A Change is a Chance

In this episode, I talked with director of Harvard's Making Caring Common, Dr. Richard Weissbourd. Focused on developing empathy and a sense of justice in children, while reframing how adults perceive student success, Dr. Weissbourd explained both how quality educational institutions are often privileges and that with such academic pressures, students often feel overstressed. In his work to im...

In this episode, I was joined by influential youth organizer and current New Media Deputy for the Mayor of LA, Victor Shi, about the current state of youth activism in America and the ongoing fight for youth voices in politics. From discussing structural barriers against youth influence, to understanding widespread youth apathy and the dominant narrative of social media, Victor helped me see a bro...

In this episode, I interviewed the Director of the Children's Orchestra Society, Yeou-Cheng Ma. A violin prodigy herself, Yeou-Cheng explained how she teaches music through life lessons and values, rather than just practice. Through COS, a non-profit that teaches classical music to youth through life lessons and values, Yeou-Cheng builds students of character and passion, preparing them for a...

In this episode, I talked with Ms. Alastair Boone, executive director of the Oakland and Berkeley newspaper, Street Spirit, which focuses on telling stories by and about local people facing homelessness, while allowing all profits to go to those very people. I, personally, have never taken the necessary time to understand this crisis in our country, but Ms. Boone helped me to see the human within...

In this episode, I spoke with Mr. Rob Shriver, the former leader of the Office of Personnel Management in the Obama and Biden administrations, and a current leader in the organization, Democracy Forward, a national legal non-profit that advances democracy and social progress through litigation, public education, and regulatory engagement. We discussed the current state of America, from how the Tru...

In this episode, I spoke with Ms. Anuradha Mittal, the founder and executive director of the non-profit, the Oakland Institute, a policy think tank known for its research on land rights, development justice, and anti-neocolonialism. From land grabs, to climate justice and corporate greed, we dove into major climate political issues and the lies and misconceptions surrounding each. We discussed how...

In this episode, I discussed with Mrs. Kym Johnson, co-founder of the NIA Endowed Scholarship, an organization that provides students with the opportunity to attend private school, and CEO of BANANAS Inc, a non-profit that works to provide affordable early education and child care for families in need. As the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) ravages government programs that support educa...

In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Wil Burns, founder of American University's Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal, an organization that researches and advises on carbon removal technology through policy, society, education, and social justice. We discussed the future of climate change and what we must do as a planet to prevent our demise. Unfortunately, the world is nowhere near safety fr...

In this episode, I talked with renowned civil rights lawyer, Jon Greenbaum, where we discussed the 2024 Election, what we can expect in the next 4 years, and the consequences of a second Trump presidency. Mr. Greenbaum explained to me the areas that would see the most impact, from immigration, to basic civil rights and the lack of checks and balance in our government. While the majority of our tim...

In Episode 39, I talked with Tara Murtha, Director of Impact and Engagement at the Women’s Law Project in Pennsylvania. We discussed the current state of reproductive autonomy in America, the origins of this fight, and the legacy the issue might have on our nation after this pivotal election. Ms. Murtha explained just how essential these rights are and also why the efforts to dismantle these right...

In this episode, I talked with Penn Carey Law School Professor, Kermit Roosevelt III, about his ideas for a new American narrative that better embodies the ideals and struggles of today. In his book, “The Nation that Never Was”, Professor Roosevelt explains how the 1776 founding of America we all know does not actually represent the creation of the nation we live in now. Rather, it is the Civil Wa...

Jonathan Zimmerman, Professor of History of Education at the University of Pennsylvania joins me in this episode to discuss how American political discourse has become a world of toxicity. Professor Zimmerman explained the intricate roots of such culture wars, from reframing American history to defining secularity in schools. From talking with him, I learned how the country has become conditioned...

In this episode, I talked with Maggie Tokuda-Hall, author of many award-winning literary works, ranging from fantasy novels to picture books. She recently visited my school to talk about her books, how they related to social justice, and the true importance of books in a child's life. During our conversation, I got to hear her unique perspective on the writer's process, the duties of a min...

It's not a surprise that more than 70% of Gen-Z are concerned about climate change but only 30% are actively engaged in climate activism. This episode dives into what one group of young climate activists in the Bay Area have created, how it has inspired many others to find their community and use their voices. Finn Does is a current co-chair of BAYCS and he talks about their work, inspiration...

In this episode, I talked with film-maker and activist Jon Osaki, who has dedicated his time to educating audiences on Asian-American history and identity. Mr Osaki has produced three documentary films, revealing the truths behind Japanese incarceration, shattering the Model Minority Myth, and activating Afro-Asian solidarity respectively. We talked about the history of Asian-American discriminati...

In this episode, I talked with an alumnus of Head-Royce School (my high school), Quinn Lewis, who recently graduated from Harvard, and wrote her thesis about corporate lobbying and why these companies have such a strong pull on our governments with regards to climate action. Everyone has heard the term corporate lobbying, but Quinn brought to light just how intertwined this term is with climate, a...

Adriana Cosgriff is a former US Department of State Program Manager and Lecturer at the Harvard Chan C-CHANGE Youth Summit of Climate, Equity, and Public Health, a program I attended this past summer. My interview with Adriana left me with hope and optimism as we discussed the numerous ways youth can tap into programs and grants to aid them in their cause. We discussed how the divisive legislative...

In this episode, I interviewed Deepa Sood, CEO of Citizen Grown, a company focused on democratizing cannabis industry. Cannabis has always been a rather controversial topic, but there are long-forgotten truths behind its stigmas and the actual positive effects it can have on people and communities. A long history of propaganda has buried this sprouting industry deep in negative association and unj...

This is the 30th episode of A Change is a Chance, so I thought it was a good time to bring it back to the reason this podcast was created: a young desire to make change! It is very fitting that this episode features Ella Niederhelman, someone who has been driving change through activism since 6th grade! Ella is a senior in high school who has worked in environmental journalism as well as interning...

In this episode, I discussed with Professor john a. powell, the director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, about the problems with the term DEI, how human nature perpetuates those problems, and just how deep the institutionally racist structures in America really are. I learned from him what it takes to build transformational bridges across different ideals, and saw how vast...

Part of a special series on A Change is a Chance focusing on youth climate activism, Episode 28 features guests from Plastic Tides' Global Youth Mentorship (GYM) Program. Plastic Tides is a non-profit ocean conservation organization looking to inspire action through education and empowerment towards a plastic-free future. I learned about Plastic Tides through an interview with its co-founder,...

In this episode, I talked with Mr. Torrealba, the Member Mobilization and Engagement Organizer of the non-profit Climate Justice Alliance, an organization dedicated to inspiring change in frontline communities, building resilient, equitable economies, and exposing false promises posed as “solutions”. I talked with him about environmental or climate justice, the intersection between the environment...

In this episode, I talked with Mr. Rajendran Dandapani, the President of Zoho Schools of Learning, an alternate course of higher education, free to all, that focuses on what comes after school. We talked about how higher education lacks the necessary preparation for one's career path, despite the high cost and selectivity. We also discussed how Zoho Schools is providing opportunities for the more...

In this episode, I talked with Ms. Alison Lingane, the co-founder of the non-profit organization, Project Equity, where she and her co-workers help businesses transition into employee-owned businesses. Despite this being the first time I had heard of employee ownership, I learned so much from her, from the structural benefits of employee ownership itself, to Project Equity's standout successes. Ms...

In this episode, I talked with Ms. Shadille Estepan, the Communications and Creative Manager at Born This Way Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Lady Gaga, focused on helping youth to build a kinder, braver world. Our conversation went over the teen mental health crisis, to the programs Born This Way Foundation has to counter it, and how parents can help brighten their kids' future....