KIND CURIOSITY

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Joandi Hartendorp. She is a researcher, educator, and advisor whose PhD at the University of Humanistic Studies in Utrecht compares Dutch Holocaust education with Dutch slavery education. In her dissertation, Were we “good” or “bad”? Common ground in Dutch Slavery and Holocaust education, she asks how textbooks, teachers, and commemorations shape collective memory of “sensitive history”—and how they often minimize Dutch perpetration in both cases.We speak about our shared experience of being Black and raising our daughters in a world that seems them as the least of the "others." The most surprising aspect of this conversation for me was the mention of Black Pete (Zwarte Piet) and how for years of her young life she did not realize it was racist. I will be sure to have her back to discuss the progress of making Queen Nikkolah day, the celebration of the land.

Welcome to season two. I want to thank you if you have followed me previously and if you are new. This episode speaks to the guests I plan to have and my goal of dispelling misinformation. I dive deeper into why I started this podcast and what I hope to accomplish. Again, thank you for listening. Please comment so that I can learn as I go and to provide more content on what you would like to hear.As always thank you for joining and please Have the AUDACITY to be KIND!

In this episode (14 to be exact) I review what I have learned thus far. This has been an amazing three months and I am proud of what I have done thus far. I do however, have more to learn and I would like to share what that is with you. I speak to what I have learned from each of my guests and how it has given me hope. My podcast release schedule will change to every other Monday. This will give me time to really investigate my guests and to present factual information for you with the data that I've found.If you have been with me from the beginning, I would like to say thank you for being a loyal listener. I know your time is precious and I do not take it for grant. If this is your first episode, I would also like to say thank you. Thank you for taking the time to expand your listening palate and for choosing my podcast to do so.I hope that you and my loyal listeners will continue with me on this journey of presenting Kind Curiosity in this divisive world we are in. My name if Felicia, thank you for your time and please have the AUDACITY to be KIND!

In this episode, I share real stories of animals who model kindness, empathy and courage—from trapped rats being freed by their companions and elephants being soothed by piano music, to heroic dogs and cats who protect and comfort their people. I reflect on how these moments can soften our hearts, expand who we see as “worthy” of care, and give us a safe way to practice being more kind and curious in our everyday lives. Animals can model kindness in ways we overlook and as long as they don't feel threatened, they always have the AUDACITY to be KIND!

Kindness doesn’t stop with people. In this episode of the Kind Curiosity Podcast, I speak with author Timothy Mathews, author of the heartwarming children’s book The Night Before Pawmas. Inspired by the classic rhythm of holiday storytelling, the book introduces us to Lilly Rose, Daisy Mae and Santa Paws. The story reminds us through our that kindness, empathy and compassion are traits that demonstrate our humanity. Thunterbooks.com

In this episode of Kind Curiosity, I honor parents who have faced the unthinkable — the loss of a child — and chose to build outward instead of folding inward. Drawing on stories of celebration-of-life spaces, neighborhood transformation, violence-prevention programs, foundations, and research on purpose, I explore what can happen when grief is shared, channeled, and allowed to build something new in the world when a child is lost. Featured people, venues, and projectsA Gathering For You – Celebration of Life Venue (Green Bay, Sandy Hook Promise Sandy Hook Promise – Start With Hello program Sandy Hook Promise – Say Something programAvalon Village (Highland Park, MI) Books and work by Dr. Victor (Vic) StrecherLife on Purpose: How Living for What Matters Most Changes Everything (book)Purposeful appPurpose castFoundations mentioned:Levi J. Burton FoundationThe Daye Foundation Just Remember 88 Foundation ​Crisis and support resources (U.S.)Call or text 988 in the United States for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.Call 211 in the United States to be connected with local social services and mental health resources.

In this episode of Kind Curiosity, I sit down with Dr. Victor Strecher, University of Michigan professor, behavioral scientist, and author of Life on Purpose: How Living for What Matters Most Changes Everything. After the sudden loss of his 19-year-old daughter Julia, Vic’s search for meaning reshaped both his personal life and his research, leading him to explore how a clear sense of purpose can transform our health, resilience, and day-to-day choices.His Purposeful app focuses on purpose powered well being. His Purpose cast features others who are living a purposeful life. If you or someone you know is experiencing prolonged depression there is help available. 988 is the suicide Crisis helpline. You can call or text. (Press 1 if you are Veteran)Text "HOME" to 741741 anywhere in the United StatesSAMHSA or 1-800-662 HELP provides support in English and Spanish

In this episode of Kind Curiosity, I speak with Melisa Maloney, founder of A Gathering for You, about creating a space where people are allowed to have a true celebration of life for a loved one that has passed on. Melissa explains why traditional spaces—funeral homes and churches—do not meet everyone’s needs when it comes to loss. Her work offers an alternative: a place where grief is not rushed, scripted, or stripped of humanity.This conversation explores why grief deserves flexibility, why joy is not disrespectful, and how kindness shows up when we stop telling people how they are “supposed” to mourn.This episode is for anyone who has ever felt there should be another way to grieve—and had the aduacity to imagine it.

In this episode, I examine individuals who have the audacity to be kind toward those who are differently abled. Rather than viewing disability as limitation, they recognized capability and potential. They refused to define others by what they could not do and instead treated them as individuals capable not only of participation, but of excellence.This episode explores what Kind Curiosity looks like when we reject lowered expectations and choose to see possibility. I name the helpers and examine the courage and conviction behind their actions.

In this episode I sit down with Greg Maloney, owner of Promoting Abilities an organization in Green Bay, Wisconsin dedicated to teaching people with disabilities how to live independent, self-directed lives.Too often, people with disabilities are spoken about instead of listened to.This episode challenges listeners to rethink how independence, success, and leadership are defined—and who gets included in those definitions.Greg’s work reminds us that when we raise expectations and remove barriers, people rise.That is how he has the AUDACITY to be KIND!

In this episode of Kind Curiosity, I explore the role of women who practice kind curiosity in the technology sector. As innovation accelerates, the women in this episode challenges the assumption that speed, efficiency, and technical brilliance should come at the cost of empathy, inclusion, or ethical responsibility.This episode examines how workplace culture, leadership behavior, and system design in tech can either reinforce harm or create environments where people feel seen, respected, and valued. This episode is for women in tech who are leaders, founders, and anyone navigating systems where human needs are often treated as secondary and women still need permission to sit at the table.

In this episode of Kind Curiosity, I sit down with Nicole McGuire, Owner of: Trail Guide CRM and creator of the C.A.M.P Agile framework to talk candidly about what it means to be a woman in tech—and to lead with kindness in spaces that don’t always reward it.Tech environments frequently force women to choose between being respected and being kind. Nicole challenges that false choice. Through real-world experience, she shares how curiosity, empathy, and integrity can coexist with strong leadership, clear boundaries, and high performance.This episode speaks directly to women navigating male-dominated spaces, managing expectations, and pushing back against the idea that softness equals weakness. It’s a grounded, honest conversation about power, presence, and the courage it takes to remain human in high-pressure industries.Books mentioned in this episode:How Women RiseNever Split the DifferenceJack Ryan series of BooksThe New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power and FactsAlso mentioned: The We Don't Care Club

In this episode of Kind Curiosity, we explore what happens when educators choose courage over comfort and kindness over conformity. Building on themes introduced in Episode 1 and Episode 3 with Dr. Jeanine Wilson, this conversation centers on the often-overlooked impact of compassion in education.

In this episode I speak with Dr. Jeanine Wilson. She is a lifelong educator who happens to be my best friend since 6th grade. We discuss our childhood experiences with Kind Curiosity and how it is represented in education today. Please share your comments with kindness in childhood. If you like this Podcast or just this episode, please like, subscribe and follow.Remember Kind Curiosity is a choice for those who Have the Audacity to be Kind!(R)

In this first full episode of the Kind Curiosity Podcast, we explore why kindness — when paired with curiosity — is not weakness, but leadership.In a culture that rewards outrage, cruelty, and snap judgment, having the audacity to be kind is no longer optional. It is necessary.This episode examines how Kind Curiosity has shaped history, why it feels so difficult today, and how choosing curiosity over dehumanization is one of the most disciplined acts a person can take.

Kind Curiosity™ is a podcast about what happens when we choose curiosity over judgment and kindness over cruelty—especially in the workplace.Hosted by Felicia Hamilton, consultant, speaker, and creator of Have the AUDACITY to be KIND!™, this podcast challenges the growing belief that cruelty is strength and empathy is weakness. Curiosity, kindness, and empathy are leadership skills, and they are essential to a healthy workplace culture, high employee morale, retention, and trust.Each episode blends real conversations, research-backed insights, and lived experience to explore topics such as:Psychological safety and workplace culture.Inclusion without performative behavior.Leadership accountability without hostility.Navigating difficult conversations with clarity and respect.The real cost of toxic environments—and what actually improves them.Kind Curiosity™ is for leaders, educators, and anyone who believes we can be direct, honest, and accountable without being demeaning.Kindness is not weakness. Curiosity is not complacency.It takes people who Have the AUDACITY to be Kind to choose both.