The Upstander Ripple Effect

Lea and Drew Lachey have been reaching audiences for decades as singers, choreographers, and performers on screens big and small. Now they’re turning their sights from just entertaining people, to encouraging them to be the best of humanity. We were so pleased to welcome Lea to the podcast studio to talk about their project – a musical called label-less .  “It's really just about human storie...

In the face of darkness, every small act of courage and empathy can ignite a beacon of hope. That lens of dark versus light is how we’re examining stories in this episode.   “As I'm sitting there having this conversation with her, it's just chilling to think this person in front of me had this experience. This was not generations ago. I'm talking to the human being who spent the fir...

When was the last time you acted courageously? Maybe you don’t think of yourself as a courageous person. This episode can help change that. Dr. Cynthia Pury is an expert on courage, and researches the topic at Clemson University. She joined Jackie Congedo to talk about what it actually means to be courageous and how we can grow it.  “I now define courage as... taking a worthwhile risk.”   - Dr. Cy...

Throughout our lives, there are times and seasons when it’s required, or desired, to start something new. New beginnings can take many forms but there are some common elements to them – uncertainty, the need for bravery and resilience, and parts of oneself or one’s story that get left behind to make room for the new. “They made their way to Cincinnati, and they started their life - another new beg...

Thousands of students come through our doors every year here at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. One special class wrote books about being upstanders.  “You have to know not to judge the book by his cover, you have to actually go in depth to their into their character, into their heart.” - McKenzie Williams, Winton Hills Academy student  Julie Dellecave brought her class...

Jackie and Kevin start this conversation by remembering the life of a Cincinnati Holocaust survivor, Dr. Renate Neeman, z”l. As a young girl, she was hidden by the Dutch resistance - upstanders whom she credited with her survival. She shared her story for many years with students and others as part of our Coppel Speakers Bureau.   Jackie and Kevin discussed a recent Wall Street Journal article, “H...

If you’re in need of a healthy dose of hope, this episode is for you. Even if you don’t feel hopeful, we’re going to introduce you to an expert who can help you grow the character strength of hope that lies within all of us.   “What emerged was a new science of hope. And that really got me excited, because instead of it being something that you either had, or didn't have, or it came to you, t...

What is the American ideal? In this episode of the Upstander Ripple Effect, we dive into some of the characteristics that are often thought of when we talk about being an American – belonging and welcoming and also uniqueness and differences of perspective.     “The reality is that history doesn’t repeat itself. It echoes.”   - Jackie Congedo     To best think through our current times, we rely on...

Standing Up Strong with Dr. Roger Bretherton A special series of the Upstander Ripple Effect podcast  “Sometimes there's a critique of sort of positive psychology that says, this is very individualistic, it's just about making people feel better. And I would stand with you guys really in the sense of saying, ‘No, I actually think this is an issue that is for society. It's for a cult...

It’s time to celebrate the remarkable impact of upstanders. From commemorating Juneteenth to addressing the aftermath of an antisemitism controversy at Pride this year, local upstanders are making a pivotal difference. Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge take you into the archives at the Holocaust & Humanity Center, unveiling artifacts from a notable upstander in Cincinnati's Holocaus...

Character strengths are a set of 24 traits that are present in everyone, no matter their age, race, culture, or beliefs.  Sharing the science of these strengths is what Standing Up Strong is all about. Jake is the Senior Manager of Professional Development Trainings & Upstander Education at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. He works with groups from school age through...

One act by one person in one moment can have lasting effects, and  when we use our character strengths, there’s no limit to the kind of positive ripples we can start! That's the Upstander Ripple Effect. Hosts Jackie Congedo and Kevin Aldridge bring you the first podcast from the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Included in this episode, hear the sto...

Character strengths are the key to unlocking your potential to do good that you may never have heard of before. We sat down with one of the founding fathers of the field of positive psychology, Dr. Neal Mayerson to break down the science, and how it’s changing lives around the world. Nearly 25 years ago, Neal and a select few colleagues practicing in the field of psychology were using all the avai...

We pick up the second part of our conversation with Neal, one of the founding researchers in the field of positive psychology. Neal helped us lay the groundwork to understand the science of character strengths, and how they are key to unlock our potential to be upstanders.  Our top character strengths represent what we value most in the world, what is most essential about us, Neal explains. When w...

WHAT YOU DO IN THIS MOMENT MATTERS. The world needs more upstanders — people who stand up for themselves and others in the face of injustice — bending the arc of humanity toward its better nature. The first podcast from the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center features inspiring untold stories of courage and resilience from those who survived the Holocaust, curated exclusively fr...