The Upstander Ripple Effect

One way we can be upstanders is to embrace our ability to be leaders. Dr. Gail Fairhurst has studied communication and leadership extensively, and joins us to share her best insights on how we can lean into leadership in our everyday lives.  

" A communication approach is going to look at how we together negotiate meaning about whatever is the task before us, whatever our identities are, or what our relationship is like together." – Dr. Fairhurst on approaching leadership with a communication lens 

Dr. Fairhurst is a Distinguished Research Professor in the University of Cincinnati’s School of Communication, Film and Media Studies.  In this episode, she shares her expertise on how language shapes meaning and influences leadership.  

In this conversation with Kara Driscoll, Director of Marketing & Events at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, Dr. Fairhurst encourages us to reflect on our communication styles and habits and become more sensitive to the power of words. 

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here  https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/  

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Episode Resources 

Investigate your own character strengths for free  

https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/  

Dive deep on character strengths and positive psychology with our partner, the VIA Institute on Character https://www.viacharacter.org/  

Read more about Dr. Fairhurst and her work  

https://canopy.uc.edu/default/news/detail?feed=uc_news&id=edf7d1fb-ca3d-5135-9e8b-49b2d68f56a0  

Buy The Power of Framing: Creating the Language of Leadership 

https://a.co/d/gNEI1pL  

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In this episode of The Upstander Ripple Effect, Jeff Bryan, co-founder of the Positivity Project, shares how his military background and studies in positive psychology inspired a nationwide initiative to teach character strengths in schools. 

“What do we need to do to be successful here? You’re looking at their character—are they honest, do they have integrity, are they humble?"
-- Jeff Bryan, co-founder of the Positivity Project

Guided by the principle “other people matter,” the project helps students understand themselves and others, fostering confidence, empathy, and positive relationships. Now active in hundreds of schools across the U.S. and internationally, the program has shown significant results, including improved behavior and reduced disciplinary incidents. Jeff shares stories of students applying lessons like bravery and resilience in real-world situations

Host Jackie Congedo, CEO of the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, connects the work of the Positivity Project to the center’s own mission – to ensure the lessons of the Holocaust inspire action today. Character strength education, as Jeff and his partner know, can help bring about a culture of upstanding, where students are empowered to act with integrity and support others. 

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  
 
Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series 
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/   
 
Email us [email protected] 
Find us on social media 
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/  
https://x.com/cincyhhc  
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/  
https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity 
 
Episode Resources 

Follow the Positivity Project
https://posproject.org/ 

Read more about the late Dr. Chris Peterson, who believed character strengths were important because, “Other people matter.” 
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-beauty-in-the-beast/201210/other-people-matter 

Investigate your own character strengths for free 
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/  
 
Dive deep on character strengths and positive psychology with our partner, the VIA Institute on Character https://www.viacharacter.org/

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This episode brings a heartfelt exploration of gratitude, fittingly marking the final episode of 2024.  

"Gratitude is the kinetic energy behind the ripple effect." – Jackie Congedo, host and CEO of the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center 

Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge reflect on the year gone by, using the theme of gratitude as both a lens for reflection and a springboard for action. By closing the year on a note of thankfulness, they encourage listeners to pause and recognize the transformative power of gratitude, especially as it ties to hope, resilience, and the ripple effect of positivity in the world. 

They share part of a conversation with Holocaust survivor Henry Fenichel, where Henry and Director of Collections & Exhibitions, Cori Silbernagel, each express their gratitude to the other for the ways Henry’s story is shared and curated at the center. The episode also celebrates modern upstanders, such as Emily Kendall, whose work was inspired by her son Luke's ability to live in the present and approach life with inherent gratitude. 

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity   

Email us [email protected] 

Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/ 
https://x.com/cincyhhc 
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ 
https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity 

Episode Resources 

Read what the VIA Institute on Character says about the strength of gratitude 

USC study mapping gratitude in the brain   

Previous episode with Dr. Dan Tomasulo on cultivating hope and practicing gratitude

Watch Holocaust survivor Henry Fenichel's episode of Hear My Story

Find out about the USC Shoah Foundation's Dimensions in Testimony exhibit that enables museum visitors to interact with Holocaust survivors

Watch upstander Emily Kendall's episode of Hear My Story 

Find details here on free admission to the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center throughout January   

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Being the best version of ourselves, so we can be upstanders for the world around us, takes time and intention. Stacy Sims, Executive Director and Founder of The Well, joins us in this episode to help us understand the importance of mindfulness in an age of distraction.  

“If we don't have practices that allow us to be sort of old school - out in nature, walking around, reading books, playing games - we're just going to keep buying the narrative that the technology is selling us.”  -- Stacy Sims, on the need for people to unplug in order to foster mindfulness 

Stacy is a Cincinnati-based wellness expert who walks the talk. She explains how mindfulness practices including movement, breath work, and meditation can help counterbalance the effects of the technology we consume and the disconnection from our inner selves that is so prevalent. The conversation explores the role of character strengths in mindfulness practices, and how celebrating strengths can promote harmony in our lives. Download this episode for help integrating mindfulness into your everyday life to improve mental, emotional, and physical well-being. 

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/   

Email us [email protected] 

Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/ 
https://x.com/cincyhhc 
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity 

Episode Resources 

Learn more from Stacy and her team
https://www.thewell.world/  

Investigate your own character strengths for free
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/  

Dive deep into character strengths and positive psychology with our partner, the VIA Institute on Character https://www.viacharacter.org/  

Learn what it means to “tow” a character strength
https://medium.com/@admin_3133/boosting-your-character-the-benefits-of-strengths-towing-f2ab2d16b8a6  

The book Stacy mentioned, The Anxious Generation
https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036  

The Surgeon General’s announcement on youth and social media use
https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/23/surgeon-general-issues-new-advisory-about-effects-social-media-use-has-youth-mental-health.html  

Visit us anytime
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/  

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This episode tackles the daunting task of building community in a deeply divided post-election landscape head-on. 

"I think it is the essential project of this moment and it’s something I
think is going to be very hard for both sides to do.” - Jackie, on community building

Hosts Kevin Aldridge and Jackie Congedo acknowledge the challenges inherent in that task, but insist it's essential work. They explore historical models of community, from the exclusionary Volksgemeinschaft put forward by Nazi Germany to Dr. Martin Luther King's inclusive Beloved Community, to illuminate the path forward. The conversation delves into the evolution of American identity, from melting pot to salad, and the dangers of ideological bubbles.  

From the archive, we bring you the story of Rob Herman, the son of Holocaust survivors who relied on upstanders and community to make it out alive. Then, Jackie and Kevin share more with the upstanders at the Pantsuit Politics podcast. Ultimately, this episode is a call to action - a challenge to listeners to reflect on their role in being a "light" and contributing to community-building.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity   

Watch Rob Herman’s episode of Hear My Story
https://youtu.be/sZ9BDF5ZvEI 

Find out more about Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland on Pantsuit Politics and watch their episode of Hear My Story
https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/
https://youtu.be/df9g-GpWxHs?si=b0K6AQtmvBVfROUd  

Read Kevin’s article with Rep. Greg Landsman
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/columnists/2024/11/08/landsman-hopeful-pragmatic-democrats-republicans-can-get-work-done-under-trump-administration/76114830007/  

Read the Op-Ed by Ari Jun https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2024/11/04/opinion-we-must-hold-empathy-for-those-who-lose-tuesdays-election/75928117007/  

What the Nazis envisioned when they spoke of community https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/volksgemeinschaft-peoples-or-national-community  

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Beloved Community”
https://thekingcenter.org/about-tkc/the-king-philosophy/  

Opinion: Americans have to try to understand each other https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/11/12/election-aftermath-understanding-political-opponents/  

Eric Ward on the “radical” center
https://momentmag.com/hold-our-communities-together-with-eric-k-ward-and-nadine-epstein/ 

Bonnie Jean Feldkamp's column
https://www.creators.com/read/bonnie-jean-feldkamp/11/24/be-the-light-that-trumps-hate-is-forced-to-face 

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Lea and Drew Lachey have been reaching audiences for decades as singers, choreographers, and performers on screens big and small. Now they’re turning their sights from just entertaining people, to encouraging them to be the best of humanity. We were so pleased to welcome Lea to the podcast studio to talk about their project – a musical called label-less. 

“It's really just about human stories”  - Lea Lachey on the show label-less 

As Lea and Drew describe the show, “You’re invited to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.  Using contemporary music, powerful choreography and personal stories to spread a message of Heart, Humanity and Hope.” Lea joined Jackie in the podcast studio to talk about how the show came about, how she’s handling criticism of some of the monologues in the show, and her visit with the cast to the Holocaust & Humanity Center that left them feeling, “so empowered.” 

Download this episode today, and then share it with a friend.
This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for their support of this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/   

Email us [email protected] 

Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/ 
https://x.com/cincyhhc 
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity 

Episode Resources 

Find out more about label-less
https://www.labellessmusical.com/
https://www.lacheyarts.com/labelless  

Assess your own character strengths for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/  

Visit the VIA Institute on Character to learn more about all 24 character strengths
https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths  

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In the face of darkness, every small act of courage and empathy can ignite a beacon of hope. That lens of dark versus light is how we’re examining stories in this episode.  

“As I'm sitting there having this conversation with her, it's just chilling to think this person in front of me had this experience. This was not generations ago. I'm talking to the human being who spent the first two years of her life in darkness, or the first chunk of her life, right? It's just remarkable.” 
- Jackie on her conversation with Holocaust survivor Zahava Rendler, who was hidden in a bunker as a baby with her parents. 

Zahava Rendler has spent her adult life sharing her experience of the darkness of her childhood – being born in 1941 in Poland to a Jewish family. Her family was forced to make incredibly hard decisions to survive Nazi persecution. Even through that darkness, Zahava is able to see the light that upstanders brought to her story, hiding her and her family. Jackie and Kevin also share the way light has shown up in their lives and in the news lately, and are here to remind you that whatever light you have to bring to the table is needed because we all have times when darkness seems like it’s going to win. 

Download this episode today, and then share it with a friend. 

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here
https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity 
Email us [email protected]

Episode Resources 

Admission to the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center will be free every January!
https://youtu.be/GGITEqa7C9s?si=p2OEVKW9sEZgNG9r  

Read John Trautmann’s op-ed about his experience in Western North Carolina
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2024/10/21/opinion-how-my-family-survived-the-nightmare-of-hurricane-helene/75597735007/  

Experience Rutka at Playhouse in the Park
https://www.cincyplay.com/productions/RUTKA  

General John Kelly’s words about Donald Trump and Hitler
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-said-hitler-did-some-good-things-and-wanted-generals-like-the-nazis-former-chief-of-staff-kelly-claims  

Read about the generals in the Nazi regime
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/german-armed-forces-high-command

Historians are wrestling with whether Donald Trump meets the definition of a fascist. https://theconversation.com/is-donald-trump-a-fascist-heres-what-an-expert-thinks-242243 
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/fascism-1

Follow Eric Ward at Race Forward https://www.raceforward.org/  

Meet our Scholar in Residence
https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/stories-that-shape-us-educational-updates/

Zahava Rendler's story
https://youtu.be/RXpvx-3ash0?si=Vq-Ayrs5m8qgcTyT

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When was the last time you acted courageously? Maybe you don’t think of yourself as a courageous person. This episode can help change that. Dr. Cynthia Pury is an expert on courage, and researches the topic at Clemson University. She joined Jackie Congedo to talk about what it actually means to be courageous and how we can grow it. 

“I now define courage as... taking a worthwhile risk.”  - Dr. Cynthia Pury 

Courage is one of the six virtues defined by VIA. These virtues are a way to classify the 24 character strengths that lie in all of us. VIA says “Courage describes strengths that help you exercise your will and face adversity.” The unique strengths VIA classifies as part of the virtue of courage are bravery, honesty, perseverance, and zest. 

In this episode, Dr. Pury shared that one way to shift your thinking about courage is to link it to your values. For instance, if you value inclusivity, it may be easier to take the risk to stand up when someone is being excluded, when you remember your personal value. She also introduced us to the notion of personal courage – acts that might not seem courageous to others, but are meaningful and risky for the individual. We learned so much from Dr. Pury in this episode, and we hope you do, too! 

Download this episode and start to grow your courage today. 

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this series https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/   

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here for updates and new episodes  https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity 

Email us [email protected]
Find us on social media
https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/ 
https://x.com/cincyhhc 
https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/  https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Episode Resources: 

Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/ 

Take the character strengths survey for free https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/assess-your-character-strengths/ 

Visit the VIA Institute on Character: https://viacharacter.org/ 

Find out more about Dr. Pury
https://www.clemson.edu/cbshs/about/profiles/index.html?userid=CPURY  

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Throughout our lives, there are times and seasons when it’s required, or desired, to start something new. New beginnings can take many forms but there are some common elements to them – uncertainty, the need for bravery and resilience, and parts of oneself or one’s story that get left behind to make room for the new.

“They made their way to Cincinnati, and they started their life - another new beginning” - Jackie Congedo, on the story of Holocaust survivor Helen Kaltman 

In this episode, Jackie and Kevin explore the idea of new beginnings by examining a story in the headlines from Springfield, Ohio, where Haitian immigrants became the focus of national debate and concern. 

From our archive, you will hear the story of Holocaust survivor Helen Kaltman. Helen was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1937. As the threat against European Jews grew, her family fled to Russia, but was deported to Siberia. Two generations of her family joined Helen to share their reflections on what it meant for Helen to survive, and how she subsequently started her life over, not once, but twice…first in Israel and then in the United States. 

Then we bring you part of Jackie’s conversation with mass shooting survivor and upstander Whitney Austin. Whitney defied the odds when she was shot 12 times and lived. That was 2018. Now she is the force behind Whitney/Strong, the organization that she founded to find common ground solutions to gun violence. 

Download this episode today, and please share this with a friend you think might enjoy it.  Thanks for being part of the Upstander Ripple Effect community! 

Email us [email protected] 

Find us on social media 

https://www.facebook.com/CincyHHC/  

https://x.com/cincyhhc  

https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/  

https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss a thing https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Episode Resources: 

Learn more about the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/

Watch Helen Kaltman's episode of Hear My Story
https://youtu.be/q-iqW5Ivajg  

Follow Whitney Austin’s work
https://www.whitneystrong.org/  

Watch Whitney’s episode of Hear My Story
https://youtu.be/f8H3DbE9My8?si=mrzq6nRWsG9eAabF  

Find a Stop the Bleed training
https://www.stopthebleed.org/training/ 

Washington Post Op-Ed on Springfield
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/09/18/springfield-migrants-pets-trump-haiti/  

Background on Haitian stereotypes
https://nacla.org/anti-haitianism-springfield-scapegoating  

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Thousands of students come through our doors every year here at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. One special class wrote books about being upstanders. 

“You have to know not to judge the book by his cover, you have to actually go in depth to their into their character, into their heart.” - McKenzie Williams, Winton Hills Academy student 

Julie Dellecave brought her class of 6th graders to visit us, and learn more about upstanders. Upstanders are people who stand up for themselves and others against injustice. After their visit, the class took the lesson a step further and formed small groups to write books based on their experiences. 

In the book My Kind a boy travels the world to find people like him. He realizes everyone can be "his kind" if he accepts them.  Watch the students narrate My Kind  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RIOVTwSecaMrMi3ihv-qRGz0YhiuMiNt/view  In the book Human the main character is a nameless human who reflects on how people often harm each other. The authors remind us to lift each other up.  Watch the students narrate Human https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UfH5CSjnmv2dkz-tyeIvDOFzy31h5Zh_/view   

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Center for Storytelling. Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity  

Our thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation and the VIA Institute on Character for their support of this series.   
https://www.mayersonfoundation.org/
https://www.viacharacter.org/  

We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected], or connect with us here: 
https://x.com/cincyhhc
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https://www.instagram.com/holocaustandhumanity/ https://www.tiktok.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Learn more about us https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/  

Find out more about what it means to be an upstander https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/upstander/

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