The Ben & Jamesa Podcast: Conversations about Compassion, Curiosity, and Courage

What happens in the brain when we rise up against injustice — and how can anger become a force for clarity, compassion, and creativity rather than destruction? In this episode, Ben and Jamesa explore the neurobiology of “good trouble,” drawing from the wisdom of John Lewis, Greta Thunberg, and the No Kings protest to understand how anger can transform into courageous, values-driven action. We look at what actually happens in the brain when we’re angry — from the amygdala’s rapid-fire alerts t...

Season 10 opens with fire. 🔥 In this episode of The Ben and Jamesa Podcast, Ben and Jamesa dive headfirst into the theme of anger—how it shows up in our relationships, our communities, and even in our healing. What begins as a lighthearted chat quickly turns into a mini therapy session, as Ben unpacks his own relationship with anger—with some help from Jamesa, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Thich Nhat Hanh, and James Baldwin. Together they explore: Why anger isn’t the enemy—it’s information.How to notice ...

What does it mean to truly feel with someone else? In this episode of The Ben and Jamesa Podcast, we explore empathy—not as a skill or a moral obligation, but as a living, sometimes fragile experience. We talk about how it grows across our lives, when it can feel heavy or conflicted, and how it connects—or sometimes fails to connect—to compassion. This episode is an invitation to notice your own experiences of empathy and to explore how connection shows up in both subtle and profound ways. Su...

In this episode, we explore why living with an open heart can feel impossible—especially for white folks—and what it might take to shift toward more connection, presence, and curiosity in daily life. We talk about: What it truly means to live open-heartedlyThe challenges whiteness and control culture create in staying openFear, vulnerability, and the tension between safety and opennessSmall, practical ways to practice open-heartedness at home and at workWe also share our nature fact of the we...

Control culture is everywhere—at work, in our relationships, even in how we treat ourselves. But what exactly is it, and how does it quietly shape the way we live, lead, and connect with others? In today’s episode, we unpack the hidden ways control culture shows up in our lives and explore what it looks like to move toward connection instead. This is the first step in learning how to build workplaces and communities that thrive on trust, accountability, and real humanity. 🎙️ The Ben and James...

What if our workplaces actually felt like community? In Part 3 of our series on community, we explore how the harmful patterns of whiteness and control show up in our work lives—and what it would take to build something more human. We talk about: 🌱 The 4 pillars of building real community at work 🏢 Examples of companies that run without bosses or hierarchy (yes, really) 🌲 Tree communities that pass down trauma wisdom across generations 🇵🇹 Honest reflections on parenting, Portuga...

What even is community—and how have whiteness and capitalism distorted our understanding of it? In this first episode of our new series, we explore how community has been replaced by performance, productivity, and transactions—and what it means to reclaim it as our birthright. From Trevor Noah’s critique of “buying” connection to our own stories of belonging and rupture, we’re asking the big question: You can’t build what you haven’t defined. So how do we begin? Support the show

This Fourth of July, we’re unpacking the irony of a holiday built on freedom—while whiteness continues to rely on control. We explore how white people can move from control to connection using our CACTI model: Compassion, Accountability, Curiosity, Transparency, and Insight. Real freedom doesn’t come from dominance—it comes from unlearning. We’re also talking about tree shyness—yes, it’s a real thing—and the wild experience of watching airplanes land at Madeira’s famously intense airport. Com...