I felt like I had a choice, and I had to look and choose. Do I go into nothingness, I give up, I quit, I walk off the cliff ahead of me, I just run off it and scream and that’s it, or do I accept that everything’s been taken away from me, but it was never mine to begin with? We come from dust, and we return to dust. We don’t have anything except what we’re given, and it’s a gift. Life is a gift.
~ Andrew Foster
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Communication between two people falls on a spectrum, and that spectrum has more than one dimension. In fact, I imagine it has many dimensions.
Information could be flowing predominantly from person A to B, evenly, or in the other direction; this can be imagined as one dimension of the communication. The tension—antagonism, slight repulsion, a neutral first meeting, mild interest, intimate whispers—can be negative or positive; this can be another dimension. Communication can be durable (recorded, written, notes taken, etc.) or ephemeral; that’s another dimension. It can also vary in the dimension from private to public.
It’s interesting to consider how real scenarios could be characterized using those dimensions. Consider: An interrogation involving torture, an interrogation of a subject with their rights observed, a private investigator seeking to solve a case, a journalist interviewing a war criminal, a journalist interviewing a cultural icon, two friends talking while sharing a meal, single-serving sized friends on a plane (hat tip to Chuck Palahniuk), or lovers sharing pillow talk. The scenarios, like life, are endlessly varied.
All of that is a reductionist analysis; how do I simplify the real scenario to find some principles that are durable across scenarios. That’s useful. But I could also turn my analysis around. While having a conversation, I could consider those principles as a way to guide my efforts to create a certain kind of conversation.
Direction of information flow? …should I be talking more or less? Tension? …is there, should there be, more or less? Durability? Privacy? There are certainly more dimensions, and therefore more principles, than those I’ve listed. And the insight gained from understanding every principle could be evaluated in the context—the right-now in each moment’s context—of every conversation.
What would happen if I continuously (as often as is possible in a conversation, but also by reflecting on each conversation and planning for the next), made conscious adjustments? What would happen if I did that over 100, 500, or even 1,000 conversations? Now that’s a good question.
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Be here now. […] That’s all there is, is what’s happening right now. The fear of the future or the regret of the past has no real bearing in their own place. Just what you’re doing right now.
~ Thomas Droge
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We’re not just respecting people’s time. We’re respecting their voice and their passion.
~ Seth Godin from, Respecting their time
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It’s a good post from Godin. This post of mine is a literal tangent from one thing he mentioned…
In cases where “we’re all going to be speaking” isn’t on the agenda, going around the room, (ala “let’s all introduce ourselves”,) robs people of their agency. I’ve heard it discussed that this wastes time—it does. But vastly worse is the fact that it removes people’s agency.
(Agency is critical. I’ll go out on a limb and say that depriving someone of agency is literally the worst thing you can do to a person. All the horrible physical crimes you just thought of, involve first depriving the victim of their agency. Imagine if taking someone’s agency was treated as the worst crime possible.)
I imagine I’m leading some session, and someone is sitting in the space. When their turn comes around… suppose they don’t want to speak? What if they didn’t want to be heard? By saying, “let’s go around”—even if I say, “and introduce yourself if you want to“—regardless, they are going to be seen. They have to speak, to decline to speak. They have to leave the room, or hide, etc. My “let’s go around the room,” literally robs everyone of their choice.
There are of course lots of situations where “going around” makes perfect sense. For example, if we’re sitting in a restorative justice circle, everyone there knows how it works. You’re free to not speak, and you know that you are going be seen. But the vast majority of times I’ve been in a “let’s go around” situation, it’s the theft of agency variety.
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How can podcasts be designed and produced in multiple languages to serve specific, localized audiences effectively?
A podcast is used as a tool to bridge gaps in health education for rural communities with limited internet access.
[It’s the] whole process of editing that’s tripped me up. What I’ve noticed, and what I’m realizing, is with the HIV podcast, doing that podcast for the community—for other people—is motivation for me to like… knock out those episodes in the same afternoon.
~ Adam Greenberg (10:16)
The conversation explores the creative and technical challenges of producing a multilingual podcast for rural communities, focusing on a project aimed at supporting HIV-positive individuals. This initiative, designed by a Peace Corps volunteer, leverages podcasts to share local stories and facilitate discussions. Technical hurdles, such as managing multiple RSS feeds in different languages, are discussed, alongside strategies for hosting and distribution on a budget.
Adam reflects on the broader challenges of content creation, contrasting the ease of creating for others with the difficulty of personal projects. Topics include finding motivation, balancing creativity with logistics, and navigating the numerous rabbit holes that technology and content production present. The importance of mentorship, setting boundaries, and focusing on meaningful goals also surfaces as key themes in the discussion.
Takeaways
The importance of hyper-localized content — A podcast can be an effective tool to reach rural and underserved communities.
Multilingual podcasting challenges — Managing multiple language feeds requires creativity and resourcefulness.
Motivation from serving others — Creating content for community benefit provides a strong drive to complete projects.
Avoiding technological rabbit holes — Focus and guidance help to bypass unnecessary technical distractions.
Boundaries as a creative aid — Setting limits can foster productivity and clarity in creative endeavors.
Mentorship and guidance — Having trusted advisors can help navigate complex decisions and stay focused.
Personal versus community storytelling — Storytelling for a community often feels easier than personal storytelling.
Resources
HIV Positive Voices podcast — A multilingual podcast designed for rural education and health support.
WordPress — A content management system used for hosting the podcast project.
Peace Corps — Peace Corps Volunteers put their purpose, passion, and skills to work in partnership with host communities in more than 60 countries.
AltMBA — A leadership and creativity workshop mentioned for its insights on focus and boundaries.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Think about what you will add to the world. Some lucrative professions, (e.g., ultra-high-tech finance,) are dubious applications of human brainpower.
~ Steven Pinker
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There is no change, no attempt, no reach that does not look strange to someone. There’s almost no accomplishment that is possible without calling some attention on yourself. To gamble on yourself is to risk failure. To do it in public is to risk humiliation.
~ Ryan Holiday from, Life Happens in Public. Get Used to It.
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I believe I’ve developed a healthy level of ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ when it comes to trying things with a risk of failure. I think this is one—possibly the only—upside to having terrible self-talk. I’ve told my self horribly critical things so many times… and then had that criticism proven to not be the case so many times… well, now I just try things.
Except for people’s names. I’m developing a phobia around saying people’s names. It just feels like the least I could do, when having a conversation with someone who I need to introduce to others… the least I could do is say their name correctly. Perfectly, even, on the first try. …in their native language’s proper pronunciation. What could possible go wrong?
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How can podcasting effectively contribute to fostering inclusivity and equity within communities?
A passion project evolves into a platform for amplifying community voices working on equity.
My goal is to work with communities to help them become more inclusive and equitable. The podcast grew out of the idea that I want to identify work that’s going on in communities, and individuals who are working to make their own communities more inclusive and equitable. I want to celebrate that work, elevate that work, showcase it, and understand it.
~ Ame Sanders (1:42)
The conversation explores the role of podcasting as a medium to foster inclusivity and equity within communities. Ame highlights her podcast as a platform to celebrate and share the efforts of individuals and communities striving to make their environments more inclusive. She discusses the balance between analytical approaches and heartfelt actions in achieving social equity. The discussion underscores the importance of showcasing local efforts to inspire broader change.
Another significant topic discussed is the personal challenges and motivations in pursuing passion projects like podcasting. Insights are shared about the need for introspection, recognizing biases, and maintaining authenticity. The conversation also touches on the importance of taking breaks, learning from reflection, and aligning one’s voice with thoughtful, impactful contributions to societal challenges.
Takeaways
Being analytical and acting from the heart — both approaches are vital for fostering inclusivity.
Podcasting as a platform — a way to amplify, celebrate, and share the efforts of those driving change.
Individual transformation — change begins with self-reflection and growth before influencing others.
Challenges in maintaining passion — intentional pauses and clarity of purpose help sustain long-term efforts.
Addressing biases — careful selection of podcast guests shapes the narrative and impact of a show.
Difficult conversations — creating safe spaces for guests to discuss sensitive topics is crucial.
Practical resources — extensive show notes and transcripts support further exploration and learning.
Taking ownership — fostering inclusivity is a collective responsibility that transcends individual experiences.
Resources
State of Inclusion podcast — Ame’s podcast highlighting work done in communities to foster inclusivity.
Hugh McLeod’s concept of “social objects” — A framework for understanding how shared ideas drive action.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Risk gives you choice, and it gives you opportunity to explore and challenge yourself. Risk is a choice, and you have to learn how to negotiate acceptable and unacceptable risks in our lives. Play is a very safe space to learn how to do that.
~ Caitlin Pontrella
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Risk gives you choice, and it gives you opportunity to explore and challenge yourself. Risk is a choice, and you have to learn how to negotiate acceptable and unacceptable risks in our lives. Play is a very safe space to learn how to do that.
~ Caitlin Pontrella
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I keep trying to rearrange my efforts so I can spend more time re-experiencing the hundreds of terrific conversations I’ve experienced. Every single time I manage to find time to go back in, I find something wonderful. That quote is from episode 4 of the Movers Mindset podcast—it wasn’t even called that back then. It was a wonderful, chaotic, ramble of a conversation long before I realized the magic of conversation.
I keep thinking: Have great conversations and get them recorded. Get those conversations recorded so they can be heard by others is the most important part. I have a million other ideas about how to extract meaning, share the best parts, find threads and themes that run across large scales of people and times and …
My hope is that if I simply keep having great conversations, everything else will take care of itself.
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