Arts & Culture
From artistic collaborations to creative problem solving, the arts have the power to lift us up and transform our future. These stories celebrate art, creativity, and culture in all its forms.
11 min read
Monsters You Must See: The Bulgarian Kukeri Dance Away Evil
Why are people in Bulgaria dressing up in elaborate fur costumes and dancing through the streets at night in the dead of winter? Join us as we explore the wild, strange, and awesome tradition of Kukeri, and learn what it means to gather for the greater good—whether you are superstitious or not!
Zaria Forman’s Massive Glacier Portraits Inspire Love for Unseen Landscapes
This isn't a photograph of the Getz Ice Shelf, its a drawing! Zaria Forman creates large-scale depictions of glaciers, and NASA's Operation IceBridge invited her on a trip to get even closer to them. Here's that story and the gorgeous creations that came from it!
60 min listen
Filmmaker Tours 150 Small U.S. Communities: The Surprising, Positive Lessons with Sarah Yourgrau (Episode #142)
The media seems to bombard us with stories of how bad it is “out there” and it would be easy to think that anywhere outside our particular pocket of the country is a bit frightening. But our guest today, Sarah Yourgrau, spent time in 150 small communities across America as a producer on Mike Rowe’s uplifting series: “Returning the Favor.” On this journey, she learned things that blew her away with joy. Here are some surprising stories that build a perspective we can all celebrate!
10 min read
Kenyan Nonprofit Turns Flip Flops into Beautiful Works of Art, Cleaning Beaches and Empowering Communities
In sculptures made of flip flops that you have to see to believe featuring turtles, elephants, zebras, life-size giraffes, and many, many more, Kenyan nonprofit Ocean Sole’s artistic ingenuity solves more than one problem. Turning trash into treasure, this organization cleans Kenyan beaches, provides jobs for local artisans, and raises awareness for our flip flop problem, all at the same time. Ready to feast your eyes on this incredible art?
8 min read/watch
Beyond the Ruins: Baking Bread Like the Ancient Romans
Are you a bread-lover? Perhaps you were a pandemic sourdough baker—or lived with one. Maybe you are always on the search for a good crusty baguette, or to you there is nothing better than a piece of toast slathered in your favorite peanut butter. Wherever you fall, you are a part of a long lineage of loaf-lovers that dates back 14,000 thousand years.
66 min listen
Feeling Stuck? Use Street Wisdom to Navigate the World with More Curiosity with David Pearl (Episode #139)
Having a reliable routine for getting fresh perspectives and ideas can be a sanity-saver and a path to opening up new potential almost every day for you. In this episode, we learn about just such a path with David Pearl, who is leading a movement—Street Wisdom—that can be an energizing, simple way to find answers to small daily quandaries and your most challenging problems. And best of all, it’s a free, ever changing way to boost your sense of joy, wonder and well-being.
The Choir That’s Leading the Way to a Better World
Have you had a "goose-bump moment" yet today? Here's your chance! From South Africa to the stage of America's Got Talent, the Ndlovu Youth Choir is sharing their dynamic performances and uplifting stories with the world.
51 min listen
2 Billion Meals Served to Hungry Kids with Debbie Shore (Episode #136)
Debbie Shore is co-founder of Share Our Strength, which has fed close to 2 billion meals to hungry children since their campaign, No Kid Hungry, began. (That’s billion with a B, folks!) Today's episode is full of stories and insights from that remarkable journey that will give you many nuggets of inspiration and ingenious thinking to take into your own path to make the world a little better place.
The Savannah Bananas Bring Fun and Excitement to America’s Favorite Pastime
Have you heard of the Savannah Bananas? This Georgia based team has hit a real home run with their mission: to make baseball fans first, and most of all, fun! Roasting s’mores during a game, going up to bat on stilts, and a dancing umpire are just the tip of the iceberg of antics that go on at these games. And they make this, as the Bananas like to call it, the greatest show in sports!
The Secrets Hidden in Your Sunday Crossword
There's a lot more to these puzzles than meets the eye. So what goes into making them? Why do we love them so much? And is there really any truth to the claims that completing a puzzle a day will ward off aging? Here's all you could want to know about the world of crosswords, with a bit of fun added in! (We promise, it's quite exciting!)
5 min read
Ukraine Family Uses Etsy to Keep Heirloom Weaving Tradition Alive
In the Carpathian mountains of Ukraine, the Kischuk family has taken to the internet to keep the centuries old tradition of weaving lizhnyk blankets alive. From sheep to final shipping, Natalya Kischuk and her husband Yaroslov, along with their children, use traditional methods handed down for generations to craft beautiful blankets, rugs, and clothing that are now enjoyed by people around the globe.
64 min listen
You Are Worthy of Good Food: Nourishing Your Body and Soul with Chef Kenny Minor (Episode #132)
Chef Kenny Minor will make you hungry for both food and the joyful culture that can be built around cooking and eating. You will love this conversation for the sense of fun that it brings up from your past and the possibilities it brings to the meals you can enjoy with others in the future! Chef Kenny was named Top Chef by Ebony Magazine for his fresh ideas about eating and cooking, as well as the exuberant punch of personality he brings to everything he does.
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