Generation Change with Leo Finelli

Poet and queer troublemaker Kelsey Day joins the pod to talk about their experience growing up in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina, their poetry, and their young adult debut, The Spiral Key. It's a summer reading recommendation in the form of an interview! Follow Kelsey on Instagram: @kelseydays Visit Kelsey's website: www.kelseydays.com Follow Leo Finelli on Instagram ⁠...

Jack DiPrimio, a Masters of Public Affairs student at Brown University and a survivor of the 2025 shooting at Brown, joins Leo this month to talk about how he first got interested in politics, his undergraduate studies at American University, his op-eds in the Brown student newspaper, and his advocacy for gun violence prevention. Follow Jack on Instagram @jackdiprimio , on Facebook @jack.diprimio....

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so we're spotlighting Unquiet - a new composition for jazz quintet and string orchestra that uses music to explore the experiences of people living with mental illness, open up conversations, and build empathy. Unquiet composer Shelbie Rassler, producer Mark Rabideau, and mental health advocate Penelope Oliver join the podcast to talk about how Unquiet wen...

Katy Ho, an Asian feminist writer and activist, joins Leo on Generation Change to talk about how she started her writing journey, her friendship with our previous Generation Change guest Katey Parham, some of the events that she's been able to attend, and the impact that she has made with her Substack, BAD ASIAN, which has more than one thousand followers! Follow Katy on Instagram: @katyho_ Re...

This month's interview is with Saia Darira, an environmental health researcher who is passionate about exploring the mental health and physical health impacts of climate change. Saia and Leo talk about Saia's studies at Arizona State University and Columbia University, her research on eco-anxiety, and how she takes care of her own mental health. Follow Saia on Instagram: @climategirly Lear...

Olivia Berry and Megan Kryk, co-founders of Radical Catalyst Art and Literary Journal (where Leo is currently doing an editorial internship!) join Leo to talk about why they decided to start Radical Catalyst, how they put together the first issue, and the impact that they hope Radical Catalyst will have. Follow Radical Catalyst on Instagram! Radical Catalyst Official Website Apply for Internships...

Leo starts off the new year by interviewing Isaiah Kabban, a nineteen-year-old youth leader and researcher. Leo and Isaiah talk about Isaiah's work with the American Youth Association, his fellowship with Grassroots Democrats HQ, his friendship with our previous Generation Change guest Sidney Stern, and his own podcast, Hail to the Pod, which he co-hosts with his two friends. Follow Isaiah on...

In the final episode of 2025, Isabela Valencia joins Generation Change to talk with Leo about her world travels, her experiences at COP29 and New York City Climate Week, and the need for stronger and more effective climate conversations. Follow Isabela on Instagram: @isabela_valencia

Generation Change with Leo Finelli celebrates 5 years on the air (!) and begins Season 6 with an interview with Kiara M. Tanta-Quidgeon. Kiara is an enrolled member of the Mohegan Tribe, a public health researcher, and a youth advocate committed to centering Indigenous voices in the pursuit of health equity and cultural preservation. Leo chats with Kiara about her passion for public health and hea...

Season 5 of Generation Change concludes with an interview with Addisyn Mayer, a middle school student in honors classes with an outstanding record of civic engagement and leadership. Leo and Addisyn talk about where Addisyn's passion for politics began, the inspiring leaders whom she's met along her journey, and her 1,300+ hours of community service. Leo's next children's book, THE...

Jayveon Tucker, an accomplished advocate from Roanoke, VA, joins Leo on Generation Change to talk about his volunteering experience, his student government campaigns in high school and college, and what's motivating him in our current political moment. Follow Jayveon on Instagram: @jayveonforva

Filmmaker and NYU grad Sydney Shear stops by Generation Change to chat with Leo about her participation in the Emmy-nominated documentary series "Social Studies," her own short films "Autumn Leaves" and "The Fine Line," and the impact that she hopes to make as a writer and director. Follow Sydney on Instagram: @sydneyshear Follow Sydney's film, "Autumn Leaves...

Mikah Rector-Brooks, a gun violence prevention activist, trans rights activist, and University of Michigan alum, joins the podcast to chat with Leo about why they joined March For Our Lives, the bills they helped pass in the Michigan State House, and the exciting next steps in their life journey. Follow Mikah on Instagram: @mikahrectorb

Julia Luz Betancourt, an independent multimedia journalist, stops by Generation Change to chat about the books that she wrote and self-published as a teenager, her student advocacy at St. John's University, and why grassroots journalism is necessary in these difficult times. Follow Julia on Instagram: @julialuzbetancourt Jennalynn Fung's "bombshell" article (talked about in episode): https://mediu...

Youth organizer Isaac Nuttall joins Leo to talk about being diagnosed with autism, the many places in which he's lived, how he started a speech and debate club at his school, and what he thinks the Democrats need to do to win in 2026, 2028, and beyond. Leo's first children's book, SEVEN SLICES OF LIFE, has been out for a whole year now! Check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/Seven-S...

Activist and digital strategist Katey Parham joins Leo to talk about attending Vanderbilt University, protesting for gun reform at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, and working as a social media strategist for various Democratic politicians and campaigns. Follow Katey on Instagram: @kateyforchange

Leo interviews Joey Pisani, a young activist and organizer from Massachusetts who's currently running for Student Government Association Senator at Suffolk University, about growing up in Western Mass, canvassing in different states during the 2024 election cycle, and marching forward in difficult political times. Follow Joey on Instagram: @joey_pisani Joey's student government campaign: @joeypisa...

Leo interviews Zoe Touray, a survivor of the 2021 Oxford High School shooting and an advocate for other survivors, about healing in the aftermath, meeting other survivors of gun violence, and going to college at North Carolina A&T, a historic HBCU school. Follow Zoe on Instagram: @zoe_touray Zoe's website: survivorsembrace.org

In our first episode of the new year, Penelope Oliver, an 18-year-old multihyphenate of advocacy and creativity from Sacramento, CA, chats with Leo about her nonprofit, All Access Arts, her love for writing poetry, her interview with California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and so much more! Follow Penelope on Instagram: @penelopethepowerfulpoet

Leo interviews Sidney Stern, an organizer and assistant with Grassroots Democrats HQ and a sophomore at American University. Sidney shares how she got started, what she likes about going to school in DC, and how Grassroots Democrats HQ makes sure that no volunteer is left behind. NOTE: This episode was recorded before Election Day.

On the first episode of Season 5, Leo meets Avi Dhyani, a youth organizer, advocate, and the youngest Democratic National Convention delegate from Georgia in 2024. Through strategic outreach and digital advocacy, Avi is determined to ensure that every voice, regardless of background or ability, shapes our political future. The election is in 4 days! Go to iwillvote.com to find the hours and locati...

Previous Generation Change guests Elijah Pelton and Krissy Oliver-Mays return for a special group discussion with Leo about the issues that are important to them in the 2024 election and what's at stake on November 5. Follow Elijah on Instagram: @elijahpelton Follow Krissy on Instagram: @k.rystalynn Register to vote at: vote.org

Leo interviews Yalini Gopalswamy, Sara Beg, and Anna Rajesh, the Gen Z founders of EnVi Crochet, about how they came together, what they do when they're not crocheting, and their mission to plant a new tree for every dollar they earn. Follow EnVi Crochet on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/envi.crochet/ Visit their website: https://www.envicrochet.org/

James Crocker, a 17-year-old activist and content creator from Granby, Connecticut, chats with Leo about his nonprofit Letters For Our Elders and his LGBTQ advocacy. Follow James on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamescrockerrr/

Leo interviews Emily Peng, a 15-year-old student who serves as the founder and CEO of DyeversityInUs. Emily tells Leo about how she started her organization, what happened at her first event, and her plans to spread her message and reach more people. Follow DyeversityInUs on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dyeversity_inus/ Check out the official website: https://www.dyeversityinus.org/