Let's Give A Damn

From Ferguson to New York, and from Germany and South Africa to Australia and Brazil, Lisa Sharon Harper leads trainings that increase clergy and community leaders’ capacity to organize people of faith toward a just world. A prolific speaker, writer and activist, Lisa is the founder and president of FreedomRoad, a consulting group dedicated to shrinking the narrative gap in our nation by designing forums and experiences that bring common understanding, common commitment and common action. Read the rest of Lisa’s incredible bio on her website. NEXT STEPS: Follow Lisa on Twitter and Instagram. Buy Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World and How To Repair It All from an black-owned independent book store today! Visit the book website to find many other resources! __________________________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@letsgiveadamn.com. Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with everything. We have so much planned

Amanda Litman is the co-founder and co-executive director of Run for Something, which recruits and supports young, diverse progressives running for down-ballot office. Since launching in 2017, RFS has identified more than 100,000 young people who want to run, endorsed nearly 2,000 and elected more than 650 across 48 states, mostly women and people of color. Read the rest of Amanda’s incredible bio on her website. NEXT STEPS: Follow Amanda on Twitter. Buy Run for Something: A Real-Talk Guide to Fixing the System Yourself. If you want to run for one of the 500,000 elected offices in the United States, contact Run For Something today and get started. We need you! __________________________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@letsgiveadamn.com. Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with everything. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! If you love what we’re doing, consider supporting

Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis is an author, activist, pastor, public theologian, and the first woman and black person to be a pastor at Middle Church in New York City. The is a huge deal given that Middle Church was founded in 1628! Read the rest of Jacqui’s incredible bio on her website. NEXT STEPS: Follow Jacqui on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Buy Fierce Love and check out her other books! if you are looking for a spiritual community that is inclusive and multi-cultural, check out Middle Church. __________________________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@letsgiveadamn.com. Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with everything. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! If you love what we’re doing, consider supporting us on Patreon! We can’t do this without you. Lastly, leave us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts! Have an amazing week, friends! Keep giving a damn. Love y’al

Scott Erickson is an artist, author, performance speaker, and creative curate who mixes autobiography, mythology, and aesthetics to create art and moments that speak to our deepest experiences. AND Scott is the most repeated guest on this show. This is his third appearance! Scott’s new book, Say Yes: Discover the Surprising Life beyond the Death of a Dream, comes out on January 25. Preorder it today! This book is “an illuminated manuscript about how our darkest moments are actually doorways to a deeper conversation about who we are, why we’re here, and how the future bursts with possibilities if we are willing to say yes to the gift of life on the other side of a death of a dream.” In this conversation, we talk about dreams that die, what the voice of giving up on yourself sounds like, how to incorporate a death practice into our lives, and how we can Say Yes today and every day. NEXT STEPS: Follow Scott on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Buy the newest book and all of his books! They’re amazing. Go see Sco

This week, the best of 2021! We had dozens of incredible conversations last year but these are some of the moments that stuck out to our host, Nick Laparra. In today’s episode, you’ll hear clips from our conversations with Reshma Saujani, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jedidiah Jenkins, Justin Baldoni, Baratunde Thurston, Sharon McMahon, Taylor Schumann, Pedro Adrade, Rais Buiyan, Katharine Hayhoe, Kirsten Powers, and Shannon Watts. Enjoy! __________________________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@letsgiveadamn.com. Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with everything. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! If you love what we’re doing, consider supporting us on Patreon! We can’t do this without you. Lastly, leave us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts! Have an amazing week, friends! Keep giving a damn. Love y’all! Edited and Sound Designed by Sound On Studios.

One week ago, a 15-year-old domestic terrorist walked into Oxford High School murdering 4 students and injuring 7 more. Why does this keep happening? Why aren’t we doing more to stop these things from happening? Why are there more guns than people in this country? These and so many other questions have been rattling around in my brain over the past week. Shannon Watts joins helps us navigate these important questions today. Shannon Watts is the founder of the nation’s largest grassroots group fighting against gun violence, Moms Demand Action, with chapters in every state effecting change at the local, state and national level. Her book, Fight Like a Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women Will Change the World, was released in May of 2019. NEXT STEPS: Follow Shannon on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Moms Demand Action on Twitter and Instagram. Buy Shannon’s book immediately! Visit Moms Demand Action to see how you can get involved today! ___________________________________________

Diego Saez-Gil is our guest this week! Diego is a climate entrepreneur from Argentina and based in San Fransisco, CA. He founded Pachama—an incredible company that focuses on leveraging data, artificial intelligence, and automation to protect ecosystems, restore forests, and improve carbon markets. From Pachama’s website: “Our co-founder Diego grew up in northern Argentina, at the tip of the diverse rainforest covering most of South America. After a decade of building technology companies abroad, Diego returned to his roots and traveled to the Amazon rainforest. There he saw how much was cleared to deforestation. There he realized the potential of forests to solve climate change. Diego moved to California and joined forces with Tomas, a fellow Argentinian and a machine learning engineer, who was thinking deeply about the role technology could play in protecting and restoring Spaceship Earth. The two partnered to create a company to restore nature to solve climate change.” NEXT STEPS: Follow Diego on Twitter.

Playwright, director, and filmmaker, Tina Satter, joins me on the podcast today to talk about her incredible career and her amazing broadway show that is currently on Broadway until November 27! Here’s Tina’s bio: Tina Satter is a playwright, director, and filmmaker based in New York City and Vermont. She received a 2020 Special Citation Obie Award for conceiving and directing her play IS THIS A ROOM which had its Off-Broadway premiere at the Vineyard Theatre in fall 2019; its sold-out run was followed by an encore production in winter 2020 and a groundbreaking engagement on Broadway in fall 2021. The play originally premiered at The Kitchen in New York City in January 2019. Tina is Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed theater company Half Straddle and a recipient of a 2020 Guggenheim Fellowship in Playwriting, 2019 Pew Fellowship, 2016 Foundation for Contemporary Arts Award, and a 2014 Doris Duke Artist Impact Award. With Half Straddle, she has written and directed 10 full-length plays, smaller perf

Joanne Molinaro—aka The Korean Vegan—is on the podcast this week! Joanne is a marathon runner, a best-selling author, a trial lawyer (until last month, anyway), and the creator of The Korean Vegan! From Joanne’s website: "With over 3.5 million fans spread across her social media platforms, New York Times best-selling author Joanne Molinaro has appeared on The Food Network, CBS Saturday Morning, ABC's Live with Kelly and Ryan, and The Rich Roll Podcast. She's been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, NPR, and CNN.” Why do people flock to Joanne’s content? Because she blends the making of gorgeous, amazing food with beautiful storytelling. I told her during our chat that a food video has never made me cry before…until her content came around. During our chat, we talk about complicated family histories, why and how she became vegan, activism vs. action, and so much more. You’re in for a treat! Follow Joanne on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter

Today, the one and only Kirsten Powers joins us on the pod! Kirsten is a best-selling author, a USA Today columnist, and an on-air Political Analyst at CNN. In the past, Kirsten worked in the Clinton Administration as Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative for Public Affairs, as VP of Internal Communications at AOL, and at so many other interesting places.  Kirsten is releasing her brand new book today (November 2) — Saving Grace: Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered, And learn to Coexist with People Who Drive You Nuts! I joked with Kirsten during the chat that this book is my new Bible. Y'all, I read this book last week in preparation for our podcast conversation and I didn't realize how much I needed the words and hope found in this book!  Follow Kirsten on Twitter and Instagram. Buy her book immediately! You need this book and book sales during launch week help the author so much!  __________________________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@let

“Katharine shares an optimistic outlook on what we can all do to move the needle toward solutions and invite allies under the big tent.” This is what Don Cheadle said about the book this week’s guest recently wrote about how we can solve our climate crisis and how we can find hope and healing in our incredibly divided world. Katharine Hayhoe is incredible! She is an atmospheric scientist, she is the chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy, Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor and the Political Science Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Public Law in the Department of Political Science at Texas Tech University, she is an associate in the Public Health program of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences), and she is the principal investigator for the Department of Interior’s South-Central Climate Adaptation Science Center and the National Science Foundation’s Global Infrastructure Climate Network. And now she is the author of an incredible book that you should buy immediately — Saving Us: A Climate S

"Joél's words are where I go when I need some inspiration. And he never lets me down." Lin-Manuel Miranda (yes, that Lin) said these words about our guest this week. Joél Leon is a performer, author, storyteller, and Creative Director at T Band Studio at the New York Times who was born and raised in the Bronx. He writes and tells stories for Black people. He's been featured in the Columbia Journal, BBC News, Sirius XM, Forbes, Insider, Medium, Philadelphia Printworks, Blavity and the Huffington Post. He has spoken and performed at the Apollo Theater, Joe's Pub, Rockwood Music Hall, Columbia University, NYU and Webster Hall. He lives in Brooklyn and is the father to Lilah and West. NEXT STEPS: Follow Joél Leon on Instagram and Twitter. Buy a God Bless the Poets crewneck today! All proceeds go to support the Audre Lorde Project. Listen to Joél’s brand new spoken word project, soundtrack to a riot. __________________________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@lets

Tony Hillery is founder of Harlem Grown — an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire youth to lead healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition. They currently operate 10 urban agriculture facilities ranging from soil-based farms, hydroponic greenhouses and school gardens. I first learned about Tony when his face and Harlem Grown’s story popped up here, here, and here, on Humans of New York’s social media feeds. This story is extra special because it is happening all around me in my neighborhood of Harlem! Nicole Engel, Executive Director of Harlem Grown, joins us for part of the conversation. In Tony’s won words, “She is the Ying to my Yang. She completes me.” We all know that it takes teamwork to make the dream work. And Tony and Nicole are a wonderful team! NEXT STEPS: Follow Harlem Grown on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Attend their 10-year anniversary virtual gala on October 27! Donate to Harlem Grown. I

Adrian Grenier is a former actor and director and a current social entrepreneur, investor, and apprentice. You may know Adrian from shows like Entourage or from movies like The Devil Wears Prada. I first learned of Adrian when he started Lonely Whale years ago. More recently, he left New York for Texas and started DuContra Ventures.  He is happier and healthier than he has ever been on his farm outside of Austin, Texas. During our conversation, we discuss social impact, cultivating a better relationship with money, self-care, mental health, whether or not we should listen to experts, creating space to connect with the earth, and so much more.  Follow Adrian's work at Lonely Whale and DuContra Ventures. Follow Adrian on Instagram and Twitter.  _________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@letsgiveadamn.com. Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with everything. We have so much p

Juli Boit is an author, community builder and non-profit leader working at the intersection of faith, global health, and human dignity. For 17 years Juli has lived and worked in Africa, founding and serving as International Director of Living Room International, a community-led nonprofit providing hospice and palliative care services to adults and children in Western Kenya. Through her training as a Family Nurse Practitioner, Juli has combined her dual passions of healthcare and social justice into a unique expression of love that is providing desperately needed services in an underserved community. That said, Juli would be the first to add she’s the one who has been loved the most by her patients and neighbors in her home village of Kipkaren — most notably by Titus, her Kenyan husband and their children Sharon, Alice, Ella, Geoffrey, and Ryan. Her book, From Beyond the Skies, releases TODAY ON SEPTEMBER 28! Make sure to pick up a copy today. 100% of the net proceeds of this book will fund Living Room Interna

A year ago, I invited Eddie S. Glaude Jr. to join me on the podcast for a discussion about Black Lives Matter, living as a black man in America, James Baldwin, his book Begin Again: James Baldwin's America And Its Urgent Lessons For Our Own, and so much more. I think about Eddie and his important work all the time so it was a no-brainer to bring our conversation back at some point. Today is that day! Read Eddie's incredible bio on Princeton University's website. Follow Eddie on Twitter and Instagram.  _________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@letsgiveadamn.com. Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with everything. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! If you love what we’re doing, consider supporting us on Patreon! We can’t do this without you. Lastly, leave us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts! Have an am

“The time is upon us to denounce ignorance and hate, and to work together toward this sacred goal, to create a world without fear, without violence, and without hate.” Ten days after 9/11, Rais Bhuiyan was shot from point blank range by a white supremacist in Dallas, TX. His near-death experience and subsequent religious pilgrimage sparked a profound journey for Rais, including an international campaign advocating to save his attacker from death row. Ever since, Rais has kept his death bed promise to do more for others, dedicating his life to transforming hearts and opening minds through restorative justice, building bridges, storytelling, public speaking, and facilitation. Over the last 9 years, Rais Bhuiyan has spoken to and worked with over 250,000 people around the globe. From corporate board rooms, to college campuses, classrooms, conference auditoriums, maximum security prisons, and refugee camps, Rais shares his extraordinary story of survival and the transformational power of mercy and forgiveness wit

Ann Lee, Co-Founder and CEO of CORE Response, returns to the podcast to give us an update on how they are responding to the earthquake that rocked Haiti on August 14.  To learn more about Ann, listen to our first podcast conversation on October 13 2020.  Consider supporting these fantastic organizations: CORE, World Central Kitchen, Partners In Health, and LIDÈ Haiti.  Follow Ann on Twitter and Instagram. Follow CORE on Twitter and Instagram. _________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@letsgiveadamn.com. Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with everything. We have so much planned for the coming months and we don’t want you to miss a thing! If you love what we’re doing, consider supporting us on Patreon! We can’t do this without you. Lastly, leave us a 5-star rating and review on Apple

Mary Cain has been called “the fastest girl in a generation.” Mary has been been breaking records since she was a young teen. Mary was the 2014 World Junior Champion in the 3000 meter and she is the youngest American track and field athlete ever to represent the United States at a World Championships meet after competing in the World Championships in Athletics in Moscow at the age of 17. In 2013, Mary joined the greatest track team in the world, Nike’s Oregon Project, and, as a result of an abusive coach and system, it nearly ruined her career. In 2019, Mary spoke up about the abuse she experienced and soon after launched a non-profit called Atalanta NYC. This organization employs and supports professional female runners so they can achieve their highest athletic goals and helps those same runners serve as core mentors for the youth mentoring program.  Follow Mary on Instagram and Twitter. Learn more about Atalanta NYC. _________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at he

Simone George , is a human rights lawyer and activist and a commercial litigator. Everything Simone does is based on her belief that a just society is possible. As a human rights lawyer, Simone advocates for people experiencing abuse and violence, has contributed to research and legislation, and creates mass gatherings with the aim of changing our common knowledge. Simone is a director of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation in the US, is a double-law graduate of NUI Galway, a masters graduate from The College of Europe, Bruges, holds a diploma from Harvard in Leadership for the 21st Century and in 2018, she became became the first Irish woman to speak on the TED main stage. Watch Simone and Mark’s incredible 2018 TED Talk. Watch their Unbreakable documentary on Amazon Prime. Visit Simone’s website. Follow Simone on Twitter and Instagram. _________________________________________ Reach out to us anytime and for any reason at hello@letsgiveadamn.com. Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Face