The Social Change Diaries

Latest Episodes:

Courtney Lewis from Institute for Nonprofit News, on Redefining Narrative Power Dec 19, 2025

Show notes

Listen in for a fantastic conversation on the growing field of nonprofit news and how this model transforms how stories are told, and information is shared in our society. In this episode of the Social Change Diaries podcast, Vanessa is joined by Courtney Lewis, Chief of Growth Programs at the Institute for Nonprofit News, an organization that works with over 500 nonprofit news organizations committed to public service. Together, they discuss why nonprofit newsrooms are different, how they center the stories and information audiences need, and why even conventional newsrooms are having to grapple with how to engage people on a more human level.

More information about this episode on our website

Anat Shenker-Osorio, Founder of ASO Communications, on Bringing Narratives to Life Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

In our most recent episode, Vanessa dives into how to bring narratives to life, with our guest Anat Shenker-Osorio, Principal and Founder of ASO Communications. Their conversation examines how social change communicators can approach language, specifically when it is contested, and how to increase impact for meaningful and transformative change on social issues.

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Amanda Zamora, Founder & Principal of Agencia Media, On The Power of Story Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

The Social Change Diaries podcast does it again—bringing you crucial conversations about what's driving today's social change communications landscape. In this episode, Vanessa is joined by Amanda Zamora, Founder & Principal of Agencia Media, a consultancy that partners with organizations to drive narrative change and civic engagement, especially with, and for, communities of color. Together, they discuss the role of storytelling by nonprofits and why mainstream media is no longer a gatekeeper in our information ecosystems.

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Bridgit Antoinette Evans, CEO of Pop Culture Collaborative, On Shaping The Narrative Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of our newly launched Social Change Diaries Podcast, we dive into the question of how social change can use storytelling to change culture through narratives. The discussion features Bridgit Antoinette Evans, CEO of Pop Culture Collaborative, in conversation with Vanessa Wakeman, and explores the power of storytelling to tackle deeply held beliefs, language as a medium of cultural production, and navigating narrative oceans.

Tracie Powell from The Pivot Fund, on Reimagining Story Power Nov 07, 2025

Show notes

In another engaging conversation, we tackle the question: What would narrative ecosystems look like if we could totally redesign who participates in crafting the story? In this important conversation, Vanessa is joined by Tracie Powell, CEO and Founder of The Pivot Fund, which works to shift power through equitable journalism funding by investing in independent community-led news organizations.

Dr. Safiya U. Noble, on Algorithms as Storytellers Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

Our first episode features the conversation between Vanessa and Dr. Safiya U. Noble, author of Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, as she shares the impact of algorithmic injustice and how it shapes storytelling.

NYCLU Executive Director, Donna Lieberman, on Civil Liberties and Our New Normal Sep 17, 2020

Show notes

At no point in recent history has civil rights been so loudly at the forefront of everyday life, in multiple ways. The tidal wave of shared trauma ushered in by the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent slew of racially motivated murders presents glaring questions and implications around civil rights and how this moment can be a springboard for true systemic change. As an expert in policies, laws and all facets of civil rights, Ms. Lieberman discusses the implications of this time period, how it relates to other historical moments in civil rights and the myriad of nuances that comprise this complex, but powerful moment in human history.

Global Press Visionary, Cristi Hegranes, on the Need for Consequence Driven Reporting Sep 01, 2020

Show notes

In this episode, Global Press Founder, Cristi Hegranes, shines a powerful light on solutions to institutional, ingrained problems that underly today's news media. She outlines key differences between action driven reporting and its more informative, impactful alternative: consequence driven reporting. Learn why trained local journalists, equipped to provide precise narratives that accurately inform listeners, represent a pathway to truly educating people in a non biased way, about important global issues.

Behind the Scenes of Corporate Giving: Insights from Salesforce Philanthropy VP, Becky Ferguson Aug 13, 2020

Show notes

How nonprofits can successfully and efficiently secure corporate giving is a more important issue than ever before. This conversation with Becky Ferguson, VP of Global Philanthropy for pioneering powerhouse, Salesforce, provides key insights and concrete information for nonprofits to consider when strategizing, securing and sustaining corporate partnerships.

Futurist Rohit Talwar on Thinking the Unthinkable and Reframing Positions of Power to Positions of Responsibility Jul 23, 2020

Show notes

We kick off our 5th season with Rohit Talwar, the CEO of Fast Future, a UK based research and insights business that specializes in the fields of futures and foresight. In this dialogue, Rohit and Vanessa discuss the implications of the groundbreaking events that have occurred in the first half of 2020. In Rohit's words: "This has been quite a good rehearsal for how we prepare better for the future. Whether it's climate change, collapse of financial markets, radical breakthroughs in science and technology- we should now be more open to those things and more willing to think the unthinkable...Hopefully we broaden our lens, and start moving from talking about people being in positions of power to owning the fact that they're in positions of responsibility, walking the corridors of responsibility, and their real job is to exercise that responsibility to create a fairer, more inclusive, and more sustainable world for all."

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