Project Spiral

Abigail & Tim Steckler
  • 4.7 (15)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE

Because when we can't find any hope, we gotta make some ourselves.

  1. Hope in Hope!

    12/23/2025

    Hope in Hope!

    Spiraling down, spiraling up, sometimes just spiraling in general, this year has been a whirlwind. This episode, Abigail & Tim reflect on the lessons learned this year: an unsuccessful Scottish independence referendum, organizing to free political prisoners, providing food to the homeless in opposition to a local government and one of the trickiest ones - continuing to hope even within a warming world. Our myriad of conversations boil down to one central idea: start by taking a single step toward your goal to make change, then take another. Let's take that first step together into 2026! Also tune in to hear Tim discover if he is a punny person or not, and understand what exactly Abigail's relationship is to a certain Mr. Plum.

    28 min
  2. Kehkashan Basu: Hope in Planting a Seed

    12/08/2025

    Kehkashan Basu: Hope in Planting a Seed

    She's an Activist, Land Hero, NatGeo Explorer, Human Rights Champio and Founder of the Green Hope Foundation. Aaaaand maybe most impressive at all: she's this week's guest on Project Spiral. We've tackled climate before on this show, but never quite like this. Kehkashan knows how it is to have a brilliant idea at a young age to change the world, what it’s like to feel isolated, and why it's essential to push forward anyway. Listen as we discuss the power of young people in addressing global problems, how one small idea snowballs into more and more ideas, and how hope in the environment leads to widespread benefits in all areas of human rights. Plus tune in to hear Abigail's burgeoning interest in astro physics and Timmy mention his marathon for the first time! ever

    50 min

  3. 08/15/2025

    Aidan Bodeo-Lomicky: Hope in Wildlife Protection

    What is a Vaquita (hint: look up a picture, you won’t regret it), and can it hold the key catalyze real environmental change? Tune in today to hear Aidan Bodeo-Lomicky describe his life-long fight for animal rights and the work of his new organization, Animal Counsel. Is the best way to promote environmental causes through working as a scientist or as a lawyer? And if right now environmental protection at a federal level is impossible...what do we do then? Is it actually naive to believe we can still make change and reverse this downward spiral? Listen to find out. Plus, Tim reveals what he and his friends actually do at night, and Abigail makes the ultimate sacrifice for audio quality.

    52 min

  4. 07/16/2025

    Aileen McKay: Hope in the Bare Minimum (Independence & Feminism)

    What do ancient Scottish leaders, mint plants, and optimism have in common?Meet Aileen McKay, a self described "English editor, tutor, creative, writer, facilitator, and optimist” based in Edinburgh, Scotland. In this episode, we discuss how feminism inspires Aileen's advocacy for Scottish independence - even through the failed independence referendum in 2014. How can we advocate for change through many of the current political challenges. We also explore outreach to men to be allies in feminism.Plus, tune in to hear Tim's rhapsodize on the relationship between Brazil and the color yellow, and Abbie rave about a problematic 5th century Byzantine queen.

    54 min
  5. Sam Bliss: Hope in Food, not Cops

    06/06/2025

    Sam Bliss: Hope in Food, not Cops

    Sam Bliss doesn’t just wish for markets based on gift-giving and free food - he actively tries to make that a reality.  Sam works with Food Not Cops, a chapter of Food Not Bombs based in Burlington, VT. For more than 6 years, Sam and his colleagues prepare and distribute food to the broader community, including the unhoused population but also to others in the community.  We discuss how anarchism can actually mean trust in communities to self-regulate and how to imagine a world where consumption is based on care, not monetary wealth. If you want to do something to get involved feeding people, but don't know where to start, this is a great episode for you.  Plus, tune in to hear Abbie reveal her hidden kitchen preferences, Tim disclose his complicated hair-care, and the group wonder if sheep are literal, or metaphorical.

    57 min
  6. Hope in Naying the Naysayers

    05/16/2025

    Hope in Naying the Naysayers

    "That's cute that you care,"  “Just wait until you’re a bit older, then you’ll see how the world actually works.” “Don’t you think you’re being a bit unrealistic?”  Everyone who's dared to hope that change is possible have met people who throw wet blankets over fresh ideas. And often that's enough to kill hope when its struggling to survive. So what can we do about it?  In this episode Tim and Abbie discuss not only how to keep hope or a dream alive, but why, honestly, we don't have a choice.  Also tune in to hear epic role play between Tim the Boomer and Abbie the Get Z activist and listen up for the segment AI labeled as "Academic Humility in Action."

    37 min
  7. April Soetarman: Hope in Weird Side Projects

    04/30/2025

    April Soetarman: Hope in Weird Side Projects

    Shall we take a trip to the Museum of Almost Realities?  April Soetarman makes art that lets us see the multitude of choices (or sometimes lack of choices), in our own lives and the world around us. Based in Queens, New York, April uses public facing art, interactive creative pieces, board games, and more to get people to pause and think about their agency in different ways.  We discuss how to find the hope and motivation to create art in this upside-world. How do you balance marketing with creation? How do you catch someone's attention? And how do you care for yourself when you're just so tired.  Plus - tune in to hear Tim bring in his pal Patti, and to hear Abbie make a bold proposal of friendship.  Follow April here: Shop: shop.weirdsideprojects.com (the shop reopens for May 5-30th, 2025)  @AprilSoetarman on Instagram and Bluesky  @WeirdSideProjects on Instagram Website: AprilSoetarman.com Sign up for playtests and private updates for Working Artist Board Game, a board game about being a working artist under capitalism: https://bit.ly/waboardgame

    1h 12m
  8. Connor Thompson: Hope in Collective Action

    04/22/2025

    Connor Thompson: Hope in Collective Action

    The courts won't save us now.. So what do we do now? Trump’s second term mission is to overwhelm the judicial system in order to do what he wants - including the recent detention of Mahmoud Khalil - so much so that knowing how to even start resisting can feel impossible.  Connor Thompson offers some ideas. As a lawyer from the famed Civil Rights battleground of Little Rock, Arkansas, Connor offers invaluable support to protesters on the ground in support of Black lives and the arbitrary detention of migrants.  We discuss other roles that play essential parts in organizing, like the ability to host and provide meals and community, as well as how to use one’s societal privilege when engaging in civil disobedience.  If you're feeling hopeless and powerless to do anything right now, this is a great episode for you.  Plus, tune in to hear Abbie swooning over Connor's extensive vocabulary and Tim fighting tooth and nail against interruptions.

    1h 6m
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4.7
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Because when we can't find any hope, we gotta make some ourselves.

Information

  • Creator
    Abigail & Tim Steckler
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Abigail & Tim Steckler
  • Show Website
    Project Spiral