Open Gov Stories
26 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingWhy do you care about changing the world? Open Gov Stories is a Global Podcast Series, which goes behind the scenes to explore why social change makers really do the work they do.
In each episode, listen to candid interviews between friends and colleagues who have devoted their lives to changing the world. Using the StoryCorps model and app, they share personal origin stories, lessons on how to open up governments, empower citizens and change the world, and their visions for the future. Listen to their stories and add your own.
This podcast is a partnership of Open Gov Hub and the Transparency and Accountability Initiative, in collaboration with StoryCorps. Interviews provided courtesy of StoryCorps, a national nonprofit whose mission is to preserve and share humanity's stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. www.storycorps.org
Music from https://filmmusic.io:
"Promises to Keep" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
Licence: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
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Episodes
International Women's Day Podcast @ OGH
March 20, 2023 19:42 - 16 minutes - 30.2 MBIn celebration of International Women's Day, March 8th 2023, the Open Gov Hub hosted a podcast on the this year's theme: #EmbraceEquity. Podcast guests: Jean Scrimgeour (Accountability Lab) Jahanara Saeed (Open Data Watch) Blair McQueen (Open Government Partnership) Podcast host: Izabela Chmielewska (Global Integrity)
Passion & Power | Confronting Corruption with Activism (Abigail Bellows & Jessica Lowing)
May 22, 2020 19:49 - 7 minutes - 17.3 MBAbigail Bellows (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) and Jessica Lowing (Open Society Foundations)talk about the nexus of passion and power in the context of community organizing and political activism against corruption. They reflect on why uniting people's voices and building institutional change are critical ingredients in overcoming corrupt systems. No matter where we're from or what language we speak, we want the same basic things, like food and security. By joining together, c...
Roots & Identity: Venezuelan and Egyptian Perceptions in America (Nada Zohdy & Andres Marquez-Lara)
March 24, 2020 21:08 - 7 minutes - 17.6 MBChanging perceptions about revolutionary countries, such as Egypt and Venezuela, can be difficult in America because they are often portrayed in negative light. Nevertheless, people who are rooted in these countries' complex cultures see things very differently. How deep does solidarity go? What about self-care in the context of difficult political situations and wanting to make social change? Listen to Nada Zohdy(Director of Open Gov Hub)and Andres Marquez-Lara (Founder & CEO of UFacilita...
Women Empowerment: Opening up in the Age of OpenGov/Data(Sarah Orton-Vipond and Mor Rubinstein)
October 04, 2019 22:55 - 6 minutes - 15.7 MBIn this Open Gov Story, Sarah Orton-Vipond(Development Gateway) and Mor Rubinstein(360Giving)explore the question: What is the biggest challenge for women working in the field of OpenGov? The short answer: time. They talk about the gender inequality at home with chores and at work, including the Israeli military experience. Sarah and Mor also talk about the Open Gender Monologues as a therapeutic safe space, as well as the Open Heroines initiative that augments the voices of women in opengo...
There is Hope: Voices Against Injustice in Pakistan and Kenya (Mavra Zehra and Edith Mecha)
September 27, 2019 22:05 - 5 minutes - 11.7 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Mavra Zehra and Edith Mecha discuss the challenges of working in non-permissive environments back home -- in Pakistan and Kenya, respectively -- and how their experiences of the past have led them to work on social issues relevant to their country’s context. They then discuss their role as emerging voices in the developing world – promoting peacebuilding projects in the two countries and what they hope the future will hold for the civic space in there. Ma...
Nigerian Youth Leadership and Social Change(Olalaken Oshunkoya & Didi Littlejohn)
May 30, 2019 16:46 - 7 minutes - 17.1 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Ola talks with his friend Didi about how exposure to different places at an early age helped motivate his commitment to social change in Nigeria, and how his work as a lawyer in the UK and as a researcher in the US all connect back to open government, youth empowerment and social change in his home country of Nigeria. They emphasize the need to invest in young people, how to change international development system, and how corruption is a great barrier to...
Frontiers in Open Data and Consumer Protection(Joel Gurin & Nada Zohdy)
May 30, 2019 16:43 - 5 minutes - 11.8 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Joel discusses working on consumer rights in the telecom industry and how fighting one woman's $300,000 phone bill helped pass game-changing protections for consumers in the US. He then discusses his role becoming a leader in the movement to promote open data and what he hopes the future will hold for open government data being a powerful public resource. Joel Gurin is founder and head of the Center for Open Data Enterprise, and author of Open Data Now. ...
Tackling Corruption and Integrity in Pakistan(Fayyaz Yaseen & Blair Glencorse)
May 30, 2019 16:40 - 6 minutes - 2.8 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, local development and open government activist from Pakistan Fayyaz explains the inspiration that led him to setting up Accountability Lab's Pakistan chapter and then the Open Gov Hub/Space in Islamabad. Fayyaz, in conversation with Blair - his mentor, friend and Executive Director of the Accountability Lab global - talks about the journey, personal experience with corruption, and vision for more integrity and accountability in Pakistan. Fayyaz Yaseen is ...
Leading the Way for Social Entrepreneurship in Tunisia (Adnen Ben Haj Yahia & Asma Rouabhia)
May 30, 2019 16:36 - 4 minutes - 10.4 MBIn this podcast, Adnen and Asma, co-founder and intern at El Space (Tunisia's first social innovation hub), talk about their motivations as social entrepreneurs and the social impacts of doing business differently, witnesses injustices in society, living through the Tunisian revolution of 2010/2011 that catalyzed the Arab Spring, what inspires and challenges them, and their hopes for the future. Adnen Ben Haj Yahia is executive director and the co-founder of EL SPACE, Tunisia's first social...
The Power of One (Suneeta Kaimal & Doug Rutzen)
May 30, 2019 16:31 - 6 minutes - 13.9 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, colleagues Suneeta and Doug talk about their first meeting and influential career moments, like sharing the stage with President Obama. Suneeta discusses believing in the power of one, prudent optimism, and advice for the next generation. Suneeta Kaimal is the Chief Operating Officer of Natural Resource Governance Institute. She is a Steering Committee member and former civil society chair of the Open Government Partnership. Doug Rutzen is President and ...
Personal Impacts of Access to Information(Tom Susman & Kevin Goldberg)
May 30, 2019 16:28 - 4 minutes - 9.8 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Tom discusses personal experiences with filing freedom of information requests. Tom and Kevin also discuss how the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and similar open government tools can help ensure that the people's taxpayer dollars are well spent. Tom Susman is founder of the DC Open Government Coalition. As a staff member in the Senate he helped write FOIA law in the earliest years (the 1970s), and has continued involvement ever since in law practic...
On Being a Founder/Social Entrepreneur (Dennis Whittle & Donna Callejon)
May 29, 2019 13:55 - 3 minutes - 9.02 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, long-time colleagues and social entrepreneurs Dennis and Donna discuss their struggle after struggle that led to their success co-founding a global nonprofit social enterprise (Global Giving). Donna discusses the long-term journey of seeing the fruits of your labor working in the field of social change. They both discuss what the future may hold, and the lifelong uncertainty that comes with a career in this field, along with the personal bonds that come wi...
In Pursuit of Corporate Accountability(Gary Kalman & Alexandria Robbins)
May 29, 2019 13:53 - 3 minutes - 8.85 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, colleagues Gary and Allie share about their inspirations for their work on pushing government and corporate accountability in the US, stemming from effects of poverty on the Great Depression generation to the personal effects of the bankruptcy of Enron. Gary Kalman was a founding member of the FACT Coalition in 2011, which promotes financial transparency and corporate accountability, and joined as its Executive Director in 2016. Alexandria is an Assistan...
When Corruption Affects You Personally(Tinatin Ninua & Leslie Baesens)
May 29, 2019 13:48 - 4 minutes - 10.9 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Tinatin discusses growing up the war and economic collapse that followed Georgia's independence from the Soviet Union. She won a scholarship to study in the US and was personally impacted by corruption in the process. She also talks about the culture shock she faced as an exchange student in rural Minnesota at age 15, and what she finds most fulfilling in her current work. Tinatin is the IRM research manager at the Open Government Partnership, in charge o...
Leading as a Minority Woman Public Servant (Traci Hughes & Nada Zohdy)
May 29, 2019 13:44 - 4 minutes - 10.9 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories,Traci discusses growing up in an African American family with a strong emphasis on public service, her efforts to make government work better and to be more collaborative with the public as Washington DC's first head of the Office of Open Government, the legacy she hopes to leave behind, and dealing with microaggressions, stereotypes, and discrimination within government as a civil servant. Nada discusses similarly feeling the need to fight twice as hard to...
Building Consensus and Open Parliaments (Maria Baron & Lotte Geunis)
May 29, 2019 13:37 - 4 minutes - 9.3 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Lotte talks about loving travel from an early age, which led her to an international career and working on improving parliaments. Maria talks about studying journalism in Argentina, and they both discuss the importance of building consensus for effective collective action. María Baron is an Argentine journalist and global executive director of Directorio Legislativo, an organization that promotes transparency in government, democratic consolidation, and e...
Building a New Movement in Liberia(Luther Jeke & Lawrence Yealue)
May 24, 2019 16:25 - 5 minutes - 12 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Lawrence Yealue & Luther Jeke discussed the inception of the Accountability Lab movement in Liberia and the founding of iCampus - Liberia’s first innovation and coworking community space. They share personal and intimate stories about their work around social change, accountability and open governance - from living through Liberia's 14-year civil war and Ebola crisis, to spending time in the US, supporting youth as leaders of today, global sustainable d...
Policy Reform and Civic Tech in Nigeria(Iyanuoluwa Bolarinwa & Ilerioluwa Bolarinwa)
May 24, 2019 16:17 - 5 minutes - 2.32 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Iyanu, the manager of Civic Hive in Lagos, Nigeria talks with his sister Ilerioluwa about his upbringing, becoming leader for civic tech in Nigeria, personally experiencing injustice that motivated him to support police reform, and his hopes for civic tech supporting Nigeria's development in the future.
Working for a Better Albania (Edison Frangu & Nerisa Shehu)
May 24, 2019 16:10 - 3 minutes - 7.98 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Edison Frangu, an open gov leader in Albania, shares with his childhood friend Nerisa many experiences that made him the changemaker he is today. She asks him many questions to get to know why he does his work. He discusses challenges growing up poor during the transition from communism to democracy in Albania, beginning his career working in the local municipality, becoming an advisor to the mayor, his journey on a fellowship to the US, and more. He ends...
Helping as an Outsider (Meg VanDeusen & Amy Van Zanen)
May 24, 2019 15:57 - 6 minutes - 14 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Meg discusses her time teaching English and organizing a girls empowerment program in rural Malaysia. Amy talks about the intergenerational commitment she shares with her family to work for social change - discussing experiences working in Michigan on a farm with refugees, and with the homeless. They both discuss learning what roles to play and not to play as outsiders and as Millenials when trying to serve others and support social change, abroad and at h...
America As It Should Be(Zoe Reiter & Danielle Brian)
May 24, 2019 15:52 - 5 minutes - 13.2 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Zoe and Danielle who are close friends share with each other what led them to working on transparency and accountability in the US and the biggest challenges moving forward. Zoe discusses feeling a strong patriotism from fighting for the values of transparency and integrity that she was taught this country was based on, her pride as a New Yorker, and her mom who was a whistleblower, and the first time she felt "othered." Danielle discuss understanding the ...
Seeking Social Justice (Rebecca Shaeffer & Kristi Arbogast)
May 24, 2019 15:49 - 5 minutes - 11.6 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Kristi talks about growing up post-9/11 and pushing back against black and white political narratives in rural conservative Ohio. Rebecca talks about growing up with a strong public service, activist/social justice Catholics. Kristi and Rebecca explore how to personally respond to the suffering of those they seek to help/serve, sacrifices for a life of public service, and moments of solidarity and connection.
Data Empowers the Voiceless(Dalia Mogahed & Kat Coplen)
May 24, 2019 15:44 - 3 minutes - 9.08 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Dalia Mogahed tells her colleague and mentee, Katherine “Kat’ Coplen, about being attacked for her political opinions, her Muslim-American identity, and the origin of the Arab Spring in Egypt. She emphasizes how the data at the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies helped minority communities finally speak for themselves, and how data can aid struggles for social justice in safeguarding the truth and making possible the promise of American pluralism.
Student Activism: 1960s and Today (Jean-Louis Sarbib & Nada Zohdy)
May 24, 2019 15:37 - 3 minutes - 9.01 MBIn this episode of #OpenGovStories, Jean-Louis Sarbib tells his colleague and mentee, Nada Zohdy, about growing up in a Jewish family in Algeria during the French occupation and war, moving to the U.S. and being part of the student anti-war protest movement in the mid 1960s, and what he considers to be one of his greatest accomplishments as a former executive at the World Bank. Nada talks about her student activism protesting the US invasion of Iraq.
Global/Local Community Organizing(Jennifer Lentfer & Katie Petit)
May 24, 2019 15:32 - 3 minutes - 8.34 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, Katie Petit and her friend, Jennifer Lentfer, discuss their careers as grassroots organizers. Katie talks about growing up biracial and her transformative experience at Standing Rock and the power of prayer and healing. Jennifer talks about the importance of listening first and the power of global community.
Global Feminist Activism (Emira Woods & Lisa VeneKlasen)
May 24, 2019 15:29 - 4 minutes - 10.4 MBIn this episode of Open Gov Stories, fellow global activists Lisa VeneKlasen and Emira Woods talk about becoming aware of unjustice at an early age and what led them to their careers growing up in the United State and Liberia. Lisa talks about working directly with the Sandinista government in the middle of a revolution. They discuss their shared passion for supporting feminists in social justice struggles. Emira talks about her grandmother growing up in Liberia next to a Firestone rubber p...