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Sounds Good with Branden Harvey

Sounds Good with Branden Harvey

By 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.
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Shawn Askinosie — Our Vocation as a Force for Good

Sounds Good with Branden HarveyJun 04, 2018

00:00
47:14
Backhanded Optimism with Adam J. Kurtz

Backhanded Optimism with Adam J. Kurtz

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


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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Oct 25, 202143:05
How to Turn Good Intentions into Real Change in Your Workplace

How to Turn Good Intentions into Real Change in Your Workplace

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


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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Oct 18, 202142:05
Develop for Good Is Pairing Ivy League Students with Nonprofits

Develop for Good Is Pairing Ivy League Students with Nonprofits

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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Oct 04, 202140:22
Meet the App That Helps People Find Public Benefits

Meet the App That Helps People Find Public Benefits

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


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.


→ Get more Good Good Good at the all-new https://goodgoodgood.co
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Sep 27, 202137:26
One Doctor’s Mission to Bring Healthcare to Refugee Women

One Doctor’s Mission to Bring Healthcare to Refugee Women

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.


→ Get more Good Good Good at the all-new https://goodgoodgood.co
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Sep 20, 202129:40
Being an Imperfect Conscious Consumer

Being an Imperfect Conscious Consumer

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.


→ Get more good news at the all-new https://goodgoodgood.co
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Sep 13, 202145:40
How an Ex-Felon Is Helping Others with Their Second Chance at Life

How an Ex-Felon Is Helping Others with Their Second Chance at Life

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.


→ Get more Good Good Good at the all-new https://goodgoodgood.co
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Sep 06, 202101:10:08
On the Ground in Haiti After Earthquake with Mercy Corps

On the Ground in Haiti After Earthquake with Mercy Corps

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.


→ Get more Good Good Good at the all-new goodgoodgood.co
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Aug 30, 202131:32
How to Get Your Voice Heard by Elected Officials

How to Get Your Voice Heard by Elected Officials

Aug 16, 202145:60
Letting Go of Perfection to Find Peace, According to an Expert
Aug 09, 202152:04
Navigating Change Is An Opportunity for Growth

Navigating Change Is An Opportunity for Growth

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.


→ Get more Good Good Good at the all-new Good Good Good website: goodgoodgood.co
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Aug 07, 202156:16
How a College Student Founded NOLA’s First Glass Recycling Plant

How a College Student Founded NOLA’s First Glass Recycling Plant

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.


Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD
Sponsor: Listen to the podcast Breaking Glass at breakingglasspodcast.com/good.


→ Get more Good Good Good at the all-new goodgoodgood.co
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Aug 02, 202136:58
How Poetry Keeps Us Hopeful with Maggie Smith

How Poetry Keeps Us Hopeful with Maggie Smith

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.


Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD
Sponsor: Get 20% off wine from DrinkBev.com with code GOOD20


→ Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co
→ Join 30,000 weekly Goodnewsletter readers at goodgoodgood.co/goodnewsletter
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Jul 26, 202141:51
Do Petitions Even Do Anything?

Do Petitions Even Do Anything?

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


Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD
Sponsor: Get 20% off wine from DrinkBev.com with code GOOD20


→ Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co
→ Join 30,000 weekly Goodnewsletter readers at goodgoodgood.co/goodnewsletter
→ Become a Member and get the Goodnewspaper at goodgoodgood.co/membership

Jul 19, 202134:03
How to Keep Juneteenth Alive All Year Round
Jun 28, 202129:12
Intervening When You See Harassment Is Easier Than You Think
Jun 14, 202137:35
Ending Global Homelessness Through Innovation
Jun 07, 202142:41
Saving the Bees with Bee Girl Sarah
May 31, 202142:27
Changing the World Happens Best in Community
May 24, 202143:14
6 Good News Stories to Make Your Week Better

6 Good News Stories to Make Your Week Better

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:
- A print Goodnewspaper delivered each month
- A beautiful centerfold poster featuring an inspiring quote each month
- Access to exclusive discounts to do-good brands
- And more coming soon


Guest: Kailey Thompson, managing editor of The Goodnewspaper


Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD
Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/GOOD


→ Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co
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→ Become a Member and get the Goodnewspaper at goodgoodgood.co/membership

May 17, 202129:21
How to Fight Gun Violence with Shannon Watts

How to Fight Gun Violence with Shannon Watts

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:

May 10, 202153:24
Rainbow Railroad Is Helping LGBTQ+ People Flee Persecution

Rainbow Railroad Is Helping LGBTQ+ People Flee Persecution

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


Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD
Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/GOOD


→ Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co
→ Join 30,000 weekly Goodnewsletter readers at goodgoodgood.co/goodnewsletter
→ Become a Member and get the Goodnewspaper at goodgoodgood.co/membership

May 03, 202137:07
John Moe Is Fighting Mental Health Stigma With Humor

John Moe Is Fighting Mental Health Stigma With Humor

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


  • Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD
  • Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/GOOD


→ Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co

→ Join 30,000 weekly Goodnewsletter readers at goodgoodgood.co/goodnewsletter

→ Become a Member and get the Goodnewspaper at goodgoodgood.co/membership


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Apr 26, 202135:60
What’s Happening at the U.S./Mexico Border and How to Help

What’s Happening at the U.S./Mexico Border and How to Help

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:

Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD (and shop local bookstores online with Bookshop)
Sponsor: Save 20% on Riff cold brew and sparkling energy drinks at LetsRiff.com with the code GOODGOODGOOD


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Apr 19, 202101:06:44
Why a Plant-Based Diet Can Save the World
Apr 12, 202126:36
3 Myths About Changing the World

3 Myths About Changing the World

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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Apr 05, 202133:10
Sharing Your Story & Creating Community

Sharing Your Story & Creating Community

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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Mar 29, 202125:28
How to Support Creators of Color
Mar 22, 202142:50
What We Can Learn From the World’s Most Notable Activists

What We Can Learn From the World’s Most Notable Activists

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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Mar 15, 202132:42
How Writing Can Help You Make Sense of the World & Make a Bigger Difference

How Writing Can Help You Make Sense of the World & Make a Bigger Difference

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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Mar 08, 202139:10
How to Make the World More Generous and Thoughtful with Sharon McMahon

How to Make the World More Generous and Thoughtful with Sharon McMahon

Mar 01, 202126:23
Environmentalism Must Care for People and the Planet

Environmentalism Must Care for People and the Planet

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:

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Feb 22, 202133:41
This Organization Is Helping Young People Get Elected

This Organization Is Helping Young People Get Elected

Feb 15, 202129:23
Positive Peace and How We Can Get More of It

Positive Peace and How We Can Get More of It

Feb 08, 202136:41
[Unedited] Jedidiah Jenkins on Finding Your Purpose

[Unedited] Jedidiah Jenkins on Finding Your Purpose

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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Feb 01, 202153:25
Jedidiah Jenkins on Finding Your Purpose
Feb 01, 202140:59
Can Wearing a Dress Change the World?
Jan 25, 202136:31
How To Combat Your Media Echo Chamber
Jan 18, 202127:15
Shane Claiborne on Abolishing the Death Penalty

Shane Claiborne on Abolishing the Death Penalty

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:


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Jan 11, 202133:30
This Nonprofit Helps Kids Grow $100 Into Thousands For Charity
Jan 04, 202126:45
3 Steps to Emotional Wellness with Miles Adcox

3 Steps to Emotional Wellness with Miles Adcox

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:


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Dec 28, 202041:47
How to Be an Ally During a Crisis
Dec 21, 202018:52
Why Ranked Choice Voting Could Save Us
Dec 14, 202034:41
Terence Lester is Helping Forgotten People Wash Their Hands
Dec 07, 202027:30
Sounds Good is Back!
Nov 30, 202007:58
Dr. Tererai Trent — Awakening the Sacred Dream Inside of Us

Dr. Tererai Trent — Awakening the Sacred Dream Inside of Us

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.
Apr 30, 201949:45
Sarah Corbett — The Art of Gentle Protest

Sarah Corbett — The Art of Gentle Protest

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.
Apr 17, 201958:58
Jonny Sun — The Strange Hope of Being an Alien

Jonny Sun — The Strange Hope of Being an Alien

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.
Apr 08, 201953:45
Tyson Motsenbocker — Walking Through Doubt

Tyson Motsenbocker — Walking Through Doubt

Currently touring with Switchfoot and Colony House, Tyson Motsenbocker is a songwriter and guitarist living in San Diego, California.
Apr 02, 201901:09:31
Celebrating 3 Years of Sounds Good!
Mar 25, 201910:58