Friend, how are you??

I’m so excited to share this week’s podcast episode with you. Let me tell you why…

Doing the Issue Space podcast prompts me to look back a Lot. Even though I’ve been a strategist in the social impact space for almost eight years now (my impact sector anniversary is on Halloween!), something about these conversations takes me right back to where I started, timidly venturing away from the music industry, wondering how to hop from one professional space to the other when the job requirements were as major as, ‘HELP CHANGE THE WORLD’. I wanted to step up, but the journey definitely started with more questions than answers.

Especially with what I recall as a chicken-and-egg dilemma — choosing whether to go for an in-community, direct service-style role in social impact; or pursue a position at a more upstream, systems level effort, trying to spark change for many communities at once with and from within the powers that be.

If only I’d had social entrepreneur Rachel Sumekh, comms-and-coalition-builder Jason Rzepka, and international development specialist Carolyn Gilbert to guide me then.

Enter Episode 7, ✨ On & Off (The Ground): Finding Your Best Vantage Point For Change. ✨ 

In this chat, we get into each guest’s professional journey across the social change landscape (fascinating!), the pros and cons of direct service vs. systems-level work (relatable!), what it’s like to bop around the sector’s many levels (great, sometimes necessary!), and so much more. Not to mention, bringing me back to center when I start to question my own choice!

I have to say — a conversation like this one would have been a lifesaver to me when I was exploring where I fit in social impact. Maybe it will be for you, too. 💜

Watch below or listen to the episode: To hear this episode and explore others, find the Issue Space podcast on Apple, Spotify, and these platforms. Please consider following, sharing, and dropping a review if the content moves you!

Also out today…

I wrote an op-ed that is running in Fast Company as of today! In the piece, I explore why I think the social impact workforce of committed, 9-to-5, day-in / day-out working folks is an invaluable part of our formula for progress here in the United States and beyond. I also share my own story of committing to social change work, offer my view on one way to support our professional social changemaker community (hint: “space” may or may not be involved…), and touch on some resonant words from the Democratic National Convention, which had just taken place when I wrote these thoughts. I hope you’ll give it a read!

Read the article in Fast Company.

Take good care, community!

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