Project Spiral

What is a Vaquita (hint: look up a picture, you won’t regret it), and can it hold the key catalyze real environmental change? Tune in today to hear Aidan Bodeo-Lomicky describe his life-long fight for animal rights and the work of his new organization, Animal Counsel.Is the best way to promote environmental causes through working as a scientist or as a lawyer? And if right now environmental protection at a federal level is impossible...what do we do then? Is it actually naive to believe we can still make change and reverse this downward spiral? Listen to find out.Plus, Tim reveals what he and his friends actually do at night, and Abigail makes the ultimate sacrifice for audio quality.

What do ancient Scottish leaders, mint plants, and optimism have in common?Meet Aileen McKay, a self described "English editor, tutor, creative, writer, facilitator, and optimist” based in Edinburgh, Scotland. In this episode, we discuss how feminism inspires Aileen's advocacy for Scottish independence - even through the failed independence referendum in 2014. How can we advocate for change through many of the current political challenges. We also explore outreach to men to be allies in feminism.Plus, tune in to hear Tim's rhapsodize on the relationship between Brazil and the color yellow, and Abbie rave about a problematic 5th century Byzantine queen.

Sam Bliss doesn’t just wish for markets based on gift-giving and free food - he actively tries to make that a reality. Sam works with Food Not Cops, a chapter of Food Not Bombs based in Burlington, VT. For more than 6 years, Sam and his colleagues prepare and distribute food to the broader community, including the unhoused population but also to others in the community. We discuss how anarchism can actually mean trust in communities to self-regulate and how to imagine a world where consumption is based on care, not monetary wealth. If you want to do something to get involved feeding people, but don't know where to start, this is a great episode for you. Plus, tune in to hear Abbie reveal her hidden kitchen preferences, Tim disclose his complicated hair-care, and the group wonder if sheep are literal, or metaphorical.

"That's cute that you care,"  “Just wait until you’re a bit older, then you’ll see how the world actually works.” “Don’t you think you’re being a bit unrealistic?” Everyone who's dared to hope that change is possible have met people who throw wet blankets over fresh ideas. And often that's enough to kill hope when its struggling to survive. So what can we do about it?  In this episode Tim and Abbie discuss not only how to keep hope or a dream alive, but why, honestly, we don't have a choice. Also tune in to hear epic role play between Tim the Boomer and Abbie the Get Z activist and listen up for the segment AI labeled as "Academic Humility in Action." 

Shall we take a trip to the Museum of Almost Realities? April Soetarman makes art that lets us see the multitude of choices (or sometimes lack of choices), in our own lives and the world around us. Based in Queens, New York, April uses public facing art, interactive creative pieces, board games, and more to get people to pause and think about their agency in different ways. We discuss how to find the hope and motivation to create art in this upside-world. How do you balance marketing with creation? How do you catch someone's attention? And how do you care for yourself when you're just so tired. Plus - tune in to hear Tim bring in his pal Patti, and to hear Abbie make a bold proposal of friendship. Follow April here:Shop: shop.weirdsideprojects.com(the shop reopens for May 5-30th, 2025) @AprilSoetarman on Instagram and Bluesky @WeirdSideProjects on InstagramWebsite: AprilSoetarman.comSign up for playtests and private updates for Working Artist Board Game, a board game about being a working artist under capitalism: https://bit.ly/waboardgame

The courts won't save us now.. So what do we do now? Trump’s second term mission is to overwhelm the judicial system in order to do what he wants - including the recent detention of Mahmoud Khalil - so much so that knowing how to even start resisting can feel impossible. Connor Thompson offers some ideas. As a lawyer from the famed Civil Rights battleground of Little Rock, Arkansas, Connor offers invaluable support to protesters on the ground in support of Black lives and the arbitrary detention of migrants. We discuss other roles that play essential parts in organizing, like the ability to host and provide meals and community, as well as how to use one’s societal privilege when engaging in civil disobedience. If you're feeling hopeless and powerless to do anything right now, this is a great episode for you. Plus, tune in to hear Abbie swooning over Connor's extensive vocabulary and Tim fighting tooth and nail against interruptions. 

Climate change can feel like the hardest thing to have hope in right now. But who better to discuss than someone who is literally getting her PhD on hope! Meet Anna-Zoë Herr, a Berlin-based researcher who studies the role of hope in ecological crises and survival.  She also works with the Berlin-based NGO Talking Hope, focusing on research and designing communication and engagement strategies. Now you see what we mean - she's the perfect person to talk to!!In this episode, we discuss what hope can look like even in a world that tilts a direction we don’t want (increasingly autocratic governments, a world heated above scientist’s point of no return, etc) by imagining what can be done even with those realities. Zoë pulls from scientific studies, theory, and real life examples that show the greatest antidote to hopelessness is to find something, even little, in which to hope. Also tune in to hear Timmy considering a future as a "cool German girl" and Abbie contemplating marriage dynamics in rural Iceland. TW: Violence against animals. 

We're back to kickoff our new theme: how to find Hope! And who better to join us today than the brilliant Nada Hamida??Nada, a Dallas-based architect, didn't dare to hope for a return to her native Syria… until December 2024. In this episode, we talk about how Nada uses architecture to inspire hope. Nada designs buildings carefully, understanding how each element will affect how people feel within the space, whether they study, meet, read, perform research, or a myriad of other activities for university students. Personally, Nada talks about how for the first time, she can imagine returning to Syria to help rebuild her country. 

We’re 5 years into our 2033 Project, and a lot has changed… maybe even the name of the 2033 Project!Join us as we reflect on how the show, and we, have changed over the years and fluctuated our expectations in work, politics, personal lives, and more. We set our new theme for the year, “how to find hope in a future that may not exist” in a time where the practice of hope can honestly seem futile. Also, stay tuned to hear Tim discussing (riveting) town elevations and how Abbie is finally excepted by the Tween community…20 years too late.

It's not just because we host a podcast, but recently we can't stop thinking about the concept of "voice." Who has a voice to tell their own stories, and how do you get people to listen? How do you find your own voice -- and how to help ensure everyone gets a chance to be heard.That's why we're so excited to have Chi Cannon on this episode. Chi  believes prisoners’ voices are an essential part of the conversation. Chi comes from a family in Richmond, VA, in which 9 out of 10 children were incarcerated at some point. As an adult, Chi is passionate about giving voice to those who don't often get heard. She works as a producer for the podcast "Uncuffed" - going into prisons so that incarcerated people can tell their own stories. In this episode, we hear all about Chi's work -  in prisons, behind the camera, and so much more.  Plus, tune in to hear Tarzan and Makvala explore frog anatomy. 

And weeeee're back with part 2 with Tenzin!We continue our conversation with Tenzin, starting from when he decided to leave nursing,  sparking a series of changes that involves sword-fighting in the woods, dropping out of grad school and even...chandeliers.In this episode, we break apart the idea that one has to have a single career, and explore what it could mean to develop an entirely new expertise every decade. Plus, Abbie wonders if she'll ever be as wise as Oprah, and Timmy takes a visit to a town Abbie would rather not see.If you haven't already listened to part 1, be sure to do that first and then come on back to this one - 

We know we're not the only ones in the middle of a career pivot. Who better to chat with us on the subject than Tenzin? We’ve each known great and maybe not so-great influences on our life when we were kids. In Tenzin’s case, it was a guidance counselor who discouraged him from becoming an artist, ultimately leading him to be a nurse working in the ICU during the worst of COVID. What happens next?? You'll have to listen to find out. In this two-part series, we explore how it's totally ok - and ultimately freeing, to jump ship and try out new careers. Plus, Abbie considers a life in outer space, and Tim comes out as an American black bear.We love Tenzin, and we know you will too!

Can we save democracy in the United States? What if we focus on the local and bring people together to engage online in meaningful ways? Well, Johnathan thinks it’s possible, and that’s why he started MyBalbo.Many of us want to  stay politically active, but our reach seems limited - how do we go one step further to use technology & have conversations across divides and become substantively connected to affecting policy that affects us. Meet Johnathan Celestin, founder of MyBalbo, an app that provides real community around American politics and offers users a chance to talk about the hard issues, engage with their representatives, and find ways to make a difference. In this episode, hear Johnathan’s journey of how he started MyBalbo with his siblings, how he navigates the systemic hurdles to starting a company as a person of color, what it’s like running a company with family members, and how he is already helping Americans can engage meaningfully with politics. Also listen to hear nice compliments from Johnathan’s mom and Abigail & Tim audition to become ASMR influencers.MyBalbo.ComFollow here: @MyBalbo 

Where do you imagine yourself in 4 years - owner of an arts space, an astrobiologist, or a ghost suspiciously similar to the ghost from Hamlet that forever haunts the world after being assassinated by an alien spacecraft? Tune in this week for a special episode that features 2033 Podcast host Abigail as she explores her own inevitable career pivot. When you've had a specific dream your whole life, and suddenly it needs to change - what then? Join us as we bushwhack through the existential thicket as we explore  what it’s like knowing that a change is needed in one’s career but unsure of the next steps to go. Ft. an improvised musical number about Abigail being assassinated by aliens as she enjoys her breakfast. 

What if you are doesn't fall neatly into any box? Part of what makes Timon an incredible person and therapist is he holds so many aspects of his identity that society too often does not see as going together, namely being queer and Christian. Timon walks through his process of going through social work school to become a Marriage and Family Therapist, his unorthodox journey to getting there that provides him unique relationships and, perspective, and what he hopes to accomplish in helping others navigate their own dialectical tensions and identities that on the surface might seem at odds. This is a great episode for anyone interested in mental health. Plus, Tim wonders if anyone enjoys his version of small talk and Abbie lobbies for a new bread-themed nickname. 

Did you know a youth orchestra could change the future of an entire city? Daniela certainly could tell you a thing or two about that. She's no stranger to the idea that  younger generations face a hard fact: our careers will generally not be as linear as those of our parents and grandparents. How do we still shoot for success and allow for change? In this episode, hear Danielle Ocampo Sánchez’s fascinating story on her ever-evolving definition of success, finally reuniting her passion for music by helping manage Amadeus, an organization that gives young people access to music education in her hometown of Medellin, Colombia and beyond. Plus, Abigail evaluates Tim's abilities to transition between subjects, and Tim provides us with a unique serenade. If you'd like to learn more about Amadeus, please follow along at amadeus.org.co OR find them on instagram @amadeusfund. 

With all the bad news in our inboxes, in our feeds, and in our lives, is there really any reason still to have hope that positive change can happen? During our second Generation gathering, an amazing array of inspiring guests sat down to discuss this very question. Hear a wide range of practical ways these individuals have found ways to give back to their communities, rediscover dreams, create political change they wish to see, and find personal ways to light up their days. The answer? Find hope in the little things, however you can. Also tune in to hear Tim realizing his elevator career pitch may need some tweaking and  to Abigail slowly morphing into Gollum.If you are interested in joining our next 2033 Generation, or want to join our newest NYC program - the 2033 Lyceum, please email us at 2033podcast@gmail.com. If you're interested in being a guest on our show, let us know. And finally, please visit 2033podcast.com for more information about the show and upcoming events. 

Dean is a fighter - in all senses of the word.  He fights Muay Thai, he fights MMA and, he fights FOR victims of Agent Orange in Vietnam. On a solo trip, Dean learned about Agent Orange, a chemical herbicide used by US troops in the Vietnam War that has caused millions of cases of illnesses, including birth defects, over multiple generations. Upon meeting Agent Orange victims, Dean was inspired to found An Phuc International, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting these victims. On today's episode, Dean candidly discusses the successes and challenging moments in his journey, encouraged by connections on the ground in Vietnam but often discouraged by fundraising and nonprofit management. This episode exemplifies our podcast’s mission: honesty about the struggle of change-making while maintaining hope to keep moving forward. Also hear about Abigail’s international hat-collecting , and Tim's amazingly smooth transitions. 

When you think about the current climate crisis, do you feel like curling up in utter despair? You're not alone. That's why we were so excited to sit down with Rivka Schafer, a Gen Z climate activist with a message of hope and action that's grounded in so much practicality.  Rivka is a queer, gender non-conforming Orthodox Jew who is passionate about art, nature, and activism. As a climate activist with the Jewish Youth Climate Movement and LGBTQ+ rights advocate, Rivka definitely inspired us, and we know you'll walk away from this episode with renewed energy for climate activism (see what we did there?). Plus, learn the correct pronunciation of "Abbie," and hear both Abbie & Tim be bullied for how old they are. 

We are excited to share our first live recording featuring 9 members of the 2033 community - recorded at our Generation retreat. We all know what it’s like when a good idea of ours gets squashed by someone else - usually someone older and with more influence. After continual frustration, how do we - as young people - fight against the very real feeling of being jaded. Gathered around a small couch in Vermont, hear change-makers talk about how - whether in the arts, education, or sciences - Millennials and Gen Z can still continue to move forward by making what can be a radical choice: to hope. Show notes: If you hear us references Jai's talk, he led a workshop about privacy and technology. The books we reference are The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell & Be Water My Friend by Shannon Emery Lee Keasler. The writer we forget is Walt Whitman, and the full sentence we are trying to remember is: Jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one. Participants: Vance Lovett, Elena Cothalis, Jai Kumar, Ashley Melgar, Charlie Malcolm, Miranda Aisling, El Chen, and your hosts - Abigail & Tim Steckler.