Voices That Propel Us: Stories of Justice, Action, and Community

Christina Kezar is passionate about serving her community and creating meaningful connections across the Bay Area. She works as a Clerk for the City of Richmond Superior Court, where she helps ensure accessible and efficient public service. Outside of her court work, Christina brings her energy and creativity to Off the Grid as an Event Coordinator and supports fan engagement for Oakland Roots SC—...

Jim Marshall is a polymathic intellectual who has devoted over 50,000 hours to the study and practice of multiple dimensions of human development. He received a classical education at a Jesuit Military School, was accepted into engineering school while still a junior in prep school, and attended college on academic scholarship. He graduated college with a Bachelor of Science cum laude. While still...

In this episode we are joined by Amy Acosta and her daughter, Fiona. Amy is a dedicated troop leader with the Girl Scouts, where she empowers young girls to discover their voices, build confidence, and develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills. Through her guidance, Amy helps her troop learn the value of teamwork, service, and community engagement—instilling in them a lifelong commitment to ma...

Recruiter. Program Manager. Financial Coach. Facilitator. Site Director. While Brian Luis has worn many job titles in his 15+ years in the Bay Area nonprofit sector, his passion for service to others has remained the same. A self-proclaimed forever optimist, he tries to find joy in a work that often can feel hopeless. Luckily, he's always been able to find it whether developing future leaders...

Reymundo Juan Armendariz is a longtime activist and organizer in the Chicano/Mexicano/Latinx community and co-founder of Community Agency for Resources Advocacy and Services (CARAS), a culturally based organization serving the South Santa Clara County. Reymundo has worked in the nonprofit world for 27 years providing youth justice advocacy, mentorship and services as well as housing and immigratio...

Kristina Robertson is a confessional spoken word performer, writer, and producer in Santa Clara, California. She has competed in 2 national poetry slam competitions. Her work has appeared in Overachiever Magazine, a digital platform giving a voice to all AANHPI Women and was published in Chopsticks Alley Art’s “Asian American Healing: A Nature Walk Guide.” Her first full length book of confessiona...

Alexander Sing is a Chinese cisgender little man in Oakland, California, with chronic health conditions and multiple disabilities. He enjoys communicating with friends and family. He works at the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, a nonprofit organization that supports individuals with disabilities and older adults in achieving independence. He also has a Bachelor's and Master of Arts...

Sam Castle is a certified Trauma-Informed Coach and the founder of Be You Do You Coaching, where his mantra is: “You don’t need permission to be who you are.” He lives in sunny California with his wife, Vanessa, and their fur babies, Hershey and Snicker. A transgender man, Sam is passionate about authenticity, kindness, and personal growth. After years of self-reflection, he began his gender trans...

As the founder of Rocki Reed LLC, Janae has dedicated her career to creating children's books that celebrate diversity, teach STEM concepts, and empower young readers to see themselves in the pages they turn. Her work bridges education and imagination, ensuring that children of all backgrounds feel seen, heard, and valued.

With 20 years of experience in higher education, community engagement, and the U.S. federal government, Kathleen established a consulting practice in 2004, now called Rooted Change Consulting . She has fully embraced this challenging and fulfilling journey. As a facilitator, coach, educator and consultant, she guides and supports individuals and groups building a world that makes room for and work...

Layel Camargo (they/them) is a trans and gender non-conforming Yaqui and Mayo cultural strategist, born in the unceded ancestral lands of the Kumeyaay, and indigenous to the Sonoran Desert. For over 15 years, Layel has advanced climate justice at the intersection of storytelling, cultural strategy, art-making, and non profit leadership. They are the co-founder of Shelterwood Collective, an 878-acr...

Elizabeth Tril is the founder of Oakland Soul Media and a storyteller at heart. With her camera always close by, she’s passionate about capturing the real, raw, and beautiful moments that make up community life. From protests in the streets, weddings, commercials, documentaries and more. Elizabeth sees her work as a way to lift up voices that deserve to be heard and to share stories that spark con...

Tacosha Bolanos is proof that community is built one conversation, one act of service, and sometimes one Little League game at a time. A proud mother of three and a dedicated volunteer for Little League, Tacosha pours her energy into creating spaces where kids—and neighbors—thrive. Whether she’s organizing games, cheering from the sidelines, or caring for her 87-year-old neighbor, her life reflect...

Voices That Propel Us: Stories of Justice, Action, and Community is where justice meets action and community voices rise. In each episode, we spotlight changemakers, disruptors, and everyday heroes working at the frontlines of equity and liberation. Through powerful storytelling and candid conversations, we explore what it means to build a more just world—together. This isn’t just a podcast; it’s...

Eden Lima is a passionate seeker of truth, equity, and self-empowerment whose journey into social justice began as a teen navigating the chaotic, often hostile terrain of the internet. Raised in a biracial home by an American mother and Guatemalan father, Eden witnessed the forces of ignorance and bigotry early on and chose education and curiosity as tools of resistance. From online subcultures to...

As a Dream Architect, Lanetta helps purpose-driven people not just dream about a better life, but actually build and live it. With her heart-centered coaching style and powerful SoulSync Method, she guides clients to align Spirit, Mind, and Body so they can create success from the inside out, breaking through fear and self-doubt to design and live a life they love—full of joy, purpose, and abundan...

Sam Castle is a certified Trauma-Informed Coach and the founder of Be You Do You Coaching, where his mantra is: “You don’t need permission to be who you are.” He lives in sunny California with his wife, Vanessa, and their fur babies, Hershey and Snicker. A transgender man, Sam is passionate about authenticity, kindness, and personal growth. After years of self-reflection, he began his gender trans...

Steven Cong is a queer Chinese American emcee and a West Coast native. He found a love for rap as someone who was an "outsider" in every way during his teenage years. Music became a safe haven to share his truths and center his voice. By extension, his songs center the voices of those who are often pushed to the margins, even though our experiences and perspectives can be just as universal. Steven...

Sneha Gandhi White is a passionate Empowerment Coach dedicated to helping women reconnect with their inner strength, voice, and purpose. With a deep belief in the power of healing, authenticity, and conscious growth, Sneha creates brave, inclusive spaces for individuals to unlearn limiting beliefs and step into their full potential. Drawing from her lived experience, cultural wisdom, and training...

Monique Pham-Louie is a social innovation strategist and proud AmeriCorps alum committed to designing systems that reflect the strengths, voices, and dignity of the communities they serve. She currently helps lead a global place-based initiative at a major tech company, focused on mobilizing cross-sector ecosystems to advance digital equity, economic mobility and community resilience. Her past wor...