Finding Humanity

Addressing gender injustice starts by investing into women leaders and women-led organizations in the human rights space. Despite the growing recognition that women’s rights are human rights, in 2021 less than one percent of Development Assistance Committee aid for gender equality went to women’s organizations. In this episode we hear from two female leaders who are making it a priority to support women, especially those fighting for gender equality in the global south. We explore the disadvantages female leaders face in the human rights space, and examine the current state of gender rights around the world. Featuring Sofia Sprechmann Sineiro, Secretary General at CARE International and Latanya Mapp Frett, President and CEO at the Global Fund for Women in conversation with Hazami Barmada, Activist & Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

According to the United Nations, as of  2021, there were only 26 women serving as Heads of State or Government. Globally, only 21% of government ministers were women, with only 14 countries having achieved 50% or more women in cabinets.  If we don’t have more women and women of color in leadership, our policies won’t address their needs. Yet, at the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years. In this episode we learn how Antonia Novello made history as the first female and first Hispanic U.S. Surgeon General. We examine the barriers that are keeping women from reaching leadership roles in government, and explore how we can overcome them. Featuring Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Antonia Novello and Nicole C. Mason, President and CEO of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research  in conversation with Hazami Barmada, Activist & Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

The world is increasingly determined by the way we design our technology. Yet, in the U.S.  Black and Indigenous women occupy less than 10 percent of positions in the fields of STEM –science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In this episode we hear from two women who founded organizations that teach girls the skills they need to pursue careers in STEM. We also go back to the history of this field, and examine why closing the gender gap in technology will lead to a more inclusive future. Featuring Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin Founder of  Pearls Africa Foundation and Reshma Saujani Founder & CEO of Marshall Plan for Moms and Founder of  Girls Who Code in conversation with Hazami Barmada, Activist & Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Study after study shows that looking at idealized images of women in the media results in lower self-esteem, particularly for young women and girls. Hoping to challenge what is perceived as beautiful, designer Carrie Hammer founded Role Models, Not Runway Models, a movement credited for kickstarting the body positive movement in the fashion and beauty industries. In this episode we hear how Carrie made history by creating the first New York Fashion Week show that included a model in a wheelchair. We talk about the negative influences of social media and idealized body images in young women, and explore solutions to this issue. Featuring Carrie Hammer, Fashion Designer and Founder of Role Models, Not Runway Models and Dr. Jennifer S. Mills, Psychologist and Associate Professor at York University in conversation with Hazami Barmada, Activist & Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Male athletes in most sports make significantly more than female athletes. One of the reasons for this pay gap is that men’s sports receive vastly more media coverage, television licenses, and sponsorship deals. However, even in cases where women’s sports are as popular, we have been slow to achieve equal pay. In this episode, we hear from former basketball player Tajay Ashmeade about the ways in which her gender impacted her career. We examine the reasons behind the gender pay gap, highlight the progress achieved so far, and outline a way forward. Featuring Tajay Ashmeade, CEO of Nurture SPRT and Dr. Richard Lapchick, Director, Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida in conversation with Hazami Barmada, Activist & Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

To protect democracy, we must first protect journalists. Yet, women journalists experience approximately three times as many abusive comments on Twitter, compared to their male counterparts. In this episode, we examine the disadvantages female journalists around the world face. We also explain why we must recognize online harassment against women journalists as a threat to the freedom of the press. Featuring Carla Minet, Executive Director at the Center for Investigative Journalism in Puerto Rico and Elisa Lees Muñoz, Executive Director of the International Women's Media Foundation in conversation with Hazami Barmada, Activist & Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Investing in women and women-led companies is not only the right thing to do, it’s also good for business. Yet, women and women of color in particular continue to face disadvantages in the workplace. In 2021, only 2% of venture capital went to companies founded only by women and 15.6% to those with at least one woman on their founding teams. Women are also 30% less likely to be considered for a job position than men. In this episode, we examine the ways in which women and women-led companies face disadvantages in the workplace,and we hear the stories of two powerful women working to change the landscape for women in business. Featuring: Tiffany Pham, CEO and Founder of Mogul (one of the world's leading diversity recruitment companies) and Sarah Chen, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of Beyond The Billion (launched as The Billion Dollar Fund for Women, which is a global consortium of investors that have pledged to invest over 1 billion towards women-founded companies), in conversation with Hazami Barmada, Activist & Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

In the U.S., women of color hold only 4% of C-suite roles in media and entertainment. As a result, we rarely find their stories featured in films or T.V. Growing up as a Muslim who wore a headscarf, Marya didn’t see herself represented on the screen. Yet, she found her way into Hollywood through a handful of pioneer women of color in the industry. As a vice-president at Walt Disney Studios, Marya is now advancing social change through diverse storytelling. In this episode, we examine how stories shape and inform the world in which we live. We also explore how having women in leadership positions in media and entertainment is crucial in advancing diversity. Featuring: Marya Bangee, Vice President, Representation & Inclusion Strategies at The Walt Disney Studios Dr. Shawn Andrews, Speaker, Consultant, Author, Professor -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

From a young age, Selin Ozunaldim questioned gender stereotypes. When she was 17, her little brother told her that she didn’t need to worry about studying because she could always get married. Hearing her brother say that made Selin realize she had to do something to change this way of thinking in her community. Now 19, Selin is the youngest representative of the United Nations’ HeForShe movement in Turkey, a global effort to engage men and boys in the fight for gender equality. She also founded the first Girl Up Club and Girls Who Code in her country. In this episode, we explore the important role that young women and girls have historically played in fighting for change, equality, and justice for all. We examine how teen advocates have come to the forefront on the global stage, the challenges they overcame to get there, and how technology has amplified their advocacy. Featuring: Selin Ozunaldim, National Gender Youth Activist for UN Women, HeForShe Advocate Melissa Kilby, Executive Director, Girl Up at the United Nations Foundation -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Throughout history and across cultures, inspiring women and girls continue to break records and blaze trails—shattering glass ceilings while imagining and innovating the way forward. On season 5 of the Finding Humanity podcast, we bring you powerful voices of women shaping history by overcoming innumerable challenges to achieve greatness. You’ll hear the inspirational stories of leaders in arts, entertainment, science, sports, politics, and beyond. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Hosted by Hazami Barmada. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

In 1970, the New York Times published Milton Friedman's seminal essay, "The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits." For more than half a century, Friedman’s doctrine of profit maximization helped accelerate the racial, economic, and environmental injustice we see today. In our final episode of this special series, we discuss corporate solutions to our broken economic system. We examine stakeholder governance and its role in transforming the business community into a driver of positive change for people and the planet. Featuring: Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO of Illycaffè, Leo Strine, Senior Fellow of the Harvard Program on Corporate Governance and former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, Jessica Yinka Thomas, President and Board Chair of B Academics, and Holly Ensign-Barstow, Director of Stakeholder Governance and Policy at B Lab. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. This special series is created in partnership with B Lab. Subscribe, rate and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Replacing your smartphone every two and a half years is not uncommon. In fact, it’s by design. The consumer electronics industry is fraught with unethical business practices, from planned obsolescence to the dark side of cobalt mining, to the 40 million tons of electronic waste that's generated each year. In this episode, we learn about Fairphone, a social enterprise that creates smartphones that are both repairable and built to last. We also share how the circular economy and “Right to Repair” movement is a win for consumers, companies, and the planet. Featuring: Nathan Proctor, Senior Director of Right to Repair campaigns at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, Joe Iles, Circular Design Programme Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Eva Gouwens, CEO of Fairphone, and Juan Pablo Larenas, Executive Director of B Lab Global. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. This special series is created in partnership with B Lab. Subscribe, rate and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Each year, about a third of the food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. Food loss and waste contributes to some of the most pressing health, environmental, and economic challenges of our day, accounting for 8% of all greenhouse gas emissions and $1 trillion in economic losses annually. How can businesses innovate and help win the fight against food waste? In this episode, we explore how global brands like Danone are contributing to aggressive targets aimed at reducing food waste. We also discuss how social impact companies, like Too Good to Go, are pushing for policy and behavioral change by building a movement of food waste warriors. Featuring: Surbhi Martin, Vice President of Marketing at Danone North America, Philippe Schuler, Global Impact Manager at Too Good To Go, Maximo Torero, Chief Economist at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), and Juan Pablo Larenas, Executive Director of B Lab Global. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. This special series is created in partnership with B Lab. Subscribe, rate and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

What if businesses removed barriers to employment and gave job seekers a fair shot at self-sufficiency? For the formerly incarcerated, unhoused, or people with limited education, getting a job can be extremely difficult. In 1982, Greyston Bakery piloted Open Hiring, a recruitment practice where simply putting your name on a list could get you hired — no work experience, background checks, resumes, or interviews. Now adopted and scaled by companies like The Body Shop, Open Hiring continues to unleash human potential and uplift populations that have been historically excluded from the workforce. In this episode, we explore barriers to fair employment, the economic and social benefits of equitable hiring practices, and why inclusive hiring is a step towards tackling poverty, inequality, and other global challenges. Featuring: Chidi King, Branch Chief, Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO), Joseph D. Kenner, President & CEO at Greyston, Antonia Tony-Fadipe, Inclusive Hiring Lead at The Body Shop and Juan Pablo Larenas, Executive Director of B Lab Global. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. This special series is created in partnership with B Lab. Subscribe, rate and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Can businesses help solve the greatest societal challenges we face? Historically, the business sector has accelerated social inequity, fueled human rights violations, and exacerbated climate change. With a global cultural shift underway, are businesses truly evolving from contributors to humanity’s biggest problems to drivers of positive change? In this special series from Finding Humanity, we’ve partnered with B Lab to bring you honest conversations with leaders and policy experts who examine the role of the business community in addressing today’s pivotal challenges—from uplifting marginalized communities through Open Hiring®, to reducing the environmental damage of consumer products, to ending food waste that can alleviate the hunger of more than 820 million people. Finding Humanity is a production of the Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. This special series is created in partnership with B Lab, the nonprofit behind the B Corp movement. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Dan's wife Brittany Maynard sought adventure up until the very end. When it became clear that the brain tumor she'd been diagnosed with would ultimately take her life, Brittany chose to end things on her own terms. Medical aid-in-dying, commonly known in the U.S. as "death with dignity," enables someone with a terminal illness to request a prescription for medication that will end their suffering. In the final episode of season 4, we explore end-of-life choices and the social and legal systems that either allow or prevent individuals from determining how they die. Featuring Dan Diaz, an advocate for the legalization of medical aid in dying, Kim Callinan, CEO of the organization Compassion and Choices, and Dr. Rob Jonquiere, Executive Director of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Ronald fell in love with television as a child, but as a queer, black boy from a Latinx household, representation was deeply lacking. In this episode, we focus on "colorism," or discrimination that occurs based on skin color, and how misrepresentations of people of color in the media often have real-life consequences. Featuring Ronald Hinton, actor, writer, and founder of Shared Soil Productions, ReNika Moore, Racial Justice Program Director at the ACLU, and Dr. Mia White, professor of Environmental Studies at The New School. -- This episode is made possible with the support of Vodafone Americas Foundation. To learn more about their programs and how you can support their network of partners, visit vodafone-us.com -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Kimi Ceridon and her sister never went without food growing up, but living paycheck-to-paycheck meant her parents constantly worried about how to pay for meals. What they did eat was often low-cost and low-quality food. This is what experts call ‘food insecurity,’ an issue that has grown substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic to affect over 750 million people worldwide. In this episode, we dig into why so many people are unable to secure sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, and the stigma faced by those who experience food insecurity today. Featuring Kimi Ceridon, a Massachusetts-based writer, Maximo Torero, Chief Economist of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and Clancy Harrison, Founder of the Food Dignity Movement and host of The Food Dignity Podcast. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.

Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General, joins hosts Mary Robinson and Hazami Barmada to discuss the persistent, global injustice that is violence against women. 1.3 billion women and girls around the world—equivalent to the entire combined populations of North America and Europe—have experienced violence at some point in their lives. This has significant political, economic, and cultural consequences. In this episode, global leaders unpack this critical issue and address what is needed to end violence against women and girls. Together, we explore how to tackle this injustice and answer the questions: How does increasing access to justice better safeguard women’s rights? Why is feminist leadership vital in advancing gender equality? And what role do men play in ending violence against women and in challenging misogyny? -- Episode speakers: Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Founder of UN Women and Deputy Chair of The Elders; Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Chair of The Elders; and Hazami Barmada, Activist & Founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation. -- This special series of Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media, in collaboration with The Elders. Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and on Facebook @findinghumanitypod.

Addiction was common in the McDaid family. So when Carol, the youngest in her upper-middle-class household began using, the disease quickly took root. Carol sipped her first drink at age 12, and by 16 was using IV drugs. It wasn't until her drug use threatened her career that she decided to enter treatment. One in every ten people in the U.S. experiences drug addiction, which is nearly the entire population of Texas. In this episode, we seek to understand the varied causes and consequences of drug abuse, and how new pharmaceuticals that came onto the market in the late-90s—prescription opioids—changed the landscape of addiction for an entire generation. Featuring Carol McDaid, a D.C. lobbyist specializing in addiction and mental health policy, Diane Sevening, former President of the Association for Addiction Professionals and Assistant Professor at The University of South Dakota, and Marta Michelle Colon, Founder of BeGutsy, a national campaign that educates the Latinx community on the dangers of opioid use. -- Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media. Subscribe, rate and leave us a review. For more information, visit findinghumanitypodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter @find_humanity and Facebook.