Advertise on podcast: Generation Change with Leo Finelli

This month, Leo is joined by Ellis Gage, an actor, singer, playwright, and eating disorder recovery influencer. Ellis and Leo obsess over musical theatre and talk about how Ellis got into theatre, his recovery from an eating disorder, and their most recent acting and writing projects. You'll also get to hear about Leo's new book, Ryann Lazuli Goes Offline, which will be out on October 20! Follow Ellis Gage on Instagram and TikTok! Follow Leo Finelli on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠@genchangewithlf⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠@genchangewithLF⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Madeline Senate, Hannah Markelz, and Jack Masliah, from the Emergency Campaign to Support Higher Education, join Leo for a group chat about how that campaign is working to protect academic freedom, increase access to college, and call on Congress to raise the Pell Grant. Follow the Emergency Campaign on Instagram @emergencycampaign, on Facebook @emergencycampaign, and on Linkedin! Follow Madeline on Linkedin! Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannah_markelz and on Linkedin! Follow Jack on Instagram @jack.masliah and on Linkedin! Follow Leo Finelli on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@genchangewithlf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@genchangewithLF⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Leo meets Amir Royale, an actor, recording artist, filmmaker, and entertainment entrepreneur from New York City. Amir shares about his experience growing up in NYC, his high school and college studies, his music genre of Mystic Blues that he created himself, and his perspective on how older and younger generations relate differently to media, work, and technology. Amir's website: amirroyale.net Find all of Amir's music and socials here: linktr.ee/amirroyale Follow Leo Finelli on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠@genchangewithlf⁠⁠⁠, on Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@genchangewithLF⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠!

Poet and queer troublemaker Kelsey Day joins the pod to talk about their experience growing up in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina, their poetry, and their young adult debut, The Spiral Key. It's a summer reading recommendation in the form of an interview! Follow Kelsey on Instagram: @kelseydays Kelsey's website: www.kelseydays.com Follow Leo Finelli on Instagram ⁠⁠@genchangewithlf⁠⁠, on Facebook ⁠⁠@genchangewithLF⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠on LinkedIn⁠⁠!

Jack DiPrimio, a Masters of Public Affairs student at Brown University and a survivor of the 2025 shooting at Brown, joins Leo this month to talk about how he first got interested in politics, his undergraduate studies at American University, his op-eds in the Brown student newspaper, and his advocacy for gun violence prevention. Follow Jack on Instagram @jackdiprimio, on Facebook @jack.diprimio.3, on TikTok @jackdiprimio, and on LinkedIn! Follow Leo Finelli on Instagram ⁠@genchangewithlf⁠, on Facebook ⁠@genchangewithLF⁠, and ⁠on LinkedIn⁠!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so we're spotlighting Unquiet - a new composition for jazz quintet and string orchestra that uses music to explore the experiences of people living with mental illness, open up conversations, and build empathy. Unquiet composer Shelbie Rassler, producer Mark Rabideau, and mental health advocate Penelope Oliver join the podcast to talk about how Unquiet went from a brilliant idea to a powerful piece of music, and how art can accomplish what other forms of advocacy can't. Follow Shelbie on Instagram @shelbierassler, on Facebook @shelbie.rassler, and on TikTok @shelbierassler! Follow Mark Rabideau on LinkedIn! Follow Penelope on Instagram @penelopethepowerfulpoet and on LinkedIn! Follow Penelope's nonprofit, All Access Arts, on Instagram @allaccessarts_! Follow Leo Finelli on Instagram @genchangewithlf, on Facebook @genchangewithLF, and on LinkedIn!

Katy Ho, an Asian feminist writer and activist, joins Leo on Generation Change to talk about how she started her writing journey, her friendship with our previous Generation Change guest Katey Parham, some of the events that she's been able to attend, and the impact that she has made with her Substack, BAD ASIAN, which has more than one thousand followers! Follow Katy on Instagram: @katyho_ Read Katy's Substack, BAD ASIAN! Check out my children's books, which are mentioned in this episode: Seven Slices of Life and The Nutcracker's World

This month's interview is with Saia, an environmental health researcher who is passionate about exploring the mental health and physical health impacts of climate change. Saia and Leo talk about Saia's studies at Arizona State University and Columbia University, her research on eco-anxiety, and how she takes care of her own mental health. Follow Saia on Instagram: @climategirly Learn more about One Up Action, the NGO that Saia is the co-executive director of, here: OneUpAction.org

Olivia Berry and Megan Kryk, co-founders of Radical Catalyst Art and Literary Journal (where Leo is currently doing an editorial internship!) join Leo to talk about why they decided to start Radical Catalyst, how they put together the first issue, and the impact that they hope Radical Catalyst will have. Follow Radical Catalyst on Instagram! Radical Catalyst Official Website Apply for Internships at Radical Catalyst! Donate to Support Radical Catalyst

Leo starts off the new year by interviewing Isaiah Kabban, a nineteen-year-old youth leader and researcher. Leo and Isaiah talk about Isaiah's work with the American Youth Association, his fellowship with Grassroots Democrats HQ, his friendship with our previous Generation Change guest Sidney Stern, and his own podcast, Hail to the Pod, which he co-hosts with his two friends. Follow Isaiah on Instagram: @isaiah_kabban Listen to Isaiah's podcast, Hail to the Pod!

In the final episode of 2025, Isabela Valencia joins Generation Change to talk with Leo about her world travels, her experiences at COP29 and New York City Climate Week, and the need for stronger and more effective climate conversations. Follow Isabela on Instagram: @isabela_valencia

Generation Change with Leo Finelli celebrates 5 years on the air (!) and begins Season 6 with an interview with Kiara M. Tanta-Quidgeon. Kiara is an enrolled member of the Mohegan Tribe, a public health researcher, and a youth advocate committed to centering Indigenous voices in the pursuit of health equity and cultural preservation. Leo chats with Kiara about her passion for public health and healing, the Indigenous Student Union that she started at Quinnipiac University, and her most recent writing projects. Follow Kiara on Instagram: @kiaramtantaquidgeon Follow the Sunrise Healing Community on Instagram: @sunrisehealingcommunity Support Communities Impacted by Natural Disasters in Alaska: Sunrise Healing Community fundraiser for the Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund Donate directly to the Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund

Season 5 of Generation Change concludes with an interview with Addisyn Mayer, a middle school student in honors classes with an outstanding record of civic engagement and leadership. Leo and Addisyn talk about where Addisyn's passion for politics began, the inspiring leaders whom she's met along her journey, and her 1,300+ hours of community service. Leo's next children's book, The Nutcracker's World, will be released on October 14! Follow @genchangewithlf on Instagram for updates. Check out Leo's first book, Seven Slices of Life, available now: https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Slices-Life-Leo-Finelli/dp/B0D2MHRWSW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UUXG56A8D9XO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rtUTQRPqsHTfIXDhZozKbk2tiwJK5pfiuobpiJgoY_Bp35zDlvYAVs92wrXanuNtCaWr4uTOa5N79nDR-PnSHQ.s8H1Ct-2c7mGG_Y6ZuMDqMhnJsYnxMgXiRsru4PHGBU&dib_tag=se&keywords=leo+finelli&qid=1714573109&sprefix=leo+fine%2Caps%2C620&sr=8-1

Jayveon Tucker, an accomplished advocate from Roanoke, VA, joins Leo on Generation Change to talk about his volunteering experience, his student government campaigns in high school and college, and what's motivating him in our current political moment. Follow Jayveon on Instagram: @jayveonforva

Filmmaker and NYU grad Sydney Shear stops by Generation Change to chat with Leo about her participation in the Emmy-nominated documentary series "Social Studies," her own short films "Autumn Leaves" and "The Fine Line," and the impact that she hopes to make as a writer and director. Follow Sydney on Instagram: @sydneyshear Follow Sydney's film, "Autumn Leaves," on Instagram: @autumnleavesfilm Watch "Social Studies" on Hulu: https://www.hulu.com/series/social-studies-15eb2330-d2d6-49a0-a38b-11bc25c10130