How We Connected

On this week's How We Connected from the US Chamber of Connection, hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst kick off conference week at the Council on Foundations annual gathering in Seattle, where they're hosting a breakfast to make the case that connection is the next major frontier in philanthropy. They cover Charlotte's week in a Colorado cabin, an unexpected friendship struck up in a Pilates cl...

Welcoming, Structure, and the Party Within On this week's How We Connected from the US Chamber of Connection, hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst talk about a volunteer potluck party and brainstorming “National Welcome Week.” There's a recap on current work expanding partnerships and planning upcoming events. This week's feature interview is with Evan Cudworth, the world’s first “party coach,”...

More members isn’t always better Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst open How We Connected by reflecting on building community with the right goals, the importance of fun and resonance over sheer scale, and recent experiments in connection. This week’s interview is with Brandon DesJarlais, a world-renowned longboarder, based in Los Angeles and co-founder of Vibe Ride. He shares how a middle-school in...

On this week's How We Connected from the US Chamber of Connection, hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst discuss some recent connection experiments: Aaron hosted mostly male friends to watch Michigan win a basketball championship, while Charlotte attended a Seattle Community Builders Dinner where participants did simple drawing and collage activities about ideal “third places.” The interview this...

Hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst open How We Connected from the US Chamber of Connection with weekend updates - gardening, a Seattle Women’s Network gala, and Aaron’s son playing a high-school “assassin” water-gun game. At the Chamber there’s events planning, a branding refresh, and the Connected Cities Summit partnerships.  The featured interview this week is with Hanson Hunt, co-found...

Hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst introduce How We Connected from the US Chamber of Connection. On the show this week: Aaron’s Seattle-to–San Francisco trip for Yankees games, a surprise reunion, and reflections on organizing local “connection” leaders into a collective “us” rather than isolated efforts. This week’s featured guest is Shaka Mitchell, based in Nashville, who leads the Come...

Hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst debrief Seattle’s first “Best Day Ever” event in South Park, organized with Cultivate South Park and the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. The neighborhood has a tight-knit, majority-Latino character and some unique challenges. Best Day Ever brought people together from across the community for a day of fun, chocolate tasting, pizza-making and a stilt-led...

On this week’s How We Connected, hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey reflect on what’s going on at the US Chamber of Connection. There’s a pi(e)-themed, math-costume birthday gathering and a Seattle potluck for Thomas J. Watson Fellowship alumni. On the horizon, a health and wellbeing welcome night and a “Best Day Ever” neighborhood field trip. This week’s featured guest is Brian Robinson, who...

On this week's How We Connected, hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey catch up after Seattle’s successful club fair at the National Nordic Museum and there’s an update on the “Best Day Ever” event. Aaron has spent the week at spring training in Florida, while contemplating rebranding bars as “social clubs” to reset social norms. The featured interview this week is the return of Liz Cahill of Dec...

This week on How We Connected hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst reflect on Charlotte's reality-TV-competition-themed 30th birthday weekend: structured games, fondue dinner toasts, and life advice at midnight. Over at the U.S Chamber of Connection, they prepare for this week’s Seattle club fair at the Nordic Museum, the upcoming neighborhood “Best Day Ever” event in South Park, and a webinars...

In this episode of How We Connected from the US Chamber of Connection, hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst catch up on their weekends - Charlotte's elaborate reality-TV-themed 30th birthday party planning and Aaron's dinner debate about whether vampires are cannibals. Aaron shares updates on the upcoming Connected Cities Summit in Seattle, including plans for a "Declaration of Interdependence.”...

In this episode of How We Connected from the US Chamber of Connection, hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst discuss what’s happening at the Chamber. They welcome guest Haley, a community builder in Pittsburgh, who shares her background growing up in a small town, studying sociology and psychology, and moving to Pittsburgh during the pandemic. Dog walking helped her explore the city and meet peop...

In this episode of How We Connected, hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey discuss the importance of building connections and the role of repetition in forming strong friendships. They welcome guest Darilys, a community builder who shares her experiences and challenges in creating social groups in Boston. Darilys touches on the cultural differences between Puerto Rico and mainland U.S. and the im...

In this episode of 'How We Connected,' hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey talk about some unique celebrations and Charlotte's plans for her 30th birthday party. The main interview features an insightful conversation with Liz Cahill, a community builder in San Francisco, who shares her journey from feeling isolated in Philadelphia to creating vibrant, inclusive community spaces. Liz discusses h...

In this episode of 'How We Connected,' hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey plan for birthdays, travel and the glamour of the Grammies - as well as the latest at the US Chamber of Connection. The episode features an engaging and entertaining conversation with Lionel Brodie, founder of Original Propaganda Athletic Club (OPAC) in Philadelphia. Lionel discusses his journey from founding a high scho...

Seattle's Sauna Community Third Space  In this episode of 'How We Connected,' hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey share their weekend highlights and dive into their mission at the US Chamber of Connection. Their guest this week is Hannah Goldstein, founder of Tuli Lodge, a social sauna experience in Seattle. Hannah discusses how a trip to Norway inspired her to create a community-focused s...

Building Community Through Outdoor Adventure In this episode of 'How We Connected,' hosts Aaron and Charlotte discuss the importance of community and connection in America - and the launch of the State of Connection report. Their guest today is Tracy Stephens, founder of the BLK Hiking Club. Tracy shares his journey from a novice hiker to leading a thriving community of black hikers in the so...

What happens when you invite people to walk together and really see their city? In this episode of  How We Connected , Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey talk with Holden Minor Ringer, a Seattle community builder and transit advocate who believes walking is one of the simplest ways to fight isolation. Holden shares the story of walking more than 4,500 miles across the United States, relying on...

An Intentional Approach to Building Community In this episode of How We Connected, hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey discuss the importance of building connection and community in America. The conversation dives into Aaron's recent trip to Miami and Charlotte's adventurous holiday travel, highlighting the enriching experiences of spontaneity and connection. This week's interview features Gabr...

Building Connections through Innovative Social Clubs In this episode of 'How We Connected,' hosts Charlotte Massey and Aaron Hurst discuss community building and tackling the loneliness epidemic in America. They highlight their efforts at the US Chamber to create sustainable ecosystems for connection, including some insight into how we’re building the Chamber’s strategy for 2026 and beyond. The ho...

Building Community Through Fitness and Brunch with Miracle Olatunji In the second episode of 'How We Connected,' hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey introduce Miracle Olatunji, founder of Crunch and Brunch and the Seattle Wellness Summit. Miracle shares her journey of moving to Seattle, the inspiration behind combining fitness and brunch to foster community, and practical insights on scaling he...

Building Community & Wellness with James Tan, CEO, Yerbana In this insightful and inspiring first episode of How We Connected from the US Chamber of Connection, we are joined by James Tan, founder and CEO of Yerbana, a holistic wellness organization based in Seattle. James shares his journey from being an introverted, health-conscious kid to creating a thriving community centered around wellne...

How We Connected brings listeners inside the conversations that power communities right across the United States. Every week, hosts Aaron Hurst and Charlotte Massey share what they’re building at the US Chamber of Connection and the moments of connection showing up in their own lives. They then talk with a community leader from somewhere in the country about the relationships, collaboration, and h...