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Braver New Worlds

Braver New Worlds

By: Nathan Cody Young
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About this listen

Braver New Worlds is a podcast for people navigating change, questioning inherited narratives, and trying to lead with intention and humanity even when the path forward is unclear. It’s about the stories we need to share–about ourselves, our work, and our vision–for the future want to create.

Each episode is a thoughtful human conversation with someone actively trying to change something, whether that’s through their work, their being, or their relationship with community. We discuss personal stories, public responsibility, and how identity, values, and lived experience shape the way we see and show up in the world.

2026 Nathan Cody Young
Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Purpose, Pilgrimage, and Healing the Soul of a Nation with Brandon Peele
    Mar 10 2026

    What would it mean to heal the soul of a nation?

    In this episode, we sit down with facilitator, author, and purpose expert Brandon Peele to explore a bold experiment in civic imagination: a National Pilgrimage across the United States culminating in a Mother’s Constitutional Convention.

    Brandon describes the inspiration behind a cross-country pilgrimage visiting historic sites connected to American freedom struggles—from civil rights landmarks in the South to Indigenous sites in the West. The journey will culminate in a gathering designed to imagine a renewed constitutional framework rooted in maternal wisdom and care for future generations.

    OTHER TOPICS WE COVER
    • Why Brandon believes the United States has a beautiful purpose it has not yet fulfilled
    • How culture often precedes political change
    • How inherited life scripts shape our decisions about careers, marriage, and success
    • The role of spiritual and moral development in sustaining democracy
    • Brandon’s metaphor of the bison as a symbol of regenerative leadership

    ABOUT BRANDON PEELE

    Brandon Peele is a facilitator, ceremony leader, best-selling author, and expert in purpose, leadership, and culture change. He is trusted as a keynote speaker, facilitator, and program leader by organizations such as LinkedIn, Harvard Business School, Johnson & Johnson, Stanford University, and the U.S. Marine Corps.

    He is the author of Planet on Purpose (2018), Purpose Work Nation (2022), and Bison Medicine (2025). Brandon’s work has been featured by outlets including USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, the US Business Journal, and Forbes.

    LINKS

    Learn more about the National Pilgrimage

    Brandon Peele’s book Bison Medicine

    Find Brandon on Social Media:

    LinkedIn

    Instagram

    Facebook

    Substack

    Future updates about supporting the National Pilgrimage and Mother’s Constitutional Convention will be available through the project website and upcoming crowdfunding campaign.

    SUPPORT THE PODCAST

    If this conversation resonates, consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing the episode with someone navigating their own brave new world.

    Follow the podcast on social media

    Instagram | YouTube | TikTok

    🎙 Connect with host Nathan Young

    Instagram |Linkedin | TikTok

    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
  • Rehumanizing Work and Life in a Hyperconnected Era with Dr. Arezou Ghane
    Mar 3 2026

    In this episode of Braver New Worlds, we sit down with Dr. Arezou Ghane, to explore what it means to stay human in an increasingly artificial world.

    Arezou shares her vision for a more intentional, relational, and value-aligned future — one rooted in connection, civility, tenderness, and generativity. Together, we unpack the tension between personal well-being and professional necessity, especially in a culture shaped by hustle, hyperconnectivity, and algorithmic performance. What does it take to reclaim attention, preserve human-to-human connection, and navigate the blurred lines between authenticity and being seen?

    Arezou reminds us that while we may not control the circumstances we inherit, we hold power in how we make meaning and choose to show up. Meaningful change is relational and does not occur in a vacuum.

    OTHER TOPICS WE COVER
    • When we feel most — and least — human
    • The psychological cost of hustle culture
    • Authenticity vs. performance in public life
    • Purpose, capitalism, and the modern workforce
    • AI, creativity, and the standardization of thought

    ABOUT DR AREZOU GHANE

    Dr. Arezou Ghane is a Doctor of Health Psychology, an National Science Foundation fellow, a certified wellness coach, a college lecturer, and a yoga and meditation instructor. Her research has appeared in respected journals including Health Psychology Review, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, and Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

    Through her coaching and consulting work, she helps leaders and individuals bridge the gap between the science of well-being and the lived experience of it. Her work centers on creating more intentional lives and workplaces — spaces that cultivate connection, mutual care, authenticity, and alignment with deeply held values.

    LINKS

    Website: www.auteurhealthandwellness.com
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arezou-ghane-ph-d-333970111/
    Instagram: @auteurhealthandwellness
    Substack: @rehumanizing

    SUPPORT THE PODCAST

    If this conversation resonates, consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing the episode with someone navigating their own brave new world.

    Follow the podcast on social media

    Instagram | YouTube | TikTok

    🎙 Connect with host Nathan Young

    Instagram | Linkedin | TikTok | Threads | Email | Website

    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
  • Leveraging Privilege, Rewriting Systems, & Building What Comes Next with Sam Mazzeo
    Feb 24 2026

    In this episode, we sit down with attorney, advocate, and entrepreneur, Sam Mazzeo for a wide-ranging conversation about privilege, power, and the systems we’re living in.

    Sam reflects on his own evolution from law school and “hunt for money and power” conditioning to a more values-driven approach to business, politics, and community leadership.

    He shares how shame, growth, and unlearning shaped his perspective—and why he now sees privilege not as guilt, but as something to be leveraged in service of others.

    The conversation moves from personal responsibility to generational change, and the idea that we may be living through a crisis chapter in American history (ya think??).

    Rather than spiraling into cynicism, Sam argues that crisis is often the precursor to renewal and that what comes next depends on who shows up to build it.

    ABOUT SAM MAZZEO

    Most people like to think of Sam as an approachable renaissance man. Here are some things he can help you better understand: B Corp certification, trademark, business formation & securities, contracts, Halloween party planning, how to do a standing backflip, and the proper pronunciation of the word “GIF.”

    When Sam isn’t providing legal advice and empowering his clients, he’s either outdoors adventuring or working on local policy and social justice initiatives, often through his volunteer positions with Business For Good San Diego, B Local San Diego, and the San Diego Made Factory. He leads with both heart and smarts.

    Sam is the founder of Better APC, a law firm focused on impact-driven businesses, and also runs Fervor & Zeal, a giveback clothing company that matches artists with nonprofits and shares profits between them.

    LINKS

    Connect with Sam:

    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram
    • YouTube (Better APC)

    Businesses:

    • Better APC
    • Fervor & Zeal

    Communities:

    • Business For Good San Diego
    • B Local San Diego
    • The (Doing) Business For Good Summit

    SUPPORT THE PODCAST

    If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing the podcast. It helps more people discover conversations like this one.

    Follow the podcast on Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | RSS

    Show More Show Less
    50 mins
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