Let’s Get Changed

Today we speak with Kira Willey, the Founder and CEO of Kira Willey Productions, about her approach to building mindfulness in kids and adults through key strategies of movement, music, and other unique ways of storytelling. Kira walks us through her evolution as a musician and yoga teacher, the inspiration for her work and music, and how she engages kids, teachers, and schools nationwide and beyond in creating environments of mindfulness. Kira also talks about how this work can be especially important for adults in business and workplace settings where building a sense of community and teamwork is critical to organizational success. Throughout today’s episode, you’ll hear a few of Kira’s songs to set the tone and give you a little taste of her diverse and powerful repertoire. With a voice and message that everyone can love, we are thrilled to host Kira on the podcast. Enjoy the episode — and the sweet tunes!

Today we check in with Rachel Martinez, the President of the Hispanic Organization for Progress and Education in Wyoming focused on educational resources for the Hispanic community. Ms. Martinez also happens to be the Executive Director of the Wyoming Civic Engagement Network, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing civic participation in marginalized and under-resourced communities while building the voting power necessary to win on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. The importance of voting in a state dominated by the Code of the West, base-building and the importance of trust-based coalition work, the role of funders, and Latino leadership development — we cover a lot of ground today, so we hope you stick with us and like what you hear!

Today we speak with Ms. Clarenda Stanley, the CEO, President, and Farmpreneur behind Green Heffa Farms near Liberty, North Carolina. Farmer Cee owns and operates one of the very few black, women-owned farming operations in the country, and holds the distinction of being the first  — and currently only —  black-owned farm that is also a certified B Corp. Over the course of the next hour, we chat with Farmer Cee about her history and upbringing that led her to create the Green Heffa Brand, her medicinal teas/herbs and service offerings, and her business leadership mantra that shuns spiritual raggedness, resource hoarding, and harm to the planet in favor of ‘growing right.’ For those interested in agriculture as a force for good, this episode’s for you.

We kick off our 2024 series with a long time friend, colleague, entrepreneur and rising reality-television superstar, Elizabeth Poett from the esteemed Rancho San Julian on the southern end of California’s central coast. Her 14,000 acre, seven-generation cattle ranch has seen a lot over its nearly 200 year family history, and recently, you too may have seen a lot of Rancho San Julian on Magnolia Network’s new series, Ranch to Table. In today’s episode, we chat with Elizabeth’s about her latest pursuits including the series itself, her new cookbook, and most importantly, how her lifelong investments in food, ranching, and farming are key strategies to bringing community together, building relationships, and supporting local economies. Listen in as we catch up, talk shop (ranch), and share some good laughs.

In our wrap-up of season 2, LGC team members Elizabeth and Shanna join Eric in reflecting on 2023, including the challenges and triumphs of the year amidst ongoing transition.  Join us as we celebrate championing inclusivity with 25 diverse guests across all industries, highlighting voices often unheard and underrepresented. We spotlight standout moments with exceptional professionals like Diandra Esparza, Sam Dennigan, Shaady Salehi, and others, sharing their insights and better-world tips.  The LGC team also delves into some exciting changes coming to the podcast while making a friendly pitch for guest ideas, show sponsors and your help in amplifying our show. Tune in!

Today, we sit down with Ericka Rodriguez, founder and CEO of Axiology, a plastic-free, vegan beauty company based in Bend, OR. Ericka speaks with us about her journey into cosmetics rooted in her personal lifestyle choices of being a lifelong vegan, valuing the outdoors and nature, but not being able to find products that mirrored her values. She touches on the challenges inherent in being an ethical beauty company including packaging challenges and sourcing raw ingredients that often include the ubiquitous, rainforest-destroying palm oil. She also chats with us about the role that social media has played in the evolution of the Axiology brand, what consumers can do to support waste-free businesses, and how she and her small team keep things fun, lively, and impact-driven as they churn out the latest and greatest in Planet First Beauty products.

Today we visit with James Joyce III, founder and Chief Visionary Officer for Coffee with a Black Guy. James is a proven analytical thinker, speaker and writer who addresses potentially tense situations head-on, with an emphasis on issues of race and diversity. We speak with James about the founding of Coffee with a Black Guy in 2016 and the importance of bridging the gap, holding space, and dialoguing around race-based topics. With racial injustice issues continuously at the forefront of our daily lives, this episode is as timely as ever and one you don’t want to miss. We cover a lot of ground — from how Covid-19 and George Floyd’s murder in 2020 impacted Coffee with a Black Guy’s programming, to the ongoing trauma faced by Black Americans, to the first steps companies should take when wanting to address issues of diversity and race internally. We hope listeners will find some inspiration here as you continue (or begin) your own anti-racist journeys.

In today’s episode, we speak with Shaady Salehi, Executive Director of the Trust Based Philanthropy Project and Roxana Shirkhoda, former head of social impact at Zoom. We’ll discuss the core tenets of Trust Based Philanthropy while delving into why traditional models of philanthropy are rooted in a historical context of exploitation and business-centered logic that doesn’t often serve the community organizations doing the work. They’ll talk about the importance of multi-year unrestricted funding, the importance of having corporate and tech partners taking up the Trust Based Philanthropy mantle, and share about how they’re working to influence the entire sector towards an equitable, anti-racist, and restorative approach to giving. Also, a bit about breath, stretching and yoga — but definitely not the dying of hair! Enjoy.

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Indosole’s CEO and founder Kyle Parsons. We talk about how a flip flop blow out in Seminyak led to the creation of this Bali-based footwear brand that uses recycled, or upcycled, tires as the main ingredient. Through their manufacturing process, Indosole has helped eliminate thousands of tires from ending up in landfills while employing local artisans and promoting conscious consumerism. I first met Kyle at Santa Barbara’s Earth Day festival 10-12 years ago, and it was great to reconnect on this episode to catch up. Slippers with soul… enjoy this chat with fellow B Corp and 1% for the Planet member, Indosole.

In today’s episode of Let’s Get Changed, we speak with Dr. Flávia Neves Maia, co-founder and Executive Director of Filha Do Sol, a Brazil-based nonprofit organization working with women at the frontlines of the climate crisis. We speak about the very real impacts of the climate crisis as Dr. Maia recalls how her own ancestors lived and died amidst great droughts in the Brazilian Northeast and themselves experienced climate-driven migration. We talk about a core feminist values set that helps guide the work of Filha Do Sol, the importance of relationship building and healing as critical in addressing climate issues, and the emerging Women’s Climate School now taking shape under Filha do Sol’s leadership to help provide green jobs, economic independence and much more to women in the tropics. Lot’s of good stuff to unpack here — tune in!