Larger Than Yourself is a collaborative space for brave people to share how they are helping small ideas become powerful movements. Our mission is to amplify the impact of their stories and inspire the courage in others to reimagine industries, lead with purpose and challenge the status quo.

 
 
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 Latest stories of brave people told in their own words to inspire action.

Ben Nichols: Humble Service
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Ben Nichols: Humble Service

Episode 059 | January 10, 2024

Ben Nichols is a third generation marine who epitomizes the concept of a humble servant leader. Whether leading troops in Afghanistan or running Harkins Builders here in America, Ben is committed to giving everyone a platform, a voice, and a seat at the table. At a time where building consensus and getting people on the same page can seem overwhelming, Ben helps us see that not only is it possible, but that it is critical to the success of the growth of the ideas that we work on and champion.

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Sekwan Merritt: Hope
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Sekwan Merritt: Hope

Episode 058 | August 21, 2023

Sekwan Merritt is magic. His smile, his beautiful heart, and his hope are just a few of the things that separate him from the rest of us. Sekwan never let a 25 year prison sentence slow him down. If anything, it motivated him to dig deeper, find his freedom, and answer the calling to change the world for him and for everyone around him.

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Victoria Thompson: A Better Hustle
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Victoria Thompson: A Better Hustle

Episode 057 | June 23, 2023

Victoria Thompson spent years hustling in the squeegee business, which has been one of the most polarizing topics that we’ve faced in Baltimore in a long time. Her recent leadership in the Squeegee Collaborative, where a group of Baltimore leaders and squeegee workers came together to listen to each other and map out a path forward that would be in the best interest of all those involved, has changed the landscape in our city, and is a beautiful reminder of the importance of listening deeply.

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Shelonda Stokes: We Could
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Shelonda Stokes: We Could

Episode 056 | May 15, 2023

My friend Shelonda Stokes is the glue that is helping all of Baltimore stick. Her life’s quest to blaze an equal trail for women and people of color has led her to a point in her career where the social capital that she possesses, used correctly, just might be the tipping point that Baltimore needs to thrive together.

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Luke Cooper: Who Cares?
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Luke Cooper: Who Cares?

Episode 055 | April 21, 2023

Luke Cooper is on a quest to level the playing field for entrepreneurs of color. Raised surrounded by drugs and violence, as a young boy he watched his father get sentenced to 20 years in prison. If it wasn’t for a strong mom, a short ride in a Cessna airplane, and a science fair he won at 12 years old, Luke’s life would have looked a lot different. As he says, he probably would be dead. Luke’s story on how he realized that he controlled his own destiny, which led him to start and sell some very successful tech companies, is full of priceless lessons on how to inclusively grow ideas.

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Alicia Wilson: The Seed Planter
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Alicia Wilson: The Seed Planter

Episode 054 | February 20, 2023

Alicia Wilson is the mightiest person I know. Her ability to navigate community, and life, in a way that is transparent, humble, and compassionate have landed her in some of the most important conversations in Baltimore, throughout the country, and now around the globe. Alicia’s courage to take on world-changing challenges without ever forgetting how she got there, or who she really represents, are all a part of her inspiring magic.

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Charlotte James & Undrea Wright: Sacred Medicine
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Charlotte James & Undrea Wright: Sacred Medicine

Episode 053 | February 6, 2022

Charlotte James and Undrea Wright believe deeply in the healing powers of plant medicine. Our conversation explored how their personal journeys with psychedelics led them to create The Ancestor Project, which uses these sacred medicines to co-create a collective liberation.

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Artie Gonzales: Facing Our Demons
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Artie Gonzales: Facing Our Demons

Episode 052 | January 20, 2022

At 16 years old, Artie Gonzales was already deep in the gang world when he took the life of another man, was tried as an adult, and caught a life sentence in the California prison system. 21 years later, through hard personal work, Artie was released as a model prisoner and has since become a leader in his community, an advocate for legislative reforms, and a member of several social justice organizations.

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Ashley Williams: Seeing Beyond the Patterns
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Ashley Williams: Seeing Beyond the Patterns

Episode 051 | January 6, 2022

Ashley Williams is on a quest to make sure that the youth of this world, our future generation, have the emotional intelligence needed to thrive in these incredibly challenging times. It’s as important to her as math, English and science, and it can no longer be overlooked. Her edu-tech company, Clymb, is reimagining what’s possible by not accepting the status quo.

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John Brothers: The Community Builder
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John Brothers: The Community Builder

Episode 050 | August 25, 2021

Dr. John Brothers is the glue that is quietly and humbly holding Baltimore city together. Our conversation covered everything from his growing up in deep poverty, to his ability to see the beauty in even the most challenging places, to his unique approach to leading the T. Rowe Price Foundation’s quest to reimagine the role of philanthropy within communities.

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Monique Smith: Missing
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Monique Smith: Missing

Episode 049 | August 4, 2021

Monique Smith was abducted as a baby and raised by an abusive woman who claimed to be her mother. It wasn’t until she was in her 30s that Monique began to put the pieces together. Today, Monique is on a quest to discover her true identity and to create a movement to support families of missing children.

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Kondwani Fidel: Are We Going To Be Okay?
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Kondwani Fidel: Are We Going To Be Okay?

Episode 048 | July 21, 2021

Kondwani Fidel is a Baltimore legend. Known for his ability to use words to stir an awakening and deep emotion, Kondwani’s poetry, lyrics and books are both asking and answering our toughest questions. Kondwani’s ability to be real and vulnerable have propelled him forward onto a national stage where he’s using his platform to inspire critical change.

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Lola Manekin: Conscious Creation
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Lola Manekin: Conscious Creation

Episode 047 | June 24 2021

Lola Manekin is my wife, my oracle and one of the most powerful healers that I’ve ever met. In this conversation, which was rooted in creation, we dove deep into marriage, children, birthing ideas, the universes’ wisdom, and trusting ourselves to find our paths.

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Ethan Lipsitz: The Love Extremist
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Ethan Lipsitz: The Love Extremist

Episode 046 | June 16 2021

In 2017, Ethan Lipsitz was diagnosed with brain cancer. Rather than giving up, this challenged him to face his mortality and reorient his priorities around health and love. From that period onwards Ethan founded the Love Extremist project, a platform that empowers people to become activists for love. Today he works with companies, schools, communities and organizations to facilitate important conversations and practices that bond groups, empower health and cultivate creativity, action-oriented love.

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Sheela Murthy: Reimagining Immigration Law
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Sheela Murthy: Reimagining Immigration Law

Episode 045 | June 9 2021

Sheela Murthy has lived an incredible life. Born and raised in India, Sheela's parents instilled a work ethic in her that propelled her onto a global stage. Armed with a law degree from Harvard, and based on her own poor experience in optioning a green card, Sheela set out to reimagine immigration law as we know it through the Murthy Law Firm.

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Tara Ryan: Heal the Healers
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Tara Ryan: Heal the Healers

Episode 044 | June 3 2021

Tara Ryan is the founder of the Heal the Healers Project, a powerful nonprofit that provides emotional support for nurses on the front lines. Driven to serve based on life threatening burns Tara experienced when she was only nine months old, and the trauma that came with it, Tara has committed her life’s work to taking care of others.

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Devin Allen: Stepping Off the Porch
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Devin Allen: Stepping Off the Porch

Episode 001 | January 30, 2020

On April 18, 2015, the city of Baltimore erupted in mass protests in response to the brutal murder of Freddie Gray by police. Amateur photographer Devin Allen was there, and his iconic photo of the Baltimore uprising became a viral sensation and landed on the cover of Time Magazine.

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Joe Jones: Dismantling Poverty
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Joe Jones: Dismantling Poverty

Episode 043 | May 19 2021

Joe Jones is the founder and CEO of the Center for Urban Families. Addicted to heroin, selling drugs, and arrested before he was legally able to drive, Joe decided he had a larger purpose in life. He set out on a journey to create an organization that would dismantle poverty, and he’s systematically chipping away at that every single day.

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Brandon Scott: Why Can’t We?
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Brandon Scott: Why Can’t We?

Episode 042 | May 12 2021

Brandon Scott is the 52nd mayor of Baltimore City and he’s on a mission. As 37 years old, he’s the youngest mayor Baltimore has had in over a hundred years. In this episode Brandon talks about his lifelong passion to serve his city, his commitment to reimagining what it means to be an elected official, why he is challenging the status quo, and the hard questions he’s asking that will eventually move the needle.

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D. Watkins: My Brother’s Keeper
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D. Watkins: My Brother’s Keeper

Episode 041 | May 5 2021

D. Watkins is a New York Times bestselling author, world renowned speaker, editor and teacher. In this inspiring conversation, D. and I talk about being a new dad, about him being a product of the crack era and living to be able to tell that story, about the racism and crime that are crippling our country, about the importance of building community and more importantly, protecting that community once you’ve made it.

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