People in Common

Picking up where they left off dancing on stage, Baron tells Jama: "I think that's what dance has taught me is just like sports, be comfortable being uncomfortable." Baron Davis is a two-time NBA All-Star who led the league in steals twice and now invests in 26+ companies. He founded Business Inside the Game (BIG), connecting athletes, creators, and entrepreneurs, and Sports, Lifestyle in Culture (SLIC), which empowers creators through original content and IP development. Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable "I was just having fun. I was just kind of doing something that people wouldn't expect. I think it's overall just conquering the fear, like living outside your comfort zone." Baron's philosophy isn't just about movement. It's about taking action despite fear and learning faster by throwing yourself to the wolves. Show Up Ready, No Matter Who Shows Up "I was ready for 400 people but only four people showed up. If I'm ready like this every time, you never know when the 40 to the 400 are going to show up." You don't wait for perfect conditions. You show up prepared, stay consistent, and welcome whatever comes as a chance to learn rather than failure. Baron talks about the reality checks, the days that aren't the greatest. The question is: how do you overcome? How do you continue to push through? The answer is readiness. Present moment awareness. Always be learning. The 5% "The 5% in the corner having a good time become the gravitational pull for the other 95%." Change doesn't happen by convincing everyone. It happens when a core group is so aligned and energized that others naturally want to join. Media That Honors People Too much media focuses on "argumentative, debating, knocking people down" instead of honoring people's stories, their sacrifice, their full humanity. Baron's calling for media that celebrates the complete story. Where people come from, what they've sacrificed, who they are. "A lot of that makes up your story and your DNA." Quality and substance over noise. Learn From Mistakes "Here are the mistakes that I made...Here are the ways that I would definitely tell you to go the other way." The most valuable thing you can give someone isn't just your wins. It's the honest account of what didn't work, how you learned the hard way so they don't have to. Real roadmaps. Baron's Leadership Lessons "Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable" "Champions are made when nobody's around, when you're putting in the work behind closed doors" "Throw me to the wolves. I learn faster when I'm around wolves and sharks" "There is no failure, only incremental stages on the way to success" Action Opportunities Learn more: Business Inside the Game at bigsummits.com and @BIGsummits, SLIC Studios at slicsports.com, @BaronDavis on Instagram Be part of the 5%: Be comfortable being uncomfortable. Practice curiosity. Show up ready. Give someone the ball. Support entrepreneurs: Invest in companies from underrepresented founders. Attend BIG Summit events. Amplify creators through SLIC. Support companies that serve everyone, not just shareholders. Chapters 00:00 The Power of Dance and Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable 02:54 Cultural Shifts and the 5% Influence 05:53 Leadership vs. Individual Talent 08:40 The Responsibility of Storytelling 11:32 The Impact of Information Overload 14:34 Legacy and the Future of Culture 19:53 The Value of Storytelling in Community 22:17 Building Beloved Communities 23:51 The Shift in Community Engagement 26:20 Reevaluating Personal Values and Community 29:16 The Entrepreneurial Journey and Community Support 32:02 Navigating Entrepreneurship and Investor Relationships 34:56 Meeting People Where They Are 36:56 "There is no failure, only incremental stages on the way to success"

Mel Allbright opened her Arizona home to Jama Adams for five weeks before the 2024 election, not because she's a professional organizer, but because she believes in showing up for people. A retired Kyrene School District professional and baseball coach, she and her husband Al, an Air Force veteran, embody grassroots democracy: meaningful welcome, homemade meals, looking out for each other at rallies, and maintaining relationships across political divides. We talk about respecting differences and meaningful dialogue, bridging divides, and the joy of 'finding our people.' Through Mel's story, we discover how small acts of care sustain movements, why respect means standing against bullies, and how eight years of community building in Serbia enabled people to stand together against Milosevic. Strong communities built on trust and care are how we get through tough times, together. ## Chapters 00:00 - Introductions and Background Jama introduces Mel, who was her host during the 2024 election campaign in Arizona. 02:00 - How It All Started Mel shares the story of how she decided to open her home to a stranger for the campaign. 05:00 - First Rally Experience They recount their first political rally together in Maricopa's intense heat. 08:00 - Obama Rally Magic Mel describes her crowd control role at the Obama rally and her emotional reaction to Gabby Giffords. 14:00 - The Power of Small Gestures Discussion about how simple kindness and smiles can change people's lives. 19:00 - Finding Common Ground Mel explains how she connects with people across political divides through shared humanity. 26:00 - Standing Against Bullies They discuss respect, dignity, and why certain behaviors are unacceptable in leaders. 35:00 - Encouragement and Community Mel offers advice on making a difference and the importance of local community involvement. 5:00 - Closing and Gratitude Heartfelt goodbyes and expressions of mutual appreciation for their friendship. ## Guest Biography Mel Allbright spent over 24 years with Kyrene School District in Arizona. Before that, she was a Lead Document Specialist at BP, held positions at Alaska Airlines, and has had jobs across the spectrum, including bread truck driver, experiences that taught her how to connect with all kinds of people. Now retired, she and her husband Al (a Navy veteran and longtime volunteer umpire) are beloved in their community as baseball coaches who've spent decades building relationships across divides. When Mel opened her home to organizer Jama Adams for five weeks before the 2024 election, she demonstrated what grassroots democracy looks like, with welcome messages, homemade meals, and genuine relationships built on shared humanity. Her gift for connecting across political divides shows the joy of finding our people in challenging times.

Col. Pam Stevenson is Kentucky's House Minority Floor Leader and U.S. Senate candidate. She founded the Stevenson Law Center providing pro bono legal services, serves as an ordained minister, and is the first Black woman to lead a legislative caucus in Kentucky. Col. Pam brings 27 years of Air Force service as a Judge Advocate General who negotiated in 11 countries, and learned "there's more than one way to do everything" and "you've got to treat people with a lot of respect." Her approach starts with one simple question: "What can I do to serve you?" ‍ Action Opportunities Learn more about Col. Pam Stevenson: stevensonforsenate.com @ColPamStevenson "Stand up. Find joy. Every day." Start with one—donate one dollar, do one thing that gives you joy Create your own narrative (vs. respond to others' frameworks) Ask "What can I do to serve you?" in your next difficult conversation Find ways to work with "all people, not just your people" in your community. Support veterans and seniors through pro bono services or advocacy Carry forward Col. Pam’s grandmother’s legacy of sacrifice and generational investment: “Whose ‘Lucy’ will you be?” How are you going to show up in such a big way for somebody? The "Lucy" Example: How to Approach Change "Let me give you an example. There was a leader, Lucy. Lucy was born in the early 1800s. And Lucy dropped out of the sixth grade, got married at age 14, had 15 kids. And when Lucy had a grandchild, she decided that she was going to save 10 cents a month to pay for an insurance policy so her grandkid could go to college. She did extra stuff to earn that 10 cents a month…She dreamed a whole world for me that she knew she couldn't be for herself. She couldn't go downtown, she couldn't file a police report, she could do none of those things. But she did what she could do to make sure I could…And when I turned 18, the insurance company gave me the policy because Lucy was my grandmother. "Whose Lucy are you? Who are you standing for? That's where we've got to start. You don't have to do everything. Just do one thing. One thing that gives you joy. One thing that fills your soul. One thing that's of use to another human. One thing!" ‍ Democratic Leadership Principles Col. Stevenson's core leadership lessons from 11 countries: "There's more than one way to do everything" "You've got to treat people with a lot of respect" Start every conversation with "What can I do to serve you?" "Living for something bigger than self" ‍ Spiritual Foundations Practice asking "What can I do to serve you?" Respect is the foundation of all successful negotiations Find joy daily to sustain over the long-term "Whose Lucy will you be? How are you going to show up in such a big way for somebody?" Chapters 00:00 Setting the Stage 00:58 The Power of Community and Support 04:01 Personal Background and Military Service 06:56 Vision for Kentucky and Leadership 09:48 Responsibility in Society 13:08 Overcoming Division and Promoting Unity 15:59 The Role of Love in Addressing Challenges 18:54 Creating Our Own Narrative 20:49 The Power of Community Engagement 23:44 Meeting People Where They Are 29:24 Lessons from Global Experiences 34:46 Living for Something Bigger Than Self 36:16 Faith and Service: The Foundation of Action 37:19 America's Ideals and Inconsistencies 38:47 Leading from Where You Are and Taking Action Now 42:38 The Power of One: Small Actions, Big Impact 44:37 Engaging the Disengaged: Building Community 46:17 Fighting for Future Generations 48:57 Duty, Honor, and Collective Power

'From Values to Action: The Craft of Democratic Organizing' with Marshall Ganz Marshall diagnoses our democratic crisis through hard-won wisdom from decades of organizing—from the Civil Rights Movement to the Obama campaign. "We look for hope in the wrong place—out there in the great hero," he explains. "What we should be doing is connecting with each other to create the kind of hopeful imagination and willingness to take risks." His framework for change starts with three simple questions: Who are my people? What change do we need? How do we turn resources into power? Action Opportunities: • Marshall’s Latest Book: "People, Power, Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal" - https://bookshop.org/p/books/people-power-and-change-organizing-for-democratic-renewal-marshall-ganz/20658319 • Website: https://marshallganz.scholars.harvard.edu/ • Leading Change Network: https://leadingchangenetwork.org/ Organizing Principles: Marshall's core organizing questions: 1. Who are my people? 2. What is the change we need? 3. How do we turn our resources into the power we need to achieve that change? Spiritual Foundations: Hillel the Elder's three questions that guide Marshall's work: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" For Organizers: • Leading Change Network offers training, coaching, and resources for organizers worldwide • Public Narrative workshops available through LCN • Harvard Kennedy School executive education programs on leadership and organizing Connect: Learn more about Marshall's ongoing work in democratic organizing, public narrative training, and movement building through the Leading Change Network and his courses at Harvard Kennedy School. Key Topics Discussed: • The three interlocking problems facing democracy: structural inequality, lack of collective capacity, and fragmented identity • Public Narrative framework: Story of Self (purpose), Story of Us (community), Story of Now (urgency) • How organizing differs from mobilizing and why it matters for sustainable change • How to diagnose power structures and turn resources into collective power • The importance of civic infrastructure and local organizing capacity Recommended Reading: • "People, Power, Change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal" by Marshall Ganz https://bookshop.org/p/books/people-power-and-change-organizing-for-democratic-renewal-marshall-ganz/20658319 • "Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson https://www.isabelwilkerson.com/ • "The Tyranny of Structurelessness" by Jo Freeman - https://www.jofreeman.com/joreen/tyranny.htm About Marshall Ganz Marshall Ganz is Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Organizing and Civil Society at Harvard Kennedy School, where he teaches, researches, and writes on leadership and strategy in social movements. Growing up in Bakersfield, California, where his father was a Rabbi and mother an educator, he entered Harvard College in 1960 but left before graduating to volunteer with the 1964 Mississippi Summer Project. He found his "calling" as an organizer with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, then joined Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers for 16 years, becoming Director of Organizing. After designing innovative voter mobilization strategies throughout the 1980s, he returned to Harvard, completing his undergraduate degree after a 28-year absence and earning his PhD in sociology in 2000. He was instrumental in designing the grassroots organizing model for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign and founded the global Leading Change Network.

Welcome to People in Common! In this podcast, we connect with leaders to discuss how their personal stories are intertwined with current societal issues. Join us as we seek advice from heroes and work together to navigate these challenging times. Let's find common ground and solve hard problems together.

Anat Shenker-Osorio examines why certain messages falter where others deliver. We talk about why fabulously fighting fascism - together - is the thing that matters most right now. We begin with Anat's motivations and her journey in political activism, starting in kindergarten. She emphasizes the importance of direct political action and the need to promote positive messaging rather than just reacting to opposition narratives. Anat discusses effective communication strategies, the flaws of conventional polling, and the power of social proof. She also highlights the 3.5% rule: "no government has withstood a challenge of 3.5% of their population mobilized against it" (credit to Erica Chenoweth of the Harvard Kennedy School) and the significance of local involvement and visible resistance in dismantling authoritarian regimes. She calls for living your beliefs openly. Anat is the author of "Don't Buy It: The Trouble with Talking Nonsense About the Economy" and host of the "Words to Win By" Podcast. She delivers her findings packed in snark in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Boston Globe, Salon, The Guardian and Grist. Check out her "Ways to Resist" and "Freedom Over Fascism Toolkit" for more. 00:00 Introduction to People in Common 00:16 Meet Anat Shenker-Osorio 02:11 Anat's Early Activism Story 05:58 Philosophy and Inspiration 07:26 Challenges in Political Messaging 11:32 The Role of Public Opinion 20:00 The Fiction of Just Voting Our Way to Democracy 27:20 The Power of Joy and Proactive Campaigns 32:36 Challenging Norms and Living Your Beliefs 33:15 Strategies for Persuasion 37:14 Historical Context and Lessons 41:59 The Power of Social Proof 57:44 Local Action and Collective Effort 01:00:51 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Reggie Hubbard is a political activist turned yogi turned activist yogi. We explore how our spiritual problems are at the root of our political problems. He shares his personal transformation journey, triggered by professional setbacks, leading him to adopt yoga and meditation as life-changing practices. Through a spiritual and holistic approach, Reggie emphasizes resilience training, the importance of dealing with hard truths, and the power of healing. He talks about how his stroke was a great teacher. Reggie's approach focuses on grounding, fostering creative brilliance, and addressing systemic societal issues with personal spiritual transformation. Reggie is the founder and chief serving officer of Active Peace Yoga. Check out his upcoming workshops, meditations, and wisdom at Active Peace Yoga (activepeaceyoga.com). 00:00 Introduction: Shifting from Politics to Spirituality 00:23 Meet Reggie Hubbard: Activist Turned Yogi 00:48 Guided Meditation with Reggie 03:44 Reggie's Journey: From Politics to Yoga 04:52 Facing Adversity: Reggie's Story 06:45 The Turning Point: Embracing Yoga 08:30 Building Active Peace Yoga 13:03 Resilience and Devotion: Reggie's Philosophy 22:35 Overcoming Challenges: Reggie's Stroke and Recovery 27:45 Cultural Inability to Deal with Hardships 28:09 Understanding Anger and Social Justice 29:08 Confronting Racial Discomfort 32:28 Spiritual Problems and Healing 33:52 Stroke as Teacher 34:29 Radical Acceptance and Recovery 40:08 Resistance and Resilience Training 49:27 Closing Reflections and Meditation 53:57 Creative Destruction and Rebuilding

This trailer introduces the People in Common podcast, where we speak with inspiring leaders about what we can do about the urgent and overwhelming problems of the world. With powerful stories and recommendations for action, we bridge the gap between movement leaders and those of us who care but aren’t sure what to do.

Desmond Meade is Executive Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. He led the historic 2018 victory of Florida Amendment 4, which restored voting rights to more than 1.4 million Floridians with previous felony convictions, the largest expansion of voting rights in a half-century. The grassroots citizen initiative won by nearly 65 percent of the vote - and as Desmond says, “won with love.” In 2019, Time magazine named Desmond one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Father Greg Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world. Homeboy received a $20M from MacKenzie Scott the week we spoke. Father Boyle is the author of the New York Times-bestseller Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion and two other books. He has received the California Peace Prize and been inducted into the California Hall of Fame. In 2014, President Obama named him a Champion of Change. Takeaways Chapters 00:00 The Power of Tenderness 02:04 Joy and Delight in Service 05:59 Navigating the Messiness of Life 10:11 Principles of Inclusion and Kinship 13:58 The Importance of Diagnosis 17:48 Belonging and Connection 22:11 Mutuality and Transformation 26:01 Hope and Optimism in a Changing World Quotes Keywords tenderness, joy, service, inclusion, kinship, diagnosis, belonging, connection, mutuality, hope

Kelly Ward Burton is the founding President of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) and its affiliates, the National Redistricting Foundation and All On The Line. Under the leadership of NDRC's Chairman Eric Holder, Kelly has led NDRC and affiliates to become the first-ever centralized hub for a comprehensive redistricting strategy, resulting in the fairest maps this country has seen in decades. Prior to leading NDRC, she was the Executive Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and managed several campaigns for U.S. Senate and House. Kelly has a long history as a political entrepreneur, helping to launch several advocacy organizations to expand the number of women running for office and help nonprofit leaders leverage their power for impact.