Seth Samuels is dedicated to healing some of our political divides. He has worked in the world of political data in the past eight years, starting when he left his PhD program to join former President Barack Obama’s Analytics Cave for the United States Presidential Elections in 2012. Frustrated at partisan politics—yet still devoted to bridging society’s rifts—Seth began working on his project, The Good World: a memoir, manifesto, and model on how we can create a more just and kind world.

In this episode, Seth and I discuss his vision of a good world and describe the richness and beauty that already exist in it. We explore systemic racism and define the responsibility of white people in combating racial injustice. We elaborate on the collective trauma the world is currently experiencing and describe how generations can pass unhealed trauma to the next. We also underscore the importance of being open to the world’s surprises and emphasize the power of looking at the good and the bad of the world.

“The good and the bad of the world are both important to see. If we are to get to the good world, we need to see, process, and hold both of them.” – Seth Samuels

This week on Life in the AND:

• The characteristics that make a good world
• How much good already exists in the world and how we can make it better
• Food as an experience that shapes our world while we grow up
• Cultural diversity & richness and how language is a form of innovation
• The importance of lowering our expectations
• What it means to be open to the world’s surprises
• Systemic racism and the fear of speaking up
• What white people should do when they have offended people of color
• Cheese, trauma, and the power of recognizing collective trauma
• How trauma can be passed down through generations
• Healing trauma through hobbies & physical action

Related Content:

• The ANDs We Need for True Inclusion with Niiamah Ashong
• There *Are* Barriers AND There Are Tunnels with Dante Clemons

Connect with Seth Samuels:

• Seth Samuels on Twitter
• Seth Samuels on LinkedIn 

Embrace Life in the AND

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Life in the AND, the podcast helping you embrace the AND in your life to cultivate more authenticity, creativity, inclusiveness, and love in every area of the world around you. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe to the show and leave a review.

Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and share your favorite episodes across social media. And for more great content and information, be sure to visit my website.