I Am Interchange

Sara Blessing admits she's scared. As she faces a life arguably full of options and opportunity, the recent graduate of Montana State University and founder of the local chapter of the Sunrise Movement feels disillusioned, angry and, yes, afraid. And the climate crisis, the concern on which she expected to focus her attention and efforts, is the proverbial tip of the iceberg. As she examines the world her forefathers built, she sees environmental decimation, income inequality, discrimination, social injustice, cronyism and a political wasteland directed and bolstered by an aging population that is so concerned with biting the hand that has fed them that they are unable to realize the untenable future they have created for their children. And their children's children.

And that, really, is the crux of Blessing's problem: how can she realize her only American Dream – that of having children – when she is bringing them into that selfsame future. In this podcast, Interchange Founder Tate Chamberlin and guest Sara Blessing attempt to reconcile the assumptions and concerns – absolutes and possibilities – surrounding baby boomers' social, political and economic legacy and its impact on generations to come.

Photo by: Ben Johnson

Alright, welcome back to the I Am Interchange podcast, everybody! Tate Chamberlin here for an impromptu interview with Vancouver BC-based social entrepreneur and culinary badass Mark Brand. He's opened and run several successful restaurants ranging from fine-dining to diners, and in 2013 started the highly successful meal token program out of his restaurant Save-On-Meats that's prepared over 2 million meals for the homeless and underserved.

As an increasing number of jobs are relegated to robotics, what is the future of work? Will employment become obsolete and, with its predicted scarcity, where will the majority of the population find meaning and the financial resources necessary to realize that meaning once found? As the industrial revolution swept the country and fears that the future of employment looked bleak, work continued. Jobs changed and workers developed new skill sets to meet evolving demands. In this podcast, I Am Interchange; the Montana Governor's Office of Economic Development; and esteemed panelists Rob Irizarry, Deano Roberts, Sandra Boham, and Henri Pellerin explore the good, the bad and the altogether unimaginable Future of Work.

As it turns out, economics isn't the study of money, but rather one of human actions, behavior, and the incentives that drive them. As local entrepreneur, economist, and co-owner of Dean's Zesty Booch Henri Pellerin relates, studying economics can shed a lot of light on oneself, others, and how the world works. There is some sort of logical process happening, some measurable motivation that guides humans on the common path from where they are to the "preferable state" of where they want to be. In this podcast, I Am Interchange Founder Tate Chamberlin sits down with Henri Pellerin to discuss economics, the evolution of work, and humanity's place and purpose in an uncertain future. Henri is on our Future of Work podcast, to be featured next.

Purchasing a home has always been an exalted and expected right of passage into American adulthood, the penultimate realization of the Dream. Buyers' freedom from the rent trap, pride in ownership, and investment in the future are timeless selling points still touted by realtors marketing homes like snake oil. But, the Dream has become an arguable impossibility for much of the population and a nightmare for many more. As countless Americans continue to spend more and more of their incomes on nicely appointed boxes, pushing through 60-hour work weeks and struggling with the chronic diseases that seem inextricably tied to them, a surprising alternative to homeownership is emerging and gathering followers faster than Instagram. Roam homing, a modern spin on a nomadic lifestyle, provides for inexpensive shelter alternatives, while supporting travel, unique experiences, freedom and, as its proponents argue, a wondrous life beyond the 9-to-5 grind.

In this podcast, Interchange founder Tate Chamberlin explores the simplicity and complexity, the practicality and romanticism, the planning and spontaneity, the infinity adaptable concept of defining home where you park it.

Technology is directing and defining current strategic marketing trends. From LinkedIn connections to enormous MailChimp distributions, drip marketing to Google Ads, Instagram to Facebook, companies are increasingly employing technology to determine, isolate and engage customers in targeted multi-channel campaigns. And consumers, in turn, are inundated with a tech noise jam session every time they open an inbox or launch an app. But what informs this massive marketing machine? Authentic and customized data analytics or unchecked algorithms? Are businesses riding a technologically defined tidal wave to unfettered success or just falling for marketing's sexiest new toy?

Apsáalooke rapper Christian Parrish Takes the Gun, aka Supaman, was born in Seattle, Washington, but grew up in Crow Agency, Montana. After a series of emotionally charged, formative events throughout childhood, Parrish began an artistic career that has more firmly defined him as a leader among men, an indigenous activist and a spiritual guide than he could have imagined. Or might still.

In June of 2017, 21-year-old Ashley Loring Heavyrunner vanished from the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana. She took with her the laughter, joy, and brave-as-a-bear courage for which she is lovingly remembered and left behind an oil-stained sweater and a fathomless void full of questions with no answers. With more than four out of five Native women affected by violence (twice the national average) and one in three the victim of rape/attempted rape, unmitigated violence toward indigenous women is a disturbing and multifaceted problem. In this interview with Kimberly Loring, Ashley's devoted sister and inadvertent champion for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) movement, Interchange unravels the story behind the complex sovereignty designations that have left this population relatively unprotected and explores the far-reaching impacts of MMIP loss through the eyes and hearts of the broken families left in its wake.

Special thanks to Susan Carstensen, Kirsten & Pat Kainz, Yellowstone Theological Institute, Blackfeet Community, HeavyRunner Loring Family, The Crazy Dog Society.

Over the past decade, our nation's political landscape has become progressively polarized, with each side finding increasing comfort in standing its ground rather than finding a common one. In addition, greater pressure on natural and financial resources in light of political strife, violence, and the climate crisis is accelerating global refugees.

In this episode, we'll take an honest look at how the divide between the head and the heart influences perspective on major social issues and policy development. We'll explore compassionate versus practical approaches to two key issues of national debate: healthcare and immigration. And, perhaps most importantly, we'll talk honestly about where the lines get blurry, how that gray area provides an opportunity to have conversations about divisive issues based on mutual respect and understanding.

Paul Nachman is featured in this episode, examining the duality of Compassion Vs. Practicality. Paul grew up in the 50s and 60s in Chicago, attending public schools in the heart of the city. As a young man, he was a voracious reader and taught himself the foundations of astronomy and scientific study that would help inform his career as a Physicist. He's currently an Associate Research Professor of Physics at Montana State University here in Bozeman.

As an adult, he became active in the anti-illegal-immigration political movement while living in California. He believes unchecked immigration is an invitation for chaos, with cultural and language differences creating a divide between citizens. In particular, he sees the lack of assimilation of ethnic groups into American culture, causing conflict and a lack of community - or as he describes it as "a bunch of warring tribes" within our nations.

For Paul, collective or systemic compassion is a set up for failure - causing us to overextend our resources and create policies that make us feel good instead of bringing order to society. During this episode, we'll dive into his beliefs that a certain degree of separation and a considerable measure of practicality makes us stronger as a nation.

Cover photo by Ben Johnson