Shariff Abdullah, author of Creating a World That Works for All and founder of the Commonway Institute, frames his life’s work around a deceptively simple question: how do we create a world that works for all living beings? He connects that question to a shift in consciousness, moving from separateness toward a recognition of interdependence. Shariff emphasizes that inclusivity is not about liking everyone or agreeing with them, but about recognizing shared belonging and acting from that recognition. The episode moves through his upbringing in Camden, NJ, his framework of Keepers, Breakers, and Minders, and the practical challenge of living in accordance with one’s deepest values. Shariff does not offer a simple policy solution. Rather, he asks what kind of consciousness, behaviors, and sense of responsibility would be required to build institutions that serve life, arguing that transformation begins with how people relate to what they do not like, do not understand, or would rather ignore.

Follow Shariff Abdullah: Website:

https://www.commonway.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shariff-abdullah-2a551714/?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base%3BowvfKDX6R2i75sURrSz%2Bxg%3D%3D

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shariff.abdullahJD

Follow the Institute for Humane Education for updates, episode releases, and resources: Website: https://www.humaneeducation.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe.weil

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About the Podcast Solutionary Voices is a podcast hosted by Zoe Weil and produced by the Institute for Humane Education. Each episode highlights individuals who are working on the forefront of building a more humane, just, and healthy world for all people, animals, and the ecosystems that sustain life. Episodes:

• Bring solutionary thinkers to a wide audience

• Offer ideas for solving the problems we face in a range of arenas

• Provide actionable ideas

• Turn values into measurable impact

Dotsie Bausch, Olympic silver medalist and Founder of Switch4Good, discusses how cycling saved her life and how compassion shaped her life’s work. Dotsie traces her shift away from animal products to a deeper awareness of the food system, then explains how dairy became Switch4Good’s primary leverage point for health, justice, animal protection, and environmental impact. Her perspective is grounded in practical behavior change: people need more than information, and lasting shifts often begin with access, choice, and a first experience of feeling better. The episode connects personal values with systems-level advocacy, especially around school meals, dairy marketing, plant-based options, and the cultural myths that shape what people believe is necessary for health.

Follow Dotsie Bausch:

Website: switch4good.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/switch4good

Follow the Institute for Humane Education for updates, episode releases, and resources:

Website: https://www.humaneeducation.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe.weil

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/zoeweil

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoeweilauthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zoeweil

About the Podcast Solutionary Voices is a podcast hosted by Zoe Weil and produced by the Institute for Humane Education. Each episode highlights individuals who are working on the forefront of building a more humane, just, and healthy world for all people, animals, and the ecosystems that sustain life.

Episodes:

• Bring solutionary thinkers to a wide audience

• Offer ideas for solving the problems we face in a range of arenas

• Provide actionable ideas

• Turn values into measurable impact

Dr. Andrew Kolodny, medical director of the Opioid Policy Research Collaborative at Brandeis University, frames the opioid crisis as an epidemic of opioid addiction rooted in aggressive prescribing, pharmaceutical influence, regulatory failure, and inadequate access to treatment. The episode moves beyond blame toward a systems-level examination of what failed, what remains unrepaired, and what would be required to prevent similar public health crises in the future. Dr. Kolodny consistently returns to the same solutionary structure: prevent opioid use disorder and ensure people already suffering from it can access effective treatment. The episode also raises difficult questions about pharmaceutical accountability, sealed litigation records, settlement funds, cannabis legalization, kratom, chronic pain, and the need for more nuanced policy than simple prohibition or legalization. His core solution centers on preventing new cases of opioid addiction while making effective treatment easier to access than illicit opioids.

Follow Andrew Kolodny:

Brandeis: https://scholarworks.brandeis.edu/esploro/profile/andrew_kolodny/overview

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kolodny-3b8409a/

Follow the Institute for Humane Education for updates, episode releases, and resources:

Website: https://www.humaneeducation.org

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe.weil

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/zoeweil

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zoeweilauthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zoeweil

About the Podcast Solutionary Voices is a podcast hosted by Zoe Weil and produced by the Institute for Humane Education. Each episode highlights individuals who are working on the forefront of building a more humane, just, and healthy world for all people, animals, and the ecosystems that sustain life.

Episodes:

• Bring solutionary thinkers to a wide audience

• Offer ideas for solving the problems we face in a range of arenas

• Provide actionable ideas

• Turn values into measurable impact