Let's Give A Damn

Another throwback episode for you! My guest today is Noor Tagouri. Noor is a Libyan-American Muslim woman. She is a friend, an activist, a journalist, a storyteller, a podcaster, a speaker, and so much more. In every way, she is a force to be reckoned with.  Since I recorded our conversation a while back, she has been very busy! But I want to point out one project she has done that I’ve loved so much. She created and hosted a podcast called Sold in America. It’s an eight-episode journey into the world of selling sex in the United States. In it, she takes you, the listener, across the country to meet the human faces of this billion-dollar trade. Along the way, she uncovers many surprising misconceptions. This conversation originally aired on July 11, 2017. ______________________________ 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 Nic

This past weekend, my family and I attended a vigil in Nashville to mourn the loss of the 50 men, women, and children who died in their place of worship in New Zealand. Muslims, Jews, and Christians gathered together to comfort our Muslim brothers and sisters and also to re-commit to pursuing a peace-filled world together. It was beautiful.  There was a local muslim leader that led parts of the vigil. Towards the end, she shared some ideas for how non-muslims can help dispel the widespread fears surrounding Muslims and Islam—otherwise known as Islamophobia. I found her ideas helpful and I was glad to know that I was already doing some of them. And I look forward to finding ways to implement the others. Here are two of her ideas: Meet a Muslim. It’s important to get to know about Islam from a Muslim. If you don’t know any Muslims living around you (I guarantee most of you do), google your local mosque. I’ve been to a few mosques and I’ve always been welcomed with open arms. And I know they’d be happy to meet

Today's podcast guest is Thad Beaty. If you’re into the country music scene, you might know Thad as Sugarland’s guitarist (as well as a bunch of other bands and music projects in the past). You may also know his wife Annie who plays bass guitar for the incredible Maren Morris. But if you’ve never heard of Thad before, that’s about to change because Thad is incredible. He went from living an unhealthy life as a tour musician to losing over 70 pounds and becoming an ironman triathlete. And that’s only the beginning! He's also encouraging touring bands/artists to give back while they're on the road through Music That Moves. ______________________________ 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 sharing $5/month with us on Patreon. 100% of the money you cont

My guest today is an incredible young man, Enis Cirak. Enis and I met a year ago and we have continued hanging out every month or so. He is thoughtful, smart, peaceful, passionate, and he most definitely gives a damn. Enis launched Gigamunch—a Nashville based company that prepares a new meal each week for you from a different country and they deliver it to you fully cooked and ready to go. My family and I have eaten their meals and they are amazing. The meal I remember eating was from Budapest, Hungary. It was mind-blowingly delicious! And they throw in a few components to the meal—like a music playlist and a ton of information about that week's country—that you’ll never get from Blue Apron or Hello Fresh or any of the others out there. This is a completely new and amazing experience.  What I love about this company is that exposure begets empathy. And we all need to harness more empathy in our lives. And the reality is, so many people can’t or won’t travel as much as they’d like to so Gigamunch brings the w

Audrey Assad is on the podcast today! She is not only a friend—she’s also a favorite artist of mine. Our whole family loves her, in fact. If you know me well, you know that I don’t listen to much music outside of classical music, broadway tunes, and some operas. I just don’t like all that much in pop music. Not into rock all that much. No oldies. But there are a few exceptions and Audrey is one of them. Most of her music is spiritual and Christian in nature and it has helped us so much over the last few years as we continue out spiritual journey. Listen to her today on Spotify! I’ve just described Audrey the artist to you but we don’t actually talk that much about her music all that much in this conversation. We do talk about her Syrian father and his family migrating to the states, we talk about her faith, we talk about pornography, we talk about refugees and immigrants, and a whole lot more. I truly enjoyed my hour with her and I hope you will, too. During our chat, I mentioned a song she wrote as a “pray

There’s been so much talk over these last few months and years about mental health—how we can help each other, what to look out for, etc. So, I thought it was high-time to bring back this old episode with my friend and fantastic human, Jamie Tworkowski. Jamie started TWLOHA—a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. They have been a beacon of hope for millions of people over the years and they continue, day after day after day, to inspire, educate, and help so many. We first ran this episode in on March 10, 2017—just a few short months after bringing this podcast into the world! I hope you enjoy 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—Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. Support Let

Scott Hamilton—yes, that Scott Hamilton—is on the podcast this week! In case you're one of the 18 people out there that doesn't know who Scott is, here are some important highlights. During his figure skating career, he won four consecutive US championships, four consecutive world championship, and he won an olympic gold medal in 1984.  On top of being a figure skating legend, Scott is a very very wise man. He once calculated that he has fallen 41,600 times while skating in his life. After he made that calculation, he said this: “But here’s the funny thing: I got up 41,600 times. That’s the muscle you have to build in your psyche — the one that reminds you to just get up.” Additionally, he has conquered stage 4 testicular chance and multiple brain tumors over the last couple of decades. Scott is a steadfast, faithful, and bold damn-giver. He's still doing great work today through the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation. Follow them on Twitter and follow Scott on Twitter. You'll be encouraged by the work they d

I opened this podcast by discussing the International Holocaust Remembrance Day that occurred over the weekend. During that short monologue, I shared a few quotes. I wanted to share those quotes here: “People growing up today must know what people were capable of in the past and we must work proactively to ensure that it is never repeated." —Chancellor Angela Merkel “To remember these men and women — those who perished and those who survived — is to strive to prevent such suffering from happening again. Any denial or indifference to the horror of this chapter in the history of humankind diminishes all men and women everywhere and invites repetition of this great evil." —President Donald Trump "The threats of violence, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism still exist today. The murder of eleven Jews at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh ... is fresh in our minds." —Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” —George Santayana You’re going to love this week

Yesterday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States. It's a day when we honor the life and legacy of one of America's most important leaders. King embodied humility, service, and boldness. My life is forever changed because of this man and I'm forever grateful. At the beginning of the episode, I read a few paragraphs from his famous Letter From Birmingham Jail. It's incredibly powerful. Read the entire letter here. I hope you were able to spend a few minutes reflecting on his life and work and considering any changes you should make in your own life. Now, for today's guest. Courtney Hale is amazing. I'm so grateful to know him. Courtney grew up in Nashville and a variety of circumstances led him to leave a nice corporate job and take a deep interest the financial well-being of young people. The result of his leap of faith is Knowledge Bank. Their mission is to produce a generation of financially knowledgeable, responsible, and empowered youth. They "create economic hope where hope may not have ex

Senzela Atmar was born in war-torn Kabul, Afghanistan. It's a miracle she and her family are still alive today. After surviving bombings, the death of a family member, and several years in a refugee camp, she and her family won a lottery and were brought to the United States. They began their lives in Nashville, TN. Senzela's story is going to blow your minds. Senzela started Relief Without Borders—an organization committed to providing relief to those suffering injustice and poverty in developing countries. She is also involved with Share the Journey. Follow Relief Without Borders and Senzela on Instagram. In the intro of the podcast, I read an incredibly impactful poem that speaks candidly to the experience of so many refugees and immigrants. You can read it below. NOTE: In this poem, Warsan—a Somali poet and educator— uses the n-word. I copy/pasted the poem in its entirety for you below but left the n-word out when I recited the poem in the intro. As a non-black person, I don't feel comfortable sayin

Friends, I truly hope the first few days of 2019 have been amazing for you and yours! Claude Silver is on the podcast this week! She is the Chief Heart Officer at VaynerMedia—a company with 900 employees in NYC, LA, Chattanooga, and London. Claude has so much to teach us, y’all. She is wise well beyond her years. In our chat, she shares so much goodness on all things optimism, positivity, impact, and empathy.  I mentioned this on the podcast—Claude and her wife just had a baby, Shalom Bee. You must check out photos of their beautiful baby! Follow Claude on Instagram and Twitter. You won't regret it! ____________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damnon Facebook, Instagram, & Twitterto 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 Damnby contributing the monthly amount of your choice on Patreon. You can choose $1/month or $5

This is the first episode of 2019! I can't wait to see what 2019 has in store for you and for me. Thanks for joining me on this damn journey. In this episode, I go on a rant/monologue for the first few minutes. I hope you'll find it helpful! I'd like to share two quotes from that rant: “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” —Marcus Aurelius “Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth, or power. Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter.” —Rabbi Harold Kushner I also share highlight moments from the podcast this year. You'll hear from Jessica Jackley, Tunde Wey, Ted Terry, Ruthie Lindsey, Dwayne Reed, Chelsea Clinton, Sheeza Shah, and Kevin Lyman. Some of these are my favorite moments and some of them are yours. Either way, I hope you'll find them encouraging as we crush it in 2019! ________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is go

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Today's conversation involves two guests: Danny Bryant & Jason Adkins. Father Danny Bryant is my pastor and the parish priest at St. Mary of Bethany Parish in Nashville, TN. He’s a close friend a trusted spiritual advisor. Jason Adkins—a return guest to the podcast—is an urban farmer and professor at Trevecca University in Nashville, TN. We talk about the myth of scarcity, the liturgy of abundance, and why this matters to damn-givers like you! Don't miss this conversation. Lastly, if the holidays are not a joyful time for you (for whatever reason), please let me know if I can help in any way. I love you! 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 th

Many thanks to our friend Chelsea Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative University for their partnership during this five-week series! Daquan Oliver is the Founder and CEO of WeThrive. WeThrive equips and empowers low-income youth to rise as entrepreneurial economic leaders. They know very well what so many of us know — if you give these kids the resources and opportunities, they will blow our freaking minds which what they are capable of accomplishing. Daquan has been selected to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List, an Echoing Green Fellow, featured in Black Enterprise, Boston Business Journal, BostInno’s 25 Under 25, he has delivered a TEDx Talk on actionable strategies to overcome structural violence, and he has been recognized by Former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton for his work! Follow Daquan on Twitter. Follow WeThrive on Instagram and Facebook. ____________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to keep up with all that is going on. We have so much planned f

For the next few weeks, I’ll be releasing a few podcast conversations in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative. I attended their yearly event a few weeks ago and was able to record conversations with some of their alums. Each podcast will include a short introductory conversation I had with Chelsea Clinton. Today’s conversations is with the incredible Christine Schindler.  Christine is an engineer and an entrepreneur. She studied biomedical engineering and global health at Duke as a National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenge Scholar. As a CGIU Commitment Maker, she founded Girls Engineering Change. GEC equips young girls in elementary and middle school to solve real world engineering problems. She also founded PathSpot Technologies— a company that helps protects businesses and customers from foodborne illnesses. Something tells me this is only the beginning for Christine. I can’t wait to see what she continues to build. Follow Girls Engineering Change on Instagram. Follow Pathspot Technologies

For the next few weeks, I’ll be releasing a few podcast conversations in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative. I attended their yearly event a few weeks ago and was able to record conversations with some of their alums. Each podcast will include a short introductory conversation I had with Chelsea Clinton. Today’s conversations is with the fantastic Arnav Dalmia.  5 years ago, Arnav graduated from CGIU. 4 years ago, he and his two co-founders launched their new company, Cubii. Simply put, their mission is to get people moving more. Hundreds of millions of people across the globe spent 7, 8, 9, and 10 hours per day sitting at a desk or in front of a TV. Or both! Mayo Clinic actually calls “sitting the new smoking.” So, how do they aim to end this epidemic? He and his pals invented Cubii—”a compact seated elliptical trainer that integrates exercise into your routine, turning sitting time into active time.” What’s cool about the product is that your data is stored in the system and shared with your ac

For the next few weeks, I’ll be releasing a few podcast conversations in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative University. I attended their yearly event a few weeks ago and was able to record conversations with some of their alums. Each podcast will include a short introductory conversation I had with Chelsea Clinton. The first of these conversations is with the incredible Sara Minkara. Sara is a Lebanese-American Muslim woman who lost her sight at the age of seven. In so many ways, she has used her disability as an advantage. She spends most of her time empowering young people with disabilities “transforming stigma against disability globally.” She also speaks quite a bit. She does all of this as the founder and CEO of Empowerment Through Integration.  Super cool side note—she was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in 2017! Follow her on Twitter. And keep up with the work ETI is doing on Twitter, also!  ____________________________ Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter to

A couple of weeks ago while I was in LA, Jessica Jackley invited me into her home for a chat. I’ve been waiting to do this chat since May. We were going to do it May but she and her family embarked on a trip around the world so we decided to wait until afterwards. We finally got around to do it and she did not disappoint! Jessica’s career has been and continues to be all about financial inclusion, the sharing economy, and social justice. She’s the co-founder of Kiva, the world's first peer 2 peer micro-lending website. Kiva lets everyday people lend $25 and up to individual entrepreneurs, providing them capital to start or expand a small business. Since 2005, Kiva has facilitated over $1B in loans worldwide. She teaches at USC. She speaks all over the country. And she’s the author of CLAY WATER BRICK: Finding Inspiration from Entrepreneurs Who Do the Most with the Least. She’s married to Reza Aslan, a respected religious scholar, author, and speaker. Together, they are raising their three boys in Los Angele

Today, November 6, is midterm election’s day here in America. I love our global listeners but since most of our listeners are from America, I have something to say to you. No matter who you are or where you land politically, I hope you voted. It is our right and one we must not take for granted. Having said that, let me say this—I hope you are voting for equality and justice for all people in this election. Not just equality for some people.  I bumped this podcast conversation up a few weeks because I wanted you to hear it on election day. Not because I hope to sway your vote. I am releasing it today as more of a symbolic gesture of what I want to see more of in our country and in our world in the future.  Today, you’ll get to meet Bnyad Sharef and Maggie Anderson. Bnyad is a refugee from Iraq. He’s also a Muslim. Maggie was a staunch Trump supporter and was very anti-immigrant and anti-refugee. Bnyad and Maggie’s friendship is going to blow your mind. The changes in both of their lives are amazing and they

Ceallaigh experienced a massive amount of relational and emotional pain early in her adult life. She shares more about that in our conversation so I won’t get into it here but I wanted to point out here that one of my favorite things about life is that beautiful things are oftentimes birthed out of pain and suffering. I’ve seen this happen over and over and again in my own life. I expect many of you have as well. Out of deep pain, Print the Love was birthed.  Print the Love travels to under-resourced countries and communities and gives photographs, not takes them. I’ve traveled a ton—I’ve been to the 48 contiguous United States and I’ve lived in or spent time in over 30 other countries. I have seen my fair share of tourists or do-gooders whipping out their cameras and taking a million photos of the people they are visiting. I’ve done a fair amount of this myself, to be honest. Ceallaigh has flipped this on its head and it’s a beautiful thing. They use those Polaroid instant cameras—you know the ones that spi