find your cause

In this interview, Cynthia Manuel, executive director of Heavenly Cynt Youth Org, explains the organization’s mission to empower youth through mentorship, literacy, life skills, sports, and positive community connections, rooted in her brother’s 1998 death from street violence and her desire to protect and expand opportunities for youth in Chicago’s North Lawndale.

She describes using exposure as a key tool: taking kids outside their neighborhoods, running mentoring programs since 2016, and creating unique experiences like horse care, gardening, and career tours that helped one youth pursue phlebotomy.

Cynthia also discusses addressing desensitization to violence, rebuilding youth perceptions of police through relationship-building activities, and plans for a funded community center and trade-focused programming.

She promotes her anti-bullying children’s book, “Cindy the Cowgirl Teaches Kindness,” and requests volunteers, donations, partnerships, and support for monthly literacy and CPR events.

Sponsor Inquiry: https://calendly.com/gtzp/gtzp-impact-alignment/
Guest Intro Call: https://calendly.com/gtzp/intro-meeting

Timestamps:

00:15 Mission of Heavenly Cynt

00:36 The Why Behind It

01:58 North Lawndale Reality

03:04 Horses and New Horizons

04:52 Cindy Cowgirl Book

06:18 Desensitized to Violence

09:10 Mentorship and Alumni

10:42 Exposure Builds Trust

13:58 Success Stories and Police

16:18 What Keeps Her Going

17:31 Next Decade Vision

20:53 Life Skills Curriculum

21:52 Measure Impact and Support

23:53 Kindness Pledge Closing

Connect with Cynthia Manuel Social:
https://www.instagram.com/heavenly.cynt/
https://www.instagram.com/heavenly_cynt_youth_org/
https://mzcynthia59.wixsite.com/heavenlycyntyouthinc

Connect with GTZP:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gtzp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greaterthanzeropercent/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greaterthanzeropercent/

Partner with us: https://calendly.com/gtzp/gtzp-impact-alignment

Saaim Khan spent 20 years inside some of the world's largest cybersecurity consulting firms before stepping away to build something he could not find anywhere else.

Not a bigger firm. Not a flashier one. Just an honest one.

As Managing Director of Cyber Matters, Saaim built a company around radical transparency, a flat structure where no one is anyone's boss, and a single guiding value that is far more direct than anything you will find on a typical company values page.

In this conversation, Saaim shares what he deliberately kept and left behind from corporate consulting, why he thinks trust should never have to be earned through hoops, and what it actually looks like to build a business where people genuinely do not dread logging in on Monday morning.

*Connect with Cyber Matters:*
https://www.cybermatters.io/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/saaimkhan
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cybermattersio/

*Social*
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greaterthanzeropercent/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greaterthanzeropercent/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@greaterthanzeropercent
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greaterthanzeropercent/

*Listen*
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZeAnlQdjwKX5JodvYFwp2
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/find-your-cause/id1528910691

*Connect*
Website: https://www.gtzp.org
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gtzp

Chapters:
00:00:00 Teaser
00:00:44 Introduction
00:01:22 What is Cyber Matters and why it exists
00:02:07 20 years in big consulting: what he kept and what he left behind
00:06:28 Why flexible work is really a question of trust
00:10:05 The problem with 50-page proposals
00:16:58 Flat structure, no bosses, and speaking your mind
00:22:42 How the culture has landed with the team
00:27:00 How Cyber Matters lets people go with dignity
00:28:20 The one company value that guides everything
00:29:19 The next six years: compliance beyond cybersecurity
00:31:28 Closing thoughts

#FindYourCause #Nonprofits #Chicago #CommunityImpact #501c3 #SocialImpact #GTZP #GreaterThanZeroPercent

A shooting happened right next door to her youth center. She closed for one day. Then she opened back up on Monday.

LaTanya Johnson is the Executive Director of LaTanya and the Youth of Englewood, a 501(c)3 that has been serving children ages five and up in Inglewood, Chicago since 2013.

Recreational activities, educational programming, mentorship, entrepreneurship, community events, and family support. All of it, completely free.

In this community check-in episode, Joseph and LaTanya go deep into what has changed since they last spoke. She talks about the shooting that happened right outside her door, why she sent the kids home that Friday and came right back Monday, and the invisible calculus families in Englewood make every day just to survive in their own neighborhood.

She shares what 12 years of free programming has actually produced, which activities changed the trajectory of real kids' lives, and what she needs most right now to keep going.

TIMESTAMPS:

[00:00:00] Intro
[00:00:39] LaTanya's background and organization mission [00:02:06] Why she started 12 years ago
[00:03:31] The alderman's office and how it all began
[00:05:55] Why she starts programming at age five [00:07:25] Joseph's time at Chicago juvenile detention
[00:08:58] What activities created the most lasting impact
[00:12:10] Gardening, go-karts, photography, and building
[00:13:13] Phones, safety, and keeping kids engaged
[00:14:18] The shooting next door
[00:16:16] The battle parents face living in Englewood
[00:17:41] Poverty, cost of living, and why families stay
[00:19:50] What LaTanya wants to build next
[00:22:27] Sports, arts, and why variety matters
[00:23:09] How to connect with LaTanya
[00:24:50] Closing

Connect with LaTanya

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latanya-johnson-7a202a154/

Social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greaterthanzeropercent/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greaterthanzeropercent/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greaterthanzeropercent
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greaterthanzeropercent/

Listen
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZeAnlQdjwKX5JodvYFwp2
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/find-your-cause/id1528910691

Connect
Website: https://www.gtzp.org
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gtzp
Partner with us: https://calendly.com/gtzp/gtzp-impact-alignment

#FindYourCause #Nonprofits #Chicago #Inglewood #YouthDevelopment #CommunityImpact #501c3 #SocialImpact #GTZP #NonprofitLeadership #GreaterThanZeroPercent #CorporatePhilanthropy

Sarah Albus was a college soccer player at Vanderbilt, a mom of four, and completely done with her first career when her daughter Hannah, born at 25 weeks with cerebral palsy and visual impairment, asked where her skis were.

That question changed everything.

In this episode, Sarah shares how she launched Open Door Sports in 2017 with no nonprofit experience, how six schools said yes before she had the staff to serve them, and why the most powerful outcome of her work wasn't the sports at all.

Chapters:
[00:00:00] Teaser
[00:00:33] Welcome and Introduction
[00:00:56] What is Open Door Sports?
[00:01:23] Sarah's Personal Journey: Hannah's Story
[00:03:04] The Gap in After-School Programming
[00:09:28] First Programs: Soccer, Basketball, and Bocce
[00:13:23] Unexpected Benefits: Community and Friendship
[00:18:21] What Fuels Engagement: Stories Over Data
[00:22:16] Open Door Sports and Special Olympics
[00:24:44] The Future of ODS
[00:27:22] How to Get Involved

Connect with Open Door Sports:
https://opendoorsports.org/
https://www.instagram.com/opendoorsports/
https://www.facebook.com/OpenDoorTeam/

Connect with Us
Website: gtzp.org
Sponsor inquiry: https://calendly.com/gtzp/gtzp-impact-alignment/

Listen
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZeAnlQdjwKX5JodvYFwp2
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/find-your-cause/id1528910691

Follow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gtzp
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greaterthanzeropercent/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greaterthanzeropercent/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greaterthanzeropercent
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greaterthanzeropercent/

#FindYourCause #GreaterThanZeroPercent #Nonprofit #DisabilityInclusion #AdaptiveSports #OpenDoorSports #SocialImpact #Inclusion #SpecialNeeds #PodcastForGood

Is the Philippines actually "Gay Friendly," or is that just a myth?

In this episode, Eljay Bernardo, Executive Director of Rainbow Rights Philippines, reveals the shocking legal reality for the LGBTQ+ community. From "gayness" being used as a legal ground to lose your property in annulment cases to archaic vagrancy laws used by police to target gay men, we pull back the curtain on why "being friendly" is no longer enough.

We discuss the 26-year battle for an anti-discrimination bill, the economic cost of exclusion, and how legal "first aid" is saving lives on the ground.

• 02:55 How are archaic laws used to villainize gay people?
• 04:35 Can being homosexual cost you your property?
• 10:28 How a 2005 police crackdown sparked a 20-year movement.
• 16:21 Are police attitudes actually changing?
• 21:59 The economic cost of ignoring marriage equality.
• 26:04 Why "being friendly" is not enough.

• Website: https://rrightsphl.org
• Instagram/Facebook/X: @RRightsPHL

• Website: https://www.gtzp.org
• Book an Intro Call: https://calendly.com/gtzp/intro-meeting
• Refer a Nonprofit: https://form.jotform.com/gtzp/nonprofit-referral

How does basketball shape confidence, identity, and leadership in young women around the world?

In this episode of Find Your Cause, Joseph speaks with Angela R. Lewis, founder of Angela Lewis Basketball, about using sport as a platform to build confidence, character, and courage on and off the court.

Angela shares lessons from her journey as a Division I athlete, coach, author, and global youth mentor — and why the court is more than a place to play. It’s a place to become.

⸻

Timestamps:
01:12 — How Can Basketball Help Young Women Embrace Who They Are?
08:18 — What Does It Really Take to “Get Out of the Valley”?
11:22 — Can Sports Expand Your Empathy and Worldview?
24:36 — How Do You Discover the Gifts You’re Meant to Share?
27:11 — What Does It Mean to Be Truly Unstoppable?

⸻

Connect with Angela Lewis
Website: https://angelarlewis.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-lewis/
Instagram: @TheAngelaRLewis
Instagram: @AngelaLewisBasketball

⸻

Want to Get Involved?

Interested in being featured on Find Your Cause?
Book a short intro call here:
https://calendly.com/gtzp/intro-meeting

Know an NGO doing impactful work?
Refer them here:
https://form.jotform.com/252598727309167

Explore more episodes and learn more about Greater Than Zero Percent:
https://www.gtzp.org

As we step into a new year, we’re taking a moment to look back at some of the most meaningful conversations from 2025. This New Year reflection episode revisits standout moments from Find Your Cause, highlighting voices that challenged narratives, strengthened communities, and grounded hope in evidence, culture, and human connection.

From rehumanizing youth through hip hop and building economic pathways to prevent exploitation, to redefining resilience after trauma and pushing back against fear driven health misinformation, these conversations continue to offer insight as we move forward.

Timestamps

00:13 - E180: Marlon Richardson on rehumanizing Black and Brown young people through hip hop arts education

00:50 - E181: Dr. Kisha Roberts Tabb on economic intelligence, transferable skills, and prevention pathways

02:57 - E182: Khafre Jay on Flow Lounge, hip hop community, and creating spaces for vulnerability and healing

05:15 - E183: John Gardner on using music to build respect across cultures and cultural understanding

06:03 - E184: Diana M. Canant on resilience as becoming better than bouncing back after trauma

07:16 - E185: Spencer Lalk on evidence based health information and empowering qualified medical voices

In this episode of Find Your Cause, Joseph talks with Dr Spencer Lalk, founder of Med Story Studio, about how evidence based medical stories can compete with fear based health influencers.

Spencer shares the story of his mom’s cardiology scare, why she left a long awaited visit more confused than before, and how that moment led him to create clearer, more human health education. They dig into rushed appointments, insurance pressure, lawsuits, and why so many people now look to influencers before clinicians.

You will hear how Med Story Studio helps doctors become trusted storytellers, where AI fits in, and how patients and clinicians can both share better health stories online.

Chapters

00:01:19 | What problem is Med Story Studio trying to solve
00:01:43 | How did Spencer’s mom’s health scare lead to Med Story Studio
00:05:10 | Why do patients leave appointments confused and afraid
00:06:13 | How do the system and insurance limit what doctors can do
00:11:16 | Why do US health and happiness outcomes lag other countries
00:12:18 | What could a better health care model look like
00:15:52 | How is AI changing doctor visits and patient prep
00:19:30 | How did Med Story Studio actually get started
00:20:43 | How does Med Story help doctors become storytellers
00:21:26 | Why do human stories matter in a digital health care world
00:22:02 | Why is recording doctor visits so complicated
00:23:18 | If Spencer could redesign health care, what would he change first
00:24:56 | Where is Med Story Studio going next
00:27:18 | What does evidence based medicine really mean
00:28:23 | How can we tell if a health influencer is dangerous
00:32:08 | How can patients vet health information for themselves
00:33:25 | How can clinicians get involved with Med Story Studio
00:34:05 | What is Spencer’s invitation to patients and doctors

MedStory Media links:

Website: https://medstorymedia.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-lalk-dpt-/

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/medstory-podcast/id1804185340

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lalkhealth/?hl=en

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19UwCxHTbUtH7POBm0HM9L

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MedStoryMedia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567995375537#

Visit gtzp.org for more info.

In this episode, Diana M. Canant, Executive Director of LifeSpheres, shares how people heal through presence, guided dialogue, and community support rather than advice or isolation. She explains the Peer Community Co Care Program, a process that helps individuals resolve trauma safely, rebuild resilience, and support one another through structured, one-on-one sessions.

Diana breaks down the psychobiology of trauma, why presence is more powerful than advice, and how healing becomes possible when people feel seen and understood.
Her insights offer a new way to think about trauma and the importance of not facing it alone.

Timestamps:
00:02:22 | What does resilience really mean

00:05:41 | What kinds of trauma do communities experience

00:06:17 | Introduction of the Peer Community Co Care Program

00:07:23 | Why Diana focuses on young people and the elderly

00:09:46 | How the program teaches presence and listening

00:13:14 | Orientation, commitment, and how the program begins

00:16:18 | How individual plans are created

00:18:46 | How healing sessions work

00:21:23 | How participants complete the program

00:23:27 | What makes Life Spheres’ method effective

00:28:43 | What trauma informed practice really means

00:30:46 | How exposure therapy should and should not be done

00:35:22 | Why healing should not be done alone

00:40:48 | The future of Life Spheres and scaling impact

00:48:39 | Where to find Life Spheres

00:51:10 | Closing remarks

Relevant links from LifeSphere:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifespheres/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turningthetideoftrauma/

Website: https://www.lifespheres.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TurningTheTideOfTrauma/

What if music could break down racism?
John Gardner, Executive Director of the World Music Foundation, has dedicated his life to proving that it can.

In this episode, John shares how music creates real human connection across cultures, dissolves prejudice, and opens doors to understanding that conversations alone often cannot. From global touring to community work in Chicago, his mission is simple and powerful: use music to build respect across cultures.

You’ll hear personal stories, community impact, and the practical ways the Foundation is changing lives one performance at a time.

Full Episode Highlights

01:20 - How lack of exposure fuels prejudice and why the Foundation tackles it
02:00 - John’s lived experience with racism and how it shaped his cause
06:00 - Creating a multicultural performance space in Chicago
07:20 - Why music is the most powerful connector across cultures
08:10 - The India story the moment music overcame language and culture barriers
11:06 - Founding the nonprofit after witnessing real unity through music
15:00 - The Foundation’s measurable impact increasing empathy and reducing intolerance
18:40 - From global touring to deep local community work in Edgewater
19:30 - Designing events that intentionally foster cross cultural respect
21:20 - Everyday cultural exchange Joseph’s Uber playlist
22:10 - Future plans monthly concerts, community singing, cultural holidays
23:10 - Food as the next bridge the Foundation’s pop up restaurants and hot sauce
23:50 - How to attend free events, join the newsletter, and support the mission
24:50 - Why finding a cause matters for purpose, community, and mental health
26:00 - How anyone can participate talk to people at live events and build human connection

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jgardner-wmf

Website: https://theworldmusicfoundation.org/

Podcast: https://wmfpodcast.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWorldMusicFoundation

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theworldmusicfoundation

Find Your Cause. Greater Than Zero Percent.
Listen, learn, and take one small step toward a more connected world.

Visit https://www.gtzp.org/ for more info.