The PlayFull Podcast with Kristine Michie: Bringing Fun to the Serious Work of Changing the World

Kristine Michie
  • 4.9 (48)
  • Business
  • Updated Biweekly

Whether you’re ladling soup at a local shelter or attending a UN Peace Conference, those who devote their lives to the service of others are often exhausted and in need of a little break. Welcome to the PlayFull Podcast, bringing fun to the serious work of changing the world. I’m Kristine Michie, myself 5 decades into trying to make the world a better place. Join PlayFull as we meet movement builders from around the world and learn about the problems they’re solving, the systems they’re disrupting, and the ways they take breaks in the midst of it all.

  1. 4d ago

    Great Ideas - Eric K. Ward & Ginna Green: Joy Is Both A Catalyst And A Salve

    In a challenging political and social landscape, how do we hold space for both unacknowledged grief and restorative joy? In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by civil rights leaders Eric K. Ward (Southern Poverty Law Center, Race Forward) and Ginna Green (Horizon Philanthropy, Uprise). Together, they explore the vital intersections of play, grief, interfaith solidarity, and community organizing—breaking down why democracy isn't just a political system, but an everyday practice of care, connection, and collective courage. Key Takeaways: Joy is intentional. Moments of deep connection and lightness rarely happen by accident; they are cultivated through deliberate work behind the scenes.Unacknowledged grief blocks playfulness. When we struggle to feel joyful or creative, the root cause is often untended grief demanding space and recognition.Hard conversations build community resilience. Navigating tension together gives a group proof that it can survive difficult moments and remain united.Nothing is inevitable. Human rights and democratic norms are never permanently settled; keeping hard-won gains takes as much sustained effort as securing them in the first place.Democracy lives in community. Real democratic practice happens in everyday relationships, local care, and showing up for one another. "I want to build as big of a tent as the people in it will let me." — Ginna Green "Sometimes we need a nap, and sometimes you need a revolution. Wisdom is knowing which one." — Eric K. Ward "Joy is both … a catalyst and a salve for what ails us." — Ginna Green "Find your community right now because that is where democracy is being practiced unapologetically." — Eric K. Ward About Eric K. Ward: Eric K. Ward is an Executive Vice President at Race Forward and a nationally recognized expert on authoritarian movements, hate violence, and preserving inclusive democracy. Bringing over three decades of leadership in philanthropy and community organizing, he works across government, business, and civil rights sectors to advance racial equity and co-founded the Western States Center Inclusive Democracy Culture Lab. An author, speaker, and widely quoted media source featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and NPR, Eric was the first American recipient of the Civil Courage Prize in 2021. About Ginna Green: Ginna Green is a movement strategist, writer, Founder and Principal at Horizon Philanthropy, and Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at Uprise, where she leads philanthropic advising for progressive and Jewish social justice movement clients. Formerly the Chief Strategy Officer at Bend the Arc: Jewish Action and Managing Director of the Democracy Program at ReThink Media, she frequently writes and speaks on democracy, race, and antisemitism for outlets including The Washington Post, Newsweek, NPR, and CNN. Ginna serves on the boards of Bend the Arc, Women’s March, and Jewish Story Partners, and is an alumna of the Wexner Heritage and Schusterman Fellowship programs. Connect with Eric K. Ward:  Website: https://www.raceforward.org/  Substack: https://substack.com/@erickward  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bulldog_shadow/  Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bulldogshadow.bsky.social   Connect with Ginna:  Website: https://www.horizonphilanthropy.org/  Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Great Ideas - Eric K. Ward & Ginna Green: Joy Is Both A Catalyst And A Salve

  2. Sep 24

    Great Ideas – Building Ecological Wealth with Isaias Hernandez

    In a world driven by economic growth, what if our true goal was cultivating ecological wealth? In this Climate Week episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by environmental justice educator and creative Isaias Hernandez (Queer Brown Vegan). Isaias, author of the forthcoming book Dear Environmentalist and creator of the web series Teaching Climate Together, breaks down how climate, surveillance, immigration, and data center expansion intersect. Listen in as they explore how to overcome climate despair, why systemic hardships are not personal failures, and how simple practices like community mapping build resilient futures. Key Takeaways: Being wealthy and being rich are not the same thing. A healthy society measures success by the well-being of people and the planet, not by inherited wealth, making lots of money, or other traditional metrics.Climate justice doesn't stand alone. Fossil fuels, surveillance, ICE detention, and Indigenous land rights are deeply linked, and recognizing those connections builds stronger coalitions.Local action works. Data center pushback is a great example. By showing up at city council meetings, demanding NDA bans and real reporting on energy and water usage, organized residents are halting harmful data center developments.Most people already care about the planet and their neighbors; they just want to be heard. Listening builds more genuine momentum than lecturing ever will.Map your neighborhood. Knowing your local food banks, parks, and small businesses leads to relationships, and those relationships make a community truly resilient. "How do we actually build a society that's ecologically wealthy versus building a society that is just rich?" — Isaias Hernandez "If you can't find a job, it's not you. If you are struggling to pay rent, if you're struggling to pay food, it's not you. It's not your fault. It's not a failure that you did." — Isaias Hernandez "Continue building relationships with people, and continue to stay curious and learning more from people as you can in this world." — Isaias Hernandez "Look at these amazing people doing this work, and if you see yourself in them, you can do it." — Isaias Hernandez About Isaias Hernandez: Isaias Hernandez is an environmentalist, speaker, and creative behind Queer Brown Vegan, an independent media platform dedicated to intersectional environmental education and accessibility. Named a top climate creator by Harvard C-CHANGE, he collaborates across public and private sectors to host the web series Teaching Climate Together and has spoken for platforms like The New York Times, Nike, Harvard University, and Billie Eilish’s Overheated Summit. Featured in Vogue, The Guardian, and The Washington Post, Isaias is the author of Dear Environmentalist: Notes on Climate, Community, and the World We Still Deserve (Hachette Book Group / Timber Press). Connect with Isaias Hernandez:  Website: https://queerbrownvegan.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queerbrownvegan/ Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Great Ideas – Building Ecological Wealth with Isaias Hernandez

  3. Sep 17

    Great Ideas – A How-To on Meeting America: Leaving the Bubble with Wesley Warshawer

    When a Silicon Valley data scientist realized he no longer understood his own country, he packed up, went remote, and moved from Bismarck to Biloxi to find out who his fellow Americans really are. In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Wesley Warshawer—a Silicon Valley business analyst, Fulbright alum, and University of Arizona alum-of-the-year. Together, they explore what happened when Wesley spent 18 months living in deeply different cultural, political, and religious communities across the United States. From overcoming "bubble shock" to discovering that core ethics unite people across political divides, this conversation offers a hopeful, practical roadmap for stepping outside our comfort zones, softening judgments, and rebuilding trust across America. Key Takeaways: You can disagree deeply on candidates or policies and still share remarkably similar core ethics and values.Reframing questions away from binary talking points toward a request to “paint me a picture” invites nuance and common ground.Ignorance, missteps, and clumsy language are often the product of different bubbles—not evidence of malice.You don’t need an 18‑month cross-country journey; you can step into entirely different worlds within an hour of home.Stories and lived experiences are powerful tools for rebuilding trust, softening judgments, and imagining a more repairable America. "I mean, I think I don't really care who you voted for. I mean, it just doesn't mean anything to me. But I do care about your ethics and your morals. Would you be a good neighbor?" — Wesley Warshawer "Ignorance is not the same as malice." — Wesley Warshawer "I would bet that no matter where you live, within an hour or 90 minutes of your house, you could find a plethora of completely different bubbles." — Wesley Warshawer About Wesley Warshawer:  Wesley Warshawer is a business analyst in Silicon Valley’s semiconductor industry, a Fulbright Scholar to South Korea, and an essayist. He loves his work. For a living, he analyzes situations with data and communicates about it. But outside of semiconductors, he is passionate about exiting the safety of his “bubble” to learn. After a profound epiphany during a study abroad semester in India at 19 years old, Wesley has looked for wisdom in travel. Travel can be across the world or across town. It can be as simple as visiting a new neighborhood, trying a new restaurant, or meeting a new person. Outside your comfort zone, you are a sponge for personal insight and growth. Wesley shares his epiphany moments and encourages people to leave the comfort of their bubble to learn more about themselves.  Connect with Wesley Warshawer: Website: https://wesleywarshawer.com/  Substack: https://substack.com/@wesleywarshawer  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesley-warshawer/  Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Great Ideas – A How-To on Meeting America: Leaving the Bubble with Wesley Warshawer

  4. Sep 10

    Great ideas – WHY SCALE IS A MYTH IN PHILANTHROPY with Zack Petersen

    In a world obsessed with “scale,” what if the bravest thing a nonprofit leader can do is stay small, stay local, and get boring? In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Zack Petersen, founder and CEO of Black Licorice. Together, they explore why traditional philanthropy's obsession with endless expansion often distracts from real, human impact on the ground. Zack shares his journey from founding the 1000 Days Fund in Indonesia to creating Black Licorice—a fellowship-style initiative that empowers charity founders in maternal health and malnutrition to master essential fundamentals like boards, budgets, strategy, and governance. From confronting donor power dynamics to embracing "the long defeat" of social change, this conversation offers a refreshing, candid blueprint for building resilient organizations that actually work. Key Takeaways: Treating social problems as cells in a spreadsheet can be dangerous, because it separates decision‑makers from the messy, human reality on the ground.Showing up consistently—in person, in community—matters more for impact than chasing abstract ideas of innovation and scale.Funding models that keep leaders in perpetual “chase mode” for capital reinforce donor control and distract organizations from their core mission.Endowment-style thinking for nonprofits could stabilize operations and free founders to focus on service instead of constant fundraising, even though donors rarely consider this.Strong, “boring” fundamentals—engaged boards, clear strategy, multi‑year financials, and aligned KPIs—are what actually make an organization trustworthy and effective, not shiny pitches or panels. "When you try to break these problems down and then just put them on a spreadsheet and say, ‘Oh, this problem is more important than this problem,’ that's just a world that is wildly dangerous. And then by doing so, you're also separating yourself from the problem." — Zack Petersen "You don't do it by pretending that one behemoth organization is going to be able to take on, you know, all this stuff in a country… it's never going to happen if it's not an army of 25 organizations by 2030 doing this.” — Zack Petersen "You're not fighting because you think that you can win. You're fighting because it's the right thing to do. And the best thing that you can do is bring people along to the fight." — Zack Petersen Episode References:  “Scale Is a Myth! Embrace the Long Defeat!” https://ssir.org/articles/entry/scaling-myth-doers-donors  About Zack Petersen: Originally from Iowa, Zack has lived and worked in Indonesia for almost two decades. He's obsessed with the boring stuff—budgets, boards, governance, strategy, and KPIs. More importantly, he doesn't believe in scale. He's the founder of the 1000 Days Fund and Black Licorice and served proudly as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania. Connect with Zack Petersen: Website: https://www.blacklicorice.org/, https://1000daysfund.org/ Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Great ideas – WHY SCALE IS A MYTH IN PHILANTHROPY with Zack Petersen

  5. Sep 3

    Great Ideas – JOY AS RESISTANCE IN THE FIGHT FOR BODILY AUTONOMY: Leading with Play, Joy, and Justice with Jenny Black

    In a time when despair is “the favorite tool of the oppressor,” how can joy, play, and rest become radical tools of resistance? In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Jenny Black, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. Together, they explore what it takes to lead one of the country’s most tenured Planned Parenthood affiliates through political attacks, economic hardship, and burnout—without losing sight of purpose, humanity, or delight. From protecting staff well-being to advocating for bodily autonomy, this conversation offers a powerful blueprint for centering joy as a core strategy for long-term sustainability and social impact. Key Takeaways: Joy and play are not frivolous in justice-centered work; they are essential practices that protect against despair and sustain long-term engagement.Effective leaders openly acknowledge hard realities while quickly pivoting to transparent communication and shared action, avoiding both sugarcoating and secrecy.Organizational cultures that prioritize meaning, connection, and care for staff can create unusually high tenure and deep resilience, even under constant attack.Although rights like abortion and gender-affirming care are framed as divisive, broad majorities actually support individuals’ freedom to make their own health decisions without government interference.Rest, boundaries, and genuine time away from work are non-negotiable for people doing emotionally demanding social change work—and leaders must both model and enforce that standard. "I believe that despair is the favorite tool of the oppressor, and you cannot have joy and despair at the same time." — Jenny Black "Joy doesn't necessarily mean giddy. It doesn't mean silly. It means there is a profound satisfaction. There's a profound peace to why we're doing this work." — Jenny Black "Rest is part of the work." — Jenny Black Episode References:  Ms. Magazine: https://msmagazine.com/  About Jenny Black: Jenny Black is the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. A long-time leader within Planned Parenthood, Jenny centers joy, play, and staff well-being as foundational strategies for building resilience and sustaining long-term impact across reproductive health care, education, and advocacy. Under her leadership, the affiliate continues to provide essential healthcare services while cultivating an organizational culture grounded in meaning, connection, and mutual care. Connect with Jenny Black: Website: plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-pacific-southwest Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    Great Ideas – JOY AS RESISTANCE IN THE FIGHT FOR BODILY AUTONOMY: Leading with Play, Joy, and Justice with Jenny Black

  6. Aug 27

    How To Series – How to Turn Proximity into Equity with Shawn McClondon

    In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Shawn McClondon, founder of the Sister Cities Project. Together, they explore how connecting affluent and underserved communities can foster honest conversations, economic opportunity, and a stronger democracy. Shawn shares the origin story of the Sister Cities Project following the murder of George Floyd and breaks down why proximity, relationship-building, and courageous dialogue are essential tools for racial and economic justice. From dismantling misconceptions to creating structural pathways for workforce development and entrepreneurship, this conversation offers a compelling roadmap for turning local connections into national impact. Key Takeaways: People are far more likely to help those they know and understand, which is why proximity and relationship-building across communities are so critical.Everyone sits somewhere on a spectrum between racist and anti-racist, and what matters most is a willingness to keep taking steps toward greater equity.Conversation is not a “soft” intervention; it can shape judges’ decisions, business opportunities, and policy attitudes by humanizing people across lines of race and class.Sustainable equity work requires structure—clear models, measurable impact systems, and financial support that value dialogue, jobs, entrepreneurship, and fair school funding.Talking about race takes courage, but it’s the path to healing we need to take. "If we don't know people, we tend to not think that we're going to help or want to help. But the people that we know, we tend to help. The people we understand, we tend to help." — Shawn McClondon "There are so many misconceptions and misunderstandings when it comes to people that live in very different communities." — Shawn McClondon "I believe that the real change for America is conversation." — Shawn McClondon About Shawn McClondon: Shawn McClondon is the founder of the Sister Cities Project, a San Diego–based nonprofit that partners affluent and underserved communities to foster honest conversations, economic opportunity, and more equitable schools. Driven by a mission to turn proximity into equity, Shawn has developed programs across workforce development, entrepreneurship, community connection, and education, creating a national blueprint for connecting communities across racial and economic divides. Shawn’s Book: Understanding Each Other: The Blueprint for a New America Connect with Shawn McClondon: Website: sistercitiesproject.org / https://shawnmcclondon.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnmcclondon/ Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    How To Series – How to Turn Proximity into Equity with Shawn McClondon

  7. Aug 20

    How To Series – How to Make Play a Priority with Philip Steigman

    In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Philip Steigman, Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy. Together, they explore a critical question: why do we promote and celebrate play with babies and toddlers – and then systematically squeeze it out of school and other places kids hang out as they age? Through his work with the Future of Thriving initiative, Philip discusses how re-centering play, connection, and purpose in both policy and community reverse trends of loneliness and depression in young people. From navigating the impact of screens to redesigning cross-sector ecosystems, this conversation offers a roadmap for aligning our systems with the true science of child development. Key Takeaways: Research clearly shows that play, back-and-forth interactions, and meaningful experiences are core to healthy brain development, yet most systems stop honoring this once children enter formal schooling.Modern life—especially screens, safety concerns, and over-structured schedules—has eroded unstructured, child-led play, meaning it must now be intentionally created within our communities.Thriving is multi-dimensional—built on basic needs, curiosity, agency, identity, relationships, and purpose—and it unfolds differently across early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood.Current metrics like test scores and graduation rates are poor proxies for true well-being; communities need shared definitions and dashboards that track purpose, social connectedness, and self-efficacy.Systemic change requires cross-sector collaboration—educators, pediatricians, faith leaders, policymakers, and families must align around a shared "North Star" of what children actually need to flourish. "You can't promote thriving together until you agree on what thriving is." — Philip Steigman "Nobody's going to come and save us. We don't have a Department of Children. Nobody's saying, We have this agenda now for thriving young people. So, I think we have to do it ourselves." — Philip Steigman Episode References:  A Call to Action for a Shared Strategy for 0-25 Thriving: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefk_iBNt3xZi-aISkXmDZ_xePV69gWtSIXCDYIMQaogwXG0w/viewform  About Philip Steigman: Philip Steigman is the Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy, leading the Future of Thriving initiative to bring developmental science and play-based learning into real-world policies and systems for children and youth. Connect with Philip Steigman:  Substack: https://substack.com/@philipsteigman Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    How To Series – How to Make Play a Priority with Philip Steigman

  8. Aug 13

    How To Series – EVERYDAY DEMOCRACY: Turning Picnics and Potlucks into Civic Power

    In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Merle McGee and Chandanie Orgias to explore how joyful, everyday gatherings can rebuild trust, spark civic imagination, and turn neighbors into co-creators of a more caring democracy. Together, they discuss viewing democracy not as an abstract institution, but as a practice rooted in relationships, community care, and local connection. From hosting block parties to utilizing Everyday Democracy’s 250-year civic imagination toolkit, this conversation offers an inspiring roadmap for taking relational risks, embracing differences, and building a future worth living in. Key Takeaways: Democracy is sustained not just by institutions or elections, but by everyday relationships rooted in trust, care, and community connection.Simple gatherings—dinners, picnics, block parties—can become powerful spaces to practice democracy by aligning on values, sharing stories, and imagining a shared future.Courage in this moment often looks like taking relational risks close to home: inviting neighbors together, asking deeper questions, and stepping beyond ideological comfort zones.Civic imagination—envisioning in detail what a thriving future could feel like—is a practical tool for moving from fear and stuckness into hope, creativity, and collective action.Local, joyful action is the pathway to national impact: when people solve problems together where they live, they become more civically engaged and more invested in democratic institutions. "Democracies fundamentally run on relationships and relationships run on trust… You can't build trust without being in community and connection with other people." — Merle McGee "Everyone is qualified anywhere where community happens, and the goal there is that it's not just the conversation, but an opportunity to experience what democracy can feel like." — Chandanie Orgias Episode References:  Our Next 250 Community Gathering Toolkit: https://everyday-democracy.org/ournext250/ Trust for Civic Life: https://trustforciviclife.org/Destination Imagination: https://www.destinationimagination.org/  About Merle McGee: Merle McGee is President & CEO of Everyday Democracy, with 25+ years fighting for justice across racial, gender, and economic lines. About Chandanie Orgias: Chandanie Orgias is the National Director of Narrative and Culture at Everyday Democracy, with over a decade of experience across youth development, participatory change processes, and artivism where arts meets activism. Connect with Everyday Democracy:  Website: https://everyday-democracy.org  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everydaydemocracy/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evdemusa/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/everydaydemocracy  Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-playfull-podcast-with-kristine-michie-bringing-fun/id1676838213?action=write-review Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactfull_inc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristine-breese-michie/  Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

    How To Series – EVERYDAY DEMOCRACY: Turning Picnics and Potlucks into Civic Power
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Whether you’re ladling soup at a local shelter or attending a UN Peace Conference, those who devote their lives to the service of others are often exhausted and in need of a little break. Welcome to the PlayFull Podcast, bringing fun to the serious work of changing the world. I’m Kristine Michie, myself 5 decades into trying to make the world a better place. Join PlayFull as we meet movement builders from around the world and learn about the problems they’re solving, the systems they’re disrupting, and the ways they take breaks in the midst of it all.

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