In today’s conversation on Mighty Forces, Amanda is joined by two extraordinary community builders: Maryam Banikarim, founder of The Longest Table, and Venu Gupta, who helped bring the concept to life in Chicago. Together, they explore what it takes to create belonging in a time when loneliness is on the rise—and why small, everyday actions still hold enormous power. Maryam shares the simple spark that launched The Longest Table during the pandemic which grew into an annual hyperlocal celebration where thousands gather to share a meal, meet their neighbors, and feel a renewed sense of agency. Venu reflects on what moved her from inspiration to action, the fears she had about hosting her own event in Chicago, and the moment of unexpected magic that happened during the first event. Their stories show how connection—real, human connection—still surprises us, delights us, and expands our sense of what’s possible. This episode is a reminder that community doesn’t require grand gestures—just a willingness to look up, reach out, and create space for one another.

Topics:

• Why some people act on inspiring ideas while others don’t
• How belonging is built through invitation rather than responsibility
• Why grace, curiosity, and trust matter more than perfection
• The quiet power of small, compassionate gestures
• The magic that happens when we stop treating each other like strangers

Episode Resources:

• The Longest Table Community on Instagram
• Tribe by Sebastian Junger

Resources:

• Mighty Forces
• Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn
• Follow Amanda on Instagram

Mighty Forces is produced by Amanda Hirsch and Heart Centered Podcasting. The music of Mighty Forces was written and performed by Jordan Hirsch, aka my wonderful husband.

This week, Amanda brings together two wonderfully creative humans who also happen to be parents: writer and teacher Tim Manley, and artist and educator Stephanie Krauss. If you’ve ever wondered how to stay connected to your creative self while raising kids, navigating technology, and trying to be a decent human in this messy world… this conversation will feel like a deep, relieving exhale. The three talk about parenting, boundaries, doodling during Zoom calls, creative identity, technology’s grip on us, and the wildly surprising ways children end up becoming our own tour guides in life. And yes — Stephanie doodles through the entire episode (with Amanda’s full blessing), and she shares how doodling actually helps her listen better. We love a neurodivergent-friendly recording space. Whether you’re raising kids, raising creative work, or just raising yourself through another day — there’s a lot of heart, humor, and honesty here.

Topics:

• The creative worlds behind Tim and Stephanie — including rocket-ship bedrooms and walls full of doodles
• How each of them approached becoming a parent (and how different their stories are)
• The fear many creatives have about losing themselves after having kids
• The surprising ways children change (and expand) our creativity
• Why doodling is a powerful focus tool — not a distraction
• The complexities of screen time, technology, and media literacy
• Why adults struggle with technology just as much as kids
• The importance of “doing whatever works” when the world feels heavy
• How to put your own oxygen mask on first
• Tiny, doable micro-practices to replenish yourself
• Letting yourself be weird, honest, and creatively alive in everyday spaces — even beige cubicles

Episode Resources:

• Who Does She Think She Is? Documentary

Resources:

• Mighty Forces
• Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn
• Follow Amanda on Instagram

Mighty Forces is produced by Amanda Hirsch and Heart Centered Podcasting. The music of Mighty Forces was written and performed by Jordan Hirsch, aka my wonderful husband.

In this special Thanksgiving-week solo episode, Amanda invites listeners into a more intimate corner of her story. She reads from her book Improvising Adulthood: What I Wish Someone Had Told Me and shares the origin story that shaped who she is, how she thinks, and why Mighty Forces exists at all. Through scenes from her college years—loneliness, questioning, creative sparks, depression, and ultimately a reclamation of agency—Amanda reflects on what it means to veer off script, listen to your inner “yes,” and carve a life that feels true. She also closes with reflective prompts to help listeners connect to their own internal signals of belonging, misalignment, and possibility. It’s warm, vulnerable, funny, and full of the signature mix of depth and silliness that draws the Mighty Forces community together.

Topics:

• Amanda’s unexpectedly rough transition from high school to college
• Feeling like an outsider at Penn and the loneliness of not finding her people
• The long-distance relationship that made sense to her (but maybe not to everyone else)
• How switching to an English major unlocked joy, creativity, and self-trust
• The plays she wrote that helped her find her voice (and fun!) again
• The independent study that planted lifelong themes: intentionality, agency, and service
• Being honored for doing things her own way and what that taught her
• Why following your inner “yes” is messy, meaningful, and freeing

Resources Mentioned:

• Buy my book, Improvising Adulthood
• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Resources:

• Mighty Forces
• Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn
• Follow Amanda on Instagram

Mighty Forces is produced by Amanda Hirsch and Heart Centered Podcasting. The music of Mighty Forces was written and performed by Jordan Hirsch, aka my wonderful husband.