Walk Talk Listen Podcast

WTL Special Series: Joint Learning Initiative (JLI) with Emma Tomalin (episode 1)

Welcome to another special series of the podcast Walk Talk Listen, where we're on a journey to explore the influential work of the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI). In this new special series we will attempt in every episode to focus on a unique voice - individuals from varied backgrounds like non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and JLI itself. Our aim? To delve deep into personal narratives and expert insights about the significant role of JLI at the crossroads of faith and development.
 
In this episode, we have the privilege of hosting Emma Tomalin, a remarkable individual whose experiences and viewpoints add a new dimension to our understanding of JLI's impact. We'll hear about Emma's journey, how she/he/they intersected with JLI, and her/his/their take on how this initiative is bridging critical gaps in religious and development literacy.
 
Through these conversations, we seek to uncover the real stories behind the collaborative efforts, the challenges faced, and the victories celebrated in the realm of faith-based community development. Our guests bring to the table their unique perspectives, shedding light on how JLI's approach to joint learning and collaborative problem-solving is not just theory but practice that's making a tangible difference.
 
Join us as we navigate these enlightening discussions, gaining a deeper appreciation of the diverse ways JLI influences and inspires those working towards a more understanding and cohesive world. Let's discover together how their stories and insights reflect the broader significance of JLI in shaping a better future for communities around the globe.
 
Emma Tomalin is Professor of Religion and Public Life at the University of Leeds in the UK. She has published widely on the topic of religion and international development. She is the author of 'Religions and Development' (2013), published by Routledge,  and the editor of the 'Routledge Handbook on Religions and Global Development' (2015). She currently co-chairs the JLI Learning Hub on Anti-Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery, and has partnered with the JLI on a number of projects. The most recent of these is a study to better understand the impact of discourses about decolonisation and localisation on the experiences and activities of  faith actors who contribute towards development. The results of that project will be published in 2024. 
 
Social media handles of the University of Leeds: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok  and YouTube. 
 
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 feel free to reach out to us. Send an email to maurice@jliflc.com, or contact us through our platform. We welcome your thoughts, questions, and proposals for collaboration. I'll personally ensure that your interest is directed to the right people at JLI, helping you connect with a network of individuals and organizations dedicated to creating a better world through faith-informed development.
 
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 is finished find more info via de 100mile.org website.

Virtual Walk Talk Listen with Chrystal Vasquez (episode 136)

In this episode of Walk Talk Listen, the spotlight is on Crystal Vasquez, a dynamic community leader and certified chef from Fresno, CA. Crystal's journey is a testament to her dedication to community development, with a particular focus on food, nutrition, and wellness. Her work extends beyond the kitchen, addressing critical issues such as sustainability, inequity, food security, and homelessness in her hometown and beyond.
 
For the past 18 years, Crystal has honed her skills in the culinary arts, becoming a certified chef and a pivotal figure in the food industry. Her passion for cooking has evolved into a mission for community impact, driving her involvement in various initiatives aimed at creating more food-secure communities. Crystal's efforts include participating in workgroups for the Food Policy Council of Fresno County, initiated by Fresno Metro Ministries, where she contributed to identifying gaps in food systems and brainstorming sustainable solutions.
 
Her extensive experience includes leading the production of thousands of meals daily for The Poverello House and the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission, significantly supporting those facing homelessness and communities in need throughout the Central Valley. As a member of The City of Fresno’s Review Committee for District 3 and a board director for the nonprofit gogreenlocally.com, she continues to advocate for sustainability and community welfare.
 
Crystal has recently embarked on a new venture, The Spicy Meatball, a family-run business that offers fresh farm-to-table foods, embodying her commitment to quality and community service. A portion of the revenue is earmarked for outreach initiatives and bridging gaps in the local food system.
 
To learn more about Crystal's impactful work and The Spicy Meatball, follow her business on Instagram and check out her 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. 
 

Virtual Walk Talk Listen with Kelly Moltzen (episode 135)

Kelly Moltzen is a Co-founder and co-convener of the Interfaith Public Health Network, which helps organizations and faith communities to create impactful relationships to advance public health. She is a Registered Dietitian, has her Master’s of Public Health, and is a member of the USA Secular Franciscan Order. Kelly was a 2022 Rockefeller-Acumen Food Systems Fellow. Her 2021 Rockefeller Food System Vision Prize proposal, Faith Communities Leading the Way Towards Healthy, Sustainable Food Systems, reached the semi-finalist stage. She is a steering committee member of the Center for Earth Ethics' Faith and Food Coalition, and was named to Hunter College's NYC Food Policy Center 40 Under 40 Class of 2020. Kelly has worked to address health disparities in the Bronx with Bronx Health REACH for 13 years, and is also currently supporting the Chief Impact and Sustainability Office of Church World Service as a consultant. 
 
Kelly her social media handles are: Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram and her organization IPHN: Twitter/X, Facebook,  Instagram. The website is: iphnetwork.org
 
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. 

Virtual Walk Talk Listen with Antonia Eriksson (episode 134)

Antonia Eriksson (Antonia the poet) is a spoken word poet based in Stockholm, well known for her passionate performances. Her poetry is raw and vulnerable, inviting listeners into her heart and soul and bringing them along as a companion on her journey towards self-development and healing. She uses poetry as her medium to connect with people through vulnerable storytelling, aspiring to plant seeds of hope in her listeners hearts. She is an activist at heart and brings that with her into a lot of her poetry, but also wears her heart on her sleeve every time she steps on a stage hoping to inspire others to do the same.
 
Antonia's social media handles are: Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. Her website is here.
 
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. 

Virtual Walk Talk Listen with Karin van den Broeke (episode 133)

Rev. Karin van den Broeke (1963) is Chief Program Officer of Kerk in Actie, the branch for mission and diaconia of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. She is member of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches. She is board chair of the Bible Society for the Netherlands and Flanders. From 2013-2018 she served as the moderator of the General Synod of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. She has led several congregations as a minister and worked as university chaplain in Leiden.
 
Karin's personal Twitter and Instagram, and the social media handles of Kerk In Actie are  Instagram, Twitter, 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. 

Virtual Walk Talk Listen with Haley Crim (episode 132)

Haley Crim is an interdisciplinary researcher focused on just climate solutions. As the Climate Engagement and Capacity-building Coordinator at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Program Office and the U.S. Global Change Research Program, she works to educate, train, and inspire the public towards just and efficient climate action. She has worked with local and national governments, international organizations, and community groups on their most pressing climate challenges. She has written and spoken in both research and policy arenas, including for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Journal of Science Policy and Governance, and the American Geophysical Union. She has a B.S. in Ecology and Earth Systems from Bates College in Maine. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, rock climbing, reading, and hanging out with her dog Darwin.
 
Her company's social media tools: twitter, instagram, and LinkedIn. Haley's own 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. 

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.