Sounds Good With Branden Harvey

Sounds Good Season Finale // If you've been looking for a sign to change your life, this is it. As you've probably figured out by now, life isn't a linear line. It's full of ups and downs, uncertainty, and confusion; however, what guides us through is intentionality. That's what illustrator and author Adam J. Kurtz's fourth book, You Are Here (For Now): A Guide to Finding Your Way, tackles. In it are essays and illustrations aimed to help readers with personal transformation — instead of simply living life getting through it day by day, Kurtz wants you to actually enjoy where you are and who you are. As a best-selling designer, artist, and public speaker (whose work has been featured in the New Yorker, NYLON, and more), Adam has dedicated his whole life to finding the humor, truth, and optimism in being alive. He channels the lessons he's learned through his art and wants you to know that it's all going to be okay. His art and stationary brand has been sold all over the world and he's amassed a big social med

The gap between good intentions and real change is a big one to fill. While many companies are interested in making their workplaces more diverse, it’s not enough to simply want more inclusion. It takes real systemic change to transform any professional setting into an equitable one and many value-driven organizations find themselves stuck at being just short of making real progress. Thankfully, that’s what our next guest is working to solve. Bethaney Wilkinson is the author of The Diversity Gap, a guide to instituting diversity efforts in workplaces. Bethaney’s lived experience as a Black woman in Georgia has been a driving force in writing The Diversity Gap. She's spent over 10 years working with values-driven organizations to diversify their teams, serve their neighbors, and pursue social change with integrity and authenticity. She’s also the founder of The Diversity Gap Academy, an online learning platform which aims to provide leaders with racial justice education. In this episode, Bethaney shares what r

Develop for Good pairs students with nonprofits to use tech to make a difference. The founder of the organization, Mary Zhu, is no stranger to the experiences of underserved communities. She’s the daughter of two Chinese immigrants and her cultural background was a huge driving force in helping see disparities in marginalized communities… and how to bridge those gaps. In high school, Mary even founded her first nonprofit organization — which aimed to sponsor children in underserved communities by selling cakes to the community. After spending four years at Stanford University, Mary noticed that technology and innovation weren’t intersecting with nonprofit spaces — so she decided to change this on her own. Now, she’s the co-founder and executive director of Develop for Good, a nonprofit program that “pairs, trains and supports student volunteers as they develop technical product solutions for nonprofits.” Students who are pros at technology are able to gain hands-on experience doing innovative and world-changi

Growing up in the racially and economically segregated suburbs of Maryland, Patrice Berry found herself wanting to work in U.S. policymaking after experiencing firsthand how hard it is for marginalized folks to finish school, get assistance, and provide for their families. She now works for the mayor of Oakland, California, working to improve local and state laws. It was there that she was inspired to found AssistHub, an app that helps Californians access any public benefits they may be eligible for. As it turns out, there’s a ton of unclaimed public benefits that’s available to everyone: $60 billion to be exact — and AssistHub is working to change that. Finding the intersection between technology and public good is something Patrice has done successfully. In this episode, Patrice talks about her work with Oakland’s local community-based organizations, the inspirations that drive her goals, and the misconceptions of what public benefits are — and how Patrice is working to deconstruct those misconceptions. G

After trading jazz for a Harvard education, this doctor chose to support refugees by not only working in a refugee camp in Turkey, but by developing an app that supports refugees’ unique healthcare needs. One of the major challenges of being a refugee is the lack of access to real healthcare, particularly for refugee women. But through the power of empathy and tech, there are now more avenues for refugees seeking proper care for their basic needs. This week, we are joined by Aral Sürmeli, a Harvard educated refugee healthcare provider. Sürmeli has worked to offer solutions through public advocacy and digital solutions for refugees seeking shelter, pregnancy care, and much more. After starting his Masters in Public Health at Harvard University in the fall of 2018, Aral launched the HERA app — a mobile app connecting refugee mothers and children with preventative healthcare. Before discovering his passion for refugee work, Aral spent his high school years in Turkey working for nonprofits and providing care for

Being an environmentally conscious consumer means shopping smarter, not harder. But with so much information and products in the world, it can be challenging to know where to start making choices that are good for the planet. Thankfully, our guest is doing the good work to help everyday folks make small, but valuable choices that benefit the environment. Laura Wittig co-founded Brightly — an online community and content platform that puts the environment first — to help consumers shop well for themselves and the earth. Before she co-founded Brightly, Laura worked in the world of tech: Adobe, Amazon, and Google. She used her expertise to create an online platform to educate people on sustainability. In this episode, Laura talks about how anyone can make gradual steps towards becoming more sustainable in a way that works for them. We discuss some climate change good news. She also shares what it means to be an imperfect environmentalist that continues to make progress, and how to shed the cycle of unnecessary w

After getting out of prison, Jason Wang committed to helping ex-felons get jobs, end generational poverty, and re-enter society. The United States’ incarceration system has made it nearly impossible for ex-felons to have a second chance at life. From the minute they’re incarcerated to the minute they’re released, the U.S. justice system imposes the strictest and harshest of penalties. There is little support for felons once they return to life after imprisonment, and readjusting to society without support is extremely hard. Ex-felons are held to impossible standards during probation and expected to comply with an average of 18-20 requirements every single day — and 68 percent of felons end up being rearrested within three years of being released. But there are people working to improve living conditions for ex-felons once they re-enter society. Free World is an organization working to end generational poverty and the chance of offenders reoffending, and is run by CEO Jason Wang, who is himself an ex-felon who

After a 7.2 earthquake struck the western part of Haiti last week, it’s been all hands on deck to help the country get back on their feet. This week, we’re talking to Christy Delafield, Managing Director of Communications at Mercy Corps, about the devastating effect the earthquake has had on Haiti and how Mercy Corps has been helping Haitians through this tragedy. Almost two weeks after the earthquake, Haiti is in need of treatment for the injured, access to food and shelter, COVID responses, help to rebuild infrastructure — and more. Mercy Corps is a global team of humanitarians who work together on the front lines of crisis, disaster, poverty and climate change. Their team in Haiti — made up primarily of local Haitians — has been working in Haiti for years prior to the earthquake, and is currently working to procure thousands of kits with essential supplies and solar lanterns, plus providing cash assistance to 5,00 families — and working to support Haitians long-term with climate change efforts and farming

Contacting an elected representative is an effective way to make change, but it might not always be clear how to make your voice heard. Our show guest today is Jason Putorti, one of the founders of Resistbot — a free and easy to use messaging service that connects constituents directly with their elected officials. In the four years that Resistbot has been around, they’ve helped millions of people advocate for causes they care about — all in less than two minutes. In short, Resistbot makes democracy quick and easy. Four years ago, Jason saw a problem in how complicated it can be to get your voice heard by our politicians. In this episode with Jason, we talk about his solution, how Resistbot redirects online chatter about important issues into action, and how numbers in a group really does make a difference in advocating for a cause. He also answers if politicians really care about what their constituents have to say. Guest: Jason Putorti, co-founder of Resistbot Text RESIST to 50409 to contact your elected

Mental health influencer Poppy Jamie is letting go of the idea of perfection. The British entrepreneur and lifestyle personality made the radical choice to unsubscribe from habits that were making her miserable and in her new book, Happy Not Perfect: Upgrade Your Mind, Challenge Your Thoughts, and Free Yourself from Anxiety, Poppy shares why anyone can benefit from letting go of ideas that no longer benefit us. In this episode, Poppy talks with us about our societal struggle with our egos, our lack of work/life balance, and why resting is the ultimate key to being at peace with ourselves. Her expertise in the field of making difficult, but necessary life changes for good will resonate with anyone who finds themselves struggling with their mental health. Guest: Poppy Jamie, Author of Happy Not Perfect: Upgrade Your Mind, Challenge Your Thoughts, and Free Yourself from Anxiety Order Happy Not Perfect from your local bookstore, follow Poppy on Twitter and Instagram, and check out the Happy Not Perfect app in t

Growing — whether in our personal or professional lives — requires change. But change can be terrifying, no matter what stage in your life you’re at. Fortunately, there are people who can help us deal with change — and show us how it can transform our lives and the communities around us. Josh Chambers has done it all. Prior to being an entrepreneur and the founder of the Moon March agency, he was an aid worker, an advertising executive, and a professional athlete. Now, with his agency, he helps people navigate change — and he helps businesses do good by helping them to their fullest potential. Whether he’s helping brands show what they do best through thoughtfully executed campaigns or helping business owners grow into their brand identity, Josh sets an example of how to make change work in our favor. No matter how scary, change can be an opportunity for growth and thanks to his decades of experience, Josh is able to share exactly how that mindset has benefited him and others. This is a bonus episode! Guest

Recycling glass turned this young founder into a TikTok star. Franziska Trautmann was at the end of her college career when her frustration at her city’s (New Orleans, Louisiana) lack of a recycling program for glass boiled over. But rather than just stewing on it, she jumped into action and created the solution that she wanted to see. With the help of her friends, Franziska set out to change her city for the better with her company, Glass Half Full. Today, Glass Half Full is a company that collects glass in New Orleans and converts it to beach-like sand and glass cullet which is then used for disaster relief, eco-construction, new glass products, and so many other things. Glass Half Full reimagines recycling — and they collect all this glass for free with the help of volunteers too. Franziska Trautmann and Glass Half Full are making the world a better place one glass collection at a time. Guest: Franziska Trautmann, Founder and Co-Director of Glass Half Full Visit Glass Half Full and make a donation to sup

Maggie Smith is an award-winning poet who shot to prominence in 2016 with her viral poem, Good Bones. Widely celebrated in the poetry community for her lyricism and her poetic style, Maggie’s poems have appeared in publications such as The New York Times and The Paris Review. Her bestseller, Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change (2020), was a breakout collection of personal essays and affirmations which launched her to new heights. Returning with Goldenrod — a collection of poems that explore themes such as parenthood, love, memory, and solitude — Maggie reminds us all of the magic of the present moment, the virtues of staying grounded, and the importance of human connection. In this episode, Maggie talks about being a recovering pessimist, raising her kids in times of injustice, and how poems — like people — evolve. Guest: Poet Maggie Smith Pick up Goldenrod from your local bookstore and follow Maggie on Twitter and Instagram. Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with

Petitions help people feel like they’re making change in the world — but do they really make a difference? Stuart Perelmuter, the founder of OD Action and Atadvocacy, has worked for over a decade to keep hundreds and thousands of people informed and engaged in progressive politics through cause-related community development. From launching his own action network to working as a communications strategist on Capitol Hill, Stuart Perelmuter has partnered with various candidates and causes — including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — to create a better world. In this episode, Stuart Perelmuter shares his experience with petitions, why it’s important to keep up the pressure after signing a petition, the importance of community-driven change, and how and why petitions — and the people who sign them — really do matter. Guest: Stuart Perelmuter, founder of OD Action and Atadvocacy Sign a petition or two at Atadvocacy: Tell the Olympics to stop targeting Black women Honoring Juneteenth is a good first step. Now, dismantle

Pulitzer Prize winner Professor Annette Gordon-Reed has been celebrating Juneteenth her entire life. But in light of the global spotlight on the Black Lives Matter movement from last year’s protests against police brutality, more and more people are aware of what Juneteenth represents for America. As well as a celebration of Black joy and liberty, Juneteenth is an opportunity to reflect on the history of emancipation—and how we can continue to fight for civil rights the other days of the year too. In this episode, Professor Gordon Reed — a notable American historian and Harvard professor — shares why she wrote On Juneteenth, her personal relationship to the federal holiday, and why this year’s Juneteenth felt different than years before. Guest: Professor Annette Gordon-Reed Order On Juneteenth from your local bookstore → Read Good Good Good's guide on how to celebrate Juneteenth Join The Neighborhood by becoming a Good Good Good Member today Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 wit

Intervening when someone is being harassed feels scary. But a global, people-powered movement called Hollaback is making it easy to put an end to harassment — and they’re seeing huge progress. The organization has grown to 14 countries, where it provides free trainings on conflict de-escalation, bystander intervention, resilience, and more. Through their simple, effective programming, Hollback is on a mission to empower people to take a stand against harassment and effect positive change. In this episode, Hollaback co-founder and executive director Emily May shares the disturbing story of harassment that inspired her to start Hollaback, why bystander intervention is important, how anyone can learn to be an effective bystander through Hollaback’s five steps of bystander intervention, and why we can be hopeful about addressing harassment. Guest: Emily May, co-founder and executive director of Hollaback Sign up for a free training, donate, explore resources, read stories of bystanders intervening, and more on

The nonprofit New Story is solving global homelessness with innovative and holistic solutions. By providing financing and creating innovative home designs and processes, New Story has built 26 communities in four countries, all while partnering with local builders using local resources. The organization prides itself on experimenting with new housing solutions — they even built the world’s first 3D printed community in Mexico. Since 2015, New Story has funded more than 2,300 homes for more than 11,000 people. In this episode, Branden speaks with New Story’s CEO, Brett Hagler, about the organization’s experience with startup accelerator Y Combinator, how New Story is coming up with scalable, more efficient solutions for ending homelessness, and how New Story’s latest project is helping improve financing access for families in Latin America. He also shares why we can be hopeful about the future of housing access. Guest: Brett Hagler, CEO of New Story Learn more and view their houses on New Story’s website or

Sarah Red-Laird is “the bee girl” who started the nonprofit The Bee Girl Organization to educate and inspire communities to conserve bees, their flowers, and our countryside. The nonprofit helps to regenerate soil, bees, and communities through educational programs and events for both kids and adults. They also partner with universities, public land managers, and private companies to conduct bee health and habitat research. In this episode, Sarah shares why bees are so important for agriculture and the environment, the problems facing bees, and simple action steps anyone can take to save bees. Guest: Sarah Red-Laird, founder and executive director of The Bee Girl Organization Learn more and make a donation on The Bee Girl’s website and follow @sarahbeegirl on Instagram. For more ways to make a difference, check out beegirl.org/helpourbees. Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD Sponsor: Get 20% off canned wine from DrinkBev.com with code GOOD20 → Get more Good Goo

Terence Lester (Love Beyond Walls) is making a difference for people experiencing poverty, homelessness, and economic inequality. He founded Love Beyond Walls, an Atlanta-based organization that serves people experiencing homelessness. He returns to the podcast for the second time to discuss the power of change-making in the context of community and collaboration. He shares tips for reducing burnout and how to break down barriers that prevent us from taking action. Guest: Terence Lester, founder of Love Beyond Walls and author of “When We Stand: The Power of Seeking Justice Together” Buy Terence’s book on Amazon or Bookshop, donate to Love Beyond Walls, and follow @imterencelester and @lovebeyondwalls on Instagram. Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/GOOD Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD → Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co → Join 30,000 weekly Goodnewsletter readers at goodgoodgood.co/goodnewsletter → Become a Member and get the

There’s always good news if you know where to look. Every month, we publish a print newspaper called The Goodnewspaper, full of hope and ways to make a meaningful difference. In this episode, Branden sits with the managing editor of The Goodnewspaper, Kailey Thompson, to share our favorite good news stories from the first half of 2021. These stories will inspire you and challenge you to go out into the world and become good news. Get good news delivered to your doorstep each month by subscribing to The Goodnewspaper at goodgoodgood.co/membership Members get: - A print Goodnewspaper delivered each month - A beautiful centerfold poster featuring an inspiring quote each month - Access to exclusive discounts to do-good brands - And more coming soon Guest: Kailey Thompson, managing editor of The Goodnewspaper Sponsor: With Libro.fm, get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 with the code GOOD Sponsor: Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/GOOD → Get more Good Good Good at goodgoodgood.co → Join 30,000 week