AwareNow™: The Official Podcast for Causes

Malynda Hale is an actor, filmmaker, singer, podcast host, and advocate whose work lives at the intersection of art, justice, faith, and identity. In the upcoming drama Bull Street, she stars as LouEster Sadie Gibbs, a small-town attorney fighting a courtroom battle where privilege, legacy, and home collide. Beyond the screen, Malynda continues to use every platform she has — from Black Voices Heard to #WeNeedToTalk — to create deeper conversations, amplify Black experiences, and remind us that storytelling itself can be a form of justice.Featured in 'The Unhidden Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Malynda HaleHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Michael ShynesProduced by: AwareNow Media

Awaiting Evaluation explores the uncertainty of waiting for answers and the questions that surface in the silence. Written by Alex Grech in 2017, the play now offers a window into the artist he has become: a multidisciplinary storyteller shaped by creativity, resilience, and purpose.Featured in 'The Unhidden Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Alex GrechHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Ziv MoranProduced by: AwareNow Media

Rural communities are often defined by their resilience, but resilience doesn't happen by accident. It is built through partnerships, shared purpose, and people who choose to invest in the places they call home. As CEO of the Shiawassee Family YMCA and a longtime leader in education and community development, Laura Archer understands what it takes to help rural communities not just survive, but truly thrive.Featured in 'The Unhidden Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Laura ArcherHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Itay KashtiProduced by: AwareNow Media

Keeping her MS diagnosis private once gave Jamie Lynn Sigler a sense of protection, but eventually, the secrecy became another form of suffering. By sharing her truth, she discovered not only freedom, but an entire community waiting to welcome her. Here, she speaks openly about grace, treatment decisions and learning to let her own voice be the loudest in the room.Featured in 'The Unhidden Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Jamie Lynn SiglerHost: Allié McGuireFilmed by: Bill McCulloughMusic by: Michael ShynesProduced by: AwareNow Media

Behind every extraordinary life, there is often a story we do not see. Here we are invited to look beyond success, strength, and composure to consider the struggles that shaped them. This reflection reminds us that hardship does not define a person by breaking them, but by revealing the resilience, wisdom, and compassion they carry forward.Featured in 'The Lived Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Paul S. RogersMusic by: Dor Ben LuluProduced by: AwareNow Media

Dr. Ricardo Araiza's story begins with a moment of unexpected recognition in middle school, when teachers saw promise in a student who had often felt overlooked because of language barriers, hearing loss, a speech stutter, and the challenges of moving between two countries. With the support of key educators who helped him see what was possible, Ricardo became the advocate and leader he once needed, building a career rooted in access, equity, and belief in every student's potential. Today, as Coordinator of English Learner Programs for Palm Springs Unified School District, he uses his lived experience to challenge bias, support multilingual learners, and ensure students are not defined by their zip code, native language, or differences.Featured in 'The Lived Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comNarrated by: Dr. Ricardo AraizaWritten by: Sonja MontielMusic by: Louis IslandProduced by: AwareNow Media

After losing his father to MS, Duff Archie found himself unable to let go of an idea that began as a quiet thought: connecting the MS community to the freedom, challenge, and connection of sailing. What started as grief, memory, and a fascination with sailing content evolved into Expedition MS, a global sailing-and-storytelling nonprofit designed to create real experiences for people living with MS and other progressive conditions. At its heart, the article is about solving the problem that won't let you go, and building something that helps fewer people feel alone.Featured in 'The Lived Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Duff ArchieMusic by: Paper PlanesProduced by: AwareNow Media

What if changing the world wasn't the responsibility of a handful of billionaires? What if it belonged to all of us? For years, Seth Blaustein has been exploring a simple but powerful question: How do we make meaningful impact accessible to everyone? As a filmmaker, futurist, entrepreneur, and storyteller, he has helped inspire millions of people to take action for causes that matter. But Seth believes the future of philanthropy isn't about a few people giving a lot. It's about millions of people giving a little.Today, as the Founder and CEO of Dollar Donation Club, Seth is building a new model for collective impact, one that transforms everyday generosity into extraordinary change. It is a vision where anyone can be a philanthropist, and where together, we become the world's first collective super-philanthropist.Featured in 'The Lived Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comSeries: ALIGNHost: DamkiannaGuest: Seth Blaustein Music by: DamkiannaProduced by: AwareNow Media

Matt Knaggs and Colin Goodman are friends divided by an ocean, but united by cause. Both live with multiple sclerosis. Both know the fear, uncertainty, fatigue, and fight that can come with diagnosis. And both have chosen to meet MS not by standing still, but by moving forward, one mile at a time. Together, they are preparing to run across Ireland from Mizen Head to Malin Head in pursuit of a Guinness World Record, raising awareness and funds for MS along the way. This is more than an ultra-marathon. This is a message in motion. This is what it looks like when friendship becomes fuel, purpose becomes pace, and hope learns how to run.Featured in 'The Lived Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Matt Knaggs & Colin GoodmanHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Paper PlanesProduced by: AwareNow Media

In the film No One Cares About Crazy People, director Gail Freedman invites us to look directly at the crisis of severe mental illness in America, not through statistics alone, but through the deeply human stories of those living inside it. Inspired by Ron Powers' acclaimed book of the same name, the film confronts stigma, silence, and the systems that have failed too many families for too long. With honesty, urgency, and humanity, this documentary asks us not only to witness what has been overlooked, but to care enough to change it.Featured in 'The Lived Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Gail FreedmanHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Louis IslandProduced by: AwareNow Media

We see the characters. We remember the scenes. But we rarely stop to consider the life that shaped the man bringing them to life. In this intimate conversation, Curtiss Cook reflects on the years that tested him, the family that grounded him, and the purpose that carried him from survival to something more.Featured in 'The Lived Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Curtiss CookHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Michael ShynesProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Paul S. RogersMusic by: Ziv MoranProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comStory by: Sonja Montiel Narrated by: Mark DeCarloMusic by: Ziv MoranProduced by: AwareNow Media

What began as one father's ride for his daughter has become a movement powered by purpose, community and love. Inspired by Ava, his daughter who lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, Brad Serot founded Yes We Can Cycling to raise awareness and funds for children and families navigating disabilities and complex health needs. Now, with a team of more than 20 riders taking on SBT GRVL and a bold goal of reaching $3 million raised over six years, Brad is proving that endurance is not just measured in miles, but in meaning.Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Brad SerotHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Ran GersonProduced by: AwareNow Media

Every brand begins with a name, but the best ones begin with a reason. Ashley Connelly built Lionbear Ventures to help small businesses and communities move from possibility to progress. Here, she shares the story behind the name, the purpose behind the work, and the vision that pushes it forward.Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Ashley ConnellyHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Paper PlanesProduced by: AwareNow Media

In the middle of O'Hare Airport, surrounded by rolling suitcases, gate changes, coffee cups, and hurry, Greg Owen sat down at a piano and changed the room. People slowed, smiled, listened, and for a moment, remembered how beautiful it feels to be interrupted by something real. In this conversation, Greg reflects on the lifelong love of music that began at age nine, the quiet power of being heard, and the butterfly effect of one song finding its way into another person's heart.Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Greg OwenHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Greg OwenProduced by: AwareNow Media

Kitty Bogle-Sherman and Coco Harmon are more than sisters. They are co-founders, mothers, and purpose-driven leaders reshaping how we connect through technology. As the visionary founders behind Endora, they are building a platform designed to deepen human connection in a digitally saturated world, blending innovation with intention.In a time defined by constant input, where we are endlessly consuming, scrolling, and absorbing, they recognized a quiet but critical gap: the need for reflection. What began as an app designed to gamify self-reflection has evolved into something far greater: an ecosystem of tools and experiences that invite individuals to pause, process, and reconnect with themselves and one another. Rooted in both personal insight and a shared vision for collective well-being, their work reframes technology not as a distraction, but as a catalyst for awareness and growth.Endora is more than an app and more than a company. Kitty and Coco are cultivating a movement centered on meaningful connection, conscious technology, and a more human future.Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comSeries: ALIGNHost: DamkiannaGuests: Kitty Bogle-Sherman & Coco HarmonMusic by: DamkiannaProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Allié McGuireMusic by: Yehezkel RazProduced by: AwareNow Media

Ajay Friese (aka Bluejay Friese) is not choosing between the screen and the stage. He is building a life where both can exist, inform each other, and reveal different truths. With his role in American Classic and the release of his debut album Postcards, Ajay steps into a defining chapter where character, craft, and his own voice begin to beautifully overlap.Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Ajay FrieseHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: ShintoProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Allié McGuireMusic by: Ziv MoranProduced by: AwareNow Media

Tal Anderson has never needed a script to be memorable, but lately, the world is catching up to what so many of us have known all along. Through her role as Becca in The Pitt and her children's book Oh Tal! Not Like That, Tal is helping reshape how autism is seen, not as a stereotype to be explained, but as a lived experience to be honored. In this conversation, Tal opens up about representation, misunderstanding, advocacy, and the joy of becoming even more herself.Featured in 'The Seen Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Tal AndersonHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Louis IslandProduced by: AwareNow Media

"Healing is not something you acquire.It is something you return to."Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: DamkiannaMusic by: DamkiannaProduced by: AwareNow MediaSponsored by: Truth & Justice League

Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comInterview by: Erin IndiaFeatured in: Global GoodMusic by: NobouProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten by: Sonja Montiel Narrated by: Elliot FelixMusic by: Yehezkel RazProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Fox RigneyMusic by: Roie ShpiglerProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Erin MacauleyMusic by: Roy DahanProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Paul S. RogersMusic by: RomeoProduced by: AwareNow Media

Beautify Pullman was never just about beautification—it was about connection, restoration, and the quiet power of showing up. Founded in 2020 to bring people together around meaningful change, the organization continues to transform both spaces and lives. Patty brings us inside that movement, where every project tells a story of belonging.Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Patty ConwayHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: DaniHaDaniProduced by: AwareNow Media

There's often a gap between intention and impact, between what we say and what we actually do. When it comes to autism, Jennifer Kaufman is working in that space, building bridges that make inclusion real.Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Jennifer KaufmanHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Guy ManorProduced by: AwareNow Media

Trust doesn't come from headlines. It's built in the field, in the work, and in the people who show up every day to feed the world. Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen are bringing us there, inviting us to see agriculture through a new lens with Discover Ag On The Road.Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuests: Natalie Kovarik & Tara Vander DussenHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Marco MartiniProduced by: AwareNow Media

Film has the power to entertain, but at its best, it has the power to connect. For Isaac Zablocki, that connection is the point, using storytelling to close the distance between lived experience and public perception. Through ReelAbilities, he's not just showcasing films, he's inviting us into a deeper, more human way of seeing.Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Isaac ZablockiHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Roie ShpiglerProduced by: AwareNow Media

There's something about Stella Pecollo that feels both grounded and untethered at the same time. Like she knows exactly where she comes from… but refuses to be defined by it. From a small town in Italy to stages and cities around the world, her journey isn't just about becoming an actress. It's about becoming herself, fully and unapologetically. In You, Me, & Tuscany, she steps into a story rooted in love, family, and discovery. Off screen, she's living one of her own… one that challenges expectations, embraces expression, and invites others to do the same.Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Stella PecolloHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: NobouProduced by: AwareNow Media

Grief has a rhythm. Sometimes it's quiet. Sometimes it breaks through without warning. For Elsar Dwiman, it became a song that carries more than pain. It carries love that never left.Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Elsar DwimanHost: Allié McGuireFeature Song by: Elsar DwimanBackground Music by: Ziv MoranProduced by: AwareNow Media

There are moments in life where falling isn't failure. It's transformation. For Lisa Velez-Batista, every chapter has been an invitation to redefine what strength truly looks like. This is a story about living fully, even when the path is anything but predictable.Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Lisa Velez-BatistaHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Itay KashtiProduced by: AwareNow Media

Alex Bussenger, founder of Heal, didn't choose the path that would define his career — it chose him. Facing not one, but two life-threatening medical emergencies, Alex emerged from recovery with a radical new perspective on what healing truly means and a mission to transform how we prevent and navigate illness. From the loneliness of recovery to the creation of tools that connect survivors and a venture capital fund aimed at proactive health solutions, his story is a testament to turning survival into service. Featured in 'The Healing Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Alex BussengerHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Michael ShynesProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Jack McGuireMusic by: RynnProduced by: AwareNow Media

In a city that never sleeps, where networking often happens over cocktails and connection is filtered through loud bars, something radically different is rising. The Maze is not just an alcohol-free private members club in New York City. It is a cultural shift.So what happens when sobriety evolves beyond abstinence and becomes a movement rooted in connection, creativity, and conscious community?At the center of it is Justin Gurland.Justin's sobriety journey began at 25, at a time when he believed life without substances would feel small, empty, or maybe even unbearable. What he discovered instead was expansion. After years in recovery, he had a breakthrough that changed everything. The opposite of addiction is not just sobriety, it is connection.That realization shaped his life's work.With over 15 years as a licensed master social worker specializing in substance abuse, and 16 years of lived sobriety, Justin has helped countless individuals rebuild their lives through meaningful relationships and community. The Maze is the embodiment of that philosophy. A high-design, high-vibration private members club redefining social life without alcohol. A new American restaurant, elevated coffee, weekly events, curated gatherings, and monthly cornerstone groups where entrepreneurs, parents, creatives, and leaders meet in intentional community.It is for the sober, the sober curious, the wellness focused, the high performers who want clarity, the founders who want depth, and the humans who are done pretending that connection requires a drink in their hand.The Maze is proof that sobriety is not an ending. It is a powerful beginning. And in the heart of New York City, it is building something unforgettable.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Justin GurlandHost: DamkiannaMusic by: DamkiannaProduced by: AwareNow MediaSponsored by: Truth & Justice League

Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Paul S. RogersMusic by: DawncallProduced by: AwareNow Media

Behind every innovation is a question someone dared to ask. For Philippe Moity, that question was simple: what if indoor training could feel like a real journey instead of a routine? In this conversation, Philippe shares the story behind Kinomap, the personal motivation that keeps him moving, and why he immediately stepped forward to support the Because I Can Virtual 5K, a global movement inspired by resilience and the power of taking the next step.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Philippe MoityHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Ziv MoranProduced by: AwareNow Media

We often celebrate pushing forward, but rarely honor the bravery of turning back. Jen Willis knows both paths intimately. In this conversation, she reflects on MS, Everest, and the kind of strength that emerges when self-trust becomes the ultimate measure of success.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Jen WillisHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Leroy WildProduced by: AwareNow Media

Multiple sclerosis does not arrive politely or predictably. For Julie Blew, it arrived through confusion, fear, and a growing realization that something inside her body was changing in ways no one could yet explain. What followed was a journey that challenged her trust in her body but ultimately deepened her understanding of resilience, intuition, and what it means to keep moving forward.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Julie BlewHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: RisianProduced by: AwareNow Media

Ted Meyer is an internationally recognized artist and patient advocate whose work transforms lived experiences of illness into powerful visual storytelling that builds empathy and human connection. Living with Gaucher disease, he bridges art and medicine through projects like Scarred for Life, helping audiences and medical professionals see illness through the lens of lived humanity.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Ted MeyerHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Tristan BartonProduced by: AwareNow Media

Long before he became known as “The Happiness Doctor,” Dr. Elia Gourgouris was simply a boy navigating change, identity, and the quiet pressures that shape us long before we understand them. His journey, marked by discipline, loss, reinvention, and discovery, led him to a simple but profound truth: happiness is not the absence of pain, but the presence of alignment. Today, his mission is helping others find their way back to themselves.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Dr. Elia GourgourisHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Ardie SonProduced by: AwareNow Media

MS has a way of taking things without asking, including the futures we once counted on. For Cheryl Hile, that meant surrendering a career, relearning her body, and choosing movement in a world that kept telling her to slow down. This conversation traces her journey from diagnosis to defiance, and how she turned personal loss into collective purpose through every step she continues to take.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Cheryl HileHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Francesco DAndreaProduced by: AwareNow Media

Some creators strive to go viral. O'Neil Thomas seeks to go beyond numbers with nuance. With satire sharp enough to spark headlines and style bold enough to challenge expectation, he is redefining what it means to be seen in digital culture. In a world addicted to applause, O'Neil is playing a longer game.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: O'Neil ThomasHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: NobouProduced by: AwareNow Media

Visibility can be a risk, especially when your body and your identity are both subject to scrutiny. For Matt Kenny, choosing to be seen as a runner with MS and as a gay man in sport has never been about making a statement, but about telling the truth. This conversation explores how courage is built mile by mile, choice by choice, long after the finish line fades.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Matt KennyHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: BorrtexProduced by: AwareNow Media

For years, audiences knew her through roles that defined a generation of fans, but the path forward has become something far more intentional. In this conversation with Cassandra Scerbo, we explore the shift from playing the parts people expect to choosing the work that truly matters. It's a story about stepping beyond labels, embracing purpose, and finding the courage to redefine what comes next.Featured in 'The Fearless Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Cassandra ScerboHost: Allié McGuireMusic by: Michael ShynesProduced by: AwareNow Media

Some songs are written to be heard. Others are written to survive. For Jayme Hoiness, Louder Than Hate began not as a performance, but as a lifeline during one of the darkest seasons of her life, when postpartum depression, identity loss, and a fractured world left her searching for something solid to hold onto. What emerged was more than a song. It was proof that even in our quietest breaking, something within us is still brave enough to sing.Featured in 'The Solidarity Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuest: Jayme HoinessHost: Allié McGuireFeatured Song by: Jayme HoinessSoundtrack by: We Dream of EdenProduced by: AwareNow Media

In a time when the human experience can feel fragmented and isolating, when communities feel divided and purpose can feel hard to locate, there is a deeper remembering taking place.Today, I invite you to meet Laura Rose and Emanuel Kuntzelman, founders of the Holomovement, a movement of movements devoted to the good of the whole. Partners in life and in mission for more than thirty-five years, Laura and Emanuel have dedicated their work to bridging what is often kept separate: individual purpose and collective responsibility, inner alignment and global action. Through organizations such as Purpose Earth, they have helped resource, mentor, and amplify changemakers around the world, supporting grassroots leaders who are responding to humanity's most pressing challenges with creativity, integrity, and care.From that work emerged the Holomovement, not as an ideology, but as a living framework, one that recognizes that the challenges we face cannot be solved in isolation and that real transformation begins when we remember our interconnection. This conversation reflects the heart of ALIGN, where personal purpose becomes a catalyst for collective transformation.Featured in 'The Solidarity Edition' of AwareNow Magazine: www.awarenowmagazine.comGuests: Laura Rose & Emanuel KuntzelmanHost: DamkiannaMusic by: DamkiannaProduced by: AwareNow MediaSponsored by: Truth & Justice League

Featured in 'The Solidarity Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten by: Sonja Montiel Narrated by: Dan BurchfieldMusic by: Roie ShpiglerProduced by: AwareNow Media

Featured in 'The Solidarity Edition' of AwareNow Magazinewww.awarenowmagazine.comWritten & Narrated by: Paul S. RogersMusic by: Jozeque, Roie ShpiglerProduced by: AwareNow Media