It Matters To Me

“Basically what we’re doing is trying to bridge this gap. We know the problems of climate change, we know the solutions, and what’s going to connect those two is community. It’s people." Welcome everyone to another episode of the It Matters To Me Podcast, a show that seeks out individuals dedicating their time and energy to non-profit causes that are bigger than themselves and the motivations behind that choice. Today I have on the show, Dakota Jones, professional ultra-runner and Executive Director of Footprints, a 501-c-3 non-profit in the U.S. that exists as an incubator for climate action. If you’re a particularly dedicated fan to the sport of trail-running, you might already know Dakota for some of his crazy fast times on courses like Hardrock or Transvulcania but what you might now know about him is his passion for addressing climate change. Originally from Colorado, Dakota, took the ultra-running scene by storm starting in 2011 and has used that notoriety to become a vocal advocate for environmental justice. The camps that Footprints put on are more than just a group of people getting together to run trails and simply talk about how they’d address climate change but instead is a chance for people who apply and are accepted into the program to put those words into action in their own communities. Offering the benefit of mentors who know simply how to get things done, Footprints gives runners the chance to turn their ideas and passions into something tangible that will hopefully go on to protect the outdoor places they love. Before we get started, I recently had the privilege of testing out some new running gear courtesy of Naked Sports Innovations and let me tell you, I can’t sing their praises enough. The waistband and hydration vest they sent is some of the most comfortable pieces of running gear I’ve used in years. I’ve actually just been leaving the waistband on all day because it’s so comfortable and useful. Made with an ultra-breathable mesh material, it fits snug around your waist and can carry poles, phone, water bottles, really whatever you feel like you’re going to need on your run. I’ll include a link in the show notes to their website for you to get your hands on some yourself and to check out some of their other products. Additional Links Footprints (Website): https://runfootprints.org/about Footprints Running Camp Video (Youtube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krWA8vni4F4&pp=ygUXZm9vdHByaW50cyBydW5uaW5nIGNhbXA%3D Footprints (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/footprintsrunning/ Dakota Jones (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/thatdakotajones/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/ Protect Our Winters (Website): https://protectourwinters.org/ Honnold Foundation (Website): https://www.honnoldfoundation.org/ Partners and Sponsors Naked: https://nakedsportsinnovations.com/

How does community and faith intersect with homelessness?Ian Stitt is the Executive Director of Network Coffeehouse and through his work, he shows how it can offer an alternative to individualism, greed, exclusivity, and the debilitating loneliness that seems to plague every corner of our worldAdditional Links Network Coffeehouse (Website): ⁠https://www.networkcoffeehouse.org/Network Coffeehouse (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/networkcoffeehouse/ Network Coffeehouse (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/networkcoffeehouseIt Matters To Me (Instagram):https://www.instagram.com/itmatterstomepodcastIt Matters To Me (YouTube): ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast⁠It Matters To Me (Website): ⁠https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/

For children with medical conditions that require complexmedical devices, it can be hard to feel like they fit in.Kay Newman created KiddoDitto to fix that and with her beautifully designed replicas that mirror each child and their medical needs, she’s helping them have the loving experience they all deserve.Additional Links KiddoDitto (Website): https://www.kiddoditto.org/It Matters To Me (Instagram):https://www.instagram.com/itmatterstomepodcastIt Matters To Me (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcastIt Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/

What does it mean to be Jewish in this moment? Rabbi Menachem director of the Jewish Outreach Initiative, a program nestled under the non-profit organization, Aish of the Rockies, helps people answer that question for themselves. Additional Links Jewish Outreach Initiative (Website): https://www.joidenver.com/ Jewish Outreach Initiative (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/joidenver Jewish Outreach Initiative (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/ JOIdenver/ Rabbi Menachem (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/lehrfield It Matters To Me (Instagram): ⁠https://www.instagram.com/itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (YouTube): ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast⁠ It Matters To Me (Website): ⁠https://itmatterstomepodcast.com

The bathroom is often the most private part of any home. But what if you don’t have a home? Showers For All, and its founder, Jenn Kloeppel, can’t give every person they serve their own home with their own bathroom but what they can offer to those living on the streets in Denver is a chance to take a shower and do their laundry for anyone who is struggling with homelessness and poverty. Additional Links Showers For All (Website): https://showersforall.org/ Showers For All (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/showersforall/ Showers For All (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/showersforall/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/itmatterstomepodcast⁠ It Matters To Me (YouTube): ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (Website): ⁠https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/

Stewardship goes further than just picking up trash. Becca Schild and the non-profit she leads, Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers, makes sure it’s a community driven event that nourishes not just the Roaring For Valley but also the people who give their time and energy. Additional Links Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (Website): https://www.rfov.org/ Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/rfovolunteers Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/RoaringForkOutdoorVolunteers/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): ⁠https://www.instagram.com/itmatterstomepodcast⁠ It Matters To Me (YouTube): ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (Website): ⁠https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/

Colorado’s fourteeners don’t maintain themselves you know. Brian Sargeant and the rest of the grew that makeup Colorado Fourteeners Initiative help ensure these towering peaks are here for generations to come through trail stewardship and public education. Additional Links Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (Website): https://www.14ers.org/ Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/colorado14ersinitiative/ Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/Colorado14ersInitiative It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/ Partners and Sponsors MagicMind: https://magicmind.com/itmatters20

Founded in Aspen, Colorado in January 2013, Huts For Vets provides at no cost to participants, wilderness and communal experiences as therapeutic healing for U.S. veterans and active-duty service members. Erik Villasenor is their Executive Director and being an Army veteran himself with combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan, he was once a participant at a retreat before stepping into the leadership role he has now. Additional Links Huts For Vets (Website): https://hutsforvets.org/ Huts For Vets (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/hutsforvets/ Huts For Vets (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBnZp3n-6whnzJ6A34UaJNg It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/ Partners and Sponsors Magic Mind: https://magicmind.com/

Back on My Feet bridges the gap between emergency resources and self-sufficiency to truly help someone recover from homelessness, addiction, and often both. They empower members to break free from those cycles through the unrelenting power of fitness, community support, and employment resources. Additional Links Back on My Feet (Website): https://backonmyfeet.org/ Back on My Feet (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/backonmyfeet/ Back on My Feet (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/user/BackonMyFeetNational/videos  It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/

Climate change... a topic we're all too familiar with but still have so much to learn about. Aspire Adventure Running organizes single and multi-day running adventures across Cascadia and Northern California. This year, they hosted their first Climate Summit to bring together professionals from all walks of life to discuss current research, technologies, and trends in this ongoing debate. Additional Links Aspire Adventure Running (Website): https://www.aspireadventurerunning.com/ Aspire Adventure Running (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/aspire.adventure.running/?hl=en Aspire Adventure Running (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/aspireadventurerunning/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/

She has a runner’s body. It is also a body that lost 200lbs and has run 100-mile ultras and climbed mountains. All after enduring years of mistreatment from overeating, undereating, binge eating and no eating. Callie Vinson is an ultra-runner and advocate for body diversity and inclusivity within outdoor sports. She shares her deeply personal story in hopes it’ll inspire you to think twice about what’s holding you back. Additional Links Callie Vinson (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/callievinsonn/ Callie Vinson (Outside Magazine): https://www.outsideonline.com/health/running/culture-running/people/callie-vinson-believes-in-herself/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/

Born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Claire took her passion for skiing to the next level when she co-founded SheJumps alongside the professional freeskier, Lynsey Dyer and journalist, Vanessa Pierce in 2007. Since then, SheJumps has created over 46,000 opportunities for women and girls to get outside by offering a variety of outdoor activities ranging from wilderness survival and mountaineering to technical maintenance and skill-building clinics. We talk about what is was like to start SheJumps at the age of 22 and how its mission has grown over the last 16 years to include people who may not have the easiest access to wild landscapes. We also talk about the challenges young women and girls face in participating in the outdoors compared to men and the small but meaningful changes that need to happen to address that. Additional Links SheJumps (Website): https://www.shejumps.org/ SheJumps (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/shejumps/?hl=en SheJumps (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/SheJumps/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/ Partners and Sponsors Naked: https://nakedsportsinnovations.com/

Sexual assault and Type 2 Diabetes are hard enough to process on their own but combined, they can be almost insurmountable. Sydney Williams navigated her way through those experiences on a hike across the Trans-Catalina Trail and is now helping others do the same through her 501c3, Hiking My Feelings. Additional Links Hiking My Feelings (Website): https://hikingmyfeelings.org/ Hiking My Feelings (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/hikingmyfeelings/ Hiking My Feelings (Book): https://hikingmyfeelings.org/hiking-my-feelings-book Hiking My Feelings (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/c/hikingmyfeelings It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@itmatterstomepodcast It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/

They might be younger, faster, or have a bigger engine.... but you can Suffer Better. Peter Downing and Bob Africa are using Suffer Better to tap the inexhaustible commitment of the endurance athlete community to preserve and protect our natural environment while improving local communities. Additional Links Suffer Better (Website): https://sufferbetter.com/about Suffer Better (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/sufferbetter/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/ Partners and Sponsors Naked: https://nakedsportsinnovations.com/

“I think anyone will have their own definition of what that means to them and I think for me and for Rising Hearts it really embodies, you know, the passion and the commitment to what you love and care about the most that truly makes it the work that’s coming from the heart.”  Thanks for tuning in to another episode of the It Matters To Me Podcast, a show where we highlight people working alongside nonprofits that intersect with the outdoors.  Jordan Marie Whetstone, professional athlete, advocate, and founder of Rising Hearts, an Indigenous-led grassroots group devoted to elevating Indigenous voices and promoting intersectional collaborative efforts across all movements with the goals of racial, social, climate, and economic justice.  As a 4th generation runner, Jordan garnered national headlines during her 2019 Boston Marathon race where she ran on behalf of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) with a red hand painted across her face to symbolize the silent voices taken. Through her advocacy work, Jordan's primary focuses are to inform, elevate, mobilize, and organize through strategic and targeted advocacy, establishing collaborative partnerships to help create a better and safer future and environment for all of our relatives who inhabit this planet, past, present and future. Additional Links   Rising Hearts (Website): https://www.risinghearts.org/  Rising Hearts (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/rising_hearts/  Jordan Marie Whetstone (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/nativein_la/  It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/  It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/  Jordan’s Website: https://www.jordanmariedaniel.com/film  Rising Hearts Documentary Film: https://youtu.be/vAbapAmkjFo     Partners and Sponsors Naked: https://nakedsportsinnovations.com/ 

“That’s really become my focus, that’s what I like to think of my niche, my differentiator on Youtube is I’m taking viewers to places they maybe forget having been but maybe never would’ve thought of going to.” Welcome everyone to another episode of the It Matters To Me Podcast, a show that seeks out the passions in all of our lives and the motivations behind why we pursue them. Today I have the one and only, Jeff Pelletier, professional ultra-runner and filmmaker. You might know Jeff from some of his wildly popular and simply beautiful documentary films about trail-running all over YouTube these days. Hailing from Vancouver, Jeff has traveled the world and filmed his adventures in places like Namibia, France, Patagonia, Georgia, really the list just goes on and on. Finding running, specifically trail-running at a later age in his late twenties and early thirties, Jeff has made quite a name for himself in the endurance community. And while he maybe isn’t setting course records at races like Western States, he’s encouraging more and more people to get outdoors through his films and work. Knowing this was going to be my 50th episode, I really wanted to have someone on that I think embodies the narrative of this show, of finding that one thing in our life that gives us pure joy, and Jeff is just the perfect person to do that. Before we get started, I recently had the privilege of testing out some new running gear courtesy of Naked Sports Innovations and let me tell you, I can’t sing their praises enough. The waist band and hydration vest they sent are some of the most comfortable pieces of running gear I’ve used in years. I’ve actually just been leaving the waist band on all day because it’s so comfortable and useful. Made with an ultra-breathable mesh material, it fits snugly around your waist and can carry poles, phone, water bottles, really whatever you feel like you’re going to need on your run. I’ll include a link in the show notes to their website for you to get your hands on some yourself and to check out some of their other products. Additional Links Jeff Pelletier (Website): https://jeffpelletier.com/ Jeff Pelletier (Youtube): https://www.youtube.com/@JeffPelletier/videos Jeff Pelletier (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/jpelletier/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/ Partners and Sponsors Naked: https://nakedsportsinnovations.com/

“My promise to my readers is I’m going to be honest and I’m going to be fair and when we’re explaining the issue at the top, like I will be as neutral and balanced in that section as I can.” Welcome everyone to the It Matters To Me Podcast, a show that seeks out the passions in all of our lives and the motivations behind why we pursue them. Joining me on this episode is Isaac Saul, the voice and curator of Tangle News. Isaac is a politics reporter who grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, one of the most politically divided places in the United States. In 2020, he created Tangle in an attempt to get people out of their information bubbles and only hearing stories that reaffirmed their existing beliefs. His dream has been to create the most trusted brand in political news — all inside a newsletter you can read in just 10 minutes a day and a daily podcast that synthesizes major news events into a format free from political punditry. What really drew me to interviewing him though was recognizing how much work Isaac has put into making Tangle what it is today. And even though I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a news junkie, I do like to have at least a high-level understanding of what’s happening around the world and I’ve really enjoyed listening to Tangle every day to get that information. From how he takes a single story and turns it into a newsletter and podcast to how he manages the stress of being on a daily deadline, our conversation is a peak behind the curtain into how Tangle is fast becoming people’s go-to news source. Additional Links Tangle News (Website): ⁠https://www.readtangle.com/⁠ Tangle News (Youtube): ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tanglenews⁠ Tangle News (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/tangle.news/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): ⁠https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/⁠ It Matters To Me (Website): ⁠https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/⁠ Sunsama App: ⁠https://www.sunsama.com/⁠ Isaac’s most extreme political view (Why prisons don’t work): https://www.readtangle.com/evidence-prisons-dont-work/

“Some of the most meaningful… some of the most emotional things I’ve experienced as an RD [Hardrock Run Director] has been standing at the finish line and what kissing that rock means to people.” Welcome everyone to the It Matters To Me Podcast, a show that seeks out the passions in all of our lives and the motivations behind why we pursue them. With me on this episode is Dale Garland, Race Director for the one and only Hardrock Endurance Run. First held in 1992, this 100-mile race icon of the ultra-running community celebrates the legacies of the Hardrock miners that used to live in and around the town of Silverton, Colorado. After serving in the Army just after high school, Dale became the race director and makes it a priority to maintain its goal of celebrating every single person who participates, whether they come in first place or dead last. One thing I kept harping on in our talk was just the shared sense of community you feel even if you’re only at Hardrock to watch other people run. And it’s absolutely true because, for me, I’ll always remember my first Hardrock experience back in 2021 and how everyone was treated with a genuine welcoming attitude. Like every episode that features running in some way, I try to steer away from the usual talking points of training plans, nutrition, and god forbid I use the word “bonk”. Thankfully that’s still true for this one and I hope makes it something any non-runner can listen to and enjoy. Alright, let’s get to it, here’s my talk with Dale Garland Additional Links Hardrock Endurance Run (Website): https://www.hardrock100.com/ Hardrock Endurance Run (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/hardrock100run/ It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/ Kissing The Rock (Film by Matt Trappe): https://vimeo.com/232655585

“When we’re able to step into the shoes of that person who’s struggling, people start to open their minds about what their willing to allow to be an ok answer to helping those people and I think psychedelic healing is really starting to jump into that lane and into the driver seat.” Welcome everyone to the It Matters To Me Podcast, a show seeks out the passions in all of our lives and the motivations behind why we pursue them. With me on this episode is Sam Chapman, Executive Director for the nonprofit organization, Healing Advocacy Fund.   With over a decade of experience in advocating for progressive drug policy reforms at the local, state, and national level, Sam co-authored House Bill 3460 in 2013 that legalized medical marijuana dispensaries. More recently, he’s served as the Campaign Manager for Measure 109 in Oregon, the law that legalized the first ever psilocybin therapy program in the United States.   We talk about how his upbringing in Oregon helped pave the way in his fight for psychedelic therapies to become publicly available and how Oregon is setting the standard for other states to follow in their legislative footsteps. We also get into where the future of legal psychedelic therapies can go and why it’s important to learn from the mistakes over the past decade in legalizing cannabis sales. Full of great insights into how the tools we use to support mental health are starting to evolve, our conversation really hits home and is one I hope you’ll enjoy. Additional Links: Healing Advocacy Fund (Website):  https://healingadvocacyfund.org/   Healing Advocacy Fund (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/healingadvocacyfund/   It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/   Oregon Measure 109: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Oregon_Ballot_Measure_109   Colorado Prop 122: https://www.denverpost.com/2022/11/08/colorado-results-prop-122-legalizing-psilocybin-psilocin-mushrooms/

“The people that you share the experience with and the land that you are traversing are really the two most important things and how they make you feel.” Welcome everyone to the It Matters To Me Podcast, a show that seeks out the passions in all of our lives and the motivations behind why we pursue them. Today, my guest is Rickey Gates, professional runner and writer whose most recent book, Cross Country, is a first-hand account of his 2017 journey across the United States on foot. Rickey’s career has always stood out to me not just because of his physical accomplishments but more due to his ability to bring a different, experiential side to running. His relationship with the sport has evolved over the years and with that has come a sincere wish to help others experience running that doesn’t involve setting course records or finish line medals. For years now, Rickey has put together guided running trips that include, Hut-Run-Hut, which is a six-day, one-hundred-mile, Aspen-to-Vail mountain running adventure with a priority of fun over fast. If you’ve heard any of the other episodes with professional runners, you know I try to stay away from any sort of dialogue around training regiments or race-day nutrition because I believe that running can be so much more than a competition against a clock. And true to form, this was a conversation focused more on the personal growth a runner goes through over their career and less about the stats behind their name. Additional Links: Rickey Gates (Website): http://www.rickeygates.com/ Rickey Gates (Instragram): https://www.instagram.com/rickeygates/?hl=en It Matters To Me (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/ It Matters To Me (Website): https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/ Bus Run Bus: http://busrunbus.com/ Santa Fe Fastpack: http://www.rickeygates.com/santa-fe-fastpack Hut Run Hut: http://hutrunhut.com/ A Walk Across America: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122781.A_Walk_Across_America