find your cause

In this interview, Cynthia Manuel, executive director of Heavenly Cynt Youth Org, explains the organization’s mission to empower youth through mentorship, literacy, life skills, sports, and positive community connections, rooted in her brother’s 1998 death from street violence and her desire to protect and expand opportunities for youth in Chicago’s North Lawndale. She describes using exposure as...

Partner with us: https://calendly.com/gtzp/gtzp-impact-alignment Saaim Khan spent 20 years inside some of the world's largest cybersecurity consulting firms before stepping away to build something he could not find anywhere else. Not a bigger firm. Not a flashier one. Just an honest one. As Managing Director of Cyber Matters, Saaim built a company around radical transparency, a flat structure wher...

A shooting happened right next door to her youth center. She closed for one day. Then she opened back up on Monday. LaTanya Johnson is the Executive Director of LaTanya and the Youth of Englewood, a 501(c)3 that has been serving children ages five and up in Inglewood, Chicago since 2013. Recreational activities, educational programming, mentorship, entrepreneurship, community events, and family su...

Sarah Albus was a college soccer player at Vanderbilt, a mom of four, and completely done with her first career when her daughter Hannah, born at 25 weeks with cerebral palsy and visual impairment, asked where her skis were. That question changed everything. In this episode, Sarah shares how she launched Open Door Sports in 2017 with no nonprofit experience, how six schools said yes before she had...

Is the Philippines actually "Gay Friendly," or is that just a myth? In this episode, Eljay Bernardo, Executive Director of Rainbow Rights Philippines, reveals the shocking legal reality for the LGBTQ+ community. From "gayness" being used as a legal ground to lose your property in annulment cases to archaic vagrancy laws used by police to target gay men, we pull back the curtain on why "being frien...

How does basketball shape confidence, identity, and leadership in young women around the world? In this episode of Find Your Cause, Joseph speaks with Angela R. Lewis, founder of Angela Lewis Basketball, about using sport as a platform to build confidence, character, and courage on and off the court. Angela shares lessons from her journey as a Division I athlete, coach, author, and global youth me...

As we step into a new year, we’re taking a moment to look back at some of the most meaningful conversations from 2025. This New Year reflection episode revisits standout moments from Find Your Cause, highlighting voices that challenged narratives, strengthened communities, and grounded hope in evidence, culture, and human connection. From rehumanizing youth through hip hop and building economic pa...

In this episode of Find Your Cause, Joseph talks with Dr Spencer Lalk , founder of Med Story Studio , about how evidence based medical stories can compete with fear based health influencers. Spencer shares the story of his mom’s cardiology scare, why she left a long awaited visit more confused than before, and how that moment led him to create clearer, more human health education. They dig into ru...

In this episode, Diana M. Canant, Executive Director of LifeSpheres, shares how people heal through presence, guided dialogue, and community support rather than advice or isolation. She explains the Peer Community Co Care Program, a process that helps individuals resolve trauma safely, rebuild resilience, and support one another through structured, one-on-one sessions. Diana breaks down the psycho...

What if music could break down racism? John Gardner, Executive Director of the World Music Foundation, has dedicated his life to proving that it can. In this episode, John shares how music creates real human connection across cultures, dissolves prejudice, and opens doors to understanding that conversations alone often cannot. From global touring to community work in Chicago, his mission is simple...

What if hip hop could heal communities? In this episode, Joseph sits down with Khafre Jay, Executive Director of Hip Hop For The Future, to explore how he’s using hip hop to tackle public health, misinformation, and systemic inequity across the Bay Area. From raising nearly $250,000 to fund grassroots health programs, to creating safe spaces like Flow Lounge where people use rap as therapy, Khafre...

Most people think human trafficking looks like the movie Taken. Dr. Kisha Roberts-Tabb says it’s often much closer to home. In this episode of Find Your Cause , host Joseph Smalzer talks with Dr. Kisha, community psychologist, founder of the Social Butterflies Foundation , and creator of Girls Night Out Chicago , about what trafficking really looks like in our neighborhoods, why victims rarely see...

In this episode of the Greater Than Zero Podcast, Joseph speaks with Marlon Richardson, Executive Director of Hip Hop For Change, Inc. Based in Oakland, this nonprofit uses grassroots activism and hip hop culture to educate about socio economic injustices and advocate solutions. For over 12 years, Hip Hop For Change has reclaimed hip hop as a vehicle for education, empowerment, and employment, rea...

What if generosity could be part of your daily life, not just a once-a-year act? In this episode, Joseph Smalzer speaks with the founders of Bgiving , a social impact platform designed to make giving simple, transparent, and personal. The team shares how they are using technology to connect donors, volunteers, and nonprofits in one seamless ecosystem where every contribution matters. From supporti...

What happens when housing, mental health, and employment come together under one mission? In this episode, Joseph Smalzer speaks with Patty Capouch and Vince Henigan of Impact Behavioral Health Partners, an organization helping people with mental illness live independently through safe housing, clinical care, and job support. Founded during the deinstitutionalization era, Impact has grown from a s...

When families are forced to flee their homes, starting over in a new country can feel impossible. In this episode, Joseph Smalzer speaks with Shawn Smith, Executive Director of Global Impact Initiative, about how his team helps refugees rebuild their lives in Central Texas. From finding housing and learning English to gaining employment through CDL training and the Refugee Sewing Collective, GII p...

In this episode we interview Livi Kerszenbaum, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Orange County United Way. Orange County United Way’s mission is to improve lives in Orange County by delivering measurable long-term solutions to complex issues in education, financial stability, health and housing.  Orange County United Way’s unique approach comes from an understanding that...

In this episode we interview Isaac Esene, Founder/Director at GoodWorks. GoodWorks’s belief is clear: to create safer communities, we must foster a more informed and proactive generation. Beyond just witnessing, we are cultivating a generation equipped to act, ensuring fewer preventable deaths and injuries in emergencies. Through tailored workshops, strategic partnerships, and cultural engagement,...

In this episode we interview Robb Munger, Founder & President of Exodus Place. Exodus Place’s mission is to Glorify God by meeting each man where they are. We provide a hand up rather than a handout by equipping these men with physical, emotional, mental and spiritual tools for successful reintegration into the community.  Exodus Place is the largest transitional Housing Facility for men in Mi...

In this episode we interview Elizabeth Cushing, CEO at Playworks. Playworks’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to transform children’s physical and emotional well-being. With more than 25 years of experience, the organizati...

In this episode we interview Diana Canant, Founder and CEO at LifeSpheres. LifeSpheres’s mission is to To build resilience that empowers people to thrive by resolving trauma in peer-communities globally. LifeSpheres, a California 501(c)(3) Public Charity and a South African NPO, facilitates trauma healing through a community program. They create safe spaces for deep listening and mutual support, a...

Lynn Margherio, founder and CEO of Cradle to Crayons, discusses the mission of the organization to end clothing insecurity for children. She shares her personal inspiration for starting the organization and the initial activities they undertook to understand the needs of families. Lynn highlights the growth of Cradle to Crayons over the past 20 years, from supplying 2,000 packages to children in t...

In this episode we interview Nate Pietrini, Ed. D., Executive Director at High Jump. High Jump equalizes access to education for Chicago middle school students who have exhibited academic ambition and potential and who are of limited economic means. We provide academic enrichment, counseling and support to students of diverse backgrounds, with the goals of sending our participants to superior coll...

In this episode we interview Ausra Tallat-Kelpsa Di Raimondo, Board President at Blue/Yellow USA. Blue/Yellow USA's mission is to provide medical care, humanitarian, and non-lethal aid to Ukraine. Blue Yellow USA's mission is to provide non-lethal medical aid and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. They deliver aid to high-risk areas near the front line and underserved areas. The organization was founded...

In this episode we interview Vriti, Co-founder & President and Mike Peck, VP at Ed3 Dao. Ed3 DAO’s mission is to empower educators with the knowledge and tools in emerging technologies like AI & Web3, ensuring every student is equipped for the future workforce. Ed3 DAO is a global community for educators who wish to catalyze innovation in education and reimagine learning with emerging tech...