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I Share Hope: Chris Williams

I Share Hope is a series of interviews with world leaders discussing their beliefs and experiences with hope and how they use hope on a daily basis in their own life and in the lives of others. They discuss real stories from their past and cover such topics as experience, relationships, failure, success, coping, depression, suicide, acceptance, business, psychological issues, illness, inspirational and motivational ideas, life, vision, goal setting, love, family, friends, strength, action steps, actionable hope, discrimination, education, freedom, leadership, counseling, dependency, addiction, chemical addiction, abuse and much more. Just about every area in life. The show airs three days a week via podcast.
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Feb 23, 2017

 

Named by the Jaycees as one of the "Top Ten Young Americans", Amelia Rose Earhart recreated and symbolically completed the 1937 flight of her namesake, Amelia Mary Earhart. Her 28,000 mile flight around the world in a single engine aircraft became a symbol of determination, courage and empowerment for anyone who has ever decided to seek new horizons.

Amelia is the president of the Fly With Amelia Foundation, a non-profit providing flight training scholarships to young women across America. She can be seen each morning on Denver's NBC affiliate, KUSA-TV reporting on breaking news and traffic, is an active member of the Board of Directors at Wings Over the Rockies, Colorado's Official Air and Space Museum and is currently working toward her multi-engine aircraft rating.Additional Notes::

My website is www.flywithamelia.org. Thank you!

Feb 16, 2017

 

Doctor at Palestinian ministry of health, Horizons Representative in Palestine, Palestinian campaign to raise awareness about internet safety and pornography addiction, Healthy university Initiative.

A motivated, young entrepreneur, volunteer, and social activist doctor, I am very interested in the innovation in the health care which leads to a better health for all people especially for my home which is a poor country live under difficult circumstances (Palestine).

For this reason I got used to work hard and overcome my limitations. Therefore, since childhood period, I started building myself as strong, qualified person, then to work with youth and community members to solve many problems in environment of war, killing and destruction.

I focused on building new motivated and creative generations, to be able to build our future and try to spread the hope, the knowledge, and the energy. Meanwhile, I worked with more than 1000 volunteers to establish campaigns like Internet safety, breast cancer awareness, health university, Horizons, health activities..etc. and I led many organizations and initiatives for that reasons.

Eventually, I got many scholarships and Awards (more than 11), and I represented my home at many international conferences, in Norway, the Netherland, USA. And I appeared on TVs and media more than 15 times including Aljazeera channel.

I have recently got a diploma in one of most prestigious business school in the world, Kelley school of business , USA. Happily, I had the privilege to represent Palestinian youth it at US chamber of state, Washington 2016.

I'm the CEO of MWD company ( medical waste disposal company) startup.

 

Feb 9, 2017

 

Hunter Halder is an American at home in Portugal who, after a wide range of diverse and seeming unconnected career experiences, found his purpose as a dedicated volunteer when, at the tender age of 59, he founded the Re-food Movement. According to him "Now it all makes sense.."

Feb 2, 2017

 

Human Postcards is an ongoing series of 60 second video portraits, capturing the inspirational and often powerful messages of everyday people from around the world.

Nora's passion in life is to learn from others by observing and listening. As a child she would collect stories from people the way kids collect seashells. Nothing could stop her curiosity. Languages became a tool to open more doors.

With time, her need to share stories and create connections led me to become a story teller. Being a part of Human Postcards fuels this passion, by capturing these moments for others to experience.

 

Jan 26, 2017

 

Amberley was born in California and moved to Utah when she was seven. She is the second of six children in her family. She started riding horses at the age of three and competing in rodeo at the age of seven. Amberley competed all through junior high and high school qualifying for numerous national rodeos. Amberley has won multiple titles including the Finals and World All-Around Cowgirl for the National Little Britches Association. She also served as the Utah FFA State President.

Amberley just graduated from Utah State University obtaining a degree in Agricultural Education and is now pursuing a graduate degree in School Counseling. She was involved in a paralyzing car accident in 2010. The odds were against her as she began life in a wheelchair.

Amberley returned to rodeo 18 months after her accident and in 2015 ran in the world’s richest one-day rodeo called The American. She ended her final college rodeo season fifth in the Rocky Mountain Region in the barrel racing. She is now competing on the amateur and pro rodeo circuit. Amberley travels the nation sharing her story of triumph over tragedy and hopes to inspire others that no matter what happens, they have the strength to overcome it.

Jan 19, 2017

 

Lisa holds a B.A. in International Relations from Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico and the Institute of Political Studies in Paris (Sciences Po), a M.A. in Political Science from the University Paris I (Panthéon Sorbonne) and a M.Sc. in Public Management and Governance from the London School of Economics.

At present she serves México Unido contra la Delincuencia (MUCD) and Transform Drug Policy Foundation (TDPF) as Director of the Latin American Programme for Drug Policy Reform, and is the Latin American “Associate Expert” of the LSE Ideas’ International Drug Policy Project. Called into the drug policy field by the need of urgently stopping the blood bath caused by the militarisation of drug control strategies in Mexico, she's been working for eight years now from both the public and the third sector (civil society) to achieve more humane, evidence-based drug policies that do not exacerbate violence and respect human rights. Professionally, she worked for the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organisation of American States from 2010 to 2012 and has collaborated with several civil society organisations such as Espolea, MUCD and TDPF.

As a young activist, she has fought for different causes, ranging from sexual and reproductive health and rights to gender equality, HIV/AIDS and drug policy reform.

Jan 12, 2017

 

Sophie Grig, senior campaigner at Survival International.

She has been with Survival since 1995 and has campaigned against the annihilation of tribal peoples in Bangladesh, India, Siberia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, West Papua and Indonesia. She has visited tribal communities in South America, Asia and Melanesia.

Sophie has also campaigned on uncontacted peoples in India and Melanesia; issues of tribal health and displacement; the dangers of imposing ‘development’ on self-sufficient tribal peoples; forcible evictions from tiger reserves and challenging prejudice against tribal people in India, where they are often portrayed as backward and primitive.

She has a Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies and Anthropology from the University of Lancaster and an MPhil in Anthropology from Cambridge University.

Sophie has spent time living in Brazil and Japan, and is currently living and working in the United Kingdom.


Survival International is the global movement for tribal peoples’ rights. We help them defend their lives, protect their lands and determine their own futures.

Jan 5, 2017

 

Gemma joined Change.org in January 2016, assuming responsibility for the company's General Management globally. She was previously Executive Director of Crisis Action, having joined as the second member of staff in 2006, and led the organization to receive the 2012 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions and the 2013 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

In 2011, the World Economic Forum selected her as one of their Young Global Leaders. CNN named her as one of their inspirational women for 2014 and she became a Yale World Fellow in 2015. She previously worked for the Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations in New York, the European Commission and as a journalist.

 

 

Dec 29, 2016

 

Advocate of equality and social inclusion for those with intellectual disabilities, through his organisation, Stimulo.

Stimulo is an organisation that has been working to defend the human rights of people with intellectual disabilities. We fight for total social inclusion, positive social participation and full access to opportunities. We do this through several activities and strategies, particularly through access to the employment market.


Work should be for everyone in this world. It’s a right that enables other social, political and life quality advantages. That is why we have choosen to emphasise the right for people with intellectual disabilities, to be trained and hired for appropriate jobs.

Dec 22, 2016

 

While hopping in between continents, Ms. Joana Bacallo managed to finish her postgraduate in Aviation Management in Coventry University.

Her passion for aviation and customer care were surpassed by the fuel that fills her heart, which is water. She would like to believe She is a social entrepreneur and as an advocate, one thing you should know about her is that She is a serial crowdfunder: She pledged her birthday each year to a water project of her choice or She goes on hiking to rural areas where she can engage with children to teach them importance of hygiene and water conservation through arts and fun games.

She rolls out a call to action on social media platforms to her friends, former classmates and co-workers to take a vacation off and celebrate with her.

Her 30th birthday gained some international media attention and She was able to sponsor (through crowdfunding) 200 indigenous kids in the highest elementary school in the Philippines.

As per Joana:

The lives the youth live nowadays are unparalleled.

I work among the clouds- I am responsible for your inflight safety and comfort because I am an international senior flight stewardess. I have moved away from the Philippines about eight years ago and embarked on a traveled life.

Free flights are amazing- this is one of the perks of my day job and it made me experience art and beauty but I also saw the ugly side of it too especially with water, sanitation and hygiene to countries I visit.

Although my office is 40,000 feet up, I spend my days on ground learning about surrounding topics on water and advocating for people in rural communities to have more knowledge and access to cheap drinkable water.

I wanted my impact magnified even after I created Agua Pura Natural, a purified water filtration and refilling station startup in my hometown in Metro Manila and I am continuously pioneering on how to engage young people to be advocates of water and its conservation even they belong to different industries and practicing different crafts- they can make a change, they can start a difference in their respective communities.

I believe entrepreneurship empowers communities especially its young women as this activity provides the tools to immediate solutions to grassroots yet basic social problems we usually take for granted like the lack of water and poor sanitation.

This is where the real impact starts. Everyone can be a practical and a tangible sources of hope in their small respective circles- the ripple effect!

Dec 15, 2016

 

Author of seven books about rational living, including "When Everything Fails, Try This" (2009), "Rationality Is the Way to Happiness" (2009), "The Philosophy of Builders: How to Build a Great Future with the Pieces from Your Past" (2010), "The 10 Principles of Rational Living" (2012), "Rational Living, Rational Working: How to Make Winning Moves When Things Are Falling Apart" (2013), "Consistency: The Key to Permanent Stress Relief" (2014), and "On Becoming Unbreakable: How Normal People Become Extraordinarily Self-Confident" (2015).

Dec 8, 2016

 

Dada Gunamuktananda has been a yogic monk and meditation teacher since 1995 and have taught meditation in Australasia, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, the Far East and North America. He practices and teaches the system of life known as yoga or tantra, the core practice of which is meditation. Meditation is about finding the essence of yourself within yourself and realising that essence as the inner self of all beings and the entire universe. This he believes will lead to the greatest happiness and fulfilment for everyone and the whole society, and that's why his mission is to teach meditation to as many people as possible.

Dec 1, 2016

 

Started being a Recovery Educator in April 2009, but since April 2004,She have facilitated PSR classes in W.R.A.P., Self-Advocacy, Healthy Grieving, Understanding Bipolar Disorder, Ready for Change, Stress Management, Expressive Writing/Poetry, Expressive Arts, and various Pre-Vocational Classes at the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD). Her classes average 6-12 students, so each gets individualized attention, and the opportunity to express their points of view. She has witnessed much growth in many people during that period of time. She has also mentored some of my peers to lead classes on their own, e.g. Basic Drawing, Theater, and Arts & Crafts. In February 2010, She was promoted to a PSR Specialist. She believes she has a talent sharing her knowledge and experiences so that others may learn and benefit from them.

An ambassador for the arts, am President of The Awakenings Project, where she has curated, organized exhibits, and written grants for this internationally recognized organization for the past 20 years. She worked full-time for nearly 20 years with Bell Laboratories, now Alcatel-Lucent, while living with and openly speaking about her bipolar disorder. While working full-time, She finished her B.S. degree, majoring in Computer Science, and graduated in 1986, Magna Cum Laude, from North Central College.

She respects diversity and individual differences, and is open to learning more about all cultures. She speaks German, Spanish, and am proficient in American Sign Language. She was one of four illustrators of a children’s book entitled, “Coffee, Cream and In Between.” She has been prominently featured in several videos and articles produced by various media organizations, describing The Awakenings Project. She also maintains our website: www.awakeningsproject.org and have done so for several years.


She believes she is an effective communicator, both individually and in groups. She has spoken publicly about Awakenings and about mental illnesses for many years. She loves my job, my volunteer work for Awakenings, and she loves people. I continue to do much public speaking about recovery. I believe I am a beacon of hope and encouragement for the people who receive services at DCHD, for Awakenings artists, for the general public, and she also learns a lot from everyone I come in contact with.

Nov 24, 2016

 

Bjørn Ihler is a Norwegian activist, writer, designer, and filmmaker working across mediums to promote peace and human rights in defiance of violent extremism. A survivor of the 2011 attack on Utøya Island in Norway, Ihler works to promote an understanding of the influence design, narratives, and storytelling has on culture and how narratives can be transformed to build more peaceful societies. Ihler graduated from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in 2013 and is currently pursuing a master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies at Hacettepe University.

Nov 17, 2016

 

Dr Ananda Shankar Jayant, inhabits the worlds of administration, academics, and arts; straddling them with equal ease.

Celebrated as one of India’s most eminent and renowned classical dancer, choreographer and dance scholar, Ananda’s artistic body of work ,spans mythologies and abstraction, historical chronicles and women studies, poetry and abstraction, philosophy and humour.

As the Artistic Director of Shankarananda Kalakshetra, Ananda, leads an acclaimed ensemble, besides training and presenting the next generation of Bharatanatyam artists.

For her contribution to the field of classical art, she was conferred the "Padma Shri" (India’s 4th highest civilian award) in 2007 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (India’s apex cultural body) for Bharatanatyam in 2009.

Ananda is a sought after motivational speaker and actively engages with young India on a wide range of topics, at leading corporate entities, leadership programs, hospitals, universities and schools. A TED speaker in 2009, her TED talk after her tryst with Cancer has been ranked as one of 12 Incredible TED talks on the subject. In January 2015, the Huffington Post ranked Ananda’s TED talk, as one of five greatest TED talks by Indians.

Another rare honour was a recent invitation to speak at the Harvard Business School for the Inspire Series of the India Conference at Harvard   

Ananda is an officer of the Indian Railway Traffic Service and is currently posted at the Centre for Railway Information Systems, in Hyderabad, India.

Nov 10, 2016

 

Paul was branded as a “naughty child” at school. He was classically autistic in his early years and gained functional speech around the age of 7 or 8 years old. He went through mainstream school with no additional help or recognition of his autism. Consequently, he did not achieve his academic or his social potential and had very low self-esteem.

After a string of unsuccessful jobs, Paul’s mental health suffered. He was referred to mental health services and misdiagnosed with “Asperger traits with a complex personality”, which did not satisfy Paul was diagnosed by an experienced psychiatrist, who diagnosed him with High Functioning Autism at 24 years old.

Paul wanted to promote autism awareness and help others on the autism spectrum, in the hope that others would not have to suffer as he had. He became a speaker for an autism organisation and has not looked back! Presenting speeches, training and conducting consultancy, Paul is now a freelance speaker, trainer and consultant who continues to raise the profile of autism at every opportunity. Having done much research, he is keen to explain the differences between Asperger’s Syndrome & Autism using Autism Consultant Donna William’s (Polly Samuel's) ‘Fruit Salad’ model.

Paul firmly believes in retaining the ASD acronym. He says there should not be a negative stigma around the word ‘disorder’. His message is that Autism is a complex mix of ability and disability and every person with autism (and all people) should be a valued member of society.

Paul in his spare time likes to meetup with friends, create art and write poetry which is both a creative and relaxing output for him.

Nov 3, 2016

 

Kathy Shorr was born in Brooklyn, New York.  Her work is rooted in documentary, portraiture and street photography.  She received her undergraduate degree in photography from the School of Visual Arts and an MS in Education, earned while working as a New York City Teaching Fellow in the public schools in crisis.  Shorr’s work has been shown in galleries in New York City, Houston and Los Angeles, and has been featured at the celebrated Visa pour L’Image Festival in Perpignan, France.  She lives and works in New York City.

Oct 27, 2016

 

Jacob Cramer, at age 15, is the founder and executive director of Love For The Elderly, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that our elders receive the utmost care and compassion in their final and most precious stage of life. A strong advocate for social reform, Jacob has given talks and speeches throughout the globe in his pursuit of inspiring others to break down age-related barriers. Although he is just a high school student, his maturity and compassion proves that he is just the right person to generate positive change. His age shows that anyone can make their mark on the world and strive to inspire others to help people, creating a ripple-type effect. He resides in Cleveland (Ohio) with his loving family.

Oct 20, 2016

 

In 2005, at the age of 36, and only three months after giving birth to a beautiful daughter Lily Rose, Heather Von St. James was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. Upon learning of this life-altering diagnosis, Heather, together with her husband Cameron, embarked upon a search to find the best mesothelioma treatment care available. Their search eventually led them to Dr. David Sugarbaker, a renowned mesothelioma surgeon at the Boston based Brigham and Women's hospital. Dr. Sugarbaker recommended a relatively new surgical procedure called extrapleural pneumonectomy, a groundbreaking treatment option offered through the International Mesothelioma Program. Although there were some risks associated with the procedure, it also carried promise for the best possible outcome. Heather, with full support from her husband and family, agreed to have the surgery.

Today, Heather Von St. James is a ten-year mesothelioma cancer survivor and continues to provide unending inspiration to mesothelioma victims around the globe. She carries out her mission to be a beacon of hope for those afflicted with mesothelioma by sharing her story of faith, love and courage both as a keynote speaker at conferences and through social media forums.

Oct 13, 2016

 

Dean is very passionate about motivating others using his successful struggle for life to empower audiences. He challenges them to dare to dream and believe in themselves with his own life experience as the motivational tool. Dean created his company DMC Motivational over 10 years ago; Since then he has travelled the world speaking with groups and organisations as diverse as Primary School Children to Prime Ministers.

What is so amazing about Dean Clifford you may say?

Simple he is a survivor! Dean was born with Epidermolysis Bullosa which is commonly referred to by the media as Cotton Wool Kid, he was not expected to live past early childhood (5 years) let alone survive and contribute so immensely in the world to date by sharing his story and encouraging as many people as possible to believe in themselves and achieve their dreams.

Dean’s life is one of extreme pain and hardship, yet he has never wavered from his own dreams to be a productive member of the community working and contributing.

Dean’s story is powerful, moving and empowering, an audience is taken on the emotional roller coaster –that is Dean’s life! Dean sharing his story- is life changing and makes one look seriously at life and what we all take for granted. Dean has something unique and special to offer to everyone, from all walks of life and every age group, corporation, or business simply by sharing his story!

Dean motivates, encourages and empowers all who come in contact with him, His Motivational presentations inspire everyone to follow their dreams and believe in themselves the way Dean has throughout his life. You most definitely come away inspired, realising what the power of One can actually achieve.

In 2004 Dean became the first National Ambassador of ACE (Australia’s Disability Employment Services Peak Body). This is a voluntary role helping promote employment awareness to businesses and communities throughout Australia for people with disabilities.

Dean is also the only official Ambassador of the Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club.

Dean is an advocate for DEBRA as mentioned in the opening. This is a voluntary organization to raise awareness for those and their families afflicted with Epidermolysis Bullosa (Cotton Wool Kids). This is a tragic and debilitation disease with no cure, usually containing an early death sentence. Dean has baffled medical science with his sheer will and determination to survive and fight for life. It has been said that few would be able to deal with the intense level of pain that those with Epidermolysis Bullosa have to deal with every single day of their life.

On top of all that Dean is an integral team member for Ken Mills Toyota – Kingaroy and Nambour Dealerships.

And that is just the start of Dean’s incredible life story.

Oct 6, 2016

 

Journalist and cofounder of Women's Media Association AFEM, Congolese Organization.

Chouchou Namegabe is a Congolese activist, radio journalist, and founder and director of the organization South Kivu Women's Media Association (AFEM in french). Ms. Namegabe trains rural and urban Congolese women as journalists specifically to report about sexual violence and human rights abuses. With her organization she uses the media to raise the awareness of rural women. According to the advocacy organization Women Deliver, who awarded her as one of the "top 100 most inspiring people delivering for girls and women", Ms. Namegabe's work has been "helping Congo's women broadcast to the world." She advocates for sustainable solutions of the conflict in Eastern DRC, targeting the causes, not the consequences. Ms. Namegabe has testified at the Hague to urge the International Court of Justice to classify rape as a political weapon in the DRC, and in Washington, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on violence against women. Ms. Namegabe met at several occasions with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to press the need for a non-partisan security force to end sexual violence in the conflict-torn region.

Sep 29, 2016

 

Amy Bleuel is the founder of Project Semicolon. Project Semicolon is a global non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and love for those who are struggling with mental illness, suicide, addiction and self-injury. Project Semicolon exists to encourage, love and inspire.

After overcoming many obstacles in her life including bullying, rejection, suicide, self-injury, addiction, abuse and even rape, Amy has found strength and a love for others. Amy struggled with mental illness for 20+ years and has experienced many stigmas associated with it. She now shares her stories around the nation giving hope to others struggling with mental illness.

Sep 22, 2016

 

After making a few online ukulele tutorials to amuse a friend a few years ago, I've since managed to parlay it into a career as a full-time YouTube who has given up his office job in IT and travelled across the USA to meet several of my viewers in person. For a mini animated version of the story, check out my Draw My Life video here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqspxvJB9LI.

I had actually considered my story in the context of 'hope' even before you'd contacted me. Before I started making the videos I was incredibly depressed with my life - stuck in a dead end job, overweight, unhealthy, no social life etc. With the confidence I gained from the feedback I received from making the videos I ended up losing a lot of weight, getting a better job (which I was later able to quit entirely!) travel across the States and make lots of new friends. It's genuinely changed my life in ways that I never could have dared imagine when I first started. On top of that, I receive comments frequently from people who say that my lessons have helped them through difficult times and that is also hugely gratifying.

Sep 15, 2016

 

Best mates Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett built a free mobile laundry in their old van to help the homeless and Orange Sky Laundry began. Aiming to connect the community and spark conversations, Orange Sky Laundry started helping people in September 2014. Since then, this world first idea has rapidly grown to eight vans in Brisbane, Melbourne, south-east Victoria, Gold Coast, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and the Sunshine Coast– and they plan to expand their services Australia-wide. With the help of 250-plus volunteers, the custom fitted vans – each with two commercial washing machines and two dryers – service 22 locations and wash more than 200 loads each week. Orange Sky encourages people of all walks of life to come together. In February 2015, they took their mobile laundry to North Queensland to wash clothes in cyclone- ravaged communities. Nic and Lucas have found a way to treat others the way they want to be treated by restoring respect, while raising health standards and reducing the strain on resources.

Sep 8, 2016

 

A man with one leg rides his bicycle and tries to change the world.

Emmanuel is an athlete with a humble goal: to help people with disabilities in Africa, and eventually all over the world.

He was born in Ghana, with only one good leg. In Africa, people born with a disability are shunned, left for dead or even poisoned. If they live, they are not accepted into schools or society in general. Fortunately, he had a mother who wouldn't bend to the pressure from the community to abandon him because he was a bad omen. Instead, his mother taught him that everyone is a child of God and every person deserves love and a chance to contribute to society.

In his youth, he was determined to show his community that he could do what other kids did. He shined shoes to buy a soccer ball and learned to play on crutches. People saw him playing and it began changing their hearts. As he grew up, he started to ride a bicycle. And ride. And ride. He became an athlete and rode across the whole country— showing communities all over Africa something they had never dreamed possible. People in each village and town saw how a man with only one leg could do the same or better than a man with two. If this were true for riding a bicycle, perhaps it was true for other areas of life... Emmanuel’s determination began to change more hearts.

Then, to his surprise, he became the most famous athlete that no one had ever heard of. ESPN called to tell him that he was going to receive its ESPY Arthur Ashe Courage Award with Jim Mac Laren. Oprah Winfrey presented the award on national television at the famous ESPY Award ceremony. He also received Nike’s Casey Martin Award for courage in sports. A documentary was released entitled Emmanuel’s Gift. He helped lead the way to get national legislation passed for people with disabilities in Ghana. And it was a success! But legislation alone does not always change hearts.


Today, He dreams...to build the first school and Sports Academy in Ghana for people with disabilities— both students and staff. A school that will provide a place for people with disabilities to flourish and have a chance to contribute to society. And, ultimately to create a movement for justice and human equality across Africa.

 

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