We cannot talk about building the New Earth, without talking about climate justice. In this episode, Brittany Janis, Executive Director of the Open Environmental Data Project, discusses the importance of open and equitable environmental data systems. She shares insights on how these systems empower communities, inform climate action, and the challenges faced under different political administrations. The conversation also explores the role of AI in environmental data and the significance of coalition building for effective advocacy and movement building.

Key Takeaways

* Open Environmental Data Project empowers communities with accessible data.

* Equitable data systems are crucial for informed climate action.

* Political changes impact environmental data accessibility.

* AI has potential in environmental data analysis.

* Coalition building strengthens advocacy efforts.

* Transparency in data usage is vital for community trust.

* Environmental justice requires community-centered data approaches.

* Data sovereignty and privacy are key in AI applications.

* Collaboration enhances resource efficiency in environmental projects.

* Volunteers play a crucial role in data archiving and advocacy.

Resources:

* https://www.openenvironmentaldata.org/

* globalmovementmaker.com

Brittany Janis Bio:

Brittany Janis is Executive Director of the Open Environmental Data Project (OEDP) and a founding member of the Public Environmental Data Partners (PEDP) coalition. She advances open, equitable environmental data systems that empower communities and inform climate action. Previously, she was Associate Director of the Environment and Natural Resources Program and the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center, and led its Arctic Initiative.

A coalition builder, she co-founded Harvard Alumni for Climate and the Environment and serves on the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) SF board and the HKS SF alumni board. Her background includes nonprofit leadership and fundraising, including Major Gifts Officer at Environmental Defense Fund and President of AFP Golden Gate.

She holds an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, an MA in Philanthropy and Development from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, and a BA from Case Western Reserve University. She lives in San Francisco (mostly) and western Massachusetts.

In this powerful and heart-opening conversation, Ashanti Branch, founder of The Ever Forward Club and a leading voice in emotional intelligence and education reform, joins host Makenzie Darling to explore what it means to answer the call of your karmic assignment.

From growing up in Oakland to becoming a national movement maker for boys’ and men’s emotional health, Ashanti shares how pain can become purpose and how leadership rooted in love can transform schools, systems, and souls. Together, they unpack the intersections of conscious masculinity, trauma-informed education, social justice, and spiritual awakening—inviting listeners to consider how their own life experiences are shaping their sacred work in the world.

If you’re a changemaker, educator, or seeker longing to lead from authenticity and service, this episode will help you reconnect to your deeper “why” and walk your karmic path with courage.

Links and Resources:

https://everforwardclub.org/

https://everforwardclub.org/millionmaskmovement

globalmovementmaker.com

Take the Quiz to Dee What Movement Maker Archetype You Are: https://thehub-api.mastermind.com/widget/quiz/3TcUvNtGvBhgz43culks

Ashanti Bio:

Ashanti Branch is a recipient of the 2023 US Surgeon General’s Medallion, 4x Tedx speaker, podcaster, and Fulbright Fellow. His work with youth as an ‘emotional locksmith’ has been featured on CNN’s This is Life with Lisa Ling, and on the Kelly Clarkson Show. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Ever Forward Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating the student dropout rate through youth mentorship. And he is the creator of the award-winning #MillionMaskMovement, with 75,000 participants worldwide.

In this enlightening conversation, host Makenzie Darling and guest Misty Magdalena Grace, explore the profound journey of ancestral healing and empowerment for changemakers. Magdalena shares her personal story of transformation from a place of despair to one of purpose, emphasizing the importance of taking responsibility for one’s healing and the impact of ancestral connections.

Together, they discuss practical ways to connect with ancestors, the significance of balancing feminine and masculine energies, and the true story of Mary Magdalene as a symbol of empowerment for the feminine rising.

The conversation culminates in a discussion about the healing work needed in Minneapolis, highlighting the collective responsibility to address societal wounds.

Key Takeaways

* Ancestral connections can provide guidance and support in leading and driving your soul’s mission forward.

* Daily practices can help connect with ancestors and receive their wisdom.

* The balance of feminine and masculine energies is essential for personal and collective empowerment.

* Mary Magdalene represents the divine feminine and the importance of women’s roles in history.

* Healing collective wounds requires community and shared values.

* Rituals and storytelling are powerful tools for movement building.

* The current societal challenges are rooted in historical trauma that needs to be addressed.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Magical Mags

01:06 Magdalena’s Journey to Ancestral Healing

05:26 The Power of Responsibility in Healing and Collective Repair

08:02 Connecting with Ancestors: Practices and Insights

14:05 Exploring Scandinavian Ancestry and Runes

22:03 Balancing the Feminine and Masculine Energies

26:05 The True Story of Mary Magdalene

31:36 Healing the Collective Wounds in Minneapolis

Misty Magdalena Grace Bio:

Known as “The Healer’s Healer” & Abundance Alchemist.

Magdalena blends mystical wisdom with practical business/life coaching.

As founder of The Lotus Throne Coaching & Healing Sanctuary, she helps mompreneurs and conscious entrepreneurs alchemize grief, trauma, and addiction that holds them back in their careers and life into health, wealth, and relationship transformation - all the way to the ancestral root cause level.

With 25+ years coaching 20,000+ people across fitness, sales and business, Magdalena now integrates shadow work, ancestral healing and the 12-Week Year framework so feminine flow meets aligned action in elevating you to live your best life without dwelling on pain from your past.

A recovering workaholic due to PTSD and intense life events, she knows a bit about grief and pain as she has lost 13 friends/clients to suicide, all of her parents and brother by the time she was 42, as well as many people to addiction related deaths in her life.

She struggled with addiction silently for years as her wounds took over her mind and body. She hit rock bottom in 2020 and through a dark night of the soul Spiritual awakening, much work with sacred plant medicines, not sure she wanted to live anymore....but chose life. Through an intense journey she found hope and healing and turned her pain into her purpose.

She has also been through divorce and is a new single mom who has found her purpose through all of it.

Her lived grief and addiction recovery and athletic background fuel a compassionate, results-driven container for deep change.

She is a full time medicine woman and alchemist located in Southern California where she lives with her 2 kids, 2 witchy cats and also travels to different places wherever the ancestors call her to help with healing clients, speaking engagements and is currently working on her ancestral trauma book that will be released later this year.

This week on The Call to Rise, Makenzie Darling had the deep honor of sitting down with Master Mingtong Gu—a lineage holder of Wisdom Healing Qigong and a teacher whose very presence feels like standing in a field of stillness and joy.

In a world that glorifies speed, strategy, and “hustle,” Master Mingtong reminds us that true leadership doesn’t come from doing more, but comes from being more present.

He speaks about embodiment not as a trendy word, but as the ancient art of aligning energy, emotion, and intention so deeply that our movements in the world become medicine.

For movement makers, this conversation is absolutely essential because every movement begins in the body — in how we breathe through tension, how we root amidst chaos, and how we channel the collective energy that wants to move through us.

Together, we explore:

✨ The energetic roots of burnout and how to transmute it into power.

✨ Why stillness is not passivity but potency.

✨ The bridge between ancient Qigong wisdom and modern leadership.

✨ How embodied presence becomes the architecture of a regenerative culture.

This isn’t just a conversation — it’s a transmission. One that will leave you grounded, inspired, and more attuned to the subtle intelligence that leads all great movements: the body itself.

If you feel called, share this one with your community. It’s time for our leadership to be rooted not just in vision, but in vitality.

Resources:

* The Chi Center: https://chicenter.com/

* Take the Movement Maker Archetype Quiz

Mingtong Gu’s Bio:

Master Mingtong Gu is a visionary leader and spiritual teacher known for his calm presence, joyful wisdom, and grounded clarity. Trained at the renowned medicineless Qigong hospital in China, he carries the lineage of Wisdom Healing Qigong, offering ancient energy practices for modern transformation.

Influenced by Buddhist, Taoist, Christian, and Shamanic traditions, Mingtong bridges timeless inner technologies with today’s leadership challenges. He’s been a featured teacher at Spirit Rock, Esalen, Omega, Kripalu, and has appeared on PBS, Wisdom 2.0, and The Shift Network.

Mingtong founded The Chi Center to teach Qigong globally, and later established Southwest Sanctuary, a 150-acre retreat center near Santa Fe devoted to earth-based and embodiment traditions, built without outside investment.

He leads a global movement: “Coming Home to Embodied Awakening: Reclaim Your Power, Connection, and Presence in the Age of AI.” This work calls us to awaken the inner healer and inner leader and reclaim our full humanity.

In this episode of the Call to Rise podcast, Steve McIntosh, a philosopher of nuosphere evolution, discusses his journey from political engagement to a deeper exploration of spirituality and cultural evolution.

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He emphasizes the importance of understanding intrinsic values and the role of higher purpose in overcoming societal polarization. McIntosh shares insights from his work at the Institute for Cultural Evolution and highlights the significance of traditional values in contemporary movements. He advocates for a heart-centered approach to movement making, urging change makers to connect with deeper meanings and transcendence in their efforts to create a better world.

Key takeaways

* Steve McIntosh emphasizes the connection between politics and spirituality.

* Cultural evolution is a coevolution of consciousness and culture.

* A higher purpose is essential for overcoming societal polarization.

* Traditional values can contribute to the evolution of consciousness.

* Movement makers should focus on heart-centered approaches.

* The Omega Point represents a future goal of evolution.

* Understanding different worldviews enhances cultural intelligence.

* Political hate undermines effective movement building.

* Solidarity and loyalty are crucial for successful movements.

* Transcendence and deeper meaning energize social movements.

Chapters

00:00Introduction to Steve McIntosh

02:29From Politics to Spirituality

10:46Insights from the Institute for Cultural Evolution

21:36Cultural Evolution and Movement Making

34:27The Importance of Traditional Values

37:57Building Movements with Heart and Purpose

45:02The Omega Point and Future of Humanity

Resources and Links

https://www.stevemcintosh.com/

https://www.culturalevolution.org/

globalmovementmaker.com

Steve McIntosh Bio:

Steve McIntosh is a philosopher of noosphere evolution. Influenced by the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, his work focuses on understanding intrinsic value and furthering the development of human culture. Writing in the emerging field of developmental philosophy, McIntosh has authored four books: Developmental Politics (2020), The Presence of the Infinite (2015), Evolution’s Purpose (2012), and Integral Consciousness and the Future of Evolution (2007). His fifth philosophy book, Truth Emerging, will be published by Orbis Books in 2026. Since 2013, McIntosh has served as cofounder and director of the Institute for Cultural Evolution, a nonprofit organization helping us to heal the political divide.

In this episode of The Call to Rise, Makenzie Darling sits down with Misha Bonaventura who is the Producer of SoulPlay Festival and Bonobo Network, to explore what it really takes to design movements rooted in safety, trust, and consent.

Whether you’re leading a nonprofit, launching a grassroots campaign, or gathering people for transformational experiences, the culture you build matters as much as your mission. Misha shares practical insights from years of creating consent-based spaces that foster genuine connection, collective creativity, and shared power.

You’ll discover:

* How to weave consent practices into your events, retreats, and communities

* Why safety and trust are essential foundations for any social impact or spiritual movement

* Tools for navigating boundaries while keeping your vision alive

* Lessons from SoulPlay and Bonobo on building thriving, inclusive cultures

If you’re a changemaker, movement builder, or sacred rebel who wants your work to be truly liberatory, this conversation will give you both inspiration and actionable strategies.

mishabonaventura.com

soulplay.co

clearingconversations.com

bonobonetwork.com

Movement Maker Website: globalmovementmaker.com/

Which Movement Maker Archetype Are You? https://thehub-api.mastermind.com/widget/quiz/3TcUvNtGvBhgz43culks

Misha Bonaventura Bio:

Misha Bonaventura is the producer of SoulPlay, where she creates transformative experiences that expand participants’ capacity for authentic self-expression and personal growth through meaningful connection and play. Her work focuses on guiding individuals to uncover new depths, embrace their truth, and step boldly into their fullness.

With nearly a decade of experience in community building and relationship coaching, Misha co-produced Bonobo Network from 2017-2024, supporting sex-positive communities and helping individuals worldwide create more pleasure and authentic connection in their lives. She developed innovative policies around accountability and consent, applying harm reduction and transformative justice principles to community practices.

In this powerful episode of The Call to Rise, I sit down with Hannah Talbot of Anam Cara Healing Center to explore how changemakers can prevent burnout and sustain their impact.

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Together we discuss:

Why stress management isn’t a luxury but a leadership necessity in today’s fast-paced world.

How the chakra system offers a holistic roadmap for energy, resilience, and emotional balance.

Practical rituals and mindset shifts to support your well-being, your team, and your movement for the long haul.

If you’re a founder, leader, or visionary carrying big work in the world, this episode will help you protect your energy, align your leadership, and keep your fire alive.

Listen now and learn how to transform stress into sustainable power for your movement.

Resources and Links:

Anam Cara Healing Center: https://www.anamcarahealing.center/

Workplace Wellnes: https://www.anamcarahealing.center/workplace-wellness

Movement Maker: globalmovementmaker.com

Take the Movement Maker quiz to see which archetype you are!: https://thehub-api.mastermind.com/widget/quiz/3TcUvNtGvBhgz43culks

Hannah Talbot Bio:

Hannah Talbot is the visionary founder of Anam Cara Healing Center, a sanctuary for whole-self thriving in downtown Spokane and beyond. With over 20 years of leadership and entrepreneurial experience, she now empowers teams, communities, and individuals through somatic energy practices, ritual, and mindfulness. Hannah is the creator of the Somatic Energy Practitioner Certification, host of international retreats, and author of the upcoming book Not at the Expense of You. Her mission is to help people reclaim balance, ignite creativity, and build lives of abundance and ease.

In this episode of The Call to Rise, Makenzie sits down with Jake Haupert, co-founder of the Transformational Travel Council, to explore how intentional journeys can become catalysts for personal growth and collective impact.

Jake shares how he’s building a global movement inside the tourism industry (reimagining travel as a force for healing, cultural connection, and regenerative change) and offers insights that will inspire other leaders to spark movements in their own respective fields.

Whether you’re a visionary leader, social entrepreneur, or someone yearning to align your inner journey with your outer work, this conversation will show you how transformational travel can fuel not just personal awakening but also the creation of movements that change the world.

Resources and Links:

Transformational Travel Council: https://www.transformational.travel/

Jake’s website: https://www.jakehaupert.com/

Movement Maker Website: https://globalmovementmaker.com/

Which Movement Maker Archetype Are You? https://thehub-api.mastermind.com/widget/quiz/3TcUvNtGvBhgz43culks

Jake Haupert Bio:

Jake Haupert is a recognized figure in the field of transformative tourism, speaking, teaching, and guiding its expansion and implementation globally. Jake believes that systemic issues threaten tourism’s ability to be additive rather than extractive in our lives and our society, and that a paradigm shift is necessary to make it healthier, fairer, just, compassionate, and impactful. He’s doing something about it.

Discover how play fuels powerful movements. In this inspiring episode, Jim Glaser — founder of Kostume Kult and leader in the global costume network — shares how he turns art, performance, and radical fun into a strategic form of activism.

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We explore how costumes, creativity, and community can become tools for social change, why playful activism works, and how you can use joy and spectacle to galvanize your own movement.

Perfect for movement makers, changemakers, and social impact leaders looking to weave strategy, creativity, and fun into their activism.

Jim Glaser Bio:

Jim Glaser (aka…Costume Jim) is the notorious Founder of Costume Network and Kostume Kult. He is a community leader in the Participatory Culture arts movement with notable accomplishments in decentralized community building, viral marketing, online/offline crossover, crowdsourcing, volunteer mobilizations, and large-scale immersive events.

Resources and Links:

Kostume Kult: https://kostumekult.com/

Costume Network: https://costumenetwork.com/

Movement Maker Website: globalmovementmaker.com/

Which Movement Maker Archetype Are You? https://thehub-api.mastermind.com/widget/quiz/3TcUvNtGvBhgz43culks

Movement Maker Substack: globalmovementmaker.substack.com

Video Preview of Podcast Episode:

In this episode of The Call to Rise Podcast, I sit down with Larry Norris, co-founder of Decriminalize Nature, to explore how a grassroots idea grew into a national movement reshaping public policy around plant medicine and consciousness.

Larry shares the behind-the-scenes story of how Decriminalize Nature started at the city level and spread across the country, offering a powerful case study in grassroots organizing, coalition building, and movement leadership. We dive into:

🌱 How to turn a spark of inspiration into a local campaign

🌱 The practical steps to mobilize community and influence city policy

🌱 The deeper spiritual vision of reconnecting with source, nature, and consciousness

If you’re a changemaker, activist, or leader looking to build your own movement—or to shift public policy in your city—this episode is a roadmap for both strategy and soul.

Links and Resources:

https://decriminalizenature.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-norris-phd/

globalmovementmaker.com

Larry Norris, PhD Bio:

Larry is the co-founder and board member of Decriminalize Nature (DN), which sprouted from Oakland in 2019. He advocates for the unalienable right to develop one’s own relationship with Nature and aims to support efforts to decriminalize entheogenic plants and fungi (e.g., ayahuasca, iboga, cacti, mushrooms) at the city level. As of 2024, over 25 cities and counties have decriminalized entheogenic plants and fungi nationwide. Larry is the co-lead for DN’s national outreach, and supports many cities across the USA and internationally who are seeking to propose similar legislation to their local government. He is also helping to support grassroots, community-driven, bottom-up approach to entheogenic healing.