Coffee & Change

On Episode 143, I welcome back Kevin Walling for his third appearance on the show. Because who doesn't love a good trilogy? You might call it Return of the Electoral Jedi. Kevin is a political strategist and political media consultant who has run for office and supported candidacies for numerous leaders elected to office. Having known Kevin now for over a decade, I consider his stoicism and political pragmatism to be a salve on the wound that keeps getting reopened in the experiment that is democracy in the United States. Nearly four years to the day since we last recorded, Kevin joined me to talk about how much has changed since the 2020 election, which was supposed to be the most consequential election of our lifetimes. That is, until this one. Thanks for listening and please get out and vote.

Kesem is a national nonprofit whose mission is to support children through and beyond their parent’s cancer. Kesem does year-round programming like care packages, birthday cards, and Friends and Family Days, but the flagship program is a week-long summer camp that is completely free for all families. Kesem serves children aged 6-18 and recruits families from the local area by each chapter.

Kesem at JHU is the JHU chapter of the national organization, and this year, they held camp from August 12-16th at Sandy Hill Camp & Retreat Center in North East, Maryland, about an hour away from the JHU Homewood campus. Kesem is run by passionate student volunteers who work to fundraise, plan programming, and recruit families and volunteers to the chapter. Kesem at JHU served 83 campers this past summer and fundraised $52,042.75 this year to support their families.

Episode Guests:

Maggie “Mochi” Yang is a Fall ‘23 graduate of Johns Hopkins University, where she studied Molecular/Cellular Biology and minored in Psychology. Sandra “Happy Feet” Fahmy is a Spring ‘24 graduate of Johns Hopkins University, where she studied Chemistry and Neuroscience.

Both having joined Kesem at JHU in their freshman year, Maggie and Sandra have both served on the coordinator board since sophomore year and just finished up their senior year as co-directors of the chapter. They just got back from camp last month in August, which was their fourth time at camp (third in-person). They are now both living in Boston during their gap year while they apply to medical school. Maggie is currently working as a clinical research coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Sandra is a medical assistant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Jothy Rosenberg has a powerful story of overcoming adversity as a cancer and disability survivor, tech founder, and thriver. After facing immense hardships, he has distilled his experiences into inspirational keynotes that educate and uplift audiences.

Jothy speaks on topics like motivation, entrepreneurship, and startup growth strategies. His inspirational keynotes based on his TEDx talk and his books resound with audience and readers of all ages.

His story will motivate you to keep going and never give up in the face of adversity. Enjoy the conversation and the inspiring story from Jothy.

I am excited for you to meet my next guest, Kristin. We were introduced about a year ago by a former podcast guest and his wife. Kristin's story is one we know all to well, whereby we feel there is a call to do more, be more and answer that faint ping of purpose.

Kristin is a disruptor, thought rebel and possibilitarian who struggled finding her path. She felt misguided and misunderstood despite the incredible opportunities in building a career, she continued to feel unfulfilled.

Her journey inward took Kristin through therapy, coaching and meditation leading her to unplug from the outdated systems that stopped us from seeing our own greatness.

Imagine an alchemical unplugging and unraveling that lets us play outside the box and feel truly liberated. It is not as far away as you would imagine. Enjoy the interplay and imagine the possibilities on, with, at, for...

I cannot wait for you to meet Derek Mitchell. His origin story will have you remembering your own childhood, and the teachers and parents in your life that changed your world.

Derek is the CEO of Partners in School Innovation. Partners in School Innovation has been on a mission to transform teaching and learning in the most challenged U.S. public schools so that every student thrives.

Their vision: A thriving system of public schools that have an unwavering focus on results and are vibrant places to teach, learn, and grow.

To achieve our mission and vision, Partners works alongside schools and districts collaboratively, with an assets-based mindset, with a systems perspective, and in ways that allow us to constantly learn and improve.

Derek is a true Change Agent leading an army of other Change Agents focused on changing the world...for the better. Enjoy the listen.

What do Madonna and Microsoft have in common? Turns out more than you think. I posed this question to Copilot and learned a few things. And in this episode I meet the personification of many of the characteristics of success shared by a pop star and a software company. Get ready to meet Heather Cook, Joyful Warrior and Community Connector changing the world one courageous conversation at a time.

Pardon the interruption. But this is something we all need to hear. After a recent interview I noticed had great impact on those who listened it felt important to share this in the form of a solocast of sorts. What follows is a blend of poetry, philosophy and a cautionary tale to an ever-changing industry.

You might say it’s an unrequited letter to humanity asking us all “How we can hold on to Our Humanity in the age of AI?”

Drake Jensen is a different kind of country. An early pioneer and a man whose music helped me at a pivotal time in my life. Drake sings with an open heart and that still gives some in this world some heartburn. And that suits him just fine.

Drake and I first met back in 2011 when I reached out to him to thank him for his music and for being the courageous pioneer and trailblazer who was the first out, gay country artist with a Top 40 hit. That was on terrestrial radio, so that was an even bigger deal back then. In a campaign of gratitude after the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell I made sure to thank Drake for the soundtrack he was creating for many servicemembers who could relate to his songs.

Drake has never been one to conform, to any style, trend, box, or label. And in the arch of his career so far, he's proven himself to be a unique voice, an admirable activist and wise elder. From his rural upbringing in Nova Scotia to the sometime unwelcoming and celebrated stages of Nashville, his story is one that inspires countless unsung heroes, writers, producers, artists and performers to keep going. This producer and creative included.

I really enjoyed this conversation and reunion with Drake and cannot wait to hear his newest material due out soon. Keep an eye and ear out for his latest single, "Lovers in a Dangerous Time."

Each year, around this time, I like to feature a story in an episode I refer to as the PRIDE Edition. It is in this annual episode I feature an inspirational story of one human’s endeavor to authenticity and journey to joy. As many of us know, that is often a lifelong journey and one that comes with inordinate amounts of heartbreak and hopefully, equal parts healing. My guest for this special episode is Brian Johnson. And my connection with Brian reminded me that life is a gift and living is a choice. It is in his story I reacquainted with my own story and the stories of so many more like us. And it is in the echoing of those stories we remember we are not alone. Many of you will be moved by Brian’s story and I hope you come away renewed with the power of community, storytelling and most importantly…healing. It is a timeless thing, healing. There is no start clock, no stop watch and certainly no past due date. And in some cases, as Brian and I learned together, there may be matching birth dates. Enjoy the listen.

Yes, you're the understudy to the Tortured Poet…you just didn’t know it.

I had nearly forgotten about the event of the season arriving in the overnight hours to our digital devices. And this morning, as I prepare for my first public poetry reading, I have to smile, because the universe always has a way of showing us “a way.”

I have been thinking about this solo podcast episode for a while now. Knowing I have wanted to tell the story of a Tortured Poet and the path of putting ink to paper, and paper to print, and print to publish. And now publish to public reading. While I didn’t plan it this way, I am happy that the word “poets” is being spoken into existence and resonance from arenas to amphitheaters today.

I can’t imagine a better walk on song for a new poet to have as he prepares for his first public reading.

Thanks for listening and supporting.