Vital Voices Podcast Vital Voices Global Partnership

What if you had only six months left? What if you had a year? What would you do differently? These are questions that led Vital Voices Board Member Bozoma Saint John to write her new book, "The Urgent Life." In this episode, the former Global Chief Marketing Officer at Netflix and American Marketing Association Hall of Famer discusses the tragedies and triumphs of career, family and motherhood that led her to living her life more urgently with host, Alyse Nelson.

President of Google.org, Jacquelline Fuller, joins Alyse Nelson on the heels of the announcement of the 34 selected organizations for Google.org's $25M Impact Challenge for Women and Girls. They discussed the importance of private sector collaborations with organizations like Vital Voices, a partner on the Challenge, how we can realistically create a path to achieving SDG 5; Gender Equality, and why women's representation is critical to progress.

Disability rights activist, Melissa Shang joined host, Alyse Nelson, for a special International Youth Day discussion on advocacy and the power of young voices. Born with a form of muscular dystrophy called Charcot-Marie-Tooth, Melissa has worked throughout her young-adult life to incorporate anti-ableist conversation into popular discourse. In this enlightening conversation, Melissa and Alyse discuss the path to activism and importance of representation in youth popular culture, the impact that the Covid 19 Pandemic has had on the disabled community, the importance of Gen Z’s activist upbringing, and how we can all be better allies to the disabled community. At such a young age, Melissa is already a truly inspirational leader whose empathy and strength she continues to use as her power to empower others.

Her Royal Highness, Intisar AlSabah, Kuwaiti social entrepreneur, philanthropist, and princess of the House of Al Sabah, joined host, Alyse Nelson, for a discussion on how we can use lessons learned from overcoming adversity to empower others. A survivor of domestic abuse and military occupation, Her Royal Highness explores how traumatic events in her own life impacted her mental health, how she escaped from this dark place, and how she relies on skills gained from these experiences to support her work in empowering others. Today, Her Royal Highness runs the Intisar Foundation, a charitable organization which uses drama therapy to support the mental health of Kuwaiti women and children. Through her passionate words, she emphasizes the importance of increased support for mental health and empathetic leadership practices.

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Chair and founding member of the Council of Women World Leaders, and current President of the Mary Robinson Foundation Climate Change joined host, Alyse Nelson for a discussion on her experience as a woman leader in Irish politics and global organizations, mental health, and the intersection between gender and the climate crisis. Based on her years of experience, President Robinson shares why she believes that the adoption of feminist leadership practices will be crucial for future leaders tasked with solving the world’s greatest challenges.

Cici Battle, social impact strategist, organizer, and facilitator, joined host, Alyse Nelson, for a discussion on Juneteenth and how the United States must move beyond performative solidarity in order to address its deep-rooted issues with race and equality. By reflecting on the events of the past year, including the murder of George Floyd, the global Pandemic, and the transition in federal administration, Cici explored the positive changes that have emerged in the nation-wide discourse about race and American history. She also emphasized the need for more tangible measures like federal legislation on lynching and financial reparations to the descendants of slaves that will be crucial next steps if the United States strives to be truly cognizant of its past and committed to building a brighter future.