This special preview episode spotlights the Peace Begins at Home Summit (October 29, 2025), a global gathering inspired by Dr. Riane Eisler’s work showing how shifting from domination to partnership—beginning in our homes—builds a safer, more caring world. Host Cherri Jacobs Pruitt is joined by two featured summit speakers: Scarlett Lewis, founder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement, and Dr. Suzanne Zeedyk, an internationally known researcher and speaker on trauma-informed systems and the biology of connection.

Together they explore how family life, early relationships, and everyday choices shape our stress systems, our communities, and ultimately our capacity for peace. Scarlett shares how her son Jesse’s chalkboard message—“Nurturing • Healing • Love”—sparked a global movement, while Dr. Suzanne explains the science: why co-regulation, curiosity, and feeling seen and heard literally change our biology and our behavior. This conversation is both heart-opening and practical—a perfect primer for what the summit will deliver.

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🎧 Prefer to listen instead of watch? Find The Power of Partnership Podcast on Buzzsprout or your favorite podcast app.
👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2207697

📺 Prefer to watch instead of listen? Full episodes are also available here on YouTube: Power of Partnership Channel
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@centerforpartnership

📬 Connect: center@partnershipway.org

Key Themes

• Choosing love over fear is courageous, not “soft.” It’s a daily practice that builds strength and resilience.
  
  
  
• Biology of connection. Early relationships and feeling heard/safe shape the stress system and future health/behavior.
  
  
  
• Curiosity de-escalates. Pausing to wonder (not react) brings the prefrontal cortex online and interrupts the “domination” reflex.
  
  
  
• Hurt people hurt people. Compassion + skills (breath, pause, reframing) can redirect pain toward growth.
  
  
  
• From grievance to growth. Understanding how our brains reward rumination helps us choose a healthier path.
  
  
  
• Community matters. The summit creates a hopeful, global network committed to practical tools and change.

About the Guest(s)
Scarlett Lewis — Founder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement, created after the Sandy Hook tragedy. Scarlett’s work equips children, families, educators, and communities with a simple, powerful formula—courage, gratitude, forgiveness, compassion-in-action—to choose love over fear and build healthy connection.

Dr. Suzanne Zeedyk — Internationally recognized researcher, educator, and speaker on trauma-informed care, early relationships, and the “science of connection.” Based in Scotland, she translates developmental science and ACEs research for the public, helping systems and communities turn insight into action.

Resources & Links
Register: Peace Begins at Home Summit (Oct 29, 2025) — 60-day recording access + Summit Handbook
👉 https://peacebeginsathomesummit.org

Center for Partnership Systems — Partnership/Domination framework inspired by Dr. Riane Eisler
👉 https://centerforpartnership.org

Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement — Free programming for homes, schools, communities, membership, certification, and more
👉 https://choo

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In our season finale, Dr. Riane Eisler and Eli Ingraham reflect on 42 episodes of the Power of Partnership Podcast and spotlight where partnership is thriving today. They highlight lessons from across the globe, showing how partnership values are reshaping families, education, economics, and community life. From rethinking early childhood and schooling, to advancing regenerative economics and bioregional networks, to honoring the sacred feminine and spiritual traditions, this closing conversation weaves together stories of hope, resilience, and practical pathways toward a more caring and connected world.

🌍 Key topics: Peace begins at home · Education for liberation · Caring economics · Regenerative design · Interconnection & spirituality

🔗 Resources:

• CPS: https://centerforpartnership.org
  
  
• Summit: https://peacebeginsathomesummit.org
  
  
• Partnerism: https://partnerism.org
  
  
• Riane Eisler: https://rianeeisler.com
  
  
• Doughnut Economics: https://doughnuteconomics.org
  
  
• Capital Institute: https://capitalinstitute.org
  
  

🎥 Watch: https://youtu.be/uZlPtPIb8f0

💖 Support: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2207697/support

📬 Connect: center@partnershipway.org

🎵 Music: Resilience by Rising Appalachia

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In this special episode of the Power of Partnership Podcast, host Cherri Jacobs Pruitt speaks with Dr. Riane Eisler and summit director Gina Miltiadou about the upcoming Peace Begins at Home Summit (October 29, 2025). Together, they explore how peace must be redefined—not just as the absence of war, but as the presence of care, equity, and mutual respect, beginning in our homes. Drawing from neuroscience and decades of research, Riane explains how early childhood experiences shape entire cultures, while Gina shares the summit’s origin story, diverse global speaker lineup, and vision for real, lasting change.

Listeners will hear inspiring stories, eye-opening statistics, and a clear call to action: to replace systems of domination with cultures of partnership. With over 20 speakers from 13 countries—including peacebuilders, survivors, youth leaders, and cultural icons—this global virtual gathering will offer both inspiration and practical tools to transform relationships, communities, and the world. Learn more and register at peacebeginsathomesummit.org.

SUPPORT THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP PODCAST (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2207697/support)

Prefer to watch? You can also view all episodes of The Power of Partnership Podcast on the Center for Partnership Systems YouTube channel

Event Details:
Summit Date: October 29, 2025
Time: 13:00–19:30 UTC (with 30-day replay access for all ticket holders)
Tickets: Early Bird $35 (until Aug 31), Regular $47, Supporter $79 (supports access for others)
Registration: peacebeginsathomesummit.org
Who Should Attend: Caregivers, parents, educators, policymakers, peacebuilders, community leaders, systems thinkers—anyone who cares about building a peaceful and just world.

Resources & Links:

Register for the Summit: peacebeginsathomesummit.org
Center for Partnership Systems: centerforpartnership.org
About Dr. Riane Eisler: rianeeisler.com

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In this episode of The Power of Partnership Podcast, host Cherri Jacobs Pruitt is joined by Tom Mansfield—regenerative thinker, innovator, and creator of Cards for Life.
Together, they explore how the principles of nature and the power of partnership can guide us through cycles of renewal, support cultural transformation, and spark innovation grounded in care and connection.
Tom shares his journey creating Cards for Life, a tool now being used by individuals and organizations worldwide to reimagine leadership, decision-making, and community resilience.

Support · Watch · Connect

🎧 Support the Power of Partnership Podcast: [Buzzsprout Support Page](https://www.buzzsprout.com/2207697/support)

📺 Prefer to watch instead of listen? Full episodes are also available on YouTube: [Power of Partnership Channel](https://www.youtube.com/@centerforpartnership)

📬 Connect: center@partnershipway.org

Resources & Links

- [Cards for Life](https://paleblueperspective.com/cards-for-life)

- [Thinking Like Gaia Facilitator Training](https://paleblueperspective.com/cards-for-life)

- [The Chalice and the Blade – Riane Eisler](https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/books/the-chalice-and-the-blade-our-history-our-future/)

- [The Power of Partnership – Riane Eisler](https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/books/the-power-of-partnership/)

- [Donella Meadows: Thinking in Systems](https://donellameadows.org/systems-thinking-book-sale/)

- [Fritjof Capra: The Systems View of Life](https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/systems-view-of-life/35186BA5B12161E469C4224B6076ADFE)

- [Nora Bateson: Combining](https://www.triarchypress.net/combining.html)

- [Laura Storm & Giles Hutchins: Regenerative Leadership](https://www.regenerativeleadership.co/)

- [Laura Storm: The Regenerators Academy](https://www.regenerators.co/)

- [Bio-Leadership Project](https://www.bio-leadership.org/)

- [Neil Theise: Notes on Complexity](https://www.neiltheiseofficial.com/)

- [Center for Partnership Systems](https://centerforpartnership.org/)

Key Themes

• Tom Mansfield
• regeneration
• Cards for Life
• systems thinking

Music credit: Rising Appalachia, Resilience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx17RvPMaQ8

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What happens when global development shifts from “doing for” communities to truly partnering with them?

In this episode of The Power of Partnership Podcast, host Cherri Jacobs Pruitt is joined by Jill LaLonde and Sheku Mohamed Gassimu, Jr. of One Village Partners, an organization working alongside Sierra Leonean communities to challenge the legacy of top-down aid.

Together, they explore what it looks like to decolonize not just projects, but entire organizations — building development models rooted in humility, equity, and community leadership. This episode is a real-world example of partnership in practice, offering lessons for nonprofits, funders, and anyone committed to sustainable social change.

Key Themes

• What true community-led development looks like in practice.
• How One Village Partners supports Sierra Leonean communities in leading their own solutions.
• Decolonizing aid: shifting power from outside “experts” to local leaders.
• Organizational change: how staff and structures can embody partnership values.

About the Guests

Jill LaLonde – Executive Director of One Village Partners, Jill leads efforts to reimagine development models through equity, humility, and community empowerment.

Sheku Mohamed Gassimu, Jr. – Program Manager at One Village Partners, Sheku is a Sierra Leonean leader advancing grassroots solutions to multi-generational poverty through authentic community partnership.

Resources & Links

• 🌐 One Village Partners
• 🌐 Movement for Community-Led Development
• 📖 Community Development in Practice, We Power Our Own Chain – Edited by Elene Cloete & Gunjan Veda
• 📖 The Chalice and the Blade – Riane Eisler
• 📖 The Power of Partnership – Riane Eisler
• 🌐 Center for Partnership Systems

Support & Subscribe

• 🎧 Support The Power of Partnership Podcast: Buzzsprout Support Page
• 📺 Watch episodes on the Center for Partnership Systems YouTube channel
• 📬 Connect: center@partnershipway.org

Music Credit

Episode close with Resilience by Rising Appalachia .

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What if care was recognized as the foundation of our economy—not an afterthought? In this episode of The Power of Partnership, Cherri Jacobs Pruitt speaks with Austrian consultant and activist Elisabeth Sechser, whose work boldly re-centers care at the heart of economics, leadership, and everyday life. As an expert in organizational development, Elisabeth shows ways to build partnership-based companies and overcome domination organization-systems.

This episode also includes discussion on the invisibility of unpaid care work—and how Elisabeth is creating a cooperative, community-based, care model for children and youth with specific health care needs.

SUPPORT THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP PODCAST (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2207697/support)

Prefer to watch? You can also view all episodes of The Power of Partnership Podcast on the Center for Partnership Systems YouTube channel

Links and Resources:

• Caring Economy. Jetzt – Austria https://www.caringeconomy.jetzt/partnershipsystem
• Learn more or connect with Elisabeth Sechser (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-sechser-69a4a29a/)
• The Real Wealth of Nations, Riane Eisler https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/books/the-real-wealth-of-nations-creating-a-caring-economics
• Die verkannten Grundlagen der Ökonomie, Riane Eisler – the German translation (https://www.caringeconomy.jetzt/die-verkannten-grundlagen-der-oekonomie/)
• The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future, Riane Eisler (https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/books/the-chalice-and-the-blade-our-history-our-future/)
• The Power of Partnership: Seven Relationships that will Change Your Life, Riane Eisler (https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/books/the-power-of-partnership)
• Center for Partnership Systems
  
  

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What happens when a military engineer walks away from the defense industry to challenge the domination paradigm and choose a life rooted in peace, sustainability, and partnership? Filmmaker and author Jim Merkel shares how awakening to the human cost of war led him to embrace “radical simplicity,” create award-winning documentaries, and dedicate his life to building a more caring, equitable world.

We explore real-world examples of partnership-based societies in Kerala, Cuba, and Slovenia—places where gender equity, sustainability, and community care are transforming lives. Jim’s story is both an urgent call to dismantle systems of domination and an inspiring roadmap for living in alignment with our deepest values. Whether you’re curious about living with less, creating lasting social change, or bridging divides in a polarized world, this episode offers wisdom, hope, and practical ways forward.

SUPPORT THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP PODCAST (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2207697/support)

Prefer to watch? You can also view all episodes of The Power of Partnership Podcast on the Center for Partnership Systems YouTube channel

Saving Walden’s World (Connecting with Jim Merkel) https://savingwaldensworld.org/

Books by Jim Merkel (https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/233048.Jim_Merkel)

The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future, Riane Eisler (https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/books/the-chalice-and-the-blade-our-history-our-future/)

The Power of Partnership: Seven Relationships that will Change Your Life, Riane Eisler (https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/books/the-power-of-partnership/)

Center for Partnership Systems (https://centerforpartnership.org/)

center@partnershipway.org

Resilience, Rising Appalachia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx17RvPMaQ8

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Join globally recognized wisdom futurist Karen Sands as she shares her remarkable journey from growing up under domination to championing collaboration and intergenerational partnerships. Karen reveals how critical it is for today’s workforce to harness the wisdom of all generations during this time of societal transformation. The episode includes information about Karen’s "Leading Women to Watch" initiative creating global networks of brilliant female minds, and her unique "honeybee mastery" approach to navigating life transitions. Essential listening for anyone ready to embrace their greatness and help create the collaborative future we need.

SUPPORT THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP PODCAST (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2207697/support)

Prefer to watch? You can also view all episodes of The Power of Partnership Podcast on the Center for Partnership Systems YouTube channel

Karen Sands website (https://www.karensands.com/) (including Leading Women to Watch List, and Swerve resources)

Karen Sands books (https://www.karensands.com/store/)

The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future, Riane Eisler (https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/books/the-chalice-and-the-blade-our-history-our-future/)

The Power of Partnership: Seven Relationships that will Change Your Life, Riane Eisler (https://centerforpartnership.org/resources/books/the-power-of-partnership/)

Center for Partnership Systems (https://centerforpartnership.org/)

center@partnershipway.org

Center for Partnership "Join Us" email link

Resilience, Rising Appalachia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx17RvPMaQ8

Support the show