Did you know, thought leaders around the world, including the current CEOs of both Microsoft and Slack, are focusing on empathy as one of the most critical skills to the business, creativity, and design. In this episode, we speak to Ilana Ben-Ari, an inventor and social entrepreneur who has devoted her life to spreading empathy by developing toys that help to nurture this practice through her business Twenty One Toys.

Over the course of 45 minutes, we cover the role that toys have played in influencing creative geniuses, how engaging in play is a catalyst for fostering creativity and how Ilana managed to package an experience into a product. Often those who originally oppose attending these workshops express how important the work of teaching empathy and creativity is. 

Ilana leaves listeners with a final message: To solve the world’s problems, we need more creatives to become entrepreneurs. Listen to this episode at one of the links below to find out how Ilana is making an impact, one toy at a time.

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Read my detailed recap of the entire episode here.
Read the Medium Summary with free quotes and graphics here.

Mark Brand is an Entrepreneur, Educator, Facilitator & Chef that brings a unique kind of energy to the room and is a master problem-solver who applies the principles of design thinking to come up with innovative solutions for ending homelessness within his own community. Over the last few years, he has helped to serve over 2.4 million meals to those in need. 

In this episode, we unpack all the components that have made him successful and allowed him to pursue a life of impact. What emerges from this conversation is that true love and care for those in need involves far more than sponsoring a turkey on Thanksgiving or Christmas: it is about consistently showing up — especially on those days when no one else is around. The best way to solve this problem, Mark says, is to build your outreach into your business and to make a long-term commitment to a well-researched and well-designed project. Tune in at one of the links below for more of this exceptional conversation:

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The nebulous topics of integrity and accountability can often be hard to measure and pursue, but our guest today, Blair Glencorse, has made it his life’s work to bring more of these important values into spaces stretching around the world. Accountability Lab aims to make governance work for people by supporting active citizens, responsible leaders, and accountable institutions. Blair has received the SXSW Community Award and is also behind the TV show and social project Integrity Icon, which seeks to raise up the work of upstanding people in whatever sector they may be impacting. 

One of the underlining philosophies of all Blair’s work is positive reinforcement and celebration — they really push for the idea of naming and faming outstanding people to create role models for a community. Blair has worked in the social impact space for almost two decades and did this off the back of his studies in economics. He is also an advisor to the World Economic Forum and the World Bank, institutions that he believes can be very effectual with the involvement and direction of people of integrity. 

In our conversation, we cover some of the important distinctions of these topics and Blair unpacks how he views integrity and accountability fitting together before we dive into some of the challenges that arise out of the work that he and his team do. We also get into the roots and fruits of the different projects he has been involved in and how the movement and collective always precede the individual, for him. For all this, plus a whole lot more inspiration, check out one of the links below:

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In today’s episode of Impact Everywhere with Benjamin Von Wong, we hear from Nora Rahimian. Nora is a creative consultant that has been helping artists and musicians from all over the world have a more significant impact using art as a tool for change. She has been working in the field for over a decade, and she is now the founder and lead consultant at #CultureFix.

In our conversation, Nora shares her thoughts on the responsibility that we hold as individuals and brands in situations of social injustice, such as gender inequality and racism. Nora shares a story from when she was working for a non-profit organization in Liberia, where they found that music was used as a far more effective tool to connect and communicate with the youth.

Nora shares her thoughts on how and why new and upcoming artists should speak up on issues of social and environmental injustice through their music. Last but not least, she speaks to us on what it’s like to be an activist in today’s highly technology-based world and what leading businesses can and should do to promote equality. Listen to the full podcast at one of the links below so you don’t miss out so you don’t miss anything!

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The idea of ethical storytelling has come increasingly to the forefront in recent years. Sophie Otiende is a survivor of human trafficking and now works as an advocate for survivors of these crimes. She is the perfect person to speak about ethical storytelling — describing herself as a teacher, feminist, and advocate. Coming to the show all the way from Kenya, Sophie offers a unique perspective informed through experience. 

She helps us understand how this work starts at a personal level as well as the importance of authentic representation. She has a passion for smaller, grassroots organizations, believing these to be the ones that actually bring about real change. Sophie talks about how work on an individual level is what creates mass movements and structural impact in the long run and that is it only through more empathy that we will see meaningful shifts in the way the world works. The conversation also covers the long-lasting effects of small actions and how a steady and committed attitude to one’s role as a positive force is the most important thing we can all do. For a truly inspirational conversation with a clear thinker and change-maker, be sure click one of the links below to hear the full podcast:

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Click HERE to read the full summary and to see more quotes!

Sophie is raising funds RIGHT NOW

The pandemic is affecting the most vulnerable. HAART has a grassroots campaign assisting victims of trafficking. Support Sophie and donate here so she can continue her work! 

Fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, the workplace has undergone years’ worth of changes in a matter of weeks. We’re in the middle of what Gary Bolles, Chair for the Future of Work at Singularity University, calls a “Great Reset,” in which we’re establishing the new normal. Our conversation today with Gary is an exploration of work, what it means to find purpose, and the practical steps that you can take to position yourself for the future. 

Gary discusses the need for hope in achieving your goals and how you can hone your agency by developing four key skills — Gary calls this the PACE framework. Gary reveals how purpose can exist on a spectrum and shares the various factors that lead to work motivation and how young people are prioritizing transforming how impact happens in the world.

To foster a future-proof career and increase your chance of finding meaningful work, Gary emphasizes the need to understand the what, where, and how of your skillset. After talking about shifts in the workplace, he shares his views on what the future may hold. We live in a brave new world — tune in to hear Gary’s advice on how you can find your place in it. To hear the full episode, click one of these links:

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Key Points From This Episode

PACE — the four skills that help you develop your agency

1. Problem-Solver
2. Adaptive
3. Creative
4. Empathetic

These attributes are what make you hireable, and developing these skills and being able to provide examples will make you attractive to employers.

Why we have ‘portfolios of purpose,’ not only one purpose in life.

 For some, having a roof over their heads and feeding their family is enough to make their work meaningful. For others, they want to find meaning beyond themselves. But this is fragile because sometimes jobs disappear. Gary encourages us to not find purpose in only our jobs. We can find Purpose in family, friends, communities, countries, and the world.

How young people increasingly focus on ‘what the world needs’ over making money

The youth have flipped the traditional structure of working their way up the ladder. Instead of thinking that if they do what the world needs, even if it doesn’t make as much money, that they’ll love their work. In turn, loving the work tends to yield better work, and that can eventually get people paid more.

People are often unable to recognize their own skillsets

If we have already solved a problem ourselves, we often discount the value of what we’ve achieved and automatically think that someone else would know how to do it. It is important to recognize the different processes we use that require skills that others don’t have.

Often the problems we see in the world appear just too enormous to solve. This week on Impact Everywhere, John Hocevar of Greenpeace provides his insights on how to look at the full picture of a problem and to find momentum in the small wins rather than despairing at the monstrosity of the issue. John has served as the director for Greenpeace’s ocean campaigns for 16 years now, and his wins include establishing the largest marine reserve in the world, persuading Japan to drop plans to hunt humpback whales, and setting ever-higher standards for sustainable seafood. In today’s conversation, we dive deep and ask John all about the inner workings of a Greenpeace campaign, the intersectionality of environmental and social justice issues, and how he stays optimistic as the oceans continue to die at an ever-accelerating rate. John is a true environmentalist with incredible insights into what it takes to drive true change. So stay tuned as we unpack the formula to successful campaigning, finding the right allies, and the importance of celebrating the process you’ve made for your cause. Check out the full podcast at one of the below links:

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Key Points From This Episode

Why the full picture is important and not just “saving the oceans”

You can’t expect to save the planet without looking at the intersectionality of issues. For example, addressing human rights issues and slavery on fishing boats is just as to marine welfare as a campaign to “save the dolphins.” 

Look at the opportunities before you in terms of how they can help you become who you want to be, rather than looking for reasons to turn things down

John took a pretty large detour from his marine biology work when he was asked to help get an organization called Students for a Free Tibet off the ground. It ended up being a 10 year detour from what his intended career path was, but it gave him the connections and experiences that made him desirable for an organization like Greenpeace. 

Hobby activism is not always harmful, but match your words with actions

With all of the current change taking place for racial justice as a result of the Black Lives Matter movements, many verbally say that they support a movement without actually taking action. This is not the worst thing in the world, but take action to support the organizations that have a real plan for the furthering the movement. 

The importance of paying attention to what your tax dollars are funding

John was approached by Students for a Free Tibet to help their cause to prevent the World Bank from funding a “resettlement project” to move 60,000 ethnic Chinese into Tibet. Population is a component of genocide, and this benefited the Chinese government’s strategy to eliminate Tibetan culture. The World Bank is funded by tax dollars, so consider what your money is unwillingly supporting.

The formula for successful campaigning:

1. Experimenting until you find the right pressure point
2. Empowering those sympathetic to the cause with a variety of tools
3. Don’t be afraid to try a vast array of things

While giving can feel good, it doesn’t always impact those that need your donation the most. Today’s guest is Anya Marchenko, a research assistant at Berkeley’s Center for Effective Global Action with a passion for development economics. Anya joins us to talk about effective altruism, a powerful approach that uses evidence and reason to figure out how to benefit others as much as possible, and taking action on that basis. In our conversation, Anya breaks down the science of giving by explaining that there are different types of donating and why donating to international causes that deal with chronic problems results in the most impact. Anya explores the theory that guides development economics and effective altruism while highlighting how these cash transfers respect the agency of the people these interventions aim to help. After sharing with us the practical skills from her discipline that can benefit you in life, Anya talks about how thinking about competitive advantage can help you make better decisions about where you can do more good. Anya shares her transformative experiences of conducting field research in Kenya and how she got to see the impact of giving first-hand. Finally, Anya talks about COVID-19 silver-linings and how it’s changing the perception of giving. In this episode, Anya gives us clear examples of how small donations can do a massive amount of good in the world. Tune in at one of the links below to learn more!

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Key Points From This Episode:

The different types of donations and which donations make the most impact
Anya describes four different ways people donate. First, there can be local donations vs. non-local/international. Within these two categories, people can either donate to address an acute problem like an emergency relief fund, or donating to address a chronic problem such as donating to criminal justice reform, global poverty, or HIV Research.

Why direct cash transfers are often the best form of donations
Anya and many other development economists argue that direct cash transfers are the best use of donations in terms of doing the most good for people in need. People know for themselves what their most immediate needs are, and research has shown that money given with no strings attached can significantly improve peoples’ day-to-day lives, often more cheaply and effectively than other forms of giving.

How to find organizations that are worth donating to
When donating money, Anya recommends charity evaluators like GiveWell, which has researchers look into the efficacy of the organizations you are looking to donate to. Another option is Animal Charity Evaluators. If you are going to do the research for yourself, try to figure out what the actual activity of the charity is, read research on the intervention or think pieces by sources like Vox or the NY Times, check if their financial information is transparent, and check who is funding them. All of these factors will help you determine where your dollar will have the most impact.

How to make decisions based on comparative advantage

The economic principle of comparative advantage helps make decisions like what product is more effectively produced in what country. This can be applied to everyday life decisions too. 

This week on Impact Everywhere, we hear from Danielle Da Silva, founder and CEO of Photographers Without Borders. Her insights on decolonization, the ethics of storytelling, and having transformative conversations take on new meaning given the current uprisings in the United States and around the world. As a half white, half Muslim Indian Central Asian activist, the story of Danielle’s activism is rooted in her mixed ancestry. She describes how growing up, her parents tried to erase their culture to fit into Canada. While she has benefited from white privilege, she has also faced discrimination. Danielle advocates for the importance of decolonization in activism and using her work to amplify the voices of those she is working with, rather than drowning them out. For the full episode, check out one of the links below:

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Key Lessons from this Episode

Addressing systemic issues involves systemic change

The activist desire to change the world comes from a colonial perspective. Activists are not the experts, so those in the community with lived experiences and their lives dedicated to making change should hold the reins.

Activists should listen and amplify the voices of those they are trying to help

The idea of ‘giving people a voice’ is problematic because it implies that they didn’t have one to begin with. Rather than being the main voice, activists should be making the voice of the people louder.

Photography and Storytelling need more diversity

Both of these mediums have long been dominated by straight white men. Making space for different perspectives can quite literally rewrite history and get rid of the power imbalance of whose perspectives are represented.

Hold true to a code of ethics

The ethics of who you are working with, how you present their stories, and more are extremely important to protect the voices of the stories you are amplifying. Photographers Without Borders offers training for photographers who want to be allies, as well as a mentorship program where mentors agree to train the community on how to use cameras and other equipment. Check out PWB’s code of ethics here.

When you’re not sure what to do, listen to the leaders

With the BLM movement happening right now, listen to the experts and take action on what they ask you to do every day. Sign the petitions. Call the governors. Being an ally means listening and giving space, not speaking and taking up space.

Today we present to you Casson Trenor, one of the most diverse ocean activists we have ever encountered. He’s a children’s author of the book Umijoo, founder of the sustainable sushi restaurant Shizen, and valiant whale defender. He explores what it’s like to have a ‘why’ without knowing how, and his input is not limited to ocean activism. Please consider his words in the context of your own lives, and especially how they are applicable to different approaches for how we can dismantle the systemic racism built in the United States and around the world.

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“Yeah we are selling books, but we are also inspiring people.” — @CassonTrenor[0:05:38]

“It just became more and more clear, little by little that I needed to be able to connect everything that I did every day to something that I believed in.” — @CassonTrenor[0:08:51]

“There is nothing that is impossible when you have the right team.” — @CassonTrenor[0:13:45]

“There is nothing like feeding somebody and watching their eyes light up.” — @CassonTrenor[0:15:28]

Benjamin Von Wong
Impact Everywhere
Casson Trenor on Twitter
Ocean Plastics Leadership Summit
Shizen
Umijoo
Umijoo Website
Caia Koopman
Range
David Epstein
Photographers Without Borders
Danielle Da Silva