Facing Reality

Leadership with a Spiritual Impact

Host Annmarie Hylton introduces the Project Good Podcast’s May theme, “leadership with a spiritual impact,” describing a global crisis of meaning, ethical leadership, information overload, and a shift from transactional to transformational leadership. She interviews Reverend Kevin Taylor—pastor, leadership advisor, and author of A Charge to Keep—about his upbringing in Ann Arbor, an exchange trip to Japan, attending Tuskegee University, and how urban ministry led him into education administration and governance. Taylor argues America’s spiritual roots matter most in how values show up in leadership, voting, and policy, and says fear and polarization keep people from naming beliefs while disagreeing respectfully. He calls for seeking common ground, improving inclusion, and rethinking outdated institutions like the size of Congress and the Supreme Court. He frames faith as a guide for humane workplace decisions, urges AI governance and accountability, and explains his book’s practical lessons on lonely leadership, mentorship, pacing, and integrity. Taylor closes by encouraging civic responsibility, learning from U.S. history, “changing your square,” and confronting climate-driven migration and resource challenges with shared humanity and hope. 00:00 Welcome to Project Good 01:55 Meet Reverend Kevin Taylor 04:27 Kevin’s Journey and Calling 08:53 Faith, Politics, and US Values 14:47 Fear, Identity, and Speaking Up 28:12 Finding the Happy Middle 34:34 What Leaders We Need Now 41:05 Faith at Work and Hope 44:29 AI, Governance, and the Future 51:09 Why He Wrote the Book 59:06 Leading Yourself Forward 01:06:03 Closing and Where to Learn More Rev. Kevin T. Taylor  is a pastor, leadership advisor, and the author of A Charge to Keep, a book exploring the real weight of authority and the decisions leaders must carry alone. Drawing from years of experience in ministry, executive leadership, and organizational governance, Kevin helps leaders think more clearly about responsibility, courage, and the cost of leadership. His work focuses on helping leaders move the decisions they’ve been carrying into action with clarity and integrity. Kevin is passionate about conversations that help leaders steward influence faithfully and lead with greater wisdom. You can find out more about Rev. Taylor at https://revkttaylor.com/

Fair Trade

Host Annmarie Hylton opens the Project Good Podcast’s May focus on fair trade, noting widespread global economic anxiety and trade’s historic injustices, then interviews Dr. Arisbe Mendoza, Director of Global Impact Advocacy and Partnerships at Fairtrade International. Mendoza shares how growing up amid inequality in Mexico and later living in Brazil shaped her work, and explains fair trade’s origins from 1940s alternative trade through the first label in 1988 and the founding of Fairtrade International in 1997, with independent auditing by FLOCERT. She outlines how standards protect producers via minimum price floors, premiums democratically invested in communities, and audits covering both producers and traders, while noting products must also be sold under fair trade conditions. The conversation covers certification for cooperatives and labor organizations, producer-network support, a women-led Indonesian coffee co-op using premiums for agroforestry and community health, alignment with SDGs, challenges from EU due-diligence rules like deforestation requirements, and ways consumers can help by buying Fairtrade-labeled products and participating in Fair Trade Month. 00:00 Welcome to Project Good 01:58 Meet Dr Mendoza 04:02 Her Story and Roots 07:05 Trade Policy and Prices 08:24 Fair Trade Origins 13:59 Standards and Protections 18:39 Certification and Audits 23:47 How the Premium Works 25:46 Indonesia Women Coffee Co-op 33:46 Fair Trade and the SDGs 40:03 Deforestation Rules and Advocacy 47:07 What Consumers Can Do 49:23 Why Fair Trade Matters 52:52 Closing and Resources Guest Bio Dr. Arisbe Mendoza is the Director of Global Impact, Advocacy and Partnerships at Fairtrade International. In her role she leads global advocacy, partnerships & program implementation, and impact teams driving alignment and global initiatives to deliver meaningful improvements for over 2 million Fairtrade producers across 70 countries. Her focus is on building strong collaborations, leveraging data and insights to inform strategy, enhancing fair sustainability compliance across the supply chain, and scaling effective programs that deliver impact to producers. During her earlier career she focused on  research, spending over 10 years leading projects on biodiversity, climate change, and socio-economic vulnerability, primarily in Brazil and Mexico and published 20 peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Ecological Economics and Food Chain.

Human Rights & Women in Iran

Annmarie Hylton introduces Project Good’s March focus on human rights and women in Iran, highlighting protests fueled by repression, gender inequality, and the death of Mahsa Amini. She interviews Iranian human rights activist Zolal Habibi of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, whose activism is shaped by her father’s death in the 1988 massacre. Habibi argues Iranians have fought dictatorship for over a century and reject both war and appeasement, emphasizing an organized resistance and “resistance units” inside Iran. She outlines the NCRI’s 10-point plan and a transition roadmap including a six-month interim government, elections, and a new constitution, stressing gender equality, abolition of the death penalty, and separation of religion and state. Habibi describes women’s long-building leadership role, predicts major change in 2026, and suggests ways outsiders can help through awareness, accountability, and support resources. 00:00 Welcome to Project Good 00:27 Iran Protests Context 01:55 Meet Zolal Habibi 03:38 Finding Strength in Activism 11:01 Why Iranians Keep Fighting 16:35 History of Foreign Interference 20:47 Resistance Units on the Ground 22:37 Roadmap After Regime Change 28:57 War and No Appeasement 36:33 Youth and Rejecting Monarchy 44:51 Why Women Lead the Movement 57:00 Crystal Ball for 2026 01:01:27 How the World Can Help 01:05:11 Closing and Resources   Guest Bio Zolal Habibi serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), where she advocates globally for a free, secular, and democratic Iran. With over two decades of dedicated activism, she has become a fierce advocate on behalf of the voiceless inside Iran, regularly appearing in international forums, human rights conferences, and live broadcasts across major media platforms. Zolal's activism began in her teens, profoundly shaped by the loss of her father—a respected Iranian writer and political dissident—who was killed by the regime during the 1988 massacre. This personal tragedy ignited a lifelong commitment to ensuring that no other family suffers such loss, and that the voices of Iran's political prisoners, dissidents, and freedom-seekers are heard on the world stage. Her work has directly contributed to securing international recognition of the 1988 massacre as a crime against humanity and the safe relocation of 3,000 at-risk dissidents from Iraq, demonstrating her ability to translate advocacy into tangible, life-saving outcomes.

Facing Reality

Annmarie Hylton introduces the Project Good Podcast’s theme, “2026 facing reality,” and interviews Robin Harris, a certified hypnotherapist, interfaith minister, and technologist focused on protecting human potential. Harris argues that beyond acknowledging global structural pressures, people must take responsibility rather than outsourcing power to institutions and technology, which she says is eroding critical thinking and compassion while deepening fear and polarization. She calls for responsible innovation that accounts for real community costs (jobs, electricity, water, local impacts like data centers), warns against seeking political “saviors,” and predicts 2026 will be a pivotal year when political and AI failures could force new laws and renewed civic engagement. Harris urges individuals to pursue self-discovery and unique potential over failing cookie-cutter paths, and advises leaders to prioritize “humanity first” and win-win solutions. 00:00 Welcome to Project Good 00:55 Meet Robin Harris 02:58 Tech Outsourcing and Human Decline 05:32 Responsibility Over Institutions 07:51 Responsible Innovation and Accountability 12:21 Generations and Legacy 17:34 Boiled Frog and Broken Narratives 21:36 The Oh Crap Wake Up Moment 29:01 Information Silos and Trust in Government 33:07 When Reality Hits Home 38:59 Critical Mass Awakening 45:29 Find Your Unique Path 54:27 Humanity First Closing

Globalization and Cultural Appropriation

In this episode of the Project Good podcast, host Annmarie Hylton explores the intricate topics of globalization and cultural appropriation with guest Professor Rina Arya. Professor Arya, a critical cultural theorist, shares her personal and academic journey examining the significance of cultural identity, migration, and marginalization. They discuss the power imbalances that arise when elements of marginalized cultures are adopted without proper understanding or respect, highlighting how globalization can both connect and exploit cultures. The conversation delves into how individuals and organizations can engage in ethical and informed cultural exchange. Professor Arya also provides insight into her forthcoming book on cultural appropriation, as well as her existing work exploring the lived experiences of South Asian psychiatrists in the UK. 00:00 Introduction to Project Good Podcast 00:26 Exploring Globalization and Cultural Appropriation 01:37 Interview with Professor Rina Arya 03:24 Personal Experiences with Cultural Appropriation 09:55 Defining Cultural Appropriation 14:24 The Impact of Cultural Appropriation on Food 22:01 Challenges of Equal Cultural Exchange 29:13 Reflecting on Cultural Plunder and Identity 29:27 Unraveling Historical Injustices 30:14 Awareness and Repatriation Efforts 33:13 Generational Perspectives on Cultural Identity 36:15 The Role of Social Media in Cultural Appropriation 40:31 Cultural Pride and Hybrid Identities 44:50 Power Dynamics and Global Shifts 52:27 Upcoming Book: Reclaiming the Debate on Cultural Appropriation 55:34 Final Thoughts and Collective Responsibility Professor Rina Arya is a critical and cultural theorist, Professor and Head of School of the Arts at Hull University and the co-author of the book Journey to the Centre of the Self which showcases the experiences of South Asian psychiatrists in the UK and provides insight into the significance of cultural identity, migration and marginalisation on their lives and work. Professor Arya initially  studied Art History at the University of Leicester which was followed by a MA in Theology at the University of Leeds and a PhD at the University of Glasgow on the expression and experience of the sacred in ‘Death of God’ culture resulting in her 2012 monograph Francis Bacon: Painting in a Godless World which was long-listed for the W. M. Berger Art History Prize.Her research areas include abjection and disgust, theology and visual art, the sociology of the sacred and visual religious studies. You can purchase Dr. Arya’s book  Journey to the Centre of the Self Exploring the Lived Experiences of South Asian Psychiatrists on Amazon and Cambridge University Press by going to Cambridge University Press https://www.cambridge.org/out [https://www.cambridge.org/out] and look out for her forthcoming Book Reclaiming The Debate on Culture Appropriation in the UK on Amazon