Walk Talk Listen Podcast

Virtual Walk Talk Listen with Christine Alfons (episode 131)

Christine Alfons is a seasoned advocate for social change and gender equality, with a passion for child-led development and transformative initiatives. With an impressive track record spanning over 8 years, Christine's commitment to fostering positive change is remarkable.
 
As the Founder and Director of the Safe Engage Foundation since 2018, Christine has demonstrated visionary leadership by creating a unified mission that resonates with her team and stakeholders alike. Her expertise in managing programs efficiently and effectively has been instrumental in addressing pressing issues such as Female Genital Mutilation and Early, Forced, and Child Marriages.
 
Christine served as the Founding National Secretary of the Youth Anti-FGM Network Kenya (YANK) where she was able to support the establishment of YANK chapters in the 22 FGM-hotspot counties in Kenya. YANK introduced governance structures that have seen the youth network grow in influencing change towards the abandonment of FGM.
Christine's advocacy extends beyond borders, as seen in her role as the Executive Committee member in Commonwealth Youth and Gender Equality Network (CYGEN), Christine took the lead on combating Child Early and Forced Marriage, exemplifying her commitment to youth-led advocacy. Her collaborative spirit comes to the forefront as she engaged with external organizations and played a pivotal role in high-level international discussions.
 
In recognition of her outstanding efforts, Christine has been honored with awards such as the Head of State Commendation Award and The International Alliance for Women's World of Difference Award. Her participation in various global conferences, including the Goalkeepers Convening and Women Deliver Conference, highlights her dedication to international collaboration.
 
Christine Alfons' journey is a testament to her tireless dedication to creating a world where gender equality thrives, harmful practices are abandoned, and the voices of children are amplified. Her inspiring leadership, advocacy prowess, and relentless pursuit of positive change continue to make a profound impact on the lives of women and children globally.
 
Her social media tools: twitter, instagram, and facebook.
 
The songs picked by all our guests can be found via  our playlist #walktalklisten here. 
 
Please let me/us know via our email innovationhub@cwsglobal.org what you think about this new series. We would love to hear from you.
 
Please like/follow our Walk Talk Listen podcast and follow mauricebloem on twitter and instagram.  Or check us out on our website 100mile.org.  We also encourage you to check out the special WTL series Enough for All about an organization called CWS.  The 11th 100 mile walk campaign will continue until the summer, find more info via de 100mile.org website. Or go straight to our fundraising page.

WTL Special Series: What makes youth tick? with Brigitte, Jonathan and Josh (episode 5)

The idea of roundtable discussions with youth, came to be because civil society is changing, and many NGOs aren’t adapting fast enough, they struggle to relate and fully engage with youth. This has clear long term sustainability issues of organizations, and we need to learn how to better adapt to this new generation of potential supporters and partners. We need to learn about why youth want to engage with civil society, how youth want to engage, and how we as NGOs can better relate to them to gain new, active participants in organizational activities, this goes beyond just donations.
 
Walk Talk Listen in collaboration with the CWS Innovation Hub is running a handful of discussions with students  and other young folks, predominantly in the US. We are looking to answer the ultimate questions of ‘why, how and how we’ by meeting with students and other youth and asking them to think about and answer “what drives you to engage with civil society?” We hope that these discussion will help us explore what pushes these students to get involved in civil society and will hopefully provide insights on how they want to shape and be involved with it. With our earth facing many challenges, these seem to be more important than ever. Hope you enjoy this new series called "What makes youth tick" and that it might be useful for both young and more seasoned people out there.
 
In this fifth episode we talked with three students, Brigette, Jonathan and Josh, three fellows of a Christian higher education association in Washington, DC.
 
Please let me/us know via our email innovationhub@cwsglobal.org what you think about this new series. We would love to hear from you.
Please like/follow our Walk Talk Listen podcast and follow mauricebloem on twitter and instagram.  Or check us out on our website 100mile.org.  We also encourage you to check out the special WTL series Enough for All about an organization called CWS. 

Virtual Walk Talk Listen with Liza Rankow (episode 130)

Dr. Liza J. Rankow is an interfaith minister, educator, activist, and writer. Her work centers the healing that is essential to personal and social transformation. Liza is the founder and former executive director of OneLife Institute, a pioneering organization that served for 17 years to support the well-being of frontline activists, caregivers, and others working to lift up the community. Liza has been a spiritual counselor and teacher for more than three decades. She works with individual clients, facilitates healing retreats, and offers classes and workshops in a variety of community and academic settings. Her topics include: Mysticism & Social Change, Sustaining the Soul of Activism, Deepening the Well (multifaith spiritual formation), and several courses on the life and work of Dr. Howard Thurman. She is the producer and co-editor of the six-CD audio collection, The Living Wisdom of Howard Thurman (Sounds True, 2010), and created Inner Oasis, a CD of her original guided meditations, in 2011. Previously, Liza practiced as a clinical PA in pediatric hematology-oncology at Duke Hospital. From there she moved into public health research and education, particularly related to LGBTQ+ issues. Liza was the project director on one of the first three federal pilot grants awarded under the Women’s Health Initiative to study the health of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women. Her professional publications and resource materials contributed to defining this then-emerging field. One of Liza’s most profound influences has been her decades-long journey with chronic life-threatening illness. It cultivated a spiritual wisdom within her that informs her work with others, and gave her life a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. Her intimacy with suffering allows her to engage the suffering of the world with a sacred tenderness.
 
Her publications include anthologized essays, creative nonfiction, and poetry, and academic articles in both theological and medical journals. She is currently completing her first full-length book. Check her blog: Healing Conversations from the Front Lines of Activism - https://lizarankow.substack.com/. Guided Meditations can be found on InsightTimer -  https://insighttimer.com/lizarankow
 
Liza holds a B.A. in Human Development from Hampshire College, Bachelors and Masters degrees in Health Sciences from Duke University School of Medicine, and a Ph.D. in Religion and Social Transformation from Union Institute & University. She lives in Oakland, CA, where she enjoys deep and wide community relationships, and spends as much time as possible in her wildly magical garden.
 
Liza's social media (instagram and  facebook) and she also has her own website. 
The songs picked by all our guests can be found via  our playlist #walktalklisten here. 
 
Please let me/us know via our email innovationhub@cwsglobal.org what you think about this new series. We would love to hear from you.
 
Please like/follow our Walk Talk Listen podcast and follow mauricebloem on twitter and instagram.  Or check us out on our website 100mile.org.  We also encourage you to check out the special WTL series Enough for All about an organization called CWS.

WTL Special Series: What makes youth tick? with Jilian, Maddy and Mary (episode 4)

The idea of roundtable discussions with youth, came to be because civil society is changing, and many NGOs aren’t adapting fast enough, they struggle to relate and fully engage with youth. This has clear long term sustainability issues of organizations, and we need to learn how to better adapt to this new generation of potential supporters and partners. We need to learn about why youth want to engage with civil society, how youth want to engage, and how we as NGOs can better relate to them to gain new, active participants in organizational activities, this goes beyond just donations.
 
Walk Talk Listen in collaboration with the CWS Innovation Hub is running a handful of discussions with students  and other young folks, predominantly in the US. We are looking to answer the ultimate questions of ‘why, how and how we’ by meeting with students and other youth and asking them to think about and answer “what drives you to engage with civil societ y?” We hope that these discussion will help us explore what pushes these students to get involved in civil society and will hopefully provide insights on how they want to shape and be involved with it. With our earth facing many challenges, these seem to be more important than ever. Hope you enjoy this new series called "What makes youth tick" and that it might be useful for both young and more seasoned people out there.
 
In this forth episode we talked with three students, Mary, Maddy and Jillian who are linked with  a private Christ centered University in Tennessee, USA.
 
Please let me/us know via our email innovationhub@cwsglobal.org what you think about this new series. We would love to hear from you.
Please like/follow our Walk Talk Listen podcast and follow mauricebloem on twitter and instagram.  Or check us out on our website 100mile.org.  We also encourage you to check out the special WTL series Enough for All about an organization called CWS. 

WTL Special Series: What makes youth tick? with Lindsey, Ben, Jake and William (episode 3)

The idea of roundtable discussions with youth, came to be because civil society is changing, and many NGOs aren’t adapting fast enough, they struggle to relate and fully engage with youth. This has clear long term sustainability issues of organizations, and we need to learn how to better adapt to this new generation of potential supporters and partners. We need to learn about why youth want to engage with civil society, how youth want to engage, and how we as NGOs can better relate to them to gain new, active participants in organizational activities, this goes beyond just donations.
 
Walk Talk Listen in collaboration with the CWS Innovation Hub is running a handful of discussions with students  and other young folks, predominantly in the US. We are looking to answer the ultimate questions of ‘why, how and how we’ by meeting with students and other youth and asking them to think about and answer “what drives you to engage with civil society?” We hope that these discussion will help us explore what pushes these students to get involved in civil society and will hopefully provide insights on how they want to shape and be involved with it. With our earth facing many challenges, these seem to be more important than ever. Hope you enjoy this new series called "What makes youth tick" and that it might be useful for both young and more seasoned people out there.
 
In this third episode we talked with four students, Lindsey, Ben, Jake and William who study at a University in North Carolina, USA.
 
Please let me/us know via our email innovationhub@cwsglobal.org what you think about this new series. We would love to hear from you.
Please like/follow our Walk Talk Listen podcast and follow mauricebloem on twitter and instagram.  Or check us out on our website 100mile.org.  We also encourage you to check out the special WTL series Enough for All about an organization called CWS. 

Virtual Walk Talk Listen with Seth Quigg (episode 129)

Seth Quigg has worked in the field of Outdoor Education and International Adventure Travel since 2002. Seth has led thousands of students and guests on expeditions throughout the world; from Madagascar to Borneo, 12 expeditions in the Himalaya, 13 expeditions in the Andes, 4 times guiding on Kilimanjaro, and much more. Starting in 2015, he has owned and operated an international travel company consulting with multiple organizations around the world looking to curate meaningful and sustainable outdoor and international expeditions of all types.  Find details at www.karuna-project.com
 
As an Impact and Sales Manager at MPOWERD, Seth leverages his 20 years of experience in the outdoor industry, international adventure travel, outdoor education, and humanitarian sectors to promote sustainable solutions for populations worldwide. He has been working with MPOWERD since 2019 as a brand ambassador, providing clean and solar power to marginalized communities across the planet, and aligning with the company's mission of service, philanthropy, and relief.
 
Seth holds a Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural Studies within  Education, and speaks Kiswahili, Spanish, Hindi, and Nepali. Seth is  also a professional photographer, an award-winning leader, and a certified wilderness first responder. Seth has led groups of young adults in developing countries on 14-30 day expeditions, created an ethnographic inquiry curriculum for World Challenge Expeditions, and played an integral role in the development of overseas training programs in Australia and New Zealand.
 
Seth is passionate about how the travel and tourism industries can leverage the resources to affect change within the humanitarian sector.  Seth is always eager to connect with like-minded individuals and organizations who share my vision of creating positive social and environmental change.
 
Seth's social media (instagram and facebook) and he also has his own website.  The social media of MPowerd is: instagram, facebook and twitter.
The songs picked by all our guests can be found via  our playlist #walktalklisten here. 
 
Please let me/us know via our email innovationhub@cwsglobal.org what you think about this new series. We would love to hear from you.
 
Please like/follow our Walk Talk Listen podcast and follow mauricebloem on twitter and instagram.  Or check us out on our website 100mile.org.  We also encourage you to check out the special WTL series Enough for All about an organization called CWS
 

WTL Special Series: What makes youth tick? with Gabby, Duane and TJ (episode 2)

The idea of roundtable discussions with youth, came to be because civil society is changing, and many NGOs aren’t adapting fast enough, they struggle to relate and fully engage with youth. This has clear long term sustainability issues of organizations, and we need to learn how to better adapt to this new generation of potential supporters and partners. We need to learn about why youth want to engage with civil society, how youth want to engage, and how we as NGOs can better relate to them to gain new, active participants in organizational activities, this goes beyond just donations.
 
Walk Talk Listen in collaboration with the CWS Innovation Hub is running a handful of discussions with students  and other young folks, predominantly in the US. We are looking to answer the ultimate questions of ‘why, how and how we’ by meeting with students and other youth and asking them to think about and answer “what drives you to engage with civil society?” We hope that these discussion will help us explore what pushes these students to get involved in civil society and will hopefully provide insights on how they want to shape and be involved with it. With our earth facing many challenges, these seem to be more important than ever. Hope you enjoy this new series called "What makes youth tick" and that it might be useful for both young and more seasoned people out there.
 
In this second episode we talked with three students, Gabby, Duane and TJ, who study at a University in The Philippines.
 
Please let me/us know via our email innovationhub@cwsglobal.org what you think about this new series. We would love to hear from you.
 
Please like/follow our Walk Talk Listen podcast and follow mauricebloem on twitter and instagram.  Or check us out on our website 100mile.org.  We also encourage you to check out the special WTL series Enough for All about an organization called CWS. 

Virtual Walk Talk Listen with Otto G. Borsich II (episode 128)

Otto G. Borsich II has been working in kitchens since a teenager growing up in Ohio. Enlisting in the Navy he cooked on the USS Patrick Henry, a nuclear submarine. His formal training was through an apprenticeship at the Pierre Hotel in NYC. While in New York he was the personal chef to Leona Helmsley.   His impressive career includes, Le Bernadin, Charlie Trotters, the Bellagio, the Atlantis and Mardan Palace in Turkey. He also served as a Chef Instructor at the Culinary Institute of America. He was the Executive Chef of Central Market, a luxurious gourmet store in Texas.  
 
He was the catalyst behind Childhood Hunger Day in Washington, DC. Organizing chefs from across America who converged on Capitol Hill for a 3-day symposium on #hunger and #poverty legislation with members of the U.S. House and Senate. He was awarded a presidential medallion from the American Culinary Federation for his involvement with hunger issues. His telegenic persona and skill set landed him as a contestant on Top Chef and Supermarket Stakeout.
 
Possessing a Servants Heart, he is involved in prison ministry providing hope to the forgotten. A self-professed Culinary Missionary. Travel, adventure, and spreading the gospel of food are the core of his spirit. Having trekked to 30 countries on 5 continents, often feeding the neediest of the needy, his personal goal is to visit 100 countries before departing to the definitive destination.
 
His memoir cookbook, A Chef is Born achieved best seller status and received a reader's choice Christian Literary Award in the testimonial category. A Chef is Born is an inspirational coming of age tale during the sixties and seventies in the Heartland. He delivered a TEDx Talk, Be Present, Be Persistent, and Use Your Gift, viewable on YouTube.
 
With a have knives will travel attitude, he has cooked for presidents, star athletes, rock stars, and movie stars. Yet, his biggest career thrill remains catering his 25th high school reunion.
 
You can find him on social media (instagram, facebook and twitter) and he also has his own website.
 
The songs picked by all our guests can be found via  our playlist #walktalklisten here. 
 
Please let me/us know via our email innovationhub@cwsglobal.org what you think about this new series. We would love to hear from you.
 
Please like/follow our Walk Talk Listen podcast and follow mauricebloem on twitter and instagram.  Or check us out on our website 100mile.org.  We also encourage you to check out the special WTL series Enough for All about an organization called CWS.