Advertise on podcast: Political Hope

https://indy4office.vercel.app/ https://www.cultivatingself.org/ Our guest today is Jess Rimington, a strategist, methodology designer, and co-author of the acclaimed book Beloved Economies: Transforming How We Work . With over a decade of leadership in global organizations and as a former Visiting Scholar at Stanford University, Jess has dedicated her career to reimagining power-sharing, governance, and institutional design. Together with co-author Joanna Levitt Cea and over 200 collaborators, Jess's research surfaces seven transformative practices, reminding us that how we do our work is just as vital as what we produce. https://www.belovedeconomies.org/book-2 Free Book Overview ODF

Indy's Nov 3 political experiment: https://indy4office.vercel.app/  We are joined by Erinch Sahan. He spent years transforming global supply chains at Oxfam and advising pioneering enterprises across the globe, Erinch is at the forefront of the movement to re-engineer business and finance. In his new book, Brave New Capital, co-authored with Aunnie Patton Power, Erinch tackles the core design of financial vehicles, exploring how we can transform who owns, governs, and benefits from capital. He is here to show us that when we align enterprise structure with ecological boundaries and human needs, we can move from extractive economics to a regenerative commons. https://bravenewcapital.co/ https://indy4office.vercel.app/

https://indy4office.vercel.app/ ... Through Bioticship, Kyle Ciullo leads a nature-tech strategy and bioregional development studio dedicated to accelerating nature-first enterprises, regenerative innovations, and place-based solutions. Drawing on over two decades of tech-enabled startup and enterprise experience, his work translates local intelligence into fundable, climate-resilient infrastructure, spanning nature-based consulting, business acceleration, and strategic growth blueprints that treat enterprises as living, regenerative systems. By bridging bioengineering, technology, and organizational design, Kyle helps impact-driven founders and organizations shift away from degenerative economics toward a holistic model that harmonizes nature, community, and triple-bottom-line value creation. https://bioticship.com/

https://www.cultivatingself.org/ In this episode of Political Hope, host Indy Rishi Singh sits down with Nessa Richman, a 30-year veteran of domestic food systems change and the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Food Policy Council . Together, they explore how over 300 Food Policy Councils across the nation are acting as hidden engines for civic engagement, community health, and food sovereignty. Drawing from her new book, Food Policy Councils: Building Civic Engagement and Community Well-Being , Nessa breaks down how local communities can bridge political divides, build collective power, and transform their regional economies from the kitchen table to the town hall. 📚 Featured Resources & Links: Nessa's New Book: Grab a copy of Food Policy Councils: Building Civic Engagement and Community Well-Being via Routledge. Book Companion Site: Explore additional tools, praise, and insights at fpcbook.com . Rhode Island Food Policy Council: Learn more about Nessa's ongoing statewide leadership and policy initiatives at rifoodcouncil.org. Click "Launch Interactive Dashboard" to see current national food policy councils: https://foodpolicynetworks.org/councils National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: https://sustainableagriculture.net/

https://kismatforpeople.com/  https://www.butterflyonbooks.com/book-package/ben  https://www.cosmiclabyrinth.world/  We often look at our local tax and administrative offices as cold, bureaucratic black boxes. But what if we brought real-world, transparent leadership into the heart of our county systems, treating the public not as numbers, but as partners? Today, we are talking about transforming government operations from the ground up with Kismat Kathrani. Kismat is a software technology entrepreneur and community advocate who has built successful self-funded businesses and created thousands of jobs over the past 18 years. Now, he is stepping up to run for Contra Costa County Assessor with a powerful vision: to bring private-sector innovation, ethical leadership, and true data-driven modernization to a crucial office. He is here to break down how we can slash property tax appeal wait times through streamlined digital systems, safeguard our data, and restore public trust through complete transparency. https://www.contracostavote.gov/4026_en/

https://www.markwinne.com/ https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/road-to-a-hungerfree-america-9798765132340/ https://www.cultivatingself.org/ Today, we are diving deep into the blueprints (or green prints) of food democracy with Mark Winne. For over forty years, Mark has been at the forefront of the food justice movement, bridging the gap between grassroots activism and structural policy. As a co-founder of some of the nation's very first Food Policy Councils, he took food out of the realm of simple charity and turned it into an act of local self-governance. Through his acclaimed books like Food Town, USA, Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart Cookin' Mamas and Closing the Food Gap, Mark has spent decades documenting how communities can reclaim their food systems from corporate monopolies. His work proves that when you organize municipal food policy around equity, you don't just feed people—you build community wealth, improve public health, and revitalize local economies. He is here to remind us that a resilient democracy begins at the kitchen table and the town hall.

In this episode of Political Hope, we explore the radical reimagining of farming and community economics through the visionary work of The Farmers Land Trust. Co-founder Ian McSweeney brings his deep expertise in real estate and conservation to dismantle traditional ownership models, crafting the legal and financial blueprints necessary to liberate land from the speculative market. Alongside him, co-founder Kristina Villa leverages her experience as a farmer and communicator to center equity and storytelling, ensuring that land access serves as a foundation for social justice and community health. Together, they are pioneering the "Farmland Commons," a transformative approach that decommodifies the earth to create a permanent, community-held resource for generations of regenerative growers. https://www.thefarmerslandtrust.org/ ... https://www.thefarmerslandtrust.org/templates/ ... https://www.youtube.com/@TheFarmersLandTrust ... https://www.cultivatingself.org/indyrishisingh ... https://buenavidacoffeeroasters.com/en/product/cultivating-self/ ... https://www.butterflyonbooks.com/book-package/ben

https://www.cultivatingself.org/ https://buenavidacoffeeroasters.com/en/product/cultivating-self/  In this episode of Political Hope, we sit down with Christina Hildebrand, the visionary founder of A Voice for Choice Advocacy (AVFCA) , to explore the front lines of medical freedom and consumer transparency. A relentless force in Sacramento, Christina has transformed grassroots concern into high-impact legislative action, championing the fundamental right to informed consent and bodily autonomy. From her landmark work on  AB 1989 for menstrual product transparency to her current leadership on SB 1266 to ban toxic bisphenols from children's products, Christina's efforts prove that dedicated advocacy can shift the political landscape. Join us as we celebrate her commitment to protecting health rights and learn how A Voice for Choice is empowering Californians to reclaim their agency in an era of expanding mandates. https://substack.com/@avoiceforchoice https://avoiceforchoiceadvocacy.org/about-avfc-avfca/ https://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/more-meal-lunchtime-lesson-japans-shokuiku https://cafamiliesforhealthrights.org/

https://buenavidacoffeeroasters.com/en/product/cultivating-self/  https://www.cultivatingself.org/  Let's explore the architecture of a more empathetic future alongside Alvin Graylin, a global tech visionary and co-author of Our Next Reality . Known for his viral TED Talks and leadership within the Virtual World Society, Alvin is a leading voice on the "Bridge to One" initiative, a movement using immersive technology to transcend physical boundaries and foster deep human connection. Drawing from his extensive work in XR and AI, Alvin presents a critical choice between three diverging paths for our species: a future dominated by tech-driven inequality, a descent into global conflict fueled by technological competition, or a collaborative "Bridge to One" that leverages technology for the common good. Join us as we discuss how we can steer toward this third direction, ensuring the next reality we inhabit is one of shared abundance rather than digital division. https://ournextreality.com/  https://substack.com/@awgraylin  https://www.virtualworldsociety.org/  https://www.ted.com/talks/alvin_w_graylin_manoush_zomorodi_3_possible_futures_for_ai_which_will_we_choose  https://www.virtualworldsociety.org/bridge-to-one  https://www.digitalistpapers.com/vol2/category/Alvin+W.+Graylin

https://www.butterflyonbooks.com/book-package/ben ...  In this episode, we dive into the mission of Resilient Peeps, an Oakland-based collective led by Shirah Wagner that is reimagining emergency preparedness as an act of radical community solidarity. At a time when political systems often feel fragile and social fabrics are fraying, Resilient Peeps suggests that our greatest hope lies not in bunkers or isolation, but in the strength of our neighborhood networks. Wagner and her team translate complex federal procedures into inclusive, "people-friendly" strategies—ranging from situational awareness in volatile contexts to mutual aid organizing. By framing preparedness as "resilience as rebellion," they offer a powerful antidote to fear, proving that when we organize for the worst, we actually build the trust and connection needed to make our everyday lives better. It's a vision of political hope rooted in the belief that while the systems above us may falter, the people beside us are exactly who we need to survive and thrive. https://www.piedmontaveresiliencecommittee.com/ https://www.resilientpeeps.com/

https://www.cultivatingself.org/ Kate Hoepke founded the Village Movement California organization and led the San Francisco Village (one of the largest in the country) for over a decade. She is the epitome of community building, founding more than 40 Mothers Clubs in the SF Bay Area and being deeply involved in the field of aging since 2001.  https://villagemovementcalifornia.org/ ... https://www.smcgov.org/district-5/loneliness

https://www.cultivatingself.org/ Alexander "Brave Journey" Sterling is a pioneering financial leader and the CEO/co-founder of Turtle Island Community Capital (TICC), a Native-led Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) dedicated to promoting economic sovereignty, climate justice, and cultural revitalization across Indigenous communities. With two decades of experience in clean energy and impact investing, and ancestral roots in the Ramapo Lenape Nation, Sterling works to build a regenerative capital ecosystem that honors traditional governance. He is a prominent voice challenging the status quo of impact finance, championing the view that "catalytic capital" must genuinely be the "first mover," taking on risk to unlock much-needed funding for historically excluded fund managers and entrepreneurs, thereby shifting power and resources where they are needed most. https://turtleislandcommunitycapital.org/ ... https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-sterling/ ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAFtezgugMA

Doughnut Disaster Festival Today, we're joined by a distinguished leader in the fields of conservation and community advocacy, José G. González. Since his appointment in late 2023, Mr. González has been serving as the Equity Officer for the East Bay Regional Park District, where he has been instrumental in leading the district's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. We'll be discussing his ongoing work to enhance park accessibility and diversify the workforce. We'll also explore how his foundational work as a conservationist and artist, driven by the philosophy of empowering communities to "carry your culture everywhere you go, including the outdoors," continues to shape his vision and leadership within the park district. https://www.josegagonzalez.com/ https://www.ebparks.org/about-us/whats-new/news/east-bay-regional-park-district-announces-new-equity-officer https://linktr.ee/josebilingue

https://www.cultivatingself.org/reclaiminghealthcarefellowship https://debunkedbynature.com/pre-order https://www.eatyourhealings.com/ Today, we're joined by Mollie Engelhart, a chef, author, and regenerative rancher who has lived through a profound ideological shift. As a lifelong liberal and celebrated vegan chef, Mollie believed she was doing her part for the environment. But her journey from a Los Angeles restaurateur to a farmer on Sovereignty Ranch taught her that nature has its own truths. Mollie's new book, "Debunked by Nature," shares her story of confronting uncomfortable realities on the farm—realities that challenged her long-held beliefs about food, soil, and society. Her work in regenerative farming isn't just about cultivating healthy land; it's about building a resilient future. Through community stewardship, she demonstrates that true change comes from the ground up, not from the top down. This conversation will explore how Mollie's experiences have redefined her relationship with political activism, leading her to question partisanship and advocate for a "radical centrist" approach. We'll delve into how reconnecting with the earth can lead to a new understanding of our place in the world and a fresh perspective on what it means to create a more sovereign, resilient future for all. Learn more about Mollie Engelhart's journey from veganism to regenerative farming. A Conservative Regenerative Farmer's Journey With Mollie Engelhart   Ben the Laughtersaurus https://www.butterflyonbooks.com/book-package/ben

https://dianacantureyna.substack.com/podcast https://www.cultivatingself.org/reclaiminghealthcarefellowship Our guest, Jayda Greco, is a partner at McDermott Will & Schulte, where she focuses on the intersection of healthcare and law. With a deep background in digital health, she's an expert in navigating the complex regulatory landscape, including privacy, compliance, and reimbursement. https://www.mwe.com/insights/food-as-medicine-a-deep-dive-into-reimbursement/ https://academic.oup.com/healthaffairsscholar/article/2/2/qxae013/7595880