What does it look like to practice kindness when you're in desperate need of it?

In this solo episode of Humankindness at Work, host Jennifer Clark shares a personal story from the summer of 2003 - a July 4th spent thousands of miles from home in Bamako, Mali.

Recovering from a serious illness and struggling with homesickness, Jennifer made a choice: instead of focusing on herself, she would extend kindness to the people around her. What followed was an unexpected and beautiful exchange - and a lesson she still carries with her.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How one simple act of kindness shifted Jennifer's perspective during one of her lowest moments
• What her host families in Mali taught her about seeing, celebrating, and caring for others
• A practical challenge to help you make a difference this week right where you are
• Why humankindness benefits both the giver and the receiver

Key Takeaway: Making a difference doesn't have to be complicated. Kindness starts with lifting your eyes off your own problems long enough to see the people around you.

This week's challenge: Find one person and take a genuine interest in them. You don't have to cross an ocean to make someone feel seen.

Humankindness at Work is the podcast where real people share real stories of making a difference in their corner of the world. New episodes drop every other Monday. Subscribe so you never miss one. And if today's episode moved you, please leave a review. It helps more people find the show. Thank you!

HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jennifer Clark

Humankindness at Work Podcast website

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🎤 NEED PROFESSIONAL VOICE OVER FOR YOUR MEDIA PROJECTS? Let the sound of humankindness share your story!

Jennifer Clark is a multi-award nominated female voiceover talent, specializing in TV/radio/digital commercials, web videos, explainer videos, eLearning, documentaries, IVR, and more!

Check out her work at https://jennifersvoice.com.

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🎧 PRODUCER: Melanie Scroggins of Scroggins Creative

Scroggins Creative is a content studio run by husband-and-wife duo, Jeremy and Melanie Scroggins, helping founders and teams create thoughtful, high-quality podcasts and videos for heart-led brands.

🎵 Original music written and produced by Brent Johnson.

What if your child created and consumed media that shaped their character?

In this episode of Humankindness at Work, you’ll meet Daniel Badi Rinaldi, a professional media producer and the founder and executive director of Shiny Gems, a media education organization helping students in grades four through eight navigate their digital lives with wisdom, creativity, and integrity.

Daniel's grandparents worked on beloved Disney films during the golden age like Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Dumbo. Growing up surrounded by storytelling, Daniel developed a deep love for media from an early age. Alongside that came another influence: his mother, who facilitated a virtues-based character development program in the neighborhoods of Cali, Colombia - teaching children values like kindness, generosity, patience, and humility.

Decades later, Daniel brought both worlds together. After a career spanning PBS Kids, NPR, iHeart Radio, documentary production, journalism, and podcasting, he founded Shiny Gems — a curriculum now reaching classrooms across the United States and Canada.

Shiny Gems uses media itself to teach media literacy and digital citizenship, weaving virtues into every module. Students learn practical skills that help them become active, thoughtful participants in their digital lives rather than passive consumers.

In this conversation, Daniel shares:

• How childhood media experiences shape identity and imagination, and why that matters for the content kids consume today
• What "better content" really means, and why it isn't about producing feel-good fluff
• How virtues like moderation, patience, and generosity apply directly to digital citizenship
• Why even posting a photo or an emoji is a creative act, and an opportunity to reflect your values
• A simple, powerful question every parent and educator can ask to spark media literacy at home
• Daniel's hopeful vision for a society built on trust, purposeful storytelling, and communities that look out for one another

Whether you're a parent trying to guide your child through the noise of screens and social media, an educator looking for character-based curriculum tools, or someone who simply believes that the stories we tell matter - this episode will leave you inspired and equipped to make a difference in your corner of the digital world.

🌟 Shiny Gems is currently in one of its pilot phases, and the pilot modules are available at no charge. Visit ShinyGems.com to learn more and get started.

HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jennifer Clark

Humankindness at Work Podcast website

🎤 NEED PROFESSIONAL VOICE OVER FOR YOUR MEDIA PROJECTS?

Jennifer Clark is a multi-award nominated female voiceover talent, specializing in TV/radio/digital commercials, web videos, explainer videos, eLearning, documentaries, IVR, and more!

Check out her work at https://jennifersvoice.com.

🎧 PRODUCER: Melanie Scroggins of Scroggins Creative

Scroggins Creative is a content studio run by husband-and-wife duo, Jeremy and Melanie Scroggins, helping founders and teams create thoughtful, high-quality podcasts and videos for heart-led brands.

🎵 Original music written and produced by Brent Johnson.

When disaster strikes, hunger doesn’t wait.

In this episode of Humankindness at Work, you’ll meet Linda Roth - Emmy award-winning journalist and Chief of Communications & Strategy at World Central Kitchen - who shares how food becomes a lifeline, a symbol of hope, and a vehicle for community resilience in the face of crisis.

World Central Kitchen has served over 600 million meals in more than 50 countries. They show up within 24 hours of a crisis - through hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and war. What makes them different? They cook the food people actually grew up eating. Because when everything is gone, a taste of home feels like hope.

Linda put it beautifully: "We don't ask what religion you are, what political bent you have. We don't ask any questions. All we ask is, “How many meals do you need?"

After the LA wildfires, donors told them: "I've been giving to you for years, but I never thought I'd need you."

None of us do. That's exactly why this work matters.

🎧 Listen to the full episode and find out how YOU can get involved, even from your own kitchen table.

🌍 LEARN MORE ABOUT WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN

HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Jennifer Clark

Humankindness at Work Podcast website

➡️ FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SOCIALS!

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

🎤 NEED PROFESSIONAL VOICE OVER FOR YOUR MEDIA PROJECTS? Let the sound of humankindness share your story!

Jennifer Clark is a multi-award nominated female voiceover talent, specializing in TV/radio/digital commercials, web videos, explainer videos, eLearning, documentaries, IVR, and more!

Check out her work at https://jennifersvoice.com.

FOLLOW JENNIFER ON SOCIALS:

YouTube

LinkedIn

Instagram

Facebook

🎧 PRODUCER: Melanie Scroggins of Scroggins Creative

Scroggins Creative is a content studio run by husband-and-wife duo, Jeremy and Melanie Scroggins, helping founders and teams create thoughtful, high-quality podcasts and videos for heart-led brands.

🎵 Original music written and produced by Brent Johnson.