Democracy on Trial, Part Two: Benjamin Wittes ’91 on the Justice Department, Authoritarian Drift, and How Citizens Push Back

Billion-Dollar Giving: Cecilia Conrad on Changing How Philanthropy Funds Big Ideas

People closest to the world’s biggest problems often have the best solutions. They just don’t always have access to the dollars needed to bring them to life. That belief is at the center of Cecilia Conrad’s work to rethink how philanthropists find and fund big ideas. In this episode of Running to the Noise, Oberlin College President Carmen Twillie Ambar speaks with Conrad, founding CEO of Lever for Change, the nonprofit that has helped direct more than $2.5 billion toward high-impact organizations around the world. Before entering philanthropy, Conrad spent years in academia as an economist and professor focused on equity, access, and opportunity. A Stanford-trained economist and former managing director at the MacArthur Foundation, she now helps donors identify and support innovative organizations whose ideas might otherwise go overlooked. Ambar and Conrad discuss how traditional philanthropy often relies on invitation-only networks that can miss promising ideas and organizations. The conversation centers on how efforts like Lever for Change and MacArthur’s 100&Change are opening those doors wider, helping philanthropists discover solutions they might never have otherwise encountered. The episode also explores Oberlin’s tradition of bold, unconventional thinking, including its distinction as the nation’s leading liberal arts college producer of MacArthur “genius grant” fellows. From there, the discussion turns to the evolving role of philanthropy, the responsibilities that come with concentrated wealth, and how major donors decide which ideas and organizations to support. Finally, the conversation closes with Cecilia’s thoughtful advice for Oberlin graduates and anyone stepping into the workforce who is interested in nonprofit work, philanthropy, and finding a meaningful way to leave their mark on their career and community. WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE * Cecilia Conrad’s path from academia to philanthropy * How Lever for Change has helped move more than $2.5 billion to organizations around the world * Why traditional philanthropy can overlook innovative organizations and ideas * The origins of MacArthur’s 100&Change competition and open-call philanthropy * How billionaires and major donors think about risk, trust, and impact * What Conrad learned from leading the MacArthur Fellows Program * Why creativity and innovation often emerge from interdisciplinary thinking * The importance of mentorship, friendship, and “diffusers” in sustaining leadership * Oberlin’s culture of creativity, innovation, and public purpose * What it means to “run to the noise” in philanthropy and leadership EPISODE LINKS * Learn more about Lever for Change [https://leverforchange.org/about-us/] * Learn more about MacArthur Fellows [https://www.macfound.org/programs/awards/fellows/] * Meet Oberlin’s 15th “Genius”  [https://www.oberlin.edu/news/historian-jennifer-l-morgan-86-wins-macarthur-fellowship] * Learn more about 100&Change [https://www.macfound.org/programs/awards/100change/] * Read more about Cecilia Conrad [https://www.oberlin.edu/news/cecilia-conrad-deliver-commencement-address-class-2026] * Learn more about Oberlin College Commencement 2026 [https://www.oberlin.edu/commencement] * Subscribe to Running to the Noise [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast] * Follow Oberlin College on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/oberlincollege/], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/oberlincollege], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/school/oberlin-college/posts/?feedView=all]

The Power of an Oberlin Education

In this special spring episode of Running to the Noise, President Carmen Twillie Ambar reflects on what makes Oberlin College and Conservatory a place where students don’t just imagine change—they step up and make it happen. From student-led initiatives to alumni shaping fields as diverse as the arts, artificial intelligence, public policy, and journalism, this episode brings together stories rooted in the Oberlin experience—time on an extraordinary campus where a top-tier college of arts and sciences and a world-class conservatory are seamlessly intertwined, and where a long tradition of educating leading scholars and musicians continues to evolve. Through excerpts from conversations with artists and innovators drawn from the past three seasons, we hear how Oberlin shaped their paths—from Broadway stages and opera houses to breakthroughs in machine learning, efforts to address climate and conservation challenges, bestselling novels, and national policy debates. These are not just careers—they are contributions that influence how we understand the world and how we live in it. At the heart of each story is a shared mindset: a willingness to take risks, embrace complexity, and, as Michelle Obama once said of Oberlin students, “run to the noise.”  FEATURED GUESTS  * LaTanya Hall [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-19] – Associate Professor of Jazz Voice, Oberlin Conservatory * Georgia Heers [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-19] (Class of 2021) – Broadway performer (Good Night, and Good Luck) * Thomas Dietterich [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-23] (Class of 1977) – AI pioneer and professor emeritus, Oregon State University * Rumaan Alam [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-17] (Class of 1999) – Bestselling author (Leave the World Behind, Entitlement) * Tamara Jade [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-25] (Class of 2012) – Singer, actor, and performer (The Voice, HBO, Lincoln Center) * Benjamin Wittes Part 1 [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-24]; Part 2 [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-24-2] (Class of 1991) – Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; Editor-in-Chief of Lawfare * Limmie Pulliam [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast/running-noise-episode-14] – Operatic tenor and Oberlin Conservatory alumnus EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS * Mentorship that transforms lives: LaTanya Hall and Georgia Heers discuss the power of trust, discipline, and artistic growth in the conservatory model. * AI, ethics, and the liberal arts: Tom Dietterich explains how Oberlin shaped his approach to machine learning and complex global challenges. * Writing without fear: Rumaan Alam reflects on how Oberlin fostered creative risk-taking and intellectual courage. * Artistry without limits: Tamara Jade shares how Oberlin empowered her to embrace multiple creative identities—and disrupt expectations. * Finding your path: Benjamin Wittes on pivoting from fiction to journalism—and why close reading, critical thinking, and civic engagement matter now more than ever. * Resilience and return: Limmie Pulliam’s journey back to the stage shows why it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.. WHAT YOU’LL TAKE AWAY * Why Oberlin students “err on the side of doing” * How mentorship, community, and curiosity shape lifelong success * The importance of embracing complexity—and rejecting easy answers * What it really means to “run to the noise” in your own life  Listen now and discover how Oberlin students and alumni are changing the world—for good!

From Big Dreams to City Hall: Ali Najmi ’06 on Electing Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Reshaping New York’s Courts

A decade ago, Ali Najmi ’06 ran for city council in Queens and lost. But that loss forged a partnership and a political foundation that would eventually help propel Zohran Mamdani to the mayor’s office in New York City. Today, Ali sits at the center of power in the nation’s largest city as Mayor Mamdani’s election lawyer, trusted advisor, and chair of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary. From organizing immigrant communities to reshaping New York’s criminal and family courts, Ali’s story is about representation, persistence, and what it takes to move from insurgent campaigns to the hard work of governing. In this episode of Running to the Noise, President Carmen Ambar speaks with Ali about identity, authenticity in politics, and the courage to dream big. They explore what it means to build coalitions across communities, to lose and learn, and to carry big ambitions into real institutional power. Ali reflects on belief as a political force. Belief in yourself. Belief in your community. Belief that what sounds unrealistic today can become institutional reality tomorrow. From a hookah bar conversation about running for mayor to reshaping the city’s judiciary, his journey is a reminder that dreaming big is only the beginning. The work that follows is what turns vision into change. What We Cover in This Episode: ● Growing up in Queens as the son of immigrants and becoming the first in his family to graduate from college and law school ● Leadership at Oberlin, including organizing for a permanent Muslim prayer space on campus ● What he learned from running for city council and losing ● The origins of his partnership with Mayor Zohran Mamdani ● Lessons from insurgent campaigns and multiracial coalitions ● How authenticity and affordability became winning political messages  ● The transition from campaigning to governing ● The work of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary and why criminal and family court judges shape daily life in New York City ● What it means to run to the noise in public service Episode Links Mayor Mamdani Appoints Ali Najmi as Chair of Mayor’s Advisory Committee on the Judiciary [https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-mamdani-appoints-ali-najmi-as-chair-of-mayor-s-advisory-co] Mayor Zohran Mamdani Appoints Christine Clarke to Lead the New York City Commission on Human Rights [https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-zohran-mamdani-appoints-christine-clarke-to-lead-the-new-y] Who’s who in Zohran Mamdani’s administration?: Meet the folks who are running New York City [https://www.cityandstateny.com/magazine/?oref=csny-nav] Office of the Mayor of New York City [https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office] Running to the Noise podcast archive [https://www.oberlin.edu/news-and-events/running-to-the-noise-podcast] Oberlin College and Conservatory [https://www.oberlin.edu/]

Cutting Through The Noise: Tamara Jade, EJ Marcus, and Seyquan Mack on Creativity, Community, and Building a Career That Lasts

What does it take to get your talent noticed today? How do you sell your skills without selling out? In this wide-ranging and practical conversation on Running to the Noise, Oberlin President Carmen Twillie Ambar brings together three young multihyphenate alums navigating today’s volatile creative economy: Tamara Jade ’12 (The Voice, HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show), EJ Marcus ’19 (comic and staff writer on HBO’s I Love LA), and Seyquan Mack ’21 (model, vocalist, and teaching artist). They talk candidly about what it takes to build momentum in saturated industries where talent alone is no longer enough. From opera stages and writers’ rooms to TikTok feeds and global ad campaigns, each guest traces how discipline, adaptability, and self-belief shaped their paths, and why visibility now plays a role alongside craft. But this episode goes deeper than career advice. It’s also a conversation about survival, agency, and belonging. The guests reflect on money, burnout, rejection, and the pressure to attract online followers, while making a powerful case for community over hyper-individualism. They explore what it means to pivot without losing your center, to use social platforms without being consumed by them, and to create work that still feels honest in a metrics-driven world. At its heart, this is a conversation about running toward uncertainty instead of away from it, about turning discomfort into momentum, and noise into opportunity. What We Cover in this Episode * Why multihyphenate careers are becoming the norm in creative industries * How opera training builds transferable discipline for other art forms * The role of social media and visibility in getting hired, and how to stay authentic * What “pivoting” really looks like when industries shift or work dries up * Why community matters more than resilience alone * How to think about money, stability, and creative freedom at the same time * What it means to “run to the noise” as an artist in an uncertain world Episode Links Tamara Jade [https://www.instagram.com/tamarajademusic] Seyquan Mack [https://www.instagram.com/sey.mack] EJ Marcus [https://www.tiktok.com/@ejhavingfun] Tamara Jade on The Voice (NBC) [https://www.instagram.com/reels/DTOFvX9EsUA/] Season 19 Top 9 [https://www.nbc.com/the-voice/video/coaches-blake-kelly-john-and-gwen-take-a-look-at-the-top-9-artists-the-voice-lives-2020/4276646] Tamara Jade on Freedom, Faith, and the Power of Using Every Part of Her Voice [https://www.broadwayblack.com/tamara-jade-press-play-lincoln-center-theatre-jeanine-tesori-blue/] I Love LA (HBO) [https://www.hbomax.com/shows/i-love-la/cd7ce855-0cfa-414e-8762-ed65ae036e04] EJ’s episode on Hacks [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33383969/?ref_=nm_knf_epp_sm_1] TV debut as Nico, the nervous PA on “Hacks” [https://www.instagram.com/p/DJs_pVPxbh8/]/ Real-time reaction  [https://www.tiktok.com/@ejhavingfun/video/7504922711118859550] Seyquan Mack: State [https://www.statemgmt.com/new-york/new-york-lifestyle/men/2974904/seyquan-mack] 10 Management [https://www.10mgmt.com/portfolios/seyquan-mack] Tony-Winning AIDS Epidemic Epic Remains Relevant [https://oberlinreview.org/16021/arts/tony-winning-aids-epidemic-epic-remains-relevant/]

Democracy on Trial, Part Two: Benjamin Wittes ’91 on the Justice Department, Authoritarian Drift, and How Citizens Push Back

In the second half of their urgent conversation on Running to the Noise, Oberlin College President Carmen Twillie Ambar and Benjamin Wittes ’91 turn from the Supreme Court to the Justice Department. They dig into what happens when the power to prosecute is steered toward political ends. Together, they confront the implications of government lawyers misleading judges, career public servants being purged or sidelined, and federal prosecutions increasingly targeting political opponents with little regard for long-standing norms. Wittes, a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and co-founder and editor-in-chief of Lawfare, explains why the politicization of the Justice Department represents a distinct and dangerous inflection point for American democracy. Drawing on decades of reporting, relationships, and institutional knowledge, he illuminates why cases involving figures such as James Comey and Letitia James may be some of the clearest examples of vindictive prosecution in modern U.S. history. But this conversation is not just about institutions in distress. It is also about responsibility, imagination, and courage. Speaking directly to Oberlin students and young listeners, Wittes traces his own evolution from cautious, nonpartisan think-tank scholar to outspoken pro-democracy activist — projecting Ukrainian flags onto embassies, planting symbolic sunflowers, and rediscovering the defiant spirit he once had as an Oberlin student. His message is clear: civic virtue is not theoretical. This is a conversation about law, but also about hope, agency, and what it means to run toward the noise when democratic commitments are tested. What We Cover in this Episode * Why the politicization of the Justice Department poses a unique threat to democratic norms * How misleading federal courts and purging career professionals erode institutional capacity and public trust * What “vindictive prosecution” looks like in practice, and why the cases against James Comey and Letitia James are so troubling * How shifts inside the FBI and DOJ could shape the rule of law for decades * Why bipartisan commitments to prosecutorial restraint once held — and what it means that they no longer do * Benjamin Wittes’s journey from nonpartisan analyst to visible pro-democracy activist * A concrete call to Oberlin students and young citizens to stay engaged, resist intimidation, and act creatively in defense of democratic values Episode Links Lawfare https://www.lawfaremedia.org [https://www.lawfaremedia.org] Brookings Institution – Governance Studies https://www.brookings.edu/topic/governance-studies [https://www.brookings.edu/topic/governance-studies] Ralph Waldo Emerson “Politics” [https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/transcendentalism/authors/emerson/essays/politics.html] CNN Justice Department confirms in court filing it may prosecute Comey again [https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/09/politics/james-comey-dan-richman-justice-department-prosecuting] NYT A Grand Jury Again Declines to Re-Indict Letitia James [https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&d=DwMFaQ&e=&m=HX0cJQygQGf3jNXzpMsla3r7a169lS14TnS17TfzoWQV-A2dRUuFztVTHYoWMbLT&r=VN9xOCKl6xjt2MRZdWJdT-y7aTER-AC4g_S2GZimnyU&s=OYVggnZ1g6GPXN1yxd3iSRJWuJD93TYFNxMT3ecnfoQ&u=https-3A__www.nytimes.com_2025_12_11_us_politics_grand-2Djury-2Dletitia-2Djames.html-3Fcampaign-5Fid-3D60-26emc-3Dedit-5Fna-5F20251211-26instance-5Fid-3D167826-26nl-3Dbreaking-2Dnews-26regi-5Fid-3D208833436-26segment-5Fid-3D212134-26user-5Fid-3D36561bc04513695ca7eb4a51793113c8]