Capacity Building Podcast

Watch and Listen to all episodes below

Ep 17: The Capacity of Belonging, Becoming, and Beyond

In this episode, Dr. Angel Acosta, Maria Tan, and Drisana McDaniel explore the profound themes of belonging, becoming, and the journey beyond. They reflect on the Acosta Institute's mission to foster a community where radical empathy and self-authoring are central to personal and collective growth.

Ep 16: Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty with Amy Elizabeth Fox

In this episode, Dr. Angel Acosta, Maria Tan, and Drisana McDaniel explore the profound themes of belonging, becoming, and the journey beyond. They reflect on the Acosta Institute's mission to foster a community where radical empathy and self-authoring are central to personal and collective growth.

Ep 15: Compassionate Responses to Climate Challenges with Dr. Renee Lertzman

This conversation with Renee Lertzman focuses on how compassion-based approaches can address the emotional and psychological dimensions of climate change. Renee shares insights from her extensive experience in trauma-informed education and climate psychology, offering practical strategies for managing climate-related grief, denial, and anxiety.

Ep 14: Creativity, Capacity, and the Healing Journey with Darlene Cordero

Join Dr. Angel Acosta and author Darlene Cordero for an inspiring conversation about creativity, rest, and healing-centered work. Drawing from her new book, The Healer’s Playbook, Darlene shares insights on building capacity through alignment, setting healthy boundaries, and the transformative power of divine rest.

Ep 13: Building Capacity Through Leadership and Mentorship with Dr. Betty Uribe

Dr. Betty Uribe shared her inspiring journey from humble beginnings to becoming a trailblazer in leadership and business. She emphasized the importance of embracing natural gifts, leaning into fear for growth, and maintaining a long-term vision in personal and professional pursuits.

Ep 12: Navigating Uncertainty and Climate Realities with Maggie Jackson

This engaging conversation with Maggie Jackson explores the significance of embracing uncertainty in our lives. Maggie highlights how developing the ability to navigate uncertainty can enhance our mental flexibility and foster personal growth. Key themes include the practice of pausing to process new perspectives, the role of daydreaming in relieving stress, and the impact of stepping out of comfort zones.

Ep 11: Nurturing AI - Ubuntu Ethics and Mothering Technology with Wakanyi Hoffman

This engaging conversation with Maggie Jackson explores the significance of embracing uncertainty in our lives. Maggie highlights how developing the ability to navigate uncertainty can enhance our mental flexibility and foster personal growth. Key themes include the practice of pausing to process new perspectives, the role of daydreaming in relieving stress, and the impact of stepping out of comfort zones.

Ep 10: Breaking Bias - Tools for Conscious Leadership with Anu Gupta

Anu Gupta and Dr. Angel Acosta discuss the importance of capacity building in the context of social justice and combating bias. Anu's new book, "Breaking Bias," explores the need for a consciousness shift to address inequity and injustice. He emphasizes the PRISM toolkit, which includes mindfulness, stereotype replacement, individuation, heart practices, and perspective-taking to reduce bias.

Ep 9: Expanding Business Through Beauty, Intimacy & Curation with Tim Leberecht

Tim Leberecht, co-founder of the House of Beautiful Business, shares his unique perspective on centering beauty, intimacy, and curation in the business world. Tim discusses how creating meaningful experiences can foster connection and build resilience in the face of today’s challenges.

Ep 8: Consciousness, Technology and Embodied Awareness with Dr. Sará King

Dr. Angel Acosta and Dr. Sará King discuss the intersection of human consciousness, technology, and embodied awareness. Sará emphasizes the importance of recognizing the aliveness in everything, including inanimate objects and the earth, and critiques the term "artificial intelligence." She introduces her company, MindHeart Collective, which develops a platform called the "mirror of loving awareness" to track and map personal and environmental data for healing and well-being.

Ep 7: Our Practice as Healing Balm with Rev. angel Kyodo williams

Dr. Angel Acosta interviews Rev. angel Kyodo williams on the transformative power of mindfulness and contemplative practices. Rev. angel emphasizes the importance of intentional practices in building capacity and fostering a liberatory path. She discusses the concept of "healing race portals," which aim to address the generational trauma of racialization.

Ep 6: Towards Healing-Centered Approach to Business

In this conversation, Dr. Angel Acosta and Maria Tan explore the concept of healing centered business, sharing their personal journeys into entrepreneurship and discussing the principles that guide their work. They emphasize the importance of mindfulness, relational approaches, and the need for businesses to account for the well-being of both clients and employees.

Ep 5: Capacity Building with Artificial Intelligence

In this conversation, Angel and Dru explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on education and business. They discuss their personal journeys from skepticism to fluency with AI, emphasizing the importance of practice, prompting, and building relationships with technology.

Ep 4: The Spirit of Healing-Centered Learning Environments

In this conversation, Dr. Angel Acosta, Drisana McDaniel, and Maria Tan explore the essence of the Acosta Institute, focusing on the spirit and culture that drive their work. They discuss the importance of nurturing a collective energy, the concept of generative social fields, and the significance of healing-centered learning environments.

Ep 3: Capacity Building Inside the Acosta Institute

In this episode, Maria Tan and Drisana McDaniel discuss their experiences with capacity building at the Acosta Institute. They share their personal journeys into healing-centered education, the importance of relationships and community in building capacity, and how their work has evolved over time.

Ep 2: How Capacity Building is Counterintuitive

In this conversation, Dr. Angel Acosta, Maria Tan, and Drisana McDaniel explore the multifaceted concept of capacity building, emphasizing its counterintuitive nature, the relationship between speed and slowing down, and the importance of understanding individual needs and temporalities.

Ep. 1: What Does Capacity Building Mean?

In this debut episode, Angel, Drisana, and Maria reflect on the Acosta Institute’s journey, sharing how their work— from healing-centered education conferences to workshops on resilience and collective flourishing—has continually centered on "building capacity." But what does that truly mean?.