December 28, 2025 • 30 mins
Leading Through the Storm: Crisis Communication, Reputation, and Authentic Leadership Today we’re joined by Mayra Hernandez Bergman, founder and CEO of Crisis+ Strategies, a firm that helps organizations anticipate reputational risk and communicate with clarity during their most challenging moments. A nationally recognized crisis-communications expert and Top Women in Communications awardee, Mayra has advised Fortune 500 companies, C-suite leaders, and boards through high-stakes transformations and reputational crises. She’s also a powerful advocate for elevating Latina leadership—challenging traditional definitions of success, redefining authentic leadership in today’s workplace, and showing what’s possible when you build a career on your own terms.
🔗 Website & Socials
🌐 Website: www.crisisplusstrategies.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mayrabergman/
Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy Through Service in Philadelphia
Philadelphia holds a singular place in the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. It is home to the nation’s first and largest Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, launched in 1996—not just as a holiday, but as a powerful call to action rooted in Dr. King’s vision of “a day on, not a day off.” What began with 1,000 volunteers has grown into a regional movement engaging tens of thousands of people each year across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
At the heart of this effort is Global Citizen 365, led by Todd Bernstein, president of Global Citizen 365 and founder and director of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service. Under his leadership, the initiative has become both a cornerstone of civic action and a year-round catalyst for community engagement and opportunity.
On January 19, 2026, the 31st Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service will be anchored at Temple University’s Pearson-McGonigle Hall, bringing together volunteers of all ages for service projects, a Jobs & Opportunity Fair, community resources, health and wellness activities, and more—all in honor of Dr. King’s enduring legacy.
Get Involved
🌐 Website: https://mlkdayofservice.org/ www.globalcitizen365.org
📱 Follow: @GlobalCitizen365 on social media
🔗 Website & Socials
🌐 Website: www.crisisplusstrategies.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mayrabergman/
Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy Through Service in Philadelphia
Philadelphia holds a singular place in the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. It is home to the nation’s first and largest Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, launched in 1996—not just as a holiday, but as a powerful call to action rooted in Dr. King’s vision of “a day on, not a day off.” What began with 1,000 volunteers has grown into a regional movement engaging tens of thousands of people each year across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
At the heart of this effort is Global Citizen 365, led by Todd Bernstein, president of Global Citizen 365 and founder and director of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service. Under his leadership, the initiative has become both a cornerstone of civic action and a year-round catalyst for community engagement and opportunity.
On January 19, 2026, the 31st Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service will be anchored at Temple University’s Pearson-McGonigle Hall, bringing together volunteers of all ages for service projects, a Jobs & Opportunity Fair, community resources, health and wellness activities, and more—all in honor of Dr. King’s enduring legacy.
Get Involved
🌐 Website: https://mlkdayofservice.org/ www.globalcitizen365.org
📱 Follow: @GlobalCitizen365 on social media
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, and welcome to What's going on? A show
about making a difference in our lives and our communities.
I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow. Today we catch up with Todd Bernstein,
founder of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service.
He'll share the many ways people across our region can
honor Doctor King's legacy, not just with words, but with
(00:20):
action by serving our neighbors and strengthening our communities. Doctor
King reminds us that everyone can be great because everyone
can serve, and that spirit is very much alive right
here in the Philadelphia region. But first, as we step
into a new year, it's often a moment of reflection,
a time to pause, take stock, and think about what
(00:41):
you want the month to head to look like. For some,
that reflection turns into resolutions around health and wellness, moving more,
eating better, taking care of both body and mind. For others,
it's about relationships, showing up differently for families, friends, or
even yourself. And for so many people, the new year
brings big questions about work and purpose. Where am I going?
(01:04):
Am I fulfilled? Is it time for a change? Sometimes
that change means stepping away from what feels safe or familiar,
and taking a leap forward into something entirely your own.
Starting a business, launching a new creative path, reimagining what
success looks like. Those decisions can feel risky and even
(01:24):
a little scary, but they can also open up the
door to growth, freedom, and deeper fulfillment. Today we'll talk
with someone who's right in the middle of that journey,
someone who's made the choice to bet on themselves and
create a new path forward. Their story just might spark
something for you as you think about your next move.
You know, we go through life and we just never
(01:46):
know where life can take us. Sometimes we get to
what we consider a pivot point. We make a decision
to move forward in our lives that might be quite
different from what we had been doing before. So I'm
always deling and very interested in hearing people and their
pivot points. And so let's talk to Mara Hernandez Bergmann.
She's the founder and CEO of Crisis Plus Strategies, of
(02:09):
firm specializing in helping organizations anticipate reputational risks and communicate
effectively through their most challenging moments. A nationally recognized crisis
communications expert and top women in Communications Awardee, Maira has
guided Fortune five hundred companies, c suites and boards through
high stakes transformations and reputational crises. She's also a passionate
(02:31):
advocate for elevating Latina leadership and redefining what authentic leadership
looks like in today's workplace. So, Mara, I'm so delighted
to speak with you. We first met when you were
working for a Pico and you had a very high
level C suite position there in communications. But you've decided
to make a switch, to make a pivot after a
(02:53):
very successful corporate career before you launch this new organization.
So let's talk about what you do considered to be
the right time to take such an incredible and brave leap.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yes, thank you for having me. This is great. You know,
it's hard to sort of pinpoint a specific time where
I knew I wanted to do something different, but there
were several things that were happening. I think this is
a time where corporations are going through a lot of change.
I would say this is five years or so after pandemic.
A lot is sort of transforming. Technology is creating new
(03:27):
environments for corporations, and the change is to simply constant,
and I found myself in a position where I had
to travel commute very far from Philadelphia to Washington, d C.
I was on the road, I had a huge portfolio,
and I started to feel the impact of burnout. I
started to really recognize that something wasn't necessarily working well
(03:49):
for me anymore. And so my original plan was to
take time off and say, you know, I'm taking a
year off. I'm going to figure out what I'm going
to do next, and I have to tell you. Two
weeks into that time off, it was really clear to
me that I did want to do something different, but
it wasn't just not doing anything. So that clarity and
(04:12):
that space to think about what could be next for
me happened while I left my job, and I had
time to really think creatively about what I could do
the next half of my career.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Well, that's a very brave thing to do, because oftentimes
we get a job, it's very comfortable, there's security there,
there's a paycheck, and yet it may not be totally
satisfying for a lot of different reasons, whether it's too
much travel or a lack of life balance right, all
those things. But for many people taking that leap to
(04:43):
go off on their own becomes an absolutely scary, frightening thing.
So what was it within you that helped you cross
that barrier of fear? That's really so many people experience,
even though they may not be completely happy where they are,
or maybe think it's time, whether they're happy or not,
(05:04):
to go somewhere different. How did you get to that point? Yes,
I think fear comes from the unknown, right you imagine?
And I never really had a grand plan to go
off on my own and have my own business. But
most people, and I even myself, I imagine it has
to be really hard to do something like that. It
has to be very complicated to stand up your own company,
(05:25):
it has to be really complicated to get clients. And
so I think back, and I think about that time
I took without structure and really having all free time
to myself. And I'm normally a creative thinker. So these
kinds of questions, you know, I wonder, questions started to
come to me. I wonder how hard it is to
(05:45):
open up my own LLC. I wonder how hard it
would be to create my own website. And as I
sort of tackle each of the pieces and I recognized, Wow,
this is not as hard as I thought, and I
started on this path of recognizing I could do this right,
And in fact, now I feel that I was always
warned to do this. I feel very comfortable. It's very natural.
(06:08):
But that very first step of saying I wonder how
could I do this and then doing it gave me
the confidence to continue to go on. You know, I
also recognize my privilege of coming from a corporate career
and having some financial stability and not necessarily worry about,
you know, a day to day paycheck. That is a privilege,
(06:30):
and so not everybody can do that. But I think
those micro steps of like just I wonder what could happen,
everybody could do. Yeah, that's very important. I think asking questions,
but also breaking down It sounds like you kind of
broke down the steps because you can go from A
to Z and it seems very daunting. But if you
go to A to B, B, two C, you know,
(06:51):
you break it into smaller bites, then it's not quite
as intimidating.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yes, and I would say for a solopreneur, which I
learned that's what I am.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
It's a word now I heard about that.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yes, as a solopreneur. We are in this era of AI,
and I have to tell you it is incredible what
AI can do for someone who's doing it all right,
from accounting to invoicing, to finding the clients, to writing
content for your profiles. And it's just incredible what technology
(07:24):
is affording us to do. When before I would have
to hire somebody to do the work. I am now
able to go online and figure out how to do
things like a website, which I've never done before, but
I just did.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
The technology is really making everything a little more user
friendly than it was in the past. You recently shared
four key lessons that you learned as a founder. Could
you walk us through a couple that have been the
most transformative and why they matter. I would say the
very first one is the fact that I came from
corporate America. There is a people aspect of being in
(07:59):
those roles, but there's a lot of competition. You're, you know,
working to get to the next role, to the next promotion,
so it's a little bit more cut throat than the
founder community I'm finding now. So you know, I ask
for time often with folks who started their business twenty
five years ago or a year ago. They are generous
(08:21):
with their time, with their knowledge, with their conversations, with
their introductions. It's been really refreshing to see that community
and to find it and to find myself in it.
That has been very surprising to me and very different
than where I came from. And the second piece is
showing up really believing that you can do this work.
(08:41):
And I talk about sort of your personal brand and
showing up with intention, knowing that this is the path
that you are choosing and you're going for it right.
So I'm showing up as I am a business owner.
This is my next career move, this is what I'm
committing to doing, and it's been really exciting to see that.
You know, that confidence is opening doors for me and
(09:03):
helping me get ahead. Yeah. I think those two points
are so important. First of all, there are a lot
of people that are willing to help, and sometimes we're
just scared. We're afraid. We think, oh, they could possibly
want to talk to little old me, But very often
people are very impressed with someone's initiative to say reach
out to them and say I'd like some advice, I'd
like you to mentor me. And the other thing too
(09:25):
is the confidence part, because so often we allow our
lack of confidence or our uncertainties and anxieties to reflect
how we present to the world. But sometimes you just
put on the suit, the mask that may you may
not truly feel that inside, but presenting that you grow
into it.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Right, Yes, And I'm thinking about you know, we talk
about courage and confidence, but I really think about agency,
about being your own agent. Nobody is going to do
the things you do for yourself but you, right, not
your boss, not your friend, not your you know, client,
So thinking about yes, I am afraid, yes, I have
(10:04):
to sort of gather courage to go do something else,
but I actually believe in myself and I'm my own agent,
and I go out and sort of, you know, promote
and meet and do the things that I need to do.
Changes your perspective, like you do it while you're afraid,
you're still.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Doing it exactly exactly. You've spoken about the need to
redefine leadership for today's workplace. From your perspective, what must
leaders embrace to help the next generation of diverse talent
truly thrive? And we're seeing really lots of generational changes.
This new generation of young people very different than the
previous one, and there's so many things to take into consideration,
(10:43):
so we can't always just stay with the same model
of leadership that we've been so used to before. With
such changing times, tell.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Us all, Yes, I believe that the evolution of the
workplace is happening now, and it's happening maybe the lower
levels in the organization, where people really want flexibility, empathy,
they want to work for a company that they believe
in the mission. It feels more human that maybe what
I experienced earlier in my corporate career of you know,
(11:14):
more productivity versus really the human side of work. And
I do believe that, you know, posts we experience some
of it during the pandemic, where employers were very open
to flexible work, to working during your best hours, doing
what you needed to do. We're sort of reversing in
(11:35):
that trend. But I feel that the force of nature
is going to take us to a workplace that is
more empathetic, more transparent, more human, and where people really
can do their best work in their own terms.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Right, because we're looking at Generation Z and they are
all about their personal space, their wellness. They're really not
shy about saying, hey, this doesn't work for me, Let's
work something out. So it's very important for us to
be really aware of the different generational attitudes about being
in the workplace. Now, I want to get some free
(12:07):
advice for the many people out there. We are living
in such fraught times, and a wrong post, a social
media post, a wrong public statement, or an action can
sometimes explode in cascade beyond any recognition. Now I've been
flamed on social media and it's not fun, for sure.
(12:28):
But whether you're an individual, or whether you're a company,
a small one, or whether you're a large one, probably
a lot of the same strategies apply in terms of
how do you deal with reputational threats or things that
might impact your reputation. What are a couple of tips
that you can share.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
The biggest thing I see companies and individuals not doing
is anticipating, so thinking that you can sort of continue
to do what you've always done and when a crisis
happens then you respond. You're already at a disadvantage. And
we just talked about technology and AI and how fast
things actually evolve, to the point of you know, one
(13:07):
post can really fire a whole storm of negative sentiment
toward your company or your brand, and so spending some
time anticipating what could go wrong. And this is a
perfect time to do it, as December, you're planning for
next year. What could possibly, you know, happen next year
that could change the way or the direction my business
(13:29):
is going or my brand is going. And so I
think that is the one thing I would say companies
don't do enough, brandszon't do enough of thinking ahead what
could potentially happen here.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Right right Once that reputation is damaged, then I guess
there's lots of different strategies because everything is very individual.
But I guess, you know, at least in my case,
I think what I did was I examined what my
post was. It was misinterpreted, but I also dealt with
it head on. I didn't ignore it, but I did
(14:01):
address it, and eventually, you know, it resolved itself and
that was fine, and it wasn't that huge of a thing.
But I'll never forget the case of that young publicist
I think, who made a very random comment on Twitter
at the time about AIDS and she got in a
plane and by the time she arrived at her destination,
she was international news and you know, certainly whatever comment
(14:25):
she made was ill advised, but I can't even imagine
what her life must have been like. I mean, that
must be so traumatic, right to have to go through this.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
It can really change the trajectory of your career or
where your business was going. I've seen clients who have
contracts canceled because of something they said or did, and
I would say that the way that you handle that
situation being transparent, empathetic and human is there's just no
(14:54):
better way to really, you know, say you know what,
I made a mistake. This wasn't the right thing to say.
It was misinterpreted. Here's what I meant. You know, just
coming out with your truth being authentic a very long way.
As a Latina leader in an industry where representation is
still growing and needs to grow. How have your identity
(15:15):
and lived experiences shaped your work and why is elevating
Latino voices in professional space is so important to you?
You know, it is important because we continue to lack
in representation at the big tables. We continue to not
be in corporate roles, senior roles. We continue to be
the only at board tables. We continue to not have
(15:36):
the paid opportunities that others do. And so you know,
from a lifetime of looking at the stats and continuing
to see the data just languishing, you know, some progress
but really not meaningful progress. That that is what fuels me.
And that is the one thing that I decided I'm
leaving my corporate job where I've done in service of
the Latino community. I've done, you know, so many things.
(15:58):
I'm not leaving that hind and bringing that with me.
And so that is part of how I think as
a business owner. What impact can I have now in
this capacity? Where can I sponsor someone? Where can I
mentor someone? When can I bring someone along to a
table that maybe they don't have the access to. And
so continuing that work is critical for me because we're
(16:20):
just not making the progress that we should be.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Right and certainly, representation matters, you know, we see it
in all the different areas of our society. I see
it in the media. When you have diverse voices, then
more stories get told, more informed stories, and certainly in
the corporate world, being able to see the diversity of
this country which is very diverse, and understanding how your
(16:43):
company can relate to that is actually it makes a
lot of financial sense, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
It does, and it's a competitive advantage if you think
about who you are serving, that your company should reflect
that community, and hardly any case it does. Right. So
it continues to be a lag between what the community
really feels like and looks like and what the boreroom
feels and looks like. So we have a lot of
(17:07):
work to do.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Well. You are opening up doors in so many ways,
not only for yourself but to others, and we appreciate
you taking the time and sharing your personal pivot journey
and well delighted to have you in the studio. Myra
hernandez Bergmann, Founder and CEO of Crisis plus Strategies, a
firm specializing in helping organizations anticipate reputational risks and communicate
(17:29):
effectively through their most challenging moments. Tell us the best
ways to get in touch with you very easy. Go
to Crisis plus Strategies dot com and there's a way there.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
For you to contact me.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Fantastic Mara hernandez Bergmann, founder and CEO of Crisis Plus Strategies.
Philadelphia holds a singular place in the history of Martin
Luther King's legacy. It was here that the nation's first
and largest Martin Luther King Day of Service began not
as just a holiday, but a call to action rooted
(18:03):
in King's vision of a day on, not a day off.
Starting with one thousand volunteers, it's grown into a regional
movement that annually engages tens of thousands of people across Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, and Delaware and service projects that reflect doctor
King's commitment to justice, equity, civic engagement, and community building.
(18:24):
At the heart of this movement is Todd Bernstein, president
of Global Citizen three sixty five and the founder and
director of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service,
and he's joining us here today to tell us all
about twenty twenty six. Great to see you, Todd, and
very excited. It's twenty twenty six is a big year
for the city as well as of course the King Holiday,
So tell us more about what you're planning to do
(18:45):
on January nineteenth.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Good morning, Lorraine, thanks for having me back again for
the very first time. I think we're always excited, and
particularly excited this year we will be at Temple University
for our Signature project, which brings together people from throughout
(19:08):
the region in dozens of projects, including hands on activities,
a Kid's carnival for young people to learn more about
Doctor King, and a Health and Wellness Fair that we
invite the public to participate in with information testing demonstrations
(19:29):
that will be open to the public. We have workshops
that will be taking place. There will be one in
particular led by Avenging the Ancestors Coalition led by Michael Cord,
which will be bringing people up to date on the
efforts to preserve the education process at the President's House
(19:51):
and Slavery Memorial, which your listeners may know has been
under assault by the administration and the whole anti DEI,
and a racing of Black History movement that'll be informative.
We have a Jobs and Opportunity Fair. I always loved
the quote of Doctor King who said, if a man
(20:13):
doesn't have a job or an income, he neither has life,
nor liberty, nor the possibility for the pursuit of happiness.
Economic justice, as we know, was a big focus of
doctor King's life, whether it was the March on Washington
for Jobs and Freedom night before the Mountaintop speech of
(20:35):
course the day after he was assassinated. That was to
support sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee. So we will have
dozens of employers in Pearson McGonagall Hall at Temple for
hundreds of job seekers with real jobs, not just coming
to interview about something that might come along down the road.
(20:58):
The whole focus on economic justice is important for us,
and I think there are still a lot of people
who are looking for gainful employment. We will have at
noon a rally for social justice led by the Cecil B.
Moore Philadelphia Freedom Fighters. They were the group that protested
(21:20):
for non discrimination in admissions at Geord College back in
the sixties. And then the day wraps up at three
o'clock with the thirty sixth annual Martin Luther King Junior
Tribute Concert given by the Philadelphia Orchestra. And of course
there will be hundreds of volunteer efforts around the city
(21:43):
which are as a result of community organizations and schools
and civic associations, communities of faith coming together to define
the needs of the community. Looking to doctor King's inspiration
to be involved in city is an action, and of
course focusing on the Martin Luther King Day of Service
(22:06):
as a springboard to year round citizen action because we
know that these critical pressing community challenges are not going
to be solved in a day. They never have been,
and that's the key to harness the resources in the
community to get people more involved those people who can
be involved.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
The King Day of Service has been around for thirty
one years and there have been so many highlights during
these many decades. Certainly one was during COVID when you
were arranged for there to be COVID vaccinations to be
available to all people, but certainly people of color who
were disproportionately impacted. Were there any other powerful stories that
(22:48):
you'd like to share with us that you've witnessed during
these many decades of celebrating the spirit of doctor King's legacy.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
One immediately comes to mind, which was going back many
years ago to two thousand and one. Right after the
September eleventh attacks, I went immediately to meet with leaders
at the Alokxa Islamic Society and also Jewish Federation. This
was at a time when there was heightened abuse and
(23:20):
even violence against Muslims. I thought there was a particular
need at the time to bring folks together. These two
groups agreed to community build bring young people together. That
first year in two thousand and two, we had students
from the Peerlman Jewish Day School and the Aloxa Islamic
(23:43):
Academy joined together and volunteered at a food bank and
really get together and dispel some of the the myths
and find that they had a lot more in common
than they might have thought. And that that project has
turned into not only a yearly partnership, but an ongoing
(24:07):
exchange between now the Barra Hebrew Academy and the Alaxay
Islamic Academy. And they also do our annual student MUA
project together. So that is one in terms of building fellowship,
working together, finding common ground, and trying to spread what
is a kind of a little effort of understanding into
(24:31):
something greater.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Yeah, well, we need that understanding now more than ever.
And this event is certainly inspiring for the Delaware Valley
and beyond and for those who want to participate, whether
they want to participate in your signature event or in
the many tens of thousands of events that are happening
throughout the Delaware Valley, and or if they'd like to
(24:54):
sign up for the jobs fair, tell us all the
details of how people can get involved.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
Our website at mL Day of Service or Global Citizen
three sixty five dot org is a way to learn
more about opportunities. It's a way for organizations to register
their projects and if they're seeking additional volunteers, we have
a volunteer portal matching process where people can get together
(25:21):
with others who they don't know and not only get
things done, but find some fellowship and technical resources there
where people can learn more about different ways of organizing.
We have ongoing programs, but that's a good place to start.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Yeah, it's not just the King Day, but it's three
sixty five, as your title Global Citizen three sixty five
would indicate. So there's not only this signature event, but
certainly events happening all throughout the year, including one of
my favorites, the Beer Summit, which is really one of
my favorite events of the year that really bring together
people have conversations about racial justice and being able to
(26:05):
overcome stereotypes and bigotry and I love it. And that's
just one of the many things that you're participating in.
And finally, I have to ask you, there's a quote
that you put me in touch with about King and
giving back in service and I wonder if you can
kind of share that King said, you don't have to
be what is it, a physicist.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Yeah, you don't have to know about Aristotle to serve,
you know, it's you need a soulful of grace and
a heart full of love to serve others. Doctor King
was a servant in many ways whose example brought us together.
My mentor Harris Wofford, who was really instrumental in starting
(26:53):
the King Day of Service along with his dear friend,
Congressman John Lewis, were you know, on the front lines
of the civil rights movement back then. The history of
how this got started is really a way of including
more people in celebrating Doctor King, and whether it's a
(27:15):
focus on job opportunities, health justice, food insecurity, poverty, education,
voter participation. Really, so many organizations will be getting together
to focus on these issues which matter to them, and
that's I think underscores the importance of the day and
(27:38):
finding ways of using it as a springboard too, an
ongoing commitment throughout the year.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Yeah, and moving forward, and Todd, just a shout out,
you've done an amazing job over the thirty one years
of a King Day of Service and beyond, and just
to acknowledge you for the tremendous contribution that you've created
for our and the region in organizing the King Day
of Service. And this of course is the thirty first
(28:06):
annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service on
King Day, January nineteenth. And I want to thank you
Todd Bernstein, President of Global Citizen three sixty five and
the founder and director of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther
King Day of Service.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Thank you thanks for earlier support. Loreen.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
As always, if you want to be impart of wonderful,
if you want to be recognized wonderful, if you want
to be great wonderful, but recognize that he who is
greatest among you shall be yourself.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
That's the new definition of greedness this morning.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
The thing that I like about it, I've given that
definition of greatness. It means that everybody can be greed
because everybody can say. You don't have to have a
college degree to serve, you don't know, you don't have
to make your subject and your all agree to sery.
(29:07):
You don't have to know about Plato and Aristoting to stave,
you don't have to know. I'm spill it a relative.
You don't have to know the pick Billy upmo dynamics.
In physics, you don't need a HVE grade. So generated
(29:33):
by love, you can be that said.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard.
I'm Lorraine Ballard Morrow, and I stand for service to
our community and media that empowers. What will use stand for?
(30:01):
You've been listening to Insight and thank you
Good morning, and welcome to What's going on? A show
about making a difference in our lives and our communities.
I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow. Today we catch up with Todd Bernstein,
founder of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service.
He'll share the many ways people across our region can
honor Doctor King's legacy, not just with words, but with
(00:20):
action by serving our neighbors and strengthening our communities. Doctor
King reminds us that everyone can be great because everyone
can serve, and that spirit is very much alive right
here in the Philadelphia region. But first, as we step
into a new year, it's often a moment of reflection,
a time to pause, take stock, and think about what
(00:41):
you want the month to head to look like. For some,
that reflection turns into resolutions around health and wellness, moving more,
eating better, taking care of both body and mind. For others,
it's about relationships, showing up differently for families, friends, or
even yourself. And for so many people, the new year
brings big questions about work and purpose. Where am I going?
(01:04):
Am I fulfilled? Is it time for a change? Sometimes
that change means stepping away from what feels safe or familiar,
and taking a leap forward into something entirely your own.
Starting a business, launching a new creative path, reimagining what
success looks like. Those decisions can feel risky and even
(01:24):
a little scary, but they can also open up the
door to growth, freedom, and deeper fulfillment. Today we'll talk
with someone who's right in the middle of that journey,
someone who's made the choice to bet on themselves and
create a new path forward. Their story just might spark
something for you as you think about your next move.
You know, we go through life and we just never
(01:46):
know where life can take us. Sometimes we get to
what we consider a pivot point. We make a decision
to move forward in our lives that might be quite
different from what we had been doing before. So I'm
always deling and very interested in hearing people and their
pivot points. And so let's talk to Mara Hernandez Bergmann.
She's the founder and CEO of Crisis Plus Strategies, of
(02:09):
firm specializing in helping organizations anticipate reputational risks and communicate
effectively through their most challenging moments. A nationally recognized crisis
communications expert and top women in Communications Awardee, Maira has
guided Fortune five hundred companies, c suites and boards through
high stakes transformations and reputational crises. She's also a passionate
(02:31):
advocate for elevating Latina leadership and redefining what authentic leadership
looks like in today's workplace. So, Mara, I'm so delighted
to speak with you. We first met when you were
working for a Pico and you had a very high
level C suite position there in communications. But you've decided
to make a switch, to make a pivot after a
(02:53):
very successful corporate career before you launch this new organization.
So let's talk about what you do considered to be
the right time to take such an incredible and brave leap.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yes, thank you for having me. This is great. You know,
it's hard to sort of pinpoint a specific time where
I knew I wanted to do something different, but there
were several things that were happening. I think this is
a time where corporations are going through a lot of change.
I would say this is five years or so after pandemic.
A lot is sort of transforming. Technology is creating new
(03:27):
environments for corporations, and the change is to simply constant,
and I found myself in a position where I had
to travel commute very far from Philadelphia to Washington, d C.
I was on the road, I had a huge portfolio,
and I started to feel the impact of burnout. I
started to really recognize that something wasn't necessarily working well
(03:49):
for me anymore. And so my original plan was to
take time off and say, you know, I'm taking a
year off. I'm going to figure out what I'm going
to do next, and I have to tell you. Two
weeks into that time off, it was really clear to
me that I did want to do something different, but
it wasn't just not doing anything. So that clarity and
(04:12):
that space to think about what could be next for
me happened while I left my job, and I had
time to really think creatively about what I could do
the next half of my career.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Well, that's a very brave thing to do, because oftentimes
we get a job, it's very comfortable, there's security there,
there's a paycheck, and yet it may not be totally
satisfying for a lot of different reasons, whether it's too
much travel or a lack of life balance right, all
those things. But for many people taking that leap to
(04:43):
go off on their own becomes an absolutely scary, frightening thing.
So what was it within you that helped you cross
that barrier of fear? That's really so many people experience,
even though they may not be completely happy where they are,
or maybe think it's time, whether they're happy or not,
(05:04):
to go somewhere different. How did you get to that point? Yes,
I think fear comes from the unknown, right you imagine?
And I never really had a grand plan to go
off on my own and have my own business. But
most people, and I even myself, I imagine it has
to be really hard to do something like that. It
has to be very complicated to stand up your own company,
(05:25):
it has to be really complicated to get clients. And
so I think back, and I think about that time
I took without structure and really having all free time
to myself. And I'm normally a creative thinker. So these
kinds of questions, you know, I wonder, questions started to
come to me. I wonder how hard it is to
(05:45):
open up my own LLC. I wonder how hard it
would be to create my own website. And as I
sort of tackle each of the pieces and I recognized, Wow,
this is not as hard as I thought, and I
started on this path of recognizing I could do this right,
And in fact, now I feel that I was always
warned to do this. I feel very comfortable. It's very natural.
(06:08):
But that very first step of saying I wonder how
could I do this and then doing it gave me
the confidence to continue to go on. You know, I
also recognize my privilege of coming from a corporate career
and having some financial stability and not necessarily worry about,
you know, a day to day paycheck. That is a privilege,
(06:30):
and so not everybody can do that. But I think
those micro steps of like just I wonder what could happen,
everybody could do. Yeah, that's very important. I think asking questions,
but also breaking down It sounds like you kind of
broke down the steps because you can go from A
to Z and it seems very daunting. But if you
go to A to B, B, two C, you know,
(06:51):
you break it into smaller bites, then it's not quite
as intimidating.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yes, and I would say for a solopreneur, which I
learned that's what I am.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
It's a word now I heard about that.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Yes, as a solopreneur. We are in this era of AI,
and I have to tell you it is incredible what
AI can do for someone who's doing it all right,
from accounting to invoicing, to finding the clients, to writing
content for your profiles. And it's just incredible what technology
(07:24):
is affording us to do. When before I would have
to hire somebody to do the work. I am now
able to go online and figure out how to do
things like a website, which I've never done before, but
I just did.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
The technology is really making everything a little more user
friendly than it was in the past. You recently shared
four key lessons that you learned as a founder. Could
you walk us through a couple that have been the
most transformative and why they matter. I would say the
very first one is the fact that I came from
corporate America. There is a people aspect of being in
(07:59):
those roles, but there's a lot of competition. You're, you know,
working to get to the next role, to the next promotion,
so it's a little bit more cut throat than the
founder community I'm finding now. So you know, I ask
for time often with folks who started their business twenty
five years ago or a year ago. They are generous
(08:21):
with their time, with their knowledge, with their conversations, with
their introductions. It's been really refreshing to see that community
and to find it and to find myself in it.
That has been very surprising to me and very different
than where I came from. And the second piece is
showing up really believing that you can do this work.
(08:41):
And I talk about sort of your personal brand and
showing up with intention, knowing that this is the path
that you are choosing and you're going for it right.
So I'm showing up as I am a business owner.
This is my next career move, this is what I'm
committing to doing, and it's been really exciting to see that.
You know, that confidence is opening doors for me and
(09:03):
helping me get ahead. Yeah. I think those two points
are so important. First of all, there are a lot
of people that are willing to help, and sometimes we're
just scared. We're afraid. We think, oh, they could possibly
want to talk to little old me, But very often
people are very impressed with someone's initiative to say reach
out to them and say I'd like some advice, I'd
like you to mentor me. And the other thing too
(09:25):
is the confidence part, because so often we allow our
lack of confidence or our uncertainties and anxieties to reflect
how we present to the world. But sometimes you just
put on the suit, the mask that may you may
not truly feel that inside, but presenting that you grow
into it.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
Right, Yes, And I'm thinking about you know, we talk
about courage and confidence, but I really think about agency,
about being your own agent. Nobody is going to do
the things you do for yourself but you, right, not
your boss, not your friend, not your you know, client,
So thinking about yes, I am afraid, yes, I have
(10:04):
to sort of gather courage to go do something else,
but I actually believe in myself and I'm my own agent,
and I go out and sort of, you know, promote
and meet and do the things that I need to do.
Changes your perspective, like you do it while you're afraid,
you're still.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Doing it exactly exactly. You've spoken about the need to
redefine leadership for today's workplace. From your perspective, what must
leaders embrace to help the next generation of diverse talent
truly thrive? And we're seeing really lots of generational changes.
This new generation of young people very different than the
previous one, and there's so many things to take into consideration,
(10:43):
so we can't always just stay with the same model
of leadership that we've been so used to before. With
such changing times, tell.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Us all, Yes, I believe that the evolution of the
workplace is happening now, and it's happening maybe the lower
levels in the organization, where people really want flexibility, empathy,
they want to work for a company that they believe
in the mission. It feels more human that maybe what
I experienced earlier in my corporate career of you know,
(11:14):
more productivity versus really the human side of work. And
I do believe that, you know, posts we experience some
of it during the pandemic, where employers were very open
to flexible work, to working during your best hours, doing
what you needed to do. We're sort of reversing in
(11:35):
that trend. But I feel that the force of nature
is going to take us to a workplace that is
more empathetic, more transparent, more human, and where people really
can do their best work in their own terms.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Right, because we're looking at Generation Z and they are
all about their personal space, their wellness. They're really not
shy about saying, hey, this doesn't work for me, Let's
work something out. So it's very important for us to
be really aware of the different generational attitudes about being
in the workplace. Now, I want to get some free
(12:07):
advice for the many people out there. We are living
in such fraught times, and a wrong post, a social
media post, a wrong public statement, or an action can
sometimes explode in cascade beyond any recognition. Now I've been
flamed on social media and it's not fun, for sure.
(12:28):
But whether you're an individual, or whether you're a company,
a small one, or whether you're a large one, probably
a lot of the same strategies apply in terms of
how do you deal with reputational threats or things that
might impact your reputation. What are a couple of tips
that you can share.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
The biggest thing I see companies and individuals not doing
is anticipating, so thinking that you can sort of continue
to do what you've always done and when a crisis
happens then you respond. You're already at a disadvantage. And
we just talked about technology and AI and how fast
things actually evolve, to the point of you know, one
(13:07):
post can really fire a whole storm of negative sentiment
toward your company or your brand, and so spending some
time anticipating what could go wrong. And this is a
perfect time to do it, as December, you're planning for
next year. What could possibly, you know, happen next year
that could change the way or the direction my business
(13:29):
is going or my brand is going. And so I
think that is the one thing I would say companies
don't do enough, brandszon't do enough of thinking ahead what
could potentially happen here.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
Right right Once that reputation is damaged, then I guess
there's lots of different strategies because everything is very individual.
But I guess, you know, at least in my case,
I think what I did was I examined what my
post was. It was misinterpreted, but I also dealt with
it head on. I didn't ignore it, but I did
(14:01):
address it, and eventually, you know, it resolved itself and
that was fine, and it wasn't that huge of a thing.
But I'll never forget the case of that young publicist
I think, who made a very random comment on Twitter
at the time about AIDS and she got in a
plane and by the time she arrived at her destination,
she was international news and you know, certainly whatever comment
(14:25):
she made was ill advised, but I can't even imagine
what her life must have been like. I mean, that
must be so traumatic, right to have to go through this.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
It can really change the trajectory of your career or
where your business was going. I've seen clients who have
contracts canceled because of something they said or did, and
I would say that the way that you handle that
situation being transparent, empathetic and human is there's just no
(14:54):
better way to really, you know, say you know what,
I made a mistake. This wasn't the right thing to say.
It was misinterpreted. Here's what I meant. You know, just
coming out with your truth being authentic a very long way.
As a Latina leader in an industry where representation is
still growing and needs to grow. How have your identity
(15:15):
and lived experiences shaped your work and why is elevating
Latino voices in professional space is so important to you?
You know, it is important because we continue to lack
in representation at the big tables. We continue to not
be in corporate roles, senior roles. We continue to be
the only at board tables. We continue to not have
(15:36):
the paid opportunities that others do. And so you know,
from a lifetime of looking at the stats and continuing
to see the data just languishing, you know, some progress
but really not meaningful progress. That that is what fuels me.
And that is the one thing that I decided I'm
leaving my corporate job where I've done in service of
the Latino community. I've done, you know, so many things.
(15:58):
I'm not leaving that hind and bringing that with me.
And so that is part of how I think as
a business owner. What impact can I have now in
this capacity? Where can I sponsor someone? Where can I
mentor someone? When can I bring someone along to a
table that maybe they don't have the access to. And
so continuing that work is critical for me because we're
(16:20):
just not making the progress that we should be.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Right and certainly, representation matters, you know, we see it
in all the different areas of our society. I see
it in the media. When you have diverse voices, then
more stories get told, more informed stories, and certainly in
the corporate world, being able to see the diversity of
this country which is very diverse, and understanding how your
(16:43):
company can relate to that is actually it makes a
lot of financial sense, doesn't it.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
It does, and it's a competitive advantage if you think
about who you are serving, that your company should reflect
that community, and hardly any case it does. Right. So
it continues to be a lag between what the community
really feels like and looks like and what the boreroom
feels and looks like. So we have a lot of
(17:07):
work to do.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Well. You are opening up doors in so many ways,
not only for yourself but to others, and we appreciate
you taking the time and sharing your personal pivot journey
and well delighted to have you in the studio. Myra
hernandez Bergmann, Founder and CEO of Crisis plus Strategies, a
firm specializing in helping organizations anticipate reputational risks and communicate
(17:29):
effectively through their most challenging moments. Tell us the best
ways to get in touch with you very easy. Go
to Crisis plus Strategies dot com and there's a way there.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
For you to contact me.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Fantastic Mara hernandez Bergmann, founder and CEO of Crisis Plus Strategies.
Philadelphia holds a singular place in the history of Martin
Luther King's legacy. It was here that the nation's first
and largest Martin Luther King Day of Service began not
as just a holiday, but a call to action rooted
(18:03):
in King's vision of a day on, not a day off.
Starting with one thousand volunteers, it's grown into a regional
movement that annually engages tens of thousands of people across Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, and Delaware and service projects that reflect doctor
King's commitment to justice, equity, civic engagement, and community building.
(18:24):
At the heart of this movement is Todd Bernstein, president
of Global Citizen three sixty five and the founder and
director of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service,
and he's joining us here today to tell us all
about twenty twenty six. Great to see you, Todd, and
very excited. It's twenty twenty six is a big year
for the city as well as of course the King Holiday,
So tell us more about what you're planning to do
(18:45):
on January nineteenth.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Good morning, Lorraine, thanks for having me back again for
the very first time. I think we're always excited, and
particularly excited this year we will be at Temple University
for our Signature project, which brings together people from throughout
(19:08):
the region in dozens of projects, including hands on activities,
a Kid's carnival for young people to learn more about
Doctor King, and a Health and Wellness Fair that we
invite the public to participate in with information testing demonstrations
(19:29):
that will be open to the public. We have workshops
that will be taking place. There will be one in
particular led by Avenging the Ancestors Coalition led by Michael Cord,
which will be bringing people up to date on the
efforts to preserve the education process at the President's House
(19:51):
and Slavery Memorial, which your listeners may know has been
under assault by the administration and the whole anti DEI,
and a racing of Black History movement that'll be informative.
We have a Jobs and Opportunity Fair. I always loved
the quote of Doctor King who said, if a man
(20:13):
doesn't have a job or an income, he neither has life,
nor liberty, nor the possibility for the pursuit of happiness.
Economic justice, as we know, was a big focus of
doctor King's life, whether it was the March on Washington
for Jobs and Freedom night before the Mountaintop speech of
(20:35):
course the day after he was assassinated. That was to
support sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee. So we will have
dozens of employers in Pearson McGonagall Hall at Temple for
hundreds of job seekers with real jobs, not just coming
to interview about something that might come along down the road.
(20:58):
The whole focus on economic justice is important for us,
and I think there are still a lot of people
who are looking for gainful employment. We will have at
noon a rally for social justice led by the Cecil B.
Moore Philadelphia Freedom Fighters. They were the group that protested
(21:20):
for non discrimination in admissions at Geord College back in
the sixties. And then the day wraps up at three
o'clock with the thirty sixth annual Martin Luther King Junior
Tribute Concert given by the Philadelphia Orchestra. And of course
there will be hundreds of volunteer efforts around the city
(21:43):
which are as a result of community organizations and schools
and civic associations, communities of faith coming together to define
the needs of the community. Looking to doctor King's inspiration
to be involved in city is an action, and of
course focusing on the Martin Luther King Day of Service
(22:06):
as a springboard to year round citizen action because we
know that these critical pressing community challenges are not going
to be solved in a day. They never have been,
and that's the key to harness the resources in the
community to get people more involved those people who can
be involved.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
The King Day of Service has been around for thirty
one years and there have been so many highlights during
these many decades. Certainly one was during COVID when you
were arranged for there to be COVID vaccinations to be
available to all people, but certainly people of color who
were disproportionately impacted. Were there any other powerful stories that
(22:48):
you'd like to share with us that you've witnessed during
these many decades of celebrating the spirit of doctor King's legacy.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
One immediately comes to mind, which was going back many
years ago to two thousand and one. Right after the
September eleventh attacks, I went immediately to meet with leaders
at the Alokxa Islamic Society and also Jewish Federation. This
was at a time when there was heightened abuse and
(23:20):
even violence against Muslims. I thought there was a particular
need at the time to bring folks together. These two
groups agreed to community build bring young people together. That
first year in two thousand and two, we had students
from the Peerlman Jewish Day School and the Aloxa Islamic
(23:43):
Academy joined together and volunteered at a food bank and
really get together and dispel some of the the myths
and find that they had a lot more in common
than they might have thought. And that that project has
turned into not only a yearly partnership, but an ongoing
(24:07):
exchange between now the Barra Hebrew Academy and the Alaxay
Islamic Academy. And they also do our annual student MUA
project together. So that is one in terms of building fellowship,
working together, finding common ground, and trying to spread what
is a kind of a little effort of understanding into
(24:31):
something greater.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
Yeah, well, we need that understanding now more than ever.
And this event is certainly inspiring for the Delaware Valley
and beyond and for those who want to participate, whether
they want to participate in your signature event or in
the many tens of thousands of events that are happening
throughout the Delaware Valley, and or if they'd like to
(24:54):
sign up for the jobs fair, tell us all the
details of how people can get involved.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
Our website at mL Day of Service or Global Citizen
three sixty five dot org is a way to learn
more about opportunities. It's a way for organizations to register
their projects and if they're seeking additional volunteers, we have
a volunteer portal matching process where people can get together
(25:21):
with others who they don't know and not only get
things done, but find some fellowship and technical resources there
where people can learn more about different ways of organizing.
We have ongoing programs, but that's a good place to start.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Yeah, it's not just the King Day, but it's three
sixty five, as your title Global Citizen three sixty five
would indicate. So there's not only this signature event, but
certainly events happening all throughout the year, including one of
my favorites, the Beer Summit, which is really one of
my favorite events of the year that really bring together
people have conversations about racial justice and being able to
(26:05):
overcome stereotypes and bigotry and I love it. And that's
just one of the many things that you're participating in.
And finally, I have to ask you, there's a quote
that you put me in touch with about King and
giving back in service and I wonder if you can
kind of share that King said, you don't have to
be what is it, a physicist.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Yeah, you don't have to know about Aristotle to serve,
you know, it's you need a soulful of grace and
a heart full of love to serve others. Doctor King
was a servant in many ways whose example brought us together.
My mentor Harris Wofford, who was really instrumental in starting
(26:53):
the King Day of Service along with his dear friend,
Congressman John Lewis, were you know, on the front lines
of the civil rights movement back then. The history of
how this got started is really a way of including
more people in celebrating Doctor King, and whether it's a
(27:15):
focus on job opportunities, health justice, food insecurity, poverty, education,
voter participation. Really, so many organizations will be getting together
to focus on these issues which matter to them, and
that's I think underscores the importance of the day and
(27:38):
finding ways of using it as a springboard too, an
ongoing commitment throughout the year.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Yeah, and moving forward, and Todd, just a shout out,
you've done an amazing job over the thirty one years
of a King Day of Service and beyond, and just
to acknowledge you for the tremendous contribution that you've created
for our and the region in organizing the King Day
of Service. And this of course is the thirty first
(28:06):
annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service on
King Day, January nineteenth. And I want to thank you
Todd Bernstein, President of Global Citizen three sixty five and
the founder and director of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther
King Day of Service.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Thank you thanks for earlier support. Loreen.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
As always, if you want to be impart of wonderful,
if you want to be recognized wonderful, if you want
to be great wonderful, but recognize that he who is
greatest among you shall be yourself.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
That's the new definition of greedness this morning.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
The thing that I like about it, I've given that
definition of greatness. It means that everybody can be greed
because everybody can say. You don't have to have a
college degree to serve, you don't know, you don't have
to make your subject and your all agree to sery.
(29:07):
You don't have to know about Plato and Aristoting to stave,
you don't have to know. I'm spill it a relative.
You don't have to know the pick Billy upmo dynamics.
In physics, you don't need a HVE grade. So generated
(29:33):
by love, you can be that said.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
You can listen to all of today's interviews by going
to our station website and typing in keyword Community. You
can also listen on the iHeartRadio app ye Words Philadelphia
Community Podcast. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram at Lorraine Ballard.
I'm Lorraine Ballard Morrow, and I stand for service to
our community and media that empowers. What will use stand for?
(30:01):
You've been listening to Insight and thank you
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