In the Season 2 premiere of The Negative Space, host Patricia McLoughlin sits down with Brandon Doman, founder of The Strangers Project, and designer and community strategist Exa Kutler to explore the power of human connection in an increasingly disconnected world.

What began as a notebook and a simple invitation to write has grown into a traveling community engagement project featuring more than 100,000 anonymous handwritten stories. By creating spaces where people can share their experiences without judgment, prompts, or digital distractions, The Strangers Project offers a rare opportunity for reflection, vulnerability, and belonging.

Together, Patricia, Brandon, and Exa discuss the role of anonymity in building trust, the surprising themes that emerge across thousands of stories, and what it means to create meaningful community during a loneliness epidemic. They also explore the challenges of sustaining mission-driven creative work, lessons from bringing the project to Webby Awards Creator Weekend, and the future of preserving these powerful stories for new audiences.

In a culture that often rewards speed and performance, this conversation is a reminder that sometimes the most impactful thing we can offer is a blank page—and the space to be seen.

• How The Strangers Project grew from a spontaneous idea into a global community initiative
• Why anonymity can foster honesty, empathy, and connection
• What 100,000+ stories reveal about our shared human experiences
• The role of in-person engagement in an increasingly digital world
• The challenges and opportunities of sustaining long-term social impact work
• What's next for The Strangers Project

Learn more about The Strangers Project at strangersproject.com and on Instagram @strangersproj

If you're in New York City, you can visit The Strangers Project at the World Trade Center Oculus (Thursday–Sunday, 2:00–6:30 PM)

Learn more about the Anthem Awards and The Negative Space at anthemawards.com and on Instagram @anthemawards.

Set the new standard for good and enter your impact work into the Anthem Awards before July 31st!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rising sea levels, eroding coastlines and worsening storms threaten communities worldwide, while anti-climate agendas stall critical action. The Surfrider Foundation has spent decades at the intersection of grassroots activism and policy change, fighting to protect our oceans and encourage systemic action. In the face of growing anti-climate action, we’re joined with Surfrider CEO, Chad Nelsen, as we dive into the biggest environmental battles ahead, the power of community-led action and what it will take to hold brands and policymakers accountable.

Guest: Dr. Chad Nelsen is the CEO of the Surfrider Foundation, leading the world’s largest grassroots network dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of oceans globally by blending coastal recreation with conservation.

Keep up with their work @surfrider on all major platforms and @surfrider.org on Bluesky. Find out more about how they’re creating change and get involved at surfrider.org/! Entries for the 5th Annual Anthem Awards will open on Tuesday, April 8. Follow us @theanthemawards on Instagram and LinkedIn to discover our new categories and how to enter your work.

Credits:

Hosted by Patricia McLoughlin

Written and Produced by Mahlet Sugebo

Editorial Lead by Jordana Jarrett

Edited by Kate Mishkin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a country reeling from mass shootings—with only thoughts and prayers offered—Moms Demand Action is on the frontlines of the fight for gun safety. With a powerful network of over 400 chapters nationwide, they’re challenging the very systems that perpetuate gun violence at the root. We spoke with Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Executive Director of Moms Demand Action, to spotlight their work in tackling America’s gun crisis, the push for school safety and the fight to protect hard-won progress, despite the shift in the new administration's stance.

Guest: Angela Ferrell-Zabala serves as the first-ever Executive Director of Moms Demand Action where she leads the largest grassroots network in the gun violence prevention space.

Keep up with Angela @FerrellZabala on Instagram, Threads and X and @ferrellzabala.bsky.social. Find out more about how Moms Demand Action is creating change and get involved at momsdemandaction.org. Entries for the 5th Annual Anthem Awards will open on Tuesday, April 8. Follow us @theanthemawards on Instagram and LinkedIn to discover our new categories and how to enter your work.

Credits:

Hosted by Patricia McLoughlin

Written and Produced by Mahlet Sugebo

Editorial Lead by Jordana Jarrett

Edited by Kate Mishkin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.