Sounds Good with Branden Harvey

Latest Episodes:

How to Fight Gun Violence with Shannon Watts May 10, 2021

Show notes

Moms Demand Action began the day after the Sandy Hook shooting, which claimed the lives of 28 people, including 20 children. Shannon Watts, a mother of five, knew she needed to do something — so she moved into action to end gun violence. She started Moms Demand Action, a non-partisan grassroots movement of moms who fight for stronger gun laws in America and encourage responsible gun ownership.

Moms Demand Action has a volunteer chapter in every state plus Washington, D.C. Their work includes advocating for universal background checks, disarming domestic abusers, and responsible gun storage. Volunteers at their Gun Sense Action Network spend one hour per week driving phone calls into lawmaker’s offices or recruiting new supporters into the movement.

Activist Crystal Turner also shares the story of how her life has changed since losing two of her children to gun violence in 2015. Crystal turned her pain into purpose and is now a dedicated activist working with Moms Demand Action to push for common sense gun reform. She also founded Mothers in Healing, a nonprofit that provides grief counseling for mothers who have lost a child.
Guests: Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, and Crystal Turner, activist, Moms Demand Action advocate, and founder of Mothers in Healing
Text the word READY to 64433 to get involved with gun reform work where you live, visit Moms Demand Action’s national or state-specific Facebook pages, follow @momsdemand on Twitter and Instagram, and buy Shannon’s book, “Fight Like a Mother”
Background reading:

Rainbow Railroad Is Helping LGBTQ+ People Flee Persecution May 03, 2021

Show notes

Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape countries where they face imminent danger because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Canada-based organization works to solve a multi-layered problem that goes beyond LGBTQ+ persecution — they’re also responding to a global refugee crisis. Refugees already face mounting challenges, but anti-LGTBQ+ legislation only adds to the obstacles. The organization addresses both challenges together.

The organization has been praised for helping 70 Chechen men resettle in response to anti-gay purges in Chechnya beginning in 2017. Since 2006, Rainbow Railroad has helped more than 800 persecuted LGBTQ+ people from 38 countries travel to safety.

In this episode, Branden Harvey sits down with Rainbow Railroad executive director Kimahli Powell to learn about the extent of the persecution LGBTQ+ people face around the world and the inspiring ways the organization provides transportation and support to bring people to safety.
Guest: Kimahli Powell, executive director of Rainbow Railroad
Learn more about Rainbow Railroad’s work on their website, follow @rainbowrailroad on Instagram, and donate to Rainbow Railroad’s important work to bring LGBTQ+ people to safety
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John Moe Is Fighting Mental Health Stigma With Humor Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

John Moe (“Depresh Mode,” “The Hilarious World of Depression”) is bringing humor to mental health. The writer and radio personality’s work often centers on his mental health journey, and his writing has appeared in numerous humor anthologies as well as The New York Times Magazine, McSweeney's, The Seattle Times, and many more publications. For two decades, he hosted nationally distributed public radio programs.

Following decades of living with undiagnosed depression, John is now using his platform to break down the stigma of mental illness. In his new podcast “Depresh Mode,” he interviews comedians, musicians, authors, and actors about living with depression, anxiety, and other common disorders. Through their honest, relatable conversations, listeners can learn more about their options for facing mental illness and feel less alone.

In this episode, John shares the power of sharing your story, how humor can make things less scary, and how we can all follow his example in breaking down mental health stigma by talking about it.

Guest: John Moe, writer and radio personality
Listen to John’s podcast, “Depresh Mode,” buy his book, “The Hilarious World of Depression,” and follow @johnmoe on Twitter

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What’s Happening at the U.S./Mexico Border and How to Help Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

Yonathan Moya grew up on the U.S./Mexico border and sought out a way to tell the stories of the people living there. Following a nine-day photographic journey in 2017, he launched an organization supporting families along the border. Border Perspective leads service-learning trips along the south Texas border to provide opportunities to support local immigrant ministries and to better understand the complexity of immigration.

In this episode, Yonathan and Branden discuss what’s currently happening at the U.S./Mexico border, the nuanced and complex historical and political contexts of immigration, and opportunities to create solutions.
Guest: Yonathan Moya, executive director of Border Perspective
Learn more about Border Perspective’s work on their website, follow @borderperspective and @yonathanmoya on Instagram, and donate to Yonathan’s father’s memorial fund
Show your support:

Buy something from Border Perspective's Amazon Wish List to provide humanitarian relief to migrant families at the border.
Volunteer with Border Perspective to support shelters that are overwhelmed by vulnerable migrant families navigating a lawful immigration process.
Volunteer with Catholic Charities to care for unaccompanied minors in San Antonio.
Take action through RAICES, the largest immigration legal services nonprofit in Texas.
Donate to the United Nations Refugee Agency to support their work in solving the root causes within Central America that cause people to flee.
Contact your representatives and tell them you want to see immigration reform that 1) respects people’s dignity and rights, 2) responds to both short-term and long-term problems, and 3) creates infrastructure that allows for a fair immigration process. Call 1-844-USA-0234 and enter your zip code to be connected with your representatives, or text RESIST to 50409.

Learn more:

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Why a Plant-Based Diet Can Save the World Apr 12, 2021

Show notes

Gene Stone (author of “Forks Over Knives”) has spent the last decade writing about plant-based diets and their relationship to health, animal protection, and the environment. The former Peace Corps volunteer and journalist (Esquire, GQ, and Vogue) is a New York Times bestselling author who has written popular books including “Forks Over Knives,” “How Not to Die,” “The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick,” “The Engine 2 Diet,” and “Eat for the Planet.”

This episode, Gene shares his journey to adopting a vegan diet and simple action steps for transitioning to a plant-based diet to impact your health, animals, and the environment.
Guest: Gene Stone, journalist and New York Times bestselling author
Buy Gene’s new book, “72 Reasons to Be Vegan: Why Plant-Based. Why Now.” and check out his other books
Background reading:

Veganism is the “single biggest way” to reduce our environmental impact

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3 Myths About Changing the World Apr 05, 2021

Show notes

All over the world, mysterious signs have been popping up. They say messages like: “Don’t give up.” “You are worthy of love.” “Your mistakes don’t define you.” Today we’re introducing you to the woman behind these messages and the global movement: Amy Wolff. One weekend in 2017, Amy and her family anonymously staked in yards in their small town of Newberg, Oregon. They had just learned of suicide rates in their town and wanted to find a way to encourage community members. Little did they know that their project would turn into a global movement featured on Good Morning America, Yahoo, the Washington Post, NowThis, and on countless other media.

Within days, Amy incorporated Don’t Give Up as a nonprofit, and products (which the organization sells at-cost) have shipped to all 50 U.S. states and 26 countries, including the Philippines, Rwanda, Costa Rica, and Zambia. Now the movement serves more than as a response to suicide — it’s also a comforting cancer patients, those enduring the loss of a loved one, and those recovering from sexual assault and inspiring people to have the courage to leave abusive relationships or overcome addiction.

In this episode, Wolff tells the story of her neighborhood-project-turned-worldwide-movement and reminds us of the power of simple, kind words at the right place at the right time for the right person.
Guest: Amy Wolff, founder of Don’t Give Up
Order Amy’s book, “Signs of Hope,” buy a sign on dontgiveupsigns.com, and follow @dontgiveupsigns and @amynwolff on Instagram
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Sharing Your Story & Creating Community Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

At 22, Paige More (The Breasties) got a preventative double mastectomy before ever being diagnosed with cancer. At the time, she was working as a producer for Good Morning America and felt on top of the world, but she had just discovered she carried the BRCA 1 gene mutation that indicates a higher risk for developing breast, ovarian, and other types of cancer. While seeking resources, support, and guidance online, she was discouraged to find only stories of nightmare experiences and worst-case scenarios.

But Paige’s experience was different from those stories. After her surgery, she felt strong and sexy, so she started sharing her story on Instagram and co-founded a hopeful, empowering community for other “previvors” and women affected by breast and gynecological cancers. This community, called The Breasties, is a nonprofit organization that hosts events and retreats and offers a positive alternative to the nightmarish stories for others facing similar situations. The Breasties is on a mission to increase access to reliable information, provide a safe and empowering community, and help women feel less alone.

In this episode, Paige explains how sharing your story, giving yourself permission to be yourself, and showing up imperfectly but authentically are the keys to making an impact. Most importantly, when we work together in community, we have the power to make an even bigger difference.
Guest: Paige More, co-founder of The Breasties
Follow @paige_previvor and @the_breasties on Instagram and visit their site at thebreasties.org
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How to Support Creators of Color Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

Photographer Aundre Larrow (@aundre) has worked with clients such as The North Face, Amex, Volcom, Lululemon, and the Warriors, and his work has been published in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. His work aims to show the fundamental value in each person and commonly captures the intersection of art and racial justice. He’s currently hosting an Instagram series called Equity Through Editing about how to edit photos to accurately portray skin tones.

In this episode, Aundre shares the challenges he and other content creators of color face in the photography, art, and creator industries, including lack of opportunity, imposter syndrome, and racism. He also explains how he uses photography as a vehicle for social change to increase access and racial equality and how we can create a more equitable future for creators of color.
Guest: Aundre Larrow, photographer
Follow @aundre on Instagram and view his work on his website, aundrelarrow.com
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What We Can Learn From the World’s Most Notable Activists Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

Journalist and photographer KK Ottesen has photographed and interviewed the world’s most notable politicians and activists. She is a regular contributor to The Washington Post Magazine, and her work has appeared in many other international publications.

Her new book, “Activist: Portraits of Courage” includes portraits of Stacey Abrams, John Lewis, Tarana Burke, Edward Snowden, Bernie Sanders, Cecile Richards, Al Sharpton, Gabrielle Giffords, Angela Davis, and many more. In her book, these world-changers recount the experiences that sparked their work in social justice and politics and share the beliefs that keep them going.

In the first half of this episode, KK shares how through her interviews with them, she learned that most of the famous activists we know of today started their journeys simply by believing that a different world is possible, taking one small action step, and then committing to taking step after step. In the second half, she shares that anyone who has hope for a better future can be an activist. It’s more simple than you might think.
Guest: KK Ottesen, author of “Activist: Portraits of Courage”
Buy KK’s book and follow @kk.ottesen on Instagram
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How Writing Can Help You Make Sense of the World & Make a Bigger Difference Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

Expert writing coach Allison Fallon says writing can help you unlock your purpose. Allison is the author of “The Power of Writing It Down” and founder of the writing coaching company Find Your Voice. In Allison’s newest book, she shares why writing down your story is one of the most powerful tools you have at our disposal to see your life with clarity and generate positive change.

In the first half of this episode, Allison shares why it’s important to sit with the obstacles, blocks, and pain we face in order to heal, understand, and relieve ourselves from the burdens of setbacks and frustrations of life and even anxiety or depression. In the second half, she shares how writing can help us make sense of a challenging world — and also make a bigger difference. The best news is you don’t have to be a “writer” in the traditional sense to tap into the power of writing it down.
Guest: Allison Fallon, author of “The Power of Writing It Down” and founder of Find Your Voice
Visit thepowerofwritingitdown.com and download the first chapter of her book for free, and follow @allyfallon on Instagram
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