Curiosity Invited

This was new territory for me. It turns out that so many of the things that so many of the things taught in business school and sales workshops throughout that industry had their origins in the innovations that Mike brought to the industry. Before Mike's work, sales was always seen as "pitching products." Mike simple yet profound innovation flipped that approach onto its head - successful sellers don't move products, they solve industry problems by helping workers find solutions. Mike Bosworth is well known throughout the business sales world as a trainer, speaker, and the author of best selling sales books Solution Selling: Creating Buyers in Difficult Selling Markets (McGraw-Hill, 1993), What Great Salespeople Do: The Science of Selling Through Emotional Connection and the Power of Story (McGraw-Hill, 2011) and co-author of CustomerCentric Selling (McGraw-Hill, 2003). Mike founded and grew one of the most successful virtual businesses in the B2B arena. After 10 years with Xerox Computer Services and one year with a software start-up, he founded Solution Selling® in 1983, began adding licensing his intellectual property to affiliates in 1988 and by the time he sold it in 1999, over 50 affiliates were contributing royalty income in excess of $2.8M annually. Mike began building Story Leaders™ as a framework for building emotional connection in 2008 and published a new book, What Great Salespeople Do, the Science of Selling Through Emotional Connection and the Power of Story in January, 2012. In January 2013, Mike founded Mike Bosworth Leadership. MBL currently has eight affiliates who sell and deliver his Story Seekers™ workshops. Bosworth has a degree in Business Management and Marketing from California State Polytechnic University. In addition to his keynote speaking for professional associations and major corporations, he has been a featured lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, The Stanford Program on Market Strategy for Technology-Based Companies, The American Marketing Association Customer Message Management Forums, The Anderson School Of Management At UCLA, the Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine, The University of Connecticut and Rollins College to name a few. He is certified (CMC) by the Institute of Management Consultants. Michael T. Bosworth is a cofounder of CustomerCentric Systems®, LLC. He has assisted clients in improving sales effectiveness and shaping customer experience since 1983.

n this conversation, Mayor Karen Bass discusses the challenges faced by Los Angeles in the wake of recent wildfires, addressing misinformation, grief, and the city's recovery efforts. She highlights the importance of communication and community support in rebuilding, while also touching on the political landscape and upcoming events in the city. https://lacity.gov/ https://lacity.gov/residents https://emergency.lacity.gov/recovery

Omar Imady - Syria After Assad: Hope For a Future In this conversation, David Bryan speaks with author and scholar Omar Imady, who shares his insights on the complex history of Syria, the impact of the Assad regime, and the effects of the Arab Spring. Imady discusses the shift in power dynamics during the Syrian civil war, the rise of rebel groups, and their governance. He expresses cautious optimism about Syria's future, highlighting the need for economic recovery and the importance of international relations. The conversation concludes with Imady's personal reflections and aspirations for returning to Syria. Omar Imady is an uncommon collection of many things – Syrian, American, exile, javaphile, gastronome, and aerophobe – all of which find expression in his growing repertoire of eclectic fiction. He is the author of multiple books, including Erasures (Literary Titan Gold Award), Catfishing Caitlyn, The Celeste Experiment (both recipients of the Literary Titan Silver Award), Transference (nominated for the Pushcart Prize by Litro Magazine), When Her Hand Moves, a collection of three controversial, thought-provoking novellas, and The Gospel of Damascus, a 2012 Book of the Year Award finalist. His forthcoming novels dig ever deeper into the human experience of alienation and the quest for meaning in a world increasingly hostile to answers. Born in Damascus to an American mother and Syrian father, Omar grew up in a world of constant and vibrant contrasts. Omar has lived in America, the Middle East, and now resides in the UK in the company of his cat, Sabrina. He loves to walk in remote and unexplored places, traveling by trains and boats (he does everything he can to avoid planes!), and is addicted to genealogy research. He writes daily as he listens to jazz and overdoses on coffee.

As the founder of Blink Consulting, Alison Park has partnered with over 100 independent schools, as well as public districts, community-based organizations and nonprofits to advance their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition to her work with clients, Alison has facilitated and keynoted at numerous conferences, including the Asian Educators’ Alliance, Bay Area Directors of Admission Symposium, California Association of Independent Schools, East Bay Independent Schools Association, National Association of Independent Schools’ Annual and POCC, Northwest Association of Independent Schools’ Fall Educators and Institutional Leadership and the White Privilege Conferences. Alison has also served on Park Day School's Board of Trustees and the Advisory Board of the Mosaic Project, and currently serves on the SMART program's Board of Directors. Before Blink, Alison taught for thirteen years in the public, non-profit and private sectors, including Marin Academy and Head-Royce Middle School. Alison earned her B.A. in African Studies at Yale University and two Master's degrees at Harvard's Graduate School of Education. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Alison has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area over 25 years. https://www.rethinkingdiversity.com/ Chris Thinnes, Ed.D., is a veteran independent school leader, an experienced educational consultant and facilitator, a skilled DEI practitioner, and a seasoned collaborator with education leaders from the public and private sectors. Throughout his service in schools, he has promoted a fuller understanding of the fact that deeper learning in our classrooms is dependent on diversity, equity, and social justice in our schools. He has also promoted a wide range of initiatives to transform teaching and learning by integrating technology and research-based practice, systematizing professional learning and collaboration, enriching school partnerships with other educational organizations, and engaging student, teacher, and parent voices in strategic institutional decision making—actively collaborating, all the while, with national education thought leaders, researchers, and activists from the public and private sectors to promote the transformation of teaching and learning for all our nation's children. Thinnes has regular presented workshops and facilitated sessions at national conferences such as the NAIS People of Color Conference, the NAIS Annual Conference, the Progressive Education Network national conference, and the EdLeader21 national conference. His writing about education issues has appeared in Independent School Magazine, GOOD, Living in Dialogue (Education Week), and a variety of other publications and blogs. Thinnes currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Progressive Education Network and EduColor. He received his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from LMU. Summary In this episode, David speaks with Alison Park and Chris Thinnes about the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in education. They discuss the importance of DEI in creating a sense of belonging and achieving educational excellence. They challenge the notion that DEI is an add-on or separate from the core mission of education, emphasizing that it should be integrated into all aspects of teaching and learning. They also explore the need to reframe the goals of education and prioritize deeper learning, mastery, identity, and creativity. The conversation highlights the impact of exclusionary practices and the potential of DEI to enhance educational outcomes for all students. The conversation explores the importance of safety, connection, and contribution in education, and how they relate to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.The speakers discuss the need for schools to prioritize safety, dignity, belonging, and thriving for all students, and the importance of asking critical questions and challenging the status quo in education.

Over the past several years, fear and anger have become the dominant forces in American politics. For Japanese elders, who were unjustly imprisoned during World War II because of their race, this political climate feels all too familiar. To satisfy their mission, the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation is committed to not only educate about the past, but also help shape the kind of leaders we need for the future. The Mineta-Simpson Institute is a dedicated retreat space at the center, a home for workshops and programming specifically designed to foster empathy, courage, and cooperation in the next generation of leaders. The Institute has expanded the Foundation’s capacity for digital outreach, allowing us to carry the message of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation's message all over the world. Aura Sunada Newlin is a fourth-generation Wyomingite, fourth-generation Japanese American, and Executive Director for the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation (HMWF). Her heritage involves intertwined stories of imprisonment at Heart Mountain and Tule Lake; segregated military service; and hardships suffered by railroaders who were fired because of their Japanese ancestry. Aura was elected to the HMWF board of directors in 2013 and served as board secretary for eight years. She is also on the board of directors for the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts and was a founding member of the National Steering Committee for Tsuru for Solidarity. She previously taught Asian American Studies courses at the University of Wyoming and was a tenured faculty member in sociology and anthropology at Wyoming’s Northwest College. Aura earned a BA in ethnomusicology from the University of Wyoming and an MA in medical anthropology from Case Western Reserve University. Now focusing on the anthropology of law, she is a PhD candidate at Case Western Reserve University. Aura’s work has been profiled by the Women in Wyoming podcast and gallery exhibit; the University of Wyoming’s Featured Alumni series; and Wyoming PBS. She was named statewide Faculty Member of the Year by the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees in 2018 and received the Community Member Award of the Shepard Symposium on Social Justice in 2021.

John Brantingham and Jane Edberg published a unique and delightful book entitled MYDEAD. John's beautiful poetry is accompanied by Jane's vivid art. Neither an illustration nor and illumination, Jane's art adds additional meaning - perhaps even another perspective - to John's words. Their unique collaboration provided the ground for this spirited conversation. John Brantingham is currently and always thinking about radical wonder. He was Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ first poet laureate. His work has appeared in hundreds of magazines including Writer’s Almanac, The North America Review, The Journal, Tears in the Fence, and Confrontation. He has been nominated for ten Pushcart Prizes and won a spot in The Best Small Fictions 2016 and 2022 and was a semifinalist in The Best Small Fictions 2018. He has written twenty-two books of poetry and fiction including The L.A. Fiction Anthology(Red Hen Press), Crossing the High Sierra (https://www.chollaneedles.com/), and California Continuum: Migrations and Amalgamations (http://www.pelekinesis.com/catalog.html) co-written with Grant Hier. His newest work is My Dead, created with the artist Jane Edberg. He lives with his wife and dog in a little house in Jamestown, New York where he spends most of his time in the basement where he’s set up a writing studio next to a washing machine. He teaches all around the country at festivals and workshops and at Collins Correctional Facility. Find out more about him and buy his books at https://www.johnbrantingham.com/ Chief Editor at The Journal of Radical Wonder: https://medium.com/the-journal-of-radical-wonder. Jane Bio: Jane Edberg holds a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Davis with an emphasis on photography and performance art. She teaches writing at California State University at Monterey Bay. She is a writing coach and offers writing workshops. She serves as the arts editor and a contributing editor at The Journal of Radical Wonder. Her writing is featured in the books, Death, and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: Field Notes from The Death Dialogues Project; My Dead; BAM 42 Stories (to be released in 2024); and in many journals, including Cholla Needles, and Gyroscope Review. She is a Community of Writers alumna (Squaw Valley). Jane has an illustrated memoir titled The Fine Art of Grieving to be published in 2024 by Linen Press https://www.janeedberg.com/ https://www.thefineartofgrieving.com/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thefineartofgrieving/

Jeff Clements, CEO of American Promise, discusses the organization's mission to amend the United States Constitution and limit the influence of money in politics. He explains that American Promise is nonpartisan and aims to give power back to the people by addressing the role of money in the political system. Clements shares the backstory of his involvement in the fight against corruption and the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case, emphasizing the need for Americans to come together and pass a constitutional amendment to protect the integrity of elections and ensure a level playing field for all citizens. The conversation discusses the need for a constitutional amendment to address the influence of money in politics. It highlights the negative impact of unlimited money on elections and the divisive nature of negative campaign ads. American Promise is working towards getting a two-thirds vote in Congress to pass the "For Our Freedom Amendment," which aims to limit the influence of money in elections. The conversation concludes with a call to action for listeners to get involved and support the movement. Jeff Clements serves as CEO of American Promise. He has practiced law for three decades in public service and private practice, and is the author of Corporations Are Not People: Reclaiming Democracy From Big Money & Global Corporations. He is also the founder of Whaleback Partners LLC, which provides sustainable financing to businesses in the local agriculture economy. Previously, Jeff has been a partner in a major Boston law firm and served as Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the public law enforcement bureau in the Attorney General’s Office in Massachusetts. Jeff has helped to start and been a board member of many non-profit organizations and businesses.

Dr. Greg Chasson, clinical psychologist and researcher, speaks broadly about his work helping people and organizations who manage perfectionists. Dr. Chasson's book - Flawed : Why Perfectionism is a Challenge for Management - is a highly regarded contribution to the fields of psychology and business management. Dr. Gregory S. Chasson, a distinguished licensed and board-certified clinical psychologist, Associate Professor, and the Director of Behavioral Interventions of the Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders Clinic within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. With a rich academic background, Dr. Chasson earned his BA in psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and later obtained his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston. His professional journey led him through three transformative years at Harvard Medical School, including a prestigious internship at McLean Hospital and postdoctoral Clinical and Research Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. Before joining the faculty at the University of Chicago, Dr. Chasson made significant contributions as an Assistant Professor at Towson University and later as an Associate Professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. For the latter, his impactful leadership extended to a four-year tenure as the Director of Clinical Training for the accredited Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program. Dr. Chasson’s expertise lies in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, encompassing conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, body-focused repetitive behaviors, and tics/Tourettes, alongside anxiety disorders. His commitment to evidence-based treatment is exemplified by his ownership and operation of two specialized practices—CBT Solutions of Baltimore (2010-2016) and Obsessive-Compulsive Solutions of Chicago (2016-2022). An accomplished and award-winning educator, Dr. Chasson has accumulated thousands of hours of teaching experience, leaving an indelible mark on students at various academic levels. His international reputation as a sought-after professional trainer is evidenced by workshops delivered in China on the nature and treatment of OCD for the Chinese Psychology Society and the China Mental Health Association. The International OCD Foundation recognizes his expertise, inviting him to lead trainings and serve as an expert consultant. As a prolific scholar, Dr. Chasson has authored over 70 scientific publications (Google Scholar Profile) and spearheaded grant-funded research projects in the field of OCD and related disorders. His commitment to advancing the field is reflected in his recent co-authorship of a book on cognitive-behavioral therapy for hoarding. Dr. Chasson’s editorial contributions extend to multiple journal boards, and he has notably served as the Program Chair for the 2021 annual conference for the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Currently, he is the editor of the Behavior Therapist, solidifying his status as a leading authority in the field. Dr. Chasson's wealth of clinical experience, a dedication to education, and prolific research portfolio, enables him to offer unparalleled insights and expertise to those seeking speaking engagements, media involvement, and a deeper understanding of OCD and related disorders.

Peter Tilden well known radio personality, writer, producer, and co-host with Jason Alexander of the popular podcast, "Really? no REALLY?" speaks about his work and what he has learned about life from his nearly 40 years in the business. One of the funniest people I know.

Emergency room physician, Onur Yenigun, seems too young to have accomplished what he has by the young age of 37. From a young life growing up in California, raised by his mother and grandmother, the boy with dreams of becoming a doctor seemed destined to fail. Poor grades and a lack of the discipline and dedication he would need, he joined the US Marines. That decision put him on a path hard work, self assessment, community spirit, and the realization that discipline and dedication were choices he could make. And make them he did. After his stint in the Marines, Onur returned to the community college at which he had done so poorly, achieving exemplary grades and an acceptance to undergraduate and ultimately medical studies at UC San Francisco, and ultimately to completing a residency in Emergency Medicine from Stanford. Ever a young man to want to give even more to his community, the newly hooded doctor worked at the front lines of medical efforts combatting Covid-19. Currently based at the California Hospital Medical Center as an Emergency Physician, Dr. Yenigun continues to volunteer, to teach, and give back to his family and community in whatever ways he can. Onur is convinced that we are all capable of so much more than we imagine, when we are armed with a desire to learn, to help and to push ourselves past what makes us comfortable. Hearing his story in his own words will convince you as well.

Marcie Gilbert, the Executive Director of Calibrate, sits down with David for an engaging conversation about this unique program largely facilitated by young people who were exposed to this unique Social Emotional Learning program as youth . Calibrate is a not for profit (501 c3) organization centered in Los Angeles, CA that delivers it's program, CONNECTIONS, to groups throughout Los Angeles. It's mission is to transform and elevate the lives of tomorrow’s leaders from under-resourced communities, particularly the descendants of American slavery, by providing spaces where they experience their best selves, feel valued for the potential they bring to the world, and prepare to reinvest their time and talents back into their communities. Having grown out of educational groups and institutions, Much of its initial work has been with young people in schools and community groups. Calibrate hopes to expand its program to groups of all sorts and throughout the country. CONNECTIONS, Calibrate's primary program, is a data-driven, social-emotional learning (SEL) program. It is a structured process designed to create a protective space, so that participants can listen and speak from their hearts. For Indigenous, Black, and People of Color (IBPOC), who are in survival mode day-to-day, Connections provides a safe place to cultivate intra-personal growth and interpersonal bonds. Connections normalizes the sharing of personal stories and conveys to participants that all voices are important and that each individual is appreciated for their authentic self. Connections is not psychotherapy, but it has a therapeutic effect. Participants are guided by prompts that elicit imagination, reflection, and critical thinking. During Connections sessions, participants are exposed to healthy coping mechanisms and practice aspects of productive/constructive listening and communication. All of these qualities are essential for healing, advocacy, sharing values, and establishing narrative. https://calibrate.earth/

Dr. Zack Bein is a psychologist in the Dan Brown/David Elliott lineage of clinicians who believe strongly in the “3 pillar” approach to healing relational difficulty in adults. I also have clinical experience with substance abuse/dependence, anxiety disorders, mood disorders, impulse-control disorders, psychotic disorders, and several personality disorders. His research is in mindfulness treatments for addiction and posttraumatic symptoms. At the University of California, Berkeley, Zack worked in the schizophrenia lab, examining the relationship between memory, emotions, and negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. His approach to therapy is integrative, considering elements from a variety of theories and modalities, as well as evidence-based practices. Some of these include Attachment Theory, mindfulness-based interventions, Humanistic/Existential Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Seeking Safety, Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Three Pillars Therapy and the Ideal Parent Figure (IPF) Protocol. He is trained in administering and scoring the Adult Attachment Interview by Howard and Miriam Steele at the New School in Manhattan. The AAI is the gold standard assessment of attachment styles in adults. Dr. Bein also works closely with David Elliott, Ph,D, the co-creator of the model, to teach the 3 Pillar Model to clinicians, therapists, coaches, who wish to incorporate healing of attachment disturbances in their work. Zack is authored of an upcoming chapter in “Clinical Applications of the AAI, Part 2,” in which he details how the Three Pillars therapist uses the AAI in an ethically minded way to inform the work.

Katalin Hanappi is a Vienna based documentary filmmaker, but likes to refer to herself as an escape artist. She was born in Vienna, Austria into an artistic and rather nomadic family, that is changing its patchwork patterns until this day. Katalin grew up in Austria, Canada, England and the United States, learning soon to adapt to new surroundings and witnessing many forms of education and lifestyles. What was a constant in her life was always storytelling- being the oldest of first one, then two, later three and now a few more siblings, she liked to write stories and books for them. And she used them as actors in homemade plays and films. (note: They later became actors and music composers) As a thirteen year old she stumbled into being a news anchor for a children's' news program on the Austrian National television which she presented every weekend for four years until her family moved away again to England. There Katalin discovered her passion for theater and screenplay-writing. In her early twenties she wrote plays for theaters in Vienna but then decided to enroll to film school and soon started working as a documentary filmmaker. Now over ten years later Katalin has directed more than 3 dozen documentaries for broadcast and cinema, most of them in the genre of wildlife, adventure, science and nature. Her aim is to get everyone excited about this one gorgeous planet. In order to inspire others she feels she needs to keep inspiring herself and spends most of the year traveling. Together with her partner who runs a design studio she shares a secret double life on a sailboat. Together they recently started the production company “Sailing Studio productions” that produces little fun short films with big meanings. Katalin Hanappi is known for her exceptionally sensitive and intuitive approach to challenging stories. In 2015 she received the Austrian „Best 30 under 30“ journalism award. https://katalinhanappi.com/ https://offf.media/index/studio-elast...

Tune in to listen to some of the highlights of the past year conversations between David and his guests. Karen Bass, Marianne Williamson, Michael Abels, Daryl Davis and Jeff Schoep, Professor Larry Birnbaum, Aura Sunada Newlin, Chrysta Bilton, Leila Steinberg

Drs. Peter Schnall and Marnie Dobson speak about the ways in which work can have long-term disastrous consequences on the immediate and long term wellbeing of workers, organizations, and our economic system. Their research shows the scientifically verified effects of many work environments and what can be done about it. Marnie Dobson, Ph.D. is currently the Director of the Healthy Work Campaign and the Associate Director of the Center for Social Epidemiology, a non-profit organization and sponsor of the HWC. The Healthy Work Campaign is a public health campaign focused on raising awareness in the U.S. about the impacts of work stress on mental and physical health. For over 17 years she has been a researcher in occupational health and work stress research and was an Assistant Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Irvine, Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. She developed the Healthy Work Survey in collaboration with a team of university researchers, as well as intervention tools to guide organizations in preventing occupational diseases caused by stress and designing healthier work. Peter Schnall, MD, MPH has been studying the effects work environments can have on the wellbeing of workers as well as the quality of work for nearly 50 years. The Founder and Director of the Center of Epidemiology, Peter's work is widely respected for his understanding of the effects of our modern way of life on individual and community wellbeing. https://healthywork.org https://unhealthywork.org/ https://unhealthywork.org/healthy-wor... https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-sch... https://twitter.com/pschnall

Daryl Davis and Jeff Schoep are two of the most inspirational gentlemen I've ever met. Both work at the forefront of a hands-on social movement aimed at building bridges of understanding and friendship ordinarily thought to be impossible. Having had the opportunity to sit down with each of them individually (Davis Episode 24; Schoep Episode 29) they agreed to sit down with me at the same time to speak about what it will take to overcome the growing factionalism in our society. Daryl Davis has worked to improve race relations by seeking out, engaging in dialogue with, and befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan. In 1983, he was playing country western music in a "white" bar in Frederick, Maryland, when a patron came up to him and said it was the first time he had "heard a black man play as well as Jerry Lee Lewis". Davis explained to the man that "Jerry Lee learned to play from black blues and boogie-woogie piano players and he's a friend of mine". The white patron was skeptical and over a drink admitted he was a member of the KKK. The two became friends and eventually the man gave Davis contact information on KKK leaders. A few years later, Davis decided that he wanted to interview Klan members and write a book on the subject, to answer a "question in my head from the age of 10: 'Why do you hate me when you know nothing about me?' That question had never been answered from my youth". Davis eventually went on to befriend over twenty members of the KKK, and claims to have been directly responsible for between forty and sixty, and indirectly over two hundred people leaving the Klan.Over the course of his activities, Davis found that Klansmen have many misconceptions about black people, stemming mostly from intense brainwashing in their youth. When they got to know him, Davis claims, it was more difficult to maintain their prejudices. The artist has recounted his experiences in his 1998 book, Klan-destine Relationships: A Black Man's Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan. Davis is not on a mission to "convert" bigots, white supremacists, Klansmen, or Nazis. Rather because of the earnest respect he offers all human beings and his core beliefs in the power of love, respect, fairness and his willingness to listen and find the heart of "the other," people are moved and transformed. Over 200 Neo-Nazis, Klansmen and others who belong to organizations that preach hate have chosen to leave those organizations and give Daryl their robes, flags, insignia, and other symbols of hate. https://www.daryldavis.com/ https://twitter.com/RealDarylDavis Jeff Schoep, once America’s most notorious neo-Nazi, now a consultant for the Simon Wiesenthal Center and an inspirational speaker for Conscious Campus, tirelessly holds keynote talks, lectures, and workshops from his unique vantage point. For over 2 decades, Schoep led America’s largest neo-Nazi organization, the National Socialist Movement (NSM), overseeing its growth to a nationwide movement. Beginning in 2016, through interactions with a black musician, Daryl Davis, and a Muslim film maker, Deeyah Khan, Jeff began to question not only his work, but his entire life. Experiencing relational dialogue and interpersonal relationships with those he once vilified changed Jeff’s life forever. In 2019, he left the the NSM and publicly denounced the ideology. Jeff Schoep transitioned from mastering propaganda that promoted hatred and fear dedication to speaking about our shared humanity. He provides unique insights into the inner workings of far-right extremism from first hand knowledge and personal experience. Jeff has spoken nationally and internationally, from synagogues to universities, from broadcasts to speaking at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway with Deeyah Khan. In 2020, Jeff founded Beyond Barriers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to a world devoid of extremism, radicalized organizations, hate, violence, coercive and violent ideologies. In addition to working alongside both community and government agencies, such as the Office of Juvenile Justice Department (OJJDP), Jeff and his organization, Beyond Barriers, have worked with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, RAND Corporation, International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE), mental health professionals, academic research and development teams, as well as religious and educational institutions across the United States and abroad. https://twitter.com/SchoepJeff https://beyondbarriersusa.org/ https://jeffschoep.com/ #JeffSchoep #DarylDavis #podcast #dialogue #peaceandlove #community

Robert Ochs, MS, LCSW, has worked in the criminal justice system since 1979, at the local, state, and federal levels For many years, his work was predominantly in forensic mental health. He trained at an LA County Probation Camp, worked in juvenile delinquency at the California Youth Authority, became a licensed clinician in 1983, and began a private practice. Bob’s forensic mental health work also included evaluating insanity acquitees, mentally-disordered offenders, and sex-offenders for appropriateness of hospital release, and directing programs for these offenders. Bob also directed the Adult Division of a large Community Mental Health Center in Los Angeles (Didi Hirsch) Bob transitioned into the world of County Probation and served as Sonoma County’s chief probation officer from 2005 to 2016, following 4 years as deputy chief. After retiring from Sonoma County, he served as the Mendocino County interim Chief probation officer for several months in 2017/2018. Bob was a Chief Justice appointment to the Judicial Council’s “Task Force on Criminal Justice Collaboration on Mental Health Issues”. He has served on other similar panels, e.g., describing “Best Practices in Competency Restoration”, and “Mental Health in the Juvenile Justice System". In 2017, Bob received the Christine M. West Award from the Forensic Mental Health Association of California for significant contributions to the field of forensic mental health. Bob currently consults and speaks on issues at the intersection of the criminal justice and mental health systems. Finally, more than 20 years in Sonoma County can’t overcome a lifetime in Southern California – Bob remains a proud Dodger fan.

Erin Whalen seems young to have accomplished as much as he has... but he has, and he is just getting started. Erin and Da Vinci RISE High School's co-founder Kari Croft designed their school for those who are least served by traditional education in conventional settings. With profound insight into the needs of the homeless, the transient, and foster children populations, the RISE model is quickly becoming a model that can be replicated appropriately. Listening to this young school and community leader will give you hope for a tomorrow that can so often be difficult to find. Erin Whalen, born and raised in Santa Monica, California is co-founder and Executive Director of Da Vinci RISE High School. At a young age, Erin found himself enticed by education’s power to provide people with a sense of self that could be leveraged as a powerful force in the world. After graduating from New Roads High School, Erin moved away to study Anthropology at Grinnell College in Iowa and at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Throughout the years Erin and Kari Croft, co-founder, worked together with students, families and partners to develop concepts for RISE High. In 2016, Whalen and Kari Croft applied for and won a highly competitive $10 million grant from XQ: The Super School Project, funded by Laurene Powell Jobs and Russlynn Ali. Opening in 2017, RISE now has three locations around Los Angeles County serving upwards of 210 students. Erin received his master’s degree at the LMU School of Education’s Institute of School Leadership and Administration (ISLA) in 2020 and an honorary doctorate from Grinnell College in 2022. Erin Whalen M.Ed, D.S.Sc Ewhalen@Davincischools.org #Erin Whalen #education #podcast #DaVinci RISE #davincischools

Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass has been in her role for six months. The mayor agreed to sit down with David on the six month anniversary of her position as LA's mayor. Mayor Bass' complete bio can be found here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor_o...

Larry Birnbaum's research and teaching focus on applied AI and human-AI collaboration. He and his students develop, study, and apply new technologies in natural language processing (NLP), conversational interfaces, intelligent information systems, social media data analytics, machine learning, and computational journalism and media. Key areas of research include methods for the automatic generation of content by machine, including specifically the automatic generation of narratives from data, and on natural human-AI collaboration using conversational interaction. Larry's research also spans intelligent information systems, including models of automatic and contextual search and information diversity; preference predication and recommendation using social media data; and applications of AI to journalism and media. Another important area of Larry's research is intelligent information systems, including models of automatic and contextual search and information diversity. A third focus is on preference predication and recommendation using social media data. More generally, projects in Larry's lab are aimed at automating and supporting all aspects of the "content pipeline," including research, content generation, content distribution, and user interaction with content. Dr. Birnbaum is a Professor of Computer Science at the Northwestern University. He is also the Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor, Narrative Science. His research and teaching focus on applied Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing (NLP), intelligent information systems, social media data analytics, machine learning, with applications to media and journalism. A key focus is on methods for the automatic generation of content by machine, including specifically the automatic generation of narratives from data.

Daryl Davis and Jeff Schoep are two of the most inspirational gentlemen I've ever met. Both work at the forefront of a hands-on social movement aimed at building bridges of understanding and friendship ordinarily thought to be impossible. Having had the opportunity to sit down with each of them individually (Davis Episode 24; Schoep Episode 29) they agreed to sit down with me at the same time to speak about what it will take to overcome the growing factionalism in our society. Daryl Davis has worked to improve race relations by seeking out, engaging in dialogue with, and befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan. In 1983, he was playing country western music in a "white" bar in Frederick, Maryland, when a patron came up to him and said it was the first time he had "heard a black man play as well as Jerry Lee Lewis". Davis explained to the man that "Jerry Lee learned to play from black blues and boogie-woogie piano players and he's a friend of mine". The white patron was skeptical and over a drink admitted he was a member of the KKK. The two became friends and eventually the man gave Davis contact information on KKK leaders. A few years later, Davis decided that he wanted to interview Klan members and write a book on the subject, to answer a "question in my head from the age of 10: 'Why do you hate me when you know nothing about me?' That question had never been answered from my youth". Davis eventually went on to befriend over twenty members of the KKK, and claims to have been directly responsible for between forty and sixty, and indirectly over two hundred people leaving the Klan.Over the course of his activities, Davis found that Klansmen have many misconceptions about black people, stemming mostly from intense brainwashing in their youth. When they got to know him, Davis claims, it was more difficult to maintain their prejudices. The artist has recounted his experiences in his 1998 book, Klan-destine Relationships: A Black Man's Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan. Davis is not on a mission to "convert" bigots, white supremacists, Klansmen, or Nazis. Rather because of the earnest respect he offers all human beings and his core beliefs in the power of love, respect, fairness and his willingness to listen and find the heart of "the other," people are moved and transformed. Over 200 Neo-Nazis, Klansmen and others who belong to organizations that preach hate have chosen to leave those organizations and give Daryl their robes, flags, insignia, and other symbols of hate. https://www.daryldavis.com/ https://twitter.com/RealDarylDavis Jeff Schoep, once America’s most notorious neo-Nazi, now a consultant for the Simon Wiesenthal Center and an inspirational speaker for Conscious Campus, tirelessly holds keynote talks, lectures, and workshops from his unique vantage point. For over 2 decades, Schoep led America’s largest neo-Nazi organization, the National Socialist Movement (NSM), overseeing its growth to a nationwide movement. Beginning in 2016, through interactions with a black musician, Daryl Davis, and a Muslim film maker, Deeyah Khan, Jeff began to question not only his work, but his entire life. Experiencing relational dialogue and interpersonal relationships with those he once vilified changed Jeff’s life forever. In 2019, he left the the NSM and publicly denounced the ideology. Jeff Schoep transitioned from mastering propaganda that promoted hatred and fear dedication to speaking about our shared humanity. He provides unique insights into the inner workings of far-right extremism from first hand knowledge and personal experience. Jeff has spoken nationally and internationally, from synagogues to universities, from broadcasts to speaking at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway with Deeyah Khan. In 2020, Jeff founded Beyond Barriers, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to a world devoid of extremism, radicalized organizations, hate, violence, coercive and violent ideologies. In addition to working alongside both community and government agencies, such as the Office of Juvenile Justice Department (OJJDP), Jeff and his organization, Beyond Barriers, have worked with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, RAND Corporation, International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE), mental health professionals, academic research and development teams, as well as religious and educational institutions across the United States and abroad. https://twitter.com/SchoepJeff https://beyondbarriersusa.org/ https://jeffschoep.com/

From his earliest years growing up between a clinic and hospital in his native Guatemala, Miguel Rivera has been learning and practicing healing. Veering from traditional medical paths of his parents and family Miguel's journey led him to the drum and ceremonies rooted in the earth. For over 50 years, Miguel's work has included talking circles, vision quests, Sundances and he has participated in well over 5,000 sweat lodges. He is a founding member of the Western Gate Roots and Wings Foundation, a member of the Guild of Future Architects and a Board Member for Wolf Connection. David and Miguel discuss his journey to learn these ceremonies from Native American elders, how he uses these teachings to help youth, veterans, as well as his work with people from all cultures. His journey has led him to work with Robert Bly, Dan Hillman, native elders Wallace Black Elk, Raymond Stone, Grace Spotted Eagle and so many others. Through all of his work, Miguel looks to bring people into a collaborative, kind, inclusive and prosperous world. An accomplished drummer, and a man in love with the language of sound, Miguel taught drumming at the Men’s Conferences in Mendocino and Los Angeles from 1991 to 1995 and in Minnesota from 1993 to the present. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Soldier’s Heart, Shade Tree, a mentoring group in Los Angeles. Along the way he has translated all the works of Humberto Akabal, outstanding Maya- K'iche' poet and artist from Guatemala. In addition Miguel has accumulated a lengthy list of film and tv credits for his work in sound effects and editing. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0729365/

Chrysta Bilton is an American writer and memoirist. Her first book, the memoir Normal Family: On Truth, Love, and How I Met My 35 Siblings, was published in July 2022 by Little, Brown in the US and Octopus in the UK. The book was listed among Kirkus's Best Nonfiction Books of 2022 and named a 'best' or 'must-read' book of Summer 2022 by The Washington Post, The LA Times, Vanity Fair, People Magazine, Amazon, and many others. The Sunday Times called Normal Family "a testament to human resilience, forgiveness and humour" and People Magazine called it "a riveting debut." The Atlantic wrote that "Normal Family will, in the very best way, leave you wondering what [family] actually means." Chrysta lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. Chrysta's 'family' is spread widely across the country. Please tune into our delightful, humorous and enormously touching conversation.