Let’s Hear It

Ken Weine blows our mind. As the Chief Communications Officer and Senior Vice President for External Affairs at one of the most famous and (dare we say it?) important cultural, social, and historical institutions on the planet, he oversees the marketing and media for 43 exhibitions a year, not to mention the famous Costume Gala, debates around cultural appropriation, the challenge of removing donors’ names from the museum, regular protests on the steps of the museum, and on the day we spoke, a very important visitor. And that’s a semi-normal day.

Ken spoke with Eric about how he keeps all the plates spinning, and how he continues to try to breathe new life into a 150-year-old institution (maybe someone will name their child after him thanks to his amazing idea of Date Night at the Met!). More than that, we hear from one of the finest in the business about how we can use communications to significantly advance the goals of any organization.  

If you work in the social sector, you know how hard this moment is.

You would be forgiven for feeling that our social and political world is spinning hopelessly out of control. Go ahead, belly up to the bar, or the ice cream section of your local supermarket, or whatever you do when you get that feeling.

On the other hand, Jenn Hoos Rothberg, the Executive Director of Einhorn Collaborative – a charitable foundation based in New York – might just give you a bit of hope.

She’s not naïve. She knows that things are tough. Trust is down and skepticism is up. People don't feel seen, heard, or valued, wherever they land on the ideological spectrum.                                                                                                            

Jenn says that we’re in a crisis of connection – we’re more alienated, lonely, and polarized than ever.

The result, of course, is tragic for the things many folks care about – the environment, women’s health, racial justice, hunger – you name it.

At Einhorn, she has launched an extraordinary new project called “A Call to Connection: Rediscovering the Transformative Power of Relationships.” She spoke with Eric out about how she is partnering with leaders in multiple sectors to better understand how vital human connection is to effectively address the challenges of our time.

We’re as cynical as the next pair of podcast hosts, but we hope this is one of those conversations that we hope will inspire you to engage and connect and feel good about what we can accomplish together.

Jeff Chang has such a special view of race and culture in America that it’s almost impossible to do him justice. He draws on his Hawaiian/Chinese roots and his background as a hip hop DJ and indie label founder to help us better understand culture, politics, the arts, and music.

Jeff was formerly the Vice President of Narrative, Arts, and Culture at Race Forward. He now serves as a Senior Advisor and leads the Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy.  Jeff also served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Diversity in the Arts at Stanford University.

He has written for The Guardian, Slate, The Nation, the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Believer, Foreign Policy, N+1, Mother Jones, Salon, and Buzzfeed, and is the author of three really terrific books: Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, Who We Be: The Colorization of America, and We Gon' Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation.

Jeff and Eric discuss the political voice of hip hop, the Chris Rock/Will Smith Oscars moment, what it means to be an American, and a lot more. Tune in and listen to Jeff walk on wings!  

When Emily Ladau appeared on Sesame Street at the age of ten, she probably didn’t realize that she was beginning a lifetime of advocacy for people living with disabilities. Emily is the author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be An Ally, the Digital Content and Community Manager for the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, and a highly sought-after public speaker.

In a country were one in four people has some kind of disability, Emily has dedicated her life to providing a starting point and a safe space for people to learn about an issue that is hard for many to talk about, but which touches almost every life in our country on one way or the other.

Emily speaks with Eric about how important it is for us all to create a more inclusive society for people with disabilities. Then she blows him away with her mad comms skills…

Read the transcript here.

We don’t bandy about terms like these, but Aaron Belkin is a stone-cold communications genius. He was a leader of the communications strategy that helped end the so-called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that prevented gay and lesbian soldiers from serving openly in the military, and he followed that with a successful campaign to allow transgender individuals in the military to serve openly and have access to gender-affirming medical and psychological care.

Aaron’s book How We Won: Progressive Lessons from the Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ should be required reading in every communications class, and for that matter every nonprofit or foundation communications department everywhere.

Eric spoke with Aaron about his strategy to win on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and much more. Aaron is controversial, a little salty, and unafraid of taking on the conventional wisdom (and don’t get him started on George Lakoff).

We really think you’re going to enjoy this one.

Did you miss us? We missed you! Let’s Hear It has been on a brief hiatus but we’re thrilled to be back with what we think is a cracking great conversation with Glen Galaich, the CEO of the Stupski Foundation in San Francisco. Eric sits down (in person!) with Glen to discuss Glen’s colorful career as a drive time talk radio host, his full-throated endorsement of limited life philanthropy, and the ulcers he causes his communications director.

Glen also offers our favorite recommendation for how philanthropy should measure success. We think it’s just plain genius.

But don’t take our word for it – decide for yourself!

Jasmine Banks is unafraid. As the Executive Director of UnKoch My Campus, she is fighting to preserve democracy and protect higher education from undue corporate donor influence. She and her colleagues are taking on a nationwide network of think tanks, "action" groups, and academics funded by Koch Industries and its many subsidiaries. And you think your day job is challenging.

Most recently, Jasmine's organization published a report that reveals a coordinated attempt to ban education about systemic racism in public schools and the teaching of what has come to be known as Critical Race Theory. Jasmine explains how she is pushing back against concerted efforts to foment culture wars in order to maintain the status quo.

We had a great conversation with Jasmine, who approaches her work with enthusiasm, joy, and great deal of grace.

Edgar Villanueva is an author, activist, and expert on issues of race, wealth, and philanthropy. He is the Principal of the Decolonizing Wealth Project and Liberated Capital and author of the bestselling book Decolonizing Wealth, whose second edition was just released in August.

He advises a range of organizations including national and global philanthropies, Fortune 500 companies, and entertainment on social impact strategies to advance racial equity.

As a Native American who has worked in philanthropy for nearly two decades, Edgar has an important vantage point to analyze what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve philanthropy.

Rich Neimand has spent his long career using his considerable marketing chops to advance important social causes.

His firm, Neimand Collaborative, has worked on a wide range of issues to improve education, protect the environment, improve people’s health, and promote financial inclusion, among many, many others.

At the center is his focus on uniting different audiences around common objectives using a creative approach that goes far beyond focus groups and polling (and includes time spent at the stove or performing personal ablutions).

Rich speaks with Eric about his life, politics, his colorful family, and why the creative process is like making soup.

It’s not easy to describe a guest as dynamic as Rinku Sen, but we’ll give it a shot. Rinku is the executive director of Narrative Initiative, co-president of the Women’s March Board, and author of two incredible books. As a political strategist, she has worked with the ACLU and PolicyLink, and her work on the “Drop the I Word” campaign has revolutionized the way media outlets talk about immigrants. As you can imagine, having Rinku on Let’s Hear It is a treat.  

In this exceptionally fun and interesting conversation, Rinku talks about her experience in journalism school, the history behind the term “systemic racism,” and how to ask the right questions to get the most useful answers. We’re aware that we say this every time, but it truly is not a conversation to miss.  

In sadder news, this episode marks the end of the intrepid Maggie Brown’s tenure as our producer and audio editor. Let’s Hear It might not be the same without them, but we’re so thrilled about this new chapter of their life as they move to Japan to teach English. Give it up for Maggie!

P.S. This does mean we’re in the market for a new audio editor! If you know someone who knows someone who may be interested, don’t hesitate to let us know.