Regan Douglass did something about it. After years as a communications leader at PolicyLink, California Humanities, and the College Futures Foundation, she pulled the ripcord and launched Sparkwise Communications. Two years in, no regrets.

In this episode, Eric sits down with Regan to discuss what it actually takes to go independent — how thick your stomach lining needs to be, how to structure your business, how to smell the tuna fish sandwich wrapped in a red flag before you sign the contract, and how to hold onto your own voice when you've spent years inhabiting someone else's.

This one's for everyone who's been sitting on the egg. It's time to let it hatch.

Follow Let's Hear It, leave a rating, and help more people find the show.

Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short, out today, makes an argument as simple as it is explosive: when a donor takes a tax deduction to give money away, they've made a deal with the public. That money isn't theirs anymore. But the system we've built lets donors park billions in foundations and donor-advised funds indefinitely — dribbling out 5 cents on the dollar while the rest sits on Wall Street going absolutely nowhere.

Glen isn't an outside critic. He's a sitting foundation CEO who spent years reinforcing every rule he's now trying to break. Eric read an early draft, argued with him about it, and told him his central framing was too polite. Glen ignored him. They pick up that conversation here.

Follow Let's Hear It and leave a rating so more people can find the show.

Rashad spent 13 years leading Color of Change, co-founded the Fight Back Table, forced over 100 corporations to leave ALEC — the American Legislative Exchange Council, a powerful corporate-backed group that shapes conservative state legislation — and took on Facebook in one of the largest boycotts in American history. Now he's channeling all of that hard-won wisdom into a newsletter, a new show on News One, work alongside Jane Fonda defending the First Amendment — and a book, From Presence to Power: How to Take on the Fights That Matter and Win, dropping July 28th from One World/Penguin Random House.

Eric sits down with Rashad for a wide-ranging conversation about what it actually takes to win: the difference between a dialogue and a negotiation, why visibility is only the beginning, what Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance means for the movement, and how to fight fatigue when you're running on empty but can't stop.

This one's got joy, strategy, and only a few references to the New York Mets.

Listen now — and if Rashad's clarity and energy give you something to hold onto, please follow, rate, and review Let's Hear It wherever you get your podcasts.

Nonprofits are facing record demand—higher than during COVID—and they're getting less funding. Not just from government. From foundations too. The sector is in freefall, and many of the people with the resources to help don't even see a problem.

Eric sits down with Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Vice President at the Center for Effective Philanthropy, to unpack their devastating new report, A Sector in Crisis: How US Nonprofits and Foundations Are Responding to Threats. The findings reveal a staggering disconnect: 40% of nonprofits say that funders have shifted priorities in ways that are less helpful at this dire moment.

And get this - 20% of foundations say they don't have much responsibility to help nonprofits navigate this moment at all!!

This isn't a wake-up call. It's a five-alarm fire. And if foundations don't start closing the gap between what they think they're doing and what nonprofits actually need, organizations will close. Communities will suffer. And philanthropy will have failed the very moment it was built for. Unless philanthropy as we know it is just no longer useful.

Listen now. Share it with your board. Share it with your program officers. Share it with anyone who still believes philanthropy can rise to meet this moment—because that moment is now.

Follow Let's Hear It and leave a rating so more people can find the show.

In this episode, Eric and Kirk dive into Kristen’s latest thinking on how people interpret what’s happening around them, why facts alone don’t change minds, and what this moment of chaos means for nonprofits, philanthropy, and public-interest communicators. Drawing from her travels, her work at Spitfire Strategies, and plenty of hard-won perspective, Kristen challenges us to stop “fixing” broken systems and start imagining what we actually want to build next.

It’s a thoughtful, candid, and often funny conversation about trust, power, government, and how to create messages—and futures—that resonate beyond the bubble.

Follow Let’s Hear It, leave a rating, and help more people find the show.

In this episode, Eric sits down with Dr. Sacoby Wilson, award-winning environmental health scientist and recent Heinz Award for the Environment honoree, who’s helping Boxtown in Memphis push back against Elon Musk’s xAI “Colossus” data center. Dr. Wilson breaks down how data centers are becoming the newest front in environmental and energy justice, why the pollution burden keeps landing on the same communities, and what they're doing about it.

We talk about “IMpowerment Science,” community air monitoring, climate redlining, regenerative agriculture, and what it really takes to turn data into power for frontline communities. Then Eric and Kirk reconnect to unpack what this fight says about philanthropy, technology, and who gets left out of our big, shiny visions of the future.

If this conversation hits home for you, follow Let’s Hear It and leave a quick rating or review—it helps more people find these stories and the people behind them.

From growing up in California’s Central Valley to becoming the first Latina Chief of Staff in the U.S. Senate, to running Hillary Clinton’s 2016 political operation, Amanda has seen power from every angle. Now she’s using all that experience to reimagine how government can actually work for people — with systems that are simple, fair, and human.

Amanda and Eric dig into how Code for America is helping states modernize public services, why good government is built in everyday interactions, and what gives her hope even in turbulent times.

A must-listen for anyone who still believes democracy works best when it works for everyone.

🎧 Listen now — and if Amanda’s optimism gives you a lift, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review Let’s Hear It wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, Eric sits down with writer, humorist, and nonprofit truth-teller Vu Le, creator of Nonprofit AF. With his trademark mix of sharp wit and blunt honesty, Vu pulls no punches on everything from “crappy funding practices” to the SkyMall-style whims of foundations, to the urgent need for philanthropy to get serious in defending democracy and the most vulnerable communities.

It’s not all fire and brimstone—Vu reminds us why joy itself is resistance, shares what keeps him hopeful (spoiler: snakes and the 3.5% rule), and even previews the joke-turned-fan-demanded one-man show you never knew you needed.

If you’ve ever wondered how nonprofits can thrive in spite of their funding structures this conversation is just what you’ve been waiting for.

💡 Vu’s new book Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy comes out October 14, and Nonprofit AF returns to Substack on August 19.

Ann and Angela share how their years in the trenches at places like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Public Citizen shaped this groundbreaking resource—and why storytelling, systems thinking, and listening (really listening) are the keys to actually making change. They discuss their “six spheres of influence,” the “back-of-the-envelope” strategy tool, and why being strategic isn’t the same as shouting into the void (no offense to your latest TikTok brainstorm).

It’s a lively, insightful conversation filled with warmth, humility, and a generous dose of “finally, someone wrote this down.” If you’ve ever had a boss say, “just make it go viral,” this one’s for you.

Enjoy the episode—and if you love it, don’t forget to follow, rate, and review. Your support helps others find the show (and helps keep us off TikTok, which we would suck at).

Together, they unpack the why and how of this innovative resource, the effect it’s already having across California newsrooms, and what it means to truly shift the narrative around domestic violence. This isn’t just a tool for reporters—it’s a model for how philanthropy, journalism, and advocacy can work together to drive lasting change.

You’ll also hear candid reflections on Rachael’s journey from the frontlines of health communications to the strategic heights of philanthropy, plus a moving reminder that domestic violence affects far more people than we may realize—58% of Californians, to be exact.

Find the playbook at LetsEndDV.org and the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

We’re thrilled to be back—thanks for welcoming us into your ears. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review!

Together, they dive into why voting is expressive, not transactional, the role of AI in strategic messaging, and how we can bridge political divides through effective communication. Plus, Kirk and Eric unpack why the failure to build meaningful engagement infrastructure has led us to where we are today—and what needs to happen next.

If you care about messaging that actually moves people, don’t miss this.

Tune in, get inspired, and if you like what you hear, don’t forget to rate and review!

From his groundbreaking PBS documentary Affluenza to his advocacy for shorter workweeks and his latest film project on the progressive, activist roots of America the Beautiful, John has consistently asked the big questions about what makes life truly worth living. In this thoughtful and engaging conversation, he shares his perspective on the bipartisan politics of beauty, how nature and shared public spaces can bring people together, and why he’s spent his life working his butt off so we don’t have to.

It’s a rich discussion full of humor, history, and a call to rethink what progress really means. And we really mean it.

Find John and his work at johndegraaf.com.

Loved this episode? Follow, rate, and review Let’s Hear It so more people can find these conversations.

Eric speaks with Anusha Alikhan, the Chief Communications Officer for the Wikimedia Foundation – the nonprofit behind Wikipedia, the internet's largest encyclopedia.

Anusha shares insights into how Wikipedia grew from a scrappy experiment into a trusted global resource with 50 billion monthly views and over 60 million articles in 334 languages. They discuss Wikipedia’s unique consensus-driven model, its fight against bias and misinformation, and the existential challenges posed by AI tools like ChatGPT, which heavily rely on Wikimedia’s vast trove of data.

Curious about the quirky side of Wikipedia? Anusha reveals some of her favorite fun facts, like professional ironing (yes, it’s a sport!) and "cute aggression." And for those worried about the future of truth in a world driven by algorithms, Anusha shares why she's optimistic, and why human editors will always be essential.

Eric and Kirk also explore the deeper question: What can philanthropy and society learn from Wikipedia’s transparent, collaborative model? From the importance of trust and knowledge equity to the challenges of surveillance capitalism, this conversation hits all the big questions about the internet’s past, present, and future.

Don’t miss this engaging and thought-provoking episode with one of the most insightful voices in nonprofit tech!

Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe so more people can discover Let's Hear It. See you next time!

Kirk shares how growing up amidst Iowa’s agricultural rhythms and caucus-season chaos shaped his worldview, his approach to climate work, and his knack for community-driven solutions. You’ll hear about his leap into advocacy, running a nonprofit media shop, and his work founding Recharge America—a bold initiative sparking grassroots engagement around clean energy.

Expect laughs (we’re looking at you, Kirk’s Hollywood sunburn story), insights into the evolving communications landscape, and a big picture look at why creating enduring political constituencies is the secret sauce for real change.

Plus, Eric and Kirk dive into the big themes: How do we overcome disinformation, build local trust, and organize for meaningful, sustainable progress? This episode is packed with ideas for funders, advocates, and anyone passionate about driving change—community by community.

Join us as we kick off Season 7 with humor, heart, and some Kirk Brown wisdom you didn’t know you needed. And as always, please rate and review us wherever you listen—because it really helps more people find the show!

Drawing on her background in art and African American studies, Takema brings a refreshing perspective on how imagination and creativity are essential for social change. She reminds us that even in challenging times, we need "imagineers" who can envision a more inclusive future.

After two decades of working with major foundations and nonprofits across the U.S., Takema shares practical wisdom about playing the long game when it comes to social justice. She emphasizes that real change happens over generations, not election cycles. From her current home base in Jamaica (the country, not Eric’s birthplace), she explains how stepping back has given her a broader view of America's challenges and opportunities.

The conversation tackles tough questions about what's next for racial justice and democracy after recent setbacks. Takema reminds us that we all need just a little space to process, breathe, and clear our heads before putting our shoulders to the wheel for the task ahead of us.

She points to encouraging signs of progress, like the growing infrastructure for civic engagement across the South, while acknowledging there's still much to do. As she puts it, the goal should be to "make America great for the first time" - building a truly inclusive democracy that works for everyone.

For foundation and nonprofit leaders feeling overwhelmed by current events, this episode offers a bit of comfort and a constructive path forward. Takema's blend of strategic thinking and heartfelt optimism provides a welcome antidote to, well, you know.

Eric sits down with Danielle Deane-Ryan, Senior Advisor to the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and a long-time climate justice funder. Danielle shares her journey from her roots in Trinidad and Tobago to the halls of power in Washington, breaking down how billions in clean energy investments can—and must—center the communities hit hardest by environmental injustice.

The conversation explores how policies like Justice40 and collaborations between grassroots leaders and major funders are changing the game. Danielle also doesn’t hold back when it comes to the communication gaps that still need fixing—and she’s got plenty of ideas for how to make progress stick.

Meanwhile, Kirk rallies the optimism brigade, Eric holds his ground, and they both agree – without good communications, even the best policies will fall short.

If you want to hear how leaders are tackling the climate crisis with equity, resilience, and serious grit, this episode is for you.

Don’t forget to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts—it helps others find the show!

In this episode of Let’s Hear It, hosts Eric sits down with Rachel Korberg , the Executive Director and co-founder of the Families and Workers Fund and David Etzwiler, the CEO of the Siemens Foundation to explore how philanthropy and business can team up to create an economy that works for everyone. Rachel and David share their insights into making the clean energy transition fair and accessible, with a focus on good jobs, workforce training, and equity.

The discussion centers on how their organizations are working together to push for an economy that includes all workers—especially women, people of color, and rural communities—in emerging fields like green energy.

Then, Kirk blows a gasket with excitement, Eric tries to talk him off the ledge, and they try to make sense of it all.

If you’re interested in how real change is happening at the intersection of philanthropy and business, this episode is a must-listen. And if you enjoy it, don’t forget to rate and review on Apple Podcasts to help others find the show!

The topic this time is Marc’s and William’s new paper “Betting on the Tortoise: Policy Incrementalism and How Philanthropy’s Support Can Turn Small Sustained Steps into Big Impact,” co-written with Eric Chen and Zach Slobig.

The problem is that philanthropy is astonishingly timid about funding policy work (sorry, philanthropy). The thing is, Marc and William remind us about how smart philanthropy can make a huge difference in the kinds of policy wins that every wants – freedom to marry, increasing the minimum wage, and many more.

And then Kirk and Eric have what we humbly think is one of the funnier and more entertaining rants this season, so stick around for that.

Thanks for listening, and please, please, subscribe, rate, and review the show so more people can find us!

Grace is the Vice President for Programming and External Relations at the Center for Effective Philanthropy and the co-host with Phil Buchanan of the really terrific (and we're not just saying that!), Giving Done Right Podcast, which kicked off its fourth season on September 19.

Grace shares fascinating insights from CEP's multi-year study of Scott's "surprise philanthropy" - those headline-grabbing, unsolicited gifts that have sent shockwaves through the nonprofit world. We're talking transformative levels of funding that have left many organizations asking, "Is this for real?"

But it's not just about the numbers. Grace dives into the meaty questions this approach raises: How are nonprofits handling this sudden influx of cash? Is this the end of strategic philanthropy as we know it? And what can other funders learn from Scott's bold experiment?

As a recipient of Scott's generosity themselves, CEP offers a unique insider-outsider perspective. Grace candidly discusses how their own $10 million gift has shaped their work and thinking.

Whether you're a nonprofit leader, a funder, or simply curious about how big money can create big change, this episode delivers. It's a thoughtful exploration of a philanthropic shake-up that's rewriting the rules of giving, delivered with CEP's signature blend of data-driven insights and real-world experience.

Tune in for a conversation that's sure to challenge your assumptions and maybe, just maybe, make you rethink everything you thought you knew about effective philanthropy.

As many parents pack their kids off to college this month, it’s important to remember that almost two out of five college students in the U.S. attends a community college. These are students who are often working full time, caring for family members, or going back to school to learn new skills. Oh, and another thing, community colleges don’t brag about how “selective” they are – all are welcome.

Our guest on this episode of Let’s Hear It is Eloy Ortiz Oakley, the President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation – a California foundation helping students who are facing the greatest barriers to succeed in college and beyond. Eloy was previously the Chancellor of the California Community College system - the largest system of higher education in the United States, and third largest system of higher education in the world, serving more than 1.8 million students. He is also a former Regent of the University of California system. If anyone knows about what’s working and what’s not in higher education, it’s Eloy.

Eric and Eloy have a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation about Eloy’s own educational journey, the challenges of elitism in higher education, and role philanthropy can play in ensuring a more equitable system.

Eric and Esteban giggle, chortle, and guffaw through this episode, reminding us all that there are SO many ways to communicate and not all of them involve PowerPoint and statistics.

When Sean Gibbons joined the Communications Network as its new leader a decade ago, he was tasked with leading an organization with 400 members and a staff of, um, himself and a ham sandwich. Today, the Network boasts over 4,000 members and a team of eight, reflecting Sean's infectious enthusiasm and vision for bringing communications professionals together.

And together we’ll be – in Kansas City from October 16-18.

Sean joins Chief of Staff Tristan Mohabir and VP of Community Carrie Clyne to talk with Eric about why ComNet 24 in Kansas City this October is a can't-miss event. They remind us how crucial in-person connections are in our increasingly digital world, and while they're at it, they showcase the innovative ways the Network is fostering community year-round through local groups, online Circles, and a bustling Slack workspace.

And stick around for a special opportunity to win dinner with Eric at a storied Kansas City steakhouse! Not kidding!

Suzanne is the Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR, a nonprofit organization that supports the United Nations Refugee Agency. It helps raise awareness and makes funds available to aid refugees around the world, providing them with the resources and support they need to rebuild their lives after being forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, or disaster.

Previously, Suzanne was CEO of Malala Fund, and before that she was President and CEO of Population Action International. She speaks with Eric about how she parlayed her temp job at the Wallace Global Fund to a career that led to her being named CEO of an organization that aims to raise a billion dollars over the next ten years.

Suzanne speaks with Eric about how she uses storytelling to inspire empathy for the millions of refugees in some 40 crisis hotspots around the globe who desperately need our help.   

Oh, and she also happens to be fun, funny, and fabulous.

We hope you enjoy this really delightful conversation as much as we did.

Fatima discusses her 24-year tenure at Cal Wellness, where she gained invaluable experience in strategic grantmaking, evaluation, and program direction under foundation legends Judy Belk and Gary Yates. She reflects on how these roles prepared her for leading a very different kind of corporate foundation.

She chats with Eric about about the essential role of communications in philanthropy, the need for reducing administrative burdens (although she calls them "shenanigans"), and the importance of making sure that we fund organizations “like we want them to win.”

Tune in to hear Fatima's inspiring story and learn how the Levi Strauss Foundation is setting a new standard for corporate philanthropy.

Some folks chortled, some scoffed, and some cast their eyes heavenward in the hope that he would shed a little light on the seemingly byzantine and obscure world of philanthropy.

Well, friends, Inside Philanthropy is bigger, better, and badder than ever and David speaks with us in a funny, fascinating, and terrifically candid conversation about the promise and perils of a sector that by some accounts represents a half a trillion dollars in annual giving. Think about that for a minute, then tune in to our latest episode of Let’s Hear It.

Heather exposes the lie of so-called zero-sum thinking—where one person's gain is seen as another's loss—and flips it on its head by explaining how diverse coalitions can produce a solidarity dividend that makes things better for everyone. Heather is warm, funny, and just plain brilliant and we are so grateful to her for speaking with us on an episode that we promise you will love.

Wonder has an incredibly exciting framework for message and strategy, called Heartwired, which helps communicators understand how to connect people’s emotions, values, beliefs, identity, and experiences to help bring about change from the inside out. It helps us understand how the “downstairs brain,” which is emotional and reactive, relates to the “upstairs brain”, which is thoughtful and empathetic.  Instead of telling people what to think, he helps organizations connect with their audiences on a deeper level to make progress on challenging social issues.

It is a truly amazing conversation that helps us better understand the deep connections between strategy, narrative, messaging, and movement building. Enjoy!

You know where this is going, don’t you? We have a trust problem that threatens every organization in our country. Kristen Grimm and her colleagues Claire De Leon, Michael Crawford, and Diana Chun at Spitfire Strategies have created a resource called Replenishing Trust: Civil Society’s Guide to Reversing the Trust Deficit™ that is designed to help organizations build trust at a time when it has never been more necessary.

Kristen speaks with Eric about why this matters, and more importantly, how to do it. This is another great resource from one of our field’s true visionaries.

Chris makes an extremely compelling case about how crucial western Pennsylvania is to our national and even international politics, and while he’s at it he reminds us how important intelligent communications strategies will be to build on important victories (like significant advances on climate, for one example).

Don’t miss this conversation between Eric and Chris, whose friendship dates back to the twentieth century, as they talk about how Chris’s background in journalism, environmental communications, and foundation leadership have led him to this place – the center of the universe!

On this episode of Let’s Hear It, Eric speaks with Elena Chavez Quezada, Senior Advisor for Social Innovation in the Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Don Howard, president and CEO of The James Irvine Foundation, who are working together to create government/foundation partnerships that are making a real difference.

Don and Elena recently co-authored a piece for the Philanthropy News Digest called “How Philanthropy Can Partner with the Public Sector to Build Equitable Infrastructure,” which sets the stage for this really lively and fun discussion.

Check out this conversation that shows how governments and foundations can work together to unlock money, ideas, and energy for social good.

Eric and John reunite to talk about the extraordinary film John has co-directed. They appeal to foundations to fund more documentary films, and they marvel at the movie’s amazing protagonist Arlo Washington as he opens a Community Development Financial Institution to create opportunities for members of his community.

Take a few minutes to watch this incredible story, produced in partnership with the New Yorker. You can find the 34-minute documentary on the New Yorker website and on YouTube. And if any of you happen to be members the Academy, well…you know what to do.

Please enjoy the film and the interview and let us know what you thought of The Barber of Little Rock!

As it happens, Ed and Eric go way, way, back, having worked together in Hollywood in the last millennium.

Today, they’re both working in environmental communications, after a fashion, and Ed talks about how he was inspired to become an environmental activist on the first Earth Day in 1970, and how he has used his position as a celebrity to preach a message of sustainability ever since.

We also want to give a plug to his terrific new book, “To the Temple of Tranquility, And Step on It!” from Hachette Books. It’s a great story about a great life.   

Ed is a funny, committed, optimistic, and incredibly gracious guest, and we can’t wait for you to listen to this episode.  

Anat is a political strategist and progressive messaging genius. She is founder and Principal of ASO Communications, author of Don’t Buy It: The Trouble with Talking Nonsense about the Economy, and host of the amazingly good podcast Words to Win By.

Her work on messaging and strategy across the globe is at once revolutionary and devastatingly simple, and she is using her gift for gab and sharp-as-a-tack snark to change how politicians, nonprofit leaders, foundation CEOs – and really, anyone with a cause – can use communications to achieve their goals. No easy feat, huh? Well, Anat does it so well that you’ll feel slightly dizzy after listening to her speak. Eric certainly was.

We know we say this every time, but this is a show that you simply must not miss. Please enjoy and then tell your friends, your colleagues, and your boss (as long as they’re cool with a little salty language).

Don is a fabulous guest to start our new year and sixth season – he is uncommonly thoughtful, optimistic, and soulful, and his ideas on how to run a foundation will have you filling notebooks. Eric and Don put their heads together to discuss how to combine trust-based and strategic philanthropy without having to find a magic wand, what Don learned from being a CEO at age 30, and lots more.

By the way, we are so happy to welcome Don – and you! – to our sixth season of Let’s Hear It. Thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts, for five wonderful years of listening, learning, and building connections in this vast and exciting field. We hope you enjoy this new season, and if you do, please continue to like, follow, and spread the word.

Eric and Alison discuss how we can better tackle the grand challenge of climate change, the role of local governments, and how we have to stop raising awareness already. Alison also reminds us that we can still do well in a changing climate and that our planet is still way better than Mars!

Check out this conversation – we learned a ton about how to communicate about climate and we’ll bet that you do too.

In Larry’s nearly twelve years at Hewlett, he helped lead a new era of climate philanthropy, and launched initiatives in transparency, cybersecurity, democracy, racial justice, and economy and society. The guy’s been busy.

He’s also candid, funny, and ridiculously smart. Five years after he last interviewed Larry (for the very first episode of Let’s Hear It) Eric made the pilgrimage to Menlo Park to speak with his former boss about what went right and what went wrong during his time at the foundation, as well as his thoughts on the state of philanthropy, foundation communications, democracy, and, of course, the Beatles.

You *seriously* don’t want to miss this episode with one of the field’s most expansive thinkers.

A champion strategist in the areas of advocating for police accountability, community safety, human rights, and exposing the perils of artificial intelligence, Jen has big plans for Spitfire. In addition to her impressive resume, she clearly has the people skills for the job. She is uncommonly kind, thoughtful, and deeply committed, and Jen chats with Eric about the power of listening, how communications is really about relationships, and how hard Spitfire works so that its clients can succeed in their work. Please join her and Eric as they go deep on how to use communications for good.

Ashwath and his team of six fulltime staffers are working with TikTok and Instagram influencers to encourage young people to drive social movements and inspire political campaigns. In his conversation with Eric, he spoke about how Social Currant uses really sophisticated tools to create and test messages and score huge victories in campaigns that are providing young people with a powerful voice and legitimate influence with decision makers on issues like the child tax credit, health, and many more.

Eric told Kirk that his conversation with Ashwath wasn’t just one of the most interesting conversations he’s had on the show, but in his life. 

If you want learn about how to run a great strategy to reach young people, or if you want to feel better about the kind of talent that is stepping up to make the world better, you really, really, really shouldn’t miss this episode.

You may have noticed, also, that we have a brand-spanking-new LinkedIn page! Please give us a follow and use it to learn more about our guests, contact us with questions or feedback, and connect with other listeners.  Oh, and please tell your friends and rate us on whatever podcast platform you use. It really matters!

Stacy speaks with Eric about what she’s learned over this time, what philanthropy does well, and how it can improve. Eric and Stacy discuss the shifting role of communications at foundations, congressional regulation (or lack thereof), how coverage of the field has changed, and the influence of living donors like Bill and Melinda Gates and MacKenzie Scott on philanthropy, among other topics in this entertaining and wide-ranging conversation.

If you care about raising money, giving it away, or communicating about any of it, don't miss this conversation!

This year the Kendeda Fund will close its doors, having provided over one billion dollars in funding over the past thirty years. Their causes included girls’ rights, preventing gun violence, environmental sustainability, advancing racial equity, and supporting veterans, among others.

Kendeda began as an anonymous grantmaking effort by Diana Blank, who eventually decided to turn the reins over to her daughter Dena Kimball and to allow the foundation to communicate freely about its work. To do this, they turned to David Brotherton, a consultant with a long history in foundations and communications, to help the organization step into the light.

Dena and David sit down with Eric in a freewheeling conversation about the decision to go public, spend out, and about what they learned along the way.

To learn more about their great work, stay tuned for their updated website and in the meantime check out Kendeda’s new podcast, Stories from the Kendeda Fund.

This week on Let’s Hear It, cynical-ish and salty-tongued Nima Shirazi of Spitfire Strategies and the hit podcast Citations Needed endures a slightly arduous, minorly torturous time behind the mic with Eric.

Nima’s career is full of exciting experiences, including his current job as a vice president at Spitfire Strategies and drumming in rock bands, and especially Citations Needed. Nima and his co-host Adam Johnson set up shop at the intersection of power, politics, propaganda, and the press (pretty peppy party, Pete) – no small feat, as it happens.

Nima’s show explores the many ways that media language infiltrates our daily lives and how pernicious those terms can be. For instance, did you know that the term “officer-involved shooting” was created in the 70s by the LAPD to describe officers killing members of the public? Nima uses his experience on the podcast to keep him honest-er in his work and his approach to communications.

We wouldn’t call him the biggest optimist in the room, but you’ll appreciate Nima’s thoughts about how progressive organizations can use communications to change dangerous narratives. Listen now to hear how (how now, brown cow? Okay, we’ll stop). 

Fear not – the episode isn’t all Eric and Tony doing their best impressions of the two crabby Muppets in the balcony. Tony has some hopeful words to say about how people working in nonprofit and foundation communications can improve, including how technology has brought us closer to clarity and authenticity. Just don’t try to find him online. Enjoy this great discussion, and remember: no empty calorie words. 

On the latest episode of Let’s Hear It, Eric speaks with Tara Dorabji, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at the Center for Cultural Power, an organization dedicated to harnessing the power of creativity.

Tara Dorabji and her colleagues Erin Potts and Dr. Melanie Meinzer have crafted an extraordinary new report – Building Narratives of Joy: Experimenting with Transformational Narratives – that digs into the intricacies of shifting mindsets and fostering belonging through art.

Tara speaks with Eric about how she got kicked out of the farmer’s market for being too political, how she facilitated a conversation with a Japanese anti-nuclear advocate that brought a Livermore Labs PR person to tears, and how the Lego superhero Vax Man helped dramatically increase vaccination rates among Latino youth in California’s Central Valley.

Yep, narrative can do all that. Join us for this great conversation.

Trevor is a writer, researcher, and strategist focused on the topics of racial inequality, wealth inequality, reparations, and narrative change. He is also the creator, curator, and editor of an amazing newsletter – Reparations Daily (ish).

Trevor talks with Eric about the growing movement calling for reparations as a catalyst for true racial repair. He invites us to reflect on how we can all work toward a new narrative on reparations, and how we can create a democracy that is inclusive, empathetic, and centered on principles of justice.

So, whether you're passionate about social justice, interested in narrative change, or simply eager to learn more about the path to a more equitable society, this episode promises to leave you inspired and informed.

Emily Krone Phillips, the Communications Director at the Spencer Foundation, working with her colleague Francis Court of the design firm Wondersphere, decided to revolutionize the Spencer Foundation's office space to adapt to the post-COVID work world. 

Join us for a really fun and lively discussion about space, communications, and work in the Aftertimes as Eric interviews Emily and Francis about how they took your standard-issue foundation office and redesigned it into a hub for collaboration, learning, and community engagement.

For all of you out there trying to figure out how we’re going to work together in this crazy new environment (so, basically, everybody), don’t miss this episode. It may just change how you think about the "office". 

But not just any comic book. 1/6: The Graphic Novel is a powerful and chilling reminder that great communications and great advocacy takes many forms. He and his co-author Gan Golan and artist Will Rosado give us a dramatic new look into what happened on that terrible day and what might have happened had the insurrectionists prevailed.

Alan speaks with Eric about his love of comic books and a career that has been at the intersection of storytelling, law, and social justice for positive change. Don’t miss this terrific conversation with one of our field’s most creative and incisive communicators.  

Marta talks with Eric about the dangers of the lack of standards in today’s digital world and how we can reawaken the “sleeping giant” of collective consumer power.

And for you nonprofits and foundations professionals out there, your audiences and your constituents are actually consumers first – making dozens of decisions every day that affect the success of your missions and your organizations. Hear how Marta is working to bring these two powerful worlds together.

Not Jacob Harold. Mind you, Jacob has had quite a rather distinguished career – he’s been a community organizer, a Bridgespan consultant, a Hewlett Foundation grantmaker, the CEO of Guidestar, and the co-founder of Candid, among other things. After stepping down from Candid, Jacob endeavored to write it all down – not in a self-congratulatory memoir (which is what Eric hopes to do when he gets home from the brewpub), but in an extremely comprehensive and articulate guide to doing good in the 21st century. The book, The Toolbox: Strategies for Crafting Social Impact is quite simply one of the very best guides of its kind that we have seen.

Eric sits down with his former colleague to discuss Jacob’s career and how to apply the nine tools for social change, and Eric tells Jacob why the book made his head hurt (in a good way).

Shanelle and Annie resolved to provide us with the tools we need to tell more accurate and liberating stories about poverty and wealth. This project was a collaboration between The Radical Communicators Network, the Center for Public Interest Communications, and the creative design agency Milli, and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Shanelle is the Communications Director for the Movement for Black Lives, the founder of the Radical Communicators Network, and our first repeat guest! She was joined by Annie Neimand of Third Sector, who at the time was the Research Director at the Center for Public Interest Communications at the university of Florida in Gainesville and is the first relative of a previous guest (her uncle Rich) to appear on the show.

Shanelle and Annie had a great conversation with Eric about the research project they designed and their terrific new resource to advance new narratives about poverty and wealth.

Ken spoke with Eric about how he keeps all the plates spinning, and how he continues to try to breathe new life into a 150-year-old institution (maybe someone will name their child after him thanks to his amazing idea of Date Night at the Met!). More than that, we hear from one of the finest in the business about how we can use communications to significantly advance the goals of any organization.  

You would be forgiven for feeling that our social and political world is spinning hopelessly out of control. Go ahead, belly up to the bar, or the ice cream section of your local supermarket, or whatever you do when you get that feeling.

On the other hand, Jenn Hoos Rothberg, the Executive Director of Einhorn Collaborative – a charitable foundation based in New York – might just give you a bit of hope.

She’s not naïve. She knows that things are tough. Trust is down and skepticism is up. People don't feel seen, heard, or valued, wherever they land on the ideological spectrum.                                                                                                            

Jenn says that we’re in a crisis of connection – we’re more alienated, lonely, and polarized than ever.

The result, of course, is tragic for the things many folks care about – the environment, women’s health, racial justice, hunger – you name it.

At Einhorn, she has launched an extraordinary new project called “A Call to Connection: Rediscovering the Transformative Power of Relationships.” She spoke with Eric out about how she is partnering with leaders in multiple sectors to better understand how vital human connection is to effectively address the challenges of our time.

We’re as cynical as the next pair of podcast hosts, but we hope this is one of those conversations that we hope will inspire you to engage and connect and feel good about what we can accomplish together.

Jeff was formerly the Vice President of Narrative, Arts, and Culture at Race Forward. He now serves as a Senior Advisor and leads the Butterfly Lab for Immigrant Narrative Strategy.  Jeff also served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Diversity in the Arts at Stanford University.

He has written for The Guardian, Slate, The Nation, the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Believer, Foreign Policy, N+1, Mother Jones, Salon, and Buzzfeed, and is the author of three really terrific books: Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation, Who We Be: The Colorization of America, and We Gon' Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation.

Jeff and Eric discuss the political voice of hip hop, the Chris Rock/Will Smith Oscars moment, what it means to be an American, and a lot more. Tune in and listen to Jeff walk on wings!  

In a country were one in four people has some kind of disability, Emily has dedicated her life to providing a starting point and a safe space for people to learn about an issue that is hard for many to talk about, but which touches almost every life in our country on one way or the other.

Emily speaks with Eric about how important it is for us all to create a more inclusive society for people with disabilities. Then she blows him away with her mad comms skills…

Read the transcript here.

Aaron’s book How We Won: Progressive Lessons from the Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ should be required reading in every communications class, and for that matter every nonprofit or foundation communications department everywhere.

Eric spoke with Aaron about his strategy to win on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and much more. Aaron is controversial, a little salty, and unafraid of taking on the conventional wisdom (and don’t get him started on George Lakoff).

We really think you’re going to enjoy this one.

Glen also offers our favorite recommendation for how philanthropy should measure success. We think it’s just plain genius.

But don’t take our word for it – decide for yourself!

Most recently, Jasmine's organization published a report that reveals a coordinated attempt to ban education about systemic racism in public schools and the teaching of what has come to be known as Critical Race Theory. Jasmine explains how she is pushing back against concerted efforts to foment culture wars in order to maintain the status quo.

We had a great conversation with Jasmine, who approaches her work with enthusiasm, joy, and great deal of grace.

He advises a range of organizations including national and global philanthropies, Fortune 500 companies, and entertainment on social impact strategies to advance racial equity.

As a Native American who has worked in philanthropy for nearly two decades, Edgar has an important vantage point to analyze what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve philanthropy.

His firm, Neimand Collaborative, has worked on a wide range of issues to improve education, protect the environment, improve people’s health, and promote financial inclusion, among many, many others.

At the center is his focus on uniting different audiences around common objectives using a creative approach that goes far beyond focus groups and polling (and includes time spent at the stove or performing personal ablutions).

Rich speaks with Eric about his life, politics, his colorful family, and why the creative process is like making soup.

In this exceptionally fun and interesting conversation, Rinku talks about her experience in journalism school, the history behind the term “systemic racism,” and how to ask the right questions to get the most useful answers. We’re aware that we say this every time, but it truly is not a conversation to miss.  

In sadder news, this episode marks the end of the intrepid Maggie Brown’s tenure as our producer and audio editor. Let’s Hear It might not be the same without them, but we’re so thrilled about this new chapter of their life as they move to Japan to teach English. Give it up for Maggie!

P.S. This does mean we’re in the market for a new audio editor! If you know someone who knows someone who may be interested, don’t hesitate to let us know.

Precious’s CV, like so many remarkable guests we’ve had on the podcast, is a doozy. She founded PJS Consultants to provide much-needed services to do-gooding organizations. Her work on Love Action Reaction focuses on community wellbeing and COVID-19 safety, and, just because she can, she also founded the BlackFemaleProject, which lifts up, shares, and reacts to Black female voices and stories in the industry.

This was a great conversation that will help you examine the stories of others and how you choose to tell them. Don’t miss out on this episode, please and thank you.

Kris’s new book Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving addresses the long list of things that prevent philanthropists from succeeding in their work. It’s a firm but kind look at how to make a difference.

Eric spoke with Kris about her career, her book, and her advice to her colleagues about how to avoid the many pitfalls that philanthropists can avoid as they seek to transform their giving practices.

(And if you stick around to the VERY END, you can hear the Let’s Hear It theme song performed by its creator John Allee complete with lyrics!)

From his behind-the-scenes perches at the Atlantic Monthly, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the White House, Lowell has seen it all, done it all, and kept a marvelously cheerful attitude throughout – even after getting a talking to from the President of the United States.

Lowell talks about his new project – helping to run the Leap of Reason Ambassadors Community – which brings together nonprofit and civic leaders, funders, and public officials to help improve philanthropy. We hope you enjoy this episode just as much as Eric has enjoyed his decades-long friendship with Lowell!

Valerie has done it all with extraordinary aplomb and good humor. Eric spoke with her about her fascinating career (she was once in charge of background checks for the Governor of Massachusetts!), growing up as a Black woman in Maine, and how she has woven together her many experiences to advance the work of the San Francisco Foundation. If you are a communications professional or hope to become one someday, this will be an especially valuable conversation.  

Andy and Eric have worked together since the 20th Century, if you can believe it. After this discussion, you will also feel like you’ve known Andy since Destiny’s Child was on the pop charts. Andy teaches us that we can all do the things we do better. This interview is sure to make you sprint to the Goodman Center website and sign up for a training or download a resource about how to be better at meetings, presentations, or storytelling. Enjoy!

Listen to hear all about the study, how to keep young people engaged in politics, and how to keep making democracy better.

We really hope you’ll enjoy this amazing conversation as much as we did.

Kirk and Eric take a brief look back at that crazy year and discuss what they're looking forward to in the year ahead.

Joy Har­jo is the author of nine books of poet­ry, includ­ing her most recent, An Amer­i­can Sun­rise. Her mem­oir, Crazy Brave, was award­ed the PEN USA Lit­er­ary Award in Cre­ative Non Fic­tion and the Amer­i­can Book Award.

She is Exec­u­tive Edi­tor of the anthol­o­gy When the Light of the World was Sub­dued, Our Songs Came Through — A Nor­ton Anthol­o­gy of Native Nations Poet­ry, released in August 2020.

She is a member of the Muscogee Nation, and is only one of two writers who has served three terms as Poet Laureate.

We've been lucky enough to be able to broadcast some of the ComnetV conversations on Let's Hear It, and as always, we’re grateful to the Communications Network for their partnership and support.

Eric talks with John and Kahane about this truly remarkable film, now streaming on Amazon Prime, which started with a single word written on a cocktail napkin.

If you need a little boost this holiday season, this conversation should prime the pump.

We are very excited to bring you this episode, in which Eric and Daniel discuss divinity school, framing narratives, and how corporate foundations can serve much more than the bottom line. This is an episode that, as Eric says, will warm the cockles of your heart.

David has some amazing takes on how to inspire the left and on the shortcomings of philanthropy. His words might scandalize nonprofit purists, but they ring true nevertheless.  

We begin this week with a fascinating conversation with Alexis McGill Johnson, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Alexis sits down with Kristen Mack, Managing Communications Director at the MacArthur Foundation (and previous Let’s Hear It! guest).

Alexis and Kristen have a candid discussion about RBG, hope, and the urgency of this moment in history.

Stay tuned for more highlights from ComNetworkV. This year’s virtual conference was almost as magical as it is in person, and certainly contained some of the most exciting programming we’ve ever seen. 

In just a few years she was running the organization. This week she takes the virtual stage at the Communications Network’s virtual gathering ComNetworkV to accept the Clarence B. Jones Impact Award which is given annually by The Communications Network to a social sector individual, team, or organization whose work best represents the extraordinary impact of our craft.

Susan gave us a sneak preview of her amazing story, which is just another reminder of how lucky we are to be in the field of social change.

Eric speaks with the Communications Network’s CEO Sean Gibbons about all the amazing keynotes, breakouts, and the annual Day of Service, which will give participants the opportunity to support a fair count of the US Census.

And if you haven’t signed up yet, it’s not too late – go to comnetworkvirtual.org until September 21. Did we mention that it’s free?

Javier and Eric had a freewheeling conversation about the role cultural institutions can play in helping open up the American mind. They also had a fascinating exchange about a document called “We See You White American Theater” that challenges the structure for creating, funding, and administering theater in this country.

If you care about the future of arts in America, or even just the future of the American mind, don’t miss this episode.

Eric has proclaimed this episode to be his favorite of 2020 so far, and no wonder. Ruben provides much food for thought on how nonprofits can learn from the business world. He also offers some very honest feedback for how foundations can improve their practices. And he reminds us that there’s no time like the present to achieve your dreams.

If this week, month, or year has got you feeling unempowered, this is the interview you must listen to.

Renée and Kirk’s conversation runs the gamut of topics from the power of the internet to the effect of malign narratives, with lots in between. This is a conversation that will especially appeal to those with the disinformation scaries. Renée and her work are vital to changing how we talk about the internet as the information environment of today, and her insight is not to be missed.

Bonus: The Communications Network has just announced that Renée will be one of their speakers this year at ComNet’s first-ever virtual gathering, which will happen from September 22nd to September 25th. Better yet, it’s free! You can find out more here: https://www.comnetworkvirtual.org/.

Since 2018, he has been the president of Demos, an organization that was started in 2000 by progressive foundations that wanted to respond to right wing think tanks with a focus on progressive policy development and advocacy. One of its early board members was a State Senator from Illinois named Barack Obama.

Under Sabeel’s leadership, Demos has built on its reputation as an essential voice in the movement for a just, inclusive, multiracial democracy. In this edition of Let’s Hear It, Eric and Sabeel have a free-flowing conversation about dismantling institutions and systems that are responsible for ongoing inequality in race, gender, and class. Sabeel talks about how to create new models for how the world will need to work as we attempt to create a new social contract based on justice.

This week, Kirk interviews Nina Jankowicz, whose new book, How to Lose the Information War: Russia, Fake News, and the Future of Conflict is a stark reminder that American democracy is under siege.

And if you are doing communications today, you are doing it in a sea of disinformation that has been designed to create chaos and foment distrust in the American system.

And yet, it's never been more important to know what we're up against. This episode is a stark reminder of just how vulnerable our messages are to abuse and subversion.

Have a nice day!

As we create these narratives, we will need to harness the power of stories. Our guest this week is Thaler Pekar, who specializes in gathering stories of foundations, nonprofits, and companies. Among her many achievements, Thaler traveled around the world to collect 178 oral histories for Atlantic Philanthropies, which are archived at Cornell University.

In addition to her work on oral histories, her firm Thaler Pekar & Partners produces videos, conducts workshops, and coaches executives on how to tell their stories.  

Eric and Thaler spoke back in February, but their conversation could not be more timely. Thaler reminds us of the importance of collecting and sharing stories. As so many of us turn our sights to creating a new narrative of change, this episode serves as a valuable lesson in the curriculum.

As we were thinking this week about what show to share with you, we kept returning to this conversation with Ben McBride that aired last year.  

Ben is a pastor and activist who has devoted his career to healing and reconciliation. He lives in Oakland, California where he's the co-director of PICO California.

We’ve been looking to Ben for wisdom and inspiration a lot these days – especially his work at Bring the H.E.A.T., which is an effort to increase the peace in California by transforming the public safety system into one everybody can trust.

In the aftermath of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others, this conversation with Ben feels particularly relevant.

So this week we bring you a replay of Eric’s conversation with Ben. Thanks for listening.

Dominique’s report, On the Margins: Economic Security for Women of Color through the Coronavirus and Beyond, was released only a few weeks after the lockdown began. It is a careful examination of the recent coronavirus relief packages and assesses the benefits, shortcomings, and implications for women of color.

This is a terrific conversation with a woman who is helping to shine a light on racial equity and economic inclusion.

As the coronavirus story was developing in early March, Alexis, a staff writer at The Atlantic, had trouble getting good data about COVID-19, so he and a few colleagues started the COVID Tracking Project. Little did he know that it would become one of the most reliable sources of data about COVID-19 in the country. In fact, even the White House is citing their data.

Alexis has also partnered with the Antiracist Research & Policy Center to create the COVID Racial Data Tracker, which provides the most comprehensive information on the racial disparities of the pandemic.

In the midst of all this, Alexis generously found time to speak with Eric about the extraordinary efforts of his team, the duties of journalists in times of crisis, and the shockingly disparate effects of the virus on different communities in the U.S.

In this episode (a flashback to days gone by, when people could actually meet in person), Eric and Ann meet during the frank gathering (an annual communications event inspired by Frank Karel) and have an exit interview of sorts, discussing Ann’s incredible ten years of work as the Frank Karel Chair and her plans for the future of public interest communications. In this candid and emotional exchange, you can hear Ann’s delightful and hopeful approach to the future of education and research in the public interest communications world.

If most presentations we suffer resemble Soviet-style brutalist architecture, this week’s guest, Nolan Haims, is like whoever designed Notre Dame, or maybe the Sydney Opera House. His designs are elegant, clever, and most important, they help the audience learn. Nolan has been a master of presentation design for over two decades. He’s the founder of Nolan Haims Creative, and he’s the former Vice President and Director of Presentation for the global PR giant Edelman. He is also co-host of The Presentation Podcast.

Nolan talks to Eric about how anyone can create presentations that appeal to the hearts and minds of their audience, uttering the phrase that may go down in Let’s Hear It History – “make your content like a Twinkie.” Have a listen to find out the secret to that epic concept. (And listen for a special little surprise at the very, very end.)

Saru is an attorney and activist who is changing the way our country treats workers who are forced to rely on tips to make a living.

Saru’s CV is about twelve pages long. She is president of One Fair Wage, which fights for one fair minimum wage for all workers in the U.S. (and which, by the way, has put together an Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Workers Support Fund that you can look into here). She co-founded the Restaurant Opportunities Center United, she directs the Food Labor Research Center at UC Berkeley, where she is also an adjunct professor of public policy, and she has written several books, including: Forked: A New Standard for American Dining; Behind the Kitchen Door; Bite Back: People Taking on Corporate Food and Winning (to be released this month); and The New Urban Immigrant Work Force, which comes out in 2021.

Saru is an extraordinary storyteller, a passionate speaker, and a fierce advocate for fairness in the food service industry. In this episode, you will be treated to a conversation that runs the gamut from how the vestiges of slavery are still supported by the restaurant industry to how food service corporations are dictating our democracy. She will absolutely knock your socks off. This isn’t an episode to skip.

Joanne, who is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Defy Communications in Ann Arbor, Michigan, led a webinar hosted by the Communications Network that should be its own college course on how you lead in a crisis. It's packed with really useful information on how to connect with your colleagues, your constituents, and how to focus on what really matters when it matters most.

With the rush of news related to COVID-19, we checked in with two experts who have tremendous experience communicating during epidemics - Dr. Barbara Reynolds and Thomson Prentice. Both have impressive public health communications credentials, Dr. Reynolds with the Centers for Disease Control, Mr. Prentice with the World Health Organization, and have written extensively on crisis, risk, epidemic, and public health communications.

We were reminded during our discussions that each of us has a role in communicating the specific way we can help support a return to healthier, safer times for us all as soon as possible. A hearty thank you to both of these guests for joining us on little notice and providing such helpful perspectives.

Sending best wishes to all our listeners as we adapt to our current circumstances. Thank you for joining us on Let’s Hear It.

Shanelle is a multi-hyphenate strategic communications pro whose extensive credits also include work at the Sierra Club, ACLU, and the Black Lives Matter Global Network. Shanelle is also an adjunct professor at the New School in New York, where her commitment to her students speaks volumes about the kind of leadership we need in this field.

In this episode, Shanelle and Eric sit down to talk messaging, maintaining integrity, and discuss what it takes to radically communicate. Don't miss this.

As the country attempts to make sense out of yesterday’s Super Tuesday results, it is clear that Sanders (and Tulchin) are still very much in the mix. But Ben Tulchin has a lot more than Bernie Sanders on his resume. A veteran pollster who has worked with foundations, nonprofits, and political campaigns for twenty-five years, Ben sits down with Kirk Brown to talk about how foundations and nonprofits can use polling and other research to advance their work.

john a. powell is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of civil rights and civil liberties and a wide range of issues including race, structural racism, ethnicity, housing, poverty, and democracy. He is the Director of the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley (formerly Haas Institute for a Fair and Inclusive Society), which supports research to generate specific prescriptions for changes in policy and practice that address disparities related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomics in California and nationwide. In addition to being a Professor of Law and Professor of African American Studies and Ethnic Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, john holds the Robert D. Haas Chancellor’s Chair in Equity and Inclusion.

If you don’t know john’s work (and Eric and john speak about why he doesn’t capitalize the letters in his name) you are in for a rare treat. Even if you do know about john, we think you will get a glimpse of him that is new and incredibly fun. (And you will also hear the story about how john and Eric got separated in a Havana disco.) In any case, we think that this episode of Let’s Hear It will have a profound effect on anyone who tunes in. Thanks for listening!

In this special episode, Eric and Kirk sit down to talk about their favorite Let's Hear It moments in 2019, what they've learned hosting and recording, and what they're looking forward to in this next year of podcasting. If you've ever had any questions about the podcast process, or just like hearing Eric and Kirk banter like two old biddies from the Upper West Side, this fireside-ish chat is worth the listen.

Thanks again for listening!

Ben is now the co-director of PICO California, a grassroots organization that helps people of faith to build power to reshape their lives and their communities. He has been addressing the challenges of race and belonging for over a decade, and he sat down with Eric to have the kind of conversation that many people find difficult, if not impossible.

If you care about these issues, we think you’ll love this episode.

As Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Apolitical, she has married behavioral science with public policy and created a peer-based learning platform to teach public servants the skills to help society flourish. Bureaucrats are not just people, she tells Eric, they control forty percent of global GDP.

By the way, she's also released a webinar entitled How to Persuade Others Using Behavioural Science. Believe us: after listening to Lisa, you'll be running to sign up for this master class.

She and Eric sit down to talk about her colorful career and how brain games help her do her job. It'll both entertain and teach you (just like Seinfeld's wife's beet chocolate cake), but most importantly, this episode may just change the way you think about communications for social change.

Drew sat down with Eric to talk about how Kaiser has charted new territory in the field of news media at a time when in-depth coverage of a host of important issues is becoming much harder to come by. And don’t miss Drew’s full-throated endorsement of the role that communications plays in advancing the goals of foundations and the nonprofits they support. It’s practically a love letter to communications!

Villy is the Founder, President, and CEO of BAYCAT, a non-profit organization that takes youth development and education, media production, marketing and advertising, social entrepreneurship, job training, economic and community development, arts, music and urban culture, and throws it in a blender.

What comes out of that extraordinary mix is one of the most interesting, exciting ways to work with young people who deserve a chance to soar, as well as a company that produces media for a wide range of organizations and institutions.

Oh, and Villy (who, we are proud to say, is an avid listener of our show) is a hoot – she and Eric sat down at BAYCAT’s studios in San Francisco for a lively whirlwind of a conversation. Don’t miss this one.

Trabian Shorters is the CEO and Founder of BMe Community, which provides fellowships for Black leaders in the US, and which trains organizations in matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Trabian’s amazing talk explains his work to promote what he calls “asset framing” – describing people by their aspirations and talents rather than a perceived challenge or stereotype. If you are working in social justice in any way, shape, or form, you simply MUST listen to this incredibly valuable lesson in effective communications. This episode is long, but it’s worth it!

The following year Desmond was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. In October of 2019, Desmond received the Clarence B. Jones Impact Award from the Communications Network. The award is presented to a leader who has used strategic communications and data to demonstrably elevate and advance issues, influence attitudes and beliefs, and inspire action in pursuit of social change.

In this special edition of Let’s Hear It, we present Desmond’s acceptance speech, which co-host Eric Brown called one of the “most exciting and meaningful twenty-seven minutes I have ever experienced.” Desmond tells the story of his own struggles with addiction, incarceration, and redemption, and leaves us all with an extraordinary lesson about how to unite people across their differences. You absolutely, positively don’t want to miss this episode.

If you missed this amazing event, we've captured it here for you. If you heard it and were blown away like so many others, you might like to listen again. In either case, it was an extraordinary moment.

Eric spoke with two of the staff from the Communications Network who are helping to make it all happen this year - Carrie Clyne, Deputy Director of Events and Community, and Tristan Mohabir, who is Director of Operations and Editorial.

Carrie and Tristan talk about how they are helping everyone make connections and make the most out of this year’s ComNet – from first-timers like Carrie to seventeenth-timers like Eric. If you’re coming this year, this show is a great primer on how to make the most out of the conference. If you were one of the many who waited too long only to see the conference sell out yet again, Tristan and Carrie will inspire you to make sure you don’t miss out next time!

David sits down with Eric to talk about the legacy of Frank Karel, his predecessor at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, how the field has developed over time, and he’ll give you a chuckle when discussing the freedom that working for a limited life foundation affords.

We recorded this conversation earlier in the year, so if you want to buy him a drink to ask him about the old days, you’ll have to go to Norway to do it – David has hung up his flak jacket and now sips aquavit on the fjords.

Stefan Lanfer of the Barr Foundation and Jade Floyd of the Case Foundation are chair and co-chair, respectively, of ComNet, and they spoke to Eric about their lives, their work, barbeque, Lycra, Spiderman, Pose, and why they’re so excited about this year’s event.

Hunter sat down with Eric to talk about why he co-founded Solar Responders, he speaks about the opportunities and challenges of having shared a womb with one of the planet's most recognizable people, and he explains the deep rewards that await people who are interested in dedicating themselves to the service of others.

Hunter is earnest, humble, and he’s a walking, talking cure for cynicism. Hear for yourself.

As a community foundation, the San Francisco Foundation is able to raise money, make grants, and do the kind of political advocacy that private foundations cannot. Fred and his colleagues have used these tools to focus on housing, jobs, protecting communities, and a host of related issues.

If all that responsibility seems intimidating, you’d never know it from talking with Fred, who never seems to break a sweat. With one of the easiest laughs in the business, Fred sits down with Eric to discuss his work, his hopes for the future, and how he has drawn upon generations of family wisdom to guide his decisions. It’s a terrific conversation in which Fred shares his optimism about how he thinks the country can emerge from these proverbial “challenging times” stronger and more connected.

Doniece launched an organization called Lava Mae, which provides mobile showers for some of the Bay Area’s most marginalized residents. By giving people a chance to feel clean, she is restoring dignity and providing hope to thousands of people in the San Francisco Bay Area and now Los Angeles. Even more than that, she is providing essential lessons to all of us about how to make deep meaningful connections through the power of stories.

Keep a hankie handy - these stories are amazingly powerful and deeply moving.

As the Vice President for Global Communications at the Ford Foundation, Alfred is rolling all those skills and experiences into one exciting, strategic bundle. Alfred and Eric sit down at Mollie’s Pub in New York’s Gramercy Park neighborhood (where Eric’s grandmother used to drink) to discuss his career, what he’s learned, and the joys and challenges of running communications for one of the biggest and most complex foundations in the country. We REALLY think you won’t want to miss this one.

Now, MacArthur is back with its second competition. In this episode of Let’s Hear It! we speak with Kristen Mack, Senior Communications Officer at MacArthur, and Jaison Morgan, CEO of Common Pool, the company that helps to design and conduct the competition.

Kristen talks with Eric about how she came to this field and about how MacArthur integrates communications throughout its work and especially into such a visible campaign (and the drinking habits of journalists.) Jaison talks about how competitions need to focus on transparency and feedback, and about the significant benefits that clear communications can have (and how he uses competition strategies in his parenting).

Join us for another fun and illuminating episode of Let’s Hear It!

Let’s face it, Beth puts most of the rest of us to shame. It is no wonder that she is one of the most sought-after speakers, trainers, and authors on non-profit effectiveness anywhere.

Beth talks with Kirk (yes, Kirk!) about the fascinating contours of her career, the important steps that organizations need to take in order to thrive, and the seven stages of grief in measuring effectiveness.

Join us for this terrific conversation with one of the most colorful and interesting leaders of our field.

Jim sits down with Eric (in a very fancy studio, we might add) to discuss his journey from high school English teacher to foundation executive, how he uses communications to advance the goals of the Barr Foundation, and his theory on who robbed the Gardner  Museum in the greatest art heist in history (okay, not so much on that last bit).

We really think you’ll enjoy this episode with Jim, one of the best and brightest minds in philanthropy.

Along the way, she served on the faculty in the Education Department at Stanford, she was chair of the African American Studies Department at UC Berkeley (go Bears!), and she went on to be Vice Chancellor for Equity and Inclusion there. She still holds a faculty appointment in Education and African American Studies at Berkeley.

Na’ilah has been shaking up the academy for years, and as President of the Spencer Foundation, she is helping to make sure that education research serves the students who would benefit most.

With humor and candor and a true sense of delight, Na’ilah talks with Eric about her career path, how she’s using communications to advance the work of the Spencer Foundation, and how she’s trying to change the traditional structures in the academic world.    

In this episode of Let’s Hear It, Phil talks with Eric about how philanthropy can make a difference, and they discuss Phil’s new book, Giving Done Right: Effective Philanthropy and Making Every Dollar Count. Eric notes that Phil, a former door-to-door fundraiser, has gone from playing the kazoo in the subway to conducting at Carnegie Hall. In their conversation after, Kirk chides Eric for asking tough questions, and Eric is classically defensive. What do you think? You can hear it all here at Let’s Hear It.

She launched Spitfire Strategies when she was in her early thirties, and in the intervening decade and a half she has built the organization into one of the most highly respected nonprofit communications firms in the country.

All the while, Kristen has managed to keep learning and she has maintained an infectious sense of humor. In this episode of Let’s Hear It, Kristen talks about how she inadvertently pranked Peter Jennings, why she travels around the country in a camper trailer every year, and she describes her plan for reducing “unforced errors” in communications strategy and planning. While’s she’s at it, she talks about how she keeps learning, how she thinks about management, who she turns to for advice, and so much more.

Living in the only Hispanic household in his rural Pennsylvania community, he learned how different perspectives inform each other. As the youngest civil rights commissioner in Pennsylvania history, he was forced to address a dramatic surge of hate crimes against immigrants in the aftermath of 9/11. Since then, he has gone on to run a regional office for a US Senator, he ran communications for the Council on Foundations, he was chair of the Communications Network during a dynamic period of extraordinary growth, and now he’s a management consultant at an international firm. 

All of this has given Jesse a really nuanced understanding of just about everything.

In this interview with co-host Eric Brown, Jesse Salazar talks about politics, nonprofits, foundations, how to use communications to advance ideas and causes, the strategic use of office candy, and much more in another lively episode of Let’s Hear It!

Minna talks about the pitfalls of professional ambition, the challenge of being creative while still getting the day-to-day work done, and even about how to facilitate a meeting.

This wide-ranging conversation between Minna and co-host Eric Brown takes place at the Lone Palm, a dive-ish bar in San Francisco’s Mission District, as Let’s Hear It moves out of the studio and into the streets.

As Grant tells Eric in this episode of Let’s Hear It, “Many of the issues we care about are losing or at least deeply embattled.” Grant says that foundations have a “sacred responsibility” to change the narrative in the field and in the broader culture.

If that’s not a challenge, we don’t know what is.

In this very candid conversation, Grant and Eric discuss how foundation communications are advancing social change, and how they’re falling short.

At a time when we are bombarded by reports, books, blogs (okay, and podcasts), the Race Card Project at the Aspen Institute invites people to tell their own stories about race and identity in a whopping six words. To date, they have collected over a quarter million six-word stories. As it turns out, six words can reduce you to tears or laughter at least as well as a white paper or powerpoint presentation.

Amrit Dhillon helps run the project with former NPR host Michelle Norris and she talks to Eric about how they are helping people around the world to tell their own stories about this challenging and potentially divisive topic with empathy and understanding.

Learn more about the Race Card Project at: https://www.facebook.com/TheRaceCardProject

In Eric Brown’s freewheeling conversation with Larry, the Hewlett president holds forth on trying to get the rights to Can’t Buy Me Love for the foundation’s hold music, how he’s trying to make democracy great again through the foundation’s Madison Initiative, and why his mother wishes he was still dean of the Stanford Law School. And much, much more. Just listen – you’ll be glad you did.