Change It Up Radio

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Malynda Hale joins me to talk about intersectionality in activism and the parallels between anti-Blackness and antisemitism.   My guest today, Malynda Hale, uses her voice through her music and social media presence as an educating activist to effect change within social justice, female empowerment, LGBTQ+ rights, veganism, the Black Lives Matter movement, and Progressive Christianity.   She joins me today to talk about intersectionality in activism and explains why this particular approach helps to ensure that no one gets left behind in the fight for justice and equality. The reality is that each person has their own unique experiences of oppression and discrimination, and it's important that we consider all factors that can be used to marginalize people, including gender, race, class, sexual orientation, etc.    We also discuss progressive Christianity and social justice, the parallels between anti-Blackness and antisemitism, and using social media for change. Malynda

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, my Dad, Jack Gutman, and his best friend from World War II, Jerry Ackerman, join me to talk about their first in-person reunion after being separated for over 75 years, each not knowing if their beloved friend had survived the war… a touching story that has since gone viral, now reaching over 2 million views!   My dad, Jack Gutman, and his best friend, Jerry Ackerman, met at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California, during World War II and were instant buddies who were both from New York and had many things in common. Unfortunately, they were separated when they were assigned different battleships that were en route to the invasion of Okinawa – one of the biggest naval battles of World War II that left thousands dead.   Fast forward to 2022, Jack and Jerry, who are now both 96 years old, have been reunited after a long 75 years of not even knowing if the other was still alive, all thanks to Jerry’s son, Peter, and some searching on Google! Many of you met both of these me

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Don Myers joins me to talk about how we can change the world by staying true to ourselves and practicing radical honesty.   Today, we are spotlighting a changemaker who is making the world a better place through art, with a healthy dose of what he calls 'Radical Honesty.' My guest, Don Myers, is an accomplished artist, teacher, musician, singer, songwriter, and owner of Don Myers Stained Glass and Mosiac Studio in Oceanside, CA.   Don joins me today to share his journey as an artist creating stained glass art since the late 1970s. His studio focuses on 4 major pillars of art: custom builds, education, repairs, and supplies, and the studio offers a variety of services in each category.   We also discuss the concept of radical honesty, and Don explains how he interrupts patterns of behavior and beliefs and speaks honestly and from the heart, regardless of a person's 'standing.' He shares some examples of using radical honesty with students, clients, pioneers, and community

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Jeanine Thompson joins me to talk about how practicing stillness can help empower us to answer the call from our soul and unleash our highest potential in all areas of life.   It’s a noisy world we live in. Stillness, the one thing most high achievers avoid, is one of the most accessible and powerful avenues to fulfilling and redefining what success means to you. When you learn to befriend and anchor yourself in stillness, what once felt overwhelming or foggy can become clear, and your true capacity, needs, joys, and desires for your best life can be revealed and realized.   My guest, Jeanine Thompson, a transformational coach, speaker, and author, joins us to talk about how practicing stillness, or “doing nothing,” can help us reach our highest potential. She explains what stillness is, how we can create it in our lives, and how it creates the space to connect with our inner genius.   Jeanine also discusses what it means to have a “911” from our soul, and explains that

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Gina Worful joins me to talk about how to become a master of your health and the emotions that trigger food cravings and cause a painful cycle of shame and self-sabotage.   So many people find themselves wondering, “Why can’t I just lose this weight?!” The reality is that losing weight and keeping it off can be quite difficult. Despite what some people in the wellness industry might say, there is no quick fix or magic pill when it comes to weight loss.   My guest today, Gina Worful, who is a registered dietitian and master of human nutrition, joins us to talk about her personal struggles with health and learning how to love, understand, and connect with her body on a deeper level. She shares how her journey fueled her passion for teaching others how to know, trust, and feel confident with their bodies from the inside out.   Gina explains the science of how and why we get food cravings, why habits are so hard to break, and how we can become the master of our own minds and

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Steve Little joins me to talk about overcoming the struggle we have with limitations and subconscious beliefs, the importance of cleaning up and clearing the energy that we put out into the collective consciousness, and much more!   My guest, Steve Little, is an acclaimed serial entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and mergers and acquisitions expert well known for generating accelerated value growth and extraordinarily high acquisition value multiples for his companies and clients.   In this episode, he shares how he sold his first company at age 15 for nearly $250,000 and never looked back. Steve has founded and scaled 6 successful startups of his own to private 9-figure acquisitions and has assured his many clients explosive value growth, highly lucrative acquisitions often at 10X-20X multiples, and impressive IRR as founder and managing director of Zero Limits Ventures.   He also discusses what drives the value of a business and provides examples of some of those

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Chad Stewart joins me to talk about his fast-paced young adult adventure series, “Britfield,” and the global launch of the latest novel in the seven-book series, “Britfield & the Return of the Prince.”   My guest today, Chad Stewart, is a prolific writer, producer, creativity specialist, and prominent speaker, as well as the author and creative mind behind the Britfield series. He joins me today to share how Britfield engages, stimulates, and inspires young readers to explore and discover their own creativity in a realistic world of adventure and intrigue, and explains why this series is an innovative and educational movement in creativity, leadership, and education.   This month, Devonfield Publishing is excited to announce the global launch of “Britfield & the Return of the Prince,” Book III. The anticipated sequel to “Britfield & the Lost Crown” and “Britfield & the Rise of the Lion” is projected to become an instant international bestseller. Located t

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, I talk about important life lessons I've learned over the course of my 72 years on Earth, and more!   I’m always interviewing other people on Change It Up Radio and helping you to get to know my wonderful guests, but since today is my 72nd birthday I thought, “Well, maybe I’ll just do that for myself today!" The truth is, I've never done something like this before, but I thought it might be fun to share some of my own thoughts and experiences I've had in my own life. Because let's face it, I've been on this planet for 72 years now... I've seen some things! And, I'm happy to say that I've learned many valuable lessons that I'd love to share with you. In this special birthday episode, I will discuss some of the major lessons I've learned in the last year, a very unexpected and painful experience I had this past summer and what I was able to take away from it, and three questions to ask yourself that can change your life. I will also be talking about what you can expect fro

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Chad Stewart joins me to talk about his fast-paced young adult adventure series, "Britfield," and the importance of creativity and innovation in the education of young people today.   My guest today, Chad Stewart, is a prolific writer, producer, creativity specialist, and prominent speaker, as well as the author and creative mind behind the Britfield series. He joins me today to discuss how Britfield engages, stimulates, and inspires young readers to explore and discover their own creativity in a realistic world of adventure and intrigue, and explains why this series is an innovative educational movement in creativity, leadership, and education.   Chad, who has an extensive background in investment banking and business consulting, explains that although he often pursued the logical route in his career, he had always been creative and yearned to do something fun and expressive. He shares how one simple sketch that he had doodled during a boring business seminar sparked an

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Jetta Blaine joins me to talk about the deep cleansing and healing power of Kambo.   Kambo, also known as the “Vaccine of the Rainforest," is a non-psychoactive ancient shamanic remedy that hails from the depths of the Amazon and is simply the secretion of Phyllomedusa bicolor, or the giant monkey tree frog. This ethically-sourced leaf frog secretion is best described as a detoxing purgative, holding powerful treatment potential for a myriad of different mental, physical, and spiritual ailments.   My guest today, Jetta Blaine, is a certified Kambo practitioner, Thai bodywork practitioner, yoga instructor, and lifestyle integration coach who spent years traveling the world studying and living different healing modalities in search of equanimity for her mental and physical health. She is a living example of post-traumatic growth, and credits Kambo and plant medicines as the forefront guides on her healing journey from her once crippling PTSD and depression.   Jetta joins m

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, we're talking about the reunion of two Navy Veterans who were best friends in World War II and had lost connection with one another for 75 years.   Today, we live in a world with social media, cell phones, and the internet, where it's very easy to reconnect with an old friend or check in with someone we may have lost contact with over the years. But, it wasn't always so easy, especially 75 years ago, for two Navy buddies that got separated and were left wondering what happened to their dear friend over the years.   My dad, Jack Gutman, and his best friend, Jerry Ackerman, met at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California during World War II, and were instant buddies who were both from New York and had a lot of things in common. They formed a club called "the 3 jays" with another friend, Joe Gagliardi, who had also become a part of their group. Unfortunately, they were all eventually reassigned. Jack and Jerry were assigned to the USS Cullman, a troop transport, and they los

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Tammy Oluvic joins me to talk about combatting the suicide rates of veterans, active duty military, and first responders, and promoting mental health wellness and healing to these heroes through equine-assisted learning and activities.   Tammy is the CEO for Saddles in Service, an equine therapy and horse rescue organization that she founded with her husband Mike, who retired from the United States Navy in 2016. She joins me to discuss how horses and equine-assisted activities help rehabilitate and aid in the mental health wellness and healing of our heroes.   Tammy shares how Saddles in Service helps our heroes who may feel anxious, depressed, angry, or isolated by bringing them together with rescued and rehabilitated horses, allowing them be more present and learn to trust and respect one another through grooming, groundwork, and riding which brings peace, healing, and a sense of purpose to both the heroes and horses.   To Learn More About the Show, Visit: www.ChangeIt

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Dr. Rayna Gangi joins me to talk about women in the military, navigating Veteran Affairs, veteran suicide prevention, and how we can all do more to honor veterans for their service.   My guest today, Dr. Rayna Gangi, trained as a radio communication engineer and was ready to be one of only a handful of Women Marines deployed to Vietnam. Two days before her embarkment, multiple vaccines paralyzed her from the waist down, and she spent the next several months in the hospital. Rayna fought her way back to mobility and was honorably discharged in 1971.   Through her personal experience, Rayna became more aware of other veterans with disabilities when she approached the VA after her disability had returned and she was no longer able to work. Her experience with the VA was not unlike many who have reached out for help, but the most impactful awareness was for the number of veteran suicides, and the numbers were staggering.   Rayna has since began counseling veterans suffering

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Dylan Bender joins me to talk about the difficulties that veterans experience when transitioning from the warrior culture of the military and reintegrating back into civilian life after returning home.   My guest today, Dylan Bender, is a readjustment therapist with the Veterans Health Administration Vet Centers program who works with active duty, and veterans transitioning back into the civilian life after combat deployment. He has been working in this area for 10 years and has over 20,000 clinical hours in working with combat veterans and their families readjusting after combat. Among the many people that Dylan has worked with, he was my dad's therapist for three years at the VA, which took my dad from a man who suffered with PTSD for 66 years, to someone who's now functioning beautifully with no remnants of those PTSD symptoms.   Dylan joins me today to discuss the challenges that military men and women have when transitioning out of the military and reintegrating bac

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Tony Perez joins me to talk about using golf as a form of rehabilitation for returning combat-injured veterans.    Tony Perez, is a Vietnam War Veteran and the Founder/President of Operation Game On (OGO), a golf rehabilitation program for returning combat-injured Veterans suffering from severe physical and mental disabilities sustained in combat while deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.   Battalion West, Camp Pendleton, to equip and instruct hundreds of injured troops, using golf as a form of mental, emotional, and physical therapy. Today, more than 600 combat-injured Veterans have gone through the program, several of whom have credited OGO for preventing them from committing suicide.   Tony provides insight on how golf provides mental and physical rehabilitation which rapidly allows these troops to regain confidence and enjoy an active and healthy lifestyle again.   He shares how Operation Game On's program assists injured soldiers through their rehab by simply taking th

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, I talk about grief, how to support people in emotional pain, and what to avoid saying to someone that's grieving.   Today, I want to talk about some of the things that are helpful to say to someone who is dealing with grief, but even more importantly, what things are not at all helpful to say. Sometimes we don’t realize that the words we say in an attempt to comfort someone we care about are actually causing more pain, because they were said to us at some point and just feel like the “norm.”   Remember, there is a world of grievers out there. We are all going through so much right now, and I guarantee you that if you haven’t already, you’re going to encounter someone who is dealing with grief. Let’s all take the initiative to sharpen our skills and learn how we can be there for others who are in emotional pain by giving them the dignity to feel what they feel without judgment or criticism.   With just a little extra effort, we can create a sympathetic and reassuring envi

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, Jeff Blanton discusses conscious capitalism, consciousness in the workplace, and how to live and lead with meaning and impact.   My guest today, Jeff Blanton, is a recognized leadership consultant, author, and speaker who even after attaining monetary and professional success, came to find himself in a state of “smoldering discontent.” As his career evolved, he could not help but notice that most individuals, from his perspective, seemed to be simply unfulfilled and content to trade their time for money.   Over the years, Jeff had come to see the value in having a purpose in one’s work and set out to find his own purpose. In doing so, he learned that very few individuals know their foundational purpose and discovered why: it is hard. However, the great news is that, in his search, Jeff not only found his own purpose, but also developed a process for helping others to find theirs as well.   Jeff joins us today to talk about the importance of discovering where our strength

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, April Cargill joins me to talk about helping the homeless and transforming lives through the power of running.   My guest today, April Cargill, who is 57 years old and born and raised in Harlem, NY, began running at her local YMCA 10 years ago, after finally kicking her smoking habit of over 36 years.  Since then, she has run several official road races, including 11 full marathons (3 of them overseas), 22 half marathons, and countless smaller mileages.    April’s next endeavor will be running in the 2022 Boston Marathon, which is known as the world’s oldest annual marathon, ranking as one of the world’s best-known road racing events. The Boston Marathon draws in over 30,000 runners to Massachusetts and is part of the World Marathon Majors which makes it at the top of any runner’s bucket list.   Not only is April running through eight cities and towns in the 2022 Boston Marathon on April 18th, but she has also been chosen out of many applicants to run for an amazing char

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, I talk about standing united in the light and building a positive force field to encourage peace and healing for all.   On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, causing what has since become the largest military assault on a European state and the largest and most accelerated displacement crisis since World War II. As this crisis in Ukraine continues to spiral into a widespread humanitarian catastrophe, nearly 10 million people have been forced to be uprooted from their homes.    Currently, almost 3.5 million people have fled to neighboring countries as refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people have no access to food, water, heat, electricity, medical care, or other basic necessities, houses, schools, hospitals, and roads are being destroyed by ongoing bombs and shelling, and close to 12 million people are estimated to be stranded in Ukraine as violence increases.   As these vicious attacks continue, the world bears witness to the deaths and suffering of innocent ci

In this episode of Change It Up Radio, I am joined by Claudine Van Gonka to talk about the nationwide blood crisis in the U.S. and the importance of donating blood.   We all know how much the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world as a whole, but there are so many individual consequences that have stemmed from these difficult times. One of these consequences is that the U.S. is currently facing its worst blood shortage in over a decade due to the pandemic fueling a decline in blood drives and overall blood donations across the nation.   With this national blood crisis, the San Diego Blood Bank, and blood banks across the country, are experiencing a major decline in donor turnout. These collection challenges have disrupted blood supply, resulting in alarmingly low inventories of blood products for the community.    My guest, Claudine Van Gonka, the Director of Community Relations and Marketing for the San Diego Blood Bank, joins me today to discuss the current national blood shortage, how this crisis evolved