Ronald E. Richter is the CEO and Executive Director of JCCA, an organization that provides child welfare and mental health services to the most vulnerable of New York’s children and families. Throughout his career, Ron has been a steadfast advocate for the children of New York, whether as a judge in the Family Court system or as Commissioner of New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services. Ron joined host Jay Ruderman to discuss some of the misconceptions around the foster care system,...
May 28, 2024•41 min•Ep. 51
Shane Burcaw grew up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Moravian College with an English degree. His bestselling memoir was shortlisted for the ALA Excellence in Nonfiction Award. He also writes as a freelancer for The Morning Call. His blog, Laughing At My Nightmare, talks about the humor of living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and has over half a million followers. Along with his wife, Hannah, the duo started their popular YouTube channel, Squirmy and Grubs, in 2018. Shane sat...
May 13, 2024•36 min•Ep. 50
Brett Gelman is best and more recently known for his work on shows like Fleabag and Stranger things, but the actor has been around for years. Throughout his career he’s also been a vocal advocate against antisemitism and Jewish inclusion in Hollywood. Following the October 7 attacks, Brett stepped up his activism and has been a steadfast supporter of the Israeli victims of the massacre, making visits to hospitals in the days following, sharing their stories on social media, and recentering the c...
May 01, 2024•37 min•Ep. 49
Ed Begley Jr. has been a known name in Hollywood since the 1960s, with recent credits in Young Sheldon, Better Call Saul, and the movie Amsterdam. He’s had a stellar career onscreen, but his commitment to living an environmentally friendly life is just as impressive. Ed’s love of biking, public transit, and electric cars comes up every award season, and his family home is LEED certified. Ed sat down with host Jay Ruderman for a conversation spanning Ed’s career, overcoming his alcoholism, and wh...
Apr 15, 2024•34 min•Ep. 48
Jane Velez-Mitchell is best-known for her work in broadcast television, but her career - and life - has been a master class in making a change and sticking to it. After confronting her alcoholism as an early career journalist, Jane began living more authentically than she ever had before. She came out as a lesbian, became a vegan, and founded a free streaming platform dedicated to education around the impact diet can have on health - both the body’s, and the planet’s. Jane joined host Jay Ruderm...
Apr 01, 2024•44 min•Ep. 47
Academy-Award winning actor Troy Kotsur has been featured in blockbuster films, Broadway shows, and hit TV shows throughout his career. He’s also been a tireless advocate for the Deaf community, both in front of and behind the cameras. Troy sat down with host Jay Ruderman to discuss the importance of authenticity in portrayal of Deaf and disabled characters, and the vital importance of learning ASL at a young age. Special thanks to interpreter Justin Maurer for his help with this episode. Also b...
Mar 18, 2024•47 min•Ep. 46
Both species of rhinoceros in Africa are endangered, in large part due to the value of rhino horn on the black market. In the western part of South Africa’s Greater Kruger National Park, a group is working to keep these animals safe in spite of the bounties on their horns. The Black Mambas are a woman-only group of rangers that patrol the wildlife reserve to protect against poaching. Tsakane Nxumalo, a ranger with the Black Mambas, joins host Jay Ruderman to talk about their rigorous training pr...
Mar 04, 2024•38 min•Ep. 45
Bobby Farrelly’s movies are well-known for their comedy - Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary, and, most recently, Champions. They’re also well-known for something else - featuring actors with disabilities in prominent roles. For Bobby, this isn’t activism. It’s making sure the world he creates on-screen looks like the one he lives off-screen. Bobby joined host Jay Ruderman to talk about what casting has looked like over the course of his career, what it was like to shoot Champions, an...
Feb 19, 2024•33 min•Ep. 44
In his career, Michael Maren has been a relief worker, war correspondent, and film director. Michael’s book, The Road to Hell, took a hard look at NGOs operating in a development context, and how good intentions aren’t enough to affect positive change. On this episode of All About Change, Michael joins host Jay Ruderman to discuss his time working in development in countries in east Africa, and how it informed his stance on international aid. The two get into the problems with humanitarian aid a...
Feb 05, 2024•43 min•Ep. 43
With antisemitism on the rise, the need for Holocaust education has never been more important. That’s where Emmy award-winner Julianna Margulies comes in. In 2022, Julianna helped to found the Holocaust Educator School Partnership, an initiative to help train undergraduate and graduate students in how to teach about the Holocaust in the classroom. In this episode, Julianna Margulies sits down with host Jay Ruderman to discuss the misconceptions and challenges facing the Jewish community today, a...
Jan 22, 2024•38 min•Ep. 42
Nas Daily has been an internet sensation since its inception. But the man behind it all is a bit less well known. Nuseir Yassin left a well-paying job at Venmo to travel the world, and do 1,000 videos in 1,000 days about the places and people he encountered. Since then, he’s built a company founded on community, positivity, and storytelling. Nuseir sat down with host Jay Ruderman to talk about growing up in Israel, how he keeps his company community-minded, and how he’s building a culture that l...
Jan 07, 2024•36 min•Ep. 41
In this episode from the All About Change vault, Jay Ruderman sits down with iconic actor and activist Fran Drescher. Fran tells Jay the story of getting The Nanny off the ground, and what it took to make sure that Fran Fein made it to air as a Jewish woman.In the years since The Nanny, Fran has battled uterine cancer, and founded the Cancer Schmancer Movement to encourage women to advocate for themselves in the doctor’s office. Fran and Jay talk about all of this, and more. Please fill out the ...
Dec 27, 2023•48 min•Ep. 40
The correlation between boxing and rescuing stray dogs isn’t one that’s clear at first glance. But for Chrissy Beckles, founder of the Sato Project, the connection is one she makes each and every day. Since 2011, the Sato Project has rescued more than 8,000 dogs in Puerto Rico. With nearly half a million stray dogs roaming the island, there’s no one knockout solution. Chrissy sat down with host Jay Ruderman to talk about the long journey, from gaining feral dogs’ trust, to finding funding, to we...
Dec 11, 2023•48 min•Ep. 39
Chelsea Miller may be young, but she’s already had a lifetime full of activism. Perhaps more impressive than the work itself is the intentionality, care, and thoughtfulness she brings to it all. Listen to the latest episode of All About Change as Chelsea delves into her childhood in Brooklyn’s “Little Caribbean,” interning at the Obama White House, and founding Freedom March NYC in response to George Floyd’s murder. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 27, 2023•37 min•Ep. 38
Some people may see J.R. Martinez's burn scars and think that he is defined by that single day in his life. But J.R.'s journey towards vulnerability and resilience began long before his time in the military and the twists and turns it’s taken since nearly defy imagination. Listen to the latest episode of All About Change as J.R. describes his trajectory to Jay. He’s gone from recovering in a military burn unit to becoming a motivational speaker, actor, winner of Dancing with the Stars, and advoc...
Nov 13, 2023•35 min•Ep. 37
In the early years of the Iraq War, thousands of Americans enlisted to fight for their country, fully aware of the dangers of that decision. Or so they thought. But one insidious threat had long-lasting impacts on the health of American troops: burn pits. Meant to provide an efficient way for soldiers to get rid of their waste, burn pits instead pumped tons of toxins into the air that found their way into the lungs of nearby service members. Service members like Beau Biden, President Biden’s son...
Oct 30, 2023•42 min•Ep. 36
Listen to this special episode of All About Change as Linor gives an intimate look at the aftermath of Hamas' attack on Israel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oct 17, 2023•23 min•Ep. 35
It is said military veterans account for 1% of the American population, and certainly, women have been a part of that number, stepping up to the challenge of defending their country for generations. But when their service ends, they often find themselves without meaningful support, unable to attain the most basic levels of assistance offered to their male counterparts. Jas Boothe was in a similar situation. A single mother living in Louisiana, she was hit hard by two events: The diagnosis of an ...
Oct 02, 2023•31 min•Ep. 34
Life isn’t fair. Perhaps that is why we love sports. In sports, the aspiration at least, is to even the playing field. But that endeavor in and of itself, poses many challenges. What does the inclusion of transgender athletes mean for sports? For ESPN’s Katie Barnes, a journalist who covers the intersection of gender and athletics, the answers here are never simple. Katie joins Jay to discuss the gender politics of sports at all levels of performance, as they break down in their new book, Fair P...
Sep 18, 2023•32 min•Ep. 33
Always having a love for the sea, Emily Penn took a journey from Shanghai to Melbourne, Australia that would change her life, as she saw first-hand the extent of pollution in the world’s oceans. Since then, she has organized the largest ever community-led waste cleanup operation, completed a trip around the world solely using biofuel, and created various avenues for people—from ordinary citizens to filmmakers—to discover and document the damage microplastics have done to our oceans. Emily also r...
Sep 05, 2023•32 min•Ep. 32
While certain areas of Haiti remain picturesque, it’s hard to find a place within the beleaguered island nation untouched by the trifecta of violence, pollution, and corruption. Serving as executive director of the Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine, or FoProBiM, Jean Wiener is considered by many to be Haiti’s foremost environmentalist, and the expert in all matters concerning the Haitian coast. But Activism is not something that happens in a vacuum. Jean’s decades-long effor...
Aug 21, 2023•33 min•Ep. 31
Saengduean “Lek” Chailert was born and raised in Thailand, a place where Asian elephants are commonplace. After her secondary education, Lek started working in tourism, where she saw elephants endure horrific treatment—in circuses, riding parks, and other attractions most visitors to the country think of as benign. It was then that Lek started rescuing elephants, many of them injured and elderly, and relocating them to what is now Elephant Nature Park. The sanctuary is now home to more than 100 ...
Aug 07, 2023•33 min•Ep. 30
Genesis Butler is an environmental and animal rights activist. Inspired by her great uncle, civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, Genesis became one of the youngest people to ever give a TEDx talk, as she shared her perspective on the environmental impacts of animal agriculture. Genesis went vegan at the age of 6, and has earned numerous awards and accolades for her activism. She founded Genesis For Animals, a non-profit supporting animal sanctuaries, and she is currently leading the organization Yo...
Jul 24, 2023•32 min•Ep. 29
Noa Tishby is an actress, author, producer, and activist. Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, Noa Tishby was born to a Zionist family that was involved in the establishment of Israel. Raised in a secular family in Israel she wasn’t really exposed to Anti-semitism, but that changed as she got older. But when you moved to America she encountered a lot of misinformation about Israel and anti-semitism. Inspired, Tishby decided to take action. She became an advocate and founded the first Israel-focused online ...
Jul 10, 2023•30 min•Ep. 28
Evon Benson-Idahosa is a Nigerian native, a leading expert, a thought leader on the subject of modern-day slavery in sub-Saharan Africa, and a founder of the Pathfinders Justice Initiative (PJI). Raised by parents who were called to serve their faith, Evon became a successful English barrister, American lawyer, and partner in a New York defense law firm. Despite her success, one day she woke up wondering, "What have I done with my life?" Her passion and compassion were calling out to her. That M...
Jun 26, 2023•47 min•Ep. 27
Dr. Benjamin Gilmer is a family physician, professor, and advocate who focuses on bringing attention to the social injustice of mass incarceration, scarcity of mental health care, and global and rural health disparities. A former neurobiologist turned rural family doctor, Benjamin Gilmer is a family physician, professor, and advocate who focuses on bringing attention to the social injustice of mass incarceration, scarcity of mental health care, and global and rural health disparities. Fresh out ...
Jun 12, 2023•45 min•Ep. 26
Kristin Henning is a Professor of Law at Georgetown University and the Director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic. She has been representing children accused of crimes for over 25 years. Kristin Henning has been representing children accused of crime for more than 25 years, and in all that time she only represented 4 white kids. The many thousands of kids she represented have all been Black and Latinx. She spent her life trying to ensure that children whose families did not have the means to defend...
May 29, 2023•46 min•Ep. 25
Olivier Bernier is an award-winning director and documentary filmmaker who lives and breathes to tell stories that explore the human condition. When Olivier and his wife Hilda’s son was born with down syndrome they were entirely unprepared. Inspired, Olivier Bernier decided to document his family experience so he applied and won grant money to make a film about inclusive education. However, his family’s experiences with Emilio’s journey took the film in a slightly different direction. Forget Me ...
May 15, 2023•45 min•Ep. 24
Meggie Palmer is a confidence creator and globally renowned speaker, facilitator, executive coach as well as the founder and CEO of PepTalkHer. While still finding success as an award-winning journalist, Meggie was surprised to realize that she was facing pay discrimination. This opened her eyes to pay inequality and inspired her to take action not just for herself but for all women around the world. She left journalism to embark on a path of activism. She started her own organization - PepTalkH...
May 01, 2023•43 min•Ep. 23
Deborah Lipstadt is an Award-Winning Author & a Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Emory University. Originally part I of a special series on confronting antisemitism, please join us as we revisit this timely episode of On All-Inclusive with Jay Ruderman. And, we’ll be back in two weeks with a brand new episode. For decades, Deborah Lipstadt has been a leading figure in writing about and combating antisemitism. She is most well-known for defeating Holocaust denier David Irvi...
Apr 17, 2023•48 min•Ep. 22
