Stories of Us are honest conversations between executive directors and the organizations that support and invest in their work. This episode asks: what does it feel like to lead during a time of shrinking resources and growing need? It explores the emotional toll of constantly proving the value of your work, and the importance of funders listening beyond the grant application. Partnership, not competition, may be the only way forward.

In this episode, Reem Aly of the Ohio School-Based Health Alliance and Jordan Lewis of The Confess Project of America reflect on what it takes to build systems of care that last. From school-based healthcare in Ohio to mental health advocacy in barbershops across the country, the conversation explores sustainability, burnout, re-traumatization, and the hidden emotional cost of leading mission-driven work.

In this episode, Aaron Landrum of Deloitte and Erica Smith of Boys to Men Tucson reflect on the personal experiences that shaped their work in public health and mental health equity. From Aaron’s memories of his grandfather in Boston to Erica’s work creating healing spaces for Black and brown men in Tucson, the conversation explores masculinity, vulnerability, systems change, and why “systems need to be restructured — people don’t need to be fixed.”