https://simplecast.com How We Build This How We Build This is a podcast how we can take action in a time of rising authoritarianism and shrinking rights. Hosted by longtime climate and movement leader, May Boeve, each episode finds May in conversation with with organizers, activists, and changemakers as they try to make sense of how movements are born, and how they grow, and what we can do right now. 2025 How We Built This en Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:32:01 +0000 Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:32:12 +0000 https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com How We Build This https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/8af90296-a328-4938-890c-02c6845b56d0/dbdf24fb-1723-46d5-b316-68f874e1e2b2/3000x3000/hwbt-show-cover.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com episodic How We Build This is a podcast how we can take action in a time of rising authoritarianism and shrinking rights. Hosted by longtime climate and movement leader, May Boeve, each episode finds May in conversation with with organizers, activists, and changemakers as they try to make sense of how movements are born, and how they grow, and what we can do right now. May Boeve false https://feeds.simplecast.com/WNuxXIp_ activism, movements May Boeve phil.surkis@gmail.com bd86c06f-ff41-4340-9d25-c2b9260c487a Movement Dispatch #1: From Shadow Dockets to May Day In this first ever Movement Dispatch, May Boeve offers a rapid-fire look at the political moment, and what it means for movement building. From a federal investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center to the growing influence of the Supreme Court of the United States “shadow docket,” May connects the dots between authoritarian tactics, fossil fuel industry power, and attacks on civil society. May closes with a clear call to action: stay engaged, connect the dots, and get involved in one of thousands of May Day actions happening across the country by checking out MAY DAY STRONG.

Dig Deeper: 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:32:01 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/movement-dispatch-1-from-shadow-dockets-to-may-day-RcP_Ni_e In this first ever Movement Dispatch, May Boeve offers a rapid-fire look at the political moment, and what it means for movement building. From a federal investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center to the growing influence of the Supreme Court of the United States “shadow docket,” May connects the dots between authoritarian tactics, fossil fuel industry power, and attacks on civil society. May closes with a clear call to action: stay engaged, connect the dots, and get involved in one of thousands of May Day actions happening across the country by checking out MAY DAY STRONG.

Dig Deeper: 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Movement Dispatch #1: From Shadow Dockets to May Day May Boeve 00:12:24 Host May Boeve’s first ever “Movement Dispatch”, rounding up recent events. Host May Boeve’s first ever “Movement Dispatch”, rounding up recent events. howwebuildthis, climatejustice, may day, politics, movement building, government false full 12 2 226014ef-c889-47e2-9bb8-087481b0e14b Hahrie Han: The Missing Link Between Outrage and Power In this episode, May Boeve speaks with political scientist and author Hahrie Han, one of the leading scholars studying how movements actually build power. Drawing on her research, Hahrie challenges the idea that scale alone wins change, arguing instead that how we engage people determines whether movements succeed. They explore why quick, individual actions often fall short, how real power comes from relationships and collective capacity, and why so many people feel like consumers rather than participants in public life. From surprising lessons in faith communities to the urgent need for “democracy gyms,” this conversation offers a clear, grounded framework for turning outrage into lasting power.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:03:58 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (May Boeve, Hahrie Han) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/the-missing-link-between-outrage-and-power-HVQ8Aapf In this episode, May Boeve speaks with political scientist and author Hahrie Han, one of the leading scholars studying how movements actually build power. Drawing on her research, Hahrie challenges the idea that scale alone wins change, arguing instead that how we engage people determines whether movements succeed. They explore why quick, individual actions often fall short, how real power comes from relationships and collective capacity, and why so many people feel like consumers rather than participants in public life. From surprising lessons in faith communities to the urgent need for “democracy gyms,” this conversation offers a clear, grounded framework for turning outrage into lasting power.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Hahrie Han: The Missing Link Between Outrage and Power May Boeve, Hahrie Han 00:45:42 Host May Boeve chats with political scientist and author Hahrie Han. Host May Boeve chats with political scientist and author Hahrie Han. howwebuildthis, political science, movement building false full 11 2 dca34644-41d3-4d23-8106-064f51457ba4 Heather Cronk: Leaving the Church, Building the Movement May Boeve sits down with Heather Cronk, longtime organizer and founder of Project 21:12, about her journey from deeply committed evangelical Christian and anti-abortion activist to queer progressive movement leader organizing against Christian nationalism.

Heather shares how a childhood in the South and years of rigid theology shaped her worldview, and then how community and lived experience slowly unraveled it. She reflects on the deconstruction process that led her out of evangelicalism, why so many people are leaving those spaces now, and how Project 21:12 is working to find, connect, and organize ex-evangelicals who often leave not just a church, but an entire social world behind.

Plus: Heather offers an unexpectedly practical hot tip for organizers who love a training plan but hate swimming. Skip the triathlon, try a biathlon!

Discover the archive of the The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:42:17 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (May Boeve, Heather Cronk) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/heather-cronk-leaving-the-church-building-the-movement-2kNfSTOK May Boeve sits down with Heather Cronk, longtime organizer and founder of Project 21:12, about her journey from deeply committed evangelical Christian and anti-abortion activist to queer progressive movement leader organizing against Christian nationalism.

Heather shares how a childhood in the South and years of rigid theology shaped her worldview, and then how community and lived experience slowly unraveled it. She reflects on the deconstruction process that led her out of evangelicalism, why so many people are leaving those spaces now, and how Project 21:12 is working to find, connect, and organize ex-evangelicals who often leave not just a church, but an entire social world behind.

Plus: Heather offers an unexpectedly practical hot tip for organizers who love a training plan but hate swimming. Skip the triathlon, try a biathlon!

Discover the archive of the The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Heather Cronk: Leaving the Church, Building the Movement May Boeve, Heather Cronk 00:44:47 Host May Boeve welcomes Heather Cronk, Founder of Project 21:12 Host May Boeve welcomes Heather Cronk, Founder of Project 21:12 howwebuildthis, socialjustice, exvangelical, movementbuilding false full 10 2 3cd2b977-8ff6-4b6c-bfd2-d5b972f700e5 Tomás Garduño: Fundamentals of Electoral Organizing May Boeve talks with Tomás Garduño, organizer, strategist, and author of The Fundamentals of Electoral Organizing, about what it takes to build real working-class political power. Tomás traces his path from the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle to leading electoral work with groups like Southwest Organizing Project and, now, with Many Hands, an incubated project of Addition focused on organizing in under-resourced, often-red congressional districts.

Together, they unpack a core tension in movement life: why so many organizers are skeptical of electoral politics. Their conversation explores how mass mobilization, canvassing, city council fights, and elections all fit together, not as competing strategies, but as different tools in the same toolbox.

Plus: a surprisingly useful hot tip on mold remediation! 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:23:12 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (May Boeve, Tomás Garduño) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/tomas-garduno-fundamentals-of-electoral-organizing-uOnl_7s8 May Boeve talks with Tomás Garduño, organizer, strategist, and author of The Fundamentals of Electoral Organizing, about what it takes to build real working-class political power. Tomás traces his path from the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle to leading electoral work with groups like Southwest Organizing Project and, now, with Many Hands, an incubated project of Addition focused on organizing in under-resourced, often-red congressional districts.

Together, they unpack a core tension in movement life: why so many organizers are skeptical of electoral politics. Their conversation explores how mass mobilization, canvassing, city council fights, and elections all fit together, not as competing strategies, but as different tools in the same toolbox.

Plus: a surprisingly useful hot tip on mold remediation! 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tomás Garduño: Fundamentals of Electoral Organizing May Boeve, Tomás Garduño 00:43:11 Host May Boeve welcomes author and organizer Tomás Garduño. Host May Boeve welcomes author and organizer Tomás Garduño. electoral organizing, electoral politics, how we build this, movement building false full 9 2 dc6d3ec1-ce05-4479-97ce-01875cb4cc70 Chris Neff: The Organizing Infrastructure Hiding in Plain Sight In this episode of How We Build This, May Boeve sits down with Chris Neff, a nationally respected labor leader, union builder, labor lawyer, and leadership coach. Neff unpacks how worker power actually gets built (and defended) in a moment of rising authoritarianism. She also traces her path from “seventies feminist troublemaker” to union leadership, sharing how she discovered the leverage of collective bargaining, and what it looks like to organize locally when federal protections are being dismantled. 

Together, May and Chris dig into the labor movement’s role in resisting Trump era attacks, why institutions need cross-generational succession, and how changing who leads can transform an entire movement. They also explore the delicate (but essential) work of building solidarity between climate and labor.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 3 Mar 2026 17:33:40 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (May Boeve, Chris Neff) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/chris-neff-the-organizing-infrastructure-hiding-in-plain-sight-Ysfor1Pt In this episode of How We Build This, May Boeve sits down with Chris Neff, a nationally respected labor leader, union builder, labor lawyer, and leadership coach. Neff unpacks how worker power actually gets built (and defended) in a moment of rising authoritarianism. She also traces her path from “seventies feminist troublemaker” to union leadership, sharing how she discovered the leverage of collective bargaining, and what it looks like to organize locally when federal protections are being dismantled. 

Together, May and Chris dig into the labor movement’s role in resisting Trump era attacks, why institutions need cross-generational succession, and how changing who leads can transform an entire movement. They also explore the delicate (but essential) work of building solidarity between climate and labor.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Chris Neff: The Organizing Infrastructure Hiding in Plain Sight May Boeve, Chris Neff 00:44:29 Host May Boeve welcomes nationally respected labor leader, Chris Neff. Host May Boeve welcomes nationally respected labor leader, Chris Neff. socialjustice, organizing, movementbuilding, laborunions false full 9 1 a3506e13-e2fc-4455-9aae-c21e38cdb59c Heather Box & Julian Mocine-McQueen: How Your Story Sets You Free (Live at KALW) In our first-ever live taping at KALW Studios in San Francisco on January 29th, May Boeve sits down with “power couple” Heather Box and Julian Mocine-McQueen, co-founders of The Million Person Project and co-authors of How Your Story Sets You Free, for a funny, heartfelt deep dive into storytelling as a tool for movement building.

Heather and Julian unpack why so many leaders default to “facts and figures” when what actually brings people in is values, honesty, and a story that says the thing. They share how they got their start in organizing, how parenting and movement life collide, and how they coach people past “I don’t have a story” (or “my story is too much”) into real ownership.

Then May gets meta, revisiting the cringe (and power) of learning to be vulnerable on the podcast, sharing wins, regrets, and lessons from 15 years in the climate movement.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Julian Mocine-McQueen, Heather Box, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/heather-box-julian-mocine-mcqueen-how-your-story-sets-you-free-live-at-kalw-_j5eUEac In our first-ever live taping at KALW Studios in San Francisco on January 29th, May Boeve sits down with “power couple” Heather Box and Julian Mocine-McQueen, co-founders of The Million Person Project and co-authors of How Your Story Sets You Free, for a funny, heartfelt deep dive into storytelling as a tool for movement building.

Heather and Julian unpack why so many leaders default to “facts and figures” when what actually brings people in is values, honesty, and a story that says the thing. They share how they got their start in organizing, how parenting and movement life collide, and how they coach people past “I don’t have a story” (or “my story is too much”) into real ownership.

Then May gets meta, revisiting the cringe (and power) of learning to be vulnerable on the podcast, sharing wins, regrets, and lessons from 15 years in the climate movement.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Heather Box & Julian Mocine-McQueen: How Your Story Sets You Free (Live at KALW) Julian Mocine-McQueen, Heather Box, May Boeve 00:51:20 Host May Boeve sits down with Heather Box and Julian Mocine-McQueen, co-authors of How Your Story Sets You Free, live at KALW Studios in San Francisco. Host May Boeve sits down with Heather Box and Julian Mocine-McQueen, co-authors of How Your Story Sets You Free, live at KALW Studios in San Francisco. howwebuildthis, san francisco, live, storytellers, movementbuilding, kalw false full 8 2 a1122699-f127-48ef-a534-d2d33ac7881b Christiana Figueres: The Paris Agreement Playbook. Mindset, Momentum, and Movement Strategy In this special deep-dive, May Boeve sits down with Christiana Figueres to unpack one of the most important movement wins of our time: the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Starting in the shadow of the Copenhagen failure, Christiana walks through how she rebuilt a demoralized system, beginning with her own mindset, and then inviting everyone else into a shared, winnable vision!

Along the way, she reveals the often invisible mechanics of progress: deep listening as a leadership practice, the power of “concentric circles” strategy, the Lioness network that helped women support each other and negotiate better, and why Paris had to be an incentivizing agreement rather than a punitive one. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 3 Feb 2026 12:47:49 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Christiana Figueres, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/christiana-figueres-the-paris-agreement-playbook-mindset-momentum-and-movement-strategy-52kJrU9K In this special deep-dive, May Boeve sits down with Christiana Figueres to unpack one of the most important movement wins of our time: the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Starting in the shadow of the Copenhagen failure, Christiana walks through how she rebuilt a demoralized system, beginning with her own mindset, and then inviting everyone else into a shared, winnable vision!

Along the way, she reveals the often invisible mechanics of progress: deep listening as a leadership practice, the power of “concentric circles” strategy, the Lioness network that helped women support each other and negotiate better, and why Paris had to be an incentivizing agreement rather than a punitive one. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Christiana Figueres: The Paris Agreement Playbook. Mindset, Momentum, and Movement Strategy Christiana Figueres, May Boeve 00:52:32 Host May Boeve welcomes world authority on global climate change, Christiana Figueres. Host May Boeve welcomes world authority on global climate change, Christiana Figueres. socialjustice, climatejustice, movementbuilding, peoplepower false full 7 2 ab1f26ea-11d1-46e5-994e-8baf9f2fca09 Miya Yoshitani & Danny Kennedy: A Power Couple’s Playbook for Climate Justice and Clean Energy May Boeve sits down with two longtime movement builders (who also happen to be married), Miya Yoshitani and Danny Kennedy. Miya, co–executive director of the Movement Innovation Collaborative (MIC), shares how MIC is strengthening California’s people-power infrastructure: investing in regional power-building centers, experimenting with new organizing models, and building durable capacity beyond elections and one-off mobilizations. Danny, a clean energy entrepreneur and advisor, argues that organizing “solutions power” (solar + storage) is inseparable from movement work. He breaks down why distributed energy can shift both economics and political power. 

Plus, the origin story of this power couple (that actually builds power!).

Finally, please stay until the end to hear a direct ask to support organizing in Minnesota as communities mobilize against ICE. A list of local groups to support can be found at : https://www.standwithminnesota.com

Mark your calendars for a Minnesota statewide shutdown on January 23rd. No school, no work, no shopping. ICE OUT. 

 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:51:14 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Miya Yoshitani, Danny Kennedy, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/miya-yoshitani-danny-kennedy-a-power-couples-playbook-for-climate-justice-XIHC3pqO May Boeve sits down with two longtime movement builders (who also happen to be married), Miya Yoshitani and Danny Kennedy. Miya, co–executive director of the Movement Innovation Collaborative (MIC), shares how MIC is strengthening California’s people-power infrastructure: investing in regional power-building centers, experimenting with new organizing models, and building durable capacity beyond elections and one-off mobilizations. Danny, a clean energy entrepreneur and advisor, argues that organizing “solutions power” (solar + storage) is inseparable from movement work. He breaks down why distributed energy can shift both economics and political power. 

Plus, the origin story of this power couple (that actually builds power!).

Finally, please stay until the end to hear a direct ask to support organizing in Minnesota as communities mobilize against ICE. A list of local groups to support can be found at : https://www.standwithminnesota.com

Mark your calendars for a Minnesota statewide shutdown on January 23rd. No school, no work, no shopping. ICE OUT. 

 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Miya Yoshitani & Danny Kennedy: A Power Couple’s Playbook for Climate Justice and Clean Energy Miya Yoshitani, Danny Kennedy, May Boeve 00:45:00 Host May Boeve welcomes her friends and two longtime movement builders Miya Yoshitani and Danny Kennedy.. Host May Boeve welcomes her friends and two longtime movement builders Miya Yoshitani and Danny Kennedy.. socialjustice, clean energy, climatejustice, movementbuilding false full 6 2 52d4d567-f992-4e06-899b-d0557548235c Cristina Jiménez Moreta: Build the Big “We” in a Time of Authoritarianism May Boeve talks with Cristina Jiménez Moreta, co-founder of United We Dream and author of Dreaming of Home, about what it means to build power when everything feels on the line. Cristina shares about the 2016 election-night moment that pushed her to write a book that turned out to be a letter of self-love, as well as a practical guide to organizing through fear. She also explores the vulnerable shift from being “the organizer” accountable to a community, to writing in her own voice. Plus: Cristina’s surprising “superpower”: planning a toddler birthday party that exhausts kids and delights parents!

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 6 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Cristina Jiménez Moreta, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/cristina-jimenez-moreta-build-the-big-we-in-a-time-of-authoritarianism-pxfjudgT May Boeve talks with Cristina Jiménez Moreta, co-founder of United We Dream and author of Dreaming of Home, about what it means to build power when everything feels on the line. Cristina shares about the 2016 election-night moment that pushed her to write a book that turned out to be a letter of self-love, as well as a practical guide to organizing through fear. She also explores the vulnerable shift from being “the organizer” accountable to a community, to writing in her own voice. Plus: Cristina’s surprising “superpower”: planning a toddler birthday party that exhausts kids and delights parents!

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Cristina Jiménez Moreta: Build the Big “We” in a Time of Authoritarianism Cristina Jiménez Moreta, May Boeve 00:46:17 Host May Boeve welcomes Cristina Jiménez Moreta, co-founder of United We Dream and author of the best selling book, Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear into Pride, Power, and Real Change. Host May Boeve welcomes Cristina Jiménez Moreta, co-founder of United We Dream and author of the best selling book, Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear into Pride, Power, and Real Change. socialjustice, movementbuilding, peoplepower, unitedwedream false full 5 2 27c5f1a9-5d9d-4eb2-a6dd-431acca1b559 Nisha Agarwal on Universal Policies: Making Services for Everyone May Boeve welcomes Nisha Agarwal,  The Executive Director of the Mental Hygiene Policy and Communications Office in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City, and a longtime movement lawyer-turned-policy leader. Agarwal shares about how transformative public policy gets built, and the behind-the-scenes story of IDNYC, the country's largest municipal identification program. She also opens up about surviving brain cancer and a stroke, alongside a clear-eyed critique of how race, class, and geography shape who gets to recover. 

Plus Nisha’s “creation” hot tip: daydreaming!

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Nisha Agarwal, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/nisha-agarwal-on-universal-policies-making-services-for-everyone-DSmb_qd_ May Boeve welcomes Nisha Agarwal,  The Executive Director of the Mental Hygiene Policy and Communications Office in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City, and a longtime movement lawyer-turned-policy leader. Agarwal shares about how transformative public policy gets built, and the behind-the-scenes story of IDNYC, the country's largest municipal identification program. She also opens up about surviving brain cancer and a stroke, alongside a clear-eyed critique of how race, class, and geography shape who gets to recover. 

Plus Nisha’s “creation” hot tip: daydreaming!

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Nisha Agarwal on Universal Policies: Making Services for Everyone Nisha Agarwal, May Boeve 00:40:32 Host May Boeve welcomes Nisha Agarwal,  The Executive Director of the Mental Hygiene Policy and Communications Office in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City. Host May Boeve welcomes Nisha Agarwal,  The Executive Director of the Mental Hygiene Policy and Communications Office in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York City. social justice, idnyc, movement building, peoplepower false full 4 2 e1d39c45-aa7b-46d2-8bf7-1874ae8a4473 George Goehl: Roll Like an Organizer Host May Boeve sits down with organizer George Goehl to chart the shift from doom scrolling to a fighting stance, and how everyday people build real power. George traces his lineage from Alinsky-inspired community organizing to launching new projects today. He breaks down practical fundamentals: listen for widely and deeply felt issues, cut winnable demands, and develop leaders at every step. A grounded, hopeful handbook for turning momentum into wins.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement!

 

]]> Tue, 9 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (George Goehl, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/george-goehl-roll-like-an-organizer-Fh9JNKyW Host May Boeve sits down with organizer George Goehl to chart the shift from doom scrolling to a fighting stance, and how everyday people build real power. George traces his lineage from Alinsky-inspired community organizing to launching new projects today. He breaks down practical fundamentals: listen for widely and deeply felt issues, cut winnable demands, and develop leaders at every step. A grounded, hopeful handbook for turning momentum into wins.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement!

 

]]> George Goehl: Roll Like an Organizer George Goehl, May Boeve 00:44:22 Host May Boeve welcomes author and organizer George Goehl. Host May Boeve welcomes author and organizer George Goehl. socialjustice, organizing, politics, peoplepower, government false full 3 2 af7d2ac8-3a09-484a-a5de-5c2a1750e59e Alex T. Tom on California’s Power: Pods, Prop 50, and Parenting Host May Boeve talks with Alex T. Tom, the Executive Director for the Center for Empowered Politics and longtime leader in California. Tom shares about how Bay Area organizers prepared for ICE raids, and why prebuilt infrastructure, “pods,” and non-cooperation trainings, turned people power into concrete wins. Tom and Boeve discuss “movement utilities,” conflict mediation as capacity, and why understanding philanthropy and class is essential to durable organizing. Plus: parenting as political work, and what it means to “hug it out” as a dad while building a bigger tent.

]]> Tue, 25 Nov 2025 13:22:35 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Alex T. Tom, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/alex-t-tom-on-californias-power-pods-prop-50-and-parenting-iD0ZfPae Host May Boeve talks with Alex T. Tom, the Executive Director for the Center for Empowered Politics and longtime leader in California. Tom shares about how Bay Area organizers prepared for ICE raids, and why prebuilt infrastructure, “pods,” and non-cooperation trainings, turned people power into concrete wins. Tom and Boeve discuss “movement utilities,” conflict mediation as capacity, and why understanding philanthropy and class is essential to durable organizing. Plus: parenting as political work, and what it means to “hug it out” as a dad while building a bigger tent.

]]> Alex T. Tom on California’s Power: Pods, Prop 50, and Parenting Alex T. Tom, May Boeve 00:49:36 Host May Boeve welcomes Alex T. Tom, Executive Director for the Center for Empowered Politics. Host May Boeve welcomes Alex T. Tom, Executive Director for the Center for Empowered Politics. parenting, movementbuilding, politics, peoplepower, government false full 2 2 85d9edcb-a873-4d16-83f4-4305dd481339 Heather McGhee: Turning Wins into Power: A Post-Election Playbook Host May Boeve kicks off Season 2 of How We Build This with NY Times Bestselling Author and strategist,  Heather McGhee for a timely post-election debrief. Heather explains why authenticity plus clear, repeatable policy wins volunteers and votes. She also revisits her book,  The Sum of Us, to unpack “drained pool politics” and the real costs of zero-sum thinking. Together, May and Heather spotlight the organizing muscle behind big victories, from Working Families Party, to year round door-knocking. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Fri, 7 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Heather McGhee, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/heather-mcghee-turning-wins-into-power-a-post-election-playbook-knfyipGt Host May Boeve kicks off Season 2 of How We Build This with NY Times Bestselling Author and strategist,  Heather McGhee for a timely post-election debrief. Heather explains why authenticity plus clear, repeatable policy wins volunteers and votes. She also revisits her book,  The Sum of Us, to unpack “drained pool politics” and the real costs of zero-sum thinking. Together, May and Heather spotlight the organizing muscle behind big victories, from Working Families Party, to year round door-knocking. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Heather McGhee: Turning Wins into Power: A Post-Election Playbook Heather McGhee, May Boeve 00:51:07 Host May Boeve welcomes author and strategist Heather McGhee. Host May Boeve welcomes author and strategist Heather McGhee. movementbuilding, politics, peoplepower, government false full 1 2 2ea00281-8866-444f-9e0f-4e34cbb5bbd2 Images That Move Movements: Shadia Fayne Wood on Storytelling for Change In this heartfelt episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve sits down with longtime organizer, photographer, and storyteller Shadia Fayne Wood. Together they trace Shadia’s path from youth climate activism to founding Survival Media Agency, a global network of movement storytellers capturing the tenacity and power of people fighting for climate justice. Shadia reflects on lessons from her grandmother, the importance of letting communities tell their own stories, and how love and generosity can sustain us in times of crisis. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement!

]]> Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:49:48 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Shadia Fayne Wood, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/images-that-move-movements-shadia-fayne-wood-on-storytelling-for-change-wdcANVTN In this heartfelt episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve sits down with longtime organizer, photographer, and storyteller Shadia Fayne Wood. Together they trace Shadia’s path from youth climate activism to founding Survival Media Agency, a global network of movement storytellers capturing the tenacity and power of people fighting for climate justice. Shadia reflects on lessons from her grandmother, the importance of letting communities tell their own stories, and how love and generosity can sustain us in times of crisis. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement!

]]> Images That Move Movements: Shadia Fayne Wood on Storytelling for Change Shadia Fayne Wood, May Boeve 00:43:41 Host May Boeve sits down with longtime organizer, photographer, and storyteller Shadia Fayne Wood. Host May Boeve sits down with longtime organizer, photographer, and storyteller Shadia Fayne Wood. socialjustice, photography, climatejustice, movementbuilding false full 9 1 8eead045-569a-4b3f-8b0d-d4dd26de8874 From Zuccotti to Today: Yotam Marom on Occupy Wall Street Organizer and facilitator Yotam Marom joins host May Boeve to unpack the living legacy of Occupy Wall Street. They trace the decade of uprisings that followed, why “feeling powerful” changes strategy, and how movements succeed when they choose priorities. Yotam shares lessons from the Wildfire Project, the role of storytelling and irreverence in mass moments, and why healthy groups run toward generative conflict to make real choices. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 9 Sep 2025 09:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Yotam Marom, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/from-zuccotti-to-today-yotam-marom-on-occupy-wall-street-VvkC7xMM Organizer and facilitator Yotam Marom joins host May Boeve to unpack the living legacy of Occupy Wall Street. They trace the decade of uprisings that followed, why “feeling powerful” changes strategy, and how movements succeed when they choose priorities. Yotam shares lessons from the Wildfire Project, the role of storytelling and irreverence in mass moments, and why healthy groups run toward generative conflict to make real choices. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> From Zuccotti to Today: Yotam Marom on Occupy Wall Street Yotam Marom, May Boeve 00:36:47 Host May Boeve welcomes organizer, facilitator and writer Yotam Marom. Host May Boeve welcomes organizer, facilitator and writer Yotam Marom. occupy, movementbuilding, government true full 8 1 c0b21e71-2850-432a-b101-858f040d4b19 Ai-jen Poo: How Care Becomes the Winning Strategy In this episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve sits down with labor leader and care visionary Ai-jen Poo. As president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and executive director of Caring Across Generations, Ai-jen has spent decades building a movement that centers dignity, empathy, and accountability. She shares her theory of change for uniting people across generations, classes, and communities around the universal need for care. From Medicaid battles in Congress to the everyday realities of families and caregivers, Ai-jen explains why investing in care is essential to democracy and justice.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Connect with Ai-jen Poo

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 26 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Ai-jen Poo, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/ai-jen-poo-how-care-becomes-the-winning-strategy-mzJJ2VQi In this episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve sits down with labor leader and care visionary Ai-jen Poo. As president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and executive director of Caring Across Generations, Ai-jen has spent decades building a movement that centers dignity, empathy, and accountability. She shares her theory of change for uniting people across generations, classes, and communities around the universal need for care. From Medicaid battles in Congress to the everyday realities of families and caregivers, Ai-jen explains why investing in care is essential to democracy and justice.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Connect with Ai-jen Poo

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Ai-jen Poo: How Care Becomes the Winning Strategy Ai-jen Poo, May Boeve 00:46:16 Host May Boeve welcomes Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Executive Director of Caring Across Generations. Host May Boeve welcomes Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and Executive Director of Caring Across Generations. care, movementbuilding, politics, peoplepower, government false full 7 1 2c897b20-ada5-4c9c-b991-8f82538422cf Authenticity Is Our Secret Weapon: Miriam Yeung on Joy & Resistance In this hopeful episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve sits down with leader, strategist, and longtime friend Miriam Yeung for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, movement-building, and the fight for reproductive justice. 

Together, they unpack the decades-long erosion of abortion rights, the deep impact of stigma and silence, and why the fall of Roe v. Wade wasn’t a surprise to those on the frontlines. Miriam also discusses the transformational power of facilitation, the importance of local action and personal storytelling, and what intergenerational leadership should look like now.

This episode is a deep dive into the personal and political—tender, strategic, and energizing. Whether you're organizing on the ground or seeking your place in the movement, Miriam offers a vision for how we build a future where all bodies are cared for, and all people are free.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement!

]]> Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Miriam Yeung, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/authenticity-is-our-secret-weapon-miriam-yeung-on-joy-resistance-u5zGDyud In this hopeful episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve sits down with leader, strategist, and longtime friend Miriam Yeung for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, movement-building, and the fight for reproductive justice. 

Together, they unpack the decades-long erosion of abortion rights, the deep impact of stigma and silence, and why the fall of Roe v. Wade wasn’t a surprise to those on the frontlines. Miriam also discusses the transformational power of facilitation, the importance of local action and personal storytelling, and what intergenerational leadership should look like now.

This episode is a deep dive into the personal and political—tender, strategic, and energizing. Whether you're organizing on the ground or seeking your place in the movement, Miriam offers a vision for how we build a future where all bodies are cared for, and all people are free.

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement!

]]> Authenticity Is Our Secret Weapon: Miriam Yeung on Joy & Resistance Miriam Yeung, May Boeve 00:40:40 Host May Boeve welcomes activist and strategist, Miriam Yeung Host May Boeve welcomes activist and strategist, Miriam Yeung resistance, movementbuilding, peoplepower, government false full 6 1 0ab1d39a-c601-4d1b-b7de-c5ee065c0b59 Hope After the Gut Punch: Leading Through Crisis with MoveOn’s Rahna Epting What does it take to lead a progressive movement in the midst of rising authoritarianism and political despair? MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting joins How We Build This host, May Boeve, to share her path from aspiring family lawyer to one of the most pivotal organizers in the country. Boeve asks Epting about building solidarity in times of disillusionment, the mentors who shaped her approach to leadership, and how the progressive movement is finding power through community and joy—even in the face of a Trump 2.0 era. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Rahna Epting, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/hope-after-the-gut-punch-leading-through-crisis-with-moveons-rahna-epting-zU1jq9NW What does it take to lead a progressive movement in the midst of rising authoritarianism and political despair? MoveOn Executive Director Rahna Epting joins How We Build This host, May Boeve, to share her path from aspiring family lawyer to one of the most pivotal organizers in the country. Boeve asks Epting about building solidarity in times of disillusionment, the mentors who shaped her approach to leadership, and how the progressive movement is finding power through community and joy—even in the face of a Trump 2.0 era. 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Hope After the Gut Punch: Leading Through Crisis with MoveOn’s Rahna Epting Rahna Epting, May Boeve 00:41:43 Host May Boeve welcomes Rahna Epting, Executive Director of MoveOn Host May Boeve welcomes Rahna Epting, Executive Director of MoveOn howwebuildthis, moveon, movementbuilding, peoplepower, government false full 5 1 e4fed331-0fe6-48cf-ba43-8838118cf2e1 Wahleah Johns and the Movement to Replace Extraction with Regeneration In this timely episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve sits down with visionary climate leader Wahleah Johns—former Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy and co-founder of Native Renewables. A member of the Navajo (Diné) Nation, Wahleah shares how growing up without running water or electricity shaped her life’s work: bringing clean, resilient energy to tribal communities. She recounts her organizing roots at Black Mesa, explains the meaning of a “just transition,” and reflects on what it means to lead with ancestral wisdom inside one of the most powerful institutions in the country. 

To dig deeper:

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 15 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (Wahleah Johns, May Boeve) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/wahleah-johns-and-the-movement-to-replace-extraction-with-regeneration-Ue6kZwzM In this timely episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve sits down with visionary climate leader Wahleah Johns—former Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy and co-founder of Native Renewables. A member of the Navajo (Diné) Nation, Wahleah shares how growing up without running water or electricity shaped her life’s work: bringing clean, resilient energy to tribal communities. She recounts her organizing roots at Black Mesa, explains the meaning of a “just transition,” and reflects on what it means to lead with ancestral wisdom inside one of the most powerful institutions in the country. 

To dig deeper:

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Wahleah Johns and the Movement to Replace Extraction with Regeneration Wahleah Johns, May Boeve 00:45:10 Host May Boeve welcomes visionary climate leader Wahleah Johns—former Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy. Host May Boeve welcomes visionary climate leader Wahleah Johns—former Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy. energysolutions, justtransition, movements, movement building, government false full 4 1 215a2b4c-fa9f-4dff-a2d2-375795e343c7 Change the Story, Change the World with Rashad Robinson In this enlightening episode, May Boeve sits down with Rashad Robinson, civil rights leader, and former president of Color of Change, for a conversation that spans legacy, leadership, and the long arc of movement work. They reflect on critical wins like marriage equality—and their limitations—while unpacking what it really takes to sustain cultural and political progress. This episode underscores that real power means more than presence—and the work never gets easier, only deeper.

Links to dig deeper, 

Rashad Robinson

Color of Change

GLAAD

About Julian Bond

About Black Voters Matter and LaTosha Brown

 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 1 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (May Boeve, Rashad Robinson) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/change-the-story-change-the-world-with-rashad-robinson-pUTLdPqs In this enlightening episode, May Boeve sits down with Rashad Robinson, civil rights leader, and former president of Color of Change, for a conversation that spans legacy, leadership, and the long arc of movement work. They reflect on critical wins like marriage equality—and their limitations—while unpacking what it really takes to sustain cultural and political progress. This episode underscores that real power means more than presence—and the work never gets easier, only deeper.

Links to dig deeper, 

Rashad Robinson

Color of Change

GLAAD

About Julian Bond

About Black Voters Matter and LaTosha Brown

 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Change the Story, Change the World with Rashad Robinson May Boeve, Rashad Robinson 00:45:27 Host May Boeve welcomes civil rights leader Rashad Robinson to discuss what it takes to sustain cultural and political progress. Host May Boeve welcomes civil rights leader Rashad Robinson to discuss what it takes to sustain cultural and political progress. socialjustice, movementbuilding, government false full 3 1 064a90ce-97d5-4931-b48f-819690890487 Making the Future in the Present with Rebecca Solnit In this expansive and poetic conversation, writer and activist Rebecca Solnit joins May Boeve to talk about her new book No Straight Road Takes You There, and the urgent need to reclaim hope—not as naive optimism, but as a strategic force in uncertain times. Solnit explores why movements often succeed indirectly, why despair is a luxury we can’t afford, and how poetic language helps shape public imagination. From climate justice to feminist history, this episode is a powerful meditation on connectedness,  endurance, and the often invisible victories that build the world we want to live in.

 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Tue, 17 Jun 2025 11:10:25 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (May Boeve, Rebecca Solnit) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/making-the-future-in-the-present-with-rebecca-solnit-NU9OFKgq In this expansive and poetic conversation, writer and activist Rebecca Solnit joins May Boeve to talk about her new book No Straight Road Takes You There, and the urgent need to reclaim hope—not as naive optimism, but as a strategic force in uncertain times. Solnit explores why movements often succeed indirectly, why despair is a luxury we can’t afford, and how poetic language helps shape public imagination. From climate justice to feminist history, this episode is a powerful meditation on connectedness,  endurance, and the often invisible victories that build the world we want to live in.

 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Making the Future in the Present with Rebecca Solnit May Boeve, Rebecca Solnit 00:47:38 Host May Boeve sits down with writer and activist Rebecca Solnit to discuss her new book No Straight Road Takes You There. Host May Boeve sits down with writer and activist Rebecca Solnit to discuss her new book No Straight Road Takes You There. howwebuildthis, nostraightroad, socialjustice, movements, movementbuilding, rebeccasolnit false full 2 1 2acc6ab0-c799-4e42-8b16-01913677b459 Ebb, Flow, and Fire: Alicia Garza on Black Lives Matter In this debut episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve is joined by Alicia Garza—co-creator of Black Lives Matter and one of the most influential movement architects of our time. Together, they talk about the origin stories behind BLM, what it really means to build people power, and the personal and political moments that shaped the movement. Alicia also shares unexpected reflections, from imagining a dream job naming nail polish with Rihanna, to unpacking the 2024 election. It’s a raw, hopeful, and necessary conversation about how movements rise, fall, evolve—and persist.

To dig deeper on topics discussed in this episode:

Alicia Garza's book: The Purpose of Power

About “I believe Anita Hill” 

About the Ferguson uprising

Heather McGhee's book, The Sum of Us

 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Mon, 2 Jun 2025 20:18:50 +0000 phil.surkis@gmail.com (May Boeve, Alicia Garza) https://how-we-build-this.simplecast.com/episodes/ebb-flow-and-fire-alicia-garza-on-black-lives-matter-X_wuZ7Eq In this debut episode of How We Build This, host May Boeve is joined by Alicia Garza—co-creator of Black Lives Matter and one of the most influential movement architects of our time. Together, they talk about the origin stories behind BLM, what it really means to build people power, and the personal and political moments that shaped the movement. Alicia also shares unexpected reflections, from imagining a dream job naming nail polish with Rihanna, to unpacking the 2024 election. It’s a raw, hopeful, and necessary conversation about how movements rise, fall, evolve—and persist.

To dig deeper on topics discussed in this episode:

Alicia Garza's book: The Purpose of Power

About “I believe Anita Hill” 

About the Ferguson uprising

Heather McGhee's book, The Sum of Us

 

How We Build This is created and hosted by May Boeve

Producer: Phil Surkis

Theme music: ‘Within’, composed by Ruthie Dineen, and performed by Negative Press Project.

Instagram & Bluesky: @hwbtpod

can find us on Instagram and Bluesky at HWBT Pod, and on Linked in and Substack at How We Build this Pod. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to tune in and helping build the movement! 

]]> Ebb, Flow, and Fire: Alicia Garza on Black Lives Matter May Boeve, Alicia Garza 00:45:46 Host May Boeve welcomes Alicia Garza, co-creator of the Black Lives Matter movement. Host May Boeve welcomes Alicia Garza, co-creator of the Black Lives Matter movement. #blacklivesmatter, social justice, movements, government false full 1 1