No Small Endeavor with Lee C. Camp

In a thought-provoking conversation, Malcolm Gladwell, a renowned journalist and author, alongside former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, shares insights on cultivating humility and curiosity. Gladwell emphasizes that humility is a habit requiring practice for genuine understanding. Smith adds depth with her powerful poetry, urging listeners to appreciate the complexities of humanity. The duo explores the significance of compassionate communication, especially during challenging discussions, reminding us of the beauty in our shared experiences and the importance of empathy.

To prepare for family dinners and political conversations this holiday season, two guests offer us new ways of being humble and curious. First, well-known thinker and author Malcolm Gladwell reveals why we must learn humility if we are to understand each other. “Humility is a habit,” he says. “Habit is a really important word, because if it's a habit, it means it's something that you have to practice.” Then, former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith offers powerful poems that invite us to acknowledge the full, complex, and beautiful worth of the human beings we encounter. In this episode, listen closely for multiple ways we can cultivate humility, be curious, and have compassion despite our disagreements and differences. Show Notes Resources mentioned this episode:"The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference" by Malcolm Gladwell "Wade in the Water: Poems" by Tracy K. Smith Similar NSE episodes: Malcolm Gladwell: Becoming Malcolm Tracy K. Smith and Marie Howe: Poetry as Politics Thanksgiving Special: Conversation and Gratitude  Transcription Link  Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is our unabridged interview with Kathryn Gin Lum. When is the last time you heard the word “heathen”? The word was originally used to delineate between European Christians who tended to be in urban centers and pagans in rural areas.  “Heathen exists in the mind of the person doing the labeling, right? It's a label that one people foists onto another.” Our guest today, Kathryn Gin Lum, walks us through the history of the term heathen and how it has utterly shaped the world. We discuss her book Heathen: Religion and Race in American History. The idea behind the term was wielded as a weapon to justify colonization and enslavement, and though the term has fallen out of use, she says the mental map of the world it has created has not. Show Notes Resources mentioned this episode: "Heathen: Religion and Race in American History" by Kathryn Gin Lum "The Origin of Others (The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures)" by Toni Morrison Similar NSE episodes: Willie James Jennings: The Christian Imagination Eugene Cho Karen Korematsu: Fear, Home and the Asian-American Experience  PDF of Lee's Interview Notes Transcript of Abridged Interview  Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When is the last time you heard the word “heathen”? The word was originally used to delineate between European Christians who tended to be in urban centers and pagans in rural areas.  “Heathen exists in the mind of the person doing the labeling, right? It's a label that one people foists onto another.” Our guest today, Kathryn Gin Lum, walks us through the history of the term heathen and how it has utterly shaped the world. We discuss her book Heathen: Religion and Race in American History. The idea behind the term was wielded as a weapon to justify colonization and enslavement, and though the term has fallen out of use, she says the mental map of the world it has created has not. Show Notes Resources mentioned this episode: "Heathen: Religion and Race in American History" by Kathryn Gin Lum "The Origin of Others (The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures)" by Toni Morrison Similar NSE episodes: Willie James Jennings: The Christian Imagination Eugene Cho and Karen Korematsu: Fear, Home and the Asian-American Experience  PDF of Lee's Interview Notes Transcription Link  Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is our unabridged interview with Tim Shriver. On social media and the news, the narrative told about humanity is often one of violence, division, and dehumanization. But is that really who we are? Tim Shriver, best-selling author and chairman of the Special Olympics, doesn’t think so. “My view,” he says, “is that the versions of our lives that most of us lead most days are much more hopeful.” As the nephew of John F. Kennedy, Tim has known great privilege and great grief. As an educator and social worker, he has seen the countless ways that humans defy stereotypes and give grace and hope to one another. In this episode, he talks about why his life and career have led him to the conclusion that the key to a happy life is to live it for the flourishing of others. Show Notes Resources mentioned this episode: "Fully Alive: Discovering What Matters Most" by Tim Shriver Tim's Website "Need a Lift?" Podcast Similar NSE episodes: Greg Boyle: Cherished Belonging Martin Sheen: Actor and Activist Ben Cohen: Peace, Justice, Ice Cream  PDF of Lee's Interview Notes Transcript of Abridged Episode  Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On social media and the news, the narrative told about humanity is often one of violence, division, and dehumanization. But is that really who we are? Tim Shriver, best-selling author and chairman of the Special Olympics, doesn’t think so. “My view,” he says, “is that the versions of our lives that most of us lead most days are much more hopeful.” As the nephew of John F. Kennedy, Tim has known great privilege and great grief. As an educator and social worker, he has seen the countless ways that humans defy stereotypes and give grace and hope to one another. In this episode, he talks about why his life and career have led him to the conclusion that the key to a happy life is to live it for the flourishing of others. Show Notes Resources mentioned this episode: "Fully Alive: Discovering What Matters Most" by Tim Shriver Tim's Website "Need a Lift?" Podcast Similar NSE episodes: Greg Boyle: Cherished Belonging Martin Sheen: Actor and Activist Ben Cohen: Peace, Justice, Ice Cream  PDF of Lee's Interview Notes Transcription Link  Want more NSE? JOIN NSE+ Today! Our subscriber only community with bonus episodes designed specifically to help you live a good life, ad-free listening, and discounts on live shows Subscribe to episodes: Apple | Spotify | Amazon | Google | YouTubeFollow Us: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTubeFollow Lee: Instagram | TwitterJoin our Email List: nosmallendeavor.com See Privacy Policy: Privacy Policy Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: Tokens Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip Mangano, an expert on homelessness and the architect of the Housing First Initiative, dives deep into innovative solutions for this persistent issue. He critiques traditional approaches that only manage symptoms and advocates for a systemic change prioritizing stable housing as a solution. The discussion also highlights the transformative impact of data-driven strategies in federal policies and the success of initiatives like the Samaritan Initiative, which integrates supportive services to address underlying issues faced by homeless individuals.

Philip Mangano, former executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, passionately advocates for a Housing-First approach to end homelessness. He discusses the limitations of traditional methods that merely serve more people without solving the issue. Mangano shares personal inspirations that drove his commitment, emphasizing the need to transform homelessness from aid into advocacy. His insights include strategic frameworks for supporting veteran homelessness and a plea for future-oriented moral perspectives to address today's challenges.

In a poignant conversation, poet and Yale Divinity School teacher Christian Wiman, author of "Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair," reflects on his twenty-year journey with cancer. He discusses how suffering fosters an intimacy that enriches human connections and prompts deeper reflections on faith and doubt. Wiman delves into the complexities of joy versus happiness and the tension between personal spirituality and organized religion. His insights illuminate how sorrow can clarify life's truths, reshaping our understanding of love and existence.

Renowned poet Christian Wiman teaches at Yale Divinity School and is the author of "Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair." He shares his journey of living with cancer and how suffering fosters deep intimacy. Wiman delves into the transformative power of vulnerability and the complexities of faith and spirituality. He distinguishes between joy and happiness, emphasizing joy's spiritual depth. Through his lyrical insights, he highlights how poetry and art can heal and illuminate life even amid sorrow.