People in Common

'From Isolation to Community' with Shaka Senghor

Key Takeaways The Isolation Trap We're stuck. Millions of us share the same concerns. We even agree on most goals. But isolation prevents action. Shaka Senghor understands isolation better than most. Nineteen years in prison. Seven and a half in solitary confinement. During the pandemic, successful investors and professional athletes called him for help navigating their own isolation. His insight: we all carry hidden prisons. Grief. Anger. Shame. Trauma. Self-doubt. These invisible barriers hold us back more than any external circumstance. When we recognize this shared truth, it changes how we treat ourselves and each other. This is what People in Common addresses: the isolation that keeps people stuck despite shared goals. Community creates possibility. Shaka's work shows what happens when we move from individual concern to collective action. Freedom Is an Inside Job "I was incarcerated before I ever was arrested and I was free long before they let me out of prison. Freedom really is an inside job." This is the foundation of everything Shaka teaches - and why it matters right now when so many of us feel stuck. After his second parole denial following 18 years behind bars, he faced a choice: surrender to despair or transform from within. He chose hope. Through daily practices of journaling, meditation, and creative expression, Shaka discovered that "the most important is the conversation I have with myself." Internal dialogue shapes everything. Hidden Prisons We All Carry - And Practices That Free Us The practices that sustained Shaka through solitary confinement work for everyone. When people say they're too busy for the work that would end suffering, Shaka pushes back: "Intention creates the time." He journals whether for 10 minutes or an hour. The practice matters more than the duration. He says the unhealed part of us causes harm "until people are courageous enough to say, I'm going to break the cycle." Respect and Curiosity Bridge Everything Whether he's talking to Oprah Winfrey or Joe Rogan, Shaka approaches every conversation with respect and curiosity. Not because he agrees but because he'll have a conversation with anyone, as long as it's not "performative...I would rather us be completely disagreeable and authentic. That's an interesting conversation." This practice of genuine curiosity bridges supposedly unbridgeable divides. His work on criminal justice reform with both parties proves it: "When you start getting into how do we save kids dying from opioids and fentanyl, how do we allocate taxes well, how do we make sure people are being taken care of in our community? Those conversations without a doubt are always the same. We really want the same thing. We just don't know how to get there." The Literary Lounge: Individual Liberation Made Real On February 3rd, 2026, the Shaka Senghor Literary Lounge opened at Michigan Central Station in Detroit. His actual handwriting covers the walls - journals from prison, his first piece of fiction written on Michigan Department of Corrections paper. Books helped set Shaka free. Now he's built infrastructure where 1,000+ young people annually discover that same freedom. Individual liberation leads to collective transformation.‍‍‍ Action Opportunities * Read "How to Be Free" and subscribe to the "Hidden Prisons" newsletter at shakasenghor.com * Watch "Why Your Worst Deeds Don't Define You" (TED Talk with 1.8M views) * Visit and support the Shaka Senghor Literary Lounge * Practice the work that frees you and others: journal, have "the most important conversation" with yourself, approach difference with respect and curiosity, recognize the hidden prisons others carry and let it change how you treat them * Join People in Common's listener-matching system to connect with others ready to act locally (email podcast@jamaadams.com or reply "MATCH" to any episode post)

'Start Something Local' with Jama

Action Opportunities * Start something local this week: You don't need a budget, a board, a brand. Just one or two people who know good people, a room with good coffee, and the discipline to show up. Jama's playbook is available -- email her at innovators@jamaadams.com to request it. * Try the problem-solving format: Gather five to ten people you trust across different industries. Give one person with a real problem 45 minutes of the group's focus. Watch what happens. The framework is simple, the trust, curiosity, and a little bit of structure is key. * Share this episode with someone who's overwhelmed: Know someone who cares deeply but feels overwhelmed by the stakes or the scale? This episode is for them. * Connect with Jama: Follow her work at jamaadams.com or on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/jamaadams. If something in this episode sparks an idea for your own corner of the world, please share. * Follow People in Common: New episodes drop every other Tuesday through November. Each one is a different answer to the same question: What can WE do? Follow on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Key Takeaways ‍This episode is a little different. Jama's friend and Innovators community member Jon Bonanno turns the microphone around and interviews her -- and they end up going somewhere unexpected. Two years ago, Jama co-founded a monthly gathering in her hometown: entrepreneurs, builders, and community leaders, once a month, helping each other work through real problems. No budget. No pitch. Just a tight structure, a room full of generous people, and one rule: bring something you haven't figured out yet. One meeting became a community of 44. Twenty-two gatherings. Ten structured problem-solving sessions that changed real businesses, careers, and civic projects. A restaurant owner raised non-dilutive capital weeks before opening day using an idea the group generated in 45 minutes. A founder navigating a complex merger said a single session was "one of the most impactful things that shaped my trajectory as a leader." A group on the other side of the country adopted the model using Jama's documents, and held a successful first session without ever having seen it in person. The conversation covers how the community started, the "Help Me Solve This" framework, and what 25 years of coalition-building at the highest levels (Giving Pledge, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, the launch of a national Responsible AI Framework) taught Jama about what actually moves people. The answer keeps coming back to the same thing: values, trust, and showing up for each other. Near the end, Jama says something she keeps coming back to. When enormous stakes make any effort feel inadequate, the antidote is not doing more. It is doing something local. That is where it all begins. And it is replicable anywhere -- including your town, this week, with people you already know.

'Chaos to Clarity' with Tiana Epps-Johnson

"We spend the same amount on maintaining our parking facilities as we do on running elections." Elections are "the load-bearing beam of democracy and the civil rights issue of our time." Tiana Epps-Johnson, CEO of the Center for Tech and Civic Life, uses technology to prevent that beam from cracking under coordinated attacks targeting 8,000 election offices that represent the scaffolding of our democracy. ‍Action Opportunities Support CTCL's work: Donate to the Center for Tech and Civic Life at techandciviclife.org to help protect election infrastructure and support officials under threat. Volunteer as a poll worker: The single thing that most increases confidence in elections is a positive interaction with your local poll worker. Be that person. Get a front-row seat to democracy in action. Share accurate information: Combat chaos by helping people in your networks understand how elections actually work‍. Subscribe to CTCL's newsletter: Stay current with election administration stories, trainings, best practices, and updates from the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence at techandciviclife.org/our-work/election-officials/electricity Connect with Tiana: Follow her work on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/tianaej  Key Takeaways ‍1. Elections are the scaffolding holding democracy together. The 8,000 election offices nationwide operate as an interconnected web, the load-bearing beam of how we make decisions as a country. But this infrastructure runs on massive resource gaps - from $2 per voter in some jurisdictions to $60 in others - and officials increasingly under attack for doing their jobs. When the foundation cracks, everything falls. 2. Chaos itself is the weapon. Tiana draws a parallel to tactics used in the tobacco industry: when you can't win on facts, you make things so confusing that people give up and look away. Make the system overwhelming enough that people disengage entirely. The pattern is clear: 2016 cyber attacks, 2018 disinformation, 2020 pandemic exploitation, 2022 vitriol driving officials out, 2024-2025 foreign interference. Each wave designed to overwhelm, confuse, and break trust in the systems holding us together. 3. Translation work is the antidote. Tiana takes overwhelming election systems and helps people understand and engage with them - the same work this podcast tries to do with activism. CTCL publishes civic information accessed over 200 million times. Making the invisible visible, the complex actionable. Meeting people where they are with what they actually need. 4. Building networks vs. building walls. In 2022, Tiana launched the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, an $80 million, five-year program bringing together election officials, technologists, and designers across all 50 states. Officials from red counties and blue counties work together because they share something more fundamental than politics: commitment to protecting democracy's infrastructure through peer support rather than top-down mandates. 5. Defending democracy comes at a personal cost. In 2020, CTCL distributed $350 million to help local election offices run safe elections during COVID. The attacks that followed were unprecedented. Staying focused on mission when protecting democracy makes you a target requires resilience most of us don't have. Tiana and thousands of election officials do this work every day, often without recognition, frequently under threat.

'Protecting Elections Together' with Carolina Lopez

Carolina Lopez leads the Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions (PLEJ), a national network supporting the officials who run elections for more than 123 million Americans. When election officials face threats, natural disasters threaten polling places, or misinformation spreads, Carolina and her network are the first responders. It's all about "agility, resilience, and network." We talk about why elections matter to everything we hold dear, how PLEJ builds trust across deep political divides, and what it looks like when Republicans and Democrats work together to protect the foundation of our democracy. Carolina shares stories from her decade running elections in Miami-Dade County, explains how peer support works when officials come under attack, and offers concrete ways we can all show up for the people protecting democracy at the local level. The conversation gets real about the challenges election officials face, from armed interference to misinformation campaigns. And it also highlights an incredible network of dedicated public servants who refuse to be divided, who show up for each other across partisan lines, and who are more prepared than ever to protect our collective ability to participate in democracy. Action Opportunities Be a Prepared Voter: Ensure your voter registration is accurate. Confirm your polling location. Check your local election office website. Support Your Local Elections: Become a poll worker (there's a critical shortage) at powerthepolls.org Follow your local elections office; they're the subject-matter experts in your community When your local office is strapped for resources, show up: write a proactive op-ed, volunteer, send a letter to the board, or speak at a budget hearing Support the Work: Donate to PLEJ at taketheplej.org Follow @taketheplej on social media to stay informed For Election Officials: PLEJ-eligible election offices: Consider joining the network All election offices: Access PLEJ's nonpartisan, publicly available resources and operational forecasting tools at taketheplej.org Key Takeaways In a world where the integrity and efficiency of elections are crucial, Carolina Lopez is a beacon of hope and innovation. As the founding executive director of PLEJ, she is leading a transformative movement that connects large election jurisdictions across the United States. 1. The Birth of PLEJ: A Network for Election Officials Carolina Lopez founded PLEJ to create the first national nonprofit network for large election offices. The goal: foster collaboration and share best practices on things like "How do we get [voters] in and out the door quicker?" 2. The Village of Support: A Unique Approach Carolina describes a collaborative environment where election officials can share knowledge and resources. This collaborative approach not only enhances problem-solving but also builds a community among election officials, enabling them to navigate challenges more effectively. 3. Addressing Challenges to Elections Carolina highlights the importance of preparedness, especially in the face of threats, whether natural disasters, pandemics, or cybersecurity threats. She emphasizes the need for early detection of potential issues. "How do you communicate transparently?" 4. Continuous Improvement: Learning from Each Election "You're only as good as the last [election]." PLEJ serves as a platform for learning and sharing experiences, helping election officials adapt and grow with each election cycle. The focus on best practices ensures that every election is more efficient and voter-friendly than the last. Carolina Lopez is all about the power of collaboration and continuous improvement in elections. By fostering a support network among large election jurisdictions, PLEJ makes elections more efficient and ensures that the voices of voters are heard and respected. In an increasingly complex electoral landscape, the principles of transparency, preparedness, and community support are essential.

Baron Davis: Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Picking up where they left off dancing on stage, Baron tells Jama: "I think that's what dance has taught me is just like sports, be comfortable being uncomfortable." Baron Davis is a two-time NBA All-Star who led the league in steals twice and now invests in 26+ companies. He founded Business Inside the Game (BIG), connecting athletes, creators, and entrepreneurs, and Sports, Lifestyle in Culture (SLIC), which empowers creators through original content and IP development. Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable "I was just having fun. I was just kind of doing something that people wouldn't expect. I think it's overall just conquering the fear, like living outside your comfort zone." Baron's philosophy isn't just about movement. It's about taking action despite fear and learning faster by throwing yourself to the wolves. Show Up Ready, No Matter Who Shows Up "I was ready for 400 people but only four people showed up. If I'm ready like this every time, you never know when the 40 to the 400 are going to show up." You don't wait for perfect conditions. You show up prepared, stay consistent, and welcome whatever comes as a chance to learn rather than failure. Baron talks about the reality checks, the days that aren't the greatest. The question is: how do you overcome? How do you continue to push through? The answer is readiness. Present moment awareness. Always be learning. The 5% "The 5% in the corner having a good time become the gravitational pull for the other 95%." Change doesn't happen by convincing everyone. It happens when a core group is so aligned and energized that others naturally want to join. Media That Honors People Too much media focuses on "argumentative, debating, knocking people down" instead of honoring people's stories, their sacrifice, their full humanity. Baron's calling for media that celebrates the complete story. Where people come from, what they've sacrificed, who they are. "A lot of that makes up your story and your DNA." Quality and substance over noise. Learn From Mistakes "Here are the mistakes that I made...Here are the ways that I would definitely tell you to go the other way." The most valuable thing you can give someone isn't just your wins. It's the honest account of what didn't work, how you learned the hard way so they don't have to. Real roadmaps. Baron's Leadership Lessons "Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable" "Champions are made when nobody's around, when you're putting in the work behind closed doors" "Throw me to the wolves. I learn faster when I'm around wolves and sharks" "There is no failure, only incremental stages on the way to success" Action Opportunities Learn more: Business Inside the Game at bigsummits.com and @BIGsummits, SLIC Studios at slicsports.com, @BaronDavis on Instagram Be part of the 5%: Be comfortable being uncomfortable. Practice curiosity. Show up ready. Give someone the ball. Support entrepreneurs: Invest in companies from underrepresented founders. Attend BIG Summit events. Amplify creators through SLIC. Support companies that serve everyone, not just shareholders. Chapters 00:00 The Power of Dance and Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable 02:54 Cultural Shifts and the 5% Influence 05:53 Leadership vs. Individual Talent 08:40 The Responsibility of Storytelling 11:32 The Impact of Information Overload 14:34 Legacy and the Future of Culture 19:53 The Value of Storytelling in Community 22:17 Building Beloved Communities 23:51 The Shift in Community Engagement 26:20 Reevaluating Personal Values and Community 29:16 The Entrepreneurial Journey and Community Support 32:02 Navigating Entrepreneurship and Investor Relationships 34:56 Meeting People Where They Are 36:56 "There is no failure, only incremental stages on the way to success"