The Radical Act Of Choosing Common Ground To Create Change With Nisha Anand

Leading With Empathy & Allyship

In Episode 84, Nisha Anand, CEO of Dream Corps, joins Melinda in a reflective conversation about how we can make unlikely allies and find common ground to create large-scale change in our organizations, culture, and legislation. They share their take on the Supreme Court's draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, its impact on abortion rights across different communities, and the power every individual can have in pushing for an inclusive piece of legislation. Nisha also provides practical steps for creating common ground in communities and workplaces by learning how to have hard conversations, listening to understand, and finding commonalities that can help drive change forward.

About Nisha Anand (she/her)

Nisha Anand is the CEO of Dream Corps, a nonprofit organization that brings people together across racial, social, and partisan lines to solve our toughest problems. She is the Political Director of Rebuild The Dream, an organization fighting for an economy that works for everyone. Her journey from punk-rock protester to common ground champion is documented in her widely-viewed TED talk, The Radical Act of Choosing Common Ground. With her team of storytellers, organizers, and policy experts, Nisha focuses on criminal justice reform, green economics, and tech equity to create a better future for all.

Previously, Nisha served as Chief of Staff to Van Jones, CNN commentator, and NY Times Bestselling Author. Nisha is a senior trainer and consultant with GIFT, the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training. As a certified coach, Nisha is a pioneer in the field of “fundraising coaching”–providing a unique blend of coaching people through their issues around money.

In 1998, Nisha was arrested while passing out pro-democracy leaflets in the military dictatorship of Burma and was sentenced to five years in jail with 18 other international activists. Her arrest put her on the international stage, delivering speeches at numerous events and conferences and interviewing for TV, radio, and print. Nisha plays soccer and is the mother of two teenagers and a great dane.

To join us for our monthly live event or find educational resources from the episode, visit ally.cc.

Connect With Nisha On Social

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nisha-m-anand

Facebook: facebook.com/nisha.anand.31

Twitter: twitter.com/NishaMAnand

Instagram: instagram.com/nishamanand

Connect With Us On Social

YouTube: youtube.com/@empovia

Twitter: twitter.com/empoviaco

Facebook: facebook.com/empovia

Instagram: instagram.com/empovia/

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/empovia/

Production Team

Creator & Host: Melinda Briana Epler

Co-Producers: Renzo Santos & Christina Swindlehurst Chan

Creative Director @ Podcast Rocket: Rob Scheerbarth

[Image description: LEA promo with photos of Nisha Anand, a South Asian female with long wavy black hair, brown eyes, glasses, and a striped black and white long sleeve; and host Melinda Briana Epler, a White woman with

Support the show