In this solo episode of Braver New Worlds, we explore how leaders can define and tell their personal story in a way that builds trust, clarity, and momentum.

Building on previous episodes about the importance of storytelling and persuasion, I share how storytelling is a core leadership skill because it helps others understand your motivations, your vision, and the change you’re trying to create in the world.

I also break down why your story matters—not just for your audience, but for yourself. Many people struggle with telling their story, but it’s not because of storytelling mechanics. It’s more often because they struggle to feel comfortable and give themselves permission to want something meaningful and share it openly.

I also walk through an exercise of identifying key life stories, extracting recurring themes, and translating those into a clear “why” (purpose) and “how” (values in action) statements.

You’ll see how this not only strengthens your storytelling, but also helps guide decisions, align your actions, and create a more cohesive sense of identity as a leader.

Ultimately, this episode is both a philosophical reflection and a practical guide for anyone looking to lead with greater intention, authenticity, and narrative clarity.

Nathan Young is the founder of StoryCulture Consulting, where he helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and mission-driven teams clarify their message and communicate it in a way that builds trust, mobilizes support, and drives meaningful impact.

His work sits at the intersection of storytelling, leadership, and personal development, with a focus on what he calls “Narrative Leadership”—the ability to understand and shape the stories that influence identity, decision-making, and culture.

Through coaching, workshops, and consulting, Nathan supports individuals and organizations in uncovering their purpose, articulating their vision, and sharing stories that resonate with the people they serve.

He has worked with nonprofits, universities, and leaders across sectors to strengthen communication, improve fundraising and outreach, and develop more authentic and effective leadership.

In this solo episode of Braver New Worlds, Nathan Young explores the connection between storytelling, persuasion, and leadership — and why the future may depend on thoughtful people learning how to communicate their ideas more effectively.

Drawing from themes of psychology, rhetoric, and social change, Nathan breaks down Aristotle’s rhetorical framework of persuasion (“ethos, pathos, and logos”) and argues that trust is often the hidden force underneath persuasion itself. Through stories, examples, and reflections from his own work with nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, and executives, he explores why credibility and emotional connection matter more than simply having good ideas.

Nathan also discusses how storytelling helps people communicate not just what they do, but what they believe, why they believe it, and the kind of future they want to help create. Along the way, he reflects on entrepreneurship, creative work, community, social fragmentation, AI, inequality, and the need for more people to confidently speak about the world they want to build.

This episode is ultimately an invitation: to clarify your values, think more deeply about persuasion, and become more intentional about sharing your story with others.

Nathan Young is the founder of StoryCulture Consulting, where he helps mission-driven leaders, teams, and entrepreneurs develop clarity, confidence, and influence through storytelling and narrative strategy.

With over a decade of experience in coaching, training, and facilitation, his work focuses on what he calls “Narrative Leadership”—the ability to communicate vision, build trust, and mobilize people through story.

Through live events like Big Idea Night, his podcast Braver New Worlds, and his consulting work, Nathan explores how storytelling shapes identity, leadership, and culture—and how individuals can use their story to create meaningful change in their lives and communities.

Big Idea Night:
bigideanight.com

Nathan Young / StoryCulture Consulting:
StoryCulture Consulting

Instagram:
Big Idea Night Instagram

Podcast:
Braver New Worlds

This week we’re doing a solo episode of Braver New Worlds, where I share some of the foundational aspects of my work with leaders and communicators.

I argue that while animals rely on instinct to survive, humans rely on stories. These stories shape how we understand reality, define identity, and determine how we behave within our communities. Basically, storytelling isn’t just a communication tool—it’s how humans make sense of the world, build trust, and navigate uncertainty.

Storytelling is also embodied. Experiences like anxiety around difficult conversations, people-pleasing, and fear of speaking up–and the way our bodies respond to these situations–show how these reactions are tied to stories we’ve internalized about acceptance, and ultimately survival. What often feels like personal weakness is actually a biological response to stepping outside of those learned narratives.

This is all especially important as we enter a time when shared societal narratives are breaking down. This makes powerful storytelling all the more important for leadership—specifically, the ability to create trust and offer a sense of predictability about the future.

Rather than simply sharing past accomplishments, leaders must articulate a compelling vision of what’s possible and invite others into that story. The question is: What is the story you can telling about the future? And are you brave enough to share it?

Nathan Young is the founder of StoryCulture Consulting, where he helps mission-driven leaders, teams, and entrepreneurs develop clarity, confidence, and influence through storytelling and narrative strategy.

With over a decade of experience in coaching, training, and facilitation, his work focuses on what he calls “Narrative Leadership”—the ability to communicate vision, build trust, and mobilize people through story.

Through his podcast Braver New Worlds, live events like Big Idea Night, and his consulting work, Nathan explores how storytelling shapes identity, leadership, and culture—and how individuals can use their story to create meaningful change in their lives and communities.

• Big Idea Night (live event series mentioned in episode)

Big Idea Night on Instagram

In this episode, Nathan sits down with Dr. Alex Vazquez, historian and media scholar, to explore how television has shaped—and often distorted—the way Latino identity is understood in the United States.

Drawing from her doctoral research, Dr. Vazquez breaks down the evolution of Latino representation on TV, from early shows like Chico and the Man to more modern series like George Lopez and Ugly Betty. Along the way, they unpack how these portrayals weren’t just entertainment—they actively influenced how audiences saw Latino communities and how Latino audiences saw themselves.

The conversation goes beyond representation to examine power: who gets to tell the story, how audiences respond, and what changes when communities move from being depicted to becoming creators.

Alex highlights how Latino audiences were never passive—organizing, pushing back, and eventually entering writers’ rooms to reshape narratives from the inside. The discussion also touches on the rise of Spanish-language media, the business forces behind representation, and the role of data (like Nielsen ratings) in finally forcing networks to pay attention.

At its core, this episode is about media literacy and responsibility. Alex challenges listeners to rethink television–and by extension, all media–as more than entertainment. It’s an active force that shapes culture, identity, and belief.

In a world where content is more accessible than ever, she shares a call to question what you watch, seek out diverse perspectives, and recognize the power of storytelling in shaping the world around you.

Dr. Alex Vazquez is a historian who recently earned her PhD from Syracuse University. Her research focuses on television, media, and the historical construction of Latino identity in the United States. By examining how Latino communities have been represented—and how they have responded—her work highlights the role of media as both a cultural force and a site of resistance.

Alex is passionate about making history accessible and engaging, using television as a lens to help audiences better understand the relationship between storytelling, identity, and power. She is currently sharing insights from her research through social media and will be publishing her dissertation soon.

Connect with Dr. Alex Vazquez:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-vazquez-4250748a/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dralexvazquezhistorian/

Mentioned / Referenced in Episode:

• Chico and the Man
• A.K.A. Pablo
• George Lopez
• Ugly Betty
• Spanish-language networks including Univision and Telemundo
• Alex’s dissertation (link coming soon)

What does it actually mean to start a religion—and why would someone do it in the modern world? In this episode we sit down with Colin Campbell, founder of Aretéanism, a nontheistic religion designed to build stronger individuals and communities from the ground up.

Colin shares his journey from being a deeply committed Mormon missionary to leaving the church, navigating identity loss, and eventually rethinking the role religion plays in human life. What emerges is a provocative reframe: religion isn’t just about belief in God—it’s about the systems, rituals, and shared meaning that bind people together.

From the psychological power of community and “third places” to the limitations of modern individualism, this conversation explores what many people feel but struggle to articulate.

The discussion also dives into bigger systemic questions: why culture—not politics—is the real driver of societal change, how identity shapes behavior, and why declining trust and connection may require new frameworks for belonging.

Whether you’re skeptical of religion or searching for something deeper, this episode offers a fresh lens on how we organize meaning, purpose, and collective life in a rapidly changing world.

Colin Campbell has had an eclectic career that has bounced him between such things as: being a Mormon missionary, a Marine Corps veteran of the conflict in Afghanistan, an intelligence analyst and operations planner, a refugee advocate and charity worker, a political activist for progressive causes, a game designer, a videographer, and much much more.

His most important work however has been the 2016 founding of Aretéanism, a nontheistic religion which aims to transform society at a grassroots level.

🌐 Website / FAQ
www.areteanism.org/faq

📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/areteanism/

🎵 TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/@areteanism

📺 YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@areteanism

🦋 BlueSky
https://bsky.app/profile/areteanism.bsky.social

💬 Join the community (Discord)
https://discord.gg/Nku5ajBDt8

Key Themes:

• Rethinking what “religion” actually means
• Identity, belonging, and community in modern life
• The psychological power of ritual and shared meaning
• Culture vs. politics in shaping society
• Building better individuals as a path to systemic change

What if psychedelics weren’t fringe, controversial, or countercultural, but simply another tool your doctor could prescribe? That is the mission of this week’s guest, Dr. Lynn Marie Morski, MD, JD, President of the Psychedelic Medicine Association.

We talk about the the evolving world of psychedelic medicine, and what it will take to bring it into mainstream healthcare system. Dr. Morski unpacks the difference between recreational use and therapeutic application, the role of preparation and integration, and the science behind how these substances may help treat conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

The conversation also moves beyond theory into lived experience. Nathan shares his own journey with ketamine therapy and the deeper questions about healing, trauma, and the limits of self-reliance—as well as the systemic challenges of making these treatments safe, accessible, and widely accepted.

At its core, this episode is about integration—both personal and societal. What would it take to move psychedelic medicine out of the shadows and into everyday care? And how might that shift not just individual lives, but the way we think about mental health, healing, and human connection?

Dr. Lynn Marie Morski, MD, JD, is the President of the Psychedelic Medicine Association and host of the Psychedelic Medicine Podcast. She has served on the advisory boards of Psychedelics Today, Cybin, VETS, Inc. (Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions), and the Ketamine Task Force. Dr. Morski is a Mayo Clinic-trained physician in family medicine and sports medicine, as well as an attorney and former adjunct law professor.

Connect with Lynn Marie:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynnmariemorski/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psychedelicmedicinepodcast/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psychedelicmedicinepodcast
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@psychedelicmedicinepodcast

Psychedelic Medicine Podcast:
https://tinyurl.com/59fn243d

What if the real problem in fundraising isn’t a lack of money, but how we think about it?

In this conversation, we sit down with Shantel Suárez Ávila, founder of Más Allá, a nonprofit fundraising consultancy; to explore a deeper, more human approach to fundraising, rooted in community, trust, and systemic change.

Together, they unpack the philosophy behind community-centric fundraising and the tension between idealism and real-world constraints.

Essentially, how do you practice abundance, collaboration, and justice in systems that reward scarcity, control, and competition?

Shantel shares her own journey from early questions about inequality from her experiences growing up in Chicago, to helping organizations raise over $53 million for BIPOC-led and women-led initiatives. The conversation moves beyond tactics into belief systems about money, trust in resource flows, and the cultural shift required to move from individualism to collective responsibility.

This episode is both a practical and philosophical look at how we fund change—and what it will take to build a more equitable and connected world.

Shantel Suárez Ávila (she/ella) is a national nonprofit leader, a founding member and community organizer with San Diego Solidarity Network, member of the Community-Centric Fundraising North American Council, dog momma, yoga student, wife, and founder of Más Allá—an organization focused on reimagining how communities resource the work they believe in.

With experience across grassroots organizing, nonprofit leadership, and systems change work, Shantel helps organizations move beyond scarcity-driven fundraising models toward approaches rooted in trust, care, courage, abundance, relationships, and collective sustainability.

Through Más Allá, Shantel is co-developing the Collective Resourcing Cohort, a San Diego–based learning cohort where nonprofit leaders and community partners explore collaborative approaches to funding and sustaining community-driven work through a systems change approach.

She regularly facilitates workshops and conversations on nonprofit sustainability, resource mobilization, and community power, helping leaders navigate uncertainty while staying grounded in their mission, values, and agency.

Since 2021, Shantel has helped raise more than $53 million for women-led and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)-led and serving organizations with Más Allá. She began her career at the headquarters of Obama for America in 2012, where she deepened her commitment to grassroots power-building and people-centered strategy.

Shantel is an alumna of DePaul University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and a Next Economy MBA focused on building an equitable, inclusive, and regenerative economy.

• Más Allá: https://www.masallaconsulting.com/
• Shantel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shantel-su%C3%A1rez-%C3%A1vila/

• Community Centric Fundraising: https://communitycentricfundraising.org/
• San Diego Solidarity Network: https://www.sdsolidarity.com

Nathan's upcoming event series: http://bigideanight.com/

What if the environment isn’t just one issue among many, but the foundation that everything else depends on?

For this episode we sit down with Anne Middleton, Associate Director at WILDCOAST, to explore the deeper reality of conservation, restoration ecology, and the systems shaping our relationship with the natural world.

Anne shares why environmental work is often misunderstood as a “luxury issue,” and makes a case for why clean air, water, and functioning ecosystems underpin everything from housing to public health to economic stability.

This episode also ventures into more philosophical territory—examining how culture has shaped the narrative that nature exists “outside” of us, and what it might look like to reimagine a more integrated, sustainable way of living. We also dive into the tension between individual responsibility and systemic change, asking: if we all “care about the environment,” why don’t our policies and behaviors reflect it?

Anne Middleton is a conservation leader and operational strategist who has spent two decades at the intersection of private-sector innovation and global environmental advocacy. She currently serves as Associate Director at WILDCOAST, where she bridges policy, operations, and on-the-ground conservation efforts to scale natural climate solutions.

Anne’s career spans high-impact international work, including her time in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where she managed sustainable ebony sourcing and supply chain transparency for Taylor Guitars. She has also worked with the Environmental Investigation Agency in Washington, D.C., contributing to landmark wildlife crime investigations tied to the U.S. Lacey Act.

She holds a B.A. in Biology from Oberlin College and a Master of Environmental Science and Management from UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School.

Outside of her conservation work, Anne is a musician, performing in San Diego-based bands, and serves on nonprofit boards including the Escondido Creek Conservancy.

Connect with Anne:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook

Follow & support WILDCOAST:

• Website: https://wildcoast.org
• Instagram: @wildcoastcostasalvaje
• Newsletter: Available via WILDCOAST website

Watch Anne’s TEDx Talk

Other:

• Anne’s band: @thegoodgoodmusic (Instagram)