Podcasts about us peace corps

IAN UNPLUGGED 2618 050226                        Featured on Sat, May 2, 2026 from 3 - 4 pm on the “IAN UNPLUGGED” segment of Indo American News Radio (www.IndoAmerica-News.com) on 98.7 FM:On “Hey, Wassup?”, Jay & Sanchali discuss the US Peace Corps and its current status with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Jeremy Malhotra, Josh Spencer and a volunteer's parent, Padmaja Vedhartam.

In this episode, Dr Zoe Swithenbank speaks to Dr Olufemi Erinoso, a postdoctoral fellow at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr Jennifer Pearson, an Associate Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Reno. The interview covers Olufemi and Jennifer's research article covering the use of cessation products, e-cigarettes, and cigarette cessation outcomes among adults with substance use problems, using the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study from 2013-2021.An overview of the study [01:35]The key findings of the study [02:44]The unexpected findings [05:57]Considerations of the tobacco and e-cigarette policy context throughout the study period [08:02]Variations in findings across race/ethnicity [11:10]Policy recommendations for what works with regards to smoking cessation [13:38]The big take away from the study [15:30]About Zoe Swithenbank: Zoe is a senior research associate at Lancaster University, currently working on a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded research project exploring treatment pathways for co-occurring alcohol and mental health problems. She recently completed her PhD at Liverpool John Moores University on behavioural interventions for smoking cessation in substance use treatment services. Prior to starting her academic career, Zoe worked in health services including substance use, mental health, and homeless services, and these experiences shaped her research interests, as well as her commitment to the inclusion of people with lived experience in research.About Olufemi Erinoso: Olufemi, PhD, MPH, BDS, is a public health researcher and clinician-scientist specializing in tobacco control, harm reduction, and health systems research. He earned his MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and PhD in Public Health (Social and Behavioral Health) from the University of Nevada, Reno, followed by postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research addresses electronic nicotine delivery systems, substance use, and implementation science, with extensive experience analyzing large population-based datasets. Olufemi has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals and advances national and global tobacco regulatory science.About Jennifer Pearson: Jennifer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior, Policy, and Administration Sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada, Reno. Broadly, her research focuses on how regulation of tobacco and cannabis product characteristics, packaging, and advertising affects consumer behavior and public health outcomes. Jennifer has authored over 140 scientific peer-reviewed scientific articles on tobacco and cannabis policy and published in high-impact journals such as the Addiction, the American Journal of Public Health, and Tobacco Control. Dr. Pearson earned her doctorate in Social and Behavioral Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2011, and her Master of Public Health degree from George Washington University in 2007. Jennifer started her career in public health as a Tobacco Education Coordinator for the American Lung Association of Nevada and served as a US Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea from 2002-2004. Original article: Use of cessation products, e-cigarettes and cigarette cessation outcomes among adults with substance use problems: Results from 2013–2021 (Waves 1–6) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70098The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Becky Wandell is a Teacher, Writer, Tour Guide, Volunteer, and Solo Traveler. At 47, while weathering a difficult divorce and the death of four close relatives, she clawed her way up from the depths of grief and, in her words, set out to "find her way back to Becky again".  To do this, she quit her job, sold all of her belongings and charted a plan to complete a series of adventures she had always dreamed of doing. Joining the US Peace Corps, learning to speak Spanish and gaining her confidence in solo travel and living abroad set the stage for several years of living her best life throughout South America; a life rich with opportunities to learn, grow, serve others through volunteering, integrate deeply into cultures, and make connections - especially with women. Then, in 2024 at the age of 55, she hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada.  It was there, with thousands of footsteps across the desert, over the mountains and back home to the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, she was finally able to release the last of her regrets, coming away from the trek feeling lighter, freer, more confident and beautiful than ever before.  Turns out, living life to the fullest and fulfilling all your dreams brings joy. Now, Becky works as a seasonal Tour Guide in Alaska which allows her to spend the rest of the year living out of her backpack, always ready for the next adventure. ***  New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x *** Show notes Who is Becky  Teacher, writer, solo traveller, volunteer and tour guide  Starting her life in the Mid-West Knowing she always wanted to live by mountains  Starting to work for the forest service in environmental programs  Having a wonderful career and life Needing to make a pivot in her life and needing to figure out what she really wanted to do Joining the Peace Corps at 47  Wanting to travel more, learn a new language and experience more of the world Deciding to hike the Pacific Crest Trail at 55 from Mexico to Canada Gaining a huge amount of confidence  Wanting to slow travel more and working as a tour guide in Alaska Living her dream and being the best beaky she can be The pivot at 47 The love letters….. the origin story to her relationship  Giving up her dreams and "compromising"  Typing out all the things that she wanted to do back then Sacrificing her dreams  What the Peace Corps is Learning so much about herself, other people and cultures  Living in Ecuador with a family and leaning the language  Her new path and dealing with lonely moments Losing her parents  Slow travel and volunteering around South America  Workaway  Spending 2 years travelling around Patagonia  Her dream of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Feeling ready to take on the hike Not having fears or concerns before the hike Letting go of fear Getting her trail name Challenging sections on the PCT Why 700 miles in the desert was the real challenge  Being supported by her friends during the tough moments The mental game Doing hard things  Writing a letter to herself  Can she push her body that hard to make the hike happen Preparing for the trail really well Needing to hike her hike her way Learning about her last name Sharing a little video from the end of the PCT Finally identifying as a tough girl  How to connect with Becky  Final words of advice Give up the fear, your going to be ok  Start planning, take the step.   Social Media Blog: onthewingadventures.com Instagram: @beckysonthewingadventures  

Irene S. Wu, Ph.D. is author of “Measuring Soft Power in International Relations.”   She is a lecturer in the Communications, Culture, and Technology Program of Georgetown University and a former fellow at the Wilson Center for international Scholars. Her other books include Forging trust communities: how technology changes politics, and from iron fist to invisible hand: the uneven path of telecommunications reform in China.   Soft power, as opposed to hard power, is essential to persuade another country without the use of violence. Examples would include USAID, economic aid, international trade, US Peace Corps, UN projects and People to People Programs. Elimination of the successful USAID program and withdrawal from WHO have been detrimental to the perception of the US and accomplishments of many of its foreign policies.     China, who is assuming more of a leadership role, has developed one of the largest infrastructure programs called the Belt and Road project.

Mark D. Walker, a Returned U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer from Guatemala, is an award-winning writer and President of Million Mile Walker. His new book is “The Guatemala Reader: Extraordinary Lives & Amazing Stories”.  Today we are focusing on the important soft power vs. hard power concepts that are under intense discussion.  Soft power, as opposed to hard power, is an example of how international overseas groups interact to make a difference in the lives of people abroad as well as benefiting their country's image, business opportunities, diplomatic initiatives and partnerships. Some of the most prominent soft power organizations are the US Peace Corps, USAID, CARE, Rotary International, faith-based groups and other humanitarian service clubs. America's credibility is devastated through the slash and burn of the USAID programs by Elon Musk and DOGE.  Russia and China are delighted that the US has weakened itself and is unilaterally surrendering its international leadership.    

I'm so excited to share this special 15 min episode recap with a powerful message. I'm publishing this curation to help you make the most of your time. The episode features segments from the episode 055 with Rhett Power. https://richie.libsyn.com/think-like-a-social-entrepreneur-on-money-and-meaning ====== Richie Norton interviews Rhett Power on entrepreneurship, leadership amidst chaos, creating a life of freedom and meaning with family, living around the world and finding your own entrepreneur's competitive advantage. Powerful, empowering conversation. Rhett co-founded Wild Creations in 2007 and quickly built the startup toy company into the 2010 Fastest Growing Business in South Carolina. Wild Creations was awarded a Blue-Ribbon Top 75 US Company by the US Chamber of Commerce and one of Inc. Magazine's 500 Fastest Growing US Companies. He and his team won over 40 national awards for their innovative toys. He was a finalist for Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2011 and was nominated again in 2012. After a successful exit from the toy company he started a new company focused on startup success. Recently he was named one of the world's top 100 business bloggers and in 2018 named the Best Small Business Coach in the United States. In 2019 he joined the prestigious Marshall Goldsmith's 100 Coaches and was named the #1 Thought Leader on Entrepreneurship by Thinkers360. His second best-selling book THE ENTREPRENEUR'S BOOK OF ACTIONS: Essential Daily Exercises and Habits for Becoming Wealthier, Smarter, and More Successful by McGraw Hill is a guide on how to become the leader you want to be. He is a regular contributor to Inc. Magazine, Forbes, and Thrive Global. Rhett travels the globe speaking about entrepreneurship, and management alongside the likes of Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and AOL Founder Steve Case. He has been featured in the Huffington Post, Business Insider, The Hill, Time, The Wall Street Journal and CNN Money. He developed a love of teaching and service to others in the US Peace Corps. Rhett is a Co-founder at Courageous Leadership a leadership consultancy that helps you believe again. We're an amalgamation of experienced behavior scientists, entrepreneurs, best-selling authors and breakthrough story makers who have worked with and inspired some of the largest, most relevant brands on the planet, including Google, Snapchat, Major League Baseball, General Mills, Nestle, Qualcomm and others.  Go to https://rhettpower.com/ to follow Rhett's latest. Continue the conversation here: RICHIE NORTON SHOW COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/richiepodcast RICHIE NORTON SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES: http://www.richienorton.com/ RICHIE NORTON SOCIAL: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/richie_norton LINKEDIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/richardnorton FB: https://www.facebook.com/richienorton TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/richienorton  

Glenn Blumhorst is a leader in the Peace Corps community and is currently heading the Peace Corps Foundation in its flagship initiative to establish the Peace Corps Park on the National Park Service site near Capitol Hill and the National Mall in D.C. Blumhorst, formerly president and CEO of the National Peace Corps Association from 2013-2022, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala. He highlighted how President John F.  Kennedy was a visionary by launching the US Peace Corps in 1961 to lend a hand to developing countries to enhance their infrastructure. Peace Corps' mission is to promote world peace and achieve the three goals which are to: train professionals to provide technical assistance in developing countries, help people overseas understand America better and to bring the unique Peace Corps experience back to the US, incorporate it into their lives and share it with policymakers, media and the public.

Mark D. Walker, a Returned U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer from Guatemala, is an award-winning writer and President of Million Mile Walker. His recent book is “The Guatemala Reader: Extraordinary Lives & Amazing Stories”. Prior to that he wrote, “My Saddest Pleasures: 50 Years on the Road.”  His Peace Corps experience totally changed his life. His publications include features of Guatemalan cultural and political leaders, as well as focus on the crisis of democracy which was spearheaded by the quest for cheap labor and to enrich the wealthy, which has been destructive for the majority of Indigenous Guatemalans. It is critical to learn more about countries in South and Central America, especially given their geo-political proximity to the US. In both Guatemala and the US, there has been a frontal assault on the freedom of expression, especially with books being banned by elected officials in states such as Florida and Texas. 

American Peter Hessler in 1996 was one of only two foreigners in a city of 180,000 in China's Sichuan Province, there to teach English for a couple of years as a member of the US Peace Corps. 

In the headlines: Saint Lucia secures support from the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for bilateral cooperation projects; and US Peace Corps volunteers are sworn in. For details on these developments and more, visit: www.govt.lc 

In this episode of IMPACTability: The Nonprofit Leaders Podcast, host Josh Hirsch, MS is joined by Julia Campbell to discuss the use of AI in nonprofit fundraising. They explore the benefits of using generative AI to create personalized donor journeys, analyze data for better fundraising strategies, and automate tasks to save time. They also discuss the ethical considerations of using AI, particularly in creating images and storytelling for sensitive topics. The conversation emphasizes the importance of having an AI usage policy and being transparent with donors. Overall, the episode highlights the potential of AI to enhance nonprofit fundraising and improve donor experiences.Takeaways Generative AI can be used to create personalized donor journeys, analyze data for better fundraising strategies, and automate tasks to save time.Ethical considerations should be taken into account when using AI, particularly in creating images and storytelling for sensitive topics.Having an AI usage policy and being transparent with donors is important to maintain trust and ensure ethical use of AI.AI has the potential to enhance nonprofit fundraising and improve donor experiences.Chapters00:33 Introducing Julia Campbell02:22 The Evolution of Digital Fundraising03:20 The Role of AI in Fundraising06:14 Ethics and AI in Nonprofit Fundraising08:36 Using AI to Improve Fundraising10:59 Analyzing Data for Better Fundraising Strategies14:24 Creating Personalized Donor Journeys18:53 Communicating with Different Stakeholders21:18 Ethical Considerations in AI for Nonprofits25:35 Transparency and Trust in AI Usage30:22 The Power and Potential of AI in Nonprofit Fundraising35:40 Closing Remarks and Contact InformationGuest BioRecently named one of the 25 most influential nonprofit thought leaders and one of the seven nonprofit thought leaders to follow on Twitter during the coronavirus crisis, Julia Campbell is on a mission to make the digital world a better place. After spending two years in Senegal, West Africa with the US Peace Corps, working with NGOs and local villages, she started her career in the nonprofit sector, in roles that include development, marketing, and program management. In her current role, through speaking and consulting, she guides organizations of all sizes on the best uses of social media and storytelling to build communities, showcase impact, and advance their causes. Julia wrote her book Storytelling in the Digital Age: A Guide for Nonprofits as a roadmap for social change agents who want to build movements using engaging digital storytelling techniques. Her second book, How to Build and Mobilize a Social Media Community for Your Nonprofit, was published this year. Julia launched Social Media for Social Good...

How do we tackle huge systemic intersectional environmental justice issues at the local level?That's today's big question, and my guest is Jacqui Patterson. Jacqui is the Founder and Executive Director of the Chisholm Legacy Project, which helps connect Black communities that are being disproportionately impacted by the climate crisis with the resources they need to create systemic change across connected challenges.Jacqui was recently named to Time Magazine's 2024 list of Women of the Year, and she took home the Earth Award for her work. Jacqui was previously the Senior Director of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program. Since 2007, she has served as Coordinator and Co-founder of Women of Color United.She has served as the Senior Women's Rights Policy Analyst for ActionAid, where she integrated a women's rights lens for the issue of feud rights, macroeconomics, and climate change, as well as the intersection of violence against women and HIV/AIDS.Previously, she served as Assistant Vice President of HIV and AIDS Programs for IMA World Health, providing management and technical assistance to medical facilities and programs in 23 countries in Africa and the Caribbean. Jacqui served as the Outreach Project Associate for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and Research Coordinator for Johns Hopkins University. She also served as a US Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica.-----------Have feedback or questions? Tweet us, or send a message to questions@importantnotimportant.comNew here? Get started with our fan favorite episodes at podcast.importantnotimportant.com.-----------INI Book Club:Chronicles of the One series by Nora RobertsFind all of our guest recommendations at the INI Book Club: https://bookshop.org/lists/important-not-important-book-clubLinks:Support the Chisholm Legacy ProjectCheck out Policies For The PeopleKeep up with Jacqui's workFollow us:Subscribe to our newsletter at importantnotimportant.comSupport our work and become a Member at importantnotimportant.com/upgradeGet our merchFollow us on Twitter: twitter.com/ImportantNotImpFollow us on Threads: www.threads.net/@importantnotimportantSubscribe to our...

In this thought-provoking episode, we embark on an exploration of legacy – and what it means for farmers and ranchers. Vance Crowe is an amazing storyteller who helps families capture their legacy by interviewing their loved ones about family stories, life challenges and other experiences that influenced their actions and decisions. As we journey through this captivating conversation, you'll discover: - The transformative power of knowing your family legacy - Insights into how to uncover your family legacy - The importance of intergenerational connections About Vance: Vance Crowe is a communications strategist that has worked for corporations and international organizations around the world. He has spoken before more than 250,000 people, answering questions about some of the most sophisticated and controversial technologies in the modern age. Vance has worked for organizations as varied as the World Bank, Monsanto, the US Peace Corps and even as a deckhand on an ecotourism ship. Vance is the founder of Legacy Interviews, a service to privately record the life stories of individuals and couples so they can be passed down to future generations. Key Moments: 00:00:00 Introduction to Legacy Interviews with Vance Crow 00:04:02 Vance Crow's Background and Journey to Legacy Interviews 00:06:48 Inspiration Behind Legacy Interviews 00:07:01 The Meaning of Legacy in Families 00:09:41 Unpacking the Concept of Legacy 00:10:58 Impact of Legacy Interviews on Families 00:14:40 Facilitating Reflection for Emotional Healing 00:15:53 The Influence of Interviewer on Storytelling 00:18:55 The Impact of Age on Interview Openness 00:22:04 The Evolution of Personality in Aging 00:23:40 Patterns in Women's Lessons Learned 00:25:10 Revelation on Partnering in Marriage 00:27:13 Long-Term Perspective and Wisdom 00:29:39 The Shift from Regrets to Lessons Learned 00:32:26 Realizing Parents are Human 00:34:46 Impact of Family Storytelling 00:37:26 Importance of Family Legacy in Succession Planning 00:38:44 The Importance of Trying New Things in Family Businesses 00:40:11 Success Comes from Being Experimental 00:41:04 Preserving Agricultural Stories and Legacies 00:42:30 Encouragement to Ask Questions and Share Stories 00:42:45 Embracing In-Person Connections and Sharing Stories Links: Full Show Notes: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes  Free Weekly Resources: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranching-resources  https://www.legacyinterviews.com/ https://www.alltech.com/en-in/beef https://herddogg.com/ • The easiest way to create a new revenue stream for your ranch is with LandTrust. Learn more here! www.landtrust.com/a/cattleconvos  Take Your Ranch to the Next Level Once a month Shaye hosts Q&A calls between cattle producers and beef industry leaders to help ranchers find answers to their questions and improve their bottom lines. The best part is you get expert insight from the comfort of your own ranch and get to ask any question you want relating to the topic! Learn More About RancherMinds: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/ranchermind-events  Connect with me on Social Media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cattleconvos Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cattleconvos/ Podcast Coaching Do you have an existing podcast or want to start a new one but don't know where to start? Connect with Shaye and she will lay out everything you need to know to get you started on the right foot. Find podcast resources and coaching opportunities here! https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/podcast-coaching

Elevate your chat game with Leil Lowndes' How to Talk to Anyone! Discover 92 foolproof tricks to charm, disarm, and connect in any scenario. Why blend in when you can stand out? Talk your way to the top with Lowndes' expert guidance. Dive into our detailed summary and start becoming the conversation wizard you were meant to be! Read on your terms. Get the PDF, infographic, full ad-free audiobook and animated version of this summary of How to Talk to Anyone and unlimited bestselling book insights on the top-rated StoryShots app: https://www.getstoryshots.com/ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Help us grow to create more amazing content for you! Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review the StoryShots podcast now.  What should our next book be? Suggest and vote it up on the StoryShots app. Life gets busy. Has How to Talk to Anyone been gathering dust on your bookshelf? Instead, pick up the key ideas now. We're scratching the surface here. If you don't already have the book, order it here or get the audiobook for free to learn the juicy details. About Leil Lowndes Leil Lowndes is an internationally recognized communications expert. She has conducted communication seminars for major US corporations, foreign governments, and the US Peace Corps. Lowndes has appeared on hundreds of television and radio programs. She has authored ten bestselling books on communications. These books have been published in over 26 foreign languages Introduction How to Talk to Anyone is a psychology-backed book that offers guidance on effective communication. Lowndes covers a wide range of communication types, broken down into verbal and nonverbal, across almost every possible context. Your approach should adapt depending on whom you are talking to and the specific context. So, How to Talk to Anyone offers guidance on how you can become a master communicator. As a master communicator, you can connect with others irrespective of the environment. StoryShot #1: Use Your Smile and Your Eyes for First Impressions 80% of first impressions is the way you look and move. In fact, studies suggest that emotional reactions occur in our brains before we even have time to register a reaction to somebody. So, try to utilize Leil Lowndes' tips to intrigue everyone through your first impressions. Lowndes advises against quick smiles. If you interact with somebody, you should start by looking at their face for a second and pausing. This pause will let you soak in their persona. You should then let out a big warm smile that floods across your face. Allow this flood to overflow into smiling with your eyes. While engaging with the flooding smile, you should also try to maintain eye contact. Others will respect you more if you maintain strong eye contact. Specifically, this ability is associated with intelligence and abstract thinking. Lowndes' second technique builds on the importance of maintaining eye contact. She describes how you should adopt sticky eyes. This means you should not break eye contact even after they have finished speaking. Once you have decided to break eye contact, you should do so slowly and reluctantly. Lowndes believes this approach will send a message to others to comprehend their conversation and respect them as an individual. When you are seeking romance, you should utilize what Lowndes describes as epoxy eyes. If you are romantically interested in someone, maintain deep eye contact with them even when they are not the person talking. If they are interested in you, keeping eye contact while they are a listener can be an effective aphrodisiac. StoryShot #2: Excel at Small Talk StoryShot #3: How to Start a Conversation StoryShot #4: Conversations on Jobs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vance Crowe interviews Jim about how he maps the problem-space of current and future AI risk. They discuss the beginnings of AI, the era of broad AI, artificial general intelligence, the Wozniak test, artificial superintelligence, the paperclip maximizer problem, the timeline of AGI, FOOM, limitations of current governance structure, bad uses of narrow AI, personalized political propaganda, nanny rails, the multipolar trap, the spark of human ingenuity, Daniel Dennett's proposal to make human impersonation illegal, taking moral ownership of LLM outputs, loss in human cognitive capacity, Idiocracy, economic inequality & unemployment, David Graeber's bullshit jobs idea, Marx's concept of alienation, the flood of sludge, the idea of an AI information agent, epistemological decay, techno-hygiene tactics, GameA's self-terminating & accelerating curve, GameB, the importance of governance capacity, changing our political operating system, and much more. Episode Transcript The Vance Crowe Podcast JRS Currents 029: Vance Crowe on the "Well-Actually" Graph Bullshit Jobs: A Theory, by David Graeber Vance Crowe is a communications strategist who has worked for corporations and international organizations around the world, including the World Bank, Monsanto, and the US Peace Corps. He hosts The Vance Crowe Podcast and is the founder of Legacy Interviews, where he privately records video interviews with individuals and couples to give future generations the opportunity to know their family history.

Harlan Russell Green, a former Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkey, is the 2023 Winner of the Peace Corps Writers' Publisher's Award for his latest book on “Building Community: Answering Kennedy's Call.”  Mr. Green is a Rotarian, retired Mortgage Banker, and Editor/Publisher of Popular Economics Weekly, a financial wire service he began in 2000. The US Peace Corps put him on an international trajectory that provided unique opportunities to work with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Caesar Chavez's United Farm Workers of America, and several community development projects to create sustainable, livable areas. One of his award-winning films was the “The Great Clean Air Debate.” With the UFWA, he produced “Fighting for Our Lives” and “Why We Boycott.” He also worked on projects with Rotary International and Partnering for Peace, an organization of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who are now Rotarians that strive to connect Rotary Clubs with Peace Corps Projects.

Joe Lurie has spent most of his adult life interacting and engaging with other cultures and promoting cross-cultural understanding. As a young man, he served in the US Peace Corps in Kenya, the beginning of his life of “intercultural encounters.” For 20 years, Lurie was the executive director of the University of California's International House whose mission is to “foster intercultural respect and understanding for the promotion of a more peaceful world.” Since his retirement, Lurie has been a teacher, intercultural trainer, and consultant.  His most recent book draws together all he had learned about understanding – and misunderstanding – one another in the book: “Perception and Deception: A Mind-Opening Journey Across Cultures.”  The First Goal of the Peace Corps is to provide technical assistance overseaas; however, the Thed Third Goal of the Peace Corps is to bring a volunteer's unique international experience home to the US and share that information, plus build upon the experience to provide more intercultural understanding.

Aaron S. Williams has experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including posts as USAID mission director for South Africa, vice president of the International Youth Foundation, executive vice president of RTI International, and director of the US Peace Corps (2009–2012). His most recent book is “The Young Black Leader's Guide to a Successful Career in International Affairs: What the Giants Want You to Know.” In this book, Aaron shared his personal vision that led to a meaningful career in the foreign service, why is it important for students to develop and articulate their visions, and how International Development is often long-term.  In his previous book, “ A Life Unimagined”: The Rewards of Mission-Driven Service in the Peace Corps and Beyond”, he expounded on the importance of the Peace Corps and then as  Mission Director for USAID/South Africa how President Mandela addressed the hatreds, social divisions, and political polarization seen around the world today.

The War Came to Us Life and Death in Ukraine by Christopher Miller is available from Bloomsbury. The War Came to Us tells the story of the journalist Christopher Miller's life and experiences in Ukraine.  It starts with his time as a member of the US Peace Corps and ends... The post #WavellReviews The War Came to Us Life and Death in Ukraine  appeared first on Wavell Room.

Charles F. “Chic” Dambach, Global Peacebuilder and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, has a wide ranging career that  includes being the former President of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, former President of the National Peace Corps Association, and past Chief of Staff for Congressman John Garamendi of California. His memoir, Exhaust the Limits, the Life and Times of a Global Peacebuilder, features a lifetime of service and successful initiatives for peace.  Mr. Dambach highlights how peacebuilding is the responsibility of everyone, especially for members of the U.S. Peace Corps, Rotary International and the United Nations. Previously, Mr. Dambach was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and he led a grassroots peacebuilding effort between Ethiopia and Eritrea in the 1990s.  One hopeful trend today, as opposed to decades ago, is there are diverse educational programs on peacebuilding that are available to the general public so that people can learn helpful techniques to promote peace, and realize that there are no winners in a war. 

Christopher Miller moved to the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in 2010 as a volunteer for the US Peace Corps. Now an FT correspondent in Kyiv, he tells Gideon about how the eastern city came to play a central role in the war and how he sees the conflict unfolding in the coming months.Clips: CNNMore on this topic:A 12-year journey to the heart of the war in Ukraine‘Hell. Just hell': Ukraine and Russia's war of attrition over BakhmutBehind the Money podcast: ​​The costs of Russia's invasion of UkraineHow Ukrainian photographers captured a year of conflictRussia's invasion of Ukraine in maps — latest updatesSubscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen TurnerRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” chat with Bo Davis, co-founder and chief executive officer of MarginEdge.Davis before founding MarginEdge was the founder of Wasabi, a group of conveyor belt sushi restaurants currently operating in DC and Boston. Before Wasabi, he was in the US Peace Corps serving in Macedonia, earned an MS in Finance from London Business School, and founded an educational software company, Prometheus, which he sold to Blackboard in 2002. Davis had a restaurant in Northern Virginia and where he is based and primarily focuses on MarginEdge. In December 2022 MarginEdge secured $45 million in a Series C funding. Davis says, “as far as deploying new capital, we're not pivoting, we're digging in, where we are here to help restaurant restaurateurs operate and make their back lives a little bit easier, solve some problems for them so they can focus on their customers and their food.” Davis talks about the team and shares, “We're continuing to grow our product team now, we wrote most of the core product with five people and now we're growing to 45 people and dev, our sales team was a handful of people for a long time. We're now at about 50 people there, so we're just building out the team, we're going to market and we're pretty excited about it.” MarginEdge primarily focussed on selling to restaurants will now be selling to accountants and accounting firms that work with restaurants. Davis talks about selling to accounting firms and he says, “You know it's one of those things where we were doing it before, not really realizing we were doing it because it wasn't intentional but bookkeepers and accounting firms working with restaurants found the software super helpful because it basically takes out part of the headache of just capturing the invoices, getting them into accounting, tying in the point of sales, getting that into the accounting system so they can focus on the higher value things that they do, the cash flow management and the strategic stuff. And so we found that some of our biggest clients were actually firms.” To hear Davis' answer for Tuesday Trivia and the new rollout for MarginEdge check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout.

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” chat with Bo Davis, co-founder and chief executive officer of MarginEdge.Davis before founding MarginEdge was the founder of Wasabi, a group of conveyor belt sushi restaurants currently operating in DC and Boston. Before Wasabi, he was in the US Peace Corps serving in Macedonia, earned an MS in Finance from London Business School, and founded an educational software company, Prometheus, which he sold to Blackboard in 2002. Davis had a restaurant in Northern Virginia and where he is based and primarily focuses on MarginEdge. In December 2022 MarginEdge secured $45 million in a Series C funding. Davis says, “as far as deploying new capital, we're not pivoting, we're digging in, where we are here to help restaurant restaurateurs operate and make their back lives a little bit easier, solve some problems for them so they can focus on their customers and their food.” Davis talks about the team and shares, “We're continuing to grow our product team now, we wrote most of the core product with five people and now we're growing to 45 people and dev, our sales team was a handful of people for a long time. We're now at about 50 people there, so we're just building out the team, we're going to market and we're pretty excited about it.” MarginEdge primarily focussed on selling to restaurants will now be selling to accountants and accounting firms that work with restaurants. Davis talks about selling to accounting firms and he says, “You know it's one of those things where we were doing it before, not really realizing we were doing it because it wasn't intentional but bookkeepers and accounting firms working with restaurants found the software super helpful because it basically takes out part of the headache of just capturing the invoices, getting them into accounting, tying in the point of sales, getting that into the accounting system so they can focus on the higher value things that they do, the cash flow management and the strategic stuff. And so we found that some of our biggest clients were actually firms.” To hear Davis' answer for Tuesday Trivia and the new rollout for MarginEdge check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout.

Prior to founding MarginEdge, Bo was the founder of Wasabi. Wasabi is a group of conveyor belt sushi restaurants currently operating in DC and Boston. Prior to Wasabi, Bo was in the US Peace Corps serving in Macedonia, earned an MS in Finance from London Business School, and founded an educational software company, Prometheus, which he sold to Blackboard in 2002. MarginEdge backstory: Where hospitality met technology Our story began in a place where many restaurateurs have been themselves—stuck doing manual invoice data entry and inventory in a tiny closet in the back of a kitchen, wondering why the love of food and hospitality came with so many paper cuts. Bo and Roy, two of our founders, have more than 40 years of restaurant experience between them. They've built and operated over 25 restaurants around the nation. Even though the size of their back offices differed, the problems they faced as operators didn't. With a background in successful tech entrepreneurship, Bo assembled Roy and two long-time friends, colleagues, and successful technologists, Mike and Sam. Together, they constructed a creative solution to make running a restaurant easier— and MarginEdge was born. From one picture to the big picture! It all starts with your closing manager snapping photos of invoices with their smartphones. We take it from there – every line item and every handwritten note is captured! We then integrate with your POS, so each day you know everything you bought and everything you sold! A rolling P&L with drill down capability and it flows effortlessly to your Accounting System of choice. In between, our tech: - does data entry of all of your invoices - updates pricing on your inventory sheets (food and beverage) - updates your ordering sheets - keeps your recipes – prep and plated – prices up to date with a real time kitchen recipe viewer - alerts you if the prices of key ingredients jump - determines theoretical food and beverage cost/usage vs actual We are currently working with 1,000+ restaurants in 35 states, from QSR to Fine Dining - Join Us!

Andrew Bustamante THROWBACK. Andrew is a former covert CIA intelligence officer, US Air Force combat veteran, and Fortune 10 corporate advisor founder of https://EverydaySpy.com is Full of knowledge, and experience. https://andrewbustamante.org/ What's it like being a spy for the CIA, head of Nuclear Missle Options? A Fortune 10 corporate advisor. After 20 years of leading human and technical intelligence operations for corporate and government clients, Andrew founded EverydaySpy.com - the first-ever online platform designed to teach elite spy skills to everyday people. Featured in both US and International media, Andrew's training content has been praised for its innovative, authentic, and life-changing impact. When he isn't giving interviews, running spy exercises, or supporting private intelligence contracts around the world, Andrew lives with his wife (also an ex-CIA Officer) and two children in Florida. General background: - Raised in rural Pennsylvania, left for college on a full-ride scholarship (US Air Force Academy) - 5 years as a Nuclear Missile officer in the US Air Force - Recruited into CIA after applying to the US Peace Corps - 7 years living/working undercover with CIA's Directorate of Operations (aka National Clandestine Service) - Background in Asian languages: Chinese, Thai, Japanese - Traveled through 18 countries and 6 continents with more every year! To see the newest Epsidose click below: Andrew Buestamente - CIA Spy - Nuclear Missile Operations - Founder Everyday Spy - Mscs Media - *215 https://spoti.fi/3WW7yVO Stay in touch with Andrew Bustamante: Everyday Spy: https://EverydaySpy.com Andrew Bustamante: https://andrewbustamante.org/ Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/c/EverydaySpy IG: https://www.instagram.com/everydayspy/ Congrats on your appearance on Lex! ➔Please check out our Sponsors ➔Horome levels falling? Use MSCSMEDIA to get 25% off home test: https://trylgc.com/MSCSMEDIA Ty LetsGetChecked. ➔Weston Jon Boucher - Lucery Men's Clothing At an Affordable Price Without Losing Quality: https://www.westonjonboucher.com ➔Fiji: https://Fijiwater.com/mscs $5 off free shipping Unleash ➔Monster Energy: https://www.monsterenergy.com/us/mscs ➔Aura: See if any of your passwords have been compromised. Try 14 days for free: https://aura.com/MSCS Thank you to Aura ➔ Stay Connected With MSCS MEDIA on Spotify Exclusive: Watch all Mscs Media Video Podcasts UNCENSORED and UNCUT.: ► https://spoti.fi/3zathAe (1st time watching a video podcast on Spotify when you hit play a settings pop-up will show, tap under the settings pop-up to watch the video playing.) ► All Links to MSCS MEDIA:https://allmylinks.com/mscsmedia

Shilpa Alimchandani immigrated from India to the United States when only a few months old. As with many immigrants we have interviewed here on Unstoppable Mindset, Shilpa grew up experiencing two worlds. As she describes it, she grew up in a South Asian home experiencing that culture, and later she experienced the wider world around her as she went to school and went out on her own. Her perspectives on her life and what she has learned are fascinating to hear about.   As you will experience, in addition to living, if you will, between two cultures, the color of her skin also caused her to experience challenges. Her “brown skin” did not fit within the normal world of dark-skinned people and her skin was certainly not white. As she tells us, some of the treatment she experienced showed her just how unfair people can be. However, as you will hear, she rose above much of that and has thrived in the world.   Shilpa will tell you about her life journey that lead her to form her company, MUK-tee which means “liberation” in Sanskrit. You will hear about her life as a leadership coach and as a DEI consultant helping many to move toward true transformational change.   About the Guest:   Shilpa Alimchandani is the Founder and Principal of Mookti Consulting. Mookti Consulting partners with clients to break free from oppressive systems and facilitate transformational change. In Sanskrit, mookti मुक्ति (MUK-tee) means liberation. Shilpa has more than 20 years of experience in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), leadership development, and intercultural learning. She is a DEI consultant, leadership coach, and facilitator who works with clients to develop holistic solutions that lead to transformational change. In her independent consulting practice, Shilpa has conducted DEI assessments, co-created DEI strategies with clients, facilitated high-impact workshops, and advised clients on issues of racial equity and justice. In her role as the Director of Learning & Innovation for Cook Ross, she built the learning and development function from the ground up and led the organization's curriculum and product development initiatives. With her deep knowledge of various learning modalities, intercultural leadership development, and human-centered design, Shilpa is able to craft interventions that are targeted, impactful, and appropriate for diverse, global audiences. Before her work at Cook Ross, Shilpa designed and implemented global leadership programs for the State Department, led the development of a global learning strategy for the Peace Corps, and taught in the School of International Service at American University. She has facilitated trainings in nearly 20 countries around the world, and has received numerous awards, including twice receiving the Peace Corps' Distinguished Service Award. She is the author of the book Communicating Development Across Cultures: Monologues & Dialogues in Development Project Implementation (Lambert Academic Publishing, 2010), and has been an invited speaker at numerous conferences, including The Forum on Workplace Inclusion and the Society for Intercultural Education, Training, and Research (SIETAR). She has also been a guest lecturer at numerous academic institutions, including Georgetown University and the United States Institute of Peace.   Social Media Links: Website: mookticonsulting.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shilpaalimchandani/     About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.     Transcription Notes Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i  capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson  01:21 Hi there you are listening to unstoppable mindset glad you're with us wherever you happen to be. Today we get to interview or chat with Shilpa Alimchandani and I got it right didn't I Shilpa   Michael Hingson  01:37 and Shilpa has formed her own company. She's worked with other companies. She's very much involved in the whole concept of diversity, equity and inclusion and we'll talk about that and and chat about that a little bit. But first Shilpa Welcome to unstoppable mindset.   Shilpa Alimchandani  01:56 Thank you, Michael. I'm really happy to be here.   Michael Hingson  01:58 Shilpa lives in Silver Spring, Maryland. I've been there before it gets colder in the winter a little bit colder than it does here in Victorville in Southern California. But we're up on what's called the high desert. So we get down close to zero. A lot of winters. And so we know the cold weather. We don't get the snow though. But we cope. Well. Thank you for joining us. Why don't you start if you would by telling us just a little bit about you growing up or anything like that things that you think we ought to know about you?   Shilpa Alimchandani  02:32 Okay, well, Thanks, Michael. Yeah, I live in Silver Spring, Maryland now. But this is not where I grew up. I grew up in the Midwest, in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri. I was actually born in India, but just a few months old, when I came here, to the US, so grew up in, you know, pretty suburban neighborhood in South Asian families, so kind of navigated between two worlds my world at home, and you know, which was very much a South Asian eating Indian food and speaking Hindi. And, you know, spending time with my family and our small community, in St. Louis, and then going to school and being part of a broader world that was really different than mine at home. And I'm the firstborn in my family. So as a first born of immigrant parents, you just kind of discovering everything for myself for the first time and not having much of a guidebook to help me along, but just sort of figuring it out as I went. And it was a mostly white neighborhood that I grew up in St. Louis, which was very segregated at the time, black and white. Not a lot of people who are anything in between, though, so kind of made my way in school. And I actually went to the University of Missouri Columbia for college. And it wasn't until I finished college that I moved out to the East Coast. And I've stayed here in the DC metro area since working in lots of different capacities in in nonprofit and higher education and government and the private sector, and now as an independent consultant for the fast past few years.   Michael Hingson  04:22 So where do you fall in the black and white scale?   Shilpa Alimchandani  04:25 I'm neither right so as someone as South Asian did not kind of fit into the dominant white majority culture that I was a part of growing up and did not fit into black American culture either because that's not my heritage. So it was a really interesting space to, to navigate to learn in, in a in a culture where race and skin color plays a big role in your identity development and the opposite. unities that you have, you know, it was something that I had to just sort of figure out where do I fit? You know, and what's what's my role in what appears to be kind of an unfair system that we're a part of. And then as I discovered how unfair things were, might the question became, well, how do I change that? What's my role? Being me and my brown skin? You know, to? to question the systems that are unfair? And to change things to be more equitable for everybody?   Michael Hingson  05:32 Do you think it's unfair all over the world? Do you think it's more or less unfair here? Or what?   Shilpa Alimchandani  05:39 Yeah, that's a great question. I mean, every place is unique. And so I don't think like, you know, necessarily, what we experienced in the United States is the same as it is, and other countries in this hemisphere or anywhere else in the world. And I think there are some global themes around power and identity that really can cut across cultures and countries, you know, human beings are used to kind of creating hierarchies, you know, and, you know, some people having more authority, more power than others, sometimes that's based on things like skin color, sometimes, you know, that's based on gender, sometimes that's based on caste, or that's based on tribe or some other ethnic identity, there are lots of different identities that are used to kind of implement that hierarchical system. But there are some things that are in common across all of them, right about how people in power retain their power, how people without power, learn to kind of accept their circumstances. And, you know, and kind of not necessarily pushback, because when they do, there are consequences to that. And so that it's like a reinforcing system that we get used to, and we sort of take for granted. Well, that's just like, how the how the world is, that's how life is. And it takes a lot of courage to question that and say, Well, no, well, it doesn't have to be that way. And we can make things more fair for everybody.   Michael Hingson  07:20 Do you think though, that here, we we see more of that than elsewhere in the world, or you think it just seems that way, because we're here,   Shilpa Alimchandani  07:30 and probably seems that way, because we're here, I mean, you, you know, you, you know, you're more in touch with what's happening, usually in your own environment. And I think, for the United States, with as much promise as it has, as a country with, you know, ideals around equality and fairness and justice, there's just a really difficult history that we haven't fully grappled with, that continues to impact people every day. And so it is a history of, you know, genocide of native peoples, it's a history of enslavement of African peoples. It's a history of patriarchy, where, you know, women haven't had the same access and rights, it's a history of ableism. You know, a topic, of course, that you know, very well in this podcast deals with in a really nuanced way, where people who don't fit into the norms of, you know, able bodied neurotypical folks, you know, are marginalized. And, and, you know, LGBTQ plus, folks are also marginalized. And that's not unique to the United States. But it is part of something that's part of our culture, that we need to acknowledge in order to change, kind of pretending like it's all in the past, and we don't really need to worry about that anymore, doesn't help us to make things better moving forward.   Michael Hingson  09:01 If there's a difference in the United States, it is that our country was founded on and we keep touting the fact that all of us are free, and all of us are equal, but in reality, it hasn't worked that way thus far.   Shilpa Alimchandani  09:20 Right? That's exactly right. And I think that it's often people from marginalized groups, who really believed most passionately, in that promise in those ideals and therefore want to push to make that a reality.   Michael Hingson  09:39 Yeah, and, and understandably so because we're the ones who tend not to have truly experienced it.   Shilpa Alimchandani  09:49 Right, exactly. And so, you know, it's fascinating to me to Michael on this topic of, you know, recognizing the you know, the inequities and the oppression that exists And what we want to do to change it is that you would think that if you understand or experience oppression or marginalization because of one aspect of your identity, that you would then also have empathy across lots of different experiences of marginalization, right. So for example, as a woman, I've experienced marginalization because of my gender. And so you would hope then that I would be empathetic to, you know, LGBTQ folks, or I wouldn't be also empathetic to people with disabilities. And I could translate my experience of marginalization and say, oh, I want to advocate for others who've experienced marginalization. But that is has not necessarily been the case, right? A lot of times, we kind of only focus on our own experience, the one that's familiar to us and have a harder time seeing how there are connections across lots of different identities. And there's power in us actually making those connections instead of, you know, operating in our silos.   Michael Hingson  11:11 Why is that? Why have we why have we not been able to take that leap? When we are part of one group, which clearly is marginalized, as opposed to other groups? Who are also marginalized, but we think essentially, we're really the the only one in town from the standpoint of not translating that.   Shilpa Alimchandani  11:35 Yeah, you know, I think it's, we are as human beings, much more aware of when we're kind of the outsider, and things are harder for us. And we've experienced adversity that we need to overcome. But when we're in that insider role, right, in the group that has more power, the dominant group, it's really easy to not pay attention to that to kind of forget it, to take it for granted. Right. So I can say that, you know, as, as a cisgender person, as a heterosexual person, I have at times in my life kind of taken for granted that I belong to those groups, because the world is sort of set up for me, I can date who want to want marry who I want, I don't have to worry about people looking at me, you know, strangely, when I'm with my partner, I don't have to think about having photographs of my family, you know, on display, these are not things I have to worry about, just because I'm part of those dominant identity groups, right. And when it comes to my experiences of marginalization as a South Asian person as a Hindu person living in the United States, I'm very, like, hyper aware of those, right, because that's where I have felt left out. That's where I have felt like I haven't been treated fairly. And so I think, because all about sort of like a complex mix of lots of identities, we tend to pay more attention to the ones where we experienced marginalization, and less attention to the ones where we are part of the dominant group.   Michael Hingson  13:13 But we don't translate that to other groups.   Shilpa Alimchandani  13:16 Yeah. Because, again, we can we have the capacity to do it. But uh, sure, more effort, right.   Michael Hingson  13:22 Sure. And, and it's all about, though, what, what we know, and what we feel. And we, we don't tend to take that leap. We're very capable of doing it. But for some reason, we don't recognize or don't want to recognize that we're part of maybe a bigger group of marginalized or unconsidered people. And I think that's probably really it, that we look at ourselves as well. We are, we are who we are, and we make our own way. But we, we don't have those other people's problems. And so we tend to ignore them.   Shilpa Alimchandani  14:07 Yeah, sometimes it makes us feel better about ourselves like, oh, well, you know, at least we don't have to deal with that. And I think when it when it comes to like race and ethnicity in the US context, there's been a conscious effort to divide people of color from different identity groups. We do have different lived experiences, I don't have the experience of someone being black of someone being Latinx of someone being indigenous, at the same time, there are some things in common across not being white, right? And what the the the exclusion and some of the disadvantages that come with that. But it's to the advantage of the group that's in power right? For other marginalized groups to be continuing to sort of fight with one another and not see what they haven't Common, because then that allows the majority group to maintain their power. Right? So you can keep fighting amongst yourselves, right and arguing about who was more oppressed than whom. But it, it, what it does is just allows the people who are in power to keep it. So it really is incumbent upon us to bridge some of those divides like you were talking about, like, why can't we extend and see how someone else has experienced marginalization in order to change things because it's that collective action is necessary.   Michael Hingson  15:33 Yeah. And that's really it, it's collective action. Because somehow, we need to recognize that the group in power isn't really jeopardized by other people, sharing power, or not being so marginalized, but rather is strengthens all of us. Mm hmm. That's what people tend to not perceive that they're, the whole concept of their power in numbers, there is power in numbers, really is just as applicable across the board. But we don't want to recognize that because we're too focused on the power, as opposed to the rest of it. Yeah. And that, that becomes pretty unfortunate. And, of course, dealing with all those other groups, and then you have people with disabilities, which is a very large minority, second only to women from a standpoint of what we call minorities, although they're more women than men, but then within disabilities, you have different kinds of disabilities that different people have, right. And that, that causes, I think, a lot of times another issue, because it is more difficult to get all of those groups sometimes to combine together to recognize the power and numbers of everyone working together. And everyone overcoming the prejudices is about for about their disabilities or toward other people and their disabilities.   Shilpa Alimchandani  17:06 Yeah, absolutely. And to even consider, you know, the, the intersections of our identities, right, so there are people with disabilities, many different types of disabilities, like you said, and then there are people with disabilities who are white, or people with disabilities, who are people of color, there are people with disabilities who are, you know, identify as cisgender women or cisgender men, or non binary or trans, right. And so when you kind of look at those combination of identities, it gets even more complex. And it also challenges us, right, it humbles us, I would say, to acknowledge that, wow, I may really be in touch with what it's what the experience of being a person with disability in this country, and but I don't have the experience, for example, of a person of color in this country, or a person of color with a disability in this country, and that those are different experiences. And to appreciate those differences, right? We don't need to erase those differences in order to understand each other,   Michael Hingson  18:13 while the experiences are different, what isn't different, oftentimes, is the fact that we do experience prejudice and discrimination. And we talk so much about diversity, that I think you've pointed out, we don't talk about the similarities. And we're, we talk well, we're talking about becoming more diverse, and that's great. But that becomes overwhelming at some point. And so how do we bring it back down to we're all part of the same thing? Really?   Shilpa Alimchandani  18:47 Well, I think, um, there's, there's a, there's kind of a journey that that we go on in understanding difference and understanding identity, you know, at first we may not be at, you know, totally aware of some of the differences around us, and then we might move to a place of feeling polarized around it, you know, that like us them dynamic, yep, there are differences, but we're better than you, you know, and that kind of a thing, and then we get to a place. And what I'm describing here, broadly, is the intercultural development continuum, a framework that's used a lot in the DEI space, you can come to a place of minimization, which is really focusing on commonalities, right. We are human, we have common lived experiences, we can focus on common values, and let's minimize the differences right? But that's not the end of the journey, because minimizing the differences is at times denying the reality of of people's different lived experiences. And it doesn't help us to really change things to make them more fair where they're not. So then we move to kind of accepting the differences not with value judgment, but just acknowledging them. And then ultimately adapting across those differences, I would take it a step further that not only are we bridging or adapting across the differences, but that we need to learn to be allies, right? So especially if we're in a position of being part of a dominant group, like as I am as an able bodied person, you know, what does it look like for me to be an ally, for people with disabilities, and that's a responsibility that I have, right. So if we minimize differences, and we just kind of stay in that place of let's just focus on what we have in common, we don't then have the opportunity to accept, adapt and ultimately become allies. And that's really the journey that we're on,   Michael Hingson  20:44 what I don't generally hear is not so much about what we have in common, or recognizing that we all can be allies, which I absolutely agree with and understand. But we don't get to the point of recognizing the vast number of similarities that we have. And we don't get to the point of recognizing that a lot of the so called differences are not anything other than what we create ourselves,   Shilpa Alimchandani  21:16 we do create differences. And we need to understand those differences in terms of systems, right, like entire systems in our society, and the way that our, you know, workplaces are set up and within the way, you know, physical spaces, as well as policies are developed. And those systems are not necessarily designed as fairly as they could be. And so that's when I think paying attention to differences is really important, and not just focusing on similarities, because the same system is impacting people differently, depending on what identity group they belong to. And we've got to be able to surface that in order to change it.   Michael Hingson  22:02 But we do need to recognize that a lot of that comes because of the system, as opposed to whether there are real differences, or there are differences that we create. Yeah, well, I mean,   Shilpa Alimchandani  22:13 humans create systems, right. And so we can agree design systems to, but what happens is a little bit like a fish in water kind of scenario, that we don't really recognize the water that we're swimming in, you know, we it really takes us having to leave the environment and look back at it to be able to say like, oh, that's what's going on. Right? Most of the time, we don't pay attention to those systems, we just operate within them without thinking about it.   Michael Hingson  22:43 And that's my point. And that's, that's exactly it. And so we sometimes somehow have to take a step back or a step up, maybe as you would describe it to get out of the water and look at the water, and see what we can do to make changes that would make it better. And that's the leap that I don't generally see us making as a race yet.   Shilpa Alimchandani  23:12 Yeah, they're, you know, they're definitely great examples of that, you know, in, in our history, and in other parts of the world as well, like when made, you know, when countries that had been colonized for a number of years, you know, finally get their freedom when, you know, there's real truth and reconciliation efforts after a war or a period of conflict. It is it is possible, it's something that has happened. And, and I think, you know, we're kind of in a moment in our culture, where people are asking a lot of these kinds of questions. What, what's not working in the status quo and the way things are, and what needs to shift this, the pandemic, has really brought those issues front and center, the movement for racial justice has has done the same. And I think it's it's actually an exciting opportunity and exciting moment to be like, oh, people are actually talking about systems now.   Michael Hingson  24:14 Yeah, it's, it's interesting. Henry Mayer wrote a book called all on fire, which is a biography of William Lloyd Garrison. Have you ever read that? I have not. Okay. So William Lloyd Garrison, you may or may not know was a very famous abolitionist in I think, the 1840s there was a reporter and he got very much involved in the abolishing slavery. And as I said, Henry Mayer was a biographer of his and wrote this book called all on fire and in the book, there is a section where, where Garrison wanted to bring into the fold, some women the Grimm case sisters, who were very much involved in women's suffrage. And he Garrison said to his people, please contact them, let's bring them in. And their response was, but they're not involved in this their field dealing with women's suffrage, and they're not interested in this. And Garrison said something very interesting, which was, it's all the same thing. He took the leap. And he said, It's all the same thing, whether it's suffrage, whether it's slavery, abolition, or whatever, Abolishment. It's all the same thing. And that's the leap, that we generally don't take any of us on any side.   Shilpa Alimchandani  25:39 Yeah, I don't know who to credit for this quote that I've heard many times. But the idea that none of us is free until all of us are free.   Michael Hingson  25:48 Yeah. Right. And interesting and interesting, quote, and true.   Shilpa Alimchandani  25:52 And that's really, you know, I had shared with you, Michael, that my, my practice is called mukti. And Mukti means liberation or freedom in Sanskrit. And that was really kind of what was behind, you know, like, I was thinking about, like, why do I do this work? What, what motivates me? What is this ultimately about? And to your point of, you know, these experiences, whether it be suffrage, or abolishing slavery, or whatever, having some really important things in common is that we want to be free, we, as humans want to be free. And there are a lot of things that get in our way. And so that kind of became the heart of my practice is like, what does it look like to work for that freedom?   Michael Hingson  26:38 Well, let's go back to you personally, and so on. So you grew up? I think you have, and that's a good thing. And so how did you get involved in all of this division, this business of Dei? And and what you do today? What What got you started down that path? And what did you do that got you to the point of starting this company?   Shilpa Alimchandani  27:02 Yeah, so you know, certainly growing up in the 80s, and 90s. In St. Louis, there really wasn't a dei field as such, it wasn't like one of those careers that you know, about and, and prepare for, like, you know, like being an engineer or a doctor or a teacher or something like that. So it was a kind of a winding indirect path to get to this place. I knew pretty early on that I cared about justice that I cared about people understanding each other and bridging differences. But I didn't know that could be my job. So at first I thought maybe I'll become a lawyer. And then you know, I could use like legal skills to fight for justice and things like that. I even took the LSAT and never applied to law school, I was like, I don't really want to be a lawyer. So I explored a bit I worked in nonprofit, and in higher ed, and began to learn that well, there really is kind of a in the late 90s, early 2000s, like a an a growing field, in educating people about diversity. And that was kind of new to me, I was excited about that. I wanted to learn more about it. And early on, it was kind of more focused on representation, right? We need to bring people together from different backgrounds, in workplaces, and schools, etc. And then that sort of evolved into, well, it's not just enough to bring people from different backgrounds together, you need to have an environment where people feel included, where they feel valued, right. So it kind of evolved from not just diversity to diversity and inclusion. And I think kind of the more recent iteration of the field is the E in diversity, equity and inclusion. And the equity piece being really looking at that systemic part, we were just talking about, how are our systems working for us? Where are their inequities built into those systems? How can those be corrected? So that we actually have a place where people from different backgrounds can feel included and valued and feel treated fairly, and paid fairly? For the work that they do? Right, so that's when all of those come together? Of course, there's additions to that as well. Some organizations add accessibility as an aide to that, you know, some include justice. So there's, this becomes a bit of an alphabet soup, but all with the this idea of differences, valuing differences and treating people fairly at the heart of, of this work.   Michael Hingson  29:50 And that's really what it's about. And as you point out, it's really about equity. I've noticed and I'm still very serious We maintain the whole concept of diversity is much less of a really good goal to seek. Traditionally, diversity leaves out disabilities. In fact, I interviewed someone a few weeks ago. And this person talked about different kinds of diverse groups, and listed a number of things and never once mentioned disabilities, and I asked him about that. I said, I'm not picking on you, but you didn't include disabilities. And he talked about social attitudes. And he said, well, it, it includes social attitudes in some way. And my point was, No, it doesn't really, because social attitudes are a different animal and don't have anything to do with dealing with disabilities to disabilities is a different kind of thing. Yeah. So it's, it's interesting how different people approach it. Now, this particular individual was a person who is involved with another, another minority group, but still, we have to face that. Yeah. And it makes for a very interesting situation, and it makes for a challenge in life.   Shilpa Alimchandani  31:16 Yeah, I mean, it's one of those places where, you know, I have privilege as someone who doesn't experience disabilities in my life on a daily basis. And I That means for me, like to be an ally, like, what we were talking about earlier, is that I need to educate myself, right? I need to look for those opportunities, where I feel like well, yeah, sure. This is easy and accessible for me, but it wouldn't be for our friends and colleagues and people who don't have the same abilities that I do. And what can we do to change that? Okay, that that's what ally ship looks like. And I know, it can be overwhelming, right? People say, oh, there's so many, you listed so many things under this umbrella of diversity? Like how can how can we possibly, you know, pay attention to all of it. And I actually don't think it's, it's too hard for us. I think, as human beings, we have this amazing capacity for empathy, we have this capacity to our minds are malleable, we can continue to learn and grow throughout our lives, we have to have the will to do it. Right. And, and put the effort in to do it. But it is possible.   Michael Hingson  32:27 It's interesting to look at and one of the things that I think I see, and this is from my perspective, as a as a blind person, or let's say a person with a disability, it's it's interesting how I think sis Thai society teaches that all the rest of us are better than persons with disabilities to a great degree am. And I think it's very systemic. And I think, to a very large degree, it does go across all sorts of different lines. But we teach people that I teach our children that disabilities make those people less in ways that it doesn't necessarily apply to other groups. Although the concept and the overall process is the same, it still comes down to, we're in power, we're better than they, but it does go across a lot of different lines. And when we teach people that disabilities are less, that's a problem that somehow we, as part of all this need to overcome.   Shilpa Alimchandani  33:37 Yeah. And you know, it's ultimately, Michael, to your point, it's dehumanizing. We're dehumanizing entire groups of people. And sometimes it's like, quote, unquote, well intentioned, but it's really more of a pity than it is an understanding of respect and empathy for someone else's experience. And nobody needs that. Right. Nobody wants to be felt sorry for, you know,   Michael Hingson  34:06 yeah. And I think that that probably is more true. When you're dealing with a person with a disability, then a lot of other groups, you won't feel sorry for them, you may distrust them, or whatever. But for disabilities, we feel sorry. And that promotes fear. Gosh, we sure wouldn't want to be like them.   Shilpa Alimchandani  34:29 Right? Because that's the worst thing that could happen, right? So it creates more of that division of, I'm not like you and I don't want to be like you, you know, right.   Michael Hingson  34:40 Right. On the other hand, disabilities is an equal opportunity, kind of a thing. Anyone can join us at any given time unexpectedly, or maybe expectedly. But to use a bad word expectedly I don't know that's not a word. But anyway, Yes. So we have to learn to speak. But still, it is something that anyone can experience. And we don't try to equalize. So it is a it is a challenge. But But again, let's look at you what what was your career like getting into this? So it wasn't a job that really existed as such. And then you kind of discovered that maybe it really was. And so you decided not to be a lawyer, and we won't talk about the the legitimacy or efficacy of not being a lawyer, although, oh, many lawyer jokes out there. But But what did you then do? Yeah,   Shilpa Alimchandani  35:45 so, you know, my early work was at a nonprofit that no longer exists, but it was the national multicultural Institute. And they were kind of doing diversity training for organizations, and like the World Bank, and educational institutions, and some nonprofits and, and then, so I discovered, like, Oh, this is becoming a growing thing that businesses organizations want education, around issues of diversity, and how they can work better together across difference. So that was really fascinating to me, I also got involved in cross cultural communication. So when I was teaching at American University, it was in the School of International Service, which has had as a requirement for any international studies major, to take a course on cross cultural communication, to recognize that, you know, depending on what culture or part of the world we're from, we really kind of think differently, communicate differently. And it doesn't mean that that thinking or that communication is good or bad, but it's different. And we really need to appreciate, you know, how some cultures are much more direct, and some are much less so right, very indirect, how some cultures were engaged in conflict, really, you know, emotionally and others are much more emotionally restrained, you know, and some are much more individualistic, and others being more collectivist. So I started really studying these issues, and realizing that there really was an opportunity to educate people about some of these cultural differences and identity differentials, and ultimately power differences that exist in our societies. So I worked internationally, I worked at the Peace Corps, and I've traveled with the Peace Corps to different countries, to train staff who worked for the US Peace Corps. I worked for the State Department, and I did leadership drug development work there to prepare Foreign Service officers before they go abroad and during their service on how to lead effectively in those global environments. And then, I decided to leave government after a while and, and pursue private sector. And there's a lot like in the private sector. Well, there are a lot of organizations that invest heavily in diversity, equity and inclusion, big training programs, a real focus on how to make their policies and procedures more equitable. So that was really interesting, you know, to get into that consulting space, first working for a firm called cook Roth, and then three years ago, I went out on my own and, and started my own practice. And I love the work it's it's challenging, you know, there's some people who are in it for the right reasons, and others, maybe not as much. So I'm learning a lot in this field, now 20 to 20 plus years into it, but but also feeling quite fulfilled in   Michael Hingson  38:46 the work that I do. So what does cook Ross do? Or what did they do?   Shilpa Alimchandani  38:50 They're a diversity, equity and inclusion consulting firm, that they work a lot with the fortune 500, even fortune 100 corporate sector. In my independent consulting practice, I'm doing less kind of corporate work and more work in the NGO sector, with smaller businesses, nonprofit organizations, and the like.   Michael Hingson  39:13 What made you decide to go out on your own?   Shilpa Alimchandani  39:16 Oh, I had thought about starting my own business many times, and really erred on the side of stability and a stable paycheck for so many years. Until finally, I had some supports in place, right, talking about systems. I had some supports in place to make it possible for me to go out on my own. I had a partner who had a steady job with health insurance for for us and for our two children. My parents moved closer to where we live. So I had some family support in the area. And then, you know, decided just to take the leap and have confidence in myself and what I could offer as a consultant as a facility cater to clients. And the vast majority of my work is through word of mouth, I really don't even do much marketing. And I'm very fortunate to be in that role, but it also just showed me like, oh, you might have maybe you could have done this sooner. But it took me a while to feel like I had the the support and the confidence to do that.   Michael Hingson  40:21 But even though you're on your own, do you still have a relationship? or do any work with cook Ross? Or do you still teach   Shilpa Alimchandani  40:29 other consulting firms, small consulting firm, so I subcontract for them. And if this I, in addition to my consulting, press practice, I, I became a certified coach, I went through a coaching program, and became an international coaching Federation, certified coach. So I work one on one with people, largely women of color leaders who are, you know, in periods of transition or growth in their lives and in their careers to help guide them through that process, and help them really tap into all of the strength that they have, and the wisdom that they have within themselves. So I have a lot of variety in the work that I do, which I really enjoy.   Michael Hingson  41:15 So you, you, you keep connections open? And that's always a good thing. Of course, indeed. So what kind of changes have you seen in the whole field of diversity, equity inclusion and such over the years?   Shilpa Alimchandani  41:32 You know, there have been a lot of changes, I think I mentioned early on, there was a lot of focus on representation, I think a big and then, you know, looking at the culture, and how can we be more inclusive, but even in that conversation about inclusive, Michael, there was a bit of teaching people to be like us, right, like, so there was still sort of a dominant majority white male, you know, able bodied, you know, cisgender, heterosexual, you know, culture. And we invite people who belong to other groups, marginalized identities to join us, but to kind of be like us, right, and then I saw shift will know, the point is not to make everybody act like the majority group, the point is to actually create a place where people with different experiences, different identities, can all thrive in the same environment. That means changing the environment, right? That means actually looking at some of those systems, looking at the culture, and saying, you know, if it's a culture of like, everybody goes out for happy hour after work, or they have important conversations on the golf course, or whatever, that that is really fundamentally excluding a lot of people from those informal ways that people hold power in the organization. So how do we create cultures and systems that are more fair for everyone, I think, now, especially post the murder of George Floyd in 2020. And a real reckoning with the history of racism in the United States, there's much more attention being paid to some of those systemic issues in with particular guard regard to race, but also other identity groups. And that's a big shift. There were a number of years when I worked in this space, where people were still, like, uncomfortable naming race, they would talk about diversity broadly, talk about all the different things that make us the rainbow people that we are, but not deal with some of the harder, stickier Messier subjects. And I think there's more of a willingness to do that now.   Michael Hingson  43:42 And they won't deal with the words. Yeah, go ahead.   Shilpa Alimchandani  43:45 Yeah, there's, there's more. So there's like a caveat to that. There's also a lot of people who say they want to do that more difficult and challenging work. But when confronted with it, actually retreat and say, Oh, no, I'm not comfortable to this. This is a bit too challenging, too threatening. It's making me really uncomfortable. And so there are organizations, there are leaders who have said one thing, right and publicly made announcements about how they're anti racist, or they're, you know, all about equity or whatever. But then that hasn't necessarily followed through in the action. So that's, that's something that's we're dealing with now, in the field. In some places, there's a openness, a recognition for some of those difficult topics and other places. It's really just on the surface. As soon as you go a little bit beneath the surface, you realize that the commitment is really not there.   Michael Hingson  44:44 Now you have me curious, so you've got you've got the company or the group that does go out on the golf course and make decisions or that goes out for lunch and has martinis and make decisions and There are reasons for it. The reasons being that you're going away from the company, you're going away from the environment. And you can think and you can have all sorts of rationales or reasons for doing it. But nevertheless, it happens. How do we change that? How do we address that issue? Do we, when we have people who were excluded, because they don't go out on the golf course? Do we create an environment for them to be able to go on the golf course? Or do we do something different? Or are we there yet?   Shilpa Alimchandani  45:31 Um, I think we're there. I think that first of all, you we need to recognize that some of those informal practices are in fact unfair. And then if you're wanting to let go of them and say, Well, what we liked about that was that it was somewhat informal, right? But are those the only informal spaces you can create? Right? Not necessarily. There are other ways that people can connect informally in an organizational context that aren't around, you know, alcohol or, or aren't around a particular sport, or aren't around a particular, you know, activity that necessarily excludes or that are always after hours. So this is something that women have really struggled with, is that, you know, if those important conversation side conversations are happening, not during work hours, and they're still to this day, women have more responsibilities at home with family than men do, then that's an automatic disadvantage. Like you you're not even in the room, you're not even there to be part of those exchanges. That doesn't just apply to women. But that's just that's an example. So how do we then think about leadership differently, how we develop people, what our decision making processes are, how we hold each other accountable for those decisions, it kind of comes down to your organizational values, and how you live those values in the way in which you lead and the way in which you engage in your work and your interactions with your colleagues. It's easy to say on paper much harder to practice those values. Why is that? Oh, well, you know, everybody likes to have on their website or on the wall in the conference room. Oh, we believe in integrity, we believe in inclusion, right? We believe in collaboration or whatever the values may be. But what does that actually mean? What does that look like? How do you make on how do I Shilpa behave in accordance with those values? Right? Question.   Michael Hingson  47:45 It gets back to Talk is cheap. Absolutely. Talk is really cheap. Talk is really cheap. It's easy   Shilpa Alimchandani  47:53 to make these pronouncements and to say the right thing. It's much harder to practice them. And so when I engage with clients, it's really looking at those organizations and those individuals that are interested in making some change. They're like, Okay, we know this is not going to happen overnight, it's not going to happen, because you did one workshop with us. And then we all went home, it's going to be it's going to happen over time. By articulating the behaviors. We want to practice building the skills to practice those behaviors, building the accountability for us to actually implement those behaviors and those changes in our policies, then we can actually create some long term change. That's not easy. It's not sexy, it's hard to work. And that's how you create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization.   Michael Hingson  48:47 And it is very uncomfortable, and it's what really causes a lot of the hatred. So why is it that people hate race differences so much, because they're different than us. They're not as good as we are. And although in reality, they can demonstrate that the hair is equal is we are whoever we are. The fact is that they're calling us on it. We don't like that we don't like change. And the reality is we need to learn to change.   Shilpa Alimchandani  49:16 Yeah, this whole idea, you know, we all think of ourselves as good people, right? So when someone points out some way in which I have exclude been exclusionary or discriminatory in my behavior, my first instinct is to defend myself, but I'm a good person, I would never try and hurt another or discriminate or exclude. But in fact, as a human being that operates in these systems that we are a part of, I haven't times excluded, I have at times been unfair in the way I've treated people and just and been discriminatory. And so it's important for me to be able to acknowledge that that I can be a good person, but part of being human is that I do have some of these checks. Challenges, then only can I change it and work to change some of the systems if we're going to live in denial like, Nope, we're good people, and therefore we can't hear any of this criticism. It's not possible for me to be unfair, unjust or discriminatory. And then how are we ever going to change?   Michael Hingson  50:16 Right? Which is, which is of course, the whole point, isn't it?   Shilpa Alimchandani  50:19 Yeah. But it's hard. It's a tough, but I really, I always come back to humility in this work, you. If you are to engage in a sincere way to build a more equitable and inclusive world for everyone across identity groups, you will be humbled time, and   Michael Hingson  50:37 it's hard because we haven't learned to do it. And also, many of us just really, ultimately don't have the desire to learn to do it. And that's what we have to change. What are some of the major mistakes that you've seen organizations make? I think you've referred to some of this already. But it's worth exploring a little more.   Shilpa Alimchandani  50:57 You know, one thing that we haven't talked about yet, but I often hear from clients who seek out my services, is that, oh, we really need to focus on recruitment, right, we just need to get more diverse leadership team, we need to do a better job of reaching out to, you know, XYZ group that's underrepresented in our organization. And they put a lot of effort into recruitment. And then what happens, you bring in people from all these different backgrounds that you said, weren't represented, and now they're there, but there hasn't been much emphasis on inclusion or equity. And you've created a revolving door. Because very soon, people from those marginalized identity groups discover this isn't a place where they really feel like they're valued, or it's not a place that set up to really support them to be successful. And they leave. And then those same organizations are like, well, we put all this money and time and effort into diversifying, what did we do wrong? So to that, my I, what I say time and time again, is we have to start with equity and inclusion. And then the diversity will come if you don't start with diversity and with recruitment, and then just with wishful thinking, hope that it all works out. Once everybody's together in that organization, quite often it doesn't.   Michael Hingson  52:18 It ultimately comes down to changing the mindset, which is really what doesn't happen. And diversity doesn't change the mindset. And I think that's something that conceptually inclusion can really help to do is to change the mindset if you're really going to look at what inclusion means. And that's why I've always loved to talk about and I have a speech called moving from diversity to inclusion, because people clearly have already changed diversity to the point where it doesn't necessarily represent everyone. But ultimately, all those people, I think, still try to do it. You can't say you're inclusive, unless you are, you can talk about being partially inclusive. But that doesn't mean a thing. Either you're inclusive where you're not, then that means changing a mindset.   Shilpa Alimchandani  53:01 It does mean changing a mindset. And that mindset allows you to change some of your practices, like it can be as simple as like, how do you design an agenda for a meeting? And how do you facilitate that meeting? And how do you actually include all of the voices of the people who are part of that group? A lot of just a thing about how many times people and organizations how much time people spend in meetings, and a lot of them are not particularly inclusive, like half the people are checked out. There are a few people who dominate the conversation. Right? And it seems it's such a waste. It is such a waste, because there are ideas that are not getting shared, there are conversations that are not being had, there are conflicts that are not getting resolved. Right? Because we're just used to doing things in the same way. If we can change that mindset, like you said, and, and also some of the practices, even small things like that will make a difference, right? People will start speaking up in a different way. Right? Well, dialogue shifts,   Michael Hingson  54:07 and that's what we really need to work toward is that dialogue, shift that mindset change, and that makes a big difference in in all that we're doing. Tell me a little bit more about your company about mu T and what it does and how people can learn about it.   Shilpa Alimchandani  54:24 Great. So yeah, Mookti the M O OK T I. Consulting is my organization. As I mentioned earlier, Mookti means liberation. And I have two parts to my practice. One is organizational training and consulting. So I provide and facilitate workshops and and Leadership Development Series for organizations on all kinds of dei related topics. From you know, interrupting bias to Um feedback on microaggressions to you know, a leading with an equity lens and using the system's lens to solve problems in your organization. And, and I really enjoy that work that organizational training and consulting work. The other part of my practice is coaching. And that is one on one with individuals, primarily, I focus on women of color leaders, because coaching remains a white dominant profession in the US. And there's a real opportunity for people of color to enter this field and a lot of clientele who are looking for coaches who understand not just their leadership journey, but also how their identities impact them every day. So being a woman and a woman of color in a leadership role in an organization is different than being a man or being a white man in particular. And so those of one on one coaching conversations that I have with my clients really can unlock their potential, can free them up to make decisions that are more aligned with their values and make choices in their career that are more fulfilling for them. So in all aspects of my work, I'm about you know, freeing people, from the systems of oppression that limit us, some of that work is organizational. And some of it is individual,   Michael Hingson  56:21 if people want to reach out and contact you and explore working with you, and so on. How do they do that?   Shilpa Alimchandani  56:29 Sure. So my website is the best way to learn more about me and my work and also to contact me. And the website is simply mookticonsulting.com   Michael Hingson  56:40 Have you written any books? Or are there other places where people can get resources that you've been involved in creating? Yes, I   Shilpa Alimchandani  56:49 mean, I did write a book number of years ago, communicating development across cultures, which is more focused on cross cultural communication in the international development field. So not as much on organizational dei work as I'm doing now. I'm quite active on LinkedIn and and do post my own articles on LinkedIn. So that's a good place to find me as well.   Michael Hingson  57:16 How can people find you? Can you? I assume, by your name, can you spell   Shilpa Alimchandani  57:20 Shilpa Alimchandani in LinkedIn, I'm the only one so you'll find me pretty easily there.   Michael Hingson  57:26 Why don't you spell that? If you would, please? Sure.   Shilpa Alimchandani  57:29 So Shilpa  S H I L, P as in Peter A. and Shilpa Alimchandani is A L I M as in Mary C H, A N as in Nancy, D as in David A. N as in Nancy. I. So it's a long one, but a phonetic name. In fact, on my website, I have a little button where you can click pronounce. And it tells you how to pronounce all, you know, with an audio clip of how you say the word book, The and also how you say my name Shilpa Alimchandani   Michael Hingson  58:02 Well, I hope people will reach out. Because I think you're you're talking about a lot of very valuable things. And I think we really need to look at inclusion and really create a new mindset. As I said, I have a speech called moving from diversity to inclusion. In fact, it's the second episode on our podcast. So if you haven't washed, I hope you'll go see it. There's my plug. And then my fourth episode is a speech that Dr. Jacobus tenBroek gave Dr. Tim brick was the founder of the National Federation of the Blind. And one of the foremost constitutional law scholars in the speech he gave at the 1956 convention, the National Federation of the Blind has called within the grace of God, and especially the last two paragraphs of that speech, I love but it's a great speech that I think, whether you're talking about blindness or any other kind of group, it applies. And he was definitely a visionary in the field, and was a was a great thinker about it. So that again, that's episode four, I hope that you and other people, if you haven't listened to it will go out and listen to   Shilpa Alimchandani  59:11 know Michael, I did listen to that, upon your recommendation that episode four and that speech was really moving and inspiring, and what I would say more than anything else, I felt that it was empowering. It was so empowering, and thank you for recommending that.   Michael Hingson  59:27 And he thought that he was being gentle with people in talking about discriminations and so on. In later years, he delivered another speech in 1967. Called are we up to the challenge? And he thought that he was much more forceful in that he started the speech by saying, and again, it's about blind people, but it could it goes across the board. He said mind people have the right to live in the world, which is interesting, but I still think is 1956 speeches was says best and I think there are others who agree with that.   Shilpa Alimchandani  1:00:02 Well, it's been such a pleasure speaking with you, Michael, thank you so much for inviting me on to the podcast.   Michael Hingson  1:00:07 Well, I am glad that you came and I hope that you will come back again and definitely anytime you have more insights or whatever or there's any way that we can be a resource for you, and I'm sure others will feel the same way. Please let us know. But Shilpa  I really appreciate you coming on and all of you I appreciate you listening today. So, we hope that you will give us a five star rating and that you will reach out. Let me know what you think of what we had to discuss. I love your thoughts. All of the information will be in our show notes, including how to spell Shilpa his name and we hope that you will let us know your thoughts. So once more Shilpa Thank you for listening, at least you declare you listen to thank you for being here. Thanks. Thank you all and we'll see you next time on unstoppable mindset.   Michael Hingson  1:01:00   You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com. accessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

In this episode, Patrick is speaking with Donna Bean about the importance of public health. They discuss: •How she came to find herself working in public health. •Higher education and the uniquely American problem of crippling student debt. •Her experience with the US Peace Corps. •Her experiences as a public health nurse in Alaska. •How her childhood experience of not fitting in has helped her to live all over the world. •Her career plans after her CDC fellowship. •How the pandemic has politicized public health. •And other topics. Donna Bean is a PHI/CDC Global Health Epidemiology Fellow working with CDC Dominican Republic in the Division of Global HIV/TB (DGHT) as well as in emergency preparedness efforts. Donna earned her BS in Nursing from the University of Miami's School of Nursing and Health Studies and her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. She has over a decade of experience in public health, with extensive experience in HIV/AIDS, TB, and COVID-19 control. Her career has been driven by a firm belief in individual and community's right to quality health care. You can find this episode on YouTube here: https://bit.ly/3ezRIik Also, don't forget about our book “Thinking Critically. From Fake News to Conspiracy Theories. Using Logic to Safely Navigate the Information Landscape” if you're interested in exploring how logic can be used to better help you to discern fact from fiction. The information landscape is perilous, but with the help of this book as your guide, you will always be able to find your way towards truth. It's available on Amazon today! Book: https://amzn.to/3nWdawV This show is supported and produced by Final Stretch Media. Final Stretch believes in creating something that disrupts attention spans and challenges the marketing status quo. They do this by creating high quality visual content that captivates your audience. You can find them on: Website: https://bit.ly/3AsP3wZ This show is also supported by QuikLee; the creators of Brain Racers. The world's first ever live racing competition for the brain. Download their app and play live on the weekends on an iOS device against the world. We have raced and it's a blast! App Download: https://apple.co/33n8aJs

Ms. Jensen joined the ECI Development/Teak Hardwoods team in 2012, starting as the organization's marketing intern at the administrative offices in Managua, Nicaragua.  At the end of her 3-month internship period, she had to make a decision between accepting a full-time position with ECI, or chasing her dreams in Panama with the US Peace Corps.  She ultimately chose ECI Development.  Today, Ms. Jensen is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for ECI Development, a regional development company based throughout Latin America in Costa Rica, Belize, Panama and Nicaragua.  Ms. Jensen became a resident of Panama in 2016, and today calls San Pedro, Belize home.  She thoroughly enjoys the Latin American lifestyle and is a strong believer in being global. Ms. Jensen was invited to be a founding member of the Rotaract Club of Ambergris Caye and served as the club's Director of Professional Development.  Furthermore, Ms. Jensen was the co-founder a women's retreat, “5 Days to Freedom,” helping guide women towards financial, spiritual and international freedom.  She also sits on the board of the Belize National Association of Realtors.        Email: rjensen@ecidevelopment.com      Phone: Toll Free: +1 (800) 290-3028 | Belize: +501 226-4771                                                                      Website: www.ecidevelopment.comClick The Link Below if referred by this podcast episode and want to learn more:https://info.ecidevelopment.com/crg-chalmette-ray

Ms. Jensen joined the ECI Development/Teak Hardwoods team in 2012, starting as the organization's marketing intern at the administrative offices in Managua, Nicaragua.  At the end of her 3-month internship period, she had to make a decision between accepting a full-time position with ECI, or chasing her dreams in Panama with the US Peace Corps.  She ultimately chose ECI Development.  Today, Ms. Jensen is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing for ECI Development, a regional development company based throughout Latin America in Costa Rica, Belize, Panama and Nicaragua.  Ms. Jensen became a resident of Panama in 2016, and today calls San Pedro, Belize home.  She thoroughly enjoys the Latin American lifestyle and is a strong believer in being global. Ms. Jensen was invited to be a founding member of the Rotaract Club of Ambergris Caye and served as the club's Director of Professional Development.  Furthermore, Ms. Jensen was the co-founder a women's retreat, “5 Days to Freedom,” helping guide women towards financial, spiritual and international freedom.  She also sits on the board of the Belize National Association of Realtors.    Email: rjensen@ecidevelopment.com   Phone: Toll Free: +1 (800) 290-3028 | Belize: +501 226-4771                                                                      Website: www.ecidevelopment.com Click The Link Below if referred by this podcast episode and want to learn more:https://info.ecidevelopment.com/crg-chalmette-ray

Sitting down with one of the big names in this business this week was a really cool opportunity. I am honored to have on the show today, Academy Award-winning director, producer, and screenwriter, Taylor Hackford. Taylor's has directed films like An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), White Nights (1985), Proof of Life (2000), Dolores Claiborne (1995), Against All Odds (1984), Parker (2013), the iconic Ray Charles biopic, Ray of 2004, and The Comedian (2016) just to name a few. He also has served as president of the Directors Guild of America and is married to the incomparable acting legend Helen Mirren. Long before gaining popularity, Hackford had an interesting journey on his climb-up.  Taylor served in the US Peace Corps in Bolivia after college. Before then, while pursuing his studies in law there was an odd turn of events. Inspired by mutual friends who were film students, Hackford, quit school and sought out an entry-level position with KCET TV in LA. There, he learned and grew. He did everything. From office assistance to investigative reporting, which earned him two Emmys and an Associated Press Award, to documentaries, short films, and directing. Hackford racked up his first hit directing and writing Teenage Father in 1978. The film won an Academy Award for Best Short Subject. It explores the life of a 17-year-old senior boy who is a soon-to-be father with his girlfriend, a 15-year-old sophomore. They evaluate the decisions about how they got here, and the decisions on what they will do next.He then went on to direct the very successful romantic drama film, Officer and a Gentleman in 1982. Recognized as the best film of the year and grossing $190 million from a $7 million budget. The film also made history at the Academy Awards where a black man, Louis Gossett Jr. won the Oscars for Best Supporting Actor for the first time in Academy history. The film tells the story of Zack Mayo (Gere), a United States Navy Aviation Officer Candidate who is beginning his training at Aviation Officer Candidate School. While Zack meets his first true girlfriend during his training, a young "townie" named Paula, he also comes into conflict with the hard-driving Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley training his class.Besides winning two Academy Awards, the film also won a BAFTA, two Golden Globes, one Grammy, one NAACP Image Awards, a Japan Academy Film Prize, National Board of Review 10 best films of the year awards, and a Writers Guild of America Awards.If this isn't every director's dream, I don't know what is. Of course, success like this sets the bar even higher for oneself and can make or break any filmmaker. Another of Taylor's classics is 1997 The Devil's Advocate starring Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, Connie Nielsen, Craig T. Nelson, Judith IveyAn exceptionally adept Florida lawyer is offered a job to work in New York City for a high-end law firm with a high-end boss - the biggest opportunity of his career to date.Taylor Hackford delivered another outstanding film in 2004. Ray. The biographical musical film on the three decades journey of the legendary blues musician, Ray Charles---from his humble beginnings in the South, where he went blind at age seven, to his meteoric rise to stardom during the 1950s and 1960s. It starred triple threat actor, Jamie Foxx. Ray received riveting reviews from the critics and multiple awards including Best Actor at the Academy. Hackford's most recent work he produced or directed is The Comedian, starring Robert De Niro, Leslie Mann, Danny DeVito, and other big names. The film plot has Jackie (Robert De Niro) who is a comic icon, attempting to reinvent himself despite his audience only wanting to know him as a television character he played earlier in his career. It is a look at the life of an aging insult comic named Jack Burke.It was certainly incredible to sit back and chat with Taylor. His Ray Charles story alone is worth the process of admission, trust me. Enjoy my conversation with Taylor Hackford.

A highly regarded Intuitive Soul Purpose Coach, speaker and author, Stephanie Zito helps people across the globe discover and realize their best lives with both purpose and passion. In her role she's worked with personal clients and numerous corporations, including AT&T, Park Hyatt Hotels, US Peace Corps and Sesame Street Research, leading teambuilding, conflict resolution, and wellness programs. Additionally she's the founder and host of the podcast “This Passionate Life,” sharing her knowledge and insights on compassionate communication and finding your life's purpose. Connect with Stephanie: https://stephaniezito.com/ https://www.facebook.com/stephaniezitocoach/

In episode 5 Dr. Justin Sanders and I talk about the connection of lifelong learning to Ikigai, the 60 year curriculum, how it helps the brain, and how to approach study when there are almost too many options available. We also touch on how credentials can be a way to increase your impact in the world - not just about the skills you learn but the different doors that will be opened for you. If you are wondering if you are too old to go back to school, be inspired by the 92 year old at TUJ! If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we'd love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway.  In this episode you'll hear: Why Dr Sanders is so passionate about education How he found his way to Temple University Japan  About the benefits of lifelong learning beyond just employment advantages Criteria you can use when deciding what kind of learning to engage in About Justin: Dr. Justin Sanders is the Director of Temple University Japan's Continuing Education Program, one of the oldest and largest providers of personal and professional development to Tokyo's international community. With over 15 years in the international and higher education sectors, before coming to Japan, he served as a Research Specialist and then Global Recognition Manager for the International Baccalaureate (IB), a leading global international education organization.  Prior, he spent several years supporting good governance in community colleges around the United States with the Association of Community College Trustees, and served a two-year tour as an education volunteer with the US Peace Corps, working in rural Azerbaijan. Justin received an undergraduate degree in Communications from the University of Arizona, an MA in Education and Human Development from the George Washington University, and a PhD in Education from the Graduate School of Human Sciences at Osaka University. His research focuses on international education and national development, institutional international strategy development, and adult learning. Connect with Justin: TUJ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TUJContinuingEd (https://www.facebook.com/TUJContinuingEd) TUJ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/school/35437867 (https://www.linkedin.com/school/35437867) Justin's Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-sanders-2b386635/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-sanders-2b386635/) TUJ Website: https://www.tuj.ac.jp/cont-ed/index.html (https://www.tuj.ac.jp/cont-ed/index.html) Connect with Jennifer Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/)  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoach (https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoach)  Website: https://jennifershinkai.com/ (https://jennifershinkai.com/ )

Kirsten Dyck, who is currently teaching English at a university in Nanjing, China, has also taught in the Ukraine. She shares her expertise in culturally responsive teaching with engaging ways to encourage student participation and activities for overcoming fears of speaking in class. Dr. Kirsten Dyck teaches EFL at Nanjing Xiaozhuang University in Nanjing, China. She previously taught History and Humanities at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA (2012-2017) and EFL for the US Peace Corps at Poltava National V.G. Korolenko Pedagogical University in Poltava, Ukraine (2017-2019). She has held fellowships with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Auschwitz Jewish Center, the Fulbright Commission, and the English Language Fellow Program. She is the author of Reichsrock: The International Web of White-Power and Neo-Nazi Hate Music (Rutgers University Press, 2017), as well as scholarly articles on genocide, racism, and music. She earned her PhD in American Studies from Washington State University (2012) and a TESOL Certificate from Toronto's Coventry House International (2005). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ttelt/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ttelt/support

Korea24 – 2021.11.02. (Tuesday) News Briefing: President Moon Jae-in has officially declared that South Korea will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2018 levels by 2030. Moon made the commitment on Monday in his keynote speech at the annual UN climate summit COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Eunice Kim) In-Depth News Analysis: The 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference opened in Glasgow on Sunday, kicking off two weeks of intense diplomatic negotiations by around 200 countries on how to tackle global warming. But there has been much criticism about the summit’s impact, especially with leaders from China and Russia, staying away from the event. Meanwhile, South Korea has set ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, but business sectors have expressed concerns of its possible negative economic consequences. To assess Korea’s goals and provide an overview of COP26, Professor Kim Jeong-in from the School of Economics at Chung-ang (중앙) University joins us on the line.the Korea Trending with Jung Ye-won: 1. Police have arrested a woman on charges of child abuse, after she was seen severely beating her 7 year-old son in broad daylight last month. (도로 한복판 7살 어린이 무차별 폭행…알고 보니 친엄마) 2. Concerns are growing that South Korea may run out of diesel exhaust fluid due to China’s decision to restrict its export. (중국발 '요소수' 품귀현상에 물류대란 우려…화물차 200만대 영향) 3. A 5 year-old girl who was tragically left with irreversible injuries to her brain after an accident, has gone on to save the lives of three other critically ill patients through organ donation. (키즈카페서 사고 뒤 뇌사 5세, 3명에게 장기 기증하고 하늘로) Touch Base in Seoul: One of the key figures behind the scenes that helped South Korea’s women’s curling team win their historic silver medal at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics was Canadian coach Peter Gallant. He has now returned to try and help the team once again, first to qualify for Beijing 2022, and possibly help repeat their past Olympic success, or even go one step further. He joins us to talk about how the team is preparing, what brought him back, and the support he showed the team when they came forward with the abuse that they suffered under the former head coach and management. Morning Edition Preview with Antony Casey: - In tomorrow’s Korea Times, Jon Dunbar introduces a new book on the Gwangju Uprising by David Dolinger, who was a US Peace Corps volunteer at the time. - In tomorrow’s Korea Herald, Ko Jun-tae writes about the scourge of delivery motorcyclists in Seoul, and what businesses and authorities are doing about it.

Rhett is an executive coach, Cast Member/Co-Captain of the TV series "4 Days to Save the World", and co-founder at Courageous Leadership, a leadership consultancy that helps you believe again. His second best-selling book, THE ENTREPRENEUR'S BOOK OF ACTIONS: Essential Daily Exercises and Habits for Becoming Wealthier, Smarter, and More Successful by McGraw Hill is a guide on how to become the leader you want to be. He is a regular contributor to Inc. Magazine, Forbes, and Thrive Global. Rhett travels the globe speaking about entrepreneurship and management alongside the likes of former Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and AOL Founder Steve Case. He has been featured in the Huffington Post, Business Insider, The Hill, Time, The Wall Street Journal and CNN Money. He developed a love of teaching and service to others in the US Peace Corps.

This week we get really into racism, white saviorism, and privilege while talking all about Tiara's experience with the US Peace Corps. Frist, Tiara recounts her first-hand experience, which does include instances of sexual assault. She also tells us a wild story about being hit with a champagne bottle, held hostage, and hung up on by the US embassy! We also discuss all the positive experiences she had while doing her work with the Peace Corps and why the Peace Corps does what it does. Then we dive into white saviorism, what it is and how it's at play within the Peace Corps. We also digress into a tangent about colonization and racism within the US, the Peace Corps, and throughout the world. Lastly, Tiara leaves us with some wisdom about how you can join the Peace Corps and have a positive experience yourself and leave a positive impact on the places you are sent.  Follow us on Instagram: @catchflightsnotfeelingspodcast, @sofiasamarah and follow @tiaratribes Send us a listener submission telling us your travel stories, asking for advice, or giving a travel tip! hi@catchflightspodcast.com LINKS https://www.instagram.com/catchflightsnotfeelingspodcast/ https://www.instagram.com/sofiasamarah/ https://www.instagram.com/tiaratribes/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/387807898895527  

Baktash Ahadi was born in Afghanistan and raised in the United States. After college, he joined the US Peace Corps and went to Mozambique. As the US war in Afghanistan ramped up, Baktash decided to return to Afghanistan as an interpreter who worked alongside the US Marines.  In this episode, Baktash and I discuss the tragedy in Afghanistan and what led to it. We discuss the bureaucratic system, and lack of incentive to ever actually get anything done. We also discuss the repercussions of what this means for the Afghan people, and for American Veterans.  To learn more about Baktash Ahadi: https://www.baktashahadi.com/ To follow Baktash on Twitter: https://twitter.com/baktashahadi  

Get the audiobook for free on Amazon: https://geni.us/leil-free-audiobook Leil Lowndes' Perspectivehttps://geni.us/leil-lowndes (Leil Lowndes) is an internationally recognized communications expert. She has conducted communication seminars for major US corporations, foreign governments, and the US Peace Corps. Lowndes has appeared on hundreds of television and radio programs. She has authored ten bestselling books on communications. These books have been published in over 26 foreign languages. Introduction https://geni.us/leil-free-audiobook (How to Talk to Anyone) is a psychology-backed book that offers guidance on effective communication. Lowndes covers a wide range of communication types, broken down into verbal and nonverbal, across almost every possible context. Your approach should adapt depending on who you are talking to and the specific context. So, How to Talk to Anyone offers guidance on how you can become a master communicator. As a master communicator, you can connect with others irrespective of the environment. StoryShot #1: Using Your Smile and Your Eyes for First Impressions 80% of first impressions is the way you look and move. In fact, studies suggest that emotional reactions occur in our brains before we even have time to register a reaction to somebody. So, try to utilize Leil Lowndes' tips to intrigue everyone through your first impressions. Lowndes advises against quick smiles. If you interact with somebody, you should start by looking at their face for a second and pausing. This pause will let you soak in their persona. You should then let out a big warm smile that floods across your face. Allow this flood to overflow into smiling with your eyes. While engaging with the flooding smile, you should also try to maintain eye contact. Others will respect you more if you maintain strong eye contact. Specifically, this ability is associated with intelligence and abstract thinking. Lowndes' second technique builds on the importance of maintaining eye contact. She describes how you should adopt sticky eyes. This means you should not break eye contact even after they have finished speaking. Once you have decided to break eye contact, you should do so slowly and reluctantly. Lowndes believes this approach will send a message to others to comprehend their conversation and respect them as an individual. When you are seeking romance, you should utilize what Lowndes describes as epoxy eyes. If you are romantically interested in someone, maintain deep eye contact with them even when they are not the person talking. If they are interested in you, keeping eye contact while they are a listener can be an effective aphrodisiac. StoryShot #2: How to Excel at Small Talk Try not to worry too much about what you are saying, but attempt to match the mood of the audience. The easiest, broader approach to take is simply ensuring your words will put people at ease. Doing this will help make you sound passionate. As long as your words are putting the audience at ease, you can focus more on the tone of what you are saying. 80% of your communication has nothing to do with your choice of words.  When introducing people, you should always offer an exciting point for the conversation to flow from. Offering an unbaited hook when starting a conversation will only lead to awkwardness. A word detective can identify their conversation partner's preferred topic by listening to every word said. You will become more appealing in others' minds if you learn how to keep the spotlight shining on them.

Join us as we chat with Angie Collins about how she's come to embrace being an entrepreneur, and how she's found a less "fuzzy" side of coaching. Angie is a PCI certified Parent Coach® and the founder of Empowered Parents Empowering Daughters.In her signature one-on-one coaching programs and her small group virtual parent support circles, Angie works with busy moms to create systems to organize their space, routines to organize their time, and intentions to connect with their daughters so they can feel more productive, yell less, and experience fewer power struggles.As a mother to three girls, Angie understands the challenges that parents face as well as the immense joy that raising girls can bring. Her interest in coaching parents comes not only from her ability to relate to parents' struggles but also from her educational background. Angie has an undergraduate degree in elementary education and a Master's in education from Tufts University. She taught elementary school for several years and was a Preschool Teacher Trainer with the US Peace Corps in Cape Verde.

In episode 5 Dr. Justin Sanders and I talk about the connection of lifelong learning to Ikigai, the 60 year curriculum how it helps the brain, how to approach study when there are almost too many options available. We also touch on how credentials can be away to increase your impact in the world - not just about the skills you learn but the different doors that will be opened for you. If you are wondering if you are too old to go back to school be inspired by the 92 year old at TUJ! Bio Dr. Justin Sanders is the Director of Temple University Japan's Continuing Education Program, one of the oldest and largest providers of personal and professional development to Tokyo's international community. With over 15 years in the international and higher education sectors, before coming to Japan, he served as a Research Specialist and then Global Recognition Manager for the International Baccalaureate (IB), a leading global international education organization. Prior, he spent several years supporting good governance in community colleges around the United States with the Association of Community College Trustees, and served a two-year tour as an education volunteer with the US Peace Corps, working in rural Azerbaijan. Justin received an undergraduate degree in Communications from the University of Arizona, an MA in Education and Human Development from the George Washington University, and a PhD in Education from the Graduate School of Human Sciences at Osaka University. His research focuses on international education and national development, institutional international strategy development, and adult learning. Links https://www.facebook.com/TUJContinuingEd (https://www.facebook.com/TUJContinuingEd) https://www.linkedin.com/school/35437867 (https://www.linkedin.com/school/35437867) https://www.tuj.ac.jp/cont-ed/index.html (https://www.tuj.ac.jp/cont-ed/index.html) https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-sanders-2b386635/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-sanders-2b386635/)

Brave New Women hosted by Cecilia PoullainMaria Cristina is currently working as a climate scientist at Winrock in Washington D.C.  She shares her journey in becoming a climate scientist later in life.As a tiny child, Maria Cristina lived with her grandparents on their farm in Ecuador.  This had a big impact on her life:  they taught her to love nature and to take care of it.  When she left school, she studied social development in Quito then did a whole series of jobs, including working with the children of prostitutes in the middle of Quito and teaching English to professionals.She left Ecuador soon after she graduated in order to avoid the social pressure of getting married and because she wanted to see the world.Her first job following graduation was with the children of Central American immigrants in San Francisco.  This opened her eyes to the harsh reality of their lives and set her on a search to discover why the world was so unfair.  She then did a Masters degree on Sustainable Development in Peace and Conflict Studies at the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica.  The contact with people from all over the world expanded her mind even further.  She also started comparing Costa Rica, where people and the environment were a priority, and Ecuador, where oil money had led to corruption and the concentration of wealth in a few hands.  She talks about her time in working with the US Peace Corps and Global Citizen Year, setting up volunteer programs for young US citizens to work with the indigenous people of Ecuador.  All these experiences convinced her to become a climate scientist. You will love listening to Maria-Cristina.  Her enthusiasm, curiosity, humour and overwhelming desire to serve are infectious. I am running a free webinar - "Women Empower Women" - on Tuesday 27 April.  Check it out here:  https://mailchi.mp/ac893611d578/gu7xgku6p7You can find me on my website, on Linkedin and on the Brave New Women Facebook page.Cecilia PoullainFounder of Brave New WomenCoach - Empowering Women to Find their VoiceMusic:  Stephen Marquis www.songsta.com.au Editing: Talal BourokiCecilia PoullainFounder of Brave New WomenCoach - Empowering Women to Find their Voice

#55 Richie Norton interviews Rhett Power on entrepreneurship, leadership amidst chaos, creating a life of freedom and meaning with family, living around the world and finding your own entrepreneur's competitive advantage. Powerful, empowering conversation. Rhett co-founded Wild Creations in 2007 and quickly built the startup toy company into the 2010 Fastest Growing Business in South Carolina. Wild Creations was awarded a Blue-Ribbon Top 75 US Company by the US Chamber of Commerce and one of Inc. Magazine's 500 Fastest Growing US Companies. He and his team won over 40 national awards for their innovative toys. He was a finalist for Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2011 and was nominated again in 2012. After a successful exit from the toy company he started a new company focused on startup success. Recently he was named one of the world's top 100 business bloggers and in 2018 named the Best Small Business Coach in the United States. In 2019 he joined the prestigious Marshall Goldsmith's 100 Coaches and was named the #1 Thought Leader on Entrepreneurship by Thinkers360. His second best-selling book THE ENTREPRENEUR'S BOOK OF ACTIONS: Essential Daily Exercises and Habits for Becoming Wealthier, Smarter, and More Successful by McGraw Hill is a guide on how to become the leader you want to be. He is a regular contributor to Inc. Magazine, Forbes, and Thrive Global. Rhett travels the globe speaking about entrepreneurship, and management alongside the likes of Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and AOL Founder Steve Case. He has been featured in the Huffington Post, Business Insider, The Hill, Time, The Wall Street Journal and CNN Money. He developed a love of teaching and service to others in the US Peace Corps. Rhett is a Co-founder at Courageous Leadership a leadership consultancy that helps you believe again. We're an amalgamation of experienced behavior scientists, entrepreneurs, best-selling authors and breakthrough story makers who have worked with and inspired some of the largest, most relevant brands on the planet, including Google, Snapchat, Major League Baseball, General Mills, Nestle, Qualcomm and others.  Go to https://rhettpower.com/ to follow Rhett's latest. Continue the conversation here: RICHIE NORTON SHOW COMMUNITY: https://www.facebook.com/groups/richiepodcast RICHIE NORTON SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES: http://www.richienorton.com/ RICHIE NORTON SOCIAL: INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/richie_norton LINKEDIN: http://www.linkedin.com/in/richardnorton FB: https://www.facebook.com/richienorton TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/richienorton

Today on the Good Problem Podcast we have the amazing Emily Braucher of ReFresh Communication talking cross cultural communication and how important it is to listen to those we are working with.⁠ I loved this chat with Emily, and I love this topic - I could talk about it for days on end! So much goes wrong because we consistently look at, and hear things through our own cultural lenses. It's not deliberate, but it can be very harmful and downright dangerous in some cases (there's been a few cases of plane crashes and near misses due to cultural misunderstandings). Emily has worked, volunteered, researched and traveled in over 30 countries including two years of service in the US Peace Corps, She supports diverse clientele including non-profit staff, international business professionals, refugees, university students and high school students both domestically and abroad through her organisation, Refresh Communication.⁠ ⁠ Check out some of Emily's work here: https://www.refreshcommunication.com/trainings/cross-cultural-communication/ Emily is reading: Chestnut Street by Maeve Binchy Emily is listening to: On Being, by Krista Tippett

In this special edition of the Blue Continent Podcast, Brennan speaks with Laura Dodson, a former US Peace Corps response volunteer (Philippines). Dodson was near Lafayette Square on Monday, June 1, 2020, when federal riot police charged peaceful protestors and clergy, spraying them with tear gas to clear the path for President Trump to pose for a photo op with a bible outside of St. John's Church. Dodson recounts her experience in detail.

The Secret Life of an American Diplomat: Facing a Firing Squad in Africa, Living in Communist Romania, Leading the US Peace Corps, Fighting Fires, & More

Nick is an experienced technology and innovation leader. As CEO of Kahoots, Nick inspires a multi-talented team of passionate professionals toward Kahoots' ultimate goal: simplifying how we connect. In his current role as Founder and CEO of Kahoots (kahootsapp.com), Nick leads a company of six people that's reinventing personal networking and enterprise sales software. Prior to Kahoots, he led Infosys' Innovation Team in N.A. which researched major technology shifts and made large strategic investments in anticipation of how these changes would alter the landscape of individual businesses and macro-markets. He began his career in Morocco as a volunteer in the US Peace Corps. Nick serves on the board of directors for G-PAC - Gun Violence Prevention PAC. Seth Greene is a 6 Time Best Selling Author, Nationally Recognized Direct Response Marketing Expert, and the only back to back to back GKIC Dan Kennedy Marketer of the Year Nominee. To Get a FREE Copy of Seth's new book Podcast Marketing Magic, and access to a Live Podcast Marketing Training Conference Call go to http://www.UltimateMarketingMagician.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michele is excited to have research paleoanthropologist and shamanic practitioner Hank Wesselman return for another mind opening discussion this week on Awakeings Radio. Hank Wesselman is one of those rare cutting edge scientists who truly walks between the worlds. He did his undergraduate work, as well as his Masters Degree, in Zoology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, then went on to receive his doctoral degree in Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley. A native New Yorker, he has spent much of his life working among traditional tribal peoples, primarily in Africa and Polynesia. He served in the US Peace Corps in the 60's, living among people of the Yoruba Tribe in Nigeria for two years. For the past 30 years, he has conducted research with an international group of scientists, exploring eastern Africa's Great Rift Valley in search of answers to the mystery of human origins. During this time, he has worked alongside such worthies as Dr. Don Johanson, Lucy's discoverer (Lucy was the cover story for National Geographic's July 2010 issue); Professor Tim White, whose expeditions have been featured in several TIME magazine cover stories, as well as members of the famous Leakey family. Hank is also a shamanic student, practitioner and teacher, now in the 28th year of his apprenticeship.

Research paleoanthropologist Hank Wesselman is one of those rare cutting edge scientists who truly walks between the worlds. He did his undergraduate work, as well as his Masters Degree, in Zoology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, then went on to receive his doctoral degree in Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley. A native New Yorker, he has spent much of his life working among traditional tribal peoples, primarily in Africa and Polynesia. He served in the US Peace Corps in the 60's, living among people of the Yoruba Tribe in Nigeria for two years. For the past 30 years, he has conducted research with an international group of scientists, exploring eastern Africa's Great Rift Valley in search of answers to the mystery of human origins. During this time, he has worked alongside such worthies as Dr. Don Johanson, Lucy's discoverer; Professor Tim White, whose expeditions have been featured in several TIME magazine cover stories (the most recent: 7-23-2001), as well as members of the famous Leakey family. He is also a shaman in training, now in the 20th year of his apprenticeship.