Be The Connection
A deep dive into why connections matter for all of us, told through the inspiring, engaging and thought-provoking stories of guests ranging from community organizers to coaches to former inmates to authors to photographers and more. Their journeys and insights highlight the awesome impact of meaningful connections, barriers we face in developing community and what happens we do – and don’t – have it in our lives. Settle in, think, laugh and listen as we help you be the connection for your world.
Episodes
Dan Page's journey from battling addiction starting at the age of 12 to derailing his life as an adult on to becoming a counselor and building community for those walking the same path he's walked has developed an immense appreciation for the value of community and its absolute necessity for anyone fighting a hard battle in life. Hear Dan's compelling story and what we can all that from the battles he's faced.
Jim, one of our first guests, is back with Frannie Hohman and together, they lead a two-year restorative justice program for inmates at San Quentin State Prison. Hear the amazing community that develops and helps bring healing in a space for inmates and even their victims after all the pain and difficulty in their past.
Connection and community are vital, but where do solitude and isolation fit in the mix for a healthy life and mindset? Our new series will explore that question and we set up the awesome conversations ahead with this kickoff episode.
From a small town to being on the air covering a range of communities around her native Northeast Ohio, Sarah White has learned what community means in a range of ways and she brings that perspective and insights to a conversation about the people and components that make a community tick.
Sarah on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.jayne.white/?hl=en
Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-white-2646294/
WAO...
Chris has been vital to building communities in the music world and now helps businesses make community the center of their internal operations and their relationship with those outside their walls. He joins to share valuable insights on all of the above and talk about his new book, due out this summer!
Chris' website: https://chriscatania.co/
Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophercatania/
Chris on X: https...
Ed has spent nearly three decades rooted in the high school sports community and as a cancer survivor, he's a part of that special community as well. He's dishing out valuable lessons learned and shining a light on how to move your community forward.
Homelessness is a bigger issue in the U.S. with each passing day, but what does community look like for individuals facing being homeless, not just living on the street, but when they have a chance to find housing and move forward? CSS Residential Services Director Keith Stahl shines a light on all of this and how each of us can make our community better for those struggling with homelessness.
CSS website: https://www.cssbh.org/
...
The Bateleurs are a fantastic community of 200 diverse pilots who donate their aviation services to conservation and environmental groups in their native South Africa and neighboring areas. Leader Steve McCurrach shares what it's like inside this caring community that in turn helps so many other communities in Africa by protecting nature's residents and preserving biodiversity.
The Bateleurs website: www.bateleurs.org
The...
Revisiting the wise words of our past eight guests so we don't lose their insights on community and connection by zooming on to the next piece of content. This time around, we go back to the thoughts of:
Ep. 36 - Claire Bishop
Ep. 46 -Kathryn Lloyd, Tenement Immigration Museum (N.Y.)
Ep. 48 - Jillian Racoosin, Foundation for Social Connection
Ep. 49 - Journalism expert/retired professor Dr. Therese Lueck
Ep. 50 - Akron Sneaker ...
Season 2 launches with the story of a guy who went from 400-plus pounds and on the verge of dangerous health issues to someone who's found fitness, community and a new direction for his life thanks to his own drive and those who have poured into his journey. Norm Carreiro's tale is one worth hearing, learning from and remembering.
Norm on IG: https://www.instagram.com/jackhammer_strong/
Rubber City Weightlifting:
https...
What lasting lessons on connection, community and relationships has our first season taught us? We look back on a year of BTC and also look ahead to see what's next as we keep chasing better connections and community that truly changes us.
Raymond Green's story is one of working to empower those who feel excluded in their communities and his passion for community stems from the hard lessons learned from his time in prison and reintegrating into society afterward. He provides plenty to ponder in the latest in our series on Community!
Freedom BLOC website: https://www.thefreedombloc.org/
On X: https://x.com/thefreedomBLOC
On IG: https://www.instagram.com/thefr...
Bridge the Village is all about uniting those who build communities and removing divisions to create room for growth and unity. Executive director DeJuana Waters-Herald leads this bold effort and shares what truly drives healthy communities.
Bridge the Village website: https://www.bridgethevillage.org/
Bridge the Village on FB: https://www.facebook.com/BridgeTheVillage
Bridge the Village on IG:
https://www.instagram.com/bridge_the_vill...
A veteran teacher, professor and leader of a new school where he's part of creating a thriving educational community, Dr. Steven Hyatt is an expert on culture and its importance within all types of communities. He shares insights and compelling thoughts on why many of us are slow to step into community and the impact when we do take that chance.
NEO Classical Academy website: https://neocacademy.org/?gad_source=1&gclid=...
With a nonprofit built on sneaker culture and focused on building community, connecting with the community at large and showing students a brighter future where they're the creators of amazing designs and products, Akron Sneaker Academy is a perfect fit for the latest episode in our Community series. Check out Ep. 50!
ASA website: https://www.akronsneakeracademy.org/
ASA on FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556239...
Dr. Therese Lueck speaks powerfully on how to find great community in a transient setting like a college campus, the power journalism still has to create community and how an invitation to appear on this podcast sent her on a journey to improve the state of connections in her life. Buckle in a for an awesome episode!
How do we build, sustain and grow the type of communities that help us thrive and live all-around healthier lives? Jillian Racoosin goes in-depth to answer that question and to explain how stronger communities depend on the power of storytelling.
https://www.social-connection.org/
F4SC on IG: https://www.instagram.com/fdn4socialconnection/
F4SC on FB: https://www.facebook.com/FoundationforSocialConnection
Let's circle back to the powerful words and wisdom our guests shared in Ep. 36-44 so we can keep those in mind, apply them to our lives and live them out. It's time to Pause and Refresh on one central piece of wisdom from each of these eight awesome guests!
Ep. 36 - Claire Bishop
Ep. 37 -Drew Hanna
Ep. 39 -Jessica Cabrera
Ep. 40 -Kurt Rohrbach
Ep. 42 -Dr. Alia Whitman
Ep. 43 -Kate Carney
Ep. 44 -Deena Kastor
Ep. 45 -Brad Bournival
Immigrants have always been a vital part of the United States and The Tenement Museum tells the stories of 11 families across decades in New York City as they came to start a new life, build community and chase new dreams. Kathryn Lloyd leads the museum's educational programming, making her a great fit for the third installment of our series on community, as told through the tales of these brave immigrants in a new place.
Tenement M...
With 20-plus years covering high school sports and entrenched in the communities that support them, Brad Bournival brings an amazing, thoughtful perspective on what makes communities strong, successful and special (hint: it has a lot to do with the people). It's our second episode of our new "Community" series, so let's dig in for a conversation worth your while.
Beacon Journal website: https://www.beaconjour...
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