How To Change The World Podcast

Welcome to Part 2 of our three part series - Iran: Inside the Revolution. What does a revolution look like from the inside? What does it cost? What does it demand from the rest of the world? The world is watching Iran. This episode is part of a miniseries we're dedicating to understanding what's actually happening there, and the struggle for freedom of a people caught between a barbaric regime on one side and missile strikes on the other. Spend time with the people who know this fight best: Who’ve fought brutal regimes in the halls of the Hague, or been held in the notorious Evin prison. Who have lived through revolutions, and shared their story with the world.HTCTW presents Iran: Inside the Revolution. Our guest today is Gissou Nia - an Iranian-American human rights attorney who has dedicated her life to holding brutal regimes accountable. She started her career in The Hague, working on war crimes and crimes against humanity. She now leads The Strategic Litigation Project at Atlantic Council, which focuses on prevention and accountability efforts for atrocity crimes, human rights violations, terrorism, and corruption offenses around the world. We'll get into the ins and outs of launching legal battles in international courts, the specific pressure points that could collapse this regime, and the pathways that lead to a just and prosperous future for the Iranian people.This conversation was recorded at the end of March 2026 - in the midst of war - so while current events may have shifted, Iran's path towards freedom continues. And to set the stage for our guest, I think it’s only fitting to ground us in the words of one of Iran’s greatest poets, Ferdowsi:Rise, do not let the world to darkness fall May each of us strive for the good of all Good deeds alone spin the celestial spheres Our time is at hand, and our glory nears

What does a revolution look like from the inside? What does it cost? What does it demand from the rest of the world? The world is watching Iran. This episode is part of a miniseries we're dedicating to understanding what's actually happening there, and the struggle for freedom of a people caught between a barbaric regime on one side and missile strikes on the other. Spend time with the people who know this fight best: Who’ve fought brutal regimes in the halls of the Hague, or been held in the notorious Evin prison. Who have lived through revolutions, and shared their story with the world.How to Change the World presents Iran: Inside the Revolution. Our guest today is Adnan Hadad, and he knows revolution not as some abstract concept, but as a lived reality. He left a stable career behind to join the Syrian revolution in the midst of a brutal conflict. Adnan co-founded the Aleppo Media Center, producing The White Helmets - the Academy Award-winning documentary that shared the power of humanity even in the midst of war to global audiences.Together, we dig into the blueprint of dictatorships, the insights Syria’s revolution holds for the Iranian opposition, and the underlying challenges  to make regime change and secular democracy possible. This conversation was recorded at the end of March 2026 - in the midst of war. While the situation on the ground continues to shift rapidly, the journey of Iran to reclaim itself from tyranny continues. -----The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios with PRX.Producer and Composer: Alexandre MillerEditors: Eve Weston and Martin McGreevySession Engineers: Amirnezam Samadabadi and Gabe Sweeney

There's ample evidence to suggest that philanthropy alone won't save the world. We have to find ways for businesses to step up to the global challenges we face. But in an era of corporate greenwashing, how do you know who's actually doing the work? Today we’re talking to Rami Helali, founder of KOTN, a wildly popular fashion brand rewriting the rules on ethical business. We get into how growing up between cultures gave him a rare lens on global supply chains, and how KOTN is turning fashion into real world impact. -----The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios with PRX.Producer and Composer: Alexandre MillerEditors: Eve Weston and Martin McGreevySession Engineer: Gabe Sweeney

On this show - and in the work we do at World Within - we spend a lot of time asking one question: “What happens when the systems we depend on stop working for the communities they’re meant to serve?”Today we’re talking about one of the biggest of them all: banking.And our guide is Kat Taylor.Kat is the co-founder of Beneficial State Bank and a leading voice in the movement to build a more regenerative economy. In this conversation, she breaks down how banks really work, why the system looks the way it does today, and - most importantly - what each of us can do to be part of changing it.-----The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios with PRX.Producer and Composer: Alexandre MillerEditors: Eve Weston and Martin McGreevySession Engineer: Gabe Sweeney

Last episode, we featured Cole Mannix of Old Salt Co-op - a collective of ranchers outside Helena, Montana who are restoring landscapes, local food, and protecting a ranching way of life being squeezed by industrial agriculture.Cooper Hibbard is one of those ranchers.He speaks candidly about family legacy - the cherished values carried forward, and the harder history tied to the land. It’s a conversation about what we inherit - and what we choose to do with it. -----The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios with PRX.Producer and Composer: Alexandre MillerEditors: Eve Weston and Martin McGreevySession Engineer: Gabe Sweeney

“Land is kin.” It’s the mantra at the heart of what guides Cole Mannix and Old Salt Co-op. Old Salt is a meat company built by ranchers to take the power back from Big Beef. They do everything from pasture to plate, running multiple restaurants and an annual festival that draws thousands to Montana around food, art, and community. This is also a deeply personal story born out of a promise to save his own ranch. Cole serves land, legacy, and community - and represents what it means to take responsibility for a place and the people who depend on it.-----The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios with PRX.Producer and Composer: Alexandre MillerEditors: Eve Weston and Martin McGreevySpecial Thanks: Gabe Sweeney

It’s an idea so simple it could come from a five-year-old. At least that’s how Lufa Farms founder, Mohamed Hage, refers to their idea of turning idle rooftops into working greenhouses. But the real story - and this conversation - is about what it takes to build it, and what becomes possible once you do.In Montreal, Lufa has become a household name for its rooftop farms, local food delivery, and hunger relief work - and that’s just the beginning.Alongside Mo, we’re joined by Dave Furneaux, a seasoned investor and builder, to talk about their friendship, what makes the “soul” of a business, and why the risks of doing something transformative are worth it.-----The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios with PRX.Producer and Composer: Alexandre MillerEditors: Eve Weston and Martin McGreevySpecial Thanks: Gabe Sweeney

Coral reefs are disappearing fast - and they matter more to our daily lives than most of us realize. Sam Teicher, co-founder of Coral Vita, joins the pod to explain their fascinating approach to reef restoration, which he calls “taking coral to the gym.” We talk Category 5 hurricanes, why the Bahamas is leading this work, and why coral reefs matter whether you live by the ocean or nowhere near one. We’ve all heard what’s going wrong in the climate change fight - this is a conversation about what’s still possible.-----The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios with PRX.Producer and Composer: Alexandre MillerEditors: Kenny McMillanSpecial Thanks: Gabe SweeneySFX credits:Sunrise east and west coast waves skagen branch 07-27.wav by Kyster -- https://freesound.org/s/126007/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Arian Moayed (Stewy on Succession, Agent Cleary in the MCU) joins us for a joyfully real conversation about acting, ambition, and stories that can actually move culture. Arian opens up about his humble beginnings, the winding road to the stage and screen, and why the stories we tell actually matter. He also shares what it was like working with Robin Williams on Broadway (and why Robin was exactly who you hoped he’d be). Plus, Arian shares how his impact work with Waterwell uses theater to spark change.-----The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios with PRX.Producer and Composer: Alexandre MillerEditors: Eve Weston and Martin McGreevySpecial Thanks: Gabe Sweeney

In this episode, we hear from Arne Duncan, Curtis Toler, and Billy Moore - leaders whose lives and work are deeply entwined with the realities of violence, healing, and transformation on Chicago’s South and West Sides.This is Chicago Cred.The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios.Our producer and composer is Alexandre Miller, our editing team is Eve Weston, Martin McGreevy, and Kenny McMillan. Special thanks to Gabe Sweeney for technical assistance. 

With a story that’s one part The Bear, one part The West Wing, Sam Kass might just be the most interesting man in the fight against climate change. He shares his unique path from the highest echelons of fine dining, to White House Chef, to the frontlines of nature-based climate solutions. Sam leads us through a critical conversation about how food and agriculture can become our biggest lever to fight climate change.

Legendary, Oscar-winning documentary producer Geralyn Dreyfous explores the future of impact storytelling. We get into what makes a film resonate, why Hollywood’s economics are broken, and how new models could shift power back to creators, communities, and independent filmmakers.

You've never heard a story quite like the Ginjan Bros.Brothers Mo and Rahim Diallo share their winding journey from Guinea to New York City. What started as an african juice brand with less than $1,000 is now poised to open new economic pathways for thousands of Guineans and New Yorkers alike.Learn more about the Ginjan Bros (and order some delicious juice!).

Brandon Stanton is the most famous artist you've probably never heard of.He’s the creator of Humans of New York and his portraits and stories of everyday people have over 30 million followers online, yet to most of his audience he remains invisible.Today we speak with the man behind the camera about art, faith, loneliness, perseverance, and what it means to truly see one another.

The first episode of How to Change the World features Brandon Stanton, the visionary behind  online storytelling sensation Humans of New York. He shares the story behind his boldest project yet - turning Grand Central Station into an immersive gallery of New Yorkers and their stories.Together, we explore how to realize a dream this big, the moral complexity of capturing human stories, and the extraordinary wisdom in each of us.The How to Change the World Podcast is produced by World Within Studios with PRX.Additional SFX from: subway_ departs.wav by martats -- https://freesound.org/s/127819/ Trains Arriving and Departing (NYC Subway) by ericnorcross81 -- https://freesound.org/s/611093/

The How to Change the World Podcast invites you to sit down with builders, artists, and organizers as they wrestle with today’s challenging questions while providing blueprints, cautionary tales, and calls to action for anyone ready to fight for a more just world.As our host Rostam Zafari put it: "Our world is organized by a financial system that concentrates power and wealth––pulling resources out of communities and putting them into the pockets of the few, but right now, across the globe, people are breaking those rules, and building towards a fair future. The How to Change the World podcast is where we come together, learn, and chart a path toward that future together.” New episodes every other Thursday starting October 9th. Produced by World Within Studios with PRX.