In this season’s final episode, Executive Producer Obiekwe Okolo sits down with Evan, Ski, Jeff, and Ty to identify the insights and conversations that stuck with them the most. We hope that this season has given you a new perspective on how to tackle the country’s most pressing problems, that our changemakers breaking the cycle of poverty inspire you, and that you are excited by our vision for the future of the Stand Together Podcast. Hosts for this Episode: Evan Feinberg, Jeff Proctor,...

On Monday, November 9th, 2009, Dorris Walker-Taylor likes to say that she got her life back. That day, after almost three decades wrestling with addiction, abuse, and processing personal trauma, she joined the Thistle Farms community. In the years since, Dorris has embraced sobriety, cultivated a sense of her own worth, and become an ambassador of hope to fellow survivors across the country. Host for this Episode: Ty Spells Guest: Dorris Walker-Taylor, Thistle Farms Produced by Stand...

What would the world look like if everyone had the opportunity to realize their full potential? In this episode, Ski and Jeff speak with Kirk Brown, the Founder and CEO of HANDY, which helps youth overcome the obstacles that prevent them from thriving. Together, they identify what the principle of self-actualization looks like in action: seeing the value and talent in every individual, so they live lives of meaning and continually discover, develop, and apply their gifts to benefit...

Evan talks with Dr. DeForest “Buster” Soaries, Jr., the chairman of dfree, and Antong Lucky, the president of Urban Specialists. Both leaders share their perspectives on transformative social change, including the importance of seeing potential in everyone. What if we started treating people as a part of the solution, rather than problems to solve?  Host for this Episode: Evan Feinberg Guests: Dr. DeForest “Buster” Soaries, Jr., Chairman of dfree, and Antong Lucky, President of Urban...

In this final chapter of A Brief History of Good, Evan and Becky discuss some of the best examples of transformative nonprofits around the country. They identify why focusing on individuals can get better results than centralized planning, and land on a key strategic idea: what if we pursued collective empowerment instead of collective impact? You can find Evan's Forbes Article here! Hosts for this Episode: Evan Feinberg and Becky Endicott Produced by Stand Together and BitterSweet...

JJ Velazquez spent more than 23 years incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, a year after his release, he is on staff with the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, working to enhance the dignity of individuals in the criminal justice system. In this episode, JJ joins Ty Spells to discuss how he is turning his “trauma into triumph.” Host for this Episode: Ty Spells Guest: JJ Velazquez, Frederick Douglass Project for Justice Produced by Stand Together and BitterSweet...

Ski and Jeff hear from Khali Sweeney, Founder and CEO of Downtown Boxing Gym, about his experience building a nonprofit that treats everyone with dignity. Khali designed Downtown Boxing Gym to provide others with the very thing he lacked in his own childhood in Detroit: people who believed in him and his potential. Now, the organization is transforming lives, one at a time, by listening well and giving young people the tools to chart their own path. Hosts for this Episode: Ski Ahmad and Jeff...

Evan is joined by Dr. Todd Rose, an expert on the science of individuality. They discuss the immense impact that environment has on an individual’s ability to flourish, and consider the shortcomings of decisions that are based on averages. What if nonprofits and social sector institutions designed interventions around individual needs and environments rather than generalized metrics? Host for this Episode: Evan Feinberg Guest: Todd Rose, President of Populace. Former professor and director of...

Evan and Becky continue their conversation by exploring how the industrial revolution influenced modern philanthropy. They consider the ways in which professionalization may have actually weakened the impact of nonprofit organizations, and identify how well-intentioned industry standards can actually stifle innovation. Hosts for this Episode: Evan Feinberg and Becky Endicott Produced by Stand Together and BitterSweet Creative Executive Producers: Obiekwe "Obi" Okolo and Robert...

As a program manager at The Phoenix, Kaley Jones spends every day helping people in recovery rediscover their inherent value. She is also uniquely positioned for this role, as she celebrates more than a decade of sobriety. In this episode, Kaley talks to Ty Spells about her personal recovery journey and what it will take to reshape the national conversation around addiction. Host for this Episode: Ty Spells Guest: Kaley Jones, The Phoenix Produced by Stand Together and BitterSweet...

What does it look like when recovery programs are informed by people who have experienced addiction themselves? Hosts Jeff Proctor and Ski Ahmad talk to Scott Strode, founder of The Phoenix, about his experience overcoming addiction, discovering his full potential, and helping thousands of others do the same. Together, they explore how the principle of bottom-up solutions can be used to radically transform lives and communities. Hosts for this Episode: Jeff Proctor and Ski Ahmad Guest:...

Join hosts Evan Feinberg and Lauren McCann as they share a new vision for social change. We’ll identify the core ideas that led to the founding of Stand Together Foundation, discuss the broken paradigms that the organization is designed to address, and explore a few of the ways that Stand Together Foundation is setting a new course to transform communities from the bottom up. Hosts for this Episode: Evan Feinberg and Lauren McCann Produced by Stand Together and BitterSweet...

In this first full-length episode exploring A Brief History of Good, hosts Evan and Becky take us on a journey from the dawn of American society to the industrial revolution. We will explore how the work of doing good grew from small-scale volunteer associations into a multi-billion dollar economic engine—and we’ll unpack all the implications of that change for the social sector today. Hosts for this Episode: Evan Feinberg and Becky Endicott Produced by Stand Together and BitterSweet...

Welcome to the Stand Together Podcast! Join our hosts, Evan, Becky, Ty, Jeff, and Ski as they share their vision for the series and introduce the four themes that will guide our discussion over the next 14 weeks. From big picture paradigms to practical transformation, we will cover a lot of ground and would love for you to join us. Hosts for this Episode: Evan Feinberg, Jeff Proctor, Ski Ahmad, Ty Spells Produced by BitterSweet Creative Executive Producers: Obiekwe "Obi" Okolo and Robert...

The Stand Together Podcast is a podcast for people who care about tackling the biggest challenges facing our country. In this first season, our hosts—Evan, Becky, Ski, Jeff, and Ty—will start the conversation by exploring the history and future of the social sector. Over the course of 14 weeks, they'll explore the origins of philanthropy, unpack the challenges and opportunities facing community organizations today, learn from nonprofit leaders, and hear from individuals who have successfully...