April 24, 2025 • 34 mins
What happens when five retirees decide over a cup of coffee to tackle poverty in Mexico? The answer is Vamos!, a remarkable grassroots organization that has transformed thousands of lives over nearly four decades through a radical approach: actually listening to what people need.
Sean Dougherty, Executive Director of Vamos, takes us on a journey that began with his parents and friends being moved by the poverty they witnessed in Mexico back in 1986. Their first effort failed spectacularly when money sent for a sewing cooperative disappeared. But rather than giving up, they doubled down. Two founders moved to Cuernavaca, Mexico to "walk with the poor" and understand their actual needs.
The results are extraordinary. What started with providing portable toilets for street vendors has evolved into ten community centers serving 150,000 meals annually, providing free medical, dental, and psychological care, education from preschool through college scholarships, and interest-free loans that empower women to start businesses. Most remarkably, Vamos maintains a commitment that 100% of donations go directly to programs, with board members covering all administrative costs.
This conversation goes beyond charity to explore dignity - not as something given, but as something reflected back to people society often overlooks. As one Mexican woman told Dougherty, "When your heart is full of gratitude, there's no room for blame."
At a time when many feel overwhelmed by global challenges, this episode offers a powerful reminder that individual actions matter. As Dougherty says, "Don't hunker down when things get tough. Do your bit, do your little piece, and the more people that do their little bits, it turns into something really great and beautiful." Listen now to be inspired by what genuine kindness can accomplish.
This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network. If you have an idea for a podcast and need some production assistance or have a podcast and are looking for a supportive network to join, check out maydaymedianetwork.com.
Like what you hear on the podcast? Follow our social media for more uplifting, inspirational and feel-good content.
It's one thing to highlight the kindness that we see in the world, but it's another to, as I put in many of my social media posts, #bethechange. I am donating all of my royalties from the sale of my book, Change A World; In Order to Change The World to local and national non-profits. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, hello there and welcome.
You are listening to theKindness Matters podcast and I
am your host, mike Rathbun.
What is this podcast all about?
It's about kindness.
It's a pushback againsteverything negative that we see
in the news and on social mediatoday, and it's a way to
(00:20):
highlight people, organizations,that are simply striving to
make their little corner of theworld a little better place.
If you want to join in on theconversation, feel free, Go
ahead and follow us on all ofyour social media feeds.
We're on Facebook, instagram,tiktok.
We're even on LinkedIn underMike Rathbun.
(00:43):
Check us out.
We're even on LinkedIn underMike Rathbun.
Check us out and, in themeantime, so sit back, relax,
enjoy and we'll get into theKindness Matters podcast.
Hey everybody, welcome to theKindness Matters podcast.
I am your host, mike Rathbun.
(01:04):
As always, as I say on everyshow, if you hear something in
this podcast that moves you orinspires you or motivates you to
do some more kindness in theworld, think about sharing this
podcast with your friends,family, coworkers, strangers on
(01:24):
the street, whoever you happento meet, and let them know that
you found a podcast that madeyou feel pretty good, and I
would appreciate it so much.
I appreciate you tuning in tolisten to our show for half an
hour this week and hope to seeyou back again next, again, next
(01:44):
time.
Okay, so I have a great showfor you guys today.
My guest today is Sean Dougherty, and he's an experienced is
executive director with ademonstrated history of working
in the media production industry.
He has a BA from Temple andworked as the director of
(02:05):
operations for HopeWorks inCamden, new Jersey, which is
another non-profit, but since2013, he is the executive
director of the small yetpowerful non-profit Vamos.
I feel like I have to say thatwith emphasis because I know you
guys have that exclamation markthat works with the poor in
(02:29):
Mexico.
Welcome to the show, sean.
I appreciate you being here.
Mike thanks a lot for having meyeah, this is um vamos now, and
there's two meanings for thatright.
In Mexican that means let's go.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Right, but it's also a, and I'm not going to think of
the name of the word, it's anacronym.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Okay, yeah, so we use it as an acronym for our
official incorporated name,which is Vermont Associates for
Mexican Opportunity and Support,vamos.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Perfect.
Oh, you know what?
I think I was saying thatwithout the S at the end.
Vamos.
I think I said it Vamo.
Anyway, I apologize.
Um.
(03:31):
So now, this all started backin what?
1986, ish yep, yep um, when agroup of people went down to
mexico on a.
Was it a vacation or was it?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
so my yeah, our story is that, um, my dad was an
educator and he retired at theage of 55 and moved up to the
town of Weston, vermont.
So Weston, vermont, one of thethings it's known for.
It has maybe less than 500people live in town, but there
is a Benedictine priory.
(04:01):
There are monks there who havea kind of a farm and a priory
there and they invite the publicin.
So my parents were activeparticipants there, as were many
, many people, and the brothershad a relationship with sisters,
catholic nuns in Cuernavaca,mexico, and so the nuns would
(04:24):
offer retreats, so where, if youwanted to, as a church group or
as individuals, go and kind ofexperience a time of
contemplation and reflection ledby the sisters.
So my parents, dick and AgnesDougherty, and another couple
(04:44):
who lived in town with them,bill and Patty Coleman, and
another guy named Ike Patch whowas a retired diplomat, bill and
Patty and my parents went onthe retreat.
Ike Patch, meanwhile, went tovisit the migrating butterflies,
the monarch butterflies whospend the winter right outside
of Mexico City.
Butterflies, the monarchbutterflies who spend the winter
(05:06):
right outside of Mexico City.
Oh, okay, and they got back totheir home and over a cup of
coffee in somebody's kitchen,they talked about their
experience and hey, did theyhave a good time?
Yes, we enjoyed ourselves.
But all of them also mentionedthe poverty that they saw there
so and remarked how it wasperhaps different than the
poverty here.
They saw there so and remarkedhow it was perhaps different
than the poverty here in theStates.
(05:28):
There were dirt floors andcrippled people and children,
you know, asking for money onthe streets, and so they said,
hey, we'd like to do somethingabout this.
So what can we do?
So they were in their late 50s,early 60s.
They said, right then, andthere we can do something, let's
(05:49):
do something.
So they called a friend to helpthem form a 501c3, a charitable
organization.
They talked about what theycould do.
They asked some friends to helpthem and they were introduced
to a contact there who wasrunning a sewing co-op for women
(06:10):
, and so he needed help buyingsewing machines and supporting
these women.
So my parents and the group gotsome money together, sent it
down to them.
After six or nine months or so,bill and Patty went down to
visit and lo and behold, therewere no sewing machines, there
(06:33):
was no co-op.
So, right off the bat, failureand embarrassment.
And what to do next?
So, after a lot of discernment,bill and Patty, who ran a small
publishing house, actuallydecided to move to Cuernavaca.
(06:54):
So they gave up their life here.
They moved there in order towhat they called walk with the
poor and listen to the Poor andsee what the poor needed, and
then, with the resources thatthey had and they could get, we
could maybe help them reach someof their goals.
(07:15):
So that was the idea.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Okay, and that's really important.
First of all, I love thethought of creating a nonprofit
over a cup of coffee insomebody's kitchen table.
That's always where the besthelping hand ideas come from.
(07:39):
I think it's just peoplegetting together and going, yeah
, this sucks, let's do somethingabout it yeah, and so often you
know mike people, theconversation ends with this
sucks.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So here though, this is a great story, just normal
people saying this sucks.
I wonder if we can help.
Well, what if we do this andwhat if we do that?
What if we ask others to helpus?
And the story is, if you fastforward to the end, we are now
an organization that runs 10community centers, so kind of
(08:16):
like after school programs herein the States.
We feed, we serve 150,000 mealsa year.
We have classes from preschoolthrough high school.
We also have a lot of adultclasses for women.
We have computer classes,english classes.
We have a dentist on staff toprovide free dental help, a
(08:38):
doctor on staff to provide freemedical help and a psychologist
on staff, and this is soimportant.
To do both individualcounseling and group counseling
and to have free mental healthcare for the poor here in the
United States is unheard of, andcertainly in Mexico it is as
well, so we're so proud of that.
(09:00):
We have computer classes, wehave music classes, we have art
classes.
That we have computer classes,we have music classes, we have
art classes.
We work with another group whoallows us to loan women.
We loan them $100 and it canmake all the difference in the
world to them.
They pay it back when they can,and now we have combined with
(09:21):
another organization.
We're offering scholarships socollege scholarships and
elementary and secondaryscholarships to some of the
poorest kids around.
So that's really making a hugedifference in their lives.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Wow yeah, because that could have all ended.
I mean, none of that could havehappened if it had ended with
this sucks.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Right right.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
You know, and as it so oftentimes does, um, but I
mean all of that didn't existwhen, when they when bill and
patty first moved down there,right, I mean you sent all this
money down there to buy sewingmachines and you went go down
and it's like, hey, where's thesewing machines?
They're not here, um.
(10:08):
So I just I really love theidea that they took the
opportunity, cause they theytalked to the poor people down
there, right, and they said youknow they, they worked with them
, they live among them.
and they said what do you?
Need Right and they said youknow, they worked with them,
they live among them.
And they said what do you need?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Right.
So Bill and Patty had hadexperienced smart people and
right from the start theydecided, hey, we're not going to
go down there as NorthAmericans and say, hey, we know
what you need.
We know that you need to starta farm co-op or a sewing co-op,
right, we, we know that we canbuild you playgrounds or build
you houses.
What Bill and Patty did washang around.
(10:49):
They hung around the mainZocalo, the central plaza in
Cuernavaca, where there's lotsof people from the small towns
selling crafts, and they hungaround some of the outskirts of
town, some of the poorneighborhoods, and they listened
and they and people welcomedthem and invited them in.
And so, after maybe six or ninemonths, they got a group of
(11:12):
mostly women who were selling onthe streets and said, hey, what
, what can we do for you?
What dreams do you have?
What's your future?
And the women were, you know,shy and almost couldn't
articulate a future, becausetheir future was tomorrow, their
(11:35):
future was they probably neverconsidered, even being asked
that.
Right, right.
And so when their firstresponse was hey, you know what
we could use?
We could use a bathroom.
We sell on the streets.
The store owners won't let usin, we have no place to go to
the bathroom, and so, hey, wecould do that.
We rented some porta potties,we talked to a church downtown
(11:58):
who let us put them behind thechurch and, you know, hey, check
that off the box.
We solved a problem, um, but inaddition to that, the women
said you know, we come fromthese small towns and our
children are here with us andthey don't go to school, and
they don't know how to read andwrite and we don't
(12:20):
know how to read and write.
So patty and bill thought aboutthat at the same time.
They said you know, if we don'tknow how to read and write?
So Patty and Bill thought aboutthat At the same time.
They said you know, if we don'tsell enough, we don't have
money to buy food.
And one woman talked aboutgoing to bed with their children
being hungry and how that madeher feel, as a mother, that she
couldn't provide for herchildren.
(12:41):
So we, patty and Bill, saidokay, we rented a room, we asked
some women for help, we boughtfood, we served a meal in the
afternoon, you know, a dozenpeople came, two dozen people
came, 40, 50.
So it started to grow, pattyand Bill knew no Spanish when
they moved down there, so theywere learning how to read
(13:07):
Spanish.
The people mostly spoke anindigenous language called
Nahuatl there, so they began tolearn together how to read and
write Spanish, and it justcontinued to grow.
People in other neighborhoodsbegan to come and say, hey, can
you help us too?
And as we worked with them fora period of time and formed a
(13:29):
partnership and said, yes, wecan come there.
But the partnership would be weneed a place to operate, we
need where, can we do this?
And so they would have someland.
So maybe Vamos would buy thecinder blocks and they would
raise the walls and we'd have.
Now we'd have a place and nowwe could start serving there
(13:50):
once a week, or whatever itmight be.
So yes listening to the poor.
And the other thing I'llquickly mention is you know,
failure at the beginning is nota completely bad thing.
It refocuses you and for us.
We were so embarrassed byasking people for help and
(14:11):
having nothing to show for itthat, as a board, everyone
decided that we would pay forall the expenses, we would pay
for printing and travel andthings like that, and that any
money that people donated wouldgo directly to help the poor.
And so, 38 years later, we'restill doing that.
(14:34):
Any money that people donategoes directly to buy food, to
pay for teachers, to pay forcooks, to serve the people that
we're working with.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Oh, wow, and this thing has really ballooned for
you guys.
Just the types of okay, so nowyou've got, after first starting
up down there, you've gotbathrooms.
So the women selling theirwares're I'm guessing it's
jewelry and and whatnot um, inthe streets don't have to go, I
(15:12):
mean, they don't have to hold itright or, or or duck around a
building or something yeah sothey did that, and then you
started a school, and it it'sjust kind of ballooned, hasn't
it?
You're teaching jobs and skillsand you're giving employment,
not giving.
You're employing people to workdown there.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yep, and so you know you mentioned that bathroom
thing, which is kind of animportant little anecdote in our
story also, because when you'repoor and maybe you're
indigenous, you don't have a lotof dignity or you're treated
without respect you can, it'seasy to lose your dignity when
(15:57):
you have no place to go to thebathroom, for God's sake.
So that is at the found.
That's the foundation of whatwe do.
So kids and moms come, they geta meal, they get a couple hours
of class, but they're alsoloved and they're treated with
respect and they're treated withdignity.
And we say, hey, if you comeonce a week and just have a meal
(16:22):
and leave, we love you, have ameal and leave, we love you.
If you come every day and stayfor classes and eat, then we
still love you.
It doesn't matter.
We just we're here to supportyou and again know that you are
(16:42):
an important person, that youhave a value.
And even so, I mentioned ourloan program.
We loan $100, 2,000 pesos moreor less at the exchange rate
today.
Nobody gets rich off of it.
But what the women do is theybuy.
We've taught them how to makejewelry, we've taught them how
to weave purses and weavebaskets.
(17:02):
So now they buy the rawmaterials, they create the
baskets, the purses, theembroidery, the jewelry and they
set a table up at their marketand now they sell it.
So it again they're not gettingrich, but they are providing
for their family, they'refeeling good about themselves
(17:22):
and the number one piece offeedback that we get back from
the women is thank you forhaving the confidence in me to
loan me money.
Nobody would loan me money,yeah, you know.
And again, sometimes people youborrow money off the street,
you know you pay a thousandpercent interest every month.
This is a loan with no interest.
Pay back when, when, you can,and the women pay back back.
(17:46):
You know we have like a 97percent um you know payback rate
.
So it's really, really aremarkable thing, that's so cool
.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yeah, that was the other thing I was thinking about
was was the dignity that yougive these people.
You know, um, it's here in thestates that would.
I mean.
The opposite of that would begiving an unhoused person some
money and saying don't buy drugswith it, you know, because
that's you're not giving dignitythat way, right, right, and you
(18:17):
guys are exactly the oppositeof that.
And it's so important, havinggone 38 years now is um the
schools must have produced.
I mean you, you've probablyseen I don't know if you have a
(18:38):
standard, you know k through 12system there, but have you seen
the results of that educationcome back?
So some of them must havegraduated and gone off into the
world and done something.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yes, yes, and so I just wanted a little bit about
language.
We don't give.
Obviously we don't give themdignity.
We reflect back their dignity.
We help them to see it andexperience and believe in
themselves.
And I think back to what you'resaying.
We have had some of thestudents.
So we don't offer a degree or adiploma.
(19:14):
We're supplemental to publiceducation.
So we've had several studentscomplete their public education
and come back and we've hiredthem as teachers because they
completed their collegeeducation as teachers as well.
So we've hired them to do that.
(19:34):
Some of the children of ourcooks have gone on to culinary
school.
We have, I think, when we hiresomebody and pay them legally,
according to all their rights,their vacation pay, their social
security.
When a family now has a steadyincome, a stable income, it
(19:57):
allows their children not tostart to go to work when they're
12 years old.
So the kids of our teachers,the kids of our cooks, are now
graduating.
One is just graduated as adentist, she's a dentist,
another as a physical therapist.
So now you're changing livesfor generations and generations.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, I was going to say.
None of that would have beenpossible had it not been for
your organization.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Right.
No, it's so exciting.
People you know.
You talk so much about povertyor you look at the poor and you
say, oh, they don't have jobs,this, they don't have nice
clothes, they don't have a nicehouse.
But after getting to know andworking so long with these folks
in Mexico, you come tounderstand that they really have
(20:44):
an abundance of things.
They have an abundance ofresilience, they have abundance
of creativity, they haveabundance of work ethic.
So they work hard, they thinkoutside the box, they need to
survive, and that is all what wecan tap into and set free when
(21:04):
you give them an education, whenyou provide a steady, stable
work environment for the parents, and that lets people really,
really blossom.
People really, really blossom.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Yeah, for sure.
That's so cool, I think, aswe're what you guys are doing I
mean, with the current state ofthe US as it is now and how we
seem to be pulling backgovernmentally aid for some of
(21:36):
the poorer countries in theworld I think that just makes
you guys shine all that muchbrighter because you're still
doing this and you're caring andyou're reaching out and you're
helping those that, had it notbeen for you, probably would not
be able to live the life thatyou've given them.
(22:01):
And it's not like you give themanything.
I'm not saying you give them,but you're giving them the
ability, the means to do that,to create their own lives.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Yeah, you know, when we first started, you know we
come from the United States, wecome from North America and
we're in Mexico and we'reworking with poor communities
and people there are incrediblythankful, incredibly grateful,
and they realize that, hey, thisis part of the story of the
(22:29):
United States, the beacon on thehill, the shining example, and
we help others who don't have.
So we were part of that.
Now things have changed a bit,so we've pulled back.
The government has pulled back.
You know almost everything.
There are stories, sad, sadstories about people dying of
(22:52):
AIDS who used to get care, orcholera, even who to get health
care from, uh, us organizationsor organizations that were
funded by usaid.
So now we're kind of theexception to the rule in mexico
and you know it can make youangry that when you talk to the
moms that we work with downthere they're worried are you
(23:15):
going to leave us?
Are his mom was going to close?
Are you leaving?
And so, to add, more worry andmore concern for a poor mother.
That's not what the UnitedStates my United States is all
about.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Right, I never even considered that that they might
think that you were leavingRight.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
They don't know the difference.
You know we accept nogovernment money from Mexico or
the United States.
We've always sown anindependent road as far as
funding goes.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
That's so incredible.
And speaking of funding, seehow I did, see what I did there.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
No, let's talk about nonprofit funding for a minute,
because and there are a lot of,and I'm not complaining I should
make that clear.
But the reality is that thereare a lot of nonprofits who had
their funding cut in the country.
(24:13):
In the country I've spoken toexecutive directors of food
shelves, for example, whodepended on funding that's not
there anymore.
The executive director of ashelter for people who were
(24:36):
living in domestic violence.
Their funding that they hadrelied on, that they had planned
on, is not there anymore.
How does that?
Now?
You guys don't take anygovernment funding, so this
really shouldn't affect you.
How do nonprofits, where doestheir funding come from?
I don't understand that world.
I don't live in that world.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I don't understand that world.
I don't live in that world.
So I'm curious where're workingfor the United States
government, when you are helpingAIDS in Africa or when you're
helping flood victims somewhere?
There are organizationsnonprofit organizations that get
funding from the United States.
So when their funding is cutoff, a the work that they're
doing is going to end.
They can't meet payroll, theycan't buy supplies, they can't
(25:41):
transport their suppliesoverseas, so that ends up.
And there's no I don't know theexact number, but we're talking
billions of dollars from USAID.
That money is not going to bereplaceable.
People can go back out theseorganizations and raise more
money, but to replace that muchmoney is not in the cards.
(26:03):
When you get down to this nextlevel of organizations, it may
take some government money, butthey're more like Vamos.
So we get funding fromcorporations.
So corporations often help inthe areas that they work in the
area, in the, in the sort of thebusiness area that they work in
(26:24):
.
If they're food producers,maybe they help with food.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
If they're pharmaceuticals, maybe they help
with cargo for right and theyhelp in those areas.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
So corporate grants, and there's nobody more generous
.
There's no country moregenerous than the United States,
both its corporations and itspeople.
Individuals are next.
Individuals give so much money.
There are family foundationsthat give money to Vamos, church
groups and churches andreligious orders give money.
(26:55):
Groups and churches andreligious orders give money.
So that's where we getbasically our money from Some
small corporate grants, familyfoundations, but so much from
individuals.
So you need to be trusted andyou need to build relationships
with people and then show themwhere their money goes, show
(27:15):
them what they are actuallydoing.
And that's really helps vamos,when we can tell you that every
dollar you donate goes to helpthe women and children in mexico
oh yeah, that's huge, that'sabsolutely enormous.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Um, and yeah, what you're and, and you had done
some of this before you came tovamos, right, yep, yep, years
ago in my world.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I was a film and video producer.
Then I worked for a nonprofitcalled Hope Works.
We worked with youth in areally poor town here called
Camden, new Jersey, rightoutside of Philadelphia.
Great organization as well.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Yeah, and I mean so that you obviously had contacts
from your work with HopeWorks.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
And so that must have been valuable when you brought
your skills to Vamos.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Oh, yeah, yeah, no, the skills in looking for
funding and how to write grantsand how to tailor your grants
towards a specific organizationreally came from my time at
BOMOS.
I mean my time at HopeWorks,I'm sorry.
I knew what you meant.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
So that's so cool.
What you guys are doing isabsolutely amazing, Sean,
Because giving dignity well,reinforcing dignity, but you're
giving opportunities that thesepeople probably never would have
(28:49):
had to sustain their lives andimprove their lives.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
I think that's just incredible.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
It is.
I think that so many of us feelthat way, and maybe now more
than other times.
But now I think there's afeeling in the world and a
feeling in this country of whatcan I do?
Things are so overwhelming,things are out of control,
things are not how I like them,and what can I do?
(29:23):
I better hunker down, I bettertake care of myself.
But here in the States, peoplefirst of all.
I want to say that we can't dothat.
We can't just stick toourselves.
So when things are tough, weneed to double down and to work
harder with the women andchildren that we work with over.
(30:00):
You're overwhelmed.
I think the best thing to do isto do something, to volunteer
somewhere to um, to help outsomewhere, to donate somewhere,
like to ovamos or to the cancersociety, the red cross or
whoever it may be.
But don't just.
This is not the time to sitback and let others uh control
things.
You can do your bit, you can doyour little piece, and then the
more people that do theirlittle bits, it turns out into
(30:24):
something really great andreally beautiful.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Absolutely, and I think if there's anything that
this podcast strives for withevery episode is to inspire and
motivate.
Have you know somebody listensto this podcast?
They go well.
Maybe I can't help the workingpoor in mexico, but I can
(30:49):
volunteer down at my food shelfright, right you know, maybe I I
can't make a $100 donation toVamos.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Right.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
But I can, you know, volunteer somewhere else.
Yeah, I can give my time if Idon't have money.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Yeah, and that's what I go for every episode, and I
think stories like yoursabsolutely inspire and motivate
people to do that in their ownlives, and I appreciate you for
that.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Yeah, thanks, mike, thanks.
It reminds me of a woman that Imet.
We were sitting outside of herlittle shack.
She was boiling some potatoeson the fire.
She invited me to sit down on aon a you know bucket that was
turned over.
That's the best chair she couldhave.
We talked about how hard herlife was, what led her there,
(31:45):
and, as the conversation'sunfolding, I think why am I not
hearing bitching and complainingand blame?
Why am I not Instead?
So I asked her about this andshe said you know, um, her line
was when your heart is full ofgratitude, there's no room for
blame.
And so that's all of our heartslike, and that's what I think
(32:07):
your show tries to pull out ofpeople.
All of our hearts should befull of gratitude and, uh, and
when they're full of gratitude,it's hard to hate, it's hard to
point fingers we all do it butit's a little bit harder when
you can really be thankful forwhat you have and try and reach
out and share that with others.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
I absolutely love that.
When your heart is full ofgratitude, there's no room.
How'd she say it?
Speaker 2 (32:32):
there's no room to blame to blame.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
I love that.
I love that, sean.
Thank you so much for taking noroom to blame, to blame.
Yeah, I love that.
I love that, sean.
Thank you so much for takingthe time today.
I really, really appreciate it.
You're doing some amazing workand thank you.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Mike, we need more shows like this.
We need more.
You know light in this world,so it's better to light a candle
than to curse the darknessright.
So you are a great, wonderfulcandle here on the World Wide
Web.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Thank you so much for that.
I appreciate it and we willtalk to you soon.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Okay, thanks a lot, mike.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
I want to thank you for taking this time to listen
to this episode with my guest,sean Daugherty.
I hope you're able to takesomething positive from the time
you spent with me.
Maybe you'll be inspired, maybeyou'll be motivated, maybe
you'll even be moved.
If you've experienced any ofthose positive feelings, please
consider sharing this podcastwith your friends and family.
(33:37):
I'm always striving to offeryou a better podcast, so give me
some feedback.
Let me know how you think I'mdoing.
Email me, leave me a message onmy socials.
It would mean the world Also.
Feel free to follow us on oursocial media like Facebook,
instagram, linkedin and TikTok.
Like Facebook, instagram,linkedin and TikTok.
(33:57):
This podcast is part of theMayday Media Network.
If you have an idea for apodcast and need some production
assistance, or if you alreadyhave a podcast and are looking
for a supportive network to join, check out
maydaymedianetworkcom and checkout the many different shows,
(34:18):
like Afrocentric Spoil, my MovieGeneration Mixtape In a Pickle
Radio Show, wake Up and Dreamwith D Anthony Palin, staxo, pax
and the Time Pals.
We'll be back again next weekwith a new episode and we would
be honored if you would join us.
You've been listening to theKindness Matters Podcast.
I'm your host, mike Rathbun.
(34:39):
Have a fantastic week.
Well, hello there and welcome.
You are listening to theKindness Matters podcast and I
am your host, mike Rathbun.
What is this podcast all about?
It's about kindness.
It's a pushback againsteverything negative that we see
in the news and on social mediatoday, and it's a way to
(00:20):
highlight people, organizations,that are simply striving to
make their little corner of theworld a little better place.
If you want to join in on theconversation, feel free, Go
ahead and follow us on all ofyour social media feeds.
We're on Facebook, instagram,tiktok.
We're even on LinkedIn underMike Rathbun.
(00:43):
Check us out.
We're even on LinkedIn underMike Rathbun.
Check us out and, in themeantime, so sit back, relax,
enjoy and we'll get into theKindness Matters podcast.
Hey everybody, welcome to theKindness Matters podcast.
I am your host, mike Rathbun.
(01:04):
As always, as I say on everyshow, if you hear something in
this podcast that moves you orinspires you or motivates you to
do some more kindness in theworld, think about sharing this
podcast with your friends,family, coworkers, strangers on
(01:24):
the street, whoever you happento meet, and let them know that
you found a podcast that madeyou feel pretty good, and I
would appreciate it so much.
I appreciate you tuning in tolisten to our show for half an
hour this week and hope to seeyou back again next, again, next
(01:44):
time.
Okay, so I have a great showfor you guys today.
My guest today is Sean Dougherty, and he's an experienced is
executive director with ademonstrated history of working
in the media production industry.
He has a BA from Temple andworked as the director of
(02:05):
operations for HopeWorks inCamden, new Jersey, which is
another non-profit, but since2013, he is the executive
director of the small yetpowerful non-profit Vamos.
I feel like I have to say thatwith emphasis because I know you
guys have that exclamation markthat works with the poor in
(02:29):
Mexico.
Welcome to the show, sean.
I appreciate you being here.
Mike thanks a lot for having meyeah, this is um vamos now, and
there's two meanings for thatright.
In Mexican that means let's go.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Right, but it's also a, and I'm not going to think of
the name of the word, it's anacronym.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Okay, yeah, so we use it as an acronym for our
official incorporated name,which is Vermont Associates for
Mexican Opportunity and Support,vamos.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Perfect.
Oh, you know what?
I think I was saying thatwithout the S at the end.
Vamos.
I think I said it Vamo.
Anyway, I apologize.
Um.
(03:31):
So now, this all started backin what?
1986, ish yep, yep um, when agroup of people went down to
mexico on a.
Was it a vacation or was it?
Speaker 2 (03:38):
so my yeah, our story is that, um, my dad was an
educator and he retired at theage of 55 and moved up to the
town of Weston, vermont.
So Weston, vermont, one of thethings it's known for.
It has maybe less than 500people live in town, but there
is a Benedictine priory.
(04:01):
There are monks there who havea kind of a farm and a priory
there and they invite the publicin.
So my parents were activeparticipants there, as were many
, many people, and the brothershad a relationship with sisters,
catholic nuns in Cuernavaca,mexico, and so the nuns would
(04:24):
offer retreats, so where, if youwanted to, as a church group or
as individuals, go and kind ofexperience a time of
contemplation and reflection ledby the sisters.
So my parents, dick and AgnesDougherty, and another couple
(04:44):
who lived in town with them,bill and Patty Coleman, and
another guy named Ike Patch whowas a retired diplomat, bill and
Patty and my parents went onthe retreat.
Ike Patch, meanwhile, went tovisit the migrating butterflies,
the monarch butterflies whospend the winter right outside
of Mexico City.
Butterflies, the monarchbutterflies who spend the winter
(05:06):
right outside of Mexico City.
Oh, okay, and they got back totheir home and over a cup of
coffee in somebody's kitchen,they talked about their
experience and hey, did theyhave a good time?
Yes, we enjoyed ourselves.
But all of them also mentionedthe poverty that they saw there
so and remarked how it wasperhaps different than the
poverty here.
They saw there so and remarkedhow it was perhaps different
than the poverty here in theStates.
(05:28):
There were dirt floors andcrippled people and children,
you know, asking for money onthe streets, and so they said,
hey, we'd like to do somethingabout this.
So what can we do?
So they were in their late 50s,early 60s.
They said, right then, andthere we can do something, let's
(05:49):
do something.
So they called a friend to helpthem form a 501c3, a charitable
organization.
They talked about what theycould do.
They asked some friends to helpthem and they were introduced
to a contact there who wasrunning a sewing co-op for women
(06:10):
, and so he needed help buyingsewing machines and supporting
these women.
So my parents and the group gotsome money together, sent it
down to them.
After six or nine months or so,bill and Patty went down to
visit and lo and behold, therewere no sewing machines, there
(06:33):
was no co-op.
So, right off the bat, failureand embarrassment.
And what to do next?
So, after a lot of discernment,bill and Patty, who ran a small
publishing house, actuallydecided to move to Cuernavaca.
(06:54):
So they gave up their life here.
They moved there in order towhat they called walk with the
poor and listen to the Poor andsee what the poor needed, and
then, with the resources thatthey had and they could get, we
could maybe help them reach someof their goals.
(07:15):
So that was the idea.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
Okay, and that's really important.
First of all, I love thethought of creating a nonprofit
over a cup of coffee insomebody's kitchen table.
That's always where the besthelping hand ideas come from.
(07:39):
I think it's just peoplegetting together and going, yeah
, this sucks, let's do somethingabout it yeah, and so often you
know mike people, theconversation ends with this
sucks.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
So here though, this is a great story, just normal
people saying this sucks.
I wonder if we can help.
Well, what if we do this andwhat if we do that?
What if we ask others to helpus?
And the story is, if you fastforward to the end, we are now
an organization that runs 10community centers, so kind of
(08:16):
like after school programs herein the States.
We feed, we serve 150,000 mealsa year.
We have classes from preschoolthrough high school.
We also have a lot of adultclasses for women.
We have computer classes,english classes.
We have a dentist on staff toprovide free dental help, a
(08:38):
doctor on staff to provide freemedical help and a psychologist
on staff, and this is soimportant.
To do both individualcounseling and group counseling
and to have free mental healthcare for the poor here in the
United States is unheard of, andcertainly in Mexico it is as
well, so we're so proud of that.
(09:00):
We have computer classes, wehave music classes, we have art
classes.
That we have computer classes,we have music classes, we have
art classes.
We work with another group whoallows us to loan women.
We loan them $100 and it canmake all the difference in the
world to them.
They pay it back when they can,and now we have combined with
(09:21):
another organization.
We're offering scholarships socollege scholarships and
elementary and secondaryscholarships to some of the
poorest kids around.
So that's really making a hugedifference in their lives.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Wow yeah, because that could have all ended.
I mean, none of that could havehappened if it had ended with
this sucks.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Right right.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
You know, and as it so oftentimes does, um, but I
mean all of that didn't existwhen, when they when bill and
patty first moved down there,right, I mean you sent all this
money down there to buy sewingmachines and you went go down
and it's like, hey, where's thesewing machines?
They're not here, um.
(10:08):
So I just I really love theidea that they took the
opportunity, cause they theytalked to the poor people down
there, right, and they said youknow they, they worked with them
, they live among them.
and they said what do you?
Need Right and they said youknow, they worked with them,
they live among them.
And they said what do you need?
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Right.
So Bill and Patty had hadexperienced smart people and
right from the start theydecided, hey, we're not going to
go down there as NorthAmericans and say, hey, we know
what you need.
We know that you need to starta farm co-op or a sewing co-op,
right, we, we know that we canbuild you playgrounds or build
you houses.
What Bill and Patty did washang around.
(10:49):
They hung around the mainZocalo, the central plaza in
Cuernavaca, where there's lotsof people from the small towns
selling crafts, and they hungaround some of the outskirts of
town, some of the poorneighborhoods, and they listened
and they and people welcomedthem and invited them in.
And so, after maybe six or ninemonths, they got a group of
(11:12):
mostly women who were selling onthe streets and said, hey, what
, what can we do for you?
What dreams do you have?
What's your future?
And the women were, you know,shy and almost couldn't
articulate a future, becausetheir future was tomorrow, their
(11:35):
future was they probably neverconsidered, even being asked
that.
Right, right.
And so when their firstresponse was hey, you know what
we could use?
We could use a bathroom.
We sell on the streets.
The store owners won't let usin, we have no place to go to
the bathroom, and so, hey, wecould do that.
We rented some porta potties,we talked to a church downtown
(11:58):
who let us put them behind thechurch and, you know, hey, check
that off the box.
We solved a problem, um, but inaddition to that, the women
said you know, we come fromthese small towns and our
children are here with us andthey don't go to school, and
they don't know how to read andwrite and we don't
(12:20):
know how to read and write.
So patty and bill thought aboutthat at the same time.
They said you know, if we don'tknow how to read and write?
So Patty and Bill thought aboutthat At the same time.
They said you know, if we don'tsell enough, we don't have
money to buy food.
And one woman talked aboutgoing to bed with their children
being hungry and how that madeher feel, as a mother, that she
couldn't provide for herchildren.
(12:41):
So we, patty and Bill, saidokay, we rented a room, we asked
some women for help, we boughtfood, we served a meal in the
afternoon, you know, a dozenpeople came, two dozen people
came, 40, 50.
So it started to grow, pattyand Bill knew no Spanish when
they moved down there, so theywere learning how to read
(13:07):
Spanish.
The people mostly spoke anindigenous language called
Nahuatl there, so they began tolearn together how to read and
write Spanish, and it justcontinued to grow.
People in other neighborhoodsbegan to come and say, hey, can
you help us too?
And as we worked with them fora period of time and formed a
(13:29):
partnership and said, yes, wecan come there.
But the partnership would be weneed a place to operate, we
need where, can we do this?
And so they would have someland.
So maybe Vamos would buy thecinder blocks and they would
raise the walls and we'd have.
Now we'd have a place and nowwe could start serving there
(13:50):
once a week, or whatever itmight be.
So yes listening to the poor.
And the other thing I'llquickly mention is you know,
failure at the beginning is nota completely bad thing.
It refocuses you and for us.
We were so embarrassed byasking people for help and
(14:11):
having nothing to show for itthat, as a board, everyone
decided that we would pay forall the expenses, we would pay
for printing and travel andthings like that, and that any
money that people donated wouldgo directly to help the poor.
And so, 38 years later, we'restill doing that.
(14:34):
Any money that people donategoes directly to buy food, to
pay for teachers, to pay forcooks, to serve the people that
we're working with.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Oh, wow, and this thing has really ballooned for
you guys.
Just the types of okay, so nowyou've got, after first starting
up down there, you've gotbathrooms.
So the women selling theirwares're I'm guessing it's
jewelry and and whatnot um, inthe streets don't have to go, I
(15:12):
mean, they don't have to hold itright or, or or duck around a
building or something yeah sothey did that, and then you
started a school, and it it'sjust kind of ballooned, hasn't
it?
You're teaching jobs and skillsand you're giving employment,
not giving.
You're employing people to workdown there.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yep, and so you know you mentioned that bathroom
thing, which is kind of animportant little anecdote in our
story also, because when you'repoor and maybe you're
indigenous, you don't have a lotof dignity or you're treated
without respect you can, it'seasy to lose your dignity when
(15:57):
you have no place to go to thebathroom, for God's sake.
So that is at the found.
That's the foundation of whatwe do.
So kids and moms come, they geta meal, they get a couple hours
of class, but they're alsoloved and they're treated with
respect and they're treated withdignity.
And we say, hey, if you comeonce a week and just have a meal
(16:22):
and leave, we love you, have ameal and leave, we love you.
If you come every day and stayfor classes and eat, then we
still love you.
It doesn't matter.
We just we're here to supportyou and again know that you are
(16:42):
an important person, that youhave a value.
And even so, I mentioned ourloan program.
We loan $100, 2,000 pesos moreor less at the exchange rate
today.
Nobody gets rich off of it.
But what the women do is theybuy.
We've taught them how to makejewelry, we've taught them how
to weave purses and weavebaskets.
(17:02):
So now they buy the rawmaterials, they create the
baskets, the purses, theembroidery, the jewelry and they
set a table up at their marketand now they sell it.
So it again they're not gettingrich, but they are providing
for their family, they'refeeling good about themselves
(17:22):
and the number one piece offeedback that we get back from
the women is thank you forhaving the confidence in me to
loan me money.
Nobody would loan me money,yeah, you know.
And again, sometimes people youborrow money off the street,
you know you pay a thousandpercent interest every month.
This is a loan with no interest.
Pay back when, when, you can,and the women pay back back.
(17:46):
You know we have like a 97percent um you know payback rate
.
So it's really, really aremarkable thing, that's so cool
.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
Yeah, that was the other thing I was thinking about
was was the dignity that yougive these people.
You know, um, it's here in thestates that would.
I mean.
The opposite of that would begiving an unhoused person some
money and saying don't buy drugswith it, you know, because
that's you're not giving dignitythat way, right, right, and you
(18:17):
guys are exactly the oppositeof that.
And it's so important, havinggone 38 years now is um the
schools must have produced.
I mean you, you've probablyseen I don't know if you have a
(18:38):
standard, you know k through 12system there, but have you seen
the results of that educationcome back?
So some of them must havegraduated and gone off into the
world and done something.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Yes, yes, and so I just wanted a little bit about
language.
We don't give.
Obviously we don't give themdignity.
We reflect back their dignity.
We help them to see it andexperience and believe in
themselves.
And I think back to what you'resaying.
We have had some of thestudents.
So we don't offer a degree or adiploma.
(19:14):
We're supplemental to publiceducation.
So we've had several studentscomplete their public education
and come back and we've hiredthem as teachers because they
completed their collegeeducation as teachers as well.
So we've hired them to do that.
(19:34):
Some of the children of ourcooks have gone on to culinary
school.
We have, I think, when we hiresomebody and pay them legally,
according to all their rights,their vacation pay, their social
security.
When a family now has a steadyincome, a stable income, it
(19:57):
allows their children not tostart to go to work when they're
12 years old.
So the kids of our teachers,the kids of our cooks, are now
graduating.
One is just graduated as adentist, she's a dentist,
another as a physical therapist.
So now you're changing livesfor generations and generations.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, I was going to say.
None of that would have beenpossible had it not been for
your organization.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Right.
No, it's so exciting.
People you know.
You talk so much about povertyor you look at the poor and you
say, oh, they don't have jobs,this, they don't have nice
clothes, they don't have a nicehouse.
But after getting to know andworking so long with these folks
in Mexico, you come tounderstand that they really have
(20:44):
an abundance of things.
They have an abundance ofresilience, they have abundance
of creativity, they haveabundance of work ethic.
So they work hard, they thinkoutside the box, they need to
survive, and that is all what wecan tap into and set free when
(21:04):
you give them an education, whenyou provide a steady, stable
work environment for the parents, and that lets people really,
really blossom.
People really, really blossom.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
Yeah, for sure.
That's so cool, I think, aswe're what you guys are doing I
mean, with the current state ofthe US as it is now and how we
seem to be pulling backgovernmentally aid for some of
(21:36):
the poorer countries in theworld I think that just makes
you guys shine all that muchbrighter because you're still
doing this and you're caring andyou're reaching out and you're
helping those that, had it notbeen for you, probably would not
be able to live the life thatyou've given them.
(22:01):
And it's not like you give themanything.
I'm not saying you give them,but you're giving them the
ability, the means to do that,to create their own lives.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Yeah, you know, when we first started, you know we
come from the United States, wecome from North America and
we're in Mexico and we'reworking with poor communities
and people there are incrediblythankful, incredibly grateful,
and they realize that, hey, thisis part of the story of the
(22:29):
United States, the beacon on thehill, the shining example, and
we help others who don't have.
So we were part of that.
Now things have changed a bit,so we've pulled back.
The government has pulled back.
You know almost everything.
There are stories, sad, sadstories about people dying of
(22:52):
AIDS who used to get care, orcholera, even who to get health
care from, uh, us organizationsor organizations that were
funded by usaid.
So now we're kind of theexception to the rule in mexico
and you know it can make youangry that when you talk to the
moms that we work with downthere they're worried are you
(23:15):
going to leave us?
Are his mom was going to close?
Are you leaving?
And so, to add, more worry andmore concern for a poor mother.
That's not what the UnitedStates my United States is all
about.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Right, I never even considered that that they might
think that you were leavingRight.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
They don't know the difference.
You know we accept nogovernment money from Mexico or
the United States.
We've always sown anindependent road as far as
funding goes.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
That's so incredible.
And speaking of funding, seehow I did, see what I did there.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
No, let's talk about nonprofit funding for a minute,
because and there are a lot of,and I'm not complaining I should
make that clear.
But the reality is that thereare a lot of nonprofits who had
their funding cut in the country.
(24:13):
In the country I've spoken toexecutive directors of food
shelves, for example, whodepended on funding that's not
there anymore.
The executive director of ashelter for people who were
(24:36):
living in domestic violence.
Their funding that they hadrelied on, that they had planned
on, is not there anymore.
How does that?
Now?
You guys don't take anygovernment funding, so this
really shouldn't affect you.
How do nonprofits, where doestheir funding come from?
I don't understand that world.
I don't live in that world.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I don't understand that world.
I don't live in that world.
So I'm curious where're workingfor the United States
government, when you are helpingAIDS in Africa or when you're
helping flood victims somewhere?
There are organizationsnonprofit organizations that get
funding from the United States.
So when their funding is cutoff, a the work that they're
doing is going to end.
They can't meet payroll, theycan't buy supplies, they can't
(25:41):
transport their suppliesoverseas, so that ends up.
And there's no I don't know theexact number, but we're talking
billions of dollars from USAID.
That money is not going to bereplaceable.
People can go back out theseorganizations and raise more
money, but to replace that muchmoney is not in the cards.
(26:03):
When you get down to this nextlevel of organizations, it may
take some government money, butthey're more like Vamos.
So we get funding fromcorporations.
So corporations often help inthe areas that they work in the
area, in the, in the sort of thebusiness area that they work in
(26:24):
.
If they're food producers,maybe they help with food.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
If they're pharmaceuticals, maybe they help
with cargo for right and theyhelp in those areas.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
So corporate grants, and there's nobody more generous
.
There's no country moregenerous than the United States,
both its corporations and itspeople.
Individuals are next.
Individuals give so much money.
There are family foundationsthat give money to Vamos, church
groups and churches andreligious orders give money.
(26:55):
Groups and churches andreligious orders give money.
So that's where we getbasically our money from Some
small corporate grants, familyfoundations, but so much from
individuals.
So you need to be trusted andyou need to build relationships
with people and then show themwhere their money goes, show
(27:15):
them what they are actuallydoing.
And that's really helps vamos,when we can tell you that every
dollar you donate goes to helpthe women and children in mexico
oh yeah, that's huge, that'sabsolutely enormous.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Um, and yeah, what you're and, and you had done
some of this before you came tovamos, right, yep, yep, years
ago in my world.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I was a film and video producer.
Then I worked for a nonprofitcalled Hope Works.
We worked with youth in areally poor town here called
Camden, new Jersey, rightoutside of Philadelphia.
Great organization as well.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Yeah, and I mean so that you obviously had contacts
from your work with HopeWorks.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
And so that must have been valuable when you brought
your skills to Vamos.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Oh, yeah, yeah, no, the skills in looking for
funding and how to write grantsand how to tailor your grants
towards a specific organizationreally came from my time at
BOMOS.
I mean my time at HopeWorks,I'm sorry.
I knew what you meant.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
So that's so cool.
What you guys are doing isabsolutely amazing, Sean,
Because giving dignity well,reinforcing dignity, but you're
giving opportunities that thesepeople probably never would have
(28:49):
had to sustain their lives andimprove their lives.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Yeah, and.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
I think that's just incredible.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
It is.
I think that so many of us feelthat way, and maybe now more
than other times.
But now I think there's afeeling in the world and a
feeling in this country of whatcan I do?
Things are so overwhelming,things are out of control,
things are not how I like them,and what can I do?
(29:23):
I better hunker down, I bettertake care of myself.
But here in the States, peoplefirst of all.
I want to say that we can't dothat.
We can't just stick toourselves.
So when things are tough, weneed to double down and to work
harder with the women andchildren that we work with over.
(30:00):
You're overwhelmed.
I think the best thing to do isto do something, to volunteer
somewhere to um, to help outsomewhere, to donate somewhere,
like to ovamos or to the cancersociety, the red cross or
whoever it may be.
But don't just.
This is not the time to sitback and let others uh control
things.
You can do your bit, you can doyour little piece, and then the
more people that do theirlittle bits, it turns out into
(30:24):
something really great andreally beautiful.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
Absolutely, and I think if there's anything that
this podcast strives for withevery episode is to inspire and
motivate.
Have you know somebody listensto this podcast?
They go well.
Maybe I can't help the workingpoor in mexico, but I can
(30:49):
volunteer down at my food shelfright, right you know, maybe I I
can't make a $100 donation toVamos.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Right.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
But I can, you know, volunteer somewhere else.
Yeah, I can give my time if Idon't have money.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Yeah, and that's what I go for every episode, and I
think stories like yoursabsolutely inspire and motivate
people to do that in their ownlives, and I appreciate you for
that.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
Yeah, thanks, mike, thanks.
It reminds me of a woman that Imet.
We were sitting outside of herlittle shack.
She was boiling some potatoeson the fire.
She invited me to sit down on aon a you know bucket that was
turned over.
That's the best chair she couldhave.
We talked about how hard herlife was, what led her there,
(31:45):
and, as the conversation'sunfolding, I think why am I not
hearing bitching and complainingand blame?
Why am I not Instead?
So I asked her about this andshe said you know, um, her line
was when your heart is full ofgratitude, there's no room for
blame.
And so that's all of our heartslike, and that's what I think
(32:07):
your show tries to pull out ofpeople.
All of our hearts should befull of gratitude and, uh, and
when they're full of gratitude,it's hard to hate, it's hard to
point fingers we all do it butit's a little bit harder when
you can really be thankful forwhat you have and try and reach
out and share that with others.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
I absolutely love that.
When your heart is full ofgratitude, there's no room.
How'd she say it?
Speaker 2 (32:32):
there's no room to blame to blame.
Speaker 1 (32:35):
I love that.
I love that, sean.
Thank you so much for taking noroom to blame, to blame.
Yeah, I love that.
I love that, sean.
Thank you so much for takingthe time today.
I really, really appreciate it.
You're doing some amazing workand thank you.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
Mike, we need more shows like this.
We need more.
You know light in this world,so it's better to light a candle
than to curse the darknessright.
So you are a great, wonderfulcandle here on the World Wide
Web.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Thank you so much for that.
I appreciate it and we willtalk to you soon.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Okay, thanks a lot, mike.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
I want to thank you for taking this time to listen
to this episode with my guest,sean Daugherty.
I hope you're able to takesomething positive from the time
you spent with me.
Maybe you'll be inspired, maybeyou'll be motivated, maybe
you'll even be moved.
If you've experienced any ofthose positive feelings, please
consider sharing this podcastwith your friends and family.
(33:37):
I'm always striving to offeryou a better podcast, so give me
some feedback.
Let me know how you think I'mdoing.
Email me, leave me a message onmy socials.
It would mean the world Also.
Feel free to follow us on oursocial media like Facebook,
instagram, linkedin and TikTok.
Like Facebook, instagram,linkedin and TikTok.
(33:57):
This podcast is part of theMayday Media Network.
If you have an idea for apodcast and need some production
assistance, or if you alreadyhave a podcast and are looking
for a supportive network to join, check out
maydaymedianetworkcom and checkout the many different shows,
(34:18):
like Afrocentric Spoil, my MovieGeneration Mixtape In a Pickle
Radio Show, wake Up and Dreamwith D Anthony Palin, staxo, pax
and the Time Pals.
We'll be back again next weekwith a new episode and we would
be honored if you would join us.
You've been listening to theKindness Matters Podcast.
I'm your host, mike Rathbun.
(34:39):
Have a fantastic week.
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