How We Hope

Lena Han and Betsy Kim

These days, many are feeling like their country, the world, and possibly even humankind, are doomed. In six deeply-researched episodes, co-hosts and close friends Betsy and Lena ask: where can we find hope? How We Hope investigates, debates, and wrestles with hope from all angles: practical examples of progress, the philosophy and psychology of hope, and stories from those who have lost or regained their faith. We talk to activists, scholars, and our own peers. In every episode, we banter, report, and grapple with our own relationships to hope. Originally distributed with Grab Bag Collab.

Episodes

  1. Hope in journalism and other unlikely places

    JAN 11

    Hope in journalism and other unlikely places

    Journalists are often the bearers of bad news about the world, and increasingly, about the future of their own work. It’s part of why Betsy and Lena felt compelled to document their journey as friends – and as journalists – to find hope. So did they find it? Tune in to find out.  How We Hope Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howwehope How We Hope YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowWeHopeBetsy’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethbkim/ Lena’s LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-han/ Lena's Substack: https://substack.com/@lenahan

    27 min
  2. When faith runs out

    JAN 11

    When faith runs out

    With polls showing trust in the government, mainstream news outlets, and colleges and universities at record lows, it seems like there aren’t a lot of things Americans believe in these days. In this episode, Betsy and Lena chat about the idea of faith in crisis. Betsy’s friend Esther Holliday, who left the fundamentalist Christian faith she was born into, and Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Dan Horn give us their take.  Email us at howwehopepodcast@gmail.com Links:  Esther Holliday’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/estherholliday/ How We Hope Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howwehope How We Hope YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowWeHope Lena Han LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-han/ Betsy Kim Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethbkim/

    26 min
  3. Is hope rational?

    JAN 11

    Is hope rational?

    What’s the point of having hope when it feels like there’s nothing left to have hope about? In this episode we interview Lena Zurub, a Palestinian American mom of two who grew up in the West Bank and now lives in Ohio, about how she holds onto hope in the face of genocide. We also talk to Nadia Rahman, a therapist and clinical psychologist who treats PTSD, about how recalling positive memories and imagining a better future can help your mental health. Email us at howwehopepodcast@gmail.com Links: Nadia Rahman’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-rahman-62203182/ Nadia Rahman’s research: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29982083/ How We Hope Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howwehope How We Hope YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowWeHope Lena Han LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-han/ Betsy Kim Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethbkim/

    26 min
  4. Overcoming Climate Doomism

    JAN 11

    Overcoming Climate Doomism

    The climate crisis is dire, and doomism about it is tempting. We’re psychologically set up to remember negative headlines more than positive ones and to reinforce the bleak narratives we create about the world. In this episode, we talk to a Dr. Claire Robertson, a psychology professor, and Ricky Huang, a climate activist, to better understand why it is so hard to overcome climate doomism, its societal implications, and what we can do about it. Email us at howwehopepodcast@gmail.com Links: Dr. Robertson’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/crobertson500.bsky.social Dr. Robertson’s Faculty Page: https://www.colby.edu/people/people-directory/claire-robertson/ Ricky’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yeh-tang-huang-43b392222/ How We Hope Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howwehope How We Hope YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowWeHope Lena Han LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-han/Betsy Kim Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethbkim/

    30 min
  5. Afrofuturism: remembering the past, reimagining the future

    JAN 11

    Afrofuturism: remembering the past, reimagining the future

    Afrofuturism – the movement, genre and cultural aesthetic that inspired Marvel’s Black Panther – teaches us to reinvent the future by studying the past. Afrofuturist works that we discuss include Octavia Butler’s sci-fi novel Parable of the Sower (1993) and techno music, which was invented in the 80s by Black teens tinkering with machines in Detroit. Boston University professor Dr. James Howard Hill Jr. and Michigan State University professor Dr. Julian Chambliss are our guests for this episode. Email us at howwehopepodcast@gmail.com Links: Dr. Julian Chambliss’s website: https://www.afrofantastic.com/ Dr. Julian Chambliss’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/julianchambliss.bsky.social Dr. James Howard Hill Jr.’s website: https://www.jameshhilljr.com/ How We Hope Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howwehope How We Hope YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowWeHope Lena Han LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-han/ Betsy Kim Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethbkim/

    29 min

  6. JAN 7

    Hope in collective action: What we can learn from Wikipedia, smallpox eradication, and a movie theater strike

    Some of the biggest sources of doom are collective action problems—issues that feel too big for any one person to solve, but that could be turned around if everyone made a change. For our first episode, we investigate examples of successful collective action at different scales. We talk to Seb Diaz about organizing a movie theater strike in Downtown Brooklyn, Nellie Bristol about the eradication of Smallpox, and Kevin Li about the persistent work of Wikipedia contributors. What contributed to their success, and how can they inspire us? Email us at howwehopepodcast@gmail.com Links: Kevin Li: kevinsli.com NYC Alamo United: https://www.instagram.com/nycalamounited/ CSIS Smallpox Eradication Research by Nellie Bristol: https://www.csis.org/analysis/smallpox-eradication-model-global-cooperation How We Hope Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howwehopeHow We Hope YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HowWeHope Betsy’s Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethbkim/ Lena’s LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lena-han/ Lena's Substack: https://substack.com/@lenahan

    32 min

  7. 12/17/2025

    How We Hope Trailer

    Coming soon! Email us at howwehopepodcast@gmail.com.

    1 min

Trailer

About

These days, many are feeling like their country, the world, and possibly even humankind, are doomed. In six deeply-researched episodes, co-hosts and close friends Betsy and Lena ask: where can we find hope? How We Hope investigates, debates, and wrestles with hope from all angles: practical examples of progress, the philosophy and psychology of hope, and stories from those who have lost or regained their faith. We talk to activists, scholars, and our own peers. In every episode, we banter, report, and grapple with our own relationships to hope. Originally distributed with Grab Bag Collab.

Information

  • Creator
    Lena Han and Betsy Kim
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    7
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Lena Han and Betsy Kim
  • Show Website
    How We Hope