Jenn Watts speaks with seasoned Hoosier legislative expert Lindsay Haake. Learn how a bill is introduced, cultivated and passed in the Indiana statehouse. Also hear how politics is really done, unfiltered, and what is takes to get a political agenda passed through legislation.
Lindsay is a PR and public policy expert with clients throughout the Midwest and DC. Lindsay grew up in Michigan, graduated from the University of Michigan and moved to Bloomington for grad school at Indiana University. She's worked many campaigns including city council and statehouse races, Red-to-Blue congressional runs, gubernatorial runs, and countless advocacy initiatives at state legislatures. Lindsay was recently named Communications Director for both Tom McDermott for US Senate and Destiny Wells for Secretary of State. Lindsay has experience working with media outlets across the globe and has been on the record in the Washington Post, Fox News, the Huffington Post, CNN and fucking Breitbart (no joke). Lindsay specializes in non-profit advocacy by way of earned media and accepts new clients.
Episode trigger warning : Sexual assault, suicide attempt
On this special episode, host Jenn Watts facilitates conversations with three women who had abortions due to traumatic circumstances. They share how the choice was the healthiest decision for their mental and physical health, and all believe the choice saved their lives. They are now thriving as scholars, partners, professionals and activists - deeply contributing to their communities.
You'll also hear snapshots and voices from an abortion rights rally at the Indiana Statehouse on July 25, 2022. Individuals share why they came to the rally and what they want from the Indiana legislature.
Host Jenn Watts continues the series on abortion rights and how the decision to overturn Roe v Wade is affecting women across the U.S., with a particular focus on the supermajority state of Indiana.
You’ll hear three different political perspectives from women close to the issue, a pro-choice Democrat, a pro-life Republican and a pro-choice Libertarian. Each woman dives into her personal and political beliefs as well as her own experiences to make a decision on where she stands in regards to the recent Supreme Court decision.
In this episode, Jenn explains how she will address the issue of abortion from all sides of the aisle in two episodes to follow. Jenn will be interviewing experts, moms, fathers and individuals affected by reproductive rights. Over the past two weeks, activists have been relentlessly organizing to prevent a ban on abortions in mostly southern and midwest states, while other parts of the country have taken steps to protect abortion rights and access.
Jenn will dive into how this makes women particularly feel in the supermajority state of Indiana, where all signs are pointing to a ban on abortions by July 25th. She'll explain why she is pro-choice even though she grew up in a pro-life family and went to Catholic grade school and college. We hope you’ll listen and come to the table with an open mind and heart. Join us on this timely journey for social change.
On this first episode, host Jenn Watts introduces herself, explains why this podcast now and sheds light on her personal story to change herself, heal trauma and become a better advocate for change. Jenn also introduces the social issues she will raise on this podcast, and how she will be an honest broker to facilitate all sides of the conversation for listeners to better understand how we will solve some of our most pressing problems for rising generations.