Let's Give A Damn

On 9/22/17, President Trump said the following to a crowd in Alabama: “"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners when somebody disrespects our flag to say get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out, he's fired, he's fired.’ The next day, he tweeted, “If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU'RE FIRED. Find something else to do!”  The following day, hundreds of players, coaches, musicians, and fans took at knee at various football games around the country. Today, I get to share the story of one of those kneelers—Meghan Linsey. She shares about kneeling in front of tens of thousands of people, how it has affected her career, and she shares fantastic advice for how we move forward. Buckle up, this is a good one! Follow Meghan’s life and music on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Keep an eye out for her upcomi

When Violet was just a few weeks old, her parent—Jen and Mike Anderson—found out she was blind. They also found out that 80% of blindness is treatable and preventable. Through proper medical care and attention, Violet received her eyesight back! During our conversation, Jen shares what it was like to go through that experience and how that season of life pushed her toward starting Violet Sees—a non-profit committed to “giving free glasses to kids who need them, working to expand and improve vision screening programs so more kids can be screened as early as possible, and providing funding to continue research to find the best treatments possible for childhood vision conditions.” Find out more about the work Violet Sees is doing by visiting their website and by liking their Facebook page.  Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! And if you want to follow our host Ni

Kevin and his family went to Uganda to adopt a child and they never left. Crazy, right? His story is fantastic. I loved my conversation with Kevin because he gets it and truly lives the life of a damn-giver. He is a wise leader that doesn’t just talk the talk. He, most definitely, walk the walk! He drops wisdom bombs left and right throughout our conversation. Pay attention, my friends! You won’t want to miss this one.  Keep up with what Kevin and his team are doing by checking out the Mighty Ally website and by following them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Also, follow their blog! Lots of great content on there.  Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! And if you want to follow our host Nick Laparra—Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. Support Let’s Give A Damn by contributing the monthly amount of your choice on Patreon. 100% of the money you contribute wi

Rob “Rob Veggies” Horton was born in St. Louis in an area of the city where his family couldn’t find healthy food options so they resorted to eating nutrition-deficit foods. Later on, Rob moved to Nashville for college and was frustrated that he couldn’t find supermarkets close to him where he could buy fresh products. So, he started learning how to garden. The rest, as they say, is history! He went on to start gardens all around the city and train youth through Trap Garden. And they’re just getting started!  I loved my conversation with Rob and I know you will, too. Check out Trap Garden’s website for more info on what they’re doing and to find out more about ways you can help! Follow Rob on Instagram. If you enjoyed our chat, hit him up on IG and tell him you enjoyed it! Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! And if you want to follow our host Nick Laparra—Face

The #MeToo movement has given millions of people the courage and a voice to come out and share their own stories of sexual abuse. We’ve seen many powerful men be taken down by this movement. We’ve also witnessed the rise of the #ChurchToo movement—people using up to rightly state that there should be zero tolerance of any kind of sexual abuse within the Church. When Kenny was a teenager, he experienced sexual abuse at the hands of a leader in his church—someone he trusted. He never fully shared his story or allowed himself to heal from the trauma and devastation this abuse brought into his life. During our chat, we talk (trigger warning: we talk in graphic detail several times during our chat) about his story, we talk about his path from to survivor to advocate, he shares practical wisdom from his life and experiences, and he gives us a sneak peek into a documentary he is working on that will shed light on abuse within the Church and will give victims a platform from which they can share their story.  I want

A few weeks ago, I spent a week in Honduras with my friends at World Vision. We met several incredible groups of people but I was especially impacted by the community that now has clean water after 7 years of working hard to get clean water to their community. You heard that right—SEVEN YEARS.  In this podcast episode, you’ll get to listen in on an audio clip between two World Vision team members that I captured while in Honduras, I chat with my friend Matthew Paul Turner (who went on the trip with me) in a Target parking lot, and I chat with Jo Saxton (who hosts a yearly #6KForWater in Minneapolis) after her talk at the most recent Q Conference.  PLEASE join me in Nashville (or whoever you live!) on May 19 for World Vision’s #6KForWater. 6 kilometers is the average distance that people in the developing world walk for water—water that is often contaminated with life-threatening diseases. On Saturday, May 19th, thousands of participants from around the globe will walk or run 6k to bring life-changing clean

Last week, I spent time in Memphis, TN for the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s death. At 6:01pm on April 4, I was at the Lorraine Motel for a moment of silence along with thousands of other people. Al Green was there. Bernie Sanders was there. Fr. Michael Pfleger was there. It was a beautiful, solemn moment. In this episode, I share a bit more about my time there. ICYMI, ICE raided a factory a few days ago and arrested 100 immigrants while they were working. It’s the biggest ICE raid in 10 years. Tragic! My friend Beth Mathews (who has already been on the podcast), returns to the show for a short chat about how she sprang into action to care for the families left without fathers and mothers as a result of the raid. If you’d like to help and can provide transportation, legal services, health counseling, childcare, personal hygiene products, click here for more information. You can also give money by clicking here. They’ve already surpassed their $30,000 goal in a couple of days! The last part of thi

Last week, I sat down with Chelsea Clinton in an elementary school conference room while she was on tour to promote her most recent book, She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History. We briefly discussed a trip she and President Clinton took a few years ago with my friends at World Vision to see completed and uncompleted water projects in Rwanda and Myanmar. We chat about being people of action, about raising children well in this volatile political and societal climate, and we talk about legacy. All in all, this was an incredible honor and a great experience. Chelsea is a fantastic human and I’m honored to know her.  Follow her on Twitter to see some of her compassionate and kind replies to trolls. It’s encouraging! If you have young children, buy her books! Actually, no matter who you are, buy her books. Everyone needs to be reminded of some of the amazing women—in America and around the world—who have changed history. If you plan to purchase the books, consider using the following links

This week’s podcast episode is short but not without substance. In this episode, Nick shares several ways you can give more damns and get involved: - Nick is creating a coaching experience in April for 20-25 people. Check out the details here and sign up if you think it’s something you’ll benefit from!  - On March 24, hundreds of thousands of people will take to the streets to march in the March For Our Lives. This march was birthed by students that survived the school massacre in Parkland, FL a few weeks ago. The main march will take place in Washington, D.C. but there are dozens of sibling marches taking place all over the U.S. Click here to see where your march will take place. If you’re in Nashville, join Nick and his family! - Lastly, we highlight several past guests who are doing incredible and timely work. If you’re wondering where you should give your time, energy, and money, wonder no longer! Give to incredible work being done at Preemptive Love, International Justice Mission, and Rescue:Freedom.  F

Anne lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with her husband and their children. From her website: “Anne is an oral history writer interested in people, their stories and making meaningful connections. She wrote her first book The Lucky Ones (winner of the Winnipeg Public Library's On The Same Page Book Award) because of her interest in refugees’ personal stories. Anne is excited that this book has enabled her to create a philanthropic component to her volunteering. Her second book Redemption: Stories of Hope, Resilience and Life After Gangs was published by Great Plains Publications in October 2017. All author proceeds from this book are being donated to gang member rehabilitation and mentorship through GAIN (Gang Action Interagency Network). Anne has been a committed volunteer for 30 years. She began working with the refugee community in 2007 at IRCOM where she spent nine years assisting newcomers learning English. Anne is a founding board member of Humankind International a group of Somali-Canadians and their Canadi

Many people would say Kevin Lyman is a legend. In fact, when I told one of my friends that he was going to be on the show, my friend texted me these words: “True legend, helped shape my youth.” I’m very sure so many young people share my friend’s sentiment!  Over the years, Kevin has started a production company and a consulting firm, he has received many awards, and he has put on some of the best damn live shows the world has ever seen. In our conversation, we spend quite a bit of time talking about the people, places, and things that made me into who he is today. We wade through lots of helpful backstory. Additionally, we talked about the last 23 years of Warped tour and what it feels like to close this chapter in his life. We discuss the many ways we has given a damn and continues to give a damn. We spend some time learning from his life and experiences. Lastly, we get a peek into what’s ahead for Kevin and his company, 4Fini. This is a good one! Follow Kevin on Twitter and Instagram. If you enjoyed our co

Grace Theisen and Lauren Lancaster are Michigan natives now residing in Nashville, TN. A few years ago, they started Songs Against Slavery. SAS “empowers and inspires communities to join the fight against sex trafficking in the United States. We raise awareness and funds through benefit concerts and musician partnerships.” Essentially, they raise money through concerts and partnerships and they use the money they raise to help fund projects that directly help free people from human trafficking.  I truly enjoyed spending time with Grace and Lauren. Their joy for life and passion for helping people come through so many times during our conversation. Additionally, we chat for a bit about some chronic health issues Grace has had to endure for the last few years. We have so much to learn from these amazing women. Follow SAS on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Check out their website for resources and for more ways to get involved! If you enjoyed our conversation or have a question for them, hit them up! I know th

Richard Lee is the Director of Church Mobilization at the International Justice Mission. IJM is a global organization that protects the poor from violence in the developing world. They are unique in their approach to eradicating human trafficking and helping vulnerable people. They don’t aim to just free the slave. Their aim is to arrest and convict the slave owner—the trafficker—so they can never enslave anyone else again. They do this by partnering with governments and law enforcement all over the world. They have helped free more than 40,000 people from oppression and they’ve seen over 1300 convictions of human traffickers. Truly amazing work! Follow Richard on Twitter. If you enjoyed our conversation or have a question, let him know! I know he’d love to hear from you.  Follow IJM on Twitter and Instagram, also. Check out their website for ways to get involved! Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months

Sheeza Shah is the Founder and CEO of UpEffect, a crowdfunding and support platform for companies dedicated to improving lives and the planet. Her company has become the go-to platform for entrepreneurs who are driven not by how much money they can make, but how many lives they can impact. UpEffect’s recent products have ranged from ethical fashion brands to solar cookstoves — from clean drinking water systems to eco-friendly carry bags. To date, UpEffect’s enterprise-solution approach and campaign-consultant model led by Sheeza has driven their 100% success rate at securing funding for their campaigns, raising over £220,000 to launch products and impact lives across ten countries. This is incredible considering Kickstarter’s success rate is 43% and Indiegogo’s success rate hovers just under 10%. Sheeza was named to Computer Weekly’s ‘Most Influential Women in Tech’, Asians in Tech’s ‘Top 100 Asian Stars in UK Tech 2017′, CauseArtist’s ’37 Social Entrepreneurs to Watch in 2017′, and DotEveryone’s ’12 top fema

Thomas Doochin was still in college when he decided to proactively give a damn. While doing his undergrad at UNC, Thomas and some of his closest friends started Daymaker. Daymaker exists to help cultivate the art of giving in the lives of children. They’re using this unique platform to teach children that is truly is better to give than to receive. Over 9000 children have chosen to give to other children in need through Daymaker so far.  Thomas is only 23 but he is a already a fountain of wisdom. He humbly shares so much of that wisdom and other things he is learning with us in this candid conversation. I hope you’ll enjoy our conversation. I know you’ll be challenged! Follow the work Thomas and his team are doing on Twitter, Instagram, and on their website. Follow Thomas on Twitter and Instagram, also. If you enjoyed our conversation or have a question, let Thomas know! He’d love to hear from you.  Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so

Cortney Gusick is an amazing human that cares so much about how people live and how they die. You won’t find a shortage of people wanting to inspire you to live well. You won’t, on the other hand, find too many conversations happening around dying well. As a result of the death of her father and the experiences she and her family went through during that tough time, Cortney decided to start Pāhiki with the purpose of promoting environmental stewardship in deathcare. She does this by creating in two ways—by helping humans re-engage physically & environmentally in the death space and by building dignified and beautiful caskets that are eco-friendly and non-toxic.  By the way, Pāhiki means “to pass quietly, go lightly, touch gently.” Beautiful! Follow the work Cortney and her team are doing on Instagram and on their website. If you liked our conversation or have a question about preparing for death well, hit her up via IG or their website! She’d love to hear from you.  Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, I

I met Stephen Keppel on Twitter a few months back. I knew right away that I needed to have Stephen on. I’m always intrigued to see someone making a difference within a world that is known for its red tape and bureaucracy—the corporate world. Stephen is the Vice President of Social Impact at Univision, the General Manager of Rise Up, the Executive Director of the Univision Foundation, and the Co-Founder and Chairman of EGI—the Economic Growth Initiative for Haiti.  Follow Stephen on Twitter. And clicks the links above to keep up with the work he is doing at Univision and beyond.  Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! And if you want to follow Nick Laparra—Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. Support Let’s Give A Damn by contributing the monthly amount of your choice on Patreon. 100% of the money you contribute will go to making more podcasts. Not a dime goes into ou

I met Jen Lewis over a decade ago when she was teaching at a school in Honduras—the same school my father taught at. After leaving Honduras and getting another degree from John Brown, she started Purse & Clutch—a company that is about art, about connection, and about sustainability. They work directly with artisans in Guatemala & Ethiopia, providing thoughtfully designed, and ethically made handbags to help end the cycle of poverty. They aim to be a part of changing the fashion industry for good. Jen is wise, full of passion, and full of love for others. In our conversation, we cover living in dangerous places, whether Arkansas or Texas is better, motherhood, entrepreneurship, and so much more! There are so many valuable takeaways in our conversation. Let’s go! If you’d like to connect with Jen, shoot her an email at jen@purseandclutch.com. If you enjoyed our conversation, let her know! Also, follow Purse & Clutch on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Lastly, AN AMAZING OFFER FOR YOU! Through Janua

Ben’s story involves prison, it involves homelessness, and it involves Ben being getting shot at as he narrowly escaped from communist Romania. I told Ben during our convo that parts of his story remind me of The Great Escape—you know, the WWII movie with Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson. Ben is an amazing man who has fought hard to raise a money, start a church, run Vital Solutions, and so much more. This is an incredible story of bravery, resilience, perseverance, and passion. You know what? All of these things are required at some point if you’re going to give a damn.  Follow Ben on Twitter. If you enjoyed our conversation, go let him know! Also, follow the work Vital Solutions is doing. Amazing stuff! Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! And if you want to follow Nick Laparra—Facebook, Instagram,& Twitter. Support Let’s Give A Damn by contributing the mo

Jeremy and I attended a fundraiser a few weeks ago and we got talking about our current political climate. We text all the time about it but hadn’t had the opportunity to chat in person about it in quite some time. He mentioned that no one ever asks him about that. Most people only want to know about the celebrities he has photographed or the hotel he is building. So, I asked him if he wanted to have a discussion on our podcast. He said yes! This conversation is the result of our time together.  We intentionally didn’t make this a Trump-bashing conversation. I believe we cover a range of topics responsibly and our hope is that you’ll get a sense of the important issues at hand and where we stand on said issues. Jeremy does a fantastic job summarizing what’s wrong, what’s right, and what we can do about it. Follow Jeremy on Instagram and Twitter. Also, sign up for updates regarding the hotel he’s building and why this is a big deal.  Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up wit