Blue Sky

Ritah Kabanyoro knows what it’s like to go to bed hungry.  Growing up in a household of 20 people, she was used to receiving just one meal a day, until fainting spells alerted others to the malnutrition she was suffering.  After being placed in a private school – and improving her diet, she thrived and today leads Uganda’s chapter of Action Against Hunger.  Ritah’s home country is the largest recipient of refugees in all of Africa.  They come primarily for Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and when they arrive in Uganda, they are welcomed with relief programs up to and including the gift of land and instruction of farming techniques.  The Ugandan government, working with agencies like Ritah's, is striving to help these refugees become self-sufficient, contributing members of their society.  Ritah Kabanyoro’s work is inspiring and her optimistic take on the future of her country is infectious.

Kevin Adler grew up with a beloved uncle, Mark, who never forgot to send him a Hallmark card on his birthday.  Over time, Kevin learned that his uncle was unhoused and suffering from schizophrenia.  When Mark died at the age of 50, Kevin decided that working to solve the crisis of homelessness would be his life’s work.  The experience of having a close relative in this predicament made him realize that “everybody is somebody’s somebody,” and deserving of our compassion.  He founded Miracle Messages, a nonprofit working to tell the stories of individuals who are unhoused, in hopes of connecting and reuniting them with estranged friends and family.  To date, they have facilitated more than 800 people and have created a phone buddy system where volunteers communicate weekly with their assigned partner, building relationships where none existed before. Kevin Adler tells this story in his new book, When We Walk By, and shares many of these stories in this episode, while also describing his optimistic views on basic income and affordable housing programs. Links: Order Kevin's book, When We Walk By Learn more about Miracle Messages

Dr. Howard Koh’s story is inspiring. His immigrant parents raised him to be grateful for and contribute to their adopted country.  And he has certainly made his contributions, serving first as a practicing oncologist, then moving into the field of public health.  After treating too many patients who were dying from cancers caused by tobacco use, Howard Koh turned his attention to tobacco cessation, and his determined efforts there resulted in great success.  After serving in the Massachusetts state government, Dr. Koh was named as Assistant Secretary for Health for HHS in the Obama administration, and in that role found himself in the middle of the White House’s efforts to overhaul the US healthcare system, as well as other ambitious initiatives.  Today, Howard teaches and researches at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health and is turning much of his considerable talent, energy, and optimistic mindset towards impacting another vexing challenge in our society, homelessness.  In this episode, he discusses this work, as well as his research and writing on the role of spirituality in our well-being and his passion for music and baseball.  

Adam Mastroianni says he likes to “study how people perceive and misperceive their social worlds, from the person sitting across the table to the whole country buzzing around them.”  In this Blue Sky conversation, Dr. Mastroianni describes research he and a colleague conducted that demonstrates that human beings falsely assume that the world used to be better, and that we continue to decline in terms of moral standards and civil behavior.  This cognitive “bug” he has detected can lead us to develop a more pessimistic view of the world and also leaves us more susceptible to believe in the message of autocrats who promise to take us back to a time when the world – and people – were somehow better than they are today.  Adam’s insights are fascinating, as are the techniques he uses in his research, and he explains his findings and observations with great wit and wisdom.  https://www.experimental-history.com/

LaTosha Brown has been described by many as a “force of nature,” and from the first seconds of this Blue Sky episode, you will understand why.  Raised in Selma, Alabama she grew up surrounded by family members who were at the center of the civil rights movement in the United States.  Being close to grandparents who spent much of their adult lives unable to vote led her to appreciate this franchise and their example continues to inspire her “get out the vote” work today. LaTosha describes being raised by strong women and not experiencing overt sexism until she ran for office in Alabama, but instead of letting this get her down, she channeled these experiences into the creation of the Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium. LaTosha Brown also happens to be a talented singer and performer, and she shares this gift with us here as well.

Dr. Anita Nowak has made the study of empathy her life’s work and in this Blue Sky conversation she provides her definition of the term and gives numerous examples of the value of empathy in both our personal and work lives.  As someone who teaches, consults, podcasts, and writes about this subject, Anita discusses empathy with persuasive passion and just might change the way you think about how you’d like to move through the world and what ripples you’d like to create as you go.  She also makes the case that living with empathy will actually improve your own quality of life at the same time you’re improving the wellbeing of those around you. Links: Order Purposeful Empathy: https://www.amazon.com/Purposeful-Empathy-Superpower-Personal-Organizational/dp/1506485057

Margo Walsh is an entrepreneur who created MaineWorks, a certified B-Corp that helps people with substance use disorder and/or criminal records find employment in the construction sector.  Her company finds and screens potential employees and through the non-profit she founded with her sister, sets them up for success by making sure that their basic needs for getting back to work are met (e.g., proper clothing, boots, transportation, etc.).   MaineWorks has expanded to other states in New England and provides a model for other companies in other parts of the country to emulate.  Her work has been widely recognized and earned several awards and in this episode she’ll describe how she attended a State of the Union address as a senator’s guest!

Sean Legister, a private equity professional and dedicated mentor, shares his inspiring journey from a challenging upbringing to a successful career on Wall Street. He emphasizes the importance of education, resilience, and authentic storytelling. Sean discusses creating the 'Monday Morning Lift' to uplift others and foster personal growth. He highlights the impact of his Jamaican heritage and his philanthropic efforts to empower disadvantaged youth. Through candid reflections, Sean advocates for inclusivity and the transformative power of mentorship.

Today’s Blue Sky guest tells her story from the coast of Maine, but the work she’s doing was inspired by her upbringing in Pennsylvania and has ramifications for the future of coastal communities around the world.  Briana Warner is the CEO of Atlantic Sea Farms and has dedicated her life to doing well by doing good. She is passionate about her adopted home state of Maine and working with partner farmers to help create a more resilient and thriving coast. She and her team have forged a new path for seaweed aquaculture in the US by working with fishermen to grow kelp as a climate change adaptation strategy—and building national demand for that kelp.   In this episode, Briana explains how her company developed a win-win business model with the lobster industry, why Kelp farming helps mitigate climate change, and the many health reasons to add kelp products to your diet.   Links: atlanticseafarms.com

The life of Jonathan Conyers is full of junctures where it appears he’s not going to make it.  Both of his parents battled addiction to crack cocaine, yet somehow managed to instill in their son a desire to be educated and advance in the world.  As he grows, Jonathan is surrounded by teachers and mentors who take special interest in him and encourage him to reach high, including “Dico,” his transgender debate coach, whose support ultimately alters the trajectory of his life – and Jonathan changes Dico’s in return.  In this Blue Sky conversation, Jonathan details some of the highlights of his remarkable memoir, his reasons for writing it, and what continues to motivate him today. Links: Order Jonathan's memoir, I Wasn't Supposed to Be Here