Curiosity Invited

In this episode, Ryan Virden speaks with David about what he and others call Whiteness. Ryan shares his insights on racial justice, the concept of whiteness, and how to foster meaningful conversations about identity and conflict. Discover how understanding history and language can transform our approach to social justice and relationship building.

In response to David's question, "Why call it Whiteness? What does it have to do with White?" Ryan dives more deeply into the historical frame from which the notion springs.  Ryan's fundamental argument in his book, 'Breaking The Privilege Frame,' if that the overwhelming number of white people are actually harmed by racism and "Whiteness."

Ryan Virden is an author, founder of Lir Cultural Coaching, and professor of Justice and Peace Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He works with nonprofit organizations, schools, and corporations to bridge the gap between their values and how people experience them, helping leaders strengthen workplace culture, navigate differences, and build greater trust, accountability, and belonging. His recent book, Breaking the Privilege Frame, explores race, privilege, and the historical forces that shape them.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RyanVirdenOfficial  
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-virden 
Substack: https://ryanvirdenofficial.substack.com/

In this conversation, Shaka Mitchell hot David Bryan about the Come Together Music Project, a nonprofit initiative aimed at using music to foster connections and facilitate conversations across diverse backgrounds. He shares insights on how personal experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic inspired the project, the importance of vulnerability in sharing music, and the role of facilitation in guiding discussions. The conversation highlights the power of music as a universal language that can bridge divides and promote understanding among individuals with differing perspectives.

Shaka Mitchell is an education leader, policy advocate, and the founder of the Come Together Music Project, an initiative that uses music and storytelling to bridge cultural, ideological, and political divides.

Alongside that policy career, Shaka created the Come Together Music Project — and its accompanying podcast — as a response to growing polarization in American life. Through shared songs and personal stories, the project creates spaces where people with deep differences can listen to one another with curiosity, empathy, and humanity.

Grounded in his Southern roots, his biracial identity, and a lifelong relationship with music, Shaka’s work sits at the intersection of civic dialogue, culture, and connection — asking not how we win arguments, but how we remember each other as people.

In this engaging conversation, host David Bryan reconnects with Jasmine Anouna, the founder of The Bloom, a network dedicated to social change. They discuss Jasmine's journey from the UN to creating a platform that connects individuals passionate about making a difference. The conversation explores the definition of social impact, the challenges of working in bureaucratic institutions, and the innovative growth of The Bloom. Jasmine shares insights on building a unique brand, the importance of community, and the future of The Bloom as it aims to redefine online connections for social impact.

Jasmine Anouna is an Italian-Egyptian-American, and has worked across digital media, international human rights and social impact sectors. She earned a master’s degree in Gender Studies (or Gender & Digital Media) at University of Oxford. Early in her career she worked for the United Nations (in Geneva) after applying to many internships, and while she appreciated the work it exposed her to, she felt a gap: many people around her were chasing UN-careers, and less visible were the local/community or more creative social‐impact career paths. From this experience she identified an unmet need: young social-impact-oriented people often lacked a curated, accessible resource to find meaningful jobs, resources, stories, and community. 
In 2020  she founded The Bloom as a newsletter and community hub that curates social impact jobs, resources, stories, mentorship opportunities, and events, with an explicit intersectional, feminist, and global lens. She has been recognized (for example by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or through being spotted in as an emerging leader in social impact careers.

In a world increasingly marked by political polarization, the need for civil discourse has never been more critical. In this episode of  Curiosity Invited, host David Bryan and Park County, WY Republican Party Chair, Vince Vanata explore the importance of civility in politics, particularly in light of recent tragic events that highlight the consequences of divisive rhetoric. This engaging discussion not only sheds light on their differing perspectives but also emphasizes the value of respectful dialogue across the political spectrum.  Vince shares his journey into politics, his moral beliefs, and the challenges of navigating contentious discussions. The dialogue emphasizes the need for humility, respect, and a focus on positive engagement in community interactions.

Brittany Friedman, USC sociologist professor speaks about her important book, Carceral Apartheid.  Here she speaks of education as a mechanism of control. For Full podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JpI7opTVSI

David Speaks with Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Georgia, Dakarai Larriett 

In this conversation, David Bryan speaks with Pulitzer Prize winning, Emmy nominated , award winning composer, Michael Abels. Michael discusses the impact of ego on creativity and the importance of being open to ideas from the muse. He emphasizes that ego can hinder the reception of creative ideas, leading to self-judgment and rejection of potentially valuable concepts. Instead, he advocates for a strategy of channeling ideas without questioning their worth during the creative process.

Michael shares insights into the role of the muse in the creative process and the significance of joy in artistic work.  also delve into the evolving landscape of creative careers and the responsibilities of a composer in residence, emphasizing community engagement. In this conversation, Michael Abels discusses his creative process, the importance of diversity in the arts, and the impact of current events on artistic expression. He shares insights on his upcoming projects, including a film titled 'Hope', and reflects on the role of a composer in residence, emphasizing the need for engagement and collaboration in the arts.

In this engaging conversation, Tim Disney discusses his journey in creating the graphic novel 'The Ark,' inspired by the pandemic and the political climate. He shares insights into the creative process, the collaboration with co-writers and artists, and the thematic exploration of truth, lies, and the role of humor in addressing serious societal issues. The discussion also touches on the significance of the cruise ship setting and the critique of wealth inequality and environmental concerns.

Tim and David explore the complexities of societal systems, the concept of fairness in wealth distribution, and the potential for change in power structures. They discuss the importance of recognizing the internal logic of systems and how it affects individuals and communities. The dialogue also touches on the legacy of the Disney name and Tim's personal journey within the family business, emphasizing the need for a hopeful outlook amidst challenges.

Tim Disney is an artist and entrepreneur from Los Angeles. He
has produced, written, or directed multiple award-winning feature
films and documentaries, which have appeared at Sundance,
Telluride, SXSW, and other festivals. He served as Chairman and
CEO of Virtual World Entertainment, an early pioneer of VR-based
entertainment systems, which was sold to Microsoft. Tim is an
active investor in media and technology, and serves on multiple
corporate boards, including Marginal Mediaworks, and Dragonfly
Therapeutics. In the not-for-profit sector he is the founder of The
Adamma Foundation, co-founder of World Connect, which makes
micro grants to business start-ups and public health projects in
thirty countries in the developing world. He served for 12 years as
a Trustee of Southern California Institute of Architecture, and 29
years as a Trustee of CalArts, eight of them as Chairman of the
Board. From 2021-2025, he served as Trustee and Board
President of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), and
currently serves as a member of the Global Leadership Council of
The World Resources Institute, and Director and Curator of the
community art space @2413hyperion.

In this engaging conversation, David Bryan speaks with Ashley Wiley-Johnson, a speech language pathologist and autism expert. They explore the evolution of speech pathology, the complexities of autism diagnosis, and the importance of social skills development. Ashley shares her journey into the field, the challenges faced by individuals with autism in educational settings, and the need for accommodations to support their success. They also discuss the impact of healthcare changes on autism services, disparities in diagnosis among different communities, and the importance of advocacy and awareness. The conversation concludes with Ashley introducing her podcast, 'Deeper Than a Disorder.' Ashely and her co-host and collaborator, Dr. George Castle, aim to humanize the experiences of individuals with so called “atypical” disorders.

Dr. Ashley Wiley-Johnson is a speech-language pathologist, autism expert, author, and speaker based in Los Angeles. She holds a Ph.D. and is a Certified Clinical Competence Speech-Language Pathologist (CCC-SLP). She serves as Vice President of the Los Angeles Speech & Language Therapy Center, Inc., a long-standing practice specializing in autism and communication disorders.  Dr. Wiley-Johnson manages and supports clinical teams across multiple locations, guiding services from early intervention to adult employment readiness. She’s also an author, including 'Autism Spectrum Disorders: From Theory to Practice,' a textbook used internationally.  Dr. Wiley Johnson is a regular media contributor — appearing on FOX, MSNBC, KTLA -  and has been featured on other podcasts discussing autism and related topics.

https://speakla.com/about/
linkedin.com/in/ashley-wiley-johnson-ph-d-ccc-slp-81727aba

Instagram @DeeperthanaDisorder 
You tube full episodes @DeeperthanaDisorderPod
Full episodes audio: any where you get your podcasts.

In this conversation, David Bryan and Alec Egan explore Alec's work  and his path from his youth to being a highly sought after contemporary artist.  Alec speaks about the profound impact of his education, particularly New Roads School (where David was Co-Founder and was a teacher and school head for nearly 20 years), on personal and artistic development. Alec shares his journey from feeling unseen in traditional educational settings to finding his voice and identity as an artist. 

They discuss the challenges faced in the art world, the influence of family, and the essence of art as a means of expression and connection to the world. In this conversation, Alec focuses on the themes of self-reflection, narrative painting, and the complexities of the art business. He shares insights into his creative process, the psychological challenges faced by artists, and the socio-economic dynamics that govern the art world. 

Egan's work reflects a deep exploration of madness and beauty, inviting viewers to engage with the narratives embedded in his paintings. The discussion also touches on the corrupt nature of the art market and the struggles artists face in maintaining their integrity while navigating commercial pressures. 

David and Alec explore the complexities of the art world, touching on themes of socioeconomic barriers, the impact of art on community, personal growth through adversity, and the resilience required to navigate the challenges of being an artist. They discuss Alec's transformative experience of losing everything in a fire and how it shaped Alec's artistic journey as well as his experience of being a parent, emphasizing the importance of courage and presence in both art and family life.

Alec Egan is a Los Angeles-based artist born in 1984, known for his oil paintings of imagined, often unsettling, domestic interiors and landscapes that evoke nostalgia and psychological tension. He graduated from Kenyon College with a BA and Otis College of Art and Design with an MFA, and his work is characterized by thick, impasto application of paint and lush, layered floral patterns that fill his canvases, often leaving the viewer to contemplate the absence of humans within these spaces. Egan's work is frequently exhibited in series that build a single, imagined house, and he was recently impacted by the loss of his home and studio in the LA wildfires. 

Career and artistic style
Subjects: His work features both intricate interior scenes with patterned wallpapers and domestic objects, as well as landscapes that sometimes include palm trees or coastal scenes.
Themes: A recurring theme is the psychological tension created by the absence of human figures in brightly decorated, seemingly ordinary spaces.
Technique: Egan uses a thick, impasto application of oil paint, creating dense, textured surfaces.
Exhibitions: His work has been shown in major cities like Los Angeles, New York, and Tokyo, and he has a consistent practice of creating a cohesive body of work for each exhibition. 



MAKI Gallery
Alec Egan (@alec.egan) • Instagram photos and videos
On view this week! For @alec. egan, 2025 was set to be a crowning year. The Los Angeles-based painter had spent the better part of...

Instagram

ANAT EBGI GALLERY
VIELMETTER LOS ANGELES

https://www.instagram.com/alec.egan/?hl=en