270 episodes

Let's Give A Damn is a weekly podcast hosted by Nick Laparra featuring inspiring and challenging conversations with activists, nonprofit leaders, authors, entrepreneurs, artists, and so many other kinds of damn-givers. You'll hear from exceptional humans like Matthew McConaughey, Chelsea Clinton, Noor Tagouri, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Colman Domingo, Rainn Wilson, and hundreds of others.

Let's Give A Damn Nick Laparra

    • Education
    • 4.8 • 196 Ratings

Let's Give A Damn is a weekly podcast hosted by Nick Laparra featuring inspiring and challenging conversations with activists, nonprofit leaders, authors, entrepreneurs, artists, and so many other kinds of damn-givers. You'll hear from exceptional humans like Matthew McConaughey, Chelsea Clinton, Noor Tagouri, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Colman Domingo, Rainn Wilson, and hundreds of others.

    Lily Greenberg Call!

    Lily Greenberg Call!

    It’s Lily Greenberg Call day on the podcast! Remember a couple of months ago when we heard on social media that a Biden appointee had resigned over his atrocious handling of and his complicity in the genocide in Gaza? Lily is *that* staffer!



    Lily is a former Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff at the Department of Interior. She has nearly a decade of experience in politics, movement organizing, and domestic and international human rights work. She worked on President Biden's 2020 campaign and served in the administration until May 15, 2024, when she became the first Jewish political appointee to resign in protest of US policy in Gaza. Lily grew up doing pro-Israel advocacy with AIPAC and other organizations throughout high school and college, and later became invested in Palestinian rights and Jewish anti-occupation movements. She has appeared as a guest on MSNBC, CNN, NBC, and given commentary for the Washington Post, Politico, and the Associated Press. Lily holds a B.A. in Political Science and Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. 



    During our conversation, we discuss her Jewish upbringing, her work as a young person doing pro-Israel work, changing her mind as a result of meeting Palestinians, working for Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, resigning on May 15, and so much more. 



    ✅ Follow Lily on Instagram and Twitter.

    ✅ Donate to Qusi’s GoFundMe!



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    ✊🏽 ⁠Support Let’s Give A Damn on Patreon⁠!

    🔥 Follow Let’s Give A Damn on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Twitter⁠, and ⁠YouTube⁠.

    ✉️ ⁠Sign up⁠ for our weekly email.

    📱 Reach out anytime: ⁠hello@letsgiveadamn.com⁠.

    ❤️ Have an amazing week, friends! Keep giving a damn. Love y’all!

    • 1 hr 33 min
    Genesis Be!

    Genesis Be!

    Genesis Be, a dynamic artist and activist, harnesses the power of music to amplify marginalized voices and advocate for social change. Born in Biloxi, Mississippi, her music blends elements of hip-hop, soul, and spoken word, creating a powerful platform for storytelling and empowerment. 

    With lyrics that confront systemic oppression and celebrate resilience, Be's artistry transcends entertainment, serving as a catalyst for dialogue and action. As an outspoken advocate for racial and gender equality, she was an outspoken creative who lobbied to have the Confederate flag removed from the design of the Mississippi state flag. Through her music and activism, Be continues to inspire and ignite conversations that resonate far beyond the stage.



    ✅ Order Genesis Be’s latest book, People Not Things: Love Poems and Paintings for Humanity.

    ✅ Read more about The Philosophy and Practice of People Not Things.

    ✅ Visit Genesis Be’s website to learn about all the things.

    ✅ Support Genesis Be on Patreon.



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    ✊🏽 Support Let’s Give A Damn on Patreon!

    🔥 Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

    ✉️ Sign up for our weekly email.

    📱 Reach out anytime: hello@letsgiveadamn.com.

    ❤️ Have an amazing week, friends! Keep giving a damn. Love y’all!

    • 1 hr 31 min
    Joél Leon Returns!

    Joél Leon Returns!

    Born and raised in the Bronx, Joél Leon is a performer, author, storyteller, and damn-giver extraordinaire. 

    “Joél’s words are where I go when I need some inspiration. And he never lets me down.” — Lin-Manuel Miranda

    “In each generation, there are only a few authors who are gifted with the ability to fully capture the best parts of the human condition. Joél is one of those authors.” — Frederick Joseph

    I’m so glad we get to be alive at the same time as Joél Leon.

    Preorder his brand new book—Everything and Nothing At Once: A Black Man’s Reimagined Soundtrack for the Future—right now from bookshop.org or buy it from your local bookstore. And make sure to ask your local library to buy a few copies, as well! 

    Subscribe to Joél’s Subtack, The Politics of Love.

    And visit Joél’s Linktree for links to all the rest of the good stuff!



    ---

    ✊🏽 Support Let’s Give A Damn on Patreon!

    🔥 Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

    ✉️ Sign up for our weekly email.

    📱 Reach out anytime: hello@letsgiveadamn.com.

    ❤️ Have an amazing week, friends! Keep giving a damn. Love y’all!

    • 1 hr 14 min
    Katie Bogen!

    Katie Bogen!

    It’s been a few weeks but we’re back! My guest this week is the brilliant Katie Bogen. In her own words, Katie is a clinical psychology PhD student, a trauma therapist, a sex researcher, a rad Jewess, a queer activist, and a cottagecore rabble-rouser.

    Katie is truly a wonderful soul. Over the past few months, ever since this horrific genocide began, she has been one of the most helpful voices on social media. She has made loads of content to share the truth about Zionism at its goals, to give a clear headed picture about what’s actually going on in Gaza, to debunk b******t lies floating around on the internet, and so much more. And she does it with such clarity, intelligence, passion, and grace! If this is your first time encountering Katie and her work, I hope you’ll begin following her on Instagram and TikTok immediately.

    Also, if you want to read more about her professional work and to read her dozens of published papers, click here. Katie is a certified badass. 



    ---

    🔥 Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

    ✉️ Sign up for our weekly email.

    ✊🏽 Support Let’s Give A Damn on Patreon!

    📱 Reach out anytime: hello@letsgiveadamn.com.

    ❤️ Have an amazing week, friends! Keep giving a damn. Love y’all!

    • 1 hr 26 min
    The Best of 2023!

    The Best of 2023!

    I know it’s a bit late—hello 2024!—but I wanted you to experience some of my favorite moments and some of your favorite moments in 2023. I spoke with some incredible folks last year and I learned so much from them. Here’s to many more incredible conversations in 2024!

    If you want to skip around this episode, here are the timestamps for each highlight:

    Simran Jeet Singh - 8:07 

    Rachelle Lefevre - 16:54

    Megha Desai - 24:18

    Rainn Wilson - 31:16

    Patricia Velázquez - 38:09

    Noor Tagouri - 47:45

    Listen to my full conversations with Simran Jeet Singh, Rachelle Lefevre, Megha Desai, Rainn Wilson, Patricia Velásquez, and Noor Tagouri. And if you’ve already listened to all of these conversations, check out the more than 250 other conversations on the pod!



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    📱 Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

    ✉️ Sign up for our weekly email.

    ✊🏽 Reach out anytime: hello@letsgiveadamn.com.

    ❤️ Have an amazing week, friends! Keep giving a damn. Love y’all!

    • 55 min
    Noor Tagouri Returns!

    Noor Tagouri Returns!

    Noor Tagouri’s name literally  means “Guiding Light.” And a guiding light she is! Noor is back for a second time. Her first appearance was for episode 19 of the podcast in the summer of 2017! 

    At 29, Noor is an award-winning journalist and producer, a touring speaker for over 15 years, and has told stories in every medium from radio and print, to documentaries and brand campaigns.

    In 2019 Noor founded At Your Service Media, a consulting and production company telling representative stories as a form of service.

    In 2022 Noor launched her investigative series “REP”, in partnership with iHeartMedia. The series explores the concepts of representation and objectivity in media, and received a Webby Award Nomination: Best Limited Series.

    With a finger on the pulse of people’s concerns, Noor’s storytelling is recognized for her innovative approach to fostering relationships across lines of difference.

    Visit Noor’s website to learn more about her work. 

    Listen to the REP investigative series. It’s so good!

    Follow Noor on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 

    ---

    📱 Follow Let’s Give A Damn on Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube.

    ✉️ Sign up for our weekly email.

    ✊🏽 Reach out anytime: hello@letsgiveadamn.com.

    ❤️ Have an amazing week, friends! Keep giving a damn. Love y’all!

    • 1 hr 1 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
196 Ratings

196 Ratings

caseyzachary ,

Real and raw and honest and helpful

Nick does a great job shining light in the right places and investing energy and effort to making the world a better place for human flourishing.

Ccolin16 ,

The vibe is good

What more can I say, the vibe is good. Nick genuinely admires with his guests and engages with them in a such a warm and real way. I feel like people are themselves on this show. Always a good place to spend some time.

DBryant78 ,

Joyful Passion

I love Nick’s joyful passion and unflinching commitment to justice and peace.

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