He started with the idea of leveraging the growing gaming industry as a pathway out of poverty and towards a creative, meaningful career for youth, and, with Game Heads, has achieved extraordinary success.

In this episode, host Jordan Thierry interviews the visionary behind GameHeads, Damon Packwood, as he shares his journey from growing up in San Francisco to founding a groundbreaking organization in Oakland. Discover how Damon's strategic partnership approach and commitment to community led to the creation of a unique program that bridges the gap between tech and underrepresented youth. Tune in to learn how GameHeads is shaping the future of the gaming industry and empowering the next generation of tech leaders.

It’s an awesome example of the magic that can happen when you invest in building relationships and are prepared to seize the moment.

If you’re inspired by Damon and found this episode helpful, you can show your appreciation by making a donation to his organization at https://give.communityin.org/a1yq92?ref=sh_eB9BK6_ab_3FpjaGVbb0u3FpjaGVbb0u

This episode was produced by Jordan Thierry of Dream Chase Media, with essential production and marketing expertise from Aranza Garcia and Issac Gsoria.

For more episode content, grant and fellowship opportunities, and our book club chat room, visit https://howtobuildanonprofit.org

When we talk about racial justice organizing, I think we often imagine this work happening in major urban centers with storied movement histories, like Chicago, Oakland, and Jackson, Mississippi. But as cities have changed over the last two decades due to gentrification and shifting job markets, suburbs are now the most diverse areas in the U.S.

So, what does racial justice organizing look like in these communities? In this episode, host Jordan Thierry interviews Siobhana McEwen from the Southwest Washington Equity Coalition, who speaks to that very point. She talks about how her organization grew during the 2020 uprising, addressing a sharp need for advocacy and policy change to address the needs of people of color and immigrants in this stretch of the Portland metro region.

We deep-dive into grassroots activism, the challenges of nonprofit leadership, and the power of community trust and collaboration.

If you’re inspired by Siobhana and found this episode helpful, you can show your appreciation by making a donation to her organization at https://southwest-washington-equity-coalition.monkeypod.io/give/support-southwest-washington-equity-coalition

This episode was produced by Jordan Thierry of Dream Chase Media, with essential production and marketing expertise from Aranza Garcia and Issac Gsoria.

For more episode content, grant and fellowship opportunities, and our book club chat room, visit https://howtobuildanonprofit.org

Travel can be more than indulging in plain wanderlust. It can open your eyes to a foreign reality, to see yourself in a different light, and to recognize place-based social constructs that may have been unknowingly influencing your thoughts and beliefs.

For Bianca Nelson, it’s these travel effects that she wants to improve the lives of Baltimore youth. And it’s why she founded her organization, Learning to Live Movement, in 2015, which provides youth of color with leadership development, cultural education, and opportunities to travel to destinations such as Brazil, Jamaica, Belize, and more.

If you’re inspired by Bianca and found this episode helpful, you can show your appreciation by making a donation to her organization at https://www.learningtolivemovement.com/donate

This episode was produced by Jordan Thierry of Dream Chase Media, with essential production and marketing expertise from Aranza Garcia and Issac Gsoria.

You can follow How to Build a Nonprofit on Instagram, TikTok, and Substack. Sign up for our free newsletter at https://howtobuildanonprofit.substack.com/.