In this episode, Mariam sits down with Andrea Chu (she/hers) to talk about the sustainable food sector and the importance of providing transparency to consumers around how their food is grown. With her role at Vital Farms and previous positions, she is passionate about finding more sustainable ways to feed the population and finding solutions that will withstand the test of time. In addition, Andrea also talks about how people can get involved, her career in this space, and some exciting things that’s happening in the world of sustainability and food. 

Andrea Chu believes that building more resilient food systems can solve many of society’s challenges and has spent her career working towards just that. Andrea serves as Director of Impact and ESG at Vital Farms and supports the company’s environmental and social impact strategy. She’s worked across the value chain from developing sustainability and responsible sourcing programs at Cargill and the Campbell Soup Company to influencing food companies with the Environmental Defense Fund to a few seasons working on farms.

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In this episode, Mariam has a conversation with Orlisha Fox (she/hers) about professional fundraising and careers in development. With over thirteen years of experience in nonprofit and government agencies, Orlisha talks about how she got started and her “why” to doing social impact work. She also speaks about the difference between doing development work at larger organizations versus smaller ones and the critical role that the next generation of social sector leaders play.

Orlisha Fox is the Development Director for Political Research Associates,  a social justice research and strategy center devoted to supporting organizations, civic leaders, journalists, and social sectors that are building a more just and inclusive democratic society. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive with her Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Government and Policy, and two certifications in both Non-Profit Management and Professional Fundraising. Orlisha has extensive experience developing donor and partner relations programs, campaign management, strategic development initiatives for sustainable funding and retention analysis.  Orlisha recently served as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the AFP Maryland Chapter from 2019-2021. She is an advocate for D & I research, practice and implementation with a passion for equity and social justice.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected] 

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Alex Edwards (he/him) to talk about his career in the think tank and public policy sector. Alex shares how working in a restaurant kitchen was a microcosm of the inequities of our society, and how that experience set him on an unconventional path into social impact. Mariam and Alex talk about everything from the nonprofit industrial complex to the impact of Trump’s election on the social sector to why authenticity in the workplace matters.

Alex Edwards is the Director of Communications at The Century Foundation, a leading progressive think tank focused on pursuing equity in both domestic and US foreign policy. He leads Century’s work to shape public opinion and elevate the organization’s ideas in the media and among policymakers — including the work of Next100, a startup think tank that Century launched in 2019 with the explicit goal of making the think tank and policy sector more inclusive. Previously, Alex worked at BerlinRosen, a political communications firm, as well as human rights organizations Amnesty International and Human Rights First, along with President Obama’s re-election campaign. 

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected] 

~~

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Keenan Harrell (he/him) to talk about his career in community engagement at the NFL, COVID-19 response for North Carolina and making a big impact in big tech. He shares tips on how to make your own luck and shoot your shot when imagining what your social impact career could look like. Tune in on the conversations about how his lived experience has shaped the way he improves access to resources, information, and opportunities for his community.

Keenan is the Program Manager of Community Impact at Okta, an identity and access management company based in San Francisco, CA. He's responsible for driving Okta for Good's (Okta’s social impact arm) community impact strategy and leveraging Okta's resources to empower + strengthen the capacity of its global network of nonprofit partners. Keenan holds an M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and a B.A. in Exercise & Sport Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He serves on the board of the Baltimore Area Sports Health Initiative, volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters and is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. In his free time, he enjoys public speaking, meditating, reading, journaling, working out and being outdoors.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected] 

~~

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Kirby Page (she/hers) about how she became a 26-year-old Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Her journey in social impact leadership started in middle school, and she traces how working multiple jobs in college became a superpower when she entered the working world. Finally, she shares her perspective on how to balance commitment to social change while maintaining strong boundaries.

Meet Kirby Page, the DEI dynamo passionate about creating inclusive and equitable Spaces. With a background in advocacy and diversity, equity, and inclusion, Kirby has dedicated her career advocating for underrepresented communities. As the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Kirby is spearheading the development of a new DEI program, complete with learning sessions and online resources. She also serves as the Head of Events, for Studio ATAO, an award-winning, 501(c)3 nonprofit defining more equitable standards for the food, beverage, and hospitality industry.

Kirby’s previous roles include Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Manager at Partners in Health and DEI Consultant with Universities Allied for Essential Medicines. She also volunteered for years with Habitat for Humanity, serving as an Advocacy Committee Member. When she’s not championing equity, Kirby enjoys planning her next adventure to visit friends and make new connections. You can also find her whipping up an elaborate Friday dinner to enjoy on her balcony.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected] 

~~

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Mariam and Mai are on Easter break so we are re-sharing one of their favorite episodes to add some sunshine to you feed. Enjoy!

~~

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Maxwell Akuamoah-Boateng (he/him) about his career as an education management professional and his experience collaborating with various stakeholders in developing the next generation of leaders. Maxwell also touches on topics such as the tension in social impact between doing systems-level work and more immediate direct services, and how his lived experience has shaped the way he improves access to resources, information, and opportunities for his community.

Max serves as the Director of Operations in the Office of Children and Families in Philadelphia overseeing the planning, alignment, and integration of services systemwide across all schools. He began his career as a teacher in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) and went on to hold various roles in the District. Max contributed to the development of the framework for launching and managing the first 60 Community Schools in HISD with the mission of Every Community Every School, a comprehensive initiative to connect students to non-academic supports needed to improve their well-being and academic achievement. He holds the belief that by cross-sector partners collectively providing our children and their families with effective barrier-reducing services in tandem with strong academic experiences, we can truly meet the needs of the whole-child and graduate students who are college and career-ready.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

Subscribe to the Second Day Email Newsletter for social impact jobs, career guides, and other industry news: ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/subscribe-now⁠⁠ 

Launch your social impact career with Second Day's resources at ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/⁠⁠  

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Mariam and Mai are on spring break so we are re-sharing one of their favorite episodes to add some sunshine to you feed. Enjoy!

~~

Subscribe to the Second Day Email Newsletter for social impact jobs, career guides, and other industry news: ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/subscribe-now⁠⁠ 

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with the co-founder of Second Day, Phil Dearing. They talk about his new book, “Why Change Dies: Unleashing Your Potential for Social Impact.” Both founders engage in a conversation about power structures across the common domains of social change and Phil shared his inspiration on writing his book. To learn more about the book and further content, check out Phil’s website at https://www.whychangedies.com/.

Philip Dearing is an author, social entrepreneur, and consultant focused on unlocking the potential of others. He is the co-founder of Second Day, a nonprofit determined to dismantle inequitable talent pipelines into social impact. Prior to working full-time at Second Day, he worked as a Consultant at Bridgespan, where he supported the work of some of the largest foundations, nonprofits, and impact investors in the country. He also served as the Chief of Staff at College Bound Dorchester, where his work focused on reducing violence in the Boston area. Philip lives in Boston with his wife, Anne, their son, Theo, and their dog, Bella.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

Subscribe to the Second Day Email Newsletter for social impact jobs, career guides, and other industry news: ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/subscribe-now⁠⁠ 

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In this episode, Mariam sits down with Kavell Brown (he/him) to talk about his work with corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the role of CSR departments within companies and corporations. He also touches on his work at LinkedIn and gives advice on how people can enter the space and look for entry-level opportunities.

Growing up in the projects of New York City raised by his single mother alongside his twin brother, Kavell is no stranger to hardships that come with humble beginnings. With the triumphant parenting of his Mother and the support of his mentors, Kavell was able to graduate from Syracuse University with a B.S in Information Management & Technology. During his tenure at Syracuse University, he had the honor and privilege to intern with JPMorgan Chase, HBO, a non-profit called On Point for College, run a hip-hop dance troupe, and inspire the next generation through his involvement.

After graduation, Kavell started his career at HBO as the Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility where he assisted his executive and team on HBO’s pro-social initiatives, employee engagement, and philanthropic endeavors. After two years, he transitioned to ViacomCBS as a senior coordinator of Community Investment and Corporate Social Responsibility. At ViacomCBS, Kavell oversaw the company's corporate philanthropic giving spearheaded company-wide youth engagement initiatives, and helped to develop prosocial cause marketing campaigns with his team.

Currently, he serves as a partnerships manager on the Social Impact Team at Linkedin, where he oversees nonprofit partnerships across North America. Kavell also serves as a mentor for Student Sponsorship Partners, a One Young World Ambassador, and is an active member and volunteer at his local church. His vision and heart’s desire for the future is to dedicate his career to solving social issues and problems using his analytical, technological, and leadership expertise. He believes that the world is too quick to forget those who have been deemed the lower class, the disenfranchised, or the marginalized. He has learned that it's not how much you can take but rather how much you can give.

Questions? Feedback? Ideas? Contact [email protected]

~~

Subscribe to the Second Day Email Newsletter for social impact jobs, career guides, and other industry news: ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/subscribe-now⁠⁠ 

Launch your social impact career with Second Day's resources at ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/⁠⁠  

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