The Web of Us

“To make this world work, we have to be fanatically positive,” says globally renowned choreographer and founder of LINES Ballet Alonzo King on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Alonzo shares why movement is life, growing up with artistic and activist parents, and why stillness is key for sincere creative thought and collective action. Timestamps00:00 Introduction to The Web of Us00:34 Meet Alonzo King: A Choreographer Redefining Ballet01:20 Alonzo's Upbringing and Philosophy on Connection02:43 The Essence of Home and Internal World04:47 Time Travel and the Astro Plane05:56 Art Beyond Appearances07:18 The Value of Every Human Being08:17 Creating Spaces for Curiosity08:45 Alonzo's Creative Practices and Influences14:10 The Birth of LINES Ballet24:56 Classical Ballet and Cultural Influences28:39 Choreography as Thought Structures35:31 Final Reflections and Future Questions37:29 Season One Wrap-Up 

"Even though there may be all sorts of conflicts brewing, we can still talk as human beings who are fascinated; filled with wonder and curiosity," says Emeritus Research Fellow in Fungal Biology at the University of Oxford, Sarah Watkinson, on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Sarah shares how she’s built an enviable career spanning five decades as a university mycologist turned poet, what mycelial networks teach us about life, and the dry rot conversation stopper she likes to drop at every dinner party.Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to The Web Of Us00:18 Meet Sarah Watkinson: University Mycologist turned Poet 01:22 Sarah's Journey and Early Influences01:59 Diving into Dry Rot Fungi07:54 The Fascinating World of Fungal Networks08:48 Dry Rot Fungus in Nature and Human Structures10:53 Collaborations and Research Innovations13:54 The Evolution of Fungal Research24:01 Fungi's Role in Ecosystems26:39 Exciting Advances in Soil Imaging27:52 Biomimicry and Bio-Inspiration29:07 Fungal Adaptations and Hydrophobic Surfaces29:45 Fungal Reproduction and Communication36:53 The Intersection of Science and Poetry51:00 Advice for Aspiring ScientistsReferences: Soil Fungi and Soil Fertility, S. D. GarrettFlavr Savr tomato, BBC The Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986Read Sarah’s research publications on ResearchGateRead Sarah’s poetry, ‘Dung Beetles Navigate by Starlight’

"At our essence, we're more like the birds flying; we don't actually care about the boundaries that man has put on things," says genre-bending, Grammy-nominated recording artist Gina Chavez, on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Gina shares how she’s transcended categorization as a bilingual artist, her journey building a multi-faceted career as an independent artist and philanthropist, and how music is a unifying force for good that speaks across divides.To learn more, check out Gina’s:Website Music on SpotifyNińas Arriba college fund 

"When people can vouch for people, friction from certain systems can disappear at scale," says the co-founder of Kiva and president of Branch, Premal Shah, on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Premal takes us behind-the-scenes on how he created the world’s foremost microfinancing platform for underserved markets, shares how he made the leap from PayPal to social enterprise founder, and his favorite advice for living life like a hummingbird.

"Developing a mindset which prepares us for this entangled future is the intellectual journey that we all need to go on," says the founding director of the Oxford Martin School, Ian Goldin on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Ian shares what makes him hopeful, four criteria for building a great organization, and why migration accelerates human progress.

"Everything in Oxford is named Oxford this or Oxford that, and we were very deliberate in being named Africa Oxford not Oxford Africa, and that re-centers Africa in the conversation" says the Co-Director of the Africa Oxford Initiative, Dr. Anne Makena on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Anne shares how she’s spearheading equitable and sustainable partnerships between Oxford’s and Africa’s best researchers, how institutions can be more accessible by signposting opportunities, and the beauty and challenges of inhabiting multiple identities.

"When you understand the power game, you understand that you are not so critical for politicians," says former Colombian minister and founder of Manos Visibles, Paula Moreno on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Paula explores the importance of creating inclusive spaces, why navigating power dynamics is about realizing that power is found within, and how she's built one of the biggest networks in South America for marginalized communities. 

"We shouldn't be paralyzed by analysis, right? That’s the essence of solving systems," says Brazilian entrepreneurship engineer Paulo Savaget on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Paulo shares why thinking like a computer hacker can be a great approach, how piggybacking on other peoples’ solutions can save you a ton of work, and why friction isn’t necessarily a bad thing. 

Claire Wathen is launching a new podcast, The Web of Us. A show exploring the visible and invisible connections that shape our world. Every episode, we’ll deliver an insightful conversation exploring network theory to help you strengthen your own networks. Claire explains more.