Introducing The Call

You have no idea how long I've been waiting to share my newest project with you. And today's the day.

The Call is a podcast that interviews wildly inspiring and interesting women all about how they have stepped up to answer their own "call" - to greatness, to purpose, to action - on their lives. Produced by Man Repeller (a really smart and humorous lifestyle platform that I'm obsessed with) It's part career advice, part politics, part "all the things you need to know" to inspire you to push past your comfort zone and live the kind of life that the current moment requires. 

The teaser episode is a really short, fun one that explains the title "The Call" and tells you a bit about my story: 

And the first full episode is an interview with New York Times Magazine writer and host of the New York Times podcast "Still Processing", the fabulous Jenna Wortham (@jennydeluxe). 

This has been such an exciting project to work on with Man Repeller and our wonderful producer Samara Breger. The guests this season are going to blow your mind - Roxane Gay, Lena Waithe, Sally Kohn, dream hampton, Yvonne Orji (Yes. That's Molly from HBO's Insecure.) and so many more. So stop what you're doing, listen and SUBSCRIBE! 

Write fire. Go out like a meteor.

Why try to say things when 9 out of 10 times, Audre Lorde has already said it better? 

Yep. That's the plan. 

Breathe. Then Push.

A beautiful poem from my friend Valarie Kaur on how to see and respond to this moment in America: 

"This future is dark.
But what is this darkness is not the darkness of a tomb, 
but the darkness of the womb.
What if our America is not dead
But a country still waiting to be born?
What if the story of American is one long labor?
What if all the mothers who came before us, who survived genocide
and occupation, slavery, and jim crow, political oppression and sexual assault are standing behind us now?
What if this is the time of our great transition?
Remember the wisdom of the midwife: breathe. Then: push.
Because if we don’t push, we die. If we don’t push, our nation will die. 
There is a warrior in each of us, and whether on the birthing table or the battleground, we need each other.
Together we are brave, and together, our #revolutionarylove
yours and mine, is our greatest moral resistance."

The poem is modified from a portion of her powerful remarks at an event for the National Moral Revival Poor People's Campaign . If you've got 6 minutes, the entire thing is worth a watch. She is brilliant. 

 

5 Lessons for YouTube Creators for Change

Today You Tube launched an amazing new program called Creators for Change. It's a global initiative to support creators who are tackling social issues and promoting awareness, tolerance and empathy on their YouTube channels. 

They selected a handful of prolific and very successful YouTubers including my friend and forever girlcrush Franchesca Ramsey (Chescaleigh) as their first class of Ambassadors. These ambassadors will be given money by YouTube to produce a video of their choice on an issue that matters to them. 

In addition, the Creators for Change program wants to help other creators who may not yet have ventured into the social good category, not be afraid to do so. And that's where I come in!

I was privileged enough to work with Upworthy to develop 5 key lessons of social change video that will help newbies tackle tough topics authentically and effectively. The lessons went live on the site today and I'm so proud to have been a part of a project that is going to put more meaningful content into the world. Take a look: 

Sometimes, the key is just to listen.

This week, I spent a lot of time talking to brands and organizations about how to engage younger, more diverse audiences. I spoke on panels, gave keynotes with fancy decks, and had several in depth, 1-on-1 conversations, all within the span of a few days. 

Over and over again, I found myself coming back to one key lesson. Sure there are a lot of tricks to the trade that I've developed over the years. And as a creative, I had countless ideas and strategies that could help people do the work that they so deeply want to do with the audiences that they so deeply what to do it with. But ultimately, the foundation of all of my knowledge begin with a simple principle: 

Listen. 

Listen to the people that you are trying to reach. Don't just listen to what others say about them, or 5 year old data that someone else collected, or even what you think you know from a previous experience. If you are truly committed to connecting with people you must be just as committed to listening to them (and acting on what you hear). 

If you're not willing to do that, no amount of strategy or big ideas will magically produce the kind of authentic relationship that you are yearning for. Because at the end of the day, markets and audiences and constituents and demographic groups and [insert other jargony word] are really just people. And the only way to truly have real people open their hearts to you is to make them feel heard, to understand their passions and motivations and fears. It's basic inter-personal relationship advice and it translates to good business, campaign and organizational advice as well. 

If you're willing to do that, then we can talk.