BETTER with Mark Brand
BETTER with Mark Brand
Mark Brand is your host for BETTER; a podcast about hope & resilience and leaving the planet a better place than we found it. It’s a home for conversations with incredible people who are change makers, disrupters, and experts in their fields. Brand is a social-impact entrepreneur, chef, and systems designer who is committed to ending hunger. By sharing tools for hope & resilience, Brand believes w…Social links:
Prequel: Matt Lillard
Coming soon! Matt Lillard! Actor, director, gamer, and entrepreneur Matthew Lillard has been a cult favorite for decades, from Scream and Hackers to Scooby-Doo and Five Nights at Freddy’s. But behind the characters is a story of failure, reinvention, and radical authenticity.
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Karen Washington: Food Apartheid and the Fight for Food Justice
In this episode of BETTER, host Mark Brand sits down with legendary farmer, organizer, and food justice leader Karen Washington. Together they unpack why the food system “is not broken, it’s doing exactly what it’s geared to do,” and what it really takes to transform it. Karen traces her journey f…
49:49
Prequel: Food Apartheid and the Fight for Food Justice
In this episode of Better, host Mark Brand reflects on a powerful conversation with farmer, organizer, and food justice leader Karen Washington. Together they unpack why “food deserts” is the wrong language for the right problem, and why Karen insists we call it what it is: food apartheid. Mark a…
14:58
Hope Blooms & Keonte Beals: Barriers into Bridges
In this episode of Better, host Mark Brand interviews with Hope Blooms Manager of Social Business and Innovation, Kolade and artist, author, and community leader Keonte Beals for a powerful conversation about self‑love, healing, and the transformative impact of community. This episode explores how …
51:23
Prequel: Hope Blooms and Keonte Beals
In this episode of Better, host Mark Brand casts ahead to his interview with Hope Blooms Manager of Social Business and Innovation, Kolade and artist, author, and community leader Keonte Beals for a powerful conversation about self‑love, healing, and the transformative impact of community. This epi…
09:24
Michael Shaikh: Food, Conflict & Culture
Your host, Mark Brand, sits down with revolutionary journalist and authorMichael Sheik, whose work shines a light on conflict, human rights, and the power of food in preserving culture and building resilience. From facing life-threatening situations in Afghanistan to uncovering stories of genocide…
40:56
Prequal: Michael Shaikh
In this reflective episode, host Mark Brand and producer Madison dive deep and reflect on their powerful conversation with investigative journalist, writer, and advocateMichael Shaikh. Together, Mark and Madison discuss the ongoing refugee crisis, exploring how displacement threatens language, cus…
18:45
1-800-Happy Birthday: Honouring Lives through Storytelling
Your host, Mark Brand sits down with Benjamin McBride (BJ) and Michelle Monterrosa, advocates behind the 1-800 Happy Birthday project: whose work is transforming how we remember, honour, and heal in the face of tragedy. From personal heartbreak to sparking national conversations, our guests’ journ…
32:05
Prequal: 1-800 Happy Birthday
In this special discussion, host Mark Brand and producer Madi, reflect on their conversation with 1 800 Happy Birthday's advocate and special guest. Mark and Madi discuss how personal and collective trauma can fuel meaningful advocacy and systemic change. They reflect on powerful examples of activ…
14:52
Ken Shea: Banking on Community
We sit down with a leader whose work is transforming how we think about wealth, community, and the true meaning of success: Ken Shea, President and CEO of East Coast Credit Union. From humble beginnings to guiding one of the region’s most community-focused financial institutions, our guest’s journ…
44:20