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 i...
Jun 06, 2025•57 min
"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 ...
May 16, 2025•37 min
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 creati...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 12 min
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...
Apr 22, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Climate change can feel like the hardest thing to have hope in right now. But who better to discuss than someone who is literally getting her PhD on hope! Meet Anna-Zoë Herr, a Berlin-based researcher who studies the role of hope in ecological crises and survival. She also works with the Berlin-based NGO Talking Hope, focusing on research and designing communication and engagement strategies. Now you see what we mean - she's the perfect person to talk to!! In this episode, we discuss what hope c...
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 7 min
We're back to kickoff our new theme: how to find Hope! And who better to join us today than the brilliant Nada Hamida?? Nada, a Dallas-based architect, didn't dare to hope for a return to her native Syria… until December 2024. In this episode, we talk about how Nada uses architecture to inspire hope. Nada designs buildings carefully, understanding how each element will affect how people feel within the space, whether they study, meet, read, perform research, or a myriad of other activities for u...
Jan 24, 2025•50 min
We’re 5 years into our 2033 Project, and a lot has changed… maybe even the name of the 2033 Project! Join us as we reflect on how the show, and we, have changed over the years and fluctuated our expectations in work, politics, personal lives, and more. We set our new theme for the year, “how to find hope in a future that may not exist” in a time where the practice of hope can honestly seem futile. Also, stay tuned to hear Tim discussing (riveting) town elevations and how Abbie is finally excepte...
Dec 20, 2024•40 min
It's not just because we host a podcast, but recently we can't stop thinking about the concept of "voice." Who has a voice to tell their own stories, and how do you get people to listen? How do you find your own voice -- and how to help ensure everyone gets a chance to be heard. That's why we're so excited to have Chi Cannon on this episode. Chi believes prisoners’ voices are an essential part of the conversation. Chi comes from a family in Richmond, VA, in which 9 out of 10 children were incarc...
Dec 03, 2024•59 min
And weeeee're back with part 2 with Tenzin! We continue our conversation with Tenzin, starting from when he decided to leave nursing, sparking a series of changes that involves sword-fighting in the woods, dropping out of grad school and even...chandeliers. In this episode, we break apart the idea that one has to have a single career, and explore what it could mean to develop an entirely new expertise every decade. Plus, Abbie wonders if she'll ever be as wise as Oprah, and Timmy takes a visit t...
Oct 08, 2024•58 min
We know we're not the only ones in the middle of a career pivot. Who better to chat with us on the subject than Tenzin? We’ve each known great and maybe not so-great influences on our life when we were kids. In Tenzin’s case, it was a guidance counselor who discouraged him from becoming an artist, ultimately leading him to be a nurse working in the ICU during the worst of COVID. What happens next?? You'll have to listen to find out. In this two-part series, we explore how it's totally ok - and u...
Sep 13, 2024•38 min
Can we save democracy in the United States? What if we focus on the local and bring people together to engage online in meaningful ways? Well, Johnathan thinks it’s possible, and that’s why he started MyBalbo. Many of us want to stay politically active, but our reach seems limited - how do we go one step further to use technology & have conversations across divides and become substantively connected to affecting policy that affects us. Meet Johnathan Celestin, founder of MyBalbo, an app that...
May 08, 2024•44 min
Where do you imagine yourself in 4 years - owner of an arts space, an astrobiologist, or a ghost suspiciously similar to the ghost from Hamlet that forever haunts the world after being assassinated by an alien spacecraft? Tune in this week for a special episode that features 2033 Podcast host Abigail as she explores her own inevitable career pivot. When you've had a specific dream your whole life, and suddenly it needs to change - what then? Join us as we bushwhack through the existential thicke...
Apr 18, 2024•42 min
What if you are doesn't fall neatly into any box? Part of what makes Timon an incredible person and therapist is he holds so many aspects of his identity that society too often does not see as going together, namely being queer and Christian. Timon walks through his process of going through social work school to become a Marriage and Family Therapist, his unorthodox journey to getting there that provides him unique relationships and, perspective, and what he hopes to accomplish in helping others...
Apr 03, 2024•45 min
Did you know a youth orchestra could change the future of an entire city? Daniela certainly could tell you a thing or two about that. She's no stranger to the idea that younger generations face a hard fact: our careers will generally not be as linear as those of our parents and grandparents. How do we still shoot for success and allow for change? In this episode, hear Danielle Ocampo Sánchez’s fascinating story on her ever-evolving definition of success, finally reuniting her passion for music b...
Feb 26, 2024•1 hr
With all the bad news in our inboxes, in our feeds, and in our lives, is there really any reason still to have hope that positive change can happen? During our second Generation gathering, an amazing array of inspiring guests sat down to discuss this very question. Hear a wide range of practical ways these individuals have found ways to give back to their communities, rediscover dreams, create political change they wish to see, and find personal ways to light up their days. The answer? Find hope...
Jun 23, 2023•59 min
Dean is a fighter - in all senses of the word. He fights Muay Thai, he fights MMA and, he fights FOR victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam. On a solo trip, Dean learned about Agent Orange, a chemical herbicide used by US troops in the Vietnam War that has caused millions of cases of illnesses, including birth defects, over multiple generations. Upon meeting Agent Orange victims, Dean was inspired to found An Phuc International, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting these victims. On today's episode, ...
Feb 28, 2023•52 min
When you think about the current climate crisis, do you feel like curling up in utter despair? You're not alone. That's why we were so excited to sit down with Rivka Schafer, a Gen Z climate activist with a message of hope and action that's grounded in so much practicality. Rivka is a queer, gender non-conforming Orthodox Jew who is passionate about art, nature, and activism. As a climate activist with the Jewish Youth Climate Movement and LGBTQ+ rights advocate, Rivka definitely inspired us, an...
Feb 10, 2023•45 min
We are excited to share our first live recording featuring 9 members of the 2033 community - recorded at our Generation retreat. We all know what it’s like when a good idea of ours gets squashed by someone else - usually someone older and with more influence. After continual frustration, how do we - as young people - fight against the very real feeling of being jaded. Gathered around a small couch in Vermont, hear change-makers talk about how - whether in the arts, education, or sciences - Mille...
Nov 29, 2022•59 min
Are you the sort of person who mentions museums in your dating profile, or have you avoided these institutions at all cost? Mariah has worked in museums her whole career, studying where objects and art originate (and yes - a lot are stolen) and figuring out how to make museums more representative of their communities. We try to make the case why museums -- if curated right -- are more important now, than ever. Our discussion starts in museums and then extends to everything from homelessness acco...
Nov 11, 2022•56 min
Can art actually change someone's life? On today's episode, artist and social worker El Chen sits down with Tim & Abigail to discuss her unique journey in pursuit of meaningful creative endeavors - an adventure that has taken her from China to the United States, behind prison bars, and even within police ranks. Central to El's approach is embracing progress and imperfection - speaking in drafts instead of polished, sanitized statements. How can you be authentic in a world that demands tangib...
Sep 15, 2022•1 hr 3 min
How much can you tell about a person once you look at their genes? What information can you find, and what problems can you prevent? And furthermore - what happens once we start tinkering with someone's genetic makeup? In this episode, Elena Cothalis walks us through her role as a Genetic Counselor: the rewarding moments, the challenging moments, and the times that offer real opportunity for how we can improve human help. Our conversation sheds light on all that is both controversial and excitin...
Mar 11, 2022•57 min
If you want to be secure in your viewpoint and opinions as a leader, making an effort to fully accept opposing perspectives may seem counterintuitive. But that's exactly what Taha Vahanvaty proposes. A recent high school graduate, Taha founded the Acceptance Project in his Pennsylvania hometown in an effort to support civil dialogue about divisive issues, and strength the community as a result. Now, Taha joins us from his gap year in India, where he is embarking on a spiritual journey to better ...
Feb 25, 2022•53 min
Is it possible for an individual, often thousands of miles away, to make a difference in a conflict? How do we start conversations, as Americans, about how to look within ourselves and in our structures to understand and advocate for change beyond our borders? These are questions that Sarah Sturm wrestles with every day as she works to reconcile peacemakers in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict… starting in the United States, a country with more impact than any other in the area. In this episode, ...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr
When we get to the moon again in a few years, who will be up there, and when can we start to build cities in space? Also, which laws will prevent us from having a Columbus 2.0: OuterSpace Edition? These and many other questions will be answered in our conversation with William Whittenbury, an Associate Mechanical Engineer who has worked on spaceships with NASA and other companies. We explore how even a rocket scientist can follow a familiar Millennial path into a job field and the questions that...
Sep 10, 2021•1 hr 3 min
It’s no secret that plenty of American students fall through the cracks in the system. How can we create a foundation of trust and respect in our schools? Is there a more effective way to approach discipline? In our complicated, often lonely world of social media, how can students better connect with each other and with teachers? These are the questions we discuss on this week’s episode with Nate Stauffer, educator and storyteller. Tim & Abbie agree -- we all wish we could have had a teacher...
Jul 12, 2021•1 hr 2 min
We constantly see headlines of one proposed education reform after another, but what do students actually think about what they need? In our second episode in partnership with The Door in New York City, listen to Moon and Raquel speak about what their idea of good schooling looks like - all based on their personal experiences. They also discuss how they view technology, both as a time-wasting distraction but also as a change-making tool if harnessed in the right way. Plus, Abigail questions the ...
Jun 16, 2021•53 min
What does it actually mean to speak out? How can Gen Z shape activism to be more inclusive and intersectional? Hear our first out of two episodes with members of the Youth Council of The Door, a New-York based organization that empowers young people to reach their potential. In this episode, Fadwa Yousef, Tiara Tillery and Mickey Zheng give their perspective on what it means to be at the crossroads of multiple identities. We talk about the buying and selling of truth, how to take first steps as ...
May 28, 2021•1 hr 2 min
What's it like to be a highly creative, talented artist operating in the "real" world where you still have to make ends meet? Charlie Malcolm is exactly that: a multi-hyphenate creative working in the entertainment industry, currently developing an incredible original musical (seriously, go listen to his demos on his instagram page!) In this interview, we discuss how, in creative fields, you have to climb multiple ladders at the same time to see which one will take you where you want to go. How ...
Mar 24, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Ok yes we all agree, we need to improve our education system, but how do we actually approach institutions with clear, achievable plans for change? Well, thank goodness Paul Moch Islas is here with some fresh ideas for a better future. In our interview we discuss Camino21, an organization Paul co-founded based in Mexico. Camino 21 works to equip students in higher education with the skills necessary to thrive in the 21st century, especially in our Covid-infiltrated world, by addressing how teach...
Feb 18, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 18
What does "Stay at Home" mean if you don’t have a home? Being homeless is hard enough, but add a global pandemic and the emergency couldn’t be more dire. Thank goodness Eliane Lakam is on the task. Listen in to our conversation with Eliane all about her work to combat homelessness in the United States, and the surprisingly simple ways we can all get involved. When a problem seems insurmountable, sometimes you just need to take it one step at a time.
Jan 27, 2021•39 min•Season 1Ep. 17
