Let's Give A Damn

I had the privilege of sitting down with three wonderful humans while spending just a few hours in Baltimore, MD. We met up at Baltimore’s ImpactHub location and I met with them one after the other. By the end, I was drained, encouraged, and, more than anything, had real love in my heart for these three people and the city they cared for and loved.  First, you’ll hear my conversation with David Fakunle. David has lived his entire life in Baltimore. He has a PhD in Mental Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. I love David’s energy and spirit! Baltimore is blessed to have him. Second, you’ll hear my chat with C. Harvey. She talks about her life, her struggles, and her art. She’s an amazing person who has overcome so much and continues to fight! Lastly, you’ll hear the conversation I had with Rodney Foxworth. This brother is a force to be reckoned with. He is a quiet man but his life packs a punch. Rodney co-founded ImpactHub Baltimore, he founded and is the CEO of Invested Impact, and

I had the privilege of sitting down with a fantastic human and writer, Jonathan Merritt. We met at his apartment in Brooklyn, NY and spoke for an hour or so over wine and a beer. We discuss everything from growing up as the son of a prominent Southern Baptist pastor and leader to how he got into writing as a career to how he uses his life and skills to give a damn by writing articles and books that move people toward action.  He currently serves as a contributing writer for The Atlantic, contributing editor for The Week, and senior columnist for Religion News Service. He has published more than 3500 articles in publications like USA Today, Buzzfeed, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. He has appeared on ABC World News, NPR, CNN, PBS, MSNBC, Fox News, CBS’ “60 Minutes” and The New York Times. He has also written three books, including Jesus is Better Than You Imagined and A Faith of Our Own: Following Jesus Beyond the Culture Wars, and has collaborated on or ghostwritten more than 40 a

I had the privilege of sitting down with the incredible Noor Tagouri. We met for an hour last week at VaynerMedia in NYC. We discuss everything from growing up as a Muslim in West Virginia to her success as a storyteller to why she wears a hijab and what that empowers the women around her. And so much more! I had so much fun talking with her and I know you’ll learn a ton from a young woman who gives so many damns! Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. Additionally, I’d encourage you to watch her TED Talk to learn about her story and her life. Follow Nick Laparra on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter and 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! 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 our pockets. THIS WEEK’S SPONSORS Ruby Cup: Rub

This week, I share six of my favorite moments so far on the podcast. These are, of course, not the only favorite moments I have had. Not even close! I have loved each conversation with the incredible people with whom I’ve been able to chat. These moments, however, stuck out in my mind and I wanted to share them with you. I hope you learn from them and are inpsired to take action and give a damn TODAY! For reference, the clips I share from my conversations with Bucky Buchstaber, Rainn Wilson, Brit Gilmore, Timothy Sykes, Nickolas Gaines, and Golriz Lucina. Each person represents a different way that they’re changing the world but they all have one thing in common—they give a damn and have chosen to not be silent about things that matter. I hope you are encouraged and challenged by the moments I’ve pulled together for you! Follow me, Nick Laparra, on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter and Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned for th

This week, I have a conversation with my new friend and super human, Becca Stevens. Becca Stevens is an author, speaker, priest, social entrepreneur, founder and president of Thistle Farms. After the death of her father when she was 5, Becca experienced sexual abuse at the hands of someone close to her. As she grew older, she longed to help women who had experienced some of the things she had when she was younger. In 1997, she started Thistle Farms. Two decades later, Thistle Farms helps women through the means of free housing, medical care, therapy, and education. Additionally, the Global Market of Thistle Farms employed more than 1800 women worldwide! Becca has been featured in the New York Times, ABC World News, was recently named a 2016 CNN Hero and a White House “Champion of Change." Among other awards and recognitions, she was inducted into the Tennessee Women’s Hall of Fame. Her newest book, Love Heals, will be published by Harper Collins in September of 2017. You can preorder it now! Follow Becca on F

In this Season 2 finale episode, I chat with you, my dear friends! Well, we’re not really chatting. But I am speaking directly to you. Season 2 has been extraordinary! In this episode, I recap our amazing guests like Rainn Wilson, Timothy Sykes, Andrea Geubelle, Jamie Tworkwoski, and so many more! I also share what I’ll be doing in between seasons and I share a brief challenge based on quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dr. Loretta Scott. We have so many amazing things planned for the future and I’m grateful for your time and attention! If you’d like to keep up with what we’re doing at Let’s Give A Damn while you wait for Season 3, make sure to follow us on Facebook,Twitter, & Instagram. Also, don’t forget to join our weekly email list. Additionally, you can support the work we are doing over at Patreon. We’re grateful for your financial contributions! Lastly, If you like this show, please write a review on iTunes or whoever you listen to your podcasts. This will help us stand out in the crowd and g

In this episode, I chat with my friend, Nickolas Gaines. Nick currently serves as the Suicide Prevention Program Manager for the Department of Defense which entails training, teaching, and caring for 11,000 Soldiers across 26 states. Before his current role, he served as an Army officer and chaplain. In that role, he helped soldiers process major events in their lives and he also helped them in their relationship with God, with themselves, and with others.  From his website: "Nickolas wants to amplify the power, might, and resilience of marginalized communities, particularly communities of color. While he believes in the strength of the human spirit, Nickolas recognizes people of color work to love themselves, their families, and be their best and highest selves in a world that constantly seeks to demean and belittle their unique expressions of culture, love, and joy.” To learn more about Nickolas Gaines, check out his website and you can also find him on Twitter and Facebook. If you want to keep up with what

In this episode, I chat with my friend and PR extraordinaire, Melissa Orozco. Even as a young social entrepreneur, Melissa has already had an incredible career. She received Marketing Magazine's 30 Under 30 marketing pro award and she was the Chair of Communications for the Urban Land Institute of BC from 2011-216. She also played a key role behind impactful & global campaigns including Fuck Cancer, where, on behalf of Yulu PR, she earned an International Stevie® Award for Best Global Social Good PR Campaign of 2012. Additionally, she worked with World Housing, where she launched a PR strategy for the world’s first one-for-one home gifting model, resulting in homes for more than 2,000 Cambodians. Melissa is an incredible human and I’m thrilled you get to listen to our conversation! To learn more about Melissa & YuluPR, check them out online and on their Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you want to keep up with what we’re doing at Let’s Give A Damn, make sure to follow us on Facebook,Twitter, &

In this episode, I chat with filmmaker and creative genius, Ricky Staub. Ricky is an accomplished filmmaker. By his mid-twenties, he was living the dream! Well, the dream for some, anyway. He was an assistant producer for Sam Mercer, who co-produced most of M. Night Shyamalan’s films. While in Philadelphia working on Shyamalan’s film The Last Airbender, he met a man that changed his life and the course of his career. Ricky started a film company that has made world class content for companies like Google, Nike, Coca-Cola, Jeep, Reebok, NBC, Universal, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He loves his work but his favorite part about what they do is their desire to help formally imprisoned men make a living and a life again. They have created a unique program for doing this. You’re going to learn a ton from our talk and I know you’ll love Ricky and his heart to love and help these men. Get ready! This is a good one.  To learn more about Ricky and Neighborhood Film Company, check them out online and on their Instagram,

In this episode, I chat with penny stock trader and millionaire, Timothy Sykes. Sykes has amassed quite a bit of wealth by the age of 35. He has done all this through trading penny stocks and teaching students how to do the same. If you look for Sykes on social media, you’ll probably find photos of him holding stacks of cash, standing next to his Lamborghini, or flying in a private jet. So why am I chatting with him on a social good podcast? He does, indeed, enjoy his lavish lifestyle. But there’s more to Timothy than meets the eye. He has a huge heart and a big desire to build school all over the world through the organization, Pencils of Promise. He has already donated millions of dollars to Pencils of Promise and other causes, and he is just getting started. He plans on continuing to give back in very tangible ways.  In our chat, we talk about his upbringing, his business acumen, his accomplishments, and how he is using his wealth to impact the world in very tangible ways.  To learn more about Timothy, go

In this episode, I chat with my new friend, Andrea Geubelle. Andrea has always excelled in every athletic endeavor she embarks on. Andrea is a University of Kansas alumnus, a three-time NCAA champion, a gold medallist at the 2012 NACAC Under-23 Championships in Athletics, and she represented the United States at last summer’s Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.  In our chat, we talk about her childhood, her family, her accomplishments, and how she is using her platform to equip and empower girls to live meaningful and successful lives through organizations like Z-Girls and Ignite.  To learn more about Andrea, go follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. To learn more about the organizations she works with, visit the Z-Girls website and the Ignite website.  If you want to keep up with what we’re doing at Let’s Give A Damn, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram. Don’t forget to join our weekly email list! Lastly, If you like this show, please write a review on iTunes or whoever you listen

In this episode, I sit down with Rainn Wilson at his home in Los Angeles. Rainn is most widely recognized as Dwight from The Office but he also starred in movies like Juno, Super, Monsters vs Aliens, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and many others. We don’t talk about his Hollywood life all that much in our chat, though. I was more focused on figuring out who he is, how he spends his time, and the things that he is passionate about accomplishing in his life.  We talk about his upbringing, how and why he started SoulPancake, the non-profit he and his wife run in Haiti, why he adheres to the Bahá’í faith, which bear is best, and many other important questions like these. Rainn was incredibly kind and hospitable and I’m very grateful for the time we spent together. I hope you enjoy this chat as I much as I enjoyed having it! To learn more about SoulPancake, visit their website. To learn more about Lidè Haiti and how you can get involved, visit their website, also. Make sure to tell Rainn on Twitter how much

On this episode, I have a conversation with my friend Brit Gilmore, President of The Giving Keys. My chat with Brit was so much fun. I could have talked with her for hours! I loved hearing about her upbringing, about her family, and about how life led her down the path of using the fashion industry as a means of helping to end homelessness in Los Angeles. Brit was recently recognized as one of top social entrepreneurs under 30 by Forbes. Her story is filled with so much hope. I know you’re going to love her and I know you’re going to give more damns after hearing our conversation. There’s a 100% money back guarantee on this commitment! :) To learn more about The Giving Keys and to find ways to support their work, visit their website. Watch this video that explains their core values. Also, watch this TED talk by their founder, Caitlin Crosby. If you want to keep up with what we’re doing at Let’s Give A Damn, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram. Don't forget to join our weekly email lis

In this episode, I have a conversation with my new friend Jamie Tworkowski, Founder of To Write Love On Her Arms. Jamie grew up surfing and began his career at Hurley. He never imagined his life would turn into what it has. In 2006, everything changed by him helping one person in need. Over a decade later, TWLOHA has grown into an organization that has helped millions of people find hope during difficult times in life. Jamie has been interviewed by NBC Nightly News, CBS Sunday Morning and Rolling Stone magazine. He has also been able to share his story of hope with people all around the world. Jamie is one of the easiest people I’ve ever talked to—I mean that! His kind and gentle spirit came through the computer speakers as I interviewed him and I came away feeling loved and cared for by him. He’s an incredible person! I can’t wait for you to hear him talk about his life, how his career went from selling clothes at Hurley to helming millions struggling with addiction, self-harm, and suicide. His story is fill

Our host, Nick Laparra, wraps up Season 1 by sharing more of the vision of Let’s Give A Damn, compiling highlights from each conversation we’ve had so far, and giving a little taste of what’s ahead for Let’s Give A Damn and for Season 2 of the podcast.  Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram. Join our weekly email list. Also, follow our host, Nick Laparra, on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram. Finally, shoot us an email at hello@nicklaparra.com if you have any questions or ideas for next season!

In this episode, I chat with my friend and SoulPancake’s Head of Creative, Golriz Lucina. Golriz shares stories from her incredibly global upbringing, she talks about the journey that led her to join Rainn Wilson’s SoulPancake team, she snickers for a little bit about being married to an entrepreneur, she drops incredibly valuable wisdom bombs for those wanting to be agents of change in the world, and a whole lot more. She is an incredibly creative and talented person and you’ll love her and want to hang out with her by the end of this talk, I know it. Buckle up, this is a good one! You can find Golriz on Twitter. Her heart and soul come out through her work so be sure to follow what she and the others are doing at SoulPancake by following them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow LGAD on Facebook,Twitter, & Instagram. Join our weekly email list! You’ll get an email once-per-month with stories of people who are giving a damn and you’ll also get the latest news about the podcast. HELP US SPREAD THE

In this episode, I chat with my friends, Propaganda and Sho Baraka. Prop and Sho are hip hop artists from Los Angeles and Atlanta, respectively. I spend an hour chatting with them about civil rights, the race issue in America, and how we can engage with people with whom we don’t see eye-to-eye. You’ll hear a bit about their backgrounds, their family, and their faith. Prop and Sho are good friends so they spend half the interview picking on each other. I think you’re going to enjoy this one. Are you ready? Let’s go! Learn more about Propaganda here. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Learn more about Sho Baraka here. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Follow LGAD on Facebook,Twitter, & Instagram. Join our weekly email list! You’ll get an email once-per-week with stories of people who are giving a damn and you’ll also get the latest news about the podcast. HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you like this show, please subscribe in iTunes and write a review. This wil

In this episode, I sit down to chat with the 26 year old CEO of New Story Charity, Brett Hagler. Join us for a few minutes as we talk about how he ended up creating a non-profit startup in one of the most competitive cities in America. You’ll hear about his upbringing, some struggles, and how New Story Charity is impacting the world. You’ll even get to hear a little bit about what they’re doing to help the people of Haiti after the recent hurricane that left thousands homeless. Ready? Let’s go! Learn more about New Story Charity. Also, find them on Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook. Follow Brett on Twitter, too. Follow LGAD on Facebook,Twitter, & Instagram. Join our weekly email list! You’ll get an email once-per-week with stories of people who are giving a damn and you’ll also get the latest news about the podcast. HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you like this show, please subscribe in iTunes and write a review. This will help us stand out in the crowd and get into the ears and lives of more listeners. Can’

In this episode, I sit down to chat with my friend Kate Gazaway in her East Nashville home. We talk about everything from growing up in Georgia to struggling for years to figure out what what she wants to do with her life to this season of still growing and changing and figuring it out. The journey of a visionary and dreamer never ends! Kate is amazing, raw, honest, and I know you’re going to love her and our conversation by the end. Buckle up! It’s a good one.  Learn more about Picture Change and find them on Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook. Follow Kate on Instagram & Twitter, too.  Follow LGAD on Facebook,Twitter, & Instagram. Join our weekly email list.  HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you like this show, please subscribe in iTunes and write a review. This will help us stand out in the crowd and get into the ears and lives of more listeners. Can’t wait to connect with you soon! Love you guys.

In this episode, I have a conversation with my friend, Bucky Buchstaber. Bucky is a Pacific Northwest native born into a rough and rural family life. He went from being a Pastor in Portland to fly-fishing for living. You might ask, “Why did you interview a fisherman for Let’s Give A Damn?” Glad you asked. Because Bucky is giving so many damns doing something he absolutely loves doing! He is using fly fishing to help rescue children from sex trafficking. I can’t wait for you to hear about Bucky’s upbringing, how he became a Pastor, why he left that world, and what he’s doing now to change the world.  Learn more about Fly Fishing Collaborative. Catch (no pun intended) FFC on Facebook and Instagram.  Follow us on Facebook,Twitter, & Instagram. Join our weekly email list.  HELP US SPREAD THE WORD! If you like this show, please subscribe in iTunes and write a review. This will help us stand out in the crowd and get into the ears and lives of more listeners. Can’t wait to connect with you soon!