How to Change the World

Catherine Alonzo is joined by Javelina's VP of Political, David Waid, and Director of Political Strategy, Justin Plumb, to break down the 2026 midterm elections, the races to watch in Arizona and across the country, and their predictions for Election Day.

With early voting underway and polls suggesting a strong election year for Democrats, the conversation turns to what these results could mean for the balance of political power and the future of the Democratic Party. From voter turnout to party identity, Catherine, David, and Justin explore what could shape the election's outcome and why winning in 2026 may be only part of the challenge.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What early ballot returns, polling trends, and voter enthusiasm reveal about the potential outcomes of the 2026 midterms

• Which competitive races could shift political power in Arizona and nationally, including key U.S. Senate contests and the possibility of Democrats flipping one or both chambers of Arizona's legislature

• Why a strong election performance may not resolve the Democratic Party's challenges with messaging, voter priorities, and party identity, and what lessons could shape its strategy heading into 2028

If you're following the midterm elections, interested in the political landscape in Arizona and across the country, or wondering what the results could mean for the future of the Democratic Party, this episode is for you.

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🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform or watch on YouTube now!

Catherine Alonzo shares six practical questions every changemaker should ask before hiring marketing support, helping leaders identify the right type of help before investing time, money, or energy.

Finding the right marketing support isn't just about hiring talented people. It's about understanding what your organization actually needs, whether that's strategy, execution, additional capacity, or specialized expertise. Asking the right questions upfront can prevent costly hiring mistakes and set both your team and your marketing partners up for success.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to determine whether you need strategic guidance, execution support, or simply additional capacity before making a hire

• Why hiring the wrong marketing support often comes down to unclear expectations

• The vital considerations that clarify the type of marketing support your organization actually needs, from defining success to identifying the right skills and budget

If you're trying to hire marketing support, build your communications team, or decide whether to work with a freelancer, agency, contractor, or in-house staff member, this episode is for you.

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🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform or watch on YouTube now!

Catherine Alonzo is joined by extraordinary changemaker Eva Masadiego to explore what The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker can teach social changemakers about creating more meaningful meetings, events, and human connection.

Gatherings shape far more than calendars. When they're designed with intention, they become opportunities to build trust, strengthen relationships, and create the conditions for lasting social change. This conversation explores why purpose should drive every gathering and how leaders can rethink everything from staff meetings to community convenings – and drive more lasting impact as a result.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the purpose of a gathering should shape every decision, from the guest list to the agenda, rather than letting logistics take the lead

• How intentional design — including who is (and isn't) in the room, room setup, facilitation, and follow-up — creates stronger engagement and deeper impact

• Why social change happens through meaningful human connection, and how leaders can create gatherings that build trust, encourage participation, and inspire lasting action

If you lead meetings, workshops, retreats, community events, or gatherings of any kind and want them to create deeper connection and greater impact, this episode is for you.

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Catherine Alonzo is joined by education leader Quintin Boyce to explore how personal core values shape leadership, decision-making, and organizational culture.

Strong leadership starts with knowing what you stand for. This conversation explores how identifying and living your core values creates greater clarity, builds trust, and helps leaders navigate difficult decisions while creating healthier organizations and stronger communities.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why identifying your personal core values creates greater clarity, confidence, and consistency in leadership

• How values alignment influences workplace culture, collaboration, and long-term career fulfillment

• How to use your core values as a practical framework for making difficult decisions and leading through uncertainty

This episode is for anyone who wants to lead with greater authenticity, make values-driven decisions, or better understand what kind of work and organization will allow them to thrive.

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Catherine Alonzo is joined by Javelina Director of Client Services Alana Campbell-Nehl to explore how intentional systems that create clarity and care can help people and organizations drive meaningful, lasting change.

Changemakers are often thought of as visionaries or advocates, but much of the work that makes impact possible happens behind the scenes. Alana shares how intentional systems can reduce confusion, help people do their best work, and create the structure needed to move from solving immediate problems to addressing their root causes.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why clarity around roles, responsibilities, and expectations can reduce workplace tension and create stronger, more collaborative teams

• How Alana's "stop the bleeding" approach separates an immediate solution from the long-term systems change needed to keep a problem from happening again

• Why care should be built into systems and processes, and how considering the people impacted by change can lead to more effective implementation and lasting results

This episode is for leaders and changemakers who want to build better systems, solve problems at the root, and create environments where people have the clarity and support they need to do their best work.

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Catherine Alonzo is joined by Central Arizona Water Conservation District board member Heather Macre to explore the people, policies, and competing needs shaping the future of the Colorado River and water in the American West.

Water policy can feel technical and far removed from everyday life, but the decisions being made today affect millions of people, communities, businesses, ecosystems, and future generations. Through a discussion inspired by David Owen's seminal book Where the Water Goes, Catherine and Heather unpack what it takes to make difficult decisions around a shared resource and why curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to consider different perspectives are essential to creating lasting change.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the Colorado River is a deeply interconnected system where states, cities, farmers, tribes, communities, and ecosystems all have legitimate and sometimes competing needs

• How water policy in the West has evolved over the past decade, from prolonged drought and Colorado River negotiations to broader stakeholder participation and new approaches to water management

• Why individual water conservation is only one piece of the puzzle, and how choices around energy, food, consumption, reuse, and public policy can have a much bigger relationship to water than many people realize

This episode is for anyone who wants to better understand where their water comes from, how complex policy decisions get made, and what it takes to create progress when there is no simple solution.

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Catherine Alonzo shares four storytelling strategies changemakers can use to communicate more effectively during times of uncertainty and change.

When communities are facing challenges, strong storytelling becomes more than a communications tool. Storytelling helps leaders build trust, create connection, inspire action, and keep people focused on the future they're working toward. This episode explores how organizations can use storytelling to meet the moment without losing sight of hope.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to balance stories about current challenges with stories that inspire hope and a vision for a better future

• Why explaining your work in language a five-year-old could understand can make your mission more memorable and impactful

• How individual stories of change can strengthen engagement, build momentum, and reconnect people to the purpose behind your work

If you're leading an organization, building a movement, or trying to communicate through uncertain times, this episode is for you.

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Catherine Alonzo is joined by leaders from Affirm Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, Cohere, and Prisma Community Care to explore what it really takes to successfully rename an organization.

A name carries history, identity, and purpose. While renaming can create opportunities for growth, clarity, and stronger community connection, it also requires navigating change management, stakeholder buy-in, legal considerations, and difficult conversations about the future of an organization. This conversation offers an honest look at what the process involves and why getting it right matters.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the strongest renaming efforts begin with a clear understanding of who you are, who you serve, and what you stand for

• How to build support among staff, board members, partners, donors, and community stakeholders throughout the process

• What organizations should expect when it comes to timelines, legal hurdles, emotional attachment to legacy brands, and measuring success after launch

This episode is for anyone considering a renaming effort, navigating organizational growth, or wondering whether their brand truly reflects who they are and where they're headed.

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Catherine Alonzo is joined by urban planner and educator Nick Martell to explore how zoning, housing policy, and transportation planning shape the communities we live in.

Decisions made by planners and policymakers influence everything from housing affordability and traffic congestion to sustainability, economic opportunity, and community connection. This conversation explores how change happens at the local level and why more people should pay attention to the systems shaping the places they call home.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why housing is more complicated than "just build more" and how zoning rules can unintentionally limit solutions

• How tools like Tucson's Community Corridors initiative can help communities become more walkable, livable, and connected

• Why the people most affected by planning decisions are often the least involved in the planning process, and what can be done about it

If you've ever wondered why your city looks and functions the way it does, or if you care about housing, sustainability, transportation, and building stronger communities, this episode is for you.

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Rebranding can feel like a surface-level change. A new logo, a new color palette, maybe a refreshed website. But in practice, it goes much deeper than that.

In this episode, Catherine brings together three social change leaders to share what it really looks like to go through a rebrand, why they chose to do it, and what powerful outcomes it created for their organizations. From community safety and youth development to conservation advocacy, each organization is working in a different space, but all are asking the same question: how do we tell our story in a way that actually connects?

Through these conversations, a clear theme emerges. Rebranding isn't just about how you look, it's about how clearly you understand who you are, who you serve, and what you're trying to build. It's about aligning your visuals and messaging with the impact you're working toward, and being willing to do the deeper work to get there.

They also talk about what makes the process challenging, how to bring a team along, and how to know when it's actually working. If you've been wondering whether it might be time to rethink your organization's brand story, or how to approach a rebrand in a way that truly supports your mission, this episode offers a grounded look at what that can involve.

👍 Like, comment, and subscribe for more insights on changemaking.

🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform or watch on YouTube now!