The Careers They Didn't Tell You About

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Andrea Chu (she/hers) to talk about the sustainable food sector and the importance of providing transparency to consumers around how their food is grown. With her role at Vital Farms and previous positions, she is passionate about finding more sustainable ways to feed the population and finding solutions that will withstand the test of time. In addition, Andr...

In this episode, Mariam has a conversation with Orlisha Fox (she/hers) about professional fundraising and careers in development. With over thirteen years of experience in nonprofit and government agencies, Orlisha talks about how she got started and her “why” to doing social impact work. She also speaks about the difference between doing development work at larger organizations versus smaller one...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Alex Edwards (he/him) to talk about his career in the think tank and public policy sector. Alex shares how working in a restaurant kitchen was a microcosm of the inequities of our society, and how that experience set him on an unconventional path into social impact. Mariam and Alex talk about everything from the nonprofit industrial complex to the impact of T...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Keenan Harrell (he/him) to talk about his career in community engagement at the NFL, COVID-19 response for North Carolina and making a big impact in big tech. He shares tips on how to make your own luck and shoot your shot when imagining what your social impact career could look like. Tune in on the conversations about how his lived experience has shaped the...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Kirby Page (she/hers) about how she became a 26-year-old Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Her journey in social impact leadership started in middle school, and she traces how working multiple jobs in college became a superpower when she entered the working world. Finally, she shares her perspective...

Mariam and Mai are on Easter break so we are re-sharing one of their favorite episodes to add some sunshine to you feed. Enjoy! ~~ Subscribe to the Second Day Email Newsletter for social impact jobs, career guides, and other industry news: ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/subscribe-now⁠⁠   Launch your social impact career with Second Day's resources at ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/⁠⁠    Follow Maria...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Maxwell Akuamoah-Boateng (he/him) about his career as an education management professional and his experience collaborating with various stakeholders in developing the next generation of leaders. Maxwell also touches on topics such as the tension in social impact between doing systems-level work and more immediate direct services, and how his lived experience...

Mariam and Mai are on spring break so we are re-sharing one of their favorite episodes to add some sunshine to you feed. Enjoy! ~~ Subscribe to the Second Day Email Newsletter for social impact jobs, career guides, and other industry news: ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/subscribe-now⁠⁠   Launch your social impact career with Second Day's resources at ⁠⁠https://www.secondday.org/⁠⁠    Follow Maria...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with the co-founder of Second Day, Phil Dearing. They talk about his new book, “Why Change Dies: Unleashing Your Potential for Social Impact.” Both founders engage in a conversation about power structures across the common domains of social change and Phil shared his inspiration on writing his book. To learn more about the book and further content, check out Phil’...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Kavell Brown (he/him) to talk about his work with corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the role of CSR departments within companies and corporations. He also touches on his work at LinkedIn and gives advice on how people can enter the space and look for entry-level opportunities. Growing up in the projects of New York City raised by his single mother alo...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Katie Carter (she/her) to talk about her work within social change organizations and philanthropy, specifically with the LGBTQ+ community, and how she developed multifaceted nonprofit leadership skills. Katie touches on her passion for advocacy for the queer community and gives advice for young people to address the lack of direct pathways into philanthropy....

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Ariel Davis (she/hers) to talk about her work supporting organizations that uplift cultural expression across diverse communities at The Arts Administrators of Color Network and how she found her path in the impact space. From playing the French horn to working in hospitality and restaurants, to now traveling across the country to talk to arts administrators,...

As we close out 2022, Mariam and Mai sit down to reflect on how Second Day thrived, struggled, and grew this year. We talk about memorable podcast conversations and how the people surrounding Second Day have made it into the incredible community that it is. Finally, Mariam shares a sneak peek into what is coming up in 2023! On behalf of the entire team, thank you for supporting this podcast and al...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Jaclyn Levy (she/hers) to talk about her work at AMR Action tackling the unexpected global challenges that COVID-19 brought upon the whole world and why we need to continue investing in the R&D of lifesaving drugs. She also explores the themes of VC funds for social impact and social good in the context of the healthcare industry and different career path...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Diana Thu-Thao Rhodes (she/hers) to talk about her work for the past 10 years at Advocates for Youth and her lifelong passion for supporting young people to better advocate for themselves and their communities, particularly in the world of politics and policy. Mariam and Diana spent this episode unpacking her journey through youth advocacy, and marveling at t...

In this episode, Mariam Matin sits down with Afnajjer Hernandez (he/him) about working in impact investing and sustainability. From working in R&D to investing in clean tech, Af has seen the many sides of how traditional 'for-profit' structures can be leveraged for making the world a better place. He is also the co-founder of VCFamilia, the largest Latinx Venture Capital organization w...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Emily Mochizuki Lutyens (she/hers) to talk about the role of ego in social change, and how following leadership she respected and trusted guided much of her professional life for the better. Emily grew up in London, Tokyo, and New Delhi and is passionate about making the world a more equitable and inclusive place. Emily has driven social change in education,...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Amber Córdoba (she/her) to talk about the power of CDFIs in supporting underserved small business communities. If you are interested in the power of entrepreneurship and mentorship as an engine for a more equitable society, this episode is for you. Amber Cordoba is a Certified Nonprofit Processional (CNP) and the Director of Business Education and Consulting...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Stanford Thompson (he/him) to talk about his career as a professional musician and the founder of Play On Philly (POP), a nonprofit organization that provides underserved children in Philadelphia a transformative music education experience. Stanford shares stories about how being a classical musician helped him realize the importance of music education from a...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Brittany Brady (she/hers) to talk about how to be a “learning” leader and the importance of defining success on your own terms. Brittany shares many stories about how she handles situations at her own workplace, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE), to create an open and welcoming space for her colleagues, as well as how healthy engagement help...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Adwoa Agyepong (she/her) and Alejandro Ruizesparza (they/them), active organizers, activists and abolitionists in Chicago Activism comes in different forms and requires lots of tools, however, being able to set boundaries between work and personal life is critical to maintaining a healthy and long standing career as an activist doing important work. Adwoa com...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Timothy Dean (he/him) to talk about being an advocate for Black people and his career as a social activist, community organizer and teacher. Growing up as a Black person in New York, TJ was exposed to protests and police brutality at an early age. This sparked his interest in protest work in college and as his career took off, he became more involved in commu...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Cristina Lara-Agudelo (she/her) to talk about her work as the Manager of Funder Learning & Investments at Common Future and what made her shift away from the traditional career narrative. Prior to Common Future, Cristina was the Program Manager for the Economic Inequality Initiative at Uncharted where she designed and executed a 6 month accelerator progra...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Desiree Stolar (she/her) to talk about her work at Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), a national nonprofit and network whose mission is to help and support talented underrepresented minorities’ path to senior leadership. As a Black woman and strong advocate for her community, Desirée wanted to facilitate change not just on the surface but from within o...

In this episode, Mariam sits down with Kaitlin Koga (she/her) to talk about her work at The Bail Project, issues related to the criminal justice system and mass incarceration in the United States, and how her childhood led her to pursue this path. Kaitlin strongly believes in the idea of putting yourself out there as her beginnings started from simple conversations with people and making them curi...